#its purpose is not to teach objective truths

[write-to-tell-your-story]

Sometimes the point of a story is to be very realistic in its portrayals of people and/or the world it is set in.

Other times, the point of a story is to be a power fantasy, or a nice black & white escapist fantasy, or a horny fantasy, or all sorts of other fantasies that provide people with a fun and cathartic break from reality and all its gray areas and unfortunate truths and overwhelming systemic power structures that leave us feeling helpless against faceless enemies we don't always know how to fight.

Sometimes, "this story is unrealistic," is the point.

Seek realism when it serves the story. Throw "realism" out the window when something else will serve your story better.

[fernwehreader]

ACOSF Bonus Chapter: Lit Analysis

This will be long, and I apologize in advance. But I continue to see the most mind-boggling interpretations of Azriel's ACOSF bonus chapter, that it’s impossible for me to keep quiet. If I see one more take that this chapter is unimportant, an indication of Elain's book being next, or how it's setting up an Elain and Azriel relationship, I fear I may lose my mind.

In my opinion, Azriel’s ACOSF bonus chapter is a crucial piece in the bridge to ACOTAR 5 (which will be Azriel's book). When I teach my high school students to analyze literature, I stress the importance of asking the question, "SO WHAT?" This helps to understand the purpose of the text and potential authorial intent.

So, I'd like to go through that exercise a bit with the bonus chapter (primarily for my own benefit) to underscore the critical elements of its structure and what SJM may be trying to do with it.

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"SO WHAT?" #1: The bonus chapter is meant to introduce Azriel's POV and set up his arc for the next full-length ACOTAR novel. This chapter is the first time we get Azriel's perspective -- a deliberate choice that signals something important to the reader. He is stepping out of the shadows (ha!) literally and figuratively to make the transition away from being a side character.

For the first time, SJM is deliberately shining a spotlight on Azriel to show that he, too, is fractured and facing his own crossroads. The bonus chapter offers a glimpse into Azriel's internal conflict to communicate that he has a story to tell.

I see comments within the fandom that are critical of Azriel in this chapter regarding his re-gifting of the necklace, how he views Elain as an object he is owed, or in his attitude during his argument with Rhys. Friends, THAT IS THE POINT. We are meant to see Azriel at an incredibly stark low-point. It not only contrasts what's to come later in the chapter, but it is further establishing that this character is fractured and must now prepare to embark on his own healing journey. And, as part of this, SJM begins to deconstruct the idealized version of Azriel that readers have gotten to know. The brooding and stoic warrior has been "humanized" in a sense -- in the bonus chapter, a confused male in need of personal growth emerges.

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"SO WHAT?" #2: This chapter relies on purposeful authorial intent to present a symbolic shift away from Elain which then foreshadows a future relationship with Gwyn. I know this has been discussed at length within the fandom, so I won't dwell too much on it here. But I will stress that SJM is hitting the reader over the head with the truth that there is nothing sustainable to explore between Azriel and Elain romantically. It is a surface-level, lust-filled, infatuation on Azriel's part, fueled only by the delusion that the "thirds" must be paired up. Azriel is so desperate for a mating bond that his recklessness is in overdrive at this moment. This first half of the chapter is so important because once Azriel leaves Rhys, the reader gets swept away on a pendulum that carries Azriel to a stark tonal shift (and to the House of Wind!).

What I love most about the chapter is what SJM is doing with this pendulum swing between Elain/Rhys and Gwyn/Clotho. The entire bonus chapter is honestly such a rich and interesting example of thematic juxtaposition (if I could, I’d use it in the high school English classes I teach).

EVERYTHING included within this bonus chapter is intentional by SJM when it comes to juxtaposition: the shadows disappearing vs the shadows darting/watching/singing; surface-level lust vs thoughtful emotion and genuine connection; self-loathing vs contentment; selfish taking (“the third”) vs reflective giving (the necklace).

But perhaps most interesting is how Rhys and Clotho are intentional narrative brackets, each following a key emotional beat in Azriel’s internal conflict. Azriel's moment with Rhys could be labelled "rage and responsibility" vs Clotho's scene being about "destiny and discovery." Azriel is confronted by truth (Rhys) and guided by fate (Clotho) . . . Plus, Azriel’s final interaction of this chapter is with the character who literally shares a name with one of the Moirai known specifically for spinning fate. Perhaps Clotho is spinning a new thread for Azriel in this moment -- not commanding his future, but initiating it. And, I can't help but think of all the thread/ribbon/string imagery and metaphors that continue to pile up: Clotho spins the thread of life + the mating bond string that Azriel desperately wants + Gwyn's ribbon cutting (and comment about Azriel being her new ribbon). SJM is juxtaposing Rhys and Clotho as lenses through which Azriel’s internal conflict is reflected and redirected.

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"SO WHAT?" #3: We learn a great deal about Azriel himself in this chapter that makes us invested in what comes next for him. While this could fall under my first point above, I decided to include it separately here because I would certainly want to draw my students' attention to this if we were analyzing the chapter in the classroom. An author can set up a character arc all they want — but if the reader doesn’t care about the character, then it’s pointless.

Many readers love to focus on the necklace and how much drama it will cause for Azriel in the next book. But I argue that it's one of the least important elements of the entire bonus chapter once it's all said and done. I truthfully am inclined to think we may not even see it at all in the next book (except maybe a brief Easter Egg). There is no need for it. The necklace is symbolic, not literal. It doesn't need to appear again to matter -- its entire purpose is fulfilled within the bonus chapter: to reveal Azriel's internal shift. And, as readers, we are meant to feel the signifcant weight of that shift. What does this mean for Azriel? He clearly has many issues to work through still, but he is different at the end of this chapter compared to how we find him at the start.

That shift also acts like a tug on the reader -- almost saying, "Hey! Did you see this? What do you think this means? He's different here, right?!" Because even though it isn't about the necklace, the necklace is reason for the final scene of this chapter, which really drives home this last "SO WHAT?" analysis.

In my opinion, Clotho's scene is the most important moment in the entire bonus chapter -- not necessarily because of what is said, but because of what's realized. It's where the story stops telling us that Azriel is lost, confused, angry, etc. Instead, the story starts showing us that he's capable of change. How exciting is that?! Azriel is moving from REACTING to CHOOSING. I find it interesting that in the first half of the chapter, Azriel is trying to GET something (approval, validation, what his brother's have). But, in the final scene with Clotho, he is simply faced with a CHOICE. That shift is everything and leaves the reader with a longing to know where that choice will lead him.

The fact that Azriel imagines Gwyn's eyes lighting up (no other person evokes this from him) is the emotional pivot of the chapter. Elain is never described beyond the surface by Azriel. In contrast, Gwyn -- who isn't even physically present in the scene with Clotho -- has the most vivid and emotionally rich moment of the chapter: "He wondered how Gwyn's eyes might light up at the sight of it." This is centered on Gwyn's joy, not his own gratification (a clear and deliberate contrast to his selfish encounter with Elain).

So, essentially, it's not about the necklace anymore. It's about who Azriel is when he thinks about Gwyn. I don't know about you, but when I consider this, I want to know more about where this is going. If this shift occurs after just a brief encounter with Gwyn, what happens if they spend more time together?

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The entire bonus chapter is, in my opinion, meant to serve as a pivot point for Azriel's characterization as we prepare to spend a great deal of time with him in ACOTAR 5. Azriel is meant to be at his lowest in the beginning of the chapter so the reader can feel the shift by the end . . .

And, although I will save it for another post at another time, I think we can begin to see how Azriel might be working through his issues based on his behavior in CC3. Without getting too in depth, he comes across more open and less guarded, humming, not shying away from physical touch, etc. Everyone will have their own takes on this at this point, but we only have what we have to base our analysis on. Azriel is certainly different in CC3 compared to ACOSF. And this is where I believe his bonus chapter can clue us in a bit. Assuming that ACOTAR 5 will at least partially take place before CC3, we can infer that Azriel is well into his healing journey by that point. That journey also seems likely to include Gwyn and her ability to connect with Azriel in a unique way we haven't seen from other characters. But, who can really say?! We will have to wait and see on this one . . . but my money is that there will be important clues from the bonus chapter and after Solstice in ACOSF that will help bridge us to ACOTAR 5 and how Azriel acts in CC3.

[heartfullofleeches]

The Blacksmith

Yan Deity HCs [Request]

Tw: Self Harm

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- Blacksmith isn't what most would gods would consider being one of their own. For the better part of its existence, The Blacksmith has functioned akin to a machine rather than his own individual self. Acting on orders given by those above him was all he knew until the punishment of gods through extensive torture was shunned upon by many. Blacksmith was free to do as they wished, but they're generally stumped to the workings of society outside of what their created purpose.

- Love as humans and even some gods express it is unfamiliar to the Blacksmith. Their creators greatest mistakes was teaching it the painful side of love without the innocence of something puee. He was instilled with the knowledge that any sign of weakness should not be allowed. That being said, a strange warm fills its chest whenever you treat it kindly. He does not deserve the gesture- Are you toying with it because you truly believe he is beneath you?

"My Lord.... I do not understand the purpose of this so called "hug" you have bestowed upon me.... I did not ask you to stop."

- There is no room for error in Blacksmith's eyes. As he adapts to the mortal understanding of affection, Blacksmith showers you with gifts and gestures to prove they are willing to even the playing field with you. If he brings you something you are allergic to or simply not a fan of its wise to keep sharp objects from him until you can calm him down and assure him it was a common mistake.

"May the spill of my blood grant me your forgiveness.. Had I heard you clearer I would not have made this mistake."

"It's cool, dude- Pizza is pizza."

- The Blacksmith is immortal and heals relatively quickly, which is why if you bother to patch them up when they do get hurt their brain just kinda shortcuts for a while. You are the mortal in the situation. Those supplies would be better saved for you. Is this what it means to care for another out of the generosity of one's heart(s)? Is this love? Logically, when you are injured they must return the sentiment.

"Please hold still, My Lord. The cast is almost complete."

"Isn't this a bit excessive? It was only a splinter."

"... Negative."

- The Blacksmith has a hidden profession of making music boxes. It is a tad embarrassed due to the macabre nature of the other objects it creates, but as they learn more if your world it develops a small obsession with the melodies they produce and their mechanisms. He leaves ones he is most proudest of in your bedroom - expecting you to somehow have no clue how it ended up there.

- Blacksmith can easily remove their helmet - they just don't want to. He has been described as beautiful by gods who have met it after the incident due to their eyes, but as for the appearance of its face as a whole no-one knows. It wears the iron maiden to atone for its sin of nearly condemning an innocent god, but it also believes those gods were liars and that its face will disgust you. If you argue back that are gorgeous regardless of if you've seen it or not, The Blacksmith has no choice but to take your word as truth since they trust you not to lie to them.

- Enjoys classical music. Cannot dance to save it's own skin, but would greatly admire your dancing no matter your skill level.

- One rule you must keep in mind is to not give Blacksmith access to the Internet. He will absorb modern lingo and relationship advice like a sponge. It confuses him greatly, but considering you are from this time it might be the key to winning your heart.

"Have a good day at work...Pookie."

[inkiblot]

Philosophy Regarding Antiship Logic

( !! PLEASE READ !! This is my person belief and idea that I wanted to share. Please respect it! I'm always up to have a friendly chat but please don't be rude. Thank you!) I've been reflecting on modern philosophy and its influence on contemporary fandom culture, particularly the discourse between "proship" and "antiship" communities. I believe I have reached a compelling conclusion regarding the moral foundations of this debate.

To begin, let us define "antiship." The term generally refers to fans who disapprove of certain fictional ships and their supporters on the grounds that these relationships are problematic or morally objectionable. However, this raises a fundamental question: What constitutes moral wrongdoing?

This is where the antiship argument begins to unravel. The phenomenon of antishipping is primarily observed in Western society or within fandom spaces heavily influenced by Western social norms, whereas Eastern fandom cultures exhibit a relative lack of such discourse. This discrepancy suggests that the moral framework underlying antishipping is not universal but rather culturally contingent.

Drawing from the work of Friedrich Nietzsche, we can further deconstruct this issue. Nietzsche critiqued the origins of morality, particularly its foundation in Judeo-Christian teachings. If we accept his argument that morality is not an absolute truth but a construct shaped by historical and religious influences, then the moral objections posed by antishippers become questionable. How can one claim that a particular ship is "immoral" if the very concept of morality is rooted in millennia-old doctrines that are not universally accepted?

Furthermore, within the antiship community itself, there exists ongoing contention over which beliefs or ethical stances are "more morally right." This internal conflict highlights a broader philosophical issue: If morality is not an objective truth but a subjective construct, then no single moral stance can be definitively proven superior to another.

Additionally, one could argue that antishippers’ beliefs regarding the morality of certain ships could, in some cases, be interpreted as racially or culturally insensitive, if not outright xenophobic. There have been instances in which antishippers have engaged in such behavior, particularly when moral judgments about shipping are imposed upon works from cultures with different ethical and historical backgrounds. By applying a Western moral framework to media originating from non-Western cultures, antishippers risk reinforcing ethnocentric biases and disregarding cultural contexts that do not conform to their own moral perspectives.

Ultimately, the purpose of this argument is to illustrate that the antiship perspective lacks a stable foundation. Concepts of "right" and "good" are not objective realities but rather socially and historically contingent ideas. Thus, moral condemnation within fandom spaces is inherently flawed, as it relies on a framework that is neither universal nor absolute.

[windvexer]

i feel like its kind of hard to practice magic like binding or baneful magic in general? like i cant just be spitting out hexes on people but i want to know its gonna work when i need it if that makes sense LMAO

I am currently in camp "I do not know why people think binding is baneful."

