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thevoidstaredback · 1 year ago

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Be Thou For The People

A contradictory void of suffocating black and empty white was the last thing Edward wanted to see at any given time. Sure, there was the exception of when he was going to get his and Al's bodies back, but that wasn't now. He was sure he hadn't done anything against explicitly against any Alchemical Laws, nor had he stumbled into any Human Transmutation arrays, so why was he here?

The familiar not-presence of a not-being filled his mind when it spoke to him. "Using your own soul as a Philosopher's Stone to save your life? What a cheat."

"Hey!" Ed protested, barely keeping himself from moving from his spot. Fighting this not-being would only be a waste of the infinitely miniscule amount of time in the void. "It's not cheating. I didn't break any rules. Besides, Alkahestry works kind of like that."

The Truth laughed heartily. "You must take the time to understand that which you do not. Using Alchemy on yourself is a form of Human Transmutation. You're molding your life to go against the flow, however small the alteration might have been. Unless you are not human?"

"Of course I'm human!" Ed shrunk in on himself slightly. Of course he didn't understand Alkahestry, the research for it hadn't been readily accessible to him like his Alchemy resources! And, yes, maybe he knew, in the back of his mind, that transmuting himself was still technically an Alchemical Taboo, but he had thought The Truth would have let him off because he was using his own life as the price! Evidently, that wasn't the case. In his defense, it was either shave off a few years or die via impalement. Neither was a good case, but he'd rather live to keep his promise to his brother than to die in a mineshaft because of a bastard like Kimblee.

"What am I even doing here?" he asked with a huff. It couldn't be anything good.

The Truth's ever present grin fell ever so slightly. "I'd like to cash in a favor with you."

"Excuse me?" he blinked.

The not-being continued, "A favor. You do something for me, I'll do something for you. That kind of deal."

"Hold on," Ed said, uncrossing his arms, "Why do You want me for this? Why not pull some other poor bastard to do Your dirty work?" For that's what this had to be, dirty work. There was nothing else it could be.

This time, The Truth's smile fell noticeably. "Because very few have survived coming into my realm once, let alone several times thereafter."

Another huff. "What's the parameters of this 'favor'?"

It grinned again. "Someone has decided to go and try to cheat Death. I want you to go get him and bring him to face the Gate."

"What do I get out of this?"

"A free pass. You'll be able to recover your brother's body with no repercussions on your end, though I would still like an answer."

Speechless for a moment, Ed recovered soon enough to ask, "What answer?"

"Nothing you need to worry about right now, little alchemist." The Truth's grin split It's face unnaturally in a smile, "What do you say, poor bastard?"

With a long, drawn out, resigned sigh, Edward sat down in front of his Gate. Honestly, he'd brought that taunt upon himself. Also, could he even refuse this? "Alright, fine. What do I gotta do?" It was too good to be true, but he might as well take the chance.

"That's the spirit, little alchemist!" The Truth relaxed, outstretching the leg It'd stolen from Ed and resting Ed's arm on It's other knee, leaving the hand and wrist limp. "I'll be sending you to the other side of the Gate. A world where technology thrived and alchemy died. A world of hidden societies. It is within one of those hidden societies that I want you to be. The man who has tried to defy Death runs as the 'villain', you could say."

When The Truth paused, Edward took that moment to think before speaking. "So, You want me to find this guy on the other side of the Gate and bring him to You?" It was a miracle he wasn't freaking out. Then again, that wouldn't get him anywhere. There's a time and a place, but this was not it. "How long do I have?"

"As long as it takes you. When you're done, you'll end up right where and when I pulled you from."

'Right where...' The sudden realisation of what had happened before he found himself in The Truth's realm was near painful. Quickly, he placed his flesh hand over where he knew he'd been impaled. The last thing he was doing before coming here was healing the wound and trying to stay alive. Pulling his hand away, he found no blood and only a slight numbness in place of pain. "What?"

"Pain doesn't exist here, little alchemist, I thought you would have remembered this fact?" It was true. When he had committed the Taboo, he'd not felt any pain until he was back in his father's study with one less leg. Though, the screaming was mostly shock and panic.

"If I do this," Ed started, "What rules do I have to follow?"

"I'm not sure I quite know what you mean?" It's grin and tone said otherwise.

"I'm not gonna let you throw me into a world knowing jack shit about it or the Laws in place." He knew all too well that he wouldn't actually be able to stop The Truth from doing anything. It was actually pretty generous of it to ask him instead of just dumping him somewhere in the first place. "Knowing my luck, I'd end up breaking one and end up right back here."

The Truth chuckled. "Knowing your luck, little alchemist, you'd knowingly break them even if you did know them." Ed resisted the urge to launch at the not-being. "However, I will tell you. The world follows the same basic Laws of yours. The society you'll be in have some additional ones. All the information you need will be given to you when you go Through." It put It's chin on Edwards right palm, the elbow resting on Its knee. "I would advise you keep your alchemy hidden from a very specific certain people. I'd also advise you to trust very few."

That's not good. The Truth is actually telling him to avoid people? "I don't suppose You'll tell me who to avoid." The grin he was given was answer enough.

"You will know who you can trust," It said.

After a few more moments, Ed nodded slowly. "Okay. I'll do this stupid favor for You, but You have to hold up Your end!"

The Truth's grin was more frightening than it had been before, matching up perfectly with the one It had showed him when he was a child. "Of course I will, poor bastard." The Gate behind Ed opened swiftly and the black arms of the Gatekeepers pulled him back, "Good luck, little alchemist."

Edward knew better than to struggle. Unlike in The Truth's realm, he could feel pain in here. The pain of the Knowledge of another world was unbearable and certainly would have killed him if he hadn't been Through the Gate before. Though, the Knowledge pouring into him was significantly more than the Knowledge that he had paid for before. He couldn't stop the scream that ripped from his throat.

***

The Truth watched as Edward Elric's Gate closed. It had presented the deal as though it were Equivalent, but It knew that wasn't the case. In order for Its end of this little deal to measure up with what the Little Alchemist was doing for it, The Truth would have to give him more knowledge as well as his little brother's body and his arm and leg. The knowledge and memories Edward would acquire on the other side of the Gate would fill out the rest of the Equivalence. If Edward answered The Truth's question correctly then it might be so inclined to add something to the growing stack of Equivalence.

The Truth smiled again. "I wonder how this will play out."

***

Edward didn't know how to feel when he opened his eyes again. On one hand, he was no longer in pain from the Gate, nor was he bleeding out from his most recent injury. He still felt a small twinge of pain when he moved wrong, though. On the other hand, he wasn't in the mineshaft, so that meant his meeting with The Truth hadn't been a dream and he really did have the complete Knowledge of another world in his head. Of course, now was the time to freak out about the entire situation.

Taking deep breaths, he kept his eyes open and focused on what was in front of him. It was a red cushioned bench. Was he on a train? Maybe. "Hydrogen, Helium, Lithium, Beryllium, Boron," he muttered slowly, "Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Fluorine," It was slow going, but he was calming down. "Neon, Sodium, Magnesium," He tapped the middle finger and thumb on his right hand together. "Aluminum, Silicon," Breath in through the nose, "Phosphorus," He coughed a bit, "Why the hell does it smell like cider? Better question, why the hell does it taste like cider?"

Now calmer, Edward took a better look around the compartment. And wasn't that weird. Trains didn't usually have compartments unless you got first class seating. And, judging on the muffled noise outside the door, he was in common class seating. Odd, but not overly so. On the rack above his head, he found a trunk with his name on it. Pulling it down, setting it on the seat next to him, and opening it it, he found a note on top of a black cloth.

Little Alchemist,

Along with the Knowledge you got when you went Through, I've also given you everything you'll need while there. Money is in the leather pouch, your wand is in your pocket with your watch, and your books and other school supplies are all in your trunk with extra clothes and robes. Anything else, you'll have to buy yourself.

Have fun as a third year, poor bastard, you'll be surrounded by thirteen year olds.

"How nice of It." Ed folded the note and tucked it away. Then, he ripped it open to re-read it. "The hell does it mean 'school supplies?!" Ed hadn't been to a proper school since before his mom died, so why the hell did The Truth think it was a good idea to send him to one? On top of that, why is he with the thirteen year olds?! He takes it back. The Truth isn't nice at all. Not in the slightest. "If this is You calling me short..." he threatened loosely.

Unfortunately, Ed knew there wasn't really anything he could do aside from take it in stride. He was good at that. So, putting the note away for good, he searched his pockets for his watch and wand. He didn't get far, though, because he finally realised what he was wearing. He still had on his black leather pants, his black elevator boots, and his cropped black jacket, but he was now wearing a white undershirt, a yellow tie, and black dress thing - a robe, his mind supplied - with gold trimming. What the hell? A look into his trunk confirmed the existence of more of these robes, one of which had been directly under the note. At least they were black. Quickly, Ed took off the robe he was wearing, but left the tie. A glance at the emblem - a UK badger - had his mind telling him that it was for the Hufflepuff House, whatever that was.

In his left pocket, he found his State Alchemist watch and his wand with a leather holster and another note. He fastened the holster under his sleeve and to his left forearm and stowed the wand there. Next, he read the note.

Little Alchemist,

Your wand is 13 inches, yew wood, with a core of Thestral Hair.

Yew wands are said to give their wielder more power over life and death than other wand woods and is more attracted to the Dark Arts. The Thestral Hair core is unstable at best and will only work for those who have accepted death.

