#spells in fiction

[bookofshitposts]

"We ask for good strangers." "We ask for the barrow to send what it may." "We ask that ill eyes pass over us." "We ask for the dead to guard us." "We ask that sorrow be held at bay."

Margaret Killjoy, The Barrow Will Send What it May

[caffeine-and-computers]

being a writer is spelling disembowelment correctly on the first try but somehow always screwing up definitliely

[jonahmagnus]

In world where there are two types of tower-dwellers, a Princess is locked in a tower.

There are two types of tower-people: A Princess, put there to remain pure until marriage or until rescued, and a Wizard, put there by choice to study and learn in isolation. Princesses are defined by their beautiful long hair, and Wizards are defined by their beards and impressive 'stache.

There is a Princess, and she lives in a tower. She was put there recently by her mother and father, to keep her pure and untouched until they can secure the marriage to another kingdom and a prince shes doesn't love. She has long, almost brown sandy-blonde hair, pale green eyes and a slim, tender build. She is not the fairest in the land, but she is tall and pretty. If compared to a rose, she would be the humble yet graceful willow tree, slender and long. She has wanted to be a wizard since a young age, but there is no way for a princess to become a wizard. Princesses are delicate girls to be protected and sold off until their either dead or Queens or have found True Love, unsuited to the life of experimentation and study of a wizard. That is what her mother tells her, in a quiet scolding that is far more forceful and cruel then it has any right to be. And the princess, terrified, believes her.

She used to run the castle halls, stick in hand, robe fashioned out of a delicate silk bedsheet, shouting fake spells at birds while her servants chased her. But as she grew older, her restraints became tighter, and more and more often, she was confined in her room to embroider in solitude with barely the comfort of a window or a maid. The life she is forced into makes her hang her head low, makes her hands be paper-soft, and demands her hair be long and beautiful and perfect like all other princesses. The world she longed to be a part of was a world of study and experimentation, and as the kingdoms princess and tool, she could not even dare to hint at her desires into adulthood. She could become a witch, she knew, flee the castle barefoot and sink into the loving embrace of the swamp. But witches don’t live in towers, and they make potions instead of spells, and they don’t grow the flowing whimsical beards that wizards do.

But that does not mean she has to be bored in her tower. Fascinated by magic as she always has been, she arranges with a long string of bribes for books on spells and forbidden potions to be smuggled along with her meals. She studies them while the clock ticks down for either a prince to arrive or her marriage to be finalized. Either one will doom her, and she wants to enjoy herself as much as possible until her marriage. She pours over the books long into the night by candlelight, and all day, she rests her pale, tired eyes. She experiments, and she reads, and she studies non-stop, barely stopping for meals and littering her books with an assortment of food stains. She cuts off her hair to use in bubbling gold potions, her skin becomes scarred with a rainbow of the consequences of failed experiments, and her dresses turn into makeshift cheesecloths and fire-fuel. She washes late into the night after she is done with her work for the day in the darkness, not glancing into the mirror that has become cracked and dusty. When her eyesight starts to fail from strain and working in darkness, she fashions for herself bottle-round glasses, blown by herself in the depths of her tower. Engrossed as she is in her studies, she does not notice the tower warp, and the meals stop rotting, and how she started out in one circular room but now has a loft and a second floor and the fact that the tower seems much much taller then it was originally.

What she DOES notice though, is when brushing crumbs from her face she feels facial hair on her upper lip.

She rushes to the bathroom and thrusts a candle into the holder as she looks at herself. In the dusty mirror, she sees the beginnings of a bushy mustache sit on her upper lip, much further along in growth then be logically possible without her noticing. It’s a pale blonde, like her hair, and she notices faintly that there are streaks of grey in it, a very familiar shade of classic wizard grey. She brings a trembling hand to her upper lip.

Much, much later, a prince rides up to the tower. It is tall, and warped, and very clearly belonging to a wizard, despite the royal family claiming their daughter lives here.

He shouts up, a bit nervous because of the thorny vines wrapping the beautiful stonework.

“Hey! Does a Princess live here?”

A young man with large bottle glasses and a rather impressive mustache leans out of the tower, his short, sandy-blonde hair spilling lightly in the wind. He starts to say something, then glances back into his house. A smile breaks out on his face as he seems to realize something.

“No!” He shouts back, after a moments hesitation. “But a wizard does!”

[weirdnesslieshere]

See? Uploading fanfiction into people's brains is a good thing!

[thesunisatangerine]

against all odds (to wait for you is all i can do) – part two

alexia putellas x photojournalist!reader

warnings: implied sexual content

(a/n in the tags) [parts: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve]

word count: 2.5k

You weren’t sure what woke you at first but when you opened your eyes, you found the brilliant, early morning light that streamed through a crack in the curtains. Groaning, you rubbed the sleep from your eyes, not missing the unmistakable rustling of clothes somewhere at the foot of the bed. 

Peeking over the sheets to the source of the sound, you found Ale working to put her pants back on, her bare back to you. You propped yourself against the headboard as you watched on, biting your lip at how Ale’s tattoos deliciously shifted over her rippling muscles. She picked something up from the floor before she turned towards the bed and you caught sight of the darkening marks on her neck and chest. When she saw you looking at her, she smiled, a little bashful, which you returned in kind.

“What time is it?” You cringed at how you croaked out the words.

