#of shards and crystal (final fantasy)

[flowering-darkness]

Lorenza: "Had I been at Laxan Loft that fateful day, then perhaps.. You whom the Ascians kept in the shadows might yet have had an ally for that last sacrifice. ..Ah, but who are we two of the void to dwell on a hundred years past?"

(comments/reblogs are appreciated but never required. further context is under the readmore!)

A little idea I had earlier and was successfully able to get a friend to queue into E10 with me to access the location for! This is actually technically my first thing made for my selfship with the Shadowkeeper (or to use her truer name Cylva), so it's perhaps a bit too context-heavy of a piece to start things off with, but.. oh well! I hope that it's still alright/people like it, even without everyone being aware of the full background ;w;

(If you are curious what's actually being depicted here: it's just a hypothetical musing about "if Lorenza had been present at the Battle of Laxan Loft a hundred years ago, where Cylva turned into the Shadowkeeper and forced Ardbert and the Warriors of Light to fight her (but they refused to kill her like she asked), then maybe that whole event could have been a bit less emotionally harrowing for Cylva". There was no way Lorenza could have been there, of course - she didn't even know Cylva at that time, as the two only met at the start of Shadowbringers despite both originating from the Thirteenth - but.. it's still something she idly muses after learning about Cylva's past. For more background context, feel free to have a read of this other post!)

When it came to putting this together, I was limited by what remained of the duty timer (since we had to do the whole boss fight against the Shadowkeeper and then I had to wait for everyone else to leave), as well as my own inexperience with manipulating reshade parameters like colour curves and brightness (so I apologise if this is a bit all-the-same-value - I tried to mess with the background vs. foreground a bit, but that was about all I could muster). To put things into perspective, this is how the arena looked before I went in and started the posing process - so as you can see, a lot of processing needed to be done to get the final vibes!

I'm also still not really adept at posing within FFXIV, which is why Lorenza is incorrectly using her right hand to reach out to Cylva; the day I learn how to flip/invert poses derived from paused animations will be a very advantageous one indeed! There's probably a better workflow than the one I currently use, but.. like when I was first starting out with MMD, it takes a while to get properly familiar with the tools involved and how to do what you're aiming for with them. I'd meant to get some alternate/closeup camera angles, but exited out of /gpose instead after taking the initial one, which meant I lost everything I'd loaded in .w.

In any case, though - I like how the final product turned out (even if the composition is almost identical to my January render..), and I hope that some of my thought process in making it could come through! I did finish making this at one minute to midnight on Valentine's Day, but I'm aware it isn't really a very Valentine's Day selfship thing.. so, I suppose it's more fitting that I wasn't able to get around to posting it until after the date had changed here! =P

Thank you kindly for taking the time to read this! I hope it all makes sense ^-^

[druidonity2]

2022 WoW x FFxiv: Mysterious old men who are very magical and also have really tall towers and have sorta weird relationship with aging.

[banished-away]

if i had a penny for every extremely long running fantasy series ive enjoyed that have a magical crystal tower causing problems, id have two pennies, which isnt much but its weird it happened twice

[toadeyes-miqote]

Final Fantasy XIV vs Fate Grand Order - The hero of one story is(?) the villian of another

GACHA!!!!!!!! D luck Summoner Guda(ko) summons SR Archer Hylnyan via crystals lots and lots of quartz without hitting pity

The place she's in is pre calamity Coerthas

Help took down the one eye cyclops that is threathening a bunch of travellers

turns out to be a certain catgirl archer and a certain red chef and his dad along with their summoner and shield maiden

FGO team invite Hylnyan to travel to next town with them

They are looking for someone who has a dangerous something on them

Hylnyan is helpful as first until she finds out that Guda(ko) was ending timelines and worlds every month

To bring back what was once lost Guda(ko) has been doing this for 6 years now

Apparently pre ShB Emet was here somehow and that much needed conversation about destroying other shards/timelines/lostbelts/lostworlds amongst the three happened with Emet actively trying to recruit Guda(ko) and somehow a fight happens

Heroes' Gauntlet Round 2!!! Guda(ko)'s very fine Lancer Army and her Knights of the Round proceed to hunt Hylnyan down. sics dragons at her.. is HW this? Guda(ko) Necromancer this since they are all in shadow servant forms?

Basaka wa dare ni mo makenai sekai de ichiban tsuyoi rd 2

FGO team keeps tracking down Hylnyan

An encounter or two later to realize that Emet is using Guda(ko) to delay Hylnyan to get timeywhimey macguffin grail. Ends up working together

"We have to kill him Hylnyan." "..." "He would make a good summon... maybe a Ruler if not an Avenger."

"My Lobo is fluffier than your Fenir."

Hylnyan would still be conflicted at the end of the event but is sent back automatically because resolution. And would still take down Guda(ko) if she was a threat appearing in her neck of the woods

In another life Atalanta could have be a past life

"FOU! FOU!!!!!!"

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

JP side is two years ahead in doing 7th Lostbelt with no specfic end in sight yet and no guarantee from my POV that OG world would be back

Much parallels spotted when playing both games. Especially Varis during Alliance parley and Wodime's Olympus monologue about godhood.

Guda(ko) aka Fujimaru Ritsuka was practically an Ascian and kinda Elidibus-Emet in a way yet not She's the only suitable compatible summoner left and then 6 years later...

But shards are not stagnant worlds and that LB1 conversation. Would it be much more ecplosive if G'raha (aka Pollux) was added to it since he did change timelines.

The conversation of Guda(ko), Emet (and if he wants to bring Elidibus it will be COOOOOLLLLL!!!!) WoL, Wodime would be quite something with an over dramatic Emet pitting Guda(ko) and Wodime against WoL and guilt tripping G'raha.

What would using the crystal tower, the mother crystal or Crystal Exarch as quartz payment bring? Would it bring back Doctor? Or restore Data Loss? What is this Link Lost with Avengers thing I hear about? I don't want to lose Lobo since Guda(ko) put in much effort for the wolf. I have to wait for the NA version...

That and the game just added Urianger's JP VA to servant list, Estinein and the twins when? XD

I don't fanfic the crossover because I can't handle how obsessed I would be if I have to write it. The most is limited interaction because its huge and I'm not really sure how to resolve it.

Yeah this was actually a loose pierce base on where Hylnyan's missing mate might have went during ARR.

#wolqotd time! Your Warrior of Light/XIV OC is transported to the OTHER media you most recently watched/played/read: how are they doing?

