#Priceless Relic Missing!

[awritingcaitlin]

Pitch Your Story as a News Headline

[arcann]

it was insane that at the end of tataru's endeavors sidequests when the workers choose to stay with her instead of going back home in thavnair and one of them is like "oh no! i've left the counter alone all this time we've been talking!" she didn't say "let's close shop for the day and celebrate that we're together in the cafe that is just crossing the port" no she said they should all go back to work.

wh- wh- what!?!?!

[godihatethiswebsite]

Desert Oasis

✽ Johnny "Soap" Mactavish x f!reader (The Mummy AU)

Main Masterlist

°•. ✿ .•°.•° ✿ °•.°•. ✿ .•°.•° ✿ °•.°•. ✿ .•°

✽ Part 3 - A chance discovery and a bit of mischief

These little drabbles keep getting longer and longer...

Life had been slower since your parents passed from sickness a few years back. One of your father's business associates now handled company matters, but was kind enough to keep you informed of the goings on regarding shipments to the museum. It felt like there wasn't much to do nowadays after a few unsuccessful seasons in society, spending most of your time either upkeeping the estate left to you or in the company of your cousin who practically lived in the house with you the last few months.

Passing by familiar friendly faces weathered and old from years in service, you weaved through various wooden containers packed full of priceless relics, getting a first look as they were unloaded before any of the public could get their sights on them.

A noise drew your attention from the delicate Nubian bracelet you'd been admiring. There was a slight commotion when one of the smaller crates overturned onto the warehouse floor, a very flustered new hand getting chewed out by a man three times his age as the surrounding workers started gathering everything up. To his luck there was nothing fragile in the container, but you'd seen something small roll under one of the carts and had quickly hiked your skirts up to grab whatever it was.

Sitting back on your heels, you stared at the dark little metal contraption in your hands, educated mind picking apart every hieroglyph as you rose from your spot on the floor and walked back over to one of the unloaders. Scanning the manifest for the crate in question, you found nothing indicating towards the little box's presence even after having one of the others turn their eye to the paperwork to double check you weren't missing something. None of them had seen anything like it before, nor you to be sure.

You decided to take it up to Dr. Price for his insight, mind a little too curious to wait for the other museum curators to get their hands on it first to give you an answer. You hoped he wasn't indisposed with other matters, glad to find him alone in his study peering over the dreary headache inducing paperwork that kept most of his attention during the day.

He allowed you to interrupt his work, rounding his desk to place the item down in front of him with buzzing excitement. At first he stared at it with furrowed brows, turning it this way and that with analytical intrigue, happy for the brief distraction from the mundane. He must have caught something you missed as his eyes flashed, positioning his fingers just so to press down on something, surprising the two of you with the way the device snapped open into an almost star shape at the bottom.

Price's interest suddenly turned to that of indifference once he turned it over, revealing the hollowed out interior that at some point must've housed something you think.

But... there! What is that marking on the inside?

Gently removing the box from his grasp, you angle the interior of it towards the light to inspect the writing you'd glimpsed. Where the markings on the outside seemed to have been purposely stamped in during the initial creation, the symbols within looked to have been added with something sharp after the fact in the ancient Egyptian equivalent of chicken scratch.

It wasn't a word you were overly familiar with - your brain taking a moment to pull from long ago knowledge - but you couldn't help the gasp that followed as you whispered the name, "Hamunuptra."

The scoff that followed from Price had you feeling very much like the little girl the adults had chuckled at when you'd first shown them the book you'd found full of myths and legends, softly chided for believing in such nonsense and corrected on the differences between fact and fiction.

"Got more important things to do than go hunting down ghost stories, love." Price spoke up at you from his spot reclining back in his chair, hands folded casually over his abdomen as he gave you the look usually reserved for long suffering parents.

It didn't matter what you tried to say afterwards to convince him to maybe consider the possibility the tales were even partially based on some element of truth. He dismissed you away with a wave of his hand, brushing off your words before instructing you to take it back down to the warehouse so one of the employees could put it away with all the other knick knacks in storage.

You left his office with your head down from your scolding, a bad taste in your mouth at not being taken seriously even if the rational part of your mind told you what you'd always known: the lost city of the dead was just a myth invented by ancient Arab storytellers to amuse Greek and Roman tourists. This was a topic of interest for the occassional treasure hunter, not scholars.

You quickly deposited it right back where you'd found it before taking your leave of the museum, having had enough excitement for one day and needing some time to cool off from your disappointment.

It was only a few days later when you'd found yourself sitting out on the balcony with your dearest cousin Kyle (freshly back from a months long trip to Tanta and mostly sober), recanting him with the circumstances and conversation surrounding the artifact. Even now it was a subject that seemed to plague your mind, having done your best to try and ignore the way it scratched an itch you hadn't felt in many a year. You wouldn't admit outloud to the various drawings you had in your sketchbook of the item in question shoved beneath your pillowcase.

Kyle listened intently to your ramblings, slouched forward in his wicker chair idly swirling two fingers worth of whiskey in his glass before suddenly speaking up after a moments contemplative silence. "Want to find out if it's real?"

Now it was your turn to scoff, rolling your eyes as you tucked your legs up under yourself in a decidedly rare unladylike fashion. Typical Kyle trying to lure you in with fresh bait to go off and do something deemed irresponsible and imbolic by normal society. You casually reminded him it was just an old wives tale, but he shrugged unbothered as he raised the glass of amber liquid to his lips, one side raised in a slight smirk.

"You just leave that part to me, dolly. I'll get your answer for you."

He'd practically disappeared after that, only coming home late into the evenings well after the staff had gone to bed and leaving early in the mornings before the sun had barely risen. If it wasn't for the pantry being pillaged no one would have ever suspected him of hanging around the estate in the first place. At least it gave him something to think about other than the memories you knew still haunted him. And Kyle had always loved sinking his teeth into a challenge.

It wasn't even a week later that you'd come back from a promenade along the river to discover your cousin lounging in your bed as if he owned the place, hands behind his head staring at you with a Cheshire cat grin that you knew could only spell trouble.

Imagine your surprise when he told you he'd managed to track down info about a man who'd claimed to have seen the fabled city with his own two eyes.

Your first instinct was to call nonsense on the idea. Preposterous. Ridiculous. Absurd. You didn't know how your cousin came to that conclusion, but surely he had been swindled by cheap honeyed words half drunk at a bar. He stood behind you in the mirror as you sat at your vanity, pulling the pin keeping your hat in place to take your hair down, his hands on your shoulders and expression adamant as he held your gaze in the reflection.

You could see the mischievous youth from yesteryear in the sparkle of his eyes, ever ready to take on the world and the challenges brought forth by it. But it was overshadowed by the man he'd become, molded by hard work and dedication to king and country. He rarely spoke of the horrors he'd seen in the British Army, but they were evident in the lines of his face. Kyle had always been a handsome lad who'd chased plenty of skirts in his time, capable of charming the stripes off a zebra if you let him. But you knew he had experience well beyond the comprehension of your comparably simple life.

If he was looking at you with such surety, then you knew better than to keep spouting words of disbelief.

What you did object to however was the part where he was trying to convince you to sneak into the museum and steal back the little metal box 'for insurance purposes'.

"Who said anything about stealin', dolly? We're merely borrowin'." Yeah, right. As if the terminology would matter to the authorities should you happen to get caught.

You cursed his sly mouth and persuasive personality as you found yourself wandering down aisles and aisles of unsorted artifacts, scanning shelves and half empty crates for the item in question. The collection in the storage rooms was large enough that you could spend hours inside and hardly make a dent, but you were keeping your eyes out for the more recent additions towards the front. It had been hardly anything to walk in there past the loading bay crew with a pleasant demure smile on your face as if you belonged there just as much as them.

