#brought their own demise upon themselves

[welcometoqueer]

I think it’d be really funny if they found the sub, rescued and took the teenager out, and then sent it back down with the billionaires still inside and no contact

[tabibitto]

Always Yours | Sebastian Michaelis

m.list

cw: fluff, smut, angst, toxic relationship, butler x master, oneshot, gender neutral, main character death

A/N: should i make a mini series about something like this?

Upon a summon, a demon negotiates a price, and a deal. What to give and take.

As a creature of sin, he of course, tries to make the best bargain for himself. With you, it was different. The first of contracts in over 500 years where the terms were of equal measure, in your gaze and his.

Sebastian, as you named him. Promised three things to you: Pleasure, Protection and Absolute Service. In service, he swore honesty, he swore loyalty, as both a butler and a lover. He swore to "care" for you.

Whether you looked at it as genuine kindness or the simple task of taking care of a lesser animal was up to you.

In this Loom of Fate, where you had no real future. No heirs for your earldom, where your work in your manor and buisness was for naught, you still worked hard and gave it your utmost devotion.

It amused him—watching as you worked and packed your schedule for seemingly no reason. In a hundred years you would be forgotten, but the demon supposed that this was another little quirk of the complex nature of humans.

Sebastian often pondered weather you did this to feign a sense of normality, or weather it made the perfect excuse for him to...destress you.

He teased you about it before, that there was no need to work so hard for his cock and attention. In response you had slapped him, and rode him harder that night. It was never brought up again.

You never did answer his question as to why pretend to be normal. Then again, he didn't say anything when you asked why he would pretend to love you. And unlike your usual stubbornness, you dared not to press when the chatty demon suddenly grew quiet whilst he washed your hair.

You never learned whether his silence was an answer in itself, or because...he didn't know either.

Sebastian took care to remember everything you mentioned you liked and hated, without your orders to do or not do. He insisted he always take care of your hair and body. Never allowing you to lift a finger when he was around. Sebastian always had a new excuse

Chivalry, Duty, Honor. Trivial ideals that mattered not to him.

How Sebastian took gentle care to prep you and love you the first time you urged him into your bed.

How you insisted he was the only one who could, because he was your loyal slave who would never open his mouth and boast nor gossip of his Lady in bed, to which he agreed

Sebastian would not dare, contract or not to allow another man nor woman know of your pretty moans and expressions, how you quivered around him and uttered i love yous and stay with mes that nearly convinced him of your affection.

In return, he uttered the same sweet nothings to you.

He tore apart anyone you wished dead, brought you their heads and tongues like a proud pet when you requested.

Sebastian knew it was not distrust that made you ask for proof of death. You were just as twisted as he and it made him crave your own demise even more.

Deep down, where his heart was supposed to be. Sebastian knew he loved you, he was obsessed with you and would do anything for you. His own addiction made him nurture and love your soul even more, each time he kissed you, he could faintly taste the delicacy he has cultivated for years, and would fuck you hard to satiate his thirst for your soul.

he fed you, bathed you, fucked you, loved you

he gave you everything you never had

In return, you fullfilled your own end of the contract.

you were a loyal lover to him. Never pleased nor been pleased by another man or woman then Sebastian himself. Turned down every marriage proposal and attempt to court you. Danced with no one unless absolutely needed

Never smoked nor did drugs to preserve your soul's taste, though you did enjoy wine and liquor.

You called him when in danger or if someone tried to force themselves on you, and he protected you, held you as cried and trembled, Comforted you as you wanted.

Making gentle love to you, kissing you, hugs, cuddles. Watching over you while you beat and tortured men to death. Brought you whatever parts you wanted, mailed the rest to their homes as a warning.

Sebastian would never dare himself say he loved you. He would never think it possible. Demons and Angels could not love nor hate. The divine and damned existed for a sole purpose, to carry out the word of the lord, or bring damnation to humanity. He was the latter, nothing more or less.

With you he could pretend he was someone, someone more. Someone who could come home, who could love and live. He would lay awake at night, and pretend you meant your words. Your confessions. Allow himself to feel

What Sebastian would say, is that he was simply possesive and obsessed with you. And if he had to call it love for your sake...and his. So be it.

Until the day when he would please you one last time before tearing you apart as he came. Relishing in your screams and cries, as much as it destroyed him to do such a vile thing. He would enjoy you. Every inch, every drop of you was his.

Sebastian Michaelis would love every inch of you until then. And bury himself into starvation with your body, to love and be loyal to you, his mistress. Until the end of time.

Because there was no one like you, would be no one like you. You were everything he wanted and would ever need.

Even if his stomach ached for even a cheap soul, he would ride it out until death. As punishment for making you suffer, and to keep his promise to you.

usque ad mortem im tua

[trappedinafantasy37]

Minthara and the Wizard

It kind of is a bit of a running gag in the game that Minthara doesn't hesitate to shit on Gale and it is absolutely hilarious. Now, she makes it very hard to tell, but Minthara actually does like Gale (she actually likes all of the companions, she just won't admit it, except for Lae'zel and Karlach). I'm pretty sure she has a line of dialogue somewhere where she admits that she just like fucking around with his head.

But I was thinking about something today in regards to Minthara and Gale's relationship. Now, I've noticed that Minthara actually has a lot of overlap with the other origin companions. But the overlaps show in ways you wouldn't initially notice. I think when you first recruit Minthara, she does dislike him at first and she says something about wizards having a habit of blowing themselves up and Gale is readily available proof of her point. She feels that because wizards have a short lifespan, it isn't worth the time or effort to get to know them.

I also saw a post pointing out how Minthara criticizes Gale for the bomb in his chest but not Karlach despite the bomb in hers. Some think this difference is caused by misandry and that Minthara just hates men. I mean, misandry probably does play a role in her perception of Gale, but the real difference in attitude is because of the difference in circumstances between Gale and Karlach.

The bomb in Karlach's chest is not her own doing, but someone else's. The bomb was put there by someone else against Karlach's will and she now has to live with the fatal consequences of someone else's actions. Sure, you could say that Karlach's mistake was trusting the wrong person. But Minthara does not see trust as a weakness and is something she values deeply. She does not criticize Karlach for the bomb in her chest cause Karlach did not bring it upon herself.

But Gale, on the other hand, the bomb in his chest is his own damn fault and Minthara does not pity him for it. Gale has to live with the consequences of his own actions, knowing that they could lead to his demise if not handled correctly (especially since his bomb is the magical equivalent of a nuke). This is where the overlap begins.

Gale let his hubris override his sense of reason and self preservation, much like Minthara's hubris overrode hers when she tried to take on Moonrise. That hubris put Gale and the lives of others in peril, much like how Minthara was tortured by Orin and watched her own men be turned into thralls. Gale has been condemned to death by a god he once worshiped, just like Lolth left Minthara to die in Moonrise. And now Gale has to choose to either become a god or die, much like Minthara feels about becoming Absolute or dying herself.

Minthara has no pity for Gale's situation because she believes that he deserves it, much like Minthara has no pity for herself as she feels she deserves what happened to her. She does not see herself nor Gale as victims of their situations, but people who have to live with the consequences that they brought upon themselves.

I think this initial dislike and constant bullying of Gale is just her deflecting her own insecurities and feelings of inadequacy onto him, failing to realize he feels the same way about himself. She does learn to like him over time when she does get to know him more. But now she can't just stop bullying him cause then he'll know she likes him and she's not gonna feed his ego like that.

[imagionationstation]

Greetings!

I've made plenty of AU's by far, and often make it known on your account. Specifically, you may know me for Oroku A and B (AU of which either A-Team and B-Team were raised by Oroku Saki, a.k.a the Shredder), and my Skewered Two AU (human Leo and Raph, half human Donnie and Mikey)— though, had you pay attention, you may notice how all these AU's had something in common, that being it centers around the B-Team.

See, I love the B-Team. Especially Donatello, since he's my favourite, but Mikey comes second.

I adore them, in fact.

But I'm craving for angst now, so they got to suffer.

They got to die, actually. Temporarily, pronto.

Therefore— Empty Graves AU.

One thing I notice from the 2012 series was how both Donatello and Michelangelo had, one way or another, died in a certain way that there wasn't a body for the two eldest to bury. Albeit temporarily, only for a little while, they died nevertheless— and died with no remnants of themselves left.

