#after a massive battle between other gods for control of heaven

[sketching-shark]

The idea that Nüwa is Sun Wukong's mom seems to be a more recent one, but it's also one I've become pretty fond of. So happy mother's day, especially to those who used their own flesh to repair the sky.

[theshipminer]

Decided to rewrite Hazbin Hotel because I was bored

You can consider this a fix, or whatever. I don't really care. I just thought that the show had fantastic ideas, meh execution. It's whatever. Anyways, shoutouts and apologies to my sister, @aimasup, for bouncing ideas with me, and for being the one who had to listen to me ramble on about all of this. If anyone wants to ask me questions or anything, I'll be happy to answer. Anyways, endless rambling for what basically is fanfiction under the read more:

Premise is still the same: Hotel in Hell re-Habilitates Horrible Has-beens

Probably at least three seasons

Season 1: Episode 1: Probably reuse the pilot for the first episode, albeit with their updated designs and other miscellaneous improvements.

This season establishes Hell, the Hotel, and other wacky shenanigans that the hotel goes through to rehabilitate sinners

Hitler probably shows up at least more than once

The Overlords of Hell are the main antagonists

There’s also the looming deadline of the yearly purge, so that’s fun

Season 1 finale: The Hotel staff finally go to heaven! Charlie’s ideas are finally being recognized! But, oh no! The head of the angels, Adam is a dick!

It gets worse! They couldn’t wait an entire year, so the next purge is in three months! What is everyone to do?!

In the end, everyone except Charlie has a great time. Alastor is conveniently absent for the entire episode.

Season 2: business as usual? Everyone is extra excited, except Charlie. Perhaps the time has come to ask daddy for help? More than usual?

Oh, yeah. Lucifer is probably gonna be one of the patrons in this season, I guess. Maybe we also discover what happened to Lilith in this season, but then again, it will probably depend on what the show does with her.

“I miss my wife, Tails. I miss her a lot.”

Somewhere, the truth finally gets out. Charlie has been keeping it in all this time because she hopes that maybe talking to Lucifer will solve this whole dilemma and Adam, massive dick that he is, won’t attack a former angel!

It doesn’t work.

Season 2 mid-season two-parter: the purge happens early. A massive battle between Hell and Adam’s forces happens. Maybe the hotel staff and the Overlords team up for this one, with some “persuasion” from Alastor?

Naturally, Adam is defeated, and Charlie wants to redeem him as well. The Overlords disagree, and take him prisoner.

While in captivity, Adam lets slip something interesting: God is nowhere to be seen. And he hasn’t been for a very long time now. Naturally, the overlords are interested, but of course they won’t want to let an angel leave alive, now wouldn’t they? The audience doesn’t learn this until the end of the season, when Alastor himself learns this vital piece of information. And only when he spills it to the main cast.

RIP Adam, you won’t be missed.

The rest of the season is back to business…? Nope! After hearing that God is missing, the Overlords realise that Heaven is basically prime for the taking. So they’re planning a full-blown war.

To help in this war, they plan to unseal the Root of All Evil, who shall henceforth be referred to as ‘Roo’.

Roo is considered the most powerful of all demons, even more than Lucifer. The angels sealed her away a long time ago, but the seal has started to weaken.

Season 2 two-parter finale: After learning about the vital piece of information, Alastor tells everyone that the Overlords are planning to go to war with Heaven, and also about Roo. He doesn’t tell them about God, though. Where would be the fun in that?

Roo has been unsealed and naturally, the Overlords can’t control her. Who could have seen this coming?

Charlie , naturally, doesn’t like war. The battle against Adam could be classified as self-defense, but she never wanted it to escalate to this. So she decides to try and kill two birds with one stone: defeat Roo to hopefully find a way to prevent war, and also to hopefully destroy evil at its source and have everyone stop being evil? Charlie really doesn’t want to have to kill someone. I mean, Adam was left alive, and he’s probably doing well for himself, right? (Does she know?)

A grueling battle is held, and against all odds, Roo is defeated. the Overlords no longer have a weapon against heaven, all should be well, right? All that’s left to do is find some common ground with Roo, find out why she’s so evil, and hopefully stop evil from happening.

Yeah, nah. Roo gives Charlie a HUGE “The Reason You Suck” speech about her naivety, and pretty much forces Charlie to kill her with her own hands. Sucks.

Oh, yeah, and Alastor finally lets spill that God is missing. Great job, Al. You fucking asshole.

Season 3 Episode 1: begins with Charlie pretty much depressed after the previous season’s events. Everyone tries to cheer her up. It’s all comedic, until the final part where they have a heart-to-heart and remind Charlie of all the things she’s accomplished with them, even if they haven’t gone to heaven yet.

The end of the episode has Charlie realize that, with God gone, that means that the yearly purges probably didn’t happen under God’s watch, meaning that if they bring God back, things will finally be right again!

It’s finally time to take action, and everyone is gonna go to Heaven! How? I dunno, how do the Exorcist Angels come down to Hell? I dunno, some kind of elevator that no one was brave enough to hijack?

The rest of the season takes place in Heaven. Hotel shenanigans happen again, but in heaven, this time!

Charlie meets the other archangels, and while they’re still dicks, at least they’re less so than Adam. Unlike Adam, maybe they’re more like Alastor in terms of demeanor: they don’t particularly care what kind of plot Hell’s up to, but they’d certainly be interested in how these sinners will manage to come up into Heaven.

Should they meet Jesus in Heaven? A parallel to Charlie in Heaven, he wholeheartedly supports Charlie’s endeavors and basically becomes her first friend in Heaven?

The overarching mystery is: where is God? What happened to Him? Why does Archangel Michael take so long to use the bathroom?

Eventually, like, near the end of the season, we finally meet God.

Wouldn’t it be funny if, after three whole seasons of extravagantly designed characters, demons, angels, sins and virtues alike, we finally meet the Big G Himself and He’s just… a dude in a robe and a beard? How funny would that be?

Anyways, we finally get a reason for God’s very, very long absence: after thousands of years of humanity’s evil, and His many failed attempts to purge evil from the world, His last attempt finally broke Him, and He spent the rest of time in a depressive slump, pretty much never ever leaving His room. He’s, ironically enough, lost faith in humanity.

The final ‘patron’ of the ‘hotel’ is God Himself. Charlie and the others have to convince Him that humanity is worth believing in, and to give them another chance. Of course, they succeed.

The finale could be that God has officially recognized the Hazbin Hotel as an official way for sinners to redeem themselves: a “very definitely final chance to enter Heaven”. If sinners can’t redeem themselves even in death, then they never will. Charlie’s friends are the first sinners to finally ascend to Heaven, but they stay behind in Hell to help run the hotel.

[thelargefrye]

THE UMBRA WITCHES … worldbuilding

mentions of — witch hunts / wars, death / almost total extinction, making pacts with demons, human experiments

THE UMBRA WITCHES were a clan of dark arts practitioners from ancient times and the darker counterpart to the DRAGON ORACLES. being one of the two clans recognized as the “overseers of history,” the clan was formed by THE ONE after they bestowed the clan one of the EYES OF THE WORLD. they are the only beings able to form pacts with the GRIMOIRES.

due to the events of both the CLAN WARS and the WITCH HUNTS caused by PANDORA’s influence, the clan has only one known survivor.

HISTORY . . .

FORMATION — pitying humans for their naivety, the god known as THE ONE would bestow one of the eyes of the world to the clan that would be known as the umbra witches, granting them the “LEFT EYE OF DARKNESS” while their counterpart, the dragon oracles, were gifted with the “RIGHT EYE OF LIGHT.” the umbra witches became one-half of the two clans that would be in charge of maintaining balance between the light and darkness of the world in order to ensure the just passage of time.

PRE - CLAN WARS — throughout their existence prior to the clan wars and witch hunts, the umbra witches were a feared clan, so much so that other emperors and kings feared their power.

at some point in time, the umbra and oracles came together in order to come up with a measure to protect their homelands from invasions. taking inspiration from the WATCHERS, the two clans built their own variant of the occult device, known as the GOLEM. however, proving to be too powerful to easily control, the clans sealed the device away behind the MERCURIUS GATE.

CLAN WARS — over five hundred years before the start of the story, a witch fell in love with a dragon and conceived a child. this violated an age-old tenet that stated that "the intersection of light and dark would bring calamity to this earth." this broke the balance between the two clans and sent them down a path of conflict, eventually sparking the clan wars by plunging all of the land into a chaotic loop of battle, ambush, assassination, and casualty. unknown to both forces, the conflict was also further instigated by pandora, the evil half of the one who sought the eyes of the world. despite the dragons' best efforts with the help of the spirits and heavens themselves, the witches' were given the upper hand thanks to their effciency in assassination and the dark arts. years after, the witches emerged victoriously.

WITCH HUNTS — after the clan wars, pandora launched another offensive campaign with the intentions of fully eliminating the weak umbra witches by rallying the human population against them. she managed to make humans fear the witches and their dark arts which resulted in the ‘WITCH HUNTS’ under the presumption of stopping the umbra witches from spreading their dark arts across the land.

a large attack was launched by the humans, resulting in a massive extermination of umbra witches.

PANDORA took advantage of the witch hunts and subjugated the remaining umbra witches to monstrous acts of capture and torture before finally killing them and leading to near extinction in order to resurrect THE FLOWER, a being capable of total world destruction and killing every human and mythical being.

though historically stated to have been annihilated, umbra witches y/n and chaewon survived the witch hunts.

PRESENT DAY — there is currently one known remaining umbra witch: y/n.

chaewon was killed by dragons after having been framed for killing the leader of the ateez clan, his wife and eldest son.

CHARACTERISTICS . . .

LIFESTYLE — they were a predominantly female society with strict laws regarding contact with all non-witches, demanding that their magical arts be kept with the utmost secrecy.

what differentiates a witch from a normal human being is her great control over spirit energy or magic. many umbra witches are also born with the ability to use magic as they are the only ones able to make pacts with grimoires and able to withstand the books ungodly magic energy.

those powerful enough to become leaders of the entire clan matriarchy also undergo intense duels to prove their worth: the leader of the clan is also entrusted with guarding over the LEFT EYE OF THE WORLD.

RELATIONSHIP WITH GRIMOIRES — in order to gain their power, all umbra witches make a pact with a grimoire to sponsor them and allow them to improve their power which allows them to summon the magical abilities of their grimoire to attack their enemies. when the witch dies, her soul goes directly into the grimoire as part of their contract.

RELATIONSHIP WITH DRAGON ORACLES — they once paid great respect to the dragon oracles and, from the existence of the GOLEM, they once had worked together for reasons unknown.

POWERS AND ABILITIES . . .

UMBRA WITCHES are known to powerful practitioners of a form of magic known as the dark arts. their are also able to form contracts with the demons known as the GRIMOIRES, powerful books that trap the souls of their enemies inside their pages and use their powers as their owns. aside from their grimoires, umbra witches may also summon other demons to aid them in battle by chanting a magic spell. these spells, spoken in CHAOS, are unique from witch to witch; they might be granted by their grimoire or invented by the witch herself.

umbra witches are also well versed in herbology and are able to concoct potions that are able to heal them, increase their strength and magic power, etc.

THE LEFT EYE OF DARKNESS — one umbra witch is selected to guard over the LEFT EYE OF DARKNESS, one of the EYES OF THE WORLD given to the clan long ago by the god known as THE ONE. the power is granted only to the most powerful witch in the clan, this candidate is selected by the world itself. the LEFT EYE OF DARKNESS gives its user the ability to see through deception, enhance their magical abilities, and to summon the beings known as the WATCHERS. when combined with the RIGHT EYE OF LIGHT, the eyes give its user the power to summon THE FLOWER and destroy all of mankind.

KNOWN UMBRA WITCHES . . .

Y/N — survivor of the witch hunts, left eye of the world.

ROSA — veteran witch and mother to y/n, died by an unnamed illness.

CHAEWON — best friend to y/n, killed by dragons.

UMBRA ELDER — former leader of the umbra witches, killed during the witch hunts.

MORGANA — a solitary umbra witch, living an unimposing life in the avalon forest, exiled from the rest of the clan.

THE EVE SAGES . . .

EVE SAGES — after the near total extinction of the umbra witches, many people tried to learn the ways of the witches in order to practice the dark arts. however, despite some being able to perform spells, they were not strong enough to make a pact with the grimoires and as a result were killed by the books.

this lead to a new clan called the EVE SAGES to create fake grimoires and mimicked the ways of the umbra witches. these fake grimoires were created through several human experiments as a way to replicate the grimoires’ power. these experiments would lead to many humans and other creatures to brand these fake umbra witches as now real witches. these EVE SAGES are now what many consider an actual witch.

it would be revealed that PANDORA was behind the creation of the sages as a way to forever end the umbra witch clan. this worked as many sages began acting with evil intentions such as disturbing the peace between all beings and helping humans in their dragon hunts.

[joyful-soul-collector]

The events of Moon Knight took place in early 2012, and after Marc and Steven found out Jake was still working for Khonshu, they decided they needed a fresh start. So Layla and the boys moved to New York City, where they continued to be Moon Knight and Scarlet Scarab, and with Steven's confidence and stubborn will, they learned to work with Khonshu in a way where they wouldn't be manipulated.

However, with their luck Marc should've expected their new peace wouldn't last for long, because just a month after their move a large hole opened up in the sky over Stark Tower, and aliens began their siege on NYC. So now we just have one question left...

How does the Battle of New York change when you add in a little bit of Moon Knight?

“For the record Marc, I think this is a really, really terrible idea, most people tend to run away from the giant aliens,” Steven muttered, staring up at the massive rip in the sky over Stark Tower. “I mean… aliens, Marc. Bloody aliens.”

“Yeah. I know, buddy,” Marc sighed. He could swear they were cursed. They’d just moved here after everything that happened with Harrow and finding out Jake still worked for Khonshu which technically means they all still work for Khonshu and--god, why is it that every time Marc tries to get a clean slate it just gets messed up worse than the last one?

At least Layla wasn’t here. She was on a trip for Taweret, something about a weird metal in Africa? She didn’t say much about it, just that she’d be back in a few days. 

Now looking through the massive hole in the wall of their brand new apartment on the 20th floor, Marc just hoped that wherever she was, she didn’t have giant aliens flying towards her through a split in the heavens. 

It was the biggest thing they’d ever seen. A long, eel-like creature swimming down through the sky and between buildings, armored aliens springing from its metal hide. Even with Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor down there fighting, they all knew they couldn’t just leave New York to fend for itself.

“Look alive, hermanos,” Jake said, now looking down at the city below them, and the grey, shiny bodies of the aliens crawling up the side of the buildings. Marc summoned the suit and leapt out the hole in the building, a roar in his chest as he sank a dart into the fleshy back of one of the aliens. He leapt off the building and their cape formed into its crescent glider, giving them a moment to take in the scene. 

“Khonshu!” Marc shouted over the wind in their ears. “What the hell are these things!?”

“The Chitauri and their Leviathan!” Khonshu replied, nowhere to be seen, but his hard voice heard clearly. “A hivemind race from a planet not of our own, the perfect army! But why they’re here I do not--oh hell.”

Marc looked around to see what Khonshu noticed and his eyes fell upon a Chitauri spacecraft flying past, though this one was not piloted by a fleshy grey alien like the others. 

“Loki,” Khonshu growled. “Of course.”

“You know this asshole?!” Marc shouted, watching as this “Loki” soared through the sky. He dodged other Chitauri and explosions all the way, and his bright gold horns glinted in the sun. 

“He is another god, brother of Thor and prince of Asgard!” Khonshu responded. “He’s always been an idiot, but I never thought he’d be stupid enough to do this!”

“Goddammit Khonshu, why is everyone you know an asshole?” Marc muttered. 

“I heard that!”

Marc ignored him and dove down, swinging his feet forward and slamming them into a nearby flying craft. He knocked the pilot from its controls, keeping it from smashing into a building just in time. However as the craft began to lose control, Marc quickly realized he hadn’t really thought this plan out. 

“Shit shit shit shit shit--”

“Dammit, Marc!” Steven suddenly fronted, shifting into his Mr. Knight suit and jumping from the craft, tumbling onto the roof of a building before it crashed onto the street below. “What the hell was that, Marc!? You’re gonna get us killed!”

“I’m sorry, I’ve never fought aliens before, Steven! Give me a fucking break!”

“Both of you shut up!” Jake shouted suddenly, his black suit appearing over their body. “None of us knows what the fuck we’re doing!”

“They do,” Khonshu said. They looked up at the tall bird standing next to them, and he swung his long beak over to point at the giant eel-like creature (Leviathan, Khonshu called it?) swimming through the air. It was then that Marc finally noticed something flying right in front of its nose, red and gold metal soaring between buildings. 

“Iron Man,” Steven muttered, squinting at the figure. “What in the hell is he doing?”

They watched as Iron Man flew low to the ground, the Leviathan following close behind, right towards a small group in the middle of the street. One of the people started to walk forward, and as he did his form changed, green skin ripping through his shirt and growing until suddenly the Hulk appeared in his place, his fist slamming into the nose of the giant alien with a defiant roar. 

Marc, Steven, and Jake all watched in awe as the monster flipped head over tail, its armor falling away until Iron Man shot a series of flares at it, causing the creature to explode. A magnificent shower of fire, metal, and flesh rained down on the street, evidence of the Leviathan’s quick death.

“Dios mio,” Jake breathed. “Yeah. They know what they’re doing.”

“Oh thank god,” Steven muttered. “I didn’t want to be the one to come up with a plan.”

“What makes you think you’d come up with the plan?” Marc leapt off the building and deployed their glider again, angling them towards the group.

“You’re the one who almost put us in the same position as that Leviathan,” Steven muttered. Marc sighed and rolled his eyes. 

It’s not like he didn’t have a point. Didn’t mean he had to like it though. 

He landed with a roll in an alleyway near the group of superheroes, but rather than stepping into sight, something made him stop. Or rather, some one.  

“What is it?” Marc snapped, frowning at his frozen feet. “C’mon, they need our help.”

