#georgia mage

[georgiagambino]

Ramon Novarro, Joan Crawford \ Randolph Scott, Claudette Colbert Rock Hudson, Yvonne Decarlo \ George Raft, Carole Lombard

[elfboyeros]

Photogenic

The First Chapter of Brier's Three: Raining Academics. Read about the nerds!

“Ms. Urgent makes seven students that have had to be rushed to the infirmary this year and it isn’t even the end of May!” Sloan huffed.

Sitting at the long meeting table with a few teachers and other staff members, including, Casper, Percy, Georgia, Calvin, a few other healers, the administrator of the hunters and huntress, the housemaster and housemistress over the dormitory, and of course Indigo.

“This has never happened before who can these kids just lose their abilities to perform magic or alchemy,” Percy scoffed.

“Granted this isn’t lasting,” one of the healers mentioned, “Thankfully they are regaining their abilities after a few days.”

“Urgent is different, however,” Sloan hummed with a nod, “She was carried into the infirmary by Mr. Couri, the other students were able to enter the infirmary on their own.”

“That’s assuming Ms. Urgent is a part of this group, she appears to be exhausted,” another healer added

“Appears,” Georgia repeated with bitterness in her voice, “she could very well be a part of this group we just don’t know yet because she’s still unconscious, maybe whatever is going on is affecting her differently.”

“She is fae,” Sloan mentioned quietly, “all of the other students are human.”

“See!” Georgia exclaimed loudly, “Mallory is fae!”

“Ms. Nozadze, please we are just—”

“Mallory is my apprentice!” Georgia shouted, “I have seen how she treats herself! She doesn’t push herself to exhaustion! Mal is an athlete! She takes care of her body and is more concerned about her health than I am about my own! She would just pass out because of exhaustion, I know that!”

Everyone in the room is silent before Calvin looks at Indigo, her hands clasped in front of her as if she praying to the goddess her forehead resting against her fists as she sits at the head of the oblong table, “Angel?” her husband asked curiously, “I know you’re thinking.”

“She will come down, not in a plague or famine, Mother Goddess will come down in curse man will a purge of all mankind of his power,” Indigo recited, “Bridgehid will one day curse all man for their corruptions only gift back the magic and whimsy when she sees that man himself has repented in full.”

“The Goddess’s Canvass Deliberate?” Georgia commented.

“It does sound similar to what we are currently experiencing,” Calvin muttered, holding his chin.

“It could be mere coincidence,” Sloan shrugged, “Remarking of religious hymns to the masses to explain what is happening to their children will only spark fear and create extremely religious and non-worshipers.”

“What if someone is taking the gospel to heart,” Percy remarked, “and doing this to the students because of some wrongdoing that the school has committed against us.”

Everyone fell silent once more. The idea that someone was purposefully doing this to innocent students didn’t sit right, especially when it seemed to be in the name of the saint over the island. No that didn’t sit right with anyone.

Indigo sighed, “It is normal for magical energy and power to ebb and flow when one is young and training, but not like this.”

 “And that’s not normal for alchemists at all,” Sloan added

“Start with those who are extremely religious or those who have studied theology,” Indigo instructed, “Am going to assume everyone in this room does not have a hand in anything if this truly is some kind of repentance. If it turns out that no one within the college is involved, there is nothing we can do outside the college gates.”

Everyone lets out a sound of agreement while nodding, “Keep in mind this is not a witch hunt, we are merely investigating what is happening to our students,” she added, before sighing once more, “You are dismissed.”

On cue, everyone involved left except for Calvin, “Tell me what you really are thinking,” he muttered as she crossed her arms and led her head on her forearm, “Everyone is gone.”

“Why does something go wrong when our kids get enrolled?” She vented, “With Rowan, it was finding out about Duke’s experiments, with Aurora it was the theft of the sacred tools, which we never solved, now with Alexandria and Finnegan it’s only getting worse! It’s like we are throwing them into danger!”

“Maybe we are some kind of bad luck magnet,” Calvin said with a light chuckle.

Indigo groaned, “Don’t say that! This is our children we are talking about!”

“I’m sorry, Angel,” Calvin sighed with a soft smile across his lips, “But these are our children, nothing is going to happen to them.”

“Calvin, they are just like anyone else.”

“No, they are like everyone else, Indigo,” Calvin sighed, getting out of his chair, and making Indigo straighten up, her gaze following him as he walked around her, “They are our children. Aurora is becoming a fantastic healer and she’s only 18, Alexandria is at the top of their class and proficient at the mage craft—”

“The fact that they are so powerful does frighten me a bit,” Indigo remarked, turning her chair to look at him as he stood by the window.

Calvin chuckled, before looking at the window, seeing their son crouched near a small pond feeding ducks, “and Finnegan, your son—”

“My son.”

“Your son is becoming a fine young man,” Calvin replied, “He is becoming a great mage thanks to you, and he’s becoming quite the protector.”

Indigo sighed, “He also worries me.”

“How do you think I feel?” Calvin joked, “You all worry me!”

Outside next to one of the ponds on the expansive Bridgehid campus, Finnegan is still feeding the ducks, making sure one of his mother’s many loves in the world is happy and healthy. He doesn’t hear the camera shutters, he doesn’t realize that there is a very tall lanky guy taking pictures of him from afar, as he has never figured out his mother’s sixth sense of knowing when she is being watched and when people are around her. So, he doesn’t realize that his photographer friend inches ever closer, continuing to take pictures of him.

“Has anyone ever told you, you are tremendously photogenic~”

He jumped at the sound of the voice, honeyed, masculine, and light, hitting the center of his eardrums while also being on his level. Looking at the source Finnegan is met with deep buttercup yellow eyes and an ivory face, brown hair dipping into the photographer's face.

“Hi, I’m Bonnie,” the photographer said.

“… Finnigan.”

Bonnie smirked, camera in hand as he continued to stare at Finnigan in the crouched position, “How did you get that scar on the corner of your lip?” he asked, reaching to touch Finnegan’s face attempting to touch his scar before Finnegan grabbed his wrist halting his Bonnie’s movements.

“You’re too close,” Finnegan stated before letting go of Bonnie’s wrist before he stood up.

Focusing back on the ducks, he can still feel Bonnie behind him, hearing the shuttering of his camera, “Do you like ducks?” the photographer asked.

“Not necessarily,” Finnegan muttered.

Bonnie hummed continuing to take pictures, “So who’s making you feed the ducks?”

“No one makes me,” Finnegan scoffed, “Maman likes ducks, so I feed the ducks.”

“I am assuming that maman is mother?”

Finnegan hummed softly, nodding, before standing. His gaze once again met Bonnie however he was at eye level with the dirty blonde’s chest. He is extremely tall, which caught Finnegan off-guard, after taking in his height the mage boy walked away.

“Hey, wait!” Bonnie called following behind him.

“I have to get to class!” Finnegan huffed.

The two boys walked down the stone paths around the outside of the school building, “There aren’t a lot of classes during the summer, what class do have at noon?”

“It’s a magical weapons training class,” Finnegan answered, before turning to look at Bonnie then swiftly turning away and walking faster, “Why the hell am I even talking to you!”

“Oh, you’re going to a weapons class?! Perfect, I was asked to take pictures of the summer classes for the school’s website.”

Finnegan rolled his eyes as it became more obvious that he wasn’t going to be left alone. Even once on the weapons field, even with the students on the turf with him, the instructing of his educator, and the thoughtful gaze of his father he could still feel Bonnie’s camera lens on him as if he could hear the shuttering of the camera itself. The fact that Bonnie was there, watching him specially, sat in the back of his brain eat away at him, causing him to make mistake after mistake.

“Finnegan?” Calvin called as his son packed up his things at the end of class.

“You should really have some kind of grip on the training spears if we keep using them we’ll start getting—” Finnegan turned to face his father while speaking only to stop when his face placed his large hand on his forehead, “Papa?”

“Are you okay? Do you feel alright?”

Finnegan clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth, “I’m fine,” he scoffed pulling his father’s hand off his forehead, “Just… being stupid.”

“You’re allowed to make mistakes, son,” Calvin remarked, “There is no need to be perfect.”

Finnegan gave his father a small smile, “I know but…” he paused seeing Bonnie over Calvin’s shoulder still taking pictures, “Papa, I have to go!”

The mage boy grabbed his things before racing inside with a quick “Love you, see you at home!” thrown at his father.

Racing down the halls of the college with his school bag hitting his side as he did everything to get away from the tall boy with a camera, finding his way in front of his mother’s office door, before swinging the large doors open.

“Finnegan?” Indigo asked concerned, seeing her son out of breath and disheveled in her office doorway.

“MAMAN! I need you to kill someone!”

Her office was devoid of anyone but herself and the cat familiars apart of their family, who were cuddled up on one of the chairs in front of her desk.

“Miel, I would do anything for you, but can you tell me what’s going on?” Indigo inquired.

Finnegan stepped into her office before sighing and beginning to explain what had happened in the past couple of hours, “There is this boy with a stupid camera, he says he taking pictures of the school and the summer class, but I know he is taking pictures of me! He-he-he’s weird! Asking me questions and following me around! He’s even taking pictures of me and dad just having a conversation! GRAH! I need him to leave me alone!”

Indigo snickered, before Finnegan stared at her with an intense gaze making her clear her throat, “What’s his name bébé,” she asked.

“Bonnie,” Finnegan answered as his snow-white cat familiar nudged his hand for pets, “I don’t know his last name.”

“Bonnie Olsen-Nielsen,” Indigo read aloud looking at the file on said student on her computer, “He’s a senior, he moved here in the spring and started on campus, he is in the media club.”

Finnegan groaned, “Can’t you do something about this Maman?!”

“Miel…”

“Maman!”

“It is odd that he is taking pictures of you, but have you asked him to stop?” she pondered, “and not in your little passive-aggressive way that keeps you from making friends, have you actually asked him to stop?”

Finnegan thought for a moment, “… No…”

“Ask him to stop, and if he doesn’t come back to me.”

“Okay, Maman…”

Finnegan hung his head while leaving Indigo’s office waving goodbye, with his familiar following him, and leaving his mother with a pitiful, “I love you.”

Surprised, that he was able to get off campus without running into Bonnie or feeling his presence taking pictures of him while he walked home. Everything was grand until he reached home and saw that lanky photographer in his parent's yard taking pictures of the plants lining the side of the house.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!”

Bonnie turned to a look at Finnegan seeing the rage on his face before pointing to the cottage, “You live here?” the senior asked.

“Yes! Why the fuck are you here?!” Finnegan shouted, “What the hell did you do?! Figure out where I live and come to my fucking house?!”

Bonnie looked at him confused before he continued, “my goddess, why won’t leave me alone! Why are you even taken pictures of me anyway!? I get be that interesting a subject to follow me to my own home and continue to take pictures of me!”

“Now hold one—”

Finnegan let out a villainous chuckle, “Oh and the taking pictures of me with my dad! That’s just fucking creepy! I’ve never understood what the obsession with camera is! It’s all so creepy, do you really—”

“I wasn’t taking pictures of you and your dad!” Bonnie exclaimed with a shocked expression.

“Quoi?” Finnegan asked quietly, his face becoming hot as Bonnie welling handed over his camera.

“Take it, look for yourself,” the photographer said before Finnegan took the camera apprehensively, “I was taking pictures of the college’s architecture. You and your father may have been in the photo, but I didn’t take them like that on purpose.”

Finnegan looked through the camera roll seeing the images of the college’s beautiful dark sculpting of Queen Anne architecture, he and his father cut off from the frame, “I do admit my actions are often creepy, and I was taking pictures of you without permission earlier, but I didn’t take picture of you and your father.”

Finnegan sighed, flipping through more of the camera roll and seeing pictures of the plants on the side of the house, “I also didn’t know that you lived here,” Bonnie added, “I was just on my way to see my mom at the church, then here this beautiful house cover in all this foliage, I got all little too excited and just started taking pictures.”