“Early. You should go back to sleep.” Ale said, putting her bra on as she kept your gaze.

You hummed. “I could say the same for you.”

Ignoring what she said you sat up on the bed, allowing the sheets to slide down and settle by your waist as you stretched. Ale’s eyes wandered to your chest which, you supposed, bore the same marks you could see on hers, and you relished the attention. Once she found your eyes again, you sent her a knowing smirk before you left the bed, headed to the closet where you grabbed the nearest fresh shirt you had, and tossed it to Ale. 

Without even looking at the shirt, she caught it with ease. You raised your brow, both in question and in wonder. In response, Ale just smiled innocently at you. Ale pulled the shirt over her head, hiding the marks from view, then she moved towards you, her eyes dark and shining with intent.

Your body remembered last night’s endeavours before you did: every nerve in your skin lit up in anticipation for Ale’s touch, a fuse waiting for a spark. She laced an arm around your waist and pulled you flush to her front with a strength that left you breathless, her clothed body firm against your bare flesh. Without your heels she almost towered over you that you had to stand on your toes to wrap your arms around her neck. You closed your eyes when you felt the words she spoke against your temple.

“As much as I’d love to stay, I have to go.”

You sighed, unable to hide your disappointment. But what did you expect? You knew what you were getting into last night–you knew this was meant to only be a one-time thing. Besides, you were never one for relationships anyway; all your dalliances were brief and fleeting, ending before they ever got serious. Still, something about Ale pulled you to her, a force that compelled a desire to get to know her. The logical part of you already accepted the fact that you’d probably never see her again after this, but a small part of you wanted to rebel and resist that fate. 

Unsurprisingly, logic won out.

“I shouldn’t keep you, then,” you whispered against her collarbone. Ale shivered and that made you smile: it’s good to know you weren’t the only one still feeling the effects from the previous night.

“You’re not making this easy,” she whined and you laughed. 

“Alright, alright. I guess it’s time for me to let you go.”

There was a moment of silence but not an uncomfortable one. You looked at her, soaked in how her features caught the morning light, how her fair hazel eyes almost appeared like twin golden suns. You were tempted to kiss her lips then but you settled for a chaste one on her cheek instead. “Keep the shirt, to remember me by and… a thank you for last night. It was wonderful.”

“I had a good time, too,” she hummed, a small smile on her lips. 

You returned her smile, and then you gently pushed her away as you took a step back. “Go, Ale.”

Ale stood there for a moment more, took one last look at you, gave you one last smile and she was out of the bedroom. When you heard the front door shut, you sighed again as something akin to regret settled in your bones. Maybe you should’ve at least asked for her number…

“So… did you have fun?” A deep voice filtered through the speaker before you saw the familiar mop of blonde hair and blue eyes on your screen. You rolled your eyes at his dry tone but you smiled nonetheless.

“Oh hi, Derek, I’m doing fine! Thank you for asking!”

Derek gave you an unimpressed look. “Come on. I need details cause that club was exclusive for a reason. So, did you hook up with someone?”

“Dude, stop! That’s so–” you shook your head, a palm over your face. You swore if he wasn’t family you would’ve… you breathed through your nose. “Thank you for the pass and everything but I’m not obligated to tell you shit.”

“Fine, I see how it is. Just ‘cause I’m not there you’re keeping secrets from me now, huh?” He raised an exaggerated eyebrow. 

“Then maybe you should’ve come here with me,” you retorted with faux annoyance. “What’s the point of you owning a house in Barcelona if you’re not going to use it? It’s literally rotting here! The fact that you haven’t even put any personal things in here is criminal!”

“And let this agency burn down to the ground while both of us are away? Pfft, yeah, right!” Derek scoffed. “You know it’s either you or me who can keep watch around here. Besides, the house can wait and you’re using it now, right? So, a win-win in my book.”

He was right but you weren’t about to tell him that so you opted to change the topic. “How are things on your end anyway?”

“Chaotic, as usual. And it doesn’t help we’re now down two–actually, three including you–of our best in the Spot News department.”

At that, you sat up from the couch, alarm and dread filled your body and you brought the phone closer to you. “Oh my god, did something happen?” 

Derek sighed heavily, his demeanour clouded over as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “It was Jones and Gilda–they’re stable, don’t worry!–they got caught in a flash flood on the way to the base at their area. Sick with some minor injuries, Jones more so than Gilda, but thankfully they’re both okay.”

At that, you breathed out in relief. You were well acquainted with the dangers that came with your job but you could never get used to how quickly a situation could get from bad to worse. The mere thought was enough to turn your hands cold. 

“When did this happen?”

“Early morning today in our timezone.”

“Oh, fuck. Derek, why didn’t you call me?!”

“Dude, you’re on leave. And it’s not that I didn’t want to let you know, I just wasn’t about to wake you up in the middle of the night to give you this headache. I’m just about done with the paperworks anyway.” A moment silence, then Derek sighed. “You really chose the worst time to go on leave. You know, I had to send Jersey to start covering Spot.”

“Not my fault you authorised it. I was happy to wait another month, remember? Wait, so if Jersey is doing Spot, who’s doing Sports?”

“I know, I know, don’t remind me ‘cause I’m already regretting it. And no one’s doing it. Spot coverage is more important but–”

“–we get a decent sum from Sports, too,” you finished for him. You did some quick estimation in your head: a month or two without Sports could prove costly, too great of a sum to let go. You hummed, rubbing your chin, but it didn’t take you long to realise that you could help out, your mind immediately fleeted to your conversation with Ale and her suggestion.

