#Majestic Log Home

[antlersatdegray]

[yigashimei]

Here you are people some of my all-time favorite Genshin mommies getting all the love they deserve

Soulmates? Such a thing, who would have thought that out of everyone in this whole world you got to be the one with 3 destined soulmates

Why did it just have to be you?

You didn't even want to choose when they made you now what?

"Reader" "Ningguang" "Signora" "Lisa"

Warnings⚠️: Smut, Fluff ending

Traveling was your dream, a dream you wish to fulfill before you are not able to

Your parents disagree, saying you should stay with them so that you can settle down once you find your soulmate, you disagree

So you choose, either you stay and become miserable or you leave and fulfill your dream the only downside is you might not be able to know who your soulmate is

It was a risk but you wanted to accomplish your dream, and so you left

In the middle of the night while the colorless sky hung over you, it was a curse for you to not know what those around you look like till you find your soulmate

It was one of the things that help you know who your soulmate was, by looking in their eyes you will see a burst of colors all over you, lighting your once dull vision with vibrant and majestic colors—is what you heard from your friend

But alas you don't know how but you also have a mark more specifically a soulmate mark on your neck

It was a star with a crescent moon you don't know the color of it but according to your friends and family it was a night purple star with a midnight blue moon next to it

You covered it with a scarf so that no one can copy it again, so that the accident will not happen again

Well there was no time to dwell in the past, you are now approaching the land of freedom Monsdant it was beautiful even if you were not able to identify the colors of it, for you it was magnificent and that was enough for the time being

Arriving in Mondstadt was easy considering it was night, even tho the knights that were guarding the gate reluctantly agreed in letting you in due to the time, but thanks to this blonde woman who just so happens to be passing by

Jean was just passing by, inspecting everything before going home when she saw you at the gate talking—more like arguing—with the guard, she decided to step in and know what was happening

So despite her own opinion she reluctantly agreed on guiding you to a nearby inn to let you settle in for the night

"Thank you very much miss! I don't know what I would have done have you not step in to help me!" you said enthusiastically, she merely observed you before speaking

"It was nothing, but please be advised that leaving and entering the city at night will arise our suspicion to you, so please bear in mind that you will not do this again" she voiced out, strictly but gently at the same time

"I understand, but if I may be bold, what is your name?" you asked making her smile gently "I am the Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonious, welcome to Mondstadt traveler from a far" she did her salute with a warm smile "I will be going now, take care and may the wind guide you" she said before turning to leave

"Ah right, I wish to see you tomorrow at my office, please be at ease that I only wish to confirm something from you and regarding your arrival here" she added before waving and leaving you alone

Puzzled you just shrugged your shoulders and went inside the in to logged yourself a room to rest for the night

You sighed, dreading the next to arrive but at the same time, you were excited to explore yet another region in Teyvat, you wanted to learn more about everything here and around the whole world

Sleep soon took over you and the next time you opened your eyes it was already morning, the sun was shining and the sky was clear 'Perfect for exploring' you thought and left the bed to get yourself ready

Once outside you asked the people where the Knights of Favonious headquarters are, when you successfully arrived you notice a variety of people in different clothing around the headquarters

Confused you asked around and saw the same guard that stopped you at the gate last night walking around, most likely patrolling the area

"Umm, excuse me?" you waved at him, he then stopped and looked at you "Ohh, it's you again the gal from last night, what are you doing here?" he asked looking at you

"Oh, the lad– no sorry, I mean the Acting Grand Master asked for me to come here today, but I was wondering what is all the commotion about? There are so many people here" you said while looking around looking at the people

"I see, yes you are right, the Tianquan of Liyue is currently here hence the millileth are also here, the ones in dark clothing are here for the Fair Lady from Sheneznaya, I don't know why they are here, but you should got to the Acting Grand Master, she must be looking for you right about now" he then bid you farewell after a couple of 'thanks' coming from you

You then head towards the doors and went inside, asking another guard where the office of the Acting Grand Master was, they then point it to you

Knocking on the door startled the four people inside, Jean being the one with authority and owning the office granted you permission to enter

"Sorry to disturb yo–" you stopped in your tracks when you opened the door, locking eyes with three of the four women in the room you suddenly see a burst of colors, everything was beautiful

You could also see their eyes going wide from seeing you, suddenly your soulmate mark at your neck started to itch a bit, it left you gasping

That seems to have broken everyone from their trance, the first lady went up to you, she was wearing red and black, her platinum blonde hair was covering a part of her eyes, while her light gray eye are what you catch the most beautifully

"My, my, looks like this one is a fine catch, should I consider myself lucky for finding you here of all places tiger?" she asked with a smirk, looking directly at your eyes,

She was then interrupted by another person whose hair is also platinum blonde while her eyes shine like rubies in the dark, this person was wearing a midnight blue outfit that showed all her curves

"Who said she was your catch? I think you are solely mistaken, for I think– no for I know I have her as a big catch, right my dear?" she said looking at your direction

Before you could answer another voice interrupted you, it was a dark brown haired woman with emerald green eyes, she was wearing a purple dress and a matching purple hat

"Ara~ That seems to have been my catch good miss, you two are fighting a losing game for she already is my catch from the start, right cutie?" she asked looking at your direction

'How did I end up here?!' you thought to yourself, this was not how you imagined your day to turned out, you were merely planning to explore after meeting the Acting Grand Master and stay in Mondstadt for a week or two maybe three at most, not find your soulmate(s) in one place

You wanted to get out of here so you did the most logical yet idiotic thing you could think of at that moment, you ran, out of the headquarters and out of the city towards the path that leads to a small village you only stopped when you think you were far enough already

Hoping that you are you looked around only to see that you ran so far that your knees suddenly gave up on you making you fall to the ground

"This day just gets worse doesn't it???" You asked nobody but yourself before laying down to the soft grass beside the road, it was peaceful, the wind blows music of the bards and your problems suddenly became nothing but a blur

Yet you know that hiding can get you nowhere, you have to face them, you have to confront them, but you were also afraid of rejection, so a peace like this was something you are thankful for at the moment

Looking up you saw the clouds dance together, a simple show just for your eyes the colors they poses were majestic, like a rainbow dancing on the sky

You sigh once more before sitting up, looking at the road you are on you can see the vast green grass, the brown dirt road and the trees that hang fruit

You decided that this is enough and stood up, you patted your clothes to take the dust away before starting your walk back to Mondstadt

While walking you can see a few knights that were patrolling the area, still mesmerized by the colors that are around you, it was very different from the dull world you come to know of

After arriving back at the city you prayed with your life that those three soulmates of yours were not there at Jean's office if you were to return again

So you decided to go straight to your hotel and washed up, then to change your dirty clothes and get them cleaned for your next use, after that you went straight back to the Knights Headquarters to hopefully talk with Jean once more

Upon arriving there were less people than earlier, hoping that you won't have to run into those three was a mere wishful thinking, going straight to Jean's office and listening 'She seems to be alone now, good' knocking you wait for a confirmation to come in

Once you were allowed you slowly opened the door and went inside "Jean, sorry for running aw-" you stopped on your tracks when you saw those three woman again

"Sorry, I can come back later" you said in a hurry before trying to close the door but was stopped by Jean holding it "No need, come inside and don't try to run away again" she said before opening the door and leading you inside

Once you were inside she then closes the door and went back to her office chair after giving you a chair to sit on

You could feel their gaze on you, their eyes bored on your back, you tried your best to not look in their way as much as possible while waiting for Jean to speak up

"Now that you're here, I shall get straight to the point, Y/N upon arriving at the city, you have not caused a single problem, that is good and I expect it to stay like that" she said before handing you some paper

"Please fill this form out so we can confirm your stay here, it will also help us in knowing and assisting you in the future, you also have to send a copy of this to the adventure guild if you wish to venture outside of the walls and become an adventurer" she added before handing you a quilt pen

You started filling out the form but stopped when you arrived at a questions you do not wish to answer "Jean, would it be alright to not out anyone related to me?" you asked the blonde girl who looked up at you "Do you not have a family? Parents or siblings?" she asked back

"...I do but...I cut contact with them" you answered back "I see, you may leave it blank, do not worry" she said with a smile and continued on with her work, you then finished and handed it over to Jean

"Alright, this is good, now then I will give you this copy so you can hand it over to the adventures guild for you to join" she said before storing it at her drawer

"Now before another fight starts once more you can leave and take those three soulmates of yours with you" she said '...She basically kicked me out with those three!' you shouted on your mind when you left her office with the other people

"Ara~ Looks like Jean is going to be busy once more, what a shame~" the woman with a purple hat said with a sympathetic look for the Acting Grand Master while looking at the closed door, she then looked back at you with a smile "Now, we should have a talk, all four of us" she said before walking toward the opposite door of Jean's office

"We should take this talk to somewhere more private than a hallway, do you not agree, miss Harbinger? Miss Tianquan?" she added while looking at the other two who gave a nod before following her "Let's go my dear, this way" the other woman who has ruby red eyes called out before holding your hand and leading you toward the other door across

"Come in, have a seat while I prepare some tea for us to enjoy" the lady with a purple hat said leading you all to a concealed room behind the bookshelves where a couch, coffee table, a bed with some bedside table and lamps are

Looking at the direction the woman went you saw a long table with different flowers, fruits and ingredients lined up with some pot or cauldrons and things to make tea (you presume)

"None of you are allergic to anything right? Just to know so I won't accidentally put anything you are allergic to" she said while setting up a stove

"None that I have known of" the woman with ruby red eyes answered "I also have none" the other woman added "Great! What about you cutie? Anything you're allergic to?" she asked looking in your direction, you weren't able to answer just nod indicating that you also have no allergies whatsoever

A few minutes later she sat down with the tea in a cup to be served and a teapot, she put it down at the coffee table before looking back to you

"Tea anyone?" she gestured to all of you, the woman on your left with the dazzling pale blue eyes reached for a cup before drinking, she was then followed by the woman on your right with ruby red eyes, and just like her you to follow their lead, taking a cup and drinking it's contents

"It's very delicious!" you said before taking another sip, you heard a soft laugh, you looked up seeing the person who served you tea was giggling "Did I say something wrong? Or what?" you asked looking around you saw the other two people also holding their laughter but were also having a hard time doing so

"It's nothing for you to be afraid of, we just found your excitement very refreshing so it is making us happy that little things like these can make you smile so bright, my dear" the person on your right said with a smile, her smile made your heart beat faster, your face flushed with shame and embarrassment

They saw your ears turn bright red when you looked down, suddenly finding the floor more interesting that them "I-..." you tried to answer but was consumed with shyness

"There is nothing to be ashamed of, it's normal, so don't push yourself too hard Tiger" the woman on your left, she was quiet but still spoke, you just noticed but her voice was icy yet hot at the same time, it might have turned you on, just a bit

"She is correct cutie, and I am glad you liked how I brew my tea, if you wish I could teach you the steps" the woman in front of you said with a smile lingering her face

Still ashamed you just nodded and continued to drink your tea, a comforting silence overtook the room while you were enjoying tea

It was not uncomfortable, more like peaceful and relaxing, like a place that I belonged

The silence was soon broken by the beautiful platinum haired lady with light gray eye and a mask proudly covering half of her face "We should continue with the matter at hand" she said bringing her cup to the table and crossing her legs with her arms while looking at you who was beside her

'I'm dead, I'm so so dead!' you thought while sipping on your tea trying to ignore her hard gaze "Your words carry truth Harbinger Signora, we must get this all sorted out at once" the other person beside you said 'Her name is Signora? Wow it's beautiful' you said to yourself

"My dear you must tell us who you pick as your soulmate, it is custom for a person to have only one soulmate thus you must pick" her words hit you hard 'I have to pick one?' you were sad and devastated by the thought alone, it was like your heart was torn to million pieces by her words alone

"Now, now Tinaquan Ningguang, forcing her to pick without even knowing her opinion is something not worth it, because what if she doesn't want to pick?" the lady in purple said

"The librarian is correct Tianquan Ningguang, having her pick might only drift her away from any of us" Signora added while looking at them "Then what do you propose miss Lisa?" Ningguang asked the librarian you came to know as Lisa

"Hmm? Quite simple really, we just share her that's it" she said and put her cup of tea down, you were the only one drinking tea, feeling alone you put your tea at the table too "We share? Share as in we all have her? As in she does not have to pick?" Signora was baffled by the thought

"Yes, we share her, that way she does not have to pick and the other two do not have to suffer from losing a soulmate" she added "I refuse!" Signora said more like shouted at Lisa standing up "Like what Ningguang said she needs to pick, it's uncommon for a person to have a relationship with more than one person and you wish to share her?! Outrageous!" She shouted at her

You were frozen in your spot not knowing what to do "Weren't you just opposed to her idea due to the idea of either one of us drifting away from another if she ever picked?" Lisa countered her gaze instantly knowing what Signora meant

"Or are you worried if we share her, the attention, love and time she will give might not be in your favor?" She asked with a slight teasing tone, and based on the flinch you saw Signora had, Lisa hit the right topic

She wasn't in favor of sharing you and she is also not in favor of letting you pick 'Then what the hell do they want from me?!' you thought angrily, everything you do is like planned for you, yet you refuse to be doing this when none of them even consider asking for your opinion

They are all worried for their own and forgot that you have opinions and can make decisions for yourself, you didn't need them if they continue to discuss this without asking you first

It made you angry that this was all they wanted, that they never thought of what you want to do, of what your opinion is, so you made the decision to leave

Standing up you quietly and quickly went to the door hoping to not be seen, when you reached the door you opened it and went out making your way towards Jean's office

The sudden opening and closing of the door made the three of them realise you have left, they can feel it your emotions were all over the place before you went out, they could feel your anger, sadness and hopelessness, yet they have no idea why you felt that way

They all look at each other to indicate a truce for now in order to look for you, right now you were their top priority, to find you first

While they went out of the Headquarters to look for you, Jean looked at your dull eyes with her tired ones "Sorry Jean, but may I reside here for a moment?" You asked earning a nod from the grandmaster herself

You went towards the couch and sat down remembering everything they have said from the beginning to the end, Jean sensing that you are quite down at the moment stood up from her chair and sat down to the opposite couch from where you are

"Something seems to be troubling you Y/N, may I ask what it is?" her question caught you off guard 'Looks like she saw right through me already' you thought and tried to avoid answering her "It's nothing Jean, I was just deep in thought nothing too serious" you smiled at her

She wasn't buying it at all, before she could respond the door leading to her office burst open, looking back there she saw Lisa out of breath with sweat dripping down her face, Jean can clearly see that she was worried and looking for something

Putting the fact that you are here and Lisa is looking worried for no reason at all, she managed to know that it was you Lisa was looking for, and the Tianquan along with the Harbinger must also be looking with her

Deciding her next move Jean stood up and went towards the door, leaving you by yourself at the couch, once at the door Lisa looked at her 'It seems they have not yet saw Y/N due to the darkness in my office' Jean thought to herself before holding the door for Lisa and the other two, promoting them to enter her office

