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rui-drawsbox · 5 months

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Okay obligatory DnD person as per the Dungon Meshi post(dnd/fantasy au + our life is amazing and I love it) but also I just wanted to say that there is a subclass of elves in dnd called aquatic elves that are kind of a happy mix between a mermaid and a, well, normal elf. I stick more towards spooky rather than nautical campaigns myself, so I’m not too familiar, but if I remember correctly they’re amphibious but with two legs rather than full mermaid.

Also obviously please ignore if you have different ideas but based off of what people have written about battle roles I could absolutely see some subclasses for the four!

Derek I could absolutely see as a Paladin(subclass possibly being oath of devotion or glory) basically the more defensive tank guys bound by an oath they make to themselves or someone important to them, which gives them a little spellcasting as well as actual auras that buff their allies later on.

Baxter I could see being a Bard (College of Swords), or what I kind of think of as a sort of battledancer. It would be a little less of a full spellcaster, but you can do special flourishes when fighting with a rapier which I always imagine as pseudo-dancing, plus he’d still get all the flashy bard spells. And to top it off, Bards actually use their charm(charisma stat) to cast spells which just screams Baxter to me.

Cove is a little harder but if you were going with him having a fish/animal companion while still being a melee fighter a Ranger(Beastmaster or Swarmkeeper) would be a good fit IMO, obviously with the Cove Creater he’s harder to pin than Baxter or Derek, but Ranger is pretty flexible. You basically get to choose a companion that’s from the land, air, or sea; and they can help you out in battle and follow you around, or as Swarmkeeper he could have his swarm be a school of fish.

Ruri is obviously a bit harder because you know your OC best, but if you really wanted to lean into more into the familiar/animal buddy route. Druid(circle of the shepherd) is always a fun choice! It’s kind of like the more spellcaster version of rangers’ Swarmkeeper where you can summon a lot of critters while still having some super strong elemental spells.

But anyway! I hope this wasn’t too long, I saw some (kinda) DnD our life content and I couldn’t resist! But thank you again for the adorable art of the main boys(and your lovely OC!) in a fantasy setting!

Second ask from dnd anon:

Oh! DnD anon part two!

But basically the theoretical party composition would look like:

Derek = Tank/Damage

Cove = Weapon Damage/Companion(s)

Baxter = Spells/Weapon Damage

and Ruri = Healing/Spells.

Also one last note about Druid is while druids have a lot of elemental spells (create water, spike growth, etc.), they also have the ability to do something called wildshape, where they can shapeshift into an animal for either out of battle(wildshape into a mouse to get under the crack in a door, then returning to normal and unlocking it) or battle (at later levels imagine fighting a spellcasting bear or even dragon) but also has more silly implications like wild shaping into a songbird to sing with Baxter, or a cat or sloth to ride on Cove’s shoulder.

got these asks a few days ago but i let them marinate in my brain hope you dont mind anon KJDSAUH

anyways AQUATIC ELF THATS PERFECT i tried to stick to what i knew about dumenshi rules in that post but for my first fantasy AU ideas i was going to do Cove a half mermaid (Cliff human x mermaid Kyra or elf Kyra [shes just so pretty its insane] x mermaid Cliff) that lived in a house right on the beach lmao, im happy that actually makes sense somewhere in dnd

i tried to look at the aquatic elves wiki from the forgotten realms fandom and omg so much text in the main page

also paladin Derek canon‼‼ imagine he does his oath to his brothers right after something dangerous happens to them when they were kids (im not saying his parents should die but im not saying they shouldnt--)

and bam!! tragic backstory 10x worse than his canon that is already bad enough :DD (try to make him feel less responsable now i wanna see that)

baxter turn rn. DO YOU THINK HE WOULD PLAY VIOLIN? I WANNA SEE THAT (<-this person didnt thought about drawing him with an instrument until it was time to write her thoughts) anyway it would def be a fancy instrument, daddy and mommy wanted to keep appearances i bet

one his spells makes his sword and moves shine and when hes under the sun his enemies become fucking blind

everything about him screams I HAVE MONEY but everytime people try to rob him he just rolls a nat20 in persuasion and they end up giving him money

and omg just imagine Cove's school of fish are all his pet fishes from the game JGASDFJK

im also. not discussing roles when the most i know about dnd is bg3 and i just finished 2 playthroughs. if you say ruri is a druid she's a druid, she makes super artsy flower fields and decorates every tree she sees with organical paint or smth jkfhds

Ruri's forest has a tree that connects with the ocean and they both just hangout sometimes (as if theyre not together 60% of the time already)

DRUID RURI THAT LIKES TO BRAID COVE'S HAIR WITH LITTLE POPPIES‼‼‼

MERMAID COVE THAT LETS RURI (otter form!!) RIDE HIS BACK WHILE HE SWIMS‼‼‼‼

mermaid cove humming a song and ruri falling to the river in trance/j

anyways anon i agree with everything tbh, there's so many ways to do a fantasy AU and i adore the dnd version (id kill for a dnd group or smth in my city)

i also have another fantasy au more vanilla but not-really. basically isekai baxter LMAO mostly an excuse to make ruri and baxter being domestic but before baxter developed any real domestic skill JHASFD

#rui draw smth #our life #olba #our life: beginnings & always #baxter ward #cove holden #derek suarez #our life mc #olba mc #anyways mermaid cove will always be on the back of my brain waiting until i feel like drawing him #for baxter and cove i just say silly stupid things and when it's derek's turn i kill his parents. lovely #rui answers

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importantdestinydefendor · 3 months

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Chapter 130 (YAY) thoughts/rambles

Okay, time for my peace of mind!

Hilmes expration on the first page!

Innocentis reaction to the sword nearly missing him lol. Just straight up faints (I would not have been better)

okay flashback time!

VAHRIZ *sobs*

Daryun, the man that you are! You do not know what you do to me!

(Especially that last panel of him training Arslan! *faints*)

ahem enough of that!

Oh, new tid-bit of Gilan! Of course, Narsus was the one who thought of that move! But I do like that Gieve was the one who taught Arslan it.

Nice one Arslan!

GIEVE! That is such a cool panel, holy!

But sad that Hilmes would have lost either way... Now he at least has his life still

ZANDEH MY BOY! How he didn't hesitate!

Saam! Ugh my boyyys!

Alfarid my baby precious! One of my favourit moments of this chapter truly! The understanding between her and Arslan! *violently sobs*

Zandeh kneels? In front of Arslan?? Saams little bow of gratetude when they leave??? My heart! (Also, Arakawa. How does Saams chin get squarer every chapter??? My man is turning into a rectangle!))

Oh I do not like that snake! Not one bit!

Oof Andragoras is menacing! The way he stomps in, how Alfarid and Elam just stare in fear..

and even though everyone is tense Arslan doesn't falter nor move an inch - same for Daryun and Narsus!

YES, Arslan! Stick it to the man!

well would you look at that! Andragoras can be soft. Over 15 years to late, my man

"Your majesty" AAAAAAAH. Suck on that, Andycakes! You won't have any emotional control over Arslan anymore!

STEP BACK FROM MY CHILD, YOU SICK FUCKER!

How the fuck does Andragoras have the lungs to yell that loud! To not only shake the people in the tower but the goddamn tower itself!?!?!

but still, neither Arslan nor Daryun or Narsus budge! They must have some really strong mentallity by now to stand there. Because I would have already jumped out of the tower just going "Nope, not gonna do this."

JESUS CHRIST Innocentis gave me a jumpscare!

(also nice touch that Andragoras only calls him "Innocentis". I don't know, that just jumped out to me (edit: just saw Elams face lol))

Gods, possessed Innocentis really freeks me out. How strong he is

even after Andragoras smashes his elbow in his face, Innosentis just drags - no, carrys - him across the room and yeets the two of them out the window

damn, that last panel is somber in it's simplicity

Bonus! some Au thoughts

Azar coming up behind Andragoras when he stands in the room and holding a sword to his neck

Andragoras being the usual dick he is berates her

she also doesn't budge (because she stubborn like that lol)

I though that would be a nice full circle moment/call back to the first chapter of the Au since there are a lot of them in this ArSen chapter

but Azar gets grabbed by Andragoras and thrown across the room by him ragdoll-style (since Azar isn't that strong compared to him)

Azar crashes into the wall besides Daryun

the others see that she has arrows stuck in her back (aka the leather/armor) and some scratchs from a fight trying to keep Farah's army from coming up the tower

then the whole thing with Innocentis happens

before we can take a breather Farah opens a portal under Alfarid and Azar catapults herself forward to grab her

but also falls in with her (we see another pov of Azar and Alfarid falling spotting Gieve having the same fate)

Chabik (covered in blood) appears and tries to grab the two (same goes for Daryun and Elam) but fails

they watch helpleslly as their friends fall and the portal closes

and the same events that I last talked happen: that Farzin asks Saam for help and they all go to Maar

This will be updated with every new chapter we have since this is the transition to the fanon part of the story.

#arslan senki #the heroic legend of arslan #maaren au #firelight au #important writing defender #love how my head immeditally just bursts with new ideas #also recently had a lot of ideas for animations for my AU!#one that is sort of like an amv for Azar to the song “Blood Upon the Snow”#just that the lyrics fit so well to Azar (or at least some)#another one was an epic one with Chabik where he stands up after Farahs army impaled him multable times #they just watch - horrifed #ugh they look so cool in my head but I don't have the tiiimmmeee nor the needed skills yeeeeeet augh

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malleux · 1 year

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freedom. | quest for tyr [I]

[main page] | [t.o.c] | [spellbook] | [ << | >> ]

young adult!atreus x reader

-> synopsis: The only times you had ever experienced adventure was through your books. It was hard to live an exciting life while trapped in Alfheim.

You know you're meant for something greater than wasting away underground.

[loosely based on the events of Gow: Ragnarok]

-> chapter warnings: all chapters may contain spoilers, fighting, cursing, mimir torture

"C'mon, up, up, you've got a big day ahead of you!"

Sindri's voice, paired with the feeling of your blanket being ripped off of you, roused you from your slumber. You frowned and curled up into yourself, trying to preserve a little bit or warmth.

"Y/N, it's time to get up." Atreus's voice rang out this time, and his hand rested on your arm, giving it a small shake. "We've gotta get to Svartalfheim soon. Sindri made breakfast."

You peeled one eye open, coming face to face with a pair of blue eyes. Atreus smiled and patted your arm one last time before standing up and grabbing his own gear to get ready.

You yawned, stretching as you sat up.

"Sleep well?" Atreus asked, his back to you as he made sure his bow was in tact.

"Kind of, yeah." You laughed, "My first time sleeping somewhere new, my body isn't used to it yet."

Atreus nodded, opening the door of the bedroom for you both to head out. "Just wait until we have to sleep on the ground somewhere. That's where it gets really uncomfortable."

You internally groaned, "Sounds miserable."

"A small price to pay for an adventure!" Sindri chimed into your conversation as you made your way to the table. "There's bacon, eggs, and toast for a big breakfast today, at the request of the young lad."

In your peripheral, Atreus rubbed the back of his neck. "Just to make sure we're prepared for the journey." He laughed nervously.

Sindri nodded along, handing you a plate of food and a small pouch. "It's not much, but it's got your weapons, some snacks, and a resurrection stone." He pulled you down to his height and whispered, "Plus I wrote down a few spells I think you'd find beneficial. I noticed your books yesterday and couldn't help but assist."

You gave Sindri a genuine smile, "That's so kind of you. Thank you so much."

