#reblogs off because i dont want to risk the small chance of this becoming a bug hate post and i know i have bug enthusiast pals here

[opportunity-strikes]

me encountering a post with a picture of a big high res spider in it: i must not fear. fear is the mind killer. fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. i will face my fear. i will permit it to pass over me and through me. and when it has gone past i will turn the inner eye to see its path. where the fear has gone there will be nothing. only i will remain

[badwolf-winchester]

Ancient Bloodlines

Pairing: Loki x Emy Nightstar (OC)

OC Summary: Emy is the newest Avenger. She specializes in Magic and close range attacks/ weapons. Her heritage is unknown to her as she was left at an orphanage door step when she was a young girl with only the memory of her name. She goes by her nickname Emy but has never told anyone her full name as its a reminder of her being abandoned. Emy can see through any illusion and Magic no matter how powerful they are or how strong the magic is and is unaware of this. Her powers include Telekinesis, Elemental Control, True Sight (as stated above) Enhanced healing and Shifting (she wont discover this till much later in the story). She loves to read, listen to music, play violin, sing, and draw.

Story Info: Takes place after infinity wars. Tony and Natasha are alive Steven comes back from the future after giving back the infinity stones. Vision is alive and living with Wanda in the tower. Thor and Loki live in the tower with the rest of the Avengers and for the sake of the story Himedall is alive and living with the rest of the Asgardians on earth in New Asgard (you will find out why later)

One last thing: Please do not repost my work on any other site or social media, however reblogging on here is fine. I work hard on all of my fanfics and it’s disappointing when people take my work as their own. I am the creater of all my OCs such as Sora Nightstar, Emy Nightstar, and Lithium Nightstar. My inbox is open for any and all requests as i am a multi fandom writer. Let me know how you like the story and i will do my best to answer any and all questions. As always i encourage any and all feedback as it helps with my writing. I hope you all like it!

The Beginning

They say that your parents are there to teach you the rules of the world, but what happens when you have no parents? Who will teach you then? The world is cruel but people are crueler. Ive learned this first hand when the person i trusted most in this world left me on the door step of the St. Trinity’s Orphanage. I was 9 when my mother told me she didn’t want me anymore and i guess I couldn’t really blame her. I mean who could love someone who couldn’t control the powers that grew with each passing year. Someone who started fires out of thin air when they had nightmares, conjured whirlwinds when startled, unfurled earthquakes when angered, spring forth rain showers when sad, and levitate objects when riddled with anxiety. I will never forget that day for its seared into my mind like its own person brand echoing with every beat of my heart. A monster thats what she called me, her own flesh and blood was a monster in her eyes, and i could see the relief when she ran from the solid oak door finally rid of the burden she had to put up with throughout the years. An abomination she cried as she reached the cobblestone sidewalk eager to be rid of me and by the pace she was going at i could tell she had more spring in her step than on the walk over from the bus we exited from. Unnatural she bellowed as she disappeared around the corner a ghost of a smile springing from her lips as she disappeared. These where the last words i would ever hear from my mother, if thats what you would call her.

Emy’s POV

Tonight was just like any other. Crisp cold air submerged the city in a blanket of dark and silence while it settled into your bones. I never minded the cold in fact I welcomed it, it reminded me of the cabin i found one year after running away from one of the many abusive foster homes i was forced to stay with. I’ll admit it was one of the times I was able to avoid the social workers for longer than a week and the happiest I had ever been in my life up until i was captured by Hydra. When I had a flair up with my powers, which usually ended up being fire, i would immediately get sent back to St. Trinity’s but this time i ran before they had the chance to toss me aside. The staff there used to place bets on how long i would stay with a family, they would joke saying i was cursed or jinxed but i knew the truth, no one wanted me. Once the parents found out about my abilities I was sent packing. I was labeled as a flight risk and a danger to others which only deepened my anti socialism.

Walking through the streets of New York i pull my dark purple jacket on and my dark brown hair in a pony tail as I get closer to my destination. Because i don��t feel the effects of the cold weather Tony, being such the dad figure he is, has made it his priority to make sure i still wear one just incase so here i was walking home in black ripped up jeans, a black v neck T-shirt, black and purple checkered vans and a light weight dark purple jacket. With my headphones in my ears and “I like it heavy” by Halestorm blasting I make my way to the place i call home, Stark Tower. Walking through the front doors i make my way past the receptionist who always greets me with a bright smile. As I walk towards the elevator I give her a small smile back and a head nod. After entering the elevator and pressing the button for the penthouse I start to reflect on how i got here.

By the time i was 15 Hydra found me in that cabin and took me away. I went from hopping from family to family to being used as a science experiment, constantly being poked and prodded just so they could get a reaction out of me. As a child my powers where very unstable mostly flaring up with my emotions, its no wonder that Hydra caught wind of me its not like i was hiding it very well or more so that i couldn’t hide it. They tried to wipe my memory to gain control of me “a blank slate” is what they wanted, but for some reason, they failed as I wasn’t susceptible to their conditioning methods no matter how much time i spent in the chair. However, I could tell they were scared of me I could see it in their eyes. This didn’t last long though as they used what they called their perfect weapon code name Winter Soldier to beat me into submission. After that first meeting that left me with a broken arm and a fractured ankle i started to obey, since then Ive met the Soldier a couple of times but if he remembers me he dosent let on and I dont blame him, he has been in that chair so many times Im genuinely surprised he can even remember how to walk. He is stronger than the others as most of the other test subjects had turned to vegetables after the 4th mind wipe, he was on his 10th the last time i saw him with Hydra.

