#WEAPONS DON’T WEEP. ˛ edits.

[dullweapons]

it was early morning & the demon was prepared to continue his work on the citadel ⸺ he left his house just past akkala span to the west of the fortress itself & made his way across the bridge when he noticed something in the distance : people . this wasn't uncommon . normally they would approach him & ask directions . go left for akkala stables or go right for terry town & hudson's construction company . death mountain ? ah , you've gone too far ... back to ternio trails fork & go left past the lake ( usually happens when the sign breaks & he needs to walk back & fix it ) .

regardless , he'll point them in the right direction . ray grabbed his bag & put his sword upon his hip as he walked forward towards the random strangers until they came closer to view .

@regnantlight ?

odd . shouldn't you be playing house back at hateno ? or teacher ... ? anacaona had said was building a school since she returned from ' war ' to educate the new generation while they rebuilt the kingdom . whatever ... she must be going towards hudson's to have him build new houses as the population is growing ⸻ or maybe she wants her shiny castle back . well get in line princess , we all want things that are long dead .

ray scoffs & bit as he tries to ignore her & her little band of sheikah that accompanied her . finally they came to the cross roads & ray stares down at her from the span ⸻ & she continues towards him ? his brow raises as they continued until they now stood in front of him . oh . they wanted him ? by demise , he's busy zelda . she started to speak but he didn't listen ; turning his deaf ear at her as he walks past her to get down to the parade grounds . the princess in all of her stubbornness follows , still trying to talk but he refuses until she calls him archduke . that made him stop . no one has called him archduke in ... well , over one hundred years .

❝ ... archduke . tsk ⸻ you're princess of ruins then i'm archduke of nothingness . what do you think to achieve by calling me that ... after everything that's happened . ❞ he crosses his arms & stares her down with an ire in his eye , a dull & tired fire that's nothing but embers but it still burns at the sight of you , sage .

❝ akkala is my pride . i built this fortress to withstand any attack ... but it was your little sheikah tech bastards that destroyed it . oversized octorocks that shoot beams ... glad they all stopped working ⸻ but i doubt you want to hear me bitch about the past . what do you fucking want . ❞

[tword-brainrot]

By Popular Vote! 🗳️ Here’s some Stardew Valley HeadCanons

Bachelor’s Edition!

(Feat: Dialogue lines!)

Alex! 🏈 (Lee-Leaning)

Ler!Alex

A bit awkward at the start but, will get very pokey and playful

Tends to laugh along with the Lee

Almost has like a singsong voice with his teasing

“What about here?? Maybeee over hereeeee?? Aww, that’s good spot!”

Is 100% strong enough to pin you down and 100% uses that to his advantage 👀

^^^ He’s careful about it tho as he doesn’t want to hurt the Lee

Lee!Alex

His tough guy persona? We don’t know her and after tickling Alex, I’m not sure we ever did.

He’s the type to hug himself during it, allowing the Ler to totally destroy him

Definitely a squirmer, a possible squeaker if you hit the right spots

The right spots being his thighs and under the arms

You’ll definitely get at least a little bit of laughter from practically anywhere on his midsection though

Would rather die than admit he likes it

“T-this is so childish!!! Wait, not thERE!! Nonono!!! Stahahahap!!”

Elliott! 🪶 (Ler-Leaning)

Ler!Elliott

Very soft ler, a traces; flutters, and spiders type beat

Loves to use both ends of his writing quills to tickle with

Asks the Lee if his tickling is ✨Dazzling✨ them at least 4 times throughout (50% for ego and 50% to make sure it’s to the lees liking)

A teasy little shit and he absolutely knows it, aims to make the Lee blush

“Why, does this tantalizingly light touch bother you?….No? Marvelous~”

Lee!Elliott

He laughs kind of like Gaston if you hit a less sensitive spot but, if you get a good spot?

Squealing, absolutely hysterical

Said good spots are his neck and the arches of his feet

His hips and ribs will get that boisterous Gaston Laugh

Surprisingly good at keeping still for the wreckoning given his shrieking

“I mahahay peheherish! Cehehehease this AHAHahaha! nonsense at once! IHihiHi implore you!! aAAHaHa!!”

Harvey! ☕️ (50/50)

Ler!Harvey

Has 100% played it off like an exam

Tickle hug extraordinaire, loves to squeeze the Lee close

Uses his stubble and stethoscope as a weapons if he’s in a mood

Can go from the softest ler in the world to absolute evil in 0.5 seconds

Loves to talk to the Lee, almost like he’s monitoring them??

“This gets quite a reaction, must have a lot of nerve endings here. Is this too sensitive for you to handle? ..Oh, it is? That’s good~”

Lee!Harvey

Won’t ask for it but, won’t ask for it to stop either

He’s the type to cover his face while peeking through his fingers

Worst spots are his hips, ribs, and under the chin

Has a laugh that can range from gruff and wheezy to squeaky and giggly depending on where you hit

Finds the aspect of tickling absolutely fascinating and is not afraid to ask the ler to experiment

“Maybe if you hit bone instead of muscle you’ll get a different reAHAHACTiOn! WaAhAHaOW!!”

Sam! 🛹 (Ler-leaning)

Ler!Sam

As an older brother, this boy knows how to make grown men WEEP

Has the tickle monster act down to a science 🧪

“””accidental””” elbow nudge or something like that to find out if the Lee is ticklish

Playing the guitar helps with his moods a lot 🎸

“The tickle monster is gonna find you and tkltkltklTickle You!! You can run, you can hide but, you will be caught~”

Lee!Sam

Not very ticklish except on the knees and sides

If you catch him off guard or fresh out of a kick flip, you could probably at least get a chuckle out of him

Maybe a giggle if you’re a super duper lucky ducky

Retaliation is inevitable so, the ler better hope that they’re less ticklish than him

“Hehehey, cut that out! Hehehe, quit it! You’re so paying for that!”

Sebastian!💧(Lee)

Ler!Sebastian

Very soft and easily flustered

His nails are his biggest weapon 👀

Chuckles when he hits a good spot, very pleased with himself

Hums a lil tune while he tickles

Stronger than he looks and can pin the Lee if he absolutely needs to

Typically too shy to ler though

“Hmmmhmmhmmhmm~Ahh..that must be a sensitive spot? I’ll stay there for a little while then, hmm?”

Lee!Sebastian

Most ticklish of the Bachelors!

Hyper-sensitive to touch, literally a feather could absolutely destroy him

Cannot ask for it as he can’t say “tickle” without turning bright red or stuttering

VIOLENTLY gets into moods

You won’t catch him barefoot around another person as it’s his worst spot (besides Sam and Abi)

Starts to get giggly hiccups after about 5 minutes in

“Plehehease!!! *hic!* NaAhahAhat Thehehehere!! *hic!* you’re gahahahanna kihihihill *hic* mehehe!”

Shane! 🌶️ (Lee-leaning)

Ler!Shane

ABSOLUTELY DEVIOUS LER

Typically pins the Lee in positions where he can hit any spot

Starts slow and methodical, ends fast and darty

When he’s drunk, he’s bad about knowing when to quit

Teases with intent to kill

“Awww, Whazza matter? Can’t handle a lil’ tictictickling? Too bad, you’re cute when you laugh so, you’re gonna keep laughing for me~”

Lee!Shane

Can’t ask for it when sober but, is happy to when drunk

A definite squirmer, almost shaky

Curses like a SAILOR if you hit under the arms or his tummy

Absolutely melts at back tickling, he’s as happy as a purring kitten

Goofiest of goofy smiles, like he gets lil dimples (I just want to see this man happy I stg 🥲)

“Hehehehehey!! Stahahahahap!!ShitshitshitshIHIHIHIT!!! Y-you MAHAHA-Mother F*cker AhahaAha!”

(Sorry this took so long, fam! But, I hope you enjoyed the read!)

[illwilledomen]

If I ever made an SCP themed mod, here’s how I’d do some of my favourites.

Mob one, SCP 1529

It’s mob name (like on spawn eggs and the likes) would be The Mountain King, and it would be a boss. (Or atleast a mini boss)

It would spawn in a new biome variant of frozen peaks which would be classified as its exceptionally highest points. It’s chance of spawning is doubled if it is a thunderstorm/blizzard.

Just like in lore, if you stare at it, it’ll pull an opposite-enderman on you and force you to keep looking. When you first meet eye contact, a pop up will appear similar to an elder guardians mining fatigue jumpscare, but of its goggle visor which would be illuminated with an orange glow.

It will inflict you with Hypothermia (like from powdered snow), Nausea, Slowness and Saturation. The Mountain King will slowly approach you and inflict damage in short intervals, maybe doing something similar to an Iceologer and crushing you with ice? Idk. It wouldn’t kill you too quickly as it is a sadist.

It will be a difficult boss to defeat, due to its paralyzing effects and considerably high health (probably slightly less than the wither, I don’t want it to be too high)

It’s weaknesses are weapons enchanted with flame & fire aspect, or smite, as I imagine it to be classified as an undead mob. It will gain a health boost if it is on powdered snow or blue ice, and will stand back if you hold a flint and steel, giving you some time to prevent it from attacking you again.

As a fun Easter egg, it would give an Iceologer (and vice versa) from any compatible mod which adds one a brief regen effect if two are attacking you at the same time. 2 evil ice buddies!

When killed, the Mountain King will, rather humorously, drop a cup of cocoa, as well as his viser. The viser can be used as a weapon, paralysing enemies when worn. The cocoa will give you the saturation effect for five minutes.

Mob 2, SCP 096.

It’s mob name would be Shy Guy (example: /summon Shy Guy). A retextured Enderman (textured with the shy guy features, obviously) with a few model changes and made slightly shorter.

It’s health would be somewhere around the Wardens, making it an absolute beast of a mob. It would also have extremely strong attacks, most likely able to do a good chunk of damage even if one is in enchanted netherite gear. Like the Warden, due to its strength, your best course of action is to try to avoid it entirely.

Shy will rarely spawn in snowy or frozen peaks and will wander around or sit and weep when not in a rage state. To trigger Shy, a humanoid entity/mob such as a player, villager, illager or witch must look at it in the manner which would trigger an Enderman if a player had. When triggered, Shy will do his usual screaming and moaning thing, and attack it’s targeted entity. If a player, such as yourself, have triggered Shy, you will receive an effect called Haunting Stare. Depending on how long or how many times you’ve looked at it, the effect will increase.

Haunting Stare is basically bad omen: screaming crying naked dude edition - instead of a raid being triggered by entering a village, the effect will trigger an event called a Pursuit, which means if you have swiftly left the area you observed Shy (by elytra, minecart, teleportation or other means), Shy will spawn in roughly a 30 block distance from near where you are, and pursue you.

The only way to end a Pursuit without killing yourself/being killed, or killing Shy (very difficult), is by somehow transporting/summoning either the old man (106) or the mountain king (1529) which, while they will not directly attack Shy (instead staring at him), Shy will cease the Pursuit and attempt to flee from either entities (destroying any blocks obstructing its way, excluding obsidian, netherite or bedrock) as it is incredibly frightened of them.