"The night is above us yet you three are here in my office, may I ask why?" she asked while they settle themselves inside her office, clearly have not caught sight of you just yet "Jean, have you seen Y/N? We must find her!" Lisa said her voice laced with worry for her soulmate

"I did saw her, but why must you find her?" Jean countered not revealing where your current location is "Acting Grandmaster, forgive my rudeness but we must find her at once, if you know where she might have been please tell us" it was Ningguang who asked Jean this time, she was breathing hard just looking for you

"Whether I tell you where she is is up to me, before I do hand you that information tell me why must you find the girl?" Jean remained strong, she must find out what happened before going forward "If you have no intention of telling me your reasons then forgive me but I will not tell you anything" she added

"Jean!" Jean was surprised that Lisa shouted at her, it was a first that it happened, Lisa has never shouted at her, this must be really important "You must tell us Jean! Please! I beg of you!" Lisa begged Jean, the Acting Grandmaster's resolve is close to crumbling, but she still chose to remain in her position of not saying anything

"No matter how much you beg me Lisa, my decision remains, if you wish to find Y/N you must tell me why you are looking for her in the first place" her words are firm with authority making the other three silent

"We made a decision without asking her opinion on it" it was the Harbinger this time that talked "We must clear the misunderstanding at once, it is our fault in the first place for not paying attention and asking her opinion before making these decisions that will ultimately affect her too" she added

Jean closed her eyes, she now knows why you went to her office, but now she does not know how to proceed with the situation, she looked at you past the three people in front of her, looking straight at your eyes silently asking whether she can disclose your location to them

You debated and nod your head at Jean, she saw and released a sigh "Fine, I will give you her location" this statement made the others happy even if they don't show it "Under one condition" she added making the three frown and gave a nod of their own "You three must make amends and let her decide, having only one soulmate must be hard especially when you three are from different nations, you must listen to her and try your best to come up with a solution that benefit all of you and not just you" she finished

The three looked at her and nodded their heads, they know their mistakes and wish to change that, they also want to make sure you never felt that you are some kind of pet for their entertainment only, you are their soulmate and they are very sorry they never showed it right from the beginning

"Good" Jean said before looking past them, the others got curious at what she was looking at looked behind them, there they saw a figure at the sofa before the light shines, that figure was their soulmate, she was here all this time

"Y/N!" Lisa was the first to walk towards the girl followed by the other two, they didn't take a seat beside her instead they kneeled down in front of her, Ningguang and Signora took a hand each while Lisa put her hands on your thighs, they looked at you like they were worshiping you

"We are deeply sorry, my dear" Ningguang started "We know the mistake we have made so pls do forgive us, it was never our intention to leave you out of the decision regarding our relationship" Signora added "We were inconsiderate, we forgot that you must also have a say in this, we should have asked for your opinion and decided base on favor by the four of us" Lisa continued

"It was our Mistake Y/N, do have it in you to forgive us, my dear/tiger/cutie" they said all together, you saw it in their eyes they are honest, they wish to make amends and make everything right

They were anxious to hear a response from you, it was slowly killing them thinking that they would have lost you too just because of their selfishness

"I-" you started but paused thinking about what to say next

Well you must wait till the next update because I am ending this here

I will add the smut in the next one, I am sorry this has been very late

I was so dedicated in my doing my real life activities that I ignored these stories not to worry I have much more cooking in my draft and once those are done I will post them at once!

I am very sorry again, I will try to post more often but due to school and my organizations along with this hetic emergency that keeps popping in almost every time it will be very hard

Once again I am very sorry and still thank you for your continuous support to my fics

This fic is dedicated to my friend @kurogane2512

Also the pic was provided by her thanks again for all the love and support

-Mei

[seramilla]

For the FALL au can we see the reunion between Carmilla and Sera after Emily's stunt and kidnapping

Sera didn't want to go to Hell herself. In fact, she'd done everything in her power to avoid doing just that. Lucifer is amenable to her plight to get Emily back, but a non-fallen angel descending to Hell of her own volition is outside his wheelhouse. Emily is not his subject. He has no jurisdiction over her. Despite Sera requesting his aid, he can't force the young angel to leave.

The best he can do for Sera is tell her Emily's location. Carmilla had made Emily's presence known to him as soon as the girl revealed her identity. That she's Sera's...and Carmilla's daughter. Lucifer had let Sera know that Emily is safe in Carmilla's care. Sera fell to her knees at the news. Emily's alive. She's okay. She'd actually found Carmilla.

She should be happy. She should be joyful. That her daughter had found her other parent at last, and on her own, no less. The thing she'd wanted for them both, for Emily's entire life, had finally come to pass.

But she is the opposite of those things, because now the reunion between her and Carmilla is inevitable, and she isn't certain how she's going to face her beloved after 10,000 agonizing years apart.

There is nothing else to be done about it, though. Sera opens a portal, directly to the Heaven embassy, and meets Lucifer at the crossroads. He directs her to Carmilla's home on the edge of Pentagram City, a sprawling, heavily fortified compound protected on all sides by cameras and a fence forged of angelic steel. Sera and Lucifer dematerialize, reforming on the other side of the barrier, as easily as water flows around a log. Lucifer knocks on the tall, foreboding structure that is the front door of the Carmine estate. The sound of Lucifer's small knuckles hitting the hard surface seems foreboding.

The door opens, and the angels are greeted by a younger blond woman who, after laying eyes on Sera, nearly falls backward into the entryway in shock. Not surprising, given how she and Lucifer had just shown up out of the blue. She looks like she certainly hadn't been expecting Sera's presence at her door. Sera should chastise Lucifer for not announcing their arrival, at the very least.

Lucifer apologizes for showing up without calling first, and the woman, whom Sera learns is named Odette, gulps heavily. She doesn't even seem to hear anything Lucifer just said. She's still too busy looking up at Sera.

"Oh, no, it's...!" Odette starts. She shakes her head, tries again. "No, no, your majesty. It's fine! It's perfectly fine! Please, let me...you and your...guest can follow me. Mother's been expecting you."

Mother? Sera thinks, lips twisting up in confusion. Does she mean...certainly not...?

Odette leads the two to a large sitting room filled with comfortable couches. The room is dark and cast in an almost supernatural shadow, even with the fiery red hue that creeps into the interior from the sky outside. Nothing about the setting is welcoming or warm. Sera suspects one can only do so much to make a dwelling in Hell appear inviting.

But despite knowing where she is, Sera can see all of Carmilla's little touches about the place that make it most definitely hers. From the choice of artwork, images of dancers and majestic birds adorning the walls, and the pearly white color of the furniture that she's sitting on -- everything is very reminiscent of Heaven. Of home. It gives Carmilla's homesickness away, even if no one else but Sera could recognize it for what it is.

As if conjured up by the power of her thoughts alone, Sera, Lucifer, and Odette's attention is quickly drawn away by Carmilla suddenly entering the room. She's followed closely by another young woman with light hair and dark skin, named Clara, and then finally, Emily, bringing up the rear and poking her head around the corner as if to assess the safety of the space before entering.

Sera has to physically restrain her instinct to leap up and grab Emily into her arms. The only thing stopping her is the sight of Carmilla standing there, which is like a one-two punch straight to the processing centers of her brain. The mother in her wants to embrace her daughter. The lover in her is transfixed by this...person standing in front of her. One that very obviously resembles the Carmilla she remembers, but who is also so different; it's like she walked right out of a different spectrum of reality entirely.

The hair, the eyes, the expression, the outfit, the air of regret and aloofness floating around Carmilla's form like a heavy fog...all of it is unfamiliar. Where is her spirit? Where is her light? It's like every molecule of angelic essence has been sucked out of her, leaving behind a shell of the woman she used to know. What happened? After all this time...what has this place done to her beloved?

"Mom!" Emily screeches, eyes widening in delight at seeing Sera. Sera doesn't have to get up and greet her, after all. Emily launches herself into Sera's arms, drawing the Seraphim out of her mental evaluation of Carmilla, and hugs her tightly around the waist. Emily cries tears of relief and happiness into her birth mother's pure white robes. They soak into the fabric, but Sera can't bring herself to care.

"Emily! Oh, my girl! Don't ever make me worry like that again!"

Sera wraps her arms around Emily, in turn. But she can't be distracted by this reunion for long. Not at the overstimulation of seeing the two most precious people to her...in the same room together, as if it's just so normal. The weight of it is like an electric bolt to her psyche.

"Mom!" Emily shouts again, drawing Sera's attention back down to her, smiling a grin so wide that it nearly tears the girl's face in two. Emily gestures at Carmilla. "I found her, Mom! I found Carm--Mama! She's been here the whole time! Isn't that wonderful?!"

Carmilla barely shifts her eyes in their direction, appearing as if she'd been trying to ignore Sera's presence until now. She'd been noticeably avoiding eye contact, but now that Emily's acknowledged her presence, those unfamiliar red eyes bore directly into Sera's soul. They hold very little of the warmth or affection she's used to; none directed at her, anyway. When she looks at Emily, that protectiveness and sincerity shines through. Right then, she looks like Carmilla...her old self.

But upon meeting Sera's gaze, the fallen angel appears as if she'd rather be anywhere but here at that moment. Face stern and arms crossed. Posture firm and immobile. Unamused. Annoyed.

What's wrong with her? Sera asks herself. Why does she look like she doesn't recognize me? Like she doesn't even see me?

"Carmilla..."

Sera stands. She hesitates, wondering if she should really do what her body is desperately telling her to do. Rush to her. Embrace her. Make her see that it's her.

Sera doesn't do that. She's not sure how well that would go over. But against her better judgement, she allows herself an ounce of hope that she's not overstepping a boundary. Convinces herself to take a tentative step toward the other woman; the one she used to love with every part of her being. The one she hopes, despite all the mixed signals she's sending her, still loves her, even if her body language at the moment isn't showing it.

Maybe she's embarrassed, Sera thinks. Carmilla was never one for overt displays of affection. It's been so long...maybe she just doesn't know how to react to seeing her again...maybe if Sera just shows her...

Sera's hopes are dashed when Carmilla takes a very definitive step back as she approaches. Unable to stop herself, Sera advances again, taking a few more steps toward her, and then reeling when Carmilla violently wrenches her body away. Carmilla practically twirls away to avoid contact, right before the other woman can even think about touching her.

"Carmilla! What--? It's me! Sera! Don't you remember?"

The sound that comes out of Sera's mouth at her query resembles a strangled whine. Like a childish plea. Why is Carmilla rejecting her? What has she done wrong? Why won't she just answer her?

Carmilla just looks at Sera with an expression as cold and disheartened as ice. As if Sera has done something to personally slight her. But she hasn't...Sera just got here! What could she have possibly done in the last two minutes to garner this kind of reaction?

"Carmilla..." she pleads again. "I beg of you. Please tell me what's wrong. Whatever it is...we can work through this. Please, my love, I promise I can fix it."

Sera reaches for her again. One final time. Pleading. Begging without words. But Carmilla turns away. Directly away, so she's no longer even facing her or Emily now, in a true sign of repudiation.

"You can't fix this!"

The first direct sentence Sera has heard from Carmilla in 10,000 years is like a fire iron stabbed directly into the Seraphim's heart. Carmilla's voice is so deep and raspy in her throat, like she's been screaming for hours, and her voice is raw from the effort. It's miserable. It's unrecognizable.

"You can't fix this." Carmilla repeats, more calm and stoic now. "I know. I've tried. For years. It never works. You don't belong here. Neither of you do. Now please leave. Before it's too late."

"Mama?" Emily implores of Carmilla, confused by the sudden change in Carmilla's demeanor. But not even the girl can break through the wall Carmilla has erected around herself. Just like the empire she's built down here, it will take more than a girl and a lost lover to permanently tear that barrier down.

Without even facing the two of them, Carmilla starts sobbing heavily, shoulders shaking. It's the most sincere emotion Sera has seen from her during this entire encounter, and it makes her heart break all over again.

"It was wonderful getting to meet you, Emily," Carmilla says weakly through her tears. "I will cherish these last few days for the rest of my life. But I'm afraid there are some things that can't be fixed. Can't be made right, no matter how much you want it. It's best for all of us if both of you leave now. Please...I can't bear it any longer."

"Carmilla, what--just talk to me! You don't know what you're saying! My love, we can--"

Carmilla cuts Sera off short.

"NO! LEAVE!"

Before even Lucifer can stop her, Carmilla is out the door, and disappearing down the hallway. Everyone she leaves behind can hear the heavy doors of the mansion slam behind her as she exits; they all remain there in the sitting room, silent for a very long time, confusion permeating the space.

Sera hugs Emily tighter to her as the girl cries into her robes. Sera blames herself. This is all her fault. She wonders where in all the realms she went wrong.

[hslllot]

A Soft Place to Fall - Part I

Story List 

Word count: 3.6k // Rated M // harry x reader

Note: Wowowow ok! So, here’s the first part of what will be a multi-part story. It is just a short lil introduction to our duo... The second part isn’t too far away either :) I want to thank my bullies motivating friends that encouraged me to write and share this! I love writing but am always painfully nervous about sharing. So please, if you like it, let me know! If you don’t like it you can also let me know but I will probably cry. OK ENJOY :)

Part I

In a cozy log cabin at the base of Mount Yamnuska, Harry found himself in a position he thought he’d never find himself in again.

He was hiding. 

It was something he tended to do after a particularly difficult break up: Flee to a different country, alone, to write and sulk and ponder how he always managed to screw things up. 

Jamaica. Japan. Italy. 

Canada.

In the heart of the Canadian rockies, he sat by the fire in his lonely wooden home. There was a winter unlike anything he’d ever experienced outside his window and a mug filled with English tea in front of him. Next to his mug was his journal, open to an empty set of pages, words painfully unwritten. 

He arrived in Calgary by plane this morning, peering out the window to see the bustling and bright landscapes of California transform into blankets of fresh white snow on barren acres of farmland. They flew over the Rocky Mountains and, despite having seen them from above before, he was transfixed by their beauty and size, and he wondered if anyone ever got tired of seeing something so majestic. He had never seen the mountains in the dead of winter, the trees, the ground, and the mountains themselves covered in white while the surrounding frozen glacier lakes remained a brilliant blue. He appreciated the beauty of it all, and under different circumstances he might have turned to the person sitting next to him and urged them to lean over and take a peek out the window too. But his mood soured when he remembered that the person sitting next to him was a stranger, and he was, again, on this trip alone.

Once the plane had landed he sent a quick text to his family group chat and Jeffrey to let them know he’d arrived in one piece. He scrolled through his emails to find all of the different reservations Jeffrey forwarded to him so he could pick up his rental vehicle and begin the 100 kilometre journey to the sleepy mountain town he would be calling home for the next three months. 

The GPS in the rental guided him to the Bow Valley Parkway, the scenic highway that would lead him through Banff National Park and to his destination. As he entered the parkway, he pulled into a designated lookout just past a wooden gate that overhead read “WELCOME BIENVENUE”. Directly in front of him was a cerulean river, frozen over and backed by the most massive snow-capped mountain he had ever seen. He got out of his car, feeling the cold January air like pinpricks across his face, and quickly took a picture of the view. He sent it to his mother and promised to one day come back with her so she could see it for herself.

