#runic rambles

[runicmagitek]

lol. lmao even

[song-of-the-rune]

y'all are absolutely free to use tumblr however you please but I want redditors to know that they could, hypothetically, start a sideblog about a particular topic, add moderators to it, turn on submissions (and asks), make an "about" page laying out rules and such, and create a good tagging system. If you want it to be a bit more familiar.

[moonlight1237]

RUNES HISTORY AND FACTS

There are many types of rune systems, including Younger Futhark, Anglo-Frisian Futhorc, Medieval runes, and Elder Futhark, which are the ones I’ll be talking about.

The Younger Futhark (long twig) has 16 runes and is typically used in translation with Old Norse. It was used in Scandinavia during the Viking Age, from 800 A.D to 1200 A.D.

Then you have Anglo-Frisian (Frisian being Dutch), which had around 30 runes and was used in Britain. It’s also known as Anglo-Frisian Futhorc.

The latest and closest to us is the Medieval Runes, which fall back into a 24 system (like Elder Futhark) with the Roman/Latin alphabet, which is also used in translation to Old Norse.

Finally, the Rune system we’re talking about is the Elder Futhark used in a 24-rune system and is used to translate proto-European languages (proto-Germanic, high Italic, proto-English, etc, NOT Old Norse!) None of the names of the Elder Futhark have truly been written down; they have come from reconstruction and guesswork from scholars. The names have come from Old English/Gothic sources and the Rune poems that feature names and pieces associated with names.

Norse=Runa English=Rune both meaning “a secret” or “mystery”

Old Norse=Rún Old Irish=Rún Middle Welsh=Rhin “to whisper” “secret” or “mystery”

Scots=Roun “To whisper” or “speak often about one thing”. It’s also associated with the Rowan tree in Scots, which is a very well-known magical tree in many folklores (also known as the “rune tree” or “the whisper tree”).

It was believed the Elder Futhark came from the Rome/Latin alphabet and had ancient Greek relations—due to the closeness of the Germanic tribes there and the mingling of Elder Futhark and High Italic.

The runes were not traditionally used as magical symbols. they were used in divination but were not considered magical themselves until later centuries, far after the Viking Age when they became popular as magical symbols. The furthest back they were found to be used was theorized to be Germania, as typically (but not always) female diviners would “cast lots” which were believed to later influence the Norse people to cast the runes. It was widespread for Norse kings, warlords, and explorers of this time to have a rune caster or diviner with them wherever they traveled. Diviners and Rune Casters at this time were well respected and always welcomed into people's homes.

Then in the myths, we find where Odin discovers the runes and shares them with the other gods. Later the gods share them with humanity. The god Odin stabbed himself with his spear, Gungnir, and hung himself from Yggdrasil for 9 days and nights without food or water sacrificing himself for the runes till they appeared to him in the Well Of Urd. This myth differs depending on the source you found it on. Then in the Havamal 80’ page, 31 of Jackson Crawford's translation of the Poetic Edda (elder edda), it states, “What you ask the runes will prove true; they are gifts of the Aesir, made by the gods and painted by Odin. You’ll learn best with your mouth shut.”

Freyr’s Aett

Fehu Uruz Thurisaz Ansuz Raidho Kenuz Gebo Wunjo

Hagal’s Aett

Halagaz Nauthiz Isa Jera Eihwaz Perthro Algiz Sowulo

Tyr’s Aett

Tiwaz Berkana Ehwaz Mannaz Lagaz Ingwaz Dagaz Othala

24 runes in total for the Elder Futhark

Freyr’s Aett

Everything for your basic human existence, talking with the divine, human social life, and the earth and its bounty, and how to live our lives happily or at least contently.

Hagal’s Aett

shows us how to navigate the difficult parts of life when things take a rough turn and you don’t know what to do. This Aett shows us how to move forward in life and cause change and unexpected luck for ourselves.

Tyr’s Aett

This Aett shows us how to connect with life around us like. We learn to connect with and communicate with Humanity, deities, and nature around us, as well as how to connect our physical worlds to the unseen spiritual worlds we work in.

Getting into the runes themselves and the meanings and associations

Fehu

Letter-F

God/Goddess-Freyja, Freyr

Meaning-Wealth or cattle

Association-Wealth, Livestock/cattle, prosperity, abundance, fulfillment, stability, success, new beginnings, things earned and won, reward, good health, unexpected good luck

Runic poems- Old English, “Wealth provides comfort, but you must share it who hopes to cast lots for judgment before the gods.”

Norwegian, “Money causes strife among kin; the wolf grows up in the woods.” Icelandic, “Money causes strife among kin, and the fire of the flood tide and the path of the serpent.”

Uruz

Letter-U

god/goddess-Ullr, Audhumla (the creation cow), Thor

Meaning-Ox or bull sometimes bison

Association- challenges, endurance, courage, strength, untamed potential, good health, good luck, moving forward after being stuck in stagnation, sudden breakthroughs, overcoming challenges, trials, power, creative forces

Rune poems- Old Norse, “The wild ox has great high horns with which it gores; a fierce fighter who boldly stamps the moors.”

Norwegian, “Slag is cast from bad iron; reindeer cross the hard snow.”

Icelandic, “Drizzle is the weeping of clouds, and blights the harvest and is hated by the herdsmen.”

Thurisaz

Letter-Th

god/goddess-Thor

Meaning-Giant or Thorn

Association-Strength, breaking down barriers, Thor's hammer, defense, reaction, temptations, resisting temptations, disruption, passion, protection, conflict, power

Rune poems- Old Norse, “Thorn is wickedly sharp and causes pain to those who grasp it, hurt to you who rest among them.”

Norwegian, “Giant causes the sickness of women; bad luck pleases nobody.”

Icelandic, “Giant is the torment of women, and the dweller of rocky vales and husband of Varthrun the giantess.”

Ansuz

Letter-A

God/goddess-The aesir, Odin

Meaning-Aesir, the ancestor god

Association-communication with the gods, wisdom, divine power, knowledge, creativity, understanding, passing tests, understanding, communication

Rune Poems- Old Norse, “Mouth is the source of the word, bringing wisdom and counsel to the wise, hope, inspiration, and a blessing to all.”

Norwegian, “Rivermouth opens most journeys; but the sword belongs in it’s sheath.” Icelandic, “Odin is the ancient creator, and Asgards king and lord of Valhalla.”

Raidho

Letter-R

God/goddess-Sol

Meaning-Wagon or chariot

Association-Rythme, journey, travel, personal development, change, evolution, decisions, taking the opportunity, movement

Rune poems- Old Norse, “Riding is easy for heroes inside a hall; it’s much harder astride a strong horse pounding against the great mile.”