'Great,' he scowled, shoving the note into his trunk with the other one, 'Another constant reminder of my mistakes.' Even in a completely different world, his greatest mistake haunts him.

Accepting it with a huff, he shoved the robes he'd woken up in into the trunk and pulled out a book - quickly checking for his own journal and sighing when he found it in the inner pocket of his cropped jacket - and opened it to read. He stopped short at the new language that was registering in his brain. "What the fuck?" The new language - English - had probably been forced into his mind while coming Through. Making a conscious effort, Edward spoke in Amestiran, "Was soll der Scheiß?" Again, the passing Knowledge that this world's equivalent to his home language was called German jumped to the front of his mind. "That's going to take some getting used to." Pushing everything else aside, he opened the book and began to read Spellman's Syllabary.

***

Three books later, Edward forced himself pulled back into reality. The textbooks he read were strange. The first was a study of this worlds Runes, some of which he had studied as a kid in alchemy books. The next was about Potions, he had a feeling that he was going to like that class; The third was about the Wizarding World's history, it was interesting to compare the Knowledge he'd gotten coming Through to what was being taught; The last was about Transfiguration, and he decided then and there that he would not be attending that class at all, no matter the consequences.

Blinking as he closed the book, he found he was no longer alone in the compartment. "Who the hell are you?" were the first words he said to anyone since his arrival.

The boy across from him shifted nervously in his seat, not meeting Ed's eye as he seemed to shrink in on himself. "I-I'm sorry. It's just, everywhere else was-was full, and-and-" he stopped only to restart a different sentence, "I asked if-if I could sit here- Everywhere else is full and the train started moving and- I'm really sorry!"

"Hold on," Edward cut the kid off from speaking anymore, "It's fine. I get caught up in my own little world when I'm reading."

The brown haired boy took a deep breath, still not looking away from his hands, and pressing himself as far away from Ed as he could. His robes were crimson and ruby red where Ed's were yellow and gold. "I'm sorry." he squeaked again.

"You have nothing to apologise for."

"Yes I do. We-we don't know each other. Why would you ever let me sit here?" He stood and reached for his own trunk, "I-I'll just go sit somewhere else-"

"Stop." Ed ordered, his tone leaving no room for discussion, "Sit your ass back down. I'm fine with you being in here. I really don't care."

"But-but, I'm a Gryffindor and you're a Hufflepuff."

"So?"

"'So'?"

"Yeah, 'So?'. Why should I care about that? You're just sitting here."

"But-!"

"I'm Edward. Call me Ed."

The boy seemed like he wanted to say something, but he allowed the conversation to turn were Ed led it. "Neville Longbottom, though you probably already knew that." He did know that, but not for any reason Neville could come up with. "You're really okay with me staying?"

"Yes."

He slowly sat back down. "I don't remember seeing you around school before. Are you new?"

This question made Ed pause for a second. Nothing was telling him this kid was untrustworthy, but that didn't mean he'd tell him anything. Though, an ally would do him good. "Yeah, I'm new." Now, he was relying on what the Gate had given him. "I was sorted only a bit ago, so I don't really care about the Houses or whatever. I'm thinking about not telling anyone I'm new, though, see if I can trick everyone, y'know?"

Neville gave a small smile. Maybe there was a chance of befriending this kid? "That'd be funny."

Edward smiled, too, "You'll help me?"

"Of course!" He didn't know why, but Neville found this kid - Edward - easy to be around. He hadn't stuttered much this whole conversation and Ed was even asking him to help prank the whole school! But, that wouldn't last long. Once Ed found out how terrible at everything he is, he'll leave like everyone else.

"Hey," Ed asked, "What's wrong?"

"I just don't want to get my hopes up," Neville said shyly, "Once you realise how stupid I am, you'll not want to be around me."

Ed frowned. "Don't talk like that."

"Huh?"

"Self deprecation will get you nowhere. We're friends now, so I'm gonna help you work on that, okay?" Having a friend sounded nice. Besides, this kid is really easy to relax around. He was only ever able to relax like this around Al, but this kid was so similar to his brother that it was honestly a little scary.

"Friends? Are we really..?" A look from the blond made the brunet smile again. He didn't have friends. Acquaintances, sure, but not friends. "What're you reading?"

"The textbooks." Was the answer, "I didn't have time to read them over the summer, so I figured I'd read them now."

Neville nodded, agreeing to the logic, "Have you read the Herbology one yet?"

"No, but I can?" he offered.

A grin. "I want you're thoughts on this year's course when you're done." he sat back, "I'll wait."

Chuckling, Edward muttered, "Yes, sir," with a two fingered salute and a smirk as he began reading. It wasn't going to take him long to finish it, he knew, but his interest in whatever Neville had to say on the subject made him read slightly faster than normal.

***

The discussion on Herbology lasted from the third hour of the train ride - two o'clock in the afternoon - up until an hour before the sunset at seven o'clock. The train had come to a screeching and quick halt, cutting off any and all cheerful conversations and replacing them with collective confusion. The stop had also jolted everyone on the train, throwing most from or against their seats.

"What do you think is going on?" Neville asked his blond friend.

"I don't know," Edward stood from his seat, "But I'm going to-"

A sudden chill made itself known to the two boys. Their warm breaths became visible in the cold air and the glass of the windows quickly frosted over. Edward was thankful that he had winter automail on because he did not want to deal with frostbite, thank you. All sounds, muffled or otherwise, were muted over by a loud silence. Even their own breathing made little to no noise. Then, Neville started to tremble.

"Neville?" The boy in question had his hands loosely covering his ears and his eyes were wide and unfocused, seeing something Ed could not. He fell to his knees as tears started to fall from his eyes "Neville!" Edward recognised a flashback when he saw one. He'd seen some of the older soldiers have flashbacks to the Ishvalan War and was glad the fighting and war efforts hadn't reached Resembol outside of Winry's parents leaving and refugees joining the town.

A boney, charred black hand made itself known on the glass window of the door with a quiet tap, the window around the hand turning white with the cold, but the handprint stayed clear with an illusion of warmth. Slowly, the door opened and the owner of the hand was in full visibility, despite the cold seeming to fog everything else over with a thick mist. It was covered in a black cloak that hung so far and so loose that Ed couldn't tell if the thing was floating or standing. The hood covered where it's face should be and the sleeves seemed to be it's arms, falling over the things hands.

'A Dementor.' The Knowledge the Gate had forced into his head supplied, 'You're wand is protecting you.' Yew wood had power over life and death, so it was therefore able to protect against beings such as this one. The thestral hair core only seemed to amplify this. The words Expecto Patronum entered his mind.

Ed hadn't ever seen anything like this before, let alone faced something like it, so he was having a hard time overcoming his shock. When he did, though, he pulled Neville into a hug without turning his back on the creature. His wand fell from it's holster and into his left hand and he whispered the spell he was told. "Expecto Patronum!" His given Knowledge about the spell let him know that it was incredibly difficult to produce. It uses the castor's happiest memory as fuel to fend off Dementors, who feed off of misery. The happier the memory, the stronger the spell. The surprise Ed felt when a fully corporeal Patronus came into existence to push the Dementor out and away was immense. When the dark creature was gone, Ed watched as the glowing tiger made of silvery light approached and laid itself around him and Neville. A sense of calm overtook the train compartment and Ed found he could breathe easier. The room started to warm up with the Dementor now gone.

"Are you alright?" Edward asked Neville quietly once the boy had stopped trembling.

"I-I" he gulped, "I think so." He pulled away from Edward slightly, not noticing the tiger wrapped around him yet. "What was that thing?"

"A Dementor." Ed found a small bit of amusement that his companion hadn't noticed the silver magic yet.

Confused at why the blond was smiling, Neville started to ask why, but stopped short when he noticed the glowing tiger that he was somehow leaning against. It had wrapped itself around the two, it's tail going behind Edward and its head beside Neville. "What-"

"My Patronus, apparently," The tiger acknowledged the two with a nod - as if satisfied that they were now alright - before disappearing.

"You can cast the Patronus Charm?!" Neville had seen it mentioned in passing in a few books he's read, but, as far as he knew, it was a NEWT level spell! They wouldn't be learning that until Sixth Year!

"Apparently. That was my first time doing it." And using magic. Edward patted himself on the back for a job well done on the first try. Neville didn't need to know that part, though.

"You know what the tiger means, right?"

"It means something?"

"Of course it does!" Neville shook Ed by the shoulders, "The tiger means strength and cunning and majesty and independance and immortality. How did you not know that?"

Ed's brain short circuited. There was several things to unpack there, but the one he was focused on was the whole 'immortality' thing. What the fuck?

"You good?" Neville's voice pulled him back from his mind.

"Am I alright? I should be asking you that!" He lowered his voice. "You had a flashback."

Neville shook his head. "I don't really wanna talk about it." That made sense. He wasn't going to push. "Well, should we go see what's going on?" Edward smiled and nodded, helping the brunet up after standing himself.

There was a knock on the door. "Everything okay in here?" a man's voice called from the other side of the door.

Ed opened it, "Yeah, we're good."

"Who're you?" Neville asked from over Ed's shoulder. He was a whole four inches taller than the blond, much to the latter's irritation.

The man pulled chocolate out of his jacket pocket and handed a bar to the boys. "That was a Dementor." Then, he paused for a second and looked around the compartment. "Did either of you cast the Patronus Charm?"

