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deer-with-a-stick · 9 months

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Idk if the people complaining about the BG3 endings are D&D players or not but like...this does feel like the ending of a campaign y'know. Sacrifices are made, people are stubborn and time is short so sometimes you have to choose between npcs who could have worked together but won't, and the thing with character arcs.

If you finished them, the companions' arcs are complete emotionally I think (except for Karlach rip, although I hope Larian does make up for it. Late-addition I guess :/). Lae'zel breaks free of her indoctrination, Shadowheart discovers who she is and now has the choice to decide who she can be, Astarion's learned enough things about himself that he's almost a completely different character by the end of it, Gale's gotten over Mystra and over his constant need to be better and stronger (this is all assuming the "Good Endings"), Wyll's broken his pact with Mizora and it makes sense for his character to keep trying to help people, whether that's by becoming the Blade of Avernus or otherwise.

Life goes on after the campaign ends. Characters move on, and for characters like the BG3 ones, where it ended at level 12, it makes sense that they wouldn't settle down in a place to chill and have a fairytale ending. They have the last tiny part of their stories to complete.

I think the reason it funnels a little right at the big moment (where it ends up being "Choose Orpheus or the Emperor," and "Choose who to become the illithid or let Gale explode") is because for these big last boss fights, there tends to have to be a sacrifice. I know there might be some bugs or whatnot, or people wanted more knowledge about what was going to happen to everyone else, but this is still a roleplaying game? Should I remind you that in BG3, you are, in fact, roleplaying as Tav/Origin Character?

That's the reason why you learn more about what a companion does after defeating the Netherbrain if you play as them and why if you play as Tav, you don't know what comes next.

For the few D&D campaigns I've played, at the end of it, it's always just been the players deciding individually what happens to the characters. Sometimes, they've died. Sometimes, they've continued adventuring and end up making appearances in the next campaigns, and sometimes they just had their fairytale ending. (From what I've seen the ending is quite a bit bugged and once Larian fixes that it'll probably please a bunch of people. My thoughts are incredibly disjointed right now but hjkrhlakjsdfh)

Those open-ended endings are good, I think. Lae'zel's always been a fighter, regardless of whether it was because of Vlaakith or not. She's always been steadfast in her beliefs and will stop at nearly nothing to make sure she accomplishes what she's set her mind to. She's got a code of honor, even if that code might skew towards "evil," so it makes complete sense that she would want to return to the Astral Plane to stop Vlaakith. What becomes of her and her mission, we don't know, because Tav, in that moment, is not in the Astral Plane with Lae'zel.

Shadowheart's arc was about reclaiming herself, so to speak. And that's hard when you've been brainwashed by a goddess for the majority of your life. Ironically, the whole theme of "Loss" is always prevalent, whether it's because she serves Shar or because she's let her parents go. Unlike Lae'zel, her purpose now is something vague: live your life. She doesn't know what exactly to do, so she heads off by herself. She doesn't know where she's going exactly, and so therefore Tav wouldn't either.

Astarion's ending pissed people off, and I do kind of wish that if you kept Gale's True Resurrection scroll, you could cure him, but it makes sense I suppose. If you kept him from becoming Vampire Ascendent, it signifies that he's finally free of Cazador and that he's finally free of his near all-consuming quest for power. The ability to walk in the sun is a power, and when he burns after the tadpoles die, it's because he's given up that power earlier, but is a better person because of that. I believe that if you do an Astarion Origin ending, it turns out that he heads to the Underdark to lead the vampire spawn because he's taking responsibility. He's becoming a leader where Cazador had been a tyrant

For Gale, his entire storyline is just him walking on a knife's edge. He's somewhere between desperately trying to live and trying to find some convenient time to die, between loving Mystra and hating her, between wanting more power and being content with what he has. The end (find the crown, give it to mystra) is a fitting ending I think. I honestly don't think Mystra's a very good goddess to hold the attention of, but he realizes that a) he's got a little obsessive and b) he doesn't need more power and that he'll be content just to be Gale Dekarios. So it makes sense for him to quite literally just settle down somewhere. He doesn't have the urge to make himself stronger and better constantly, and he won't end up killing all of Waterdeep. He's free to live at home, do wizard things, and have Tara yell at him for poor life choices.

And Wyll's Blade of Avernus ending makes sense (even if he didn't sell his soul to Mizora forever: I think you can get this ending if you save his father anyway). He's got his hero complex. His daddy issues aren't so much a problem and the pact is gone (you can break the pact and then hurry to the prison I believe), but he's going to keep fighting, keep being a hero. If Karlach's dying, he's definitely the kind of person to jump at the chance to help her, even if that means going to Avernus. Besides, he can keep killing demons and devils there.

I will agree that its a bit annoying (because again, I definitely think that Act 1 is the most thought-through and polished piece, and there are bugs abound in Act 2 and 3) but seeing Larian's response so far (we've got Patch 1 and 2 confirmed already, with the possibility of a DLC not off the table), people who were disappointed should still have hope.

Just be warned that the perfect fairy tale ending probably isn't possible, but your companions will still be happy. This isn't new: take LOTR for example. Faramir's father and brother are still dead, but at the end of everything, he'll still be happy. He'll have some more action when he cleans out Minas Ithil, but in the end, despite everything he's lost, he'll be happy. Frodo is heavily scarred by his experience, and perhaps it's not the best ending per say, by the end of the day, people and life move on, and we know that Frodo will be happy in Valinor.

(This is unfiltered rambling I'll probably edit or delete this later)

(This is also probably because I love the bittersweet endings, although I understand that most people probably hate them)

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velvet4510 · 3 months

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I cry when I think about Sam’s promise to never leave Frodo.

I cry when I think about how, in the book, the Elves say “don’t you leave him” as a concerned encouragement only because they know Frodo is being followed by Black Riders; they have no idea of the true gravity of the situation, or that these two hobbits will be going anywhere near the fortress of the Dark Lord himself.

I cry when I think about how Sam has already made up his mind completely when the Elves give him that advice, that he has already made the choice to go with Frodo anywhere, even the Moon, and to fight Black Riders for him. “Leave him????” the very idea is absurd to him already. He’s got it all figured out.

I cry when I think about how Sam doesn’t technically make his promise to the Elves; he makes it to Frodo, and more importantly, to himself. He just loves Frodo so much that he makes the promise to himself. “Never leave your master, that’s what you said, never, never!” Not what the Elves or Gandalf or anyone else said. What he himself said. What he vowed to himself for the sake of his greatest love.

I cry when I think about how, in the movie, Sam’s spoken excuse for his care for Frodo in the scene by the river is “I promised Gandalf,” but Sean Astin’s soulful performance reveals the aforementioned truth…in the boat scene all he says is “I made a promise,” he doesn’t say it was made to Gandalf….it’s the same as the book, he made the promise to himself…the emotion and love in his voice when he says “don’t you lose him and I don’t mean to”…a shy humble gardener’s way of saying “don’t you see? it’s not just about what a wizard told me to do, it’s about how I love you and I can’t lose you.” And Frodo’s reaction shows he registers this.

I cry when I think about how Sam keeps on choosing that promise over everything else, even his own safety, to the point where he directly goes against Frodo’s wishes for his safety and follows him to Mordor, not because anyone twisted his arm and forced him to do it, not because Frodo asked anything of him, but because he loves Frodo so much that he commits to his promise.

I cry when I think about how Sam’s promise is like a marriage vow, “in sickness and in health,” “for richer for poorer.” Even as Frodo grows sicker and sicker, even as Sam almost dies dozens of times, he honors this vow and proves what love really means.

I cry when I think about how Sam’s promise is the opposite of the forced obligation that many ignorant readers/viewers have claimed it to be (yes, i’ve read that claim, that he never wanted to go, that the whole time he secretly resented Frodo for taking him away from Rosie, what book did those numbskulls read???)…how Sam, in every version of the story, takes a mere encouragement made in total ignorance of what they will really be up against, and develops it into a personal vow based on pure love which ultimately gives him the strength to defeat Shelob one-on-one, storm an Orc-infested tower all by himself, and climb a giant mountain with an adult hobbit on his shoulders.

I cry when I think about how Sam’s promise is so much like a marriage vow that he cannot leave Frodo when Rosie reveals she wants to marry him, that he doesn’t marry Rosie until she agrees that they can still live with Frodo.

I cry when I think about how Sam’s promise lasts all his life into feeble old age, across decades of time and millions of miles, even when he knows Frodo is in good healing hands and his emotional support is no longer reliant on him alone … he still ultimately forsakes all that he has ever known to find Frodo in the West, because his promise, his love, is everlasting.

I cry when I think about how Sam proves that love is a choice, that the vows you make for a person are vows for yourself as much as that person. Why would you make such a vow? All that anyone else can do is encourage you to act on what you already feel. The choice is only yours. And you choose to make that vow when you truly love someone, as Sam does.

I cry when I think about how Sam proves that love is a promise.

#lotr #jrr tolkien #lotr books #lord of the rings #samfro #frodo x sam #sam x frodo #samwise gamgee #frodo baggins #rosie cotton #lotr movies

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jacaerysgf · 1 year

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Flowers | The Series | Chapter One | Introductions

Summary | As a lady from a very minor house you are very displeased to be journeying so far away from home for a boring trip. but your first morning tells you this trip is going to much more interesting than you thought.