The mage boy sighed sulking over to the pouch steps hanging his and resting his arms vertically against his knees, forehead resting on his forearms like he is praying, “Fuck, I’m sorry.”

“I apologize for being creepy,” Bonnie chuckled.

“I’m sorry for calling you creepy,” Finnegan groaned.

Bonnie chuckled again before leaving, “I got attacked.” The mage boy called as the photographer descended the stone path leading up to the cottage.

“Mhm?” Bonnie hummed, looking back at the boy on the porch.

“My grandparents had taken everyone to one of the cabins near the edge of the forest,” Finnegan began before Bonnie approached the porch to listen to the story about to be told, “I don’t remember how but Alex and I got too close to the forest and something reached out of the woods. Papa did save me, but I was already bleeding.”

“Your dad sees rather intimidating; I can’t imagine being that creature that attacked you made it out alive.” Bonnie chuckled, sitting next to Finnegan.

The mage boy let out a laugh, “Believe me, my dad is only intimidating in appearance… unless he has a sword in his hand… or you try to hurt maman.”

Bonnie smiled before handing over his camera once again showing Finnegan a picture of himself and a man with a similar appearance, “My father died in April. I think the reason I am obsessed with photography is because of him,” the senior explained, “He told me: “If you find something beautiful don’t hastate to take a photo,” he said that’s how he met my mom and even though they didn’t stay together long all the pictures he took of her were worth it. So, again, apologize for taking pictures of you without your permission,” Boonie flips through his camera roll before showing Finnegan a picture of the young mage in his weapons class, “but like I said, you are very photogenic.”

Finnegan smiled, his cheeks becoming flushed, “It’s good,” he muttered.

“Can I put it on the school’s website?”

“Sure,” Finnegan shrugged.

“Ya’ know,” Bonnie remarked, standing up from his seat next to Finnegan and looking upon the picture he selected, “You look like a prince like this.”

“What does that make you the court jester?”

Bonnie laughed walking down the stone backward, “Does that mean I’m your court jester?”

“It depends on how you jest,” Finnegan joked.

“Then the next time we shall me I shall aim to entertain,” Bonnie relayed with a bow, “Sweet Prince~”

 Finnegan laughed, “Go visit your mom, creep.”

“Until next time, Finnegan.”

“Goodnight Bonnie.”

[sandwolf-quarterback-academy7]

National Middle School All-Star Championship at the U.S. Army Bowl | Team Georgia spotlight

Spotlight on team Georgia

By | Dorrington Myers Welcome to the National Middle School All-Star Championship at the U.S. Army Bowl, often hailed as “The Little League World Series of Youth Football.” This prestigious event brings together the nation’s top middle school teams for an exhilarating national championship in Frisco. These elite athletes, selected to represent their regions on all-star teams, converge for a…

[duckprintspress]

Celebrate Aromantic Awareness Week with Our 8 Favorite Books with Aro Characters!

To celebrate #aromanticawarenessweek, we asked our contributors (some of whom chose to remain anonymous) to recommend their favorite books with aromantic characters (some explicit, some implied).

Here are our 8 favorites!

Loveless by Alice Oseman This is the funny, honest, messy, completely relatable story of Georgia, who doesn’t understand why she can’t crush and kiss and make out like her friends do. She’s surrounded by the narrative that dating + sex = love. It’s not until she gets to college that she discovers the A range of the LGBTQIA+ spectrum — coming to understand herself as asexual/aromantic. Disrupting the narrative that she’s been told since birth isn’t easy — there are many mistakes along the way to inviting people into a newly found articulation of an always-known part of your identity. But Georgia’s determined to get her life right, with the help of (and despite the major drama of) her friends.

Commit to the Kick by Tris Lawrence For eighteen years, Alaric has lived under the cloying politics of family and his Clan community. His freshman year is supposed to be a chance to explore a world where Clan and his shapeshifting Talent isn’t central to his life. But when his inner bear bursts forth during his first football game, endangering those around him, Alaric realizes that it’s not so easy to ignore his past, or his own internalized anger. In his quest for anger management, Alaric begins to train in taekwondo, and makes new friends in both sports. He finds that he is creating his own small community, where Clan, Mages, other Talents, and even humans come together and build their own found family. When Alaric receives news that something has happened to his brother Orson, he must return and deal with his Clan and his place in their world. He discovers that old prejudices are still strong between Clan and Mage communities, but that both may be in danger from a creature long thought to be only a legend. Alaric must figure out how to move forward and prevent a war and protect both his home and newly built communities, his found family with him every step of the way.

The Graverobbers’ Chronicles by Xu Lei Uncle Three loves good food, good booze, good card games, and bad women–and he’s never found a grave he wouldn’t rob. He can’t help it – it’s in his blood – grave robbing has been the family business for centuries. So when his bookseller nephew comes to him with a map to an ancient tomb, Uncle Three sets off to find it, in the company of some grave-robbing colleagues, his nerdy nephew, and a strange poker-faced guy that nobody can quite figure out. Uncle Three knows that the grave he seeks will lead him and his companions to “another kind of world,” but not even he could ever imagine what they are about to find. Lost in a labyrinthine cavern that is full of dead bodies, Uncle Three and his comrades fight for their lives as they come up against vampires, corpse-eating bugs, and blood zombies.

The Devil’s Luck by L. S. Baird Years ago, a foolish wastrel once played a hand of cards with the devil… and lost. Now Frey has inherited his uncle’s double curse: the Devil’s claim written on his body in crimson letters, and the impossibly good luck that comes with it. Death is Frey’s only escape from his destiny, but not even Etienne, an expert assassin from the Order of the Crimson Seal, can defeat Frey’s luck alone. And when Etienne finds himself growing too fond of his victim, he doesn’t know if Frey’s good nature or the luck is to blame. However, Etienne will give his all to preventing the Archdemon’s return, even if his all includes wearing a corset, and killing a friend.

All Systems Red by Martha Wells In a corporate-dominated spacefaring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids, for their own safety. But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern. On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid – a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, all it really wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is. But when a neighboring mission goes dark, it’s up to the scientists and their Murderbot to get to the truth.

In Good Company by Nicola Kapron Haruki no longer remembered what had been going through his head the first time he’d killed. All he recalled was the sight of those he’d once loved with all the helpless force of a scared, scarred child covered in red and utterly still. He hadn’t felt grief or triumph when he realized they weren’t struggling anymore. He’d just felt— Empty. Better to be hollow than to despair.

Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel I was born on the full moon under an auspicious constellation, the holiest of positions–much good it did me. So begins Kaikeyi’s story. The only daughter of the kingdom of Kekaya, she is raised on legends of the gods: how they churned the vast ocean to obtain the nectar of immortality, how they vanquish evil and ensure the land of Bharat prospers, and how they offer powerful boons to the devout and the wise. Yet she watches as her father unceremoniously banishes her mother, listens as her own worth is reduced to how great a marriage alliance she can secure. And when she calls upon the gods for help, they never seem to hear. Desperate for some measure of independence, she turns to the texts she once read with her mother and discovers a magic that is hers alone. With this power, Kaikeyi transforms herself from an overlooked princess into a warrior, diplomat, and most favored queen, determined to carve a better world for herself and the women around her. But as the evil from her childhood tales threatens the cosmic order, the path she has forged clashes with the destiny the gods have chosen for her family. Kaikeyi must decide if resistance is worth the destruction it will wreak–and what legacy she intends to leave behind.

Firebreak by Nicole Kornher-Stace New Liberty City, 2134. Two corporations have replaced the US, splitting the country’s remaining forty-five states (five have been submerged under the ocean) between them: Stellaxis Innovations and Greenleaf. There are nine supercities within the continental US, and New Liberty City is the only amalgamated city split between the two megacorps, and thus at a perpetual state of civil war as the feeds broadcast the atrocities committed by each side. Here, Mallory streams Stellaxis’s wargame, SecOps on BestLife, spending more time jacked in than in the world just to eke out a hardscrabble living from tips. When a chance encounter with one of the game’s rare super-soldiers leads to a side job for Mal–looking to link an actual missing girl to one of the SecOps characters. Mal’s sudden burst in online fame rivals her deepening fear of what she is uncovering about BestLife’s developer, and puts her in the kind of danger she’s only experienced through her avatar.

Recommendations contributed by Nina Waters, softestpunk, Adrian Harley, and others.

Also: did you know? Duck Prints Press’s owner, Nina Waters, is aro! We’re an aro-owned company!

Who we are: Duck Prints Press LLC is an independent publisher based in New York State. Our founding vision is to help fanfiction authors navigate the complex process of bringing their original works from first draft to print, culminating in publishing their work under our imprint. We are particularly dedicated to working with queer authors and publishing stories featuring characters from across the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. Love what we do? Want to make sure you don’t miss the announcement for future giveaways? Sign up for our monthly newsletter and get previews, behind-the-scenes information, coupons, and more! Want to support the Press, read about us behind-the-scenes, learn about what’s coming down the pipeline, get exclusive teasers, and claim free stories? Back us on Patreon or ko-fi monthly!

[grison-in-space]

It must be because Canadian radio is required to play a certain percentage of Canadian music, but GBS was not obscure in my childhood at all.

this is correct! as I later discovered upon accidentally marrying someone who spent their childhood growing up in the middle of the Canadian folk circuit. (we discovered this on the trip we took getting married in the first place. shit you not. @coffee-mage-sans-caffeine has a number of fun stories about it, including the thing with being indirectly responsible for Stan Rogers' kid getting deep into Tibetan throat singing.)

however in mid-aughts Georgia, unaccountably GBS was not precisely well known. I only knew about it because I was a feral teenager who had made the dubious decision to just not make an effort to make friends for much of high school because it was "only" three years, and therefore my musical tastes were socialized largely by internet streaming radio and an early taste for anything Celticish. They are... eclectic as a result, I can tell you.

[aristocratic-otter]

Thank you to @hushed-chorus, @prettygoododds, @confused-bi-queer, @ivelovedhimthroughworse, @j-nipper-95, @you-remind-me-of-the-babe, @fatalfangirl, @artsyunderstudy, @palimpsessed, @rimeswithpurple, , @nightimedreamersghost, @dragoneggos, @annabellelux and @ileadacharmedlife for the tags over the last week and a half. I'm working my way slowly and steadily through your posts (and having a lot of fun with it!), but I wanted to post tonight, so I'm switching gears here.

Yay! Summer vacation has begun! To celebrate, here's my first WIP Wednesday in a while.

Segments below the cut

From my COBB (it's so soon, y'all!)

Shepard

We’ve reached the foot of an actual mediaeval looking tower. I stare up at it in awe for several seconds before realising that Simon hasn’t waited for me. I scurry to catch up. He’s mounting the first of what looks to be an endless spiralling staircase. I look around, but there’s no sign of an elevator. No ADA compliance in magedom, I guess. 

Even as I’m thinking that, on one landing, a boy in a wheelchair emerges from one of the many doors. I know it’s rude, but I can’t help but stare when he mutters a few words, waves his wand, and the stairs immediately smooth out to a gentle ramp. 

I guess they don’t need ADA compliance in the World of Mages. 

From my (still unnamed) Age of Sail AU

Simon and the cook spend their days cataloguing what’s left to us and writing out plans and routes on the deck boards with graphite sticks. They seem to think that if we’re lucky, the winds will push us into a shipping lane and another ship will just appear to rescue us.

I think they’re living in a fantasy world. I think we’re stuck here until the ship’s wounds prove too much for it and it falls apart. Or until the next storm tears us apart. Or until we run out of food or water and starve to death. 

Ha! Running out of water when we’re surrounded by leagues of the stuff. It’s what my tutor would call ‘the height of irony.’

Fuck, I never thought I’d miss that pinched old man. But I think if Professor Gerint showed up right now, I might hug him. If he showed up with a boat, at least. 

I try not to spend too much time thinking about how my parents just…left. How they didn’t wait for me to come back from under the deck. How my father didn’t leap up out of the lifeboat, desperate to find me.

How, in the end, my stepmother and the babe she carries were far more important than me.