Michelangelo got disintergrated by lightning and Donatello got molecularly scattered. It was only by sheer luck that they were brought back to life. A miracle, in fact. They didn't survive the initial impact, only somehow able to avoid the aftermath.

But what if fate isn't so kind?

What if they stayed dead?

Leo and Raph would have to confront the fact that they have to bury their little brothers— but they also have to face the fact that the graves are very much empty whenver they're visitting. There's no body in there; the only evidence of their little brothers— their poor, little baby brothers— ever existing was the cluttered mess of their rooms. Piles upon piles of mold-infested pizza boxes and failed or progressive inventions and Ice Cream Kitty and what's left of Metalhead.

But no little brothers.

The icing on top was the notes they left prior to their demise.

Mikey was eating pizzas, a whole box, in fact— and left a note on it before tossing the box into the fridge when they have to leave. A small note, saying, "Mikey's Pizza! No touch >:(" on top. There were some crumbs here and there, and the box is soiled from the grease. Raphael even jokingly said that he's going to finish it when they got home.

But now? The box remained untouched in the fridge. Even after it starts to grow bad, or had a small infestation on it— no one had the heart to throw it out, instead prompting to keave it be 'just in case'.

Donnie was going through his checklist before he had to divert all his attention into helping April. He had a whole list of what he had to do and what he's planning to do, all in alphabetised order, clipped on his clipboard. He even had a big bold red marker written, "I'll get on this later, promise!", before he had to chase after April.

Now, a week later, those checklists remained unchecked. His inventions abandoned, and the lab became what once a safe haven for their resident genius to an empty husk of who once owned it.

Leo and Raph grows increasingly violent each days— there's no more little brothers to voice out their concern, or cry for help, or whine or ground them– making sure they're not too ambitious and stays in the present— no one to question their violent decision or risks. They chase after whoever that had took their baby brothers from them, even cutting April O'Neil from their life, saying that if she got kidnapped again, it's her problem.

Little did they know, their little brothers never did left them. Physically, perhaps, but not in spirits. It also didn't quite dawned on the two youngest that they're dead — that no one can see them — so they don't understand why neither of their older brothers seem to acknowledge their existence. They don't understand why neither Leo nor Raph talks to them anymore, and couldn't help but to apologise and beg and questions why.

April did see them, though. She sees how Donnie and Mikey tried to get their attention, their spirits not once dimming. She would've told them, had it not been for the fact that the Hamato Family wouldn't even look her way.

Remember when I said 'temporarily'? Yeah— I'm not a huge fan for 'Major Character Death PERMANENTLY' kind of person. Not my kind of tea. So the two youngests came back later. Don't know how, but they just did. I just want to swallow the angst.

Go crazy.

(Call me Ellestrade, btw :))

I wrote an entire thing for this and it deleted itself.

Needless to say, objects were thrown.

Ellestrade, I feel like you’d be the type of person to come across me at a store and go, “Hey, wassup with you? Nice, nice- ALSO, I came up with a new AU idea, okay, so get this-” and we’d spend my five minute shopping trip talking AU brother trauma for an hour or two.

You adore B-team aspect. I adore the big brothers desperately needing/missing their little brothers aspect. Donnie is just a wholesome creature in all regards.

“They got to die, actually. Temporarily, pronto.”

You get me. You really get me :’)

YAS. I can taste this. All of it. AND IT HURTS.

You have the big brother angst completely plotted out. Allow me to fill in all the blanks for what I’m imagining for the LITTLE brother’s side of angst. (Not saying it’s canon. It’s just on my brain. A little expansion on trauma never hurt anyone~)

Okay, so we all know how Mikey died. He was zapped away by a transportation ray from the Newtralizer. (How the heck did they survive that episode without him tho??)

In the actual episode, he comes back to life with his body fully intact. He rebuilds himself as if there was just a minor transporter glitch and- wowsa!- exactly where he planned to be. And the smirk on his face said that rebuilding was both awesome and intentional. Which means that while he didn’t have a body, his consciousness was definitely alive and alert in some way. And when he saw Raph in trouble, he did what Newtralizer does and got his body back.

HOW, exactly, that works? I couldn’t tell you. Something to do with particles and mass and transportation physics, I assume. The body is being stored away in a pocket dimension? Meh. That’s not important.

If Mikey has a way to get his body back in canon, then that means that he should have a way to get his body back in your AU. That’s how you could un-dead him. He figures it out.

But that begs the question, if he figured it out in the show super fast- Why can’t he in the AU?

He CAN. In fact, his body is CONSTANTLY trying to rebuild itself. But he can’t remember how he died. He thinks he’s a ghost. And every time he feels the energy build up and the tug of something against his core/spirit/ki, he gets terrified that his body is trying to pass on. But he doesn’t want to. He wants to stay here with his brothers. So he shoves down the vibrations and the energy and tears away the claws that pull him elsewhere, and he forces himself to stay.

And every time he fights it down- he blips out.

His spiritual form disappears and comes back. He has to go through the motions of figuring out his scrambled memories and why he’s being ignored and why his brothers are constantly screaming at each other or crying late at night. He has to relearn about his death over and over- broken every single time that he realizes that it’s his fault that his family is like this.

But what about Donnie?

He didn’t die in the same way that Mikey did. He was quite literally torn to pieces, past flesh and bone down to sparkly blue spirit. Za-Naron wanted to make sure that he was absolutely gone to the point that no one would be able to get him back. Without him there to reach April, the demon was confident that she would win.

But the process of complete elimination was interrupted by April. She was still fighting in there. And instead of erasing him off the face of the planet, he was simply shattered. His essence and very being was tossed all over the city in the sparkly blue explosion.

His self ends up in pieces- slots of memories that can’t learn or adapt or process past what they already know. The most recent piece, one made of up memories that tracks to the day before Donnie decides to test April’s power (and everything goes wrong), is in the lair.

He doesn’t understand that Mikey is supposed to be dead because Donnie died first. He can understand that Leo is crying, but it’s like something disconnects before he can process why. He knows that Raph just shoved passed, but the knowledge that he went straight through him isn’t a conscious realization. He knows that Mikey was standing there a moment ago, but the fact he flickered out of existence is replaced with the confidence that he’d simply walked past him, to his room or the kitchen.

Mikey is not dead because his body is still out there. Donnie isn’t dead because his spirit isn’t intact to pass on. Ergo, they stuck.

Neither realizes anything is off. They both see each other as solid, physical people. Donnie can’t comprehend that anything is wrong with him or Mikey. Mikey never quite remembers that Donnie is supposed to be dead.

At least, not until he goes above ground, and finds more Donatellos up there as well.

There’s one near a computer shop, stuck in the motions of gushing about how amazing the surface is. There’s another at the junkyard, muttering about the needed parts for the turtle mech. He finds a small Donnie, maybe five or six, crying and scared in the sewers, terrified when a Mikey who is not his little brother approaches, begging for his papa to find him.

Finally, Mikey realizes that something is absolutely wrong here.

And so, he seeks out the only person who might be able to help.

A certain banished April O’Neil who runs straight into a stop sign when he jumps out in front of her.

[yourlocaltreesimp]

Chapter one: The something that is

Part i : Of mortals and men

First *ੈ✩‧₊˚ Next

Saviour of Souls masterlist

tw: Blood, Violence, implied death

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

“At the beginning of every story there is nothing- at least, nothing noticeable. To have this nothing… It is something of a necessity. For with it, it gives everything meaning. You appreciate that you have so much more when you had nothing to begin with.

Much the same to our own universe, at the beginning, there was nothing of particular note. A vast sea of this nothingness —potential— with no one to observe it. Such things may not be inherently nothing themselves, existence gives meaning. But observation makes meaning. An existence of something means nothing if there is no one to appreciate it. And so was the fate of our universe, to lay dormant. That is, aside from three sisters. Their minds grew restless with the potentiality of their lives. To sit, and to wait until something changed at last. And within their vast expanse of nothingness, they combined together the best of their attributes to make something. To make a change.

Din, the eldest of the three, with her fiery persistence and rage moulded earth. She made rock and mountains, a raging volcano left as the mark of her magic. With all her power, she created land. The middle sister, Nayru, known for her wit and intellect, doused the stiff earth with water. She softened the grounds and made rivers, oceans, clay and soil. And with the water she brought upon the world, she placed her magic within the highest, coldest peak. With her knowledge, she nourished the earth so that it may persist. And the youngest sister, Farore, known for her strong will and bravery, used her magic to inhabit the land. She made trees for Din’s earth and fish for Nayru’s rivers. She populated every plane and mountain with a small piece of her magic. With all her courage, she made gifts to the world, rather than a gift to herself.

