#this is one thing i would refer to as quenching the Spirit. | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ruiniel · 2 years

Text

Schemes

Fandom: Castlevania series (2017-2021)

Pairing: Alucard x fem!Reader

Count: 3.7K

Rating: M

Summary:

This is a chapter from my first Castlevania series fanfiction 'Prickly thorns, tender roses' l, a post-season III Alucard x F!OC AU. For practice I've converted it to x reader. If anyone's interested in the longer backstory/what happens next, the full fic is here. Falls under angst with a happy ending (just not this part). There's some references to previous events which I hope aren't too confusing.

Tags/Warnings: oneshot, downer ending, alcohol consumption, heavy angst, alternating POV, Post-Castlevania Season 3, References to blood-drinking, Blood-drinking aftermath, Bloodlust, Guilt, AU interpretation of dhampir abilities, slight OOC behavior, Paranoia, Unresolved Emotional Tension, Mental anguish.

He reached inside the stove and retrieved the cooked dish, deeming it ready. He placed it onto the wide stovetop, eyeing it critically. Hare would do, but it had been a while since he prepared anything for one other than himself. And even then, Alucard had put much less care into it all. It would have been the same now, but you looked weak and needed something other than brambles and nuts.

He felt your weakness through the beating of your heart, the sluggish trudging of your blood. Even now, chambers away, if he gave in to it, Alucard could sense where you were by those regular life-giving tremors alone.

He sighed at the irksome thought. If he were being honest, guilt played a hefty part in all of this as well, for your precarious state was owed to his actions. It was hard enough now to smother all thoughts of you as it was. He had not told you everything, could not. He told you drinking your essence would change him, and it had. But then there was the aftermath, the lingering need for more, and Alucard thanked his human side for aiding with the niggling bloodlust that followed.

His jaw hurt and his throat dried when thinking of your pulse striking against him, on and on, raw and bursting as he had stalked back to the castle through the night with you in his arms. He'd been afraid of his very self, of what he could so easily become — more beast than man. Struggling to keep those recurring and frightfully tempting bouts of rage in check Alucard had grasped at your own sense of relief, almost palpable by the way it blanketed you both, craving a shred of stability, as if your humanity could quench the cursed fever engulfing him. He'd clutched you tighter despite himself for the semblance of sanity you offered, and you seemed to become smaller against him. Though you were also dazed from the blood sharing and your bleeding wrist, you clung to him like he was some savior. Like he was yours.

The mere thought was a travesty, like a cruel unfinished jest played by a careless trickster god. The logical part of him knew there had been little choice. But now here he was, still thinking of you days after the fact, still hearing every whisper of your ruby lifestream, attempting to shield himself from the scent of your apprehension and confusion, your fascination, your desire.

Who could desire someone like him? Who would want him around once they knew his shame, the pathetic attempts at closeness that ended in abandonment at best, treachery and death at worst?

Patricide, hunted, cursed. He had done nothing with his life other than react to what others have done, trying to right wrongs, becoming the one to strike the blow.

It was partly the reason Alucard had given you the manuscript. The sooner you had what you needed and left, the better. He would find another way to restore the engine room, he did not need you for it. He did not need you at all.

His heart denounced the lie.

Though the thought of you stepping out of his life now did strange things to his mind and placed a shroud of loss over his spirit, Alucard attributed it to the yet active connection you shared. He nearly laughed at the irony of it... one unwilling, the other unaware. When he had helped with your wrist after, he barely kept himself from pinning you down, piercing your neck and having more. The knowledge that you would probably let him made it harder to ignore, though his control never slipped so far. He had felt nothing like it before, the memory of his strength and heightened state while spiked on your blood still so fresh, so tempting. He had no need of blood in the genuine sense for the duality of his nature, but his father had warned him of its intoxicating and addictive effects. And oh, that did not even begin to describe it.

Alucard ran a hand over his face in exasperation. It was better now, easier to cope with. He no longer felt the pull of you, but something else shook him out of his usually resigned and morose state of mind. The way you looked at him. The way neither of you could ever say what lurked beyond your minds, and what he'd discovered dwelling within you. It was better this way; you had another purpose here.

He had nothing else to offer you.

A rustling sound of material cut his thoughts, and his face shuttered when you entered the kitchen. One of your wrists was still bandaged, and you wore a flowing dark dress with long sleeves that flared at the hips. He did not remember this one. There was that quirk of your eyebrow which, Alucard had come to know, heralded a biting remark or another.

"I never took you for a cook," you chimed as you eyed the cast iron dish.

Alucard huffed, placing the cooked hare onto the table. "Need is the greatest of tutors, but I think you know this." You smiled, and he bit the inside of his cheek. "But you forget there was a human living here."

"Of course..." You sat down at a motion of his hand, "Your mother. That is endearing, Adrian — that she taught you, that is!" you said, and there was honesty in your voice.

"I did enjoy indulging in it at times," Alucard caught himself saying as he went to the counter and returned, placing a bottle on the table which caught your attention.

"So you no longer do?" you asked.

Alucard made a sound that might have been a hum. Your prying questions on such irrelevant aspects of himself were always amusing. "You tell me, after dinner." Was he actually engaging in small talk?

"What is this?" you jerked your chin at the bottle.

He uncorked the bottle and took two tall glasses from a cupboard, glancing at you briefly.

You had rarely seen glass items before, having not been in any noble houses to speak of. "No, I..." you lifted a hand when Alucard poured the second glass, "...I am not accustomed to it."

Alucard looked aghast. "Try things before you denounce them, will you?" he handed you the wine.

You narrowed your eyes but took the proffered item, your attention on the swirling of the scarlet liquid. You took a wary sip; it was rich and somewhat dry to the taste, with a fruity aroma. "It is good."

His smile was haughty, but you did not take the bait.

"No retort? Is there something the matter with you?" Alucard prodded with the barest hint of teasing.

You took a piece of game. "I am simply too happy and grateful to regale you with my stings," your eyes bore into his, "Does my cheer bother you?"

He snorted and shook his head, valiantly ignoring the rushing flow from your center, hastening through your veins. It was much more potent. Perhaps giving you red wine had not been the best endeavor.

The rest of the meal passed in companionable silence, interrupted by bouts of chatter here or there. Mundane nothings, moments he would certainly not miss when you left, for their peculiar effect that shattered his guard and left him wanting, though he had not the faintest idea what it was. When you were done Alucard stood, giving you a brief questioning glance before he took the plates away.

You had come to quite like the soft torpor from the wine. "I will admit. That was one of the best meals I've ever had," you lounged back in the chair, pointing a slight finger at him. "Don't let it get to your head." Your smile was careless, your reserved facade turned lighter; bolder.