From Snow Fox, my COTTA

It’s almost anticlimactic how easy it is to free the American officers on their march to Georgia. 

My men and I waited until the British column was passing through a dense part of the wood. Then the men I’d placed at strategic points on either side of (and behind) the line of British troops, fired their guns in the air on my signal (a high whistled ‘fee-bee’, the call of the chickadee). After the column froze, the Brits groping for their guns and looking frantically in ever direction, I rode out to face the commander at the front of the train. 

“Drop your weapons,” I said, mildly. “You’re surrounded.” At those words, my tiny band of men had switched positions by several feet each, and fired again from a new location. The British soldiers were practically cowering now, because each time I spoke, the guns fired again, from a new spot. It sounded like a thousand American soldiers were holding their tiny force in a giant fist, and all I’d need to do is to give a signal, and that fist would crush them. 

An impression we'd carefully planned out ahead of time, given that I’ve less than fifty men, and the British force has more than two hundred. 

The British leader looked at my gun pointed at his head, and listened to the gunfire and screams behind him, and surrendered without a shot fired.

From: To Heal a Broken Mind

Simon looks up and smiles tiredly at me when I approach. “Any luck?” he asks. 

I purse my lips. “Maybe…you’ve got a lesion in your left temporal. It may not mean anything, but it reminds me of something… I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I’m going to review my medical journal back copies tonight. 

Simon nods slowly. He doesn’t look particularly encouraged, but it’s not like there’s anything concrete yet. In silence, but hand in hand (what’s the point of hiding now?), we depart the hospital 

From Westward Son:

“You putting your oar in?” I tease. 

He shrugs and smiles. “Not really. I’m no use when it comes to survival skills, you know that. But…there may be folk who are. That’s what I was going to suggest.”

I’m puzzled. “You were going to suggest that we look for advice outside the train?” I look around at the sheer emptiness around us. Most trains that we’d gotten used to seeing gave up and stayed back at Fort Boise, or even at earlier stops. I’ve not seen anyone but us for days. 

“Not people you can see,” he says, with emphasis. 

“People we can’t see, but could help us,” I scowl. “Do you get a thrill from being mysterious, Shepard Love?”

He laughs. “No. But there are people…well, not precisely people, but beings, at least, in this area.” 

My breath catches. He means the fair folk. “Shepard, that’s too risky,” I say, my voice shrill enough to attract Simon’s eye from where he’s standing several feet away, brushing Agatha’s coat. 

From Saving Simon Snow:

Simon pulls back so abruptly that I’m dizzy. “Baz,” he says urgently, “do you still hate me?”

It takes me several seconds to recover my wits enough to understand the question. I’m still fighting the urge to pull his gifted mouth and tongue back to my neck when I realise what he’s asked me. 

My mouth opens and closes uselessly for a moment before I sigh. 

“Simon,” I croak, and then pause to clear my throat. “Simon, I never hated you.”

He goes still. “Never?” He stares at me. 

I shake my head. “Never. I pretended to hate you. It was what my family expected of me. What I expected of myself. But I never could quite manage it.”

He scowls a little. “You gave a damned good impression of it.” 

And a tiny tease from Raising Dragons (it's done, y'all! Fristi and I are making some final decisions, but it should post in the next few days!)

“Don’t laugh at me, you arsehole,” I whine. 

“But when will I ever laugh then?” he mocks me. He loves that line. And I love him, so I let him get away with it, every time. 

Tagging, for Sunday (or not, no pressure!):

@angelsfalling16; @bazzybelle, @bookish-bogwitch, @carryonsimoncarryonbaz, @erzbethluna, @frjsti, @fight-surrender, @giishu, @ionlydrinkhotwater, @jbrrring, @jasonfunderberkerthefrogexists, @krisrix, @letraspal, @messofthejess, @moments-au-crayon22, @moodandmist, @mostlymaudlin, @nausikaaa, @onepintobean, @prettylightsbigcity, @raenestee, @thehoneyedhufflepuff, @tea-brigade, @theearlgreymage, @twinkle-twinkle-up-above, @upuntil6am, @unfiltered-alice-liddle, @urban-sith, @whogaveyoupermission, @whatevertheweather, @yu-miou, @yeonjunenby, @yellobb-old, and everyone above!

[higaneion]

toa anniversary munday.

Celebrating TOA and the people who contribute to make our group what it is.

Repost, don't reblog. Only fill in what you feel comfortable sharing!

Happy anniversary, TOA! Here's to many more years spent together.

Name: mirae

Pronouns: she/her but idm anything

Birthday (no year): oct. 11

Where are you from? What is your time zone? est

Roleplay experience: however long i've known annie (since i was 14ish)

Got any pets? two cats two dogs :)

Favorite time of year: autumn, the outfit layering is peak and the weather is so good (when it is true autumn)

Some interests and things you like: fashion, reading, video games when i have the extra time

Some funfacts & trivia about you:

What non-Fire Emblem games do you play? aa/dgs/dr has me in its clutches, professor layton/ghost trick may be next (really cheesed by the logical puzzle/crime solving games), jrpgs

Favorite Pokemon type & Pokemon: recently i've been a big fan of poison and ghost & piplup but cyndaquil and growlithe have been giving it a run for its money recently

How did you get into Fire Emblem? i saw nat's celica pfp and thought it was georgia from hm:tot then went from there

What Fire Emblem games have you played? none!! for a large majority of my experience - though i have actually played sov, 3houses, and started engage

First Fire Emblem game: fire emblem echoes: shadows of valentia (soft smile)

Favorite Fire Emblem game: fe7: blazing blade

Any Fire Emblem crushes? raven and berkut are the main ones i'm thinking of rn...

If you’ve played the following games, who was your first S support? n/a

Favorite Fire Emblem class: have always been a big fan of wyvern riders and archers, but mages have a soft spot in my heart

If you were a Fire Emblem character, what would be your class? i'm pretty squishy so probably a mage, but given my personality probably a cleric?

If you were a Three Houses character, what would be your affiliation? i think by personality and maybe status... GD

If you were an Engage character, which Emblem would you Engage with? i don't know what all emblems are there but... i'd like lyn

How did you find TOA? through jae and nat's [sfx of a large truck passing by] if u know, u know.

Current TOA muses: lilina

Who was your first TOA muse? If you don’t have them anymore, could you see yourself picking them up again? gray from sov, and no. LAKGJLA;FJ once i drop characters, they're kind of dead

Have you had any other TOA muses? in order: gray, elincia, mae, tana, l'arachel, rinea, silque, raven, sain, petra, rutger

Do you think you have a type of character you gravitate towards? yes... soft girls, cheery girls, moody bois (though this one has taken a bit of a backseat); plus the occasional outliers like the more stoic ones or cheekier ones

What do you believe you enjoy writing the most? after writing lilina for quite a few months, i've been really having fun with the short, snappy interactions that can be a little silly... reliving teen years in a sense...

Favorite TOA-related memory: out of character - any events like watching on rocky horror picture show halloween and karaoke; in character - i really enjoyed more recently the member run event harmonia (blows a kiss to tsu and n)

How do you pronounce TOA? tee-oh-ay

Got any delusions that didn’t see the light of day in TOA that you’d like to share? [redacted], [redacted], i always think about bringing mareeta or homer because each of them have very fun things to explore especially with the explosion of jugdral muses. i have also toyed with the idea of minerva with a michalis and maria here as well. i've thought about berkut so many times, but.. maybe one day. and many others who just haven't surfaced on the internet.

[owl-writing]

Brought Together Across Timelines Main Cast

Each character has run the course of their lives until they died in their setting, and have now woken up in the middle of nowhere in Missouri.

Agnes Proto "PR070"

Agnes Proto, better known by her callsign "PR070", was a starship mechanic in a space-based science-fiction setting. She died in a ship failure accident and woke up back on Earth, in a vastly different time from when she was from. She's generally the tech guy, using her extensive knowledge of her timeline's technology and her patchwork knowledge of our modern technology to make sure things work like they're supposed to. She is decidedly human, though she's known many literal aliens thanks to her adventures on her previous ship.

Clyde Miller "Beatdown"

Clyde "Beatdown" Miller was great at shakedowns. At least, until he found himself on the wrong end of a bullet. Now he's adapting to technology a hundred years ahead of his time, in a location that isn't as kind to dragon-like lizard men as his city was. He's using his strength to help out around the house while he gets his massive feet under him.

Empyreal Avenger "Manuel Rodriguez"

Manuel Rodriguez was born with superstrength, the power of flight, and the powers of light and warmth. When he turned eighteen, he was scooped up by a league of heroes before he could even blink, and he has molded himself into the paragon Empyreal Avenger over the course of twenty years, to the point where it's become his primary identity. But the paragon failed one day, falling to his nemesis, and found himself in middle-of-nowhere Missouri instead of the metropolitan he lived in before. He's adapting to a more rural area with less supervillain activity.

Gregory Preston

One of the two people who didn't actually die, Gregory Preston was living on the farm of his partner (William) while he worked for the butcher shop. It was surprising to his customers to walk in and see him, given that he's a human-sized rabbit guy, but he tries not to worry about it. He's worked in the butcher shop since he was a young man, and now, in his mid thirties, he owns the place and runs it.

Helen Spike

Helen is from a late-to-post-apocalyptic timeline where, to hear her tell it, "everyone lost their goddamn minds". She worked as a sniper to protect the settlement she lived in, but a raid left her dead - and led to her waking up back in time to a pre-apocalyptic version of Earth. She spends quite a bit of time pondering whether or not this is actually the past of her world or if it's an alternate timeline, so needless to say, the existential crisis is strong in this one. She's human, but worries that she's brought back some concerning effects from her time. She's one of the younger humans in this situation, being in her early twenties.

Johnny Mason

Everyone knows the story of the Devil going down to Georgia, but what happened to Johnny the fiddler after that? Well, the Devil didn't claim his soul, but he also didn't go to Heaven due to the deal he made with the Devil, so he exists as a cursed revenant of his former self. Needless to say, he thinks it sucks, especially because he can't talk and has to use shit like pen and paper to communicate with his new housemates (who can at least see him, but not all of them can read English). At least he's still in his home, even though it's been passed down to his descendant, William.

Lindhurst Tempest

Lindhurst was once a pirate on the high seas but was killed during a mutiny - and he wasn't even the captain! Now he's in landlocked Missouri and it's driving him nuts. Especially since he's not exactly human, despite looking like it. A landlocked merfolk used to the sea and trapped in human form because he doesn't know if he can swim safely in the lakes and rivers of Missouri leads to quite a few cases where he's overfilled the bathtub and flooded the bathroom. He's not coping well.

Niobe Turner

Niobe was a traveling mage-merchant but was murdered by some penny-pinching adventurers. Now she's in Missouri with all of her magic and skills, but needs to learn to adapt to Missouri's flora and fauna. It's no problem for this skilled shapeshifter, but she'd prefer to find a way back to her original timeline and get revenge on the adventurers who killed her.

Pallene Thompson "Titania"

Pallene was Empyreal Avenger's sidekick and met her end the same way he did. She was born to a human mother and an alien father, giving her many powerful abilities like flight, energy manipulation, and human empathy. Like her mentor, she's adapting to rural Missouri and its relative lack of supervillains. She's gotten a job in the local library, flying to work instead of dealing with the problem of getting her driver's permit renewed.

Redline Carson

A plague doctor from a steampunk setting, Redline succumbed to the very disease they were treating others for. They're working on understanding that they need to take care of themself just as much as they care for others and has adapted possibly the easiest of the displaced peoples in this Missouri home, getting a job at the county health department half an hour's drive away and obtaining a driver's license of their own. The only problem is the whole "has never removed their mask so we don't know what they are" thing. There are various nonformal bets going around the others in the house, including things like "that's their actual face" and "they have anxiety so they don't want to show their face".