Edward crossed his arms. "Who are you?"

The man seemed to size the two up for a second. "I'm Remus Lupin, your Defense Against the Dark Arts professor this year."

"Cool. Never heard of you." Neville gasped and backed up a few steps, obviously surprised at Ed's gall.

Remus laughed, "No, I suppose you haven't. Now, did you two cast a Patronus?"

"Yeah?" Ed raised an eyebrow, "How did you know?"

"Good job," he sent a quick glance to Ed's tie, "Ten points to Hufflepuff. The Patronus Charm leaves a kind of residue in the air. Lingering happiness, you could say."

"Huh. Cool."

"Anyway, I need to go check on the rest of the students. Be sure to change into your robes before we get to the school." Then, he walked away.

Ed closed the door and snickered.

"What're you laughing at?" Neville asked, a weak glare in his eyes. Edward had some audacity talking to a teacher like that! Though, Neville supposed it was a nice change. He wasn't gonna admit that out loud, though.

"His name." Ed moved away from the door and sat back in his seat.

Neville sat across from him again. "What about his name?"

"It means," he started to laugh again. "It means 'Wolf Wolf'." The Knowledge he'd gotten had included the myths of this world. The one he was thinking of was of Remus and Romulus of Rome. They had been raised by the wolf Lupa. "If that man has nothing to do with wolves, I'll eat my boots."

Neville giggled, "I'd pay ten galleons to see that."

"Oh, you're on!" The two shook hands as the train began moving again.

***

When Edward read 'school' on the note The Truth had left for him, he was expecting something closer to the ones back home, like a building no taller than three floors. Not a whole ass village. When he expressed this to Neville, the boy told him the the village - Hogsmeade - was not the school, before leading him over to the carriages. Most students, Ed noticed, were ignoring the horses altogether. The few that saw them gave them a wide berth. He wasn't about that. He walked right up to one, dragging Neville with him, and patted it's side.

"What is it?" Neville asked.

"A thestral." he answered.

Tentatively, Neville reached out to pet the horse as well. "It's beautiful." The two soon had to leave the thestrals and jumped into the carriage. They didn't say much as they waited to arrive at the school, though they were joined by a blond in royal and sapphire blue robes before they started moving.

Again, Edward's first image of a school was maybe three floors in a very rectangular building. Not a damn castle. He barely refrained from expressing his excitement in front of his extra companion. Though, he did have the information Given to him come to the forefront of his mind for a moment, just long enough to skim through the history of the building. It was a lot and it would be sorted through later.

"You don't have to hold back," the girl said, "I know you're new here."

"Are you sure I'm new?" Edward asked her, "There's a lot of kids here, you could have just overlooked me before."

"Quite sure." she nodded, "The wrackspurts that like to stay at the school haven't gotten to you yet." Her ice blue eyes gleamed for a moment. "My name's Luna Lovegood."

"Edward, but you can call me Ed."

"Nice to meet you, Ed. Neville."

The brunet squeaked. "Um, hi."

Luna giggled, "We haven't met before, but your reputation proceeds you, as does mine."

Neville blink dumbly before saying, "Loony?"

She smiled, "Yes,"

"Oh, my god!" Neville covered his mouth in mild horror, "I'm so sorry!"

"It's okay." She didn't seem to mind.

While the two students who weren't on their first day of school conversed, Edward had let himself openly - but quietly - gawk at the castle that was apparently a school. At first, he had to do a double take. Why would they be going to a bunch old ruins? But then the focus of the world seemed to shift and he couldn't help himself. He'd never seen a castle in person but this was a fantastic first impression on him. Now he could hold bragging rights over Mustang! Though, he wasn't sure if the tingling in his ports was natural. He couldn't very well ask the two because they obviously had all their limbs. The closer he got to the castle, he noticed, the more alarm bells started to go off in his head. Then, the tingling got worse.

"Ed?" Neville called, "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah.." was his distracted answer. He rubbed his right shoulder port with his left hand, "..yeah."

"Are you sure?" Luna asked, her eyes on his right hand.

Before he could answer, his head erupted into a splitting headache and he doubled over, gripping his head in his left hand. 'What the hell is happening?!' He wondered. There was a quiet voice screaming at him to get out and leave, trying to force excuses into his head. The tingling in his ports turned to a stabbing pain, rendering his right arm and left leg useless

"This is a violent reaction to the wards," Luna said, though Ed couldn't be sure he really heard her.

Neville was chewing on his bottom lip, "Why, though? He was perfectly fine on the train."

"Is he a muggle or a squib?"

"No. He performed magic on the train when the Dementor entered the cart."

"Hmm. This is a problem."

Ed came back into focus about then, the pain in his head down to a tolerable hum and his automail ports only feeling slightly heavier than normal. He methodically moved all the joints in his automail that he could, just ot make sure everything was in working order, not that he could actually move them again. "What...the hell was that?"

Luna sat back in her seat, though she was no less concerned than before. "The wards. I don't think the castle likes you very much."

"Why wouldn't the castle like him?" Neville was wondering several things she could have ment, but he was going to try and stay on track for now. He could ask more questions later.

She humed. "Hogwarts doesn't like muggles. Squibs like Mr. Filch are tolerable, though. She must really dislike you for some reason."

"I'm sorry," Ed said, "'She'?"

"The castle."

"Okay. Yeah. Yeah, okay." Maybe he has lost it. He got hit in the head and he's lost his mind. That's the only explanation for whatever was going on. Apparently sentient castles were a thing now? Great. Fantastic.

"Either way," Neville chimed in, leaving the matter of the Hogwarts' apparent sentience for a later date, "Do you think you'll be okay for the Welcome Feast?" Then, he backtracked to when his first conversation with the blond. "Actually, what year are you?"

Ed's eyebrow twitched. He's fifteen years old, damn it, so why is he being but with people two years younger?! He huffed quietly. "Third year."

Neville brightened up. "That's my year!" Then, he deflated, "But we're not in the same House."

"So?" he still couldn't wrap his mind around the whole 'House Rivalry' thing going on despite the reasons having been shoved straight into his head. "What House we're in shouldn't matter."

"You want to make the whole school thing you're on your third year here, yes?" Luna asked, though neither boy was sure how she found out about that little plan, "Then just play into that. Don't go out of your way to interact with each other, and no one will suspect a thing."

"Nah," Ed turned down. He didn't like the idea of shoving Neville aside to keep up appearances. "I'll just play into the Hufflepuff House Traits." Yes, he knew enough about those to recite them in his sleep. "Justice, loyalty, patience, and propensity for hard word. We're friends now. I don't leave people behind."

Luna smiled, "Well, I don't know how much help I'll be, but-"

Ed cut her off. "Hey, as far as I'm concerned, we're friends now, too. Besides, you seem interesting."

"Thank you. You're interesting as well."

Neville was going to stop questioning anything now. Though, he had to admit that they made a pretty fun group, despite only having just met each other. Friends. What a weird concept.

"Now," Ed said as the carriage came to a stop near the castle, "let's go back to the reputation thing. You both have proceeding reputations? I'll have to step up my game. I've been here for two years and people are only just noticing me?" He clicked his tongue and shook his head, "A damn shame."

The two laughed, fully intent on playing along with this endeavor of tricking the whole school. Luna still hadn't told them how she found out about that. "Anther time, Ed. You know which table you're going to?"

"The yellow one, right?"

"That's the one!"

"Okay. I'll see you two later?"

"Of course."

Now alone, Ed took a second to look around at the flood of students heading up to the castle. They'd pretty much all sectioned themselves off into four main groups. Red, yellow, blue, and green. The red and green groups were all sneering at each other and were being separated by the yellow and blue kids. And, based on everything he'd been Given when he came Through the Gate, he was going to have to tread carefully. Politics. Ew. Despite all reservations, he joined the yellow group and followed them into the castle.

The Entry Hall was just has grand as the rest of the castle, and very sparsely decorated. The doors in front of him were tall and opened on their own to let the flood of students into the Grand Hall. It was beautifully decorated, but Ed wasn't quite sure he liked the ceiling. It was amazing, nonetheless. The five tables were arranged in a way that basically promoted against Inter-House relationships. The teacher's table was fine, but the four House Tables were all separated quite obviously, and the banners above them only amplified this. With a huff, Ed sat down at the end of the yellow table. The Hufflepuffs around him didn't seem to take notice of him. Good. All the better for gaslighting the staff and student body.

A few minutes after everyone had sat down, a stool was placed in front of the teacher's table. An old pile of cloth sat on top of it. Then, the doors to the Great Hall opened once again and a stern looking teacher - Professor McGonagall, Ed's mind supplied - walked in, a gaggle of obviously nervous kids following after her. That was how the Sorting Ceremony started.

***

It took an hour, but every single one of the first years had been sorted between the four Houses. It was off-putting for Ed to see the absolute disgust or rage or other negative emotions on the students' faces when someone was sorted into a House that wasn't their own. Seriously, why are they all getting so upset about a kid being placed where they'd fit in best? He didn't outtwordly react, though.

All the House tables had ranging reactions to each placement, but Hufflepuff had the least negative out of all of them. The Slytherins sneered at everyone who wasn't with them, especially if they were sorted into Gryffindor. The Gryffindors returned the favor. The Ravenclaws weren't nearly as bad as the other two, but they did avoid watching anyone walk to their table. They didn't make a sound when anyone was sorted into Hufflepuff, though. The Hufflepuffs, clapped politely for everyone, but there were a few that they didn't clap for. They were mostly Ravenclaws.