For a while this world was content, and the goddesses watched adoringly as the earth would shift, eras coming and going, tides pushing and pulling. But with their gift of creation, they brought destruction. With somethingness, there was nothingness. With light, there was dark. With life, there was death. This absence pulled at them, punishing them in some odd way for their creations. The void gave birth to the sisters, its power split between the three and equal to that of itself. But in making their world, they’d tipped the even scales of fare past what the gods could control.

Watching their beloved creation fall apart, the goddesses agreed to use their power to keep their creation whole. They scattered what was left of themselves, leaving parts of their divinity marked upon the world. And though their power was thinned and death clawed at their fading forms, they left two final gifts to us. They left the triforce, their very presence focused down into nothing more than a relic, capable of granting any wish. It’s said to hold a shard of each goddess’s heart and is bound together by their love in one another and for the world they managed to make. But such power could not coexist with the destruction seeping across the world. They created a protector, Hylia. A goddess so kind that she embodies the best attributes of each goddess. She holds Din’s burning determination, Nayru’s sense of keen judgement and Farore’s daring kindness. Through the seams of reality, that evilness that festered in the cracks of the world had not settled, and too, gave two faults. Ganondorf, a being of Demise, hungering for the power of the triforce that he’d stop at no mortal law to possess. For every kind gift the goddesses gave, Demise sought to destroy. And the grace of Hylia bore Nir. A goddess of fickle wishes and born without a heart. Where our goddess brings us light and life, Nir brings darkness and death. But so with the world, light prevails. Ganon struck down by a hero wielding a blade of divine light and Nir chained down by Hylia’s spirit. Now, Hyrule as we know it lives in content balance. And while the night still falls, we can revel knowing that the sun will soon rise.”

Link smiled down at the group of kids all crowded around his feet. Their scrawny, underfed frames contrasted by beaming wide grins with missing teeth. The sight was uncomfortable. The children of Castle town were far different. Their clothes had no holes and he couldn’t see their bones through their skin. He’d never have stopped here if it weren’t for the spirit sightings. Sure, the kids were cute, but he’d have to watch his rupee bag.

“Oh! Is that how you got your sword?!”

“What about Zelda?!”

“I wanna know more!”

Soon, each little child chirped up, hungering for another story atop the many he had already told. The children at his feet bickered with one another as he tried to pick a story out that would satisfy them. The stories of his predecessors? Perhaps. But the Heroes of Legend were well known throughout even the smallest secluded hamlet. It made no difference this one was wartorne. He hardly even made it past that thought before the door to the small hut was slammed open, the rotting wood splintering.

“Th-There’s-“ The old man at the door sputtered and held his abdomen as one of the children ran at him.

“Opa? Opa!” The old man slumped over, sinking to his knees and rasping out bloody breaths. Link moved before he could’ve thought to stop himself. Such a skill had afforded him his life when he killed ganon. Sometimes, bravery leaves no room for forethought. Such is the way of courage.

“Sir, what happened” The man hacked and hacked, his hands trembling as they clutched his ribs. Removing the cold bony joints was probably not wise to the room full of children, the skin greying and peeling from his wound in a fashion Link had come to know well.

The dusty streets weren’t bustling with idle chatter and the poor folk running their errands as he’d grown accustomed to during his stay. There was a stark silence like that of nightfall, when the world is supposed to be still. His blade was familiar in his hand, ready to cut down what opposed him. There was an ear-splitting screech and his gut sank. Skin stealers. He felt the chipped teeth gnawing at his skin, sawing past his clothes. It skittered to the ground with a fleshy smack, its hollow eye sockets flexing around nothing. It chittered its teeth, waiting for a sound to hunt down. It’s bones popped and cracked as it circled, a warbled coo coming out of its undulating throat. Link didn’t let the waste of a soul live. The grey patchwork of its skin wouldn’t likely let it anyway. Its death would bring it back to Nir. Where she’d find some way to send her wicked beasts upon him again— he’s sure. Looking at the bony corpse, Link felt curiosity above the disgust. Such vile things waited until night until they could not be watched by Hylia. They preferred the silvery glow of Nir and her cover of darkness. But this one was out among broad daylight. The cloudy sky cleared and the voice of his goddess was warm in his mind, drowning out the panic of his thoughts.

“Hero…”

“Link…”

“Hear my call upon you…”

“… Or the sun may set on Hyrule again”

[meraki-sunset]

And here they are, [S]FINISH IT’s hidden details

the siluetes that apear in front of the kids before the battle represent who the condesce see when she sees them Alternia’s rebels, Earth’s rebels, Alies who brought demise upon themselves, All her heirs and heiresses she has had (and most killed)

The tall silluete you can see in the background among the fuccias, is the previous empress

Equius’s injuries are only in his arms and hands because that’s all he uses to fight and just moments ago he was catching falling buildings on Derse

It takes a moment for the condesce to react here, because Sollux looks just like the Psiionic, whom she was in love with and haven seen in centuries

This scene is a callback to [S]Cascade

the colors behind the breath playes are yellow, the secondary breath color, Bronce, Tavros’s original blood color and green, John’s signature color

Even tho he said he wouldn’t, Tavros used his breath super power again in unison with the other players (which left him pretty exausted)

The Heart powers glowing to the beat here are suposed to resemble a heartbeat 

The Condesce went straigth after Nanna because  she stills considers her  a heiress and still sees this battle as a deathmach (also to her she is the biggest threat)

It took 2 time players to hold the condesce in place, when Davepeta tried to do it alone, they failed

Davepeta didn’t switched into their heart god tier to help the other heart players because rose told them to. They wouldn’t have been able to switch in time and save hal otherwise

Also you can faintly see Davepeta has one human eye and one troll eye like some cats that have heterocromia

Karkat wouldn’t heve been as fulled by anger if if wasn’t Terezi specifically who gave him the isnstructions, because he has a strong conection to her and she knew exactly what to tell him

Here Rose is the onlyone smiling because she actually knows what is going on and it means they are about to win, while the other kids have no idea what Karkat is doing

Karkat’s eyes here are a callback to Gamzee’s fit of rage (to me is like, tho he is still on the fridge, he is still simbolically in the battle)

“We make our own luck“ is a callback to what Terezi tells John right before she dies on the doomed timeline. Like i said in another post: it represents how this timeline doesn't rely on luck but on will. It's an alsolved timeline because it's too resilient to be doomed, it's resurceful, it twists and changes constantly all to avoid getting doomed. There's no need to throw a coin to choose the Condesce's fate, because the kids have already sealed her fate by their own hands. They left nothing to luck and thus don't need it.

The only time we see the condesce pupils is when she realices she is about to die (and of all the people in the multiverse, for a second the condesce was scared of Karkat)

The condesce’s death was a reference to Kimetsu no yaiba, but beeing the complete oposite, going in the oposite direction, with the original being a demon who wants to die and the decapitation beeing an act of mercy coming from a kind soul, and the condesce’s death being fueled by an intence rage towards someone who refuses to die no matter what 

Also to me, the most characteristic aspect of the condesce was her infinite amount of hair, i always made it look like it has no end and almost as if it has a life of it’s own, to give her this savage aura. It geting cut in the end at her decapitation is as if she has lost the symbol of her inmense power Also it was a reference at how royalty was decapitated long ago

The first heiress the condesce killed is also the first one to leave

The second heiress from her memories can alse be seen leaving

Among the heirs and heiresses you can find the siluette of Calder from vast error

Another Heiress you can find is my bestfriend’s Oc Purity, she is the one who got me into homestuck (love u bitch)

and holding her hand you can see my Oc Neleck, we made them together shortly after she told me about the comic, he is the second fantroll i ever made

You can find @eldritchdraaks​ my beta reader’s Oc Viiveh, from his own fanventure A viral medium

And laslty there was a deleted scene where the condesce’s first descendant hugged feferi and fefeta before flying into the void but i decided against it because it was too much

And those are all the deatils and secrets from [S] FINISH IT

[the-moon-in-the-gutter]

Dewdrop is typically an early riser, the fire ghoul is one ruled by that big ball of radiation that mortals call the Sun. As soon as the sun begins to make its ascent in the sky, the ghoul is quietly dragging himself from the bed. He dresses in the semi-dark, the faint morning light filtering through his curtains as a guide to the clothes laid out across the back of a chair. All before pressing a gentle, quick kiss to Aether's temple, the only patch of skin not covered by the mound of blankets. The quintessence ghoul had slunk into bed only a few hours prior, the late shift in the infirmary was his own demise.

