#a true shield of Rosaria

[ffxiii-et-al]

Joshua Rosfield is a true shield of Rosaria, and I wish that he'd gotten that acknowledgement at the end of FF16.

I want that man to know that he is everything that he looked up to in Clive when he was a little boy. He is brave, he is smart, he is a leader, and despite his frailty, he is not weak.

I want him to know that his brother needed him, that all of his suffering was worth it and appreciated, and that Clive wouldn't have made it very far without him. That he is ultimately Clive's protector and hero, as evidenced when he appeared in Ultima's trap and reminded Clive of who he was.

He even gave Phoenix to Clive in the end, which was a massive sacrifice. Not only was Phoenix keeping him alive, but his Eikon seemed to be the only reason he'd ever felt 'special' or powerful in his life. Sacrificing that to protect his brother was beautiful, considering how against it he was while they were in Ash.

As his English voice actor, Jonathan Case, described, he is "always an Angel, never a God" in a world of gods that made him feel like he wasn't strong enough.

And yet, he never waivers in his resolve, jumping into the fray to help his brother and his friends. He wants to leave them a better world when he departs, since he assumes he's on borrowed time, being born who and how he was.

And yet, he is a defier of fate, and forged his own path in order to love, protect, and ultimately save his brother.

Joshua Rosfield, you are the greatest shield of all.

[auriond]

More thoughts about FFXVI's themes, particularly about will, life, death, Clive's character arc, and the ending. Warning: long ramble. Spoilers under the cut.

There's been a lot of debate about whether Clive dies at the end. Team Clive's Alive tend to point to his character arc and his repeated promises to live as proof that he lives, because he doesn't break his promises. Much as I'd love to buy this argument, because I really really want Clive to live, I think it does ignore the fact that this is, at the end of the day, a Japanese game, and there are certain subtle differences in how they treat themes such as will, and life and death.

(Disclaimer: what follows is entirely my own interpretation.)

It's true that Clive starts the game without the will to live, as seen by his single-minded pursuit of revenge. He mentions several times at the beginning that this is the only thing that keeps him going.

Later, when he discovers that he killed Joshua, he has a suicidal meltdown, because not only did he promise to kill Joshua's killer, he's also lost his one reason for living. Cid and Gav try to convince him that there's someone else out there who might be responsible for Joshua's death, but he thinks he knows the truth, and that removes the one thing that's been driving him onward. Without revenge, he doesn't know what else he can live for. As a slave for almost half his life at this point, he is unused to freedom and the concept of living on his own terms, for his own self. And yet, as he tearfully confesses to Jill on that moonlit night, he doesn't understand why he's still alive.

I think that the game goes to great lengths to point out that aside from that one dark moment in his life, he never entirely loses the will to live, because from that point onward he's driven by his desire to help others. When he was standing on the bridge at Kingsfall, he was very seriously contemplating throwing himself into the river and ending it all. But, and I think this was the turning point - he realised that Torgal needs him, and immediately after he heard Gav shout for help. As he's holding on to Gav at the edge of the cliff, there's this critical moment of self-doubt where he's afraid that he'll fail Gav the same way he failed Joshua. But he succeeds in saving Gav, and from that point onward he's found a new reason for living. In a very real sense, by saving Gav, he saved himself. And he probably sees Gav therefore as having saved him, and from that point on he's noticeably a lot warmer towards Gav.

But still, he's not completely free from fate. Throughout most of the game, he seems to see himself not as a free agent, but almost an extension of the men he felt were his superiors - Cid, and his father. In Cid's case, he's literally just picking up where Cid left off. There are plenty of other clues littered throughout the game that he felt less than his own master - his repeated declaration that he will "do (his) duty" as a Shield of Rosaria; his response to Mid wondering whether he was mad for risking his life for her, a girl he hardly knew, was simply: "I just want to help." In his singlemindedness, Clive has replaced revenge with the desire to help, to shield others, possibly at the cost of his life. And everyone around him knew that. It's why Jill and Joshua spend much of their time with him pleading with him to save himself. He's still a slave to fate.

I've seen some analyses of the game comparing Joshua and Clive to messianic figures, which has some truth to it, but in the end I think the games leans more into Buddhist/Shinto values in that it emphasises the value of life, rather than sacrifice. If a person wills themselves strongly to live on, then they will never truly die, because they live on in the hearts of those who are alive. However, those who wish to die are already gone even if their body lives on.

And I think that is crucial in understanding FFXVI. After Joshua's death at the hands of Ultima, Clive finally understands that he need not cling to anyone or anything in order to live. And more than that: that he's not alone. Joshua's speech, about how Clive chose to listen where Ultima turned away, is pivotal for Clive to understand this. Those who follow him wanted his help, but not because he had to: because he chose to. And this active choice to help, to live on his own terms, is what finally frees him from his own shackles. He is no more or less than those he chose to help, or those who chose to help him. Even as he takes on Ultima alone, he is never alone: alive or dead, everyone is together in this fight, in that all of their actions and efforts had come to this. And so he takes on the fight with the will to live.

So, at the end, when he realises that his body is beginning to fail, it no longer matters. It doesn't matter whether he actually lives or dies at this point, because his will has already settled on living. He wants to live. He chooses to live. As he lies on the beach gazing at the moon, he's fulfilled his promise to Jill. He's come back. He will always be with her. And, for the first time, he is whole.

I really feel that the story of FFXVI needs to be told in book form. Much as it made for incredible action and exquisitely beautiful eye-candy, a lot of the game's subtlety would benefit from exploration in prose. I wish I could novelise it, but as you can see from this meandering post, I'm afraid my writing skills are not quite up to scratch. Not that I wouldn't be above giving it a go, but I really wish someone would write an official novelisation. I would read the hell out of that.

What a game.

[luneariaa]

☀︎ 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 | 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝

❥︎ - ; x ꜰᴇᴍ! ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ

❥︎ - 𝐭𝐰 : ᴀ ᴍɪxᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴏꜰ ꜰʟᴜꜰꜰ ᴀɴᴅ ʟɪɢʜᴛ ᴀɴɢꜱᴛ, ʏᴏᴜ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄʟɪᴠᴇ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴇᴅ. ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴏ <33

❥︎ - ᴅᴏ ᴇxᴄᴜꜱᴇ ᴍᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀɴʏ ɢʀᴀᴍᴍᴀʀ ᴇʀʀᴏʀꜱ. ʜᴏᴘᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ɢᴜʏꜱ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏᴇᴅ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ᴛʜɪꜱ!! ♡︎

☾︎ - 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭.

-✰-

It appeared as though everything had just happened yesterday. Birds flying and chirping up above, decorating the light blue sky even more breathtakingly. (Y/N) was strolling at the streets of Rosaria in a delicate (F/C) dress, taking in the natural surroundings. However, her mind is not in the present or even anything as such. Her mind is filled with various, wondrous thoughts-- almost about everything that may seem out of the world.

"Good morning, (N/N)."

She blinked, turning around to face the familiar person who have just spoken to her. By the time her are eyes set on the figure, he was already gazing at her with his signature charming smile. The sword was strapped onto his back as per usual, given his position as the First Shield of Rosaria. She couldn't stop the grin that's starting to form upon her delicate features-- embracing him almost right away.

"Clive! I missed you so much!" He smiles broadly at her excitement; lifting her up slightly while returning the hug. He lowers her back down after a short while.

"Do forgive me for not being able to see you as much lately, sweetheart," he apologizes, cupping her cheek with one of his gloved hands. "There are some things that I wanted to take care of before our marriage."

She hummed in response, leaning into his touch contentedly. "It is quite alright... I understand you well." Her simple answer causes Clive to gaze back at her appreciatively, placing a tender kiss on her forehead.

"Well then.." Clive starts, looking down at their hands clasped to each other lovingly. "How about we have a lunch together at our favourite spot to make up for lost time?" He suggested, grinning excitedly at her. With no hesitation, (Y/N) nods enthusiastically in agreement.

The two made their way to the seats that Clive had reserved for them when they entered at the simple, yet cozy eatery. They placed their orders and waited for their meals to arrive before beginning to eat.

While taking a sip of his drink, Clive takes the opportunity to gaze affectionately at his darling fiancée. Of course, there are a few things that he looked forward for in life-- and that includes of his forthcoming marriage with his beloved. To simply put, he was eagerly anticipating for the important day. His heart beats with passion and unending love for her only from the thought that she will be his wife soon.

As though she had taken notice of his silent gaze, her eyes meet up to look directly at him; grabbing one of his free hands and giving it a soft squeeze.

"Something in your mind, Clive? You've been staring at me for quite some time now."

He simply sent her a smile of reassurance while shaking his head. "Oh no, nothing is wrong. I'm merely admiring the sight of you." By his answer, she can barely contain the small giggle from escaping her lips; face turning pink shyly.

"Oh, stop it…"

"But it's true," he tells her earnestly, brushing her knuckles delicately with his thumb. "You are absolutely beautiful in your own ways. Everything about you is perfect to me. And your eyes-- they remind me of the brightest stars that shine through even in the darkest nights. I could go on and on for hours as to why I love you so, my love. You simply make my life a whole lot better, and honestly I couldn't thank the Gods enough for blessing someone like you in my life." He almost whispered at the end of his sentence, causing for her eyes to water. It's truly heartwarming to know that someone loves her in a special way.

(Y/N) could feel her heart fluttering as if butterflies have taken flight in her stomach. He's truly too sweet and sincere to her. It's impossible to deny the feeling of warmth that's beginning to spread throughout her entire being at this exact moment, just by his unassuming stare and the way he spoke about her.

"Thank you so much… I shall cherish your words forever."

-✰-

He leads her towards a rather secluded location-- yet away from the prying eyes of others that one day, which a bench can be seen under the shade of a large tree. The two sat down there, viewing the crystal-clear pond that's ahead of them.