Pairing | Jacaerys Velaryon x Fem!Reader

Warning’s | Avoiding the use of y/n like a plague, Aegon being an asshole (what's new), not proofread, basically a big set up chapter with more exciting things to happen later on

Word count | 2k

series masterlist

Any house is free to join House Targaryen for Jacaerys bridal choosing celebration starting on the first day of the next moon cycle these festivities will last-

You can't be bothered to remember the rest of the dreaded letter your family had received along with the rest of the seven kingdoms. Yet another bump in the road brings yet another sigh to rise from your throat. “I don’t see the point in this mother.” Your mother scoffs as she continues to stare out the window, “we are a minor house with little funds, little land and nothing to offer. I must ask once again… why we are wasting our time with this.” The words you speak are true, House dunn a minor house from the reach had barely anything to offer anyone especially not the heir to the iron throne. Your mother turns to you with a glare, “Do not speak about our house like that.” the look on your face makes your mother sigh and soften her face, “look, sweetheart, maybe we can’t impress the prince but there will be numerous other lords there for you to impress, either way i have a feeling we will come out of this moon cycle with your betrothal set.”

You throw your head back with a groan, “Why must i be betrothed now i am still young-” Your mothers face turned back into her hardened glare to which you turned to your father who sat next to her, staring out the window. “Father” he sighs, “you must make her see reason there is no point in this-” “there is no arguing with your mother you know this better than i.” with a sigh of defeat you lean back in your seat as your mother thanks her husband.

Kings Landing is within sight now as you turn back to look out the window, the place you’ll sit and watch as all the young (and even old) women of the court throw themselves at the young prince ‘we’re not even there yet and i cannot wait to go home’

The carriage stops suddenly causing you to still up. Your father sticks his head out of the window, “what's happened?” “A tree is blocking the path lord… I do not believe I can move it.” Curious, you move to look out the other window and see a rather large tree blocking the path and the surrounding area. Your father groans before he answers, “Is there another path we can take?” “Of course sir but it would take much longer to see it-” you turn to your mother with a small grin who gives you a pointed look, “See mother this is a sign from the gods that we should not be here!” She glares and sticks her head out the window, “Take the other path and take it now before we miss the opening introduction.” Defeated you fall back as the carriage begins to move once more.

The throne is cold, colder than expected. With each fake smile and extravagant gift accepted, Jacaerys could feel the chair poking him as if to tell him his false actions and words are not appreciated. His lips are almost sore from the amount of hands he’s had to kiss, his cheeks hurt from the fake smile that has sat on his face, He could even argue that his eyes hurt from having to watch as these ladies try their best to impress him and the angry looks from their mothers or the pointed looks from their fathers that turned into large and proud smiles had the prince turned in their direction ‘when will this end? How did mother do something this humiliating for months?’ He remembers when his mother proposed (more like insisting) this event in Jacaerys honor. The council quickly approved as they felt Jace was old enough to marry and it would show the strength and unity of the realm if they all gathered for a ceremony like this. He remembers when the rest of the family was told, “So he’s going to be paraded around the keep like a prized pig.” Aegon giggles and receives a sharp look from his mother. His brothers weren't any better, Luke especially teased his brother as Joffrey laughed along. “The festivities should be fun, it’ll be nice to see them keep so lively.” Jacaerys gives Helaena an appreciative smile, she is able to tell he is beginning to feel upset.

This morning in his room as the servants were finishing up with getting him ready for today his mother had come into the room and shooed away the servants who bowed as they left, “your grace.” “there's no need for that jacaerys im your mother.” She walks over to him as he looks in the mirror, she puts her hands on his shoulders. “I had to do something similar as a younger lady.” Rhaenyra starts, she moves her hands to the top of his head gently stroking it, “You’re lucky I had to leave home for a couple of months.” She says with a grin as she tries to joke with him but with his shoulders tensing up and his face hardening she can tell he did not take it that way. “I will not let you down your grace.” she sighs as she turns him towards her, puts her hands back on his shoulders. “Jace.” she says and his face softens, “Relax.” He sighs as he looks down, not being able to look at his mother, his queen, the women he is supposed to follow in the footsteps of, in the face. “I Just don’t want to let you down.” She grabs his face softly and makes him look at her in the eyes, “there’s nothing you could do to let me down my sweet, all you need to do is face the day my son.”

He closes his eyes and relaxes once more as his mothers words ring in his head, ‘relax’ “i believe that's everyone my prince.” a genuine smile finds its way onto his face as he stands to address the crowd. He scans the crowd as he thinks ‘no one was memorable, they have three daughter i only remember two, was she always wearing that dress i thought it was blue no maybe i'm mixing her up with someone else’ He stops his own thoughts with a clap of his hands and everyone turns to look at him, “I thank everyone who has come today with my greatest appreciation, i hope everyone enjoys these festivities-” his speech was interrupted with a band as the doors shot open.

“I cannot believe we’ve almost missed it!” your mother says as she pulls your arm through the halls quickly following the guard leading them there, “you’re hurting me-” “oh shush and hurry.” “I am hurrying.” You grumble but shut up as your other arm is holding a heavy book knowing you're unable to stop her. With another tug at your arm from your mother as her feet quicken as you race through the large halls. Your father follows closely behind with a thoughtful look on his face and his arms full of a rather large bouquet of flowers, though you’re unable to ask as you arrive at the main hall, your mother turns to you and fixes your hair lightly and your father hands you the large bouquet and the door opens with a large bang. All the heads whip back towards you and you feel your skin burn from all the stares. “It seems we’re rather late.” your father mumbles and receives a quick slap to the arm from your mother as she smiles at the crowd.

“House Dunn my prince there was an incident on the road.” Your father smiles at the guard as your mother pushes you forward, “you first.” she mumbles in your ear as you walk forward with your head down. The eye’s continue to follow as you make your way to the front of the room before the throne. “Your grace.” your father says as you all bow. “We are so sorry for the late arrival-” your father continues but you aren't listening to him you can't not when you can hear the people around you. “Is she really wearing that?” “house dunn? I've never heard of such a house” “why would you bring the crowned prince a book of all things? It looks old even how terrible " "I bet they can’t afford anything better.” “flowers? Why would anyone bring a boy flowers?” The skin on your body suddenly feels hot, your face burns and the dress you wear feels tight. You want to leave. You’re brought back by your mother taping you on the back, “My daughter,” Your father presents you. Dreadfully, you lift your head to face the prince. You give you a curious look as you bow down once more, “your grace.”

He walks down the steps before the guard next to him can stop him and takes the book from your hands. “Might I ask you what this book is about, My lady?” Your face continues to burn as he inspects it. The words of the people in the room ring around in your head. “It's an old history book, your grace.” The whispers start once more as you continue but his eyes remain locked on you, “I got it during my time in Pentos, the shopkeeper said it contains history that remains unwritten in many of the texts of westeros. I've read it numerous times in a fascinating read-'' The words you say suddenly sound ridiculous to you and you stop, “Many apologies for your grace.” A larger smile graces his face if you were anyone else you would believe to be genuine. “There is nothing to apologize for I am sure I shall enjoy reading it as well.” you cannot meet his eyes as he passes off the book to one of the guards and eye’s the flowers in your hands. “I assume these are for me as well.” He sounds assumed and takes them from you before you could let out a quiet yes.

“They are White Clovers, your grace.” You say before he can ask, “ These grow on the outskirts of our lands. Every flower has a meaning. I picked these myself specifically for today…” Before you can blurt out more your mother pinches you on the arm. You can hear the quiet gasps of the women around you. ‘She picked them herself, how barbaric.’ Your skin is starting to hurt from how much it is burning, resisting the urge to run out of the room you take a small step back. His look turns thoughtful as he continues to stare, “and what does this mean?” he fills in the gap you left with a small step forward of his own. “Remembrance, I hope you shall remember me, my prince.” Your voice is small as you watch him give off the flowers and lift your hand to grace it with a kiss. “I shall, my lady.”

You finally meet his eyes in shock, you lose your voice for a second as you look into his mesmerizing eyes you feel as though you could get lost in them, the brown of his eyes captivates. You take in the rest of his face as well, he is much more handsome than you expected, the type of handsome you will never forget. The smile his face holds makes him look even better, he looks like a prince from the storybooks you read as a younger girl. You feel envious of the women who he will choose as she will get to wake up and stare at his face for as long as she shall wish.

He smiles at you once more before he turns to your father, “Thank you for coming.” Your father smiles and says some more but you cannot wait. You rush a bow and move quickly to the back of the room; the eyes are still following you; it feels like an itch that you cannot scratch. Jacaerys closes out the ceremony but you cannot be bothered to pay attention to his words as all you want to do is to leave once he closes out and he moves to leave you rush to leave but cannot help but take one more glance at the prince, out of the corner of your eye you swear you saw him take a look at you as well.

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a/n: I wanted to make this gn! Reader but i felt like fem reader made more sense sorry :( I chose house Dunn for the house as it has no prominent figures yet has a signet so you can feel free to insert whoever you want! still a little rusty from not having written in forever so sorry in advance. For some clarity I'm basically going off the fact that Otto doesn't succeed and Rhaenyra is named queen, everyone lives in the keep and are happy and alive . Also Baela is never betrothed to Jace but Rhaena and Luke are betrothed! Aemond and Helaena are married instead because Aegon doesn't deserve her.