You'd almost given up in frustration when you spotted it hidden behind an elaborate stone bust of Sekhmet, easily glanced over as if hidden in plain sight. No one was the wiser when you whisked it away into one of your pockets, strolling back out past the men with the same carefree attitude you always carried yourself with. They didn't pay attention to the way your hands shook in the folds of your skirts from barely restrained nerves nor the way you slouched against the nearest building to calm your racing heart. Mark your words, you were going to whip Kyle for this.

Now all there was left to do was to go meet back up with him to hunt down the man he had assured you about. You wondered where you might go about even finding such a person...

[Edited 5/8/24: changed formatting, title, tags, and numbering system]

[fantastic-nonsense]

Re: your Wonder Woman story ideas. I'm really interested in what you have in mind for a storyline centered around ancient artifacts and their home countries. Because I don't think a lot of greek myth-inspired stories ever really touched on that issue (which is a shame).

Okay so the original set-up I had in mind for this story is basically this: Diana gets a call from Helena Sandsmark saying that the Gateway City Museum has been broken into and one of their priceless artifiacts is missing. Diana promises to find it, and at the end of the issue, she does!

....in a warehouse full to the brim of other stolen and "discretely discovered" (aka, found and not reported) artifacts. Whoops, she's just stumbled over a massive underground antiquities black market operation and now it's probably her duty (as Wonder Woman, as a diplomatic ambassador, and as someone who's worked closely with antiquities and museum people for ages) to make sure everything gets handled properly and repatriated safely.

Cue massive squabbling and ongoing negotiations between Diana (who found everything and has placed the contents of the warehouse under Themiscyran protection), the countries of origin (who want their stuff back), the museums any of the artifacts were stolen from (who say because it was stolen from their museums they should have rights to it regardless of whether or not the countries of origin think the artifact should be theirs to display), private dealers (who want to snap up the artifacts that aren't legally bound for a new home), US museums (who want to temporarily display the stuff in their museums while repatriation negotations happen), and the US government (who says because the artifacts were found on US soil it should be their job to repatriate everything, not Diana/Themiscyra).

Oh yeah....and also the superheroing community and various mythological entities, because of course the black market dealers couldn't leave well enough alone and just grab normal artifiacts. No no, they were also planning on selling a whole bunch of stolen cursed stuff and magical relics and mythical statuary. Including a bunch of stuff of Greek and Amazonian origin, because why wouldn't they be there?

So this sets up a nice solid arc where I could either a) take a series of connected issues to show Diana personally handling and/or returning artifacts to their rightful home (and the trials and tribulations of doing so) or b) every once in awhile when I'd need a break from telling other stories, another artifact's negotiation process is done and she has to go return it. Boom, nice fun breather oneshot or mini-arc.

Some of the repatriation stories would be bog-standard "country of origin and museum in another country are fighting over who gets to have it. Diana mediates" stories. Others would be Diana journeying to return a stolen relic to its rightful owner (kind of like Damian Wayne did during his Year of Blood arc in R:SOB). Either way: it allows for a nice, fun ongoing set of stories that I could return to at literally any time to keep the run going. It would also allow me to bring back a lot of Diana's various civilian supporting casts that we haven't gotten to see in a long time (particularly the museum/antiquities/linguisitics crowd like Helena Sandsmark and Julia Kapatelis, the UN crew that was Diana's embassy delegation, and her DC supporting cast). I think it would be fun.

[ironstrange1991]

I Need You Now

+18 Smut

Pairing: Defender!Strange x Fem!Reader (Estabilished Relationship)

Synopsis: Stephen has been neglecting the reader because of a mission that has been keeping him up at night, however she decides she has had enough and demands that Stephen make up for it now.

Word Count: 2,400k

Warnings: Sexual content including Daddy kink, fingering, handjob, slight male dominance, p in v, creampie.

A/N: In an attempt to change the dynamic between Defender and the reader I wrote this fic where we have a slightly more dominant side of him without losing the affectionate essence that we love so much about him. Hope you like it ;)

After a terrible week at work and spending practically the entire week without making love to Stephen you were practically begging for some attention from him that Friday night.

Of course, you understood that there were difficult issues and that the last mission that was still in progress was keeping him up at night and that's why he was more distant due to excessive concern with real issues that involved the lives and safety of thousands of people.

You understood everything, you were extremely understanding and always reassured Stephen when he brought it up by saying he felt guilty for not paying enough attention to you. You knew that man was crazy about you, you knew that all the free time he had he spent with you, you understood and you admired him for everything he did.

But you had enough for a week. You were tired, mentally drained, you had left work and gone straight to the Sanctum because you were determined to demand some of Stephen's time and would. Enough of understanding, you needed your man and you would have him.

When you entered the Sanctum you came across Wong and other members of the Defenders team talking about possibly the mission that was keeping Stephen up at night.

Wong greeted you with a nod and you walked right past them without wanting to intrude on the team's private affairs. You had texted Stephen that you were coming and he had replied saying to meet him at the Sanctum's library.

You were used to walking the halls of that dark and strange house, in fact you were already used to it and even thought it was a little bit dark it had its own charm. It was beautiful and elegant and full of strange artifacts and priceless relics that you kept your distance from because you knew how messed up you were.

You walked into the silent, empty library and walked through the aisles of bookshelves until you found Stephen sitting at the desk hunched over a huge book and taking notes of whatever he was reading. He was so lost in his work that he didn't notice you until you were behind him and you wrapped your arms around his neck.

He leaned his head back against your chest, sighing. He missed you. Those days were proving quite difficult for him too. You bent down to kiss his lips.

“It's Friday night, Stephen. Whatever you're doing can wait until tomorrow, can't it?”

He shook his head. “I'm almost done, my love, give me a few minutes. Why don't you go upstairs and take a hot shower and wait for me in bed?”

You didn't answer, but you raised an eyebrow suggestively knowing that if you took his suggestion you'd probably fall asleep before he went to his room and not only were you determined to get him out of his Sorcerer Supreme activities to give you some attention, you also needed to do that to force him to rest.

“I prefer to wait here plus you need to rest, Stephen.”  You answered decidedly and then looked at some of the books that were on the table.

“French, Spanish, German, Russian, Portuguese, Italian... very impressive.”

He smiled caressing your forearm, but turning his attention back to the book he was reading. You sighed impatiently, your foot tapping the floor insistently, revealing your anxiety.

“Baby, I can't concentrate like that” He said sighing and turning the page of the book.

You didn't answer, but stopped your feet and walked away, distracting yourself looking at the books in the library, but not daring to put your hands on them. You knew that not even ten minutes had passed, but you walked purposefully back to Stephen.

“Stephen, please...”

He nodded patiently “Just a few more minutes, baby”

You sighed dramatically as you leaned your arm over his shoulder and lightly caressed his chest, your other hand stroking his hair which was tied tightly in a ponytail. You loved touching Stephen's hair, you loved feeling the softness of the strands on your fingers, the smell of his shampoo that invaded your nostrils when you touched them. You pulled the hair tie and the hair fell loose over his shoulders and you ran your fingers through it, combing it out and loosening a few knots that had formed throughout the day. He sighed, satisfied with the caress, and you were distracted by the pattern of gray strands over the dark strands.

“Your gray hair strands are increasing”

He hummed by continuing with his notes.

“Probably because you are working too much and fucking me too little.”

He dropped the pen onto the paper and turned to face you, eyebrow raised and a disapproving look on his face.

“Oh, now I caught your attention.”

He stood up pushing the chair and turning towering over you. He touched your face and kissed you now properly, his tongue forcing your lips open into your mouth.

"Go upstairs and wait for me in bed" He ordered, the tone of his voice indicating that he took what you said very seriously.

“I'll wait for you here”  You replied challenging him.

He sighed in a rare show of irritation. You raised your brow, turning away from him and pushing the books to make room, sitting on the desk and spreading your knees dramatically.

“I need you now.”

He gestured with his hands closing the books and sending them flying back to the bookshelves. You smiled victoriously.

He approached you getting between your legs and lifting your chin making you look into his eyes.

‘’What do I do with you, [Y/N]?’’

You raised an eyebrow smirking ‘’Punish me, Defender Strange.’’