Clive eventually made the decision to dispel the silence that has been around them. "I want us to get married soon." His sudden statement prompted her head to snap to his direction, her eyes wide with wonder.

She managed to stammer out. "P-Pardon..?" Rather than responding, he stood from the bench and kneel in front of her. She gave a small gasp, but her surprised and bewildered expression didn't leave her face. Then Clive grabbed one of her hands, making sure to kiss it lovingly multiple times.

"My dearest (Y/N), I just wanted to let you know that you mean the whole world to my very being. I knew the moment when I first met you-- you were the one who had won over my heart. I have never once regretted for proposing to you to be my beloved fiancée. You have changed the way of how I ever see the world in my eyes."

His gaze never once faltered from hers, kissing her palm more. "And so, I have decided to make it official. I wish for us to start a life-- as husband and wife together, if that's alright with you. There are no one else that I would rather pick as my beloved wife; only you. No one else has ever captured my heart naturally; except you. Will you marry me and be my wife, darling?"

His voice is a bit shaky as he finishes his small speech. To say that she was stunned was an understatement-- her eyes are immediately filled with precious tears. The words have truly reached within her heart; deeply touched by his proposal. But the mere sight causes for him to be a little panic and worried.

"Oh love, I didn't mean to upset you!" Clive apologizes in advance while wiping her tears away with his thumbs gently. She releases a light laugh at his actions, grasping onto his hands which are still resting on either side of her face.

"Clive, I'm honored that you've asked me to be your wife, truly…" His face lights up with relief by her answer; a soft grin made its' way to his face. "I'm just... beyond happy that you are willing to do so. Your words have indeed touched my heart, and I feel extremely lucky to be appreciated and loved by you." She added, placing a small kiss on one of his palms.

Clive releases a chuckle of his own while pulling his dearest close to his chest, placing a tender kiss on her forehead. "Do believe me that I love you very much so, my dear. My love for you could rival the stars in the darkest nights. I'm merely being true with my words, for you don't deserve any dishonesty from me." He whispers at the end sentence, nuzzling against her soft hair.

"I will do anything that you ask me to; I swear on it. You will always be my greatest priority."

All the while, she couldn't stop the bashful smile on her face, briefly shutting her eyes in contentment. When she's about to speak, however, she was cut off by Clive leaning down to capture her lips with his own. The kiss is chaste and sweet, as if he's afraid that he might break her in some way.

The two pull away after several seconds with a satisfied grin on their faces-- turning their heads slightly to watch the view ahead once more. Their expression is a mixture of complete awe and admiration.

How can nature be this beautiful? It's as if the time has stopped; their surroundings are filled with comforting silence. The water in the pond glistens underneath the sunlight, reflecting the clear blue sky and the seemingly endless fluffy clouds.

Oh, how she wished for the moment to last forever, yet everything seems to fall out of place…

Ever since the war happened.

Everything still feels surreal at times. How could a moment of peace, can be gone in just a matter of seconds? It's been going on for quite a few years that she has lost count of. All they are able to do now is to fight and try to survive every single passing day.

Sighing softly, she closes her eyes momentarily-- attempting to forget all of her worries for now. (Y/N) gasps a bit when she feels Clive took her hand; bringing it up to his lips and give it a delicate kiss.

Even after all these years, he never failed to try and keep her safe; despite her being able to protect herself pretty well, and he admires her for that. He treated her as if she's a valuable and a precious thing in the world, and he'll never stop doing it for sure.

A warm smile adorns his lips when he sees her expression, knowing on how much she loves it. Clive pulls her closer until her back rests against his chest-- drawing her in and tightly engulfs her in his arms.

The forest around them is silent-- the sun slowly sets behind the horizon, casting a mixture of orange and pinkish rays above the hills beautifully.

"Clive?" Her voice calls gently as she feels him planting a light kiss on top of her hair.

"Hm?"

She leans her back further onto him. "Will we be able to live peacefully after this war? Lots of innocent lives have lost; I'm scared of our future…" Her question has rendered him speechless; countless of thoughts swirling inside their minds.

"I wish I could find the answer to that as well… I don't know, to be honest." Clive answers sincerely, emitting a small sigh.

"Even so, it seems there will be a long road ahead of us. For whatever challenges may arise, we shall attempt to confront them together. I'm certain of it."

(Y/N) bites her lip nervously. She's indeed aware that her husband has a point; that they can endure everything that might challenge their lives.

Yet at the same time, she could find herself doubting almost everything at once-- including the constant worry over the future, not knowing what's going to happen at all.

What if something terrible befalls over one of them? What if one of them got separated by fate itself? The thoughts would bother her for seemingly endless, long hours. She despises it with her very being.

As if he could sense her thoughts, Clive motions for her to turn around, just so he could gaze upon her features. Cupping her cheeks lovingly, he stares deep into her beautiful eyes, along with a reassuring smile on his lips.

"We will be alright, sweetheart. I promise you that."

And so, she puts all of her trust onto him. For he would keep her safe in his embrace alone; away from any danger that might strike her in any moment.

God will forbid anything from happening to his wife. Not on his sight.

𝐞𝐧𝐝.

-✰-

© 𝚌𝚊𝚜𝚜.

[phoenix-flamed]

Prefacing this with I AM A FUCKING MORON, AND NOT AT ALL AN EXPERT ON ANYTHING EVER, SO TAKE WHAT I SAY WITH A CUSTOMARY GRAIN OF SALT BECAUSE I COULD VERY WELL BE 1000% WRONG IN THIS ASSESSMENT AND THEORY -- IN FACT, I'M NEVER AT ALL SURPRISED TO LEARN WHEN I AM WRONG.

OKAY SO I'M PLAYING THE ROSALITH FLASHBACK, AND ALL OF THE LITTLE MANNERISMS OF THE CHARACTERS THAT I NEVER CAUGHT BEFORE. Like Elwin patting his chocobo after he dismounts......

BUT THAT'S NOT ACTUALLY WHAT I RAN BACK ONTO HERE TO RAMBLE ABOUT.

RODNEY'S FIGHTING STYLE IN THE TUTORIAL. THE THRUSTS! okay ignoring my giggling over mental jokes about how good he is at thrusting --

So when I first played through the game, I was always poking fun at how, for lack of better terms, primitive Rosaria seems compared to Sanbreque. Most notably, the contrast between Rosaria's Shields and Sanbreque's Imperial forces at Phoenix Gate -- where the Shields have leather and chainmail, the Imperials have suits of armor.

Yeah, yeah, I know, I know -- it's not about what armor someone wears, it's about their skill in battle. BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT.

OKAY, SO, BACK TO TUTORIAL MAN RODNEY MURDOCH. MR. LORD COMMANDER HIMSELF. The first time around when I did the tutorial, I didn't think anything of anything, because I was focused on learning the controls. But there's something he tells Clive, in the bit about dodging: only move when necessary.

This statement. This statement. HEAR ME OUT. So okay, Rodney's method of combat primarily utilizes thrusting for attacks. Combine that with his advice of, "only move when necessary", it makes sense why he'd say that -- at the risk of stating the obvious here, swinging a sword takes energy. Now, thrusting a sword the way that Rodney does, it definitely takes energy, because he's, for lack of better terms, charging up for a heavy thrust. To do this successfully and consistently in a fight, you should probably be conserving and utilizing your energy more carefully, otherwise you'll run out of stamina really fucking quick. Hence the significance of the statement to only move when necessary.

Now, the detail of the chainmail armor versus full suits of armor. Seems pretty mismatched, at a glance -- at least, it did to me. But it really isn't mismatched at all. Fighting in a suit of armor and fighting in chainmail are two different ballparks, with different pros and cons. Rodney talks about how important dodging is, and how it can mean the difference between life and death, which again at the risk of stating the painfully obvious, is incredibly true! When you're wearing lighter armor like that, your disadvantage is that you're more vulnerable, while your advantage is that you have better mobility and agility. So it's a tradeoff.

BUT BUT BUT ALKD;GJL;FAGLK OKAY AGAIN HEAR ME OUT, FIGHTING SOMEONE IN A SUIT OF ARMOR AS SOMEONE IN CHAINMAIL ARMOR --

There is absolutely no reason whatsoever why someone in chainmail can't go toe to toe with someone decked out in armor. When fighting someone like the Imperials, the key is not to try and put a dent in the armor; if you do that, you're setting yourself up for a hard time, and you'll likely run out of stamina before you can succeed. No, it's about finding weak spots and focusing heavy strikes at those specific locations, and in my opinion far more importantly, it's about wearing your opponent down, rather than literally taking them down.

A suit of armor is heavier, no matter how physically strong and well accustomed to wearing it a person is. Add on top of that the weight of a weapon, and you're going to be exerting more energy and using up more stamina per strike than someone wearing lighter armor.

Given the fact that Rosaria's military wears leather armor and chainmail... It's my assumption that they are trained to fight more strategically, rather than fight harder. YEAH, I KNOW, AGAIN STATING WHAT'S PROBABLY OBVIOUS, BUT. alkfdjls The reason I fully believe that they could and would easily be able to combat Sanbreque's troops is because their focus would be on wearing the Imperials down. Wear a soldier down enough, and their ability to fight is not only compromised, but in order to keep fighting, they'll likely have to remove their armor! That is the end goal. That is why you conserve your energy by moving only when necessary, and time your strikes strategically when an opening arises, and you make each strike count.

Wear your opponent down in a fight, and it literally will not matter how strong their armor is.

What does any of this have to do with anything at all? Yes.

[illumeew]

wits' end | k.alberich (chapter one)

Summary: Kaeya is sent by the KOF to deal with a pyro mage near Cape Oath, then is sent back to working on his desk. He seems different... tired, maybe?