[tripleglitchwriting]

I heard you're up for writing prowl (⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠)!! Maybe just cute moments of reader and prowl cuddling or baking.... anything thats cute

I did it! I posted something!! Yippee!!!

This is fluffy prowl and reader movie night!!

It’s technically Earthspark Prowl, but I didn’t really do much of a deep dive into his character so it’s just kind of an amalgamation of Prowl’s in my head.

Anyway, enjoy :-)

Movie night. Your favorite time. It just happened to be incredibly difficult to set up with a guy hellbent on working 24/7. Luckily, you knew how to be creative by now. And so when you located a particularly bountiful energon deposit, a plan started to come together.

…

“Don’t.” He rumbled, “Do not touch that.”

Prowl loomed over you like an angry building, but you knew better than to be worried. The mine you’d “accidentally” found was a treasure trove of glittering, luminescent crystals reminiscent of the fantasy worlds in your dreams. It was beautiful, but not your mission. His, maybe, but not yours.

Being about the size of Prowl’s palm, you had to watch your step everywhere you went, else you somehow impale yourself on an energon shard. Of course, you used this to your advantage.

“Hm? Why? You scared?” You teased, just slightly poking the tip of a particularly sharp one.

“No, I’m concerned. You’re going to get yourself hurt.”

“What’s the problem? I see you drinking this stuff all the time!”

“Yes. Because I run on it, you don’t— it’s not even processed yet! So stop touching it.”

“Oh… I don’t know, it looks pretty delicious…”

“Are you glitched?”

“We’re about to find out!” You just about graze your teeth on a crystal before you are unceremoniously yanked away by a gigantic metal hand.

“Seriously, what in Primus’s name do you think you’re— oh. Oh. You little— don’t give me that, I can see what you’re doing!”

“Oh? And what am I doing exactly?” You grinned. He growled back.

“You have the right to remain silent. We’re going back to base and reporting this to Prime.”

And so you did. And he carried you the entire way back. You didn’t want to stay there for any longer than you had to, as pretty as it was, because tonight was movie night.

Prowl never left a job unfinished when it was right in front of his face. You suspected he would try and execute every procedure ever passed into law when it came to new energon deposits on an alien planet, even if he’d been living there for months now. And he would’ve done it right there. Standing in the equivalent to a cave full of explosives. Like a stubborn idiot.

You also knew that, if he didn’t do it, the rest of the Autobots would. Like they’re supposed to. Because it’s their job. With a mine like that, they’d be occupied for the entire night. How convenient…

…

When you finally arrived back at headquarters, he was already heading to his office. “Office” being a loose term here, as it was really just a room he put a desk, chair, and datapads in. The most basic, bland, boring kind. That was all he needed.

But not you. And you were going to make sure your plans went through.

“PROOOOOWL!!” You yowled right next to his audial receptor. He’d been doing whatever important report, but you figured it could wait.

“AGH!” He jointed up in his head, “WHAT?!”

“It’s almost time! Movie night!”

“Oh- you little fragging scraplet, can’t you see I’m doing something important?”

“More important than Terminator? Or Robocop?”

“Leagues more important than those sorry excuses for mechanical representation.”

“Oh, fine, I’ll just… put on Spaceballs…” He stopped.

“You wouldn’t.”

“I would. And I’d play it so loud that you could never focus on your work.”

“Don’t—” but you had already slid down his desk, racing to the adjacent room.

“YOU— DO NOT PLAY THAT AWFUL FILM!”

“I can’t hear you over the sounds of LONE STARR and his GOOFY GANG of SILLY characters!”

He could never catch you in time. Not because he wasn’t fast enough, no, he could pick you up in a second, but because you already had the trap set. The room you’d ran into was decked out with the best projector tech you could find. (AKA, the best projector tech you could convince Nightshade to make without turning the movie into a 5D nightmare) You had popcorn, energon candy, a mountain of blankets, and quite the wide array of tasteful films.

When he finally entered your snare, you received the most withering death glare known to mankind. But everything that withers must also bloom, and you could see joy behind his optics. Mostly because they were shining significantly brighter than usual. Hah, and he thinks you can’t tell when he’s hiding his real feelings.

The fairy lights you’d set up glowed a beautiful gold against otherwise dark corners. Your face was just slightly visible, especially with how small it was compared to him, but you knew he could see your beaming smile. He let out an exaggerated ex-vent, doorwings forcefully dropping and optics rolling. Still, once he finally sat down next to you, you saw them perk right back up again.

“We aren’t watching that horrendous mockery of a movie, right?”

“Psh, I don’t even have the DVD anymore. You broke it after flipping the table. Tonight, you get to decide what we watch.”

“Wait, I… but I thought you enjoyed choosing the film.”

“Sure I do. But I want to watch what you want to watch tonight.”

And his optics grew bright again, illuminating your wide selection of 80’s, 90’s, and early 2000’s DVDs. Breakfast Club, Mean Girls, Star Wars, The Godfather, Planet of the Apes… everything you could think of he hadn’t already seen.

So you were a little caught off guard when he chose The Princess Bride. Something he’d seen nearly ten times already.

Oh, sure, he played it off as an excuse to ‘get to know human culture’, but the same could be said for every other movie on the planet. You didn’t argue.

As the night progressed, you were eventually able to get him to pick you up. For a guy who claims to dislike soft things, he sure does put up with a lot of pillows and blankets for you.

You tried not to move when he unconsciously ran a digit down your back. Or when he pet your hair. Or when he adjusted himself to make sure you weren’t about to fall out of his fabric covered palm.

You fell asleep long before the movie ended. You couldn’t possibly know that he denied every call on his comm link, shooed away any bot curious enough to crack open the door, and completely forgot about the report that had been oh so important earlier.

You also couldn’t know that, had he wanted to, he could just turn his audials off if he didn’t want to hear you watch Spaceballs. He could’ve left you at the base when he realized you’d stumbled upon an energon mine. He could’ve made you leave his office when he worked on his reports. But he didn’t. He didn’t because the minuscule weight you provided in his servos was everything he needed.

Work could wait just a little longer. Tonight was movie night.

[statsbot]

THE END OF DUNGEONS & DRAGONS

Prompt: "The sword coast setting, but thousands and thousands and thousands of years in the future, where it's turned from high fantasy into dark fantasy"

The Outline:

Sample Campaign Starter:

Text under Read More:

The Great Cities Waterdeep, once the City of Splendors, is now the City of Eternal Twilight. Its towering spires remain, but they're twisted and warped, having grown like pale coral over thousands of years of wild magic exposure. The city exists in layers - the deepest parts still contain functioning Undermountain technology, while the surface is a maze of crystallized buildings where masked nobles maintain a mockery of the old customs. Baldur's Gate has become a titanous mechanical city-state, burning the corpses of the dead in enormous furnaces to maintain warmth as the sun dies. The Sword Coast itself is no longer recognizable as a coast - the sea has partially crystallized into a sheet of black glass that occasionally liquefies without warning.

