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ouroborosorder · 7 months ago

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OK but when you're free of all the other obligations and able to do it can we get the Ines skin writeup anyway because I liked the Eine Variation one and why do they keep giving Caprinae ops skin like this do they just hate goats at hypergryph or what

Okay so I got this ask a month and a half ago and am just now getting to responding to it. In that time, I got a job as a professional VFX artist so my opinion means double what it did before. So that's fun! Respect me and bow to me, peasants.

I wrote a massively long writeup here and then my page refreshed and I lost all of it twice. Let's speedrun this shit, alright? (She says, immediately writing a 5 page unhinged rant.)

This skin sucks because of the exact opposite reason Eine Variation does, it's just too fucking detailed for its own good.

...Also what the fuck is that in the background is that a goddamned alien spaceship has anyone else noticed this?? This is a bloodline of combat skin this is canon does ines just fight aliens at some point what the FUCK?

Anwyay VFX in the readmore.

Deploy animation. I hate you. I hate this. I hate it.

It's rare I get to see an entire skin's mistakes in microcosm like this! That's fun!

This is so detailed that it actually ceases to have any real shape or identity. This doesn't look like shadow, because skins can just. Change character lore to make something look cool yes I'm still mad. Is it stars? That would explain the weird yellow dots, and there are stars in the art. Fire? No, it's not actually fire, there'd be fire here. Burning fabric? It only looks like that if I squint and zoom in, but I can't... think of anything else.

The colors are so awful. The way that there is a hard line between the dark lavender and the scarlet which then fades into orange is. A choice. I would not have made. At all. In any way. Ever. At any point. Also the random dots of yellow are very funny because they are so clearly just random pixels of yellow. Some of them even aren't in the orange, so they're just like, highlights that have decided to break out of the highlighted areas. Did they.. want this to look like her burning dress? In which case, why are they.. blue? Her dress is black with orange embers, I don't GET IT.

Also small thing but it has a drop shadow, but like. She's literally in all black until she fully appears. And the swirling ribbons are dark-colored. There's no worry about them not standing out against a light background. Is that just supposed to look like she's surrounded by shadow if that's the case then why isn't the rest of this shadow AGH.

This looks weirdly... JPEG compressed??? Like, you can kiiinda see it in the big version, but if I shrink this down to phone resolution...

GOOD LORD SHE'S BEEN DEEP-FRIED.

S1 is good. I like it. It's simple, elegant. Good use of colors, and I think the impact looks great, good use of red and orange to create visual interest. Not gonna bother to screenshot it, it's not that interesting NEXT

S2!

Stop it. Stop it. Put a few colors away. I am counting 8 distinct colors in this one swing alone, and then two more for Ines herself. Stop it. That is too many colors. Add less colors.

I don't even see what the colors are there FOR. Are they selling the tip of the swing? That's not right, because the red highlights start at the tip, then swirl inwards until the red is in the inner part.

I do actually think this one is a lot better at actual resolution.

It's still too detailed, and that detail ends up being crunched and not really... serving any purpose in the grand scheme of the effect, but I do think it is... better. It makes it more clearly light on the outside, dark on the inside.

Also I hate the ends of this swing. I hate it. Why is one a perfect circle that's been stretched out and the other end a rectangle that's fading out. Why is that how you did this. This effect looks like two different swings that have been stapled together like goddamned Catdog.

BUT WHEN IT FADES IT HAS AN INKBRUSH LOOK SO WHAT IS THIS EFFECT.

Why not lean into the burning dress look? Have it be a black trail that like, burns away when it fades? That would be STUNNING, anything but. Whatever is happening here. Mrgrgr okay fine it can't get worse right

DEAR READER. I PRESENT. S3. THE CULMINATION OF EVERY SINGLE PROBLEM.

So this IS a stars theme after all. This IS stars? Just wanna make sure we're all on the same fucking page here.

Dear reader. I hate this. So fucking much. This may be, and I do truly mean this, the worst piece of VFX I have ever seen in any game. This doesn't read as a piece of VFX in an anime game, it reads like the background of a YA fantasy novel's cover.

The nebula doesn't move. It's static. It is clearly just a jpeg. It's not even doing the Chowder screen-space orientation thing. It's just. There. Inescapable.

The comet itself just. Ends. It doesn't fade out or taper. It just. Stops. There's barely any anti-aliasing here. It's just a hard line between the comet and the background.

Ines herself is surrounded by identical dark lavender and orange energy, so there's no visible difference between the effect and herself. Sure. It's not going to be onscreen long anyway. Who cares.