Tags: Slight angst, Hurt/Comfort, Is this considered ooc? (please do tell me if it is or not!), Descriptions of bloody attire (though not graphic)

A/N: I wrote this two years ago and only decided to publish it nowww i'm so embarrassed for when this gets posted; also omg first post!! yaayy!!

chapter two >

“Sometimes you don’t realize you’re actually drowning when you’re trying to be everyone’s anchor.”

Kaeya is a man of many talents, or so most people say.

The Knights of Favonius sent Kaeya Alberich to deal with the situation near Cape Oath involving a Pyro abyss mage, who says goes by Pythius, possessing higher-caliber intelligence—the prime suspect of many incidents involving the manipulation of hilichurls, bending their minds to its will—something the average abyss mage cannot muster to harbor.

Pythius was particularly bold; its interest swayed against fighting the Quartermaster, finding him as fragile as an aster. A charlatan’s nature; it mocked him, taunted and ridiculed him, taking a facile stance and twirling its staff from one hand to another, as it opposed the seemingly calm Cavalry Captain with his longsword in hand.

It swayed in the air, taunting. “Give me the Darknight Hero instead and maybe, I’ll show my true potential,” it cackled. “You look far too weak to toy with.”

Though Kaeya didn’t wish to believe it; either the mage knew that the Darknight Hero was a Mondstadt citizen under his care, was Diluc Ragnvindr, and that it knew his unstable relationship with said man, proposing the idea to bring up his name. This mage inherently called him weaker, albeit retaining the identical element as did the claymore wielder, but that was something he couldn’t disagree with.

“Drop your weapon,” Kaeya’s longsword pointed at the mage who had its hands raised up in mockery, donning an apathetic expression behind its cowardly mask, “or face the Knights of Favonius themselves.” He was aware that its spheric shield would break with a flick of his wrist, and Pythius would be on the ground, shrieking, begging for its life to be spared.

He was also aware that Pythius was too smart to be fooled with an attack as predictable as this.

Kaeya came back to the headquarters, albeit a bit tattered and worn out—with a few burn marks here and there, on his face and almost burning off the string of his eyepatch—but he held Pythius’s staff and placed it on the table near the Acting Grandmaster’s desk in her office, where, soon, Lisa would inspect it.

Abyss Mages were smart, sure, but they usually weren’t THAT smart.

Being the curious Sumeru Akademiyan student she was, Lisa just had to get herself involved. Kaeya felt no ounce of blame towards her, though. If it were stranger enemies emitting a black aura, he’d get curious too, but so far, there were none of that, and he had nothing to do except patrol the outskirts of Dragonspine at the break of day.

He spent the entirety of his days wasting away on a desk full of paper.

He cut himself some slack, avoiding the taverns in Mondstadt for he felt the alcohol wasn’t like it usually was. He doesn’t frequent the places he used to anymore, much to the surprise of Sister Rosaria and the ever-so mighty Darknight Hero in the shadows, Master Diluc Ragnvindr, who had prepared a specialty drink with the excuse that he’d done it for himself.

Master Diluc disliked alcohol.

Even the bard Venti noticed the lack of a certain Cavalry Captain’s presence in the tavern. After his fifth performance, he scanned the crowd for a puff of navy blue hair only to find sight of the chair beside Rosaria, who was silently sipping a mug of beer, empty.

Huh. Today must not be my day. The bard paid no mind and continued onto his sixth performance. But somehow, he doesn’t feel content knowing Kaeya Alberich wasn’t in the crowd watching him with a sly, proud smile, as he wistfully played a vast amount of songs on his wooden lyre, Der Frühling.

But in truth, as the drunkards of Mondstadt rejoiced to a ballad, Kaeya laid on his bed, the upper layers taken off leaving a white shirt with long, puffed sleeves. His boots were off of his feet the moment he stepped into his house and lazily thrown to the side, not caring for the creases he’ll wake up to, and his pants were tarnished from the back-and-forth clashing he had with Pythius earlier.

He had nothing on his mind except for the word “tired.”

Tired, tired, tired. He was tired, and it wasn’t even an eventful day.

He laid in a position where his feet and arms were extended, like the edges of a star, as his eyes drift to the texture of darkened Cedar wood on the ceiling. The patterns revolved around each other forming what looked like the shape of a blackhole: something Kaeya wished to get sucked into as of this moment.

His eyes then drifted to his bedside table, where a framed photo of a Calla Lily was placed, and there, clipped to the photo inside the frame, was a small, barely seen, photo of two young kids. They both had the biggest smiles on their faces, one with red eyes and a missing tooth, and the other with an eyepatch and a face smothered in purple grape jam.

Kaeya wondered, Who are those kids? They look like they’re having fun.

For a moment, he was silent, then an eruption of small chuckles came from him, and he found himself covering his mouth with his hand to prevent anymore from coming out.

He was the kid with the eyepatch and grape jam.

As for the other kid with red eyes and a missing tooth, he still has yet to know.

He resembled Master Diluc, though—fiery red eyes and hair—but he couldn’t fathom to think that the esteemed Master Diluc, the man who dominated the wine industry and a noble of the Ragnvindr Clan, was once his brother. He laughed again, but this time, letting them flow out until they drowned out on their own.

Kaeya sniffed, his finger brushing on top of his upper lip, as he let out one more huff before continuing to stare up at the ceiling in silence. He felt the wind nip at his skin, strands of his hair flowed to his face, along with the thin curtains that somewhat shaded the room from the light of the moon.

His eyes slowly fluttered the longer he stared at the wood ceiling. Open, close, open, close. He was starting to grow tired. His muscles finally gave in and softened, his body now fully colliding with the mattress of his twin-sized bed.

By the time the falcon of the Darknight Hero came to check up on him through the window, as it was usually ordered before retreating to its owner, the Cavalry Captain was already fast asleep, his chest heaving up and down to the rhythm of his sighs.

A/N: kaeya deserves everything in the wooorrlldd !

[schmooplesboop]

Of course these two would be the ones to get me writing again after a bazillion years lol

Pairing: Clive/Gav

Rating: 14+

---

Gav tossed one way then turned the other. Rolling onto his back he looked over at Clive, sleeping soundly beside him. He sighed.

(So much for being older and wiser.)

When Clive had asked if he'd like a drink Gav thought he'd meant in the little mess/pub the Hideaway had, but the man had instead led him to his chambers and handed him a goblet of wine so expensive a vintage it would've made nobility spit to know the likes of him was enjoying it.

"Gav..." Clive seemed nervous, toying with his wine rather than drinking it. "I've... wanted to thank you for your help in Rosaria. You saved Jill..."

He moved closer. Clive wasn't that much taller than him, an inch or maybe two, but he was so much broader, always made Gav feel like he was being towered over. Clive set his wine aside and his hands gripped Gav's shoulders.

"You got me out of that dungeon. You saved me."

"Oh, I- " Gav swallowed hard, his throat clicking. Clive was very close. He quickly set his drink aside before he spilled it. His usually quick and clever fingers felt numb and stupid.

Gav wasn't sure which of them moved first, maybe they'd moved together. All he knew was their lips met in the sweetest kiss he'd had in a long while. Then his hands were running through Clive's thick dark hair and then Clive's hands were on his ass and it was all he could do to tumble into bed, yanking and pulling at the lacings on the other man's top.

And now here he was hours later, feeling like a fool. He'd been in this position once before many years ago: an extra piece in a set of two. It had ended ugly, with many tears and a literal backstab, he had the scar on his shoulder blade to prove it. And although he very much doubted Jill was the back stabbing type, he didn't want anymore broken hearts on his conscience.

He tossed some more, rolling away from Clive. What was he going to do now? Should he just sneak out?

"Mmmn... Gav..." The man nearly jumped from his skin when Clive's voice, fuzzy with sleep, broke into his thoughts. Before he could answer he found himself gently rolled onto his stomach, Clive's lips planting kisses down his back, stubble scratching at the skin.

"Clive-" The word came out a single strangled note as Clive's tongue oh-so-gently touched the base of his spine.

Clive must've heard the distress beneath the desire because he stopped immediately. The mattress jounced slightly as the man sat up, hair rumpled, blanket puddling in his lap.

"Gav? Are you all right?"

Gav pushed himself up so he was kneeling opposite. The moonlight highlighted the plains of Clive's body in a muted blue light. He was beautiful. The blond man's resolve wavered and he cursed himself.

(Do it, you fucking coward. Just rip the bandage off.)

"I've just... I've been wondering where I fit in here, what with you and--" He couldn't finish, but he saw that Clive understood immediately.

Clive sighed, running one hand through his tangled black hair, "I'm sorry, Gav."

Gav's heart sank with his stomach, he waited for the words that would make him a bloody fool all over again. Instead, Clive's next words veered off in a completely unexpected direction.

"I first saw my mother's true colors when she realized that her eldest son saying he felt different from most other boys wasn't because the Phoenix had chosen him." The man's mouth twisted in a grimace of a smile. "She grabbed my chin, her fingers left marks, and told me I was being ridiculous and to never speak of such things again."

Clive stood from the bed, the blanket sliding off his naked form. "My father was much more sympathetic, but he was also honest with me: he'd been fighting against these laws and traditions long before I was born and had made so little headway. He told me the nobility, by which he meant my mother, could have me disavowed and disowned. I would not be Joshua's Shield... or even his brother if I was... myself."

Gav knew he must've looked like a gormless fish, sitting there with his mouth agape, but he'd been completely caught off guard. A rare occurrence that seemed to have become more common in the last few hours.

"It was also my father who told me to find someone who would understand, so grudges wouldn't fester. He would betroth us... to protect me." Clive's face softened as he smiled. "I spoke with Jill, she was very understanding of course. We vowed to put on whatever mummer's show the 'nobility' required. I was preparing to live my life in the shadows when it ended instead."