"Ah, it's nothin'." Sindri waved you off. "In return, just make sure you all get back safe and keep that boy in check."

"I can hear you!" Atreus called from the table, earning a small laugh from you and Sindri.

You thanked him again and sat at the table, the only open seat being beside Kratos. The man still intimidated you a lot, but you supposed you'd better start getting used to him. He huffed in acknowledgment as you sat beside him, but said nothing more.

Once breakfast was through, Kratos stood and made his way outside. You'd figured out by now that he expected you and Atreus to follow soon.

You looked at Atreus and he shrugged, gesturing to his unfinished meal. He was staying to finish it.

Instead of following Kratos out alone, you opened the satchel Sindri had given you and took out a folded piece of paper. Written inside were a list of spells— fighting, healing, a wide variety that would be useful on a journey.

'Logi: fire. Sverð: sword. Verja: defend.'

You tried to commit as many spells to memory as you could, but without practicing them you weren't sure how effective they'd be. You wouldn't have much time to do anything with them, as Atreus had finished eating and motioned for the both of you to head out and meet up with his father.

"Now, Mimir, you remember what we talked about? We'll just need the Bifrost and the head. Brok, do the touching."

"Ah, so this will be the part requiring my assistance?"

You quirked your eyebrow at the large contraption near Sindri. Kratos opened the Mystic Gateway and Brok took Mimir, placing the head in the contraption.

Atreus, who still stood beside you, spoke. "They're using Mimir's Bifrost eyes to let us travel between realms. This way, we don't have to wait for the Dwarves to do it every time. We can use the Yggdrasil Seeds to travel to Svartalfheim."

You only hummed, watching.

"So, do I control this thing, then?"

"Oh, no. No no no no no no no." Sindri responded to Mimir, "This is just to hold you in place while we shine this light into your eyes."

"Oh, Sindri, you sodding bastard!"

Mimir's cries fell upon deaf ears as the light shone in his face. Brok just laughed as Sindri repositioned the contraption to face the Gateway.

"Open your eyes. I'm really hoping to not have to use the eyelid clamps."

Mimir, still crying out, opened his eyes and took in the light. Sindri cheered and on his command, Mimir released the light into the Mystic Gateway. The dwarves then ran to the door, getting to work as Mimir continued to complain in the background.

"And— there. That should do it. No permanent damage." Sindri inspected the Gateway.

"I'll show you permanent damage, you wee fuck. Kratos, throw me at him! Horns first!"

"Aww, can't you take a joke, you old goat?" Brok was having the time of his life.

"That looked like it hurt." You whispered.

"Yeah, but Mimir can take it." Atreus shrugged, "I'm sure he's been through a lot worse. C'mon, father's ready to go."

Atreus started towards the Mystic Gateway, where Kratos had already retrieved Mimir and stood, waiting for the both of you. You quickly followed, not wanting to be a burden to them.

You followed the pair, and Sindri, through the branches of Yggdrasil until coming upon another Gateway, this time to Svartalfheim. Sindri bid his goodbyes, and left you to step through the light.

The first thing you noticed when stepping into the realm was how awful it smelled. Everything in the realm just seemed to be... off. The sun was slightly too bright, it was too hot, and the atmosphere smelled atrocious.

Though, hating the bright light could just be your Dark Elf side, because Atreus was basking in the sun. He enjoyed the warmth, stretching his arms out to take it in.

"It's a bit much." You chimed in.

"Maybe to you, but Midgard has been frozen for years now. I'm so glad to be away from the snow!" Atreus rushed ahead of you and Kratos. "Maybe we can use this boat."

He began to slice at the ropes, cutting the small boat away from its rack and ignoring Mimir's call for caution. The boat shifted a bit as Atreus freed it, but instead of moving the boat he fell back with a yell.

Small lizard-creatures jumped from behind the boat, darting from side to side and attacking Atreus as he tried to regain his footing. "Why are these things so fast?"

Kratos ran at the creatures with his axe, swinging at them as they attacked. It was difficult, though, as they would continue to jump out of the way before getting hit. Atreus was in the same boat, being unable to aim his arrow at them before they moved. He'd resorted to just hitting them with the bow itself.

You decided to take a different route, staying a respectable distance away from the monsters and raising your hand.

You concentrated on one of the monsters, and whispered, "Logi."

The creature burst into flames, crying out in its own weird, monster-ish way. Atreus looked at the monster, and back at you, your hand still slightly glowing with light. He laughed, before getting hit in the back of the head by a lizard and turning back to the fight.

You tried again on another one, this time only speaking the spell in your head. Success.

More creatures— Wretches, Mimir had called them a moment ago— came from cracks and crevices of the rocks around you, and you began to get overwhelmed. Burning them one by one, then by twos, and then threes, wasn't enough.

Eventually, in a last-ditch effort, you aimed your palms at the ground and imagined the power going to every Wretch in the area. "Logi!"

Wretch cries were heard once more, and then nothing. Just the smell of burning flesh permeating the already-smelly air.

"Y/N! How'd you do that? You killed them all in one shot!" Atreus bounded up to you, grinning. Kratos chose to put the boat in the water, not-so-subtly keeping an ear turned towards the both of you.

"I, uh, actually don't know." Your cheeks flushed a bit, embarrassed that you were getting praised for something you can't even control. "That was my first time using that spell. It was honestly exhausting."

"I'm sure it was, that was a lot of magic to kill all of those Wretches." Atreus patted your shoulder, leading you towards the boat. You both sat in the front, while Kratos began to row in the back.

You never realized how tiring magic was— or, rather, you'd just never used that much magic before. It really was a lot, with dozens of Wretches coming upon you. You were sure you could've handled it better, like with the magic from your spear that isn't physically taxing, but where was the fun in that?

Your hands were sore. They felt like they had been burned from the fire that they had summoned. Perhaps that was a side-effect you were unaware of?

Your head hurt, too, like there was too much pressure in your ears and behind your eyes, making your eyelids droop and your face feel heavy. Your body was exhausted, and you slumped forward slightly, only to jerk back up to stay awake.

Atreus, concerned, looked towards his father. Kratos kept his eyes on the river.

"Magic is a finicky thing." Kratos began, making you sit up and pay attention. "You never know what it is going to do or how it will affect you. I suggest training more before deciding to randomly use magic you've never done before. You could have gotten severely injured."

"Yes, sir." You felt slightly dejected, but understood where he was coming from. You didn't expect this guy to be some big softie when it came to mistakes, anyways.

Atreus turned towards the water. "It looks like we've got a ways before we might have to get out. Why don't you rest?"

"I'm fine," You reassured him, "I don't need to be asleep and caught off guard if something happens."

"But the water is so peaceful," Atreus argued, "Even I could take a nap right now."

"You never know." Kratos agreed with you, "Naps are for those with no goals in life. If you have time to nap, you must find something more productive to do."

"Now, I wouldn't go that far." You laughed, "I love a good nap, but now is definitely not the time. Not in a foreign realm where we don't know what could happen."

Kratos hummed, and Atreus fidgeted. It was obvious he had more to say.

"Isn't it cool how mom led a whole rebellion here and didn't tell us?" He finally let it out.

"The fact that it didn't go well might have curbed that notion." Mimir replied.

"Wait, what?" You were intrigued. You didn't remember reading about a rebellion in Svartalfheim in any of your books.

"My mom is a Giant," Atreus explained, "She, uh, passed a few years ago. She apparently did a lot before meeting father, and the Giants in Jötunheim called me Loki in their prophecies with her! So I'm half Giant, half God—"

"Atreus. There is such thing as giving too much information."

"You're a God?" You turned to Kratos, "Norse?"

"No. Not Norse."

That was the only information he would give, so you let it be, choosing to go back to Atreus. "That's really cool. I wish I could've gone and led a rebellion instead of being trapped for years." You half-joked.

"If you didn't talk about your past, what did you talk about?" Atreus pushed, "Were you just like, 'Woman, guard house. I will go catch fish in the river'?".

You laughed for a moment, and Atreus snuck a glance at you before smiling as well.

"No. Your mother was far better at fishing than I."

The conversation didn't continue, and eventually you all came across a mechanism blocking the channel. A large wheel was stuck in the water, and the only hole that could let the boat go through was at the top. Nowhere near where the boat could go through.

"I imagine if you could turn it, we should be able to get through." Mimir mused.

Kratos docked the boat and you all got out, searching for a way to move the wheel. Kratos went near the wheel while Atreus inspected a geyser nearby. You, on the other hand, stayed back to inspect the contraption as a whole.

"This smell is making my eyes burn..." Atreus grimaced as he followed his father up onto a platform.

Mimir hummed. "You know, it is a fair bit more potent than when I last visited, now that you mention it."

"I'm glad I'm not the only one." You said, "I thought I was just being sensitive."

"Looks like the path continues on the other side of this geyser." You met Kratos and Atreus at the water, listening to Atreus. "Heh. If we were in Midgard, that water would be frozen in a second."

Kratos froze the geyser using his axe, jumping up to another platform eye-level with the wheel. He took his blades and attached them to the wheel, yanking it towards him and making the opening face downwards into the water.

Nords, he was strong.

You followed the two back down, taking out a Wretch here and there, before boarding the boat again and going about your way.

Hopefully that would be the only obstacle.

[ >> ]

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maiji · 9 months

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This is the behind the scenes work-in-progress overview for fight / flight part 4! (part of the YYH North Bound prequel project)

I finally got around to scanning the thumbnails for this part! I remembered to do this mainly because part 5 (which is also the final part of this story in the North Bound series!) will be posted here soon.

Because it's been so long since I worked on part 4, I don't have as much to say compared to previous behind the scenes posts. Basically time heals all wounds (or at least these ones) and thus I forgot all the details of my screaming/crying/complaining, hahaha. That and possibly because this part was "only" 6 pages.

More character design commentary and part 4 page sketches below the cut!

Character design commentary and more sketches

For part 4, I had designed a new character who didn't already exist in Yu Yu Hakusho.

The second drawing above (with the Chinese characters, just my calligraphy practice on the same page) was actually from pretty far back, I was thinking about her (and her dialogue) for a while. You can see I was playing a lot with the design of her face, how old she might look, and how I might distinguish her from other female characters and Spirit World guides, especially with the stylizing of her eyes.

Outfit-wise I don't think she's that unique as far as classical sky maiden-type designs go, but I do enjoy drawing her hair. I gave her a beauty mark at the last second while inking the comic.

Here are all of the page sketches - without the text, followed by more commentary.

Comparing my thumbnails to my sketches, there wasn't much change.

The "Otake, stand down" tennyo descending page got adjusted a bit with a close up of her lips for her dialogue. I still feel a bit ambivalent about the composition, whether I should have positioned her higher, but I like the feeling of descent and the fluttering of her hagoromo.

Second last page, second panel after Otake says "hmph" - I took so long working on this that the doodle in my page sketch was undecipherable to me, and I was at a complete loss as to what on earth I had been intending. Fortunately, my script at this part said "sheathes his sword" which saved me. Though, if I had bothered going back to look at my thumbnails, I would have realized my thumbnail of this action was ten times clearer than my page sketch.

Other comments:

First page, large panel with the sparkle of the tennyo appearing - I had a heck of a time with the forest background on this one. Blob blob blob it seems serviceable enough. Like I've said before, my environments are mostly rough vibes, haha.

"EUGH YUCK GROSS" page - I had a lot of fun with the tennyo's expressions, and I really like how Otake's face turned out in the last panel. Drawing annoyed people with bloody faces is fun!