Alucard had taken his seat back at the table opposite you and lightly leaned over with his forearms onto the dark surface. There was a thickness in his throat as he sensed your body leaning into the table, towards him. "Forgive me, but much already has." He was smiling, his stance more carefree than before; he rested his face in his palm, watching you without the trace of a glare.

You slowly leaned back against your chair, staring at him with a raised eyebrow and an uncertain smile. "You can come back from it, if you want to."

He grinned. "Yes, they are called night creatures."

"Don't be crude."

"Listen, scholar," Alucard rose from the table.

"Whenever you say that, you turn glum and sometimes insulting," you sang.

He shrugged, heading over to the washing counter. "I thought your order valued different perspectives. I envy your resolve, I do. But it is not how I feel."

His words had been soft but stressed with belief, and again a heavy weariness, that you pushed no more.

Alucard turned from you to busy himself at the counter.

Sighing, you rose from the chair. "Do you need any help there?"

The sun had yet to set when you retreated to the usual place where your evenings ended: the study. You had wanted to join him, and Alucard did nothing to deter you. You told him how brilliant the gifted tome was, how you had already delved into its knowledge, how it would be a significant step forward; how beholden you were for it.

Some time and two bottles of wine later, you were sprawled on your side onto the divan, your chin resting in your palm as you listened to him speak. You had asked of his family, and in a rare show of openness, he'd told you of his brief childhood, of the meaningful moments he remembered. You spoke of Styria and its workings, the hardships its people faced, of your own rather sheltered life as an apprentice.

Presently he was regarding the portrait of his mother that he'd retrieved and now held in his hands. "My father tried, but I owe her most of what I am," Alucard said, and it was liberating to speak of her to someone. Ever since she died, he'd not spoken of it, truly spoken of it, to anyone but his father. And he was no longer here. "I was raised to believe I represented both kindreds, and to strive in becoming the best of either," his smile faded.

"The way you speak... is it your belief that you failed?" you wondered, saddened by his change of mood. He did not deserve this misery, the loneliness, any of it. He deserved...

He turned his head, propped against the backrest of his armchair. There was a glimmer in his eyes which you attributed to the wine. You did feel strange, your arms become slack, your head spinning slightly; you were pleasantly numb all over.

"I do not know. I used to think I knew what I wanted. Not so now." Alucard stared at you and suddenly looked uneasy, lost, the cool determination fading before a despondency so deep it crept upon your heart.

Maybe it was the drink, but you hurt for him. You nodded once, looking in your lap where you fingered the soft weave of a light blanket you'd pulled over your feet. You looked back at him. "We've only known each other for a little while, but..." you licked your lips, uneasy beneath his questioning stare. "But I think, there is no need to strive, not for you. You've been through so much, but never forgot mercy. You saved my life," you shook your head, "more than once, and showed me kindness I've rarely seen from my own people."

Alucard looked down at his hands, and when his gaze met yours again, it raked over you in a way that riled, bringing forth the same need as before.

You wanted him close, wanted something of him and he would not look away, not even when you rose unsteadily from the divan, slowly stepping towards him. You felt trapped, in a trance, guided by his stare.

Emboldened and rather dazed, you neared him even as the light in his eyes changed from questioning to cold.

But he deserved...

For the first time since his feeding of you, you wanted more. For the first time, you felt a calling, vague and smothered, but you knew it was him.

Alucard watched you, warily, doing nothing when you leaned in, closer.

Your eyes were on his ageless face, trailing to his mouth — that sweet, dangerous mouth you both feared and craved to feel. But there came the vehement opposition of a wall, built of seeping resent and barely contained fury, and only late did you sense it was coming from him. His hands now shook imperceptibly and his fingers jerked, clasping the sides of his seat, his eyes lit with near bestial ferocity. He was frightening; he was beautiful.

Alucard swallowed. Yes, wine had been a terrible idea. What were you doing?

You felt no fear, but knew this was uncharted territory. You saw it in the way he watched you, heard it in that wordless calling surging through you.

"Adrian..." you reached and ran a hand through his hair, saw his eyes closing. There brimmed the need to show him there was more to life than pain, more to humanity than the ghosts of his past; you wanted to prove it to him. You allowed all the honesty you felt to surface into your words. "I know what I want," you told him, your voice gaining a throaty quality.

Gradually his eyes softened under your stare, the death grip on his seat relinquished. "And what is that?" came the barely audible question.

"More of... more of you," you said even as he went rigid, "...and I want to know what it feels like... to..." you reached for one of his wrists, running the sleeve of his shirt up to touch the scarred skin. When you leaned in, his eyes narrowed, and for the first time you saw a trace of fear in them.

"Don't."

His warning came faint, his voice strangled, laced with so much burdened craving it failed to discourage you. And he knew it — he also felt drunk on the scent of your blood, and as free as he was of the compulsion to drink you dry, it called to him incessantly, ever since you’d foolishly offered it to him. The torturous pumping of violent red through your chest, into your womb, pulsing lower—

His eyes widened when your lips ghosted the corner of his mouth; the portrait slid from his lap, falling to the floor.

Alucard gripped the edge of his seat, and in hateful submission his other arm came strongly around your waist, forcing you rather clumsily down to him.

He grasped your hair and buried his face in the crook of your neck, breathing you in for a long moment. "Why..." he asked, the word muffled into you. A strange question, even to him. In a sudden move, he sought your mouth and pressed his lips to yours.

Everything stilled. Your breath tickled, warm and sweet. The tip of his tongue grazed your lips, and he tensed when you whimpered against his mouth. He took the lead, fingers trembling in your hair as he languidly sucked on your lower lip, lingering on the feel of it; feeding on your hunger. You tasted of hot wine and berries.

This is wrong, it is wrong, his sanity fumed, but the truth was he had missed this... this ache, the warmth of another. It filled the void, and you felt so good against him... he was close to drowning. With a strangled groan he forced you into him, and deepened the kiss.

The wood splintered where his long fingers clutched the armrest, but he could not help it. Something would break, and it was either this, or you. And the most disconcerting was how weak this was making him. It was a dangerous sort of power, and one that nearly cost him his life once.

But your scent...

"Adrian, please," you cooed, a hand trailing down his neck, gingerly following the line of his ragged, winding scar. Your fingers reached lower on burning skin, your palm splayed over warm, hardened muscle. His quickened heartbeat thundered under your touch as you nipped at his lips, smiling when he broke away to lead a burning trail from your mouth to your cheek, along your jaw, losing more of himself with every moment. The moan you had been striving to keep at bay rose in your chest, up your throat, smothered by his kiss; he sucked on your lower lip with a velvet release before pressing his cheek to yours. It was a feat to regain his shallow breathing.