The center of the comet is bright white as if it's the highlight of the effect, but it's... it's off-center?? so it's ultimately... Highlighting something. is it highlighting the sword? Is it supposed to be a haze that shows you the sword? But it doesn't look like it because it took me 15 minutes while writing this to realize that the sword was there at all because it's the same orange color as all the other highlights and so it gets eaten. If your highlight color stops drawing my eye, then you've fucked up because that is literally what a highlight color is supposed to do. Where am I supposed to look at this thing, where is the focus, the shape?

It's even funnier that the blade leaves a little cartoony goofy team rocket blink when it leaves, before immediately turning into whatever public domain NASA star image they're using for the comet. A real glimpse into what it would look like if Spiderverse sucked ass. (I do like the blink itself tho, a small little blue haze to add color and contrast against light backgrounds, smart touch.)

Explosion sucks. Suddenly they decide the palette is something entirely different. Where did the yellow come from. Yellow isn't even on the art. I guess when your palette is that big, you can change them up how you want. I would actually like this effect if it was slightly less detailed and in a skin that had actually used this pallette. It reminds me a bit of Specter the Laurentina. But with this level of detail and these colors... This somehow looks more like a YA book cover. A Sword of Goats and Stars. Fuck me I hate it.

I almost like this buff uptime indicator, It's just that the red from the swords fades into the orange on her dress and makes the whole thing muddy. Also she has an actual roiling flame behind her LMAO GET DUNKED ON HOEDERER THAT'S RIGHT I WILL DUNK ON HIM EVERY TIME EVEN THIS PIECE OF TRASH HAS ONE UP ON THE HOE LMAOOOOO

(In fact I actually... think this might be a recurring texture? It looks familiar, but I can't pin down from where. This is a bad screenshot for showing it but I'm not bothering to get a new one. This is my mental breakdown and I get to choose the visual aids.)

Anyway, maybe I'm being mean. After all I'm criticizing an effect for being too detailed when I am actively zooming in and looking at the details. So let's shrink down to the resolution of my phone just to see how it would-

Ah.

Final Ouroboros VFX ranking: A jpeg compressed photo of a wizard airbrushed on a van / 18 Originium Prime. Actually wait no that sounds too cool. Uh. The wizard is also racefaking. Now it's no longer cool. Nailed it.

#arknights #arknights vfx breakdown #emphasis on breakdown again #I don't have as personal a vendetta against this one as I do Eine Variation #but I do think this one is genuinely bad #Shame. Ines would have crushed it with an actual skin

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whereismymonsterlover · 4 months ago

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i feel like fan songs have been out of fashion for a while but i wonder if im just out of the loop? They came from such specific fandoms and i feel like they had their moment in 2013-2018, it's fascinating to think about.

I'm an og fnaf freak and there were a few in 2022 after secruity breach dropped when the glamrock + pizzaplex lore dropped but they've definitely slowed. i spose they follow the same trend as fanfic where the source material needs to drop substance for the baseline story for a song to be written about.

I do remember in 2022 on tiktok everyone freaking out about a stranger things fan writing a "billy apologist" song and singing and recording it themselves. Dude pop off. it was amateur, cringe as hell and i disagreed with the billy takes but dude i have a playlist dedicated to fnaf songs that i listen to frequently!! no one makes ukelele-ass fanfic songs like that!!! and everyone DRAGGED THEM TO FILTH. mainly for the billy takes but i digress.

I guess we do have the living tombstone and starbomb (new single for pre-save btw!!) who still definitely make fan songs of exisiting IP on a more professional scale.

im also not in many of the newer fandoms that have taken over the internet like hazbin hotel, helluva boss, hello neighbour and the amazing digital circus. i call those four out because my gut tells me they are of the same breed as the 2015 fnaf and undertale fandom that would be musically inclined. (hazbin hotel is partly a musical from my limited knowledge?) I also want to philosophise on why this gut feeling is because that is fascinating to me.

idk please add thoughts to this post if you see it, im really interested to see what people have to say cus songs are such unique pieces of fandom art that i feel like is dying out a little? but i only take up a very small amount of fandoms!! (this would be very easy to research but for the sake of poking the embers of fandom and audience participation I am choosing to be ignorant)

#stranger things #fnaf #five nights at freddy's #undertale #homestuck #the living tombstone #starbomb #hazbin hotel #helluva boss #hello neighbour #amazing digital circus #fandom

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catsharky · 6 months ago

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(Spoilers for Astarion's romance in Act 2)

I would have liked to do something for terrible comic day, but a stubborn migraine put the kibosh on that, so instead have something vaguely in the spirit of it. I tend to prefer to only post clean, finished work and this is decidedly not that.