Last two pages: I was very proud of how Tomoe turned out on these two pages, her looking up poses. I also was pleased with the forest in the last panel. More vibes!

#yu yu hakusho #hokushin #tomoe ozen #wip #sketches #thumbnails #comics #fancomic #making art #making comics #comics process #yyh north bound #art by maiji/mary huang #tennyo #japanese mythology

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writtenonreceipts · 1 year

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Hi friend! Can I ask you a book related question? So I read the Skyward series from Brandon Sanderson—those were the first of his books that I’ve read, and I loved them. I’ve wanted to read his other series for a long time, since I always hear so much about them, but I have no idea where to start. Cosmere? Stormlight? I read that they take place in the same universe, so do I need to read those series in order? If you could help me out it would be much appreciated. If not, I’m sure I can find the answer somewhere through google, but I thought I’d ask a friend first 🫶

Hey friend!! Yes! I love book questions! Haha 😄and I love Sanderson too, lol, and never get to talk about it enough. Forgive the rambling that is about to commence 😅

Skyward is honestly such a good place to start with his books tbh. He is very much a high and epic fantasy writer and that series really eases readers into his style as well. I still need finish them, lol, but I'm so glad you liked them! I've just read the first one and it was such a fun reach honestly.

As far as his other books go: The Cosmere is basically what Brandon called the magical universe he created to interconnect most of his books. (I think theres only 1 or 2 right now that aren't considered part of the Cosmere). So yeah, if you wanna choose chaos you can read any of the different series as you want in whatever order. But I do have some thoughts:

I do recommend starting with Mistborn. It is what he is best known for and what really launched his career. It's...it is a little denser, but the world building and characters and pay offs are phenomenal. It highlights a great magic system, political intrigue, overthrowing evil, and heists. Brandon describes it as his Cinderella heist novel, lol. It's the what would happen to the world if the villain had won? And highlights one man's desire to fight kill/eat the rich. The Mistborn books are considered "Era 1". He has 3 series planned set on this specific planet in the Cosmere.

Era 2 of Mistborn: The Wax and Wayne Books. A Western fantasy. And I love it. Queer characters, autistic characters, chaos, broody male mc, sarcasm and puns, marriage of convenience (thought that plot is very small. It's my favorite thing about the series though). The final book just came out last Nov. I'll spare you all the other thoughts lol. But it can technically be read on its own without needing to read Era 1, though, there are a lot of things about this series that work better when read after the og trilogy. I hold this series close to my heart. It's a lot of fun and you can tell Brandon just had fun.

Warbreaker. Handsdown love this book. I want to recommend reading it even before Mistborn as it does bridge the gap of ya to adult fantasy rather well. The magic system is different and fun too. This book has the forced marriage plot a bit stronger, political intrugue, queer rep (albeit small), and magical talking swords that want to kill you be your friend. And I love the female characters. Vivenna is my love. Hands down one of my favorite female characters ever. I don't think this book is talked about enough tbh. I could go OFF an all the things I love about it.

The Stormlight Archive. Get ready to buckle in. It is planned to be a 10 book series. Book 5 should be coming out in 2024. They are 1,300-1,500 pages long. So... yeah, long and epic but so so worth it. Like. I can't even begin to describe it. War, mental health, religious discussions, honor, depression, hope. Iconic characters. I also hold these books special to my heart. You can jump right into this one, but there are references to world hoppers on this book and the magic system is steep. So, I would recommend reading at least Mistborn. But that's just me.

>>Other Sanderson Books and thoughts: The Rhythmatist, people have mixed feelings but I liked it, which is why I bring it up. It's another ya almost adult fantasy. It's another great one to get into the way Brandon does magic systems and world building. Elantris is technically his first published. It was not my favorite. I mean...I enjoyed it but it was hard to get through. You can tell it's his first book. The premise is cool and interesting but I struggled with it. It is technically the first book of the Cosmere universe. He has a book of short stories and novellas interwoven through the Cosmere. If you can find it on it's own The Emperors Soul is great.

I'll stop. I loved this...anyways...

#long post #i could go on #brandon sanderson #the cosmere #cosmere #mistborn #the stormlight archive

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pancake-breakfast · 1 year

Text

I'm INVESTED. I need to know what happens next. Especially since the last chapter ended on a cliffhanger.

Stream-of-consciousness thoughts for TriMax Vol. 5, Chapters 3-4 below.

Chapter 3: Loss

Well, that plus the title page art is ominous. He looks really peaceful for someone who's losing it enough to grow giant feathers out of their arm.

Is he really a traitor if he's still doing the job Knives sent him to do? Or are you just giving him shit because some part of you thinks whether he betrays Vash or betrays Knives, betrayal is betrayal and that's worthy of shame and punishment?

I feel like hiding a gun in your sax would muck up its sound a bit....

Looks like a few of his shots hit Midvalley.

Ok, I think I finally get it. For this fight, Nightow is actually using very particular visuals to represent Midvalley's attacks. I wish I'd figured this out sooner. Might have made some other scenes make more sense. (No, the sound effect doesn't help me much. I don't know what the Japanese onomatopoeia is for sax sounds.)

I hope Milly is ok through this. I don't think most people are as tough as Wolfwood.

Wolfwood's a force to be reckoned with, for sure.

Ok, I had to go back through the Wolfwood parts in the last two chapters of the last volume. I totally missed that he couldn't see. I thought his references to it being dark and all were more metaphorical than literal. My bad. But him being blinded this whole time and still managing to hunt down Midvalley just makes him all the more intimidating.

I still don't understand why Gauntlet and Midvalley are so determined to cover their tracks.

Oooh, Meryl's elevator-cell isn't doing so hot.

Feathers.

FEATHERS. (I love how Gauntlet's reaction here is just pure confusion.)

Ohhhh, that's an angel arm silhouette.

Going... down?

Dude, Gauntlet totally has a cross on his face in between his eyes. Because of course he does.

Aaaaand everybody's screaming. I think that's reasonable.

Needs moar feathers.

Knives flashback?

Knives flashback. Vash flashback, but with Knives. Gauntlet is seeing this?? Goshdarnit, Plants are weird.

LOL, from Knives' perspective, Vash is being rude. All Knives has done is try to look out for his brother. The fact that he's doing so in a horribly destructive and abusive way is lost on him, so all he sees is Vash pulling a gun on him for no particular reason. And he was so happy to see Vash, too. (Also, shout-out to Knives' weird drinking habit.)

Ah, it looks like Vash is communicating these memories directly via touch. I gotcha.

Uhhhhhhhhhh.... Is Knives having someone inject Vash with stuff?!?! That is NOT talking, sir!

Knives, holding the metaphorical sword over the doctor's head, daring him to just try and destroy them, since all that would do is prove Knives' cynicism right.

Poor Meryl is probably REALLY confused right now. Whatever she might have expected, I'm sure it wasn't fifty billion eldritch feathers coming through the ceiling.

Knives looks so proud of himself. He's waaaaay too calm and happy about his brother panicking. That's no way for an onii-san to behave.

Yeah, Knives, what you're saying isn't gonna make Vash want to resonate with it more....

I have thoughts on this panel and the rest of this scene between the two brothers.

You know... I made a post about exactly what Knives is saying about Vash's scars and how that appears in Stampede.

Ugh, he's getting Vash worked up. He's trying not to, but it's not like all those moments didn't still hurt.

Honestly, this is a bit of a brutal way to communicate this all to Gauntlet, but I don't know how else Vash could do it that would have Gauntlet understand and believe Vash, especially while they're plummeting down an elevator shaft. And Gauntlet is going to relate to it in a way other people might not, because from what little we've seen of his life before the Gung-Ho Guns, he was also hurt, betrayed, lied to, humiliated, treated like an animal, had his every word questioned, and been laughed at while people (whether figuratively or literally) dragged him through the mud. I could go into more detail, but it's either that or another chapter tonight....

Ugh, the quivering gun pointed at Knives....

Knives is blaming Rem, but... I think inasmuch as she is to blame, it's because she died before she could help Vash flesh out these ideals better. And that's not her fault, even if she was the one who chose to turn back to try and save everyone else. She wasn't the one who decided to crash the ships.

Uhhhh, what are these little face-thingies crawling through???

Vash is still trying to fight it, and when Knives sees he won't give up, he gets... pushy. Pushier. Injecting your brother with stuff to force change is already, to put it very mildly, pushy.

The focus specifically on people Vash interacted with and clearly cared about getting sucked into the gate is... a good touch. Painful as all hell, but that pain is important to the narrative. I don't think either of the anime adaptations quite managed to capture it so well.

And Gauntlet gets to feel the loss of the girl he cared for all over again.

Chapter 4: Villain

Maybe part of the reason people have historically had trouble recognizing Vash is because they're expecting someone a lot older than he is. Or maybe he's so much of a legend they don't quite believe he's the real deal.

Also, Gauntlet's gotta be, like... what? Late 60's at the least, yeah?

Well, if this isn't a poignant opener....

Is... Meryl getting a glimpse of all of Vash's pain here??

I'd say it's impressive that Gauntlet's screams have reached Midvalley, but we've already established Midvalley has superhuman hearing.

It appears Vash's pain is so much that Gauntlet would rather die than continue to experience it.

"They rigged this whole place to blow?" This is my surprised face ----> :|

And now it's Wolfwood's turn to point a gun at Milly. Fair's fair. But I think she would have actually tried to throw him down if he hadn't relented when she pulled her gun, and it's clear here that he pulled his solely as a scare tactic.

I'm not sure what this is, but it definitely feels like Vash's doing.

Gauntlet definitely expected to die in that attack.

Duuuude, Midvalley even found him! Lucky!

Haaaaahahahahahahaha, Wolfwood is STILL going after the Hornfreak.

Oh, that ball of light swallowed up the debris? That's another point in the "Vash did this" column.

Midvalley's calling Wolfwood out here, huh.

CREECHUR VASH IS WITHIN EASY HEARING DISTANCE AND CREECHUR VASH SAYS THIS CONVERSATION IS OVER!!!

Also, wings.

Ahhhh, I love how Nightow made Midvalley dedicated to calling Vash "it" here. It says so much about how Midvalley sees Vash/Knives, his place in comparison to them, and how he thinks everyone else should approach them.

Midvalley's approach is still fatalistic, I see. "No matter which of them wins, we all lose, caught in the crossfire."

LOL, even in creechur form, Vash doesn't appreciate Midvalley's sentiments.

Fuck. He was reacting to Legato. That's FAR worse.

Seriously, folks, I get antsy EVERY TIME Legato shows up. EVERY. FREAKING. TIME. I'm still traumatized from '98... and where I know he's gonna take things eventually here.

Oh, he just had to get himself his own ripoff Angelina. Thanks, I hate it.

"What's he doing here?!" Grinning like the madman he is, of course.

He's really happy about this whole "torture the hell out of Vash but don't kill him because Knives-sama asked for it" thing, isn't he? Freaking yandere....

"You may have your rest." Ummmm, is Legato gonna kill Gauntlet?

Wolfwood's still ready to throw hands in spite of being DEFINITELY outgunned right now.

Wait, is Midvalley trying to take down Legato?!

Whyyyy did Gauntlet shoot him??

FUCKING LEGATO, THAT'S WHY. Someone take this man and his iron maiden box and throw them in the bottom of the sea already. Please.

Ok, it's a nice touch to have this be the contrast to how the title is listed on the opening page. Why have one person highlighted as a potential villain when you could instead highlight two?