The only day in which the fire ghoul doesn't rise early, is the pack's collective day off. A day spent resting and recuperating from the chaos so the week prior. They spend their days off laid in bed until close to noon, the ghouls attempting to prepare themselves for the coming week as they do not know what will occur within the walls of the Ministry.

Aether rises before Dewdrop on these days, bringing two mugs into their room. Coffee for himself, and tea for his partner. One morning in particular he returned to the fire ghoul sprawled across the bed on his back, arms outstretched above his head. Legs tangled in his blanket. Angelic face contorted into an expression that was near snarl. Academics would refer to it as looking similar to the fall of Icarus, but Aether recalls a more biblical story. One of angels cast from Heaven, one in which their wings were ripped away, nothing to break their fall whereas Icarus had the sea. He knew those bony ridges, lying just beneath the jagged scars upon his partner's shoulders.

The fire ghoul's contorted positions typically brought forth laughter from Aether. He was an active sleeper and no one quite knew what position he would be found in the following morning. Mountain had referred to sleeping with Dewdrop as like "sleeping with a bicycle" on more than one occasion. Only Aether was capable of settling the restless ghoul into a calmer status of sleep, crawling into bed each night with a quiet voice "Scoot over damn it, this bed's supposed to be big enough for the two of us."

This morning in particular no joke would rise from his throat, instead he placed the two mugs on his bedside table. The quintessence ghoul slid into his side of the bed, before pressing a gentle kiss to his partner's forehead. That simple action roused the fire ghoul, who immediately relaxed his positioning. Dewdrop would open his eyes slightly, before rolling onto his side to face the quintessence ghoul whom he unknowingly gave a shock to. "Did you bring tea?" He would ask in a raspy, sleep filled voice, the aroma thick in the small room. The scent of Aether's coffee, the cinnamon and slight hint of plum in his tea, two familiar scents that brought peace to the figure that had been reenacting his Fall only moments before.

[light-lanterne]

been thinking about an odd game, so naturally an au idea has emerged ~

a short offering, @byelerss, @catboy-cabin, @conanssummerchild, @dark-quill, @fenixashes, @fluffyfangirl, @foodiewithdahoodie, @holyvirgilscriptures, @hyperfixationcentralsvoid, @ivytheenbyfae, @rotisseries, @saffirez, @willow-lark, @yearninginblue.

au where mike died shortly after birth. a terrible mistake; a tragedy, one that was never meant to occur.

but it did and, when mike first opened his eyes after his demise, he found himself in a forest of sorts. unnatural. strange. it wasn't a real forest from our world, but instead part of a limbo where souls end up before moving on to "the other side".

and that's where he met him. another child, two,,, maybe three years old, at most. he'd been sitting in a badly-built pillow fort, crayons in hand as if he'd been colouring something, eyes wide as he scanned the crying form that was mike because he had not expected anyone to find him there. the forest was always empty, after all; souls came and went without really stopping for any amount of time.

but mike had, somehow, and will had no idea what to do. he was only a child, after all. a kid who'd been born like all others except, upon birth, the universe had bestowed him with a terrible curse: somehow, sometime, without his permission or his desire, will would bring upon the apocalypse to our whole world.

and he knew it would happen. will had already accepted his monstrous purpose; had accepted the inevitability of it all. but just like he knew this, will knew that day was far away.

for now, he was only a kid and for some reason, he was now stuck with a crying baby who'd gotten lost on his way to the other side. and will knew he should send mike off on his way. correct his course, make sure he reached the land of the dead without any further diversions.

but he couldn't. how could he let such a cute baby die ? what the universe had done to him was cruel, vexing him like that, and so was letting this little kid just,,, go.

,,,so will sent him back to the land of the living. gave him another chance and, in the process, set two important processes in motion:

first, he connected his own fate to mike's. like tree branches that had grown too close to each other, like entangled cables that were impossible to separate. they grew up together despite the physical distance between them, they met in their forest within dreams and spoke for hours on end. from little kids who'd embrace each other after their horrible nightmares and premonitions, to young adults desperately trying to find a way to free will of his curse. they became soulmates, together forever or until the bitter end.

,,,which was going to happen soon, because by bringing mike to life, by breaking the biggest law of life, will connected the world of the living with that of the dead. thousands died in an instant, millions followed when war, hunger and illness broke loose. lost souls became unable to find rest and sought to drag the living with them, governments decided to limit their "food supply" by exterminating nearly all life by themselves.

will had, effectively, started the apocalypse without meaning to, and the worst had yet to come.

so he and mike made a promise: they'd try to limit the damage as best as they could, save as many good people as they were able to and, if they failed, they'd at least stay together until the universe had enough and finished what will had started.

and truth be told, as perverse and horrible as it was, will almost hoped the end came soon. he didn't care about saving the humans who'd brought forth most of their misery upon themselves; didn't care about saving the people who'd caused mike's initial demise, and were still so cruel to them both. all he cared about was staying with his best friend and enjoying as much time as they could together. move on with their life and embrace each other on a daily basis until the heat was too much and they couldn't look away from the meteors that'd bring them certain death.

all he cared about was being with mike.

forever, or until the bitter end.

- the end -

(inspired by that weird little game, death stranding. i'm still not sure i understand it all but i quite enjoyed it when i watched the playthrough and i thought it'd be fun to make will into the "extinction event" ~ for those who know the game, please imagine henry as higgs :O )

[alxandracabot]

Another day, another family. The wheels of justice never stopped nor did those working in the shadows to prevent the wheel from having the chance to break. Alexandra Cabot woke this morning with legal repercussions of the operation weighing heavy on her heart. When she first joined the network it took quite sometime to ignore the urge to push victims to speak with the authorities about the abuses thrust upon them. In fact, a time or two Alex had convinced a victim to step forward. The first time, the husband was thrown behind bars for an amazingly short amount of time, but just enough to move the family to a new location with new identities. It was that win which urged her to push another to speak out… that one ended with the woman's brains blown across bathroom tile. The guilt crushed until it didn't. One morning the blonde woke with a new sense of direction. Fuck the process! Years passed with hundreds of women and children moved to new identities without any resistance. Years of satisfaction moving people about in the shadows. Until now… until Jules.

The outcome was exactly as Alex feared. Justice had forced Jules into a car driving to her demise. There was no doubt who was behind the accident but no way to prove it. Yet, Alex couldn't bring herself to say 'I told you so'. Living on the line of the law was exhilarating until looking into the eyes of the one person who quite literally changed her life many times over. Guilt suddenly weighed heavy. Was she doing the right thing? Alex believed in the cause without hesitation, but perhaps she was losing her own sense of morals while doing so. Then again, the very reason for joining the operation was thrust into Alex's face after a show down in court.

The loss wasn't what pushed the former ADA into an existential crisis. Olivia Benson was.

Standing in downtown Tribeca the former ADA and now Lieutenant came to a standstill. A mutual respect for the others choices even though they believed the exact opposite. Alex would be remiss to not admit working along side of SVU had brought forth the very morals pushed aside for years, but she couldn't stop. She had to protect those the system could not. The most crushing part of the past week wasn't losing Jules or even having that little girl given back to the very man who killed her mother without hesitation. The most heartbreaking part was having to say goodbye to Olivia… again. This was their fate. Ships constantly passing in the night. Unspoken feelings had been festering for almost two decades. There was something to be said for a love that never faded or waivered in spite of the time and distance between. Of course, Alex wasn't an idiot. Or she thought she wasn't. Olivia's relationships were men rotating in and out of her life. Some of the men Alex respected and believed they could be good for Liv, but the others… well, she didn't have a right to voice any opinion on the matter.

As her arms wrapped Olivia in a crushing hug emotions welled in the back of Alex's throat. Saying goodbye shouldn't still be this hard. Those unrequited feelings sunk the blondes heart and twisted her gut in an unpleasant way. Until they didn't. Before she knew what was happening lips had descended upon hers - or maybe hers did the descending? Either way, a simple kiss which seemed to be mutual threw Alexandra Cabot completely off. This could not be happening. Not now. Not after all this time. Fingers quaked, heart hammered, lungs seized and eyes widened as a step back was taken. A step back that quickly turned into another before Alex took off across the street towards her vehicle. Farewells and warm wishes had already been given so no words were needed before the blonde took off.