Another test was done on me and this one was different. They used a teseract? If thats what they called it I can’t be sure nor did I care all I could feel was pain like as if someone injected lava in my veins. After they injected me I started screaming after a while I couldn’t even hear myself anymore, my throat was so sore and horse from the constant roar of my agony I just wanted it to end. How long was I out for? Seconds? Minutes? Hours? Days? Years? They didn’t keep clocks there or at least not in the dungeon like cell they had me in. When the fire faded i was left with this numbness and after further tests I realized that I was immune to fire. I can literally stick my hand in fire and i will be left untouched and unscorched. They did the same test with freezing temperatures to see if they could subdue me at least in some way. I must have been out longer than just a couple of days as during the tests i didn’t recognize any of the Doctors. In that moment I realized something, if they were trying to contain me then something must have happened to the soldier. It was time to plan my escape.

Back in my cell i could hear footsteps approaching me and then stop short. One of the scientists frantically trying to talk some sense into someone just out of my line of sight. “She is immune to anything we throw at her sir. We have done every test we could there is nothing left for us to do.” One of the goons in a lab coat stated to what i assumed is a higher up. “Bolden If her powers keep growing at the rate they are it could be days in which she will be unstoppable and with the soldier gone we dont have anything that can keep her in line. She broke Mandy and Rays arms the last time we tested her. She is getting too strong.” Brining a hand up to his chin the higher up Bolden stepped out of the shadows and looked at me with deep interest before he turned to looked at the man and scoffed. As he walked away i felt a cold chill ran down my back as I anticipated what was to become of me; I knew it was nothing good i had already broken their rules. His next words only confirmed what I feared. “ Its simple. Break her spirit or kill her Doctor. And when i say break her i mean in anyway means necessary.” His sadistic laugh is the last thing i remember before everything went black.

Its been 2 years since i have escaped and now I’m living in the avengers tower. I don’t remember what happened after that night in my cell its all a blur of red, screams, and gunshots. When i woke up next i was in a 6ft crater where I was being held captive without a scratch on me. Trees were uprooted and fallen over as if a bomb went off. Luckily the Avengers showed up not long after me waking up and took me to their base where i met Directer Fury. With his permission and 24/7 surveillance provided by Tony Stark via FRIDAY and training sessions to get my powers under control i was allowed to join the Avengers and fight for good. Little did i know that by agreeing to this I would end up in the path of a certain God or Gods who were also taking residence at the tower.

With the sound of a *ding* the elevator shook me out of my mind and back to the present. As i exited the elevator I pulled my head phones out of my ears and was instantly met with the sound of Tony losing his mind. “Where did she go? She knows she can’t be out this late. She could be taken again! Its 5 minutes past her curfew!” Rolling my eyes I roll my headphones up and shove them in my pocket and round the corner. “Tony it takes 5 minutes to get from the lobby to the penthouse calm down. I bet she will walk through that door anytime now.” Came the sweet voice of reason of none other than Pepper Potts. “I’m Home.” I said in a deadpan voice as i walked by the couple only for Tony to stand up and intercept me by placing a hand on my upper arm. “Where did you go and why didn’t you tell me you were leaving?” I looked at him and raised an eyebrow pushing his hand off me. “Tony its Wednesday. I have training with Strange on Wednesdays and I had Friday alert you as I was leaving but you were in the lab with Bruce.” Not sure what to say next Tony mumbled a small apology. “Sorry I was just worried about you. I know you are grown enough to make your own choices as you are 25 but I just want to make sure you are safe. How was the training with The Wizard?” Sighing and shaking my head just wanting to go the library and read I decided to just let it go. “Strange is a hard ass that much you already know. It wasnt bad actually I think I’m warming up to him. I didn’t spontaneously throw him to the wall when he snuck up behind me as i was going over the ancient texts so i call that improvement.” I said sheepishly while side stepping around him. “I’m gonna go to the library now and grab some light reading before bed you guys have a good night.” With out waiting for a response I quickly made my way towards my new destination only to have Tony saying something about guests in the house but I ignored him.