You could feel something hardening against your hip as you lay draped over him on your side, and without thought pressed yourself into it. You heard a harsh intake of breath, his fingers tightening around the nape of your neck.

Alucard let his head fall back and held your lower body down, kneading you against him in possessive, repetitive friction; his hand dug into your hip. "You…" he whispered mindlessly, mirroring the pulsing rhythm of your blood in his movements. "Are you certain?..."

You only nodded, swaying with his lead. It had been so long since he melted into someone else, and shared—

Ruthless, the memory of a similar event where dream turned nightmare resurfaced, turning pleasure to ash, and his mind began to seethe. This felt so sadly, awfully, familiar. But you would not... there had always been a type of honesty about you which Alucard tried his best to rebuke, and there was honesty in the way you touched and tasted—

… but it had been the same with them. He had sensed their lust well enough. And it had not deterred them from their plan of ending him, not in the least. He had been no less blind to their game, and what was there to keep history from repeating itself?

Even bearing these thoughts he still responded, crushing you to him to the point of painfulness, kissing you deeper. For one split shard of time he allowed himself the freedom to bask in the visions of your blood and need; of you lying on your back, your hands around your head; bared skin seeking him—

No.

And from beyond silent hedges of thought the past burst to the surface, carrying all the brunt of scalding pain and irrational fear, burning away all hopes and desires.

Who could desire someone like you?

You were utterly lost in the haze of his taste when with a hiss Alucard sharply pulled your head away, severing your breathless kiss, forcing you to meet his eyes.

"Is this your game, then?" he tilted his head to the side, his expression morphing into one of calculating feline curiosity. Your pulse stumbled so fast, fuel to his desperation. "Well? Will you tell me I am lonely?" he asked, gazing at your astonished face, your lips swollen and wet, parted in surprise at the vicious interruption.

"What do you mean—" you gasped.

"Will you tell me it was time for my reward? What did you reckon? Well, pretty little fool, I am not so removed from your ways as you think. But I never expected you to attempt the same scheme," he followed, and his voice was ice. "How... disappointing."

"Adrian," you swallowed, "what is it you speak of?"

"You humans never do think too far ahead," he spoke, still breathless because of you, and all the angrier for it. "You think you know me so well, do you? You think you understand what my existence entails after what I've done?" he tilted his head to the other side. "Maybe I should turn you..." his gaze raked over you with contempt.

"No—," you croaked desperately, wondering where Adrian had gone. This was not him. "Please, I—"

"Why not? Don't you want to know what it feels like?" Alucard threw, his hand still harshly grasping your hair back so your slender neck was exposed. He watched you with a cruel smile, his darkened eyes following the rise and fall of your yet peaked breasts through your dress, the life thrum of your neck, the lips he had tasted.

"There is no scheme!" you cried. "How can you say these things!?" you tried, deeply unsettled by the hateful manner of his words. "Think! Would I attempt to retrieve you from peril if I wanted you gone, if I wanted to hurt you?"

He huffed, a cold, manic light brimming in his eyes like icy daggers to strike. "You did not have what you needed yet." His fingers tightened in your hair. "You did not know where to find it, but I'm sure you knew it had to be here."

You could barely believe your ears. Where had his usually unfeeling and pragmatic logic gone? "Damn this to hell I feel for you, I only wanted to show you that I do. Adrian—"

You gasped when you fell into the armchair holding nothing. Your gaze shot upward to see him on his feet.

"Get out," he demanded lowly, turning his back on you.

"Will you at least tell me what I've done? Please, forgive me." You rose to stand, one hand reaching for him. "Believe me, I would never harm you—"

You froze when he lashed at you, his vampiric side rushing to the fore, flaring menacingly.

"Get.OUT! " his harsh command echoed off the walls as Alucard rounded on you, eyes blazing red.

Shaking and truly frightened, you took one step back, then another. Your lower lip quivered; his touch still burned into your skin.

But then his stance mellowed, as though he were suddenly very fatigued, propping his hand against the fireside for support. His shoulders rose and fell with each heavy breath. He was looking anywhere but at you. "I want you out of my home before the night is over," he ordered, making you flinch.

"And where would I go?" you asked with a newfound, raking sort of hurt pride, a wayward look of disbelief in your eyes.

"That is your concern, not mine," Alucard retorted tiredly, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Adrian—" you tried again, only to be cut off by a scalding look.

"You will regret ever setting foot here otherwise," he snapped at you, his words chopped and shaking.

Trembling like a leaf, you bit down the crippling misery that piled up your throat. "I already do," you spewed before turning on your heel and dashing out of his sight, sparing no glance back.

Told you, downer ending.

#alucard castlevania x reader #x reader #alucard x reader #alucard x fem!reader #adrian tepes x you #ruiniel:fanfiction #castlevania x reader

77 notes · View notes

lunaria--annua · 3 years

Note

Mortality.... When compared to Magic, Light, and Dark, I'm left inquisitive. I know they do not have a design yet. Is there anything we might be able to know about them? Personality or capabilities. Anything of the like. A small morsel of information for the curious soul?

I shall try my best so quench some of your curiousity, as good as I can with the limited things I have prepared.

Personality right now is one of the things I struggle with the most...

The opposite of Ekito, so charming but cruel underneath (but not as vile as The Light).

That's pretty surface level as you can see, but I will slowly try to define it more and more.

But I do have some set information I think you'll find particularly interesting. There is Mortality, but also the current individual, Sanguis. (which is just latin for blood, probably quite cliche but oh well)

Despite being a deity, they/she is the most mortal being in this universe. So much so she ends up referring to the people/other creatures as ''the immortals''.

People and creatures have souls, after death they continue their journey without memory lost. (how exactly afterlife works I am very undecided about yet- but ghosts and spirits visiting the mortal plane again and again is a thing. Though only under specific circumstances)

You can kill mortality (through magical means only) ... But not quite.

Mortality stays forever, Sanguis, the individual does not.

Mortality, with it's abilities and how it looks in it's true form. As well as certain inborn knowledge, 2 divine truths.

1. What they are

2. Awareness of God, the omnipresent force (me)

You fight it, you only kill the individual. The individual will never come back, and the new person reborn will not remember the previous life.

I plan on making her the true Antagonist, villain, in search of the protagonist, of whatever tale I am creating here...

Her ultimate goal is to kill God, be free of the strings.

No more God, only true and absolute freedom from the world, perhaps even become some higher form of existence?

How would one achieve that?

The current individual's approach is to try luring me out by making a ruckus, trying to snap the strings, trying to pull these herself.