Clive laughed. It was bitter and brittle and it broke Gav's heart.

He turned away from the bed, staring out at the small balcony off his chambers. "So long as it didn't interfere with your duties and the person you were with also had a brand, the Imperials didn't much care who you laid with. But I, like many, didn't dare to get too close. We were cannon fodder. Too many of us died each day. We took our comfort or lust from each other, but no more."

Clive's voice softened, barely above a whisper. "And then I met you... Gav."

He returned to the bed, sitting beside Gav, one hand reaching out to squeeze his thigh. "And it was like a piece I had been missing my entire life fell into place."

Gav gently clasped Clive's wrist, heart pounding, hardly believing what he was hearing.

"I wanted-- I should have told you all this before." Clive continued, his cheeks suddenly flushing with color. "But when we kissed, my thoughts all but fled."

Gav laughed and fell back onto the bed, pulling Clive on top of him, hooking his legs about the man's hips.

"Now that, you don't have to be sorry for. I was very much in the same boat." He ran his thumb along Clive's jawline, expression softening. "And I feel the same. You've been a right ray of sunshine in my gloomy little life, Clive Rosfield."

He tugged and Clive came willingly, pressing their mouths together, kissing him breathless.

"Dunno about you... but my thoughts are fleeing again." Gav panted into the small space between their lips.

Clive chuckled, "Mine too."

[deusmater]

𝐀𝐍𝐀𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐀'𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏𝐒 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐎𝐍𝐄: 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘 𝐈𝐍 𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐀

𝐈. 𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄. Her relationship with her son is dominated by pain and anxiety, which she takes out on him. As far as Anabella is concerned, he is a failure and a stain on her family's name after the Phoenix rejected him. While she does see him as her son, she rejects him all the same and treats him more like a bastard than the true-born first son he actually is. He is the reason for all the slander and abuse she and her reputation received by the nobility, and in response, Anabella distances herself from motherhood and blames Clive for what happened. In her mind, it is easier to tell herself that he is Elwin's son and not hers than to face his failure and the failure she projects on herself. His existence is shameful for her and her legacy as a daughter of Phoenix Gate. For the most part, Anabella ignores him and does not talk to her son if she does not have to—and even then, she remains distant and cold. Because of her insistence and Elwin's wish to give Clive an easier life away from the traps of nobility and the court, he was removed from succession and instead made a Shield, which placates Anabella to some extent. The most pressing question regarding Clive is: Why were mother and son rejected by the Phoenix? Later, she grows more frustrated with him and his activities as Cid, and orders the culling to get back at him.

𝐈𝐈. 𝐉𝐎𝐒𝐇𝐔𝐀. Unlike her relationship with Clive, her relationship with Joshua is affectionate and doting, despite the strictness with which she raises him. Joshua is her darling boy and her entire world. She loves him more than anything. Throughout his first ten years of his life, she shelters him from his responsibilities as the dominant of the Phoenix regarding politics and everything it entails. In fact, she lets him out of her sight very rarely and fetches him pretty quickly every time he escapes—a trait Anabella reminds her of herself at times. The fact that he is sickly and weak only strengthens the bond she feels for her son, and she wishes, he would have only a tenth of Clive's strength. Due to his weak condition and the comments by the nobility, Anabella fears the nobles will eventually stop supporting Joshua and install another family as the monarchs of the duchy. Her fear for his future in Rosaria brings Anabella to the conclusion that she has to betray the duchy and hand it to the empire. To ensure a long and safe life for Joshua, Anabella is willing to sacrifice everything. When she loses him during the Night of Flames, she grieves him heavily and searches for him for five years before accepting his death more or less.

𝐈𝐈𝐈. 𝐄𝐋𝐖𝐈𝐍. Elwin is her husband, for better or worse, as they do not see eye to eye in most instances. She could have made a worse match, certainly, but at the same time, it could have been way better as well. In her eyes, Elwin is too compassionate and too soft with the nobility and the common folk alike, which leads to him being taken advantage of and not taken seriously by the seven high houses. Due to his vision for the future contradicting the will of the high houses at seemingly every turn, he is struggling against them, and it pulls Anabella into the conflict as well. While Clive's existence is the reason for the abuse she receives by the high houses in the first place, Anabella also blames Elwin for not protecting her—even though their relationship is not close enough for her to open up about it in the first place. On the front, they appear somewhat unified, with Anabella as his supporter at court, but behind closed doors, they have no love for each other and are on neutral terms at best. Her issues with Clive do the rest to strain their relationship further, as Elwin becomes rather tired of their endless discussions over Clive or her swaddling of Joshua.

𝐈𝐕. 𝐁𝐘𝐑𝐎𝐍. Before Byron has to move to Port Isolde and the birth of Joshua, she and Byron are somewhat close. In many instances, she is more cordial with him than with her own husband because he manages to make her drop her facade at least a bit and let her personality shine. She sees him as a friend, even though it was more initiated by Byron than by her, who is a shy young girl at the time she arrives at Rosalith Castle for the first time. After Joshua's birth and her growing anger with Clive, the two distance themselves from each other as they start arguing more and more. Anabella partly grieves the friendship, as it makes her lonelier than she already is. Their past friendship is also the reason she lets him live after she takes over Rosaria and hands it to the Imperials. She turns a blind eye to his activities to a certain point—her heart is still weak when it comes to him.

𝐕. 𝐉𝐈𝐋𝐋. Anabella is incredibly torn when it comes to Jill, and it shows in the way she treats the girl. On one hand, Jill is a mongrel and a savage to her, who has no place among nobility and will never be a proper lady since she is a base born on all Rosarian accounts. After Elwin brings her to Rosalith, it falls to Anabella to raise Jill, regardless of her own feelings on the matter. And she originally did not want to be in charge of that task at all. But on the other hand, she is in some way a surrogate for the daughter who cannot be with her, and Anabella scolds Jill for being reckless or not up to standard. Here and there, she mothers her and then reverts to being strict and distant, if she even addresses her in the first place. Since Anabella is responsible for raising Jill, she is also involved when she is supposed to be betrothed to someone—and Anabella is willing to find a good match for her. Not only social status but also on a personal basis. However, she leaves Jill behind, when she herself flees to Sanbreque in order to escape the invasion of the Iron Kingdom and spends no further thought on her.

[riotseas]

joshua go to therapy starter for @taleswritten

How many more times can one die before they're dead?

They make it sound so simple, so just and final. Were they lying? Or was this some propaganda shoved down the throats of humankind to control germination? Joshua wishes he knew, he wishes he knew so badly.

The first he remembered waking up from what─by all accounts─should've been a permanent slumber, it was with a lurch and a cry for help. Screaming his brother's name, Joshua clawed his way through the sheets of blur among cloaked figures. They had reacted so... sedately, like they expected this from him.

Little explanations were given, and the rest of his adrenaline was depleted trying to pry. By the time he learned of forgotten events and unknown happenings, it was far too late.

That tenth summer, he'd been so apprehensive of his status in the world. It didn't make any sense, how could the Phoenix choose someone so undeserving? Mother, Father, Clive, Rosaria─were all looking to him for a strength that wasn't there.

'It'd take time.' They said. But when has time ever been that generous? His fate was destined before he'd even left the womb, how could the lives of hundreds befall to someone so weak?

Joshua lived in a haze of disappointment; disappointment for living when he shouldn't have. He'd cursed the Phoenix the night he awoke. Raised to believe the stars could hear him, he begged, pleaded for a way out.

The second time his life had left him, followed dying in his brother's arms.

Death had been cold then. Joshua hadn't been cold in Greagor knows how long, and his body certainly wasn't adapting as well as it used to.

Lying on the floor of the crystal ruins, his lungs sang with a fervor he'd never felt before. Plagued constantly by coughing fits made him grow immune to the torment, but this was different. It filled his chest with a liquid so cold it burned─leaving him at a loss.

Joshua had practically given up his entire life to Ultima; both before and after he'd sealed him away. Then, just when he thinks he's got a hold on the blasted beast, the ledge falls away─as does he.

Ultima got his way, and Joshua didn't know what to do. However, eradication was how he ended up in the arms of his brother─protected by his sworn shield. What better way to go?

Joshua's sacrifice was everything. It was the conclusion in his servitude, as well as an escape of a life that potentially had no Clive. They've done too much of that, enough for multiple lifetimes. He couldn't go another day, another hour, another second without him. So death, here─now─was fate.

Fate's always had a funny way of working.

In the end, it wasn't enough to solidify any of that. All that work, and it reasoned toying with his mortality was more valuable. Dangling his one true desire mere inches from his face only to pull back when he reaches.

It doesn't fucking make sense.

Now, Joshua's staring up at the very same stars he'd yelled at so long ago; deciding then and there, through blips of consciousness, that he would never pray to them, or anyone, again.

He lifts a finger, testing abilities he wasn't sure he still had. One after another, lifting ten fingers, then counting ten toes; he could move. Amidst the testing of dexterity, something wet continues to lap at his legs. It was heavy, loud, and sunk into his body in an unfamiliar, invasive way.

Annoyed by the sensation, he sits up; looking out over a horizon of melancholic sea with moonlight glittering in waves atop the surface. It's beautiful, it hasn't been this way in decades.

The reminder of why comes without warning.

A soft groan cuts through splashing billows, ceasing the slow beat of his heart. Joshua is crawling towards it, some small, pained sounds of his own leaving his throat as he does.

Clive was freezing─body curing into a makeshift ice-block right before his eyes. Drenched leather garments stuck to him like a second skin and Joshua could hardly find purchase anywhere without it slipping.

Tears he didn't know he was shedding added to the perspiration on blue flesh. It was a nauseating shade of blue, almost purple, and it wasn't because of the sky either. Dawn was mere hours away from breaking─they could tell now. Ultima wasn't sucking the life out of the earth any longer─they won.

They won.