He pulled you to his lips kissing you a little bit rougher than usual and you loved it. You threw your arms around his neck, your hand getting through his hair.

He pulled away from your lips pulling your hands away and holding them tight “You won't touch my hair tonight. You're not deserving.”

You bit your bottom lip, your eyes gleaming with excitement at the authoritative way he spoke to you.

He ran his hand down your neck, his fingertips caressing your skin and making you shiver. He continued down touching your breast through the shirt you wore, he quickly unbuttoned the buttons and pulled your bra down revealing one breast and taking the nipple in his mouth, his beard prickling your skin. You moaned softly, both hands gripping the table and fighting the urge to grab and pull his hair, it was almost too irresistible.

He reached down to your pants unbuttoning and pulling them down your legs. He pulled your panties to the side and put a finger inside you tsking.

“Don't tell me you're surprised” You teased “I'm always wet for you baby.”

He shook his head “Doctor”  He said putting a second finger penetrating you slowly. “Not baby, not my love, not Stephen, is Doctor tonight.”

You nodded, moaning softly and involuntarily moving your hips towards his hand and adoring that dominant side of him that you saw so little. You really got in his nerves.

He touched your clit with his thumb and moved his fingers in sync fingering you and rubbing your clit at the same time.

You threw your head back, a loud moan escaping your lips. “Yes... yes Doctor, just like that.”

He held your face steady with his other hand, his forehead touching yours, his eyes glued to yours. Even when Stephen rarely took control, he couldn't help but be affectionate with you. He needed your touch, to look in your eyes, to kiss you.

He placed a third finger inside you and increased his speed by fucking you with his fingers, making a delicious wet noise “I want you to come for me, show me how much you miss me, cum on my fingers. Now.”

He curled his fingers to touch that spongy part of you, stimulating you relentlessly, and you felt your climax coming just as he said. You touched his face “Oh my god I am cuming.”

He kissed you, stifling your moans, satisfied to see your entire body trembling in his hand. His kiss was so sweet and so passionate.

He smirked satisfied “Good to know you are good in following orders.”

He took his fingers from inside you and took them to his lips sucking them “So sweet.”

You reached for his robes, struggling against his belt, but managing to unbuckle and throwing it to the floor. He took his robes off and threw it on the floor, leaving only his pants on. You put your hand inside taking his cock and putting it out, he was hard now. You licked your hand taking the saliva to his cock and stroking it slowly feeling him getting harder for you. He moved his lips down your neck, placing open mouth kisses there and down to your collarbone, rubbing his beard in your skin, biting your shoulder slowly as you caressed him, his moans escaping his lips, the bites getting stronger as you fucked him with your hand.

“I can feel your cock throbbing and twitching Doctor, you gonna cum in my hand?”

He moaned softly, turning his lips to yours, his tongue dominating you, sucking yours. He took your hand away and pulled you off the desk and turned your back to him. He pushed you against the desk, your breasts and face touching the cold wood. He pulled yours pants and panties down your legs, you felt his fingers penetrating you collecting your slick and rubbing it along his length leaving him well lubed.

He placed the tip at your entrance kissing your shoulder and penetrated you slowly inch by inch. You moaned loudly feeling him stretching you. He stood inside you for a second letting you settle around him and then he pulled out and pushed all again this time a little bit rougher than you were used to.

“There's only one place I want to cum tonight.” His baritone voice reached your ear and you shiver.

You were hot and tight, he loved your cunt so much, it was like home for him. He took it all out and you twitched into nothingness whining.

He put the tip back into your entrance, teasing you “Tell me how much you want it. Tell me how much you need my cock stretching you.”

You moaned loudly moving your hips against him, you loved it when Stephen talked dirty to you. It was rare, which made it even more special.

“Please Doctor, I need your cock, I love your cock, I want it inside me fucking me hard. I want your big cock stretching me”

He groaned, thrusting into you with a hard, deep thrust. Your words going straight to his cock made him impossibly harder. He kept up a fast, intense pace, his hands gripping your hips, your legs shaking with each thrust, you stood on your fingertips, both hands firmly gripping the sides of the table.

You moaned out loud feeling his cock hit your g spot each time, his moans got louder and louder, the grip of his hands on your hips getting so hard it hurt and you knew it would leave marks on your skin, the thrusts so hard your eyes filled with tears, the pleasure overwhelming you. He never fucked you like this. You loved it.

“Oh my god, yes” You cried out “You're fucking me so good daddy.”

Stephen flinched at the way you referred to him and you feared your had crossed a line. He released a hand from your hip and brought it up to your hair, taking a handful of it in his hands and pulling it.

“Say it again” He asked

You moaned out loud “Yes daddy, you fuck me so good, so good daddy.”

You could feel the thrusts slowing down and becoming erratic, his breathing ragged as the moans grew louder. He was so loud and you were loving it.

He pulled at your hair and you felt him pouring inside you. He groaned as he filled you with a warm load painting your walls white.

He stayed inside you for a second, breathing heavily. Placing open mouth kisses in the back of your neck and down your shoulders.

He pulled you from the desk, your back against his chest, he hold your chin and turned your head to kiss him pulling off from you. Your legs were shaking, you could feel his semen running down your thighs. He conjured a wet towel and cleaned you and then himself. You turned around and seated at the table before your legs gave out and you collapsed to the floor.

He kissed your lips cupping your face in his hands his breathing slowly returning to normal.

“Are you okay? I went too rough on you. I didn't hurt you, did I?” He ran his hands over your body, his eyes inspecting you for bruises then caressed your face waiting for you to answer. His eyes filled with affection and love.

“I'm fine, baby don’t worry. You didn't hurt me.''

He kissed your forehead affectionately and then chuckled softly.

“You really did get to irritate me, and you know it's not easy to do that.”

You smiled proudly and bit your bottom lip squeezing your thighs together. You still wanted him, you were far from sated. You brought your hand up to his cock, he was relaxed but not totally flaccid, you knew that with a couple of jerks he would be ready for you again.

You caressed him slowly biting your lip “You have a couple of rounds left for me, don’t you, baby?”

He smirked running his thumb across your lips “Always.”

You smirked convinced increasing the rhythm of your hand on his cock and he moaned softly leaning his forehead against yours.

“I missed you baby”  His voice was broken by moans “This week has been... I am sorry.. I... oh fuck”  He moaned louder surrendering to the pleasure that your hand gave him. He was getting hard for you again.

You kissed his lips biting his bottom lip “I know baby,  and I have been patient, but you need to make it up to me.”

He nodded kissing you “I will, just promise you are going to call me daddy again.”

You grin “Then you'll fuck me hard and nice?”

He kissed your lips, sighing “I will, but in our bed.”

He stuffed his cock back inside his pants and picked up his clothes scattered on the floor. You pulled up your pants. He opened a portal to his room and you walked through it. You knew that night was far from over.

Leave a comment if you liked it. Interact! I will love to read all of your comments and opinions. It inspires me to keep writing ;)

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[greypetrel]

*skids in late* "Stay right there! I'm coming! I'll help!" For Cullen/Aisling c:

Hello! You’re not late at all, actually I’m the late one xD

(but for you and everyone reading: Feel free to prompt me whenever, I’m treating prompt requests slowly but I’m always happy to be asked. <3 )

After much modern AU, let’s go back to canon shall we? And with something extremely silly because come on. The damn Temple has floor puzzles, of course it has booby traps as well. Magical booby traps.

I would say I’m sorry for the huge amount of quotes in this but I actually am not.

Tis the prompt list

Not the Years but the Mileage.

"Stay right there! I'm coming! I'll help!"

Two days from leaving the Temple of Mythal, and Abelas found them always new tasks. Because it turned out that running such a big building and keeping it up against time wasn’t only a matter of magic. Oh no, it also was a matter of careful maintenance, and the elves were only too happy of taking advantage of all the extra help they could get, once they knew the hands were good-natured ones.