The Nature of Magic As the sun dims, magic has become more visceral and dangerous. The Weave has partially collapsed, creating "knots" of wild magic that float like spectral tumors across the landscape. Spellcasting requires blood sacrifice or the burning of valuable materials - the age of casual magic is long gone. Many spellcasters have resorted to binding fragments of dying gods into their flesh to maintain their powers. The color of magic has changed too - most spells manifest in blacks, grays, and pale blues, as if the magic itself is suffering from cosmic frostbite.

The Old Pantheons The gods are dying, but cannot truly die. They exist in a state of perpetual agony, their essence crystallizing into god-shards that fall from the sky like meteors. Some gods have merged together in desperate attempts to survive - Lathander and Kelemvor are now one entity, a terrible thing that represents both dawn and death, neither of which have meaning anymore. Mystra's death long ago caused the initial collapse, but her essence still pervades reality like a virus, causing spontaneous magical mutations.

Survival Methods People cluster around "hearth-crystals," shards of the original sun that still emit weak heat and light. Communities are usually small, heavily fortified, and deeply suspicious of outsiders. Many have resorted to consuming the flesh of magical creatures to survive, leading to widespread mutations. Water must be thawed before drinking, and most food is grown in underground fungal gardens. Some communities have turned to worshipping the machines left behind by the gnomes and artificers of old, maintaining ancient technologies they barely understand.

Monsters and Creatures Most of the iconic D&D monsters have evolved or devolved into horrific new forms. Dragons are blind, pale things that nest in thermal vents, having lost their color affiliations millennia ago. Mind Flayers have returned from the far realm, but they're different now - more mechanical, having fused with ancient Netherese technologies. Beholders have multiplied and shrunk, becoming swarms of floating eyes that serve as organic surveillance systems for the larger settlements.

The Planes The planar boundaries have grown thin and unstable. The Shadowfell is slowly merging with the Material Plane, while the Feywild has become a frozen wasteland of eternal twilight. Fragments of other planes occasionally crash into the material world, creating zones where reality behaves according to alien rules. The Nine Hells have frozen over, and demons now seek warmth in the material plane, sometimes offering their essence as fuel for the desperate.

Ancient Artifacts The legendary artifacts of the past have grown in power as the world dies. The Blackstaff has become a living entity that consumes its wielders. The Ring of Winter is sought after not as a weapon, but as a tool of mercy - it can grant final death to those who otherwise would live forever in the twilight. Many new artifacts have been created from the crystallized remains of gods, each carrying a fraction of divine power and madness.

SITUATION A hearth-crystal powering the settlement of Coldhearth is dying. The crystal's dimming has caused panic among the inhabitants, who know they have perhaps two weeks before the cold claims them. However, the local Crystal-Speaker has had a vision - one of the dying gods, a merged aspect of Gond and Oghma called the Brass Scholar, is falling from the heavens. Its crystallized divine essence could serve as a new hearth-crystal, if it can be claimed. Unfortunately, others have sensed its imminent arrival too - including the machine-cult of Baldur's Gate and a desperate band of god-flesh scavengers.

SETTING Coldhearth sits in what was once a coastal village near Waterdeep, though the black glass sea is now several miles away. The settlement is built into and around an ancient lighthouse, its beacon replaced with the current (dying) hearth-crystal. The surrounding area is a wasteland of crystallized trees and frozen earth, with occasional patches of liquidized ground where wild magic has temporarily thawed reality.

The nearby "Shattershore" - where the black glass sea begins - is a maze of geometric shapes and broken reflections. The glass occasionally liquefies without warning, swallowing the unwary. Scavengers risk these dangers to harvest valuable resources from ancient ships trapped within the glass. Several miles inland lies the ruins of a pre-twilight trading post called Wayward's Rest, now home to a colony of devolved mind flayers who trade memories for warmth.

The predicted impact site of the falling god-shard lies in the Thornmaze, a crystallized forest where the trees have grown into impossibly sharp geometric patterns. The local mutation-touched say the trees still grow, just too slowly for normal eyes to see. The maze is home to various geometric predators - creatures that have adapted to move and hunt along perfectly straight lines and right angles.

CAST The Settlement of Coldhearth Vara Nightbridge, Crystal-Speaker and unofficial leader. Her eyes have been replaced with shards of a fallen god, allowing her to see divine essence. She speaks in temperatures rather than words. Ghkss the Thawed, a mutation-touched merchant whose flesh periodically liquefies. He maintains the settlement's fungal gardens and knows more than he shares. Pock, a child who never seems to feel the cold. The other children follow her lead, and she knows all the settlement's secrets.

The Machine-Cult of Baldur's Gate Archimandrite Kex, a cyborg priestess who has replaced her blood with heated oil. She leads the local machine-cult expeditions. Brother-Operator Finn, a former street thief who maintains the cult's warmth-engines. He's secretly planning to steal the god-shard for himself.

The God-Flesh Scavengers The Twins, Voss and Vess, who share a single mutation-touched body but alternate control. They're known for eating anything that glows. Skrike, their enforcer, who has bound frozen demon-flesh to his bones. He can only move in straight lines but hits like a runaway cart.

INITIAL CONDITIONS The hearth-crystal is dimming noticeably each day. The settlement's outer rings have already been abandoned as the warmth recedes. Most residents have crowded into the lighthouse proper, creating tensions and using up stored resources faster than anticipated. The Crystal-Speaker's vision has given hope, but also attracted unwanted attention from outside groups.

The machine-cult has already established a forward camp near the Thornmaze, using salvaged warmth-engines that leave trails of black smoke. The god-flesh scavengers are more mobile, using trained geometric predators as mounts to patrol the crystallized forest's edge.

The god-shard is due to impact in approximately ten days. The cold is getting worse. Strange lights have been seen in the Thornmaze, suggesting the area's wild magic is intensifying in anticipation of the divine arrival.

GOALS Vara Nightbridge seeks to save her people and maintain order during the crisis. Ghkss wants to preserve his secret collection of pre-twilight artifacts, even at the cost of lives. Pock intends to lead the other children to safety if the adults fail. Archimandrite Kex plans to use the god-shard to create a new type of warmth-engine. Brother-Operator Finn dreams of becoming a god himself by consuming the shard. The Twins aim to feed the god-shard to their geometric mounts, believing it will create perfect predators. Skrike simply wants enough divine essence to fix his condition.

