pcndaemonium

[pcndaemonium]

Her eyes grew wider, banishing that frown in favour of a smile that tugged at her lips. " A journal, " Chaos asked him, seemingly not certain if she had heard him right or had simply imagined it. " Mother says only a real researcher has a journal. " And in her mind, with one in her reach and only meant for her and her observations, she too would become a true researcher. She rocked back and forth, still leaning the majority of her weight on the couch.

" Will I be a real researcher, too? " Excitement twinkled in her eyes as she spoke, and her rocking quickened in its pace; unable to contain the joy about her father's suggestion. " Like you and mother? "

Frankly, Koios is rather exhausted - having gone some several days without so much as a wink of sleep he had hoped to catch up that morning... but it would seem that his second spawn had other ideas. Thus, he sits himself up slowly after her observations and eases out a rather long yawn, aching body reluctant to move.

"If you can see it be so, my child, then it must be so." Hands rub at his expression, attempts made to shift some of the fatigue perfectly present. "Mayhap you ought begin writing down your findings, yes-? We shall get you a journal so you may continue your own research."

[pcndaemonium]

She had closed the distance between the dominant and herself and was now staring at the violet crystal sitting fast in his chest - its familiar aether pulsated in regular patterns, almost akin to a heartbeat of sorts. Deep in thought, Athena brought her hand toward her cheek, gently drumming her curled index finger against her skin. " Are you certain it cannot bind, " the woman asked as she continued examining the proof of his deeds. " Ice and earth encapsulates. Their shields are strong and solid, but fire is... well, different. You can reach through a flame if you are determined enough." And could ignore the pain shooting through your fingers, she added in her mind.

It was neither here nor there, however, for they could not test the capabilities of Shiva or Titan at the current moment. Following those thoughts now would quickly become fruitless without any ground to verify those theories born from a thought experiment, and thus, she decided to focus on his condition again instead.

Now that he had mentioned his sickly condition since birth, it became obvious, did it not? She reached out to tap against the crystal lightly and watched how the aether stopped in its movement and instead seemed to shrink - as if it startled at her touch. Curious. " It might eat away your aether and your years if you decide to keep it. If I were you, I would start thinking about alternatives to store your little fiend. Phoenix or no - you are not invincible and it knows. Sooner or later your aether will be unable to hold it back. "

And then it could break out. Not that it possibly could already and merely waited for the right moment to strike.

The tip of her finger wandered to the purple veins the crystal had drawn onto his skin. Against his own warmth, her own touch must feel terribly could, she thought as a hint of guilt tugged at her dead heart. And yet, in a ghost of a touch, her finger brushed against the purple veins.

" It consumes your aether. Do you see? "

A tap against the vein, before she continued. " It might be your spell or the nature of your fiend. Either of which can be likely. You see, we are magick and aether incarnate in a sense. He could make use of this fact. "

He followed her quietly and obediently. After all, what good would come of trying to flee now? At the very least, this allowed him to get another look at the inside of the Palace, though his nerves felt far too on edge to really take in what he was seeing.

The instructions to strip were given almost as soon as the door closed behind them. Just his shirt, but that was more than enough to have him stiffen as words of protest tried to reach his lips before dying unceremoniously. There was no point in arguing, was there?

His shirt and shawl were removed, along with his gloves. It took a seat on the table and tried to ignore how cold he felt.

The purple crystal in the middle of his chest pulsed, and he could feel a heat emanating from it that he had never felt before. The only guess he could have was that it was a reaction to the woman in front of him. She claimed to be kin of Ultima; was she just like the being? Did it recognize that there was another of its kind here? Did it yearn to be whole again?

Would it rip itself free?

"The everburning and everhealing fire of the Phoenix is what is binding Ultima inside of me." It wasn't quite an agreement with what she said, but it was still a confirmation. "Even before I sealed it inside myself, I was sickly. I have been so since birth."

Could another eikon hold Ultima...?

"I do not know if another could hold him, no. Shiva's ice and Titan's earth cannot bind and repair itself the same way I can."

[pcndaemonium]

Among the quiet humming of aether around them, his confession seemed to linger and grow heavier with every passing second between the two denizens of the dungeons - and denizens they were in their own right. Athena turned around to him at last, finally letting her attention go of the torrents of aether and instead focus on the other keyward. " I wasn't aware that there's reason to worry about any of us. Compared to the treacheries and social restrictions in the city, this place has been the paradise manifest on this star. No rule will tell you that your research is beyond the possible. Or unethical. " And what else could they possibly hope for?