This is an unfinished comic I started back in October that I unfortunately stalled out on while it was still in the roughs/planning stage. I was a little disappointed that during the post-Araj conversation you have with Astarion, you only got to choose one question to ask before the conversation moved on, and I wanted to try and combine a few of them into a single back and forth (I also originally just wanted to set up a joke and then it grew legs and ran off in a totally different direction😭)

No idea if I'll ever end up finishing this! I'd like to, it's just a question of whether I'll actually get around to it. Only time will tell.

If anyone's interested, I've also included an alternate, scrapped version of page 9 under the cut and some Ember Lore/rambling about what I was going for with this comic that probably doesn't come across properly thanks to where it cuts off

After finishing this page, it ended up just not feeling quite right. Not only did it put too much of the focus on Ember too early (I wanted to keep the spotlight on Astarion's feelings for a while longer) but her reaction came across too vulnerable, and was reading as her being upset to find out that Astarion hadn't been invested in the relationship when they slept together. I wanted the reader to be able to initially make that assumption because that's how Astarion is taking her reaction, but it leaned a little too heavy in that direction.

Ember was aware from the start that Astarion wasn't interested in a romantic relationship. She's been having one-night stands for over a decade, she knows what it looks like when someone's not looking for long-term. Her mistake was believing that he was trying to string her along without realizing she knew what he was up to. So she's not upset that he was using her, she's upset that there's a chance she hurt him by allowing it to continue despite knowing something was off.

Eventually I'll do some proper stuff about Ember's early days with the party, and her life in general before the events of the game!! Just gotta finish all the other stuff I have ongoing first 🙃

#baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #bg3 comic #astarion #bg3 astarion #tavstarion #tav x astarion #female tav #ember x astarion #tav: ember #oc: ember #sharky's tav #my tav #process work #Ember lore drop #sharky art

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fallenembe · 3 months ago

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(quick ooc post)

Ember has a mutation that allows her to control and utilize shadows, however she's never had a teacher, so her control over the shadows is shitty at best. It's why she always has shadows around her, because she can't will them away.

#marvel rp #rp blog #ooc post #ooc #out of character #marvel oc #mutant oc #ok to interact #ember lore drop #ember's mutterings #(mod talks)

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dungeon-strugglers · 2 years ago

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✨New item!✨ Tsuba of the Lotus Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement)

You can attach this tsuba to a longsword, greatsword, rapier, shortsword, or scimitar by pressing the tsuba against it for at least 1 minute, at which point it replaces the sword’s hand guard. Thereafter, the tsuba can't be removed unless you detach it as an action or the weapon is destroyed. A sword can only have one tsuba attached to it at a time.

While this tsuba attached to a sword you are wielding, you gain the following abilities:

You are immune to disease.

You can move across liquids on your turn without falling during the move.

Each time you hit a creature with this sword, you cannot be killed by that creature until the end of your next turn. For the duration, if damage inflicted by that creature reduces you to 0 hit points, you drop to 1 hit point instead.

Ciroji kneeled on a jumble of blankets, sharpening her blade next to the lake. The stars danced below in shallow ripples, shining their light into her sightless eyes.

The journey had been long and hard, and dozens of scars created constellations of endurance across her skin. Still, she waited patiently.

Something moved across the water. When it touched the shore before her, Ciroji reached out and retrieved the small object. Cupped in her palm, a steel lotus blossom unfurled.

Without hesitation, she attached the tsuba to her katana and felt its magic mingle with her spirit. Slowly, with each breath, an ember of light began to grow, expanding ever brighter. A tapestry of color emerged from this light, and took the shape of a moonlit lake surrounded by towering pines.

For the first time since she was a young child, the blinding sickness left her body. Ciroji gazed upon a world that had hidden its beauty from her for too long, and readied her blade for the path she could now see before her. - 🖌🎨 Like our work? Consider supporting us on Patreon and gain access to the hi-resolution art for over 170 magic items, item cards and card packs, beautiful creature art and stat blocks and setting pdfs with narrative hooks and unique lore!🧙‍♂️

📜 Credit. Art and design by us: the Dungeon Strugglers. Please credit us if you repost elsewhere.