Norwegian, “Riding is said to be the worst for horses; reginn forged the best sword.”

Icelandic, “Riding is a sweet sitting and a swift journey and the toil of the horse.”

Kenaz

Letter-K and C

God/goddess-Loki

Meaning- the torch

Association-Knowledge, Light, warm, illumination, visions, enlightenment, intuition, learning, Improvement, creativity, Inner voices, Breakthroughs

Rune poems-Old Norse, “The torch we know by its flame, which brings illumination, and light wherever noble souls encourage.”

Norwegian, “Ulcer is the curse of children; grief turns us pale.”

Icelandic, “Ulcer is the bane of children and a grievous blight and the house of rotting flesh."

Gebo

Letter-G

God/goddess-Odin

Meaning-gift

Association-Love, partnership, giving and receiving gifts, generosity, sacrifice, balance, joy in relationships, talents, abilities

Rune Poem-Old English, “A gift returns to adorn the giver with greatness and honor; it helps and heartens those who have nothing.”

Wunjo

Letter-W

god/goddess-Baldr

Meaning-Joy

Association-happiness, light, perfection, comfort, harmony, recognition of worth, reward, success, good health, prosperity, flourishing, bliss

Rune poem-Old English, “Joy comes to you who know no sorrow, blessed with grain and plenty, content in a strong community.”

Halagaz

Letter-H

God/Goddess-Hel

Meaning-Hail

Association-interference, disruption, corrections, changes for long-term good, change, being tested, nature, overcoming obstacles, wrath, chaos, misfortune, transformation

Rune poem-Old English, “Hail, whitest of grains, whirls down from heaven, is tossed by the wind, and turns water.”

Norwegian, “Hail is the coldest of grains; All-Father shaped the world in ancient times.”

Icelandic, “Hail is cold grain and a shower of sleet, and the bane of snakes.”

Nauthiz

Letter-N

gods/goddess-Skuld

Meaning-Need

Association-resistance, demand, desire, personal development, constraint, willpower, endurance, self-reliance, patience, necessity, kindling passion, recognizing your needs

Rune poems-Old English, “Need constricts the heart but can bring help and healing if heeded in time.”

Norwegian, “Need leaves one little choice; the naked freeze in the frost.”

Icelandic, “Need is the bondmaid’s grief, and a hard condition to suffer, and toilsome work.”

Isa

Letter-I

God/Goddess-Skadi

Meaning-Ice

Association-cold, lack of change, stagnation, challenge, self-control, harsh reality, concentrated self, clarity, watching and waiting, delay, obstacles, danger

Rune poems-Old English, “Ice is cold and slippery; jewel-like and glistening, fair to behold, the frozen field.”

Norwegian, “Ice we call the board bridge; the blind need to be led across.”

Icelandic, “Ice is the rind of the river and roof of the waves, and a mortal danger.”

Jera

Letter-J

God/goddess-Freyr, Idunn

Meaning-Year, Harvest

Association-cycles, harvest, efforts rewarded, plenty, good spirits, change, completion, fertility, growth

Rune poems-Old English, “Harvesttime brings joy when the goddess Earth gifts us with her bright fruits.”

Norwegian, “Harvesttime brings bounty; I say that Frothi is generous.”

Icelandic, “Harevsttime brings profit, and a high summer and a ripened field.”

Eihwaz

Letter-Ei, Y

God/goddess-Ullr, sometimes Skadi

Meaning-Yew tree

Association- strength, endurance, protection, movement, balance, death and life, Yggdrasil, change, magic, rebirth, friendships

Rune poems-Old English, “Yew has rough bark without but holds the flame within; deeply rooted, it graces the land.”

Norwegian, “Yew is winter’s greenest wood; it splutters when it burns.”

Icelandic, “Yew is a taut bow, and brittle iron and the arrow of Farbauti.”

Perthro

Letter-P

God/Goddess-The Norns, Frigga

Meaning-Lot cup/casting cup

Association-fate, gambles, hidden things, unknown outcomes, chance, destiny, pregnancy/birth, luck, common sense, revelation,

Rune poems-Old English, “Gaming means to play and laughter among the high-spirited who sit merry together in the mead hall.”

Algiz (Elhaz)

Letter-Z

God/goddess-All the Aesir, Heimdall

Meaning-Elk, the white elk

Association-Protection, awakening, teachings of the divine, ward off evil, defense, guardianship, opportunity to grow, fulfilling dreams, employment, shelter

Rune poems-Old English, “Elk sedge grows in the fen, waxing in the water, grimly wounding; it burns the blood of those who would lay hands upon it.”

Sowilo

Letter-S

God/Goddess-Sol, Baldr

Meaning-The Sun

Association-motivation, action, the sun, guidance, health, victory, cleansing, life purpose, enlightenment, spiritual will, goals, light, energy, self-confidence

Rune poems-Old English, “The sun guides seafarers who ferry across the fish’s bath until the seahorse brings them to land.”

Norwegian, “Sun is the light of the world; I bow to its holiness.”

Icelandic, “Sun is the sky shield, and a shining radiance, and the nemesis of ice.”

Tiwaz

Letter-T

God/Goddess-Tyr

Meaning-The god Tyr

Association-Courage, victory, peacekeeping, faith, loyalty, leadership, logic, sound judgment, compassion, honor, passion, masculine energy, truth revealed

Rune poems-Old English, “Tiw is a sign that spells confidence to the noble; unfailing, it holds true though the night clouds.”

Norwegian, “Tyr is the one-handed of the aesir; often has the smith to blow.” Icelandic, “Tyr is the one-handed god, and the leavings of the wolf and ruler of the temple.”

Berkano

Letter-B

God/Goddess-Nerthus, Freyja, Frau Holle

Meaning-birch tree

Association-New life, life changes, growth, healing, new beginnings, femininity, birth, regeneration, renewal

Rune poem- Old English, “The birch thought fruitless sends out countless shoots; leafy branches, high crowned, reach to the sky.”

Norwegian, “Birch has the greenest-leafed branches; Loki brought the luck of deceit,”

Icelandic, “Birch is a leafy limb and a little tree and a youthful wood.”

Ehwaz

Letter- E

God/Goddess-Freyja, Gullveig, sleipnir, loki

Meaning-horses

Association-momentum, trust, harmony, change, healthy relationships, progress, transportation, loyalty

Rune poem- Old English, “The horse brings Joy; proud on its hooves, by heroes praised, it is a solace to the restless.”

Mannaz

Letter-M

God/Goddess-Odin, Thor, Heimdall

Meaning-Mankind

Association-Humanity, soul, divine influence, social order, society, friendship, teamwork, self, family, support

Rune poems-Old English, “We are each other’s mirth yet must one day take leave, for the gods will allot our frail bodies to the earth.”