She shook her head and yet allowed herself a small, if not apologetic, smile toward Hesperos. In moments like those a question often crossed her mind, and that was if Hesperos had ever truly belonged to Pandaemonium or if he had simply reached out for something he had never wanted in earnest. A mistake. A misjudged opportunity, which had locked him here now. Unable to leave for good. With silent steps, her feet carried her closer to her subordinate, whom she regarded closely as if she peered into his very soul in search for something unseen. At least unseen for anyone without a blessed sight.

" Why are you worrying about them. About me? "

The fact she doesn't turn doesn't bother Hesperos. It's honestly easier to talk to her like this, and he's never scrounged for her respect as fiercely as he has... others'. "We may have different definitions of escape." Escape means it would be a dangerous thing for others were they to leave the halls, requires a certain level of avoiding warders intent on keeping the escapee contained. To Hesperos, anyways. Neither hold true for Artemis particularly. But if that's how Athena views it... it is easier, he'll put it like that. "But yes, I would agree that if she is capable of leaving, then she should be permitted above. You did succeed in creating a child, but this place... should not be their sole world."

He looks up and around at the blank interiors. As much as it's probably not going to kill either of the twins to stay in here, it's still... Hesperos feels bad for them. Gaze flicks back to another who does have this place as her whole world now. "With due respect to you." Not like he's able to leave, either, but she's worse off. And they're her kids. "You're simply hard to predict, I'm afraid, and I worry for all of you. Artemis is just the one I am able to help."

[pcndaemonium]

The souls consist of streaks: of images, and recollections, memories of acts, fragments of sentences, letters.

Olga Tokarczuk, The Books of Jacob, tr. Jennifer Croft

[pcndaemonium]

Behind their eyes, souls swirled and danced in patterns. As the creatures moved in their cages, so did the souls in unison, tugged at by the life thread which stood against the soul and the body so clearly it made Athena wonder how she could have missed such an important detail in the past. Aether curled around the soul, cradling it ever so carefully without touching its surface, and yet something seemed to have seeped into it.

Something was altering the soul while Athena was still watching; attentively and unblinking. The other woman's question ripped through the flow of her thoughts and as the chief keyward snapped out of her ruminations, she did finally blink and looked back at the traveller. " Did you said something, Azem? "

She had been staring? Athena glanced briefly back at the creature in the cage, but without peering as deep as she had done before. " The beast's soul has been altered by something, but I cannot tell what exactly. Perhaps a new memory that changes the overall appearance of the soul. Say, can you see it? "

@pcndaemonium liked for a starter from Venat!

Venat had to make a trip to the labs that were tucked away in the furthest reaches of Elpis. Venat can't say she's particularly happy about the trip, but until she could pass on the title of Azem to a protege she would remains as the Wanderer, and as the Wanderer there were lots of little details she had to do.

One of those unfortunate jobs was suggesting creatures to commit to the gates of Pandaemonium, and that meant... dealing with Athena.

And Venat found Athena unnerving on a good day.

"...So as you can see, these creatures should be put on at least the second floor... You're staring. Is there something you wish to say?"

[pcndaemonium]

❛   dressed .   help  my  muse  put  on  an  article  of  clothing .

Her attentive gaze watched the aspect closely in the looking glass as he closed the golden clasps of her over-robe between her shoulders. Its heavy fabric followed her shape elegantly, as if it had been woven for no one but her - just like the lighter robe beneath. " You seem to have thought of everything, " Atharia commented once his hands merely rested on her body, and he was looking back at her. " But you have missed a small yet most important detail. "

And she turned around to face him, not through the looking glass but in earnest. Nothing had ever pleased her skin as much as the attire he had gifted her for the meeting they would attend soon. The corners of her mouth twitched into an attempted smile that spoke half of amusement and half of something else; hidden beneath the otherwise neutral expression. " I am not the one to present my research to those in power. And especially not to the Queen of Dragons herself, who surely will find my experiments cruel and unspeakable. After all, she is the Lifebinder and will not look kindly at those who meddle with it. "

She tilted her head to the side while searching his eyes for a response to her words.