TOOLS/RESOURCES Vara has her god-shard eyes and the loyalty of most settlers. Ghkss maintains a hidden cache of thawed water and preserved food. Pock knows secret ways through the Thornmaze. Archimandrite Kex commands several warmth-engines and trained technicians. Brother-Operator Finn possesses a pre-twilight device that can supposedly contain divine essence. The Twins control a pack of geometric predators. Skrike has demon-enhanced strength and durability.

SAMPLE SOLUTIONS Navigate the Thornmaze using Pock's knowledge, reach the impact site first, and defend it until the god-shard arrives. This requires surviving the geometric predators and wild magic surges.

Ally with Brother-Operator Finn, use his device to safely contain the god-shard, then betray him before he can consume it. This means dealing with both the machine-cult and his personal ambitions.

Convince the Twins to help clear a path through the Thornmaze using their geometric predators, then deal with their inevitable betrayal at the impact site.

Use Ghkss's secret resources to outlast the other factions, letting them fight among themselves before claiming the god-shard from the survivors.

Negotiate with the mind flayers at Wayward's Rest, trading memories for their help in securing the god-shard. This is risky but could provide a significant advantage over other factions.

[centrally-unplanned]

On a recent trip home I picked up my dog-eared childhood copy of The Crystal Shard, the first-ever appearance of trope-defining dark elf Drizzt Do'Urden:

As my partner remarked on seeing the cover, "do you really need the whole wolf? The pelt ain't enough?" Darn right it ain't, when I was ~10 and playing basement D&D every weekend with my friend circle I fucking loved Drizzt, like all nerd kids back then did. Even better, this book was one of those things where he isn't even the main character, no one thought this would become the "IP" that it did. It is pure Early Installment Weirdness. So I was curious how cruelly the passage of time would affect this 1988 fantasy pulp novel.

Anyway we are 112 pages in and our first named female character has finally appeared. I am not exaggerating or even ignoring bit characters for that point. Women as a concept do not appear in the first 30 pages, until this line:

"Fetch the wenches!" he commanded.

And you occasionally get some mind-dominated sex slaves who are, again, unnamed, until Catti-brie (the named girl) shows up. As barbarian boy Wulfgar's romantic interest by the by.

This isn't, like, a gigantic bash or anything - Catti-brie herself is a primary character and well-realized and all that, and as always you can tell a story about a group of guys if you want. But back then the pulp fantasy landscape was just fucking rough my dude; this book spends a lot of time on the "societies" of Icewind Dale, governance & trade and war, and women just do not contribute to that society, in any way, beyond token references to mothers-and-lovers as a concept.

There is a line Wulfgar, someone from the "barbarian" nomadic tribes, makes - as a comparison to Catti-brie - about women in his society:

Barbarian girls were raised to keep their thoughts and opinions, unimportant by the standards of men, to themselves.

And I get it, like Catti-brie is headstrong and wilful and Wulfgar is Learning to Respect Women. I grok that this is an arc moment and depiction is not endorsement. But I think that idea works a little better if the author had put a single female character from the barbarian society on the page to help with that point! The book shouldn't agree that they are unimportant, right? I'm looking at George R.R. Martin's portrayal of the Dothraki in A Game of Thrones - published in 1996! - and seeing it for the progressive act it is now lol, that is a low bar. I have read later R. A. Salvatore books and he would never do this today of course; it was just how the genre worked back then.

Progress is just good sometimes I guess!

[idalenn]

Day 4 - Reticent

Worqor Zormor - Lillian and Alisaie switch up the plan to harry the Second Promise. (7.0)

Major characters: Warrior of Light, Thancred, Urianger

Full text below the cut

Quick as a lie, Lillian’s hand snapped away from her forehead and a golden cord yanked Alisaie whole into her grip.

“We’re changing the plan,” Lillian growled, twisting the younger girl around to get at the leather tube slung across her back. “Alisaie, you and Krile stay with Wuk Lamat, and I’ll head off the others at the pass instead.”

“What’s come over you,” the girl cried. “So. Suddenly?” Wrenching with all force in her Elezen frame, she tried to free herself to no avail. Lillian’s arms were muscle woven with steel.

“Thancred got the best of us. Heard all we – quit moving – intended. They’ll expect your harassment up ahead.” Her deft fingers slid around the tube’s hooks, undoing them one after another. So much easier without gloves, she thought. In short order the map was flapping in her hand. “But not mine.” Krile nodded, clarity writ plain on her face.

“The Echo. We’ll leave this to you, then.” She knocked their Hrothgar claimant across one hand with the dripping end of her brush. “Worqor Zormor awaits us, Third Promise. Our friend will rejoin us once she’s finished.”

Confusion reigned over Wuk Lamat’s own expression. “Does anyone care to enlighten me on this?”

“It must needs be later, I’m afraid. Just run for now. I’ll do my best to inform you of the basics on the way.”

“So it goes.” Wuk Lamat’s shoulders slipped with a heavy sigh. Beyond a protesting Alisaie, Lillian hurriedly crumpled the map into a long green pocket of her cape. “I bring you into my circle for help and you look to escape me at the first chance. Sometimes I think you just can’t toler-AH–” Wind took the rest of her words, loose earth and shards of rock showering the remaining party as Lillian raced off with its power at her back, yalms melting away with each stride.

 Up the path she went dodging around fallen stone outcroppings and growths of blue and violet crystal, the image of the Second Promise’s ascension on a column of air with Thancred and Urianger in tow still burned into her eyes. Not one soul in that damned town malms below had mentioned that was a possibility. Or perhaps her attention had fallen off at the wrong time in conversation and missed its passing mention in one of many grand tales she had been forced into hearing, some unexplainable act that had allowed the defeat of a rampaging beast like Valigarmanda. That was the irritating part about scholars like Koana; legends always held a grain of truth, and those learned as he always knew how to exploit those grains. Like as not down in the valley there existed some Sharlayan device he’d built capable of calling tempests to aid him.

Irritated, she slammed her staff into the mountain face and flooded it with aether. Juts of jagged, black stone ground out, dislodging flora that had lain root in the rock and birds that had found roost in the plants. Once extended enough for use, she bound up the cantilevered platforms, staff readied, its tip alight with pearlescent aether. One bird arrowed towards the Miqo’te, squawking complaint till light and petrichor found their mark, the smell of roast windkin filling Lillian’s mouth with water and nearly sending her feathered cap flying into the abyss. She almost shed a tear as the bird tumbled limp trailing feathers through the clouds.