Norwegian, “Man is the waxing of dust; mighty is the hawk’s talon span”

Icelandic, “Man is the joy of man and the increase of dust and the adorner of ships.”

Lagaz

Letter-L

God/Goddess-Loki, Freyja, Hel

Meaning-Water, Lake

Association- Emotion, cleansing, intuition, dreams, flow, guidance, love, memory, feminine, physic abilities, renewal

Rune poems-Old English, “Water to land folk seems never-ending when they set sail on a heaving ship; the huge waves overwhelm them and the seahorse won’t head the bridle.”

Norwegian, “Waterfalls free from the mountain; gold trinkets are so highly prized.” Icelandic. “Water wells from the spring and the great geyser and the land of fish.”

Inguz (Ingwaz)

Letter-Ng

God/Goddess-Freyr, Ing

Meaning-The ancient god

Association-love, peace, internal growth, harmony, approval, agreement, completion, Masculinity, time of rest, goals, common sense, home, channeling force

Rune poem-Old English, “Ing, first seen by the East Danes, later rode his wagon away eastward over the waves; thus was the great god named.”

Dagaz

Letter-D

God/Goddess-Dagr, Baldr, Sol

Meaning-Day, dawn

Association-Dawn, daylight, change of direction, prosperity, clarity, awakening, breakthrough, hope, completion, balance, transformation

Rune poems-Old English, “Day is the gods’ messenger; the light of the gods grants ecstasy, good hope, and a boom to all.”

Othala

Letter-O

God/Goddess-Odin, Hel

Meaning-Home, Ancestors

Association-Family, inheritance, Home, Knowledge from the past, heritage, experience, value, group prosperity, positive mental state, good health, good financials

Rune poem-Old English, “Home is loved by all who prosper there in peace and enjoy a frequent harvest.”

Bind runes

Bind runes are 2 or more runes combined to make one bigger Bindrune. Used historically as a way to shorten up writing or just as a fun way to write, we now use them as stronger versions of runes, or as a way to have many runes together without having to write them all out.

Famous ones, Vegvisir and Aegishjalmaur (Helm of Awe) aren’t runes or bind runes, but instead Sigils that came around centuries after the Viking Age, and were found to be from the 1800s. Vegvisir is a path finder, not a compass. The Helm of Awe is used as a warding symbol but historically wasn’t actually used for anything as far as our sources note.

Resources

https://oreamnosoddities.com/blogs/news/how-to-make-a-bindrune-Bindrune explaining

https://oreamnosoddities.com/blogs/news/rune-meanings-the-elder-futhark-elder futhark source

http://www.shieldmaidenssanctum.com/blog/2019/3/12/the-elder-futhark-runes-and-their-meanings- elder futhark sources

https://youtu.be/nK51UmwJxRU-bindrune source from witches view with a little misinfo on Helm of Awe and Vegvisir

https://youtu.be/wG9d95vJibk-Bindrune source from Jackson Crawford

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLATNGYBQ-TjrPCf9YGy0qzqca1ypcGs50-Jackson Crawfords videos on runes through historical source

https://youtu.be/IROvre0w6hc-Vegvisir info

https://youtu.be/kW9KbtjyHN4-intro to runes

https://youtu.be/Gjmxu7z04kk-explaining the connection between the runic writing and languages

“Runes For Beginners” Lisa Chamberlain

“A Little Bit Of Runes” Cassandra Eason

“Nordic Runes” Paul Rhys Mountfort

“The Poetic Edda” Translated by Jackson Crawford

“Tales Of Norse Mythology” Helen A. Guerber

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1F5INHBpAeUZ8Ux632760FbNQ0SUHDUGX/view?usp=drivesdk-Reading Past Runes book

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1p5L1BFpUFRte-BVq7XgBdXLjAqqZKKkI/view?usp=drivesdk-Nine Doors Of Midgard book

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EGtRedzunDGtUYkAbtdDrOQS0ppBBH9t/view?usp=drivesdk-The Big Book Of Runes book

[kirnet]

obsessed with the idea that once the detective has their blood all murphied up they become this very powerful antimagic field. they can just see through veils and illusions sure, but also standing near runes or sigils is an issue bc they just turn them off. they are effectively banned from certain parts of the warehouse or the agency complex bc they ruin all magic around them

[apollo-cackling]

did another winning run (A17 Silent) with no energy relics and I genuinely cannot tell how I keep doing this. energy relics in theory are super good why'd I keep getting runs like this

[solarsteam]

◇Honestly love how I already have a HoB oc, yet I didn't even draw him as yet.◇

◇Anyways, his name is Aviator, or Av for short. Ae uses he/ ae pronouns and is an inventor. He also has some cool steampunk-eque wings inspired by the Da Vinci's ornithopter. ◇

[lunastrophe]

BG3 Drow Lore: Names Written In Drow Script

So... I was wondering how drow names from BG3 would look like written in drow script - because hey, surely there is one, right?

Apparently (but please correct me if I am wrong) there is no official drow script because for some odd reason, drow in DnD universe are supposed to use elvish script called Espruar. You can stumble across this script in some places in game, for example, some of the posters from Act 3 have text written in Espruar. It looks like this:

But I was not satisfied with this - I mean, seriously, drow using a surface elven alphabet? 🤔 - and after a bit of searching, I found some not-exactly-canon, but cool alternatives.

The first one is 3e Espruar script, a redesigned Espruar alphabet that is no longer used in the newest edition of DnD. It is elegant and looks pleasantly elven. The second one is High Drowic script, a redesigned 3e Espruar with a touch of Abyssal and more runic design. High drow language was supposed to be used mainly by priestesses (for ritual purposes) and among nobles.

Below some examples - 3e Espruar / High Drowic variants:

There is also another script, known simply as Drow script, that has two versions: rounded and angular. This script looks a bit chaotic, as if somebody gathered letters into a jar and shook them before writing them down - I also like it:

Espruar font and High Drowic font are by Neale Davidson. Drow font is by Daniel U. Thibault.

For more of my drow lore ramblings, feel free to check my pinned post 🕷️

[mk-writes-stuff]

OC Interaction Tag

Rules: describe an OC of yours, then describe how that OC would interact with the OCs of the people who tagged you

Thanks @kaylinalexanderbooks and @illarian-rambling for the tags!

Kaylin’s OC: Maddie is an 11-year-old girl who is quiet, curious, and a bit of a risk-taker. She's generally well-liked but isn't sure why people like her. She fidgets and squirms and likes to remain active, especially with her hands. She's a STEM kid through and through, loving each letter in the acronym. Maddie takes things apart, such as pens, to see how they work and eventually joins her school's robotics club. She believes in direct fairness - will match your tone with her - and gets a little upset if she is misunderstood, which is often, since she thinks she's straightforward. Her honesty leads to her being nosy, as she believes everyone should be open. Maddie is an animal shapeshifter, and enjoys the physical sensation of morphing as well as pushing her limits a little too much. She's a gamer who prefers consuls with buttons and enjoys old sci-fi shows and modern cartoons. Despite not quite understanding emotions, she does try to be there for the people she cares about, and usually tries to defuse a serious situation with a little joke.