As Cullen was currently trying to fulfill the task that got him out of the reports and papers that somehow reached him down there too -they always reached him, and he could have sworn the pile he got yesterday grew during the night- he heard her.

Screaming.

He let abruptly down the casks he was bringing to a very specific storage room -Abelas has written him instructions on how to reach it on a loose piece of parchment that flew forlornly to the ground- and just ran towards the scream, worried sick and minding not the sound of broken pottery from what he left fall to the ground.

He hoped, in the back of his mind, that he did't just broken some important relic. Surely the ancient elf would not have entrusted him, alone, with anything so priceless, right?

So, Cullen turned a corner, and turned another, and stopped abruptly.

The corridor opened into a big room whose roof had mostly collapsed, sunshine and vines filling it from above. A couple of parrots had made their nest on the top of the one column that still stood straight and mostly intact of the many that circled a raised dais in the centre, a pedestal on the top exquisitely decorated with gold and mother-of-pearl tassels forming branches and flowers all around, with a golden orb shaped like branches levitating on top.

Looking closely, a barrier shone blue all around the pedestal, buzzing faintly and made almost invisible in the stark late morning sunlight.

And Aisling was there, on the second of three steps that raised the dais… Levitating upside down, blue tendrils of magic tying her arms to her chest, her left calf against her thigh and right leg upward as if she was hanging from a ceiling that wasn’t there. Slightly rotating on herself, and as Cullen looked closely, some magic was also covering her mouth, keeping it shut.

As she rotated towards him and saw him, tho, it was plenty clear what was her opinion on her whole predicament. She was frowning, hard, full of wounded pride, and he knew that if she could have, she would have been pouting and telling him that she had everything under control. Tied like a hog or some cured meat left in a cellar to dry. The situation and the fact that apparently she wasn’t physically hurt, brought a smile on his face that he thought better than to show much.

“Stay right there, I’m coming!” He just told her, and a loud huff from her nose informed him that it wasn’t a particularly clever comment to make to a person who clearly can’t move. He huffed a laughter, her eyes shone bright with offense, which just made forcing back laughter all the harder. “I’ll help! Just…”

He strode towards her, minding his steps: dust and dirt had settled on the ground, and it was easy enough to follow her footsteps and traces towards where she was forced to stop. Which he did, not particularly wanting to fall into another weird magical trap to wait for someone else to notice they were both missing.

As he got closer, the buzz of magic intensified, and squinting he could see that a tile under her head was projecting it upward, shining faintly around the intricate decorations, the same of the weird floor puzzle on the other side of the Temple.

The more they explored that place, the more it seemed to expand… and yet, some of the devices stayed the same. They’ve had ten days to explore, and they weren’t remotely enough to even see and discover the whole place.

“How did you end up in this situation?”

She grumbled something, managing to sound sarcastic even like that.

“No, I’m not leaving you here on your own, not even to ask for help.”

More grumbling, very insisting.

“I know, but by the time I’ll find the way back and find Abelas, you’ll have all your blood down in that beautiful head of yours and will be fainted and unresponsive. Let me try it, I’m sure there’s a solution…”

He took a loose branch on the ground and started to prod at the other tiles before stepping on them, thinking about what to do. The current elven mage was incapacitated of giving her opinion, and he was alone in trying to solve the puzzle, totally out of his comfort zone even with what he knew about magic and grasped in the Circles. Truth to be told, the magic they found there was out of her field of expertise too, even if she was quickly grasping into what she was shown– same way she grasped at most things that weren’t cooking. Her face was turning a shade of red that he didn’t quite like, and so he kept on walking around, trying to solve it, as quick as she could.

She mumbled something else, very grumpy, and tried to cast some spell. The magic reacted by buzzing and fraying around her, and she yelped and stopped as it made her spin around quickly, without relenting its hold. She wiggled as she could, trying to stop herself from pivoting around madly, right before Cullen, instinctively, pulled out his hands to stop her.

Which was how he discovered that whatever magic it was, didn’t hurt him or react to his touch in any way. A small blessing. She sighed from below as he managed to effectively keep her still and thought on what to do. Maybe if he could still dispel it would have done something, but it was months since he stopped having any particular abilities anymore -and in the last period they’ve been weak and hard to call upon. And she would have been silenced too, and quite frankly with her experimenting he thought she'd had enough silencing to last for a lifetime. But maybe… It kinda looked like-

“I have an idea.”

She mumbled something.

“I know, I know. But it kinda looks like something I saw, maybe it works the same way.”

More mumbling and some wiggling, but the spell held tighter the more she moved.

“Stop insisting, please, I’ll explain later. Now. Do whatever you did five minutes before, and I’ll try to slip you out, ok?”

A huff through her nose, and she stopped wiggling.

“Ok. I’ll catch you, you don’t stop until you’re out or I tell you so, ok?”

An affirmative verse.

“On the count of three. One…”

Another verse, he felt her concentrating and starting to call on the Fade.

“… Three.”

She called on her magic again, with more effort this time. The spell constricting her reacted more, frayed and weavered around her body. She slipped, but Cullen was quick to catch her and forcibly dragged her towards him, stepping back, an arm hugging her tight, the other pushing on her back. The spell was strong and it put up resistance, but he grimaced and forced her out, putting more force until-

- Something snapped aloud and send them falling down the steps, with a yelp, and another wave of blue energy sweeping the floor, making dirt and dry leaves and small debris flying, and scaring the parrots away in a cacophony of outraged verses.

Cullen fell on his back, holding on to Aisling as best as he could. It wasn’t a graceful fall, but luckily not a high one. He hit his head, heard Aisling huffing loudly, one of her knees bumped against his ear. But after a minute of stillness, it was clear that whatever spell it was had been broken.

“Are you fine?” He asked between her knees, looking up at the sky and not letting go of her legs just yet.

“Yes. Nothing broken, I think. You?”

“Neither. I bumped my head but it doesn’t feel bad.”

She huffed and wiggled up, clumsily maneuvering herself to untangle from his body. He saw her wobble a little as she tried to stand, and choosing to just stick to the ground with hands and knees and turning to face him. Disheveled, but fine.

“Let me see, don’t move…”

She delicately slipped her hands under his head, fingers treading in his hair - a little more longer than necessary but he pretended not to notice that she took every chance to play with his hair. He always noticed and never said anything, letting her do as she pleased. She very gently touched the back of his head, and it hurt a little, but not unbearably so.

“It’s not bleeding, you’ll just sport a good bump. Give me ten minutes and I can heal it?”

“Can I move?”

“If it doesn’t make your head spin, yes.”

He propped himself up to his elbows first, slowly and with caution, and when he didn’t feel anything weird, sat up, raising both hands to cup Aisling’s face, his turn to move her around and check if she was fine.

“Are you fine, tho?”

“I am, I just have to find a way to mend my wounded pride.”

“I can help with that.” He huffed a laughter and bent forward to kiss her. “The tiles were very faint, and you couldn’t have known.”

She huffed a laughter and kissed him again.

“Do you know how many floor puzzles we had to solve to convince Abelas we weren’t tomb raiders? And that there’s even more in another wing of the temple? I should have expected booby traps around the shiny treasure.”

“It was a honest mistake and you’re-”

He stopped, something amiss in the air, she got attentive too.

“Can you hear it?” She whispered.

“The parrots have stop- Uh.”

Something rumbled, some pebbles started to skip on the ground. The rumble grew louder and deeper, coming from Cullen’s front and Aisling’s back. Cullen looked over and paled, opening his eyes big.

“Don’t tell me, there’s a huge boulder rolling towards us.”

“Yep.”

“Full of magical glyphs?”

“Most likely.”

“Bring it on.”

They jumped up on their foot and, hand in hand, started running back from whence Cullen came, chased by a huge boulder shining in blue glyphs. One of the elves eventually found them and was able, with but a sweep of her hand, to stop the boulder, looking at the human and the Dalish, panting heavily from the run, with an air of scolding particularly towards Aisling. As the boulder slowly rolled back from whence it came -if one had been particularly imaginative it would have been easy to put some air of disappointment to the huge piece of rock- tho, the couple just looked at each other and started to laugh, too caught in the unlikeliness of the moment to really worry about prides to be wounded.