Shania Whittaker

Shania was a prodigial gunslinger from a western setting, practically undefeated in a duel, but met her end at an early age regardless. Now she's in Missouri and honestly dealing pretty well with the different climate. She works for a local antique/secondhand store that's down the street from the library that Pallene works at, so Pallene usually just carries her while flying to work. She also got to keep her horse, Spitfire, so that's who most of her income goes to.

William Willis

Descended from legendary folk hero Johnny Mason, William originally thought that the farm they inherited was too small for them and their boyfriend, Gregory. And then they found a bunch of people from vastly different genres in the field. So they now have to balance their job, their farm (thankfully not one full of animals, but still), and their new charges. Please help them, they are exhausted.

[knighteclipsed]

ooc; TOA Anniversary Munday!!

Celebrating TOA and the people who contribute to make our group what it is.

Repost, don't reblog. Only fill in what you feel comfortable sharing!

Happy anniversary, TOA! Here's to many more years spent together. ily!!

tagging: (flutters my lashes)

Name: Kano!! IRLs also know me by Dimitri, but it is by no means restricted to there.

Pronouns: he/they/it

Birthday (no year): May 6th

Where are you from? What is your time zone? Georgia kiddo wrow. est in actuality, european at heart (during breaks)

Roleplay experience: Did some stuff back in elem? But never really got into it until TOA, which I joined about a year ago, the day before the 3rd anniversary!

---

Got any pets? Nope. I'd like to have a cat someday though.

Favorite time of year: Spring time baybeeeeee. Birthday bias but it's also a nice medium between extremes :softsmile:

Some interests and things you like: Uh...... Fire Emblem? Also most things that go into video games (drawing, writing, composing/playing music, i love programming so much it's insane, etc. etc), I'm a little art kid :sparkles:. Oh also Spider-verse and Nimona.... :softsmile:

Some fun facts & trivia about you: I know my integer squares up the 22? Did I mention I love math? Studying game design at a technical school rn, and I know six programming languages atm (JavaScript, CSS, HTML, Java, C#, and Python). I also programmed a text-only GBA combat sim in Python earlier this year. Took a couple weeks and I did that instead of my Physics work :D

What non-Fire Emblem games do you play? ...So here's the thing. (JKJKJK) Uh..... I like Triangle Strategy, Hades, I've been meaning to finish the original Ori :shrek_mmh:, and Omori went crazy but I'm not playing it again (it's best on a blind playthrough). I also really enjoyed Undertale! Don't have much else on my backlog tho haha

Favorite Pokemon type & Pokemon: So I don't really Pokemon. BUT. I do love Squirtle and Wartortle and I had a Gible named Nom Nom in Pokemon Arceus. Favorite type though would probably be Dragon or Dark. lol

---

How did you get into Fire Emblem? Back when I was in 3rd grade, my mother gave me and my brothers a Wii with Super Smash Bros Brawl! I was a Sheik main but my brother got me to play some other characters, including Marth, Pit, and Ike. I didn't like Ike for his slowness but Marth and Pit were good for my style of play. I later followed him into Fire Emblem Heroes hell, and then later into emulating Sacred Stones! Didn't finish it until after Three Houses came out though. Finished Azure Moon in three weeks (including school).

What Fire Emblem games have you played? I've beaten Sacred Stones and Three Houses, most of Engage, roughly half of Valentia, the first few chapters of Genealogy, Shadow Dragon, and Binding, and the demo of Awakening. Also about half of Three Hopes but that doesn't count it's a Warriors game (also through most of Book 5 in FEH) :/

First Fire Emblem game: Sacred Stones! The first I finished was 3H though lol

Favorite Fire Emblem game: Sacred Stones I think. Altho it's definitely fist-fighting 3H still.

Any Fire Emblem crushes? Dimitri is a solid one I think. Most of the Faerghus Four guys tho are... yeah. :woozy_face: Also mayyyyyyybe Diamant? I'm unsure tho FJDKNGKSFGN. The arospec-ness definitely kicking in :joy:

If you’ve played the following games, who was your first S support? - Awakening: N/A - Fates: N/A - Three Houses: Dimitri hah - Engage: N/A

Favorite Fire Emblem class: Grrrrrrrr that's a hard one. Probably one of the magical ones, but (gestures at this muse) yk. Wyverns.

If you were a Fire Emblem character, what would be your class? Either some sort of mage (probably Sage-leaning) or a wyvern class like Wyvern Knight. Mortal Savant is also very alluring.

If you were a Three Houses character, what would be your affiliation? Blue Lions, no question. My energy is definitely more Deer tho lol

If you were an Engage character, which Emblem would you Engage with? Sigurd. Dude is scary LOL

---

How did you find TOA? Okay so while I was still relatively new to Tumblr, I was browsing tags and a previous Dimitri's posts (the art especially caught my attention it was incredible) were coming up under the Dimitri tag (the mun knows who they are). When I looked at the blog and saw it was dedicated to Dimitri, I got completely suspicious of it immediately :crylaugh: Ended up digging around though and saw the art style was consistent, and after I got past the drabble at the top I realized it was a roleplay blog, which. While I was still new, I was accustomed from Twitter to people being both god artists and god writers, so I figured it was just all by one person. Followed it for a few months (which I got exposed for when I reserved Linhardt but I still find that hilarious so it's fine), and eventually the August activity check popped up last year and I decided to join. Yay! (Never found out who 'mun' was tho :/ (this is a jest))

Current TOA muses: Linhardt, Colm, and Valter!

Who was your first TOA muse? If you don’t have them anymore, could you see yourself picking them up again? Also Linhardt! lol. While I don't expect to be dropping him soon (looks away), if I ever did, I have a feeling he'd be back eventually. Adore my little genderball.

Have you had any other TOA muses? Nope! Picked them up one after the other and have yet to drop any dnjgkfsn

Do you think you have a type of character you gravitate towards? Hm...... Well I know I have a type, but it's hard to put into words haha. Anyone who makes me laugh I guess? And people who are super duper attached to their role in life (think knights and knight-adjacents like Selena and Glen). There's something going on in their noggins that is just so. (STARES) Also people who scare me with their in-game dialogue. (Valter, but TS Dimitri applies as well FNDJKNG.)

What do you believe you enjoy writing the most? I'm not really certain, but I know I have a LOT of fun whenever I craft dialogue. Me and my incapability to be quiet (endearing)

Favorite TOA-related memory: A close one would be two of the muns recognizing me when I submitted the Linhardt reserve, but I also get a kick out of Linhardt climbing a tree to escape a boar during Unscripted last year fnjsdkngsf. The birthday wishes back in May also made me explode (positive) EDIT: I FORGOT SIRIUS ROLLING VALTER FOR HIS LIEGE DURING KKE!!!!! THAT WAS HILARIOUSSSSSSSSS (so was patty's crush on valter. makes me cackle every time)

Got any delusions that didn’t see the light of day in TOA that you’d like to share? I might still make use of my Saleh blog. I have an idea I want to go for, but he isn't the biggest delusion right now. Neimi might also have a shot, but I don't expect to be doing anything for Lukas or Hubert any time soon. You all know who's coming next.

[chippedtoons]

obviously i needed to use the Owl House and Steven Universe tags for this but.

if youre into indie comics, and you like steven universe and the owl house, @asteroidtoaster and i are working on a webcomic called ... name in progress because i cant think of one!

it takes place in this combination of north/south carolina, georgia, and florida [i grew up in the coastal southeast!], but in a world where this dimension kinda combined with one where magic exists. think star vs evil but cooler because magic is still a thing.

the story itself follows June, the main protagonist, who's the average teenage girl, except for the fact that she kind of lives with a group of mages who take care of the more "dangerous" side of magic: terrifying monsters, ghosts, other stuff, its cool. June, however, is human entirely. she has a human mother, but her mom lives on a boat. hence the "i live with magic non-humans."

Despite being human, June has powers of her own: she has her own magic staff!! however, she only found out how to summon and de-summon it a few months back and needs to better refine this ability, as well as figure out how to use magic.

so, as June gets to participate in learning about magic, as well as how to talk to other kids her age, i hope you guys enjoyed this concept. thanks for reading, and have a wonderful day :)

[booksandchainmail]

Pale 4.5

oh I'm looking forward to Verona's perspective on magic school

Mrs. Durocher, supplicant of the cascus wilds, and Mr. Raymond Sunshine, creator of the Atheneum Arrangement, the Black Box, and Gold Garden.

some quick googling: cascus is latin for ancient, which makes sense.

On the topic of guest teachers, I would like to extent my gratitude to Mr. Bristow, Electra Miraz, the Ports, the Crowes, Mr. Musser, and Ms. Lair,

wonder who these guys are? Interesting that we have one person referred to by first and last name (unless electra is a title).

To others too numerous to name, I would extend thanks for the loaning of books for the student library.

insert arson emoji here

“Together with Mr. Bristow and Mr. Musser, we annihilated the god, shared out its power, and we drank together that night.

questions of morality aside, this is a great line

It wasn’t the power that I was happiest with -and I was as power hungry as they come- but the moments I had been with other practitioners and felt purpose and felt like we were all better for those deals.  Better informed, and we all know having the right information makes us strong.  Dealing with other practitioners makes us safer, better equipped, stronger, and more capable of covering our weaknesses.

I really like this conceptually, shame about the guy running it :[

Moving from insular apprenticeships and secret family traditions to more open sharing of teaching is vital, both for the knowledge it gives students and for creating shared ground to build on. In Pact, this would have been life-changing for Mags. Of course, Alexander is getting a lot from running the school, and loopholes aside it does not seem to be open access, but still a step in the right direction.

We named it after one of the faces the god in the machine had worn.

god in the machine is one of the coolest magitech things there is

Patterns mean we often get more out of specializing in a field than we do by diversifying.  Power… there’s only so much to go around, so we tend to covet and protect it.  Here, we’re changing those preconceptions.  Having a specialty does not mean we can’t learn about other things, too.  What you learn, the connections you make, and the way we all elevate one another is critical. 

I think I've heard this exact speech from people talking about interdisciplinary studies in college

“We’re welcoming seven new practitioners.  Tymon and Talos’s younger sister Jorja joins us, already an adept caller of a greater Urban spirit.  She should be recognizable or even familiar to those of you who attended guest lectures with their mother.  Dom, as anyone familiar with the Driscoll family knows, is a beginner city mage and historian, and we’re excited to see if he takes after his big sister and parents.  I’m also very pleased that a long-time colleague of mine finally has a child old enough to send to classes here.  Talia Graubard is a beginner Dollmaker.”

names! Tymon is polish, Talos is from Greek mythology, and Jorja is apparently an variant of Georgia.

Also, says a lot about the school that everyone is introduced with both their field and their family.

Mrs. Durocher surmises they draw on some of the pre-Solomon ways of practicing. It will be very interesting to see what they’re capable of and how they take to the classes.

this feels like a target

“She’s stealing your job as tour guide, Zee,” the guy said. “It’s ‘Zee’ now, Chase?” “I’m American, it’s how we say it. Stop bitching,” Chase answered, shrugging as he walked off, down the left hallway.

as I said before, douchebag

Nicolette said.  “Come on, terrible trio.  Unless you want to tell me to go, if you don’t trust me.” “It’s fine for a tour, at least,” Lucy said, wary.

I am hopeful!

“My friend Jessica,” Zed said.  “She has a girlfriend.  She spends about half her time here, and half her time at the reserve, staying with her.  Before, I was going to suggest people you could trust or befriend.  And I got stuck.  Jessica can be trusted, if you need to talk to someone you haven’t…”

I feel very vindicated in liking her from the little we saw in 3.z

“Nicolette could be a friend, because I see similarities,” Zed told them, “but I get the impression you’ve interacted before and I don’t know if you can trust her.” Nicolette made a lips-zipped gesture.

I do hope they all are able to work through the past issues

“We keep running into Others that call my friend Lucille, because she used it while awakening.” “Ah,” Lucy said. “And you changed your name? How do you do that?” Verona asked.

this is something I've been wondering about for years! Before I read Zed's answer, I'll say what my own idea was: probably some kind of ritual, formally announcing the new name to the spirits, then counting on daily use to reinforce it.