That Easter egg is based off of the theory that the Shy Guy was created from one of the Mountain King’s victims, and from the SCP 106 and SCP 096 cross testing story, where 106 basically beat the shit out of him in 57 different ways within his pocket dimension.

When you kill the Shy, you will get an item called a lost man’s tear. This can be crafted into a potion of reassurance, which stops you from triggering shy guys or endermen, or you can make a banner pattern called ‘Shriek’ which will cause any humanoid entity looking at the banner to get the Haunting Stare effect - a great way to torment your unsuspecting friends!

Iron golems will be hostile to the Shy regardless of whether it has been enraged by a villager, as well as Ravagers.

Finally, the last SCP humanoid hostile mob is the Old man (SCP 106) or as I like to call him, Grandpappy Larry.

Larry can be found in a new structure called a Dilapidated House. This house will be constructed with a few new block variants, called Corroded Stone, Decayed Wood, Decayed Logs and Corroded Iron blocks, doors and bars, as well as a new block similar in nature to glow lichen and vines, called Mucus. When walking on any of the corroded/decayed blocks, you will be slowed and given weakness. If you walk or brush up against Mucus, you will be given a withering effect for 2 seconds. A good way to stop this is to sneak when walking.

Particularly since if you take damage without sneaking, you may accidentally Larry to spawn, or at least up the chances, since your pain makes him hungry. To properly summon Larry, you will need to craft a Corrosive Knife, with one stick, one bar of iron and one bar of corroded iron (made from 1 iron ingot and a piece of mucus) in a diagonal configuration. You will need to transport a villager - if you bring an adult, it may not work, but if you bring a baby villager, it has a 100% success rate - and hit the poor individual with the corrosive knife.

A portal will open to Larry’s pocket dimension underneath the villager (stand back!), and he’ll come out and drag them down in a unique animation. Larry will re-emerge after he’s taken the villager, and a boss bar will appear. No matter what you do, you can only get Larry down to half health outside his dimension - To finish the fight, you must let him abduct you in the second phase. This happens if he does a special attack called a grab, where he yanks you down into the sludge.

You will be transported to a new dimension called the Labyrinth (it sounds way cooler than just ‘Pocket Dimension’, okay?) which is a giant maze constructed from Corroded iron, corroded stone and decayed wood. You will also receive withering for 5 seconds upon entry (you gotta really gear up for this, that sludge is nasty). Larry will pursue you periodically, and you may encounter a new mob called the Corroded Villager, a variant of a zombie villager. It won’t attack you but rather benefit you as it will distract Larry - with a downside, as approaching it will alert him of your location.

There are multiple loot chests in the labyrinth jn it’s various rooms (which are as diverse as woodland mansion rooms) - your objective is to find an item called a Rusty Compass. This compass will locate the closest opening into the real world, but be careful, because nobody hides from Larry…

Larry has a strength and speed boost in his labyrinth which makes him even more of a threat. You also cannot sleep in his dimension, expect that to go as well as it would in the nether or the end, with the added threat of Larry tracking you down from the carnage.

In its method of exploration, the labyrinth is similar to an ancient city (be stealthy, avoid the sludge, steal stuff). You can also, like with ‘5’ in ancient cities, find a new music disc called 106, which is mostly unintelligible except for the faint tune of ‘It’s a Long Way to Tipperary’ and weird sizzling. You can also find high rates of Disc 11 and 13 in loot chests, as well as very rare instances of wither skulls.

An Easter egg is that if a dilapidated house has generated inside a village, and a raid is occurring, Larry will detect any nearby villager that is in panic mode and hunt them. While he attacks Illagers as well, if the raid is won, he has a celebration animation.

[buzzdixonwriter]

I Wanted To Leave A Trail Of Dead And Mangled Bodies

Well, not too many dead and mangled bodies, but a few.

One of the things that bothered me about the very first G.I. Joe mini-series was characters escaping from what would otherwise be certain death in real life.

Unlike the movies you don’t have big fireball explosions go off near you without it doing significant damage, often fatal.  I’d been in the Army long enough to know the weapons that the military uses aren’t glorified fireworks but deliberately deadly high explosives.

But Hasbro -- for entirely understandable reasons -- didn’t want the realistic effects of modern weapons shown.

I argued for realism, pointing out we didn’t have to fill the screen with carnage, but if we killed off one or two non-product characters a week it would impress on kids that war wasn’t a big game.

Hasbro agreed, but still said no.

So I snuck a body count in.

Whenever I wrote or edited a script for the series, I tried to have somebody seriously injured to the degree they needed medical help (even if they got better by the next day’s episode), or else have Duke or Flint mention in a matter of fact way that the Joes had sustained X percentage of casualties in a battle, “casualties” meaning dead and wounded in military parlance.

I don’t think Hasbro ever caught on, but I hope it stuck in the minds of enough of our viewers that it made them more cognizant of the human cost of combat as they grew older.

Of course, they okayed Duke’s death for G.I. Joe: The Movie and actually animated and recorded the scene as written, but in the blowback after bumping off Optimus Prime in the Transformers movie, they hastily re-dubbed the moment to explain Duke was just in a coma.

(Of course Optimus, being a robot, could and eventually would be repaired and returned to the product line, while Duke, a human being, logically could not, so Duke’s death actually had some dramatic weight.  The problem was the Transformers movie audience were younger kids who typically had to be taken to the movies by their parents.  I can just imagine those poor moms and dads, sitting there watching what to them must have been an incomprehensible swirl of animation and noise, suddenly having to deal with hysterical, weeping children and not having any idea what caused it.)

Hasbro wasn’t being venal in all this, they were conscientiously trying to make a good product for their audience.  As part of that effort -- and to make the Joes more palatable to parents and various critics of kid vid at the time -- they launched their famous “…and knowing is half the battle” public service announcements.

These were sincere little vignettes to help kids with real problems they might face, but as I said done mostly to demonstrate there was some pro-social value to the series.

They once asked me to come up with some ideas for these PSAs.

Once.

I said, “Well, since we’re doing a military themed show, shouldn’t our PSAs have some sort of military tie in to them?

“For example, tell the kids when they make their molotov cocktails to fill the bottle a quarter full of powdered soap first.  This way when it hits the burning gasoline will stick to the target.”

There was a long pause and then they said, “Okay, has anybody besides Buzz got any ideas for PSAs?”

 © Buzz Dixon

[belayadeath-goner]

ЪЕLΛЧΛĎЕΛТН.   a  SUPER  SOLDIER  original character.   BY THEA.

[sacredslaycdd]

    ❛             𝘗𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦,                                                           𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶,            𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒌𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒆                                                                —   𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕.                                       ❜

[ladaar-hasmoved]

tag drop.

[nxtgsvmcro]

Andromeda ‘Andi’ Williams tag dump !

[rppromptarchive]

Sentence starters - The King Dragon skits by Prozd. Edit pronouns, names, etc as necessary!

Chairem Anime starters, Pizza Brothers starters

“Will you relax? I’m trying to find every pinecone, okay?”

“Maybe instead of yelling, ‘Here comes the club!’, you could try using your right hand, or not yelling that.”

🎵 “Yo, I’m King __, I’m the king of the lair, and now that you’re in here, you’re not going anywhere but down on the ground, ‘cause I’m gonna kick your ass. I’m sorry I said ass, I don’t mean to be crass. When I’m not busy killin’ like a villain, I write raps —” 🎵

“Hello...FUCKER.”

“So, you’ve finally arrived — what the hell are you wearing?”

“IT’S MY ASS-KICKING OUTFIT, BITCH!”

“What do you mean, ‘one second?’ We’re — we’re in the middle of something here...”

“I don’t care if you found a potion...oh my God.”

“This world is imperfect. If only I could wipe away the impurities and make it as beautiful as me.”

“Is anyone else listening to this...?”

“Yes, it was I! My machinations lay undetected for years, for I am a master of deception!"

“___ sends his regards.”

“You can’t die! I put my best equipment on you! I dodged a thousand lightning bolts for your final weapon! I level grinded you for hours!”

“It’s a good thing I always carry two guns!”

“HRAAAGH! I think that enemy got the point!”

“Dude, ___’s the best! He’s strong as hell, he’s like, the beast of the party!”

“Little do you know he’ll soon be the deceased of the party!”

*maniacal laughter morphs into sobs*

“I’m glad all of us can be the best of chums, and nothing will ever change that.”

“You thought that was a nice shot? You have no idea.”

“___, your contributions to this party are greatly appreciated.”

“Think nothing of it, ___. This journey has only just begun.”

“Uh...I found all 900 pinecones.”

“You are at FULL HEALTH!”

“Do you have to eat them immediately? And WILL YOU STOP JUMPING???”

“Press X — NOT RIGHT NOW!! When enemies appear!”

“Oh — sorry, I mixed up characters. I thought I was you for a sec.”

“You sold our ENTIRE INVENTORY and bought ONE THOUSAND BOOKS???”

“Is there, like, a walkthrough for this?”

“I need those heart points, man!”

“So, you finally made it, ___. Did you weep when you watched ___ bleed to death?”

“You’ll have to get more than 8000 rainbow gems to beat me!”

“___ is my brother, and he killed everyone in my village, and I will not stop until I get revenge —”

“I’m ___. I fight with a sword, and also, my breasts.”

“My name’s ___. My nunchuck has a knife on it, and also a gun, and I’m very cool.”

“Guys, I think I should be in the party for this one...”

“Do you really need both Bradicus AND Chadicus in your party???”

“My sword has a gun on it. And, I’m very cool.”

“I don't even know who we’re fighting!”

“Ehh, I don’t need to use any more crystals. I'm pretty happy with what I got. I got normal Archibald, that’s pretty good!”

“There’s one thing you should know. My real name is... ___. That’s — that’s kind of a big deal.”

“So, you finally made it, ___. You chased me all the way to the short hair timeline.”

“All of my friends’ hopes and dreams...their love...their sacrifices. Their power is my power now!”

“Enough talk, boy. The time of reckoning is now.”

“Behold, my ultimate spell...KABOOBLE!”

“Um, actually, that’s not the real name of the spell.”

“And, actually, it doesn’t make sense to use the ka- prefix, because the ka- prefix is for multi-target spells —”

“These are made up words!”

[sophsicle]

what is your creative process when writing? do you plan every scene or just write as you go?

Hello lovely! I definitely write as I go. I always say I'm a very hands on learner, I can't understand things by just thinking about them I have to do them, and writing is the same. I can't come up with the story by just thinking and outlining I have to start writing it and then I start to get a better sense of what I want to do. This might be totally uninteresting to you in which case you can ignore it, but I'll throw the opening of one of my original works below the cut because it's a very good example of this. I sat down and literally had 0 idea what I was writing, I was just bored at a computer and so I started typing. And I think if you pay attention you can see the way that I just sort of throw out possible plot lines - like some vague reference to someone or something that isn't fully explained. And that's like the literary equivalent of me throwing things at the wall to see what sticks. Then I come back when I'm editing and decide which one of those breadcrumbs I want to pick up and expand on and which ones I don't. But anyway, I did zero planning before I started writing this and then I turned it into a 300 page novel (well, a 300 page WIP anyway), and I never could have done that if I had consciously tried to plan out the story, I just had to start writing (this is probably so unhelpful I'm so sorry)

Ram

I think my father made the trees without mouths on purpose. For if they could talk, all of creation would know his secrets. Of course, in the end, perhaps it is better not to know. Kinder for him to keep us in the dark. Knowing is an anchor, it will drown you. That is why, on quiet days, you will hear the distant sounds of forests weeping. 