Well I'm pretty sure people assume it is a free-will-robbing operation, much in the same way that setting boundaries with people is robbing them of their free will to do whatever they want around you.

However, people are not the only targets for such operations. You can cast hexes and bindings towards anything - towards objects, recurring situations, areas, confluences, and concepts.

You can bind traffic at an intersection. You can bind loud sounds that keep you up at night. Or bind yourself to always take your medication at the set time. You could also bind yourself to restrict screen time, or to try and support other healthy habits.

You could try binding the algorithm to remove a certain type of ad from your feeds.

You could bind a tarot or oracle deck to only give sarcastic answers (and undo it later - practicing undoing bindings is important too!).

You could bind your coffee machine to always produce perfect coffee. Does binding the machine affect who makes the coffee? Does it affect how the ingredients are measured? Will it fail to make coffee if it isn't perfect? You could find out!

What is a hex? A hex is nothing. A hex is conjuring energies into someone's life, but they're programmed to be mean. "If you can hex, you can heal." You don't have to harm someone in order to learn how to do these things.

Hex for people's wrongs to come to light -> blessing to bring small artist's work to light. It's the same operation. It can even still be justice or fairness themed.

Hex for someone to understand what they've done -> spell for self-awareness and revealing inner truths.

Hex to burn and agitate someone until they make an action -> spell that compels someone to take action. You can still use red peppers. You can still use fire. Saying, "...don't let my case rest until my doctor returns the paperwork :)" does not make it a different spell than if you say "...don't let him find peace until he flees." It's the same spell.

If you dedicate yourself to healing the kinds of things you want to learn how to wield as curses, then you will be leaps and bounds more prepared to curse someone with the same.

If your interest is creating massive blockages that prevent someone from taking action, learning how to heal and resolve these things will teach you very much about them.

What is the purpose of hexes that you want to cast? To bring justice? To mitigate harm? You can do those things now without harming someone and without a victim.

You can learn to evoke Justice as a component in your spells. Get silly with it. What about a cleansing that evokes Justice to remove unwanted energies from a room? Try it, why not. Why not learn about the correspondences commonly used in binding and hexes, and build relationships with them while you work on other projects?

If you want to learn how to mitigate harm, learn about protections that prevent harm, create safe-feeling spaces, and hide things from unwanted attention.

Learn blessings and cleansings that clear harm and return beneficial energies to a situation.

There are lots and lots of ways you can learn to develop your magic to help you in situations that aren't actively occurring :) You don't have to frame yourself as an aggressor just to practice mending, de-escalating, balancing, and protecting under unhelpful circumstances.

[cmdrfupa]

Tend to me

Barkeep!Nanami x Salarywomxn!Reader

“That's what I do. I drink and I know things.”

a/n did this come from talking in a server about how post college Nanami needs a job and simping over how hot he’d be with his sleeves rolled up? You bet your ass it did. Thank you Court and Nana for your beautiful brains 🩵💜

MDNI +19

Five rejection emails, no callbacks, and his interview today turned into a scene from a novela after the receptionist barged into the boss's office, exclaiming that she was pregnant. All in the span of one week.

Kento pressed his forehead to the linoleum. table as he groaned.  

“Don't give up! It's like, 10,000 other bank jobs! You'll get one.” Haibara squeezed Kento’s shoulder as he watched his form slump into itself. 

"Yu, it seems like I’ve been turned down for 10,000 jobs. At this rate, I’ll have better luck getting a job as a cab driver.”

“But you don't have a car—”

“Shhhhhh.” Kento turned his head to the side, still keeping it on the table and looking at Yu. 

He knew Yu was trying to help, but it’d be more helpful if he didn't speak.

"Look, Ken. If nothing else comes up, I can talk to my boss to get you hired.” Yu stuffed the last of his tuna onigiri in his mouth, smiling as he attempted to cheer his roommate up. “You won't have my role as a trainer, but you could be one of the guys who clean off the sweaty machines! Pays pretty decent.” 

Clearing his throat, Kento sat up, eyes still closed before he spoke up. 

“Yu.”

“Yeah?” His big brown eyes were only filled with genuine care; Kento looked over at him and sighed.

“Thank you. I'll let you know if I need you to do that.

 Yu gave a toothy grin as he gave Kento a swift pat on the back. “It's all gonna be okay! Just breathe.”

Kento stood with a wry smile. “Thanks. I'm gonna go for a walk. Clear my mind a bit. See you tonight.”

The stroll served its purpose. It reminded Kento he wasn't a poor interviewer, nor did he lack the gusto. The job market was over-saturated and relied heavily on personal connections; Kento did not know a soul in the finance world. 

He stopped; a ‘Now hiring, Inquire within’ sign on a heavily tinted window caught his eye while Gojo watched him from the other end of the FaceTime call.

“Where does that leave you now?”

 “Well, I’ll get some experience in the meantime, become a math teacher or tutor while I look for something more sustainable.” 

"You? A teacher? Nanamin, don’t make me laugh.” Gojo propped his phone up, “You’ll have the students' brains bleeding out if you do that. Think of the children, Ken-doll.” 

Kento rolled his eyes and watched Gojo clean his desk. Literary motifs littered the wall behind Gojo. A large poster of Yevgeny Zamyatin hung in the center. “Math isn't supposed to be fun anyway. It's not teaching Dr. Seuss. It teaches objective truths and concepts.” 

Gojo feigned a yawn. “Wherever there is objective truth, there is satire.”

“That’s not how Wyndham Lewis meant it.”

“You don't know that! He's dead. It's all about interpretation.”

“I’m hanging up now. Gojo. Goodbye.”

Gojo smiled. “I can pull some strings and see if Yaga has a spot in the math department.” he nabbed his phone, seemingly prepping to leave his classroom. 

“And remember dinner this weekend! See you Nanamin!” he blew a kiss into the phone pushing Kento to immediately hang up. 

Kento looked back at the building. The 3-story building had hints of older Japanese architecture with European accents. 

"The Zenith" was carved into a wooden pillar adjacent to the entry, with a simple design. 

“I can just see what they're hiring for. No harm in that.”

The bar inside was the epitome of luxury and sophistication, designed to impress the city’s most discerning clientele. In the hotel's heart, Kento felt out of place. The floor-to-ceiling windows showed breathtaking views of the Tokyo skyline. He waited for the hiring manager to end her dumbfounded stare. 

“So no previous barkeeping history, no customer service work, and no idea how to run a till.” The dark-haired woman named Utahime looked up at Kento. “What qualifications do you have?” 

Smoothing his hair back to think of what he could say to seem qualified, he looked around the room. Older individuals who appear established. Business-minded. 

An older woman, in a meeting, smiling at the blonde-haired man. An older man was on a call. His younger companion crossed her legs and batted her lashes as Kento scanned. 

"I could boost revenue and upsell your best bottles to those who don't care about the price."

“Mr. Nanami. How could you do that? Most of our clientele just order one drink and maybe a listening ear.” 

There were a lot of things Kento lacked but looks were never one of them. The gift of having the perfect genetics made academics a breeze. But, it was now time to use his good looks and gift of gab, inherited from his grandfather. 

“I learn quick. Hire me today and I’ll have every stool filled and the register overfilled in 7 days. I guarantee.” 

Polished, calm, and precise. Nanami excelled behind the bar, his steady hands mixing drinks for the city’s elite. With his sleeves rolled, he perfected the craft of keeping up with mundane conversations mid-shake. His bulging veins, as he held the shaker, made every woman calculate their tip before he served their martinis.  Muscles flexed when he noticed some of the older men who could care less about the young women in cocktail dresses attempting to be mysterious and wanted to know if the blonde keep could do more than be heavy-handed on the gin. 

He was the bar's eye candy, something they should've thought about hiring months ago. 

It's a world where he realized he can control every variable, crafting experiences one cocktail at a time. 

After his first week, they offered him a permanent position. Working midday during the week to keep businessmen and women pleased and one Saturday evening shift a month to keep the younger crowd in.  

The low hum of conversation and soft jazz music filled the dimly lit bar as Kento worked behind the sleek marble counter, expertly mixing another round of drinks for the evening's guests. He wore his usual stoic expression, with the usual white button-down shirt and well-fitting slacks to match. 

He placed a completed cocktail on the bar top, and wiped his hands while checking what needed to be refilled. “Utahime? Could I get some more ice and a few more lowball glasses, please?” he spoke into the earpiece he donned on his left ear. “They seem to be disappearing, and Choso isn't back from his break."

"Yeah. Give me 20. I'm running tables for catering. I'll send it by Takuma.”

“Thanks.”

He wiped down the bar top; a figure slid onto one of the high-backed leather stools in his peripheral with an aura that turned heads without needing to demand attention. 

“What can I get started for you this afternoon?”

“I’ll have a French 75, please. Thank you.” Smooth and assured, your voice rang like a hymnal in his ears. 

Kento gave you a nod, his ability to indulge in small talk temporarily taken from him by your presence. He set to work, measuring gin and fresh lemon juice with his usual care, topped with a flourish of champagne. The drink landed before you in a delicate, chilled glass.

You took a sip, eyes never leaving his. Your nude-colored lips curved into a small but telling smile. "Not bad... but not quite perfect either."

Kento raised an eyebrow, subtly intrigued but keeping his expression neutral. “I take it you have high standards.” 

You chuckled, low and sultry. “I’m a person who knows what she wants, and I don’t settle for anything less.”

Nanami leaned in slightly, his tone dry yet teasing. “Perfection is subjective. Some people might call that 'almost' drinkable."

"Almost isn't in my vocabulary," you replied, eyes gleaming with challenge. You pursed your lips. “Not in business, not in life... and definitely not in drinks.”

He smirked, just enough for you to notice. “I’ll keep that in mind for your next order.”

You swirled the drink in your glass, the fizz of champagne catching the low light as you appraised him. “A man who can admit he’s not perfect? You must have been raised well. Refreshing.”

Nanami met your gaze, unruffled by your attempt to throw him off his game. “I prefer precision over perfection. Perfection tends to make people complacent.”

Your eyes narrowed but with a hint of amusement. “Interesting perspective, coming from someone who works behind a bar.”

He didn’t miss a beat. “Someone has to remind people that the best things in life have room for improvement. Even when they think they’ve already got it all.”

Tilting your head, glancing at the way the simple silver chain rested against his collar. You were impressed but clearly enjoying the game. “You might be onto something. What’s your name?”

“Nanami Kento,” he said simply, as he wiped down the bar.

“Well, Nanami,” your voice is softer but no less commanding, "next time, why don’t you make me a drink that I can’t critique?”

He gave you a rare, almost imperceptible smile. “Challenge accepted.”

Your eyes lingered on each other, the tension electric. You raised your glass, with a smile so poised and self-assured, before taking another sip.

"Looking forward to it," you murmured, low and teasing. Then, you stood and left a 50-dollar tip with your card. You walked away, your perfume lingering in the air.

Kento read your name on the card. His curiosity ran wild with every possible scenario as he watched your backend disappear into the lobby

_

A few days later, the bar's golden lights glowed softly. They reflected off the dark marble counter as Nanami wiped down glasses. His thoughts drifted to the usual routine. He’d swapped shifts, which resulted in watching the evening crowd trickle in, primarily corporate types and high-society guests, and Nanami managed the situation with his typical efficiency and calm demeanor.

But as he adjusted a bottle of whiskey on the back shelf, a familiar presence caught his eye.

You were back.

You entered with the same quiet confidence, this time fitted with a far more casual, sleek outfit paired with heels that clacked against the polished floor. 

Moving with ease, you slipped into the same seat as last time, your gaze meeting his immediately. Your lips curled into a slow smile, almost as if you knew he’d be expecting you. 

“Good evening," Kento greeted, his voice calm with a slight edge of anticipation. 

"Nanami," you replied, leaning forward. Your self-assured energy was hard to ignore. “It's a pleasure to see you tonight. I think I’m in the mood for something a bit more... complex.” 

“Is that so?” he asked, his tone dry but with an undertone of curiosity. “What are we talking about? A Negroni? Maybe a Vieux Carré?” 

You smiled a glint of challenge in your eye. “Surprise me.”

Kento studied you for a moment, then nodded and began his work. 

His movements were precise but fluid as he grabbed a bottle of mezcal and began crafting a Smoky Margarita, layering complex flavors—mezcal for smokiness, lime for sharpness, and a touch of agave to round it out, all topped off with a rim of chili salt. The drink was bold and nuanced, like the woman before him.

He placed the glass in front of you with hushed confidence, waiting for your reaction. 

With a slow sip, your lips brushed against the glass as your tongue sampled the salted rim. Eyes closed momentarily to savor the taste.

When you opened them, your gaze locked onto his. 

“Now this,” you leaned forward, "is much better.”

Kento leaned on the counter slightly, his smirk more visible this time. “Glad to hear it. Looks like I’m learning.”

“Seems like you’re a quick study.”

You held each other’s gaze, the air between thick with tension that had only grown since your last encounter. Your voice dropped to an intimate murmur, barely audible over the ambient music. “So, Nanami... what do you do when you’re not making perfect drinks?”

He raised an eyebrow, amused by the shift in your tone. “I don’t get much free time. I like structure with very little change. But I do have a break coming up.” 

Your smile widened, and there was a glint of mischief in your eyes. “Is that so? And what do you usually do on these breaks?” 

Kento straightened, glancing around the bar. The crowd was calm tonight, his usuals with a small group of beer drinkers. He certainly wasn’t going to be missed if he disappeared a little earlier than usual. “Not very much. But there’s a private spot upstairs. Quiet.” 