Archive

Trigun Volume 1: Covers + 1-3, 3 Detailed Thoughts, 4, 4 DT, 5-6, 5-6 + DT, 6 DT, 7-8, 9-10 || Volume 2: Covers + Extras, 1, 1 Supplemental Research, 2-4, 5-6, 7-8

TriMax Volume 1: Covers + 1-2, 2 DT, 3-4, 3 DT, 5-6 || Volume 2: Covers + 1, 2-4, 5, 6-7 || Volume 3: Covers + 1-3, 4-5, 6-7 || Volume 4: Covers + 1-2, 3-5, 6-7 || Volume 5: Covers + 1-2

#now if you'll excuse me #i'm going to be screaming about legato for the next however long (negative)#trigunbookclub #trigun maximum #volume 5 #pancake thoughts

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bloodycassian · 2 years

Text

Shadow of a Flame - Part one.

Reader is an Advisor of to the Inner Circle, and a close friend of Azriel. He trains reader to be a better spy, and in return reader brings him all the lost secrets she finds in the library. Rhysand becomes Ill after Nyx’s birth, reader and Azriel try to find a solution together, one that the high lord will accept and not fight against.

Rhysand was dying. His power fading, all of it being sapped from him by his own son.

Azriel had watched it happen. Two hundred years of watching his brother become weaker and weaker, and it seemed to get worse with each passing decade. Nyx’s life was a leech upon the High Lord. Cassian saw it, Azriel saw it, and Mor had seen it as plain as day. Morrigan had been the first to try to speak to the High Lord and Lady about the problem. She’d been the first to send a student under Clotho down to the library to find anything on what could reverse this ailment. But when she’d presented the findings to the family, her words fell on deaf ears.

Azriel grimaced watching Nyx train against Cassian in the ring. Seeing how easily the boy blocked and rebutted against the long slashes of Cassian’s training blade. With each crack of sword on sword, Azriel swore he could hear Rhysand’s power dissipating.

“No news from the steppes?” The question came as a surprise, from where he brooded far above the training ring. This spot was perfectly hidden from the angle that anyone from below could see, and no one else knew about it. Aside from the one he trusted most to keep a secret.

“Nothing. No Illyrian has held such power as Rhysand has. It’s possible that siphons may help, but I doubt he would try.” Azriel did not let the surprise enter his tone, nor did he turn to look at the advisor that questioned him.

Your grip on the books did not loosen. White knuckled, it hurt to set them down. Even if it was in front of the trusted spymaster. Azriel had taught you everything about spying, and the game of politics that was ever present in any court’s circle. If one were to accept a role among royals, they understood the risk. He had made sure you’d known before offering you the position as Advisor and Emissary on behalf of Rhysand. The latter role was hardly used anymore. Prythian had known peace for a hundred and fifty years after Beron’s sons had overthrown him. Since then, hardly a whisper of rebellion among the lower courts had cropped up.

“Siphons may be a last resort. But we have time.” You confirmed, and flipped the ancient tome open to a stained, worn page. “We also have options. Magic, is one of them.” Your eyes darted from his scarred hands to his tortured look when he read the page you offered. He ghosted closer to you, his wild scent subtle and a bit comforting. Like he hardly stepped, he was beside you in an instant. His gifts had become familiar, but it was still astounding how quickly such a massive force of male weight could move.

“Absolutely not.” He hissed, looking to you with widened eyes. You’d hardly ever seen him surprised before, but it seemed like he was at a loss now. “We will not be resorting to this… atrocity.” He flipped the hardback cover closed, nearly pinching your fingers doing so. Guilt and anger pierced your normally calm mask of an expression.

“You told me to find anything.” You muttered, sliding the book aside. Not only had you spent weeks trying to find the damned thing, you’d had to have it translated for yourself. “I found something. And now you refuse to hear of it?”

“We-” He pinched the bridge of his nose, his other hand resting on his hip. A male exhausted. At the end of his rope, with not many options left. “Blood magic requires sacrifice. We will not put the life of one above another.”

You let him breathe a moment, hoping to have him see reason. “You know what it means if Nyx surpasses him in power, Azriel.” You said it softly, nearly a whisper. Hoping for a real reaction from him. For something that would tell you he was willing to do this, because you knew he was. You knew as well as he did that should Nyx rise to the title of high lord that the courts would no longer be at peace. Two centuries of being raised in a loving home had turned him into a compassionless, power hungry child. He would push, and push the boundaries of his power until war broke out. By his intent or not, it was bound to happen. The princeling was ill fit for ruling.

You had seen it, Cassian and Azriel saw it… and Morrigan had seen it clearly enough that she had left to Valhallan when Nyx had come of age.

The Night Court was shifting. through whatever power Morrigan possessed, and had decided it best to abandon her own family to be free of whatever doom Nyx was bound to bring.

The tome did not go back into Clotho’s library. Azriel hoped to the mother that she wouldn’t come looking for it, either. It rested on the dresser in his room for two years. Two years of watching his brother deteriorate, and Feyre desperately clinging on to hope that her mate would survive this sickness.

He couldn’t stand the pain any longer. Watching the family he’d chosen rot away like a corpse, waiting for the maggots to come and feast upon their bones. It was brutal, and he had the potential cure for it. He couldn’t watch it any longer.

Azriel waited for the right moment to request a meeting with his brother. A sunny morning upon the river home, while Feyre was at her studio with a painting class. He’d brought tea, and the book. He’d tried to look as casual as he could, but Rhysand knew him better than almost anyone..

“What is it, Azriel?” Rhysand’s voice seemed to be losing the tone of the high lord, even.

The shadowsinger stood, clutching the book with both hands. “Brother I ask you to be honest with me. The bare minimum do not deny that you see your own power waning in favor of your son.” He set the book down in front of his high lord, flipping it to the page you’d bookmarked so long ago. It seemed like centuries. Had it really only been two years?

Rhysand took the time to observe, to read the old language that was written on the marred pages. Then, he scoffed. “What do you suggest I do, Azirel? Kill my own kin?” A short laugh, bitter and resentful. "We are not as low as your father had-”

Rage snapped Azriel from his stone mask. “At least I fought for my own life.” His voice nearly shook with anger. “You lay like a dog while your boy siphons your power from you. We are trying to help.”

“We?” A long silence while Rhysand observed Azriel’s slipup. Rhysand knew immediately who his companion in this plotting had been, and the shadowmaster cursed himself to the grave. “I will survive this.” His eyes turned tender, pitiful to the shadowsinger. It made Azriel’s stomach roll with disgust. “ I’m sorry you doubt me, brother. I will hear no more about this.” With a wave of his thin hand, Rhysand’s dismissal was as elegant as ever, despite how weak he looked.

Azriel was gone in a mist of shadow, the book with him.

Clotho and Rhysand’s own personal requests hammered you, keeping you busy enough to last a lifetime in the library. Azriel hadn’t updated you on your shared quest to find an answer for Rhysand’s ailment. You brushed it off as spymaster business keeping him busy.

But he did not return to find you the next day, either. The requests from Rhysand kept coming. And still no Azriel. By the end of the week, you’d grown concerned. Suspecting the worst, you didn’t ask around. Didn’t dare bring it up to Rhysand, who you suspected knew of your involvement with the shadowsinger’s proposal.

Instead you prowled the streets on your days off, hoping to find him hidden in a bar or somewhere dark that he usually kept himself when he wasn’t busy. Bar after bar, then to gambling halls where he liked to listen for new rumors… but he wasn’t there.

The next day you left the library early. Week’s end had Velaris packed with vendors and tourists from other courts. Visitors of all sorts of different regions across Prythian flocked to the night court’s obscene amount of art and music.

Not many of the visitors ended up in the alleyways lining the fishing district. The reek of dead sea creatures wafted into every tavern you entered. You’d worn your commoner clothes, not wishing to draw the attention of any robbers or smooth talking shop owners.

The second from last bar along the docks was where you found him. The room was much too dark for the amount of natural sunset light that should have been shining in through the windows.

His table in the back was shrouded in bottles and appetizer trays. You’d never known him to be a glutton, but here he was. His shadows moved slowly through the room, the only patrons were the ones slumped over their nearly empty bottles.

“What are you doing?” You asked. He didn’t move, just kept moving the fizzy brew in his cup with a shadow shrouded finger.

Sighing, you took the seat across from him. He didn’t seem to care that he was in his full leathers, siphons aglow. Everyone knew not to dare approach him. He looked dangerous, even drunk as he was. “Azriel..” He finally lifted his head, greasy hair flopping to cover his brows. He was flushed, and you wondered how long he’d been here. A few hours? Days? “What are you doing here?” you asked again, keeping your voice as hushed as you could manage. His eyes were heavy lidded, and you wondered how much drink it took to get an Illyrian drunk.

“Drinking us dry is what he’s doing. Do you want anything or are you taking him home?” The barman leaned over the tabletop and scooped up as many of the pints as he could manage.

“He’ll be leaving shortly.” You said flatly, and handed the male a handful of gold marks.

“I dont have change for this-”

“Keep it.” Azriel grunted, pushing himself up off the table. He downed the last of the beer he’d be stirring and stalked out, you were close on his heels. The cool air seemed to wake him up somewhat, the flexing of his wings was a natural instinct from what you’d learned. But his tone seemed brighter despite the fish scented air.

“He denied me.” He muttered simply, stretching his arms out in front of him. You tried not to stare at him, tried to balance your emotion of anger and relief that he was even alive. The paranoia may have made you a bit restless the last few days without him.

“What do you mean?”

“Rhysand denied the blood magic.” The weight of the words didn’t sink in right away. Not until you saw the glassy sheen over his eyes. You kept pace with him as he rounded the corner, heading back into the main strip of Velaris. “He wont do it. Wont even hear of it. He’s accepted death before help.”

His voice shook on the last words. And whatever remaining hope you had for the Night Court vanished in that instant.

Azriel joined you most days at the library, after your shift. He’d meet you at the entrance and escort you back to your apartment. Every day starting with the same question - “Anything new?”

Most days had the same answer… “No.”

And you continued like that together. Azriel watching over you after every evening, then going to watch Nyx train with Cassian. He couldn’t bear checking in with the high lord daily, he tried keeping that to a once a week circumstance. It hurt too much to see. It hurt when he went even longer without seeing him, though. To see just how badly the condition had worsened.

Which made Azriel particularly curious when he found The High Lord and Lady sitting at the sparring ring at the house of wind. Nyx preparing for the session with a real steel blade amidst the ring. Cassian was doing the same, polishing the silver of his sword at the opposite side of the arena.

Quietly, Azriel waited, observing every move Nyx made with that blade. He didn’t trust the princeling as far as a warrior. The shadowsinger wondered if he himself had become too bitter to see what potential the boy really had. If he was skilled enough for Cassian to trust him, then he must be worth something as a fighter.

“Show us, son.” Feyre said, voice proud and light as the sun settled over the horizon. Summer would soon be over in Velaris, and the nights were growing longer. This time of year was always strategically better for the night court, and Azriel in particular with his gifts. But the shadowsinger was never fond of the short days. He preferred the summer heat to the bone chilling winters that had been pounding Velaris of late. They reminded him too much of his childhood, locked in the basement of his father’s home.

The clash of steel was a familiar sound that rose goosebumps along Azriel’s skin. He watched as the two Illyrians ducked and jabbed at each other, the weight of the real sword seeming to slow their movements. They may have been wearing extra armor, but the risk was still present with such skilled fighting.