Pushing open the library door I make my way to the poetry section to grab my usual copy of Edgar Allen Poe that I read before bed. As my had reached for the spot i knew i put the book in i find that its not there. “Wait what? Where is my book? I know I put it back here before I left for training so where did it go?” Frustrated I stomp back over to the entrance and rip open the door ready to go on a murder spree while shouting down the hallway. “CLINT! You better give me back my night time book or I’m breaking all your arrows again! No one reads in this tower but me! How stupid do you think I am!?” Straining my ears I listen for any type of movement but was met with dead silence. After a minute I finally hear movement through the vents coming from the west part of the tower and I take off sprinting. Sliding around a corner I barely miss colliding with Steve and Bucky who look like they were on their way back from a mission. Offering a quick apology before I continue my pursuit I hear Steve yell “Hey! No running in the tower!” Not faltering in my hot pursuit of the Hawk thief I continue to zip through the tower ignoring the Captains words until i was almost to the vent that lead to the 2 level family room. Using the railing for the steps leading down to the family area to give me more height i jumped as close to the vent as possible and conjured my signature Scythe to slice through it while twisting in the air kicking the vent free and off its track. A shocked and terrified scream resonates from the vent as the culprit falls to the ground with a thud and a grunt. I landed in a crouched position and slowly straightened to my full hight. “What the hell Emy?! When did you learn to do that?!” Clint yells as he sits up rubbing his left shoulder that he landed on. I started stalking towards him with the blade of my scythe scrapping across the ground as i went while giving him a death glare. “Give me back my book Barton.” At the mention of his last name his head snapped up to me fear replacing the pain from his fall. “Oh shit last name not good.” Scrambling up on his feet he turns and runs towards the common room that connects to the elevator with me hot on his tail and my scythe trailing behind me in my right hand.

“Shit shit shit shit shit shit SHIT!!” He yells as he makes it fully to the room only to fling forward as i jump and kick his back tired of all the running. Twirling my weapon around I place it at his neck sneering at him. “I will not ask you again.” I said placing pressure on his neck with my blade. Sensing a fast moving object coming from my left from the kitchen I move my head back 3 inches as what looked like a hammer flew by me embedding itself in the wall. Turning my head slowly in the direction of the flying object, I confirmed it was indeed a hammer that was thrown at me. Irritation flared through me as i released Clint from the end of my scythe and turned fully to the kitchen to face my attacker. There stood 2 men that i did not recognize, one tall oak of a man with blond short hair, blue eyes and tan skin in blue jeans, a red T-shirt ,and grey jacket. the other shorter man made me stare at him and faultier for a second as he was so different from anyone i have ever seen, dark blue skin covered his entire body with darker almost black symbols and piercing red eyes, long black hair with black jeans, a green dress shirt and black jacket. Tearing my gaze away from his own curious one i looked between both men before i clenched my jaw letting my irritation settle back in. “Which one of you threw that hammer.” I said venom dripping with every word. “Whoa its ok Emy thats just Thor and Loki they are the asgardian Gods that live here in the tower part time when they are not in Norway.” Clint said standing up quickly. Not moving from my position i narrowed my eyes and flicked them over in Clint’s direction. The ground started to shake as my irritation and annoyance grew to anger remembering what i was doing before being interrupted by the Gods. Throwing his hands up in surrender he then quickly reached into his back pocket and retrieved my book. “Ok ok dont blow a fuse Em.” He said while tossing me my possession stopping me from causing an earthquake. Catching it in the air with my left had I inspected the book to make sure it wasn’t damaged before I let go of my scythe, with a wave of my hand it disappeared back to the pocket dimension I keep it in then looked back at Clint as the tremors stopped. “Touch my things again and i will be wearing your guts like my mom’s pashmina.” I said to the thief before walking out of the room and disappeared down the hallway not giving the Gods a second glance. As I entered my room i could hear a silky voice ring out from the kitchen. “Well isnt she interesting.”

Part 2 coming soon

@nickkie1129

[noodlecupcakeswritings]

An Unbreakable Bond - Chapter 6 (Kylo RenxOC)

Supreme Leader Kylo Ren now has everything he could possibly dream of, except for someone to rule by his side. And he’ll do anything to get Cora back.

The final fic in my Kylo/Cora Star Wars canon series. This is most definitely a TROS fix it fic because fuck that movie and shitty writing.

Please leave likes, comments and reblogs if you like it. If you want to be added to the taglist, please let me know.

Warnings: Serious angst, Serious feels, Language, Violence, Blood, Gore, Death

Chapter 6

Cora

2 months later

Varidun and I had returned from the shuttle with some more food supplies. Varidun had also begrudgingly brought new clothes, ones that didn’t come with holes in them and ones that would keep him warmer in Duxn’s harsh weather. As we walked back to camp, we came across the body of a storm trooper at the edge of the forest. The sight filled me with a mixture of dread and anger. I would have thought or perhaps hoped it would have been longer until Kylo had found me, but apparently, he was smarter than I gave him credit for. Up ahead there was a shriek before repeated blaster fire can be heard. The stormtroopers must have come across one of Duxn’s unhappy inhabitants.

Varidun knelt down beside the trooper’s corpse and removed the commlink from its wrist before attaching it to his own. Heading towards the forest, I was eager to put my training into practice on live targets. Training had been going well and whilst it had taken a little while before I gave into Varidun’s training methods, I was now learning that using my anger to my advantage wasn’t such a bad thing after all. Varidun followed, playing with the commlink in an attempt to listen in on the trooper’s coms for any information that may benefit us.

Following the noises of blaster fire, I eventually saw a handful of them up ahead and kept low so I wouldn’t be seen. I knew Varidun wouldn’t approve if I charged on in there. There was a pack of Cannoks that were advancing on the troopers, one of which was now being eaten but them. Cannoks were easy enough to deal with, but I knew if I didn’t deal with the troopers soon, their screams and blaster fire would attract much worse creatures. “I must admit I expected more from the First Order, Cannoks aren’t exactly high on the food chain here,” Varidun spoke softly. “It’s almost like training them from birth was a waste of time,” I replied with a soft smirk, “I’m almost tempted to just leave them too it.”