Joshua isn't sure he's included. He did what they did because it was the 'right' thing to do. The world could finally be freed of what ails it most. Despite that, morals were a demanding labor for Joshua.

Not that his were more complicated than the average person─in fact, that's just it. They weren't more complicated, rather, less─simple.

Humans have dedicated their entire lives to studying morale, collecting what was 'right' for the majority and questioning what makes the minorities. But Joshua figured that out long, long ago.

It wasn't an act of realization more so as it was an act of instinct; Joshua would've given up the world for Clive, and he almost did. Perhaps the Gods grew scared of his unwavering loyalty, and this was the price to pay.

❝ Clive─ ❞

Joshua presses his forehead to Clive's, lashes threading between his. The tip of his nose skims tough cartilage while calloused fingers prod their way onto clammy cheeks.

Desperate, confused─no word could describe the anguish he's in.

Clive is lifeless, hanging on by a thread underneath him and Joshua can only wail for him. He cries out for the chill seeping into broken bones, pushing himself on his brother's exposed skin.

He's peeling off their soaked drawers before the next crash of a wave comes in. Joshua's trying─he's trying to reach into the deepest, darkest parts of himself for but a hint of a flame or a feather to cover his pliant, shivering brother─but nothing makes itself known.

He paws pathetically at the ribbons on Clive's top, already loose from the strenuous battle. How long has it been? How long had he been asleep while his brother was dying beside him? He can't tell, and naught offers answers. So, with a hand, Joshua raises Clive's head and slips both his cape and his vest off.

In a matter of minutes, they're both naked and Joshua is crying into Clive's yielding mouth. It moves against his own unnaturally, unwillingly, but that hardly discourages him. Just a little more─a little more and Clive will open his mouth against his just as he'd done before. He'll let Joshua's tongue bully its way into his begging muzzle, then reward his brother for doing such a good job by chasing another.

He'd do anything for Joshua too, wouldn't he?

[eifri]

❝ what did your mother say to you about your gifts ? ❞ Little jill to little Clive tho —-

╰┈➤ STARTER PROMPTS : Merlin, The Dragon’s Call ( 1x01 ) | @glacierites

HIS HEART SINKS AT THE MENTION OF IT, but he makes attempt not to let it show on his face. he's never been very good at masking his true feelings, but years of living around the woman who he deems ' mother ' has taught him a thing or two about keeping unpleasant thoughts to himself. there is no point questioning why she acts the way she does / why she says the things she does. ( ... even so, he finds himself doing so again as the question is posed to him. he tells himself that with time he'll stop being so naive. ) what she thought about his 'gifts' he would honestly rather have never known.

the look on her face was one of visceral disgust, the likes of which could rival that of one caught in morbol's breath. sufficed to say, clive doesn't consider her to be too pleased by his achievements. he could become the greatest shield to ever have walked rosarian ⸻ no, valisthean soils, and still she would turn her nose to him. even so, clive does not resent that he was not born dominant. at the very least, not for lack of his mother's approval. more than that ... he would rather have been born 'correctly' for the sake of his brother; that he may not carry so heavy a burden. that is why he must push himself to become one worthy of being joshua's shield. to lessen that burden by however much possible.

clive curls his fingers, gaze fixed upon his clenched fist with nose scrunched and brow twisted into a quiet scowl.

" she ... " he begins, but tentatively shakes his head. turning to jill with a shaky sense of resolve, clive unfurls his fist and offers a smile. " it's no matter what she thinks, really. what matters is what you, joshua, the knights ⸻ even father, think. " his uncertainty seems to ease somewhat, then. it's true that despite his mother's grating disapproval, there are those around him who have watched him toil & suffer, and grow stronger as a result of it. those who continue to support him, dominant or no. truthfully, it's what keeps him grounded.

" whether or not she approves ... i will keep honing myself to become a shield joshua is worthy of. after all, it is he who has to shoulder the weight of rosaria's future. " to protect those he loves / the land that his father so dearly loves: that is all he desires. though some part of him may still be that naive child, chasing the hopeless dream of finding self-worth in what his body & his blade can provide for the kingdom, clive has begun to understand that what he wishes for is something far simpler than redemption. it is simply to protect.

" i must be prepared to stand alongside him when that day comes. to protect not just joshua ⸻ but everyone it is within my power to protect. it is only if when all is said and done that i'm truly incapable that... " ' that i will allow her words to take heed of all i have spent these years trying to overcome.' " ... i digress. if i continue to work as hard as i have been ... i'm certain that one day i will become the shield that sir rodney and father seem to think i have the potential to be. "

[amber-main]

LONG rant about "meta vs waifu" (MEGA SALTY)

in genshin there's this conflict between people who "play for meta" and people who "play for waifu" (it probably goes without saying that i, tumblr username "amber-main" am of the latter ilk)

but i think what people don't get is the similarities between playing "for meta", and playing "for waifu but in a meta way"

to say that one plays purely for meta would imply they have at their disposal many, if not all of the available characters, and have chosen the route of exclusively investing into the characters that are, according to theorycrafters or popular opinion, "The Best"

this sort of person likely doesn't have a character they favour much more than others, since they cannot show favoritism toward a character who is not meta (to do so would be to play "for waifu" after all)

and i don't think this label applies to nearly as much of genshin's userbase as some may assume. it is much more likely that any player has a favourite character of some sort - either because of their design, their specific gameplay, their story, or other circumstances (such as a first 5* one pulled)

but these people can still use meta techniques while playing genshin - every time someone uses the general atk sands, elemental goblet, and crit circlet, one is using knowledge that has come from the theorycrafters to make characters perform to their maximum. the same goes for anybody who makes use of bennett and kazuha, knowing that these characters are really good at achieving the game's win conditions (doing a lot of damage really fast)

this is definitely a good way to play the game, especially if you want to easily and comfortably clear timed content and dps checks like the spiral abyss or combat events, but it doesn't really seem like the logical realization of the "but genshin is an easy game so just play whoever you want" that one hears from anybody trying to reassure one that meta isn't everything

because yes, for the most part, genshin is an easy game. except for certain things in the game such as spiral abyss, or (god forbid) if a player puts their sights on clearing more difficult content than the bare minimum (for instance the highest difficulty in events like hypostatic symphony)

then, all of a sudden, any player who just picks four characters they like and slaps them into a team will find themselves at an impassable wall of a dps check

if the thing people said was true, then why is it that most people aren't playing teams like xinyan-noelle-barbara-dori?

if someone really liked those characters, they might be a bit disheartened to find that just picking their favourite characters is not a very good way to play this game. to make a team like this successfully clear difficult content would require such immense investment into leveling characters, talents, grinding artifacts, and require wishing for constellations and expensive 5* weapons just to have it still perform worse than a half-hearted team that has bennett and xiangling in it

because, unfortunately to anybody who has set their sights on clearing difficult content with non-meta characters, there is such an immense gap between meta and non-meta that cannot be overcome with player skill (or even investment, in many cases). because most of the time when you see somebody getting 9 stars on abyss 12 with a "non-meta team" usually has some meta in there somewhere. be it a bennet-xiangling duo in a dehya hypercarry, or a kazuha/venti/zhongli hard carrying the team's damage by grouping enemies or providing an impenetrable shield, once you know a little bit about genshin's "meta" you quickly start to find it's the same few characters over and over and over again. bennett kazuha zhongli venti raiden shogun kuki shinobu fischl nahida mona ganyu xingqiu hu tao xiao ayaka rosaria shenhe kujou sara gorou faruzan elegy for the end mistsplitter aquila favonia thrilling tales of dragon slayers favonius warbow favonius sword favonius lance favonius codex sacrificial sword staff of homa crit rate crit damage vaporize hyperbloom melt electro charged aggravate spread viridescent venerer. you will hear the virtues and blessings of the strong characters, weapons, reactions, and artifacts in this game very many times. no matter where you go, they will follow you until you're so completely aware of the standard genshin meta lineup that you can list it off in your sleep, forward and backward, with the Appropriate Tier Letters attached

even if you want to play "for waifu", there is very little one can do to clear the huge dps checks in genshin without relying on what is meta. meta team compositions. best-in-slot weapons. best supports. off-field damage sub-dps.

and that is not to say that i hate the meta. i actually do think it's very natural for a game to have some sort of ranking for what is "more efficient" than another thing. what i don't think is very nice is the extra-wide mariana trench separating the "good" characters from the "bad" characters. i don't like that there is a game in which one character can sit uncontested as the "best general damage buffer" in a million teams with no close second while other characters get left to rot because they cannot bring enough damage or utility to a team to be an alternative to the former. there is a point where investment and strategy cannot overcome the things that the meta characters possess. a barbara cannot even dream of matching xingqiu in off-field hydro application. anybody using characters with strong knockback cannot even hope to match venti's grouping ability and aoe advantage. why would anyone ever want to use xinyan when her kit is so disjointed that building her is a massive headache and also even when you do build her she gets effortlessly overtaken by an itto with half the investment

so what happens to the people who don't like min-maxing everything but DO actually want to achieve a 36* abyss? or do want to see a character one-shot some easy enemies? what happens to the people who would rather use characters they like than those they don't? what happens to the people who want to use raiden shogun and ayaka in the same team together?

because yes, you can make a team that has raiden shogun and kamisato ayaka work. i'm sure some whale somewhere has done a 9* no-hit run of abyss 12 with just those two characters.

but that is in spite of the characters being in a team together, not because. the combination of cryo and electro in this team does nothing to help these characters do anything (and is, in fact, interfering with their ability to do damage)

there isn't really any balance in a game where one character alone can take most teams from being sub-par to easily doing over a million damage in under 90 seconds.