“Lead the way.”

Kento signaled for one of the other bartenders, wordlessly handing off duties as he made his way around the bar and approached you. You stood and walked alongside him through the bar.

Turning the corner without paying attention, an inattentive passerby bumped into Kento, a glass of what he could guess was whiskey now soaking the front of his shirt. “Holy shit, sorry.”

“It’s fine.” 

You pressed your lips together, smiling as Kento didn’t let the incident interrupt your determined ascent up the stairs. 

You didn’t speak as you made your way to a barrier, secluded alcove on the mezzanine floor—a quiet corner with a view of the city through tall windows, framed by rich drapes. The world outside was glittering and alive, but here, away from prying eyes, it felt like their own little escape.

Kento stopped near the window, turning to face you as the ambient glow of the city lights bathed them both in soft light. You stepped closer, the subtle scent of your perfume mixing with the full scent of whiskey that stuck to him. He unbuttoned his shirt, uncovering his lean torso and square pecs. 

“You have a talent for choosing the right spot.” You said, your voice lower now. 

“I don’t waste time.” He replied, his eyes locked on yours. 

You smirked, stepping even closer until the space between you was nearly nonexistent. “Efficient. I like that.”

Kento’s pulse quickened though his exterior remained composed. The heat of your presence never wavering as he watched your every move. 

You lightly brushed his arm, a deliberate move to see his reaction. 

“I knew you’d be interesting,” you uttered, your voice soft, teasing, but laced with something deeper. “I just didn’t know how interesting.”

Kento’s lips quirked into a small smile, one that carried more weight than any words he could say at that moment. “You’re not so predictable yourself.”

Your eyes locked. The city lights flickered around you, but neither of you noticed, too caught up in the magnetic pull of something new, something charged. 

You reached up, your hand brushing his collarbone. You licked his whiskey-flavored chest. You languidly licked up to his neck as he sucked in a sharp breath. "Hmm." You whispered while your lips hovered close to his. “I like a man who can keep up."

Nanami’s voice was steady, but there was a rough edge to it now. “I don’t plan on slowing down.”

With a final, knowing smile, he closed the gap between you. His lips brushed yours in a kiss more electric than the city lights below. 

“Nanami Kento.”

“Yes ma'am.”

“When you clock out, my room happens to be on the floor above this one.” You slid your room card into his pants pocket as his hand slid down, pressing you into him. 

Kento pushed you to the wall with a quick yet gentle motion, nudging his knee between your thighs. "You've surprised me."

“How so?" The sudden closeness brought a surge of anticipation bursting in your chest.

"I didn't take you for someone who would enjoy a bit of public play."

You rubbed your wetness on his knee, lost in thought. A simpering moan escaped you. "I don't know what you're talking about, Nanami."

Amused by your attempt to keep it together, he moved his knee forward to elicit another moan from you. "The dampness of my slacks says otherwise." He drowned out the sounds of the late-night rush with the pants he pulled from you.

"Tell me how to please you with precision and I'll follow every direction."

Thank you @/saradika-graphics for the dividers ✨

[talonabraxas]

"When you make the two into one, and when you make the inner as the outer, and the upper as the lower, and when you make male and female into a single one, so that the male shall not be male, and the female shall not be female: . . . then you will enter [the kingdom]." – Jesus, The Gospel of Thomas

The Third LIGHT and Angel of Gemini

3. Gemini.—The Light of Interplay. This is a line of light beams, revealing that which opposes or the basic duality of manifestation, the relationship of spirit and of form. It is the conscious light of that relationship.

Keynote: ‘I’ [the soul] recognize my other self [lower self] and in the waning of that self ‘I’ grow and glow.

“This sign is sometimes called the "constellation of the resolution of duality into a fluid synthesis." Governing as it does all the pairs of opposites in the zodiac, it preserves the magnetic interplay between them, keeping them fluid in their relations, in order eventually to facilitate their transmutation into unity, for the two must finally become the One.” This is the energy that “relates” everything – it creates relationship, overcoming separation.

"Gemini determines the paramount influence within the fourfold influence of the Mutable Cross [for this present cycle]. The main objective of these four energies is to produce that constant flux and periodic change in time and space which will provide a field of adequate experience for the unfoldment of the Christ life and consciousness. This is the case cosmically speaking, and also from the standpoint of a solar system, of a planet and of a human being. The field of development for the lower three kingdoms is dependent upon the status and energy-distributing power of humanity as a whole." (EA 344) Notes of Interest: Humanity plays a pivotal role for the full flowering of the three lower kingdoms — so that the Lord of the World can take His next steps. When all Seven kingdoms are functioning as intended, then the Earth can fulfill Its true purpose (in the distant future) as the Base of the spine Center in the Solar Logos. Sanat Kumara, the Lord of the World, shall function as a soul-infused personality for a much larger Being termed the Planetary Logos. Our role for the three lower kingdoms of nature is to influence their higher development through our consciousness as we continue to evolve (keeping in mind that the vegetable kingdom is the most evolved of the three lower kingdoms).

◊ ◊

“Because the Ray of Love-Wisdom, the second ray, pours through Gemini it becomes apparent how true is the [esoteric] teaching that Love underlies the entire universe. God is Love, we are assured, and this statement is both an exoteric and an esoteric truth. This underlying love of Deity reaches our solar system primarily through Gemini, which forms, with the constellation of the Great Bear and the Pleiades, a cosmic triangle. This is the triangle of the cosmic Christ and is the esoteric symbol lying behind the cosmic Cross. There is ever the eternal triangle to be found behind the fourfold phenomenal appearance. Speaking symbolically and in the words of the Old Commentary:

"Upon the golden triangle, the Cosmic Christ appeared; His head in Gemini; one foot upon the field of the Seven Fathers and the other planted in the field of the Seven Mothers (these two constellations are sometimes called the Seven Brothers and the Seven Sisters. A.A.B.). Thus for aeons, the Great One stood, His consciousness in-turned, aware of three but not of four. Intent, with suddenness, He heard a sound go forth.... Arousing to that cry, He stretched Himself, reached forth both arms in understanding Love, and, lo, the Cross was formed.”

"He heard the cry of the Mother (Virgo), of the Seeker (Sagittarius), and of the submerged Fish (Pisces). Then, lo, the Cross of change appeared, though Gemini remained the head. This is the mystery."

“… in the fact of the pain and sorrow which are distinguishing qualities of our planetary life lies hid a secret mystery. Through this relationship [of Gemini and Sagittarius] and through the medium of the potencies pouring into our planet, a situation is set up which I might express in the words of the Old Commentary:

"When the dual forces of the cosmic brothers (Gemini) become the energy of the one who rides towards the light (Sagittarius) then the fourth becomes the fifth. Humanity, the link, becomes the Hierarchy, the bestower of all good. Then all the Sons of God rejoice." (EA, 356)

◊ ◊

"It might be profitable to you to bear in mind at this point what I have often told you, that the great White Lodge on Sirius is the spiritual prototype of the great White Lodge on Earth, of which modern Masonry is the distorted reflection, just as the personality is a distorted reflection of the soul

1. Gemini—forms a point of entrance for cosmic energy from Sirius.

2. Libra—is related to and transmits the potencies of the Pleiades.

3. Aquarius—expresses the universal consciousness of the Great Bear.

◊ ◊

The energies of this sign …”condition the soul within the form and subject it to those influences which will lead to the intensification of the ordinary evolutionary process and the consequent waxing of the soul light and the waning of the light in matter itself. This initiates the struggle which, in a human being, is consciously realized as being between soul and personality. This leads to a final stage in Capricorn [initiation into greater light and life].” (EA, 360)

◊ ◊

“Gemini is pre-eminently the sign of the Messenger [Mercury], and this sign produces many of the messengers of God as they appear down the ages, the revealers of new divine truths and the intermediaries between the fourth and fifth kingdoms” [human and soul kingdoms]. Gemini has mental agility and fluidity of mind … When there is facility of mental approach in any direction and in connection with the many opposites in manifestation, you have the emergence of the divine Messenger in his true character, able to comprehend extremes and to relate them divinely to each other.” (EA, 354) When opposites are brought together and are related to each other soul to soul, we become messengers of Truth. The Buddha and the Christ were two such recent Divine Messengers for Humanity. The Master DK on another turn of the spiral was a messenger bringing the Wisdom teachings of the east to the west, and set the stage for a new and contemporary Discipleship; Alice Bailey, born in Gemini, served as a messenger or communicator for these Teachings (from the Mind of the Master to aspirants and disciples). Returning to the theme of this sign, the Soul is ever the Divine Messenger to the personality, creating a bridge betwixt high and low, ultimately betwixt Spirit and Matter.

◊ ◊

"In the expression of the activity of this sign of duality, it is subjective energy we must consider as it produces objective effects. This sign controls esoterically the heart of our solar system and thus controls the pulsation of life which sustains all that is. Gemini is, therefore, connected with the heart of the Sun, just as Cancer is related to the physical Sun and Aquarius to the central spiritual Sun.

1. Cancer physical Sun 3rd aspect - intelligent activity of the Whole.

2. Gemini heart of the Sun 2nd aspect - love of the Whole.

3. Aquarius central spiritual Sun 1st aspect - the will of the Whole.

In Cancer, you have the intelligent synthetic consciousness of the mass, viewing it from the consciousness of matter itself and the awareness of all forms and atoms; in Gemini, you have an emerging recognition of duality, leading to experience and growth in all separative intelligent forms; in Aquarius, you have the results of the activity of Cancer and Gemini, producing a higher synthesis and a universal group awareness." (EA, 351)

◊ ◊ ◊

THROUGH THE PORTAL OF GEMINI

CONTEMPLATIONS ◊ DIAMOND SOUL PRACTICES

Christ in you is born anew in each and every Sign. The new Mind of Christ in you confers twelve new powers of the Self – of the True Soul. We meet the energy of the Solar Angel and Angel of Gemini as the third of twelve creative Christ or God powers – each a facet in the Glory Body of the One Self.

ATTUNEMENT FOR CONTEMPLATION ◊ Come into conscious alignment with the Soul, the Christ in you. ◊ Send forth a ray of love to connect with the group as a whole and then with “the great potency of the inner groups” (the Ashrams of the Christ) ◊ Light a candle, a living flame of light in your mind, to attune with and invite the Angels (of Gemini and Solar Angel) to further activate the 3rd great Petal or Light. In this Light we work with the following Contemplations and Diamond Soul Practices (as seed thoughts and practices) to continue unfolding the latent power of this Petal (energy).

◊ BEGIN YOUR DAYS in this month of Gemini with this third petal practice, a facet of the New Mind of Christ in you unfolding for fuller subjective expression. Ask – that these days be a living example of the Keynote: how can I be a Messenger of beautiful, harmonious inter-play in any given situation on this day? Beginning our day this way, we step into the sphere of unity ~

‘I stand in the fulfilled blessings of Gemini so that love can flow’.

◊ Attuned with the Angel of the third petal, allow the “light of interplay” to be activated and released in your mind, having the power to re-sol, re-soul, resolve. ◊ In your own life and/or your life of service, do you see an area or situation that is in need of alchemical resolution for the light of interplay to act as a soul solvent. Bringing Gemini Light to what is in opposition or acting as an opposing force, brings the light and life of the sun/son of solarization— of magnetic interplay to that which needs to be solarized or ensouled, thereby bringing a resolving influence, a solarizing and harmonizing power and energy to it. ◊ Bring to mind the area or situation identified. The personality will be thinking, feeling or acting one way (based upon older patterns that have not been solarized) and the Soul will think, feel, say or act a higher Way. Move into the Soul field and bring the situation into the Soul - into the Soul’s Way. Allow the Soul to work through it - to alchemize it with its powers, virtues, thoughts and action. [This diamond and indents that follow was edited 6-10-22]

NOTE: The power behind the work of “Esoteric Advent” is the Heart and Mind of Christ flowing through it. Christ is attuned with the loving Will of the Lord of the World, Who is in touch with the Planetary Logos and in turn with the Solar Logos in the Great Chain of Being. There are greater powers of Love and Higher Will and Purpose flowing through the Hierarchy for implementation by Humanity. If something is not yet resolved, hold it “lightly” and hold it in the Light, and know it will be resolved. The larger the issue, especially if on an international or world scale, know there is a larger plan for the Way of the future. In any and every case, know that a greater force of Good has been brought into play and will work its Way through eventually. Move into Faith - “the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen”. The Plan of God — the Will of God will be enacted through all beings.

Once we learn to think with and as the Hierarchy, many of the inner disturbances will quiet down and we will not be thrown back and forth by forces of opposition or that which has not yet been re-souled / resolved.

◊ "When the dual forces of the cosmic brothers (Gemini) become the energy of the One who rides towards the light … then the fourth becomes the fifth. Humanity, the link, becomes the Hierarchy, the bestower of all good. Then all the Sons of God rejoice." Self inquiry: when the dual forces of Gemini are working rightly together – the Soul is in charge of the personality and the soul is gaining ascendency and is waxing. Think of examples in your own life where the Soul and personality came into right relationship after a conflict of opposing forces – where pain and sorrow had been resolved or relieved. What followed, what arose? Recall to mind what happened in you – and the impact it had in your life and in your group and personal relations. ◊ Joined in the light of interplay, we heal these inner separations; we stand in a new altitude in relation to the situation. The light of interplay and the love released extends into all our relations. Recalling "holy instants to mind” brings into the present the power and blessing of Solarizing interplay.