According to the Gate, it was Gryffindor versus Slytherin and Hufflepuff versus Ravenclaw. The Gryffindors and Ravenclaws got along, while the Slytherins and Hufflepuffs got along. None of them actually went out of their way to interact, but classes styled like that were normally more productive than a Gryffindor and Slytherin class.

Ed was gonna change that. Maybe. It was on his list now that he'd met Luna and Neville, but it wasn't a priority. More of, if it happens, it happens.

"I welcome you all, whether you are returning for another year or you are only just coming in, to Hogwarts for another year or learning." the old man in the middle of the staff table said. Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, he knew from the Gate, was wearing obnoxious pink robes with his beard tucked into the blue belt. "I only have one thing to say to you all, now that you've been seated: Tuck in!"

Upon his command, dishes and food and drink appeared on all the tables, covering the wood to the point it could hardly be seen. Everyone started to serve themselves as conversation erupted throughout the room, engulfing it into a cacophony of sound and movement that was, in all honesty, overwhelming Ed.

"Hey," someone said from next to him, their voice quiet against everything else, making it stand out ot his ear more, "Are you okay? You look a bit pale."

Ed pushed an answer out of his throat in a voice equally as quiet. "Yeah," he lied, "This is my third year and I'm still not used to this much noise."

The kid, Cedric, he recognised from the Gate, nodded, "Yeah, I get that. When we get back to the dorms, we can put a silencing charm over your bed curtains."

"Isn't there already a silencing charm on them?"

"Yeah, but that's just to muffle the sound going in or out. I'll put one on that'll completely silence the noise going in."

That didn't sound to bad. "Edward Elric," he introduced himself as he finally began to get himself food. Despite what Mustang believed, he did have manners. He just doesn't use them around the bastard because he sees no reason to.

Cedric also began eating. "Cedric Diggory." They let the conversation sit for a second, the fifth year student was making sure to be quiet. It didn't to a lot in the grand scheme of the room, but the sentiment was appreciated. "Forgive me, but I don't recognise you. Are you a visiting student?"

Ed shook his head, the lie coming easy to him, "No, I've been here, since year one. I just don't like to draw attention usually."

Cedric raised an eyebrow. "Really? You don't seem the type."

"Huh?"

"You're," he gestured vaguely at Ed, "vibe, I guess. It basically screams for attention." Ed didn't say anything. Cedric flinched. "Right, sorry, that was rude of me." he cleared his throat, "Are you going to hide yourself in the background again this year, or are you going to try and make friends?"

Ed pretended to think for a moment before answering, "I made some friends on the train earlier."

"Oh? That's good."

"Yeah. If we ever want to spend time outside of classes, though, it's inevitable we'll draw attention to ourselves."

"Oh?" he said again, "And why's that?"

"We're all in different Houses."

"Ah. Yeah, I can see where the problem lies."

Before their conversation could continue, the food and drinks and dishes were taken from the table. "House elves." Ed muttered under his breath.

Headmaster Dumbledore stood from his seat again and cleared his throat, calling everyone's attention to him. Once every student was looking at the old man, he smiled with a twinkle in his eye as his gaze moved from student to student. Ed made sure to not meet the man's eyes. "As always, a wonderful feast." he began, "Before I send you off to your beds, there a a few things to be announced and reminded. The Forbidden Forest is, to those who do not wish to die a most gruesome death, forbidden. Mr. Filch has asked me to remind you all that a list of prohibited objects ha been posted to his office door on the second floor." He turned slightly to the left side of the staff table. "I would like to introduce you all to this year's Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, Professor Remus Lupin." Ed was giggling behind his hand while everyone clapped. The man stood, waved a bit, then sat back down. Dumbledore continued, "Classes begin tomorrow at eight in the morning. I wish you all a good night."

Again, the room became very loud very quickly. Cedric shot Ed an apologizing look. "I'll met you in the common room, okay?" Ed nodded as the brunet stood and called for the first years to follow him.

Ed Knew where he was going, but he didn't really know. So, he followed everyone else as they left the Great Hall. He made sure to make himself seem small - because he was not small - as he walked in the middle of the crowd. Cedric and someone else had taken the first years on a different route, so he resigned himself to being surrounded by people he's never met before in his life. Which ones are his dorm-mates, he wonders. He doesn't really care to know at the moment.

The group of students wearing yellow accented robes wandered down to the basement - a floor above the dungeons - and to the kitchens. At least, near the kitchens. One of the boys at the head of the group tapped the barrel two from the bottom of the stack twice, then thrice, muttering 'Helga Hufflepuff' as he did so. The passage opened up and the Hufflepuffs all filed into the common room.

The room was very cozy and smelled like freshly cut grass and rain and burning firewood and freshly baked bread. Overall, it felt like home did. The earthy tones to the room only amplified this fact. The ceiling was white marble, the floor was off-white tile with a dark green mosaic in the middle, and the walls were off-white and light grey bricks. Wooden supports pillared up in a few places, even scattered about, and were connected at the top by arches. The room itself was round and very big. There were two wooden staircases leading up to the second floor landings, separating the male and female dorms. Alcloves took up the walls of the room, filled with bookshelves and couches and matching chairs and darker area rugs. A large fireplace took up the wall directly opposite the door, the space in front occupied by several more armchairs and couches. There was an area with only bean-bag chairs and Ed decided that he needed to get one of those in his own world. Aside from pictures that had been hung up, the bulletin board by the door, and the furniture, plants took up every available space. Round windows lining the top of the walls and warm lanterns hanging from the rafters completed the room.

Everyone settled into the common room nicely. No one went to their rooms yet, so it was a bit crowded. Not overly so, though. For Hogwarts being the only magic school in Britain, there weren't a lot of students.

About ten minutes later, the two House Prefects for Hufflepuff brought the First Years in. Everyone was very friendly to them, and they all quickly warmed up to each other and their Housemates. Eventually, though, the older years started to taper off into their rooms. Ed followed Cedric into the Third Year boys' dorms.

"So," Cedric said, "I see the common room wasn't too loud for you?"

Ed shook his head "Nope. It was a manageable level. Besides, it feels like I've come home after a long trip." Well, the common room felt like how he imagines it would be like when he and Al went back to Resembool after they get their bodies back.

Cedric frowned slightly, but ultimately didn't say anything. He quickly finished the charms on Ed's bed curtains before turning back to the blond with a smile. "Well, if you need anything, feel free to ask me or your roommates or anyone else in the House. Professor Sprout is also more than happy to talk to her students."

Ed smiled softly at the older boy, "You act like it's my first day," It was, but he wasn't going to tell Cedric that. Not now, at least. Maybe a different time.

"Of course," the brunet smiled back, "Right." he went to the door, "Well, I'll let ya get some sleep. See you in the morning?"

"Yeah," the blond nodded, "See ya then."

The door closed and Ed found himself alone in the room. It was hexagonal in shape, the floor was off-white tile, the walls off-white and light grey bricks, and the ceiling was white brick. The wall trim was carved wood, matching the rafters and corner beams and door, and climbed two feet up the wall. The beds were all four-posted with soft yellow blankets, white sheets and pillowcases, and had black and gold bed curtains. To the right of each bed was a wooden nightstand with three drawers. On the left was a dresser with five drawers. Trunks sat at the end of each bed, and a yellow rug with the Hufflepuff coat of arms on it covered most of the floor.

Ed easily found his trunk and bed, closing the curtains around him before he let himself get comfortable. It was weird, laying in this bed. It seemed to solidify the fact in his mind that this was real. He's in a new world, far away from anything familiar and safe. Magic is everywhere, and all laws of Equivalence are ignored! He didn't think he'd be able to sleep, so he grabbed a book from his trunk and started to read, mumbling to himself the whole while.

***

He must've fallen asleep at some point because his pocket watch was now telling him that it was now five in the morning. Ed sighed and dragged a hand down his face before taking his hair from the braid he'd slept in. It was still early, so he'd have the bathroom to himself for a while. Good, because he hadn't had a shower in days and he was feeling dirty. His hair was also getting oily and it was not a pleasant feeling.

Storyboard

#fma #harry potter #fanfiction #crossover #fma x hp #I started this on WattPad #now I write on Ao3 and haven't posted this anywhere #I'm very proud of this one and it will be going on Ao3 at some point #just not right now #this is all you're getting btw #have fun #hope you like it #There is an audience for this #I swear

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talonabraxas · 10 months ago

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Goddess Tara ॐ Talon Abraxas

Goddess of Compassion - One Who Saves

Diamonds are Her Sacred Stone.

Tara or Arya Tara, also known as Jetsun Dolma, is a female Bodhisattva typically associated with Tibetan Buddhism. She is the "mother of liberation", and represents the virtues of success in work and achievements.

Tara is actually the generic name for a set of Bodhisattvas of similar aspect. These may more properly be understood as different aspects of the same quality, as Bodhisattvas are often considered metaphoric for Buddhist virtues. As Mahatara, Great Tara, she is the supreme creatrix and mother of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

Tara is the Feminine Goddess Archetype in Hindu Mythology. Tara governs the Underworld, the Earth and the Heavens, birth, death and regeneration, love and war, the seasons, all that lives and grows, the Moon cycles - Luna - feminine - creation. Typically Tara is seen as a slender and beautiful woman of white complexion, long golden hair and blue eyes.