there isn't really balance in a game where one reaction can double the player's damage, and another actively hinders any effort to do damage at all

there isn't really balance in a game where a small number of the character roster occupies the majority of high-damaging teams. where player ability is all but unnecessary when all you have to do is put together the raiden national team and press E Q E Q E Q and mash left click for 7 seconds.

so what is the difference between the meta players and the waifu players?

well, for starters, not much of a difference. simply that the tools they choose to use are in such different categories that it's absurd to think they're playing the same game.

because to a meta player, why would you ever choose to use bad characters? if your goal is to achieve a win condition (i.e. a dps threshold), why would you not employ the best strategies available? why would anyone choose to prioritise personal attachment to a character over the ability to be good at the game? why would a person not dislike a character that is good? what reason would a person have to not want to use characters they dislike, especially if they're aware that those characters are Better Than What They're Currently Using?

and if one opts to not use the meta characters/builds/team compositions, they're obviously the ones who did this to themselves, choosing to use bad characters and then complaining that The Bad Characters Are Bad.

i mean, of course anybody complaining that their favourite character isn't as strong as they like is just Entitlement. meanwhile my favourite character who can steamroll 99.9% of this game's most difficult challenges without blinking an eye - nothing is wrong with that. why would you complain about a good thing? The Spiral Abyss Is Too Easy. they shouldn't add another bennett... that would just be broken.... i mean, imagine.... TWO bennetts, in the same team. ONE bennett is the perfect amount. this game has no balance issues whatsoever.

because nobody can be overpowered if everybody is strong.

because you can't have fun while also making the game easier.

because playing for waifu automatically disqualifies you from playing for meta.

because playing the characters you like in one team is antithetical to making a strong team. to making a team that is fun, easy to use, does lots of damage, and doesn't have any glaring issues. unless you happen to like the characters that are strong to begin with

because the game is EASY, there should be no incentive for the developers to balancing the game's character roster. they should only make it more difficult for the people who have the strongest teams or the resources to invest into every character

because balancing the game's difficulty to the highest-damaging team compositions and players with the best artifacts is a perfectly normal and reasonable way to make difficult challenges for the player base as a whole

because creating challenges that disproportionately favour certain characters over others is "encouraging players to use a variety of teams" and not simply punishing the players who cannot, or want not, to use those characters.

beacuse making character acquisition difficult and character building even more intensive to the point that the overwhelming majority cannot ever hope to have every character at their maximum potential means that people are incentivised to spend on the characters they like, and not on the ones that will provide the most damage gain for the least investment

[lesbiangiratina]

Okay i just realized i forgot to collect the rewards after fighting childe so 2/3 crowned kaeya here i come. Also kaeya can take out lvl 90 childe on his own (not including the part where i switch out to force diluc to take a hit im bad at dodging) in under 2 and a half minutes. If thats anything

[bukojuiice]

— genshin boys as your college roommates who are head over heels in love with you

ೃ ft. childe, diluc, kaeya, zhongli, and xiao x gn! reader

ೃ 400-600 words per character!  ♡

ೃ warnings: mention of alcohol drinking ( but aside from that, just lots and lots of fluff!)

ೃ this is my very first writing contribution to the genshin fandom, so i hope everyone likes it!  after 5 months of playing genshin, i think it’s safe to say my brainrot for it has finally consumed me and i’m confident enough to brew something up! <3

ೃ genshin impact masterlist 

ೃ if you want to be a part of my taglist, answer this form! ♡

CHILDE:

– You and Childe are the perfect embodiment of the best friends to roommates trope. Whenever you wanna sleep in for 5 minutes more and you’re about to run late for your first class, Childe never fails to slowly drag you out of your bed, laughing as he does so. “Wake up sunshine!” is the first thing you always hear in the morning and you don’t complain if you get to hear his smexy voice anyway. He is a confident flirt and is not afraid to show you how much he cares or how much he pines over you. 

–  He’s always always there to save the day. There was a time when your classmates stood you up on the group project you were making, and guess who comes up to you with glitter, glue, and colored paper? Childe, of course! He stayed up until the wee hours of the night with you just so he can help you finish it. He even promises to set things in a “very civil way” with your absolute jerk groupmates the very next day. You practically hang out with him 24/7 as most of the time he just barges in your shared apartment with some amusement park tickets on hand or to some expensive yoga or judo class. There’s never a dull moment with him and with each passing day, the more you fall harder for him.

–  After a morning jog with him and seeing cute little dogs frolicking around with their married owners, Childe suddenly had the urge to adopt a dog with you.  But, due to a no pets rules established by the landlord, the two of you opt to owning hamsters instead! Childe named his hamster, narwhal (after his favorite animal of course!) whereas you named yours bunny, to match his irrelevant pet name picking. your hamsters both share the same house/cage and even they are pining over each other.

  –  His siblings visit a lot, especially Teucer. At this point, there was never a day the little boy didn’t ask when are you and Childe going to finally become “playground playmates” (a term for lovers that they use in second grade apparently) since the two of you are living with each other and seem so close. Childe is always able to successfully change the topic and shift away from talking about the shared feelings that the both of you have for each other. But, alas, the day had finally came to be and during your monthly trip to the amusement park, Childe confidently confesses to you on top of the ferris wheel.

“So... everyone in my life knows that you’re my best friend. Yea, that’s pretty cool and all but... Can we be more than just that (Y/N)? Is there hope if I think there could be something between us?”

DILUC:

– Diluc is your posh and rich roommate who sounds and looks too good to be true. The fact that you’re roomies with the literal heir to the country’s biggest wine and beverage company sounds like something straight out of a fanfic. But, it was of his volition to decide to live in a penthouse near Teyvat University. It was the doings of his step-brother Kaeya who tricked him into getting a roommate so that he won’t be alone for the rest of his college years... aaand that’s where you come in. practically barged into his life, but, you were a blessing. an angel sent from the skies.

–  He’s quite cold and unapproachable at first, only greeting you whenever he sees you but never bothered to engage in small talk with you. Even if the both of you go to the same university. It wasn’t until your second month as roommates, when you accidentally had too much to drink after a friends’ night out. You come home to see him in the living room, drinking grape juice from a wine glass, and watching a rerun of Hannah Montana. You practically collapse at the front door, he rushes to you and helps you up as you drunkenly confess to him in tears how you wanted to become much closer to him especially since the  two of you are going to spend the rest of your college years together. That was when Diluc realized how distant and aloof he’s been and vows to make it up to you.

– Diluc is very talented. Albeit in very discreet way, he makes sure to make use of his talents especially if it’s an opportunity to make memories with you. He is an amazing cook as much as he tries to deny it, He’s a secret virtuoso caught in 4k when you impulsively bought a guitar one time and you asked if he knows how to play, and he does so well. He practically serenades you in the most non-obvious way possible. Lastly, He’s very athletic. You invited him to play tennis one time, betting that if he won, you would do his bidding for the rest of the week. Before you could even blink, he wins. His “punishment” for you was that you accompany him in binge-watching TV Dramas. Grey’s Anatomy and Downtown Abby are just some of the shows the two of you would watch. It is absolutely adorable seeing him so invested in these dramas. and since the next on Diluc’s list were sit-coms, you were preparing yourself to answer his questions on the context of jokes that he didn’t get. In a poor attempt to flirt with you, he calls out your name and recites in the most Joey Tribbiani voice he could muster, “How you doin?” You were laughing so so hard that night because his pick up line actually worked on you and suddenly your realizations came full circle: you were very much in love with him too.

–  His naturally cool yet shy nature had always gotten the best of him.  He’s always wanted to ask if you wanted to carpool with him to school. Riding with him in his Tesla sportscar that goes 150 Mph? Heck yeah. However, it took quite a while before he could muster up the courage to ask you (4 months of being roommates until he finally popped the question) Since then, the two of you go home to and from University whenever you had similar schedules. Ever since then, Diluc had began to soften. His cold and hard facade slowly melted. Asking if you could help tie his floofy red hair then he’d let you play with it and let you style it in different ways. He takes you out on café dates during lunch breaks and take you out to watch a movie after both of your late night lectures. Everyone in campus thinks the two of you are practically together at this point. All that was left was to bare your feelings with one another through a fumbling and awkward confession.

“Words cannot not suffice these feelings I’ve been harboring for you since the very beginning. I L-like you a lot. Do you feel the same way too?”

KAEYA:

- Everyone loves Kaeya. Your friends and family, The School Faculty, The owner of the Convenience Store from down the street, The old lady who lives next door, The little kids from down the hall, and even the angry brown poodles from the farthest apartment to your right absolutely loved him. it was hard to keep up with having a roommate that not only were you crushing so hard on, but also had such a vibrant social life. Kaeya interacts and socializes with a lot of people and he admits that it does tend to get tiring at times. But, if these sacrifices lead to coming home to his cute roommate who has captivated his heart since Day 1, then it’s all worth it.

— Despite how warm and friendly he may seem, Kaeya is a very private person. He’s brought two or three friends like Jean, Lisa, Albedo, or Rosaria. But, only to discuss school affairs. He wasn’t the kind of person who trusts others easily, even if he was giving off the impression that he was a trustworthy and reliable person himself. He’d much rather spend time with you on days off from school. He may be a party guy on the outside (he insists he does it for future connections when he graduates) but he’s quite a homebody. Kaeya is the type to watch korean dramas and anime with you, go on late night convenience store cravings, and these always resulted in a perfect evening spent with him. When the both of you are fully immersed into the anime and things get a bit cozy, you rest your head on his shoulder, huddling for warmth.

— Kaeya would always come home with a little something for you. May it be take-out food, A trinket, a board game, an accessory, and even skincare products. The indigo-haired man is very particular about self-care and you bet that he’s bought different kinds of face masks, ointments, and even matching cute headbands just for the two of you! He’s very flamboyant and flirts with you a lot. Trying to impress you with pick up lines and suggestive jokes, but you always thought that he was just joking around because that was always a part of his personality. It was always a part of him. For Kaeya on the other hand, it seems to him that you don’t take him seriously and it's possible that you don’t return his feelings at all. He had to set things straight and it didn’t take long until Kaeya found the perfect opportunity to do so.