“I’ll cover it, Derek.”

“No. You’re supposed to be enjoying your leave–”

“Derek.” You fixed a stern gaze at him, the one you knew that he knew meant your mind was made up. Then you proceeded to reassure him that it was fine, and then you told him about your plan. “Alright, then, I’ll leave the press passes to you.”

“I’ll e-mail them to you once I get ‘em, most likely by tonight your time. I–” 

“Derek, you got to see–” Another voice filtered through the speaker while you watched as Derek turned his head to the side and held his hand up to whoever it was before returning his focus back to you.

“Okay, as much as I’d love to keep talking to you, Robert just brought me a huge stack of paper so I’m going to bail.” 

“Alright. Have fun, you. Talk to you later.”

“Ha ha, very funny. But seriously, thank you.”

“No worries. Kiss Mom for me when you see her.”

“I will. Love you, sis.”

“I love you, too.”

After calling Jones and Gilda to ask about their condition and to send them your well wishes, you decided to spend the rest of your day at the nearby square and the beach. A day as good as this wasn’t meant to be wasted by staying inside so you grabbed several rolls of film and your beloved Leica camera before heading out. 

It was already late afternoon when you found yourself trudging along the shoreline of one of Barcelona’s beaches, appreciating the orange-tinged skies and how the gulls called from above. When you looked to the horizon, you found a mother and her little daughter paddle-boarding just a hundred meters from the shore. You could see almost no details in the shadows of their silhouette but the large setting sun framed them in such a way that you felt to take a shot of the moment. So you adjusted your aperture accordingly, pressed the viewfinder against your brow, lined up your shot, and pressed the shutter.

“I thought you looked familiar… And I was right.”

Your thumb froze over the advance lever when you heard someone speak from somewhere behind you. That voice… could it be?

You whipped your head over your shoulder and found none other than Ale standing there. She was wearing a pair of jean shorts, a white opened blouse that put her toned abs and Nike sports bra on display, loose hair slightly damp, with a leash in one hand that lead to a small, fluffy dog. She also had on a pair of black wraparound sunglasses that she moved to the top of her head, revealing her hazel eyes that captivated your gaze immediately.

You could hardly believe your eyes and your luck; you already accepted her fleeting presence in your life but to meet her again in a city as big as Barcelona without any means of contact… that surely was nothing short of a miracle.

“Ale, hi! I–I never thought I’d see you again,” you said after you finally found your voice but as soon as the words left your mouth, your cheeks warmed. What were you supposed to say to a one night stand in this situation, especially when you clearly wanted it to happen again?

“Me neither. I should thank Nala for dragging me out here.” Ale grinned as she glanced down at her dog by her feet. You crooned as you bent down, then you offered your hand first and only after Nala licked your knuckles did you proceed to pet her.

“Thank you, Nala, for taking your owner for a walk.” At that, a hearty laugh came from Ale which caused Nala, who seemed to be overjoyed by the sound of her owner’s delight, to yip and wag her tail. And just as quickly as she had, she seemed to get bored and began to bound forward, urging Ale to move as well so you stood up, brushed the sand from your palms, and fell in step with her. 

For a moment, the space between you was filled by the sound of the waves, the sound of the shifting sand beneath your feet, and the ever-bustling noise from the city. Then you recalled your conversation with Derek this morning.

“I thought about what you said, about covering women’s football. I’m going to be given a press pass for a match, not sure which one they’ll give me, though. But do you know of any big matches coming up?”

“Really? That’s great! Do you have any particular team in mind or…?”

“Research is still on my to-do list so no, not really. I’m all ears for suggestions, though.”

“I see. Well, there is this match coming up: Real Madrid and Barcelona. Since you don’t know, there’s rivalry between the two teams so any match between them tends to get crowded. You should come watch.” 

“That sounds like a good one. I hope that’s what they’ll get me into. Will you be there?”

“I hope so, too. And yes, I’ll be there.” As she said this, her eyes shone with a glint not dissimilar to what you saw in them the night you met. Her lips tilted to the side, closed but quirked at the corners like she was holding in a laugh. If it weren’t already clear that night, it was now–you were definitely missing something here.

“What?” You asked, confused. What was she not telling you? But at the question, Ale only let out a small giggle, grinning as she did so.

“Nothing, nothing,” she said, shaking her head. You didn’t believe her but you let it slide one more time and the fact that she looked so distracting didn’t help either.

She had her head turned to you, her loose hair framed her face and strands fluttered in the cool, ocean breeze. You had to tilt your head up slightly to meet her eyes and, without any bidding, memories from that night and the morning after filtered through your mind: the way she held you against her, the way you wanted her to stay… maybe you should ask her if she was free tonight.

“–what do you have in mind?”

You blinked. “What?”

Ale threw her head back, letting out another hearty laugh before she looked at you and you saw amusement swimming in her eyes. Then, she continued with a smirk, “you asked if I was free tonight. I said yes. Or… was I not meant to hear that?”

Your ears and cheeks burnt while you internally cursed your slippery tongue.  That was smooth. Real smooth. “Ummm…”

You woke the next morning with a delicious soreness between your thighs, a pleasant reminder of the way Ale ravished you last night. Similar to the first morning after, you heard the rustling of clothes being put on. But before you could fully open your eyes, warmth from Ale’s lips branded the skin on your shoulder. 