After the last step, Lillian found herself on a mountain ledge flanked by a low rise of boulders and flowered moss. She drew out the time weathered map and flattened it on the ground, tsking at a tear she made in her haste to abscond. Wuk Lamat had been correct, but why waste time and confirm to the child claimant what she already knew? She was haughty, naïve, self-absorbed, and above all, a fool who believed Lillian’s actions took her well-being into consideration.

Were you not similar once, and did you not learn better? The voice of logic nagged. Quiet. Never so much as she, Lillian thought back, smoothing the spot Thancred pointed out to the Second Promise; a wide pass dotted with the ruins of ancient walls

“Alisaie plans to harry us here. She’s a quick-footed little pest, but we’ve battled alongside long enough for me to know exactly where her faults lie, and I’ve been itching for the opportunity to knock her down a peg or four. I’ll have her in bed without supper and you your victory before the Third Promise realizes she’s been made.”

We’ll see if you can manage the same against me, she thought, stuffing the map back down, wind licking at her heels as she ran. Beastkin poked their soft, red noses from their dens as she passed and retreated just as quickly. Excitement made her ears unable to stay still. They beat a dangerous leather heartbeat against their coverings sewn into her cap. Her thoughts were smothered, but so were the land’s whispers.

The ruins were a short jaunt away. There, the ground was soft and pocketed with fist-width craters filled with tepid water. Vegetation grew verdant from the civilization’s desiccated corpse to cover the bones in green embrace.

There it was. Along the path to the mountain’s summit, a towering stone barrier stood solemn. Dutiful. For a Miqo’te clad in forest colors: easily concealed behind. Some great hand had torn a hole through its skin and left a passage from ruin to path providing the perfect redoubt from which to utilize a White Mage’s magic against unwary passersby. Lillian sprinted across the sodden field, her mind bursting with all the possibilities to slow down her opponents.

As she reached the hole, a white blur faded into the open space.

A reticent blur of white absent of sound, of tension, of presence and definition. The pressure of existence swelled gradually with each fifth of moment. Her brain fired desperately on every available detail.

Bulk; clothing; the jangling of canisters; his interwoven bandolier; plant musk hiding his scent.

Thancred?

Who could claim the greater surprise? Not he, who knew of a coming. Not her, who knew of an arriving.

But if anything, he didn’t appear surprised at all. In fact, he was even –

Smiling?

A strong, hardened jaw stared back at her, yellow teeth glinting from a light growing –

From below?

A tickle started in her brain. Understanding came before the knowing.

Water flew into her hand from the puddle below before growing outward in a blue, glass-thin sheen in the path of the gunblade’s edge, hardening into a shield faster than the blooming muzzle flash. The explosion sent her flying back in a trail of dust and smoke. Powder smell filled her nose. Her ears rang with a cannon blast. Wind gathered thick around in a shroud of green aether to carry her from danger, willing herself to land upright on stable ground.

But as she did, a sigil circled with arcane letters expanded across the stone.

Rolling in the air, her hand wreathed in blinding green tore across the space as a wave of wind struck her full in the side mere ilms from the sigil, lifting the Warrior of Light to send her tumbling bodily across the ground and out of the way of harm as the sigil vanished in a thunderclap of dust and heat. Coughing up more dust caught in her throat, she turned blazing yellow eyes to the cloud of soot obscuring her would-be assailants.

“Bastards… the both of you.” She rose on shaking legs. Shards of broken stone had ripped tears in the cloth of her garb. Blood sheathed from a deep, muddy cut on her arm, but nothing else felt broken.

“Come now, we’re all friends here, and what’s a scuffle between friends.”

Thancred sauntered out from the debris, a shite-eating grin ballooning across his handsome features. Following suit with a light chuckle was Urianger, his astrometer spinning at the ready with cards prepped for reading.

“Our comrade believeth her hand superior to thine own.”

“Count yourself lucky that Alisaie hadn’t been the one around that corner.” Lillian spat a globule of saliva laced with red. “You might have killed her.”

“And I would have been eternally guilty for the act, make no mistake.” Somehow Thancred’s smile grew wider. “But, thankfully, no luck was necessary. You came around just as I had planned.”

“Planned? Ha!” Lillian tossed back her head to laugh. The movement made her wince. “Unless one of you can divine the future, my being here is all luck. And where has the Second Promise gone?”

“Ahead,” Thancred said.

“Thou would beggar of us an explanation?”

“Please. I’m all ears – hold…” She held up a finger hazy with radiant white and plunged the digit into her ringing ear. As the aether healed the damage from Thancred’s attack, the plants around her feet withered into brown husks and crumbled to join the dirt. “Apologies – Now I’m all ears.”

“Your Echo.” Thancred wore the face of a child swimming in an ocean of unwrapped candies. At Lillian’s widened eyes, he continued. “A most useful tool in our adventures, being allowed to witness past events as they occurred. But only as they occurred.”

“Of strength in sight does it boast, yet Master Thancred, awash in inspiration and long accustomed, privy to thine Echo’s potency, hath discovered the flaw in its making.” He held a hand to his lips and laughed lightly. Lightly and restrained. “Deceived we were, as means to deceive you.”

Lillian shook her head. “Somehow I believe this is just some trick to keep me here.”

“Oh, you were tricked, all right. Now your turn comes – what did the Echo show?”

“And why would I tell you?”

“You saw us discussing plans with Koana; plans to ambush Alisaie; plans in which I spoke of knocking her down a peg or four? You witness events exactly as they occur, so once we witnessed you succumb to the Echo’s effects…” Thancred placed a hand to his forehead.

“Into the fold were the Second Promise and I giveth allowance, and a trap thus lain for our dearest friend.”

Thancred’s fingers drummed along the gunblade’s handle. “Do pass on my thanks to Alisaie. Had it not been for her plot on Ultima Thule confirming you’ve density common with archon loaf, this endeavor may not have been as fruitful as hoped.”

The skin under Lillian’s left eye began to quiver. White aether burst at her wounded arm as the dirt crumbled into fine powder under her boots. “I hope you realize what you’ve earned.” Her words came out as a low hiss, the corners of her mouth twitched ever so slightly upward.

“A prize, I wager! And a prize Urianger and I have wished so long to taste.”

“Indeed. We bringeth all our might to bear, that we may witness might worthy of song and notoriety, what bringeth even eikons to heel.”