“True at this rate I can’t see them getting out, but it might still be best to deal with them before they call for help” “Good point.” The last thing we needed were more troopers here, or even Kylo himself. Looking for an opening, it was clear the troopers were stupid enough to not stick together and fan out, which would make picking them off easier. Using the force on the closest one, I slammed him into the nearest tree. “I would have chosen a subtler approach, but very well,” Varidun commented, staying back.

There was no need for the judgemental comment, and I made that clear to him with a soft glare. Wanting to prove him wrong, I kept my saber clipped to my belt, knowing the humming sound would give me away. Another trooper had noticed the fresh corpse, but before he had a chance to alert the others, I used the force to cut him off, choking him. Not even for a second did I feel remorse as I squeezed the life from him. Varidun watches with a soft smile on his face, something that was a rare sight. “Subtle enough for you?” I asked. There were only two left now, the others had succumbed to the Cannoks. However, as predicted, the screams and blaster fire had attracted another creature. A Boma. The Boma pounced on one of the remaining troopers whilst the other decided to make a run for it.

Stopping the trooper in his tracks with the force, I quickly snapped his neck. Now it was just had the creatures to deal with. Although this could be a good opportunity to bring home something for lunch and dinner. “Not subtle enough, it seems,” Varidun commented. The Cannoks had scattered at the sight of the Boma, although there were those that were greedy and tried to steal any scraps but were quickly killed by the much larger beast. Approaching cautiously, I used the brush of the forest to remain hidden. Until I didn’t quite mind my footing and caused a twig to snap under my boot, which attracted the attention of the Boma.

I cursed under my breath as it quickly approached, not giving me time to grab my saber. Reaching out with the force as a last resort, I easily entered the beast’s mind. Somehow the beast stopped only inches from my face, now not as aggressive as before. Instead it seemed docile, not a hint of aggression in its eyes. I stood there stunned for a few moments before cautiously reaching out and petting the Boma. Letting out a short laugh of disbelief, I continued to pet the Bomas scales. Glancing back at Varidun, my smile grew as I saw the pride in his eye. “Focus on the beast, not me. If you lose your focus on it, then it shall likely attack again,” Varidun scolded like a strict teacher but then added softly, “but well done.”

Turning back to the Boma, I focused on keeping it docile and also to hide the triumphant smile on my face. “I don’t think we’ll be taking this one back for dinner,” I spoke. “Perhaps, but we need to do something with it.” “I’ll let it go once we’re a safe distance away.” Side stepping the Boma, Varidun and I continued on our way to camp. And as promised, I let the beast free.

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4 months later

After breakfast, Varidun and I had hiked for hours until finally he found the location he had sought out. Ahead, the path opened up into a narrow clearing which leads to a small set of stone stairs that end in a matching stone doorway. There’s so much dark force energy surrounding the place, it almost feels thick and heavy like a fog. There’s more Sith runes across the door. This a tomb, a Sith tomb. I’d read about them as a padawan. Glancing nervously at Varidun, I notice he doesn’t seem as nervous as me, or maybe he’s just better at hiding it. “I’m guessing your not coming in with me,” I spoke. “No.”

Varidun made his way up the stairs to the entrance, placing his hand upon the door a small portion of the runes around his hand glowed faintly. My gut was telling me not to go in there, as I followed him hesitantly. There was no way I was going in there without some kind of explanation first, I wouldn’t go in blind and clueless. “What am I going to find in there?” I asked. “Honestly, Cora? I dont know, but I wouldn’t be sending you in here if I didn’t feel you were ready for it.” “And if your wrong? If I’m not ready?” “With the risk of us being found at any moment, you must be.”

Taking a deep breath and steeling my nerves, I headed inside. The door behind me closed, cutting off my only natural light source. Glancing around anxiously, I turned my saber on and waited for my eyes to adjust to the light. Advancing slowly, I kept an eye out for any traps. The corridor twisted around to the right and I sidestepped a suspicious-looking floor tile. The tomb was cold, and the various whispers and growls didn’t help settle my nerves. Whilst I remained cautious with each twist, I became a little more comfortable with my surroundings. I smiled softly as I remembered how my younger self would have been excited to explore such a place with Ben.

The corridor finally opened up into a large room, somehow torches were still burning in the room. Likely the Sith energy kept them burning. With a single blink, the room changed. No more stone walls and tiled floors. No more torches and darkness. Instead, I was somehow in Ben’s tent; the sun illuminating the space. His bed was unmade like usual, his clothes littering the floor instead of neatly folded and put away like the rest of the padawans. The small table was littered with scrunched up paper balls as if whatever he’d been writing hadn’t been good enough or he’d kept making mistakes.

The tent flap opened and in walked Ben, dressed all in black. Black boots, black pants, black t-shirt and a black jacket. Whilst I knew this couldn’t be real, it could only be a memory, it felt so real. Like I was back in this moment instead of reliving it. Ben didn’t seem pleased to see me, likely assuming I’d been looking through his things. “Don’t you have training with Luke?” He asked, as if trying to get rid of me. “Not for another hour. Where have you been? You didn’t come back last night.” Deep down I knew the answer, he’d been out with Ren and those six masked ghouls. But I was hoping he would be able to admit it to me, instead of lying to me.