Her animals are the sow, mare, owl and raven.

She is the most popular figure in the Tibetan pantheon of deities, the beautiful goddess Tara, (pronounced tah' rah) whose name in means 'Star' - originated in Indian Hinduism as the Mother Creator, and her many representations spread from Ireland to Indonesia under many different names.

In later Hindu scriptures, she is depicted as one of the eight major aspects of the Divine Feminine Principle, a loving manifestation in contrast to the fiercesome Kali. Like a star that perpetually consumes its own energy, Tara represents the never-ending desires that fuel all life.

Adopted by Buddhism from Hinduism by the 3rd century B.C. , Tara appears in Buddhism, Jainism, and particularly, Tibetan Lamaism, as a complex array of manifestations: goddess of ascetism and mysticism, mother creator, protectress of all humans as they cross the sea of life.

The most widely known Taras are:

Green Tara, known for the activity of compassion, the consort of the Dhyani Buddha Amogasiddhi, and is incarnated in all good women.

White Tara, also known for compassion, long life, healing and serenity; also known as The Wish-fulfilling Wheel, or Cintachakra. As White Tara, she rose from a lotus blooming in the lake that formed from the first tear of compassion of great bodhisattva Avalokiteswara (whose human incarnation is the Dalai Lama), and is considered his consort.

Red Tara, of fierce aspect associated with magnetizing all good things Black Tara, associated with power Yellow Tara, associated with wealth and prosperity. Blue Tara, associated with transmutation of anger

Cittamani Tara, a form of Tara widely practiced in the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism, portrayed as green and often confused with Green Tara

There is also recognition in some schools of Buddhism of twenty-one Taras. A practice text entitled "In Praise of the 21 Taras", is recited during the morning in all four sects of Tibetan Buddhism. Some Tibetan Buddhists practice a mantra meditation called Tara Practice. The main Tara mantra is; Om Tare Tu Tare Ture Soha.

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sensualnoiree · 1 year ago

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astro notes: mercury 🧚🏿‍♀️

Mercury holds a prominent place in both alchemical and esoteric traditions, embodying a complex array of symbolic meanings and properties. In alchemy, Mercury is often represented by the symbol of the caduceus, a staff entwined by two serpents and crowned with wings, symbolizing both the volatile and fixed aspects of the element.

Mercury's symbolism in alchemy encapsulates the paradoxical nature of transformation. It embodies both volatility and fixity, representing the dynamic interplay between the ever-changing and the stable aspects of existence. This duality is reflected in Mercury's fluid nature, capable of assuming various forms while retaining its essential identity. In alchemical imagery, Mercury often appears as a flowing substance, symbolizing its ability to adapt and transform.

Mercury is associated with the bridging of opposites. As the intermediary between the spiritual and material realms, it facilitates the union of disparate elements, leading to synthesis and integration. This bridging function is essential in alchemical transmutation, where Mercury acts as the catalyst for the transformation of base substances into higher forms of existence.

Mercury is linked to the mind, communication, and intellect. It represents the mental faculties, including rational thought, analytical prowess, and linguistic abilities. Mercury's association with communication extends beyond verbal expression to encompass the exchange of ideas, the transmission of knowledge, and the dissemination of wisdom. Thus, Mercury serves as both the messenger and the medium through which insights are shared and understanding is achieved.

Within the alchemical tradition, Mercury holds a central position as one of the three foundational elements, along with Sulfur and Salt. These elements form the basis of alchemical work, representing the essential principles underlying the processes of transformation and transmutation.

Mercury, in its symbolic form, represents the animating spirit or the essence of life within matter. It embodies the vital force that imbues all living organisms with energy and vitality. In the alchemical quest for the Philosopher's Stone, Mercury serves as the primary agent of transformation, facilitating the transmutation of base metals into gold and the attainment of spiritual enlightenment.

As the intermediary between the spiritual and material realms, Mercury facilitates the exchange of energy and consciousness, enabling the alchemist to harness the transformative power of the universe. Through the alchemical process, Mercury guides the adept on a journey of self-discovery and spiritual evolution, leading to the realization of inner alchemy and the integration of the divine within the self.

In astrology and esotericism, Mercury is associated with the element of air and rules over the signs of Gemini and Virgo. Mercury's influence encompasses communication, intellect, adaptability, and cunning, reflecting its multifaceted nature.

As the ruler of Gemini, Mercury governs the realm of thought processes, mental agility, and intellectual curiosity. Individuals born under this sign are often characterized by their quick wit, versatile minds, and adept communication skills. They excel in areas such as writing, public speaking, and problem-solving, leveraging Mercury's influence to express themselves effectively and engage with the world around them.

In Virgo, Mercury's influence manifests in meticulous attention to detail, analytical precision, and practicality. Virgoans are known for their methodical approach to tasks, organizational abilities, and critical thinking skills. They excel in professions that require precision, efficiency, and attention to detail, leveraging Mercury's influence to analyze complex situations and find practical solutions.

follow for more astro insights like this and support me over on yt @quenysefields or instagram sensualnoiree

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grailfinders · 6 months ago

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Grailfinders Viewers' Choice #30 A: Maxwell's Demon

great news everyone! life stopped kicking my ass quite as hard, so we’re back and better than ever! or at least, more employed than ever. still, that means Grailfinders is back on the menu, and to celebrate we’re solving that little tie we left off with by making both of them!

first off, we have the impossible servant, Maxwell’s Demon, a nigh-immortal impossible thought experiment that can produce infinite energy. the nigh-immortal part is actually pretty easy, that’s a regular tuesday for most wizards. the hard part is going against WotC’s entire design ethos to make a character that can’t use any of his own magic.

obviously making a character that can’t help himself in D&D is impossible, but we picked spells so you can at least have plausible deniability. outside of the immortality stuff, all your spells can’t deal direct damage and/or can be used to empower your party members. that means the most powerful buffs like Tenser’s Transformation are off the table since they only work on the caster, but we've still got plenty to work with.

anyways, Maxwell’s Demon is a Transmutation Wizard to buff the party with near-infinite magical power, and a Clockwork Soul Sorcerer to reflect that he’s more part of a thought experiment than an actual person.

check out his build breakdown below the cut, or his character sheet here!

(also idk where else to put this, but we’re not using the new ruleset for builds atm. maybe after more options come out?)

Species and Background

Maxwell’s background is a bit weird, but you got your life’s goal from your “father” for better or worse, so we’re torturing the Inheritor background to fit for proficiency in Survival and Arcana.

unfortunately, demons still aren’t a playable species in D&D, but while Tieflings are technically the closest thing, I’m instead going to make Maxwell’s Demon a Fire Genasi. y’know, on account of the thermodynamics. as such, he gets +2 Constitution and +1 Intelligence, as well as some Darkvision to clown on humans with their dumb human eyes, Fire Resistance so you don’t die in the process of spiting the second law, and your only offensive capabilities for quite some time, Reach into the Blaze. if Max can control thermodynamics he should be able to set fire to just about anything, but I’m not going to argue this point too much. we’re using the rules from the Elemental Evil Player’s Companion here, so that means you get Produce Flame for free, as well as Burning Hands once a day at third level, both of which use your Constitution. normally this is a bit awkward for casters, but today…

Ability Scores

we’re still using the standard array- you can roll if you want to, just keep that intelligence and charisma above 13. that being said, your highest score is actually Constitution. since all your spells are for your allies, we really don’t have to care about being “good” at “casting” them in this build, which is surprisingly freeing. we do still need Charisma and Intelligence next, in that order, for multiclassing. infinite energy is inherently charismatic, a lot of people want it. after that, Dexterity. I know Maxwell’s immortality comes from people not being able to hit him, but we have magic for that. that means your Strength is pretty low, but we’re dumping Wisdom. as of the time of writing, the second law of thermodynamics still stands strong, so Maxwell’s Demon is an impossibility. so him existing probably screws around with common sense a bit. maybe that’s why GudaGuda’s like that…

Class Levels

1. Wizard 1: starting off strong, Maxwell is a Wizard, which gets him proficiency with Intelligence and Wisdom saves, as well as History and Insight. he is literally a part of history as all servants are, but he’s also literally someone’s insight. kind of.

but that’s not all! wizards also get Spells! god, do they get spells. six spells now, plus two more every time you level up, plus whatever other spells you toss into your spellbook from other wizards! you can only prepare spells based on your Intelligence, so you can’t use every spell everywhere all at once, but you can swap your prepped spells every day. you also get Arcane Recovery, letting you regain some spell slots on a short rest instead of the usual long one.

and we are going over every spell in the build this time, since making sure you can’t actually fight things is pretty important. that means the wordcount for this build is gonna be huuuge. starting off, you get cantrips like Prestidigitation to use your infinite power in itty-bitty ways, as well as Message to charge a cellphone and call people, and Mending. the discovery of infinite power will be like a second industrial revolution, and that’s all the justification I need to give you some building spells. also because wizard has entirely too many spells for me to just do buffs.

for your spells, Distort Value can make any item look worth more or less money for a short while- perpetual motion machines look cool, but they’re actually bullshit. still, that’s the buyer’s problem. you also get the standard suite of low-level buffs, Feather Fall, Jump, Longstrider, and Mage Armor, which I obviously expect you to only use on others as per the build’s guidelines. also, you can Detect Magic like basically every servant can, somehow.