All was well, at least for the rest of their staying.

[thequeenofdarknessblog]

Alucard x female Reader| The Wallachian Rose| Chapter 2

Words: 2,00

Indeed, Alucard was a dangerous and complicated being, everyone has witnessed it, but he is also a complex entity of which few know for sure all his past or what goes through his twisted mind. Beyond his sarcasm, ego and that insane feline smile almost no one was aware of the past and great regret that Alucard kept in the depths of his sinful soul.

Therefore, the few present in that room were surprised when they learned that Alucard had a missing vampire wife (except for Integra and Walter, who had been informed of the situation long ago), Seras Victoria's jaw had dropped. shock, his expression was more than memorable.

Looking askance at her master who only had her typical feline smile on his face, she couldn't believe that he had a wife… many thoughts ran through her mind. Integra was sitting at the beginning of the round table which was with her empty seats.

–Miss Integra, don't you require the presence of the other members of the round table to deal with this matter? – asks Walter, the faithful servant of the Hellsing house.

-Not for now, while we look for more information the best thing will be to leave this matter as a rigorously secret investigation - integrates I take out one of his fine tobaccos and I put it between his lips, after taking out the lighter and setting it on fire I take out some papers variable in number and he proceeded to say; – In the nineteenth century, an unknown delegation sent to the European continent a German archaeologist named Johann Gustav Gottlieb Busching who explored some secret catacombs under Versailles in Paris-France finding a curious coffin there – Integra turned on a huge screen thus reflecting several related images to his story. An aged photo of the archaeologist, the gothic catacombs full of cobwebs and dust, and a reddish coffin with beautiful gold decorations along with a huge rose carved in the entire center encrusted with rubies, despite being battered by time, its beauty was subtle and touching.

Alucard, had fixed his eyes on those photographs scattered on the table, placing his gloved hand on the coffin. No one could appreciate the ecstasy and nostalgia reflected in his eyes due to the glasses, but they did hear a deep unconscious sigh escape from inside his ribs.

– I-Impressive! –Exclaims Seras seeing those images.

After Walter rotated the images on the screens he integrated by taking a puff of his continuous tobacco; – this “delegation” had serious problems with the European government who were just as interested in this undoubtedly historic find, and pressured Gustav to move the coffin to Germany but he did not succeed, this! – Integra pulls out a small old book with German writing inside whose content was reflected on the screen – it is Gustav's travel diary, his annotations are interesting and only confirm our suspicions – Integra slips the book into Alucard's hands who hesitantly He opens it while Seras peers curiously.

Integra motions to Walter to proceed to read aloud what was found on those pages through the screen.

• An archaeologist never misses the opportunity to unearth treasures which bring with them great secrets, but I must admit that I am surprised by this particular anonymous hiring. Stepping on France was not in my plans

• The paperwork was suffocating, but it was all worth it when, together with my team, we found those catumbas located under none other than the Versalles. That dazzling abode of nobles.

• We passed concrete corridors adorned with cobwebs and nothing seemed relevant, until we came to a huge door that stood up. Restricting the passage, when I saw her I instantly intuited that behind said door there must be something of great importance.

• And when we opened the door I couldn't believe my eyes, a long and narrow corridor prostrated itself before us, decorated with worn red curtains, several found objects that turned out to be priceless relics together with books in other languages ​​never seen before. But what caught my attention the most was that at the end of the route there was a coffin. Yes, a coffin! It seemed that it belonged to someone extremely important, the material with which they had made it, the details, the intact jewels made it clear. We found several strange symbols and only identified a few in Old Romanian.

• And on top of that there was a portrait mistreated by time, which had the figure of a beautiful woman embodied. Her hair was exaggeratedly long, deep eyes of a strange color, skin as white as snow, and her clothes were those of a distinguished countess. I thought it was the remains of someone belonging to French royalty. Until I read the description in Romanian that said; “Here lies The Rose of Wallachia”…

Alucard closed the book, and a strange silence reigned in the room.

–The writing ends there, the other pages were destroyed. Since that day something happened, and nothing more was heard from Gustav, his team or the agency that hired them. And France was silent until now, they said they had no idea what was under the Versailles. And if there was something inside him, we don't know –Integra put out her cigarette and got up from his seat walking to a window looking through the glass. –Now, never, but never has Hellsing had records of ghoul attacks in France, ever. That always seemed strange to us, until these reports came to us, we have had sightings of ghouls in France but they disappear out of nowhere, as if someone disappeared them. We have been investigating the matter. – His glasses shine and a smile adorns his features, his insinuations were clear and precise –That's where your Alucard comes in – Integra observes the reflection of her servant through the window and after lighting another tobacco she proceeded to say – While Hellsing gets more data and information, you will personally go to Paris to do your personal search – Integra turned with her arms resting on her back –Look for her and bring her, destroying everything that stands in your way. This can make or break Hellsing, so you can't fail, got it? – for the first time the orders were different and significant.

Alucard's lips lifted in a wistful smile.

- Yes, Master - he said in a believable and ecstatic tone

Seras was going to say something but Integra preempted it as if he had guessed what he was going to say.

– Seras, you will stay here. It will serve as training for you - Seras lowered her head nodding somewhat disappointed, she had hoped to see France and perhaps see the happy wife of her master.

Yes, If before going to Brazil Alucard visited France (Ulala?)

Before putting Alucard and his coffin on a plane, Hellsing had to contact France and arrange all the paperwork with the round table. Anyone would think that Integra sent Alucard to fulfill a mission almost blindly, with so little information and nothing specific.

A search that for a normal person would be impossible.

But!

Alucard was neither a nor much less normal person.

And he had his methods to find his beloved rose.

And there was Alucard, prowling the streets of France invaded by the darkness of the night. He was able to infiltrate under the Versailles without any problem, entering the catacombs where his wife's coffin was located.

When he was there, her scent hit him dazed. That smell of roses and cinnamon was unmistakable, I place one of her hands on that coffin that he commanded to build a long time ago for her countess.

– And to think that you were here, probably waiting for me and I locked in that basement… So close but at the same time so far my love – Alucard opened the coffin and ran his hand over the velvet padding.

Another thing that caught Alucard's attention was… the corpses around.

Looks like his little lady fed on his troublemakers.

Which meant that she had already transformed into a true vampire.

Alucard took out a portable phone calling the number to communicate with Integra.

–Identify yourself – ordered the well-known female voice.

—"It's me, my teacher. I have confirmed the location of the coffin —said Alucard

– Perfect, a special squad will pick it up and move it to the Hellsing facility –

- Be careful -

- Yes Yes. Don't worry –

Alucard hung up the phone and left the premises.

What was he supposed to do?

Track her down by her scent?

Or maybe…

From inside his overcoat he took out that ring, he made it up his sleeve.

He reddish gem gleamed with intensity, she was close to her.

"Where are you my beautiful rose?"

And as fate would have it, he received another call.

–Alucard, a ghoul attack is taking place on the southwest side of Paris! She could be there! –

Without thinking twice Alucard went to that place, and without a doubt he could feel her presence, her scent was getting stronger and that ring shone violently. And when he reached the ground a huge reddish gust of wind hit him. An electricity ran through his body.

He had never before felt such a power...

And as he approached past pulverized ghoul bodies he saw her.

She was in front of his eyes.

They were something unreal and idyllic at the same time.

Her rose was there, with her fist piercing the heart of the vampire creator of those ghouls.

It was beautiful to see how the blood began to flow.

Her face was calm and serious, her eyes were two overripe strawberries and the reddish dress that clung to her body made her look infinitely beautiful.

A beauty and power worthy of the queen of the Undead

The queen of him.

It was a matter of time before she became aware of her presence. She turned around throwing the corpse on the ground.

Regal and imposing she prostrated herself before him.

There was no longer a trace of that helpless and shy young girl.