As he drove further down the Bow Valley, he felt kind of silly for pulling over at the sight of his first mountain when each mountain and lake he passed seemed to be bigger and more beautiful than the last. Eventually, he saw the signs for Mount Yamnuska and turned off the highway onto a long and winding road that would take him to his final destination. With nothing but tall lodgepole pine trees, grey skies, and the crooning voice of Billie Holiday to keep him company, he felt like he was on a different planet. A planet where the trees and the mountain air could filter out all of the negative voices, thoughts, and feelings he’d been privy to in the last few weeks. A planet where he might be able to clear his head long enough to find within it a melody or even a lyric or two. 

Harry wasn’t entirely sure what was waiting for him at the end of the road, only having skimmed the AirBnB listing Jeffrey had emailed him. He called Jeff two days ago, insisting that he needed to get away, to disappear for a bit. Having been in this exact position before with his client/friend, Jeff knew what that meant. His manager remembered seeing videos of aesthetic mountain vacations with rocky lookouts and great big turquoise lakes on TikTok, so he suggested that Harry sequester himself in the mountains. After discussing and agreeing on the destination, Jeff had the trip planned and booked within hours. 

Harry passed plenty of tiny cottages and cabins tucked away in the forest alongside the highway, but as it got darker he focused more on the road ahead and fixed his eyes to watch out for any wildlife (he heard mountain lions were a possibility in the Winter). When he finally made it to his landing place, he was at the end of a long driveway in front of a cabin carved into a landscape of endless conifer trees. The cabin looked small and simple on the outside, the entirety of its exterior made up of orange-tinted pine logs. There was a foot of snow covering everything in sight, save for the walking path from the driveway to a front porch that spanned the width of the cabin. On the porch sat two Muskoka chairs, red, to match the front door. 

Sat in the two chairs waiting for him, unphased by the darkening skies and blowing snow, he presumed were his hosts. 

He exited his car and zipped his jacket all the way past his chin, a lame attempt to shield his face from the wind. As he made his way toward the porch, the older man and woman stood to greet him. Both were dressed in black puffer jackets and knit beanies, perhaps in their mid-to-late fifties. They appeared friendly, wearing bright smiles as they welcomed him to their vacation home.

“You must be Harry”, the man said, reaching out to shake Harry’s hand.

Harry returned the gesture, “Hello, yes, I’m Harry.” 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Paul and this is my wife, Nancy.” 

“We hope you found the place OK!” Nancy chippered. 

“Thank you, I did.” He said, shaking Nancy’s hand next. “I appreciate you taking me in on such short notice.” 

“Oh, it’s no problem. We actually just had a cancellation before your manager contacted us. Our daughter was supposed to stay here with her partner for the week but their plans changed. So everything was already set up for guests!”

“Lucky for me then.” He said with a smile as Paul took his bag and Nancy moved to open the door to lead them all inside. 

Harry did a quick scan of the inside of the cabin from where he stood in the front entrance. He saw they’d already started a fire in the wood burning stove and spotted a cozy looking armchair where he knew he’d be curling up with his book. “The place looks great.”

“We’re glad you think so. Please, come in, get comfortable. This is your home now for a bit, after all!” Nancy insisted, fussing over him to take off his jacket and shoes. She reminded him a bit of his mother, something about her demeanor making him feel at ease. “You’ve had a long journey so we’ll leave you to get settled in and explore the place. Just a few things though…”

He kicked off his shoes by the door and followed behind the two as they led him past the living room and into the kitchen. 

“We’re going to get more snow tonight and you’re probably tired from your travels,” Nancy opened the refrigerator. “We’ve already stocked the fridge with all of our daughter’s favourites so there’s plenty of food that you can have.”

“Are you sure? I don’t mind getting my own.”

“Really, we’d rather it didn’t go to waste.” Paul chimed in. “But of course if there’s anything more you need, there’s some info in that binder on the table about going into town and grocery stores and restaurants and whatnot.”

“Alright, thank you. I really appreciate all this.”

“Of course!” He handed Harry a set of keys on what looked like a moose-head keychain. “Here’s the key. Our house is north of here, about 15 minutes away. So if you need anything just give us a call or text. Our address is in there too just in case.”

Harry bid goodnight to Paul and Nancy and once they were gone he took his bag and scoped out the cabin. It was a simple layout with two bedrooms just off the living room, a full bathroom between the two rooms and the open galley kitchen along the adjacent back wall, opposite the front door. There was a small kitchen island at the center in front of the red kitchen cupboards, and a wooden dining table for two in its own little nook off the kitchen. The cabin had a warm feel to it. The decor, you might say was quintessentially Canadian in the way they leaned into maple-scented candles, wood carvings of mountains hung on the walls, and no shortage of throw blankets and pillows adorned with buffalo plaid. 

Harry dropped his bag into the bedroom closest to the kitchen and was about to start unpacking when his stomach growled. Grateful they had left food for him to eat, he made himself a sandwich and got acquainted with where everything was in the kitchen before unpacking his things. He decided then that after he unpacked he would settle in for the night by the fire, brew some tea and maybe take a stab at writing. 

—————————

You hated driving in the winter. 

Were you competent and experienced enough to deal with the blowing snow and the black ice under your tires? Sure. But that didn't mean you enjoyed it. A lifetime of driving down the Parkway didn’t stop you from gripping the steering wheel so hard your knuckles were white, or straining your eyes in the darkness to avoid missing any moose or elk that might emerge from the trees. 

One thing you did like about road trips was that they were a great opportunity for reflection. You’d been driving for about 3 hours at this point, and had barely listened to the playlist you put on at the start of your journey. You were too busy keeping an eye on the road, or thinking about the last 72 hours, and playing out scenarios in your head where things had gone differently. 

You were exhausted, physically and mentally. Was it really only 72 hours since everything went down? 

You replayed your last conversation with Luke over and over again in your head, hoping that if you went over it enough you could better understand.

“I just can’t do it. Even if I came, I would have to bring work with me and I’d be working the whole time.” 

You were incredulous. Confused. Borderline seething. 

“This trip was supposed to happen last summer, Luke. We’ve postponed it twice already for your job.” 

“I know and I said I’m sorry. I just can’t up and leave right now.” 

“Did you not book off the vacation time? Your boss knows you're supposed to go away. It’s literally one week.” 

“Yes, I booked off the vacation time but I-”

“Well if you’ve booked it off and they gave you the time off what’s the problem?” 

“I just can’t go now, ok?”

“Is it that you can’t go, or that you don’t want to go?” 

That question had been lingering in the back of your mind every time the trip had to be postponed, but you never asked because you were afraid of the answer. You hoped that work really was so busy that he couldn’t take a week off, even though he had the vacation time approved by his boss. You wanted to believe that this was just the reality of being in a relationship with a lawyer. 

The trouble was that you’d been with Luke for two years and he had yet to meet your family. He seemed excited to visit the small mountain town where you grew up, citing that he’d always wanted to visit Banff and the Rocky Mountains. You met his parents and got on well with them and your relationship was moving forward, with talks of moving in together and maybe even a proposal on the horizon. 

However, every time you brought up visiting your family, he put it off and said he was too busy. You would visit home and he would stay back in Vancouver. Eventually he agreed to join you and the trip was booked, but at the last minute he claimed to be in the middle of an important case and couldn’t leave. You rescheduled twice since, and it was looking like you’d be adding a third. 

“Of course I want to go. It’s just not a great time right now.” 

“Is there ever going to be a great time? At some point I’m going to need you to make time for it, Luke.” 

You were beginning to think that he didn’t understand how important your family was to you. He didn’t understand that you needed to see how he fit into your family in order for the relationship to progress. Would he get along with your dad? Would he be kind to your mom? Could he be friends with your brother? You were realizing that maybe his lack of motivation to meet your family and see your home was all you needed to know. 

Before he could respond, you added “I don’t think I can do this anymore.” 

Of course over the last 72 hours you doubted yourself constantly. Had you overreacted? Should you have been more understanding about his job? You went back and forth, reminding yourself that you had a job too, sure it wasn’t as demanding as that of a lawyer, but no matter what you always found the time for things that were important to you. You even took a week off to go on a ski trip with his parents a few weeks ago.

After the break up, you called your parents to let them know you weren’t coming anymore. You fully intended to wallow in your apartment for the week and mourn your dead relationship. The wallowing lasted less than 24 hours before you decided the best antidote for a broken heart was a hug from your mom and a beer with your dad.

That’s how you found yourself on the Bow Valley Parkway at 11pm in the middle of a snowstorm. You thought it would be fun to surprise your parents, but now you were regretting that decision. You weren’t sure that the rental vehicle was equipped to deal with a January snow storm in the mountains and if you ended up in a ditch or hit by a moose, no one knew where you were. Knowing your parents, they were probably already asleep, and you didn’t want to wake them. You decided to spend the night at their guest cabin you had initially booked, with plans to surprise them in the morning.

—————————

Harry knew that a few hours on a plane and an evening in a log cabin in the middle of the wilderness wasn’t going to instantly fix his writer’s block. But he did hope his new setting might be able to wiggle some ideas free. 

As he sat with his tea and his journal open to an empty page, he begged the words to come to him. But he didn’t know what to say.

How could he write about a break up that he still didn’t even fully understand? 

He was just short of banging his head against the table and throwing his journal in the fire when a light shone through the window. 

A set of headlights turned onto the driveway, a small car bustling through the snow storm that had started raging outside. He looked to the door to make sure he’d locked it, in case someone was on their way to murder him in the middle of nowhere. 

Maybe Paul or Nancy forgot something, he hoped to himself. It was nearly midnight, so he knew that wasn’t logical. 

It was when you pulled up and parked next to his rental that he saw you in the driver’s seat. Your face was perplexed as you looked over at his vehicle and then to the log cabin. You awkwardly made eye contact through the window before you quickly looked away. 

Maybe she’s lost, he thought to himself next. 

He waited for you to come to the door, but you remained in your car. Eventually, thinking you looked harmless enough, Harry bundled up in his coat, slipped on his shoes, and went to meet you outside. 

—-

You whipped your head towards the cabin door when you saw it open to reveal a strange man walking toward your vehicle. 

Why is he coming out here? Oh god is he going to murder me? You thought. 

Embarrassed you’d been caught outside the cabin, you rolled down your window, “I’m so sorry! I didn’t think anyone would be here! I’m just leaving!“

You were hit with the realization of who was walking toward you, followed by some confusion.

What the fuck… 

And then panic when you realized he was walking up to your car. 

“I really am sorry this is my parents cabin and I thought no one would be here!” You shouted as he approached your opened window. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your evening.”

Harry fucking Styles crouched down to look at you through the driver’s side window. In the darkness, you felt his eyes on you taking note of your black and yellow North Face puffer jacket and the knit beanie on your head. There was a look of recognition on his face, perhaps noticing some of your features were strikingly similar to those of a woman he’d met only a few hours ago.

“Ah, you’re Nancy and Paul’s daughter.”

“Yeah, I am…So I’ll just h-”

“They said you’d canceled.”

“Oh? Yea, I did… I, uh, changed my mind, I guess. I didn’t think they’d book someone so quickly.” 

“It was good timing on my part, I guess.” 

“Right, ok, I’m so sorry for interrupting your evening! I’ll just go to their house!” It was nearly pitch black outside, save for the light of your headlights shining on the cabin in front of you. The wind was violent, whipping snow around him, and you felt bad that he was standing outside in the cold. His arms were crossed and hugging his jacket closed, talking to you while not wearing nearly enough layers to be outside.

Harry pondered for a moment, sucking his lips into his mouth and turning to look at the snow coming down around him. He was sure being from here that you had experience driving in weather like this, but he could not in good conscience let you leave without offering. 

“The snow’s coming down pretty hard. I was just having some tea before bed… Would you like to come in? At least until things calm down a bit.” 

Harry felt bold asking you to come inside when you were strangers. He could tell you were mulling it over, maybe unsure if you could trust him or if it would be appropriate. He wasn’t sure if it was either, but he kind of hoped you agreed to it anyway. Jeffrey would yell at him for this. 

“Are you sure?” You asked. Your first instinct was to outright decline the offer, but you knew the roads were treacherous and you were exhausted. 

“Yes, I’m sure.” He insisted. “Selfishly, I would never forgive myself if I let you go and you got into an accident or something on the highway.”

“Okay,” you agreed reluctantly. “I’ll come in just for a bit.” You got out of the car and followed him back quickly through the blowing snow and up the path to the front door. 

Once inside, he turned to you. “I apologize I didn’t even ask your name.”

You told him your name as you toed off your boots and took off your many layers of outdoor winter wear. 

“Well it’s nice to meet you. I’m Harry.” 

“Nice to meet you too, Harry. I know who you are, by the way. I’m a fan.” You paused and he noticed the way your face twisted, almost in embarrassment. “Ugh, sorry, is that weird to say?”

“Not weird.” He tried to reassure you. “Would be more awkward if you said you hated me or something.”

You took a seat on the sofa, grabbing the buffalo plaid pillow next to you and hugging it to your chest. You felt awkward. What was Harry Styles doing in your parents’ vacation rental? And what were you doing with him alone in the middle of the night? Were you going to sit here and chat with each other? Or would he carry on with his evening as if you weren’t here? 

You spotted his open journal and a mug of tea abandoned on the side table near the fire. He did mention having tea before, which was confirmed by him now filling the kettle with water. 

“Again, I’m sorry for interrupting. Really appreciate you letting me hang here for a bit.” 

He grabbed a mug from the cabinet to the right of the sink. It was the green mug you painted for your mom for Mother’s Day in middle school.

“You’ve got to stop apologizing. Very Canadian of you though.” 

“Right. Sorry. Shit.” 

Harry laughed whilst shaking his head at your incessant apologies. You liked his laugh. And his dimples.

OK, he’s cute, you thought. 

“Would you like a snack?” Harry called out, interrupting your wandering thoughts. “I’m pretty sure all of the food here was supposed to be for you anyways.”