2. Wizard 2: second level wizards can learn from the school of Transmutation, making them Transmutation Savants. that means adding transmutation spells into your book from sources other than your level-ups are cheaper and faster. yet again, why they incentivize every wizard to not grab the spells they specialize in, I’ll never know.

but at least you also get Minor Alchemy, letting you turn nonmagical wood, stone, iron, copper, or silver into another material from that list. it takes a while to turn anything, and it only lasts an hour, but it’s not like this was a major part of the build anyway. it’s just a stepping stone on the way to bigger and better things!

speaking of, you can now cast the only debuffs I grabbed this build, purely bc most 1st level spells are focused on things like “actually being able to fight” and nonsense like that. Color Spray lets you power on a tv to blind people who were sitting too close, and Charm Person tricks people into thinking they can defy the second law of thermodynamics, so they’ll be friendly to you for a bit. but of course, eventually reality sets in and they’ll know they’ve been had.

3. Wizard 3: third level wizards get second level spells. Enhance Ability gives someone advantage on one kind of skill check for a minute, and Enlarge/Reduce can make one person smaller, or more importantly bigger. you might not be able to turn the main villain into a giant goo monster yet, but you can turn them into a giant. that’s 1/3 of the way there. progress, baby!

4. Wizard 4: at fourth level you get your first Ability Score Improvement, and the Resilient feat will both round out your Constitution score and give you proficiency with Constitution Saves, so you’re less likely to drop support spells you set up! spells like, say, Light, or more likely Magic Weapon or Darkvision. the former gives a flat bonus to the damage and accuracy of a weapon for an hour, while the latter gives a creature darkvision for up to eight hours, a spell usually so useless I literally didn’t know it existed until today.

5. Wizard 5: third level spell time! Haste is a classic, doubling your target’s movement speed, giving them an extra action each turn (with some caveats tbf), adding to their AC and giving advantage on dexterity saves, all for the low low cost of making them waste a turn when the spell ends. we don’t really have a way to deal with that, but you can also use Catnap to speed up a short rest, turning an hour-long snoozefest into a pulse-pounding ten minutes.

6. Wizard 6: sixth level trans wizards can create the Transmuter’s Stone over the course of eight hours. upon creation you can make its wielder gain Darkvision, proficiency in Constitution Saves, extra movement, or resistance to one kind of elemental damage. and of course, this can then be given to another party member, though while it’s on your person you can cast a transmutation spell to swap the bonus.

you also get more spells like Fly! again, not allowed to use this on yourself, but flight is super useful. you can also Dispel Magic, which usually does a lot more, but today it’s just to make your party members make their saves on long-lasting spells.

7. Wizard 7: seventh level wizards get fourth level spells like Polymorph! boom, giant goo monsters are now on the table. and the floor, and everywhere, that’s kind of how giant goo monsters work. you can also cast Blink… on yourself! The scandal! it just means that every time you end your turn, there’s a fifty percent chance you cease to exist as far as most enemies are concerned. it doesn’t even use concentration, so you can buff and disappear at the same time!

8. Sorcerer 1: bouncing over to sorcerer now for another list of Spells. you don’t need to prep these, but they use your Charisma instead of intelligence. also, since you’re a Clockwork Soul, you get Clockwork Magic for even more free spells! though now that you’re multiclassing, you’ll have to check the player’s handbook to see how many spell slots you’ve got each level.

as a start, you get plenty of cantrips like Blade Ward for even more survivability, and then True Strike, Mold Earth, and Shape Water, the lacroix of magic. if you focus, it’s almost like a cantrip. as for actual magic, Silvery Barbs technically makes an enemy worse, but you can argue it just makes your ally better twice, and that’s a good deal. you can also Absorb Elements now, which can technically deal damage but again it’s here for survivability.

also, your clockwork magic gets you Alarm and Protection from Evil and Good for free to protect your party from evil and good. and also neutral, with alarms.

you can also Restore Balance as a reaction, which is the exact opposite of what Maxwell’s Demon does, but if he can do it, he can probably undo it. basically, you make your party’s rolls that would be at disadvantage be at regular amounts of vantage. you can also counter the advantage of an enemy, but that breaks rule 1 of Demoning, so don’t do that! wink.

anyways, you can do that proficiency times a short rest.

9. Sorcerer 2: a second level sorcerer is a Font of Magic, so you can now spend Sorcery Points to recharge spell slots as a bonus action, or turn spell slots into points. you only have enough points to recharge one 1st level slot and the points do nothing else, so it’s not super interesting just yet.

you can also… Disguise Self? I guess? every servant in the world can sense magic but the infinite power glitch was hidden until the final boss fight, so you had to have some way of hiding yourself.

10. Sorcerer 3: third level sorcerers get Metamagic, a way to make sorcery points fun! now you can spend them to add extra effects to your spells, and thanks to the way they’re worded, they work on wizard spells too! most of them only care about fightin’ spells, but the ones we want are still super useful- Twinned and Extended Spells- these double the number of targets (from 1 to 2) or the duration of the spell, respectively. we’re not grabbing any warlock slots, so it’s important that we use our finite power well enough to make it look like infinite power.

speaking of, you can now cast Invisibility which does exactly what you’d think, as well as Aid to give allies extra HP, or Lesser Restoration to remove minor status effects from them. and only them. don’t even think about using it on yourself.

11. Sorcerer 4: use this ASI to bump up your Dexterity for some extra AC. that’s also why we’re grabbing the Gust Barrier cantrip, to make ranged attacks have disadvantage to hit you. and… I guess Levitate? I mean, it’s not as good as fly, but it still gets people out of harm’s way. and it’s cheaper!

12. Sorcerer 5: fifth level sorcerers get Magical Guidance, letting them spend sorcery points to reroll skill checks. don’t use this for that though, your points will be at a premium the whole time. and with third level spells you can get… Water Breathing? I guess? Sorcerer really isn’t nearly as chockablock with support spells as wizard, and it’s starting to show. still, you get another way to cast Dispel Magic, freeing it from preparation purgatory, and Protection from Energy.

13. Sorcerer 6: sixth level clockwork souls have the whole reason we dipped into sorcerer, the Bastion of Law. congrats, you now have infinite protection to match your infinite power! and by infinite, I mean you can protect yourself for 5d8 damage at most, if you spend almost all your sorcery points in one go.

also you get Water Walk! I mean Jesus could do it, and you’re kind of a walking holy grail, right?

14. Wizard 8: finally back in wizard, and now we can get another ASI for even more Dexterity. if that’s not enough added toughness, you can use Stoneskin to give yourself or an ally resistance to all physical damage, or give them Greater Invisibility to stay unseen even while attacking.

15. Wizard 9: ninth level wizards get fifth level spells. Fabricate makes you a one-man industrial revolution, turning raw materials into finished goods pretty dang fast. on the support front, Skill Empowerment lets you turn one ally’s proficiency into expertise for up to an hour. I don’t know why that’s worth a 5th level spell slot, but it’s support!

16. Wizard 10: tenth level trans wizards are Shapechangers, so now once per short rest you can cast polymorph on yourself for free, as long as you pick a beast of CR 1 or less. again, not really your deal, but it’s technically extra HP?

more on brand, you get Dancing Lights, your last cantrip. it’s like Like, but dancing! you can also give your allies Rary’s Telepathic Bond, or let them speak in Tongues. it’s not turning into a giant goo monster, but it’s still neat. it’s less neat when you realize you’re spending more magic and it doesn’t even eclipse a 4th level spell, but still.

17. Wizard 11: we’ve got sixth level spells, and that means we have actual support spells again! Fizban’s Platinum Shield gives an ally half cover (aka +2 to AC and dex saves), resistance to all elemental damage, and evasion. or you can give an ally True Seeing, to peek past any illusions, shapechangers, or the like. both really good support spells to have in your back pocket.

18. Wizard 12: use your last ASI of the build to become Tough. that’s an extra 36 HP now, and +2 more every time you level up from here on out. your HP’s already pretty nice, but it’s not “functionally immortal” nice.

of course, first your enemies have to get past your Guards and Wards that you set up in your home base, and if worse comes to worse you can always Remove Curses. there’s not really a post-curse save people can make, but that just makes you empowering them to break through it even more special.

19. Wizard 13: thirteenth level wizards get seventh level spells, and tbh we don’t care about any of ‘em. we wouldn’t be able to use sorcery points with them anyway, so who cares. instead, we’re getting Creation to make raw materials out of nothing (infinite energy equals infinite mass, thanks Einstein!) , and we’re also getting Nystul’s Magic Aura for another way to hide your infinite power away from the protagonists until the big reveal.