Ben shrugged, “does it matter? I’m back now.” “It matters to me.” “Why so you can go and tell Luke?” “I wouldn’t have to tell him if I wasn’t worried about you. You’ve become distant, you’re always acting like I’ve done something wrong, and how can I trust Ren when he threatened to kill you the first time the two of you met?” “Are you going to tell him?” I sighed, caught between the two. If I told Luke what Ben was doing, there was doubt in my mind that Ben would hate me for the rest of our days. But if I kept it a secret, it would feel wrong to lie to Luke when I knew what Ben was doing was wrong. But I had kept Snoke a secret, so where was the harm in one more?

“No. You should know by now I keep your secrets,” I replied. Bens defensive attitude dropped a little, approaching me, “thank you.” “I just wish you’d tell me what’s going on. All this sneaking around and your quick temper, it isn’t you, Ben.” Glancing over his shoulder, he listened for a few moments to make sure we were alone before he turned his attention back to me. He took my hands in his, my heart skipping a beat at his touch. It was no secret we had feelings for each other, but we both knew we could never act on these feelings.

“Snokes been putting things in motion. It won’t be long now until I take my place at his side. When that happens…I want you to come with me, Cora,” Ben confessed. I remembered my reaction that day. How I had pulled away from him, how hurt he had looked at my rejection. I had spent the rest of the day worrying about who I should warn about Snokes plan. Luke? Varidun? Leia and Han? I had believed that one of them would have been able to stop Snoke and save Ben. But now, I knew better. None of them could stop Ben from going down this path, and it was nobody’s fault. But mainly, it wasn’t my fault.

Cupping Bens cheek, I met his hazel gaze with a sad smile. “I won’t follow you down that path-“ I started. “But we can be together, isn’t that what you want?” Ben protested. “I do. But not like this. One day when its right we’ll be together.” “So you’re just going to turn on me like my parents, like Luke?” “No, that’s not what I’m doing. I know there’s nothing I can do for you right now, your too far under Snokes influence to listen to reason.”

With another blink, Ben was gone and so was the tent. The tomb had returned as if I had never left it. Slowly I turned, ready to confront whatever entity had made me relieve that memory. But I was alone. Taking another deep calming breath, I cautiously moved to the next room, ready to face whatever the entity wanted to throw at me next. As I reached the doorway, I could hear a baby crying from inside and my stomach dropped. The one thing I didn’t want to face. But all of my motherly instincts were telling me to go inside and console my daughter. I just knew in my gut that it was Kendra.

Entering the room, it looked the same as the one I had just left, only the walls were covered in more runes. This time the room didn’t change in the blink of an eye. But inside the room stood Ben, cradling our daughter, and trying to stop her from crying. The sight tugged at my heartstrings; he would have made such a good father even if he didn’t believe it. Ben glanced up at me and relief crossed his features. “She’s been crying out for you ever since you left. I mean, I tried telling her I feel the same every time you go, but she wasn’t having it,” he joked. “The separation anxiety will pass, eventually.”

Carefully, Ben handed her over so I could comfort her. Gently, I rocked Kendra until her crying subsided. The blanket she was wrapped in was completely covering her, most likely why she was crying because she couldn’t see or breathe well. “It’s not so bad being with daddy, is it?” I asked her, unfurling the blanket away from her face. As I continued to unfurl the blanket, I noticed a worryingly large spot of blood and worked quicker to free her.

The room had fallen eerily silent in my panic. Opening the blanket, I only found fresh blood. No sign of Kendra or her remains. My heart and stomach dropped before I sunk to my knees, sobbing. It felt like a wound had been torn open and all the pain, grief and rage came flooding back. My sobs grew louder into wails. Something shifted in the room, the natural light dimming. “Such a waste,” came Snokes voice. My gaze quickly flicked up in his direction. He stood tall in his signature gold robe with Ben’s lifeless body at his feet.

Another wave of heartache washed over me and I crawled over to him. Desperately I tried to shake him awake as if this was some kind of bad dream. “Ben Solo was weak, as are you,” Snoke continued. For so long I had blamed myself for losing Ben and then the loss of Kendra. But now I knew that none of it was my fault. It was Snoke; it had always been Snoke. “Your wrong,” I growled. “I should have made him kill you long ago, then he wouldn’t have been so weak. You could have spared him so much pain.”

Forcing myself to my feet, I drew my saber, ready to finally have my revenge. It had always been my right to kill Snoke after everything he’d taken from me, and now there was nobody to stop me. Before I had the chance to attack first, Snoke used the force to pull me off my feet and into his grip. He held me by my chin, his nails digging into my cheeks hard enough to draw blood. “You always were nothing. Just a foolish child so desperate to prove herself. You would never have been worthy of him,” Snoke sneered. Snoke tossed me aside as if I weighed nothing, my back hitting the floor hard. But that didn’t keep me down for long as I forced myself back up.