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sleidog · 5 months ago

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a fun little collection of Runa lore from RP/general thoughts:

Runa's ability to have multiple tendrils/limbs when they're damaged beyond repair and easier to just. remove. has had the number cap removed, from doubling, to 'whatever looks cool :)' i feel like this is most important for the back tendrils, where his arm is probably going to have a soft limit around 4 Runa's additional eyes are sense organs for sure, but they don't actually -see- like a normal eye, despite the visual function of them and their ability to emote, matching his own expressions the extra eyes sense heat/movement, and the sensation of them locking in on something is relayed to Runa to judge for himself if that thing he 'saw' move is worth investigating Runa's particularly strong senses are based around movement, heat and magic. he's great at pinpointing a magically inclined target, finding a magically charged object, etc or spotting a hot target through dense foliage, especially if it moves suddenly! his eyesight is actually pretty average, and his taste and smell are incredibly dull [unless what he can smell/taste is augmented by some kind of magic] if you were to peel back runa's charcoal-y armour, you'd find the remnants of his actual arm still under it, but there isn't an awful lot of it left [it's gone from just before the elbow down] as such, he has very little sensation in his left arm! from the elbow down in particular, he cannot feel if something is touching/pushing on his arm, it also means it's of no consequence to do his hyrda nonsense with breaking his arm off manually at the elbow joint and growing more limbs [while he can break it off higher up, this isn't advised, the higher he goes, the more sensation he loses. do not ask him to hold things in his right hand, he will drop or crush it, because he can't control how hard he's gripping something his hair leaves were longer when he was a sapling and his skin resembled more of the aspen tree he's based on, greyish with black eye-like markings, over time with the burning and loss of his limb, his body has been stained by the charcoal that flakes off of him [in theory, if you were to give him a very thorough scrubbing, you could get him back to a more mid/pale grey shade, but it's not worth the effort the armour has the texture of charcoal, flaky and brittle but quite dense, under extreme stress, the armour splits and vents out black smoke from little crackly embers that run through the middle of his arm, the smoke is extremely toxic/hallucinogenic and should not be inhaled [he can vent it at will as well, but this is a rarity and happens from his shoulder spikes; the smoke when done at will takes a yellowish hue, and he's basically isolating and superheating his own blood into a fine vapour and expelling it, it's corrosive if you're caught in the moment it's released and almost sulphuric in scent getting onto that 'superheating' aspect; runa's pretty adverse to fire, understandably after he almost lost his life to it; however in his current state, he's quite resiliant to fire, in fact, his charcoal arm is fully resistant to fire, it simply does nothing to him at all [however the visual can make him panic and recoil] Runa's body runs quite hot, around 53C at his core! he's a walking radiator, but the heat is less intense if touching his skin/extremities, still hotter than an average person to a noticable degree his body glow is normal on the right side of his body, but his left side resembles crackly embers across freshly burnt wood if he DOES burn out his armour too much, it takes a greyish/white tint, and he'll flake away at it like a person would do with a sunburn, it's gives him a sensation similar to a phantom itch, he shouldn't be able to feel it but he can see it flaking so it makes him feel itchy

#i am rotating him at mach speed #my son boy #runa #worldbuilding #ocs

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tenebraevesper · 15 days ago

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Sonic Cyber Revolution, Entry 74: Forging My Own Path

''I will forge through smoke and steel, breaking free, but can I heal? The answer waits beyond the fire, a pyre built from my desire. What's the price for what I seek? A future grim, a heart too weak? The line I walk is burning clear, yet I press on, despite the fear.''

– Embers of the Abyss by ABOKAI Release (Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings)

xXxXxXx

''Can you hold it up?'' Makoto asked, with Silver having put up a cyan barrier around Eden to keep the Black Arms out.

''I can, but you'll have to hurry!'' Silver replied, gritting his teeth as he focused all of his energy on keeping the barrier up and sealing any cracks that have formed due to the aliens' relentless attacks.

''Give me a moment,'' Makoto replied, his own eyes glowing cyan as he held up all of the sharp gardening tools Eden had to offer, directing them towards the Black Arms and focusing. ''Drop it, now!''

Silver did as told, with Makoto launching all of the tools at high speeds, ranging from sharp prunes to pick-axes to saws to pitchforks, the aliens who got hit either writhing due to the pain or bleeding out on the ground. Silver then quickly found himself at Makoto's side. ''Let's go!''

Makoto nodded, with the two using the psychokinesis to get out of Eden, being the last ones to make it out. They had been busy with the evacuation at Eden, making sure that everyone in the area made it out before they left, but not before they caused some casualties on the Black Arms side. Currently, they were moving through Westoru, searching for anyone they could help, with Silver sporting a grim expression.

''This isn't any different from what happens to Neos City in my future,'' he said. Makoto gave him a look of concern.

''Don't worry, we will defeat the Black Arms,'' he said in an assuring tone, but that didn't seem to lift Silver's spirits.