20. Wizard 14: with our final level of trans wizardry, we become a Master Transmuter, letting you destroy your transmuter’s stone for big bursts of supportive power. they kind of.. forgot. that you can give this to another player by this point, but that’s no biggy. with this, you can use Major Transformation to turn a non-magical object into another, similar, less expensive one, a Panacea to cure all curses, diseases, and poisons affecting one creature, as well as restoring all their HP, Restore Life to a creature without spending a spell slot, and presumably taking the place of the diamonds? idk, or you can Restore Youth to a creature, which doesn’t actually affect its lifespan. not all of them are winners, but for a class that doesn’t usually get healing spells Panacea is a game changer.

also we finally broke down and got you a damaging spell. Dragon’s Breath is technically okay because you can foist it onto another creature so they’re dealing the damage instead! and I guess we’ll pick up one seventh level spell with Etherealness to practically make you invincible for up to 8 hours. you can’t do much while in the ethereal plane, but at least it won’t interrupt your buffs.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

you walk away from this build with 16 AC and over 200 HP, which is just a silly amount of hp for a wizard. you’re tougher than some of the frontline fighters we’ve built over the years, and that’s before you get into the emergency I Am Impossible To Hit spells you’ve got on hand.

you’ve also got even more magic than most pure wizards do with access to sorcery points and quickened short rests to recharge your arcane recovery. it’s not quite a sorlock, but it’s nothing to sneeze at either.

Cons:

it turns out deliberately ignoring the main conceit of the game you’re playing sucks. supportive spells are nice to have, but you’re generally supposed to have other stuff to do between casts. and a decent chunk of the spells we grabbed aren’t even good, they’re just there to keep you from getting offensive spells! it was a fun challenge to try and build it this way but like, please don’t actually play this build. you’ll feel bad bc you have nothing to do on your turns after you cast whatever you’re concentrating on, your party’ll feel bad because they’re expecting you to bring fireballs and stuff to fights, it won’t be a good time.

#fgo #fate grand order #D&D 5e #DND #Maxwell's Demon #Gudaguda #Fate type redline #status

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finchinmoria · 6 months ago

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My Favorite ROP Characters as Crystals

I needed something fun and low-stakes to keep my mind off Real Life Things, so here are the crystals I associate with some of my favorite Rings of Power characters 💎💍💎

Adar, Celebrimbor, Annatar, Mirdania, Elrond, Galadriel, & Gil-Galad under the cut.

🖤Adar🖤 Black Tourmaline

Black Tourmaline is one of the most protective crystals. Black Tourmaline has a Mohs hardness of 7-7.5 so it is fairly resistant to scratching. Unlike Uruks, you can put Black Tourmaline in the sun, but extreme heat or temperature changes can damage it. Metaphysically along with protection it is said to purify and transmute negative energy in the auric field and in the environment. Physically, it has high iron levels so it’s also highly magnetic, which tracks because regardless of how other characters feel about it, no one can ever seem to get out of being in close proximity to this Uruk. The downside of Black Tourmaline in my experience is that it can be a little too grounding on the root chakra so if you’re in a bad place it can pull you down even further until you’re just sort of obsessed over safety and physical resources. And if there’s one guy that needs to get out of his root chakra from time to time, it’s Adar. (If you’re giving me the side eye emoji guy 😏 thinking about Adar’s root chakra, you know very well that’s not what I meant. Also, let’s be friends.) It doesn’t help that I think Nenya looks a lot like raw Blue Celestite which has a very high vibe crown chakra energy, and the little time he had with it was enough to knock some clarity into Adar. So, yeah, he needs all the high vibes he can get, but he’s still more of a root guy overall. The rough/raw form of Black Tourmaline is pretty much Adar’s aesthetic to a T, honestly his sword has the same texture on parts of it. But the crystal can also be polished and is often made into jewelry so you can carry its protective properties with you. Which for someone who apparently hasn’t changed clothes in like three thousand years, a pendant would probably be right up his alley.

[I almost picked Black Obsidian for being volcanic glass and also possessing protective qualities, but it was just a lil too shiny so the tourmaline won.]

🍯Celebrimbor🍯 Honey Calcite

All right, look, calcite is one of the most common minerals on earth and it comes in such a variety of vibrant colors (a lot of them look like candy) that they have been given an array of trade names related to food, but when it comes to Honey Calcite (also called Golden or Amber calcite) I’ll give it a pass. You look at this crystal and it just looks like honey and all the connotations that come with it: sweet, comforting, warming, joyous. Which are all the things I think about when I see Celebrimbor. Metaphysically this crystal contains properties befitting the greatest of Elven smiths: creativity, willpower, strength, confidence, resilience, clarity, and focus, among others. Physically, though, you have to be more careful with Honey Calcite than other stones. It comes in at only a 3 on the Mohs scale of hardness so it is susceptible to scratching and you shouldn’t leave it in the sun or put it in water. It can be and is carved but only when handling it properly. Raw and tumbled forms of this crystal are pretty widely available. All in all I think this describes Celebrimbor pretty well. He’s open and eager to share, grow, and learn. He is strong, focused, and driven. But his weaknesses and fears over his familial past become flimsy containers for his principles and ideals. Rather than focus on his end though, I prefer to think of the time when he built up his craft. Those years no doubt were industrious, warm, joyous, and creative in many different ways. Things we all hope to return to when times of darkness fall upon us. Things that Celebrimbor’s story gives us.

✨Annatar✨ Pyrite

I know, I know, it’s kind of low hanging fruit to attribute literal FOOL’S GOLD to Annatar, but it’s much more than that. What other crystal befitting this “Lord of Gifts” other than the pinnacle of the nature museum gift shop that is pyrite. Like, yes, the other colorful smooth tumble stones are pretty and did stuff to my brain but those dense sparkling chunks of gold were what my eight-year-old heart truly longed for and I would have considered crimes at the very least of murder to score a piece or two. And I don’t know what it is about it but as an adult pyrite continues to be one of my favorite crystals. What’s even more, I for some inexplicable reason love tumbled pyrite. Have you seen tumbled pyrite? Not like the polite smooth sort, I’m talking the feral kind with all the little craters and pockets. I saw a meme once that said whoever was the first to decide to tumble pyrite should be sent to jail forever, and it’s true but also, I love it? My tumbled piece of pyrite is probably my favorite in my collection. How? Why? I don’t know. It attracts and it repels. It manifests and it reflects bad stuff away. All my chakras sing for this stupid stone. It’s so dense, it gives me everything I want. Pyrite is only a 6-6.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness which isn’t bad, but it’s not great, either. Pyrite does tend to be brittle and breaks/powders easily. Even though the natural cubic formations are largely the most interesting and prized, that hasn’t stopped people from carving the material into any and every shape you could want (even the audacity that is tumbled) or to use it in jewelry. So, yes, Annatar is pyrite. I hope someone lobs a piece of it at his head then kisses it better.

🤍Mirdania🤍 Stilbite

The energy of this crystal is compassionate and calming. Metaphysically it is used in matters of emotions and can help with understanding dreams. Overall it has a very nourishing and peaceful energy. Physically, Stilbite rates 3.5-4 on the Mohs scale of hardness, so it is a fairly soft stone. However it is not as fragile as some other softer crystals. You can briefly get it wet or place it in the sun without damaging it. Naturally the crystal forms in clusters but it can be polished. Clusters/raw pieces, tumbles, and palm stones are popular. The peachy, gleamy color of this crystal is what made me think of Mirdania at first, but the other properties of the stone fit well, too. She is nourishing in her relationships but she is strong and driven in her forge work. She stands up in her own way when she feels like action needs to be taken. Her softness isn’t fragile, necessarily, but it can be taken advantage of. Overall I think she values trust and harmony. This stone is also associated with wisdom, truth, and enlightenment. Certainly all traits Celebrimbor would have valued in her work as one of his smiths. And not to come off like Creepy Annatar, here, but I think this stone greatly matches her gentle beauty. **Does NOT reach out to touch her hair**

💙Elrond💙 Lazulite

Lazulite isn’t a super well known crystal, but polished pieces of it are fairly easy to find and purchase. It has a darker purply blue color with speckles that look like a dreamy, cloudy night sky. Physically it has a Mohs hardness rating of 5.5-6.5 so it can be susceptible to scratching from harder materials. Brief encounters with water or sunlight will not damage it. When I first got my piece of Lazulite, I immediately associated it with Elrond, because of the likeness it has to stars and the night sky, but also in the measured wisdom this crystal exudes. Metaphysically this stone holds psychic properties most apropos for an elf known for his gift of foresight: intuition, interdimensional communication, transformation, channeling, clairvoyance, and attunement to higher realms. Elrond always struck me as a very third eye centered person, overthinking things most of the time but only because his intuition about what it right tends to be met with backlash. The ability to fight and stand up for himself while also caring deeply for others has been quite a journey for him and is where his wisdom becomes derived from in his later years. That’s the vibe I get from Lazulite. The sky may be vast, dark, and overwhelming, but you can still look to it for guidance, light, and connecting the dots. You’ll get there in the end, and if you’re mindful, you can remain as kind as summer while you do it.

💛Galadriel💛 Rutilated Quartz / Rutile

Rutilated Quartz is when needle-like inclusions of goldish to copper hues grow within quartz. For Galadriel, I most associate the type that have gold inclusions within a super Clear Quartz. These are also known as Angel Hair Quartz, and even though it’s more of a LOTR thing in which she gifts Gimli her hair, I associate all eras of Galadriel with this crystal. As one of the most powerful and fair of all elves, Rutilated Quartz also looks magical and otherworldly, and high quality pieces are nothing short of dazzling. The sharp, spiky look of some more aggressive Rutile is a great illustration of her sharp skills as a warrior, and veer away from being particularly beautiful into being downright scary. Clear Quartz is said metaphysically to be an amplifier of energy, so it gives a boost and enhancement to any other crystal you pair it with. (Glares at Sauron.) Rutilated Quartz rates 6-7.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness, so it is pretty durable. The list of metaphysical properties of Rutilated Quartz is vast and far too many to list, but most of the properties are action oriented and powerful. This is not a restful crystal, this is a get !@#$ done and make things happen crystal. Even if that means sometimes you stab first and think later. Overall I think this crystal perfectly encapsulates the Lady of Light in all her complexities and brightness.