- Who are you? - You said with a cold tone of voice but at the same time sweet as honey.

For Alucard, hearing her voice was totally pleasurable.

With amusement he raised her arms in surrender.

– Calm down little lady –

She was ready to attack, when a wind surrounded them, and it was when Alucard's scent reached her nose that her expression completely changed.

Nostalgia invaded her eyes, her body trembled and bloody tears ran down her beautiful cheeks.

Alucard smiled when he saw how she ran to jump into her arms not caring that she was covered in blood, catching her in her arms she spun her in the air while they both smiled like never before.

And after so, so long. They joined her cold lips in an emotionally charged dance. Euphoria, nostalgia and libido was what he felt while the hands of each one shamelessly caressed the other's body.

After a few minutes and before that kiss ended in a highly erotic scene.

They separated.

—Mon comte bien-aimé, est-ce vous ?—sheb asked with devotion and emotion.

—Si ma bien-aimée Rosa, c'est moi—Asd answered Alucard caressing her face.

But suddenly a strong slap hit her cheek causing her hat and her glasses to fall to the ground.

—Putain de comte fou, comment as-tu osé m'abandonner comme si de rien n'était et ensuite venir m'embrasser et toucher mon corps !—reproach this is a volatile burst of anger and then kiss him again.

"You don't know how much I missed you," she admitted as she snuggled into her chest breathing in her scent.

"Sorry," Alucard apologized after a couple of laughs as he lulled her beloved into her arms like he did years ago.

"With the king and queen in place, the other pieces on the board can begin to sort themselves out."

“I am as ecstatic as you are, Major”

@lunasguard

postscript;

Yes, Johann Gustav existed in real life and was a 19th century archaeologist

And I don't have to say this but Versailles also exists

I thought it was a nice detail to use places and characters from real life instead of inventing weird things xD

[crunchbuttsteak]

Elyssanya Cousland: Hello Sister Justine, what would you do if a vial of the Tears of Andraste herself just happened to fall into the Denerim chantry’s donation bin?

Sister Justine: Wait, are you the one who keeps putting all these priceless relics in the Chantry’s donation bin?

Elyssanya Cousland: I couldn’t possibly say. Incidentally, Bann Faranderel has so many worldly possessions that I highly doubt he’s even noticed some of his many possessions are missing, isn’t that funny?

LATER

Alistair: I hope somebody comes to rescue us from fort Drakon soon my love.

Elyssanya Cousland, who’s already picked the lock and cut the guard’s throat: Did you say something dear?

Alistair: Oh wow, I thought that would have taken longer.

Elyssanya Cousland: The locks on the doors here only have 7 tumblers and two security pins in them, it’s like they want people to break out.

[starghost-fics]

I keep forgetting to do this despite the fact that it brings me genuine joy to revisit this. Life, man. Anyway, shout out to @relembla for commenting on the last commentary <3 and reminding me!

Chapter 5—what priceless relics: In which Cyrus recovers, Therion does some acting and also mocking of his adopted sister Tressa, and Cyrus and Therion go for a walk. No one has any emotional problems or distress about gods or magic or injuries. Nope.

some rambling commentary:

I meant to do more with Cyrus having a long-term injury, but did not. Classic me. Wrote a whole other fic leaning that way, though.

I don't mind it this way—him worrying about it and hiding it.

Have I mentioned before that I love Therion and Tressa, antagonistic siblings?

And a little bit of the Therion and Alfyn friendship/time traveling as a pair sneaking in. Therion knows the story of Alfyn's bag, and he knows a lot about him and Zeph, because they were the two who started out together. Alfyn likes to talk.

But if I recall, I didn't mean to write this scene at all. I certainly didn't mean for it to go on through several playacting moments. Whoops!!

Did you ever watch The West Wing? There's an episode where a character is just recovering from a traumatic injury, and when he finally gets to go outside calls himself an outdoorsman and another character immediately is like "I told you to shut up about being an outdoorsman oh my god i'm so over this (thanks for not dying)"

Anyway that was in the back of my head as Therion and Cyrus stroll through the trees.

Therion why're you dwelling on Cyrus's pretty blue eyes, huh, someone might think you have a crush or something

"you're smart!" cyrus says, hearts in his eyes, and therion flees the compliment. Just love to emphasize that Therion is aware how much he maybe missed out on, the life he got stuck with. (But it's not too late, darling, it never is, that's what Cyrus is trying to tell you.)

Ohhh Therion with that exclamation I think you've been stewing on this chosen-by-a-god thing for a while.

"he's sure that being enraged and terrified have nothing to do with what happened" hmmmmmmmmmmm

This bit, with Therion finally talking about the fight, this is where I was trying to, among other things, show the intelligence that Cyrus sees in him. He's not formally trained, but he felt that magic and he can talk about it, compare it, analyze it. He knew what to do with it.

(Also the way he learns to forage for Alfyn without really trying.)

Love to end with Therion making a defensive and bad choice. Baaaabe you're a mess.

[razieltwelve]

Yang the Golden (RWBY AU)

Princess Blake of Menagerie swallowed thickly and wiped more sweat off her brow. The sheer heat that emanated from within the volcano was so intense that it was hard to think about anything else. Thick clouds of noxious fumes rose from great rents in the earth. She would have succumbed to those long ago, if not for the purifying magic woven into her clothing.

Upward she climbed, picking her way past rivers of molten rock, chasms of fire, and jagged fields of newborn obsidian. The light cast by the runes on her clothes had gone from a dim glow to a bright, steady radiance as they drew on more and more of her magic to protect her.

If her kingdom’s plight had been any less dire, she would not be here. She would have tried any of a hundred other schemes or plots to save her people. But time was of the essence, and there were few things so deadly in battle as a dragon. Menagerie might be surrounded with its forces in disarray, but there was a reason that no kingdom had launched an assault on the Golden Peak in centuries despite the fabulous wealth that its ruler was said to have amassed.

There was a vast field near the base of the mountain where nothing grew. The land there had been scorched into black glass, and there were countless pools of melted metal scattered about the scorched plain. That charred field was all that remained of the last army to have marched on the Golden Peak.

Three hundred thousand - the full might of an empire - destroyed in a single day of fire and ruin.

If Blake could convince the dragon to aid her people, then that same strength would ensure the complete obliteration of their enemies. The dragon would surely demand a heavy price, but it was better to empty their treasury than to suffer death or slavery at the hands of their enemies.

Finally, Blake reached the top of the volcano. There, at the edge of the crater, she lingered. How could she not? For before her, in all its fabled glory, was the hoard of Yang the Golden, greatest of dragons and wealthiest creature in all the world.

Countless gems were scattered about the crater like leaves on the ground in autumn. Diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and so many more made for a glittering carpet whose worth was beyond that of any kingdom. Priceless relics of terrible power were heaped in great piles. Rolling hills of silver and platinum pushed against the sides of the crater, and chests of treasure were piled up into small mountains.

But what drew the eye, what dwarfed the worth of everything else, was the immense lake of molten gold that filled the centre of the crater. The Golden Peak was the highest mountain in the world, a volcano that rose ten miles above the plains around it. The lake at the centre of the crater was two miles across, and all of it was gold.

For several long moments, all Blake could do was stare. How deep was the lake? Was it all gold? By all the gods, how could even a dragon have accumulated so much? Menagerie was a wealthy kingdom, but their treasury could be multiplied by a thousand times and not even come close to filling the lake. Gods. Every kingdom in the world could combine their gold and still it would not be anywhere near enough.

Yet... where was the dragon?

Where was Yang the Golden?

She was famously possessive of her hoard. It was said that she could tell if even a single coin was missing, and none who had tried to steal from her had ever survived. The few who had seen this and lived had been allowed to leave, for like most dragons, Yang was proud.

What use was a hoard if none knew of it?

She wanted the whole world to know that her name was well earned, that there was no one - no human, no Faunus, no elf, no dwarf, no dragon - richer than her. And if anyone tried to take what was hers, then she would slay them and take their wealth as recompense.