Katie’s OC: Astra DuClaire is a 25 year old witch. She was too poor to get a proper education, so she snuck into lecture halls and bribed her way into labs to learn her trade, eventually taking on the specialty of runic mechanics. After learning all she could, she slapped some steel baba yaga legs on a vardo wagon and began her business as a traveling mage in the sketchy land of her birth. As a person, the first thing one would notice about Astra is her arrogance. She's prideful to a fault when it comes to her magic, though this is mostly a front to cover up some deep insecurities regarding her lackluster education. She loves helping people, is hungry to learn new things, and has a deep, angry sense of social justice. She believes all people have inalienable dignity. In her dialog, she's coarse and has a raunchy saying for every occasion. It doesn't matter that she's five nothing, her argumentative streak stretches into next week and she will be a bitch about it. But as angry as she can be, she has just as big a capacity for wonder and love. Her hobbies include tinkering, embroidery, and pirating music.

My OC: Stellaris is a disliked nobleman, the younger brother of Sixth Station head Cassiopeia. He’s a scrawny-looking blond man with big purple eyes who wears shabby nobleman’s clothing and has a permanently flat affect. Stellaris is autistic, which makes him unpopular among nobles due to his complete inability to understand social cues and perform social niceties such as eating food he dislikes because it was offered to him. He has a kind heart but struggles to express it and communicate well to others. His special interest is history and he loves telling others about it and asking them about anything they know about it, but he doesn’t mind taking turns talking about interests if people are willing to take their turn listening to his. He is extremely blunt and honest at all times, even when it might come across as rude, although he frequently doubts or disparages himself because of how people have treated him.

How Stellaris and Maddie would interact: I think they’d get along very well! Stellaris wouldn’t understand Maddie’s interests, but he’d be happy to listen to her talk about her interests and tell her what he knows about Seven Stations technology, which I think she’d really enjoy. He’d definitely want to tell her about his interests and would be delighted to know that she’s from what he considers historical times and would probably ask her a bunch of questions. I think their communication styles are really compatible, he wouldn’t mind her being a bit nosy and trying to be straightforward. She might end up mimicking his tone and accidentally talking way louder than she should out of a misinterpretation that he was yelling at her (he tends to talk a bit too loud), but I think they’d get along despite this.

How Stellaris and Astra would interact: Honestly, I think she’d scare him at first. Astra has a very forceful personality that I think he’d find intimidating. I feel like Astra would initially find him a bit weird but would quickly figure out that there’s a lot more to him than his “strange” mannerisms and take a liking to him. I think if he ever talked about how the other nobles treat him, she’d get really angry on his behalf and he’d take a whining to that real fast. He’d start off just doing what she told him to because he’s a bit afraid of her, but I think he’d start chatting with her after she realized she wouldn’t hurt him. After that, I think they’d talk a lot about their interests, and he’d interrogate her about her life too, because her life reminds him a lot about history. He might accidentally pry a bit far and get her to bristle by asking about something she’s sensitive about, but he’d apologize profusely enough that I think she’d be willing to let it go.

I love this game! I hope y’all like the interactions, lmk what you think of them :)

@elsie-writes @rkmoon @televisionjester y’all want to play?

[spiriteddreams]

A Whisper of Evening Star

The Fine Line: Act II (masterlist) Data Collection + Analysis Pairing: Al-Haitham x Reader Warnings: angst (no comfort in this part) Word Count: 2.6k

III. Data Collection So perhaps, at this point, Al-Haitham believes he simply tolerates you. You’re notthat annoying, in fact, throughout this entire research process, you’ve been rather helpful and have filled in some of the gaps that he’d glossed over while analyzing works. The more time he spends with you, sitting close to one another in the confines of one of your offices, or walking through the streets of Sumeru City to take a break (and grab a drink), the more he realizes there’s much he isn’t aware of when it comes to you. 

He quickly learns what your favourite drink is at Puspa Cafe and that you like to sit at the little table in the back corner that you’ve silently claimed as your own. To others, it’s mostly hidden but it offers a view of almost everyone in the cafe, something Al-Haitham thinks would be useful if he’s trailing anyone. But you remind him, time after time again, that there’s no reason for him to be so alert when it’s just the two of you.

“You need to learn to relax.” You hum, tracing the rim of your cup with your finger as you watch steam curl in front of your eyes, brushing against your cheek and offering you a wisp of warmth. “Take a vacation or something. You work too hard, it’s not healthy, you know.” You say it so nonchalantly but there’s still that lingering concern that Al-Haitham can’t help but hold on to. Do you really care that much?

He realizes that you do when you start showing up to his office on days when he doesn’t have meetings scheduled just to pop in to see if he’s had anything to eat yet. He likes to roll his eyes and bluntly state that he is well aware of his health and he has eaten already, but on the late nights when his candle is beginning to flicker away, your interruption to his work is welcomed, not that he’d tell you that.

“There’s this new stall I want to try, come on!” He knows you’re lying about not having tried it before when he saw you munching on a snack from said stall just a few days prior. But he finds that he appreciates your offer and as his candle finally flickers out for the night, you tug him out of the Akademiya to enjoy a quick meal before he’s left to deal with whatever nonsense Kaveh has waiting for him at home.

He won’t admit it, but it’s a bit refreshing to have someone else’s perspective on his work. So when you both venture to the desert, Al-Haitham finds that he’s looking forward to spending some time with you. You’re rather excited, rambling off random facts with a bounce to your step as you nudge him every now and then. He doesn’t think he’s seen you get this up and close with someone.

But the more time the two of you spend in the desert conducting these research expeditions, he quickly comes to the conclusion that the desert heat is getting to him. It’s why he’s become rather irritable now. Grains of sand stick to his skin as the sun beats down around the two of you. Aaru Village only provides some comfort, and though Candance has graciously allowed the two of you to stay, it’s not enough to calm the growing tension between the two of you. A day-long expedition gone wrong had forced both you and Al-Haitham to engage in a tiresome fight with the runic technology within the pyramids. Your Visions flicker weakly at your sides as you avoid one another in a small room of two beds. Exhaustion clings to your form, feet dragging against the floor as you try to steal subtle glances at Al-Haitham.