“I didn’t come here just to get told what to do,” Jake growled. “We’ll listen in, see what their plan is, and fill in the gaps. I’m not lookin’ to get ordered around by the Knight in Shining Red, White, and Blue.”

“Oh my fucking--fine, fine, whatever, do it your way like we always--”

“Bloody hell, will you shut up, I can’t hear them!”

Steven crouched low behind a thoroughly wrecked car and peered through its shattered windows, letting his mask fall away and straining his ears to hear what they were saying. 

“Alright, listen up,” Captain America’s clear voice said. “Until we can close that portal, our priority is containment.” He turned to a man with a bow and quiver of arrows. “Barton, I want you on that roof. Eyes on everything. Call out patterns and strays.” Then to Iron Man. “Stark, you got the perimeter. Anything gets more than three blocks out, you turn it back or you turn it to ash.”

A moment later Stark and Barton soared up into the sky, and Cap turned to a man in a flowing cape holding a large hammer. 

“Thor, you gotta try and bottleneck that portal. Slow them down. You got the lightning. Light the bastards up.”

The man called Thor followed in the same fashion as Barton and Stark, and Cap turned to a woman with bright red hair. 

“You and me, we stay here on the ground. We keep the fighting here. And Hulk?”

The giant green man turned toward him with a snarl. 

“Smash.”

And finally off the last team member went, a deafening roar echoing down the street as he threw aliens left and right. 

“That’s… all well and good,” Steven said.

“But?” Jake asked. 

“Well he never told anyone what to do about Loki, or the portal, did he? What’s the use of fighting the aliens if more of them are just going to keep coming through that rip in the sky?” Steven said. 

Once again, Marc had to admit he had a point. Even as he looked up now he could see more and more aliens pouring through the hole, like blood from a fresh wound. Two more of the Leviathans had swam through the sky now, and he was sure that given enough time, there would be far more than that soon. 

“Looks like we’ve figured out what we’re doing,” Marc said, and Steven let the Mr. Knight mask form around their face again. 

“Be wary, now,” Khonshu warned as Steven popped the cap off the end of his truncheon, revealing the grappling hook inside. “Loki is no easy opponent. He is not a god that will show mercy to a mortal. Do not let your guard down.”

“Believe it or not, I’ve met an arsehole god before,” Steven muttered. “I see one every night.”

Steven pointed his truncheon at a building and launched up into the sky before Khonshu could respond. Still, Marc found he didn’t mind it. Old bird needed to be taken down a peg, as Steven always said. 

“Alright you bastard, where the hell are you?” Marc said, shifting suits to use his glider, and scanning the air for any trace of golden horns. Light flashed on the edge of his vision and he turned to see that Thor was completing his task, throwing long bolts of lightning at the portal. And heading straight for him was a blur of green and gold. “There you are. Steven, since you’re apparently the alien-fighting-expert, how do you want to hit him?”

Steven formed a silent plan, relaying it to Marc and Jake in their mind. 

“Jesus, Steven, and you tell me I’m gonna get us killed,” Marc muttered. “This shit better work.”

Marc glided over Stark Tower and began a slow spiral down, circling the portal beam and keeping an eye on Loki, who was getting closer and closer to Thor, and consequently, closer to Stark Tower. 

“You can’t miss this shot, Steven,” Jake said. “Me and Marc can get us into position but if you--”

“He can do it, Jake. Let him concentrate,” Marc said. He could feel Steven thinking hard, and his eyes were starting to hurt from how hard they were staring at the green and gold blur that was Loki. 

Almost…

They could see Loki’s face now. 

Almost…

His lips were pulled into a snarl, strikingly blue eyes seeming to glow against his pale skin. 

Almost…

He swerved by the tower just as they circled towards him. 

“NOW!” Steven shouted. He shifted into his Mr. Knight suit and pointed the end of his truncheon at Loki’s back. The grappling hook shot out as they began to fall, and dug deep into Asgardian armor and cloth. Steven pulled hard, turning over in the air as he yanked Loki off of his Chitauri craft. Loki cried out in surprise as Steven grabbed him by his chestplate and slammed his back into the roof of Stark Tower, landing on top of the god with a snarl. 

“Gotcha.”

Loki stared at them for a moment, his helmet having fallen off and his hair swaying from the portal’s energy beside them, before his bright blue eyes flicked up to the crescent on Steven’s mask. 

“Ah,” he breathed, his lips turning up unto a grin. “Khonshu. I take it this is your latest ‘Fist of Vengeance’?”

“Loki, you must cease this foolishness at once!” Khonshu said, appearing at their side. “Your reckless actions will send this entire planet into disarray!”

“You say that like it’s such a bad thing,” Loki said, and for the first time, it seemed someone other than the moon system could see the giant god standing next to them. Loki tilted his head in mock confusion and tapped his chin. “Yet I seem to remember that you’ve always liked a bit of discord. What was it that you always used to say?”

Loki suddenly yanked Steven forward and whispered in his ear. 

“Ah yes. Embrace the chaos!”

And before they could react Loki kicked them off, sending Steven scrambling to regain his footing, but it was too late. Loki was already on his feet, a large golden scepter materializing in his hand. 

He touched the point to their heart, and a haze of blue filled their vision.

~~~

“Hello, and welcome to Staying Awake.”

What? What is the meaning of this?

“Meet my friend, Jake Lockley.”

Is this who you are?

“It’s Steven, actually, I am… Steven.”

No, no that doesn’t make sense.

Tick tock, Marc Spector. Tick, tock.

Marc Spector?

I serve Khonshu. I’m his avatar. Which means you are too.

No, no this isn’t what’s supposed to happen. 

Surrender the body to Marc. 

No, NO! He is mine now! He’s supposed to stand down, supposed to kneel to ME!

Do you want to know the truth?

Why am I here? Where am I? I’m not supposed to be here, this isn’t how it works.

There’s chaos in you. 

I am chaos.

Your mind, I can feel it. 

No, no I forbid it. 

Fractured. 

Stop--

Broken.

No, no it’s not, I am a King, I’m--

What a waste. 

…Father?

You were always jealous of him. 

What? Of Thor? What is happening?

Ever since he was born. 

Because YOU favored him! Always, since we were children!

I should’ve known you’d do something like this. 

Of course you think I did this because of him, because it’s always about him! It’s always your precious Thor!

You’re about to lose everything. 

I never had it.

Do you understand?

No, no this is all wrong, none of this makes sense. Who are you?

You want to remember the truth?

That I had a father that ignored me? That hated me?

That made your life a living hell?

You’re just trying to upset me.

You’re gonna learn to listen.

Stop it. 

Why do you have to make me do this?

Stop, stop this, father, please--

You disgusting human.

STOP, STOP THIS PLEASE!

It’s maddening, isn’t it?

Who are you?!

The voice in your head. 

His voice in my head. 

Relentless, forever unsatisfied. 

He could never have a Frost Giant sitting on the throne of Asgard.

No matter how hard you try to please…

Am I just the monster parents tell their children about at night?

…it devours you, until there’s nothing left but a hollow shell.

…I am going to die here, aren’t I?

You’re not gonna die. 

What?

Let me save us.  

…Alright.

~~~

Coming out of the hazy blue felt like finally taking a breath after too long underwater. The world was too bright, too colorful for their eyes now, it made Marc want to squeeze his eyes shut and put his head between his knees. All the sounds of the world were muffled and loud at the same time, ringing in their ears and hammering at the inside of their skull, but completely unintelligible. 

“…up! Get…!” Khonshu’s cold voice said somewhere between a mile away and right in their ear. 

“Fuck off,” Jake groaned. 

“What is…? No, no I didn’t want this.” Marc forced his eyes to stay open as he looked up at Loki, who was staggering to his feet and staring at the city around him, scepter forgotten on the ground. 

“Loki?” Marc said, slowly standing up. Loki whirled around, but looking at his face now, Marc could swear this was a different man than the one they’d been fighting.

There was a horrified and confused expression on Loki’s face, all malice and confidence wiped away. His hands were shaking and there was a fine sheen of sweat on his face, as if he were sick. 

But the biggest difference was his eyes.  

Not only had they lost their reckless courage, but they were no longer a bright, icy blue. They were green, soft and playful even as confusion and fear overpowered them. 

This wasn’t the man they fought, but it was the man in the blue haze of their mind just moments ago. 

“W-Who are you?!” Loki shouted over the roar of the portal. His hands gripped the railing on the roof so hard his pale knuckles somehow grew whiter. “You’re not the man I fought!”

“Listen, I know you’re confused, but we don’t have time for that right now!” Marc said. He pointed to the machine creating the portal and the glowing blue cube inside it. “Tell me how to shut down this portal!”

Loki looked at the machine, then up at the portal in the sky, and shook his head. 

“We can’t shut it down now, the Chitauri will still be headed for Midgard even without a portal to aid them. It will only delay the inevitable--we need to destroy their ship!”

“How the hell are we supposed to do that!?”

Loki looked apprehensively at the scepter still laying at their feet. Marc sighed and picked it up, handing it over to him. He didn’t much like the idea of handing over the weapon that just threw his brain into the blender, but it’s not like he knew how to use it either. 

Loki took it with an acknowledging nod, then stepped next to the machine so the portal was directly overhead. Within a moment the scepter started to make a loud whirring sound, its gem glowing brighter and brighter every second.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to destroy the ship and close the portal!” Loki shouted, his teeth gritted and straining from the power of the scepter. “So once I destroy the ship, you need to take the scepter and plunge it into the heart of this machine! Do it before the blast makes it to the portal!”

He gasped and stumbled as the gem’s power grew, and Marc caught him by the shoulders, barely keeping him from hitting the ground. The gem was starting to glow yellow in its core now, like a fire swallowed by cold ice. 

“That will close the portal?!” Marc said. 

“Yes!” Loki barely got the word out before he hissed in pain again, but his eyes were full of determination, and he straightened up again, standing on his own two feet without Marc’s help. 

Loki roared as a bright beam of yellow light burst from the scepter’s gem, shooting up into the sky and through the portal, and he held it long enough for an explosion of fire and light to be seen from below. 

Around them Marc saw aliens begin to fall, dropping from buildings and their crafts crashing to the ground. Without their ship to lead them, the hivemind army fell from the sky. The Chitauri were dead. 

Loki had saved the world.

Loki himself went limp a moment later, dropping the scepter and leaving Marc to catch him before he fell. He was pale, but his chest still rose and fell with labored breaths. 

Alive, but spent. 

Marc quickly laid him down and took up the scepter, not even checking to see if debris from the Chitauri ship had begun to fall. He plunged it right into the crown of the portal, below the glowing cube, struggling against its power. After a few, agonizing moments, the end of the scepter finally reached the heart and the machine shut down with a creaking moan. 

The portal closed, and the sky was clear, as if nothing had ever been there in the first place.

Marc dropped the scepter and leaned on his knees, gasping for breath and squeezing his eyes shut at the headache forming behind his eyes. 

“Thank you.”

Marc opened his eyes to see Loki standing again. Leaning heavily against the railing of the roof, but still standing.

“I’m uh… I’m Marc,” Marc said, straightening up. “Or Moon Knight. But I guess you’ve already heard my real name so it’s not worth keeping secret anymore.” He let his mask and hood fall away so Loki could see their face. “This isn’t going to make a lot of sense, but I kind of… share a body with the guy you fought.”

Steven returned to the front, and with him his Mr. Knight suit. Recognition dawned on Loki’s face as Steven gave him a wave. 

“Hiya,” he said. “I’m Steven, or Mr. Knight. We also have a third here.”

Jake fronted along with his black suit. 

“Hola,” he said. “Just call me Jake. I don’t have a fancy name like the other two.”

Loki didn’t seem to have it in him to answer. He gave a minute nod and ran a shaky hand through his hair, his eyes flicking back to the city ruins below them. 

“I…I don’t understand,” Loki said, apparently talking more to himself than to anyone else. “Why did I do this? I never wanted to hurt--I never wanted to do any of this.”

“I believe I may have an explanation,” Khonshu said suddenly, causing both men to jump. He pointed his staff in the direction of Loki’s fallen scepter. “That staff holds an incredibly powerful gem, it’s magic unlike any other in this universe.”

“The Mind Stone,” Loki said softly. 

“Yes,” Khonshu replied. “However, it has been altered. That blue gem is not its natural state, and I believe it was corrupting you, Loki. The longer you wielded that staff, the more it infected your mind, filling it with desires that were not your own.”

“He… He tricked me,” Loki said. His green eyes started to fill with tears as he gazed down at the desolation around them. “It was all a lie.” 

He slumped down, sitting with his back to the railing, and put his head in his trembling hands. 

Jake stepped forward and sat down next to Loki with a sigh. 

“You alright?” he asked. Loki gave a mirthless laugh and wiped his eyes. 

“I have a migraine,” he muttered. 

“Yeah, we’re gettin’ one too,” Jake said, rubbing their head. “That gem thing really scrambles your mind, huh?”

“It’s supposed to,” Loki said. “But I think with the condition of your mind, it didn’t work properly. You were supposed to be hypnotized, made to follow my command. But with so many of you sharing one heart, it couldn’t choose just one to control. So it grabbed a bit of everybody. Including me, apparently.”

“Huh,” Jake said. “Guess so. I dunno anything ‘bout this magic stuff. That’s more Steven’s thing.”

“Ah.” Loki looked up at them with a calculating stare, scanning over their face as if looking for the other two alters hidden behind Jake’s eyes. “Are you cursed?”

Jake barked a laugh that made Loki start, but soon he too grinned and chuckled at his own words. 

“Sorry, that may have been a bit forward,” Loki said. 

“No, it’s a fair question, what with all the magic and weird shit happening all the time,” Jake said. “But no, we’re not. Sometimes it feels like we are, but we’ve learned to work together, so it’s not as bad as it used to be.”

Loki nodded and laced his fingers together, looking at them thoughtfully. 

“That… wasn’t my father I was speaking to in your mind, was it?” he said. 

Jake stiffened, and Steven took over the front, gasping a little at the stab of pain in their head as they made the switch. Loki looked up at them in concern, but Steven waved him off. 

“It’s alright,” he said. “Jake just doesn’t like to talk about those things. And no, it wasn’t. It was kind of a lot of people really. Those were our memories.”

“Your memories? Even the--” Loki cut off, unwilling to repeat the words he’d heard in their mind. But Steven didn’t need him to. 

“The ‘disgusting human’ bit?” Steven said, offering a sad smile. Loki nodded. “Yeah. That would be our dear old mum.”

Loki didn’t answer to this, only looking back down at his laced fingers with a sorrowful gaze. 

“So erm,” Steven went on, “Would I be right in saying you probably didn’t exactly have the best father ever?”

Loki scoffed and his jaw tightened. 

“Not according to the whole kingdom,” he muttered. “If we asked them, they’d say he was the greatest man to ever exist, a hero to all the realms, and any son of his should be proud to call him ‘father’.”

“Oh,” Steven said. “And if we asked you?”

“I’d say that I wonder how much happier I would’ve been if I wasn’t stolen from the world of my birth, and had grown up with a father who actually loved me.”

Loki sighed and more tears sprang to his eyes as he returned his gaze to the city. 

“But I can’t even begin to imagine that,” he said softly. “My father… he’s part of me. He shaped me to be king, a ruler. He taught me to constantly strive for his approval, but he held it just out of reach. He’s part of who I am, and I who I am is a monster.”

He turned and looked into Steven’s eyes. 

“How can I ever be anything more than what I was made to be?”

Steven looked at him for a moment before looking down at their suit. 

“I think you should take this one Marc.”

Marc obliged, and shifted to the front, the Mr. Knight suit fading away to form his Moon Knight suit. 

He looked back up at Loki, and put his hand on his shoulder. 

“Time,” he said simply. “Time and a little help.”

“That’s it?” Loki said, raising an eyebrow. 

“Easier said than done,” Marc said. “I know how you feel right now. It’s how I felt a few months ago, before I moved here. 

“I’ve hurt a lot of people in my life. I grew up with a mother like your father. A mother that hated me, that made my life a living hell, that convinced me all I could ever be was someone that hurt people. So that’s what I did, for a real long time. And even when I tried to stop, I still hurt people. I hurt my friends. I hurt my wife. I hurt the people that lived in my own mind. But worst of all, I hurt myself. 

“I hurt myself by believing what my mother told me. By thinking that all I could ever be was a killer, and a monster. By believing that every bad thing I ever did and every bad thing that ever happened to me was an inevitable consequence of being born. 

“I hurt myself by believing that all I could be was what my mother told me I was. A disgusting human. A killer. A monster.”

Loki looked up into his eyes at the last word, and Marc hoped the expression on his face mirrored the empathy he felt. 

“After I let people in though, I started to get better,” he said. “I let Steven help me. I let my wife take care of me. I let Jake protect me. I let myself find love and family again. It was hard, and it hurt like hell, and it felt so fucking wrong the whole time, but in the end I am so much happier than I’ve ever been in my life.

“And yeah, sometimes I still believe what my mom told me. I still believe I’m a monster, that I’m a killer, that I’m a disgusting human who’s unworthy of the love my family has for me. But I’ve learned that when I feel that way, I don’t have to run away and save myself from pain anymore. I can go to the people I love, and let them love me back.”

Marc glanced down at the movement in the corner of his eye, and smiled when he saw Thor walking on the balcony of Stark Tower just a few feet below them. He was pacing around, looking in each broken window and tapping his hammer nervously with his fingers. 

“And it looks like someone who loves you is looking for you right now,” Marc said.

Loki looked down and gazed at Thor, a wishful and scared glint in the green of his eyes. 

“What if--”

“You’ll never know until you try,” Marc said. Loki pressed his lips together and nodded. 

“Thank you,” he whispered. 

“Anytime.”

Together they climbed down the tower and dropped onto the balcony, and Marc let the mask and hood form over their face again before Thor saw them. 

But he didn’t need to, because the only person Thor seemed to see was his brother. He didn’t hesitate for even a second before dropping his hammer and running to Loki, throwing strong arms around his brother and holding him tight. 

Marc smiled at them, before leaping off the tower and spreading his cape, gliding back down to the streets of New York City. 