“I have to go. See you next time?” Ale murmured softly. You shifted slightly to the side and you saw how the sunlight behind her gilded her hair with an amber halo and made her eyes appear like molten gold. 

Brushing a loose strand behind her ear, you hummed in confirmation and pressed your forehead sleepily against the sharp line of her jaw, closing your eyes as you did so and you whispered, “you know where to find me.”

[possamble]

Do you have any headcanons or thoughts about Falin having a crush on Marcille pre-canon? Especially during her later years at the school/the years she was with Laios.

Just full on "awkward and slightly gnc teenage lesbian has a massive crush on the touchy-feely girly girl straight best friend" tropes everywhere. Even better bc it's the "best friend is also the popular girl while lesbian is the slightly ostracized quiet one" dynamic in school. Falin gets so so so good at not having a heart attack every time Marcille gets in her personal space. But she's so resigned to never saying anything bc why would a girl as blinding as Marcille ever like her back. She also doesn't make an effort to get over it either, she's just content to be trapped in that stable dynamic of silently being in love with Marcille while getting to enjoy CLEARLY being Marcille's favourite person. She gets so used to it that it's almost just background noise most of the time-- it would have to be, unless she wanted to be freaking out 24/7 bc Marcille is so goddamn affectionate.

Her feelings also definitely change throughout the time that they're in school together-- at first it was this "whooaaah pretty older girl" puppy crush that you can clearly see developing in the flashbacks we get (I think she doesn't even like... realize her fixation on Marcille is romantic at all until years after it starts, when she's 12-14 ish and all the other girls around her are talking about crushes). But then they get closer, over the years Marcille starts getting really attached and letting down her guard, and Falin gets to see the ridiculous side of her. She gets to calm her down from her tantrums when experiments don't work out, or help her clean up when something explodes in her face. I feel like the progression of her feelings from "schoolgirl infatuation" to "unrequited love" probably almost exactly corresponds to how slowly Marcille goes from trying to keep Falin at a polite but friendly distance (like she does with everyone else) to her facade completely eroding as she becomes her cheerful and ridiculous self again for the first time since her father died.

That's probably the saddest part: Falin knows that she's clearly Marcille's favourite person on the surface level, but she doesn't quite fully grasp the enormity of what that means to Marcille. She doesn't get that she's the person who made the world colorful again for Marcille, that she is the first person outside of Marcille's family to really and truly make her laugh. She just thinks she's the beloved but dinky little short-lived sidekick, one of many that Marcille has had and will have.

Part of it is that, despite Marcille becoming such a clingy and affectionate best friend, I think her initial demeanour already did its damage. You see Falin being super adventurous and weird at first, bringing Marcille berries and other stuff, only to be rebuffed by Marcille exasperatedly saying she's working or looking kind of put off by it. And by the time you see her a little older, shes already quieter and better at masking -- and I'm not saying that that's entirely Marcille's fault (being the weird girl at an all girls academy for almost the entirety of her teenhood must have been brutal, my god) but she definitely learned that she's a potential nuisance to Marcille if she doesn't tone herself down. She learned that Marcille most likely sees her as a weird little kid following her around bc she has no other friends. And for the most part, she was never given any reason to unlearn any of that.

And that all very very smoothly transitions into Marcille being her "first love that was never meant to be anyway" when she leaves the academy. Chapter closed in her mind: she loved and pined from a distance and that was that. Every now and then she'll see another woman with Marcille's build or her shade of hair and be like ":( I miss her..." But then just kinda move on with her day. Same with when she's going through her own spellbook and finds a note that Marcille left her/correction that she made-- she'll smile fondly and reminisce about how much Marcille doted on her, and then move on.

Sometimes she thinks about contacting Marcille but convinces herself that it's too late (she spent too many months focusing on getting Laios healthy again and didn't mean to go no contact, but ah well). It's only when she has a practical reason to be reaching out that would also benefit Marcille ("Marcille is studying dungeons and we need a trustworthy mage to go with us to the dungeons") that she feels like she's allowed/that it wouldn't just be 100% a nuisance.

I almost think she didn't expect Marcille to reply at all, only to get a telegraph (or some in-universe equivalent of express mail, maybe magical pigeon carrier) that's like. EN ROUTE TO ISLAND. LETTER TO FOLLOW. and she freaks out like AAAA LAIOS SHE SAID YES WE HAVE TO CLEAN UP NOW.

I do think getting a response accidentally sparks a little hope in her, judging by the way she acts in the chp 57 flashback-- she's pouty that Marcille sees her as a kid, gets really worked up about being presentable, and then tries to play it cool when she actually meets Marcille (as if she didn't freak out and force Laios to shave while rambling a mile a minute about Marcille). She's an adult now, really and truly, and she's seen and survived things that her 18 yr old self would have never even imagined-- then all of a sudden, the person she was in love with since she was ten years old appears, and she's so desperate to be seen as mature and competent. She's trying soooo hard to impress Marcille with her newfound combat and dungeoneering experience...

Only to fall right back into their old dynamic. RIP. At least she gets the girl eventually, even if it takes dying twice and being the core catalyst behind an almost-apocalypse.