◊ Consider the Angel of this petal saying to you (to us): 'We all live under the same Sun (objectively), and within the Heart of the Son of Divine Love (subjectively). You are a fractal of Christ energy, of Divine Love pouring through all creation, relating all opposites, uniting and overcoming duality, healing all separation’. Contemplate this deeply; allow it to be true.

◊ Uncover at least one line of connection among our many lines of relationship, asking for fuller integration and unification. ◊ When complete, place your hands over your heart - feeling the energy of your heart, knowing all things can be resolved - and are re-Souled when brought into the solar energy of the Cosmic Heart.

◊ "Gemini, as you may now begin to grasp, is related to the etheric body; it is the custodian of conditioning energy and the intermediary, as far as basic essentials are concerned, between soul and body. These are the two allied brothers. In the average person, the etheric vehicle is the transmitter of psychic energy, galvanising and coordinating the dense physical body and permitting, therefore, astral and mental control of the personality. When the man is upon the Path of Discipleship and, therefore, upon the reversed wheel, leading to initiation, the etheric body becomes the transmitter of soul energy and not of personality force; the powerful effect of the second Ray of Love-Wisdom—working through the subjective six rays, according to ray type—begins steadily to dominate the vital body, producing consequently the shift of force and of intensity to the centres above the diaphragm. The power of the personality lessens and wanes whilst that of the soul waxes and grows. There is much to be learned from the study of the dual activity—higher and lower—of the etheric body and its relation to and responsiveness to the constellation, Gemini ... It is ... an esoteric fact to be borne in mind and will be some day of real service to the astrology of the future, for some day astrology will be lifted up to a higher plane. True interpretation will come and true healing in all departments of human living through a proper understanding of the available potencies and energies pouring into the planet at any particular time." (EA, 352/3)

◊ Consider this last sentence in relation to the work we are doing in our deepening monthly and daily alignments with the Zodiacal Signs. Consider how significant this work is for bringing about the merging of the 4th and the 5th Kingdoms.

◊ "Gemini ... is one of the paramount zodiacal signs in that it is the major symbol of duality in the zodiac. It is the constellation Gemini and its inherent second ray influence which control every one of the pairs of opposites in the Great Wheel. Gemini, therefore, forms with each of the pairs of opposites in the Zodiac a third factor, powerfully influencing the other two constellations, and thus forms, with them, certain great zodiacal triangles. These only become of importance when considering the horoscopes of advanced human beings or esoteric groups, but eventually—when casting the horoscope of a disciple or an initiate—the esoteric astrologer will have to consider their potency. For instance, in the case of an initiate whose Sun is in Leo, the triangle of constellation energies determining the interpretation of the horoscope would be Leo-Aquarius-Gemini... (If the birth Sun is in Gemini itself, the conditioning triangle would be Gemini-Sagittarius and Pisces—the latter forming a part of this triangle because it marks both the end and the beginning ... "the Alpha and Omega...)." (EA, 346/7)

◊ Think of your own Sun Sign and its opposite Sign being in relationship; place Gemini in the Apex thus forming a Triangle. Now consider and imagine the 2nd Aspect of Divinity, Love, flowing through Gemini into your Sun and opposite Sign thereby "fusing in consciousness the polar opposites" (as described above and in the following diamond). With Gemini at the apex, attempt to experience this new triple energy configuration as one energy flowing through your etheric system. Sense it until it is present ... be conscious of the potency of the new energy now present.

Note: if you are new to Esoteric Astrology, the opposite signs are as follows

Aries - Libra; Taurus - Scorpio; Gemini - Sagittarius; Cancer - Capricorn; Leo - Aquarius; Virgo - Pisces (or vice versa).

For the Rulers / Transmitters of each Sign (exoteric, esoteric and hierarchical), go to Supplemental Reading tab, or Planetary Rulers and Musical Notes for Rays, Constellations and Planets.

◊ "This sign is sometimes called the "constellation of the resolution of duality into a fluid synthesis." Governing as it does all the pairs of opposites in the zodiac, it preserves the magnetic interplay between them, keeping them fluid in their relations, in order eventually to facilitate their transmutation into unity, for the two must finally become the One. It should be remembered that—from the angle of the final development of the twelve zodiacal potencies—the twelve opposites must become the blended six, and this is brought about by the fusion in consciousness of the polar opposites. Pause and consider this phrasing. The opposites eternally remain from the point of view of human reason, but to the initiate whose intuition is functioning they constitute but six great potencies because he has achieved "the freedom of the two," as it is sometimes called. For instance, the Leo subject who has an initiated consciousness preserves the individuality, developed in Leo, as well as the universality of Aquarius; he can function, if he so chooses, as a fully self-identified individual, yet possesses simultaneously a fully awakened universal awareness; the same thing can be said of balanced activity and consequent fusion in all the signs. This analysis constitutes in itself an interesting and far-reaching field of speculation." (EA, 347/8)

◊ Do this for yourself now with your opposite sign. ◊ You will come to know the "freedom of the two".

◊ Though MDK has not suggested this, you may also want to do the same with your Rising sign and its polar opposite. The Rising Sign affirms the energy with which you will most Identify as a Soul.

◊ "Gemini is, therefore, one of the most important of the twelve signs and its influence lies behind everyone of them—a fact but little realised as yet by astrologers. This will be more fully understood when the triangle of Gemini and two opposing signs is studied. Because the Ray of Love-Wisdom, the second ray, pours through Gemini it becomes apparent how true is the [esoteric] teaching that love underlies the entire universe. God is love, we are assured, and this statement is both an exoteric and an esoteric truth. This underlying love of Deity reaches our solar system primarily through Gemini, which forms, with the constellation of the Great Bear and the Pleiades, a cosmic triangle. This is the triangle of the cosmic Christ and is the esoteric symbol lying behind the cosmic Cross. There is ever the eternal triangle to be found behind the fourfold phenomenal appearance. ..." Reflect again upon the words of the Old Commentary "Upon the golden triangle, the cosmic Christ appeared ..." (EA, 348)

◊ Consider again your Divine Triangle (Polar opposites plus Gemini at the Apex). Invoke the Ray of Love-Wisdom to pour through your Triangle, reaching your soul-mind-brain / etheric system. Feel the purity of this energy coursing through you - all of you. ◊ This time, include a still more potent (higher) Divine Triangle with the energy of the Great Bear and the Pleiades: imaginatively stand with one foot in the GB, the other in the Pleiades, your Head in Sirius / Gemini. ◊ Doing this Super Soul (Cosmic Soul) alignment (several times) during the month of June (in Gemini), invokes and impresses the Universal upon the particular. See how it changes you.

◊ ◊

◊ We shall consider our nation / country in the hierarchical light of Gemini through the medium of the Keynote: ‘I’ [the soul] recognize my other self [personality self] and in the waning of that self ‘I’ grow and glow. See your nation as having both a Soul and Personality nature. Imagine the Soul of your nation waxing and growing and the personality of your nation waning. See the Soul of your nation "growing and glowing" as it gains control of the Personality through its over-lighting Presence and Soul-fusing power. See the peoples of your country, as Souls, invoking the Soul of your nation. See your nations' Soul values and principles playing out, being implemented by your nations' Personality. Sound a sacred Group OM. Throughout this month, invoke Gemini to pour Cosmic LOVE through the opposites for the purpose of "fusing in consciousness the polar opposites."

◊ If you know the astrology of your nation, after first linking with the Spiritual Hierarchy in your Soul Mind, hold the Sun (or Rising Sign) and its polar opposite in Mind using the above method. ◊ Another method is to work with the Soul Ray and Personality Ray of your country (if known). For example, the Soul Ray of America is Ray Two of Love-Wisdom and the Personality Ray is Ray Six of Idealism. Visualize Gemini bringing the two into interplay and then unity. ◊ In any event, whenever we see the personality of your or another country playing itself out more than the Soul, invoke the Soul of the Country (linking with the Spiritual Hierarchy and the Christ) to come into fuller play. Invoke and hold the Soul of your nation to do the right thing in a given circumstance, to express a needed value or principle that would bring the issue into a truer or higher resolution, e.g., "for the greater Good". This requires "creative thought". Little by little, the energy builds.

◊ A similar method can be utilized for any group in which you are vested or are a part. Call forth the Soul of the Group. Imagine the Group Soul in magnetic interplay with its Personality "fusing in consciousness the polar opposites." ◊ We can also imagine the souls of group members fusing their personalities with the Group Soul, stepping into magnetic interplay, and forming one unified Soul expression.

◊ ◊

◊ Impress your mind with the Light of Gemini—The Light of Interplay. Keynote: ‘I’ [the soul] recognize my other self [personality self] and in the waning of that self ‘I’ grow and glow. ◊ Impress and associate the above thoughts with the third petal. Open yourself to intuitive impression. Sound a sacred OM sealing in the new vibration and new awareness.

CLOSING: In gratitude, let us extend a beam of lighted Love to the Solar Angel and Angel of Gemini governing the third Petal of the ‘Heart in the Head’ Lotus ◊ As we consciously express the 3rd petal, allowing it to work in and through us, our groups and the world, we are widening the channel of connection and reception, and strengthening the livingness of the New Mind in Christ. The power(s) of this facet of the Soul-Self will increase and unfold with every true Soul expression and conscious application. ◊ Bless and Be Blessed !

Image: Jesus and Mary Magdalene

[moonlitstoriess]

The Hidden Legacy- A Ruhn Danaan x Rhysands sister series

Chapter 4: The Ties that Bind

Summary: Rhysand’s sister, Seraphis, long thought dead, was taken by the Asteri/Valgs, her memories erased and turned into a ruthless killer loyal to their cause. After Bryce kills the Asteri, Seraphis seeks vengeance on her and everyone else involved. As she hunts them down, Rhysand and the Inner Circle discover the shocking truth: she’s alive, and now their enemy.

See masterlist

Arcane: understood by few; mysterious or secret

Seraphis remained concealed in the shadows of the alley, her breath forming small clouds in the cool night air. The pendant, now firmly grasped in her hand, was a chilling reminder of the Asteri’s influence. It had been retrieved in a tense, fleeting moment, but she remained resolute. The brief encounter with Ruhn, while unsettling, did not deter her from her mission.

The city was unnervingly silent, the usual hum of activity stifled as if the night itself were holding its breath. Seraphis could feel the weight of the pendant, a symbol of her loyalty to the Asteri and the past they had shaped for her. This pendant was not merely an object; it was a piece of the narrative the Asteri had crafted—a narrative she had embraced without question. Which is why, when she found out that it was missing, Seraphis had to risk everything to bring it back.

Her training had made her adept at navigating such situations. The brief moment when time had seemed to freeze had been surprising, but she remained unshaken. The touch of Ruhn’s hand had been unexpected, sending a sharp jolt through her, but it was merely an interruption, not a threat to her mission. She was a soldier of the Asteri, molded by their teachings, and no single encounter would sway her.

Seraphis tightened her grip on the pendant. The Asteri had always assured her that this relic was crucial—an essential link to her past, a tangible connection to her origins. She had been taught that her family had rejected her, leaving her with nothing but this pendant to remember them by. She had been trained to see them as the source of her pain and to view the Asteri as her true family. This pendant would serve as a motivator, a driving force for Seraphis to work harder and belong somewhere. Within the Asteri. Beside Rigelus.

Despite the unsettling nature of the encounter, she could not afford to waver. For a fleeting moment, a whisper of doubt flickered in her mind—had she misjudged the situation? Was there more to this than she had been led to believe? But Seraphis quickly pushed the thought aside. Such doubts had no place in her mind. She was a loyal soldier, bound by her commitment to the Asteri and the mission they had set before her.

As she stepped away from the alley, her focus remained unwavering. The world was full of shadows and secrets, and she was determined to navigate them with precision. The pendant was a symbol of her duty, a constant reminder of the Asteri’s guidance and the purpose she had been given.

Seraphis moved with deliberate confidence, her senses sharp as she navigated the dimly lit streets. The city around her was a maze of hidden dangers, and she was prepared for whatever challenges lay ahead. Her loyalty to the Asteri was absolute, and she would not let any distractions or uncertainties interfere with her mission.

The night was dense with potential threats, but Seraphis was undeterred. She had faced countless trials before, and this encounter, while strange, was just another obstacle to overcome. Her resolve was steadfast, her mission clear. The Asteri’s truth was her reality, and she would face whatever came next with the strength and discipline that defined her.

She arrived at the motel and swiftly entered her room, closing the door behind her. The silence of the room offered a stark contrast to the chaos of the night. Her mind was still processing the intense encounter with Ruhn.

She placed the pendant on the table, its surface gleaming faintly under the dim light. The pendant was more than a relic to her; it was a symbol of her past and her loyalty to the Asteri.

Taking out her leather-bound journal, Seraphis began to jot down her observations. The encounter had been disconcerting, particularly the way she had used her time manipulation to freeze the world around her. It had been a necessary precaution, but the intensity of the moment lingered. This is why she would rarely freeze time. It always took away so much of her energy and the eerie stillness of everything--everyone--made her feel...shaken.

For a brief moment, she had questioned her unshakable loyalty. The way Ruhn had looked at her, the way her hand lingered on his for just a moment longer, and the haunting stillness of time, had unsettled her. But she quickly shoved the doubt aside. She was a soldier of the Asteri, and her mission was paramount. Her body was acting irrationally and it was time her brain completely took over.

There is no longer any place for mistakes or hesitations.

But being this close to Bryce and not killing her…that was something. Of course this whole pendant catastrophe wasn’t in her plans to begin with but Seraphis did consider that there would have been some miscalculations. Hopefully, the next time they will see her, it will be when she ends them.