“There’s a few ways,” Zed said.  “Trade it, rewrite the fabric of your being, steal a body that comes with a name, I even looked at redoing the awakening ritual, to re-introduce myself to the spirits."

man those are some major steps. Though I guess the last one is basically what I was thinking.

“Yeah.  But hey, if you end up looking into it, and you find out anything?” Zed asked. “I could pass it on, if we’re on good terms and it’s possible, sure.”

Lucy is really good at not accidentally making promises

“There’s way scarier things about the practice,” Nicolette said, sounding amused. “Like being turned into a bunny someone’s killing, in some weird dream loop?” Avery asked. “Oh honey,” Nicolette said. “If you were stuck in a scene like that for a thousand years, it wouldn’t come close to some of the stuff out there.”

I love Nicolette, this is so condescending and passive aggressive

“A pugilist, who wanders, looking to take down the undefeated,” Nicolette supplied.  “Or a nemesis, to answer and match the investigator or rising star that’s doing well.” “Would have to be a rising star in an underground band scene or something,” Zed said. “They don’t have backgrounds and can’t spring up in contexts where people would be free to dig into who they are.”

I would watch this anime

“If you’re willing to say we’re more or less square, I’m happy to have you here. So many people here are maneuvering for position, in the big picture.  It’s exhausting.  Others, they’re kids who couldn’t name three television shows your average twelve year old watches, or who grew up in households where willing human beings were ritually sacrificed several times a year. ”

practitioner society is fucked up! And this makes the Kennet Trio good allies for Nicolette, because they're not interested in jockeying for power within practitioner society.

Quasi.  A book on Others who had a flirtatious relationship with being human, and humans who walked the line of being Other.

:|

That thing Nicolette had said, but drowning, dragging someone else down with her. To do that to Lucy or Avery was the scariest thing she could imagine. And it would be so, so easy.  She’d already done it twice.  And the way the curse had worked, and the way the Faerie fighting technique worked, threes seemed to matter.  What happened if there was a third time?

I can see this being a big issue down the line. Not so much the third time itself, but what Verona is willing to do to prevent it.

Also interesting to see how each character has their own insecurities about the others. Verona feels the she messes up, makes mistakes and gets the others in danger and is a burden to Lucy. Meanwhile Lucy has pretty frequent insecurity over how easy and intuitive Verona finds the practice.

[georgiagambino]

[elfboyeros]

Brier's Three

Raining Academics

So I didn't expect this to come out at all, but I did it. Yes, I did give away the plot of Bridgehidien Forest, I'm sorry. This is a start to Brier's Three the little story about Indigo and Calvin's children and their Shenanigans, please and enjoy and of course, read about the nerds!

“Come on! Come on!”

“Simon, give it a break!”

“No! I need to see if I’m at the top of the dean's list!”

“It’s just a list.”

“It’s not just a list—”

“If you two are going to argue, can you please do it outside of the rotunda!”

Three students within the glided rotunda, one an academic, one a sportsman, one a child of worship. Simon, Mallory, and Bridget.

“AH! HA HA! FINALLY!” Simon exclaimed quickly clicking the email that had just arrived in his inbox, “Couri… Couri… Couri-DAMN IT!”

“I take it you didn’t make the dean’s list,” Mallory laughed.

“The Bookstone kid is at the top of the list!” Simon groaned.

“Which one? There are three of them.” Mallory remarked.

“Can you two not do this while, I’m praying,” Bridget muttered, kneed in front of the largest statue of the goddess Bridgehid in the cupola used to hide the entrance to the catacombs under the store as sort of an open secret, but also as a capital of worship for the more religious students on campus.

“How did Alexandria get to the top of the list! They barely pay attention in class!” Simon groaned.

“I will never know peace,” Bridget sighed.

“They're probably at the top because of Mrs. Bookstone,” Simon huffed through gritted teeth.

“Oh, come on!” Mallory groaned, “They are not on the top of the dean list just because their mom is the dean!”

“Then how did they end up at the top, Mal? They do nothing in class, how are they an academic genius?” Simon vented.

Bridget huffed and finally got up dusting off her skirt before heading toward the exit and passing her friends on the way, “Are Aurora and Finnegan on the list?” she asked quietly.

Simon quickly skimmed the list, “Not that I can see.”

“Then there is no favoritism,” Bridget retorted as her friends followed her out of the dome and across the paved walk to the main campus under cloudy skys, “Alexandria, regardless of what you believe, must be a rather distinguished academic if they are at the top of the list.”

Simon groaned pulling at his hair, “I don’t understand!”

“Maybe it’s something you don’t need to understand,” Mallory chuckled, following him into the main building.

“GOOSE!”

While slinging into the main foyer, passing their fellow students before hearing that familiar voice piercing their ears, the small dean’s list with the goofiest smile ever waving at the person who seemed to be their academic rival.

“My name is Simon,” he grumbled, passing Alexandria and their siblings and leaving Bridget and Mallory behind to go to there respective classes.

“What the hell is his problem,” Finnegan asked mumbling.

“Simon’s always been standoffish,” Florian mentioned, an arm around Aurora’s shoulders, “Don’t take it personal, brother.”

“I wonder why he never wants to talk to me,” Alexandria muttered with a frown, “I just wanna be his friend.”

“Maybe you could ask Aunt Georgia, how to make friends,” Aurora mentioned.

“Good idea!” they yelped, before running down the mage hall, “Thanks Aurora!”

“This isn’t going to end well, is it?” Florian asked, looking to his girlfriend to which she shrugged.

“It’s a gift from the goddess,” Finnegan joked, before heading down the hallway to his class, “they’ll leave us alone for the day.

Alexandria checked Georgia’s office, unable to find her there she searched through the mage wing of the college to find their magic genealogy teacher.

“Auntie Georgia? You here?” Alexandria entered the great mage’s classroom seeing their mother’s former student and their adopted sibling’s partner socializing, “UNCLE ELIAS!”

“Hey Alex!” He exclaimed as Alexandria ran up to him and hugged him.

“Where’s Rowan?” Alexandria asked with stars in their eyes.

 “In the infirmary, along with Nemo and Elle.” Elias sighed shaking his head.

“Did something happen?” Alexandria asked concerned.

“The normal hunting trio shenanigans,” Georgia giggled, “Do you need something, Alex?”

“How do I make friends,” Alexandria asked.

Elias and Georgia both laughed, “You’ve never had a problem with making friends before, Alex, what makes this any different?” Elias chuckled.

Alexandria let out a little groan, “It’s this guy named Simon—”

“Goose?” Georgia asked.

“Yes Goose,” Alexandria nodded, “I think I’ve done something that makes him not want to be my friend and I have no idea what to do.”

“I have found it easiest just to talk to other when trying to make friends,” Georgia mentioned, “If that isn’t working you may want to talk to Elle or Rowan.”

“Huh?”

“That does sound like Elle and Rowan,” Elias stated, with a little laugh.

“Aunt Elle and Rowan didn’t get along?” Alexandria asked, a confused tilt to their head.

Elias and Georgia nodded, “when they first met, yes.” Elias explained, “All over something that seems so trivial to them now. I bet if you asked them what to do, they would both say to just ask him what’s wrong.”

Alexandria nodded with a smile across their face, “Just talk to him, okay, I can do that I can talk!” they remarked before running toward the exit, “Thank you both!”

“See you later Alex,” Elias called.

“Describing Elle and Rowan as simply not getting along is an interesting choice,” Georgia remarked.

Elias shrugged, “How else would you describe it,” he chuckled.

“The terrifying summer when Elle was still processing her abuse with Duke caused her to pull Rowan into a dream state to conferment them about not remembering her when they were not experimented on as children and put us all in danger in the forest,” Georgia relayed.

“Yeah, they didn’t get along,” Elias joked, with a chuckle.

With the advice from Auntie Georgia and Uncle Elias, they marched to their Magical Chemistry Lab and immediately found Simon there, “Simon!” they exclaimed, approaching him at his little lab table.

“What do you want?” he scoffed.

Alexandria sat down next to him, “I’m sorry if I have done something, or offended you somehow,” they apologized, “But I would like us to be friends so if we could restart and become friends—”

Simon laughed, “You think we can just restart? Re-introduce ourselves and everything can be fine!”

“I was kinda hoping—”

“How do you expect me to be friends after everything?!”

“Everything? What did I do?!” Alexandria questioned.

Simon scoffed out a laugh, “What didn’t you do!”

He left the lab table moving to one in the back of the room, before class started leaving Alexandria upset, confused, and unwilling to pay attention in class. With the summer semester giving them only one class for the day they sat dejected with their brother at a cafeteria table as he ate his lunch.

“I’ve been trying to think about what I have done, and I’m just lost!” Alexandria sighed, head resting against their arms, “I mean what could I have done!”

“Been annoying?” Finnegan questioned.

“Finn, you’re not helping!”

Finnegan swallowed the food in his mouth, “Look I doubt you did anything—”

“Then why is he mad at me!”

“Because you are you!” Finnegan retorted, “You are friendly and caring to a fault, you are tremendously talented, you are the child of Indigo and Calvin Bookstone-Corals, your brother is an asshole, and you are powerful. Simon probably hates you for many reasons and no reason at all.”

“You sound like mom,” Alexandria giggled.

Finnegan rolled his eyes, “she would probably say the same thing,” he remarked, “I don’t get why someone would hate you, but I’m not Simon and if he doesn’t want to be friendly with you then it’s a lost cause.”

Alexandria huffed chin still digging into her arms crossed in front of her, “and his loss,” Finnegan added.

Alexandria smiled, “You’re a good little brother, you know that.”

“Did you have to add the little part?”

“Yes, because you are my little brother!”

“We’re twins!”

The pair bickered back and forth before Mallory approached the small cafeteria table, “Hey, Alex, congratulations,” she remarked, sitting down with them.

“Congratulations for what?”

“The dean’s list,” Mallory answered.

“What about it, it’s just a list,” Alexandria remarked with a shrug.

“Alex you’re at the top of it.” Mallory added.

“Wait really?!”

Finnegan sat his phone in front of his sibling, humming in agreement. Alexandria looked at the PDF in front of them seeing their name at the top of the Dean’s list for the spring semester and Simon’s name right below it.

“Shit,” they muttered, “Mal, where is Simon?”

“He was going to the dorms, I think,” Mallory answered.

Alexandria jumped up and raced out of the cafeteria running through the grass as it started to drizzle, “SIMON!” they yelled as they reached the dorms, while he was descending the steps small porch connected to the entrance.

Panting with their hands on their knees, Simon looked at Alexandria in disgust, “What do you want?”

“You’re mad at me, I get that—”

“Clearly you don’t, you are still attempting to talk—"

“Will you shut up for five seconds and stop interrupting me!” Alexandria bit back still panting looking up at Simon, “I’m sorry that I made the dean’s list, I understand that school is important to you, and I never wished to upstage you in any way. I would like nothing more than to sit down and chat with you and get to know you better beyond just knowing that you are an intelligent person who deserves to be on the top of the dean’s list. We don’t have to be friends, but I hope we can get to that in the future.”

When Alexandria finally straightens up, they aren’t greeted with the empathic gaze from Simon rather he looks at them with angry eyes, a defined scowl, and narrow eyes clearly angrier than when they started talking.

“You’ll never understand,” Simon tsked as it began to rain, “This is more than just not being the best! I don’t hate you because you are the best, I hate you because you clearly don’t try—”

“I work hard—”

“NOT AS HARD AS I DO!” Simon shouted, “EVER SINCE I WAS LITTLE, I HAVE WORKED SO HARD TO BE THE BEST, LIKE MY PARENTS WANT, I’VE GOTTEN THE TOP GRADES, I HAVE SACRIFICED HOURS OF MY TIME AND LIFE TO BE THE CHILD MY PARENTS CAN SAY THEY ARE PROUD OF! I WAS THE BEST AND I AM THE BEST!”