The night brought little sleep. Alex's brain began to analyze almost every interaction she had with Olivia over the years. Searching for any sign of mutual adoration. Years as best friends had exposed their deepest darkest parts of themselves to the other but somehow this was missed. Or was it? Perhaps the emotions of the case had led to the kiss. Yes, that was it. It was the heightened emotions brought about from the intensity of the case along with working side by side once more. The subtle fliration over wine was normal for them. They had always skirted the lines of something more without actually stepping across. Why? Olivia wasn't interested. Friendly flirting often led to belly aching laughter or a small ego boost. Friendly flirting. Friends who happened to flirt. That was normal. Nevermind the fact Alex didn't dare skirt that line with any other friends because the interest to do so wasn't present.

In the midst of this all emotions had fogged Alex's routines. There was no circling random blocks on the way home to make sure no one was following, no double checking to see if anyone had been watching the interaction with Olivia, no bothering to park in the secured garage instead of the street. When Alex had arrived home after making a complete idiot of herself, the blonde was in such a fog the doorman said hello several times before attention had been caught. An apologetic smile had been given to the man before she walked straight to the elevator and pressed the button for her floor… something else never done. Even though Alex believed in what she was doing she was not ignorant to the dangers. Normally, the blonde would take the stairs up a few flights of stairs, a different flight each time, before getting on the elevator to ride the rest of the way up. Despite living in a building with the best security New York had to offer Alex had never got over constantly looking over her shoulder.

Sleep had eventually pulled Alex from the existential crisis to a fitful sleep. Nightmares of being shot and thrust into witness protection seemed to be on repeat until eventually Alex found herself waking with a gasp. Fingers quickly moved to her shoulder to make sure there was no blood seeping through silk pajamas. After her heart was done trying to hammer it's way out of her chest, a soft chuckle at how ridiculous the past week had been broke free. Two hours of sleep would have to be enough for now. Coffee was definitely going to be her savior today. Coffee and maybe a morning run in Central Park.

[gsstories]

First Kunoichi: Origins

Alright, it is 5 am where I am, I cannot sleep and seeing my moot @fernnshxj draw Joan so beautifully with their oc Miori gave me inspiration to tell Joan’s origins, let’s begin! (Btw, I took some liberties and added some stuff of another fandom cause it was pretty interesting-)

Okay, starting off, Joan is not originally from Japan. She is actually from Sweden!

As I stated before, she was the middle of three sisters and they all practiced witchcraft, which wasn’t uncommon in Sweden (and is still practiced nowadays, just not as much I think) All three specialized in in different magical aspects: the eldest, spirits and souls; the middle, magical artifacts and weapons; and the youngest, potions and spells. The eldest was the brains of the group, the leader, the one to come up with a plan against enemies, the mastermind basically. The youngest was the heart, the healer, the one who would help anyone out if they needed it, the sweetest of the three. And lastly Joan, the middle child, she was the body of the trio, the tank, the shield, the most physically strongest one compared to her sisters. They all really loved each other despite their differences in personalities.

They all created the Kunoichi mask and Codex so that each of them could use each other’s abilities without any hindrances and to document every creature they came across. Unfortunately, not soon after creating them, they had been ambushed by those who called themselves ‘The Bishops of the Apocalypse’. War, Pestilence, Famine, Chaos, Death, they all attacked the sisters, who had little to no weapons to defend themselves at the moment aside from the mask. The battle was brutal and long but the sisters won… well, Joan won. The youngest died at the hands of Chaos after taking out Pestilence and Famine, the scene making Joan cry out to her and attack Chaos, who was the one responsible in leaving that nasty scar on her face. After dealing with it, she saw her eldest sister fighting War and then… gods, she wishes she didn’t see. She saw how her sister summoned a weapon, a large sword that soon penetrated through her own heart and War’s, ichor and blood oozing from their wounds. Horrified, now it was Joan against Death, the most dangerous and sadistic of the Bishops. Joan knew she couldn’t win against them like that… so she put on the Kunoichi mask. Without holding back, she slashed, stabbed and ripped Death apart, tears of rage in her eyes after the demise of her sisters. Ichor stained her sharp heels once Death has fallen, a wide grin on their face before inevitably dying. Panting, Joan- First Kunoichi- fell to her knees and started crying, screaming her heart out. Days passed, and she made graves for her dearest sisters, grieving them for weeks, months even after taking sail across the land, scattering the Bishops’ crowns so they could never be found again.

From three to two then to one in less than a second. How awful is that, to lose the only family you have to the worst villains you have ever faced? Truly, this was the tragic beginning for the First Kunoichi.

Before meeting the Ninja, Funo (First Kunoichi) took it upon herself to become a traveling warrior, taking out any beast she came across that she deemed a threat. She never took off her mask, for it was the only thing that brought her comfort, the last thing made by her and her sisters. She was afraid to put her guard down so she became cold, snappy and paranoid at everything and everyone. Except the children. Never the children…

She often reminisced at the idea of a family. Her family. Her sisters had wanted to find love, to have children of their own, they spoke quite a bit about it. Joan thought, that was not the life for her. She never understood love or saw the greatness of having a child but still, she had supported her sisters til the very end. Now she does her best to not scare any of the children, for they remind her of the future her sisters had wanted but would never get.

Funo traveled far and wide, slaying beasts of old across the lands. She never gave much thought to it until she came across a beast… one who was just a child. She was conflicted, she had sworn to kill any beast she encountered but also promised to never harm a child. The child beast was already dying, she realized, and they asked one thing: to help her see the ‘shower of lights’. Funo was… confused but regardless helped the child. Getting to a cliff with a nice view in the middle of the night, she put the child beast there, who sat next to her as the show started. A meteor shower. The child was in total awe at the sight as Funo stared. This child was a beast and yet it was so innocent… Just how many did she slay that were truly innocent? Just how many did she brought to their demise when they only wanted to live a peaceful life?

Her train of thought was interrupted when the child hugged her, sobbing softly before saying:

“Thank you…”

The child passed away in her arms…

…

Since that day, Funo did more traveling than slaying. Meeting people from other cultures while fighting the occasional bandit and such. She learned a lot and so she wrote everything in the Codex, for some of that information came in handy at times. When traveling, she met the one who became her new nemesis: the Sorceress.

For a long time, these two were at each other’s throats, looking to tear each other apart until that one fateful day they met their respective soulmates. The Sorceress met the Sorcerer, who brought chaos and destruction as she did. Frankly, now more of a pain in the ass for Funo but she had to deal with them. That is when she met him. The First Ninja. A skilled, intelligent yet kind of stubborn man who banished the Sorceress to the Realm of Shadows. Their actual first meeting was her having a knife to his throat because he got a tad bit too close to her. Reflexes by now.

The two didn’t exactly like each other, at all! They argued, fought, and treated each other like a nuisance than an actual danger. It took a while but Finja saw her around and she was never, and I mean NEVER without her mask and so he asked about it once. Funo stated “The last time I let my guard down, those I love died and I couldn’t do anything. I’m not letting it happen again.” She was afraid that if anyone she got close to got hurt, she would have failed her mission. She didn’t want that, she wanted them safe. So far though, she never stayed long enough to make meaningful bonds with people so there was really no one close to protect. Aside from Finja but does he really count? (Yes girl)

It took quite a few months, but Finja was able to break the walls Funo had built over the years to protect herself. The first time she took off her mask, she felt very vulnerable and was always on edge, even around Finja- Or, well, Yoshi without the mask (Yes, we called him Yoshi lol-). She still had some trust issues, she slept with a knife. Over time though, she started trusting Yoshi, little by little, and eventually she started feeling SOMETHING towards him. She was confused when her heart started racing when she saw him or how her face turned red when she saw him train.

Like “Dammit heart, what is your deal?!” kind of thing.

Yoshi was experiencing a similar situation but he was probably dealing with it in a more calm fashion. The two sparred together often, either with weapons, using magic or hand to hand combat. In less battle centered settings, they were pretty calm towards each other now, friendly even.