She travels, looking for people who seem interesting and ambitious enough to shake the world.

Tactically killing or pushing people to cause chaos, even unleash Light in order to escalate it to such.

The concept is eternal, the individual is not.

Using people as assets to try kill the God, hoping to get total freedom.

Selfish, ultimately sounds good, but the methods...

#fantasy #illustration #original character #concept idea #my art #sir lou #mortality #blood #=)#are you aware you are a floating eye in my void?#A viewer.#This is the highest plane of existence #but to be completely direct #it's all a big metaphor #you watch me #more specifically my creations. You are one of the eyes #to my characters I am God. Omnipresent and allmighty. Other (storytelling?) artists are gods too according to this metaphor #letter

10 notes · View notes

kyogre-blue · 4 years

Text

Tianqiu and Nantianmen

I think everyone probably already noticed this, but there's a fairly obvious thread being laid down about a future boss/event in the Nantianmen area.

tl;dr since this got long:

There is a dragon sealed in the tree in Nantianmen.

It is connected to geovishaps and possibly Azhdaha in Tiangqiu Valley. There may be two separate but connected beings involved.

It(/they) will awaken soon. (Future event!!)

Now, for the details below!

Let's start with the tree:

At the foot of this Moonlit Tree is a stone tablet:

And also a creepy little girl named Jiu:

The games very sure you are aware of her via the quest "The Secret of Nantianmen" which consists of purely going to this tree, talking to her, and fighting two geovishap hatchlings.

Her dialogue (with some minor lines removed):

"The awakening is coming... and with it, the storm..."

Jiu: You're a little early... Are you here to witness the resurrection of the most ancient, most awe-inspiring individual in Liyue's history?

[about Rex Lapis] Jiu: Hah... That usurper?

Jiu: Humans... They care only about history since the dawn of the age of mankind...

Jiu: Are people really happy to just draw a line under the litany of atrocities humanity's ancestors are responsible for, call it "ye olde worlde," and just get on with their merry little lives?

Jiu: Well, I hope that anyone who willfully indulges in this fantasy world of false prosperity will be consumed by it, and thus get what they deserve.

Jiu: The adepti thought to suppress it with trees. Hah! Fools! Little did they know that after thousands of years... the trees that hold the beast shall surely become one with the beast...

Jiu: And lo, it shall stretch wide its arms, and unfurl its body, and reach out with its roots... And the ley lines of the world shall heed its call.

Jiu: Then, once the beast has quenched its great thirst for that energy which only the ley lines can provide...

Jiu: I imagine any significance we presume to have in this world will vanish for good. Wouldn't you agree?

(Worth noting: Jiu refers to a "He" in a reverent manner during The Secret of Nantianmen, but talks about "it" "the beast" instead dring her normal dialogue. These may be separate things.)

Whatever is sealed in Nantianmen is also mentioned in the description of The Unforged, a claymore that ran along side Vortex Vanquisher. (The theme presumably being "past enemies of Rex Lapis that he only sealed instead of killing properly.")

A long time ago, a dragon there was to be found in Liyue. But it was not a dragon that soared through the skies, but one whose abode was the mountains. Indeed, this ancient dragon of stone was as large as the very mountains it called home.

The legends say that it slumbered in Nantianmen, seeming not at all unlike the surrounding hills.

Then, Rex Lapis came before the dragon, seeking to stop the earth's quailing. They say that for a long while, the land knew peace, and that Rex Lapis gained another comrade by his side.

But in the end, the union of dragons, gods and men was perhaps not to be... The dragon was sealed in the bowels of the earth, and fearing the burning ire of the gods and the adepti, that great vishap, that had once caused rock and stone to tremble, fled into the roots of the mountains.

But over the passage of millennia, the dragon would stir once again...

The legends hold that those who triumphed over the dragon stabbed this sword into the giant tree that subdued the ancient dragon. As one of the seals, monsters and malevolent mortals would be unable to touch it. Indeed, if the legends are true, only those with hearts as pure as clear mirrors could even come near it. Yet, if those legends are true, how did this sword come to be lost?

Nantianmen, check. Sealed in a tree, check.

You can see, this is all connected to geovishaps in some way, and their lore ALSO talks about then returning after a long time. Two hatchlings spawn when talking to Jiu causes an earthquake, The Unforged talks about "that great vishap," the Primo Geovishap's boss area is right near Nantianmen...

Here is the Primo Geovishap description:

After many years, the awesomely powerful Ancient Geovishaps grow accustomed to changes in their elemental environment.

Folktales hold that after the great draconic calamity that led to the ruination of Tianqiu Valley, the overlord of the Geovishaps and Primo Geovishaps was imprisoned deep beneath the earth, and so too did they burrow into deep and unseen places, awaiting their chance to rise once more...

(Note again that the vague language here and in The Unforged makes it entirely possible that the "draconic calamity"/"the dragon" sealed in the tree and the "overlord of the vishaps" are two separate beings.)

But here we get to the next point: Tianqiu Valley. And with Tianqiu Valley, there is an important name: Azhdaha.

One of the associated wiki pages suggests that the dragon in Nantianmen might be the Chi. But I don't think that's likely, given how far away Qingce is and that we do find what is probably the Chi's heart in a cave near the village there. Far more likely is Azhdaha.

Now, Azhdaha is mentioned in two pieces of lore. One is a tablet in Tianqiu Valley, during the "Trails in Tianqiu" quest.

Ancient Tablet: "At Tianqiu Valley the adepti's ancient trail grows cold, I fall down and weep at the ruins I see. Though defeated is mighty Azhdaha of old, there's no restoring this past land of beauty."

(The trail "grows cold" in Tianqiu, so it might have started elsewhere, like Nantianment.)

Something in the valley is very much lingering, based on the notes of the treasure hoarders who tried to solve the puzzles first:

Scratched-Out Treasure Hoarder Notes: "I'm to the point where I'm trying to crack this puzzle in my dreams, or maybe nightmares is more accurate... I saw an old man squatting beside me with a wide grin, urging me to hurry up and solve the puzzle."

Scratched-Out Treasure Hoarder Notes: "Hmm, no... was it an old man or a young girl? ...Ugh, I can't remember."

Old Treasure Hoarder Notes: "And all of the guys who've been in start acting strange once they get out. They insist that the monsters followed them out, but I don't see any monsters."

There is more details about Azhdaha in regard to the "Nameless Treasure" items:

Linlang: I just had a look at this one. These markings are definitely those of Liyue, and you can see inscribed here an anecdote about Azhdaha.

Linlang: They say that Azhdaha was a dragon spawned by a convergence of the spirits of Geo in Liyue, and that even Rex Lapis could not easily subdue it.