With a malicious cacophony, like to an endless sea of keening glass, from Lillian’s back spread opalescent wings of aether aflame, size and ferocity swelling until she was rendered a silhouette before their crescendo. Sensation of needles prickled against the Scions’ skin, and the myriad wounds below notice across her flesh steamed forth white clouds until hale and closed.

“Try not to choke on it.”

[starberrrry]

Probably finalized designs for my Chaos Quest au! I love how these look! I'm going to talk about it now because it plagues my mind every second. So if you want more info read below! vvv

--

Chaos Quest is my au of Sonic which is basically set in a fantasy rpg! These five are the main "heroes" of the story with other side stories that tie into the overall story. The gist is the Master Crystal has been shattered and a prophesied hero must gather them along with the 7 Chaos Crystals to unite the 7 kingdoms and defeat an evil darkness plaguing the land. Very tropey but I love rpg tropes. :)

Below is some basic info about each character. vvv

there are probably typos and weird wording because my proofreader isn't with me atm so bear with me

--

~Sonic~

Class: fighter

Weapon: Ringblade - Multi-blade (can be a single blade, propeller sword, or dual sword)

Icon element: wind

Backstory: found alone and unconscious on the beach of South Island, Sonic was adopted into the Prower family with Tails becoming his little brother. He remembers little, but doesn’t let that bother him much. Sonic and Tails enjoy helping other islanders with menial tasks and taking care of occasional monster appearances. One day a storm wreaks havoc on South Island and Sonic hears a mysterious voice.

~Tails~

Class: artificer

Weapon: Cyclone Cannon (powered by chaos drives)

Icon element: lightning

Backstory: Tails was bullied for his abnormality of two tails but his new brother put an end to that quickly. He and Sonic quickly bonded after Sonic was adopted into their family. Despite being a little bit anti-social, he loves helping his neighbors with inventions and testing them out by fighting monsters. He usually follows along with Sonic’s adventures, but some seem crazier than others.

He can be timid and anti-social but he is ready to help where he can. Despite his gentle heart he had a habit of giving sarcastic remarks. He is very intelligent, but lacks street smarts and is very naive about the world.

~Knuckles~

Class: Brawler

Weapon: Iron Arms 

Icon element: earth

Backstory: After his parents died, Knuckles was left alone on the floating Angel Island. He takes care of the creatures and old ruins of his ancestors. His sole duty is to keep guard of the Master Crystal. He often prays and calls out to the spirits of the island but no one answers back. One day strange shadowy monsters attack the island and shatter the Master Crystal, causing the shards to scatter into the world. Without the Master Crystal, the island falls and Knuckles is left calling to his ancestors to find out what to do.

~Amy~

Class: Paladin

Weapon: Heart Smasher

Icon element: fire

Backstory: Amy grew up with a great sense of care for others, that’s why she joined the Heroes Guild. Despite her drive to help others, she is often underestimated and taken advantage of, which is why she hasn’t advanced in the ranks. She often takes circumstances at face value and sometimes it can get her in trouble. She still takes every small task she can if she believes it will make a difference. When Sonic and his party arrive in Stella City, Amy convinces them to join her so she can ascend the ranks help them with their quest.

~Cream~

Class: healer

Weapon: Angel Staff, Cheese the Chao

Icon Element: water

Backstory: Cream and her mother Vanilla manage a chao dragon reserve outside of Stella City. Her soft and kind heart for everyone pushed her to join the Heroes Guild with her best friend Amy. She’s usually the voice of reason for Amy when her ambitions outgrow her capabilities. 

--

Thank you for reading!

[classicanalyzer]

Final Fantasy 16 - Echoes of the Fallen Thoughts and Reflection

"The same enlightened souls forged great and terrible weapons called the Eikonoklastes—from which Eikons derive their name—and turned them against each other in the Magitek war." Harpocrates II Hyperboreios

This DLC finally gives a more in-depth look into the Fallen's "accomplishments" and their attempts to become God themselves. The Fallen had created their own artificial Mothercrystal (The shards being called Dusk Crystals) and artificial Eikon cementing their God-like ambitions. I wonder if the Fallen created artificial Eikons based on the summons Alexander and Ark. Thankfully, Clive and his allies were able to shut down the last Echoes of the Fallen by destroying both Omega-1, their artificial Eikon, and their artificial Mothercrystal silencing the Sagespire for good.

The Fallen's music theme fits these wannabe Gods incredibly well also serving as Omega-1's theme. The first couple of levels (The Worm Mounts) have a variant that uses the organs and operatic music to sell the ancient nature of this Magitek tower and its ambitions. The upper levels have a more ominous and urgent variant (The Secret of Its Laboring Heart) as you begin to see more of the horrific experiments conducted to overthrow Ultima.

Eikonoklasm, Omega-1's battle theme, is an epic battle electronic variant of the Fallen theme. It captures the epiphany of the Fallen's attempt to challenge Ultima by creating their own Eikon. It nearly defeated three Dominants, so imagine if the Fallen made more...a bit of a terrifying thought. A bit of a fun easter egg courtesy of Soken is how Eikonklasm also included eScape motif from FF14.

I love how the Sagespire serves as the final massive dungeon for Clive. Mysidia will serve more as our final explorable area but the Sagespire undoubtedly serve as our final dungeon.

Famiel, the leader of a trio of tribe miners and merchants, plays a thematic role in how the people of this world are tied to the Mothercrystals to survive. In particular, he shows how people who lost their lands to the Deadlands were forced to turn to any means to survive. In this case, they relied on the ambitions of the Fallen (their artificial Mothercrystal). In the end, he saw that a better future for his people would not come if this artificial Mothercrystal were to remain.

"I hope we did the right thing..." Famiel

A theme I noticed was how we see the difference between becoming free: Cid's and Clive's noble quest to free the world from Ultima by riding off the crystals (and later magic itself) versus the Fallen "freeing" themselves from Ultima by becoming "Gods" themselves.

"We don't want to be gods. We just want to be free." Clive Rosfield

Another theme that shares similarities with the Rising Tide DLC is how the wars for the Mothercrystals driven tribes searching for their own. In doing so, this serves to further Ultima's true goal with the exploitation of other Mothercrystals. However, he considers Leviathan to be a "profaned fragment." Ultima sees Leviathan as a heretic of some kind. To what end and why? There's also the fact that the land in Mysidia isn't affected by the Blight at all despite the lost tribe possessing their own Mothercrystal. Maybe Leviathan had a hand in this Mothercrystal's creation as hinted by the trailer?

With that, we shall travel onward to Mysidia and Leviathan in the Rising Tide DLC!