— END OF PART 1 —

Thank you so much for reading! I am looking forward to diving into this story a bit more and would like to know what you think :) 

TALK TO ME HERE

[wxldlfire]

⸻⸻ 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑎 𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑎 𝖉𝖗𝖆𝖌𝖔𝖓

the princess had picked apart every single silhouette smeared on the ceiling and the walls, scrutinizing each detail to keep her restless mind company. her body no longer desires the comfort of her own vibrant dreams, not even to rest. the images come to and fro, like flashes of light, no, like rays of the sun, warm against her skin but fleeting to the touch. she was wrapped in discomfort, tossing and turning, every breath lodged in her chest unable to find its way. left bewildered by her own experience, that bizarre encounter, yuri could not find it in herself to speak, not a word could pull out the strange feeling humming inside her. this will go away... what else could it be but the dizzying vastness of the sky, the blinding might of agni, and the... excruciating pain.

yuri brings herself to move, surrendering to the unfortunate thought that she will not find repose. she makes an effort to take her time, easing into the shift in her position. the zest coursing through her body was starting to frustrate her. there are a great deal of things going through her mind as it is. slowly, she tells herself. the last thing she needs is to be driven mad by her own... anxiousness. was it really that? with deep breaths, she tries to focus. the ground against her soles, firm and stable, the air calming and quenching the fury inside her. it takes longer just to convince herself that this is home. that the room will not set itself ablaze and shatter into an infinite number of pieces before her eyes. she looks at her hands, lifting them high enough to be examined closely. she stares long and hard, wills for her lightning to come only to be met by a disappointing burst of blue flame.

her lightning is gone.

the thought alone was enough to send yuri to embrace the burning she feels inside her, indulge its urges to turn her back from stillness. in no time, she was out of bed, slipping through guarded hallways, and plunging into the darkness to go see her dragon. she could see black fire's silhouette stir from the dim-lit distance. his vicious features growing clearer as she came close, faintly illuminated by her blue flames. the majestic creature lowers its head to meet her hands, and closes its eyes along with her as she presses her forehead against the edge of his muzzle. a habit of sorts that brings her, and perhaps even black fire himself, comfort. the discontent draws on her features, eyes still shut tight. it took my lightning, she thinks to herself. black fire lets out a low rumble, moving its head back and nudges forward lightly, making yuri lose her footing and fall back to the ground with a thud.

"naughty ball of soot !" yuri calls out with a light laugh, her worries had fallen away along with her. she feigns annoyance, brows knitting as she hissed -- an attempt to scold black fire. but even that pretense goes away quickly as she grabs the enormity that is her dragon's muzzle. she presses her forehead against it once more before she whispers, "you owe me..." she climbs up his limb to the saddle, and disappears into the darkness of the night. the princess recounts what she supposed was a short encounter that turned out to be three weeks. she remembers the castle at the edge of the cliff, black fire's disobedience... then soaring into the sky until the rest of the world swallowed by the fire. then that voice, that smiling visage in the blinding sky.

when black fire starts to pick up speed, yuri holds on tightly, and he plummets as he did then. this time, however, the princess kept her eyes open, with her an untattered sense of determination. she wanted answers, she needed more in exchange for her lightning. she hurries out of the saddle, sliding down black fire's forelimb with an arm stretched out, pressed against a portion of his wings, to guide herself to the ground. her boots dug into the sand as she starts walk towards the nearby forest to collect logs and woods.

she returns with a handful that she drops in front of her curled up dragon, probably being lulled to sleep by the sound of crashing waves. it turns its head to watch every time she returned, then back to rest his head on its claw. when she had stopped to catch her breath, black fire lifts his head and opens his mouth. out came a low rumbling mixed with she can only call a shriek, then fire, red with swirls of black, hits the collection of logs and woods, making a bonfire bigger than she's ever seen. the vicious tongues of red, orange, and yellow swayed with the wind, but hoist itself back up as though withstanding its might. it burned menacingly bright and towered so high, yuri swore it plunged into the night sky.

the princess looks back at black fire, his head now perked and watching her closely. i wonder, she thought, turning to face the colossal being capable of devouring her, and leave no trace behind. she remembers the bath water in turmoil, the surface shuffling wildly but also makes her skin tingle, and so much steam that it filled the room like a hazy dream. that kind of temperature should have incurred her serious damage. she should have been writhing in pain, and her skin scathed all over. inch by inch, it should have flayed the skin away. but it didn't, so she refused to deny her curiosity any further. each step drawing her to the fire is held together by certainty and undeniable thrill. she could be mistaken, and things could go awfully awry. but one thing is for sure, this time, she will not beg or scream.

yuri does not close her eyes as she stands there, watching the flame creep and crawl from the glowing logs to her clothes. it eats away at the hem, nipping and scratching until there's not a surface, or thread left.

for a second, she wonders if it was a simple delay, elevated threshold of pain, that when provoked will diminish her to nothing but ash as fire does with whatever, and whoever, was in its path. just like a flower... they don't burn as quick, but they do, then they perish. any moment now. she holds her hand out, hoping to see broken, blacked skin but what she sees are the flames licking, whipping, and skidding over her body. she steps out of the fire not a minute later, feeling the breeze skittering against her skin. she inspects every part her vision allows, running her hand over her body, anticipating a sharp sting, or any form of ache. instead, her palm is only met by soft, silken skin... untouched, unharmed, unburnt.

ooc notes:

tldr yuri meets agni ( god of life, fire, sun and energy ), and because of this encounter she now has complete immunity to fire she's the unburnt couldn't resist had to include unfortunately, she can no longer bend lightning ; n ;

she returns from the spirit world after three weeks, straight to the royal palace at hari bulkan and was not allowed to leave. but lbh she sneaks out a few more times to check if she's really impervious to fire or if its a temporary state from her visit to the spirit world

spoke to no one about her new and lost ability just yet. probably talked to her servant, convince the poor, scared thing she was seeing things, it has been a worrisome few weeks is all. yuri made sure to keep whispers and any kind of rumor from spreading.

i'll get to posting an update some time soon with plots and all. and last but not the least, a faceclaim change ! princess yuri's faceclaim is now oh my girl's arin.

[justinquiambyao]

The Philippine Eagle, a unique bird of prey found only in the Philippines, is a true forest raptor that relies on pristine primary forests for hunting, nest building, and raising its young.

POPULATION STATUS: Critically Endangered

BODY LENGTH: 2.5-3.3 feet (76-102 cm)

WINGSPAN: 6.5 feet (1.9 m)

WEIGHT: 10-18 pounds (4.5-8.1 kg)

Despite its large size and striking appearance, the eagle is being threatened by habitat loss due to logging and the conversion of forest land into agricultural fields. As a result, it has been restricted to mountain slopes, which are less at risk.

The eagle is diurnal, hunting, flying, building nests, and participating in courtship activities during daytime hours. The forest is the only home for the Great Philippine Eagle. It is where they obtain food, reproduce, and nourish their offspring. Unfortunately, illegal logging and irresponsible use of resources have resulted to the disappearance of their forest habitat that brings deathly consequences to the species.

The Philippine Eagle is one of the most endangered raptors globally due to habitat loss due to the island nation's unique characteristics. This has led to problems for adult eagles, who lose nesting trees and prey to chainsaws and bulldozers, and young birds, who must find new places to live and settle down.

This rare and majestic bird species can be found nowhere else but in the Philippines. Losing the species to extinction would also mean the world losing a precious biological heritage. Ensuring the safety of the Philippine eagle population in the upland areas can result to additional source of income for the marginalized communities sharing the forest with the eagles through our biodiversity-friendly initiatives.

Sources:

The Peregrine Fund

The Philippine Eagle Foundation

#kammu_appan_i_Endangered_Animals_nu_madim_kaya_mefuku.

[bearcreekcabins]

Relax and Rejuvenate: Weekend Vacation Homes in Northern Idaho 

When you're planning a weekend getaway, Northern Idaho stands out as a prime destination for relaxation and adventure. With its stunning landscapes, serene environment, and a wide array of activities, it's no surprise that cabin vacation rentals in Northern Idaho are highly sought after. In this article, we'll explore why booking a weekend vacation home in this beautiful region is an excellent choice and highlight some of the best options available. 

Northern Idaho is renowned for its natural beauty. The region is home to majestic mountains, lush forests, and pristine lakes, offering a picturesque backdrop for your vacation. Whether you're an outdoor enthusiast or simply looking to unwind in a tranquil setting, Northern Idaho has something for everyone. The scenic beauty alone makes it a top choice for a weekend escape. 

One of the significant advantages of choosing cabin vacation rentals in Northern Idaho is the variety of accommodations available. From rustic log cabins to luxurious mountain homes, there is something to suit every taste and preference. These cabins provide a cozy and comfortable atmosphere, allowing you to feel right at home while surrounded by nature. 

Luxury mountain cabins offer the perfect blend of comfort and elegance. Equipped with modern amenities such as fully equipped kitchens, spacious living areas, and private hot tubs, these cabins provide a high-end experience. Imagine soaking in a hot tub under the stars or enjoying a cozy evening by the fireplace – these are just a few of the experiences you can expect in a luxury cabin. 

For families, cabin vacation rentals in Northern Idaho are an ideal choice. These cabins are designed to accommodate groups, with multiple bedrooms and ample living space. They provide the perfect setting for quality family time, whether you're playing games, cooking together, or exploring the great outdoors. The convenience of having a fully equipped kitchen also allows you to prepare your meals, making it a budget-friendly option. 

One of the best aspects of weekend vacation rentals in Northern Idaho is the easy access to outdoor activities. The region is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts, offering a wide range of activities such as hiking, fishing, boating, and biking. In the winter, you can enjoy skiing and snowboarding at nearby resorts. The abundance of outdoor adventures ensures that there's never a dull moment during your stay. 

Northern Idaho is home to several charming towns and communities, each with its unique character and attractions. Coeur d'Alene, for instance, is a popular destination known for its stunning lake, vibrant downtown, and numerous recreational activities. Staying in a cabin near Coeur d'Alene allows you to explore this beautiful town while enjoying the peace and tranquility of your private retreat. 

The convenience and flexibility of cabin vacation rentals are another reason why they are a popular choice for weekend getaways. Unlike hotels, cabins offer more privacy and space, allowing you to unwind and relax without interruptions. You can choose a cabin that suits your preferences, whether you prefer a secluded spot in the woods or a cabin with easy access to local attractions. 

Booking a weekend vacation rental in Northern Idaho also supports the local community. Many of these cabins are owned and operated by local residents, providing you with a more authentic and personalized experience. The owners often offer valuable insights and tips about the area, helping you make the most of your stay. 

When it comes to choosing the perfect cabin vacation rental, Bear Creek Cabins is an excellent option. Nestled in the heart of Northern Idaho, Bear Creek Cabins offer a unique blend of rustic charm and modern amenities. The cabins are designed to provide a comfortable and memorable stay, with features such as cozy fireplaces, fully equipped kitchens, and breathtaking views. Whether you're planning a romantic getaway, a family vacation, or a solo retreat, Bear Creek Cabins cater to all your needs. 

In conclusion, booking a weekend vacation rental in Northern Idaho is a fantastic way to relax and rejuvenate. The region's natural beauty, variety of accommodations, and abundance of outdoor activities make it an ideal destination for a weekend escape. Whether you choose a luxurious mountain cabin or a family-friendly retreat, you're sure to have an unforgettable experience. Consider Bear Creek Cabins for your next getaway and discover the tranquility and adventure that await you in Northern Idaho. 

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[gghalcyon]

Fierce Hearts (König x Female OC)

CHAPTER 5/8: Not Looking for a Fairytale Romance (5.9K words)

Story Chapters List | Read on AO3

König and Serene went on exciting dates filled with adventure and exploration. They both shared a love for the outdoors and a strong desire to try new things, bringing them closer with each passing moment.

Their dates took them to stunning hiking trails, where they held hands and immersed themselves in the beauty of nature. Serene was amazed at how König navigated through the rough terrain so effortlessly and how he fit in with the wild landscapes so easily. They both enjoyed watching the sunsets, marveling at the vibrant colors that painted the sky and provided a backdrop for their budding romance.

They also went on thrilling kayaking trips, with laughter filling the air as they paddled through the cool waters. Serene felt a sense of freedom and excitement as they glided across the waves, and König's strong presence beside her made her feel safe enough to embrace every moment of their shared adventure.

They became closer through the thrill of adventure. They found comfort in quieter moments, spending lazy afternoons cuddled up while reading books or watching movies together. Their gentle touches and warm embraces created a sense of home where they felt safe and loved. 

One night, König and Serene cuddled on the couch after watching a movie and decided to put some music on as they relaxed. König stretched out on the sofa, resting his head on Serene's lap while she played with his hair and discussed the sci-fi movie they watched based on one of König's favorite books. Despite being too tall for the couch, König closed his eyes and enjoyed Serene's touch, realizing how much he would miss these quiet moments when he had to return to work from his leave and upcoming mission. Serene whispered admiringly, "My giant," while caressing his hair. "I'm going to miss this," Serene whispered as if reading his mind. 

König opened his eyes to meet hers, admiring her.

"I'll miss this too," he said as he sat up and pulled her close to his chest, placing a kiss atop her hair. "Especially being with you, Serene."

Serene pulled back and met his gaze. "We don't have much time left, do we?" she asked sadly, knowing the answer. She knew it could be weeks or months before she would see him again from his mission. He'd be leaving at the end of the month. Though Serene knew what she was getting into when they started dating and that he would return to work, it still saddened her to think about not seeing him for a while. This was going to be new territory to navigate for both of them.

"Let's plan a special trip for this upcoming weekend before I leave," Konig suggested eagerly, his eyes shining with anticipation.

Serene was curious as Konig pulled out his phone and showed her a picture of a stunning cabin in the woods surrounded by tall pine trees and majestic snow-capped mountains. "I've reserved it just for us, away from the hustle and bustle. You mentioned wanting to go there before, so I made it happen."

Serene was momentarily stunned by the thoughtful gesture, marveling at how Konig planned to create such a meaningful experience for them before he departed. The fact that they wouldn't be able to see each other for a while made the trip even more significant to her.

They prepared for a weekend getaway and hit the road, enjoying each other's company by sharing stories and laughing. König took Serene to some great spots along the way, such as their favorite diner with tasty milkshakes, a quiet lake for fishing, and an old abandoned barn they explored together. When they arrived at their destination, a small yet cozy log cabin surrounded by tall pine trees, Serene was in awe. The warm wooden walls contrasted beautifully against the lush green forest. Birds singing and squirrels scampering added to the serene ambiance. The sunlight peeking through the branches created an ethereal glow everywhere they looked, and the best part was having König by her side, making it all the more special. It was a unique experience that Serene had never encountered, and she was thrilled to share it with the man who stole her heart.

—

Before meeting Serene, König enjoyed staying at the cabin to unwind from work. He wanted to share the beautiful landscapes and mountains with her, as they reminded him of his childhood in Austria. Standing at the base of a rugged mountain trail, König was eager to show Serene the breathtaking views promised by their cabin trip. Although intimidated by the untamed wilderness, König's presence gave her newfound courage. Being outdoorsy, she had always wanted to make the trek but feared doing it alone. She was grateful to have König by her side, who looked right at home in the mountains.

As Serene gazed at König, he noticed and playfully extended his hand to her. "Shall we conquer these mountains together, my dear?" he asked charmingly. Serene eagerly placed her hand in his, feeling the warmth of his touch. "Lead the way, my fearless mountain man. I'm excited to experience the heights with you," she exclaimed with a smile, enjoying König's laughter at her playful nickname for him.

As they began their ascent, König led the way with a confident stride. Serene followed closely behind, her senses heightened by the exhilarating surroundings. The crisp mountain air caressed her skin, filling her lungs with freshness. She couldn't help but brush her fingertips against König's arm, reveling in the sensation of his solid presence.

With each step they took, the ground beneath them became more challenging to navigate. Serene stumbled slightly on a loose rock, and König swiftly reached to steady her. His touch sent a jolt of electricity through her, making her heart skip a beat.