Azriel’s wings were tense, his shoulders raised watching. Just as Feyre and Rhysand did. Seemingly with little concern. Little care that their overpowered son fought against his own uncle with a blade that could actually harm him. Az ground his teeth together, pulling his shadows in tight around his body. If he didn’t control himself here, Rhysand would know he was watching.

“Enough practicing. I want to see a fight from you, prince.” Cassian pressed his blade against Nyx’s breastplate and snarled.

That seemed to snap the last of the restraint Nyx had.

Sparks and grunts, laughs even from Cassian echoed across the field. Sunset turned to darkness, and both the males were wiping sweat from their foreheads by the time Cassian held up a hand. Not exactly a forfeit, but a request from the opponent. Nyx nodded, and gave his uncle space.

Azriel’s nails dug into his palms. Tension roiling from him so heavily he had to fight his own urges to not get between the two. He knew Cassian well enough to know that he did not need a break. He knew that if this was a demonstration of battle, Cassian would not relent until one of them lost.

Cassian’s boot landed at the back of Nyx’s knees, bringing him down. Feyre jolted up, her hands aglow with light. Rhysand held her in place - even though she could easily overpower him -, keeping her from the ring while Nyx retaliated. A sweep of his sword behind him, and he was up again. Cassian knocked the blade from his hand with ease, and tossed his own to the side.

Nyx was snarling, his violet eyes wild while the war general overpowered him in size and strength. Cassian leaned on his opponent’s shoulders, pressing him down..down, until his knees hit the twill mat that made up the training ring. Closing his eyes, Azriel expected the sigh of defeat from the boy. But there was a popping, as if his own ears had crackled from the inside. Az’s shadows lurched, and heaved while an atmosphere of darkness and prickling like lightning filled the air.

The moment the shadowsinger opened his eyes, Cassian was across the ring. Face down, not moving. And Rhysand was falling from the bench aside Feyre, his eyes blank - completely white and blood dripping from his nose.. Nyx was… the boy was aglow with darkness surrounding him.

He was moving before he knew what he was doing. Before knowing what his plan was, Az leapt from the alcove he’d been shrouded in and was freefalling straight to the scene, his own brand of darkness following him, ready to protect or fight with him against whatever Nyx was creating.. Feyre was still holding her mate’s hand, tears beginning to fall while her son rose into the air - dark wind lifting him upwards.

Nyx’s eyes were aglow, midnight black beginning to surround every one of his limbs. He was summoning something. Using a great amount of power to do it, too. Jolts of lightning sparked in the distance, thunder rumbling softly behind the flashes of light. Rhysand’s body twitched and heaved on the floor, despite Feyre’s attempts to hold him upright. The second he landed, Azriel was frozen. Only for a second while his mind worked - it felt like a lifetime. It felt like the last two hundred years watching Rhysand die. Hot, unbridled rage ripped across his chest like a sash. Then he was moving.

He knew what he had to do, what respect and bonds he had to break to keep his brother alive.He hoped to the mother that Cassian would understand, that Rhys and Feyre may come to forgive him, one day for what he was about to do.

Releasing his blade from the sheath at his side, he rushed to Feyre. He took her free hand in his and slashed a single score across her wrist, and brought it to Rhysand’s mouth. He’d prepared for this. Readied his mind for the moment he’d have to take over on his brother’s deathbed. He’d memorized the spell, the incantation that would bind blood to blood and keep Rhysand alive for just a bit more time. That was all Azriel had ever wanted. Just more time.. If he could have a few more years, months… He’d find a solution. One that didn’t need a blood ritual to keep his high lord alive. One that he’d still hoped to find after years of research. Maybe it was foolish to hope for such an impossible thing, but without hope… Azriel didn’t know where he would be any longer if he didn’t have the hope that Rhysand would somehow survive this.

Cassian groaned somewhere distantly behind him, and some small part of Azriel sighed in relief. There would be no deaths this night. Not unless it was himself. He would not allow it. With a fiery defiance in his heart, Azriel repeated the words, the spell that would bind blood to blood and keep Rhysand from the brink of death.

Feyre was shouting something while he said the words. While he fought her, holding her bleeding wrist to his brother’s mouth. He stopped twitching, and seemed to regain color even to his normally pallor skin. The storm that was surrounding them grew more and more intense with each passing moment. The roll of thunder was nearly upon Velaris, only a short distance away. Azriel could hardly feel his hands, and he wasn’t sure if it was because of the sudden cold that blanketed over them or if it were adrenaline keeping him from feeling anything at all.

The wind stopped suddenly, and a heated voice rose above Azriels while he spoke the incantation one last time.

You whispered the words as Azriel did, watching… waiting for any moment that you could help. If only Azriel would fly up and bring you down to the training area. If you’d told him, had mentioned to him that you were staying late. You were frozen though, fear and tension turning you into a statue atop the house of wind’s tallest balcony.

Nyx’s voice was double timbered, something dark lurking beneath the surface of it. “You bring a blade upon my family?” the voice echoed through the tress, silencing even the sound of the ocean in the distance it seemed.

Numbly, Azriel released Feyre, and rose to meet the prince. He held his chin high, and slipped the bloodied knife back into it’s holster. He looked upon his nephew’s midnight kissed face and saw something that was no longer the spoiled boy he once knew. His features had become more hardened, colder.. And somehow the welcoming smile that belonged to his mother had pulled into a snarl, his shining teeth glinting from the moon’s reflection. The clouds above shaded the training ring for a moment, before disappearing all together. Nyx dropped to the floor, seeming ten times the size he actually was.

“You know that is not what this is, Nyx.” Azriel’s shadows coiled, and cocooned him like a full body shield. The boy prince still has not let go of the grip on his power though. the wind still shook, despite it lowering Nyx to the ground. the leaves of the surrounding oaks stirred passed Az’s feet.. Darkness has not left the circle. Once meant for sparring and easy fights to settle debates was now tarnished with blades, blood and debris. Azriel tried to think, tried to distract his nephew from the scene his mother and father made while Rhysand gained consciousness. Feyre’s short breathy sobs made Azriel’s heart ache. He pointed, “Look what you’ve done to Cas-” He hoped his brother was okay, that he’’d used some part of his siphons to shield himself before the prince’s wall of power had hit him.

“Look what you have done to my mother. Your high lady!” Nyx roared, and a pressing weight built around Azriel. He tried pushing his shadows against it, but it was a fruitless effort. The power of a high lord coursed through Nyx’s veins. Azriel had only felt this once before, when he’d visited Rhys after his father had passed. The intensity was much more hostile now, than it had been then. Before it had been like drowning in sadness… this was burning. This was burning alive and not being able to escape the weight of the flames.

Just like when Azriel had burned. Just like the moment his father’s children had set his hands aflame. Tears welled in the shadowsingers eyes. Hot rage filled him at the same time, but he couldn’t act on it. Not yet, not when he still had a chance to keep the peace.

“You are better than this Nyx-” Azirel said calmly, hoping to bring Nyx back in touch with who he was speaking to. It wasn’t a secret that Azriel did not favor his nephew, that Cassian was the more willing uncle for training and babysitting when he was a child. But Nyx seemed to be channeling something far darker than what was normally present in even Rhysand’s power.

A soft chuckle made its way from Nyx’s throat. His voice was his own again, for a moment Azriel had thought he’d broken through whatever strange power he’d summoned. His heart sank with Nyx’s next words. “You are right. I am better than this. Better than you, better than Cassian. Better than my father.”

If he were to die, Azriel was glad it would be over this. He was moving, lunging forward towards his nephew before he could think about what he was doing, or the fact that it would land him in a prison cell twenty stories deep beneath the house of wind. He saw Nyx’s rallying breath for a strike against him, and shadowstepped. He phased through the jolt of power before it had a chance to meet his physical body. He’d left only a shadow behind, and was pulling his blade as Nyx reached for his own.

The slice of skin against Truth Teller was clean, but something hummed when his blade had met the boy’s skin.

You gasped, and moved finally. Hiding yourself away in a shadowed corner of the balcony, you covered your mouth. Hoping to the mother your sound hadn’t been enough to draw their attention. As far as you knew, you were the only one witnessing this. The treason of the shadowsinger you’d grown to know so well.

Stumbling backwards, Nyx held his cheek and eye with both hands. He was yelling something, screaming, Azriel thought, until he realized that it was Feyre screaming.

“My son- my son what have you done to my son?!” the light of dawn evaporated the storm Nyx had been calling. Feyre had summoned her own power, finally using it to bring herself and Rhysand to Nyx’s side. Rhys was awake, leaning weakly against his mate’s side. Pale, but alive.

He managed to hold himself up while Feyre brought Nyx’s face to hers, observing the gash Azriel’s blade had made. Blood poured over the lower half of the boy’s face. Dribbling over his lips and off of his chin. He watched, feeling like he was floating. Feeling like he was in a dream that he hoped to wake from. Rhysand’s tired gaze went from his son - his flesh and blood - to his brother, his chosen family and someone he thought the world of. Someone he’d trusted his entire life.

He glanced back to his mate, who brought her wrist to Nyx’s wound. Rhysand’s jaw clenched, and Azriel tensed - waiting for the second blow of power that would annihilate any armor, any siphon strength he had left.

Rhysand did not move from his spot. He’d seen the blood, witnessed enough of the situation for the worst to be assumed. Azriel knew.. Knew before the words had been spoken that he would be gone. Either by death or banishment, these would be his last moments in the night court.

“Leave.” Rhysand’s voice was tired, like he’d been waiting for this for a very, very long time. Like he’d had this prepared, but hoped to never voice the words. “Leave my court and do not come back.”

From the high balcony, tears roll down your cheeks.

#reader x azriel #azriel x reader #acotar #acotar fic #a court of thorns and roses fic #a court of thorns and roses #acomaf #acowar

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youkaigakkou-tl · 2 years

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The Kyoto Arc Analysis Post (Part 4)

I've run out of color spreads from this arc to put with the title of posts! Can't believe this took more than 3 posts!

This part covers the loose ends left in this arc, and a conclusion.

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4

This page singlehandedly ruined my life

I am in shambles! I am inconsolable! What, your heart is still intact? Here, try these.

(chapter 6 and 8)

(chapter 93)

Thank you Tanamai sensei for the knife to the heart. I will cherish this dearly.

Loose Ends

That brings us to nearly the end of this essay, just one section left.

But before that, one loose end/detail we actually get to see: Why Genbu said “gods shouldn’t go near human remains”

…Yeah! (And also there’s what Sano did to Haruaki’s soul)

Well, first loose end: Seimei’s death scene.

Some extra info: The swords appear to be shinto ritual daggers, though I imagine they’re not intended to be used for murder lmao

Notably, why is there a sword stabbed into the ground? Also notably, Seimei is smiling. We also don’t know why the gods were yelling and running to Seimei. We don’t actually get to see the lead up to this scene, not from any perspective.

Chapter 90 is just one giant loose end. Of note is that at this point Douman already has “seimei’s curse” whatever that is. Remember, this was also information we learned from Ranmaru. In fact, I think this is what Ranmaru realizes in this scene.

Another loose end: What is Seimei???? Suzaku says Douman is “only human, don’t push yourself”, then what is Seimei???

And then there’s this sus scene. What’s with the stars, Seimei’s whole brand?? Before actually reading the chapter, I thought it’s because Seimei possessed him, but that doesn’t seem likely with the dialogue (unless???)