“Stop that, I can feel you staring.” His voice is sharp. You mumble an apology and hurry to gather the papers that have been spread out over the desk. Your findings for the day were scarce. Instead of looking over ruins and trying to translate the ancient languages, the both of you had spent most of the day running.

---------

It had been a minor slip up, one of your sleeves getting caught in stone as you were both already running from one of the primal constructs. A ripped sleeve led to your bracelet catching in the fabric and being tugged off your wrist. You hadn’t even thought twice about going back to grab it, accidentally stepping on a pressured piece of stone and activating one of the preset traps of the temple. Al-Haitham stared at you in shock, his eyes flickering between the grumbling stone and sand that fell around you both to the bracelet that hung off the stone. You couldn’t seriously be thinking about going back for it.

“Are you kidding me?!” He reached to grab your wrist but you had avoided his hand, darting out of the way to lunge towards the piece of jewelry. He yelled your name again yet you chose to ignore it, running back to grasp the small piece of jewelry. The familiar hum of the primal constructs appeared in front of you, causing a rush of fear to spark in your chest. Scrambling back, you could only cry out an apology as Al-Haitham cursed your name as you both ran from the temple.

---------

And now, as the two of you had returned to Aaru Village, the awkwardness between you and the Scribe was palpable. You roll your fingers along the bracelet, trying to focus on the smooth stone beneath your touch. Al-Haitham’s upset with you, there’s no doubt about it. With his sharp replies and exasperated looks in your direction, you’re not quite sure how to approach him. Seeing Al-Haitham upset with other people was one thing, you’ve seen how he can wield his words and act spiteful, yet it’s never been directed towards you. Until now.

“Can we talk about today?” You break through the silence. The room illuminated only by two candles on his side, he sits in bed, legs outstretched beneath the blanket as his eyes scan over the book in front of it. It’s a physics book, one you’ve seen him read multiple times now, and no matter how many times you’ve commented on it, you’ve come to learn that it’s somehow one of Al-Haitham’s favoured books. Honestly, you can’t imagine why. 

“What could we possibly talk about right now?” He doesn’t even look up from his book. You swallow thickly. It’s one thing to be on the receiving end of his playful nonchalance that you’ve always known has never held any real hatred towards you (whether he realizes that or not), but it’s another thing to be faced withthis .

You sigh and stand up straighter from your place next to the bed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to put us in that much of a compromisable position.” You’re greeted with silence. You wait, the silence starting to feel as if it’s closing in on you, wrapping around your body and whispering in your ear thatAl-Haitham hates you. Truly .

“Forget it.” He grumbles, snapping his book shut, “We’ll talk about it when we meet next week.” He doesn’t wait for you to say anything before he’s extinguishing the lights, bathing the room in darkness save for the sliver of light that streams from a window that stares up at the moon.

Al-Haitham pretends he doesn’t hear the shakiness in your breathing as you slip into bed.

IV. Analysis The tension in his office is uncomfortably thick. He leans against his desk, arms crossed and beautiful eyes boring into you as if he could read your thoughts. There’s no hint of a smile or any sign of that hidden amusement he usually reserves for you. The project is finished now, the two of you had worked over the past week through correspondence until the final paper was complete, tucked in the folder in your hands. Standing in his bare office, it feels like it could slip from your hands with how sweaty your fingers are. The research papers holding together this precarious relationship could fall at any moment and spill across his pristine floors. And you know well enough he wouldn’t bother to help clean up the mess.

“I’m sorry.” You suck up your pride, gaze falling to the floor as you stand in front of him. The bracelet, the same one Kaveh had gifted you, the same one that Al-Haitham’s stared at more times than you can count, the same one that nearly cost your lives, feels heavy against your wrist. It peeks out from your sleeve, feeling as if it were burning against your skin.

Al-Haitham scoffs, “We— you could have died, and all you can say is sorry?” That familiar cruel smirk comes across his face. You can feel it coming, the words that are poised and ready to strike, meant to cut deep and send you running. But despite the mental preparation you try to build up, it doesn’t help when he begins speaking again. 

“It’s a damn bracelet. Are you so prideful and attached to those stones that you decide to risk your life to get it back?” There’s no hint of sympathy in his tone, just spite and the knives that are woven into his words. “You were being irrational. Again.” Al-Haitham scoffs, brushing past you and ensuring his shoulder slams into yours. “You keep letting your emotions cloud your judgement, it’ll get you nowhere. Wake up from whatever ridiculous daydream you’ve caught yourself in.” There’s no kindness in his eyes, just anger and built up frustration.

“You call yourself a scholar and yet you pull this kind of stupid, life-risking stunt? You could have died, and then what would I be able to do? How do you think I would feel? Archons, I’m so disappointed in you. Time and time again you prove you’re not equipped for this sort of work.” You canfeel it. His carefully crafted words that he spits at you, his face still so calm it’s terrifying. And you know he relishes in the way you shrink into yourself. You whirl around, hands clenched and nails digging into your palms as you shout his name.

“You—! You’re so cruel!” You spit out the words, uncaring about the waver in your tone. “Do you ever care about what you say?! Don’t youever realize the impact of your words?!” Al-Haitham stares at you. He doesn’t know what to say, not when his eyes are locked on yours and he’s suddenly coming to the realization that maybe he should have been more careful. He watches you take a shuddering breath, the tremble of your bottom lip as tears pool in your eyes. But you don’t let them fall, hastily wiping them away before they spill down your cheeks. Losing your composure in front of the pretty, wonderful, egotistical scribe Al-Haitham was humiliating enough. Wiping away the tears before they could fall was a last attempt to preserve whatever dignity you had left. Your chest rises and falls rapidly as you hold his gaze. Let him see. Let him see the impact of his words, the sharp sentences that you had let dig into your skin for Archons knows how long.Let him see. Let him see how long you’ve put up with his sarcasm and underhand comments you pretended to brush off. From your time as Akademiya students until now, it seems as if bad habits never die easy. 

“You, the great, perfect, always-doing-good, Scribe Al-Haitham has no issue trampling over everyone else.” Your breathing is heavy, chest rising and falling as you let the words bubble up. “You only ever care about yourself. That’s how you’ve always been. Can’t you see how much it hurts other people, how much it hurts me? For once in your life, Al-Haitham, can’t you be more compassionate?!” You take a deep breath to steady yourself, trying to recollect yourself after crumbling in front of him. Al-Haitham remains silent, not that you particularly care anymore. If he wants to continue throwing this friendship back in your face, then honestly, is there a reason to maintain such a relationship? You’re well aware of how he’s perceived by others and your friends are still wary of his actions and words. You don’t blame them.

Dehya never fails to scowl in his direction. She admits that he’s incredibly smart and strong, but he still gets on her nerves.He’s not a friend of mine, that’s for sure. But, he seems to treat you nicer. Just stay alert. You wish you had listened to her more, it was as if she could see deeper into his character even if you had known him longer.