Thank you so much for reading! Let me know what you thought of this story, I'd love to hear your opinions!

[warsofasoiaf]

Could you do a character analysis for Starscourge Radahn, like you did for Godrick the Grafted?

I've mentioned this before, Starscourge Radahn is my favorite boss fight in Elden Ring. It changes the formula significantly by making summoning a key part of the gameplay, and the lore fits in with it well, the Radahn Festival encourages participation of the greatest warriors of the Lands Between. Radahn serves as an excellent way to make a midpoint transition into a game. You have the convergence of multiple NPC's that the player will know and perhaps even be friendly with, like Alexander the Warrior Jar and Blaidd Half-Wolf, and kick off more questlines like introducing Jerren who would later show up during the Sellen questline, or Finger Maiden Therolina who was turned into a puppet by Seluvis. When you complete the quest, you are treated to a sky of shimmering comets, and a new area opens up in dramatically impressive fashion.

Radahn starts off the son of Radagon and Rennala, and so technically was only adopted by Marika. On the other hand, the dual nature of Radagon makes this tricky as to whether these three are biological children of Marika. While I'll save the big speculation for an actual analysis on Marika and/or Radagon, it's likely that the godly seed and power that created the demigods was present in Radagon's children with Rennala, so Radahn, Rykard, and Ranni were as much inheritors of Marika as was her children with Godfrey and her later union with Radagon that birthed Malenia and Miquella. Exactly how much of this Radahn knew is unclear, but we do know that Radahn was proud of both his father Radagon (naming his army the Redmane after the proud Red Lion and identifying Radagon's red hair as possessing "heroic implication") and Godfrey, the Lord of the Battlefield, who Radahn was said to be "captivated by." For a warrior, this was a mighty legacy to live up. Godfrey conquered the Giants and slew the Storm Lord in single combat, and Radagon subjugated the giants and brought Caria into the Golden Order through marriage. By the time Radahn was a man, there were no more enemies left in the Lands Between to earn a conquest worthy to live up to his father's. And so Radahn looked upwards to find a new foe.

When Radahn was young, he sought out an Alabaster Lord, a creature fallen from the heavens into the Lands Between. This setting actually deals a lot with space and celestial phenomena. The Erdtree itself came from space, a star with a beast that would later become the Elden Ring. You deal with bosses called the Fallingstar Beasts, which look like they may either grow into or be a member of the same species as Astel, Naturalborn of the Void. The Alabaster (and Onyx) Lords were said to have been "risen to life when a meteor struck long ago," so they are either another creature from the stars that came to the Lands Between in a meteor or alternatively were creatures brought to life by the magic of the meteors themselves, this purple gravity magic. Radahn took tutelage from this ancient creature with skin of stone so that he might conquer the stars, in what was called "the Starscourge Conflict." Using the power of gravity magic, Radahn arrested their movement to the Lands Between, halting those whose destiny was in the stars (like Lunar Witch Ranni) and stopping the meteorite impacts. The linking of these two is fascinating, if these meteorite impacts are destiny or if these are the tools of an Outer God perhaps like the Dark Moon of Nokstella (perhaps Astel was a summoning gone wrong or proved to be out of control). There was a second reason that Radahn learned gravity magic. As Radahn aged and gained more power, he grew in size, until he was too massive to ride his horse Leonard, allowing him to reduce his weight and allow Leonard to carry him into battle. Why Radahn is so massive compared to his siblings is not expressly stated. Given that Radagon is hinted to have had giant heritage, this could be an expression of that. Rykard and Ranni are difficult to compare, since Rykard is a giant snake and Ranni is now a doll, but at the very least Rykard's throne is pretty big like Radahn's. I've also seen it speculated that Radahn's immense size could have also been him engaging in dragon communion. We never see him use any dragon communion magic but he's definitely in a weakened state when we see him so he might just not remember enough to use it, or perhaps he's using his dragonflames internally to stave off the Scarlet Rot, but that's just idle speculation

Afterwards, we know that Radahn became the Red Lion General, though this is where knowing some history helps enhance your understanding of the setting. In the original Japanese, Radahn is entitled "Shogun," which is a name with far more connotations than a simple general. A shogun was in many ways a military dictator during Japan's feudal era. Given that Radahn seemed to have Caelid as his fief in the pre-Shattering times, Radahn was probably the commander of the Golden Order's armies and had his own personal army in Caelid. That they use the term "shogun" instead of the more generic lord common to western feudalism, coupled with Morgott's introductory fight cutscene where he sees the demigod thrones, each member likely had some special duty. During the Shattering, the opening cutscene shows Morgott grappling with Radahn, suggested that at some point, the Redmanes attempted to seize Leyendell from Morgott. Given that Radahn didn't become Elden Lord, he probably was unable to breach the walls, and so returned to Caelid to plan his next move. Interestingly, unlike most of the other demigods, Radahn doesn't appear to express a vision for the future. Miquella has his Haligtree, borne out of the failure of the Golden Order to rid Malenia of her Scarlet Rot. Mohg wishes to establish a new dynasty under the Formless Mother, the new patron of a new order. Radahn's ideas likely are much closer to the Golden Order and the Greater Will, eliminating the influence of the Outer Gods as we see when he conquers the stars. So it's possible that rather than expressing a different vision, Radahn represented becoming a new Elden Lord of the same vision, the same Golden Order. However, Radahn doesn't seem to express much in the way of piety the way Morgott internalizes the strictures of the Order (even the part where he, as an Omen, is a lesser being), so Radahn seems to be inherently more secular, wishing to be the warlord that Godfrey and Radagon were.

We don't know what happened in the rest of the Shattering from Radahn's perspective, all we know is the final battle, where Malenia with her Cleanrot Knights faced off against Radahn and his Redmanes, a conflict powerful and stalemated, one that you see still played out among the ghosts of the War-Dead Catacombs. Eventually, the opening cutscene plays out. Radahn permits Malenia to reattach her prosthesis, Malenia permits Radahn to summon his gravity magics, suggesting that this was a honorable duel between equals (perhaps a combat by champion to break the stalemate). The Battle of Aeonia ends with devastation - Malenia unleashed the great bloom of the Scarlet Rot, blighting Caelid. Radahn, at ground zero, was the most effected, and anyone weaker likely would have died. Yet Radahn, mighty and enhanced with his own shard of the Elden Ring, did not die. His Elden Ring shard went alight, burning to stop the rot, and it left him rot-crazed but still alive as his body was either burned to stop the rot or eaten by the slow progression of the disease. Malenia too, was not spared, unconscious and only spared by Cleanrot Knight Finlay to make the long trek back to the Haligtree. Why Malenia and Radahn fought is a mystery. The simplest explanation is that Malenia and Radahn were the last two players, with Godrick having been beaten by Malenia and Rykard beaten by Morgott in his bloody campaign. The winner of that conflict would challenge Morgott for the Elden Throne. However, Radahn's battleground is also directly over Mogh's Palace of Blood, it's possible that Malenia was searching for Miquella, and Radahn interpreted it as a move to attack his army and seize control of his shard. Whatever the reason, Caelid was destroyed, infested with Scarlet Rot and dinosaur dogs, while Malenia recovered at the base of the Haligtree, blighting the roots after she could no longer control the Rot.

I've mentioned before that FromSoft uses movesets to help sell a character's personality given how little it focuses on direct lore exposition. Radahn, as befits his status as a rot-crazed beast of war, is aggressive in a way that few other bosses ever are, aggressively firing arrows the size of tree trunks accelerated with gravity magic at you the second the game starts. He towers over the player, he swings his swords in wide arcs that can cut through several people at once (clever given how many you can summon to the party, a useful way to increase his lethality to those who go the summoning route while maintaining his danger to those who fight solo). He rockets across the arena on his lovable steed Leonard, wheeling around and performing what are essentially horseback handbrake turns. The moment is one of FromSoft's funniest visual gags this side of Alexander, the gigantic Radahn riding the tiny horse as a fun visual dichotomy. However, it's not just funny and sweet, it's also tragic. It's a little heartwarming that Radahn, the great and mighty warrior who conquered the stars, loves his little horsey so much that he mastered a school of magic just so he could continue to ride him. However, now his loving horse shares in the misery that is his existence, his flesh rotted and his muscles barely capable of pulling the withered husk that he now is along. Radahn's few greater thoughts are about Leonard, he pushes his horse into the dirt before he attacks. He'll consume the flesh of the fallen like an animal, but he still thinks of his horse with the few bits of higher thought functions he has left. Radahn is dying, and at the end of the day, more than the being the son of Radagon and Rennala, more than being the Conqueror of the Stars, Radahn is just a man utterly devoted to his horse.

All of that helps sell the setting. As evidenced by the previous paragraphs, Radahn is one of the most prominent of the demigods, capable of going toe-to-toe with Malenia and one who earned his reputation as a fearsome tactician, warrior, and wizard. That isn't "mid-game" boss material, he's got the chops to be an end-game boss. Yet the ravages of the Scarlet Rot bring him down in strength and menace. This isn't the Starscourge Shogun, this isn't the mighty leader of the Redmanes, this is a man that has been so blighted by Scarlet Rot that his feet have been worn down to nubs. This is a man who by all accounts should already be dead, yet his Great Rune keeps him alive, burning him eternally to stave off the rot from consuming him entirely. So, while it's a fun fight, there's a tragic note to it - this isn't a worthy battle between equals the way the Malenia/Radahn fight was in the opening trailer. This is a mercy killing of a man who died long ago. The falling stars are tears, marking the end of a man who spent this last stage of life in a living hell.

Thanks for the question, George.

SomethingLikeALawyer, Hand of the King

[rhysand-vs-fenrys]

Okay, I watched Love and Redemption like you recommended, but... I don't understand the relationship between Sifeng and Xuanji? The current one where they love each other, sure, but like all the history really confused me? Help?

Okay, I haven't seen the show in like a year, but I'm going to try to remember/summarize!

So, Sifeng's true identity is the son of the Emperor of Heaven. With these xianxia type shows (fantasy), the general rule seems to be the offspring of powerful gods has an animal form until it learns to take human form by gathering power to it until it is Divine. Sifeng's form was a phoenix (always indicative of royalty).

After Xuanji's soul was ripped in two, creating the imprisoned Star of Mosha and the Goddess of War, Sifeng the Bird fell in love with her and would frequently fly by her. Bit by bit, he cultivated a human form so that he could speak to her.

But by then the Goddess of War realized who she was- and that she had been forced to commit genocide against her own people. She goes insane and has to be subdued by the King of Heaven (Who is NOT Sifeng's father, kind of more like a steward?)

To control Xuanji, the King of Heaven (who had also fallen in love with her) forced her to go through 10 incarnations as a mortal, with some of her hate bleeding off each lifetime.

Sifeng threw himself into the catalyst as well, binding his soul to hers through the reincarnations.

For 9 lifetimes, Xuanji is filled with hate and malice at the world around her. And in critical moments in those lives, Sifeng appears before her as a savoir of sorts to grant her vengeance and hatred an outlet.

And in each life, she betrays him in some way to his painful death.

With every life, Xuanji's hatred diminished just a bit.

But he has shown her unconditional love and support for 9 lifetimes, and gotten nothing in return. So while Sifeng still loves Xuanji with his very soul, some lingering pain has built more and more.

So when he finds the mirror that helps them both remember the past lives, it breaks Sifeng. All of that unfairness and sorrow has accumulated to the point where he cannot stand his own love for Xuanji.

In this 10th life, after he finds out their past, it doesn't matter that Xuanji is innocent and loving. He's still giving too much of himself for her without understanding how she feels in return. And she acknowledges this- this is a known problem that she is doing her best to try and figure out.

So after their massive fight, Xuanji hunts down Sifeng and takes care of him as he is dying. It finally cracks the ice that formed in his heart that 9 lifetimes of one-sided-love put there.

In the final battle with the King of Heaven and Star of Mosha, the Star of Mosha (remember, the darkest half of Xuanji's soul from before) is overwhelmed by Xuanji's love for Sifeng. So the Star of Mosha destroys himself in order to save Xuanji's love, as it has become his love too.

For 9 lifetimes, Sifeng has died for his love of Xuanji; with the Star of Mosha's gesture, in this 10th lifetime a piece of her has died to save him instead.

So the Goddess of War and the son of the Emperor of Heaven will live out the rest of this 10th lifetime, finishing the punishment of Heaven, and earning a future of simple, honest, uncomplicated love.

And many fat babies.

And then the extra little special thing they aired because of the popularity of the series, you see Sifeng and Xuanji cross paths again in their 11th mortal lifetime (modern day) and it implies that they still remember the last 10 lives and still are deeply connected as he recognizes his name from the 10th lifetime immediately.

[betsgreys]

Bayonetta tattoo

Eventually defeating the modern-day Loptr, who recreated himself to be Aesir, their hard-earned victory though at a cost: due to the evil nature of Loptr, this caused Balder to become evil from his influence and was transported back into the past to a time after the battle in Vigrid. Reliving a similar moment of Rosa dying by Loptr, Balder learns of the deception created by Loptr and travels to the future and teams up with Bayonetta to defeat Loptr in the modern time frame. Aimed to kill Loki, the surviving witch Bayonetta battles the Laguna, Loptr, and eventually Balder until both of them are thrust into the same time frame. Simultaneously, a temporal event ensured in which Balder of the past traveled to the future due to Loptr and framed his good half, Loki, for killing the Umbra Witch, Rosa. Not wanting the Left Eye of Darkness to fall into the angels and Balder's hands, she seals away Bayonetta in a gem and hides her body in a casket under a lake. During the battle in Vigrid, witches Bayonetta and Jeanne are surrounded by humans and angelic beings alike converging onto them. Ī massive attack was launched by both angels and humans alike, resulting in massive extermination of Umbra Witches. While the residents of Paradiso yearn to awake Jubileus using the Eyes of the World, Loptr meant to use the force and remake himself into Aesir. As a result, they also manipulated the sole surviving member of the Lumen Sages, Balder, into helping them start what would be known as ' Witch Hunts' under the presumption of stopping a rebellion plotted by the Umbra Witches. Witch HuntsĪfter the Clan Wars, both Loptr and the Laguna launched another offensive campaign with the task of eliminating the weak Umbra Witches by rallying the human population into fear of the Witches' dark powers. Years after, the witches emerged victoriously. ĭespite the sages' best efforts with the help of the heavens themselves, the Witches' efficiency in assassination and the use of the dark arts assured their upper hand. Unknown to both forces, the conflict was also further instigated by Loptr, the evil half of the God of Chaos who sought the Eyes of the World. This broke the delicate balance between the two clans and sent them down a path of conflict, eventually sparking the Clan Wars by plunging all of Europe into a chaotic loop of battle, ambush, assassination, and casualty. This violated an age-old tenet that stated that " The intersection of light and dark would bring calamity to this earth". Clan Warsįive hundred years ago before the modern-day, a Sage named Balder and a Witch named Rosa fell in love and conceived Cereza. However, proving to be too powerful to be easily controlled, the Umbra and Lumen sealed it away in a different dimension. Taking inspiration from Aesir's Golems, the Umbra and Lumen built their own variant of the occult device. Īt some point in time, both the Umbra and the Lumen came together in an effort to come up with measures to protect their homeland from invasion. Throughout their existence prior to the Clan War and Witch Hunts, the Umbra Witches (and the Lumen Sages) were a feared clan, so much so that even other emperors and kings feared their power and made way for historical changes (though the exact changes remain unknown). The Umbra Witches became one-half of the two clans who worked hard to maintain the balance of the world's light and dark forces in order to ensure the just passage of time. Pitying humans for their naivety, the god is known as Aesir would bestow one of the Eyes of the World to the clan that would become known as the Umbra Witches, granting them the " Left Eye of Darkness" while their counterpart, the Lumen Sages, were granted the Right Eye of Light. 4.2 Mentioned Witches in Costume Descriptions.4.1 Mentioned Witches in Accessory Descriptions.

[poptod]

Pull the Stars Out of the Sky (And Gift Them to Me), pt. 10, (Ahkmenrah x Reader)

Description: Relief.

Notes: now ive said this before, but i need to say it again and add on to it. This chapter will NOT make much sense if you do not read Mahjur's story, None Like You. The experience of reading this chapter will also be enhanced if you read Piye's story, Miscreation, but it's not as necessary as Mahjur's story. theyre also long as fuck so heres the important stuff: Piye was born blind and went on a mission when they were about 14 in which they grew their dark skin, massive height, and white hair, and gained some of the sight they'd lost. Mahjur gave up everything to be with Ahk. in the end, Ma'at (Goddess of Truth and Order) forced them apart in the name of the 'holy law'. Ma'at did this because mahjur, as a god, was not supposed to be interfering with the lives of people.

WC: 6.4k

+

Throughout the entirety of your two-day journey, you never left the canoe, leaving your muscles cramped, and strained, and restless. Still, you supposed you were in a better state than Piye, who had yet to sleep or rest from their rowing. On the other hand, Ahk was fine. At one point you asked him if he was worried about the coming events, but he told you that he wouldn't stress until it happened, and continued to swim beside the canoe without a care.

How you wished to have his capability to simply not think about things.

As you passed by Thebes in broad daylight, you looked far across the river from the western bank, searching for the falcon soldiers. Like Aswan, most of what you saw looked vacant or abandoned. Despite that you continued to stare, watching civilization pass by slowly, till city walls faded away to the flush green of the Nile.

"When will we get there?" Ahk moaned, his neck on the edge of the canoe, allowing him to dip his head upside-down, the crown of his hair soaking in water.

"Shut up," Piye said. The Pharaoh obeyed, although begrudgingly.

Night came and went in the blink of a sleep-heavy eye, passing into the dark early morning. Birds had yet to stir, leaving you in the eerie silence––the quiet before the battle. The only to feel such stress appeared to be you and Piye. Ahk slept on as usual, and the rest of the world remained ignorant to your journey.

"How did you meet Ahk?" You asked, desperate for someone elses' voice rather than the one in your head.

"My father was employed by his father, the Pharaoh of the time. I was... nine, maybe?" They said, taking a moment to remember. "Why do you ask?"

"You seem very close."