''Even if we defeat the Black Arms, there is still Mephiles, and we know how that one turns out,'' Silver said, narrowing his eyes. ''I won't let him win!''

Makoto's eyes narrowed, as he could sense Silver's worry and rage, as the grey hedgehog felt quite strongly about the whole situation. He was desperate to protect the future, but he would instead find himself facing dangers at every turn that could lead to that future being completely ruined. Makoto then gazed down at their surroundings, noting how the urban landscape had changed, being covered in a strange mass, with Eden being overrun by the red fruit trees that were the mark of Black Arms territory. He did recognize this kind of environment from his own experience with the video game lore, but seeing it in person was rather horrifying.

They eventually landed at a narrow alleyway when Silver suddenly got a call on his AR Visor, both wondering at first if it was Lucas, only to be surprised by the caller.

''Silver, are you okay? What is going on?!''

''Blaze?!''

Both Silver and Makoto stared at the holographic screen, stunned that they got called by Blaze out of all people, with Sana and Marine standing beside her.

''We have been trying to reach you for the past hour, but our call just couldn't get through. We saw conversations online about Neos City being almost completely blocked off from any communication from the outside, getting practically cut off from the rest of Starpoint Area,'' Blaze explained. ''They claimed that the AR Field had gone out of control, to the point of fully blocking access to the city.''

''Well, they're not wrong. We've been attacked by an alien race called Black Arms and they're currently in control of the AR Fields,'' Silver replied, turning the holographic screen in such manner that it allowed Blaze, Sana and Marine see what was going on with their own eyes. Silver and Makoto could hear them gasp in shock, staring at disbelief at what happened.

''The Black Arms are Irregulars, though, and part of the Sonic video game lore,'' Makoto quickly added. ''We already have an idea why they might be here, but so far, all we can do is fight back.''

''I wish I could help you,'' Blaze said, a sudden burst of flame revealing the red Sol Emerald in her hands. ''I can feel the Sol Emeralds calling me to be used, but unfortunately, we haven't managed to gather all of them so I can fully harness their power.''

''Don't worry, we can manage the situation here,'' Silver assured her, with Blaze giving Silver a determined gaze. Despite her duty towards the Surya Empire, Blaze was hellbent to aid her friends in defeating the Black Arms. Sana and Marine clearly shared these thoughts, but they knew it wasn't possible for them to get to a city that was isolated in such manner.

''Do you have any plans?'' Sana asked.

''Lucas seems to have a plan, or is at least in the process of coming up with one. The most we can do is to fight against the Black Arms,'' Makoto replied.

''Why would those aliens even attack Neos City?'' Marine asked, raising an eyebrow.

''It's a long story, but I'm sure you can check the lore online,'' Makoto replied, sighing. Both suddenly heard someone shouting, him and Silver exchanging glances. They knew that they needed to leave, and it appeared that their callers understood that as well.

''Stay safe,'' Blaze said, with Silver and Makoto nodding and the call ending. The two then exited their hiding spot, only to find several Black Arms emerging from the red and black mass, attacking a an unit of Irregular Hunters as they were attempting to clear the street. They attempted to help them, only to get blocked by another group of aliens emerging right in their path. Makoto and Silver frowned, ready to destroy the aliens, only see them getting blasted by Egg Pawns, much to their shock.

''What are Badniks doing here?'' Makoto asked, his eyes wide. Surprisingly, the Egg Pawns ignored them completely, focusing instead solely on the Black Arms.

''Do you think Eggman sent them to help us fight against the Black Arms?'' Silver asked. Makoto shrugged.

''I don't know, but I doubt that Eggman would want to help us without having some ulterior motive. Nevertheless, they aren't unwelcome,'' he replied.

xXx

''The Badniks are making good progress,'' Neo Metal Sonic commented, him and Ferra observing the streets below from a building. Having realized that they would need more firepower to defeat the Black Arms, Metal Sonic transformed into Neo Metal Sonic, aiding Ferra in leading the Badniks against the aliens. So far, the army of robots were doing well against the aliens, who appeared to be inexperienced with battling the Badniks, attacking spots that would probably incapacitate a living being, but do minimum damage to a robot.

''They are, but we're dealing here with cannon fodder. Our actual target is Black Doom,'' Ferra replied.

''That coward won't show himself,'' Neo Metal Sonic growled.

''Honestly, I believe that he is around, keeping an eye on one particular person. If we want to find Black Doom, we will have to find Shadow,'' Ferra told him, furrowing a brow. ''However, I doubt that that will be easy.''