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snackugaki · 7 months

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... my ass actually got like 6+ images deep before realizing i hadn't posted shit-- oops

my tmnt iteration (where everyone made it past their 20s, splinter’s alive just old, venus is here, and they deserve some goddamn respite and shenanigans)

tmnt iteration omake 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11

lny visit 1 | 2

IDW spoilers below, teeechnically Mirage & Next Mutation spoilers too ig?

blah blah blabbering because that's one of the many things you can do on tumblr.com

bloopity bloopin, turtles all being traded on the black market as pets, medicine, or decor to be... "prepared". 'cept Jennika, keeping her IDW origin because it's badass and I like it. eco vigilantes freed them one fateful night, same night someone(s) stole some mutagen for a rival company to TGRI, boom collided in their getaway routes, away floated Venus just like in NM and some others who lalala may or may not be some mutanimals

playing mostly with coloring, Rise introducing markings is such a nice and refreshing change from the all sam green turtle, different bandana color turtles I grew up with. fanon taking that concept and applying it in conjunction with actual turtle colorings also scratches my visdev brain node just so

hm... still fiddling with their plastrons... Venus' and Jennika's are fine though

Leo

funky li'l ringed map turtle

can't see it but, he got them little ridgey-spikies on his shell

christ, I'm finding a way to attach Iris symbolism to him, either through markings or something else

Iris in hanakotoba is... basically all Leo; nobility, bravery, honor, courage, heavy samurai association

5'2"

Raph

McCord's or Amboina box turtle idk idk idk can't choose

stuck on coloring him with a scale mail feeling to match the box turtle photos I found

....I needa draw him beefier, he can stand to be beefier

5'6"

Donnie

literally just googled which turtles exhibit the highest INT, wood turle consistently listed plus some have funky geometrically patterned/shaped shells

tossing on how do the plastron coloring, really liking the dark spots on it

probably keep the lightened belly/inner limb coloring

...probably... lol idk

5'8"

Mikey

my perfect chonky boy, no notes except he (and his brothers) need plastron do-overs

and now i am stuck with the heart-on-his-sleeve marking

canon 2 my iteration it is done

he gets to be the slider this go round, if just 'cuz he's technically the first born (in terms of creating TMNT and its story and world)

let him have the fluttering, finger drumming on everything and everyone because he's bursting with "i love you" energy anyway

5'4"

Venus

"my pretty daughter" iykyk

sea turtle as per last couple iteration posts

cultivator instead of "shinobi"

"i aM ShiNObi"... guh, just, I dunno, the term "cultivator" wasn't really known back in '98 like that, but she had the medicine box, she worked to learn how to throw a fireball at Vam Mi, she was pleased at her progression when she defeated the counterspell from the staff of Bu Ki. that's cultivator shit right there.

she's still a pugilist more than a iron fan user

looks up to April like a big sister, speaks canto and hakka with her

cuz she's still a linguist scholar like in Next Mutation so duh she speak all the languages (to an extant, she has a lot of studying left to go after all)

the greenified hawksbill coloring is growing on me...

still needa futz more with the plum flower motif on her

also figure out her huadian situation or just scrap it idkidkidk

her bandana + 50% green coloring is also growing on me....

5'10"

Jennika

technically also ringed map turtle since it was Leo who gave her the blood transfusion

I like the idea of bringing her Blaschko's lines to the forefront post-mutation but just... it's a lot of stripes. and goddamnit I ain't even gonna go deep into much of anything with the comics I just... can't not world build rip me

6'0"

April

still so tickled at April being closer to the turtles' ages in these new reboots and fascinated how it's played out

...but mine is a clean 44 yo, so. (turtles in late 30s)

Laird originally conceived April as an asian woman in his notes, Eastman drew her as a biracial woman he was dating at the time (April Fisher) and... idk what to tell y'all, people are running around being mixed in this world all the time, Brooklyn got hella Jamaican/Chinese so there you go

can speak canto and hakka

April being a "weirdo" as I've seen mentioned in Rise can stay, I'm picking that, that's a great trait to her character, big fan of Poly Styrene, loved Rachel True in The Craft

where "weirdo" is just she's into alt subculture and being in New York... she got her hands everywhere in those scenes

She and Chu Hsi get to have the most shoujo fuckin' romance because it's cute

and she's still a living drawing which I'm changing around a bit being why she felt like a "weirdo" and leaned towards subcultures and the turtles, she did eventually begin to destabilize but Venus stabilized her by trapping her in a scroll so she could work on a solution. ...where she has a long, happy relationship with Chu Hsi in the painted world scroll because lol time dilation

saw somewhere on the hellsite that the tooth gap is passed around every iteration... so April gets to have it

5'7"

Irma

i'm not ashamed to say I just reupholstered Nadia from Russian Doll

87 Irma went through a lot so she can have some dry wit and humor and be fly as fuck, big hair, big glasses, and a big attitude

still besties with April

likes moths, they're just neat little guys with rabbit ears iykyk

there is a very specifc size of her hair I am battling to keep consistent the problem it never feels big enough

says "fuhgeddaboutit" and has yelled that she is, in fact, "walkin' here,"

... she might also have a little bit of Myrtle from AHS: Coven sprinkled in now that I'm thinking about it to sum her up

she knows somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody for any random thing you could want to try to find

all the delis and bodegas know her

discusses plot lines from soap operas with Splinter on weekends, they get heated

5'5"

... god all this and I was just gonna have them play spades and play a round of pickup street ball in silly little comics

#if you know my timezone #and you see me posting this #stop snitching #what are YOU doing at the devil's sacrament #leave me to my demon hours #i should probably try melatonin though...#cuz this shit ain't working #how am I fuckin' alive???#spite #things tasting good #turtles #general nerd shit #and don't worry king #they still love your boys in the AU-verse #visdev is my enrichment activity #my dumb ass just happily knocking these out and not posting #cuz i was distracted by the euphoria of creation #hhh i needa push my shapes more #they can be crunchier

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ecoamerica · 2 months

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youtube

Watch the American Climate Leadership Awards 2024 now: https://youtu.be/bWiW4Rp8vF0?feature=shared

The American Climate Leadership Awards 2024 broadcast recording is now available on ecoAmerica's YouTube channel for viewers to be inspired by active climate leaders. Watch to find out which finalist received the $50,000 grand prize! Hosted by Vanessa Hauc and featuring Bill McKibben and Katharine Hayhoe!

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balladingbard · 2 years

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Emet-Selch's Choice

I was doing Seat of Sacrifice earlier today when the thought hit me.

When Emet-Selch steps in to help you against Elidibus, he knows everything that's about to happen.

Zodiark's defeat. The Final Days' return. Your journey to Elpis and warning him about the future.

He's given the chance to give the victory to Zodiark, to make what he wants come to pass. If he helps Elidibus, the last of the Unsundered doesn't fall. And if Elidibus doesn't fall, Fandaniel doesn't step out of line. Zenos doesn't get the help he needs to break Zodiark's chains. The rejoinings can continue, and Zodiark protects the Star against the Endsinger with an aetheric shield.

And yet...he chooses not to. Instead of placing his faith in Zodiark, the savior he's served for millennia, Emet-Selch places his faith in you.

To save the Star. To release his people to the Aetherial Sea. To honor your promise to remember the Ancients and live out Azem's legacy in a new future.

If that isn't trust, I don't know what is.

#emet selch #endwalker spoilers #seat of sacrifice #elidibus #shadowbringers spoilers #endwalker #endsinger #warrior of light #ffxiv lore #ffxiv spoilers

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stone-stars · 3 months

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welllll since you're offering to talk about naddpod music, would you mind talking a little about the uses and stuff of Meemaw's Burden? :3 nbd if not, but if it sparks your fancy, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

oh god mee maw's burden. anon. my dear friend. you have no idea how insane uses of this song make me.

okay. so lemme start by saying that mee maw's is only used in bahumia (c1/c3). i think about this choice fucking constantly. you'll discover why shortly.

i'm not going to list out every mee maw's burden use. i could. but i'm not going to. instead, i'm going to point at the fact that the song is called mee maw's burden. we first hear it when mee maw reveals that she's got crick rot to moonshine, and that she's been hiding it from everyone.

and like. jolene is a druid who will live for hundreds and hundreds of years. and lose so many people. she's the matriarch of the crick. she's carrying this so that others don't have to be burdened by it.

and... that's kind of what mee maw's burden is used for. the burden of the living. the burden of the parent. the ones who take things on so that others don't have to. it's... bev sr selling his soul to hell. beverly seeing erlin dead. telaine learning about melora, and breaking down at the end of the fight. "how long do half elves live". calder asking ultrus to make a deal with him.

it's-- mee maw's burden is... living. living when others don't. accepting heavy loads so that others can live on. knowing that you might not, and knowing that you're okay with that. being strong in the face of it, because you have to.

oh! that note i made. about why it not being used in c2 is insane to me. it's because in c2, there's the cycle. of rebirth and reincarnation. the relationship to death and lifespans is different. so... of course it's not used in c2. and of course it is used throughout c1/c3.

also! a fun thing i like to point out is that if you listen to mee maw's burden, and then listen to the song that plays as the boobs talk to melora at the heart of the world in 97 (9:44 in the ad free version), you will notice that the start of the melora song is a variant on mee maw's. enjoy that knowledge. yes, this is the "what an honor, what an injustice" song.