"I suppose we are." They paused. "He was a great comfort to me when my father died. And other... such things."

"He seems to have a habit of winning people over," you noted quietly.

"Yes, well... he has a certain charm."

As the sun's light began to crest the horizon, Memphis appeared in the distance, and Piye pulled the canoe to a stop on the western shore. Ahead of you lay the city you had so eagerly fled, the silent white walls foreboding in the worst of ways. You were certain the city would be flooded with falcon soldiers, as well as people who had heard of Ahk's treason, and who had decided Gyasi would be a better ruler. There would be few friends in those walls. Those of standing who had openly expressed their support of the Pharaoh Ahkmenrah had been banished.

Once the boat hit the riverbanks, Piye jumped out of it and pulled it the rest of the way onto solid ground. From there they donned a head covering, and shook the water out of their sandals, before helping you out as well onto dry land. No words were exchanged as you fully dressed yourself as well, sheathing knives you had been toying with.

You stepped to the side, tapping Ahk's head and laughing when it lolled to the side. It took a few more pokes before he truly stirred, moaning about a poor night's sleep, before he noticed you above him.

"When are we gonna be there?"

"We're here," Piye said flatly.

"We are?!" Ahk jumped to his feet, nearly falling over in the canoe. "How's the city look? Is it burned?"

"Look for yourself," you said, manually moving his chin to face the city behind him.

"Beautiful as the day I left," he said, seemingly satisfied. "So what are we doing?"

"Following a Goddesses' orders," Piye said as they finished pinning their head covering.

Ahk haphazardly dressed himself, but refused to wear a head covering. Piye explained thoroughly how screwed the three of you would be if Ahk was instantly recognized, and though the Pharaoh argued back for a little while, he was eventually won over. With that decided, the three of you abandoned the canoe and made way for Memphis.

The flush bushes and trees lining the river soon disappeared into empty sand, the land having been cleared for the construction of the great city. From where you now stood you could see guards inside the entrance of the massive walls. Your heart thrummed in your chest, crashing against its' own strings, sending your thoughts into a flurry. Disappearing was your act––returning was not. Facing the consequences of your actions was something you rarely did, since you weren't locked down anywhere, and didn't require anything from anyone but yourself. Now, you had a self-appointed duty––keep your friends safe. After the many years of your travels, you finally had something to lose.

And the thought of that terrified you.

"We aren't using the front entrance, are we?" You murmured, mostly to Piye.

"Of course not. Have you ever scaled a wall?"

"Well... once when I was trying to escape Ahk," you said reluctantly.

"Oh, I remember that," Ahk said with recognition in his eyes. "Then I tied you to the bed."

"Yeah, and then I cried."

"You two are.. I don't even know. You're insane," Piye said. "Now stop being insane and help me here."

You had yet to reach the walls of Memphis, so Piye stopping halfway there confused you for a moment.

"What are we doing?"

"I can't throw a grappling hook straight up that far," Piye said, kneeling and digging into their bag, "so we have to set up here."

Before they could find the hook amongst the mass of other tools set carelessly in their bag, they stopped suddenly, raising their head and looking off to the city. It didn't catch your eye at first, but when they didn't move for a good minute, you noticed, as did Ahk.

"Piye?"

They stood suddenly, the tools in their lap clattering to the ground. Long threads of white hair began to rise, floating mid-air as though Piye stood underwater, or stood suspended in nothing.

Your attention alarmingly caught, you circled round them, finding their eyes white and glowing on a face of night-black skin.

"Piye, this is not a good time to have a revelation!" Ahk chided, reaching for their wrist. Before he could do so, Piye flicked his hand away, making him recoil with a pained gasp.

"There is..." their voice spoke in double, in triplicate, echoing in your skull like the resonance of a gong, "... much to do."

You and Ahk looked to each other, both searching for answers that neither of you had. Piye continued their path forward, leaving you and their belongings behind, as they headed in broad daylight towards the city's gates. Without ever having to reach up, their head scarves and chest coverings fell away till all that remained was their skirt.

What the fuck do we do now, came through your head, but you had little time to voice your question before Ahk ran to Piye. You followed, mimicking his actions when he tried to stop Piye or direct them the other way.

"You're going to get us killed!" Ahk scream-whispered, all too aware of the soldiers surrounding the city's entrance. He leant the entirety of his weight on Piye, attempting to pull them back, but they showed no sign of strain.

"It is meant to be," they said in a hush. "It is meant to be."

Their mouth closed but the words remained, whispered over and over again in your ears. Your own breathing had already hastened, fingers tense with your own terror, worsening as you met the eye of one of the guards.

"Ahk, they're looking at us!" You hissed behind Piye's back, still grasping helplessly at Piye's hands to attempt at pulling them back.

Panic stewed in your heart and leaked into your head, leaving you in a daze of confusion, unsure what to do to protect yourself and your friends. The soldiers were now focusing their attention on you, and Piye's eyes were still glowing.

It was then, within full view of the falcon soldiers and about ten feet from the city itself, that the magi released themself of your terrified grips, rising into the morning air. They opened their mouth and out came a voice that did not belong to them, lodged in their throat as they screamed over the rustling of guards and soldiers readying themselves for battle. Bells began to chime in the city, alerting officials and citizens to the threat now floating above the white walls of Memphis.

"If ye are in Heaven or on Earth, I am the Only One in your bodies," Piye spoke, loud enough to be heard throughout the city.

The sheer volume and the vibrations within the earth that followed had you crouching down, and covering your ears with your hands, a position Ahk soon adopted as well. You watched from the corner of your eye as the soldiers fell victim to that same, screeching pain digging into either side of their heads. Swarms of people began to leave the city through the back entrance, trampling over each other like fleeing rats.

"I am the Pure one – I shall not die a second time. I am He Who is Not Known."

Ahk's eyes darted upwards, recognition flooding him.

"They're calling in Amun," he murmured, just loud enough to hear between the pauses of Piye's words.

"Already?!"

"I don't think they can control it," Ahk said, but as Piye continued, he was forced to cover his ears once more, wincing away.

"Your forms, indeed all forms, are my habitation. My moment is within your bodies. I am The Unveiled," Piye said, and suddenly the aura around them stilled, fixed on a glow brighter than the sun.

For a moment all was silent. Then their mouth opened, gaped and unhinged from the skull as they looked to the sky. An ear-splitting note came from them, running through the earth and sky, even through the water that now bubbled on the shore as though heated by fire. Horror filled your chest, spreading quick through your veins till your body trembled and shook.

Light flooded out of their mouth, a great beam of sun cast into the dark morning sky. Their still-glowing eyes now gave their skull a hollowed look, filled with nothing but light, pouring out with the overflow. Such multitudes could not be contained to a mortal body.

"We need to get the hell out of here!" Ahk yelled over the horrifying screeching, attempting to cover his ears best he could while still reaching for you.

Hopeless, you reached out as well, finding his hand in the space between you and grasping it as though he were a ship in a storm. He pulled you along, stumbling on his feet just as you did. The deep hum running through the earth and water had already worsened, till the ground began to crack, the water of the Nile turning into steam at an alarming rate.

You said nothing to each other, but he led you into the city and you followed without question. Every two seconds you cast looks behind your shoulder, watching events carelessly unfold, and stumbling over yourself whenever Ahk increased his speed. Together, you barrelled down the straight pathway to your destination––the gleaming palace.

"Ahk, what are we going to do?" You asked in a shaky voice, burdened by stumbling feet and a racing heart.

"I don't know," he admitted in his own fear-laced tone. "We need to hide you."

"We can't hide forever!" You wrenched yourself out of his grasp, pulling the both of you into a side alley hidden from Piye's––or Amun's––eyes. "That Goddess wants us here for a reason. We have to face him eventually."

"What if they were just dreaming?" He grasped both your upper arms, looking into you with wide, terrified eyes. "What if that Goddess doesn't come? I. Cannot. Lose you."

"It's our only hope. Don't you believe in your own Gods?"

"Not since Amun tried to steal you from me," he said, still searching your face for something he clearly couldn't find.

"That's your fucking friend up there!" You said, pointing behind you to Piye, who was now floating above the city walls, their hair suspended as they continued to bellow with that horrible ringing sound. "I know for a fact Piye would give their life for you and you should do the same."

"I know, I know," he hissed. "But I won't risk you. I have to hide you –"

He reached for you again, but you swatted his hands away.

"I will not be hidden!"

"No, no, no, no, no," he began to murmur, his gaze flickering between you and Piye, far behind you. "No, you must stay away. Far away."

"Ahk, I'm n––"

He tore his sleeve, a habit he had apparently used enough to become good at, and promptly tied it around your mouth. You protested greatly, pushing and shoving and kicking him away. In the end it was that same struggle you never won––your hands were tied behind your back, quite literally, and your legs followed. Even as you writhed and yelled, you could note the tears streaking down his face.

"Don't you do this!" You said through the gag, your words muffled as he threw you over his shoulder.

"I must keep you safe. I cannot fulfill my role if I am worrying about you," he explained in a weak voice.

With that, he hid you away in an underground cellar, locking the door as he left. Try as you might––and you did try, from yelling to thrashing to crying––you couldn't move from your spot, tied to one of the pillars holding up the dirt ceiling.

As much as he promised not to hurt you or bind you in any way, he sure had done it a lot. Tears began to burn your own eyes, and soon they were falling, soaked up by the gag wrapped around your head.

Piye's unholy screeching had yet to stop, even within the earth. The vibrations you'd felt so fiercely were dulled with distance, a fact you were very relieved about, as any risk of cave-in would've held you mortified. It was a small comfort compared to the severity of your situation, but you tried to revel in it nonetheless.

Every now and then you'd thrash in your bonds again, hoping your continuous struggle had done you some sort of good. Each time you were proven wrong, and still you rubbed your ropes against the splintered wood that kept you there, praying the bonds would break.

A soft hum reverberated in the room, and for a moment you were terrified Amun (in Piye's body, of course,) was knocking at the door. But a popping sound marked the end of the tune, making way for a person to appear, their form tall and still nothing more than a white silhouette.

How many god-damned magic people am I going to meet in Egypt? you thought tiredly. Piye was already enough for you, but the bushy, almost circular hair of this person had you convinced it was someone else.

Eyes pulled themselves open. The only trait on the glowing, ethereal form, and you recognized them. The heat on your skin. The crawling unease trickling down your spine. You recalled a night's sleep spent in a restless haze, and it clicked––it had watched you. This had watched you, now reaching forward as though to touch you. Instinctively you flinched away, but you couldn't go anywhere, not bound to the pillar. You tried your best to cringe and strain away. It still touched you, first by its' fingertips, and the burning heat reached down from your forehead down into your sternum.

"Stop!" You cried when the entirety of its' hand spread over your forehead, sending searing pain through your nerves like electricity. With your shout it withdrew, seemingly surprised by your reaction.

"Whhhat iss your naammmee?" It asked in many voices that spoke one after another, stretching the words.

"... Amoke," you said quietly, still pushing yourself against the pillar, but thankful it was no longer hurting you.

Slowly, starting at their crown and spreading down to their feet, their image appeared through the light. Who stood before you was not someone you recognized, but there was something unearthly about them––as their mouth opened, you found long rows of sharp teeth, all ordered as if it were normal to have that many teeth. But they towered above your shrunken form, fiery gold eyes staring down.

"You are... a friend of Ahkmen's?" They breathed out.

"Y - you mean Ahkmenrah?"

"Yes," they said with a relieved sigh, a smile stretching too-wide across their face. You curled further into yourself at the sight of their sharp teeth. "How is he?"

"Fighting Amun, I think," you said, hoping it would help them along.

"Oh, right," they said, jumping back into action.

Circling you, they bent to untie your ropes, grabbing your hand and wrenching open the lock on the door. Without pause they bounded up the steps with you in tow, leading you out of the alley and back onto the main street. By now the sun had risen, now shining bright with its' familiar warmth, circled by a sky of blue.

"Come, we must –"

"Wait, for one second," you said, pulling on your hand to release their hold, but you couldn't shake them off. "Who are you?"

"... my name is Mahjur," they said in a quiet voice. "I don't know if you know of me."

"I've... heard some things," you said vaguely.

"Shall we go now?"

You nodded, and the two of you were off. The main street still led straight from the gates to the palace, Gyasi to your right and Piye to your left. You had no way of knowing which way Ahk had decided to go, but Mahjur seemed to have some idea, as they set off straight away for Piye.

When you reached the city gates, you found the ground ripped into pieces, lightning-like strikes running through the earth. You stumbled over them and jumped, reaching the riverside where Amun had unleashed a special hell of holy wrath. The Nile was still boiling, and the height of the water had gone down drastically already, matched by the haze of fog and steam now hiding Amun, and Piye, from view. Spilt blood soaked your sandals, reaching up to the soles of your feet in a sticky liqueur. Sickness suddenly overtook you, nearly vomitting from the sensation even despite your previous run-ins with blood-soaked limbs, memories of dry blood tainting your tongue.

"Who has brought me to this form?" He asked from Piye's mouth, too deep for them, too roaring and ear-piercing.

"I am," said a woman, and your attention zipped to a figure standing atop the city gates, looking up at Amun. "I came to a magi in a dream and asked them to summon you."

The Goddess.

"Who is that?" You asked Mahjur quietly.

"Ma'at," they answered. "Goddess of order. I asked her to help. Knew she wouldn't stand by if she knew a God was breaking the natural order."

"Can we help her?"

"Yeah. Just need to wait for Ahkmen to get back from the palace," they said, looking back over their shoulder towards the shining palace in the distance. "He's fetching his royals and their soldiers under the guise of protecting the city. Once they're here, we can take down Amun, and Ahkmen can deliver a final blow. That'll reinstate him as Pharaoh."

"You've thought this through."

"Of course I have. I actually plan ahead, unlike Ahk."

"You can say that again," you mumbled beneath your breath.

Mahjur didn't respond, but took your hand again, pulling you out past the giant walls. The cracks in the ground were large enough that, at times, you needed to jump over the crevices, dodging the crumbling earth leading into a bottom you couldn't see. Before you could ask what to do, Mahjur began to search through the stalls still put together after Amun's rampage.

Caught up in whatever Mahjur was searching for, you remained unaware of Amun's argument with Ma'at, one that had digressed into nothing more than angry yelling. His eyes inevitably fell to you, and the glow within them tripled.

"Amoke," he said in a whisper that still echoed like drums.

You whirled around with eyes big as the moon. He, Piye and Amun, looked upon you with a smile that crawled across the darkened skin, illuminated by both the glow in his eyes and the rising daylight. Petrified into place, you could do nothing but watch as he lowered himself to your level. In Piye's body, Amun still towered over you, just as he had inhabiting his golden statue.

"Don't you look away from me, Amun!" Ma'at yelled from the top of the wall.

Even as the Goddess yelled, he did not tear his gaze from you. You began to back up, looking behind you to try and find Mahjur, but they were as scared stiff as you were. They would not help you, and Ma'at was too far away.

He snatched you in his arms, grinning as though he'd won some sort of prize. In Piye's face, glowing with Amun's power, you found something familiar––hunger. Ahk's hunger, of cannibals, of the rich. Your hands shook, followed by your heart thundering in your chest till you were sure your veins would explode. His smile was too wide, like Mahjur's, but empty and near expressionless.

"Pretty little thing," he said softly, scanning your face.

Wings of green and gold spread out above Amun's head, catching your eye as he attempted to lean in closer to you. Your eyes further widened when they began to descend, growing larger till the ground shook with the landing of heavy feet, marking Ma'at's footprints in the earth that burnt at the touch of her skin.

"How dare you look away from me," she said in a voice that trembled with her fury, barely contained in her mortal form.

A large hand came over Amun's head, wrenching on his––or rather Piye's––long, silver hair. Under Ma'at's control, he turned to face her with ire in his gritted teeth.

The Goddess, who had at first seemed rather small and delicate, had grown to twice the size of even Piye, meaning she seemed much like a statue to you and Mahjur. Her wings that came from nowhere now flared out, appearing to crown her head that she held high. Her eyes did not glow, but her anger reverberated in the air, thrumming in your bones.

"You claim to be a lord of all creation," she said through a fixed jaw, forcing Amun back and kneeing him in the face, hard enough to hear an audible crack that you winced away from. "And then you kill your children, betray the one who saved your armies, attempt to steal from the one who gave you back your power. You were not born yesterday, Amun."

When Ahk left you tied up in a cellar, the tears that lined his face grew cold in the wind of his running footsteps. His pace was slowed by the uphill slant, but he pushed himself as far as he dare, and made it to the bottom of the palace entrance in a short amount of time.

He noted throughout his run an astonishing absence of people. No people in their homes, no markets setting up, no guards at the palace door. As he made his way up the stairs, the reason for it became clear––the sound of many footsteps all trampling over each other came from within the pristine white walls of his home, coupled with fretting voices talking muted behind the walls. He cracked open the door to the inner chambers, and found his hypothesis to be correct.

The whole of the city––or those who had decided not to flee––were hidden within the palace. At the other side of the room sat the raised floor of the throne, and upon it sat Gyasi, flanked by the lesser advisors of Ahk's father. He kept a perfectly still expression, but Ahk knew better––Gyasi panicked under stress but seeked action in times of peace.

Keeping his head low, Ahk crept through the crowd, a hand on the wall to ensure he wouldn't lose himself. A few of the people he passed had hanging swords attached to their hips, and so he stole two just in case, hoping he wouldn't have to use either. Through the mutterings he heard, there were a good deal of complaints about Gyasi––a fact he definitely liked, though his delight was shortlived, as he soon heard a fair amount of criticisms on himself as well.

Murmurings and voices grew louder, more concerned as Amun's voice pierced the thick walls, sparking panic among the crowd. People began to move, bumping against each other and pushing one another aside. Ahk was inevitably hurt as well, thrown against the wall and landing on the floor.

It came to such a height that Gyasi stood, yelling a call to attention above the crowd, who stilled on command.

"Amun will not kill his devotees," he ensured, the skin of his neck dangling as he shouted. "He is searching for the False King and his whore."

Ahk could physically feel his irises shrink as he singled down on Gyasi, hatred boiling in his head.