“Simon—”

“But that changed! I came to college like my parents wanted, and I met you and thought at first things would be fine, you wouldn’t be a threat, and I was still the best at one of the best schools in the world. Yet, you are not only one of the children from this untouchable family, but you are one of the most intelligent people in this entire school!” Simon clarified angrily before running his fingers through his hair frustratedly, “I first thought that Mrs. Bookstone or even Mr. Corals was pushing you to be better than the rest of us because you were their kid! Yet they don’t care! You don’t care! The work is secondary to you, what your grade is doesn’t matter, you sit in class day daydreaming, but still answer the question right if you are called on! I hate it! I hate you, and I hate myself for hating you! I have no logical reason to hate you! You are always smiling, you care about the people you don’t know, you are a friend to the world and here I am thinking with my emotions and hating you just because you are better than me! I’m supposed to be the best, that's what I’m for! My parents made me to be the best!”

His tears mixed with the rainwater soaking his skin, leaving Alexandria more upset than they had been. They only stared at him, shocked at his explanation, shocked at his inference, shocked at his hatred. They open their mouth, yet nothing is vocalized, before saying, “I’m sorry.” Before leaving him. They went home, without telling their siblings, and locked themselves in their room for a while. Simon's words repeat in their brain while also trying to think of some kind of solution.

Calvin sighed, in the comfort of their bed with his head in her lap as she carted his fingers through his long ebony curls, fingernails grazing his scalp, “Is there something wrong with Alex?”

“Not that I am aware,” Indigo answered, “Georgia did say there was a kid that they were trying to be friends and get along with, I doubt they didn’t come to dinner because of that. Knowing Alex they are probably studying.”

Calvin sighed once more turning his in such a way that allowed him to wrap his arms around Indigo’s middle, “I don’t like it when they don’t eat,” he mumbled like a toddler.

“I don’t either.” Indigo cooed.

There is a knock on their bedroom door before they can continue any kind of conversation, “Mom, can I talk to you?” Alexandria asked opening the door a crack.

“Of course, Alexandria,” Indigo cooed before patting a place on the bed, “Come here.”

Alexandria climbed into their parent's bed, before at their father and mother with a crestfallen gaze. Indigo placed a hand on their arm rubbing their skin with her thumb, “Tricker, what’s wrong.”

“Can you take my name off the dean’s list,” they croaked.

“Alex,” Indigo mused, sadly, “You worked and studied so hard.”

“Sunflower, you deserve to be on that list just like anyone else,” Calvin added softly.

“I know,” Alexandria choked, “but there’s this guy—”

“Is he bullying you?!” Calvin retorted quickly becoming a protective father with his chest puffed out before Indigo rested a hand on his thigh.

“Who is he?” Indigo asked calmly.

“Simon Couri,” Alexandria sniffed, “His parents wants him to be “the best” and force him to get the top grades, and I know because I’m not top of the list he’ll get in trouble for not being the best.”

Indigo and Calvin side-eyed each other before Indigo said, “Tomorrow morning, I’ll put him at the top, so it looks—”

“No! I want to be off it!”

“Alexandria?” Calvin sighed as Indigo wiped their tears with her thumb.  “I already know I work hard, and I know you are proud of me regardless of my grades, I have nothing to prove to anyone,” Alexandria explained between their crying, “Simon needs this, and I just wanna help him.”

Indigo and Calvin sighed, “I will take your name off the list first thing tomorrow,” Their mother replied, “Alright?”

“Thank you, Mommy,” Alexandria yearned, hugging her.

“We are incredibly proud of you Alexandria,” Calvin added rubbing their back.

“I know, Daddy.”

Revised Dean’s List

Apologize to all the original dean’s list for the past Spring Semester in the May 20th email shared with you. The revised dean’s list is enclosed with this email. For any other news or information about upcoming events is in the Bridgehid College newsletter sent out on May 19th on the Bridgehid College Website.

Regards,

Indigo Margot Bookstone-Corals

Dean of Bridgehid College for Magic and Alchemy.

“Look at that,” Mallory muttered in an extremely tired tone while sitting next to Simon on the porch of the dorms, “You are not the top now.”

Simon stared at his phone wide-eyed, his name was now on the top, as if that truly mattered in the grand scheme of things. Although Alexandria’s name is no longer on the list, however. He never expected them to go so far as to get his name moved up the list or even remove their own.

“Why did they do that?” he muttered.

“Why don’t you ask them,” Mallory mentioned pointing to them across the yard where Alexandria was talking to Professor Kowalski.

He got up from his place on the dorm steps and ran over to them as Percy dismissed herself off to do whatever she did when she wasn’t teaching, “Oh hi Simon,” they remarked as they turned around to face. Looking at him with a large, friendly, smile.

“Why did you—”

“To help you,” Alexandria interrupted, “And before you say: I don’t need your help.”

Simon looked at them with narrow eyes when they did an impression of him, “I have nothing to prove to anyone,” they added, “My mom and dad allow me and my siblings to pursue the things that we enjoy. They are proud of me yes, but if I were to get just average or even below average grades that’s not something they are concerned with.”

They describe the kind of parents he wishes he had, the parents that love their child and take an interest in their child’s happiness regardless of their accomplishments and achievements.

“It’s very obvious that your parents aren’t like mine.” Alexandria continued, “So I got the list changed. Not for you to be friends with me or for you to feel like you owe me, just because I know it would help you out.”

Simon let out a little laugh before letting out a genuine, “Thank you.”

Alexandria continued to smile at him before getting ready to leave him, “Hey,” he called making them turn around, “Do you maybe want to study together sometimes?”

“Sure.”

Simon was able to walk to the dorms with a smile, only to lose it once he was faced with Mallory lying unconscious at the bottom of the steps. “MALLORY!”

[laimabynight]

Original Character Masterlist ♡

Count:89 Systems:32 Active:7

Vampire: The Masquerade

Camilla 'Georgia' Soledad, Brujah (x)

Vendelín Rusizka, Toreador (x)

Anastasia della Giordano, Tzimisce (x)

Devon Rowe, Malkavian (x)

Salvador Dolorosa, Brujah (x)

Kuriyama Tomoe, Banu Haqim (x)

Angelina Cruz, Lasombra (x)

Raffaele Giovanni, Giovanni (x)

Eugen Radetzky, Nosferatu (x)

Margarita D'aureville, Follower of Set (x)

Killian Darkwater, Thin-Blood (x)

René Debussy, City Gangrel (x)

Sister Mirona, Caitiff ( )

Jack Ramiro, Gangrel (x)

Pavlo Stepanovych Makarenko, Brujah ( )

Werewolf: The Apocalypse

Jana Mirtschin, Silent Strider (x)

Ljudmila Nikolaewa Sokolova, Silver Fang (x)

Mage: The Ascension

Yvonne Ebert, Verbana (x)

Dungeons & Dragons

Markus Abdiel, Human Monk/Barbarian (x)

Oriana Vylmythe, Eladrin Archfey Warlock (x)

Ladislava von Koldov, Human Undead Warlock (x)

Dorryen Whitestone, Half-Elf Wild Magic Sorcerer ( )

Hatake Yuka, Half-Elf Swaschbuckler Rogue (x)

Beladrin Halhadamorir, Wood Elf Ranger (x)

Tamar Balabanian, Tiefling Champion Fighter (x)

Thames Donahue, Human Undying Warlock (x)

Das Schwarze Auge

Najara al Kira ibn Sajida, Aranian Majuna (x)

Zidanja Walsareff, Bornlandian Adventurer (x)

Call of Cthulhu

Helena 'Harvey' Fountain, Artist (x)

Weston McNamara, Journalist (x)

Else von Sydow, Scientist (x)

Walter E. Harlan, Private Investigator (x)

Lord Ernest of Somersetshire, Noble (x)

Karl Eduard Nauditt / Karol Edward Naumowicz, Thug (x)

Eli Wilkinson, Missionary (x)

Joan Olson, Law Student (x)

María Ascunción Leguizamo, Nature Boy (x)

Hearts of Wulin

Ruan Qingshan, Little Brother (x)

Lín Xiǎo Dān, Wanderer (x)

Monsterhearts

Gjest Solheim, Queen (x)

Salem Lotte Harlan, Heir (x)

Jordan Bennett, Seraphim (x)

Michelle Bader, Siren ( )

Elvis Stalten, Witch (x)

Nathan Garcia, Mortal (x)

Moby Liberman, Mimikry (x)

Miranda Kean, Werewolf ( )

Amber Magdalene Dawson, Mortal ( )

Arcane Codex

Yatoth dex Selkasha, Morai Cleric (x)

Okagami

Saya, Kitsugo Noble (x)

Schatten über Volgorod

Ser Ilya Lynnhardt of the Blue Iris, Human Knight (x)

Benoît Vaillancourt, Human Occultist (x)

Cresentia 'Senta' Läufer, Human Model (x)

Rodion Mihail von Blankenheim-Lebedjev, Human Noble (x)

Mircea Eliadescu, Undead Warlord ( )

Pasión de las Pasiones

Fernanda Salazar, La Belleza (x)

Hyboria

Pallantia, Aquilonian Mercenary (x)

Shadow of the Demon Lord

Zinnober, Changeling Magician (x)

For The Queen

Mitena, Inventor (x)

Kasmeer Valorante, Florist/Magician (x)

Htut, Tiger Keeper (x)

Shiverin' Shelley, Pirate (x)

Nicola Snyder, Reporter (x)

Rippers Resurrected

Ashkara Kathat, Warrior Princess (x)

Mausritter

Annotto Crowley, Bat Cultist (x)

Vespuccio, Envoy (x)

Estragon Heller (x)

Devil, Aim For Me

Tennessee Dixon, Pamphleteer (x)

Pathfinder

Solaris Tarkovisk, Human Cleric (x)

Marquis Donatien Jaques de l'Ostrove, Elf Swashbuckler ( )

Magic School

Ulysses Elevander, Ravenclaw (x)

The Spirit Of '77

Tiago 'Tuco Velocidad' Garrido, The Good Old Boy (x)

One Last Job

Donna Wang, The Driver (x)

R'lyehwatch

Paige DeLuca, The Medic (x)

Electric Bastionland

Dr. Ichabod Bellagamba, Cryptohistorian (x)

Shadowdark

Nourin/Moitreyee, Witch (x)

Solo

Blanca von Hallberg, Noblewoman (x)

Endymiodes, Spartan Warrior (x)

Cartel

Sofia Casagrande, La Esposa (x)

City of Mist

Bethany 'Bassie' LaRue, Bastet (x)

Parisa Keshmiri, Gilgamesch (x)

Vaesen

Olga Klockar, Doctor (x)

Kuzma Vitalijovych Bojchuck, Soldier (x)

Freeform

Draven Schwarzschatten, Cleric (x)

How To Be A Hero

Clementine Sybil Montgomery, Heiress (x)

Edda 'Die Bärin vom Odewald', Swordswoman (x)

Fantasy Forge

Xylenea Octava, Intergalactic Reality Starlet (x)

CY_BORG

GUL, Burned Hacker (x)

Fabula Ultima

Yanagi Yoru, Ambitious Assassin (x)

[camlovesheroes]

King of Mischief (Chapter 6)

Chapter 6 (A Way In)

Word count: 4.4k

T/w: This chapter contains injuries, war, mentions of weapons & sharp objects, manipulation, gaslighting, betrayal, pregnancy, and foul language, read at your own discretion.

Author's note: Omg hello readers! I feel really bad for not updating in the longest time, I've been occupied with presentations before going back to college in two weeks. I'll try to update a couple of chapters before I go back to boring uni life, I'll still write once I go in but the updates would be snail-paced, anyways I LOVE YOU!

“Your Majesty, our soldiers are ready for the second attack.” Ymir knelt down behind her as Amora peered through an orb that showed the situation of Georgia. “Good, make sure you bring her to me, alive.” She emphasized the state that she wanted you to be in once they’ve captured you.