Also, what else did he do to Seimei that let him steal his powers for a bit? I don’t imagine just killing someone lets you do that. (Granted it’s highly likely Douman didn’t even kill Seimei, or if he did there was more to the story than jealousy or whatever)

Also, this curse is pretty weird. It for sure has to do with Seimei, considering we’re getting this info from Ranmaru, and also the stars that show up. But isn’t it odd, that Seimei would “curse” him? He just doesn’t seem like that type of guy. My theory, hypothesis even, is that this is Seimei possessing him or something of the sort. (probably not lmaooo but can you imagine. also if this does turn out to be the case I want to be able to say I called it)

And also, some supporting evidence that Douman didn’t kill Seimei:

He says this, almost as if he didn’t have a say in Seimei dying.

And then there’s the gods considering him “sinless”.

And now, finally, we don’t know Seimei’s motive for saying this, nor Ranmaru’s own secret motives.

(Wild guess, Ranmaru probably wants to take down the gods. Takamagahara arc when)

Last Tangent

In the process of writing this, I remembered blue exorcist (another manga I’m insane about) also had a “Kyoto arc” and was kind of wondering why it had a totally different vibe from this. I mean, obviously different stuff can happen in Kyoto, but the vibe of the location was totally different. So I spent a week rereading blue exorcist. As it turns out, its because they spend about 2 seconds in Kyoto city and then fuck off into a temple in the mountains for the rest of the arc.

(By the way, blue exorcist is a really good manga, if you like yohaji you’ll probably enjoy that too.)

(Sometimes I catch myself thinking “maaaaan I wish Haruaki would fight more” and then I remember this isn’t an action manga. Action shounen brainrot is real. What can I say I love swordboys)

Conclusion

So, this has been nearly 7000 words! Congratulations on making it this far, and thank you for reading all of this, I mean it!

I hope you learned something from this. I learned a whole lot researching this, this is probably only 20% of what I actually read up on, but didn’t decide to write about/cut out because it was too irrelevant. (At one point I was researching the history of ginkgo trees)

In fact, researching this actually caused me to reevaluate my opinion on history and sociology, and like, studying and learning as a whole. I should have put citations on this to begin with, but if you want citations for anything I’m sure I’ll be able to find it again.

Doing something like this also makes you realise some things. I had to be so careful with the english sources I looked at, because there’s often this pretentiousness in amping up the “mystical east”. (Which is why, as much as possible, I tried to also look at chinese sources on chinese topics, same with japanese) Of course, there are people writing articles without such attitudes as well, after all, I am one such person writing about this subject matter in english, and I would hope I’ve done it properly. (Though, obviously, as a human I’ve got my own biases too)

And then there’s also the conflicting information, particularly about minute details. (How do people who do research not go insane? Video essayists are a whole different species) Stuff about Ebisu, just off the top of my head. There’s really not much info about him out there, given he’s one of the biggest luck gods out there.

I probably should have split this up into multiple essays, since I knew the student arc post, despite only being 2 chapters, ended up being nearly 4000 words. But everything in every chapter was so interconnected….man….

If you liked this, you might like my other analysis/trivia posts:

Renren arc

Haruaki student arc

Douman analysis

This essay about numbering a yoseito chapter

I don’t know if I have it in me to do something like this for the chapters before I started translating (i.e. anything before Renren arc) for the sole reason that I didn’t spend days poring over every word choice in japanese and chinese, every english word choice, every detail on the page, haha

Maybe I will maybe I won’t. Maybe I’ve gotten better at understanding and writing from writing this.

See you next time something inspires me to write something long like this again. If you send me interesting asks you might be able to trick me into writing 2k words out of nowhere.

(A confession since you read all of this: Sometimes I don’t answer asks because I feel like I don’t have anything interesting to say. Sometimes it’s because I want to keep it in my askbox to look at later. Sometimes I just forget, and then it feels like I’ve taken too long and it’s too awkward to answer it now. I love to read every single one, though. Thank you for reading all of this, thank you for sending asks, and thank you for reading yohaji <3)

#youkai gakkou no sensei hajimemashita #a terrified teacher at ghoul school #yohaji #rambles #analysis

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zarvasace · 1 year

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PROGRESS POST

(10/4/23)

This is partly for accountability and partly just to get all this out of my head! This last month or two have felt so hectic, getting used to a new work and sleep schedule and all. I'm still not quite there.

If you're curious about what I've been working on and what my plans are in terms of writing and art for the rest of the year, read on. :)

I will say, though, that if you want more of a specific AU or story, the way to get it is by asking questions and leaving comments! Asks and comments remind me about things I'm doing and get me excited about them again! I have these plans, but I also am very good at chasing inspiration to unknown (and sometimes unimportant) corners!

By Fandom

Linked Universe Projects

I've been feeling less motivated to work on LU stuff, but I still plan on at least finishing what I have open, so you can look forward to some of that!

Writing

Disability AU—one small mobility trio fic in the works. A few vague ideas for doing backstory fics.

Council (1931 vampire AU)—this is still the "backburner to backburner" fic, but I do have some fun ideas. I just have been distracted with other things! I think this AU is a lot of fun and I'd love to do more with it. We'll have to see.

The Marvelous Misadventures of Wind and His Merry Band of Maybe-Human Misfits—chapter 7 (out of 9 or so) is in progress. I have it all outlined out, and it's fun to work on, but I have (again) been distracted! This is, I hope, going to be my main December project. It'd be nice to finish before it turns 2 years old next summer. Oops.

I have several other WIPs that aren't very exciting and probably won't see daylight, but they're there if I feel like them

Art

Coloring book—I'm part of the coloring book project! :) I have already finished 1/2 drawings, and they went so well, I'm considering doing more.

Shatterproof manga page—still on my radar! I'm doing the end scene from dazzling diamond danger, and my ambition keeps outgrowing my time.

Four Swords Projects

Writing

Fairytale AU—man I've started this Vidow BatB fic literally five times. I have an almost-complete draft sitting at like... 20k?? iirc, but I kind of hate a lot of it. I also like a lot of it. It's a bit difficult for me to work on rewriting something in that situation. Anyway. Another December thing probably.

Fright Fight—I have ideas for every week, but am currently unsure if I want to draw or write for them. Most of my October will be focused on filling these prompts!

Vampire Lords AU—I have strange as severe is this my fate open right now, with a fair amount of material... it just needs to be edited a bit. I do want to keep working on that, I've just... well. Distraction. A common theme. XD I might be feeling another little bite fic coming on, too.

Art

Fright Fight—see above

Fright Fight part 2—I have a few side things to do for this, like making graphics that I haven't quite finished yet. They shouldn't take long, I just gotta do em!

Non-Fandom

Stickers—I am in the process of drawing some stickers! Yay! These are for my work, but also just for me. I want some Halloween stickers. This is a backburner project.

Nanowrimo project—I need to spend some time figuring out a few things to really get going on my princess-verse. I'm going to be doing Nanolympics this year, so hopefully some of their preptober stuff will help!

Hearts Linked Together—my super-cool Linkverse. XD I love my dumb timeline, and all the characters, they're just filler drawings that I haven't had time to continue.

Secret Zelda project—I really really need to do this! I can't say much right now, but it involves a fair amount of work, both writing and art. I think I haven't gotten very far on it yet because I'm intimidated. Stop that.

Zine edits—I worked really really hard on an art piece for a LoZ zine coming up! This week is critique, and I anticipate a few edits later.

By Month

Facebook posts—a lady I know wants to commission pretty quote images to post on her Facebook. I need to reply to her text. And do them.

September

I primarily worked on the fic Blood-Sucker's Guide to High School. I also worked on and submitted one fic and one piece of art to two different zines, which I hope you'll see soon.

October

If you care, you may have noticed I'm not doing Whumptober this year! Part of this is because I'm a bit burned out from the above, and part of it is that the prompts just didn't seem very inspiring to me this year. Maybe that's just my mindset. I haven't been in a very whumpy mood.

I'm planning on filling weekly prompts for @fsfrightfight this month and maybe chipping away at some other fics, in addition to one more zine contribution. I'm also going to be planning for November and doing some scattered art work here and there.

November

NaNoWriMo! I considered skipping this... but I'm feeling really inspired and motivated to do it, especially with October as a break. I'm going to write some original work, and that will be the focus of my November. I'll likely get some other art done, too.

December

I hope to dedicate this month to finishing things up from this year! That means working on "backburner" projects.

#i speak from the coffin

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sun-aries · 2 years

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Hidden Skills

OKAY my WIP's have been "IP" forever I apologize!

I had two lovely requests from two lovely readers, NTDOFAnonymous and EmotionalShadow, and somehow I sorta made the ideas fit into one? Thank you guys! Your requests have inspired me a lot so I have other stories in the woodwork but I hope you enjoy this one! It takes place about eight years after BMTR

Again, this is part of the Reflections one-shot collection, based on my BMTR fic if you're interested!

Thank you again! Feel free to leave requests :)

It was his greatest battle yet. His opponent was a fierce competitor: his blue eyes sharp like a hawk's; his sword posed to strike. Sweat dribbled down his temple from the exertion - and maybe even from intimidation - but he was still putting up a good fight.

Fortunately for Link, he had a tad more experience.

Light on his feet, Sol capered forward and swung his wooden sword above his head, striking down on his father. Link's lips twitched as he met his waster, their swords clunking off one another and resounding throughout the otherwise empty training yard.

He could see his son's improvement already, especially in the way that he held his weapon. Though the wasters weren't quite as heavy as a steel blade, they still had a bit of weight to them and it typically took awhile before the pages were able to keep them steady and upright. Already, Sol was holding it as if it were an extension of his arm, just as Link did when he was young.

Sol had been training with Eagus for the past year or so, but he was only just a page. He was eager to learn the ways of the sword at a faster pace. To his defense, he was a fast learner and Link easily recognized the itch to improve: it was something he'd experienced after his initial journey in becoming a hero.

And so, for the last couple of weeks, before dawn could rise each morning, they'd run off to the training yard together to practice a bit of swordplay. It'd started off as some basic training: how to properly hold a blade and how to stand, swing and so forth. But once Link saw his potential, he slowly but surely began to impart some of his more secret techniques, and Sol loved every minute of it.

With a sure step forward, the brunet stabbed his sword at his opponent, but his father was quicker. Link caught his wrist, spun on his heel, and slipped his blade right below his son's chin. Sol scowled.

"That was a risky move," Link said before dropping his tip to the ground and stepping back. "Don't let your guard down."

"I almost had you!"

"You were good, but don't doubt your opponent. You don't know what they have up their sleeve. Again." Their blades met in a cordial tap, a common practice between them - one of the many practices Link had inherited from the Hero's Shade. Then, Sol advanced, meeting his father's waster with another bout of attacks.

Their bodies moved so similarly that even an unfamiliar observer could tell they're related. Though he took on his mother's physical traits, it was at times like these that he was a mirror image of his father. They shared the same determination and energy, all driven by a hunger that some might call wild.

Frustrated, he thrust his sword in an arc, but the hero of Hyrule dove into a roll, spinning behind his unsuspecting opponent, and jabbed him from behind. By the light pressure of the blade's tip at the back of his neck, Sol knew he'd been bested.

"Okay, okay, I get it," he grumbled as he spun to face his father once more. "'Don't let your guard down.'" Amused, Link nodded with a smile. "Will you teach me that move?"

"Of course," he said, picking up his son's sword and placing the hilt back in his hand. "It's called the back slice. All you have to do is tuck, roll, and slice. Got it?"