“You don’t have it in you to do what must be done. Always too pure of heart, too weak. Ben Solo should have killed you with the rest of the padawans,” Snoke continued. To try to force me back down, Snoke shot me with force lightning. Crying out from the pain, I remained on the ground until he eventually stopped. Snoke might have been a lot of things, but like most villains, he was too stupid to kill me quickly. Ignoring the pain, I got to my feet for a third time. “But it wasn’t Ben who killed them. It was you. You murdered my family, you destroyed my home,” I growled, advancing on him, “but you were too weak to kill me when you had the chance.”

Snoke had manipulated Luke, Leia, and the others into thinking that it was Ben who committed those atrocities that night. But I knew the truth. Snoke raised his hand, ready to use the force on me in another way to inflict pain, but I was quick to fight back and hold him off with my own power. My anger was fuelling me now, giving me the strength that I wouldn’t have had before. Our power struggle continued for a few moments before Snoke gave up. Likely in the hopes to get my guard down and then get another attack in. But he’d just given me a small opening. Propelling myself with the force, I closed the gap between us and brought my saber down, slashing from his left shoulder across to his right hip.

In the blink of an eye, the bodies vanished from the room and I collapsed to my knees, panting from the exertion. The pain had felt so real, my joints still ached from it and there was still blood on my cheeks. After taking a few moments to calm myself and recuperate, I moved on into the next room, hoping it couldn’t get any worse than what I had just faced. The deeper I went into the tomb; the more runes littered the walls. Finally, I found another room, personal items on display. And there, examining one of the items, was a hooded figure. There was a sense of recognition and yet I hadn’t seen their face. They weren’t tall enough to be Kylo or Ben, nor was their frame broad enough.

The figure turned to face me and lowered their hood. My eyes widened as I was stood face to face with myself. Only this version of me was…wrong. She wore a black floor length dress under her cloak, her black hair was longer, wilder. And her eyes. That’s what I feared the most. This version of myself started back at me with amber eyes. This version of me was completely lost to the dark side, likely due to truly giving into her anger, her hatred, and her pain. Cora smirked at me before using the force to root me to the spot. She circled me how a shark would circle its prey. This time I didn’t try to fight back. How could I fight myself? She would mirror my movements, only she would likely be better.

But if she wanted to harm me, she would have already. Perhaps there was still some way I could bargain with her. “You’re forgetting if I am you, a better version of you, then I know your thoughts. You really think you can appeal to my humanity?” She asked. “You’re a darker version of me, that doesn’t mean your better.” “But think of everything you could have if you just gave into your anger and your hatred. You could be with him, both of you happy. You can have a family with him like you’ve always wanted. Nobody could ever take him from you again. Nobody would ever underestimate you again. Think of the power you would have.”

These thoughts had plagued me most nights when I was alone. What if I did just give in? What if I did follow the same path as Ben? “You’ll be stronger if you just give into it, you know that. Your letting your fear of what others would think control you. For once in your life, think about what you want,” Cora encouraged. “I did, and that’s why I found Varidun, for help.” “And if he can’t help you? What then? He’s your last resort and if he fails you like the rest of them have there’s nothing to stop you from becoming a better version of yourself. It’s a good thing you ran otherwise Luke might have turned on you too, just like he turned on his own nephew.”

Gently I shook my head, “if the thought crossed his mind, do you really think Leia would let that happen?” Cora scoffed, her smile growing at the mention of Leia, “ah yes, our dearest mother figure. Can’t even be bothered to give you the time or attention to help you. She gave up on you the moment you came back to her empty-handed. You failed her, you failed Han, and he would have died for nothing.” “Hans’ death was nothing to do with me. It wasn’t my fault.” Cora raised her brow, surprised by my words. Surprised that I was letting go of my guilt. But it was the truth. There was nothing I could have done or said to save Han. And after seeing how it ate away at Kylo, I knew it wasn’t right for me to feel guilt.

“You know if you give yourself over to him, to the dark side, that you’ll have everything you ever wanted. Stop resisting, don’t you want to be happy?” Cora snarled. “At what cost? I already gave Kylo Ren so much, and it still wasn’t enough. I will not destroy the last pieces of myself for his approval and love.” She could see her words weren’t having the desired effect, growing frustrated. There was still much healing to be done on my end, but I had a sense of acceptance now. I could let go of any unnecessary guilt; I could accept that not everything was my fault. I couldn’t control every aspect of my life, nor could I keep everyone I cared about happy.

As I blinked, the dark version of myself vanished and I was free to move once more. Continuing through the tomb, I eventually found myself back at the entrance, which was now once again open. As if it was letting me go, as if I had beaten whatever entity lay inside. As I emerged, the sun had set, and night had fallen. Varidun had set up a small fire and was cooking dinner. Limping over to him, I sat down in front of the fire and stayed quiet. He handed me some of the cooked meat. “What happened in there, is for you and you alone,” he spoke. Nodding softly, I murmured a thank you as I took the meat from him. I was glad he didn’t try to pry into what had happened. Both of us sat in a comfortable silence.