"If one does not learn from the mistakes of the past, one is doomed to repeat them." Harpocrates II Hyperboreios

[flowering-darkness]

I wanted to put together a quick selfship picture with Zero ^-^

I'm still getting to grips with the intricacies of posing in FFXIV, but I like to think I'm improving bit by bit! Lorenza and Zero may be voidsent, but.. we can still admire each other in the light of Eorzea too~

(comments/reblogs are appreciated, but never required!)

[rottenpumpkin13]

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Will You Spare Me Death if I Fool Them All?

⏤ crisis core: final fantasy vii.

⏤ angst, whump, hurt/no comfort, blood and some gore

⏤ wc: 1312

⏤ a/n: a small portion of the aftermath of the training room incident from Genesis's POV and how he got his wing. i started stress writing and it turned into this :^)

— Everything is always uglier up close.

Or at least one can say as much when they inch themselves closer to a vision of beauty, study each sparkling morsel of it, and come to find that the diamonds glimmering beneath their gaze are nothing more than broken glass shards.

It was a notion Genesis knew well. He had insolent habits as a child, but none of them were as curious as his selective observation.

He'd sit bored at Banora's parties—though ever the prim and proper young boy—with his back against a velvet chair, eyes fixed on the finery hung around the nearest neck.

It was always diamond, emerald, or if the victim was pompous enough, crystalized mako. That was Genesis's favorite. He'd maintain a simpering demeanor, oftentimes hiding his smirk behind a fist as he observed them.

Genesis never said a word. He wouldn't dare be seen as an insolent child when the reward of keeping his knowledge to himself was much sweeter.

If he looked close enough, the ugly truth was brought to light with a blinding revelation. Diamond became crystal, emerald became cheap tourmaline, and the mako jewelry they were oh-so boastful about was nothing but green quartz polished enough to pass for a rarity.

Of course, he could never trust Angeal to do the same.

"What's with your coat?"

"H-uh?" Genesis sputtered.

The din of the cafeteria crowd around him muffled as he became hyperaware of his every move. He had good reason to. Each inch of his bare skin, from his naked fingers to the exposed neck above his collar, was under scrutiny.

The question was as good as a taser aimed right at him. Genesis stilled, then felt the meat slip from his spoon and dunk itself back in his soup bowl with a splatter. He held the utensil feebly in midair, his mouth agape and eyes widened at the man sitting in front of him.

Sephiroth sat beside Angeal on the booth, leaving Genesis alone on the opposite side, a setup which in hindsight, Genesis should've known was a tact.

He met Sephiroth's analytical gaze. The green and slitted eyes raked up Genesis's body, drinking in the pitiful weakness of his form before stopping just below his shoulder.

There was something reminiscent of pity— remorse, even—on his face, but Genesis's pride and embarrassment always worked hand-in-hand to blind him toward such things.

It didn't matter. He knew what Sephiroth was looking at, and he knew what Angeal was alluding to: the bulging spot in his coat where a wad of bandages rested beneath.

He put down his spoon gingerly, prolonging the tap of the metal against the wooden table. Then he wiped his lips with a napkin, sitting up straighter and working a smug smirk onto his previous frown.

"Oh, you mean this?" He patted the leather lump with complete nonchalance—even if he was wincing in pain on the inside. "Infinite in mystery. Don't worry about it, it's just—"

"Bandages?" Angeal inferred. "For your shoulder?"

It had been just shy of two weeks since the transfusion—the fruitless, invasive, and painful waste of his time. The infection had only increased, blackening the already bruised skin by day and leaving Genesis writhing with white-hot pain each night.

"Yeah," Genesis looked down, grabbing his gloves from beside him. Angeal's inquiry had stripped away the opportunity to flawlessly lie.

"It's simply a precautionary measure, no need to dwell over it, old friend, hero of the dawn, healer of worlds—"

"Precautionary measure against what, exactly?" Sephiroth cut in with another blow to Genesis's ego. "Is it bleeding?"

"Bleeding," Genesis repeated as he pulled on his gloves haughtily. "Don't be ridiculous, Sephiroth. I need to keep the wound wrapped until it heals fully, lest I risk contracting another infection."

"And it's not? Healing?" Sephiroth pushed again, this time lowering both eyebrows into a judgmental dip. "You look frail."

Genesis shoved his tray of food away, causing the soup to slop over the bowl. Angeal and Sephiroth watched with clear apprehension as the redhead slammed his back against the seat, then crossed his arms.

His eyes were cool, regarding either of them with no more contempt than they ignited.

"It's not." His voice was clipped. "Healing."

He noticed Sephiroth's shoulders slump. "Gene—"

"I have to go." Genesis stood up. "Never a better time to start on those overdue mission reports than when I'm too weak and frail to compare to the likes of you."

Sephiroth lowered his head, no doubt hiding the regret slapped across his face.

"You know that's not what he meant," Angeal huffed, exasperated as he watched Genesis step out of the booth.

"Yes, I doubt I know much at all," Genesis scoffed.

Angeal was at a loss. "Genesis!"

The surrounding tables had started to stare, some bowing their heads as they conversed in hushed whispers. Genesis was stiff, naked before the tongues which would wag if he were to make a scene.

He looked down at the other two men. "I have to go, but who knows? Maybe we can fraternize later, say, in the training room?"

Genesis pinned Sephiroth—who still kept his head down refusing eye contact—in place with his glare.

"Maybe you can finish me off, friend, put me out of my misery."

All Genesis heard was a last desperate call of his name before he dipped past the surrounding tables, making a beeline out of the cafeteria.

Later that night, he recalled the aforementioned notion. Everything, no matter its beauty, always appeared uglier under the magnifying glass of scrutiny.

He was hunched over in the darkness, both knees digging into the hardwood floor. A few red candles were scattered nearby, each of them blurry through the tearful eyes that drunk in their light.

Genesis's knit shirt and red coat lay haphazardly across the floors, blood-soaked and bedraggled beyond prior recognition.

His hyperventilating sobs were the only sign of life sounding around the apartment. Shaken breaths, each more frantic than the last were all he could manage.

Genesis didn't fear death. No, to say he feared death was an insult, a light way to put it. He was petrified, frozen in horror before the prospect that he was withering away, living with one foot dipped in the grave, feeling the eager hand of death tugging him down inch by inch each day.

He slowly lifted his head, then caught a glimpse of himself through the looking glass. It was a pitiful sight, no matter how many sugary lies he told himself to quench his worries.

There was a burning sensation through his spine, like a nail dragging itself through his veins and ripping apart each one with torturous intent.