Cyno would always be skeptical and had no issue voicing his dislike of the Scribe.He’s too cocky for his own good. I respect him, but regardless, if he does something, you let me know . And seeing that you’ve both planned to meet with one another in the next coming weeks, he’ll be able to see through whatever facade you might try to put up. It’s what makes Cyno such a great friend.

Nilou was always the nicest, saying that she didn’t know him well enough for her to properly judge his character. Always open to possibilities, you’re thankful that she never outwardly expressed any serious dislike towards him, not that you think she would or could.He cares for you in a unique way, I think it’s rather endearing. Still, should problems arise, you know you can always come to me! Perhaps speaking with Nilou about this might be a good decision.

“Look I—”

“No.” You take another shuddering breath. “No, you’re done talking. I don’t want to hear from you.” Al-Haitham swallows thickly. It’s as if he can feel the weight of his own words now trying to crush him. For once, he doesn’t know what to say. He’s never seen you so frantic, your composure lost to the thick, tension filled air around you both. He sees the way your fingers trace over the bracelet. Thatdamn bracelet that you care for so much. Would it be the same if he had given you a gift like that? But his attention is redirected to your face as you sniffle and take deep breaths. Al-Haitham doesn’t know what to do. Ironically, he’s never been good with words of comfort. He’s always let rationality be his guide, let boredom and indifference lace his tone as he says things without a care, because in the end, things always work out, right?

“We finished the investigation. We’re done.” Your hands unclench, shoulders dropping and head turning away. You look down at the folder of papers in your hands, letting yourself trace over his handwriting of yours and his name at the top. Walking towards him, you meet his eyes for a brief second, allowing him to see a glimpse into the emotions swimming in your mind.

You shove the folder against his chest, “If there’s something wrong with the report, send a message to my office. You don’t have to see me again. So don’t come looking for me, for both of our sakes.” You leave him with scrambling hands, barely catching the folder and turning to stare at your quickly retreating figure. The door clicks shut behind you and his office is cast into silence. Suddenly it feels too big, too empty, too quiet without your mindless rambles and the smell of your faint perfume lingers around his desk. Your words replay in his head and the image of your teary eyes and trembling lips feels like it’s being branded into his memory. And suddenly, Al-Haitham realizes that he might have lost his closest friend, for good.

He misses you already.

reblogs and comments are greatly appreciated! <3 A/N: i hope the dialogue wasn't too heavy ahhhh

Taglist: @thetwinkims@sk1nn1p3nn1s@alhaithamfanindenial@meowzurii@crazypriestess@reallypurplesuit @ittosoneandoniwife @strawberry1894 if your handle is striked-through, i can’t tag you so please check your settings so i can!

[dan-from-onami]

Messmer Theory Time Because I'm Going Insane

Okay I got some wacky Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree theories I was discussing with @honey-ink, specifically about Messmer. She helped a lot with putting this all together and finding evidence. So here's a big post and I apologise, I am going to sound insane.

So what can we safely guess about Messmer the Impaler? He's likely a child of Marika and Radagon. The red hair seems to fit, but it also explains which demigod the Kindling Butterfly belongs too. In the open world there are three kinds of butterfly you can stumble upon and two had demigods associated with them. Nascent was tied to Miquella, Rot was tied to Malenia, but the Kindling Butterfly had no associated demigod. I think it's pretty likely at this point it'll be Messmer. Also the Impaler Catacombs ghost talking about an unwanted child of Marika. And just as a little note I did find it odd that all the god pairings had three kids except for Radagon and Marika, but now with the addition of Messmer that's been fixed. Plus the name beginning with M to match Miquella and Malenia.

But what's he doing here? My best guess with the little bit of info we know is that he was banished to the Land of Shadows. Why? Not entirely sure but I've got a slight feeling Messmer decided to side against the Erdtree. But with who?

I'll tell you who. The Crucible baby. The dlc has already shown a fair few Crucible related things like the Omen boss fight but Messmer has a few things too like the wings. On top of that the dlc is said to be exploring the origins of Queen Marika, the goddess who ended the Age of the Crucible. I have no clue why but perhaps Messmer decided to swap sides from the gods to the Crucible and for it he was punished with banishment.

This is the first of my wacky theories but the man's name is The Impaler and I just wanna point out that I've always found it weird that there was a random lance sticking through Marika's side that disappeared when she dropped from the rune prison. Radagon never uses it and the red fire it's made of doesn't match the golden runic magic of the prison or the Elden Beast. But perhaps at a stretch it does match the dark fire magic Messmer the Impaler is seen using.

So for whatever reason, this man sided with the Crucible, but what does that mean?

If this becomes true I'm saving this and I'm aware I sound crazy. The Souls games have a habit of having a dragon boss fight for the dlc. Kalameet, Midir, Sinh. The Crucible is also closely tied to dragons. What happens if you start doing dragon things as a Tarnished. New eyes.

Specifically if you spec into dragon magic you get yellow eyes with slit pupils. Now I've seen some guesses that Messmer has Frenzy eyes but I don't think this is the case. Frenzy doesn't give you slit pupils, dragon magic does.

Big stretch of a theory for this one, I believe Messmer might be an Empyrean also, would make sense since both Malenia and Miquella were too. But if that's the case and he's a dragon Empyrean, then there is a Dragon Elden Lord missing two heads waiting for his demigod to return.

One of the biggest mysteries revolving around Placidusax is where his two missing heads went. As far as I'm aware we don't have a concrete answer for that. If you're willing to let me take a wild guess, they're right here.

Messmer has two little snakes with dragon wings attached to them. Perhaps Placidusax is keeping an eye on his demigod.

Alright, one last thing to wrap up this rambling. Miyazaki likes his Berserk references, and the closest thing I can find to Messmer is Grunbeld.

Red hair, similar helmet. Definitely a different physique HOWEVER...

Grunbeld has the ability to take on a draconic apostle form. So perhaps Messmer might be able to do the same.

Or maybe Messmer won't turn into a dragon. Maybe he'll just be a guy with some crucible connections. Maybe he has no crucible connections and I'm reading into this too much, who knows. But I'm putting this all down just in case one day I find out I'm correct.

[runicmagitek]

EXCUSE ME A WHAT NOW???

[song-of-the-rune]

I love how when you get booped multiple times in a row by the same person, it displays as if they're separate people. you've been attacked by an army of tiny clones of your mutuals.