"He is seeking a citizen," Ahk said, projecting his voice to speak over the old man stealing his throne.

Gasps came from those around him, the crowd suddenly parting completely, leaving him centered out from the bustling heads. Gyasi narrowed his eyes as he saw him.

"A citizen named Amoke. They are my friend, so I must protect them, but I will not abandon my people, leave them helpless in the hands of an artifact," Ahk continued as he stepped forward, making his way to the throne, where Gyasi began to back away. "Do you really think keeping everyone here is going to work?"

"We are dealing with your mess! It is undignified to insult someone cleaning up after you," Gyasi said with furrowed brows, a grimace and a sneer forming simultaneously on his crooked lips.

"I think it's alright if they're doing a godawful job at it," Ahk said flatly. "You need to get the citizens out of here, hide them in the brush of the Nile. If Amun breaches the city walls, this is the first place he will look, and he will demolish every living thing he sees. He is aiming to kill my friend, Amoke, and he does not care if others die in the process."

His words were doing little to quell the audience's worries, but that was his aim, as detrimental as it might be to the health of his citizens.

"You think you know better than I? I have been protecting the people of this city longer than you've been alive."

"You are a remnant of my father's rule. A relic from a time of barbaric violence and meaningless bloodshed. Now get the people to the nearest outcrop of the Nile. You and I have a God to face, if you're truly ready to protect Kemet," Ahk said, offering forward one of his swords.

"... very well," Gyasi said slowly, grasping the sword and drawing it to hilt on his hip. More murmurings came from the crowd that watched the argument. "Pikta, divide the populace and take them in groups. Divide soldiers evenly as you can."

"Yes, sir," said a soldier, who bowed and ran to the front of the room to obey.

"Is Amun outside?" Gyasi asked as he made his way to the entrance of the palace, Ahk at his side.

"He's at the city gates in Piye's body," Ahk said, and as the two of them breached the threshold, he found he could still see Piye's flying body in the distance.

"That beast?" He said with raised brows. "We have quite the battle ahead."

"Hopefully, we won't have to use these swords. We should have the help of a Goddess," Ahk said. "She came to Piye in a dream a little while ago and instructed us on the beginnings of a plan. It is our duty to help her."

"How do you know it isn't a trick?"

"We don't."

The two men began to run down the pathway, both sets of eyes trained on the distant crumbling walls of the city, allowing them to see a tall woman holding a man by his neck against the reflected sun on the Nile. As Ahk noticed two much smaller onlookers, his pace doubled in speed till he bounded down the street. He reached the end much sooner than Gyasi, but it didn't take long till both of them stood shocked, watching Ma'at raise Piye––Amun––into the sky on long, emerald and gold wings.

"I am the Lord of this world," Amun growled, a statement that sent him crashing towards the earth, Ma'at's muscled arm pounding him down.

She stalked over to him, footsteps drumming against the ground till she knelt at his side, grabbing his hair and pulling his face out of the mud.

"I want you to say that to Ptah," she said, before letting his head fall back down. "Mahjur."

Ahk's heart froze at the name. You watched it happen, how his body seized, eyes darting to the God beside you. He lost feeling in all his limbs as Mahjur stepped forward, glancing at Ahk before quickly looking away and joining Ma'at's side.

The two Gods––Ma'at and Mahjur––spoke to each other quietly, and most everyone present listened in with shocked expressions. What you didn't notice, caught up in Ahk's reaction to his old friend, was Amun sinking into the earth. You only realized this as you, too, began to lower into the earth. Beneath you, hands had grasped your ankles and pulled you down.

"Um, Ahk...!" You said in hyperventilated gasps, helpless on how to save yourself.

You no longer had control of your legs, unable to pull them upwards, and there was nowhere your arms could hold onto. Ahk looked to you, shouting when he caught the tail-end of you disappearing wholly into the ground. He ran to where you stood, but it was too late, and Amun was raising himself into the sky with you bound to him.

"Amoke!" Ahk cried.

“They do not belong to you,” Amun said with a smile, unsheathing a knife and baring it to those watching him in an act of vanity. “It’s mine.”

From above, those gathered at the city gates seemed small––even Ma'at, who was twice your height. You watched, unable to breathe through your bindings, as an object materialized in Ma'at's hand and was handed to Ahk with words you couldn't hear. The point of it directed to you, and in an instant you recognized it.

A hornbow.

The tip of the arrow pointed straight to you, and you writhed, desperately trying to escape Amun's grasp and worm out of the way. But he held you fast, and through his speech you couldn't hear over the thundering of your flowing blood, he laughed and held you tighter yet.

Twang.

The drawstring shot back into place, sending the arrow zipping through the sky, and straight into Piye's chest. Amun's arms and magical bindings faded away, and you fell through the open air. Ahk ran to catch you, careening straight into the still-steamy river with open arms. His efforts were not for nothing, as he caught you, using the water to ease your descent as well.

"They asked me to do it," Ahk said through tears pouring out of his eyes, falling as a rainstorm does, as waterfalls do, as blood does from the tip of a sword. "They asked me to shoot them. I didn't think. I saw you, and – and – I didn't –"

"It's going to be alright," you whispered in a shaky voice, comforting best you could even with your trembling hands. His shoulders wracked with heavy sobs as he hid his face in the crook of your neck, wide, haunted eyes cast over your back.

You looked upwards, watching what Ahk could not bear to see. Piye, and Amun, were suspended in open space, the end of a glittering arrow buried in their chest. As the body began to rise higher, your gaze fell to Ma'at and Mahjur still on the shore. They were chanting, both of them––something you couldn't hear, but their eyes began to glow, the veins in their body shining through their skin. You tapped Ahk's shoulders, asking him in a murmur to look. He reluctantly turned to watch.

The heavenly glow emanating from Piye's bones and eyes began to separate from the physical body, peeling away from itself till all that remained of it was a golden shell, shimmering and translucent. Your mouth fell open, watching the two forms pull away from each other.

Once Piye was fully separated from what you guessed was Amun, they fell down into the river, where Ahk also stumbled weakly to catch them. They did not wake, but the slow up and down of their chest marked that they were still breathing despite the arrow piercing them.

You turned back to the power of Amun, transforming from Piye's body to the symbol of the sun. The spells falling from Mahjur and Ma'at grew slowly louder, lifting Amun's essence through the sky, till it dissipated, and fell into the sun.

Silence.

The hum of magic, of broiling Gods and Goddesses came to a halt, and time stood still. It felt as though the world around you had been imbued with enchantments, marinated in it, and then separated entirely, cut off from the feeling of holiness. Your chest had caved in, leaving you near unable to breathe.

No wind. No movement in the water.

Someone was sobbing––you turned to search for the source, and found Ahk knelt in the water with Piye in his arms. His face was buried in his vizier's neck, quiet apologies coming from his trembling lips, matched by fevered hands.

"Bring them here, Ahkmenrah," Ma'at said softly, beckoning the Pharaoh.

He turned to face her, slowly breathed away the tears still building in his eyes, and carried Piye to shore best he could. When he reached Ma'at's feet, he set his friend down to life flat on the earth.

"Oh you young men," Ma'at murmured as she knelt, a hand poised over Piye and the arrow. "Shu of the morning... who have power over those who flash among the sun-folk, whose arms move about and whose heads sway to and fro... may they move about every day."

Piye's eyes fluttered slowly open, a soft groan escaping them as they blinked. The arrow lodged in their chest dissipated to no more than ash. Ahk gasped, a wide grin spreading across his features as he once more knelt to his knees, helping Piye to sit up.

"Are you alright, my friend?" He asked hurriedly, scanning over the healing injury.

"I... I can't see," Piye murmured in a breath, still swaying from the weakness of their muscles. They fell against Ahk. "I can't see anymore."

"What? How –"

"Oh Gods," Piye said, their breathing quickening. "It's as if I am a child again."

"Amun claimed your magic," Ma'at said softly. She hadn't ever looked you in the eye, but she met the magi's, a kinder look on her than ever before. "To save you and your.. friends, I locked Amun into the sun, with help from Mahjur."

Mahjur gingerly stepped up behind Ma'at, looking to you, then Piye, and to the ground below Ahk.

"I am afraid your magic intwined with Amun’s, and I had to lock it into the sky as well, to rid of him," she finished. “Your magic is what gave you eyesight to begin with, if you remember those years.”

"I... do I look.. the same?" They asked in a shaky voice.

"Taller than anything," Ahk said instantly. "Dark skin. White hair. You look the same."

"But with no... magic," they murmured.

"You may still have remnants. Most people do have a base magic. You might be able to do small spells," Mahjur said. You watched Ahk bite into his cheek and look down.

Piye cried––you expected little else, and you waited patiently as they came to process everything that had just happened. When they requested a rundown of the events (as apparently their memory was not fantastic), Ahk happily explained what had come to pass, with his usual dramatic debonair. Ma'at stayed and chuckled at certain points, but stood when Ahk finished.

Movement caught the corner of your eye, and your gaze darted upwards, ready for any return of danger. But what you found instead were people––lots of people, coming from several different directions and circling you, Ahk, the two Gods, Piye, and Gyasi. They were muttering amongst themselves, and from what you heard they appeared to be discussing the validity of Ahk's story.

"I must return to the Duat before anything else decides to unhinge itself from the natural order," Ma'at said at the end of Ahk's retelling. Mahjur, who had taken a seat beside the Goddess, stood as well.

"Wait, Ma'at," Ahk said, standing with a hand out, hoping to halt her. She turned expectantly. "Can I... Mahjur..."

She glanced between the two, who even now were too nervous to look at each other. You watched on though, watched how timid and shaky they both grew, itching terribly to acknowledge one another.

"... very well," Ma'at sighed. "I'll give you a moment."

Ahk didn't even leave time to thank Ma'at for the allowance. He went straight to his friend, colliding with them and wrapping his arms so tight round them you could swear it'd kill a regular human. Mahjur had much of the same attitude, tears and laughter coming simultaneously from them.

"I will be waiting for you," they said with the biggest grin, parting for a very short moment to stroke the side of his face. "I wait for you in the field of reeds."

"I await my death, then," Ahk laughed giddily, followed by his friend bursting into giggles as well. You couldn't help but grin, but you hid it behind your hand.

"Come now, Mahjur," Ma'at commanded, and the two friends reluctantly parted, allowing Mahjur to rejoin Ma'at.

They stood shoulder to shoulder, though Ma'at was still a great deal taller than everyone present, and in a flash they were gone. Murmurings in the crowd grew in volume, people drawing closer as they realized their Pharaoh had never lied.

They had truly seen Ma’at, the Goddess of peace.

Relief––that was the only way to explain it. Pure, unaltered relief, flooding your veins, flooding your thoughts. Tremors in your hand that you didn't even notice were there disappeared, the knot in your brow fading with it. Air felt like it had been made anew, refreshed after a hundred years of a solitary cave, and you could smile. No more Gods.

Finally.

[thevoilinauttheory]

Day 22: Deity

[ So. A very long time ago, both @ever-searching​​ and @mathemagiks​​ did an “OC Primal” challenge/meme - that I, for so very long, wished to do but had zero motivation to do. (You can find them both here and here, respectively! I suggest reading, they’re very great!)

So... I decided to do that for the prompt! ]

Primal Name: Myrrdyn

Trial Name: The False Heavens (Location: Unknown; Weather: Starry Night)

Quest Overview: In an attempt to save Maximiloix and your lives from the hands of fate, Caromont has called upon the powers of Myrddyn, a god of magic and prophecy. While successful, your mediator friend has found himself consumed by the primal and unable to break free. Stop him, before the very heavens crash upon the world beneath your stage of stars.

Battle Music:

Phase 1 - Night and Day - Amadeus Indetzki Interlude - True Love’s Last Kiss - (Eternal Eclipse) Thomas-Adam Habuda Phase 2 - Full Orbit Soundtrack - Sky: Children of the Light

The music softens through the phases. Phase 1 and Interlude’s tracks will repeat; once Phase 2′s track ends, the rest of the battle will be played out in silence.

Appearance: As Caromont draws massive amounts of aether into his body, his eyes and hair fade to white - the once kind eyes have now turned dead and indifferent. A veil of stars and constellations adorn him much like a crown, his nails painted of swirling universes. The planets surround him, command of them at his fingertips; a halo of moons and a celestial gown. Both dazzling and dark, the hands of time and fate are weaved by his hands.

Start of Battle Quote: “The future is mine, and mine alone. Only I can give fate what it desires.”

Battle Overview: The battle against Myrddyn is split into two phases and an interlude, and flips the entire system of mechanics on its head - creating a whole new level of difficult.

[ The rest will be under the cut, due to length. ]

Phase 1

In Phase 1, Myrrdyn introduces the party to the basics of his battle; his first move being a tank-buster - [Starlight] - which targets the main tank with five stacks of the [Tragic Fate] debuff.

This debuff will reduce magical defense significantly, and wears away one stack at a time over the course of ten seconds. The lower the stack count, the more damage that will be received - and tanks must switch before the next [Starlight] attack. [Starlight] will be cast again after the ability [Myriad of Stars], an unavoidable party-wide attack, has been cast. During this first phase, Myrrdyn’s abilities will switch between [Laws of the Moon], and [Laws of the Sun]. 

[Laws of the Moon] targets both Healers with “stack” markers - players must act unpredictably and not stack with the two healers, and instead have the healers spread as far from the party as they can get. [Laws of the Moon] acts like a “spread” mechanic, but will instantly KO everyone inside of the stack markers should there be more than one inside of them.

[Laws of the Sun] targets two DPS with “spread” markers, and again, players must act unpredictably and instead act as if these markers are two “stack” markers instead. [Laws of the Sun] acts much like the ability “Akh Morn” and players must stay stacked until the ability ends after four strikes. There must be four players total in each marker, any more or any less will KO everyone in those markers.

Laws of the Moon Speech Notification: “I am your moon and stars.” Laws of the Sun Speech Notification: “You are my sun and sky.” Phase 1 Party Wipe Quote: “The future is mine, and mine alone.”

Interlude

Myrddyn: “What... power is this?” Maximiloix: “Wait! Do not hurt him!”

The interlude, the party has worn down Myrddyn enough to drop Caromont’s body, making him vulnerable to attacks. Before they have a chance, Maximiloix steps in to shield him from damage. The interlude is both a DPS and Healing check - the DPS must focus on breaking Maximiloix’s shield before the “Burst” gauge reaches zero. During this, [Myriad of Stars] breaks through the shield every two seconds to cause its group-wide damage.

Once the shield is broken, Myrddyn breaks free again - swallowing the stage with darkness, now lit only by stars. The barriers of the stage are broken, and it is now possible to fall off the edges.

Interlude Party Wipe Quote: “You believe you could challenge fate?”

Phase 2

Myrddyn: “Do not resist the fates I have assigned you, for I can read your every move.”

All abilities afterwards are played out in random, unless otherwise specified; making it difficult to tell what he might cast next. 

Phase 2 taps into Myrddyn’s prophecy abilities further - and the party must act recklessly.

He starts the phase off with [Myrddyn’s Enclosure] and targets one tank and one healer - which encases both in an attackable cocoon of night-sky; each casting [Weight of the Heavens]. If the cocoons break before the cast timer is up, the player inside will be instantly KO’d. Otherwise, the players only receive 25% of their current health in damage. Players can be healed through the cocoons by other players, but cannot do any actions of their own.

Then comes another [Starlight] tank buster, following after is [Gift of Prophecy] which applies a buff to Myrddyn, which then switches the effects of the [Tragic Fate] debuff, as well as [Laws of the Moon], and [Laws of the Sun], while it is active. [Tragic Fate] now deals more damage the higher the stacks, [Laws of the Moon] now becomes a proper “stack” mechanic, and [Laws of the Sun] now becomes a proper “spread” mechanic. Players must watch to see if this buff is applied or not before acting. After [Gift of Prophecy] is casted, he will cast another [Starlight].

At 75%, he will add [Orbit] to his attack list. This is a knockback spell, simple. Though if a player remains on the field two seconds after [Orbit] has cast, they will be KO’d instantly by the actual spell itself - players must jump off of the ledges to dodge the spell before it hits (but only after the knockback, however, they may be knocked off the edge by it safely). 

Orbit Speech Notification: “I will turn your skies upside-down.”

At 50%, he will add [Turn of the Earth] to his attack list. This spell targets two random players with beacons of light, giving them the “Night” or “Day” debuff - all other players receive either a “Dawn” or “Dusk” debuff. One “Dawn” player must stack with the “Night” player, and one “Dusk” player must stack with the “Day” player. All other players must spread out to avoid doubling up damages. If no one is stacked on either the “Night” or “Day” players, they will be KO’d instantly. If the wrong players stack with the “Night” or “Day” players (i.e. a “Dawn” player stacks with “Day”, or a “Dusk” player stacks with “Night”), all players involved will have 40% of their total HP done in damage. Myrrdyn will only use [Turn of the Earth] twice per battle, and will stop using it before then if his HP reaches 40%. 

At 25%, he will use [Celestial Call] to bring down four “Heaven’s Pillar”s. Each pillar will start casting [Fates Weaving], an ability that will heal Myrddyn 5% of his total HP with each cast. Destroying these pillars will cause them to burst, dealing massive group-wide damage; each must be defeated sparingly - either taking down the boss with heavy DPS, or planning on taking them out slowly while healing in between.

At 10%, Myrrdyn will turn desperate and add [Wild Fates] to his attack pool. [Wild Fates] will not only bring the Limit Break bar down to zero, but start dealing heavy continuous damage to the main and/or off tanks. This damage can only be reduced if the tanks turn off their stances and allow a DPS or Healer to take aggro in their stead.

If Myrddyn enrages, he will continuously cast [Myriad of Stars] in one second increments, as well as be buffed with [Prophetic Dreams]; a buff that increases magical damage done, and reduces damage taken significantly.

Enrage Speech Notification: “It is useless, useless, useless! I will NOT allow you to change MY fate! I control it, only I!” Phase Two Party Wipe: “It was useless to attempt changing your fate... but at least... you tried your best.”

Upon Defeat: “How...? I... I can... see everything... can I not?”