"'Tuck, roll, and slice,'" he repeated to himself before nodding to his father. "Got it."

They slid into position once more, tapping their swords between them before they begun. Cast by the amber light of the torches, their shadows danced on the walls like ancient cave paintings. It was a short while before Sol saw his opening. But when the young prince ducked forward to somersault, he lost his footing and stumbled to the ground with a grunt.

Link hastened to his side, helped him sit up and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "It's okay. It's a bit tricky and it'll take some practice, but you'll get it." He flashed him a reassuring smile. "You're doing great."

From the outer edges of the yard, a pair of pale blue eyes watched the scene unfold. The early morning was chilly, but the sight lit a fire in her chest.

"I agree," the queen chimed in, and the two turned to look at her with surprised – and nearly identical - looks on their faces. From the clatter of their wooden swords, they couldn't hear her faint footsteps approach. "You were wonderful, Sol."

A light blush dusted over Sol's fair cheeks. "Thanks, mama," he said, scratching the back of his head, a habit he'd undoubtedly picked up from his father.

"Zelda, you're up." She held a fibre cloak tight around her chest, but he could see from the hem of her skirts that she was already dressed for the day. "Is it time for work already?"

"Not nearly," she said, slowly approaching the centre of the yard. "I was just curious as to where my husband and son were sneaking off to every morning."

Link winced. "You noticed?"

"You thought I wouldn't?" she countered with a raise of her brow. Then, she stepped toward her son and placed a hand on his soft cheek. "You performed beautifully, Sol. But take your time. The more you practice, the better you'll be."

"I want to be as good as papa!"

Her smile stretched, little lines creasing at the corners of her eyes, and she momentarily looked up at her husband. "Your father became as skilled as he is from years of trials and hardships. But I'm sure that with him as your teacher, you'll become just as skilled in time."

"Even better," Link added.

Sol flashed a toothy smile. "Really?"

"Really."

"But you'll also need to grow big and strong, which means eating and sleeping healthy." She folded her hands as she straightened up. "Now go clean up for breakfast. It should be served shortly."

Sol sighed and met his father's eyes, silently pleading to stay and practice. But by the look of his apologetic smile, he knew it was in vain. "Sorry, bud, but your mama's right." With his spare hand, Link lovingly ruffled up his son's dark hair. "That's all for today."

"Fine," he said, drawing out the word. "But I'll get it down tomorrow!"

"I'm sure you will." Once the young prince ran off, Link met Zelda's expectant glare and immediately recognized the look. With her arms now folded across her chest and an eyebrow raised in reproach, he knew he was in trouble. But before she could get a word in edgewise, he quickly said, "I'm sorry. I know I should've told you."

"Yes, you should've. I thought we agreed that Sol would train with the other pages. I trained under Eagus's tutelage myself."

"We did. And he still is!" he agreed. "But he's been wanting to practice, so we tried it out and he loved it. And he's doing so well."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't know," he said. "I just... it made him happy and I was scared if you didn't approve, then I'd have to let him down." After a pause, he grimaced, scratched the back of his neck, and dropped his head to a side. "But I know that's not fair to you."

With a sigh, Zelda dropped her arms to her sides and stepped forward. "I'm not upset, Link. If I truly was, I would've said something the moment I first noticed the two of you sneaking off," she admitted. Then, guiding his face forward with two fingers, she met his eyes again. "But you must tell me these things. I want to know everything about our children, just as you do."

"I know. I really am sorry. It won't happen again."

"I know. Otherwise, I will surely be angry."

His brow twitched, a ghost of a smile on his lips. "Goddess forbid."

Her laugh relieved him the slightest, and now that he was sure she wouldn't try to make good use of all the weaponry in arms reach, he turned away and started to clear up the space. After all, the knights were bound to start filing in at any moment. He hung the swords onto their hooks by the wing of their hilts, and they rocked idly before settling into place.

"How'd you know where to find us?"

"I know you," she said. "And I know you wouldn't give up a chance to practice. Nor to spend time with our children."

"Are the little ones up already?"

"Not yet. Otherwise, I'm sure you'd be training them too."

He smiled, flustered, and shook his head as he offered her his arm. "They're too young. But one day."

Linking her arm with her husbands, she nodded thoughtfully and agreed, "One day."

#aries writes #tp zelink #BMTR #tp zelda #tp link #zelink #loz #fanfic #zelink fanfic #zelink fanfiction #twilight princess #link #zelda #tloz fanfic #zelda and link #princess zelda #tp fic #twilight princess zelda #twilight princess zelink

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dandelion-wings · 2 years

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I have so many WIPs to write and it doesn’t get to join them yet, but I’ve still been kicking the “Jean alliance-marries the ‘prince’ of Khaenri’ah after Kaeya disappears” idea around in my head extensively lately, and after @theabyscomeshome suggested a way of wedging Lisa into it, I’ve had this little prequel scene just... sitting there. So it was today’s writing warmup. (I skipped the action bit that should have preceded it because I know myself and I would spend three hours working out the fight, when in theory I am supposed to move on to an Actual WIP after this. XD;; But take it as given that bandits happened and Lisa and Kaeya kicked their asses.)

---

Lisa's rescuer, when the last of the bandits is down and she finally gets a chance to look at him, is as miserably bedraggled as a cat fished out of a well.

Which doesn't keep him from being dangerous, as the bandit frozen to the ground in front of him could probably attest if the young man wasn't busy extricating his sword from that unfortunate soul's ribcage. Lisa closes her catalyst, not wanting the pages of the book to get too wet in all this rain, but keeps it at the ready until he sheathes his blade. He flourishes it first, giving her a salute that she can't help but read as ironic. The wry smile he gives her suggests he knows exactly why she hasn't put her catalyst away.

It's forced, though, and fades a moment later as he looks around their little battlefield. He takes in Lisa's would-be attackers, his gaze lingering on the frost slicking the ground around those he'd finished off, and breathes in so sharply she almost thinks him surprised. Well, maybe he is; he'd used the Vision glinting from his pocket clumsily, Cryo flaring off him in what had seemed more instinct than intention, without even channeling it through his blade as even those accustomed to physical combat learn quickly how to do. It must be very new.

Now that his blade is sheathed, the impression of a sad wet cat is even stronger. The rain doesn't help, of course. He's soaked through completely, head to toe, without even the little layers of magic Lisa uses to keep the most delicate parts of her attire intact in such a downpour. But his clothing is also ripped and dirtied, stained with char in some places and blood in others. And there's his face, smeared just as badly, especially around the complete wreck of his eye. Lisa is so distracted by it that it takes her a moment for her to notice the other.

Then the intact eye fixes on her, looking her up and down just as assessingly, and Lisa feels a jolt of startled recognition at the star-shaped pupil. She'd studied too much history in Sumeru, especially after she started delving into curses, not to recognize that particular mark. The curse of Khaenri'ah is the heaviest and most famous of the Celestial curses, far outstripping her own minor misfortune.

Minor in comparison, in any case. It's quite significant to *her*.

"Thank you, cutie. I might have been able to handle them, but I'm sure I wouldn't have escaped unscathed if I'd had to fight them alone."

"I could hardly see a lone traveler in peril and not help, now could I?" He's still looking her over. "Though I do wonder what you're doing this far from the road."

Lisa sighs. "That was my mistake, I'm afraid. The road was washed out on the north end of the lake, and the bank was higher on the western edge, so I thought I'd be able to circle around. The map had a road up from the south end of the lake by the Dawn Winery. But it didn't show the cliff, and when I came up that slope to see if I'd be able to make it all the way around or have to backtrack, these bandits must have thought I looked like a rich target."

"Unfortunately, backtracking is your best option here. The cliffs continue all the way down along the south end of the lake, and there's no good way around. Getting your feet wet will be a lot less miserable than ending up on the lower slopes of Dragonspine in the rain."

"Well, I'm glad I met someone who knows the terrain before I tried it." Lisa smiles at him. "What's your name, cutie?"

"Kaeya Rag-" He stops himself, biting off the syllable before it falls fully from his mouth, and corrects, almost smoothly, "Alberich. Kaeya Alberich."

This time it takes even more effort to keep the recognition off her face. That name is intertwined so closely with the history of attempts to break Khaenri'ah's curse that she would know it even if she'd never studied history at all. She's found record after record of their attempts in pursuit of her own salvation, hidden away in places where the Academiya's strict control of information can't reach. The akasha can't limit her access to knowledge written on paper and stone.

Lisa wonders what would happen if she applied the work of those would-be cursebreakers, hidden away in the depths where they always descended again when Sumeru's knowledge failed them, to the curse that she herself suffers from. It's an intriguing possibility. Half the reason she'd come to Mondstadt was the promise of access to their library's restricted section, a matter of much rumor at the Academiya, but she has no guarantees about what she'll find there. She *knows* what the magicians and alchemists and academics of Khaenri'ah have focused upon.

She needs to find out at least a little more about him while she has the chance. Lisa glances around and starts making her way towards the pine tree, with its wide, sheltering branches and a conveniently-sized rock beneath, that she'd been considering as a temporary resting-spot right before the bandits had jumped her.

"Thank you for the directions, cutie, but after all that excitement I'm going to have to take a moment to rest before I go anywhere. Can I offer you a bite to eat? I have plenty of Mora Meat."

And nothing else to offer him, in her current financial straits. The bandits would have been very disappointed if they had managed to capture her. Lisa knows she's dressed too well for traveling, but that's because this is currently her only outfit. It's taken all her savings to get to Mondstadt. She runs her thumb over the edge of her catalyst's pages just to feel the slight roughness of the one paper sticking out, the precious letter that she'd been hoping would be her lifeline. In multiple senses of the word.

It may still be. She can't afford to lose it even if she finds another option to pursue.

"No need," he says, shaking his head and starting to step back, and then Lisa pulls out the Mora Meat that *she* plans on eating, and his stomach rumbles as soon as its scent hits the air. Lisa bites back a giggle at the look on his face. He sighs and steps forward instead, under the shelter of the tree's branches. "But I can hardly turn down such generosity."

He certainly can't in his condition, but Lisa isn't going to say that out loud. She just hands him another one, smiling gently, and focuses on her own food so that he won't feel like she's judging him for his obvious struggle not to wolf the sandwich down. Those wounds and marks are hours old at least, but given that they're still untended, she can't imagine he's eaten in the interim, either. Two strenuous fights, a stretch of time between them when he was likely on the move, and of course he's at the age when a healthy young man will eat anything in sight under the best of conditions--it's a pity she doesn't have any more food on hand.

"So where were you headed before you left the road?" he asks when he finishes the Mora Meat, folding the waxed paper that had held it carefully into a small square.

"Mondstadt itself," Lisa tells him. "I have an offer for a job interview from the Knights of Favonius."

"Oh?" He looks her over again. "Let me guess. The clever Lisa Minci, star graduate of the Academiya?"

"One and the same. Don't tell me you're an academic."

"Not at all. But I am- I *was* a knight myself, until recently." He forces a brief, tired smile, then seems to abandon it as a bad idea. "Not that I was involved in the hiring process, but I might have overhead a thing or two."

Lisa wonders just how recently he'd stopped being a knight, given the sorry state he's in. She decides it's wiser not to ask.

"Where were you headed?" she asks instead, smiling innocently up at him. "You're far off the road yourself, and you don't look like you should be traveling."

"Home." The word comes out sharp and bitter, with a humorless laugh hard on its heels.