[dxxtruction]

"Louis acting like a pimp to Armand" And what is a pimp exactly? Quickly. And, oh so sexual trauma survivors can't engage in kink now without it being all about that? Pet names? They can't be submissive anymore? Consensually? Sexually healthy? Be serious. I'd hardly say there's much power difference between them during all this anyway, except that Louis is freer than Armand and it's been putting a strain on their relationship. Louis wants more from Armand, and less of this 'being his past' for them both, and so helping Armand with this could fix that. It's healthy to want to help your partners get out of a rough patch?

I mean, the whole exchange was very clearly set up as a "I want to help you" after such a great moment of vulnerability Louis feels just how much Armand is desperate for it. Louis called Armand so they could work out a plan together.

And the bit with the umbrella was Louis' way of asking 'are you willing to listen to me?' and Armand said yes by unfolding it. Louis goes on and explains, Armand is allowed to argue against it, but Louis makes his point. And then he gives Armand a way to make his own choice in it too. Armand's already decided 'I want you, more than anything else in the world', but Louis still asks after if he's sure of his choice, and with a name, Arun, that is the one of his fullest agency, running the point home. Honoring the situation Armand calls Louis Maitre - as a way of being like 'I'll do as you've said then'. To make this work he's going to have to give Louis some of the control, yes. But it's the first time such a role is ever established, and it was his choice to do it. So so what if they do it in a very suggestive way? They can't like doing that? I think it's them having fun.

I struggle to find how Louis is being overly domineering here when really he's giving and offering Armand the most agency he's ever had. Same with finding it manipulative. The manipulation was more earlier in the episode I think, when he was stringing him along, giving mixed signals. He's no longer toying with him like that. Louis might be pushing Armand, leading him on to make a decision, but he doesn't mean bad by it.

But back to this pimp thing. I find it frankly offensive that this is where people are going with this. I get it, but to run with it being the case is, on many levels, wrong.

Louis told us episode 1 this was the only sustainable line of work to support his family and keep their standing, at the time. It was never his choice to be doing this either but his blackness allowed no other options. He did what he did so his family could stay in that house and maintain all their same comforts. It gave him privileges most black men didn't have at the time that he wanted to maintain and even have more of. Anyway, it doesn't and had never defined him the way 'being good at running things' had. And in that case he just likes having that kind of control where he can get it, which makes sense.

The world is what placed that kind of role onto him of what he was allowed to be able to run, not himself. And on that he actually treated the sex workers he employed well and respected them enough to give them more opportunity.** He recognizes they don't have much in the way of options either.

Louis employed sex workers, yes, but he didn't subject them to abuse, (like how Armand was)*. He didn't oversee things in a way that would go against their consent (see; episode 1 again)**. Sometimes a job is just a job. And Sex work is work.

Armand's particular past with sexual abuses may strike a particular cord with Louis, given all that, but the very last thing either is thinking is that Louis' pimping Armand out here. This is merely their decision as companions, and had nothing to do with adding another line in a laundry list of selling Armands body out to people at the command of someone else. Armand rescinds some of his control to Louis' wishes, because he wants him, and he trusts him, that's all.

If you aren't allowing Armand that choice, and are doubtful it's fully his, you're putting him right back in the box of being defined by his abuses. Putting him back into that space where he isn't given any agency over what he does. (Which is exactly opposite of what the intent of this scene is for)*.

*: (edit) added for clarity.

**: (strike through) numerous people are saying I'm misremembering these points so disregard it. (Thought he was siding with Bricks, it was the other way around). (Technically one aspect of those opportunities were for getting around the law). I don't have a perfect memory, it happens. Let's not get mad about it. Doesn't change much of the point which is that Louis, now, Louis then, was always considering more about the running things and for stated purposes. So I guess I'd say he may only have respected the SWers enough sometimes for what allowed him to do that, and there are moments he certainly expressed remorse over the fact, but he has a great deal higher respect for Armand that is genuine. It's incomparable. Please read my added notes in the tags, it should address most other concerns.

[corvusasteris]

the sands of time is a fantasy interactive fiction where you play as the mage of a small provincial town who, in the process of investigating into strange magical phenomena, finds themselves embroiled in a far-reaching political intrigue with potentially deadly consequences. and ghosts.

themes/tags : intrigue, fantasy, effects of time, power, magic, ghosts

You are a mage who, after being forced to flee from the capital for a crime you may or may not have committed, has taken refuge in Kemorlen, a small, unremarkable town ideal for keeping out of the political reaches of the Illyosian Empire. But when an apparently straightforward investigation into bizarre magical phenomena forces you into conflict with figures from your past and powerful forces that care little for you, how will you navigate through the oncoming storm that shatters your fragile calm ?

The continent of Aiolos has been dominated by the Illyosian Empire, with its back-stabbing nobles and complex court politics, for generations. Yet their hold is beginning to fray, and its rulers will do anything to take back their former power, sparking events that quickly spiral far out of their control.

Aiolos is a land at the crossroads of the mortal and spirit realms, where the effects of the underworld are felt keenly, and the delicate balance between mortal and spirit realms is ever on the verge of tipping over.

worldbuilding info

Flee from the capital under dubious circumstances: choose whether you were a spy or scholar when in Melera.

Meet five characters (one male, two female, one nb and one selectable: either male or nb) and choose to pursue romance, friendship, or rivalry.

Navigate a world of complicated politics, spirits that frequently won't stay dead and magic that permeates everyday existence.