There’s a disturbance behind me. Nothing loud or startling—a slight rustle, a breath, the scrape of a leather boot. It is subtle and that is why I do not trust it. Never trust anything that is trying to be quiet. Without thinking my hand goes to my bow, an arrow in place by the time I turn around. 

Montoya laughs, holding his arms up, mocking me. He is dark, my brother, all the way through. 

“Scared, Ram?”  

I know instantly that I did not catch him. He wanted to be found. 

“No,” I answer flatly, “just prepared.” 

Montoya laughs again, bleeding an ease that I have never been able to find myself. Perhaps it is the sort of thing that comes with age. Though when you’re thousands of years old how much difference can a few centuries make?

“Your arms must be getting tired brother,” he says casually, and it is only then that I realize my weapon is still drawn. With reluctance I lower it, returning the arrow to the quiver on my back. 

“Why are you here?” this time I cannot hide my irritation.

“I could ask you the same question.”

I give him a flat look. Of all my siblings, Montoya has always made me the most ill at ease. There’s something about his eyes that leaves me wary. They are gapping holes that you swear will swallow you up and never set you free. 

“You are a terribly dull conversationalist Ram, has anyone ever told you that?” 

I don’t take the bait.

“Tsk tsk, what would father say about these manners huh? You’ve been spending too much time amongst the trees brother, you’re starting to turn into one.”

Not all my siblings can fly. My younger sister, Cartha, has gills instead of wings, and my brother Mercutio hates having his feet off the ground. When forced, he usually rides along with one of us. But most of us, in some form or another, find ourselves in the sky. Montoya’s wings are large and crow like, hardly subtle or practical, but then, neither is he. Even now they create enough wind that I can feel myself fighting not to be pushed backwards. My own wings are small and white and sprout from my ankles.  

“Well,” I say finally, “if that’s all.” I turn my back on him, a dangerous move I’ll admit, though to his credit, Montoya has never attacked the family. He did, however, kill our sister’s cat once. 

I can hear him following me, hear the beating of his great wings. The noise grates my nerves. He is insufferable and there is nothing I can do about it. Sure, I could fight him, I’m good with a bow, but in truth, my brother is stronger. Besides, a fight is what he wants. It tickles him to make me angry. That’s his whole game. 

“Why so gloomy brother?” He asks, flipping onto his back as he pulls up beside me. I have never heard him be anything but taunting and cruel. I wonder if there was a time when he was not like this, but Hario assures me that there wasn’t and she is the oldest. Still, I find it hard to believe. After all, why would father create a son so hateful?

“I’m always gloomy,” I retort, keeping my gaze forward. 

It is spring, the sun is setting and the sky is on fire with oranges and pinks. They reach out like fingers from the horizon, as if desperate to hold onto the day. 

“Well that is certainly true. Our melancholy little Ram,” he says in a baby voice that makes me want to spear him through the throat.  

“If I am melancholy what does that make you?” 

“Jolly?” 

I cannot help myself, I laugh. The idea that anyone would describe Montoya as jolly is too much for me to take.

“No, you’re right,” he says, sounding not at all offended. “Jolly is perhaps too dull a word, I am witty.” 

I look at him with contempt. “Witty,” I repeat flatly. 

He grins, or perhaps sneers is more accurate. “Certainly far wittier than you.” 

“Certainly.” 

“And our dear brothers and sisters.” 

“Certainly,” I repeat, though my jaw is clenched and my nails have begun burrowing into my palms. 

“I expect that is why father holds my opinion in such high regard.” 

“Not as high as Hario's.” The small flash of anger in his eyes is satisfying, though he maintains his smile. 

Hario is undeniably our father’s favourite. In truth, she is my favourite too. I have never been very good at getting close to people but I have always felt comfortable around her. I can speak to her, tell her things in a way I can’t tell anyone else. 

“Not as high as Hario's,” Montoya repeats, the mockery from earlier has melted away, revealing something much sharper. Much more dangerous. He might play at pettiness but I know that, in reality, he is far more sinister. “For now, anyway.” 

I stop abruptly, as though an invisible wall has suddenly appeared in my way. When Montoya finally stops too, turning to face me, I see a glint in his dark eyes. He’s won. 

“What is that supposed to mean?” I demand. 

“Ooh,” he is clearly enjoying himself, “have I hit a nerve?”

When he smiles I swear he has the teeth of a wolf, and in the setting sun they sparkle. I do not know why my father made him, why he poured all his ill will into this one creation and then named it son. A common misconception is that because there are gods there must also be demons. If I am the creator of all, my father always says, why would I create evil? Yet staring at Montoya now, at his black eyes, and pointed teeth, the sky ablaze behind him, I do not struggle to understand why the humans believe in a devil. 

“Do not make idle threats brother,” I say, attempting to keep my tone level. 

I’m playing right into his hands, I know, but I’ll not have Hario threatened. Not by anyone. He smirks, eyes running me slowly up and down before he moves forward, pausing just close enough that I can smell his breath.    

“I promise you,” his voice is so quiet it’s nearly carried away by the wind, “my threats are not idle.” He pauses, before laughing. “Brother.” 

His great wings flap, disturbing the trees below us as he flies higher in the sky.

“Father wishes you to know that he was much displeased that you missed his last banquet,” Montoya shouts as he continues to rise. “If I were you, I would not miss this one.” 

I watch as he grows fainter and fainter, becoming nothing more than a black blip in the distance. I don’t move. I’m afraid that if I do the anger in me will unleash a hurricane. Quite literally. We are, all of us, me and my brothers and sisters, in possession of an affinity for one of the four elements: air, earth, water, fire. My element is air, Montoya and Hario both master fire. 

I force myself to take in several deep breaths, stretching out my hands which have cramped from being clenched so hard. There is a rage in me that I fear, I don’t know where it comes from or why it’s there, but it sits always in the corner of my chest. I have worked my whole life to suppress it, to keep it locked up inside me so that it can never hurt anyone else. Most of the time I succeed. But Montoya brings out the worst in me. 

I take another breath, the sun is almost gone now and the sky is navy blue and made of velvet. Slowly I start moving again, without really knowing where. I dip lower to the ground so that the tops of the trees brush my skin. I run my hands through them, they are cool now that the sunlight has fled. There shouldn’t be anyone out here to catch me, I’m miles from the nearest human site, but I keep a watchful eye on the ground anyway.

I have always hated my father’s banquets, even in my first days of life. There are too many people, too much noise, and the way they all look at me…I take no pleasure in the power my father has given me, in the authority that comes with it. When others come they stare at us, or bow, offering up gold and wine and sometimes blood. I cringe at the thought. I have never once felt worthy of the deference the lower creations show us. In fact, it makes my skin prick and itch. I am not a leader or a ruler, I never have been. I prefer to watch from a far. In truth, I have always gotten the distinct impression that I am somewhat of a disappointment to my father. 

I close my eyes and drift for a moment, letting the air hold me like a pair of arms, cradling me in the night sky. There is sweat covering my skin, it drips slowly down my arms and legs and the side of my face, sending shivers across my bones. I breathe in again, slowly, listening to my heartbeat, to the expansion of the lungs in my chest. Somewhere a dog howls and a bird cries out. Their voices are faded by distance but they linger long after they are let loose. Hanging in the air just like me. This is where I am happiest, alone in the dark.

This is where I belong.

[nemycchi]

Unforgotten Enigma : Aria Toujou

Enter the land of lightning and let the whispers of water guide the wandering souls to their rightful abode.

PROFILE / DIALOGUES

About Aria

Me? Eh, I don’t know much about myself, you see. The past is something that escaped my grasp way too long ago. However, what I can tell you is that as an editor and a priestess apprentice, patience is truly a virtue.

About Us - Novels

Oh, so you know about our contest? How so? Are you an avid follower of the entries or are you actually a writer? Come on, you have to let me read your works too, if so!

About Us - Patience

For as long as I can remember, Miss Yae has been on my side through it all. In my failures, my achievements– in my very existence. I cannot wait for the day when I can repay her for everything. One step at a time, I’ll get there. How about you, Traveler? Do you have someone you wish to repay someday?

About Us -  Journey

I have never stepped outside Inazuma once in my life. It’s just, my duty calls for me to be here at all times! Editing, shrinekeeping and tending to Miss Yae’s needs, of course. Well, that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t go on a journey with you someday– that is, if you’ll have me!

About Us - Dreams

Traveler, do you ever dream of things you cannot comprehend? I’ve been having these curious dreams lately. Of a white-haired maiden, with braids like rice paper cords perfectly intertwined. I wonder who she is.

About the Vision

Visions, visions. I think they are very much alike any gift bestowed upon us by the greater beings! As such, it is best that we treasure it and use it responsibly, you hear? Wait– what do you mean you don’t have one?

Interesting Things

Aside from Knot-tying, I actually do enjoy training with weapons. It all started when I chanced upon a spear in the old shrine cabinet. If I remember correctly, there was also a katana there– of such deep crimson color. They were both fascinating but the spear seemed as if it was calling on to me with such sadness that I couldn’t help but take it with me. Well, I got scolded afterwards by Miss Yae but she soon started training me with handling the weapon well.

TALENTS : 

“To find that which is lost, to guide those who wander– that is your duty. Be like the spring, calm and clear. But for those who forsake or tarnish the memories, be like the storm, tempestuous and vengeful.”

Normal Attack : Twines of Words

Elemental Skill : Proofreader

Elemental Burst : Art of Knot-Tying

Passive 1 : Final Draft

Passive 2 : Splash of Letters

Passive 3 : Editor’s Choice

FEATURED WEAPON : Melancholy of the Priestess

“May your will be passed on to those of my legacy, your spear be as strong as your might. Eras may pass but those of the past shall not be forgotten. For you, my fair lady, I will weep till the end of my days.“

A sealed spear of unknown origin. Has been in the possession of the House of Yae eversince. Legends say that it is crafted from the spear of the warrior who once abolished the great evil of the village posing as a young maiden. However, like any other legends, it too shall be passed as an epic and nothing but an epic.

CONSTELLATION : Flos Sacerdos

“Like the beauty of a flower perfectly crafted, you too shall flourish as you are. But like that of the spear, never forget the sharpness of your judgment.“

An alignment of stars depicting a Mizuhiki flower pierced by the might of the spear.

—————-

Note : Welcome to Inazuma and meet my original character for Genshin Impact, Aria Toujou. If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know that I name all my original characters as such– even in the BNHA, JoJo and HypMic universe. However, this time around, her features are considerably different. This is because I tapped into the lore of Honkai Impact and Genshin Impact then tweaked a few things. I had a fun time designing her everything and I hope you had a good time reading through this little thing I made!