— With the help of practically everyone in the apartment, Kaeya is about to surprise you with a candle-lit dinner up on the apartment rooftop. His sly smooth-talking quickly convinced you that the both of you were just going to go out on your nightly convenience store trips. Your curiosity grows when he takes you by the hand, covering you with a blindfold, and whispering to your ear, “Do you trust me?” Gripping onto his hand tightly, the both of you go up some stairs and you reply, “Yes Kaeya, I do.” He slowly uncovers the shield from your eyes and your eyes sparkle at the sight of the candle-lit dinner, complete with jazz music, and a romantic view of the city.

“(Y/N)... You are the most precious person to me. I hope you can take me seriously, especially my feelings. I am saying this with my heart in my hand and with nothing but genuine love in my soul.”

ZHONGLI:

— Zhongli is truly husband material. You’re saying this as his friend, as his roommate, and as someone who’s absolutely smitten over him. He’s a third year environmental archaeology student at Teyvat University. Gentle, kind, and has nothing but wise and intelligent things to say. your lovestruck self can’t help but just admire him from afar, not knowing that he too has been entranced by you ever since you moved in.

—He's always the first to wake up in the morning. The first thing he does is make you a cup of coffee. He's got your favorite memorized, (Coffee with cream. Not to sweet and not too bitter.) The both of you own matching mugs, (written in colored scribbled letters, “The Wise Roommate” for Zhongli and “The Cute Roommate” for you.) He always wants to spend his free mornings with you. Both of you have different schedules so you never see each other at Campus and this was the only blissful time of the day you can spend with one another. Once you get home for dinner, (Zhongli is always the first to get home if he doesn’t stay too long at the library or strolling around the city) If it’s your turn to cook or if it’s his, he never forgets to brew you oolong tea after dinner. A perfect chance for the two of you to just talk the night away and engage in deep and meaningful conversations.

—Zhongli fell in love with you because you just quietly listen to him. Sometimes, you would share your thoughts and insights, even sharing your own personal knowledge that Zhongli had not known prior. You were one of the very few people in his life whom he could talk about absolutely anything with. Well, who wouldn’t listen to a handsome man who has a voice as smooth as butter? He is very passionate about his studies. Taking a lot of extra courses and spending a lot of money on his research. and so, most of the time, he spends all of his Mora on his extra studies (excluding the money he needs to pay for rent) and other interesting antiques. You understood why though. So, instead, you ask him to accompany you to do mundane chores. Going grocery shopping, doing the laundry and cleaning the apartment. He always helps in any way he can. The prying eyes of people around you and the old lady fr next door boldly coming up to you to ask if you and Zhongli were a married couple. You blush profusely whereas Zhongli coolly denies the woman's claims. It hurt quite a little but who were you to complain?

— It was during one of your night strolls with Zhongli. He had invited you out after dinner under the guise of wanting to have some fresh air and find a clear spot for the fireworks from a nearby festival. Your heart was thumping loudly to a non-existent rhythm, blissfully unaware that Zhongli was feeling a burst in his chest too. He clears his throat and his shoulders straighten. Zhongli puts his hand on your shoulder and breathes deeply. His cool and gentlemanly aura still radiating off of him as always. A wonderful array of colors fill the sky as his lips began to form the words he's always wanted to say:

"Tonight is beautiful isn't it? I thought that this would be the perfect time to open my heart up to you... You are a diamond in the rough that few see the beauty of. My beloved– Will you accept my feelings?

XIAO:

—  Having a popular twitch streamer as your roommate was a one in a million chance. Especially if you’re not even an influencer or internet figure yourself. But, how did this come to be? Why have you developed a crush on Xiao aka VigilantYaksha without knowing who he was? A gamer with over 6 million followers on different social media platforms? Simple, a high-end apartment near Teyvat University had a special discount if you were willing to be roommates with someone. It’s an amazing deal, near your school, cost-efficient, and you believed the 10% chance of scoring a hot roommate as seen on reality TV and romantic comedies. It was like rolling through a Gacha Game and getting a 5 star character. As that “character” is soon to be revealed as Xiao.

— Things started off rocky at first. On your first day, he flatly welcomed you by the door, introduced himself, then quickly retreated back to his room. As soon as you locked eyes with him, he gave off a certain cold and unfriendly aura. You wanted to get to know him better. Maybe with a little love and care, he could open up to you and you could become friends! That same day, you had mistakenly thought of your room as his and you walked in on him streaming a horror game. He wasn’t spooked by the jumpscares. But instead, he was looking at you in horror because you’ve just exposed yourself to thousands of people. You wave at the camera, apologize, and left. Since then, his fans, (called the Anemo Tofus) have been shipping the two of you together. Creating fanfiction and fanart of Xiao and the mysterious roommate that accidentally walked in on him. They practically begged Xiao to at least talk a little bit about you, to which, he declined. When you surprised him with dinner (as a little treat since this was your first week with him) He sits across the table from you, his eyes gazing deep into yours, as he pops the question, in a very tsundere tone: “Would you like to appear in my streams? T-the Anemo Tofus wanna learn more about you. B-but, if you don’t want to, it’s alright! You don’t have to-” You cut him off before he could continue his doubts, “Xiao! What are you saying? I’d love to!”

  —  There was something blossoming between the two of you after that particular dinner with him. Starting with your first “roommate video” that you had thought of when you were brainstorming for video ideas. It was an Almond and Mapo Tofu mukbang whilst the two of you answered questions from fans! The viewers noticed how visibly comfortable he was around you despite his usual reserved attitude. He was cracking up a lot more sarcastic and self-deprecating jokes whilst Tofu filled both of your mouths. Outside of the confines of social media and inside the comfortable space that was your apartment, you and Xiao grew closer. Wearing matching hoodies, going on midnight snack runs, playing in arcades, and stargazing with him up on the rooftop as you contemplate about life and talk about the mysteries of the universe. There were times when you would stay up late doing school works and would accidentally fall asleep on the sofa. Xiao would come out of room because he periodically had cases of insomnia. When he sees you on the sofa, he can’t help but smile at your sleeping figure and admire your beauty. First. he brings all your clutter back to your room then slowly picks you up from the couch, into his arms, and brings you back to your room. He places a blanket on top of you and your stuffed plushies next to you so you can hug them any time. 

— On a particular night, you fell asleep on the sofa once again and begun to  have recurring nightmares. Xiao was there to witness you whimpering, muttering to yourself, and shivering to a mental image that he could not see. (He wishes he could erase all the pain that these nightmares were giving you) You subconsciously grab onto his hand, murmuring to yourself: “Xiao, please don’t go.” He whispers back, “I won’t.” Your nerves slowly relax when you feel the Yaksha squeezing himself to lie next to you on the couch. Holding onto your arm, he continues to reassure you that it was going to be okay. You grab onto him, hugging him from behind. He feels your heartbeat revert back to it’s normal pace and you return back to your peaceful slumber. “I’ll always be here for you, (Y/N). I’ll be here to protect you. Forever and always.”  Turning to you to plant a kiss on your forehead, you nestle your head on Xiao’s chest. He watches as you cling to him for love and warmth until he is slowly whisked away by his weariness, rewarded with a peaceful sleep he hasn’t felt in a while.

“And they were roommates.”

[phoenix-flamed]

Finally sitting down to write this thing that's been rattling in my skull since Phoenix and I were brainstorming ideas for our AU verse. I'll write up a second post a little later regarding my Elwin's relationship with his mother, considering that's now the one that I really have to overhaul.

Elwin was incredibly attached to his father.

Given that they were royalty, it goes without saying that both of his parents were often busy tending to important matters and duties, both within Rosaria's borders and across other parts of Storm. And in the case of his father specifically, given that he was the Dominant of Phoenix and Rosaria often found itself in the midst of conflict or power struggles, there were a great many times where the man was away on expeditions or on the battlefield. So Elwin was raised by a nanny, and the time he was able to spend with his parents was, understandably, rather limited.

But none of this is to say that his relationship with his parents was poor -- quite the opposite. Like I said, I'll get into things regarding the Grand Duchess later, though I will say that I do headcanon that his parents' relationship was a good one. Was it love, exactly? Who knows -- but signs point that way, considering the small gestures and tokens of love and affection that his father was known to present to his mother.

Elwin's father was a far more emotionally reserved man, all in all. Every decision that he made was seldom if ever driven by emotion, but instead by an unwavering sense of duty. He was the sort who commanded respect through his deeds, not with words. He was a natural leader who inspired his men to follow him by his actions. Through his eldest son's perspective, he was strong and fearless, dedicated wholly to protecting Rosaria, and while it was true that he was impassive and uncompromising with his judgment, he did retain enough compassion to be well-liked by the people.

He and Elwin did disagree on certain matters, like how Bearers should be treated and whether or not everyone, regardless of status, deserved equality. His father was an advocate for maintaining the societal hierarchy of the duchy and strictly adhering to tradition.

Despite this, the man was, in short, his hero. The person he idolized most, the one he looked up to and sought out for guidance and wisdom.

Like I said, his father wasn't a very emotional person. So the way that he and his eldest son bonded was through swordsmanship. They bonded through Elwin's training, and when Elwin realized that being a soldier was the best way to connect with and be close to his dad, of course he trained and fought and pushed himself as hard as, if not harder than, he could in order to be with him. In order to keep that connection with him. So when he was finally ready to take on the challenge to become his father's First Shield, you best believe he fought tooth and nail to earn that position -- and he did earn it. He earned the right to stand at the Dominant of Phoenix's side, and to fight alongside him to protect him just like the older man fought with all of his might to protect their nation and her people.