Choose your name, pronouns, gender and place of origin.

Pick which area of magic you are strongest in, out of four (warding, enchantment, healing and transmutation).

Try not to get assassinated, arrested or possessed.

detailed character info

Jasper (m) :

A familiar face from your past, and not one that you expected to see again. He's a snarky, obsessive researcher into spirits and, during your time in the capital, your closest companion. After getting caught up in the incident that provoked your rather abrupt exit, you presumed him to be dead, and he you.

Leonora (f) :

The owner of the alchemists shop next door to you in Kemorlen. Despite her saving your life (numerous times) and helping you to create a new life for yourself there, she remains a figure that you know surprisingly little about. She's blunt, impulsive, skilled with a sword, and definitely hiding something. All in all, you don't quite know what to make of her.

Augustine (nb) :

A quiet, unassuming healer who arrived in town shortly after you did. Surprisingly squeamish and possessing a dry sense of humour, they have quickly become indispensable in helping you deal with the everyday magical difficulties of Kemorlen. Their past remains a mystery to you, and you suspect there may be more to them than first appears.

Mira (f) :

A charismatic bard who wanders the roads of Aiolos collecting stories, gold, and animal companions after being exiled from her home kingdom. She seems to attract trouble, but as long as the resulting chaos makes for a good tale she doesn't appear to mind much.

Theodorus (m/nb) :

A spirit with patchy memories and a thirst for revenge after being accidentally brought back from the underworld. They're awkward, restless and struggling to reconstruct a life for themselves in a world where they are supposed to be dead.

demo : here currently 17k words, prologue

release medium : twine & itch.io

rating: 16+

pinterest: here

[snailfen]

I dont like fictional men i dont like fictional men i dont like fictional men i dont like fictional men i dont like fictional men i dont like fictional men i dont like fictional men i dont like fictional men i dont like fictional men i dont like fictional men i d

[adiproseprose]

princess gets captured, kingdom puts out a reward, whoever can bring her home will receive her weight in gold. kidnappers decide to test the kingdoms word and fatten her up. someone whose not me write it

[my-autism-adhd-blog]

So, I did a Maladaptive daydreaming and this is what I got:

If anyone doesn’t know what Maladaptive daydreaming means, it’s a very intense daydream that can feel real and can be an escape from reality. You can even daydream about fictional characters(at least I do).

If anyone wants to or is interested in taking the quiz, I’ll link it below:

I meant to spell it Maladaptive

Oopsie

[cloudyvulpine]

hate when i'm info dumping about a *FICTIONAL* villain and someone has the audacity to be like "but they've killed people" or "but they've committed crimes"

i know

but they aren't real

i still want to make out with them

[scrollonso]

First Kiss (Race 12)

A strollonso AU where 18 year old rookie Lance Stroll falls helplessly in love with the notoriously mean world champion. (2.3k words, no warnings) [@v3lnys @biancathecool] {NXJDXJWDJXDWJCFJWDC}

last part - masterlist - next part

Lance had practically begged his dad to book the same hotel as Renault, eager to be the first to wish the Spaniard a happy birthday.

"Nando"

"Lancito"

"Hi Nandooooo"

"Is everything alright, mi sol?"

"What room are you in?"

"532, why?"

":)"

"Ok, niño"

"Watch it el viejo"

Lance smiled, checking the time and seeing it was 23:47, he was practically jumping up and down he was so excited for the Spaniards birthday

As soon as he saw there was a few minutes until midnight he shoved his phone in his pocket a sped to the fifth floor, desperately searching for the room the world champion was in.

He felt jittery, hands shaking as he reached the door, knocking cautiously

"Si?" The Spaniard called out, confused when he got no response. He got up from his bed, heading to the door to unlock it and peek out, yawning as he did so "Who is i-"

"FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS" Lance shouted, barging into the mans room

"God, Lancito, I was so scared" Fernando sighed, smiling at the excited teenager in his hotel room "Thank you"

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AM I THE FIRST ONE TO SAY IT?" He grabbed the Spaniards shoulders, shaking him back and fourth until he got a response, a simple nod, his smile widened, practically all his teeth showing through his wide grin

"No ones every cared this much about my birthday, Lancito"

"I care!" He jumped up and down slightly, hair shaking all over the place as he spoke, feeling like he was going to explode "I don't have a present- I had no idea what to get you, seriously it was so hard i cried and gave up."

Fernando shook his head, laughing at the boys confession "Is okay, Lancito, this is enough" He reassured him, pulling him into another hug, eyelids heavy as he found himself leaning comfortably in the taller boys arms

"Sleepy?" Lance asked, cocking his head to the side "I already made sure I was the first so I can leave so you can sleep now"

Fernando hummed, laying his head in the crook of the boys neck, his tight grip on the Canadian saying more than enough

"Okay then, I'll stay if you love me that much"

He scoffed, sitting up to shoot Lance a glare "Yeah, yeah, maybe I do want you to go back now"

"Oh, come on!" He frowned, moving his hands together as if he was praying "I came alllll this way" He dragged out his words, knowing Fernando knew they were staying in the same hotel again, Lances room just a few floors away.

"Well, since you traveled this far..." He furrowed his brows, seeming deep in thought before he spoke again "Take your shoes off" Lance did then he was pulled onto the bed, Fernando still keeping a tight grip on the rookie as he pulled up the duvet

"Thank you, birthday boy" Lance muttered, being surrounded by the warmth of the other was quick to make him tired.