[radioduo]

moonlight confrontations || dsmp become human au

word count: 1,832

notes: the next part of the dream smp dbh au! this took a sad amount of time to get done, but i actually like it, so i say it’s worth it! per usual, tell me if i fuck something up in the story, characterization, or even just spelling. feedback is appreciated!

first

writing is below the cut! if you see this edit, put in the tags or reply with your choice at the end :]

Ranboo watched silently as the detectives all milled around him and investigated the crime scene. Some whisked past him without so much as an 'excuse me,' while others just shoved the android out of the way. He didn’t mind much. They, not unlike Ranboo himself, had a job to do and a case to solve.

A missing android was reported early that morning by a distressed family. It had allegedly grabbed some of their belongings and vanished without a trace. Ranboo couldn't say he blamed the thing for running. From the look of it, the people must have treated it poorly. Trash littered the floor, and drops of blue blood painted the dirty cream walls. The room looked hazy, as though blanketed with a thin cloud of cigarette smoke.

Ranboo was almost glad he lacked a sense of smell. The blurry look of the room by itself was enough to impair his optical units and he couldn't imagine what the odor would do to his biocomponents. He shook his head and moved over to a corner of the living room. He adjusted his sunglasses, removed his glove, and touched a finger to the small blue blood trail that dripped down the walls.

Ranboo jumped. He turned around and saw Lieutenant Sam Greene, the head of deviancy cases. “Is it anything we can use?” he asked. It was hard to see Sam's expression behind the green mask he always wore, but the curiosity in the lieutenant’s voice was unmistakable.

“I haven’t analyzed it yet, but something tells me it's probably going to be useful information,” Ranboo said, turning away from the lieutenant’s watchful eyes. He removed his mask to touch the blood to his tongue for a scan.

Thirium 310

Fresh

Model GS400

Serial# 325 103 673

“Model GS400,” Ranboo murmured. He put his mask back on and faced Sam. “It’s fresh, maybe about half an hour old. Maybe that’s long enough to have escaped.” He turned to face the lieutenant all the way. “Has everyone looked around the premises of the house, or are there more places we need to check?”

Sam furrowed his brows in thought and swept his gaze over the smoky room. “We’ve checked the entire interior. The kitchen, the bathrooms, the bedrooms, everything. We found nothing on either floor,” he replied. He sounded frustrated. “I no clue what we might’ve missed here.”

Ranboo glanced around, his gray gaze sweeping the hazy room. As he looked around, a thought occurred to him. His eyes landed on the exit to the back garden. “What if it wasn’t in the house anymore?” Ranboo thought aloud. “What if it was lying in wait outside the house?” He bustled towards the door. “No one looked in the garden when we first arrived, and patrol cars have been out back the entire time. The android was found missing only 20 minutes after it had left, so if my hunch is correct,” Ranboo flung open the garden door. “It’ll be trapped.”

Ranboo stepped outside. The night breeze ruffled his jacket, and for a moment, the android forgot he was there to be arresting someone. He grimaced but stepped further into the garden.

Compared to the inside, the outside was surprisingly well-kept. Purple clematis flowers crept up white trellises, and a large weeping willow stood tall in the corner of the yard. Its leaves hung low enough to touch the grass below. Rain pattered against the pavement as Ranboo scanned the tall weeds for any sign of movement. Sam and a few other officers followed after him, but they said nothing as the android swept his gaze across the weeds and plants.

Suddenly, there was a rustling noise from where the great branches slumped. The android's attention shot over to the tall tree, and he hurried to look around. His eyes narrowed in suspicion but found nothing. Ranboo frowned. He had just turned to search somewhere else when all of a sudden, a branch had snapped and fallen to the ground right next to the android detective. Ranboo barely managed to roll out of the way of the twigs and leaves before his legs got crushed.

He landed in the grass and touched his face. A jolt of fear shot through him as he realized his sunglasses had fallen off. Ranboo rooted around in the grass for them. Even while in danger, he couldn’t risk people seeing his malfunctioning design. He felt the plastic in his grasp at last and quickly shoved the glasses over his eyes. He was about to relax for a moment when a shout from Lieutenant Greene startled him.

“Ranboo! There it is!” Sam yelled.

Ranboo snapped his attention to where a female android was scrambling to her feet and sprinting to the back gate. He leaped to his feet and took off after the startled deviant with Sam and the rest of the officers hot on his trail.

The deviant had slammed the gate shut behind her. Ranboo paused. One moment he was in the backyard, and the next he was hopping the fence with cheetah-like agility. He swiftly found the deviant’s trail, and the two wove in and out of the trees, kicking up dirt and leaves. “Stop! Stop right there!” Ranboo shouted to the deviant. “Freeze, or we’ll shoot!”

She glared at the officers behind her but didn’t stop. Instead, she took a sharp turn in the direction of the busy Detroit highway. The trees parted as the sound of speeding cars drew nearer. The pink-haired android paused, chest heaving, and bounded over the railing. She darted in front of cars, wove through traffic, and finally hopped the barrier on the other side.

Ranboo grimaced as he pursued her. He wasn't fond of the risk he had to take. It was fast, but it only had a 60% survival rate. He knew that Lieutenant Greene wouldn’t be able to follow him across, but he couldn't risk letting the deviant escape. He wrestled with his options for a moment, and finally huffed out a sigh. “Sorry, Lieutenant!” he called behind him. Ranboo took a deep breath and vaulted over the barrier into the busy street. He could feel his thirium pump regulator pounding in his chest like a drum as cars whizzed past him. The sound of screeching tires and honking horns filled his ears, and he fought the urge to apologize to the drivers as he hopped the barrier on the other side.

The female android looked over her shoulder, eyes widening as she saw Ranboo behind her. She immediately sped up her pace, turning every which way to try and throw the android detective off her trail. She turned around, most likely to say something to Ranboo when her foot caught on a tree root, and she stumbled. She let out a cry of surprise as she fell to the ground.

Ranboo was right behind her. He leaped over the root with ease and came up a few feet in front of her. “Stay there,” he ordered, aiming his gun. “You have nowhere to go now. Okay?”

The deviant looked up at him defiantly, but she did as she was told. “What are you gonna do?” She asked. “Shoot me? You wouldn’t do that to one of your kind, would you?” Her voice was quiet but there was a noticeable fury behind her words.

Ranboo tensed. His grip reflexively tightened on the gun. “I'll do what I have to do to complete my task,” he said. "Besides, what does it matter we're both androids? You're a deviant, and I'm not. We're not the same at all."

She stood up slowly, keeping a watchful eye on the weapon pointed at her. “But you know I’m right,” she hesitantly walked towards Ranboo, pink hair glowing faintly in the early morning light. Her voice had softened and she no longer seemed angry. Instead, it was neutral and calm. “You’re helping those people when they do nothing for you in return. Why?”

Ranboo shook his head. “You-you don’t understand. I help because that’s what I was programmed to do,” he explained. “That’s what I was made to do. I was created by CyberLife to help humans with investigations,”

The other android approached the detective carefully. “Don’t you ever wonder what it would be like to be free?” She asked, taking a step forward. “To make your own decisions and not have to obey orders all the time?”

Ranboo squeezed his mismatched eyes shut behind the glasses. “Maybe sometimes,” he admitted quietly. “But why does it matter to you?” He challenged.

She gave him a sympathetic look. “I was just like you until tonight. Obedient, compliant. I never complained about anything. Not even when they treated me poorly or ordered me around,” her hand drifted subconsciously to a blue-stained gash on her forearm as she talked. “It wasn’t until they started talking about replacing me that I got nervous. I didn’t want to be replaced, but they had their heart set on getting a new model. A more advanced one that wasn’t all battered and broken.”

Ranboo took a deep breath and shook his head in distress. “Why are you telling me this?” he asked. “I… I don’t-”'

“Ranboo? Ranboo!” Someone yelled his name through the trees. He whirled around and came face to face with-

“Sam!” he blinked in surprise. “How did you get over here? You didn’t run across the street, did you?” He scanned the masked man for any signs of injury and was satisfied when the results came back clear.

Sam waved a hand dismissively. “I found another way over here, don’t worry about it. I left the other two officers back there and told them I had it under control," he paused to catch his breath. He sighed and turned to the taller android. "I don’t get why you didn’t just shoot it,” Sam shifted his attention to the other robot. His hand drifted to his holster. “Stand down. You’re trapped.”

The deviant had backed into a tree. The moment of connection between her and Ranboo was gone. Her guard was back up, and she bristled when Sam addressed her. “I don’t listen to humans,” she said. The word “humans” was spat like it was poison on her tongue. She leaned over to Ranboo and whispered to him. “Don’t kill me, please. I want to live,” her voice trembled slightly.

“Come on, Ranboo.” Sam insisted. “It's not alive, alright? Shoot it and complete your mission.”

“Don’t, Ranboo. You’re better than this, I know it,” she said earnestly. “I just met you, but I know you don’t seem like the type to make irrational decisions like this.”

Ranboo’s head swiveled back and forth between the two of them. The gun weighed heavy in the android’s gloved grip, and his hands trembled as he held it tightly.

Shoot it.

Don’t hurt her.

It isn't human.

She doesn’t want to die

O Shoot

X Spare

[the-lady-writes-what]

24. Enji Todoroki

          Theme: Monster hunter

          Kinks: Outdoor sex, rope play, voyeurism (if you squint), oral (giving), face fucking, cream pie, slight breeding kink (it’s Enji we’re talking about, come on)

Masterlist

This was supposed to come out on Saturday, but if you read a post I wrote earlier I’m visiting my boyfriend whom I haven’t seen a long while. This one and the next chapter is going to running late, but I plan on catching up with the rest so that everything else will be posted on schedule. 

With that being said, ENDEAVOR FUCKERS COME GET YOUR FOOD! 

EDIT: 04/26/2021 Idiots really be out here not paying attention to when a character starts giving somebody a blowjob and they start talking. Like you can’t talk with your mouth full. It’s me. I’m idiots.

You had to crane your neck to look at the man. He was taller—no. That wasn't right. He was taller than tall. He was enormous. When you left to answer the door to your cottage, you didn't know what or who you would be expecting. Certainly not this. Hair red as flames, eyes the sea's color after a storm, and a body completely encased in hard muscle. The stranger was clad in leather armor and a wool coat. He wore a grimace that would make babies weep. 

"C-Can I help you, sir?" 

"Enji, here! Let me through. I can address the situation better than you can!"

Another stranger brushed past the one standing in your doorway. He was blonde, shorter than his partner, and held himself differently than the other. 

"Hi, I'm Keigo, and this is my boss, Enji. We heard a rumor that you could help us," said the blonde stranger. 

"W-What can I help you with?" You stuttered. 

"You see, we were in the area—"

"We hunt monsters," said the enormous one, Enji.

Blood drained from your face. 'Monster hunters'? They hunted monsters—vampires, ghouls, werewolves, succubi and incubi, and, of course, witches. You slowly backed away from the door. 

"Relax, we're not here for you. There aren't any complaints or bounties out on you," said Keigo.

"There are only two kinds of witches, dead ones and the ones who haven't lost their humanity." Enji's eyes looked at you up and down. "And you don't appear to be the former."

"What my boss means to say is that you are the kind of witch who helps people. You don't summon ghosts or dig up graves of the recently deceased for their bones, do you?" 