" Dressing me like you would dress the queen at your side might not change her mind regarding the proposal you have to make. I might look like a queen, but we both know I am merely a researcher, who happened to contribute to the solution to our plight. "

@earthwarden

[pcndaemonium]

𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐃  &  𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐅𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄    (a  series  of  nonverbal  prompts .   mature  themes  present ,   ‘ my ’  muse  belongs  to  the  one who  posted  the  meme  -  send   “ + REVERSE ”   to  reverse  the  prompts .)

→     𝐈 .    GENERAL

❛   hush .   raise  a  finger  in  a  gesture  to  silence  my  muse . ❛   sit .   gesture  for  my  muse  to  sit  down . ❛   door .   hold  a  door  open  for  my  muse . ❛   tap .   tap  my  muse  on  the  shoulder  to  garner  their  attention . ❛   hunger .   give  my  muse  something  to  eat  /  drink . ❛   cook .   present  my  muse  with  home - cooked  food . ❛   brush .   work  a  brush  /  comb  through  my  muse’s  hair . ❛   read .   silently  read  a  book  alongside  my  muse . ❛   hand .   hold  out  a  hand  for  my  muse  to  take . ❛   dressed .   help  my  muse  put  on  an  article  of  clothing . ❛   note .   give  my  muse  a  note  saying :   [ content ] . ❛   amplify .   turn  up  the  music  in  the  car .

→     𝐈𝐈 .    ANGST

❛   patch .   help  my  muse  patch  up  a  wound . ❛   night terrors .   hold  my  muse  after  they  wake  up  from  a  nightmare . ❛   company .   silently  sit  with  my  muse  to  comfort  them. ❛   hospital .   my  muse  is  told  that  yours  is  in  the  hospital . ❛   revelation .   show  my  muse  evidence  of  a  lie  they  told . ❛   indulge .   find  my  muse  drinking  to  cope . ❛   downfall .   find  my  muse  collapsed  on  the  ground . ❛   console .   comfort  my  muse  as  they  cry . ❛   nurse .   give  my  muse  company  in  the  hospital .

→     𝐈𝐈𝐈 .    AFFECTIONATE

❛   wink .   wink  at  my  muse .  ❛   wrap .   wrap  an  arm  around  my  muse’s  [ shoulders  /  waist ] . ❛   caress .   gently  caress  my  muse’s  face . ❛   tousle .   mess  playfully  with  my  muse’s  hair . ❛   chest .   place  your  head  on  my  muse’s  chest .    ❛   comb .   comb  fingers  through  my  muse’s  hair . ❛   grasp .   run  to  my  muse  &  jump  into  their  arms . ❛   lean .   lean  on  my  muse’s  shoulder . ❛   tender .   kiss  my  muse  on  the  [ forehead  /  cheek  /  nose ] . ❛   abrupt .   kiss  my  muse  out  of  the  blue . ❛   chaste .   chastely  kiss  my  muse . ❛   good morning .   kiss  my  muse  the  morning  after . ❛   volumes .   gaze  at  my  muse  in  a  way  that  silently  says  ‘i love you’ .

→     𝐈𝐕  .    VIOLENT

❛   strike .   [ slap / punch ]  my muse in the face . ❛   gun .   wield  a  gun  at  my  muse . ❛   twist .   twist  my  muse’s  arm  behind  their  back . ❛   throttle .   aggressively  wrap  your  hands  around  my  muse’s  throat . ❛   parch .   burn  my  muse  with  a  hot  object . ❛   take down .   forcefully  bring  my  muse  to  the  ground . ❛   gouge .   wield  a  sharp  object  at  my  muse . ❛  shunt .   shove  my  muse  backwards . ❛  stickup .   yell  at  my  muse  to  put  their  hands  in  the  air. ❛  shoot .   [ fatally  /  non-fatally ]   shoot  my  muse . ❛  stab .   stab  my  muse with a  [ knife / other object ].

→     𝐕 .    NSFW

❛   surprise .   send  an  unexpected  nsfw  image  to  my  muse . ❛   pin .   push  my  muse  against  a  [ wall,  table,  other ] . ❛   go down .   go  down  on  my  muse . ❛   choke .   intimately  wrap  your  hands  around  my  muse’s  throat . ❛   belt loops .   pull  my  muse  closer  by  their  belt loops . ❛   skinny dipping .   go  skinny  dipping  with  my  muse . ❛   rip .   tear  a  piece  of  clothing  from  my  muse’s  body . ❛   mark .   leave  a  mark  on  my  muse’s  body  [ specify where ] .