"You're welcome, mi sol" Fernando whispered, his fingers twirling the Canadians hair between his pointer and thumb, this was nice, nothing like the first time they'd fallen asleep together when Lance was drunk. They'd gotten closer, it wasn't weird for two coworkers to sleep like this together, it was just two guys as close as possible, ones head on the others chest, the other absentmindedly inhaling his scent as they drifted off to sleep, possibly the best start to a race week ever.

When Fernando woke up it took him a second to register what the weight on his chest was, smiling once he realized who it was.

He turned his head to the side, scanning the boys face as his chest rose and fell. Lps curved slightly with his hair a total mess, Fernando thought he looked gorgeous. He was finally coming to terms with it, Giancarlos' words resonating with him as he admitted to himself that he really did have feelings for the Racing Point driver.

Lance woke up shortly after, whining as he stretched, moving one hand to rub his eyes, the other trapped under Fernando. As his eyes opened he remembered where he was and what day it was "Happy birthday, Nando" He spoke, still slightly groggy.

"Thank you, Lancito" Fernando whispered a response, having to resist the urge to kiss the boys forehead, the position they were in was so intimate to the Spaniard, his heart rate quickening, Lance closing his eyes as he listened.

Fernando had to wake up Lance again, realizing they only had 15 minutes to get dressed and to the paddock

"I'm fast, Nando, jus lemme sleep more" He mumbled, wrapping his arms tighter around the Spaniard

"No, Lancito, we need to go" He hummed, sitting up with the boy "We are going to get in trouble if we don't hurry."

Somehow it worked and now they were walking onto the paddock together, Lance more energized than the last time he woke up late

"I'm so excited!" He smiled, wrapping his arm around Fernandos shoulders as they walked "Quali on your birthday, how do you feel?"

"Birthdays are cursed, Lancito, is no good being excited, always ends bad"

"Oh" Lance frowned, feeling bad for being so excited when Fernando was concerned about his performance

"But," He started, seeing how Lance's demeanor changed "All my other birthdays I didn't have my lucky charm" Fernando added, arm snaking around the Canadians waist, earning a smile out of him

Maybe Fernando was right, birthdays were cursed. Lance qualified 11th which was fine but when he heard Fernando qualified 7th he was shocked seeing as it was the worst he'd done all season.

As soon as he pulled back into the pits he headed to the Renault garage, the engineers now used to his presence.

"He's in his drivers room" One informed the boy, pointing him to the back of the garage "I'm sure he wouldn't mind you going back there

Lance nodded, shooting him a quick thank you as he made his way to the room, knocking on the door with his middle finger "Nando?"

The door opened seconds later, a weak smile on Fernandos face as he saw the rookie

"Hola, Nando"

"Lancito, Hola, do you see what I meant now?" He laughed, stepping back to invite the driver in pink into the room

"I do, I'm sorry, Nando" He frowned, hoping Fernando wasn't going to let this ruin his day

"Is okay, Lancito, sick of thinking about it" Fernando hummed, grabbing his phone from the couch behind him and turning back to Lance "Hungry?"

"Yeah, lemme treat you, Nando" He said, grabbing the Spaniards hand and pulling him out of the room, engineers trying not to stare at the smiley pair

Lance and Nico got to the paddock together, Nico talking about all the things he was gonna force Lance to do with him after the race since they were in Germany

"Then after the castle we could go to the Marienplatz and then-"

"You know theres only 24 hours in a day, right Nico?"

"I'll make it work" He rolled his eyes, patting Lance on the back "Just don't spend all afternoon with your boyfriend"

"Boyfriend?' Lance echoed, almost laughing at the word

"Fernando, it's kinda obvious, Bubu"

"I'm not gay, Nico."

"You aren't?"

"I'm not"

"We'll see about that"

Lance laughed, figuring Nico was joking but the German was dead serious, he knew a gay guy when he saw one (his twink gaydar is very strong) {because he is one}

Lance grabbed his phone quickly, sending Fernando a good luck message before hopping in his car, having not had any time before the race. He pulled onto the grid and found his spot, fingers drumming on his steeringwheel as he waited for the lights to go off, cars finally flying through the track.

They did a formation lap, settling back into their spots now that they'd had a chance to warm the tyres, lights ahead turning on one by one before shutting off, Lance pressing hard on the throttle as he shot forward.

On lap 59 he was in 7th place, Barrichello not far ahead of him. He was confident he could catch up to him if he pushed harder so he did, pushing through turn 8 until his wheel rim failed, sending the rookie spinning through the track and into the grass.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck" He repeated, holding his helmet in his hands as he groaned

"Are you okay, Lance?" Brad asked, waiting patiently for the Canadians response. All he got was a mhm as the boy left the car, slipping his helmet off as the others finished the last 8 laps of the race.

He found his way back to the garage and back to Nico, who had retired before the race had even started after he spun and crashed into the barriers in the warm up lap.

"Some race, huh, Bubu?"

"Yeah, buncha cars on the track" He said sarcastically as only 12 had managed to finish, Fernando ending up in 5th.

"Fernado, Fernando Alonso! How do you feel about another P5 finish?!" He was asked, being bombarded with microphones as he walked

"I do not mind, am too far in the lead of the championship to be worried."