With her resolve reestablished, Seraphis planned her next moves. She would need to investigate further, understand the significance of the figure she encountered, and continue her mission with unwavering dedication. She gathered her essential items: a map of the city, tools for intelligence gathering, and concealed weapons.

Before leaving, Seraphis cast one final look at the pendant. It remained a symbol of her duty and the Asteri’s promises. As she stepped out into the night, her purpose was clear. She would unravel the mysteries of the city, driven by her loyalty and the belief in the Asteri’s truth.

Seraphis stepped out into the bustling city, the neon lights casting an otherworldly glow on the pavement. The streets were alive with people, their movements and chatter creating a cacophony that Seraphis expertly navigated. Her senses were heightened, every sound and movement carefully cataloged as she made her way through the crowded thoroughfares.

She moved with purpose, her gaze scanning for anything out of the ordinary. Her first stop was a dimly lit tavern on the edge of town, a place known for its rough clientele and even rougher rumors. Inside, the air was thick with smoke and the scent of cheap alcohol. Seraphis slipped into a shadowed corner, her eyes never resting for long on any one person. She listened intently to the conversations around her, her sharp ears catching snippets of gossip that could be valuable.

From the tavern, she made her way to a small bookstore, its sign faded and barely noticeable. The store was cluttered with old tomes and ancient texts, the kind that might hold hidden knowledge. Seraphis moved stealthily through the narrow aisles, her fingers brushing over the spines of books as she searched for anything that might offer insight into the city’s hidden layers. She selected a few volumes that seemed promising, slipping them into her bag with practiced ease.

Next, she visited a café known for its patrons’ tendency to speak freely. The café’s warm interior was a stark contrast to the cold night outside. She engaged in casual conversation with the staff, her charm and subtle probing eliciting useful information about recent unusual events and a secretive gathering of influential figures. The details were vague but hinted at something significant.

Her final stop was an alleyway rumored to be frequented by those with insider knowledge. Here, she encountered a streetwise informant, a wolf with a reputation for trading in secrets. Their exchange was terse but productive. He spoke of a clandestine meeting that was scheduled to take place soon, a gathering that could potentially be linked to the information she was seeking.

With her intel gathered, Seraphis retreated to a secluded rooftop, the city spread out before her. The cool breeze ruffled her hair as she reviewed her findings under the dim light of the streetlamps below. The pieces of the puzzle began to fit together, and she identified a lead on a location where the powerful figures were rumored to meet. The urgency of her mission became clear; she needed to infiltrate this meeting to gather more concrete information.

Her mind was sharp, focused, and unyielding. She meticulously organized her notes and ensured her gear was prepared for the next phase of her operation. As she finished her preparations, the weight of her responsibility settled on her shoulders, but she remained resolute. The city’s mysteries beckoned, and Seraphis was ready to confront whatever lay ahead.

She moved silently through the labyrinth of city streets, her senses finely attuned to every subtle shift in the atmosphere. The warehouse loomed ahead, its structure a dark monolith against the night sky. Her mission was clear: observe the meeting and determine the potential threat it posed.

She slipped through a side entrance, her movements as quiet as a whisper. Inside, the warehouse was a study in contrasts, a space where luxury met secrecy. The low hum of voices and occasional clink of glasses guided her to the meeting area.

Peering through the gaps in the partitions, Seraphis took in the scene: Bryce, Ruhn, and Declan among those gathered. Declan held up a photograph—the image of the pendant. Her pendant. Seeing it caused a flare of irritation within her. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go. The pendant was crucial, but it was her responsibility to handle it, not theirs.

Bryce’s voice cut through her thoughts. “Declan, show us the image again. This pendant… there’s something off about it. We need to understand why it was so crucial to that female.”

Declan nodded, holding the photograph aloft. Seraphis’s gaze locked onto the image, the details of the pendant glaringly familiar. It was an artifact she had been led to believe was essential for her survival. The very idea that others were now examining it, questioning its significance, was infuriating.

Seraphis’s thoughts were a storm of frustration. These people were stumbling around in ignorance, undermining her plan. They were fools, believing they could discern the pendant’s importance without knowing the truth. Her anger was palpable, her hand clenching into a fist as she watched.

Seraphis remained hidden, her sharp eyes focused on the meeting taking place in the warehouse. The dim light flickered over the gathered figures. The tension in the air was palpable, and she could sense the gravity of their discussion.

Declan was examining the photograph of the pendant, his voice cutting through the murmur of conversation. “We need to understand what this pendant truly represents. It’s been tied to a series of unusual events, and the woman we saw earlier was desperate to retrieve it.”

Bryce nodded, her expression serious. “We’ve come across mentions of similar artifacts in old texts, but nothing that directly connects them to this pendant. We need answers, and we need them quickly.”

Ruhn crossed his arms, his gaze intent on the photograph. “If this pendant is as important as it seems, we have to find out why. There’s a possibility it’s part of something larger, a threat we haven’t fully grasped yet.”

Seraphis’s frustration mounted. The conversation was drifting into territory she didn’t want them to explore. The pendant was vital, but their ignorance about its true nature only added to her irritation. These people were stumbling in the dark, and their misguided attempts to uncover its significance only made her more determined to maintain control over the situation.

As she listened, a sense of urgency grew. Her mission was to ensure that the pendant remained under her influence, and the longer she stayed, the greater the risk of exposure. She needed to act quickly.

The conversation continued, with Bryce’s connections discussing various theories and possible implications of the pendant. Their speculations were frustratingly off-mark, and Seraphis could feel her patience wearing thin.

Declan mentioned something about a potential lead they had on another piece of information related to the pendant. “We’re supposed to follow up on a few more details,” he said, “but there’s something about this pendant that feels like it’s part of a bigger puzzle.”

The room was abuzz with nods and murmurs of agreement, but Seraphis knew she couldn’t afford to stay any longer. She had overheard enough to know that their knowledge was fragmented and their conclusions misguided. Staying longer would only risk her cover.

A loud noise from outside—the sound of heavy footsteps and a scuffle—caught her attention. Seizing the opportunity, Seraphis moved quickly. Her heart pounded as she slipped out of the warehouse, her steps muffled against the cold concrete.

She navigated her way back to the motel, her mind racing. The snippets of conversation she had heard were enough to confirm that the group was on a misguided path. The pendant’s significance was still obscured to them, and that worked in her favor.

Entering her room, she locked the door behind her and took a deep breath. The meeting had been a mix of frustration and validation. She now had a clearer understanding of the obstacles she faced and the depth of the misinformation surrounding the pendant.

Seraphis paced the small room, her thoughts swirling. The Asteri’s orders were paramount, and she would not let these unworthy adversaries stand in her way. Her next steps would be calculated and decisive. She would continue to observe from the shadows, ensuring that her mission remained on track and that the Asteri’s plans were executed flawlessly.

As she prepared for the night ahead, Seraphis’s resolve hardened. The confrontation with Bryce and her allies was inevitable, but for now, she would remain hidden, allowing their ignorance to serve her purpose. The game was far from over, and she would be ready for whatever came next.

*****

Ruhn stood near the makeshift table, arms crossed, watching as Bryce’s connections continued their discussion. Declan was going through data on his device, the image of the pendant still projected in front of them.

“That’s it,” Declan said, shaking his head in frustration. “I’ve combed through every source I could find—nothing modern matches this symbol. No database, no house, no records. It’s like this thing doesn’t exist.”

One of the fae males, a scarred figure with silver tattoos curling up his neck, leaned in closer to the image. “It doesn’t match because it’s ancient. I’ve seen symbols like this before, in archives most wouldn’t even know to look at.”

Ruhn straightened at that. “How old are we talking?”

The male’s expression darkened as he glanced at his companions. “Older than any current court. Before the houses united, before the current system was in place. The symbol belongs to an old bloodline, one that no longer exists—at least not officially.”

Bryce’s eyes flashed with intrigue. “The Old Courts?”

Ruhn’s gut clenched. Whoever this woman was, she wasn’t just some random thief. She was connected to something much bigger—something they had no idea about. And if she was using that pendant for her own means, they were already behind.

Declan chimed in, his eyes on his device. “There’s still nothing in the modern archives, no mention of any family still active that could be tied to this symbol. But if it’s as old as we think, then it might not even be registered anymore.”

Ruhn rubbed a hand over his jaw, trying to piece it together. “So we’re dealing with someone who knows about the Old Courts, who has access to something none of us understand. But why show up now? What’s the motive?”

Another one of Bryce’s people, a female faun with pale blue hair nodded. “Whoever has this, they’re not just looking for power—they’re looking to shift the balance of it. And if they’re connected to the Old Courts, they could be planning something bigger than any of us are ready for.”

Ruhn swallowed down a wave of unease. The female he’d encountered might not be an enemy they could easily understand. If she was tied to an old bloodline—an old family from a forgotten era—then this fight was about more than just the pendant. It was about history, legacy, and powers they’d long thought lost to time.

Bryce, who had been quietly studying the image, suddenly stilled. Her mind was clearly lost in somewhere Ruhn had no idea. He saw how his sisters eyes widened just a fraction as a flicker of recognition passed through her.

She whispered, more to herself than to anyone else. "Could it be...?"

"What? Could it be what?" Ruhn's voice sounded urgent as he looked at his sister who was still clearly lost in a train of thoughts.

"So- um, we are talking ancient," She said, as if suddenly coming back to reality. "How old exactly?"

Ruhn's brows furrowed. Is she okay? "Bryce-"

She lifted up a hand to silence him as one of the faes replied. Ruhn got her hidden message, to shut the hel up until later.

"Old enough that the symbol no longer holds any modern power, but it's magic lingers. This pendant is tied to a family from that era, back when power wasn't centralized. If someone has this pendant now, they're not just tied to an ancient bloodline--they're tapping into old magic."

He cast a sideways look at his sister who kept silent, her thoughts spinning, her eyes narrowed in on one place.

Unbeknownst to them, Seraphis had already slipped into the shadows, her mission in motion, and the true weight of her heritage still hidden from them all, including herself.

As the meeting wrapped up, Bryce lingered behind the group, her eyes still distant, lost in thought. As they finally said their goodbyes, stepped out of the warehouse and into the cool night air, he finally decided to press her.

"Alright, Bryce. Spill," he said, keeping his voice low but firm. "What the Hel was that back there? You went pale for a second."

Bryce glanced at Declan, who was still scrolling through data on his phone. She seemed to be wishing her words carefully, deciding how much to share.

"I don't know for sure yet," she started, her voice tense, but steady. "But...that pendant. I've seen those kinds of carvings before and Marcus just saying that this belongs to an old court just- ugh," she sighed.

Declan stopped walking, his gaze shifted between Bryce and Ruhn. "Seen it where? The archives are empty on this. How could you-"

"I didn't say I saw it here," Bryce interrupted, shooting him a sharp look. She hesitated, taking a deep breath, her usual confidence slipping just a bit. "It wasn't here. It was....somewehere else."

Ruhn frowned, his stomach twisting. He'd never seen Bryce this unsettled. "Somewhere else? You mean--"

Bryce nodded, her eyes darkening with some unspoken memory. "When I was in that other world. When I was- when I was in the caves, in- Prythian."

Declan swore under his breath. "You think this pendant has a connection to that place?"

"I don't know," Bryce admitted, her voice tight. "But it's too close to ignore. When I was in those caves with Azriel and Nesta-"

"Who the Hel are Azriel and Nesta?!" Declan interrupted, earning himself a jab from Ruhn.

Bryce rolled her eyes. "The faes- or high faes, as they call themselves, of that place. It was when I was going through the caves with them that I saw similar patterns on the walls to the ones that the pendant contains."

Ruhn's jaw clenched. He hadn't been there when Bryce had fell into another world, but he knew enough about her experiences to understand the gravity of her words. If this pendant had ties to that world, they were dealing with something far more dangerous than just an ancient relic.

"Do you think that anyone from them know about this?" he asked.

"I don't know," his sister said, her tone flat. "But we need to find out. I'm going to try and find a way to reach out to Nesta--discreetly. We can't let this slip past us."

They walked in silence for a few moments, the weight of her words settling over them. Bryce wasn’t one to panic, but the edge in her voice was unmistakable.

“I’ll keep digging,” Declan finally said. “If there’s any other mention of that symbol, I’ll find it.”

Bryce nodded, her lips pressed into a tight line. “Good. Because whatever this thing is… it’s not just some lost piece of history. It’s connected to something bigger.”

Ruhn’s mind was racing. The mysterious female they were hunting had that pendant. And now it might be tied to another world entirely. He couldn’t shake the feeling that they were standing on the edge of something enormous, something that could change everything.

And whatever it was, it wasn’t good.

******

The quiet hum of the motel room couldn't drown out the noise in her head. Seraphis sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes drifting to the small window overlooking the city.

Lunathion was chaotic, loud, and bustling-but in here, it was too quiet.

Too still.

It felt wrong.

She had been fighting off the growing sense of unease for hours now, but the weight on her chest hadn't lifted.

Instead, it grew heavier, more insistent, as though something was building beneath the surface, waiting to break free.

Then it did.

Her vision blurred, and a cold gust of air slammed into her. The ground shifted beneath her feet, and suddenly, she no longer in the motel room. The scent of the city streets vanished, replaced by the sharp tang of blood, smoke, and death.

Seraphis blinked.

She was standing in the middle of a battlefield.

The air was thick with ash, and the sky above was a sickly shade of gray.

All around her, bodies lay strewn across the ground-warriors, soldiers, fae, and mortals alike, their lifeless forms broken and bloody. The city she had just been staring at from the window was in ruins, buildings collapsed into heaps of rubble, streets torn apart.