💜Gil-Galad💜Amethyst

Now before you get all uppity that I didn’t choose a gold or yellow crystal… 1) I’ll get to that… and 2) you cannot say he exudes solar plexus sunshine energy. He may be adorned in gold lamé but in his soul he is tired and he is Done.

First off, the reigning royalty of the crystal world is Amethyst. There’s probably not a single crystal collector who doesn’t have at least one piece of Amethyst. Every beginner set of tumbled stones includes an Amethyst because that’s The Law. Perhaps because of this, everyone thinks Amethyst can Do It All. And let’s be honest, Amethyst also thinks it can Do It All. It cannot, but it is still constantly thrown into every imaginable situation, and, well. She does her best (gender neutral). Metaphysically Amethyst is known for everything from physical healing to spiritual and psychic properties. On the Mohs scale, Amethyst comes in at a 7. One thing to be wary of is that Amethyst will fade in the sun. However, it is safe to put in water.

When Amethyst, typically purple in color, is heated it turns into Citrine which is yellow. (Very complementary as the opposite of purple on the color wheel is yellow.) Natural Citrine that has been mined from the ground tends to be a darker, brownish yellow, while Amethyst mined then heat-treated to turn into Citrine is a brighter more lemon looking yellow. There is a lot of heat-treated Citrine on the market. It’s not a “fake” crystal, but it was treated to change the color. If you want the natural “real” Citrine, you’ll have to do a little investigating but once you know what you’re looking for, it’s fairly easy to spot the difference. There are examples of crystals where part of the stone has turned into yellow Citrine but part of the stone remains purple Amethyst and these are called Ametrine.

All of that to say, our High King has had to be put under a lot of pressure to be this golden and under all that heat he’s just an overworked, broody but beautiful little gem. Still, he carries on. Highly coveted but does anyone really appreciate who he genuinely is?! Give this elf a break, a hug, a back rub. Just don’t leave him out in the sun for too long.

Thanks for reading. Obviously this is 💖just for fun💖 If you have any suggestions or additions, let us crystal bitch it up. Pretty rocks and pretty characters go so well together and I’d love to see other takes!

#lotr rop #celebrimbor #adar #annatar #mirdania #elrond #galadriel #gil galad #lotr and crystals #not the weirdest thing I've ever written #but its how i cope with the horrors #pretty rocks #and pretty characters

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rivensdefenseattorney · 2 years ago

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Magic System

(WIP)

Basic Information on Magic

The foundation of all modern Magic Practices is based in Magic Theory.

User Classifications

Attuned: Those born with the innate ability to sense and store magic.

Unattuned: Those born without the innate ability to sense and store magic.

The 4 Approaches to Practicing Magic

Spellcraft/Hexcraft

At its core, akin to the intricacies of mathematical equations, Spellcraft and Hexcraft delve into the technicalities of magic. Practitioners meticulously craft spells by manipulating specific properties of energy, resulting in a vast array of controlled and precise magical effects. This approach empowers users to wield magic with pinpoint accuracy, creating an expansive repertoire of spells and enchantments.

Magic Arts

Elemental Arts: Focused on harnessing and manipulating the fundamental forces of nature—earth, air, fire, and water—Elemental Arts practitioners delve into the intricate control and manipulation of these energies. Mastery in Elemental Arts enables the casting of spells that shape, control, or summon elemental forces for various purposes.

Life Arts: Centered on the manipulation and understanding of life energies, Life Arts practitioners delve into the mystical essence of living beings. This discipline involves healing, restoration, vitality enhancement, and the understanding of the natural life force. Practitioners of Life Arts specialize in spells that heal wounds, revitalize energies, and promote well-being.

Death Arts: Exploring the mysteries and energies surrounding death and the afterlife, Death Arts practitioners delve into the manipulation of life force, spirits, and the transition between life and death. This darker art might involve communing with spirits, manipulating life energies, or dealing with necromancy, exploring the boundaries between life and the beyond.

Epigraphy

Enchantment Inscriptions: A specialized skill within artifact creation, this involves inscribing runes or magical symbols onto objects to imbue them with specific effects or powers. Runes might hold protective wards, enhance abilities, or serve as keys to unlock latent magical potential.

Curse Binding: A methodical practice involving the creation of enchanted objects or items that carry curses. These cursed objects, once activated or triggered, unleash their negative effects upon the bearer or the environment.

Warding and Sealing: Emphasis in protective magic, a specialized skill used to create barriers, wards, and seals that shield against malevolent forces, entities, or influences.

Alchemy

Alchemy, at it's core, harnesses the potent energies within magical artifacts, raw materials & ingredients, and gemstones. This modernized magic blends the line of science and magic. This approach allows for the transmutation of one substance into another, utilizing a deep understanding of magical properties to concoct elixirs, brew potions, and create a variety of magical artifacts and charms.

Arcanology

Artifact Crafting: This involves the intricate process of crafting powerful magical artifacts that possess unique and potent abilities. These artifacts could range from enchanted weapons and tools to mystical objects imbued with specific purposes or protections.

Charm Crafting: Practitioners focus on imbuing smaller items or trinkets, such as amulets, talismans, or charms, with magical properties. These items often serve as conduits for protective, enhancing, or symbolic magical energies.

Potionology

Healing Elixirs: Created to aid in healing wounds, reducing inflammation, and promoting regeneration when applied topically.

Enhancement Elixirs: These elixirs are applied to the skin or imbued into items to confer temporary boosts in physical abilities or attributes.

Protective Elixirs: Creates temporary shields or barriers on the skin, offering protection against magical or physical harm when applied.

Transformational Elixirs: Applied externally, these elixirs induce temporary physical changes in the form of camouflage, alteration of features, or enhancement of senses when applied to specific body parts.

Utility Elixirs: Used to aid in performing specific tasks or granting temporary abilities, applied to objects or surfaces to imbue them with magical properties.

Healing Potions: Potions designed to heal wounds, cure ailments, and restore vitality from within the body upon digestion.

Enhancement Potions: Potions that temporarily enhance physical/mental attributes or abilities when ingested.

Transformational Potions: Potions ingested to induce temporary physical or mental alterations, affecting the consumer's body or mind directly.

Emotional Balancing Potions: These potions help stabilize emotions, reduce anxiety, or induce specific emotional states.

Spiritual

Rooted in ancient traditions, the Spiritual Approach draws upon a higher power or deity to access magical energies. Practitioners invoke the blessings and favor of these higher entities, channeling their magic through rituals, prayers, or sacred rites. This approach reveres ancient practices, tapping into divine sources to manifest potent mystical abilities.

Divine Invocation: Practitioners focus on invoking and communing with higher entities, deities, or spiritual beings to channel magical energies. This involves rituals, prayers, or ceremonies to seek guidance, blessings, or empowerment.

Sacred Rites and Rituals: Specializing in performing sacred rituals or ceremonies, practitioners conduct intricate rites to honor or connect with spiritual entities. These rituals might involve offerings, ceremonies during celestial events, or rites to tap into specific divine aspects.

Ancestral Magic: Focused on drawing power from ancestors or ancestral spirits, this subcategory involves honoring and communing with the spirits of one's lineage to seek guidance, protection, or wisdom.

Nature Attunement: Practitioners attune themselves to the natural world, drawing upon the energies present in nature—forests, rivers, mountains—to harness magical power. This involves rituals, meditations, or ceremonies conducted in natural settings.

Cosmic Alignment: Focused on celestial bodies and cosmic energies, practitioners attune themselves to the movements of stars, planets, and celestial events, harnessing cosmic energies for magical purposes.

Intuitive

Embracing a more instinctive and organic path, Intuitive Magic flows naturally through practitioners. Users of this approach rely on their innate connection to the energies around them, allowing magic to manifest in more spontaneous and practical ways. Rather than complex spells, intuitive magic often leads to immediate and instinctual applications, driven by the user's innate understanding of the magical forces at play.

Instinctive Elemental Manipulation: Practitioners have an innate ability to instinctively manipulate elemental forces without formal training. This intuition allows them to shape and influence elemental energies without relying on structured spells.

Natural Empathy and Connection: Some individuals possess a deep empathy and natural connection to living beings, allowing them to sense emotions, intentions, or even communicate with plants and/or animals effortlessly.

Dreamwalking and Astral Projection: Intuitives proficient in dreamwalking or astral projection can navigate the dream realm or astral plane naturally, without formal training, tapping into these realms for insights or interactions.

Shapeshifters: Individuals with the innate ability to alter their physical form, assuming the appearance of other creatures or beings. They can morph into animals, mythical creatures, or even different humanoid forms.

Dual Natured Beings: Those capable of transitioning between different forms or states, such as mermaids transforming between their aquatic and land forms, fairies altering the appearance or abilities of their wings, or werewolves shifting between human and wolf forms during a full moon.

#winx club #winx headcanons #winx rewrite #winx club fanfiction #winx club headcanons #winx #winx fanfic #winx club fanart #winx club fanfic #winx club rewrite #winx club redesign #winx club reboot

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