''Then, what are you planning on doing?'' Neo Metal Sonic asked.

''I believe that we should keep track of Team Neos,'' Ferra responded. ''We'll be able to track down Black Doom's whereabouts and inform Dr. Eggman about whatever plans both sides have.'' She got on her hoverboard, beckoning Neo Metal Sonic to follow her. ''Let's go!''

xXx

''Keep all the entrances blocked!'' Honey exclaimed, checking on her employees as she ran through the building. ''We can't let any of those things get inside!''

Honey was completely caught off guard when the Black Arms invasion had started, but even then, she was level-headed enough to order an immediate lockdown of her company, making sure all of her employees were safe. Even though she knew how to fight, she was a fashionista and the CEO first and foremost, and the safety of everyone at HC was her priority. Fortunately, she made sure that the building had proper security, so they wouldn't have to worry about the aliens breaking inside, but Honey knew that the same couldn't be said for everyone else in Neos City.

She placed her hand on her head, feeling an oncoming headache, but she knew she had to keep a cool head. As she lifted her head, suddenly saw something black and red flying past the window she was standing next to, with Honey running up to it, wondering what it was.

xXx

Shadow boosted through the Corruption-infused surfaces in his Doom Morph form, getting through Sentoraru with no issues, as there was no reason for him to fight through the Black Arms-infested streets. He couldn't see any civilians, wondering if they had been kidnapped by the aliens or if they had managed to get to a safe spot and hide until all of this was over. He knew that he couldn't help them and that his presence would only bring destruction, so he focused on his own mission and nothing else.

Find the Chaos Emeralds. Save Touka. Defeat Black Doom.

Doom Morph Shadow repeated those three sentences constantly in his mind like a mantra. He could sense another Chaos Emerald in Eas, knowing that he would be one step closer to his goal. He eventually landed on the ground, his Doom Morph form dispersing in bursts of darkness as he took a look around his surroundings, only to be surprised by a Black Flash, which suddenly teleported and produced holographic clones to attack Shadow. Shadow easily destroyed the clones with Doom Spears, before using Doom Blast to knock the alien into the air, then teleported and delivered a powerful kick that destroyed it. Shadow only took a moment to orient himself, his ears twitching when he heard someone shouting.

''Shadow! Hey, Shadow!''

Quills bristling and eyes glowing red, Shadow suddenly turned around, ready to fight against whoever decided to interrupt him. His anger was quickly replaced with surprise when he realized that the ones calling him were the Chaotix Detectives. This was the first time he encountered someone familiar during this whole invasion, not counting Eggman considering how he is an enemy. He still remained on guard, aware that, even if the Chaotix were his allies, they might've learned about his true origins and deemed him an enemy. It was incredibly difficult for him to trust anyone, especially in these circumstances, even if it were people he knew. So, he kept his distance. However, it appeared that the Chaotix misunderstood his caution for his usual reserved demeanor, because Vector approached him unabashedly.

''It's good to see you, Shadow! We've been searching for someone from Team Neos to deliver this,'' Vector said, showing Shadow the purple Chaos Emerald. The dark hedgehog's eyes widened in surprise, as he was a bit stunned that he had managed to find the fourth Chaos Emerald so easily, having expected that he'd spend some time searching for it, if not even fighting over it. Instead, Vector just walked over to him, giving him the Chaos Emerald. ''Here. You and Team Neos know what to do with the Chaos Emerald better than us.''

Shadow remained quiet, just staring at the Chaos Emerald as the purple gem reflected the red glow from his eyes. It was only then that the Chaotix realized that something was wrong.

''Uh, hey, where is Touka?'' Charmy asked, looking concerned when he saw Shadow's reaction. The dark hedgehog's eyes widened, his quills bristling once again. Espio was suddenly on his guard, realizing that something was wrong. Vector, on the other hand, took a different approach.

''Shadow, are you okay?'' he asked carefully. Shadow suddenly stepped back, turning to the side as if he was about to leave. ''You know that we can help you.''

''I don't need your help,'' Shadow growled, shooting a glare at them, his eyes once again glowing red as he heard a voice in his head, whispering to him. What do they know? What can they do about your loss? They're only wasting your time. Perhaps, you should destroy them so they wouldn't get in your way again.

Shadow groaned in anguish, feeling as if the darkness was enveloping him. He could hear his call, he could hear him trying to take control over his body, to force Shadow to hurt his allies. He fought against the voice, trying to regain control over his mind. He could see the Chaotix trying to approach him, realizing something was wrong, but he couldn't let them. He couldn't let them anywhere close to him, else they would get into danger. However, Black Doom was quite persistent, with Doom's Eye appearing above them, displaying the holographic projection of the leader of the Black Arms.