Lunathion had fallen.

Seraphis walked forward, her boots crunching against the debris and shattered remains of what had once been a thriving

The further she walked, the more the devastation unfolded before her eyes. Blood stained the ground, thick and dark, and bodies piled up, a grotesque reminder of what war could do.

And yet, this was a war she had helped orchestrate. If everything went as planned, this was the future she would create.

But as she walked among the fallen, something stirred within her. She stepped over bodies without a second thought, the carnage unfurling at her feet-until her gaze caught on a figure ahead.

A male. His body was sprawled across the ground, his familiar dark hair matted with blood, his face pale and unmoving.

Ruhn Danaan.

Seraphis stopped dead in her tracks, her breath catching in her throat. For a moment, she couldn't move, her chest tightening painfully as she stared at him. She had seen countless deaths, walked through the blood of her enemies without flinching. But this... something about this was different. Wrong.

She knelt down, her trembling fingers hovering just above his cheek, though she couldn't bring herself to touch him. His lifeless eyes were open, staring up at the sky, unseeing. And for reasons she couldn't explain, seeing him like this sent a shudder through her, as though something inside her was breaking apart.

She didn't understand why. She shouldn't care.

Yet her chest tightened, her heart pounding in her ears. She couldn't tear her gaze away from his face, the image of him lying there seared into her mind.

Then, from the corner of her eye, she caught movement.

She turned, her attention snapping to the source-a male groaning in pain a few feet away. He was still alive, barely, his body bloodied and battered. Her breath hitched as she took him in-tall, broad-shouldered, his features too familiar. His face was so similar to hers, it sent a chill down her spine.

The male looked a lot like her—a mirror image, his features sharp, dark, like a distorted reflection of herself, not to mention the same violet eyes. He groaned again, his body trembling as he tried to move.

Beside him was a female, her golden-brown hair wild and tangled, her eyes wide with desperation as she pressed her hands against his side, trying to stop the bleeding. Seraphis didn't know who she was, but the fierce look in her eyes was unmistakable.

The female would stop at nothing to keep the male alive.

Seraphis took it all in, her chest tightening as the weight of the scene pressed down on her. She stood frozen, torn between the cold, calculating part of her that told her this was a future of her own making and the strange, unfamiliar emotions clawing at the edges of her mind.

And then, just as suddenly, the world shifted again.

The battlefield, the bodies, Ruhn, the stranger whom she had never seen before, it all faded away in a flash of light, and she was back in the motel room. The harsh glow of the single bulb above her head felt like a slap to the face, the distant sounds of the city buzzing faintly outside the window.

But the weight on her chest remained. Seraphis stood there for a long moment, her breath shallow, her pulse racing as she tried to push the memory of the battlefield back into the recesses of her mind. She couldn't afford to dwell on it, couldn't afford to feel. Not now.

Not ever.

She took a deep breath, steadying herself, forcing the emotions down until they were buried deep where they couldn't reach her.

The hunt wasn't over yet. But that brief glimpse into the future was enough to remind her-there was more at stake than she had ever imagined.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Taglist:@annamariereads16 @tooexhaustedsstuff @a-frog-with-a-laptop @cassie-at-college-blog @itsinherited @anuttellaa

[moontrinemars]

Tenth Lord in Jupiter Nakshatras

Thanks for your patience in waiting for the next part of the series - I’m glad you guys are interested. As always, recorded for my own benefit, published for yours. General disclaimer is in my bio. Credit to KRSchannel for inspiring this post.

Find your 10th lord here, and find your 10th lord’s nakshatra here.

The 10th house rules our life’s honor. It represents the services we perform for society as well as the reputation we earn as a result. It is associated with the father and the career because traditionally, this is where both our standing in society and the role we performed in society would come from - inherited through the father’s family line. However, in our contemporary world, this isn’t always the case, which is why it’s important to know the grander themes at play.

The three Jupiter-ruled nakshatras are Punarvasu, Vishakha, and Purva Bhadrapada.

Jupiter is a planetary object that represents ascension, expansion, and union. It is the aspiration that guides us to our greatest heights, and the intangible whole comprised of all pieces, parts, and individuals. Channeling Jupiter means to take the role of the collective in our capacity as an individual, such as sharing our experiences to better the understanding of others, or discovering, exploring, and sharing universal truths that connect everyone. This is why Jupiter is associated with the partner. Venus is like the practical partner, who represents our own earthly values, but Jupiter is the soulmate, who allows us to ascend beyond the self, uniting physical with spiritual. Jupiter obscures, elevates, and enlightens, offering both afterlife and a life purpose.

DO YOU HAVE YOUR 10TH LORD IN A JUPITER-RULED NAKSHATRA? THAT MEANS YOU…

Audrey Hepburn, Amelia Earhart, and Kendrick Lamar all have their tenth lords in Jupiter ruled nakshatras. Audrey’s is in Punarvasu, Anne’s is in Vishakha, and Kendrick’s is in Purva Bhadrapda.

… AND THE PUBLIC MUTUALLY TEACH, EVOLVE, AND MYTHOLOGIZE ONE ANOTHER.

This placement produces an individual who is not content to engage with either their vocation or their society as a means to an end. These natives rather prefer to approach their public life, and the concept of the public itself often enough, as deeply meaningful and containing a higher purpose. Here you find individuals who shake up their industry by introducing cultures of open-mindedness and experimentation, as often as you find those who pursue their far-flung, lofty legacies at the expense of their health, relationships, privacy, and even life.

Jupiter's fame is more particular to how its influence manifests than to the amount of or method by which it was accrued. Whether you're looking at canon-defining classics, the celebrity of subculture, or the first individual of a certain kind to succeed in this or that field, you're looking at a Jovian native whose legacy serves to teach the public, and expand how the public defines itself. Of course, anyone can push boundaries, but these natives are most likely to be remembered for the barriers they break, and the lessons they taught in the process.

MORE ON THE SPECIFICS OF PUNARVASU, VISHAKHA, AND PURVA BHADRAPADA BELOW!

IF PUNARVASU RULES THE TENTH LORD, YOU…

Sharon Tate, David Beckham, and Halle Berry all have their tenth lords in Punarvasu. Others with this placement are William Shakespeare, Aretha Franklin, Amy Adams, J. M. Barrie, Debbie Harry, Al Gore, Alannis Morisette, Naomi Judd, Stephen King, Tony Curtis, Eddie Murphy, Gisele Bündchen, Werner Herzog, and Courtney Love.

Take public responses to your behavior personally, even finding it difficult to separate your identity from your reputation at first.

Are likely to be known for your professional value on an individual level, as a matter of skill, rather than as a team member or leader.

May benefit from a mentor who takes you under their wing, or may play such a role to new incomers to your field or workplace.

Count on your inborn charm to buoy you through scandal.

Transform your persona with age to appeal to new expectations.

AND YOU MAY FIND…

Travel is an expected part of your job, and public service you perform in foreign places seems to leave a greater impact.

Early on in life, key marriages and romantic partnerships can interfere with your career and social status, or vice versa.

Engaging in social service, partaking in cultural traditions, and organizing society-wide events, is spiritually cleansing, and allows you to reintegrate your public persona and personal identity.

Others imbue you with moral authority you are not prepared to shoulder, potentially leading to unearned imposter syndrome.

A pattern of being publicly linked to 'someone else': a role you have played, a title you've been given, a superior who enhances your image, a teammate who steals your valor, etc.

PUNARVASU is the Star of Renewal. Industries and career types favored are those involving archetypes, exploration, drama, history, innovation, education, spirituality, relationships, care-taking, healing, delivery, narrative, articulation, influence, and transportation.

IF VISHAKHA RULES THE TENTH LORD, YOU…

Anne Hathaway, Usher, and Billy Idol all have their tenth lords in Vishakha. Others with this placement are Dodi Al Fayed, Steven Spielberg, Susan Sarandon, Winston Churchill, Giorgio Armani, Martin Luther, Patti Page, H. G. Wells, Martin Scorsese, Analeigh Tipton, Joel Coen, Megan Mullaly, Richard Strauss, CM Punk, Georgia O'Keefe, John Cleese, Monica Vitti, Ashanti, and Mary, Queen of Scots.

Naturally come to occupy positions of authority in the industries of your mastery, if not through literal rank than socially/morally.

May find yourself successfully introducing a new movement, genre, belief, or idea before it's celebrated by the mainstream.

Are generous in the world of public service, and will leave a legacy of having cared for and striven for the betterment of your society.

Know how to communicate your ideals and philosophies to a wide audience in a professional setting effectively, even artistically.

May be accused of elitism, pretentiousness, or arrogance, even when you try to cultivate an attitude of humility and modesty.

AND YOU MAY FIND…

Your early professional life is beset with competition, or your chosen industry is somehow affected by martial conflicts.

Members of the public will interpret you either as self-indulgent and petty, or as austere and enlightened, with no in-between.

Opportunities for romance are plentiful for you in social and legal settings, but resulting relationships must be extricated from those wider contexts to establish a happy and healthy marriage.

Your boss often partakes in social drinking with his subordinates.

Jealousy is a common theme, whether you have a reputation for being jealous, others are jealous of and threatened by you, etc.

VISHAKHA is the Star of Purpose. Industries and career types favored are those involving research, politics, competition, speech, ideology, agitation, immigration, criticism, trade, exchange, leisure, intoxicants, production, leadership, personal branding, and style.

IF PURVA BHADRAPADA RULES THE TENTH LORD, YOU…

Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, and Sidney Poitier all have their tenth lords in Purva Bhadrapada. Others with this placement are Kurt Cobain, Laurence Olivier, Michael Jordan, Charles Dickens, Vincent Price, Armie Hammer, Franz Schubert, Gerard Way, John Steinbeck, Kurt Russell, Maya Angelou, Conan O'Brien, Bobby Driscoll, David Tennant, Jay Leno, Rik Mayall, Keri Russell, and OP.

Tempt others into rule-breaking and are tempted in turn by communities and livelihoods that circumvent or defy the law.

Signify a movement or change in social norms within your field.

Use your work to provoke others into changing their core beliefs.

Bring elements of the metaphysical, spiritual, transcendental, and philosophical into a more social and/or practical public setting.

Naturally uncover and grapple with a fundamentally darker side of public life and of the public in general, with too much exposure or attention more likely to pose a real, material risk to your health, security, or even life.

AND YOU MAY FIND…

Your look, attitude, and/or impulses are easily congealed into an image or symbol, one that is powerful but restrictive, and your depths may be shunned by the public or authorities as a result.

Anyone who tries to take a conflict with you public will suffer serious consequences as a result, from either your own ferocity when tested, or organized backlash from others on your behalf.

Introduction through the professional and public sphere makes others magnetically attracted to you; however, those who would already be attracted to you are at risk of becoming obsessive.

The pursuit of a specific career or end-goal, specifically through higher education or founding of a philosophy, actually puts you in contact with more opportunities and generates more success in a totally different field or toward a different goal than you plan for.

One of the most rewarding and effective means by which you can perform public service is through contributions to education and community outreach through mentorship.

PURVA BHADRAPADA is the Burning Pair. Industries and career types favored are those involving ideology, sensuality, speculative genres, music, investigation, nature, spirituality, research, administration, promotion, conflict, subcultures, rhetoric, death, and crime.

HOPE THIS IS HELPFUL. VARIATION IN REQUESTS MEANS WE’RE GOING OUT OF ORDER, BUT WE WILL RETURN TO THE OTHERS LATER. FEEL FREE TO MESSAGE WITH QUESTIONS, THOUGHTS, IDEAS, ETC. THANKS SO MUCH. PART 7 WILL BE FOCUSED ON MERCURY-RULED 10TH LORD NAKSHATRAS! ♡

[tuukzs]

The Garden of the Veil

There are places where the boundaries between the visible and the invisible dissolve, leaving only a tenuous veil between the known and the ineffable. This garden is one such place—a tableau suspended in the eternal twilight of the soul. It is not merely a landscape but an initiation, a sacred riddle writ large in symbols both familiar and strange.

The sun hangs low in a sky ablaze with impossible colors, its light neither harsh nor gentle, but transformative. It is not the sun of ordinary days, but the alchemical Sol, the great generative principle. Beneath its watchful presence, the garden blooms in wild abundance, every flower and blade of grass shimmering as though alive with hidden purpose. The colors of the path are not random; they evoke the sevenfold mystery, the ascent of spirit through the planes of being. This is no mere stroll—it is a journey of initiation.

And then, the cat. Black as night, with eyes like burning sapphires, it reclines at the edge of the path, its gaze as inscrutable as an ancient oracle. In the traditions of the occult, the black cat is no mere animal; it is a guardian, a liminal creature that straddles the worlds of flesh and spirit. Its presence here is not accidental. It watches not as a passive observer, but as a keeper of the threshold. To pass it, one must first reckon with what lies within.

There, on the wall of the house—a mirror. But it does not reflect the world; it holds it. In the lore of the mystics, mirrors are more than objects of vanity. They are gateways, thresholds through which the hidden truths of the self may be glimpsed. To look into this mirror is not to see oneself, but to confront the depths of one’s own soul. It is both a warning and an invitation.

The entire scene hums with the resonance of ancient teachings. In the words of the Emerald Tablet:

“That which is Below corresponds to that which is Above, and that which is Above corresponds to that which is Below, to accomplish the miracle of the One Thing.”

The sun, the cat, the mirror, the garden—they are not separate, but expressions of the same truth, layered and intertwined. To walk this path is to step into the alchemical furnace, to be burned and remade.