(and, because i'm insane. i did do that thing i said i wasn't gonna do)

campaign 1 uses: (25) mee maw reveals her crick rot (38) joris explains he helped akarot for the sake of the dwarphanage because no one cares about dwarphans (39) jaina and hardwon talk about how they failed gemma (51) the chosen kill everyone at the crick in a flashback (58) bev sr. admits to selling his soul (70) bev finds the field guide on how to defeat his dad (73) bev goes down at akarot's hand (80) bev's flashback to the execution in hell (87) erlin almost has to choose between healing bev and saving red (88) bev sees erlin dead and revivifies him (89) bev and erlin talk about pelor's death (90) bev and egwene talk about erlin being taken (92) moonshine sees pendergreens and paw paw after dying (96) both moonshine telling telaine about melora and telaine breaking down at the end of the fight (98) both pestilence killing balnor and bev defeating qwiksus (99) both telling lucanus about erdan and, of course, "how long do half-elves live"

campaign 3 uses: (7) callie tells the others about her past with stealing the egg and giving it to glen (11) beatrix tells duck team that she's the last of the ruby scale and her dragon has been killed (27) callie goes down in the king durretar fight / king durretar gets his breath weapon back / big bev also goes down / generally shit being real bad in that fight (29) do i need. do i need to tell you when in crown of dreams this is used? (it's calder making a deal with ultrus. it was never not going to be that.) (32) callie disobeys the worm and takes a bunch of damage in order to save hardwon (54) gowan learns about gregor, and tells calder that he can't help because he left and isn't a ranger. "please. we've already lost enough. do not put yourself in a position where i lose another brother."

#this is less in depth for reasons but i will say i don't think this is the last analysis you'll hear about mee maw's lol #god. what a song.#hanbles #naddplog #naddmusic tag #going insane about music on this friday #this one i might maintag. yeah. it deserves it #naddpod #anon #ask

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copiousloverofcopia · 3 months

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THE TIME HAS FINALLY COME!😭

This is the definite LAST CHAPTER of HOLY MARY!

I got so emotional, so many times while writing this chapter and because of the content I apologize but I need to risk some spoilers for the sake of those who might be triggered so…

⚠️TRIGGER WARNING FOR DESCRIPTIONS OF BIRTH, GORE, MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH, INFANT DEATH/LOSS, GRIEF⚠️

Thank you so much for coming on this journey with me, Terzo, and Mary. I can't believe that this all stemmed from an ask on Tumblr that flourished into this full-fledged fic. Thank you so much to the anon that requested this. It was an honor to write it and thank you all so much for reading!

Commissions are OPEN, please see pinned post for Carrd info!

Beautiful divider credit to @gothdaddyissues

Holy Mary

Sister Mary Catherine was only weeks away from taking her vows when she has a chance encounter with a man. A man she finds out is the Pope of the Satanic church.

Chapter 10: The Ultimate Sacrifice

Also available HERE on AO3! Haven’t started yet? Read from the beginning HERE!

Definitely NSFW below!

“Please.” Secondo begged, staring into his little brother’s eyes.

“I don’t want to do this Secondo. Understand that I…I have to….”

1 Hour Earlier…

Lucifer seemed to leave as quickly as “she” came. Terzo was left alone in his thoughts, pondering the horrors that were to come. The blood shed that would be on his hands. Dripping from them in the wake of his decision. Cursed by his own dark god to choose between Mary, his child, and that of his own brother.

The world all together seemed to stop. The sounds of the wind rustling in the trees and birds chirping ceasing around him. Leaving him frozen in the eerie silence. Nothingness—emptiness. Terzo was perched on his knees in a haze when from somewhere in front of him came a voice. Coming closer and closer while the words came into focus.

“Terzo…please come back inside. Let’s talk.” Secondo suggested, wanting to find a way to make things right between them. Settle this rivalry that he had, himself, set in motion.

“Please go.” Terzo snapped, refusing to look at him. Though Secondo would not give up that easily. Never in his life had he felt such remorse. Everyone knew all too well that it was not in his nature to apologize. Growing up as the middle Emeritus son, he was never allowed to be wrong or admit defeat in anything—lest he be held as less than.

All things for him came as a task, one he must meet head on and without hesitance. Always striving to be better than Primo before him and Terzo who followed. Needing to prevail in all things as Nihil’s supposed favorite. Perceived as the most devout of all—only inside he was still a scared, lonely child. Worried that no matter how hard he would try, nothing would ever be enough.

The feeling of inadequacy had been festering inside him so long, though he would never admit it. The constant fear led him further into a path of self-destruction. A path that now had led to the betrayal of his little brother. Lusting for Mary’s love—something he had no right to take from him.

“For what it’s worth, fratello, I know I was wrong…and I’m sorry.” Secondo admitted. His words, eliciting a look of shock from Terzo, though he still refused to look him in the eye. Terzo could tell he was being sincere. The fact that the mere words came from his brother’s own two lips told Terzo it was the truth.

“I know.” was all Terzo could say back to him. His anger, still simmering inside of him as he tried to let it go. There were so much more important things to be concerned with now and whether Secondo knew it or not—Terzo held his life in his hands.

“When you are ready, I hope you both can forgive me.” Secondo told him, his brother nodding as he was left once again alone in the garden. Still on his knees, agonizing over what was to come.

Mary was sleeping soundly, her face almost peaceful as a child's. Primo, keeping careful watch over her and checking in occasionally with the help of the Abbey physician. Reassuring himself that she and the baby were still doing alright. Just as he sat back down in the chair, opposite her in the room, there was a knock on the door. The young newly ghoulettes, Cirrus and Cumulus had arrived with Omega as their charge. Standing in the doorway, excitedly awaiting news of Mary's recovery.

“Please come in Omega, dolcezze.” Primo smiled. The ghoul and ghoulettes bowed as they all carefully walked into the room. Doing their best to not disturb Mary.

“How is she Papa? Is the baby coming?” Cumulus asked, looking at Mary with such concern and care in her glowing eyes. Her devotion towards Mary and her child, touching Primo’s soul.

“Not yet…eh…we must still wait and see. There is not much else we can do at this time. At least that is what they are telling me.” he sighed. Relaxing back into the chair as he old joints hummed with arthritic pain from all his standing.

“Where is the doctor? The nurses?” Omega asked, noting that when he and the ghoulettes arrived at the infirmary there was no one else to be seen. The halls and rooms, appearing empty and silent.

“I believe they had gone into town for some more supplies. With all the wounds, we are quickly running low on bandages and gauze.” Primo explained, his thin smile only barely hiding his concern.

“Primo?” came a soft voice. It was Mary, slowly coming to from her unconscious state. Her eyes, fluttering open to see the four of them all surrounding her. All of them, smiles spreading fast as she tried to pull herself up a bit in the bed.

“Mary, please don’t try to move too much.” Primo told her, rising up as fast as his body would allow. Helping Omega settle her into a comfortable position in the bed.

“Where is Terzo?” she asked, still a bit hazy from her slumber. Feeling achy all over with her head feeling an intense throb.

“He’ll be back soon.” Primo assured her, taking her hand in his and sitting beside her on the edge of the bed.

“He needed to get some fresh air, pretty sure he headed out to the garden.” Omega continued. Mary stared down at her belly. Watching as the little life inside her moved beneath her tightly stretched skin. His kicking, stronger than she had ever felt it before. Ready any day now to come triumphantly into the world. A child that she knew now was destined to be humanity’s undoing.

“I—I shouldn’t have come here. I have placed us all in danger.” she told him. Her voice low, almost a whisper, as if she was scared to have anyone else hear it. Frightened on what she might be asked to do again in her darkest hour.

“Coming here was exactly what you should have done piccola. This child and you belong here with us—with Terzo.” Primo said, squeezing her hand. The tears spilled quietly down and over the round softness of her cheeks. Cradling her belly in her arms as she sniffled back. Trying desperately not to sob.

“He will be the antichrist. Satan will take him as a vessel for evil. We will all be destroyed…” Mary cried, gripped tight to her belly as if she could protect her child from his fate.

“Do you really believe that?” Primo asked her. The two of them, locking in a stare as Mary swallowed back her guilt.

“What else am I to believe? I have condemned us all.”

“You know…many children have been born into the Emeritus family and none of them have destroyed anything. Unless you count my patience.” Primo said, his humor relieving some of the tension in the room. Mary, even laughing along with him through the tears.

“I love him Primo.” Mary said, whipping away the droplets from her eyes. Wishing that it was all a dream. That she and Terzo would live happily ever after like they do in fairy tales. No prophecies or damnation, a child born to them that was no more evil than herself—a sinner who was otherwise good.

“I know you do, and he loves you and that baby more than anything in creation.” Primo smiled. Mary, gently smiling back at him before she tried to straight out a bit more. Wincing after only a moment. Her brow furrowing hard on her forehead as her hand came up to rest upon her swollen belly.

“What’s wrong?” asked Cirrus, rushing over to her bedside.