The sword that Elwin uses was a gift from his father, presented to him when he became the First Shield of Rosaria. It was forged specially with him in mind, and the feathers that are attached to the sheath are Phoenix feathers from his father himself, symbolizing the fact that no matter what, he would always be there to watch over him.

Unfortunately, the man died unexpectedly from illness when my Elwin specifically was around twenty summers old. It absolutely devastated Elwin.

[dandelion-wings]

wrote a bit of a WIP scene today that went sideways and is going to have to be changed to feed back better into the main storyline when I go back to it, probably, but:

"Hmm? I don't think she's all that bad."

"She's a *bandit*, Kaeya. That gang kills and terrorizes people for money!"

"Or food, or other goods. To survive." Kaeya knows he should concede cut the conversation off here, but the impulse to dig, to push harder, to maybe make Diluc actually pay *attention* for once, drives him on. "If I'd been picked up by those people, instead of by Father, I'd hardly be any better."

"Yes, you would be," Diluc says, too quickly. He looks at Kaeya with desperation, eyes wide, panic flaring like firelight across his face. "You're *nothing* like them! Don't say those sorts of things about yourself."

Diluc, of all people, should know better. He knew Kaeya when he was young, when he first came to the winery, before he learned the standards of soft, gentle Mondstadt. When he didn't bother to hide his sharp edges, when he was too quick to cut and bite and sting, verbally or physically--when he still thought the only way to keep other people from hurting him was to hurt them first. Before he realized that Father and Diluc would shield him. That if he stood behind them, all he needed for his own defense was a smile.

He would be far worse than Rosaria if he'd been picked up by bandits instead.

But Diluc doesn't want to recognize that, doesn't want to see the blade behind the smile, not when it's never yet pricked his flesh. That frantic look in his eyes fades, breath by breath, as Kaeya pulls the smile on, soft and conciliatory and rueful, a wordless apology for the truth Diluc doesn't want to believe.

"Sorry, sorry. I suppose I just feel sorry for her. Living with this gang, she's never had a chance to find out if she can be good."

"That's true." Diluc subsides, bracing his elbows on his knees and slouching forward. Just as Kaeya is sure he's let go of the subject, though, he bumps Kaeya's shoulder with his own and adds, "See? We're imprisoned by bandits, and you're thinking about whether one of them could be good. That's not something they'd do if it was the other way around."

If they'd captured this lot, Kaeya's certain that whether the knights could be convinced to have mercy would be foremost on plenty of minds, but there's no point in saying that to Diluc. He bites his tongue this time on the temptation. It's not as if Diluc could conceive of the Ordo as anything but just, anyway, or 'just' as anything but good.

Diluc will only see what he wants to see. And for the sake of Kaeya's mission, that's all to the good. He *wants* his brother to be blinkered, to live in his black-and-white world where Kaeya is good and trustworthy because Diluc loves and trusts him, and so anyone who doubts and distrusts Kaeya is the enemy and not to be listened to. Even if it means that Diluc never really looks through Kaeya's masks, never sees Kaeya's true self, only the image of 'brother' that he's built in his own head.

That's better for Kaeya's cause. No matter how lonely it is, being unknown to the person who claims to love him best. It's better this way.

[demifiendrsa]

Final Fantasy XVI details the world and characters

■ Key Visual

—Protagonist, Clive Rosfield, on a dark and dangerous road to revenge.

Final Fantasy XVI brings players into a world where Eikons are powerful and deadly creatures that reside within Dominants—a single man or woman who is blessed with the ability to call upon their dreaded power. The story follows Clive Rosfield, a young man dedicated to mastering the blade, who is dubbed the First Shield of Rosaria and tasked to guard his younger brother Joshua—the Dominant of the Phoenix. Unexpected events set Clive on a dark and dangerous road to revenge.

■ World

Valisthea―A Land Blessed in the Light of the Mothercrystals

The land of Valisthea is studded with Mothercrystals—glittering mountains of crystal that tower over the realms around them, blessing them with aether. For generations, people have flocked to these beacons to take advantage of their blessing, using the aether to conjure magicks that let them live lives of comfort and plenty. Great powers have grown up around each Mothercrystal, and an uneasy peace has long reigned between them. Yet now the peace falters as the spread of the Blight threatens to destroy their dominions.

Eikons and Their Dominants

The Eikons are the most powerful and deadly creatures in Valisthea. Each resides within a Dominant—a single man or woman who is blessed with the ability to call upon their dread power. In some nations these Dominants are treated as royalty in admiration of this strength—in others they are bound in fear of it, and forced to serve as weapons of war. Those who are born as Dominants cannot escape their fate, however cruel it may be.

The Realms of Valisthea

—The Grand Duchy of Rosaria

Long ago, a group of small independent provinces in western Valisthea found strength in unity, and formed the Grand Duchy of Rosaria. After years of relative prosperity, the duchy now finds itself threatened by the spread of the Blight—a threat that, left unchecked, would doubtless usher the realm to ruin. Rosaria draws its aether from Drake’s Breath, a Mothercrystal situated on a volcanic island off the coast. The Dominant of the Phoenix, Eikon of Fire, is enthroned as Archduke when they come of age.

—The Holy Empire of Sanbreque

Sanbreque is the largest theocratic force in Valisthea. The Empire’s holy capital Oriflamme is built around Drake’s Head, the Mothercrystal that blesses the surrounding provinces with abundant aether. The people happily take advantage of this, living in comfort and security under the watchful gaze of the Holy Emperor, whom they worship as the living incarnation of the one true deity. The Dominant of serves as the empire’s champion, taking to the field in times of war to rout its enemies.

—The Kingdom of Waloed

Waloed claims the entirety of Ash, the eastern half of Valisthea, as its dominion. The kingdom’s control of the continent has oft been tested by the orcs and other beastmen who make their home there, but the current ruler of the realm—Dominant of —has succeeded in quelling their rebellions. Using the power of the kingdom’s Mothercrystal, Drake’s Spine, this new king has built up a mighty army, with which he now seeks to test the borders of his neighbors.

—The Dhalmekian Republic

The Dhalmekian Republic is made up of five states, from which the members of its ruling parliament are drawn. Its Mothercrystal, Drake’s Fang, is half-hidden in the heart of a mountain range—the republic’s control over it, and its aether, securing the obedience of the large part of southern Valisthea. The Dominant of Titan, Eikon of Earth, is installed as a special advisor to parliament and has a significant say in its decision-making.

—The Iron Kingdom

A small group of islands off the coast of Storm, the western half of Valisthea’s twin realms. Here the Crystalline Orthodox, an extreme faith that worships crystals, reigns supreme. The Iron Kingdom controls Drake’s Breath, the Mothercrystal that sits at the heart of one of their islands—long a source of contention with neighboring Rosaria. Isolated and aloof from the mainland nations, the Ironblood speak their own language. Orthodox doctrine judges Dominants to be unholy abominations, and any unlucky enough to be born on the islands are executed.

—The Crystalline Dominion

The Crystalline Dominion sits at the heart of Valisthea, built around the tallest of all the Mothercrystals, Drake’s Tail. Many bloody battles were fought for control of this small plot of land due to its strategic importance, till the warring realms finally agreed to an armistice. As part of the peace treaty, the islands around Drake’s Tail became an autonomous dominion led by a council of representatives from the surrounding nations—each realm enjoying equal claim to the Mothercrystal’s blessing. No Dominant makes their home there.

■ Characters 

character artwork by Kazuya Takahashi

Clive Rosfield (age 15)

The firstborn son of the Archduke of Rosaria. Though all expected him to inherit the Phoenix’s flames and awaken as its Dominant, destiny instead chose his younger brother Joshua to bear this burden. In search of a role of his own, Clive dedicated himself to mastering the blade. His practice pays off when, at just fifteen years of age, he wins the ducal tournament and is dubbed the First Shield of Rosaria—tasked to guard the Phoenix and blessed with the ability to wield a part of his fire. Alas, Clive’s promising career is to end in tragedy at the hands of a mysterious dark Eikon, Ifrit, setting him on a dangerous road to revenge.

Joshua Rosfield (age 10)

The second son of the Archduke of Rosaria and Clive’s younger brother by five years. Joshua awoke as the Dominant of the Phoenix soon after his birth. Despite his noble upbringing, Joshua treats all his father’s subjects with warmth and affection—none more so than Clive, whom he deeply admires. Joshua often laments that it was he, the frail and bookish younger son, who was granted command of the firebird’s flames, and not his stronger, braver brother. While Clive will gladly throw himself into any danger, Joshua quails at the sight of a carrot on his dinner plate. But carrots become the least of his concern when he, too, is swept up into the tragic events that change Clive’s life forever.

Jill Warrick (age 12)

Born in the fallen Northern Territories, Jill was taken from her homeland at a tender age to become a ward of Rosaria, securing peace between the two warring nations. The Archduke insisted that she be raised alongside his sons, and now, at twelve years of age, she is as much a part of the Rosfield household as Clive and Joshua. Ever kind, gracious, and unassuming, Jill has become a trusted confidant to the brothers.

Final Fantasy XVI is in development for PlayStation 5.

[windblume]

top three most fun teams ived played:

1. hu tao/xiangling/xingqiu/rosaria. vaporize and melt and pyro resonance so true

2. venti/mona or barbara/rosaria/razor. apply hydro -> venti Q -> rosaria Q-> razor Q n this is sooo fun because the enemies are frozen the whole time and the superconduct is perfect for razor ^_^

3. yoimiya/diona/chongyun/xingqiu. dionas shield is a battery for chongyun and protects yoimiya from interruption so you can get max dps from her, chongyun is a burst dps + reduces the cd of yoimiyas E + procs reverse melt with yoimiyas pyro when his frost field disappears, and yoimiya and xingqiu are a good duo obviously