[willtheweaver]

Character interaction tag

TY for the tag @illarian-rambling

Illarian’s OC: Astra DuClaire is a 25 year old witch. She was too poor to get a proper education, so she snuck into lecture halls and bribed her way into labs to learn her trade, eventually taking on the specialty of runic mechanics. After learning all she could, she slapped some steel baba yaga legs on a vardo wagon and began her business as a traveling mage in the sketchy land of her birth. As a person, the first thing one would notice about Astra is her arrogance. She's prideful to a fault when it comes to her magic, though this is mostly a front to cover up some deep insecurities regarding her lackluster education. She loves helping people, is hungry to learn new things, and has a deep, angry sense of social justice. She believes all people have inalienable dignity. In her dialog, she's coarse and has a raunchy saying for every occasion. It doesn't matter that she's five nothing, her argumentative streak stretches into next week and she will be a bitch about it. But as angry as she can be, she has just as big a capacity for wonder and love. Her hobbies include tinkering, embroidery, and pirating music.

My OC: Opal has served as the village chief of Fernstan for most of her life. A white fox with red eyes, her appearance is striking and instantly recognizable. Knowledgable, good natured, and always on hand with advice, she is well loved by the community. Much of her wisdom was learned through experience, some of it the hard way. Growing up fast and having had to rely on herself at a young age made Opal aware of how disadvantaged some are. Most of her tenure has been dedicated to the welfare of the village. Though considered by many to be a sweet and gentle soul, beneath is a firmness and strong will that borders on stubbornness. Those who push their luck be reminded of their mistake for days. But she also has quite a large capacity to forgive, even tolerating children when they commit antics that would drive their parents crazy.

How they’d interact: Man, oh man, this will not be a dull interaction to say the least. A talking, sapient fox isn’t something people see everyday. But being a witch may mean Astra won’t be as shocked as normal person. In conversation, the two could have some interesting discussions about their younger days,the wonders that they’ve seen, and what it means to help others. There is the chance that they could get along, and maybe Opal could help Astra with her insecurities.

Tagging @modernwritercraft @late-to-the-fandom @oh-no-another-idea @phoenixradiant @winterandwords @little-peril-stories @thepeculiarbird @winglesswriter @mysticstarlightduck @talesofsorrowandofruin @melpomene-grey and open tag. No pressure, come when you please.

[ace-malarky]

Mist Worlds; Magic

This week I'm rambling out the magic types of the Mist Worlds so yeahhh

Not every world has a native magic, but if people settle there they bring their magic with them? It's kinda related to bloodline/original world shenanigans but like with Asin and Merrok, different magic types can crop up in the same family

People from magic families who don't themselves have magic (like Briony) tend to be called Neutrals

Feral Mage

animal companions!

heightened senses/share thoughts etc

can bond into one body if well enough in tune, which - if done well - affords some... extra generally elemental power (see; Jasper, Llinos)

- exceptions exist where it gets a little funky (see; Kaua, Willow)

- "legacy" ferals are when a family bond exclusively with one type of creature (see; Llinos/Tamhas/Tadhg's family of foxes) and the magic flows stronger, which affords some Stronger Elementalism once bonded (see; Llinos)

if it's not done well, become something known as Demon Souled where they're at war with themselves and highly antagonistic. Can be calmed but takes practice/control. volatile elemental magic (see; Skilkran, almost-maybe Jasper)

Green Witch

destruction all the way my guys

probably needs a different way

comes with a hefty allergy to getting wet (see; Lisetta)

Arch Mage

horrifically OP - these are the ones that sealed the dragons and stabilised the gates - and proud of it (see; Skir Aracel)

using their magic comes at the cost of their sanity. Bigger spells take more

useful for lifting curses, battle magic

Glyph/Runic Mage

known as glyph on their home world and runic on the world they've otherwise populated

carved/painted into items that can then be activated by anyone

easy to fuck up and change the meaning by like a brush stroke (see; Kriemhild)

can be used to mimicked other types of magic (see; Rhiannon)

one use only

Versatile

intention based - includes shapeshifters until that magic is stolen from them and becomes its own subset (see; Harne)

the first mages were a dancer's guild so every spell is linked to movement (see; Kai, Kiya, Sarin, Elfionn)

lots of little subtypes! Merlie is a spy so has don't-notice and eavesdrop as her main skills

after the Alisier eats magic and Kaithr releases it, all the little subtypes become their own branches and no one can dip in and out of them

Sea Witch

one of the magics not really open to humans on accounts of it not being one of their worlds

(specialised Weather Witches can get here but Oof)

it's the mermaid to naga pipeline (mermaids being the young and more fresh water based, some interaction with land people. Once they reach a certain age, the Changes happen and they become naga, which are exclusively salt water but can come up on land for stretches of time)

Charm Witch

sort of like glyph mages in that it's carved/worked into things and can be used by anyone

more of a ritual aspect in how it's cast on the item, involving pulling the aspect from something else to place in it (see; Tamar pulling heat from candles to make her rings/scarf warm at a breath)

recharges slowly

from one of the destroyed worlds

Techno Mage

siphon off electricity from anything with a current/energy (see; Asin), Fuck Around And Find Out with tech (see; Seth)

accidentally created time travel? not harnessed until the Far Future (and yet Saturday and Siofra are here anyway)

most at home on high-tech world, but can operate anywhere. One of the few people to be able to transport their tech from world to world without it breaking down

Visualisation

Illusionists!

power depends on how believable they make their image - the more people believe it's real, the more likely it is to affect the world around it (see; Razar)

from one of the destroyed worlds

Transference

not initially Open For Humans, but gradually gifted out in Times of Great Need

can split/share power by halfing and halfing and halfing again, either self (see; Talisha) or items (see; Lucy) and use their attributes

can be gifted to people even if they're not of this world (see; Basil)

Peace Broker

Another non-human magic! (see; Akeri)

make pacts/agreements with spirits and the like. useful for combatting Erinty (see; The Tricksters)

mostly pacts for temporary power, "I'll borrow this for this" kinda bargains, but can be permanently binding depending on the wording 'n' such. A little light necromancy is possible (see; Taerne)

Sorceror/Warlock

used interchangeably but more like DnD Warlocks than sorcerors oops

made a pact with one of the elder gods at the centre of the worlds, which affects what kind of spells they can cast

get a pact animal/conduit to access their god to beg for power

Weather Witch

elemental shenanigans!

Very clanny

rare that a person has more than one... type? but has been known to happen (see; Ris, who is an OP example and the impetus for the SHTwins set of stories)

useful in groups for... well, controlling the weather. You want good sunshine and warmth for an outdoor event? talk to your local weather witch clan

Soul Mage

does in fact have a whole ramble on it somewhere (over here) but paraphrasing here

healing/interrogation/biometric locks are its main applications

can be sunk into gems for access later so the creator doesn't have to use up their own life to power it (unless they're the one using it, at which point they just. feel slightly ill? possibly faint depending on how much they're using/how used to it they are)

can also be used for mind control! we got puppet people! Noticeably does not work on fully bonded ferals. Please don't. This is how you end up with an angry lynx that has access to fire.