With the primal expelled from him, Caromont falls unconsious - his appearance returning to normal. Anyone can change their fate, and you did today.

[echidnapower]

EP’s FanFiction Master Post

So this is something I should have done a long time ago on my previous account, but better late than never. For those of you who find me, this is going to be a place where you can find all the fics I’ve written over the years. This will be added to over time as I fight to revive my muse.

It’ll be categorized by fandom, so you can quickly find what you do or don’t want to read. Here we go.

Pokemon

A Valentines Dream Come True -  It's Valentines Day, and a certain redheaded Gym Leader is finally getting to enjoy it with the boyfriend of her dreams. During their time together, they get into a little discussion about dreams, and Ash doesn't wanna tell her his! So to get him to spill, she tells him her dreams...when she finally learns Ash's dream...will both their dreams come true? - Based on a drawing from @miyatoriaka​, which can be found HERE.

AAML: Diamond and Pearl Version -  Follow me as I remake the DP episodes in order and in sequence, all so I can add the biggest star besides Ash himself. Misty! Watch her and Ash's love grow as they go on their journey. The absolute LONGEST story in my portfolio, and you will see my writing evolve the longer you go on. Be prepared for a massive read that even now is STILL going.

All I Want For Christmas Is You -  It's Christmas time and the Ketchum household is hosting a party with all of Ash's friends. But while Ash and Misty dance around their feelings for each other, another Sensational Sister is about to find herself in a situation she never could have expected, but she'll be darned if she lets it slip through her manicured fingers. (Spinoff of @hollylu-ships-it​‘s "A Christmas in Kanto" comic which can be found HERE.

Best Friend -  "Why? Why did I have to be so stupid as to make the mistake of falling in love with my best friend?" - Story told in Misty’s POV.

Blessings From Heaven -  I'm Ash Ketchum, and I'm getting married today! But how did this come to be? Through God's devine planning is how. Here's my story: I'm marrying Misty. - Warning for religious themes, told in Ash’s POV.

I Miss You -  Misty misses Ash terribly, and it's affecting her emotionally as she's more irritable than usual, if that was even possible. But Daisy has a plan to get Ash to come and see Misty again. Will her plan have the desired effect? Or will it cause something she never could've seen coming? - Based on a trio of drawings from the long lost Simply-Nicole. The old art can be found on my dA page HERE, HERE, and HERE.

I’m Misty, and You Are? -  Misty tells the story we all know and love...literally. She's telling the story. Based on artwork from the long lost Simply-Nicole, which can be found on my old dA page HERE.

Keep The Faith - This time it's May and Drew getting married, and it takes place in the "Blessings From Heaven" universe. Warning for religious themes.

Looks -  It's Ash's birthday and all of his friends have gathered together in the woods to reminisce on the time they spent traveling with their favorite Pokemon Trainer. But something's about to happen that could change the way that Ash and Misty look at each other forever…the question is, is it for the better?

Lovesick -  Kenny is feeling strange...he feels like he's sick...but is he really ill? Or is he just lovesick?

Madam Zara -  When Misty decides to get experimental with her appearance, she finds herself in the hands of a world-famous beautician named Madam Zara. With most of Misty's makeovers ending less than ideally, will this be the one to shatter the mold? And how will Ash react? - Based on a drawing and idea from @hollylu-ships-it​ which can be found HERE.

Our Own Sunset -  Ash and Misty watch the sunset together, but Misty's bothered by it. - Set in the AAML: Diamond and Pearl version universe.

Pokeshipping Week 2015 - My first time participating in Pokeshipping Week ever, hard to believe it was five years ago.

Pokeshipping Week 2016 - This year of Pokeshipping saw me collab with @hollylu-ships-it​, you can see the art she put together on her Tumblr page.

Symptoms of Love -  Ash and Tracey are hit by a Vileplume's Stun Spore, and Misty has to fend for herself in order to find a cure. But once she gets Ash back to health, Ash still feels many of the same symptoms from before. Why is that?

Tell Me I’m Pretty -  It isn't easy being the youngest sister, especially when your oldest sister is getting married and you're the only one without a date for the once in a lifetime event. Misty can't help but feel like she doesn't measure up somehow, but a surprise visit from her closest friend is sure to make her feel pretty once more. - Inspired by THIS piece from @hollylu-ships-it​.

The Road Not Taken -  When Ash gets some bad news from home, he goes into a depression and starts doubting both himself and the choices he's made. But luckily, someone is there with him to remind him he's loved and cared about. - Based on yet another drawing from @hollylu-ships-it​. Look at it HERE.

Warmth -  It's New Years Eve, and the recently married Ash and Misty Ketchum are ready to host their first ever holiday party at their home together, but when a snowstorm makes it so no one can arrive safely, Misty is saddened. But will they really end up spending their New Years Eve alone? Or will surprise visitors warm their hearts?

Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go

Iron Girl -  A robot girl who hates the fact she's a robot...will she realize just how important she is or will she continue to simply wallow in self-pity?

War Between the Living and the Dead -  The war between the living and the dead has begun, and the Hyperforce has to go up against their biggest challenge yet. But with help from their allies across the galaxy, they can triumph! Or can they? This is my take on what Season 5 would've been, plugging plotholes and making sense out of a series that left us all hanging.

Buzz Lightyear of Star Command

Reflections of a Legend -  Buzz Lightyear Personal Log - Stardate 92893.81. I don't quite know how to explain this, or what I'm feeling, so I guess I'll just start talking and tell you what's on my mind. There's someone I just can't get out of my head, and truthfully, I'm not sure I want to. - This is a first-person dive into Buzz’s character.

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Kim Possible

Angels Watching Over Me -  Kim and Ron are going down a dark path that could eventually end in their own destruction...literally, not figuratively. When the Sloth dangles over a cliff that holds their fate in the balance, who will come in their time of need? How about...someone they never could have dreamed? - Based on a true story, warning for religious themes.

Busted -  Hana wants cookie, Hana tries to get cookie, Hana gets caught trying to get cookie.

The Running Back -  All-star Running back Ron Stoppable is about to face the biggest challenge of his life. He's got just a few seconds to win the championship for the Middleton Mad Dogs, but more importantly to him, he's got just a few seconds to make his girlfriend proud.

The True Meaning -  Both Ron and Kim are well aware of the true meaning of Christmas, and that's why they're volunteering at a church's Bethlehem Revisited event to spread the word. Kim's happy to help and all, but...why is Ron calling her such a weird name? - Warning for religious themes.

Trick or Treat -  Kim is pulling a trick on Ron, will it be a great treat, or is he about to suffer the wrath of Kim Possible? He has no clue, yet.

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Fillmore!

A Promising Tomorrow -  Takes place immediately after the end of the episode "A Forgotten Yesterday." Fillmore's lost two of his old friends now and needless to say, he's tired of losing people to the darkness he was lucky enough to escape from. Luckily, Ingrid's there to show him that his efforts to rehabilitate his delinquent friends haven't exactly gone to waste. There's one person who's benefited.

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Miraculous Ladybug

You’re Loved -  Adrien Agreste, Chat Noir, different identities but more alike than he would like to admit. No matter who he becomes at any given time, there's always something very important missing in his life. Will he ever find what he's looking for? Or is it possible he's always had it and never realized it?

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Beyblade

We Are One -  Kai gave it his all battling against Brooklyn and his bit-beast Zeus. Now, after his close brush with death, Kai must summon the strength to go and support Tyson before disaster strikes the world. But there's no way he's strong enough to do it on his own...but thankfully, he won't have to, which is what Kai is about to learn. Sister story to "I Can't Lose You."

I Can’t Lose You -  A week after Tyson's battle against the evil bit-beast Zeus and his trapped blader Brooklyn, the world is slowly making its way back to normal. Kai managed to survive and is recovering in the hospital, and Tyson is getting some much-deserved rest. But when Kenny comes to tell Tyson that Hilary has quit the team, he loses it, and goes to find out why. My first Beyblade story.

Save a Dance For Me -  With the all new BBA launching with a gala to celebrate the occasion, Tyson finds himself in the uncomfortable position of needing to ask someone to be his date. He has someone in mind, but will his greatest beyblading rival get in his way and turn out to be his greatest rival in love?

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Teen Titans

Healing Touch -  With several Titans pairing up, the lingering emotions are taking a toll on Raven's empathic senses and causing her to lose control of her own feelings. When she gives in and does something completely crazy, it's up to Beast Boy to pull her out of a dark place and bring her back to the light. - There is accompanying artwork from @hollylu-ships-it HERE and HERE.

More Than a Hero -  I've learned a lot of lessons under Batman, he taught me everything I would ever need to know about being a superhero, about being Robin...but Starfire taught me how to be Dick Grayson, and she taught me how to fly. - Story from Robin’s POV, accompanying artwork from @hollylu-ships-it​ is HERE.

Robin Rising -  Life is good for Dick Grayson, he's the leader of a team of superheroes he's blessed enough to call his family, and he's about to turn 18 which he figures will open up a whole new world of possibilities for him. But when his old mentor and "father" calls in, showing that he captured a criminal that had eluded the Titans forever, things get flipped upside-down. - Multichapter fic which is part of a much larger universe, plenty of accompanying artwork can be found over on @hollylu-ships-it​‘s account. Go give her a follow and fav.

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Sonic the Hedgehog

A Light in Darkness -  A small band of heroes go back in time to try and prevent a cataclysmic event that would eventually destroy all of creation as they knew it. But what is the nature of this threat? How dangerous is it? And how far will they have to go in order to stop it from viciously destroying all they hold dear? Features a deep cast of Sonic characters, and a very special OC owned by @e-vay​

Anonymous -  For Shadow the Hedgehog, Christmas doesn't mean what it means to his friends and the rest of the world. Instead, he has a self-appointed mission he needs to carry out. But this year, he may find something that he's never really had before, and it could change the way Shadow sees Christmas for the rest of his life.

Christmas Wishes -  For ten years, Amy Rose has only wanted one thing for Christmas, and she's finally come to accept the reality that she'll never receive it. But a conversation with Rouge rekindles her hope and her Christmas spirit. Will she be let down again? Or will her one wish finally come true this year? Read to find out. (Sister story to my other story titled "Anonymous")

Comfort In the Storm -  When a thunderstorm strikes and leaves Cream quivering in fright, it's up to Tails to find a way to alleviate his crush's fears, and maybe even give her a reason to enjoy thunderstorms instead of fearing them.

Cream Adventure DX: Author’s Cut -  A redo of an old story. Cream finds a strange statue in the meadow, and she knows just who to go to to figure out what it is, but she gets more than she bargained for when she goes looking for him. What happens?

Dreams of an Absolution - Silver lays awake at night and reflects on his life in this apocalyptic world Iblis has destroyed...but most of his reflections revolve around a certain fire girl with lavender fur. He wants to be happy with her, but a warzone is a bad place to kindle love, and so every night he lays awake, and dreams of an absolution.

Relations -  Knuckles has a problem. He's in love...but...that presents a very unique problem...or does it?

Running to the Point of No Return -  Sonic is the fastest thing alive, and Amy is told that that's the biggest obstacle keeping her and Sonic away from each other. But what's she supposed to do to keep up with him, when there's NO ONE fast enough to keep up with him?

Scars -  Some things that happen in life leave scars behind that go with us for the rest of our lives. For Miles "Tails" Prower, such a thing happened to him in the depths of space many years ago...the loss of his first true love...though the pain weakens and the scars fade, they never go away completely, and Tails has learned to live with and embrace that fact.

Seven Rings and Five Fingers In Hand -  A redo of the final battle in Sonic and the Secret Rings, Sonamy style!

The Heart of Chao - Chao are adorable little creatures, and they make great pets for anyone who's looking for something to take care of. But there's more to chao than just being cute, they're filled with more heart and love than anyone can imagine, and that can sometimes lead to bringing others closer together. Here are just a few stories of that very thing happening to our favorite characters.

Trapped In This Machine -  Sonic has seemingly fallen madly in love with Amy, but is this sudden romance truly sincere, or is it only skin deep, hiding something sinister underneath? - Inspired by a drawing from @e-vay​, found HERE.

[journeytothewestresearch]

Story Idea: The Origin of Sun Wukong - Part 2

A few years ago, I wrote a story sketch in which I created parents for Sun Wukong, a pair of immortal gibbon apes (I posted it to my blog in 2019). I cast them as sages with unsurpassed knowledge of the Dao, who counted the Buddha (as a young Bodhisattva) and Master Subhuti among their countless students. But I recently thought of a better idea.

Last year I wrote an article that explored other stone-born figures from world mythology. In the conclusion I cautiously suggested that Wukong’s birth and later rebellion was influenced by the Hurrian myth the “Song of Ullikummi” (c. 1200 BCE), which appears in an extant Hittite cuneiform text comprising three fragmented clay tablets. For example, one scholar noted similarities between Ullikummi and a later figure from Greek mythology: “(1) The initial situation: the big stone; (2) a god fertilizes the stone; (3) the stone gives birth to a child; (4) the child thus created is a rebel against the gods; (5) the gods gather and plan countermeasures; (6) the enemy of the gods is rendered harmless” (see the linked article). Anyone who has read Journey to the West will no doubt notice the striking similarities with Monkey’s tale. Therefore, I think Ullikummi’s story would be a solid basis for a more authentic origin story for the Monkey King.

While the ancient tale is named after the eponymous stone monster (fig. 1), the story follows the machinations of Kumarbi, a resentful former ruler of the gods, who wishes to usurp the throne from his son, the storm god Tesub. Kumarbi sets about doing this by bedding a massive stone in an effort to produce a being powerful enough to rout the gods. Upon its birth, the doting father gives the creature a name meaning “Destroy Kummiya”, foreshadowing its intended fate to destroy Tesub’s home.

Fig. 1 – Ullikummi as a playable character from the online video game Final Fantasy XI.

Fearing that it may be killed by the gods before coming into full power, Kumarbi has the monster hidden in the underworld, where it is placed on the right shoulder of the Atlas-like god Upelluri. The creature quickly multiples in size, growing nine thousand leagues tall, eventually reaching heaven. When the goddess Ishtar fails to seduce the blind and deaf monster, the warrior god Astabi leads seventy deities into battle against the lithic menace only to be defeated and cast into the sea below. Tesub abandons the throne and, along with his vizier and brother Tasmisu, seeks the aid of Ea, the god of wisdom and witchcraft, who travels to the underworld in search of the creature’s origins. Upon questioning Upelluri, who effortlessly carries the weight of the heavens, earth, and sea, Ea learns a great weight, which turns out to be the monster, pains the titan’s right shoulder. In the end (of the third and final extant tablet), Ea calls for a tool originally used by the old gods to cleave heaven and earth and chisels Ullikummi free of Upelluri’s shoulder, thus breaking the monster’s base of power and leaving it vulnerable to attack by the gods. One scholar suggests there’s a missing fourth tablet that describes the monster’s ultimate defeat (again, see the linked article).

Fig. 2 – A modern depiction of Xingtian. Artist unknown.

Now, I’ve previously written a story sketch in which Master Subhuti’s school is actually a training ground for an immortal monastic army akin to the Shaolin Temple. I speculated that Wukong’s skill in martial arts and troop movement would come from his time serving as a soldier and eventual officer in this army. Additionally, I suggested that the baddie whom the army faces is the headless monster Xingtian (刑天) (fig. 2), who originally battled the supreme god Shangdi for control of the universe and was beheaded after his defeat. Perhaps he or a figure like him follows in Kumarbi’s footsteps and beds a stone, in this case the rock on the Mountain of Flowers and Fruits, in an effort to create a powerful son to finish what he started. Then, he works in the shadows, influencing the direction of Monkey’s life, leading to his famous rebellion against heaven. Wukong’s defeat of the seventy-two major gods in the heavenly army [1] would mirror Ullikummi routing the seventy gods led by Astabi. Likewise, the Jade Emperor’s call to the Buddha, leading to Monkey’s defeat, mirrors Tesub’s plea to Ea and the eventual downfall of the stone monster. Thoughts?

Notes:

1) Koss (1981) writes: “Adding up the number of gods listed here [see Wu & Yu, 2012, p. 169] from the Twenty-Eight Constellations through the Deities of the Five Mountains and the Four Rivers, the number arrived at is seventy-three, if 東西星斗 [dongxi xingdou, the “Stars of East and West”] is counted as two, which Yu does in his translation, or seventy two, if the latter is taken as one, which is another possible interpretation.

Sources:

Koss, N. (1981). The Xiyou ji in Its Formative Stages: The Late Ming Editions (Vol. 1 and 2). (Doctoral dissertation). Available from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. (UMI No. 8112445)

Wu, C., & Yu, A. C. (2012). The Journey to the West: Volume 1. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press.

[aftermathdb]

DEATH BATTLE Review: Beerus vs. Galaxia

Dragonball vs. Sailor Moon. The OG Shonen anime vs. the OG Magical Girl anime.

Disclaimer:  Due to issues with prior Deviantart exports, and my desire to keep this  as accessible as possible, this review and all reviews after this will  be shorter until a new alternative is found. Apologies for any inconvenience.

Also: REALLY REALLY sorry that this took so long. Having everything be lost kinda… bummed me out.

Beerus’ Preview.

The preview opens with Wiz and Boomstick going over Goku’s encounter with Beerus, and what it means to be a God of Destruction.

Our  overall stats go over just how absurdly powerful Beerus is and the kind  of Ki that he has at his disposal. Where we get to our first  Wiz/Boomstick segment with the new character: DUMMI.

Wiz  essentially goes over the different types of Ki, with the regular  simply zapping DUMMI, and destruction Ki literally vaporizing him. It’s  funnier than how I’m describing, but there really isn’t that much else  going on.

The  hosts go over some of Beerus’ other abilities. Like his various  techniques, and the fact that he has actual martial arts training.

A  quick guide to Ultra Instinct is introduced, and of course, we have to  go over the famous clash with Son Goku that shook the universe.

Now, similar to DC’s universe, the Dragonball universe is much  bigger than our own. Our universe is on that bottom part, Hell (or  HFIL, depending on your dub) is in the middle, Heaven is up top, and  then there’s a bunch of other stuff.