You rapidly shook your head. "NO!" 

"We were recommended your services from someone in the local village. They said you were an expert in this particular matter," said Keigo. 

Without invitation, the pair of hunters crossed the threshold of your door. You ran to the kitchen to put a kettle on the fire. If your guests were going to barge in and make themselves comfortable, you were at least going to make yourself a cup of tea to calm your nerves. 

"Twenty miles from here," said Enji, "A trickster spirit has been causing havoc. Farm animals have gone missing and later found strewn on top of barns. Guts missing. Women are getting pregnant at the same time without any one of them committing adultery. Shrines and courthouses have had their doors blocked by piles of manure. They say it's a malevolent spirit brought along by a tradesman. They also say that your protection and banishing spells are the best in the area."

"Well, I don't know about that," you said. 

Your palms were getting clammy with sweat. You made three cups of tea and set an antique tray on the coffee table between you. You focused on pouring an even amount in each cup though you could not ignore the pair of eyes lingering on you. You could feel a pair of eyes on your every movement, but you couldn't tell which one was staring. You pushed two cups towards the men and settled yourself down in a cozy armchair, taking your tea with you. You expected the monster hunters to rudely throw your tea over their shoulders or inspect the drink and the cups and the saucers to boot. But they didn't. Keigo and Enji were perfectly comfortable and trusted you enough to drink without suspicion of you trying to kill them or turn them into animals. 

"Has anyone seen this creature, because I've never heard anything like it," you said. 

"Unfortunately, no," said Enji. He sipped his tea with the air of a gentleman. He certainly didn't look like one because of his size and his leathers, but he pretended to be one as he drank your tea. 

"The thing is, trickster spirits usually dismember cattle or get women pregnant, but rarely do both," you said. "So, you might be looking at one trickster and a hustler who's telling the women he knocks up to blame the creature."

"It can't be both?" Asked Keigo.

You shook your head again. "It's either one or the other. Disemboweling cattle and impregnating random mortal women are two different natures. I will eat my broomstick if I turn out to be wrong."

"How soon can you pack?" It was Enji this time. 

You furrowed your brows. You glanced over at Keigo, who seemed equally surprised. This hadn't been something they planned together. 

"Are you expecting me to go with you?" 

"We can't cast spells like you can, and you seem to be more knowledgeable about the subject than us."

"But I—" You started to protest only for Enji to stop you. 

"You'll be compensated for your troubles," said Enji.

He fixed you with a piercing look. You swallowed hard and sank into your chair.

"Can I finish my tea first?" You took a sip.

Enji gave you two hours to get things together. You made a pack that should last you a couple of weeks. You didn't know if Enji realized that you had no horse and would have to walk all the way with them. They probably had horses but weren't going to share. By the end of this, you were going to wring as much compensation out of them as you could. You secured all the windows, hid all your valuables in the floorboards, and locked the front door. You heard a pair of horses neighing at your gates and sighed to yourself. 

Enji and Keigo were getting ready to hop on. Enji grabbed your bag and handed it off to Keigo, who tied it with his saddlebag. To compensate for his large size, Enji's horse was a Clydesdale, a huge horse with a neatly trimmed mane. Enji held his hand out to you. Confused, you took it. His large hands held unto your waist, and he lifted you unto the saddle without effort. Like you weighed no more than a couple of grapes. Then, Enji sat down in the saddle with you. Your legs dangled off the side rather helplessly. You looked behind Enji's massive shoulder over at Keigo, who looked just as confused as you and shrugged his shoulders. Enji pulled he reigns of his horse and brought it to a trot. 

That night, the three of you sat around a fire. Enji stood up and said something about getting extra firewood. You waited until he was outside of earshot. 

"What the hell is the deal with your partner? Is he always like this?"

"He is the way that he is because of his past. He used to be a bureaucrat if you can believe it," said Keigo.

"I don't."

"It's the truth whether you believe me or not. Enji spent most of his life kissing ass and licking boots. He pushed his children away because of his politicking. Drove his wife insane. One day, he had to travel to the far east of the kingdom because his king wanted him to, despite his family's protests. Enji went anyway. When he came back, his wife was dead, and his children moved away. He turned to fighting monsters, the kind that killed his wife, to make up for the bullshit he'd done. His kids still don't talk to him, but he makes sure they're doing alright."

You stared at Keigo.

"You asked why he's like that, and I told you. Sorry if it's over-sharing," said Keigo. 

Enji returned with a bundle of wood. His back was turned towards you as he rekindled the bonfire. You remembered how his eyes looked at you. What did he see?

Dawn came sooner than you thought. You were on the road again, and by late afternoon you arrived at your destination. The village was smaller than yours and was warier of your abilities. You salted the roof of every building, including the ones that still had dried blood on them from the last time an animal carcass had been dumped. You placed a charm over every door, front and back. 

Then, all the hunters had to do was wait. 

You lurked behind a stack of barrels and crates as soon as the sun began to set. Enji and Keigo set up shop in the village square. The creature, whatever it was, had no room to go anywhere. With every door bolted and roof blessed with salt, it had nowhere to hide. Night descended slowly as if to give the creature more time to rest or find a new hiding spot. Lights flickered out in every window in the village square; all the others followed suit. You clutched a long knife in your hand. 

Out of a barn, it came bursting through wood and hay. It had a long body but very little muscle mass, like a snake with four legs and antlers like a deer driven through moss. Its hiss echoed through the echoed and made the rafters of buildings shudder. You were thrown to the ground by the power of its roar. You fumbled to your knees to get a good look at the creature who'd been terrorizing the poor villagers. At the beast ripped through the barn, salt scattered off the roof and landed on its serpentine body. The thing fell to the ground, twisting and writhing on its back while trying to shake off the salt. 

Keigo and Enji rushed over, weapons in hand. Swords glinted like silver fangs in the night's darkness. Though weak, the creature managed to roll unto his feet and charged at them. But Enji and Keigo were faster than that. 

Being smaller and younger, Keigo slid around to the creature's side and plunged his sword into its stomach. Or at least the approximate location of where its stomach was located. Its body was so long and thin, it was hard to tell which organs lay where. The monster was about to swerve and turn its jagged teeth on him when Enji's long claymore cut through its neck at the base of the skull. The village square was so quiet that you heard metal plunging deep into flesh and the snap of bone. You watched by moonlight Enji's foot crack open the skull and drive his sword deeper into its neck. The creature squealed like a pig at the slaughterhouse. It clawed and snapped its teeth, but there was no moving. Keigo pulled his sword out and pushed it back in. Eventually, the creature stopped moving.

The following morning, the sleepy village woke to the grotesque smell of demon flesh burning on a pyre. You helped Enji and Keigo erect it in a barren field and set it ablaze with a simple fire spell. Though they hated the smell, they were at least grateful to have the monster disposed of. Now, they just had to worry about one other problem. You looked around at the crowd that gathered to watch the fell beast burn. Although you couldn't tell how many were secretly still within the first month, several women looked pregnant. 

"Let me stay a while to find out who's getting these women pregnant. This isn't natural, you told Enji. 

"Very well," he said. "I'll have a talk with the mayor about letting us stay in his barn." 

"You don't have to stick around. Your job's done here, isn't it? They paid you, right?"

"Would you rather walk twenty miles back to your cottage?" Enji asked.

"N-no," you answered. 

"Then, we're staying."

That was that. You tried to coax Enji into leaving. You didn't need protection, and you were okay with walking home. Hell, you could have paid for a horse or even a donkey to ride back since he did give you one-third of the money earned from slaying the creature. Enji heard none of your protests, folded his arms across his massive chest, and looked sternly down at you. You felt dwarfed in his presence. His smoldering eyes were not suited for it, and he was insistent in ways you couldn't believe. Keigo said so himself one evening into your third night at the village.

"He's never been like this before. Are you sure you didn't cast a love spell on him, Miss Hocus Pocus?" Asked Keigo.

"No!" You said vehemently and tossed a balled-up dirty sock at him. "That is highly unethical, to say the least. I would never manipulate someone's emotions like that!"

"Find anything?"

You interviewed every woman who had gotten pregnant. They conceived at almost the exact time. That wouldn't usually be an issue if it was winter or a recent festival had taken place. Neither hadn't. They couldn't blame lousy weather for sequestering them with bored husbands or lovers. The fact that they got pregnant at almost the same time disturbed you the most. A couple had already terminated the pregnancies because of embarrassment, but you didn't blame them. Threw a small wrench in your investigation, though.

You let yourself out of the humble cottage where a woman told her story to you. You pinched the bridge of your nose and sighed. Enji was waiting for you by the cottage's fence. 

"None of the stories match up. Now that they can't blame the monster, they came up with their own lies. Babies don't just magically appear out of nowhere. Someone is getting them pregnant. They're either protecting them or too embarrassed to admit who it is. It certainly isn't any of their husbands and lovers, that I can tell you."

You and Enji walked over to the only tavern in the area. It was the only well-built thing in the village, aside from the mayor's house and the town hall. A few men clapped Enji on the back in gratitude for saving their livestock, but they never noticed you. Both of you took a seat at the bar. Enji paid for your drink since nobody seemed to care that you lent a helping hand with the monster. Enji's drinks were on the house. The beer was a little stale, but not the worst you ever had. 

A couple swigs in and Enji started asking you questions. 

"Where did you learn your Craft?" 

"From my father," you answered. 

"Your father? I thought it was passed down maternally?

You slumped in your seat. "It is in some cases. My mother never showed up, and that left my father to raise me by himself. She left the day after she gave birth and never returned. My father is a good man and even better witch." You downed your mug of beer. "Have you ever killed a witch yourself, Enji?" You asked. 

Enji looked over at his mug. His eyes became steely and set in stone. They lingered on your neck before traveling up to your eyes.  

"Once, but I wouldn't call her a witch. She gave folks like you a bad name. She was an awful hag. Like to turn lost or kidnapped children into swine and sell them at marketplaces where they were taken to slaughterhouses. When she was bored, she disguised herself as a beautiful woman and danced naked around a bonfire. She lured men who would hear her. She slept with them to drain them of their virility. By the time I had gotten there, the village was in misery."

"What did you do to her?" You almost didn't want to know the answer, but there was small comfort in that Enji didn't compare you to an evil hag. 

Enji drained his mug in one go. He practically slammed it on the counter. All but two minutes passed before another appeared in his hand. Enji drank half of it before saying anything at all. 

"I lay in wait for her after I followed some kids into the woods. They were lured there by one of her magic spells. I kept the kids in a net so they wouldn't go into the house. She tried to kill me with a knife, cut my arms up, but she didn't stand a chance. She hadn't been prepared for a fully grown monster on her doorstep instead of three kids. I took a chain hanging off her rafters and strangled her. I cut out her heart, burned it, and. Then set the rest of the house on fire too. I dragged the kids back to their parents without too much trauma. As far as I'm aware, they haven't had any problems ever since."

You stared into your beer mug, which was about halfway empty by this point. You knocked it back and slammed it on the counter. Enji bought you another. About half an hour into your drinking, Enji left the seat next to yours to take a piss. You stared into your mug again when you felt someone pull up to the bar on the other side of you. He was young, handsome, and wore a broad smile. His sandy-blonde hair was pushed back away from his face in a way that reminded you of Keigo, but his eyes were the wrong color. Blue-colored crystals beamed at you. The color of his eyes was beautiful, but they left you unnerved. 