"Careful there," König said, a playful twinkle in his eyes. Serene laughed, her voice a melodic symphony amidst the rustling of leaves. "Don't worry. I'm in good hands," she teased, her fingers gently tracing the lines of his palm.

As they reached a particularly steep section of the trail, they paused as König knelt down to fix the laces to his hiking boots. Serene admired their surroundings, knowing their destination was only a few strides up the trail. 

"How about we make things even more exciting?" König suggested, a mischievous smile dancing on his lips as he looked up at Serene, who raised an eyebrow at him. What was he up to? She thought. 

Her curiosity piqued, and she leaned close, her lips brushed against his ear. "Oh, do tell. I'm all ears," she whispered, her warm breath tickling his skin.

König's voice was a playful caress as he revealed his plan. "How about a little game? The first one to reach the top gets a special reward—a sweet kiss and a taste of victory," he proposed, his voice laced with anticipation.

A playful gleam danced in Serene's eyes as she accepted the challenge, knowing he'd win with his longer stride. "You're on. But be warned, I have a sweet tooth for both victory and kisses," she teased, her fingers lightly grazing his cheek.

With their playful banter fueling their determination, they continued their ascent. Their laughter mingled with the natural symphony of the wilderness, creating a harmonious melody that echoed through the mountains.

As they reached a breathtaking viewpoint, König pulled Serene into his embrace. Their bodies fit together perfectly as if they were two puzzle pieces that had found their match. Serene's senses were overwhelmed by the beauty of the landscape and the intoxicating scent of pine. She tilted her head slightly, her arms wrapping around Konig's neck, pulling him down so her lips hovered close to his, savoring the moment of anticipation.

König's voice was a gentle whisper against her lips. "You've conquered this mountain with me, my lady. You've earned your sweet reward," he murmured.

Serene's eyes sparkled with delight as she closed the remaining distance, capturing König's lips in a tender, passionate kiss. It was a taste of victory–although whose victory, they didn't care as König's fingers gently brushed against Serene's cheek, as he enjoyed the taste of her lips and the feeling of her palm against his beating heart. 

Shortly after, they broke apart. König led them to perch on a rocky outcrop, overlooking the majestic mountain ranges and colorful skies. The cool breeze whispered through the tall pines, creating a serene atmosphere as they settled into a moment of quiet contemplation. Serene watched König's gaze fixated on the distant peaks, his expression a mixture of longing and nostalgia. Sensing his introspection, she gently touched his arm, offering silent support.

"König," she began softly, "I've noticed how much the mountains mean to you. Is there a story behind your connection with them?"

König's eyes remained fixed on the horizon, his voice carrying a bittersweet melancholy. "When I was young, my father used to take me camping in the mountains of Austria. Those moments were my sanctuary, where time stood still, and worries faded away."

Serene squeezed his arm gently, sensing the weight of his words and encouraging him to share. "What happened, König?"

A sigh escaped König's lips as he delved into the painful memories. "That camping trip was the last time I saw my father. He left us, my mother and me, without a trace. I was too young to understand the gravity of his absence, and it shattered our world."

König's voice wavered as he recounted the painful memories. "My mother, she couldn't bear the pain. She lost all hope, and one day, when I returned from school, I found her... She had consumed alcohol and taken multiple pain medicines, seeking solace in the darkness I couldn't comprehend." 

"Oh, König, I'm so sorry!" Serene reached out, hugging his arm, offering comfort in her touch. Serene's heart ached for König. No one should go through so much pain at such a young age. "That's an unimaginable loss. You were so young!"

König's eyes met Serene's, the flicker of resilience piercing through the pain. "After that, I was sent to live in a boarding school, navigating the foster system's complexities until I aged 18. It was a harsh environment that forced me to toughen up, to become fearsome to survive. I convinced myself that I didn't need anyone, that being alone was the only way forward."

His voice softened, revealing a glimpse of vulnerability. "I became quiet, closed off, not allowing anyone to truly know me. But one day, someone from the military handed me a pamphlet; told me there was a place for me. At that moment, I saw a glimmer of hope, a chance to find purpose and discover a new passion for life."

Serene's eyes shimmered with empathy as she squeezed König's hand gently. "König, your journey has been marked by pain and loneliness. I can't even begin to understand the depths of your experiences. But I want you to know that you're not alone anymore. I'm here and want to be part of your life, to understand and support you."

"Are you sure you want to be a part of this?" König referred to himself, his life, his past, and all that encompassed who he was. "I'm broken, Serene. I might not be the man worthy to be part of your life."

Serene shook her head, "I disagree with you, König. You're exactly what I want in my life."

König's eyes softened, his gaze meeting Serene's. Serene's voice strengthened as she spoke, her eyes shining with determination. "I'm not looking for a fairytale romance, König. I understand your past and hell, my past isn't the prettiest, but those are things that make us who we are. It's what made me want to be with you."

She caresses his chin, "Life isn't perfect, and I'm not looking for perfect. I understand the challenges of your line of work. I know what it entails and what you must do to survive through your missions. I know our lives are different, but we can make it work only if you want to with me."

König took her hand and kissed her palm, his blue gaze warm against her dark brown ones. "I want to with all my heart."

"Good," Serene said as she leaned forward and kissed him. "Because I wouldn't have taken no for an answer," she joked.

"I wouldn't have let you," he smiled down at her as he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly.

"That's settled then."

—

The sun had just begun to dip beneath the horizon when König and Serene started their descent down the mountain path, the air thick with the sweet smell of pine and the laughter of a distant bird. They were both grateful to reach the cabin before it grew dark, both eager to unpack, shower, and lounge around as planned.

"Oh, I'd kill for a warm shower right about now," Serene said as they arrived at the cabin. She removed her jacket and hung it nearby, then her hiking boots and placed them close to his near the door.

"You can use it first," König, ever the gentleman, offered Serene the first chance to use the shower. 

"Hmm...are you sure?" she asked, watching as Konig began to put away their hiking gear and focus on the task. He gave a nod and continued his work, focused. With a playful gesture, Serene started removing her hiking gear, layer by layer, until she was left standing in her bra and underwear. 

"I think there's more than enough room for both of us to shower," she said, standing in front of him in her black cotton bra and matching underwear. This got his attention.

Surprised yet pleasantly captivated by Serene's boldness, König paused to put away their gear. Her self-assuredness and the genuine connection they had built throughout the day struck him. Feeling an electric spark between them, König could not resist Serene's playful invitation as she drew closer to him. She was magnificent.

Serene pointed at their gear, hiking backpacks, and water canisters on the table König was working on. "That can wait, handsome. You're pretty dirty," she said with a smirk as she leaned in and gave him a peck on the lips before giving him a wink and turning around, walking towards the bathroom where the shower was.

König was powerless to resist Serene's invitation. He quickly followed her into the bathroom, stripping down to his underwear. His heart pounded in his chest, feeling a mixture of excitement and anxiety as he stepped closer and closer to the shower. Serene had already stepped in, the steam from the warm water rising around her as she smiled at him invitingly.

König couldn't help but chuckle as he stepped into the shower. It was almost surreal - he was standing in a tiny cabin shower with this beautiful woman with whom he was so certain he was already in love. 

Nothing felt forced between them as they soaped each other up; if anything, it all felt natural, and they were freely giving and receiving.

Serene moved closer to König, wanting so much more of him; the physical pull they had on each other was too strong to ignore any longer. She wanted all of him, heart and body, and Konig felt the same.

As steam rose from their skin, she murmured softly, "We don't have to put on any masks or act differently around each other ever – whatever you need me for, I am yours," her voice husky yet gentle in its intensity. König could feel his vulnerability exposed as he looked into her eyes; it was almost too much for him to take in that moment, but he still found himself unable to deny what he felt deep inside - understanding that his desire for a true connection would only grow stronger if unfulfilled. As she touched his cheek lovingly, Serene seemed to sense this, "I'm in love with you, Konig. I want you to know that."

König leaned into her touch and whispered admiringly, "Serene, you have my heart. I've fallen hard for you, my love." The look she gave him was radiant, and he decided he didn't want anyone else in the world but her. He was hers forever; he was certain of this.

Konig's hands were tender and gentle as he trailed them down Serene's back, tracing the curves of her spine from shoulder to hip. His lips grazed her neck, leaving behind trails of pleasure that flew through her body. Serene pulled him closer, feeling their skin against each other as she embraced him with newfound intimacy.

Their hands explored each other with an intensity that was both passionate and tender. König's fingers moved slowly down her back as if he were tracing the map of the stars in her night sky. 

Serene felt herself rising on her tip-toes as their lips connected in a passionate kiss that seemed to last an eternity. Their skin met beneath the warm steamy water like two magnets drawn together by their mutual attraction.

His touch was gentle yet eager, caressing every curve and contour of her body as if worshipping it. He entranced her with his touch, each movement increasing in intensity until they both lost themselves in the moment. His lips were soft against her skin, yet she still felt the lingering heat of their passion.

Serene's fingers moved slowly down König's body, admiring and caressing his form from the top down. Her hands explored his strong muscles, lingering for a moment on the scars that told the story of his life - bullet wounds, gunshot damage, and blade marks that revealed the harshness of his job. Serene traced them gently with her fingertips as if trying to soothe away the pain of their memories.

"These are part of you," she whispered softly, lovingly running her fingers over each scar. "You may not like what happened to cause them, but they are still part of you, and I don't mind them at all. I love all of you, Konig."

König felt a warmth swell in his chest at Serene's words and how she looked into his eyes with admiration and gratitude. He wanted her to know exactly how much her words, presence, and gentleness meant to him. He was determined to show her as he pulled her close, their skin meeting in an embrace that seemed to last an eternity.

As they held each other close, König took time to study Serene's body - enjoying her softness, curves, and skin's supple texture. His hands slowly moved down her back, caressing and teasing until he heard her moan softly. His lips brushed against hers lightly before trailing down her neck, feeling the heat of her skin as he tasted it with his tongue.

"I'm going to show you how much I cherish you," he said to her, "How much you mean to me. How much I love you."

König guided Serene to lean against the shower wall, and he kneeled in front of her. He guided one of her legs over his shoulder, and Serene gasped at the realization that he would eat her pussy. Before she could react, his tongue dove into her, licking her clit, while his fingers played with her wet folds.

Serene was so turned on she moaned loudly and grasped at his hair to pull him back at the intense and overwhelming feeling of his tongue on her. "Ah," she panted, meeting König's blue eyes, looking up at her with a ravenous smile, his lips wet with her arousal. "It feels so intense, my love. It's been so long."

Serene could feel her body tremble from the intensity of König's touch. She felt like she was losing control, and the sensation of his tongue circling her clit only made it worse. Her hips began to gyrate against him, pushing herself further into his mouth while her groans echoed in the steamy bathroom.

König's mouth moved in slow circles, starting at the edges of her tender flesh before lapping her arousal. His tongue danced around her, teasing each sensitive area with gentle nips and subtle licks. His eyes were locked on hers as he moved his head from side to side, alternating between licks and gentle sucks at her clit, not wanting to miss her expression of pure bliss. She could feel her body trembling with anticipation, but still, he held back enough for the pleasure to remain just out of reach.

"My love, oh god..." Serene's body was shaking uncontrollably as her climax loomed closer. The feeling was so intense her moans turned to her panting his name, like a prayer for release. It was all König needed to up the intensity as his fingers and tongue dove deeper into her. Their eyes met as her breath hitched and her hips moved in time with his licking. The sensation was overwhelming, and Serene felt like she was melting as König's tongue probed every part of her until she finally hit the peak of pleasure and let out a cry of ecstasy.

König stayed nestled between her legs, still looking up at her with those same hungry blue eyes even after they'd both caught their breath again. No words were necessary between them - instead, Serene shakily removed her leg from König's shoulder and pulled him up so he stood, his tall frame towering over her.

Still mutually caught up in the moment, Serene urged König to lean towards her, capturing his lips with hers in an incredibly passionate kiss. With each stroke of their tongues, it seemed like an electric current ran throughout their bodies. 

As they parted, Serene left a trail of kisses from his lips down to his shoulders and chest, exploring every inch of him until finally coming to rest before him on her knees, looking up at him as she took hold of his cock, leaned forward and kissed it tenderly, then gave the tip a slow and gentle like.

"Let me worship you with my mouth," she whispered. Her very words made Konig's cock twitch in anticipation. It was as if he was to have a dream fulfilled, and he loved her more for it.

—-

König's cock was an impressive sight -- large and perfectly proportional as it stood erect before her. It was almost intimidatingly big, especially compared to her small hands, and Serene wondered if she could fit all of him into her mouth or core like he deserved. But then again, if there was anything Serene loved more than pleasure itself, it was a challenge, and so with certainty, she grabbed hold of it tightly with both hands and went to work.

She licked the tip of his cock and ran her tongue over the ridge around its head. She could feel him growing in her mouth as she teased her tongue around every inch of him, tracing his veins with her fingertips and marveling at his manhood. His groans spurred her to greater heights of sexual pleasure; she swallowed more of him into her throat, gagging only slightly as she did so. 

She momentarily let her lips work their magic on him before taking in all he had to offer. Using one hand to line up his cock with her mouth to take all of him in, she focused on relaxing her throat, although it was difficult. Her other hand stroked his full length as he plunged into the soft back of her mouth again and again. Finally, when her muscles grew sore from sucking so long, she pulled off of him but left his cock in front of her face. She looked into his eyes, a mix of complete adoration and desire burning there, and took the head of his cock into her mouth once more. She sucked gently while using both hands to glide up and down his shaft so that she could watch his expressions play across his face. 

His gasps of delight spurred her onward. He had been watching her intently; his expression of utter admiration and ardor made her slippery and wet in her very core. Her king loved when she worshiped him, and worship she did. 

Serene continued worshiping König, her love of challenges leaving her wanting more. His groans and moans only encouraged her as she moved faster, sucking and licking with surety. Her heart raced as his smoldering gaze met hers, and his hands moved through her hair, urging her to increase the speed and intensity of her tongue.

She was relentless in pleasing him, and it wasn't long before his shuddering moans turned into quakes as Serene took him closer to his climax. Her hand moved up his shaft faster and faster as she felt the tension rising in him, ready to burst forth at any moment. His hips began thrusting into her mouth in a rhythm that matched the motion of her hand until, finally, he reached his peak, a deep cry of pleasure escaping from his lips.

Serene could feel every drop of pleasure that ran through König's body as he spilled himself out inside of her mouth. She held him close for a few moments longer before pulling away with a smile, feeling immensely satisfied that she had managed to make such an awe-inspiring man succumb to pleasure in the way she had.

When his body finally stopped trembling, he gently helped her to her feet; their eyes met with understanding and admiration. Serene smiled warmly at him as her hands gently caressed his chest, kissing it to show her appreciation for the amazing experience they had just shared.

König looked down at the beautiful woman before him with an expression of pure love and gratitude as he stroked her hair. He told her, "I have never experienced anything like that."

Serene returned his gaze with a beautiful smile. "Neither have I - we make magic together, don't we?"