“Oh no…” she said, her eyes growing wide as the wet spot between her legs grew larger across the sheets. “My water just broke. The baby is coming.”

“Shit.” Omega remarked, but Primo without hesitation took control. Though inside he too was scared. Never in his life did he imagine any of this would come to pass. Most certainly that he would ever need to help deliver a child.

“It’s going to be alright piccola.” he began, turning to face Omega and the ghoulettes as they stood anxiously nearby.

“Omega, get Terzo here now.”

Terzo had sat quietly on the ground. His head hung low between his knees as he tried pulling himself together enough to return inside. Each moment without Mary near was enough to drive him mad. Though he knew now things were once again forever changed between them.

He lifted up his head. Closing his eyes and drawing forth a deep breath as he prepared to stand, when he felt the weight of something on his lap. Opening his eyes to look down at a dagger that laid across him. Small enough to be concealed and sharp enough to slice through bone.

“What the–” He began, lifting the dagger to take a closer look. It was the same one from Gabriel. The hilt, still shimmering with celestial light. Weighted well in his hand as he twisted it around.

“You know what to do.” said a voice. Seeming to come from inside him, “...use their own blade to give me what I ask.” Terzo shook off the thought as he tucked the blade into his coat pocket. Hearing another familiar voice calling out to him.

“Terzo! Terzo!” they yelled. Instantly he recognized it was Omega. The ghoul had quickly turned the corner and came running into the garden clearing. Urgently calling out to him as the ghoul’s face looked frightened and helpless. Unlike Terzo had ever seen before.

“Omega…what—”

“No time, Mary has gone into labor!” he explained. Yanking Terzo off the ground and onto his feet. The two of them, taking off towards the Abbey. His faithful companion unaware of what Terzo had been asked—what he was now certain he must do.

“Just breathe, Mary. He’s on his way.” Primo assured her. Cumulus moved quickly as she began wringing out the washcloth of cool water, placing it back on Mary’s forehead. Her face covered in tears and her body dripping with sweat. The pain of her labor, becoming more and more intense with each passing second.

“Oh…ah…I changed my mind. I don’t wanna do this anymore.” she cried. Her hands gripped tightly to the sheets. Turning white, nails tearing through the fabric as another contraction hit her.

“I think it’s too late for that.” Cirrus told her, peeking her head out in the hall for any sign of Omega and Terzo’s return.

“Ah!” Mary screamed. Primo brought himself down at the end of the bed. Lifting up the sheet to see a gush of blood pouring out from inside her. So much blood that a chill ran through him. Scared that the child may already be gone. Something he knew he couldn’t tell her.

“Mary, please breathe.” he said once again. Trying his best to hide his fears, when suddenly the wounds from the stigmata began opening up. One by one, each of them splitting open again until she was covered in blood. Screaming and crying from all the intense pain. Inescapable and horrifying.

“Oh fuck, it’s tearing through me!” Mary screamed. Her dress now completely soaked in blood from the waist down as Primo and the ghoulettes tried to hold her down. Mary quickly was falling further into madness, bleeding out before them. Cursed with visions of Heaven and Hell, furiously fighting a war that would never be won. Surrounded by blood and gore—the likes of which were of an indescribable amount. Covering all the world as the sound of Satan’s laughter began filling her ears.

As another contraction hit, she screamed again. This time begging for death, for God to take her and spare her baby. Gripped tightly onto Cumulus' hand. The ghoulette’s claws, going numb in her grasp. There was nothing they could do to stop it—this baby was coming and now.

“It’s going to be ok Mary, don’t push yet. It’s too soon.” Primo begged. Watching as she writhed around in the bed. The stigmata wounds, continuing to bleed, spattering across the room as she struggled against the ghoulettes’ hold. Both of them, looking at one another in fear before turning their sights on Primo. Knowing that Mary and her child would likely not make it.

She had lost so much blood. Her screams, turning to a deafening silence. Mary, completely void of strength as her labor continued. Crying softly as she clung barely on to life. All of them, helpless to watch her and her child dying before their eyes. Primo continued doing his best to assist. Holding himself together like he always did in times of crisis. Praying that at least one of them would be spared of this fate.

When all had seemed at its bleakest, Terzo and Omega could finally be heard running down the Hall. Catching sight of Secondo as he too was making his way down to the infirmary. The rest of the Abbey inhabitants lining the halls as the screams from poor Mary had flooded the building—blood curdling cries, sent echoing throughout every square inch, alerting them to the situation. They were nothing but a blur as Terzo and the others burst through the doorway.

“How is she? Oh, Mary I’m so sorry.” Terzo cried, covered in sweat and smeared paint. Filled with horror at the sight of her. Blood everywhere, covering everything around them. His love’s face, pale and stone still. Looking as if she were only moments from death. Terzo realized that it was now or never.

“She’s lost so much blood fratellino, I don't think either of them are going to make it.” Primo told him. The old man’s face filled with more sorrow than Terzo had ever seen at his admission. The rise and fall of Mary’s chest, barely discernible, now slowing as her time drew near.

“This can’t be…we must be able to do something.” Secondo chimed in, the guilt of his covetousness weighing heavily on him. Worried that he had somehow allowed this to happen. That somehow, he too was at fault and that both God and Lucifer had forsaken Mary and her child for his own defiance and greed.

“There—there is something.” Terzo began. The words, barely making it out of him as all others in the room stopped to face him. Waiting for his answer as Terzo swallowed back, tasting the foulness in his mouth for what he was about to say—about to do.

“What is it?” Primo asked, bringing his hands between Mary’s legs to feel for the baby’s head. Its small peak of hair, just palpable from inside her. “We must hurry, I can feel the head.”

“Oh fuck.” Omega gulped, feeling dumbfounded and lost. Terzo slipped his hand within his coat. Pulling from it the blade hidden within. Instantly the tears began to fall from his eyes.

“This.” he told them. All eyes falling to the sharp edge of the blade.

“What?” Secondo asked as Terzo began sobbing. Looking over to Mary as she had all but bled out. Watching the life slip away from her as he stood before his brother. Holding the blade, he was to murder Secondo with, in his hands. Scared he had waited too long and that even now it was too late for Mary and their child to survive. Would he be sacrificing Secondo for nothing?

“I was visited in the garden by Lucifer.” he began, everyone’s attention held in a vice. The presence of the old one, felt even now in the room. Surrounding them in a veiled cloud of darkness.

“And?” Primo said as he and the ghoulettes continued to try and take care of Mary as best they could.

“I was told that the child would be spared its fate as the antichrist if I—I…”

“If you what stronzo? Spit it out.” Secondo hissed, though it seemed to Terzo as if he knew. As if something had told him already that a deal had been made.

“If I kill you.” Terzo admitted, the sounds of gasping filling the room. “But I just can’t.”

“Then do it.” Secondo told him. Realizing this was it—this was his chance, given to him by Lucifer to redeem himself. A chance for him to make things right between them.

“I never wanted to make this choice!” Terzo cried out when suddenly Secondo came to stand before him.

“I said do it! Do it now!” he yelled, taking the blade from Terzo and positioning it against the flesh of his chest. Wrapping Terzo’s hands around the hilt as he continued on. “Kill me now. It’s the only way.” Secondo told him, the hint of tears glazing his eyes.

“But Secondo… I…” Terzo tried to continue. His sobbing, blurring his vision more as he heard Secondo too had succumbed to his emotions. The rest of them, waiting with bated breath as the two brothers reached their inescapable fate.

“Please.” Secondo begged, staring into his little brother’s eyes. His heart aching, pounding—breaking. Both of them were covered in sweat. Chests heaving with labored breath and souls crying out from within.

“I don’t want to do this Secondo. Understand that I…I have to….” Terzo cried, trying to reason with himself. This was the only way to save Mary. To save his child from death.

“Then do what you have to do.” Secondo smiled softly.

“Oh cazzo…Secondo I can’t. I can’t.” Terzo yelled. Cursing the Devil and God alike as he stood with the blade pressed just above his brother’s beating heart.

“I have not been a good brother to you Terzo. Let me do this.” Secondo begged, Terzo pulling away and pacing the room. Feeling as though he may die before being able to make the choice. His whole body aching as each second passed.

“I just…I can’t.” Terzo cried once more. Secondo had had enough. Looking at Mary as she lay in the bed. Covered in crimson red, inches from death. Knowing that deep down this was the only way to save her. Confident that his sacrifice—their sacrifice would fix it.

“Ah!” Secondo yelled, charging towards him. Forcing Terzo to finish him. The blade, plunging deep into Secondo’s chest. Everyone was in shock as Secondo dropped to the ground. The dagger sticking out from his front. Letting go from his mortal coil as a smile spread across his face. It was done.

“Why?” Terzo asked him as he fell to his knees. Kneeling beside him and pulling him close in his arms.

“I love you.” Secondo told him as he began to cough. The blood stained his normally blackened lips, red. The second Emeritus son had slipped away in peace.

“I love you.” Terzo cried as Secondo fell lifeless in his arms. Setting his brother carefully down to the floor in silence. The loudest silence any of them had ever known.

“Terzo…” Mary’s voice rang out in the quiet of the room. Barely above a whisper it managed to carry him as he turned to face her in her severely weakened state. All of them, relieved to hear her knowing she had been spared as promised in the wake of Secondo’s death.