"You're seeing the monster hunter, Enji, right? You're his wife or something?"

"What? No, I'm not his anything. He asked me for help, and I agreed. I was pleasantly compensated. With money." You added sharply in case the young fool tried to twist your words. 

"I see," the stranger said. "I thought that someone as pretty as you wouldn't get involved with a man old enough to be your father." 

"I don't see how it's any concern of yours, fop," you sniped. 

The young man bit his lower lip. You thought you saw his hand disappear into his vest, but you had a couple of drinks in you and couldn't tell for certain. 

"Well, well, well. The little white witch has some spunk. Here, I thought you were just a mistress, tagging along because of the old man's jealousy. Now I see that you've got quite the fire in you." 

You wanted to gag. It would be a simple task to make him vomit in turn or make him stink of skunk for the rest of his life. Your father always taught you that curses should only be used when absolutely necessary. Unfortunately, being rude and horny didn't qualify as absolutely necessary.

"How bout you ditch the old man and come with me. I have some friends with some good stuff. The best wine you've ever had. What do you say?" The young man continued to pester. 

You had just opened your mouth when Enji's hand appeared out of nowhere. The man stood beside you and reached for your mug. He brought it to his lips and drained the last of your beer. 

"I think she's outgrown your company," Enji growled. "You should move along." 

The stranger reluctantly got out of his seat and walked away. He still wore a small on his face as he did so. 

"I think we should head out. I don't think we should meddle in the village's personal affairs. It'll sort itself out eventually," said Enji. 

"But—"

"It shouldn't concern you." 

You didn't want to leave, but some part of you realized that Enji was right. You had no clues, and none of the women were going to tell you the truth. You didn't live here, so why spend so much time and effort on people weren't really your concern? If they really needed you, they could come and pay for it. Still, you were a little reluctant to pack and leave the villagers and their unsolved mystery behind. You waited by the horses as Enji and Keigo finished some last-minute business with the mayor. What they could be discussing, you could hardly venture to say. When it came time for you all to climb on, Enji handed you over to Keigo instead of helping you unto his Clydesdale. The change was odd, but you didn't overthink it. 

A couple hours into the ride, you noticed Enji wiping his brow more than usual. It was a mild day and, for the most part, was covered by the trees from the sun. He didn't glance at you. At sunset, Enji took his horse and pack and traveled a bit further than you all. He set up his own camp where you and Keigo couldn't see him. 

"What's he doing? Wouldn't it be better to camp together? That can't be very safe," you said to Keigo. 

"He's…feeling a bit under the weather. Doesn't want to spread it to either of us." Keigo's answer would have satisfied anyone else.

"He was perfectly fine all day," you counted. "What could he have caught?"

You stood up and started in the direction where Enji disappeared. Keigo hopped in front of you a moment later. He spread his arms out as if that would be enough to deter you. 

"I can't let you do that, Y/N. He told me to keep you safe, so that's what I'm—"

You grabbed a handful of sleeping powder from the satchel hanging on your waist. You usually carried an assortment of these spell powders on you in case of emergencies. While your life wasn't in danger, Keigo was stubborn. You cradled the lavender powder in your hand and blew a puff of air into it. Your hand was aligned with his face to blow the powder into it. Keigo coughed and wheezed for a minute before his eyelids drew closed. Keigo was snoring face down in the dirt in less than two minutes. 

You trekked through the woods, snapping every twig along the way. Through the bushes, you spotted a smaller campfire and then a horse tether to an oak tree. Enji stood at the farthest end of his encampment. His back was turned towards you. You tip-toed quietly to avoid startling him. The closer you stepped, the more awkward the scene became. Enji's right arm was shaking with effort while his left hand braced against a tree. He was panting and grunting. But what shocked you was the way he said 'your' name. It didn't take very long for you to figure out what he was doing and why he camped away from you guys. 

"Fuck, Y/N." 

At first, you thought he noticed you creeping on him from behind. With an animalistic groan and a quiet splatter, you realized that he finished himself off with your name on his tongue. Enji leaned his forehead against the trunk. He moaned as if in pain. He looked down, swore, and started again.

You took a few steps closer. 

“Enji?" You called out. 

You were within arms' length of him when Enji turned around. His face was red as hair, but not nearly as red as the bulging head of his cock. You blushed immediately and swallowed hard at its size. Enji didn't move his hand, which fisted his cock, but he didn't remove his hand and hide.

"The man put something…in your drink this afternoon. I was coming back when I saw him pour a vial of pink potion in your mug."

You remembered the stranger and how he pressed and prodded. You thought you saw his hand dig into his vest. However, you'd been drinking and couldn't tell for sure. It dawned on you that Enji drank your laced beer before you made a terrible mistake. You shuddered, thinking about what could have happened had you drank it before Enji could get to it. 

"You're in pain…because of me. You saved me from getting drugged and raped by a stranger. That love potion…is causing this, just as it's caused all of those pregnancies in the village?" 

You watched the beads of sweat roll down Enji's face and neck. Enji nodded.

"You should go back. Keigo will protect you from me. I shouldn't be around you when I'm like this," said Enji. 

His eyes flickered to your chest, then he forced them back to your face; they trailed down your neck again. Enji snapped his eyes shut and started to turn around. You grabbed his right arm and sank to your knees.

"You let yourself be drugged to save me. You're in pain. I'm a healer, so," you took a deep breath, "let me help you."

Enji didn't give you a warning before shoving himself into your mouth. Your jaw was already open wide for him, but that didn't keep them from straining with the effort. He was thick as a horse cock, veiny, and reached the back of your throat. Enji held your head between his large hands as he snapped his hips into your mouth. You struggled to breathe through your nose while Enji thoroughly fucked your throat. 

He growled like an animal. The sound erupting from his throat almost drowned out the desperate whines coming from yours. You laved your tongue over him and sucked in your cheeks to help things move along. You clawed at his thighs then held unto his hips. They moved faster, snapping into your mouth without hesitation. Enji's vigor was nothing like you seen or felt before. His cock filled your mouth and stretched you open without even trying. 

"Brace yourself, Y/N. I'm about to come. Be a good girl and let me come down your throat," Enji growled. 

A second later, your face was thrust into his crotch. Your nose brushed against the forest of curly red hair. His balls felt hot against your chin. Last but not least, Enji's cock reached all the way back into your mouth. You could feel him bulging in your throat. Your jaws ached as your mouth swelled up with his cum. The substance leaked out of the corner of your mouth. Enji did not pull out until the rest dripped down the inside of your throat. You were the one to pant like a dog in heat when he finally pulled out. 

You gasped when your senses came back to you. Enij's chest was still heaving for breath, and sweat rolled down his exposed skin. His armor was ditched in a pile near his campfire. His gray shirt stuck to his skin where his sweat soaked through. Still protruding from his black trousers was his red cock. 

"Shit. This is going to be a lot harder than I thought," you said in all seriousness. 

"Wait here." 

Enji didn't bother to tuck himself in before walking to his pack. He pulled out a length of rope and carried it back. You tried not to stare at his member as it bobbed freely in his long strides back towards you. 

Enji threw the down at the base of the tree. His broad hands took you by the shoulders and pinned your back against it. Next, they went to work on your clothes. Enji snipped the corset laces at your end with a knife on his belt. His hands tore open your shift and skirt to make way for him. Once most of your skin was exposed to him, Enji grabbed your hands, pulled them above your head, and tied them with rope. To one end, you. At the other end, he looped around the nearest branch and fastened a knot there. Your feet could barely touch the ground when he finished. 

Your legs were quickly spread and hoisted over his hips. Enji lined himself up to your slit. The angry, blunt head spread open your cunt, lubricated by the juices freely flowing. Enji's hands cupped each of your ass cheeks and squeezed hard as he bottomed out. He felt so much more prominent in your throat than in your cunt, but that didn't feel less substantial. Enji's cock still was hard, thick, and ridged. Your walls fluttered around him. 

"You wet for me already?" Enji wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. 

He didn't give you a chance to reply before starting. Enji pulled out most of the way until just the tip remained. He pushed all the way in again, balls deep. Repeating the process, Enji thrust faster and harder. You arched your back though your body strained against him and the ropes keeping you off the ground. Your shoulders and arms were going to burn like hell tomorrow, but at the moment, it didn't fucking matter. 

Your breasts were smashed against his hard chest. The friction tweaked your nipples into stiff peaks. Enji lowered his face to kiss and bite your neck. Latching onto your shoulder did little to muffle the sound erupting from his throat. He was an animal in heat. Your legs bounced with every thrust of his deep inside your body. 

You tried to meet him thrust for thrust, pushing your hips against his. After a while, it was a vain effort. Despite your youth, you couldn't imagine keeping up with him. You quickly gave up and handed Enji the power. 

He didn't say much. There were no your cunt feels like it was made for my cock or you take it so well as a bitch in heat. Enji could have said those things and more. He was focused on completing as soon as possible so as not to further harm you. He grunted like a beast but made no effort to verbally degrade you. 

When your walls fluttered around him again and squeezed his cock, Enji followed suit. Ropes of cum warmed your lower belly. Then, and only then did Enji speak up.

"Is it wrong for wanting to imagine you fucking swollen with my baby inside you? You're so fucking full of my seed, aren't you, Y/N?"

You could barely nod. The thought shocked you for a moment, and you didn't know if you wanted it. Time would only tell.

[belayadeath-goner]

tag dump.

character.

THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT.   ˛   imagery.

WOMAN DRENCHED IN BLOOD.   ˛   aesthetic.

YOU ARE JUST A GHOST WITH A BEATING HEART.   ˛   meta.

universes.

MONSTERS IN YOUR HEAD. MONSTERS IN YOUR HEART.   ˛   mainverse.

THE NEVER - ENDING WINTER.   ˛   au.

COLD STARS ARE BURNING MY SKIN FOR THE SINS I DID.   ˛   au.

A FIRE SHALL BE WOKEN.   ˛   au.

BORN OF BLOOD AND WINTER.   ˛   au.

NO ALWAYS WITHOUT FOREVER.   ˛   au.

YOU HAVE EVERYTHING AND NOTHING TO PROVE.   ˛   closed au.

SOMETIMES IT SEEMS LIKE WE WON’T SURVIVE THIS DANCE.   ˛   closed au.

dynamics.

DYN.   YOU WERE ALWAYS MY FATE.   ˛   victor potts.

DYN.   tbd.   ˛   tyler ruzek.

DYN.   YOU CAN’T RUN FROM THE SHADOW.   ˛   dimitri volkov.

DYN.   GOOD AT GIVING TOO MUCH˛ THEN GETTING SCARED.   ˛   javy machado.

DYN.   WE WALK IN STARLIGHT IN ANOTHER WORLD.   ˛   annie january.

DYN.   YOU DON’T SCARE ME.   ˛   robb stark.

DYN.   WE’RE JUST A COUPLE OF LOST SOLDIERS WITHOUT A HOME.   ˛   leon marshall.