[pcndaemonium]

His kiss lingered on her lips in familiar warmth and taste; beckoning her to seek out his mouth again after he had long pulled away. On their way to the private quarters within Aberrus, Atharia held onto him tightly, as if every inch of separation between the two of them was a burden too heavy to bear.

To her the walk to the private quarters, under other circumstances rather brief albeit seldom taken, seemed to take half an age as the fire in her heart and essence began to burn brightly. " I want it now, " she said, looking at Neltharion before carefully pushing her head under his chin - making sure hear horns would not leave scratches on skin or armour.

" I cannot wait. " Nor did she want to, and thus, she moved in his arms. As the private quarters were rarely occupied due to their preferences of working in the laboratories at every waking hour, not many dragonkin and servants made their way to these parts of Aberrus. The hallway remained seemingly abandoned, safe for the aspect and his companion. No soul would notice their slip-up of privacy - and even if anyone did, this was the aspect's home, she thought to herself. Someone like him could do whatever he wished and wherever he desired.

There was no hiding the smile that curled his ashen lips as she turned towards him, her hand upon his chest. He could see her considering the idea of letting him steal her away, fretting over the nearly complete project she had been working on for weeks now. Though, it would seem her mind was rather focused on him now, another chuckle slipping from his lips as she pressed into him, that low rumble in her throat tickling his ears as her nails scratched against the chestplate he wore.

Neltharion continued that sly smile as she finally gave in, telling him to take her as his treat, and maybe afterward she would give him some of the spinal fluid he had asked for. That, provoked a laugh, only to be turned into a rumbling purr of delight as Atharia nipped at his jaw, whispering her acceptance to his words and admitting a small break would not harm her work. "Good. Because I was thinking of stealing you away despite your wishes anyhow.~"

His laughter there was short lived, instead dipping his head down to catch his consorts in a hungry kiss, arms moving to wrap around her waist and squeeze her against him as if to signal that there was no escape from him now. That kiss was short lived, though, his teeth playing at her bottom lip as he lifted her from the ground itself, carrying her off to a more comfortable part of Aberrus for their fun.

[pcndaemonium]

" Your offer is tempting, " Atharia admitted at least, and turned fully toward him to place her other hand on his chest. As their gazes met, she tilted her head to the side. If she allowed him to steal her away from her laboratory, she would not return until the morning. The prospect of being absent for so long left a knot in her chest. " My research is almost complete, and leaving it now would... " How could she leave her desk to follow quiet desires now?

But she would have lied if she had said that the proximity to the aspect and the warm whispers into her ear had left her body cold. She closed the last distance between the two of them by gently pressing her body against his - a low rumbling escaped her throat, almost involuntarily, at the thought to receive his attention in full. His attention, his body and even more so his mind. Her fingers curled on his chest, sharp nails scraping the chest plate.

To be victim to such desires, Atharia thought to herself. " Take me as your treat, Neltharion. And perhaps afterwards, I will give you some of the spinal fluid you have asked for. " Leaning in, she nipped at his jaw, teasing him further than he had done with the two of them himself. " I accept your offer. A small break will not hurt my research. It can wait until the morrow. "

His gaze too, lingered on where his hand held her wrist, those digits slowly sliding up the back of her hand until they could lace between her fingers, squeezing her hand within his own as she told him how she deserved the reward she had taken. A warm chuckle rumbled in his throat, low and deep, sounding almost like a growl as she turned her head just enough to catch his gaze, meeting hers eagerly as she asked if he would tell her about a new experiment, saying they needed a goal to strive for. And it was true, their current work was due to wrap up any day, especially due to the attention she gave it.

"Mmm, perhaps I will." His breath was hot against her ear, lips brushing against the lobe as he whispered, the hand at her hip pulling her more into him, though he still had to lean down to keep his mouth against her ear. "Or...perhaps I will give you something else to focus on, even if it is only for the rest of the evening." He was starting to desire something other than the spinal fluid he had asked for, though he was going to have to give her his attention for either. Not that he minded in the slightest, and it didn't seem like she did either.

"Would you like to choose? Right now I wouldn't mind either, though I'm swiftly leaning towards the option of treating myself to you." Again, he smiled against her ear, giving it a playful nip as his horns clicked against her own with a turn of his head, the little jiggle of her jewelry echoing in his ear due to the touch. "What say you, darling?"