“Amore.” Terzo called out, rushing to her side and taking her hand. Primo could feel the baby’s head was crowning.

“We are almost there.” he told Terzo, trying his best to continue on in the chaos. Feeling, as Mary had another contraction, that the cord was wrapped around the baby's neck. Terzo immediately noticed the look flash across Primo’s face.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, watching his brother work to get the baby out as fast as he could.

“It’s too late.” Mary cried. Terzo, feeling helpless as Primo refused to answer him. Mary brought his hand to her side. Feeling the blood as it began pouring out from the final stigmata wound. The wound had appeared without her even making a whimper. Too weak and far gone to even respond as she began slipping steadily away.

“Oh fuck. No! No!” Terzo yelled as Mary went limp. Primo, working his hardest to help deliver the baby who had managed to come through the birth canal. Removing the ensnarement of the cord. Crushed to find no signs of life as he held the small bundle in his arms.

“Terzo…I’m so sorry.” Primo told him, holding the baby closely in his arms. His face filled with tears. Sniffling back to try his best to speak. “He’s gone.”

“NO! You promised me!” Terzo howled. His voice, cracking in pain as his screams reached both Heaven and Hell. Raging at the universe and all things within it. Ready to burn existence down before him.

I PROMISED YOU NOTHING INSOLENT WHELP.

The voice said, echoing all around them. All of them immediately knew who it came from. God himself, coming to gloat that he had prevailed. Taken everything from Terzo and his beloved Mary.

“God?” Mary asked, barely alive. Knowing that her baby was gone. Her life was destroyed, and she no longer cared about anything. Wishing for her death to come.

You defied me Mary. You refused to erase your sin and now two people have died instead of one.

“You fucking piece of shit!” Terzo growled, wishing he had any control. His son was dead, held still in his brother’s arms. His other brother, lifeless on the floor. The love of his life barely holding on as her own God smugly berated her—blamed her.

“I—” Mary began, somehow managing to continue on.

I am however a benevolent God. I can give you a second chance. Beg me for forgiveness and repent for your sins and I shall heal thee. Welcome you back into the bosom of Heaven. Absolve you of sin.

Mary looked over to Primo, seeing her baby for the first time. His little hand, just visible above the blanket as Primo held onto him. Knowing that he had never been able to draw his first breath. Feel the love she held for him in her heart. A heart now torn in a million pieces. Shattered like glass, never able to be whole again in his absence. She no longer cared about what would happen to her, ready to have God strike her where she stood but not before she said her peace.

“I no longer want your paradise.” she began. Her tears, so intense that her voice could barely continue through them. “You are nothing. Nothing but false promises and veiled wickedness.” she cried, when the sound of hissing came loudly pouring into the room. A snake slithering across the bloodied floor. Gliding in a winding swirl over Secondo's body, before coiling up onto the bed beside where Mary lay. The serpent, beginning to speak to them, though its lips never moved.

“I ALWAYS keep my promises.” it said as suddenly a cry came out from the little bundle in Primo’s arms. The once pale hand, turning pink as the child wriggled in his uncle's arms. Primo, smiling down and crying as the baby announced himself unto the world.

All of them, joyous and shocked that the child was now alive. Mary too was returning to her normal color. The blood that had covered her, slowly disappeared as if it was never spilled. Primo, quickly handing Mary her son. His small face brightly shining as Terzo held the two of them in his arms.

“Our baby.” he cried. The tears now of pure joy as he buried his face into Mary’s hair.

“He’s going to be alright.” Primo told them. Both Mary and Terzo, filled with relief as she turned her sights upward. Addressing God head on as he watched them in annoyance.

“It is in the devil and his servant, my sweet Terzo, that I have found the truth of what you are. The father who would abandon his child for a gentle sin.” Mary yelled. The smile on her face, cold towards her once beloved deity as God’s light shone within the room. So bright that it nearly blinded them.

Be damned then you fool. Enjoy what you have now…until we meet again.

God said, his voice tainted with hatred as the bright light faded away. Disappearing into the ceiling before leaving all of them alone together. The serpent too had disappeared in thin air, just as Terzo and Mary had held tightly to one another. Their little boy cooing away in his parent’s arms.

One Week Later…

It was a rainy day. Crisp and windy, just as he would have liked it, Terzo imagined as he prepared himself for Secondo’s funeral. A day like this was his favorite kind. The energy of a storm on the horizon and the cleansing power of the rain was always something Secondo held dear.

Terzo smiled at the thought. Though his brother may never have thought so, Terzo knew now that Secondo had truly been the best of them. Willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for those he loved. One Terzo would never let anyone forget.

“It’s almost time.” Mary said, coming to meet him. Annoyed to still find him getting dressed in his vestments. Clearly losing himself in thought as the day weighed on him.

“I know, come here.” he smiled, a hit of bittersweet emotions held in his eyes. Holding out his hands as he waited for Mary to give him their son. Little baby Luca, who was sleeping soundly in her arms, looked just like his father in every way.

“Don’t wake him Terzo, I just got him to fall asleep.” Mary pleaded, gently handing him over. The little boy stretched; eyes still closed as he nuzzled into his father’s chest. The quiet hum of his snores and the tiny beats of his heart, felt softly against Terzo’s grasp. Tears falling from his eyes.

“Will he ever know how much he is loved?”

“He will…we will make sure of it.” Mary replied, pushing up on her toes to kiss Terzo’s forehead. Careful to not disturb his paints.

“You were right, you know, all children are gifts from God.” Terzo smiled.

“I just was mistaken on which God.” Mary smiled, “...now let's get going.” she continued, taking the baby back from him as they headed down the stairs towards the chapel.

Terzo was overwhelmed as he walked down the nave. The pews, lined with flowers and plants of emerald, green. All in honor of his brother's color. He tried not to think about it as he approached the sanctuary. The casket staring him down, making it harder for him to keep it together.

This brother’s loss felt heavy among the siblings, ghouls, clergy, and congregation. Terzo wondered if now Secondo could see just how much he meant to others. Just how important he really was. Just before stepping up to the pulpit, to give his final respects, Terzo placed his hand on the top of the casket.

“You were the best of us all.” he whispered, hoping that Secondo could hear him. Sniffling back as he prepared to give his brother’s eulogy. “Thank you.”

Notes:

dolcezze- sweethearts

piccola- little one (feminine)

Stronzo- asshole

#FINAL CHAPTER #Holy Mary #Terzo x Catholic nun #Terzo x OC Mary #Terzo #papa iii #papa emeritus iii #ren writes #ghost #the band ghost #ghost fic #ghost fanfic #ghost fanfics #ghost fanfiction #the band ghost fic #the band ghost fanfic #the band ghost fanfiction

33 notes · View notes

legendaryskyscale · 7 months

Text

Anet went and touched up on Dungeons whaaaat!

Ascalonian Catacombs

Fixed an issue that caused a Disarm Traps lever to be out of the reach of players.

Fixed a bug that caused King Adelbern, as well as various immobile enemies across Tyria, to be knocked down despite an active defiance bar when struck by knockback attacks.

Fixed a bug that could cause markers on active traps to not clean up after the patriarch's defeat.

Fixed a bug that could cause Tzark to interrupt himself while resetting essence collectors.

Fixed an incorrect marker on the cave troll encounter.

Caudecus's Manor

Fixed a bug that allowed Sigfast to be attacked by Separatists and potentially knocked around the area while sleeping.

Fixed a bug that caused Zojja to not be wearing her headgear during a cinematic.

Fixed an issue that allowed the “Search for the captured sergeant” objective and goals to appear before the “Overwhelm the bandit defenses” objective was completed.

Several houses no longer close their doors after the nearby gate is destroyed, to prevent players from being trapped inside.

Bandit archers now apply confusion, matching their description.

Fixed an incorrect marker on the Bridgette encounter.

Fixed an incorrect marker on the Prototype Golem encounter.

Twilight Arbor

Fixed an issue that caused the Ooze Font Waypoint's name to appear incorrectly.

Fixed a bug that could cause the Unstable Nightmare Husk to fail to become vulnerable after being hit by four Nightmare Essences.

Fixed a bug that could cause Sparki's Ground Bloom skill to continue launching fireballs after Sparki finished spinning.

Fixed a bug that could cause an airship to be untargetable with EMP skills during the bonus objectives of the Aetherblade path.

Sorrow's Embrace

Fixed a bug that could cause the Elite Dredge Resonator near the beginning of the dungeon to not retreat when players approached after choosing a path.

During the "Help Rasolov free workers by defeating foremen" event, the last four foremen will not reveal themselves until Foreman Kreutzerova has been defeated.

Fixed a bug that could cause Tarleov to fail to begin working during his event.

Fixed a bug that could cause an Elite Dredge Rifleman to overzealously announce the presence of intruders.

Fixed health bar and marker display issues during the final confrontation with General Zadorojny.

Fixed an incorrect marker on the General Molradovich encounter.

Citadel of Flame

Gaheron Baelfire no longer resets his health when the party wipes during the finale battle in story mode, preventing a desync between his health and attack pattern.

Collision has been removed from a number of flame turrets to prevent players from being stuck inside them.

Honor of the Waves

Fixed a setting that caused Honor's Voice to move erratically during combat.