“Yes, my Queen.” The frost giant nodded in obedience before he made his way out of the mother ship. Lorelei was left with her elder sister. “Sister.. I wonder why you want to take her so badly? Is it because you are bitter about the fact that she married your lover? Or is it because you want to see him suffer by killing his wife yourself?” The younger one strode towards her sibling. 

“You’re correct Lorelei.. But, it is deeper than that. That princess has something that I truly desire. Something rare and special. It could give me supreme power over the Nine Realms and further. I want it, I long for it.” The Enchantress stared at the vision of you in the orb. Lorelei tilted her head at the blonde sorceress. “You’re already reigning over the universe sister.. What more do you want?” 

Amora’s eyes diverted to look at her younger sibling, “Not yet. As long as that Arolfian princess is alive and free, she is going to be a barricade to us in ruling the universe. She’s a danger to our empire. If I am able to get through to her, she might be of great use to us all.” She smirked evilly. “As much use as that old man?” Lorelei questioned to which the latter shook her head. “Oh the old man is only a small part of the plan.. Once I get her, you’ll see..” The sorceress didn’t want to spoil too much about her next plan, though, it is expected that the plan would be a massive one.

“You’re certain that my wife is safe in that dimension?” Loki walked alongside Strange as they went out of the portal to northern Georgia. “Yes, don’t worry.. She’ll be safe.. Unless someone snitches which I’m sure none of us would do.” The doctor huffed out and analyzed the situation. Everyone was grateful that the second battle ensued in a woodsy part of Georgia that was far from major communities. The God knew that there was a reason why Amora and her army chose somewhere farther from the Avengers Compound, deep inside, he felt uneasy as if something bad would transpire soon.

The Avengers assembled themselves, knowing that they were Earth’s very own line of defense against these otherworldly beings that were about to engage in the second wave of war. All of them spectated the rows of monsters and mages coming out of the portals, getting themselves ready for the fight. There was a difference though. Thor noticed that a giant, circular platform hovering over the rest of the enemies, on it was the Enchantress herself, overlooking her soldiers proudly with her sister, Lorelei beside her.

“Look! Over there.. That’s Amora.” The God of Thunder pointed towards the direction of the floating platform. “It seems like the witch has come to play..” Natasha stated. “Alright.. Let’s stop this Hocus Pocus shit once and for all.” Tony tapped on his arc reactor to put his nanotech helmet on as the swarm of villains neared. Hogun shouted on the top of his lungs, unofficially commencing the battle and all of them charged towards the mob.

Lady Sif and the Warriors Three fought vigorously, slicing and cutting their opponents with no mercy. Tony, Wanda, Vision and Sam flew up to strike the foes from above, Iron Man and Vision blasting them with powerful rays, burning through the enemies’ bodies whilst Wanda made some of them levitate and then dropping them from a tall height, crushing their bones. The Falcon on the other hand, ambushed some of the villains and with the help of some birds in the area, particularly the eagles and hawks, he was able to injure them by having the birds peck their eyes out and tear their flesh apart.

Steve with his vibranium shield and Thor with his Mjolnir, used their respective weapons by flunging them towards rows of attackers. Thor even used his mighty hammer to knock down one of the Frost Giants in the head. Natasha and Clint worked as a pair and backed each other up, using their mastery in combat fighting to repel the enemies. Bullet by bullet, arrow by arrow were released and each one not missing the target. Banner on the other hand had transformed into the incredible Hulk, attacking the bigger sized monsters that were a part of Amora’s line of defense.

The Spiderman swung from tree to tree, halting the enemies on their tracks by shooting his web fluid on their limbs, the boy also made some traps and obstructions on their way to slow them down so that the other Avengers could tackle them in a breeze while Strange and a few of his proteges fought off the sorcerers and mages with their ancient magic accompanied by Asgard’s very own supreme sorcerer, Loki. Everything was going on smoothly and they’ve all decided that their goal was to get to where the Enchantress was on her platform.

“My Queen, we have located the Midgardian sorcerer with the Eye of Agamotto, do you want us to retrieve him for you?” The old mage that attacked you last time appeared behind Amora.

“No, I’ll handle him. Make sure the others are ready to get her.” She grinned sinisterly, dismissing the mage before she summoned her powers to find Strange who was in the middle of battling the mystical creatures. There were few who knew what the Enchantress was able to do and to what extent her powers were. The most dangerous thing she could do was to control the minds of the creatures who held the Infinity Stones. 

No, she wasn’t looking to use the stones for her advantage, those rocks didn’t matter to her, not when the Avengers had something much more powerful hidden beneath one of the many kinds of dimensions. That was the problem, where did they hide you, she needed to know and Strange was the only one who had access to the knowledge. Like a virus, her powers traveled through the battlefield, in search of Midgard’s strongest sorcerer.

And then whoosh, Amora was able to penetrate Strange’s mind with the help of the Time Stone, the jewel acting as a passageway into the inner depths of his soul. With his mind being overtaken by the sorceress, Strange stopped fighting and instead, stood still with his eyes wide open. The enemies knew that their leader had already taken over him and made a point to not bother the two sorcerers while they fought in his psyche.

In a blink of an eye, Strange was transported into his own head, the place was pure white and misty. Behind the fog, he saw a silhouette, one that looked familiar, it was the Enchantress.

“So, this is the infamous Stephen Strange, the best sorcerer that Midgard could ever offer. Such a shame that you are not fighting for me.” She walked leisurely towards him with a smirk on her face. “Yeah… No thanks. I’d rather keep my free will than work under your dark empire.” The man spoke in a sarcastic tone. “What do you want?” He added.

“Well, I’m just looking around… For some useful information.” She smiled menacingly. “Oh and don’t worry.. I’m not here for your lousy stone.. Nor am I here to enchant you. If you answer my question, I’ll spare you and your friends’ lives.” Amora finally went face to face with the doctor. “And what’s your question?” He asked sternly, throwing daggers at her with his gaze. 

“Where is she?” The woman maintained her daunting smirk. “I have no idea what you are talking about..” Strange answered and to which the female clicked her tongue. “You sorcerers.. Always acting stupid when you are asked a question. Tell me.. And I shall keep my word. Sorceress to sorcerer.” She tilted her head and did a fake innocent expression. Strange gave her an unapologetic look and shrugged his shoulders, keeping his silence.

“Fine.. I guess I’d have to scavenge it myself.” With a step back from Amora, the male began fighting her with his magic. Summoning a cane and trying to strike her but she was faster, throwing magical power balls at him. “You’re sneaky, Strange.” With another throw, she succeeded in breaking the magic cane. “I like it.” She grinned. The man tried to confine her by summoning magical chains to tie her down but it was no match for her mystical strength and she broke it as if they were made of paper.

“You should consider joining me. It would be helpful to have you on my defense line.” She looked behind him and saw a blurry apparition of you in the Mirror Dimension. She got ahold of Stephen and threw him to the side forcefully as though the male weighed like nothing. Amora took off in the direction of the vision, being absolutely sure that that was one of Strange’s memories. Just then, she slipped as the sorcerer created a rope around her ankle and yanked it.

“Not so fast.” He claimed. “You’d have to get over me first.” The male breathlessly spoke. “Okay.” She was the one to shrug this time, right before she forgathered the dead patients from his memories to hold him down, their limbs reaching out from under him and trapping him. “Remember them? These poor people you had turned down just because you wanted a more.. What do you say? Exciting? Challenging cases that match your level? And also the ones that you’ve failed during your early years.. All the pain you’ve put them through just because of your ego..”

The Enchantress wasn’t done with her torture yet, she found another painful memory that he had, one that involved him losing his steady hands, oh, even better, when he lost Christine; his lovely and supportive Christine. She closed her fists tightly, indirectly causing pain to Strange’s hands so he couldn’t do his sorcery. Then, she projected an image of Christine in front of him; the exact memory of when she lost hope and gave up on him. “You see Strange, with your ego, you’ve actually hurt and killed so many.. More than the amount of people you’ve saved. If you keep letting your ego blind you, billions of Midgardians shall be killed.. Unless, you give her to me.” She sighed softly whilst the man was in agony.

Amora turned away from him and unhurriedly walked towards the vision, every step she took got her closer to the knowledge of where you were. “Hmm. Mirror Dimension. Smart choice..” She spoke in a low volume. “You’ll.. Never.. Get.. To.. Her.” Strange struggled. “Not without my help..” He continued and it made the sorceress laugh. “You Midgardians.. Always underestimating people. I myself was a student of your late Sorcerer Supreme. I’ve learnt further than she could ever teach anyone. Your stupid sling ring is useless, it only suppresses your powers.” She turned to look at the doctor before leaving his mind. “Goodbye.”

“Where the fuck is Strange?!” Tony Stark shouted out, the Avengers had been fighting with the beasts for a while now and it doesn’t seem like it was stopping anytime soon. Doctor Strange was the one that they could rely on aside from Wanda, Vision and Loki to get to the Enchantress. The three of their most trusted heroes were busy defending themselves and killing the enemies but where was the doctor? “I have a visual of him, he’s standing there like a fucking dumbass.” Sam Wilson flew across the war stricken forest and once he landed in front of Strange, the man shook him to get him back to reality.

“Stephen! Wake up man! Why the hell are you standing here? You wanna get yourself killed?!” The Falcon screamed in his emotionless face before he was attacked by a Dark Elf, his head was hit by the creature’s stone club, making him lose consciousness. Thankfully, Wanda came to the rescue and banished the being with her magic, killing him from the inside. She hurried to Strange and figured that he was enchanted in a way so she did what she had to do; get in his mind to release him.

In a matter of seconds, she had access to his mind easily and found the male struggling from a distance. The woman saw the horrific scene unfolding in front of her, zombie-like hands holding Strange down, an apparition of a woman in front of him, telling him horrible, mean things to him and a defenseless and weak Stephen Strange looking down. Wanda pushed Christine’s vision away and stepped on the hands that were keeping him in bondage; all of them disappearing after she did so. “Strange.. She did this to you didn’t she? What does she want?” The female questioned him urgently but he didn’t budge nor did he lift his head.

“Strange, wake up! This is all in your head! Don’t let her get to you!” She lifted his head to look at his eyes. “Wake up please! We need you! The world needs you!” None of her words seem to reach out to him. “Stephen Strange! What was she looking for in your head?” Without saying a single phrase, his eyes averted to the vision of you behind her, exactly where Amora went to earlier. Wanda’s head whipped towards the direction of his stare. “She knows..” The woman stood up from her kneeling position and disappeared from his mind zone. She wanted to help him but there wasn’t anything she could do, the doctor was the only one that could save himself from his own psyche. But for now, she has to warn the others.

And with that, Wanda returned to her own physical body, leading the mindless Strange to a safer area before leaving him to convey the message to the rest of the team. “Strange has been compromised. Someone ought to protect him in case they try to hurt him.” She touched her ear monitor. “Wait what? How?” The Black Widow stopped in her tracks to ask the Scarlet Witch, she was definitely bamboozled. How could someone mystically strong as Strange be defeated so easily until he couldn’t fight anymore? 

“It’s Amora. She went into his head, messed him up, broke his spirit and he’s trapped in his own mind. I tried to help but there’s nothing that I could do.” Wanda answered. “I’ll cover for him.” Clint clarified and left Nat’s side to go to where Strange was placed. “Okay, okay.. So Strange is out of the picture. Who thinks they could reach out to that witch?” Tony asked. “Wanda could do it, she’s the next person to Strange that could manipulate magic.” Thor said through the monitor. “Wanda, you think you can handle her?” Tony inquired once more. “Yeah, but I need you guys to cover me. There’s just too many of them.” She answered. “Alright, hey kid! I need to swing around and clear a path for Wanda.” The Iron Man ordered. “On it!” Young Peter’s voice was heard in their ears.

In no time, the Spiderman managed to create webs that formed fences out of his web fluid so Wanda could sprint and fly her way towards where the Enchantress’ platform was. Although everything seemed to go to plan, another portal opened right in the middle of the path and arrows came out, injuring Peter and the Scarlet Witch. “Mr Stark! We need help here! There’s a new portal opened.” The young man hastily called out to the team. “Shit.” Tony muttered and flew as fast as he could to extract two of the heroes out of the swarm of arrows. 