''Heheh… You are still trying to resist my influence, but I can feel your strength of will diminishing. This is the proof of your connection to the Black Arms, the bond with your kin. Soon, we will take over this city and crush this pathetic resistance. Don't keep me waiting, Shadow. Bring me the Chaos Emeralds!'' Black Doom said, the holographic projection vanishing as Doom's Eye flew away.

Shadow suddenly felt incredibly cold, as if someone poured a bucket filled with ice over him. He glanced at the Chaotix, Charmy and Vector looking quite disturbed by what they saw and heard, while Espio was holding a kunai in his hand, glaring at the dark hedgehog and ready to fight him if necessary. Shadow knew that they didn't trust him, especially not after seeing his interaction with Black Doom.

''Shadow, who was that?'' Vector asked, trying to keep a cool head. He could feel the tension in the air and he knew that the last thing he needed was to aggravate Shadow even more, especially since the dark hedgehog was looking quite agitated. He was well aware that Shadow could easily take down all three of them and he wanted to believe that Shadow wasn't an ally of the Black Arms. He just couldn't be, but still, his detective instincts told him to remain careful.

However, Shadow refused to respond to Vector's question, instead rushing away with the purple Chaos Emerald, and to the detectives' shock, turned into a black and red squid-like being, using the purple and black mass to travel across the city.

''What was that?!'' Charmy asked suddenly, snapping Vector and Espio out of their stunned state.

''I don't know, but I don't believe we should've given Shadow the Chaos Emerald,'' Espio said, frowning. ''He may have betrayed us.''

''What do you think, Vector?'' Charmy asked, turning to the crocodile.

''I wouldn't be so sure about the betrayal theory,'' Vector replied. ''First, we got no evidence that Shadow is a bad guy, and second, he didn't look too happy to see that alien guy.''

''I believe that was the leader of the Black Arms,'' Espio said.

Before they could continue, they were surprised by a sudden flash of blue, with Sonic stopping right in front of them.

''Hey, guys, have you seen Shadow?'' Sonic asked. ''I've been following him since Sentoraru.''

''Yeah, he was just here, leaving after we gave him the Chaos Emerald we had found,'' Vector explained, pointing into the direction Shadow went.

''Did you know that he is working with the Black Arms?'' Espio asked, giving Sonic a scrutinizing gaze.

''Dude, he's not working with the Black Arms…'' Sonic started, only for Espio to interrupt him.

''But he is a Black Arms alien,'' Espio stated. Sonic realized that they knew about Shadow's connection to the Black Arms, deciding not to fight it.

''Yeah, from what I know, he's a hybrid… But, he's not helping them,'' Sonic said in a firm tone. ''I've been trying to track him down to check on him.''

''Do you have a plan how to stop this invasion?'' Vector asked.

''We do, sort of…'' Sonic rubbed the back of his head. ''All I know is that we need Shadow for this.'' He then lifted his head as he turned towards where Vector had pointed him to. ''Stay safe, guys.''

Sonic then dashed off, determined to catch up to Shadow as soon as possible.

xXx

Doom Morph Shadow had been travelling towards Souto, feeling a sense of numbness spreading through his body. Both Eggman and the Chaotix now knew that he was a Black Arms hybrid, and he was sure this information would spread, with his teammates becoming aware of it, if they weren't already. He couldn't face them, not like this. He knew that he was nothing but a monster, a horrifying alien and this power, the Doom Morph, only affirmed this reality and strengthened his connection to the hive mind.

Even though he still had the willpower to fight off Black Doom, he knew that, as his anger and despair kept growing, so would his influence. Shadow feared that, at some point, he wouldn't be able to control himself anymore and lose his body, mind and soul to Black Doom. If that happened, he didn't want any of his teammates to be near him. He didn't want to hurt anyone.

Shadow was lost in his thoughts, not noticing the sudden flash of blue pinballing upwards and forcing the black and red squid to stop and land on the Corruption-infused street between two buildings. Shadow remained in his Doom Morph form, standing on the mass as he stared in shock as he realized who had stopped him.

''I finally found you, Faker!'' Sonic grinned, standing on the part of the street that was devoid of Corruption, having finally cornered the hybrid. Shadow didn't answer, with Sonic wondering whether his rival wasn't answering because he couldn't talk in this form or because he was being stubborn. ''Shadow, I know it's you. You don't have to pretend to be one of them.''

''Stay away!''