You see what I am going for, they fell in love! It was Yoshi who confessed his love for Joan first and she, well, she blue screened at that before becoming a mess of stutters and trying to come up with words and when they didn’t come out, she punched a wall. Her hand had to be healed.

At the beginning of the relationship, it was pretty much the same as before the relationship. The two… did not know how a couple was supposed to act. PDA was not a big yes for them, they liked to keep that private, a bit of hand holding at times but other than that, nothing more. Yoshi ended up learning more from Joan once a bit of time passed. She told him about her origins, her sisters, their goal, the Bishops… everything. She broke down as she told Yoshi, who brought her into his arms and cried in his chest. This was the most vulnerable Joan has been in years. She cried so hard, she got a headache. Her started calling her ‘Moonflower’ when once stating she liked them and it just stuck.

After a near death experience with one of the Sorcerer’s monsters, Finja did the one thing Funo thought would never happen: he proposed to her. He said “If I am to leave this world soon, I wish it happens knowing I had someone worth it all in the end.” Funo was a blushing mess as she chuckled and said “You’re a fool…”. She accepted and so the term of endearment ‘my fool’ became a thing.

…

After the Sorcerer’s defeat, Joan started feeling ill. She couldn’t fight for as long as she used to, her head hurt, her body burned, just everything started going wrong. Yoshi wanted to do something to help her out but Joan didn’t want him to leave. Every day, she kept getting worse and worse and Yoshi feared for the worst. Joan had accepted it and only wished for Yoshi to hold her when she took her last breath. He did as she wished. He cried and cried as he felt her heart beat no more.

Her grave was made near their home once upon a time, Yoshi visiting it often even after learning The Ultimate Lesson. He doesn’t remember how he met this woman but he knew she meant a lot to him. His dear, his beloved, the ying to his yang…

And most importantly, his Moonflower…

[morkanslily]

To Return To Your Demise

>kabukimono writing;trying to get a feel of the char! >themes: angst

You poor little puppet.

You were subject to a cruel fate—born a blank slate, with no conviction or will instilled in you that roars like the mighty thunder you hail from. Born a blank slate, like the light and airy silks your creator draped over you, just as a mother would swaddle an infant. The naivety that you possess renders you vulnerable to the world’s cruel teeth that will devour you whole. It is almost pitiful, and my heart aches for the one you cannot attain.

From the lightning that looms so ominously, its piercing strike shall call upon rain to shower. Rain that will splatter violently upon the fabrics you hold so close to your chest as though it is all that remains of a purpose you are waiting for, rain that will force you to trudge upon puddles of earth that stain your precious garments. Your clothes—the pinnacle of your innocence and delusions—shall be tainted and brought to ruin like the battered land of the place you once deemed your home. Not to mention, the winds that will mercilessly tear at you, just as sharp and swiftly as the forged blades you once so proudly brandished before your masters. You will hide underneath that shoddy house with that child you believe so faithfully to be of your kin, when you know very well, that you both must part. From the ashes of a house that leaves no heart behind, you will walk on that path of freezing snow that bares its bitter fangs at your feet. And it will be very, very cold.

But that won’t matter to you, would it? You little doll, who clings so madly onto your own imagination you projected onto reality as the blatant truth, couldn’t care less. You willingly venture into dark caverns and tunnels with no end in sight, stubbornly believing in pessimistic introspections and lies you have fed yourself with, because nobody else In this world could have been bothered to feed you with a wooden spoon themselves.

It was your life’s wish and mission to return to your original state of being. The very one that inevitably surrendered you to the ruthlessness of this life. The one where, you are not plagued by the curses of worldly filth. A time so long ago now almost forgotten, where you had yet to be defiled by the sins of others. So, now that you may be granted this wish through the power of Irminsul, does it make you happy? Are you at peace, knowing that you will return to your endless slumber once more? To be undisturbed, without any trace of emotion. To be erased and at stasis, just as the eternity that she yearns for?

No more tears, sorrow, hatred, and helplessness. To be free from being controlled at last by yourself and others.

To never have had an ounce of humanity at all…

Is that indeed what you yearn for, wanderer?

@mhiieee @rainxiaower hehe

[roseofcards90]

There’s something so cathartic and satisfying about the glory that Dong-eun didn’t even need to push herself so much on getting her final acts of revenge because the bullies ultimately destroyed themselves because they were such shitty people to begin with that their own actions had led to their downfalls, that Dong-eun had given these people MULTIPLE chances to turn themselves in, to warn them again and again that she would make them pay and even giving an act of mercy to her own perpetrator who tortured her relentlessly before in high school — all because her husband took his shoes off before he walked into Dong-eun’s home, and yet they STILL were arrogant and horrible that it let to their demises like what complete and utter satisfaction to walk away from when you realize that these idiots all brought this upon themselves and you can finally walk away from the revenge you’ve planned for over a decade of your life and finally build your own life and heal, because you’ve gotten the ultimate form of justice for yourself and other victims

[gacha-addict2001]

Total Unhinged Time Travel Fix it!

The usual chosen are sent back to prevent the dance with their memories of the future and their demise fresh on their minds…but something…occurs.

So! The three sons of Rhaenyra: Jacaerys, Lucerys and Joffrey, upon their death are pulled in by the Gods of Old Valyria and asked to Prevent the Dance right? They are all up for it for various reasons, but the main being they all want to be able to live their lives out until their time comes.

The gods prepare to send them back but something or someone interferes, yoinking the three of three of them from the grips of the Old Gods and telling them that they won’t be able to stop the dance in the next life they have, only making things worse since they aren’t trained enough and they have too much hatred within them for what has happened to their families and themselves. They offer them a chance to learn the ways of a new culture so they might not only be prepared but also have something the Hightowers don’t, they agree.

Any western world is out of the way since they are all pretty much the same, so they are sent to a version of Feudal Japan, during a fantasy age in which Dragon Gods in human form rule them all, and sensing the blood of the dragon within the boys they take them in, the Emperor making them his wards while three generals make them their person protoge’s.

They live out their lives in this world, learning their martial arts, fighting techniques and weaponry and face many challenges such as rebellion, loss of a family and making a new life for themselves.

*Jacaerys becomes a mercenary under the name of Lord Crow, he takes care of orphans from the war that destroyed the country and holds a region of land that is inaccessible to many others. He is solemn and quiet, never really coming out of his hiding or being all that public as he defends his lands to the best of his ability. He becomes a pretty good spear user.

*Lucerys moved to a different province and runs the entertainment districts which is a front for information and protecting refugees from the empire he once served before it was overthrown. He developed his own brand of poison and has taken so much of it his own blood is poison. He takes the moniker Lord Butterfly as he bred his own poisonous butterfly to help him as well.

*Joffrey became a wanderer who takes out various camps from the rebellion, taking on the name of Lord Falcon. He kills any and all who destroyed the empire he once lived in; as well as delivering orphans to Jace who takes them all in without too much hassle.

All three of them work to try and overthrow the new government and end up dying in the process.

They are taken back by the gods of Old Valyria who were frantic to get them back to ensure they are the ones to prevent the dance. In that moment the three dragon gods who helped raise them appear and hand them their divine weapons they had gifted them in life, telling them to take them with them to their realm to prevent the dance. They do and are returned to the day they arrived in Dragonstone, after Luke took out Aemond’s eye.

Because of them being taken the gods expelled much energy to get them back and were unable to send them back further. They make use of it and begin to train and do what they need to be prepared for the dance that is to come.

Leads into the day Luke’s legitimacy is questioned and they are brought back to Kings Landing for the first time in years.

They display their skills as nothing as it seems and their old past that is not known to anyone is coming in to mess with things, lending to an even messier road to peace.

Oh! And Aemond and Ageon totally are not obsessed with their nephews becoming deadly killing machines with little regard for how they are confusing the fuck out of people.

Joffrey sneaks off to recruit Daeron to their little group, leading to another uncle crushing on their nephew.

NOTE! ALL THE SECOND LIFE IN ANOTHER CULTURE HAPPENS IN THE BACKGROUND AND IS DROPPED THROUGHOUT THE STORY HERE AND THERE. NOT A MAJOR COMPONENT. 

I have a shit ton more, but I might make this into a story…let me know if you want specific details or want to know more.