Amidst the turmoil, Loki spoke up into the ear monitor, “You guys go ahead, I’ll take care of Amora. I’m already close.” He looked up at where the circular platform was above him. His fast and relentless energy aided him in going through the insane amount of enemies and he prayed to the Norns that he could actually teleport to where his ex lover is.

At the same time, you were sitting in the Mirror Dimension, getting upset and feeling baffled over the fact that Loki and the others actually left you out of the battle. You felt betrayed but on the other hand you were still analyzing the situation in a logical way. It would be a lie to say that subconsciously you weren’t expecting your husband to keep you away from the inter-realm war but it was unfair for you. You were worried about what would happen to them since they were going against Amora who had mastered almost all the magic that every realm could offer.

Whilst you were deep in thought, you almost forgot that you were with a child, your motherly instincts started to kick in and a sense of panic overflooded you. You were afraid that there would be a possibility that the Enchantress could get to you and steal your child, or even worse, kill it. You took deep breaths and rubbed your belly. You began to sing Vargsången, a lullaby that Oralfian mothers sing to their children, the English meaning would be the Wolf Song. Its lyrics are a mother’s plea to the wolves to not take her child and her telling the child that they would be safe.

It calms you down bit by bit as you look around at the reflective walls of the Mirror Dimension, hoping that you and your child would be safe within the confines of the vicinity. “Don’t worry, my love.. Me and your father, along with our friends, shall keep you safe.” You assured the baby growing in your womb before you continued vocalizing the melody to the lullaby. The quietness of the dimension was peaceful, the atmosphere felt as if you were back in Asgard’s palace, reading a book in your own chambers.

The silence wasn’t for long though, because right after you finished the last note, your senses began picking up something that was off and you immediately stood up, you felt danger approaching but that can’t be. Even you can’t escape from the dimension despite using your impressive, ancient powers. Besides, Strange did explain that only way to access the way in and out of the dimension was through the sling rings. No way anyone could get to you right?

You were on high alert, the silence was becoming too eerie for your liking and your heart began thumping manically in your chest. Just then, an arm broke in the dimension, the shards breaking from the intrusion, your heart sunk from the jumpscare and when you thought it was over, several hands began entering the dimension until the mirror walls collapsed, you screamed in horror, the hands looked horrid, the fingers were black as if they were frostbitten. Some had sharp nails, resembling claws and before you knew it, you were already greeted by the very same mage that injured you a few weeks ago.

“Hello again, beautiful. The queen wishes for your presence.” He displayed a full smile, showing his rotting teeth to you. “Let me go!” You struggled to free yourself from their hold but you couldn’t do anything further since they had already teleported you from the destroyed dimension into what looked like a massive stage, right in front of Amora. “You…” You sneered upon realizing who the female was.

You charged towards her with your glowing hands, wanting to attack her more than ever though your advances were to no avail. “Nuh uh uh.. You know better than to attack me, pet.” The Enchantress used her powers to absorb your strength and energy and it made you freeze. “What.. Do you want from me? From us?” Gratefully, your lips could still move although it was difficult to do so. “Very straightforward.. I’m starting to like you even more..” You were starting to feel weak and drowsy as she absorbed all of your energy.

“That’s an easy question to answer… I want.. You. Your powers really..” Amora answered your inquiry before halting her magic, making you fall on your knees. “So are you going to enchant me or kill me?” Your breathing went erratic and the sorceress laughed. “Tsk tsk tsk.. Neither. I know it’s extremely complicated to enchant you.. And, you know I need you alive Aurelia..” She crouched down to look at you with a vicious smile. “What do you mean, you witch?” You returned her gaze, you absolutely don’t have any idea what she meant.

“You really do not know? Poor princess.. She doesn’t know what she is. Her parents lied to her-” You cut her off. “Don’t drag my parents into this you murderer. Let them rest in peace.” Your voice quivered. Again, Amora laughed at your words. “Oh dear.. She has no idea..” She stood back up and looked down on you. “Let’s bring in someone.. Familiar, to explain shall we?” With a snap of her fingers, her personal guards brought an elder man in, shoving him right next to you.

“Father?!” It was your beloved father, the King of Arolf, Lerros Vercolson. “Au..relia…” He defenselessly muttered. You inspected him, he looked frail and sickly. His face was covered in bruises and his body had lost a significant amount of weight. “What have they done to you?” Your breath hitched, your eyes were teary from the sight of your father. He looked far off from a king, he looked so… vulnerable. “Let him go..” You turned your head to look at Amora.

“That could be arranged.. Besides, I have no need for him anymore.. But, Lerros.. Tell her. What she truly is.. Who she is and where she’s from.. Go on..” The Enchantress folded her arms over her chest. “Aurelia… You are not… our child..” It confused you, have they beaten him up so badly that it had messed with his mind? “What do you mean I’m not your child?! How could you say that?!” His words saddened you, if you weren’t their child, then whose child are you? Are you even Arolfian royalty? You don’t even know who you are anymore. “You are.. The daughter of-”

“Amora!” Loki barged in and teleported from the platform. “Loki!” You shouted out. “Aurelia?” He froze when he saw that you were kneeling down in front of his ex. “Seize him!” The sorceress ordered her personal guards and Loki began fighting with them, Amora channeled her powers to her guards and it made them invincible, undefeatable and they succeeded in hurting Loki with their weapons; his screams of pain rang in your ears. “Stop it! Please, I’m begging you.. Don’t hurt him. Please, I’ll be yours.. Take whatever powers you want from me.” You weakly clasped your hands together while pleading for the woman’s mercy. 

“Aurelia… No..” Your father spoke, almost whispering. “You’re certain?” Amora raised an eyebrow, it wasn’t that hard to convince you at all but she was still careful and alert just in case you had tricks up your sleeve. “Yes.” You nodded quickly. “Let’s have an agreement. Release my father and Loki, retract your army from Midgard and let my friends go. That’s all I ask of you.. Do all of this and I shall serve under your reign.” You bowed your head down.

“Very well..” Amora was satisfied, she looked at her guards and pulled them away from Loki using her telekinetic powers. “That’s enough. We have reached an agreement.” The woman explained. “One more thing..” You said and she turned to look at you again. “May I say my last words to him?” You requested to which the sorceress rolled her eyes. “Go ahead. But no tricks.” With her approval, you slowly stood up and walked towards Loki who was lying down on the platform. “What have you done Aurelia?” He looked at you with hooded eyes. “Let me help you..” You held his hand and assisted him in standing up.

“Don’t do this.. Don’t make the same mistakes as I did. You’re far more than this..” He whispered to you. “I know, I know.. But this is the only way.. Maybe this is how things are meant to be.. It’s inevitable.” A single tear fell on your cheek. “Please don’t cry…” His eyes softened at your fragile state. He stole a glance at the guards and the surroundings. “Listen.. I have a plan-” “No.” You interjected him. “My decision is final. We can’t keep running from this.. How many more lives do we have to lose for this to be over? Strange used to say, ‘In the great calculus of the universe, one sacrifice means infinitely more than a billion lives.’ My sacrifice.. Is for.. The greater good.” 

“Darling, please.. I.. I need you.” Loki was on the verge of tears, who wouldn’t be? Especially when the only person who understands them, keeps up with their antics is leaving. Your presence in his life had impacted him so much that he couldn’t afford to go a day without you. “I’m sorry.. I promise that I shall take good care of myself and our child. Trust me, I’ll keep myself alive for you. Who knows, someday, we’ll be able to meet again.” You cried and he did too. This really was goodbye. You pulled him in for a kiss, a long and sweet one. A farewell kiss. When you two pulled away, you frowned and muttered, “I’m sorry.”

You pushed him off the platform and it caught him off guard but you were certain that he was safe because you had stolen a look at the view under the circle and Vision and Sam were close by. You turned around and saw a taken aback Amora. “My my.. You learn fast..” The sorceress chuckled. “Let my father go too.. And retreat from Midgard.” You wiped your tears away. “Okay.” The Enchantress shrugged and opened a portal in the middle of the battlefield before her guards pushed your father out of it forcefully. Now, with no Loki nor parents, you were alone. Truly alone and confused as to who you really are. You spoke in a soft voice, “Who am I?”

Chapter 7

Taglist:

@clockblobber

[druidgroves]

😒 💀 👻 👀 💩 for Georgia + one oc of your choice

thank you bo !! georgia + allison bc they're og babygirls

get to know people in my oc's life

😒 …someone my muse hates.

The obvious answer for Georgia is Kellogg. Not a very interesting answer, but she hates the guy more than she's ever hated anything. Vault-Tec may have changed the trajectory of her life forever via cryo, but Kellogg tore it apart in front of her & inflicted so much trauma. We're getting closer to her fight with him in BLP & I am so excited lmao.

Allison hates Cullen with a passion. His "mages aren't people like you and me" comment pushed what would have been regular hatred of a templar into burning rage. She doesn't wanna be the exception. Being a mage is who she is & she's still a person despite it. When she visits Skyhold later on she definitely brings it up in front of the Inquisitor & the rest of their advisors, just to be petty.

💀 …someone my muse would kill for.

Without a doubt Georgia would & has killed for her son. The first time it was Kellogg, before she knew Shaun grew up & eventually figured out the ten year old she saw in his memories & inside the Institute was a synth. Even after she takes in synth!Shaun, by the end of the game she's already sold herself as the kind of person who wants to make the world a safer place for her family by any means.

Allison is kind of in the same boat--she's killed for family & for friends. She values her relationships to the rest of the Kirkwall crew highly & like. All of their personal quests involve some sort of killing lmao. She killed people in pursuit of her baby brother when he got nabbed. Allison repeatedly & willingly puts herself on the line for those she loves.

👻 …someone my muse considers a best friend.

Georgia's bestie is a hard tie between Preston & Piper. Preston was there from the beginning & they leaned on each other a lot in the early days after she left the vault. He taught her the basics of surviving in the new world she found herself in & she served as inspiration to keep going for him. He's her right hand man & she probably trusts him the most out of all of her companions. Piper serves best as a friend Georgia can chill out & gossip with, the kind of friend she sorely needed before the bombs. Piper is funny & loud & unafraid to be herself or express her opinions & Georgia truly admires that about her.

Allison's best friend is, of course, Varric. He talks about her like she hung the moon & Allison made him the fucking godfather of her child. She loves the man like family. Besides Varric, though, since he's the obvious choice, I think her next best friend would be Isabela. She's the most chill out of all the companions & the best at providing a break when Allison needs one. She also loves hearing about Bela's time at sea :)

👀 …someone my muse likes, but doesn’t trust.

Georgia likes Deacon but doesn't trust him as far as she can throw him (on account of the fact that he was technically stalking her even if it was for "the greater good"). She thinks he's funny & likes hanging out with him on Railroad stuff, but she basically treats him like a coworker.

Allison likes but does not trust Sebastian. Tbh I haven't really played much with him all that much but even if I did, his (admittedly somewhat understandable) reaction at the end of Act 3 would be her cut off point. Threaten her lover like that after years of being friends with her? You're done lmao. Post-DA2 Allison sees Sebastian as former friend but now a distant threat (distant so long as she & Anders can keep safe in hiding).

💩 …someone my muse dislikes, but admires.

Georgia & Cait don't get along very well due to opposing personalities & morals, but Georgia does admire her! Cait is everything Georgia isn't: tough, strong, & doesn't fall to social pressures. Georgia sees traits in Cait that she wishes came easier to her & in a way she's kind of jealous.

Allison isn't too fond of Samson for obvious reasons (since he is an ex-templar) but admires the fact that he put his neck on the line to assist mages. Overall she thinks he's pretty skeevy but overlooks that fact whenever they interact over the course of the game. If/when she got the news that he was leading the Red Templars for Corypheus, any goodwill she had left was probably diminished.