"Do you feel like your friendship with rookie Lance Stroll is contributing to your bad luck recently?"

"What kind of fucking question is that?" He scoffed, tone changing drastically in a matter of seconds

"Is that a yes?"

"Fuck off" He shook his head, not believing what the journalist was suggesting as he sped off, muttering coño under his breath as he did so

Lance and the world champion ended up sitting to the side of the garages, Lance kicking his feet as he sat on top of a bunch of plastic boxes, Fernando standing in front of him

"I could've finished right behind you, y'know"

"I do, I was asking about you as we raced, I made my engineer update me every time you overtook someone"

"Are you that obsessed with me?"

"I am" Fernando admitted, Lance laughing at yet another dead serious comment.

Once they ran out of things to talk about fron todays race they changed the topic, talking more about themselves.

"Y'know some pinche pendejo asked if you were bringing me bad luck?"

"Do you not feel like i am?"

"Of course not, you are my good luck charm, just had a bad week, is all"

Lance smiled, nodding as Fernando spoke "Good, I don't think I could give you up because of a little bad luck

"I'd rather lose races than lose you, mi sol" Fernando laughed, leaning on the wall behind him

"You're too sweet, Nando, I'm blushing" He turned away, waving his hand at the Spaniard

They kept talking, unsure how the conversation took a turn to romance

"Have you ever kissed someone, Lancito?"

Lance cringed at the question, wondering if his lack of experience was evident

"I'll take that as a no"

"I'm not sure what you mean, I've kissed so many girls" He said sarcastically, resituating himself on the stack he was using as a seat

"No boys?"

"No one" Lance laughed, looking back at Fernando before continuing "I have no idea how to kiss, all I know is how to race"

"I could teach you" Fernando spoke, the atmosphere changing drastically at the four words, Lance unable to hide the pink flush of his cheeks

"You want to kiss me?"

"If you'd let me."

"Why do you want to kiss me?" His brows furrowed, leaning back slightly as he awaited a response

"You didn't give me a birthday present, you aren't in any position to deny me of this" He frowned jokingly, not expecting Lance to nod and lean forward

"Then kiss me before i change my mind" And with that Fernandos lips were on his, hands on either side of the boys face as he followed along, copying whatever the shorter man was doing

As the kiss continued he moved his hands down his sides, squeezing as he reached the boys waist, pulling their cores together as he listened to Lance's heavy breathing, smile on his face as soon as their lips parted

"I didn't realize how hard it would be to breathe" Lance laughed, covering his face in order to hide how red he was.

"It'll get easier with practice, niño"

Lance moved his hands, pushing Fernando softly as he heard the word "You can't call me that after you just kissed me, weirdo!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I won't joke anymore, mi sol." The Spaniard laughed, hands settling back on his hips as he moved closer "You're good at kissing for someone who's never done it before"

"I was just copying you" He muttered, nervous with how close their faces were, his eyes being the ones to linger to the mans lips this time

"If you want to kiss me again you can" Fernando whispered, smiling at the immediate feeling of the Canadians lips on his. It was nice, this, the reality of Fernando being the first to be close to him like this, the first lips to ever be on his.

They stayed there for a while, a flustered Lance refusing to look Fernando in the eyes until they headed back to their hotel.

Fernando kissed the corner of the boys mouth in the elevator before they parted ways, both going back to their seperate hotel rooms, Fernando practically exploding with excitement on his way back as Lance's mind began to fill with guilt, his beliefs turning such a sweet moment bitter now that he was left alone with them.

[project-sekai-facts]

hello!!! i was wondering, outside of the "playable" siblings, which characters have siblings that they've talked about/we've seen before?

Honami has a younger brother (age unknown). He is not named and rarely mentioned, and as far as i remember he has never appeared in any stories (unvoiced/no L2D obviously)

Minori has a younger brother in elementary school (6-12 years old). He is unnamed and doesn't have a L2D model, but has some unvoiced dialogue

Airi has a younger sister and an older sister. The younger sister is probably quite close in age to her given her interactions with a 7-ish year old Airi. I don't recall the older one ever appearing. Neither is named but the younger sister has unvoiced dialogue.

Toya has two older brothers. One is a professional musician (age unknown) and one is studying music at a conservatoire in New York (~19-early 20s). They might've gone to boarding school when they were younger and were never really present in Toya's life. They are not named and have not appeared in the story.

Emu has two brothers who are significantly older than her and work managing PXL (Keisuke, ~31 & Shousuke, ~28), and an older sister (Hinata, ~21) who is in college

Mizuki has an older sister called Yuuki (22) who is studying at university in France

Rakunosuke had an older brother. He is presumably dead.

Every other MC is an only child or their sibling is another MC. NPC-wise, there's the Kotakis and the Yoshizakis. Kotaro has a much younger brother who is still a toddler. Sakurako is confirmed to be an only child, but other than that there's no confirmation for anyone (a lot of them are probably only children though). As far as I remember, no one is stated to have an aunt or uncle either.

[aetherhollowarchive]

Chapter 1 is now OUT! finally

Play it here.

What to expect this chapter:

be transported into your new steampunk book.

be reborn as Sovereign

meet the cast

69 I did make some small changes tot he original intro post:

bumped the time since Sovereign took the power to 400 years

aged up Eli and Keyon significantly ( no, Eli is not a vampire :P ) Let me know what you think so far, if you spot any errors or if you'd like to see something added.