[loz-untold-myths]

UNTOLD MYTHS: The Mage's Lantern

A Legend of Zelda Fan-Story by Nocturne

Prologue + Chapter 1 (Novelized)

(Comic in Progress)

Expand to read! (Warning: Blood)

Prologue - Warm Memory

In the dead of night, the howling winds rock the walls of a cabin home. There is little to no natural warmth, save for a single candle on a bedstand beside an old couch with a wooden frame. To compensate for the freezing cold, a woman lets her son rest his head on her lap beneath the cozy shelter of a blanket. As the little one fades in and out of sleep, the woman's voice quietly joins the arguing winds.

"Throughout the flow of time, many legends become lost from record. Tales of knights... Tales of princesses... The tales of an eternal struggle between good an evil. Among the ancient powers carried among these stories, one has stood the test of passing ages: The Triforce." She weaves her words as if having rehearsed them, but the boy she speaks to has a hard time paying attention with how he dozes off. Even so, faint images try to paint themselves in the back of the sleepy child's head. "Possessing the traits of Courage, Wisdom, and Power, this powerful relic was long said to be tied to the rulers and heroes of Hyrule. When one possessed all three pieces of The Triforce, they were given a single wish without limit. Because of this...–"

"Now, Faronna..." A second voice interrupts the woman, that of a man her age. He briefly glances back to her, halting his process of covering the windows, "Should you really be telling him all this?"

"The boy asked, Arn. Besides, it is only a bedtime story. He'll forget it by morning..." Faronna murmurs, before returning her gaze to their son. Now, where was she? "...Because of this, the gift from the skies brought conflict after conflict upon Hyrule. The Royal Family, upon recognizing such a pattern, decided to keep its whereabouts almost entirely secret... Supposedly even to themselves. With this in place, Hyrule went for generations without the pursuit of Power clouding its peace."

...

There is a pause to follow, as if the woman herself has begun to question if she should continue. But after lingering on her words for a few moments, she decides to continue forth. "But this did not last. One day, a Dark Wizard appeared. He who was once known as the Gerudo King had assembled a following of twisted mages, all working to claim the complete Triforce as their own. As they devastated all regions in their search, it became clear that the King could no longer try to peacefully calm their hunt for power. Each Mage was decreed to be sentenced to death for their crimes if they were to show their faces again. Only seeing it as an empty threat, however, the mages continued their wicked ways. Ultimately, the evil forces were killed... Except for one."

Another hesitation.

"The Mage of Winter– the strongest of them all– was enraged by the falling of his allies. In retaliation, and under his master's command, the ice wizard cast a curse upon the land. What was soon called The Frigid Storm spiraled Hyrule into a state so cold that survival became a struggle in every waking hour. Ever since that day, this is how the Kingdom has remained."

...

And this is how it will forever be, until The Dark One finally holds the full Triforce in his grasp.

Chapter 1 - The Wizard

The wasteland stretches beneath an eternal night sky, a horizon of sand and rock blanketed in the never-ending, cold embrace of darkness. The desert, given its own special curse to assure its suffering, has been long since abandoned in the majority of the region. The air carries only the stench of death. The stench of death... And the sudden addition of fresh blood.

"Urgh... Demise CURSE IT ALL!" A screeching voice abruptly rings out. "GET BACK HERE, YOU MISERABLE LITTLE INSECT!" Its source: A hunched over, older man covered in an unidentifiable number of layers of clothing. He keeps one bony hand up to his face, over a growing puddle of blood where his eye should be. Although disoriented by his own rage, the man raises his free fist. It is enveloped almost instantaneously by a twisting presence of ice and snow that is sent out in pursuit of a smaller individual. The storming magic races after a young girl with bright green eyes that barely show from beneath her fur-lined hood. The spell shoots past her, curling it's path to try and halt her from in front; its light-blue luminescence reflecting against her gaze. She lets out a yelp, ducking down and holding her head as she lets the magic soar over her head and back towards the pre-occupied mage. With his own magic colliding with his face amidst his recovery, the wizard stumbles back and lets out a low murmur like a growl. He just had the little brat, and now she's managed to pull a stunt like that twice! Using his own power against him... First plunging a sharpened icicle into his skull, and now sending such a horrible cloud over the wound! He swears to himself that the child will pay severely for the attempts... Once he can catch her.

The girl urges herself to push through her escape, fighting the urge to stop and catch her breath. As she dares to take a brief look back to the man, she finds that he has stubbornly froze the blood over his injury to keep it from pestering him in the meantime. She is certain it isn't comfortable or helpful in any way, but it's allowed him to follow her himself. Although she makes an effort to ignore it and refocus on getting away, her thoughts are interrupted by another trail of the mage's power; this time landing into the ground beside her with a blast. It branches out into an array of transparent spikes, all of which seeming to reach for her. The runaway is forced to restrain herself from yelping again, recollecting herself in a hurry. Meanwhile, the wizard outstretches his palm back towards the stars– his figure seeming to almost be carried by the wind– and commands for a series of clouds to force their way into the sky with a shout. Although usually without a single cloud, the skies now present a churning multitude of them... And make way for an uncharacteristic snowfall from the mage's furious call.

As if the call was not enough to cause her alarm, the fleeing child is met with the sight of snowflakes hindering her view of the horizon. It is temporarily a cause of panic, her heartbeat quickening exponentially, but a collection of silhouettes just barely enters her sight after she aimlessly pushed onward. The snow mixing with sand, it appears a collection of stands and tents lies up ahead. Being unfamiliar with the area, the young girl fears she may be mistaken, but she rushes to this place in hopes that she can find someone else; perhaps some sort of refuge. Unfortunately, she is met only with the abandoned ruins of what was a bazaar. A frustrated huff escapes her, but the girl decides she cannot let it stop her. Knowing what is at stake, she thinks fast and adjusts her path. The stands have loose shelters of cloth overhead... perhaps they could act as a barricade. She runs straight into the heart of the now ironically snowed-over bazaar, leaping over one stand's counter to another in an attempt to let the structures protect her where the wizard would be too tall to follow through. It drains her, to be sure, but she knows she is young– and the wizard, well... He just isn't.

The runaway's plan proves successful for a minute or so, to the extent that she doesn't care look back and allow her streak to collapse. But her fixation on the path ahead is broken soon by a sort of creaking sound. At first, she is perplexed... But confusion dives straight back into worry as she recognizes the creak's origin. The snow that flurries has begun to clump via the man's powers, solidifying into sharp spearheads of hail that rain down from above. The cloth barriers once shielding her from the weather are torn through like paper, leaving her to desperately try to avoid the barrage from whatever stand she ended up inside. Deciding her plan has backfired and gotten her cornered, she dives out from her hidden path and narrowly avoids impalement in the process. She scrambles to run once more, but makes the error of peering back to see where the wizard commands the weather from– and in doing so, fails to see where the new layer of snow seems to sink. She feels the ground give out beneath her and, in an instant, disappears amidst the shroud of hail.

Her vision was left dark for the second that she fell, but it returned to her after she landed in solid stone with a light thud. The air is knocked out of her, and it stings... But she realizes she's fine. The girl hurriedly lifts her head, looking up to see the only light source is the dim opening from which she fell through. Some sort of hole in the sand, blocked from view by the snow. It seems to have dropped her into a small den. She could probably reach back out, if she stood, but she knows better... Now, she may as well be cornered!

...And that she is, as the familiar voice of the wizard lets out a yell of frustration. She holds her breath. It is audible merely a few steps from the place she fell through... "AUGHHH! I've lost her... AGAIN! The Dark One will have my head... Or my other eye!" His utter distress echoes through the small crack in the stone den's roof. The young one once again quietly exhales, yet almost seems unsure that she heard him correctly. Did he fail to see her fall through? Did his own storm cloud his vision? "It takes me all my strength not to just get this over with and reduce that pitiful little child into a sculpture..." The man grumbles under his breath now, his voice fading as he goes further away. "I cannot return empty-handed... I'll be reduced to ash..."

Once his presence has entirely vanished, the escapee lets out a slow sigh of relief. She can see her breath in the dim light beneath the opening now that she has finally stopped her constant pace. While the disdainful sculpture comment was... Rather threatening, she think the feeling is mutual. He would be much more tolerable as speechless stone. But overall, she's just glad he has gone... The girl gives it a little time, but eventually allows herself to pull her way out of the den. She spares it a mere glance before eyeing her surroundings. The snow has begun to drift away on the breeze, and the moon finally looms over the perpetual night sky. Other than that, she is alone. With this in mind, the child makes a break for the end of the wasteland.