Simply put, this is much bigger than our own ‘verse.

A few more feats are gone over and we get a card for techniques.

Simply put: Don’t mess around with Beerus!

Galaxia’s Preview.

Galaxia’s  preview opens with a history on the Sailor Guardians/Sailor  Scouts/Senshi/etc. Going over some of the general backstory that’s kinda  needed to know exactly what’s going on in regards to the OG Magical  Girls.

Then it drops you into the fray of Galaxia’s backstory of  being born on a trash planet, going nuts, and destroying anything that  she couldn’t have for herself.

Now,  I’m going to say this right now: A lot of the highlights are kinda  isolated in the notecards. The Wiz/Boomstick segment doesn’t really  highlight much, other than some of the more… absurdly named attacks that  she has… And apparently… a weird fetish that Wiz has?- I’m sure as hell  not showing it. Plus, I was busy.

Anyways,  they go over the whole concept of “Star Seeds” and how they’re  basically the life force energy in all things. Planets, people, animals,  you name it.

Again:  Highlights are mainly kept to the notecards. Outside of a speed feat  courtesy of meatball head, there really isn’t that much to talk about.  So, a lot of the rundown is spent on the story differences between the  Anime and the Manga.

And then, y’know… the more kickass stuff.

So, in a nutshell, Galaxia is crazy powerful. Crazy fast. And possibly the standard crazy.

Anyways,  she’s got a massive powerset, and realistically, is difficult to  defeat. In the Anime, she was freed from Chaos’ control, while in the  Manga, she got killed by literal kindness. Because I guess that’s what  beats destruction.

I have zero authority as to what kind of end line this is, so I’m just going to leave it here.

The Battle Itself.

Luis is head on animation, Beerus will be voiced by River Vitae and Sailor Galaxia will be voiced by Blythe Renay. Gods of Destruction by Brandon Yates, and audio led by Chris Kokkinos.

So  for those of you who watched the preview on DEATH BATTLE Cast, you’re probably just now actually seeing and hearing the actual fight, music, and dialogue because those idiots didn’t plan ahead and didn’t realize  that it was preview week. Such is the cast without Ben. Damn, total  chaos and I missed it because of a class.

Anyways, remember how Goku vs. Superman 1 ended?- Yeah, that’s how this one starts!

So,  right off the bat, we can see that Galaxia… Actually takes speed. She  takes Beerus by surprise here, and in a few other places in the fight.  And can I say that Galaxia’s little smile there is adorable? It almost  makes you forget that she’s kinda a dictatorial mass murderer.

And then, just to sell how absurdly powerful these two are, they poke each other, until a massive shockwave happens.

So, after clearing the rubble, the two go all out.

Beerus goes for his wave technique, but Galaxia, being faster, is able to get by them, and fling Beerus into the Sun.

And after blowing it up, they clash inside the exploding sun.

The two kinda crash onto other planets. Galaxia enslaves a few natives onthe one she landed on, while Beerus, uh…

Blows his up.

The  two clash again, and I should probably mention that their respective  insta-destruction techniques kinda failed against each other. Neither of  them gets to cheese a victory.

So, while Beerus is busy being tied up, Galaxia tries to go in, but Beerus activates Ultra Instinct.

Which frankly, is just unfair, and I blame the fans for it.

Anyways, Galaxia then goes for her attack: Stealing Beerus’ Star Seed.

Finishing Blow in  

5…

4…

3…

2…

1…

Verdict + Explanation.

So,  right off the bat, Galaxia is indeed faster, and her arsenal is much  more vast and versatile than Beerus’ due to how many she has.

But after that, it starts going the other way.

Speed  alone isn’t going to win any fights (unless you’re the Flash), so power  output and durability is what is needed to figure this all out.

Remember:  Both are threats to their respective universes, but the Dragonball  universe is quite bigger than our own, which the Sailor Moon universe  seems to be based off of.

Now,  this isn’t as simple as Beerus being equal to a few Galaxias, the two  are likely stronger. But Beerus has more evidence of being stronger than  Galaxia.

Goku is still considered inferior to Beerus even with  Super Saiyan Blue + Kaio Ken, and Beerus wasn’t even using his full  power in that famous “Clash that shook the universe” thing. Truth be  told, I prefer the movie not doing that because it shows restraint on Beerus’ part.

Simply put, Beerus at his worst is stronger than Galaxia at her best.

And  DUMMI kinda wraps everything that Wiz said in a neat little bow… Not  sure how to feel about him, but time will tell if and how he grows on  the audience.

Overall impression.

Overall,  I’d say that this is a pretty solid episode. I kinda touched on it  before, but I’m not too sure how to feel about DUMMI. While he has the  potential to be an interesting character for the hosts to bounce off of,  and the fact that it’s possible that he gets destroyed once per  episode, only time will tell if he becomes popular or not.

As  for the rundowns, I can’t say that it was that interesting. Numbers that  are too low are boring to watch, and numbers that are too high are  difficult to keep track of. I had to count the commas in the Beerus  Galaxia comparison in speed just to confirm for myself that that’s what  was going on.

The fight itself is great though. And we even saw  another nice little cameo from the Chuck vs. Segata fight as well, which  I think was pretty neat.

The Wiz/Boomstick segments didn’t stand  out though. And that’s possibly because it wasn’t really that  informative. It was just there to extend a joke. I think I’ve said this  before, but I like my Wiz/Boomstick segments to be the areas where there  isn’t clear footage to be used in the rundown, not necessarily for  jokes only.

Still, a solid 8.4/10. The fight’s great, and the music is awesome! But the rundowns could use a bit of work.

Next Time…

Oh wow. Two kids scarred by their crap dads that wield fire. So original.

Those of you who know that I was hoping to fight Zuko should kinda get why I’m a tad salty.

Is there a fight that you want me to review? - Send an ask/request, and I’ll look into it!

Do you want to read my fanfic based around DEATH BATTLE itself? click here!

Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you next time for…

Scarred Fire Fight.

[shuttershocky]

Current WIP for The End Chapter 2 after the cut. I’m nowhere near done but I kinda wanna show that I do at least have something. I don’t abandon my fics I’m just really slow!

Oh in case you’re new to this fic, you can read chapter 1 here!

As the sky itself appeared to fall around, no, toward them, the Master of Chaldea cleared her throat. All turned to her instantly, and even Crimson Moon could not help but tear his gaze away from the heavens, curious to what the so-called most powerful magus in pan-human history had to say for her last words.

“Guys,” she said. “I just want you to know that no matter what happens, I love you. All. Maybe not Columbus, but most of you are pretty cool.”

“Even me?” the dubious man with the black beard asked, his eyes alight with hope.

“Don’t ask questions you don’t want an answer to, Teach,” the Master answered.

The heroic spirits laughed, as did Zelretch. Laughed as the black mass in the sky moved ever closer. Laughed as the groan of the wind grew to a world-ending roar. Laughed like they had all the time in the world, like death had not come to their doorstep. Crimson Moon could hardly believe it. This was how the last of humanity chose to spend its final moments. In mirth.

The Master however, did not laugh with them. One hand gripped the Shield Girl’s tightly, and the other held a trinket with a photo inside, showing her sharing a meal with a man in a white coat. Her father perhaps? It didn’t matter. Crimson Moon paid it no further thought. Humans were too sentimental. 

Perhaps sensing his annoyance with the Master, Zelretch gripped his shoulder. The wizard’s green runes traced a hovering platform for them to stand on, granting the two a better view of the battlefield. 

“We can move as we like on this viewing platform,” Zelretch said. “Let me know if there is anyone in particular you wish to watch.”

Just as they rose into the air, the Master’s demeanor changed. She put the trinket away and raised her voice, imbuing it with a sense of authority not unlike what the Flag Girl had done. 

“Alright everyone, we want them to be coming from one general direction if we want even a chance of putting up a fight. Archers, focus on shooting down any that try to approach from above. Keep doing it until they start flying low. Riders, take any reinforcements you need and flank them from the side. Bring the berserkers to break through their ranks, send the assassins after anyone who might look like they’re important. Casters, find out what makes them tick, what powers them, and how they’re even materializing from that portal. If there’s any way to seal that gaping hole in the sky, I know you guys can find it. Everyone else, on me.”

The heroic spirits began running to their positions as the Master drew her sword and raised it. It was unadorned, unremarkable, and ugly. A nameless sword for nameless soldiers, to break in battle with nameless foes. It looked almost shameful to see it raised above the others.

The roar of the incoming horde was thunderous. They were mere seconds away. Despite his best efforts to control his traitorous body, Crimson Moon’s heart began to pound once more. The Master seemed unperturbed, and raised her voice further. 

“I don’t care that this fight is hopeless. I’m not afraid to die. But they mean to devour the Throne, the Root, all the ties that bind us, and I won’t sit here and let them take you all away from me. Now let’s show them what it means to mess with Chaldea.”

Jeanne slammed her flag twice on the ground, sending gold dust flying into the air.

“The End has come in all its wrath!” she yelled. “Now we test its resolve against the strength of our steel! Onward!”

Chaldea moved as one around their master, who raised her sword and ran to meet the apocalypse in all her mediocrity.

The falling skies answered the challenge, lurching forward with the swagger of a beast drunk on gore. 

That was when Crimson Moon saw them.

Enormous. Tiny. Colorful. Monochrome. Faces of beauty. Visages of terror. The Nephilim were everything and nothing. A contradiction come alive, an impossibility whose truth lay unshakable. They were non-existence itself, and yet they were here, in numbers so large they felt infinite. Each one was a weak, pitiful creature, yet the vampire knew they were beyond him.

They had always been there. They had always been watching. They were the howling wind and blackest night, they were the dread that hung in the cold, bitter air and the desolation one felt in the depths of their soul.

It is just a projection from the wizard’s ring. None of this is real. Crimson Moon told himself these things.  And yet, as the sky crashed down upon them, he could not help but freeze at the sight. With all his power, with all his dignity, with all his authority as the spirit of the Moon itself, he could not help but feel afraid. He wanted to run, to scream, to hold his arms over his head and wail and grieve at the sight of the oncoming end. Yet Zelretch moved them closer still to the enemy, turning them around right as they passed the front line. 

There, Crimson Moon saw the first to meet the Nephilim.

It was the little Shield Girl, the fearful, whose fingers trembled and voice stuttered, whose heart found no joy on the battlefield. Her knees did not buckle as the vampire’s did, neither did her head bow in the face of the enemy’s numbers. She stood tall, proud, unyielding, charging ahead of the gods and kings. With one great leap she sailed into the storm, shield raised high above her. 

“LORD CAMELOT!”

A massive wave of blue energy erupted from the ground, forming the image of a castle’s walls. The Nephilim flew straight into it, crushing themselves as the ones who had been lucky enough to fly overhead were torn apart by a hail of projectiles and the ones that scaled the wall were hacked to pieces by the heroic spirits waiting below. Though the Nephilim could not break through,  they did not rethink their assault. Over and over they crashed against Camelot’s walls, an ocean surging against the strength of a single girl.

The Master stood with her, a hand on her arm as they held her shield together. The Shield Girl’s form shook from pain, and Crimson Moon could see her jaw hanging in an unending scream. The Master leaned closer to her, and Crimson Moon could hear them as if it was his ear the words were whispered to.

“Just a little longer Mash. Hold strong for us.”

Cracks began to grow throughout her skin, and her sweat became the color of blood. Her legs shook, her back began to slump,  and blood flowed freely from in between her gritted teeth, yet not one inch of Camelot’s walls gave way to the tide of night’s advances.

“That is not possible. My eyes cannot be fooled. I cannot misjudge. There is little power within this child. So how?”

Crimson Moon watched the Nephilim charge again, scattering upon Lord Camelot’s walls. He could hardly recognize the sound of his own voice cracking under the weight of his awe.

“How does the girl not break before them?”

The faintest of smiles etched itself on the wizard’s face, his somber look now hiding a single spark of pride.

“Her shield does not draw its strength from power. You did not misjudge Miss Kyrielight. She was once an ordinary child, perhaps not normal, but ordinary nonetheless, who had power thrust upon her when demonkind declared war upon humanity, and took away the life she had known. Fear lives within her heart, and it makes itself known in every battle. She has little experience compared to the other heroic spirits, and worries about it every day. She has little control over her temper, which flares easily due to her own insecurities. She is anxious about what she does not know, and attempts to pass herself off to her master as a fountain of knowledge to hide her shortcomings. She does not wield the power to flatten kingdoms, nor the charisma to bring nations to heel. All she has to offer the shield is her will to protect all that she loves.”

Zelretch turned to him, the green hue of the runes dancing in his eyes.

“And hers was forged in fire.”

“Do not insult me, wizard!”

Zelretch blinked slowly. “I’m not insulting you, Ultimate One. ”

“No human girl, least of all a child, could… could-”

“Could match up to you? Surpass you? Tell me again, vampire, did you not bend your head in fear despite being in no danger? Did you see her do the same?”

Crimson Moon could not find it in himself to answer, so Zelretch resumed speaking.

“I wasn’t insulting you. I was merely pointing out the sheer magnitude of the strength to be found in her. To be found in them.”

Crimson Moon couldn’t believe what he had just heard.

“Them?”

“Yes. Them.”

Zelretch moved the platform away from the Master and the Shield Girl, and flew over the other heroic spirits participating in the battle. One was another young girl, with pink horns and a reptilian tail, blasting a sonic wave at the howling Nephilim. One was a man with long, dark hair and warpaint upon his wise face, who wielded a knife and magic with equal skill. Yet another was a man with a bright red spear, who had taken upon himself to leave the protection of the walls and engage with the enemy on his own, tearing them to shreds faster than they could surround him.

“You say the stars have grown dim, Ultimate One. I see different. I see a darkness so great it has taken the heavens and plunged all we have ever known into shadow. It is infinite and unreasoning, and swallows everything in its reach. And yet, in the face of futility, the stars make their stand. They push back with everything they have; their faces aglow with the fire that burns in their souls. They shine. They resist. They hiss and spit and rage with all that they are for the sake of all that can be, and every effort cuts away even just a little of the darkness. It is there, through those little cracks they make, through the smallest of gaps in the black-”

“-They see they are not alone,” whispered the vampire.

[strawberry-skies-xx]

fic recs

time to make a post about every single amazing fic I’ve read! it’s gonna be a longass post so get ready!

fandoms, ships and tropes included:

Supernatural - Destiel (mostly AUs), Wincest, Sastiel, Sabriel, Sam x Ruby, Sam x Reader // omegaverse / boyking!Sam / God!Sam

BBC Sherlock - Johnlock, Sherlock x Molly Hooper x John and included pairings, Sherlock x Mycroft x Greg x John and all included pairings // omegaverse

Loki - Loki/OC

***this entire list has NSFW fics***

SUPERNATURAL

God!Sam, no ships

The Holy Grail Bird by de_nugis for monicawoe

The God-gun has a divine recoil effect. Sam has to have another try at living with power.

...

Boyking!Sam, no ships

The King’s Guard by monicawoe

Andy had spent the last few hours watching Sam Winchester —King of Hell, God of the Abyss, Bane of Heaven— kill nearly two dozen souls, and feed them all to his pet — the biggest, scariest looking hellhound of them all.

...

Destiel

Twist and Shout by standbyme, gabriel

What begins as a transforming love between Dean Winchester and Castiel Novak in the summer of 1965 quickly derails into something far more tumultuous when Dean is drafted in the Vietnam War. Though the two both voice their relationship is one where saying goodbye is never a real truth, their story becomes fraught with the tragedy of circumstance. In an era where homosexuality was especially vulnerable, Twist and Shout is the story of the love transcending time, returning over and over in its many forms, as faithful as the sea.

...

Blades of Silver, Hearts of Gold by Scribo_Vivere

Corsair Winchester is the most feared pirate in the Caribbean waters. When he makes it his goal to attack the Pride of Heaven, a massive ship that is part of Port Lawrence's Naval fleet, he finds himself ill-prepared in every way to come face to face with Commodore Castiel Novak, the brother of the man he wishes dead. It seems an easy solution to take the Commodore captive, but Castiel's ocean-blue eyes, kissable mouth, and fiery defiance make Winchester begin to question his choice. As a war ensues on all fronts, it remains to be seen who is the prisoner, who is the master, and how far both men will go in the name of prudence, sacrifice, and love.

...

Ninety One Whiskey by komodobits

In the spring of 1944, the 104th Medical Battalion of the United States Army is disbanded, and its men reassigned to various infantry companies in preparation for their invasion of occupied France. For First Lieutenant Novak, this is less than helpful, as he has so far met his platoon’s designated medic a grand total of twice, and has both times found Sergeant Winchester to be the optimum combination of reckless, arrogant, and downright insufferable so as to make cohesive platoon function near impossible. When the time comes to move out, however, Castiel has to reconcile himself to the fact that men are going to go down and trust that Dean Winchester may well be the only person who can put them back together again.

...

Steps by Camerahead12

The moment he saw Dean Winchester dance Castiel knew he was lost.

It wasn’t the way his muscles moved as he leapt across the floor, or even the way the sweat dripped down the man’s freckled skin. It was just simply the way he danced. The passion that bled out from the movements left him breathless and thirsty for more.

And when he danced with Dean that first time, it was like falling in love.

Little did he know that falling for the man would lead to questioning everything Castiel has ever stood for. As the deadline for the studios yearly performance draws closer, will Castiel be able to come up with an idea good enough to save his company? Or will it be too late to pull it away from Crowley, his money hungry investor’s hands?

As everything begins to slowly fall into place, Fate (as She usually does) has other ideas. Just when life seems to be working out, not only will their trust in each other be tested, but their strength they’ve discovered within themselves starts to bend. Will they be able to hold it together before it snaps, leaving nothing but broken dreams in its place?

...

Find Me in the Light by allmystars

Castiel is fine with his life. Really, he is. He’s content with the locals and his prying, if well-meaning, business partner and brother. Everything is just...fine. That’s how he likes it—plain and uneventful.

Until Gabriel hires Dean Winchester to work at the cafe and, suddenly, Castiel's carefully crafted isolation is broken apart like the waves that stole his mother from him, and Castiel hates him for it.