Fixed a bug that caused Kulag the Fallen's Ice Storm attack to not drop ice crystals if the target was out of Kulag's line of sight.

Lowered the level of some enemies that exceeded level 80 in explorable mode.

Fixed an incorrect marker on the Champion Icebrood Goliath encounter.

Fixed an incorrect marker on the Kodan's Bane encounter.

Crucible of Eternity

Fixed an issue that allowed players to enter the Crucible of Eternity dungeon from Mount Maelstrom even while the dungeon was contested.

Fixed an issue with the front door and teleporter exits that allowed them to be used before the dungeon was completed, allowing players to escape to Mount Maelstrom before receiving rewards.

The Ruined City of Arah

Added poison aura to Risen Defilers that were missing it.

Added a teleport mote that will let players join their party if they fell behind before Alphard, Serpent of the Waves was engaged.

Adjusted Simin, High Priestess of Dwayna’s heal skill to start its recharge when her heal effect ends instead of potentially being able to immediately restart a healing phase.

#gw2 #guild wars 2 #Ro's content #07nov2023 release notes #long post

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bonefall · 1 year

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Brief BloodClan Guide

Because I’m cleaning up my masterpost and I don’t seem to have an actual post explaining BloodClan??

History

After Oakstar exiled Mapleshade’s kits resulting in their deaths, leading to the Mapleshade Incident, StarClan was PISSED at him and commanded that he atone with his remaining lives.

Oakstar utterly wasted 3/4 of them during the events of Darkstar’s Commandment.

On his last life he scrambled to try and ‘appease‘ StarClan by starting crusades in their honor, attacking cats in the nearby town of Chelford (known to clan cats as ‘twolegplace.’)

Crystal organized a combat brigade to defend the strays and keep watch, which evolved over time into an organization that solved various problems of living with humans.

Hal succeeded her, then an undecided leader, and finally Scourge.

When Pinestar left ThunderClan, by holding onto his last life, he prevented Sunstar from getting his nine. Pine was involved with BloodClan in some capacity; specifics currently unknown.

What’s their deal?

BloodClan was formed to protect Chelford from Clan invasions, but became a legitimate organization in the town. They save cats from neglect and abuse, help to distribute resources like food and medicine, and enforce law in the town. They’re also brutal, demanding loyalty, forcing the cats to pay “dues”, and laying down bloody punishment for falling short.

They’re just as beneficial to the cats they rule as they are destructive, and they distrust Clan cats for a reason. They are a neutral entity.

When Scourge was approached by Tigerstar, he was promised forest land in exchange for his strength. When he was betrayed and the other clans refused to hold up their end of this bargain, he decided he was sick of the lies and violence of these violent neighbors.

After the battle, BloodClan engages in diplomacy and even trade with the Forest Clans, particularly ThunderClan. They’re decent allies, apart from a power struggle that occurs in Ferncloud’s Parting, which ends in the leadership passing over to Claw.

Scourge Himself

Does NOT die in the BloodClan battle. Firestar rises and defeats him, showing that he abides by the code in a new and revolutionary way, extending the Law of Honor even to outsiders. Fire Alone.

Eventually Scourge retires, and spends a lot of his time in camp with ThunderClan warriors. He permanently joins when they leave for the Lake. He takes on the name Iceheart as a sign of respect to the culture, and serves as a sort of uncle figure to Hollypaw as she grows up. This gives her more examples of the varied types of outsiders in the world.

Eventually he fights in the Great Battle against the Dark Forest, losing a rematch with Tigerstar and deciding to become a ghost.

Misc BloodClan Cultural Stuff

They are a matriarchal culture. They don’t have ‘fathers‘ like Forest Clans do, with uncles and close friends filling in ‘paternal’ roles.

Barley Senior is the uncle of Barley Junior, and was once part of BloodClan.

There are TWO main roles in BloodClan; Problems (the fighter class) and Solvers (the intellectual class). Only Problems wear the spike-collars.

Solvers are the ones who make and apply “Claw Extenders“ onto Problems, after every claw cap shedding. Claw Extenders are powerful weapons, but require a lot of maintenance.

Problems choose an edgy “professional name“ for themselves when they earn their first trophy.

Trophies can be basically anything sharp, long, and meaningful that makes a good stud in a collar. This is usually teeth and claws, but some studs are sharpened bones or spikes broken off of iron fences.

The amount of trophies you can wear is based on rank.

They can steal from humans, and make elaborate plans for infiltrating buildings and doing rescue missions.

Very rarely, some of them can read. This is a highly valued skill.

#BloodClan #Bonefall Rewrite #Omg Scourge picking out a picture book what will he read...#listen man. I just. I really like the idea of ex-mob boss scourge being in ThunderClan #Like a game that lets you add the final boss to your party after you complete it once #better bones au #BB!BloodClan

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eliza1911o1 · 1 year

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Din.. Din taking his helmet off. Someone else taking Din’s helmet off. One of these things is not like the other.

For three seasons now, seeing Din’s face has been synonymous with sacrifice. To Din, there is not only an almost religious element (akin to a natural order or structured values) to keeping his helmet on, but stakes to it. In his freed, the action of showing his face to another is sacrilegious and worthy of banishment. Literal banishment, no questions asked. As a foundling, his Mandalorian brethren are equivalent to family and the covet is what he considers a home. For nearly his entire life (much longer than he’s lived without it off), Din has kept the helmet on. Having no outside relationships, a lonely lifestyle, and being raised on such a mindset, being ousted from the Mandalorians completely shatters his worldview and destroys what he holds as his identity. So, Din removing his helmet is this essence of more, of something beyond superficial ties and much greater than simply himself. Each time the helmet has been removed, his creed questioned and altered, has been for Grogu. When he allows IG-11 to save him, it is due to needing to keep the child safe and stay with him, not simply because he wanted to live (Din doesn’t care about dying if it’s in the name of honor). When he removes it at the port, it’s to find the coordinates to locate Grogu. When Grogu leaves, Din allows himself and Grogu to have one last, intimate goodbye without the walls of his helmet. He chooses this; in each one of these events, Din chooses to remove his helmet, understanding the consequences and conscious of why it is more important

We have never, in any way, seen a Mandalorian’s helmet forcibly removed, including Din. It is touted as one of the highest dishonors; defeat is forgiveable, death is noble, but breaking such a sacred part of the creed is nearly unforgivable. Considering the importance of the helmet in the creed, we can assume how significant the psychological impacts of it. If Din is more willing to die than voluntarily show his face (refer back to the s1 finale), then that means having it forcibly shown is something even worse than death. And now, in s3, they’ve set it up for Moff Gideon, holding Din hostage, to do such an act.

First of all, fucking Moff Gideon. The guy who destroyed Mandalore and nearly massacred everyone, the guy who harmed the child, the guy who took his kid away from him. Moff Gideon has been Din’s primary antagonist from day one and holds a special place of hatred. It probably goes somewhat both ways, with Din having destroyed his operations and sent him to jail, but it’s more than personal to Din because this is the man who hurt his kid and his people

Having their helmet removed is a show of weakness in the most disgraceful regard. From what we know, removing a helmet can be forgiven (by bathing in the living waters), but having it forcibly removed goes beyond. This is an action that speaks, in a militant culture like the Mandalorians, of deep shame and ineptitude. We can assume that it can possibly be forgiven by the tribe in the same way, but there is a certain long-lasting damage from being forced into such vulnerability

For such a righteous person as Din (at least to his personal moral code), would have beyond notable impact. Not only that, since he is now teaching Grogu The Way of the Mandalorians, such harm to his perspective would no doubt make him question his confidence, his ability, and his worth for passing along values he himself can’t uphold or no longer belongs to

Din having his helmet removed by another is FOUL it’s HEARTBREAKING it’s UNFAIR and we’re supposed to hate it for a reason. Waiting for this week to see how cruel the show runners are

#the mandalorion spoilers #mandalorian meta #mando spoilers #the mandalorian season 3 #mandalore #mandalorian #the mandalorian #grogu djarin #baby grogu #grogu #mando and grogu #Mando #din and grogu #din dijarn

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whump-me · 9 months

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Conquest Masterpost

Watch your kingdom die. Betray what’s left to save your life.

Danelor was a peaceful country, a land of poets and musicians. Insignificant. Defenseless.

The merciless invaders swept in from the north and claimed it for their empire. They burned the farms and tortured the survivors for their entertainment. Their cruel soldiers slaughtered every last soul in the royal palace… except Miranelis, a cowardly clerk hiding in a pantry, too afraid to fight.

To Kezul, the disgraced son of the northern emperor, Danelor is a test. If he can keep control of the devastated land, he will not be stripped of his birthright. But he was only taught to conquer, not to rule.

Miranelis, now his captive, may not have the stomach for battle, but they understand the intricacies of rule. But they have no reason to help the conquerors who destroyed everything they loved.

So Kezul will have to give them one.

---

Conquest is no-magic fantasy whump with a royal whumper, a fearful but quietly defiant nonbinary whumpee, degradation, cultural differences, fantasy politics, and an intense and complicated relationship between whumper and whumpee (no romance).

It will also involve major character death, so steer clear if that’s not for you.

This story will be novel-length, with a planned 32 chapters. Updates twice a week. Ask to be added to or removed from tag list.