Linlang: Rex Lapis thus summoned three adepti to his aid, and together they created a cavernous realm.

Linlang: Rex Lapis then battled the creature, luring it into the cavern, before ordering the adepti to seal the entrance, trapping Azhdaha within.

Linlang: The patterns on the thing you brought seem to describe the three adepti joining hands to create the cavern.

And when you get all three treasures:

Linlang: You... actually managed to put them together? Please, let me see... Indeed, these three patterns, when put together, do tell the story of Azhdaha.

Linlang: This crane must be the adeptus Mountain Shaper, and this deer might be Moon Carver. But this last one...

Linlang: Eh? It seems like this pattern has been... intentionally ground away by someone, to the point where I can't make it out. Who was this third adeptus?

Yes, who was the third adeptus??

Obviously, there is a discrepancy here, saying Azhdaha was sealed in a "cavernous realm," but it's all vague enough that the mechanics can be explained away with more detail. Also, I do feel like there might be two connected beings, once in the tree, one deep underground.

#genshin impact #genshin lore

148 notes · View notes

sparklyaxolotlstudent · 3 years

Text

A tiny bit late, but FELIZ DIA DE MUERTOS!

"But day of the dead passed already"

"Los mexicanos celebramos cuando se nos da la ch*ngada gana"

Yeah, I started this project waaay back on the last days of September and still I don't think is dully finished, as I wanted to incorporate all elements a real altar would have (except for the pictures of a real person) The flowers of Cempasúchil are insane to make in this scale and I'm also missing on some other stuff, like the arch. But compared with the one of last year, man, this one is much more complete. I added more details to the catrin couple too although some are tiny. But I know... I know...

ANYWAY

First of all, there is no “right” way to make an Altar, as long as you do it with respect and love. Some places make it very “full” and busy, while others make it more “sober” and solemn.

There are, however, some things that are traditional to add, and all have their meaning.

I of course, didn’t felt comfortable using a real person in a doll sized altar, which is why I added the Catrina picture.

The elements and why they are there:

Levels

Usually, altars are usually 1, 3 or 7 levels.

The one levels are usually the table where the offerings are put, and don’t represent anything in particular, just the altar itself.

The 3 level ones, depending on who is placing them, can represent the journey from the Underworld, Earth and Heaven that the spirit must carry, or the Holy Trinity.

The 7 Levels ones represent either the seven steps needed to reach heaven OR the seven levels of Mictlan that the spirit must journey to reach earth

(Note that the ground is a level itself when there is more than one level)

White Tablecloth

Most altars have a simple white table cloth, often one that has been passed through generations, covering the different levels.

Ofrenda/Offering

It is used to refer to the things that are placed on the altar for the spirits. Sometimes the altar itself is referred to as an “ofrenda.”

The normal offerings are food that the honored person enjoyed, or barring that, traditional mexican food.

Drinks, specially alocholic drinks are also commonplace, specially mezcal, even if the honored didn’t even drink.

Two very important thing that must not be missing of an altar are water, usually in a cup, a pitcher or a traditional jar. The travel from the underworld was long, and the spirit is tired, so he need water to quench their thirst. It also represents the element of water(... yes). The water also is used to fresehn up after the journey, so usually there’s a glass and a pitcher with a washbowl. A mirror is added to help the dead check their appearance after washing and freshening up.

And the other is Pan de Muerto, representative of the earth, is a traditional sweet bread baked especially for Día de los Muertos decorated bones and skulls made of dough. (Apropos of nothing, but it tastes very similar to our Rosca de Reyes :p )

Cempasuchil

Is a flower used in Day of the Dead altars and to decorate graves. It grows plentifully at this time of year in Mexico and its pungent odor is said to attract the spirits who come to visit their mortal loved ones on this day. This flower, used since ancient times for its medicinal properties, brings a unique color to the shrine that makes the spirits feel joyful and peaceful. You can find them in orange and purple, representing the earth and grief, respectively. They are also thought to guide the spirits thanks to their potent and fresh scent.

In my region, at least, is also customary to highlight the way from the entrance of the home/classroom to the altar, to guide the spirits. (I used a ribbon for that)

While Cempasuchil is normally a yellow-orange color, is common to make paper marigolds of any color you want for decoration

Copal

Copal incense was burned in Mesoamerica in ancient times and is still burned for special ceremonies and is often placed on or near Day of the Dead altars as another olfactory element to draw in the spirits. The word copal comes from the Náhuatl word “copalli” which means, “incense”. Copalli incense comes from the copal tree. It symbolizes the transformation from the physical, the tree, to the supernatural, the perfumed smoke. The rising smoke takes the prayers to the heavens and the gods. Pre-Hispanic civilizations such as that of the Aztecs and Mayans placed it in a clay incense burner as food for the Gods. In this ritual, the copal was offered to the four cardinal points and to the Sun to guarantee the protection of the people and gratitude for the crops.

They also used it in various energy cleansing ceremonies, such as temazcales, and to make protective or purifying remedies and incense.

It is placed in the offerings of the Day of the Dead as a purifier of the environment, which allows the spirits of our loved ones to enter the homes without risk.

The scent of copal is believed to be therapeutic. Indigenous communities use the different types of copal to cure headaches; diseases caused by cold or humidity; stomach, toothache, and uterine pain, burns, fever, and breathing problems.

Copal is resin, so I used some resin beads to represent them.

Papel Picado

Decoratively cut paper used in Mexico for all holidays and fiestas. During the “Día de los Muertos” celebration it is placed around the edges of the altar, which adds color to the table. Some say that the four elements are represented with different items at the altar and the movement of the “papel picado” represents air.

I’m not insane enough (yet) to make 1/6 papel picado, so I used the smallest I could buy for the walls, and ribbon with printed details for the altar itself

While ANY color is game, some colors do have a meaning, and is also why most altares are full of them:

– Orange: mourning

– Purple: religion

– Blue: deaths caused by water

– Red: warriors and women who died during childbirth

– Green: young people

– Yellow: the elderly

– White: children

– Black: the underworld

Candles

Candles, representative of fire, are put out to light the path for the spirits to return. A candle is put out for each person that has passed and an extra for anyone that you might have forgotten.

Sugar Skulls

Sugar skulls are iconic mementos that represent both life and death, as they are placed on altars and given to the living. They’re used to poke fun at death, in celebration, traditionally having the deceased’s name on the forehead.

Dog

It was believed that the Xoloitzcuintli (an endemic and ancient dog breed) would help the spirits cross the Chiconauhuapan river to reach the Underworld. In those times, it was customary to bury a Xolo with the deceased, so that its spirit would guide them. Today, placing a ceramic dog or anything alluding to it is more than sufficient, so don’t worry.