Taglist: @reverieness​​​​​​​, @sweetsec-93​​​​​​​, @cltex84​​​​​​​, @jana-banana-fana​​​​​​​, @neeharlow​

[the-house-of-the-nine]

In Mind of Misery: Reflections, Part 4

[Forward:  Since the end of “In Depths Below” the Nine have been busy trying to reclaim Lazarius’ family fortune, rebuilding, and forging new allies.  We are current in the WoW Timeline with this entry, NZoth has risen, the world is in chaos, and now, the Council of Nine are at a disadvantage.  New Readers, please note each of the roleplayers as the following...

[ L.K ] - Lazarius Kashebahl,  Algus Kross, Doctor Whistletorque, Marseille

[ V.D ]  Verzatea Duskflame , Pame

[ S.K ] Siida-Ray Kashebahl

[ K.A ] Koltun Ancientveil

[ J ] Jursol (AND JIMBA!)

And as always, thank you so much for continued support, posting, reblogs, likes and friendly messages!  Please enjoy! ]

[ V.D ]   The rush of emotionally provoking events had been lost upon the Confessor. True, she'd admire the affection shared between old friends - a welcome moment of serenity and wholesomeness - but there was the weight of Lazarius's original decree. Temporary leave? Loss of precious lives, of the Nines council no less, on top of the sense of hopelessness that awaited the world.

Rather than stand and fight, they had to thin out to ensure longevity of their people? War was afoot. A raging war of titans beyond mortal knowledge come to wreak havoc in ways few were prepared to fight. And the Nine were meant to hide in their underground layer and... Wait? The structure could very well become their tomb if they weren't careful.

But in Teas heart, while she wanted to remain and protect the last of her family... She also wanted to protect them in ways that meant directly fighting the enemies threatening their world, outside of the Bastille, in the battle fields. It wasn't long before the confusion became an expression of determination, her eyes flickering down toward her wand briefly before tucking it away.

If magic was out of question for the time being, then perhaps she'd have to touch up on her skills. The art of the sword had been a passion before the wand became a new challenge for her to perfect. But of course this entire monologue went along in the span of a minute, filled with silence from the shifty eyed Confessor who'd return to writing in her journal.

This would be timed perfectly with Lazarius's quiet plea for validation of Varis safety-- it'd surely mask Teas plotting with a look of discomfort over the possibility of Varis fate that lay in the unspoken sight... Koltun walked in alone.

Pames silence could easily be written off as the kaldorei doing what she did best. Quietly lurking in the solitude of being the wallflower, her arms remaining firmly crossed over her chest whilst observing. Soaking in the whims and words of those inhabiting the library. Though it was clear in Pames eyes, similar to Tea, she had a distant reflection in them. What the world was coming to made right and wrong a difficult game to play.

[ K.A ]  Vari wasnt here... The line of Koltun's back stiffened beneath Lazarius' question, his expression darkening. She should be here. There were no other places she would go, would even WANT to go after everything in Silithus. He couldn't look at Laz or the others, dipping his head down and to the side to avoid their looks and nearly smacking Laz on the head with a horn.

Stupid stupid stupid stupid. She should BE HERE!! fury welled within the pit of his stomach, coiling about the ball of fear that forced his gaze away and burned it's way up into his chest.

Felfire seared dark circles through the worn fabric of his bandana wrapped about his head, covering the empty sockets of his eyes.

"We got separated." The hunter practically growled, inhaling deeply to try to calm the building storm within him.

“There was, an attack.  Not just our operation, but the Alliance and Horde.  Silithid swarmed from the gates, overran everything.  We fought as long as we could. . .Loki, Krazzlowe. . .everyone that was there, gone.  If we weren’t fighting or killed, they were rounding up anyone who was alive.  We had to abandon the site. . .”

The demon would slam his fist into the table as he snarled.

"I searched for her and her forces in Silithis with my elite, but their trail was lost within a storm of sand."

He licked his lips, taking another calming breath.

"I broadened my search the next day but all my men and I could find were strange, mutated Silithids... they wreaked of the old God... "

Whatever happened after that seemed to pain the Bladewarden, clawed hands clenching into fists until the leather wraps around his fingers creaked.

"Vari and I had decided should we become compromised or separated, we would rendezvous here... after I salvaged what I could and helped whoever was still alive. . .I buried my men and returned here as we had planned..."

“By the sunwell... dont let me lose her again..” he thought.

[ S.K ]  Hearing what had happened to her sister, after trying so hard and spending so much time attempting to bond with her; the young heiress would calmly stand from the table and walking out the back door.

 She needed to center herself, find calm, and hopefully make things right here.  If she had lost her elder sister; it would not be because she failed, nor would she allow anyone else to falter because she was not upholding her duty as Matron of this order.

[ L.K ]  Lazarius would not let the man who had come to be his brother suffer in his rage.  Nor would he allow him to blame himself. “Koltun...”. Lazarius exclaimed; rather direct and form.

“You saved innocents by doing what you did.”. He placed his wrapped mummified hand against the chest of his brother. “Vari too.  None of us could have prepared for this . . .”.

Lazarius was partially gripping Kolts shoulder and squeezed, it was enough to give him that reassurance. “We WILL find her.”.

“If I may...”

Suddenly from the back of the room came a voice that split the hardness of the reality.

“...I will find Lady Kashebahl, walking death myself I am much closer to the realm she suffers.” Kross was not wrong, and Lazarius knew this when he peered over at the families eldest; the old steward who had cared for their family for so long.