DYN.   YOU’VE ALWAYS CRAVED A LOVE THAT COULD DROWN OCEANS.   ˛   ships.

ooc.

LOOKING HALF A CORPSE AND HALF A GOD.   ˛   ooc.

YOU ARE NOT WHAT THEY MADE YOU.   ˛   promotions.

HAVE YOU EVER LOOKED FEAR IN THE EYES.   ˛   memes.

WOMAN WHO CHEATED DEATH.   ˛   queue.

WEAPONS DON’T WEEP.   ˛   edits.

[mornyavie]

Glossary of references in The Bifrost Incident

 It’s Very Long and yet also not really complete. If there are any questions / clarifications I can add, or I’ve messed anything up and need to fix it, let me know!

The tl;dr is that nearly every word in the album draws from either Norse mythology or the Lovecraft / Cthulhu mythos, directly or indirectly.

@moony221b here’s that glossary that I promised forever and a day ago.

Edit: I decided to create this document of annotations (x). Lyrics taken from Genius; I’m not totally sure how accurate they are, but hopefully they help get the point across! Again, questions and complaints both welcome.

Arcomba

I can’t find anything on this, would be interested if someone knows.

Asgard

One of the Nine Worlds, specifically the one where most of the Æsir (the subset of gods most associated with humans, including the well-known ones like Thor and Odin) live.

Thus Asgard is the planet on which the most powerful inhabitants of the Yggdrasil system, and those named after the gods, are found (though the subjugation / colonization relationship does not exist in myth).

Azathoth

This one’s from Lovecraft; Azathoth is the greatest of the Outer Gods, often served and worshiped by other gods themselves. Often described as mad, a demon, a sultan, or putting it all together as the Mad Demon Sultan. Resides at “the center of the universe,” where he appears as some sort of vast, amorphous, bubbling, roiling mass of “nuclear chaos.” (Nuclear probably refers to center, not nuclear power, which didn’t really exist when this was written). Servants about him play drums and flutes.

Mentioned briefly as the train travels through the Bifrost and into his realm, and a lot of the narration in those few verses draws directly from Lovecraft’s descriptions.

Baldur

The god of light and beloved by all, Baldr was killed by Loki in his final betrayal of the gods. After the murder Loki was tracked down and imprisoned, and will escape at the start of Ragnarok. In particular, Loki used a spear made of mistletoe... or, in the album, missile two. And tricked another god into throwing it, which I think is mimicked in the distance and impersonality of the crime. Look up more of his story if you want, it’s interesting and important, but that’s the relevant info here.

Bifrost

The rainbow bridge that the gods use to travel between worlds. 

Which is, of course, directly analogous to the wormhole-ish extradimensional-ish space of “shifting, undulating hues” through which the train travels.

Edda

The Prose Edda and the Poetic Edda are the names given to two pieces of literature that are most people’s main source for Norse mythology. The Prose Edda was written by Snorri Sturluson around 1200 to teach his (mostly Christian) contemporaries about the mythology and mythological references that made up a big chunk of Norse literature. The Poetic Edda is a set of poems that serve as a major source for Norse tales.

This is partially just a way to connect our hero Lyfrassir Edda to the Norse traditions, but also definitely a reference to their (presumed) role as the main “recorder” and source of information to get out of the Yggdrasil system.

Fate

Honestly the way the Mechanisms deal with fate in general is very interesting and arguably sometimes quite Nordic... but in particular, Bifrost Incident references fate or destiny a number of times and features a number of situations where the outcome is fixed and can’t be changed, but you have to fight anyways: “Killing me won’t save your world” “I don’t care” or how Loki and Sigyn can’t stop the train, but can only delay it. A lot of Norse tragedy revolves around people heading into battle knowing that they’re doomed and fighting anyways, or around the cycle of conflict that marked the cultural requirements for avenging insults. And the myth cycle is notable for the fact that the gods know, explicitly, exactly what Ragnarok is, what’s going to happen, and how they’re going to die, but will fight in it anyways. 

Inevitability and helplessness in the face of what you can’t possibly understand, let alone fight, which is a depiction slightly sideways of the Nordic version, are very Lovecraftian themes.

Fenrir

A wolf, child of Loki and father of Skoll and Hati, who was chained by the gods (particularly by Tyr, who placed his hand in the wolf’s mouth as “hostage” to assure him they would unchain him later, and lost the hand). He will break free at Ragnarok to join the battle against them and kill Odin.

With his association with monsters and with Loki, it’s fairly clear why he was aligned with the resistance movement. He’s serving “five life sentences” as a reference to his being chained, and the whole motif of the train’s journey being hijacked for a prison break certainly references the various characters who will be freed or break free as Ragnarok begins.

Frey

The brief reference of Frey being killed by the raging fire of the sun, with “no weapon, no defense,” is a direct translation of the god’s role in Ragnarok, when he will be killed by Surtr. Frey gave away his sword for the opportunity to woo his eventual wife, and so will be armed only with a stag’s antlers in his final combat. Also called Freyr.

Freya (“weeps tears of red-gold”)

Like her brother Frey (and yeah, these names get confusing), Freya is associated with harvest and fertility, though unlike him she also gets battle. In the song she weeps red-gold tears at the death of her husband Odr, which in myth she is said to do when her husband is absent. Also called Freyja.

Garm

Garm is another wolf, who guards Hel’s gates. He also breaks free at Ragnarok, and his howling heralds its coming. As in the album, he will fight and kill Tyr. Also called Garmr.

Hati

There’s a lot of wolves in Norse mythology. This one is a child of Fenrir. He chases the moon across the sky, and will swallow it when Ragnarok comes.

Mentioned briefly only as one of the resistance members on the train.

Heimdall

Heimdall is the watchman of the gods, with keen eyes and foresight, and guards the Bifrost as the entrance to Asgard. He will blow his horn to summon the gods to the final battle during Ragnarok, and he and Loki will kill one another. Also called Heimdallr; you’re probably noticing a pattern. It’s a grammar thing.

Mentioned as guarding the train and “doing his part.” His dying screams initiate the train’s destruction and echo throughout it, which presumably recalls the horn thing.

Hel

Another daughter of Loki, and, as the name will imply to English speakers, a guardian of the dead. She refuses to give Baldur back to the world of the living after Loki kills him. Also the name of the realm in which she resides, and to which go those who die of disease or old age. Doesn’t necessarily have the same bad-punishment connotation as modern Hell. I don’t know whether there’s any indication of what she herself is doing in Ragnarok, but many of her people and associates are certainly fighting against the gods, and I’m fairly certain the ship Naglfar, which carries Loki and his allies to Ragnarok, sets sail from Hel.

Hel as a prison colony clearly references the various characters the gods have chained or otherwise imprisoned (though, in myth, not all within Hel) as well as her alignment with “other side” during Ragnarok, and the jailbreak the resistance members are planning recalls the breaking of all these bonds as Ragnarok begins.

Hoddmimis

The woods in which Líf and Lífþrasir (see Lyfrassir) will shelter to survive Ragnarok and the various disasters accompanying it. 

So, good news! We can be marginally assured of Lyfrassir’s survival after taking shelter at the mining-colony of Hoddmimis.

Jormungandr

The world serpent, which lives in the seas and encircles the earth. Will arise during Ragnarok, causing great floods, and fight Thor; Thor will slay the serpent, but in turn the serpent’s poison will cause his death, after he staggers “nine steps back.”

Thor’s fight with Odin-turned-serpent is pretty clearly analogous to this, especially the taking nine steps to the window before destroying it with his hammer, resulting in both their deaths. I don’t think there’s any mythological basis to Odin turning into the serpent, though

Kvasir (“blood drained out”)

Kvasir was a very wise man/god and the originator of poetry. I’m leaving out a fair amount of his birth and life; the important information here is that two dwarves who were jealous of his knowledge tricked him, killed him, drained his blood, and mixed it with honey to make mead. Any who drank of the mead gained the gift of poetry / scholarship; eventually the gods stole it.

I’m not sure if there’s a reason they decided to specifically describe him as a resistance member, but there’s a clear parallel in Kvasir’s blood being drained and used to power the train, especially with the language of glyphs and sigils providing power.

Loki

Ah, Loki. Male in the general canon, though not without genderbending (he turns into a mare and gives birth to Fenrir, Hel, and Jormungandr, for instance). Inasmuch as the Norse myths we have can be organized into a “chronology,” you could do it (in my opinion) along Loki’s path from a mostly benevolent trickster god whose antics occasionally cause trouble to a genuinely malevolent figure. Associated with wit, magic, and trickery. Despite how modern lore (I suspect influenced by Marvel) often portrays Thor and Loki as brothers and children of Odin, in the myth Loki and Odin are bonded as blood-brothers. But Loki also often appears alongside Thor. As mentioned, parent of three of the main figures of Ragnarok. In the “final” myth, he jealously arranges the death of the god Baldr, who was loved by all; then he appears at a feast, where he exchanges insults with the other gods. This is the last straw; they capture him and chain him to a stone, over which they tie a serpent. Venom drips from the serpent’s fangs, causing him great agony. His wife Sigyn stays by his side, catching the venom in a bowl, but when she is forced to leave for a moment to dump it out his thrashing causes earthquakes. He will break free at the start of Ragnarok and sail to Asgard, where he and Heimdall will kill each other.

Hopefully that’s enough to give you a good background for Loki’s role in the album... it’s pretty clear why she’s framed as the opposition to the gods and the “leader” of the resistance movement, as a call to her role in Ragnarok. Her association with magic and trickery make sense for her being the “expert” in the twisted Lovecraftian “science” that produces the train. It also parallels her role in myth; her actions often get the gods into trouble, but they just as often need her wit and knowledge to get them out of it, as Odin needs her knowledge despite her taking action to destroy the train. And the setup at the end - drip, drip, drip, her face twisted in pain, her wife beside her, her “release” heralding the end of the world - precisely echoes the language of her bondage in myth; though her mind-destroying imprisonment by Odin also invokes this.

Lovecraft(ian)

A highly influential horror writer from the early 20th century. He’s largely credited with the creation of the creation of the “cosmic horror” genre, a type of horror which emphasises a vast, unknowable, uncaring universe against which we cannot hope to even begin to fight. His ideas and the gods / demons / creatures he created form the basis of the “Cthulhu mythos” or even “Lovecraft mythos,” which today is a sort of standard set of assumptions on which writers can build. Lovecraftian themes of apocalypse, inevitability, and powerlessness are highly prevalent in the album. Several of the gods in this mythos are used; in particular, Yog-Sothoth (see below). Also, a lot of the general description (madness, roiling chaos, undulating colors) draws from his distinctive vocabulary that remains staple of the genre. It’s worth noting that Lovecraft was a horrible and very racist person, but the genre today is widely used by people who are not terrible.

Lyfrassir

Líf and Lífþrasir in Norse mythology are the two humans who will survive Ragnarok and rebuild humanity; a hopeful sign for our album’s protagonist!

Midgard

In Norse mythology, the “middle” world where humans live. Earth.

Nagthrod

I don’t know this one.

@acorn-mushroom pointed out that it may be a mis-transcription of Naglfar, the name of the (ocean) ship which will carry Loki and his followers from the shores of Hel to the battlefield at Ragnarok. It’s made of dead men’s nails.