But the garden is not kind. Its beauty is not meant to soothe, but to provoke. It whispers of secrets that cannot be unlearned, of transformations that cannot be reversed. This is not a place for the faint-hearted or the curious dilettante. It is a crucible, and those who enter must be prepared to leave something of themselves behind.

The cat watches, its gaze unyielding. The path stretches forward, a riot of color and shadow. The mirror glimmers, daring you to step closer. In this garden, there are no answers—only the promise of revelation. Whether you find it or flee from it is up to you.

[middlenamesage]

What each sign teaches us plus some hard truths each might need to ask!

KEEP IN MIND we all have all the signs in our birth chart; whether those houses are “empty” or not, they still have influence. We also all experience transits through all the signs, and we even have progressed charts that account for the archetypes we get more into learning later on. So take WHATEVER resonates for you with any of this!

♈️🐏 Aries teaches us action and that action comes from us with the least resistance when we know and trust who we are as an individual.

Hard truth: Aries, have you been seeing yourself or living your life as though you’re a one-man island? You might think you’re stronger than others for your hyper-independence, but at times the greatest strength for YOU is recognizing and embracing what others have contributed to your life and to who you are. It could also behoove you to think of others or to think more carefully through potential outcomes before you act sometimes.

♉️🐂 Taurus teaches us personal peace by aligning our focus on what we need for material and psychological stability.

Hard truth: Taurus, have your values, personal preferences, or your attachment to possessions become overly rigid? While honoring our values and preferences and ensuring we have the necessary items for material security and comfort are an important part of the process in finding peace, total inflexibility about these things can end up sending you in the opposite direction of peace.

♊️🌬️ Gemini teaches us to gather objective information from the world around us, and how to communicate information.

Hard truth: Gemini, have you been looking down so many avenues of knowledge, that you haven’t allowed yourself the time and sustained focus to sort out your own philosophies, or go more into depth or meaning, around the subjects you’re learning? At times you should also strive to keep better track of what you’re communicating to people, and to focus on understanding the meaning you project with your words, not just the information provided by them.

♋️🦀 Cancer teaches us how to emotionally support ourselves and others (self nurturance is key for support of others to be most functionally helpful)

Hard truth: Cancer, have you become so focused on protecting yourself or others, that you’ve started to see danger where it doesn’t even exist? Careful, paranoia is not a good look for anyone, but especially not you. There’s a reason you have instincts to build walls around you, not unlike a crab retreating into its shell. 🦀 But if this becomes a default action and not just used when it’s actually needed to protect your space or safety, the function of your energy to support and nurture can not be as well realized.

♌️🦁 Leo teaches us confidence in authentic expression of self. Where the first fire sign teaches us confidence in establishing self, the next one teaches us how to implement authentic expression of oneself.

Hard truth: Leo, have you been going out of your way to seek input from others that your self expression is valid? Well cut that out if so, because that would defeat the entire purpose of practicing YOUR expression. YOU decide if it’s valid. I could also advise something like “be less self centered!”… but honestly that’ll just start to happen naturally once you’re actually authentically relying on your own validation only. 🦁

♍️🌾 Virgo teaches us how to take care of things in the practical realm. We wouldn’t have a functioning world around us in this physical plane if it weren’t for Virgoan energy assessing all the details of structures, systems, and routines… makes sense I’ve read from at least one source that Virgo is the most common Sun sign!

Hard truth: Virgo, have you gotten so up in your head, Mercury style, about the details of your routines or the tasks you need to do, that it’s become challenging to actually successfully or efficiently attend to them? When Virgo energy gets dysfunctional like this it could really take a cue from Mars/Aries. “Just do it!” Also, whenever you start to find yourself being especially critical of yourself or others, you could stand to remind yourself of the big picture dynamics, concepts, or goals you have in mind.

♎️⚖️ Libra teaches us interpersonal peace by putting the focus on compromise and balance.

Hard truth: Libra, if you’ve been going out of your way to appease others, you might need to ask yourself if this is because you truly care about what’s best for them, or if it’s a behavior more connected to lack of rootedness in YOURSELF that makes you averse to conflict? It’s important for you to try to get to know and exercise your authentic individuality. The South Node currently in Libra with the North Node in Aries can help anyone who wants to make progress here.

♏️🦂 Scorpio teaches us how to face our shadows and ultimately how to integrate them so that we may transform.

Hard truth: Scorpio, have you been so obsessed on analyzing your past for answers to why you are as you are, that you’ve forgotten to just focus on finding some personal peace in the moment? You could take a cue from your opposite/sister sign Taurus if you find yourself in this position. 🖤 Also, when it comes to your trust issues, two big things will ultimately help: 1.) Build your SELF trust through giving yourself the opportunities to make and carry out your own decisions (Scorpio is Mars too and needs to act!) and 2.) Use/cultivate your deep instincts about people to ensure it’s supportive people you have most around you, while doing whatever you can to keep the toxic ones out.

♐️🏹 Sagittarius teaches us how to form our beliefs and find meaning however it encourages you to expand.

Hard truth: Sagittarius, have you fallen into the trap of thinking the philosophies that give YOUR life meaning are the same beliefs that others need to adopt? WHOA back up there buckaroo! It’d behoove you to remember that Sagittarius is a fire sign, so it deals with some personal aspects of our individuality. Not everyone will find inspiration to expand from the same designations of meaning as you, and you need to learn to not try to push your worldviews on anyone who isn’t receptive.

♑️🐐 Capricorn teaches us how to build structure and commit to a long term goal/vision/plan.

Hard truth: Capricorn, have you become so blinded by your personal standards for quality or by what it is you’re trying to build to be a certain way, that anyone or anything that does not fit neatly into your structure appears as a threat or a reason to give up hope to you? At times you could stand to gain a little more flexibility and optimism. Setbacks do not mean the end, and if you could fast forward over your life you would see this, so if you’re having trouble seeing it now, try to see if you can regain a bit of the hopeful outlook from the sign that came just before you. I promise the capacity is within you. 😉

♒️🏺 Aquarius teaches us the ins and outs of society so that we may reflect on what we as an individual can bring to it or help liberate it.

Hard truth: Aquarius, have you been viewing yourself so much as an outsider, that it’s tempting to see yourself as separate from the rest of society? Well I have a hard truth for you: You’re not separate from it and not above it; no one is. And it’s especially dysfunctional for YOU to see yourself as a distinct and separate entity not influenced by society, or as too different from everyone else to be able to relate to them- society needs your insightful contribution!

♓️🐟 Pisces teaches us empathy and fosters our imagination through the understanding that everything is connected.

Hard truth: Pisces, have you been seeing yourself as the victim? You really need to hear that if you would just cut that out and start seeing yourself instead as an empowered dreamer with strong intuition you can continually cultivate, your ability to manifest* would be arguably the most insane of all the signs. (*Not that I support the idea that everything can be attained through manifestation alone.) Take it from a Pisces rising who learned the hard way and is feeling inspired to expand on this one: victimhood is The most detrimental trap for Pisces. Not only because it keeps your reality feeling like that of a victim, but also because Pisces energy is nearly functionally useless if it’s too self absorbed to ever see or act according to the Piscean message of interconnectedness. Learning the right amount to give compassionately of yourself, with the appropriate boundaries, is a crucial part of the Piscean journey!

Thanks for reading, and happy astrological evolution! 🌻

[allegraforchrist]

Op-Ed #1

Why the Bible Should Be Reinstated as a Subject in Schools 

By Zoë Scott

Youth culture is experiencing a modern ethical decline characterized by race-based narcissism, the growing acceptance of platforms like OnlyFans among young women aged 18 to 44, and aggressive advocacy for minor transgender-affirming care on TikTok; these trends raise concerns about the absence of moral boundaries regarding children, autonomy, and identity.

We cannot pinpoint when the decline in social morality and dignity began, or conclude its normalization. Factors like unsupervised internet access, administrative failures in 2020, and unilateral diversity efforts likely contributed to the present educatory decline, distorted social norms, and equating of 'micro-labels' to self-determination.

A notable example of a breeding ground for social contagions and negative influences is modern schools.

School has been the cultural and foundational experience necessary for the adolescent development of character, intelligence, and independence. Parents rely on this environment, as an extension of caring for their child's cognizant well-being, to promote focused development and responsibility in social skills, academics, and future aspirations. 

However, we now observe a pattern of deception within education. The educational system has shifted from nurturing skills and protecting knowledge integrity to openly discussing various ideologies and unconventional sexual education, often without adequate parental permission or awareness.

This deception reveals the modern shift from traditional support structures, like church and family, towards external counsel and the disregard for professional boundaries and parental rights - resulting in unhealthy affinities between students and the school's authority and independence. 

We recognize the significance of orthodox school subjects and their teachers, but we also question how moral issues and inappropriate social trends are addressed within the academic context. In response, I propose reinstating the Bible as a subject in schools.  

Religion examines the concepts of right and wrong, fact and fallacy, nature versus nurture, truth versus emotion, and purpose versus plan. The Bible serves as a well-known source for exploring these ideas and issues.

Through the Bible, students can discern between the wisdom of Proverbs and self-help, contextualize the sociology of Leviticus with social movements, compare Tanakh/Torah laws to modern legislation, and explore ecclesiastical poetry in Job and Ecclesiastes. Students will also strengthen their reading, grammar, and speaking skills by examining the differences between the Bible's King James and our Standard English. 

From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible contrasts moral dilemmas and relatable life lessons through stories, testimonies, psalms, and verses. 

Teaching the Bible offers contemporary, endurable, mature solutions to modern problems. The Bible can guide our youth toward modesty, thoughtfulness, and healthy choices in friendships, family, health, sexuality, and self-awareness. These teachings can support their growth and help them navigate their social development into adulthood.

During their formative years, students are highly impressionable. Combining age-appropriate sociology with biblical studies will equip our youth with the moral compass to navigate their exposure to inappropriate deportments often encouraged on social and public platforms. The Bible's objectivity will enable both teachers and students, adults and children, influencers and influenced, to investigate their biases, behavior, thinking patterns, and authority more critically and carefully. 

While the Bible also contains violent and graphic themes; such studies can be reserved for high school students (grades 9-12) with sufficient critical thinking skills and can confidently interpret complex narrations of rape, death, and war within their historical context and confront the uncomfortable realities paralleled in their present day. 

Many people will disapprove of teaching the Bible as a subject in schools. They argue it could be biased and infringe upon their First Amendment, potentially deny other religions their space and expression, or reinforce misconstrues and negative attitudes toward specific communities.

This proposal outlines an elective course for students supervised by a subject expert focused on the Bible. The aim is to explore the positive effects of biblical values on families, communities, education, politics, language, media, and personalities while promoting diverse religious perspectives, critical thinking, and appropriate repudiates.

The Bible reaffirms the mastery of our creation and the power of free will when driven by the virtues of patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, self-control, and peace. Reaffirming these virtues and honorable life skills will transform the next generation's perspectives on social norms, identity, and governance. 

Dismantling this destructive culture of self-determination and self-gratification, with biblical guidance, will rebalance the dynamics of acceptance and adolescence, and recalibrate the positive power our youth will channel into future ambitions, environments, and civics. 

References and Sources:

The Bible & Public School’s, a First Amendment Guide ; National Bible Association and First Amendment Center; 1999

 Buchholz, Katharina. “Political polarization Relatively Strong in the US”.  Statista. November 6th, 2024.

Ceci, Laura.  “Number of OnlyFans creator accounts worldwide from July 2021 to February 2025”. Statista. March 7th, 2025. 

Texas School for the Deaf (TSD Texas). “The Dangers of Underage Students Using OnlyFans”. Texas.gov. September 12, 2024.

Rivera, Emily. “AI Boyfriends, Virtual Girlfriends, and the Future of Digital Love – Are We Really Dating Robots Now?”. Woke Waves. February 4th, 2025. 

 LCSW, Morin, Amy.  “From Cyberbullying to Depression, These Things Affect Teenagers Today”. Parents.com. January 7th, 2025. 

YouVersion. The Holy Bible (NKJV). 

 Oxford. Oxford English Dictionary.

[arcane-abomination]

I recommend reading my blog on Void Magick before this one. As it explains the basics of Void that will not be covered here. This may cause some readers to be a little lost.

Leviathan’s Guidance

This information on the void was presented to me when I descended into a deep gnosis to make contact with lord Leviathan. He taught me the construction of the void and helped me to understand its makeup a little better. This seemed to be the missing piece I’ve heard many people talk about when traversing the void. And while it still holds truth that the void’s appearance is reflected in the individuals own perspective, it’s still important to understand the general structure of this vastly mysterious space.

I have taken the liberty to attribute my own terminology to each part that was shown to me in an attempt to bring further understanding and much easier categorization to the plains themselves, but you’re free to disregard these terms if they don’t suit you. In all there are 3, categorized by the upper, middle and lower spaces represented by the colors White, Grey, and Black. Now, please take note that these colors are rather arbitrary in the long run as each level presents itself uniquely to the individual. These are simply the product of my own journey, what appeared to me and thus how I label and associate the structure of the void that I experienced.

The Atherial Plain

We begin in the upper level I call the Atherial plain. Aptly named because it’s associated with the color white. While in this plain it appeared to me as though I was walking in the sky. It was bright, with clouds beneath me and around me. And all manner of things hung in the air, moving and shining without constitution or purpose. At least none that I could see. Stars, planets, comets, orbs, and a multitude of other items and creatures to unique to accurately convey in words, shimmering and shifting endlessly. There was no rest here, no silence. There was noise, endless whispers in the wind, music in the distance, and the random bustle of the many object’s collisions with one another. It was beautiful but intense. An energy compelling me to take action, not to wait or calculate. Just simply do without thought or meaning. This is the realm of everything and all things. Of motion, sound & fullness.