Chapters

Chapter 1: The Coward Chapter 2: The Exile Chapter 3: The Courtyard Chapter 4: A Valuable Resource Chapter 5: Bloodstains Chapter 6: Entertainment Chapter 7: A Taste of Courage Chapter 8: Blood Games Chapter 9: Test of Character Chapter 10: A Creature of Contradictions Chapter 11: An Unsolvable Puzzle Chapter 12: Another Way Chapter 13: Serving the Enemy Chapter 14: Negotiations Chapter 15: A New Form of Madness Chapter 16: The Unmaker Chapter 17: Trust and Loyalty Chapter 18: Conquer This One Chapter 19: For Your Own Good Chapter 20: Playing the Unmaker's Game Chapter 21: A Sick Craving Chapter 22: All That Remains Chapter 23: Choosing Defeat Chapter 24: What Cowardice Looks Like Chapter 25: A Walk in the Moonlight Chapter 26: The Pit Chapter 27: Everything You Ever Wanted Chapter 28: Perfectly Defeated Chapter 29: Place of Honor Chapter 30: Defeated Chapter 31: Victory Chapter 32: The Only Job Left

Here from a reblog? Here's the most recent version.

#whump #whump writing #whump story #whump novel #fantasy whump #royal whump #nonbinary whumpee #my writing #my writing: Conquest #my writing: masterpost

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brightwingedbat · 7 months

Text

ANET??? BUGFIXING DUNGEONS????

Patch notes under readmore, all core game content

Dungeons

Ascalonian Catacombs

Fixed an issue that caused a Disarm Traps lever to be out of the reach of players.

Fixed a bug that caused King Adelbern, as well as various immobile enemies across Tyria, to be knocked down despite an active defiance bar when struck by knockback attacks.

Fixed a bug that could cause markers on active traps to not clean up after the patriarch's defeat.

Fixed a bug that could cause Tzark to interrupt himself while resetting essence collectors.

Fixed an incorrect marker on the cave troll encounter.

Caudecus's Manor

Fixed a bug that allowed Sigfast to be attacked by Separatists and potentially knocked around the area while sleeping.

Fixed a bug that caused Zojja to not be wearing her headgear during a cinematic.

Fixed an issue that allowed the “Search for the captured sergeant” objective and goals to appear before the “Overwhelm the bandit defenses” objective was completed.

Several houses no longer close their doors after the nearby gate is destroyed, to prevent players from being trapped inside.

Bandit archers now apply confusion, matching their description.

Fixed an incorrect marker on the Bridgette encounter.

Fixed an incorrect marker on the Prototype Golem encounter.

Twilight Arbor

Fixed an issue that caused the Ooze Font Waypoint's name to appear incorrectly.

Fixed a bug that could cause the Unstable Nightmare Husk to fail to become vulnerable after being hit by four Nightmare Essences.

Fixed a bug that could cause Sparki's Ground Bloom skill to continue launching fireballs after Sparki finished spinning.

Fixed a bug that could cause an airship to be untargetable with EMP skills during the bonus objectives of the Aetherblade path.

Sorrow's Embrace

Fixed a bug that could cause the Elite Dredge Resonator near the beginning of the dungeon to not retreat when players approached after choosing a path.

During the "Help Rasolov free workers by defeating foremen" event, the last four foremen will not reveal themselves until Foreman Kreutzerova has been defeated.

Fixed a bug that could cause Tarleov to fail to begin working during his event.

Fixed a bug that could cause an Elite Dredge Rifleman to overzealously announce the presence of intruders.

Fixed health bar and marker display issues during the final confrontation with General Zadorojny.

Fixed an incorrect marker on the General Molradovich encounter.

Citadel of Flame

Gaheron Baelfire no longer resets his health when the party wipes during the finale battle in story mode, preventing a desync between his health and attack pattern.

Collision has been removed from a number of flame turrets to prevent players from being stuck inside them.

Honor of the Waves

Fixed a setting that caused Honor's Voice to move erratically during combat.

Fixed a bug that caused Kulag the Fallen's Ice Storm attack to not drop ice crystals if the target was out of Kulag's line of sight.

Lowered the level of some enemies that exceeded level 80 in explorable mode.

Fixed an incorrect marker on the Champion Icebrood Goliath encounter.

Fixed an incorrect marker on the Kodan's Bane encounter.

Crucible of Eternity

Fixed an issue that allowed players to enter the Crucible of Eternity dungeon from Mount Maelstrom even while the dungeon was contested.

Fixed an issue with the front door and teleporter exits that allowed them to be used before the dungeon was completed, allowing players to escape to Mount Maelstrom before receiving rewards.

The Ruined City of Arah

Added poison aura to Risen Defilers that were missing it.

Added a teleport mote that will let players join their party if they fell behind before Alphard, Serpent of the Waves was engaged.

Adjusted Simin, High Priestess of Dwayna’s heal skill to start its recharge when her heal effect ends instead of potentially being able to immediately restart a healing phase.

#gw2 #guild wars 2

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uniquethingtastemaker · 1 year

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Diasomnia and Mulan Parallels in Chapter 7

We gotta talk about Diasomnia and the subtle Mulan motifs because I haven’t seen many people talking about it in relation to chapter 7 and I’m seeing the signs everywhere.

So obviously Twisted Wonderland has dropped hints and has referenced Mulan multiple times, especially when it comes to Diasomnia. The first time I remember it being extremely prominent was in the Halloween event. The relationship between the two being dragons, which makes sense. However, there’s a lot more connections than just that.

Silver represents and is twisted from a lot of things, much like Lilia, but one of those things is the silver sword used by Prince Philip to kill Maleficent. Now there’s also another movie where a sword and physical fighting is important and you guessed it, it’s Mulan!

Let’s talk about the parallels between Mulan and Diasomnia especially when it comes to chapter 7.

Lilia and Mulan’s dad are in the same position. Both fathers are getting older and have lost their prowess and power they once had.

Silver and Mulan are also in the same position. When the war comes to China and the draft is announced, Mulan steps up for her family and father, who’s too old to go to war, and goes in his stead despite her family’s disapproval and devastation. When Malleus overblots and Lilia is too weak to counter him, Silver steps up to save his family from this sleeping curse despite Malleus’s active disdain and outrage. Both of them choose to do the harder thing. Mulan had the option to stay home and just act as a good wife in order to help her parents and Silver could have decided to stay in his dream with Lilia because that’s what he wanted most of all, but neither of them do that. Mulan goes into the military to protect her father and her family, while Silver opposes Malleus because he wants to respect and honor his father’s last wishes and knows that this isn’t what he wants, and it’s not easy. Mulan desperately struggles to stay in the military and is only barely able to make it (I’ll Make a Man Out of You). Silver has to give up his dream and desire to be together with his father and then fight one of his closest relatives essentially on the matter, which is emotionally taxing.

Mulan is also the underdog, the least likely person to save China, and much like Mulan, Silver is too. Mulan is a woman, who's often considered weaker than men. Similarly, Silver is a human surrounded by fae, who’re known to have more magical prowess and power and long life spans. They’re the unexpected ones who will defeat someone who’s considered an impossible enemy.

Now Silver’s Unique Magic is a foil to Malleus’s Fae of Maleficence. You could consider Silver a mirror to Malleus, a reflection. Which could be connected to Mulan, as she sings Reflection and ends up seeing her reflection in the sword before deciding to cut her hair off and go to the military.

Now, while not 100% confirmed, I’m inclined to believe that Sebek has heavy aspects of Shang incorporated into his character. Much like Shang’s actions of kicking Mulan out of the military when he finds out she’s a female, Sebek parallels this by believing that fae are stronger than humans and discriminating against them. Now, Shang comes around to the idea of Mulan, a female, saving all of China and is pretty cool with it and seems a bit proud of her. Now, I have a distinct feeling that Sebek is going to do the same in terms of coming around to humans. The first year gang is gonna show him that humans are just as powerful as fae. Maybe not in the exact same way, but they do have their strengths. Just like how Shang might have been physically stronger than Mulan, Mulan was more creative with her environment than he was.

Malleus is probably acting as the Hun’s leader whose name I forgot and I also forgot his motive for going to war too so can’t say much about him.

I also have a distinct inclination that the first year gang, or at least ADeuce is gonna play a part in this because of how they inducted Ortho into their group and how they’ve been grouping them together so far. I’m thinking that in terms of story roles, the first year gang is gonna act like Mulan’s besties in the military who dressed up as beautiful women to get inside the palace along with Cricket and Mushu. Defeating the Huns was a team effort in Mulan and I have a feeling it’s going to be the same for defeating Malleus. I mean, defeating Maleficent was a team effort in Sleeping Beauty. The fairies helped Philip escape, gave him weapons, and buffed him in order for him to one shot Maleficent. I can see that happening with Ortho being the striker.

Also if my thought process is correct for Sebek, that means that he’s going to end up bonding with other humans besides Silver and who’re better candidates than the first year gang? Besides, Ace hasn’t gotten his unique magic yet, so it’s probably going to happen in Chapter 7 and if not, chapter 8. I’m not exactly sure how Twisted will end, but that’s not the main concern at the moment. We gotta survive chapter 7 first and I’ve already cried over these characters two times already.

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