[trashcanfills]

Self Aware Genshin AU - The First Four Chosen (Amber, Lisa, Kaeya)

When the player starts playing genshin impact, they are able to control the Traveller first. Later on, they get three free characters to play as on their team: Amber, Lisa and Kaeya in that order. Naturally, those are the ones who would be the first few who also gain self awareness along with the Traveller.

Amber is surprised at being taken over during fights, but then the shock turns to awe when her and traveller take turns to do fantastic elemental combinations or stunts that she normally would not have thought of. She later does approach the Traveller and Paimon about the odd occurrence and they explain what they know so far.

This makes Amber incredibly appreciative and admiring towards the player, because such a powerful and nice god chosen her as a vessel??? Wow. She feels so honored!

Lisa being controlled would be met with curiosity I feel, since she is someone who is eager to seek knowledge in her books. She is also rather chill and easygoing most of the time, and so would be fine to go along with what the player is making her do. Lisa would grow a fascination with the player existence, esp after clarifying with the traveller and paimon. She then checks the library’s restricted section to see if such a phenomenon has been detailed before.

Unfortunately there is not much stuff regarding the topic, though there are some sources that briefly mention the idea of powerful gods selecting worthy champions to be their vessels. In any case, Lisa is really thankful that player doesn’t have any harmful intentions of the sort and is willing to bless them with power. Def ends up as one of the more laidback acolytes when she starts worshipping you, since well…being formal all the time can be really taxing, you know?

Kaeya would also be curious but with more wariness when he feels his body being taken over by an unknown force. However he does not outright mention it or show any indication that he noticed, as we all know Kaeya is the kind to keep his own secrets and find out others’ secrets as leverage. Being more observant than most, he would quickly put together that it has something to do with the Traveller, and doesnt outright tell them and Paimon about it until a lot later.

In fact, him requesting the Traveller to help him with finding his grandfather’s treasure was a test to see the player’s capabilities and limitations. I believe after that quest Kaeya would confirm his suspicions to the Traveller and Paimon, and be interested in what kind of god the player is. Def keeps his actual opinions of the player to himself and suspicious of them, but over time will gradually grow a fondness for them since they do seem to have a desire to help others and not pose a threat.

With that, the self aware team has gone from 2 members to 5!

Kaeya would def join in trying to subvert the code by pushing a lil bit more on what he can do when being controlled by the player, like adding more variations to his lines in combat. Lisa would research more and maybe even contact other fellow academics to figure out more about the runic scriptures (the code) in general and what they mean. Both Kaeya and Lisa would also be a bit more flirtatious when interacting with the traveller since they are aware that the god is watching them through the traveller’s eyes. I mean, the player has done so much for them and the citizens of Monstadt. Surely they can afford to be more appreciative of their efforts nah yall just wanna hit on the powerful kind god and see the god’s reactions through traveller’s actions lol

Amber meanwhile is just an excitable lil bunny hehe and loves to ramble with Traveller and Paimon on how cool and amazing the player is offscreen. All of them, including traveller and Paimon, would want to interact with the player more however they can, while trying to free the people of Teyvat from the code’s limitations. Aka the start of sagau cult cough

[charlithepuppeteer]

Rivusa just wanna hold you in the dark while you cry part 1

Riven adjusted his straps on his armor making sure everything was tight and not going to fall off in the middle of training. Musa sauntered up to him just as he finished. She held her arms out indicating she was ready. Riven grabbed the runic limiters and held them above her wrists. They hovered there for a moment while he looked to her eyes for confirmation. She gave him a brief nod and he let them go as they settled themselves onto her wrists. She winced so briefly that he almost missed it. He gently grabbed her hands in a firm but gentle grasp. She was sporting one of her smiles that were becoming more usual now. She was smiling but he could see the pain behind it. He gently carresed his fingers on her wrists. "You know you don't have to be strong in front of me right." He says while frowning. She looked up at him with a studying gaze that only he knew was her trying to hide her emotions. He knew that she wanted to cry and curl up into a ball. And he also knew that he wanted to hold her. Everyone had taken blooms departure hard but her, Terra, and Aisha had taken the worst of it. Bloom was her friend and she could sense all of her emotions. She could sense her care for everyone in the suite. She could also sense her need to protect Musa. Bloom was like musa's older sister and musa was devastated. Whenever everyone's else's emotions became to hard to deal with she ran to Bloom. But now how cold she do that when she was gone. "I'm fine Riven stop worrying so much." She looked at him with a forced smile that did 'we'll talk later, but right now I need to get my mind off things and train'. He gave a brief nod and picked up the wooden staffs they were training with. He tossed it to her and she caught it in mid air doing a twirl above her head and planting it firmly on the platform they were training on. He lunges at her and she quickly slid to the side using her smaller size and speed to her advantage. He spun around and both there staffs clashed. They did that for a few more minutes until riven grew bold. He tried disarming her and she quickly kicked his leg in and pinned him onto the platform. He didn't get up partially because her staff was on his dick and mostly because he was frozen in place from her breath on his face. "Like what you feel there red flag?" He says with his usual smirk. He was going to say something else but quickly shut up as she pushed her staff down onto his dick a bit harder. "Okay okay point taken!!!" He said with closed eyes trying to get away from the slow pain coursing up his body. She eased up on that and got off him. He was a little sad at the loss of contact. He smiled at the plan forming in his head. She brushed her hair back onto her head and turned back to him. They were both really sweaty. She offered him a hand and he accepted. He took ahold of her have and let her lift him up a moment before pulling her down and lining her under him. "This is much better." He said with a satisfied smirk. Her breath hitched and she looked at his face more intently annoying l analyzing his every feature. His eyes skimmed over her face until his eyes reached her lips. They parted and quivered a bit under his gaze. He leaned in as she closed her eyes. She reached her head up as far as possible. They were so close. He could feel her breath on his lips. He was about to close the distance then-"MUSA ARE YOU HERE!?!" Yelled the voice of one of musa's annoying ass roommates. He got off of her and offered her a hand. She reached for it heaving out a defeated sigh. She closed her eyes and yelled out to the voice "YEAH AISHA!?!?" Great, just great. One of the fairy's that hates him the most. She appeared into view and began running to them. She had lots of books in her arms. She was wearing a blue jacket and her normal grey sweats. Once she arrived at platform she began rambling of words at a hundred miles per hour. He didn't know how anyone could speak so fast. "Aisha, slow down, what is it?" Aisha heaved out a breath and began gesturing to her stack of books. Once she steadied her breath she spoke.

"We know how to find Bloom..."

To be continued...