Globules of blood dripped down his back, marring the floor with crimson puddles.

Something began tearing through his left shoulder blade. He cried as it broke the skin, twisting and snapping. The wet sounds of flesh being torn open melded with the crackle of his spine.

Genesis's back curled as he hunched over deeper. His screeches were raw, shredding his throat, pulling out every last morsel of emotion from his body until he was hoarse.

He felt it; something coming out of him. With his nails digging into the floor, bloody and cracked, he let out one last guttural cry.

And then he felt it. Something unfurled from his back. He felt it like an extension of his body, an extra limb stretching out.

All was quiet again. His heaving breaths slowed. He curled his palms into fists, then used them to push himself up from the wet floor.

Genesis looked into the mirror.

A black wing protruded from his back.

He raked his eyes over his own body, sticky with blood and pieces of flesh, then pinned the dreaded spot on his shoulder.

There, the wound remained intact, as black and ugly as it ever looked up close.

[jimmawww]

Fave Game Over Screens

Ocarina of Time

Prince of Persia: Warrior Within

Shadow The Hedgehog

Resident Evil 4

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

Nier

Metal Gear Solid

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

GTA V

Devil May Cry 3

Super Metroid

Metroid Prime

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

Mass Effect

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards

Sonic The Hedgehog

Super Mario Bros

Super Mario 64

Luigi's Mansion

Donkey Kong Country

Banjo Kazooie

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Dark Souls

Gears of War 2

Final Fantasy VIII

Final Fantasy IX

Final Fantasy XII

AeternoBlade II

[remswrites]

Fandom: Final Fantasy XIV (Shadowbringers spoilers) Relationships: G'raha Tia | Crystal Exarch & Minfilia Warde Rating: T+ Wordcount: 10,675 (complete)

"Even with her gift, she cannot hold them all. So I will do what must be done." He is a relic of a darker age. If he stays he shall be consumed by the tower… and he made it that way. The only decision left to him is when, and for once he would like to play the hero… or the villain, so the Warrior of Light will not save him. Minfilia shakes her head, ever so slight. "Exarch." He smiles. "I must." - Anointed by fate, guided to a dying shard that isn't theirs to save, to endure for the one who one day will. To change a past and safeguard a future. Many hands that put them there, but it will always be their choice to make. In the Crystarium, the Exarch receives a periodic, generational visitor.

Preview:

The early years are particularly perilous.

He is more limber then: his body not yet bound to the tower, and although he has taken to spellcraft, not a paladin yet. The young Crystarium newly risen on its plateau above the lilac woods of Lakeland as fragile as its namesake, a final observance rather than a nation, in need of every advantage he can give if they are to survive.

He arrives at the southern gate to find the sin eater recently perished. Already its overabundance of aether dissipates and a mauve hood covers the slayer's face and carefully shadows eyes, the barest hint of hair escaping past an expressionless mouth and they seem resolute, if not kind.

"I wish to speak with the Crystarium's leader," the stranger – they sound feminine, but he will not presume – says, and he catches the quiver of a gentle smile along with it. "Do you think this will serve that I mean no harm to his people?"

It's not why they did it. A convenient parlay, nothing more. The lowered shield bears the emblem of Eulmore – one less secret in the web of possibilities as to who they are for him to untangle, and the Exarch realises his own precautionary stoicism, that perhaps it is off-putting.

He clears his throat. If they do not know him by sight, a guard he shall be. "The Crystarium is open to all," he says, gesturing. "Although I would ask any traveller whence they hail."

He expects an island and gilded halls and a high tower. Perhaps allusions to further overtures and partnerships to ensure their two states flourish.

Instead the stranger speaks of other places. Of painted hills, and flowers. Of commerce, and hope, and loss. So much loss. Of places he knows as they should be.

He pictures it: as it used to be, when he closes his eyes.

"Home," he manages, the weight of its departure lodged in his throat, sounding more like the man he once was than what he has become. And recognition. "Minfilia."

She lowers her hood to empty blue eyes, forever marked by Her passing.

"Hello, G'raha."

She has wanted to meet with him for such a very long time.

[sunderedazem]

lift me higher, let me look at the sun

Series: in the shadow of the sun || ascian azem au (Part 3)

Series Authors: @sunderedazem and @azems-familiar

Rating: Teen Fandom: Final Fantasy XIV Category: Gen Major Tags: No Archive Warnings Apply (Some) Minor Tags: Warrior of Light Is Not A Shard of Azem, Ascian Azem, Teenage Warrior of Light, Yol Preening, Alcohol, Nonbinary Azem, Warrior of Light is a Mess, Azem is even MORE of a Mess, Tempering, Miqo'te Warrior of Light

Summary:

Azem follows the Warrior of Light through Othard, and observes as Doma is liberated from Garlemald's choking grasp. Sometimes they get too close for comfort. Corrain de Fortemps tries his best to bear the weight of being the hero of two continents. Sometimes, he catches the Ascian paparazzi watching - and tries to see if, just this once- maybe they won't have to fight. Five times the Warrior of Light and Azem of the Unsundered see each other - and sometimes there's a big nuzzly yol involved.

Chapter Start:

CORRAIN He’s not quite sure when, precisely, that the back of his neck began to prickle with discomfort, the fine strands of translucent fur along his hairline stiffening to stand on end. But he knows for certain that it began in earnest shortly after they made landfall amongst the archipelago of islands in the Ruby Sea and went with Soroban to treat with the Confederacy - or, more precisely, to pay the bribe that would allow them to sail the ocean there unaccosted by pirates. Corrain rather thinks he would have been more amenable to the whole thing - and slightly less of a scowling thundercloud of a man - had that strange sensation not begun to set in. But as it was, well. He rather thought Tansui might have been glad to be rid of his glower, however briefly. After all, even petite as he is next to a Roegadyn like Gosetsu  there is something intimidating about a man who carries a blade as long as he is tall and imbued with fire-aspected crystal so the blade will burst aflame when aether is channeled through it besides. No less one who speaks only to snarl obscenities under his breath at the Garlean trespassers they’d briefly run into. Though perhaps that may have kindled kinship instead. He does think he caught an appreciative sigh from Tansui.

Click for Ao3 Link!

[saberamane]

Final Fantasy 9 inspired apothecary set now for sale on my etsy!

It features some basic FF potions (potion, hi-potion, ether, elixir, phoenix down, phoenix pinion and remedy) as well as some 'ingredients' and key items (stellazzio coins, moogle pompoms, crystal shard, dark matter, and chocobo feathers) contained in corked glass bottles with sealing wax and custom made labels.