“You would venture out? Alone? Find her?” “Lazarius peered toward the old Gilnean.

“Should I fall in my quest my phylactery remains hidden; it will take time for me to be restored but as endless as my service to you; so too will be my determination to find Pyravari.”

Lazarius would look toward Siida first; he knew she would approve, but his eyes fell on Koltun.

“You need rest, and to see the doctor.  Hydrate and get well.  I will need you to help us...will you allow Kross to go in your stead?”

[ V.D ]   There was a pause for a moment, one filled with Verzatea watching quietly before finally putting herself to action. She moves across the small area, walking on the outside of their gathered circle to touch and brush her fingers across surfaces, her fingers swirling with a pale purple magic. As she walks the magic could be visibly connecting each surface she touches with a thin solid purple line (as thin as twine, surrounded by a pale haze).

In the end, after completing the circle, those physically outside of the drawn circle would hear muffled voices speaking utter nonsense. In other words... She sought to offer them privacy.

"Surely the spectral alone is not all to be sent for our Harbinger?"

Verzatea weighs in then, confident to speak with added privacy, concern evident in her golden irises.

"The prospect of Old God soldiers having been so close--," Tea sighs softly, shaking her head before remarking,

"There’s a chance great peril is at hand. Too much for a one man rescue team. I'd recommend more going with Kross to scout the area; Defenses are sparse with lack of bodies to fill the guard roles, but the Bastille will protect it's patrons. We can spare the expense of lacking bodies for these two missions-- Both the issue of Raelyndias magic. . .,"

Teas eyes review Lazarius before eyeing Koltun,

"And locating Pyravari."

[ L.K ] “As you say the world is falling into chaos and You would risk the lives of our own in a time of great peril, than allow me to do my job.  I cannot die again Confessor.” Kross stated as he peered between the other members of the acting council.  

“Any additional aid will not only slow me down but get in the way.  If NZoths forces kill me I will return to my phylactery.  If they capture me; they will be in desperate need of aid...” Kross remained firm in his stance.

“I can do this...it is my duty to this family...and to someone I am especially fond of.  Please...”

[ K.A ] None of what was occurring around him helped his anger. It bubbled violently, rumbling up through his chest and out into the thunder of an agitated growl. Such were the issues that arose with the particular brand of demon Koltun had; out of hatred and despair, chosen to bind himself too. He had gained a temper. Felfire eyes darted between Laz, Kross and Tea, chest rising and falling with each desperate inhale of fury.

They each quarrel over what is mine to find, and seek to ground me! his thoughts rampaged. weak, in need of rest? Stay and do nothing? Break the promise? NO!! "Enough!!"

The hunter suddenly bellowed, large, leathery wings snapping out in dramatic emphasis to his command. His inner self fought to reign in his anger, cracking his voice when next he spoke, sweeping the others with his glowing gaze.

"Kross is right. But I will not be grounded here. I'm going with him."

Koltun looked to Lazarius, regarding the man briefly before covering his bandaged hand with the clawed one of his own and squeezing.

"I am fine. Give me supplies. It's my duty as much as Kross'. I failed her once, Lazarius. Please don't make me fail her again. I can keep up with Kross, and should Vari's mental stability be lost to us, I can bring her back. What is left of my elite will stay here with you and set up defenses. I cant take them with me anyways. Few can fly and to become what we are, you have to lose a part of your mind. They would be a liability... I've already witnessed it."

He sighed, anger leaking away to leave his shoulders slumped slightly.

"I lucked out. I got the broken piece back, and  that piece is out there now. Besides... Kross loves my company, right old man?"

[ V.D ]   There was genuinely nothing that had encouraged a reaction from Pame throughout the conversations besides the roused aggression of the demon hunter. The Kaldorei stiffened, her eyes fixated solely on the side of Kolts head whilst a single hand dropped to grip the handle of her blade. Yah know... Just in case. She wasn't terribly familiar with the being, though he certainly made her feel .. On edge.

Verzatea's narrowed gold eyes soaked in the hypocrisy that was the senile old ghost, deeply offended at the prospect of him accusing her to be... Stupid? Naive? How fucking dare! The grip she held her journal and quill with tightened greatly in an effort to ground herself before her lips part to defend her position.

Though it was Koltuns timely flare of anger that roused the Confessor. She'd instead stare at Koltun, brows furrowed now whilst glancing around for other reactions. Surely no one else thought his behavior normal and acceptable? Well, when ever had Tea been one to quietly abide the recklessness of others without challenging them. Thus, with as level a voice she could manage, Verzatea appeals toward Koltun,

"I'd recommend against you aiding the spectral. Rest assured, its not a matter of you cannot help, but rather your affections for the missing in action could cloud your judgement. Perhaps your... Anger," she carefully jots down something as she speaks,

"Is better spent on another job to distract you; Otherwise, in certain scenarios that are probable, your anger and gung-ho attitude could be a liability."

With that concern raised, Tea interjects secondly.

"Though if you genuinely will entertain his request, Lazarius, Id recommend that before the mission starts you should have Whitsletorque give Koltun a mental and physical health check before sending him back into the field."

To Be Continued: In Mind of Misery: Reflections, Part 5

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