The mountain shook, and Blake reached out to steady herself. Reflexively, she glanced up at the sky, half-expecting some titan shadow to fall over her. But the sky was marked only by clouds of smoke and ash. There was no beating of gigantic wings, no roar that split the clouds, no fire that burned hotter than any forge.

And then the lake of gold quivered. Great waves of burning metal rippled across its surface, and Blake realised where the dragon had gone.

Yang the Golden emerged from the lake, as beautiful as the first dawn and as terrible as the last dusk. Rivers of gold flowed down scales brighter and more glorious than the sun. Wings that could darken a city spread, and droplets of gold fell like rain upon the shores of the lake. Eyes more brilliant than amethyst opened, and jaws that could swallow a ship whole parted to reveal the teeth that had once ripped the great spires of a long-dead empire to pieces.

A young dragon might reach a hundred feet in length.

Most adult dragons were somewhere between a hundred to five hundred feet in length.

Elder dragons were at least a thousand feet long.

Yang the Golden was more than a mile long from the tip of her snout to the end of her tail.

Yang was no mere elder dragon. She was ancient, one of only a handful who could remember the days when dragons had fought alongside the gods to drive the Grimm from the world. The gods and dragons had both paid a steep price for their victory. Of the twelve great gods that had once ruled the world, only seven remained. And of the countless dragons that had flown into battle alongside them, only a handful endured.

Shaking herself from her stupor, Blake began her climb down into the crater. She had not even managed to get more than a dozen feet before a voice echoed through the air with all the force of a thunderstorm. Magic that could crack continents stirred, and a fire that dwarfed the heat of the volcano flared to life.

Yang the Golden had noticed her.

“Who is this?” Yang rumbled as she stalked out of the lake of gold. “That dares climb the Golden Peak?”

“I am Blake, Crown Princess of Menagerie.” Blake steeled herself and turned to face the dragon head on. “And I have come to bargain with you for aid.”

Yang laughed, and the mountain shook. A sound like bells rang out as the mountains of treasure shifted, and the hills of coins tumbled into new shapes. The carpet of gemstones quaked, and Yang leaned forward.

“Bargain? For what?”

“I...” Blake gulped. “My people need your aid. Our enemies have surrounded us, and -”

“What are the petty squabbles of mortal kingdoms to me?” Yang asked. “I was there when Ozpin fell. He boiled an ocean in his death throes, and to this day, it remains a desert. I was there when Salem was torn limb from limb, and her screams turned mountain ranges to dust. I have slain more Grimm than there are stars in the sky. So tell me, princess, what could you possibly offer me?”

“We have money -”

“Look around you,” Yang replied. “What can the wealth of a single kingdom compare to what I have here?” Her eyes gleamed, and she bared her teeth. “You must offer me something I do not have.”

“I...” Blake wracked her mind for something, anything, that she could offer. “I...”

“If you have nothing, then I will kill you where you stand.” Yang spoke the words without pause, for what was the life of even a princess to a dragon? One enormous claw rose, and Blake saw her death in the shadow that it cast.

“I...” Blake blurted the first thing that came to mind. “I will give you myself!”

The claw paused. “Oh?” The heat pouring off Yang’s scales abated ever so slightly. “And why should I want such a thing? What use have I for a princess?”

“You...” Blake let out a shuddering sigh. “You are alone on this mountain. None dare approach it, for fear of your wrath.”

“As it should be. Only the truly brave or the truly foolish climb these slopes. You are both.”

“Are you not lonely? Surely... surely even a dragon desires company from time to time? I will stay here with you for... for... for however long you wish. If that means for the rest of my life, then so be it.”

Yang lowered her claw, and then she began to laugh. “Hah! I have never heard such a ridiculous thing in my life!” She shook her great head from to side in amusement. “But... that is not enough.”

“I...”

“But... it is a start.” Yang chuckled again. “Yes, it will do for a start, and it has been a while since I have burned a kingdom to the ground. Tell me, princess, these enemies of your people... are they rich?”

“They are wealthy,” Blake said.

“Hmm...” Yang nodded once, more to herself than to Blake. “Go back to your kingdom. I will think on this matter... and consider what else you must give me.” “How... how will I know if you are willing to aid us?”

Yang’s smile was wide and full of teeth. “You will know, princess. Believe me. You will know.”

[maestro-of-clockwork]

Since you've been around for so long, is there anything you miss? like foods or species or places that don't exist anymore. Or do you prefer to just look towards the future?

I'd say I am more eager to look forward to what the future holds, but I do miss many relics of the past...and, sometimes, I dislike the thought that they are relics now.

So many inventions, animals, plants and artifacts lost...but, that cannot be helped. Nothing ever lasts forever. That doesn't mean that the future won't hold equally priceless and valuable things, however.

The past is cemented in the path it has taken, but the future has always held much potential - whether that be the future everyone anticipated a century ago, or the future that we anticipate now.

[dc-polls]

Part 20 - DC Madlib Adventure

Yes. He could feel it. The marmite, potent as it was, was worth it. Cheetah had infused it with fire powers and the energy pulsed within him.

But before he explored that, he looked back at Tim, who was doing his best not to get shredded by Cheetah's claws. Jason picked up the pickle jar and shook it. "You wanted me to eat these? Sure why not."

He popped the lid and ate one of those too. The vinegary brine didn't sit well with the marmite, but he toughed it out. And this one was quite unexpected. The energy it gave him felt like a smooth crackle in his hands. He reached out to touch the can of car grease on the table, and as soon as he did, he felt an instantaneous shift charge through the air. A sizeable explosion burst from nothing as the tin's particles cancelled each other out, forcing it out of existence. The force of it blew him back a few steps, but then he grinned, wide and giddy.

"Oh shit. I could have fun with this," he said. "But first thing's first. This book has got to go. I hate destroying a relic like this, but we can't risk it falling into the wrong hands."

"NOOO!" Cheetah shrieked behind him. She put everything she had into wriggling free, but between Tim doing his best to restrain her, and the oversized Bane pinning her to the floor, it was futile. All she could do was cry out. "Not the book! It's priceless! It's value is beyond your life!!"

"Yeah? Well its value is about to be zilch."

He outstretched his arms, charged up a blast and hit it with a fireball. Cheetah continued to scream and flail as the book went up in flames.

"Eh, while I'm at it let's get rid of all these too," Jason said. He proceeded to alternately fireball and anti-matter blast everything else on the table.

Cheetah cried out again, while Bane and Tim slowly morphed back to their normal forms. Luckily that meant Cheetah was still held mostly captive by Bane's usual strength. Meanwhile Jason looked down at his hands in disappointment. With the book gone, he too could feel his newly gained powers draining.

The silky anteater emerged once the coast was clear. "Yes! Powers fading! Can feel it! Feel.. normal... feel... eep eeep ep eep." With the spells from the book wearing off, the anteater had returned back to normal as well. No more heightened intelligence, no more talking. It huddled into a little ball at Jason's feet, and he picked it up, making sure to cradle it safely in his arms.

Then, completely out of nowhere the cavalry finally arrived, dropping in through the already destroyed ceiling of the Haunted Mansion. They were only moments too late to miss all the action! To Jason's surprise it was...

Next

[romanoffstarkovs]

WIP: Song of Sun and Shadows

In the mystical realm of Tenebris, a kingdom shrouded in both sunlight and magic, the fate of its inhabitants rests upon the shoulders of an unexpected heroine. Aminu Khaldoun, a simple girl with a steadfast determination to find her missing brother, embarks on a journey that will intertwine her destiny with ancient legends and a race against time.

Aminu's life takes a perilous turn one fateful evening when she finds herself in the midst of a daring heist, tasked with liberating a priceless artifact from the opulent home of a wealthy merchant. In return, she will receive a clue to her brother's whereabouts. As Aminu executes the heist, she discovers a cryptic clue pointing her toward the location of an enigmatic relic known as the Crown of Shadows.