He couldn't help but agree.

Serene and König stayed together in a tight embrace for what felt like an eternity, neither wanting to let go of the moment they'd just shared. Words didn't seem necessary; their bodies understood each other perfectly as they simply held on to one another.

Eventually, when the hot water from the shower had begun to cool, they reluctantly pulled away and started to bathe. He helped wash her back as she washed his, and then they quickly rinsed off.

Once done, König grabbed two fluffy white towels off the counter and handed one to Serene. She smiled appreciatively as he began drying her body with gentle tenderness. In return, she dried him off, careful not to miss any spots as he did with her.

When they were both completely dry and dressed in clean clothes (König giving her a clean grey T-shirt which was so long on her it almost looked like a dress), König wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her once more. König's hands moved over her body, gently caressing her curves and tracing the line of her spine. Serene felt dizzy, her mind spinning as their kiss grew deeper. He softly bit her lower lip, and she felt like all her thoughts had scattered and become one with his.

When they finally pulled away, they were both completely out of breath. König wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her deeply once more before leading them out of the bathroom and into the kitchen area to plan their meal for the evening.

Instead of starting to prepare food, however, they found themselves embracing again, their hands exploring each other's bodies as if learning them for the first time. König's hands moved slowly as if every touch was a discovery to savor. Serene felt like she was melting into his arms again, and she could feel her heart thumping wildly in her chest.

Their lips met tenderly, with König softly caressing her cheek and neck. At the same time, Serene reciprocated by running her fingers through his still-wet hair and delicately nibbling on his earlobes. She could feel his hardness pressing against her stomach as he stood there--surprised he was so ready to go once more-- his massive cock ready to pleasure her again.

Serene began to tease him through his boxers with gentle strokes from her hand, exploring every inch of him until he moaned softly in pleasure. She leaned forward to kiss him passionately and stroked him lovingly through his boxers until she finally felt him swell beneath her touch.

"Fuck! Serene, you're driving me crazy, my love," König growled with pleasure as Serene stroked him. With a sultry smile, she asked, " What will you do about it?" His breathing was ragged as she teased and tantalized him, her touch driving him wild. He could no longer resist the need that coursed through his veins, and abruptly he grabbed her wrist and tugged her closer.

Their lips met in a crashing wave of passion as König's tongue explored every inch of her mouth. His hands roved over her body hungrily as he tore off the shirt she had been wearing and threw it aside, along with his boxers. Both felt strangely empowered by one another's gaze as the intensity built between them.

König slid his hands over her curves reverently, caressing her soft skin with a sense of urgency that made Serene tremble with anticipation. He leaned down to press hungry kisses against her neck and shoulders while his fingers expertly sought out the spots that made her moan loudly. She was already so wet and ready for him; he was aching to be inside her so badly.

As if unable to take it anymore, König swept Serene into his strong arms and carried her over to the bed, laying her down gently before joining her there himself. His kisses were fierce and desperate, as if he was determined to show her just how much he loved her through them.

König reached for the condom from the nightstand and looked deeply into Serene's eyes as he moved it onto himself. His hands resumed their journey along her body, touching every inch of her he could. Every nerve ending in Serene's body seemed to surge with electricity as she felt König's warm and familiar caress on her skin. He pinned her wrists above her head with one hand while his other worked along the sides of her body, caressing, kissing, and licking every inch of skin he could reach until she was a trembling mess beneath him with desire radiating from every pore.

König looked deeply into Serene's eyes and spoke softly, "I want to make sure you're comfortable, my love." He was aware of his length and girth, and he wanted to ensure that her small frame would be able to accommodate him. They both knew it would be a tight fit but a challenge they were excited to experience.

Serene seemed to understand as she settled onto the bed beside him, pushing down on his abdomen so she could straddle him. Her wet and glistening pussy pressed against his erect cock, coating it with her slickness as König closed his eyes in pleasure.

"Is this okay?" Serene asked breathlessly as she felt König's hardness pressing against her entrance. He could only manage a grunt in reply as he took a deep breath before opening his eyes and looking into hers. He kissed her softly before he guided her hips until she was positioned perfectly above him.

Every muscle in König's body was tense as he felt Serene's tight warmth envelop his length inch by inch. He wanted nothing more than to thrust into her hard, but he used all his willpower to stay still and let her control the experience. She didn't let him down either, as she braced herself against his chest with both hands, using her hips to move slowly and languidly up and down. Both of their breaths were heavy and erratic in the silent room as they were captivated by the sight of their connection. His cock dripped with her wetness, making them glisten in the dim light. Serene felt like she could burst with pleasure from feeling stretched and full of him, even though he was only halfway in. The feeling was indescribable as he inched into her with slow strokes, sending shockwaves of pleasure throughout her body as she relaxed more and more to take him further in.

König's fingers dug into her hips as he tried to control himself, but it was no use; Serene's tight walls were too much for him to resist. As if sensing this, Serene allowed herself to fully be filled by his cock, a loud gasp of pleasure escaping her lips as she leaned forward and kissed him sloppily. 

"Ah-hh, Konig, it feels so good!" She'd never had such a feeling where every slight movement seemed to rub at the perfect spot inside her.

He felt her inner muscles gripping him tightly, sending shivers up and down his spine. Finally able to contain himself no longer, he began thrusting in and out of her with increasing intensity, enjoying Serene grasping at his chest as she braced herself. His passionate movements demanded a response from her, and soon enough, she matched each thrust with reckless abandon.

Pleasure radiated through every inch of Serene's body until she thought she might explode from the sheer bliss of it all. Her tight walls massaged and hugged every inch of Konig's cock as they moved together in an almost magical rhythm that only increased in intensity with each passing second.

König felt like he would lose control any minute now, and his fingers gripped Serene's hips tightly as he tried to maintain his focus. But soon enough, the forcefulness of his thrusts had taken over, and his breathing came out in deep pants that matched hers perfectly. Their bodies moved faster now, giving in to the sensations coursing through them.

König wanted to hear her gasp and moan in pleasure--to drive her wild until she only saw stars--so he reached between them and rubbed her clit as they continued to ride the waves of pleasure. Serene's body melted as she felt the pressure of his fingers, her hips moving against the pads of his fingers against her clit, wanting more, wanting release, but also wanting the sensation to last forever and ever.

He felt the intensity building inside him and knew he was close to his climax. He increased the speed of his thrusts even further, gripping tighter onto Serene's hips as he pushed deeper into her core as she moaned his name.

Serene matched König's movements, feeling every inch of him within her and allowing herself to be taken by him as she had never been before. The pleasure was too intense for words; all she could do was feel it coursing through her veins, igniting a fire inside her.

Serene arched her back and cried in pleasure as her orgasm took over, lighting up her entire being in a way she'd never experienced before. This seemed to be the last bit of restraint König needed to let go completely, and soon enough, he was spilling inside of her with a guttural groan. His body shook as wave after wave of pleasure surged through him, and their shared heat lingered between them for what felt like an eternity before finally receding back into regular breathing patterns.

The pair collapsed onto the bed afterward, exhausted yet content from their lovemaking session. They lay there for what felt like hours, enjoying each other's presence, until they finally drifted peacefully to sleep in the arms of their love.

[minecraft-sideblog-tm]

So when I last logged off my solo world, I was about 11k blocks from spawn getting the last two pottery sherds I needed from a desert well. Thought about nether-travelling back home and roughly found a route, but my inventory was full and I really wanted a camel so I decided to just travel back in the overworld to be safe.

Anyway, I got to a bit of ocean and didn’t have a lead so I started building a bridge to be able to just ride the camel across. Then finished the bridge!

I maxed my render distance (51 chunks) in order to get that screenshot, but oh? What’s that if I turn a bit to the left???

Hello there!

For reference, this is how it looks on my normal render distance (28 chunks), so I can’t even remotely see it from the bridge lol

Also found a village at the closest shoreline to the island and just thought this looked majestic:

(okay the reason I didn’t want to travel in the nether was really two reasons: 1) I didn’t want to risk dying in lava and losing my inventory or risk the camel dying, since I had to bridge across a wide bit of lava and go through some weird terrain to get to my portal and 2) those nether llamas are still near my home portal, and as soon as I get close enough to load them in they’d all start walking into the portal. Usually when I go through my portal, I seal off the room so they can’t get loose in my base and just wander back into the portal once I return. But obviously since I travelled in the overworld, I didn’t close off the room before I left lol)

[elefriendride]

Experience Elephant Tourism at the Elephant Sanctuary in Jaipur

The elephant is a revered animal in Indian culture and has played a significant role in the country's history and mythology for centuries. From being used in royal processions to serving as a symbol of strength and wisdom, elephants hold a special place in the hearts of many Indians. They are also an important part of festivals and religious ceremonies, such as the famous Elephant Festival in Jaipur and the annual Ganesh Chaturthi celebration. Despite facing threats such as habitat loss and poaching, efforts are being made to preserve and protect these majestic creatures and their place in Indian culture.

They have been used for various purposes such as transportation, religious ceremonies, and even in warfare. In recent times, the use of elephants for entertainment has become popular, especially in the tourism industry. However, this has led to concerns about the welfare of these gentle giants. Fortunately, there are places like the Elephant Sanctuary in Jaipur, which provide a more ethical and sustainable way to experience elephants.

The Elephant Sanctuary in Jaipur, also known as the Elefriendride Elephant Farm, is a unique destination that offers visitors an opportunity to interact with elephants in a way that is safe, ethical, and educational. Located on the outskirts of Jaipur, the sanctuary provides a home for retired elephants who have previously worked in tourism or in the logging industry. Here, visitors can get up close and personal with these majestic creatures and learn about their behavior, their habitat, and their needs.

One of the most popular activities at the Elephant Sanctuary in Jaipur is the elephant ride. This is a fun and exciting way to explore the sanctuary and get a closer look at the elephants. The ride lasts for about 30-40 minutes, during which visitors can sit on a cushioned saddle placed on the elephant's back while it takes them on a slow and gentle journey through the sanctuary.

Before the ride, visitors are given a brief introduction to the elephants and are taught how to communicate with them using specific commands. This helps to build trust between the visitor and the elephant and ensures a safe and enjoyable experience for both parties. Visitors can also take photos with the elephants during the ride, creating lasting memories of their time at the sanctuary.

It is important to note that the elephants at the Elephant Sanctuary in Jaipur are not subjected to harsh training methods or physical abuse to perform these rides. Instead, they are treated with love, care, and respect, and are only asked to perform tasks that they are comfortable with. In addition, the elephants are given regular breaks from rides and are allowed to roam free in the sanctuary.

Another activity that visitors can enjoy at the Elephant Sanctuary in Jaipur is elephant bathing. This is a unique experience that allows visitors to get in the water with the elephants and help them bathe. This activity is not only fun but also very educational, as visitors can learn about the importance of keeping elephants clean and how they use water to regulate their body temperature.

During the elephant bathing experience, visitors can splash and play with the elephants as they soak in the cool water. The elephants seem to enjoy the attention and the interaction with visitors, making it a truly unforgettable experience. Visitors can also learn about the elephants' behavior and how they communicate with each other through their body language.

Like the elephant rides, the elephant bathing experience at the Elephant Sanctuary in Jaipur are also conducted in an ethical and sustainable manner. Visitors are taught how to approach the elephants safely and are given strict guidelines to follow to ensure that the elephants are not disturbed or harmed in any way.

Visitors to the Elephant Sanctuary in Jaipur can also participate in other activities such as feeding the elephants, watching them play in their natural habitat, and learning about their diets and habits. Educational programs on elephant conservation are available for both kids and adults at the sanctuary, aimed at raising awareness about the importance of protecting these majestic creatures.

In addition to providing an ethical and sustainable way to experience elephants, the Elephant Sanctuary in Jaipur also plays an important role in elephant conservation. By providing a home for retired elephants, the sanctuary helps to reduce the demand for new elephants in the tourism industry. This, in turn, helps to reduce the poaching of elephants in the wild, which is a major threat to their survival.

The Elephant Sanctuary in Jaipur also works with local communities to raise awareness about elephant conservation and to promote sustainable tourism.

Contact Us:                                                                  

Address: Elefriendride, Amer Road near K.K. Royal Hotel Amer Water Tank, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302028, India

Call Us: 9982828777

Email: info@elefriendride.com

[beardedmrbean]

The crow caws at midnight

Crows. They're members of the Corvus family. Their beady eyes, black wings, annoying caw, what's not to like?

A lot.

Something happened a few years ago, something unusual, beyond normal, more than hungry...

Day One

It was Summer, the best time of year to kick back and relax. For my holidays, I was spending them at log cabin in the middle of Murder Wood.

I know what you're thinking, there was a murderer, right? Wrong! It was called Murder Wood because it was home to a group of crows, or a murder. If you were a bird-watcher or biologist, you would love to be there for a week, which is how long my visit was.

I was staying with my cousin, who was studying the behavior of crows. She loved crows, and not only did she decide to study them as a scientist, she also bought a log cabin in the outskirts of Murder Wood.

12:00 AM

I was unpacking my things in the spare room. It had a window with a nice view of the wood. I could see thick, ancient trees, three or four crows flying through the leaves, a dark figure walking into Murder Wood, and-

Hold on, dark figure?

I looked back at where the figure had been, but the person had disappeared.

15:00 PM

I had a late lunch: a sandwich, some lemonade and a cookie.

Because the log cabin was old-fashioned, I had to do a few things. The only things that were modern were my cousin's scientific equipment.

First, I had to collect firewood, for the furnace and fireplace. I kept an eye out for the figure, but it didn't show up. Instead, all I could hear were crows cawing, just like they do.

Next, I had to unweed the roof, as it had grown weeds over the years. I could hear more crows, but they sounded far away. While up there, there were deep claw marks on the roof...

Lastly, there was the task of collecting water from a well. As I collected the water, I saw a figure walk into a crumbling, weathered cabin. I would have gone towards it, but I had a job to do.

19:00 PM

Dinner. It was lovely: potatoes, peas, chicken. How tasty.

I asked my cousin about the building. She said it used to be a facility, which was shut down after an accident. No-one was quite sure what happened, but whatever occurred left no survivors.

Midnight

I woke up in the middle of the night. There was a noise coming from outside.

Caw!

Just a crow. I was just closing my eyes when a shadow passed my window. It wasn't a murder of crows, it was a person. At least, I hoped it was. It was too dark to see, but I knew that the person was different.

I couldn't get back to sleep that night. How could I have done?

Day Two

07:00 AM

I went to where I saw the person was. All I could find was a long black feather and deep scratch marks in the ground, similar to the marks on the roof.

I ate some cereal and had a rest. I could not get the person out of my head last night. I felt refreshed after my nap, but this person, the marks, the crow feather, it didn't add up.

I felt like there was something I had missed, but what?

10:00 AM

I was sent to collect water again. As I was several feet away, I could see someone on the ground. Being showered in black feathers. Growling.

I yelled at it. It turned its head towards me. What I saw was horrific. It looked like a man, except it had bird-like features. No, crow-like features.