"Is that so?" Lisa feels her heart beating faster in her chest. She lets her smile go knowing, the innocence slipping away. "Maybe I could pay you back for your help by accompanying you. I've been looking into curse-breaking for the past few years, and while I was hoping I might be able to do some experimental work in Mondstadt, I'd never say no to another research opportunity. All my reading suggests that Alberiches are *very* interested in breaking curses."

His startled look down at her turns to calculation without even a beat of confusion in between. "Ah," he says softly, eye narrowing. "You're very well-informed, Ms. Minci. And if you're *that* knowledgeable... I'd like to hear more about your work."

Tucking her own sandwich wrap away, Lisa straightens up and meets his gaze. She can't use the same pitch on him that she had prepared for the Knights of Favonius. But she has the benefit of being able to be far more honest with him. They're in similar straits, after all.

#fic bits #this lisa is a lot more desperate than in canon #but so is this kaeya so it all works out :)#they become gossipy bffs later on #(and if lisa helps kaeya plan some political maneuvers #well. it's all for the greater good)#in a windless land

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gamesception · 1 year

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lets read rgu, chapter 25

Hrm. Entering the last volume of the collected paperbacks. Entering the final battle seems more like where yhou’d want to end a volume rather than start a new one. 66 pages for the next chapter? I’m a bit burnt out, might not make it all the way through. And those other two chapter titles... Black Rose Seal? Wait, is this the last chapter, and then there are side stories? Azure.... Ruka maybe? Eh, one chapter at a time.

So when we left off, Akio was claiming to be Dios, despite having killed him and turned him into a ring five seconds ago.

Yeah, there’s that inward statue again.

Wait, wait, what? This is implying that Akio /liked/ helping humans, but saving little Utena when she fell in the river was just too much no thank you, if we save one drowning girl we’d have to do too dang much! So I’ma destroy my other self! It’s... like, am I supposed to take this as an unreliable narrator thing?

OOOOHhhh, ok. That makes more sense. Akio had already rebelled and cast down Dios, and as he faded away he reached out to utena and passed her a part of his power to keep it from Akio. That... I mean, it still feels weird that this is something that happened recently, in Utena’s lifetime, in the modern world, and not fairy tale long ago times.

So a part of Dios was left with Utena as her ring, and part with Anthy as the sword, keeping him from fading away.

Ok, so there’s our stakes. Take out Akio, bring back Dios, save Anthy from turning into seafoam or whatever.

Yup, all the recap and set up is out of the way, and it’s time for rolling initiative.

After fighting back and forth a bit Akio cheats with magic / metaphors. The Prince’s role is still defined by self sacrifice, suffering for the sake of the princess. Anime Akio fell from grace and lost the power of the prince by letting Anthy take that pain for him, Manga Akio killed Dios to avoid that pain. Utena has to shoulder it and fight through it if the wants to become a prince and save Anthy.

And it does come back to Anthy, even if the manga remains a few steps less overt about that than the series. As it has been about the various sexual themes in the show in general.

Anyway, commitment to Anthy is the magic key to bring back Dios, if only for a moment.

and Manga Utena finally prioritizes becoming a prince who can save Anthy over reuniting with the prince who saved her.

And it’s actually a solid moment to end the fight on - with a meaningful turning point in character development driving the outcome of the duel. Works really well. Good job with the conclusion of at least the last and most important duel in the manga. Very satisfying, ending on a high point.

Of course, the role of the Prince is sacrificial by definition. Looks like Utena isn’t making it out of the Manga’s climax any better than she did out of the anime.

Fuck you, buddy. A very nice little moment out outright defiance from Anthy.

Oh, wait, more notably, Anthy isn’t fading away anymore. She’s already been saved. I guess she’s found a new love worth living for.

Which also gives Utena one final power up to finish off the already wounded Akio...

Nice inversion of the Akio defeating Dios pose

Ok, so there’s a bit coming up here that’s a bit confusing?

This sounds like she’s restoring the Dual Akio/Dios from before, but that doesn’t seem to be the case, because then they immediately explode and maybe turn into a ring? I guess she means they’ll be together now in non-existance the way they used to be together in existence, with both personalities faded away and remaining only as the ring and/or sword.

Also apparently doing this kills and/or non-exists Utena, I guess because she was also fused with Dios at this point, so even though her sword wound seems to have magically healed she’s still getting the sacrificial Prince treatment.

Anthy, now entirely out of Princes, rescues Touga and the student council as the castle collapses, and, drawn by Utena’s voice, catches the ring containing whatever is left of her brother/s & maybe also Utena. If the ring symbolizes the prince, does that make Anthy the prince now?:

Back to the school, and to Touga. He meets up with the student council, but none of them remember the duels, or the castle, or Utena herself. Only he does, I guess because he hadn’t been coffined.

But Chuchu’s still around, and even has a little Utena outfit.

And Anthy’s here, too. and she is doing the whole Prince thing, as implied by catching the ring. She looks good.

They have a moment where they reminisce about Utena, but Anthy assures Touga that Utena isn’t gone - or even stuck in the ring like I thought.

And that’s where the story ends. A bit more concrete than the anime’s ending, but still the same core moment of Anthy, now free, leaving the academy and setting out into the wider world to find Utena again.

And while I’m personally more invested in the more abstract and metaphorical stuff the anime was doing in the end, the closing chapters of the manga were still very strong. Much more so than the middle bits, so yeah, it’s nice to end on a strong point. I don’t think I have any hollistic overarching comment or thought to sum everything up. The art was good. The story mostly worked. It won’t displace the anime at all in my heart, but still a compelling alternative rendition - not doing as much or delving as deep, but the core between Utena and Anthy is still there.

Glancing ahead, the remaining two chapters are side stories toughing on bits from the anime that didn’t make it into the manga story proper. I don’t think I’ll do full reacts like this, but I’ll read through them and post some brief thoughts over the weekend.

#rgu #sception reads rgu #revolutionary girl utena

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waitingforwinterwinds · 2 years

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Game of Thrones - 57 SANSA V (pages 596-604)

Sansa attends Joffrey's first court session after the change of kings, in order to ask mercy for her father.

And so many others were missing. Where had the rest of them gone? Sansa wondered. Vainly, she searched for friendly faces. Not one of them would meet her eyes. It was as if she had become a ghost, dead before her time.

Oh that's chill inducing. Though if it were true at least she could haunt the shit out of Joffrey and his mother. ... How much of the court fled? How much of it was cut down in the ensuing fight?

- and when funny Ser Dontos started to hail her, Ser Balon Swann whispered in his ear and he turned away. ... A moment later, Lord Baelish entered through the tall doors in the rear, smiling. He chatted amiably with Ser Balon and Ser Dontos as he made his way to the front.

Oh hi Dontos.

"- All hail his lady mother, Cersei of House Lannister, Queen Regent, Light of the West, and Protector of the Realm."

Oooh, 'light of the west' that's fancy.

I am not best pleased with house Lannister, but I do love implications that at some point Tywin went "look at my daughter, see how amazing she is, can't give her titles of Powah! and legal authority, because she's a woman, but hence forth, you have she is the "Light of the West" which does nothing but tell you she's awesome." (except she's really mean, actually.) At least, I'm pretty sure that's how those titles "Light of the West" and "Realm's Delight" work?

- and on his head a golden crown crusted with rubies and black diamonds.

Black diamonds? Now that's a choice.

Naturally occurring black diamonds are a thing, but like... how to tldr this? Natural black diamonds get their colour from having lots of black bits in them, the colour effect is kind of metallic because the bits tend to be carbon and graphite, but the thing with natural black diamonds is that depending on the quality the colour can look... gritty. smoothly coloured black diamonds are like... 1% of natural black diamonds iirc. Black diamonds used in jewelry tend to have their colour artificially enhanced by science and technology (like radiation). Artificial or artificially coloured diamonds produce a smoother colour for less effort.

... can you tell I like rocks yet? XD

And at the end, near last, came the names Sansa had been dreading. Lady Catelyn Stark. Robb Stark. Brandon Stark, Rickon Stark, Arya Stark. Sansa stifled a gasp. Arya. They wanted Arya to present herself and swear an oath... it must mean her sister had fled on the galley, she must be safe at Winterfell by now...

"safe at Winterfell" not "back at Winterfell" Part of Sansa must understand, but she isn't quite ready to face it yet. She's still got room to salvage this mess and save her father. Or so she's telling herself.

Also good job figuring that out. Not quite correct, but it is because Arya fled and is still evading capture.

"I shall die a knight." "A naked knight, it would seem," quipped Littlefinger.

For someone who thinks themselves clever, Littlefinger really doesn't understand declarations of intent very well. "Oh, but Petyr was intentionally trying to take the wind out of Barristan's sails, steal his thunder and mock him, he's being petty on purpose." Yes, I know. The underhanded jabs are all Petyr's 'intellect' is good for.

Finally he drew his sword. Sansa heard someone gasp. Ser Boros and Ser Meryn moved forward to confront him, but Ser Barristan froze them in place with a look that dripped contempt. "Have no fear, sers, your king is safe... no thanks to you. Even now, I could cut through the five of you as easy as a dagger cuts cheese. If you would serve under the Kingslayer, not a one of you is fit to wear the white." He flung his sword at the foot of the Iron Throne. "Here, boy. Melt it down and add it to the others, if you like. It will do you more good than the swords in the hands of these five. Perhaps Lord Stannis will chance to sit on it when he takes your throne."

Yes, police? I just witnessed a murder. ... shame it wasn't a more literal murder.

She smoothed down the cloth of the skirt nervously. She was dressed in mourning, as a sign of respect for the dead king, but she had taken special care to make herself beautiful. Her gown was the ivory silk that the queen had given her, the one Arya had ruined, but she'd had then dye it black and you couldn't see the stain at all. She had fretted over her jewelry for hours and finally decided upon the elegant simplicity of a plain silver chain.

A silver chain you say? Would that, perhaps, be the same silver chain Sansa was seen wearing when Joffrey lied at the Trident? You know, the last time Sansa was put in a situation where her words 'could have saved the day' when there's a strong chance nothing she'd said would have saved anyone. (Cersei had shown contempt for the direwolves and said in a Tyrion chapter that she didn't want them in King's Landing. Every indication we have says there's a good chance that if it hadn't been then, then it would have been later, but Cersei would have found a way to get rid of Lady. (and Mycah was already dead though they didn't know it yet.))

Although speaking of Lady, iirc, when the stain happened that fight was about the Trident and Sansa was thinking of Lady afterwards, she even dreamed of Lady.

Even the gown, given by the queen, a seemingly pretty and pure gift, stained and tainted by the memory and unresolved issues of what happe- ... covered up... by...

Ohhhhhhhh.

Oh this entire outfit is foreshadowing, isn't it?

Sansa has no cards to play, just an illusion of hope.

Ohhh, I made myself sad.

Sansa quailed. Now, she told herself, I must do it now. Gods give me courage. She took one step and then another. Lords and knights stepped aside silently to let her pass, and she felt the weight of their eyes on her. I must be as strong as my lady mother.

I know this is a hopeless play, but damn you're doing amazing sweetie. Don't falter, not in the lions den.

Ooph. No information, no truths, but she did so good.

"Only... that as you love me, you do me this kindness, my prince."

Oops, she's still too used to calling him prince. If that had been a deliberate jab, it would have been a very stupid one, since being called "not the king" is what had Joffrey so shirty at the moment.

"'as I love you...' but I don't love you at all, so I won't give you mercy at all."

#a song of ice and fire #asoiaf #game of thrones #got #sansa stark #a chapter a day reading

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