Forged from pure darkness and wielding the power to harness and manipulate shadows, the Crown of Shadows is rumored to grant its wearer control over the very essence of darkness and shadow magic. As the artifact that may lead to this ancient crown captures the attention of the renowned privateer, Captain Greythorne, Aminu's journey takes an unexpected twist.

Captain Greythorne, a charismatic and cunning figure, enters Aminu's life as her savior, rescuing her from the clutches of pursuing guards after she unwittingly triggers a trap during her heist. In a twist of fate, he proposes a daring proposition: he will assist her in locating her brother if she aids him in his quest to find the elusive Crown of Shadows. Drawn to his charm and captivated by his daring spirit, Aminu agrees, and thus begins their shared odyssey.

Guided by the wisdom of ancient texts and prophecies, Aminu and Greythorne's journey spans across diverse and treacherous landscapes. From the haunting depths of the Forest of Whispers to the puzzling enigma of the Riddles of Lysandria, they navigate the ethereal beauty of the Enchanted Lake of Veridell and overcome the harrowing Trials of Ombra. Their quest even takes them to the heart of the vast ocean, where the Lost Temple lies hidden within the Eternal Vast.

Amidst the challenges and dangers they face, a darker threat looms on the horizon. The Umbrathar, a malevolent force fueled by the darkest desires and fears of humanity, seeks to engulf Tenebris and its neighboring realms in eternal darkness. Even Tenebris' ruler, the Sun Queen, is not safe from its grasp. As Aminu, Greythorne, and their diverse companions delve deeper into their quest, they must not only unravel the mysteries surrounding the Crown of Shadows but also confront their own inner demons.

In a race against time, Aminu, Greythorne, and their allies must decipher the mysteries of the past, harness the power of shadows, and confront the Umbrathar to save not only their realm but also the very essence of light and darkness. Their epic quest culminates in a battle that will test their bonds, their strength, and their willingness to embrace the shadows within themselves in order to stand against the encroaching darkness. Will they prevail and uncover the truth behind the Crown of Shadows, or will the realm of Tenebris be consumed by eternal night?

[jeweledlegacy4r]

Ring Sizing

Incredible Ancient Relic

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Ring Sizing

Jeweled Legacy contains jewels from many historical eras. Need assistance restoring a priceless heirloom? In addition to re-plating jewelry, pearls, and setting new stones, we also repair clocks. the value of an irreplaceable item. Please feel free to contact our knowledgeable raters whenever you have questions or need assistance. Would you go out and get a gift for a child? We took great attention in selecting each of these products. 2000 years' worth of artifacts from diverse places and eras.

Concerns about the Future of the Human Race

You are in our thoughts and prayers, so please know that. It is eagerly awaited that Jeweled Legacy will be released. If you're interested in buying or selling vintage jewelry, stop by our shop. You've located the unique item you were looking for.

We arrived to this conclusion when and why? From vintage engagement rings to the hottest hoops of the season, we carry it all. You can't get rid of your old wardrobe because you have sentimental attachments to it. Do you have any social customs that you particularly detest? If your suggestions may aid our design team in comprehending the issue better, we might put them to use.

Stone Setting of missing stones

Our jewelers are available to help you locate the perfect thank-you gift for any occasion. Always have a backup plan in place in case anything unexpected happens. Search Jeweled Legacy for jewels that might be quite valuable. If handed down to them, future generations would treasure this necklace very much.

Location is Vital With regard to both money and fashion

How eagerly did you desire to examine the diamonds we provided you as a wedding present? Bring in your valuable metals, the newest fad, or historical items, and we'll give you an unbiased appraisal. The clients of our management organization are billed hourly.

Review yourself at Jeweled Legacy.

You should see an expert if you are concerned about the protection of your possessions. Many insurance companies stipulate this as a condition of coverage. Those who possess one already possess a fantastic tool. The more your assets change in value over time, the more crucial it is to maintain track of them. Is this method of research flawed in any way? If you're around, stop over and say hello. We'll inspect everything carefully while you watch. Call us whenever it's most convenient for you if you'd like to make an appointment.

The Appraisers Guild of America has reviewed and certified the credentials of several of the presenters. A Master Gemologist will respond to your inquiries right away.

antique watches with jewel-covered dials

Here, you may get service for both traditional and digital watches. The majority of quartz timepieces have detachable bands that make battery replacement straightforward. Repairing mechanical watches is another area in which we excel.

Rare, one-of-a-kind, and breathtakingly gorgeous antique jewelry You have a good probability of discovering jewelry from the 25th to the 99th century. A item of jewelry must be at least 99 years old to be considered an antique. These metals' market value is determined by their age and purity. Size of rings Here you can also find pricey and rare antiques in the styles of Glitz, Synthwave, Rockabilly, and Art Deco. Jewelry must be at least a century old in order to be considered antique. We are able to offer cutting-edge goods and services to clients of all ages and socioeconomic levels because to our wide international network.

Jeweled Legacy is known for its distinctive and premium jewelry.

Want to purchase an impossibility? Mass production is feasible, much like in the industrial environment of today. I believe we have the capacity to create something truly spectacular if everyone of you adds your own distinctive flavor.

The issue is whether we should make changes to the situation in order to spare future generations from having to cope with it or whether we should leave it as is so that they can learn from it. If there are multiple potential heirs, we can decide whether to have it fixed or repurposed (that brooch, for instance, could be turned into a necklace).

[tipstraffio]

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Exploring London with Limo Service

Introduction

London, the bustling capital of England, is a city that never fails to captivate visitors with its rich history, iconic landmarks, and vibrant culture. As you step into this magnificent city, one of the best ways to explore its wonders is by indulging in a luxurious limo service. In this blog, we will take you on a journey through the streets of London, showcasing the top attractions and hidden gems, all while traveling in style and comfort.

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Unveiling London's Gems

Buckingham Palace: Where Royalty Reigns

Our adventure begins with a visit to Buckingham Palace, the official residence of the British monarch. As your chauffeur drives you through the grand gates, you'll catch a glimpse of the Changing of the Guards, a majestic ceremony that showcases the tradition and pomp of the British monarchy. Marvel at the stunning architecture and immerse yourself in the regal ambiance as you explore the lavish State Rooms, adorned with exquisite artwork and opulent furnishings.

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Tower of London: A Fortress of History

Next on our itinerary is the Tower of London, a historic fortress that has stood tall for over 900 years. Stepping into its ancient walls, you'll be transported back in time to the era of kings and queens, knights and traitors. Your knowledgeable guide will regale you with tales of the tower's dark past, including stories of imprisonment, torture, and beheadings. Don't miss the chance to see the Crown Jewels, a dazzling collection of precious gems and regalia that will leave you in awe.

The British Museum: A Treasure Trove of Artifacts

No visit to London is complete without a trip to the British Museum, a treasure trove of artifacts from around the world. As you arrive in style at the museum's entrance, you'll be greeted by the iconic facade, its imposing columns a testament to its significance. Inside, explore the vast galleries filled with ancient relics, from the Rosetta Stone to the Elgin Marbles. Immerse yourself in the stories of ancient civilizations and marvel at the sheer beauty and craftsmanship of these priceless treasures.

Covent Garden: A Haven for Culture and Entertainment

For a taste of London's vibrant entertainment scene, your limo service will whisk you away to Covent Garden. This charming district is known for its lively street performers, bustling markets, and world-class theaters. Take a leisurely stroll through the cobblestone streets, browse the eclectic shops, and savor a delicious meal at one of the many trendy restaurants. Immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere and let the enchanting melodies of the street musicians serenade you as you soak in the true essence of London's culture.

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Conclusion

As our journey comes to an end, it's clear that exploring London with a limo service is an experience like no other. From the grandeur of Buckingham Palace to the historic Tower of London, and the cultural haven of Covent Garden, every moment is filled with wonder and excitement. So, why wait? Embark on your own unforgettable adventure and let the luxurious comfort of a limo transport you through the heart and soul of this magnificent city. London awaits, and the possibilities are endless.

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