It looked majestic and creepy. The only human parts it had were its muscular build, forearms and voice. Patches of its skin were covered in pure-black feathers, like the one I found outside my window. It had wings, large, black wings, taloned feet with only three toes on each bird-like foot, and it's face was unnatural. It had its black beak, its blue eyes, long, sharp, crooked teeth, and long brown hair. The least human part was the face's design: it was feathery, with several bald spots. The skin was a raw shade of pink, with scars in many places, some leaving lines between rows of feathers.

I couldn't look away.I wanted to, but I couldn't. I threw a handful of stones at it, but it made him screech and fly away into the old facility. I saw what happened as I walked towards the well.

It was eating. All that was left was a skeleton with a few flecks of skin attached. And then I saw it. A collar. It was eating on a dog. It wasn't right. The thing's face wasn't right.

I would remember the face for the rest of my life.

16:00 PM

I asked my cousin to drive me into town. I wanted to know what the crow-man thing was before going back into Murder Wood.

I asked the shopkeepers and they didn't know, I asked tourists and they wanted to take a picture of it. The rest of the people I asked thought I was crazy.

Until I went to the book shop.

The owner was a frail old man, who had a bored-looking grandson working for him. I asked the old man if he knew about it, but had no idea. I asked the grandson, and he said he knew nothing. Before I stepped out of the door, he asked me to come back to the shop tomorrow.

If he knew nothing about it, why did he want me to come back?

Midnight

Caw!

The crows were getting worked up again, probably about the crow-man hunting. Why did I have to suffer? Why me, of all people?

A shadow passed by the window. It was staring at me. It was a very nerve-racking moment.

Crrrrrrrrrack!

It punched the wall outside. It was trying to get in! A minute after the wall was punched, I was breathing heavily.

I strained my ear, trying to hear it.

Nothing. It must have left. Maybe it wanted to smell me but didn't like my dirty clothes.

Sleep was deprived from me for a second night.

Day Three

07:00 AM

I ate some cereal and had another nap. I hoped it wouldn't become a habit. I slept dreamlessly, and then remembered: I had to go back into town and meet the grandson.

I wondered what it was about.

11:00 AM

I went back into town. It was quiet, which was no surprise. The town was very small. The only buildings were the book shop, tourist office, bait shop and a corner shop.

Anyway, I stepped inside the book shop. I had asked the grandson what he wanted to see me about. All he did was give me a memory stick. He said it was important not to lose it.

It was unusual in design: the outside bit was made of wood. It was shaped like a feather, for some reason. It wasn't until further inspection that I found writing on one side of the feather:

O.F. R29/F3/L2/C19

What did it mean? I had to find a computer, but my cousin didn't have one.

18:00 PM

I was still trying to find a computer. I asked my cousin if there was a computer in the town, but she had no idea. I wished there was a Starbuck's in this place!

Then it hit me: Graham, the grandson, had a laptop. If he let me on there, I would be able to find out what was in the memory stick. I asked my cousin if we could go into town, but she said she wouldn't. It was because she didn't want to waste petrol and the shops were all closed.

Great, I would be spending another night in my room, sleepless.

Midnight

Strange.

It was quiet. No crows were going caw! and the wind was blowing. Maybe the crows didn't like it. For once in this place would I be able to sleep.

I was very uncomfortable during my sleep. I kept telling my cousin to turn off the light, but then I noticed that the light was coming from the forest. It wasn't fire, thankfully. The light was a pale, radiating green, and coming from the facility.

Who would be in a crumbling building, apart from the stupid crow-man? Surely it wasn't that smart, was it?

Ignoring a voice in my head, I went back to sleep for the second time.

Day Four

08:00 AM

I felt refreshed. It was the first time I had a good sleep in this cabin. The first thing I did was look at the memory stick. Whoever this O.F. was, he or she must have known something about all this. I wasn't even sure if the person was living in this place!

If O.F. could help me, I needed to use a computer. Whatever was left on there could help me with this mystery. I had to get to town as soon as possible.

10:00 AM

I made it to town. I ran towards the book shop, wanting to know what information O.F. had left behind. I opened the door, but it wouldn't budge. That's when I noticed it was closed. I was an hour early.

I spent a whole hour sitting on a bench, waiting for the shops to open. During that time, I managed to know the layout of the town. In the distance, Murder Wood was dark, shading even the white rabbits that woke up in darkness. Apart from those rabbits, the crows were going caw!. They are the most annoying animal to me.

Finally, the shops were open. I literally ran to the book shop as it opened. I asked the old man if I could see Graham. He called for his grandson and I asked him if I could use his laptop. He agreed and we went upstairs, towards the laptop.

As I opened the files, I noticed several programs downloaded on the memory stick, most of them I never heard of. The first document was containing notes on what happened with a project. The second document was encoded, so it couldn't be accessed. One file contained videos, and they were unusual. All of them were in a laboratory, with basins, a large glass cylinder and a cage. There were 16 short videos, all of them boring.

That's when the last video turned dark. It was incomplete, but most of the video was fine. A scientist was in a closet, whispering as if he didn't want to be found. In the background, there was screaming. A minute later, the man burst out of the hiding place and rushed to a computer. He put a memory stick, the same one in the laptop, into the computer and when it reached 100%, a screech filled the air. The scientist's face was contorted with fear, and a few seconds later, the video camera was thrown onto the floor on its side. Before the video ended, a dark shadow rushed at the scientist.

I asked Graham what his last name was. It was Fennlace. Graham Fennlace. Was it possible? Was O.F. Graham's father?

17:00 PM

The crows. A facility. Scientists. Encoded documents. They must all be connected. Could the crow-man be the result of an experiment? If so, it must have been an accident.

My cousin said about the facility shutting down because of an accident that left no survivors. The crow-man must have been the cause of it. I'm certain! I should just stay awake tonight.

And I was just getting used to sleeping comfortably, too.

Midnight

Caw!

Yep, the crows are worked up again. That creature must be hunting again.

The crow-man should be coming here soon. I just know it will. Then a shadow passed by my window. A few seconds later, there was a scratching noise coming from the left wall. All I could do was hope it was a dog, wolf or whatever.

Crrrrrrrrrrrack!

The wall had broken down. The creature had gotten through. It screeched and rushed towards me as I ran for my life. I was tired and confused, which made me have no idea where to go.

Then I saw it. A hatch leading to the basement. The crow-man was close, and time was limited, so I opened the hatch, shut the door, turned on the light and stayed still, in order to avoid being detected.

I am never going to get any sleep.

Day Five

09:00 AM

My cousin opened the hatch. She looked worried. She was asking what had happened, why the wall in by bedroom was broken and why she could hear a crow in my bedroom last night. I was in no mood to talk, but I told her everything.

After I had stopped, she looked from me to the bedroom. Finally, when she spoke, she said she believed me. I asked her if she had any old newspapers. If I wanted to get to the bottom of this, I needed to know what had happened and why.

12:00 AM

I found out a lot of things to do with the crow-man. I found out that one of the project developers was Oswald Fennlace, Graham's father. They tried to create a being with bird-like abilities and features. Because Murder Wood was filled with crows, they found that it would be ideal to build a facility in the forest and use a crow as their test subject.

They spent a lot of money on it. They kept catching crows, but none of them had a specific DNA sample. Until one day, they managed to find the perfect specimen. Using blood transfusion, DNA transfers and a human willing to be used, they created a vicious warrior. It attacked several scientists at first, but then it was contained in a holding cell.

But a few days later, the guard had left for a moment and the crow-man escaped. It killed everyone in the facility, the last person being Oswald Fennlace. Once the subject had escaped the facility, it roamed around the forest, eating any animal or person to come across it.

It was a test which was to be aborted a few days before the scientists were killed. It was the Corvus Project, a mistake which should never had happened.

I needed to end this. If Oswald left a clue to killing Corvus, it must have been left to his son Graham. I mustn't be wrong. I needed to keep making the right decisions from now on.

One mistake and it would all end.

19:00 PM

Normally, my cousin wouldn't go to town at this time, but I insisted that we should. For some reason, even though it was a ten minute drive, it felt like an hour.

When we reached the book shop, I knocked on the door. The old man complained that it was too late, but I insisted that it was important, that it had everything to do with his late son. He let us in after that.

My cousin asked if his son left anything here before he died, and he said they were all in a file on his old memory stick. Was it possible that it was the encoded file I tried to access the day before?

Again, we tried to access it, but it was still encoded. Then it hit me. It could be encoded if we try it at his old computer. Unfortunately, I didn't know where it was in the facility. For a clue, I looked at the memory stick, the lettering being shadowed.  R29/F3/L2/C19.

Hold on, R29, F3, L2, C19. Room 29, Floor 3, Laboratory 2, Computer 19? Was that it?

Before I could think one last thing, the glass shattered, and Corvus came through, growling at us. Then, it said one word: 'Fennnnnnllllacccccccccce'.

We ran. We ducked under bookshelves, closed doors and climbed out of a window. But it just cast away the bookshelves without effort, smashed through doors and flew after us.

Running out of options, we ran into Murder Wood. The old man was out of breath, but we just couldn't leave him. He stumbled, and my cousin tried to save him, but in the blink of an eye, he was taken, killed and eaten, leaving only a few flecks of skin on a frail skeleton. Somehow, I had a feeling that Corvus was still hungry.

Then, just a few metres ahead, I saw the facility. Leaving no choice, we took shelter in a cupboard. It was small, but it was safe.

My ordeal was nearly over, but wasn't finished just yet.

Midnight

There was a thudding noise outside, the pounding of heavy feet against the metallic floor. Corvus was close, and looking for Graham. We have to keep him safe, safe from the carnivorous, humanoid bird that was the result of the Corvus Project.

It was late, and decided to sleep, wondering if it was the last time I would sleep alive.

Day Six

09:00 AM

I opened my eyes in the darkness. At first, I had no idea where I was, buy then remembered: I was in the facility, Corvus' home, a place where no rules in everyday life exist. If I could find Oswald Fennlace's computer and decode the file, maybe the key to defeating Corvus would be shown.

One by one, we stepped outside of our temporary sanctuary. On the floor, there was a skeleton. It looked like it used to be a cat. Flies were buzzing around the rotting flecks of skin on the bones. It was disgusting, and we were all so hungry. I nearly ate a bit of the rotting meat, but sanity took control and stopped me from doing so.

Graham was the first to search for an elevator or stairs. He searched the left-wing, I searched the right-wing and my cousin searched the north-wing. Paranoia was tricking me at this time: every step I took on the steel floor made me think I was being followed. I could only think of what would happen if Corvus was behind me.

I came to a stop. In front of me were three doors, each of them displaying an event of the past. The left door was charred, as if there was a small fire a while back. The center door was fine, but what was below it was disturbing: a dried-up pool of blood had spread from inside the lab to outside. I could guess that there were several skeletons behind the door, all of them victims. The right door wasn't attached to its hinges. Instead, it lay on the floor, multiple scratch marks covering one side.

I saw what was inside the rightmost room: an operating table with a tray of surgical equipment nearby. It was possibly the same place where Corvus had been internally examined. Apart from that, I couldn't see any stairs. I opened the central door, and I was right. Several skeletons were on the floor, just piles of grubby bones. No flesh clung to the bones, but there were bite-marks on most of the bones. Again, there were no stairs. I hoped there would be stairs behind the final door. I twisted the doorknob, pushed the door..

And it was filled with scientific equipment. This didn't make any sense. Why would three doors, side-by-side, be crucially important? I now hoped Graham or my cousin had found the way up. Before I could make another wish, I turned back and went to the main entrance.

Then I heard a scream.

12:00 AM

I ran at full speed towards the crossroads. I saw Graham already there. I asked if he found any way upstairs, but he just shook his head in disagreement. We both ran up the north-wing. I was now hoping my cousin was okay. But as we got closer, a feeling of dread was growing on us.

A fresh hole formed in the ground. If my beliefs were correct, my cousin was at the bottom of the hole. Without another thought, I jumped down into the darkness. I could already see a staircase in the darkness, but I had to do one thing at a time.

I saw my cousin instantly. She cried with happiness as she saw me. She said she sprained her ankle, and couldn't go on. I called Graham down, as it was dangerous to be alone at a time and place like this. In the darkness, Graham pointed out that he could see a sign. As we moved closer, it said: F2.

Floor 2? The computer was below us? No wonder I couldn't see any stairs up: because we were on the top floor. That was one challenge completed. Now, we just had to find a way down. But first, we really needed to rest. Above us, pounding footsteps filled the air. Corvus! We needed to hide. It was like Hide and Seek with a twist: if you're found, you end up as lunch.

My cousin crawled under a table, which was covered in cloth. Graham hid in a crate, which was, luckily, already empty. I went down a trapdoor, not knowing where it would take me. Then our "friend" Corvus came down the hole and was trying to find us. After a minute of noise, the sound of beating wings filled the air. Corvus was gone. At least, for now.

One by one, we came out of our hiding places. Then I noticed something. The trapdoor I was hiding under was the entrance to the third floor. Finally, we would end this madness once and for all!

But something felt wrong. What was it?

15:00 PM

We climbed down the ladder into the forbidding darkness. Even though this place was shut down, I thought I could hear the buzzing of machinery. Were we going insane over this? My mind was elsewhere though, focusing on finding room 29.

25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31- Wait, what? 28, 30, 31. Where was 29? The lighting must have been bad, otherwise, we'll be dead. I just needed to recount.

25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 31B- It must be room 30. It had to be. It must. It must, it must, it must!

Graham opened the door. Sure enough, it lead into another corridor. Again, there was a crossroad. One of the passageways lead to laboratory 2, and there were only three passageways. It didn't take a genius to figure it out. We took the middle passage, seeing as it was obvious. I twisted the handle and pushed...

But it remained locked.

Why? Why? Why is it locked? Did we miss something? Then my cousin pointed out the metallic box in the wall. It had a hole in the middle that was big enough for a memory stick to fit into. Was that it? Was the way in through a memory stick?

Nevertheless, Graham pushed to memory stick into the hole. Click! My cousin pushed open the door. All we had to do now was find computer 19 and read the message.

16:00 PM

We entered the laboratory. Several skeletons lay on the floor, most of them on the floor. Pushed against one computer was a skeleton covered in a few scraps of dirty white material.

Oswald Fennlace.

Without another moment wasted, I pushed the memory stick into the port. Instantly, the computer buzzed into life, and the options bar came up. I opened the encoded file.

A document opened. For some unknown reason, the message started to decode itself. After two minutes of decoding, a message was formed. It read:

' Son,

' By the time you read this, I will be dead. You know about the test, of this facility, of the dangers I have faced. I was a foolish man who put science before anything else.

' If I have missed your 14th birthday by the time you read this and my skeleton is undamaged, take the ring from my finger. It is my gift to you. As you may already know, I was in charge of the project.

' It should have been abandoned at the start. But I was persistent, and wanted the world of science to recognize me. Instead, I pushed on with the task, not thinking of my father, of my wife, of you.