The Abyssal Plain

Or next stop is the lowest level, I call the Abyssal plain. You descend downwards into this place, into the vastness of an empty space. The association here is the color black, and all manner of silence, quiet contemplation, and letting go completely hang in the air. Energy here compells you to empt yourself of all things, and simply wait. All around me was blackness, a deep black that went beyond the understanding of simple darkness. Beneath my feet was an ink-colored ocean. Still, and calm, but full of power and strength laying in wait. It was from this ocean that lord Leviathan arose and greeted me, teaching me of the void’s structure. You see, like most people, it was this realm I came to first, like most people do. In fact it was the only real I had ever come to, until my work with Leviathan began.

It seems most of us who work with the void descend down into the abyss and the reason for this is simple. As mortal beings our subconscious has been taught that when we go up we come down. Gravity is always pulling at us. So, when we enter into the void, we can unconsciously descend, especially when we are overwhelmed with the intensity the void can bring. Once inside that comfortable place of familiarity it can be hard to ascend, especially since naturally speaking, falling down is easier than climbing up.

All in all, the energy of this realm beckoned me to listen, to wait, and patiently calculate my next move. It’s a plain completely opposite of its upper Aetherial counterpart. A realm of Stillness, Silence, and emptiness.

The Echo Plain

This was the final plain I visited, named the Echo plain, represented as the color Grey. It’s a special plain, a space full of liminal energy from the overlapping of the upper and lower plains. It was the most intense of the three, resembling a foggy wasteland with the faint light of the Atherial floating high above and the deep darkness of the abyss far below. The ground was as reflective as a mirror yet as clear as a window, that rippled like water wherever I took step. It was a confusing place, a space at which energy contradicted itself. It wanted me in motion and stillness, silent and loud, empty and full all at once. I felt like I was being pulled apart and smooshed together at the same time. It was confusing and overwhelming, but then…in a single moment, all the pieces fell into place.

Before me stood a group of creatures. Both beautiful and hideous all at once. I understood almost immediately what they were. Epithets…epithets of myself. Bits and pieces of who I was represented before me in kind. Some smiled warmly, some grimaced, and others showed no emotions at all. We did not speak to one another…we didn’t need to. But it was from that brief acknowledgment that I understood. This was the realm of reflection. A space where the conscious and subconscious became one, echos of one being existing in symbolic detachment from itself. None of us looked the same and yet we were. All knowing and understanding yet complete strangers to each other.

This is the space of contemplation and action. A realm in which one could truly reach into themselves and strengthen, build, heal, and empower in every way imaginable. A space not many seemed to know existed. Ascending and descending past it in their journeys through the void. It’s a testament to our need to learn quickly, and our unfocused and often misplaced goals. Sometimes we need to stop and look inward, to truly meet ourselves head on.

In Conclusion

The void is a wonderfully powerful and mysterious place. How these realms look to you and what you feel will ultimately be tied to your own perspective. How one sees the void isn’t always how another does. The lower realm may appear white to some instead of black. What makes it the abyss is not its color but it’s emptiness. How one acknowledges and uses that emptiness is always going to be unique to them.

[icaerosthefool]

So I’m creating a character and I’d like some varying opinions on matters. (They’re to be used in DND but also any story telling medium)

Introduction, backstory: The concept of the character is that they are “birthed” by another character of mine I currently call the Geneticist. In a standard fantasy world, the Geneticist comes from a hyper evolved civilization of elves who decided to focus on innovating their understanding of magic and the material world into sciences, instead of settling into old traditions. The Geneticist is an equivalent pre/post doc in his studies which are, obviously, genetics and biochemistry and has developed the technology which could incorporate the genetic material of other beings into his own to do wild shit. However the “elders” say the work is too risky and while theoretically possible they shouldn’t test it as no one would/should agree. Now the Geneticist is unhappy with this but does respect the free will of other’s to participate or not.

This leads to the Geneticist leaving the society to pursue his research. Adventures and development occur and frankly I love this character so much by themselves I should make another post about them….Moving on to the current topic though—

Later in life, the Geneticist works on a project to create a new sentient being. Using mushrooms (cause they’re so perfectly odd and unique), the Geneticist designs and specializes various types of fungi to act as different organs and tissues and Frankensteins this new being into existence. I really like the themes of Frankenstein and wish to parallel them, however where Victor Frankenstein abandons his Creation and is frankly unable to handle the situation at all, the Geneticist persists. Because they wanted this and they must see the experiment through to its very end.

Again, I have not worked out a name but for the sake of being coherent I’ll refer to the creature as Fung-I (cause why not).

I have details as to physical appearance and personality vaguely worked out. Those details are not the topic I’m focusing on though I’d love questions to be asked about literally anything about this concept!!! If not serious though at least make it funny.

My issue is free will and motivations. See I have a Catholic perspective of free will and have about two definitions which are (very basically) “choosing to follow God’s will, or not” and “being able to choose between two good/bad/evil options”. But here’s the thing, Fung-I’s closest thing to God as a creator is the Geneticist and the definitions of “good” and “bad” can be extremely subjective and are usually based upon what a person grew up learning. Kohlberg’s theory of moral development, to my understanding, does not elaborate on good/bad/evil and speaks more to developing thought out understandings of morality up to defining “objective moral truths”.

See, this is an issue because the purpose of the project of the Genticist was not only to make a completely new complex creature but also to see how it integrates into the ecosystems. They wanted to make the passive decomposer (fungi) to be active. In a way they created a new predator and wished to see how it handled itself. And so they designed it to be humanoid because (in most fantasy though not all) humanoids are the most sentient. They designed Fung-I to be vibrant because they hypothesized it would attract before it repelled. The Geneticist imbued a their creation with charged evolutionary abilities to always adapt and be the next step (not only to improve themselves but also cause the rest of nature to have to adapt in tandem.)

So this is the motivations the Geneticist, the creator, has and teaches to Fung-I. But now we are at free will and how that affects the personality, morality, and development of the character. More importantly, what is it the allows a rational being to have free will versus a “common animal”? Which, in the real world, we observe to be as intelligent as small children.

Please feel free to ask questions to help develop your and my ideas. Feel free to contribute in any other way as well though if it is not serious or on topic at least make it funny.

[chloe-caulfield94]

It's time to forgive yourself

It’s time you finally forgive yourself. A decade ago you bought a cool new game that was the talk of the town. An indie adventure game that would finally let you live out all the adventures you hadn’t had the chance to experience during your predictably boring and uneventful stay in high school.

The game taught you its two core mechanics: interacting with objects and rewinding time. And then it stopped holding your hand and gave you the first task that could actually be failed. To hide in the closet in time. All you had to do was to rewind time once and interact with a single object. Hardly a difficult puzzle. Hardly a puzzle, to be frank.

Unfortunately, you failed the first task that could actually be failed in a game that is so mechanically uncomplicated and straightforward that it was at times described as a “walking simulator”.

As you would learn by watching the stats screen at the end of the episode, only 30% of players failed as you did. 70% of players succeeded where you did not.

Before you had the chance to process your utter failure you experienced the negative consequences of your inability to use the basic mechanics the game had attempted to teach you moments earlier. Because it is always the case in video games that when players succeed, they are rewarded and when they fail, they are humbled. In this case, your humbling was receiving an earful from a blue-haired teenage girl for failing to hide in her closet in time.

And then it happened. Your unconscious mind acted to save you. It reforged your wounded gamer pride into a fierce hatred of a fictional teenage girl. It’s not you who is at fault for failing to perform what was essentially a simplistic quick time event. No! It’s the mean blue-haired girl’s fault for giving you lip!

A fierce hatred indeed. So fierce that a decade later, you stay at your post, badmouthing a fictional teenage girl to anyone willing to listen. And a lot of those unwilling to listen but who’ve had the misfortune of frequenting the same websites as you, too. A decade. Even many fans of that mean blue-haired girl forgot about her. But you never will. You will forever feed the fire of that hatred. You will forever remain at your post. Because to abandon your mission of educating the world how a fictional teenage girl deserves to be murdered would mean to admit that you suck at video games. And that is something you can never, ever do. Your gamer pride would never suffer that.

I mean, it’s so easy to hide in Chloe’s closet. I only learnt it was even possible to fail that task after I had already finished the game, when a clip of it was recommended to me on YouTube.

And no, I’m not buying the “Oh, but I didn’t hide in the closet on purpose, because it felt wrong to hide from the man of the house” excuse. Yeah, sure. When you are given a task in a video game your first instinct is to fail it on purpose. And dude, you bought the game to experience all that high school drama you never got to experience in real life. If hiding in a closet is a bridge too far for you, what sort of adventures did you want Max to experience? Diligently doing her homework and going to bed at 9 p.m.?

Of course, this post is a humorous jab at the numerous and dedicated haters of Chloe Price. But there is a grain of truth to it. Have a look at this poll, which shows that players who failed to hide in Chloe’s closet in time were THREE TIMES more likely to dislike her in comparison to players who did manage to hide in time.

https://www.reddit.com/r/lifeisstrange/comments/12on3r8/s1_did_this_influence_your_opinion_of_chloe/

I know, it is by no means representative. But I don’t think it can be dismissed out of hand either, since it was conducted on a subreddit grouping some of the most loyal fans of the game, still willing to talk about it years later.

You might say: “You’re making fun of people hating on Chloe a decade later. But you’re a fan of hers a decade later”. I say apples and oranges. Being a fan of something many years later is normal. Being a hater of something many years later is weird. Because no healthy human being enjoys feeling hatred or outrage, even towards a fictional character. If you really dislike a story or a character, just forget about it, instead of subjecting yourself to the emotional trauma of seeing the mean blue-haired girl time and time again.

So in this moment I say to you. You are released form the spell put on you by the mean blue-haired girl a decade ago. You are forgiven for failing a quick time event a decade ago. You are healed, you are whole. Go play some video games.

[talonabraxas]

Moksha Talon Abraxas

Moksha is the summum bonum of life. Moksha is the fulfilment of life's purpose. Life ends on this earth plane when you attain Moksha or liberation from birth and death. The realisation of your real object in life is freedom or Moksha. Moksha bestows on you eternal life of undecaying bliss and perennial joy. Moksha is not annihilation. Moksha is the annihilation of this little self-arrogating ego only. Moksha is realisation of the identity of the individual soul with the Supreme Soul. By annihilating this little self you possess the whole of true universality, you attain an eternal life.

Mukti is obtained through the knowledge of the Self. To attain Jnana, you must have one-pointedness of mind (Ekagrata). Ekagrata comes through Upasana. Upasana comes through purity of heart (Chitta Suddhi). Chitta Suddhi comes through Nishkamya Karma Yoga. To do Nishkamya Karma, you must have controlled the Indriyas. The Indriyas can be controlled through Viveka and Vairagya.

Moksha is not to be regarded as a becoming into something which previously had no existence. Moksha is not something to be achieved. It is already achieved. Everything is one with Absolute or Para Brahman. What is to be achieved is annihilation of the sense of separateness. Moksha is the direct perception of that which has existed from eternity, but has hitherto been concealed from us on account of the veil of ignorance. Moksha is attainment of the Supreme Bliss or Immortality and removal of all kinds of pain. Moksha is freedom from birth and death.

Freedom or Mukti is your only real nature. You will have to know this truth only through direct intuitive experience. You will have to cut asunder the veil of ignorance by meditation on the Self. Then you will shine in your original pristine purity and divine glory.

Brahman, Self, Purusha, Chaitanya, Consciousness, God, Atman, Immortality, Freedom, Perfection, Bliss, Bhuma or the unconditioned are synonymous terms. If you attain Self-realisation alone, will you be freed from the round of births and deaths and its concomitant evils. The goal of life is the attainment of the final beatitude or Moksha. Moksha can be attained by constant meditation with a heart that is rendered pure and steady by selfless service and Japa.

Moksha is the highest benefit, Parama Prayojana. Jnana is the benefit which one gets in the internal (Avantara Prayojana). Just as plantain fruit is the highest benefit which one gets, and the leaves, etc., are the Avantara Prayojana in the interval before one gets the fruit, so also Moksha is the highest benefit and Jnana is Avantara Prayojana. Jnana is only the means to attain the highest bliss.

The Jiva falsely superimposes the body and others which are not Self upon himself and identifies himself with them. This identification constitutes bondage. The freedom from this identification is Moksha. That which causes this identification is Avidya or nescience. That which removes the identification is Vidya. Attainment of knowledge of the Self eradicates this Avidya and its effects. The Svaroopa of Moksha is the attainment of Supreme Bliss and removal of all kinds of sufferings.

The right knowledge of Brahman consists in knowing that He is one with one's own self. The difference between the Jiva and the Brahman lies only in the Upadhi or limiting adjunct. The Jiva, though he is Brahman in reality or essence is subject to the miseries of worldly existence as caused by his connection with the Upadhi of Antahkarana or the fourfold mind (the inner instrument). As there is no real distinction between them, it should be known that Brahman is identical with the Self. Hence it is said that those who know the real truth understand Brahman to be identical with the Self as declared in the great sentences of the Upanishads or Mahavakyas: "I am Brahman"-"This Self is Brahman." They even teach the same thing to their disciple in the words: "Tat Tvam Asi-Thou art That." Therefore it should be known that Brahman is identical with the Self.

The knower of Brahman becomes Brahman itself. Having become Brahman while yet alive, he is freed from the round of birth and death. Knowledge of Brahman alone is the means of emancipation or Moksha. by Swami Sivananda