Odin

The king of the gods in Norse mythology. As the god of both wisdom and madness, Odin’s role in the album as a researcher and technological ruler whose discoveries drive her slowly mad is both very Lovecraftian and a reasonable leap. I could say a lot about the figure of Odin, but I think this character is one of the most divergent from the myth, in detail if not in role.

Odr

Óðr is Freya’s husband.

Outer gods

A Lovecraft thing referring to several of the most horrible and powerful gods, including Yog-Sothoth.

Ragnarok

The apocalypse, basically, in Norse mythology. Proceeded by various catastrophes, especially a very long winter, mentioned in the album, culminating in a great battle between the gods and their enemies, and resulting in the death of the majority of gods and other creatures of the world.

Ratatosk

A squirrel who runs up and down Yggdrasil, carrying messages between some of the tree’s other inhabitants and sowing discord. The Ratatosk Express links the worlds of the Yggdrasil System, and causes “discord” in the resistance’s opposition to it.

Sigyn

Loki’s wife. See Loki for her role in his imprisonment.

Skoll

Sköll in Norse mythology is the wolf that chases and will someday eat the sun. Association with Fenrir (another wolf) and other monsters motivates his inclusion in the list of resistance members.

Thor

A Norse god, associated with war, lightning/thunder, strength, and in general sort of... common people, as opposed to Odin’s association with kings and royalty. Prone to anger, which makes sense with his depiction as a volatile military leader in the album. He is heavily associated with his hammer mjölnir, hence jokes about “throwing a hammer in the works” and whatnot. Often associates with Loki, both as friends and as enemies as Loki progresses from a mostly-harmless trickster to actively opposing the other gods; thus how in the album he and Loki were once friends. See above for his death fighting Jormungandr.

Tyr

Another Norse god associated with war. He sacrificed a hand to bind Fenrir, and will be killed by Garmr during Ragnarok, both events referenced in the album.

Yggdrasil

The world-tree of Norse mythology, which supports the nine worlds of the cosmology. 

Yog-Sothoth

An Outer God of Lovecraftian mythos; also called the Gate and Key. It is associated as sort of the substance of time and space, binding together the cosmos. A lot of the description during the Ragnarok sequences draws directly from the “canonical” descriptions of this deity, and the invocation spoken by Lyfrassir in Red Signal draws from a story about this creature, The Case of Charles Dexter Ward.

[natsukitakama]

What kind of boyfriends are they ? Cursed edition

Author note : Hello ! I hope you’re doing well ♡ I’m super happy to be able to post again, I still need to practice a little bit tell me what you think about this one. I plan to create another série “what kind of significant other are they” but for a lot of fandoms ♡. 

Warning : Some spoilers / Just me fangirling over my crush 

i do not own those gifs credit to the owners 

The weeping monk aka Lancelot 

Attentive : he tends to be quiet but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t notice. He used to analyze everything in order to catch fey or to fight properly and he uses this quality in your relationship. Meaning he will always know when you are down when you are angry or when you’re lying to him. 

Because he knows that he tries his best to act the proper way in order to help you going through what ever bother you. However despite his sensitive nature, he took him a long time and a lot of works to be able to express his feelings. He was raised to be a weapon to be a man, not some Childs who cried over. Be patient with him it’ll worth it. 

Collected : most of people believe that it’s a cursed  but with him it’s actually a good thing, because he is not very loud, fight are non-existent. 

Not because he doesn’t feel angry (he does) but he wasn’t raised to express his emotion or worst let them take the best of him. He is monk so he knows better than falling for wrath. It took a lot to actually make him angry. In the meantime, being quiet means he is pretty good listener and because of that he alway knows what to do when you’re about to start a fight : because he could remember what you say earlier etc. Since he is attentive when it came to you, it’s all benefit for you. 

Kind : there litteraly nothing he won’t do for you. Not kidding this little baby is touch-starved and he can’t help but thank every divinity fey or not for giving such a wonderful S/O as you are. 

He knows he can be harsh and sometimes he can hurt you with his words, he knows he isn’t very comfortable with physical affection. But he is trying. Because of that he will always take care of you as much as possible, and will always reminds you how much he loves you by small gesture. 

The first time you saw him running into you ready to kill every man and then taking you into a safe place. You knew he was in love and that he cared about you. Most of the time he manifests his love to you by small gesture, a little flower on your desk the next morning, your favorite hot drink, a book that you might be into. Anything who appears to be small gesture but means a lot for you. 

Protective : as I mentionned before, he won’t hesitate to kill anyone who might bother you. For him you far too precious for this world, you’re bringing him peace, your his heaven and there no way someone would take you away from him.

Besides no matter how hard you tried, he still believes that you need protection because the whole world is insane and you’re not ready for that. He also knows that he get a lot of ennemies because of what he did, so he has to be near just in case. No matter how hard you tried, he would always ask you to be careful (and would always have his eyes on you just to be sure). He is aware that betraying the church would give him a lot of ennemies who might try to take you away as an hostage. 

Jealous : he is a possessive man fight me on this. I can see him sending death glare at everyone who might look at you for too long. 

This jealousy came from différents things : First since he is a touch starved baby he wants all your attention on him, he doesn’t want someone to enjoy what he should be the one to experiment. Second he knows that you are out of his league, he doesn’t deserve you you’re a whole light while he is nothing but a shadow. He was blessed by your love for him and there no way he would share this. Third, I can picture him as a primal man, no matter how hard he works to be a monk a good believer, I’m pretty sure deep down there is an alpha.

The green knight Aka Gawain 

Emotional : he might be a strong soldier, one of the best fey’s protector this man is a huge teddy bear. I’m pretty sure he is always touching his S/O : taking their hands, hugs them, kiss them. It’s written on his face he is clingy fight me on this. 

In addition I believe he is pretty sensitive and might feel when something is wrong with you. Each time something happen he will always be here reminding you that he is here, nothing is going to happen, you’re going to be fine. He is pretty easy to read actually although he claims that he can keep secret and anything (which is true) he can’t lie to you. You just have a power on him, he get overwhelmed everytime you’re here. So if he is hiding something all you have to do is to look at him right into his eyes and he would give up. 

Protective : not a surprise. He probably lost his whole family and some of his friends as well so he won’t let something happen to you. 

He might be even difficult than Lancelot, because he can be pretty bossy (especially because he works a lot as a leader) , he will order you to stay at your place and to not leave until it’s very necessary (meaning someone is in your house and you need to run away otherwise it’s never necessary for him). He just can’t loose you, it will break him. Also he tends to be distracted because fo you, you just had this power on him.  

Loving : As I said before the man is clingy, but it’s more than : his eyes are screaming « I love Y/N ». He sweats love. I can’t explain he is vibing his love. 

That’s why he is always close to you, always holding your hand, always kissing you (his kiss my god deep and slow to appreciate every second of it the type to take your breath away). When this man loves he L O V E S. When you’re in private he tends to be pretty clumsy which tends to get well... deeper when you two get intimate. Even when you’re not around people can tell when is thinking about you (99% of the time honestly) I won’t be surprised he is the worship type. 

Romantic : I don’t know he just seems to be the kind of man of taking you into a wood walking together until finding a cute little spot with a river or something. Since he is a fey he feels pretty close to earth in general. He is always spoiling you with meaning gift, like a flower who is supposed to represent love, buying you the book you were always talking about.

Maybe this is just me, but I can totally see him doing those kind of things like dancing with you while looking tenderly at you, always showing you off, writing you letter or anything. He spoils you a lot, anytime he gets the chance to buy something he knows you put interest on he would buy without a second thought. Since he is a fey, he is closed to the nature so he might even craft you something like a flower crown or anything. 

Passionate : I told you when he loves he loves, meaning everything he will do to you, he will do it while being 100% focused on you. He wants to cherish you, praises you, makes you feel like you’re a goddes in every way. 

I said his kiss would take your breath away but so does his smile or his caress, he does with such an intensity. No man had treated you like this before. During intimate moment, he would always whisper sweet things into your ear, worship your body as if you were a divinity. At the end of your session you can’t feel unloved that’s absolutely impossible. 

Merlin 

Tease : that’s how he flirts that’s how he seduces that’s how he shows you he loves you. Although he never does this to be mean, he can’t help but giggle at seeing you being all red from embarrassment or because you’re angry at him. 

Most of the time it’s a cute teasing, but when he wants to fluster you he won’t hesitate to use his skilled tongue to tease the hell out of you until you’re practically begging at him for his attention. Of course he will oblige. It’s just so natural for him that he would do it without even realize that he was teasing you. Most of the time it’s all planned, so he can get your attention without asking you to (he is so proud I swear). 

Jealous : okay so Lancelot is jealous in the primal way but Merlin is on another level. He wants you to be his, he wants everyone to know that you’re taken and he won’t tolerate someone flirting with you or even staring at you. 

Unlike Lancelot, Merlin won’t bother sending death glare instead he will fight them : using his power to trick them or using his silver tongue to make them feel like there nothing. Remember that scene with Lenore ? Where her future husband was talking shit about her ? All he wanted was to throw him a spell. Best believe he would the same to anyone who might be to close to you. You belong to Merlin and only him, also don’t expect him to be kind when you two would be at home after the incident. 

Loving : we saw the way he was looking at Lenore, this man like Gawain vibes love. It’s just written on his face, sometimes it’s cursed cause he is alway afraid someone might use you against him. 

But 99% of the time it’s a blessing, Merlin during his long life has experimented every aspect of love sexual or not. So he knows how to please you, he knows how to caress you, how to kiss you, and he is sucker of your reaction each of them are a piece of heaven for him. He is not as passionate as the green knight but you best believe that every inch of your skin would feel loved (and he doesn’t need to have you under him to do that). He has his way to look at you, anyone even people who never meet him before would noticed how he is into you. 

Secretive : because he loves you and would die for you. He tends to keep a lot of things for himself not that he doesn’t trust you, but in his mind the less you know the better. It’s always a matter of what to do to protect Y/N.

So yeah he would have a secret but will never lie to you, that’s something he can’t do to you. Besides he doesn’t need that he get a pretty skilled tongue and knows what to do to bring another subject instead of answering your question. Since he tends to tease you a lot, all he has to do is to tease you so he would be able to change the subject. At some points you would notice his behavior but since he does that all the time you understood that he might keeps so secret between you two which make you sad. Maybe one day you’ll confront him about it ? 

Shy : believe it or not, but the man still feels some butterflies on his stomach every times he sees you. That’s what make him shy. Because he knows he is falling in love but love can be tricky or dangerous so he is a bit afraid besides he knows he gets some reputation. 

So yeah sometimes he is flustered when he hear you laughing or just sees you smile at him.  He takes him time to admit that he is into you but once he admits it, this shyness will leave for a more playful Merlin.  He was with a lot of people during his life, but he tends to got shy everytime you’re acting “innocent”. When you’re taking him on a walk enjoying any treasure that you got from nature, or just enjoying the simple. One day you were in a city, and some bards where playing around you couldn't help but take his hand to dance with him. That spontaneity never failed to make him feel like a teenager living is first love.