Stick / Cane

Same as the dog. It is used to help the spirit on their journey, either to help them to walk, or to fight evil spirits. (Yep, technically speaking we’re giving weapons to our spirits)

Salt

Salt is placed on the altar. It is believed that salt will protect the body from breaking down as it travels the journey between the world of the dead and of the living.

Religious iconography.

Day of the Dead has very much become a reult of cultural fusion, and most mexicans are catholic, although it can be a completely secular festivity without any problem. If the person was catholic, or you’re making a “generic” altar, it’s common to have the portrait of a saint, the virgin mary, or any other religious thing, in particular if the person being honored was devoted to them.

Often there will be a cross of some form on the altar and this is a sign of forgiveness.

The will usually be a rosary, and usually a cross will be added at the base of the altar, made of different things, depending on your budget and aesthetics, it can be made of anything, the most usual materials are: cal (google says this is “lime” in english. is a white powder used in construction), ash, salt, flowers, candles, fruits (lemons in particular), rocks, wood, sand, an actual ceramic cross, etc. (I used glitter). When I’m in charge of the class’ altar, we usually do a mix of things, with cal in the center, a border of cempasuchil petals, and candles in the extremes

Arch Symbolizes the entrance to the world of the dead. (I’m missing it). It’s usually covered with flowers, but it can be made of *any* material, I have seen made of pvc tubes, of tree branches, of balloons (it was fun), wire, and wood.

#dolls #day of the dead #catrinas #custom dolls #long post

21 notes · View notes

tipsycad147 · 3 years

Text

FULL STURGEON MOON – AUGUST,– PREPARING FOR CHANGE

The Full Sturgeon Moon observed each August gets it’s name from Native American tradition. In the areas surrounding the North American Great Lakes, native tribes would prepare for winter by catching and drying sturgeon, which were abundant and easy to catch in August.

What You’ll Need For This Ritual

Quarter Candles (yellow, red, blue, green) Anthame Large White Goddess Candle – I prefer a three wick candle to symbolize the triple Goddess Paper and pencils

Throughout this ritual, any text surrounded by these symbols < > should be considered instructional and not spoken aloud but done in accordance with the directions

Full Sturgeon Moon Ritual Begins

I cast this circle round and round from earth to sky, from sky to ground. I conjure now this sacred space, outside of time, outside of place. The circle has been cast, we are between the worlds.

Calling the Quarters

East From the East we hail and summon the mighty AIR spirits – come join us in this sacred ritual under the light of the full moon. We seek your guidance and knowledge in all things related to movement, communication, and freshness. Aid us in visualization of our future selves so that we may achieve our destinies. <light yellow candle>

South From the South we hail and summon the mighty FIRE spirits – present yourselves within this circle and all the spaces surrounding it. As the bringer of both destruction and creation, you hold sway over those who walk among us. Teach us to harness your unbridled energies but also to see the beautiful transformation in nature after the flames have passed. <light red candle>

West From the west we hail and summon the mighty WATER spirits – surround us in your glorious cleansing and wash away all that we carry into this ritual. We know that without water, life does not exist, but also that an overabundance can wash away centuries of work in a moment. Help us to find the happy medium that will balance our lives and our existence. <light blue candle>

North Finally, to the north we call out the mighty EARTH spirits – come gather among the living and share the secrets of the elements, the soils, the trees, and the herbs. Teach us to respect all things that you’ve provided and to conserve for the generations that follow. <light green candle>

Great Goddess, mother of all of us; hold us in your loving arms and help us to help ourselves and our own inner courage. Lend us your strength, your wisdom, and your sound decision-making, as we walk along our chosen pathways. So mote it be <light Goddess candle>

Introduction

The Full Sturgeon Moon name comes from the Algonquin tribes that surrounded the North American Great Lakes. Other tribes referred to this full moon by different names; the Green Corn Moon, Fruit Moon, Barley Moon, Grain Moon, and the Red Moon. Most of the names are directly tied to crops that would be harvested in different areas around the country. The latter name, Red Moon is due to the fact that the moon rising in August always seems to have a reddish cast to it. The Ojibwe called the August full moon the Blueberry Moon, while the Dakota Sioux knew it as The Moon When All Things Ripen.

Full Moon Musical Interlude

This month’s selection is called the Pagan Moon Goddess Song – it’s hauntingly beautiful and will certainly put you in a sacred moon trance.

Original Artwork by Sara Stevenson (June, 2012)

Preparing For Change

We celebrate each full moon with a ritual cleansing and a lesson on how we can improve our lives or learn some wisdom from nature. The full sturgeon moon of August gives us a unique opportunity to discuss the topic of change. We can see change happening all around us this month. The heat of the summer is finally starting to wane, the fields are ripe and full of miracles of nature. Fresh squash, berries, flowers, and herbs are plentiful and the green tops on our root vegetables and vines are gathering size in the sunlight. Our children are enjoying the last few precious weeks of vacation before the abrupt change of the morning school bell and the nightly schoolwork. We are looking in our closets for longer sleeves and jackets in the evening and planning for the coming cold ahead. We experience these mundane changes with little to no fanfare as if they’ve become a comfortable routine.

Yet, with all the physical changes that we are surrounded by, many of us forget that this is a time of spiritual change as well. Our bodies have been running at top speed for most of the summer; vacations, trips to the pool, hiking, and of course wild crafting our favorite herbs and roots. During that period, many of us have slacked off on our spiritual growth – it’s a natural occurrence since there are only so many hours in the day. Yet, after many months of putting things on the back burner, our spiritual plates are either filled with excess information or nearly empty. Once we start to finally slow down, we come to the realization that something’s amiss and needs immediate attention; thus starts the beginning of a huge change cycle.

The point of realization is also the point of a potential problem, if we aren’t prepared. Too much information leads to nothing getting accomplished usually; we feel overwhelmed and passive. Too little leaves us feeling directionless and easily led astray. But, if we’ve properly prepared for this change, then it’s business as usual. Ironically, just speaking about it is the first step in the preparation; becoming aware in advance that it’s coming gives us time to schedule, budget our time, and plan time for spiritual healing. Often we need to play “catch up” or often “pick up” from where we left off in the spring.

There are many methods to get back in the swing of things. Some people keep a personal journal of their personal growth while others go a step further and write down a step by step plan. Some use the cycle of the moon to measure growth in conjunction with their own spiritual cleansing. Regardless of what method you choose, remember that this is a marathon and not a sprint. If you are feeling overwhelmed with an overfilled plate, take time to organize, categorize, and prioritize. I’ll repeat those three key things, because they need to be put to memory. Organize, categorize, and prioritize; organize your life so that you have time to address things; categorize them into groups that pertain to the same topic or a group of topics, and finally prioritize them. What is most important? Which ones are “low hanging fruit” that can be dealt with quickly and free up time to focus on other things? Do you need help with some of them? By asking yourself questions, you can order things in a way that doesn’t seem overwhelming and actually make progress.