Note:

Intrigued? Check the rest of this blog to find concept art and other details! My asks are always open, as well. :)

Next Chapter: Chapter 2 - The Hero

Concept Art 1 - Concept Art 2

I decided to give The Mage's Lantern the official tag (#loz the mage's lantern), to be paired with (#loz untold myths). I also have a writing blog where I'll be posting LoZ fics based on canon at Nocturnal Writer!

[theredflagsjustlooklikeflags]

It's a bit on the darker side, but may I make a request for a Riddler x Reader where he stops the Reader from taking their own life? The Reader believes that the world is just far too corrupt and too hopeless to keep living on, especially in a terrible place like Gotham.

Death (Yandere Riddler X Reader)

TW: attempted $uc!de, $uc!darl thoughts, cutting, depression

If you or someone you love is feeling like this, please reach out for help. You don’t have to end your story here. There are people that care for you. I care for you. The sucide hotline is free if you ever need someone to talk to! Please don’t end it here!

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Halloween. A night of excitement. It was the night when little kids would go out with their loving parents and get candy for their stupid costumes. 

Those kids would one day experience the loss of innocence. They would soon realize that Gotham wasn’t a place of comfort.

No. Gotham was a city infested with crime. You could never know who to trust in Gotham. Everyone just looked out for themself. The world was rotten. The sooner these kids would discover that the more likely a chance they survive.

If you were not selfish then you wouldn't last a day in Gotham. You had to be vile to survive. 

(Reader) slowly slid down the brick wall until they reached the cold and hard concrete. They shivered and pulled their body closer to them. Tears welled up in their eyes. They tried but (Reader) couldn’t bear to be in Gotham a minute longer.

They reached into their pocket and pulled out a small knife. (Reader)’s breathing picked up and they slowly brought the knife towards their wrist.

Upon their arms were several scar marks. This wasn’t the first time they hurt themselves, but it would definitely be the last.

(Reader) thought of themselves as nothing but a burden. They were done. This was their saving grace. 

Death

It would be a sweet release from the corrupt world.

In a trance-like state, they brought the knife down onto their wrist. A prickling pain erupted from the wound. Blood poured onto the ally’s cement floor. (Reader) gasped as they stared at their wrist. The knife slipped from their shaking hands. (Reader) then threw their head into their hands and wailed. 

They cried more than they ever cried before. Are they just gonna die like this? Alone and in pain.

Without warning, (Reader) felt a strange sensation. Their head shot up and they looked around frantically. 

They felt like they were being watched

Little did they know, they were. 

Then (Reader) saw the stranger. He was a shadow lurking at the entrance of the ally. Short and rushed breaths fell from their trembling lips.It looked like he was of average height.

His gentle footsteps sounded throughout the ally. They didn’t know how it was possible, but their breathing became even more irregular. 

They needed to get out of here. 

To run

To hide

They needed to do anything before this stranger got to them

Their head shot from side to side looking for an escape from the figure. (Reader) sighed and closed their eyes, waiting for their demise in the hands of some petty Gotham criminal. 

But it never came. Instead, they felt a body in front of them. They hesitantly opened their eyes and peered at a strange man kneeling down in front of them. He was camouflaged in an army green jacket with a question mark in the left corner hand-drawn in white. The man's face was covered in what looked like a green ski mask with white lens glasses over it. 

(Reader) attempted to mumble out apologies but the man raised his finger to where his lips would be underneath the mask. He gestured for them to stay quiet. They eagerly nodded in fear with tears dripping down their face. 

He leaned forward and pressed their temples together.

Then black clouded (Reader)’s vision as they fell in the arms of the man. The arms of a man who would soon be known as the Riddler. 

@fr0gi-b0y @zv5x @salvatore-moreau-is-perfect @bokutos-h00ters @butterflyheart-me @biotchidk

[thundertide]

Linked to: @yoroiis

Although Kagota thinks she's human with abyssal abilities, she's come to learn this may not be the case after Fontaine - And in truth, it really isn't. Caught up in an endless cycle of rebirth, she is far from a typical human, and it's taken severe trauma building up and finally breaking her in half to realize just what she is.

Her original life ended well over 2,000 years ago; born an abyssal being from a raw, primal source into a realm populated by countless factions seeking power and their own sense of control, she spent her lifetime much like she has this one, growing up alongside her partner and eventual lover, Childe, despite their recruitment by rivaling factions. Though she was trained by a close friend of theirs, a Frost Fall Herald by the name of Leandros, and more than capable of holding her own on the battlefield, she was horribly unprepared for the wiping out of much of her faction, with a fixation on any close to her aside from Leandros. With the clues pointing towards Childe, now the head of his faction, being the one to order the attack, she turned on his side, returning the favor until he managed to stop her.

Upon finding the truth - that rebelling members of his side had taken issue with their bond and sought to remove the opposition if he refused to - and calming her anger by handing her the true culprits to deal with herself, the suggestion was put forth by Leandros to merge the remains of their respective factions, and right their wrongs by taking control of the abyss. The plan was a good one, and quickly implemented, and with Leandros as their right hand, Kagota and Childe quickly took to laying waste to any others who stood in their way. If betrayal was so easy of a thing for abyssal beings, they would trample it and claim their rightful place on top, wipe it out and change the abyss itself-

However, even the most carefully laid plans can come undone, and theirs was no different. Even though they succeeded in conquering much of the abyss, becoming nightmares of the battlefield and making a solid name for themselves, they were still blind to the very thing that had brought them together - Betrayal. Namely a betrayal from their own men, working with the enemy to overthrow them, and killing them though literally stabbing them in the back during battle, forcing them to watch the other's end.

Nobody knows how the laws of the world took pity on them after their deaths, nor why. All was know was that their soul was taken on their passing and cleansed of the abyss, carefully placed into a cycle of rebirth that would see them able to begin again, united yet human... And yet even this would refuse to go smoothly, as the abyss refused to release full control. Unable to be fully removed from their soul, it splintered fragments off to reclaim and prevent them from being whole - Fragments caught by Leandros, who stubbornly and forcibly removed himself from the cycles of the world and even Fate itself to install himself as the guardian of these fragments. Unable to save his friends, he refused to allow them to be consumed by the very realm that saw fit to harm them so much throughout their life, and made sure these fragments would return to him until their rebirth. Not the abyss, not to the darkness, not to demise... To him, where they would be safe until he could return them to where they belonged: Kagota and Childe.

While the legacy of the two beings later known as Heraldic Tempest and Foul Legacy would be remembered and even feared, few would ever know of the full story - Or that Tempest and Legacy had never truly perished as assumed.

More than 2,000 years have passed since their original lives, and Kagota has seen hundreds more since, every one of them by the side of her literal other half, Childe.

For most of her lives, Kagota is completely unaware to the fact she's been reborn countless times, each life's memories locked away in the depths of her soul to give her a fresh start in each - Same Kagota, but no memories, shaped only by the time and place each life she finds herself in. There are several things that have carried over despite this; she's been trained by Leandros in each, found by him in his constant search to return the fractured fragments to the soul they belong to, time and time again, returning them to a 'whole' state. She and Childe have developed a means of tending to the health of their soul and caring for it, and have even learned a last ditch type of ability to retreat into their soul when it's damaged or completely overwhelmed by trauma, and she has been by Childe's side in every one of them constantly drawn back to him time and time again, allowing the two halves of their soul to fuse back together and form back into one like it should have been right alone, with their old friend's help.

But it is in her current lifetime alone Kagota has been forced to retreat into her soul, fractured and in danger of not only shattering, but killing the both of them all over again due to overwhelming trauma neither of them can handle - and it is in this lifetime alone she has learned they've been through many lives prior to it. While she isn't aware of just how many, the reason why they seem to be reborn over and over again, or just what their original lives were, she has gained access to some of her previous memories, and learned Tempest and Legacy, things she had thought to be abyssal power lingering within them, are not what they seem.

Legacy and Tempest... Are just another side of themselves.

Since returning to Snezhnaya with her family and gaining some help in pushing through the overwhelming, soul-breaking trauma they faced, Kagota now struggles to sort through the things she's learned, and is actively trying to make sense of it and learn more. Talking about it is difficult when she's sure even her own husband won't believe her, but... Oh, if she can just make sense of it when it makes so much else make sense-!

But... Can she...? That's the question, now... Even if she's determined to make it all make sense.