[pcndaemonium]

The aspect's wit had always been as terribly quick as the tip of his tongue; casting goosebumps onto the back of her neck and her arms. If she had not known better, Atharia would have argued them sharper than her own at times, which she found equally frightening as it was alluring. Who had ever been able to match her to begin with? No one.

Only him. At first, she refused to look at Neltharion as she refused to give him the triumph of playing her, so easily. But of course, it was difficult to withstand the earthwarden for long - that much she had already learned quite a while ago. " I rewarded myself for finishing the latest stage of my project. It was well-earned, I would say. " His hand felt warm against her wrist and for a moment, she watched it holding her gently.

" Mh, what would you propose to earn my favour, then? You made a compelling argument, mentioning your help in acquiring the batch in the first place, but I fear it won't be enough to convince me. " It was then, that her gaze shifted away from their hands and sought him from the corner of her eye. " Will you tell me about a new vision for an experiment? Soon we have to find a new goal to strive for. Our current research is nearly reaching completion. "

@pcndaemonium continued from [ x ]

That impish grin was met with a stare, crimson eyes narrowing as she turned away from him just as her cheeks dusted with color, giving him only the faintest hint of what she might be thinking as she taunted him with his request. The rejection of his request was met with a quiet sigh before he made his way toward her, soon standing just behind her and to the left just a bit, his right hand settling on her hip as he leaned down to put himself in better line with her left ear, his lips brushing against the lobe. "The treat is because I'm the one who went and got the latest batch. Isn't that cause for reward~?" His breath was warm against her ear, she could even feel that smile that curled his lips when he paused in his words.

"Besides, darling, did you earn a reward when I saw you have some yourself not long ago?" His grip at her hip tightened gently, his left hand gently settling on her forearm and slowly, sliding down her arm until his hand was at her wrist. There was no hesitation as he lifted her hand from the table she had been working at, as if that would bring her to focus more on him. "If I need to...earn myself a treat, I can think of a few things I can do for you.~"

[pcndaemonium]

"Atharia, darling, could you pass me a beaker of Centaur spinal fluids?" -> Neltharion

With both hands, she gently grabbed one of the whelps and sat it back down on the floor, preventing it from disturbing her work further. The whelp screeched in displeasure about the treatment from its mother yet obeyed her silent command: Don't get on her working desk. Instead, it eyed the aspect from its ruby eyes as he was sitting not far from her desk. Atharia's golden jewellery, that decorated her pale horns, jingled quietly upon turning her head toward him. " You are asking for a treat, " she wanted to know and grinned impishly. " Have you done anything to deserve a treat? " Though calling her darling already nudged her into giving into his request of passing him a beaker of the spinal fluid which she often kept for the whelps as a reward for behaving well.

Hearing such from him tugged at something within her body, making her essence tingle in a strange fashion she was unable to place. It often brought a faint shimmer to her cheeks - a shimmer she tried to conceal as well as she could, for he was not allowed to witness it. Even now did she turn away from Neltharion and back to her work. " We would give the whelps an ill example if I just rewarded you for doing nothing special. They are already spoiled enough. " But how would he try to earn it? Or would he simply take it, now that Atharia had rejected his request?

@earthwarden

[pcndaemonium]

"You will learn to show respect. You are in the presence of my glorious self, I, Neltharion. I am the Earth-Warder."

Independent Neltharion, of World of Warcraft. Canon Divergent Established 9/5/24. Minors DNI.

[pcndaemonium]

" Do you want the duchy to be ruled by a man determined to eat tide pots? What are we going to tell the nobles? "

"Are you proposing Joshua reign instead?"

[pcndaemonium]

The children yearn for the experiments

" Yes, good. Come! Hop onto the table! "

[pcndaemonium]

"Your lab is quite quaint! The screaming is as the kids say: the vibe you bring to the function."

" Oh how kind of you! Now, please lie down on the lab table and be good, will you? "

@rosariandilf

[pcndaemonium]

i stick my leg in here like: hello.

i'm not around much lately. nothing bad happened, writing muse in general is a bit low and the new wow expac dropped in ea and i have been playing this practically non-stop since.

meanwhile my brain is still rotating xal'atath.

i wish the fandom was existent because that's a muse i would like to toy with. she's just fun.

[pcndaemonium]

what they don't tell you about being bilingual is that you won't be smarter and more eloquent in one language over the other. instead you get to be stupid twice.