Another important thing to consider when you are processing a lot of information – it might sound like a good idea to just say you’re planning to get rid of everything and move on, but that will only leave lingering thoughts that may stick with you for a long time. Remember that cleansing and clearing go hand in hand – it’s not worth cleansing something if you can’t permanently clear it from your spirit. True healing and growth will only come if you release the negative fully and completely and refuse to give it any energy, ever again.

Cleansing and Clearing

As we do on each full moon, we gather together to release negativity; to burn that which needs burning, and ultimately to reduce mental clutter. We also search for things to refill that empty space – this is where understanding becomes so important. It’s not difficult to identify the things dragging us down; we may not show it on the surface, but deep down each of us knows exactly what is the root cause of our troubles. Unfortunately we don’t always do corrective action. We often opt for the easy routes in life, sometimes accepting or settling when we could instead be growing and languishing in a life which meets out spiritual and emotional needs. It all comes down to understanding, making choices, and refusing to compromise our core needs, for any reason.

So tonight, before we commence in our monthly cleansing through burning session, take time to think about our lesson on change. Are you prepared to sift through everything and weed your personal garden? Will you follow through and rid yourselves of anything that has no value? Also, think about how you can harness the positive energies coming from your harvests and late summer activities. Look for ways to keep that magick alive in your life during the hard months of winter. Bring some of the outside into your home so you’ll have a constant reminder of where your life is grounded. Look for ways to excel rather than just settle. Seek out those energies and store them inside your spirit, so that you don’t regress when things are dark.

Approach the fire and burn away that which no longer serves you !

Cleaning and releasing is only half of the job. Do not allow negative energy to refill the spaces you’ve created. Trade the bad for something better; something enlightening and pure. Leave here with a smile on your face, the understanding that there is more to life than just existing, and that change is always part of our lives, but also that you’ve got this! Change won’t stop you from growing. Stop sitting on the sidelines and engage with the things that take existence to living. Blessed Be!

Closing the Full Sturgeon Moon Circle

Spirits of Earth, guardians of the crops and the fields, we thank you for your presence in our circle tonight and for all that you provide us. As we watch the change from season to season, we shall again call upon your guidance to maintain our grounding and focus. <extinguish green candle>

Spirits of Water, cleansing, sustaining, and flowing, we offer our praises for your never-ending refreshment and thirst-quenching magick. We know our lives will rise and fall, just as the ocean tides do, but will trust in your strength to keep us from sinking. <extinguish blue candle>

Spirits of Fire, source of all passion, heat, and warmth, we are humbled by your collective energies gathered in this circle tonight. We sought to understand your many faces, so that we may work harmoniously with you throughout the changing seasons. <extinguish red candle>

Spirits of Air, where wisdom resides, and motion is never ceasing – we thank you for reminding us that change is inevitable but nothing is impossible unless we surrender our ambitions and choose to fail <extinguish yellow candle>

Beloved Goddess, Mother of all living things, we thank you for your comfort in times of sorrow; your compassion in times of weakness, and your never-ending wellspring of spiritual love for each one of us <extinguish Goddess candle>

This Full Sturgeon Moon circle is open but never broken!

By Thegypsy

https://www.thegypsythread.org/full-sturgeon-moon-2019/

1 note · View note

saltandstranger · 3 years

Text

WHEN CHASING LIONS: BE BOLD, NEVER SETTLE, DARE TO BELIEVE

So, here we are at the close of the 1st half of the year. And it's with twice as much hope & anticipation than at the start of the year that I look forward to what's ahead for the remainder of 2021.

I want take you to this incredible story in the Bible about courage, never settling, and about the relentless pursuit of the dreams that God has placed in your heart.

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant man of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds. He struck down two lion-like men. He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen. And he struck down an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits tall. The Egyptian had in his hand a spear like a weaver’s beam, but Benaiah went down to him with a staff and snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and won a name beside the three mighty men. He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard. -1 Chronicles 11:22‭-‬25 ESV

I needed to pause when I first came across this passage in order to process it because clearly these are no small feats.

So this Mr. Benaiah, son of Jehoaida, from Kabzeel is not only a hero-conqueror, he's also a lion-slayer and a giant slaughterer. No wonder why he was captain of King David's bodyguard.

I wanna zero in on one of Beniah's three recorded mighty deeds: Benaiah slew a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen (1 Chron. 11:22)

Read it while imagining the scene unfold before your eyes. This is intense!!!

And this is such a special teaching moment because here we learn that while there are times when God delivers us from lions (like Daniel in the den with the lions), there are also times God gives us the strength and courage to slay them.

Now this happened during the most dire of circumstances when the ground was slippery and he could have easily lost his footing. Benaiah slew a lion in a pit. IN A PIT. In a pit. He was up against the worst possible beast, in the worst possible circumstance, and the worst possible place. And yet, he chased and slew that lion down the pit.

When's a good day to go kill a lion? There's none! I'd rather not face one thank you very much. But if a lion does come at you seemingly out of the blue, then let me ask you is there a better time other than TODAY to kill it?

You can't keep putting off the things that you know you need to do today. There are just times in your life when you've got to make up your mind and determine that it's NOW or NEVER.

I want to reference another story in Joshua 17 when the Israelites were being given their portion of land. The children of Manasseh complained that the land allotted to them had Canaanites living there.

And it happened, when the children of Israel grew strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not utterly drive them out. -Joshua 17:13 NKJV

How many of us have grown strong through the trials and the fire, but still allow Canaanites to dwell in our land even when God's clear instruction is to drive them out completely? We can't keep sweeping things under the rug. We can't be partial with our obedience. We can't NOT slay that lion.

Eventually, you will have to run towards the very thing that you're afraid to confront, grab it by the throat, and face it head-on to finally and fully overcome it.

We can't keep waiting for the perfect circumstances before we move. If Benaiah waited for it to stop snowing, he would have been dinner. If he had been content to leave the lion in the pit, who knew if it would come after him? If there's one thing we should NEVER do this 2nd half of the year, or EVER- it's to settle for less.

Don't run away. Don't shy away from uncomfortable situations.

Brave confrontation even in the midst of inconvenience will often times set you up for great victories.