He hates Dean’s attitude—hates his car and his stupidly pretty face with that permanent smirk. He just...hates Dean Winchester.

Until he doesn’t.

Until, somehow, Dean manages to weasel his way into Castiel’s heart and take up permanent residence there. Then Castiel isn’t fine—he’s far from it, actually. He’s great—wonderful and perfect and happy.

But things change—nothing is ever-present—and this loss might kill him. It might just tear Castiel apart. After all, how do you lose something you’ve been searching for your whole life, and survive it? How do you do that?

Castiel doesn’t think he can.

...

Of Twists and Turns by Kitmistry, Piento

When naval surgeon Castiel Novak is captured by the Black Impala pirates, he has no choice but to agree to their terms: He is to serve on their ship for a whole year before they release him. That doesn’t mean he is going to like it, though. Especially when their captain is the embodiment of everything Castiel despises.

Determined to earn his freedom, Castiel settles into the life of an outlaw. When the pirates’ true goal is revealed, though, he can no longer deny that things are not as black and white as he thought they were. And he can’t deny how drawn he is to Captain Winchester either.

...

Sabriel

Fifty Shades of Freedom by Aria_Lerendeair  (omegaverse fic)

Gabriel Novak is a Class-A Alpha asshole and Sam Winchester wants nothing to do with him, especially after that interview! Except then, he maybe finds out a few things about Gabriel Novak that make him hate him a little less, and hey, maybe some of that bondage stuff sounds interesting…

Golden Shades of Freedom by Aria_Lerendeair (PART 2)

After the world finds out about their relationship, Sam settles into something semi-normal, with Gabriel. The paparazzi are desperate for something, but Sam is, well. Happier than he expected to be, dating an asshole like Gabriel. That, of course, is when the invitation from Gabriel’s family had come for the summer. Sam agrees to go, only if he can bring Dean with him. A few uncomfortable family revelations and one epic fight later, Sam’s left wondering if Gabriel actually is his happily ever after.

...

Sam x Ruby (and side-Destiel)

Job & Family by TigerLilyNoh

After Dean's death (at the end of season 3), Sam and Ruby begin hunting down Lilith. Without Dean by his side, Sam finds the world of hunting to not be as black and white as he once thought. He just wants to get closure and move on with life, but outside forces aren't making that so easy. By the time the brothers reunite, Sam is a very different person than he used to be.

The battle for Hell, Heaven, and the Apocalypse begins. In these crazy times, the boys find themselves with new enemies, allies, and bedfellows.

...

Sam and/or Dean x Reader

@negans-lucille-tblr​ is a great writer on Tumblr. I tried making a list of all the series I’d recommend and then realized I was just writing her entire Supernatural masterlist so here’s the link to her actual masterlist.

@winchest09​ is also a great writer. Haven’t read her entire masterlist but her Life for Rent series is amazing.

...

BBC SHERLOCK

Johnlock

The Gilded Cage by BeautifulFiction (omegaverse fic)

In a world where Omegas are the property of the elite Alphas, locked away and treasured by those wealthy enough to buy them, John never questioned his flatmate's secondary gender. Sherlock Holmes was an Alpha through-and through.

Wasn't he?

A chance discovery turns the world on its head, and John is left grappling to come to terms with Sherlock's past as events conspire to threaten their future. 

…

The Stars Move Still by BeautifulFiction

“What could I want so desperately that would make me sell my soul? What could possibly compel me to surrender the part of myself that makes me who I am: the source of my magic, my self-control, everything?"

...

BDSM (aka, thousands of words of pure filth. porn with plot if you squint.)

various pairings between Sherlock, Greg, John, Mycroft, Molly, and Eurus. (Molly and Eurus are non-con relationships)

Something Extraordinary by sherlock1110, sherlockian4evr

In a Dom/sub world, Dom!John and sub!Mycroft have found each other as have Dom!Sherlock and sub!Greg. This is their story.

…

Things Unwanted by sherlock1110, sherlockian4evr

sherlock1110, sherlockian4evr

This series contains variations on non-con/dub-con scenarios, most of which involve abduction and/or imprisonment of one form or another.

…

The Detective, His Doctor, His Brother, and His DCI by sherlock1110, sherlockian4evr

This is the first fic where The Detective and the Doctor and The British Government and the DI come together here.

...

Fics of the Void (aka very dark fics, non-con is a given)

Wincest

A Threefold Path to Redemption by rei_c

Sam finds a way to keep Dean from going to hell: he'll go in his brother's place. He knows it's going to be bad and that he'll emerge changed. He never knew how much.

...

Suite!verse by leonidaslion

This is how the world ends, this is how the world ends, this is how the world ends…

...

Sastiel

Like a Nail to a Cross by azazelsocks (unfinished but still posting)

“I want what any god wants,” Castiel said. “I want you. Your life, your soul, your devotion. Everything you have to give belongs to me, your God. In exchange, your family will be safe.”

There really was no other answer. “I agree,” Sam said.

The new God orders the Winchesters to kneel or be destroyed, and Sam, as always, will do anything to save his brother.

...

Sam and Dean-centric, no ships

Semper Familia by KatZen

When his dad comes back into the clearing with a scrawny kid he's just bought in tow, Dean isn't surprised. He knows Lilim aren't human, that they're creatures, like witches or wendigo.

But the kid that John's got by the arm, who's pulled as far away from Dean's dad as possible without actually trying to get his arm back, the kid whose eyes don't leave John and are bright with fear, the kid who looks like he hasn't eaten in a couple of days and is obviously favoring his left leg...

This kid looks an awful lot like a person. And what's more, he's the same age Sammy would have been.

...

LOKI

Loki/OC

Banditry by LoquaciousQuibbler (unfinished but still posting)

Noir, a thief living on the streets of Asgard, didn't realize it was Prince Loki she had pickpocketed. Call it a happy coincidence. She's immediately charmed by him, but how could a thief get her hands on the key to the prince's heart? Oh, no need. She's pretty handy with a lock pick.

...

shameless self promotion

LOKI | no ships

Stories of Innocence

A collection of short stories (five chapters or less) about Loki's youth. For those people who have a sudden craving for when Loki was happy and before Odin happened.

...

The End

The opposite end of the spectrum; where my Stories of Innocence are of young Thor and Loki, these are older Thor and Loki stories. They are part of the MCU and are based on events from those movies. Warning: lots of feels (I made myself almost cry for a character I dislike because of what I wrote).

...

BBC SHERLOCK | Johnlock

Loving a Married Man

I seem to love to make myself cry. A small collection of Sherlock feels stories. Warning: may make you cry.

...

SUPERNATURAL | Boyking!Sam / Sastiel 

Prompt Fight | on ao3

A collection of boyking!Sam short stories written in accordance to prompts given.

[cinnamonanddean]

Wincestmas - Day 4

Warning: violence between Sam and Dean right at the end.

*******

Their footsteps echo through the dark hallway, shadows dancing across the rough stone walls as they pass, candles flickering in their wake.

From somewhere deep down in the dungeon, a faint echo of prayer reaches their ears and though it´s not enough to ease their anxious hearts, it does remind all of them that they´re not alone in this. Their brothers are with them.

They walk for what feels like hours, deeper and deeper into the earth, passing cell door after cell door, the cries of the imprisoned following them.

Finally, they stop in front of a massive oaken door. It´s covered in sigils and potent incantations. Arcane symbols that stretch from the thick metal bars holding the door in place all the way into the strong stone surrounding it.

In a building filled with the most dangerous creatures roaming God´s earth, this door is their ultimate stronghold. Whatever creature is waiting in the room behind it, it´s more powerful than any other either of them has ever encountered before.

At the very front of their group, Father Jim pauses. He hesitates for a heartbeat, before he turns around, a question in his eyes he doesn´t dare speak out loud.

This is it. His one and only out.

Dean swallows.

He can blow it all off, now. Back out with his dignity still intact, no questions asked. They all know that he is more invested in this than any other man of their order. That Dean has more to lose than just his life, should he ever set foot through that door.

Dean recognizes the fear in Father Jim´s eyes, feels it mirrored in his own heart, in the leaden weight that has settled in his stomach and barley allows him to eat these days. He hasn´t slept in what feels like weeks, can´t remember, doesn´t care. Knows that it is only adrenaline and sheer determination keeping him upright at this point. And yet, the one important battle still lies ahead of him.

To Dean, there is only one possible choice.

“Take me to him.” He orders, no sign of weakness in his voice.

Control is the one thing Dean still has left, and he is determined to keep it until the very end.

There´s barley a sound when the door opens, it´s heavy hinges well kept and oiled to perfection.

Dean´s skin prickles when he passes through the door, the energy inside the room flaring like electricity, powerful enough to set them all aflame if they were ordinary people.

Breathing is a battle all of its own, the air so thick that Dean feels like they´re underwater, barley any oxygen left to feed his burning lungs.

Tricks and illusions, Dean knows. The creature is bound and all but powerless, but the fact that it can still fight them like this, tells him more than he ever wanted to know about the level of power he´ll be dealing with later.

He follows Father Jim, who is silently waiting in front of a second door, and with one last nod to his old teacher, Dean takes another step and, for the first time in decades, comes face to face with the creature he had once called brother.

The creature is bound and immobilized, thick chains holding it in place, a pentagram and powerful runes keeping its powers in check.

“Sammy.” Is all Dean can think of, the only thought in his head, and he hadn´t been aware that he´d spoken out loud until the creature´s head snaps around and Dean locks eyes with the deeply black one´s of the thing inhabiting his little brother´s body.

Unlike Dean, it clearly takes Sam a moment to recognize him. Not that Dean can blame him. It´s been years. Decades. Maybe even centuries. Time flows different in hell.

The energy around them shifts, every hair on Dean´s body standing on end as the creature concentrates all of his efforts solely on him.

It´s not an attack, but a caress. A greeting. A lover´s embrace.

Dean wants to tremble. To break. To run to his brother´s side, free him from his chains. Knows that he can´t. He´d be dead long before the metal hit the ground.

So he watches, instead. Drinks Sam in with every sense that is still left to him.

This creature, this thing, is so unlike the brother Dean once knew.

This Sam is ageless, both ancient evil and young innocence. Eyes that have seen all the terrors of hell, his body young and slender, long limbs and broadening shoulders that hold the promise of strength to come. Sam´s beautiful and he knows it. The wicked glint in his eyes says he knows that Dean has seen it, too.

The creature is unabashedly naked, terrifying and alluring. Legs spread so obscenely wide that Dean doesn´t dare look for fear of never being able to tear his eyes away.

Sam´s temptation incarnate, and for the first time in his life, Dean doesn´t know if he´ll be strong enough to overcome his own weaknesses.

“Leave us.” Dean demands, voice like thunder. He cannot afford to show any doubt, not to himself and most certainly not to Sam. “We share the same blood, he´s mine. I hereby stake my claim on him, both in this life, and in the next.”

It´s the least he can do. Dean cannot bear the thought of another man laying his hands on his little brother. Sam is his duty and his trial. His to love and his to kill, if it should come to that.

Without waiting for a reply from the men behind him, Dean takes another step forward and grabs Sam´s jaw, unrelenting fingers forcing his brother´s head up until they are staring into each other´s eyes.

“I failed you.” Dean murmurs, regret darkening his heart. “Your sins are mine, too. It is only right that I should be to one to cleanse you, to bring you to salvation.”

Amidst the deafening silence that follows Dean´s statement, Father Jim clears his throat. “This is your decision to make, my son, and I won´t stand against you. But he´s too strong for you to face him alone. Allow me at least to -”

“No.” Dean interrupts sharply, his determination unwavering.

Down on the chair, Sam is smirking up at Dean, the defiant tilt of his lips clearly visible even around the thick ball-gag forcing his pink mouth wide open.

He looks so tantalizing, that Dean feels his stomach tighten with sudden want, the heat of it so scalding that he nearly groans out loud. By the heavens, it´s already starting.

Dean drops the creature´s head as if he´s been burned for real and wipes his hand on his robe, finally turning around to face his brothers for one last time.

“My life is in our Father´s hands now.” He tells them calmly. “If my sins are too terrible to earn His forgiveness, then I will gladly accept my punishment and surrender my soul to the deepest pits of hell.

Dean lets the words sink in, holds each one of his brother´s gazes until they drop their heads in deference.

“Leave us.” Dean orders again, impatient now, the room vibrating as he unleashes a fraction of his own powers. This time, he won´t be disobeyed.

With one last bow to Dean, his brothers turn to leave. One by one by one.

“Be careful, my son.” Father Jim says as he takes his place at the back of the group, closing and locking the door behind them without any further sound.

Dean doesn´t even hear the goodbye, his unwavering attention already firmly fixed on the wicked creature in front of him.

“We got work to do, Sammy.” Dean murmurs, before he grabs the first one in a long line of knives, and cuts his brother´s throat.

*******

And now we´re finally back on schedule :)

I´m claiming this as boyking!Sam AU and I´m very sorry to end it on a cliffhanger (okay, I´m not. hehe. Still hope you enjoyed this!)

See you tomorrow and have a wonderful day, my dear!

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Holy moly! This is amazing. The details are so rich. And who doesn't love Boyking!Sam? Beautiful. Thank you for this!

[knight-of-redemption]

// After watching the King of the Monsters movie, and still wishing for a crossover between the Godzilla and Symphogear franchises, I got a better idea of how it could work.//

Some time after defeating Adam, an asteroid falls in the antartic ocean, wich takes every goverment in the world off guard because it suddenly appeared. When research teams arrive to investigate the incident, Ghidorah comes out destroying every boat and aerial transport the researchers brought; but they managed to send a videocall asking for help in wich the three headed dragon can be seen for a moment.

Based on this the United Nations ask for SONG's assitance, given the relic users hold a lpt of power; Ghidorah arrives to Sidney ( because is a mayor city close to the antartic region ) and starts destroying the city; Hibiki and friends arrive to face the monster but despite they manage to hurt him, Ghidorah overwhelmed the girls and they had to make a tactical retreat.

After his victory Ghidorah makes a mighty roar over the destroyed city, and things get more out of control. In China, Mexico and the middle of the Pacific ocean huge earthquakes take place wich puzzles the united nations even more, and what happens next makes them believe the end of the world have begun. As Mothra, Rodan and Godzilla awaken from their slumber, but, unlike what they believed Rodan and Godzilla heads towards Ghidorah, while Mothra stood in Chida and made her cocoon to grew and become an adult.

In shock everyone in Song watches the clash between Rodan and Godzilla against Ghidorah, and they noticed that the dragon didnt had the scars of the injuries the girls managed to make on him; revealing its ability to regenerate and heal its wounds. Ghidorah takes the lead in the battle and Rodan taking note of how powerfull the dragon is decides to betray Godzilla and attack him instead; and the monster is defeated.

Genjurou decides that given neither the girls or that giant reptile could defeat the dragon on their own, the best could be to join forces; given Godzilla didnt attack directly the human vehicles that he saw on his way so he seemed to dont mind the people; the problem was to find Godzilla in the deep ocean, and like if his question were answered Mothra in her adult form appeared and illuminated a specific place in the ocean, not too far from where Godzilla was defeated.

With the submarine-base SONG searched for Godzilla, but what they found blew their minds, a sunken ancient city, and in the middle of it a massive temple. Inside they found diverse murals showing people using the relics the Symphogears are based to fight giant creatures, while others such as Godzilla, Mothra and Rodan were worshipped as gods. Puzzled about their recent discovery the team (Genjurou, the girls and some others) found after some time an empty chamber and what they were looking for: Godzilla, resting after his tough battle and trying to recover his energy, but looking at how he struggled to even breathe the group was unsure if he would make it.

Then Hibiki came up with an idea, 'what if we give it some of the relic's energy ? that may help it'. Chris complained telling the idea was stupid, however Tsubasa and Maria supported the idea since trying wont hurt. And after Genjurou gave his approval, the girls circled Godzilla's head and placed their relics on his skin, and in unison all sang their grupal holy chant; at first nothing happened and Chris complained again while Hibiki felt frustrated, then all of a sudden Godzilla opened his eyes and raised his head staring at the group; then he simply moved to get out of the temple, and everyone knew he wasnt really a threat to them; the group of Song members leaved after Godzilla was gone, taking photo and videos of the temple and city on their way out.

At this point Ghidorah and Rodan have destroyed a few mayor cities around the world, and they arrived at Tokyo, the armed forces launched everything they had at them but Rodan and Ghidorah simply destroyed everything, then Godzilla and Mothra arrived at the scene to face them, along some more armed forces from the remaining unscathed countries and the relic users. And the clash began, Hibiki, Tsubasa and Chris gave support to Godzilla while Maria, Kirika and Shirabe helped Mothra to battle Rodan, but the energy of the relics wasnt enough to keep the pace of the kaiju and Hibiki began to feel insecure about if her idea was a good one at all, specially because once again Ghidorah dominated the fight pretty quickly. And the worst of all, Tsubasa managed to cut one of Ghidorah's heads using Heaven's Wrath before running out of energy but after the dragon left Godzilla weakened and lying on the ground he regenerated his head, to the shock and horror of everyone.

Everyone was out of energy, Rodan was defeated by Mothra after Maria and company couldnt help anymore and they all watched how Mothra tried to give her energy to help Godzilla, and how she sacrificed herself to protect him from Ghidorah's blast, the energy of the fallen Mothra went into Godzilla and the relic users; awakening the burning state in godzilla and in the girls something Ogawa named 'Mothra X-drive', basically the X-drive but all the girls had wings on their backs that resembled the ones of mothra. After an epic final clash between Ghidorah vs Godzilla and the girls, the three headed beast was incinerated completely. Once the battle was over, Godzilla stared at the group of girls that fought along him, and after that he just went to the sea to dissapear once again.

After that day Hibiki and company knew human kind were not the first rulers of earth, and that the king of the monsters would protect its home, and they would help him to do so. Also they found out that Rodan was still alive, and that perhaps mothra have left behind an egg; so it would be matter of time until they had to see the titans again.

// I wonder what thinks my friend @cantusecho about this //