' You are in danger. Leave Murder Wood, leave your home, go somewhere safe. The test subject has a type of hatred towards our bloodline. It will, no matter what, try to kill you. I'm sorry for all of this, I'm sorry for accepting this project, of endangering your life. What will haunt me most will be the fact that I will never see you grow up or get to know you.

' Love,

' Your father,

Dr. Oswald Fennlace

I looked over to Graham. His eyes were filled with tears. He stepped towards the remains of his father and slipped off the silver ring from his finger. He placed it on his own, still crying.

That was it. No weapon to destroy Corvus, no instructions, just a letter to Graham. One thing was certain, and that was for us to leave.

As we opened the door, Corvus swiped at Graham's chest, a fresh pool of crimson forming on his t-shirt. Again, Corvus swiped at Graham, causing more blood to spill.

Suddenly, just as Corvus was about to move in for the kill, a wire, near a cardboard box, sparked. It was set alight. Corvus instantly fled, leaving us alone. The fire was spreading quickly. It was inching closer. And closer.

And closer.

17:00 PM

I rushed out, struggling to carry Graham's heavy body, wishing I worked out more. My cousin followed behind, limping. The flames were already a few inches behind us, burning the remains of Oswald, remains of his colleagues, burning everything.

As we moved towards the entrance of room 29, the fire errupted. Luckily, neither me or Graham were hurt. Unfortunately, it burnt my cousin's arm. She screamed in agony as the searing pain crawled over her arm.

By now, both of us were struggling to support our weight, but we tried for Graham's sake, for our sakes, for our survival. By now, we were finding it difficult to breathe air. Our lungs were filling with smoke. Carrying Graham with one hand and climbing the ladder with the other, we moved upwards, towards the fresh air of the second floor.

We were exhausted. My cousin was badly burnt, Graham was unconscious and I was straining my muscles.By the time I checked my watch, the fire was reaching out to us. We tried moving towards the hole in the ceiling, where we had discovered my cousin with her bad ankle.

My cousin cried out for help, hoping someone would hear us. The fire was enclosing us, and my consciousness was slipping away. Before I passed out, I saw someone looming over me.

And then there was darkness.

11:00 PM

I couldn't remember who had saved us. I briefly opened my eyes, seeing where I was. I was outside, away from the burning facility. Sirens. I could her sirens.

As the blue light was coming closer, I felt weak, my consciousness slipping away once more...

Day Seven

10:00 AM

I woke up. I was alive, and in bed. At first, I had no idea where I was. But as I felt more awake, I remember what happened, and where I was. I was in hospital.

As a doctor came up to me, I asked where my cousin was. " The one with the burns? She's in the Burns and Aputation ward. She'll be alright, but will need a lot of surgery." I asked about Graham and how he was. " Ah, well, I have some bad news about your friend. You see, he suffered from severe blood loss, and we'll have to keep him here for a while. He should be alright for now. You can see him in a few hours"

As I pondered on who had saved us, I couldn't help but notice how warm and soft the bed was, and just let myself drift into a dreamless sleep.

15:00 PM

I went to see Graham as soon as I woke up. He was asleep, but I just sat by him, waiting for him to wake up. I thought about how his father had been selfish, putting his job before his family. Then, the window opened.

It was Corvus. Impossible. He surely must have stayed in Murder Wood. But no, I was incorrect. It was him. His rotten breath was too real to be imaginary. I tried to fight him off, but he wasn't here to hurt me. All he did was walk towards Graham. After a brief moment, I understood what Corvus was doing: he was going to put Graham out of his misery.

I threw myself onto him, trying to stop him from killing my friend. But he shook me off, like a rag-doll. Corvus put his hand over Graham's heart. He pushed into it. He dig his filthy nails in. And ended Graham's suffering.

I was speechless and terrified. Corvus moved towards the window. He looked at me in a sad and solemn way. Then, he flew off into the distance, flying in a more graceful way.

The last of the Fennlace family was gone.

***

Since that day, every time I look at a crow, I remember that Summer, of Corvus, of the silver ring, and of the future Graham could have lived.

I had gone back to Murder Wood every Summer, trying to avenge Graham's death, but something stops me. Maybe it was the fact that Corvus was once a human who wanted to end his misery.

But I still dislike crows.

[itismissswann]

@captainofthepearl

Never had they wished so much for land, to feel the sweet brown soils of home. For on this sea she felt the rage within, as if the ocean is countless tears ready to pound at the feet of man, to teach he who has wanted yet not nurtured as he should. It was a gale that screamed under dark and serious clouds. Yet the ship sailed over these watery fists, perhaps with the intention of causing enough bruising for the sailors to remember her anger, enough for them to start a sweet serenade of sorrow and a promise of better care.

The touch of sand underneath her fingers, made her gain consciousness again. She inhaled loudly. Her eyes traced the beach for more survivors. Unfortunately there was no sign of any, the rain creating a thick fog blurring everything.  Elizabeth quickly rose to her feed, stroking her rain soaked hair behind her ears. The touch of her fingertips against her cheek making her realize they were growing numb with the cold. Soon she was off to the woods, hoping it would offer some kind of shelter from the threatening storm. 

The trees were veiled in the lightest of mists, their trunks sombre brown with sable cracks that gnarl the bark. As her eyes traveled to the edge of the woodland, she noticed a log cabin. She was soon drawn to the warm light filtering through the majestic windows of the door. The light was an arc of brilliant gold in the dark. 

She opened the door, the squeaking sound of the rusty hinges announcing her presence. Her gaze met his, confusion in the depth of her eyes. His attire giving away he was working for the king, if that was the case,  it would make them most definitely enemies. She had been searching for a way to be with Will for too long. There wasn’t a slightest chance she would let it slip through her finger so easily.  Slowly one hand found its way to the handle of her sword. ❝Captain Barbossa, what an unexpected meeting it is. ❞ There was a playful challenge in her gaze.  ❝I’m curious, do tell me why the master of the seven seas is dressed in those garments?❞  The meeting had happened so sudden, that she had failed to notice the wood that had replaced a part of his leg. She was wondering what was a more frightful sight to see. Him abandoning piracy to serve the king, or him missing a limb.  

[atlanticcanada]

Nature conservancy to buy tiny island off Prince Edward Island's north shore

A small, undeveloped island off the north shores of P.E.I. where blue herons, bald eagles and double-crested cormorants nest is set to be purchased by the Nature Conservancy of Canada and eventually placed under the full-time stewardship of the Mi'kmaq.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada announced plans this week to buy Oulton's Island, which is about one square kilometre in size and an important habitat not only for majestic birds but also woodland creatures such as snowshoe hare, red squirrel and migrating waterfowl.

The island, about 400 metres from Cascumpec Bay, has four kilometres of beach shoreline and supports salt marsh and freshwater wetland ecosystems and is also home to Acadian forests composed of jack pine, black spruce and white birch.

"We like the idea of protecting coastal islands," Lanna Campbell, Nature Conservancy of Canada's program director for Prince Edward Island, said in a recent interview. "It's an area of refuge for wildlife because they're often inaccessible to motorized vehicles or a lot of people, so they're just really quiet havens for wildlife."

The organization had its eyes on the island since the 1980s and stayed in touch with the landowners, she said. The conservancy bought the land for $1.2 million but still needs to raise about $300,000 to complete the purchase.

"It's a beautiful coastal forest," Campbell said. "We found a nesting great blue heron colony, which is a really impressive, beautiful bird. It always kind of looks like a dinosaur to me. We also found other birds nesting there, like double-crested cormorants. There's lots of eagles that live there. And so, once we really started to explore it, we knew it was a special place for wildlife."

About 90 per cent of Prince Edward Island is privately owned, and most landowners are good stewards, she said. But there is always the risk that if private property is sold to someone, they might log trees or "threaten its integrity," she added.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada, she said, has undertaken several conservation projects across the country. For example, the group negotiated the release of development and mineral rights to land in British Columbia to make it available for Indigenous-led conservation.

Darlene Bernard, chief of the Lennox Island First Nation, in P.E.I., called Oulton's Island an important piece of territory. The Mi'kmaq word for the area -- Kwesawe'k -- translates to "end of the island cape" or "end of the headland," she said.

"It's an island that has magnificent wetlands and a home for all kinds of special little creatures," she said. "And you know, our people would have used that island to sustain ourselves for generations."

She said the First Nation welcomed its partnership with the conservancy to protect the land, adding that she doesn't foresee any commercial development in the area. The conservancy's plan is to transfer ownership of the land in about five years to the Epekwitk Assembly of Councils, a Mi'kmaq governing body.

"Well, I think we would want to keep it in its pristine state that it's in now," Bernard said. "Certainly, we're not going to restrict visitors to the island. If you have a boat, you want to go over there and take a walk along its beautiful beaches and things like that, then you're certainly welcome to do that."

Campbell said she first visited the island in August, and she said it left her with quite an impression.

"It was a very sunny, beautiful day. The tide was low, so the beaches were really big," she said.

"And we were walking along in the sand watching the shorebirds, tiny little shorebirds, dance along in the sand in front of us looking for food. It was a walk around the whole island. I remember coming around a big wetland and watching a couple of really big herons take off -- big, beautiful blue birds. And it just kind of felt like we were visiting a fairyland. It was a very magical spot."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2022.

from CTV News - Atlantic https://ift.tt/dCEzogm

[rjjameshiii]

RJ's Platinum Collection #11: TOEM

Achieved on 9/9/2022 11:03 PM

I first became aware of TOEM's existence when it popped up as one of the monthly free games on PS Plus. Looking into it, I discovered that TOEM was about a young photographer traveling across the Scandinavian-inspired world populated with ghosts, swimsuit-wearing horses, and sentient balloons in order to witness an amazing phenomenon known only as the "TOEM". I thought it look very cute, so I decided to give it a spin!

The core gameplay of TOEM is exploring the five regions and solving puzzles using your Camera in order to complete tasks for locals, who give you tokens as a reward, and you use these tokens to purchase your progression to the next world. The trophies are earned by completing these tasks, while also taking photographs of specific people or things, including all of the animals in the game for the Wildlife Compendium.

I decided to just go into the game blind and play it through for the first time. I managed to complete my first playthrough of TOEM with 15 trophies!

1/38: The Beginning - Start your Adventure.

2/38: Home Sweet Home - Photograph Nana's house.

3/38: The Calm Forest - Visit Oaklaville.

4/38: Who's A Good Boy?! - Pet a pet for the first time.

5/38: A Majestic Hotel - Photograph the Oak Hotel from the vantage point.

6/38: Set Sail For Good Weather - Visit Stanhamn.

7/38: Flight Ready - Capture a close-up photo of a very special seagull.

8/38: Going Long! - Walk a thousand miles.

9/38: A Sparkling Jump - Capture a close-up photo of a dancer.

10/38: Photograph The Smiling Huntsman - Capture a photo of a sunken ship.

11/38: The Big City - Visit Log City.

12/38: Snowy Peaks - Visit Kiiruberg.

13/38: All Geared Up - Find and equip all four winter clothing items.

14/38: So Close Now! - Visit the top of Kiiruberg.

15/38: Experience TOEM - Photograph the phenomenon TOEM.

After that, I decided to go back to all of the areas and, using a guide, find all the rest of the things I needed to photograph for the miscellaneous trophies, as well as get all the rest of the animals for the Wildlife Compendium, AND complete all of the photo challenges in each region. Basically, part 2 of this platinum was clean-up.

16/38: You Found Us! - Capture a photo of the hidden developers.

17/38: Just A Sock - Capture a close-up photo of the sock man.

18/38: Calmed Down - Capture a close-up photo of the skeleton.

19/38: Slow And Steady - Witness the snail reach the flag.

20/38: Nature's Showstopper - Complete all of the Photo Challenges in Oaklaville.

21/38: Employee Of The Month - Hang up your own photo in the Employee of the Month frame.

22/38: A New Job - Capture a close-up photo of a stressed human.

23/38: Strong as An Oak - Complete all quests in Oaklaville.

24/38: Seaworthy - Complete all quests in Stanhamn.

25/38: Calm As The Sea - Complete all of the Photo Challenges in Stanhamn.

26/38: 100 Followers! - Capture a close-up photo of an influencer.

27/38: The Grand Clock Tower - Capture a photo of the clock tower's special event.

28/38: City Professional - Complete all of the Photo Challenges in Log City.

29/38: Business Executed - Complete all of the quests in Log City.

30/38: A Great Story - Find all of the wall paintings, then capture a close-up photo of the mountain explorer.

31/38: Happy Youth - Capture a close-up photo of an old man.

32/38: The Biggest Hurdle - Complete all of the Photo Challenges in Kiiruberg.

33/38: Cosplayer - Equip every item in the game at least once.

34/38: Look At Those Cuties - Photograph each of the developer's pets.

35/38: Collect Them All - Photograph all of the Compendium animals.

36/38: Ice Fighter - Complete all of the quests in Kiiruberg.

37/38: A True Completionist - Complete all quests in the game.

And voila! I got the TOEM platinum!

38/38: And That Completes The List! - Obtain all of the trophies.

TOEM is a very cute and fun game, and it even has some DLC in the form of an extra region called Basto that you can access after finishing the game once. I definitely recommend TOEM to any platinum hunters or cozy game enjoyers!

Rating: 10/10

[woodstoves-fireplaces]

Embrace the Cold with Modern and Traditional Fireplace Solutions

As the colder seasons approach, many homeowners turn to fireplaces to create warmth and ambiance. Modern fireplace solutions like electric fireplaces, refractory or fireproof brick, and royal fireplaces offer both style and practicality, helping transform any living space into a cozy retreat.

Electric fireplace logs provide a convenient and energy-efficient alternative to traditional wood-burning fireplaces. These logs are designed to mimic the appearance of real wood and flames, creating the same visual appeal without the hassle of smoke, soot, or constant upkeep. Electric log sets are perfect for those who want the aesthetic of a fire without the need for ventilation or extensive cleaning. Many models also include adjustable heat settings and remote controls, allowing users to enjoy the warmth and glow of a fire with the push of a button. Easy to install and maintain, electric logsets bring comfort and ambiance to any room, making them a popular choice for modern homes.

For traditional fireplaces, fire brick plays a crucial role in maintaining safety and functionality. Fireproof brick is a specially designed type of brick that can withstand extremely high temperatures, making it ideal for use in wood-burning fireplaces and stoves. It lines the inside of the fireplace, protecting the outer structure from the intense heat generated by the fire. Fireproof brick is also a key component in ensuring that heat is distributed evenly, allowing the fireplace to operate efficiently. Replacing worn-out fireproof brick is essential for maintaining the longevity of your fireplace and ensuring the safety of your home.

If you're seeking a high-quality, aesthetically pleasing option, consider the majestic fireplace. Known for their elegant designs and reliable performance, grand fireplaces come in various models, including traditional wood-burning, gas, and electric options. Grand fireplaces are designed to be both functional and visually appealing, making them a centerpiece in any living space. Their fireplaces are built for durability and offer features like efficient heat distribution, safety controls, and customizable designs. Whether you're upgrading your home with electric logsets, ensuring safety with fireproof brick, or investing in a royal fireplace, each option offers unique benefits that add both warmth and style to your home.