It's not new to us that the sequence of events the past year and a half have unfolded a certain way and so we found ourselves in this pit or cave. Yes we go through the coping or healing process. Yes we indeed had to pivot or adjust. But that doesn't mean we should settle. You've got to stop allowing the circumstances or past hurts, our shame, or our fears dictate our future or stop you from going after what God has for you! We need to make that choice to chase down the lions of impossibilities and fears into the pit and slay it right there.

What is it that you have your eyes on? What's your dream? What's the prayer of your heart that makes you go shikarababaseteyy? What has God been instructing you to do in this season?

I know "Today" looks different for each of us. And so when I say don't put it off "today", what I mean os do not quench your spirit. If the instruction is to pray, don't put if off. If your dream is to buy a house, start looking for listings and saving up diligently. If you want to write a book, stop spending meaningless time on social media and just start writing. Don't be afraid to start small. Don't despise the days of small beginnings. It always starts with a seed anyway.

When I went through the entire ordeal last year with my heart and my health in the midst of the pandemic, I can't count how many times I wanted to quit being in the ministry because I felt so beat up. But what God did was make it all the more clearer to me where He wants to take me. And so to you who are reading this, I pray that your heart for God and His will for your life would be amplified all the more even in the midst of a day when snow is falling and you feel like you're up against a lion in a pit.

It takes supernatural courage I'll tell you that. But what's great is that courage and tenacity during times of relentless pursuit aren't personality-based. They are dependent on who God has called you to be. You see, the meaning of Benaiah's name is GOD BUILDS, and the meaning of his dad's name Jehoaida means GOD KNOWS. God loves you and KNOWS His plans for you and He KNOWS exactly where to take you. Trust that there is a purpose and a season for every activity under heaven.

God doesn't do things for nothing. He is always intentional with you. God is BUILDING you for something more than what you can ask, think, dream, or even imagine. So to you- hero conqueror, lion slayer, and giant slaughterer- be brave, never settle, and dare to believe.

-K 🌊

(Photo courtesy: @bravoprince on Unsplash)

#Benaiah #lionslayer #chasethelion #chronicles #saltoftheearth #strangertotheworld

1 note · View note

roman-catholic-mass-readings · 4 years

Photo

15th January >> Mass Readings (Except USA)

Friday, First Week in Ordinary Time

Saint Ita, Virgin.

Friday, First Week in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical Colour: Green)

First Reading

Hebrews 4:1-5,11

None of you has come too late for God's promise

Be careful: the promise of reaching the place of rest that God had for the Israelites still holds good, and none of you must think that he has come too late for it. We received the Good News exactly as they did; but hearing the message did them no good because they did not share the faith of those who listened. We, however, who have faith, shall reach a place of rest, as in the text: And so, in anger, I swore that not one would reach the place of rest I had for them. God’s work was undoubtedly all finished at the beginning of the world; as one text says, referring to the seventh day: After all his work God rested on the seventh day. The text we are considering says: They shall not reach the place of rest I had for them. We must therefore do everything we can to reach this place of rest, or some of you might copy this example of disobedience and be lost.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 77(78):3-4,6-8

R/ Never forget the deeds of the Lord.

The things we have heard and understood, the things our fathers have told us, these we will not hide from their children but will tell them to the next generation: the glories of the Lord and his might and the marvellous deeds he has done.

R/ Never forget the deeds of the Lord.

They too should arise and tell their sons that they too should set their hope in God and never forget God’s deeds but keep every one of his commands.

R/ Never forget the deeds of the Lord.

So that they might not be like their fathers, a defiant and rebellious race, a race whose heart was fickle, whose spirit was unfaithful to God.

R/ Never forget the deeds of the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation

cf. Ephesians 1:17,18

Alleluia, alleluia! May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our mind, so that we can see what hope his call holds for us. Alleluia!

Or:

Luke 7:16

Alleluia, alleluia! A great prophet has appeared among us; God has visited his people. Alleluia!

Gospel

Mark 2:1-12

The Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins

When Jesus returned to Capernaum, word went round that he was back; and so many people collected that there was no room left, even in front of the door. He was preaching the word to them when some people came bringing him a paralytic carried by four men, but as the crowd made it impossible to get the man to him, they stripped the roof over the place where Jesus was; and when they had made an opening, they lowered the stretcher on which the paralytic lay. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘My child, your sins are forgiven.’ Now some scribes were sitting there, and they thought to themselves, ‘How can this man talk like that? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins but God?’ Jesus, inwardly aware that this was what they were thinking, said to them, ‘Why do you have these thoughts in your hearts? Which of these is easier: to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven” or to say, “Get up, pick up your stretcher and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ – he turned to the paralytic – ‘I order you: get up, pick up your stretcher, and go off home.’ And the man got up, picked up his stretcher at once and walked out in front of everyone, so that they were all astounded and praised God saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this.’

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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

Saint Ita, Virgin

(Liturgical Colour: White)

(Readings for the memorial)

(There is a choice today between the readings for the ferial day (Friday) and those for the memorial. The ferial readings are recommended unless pastoral reasons suggest otherwise)

Either:

First Reading

Song of Songs 8:6-7

The flash of love is a flame of the Lord himself

Set me like a seal on your heart, like a seal on your arm. For love is strong as Death, jealousy as relentless as Sheol. The flash of it is a flash of fire, a flame of the Lord himself. Love no floods can quench, no torrents drown.

Were a man to offer all the wealth of his house to buy love, contempt is all he would purchase.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Or:

First Reading

Hosea 2:16,17,21-22

I will betroth you to myself for ever

The Lord says this:

I am going to lead her out into the wilderness and speak to her heart. There she will respond to me as she did when she was young, as she did when she came out of the land of Egypt. I will betroth you to myself for ever, betroth you with integrity and justice, with tenderness and love; I will betroth you to myself with faithfulness, and you will come to know the Lord.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Either:

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 44(45):11-12,14-17

R/ Listen, O daughter, give ear to my words. or R/ The bridegroom is here! Go out and meet Christ the Lord.

Listen, O daughter, give ear to my words: forget your own people and your father’s house. So will the king desire your beauty: He is your lord, pay homage to him.

R/ Listen, O daughter, give ear to my words. or R/ The bridegroom is here! Go out and meet Christ the Lord.

The daughter of the king is clothed with splendour, her robes embroidered with pearls set in gold. She is led to the king with her maiden companions.

R/ Listen, O daughter, give ear to my words. or R/ The bridegroom is here! Go out and meet Christ the Lord.

They are escorted amid gladness and joy; they pass within the palace of the king. Sons shall be yours in place of your fathers: you will make them princes over all the earth.

R/ Listen, O daughter, give ear to my words. or R/ The bridegroom is here! Go out and meet Christ the Lord.

Or:

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 148:1-2,11-14