Sonic was startled when Shadow suddenly shouted at him. The hybrid looked as if he was ready to attack him, with Sonic holding his hands up in defense, realizing that Shadow was in extreme distress. He felt sorry for him, his resolve to help him only getting stronger.

''Shadow, please…'' Sonic started, his tone soft and gentle, stepping towards the hybrid. ''I know you're upset and I know you won't hurt me unless I get too obnoxious. I just want to talk to you.''

There was a moment of silence, with the hybrid just staring at him as Sonic gazed back into his red eyes. Then, the hybrid moved forward, leaving the purple and black mass and dropping the Doom Morph. Sonic was relieved to see him, but he could see that Shadow was still anxious, keeping a distance. It was obvious that Shadow was going through a lot, to the point that he isolated himself from everyone, including Sonic.

''I know that you're going through a lot, Shads, but I will be always there to support you,'' Sonic continued when Shadow didn't respond, stepping closer. He was glad to see that Shadow let him into his space, his aggression fading into exhaustion.

''Why would you support an ugly, disgusting creature like me?'' Shadow asked. Sonic's ears were pinned back when he heard Shadow's hollow voice. He sounded so defeated, so repulsed with himself.

''Shadow, I…'' Sonic attempted to comfort him, only to trail off when he saw Shadow shaking, hands pressed against his head, his crimson eyes glowing.

''Black Doom has been trying to get into my head to take control over me, and even though I've been trying to fight against him, I can feel that connection growing. I am no different than the Black Arms,'' Shadow replied, hand placed over a glowing eye. His expression was that of someone who was in complete despair, not knowing whether to cry or laugh, whether to be angry or apathetic. He felt so many things, but at the same time, he felt completely empty, his soul on the brink of being shattered. It was as if all that pressure he had been under suddenly came crashing down. A dark mass suddenly started to swirl around the hedgehog as he slowly gave into his despair. ''I shouldn't have been created… Touka has been taken by Black Doom because of me and I don't even know whether she's still alive or not… I keep pressing on, despite the fear, but I just feel so exhausted… I-I just…''

Shadow's eyes suddenly grew wide when he felt Sonic wrapping his hands around him, pulling him into a tight hug. The dark energy that surrounded him dissipated and the glow in his eyes dimmed as he felt the warmth of Sonic's embrace. He froze, not even knowing what to do for a moment, only to feel something wet trail down his cheek. He trembled, his limbs and chest feeling incredibly heavy as he felt as if he was suffocating. He tried to focus on breathing, but the weight he felt grew heavier and heavier as another tear flew down his cheek. He tried to push all those emotions away, refusing to let them overwhelm him, but he couldn't.

He felt broken.

''Shadow, it's okay…'' Sonic whispered as he felt Shadow hugging him back with, keeping a vice-like grip on his back. ''You're not to blame for what has happened…''

''Black Doom is going to kill everyone because of me!'' Shadow snapped, facing Sonic, his eyes now filled with tears. ''I am his soldier and once I lose control, he will use me to destroy all of you!''

''Shadow, none of that will happen. I won't let it happen!'' Sonic responded in a firm tone, giving Shadow a determined look. ''I know you, and I know that you would never let yourself be controlled by anyone. You're too stubborn for that. And even if that does happen, I will make sure to snap you back to reality. I'm not giving up on you, no matter what, and you shouldn't either! If I have to fight you to save you, you can bet that I will kick your ass until you're back to normal, and then we'll beat up Black Doom together!''

''Sonic…'' Shadow trailed off, only to feel a glove on his cheek, wiping away the tears. Sonic gave him an empathetic smile.

''Do you feel a little better now?'' Sonic asked.

''I…'' Shadow wanted to tell him that he was fine, that he didn't have to worry, but he couldn't. He was done with keeping up a front. ''I… don't.''

''Do you want another hug?'' Sonic asked, a small smile appearing on his lips. Shadow nodded, with Sonic pulling him into another embrace and putting all the unsaid reassurance into it, hoping that Shadow would find solace in it. He had no idea how much time had passed, but he didn't care. He knew that Shadow needed this and they were going to stay like this until Sonic made sure that he felt better. Moments later, Shadow pulled back a little, but he still kept his hands on Sonic's waist, having finally calmed down.

''I shouldn't have broken down so easily…'' Shadow muttered, feeling slightly embarrassed by this whole thing, but Sonic shook his head.

''If you didn't break down now, you would've broken down later, and knowing you, half of the city would probably get blown up,'' Sonic said. Shadow snorted, even smiling a little, with the cobalt hedgehog feeling glad to get such reaction. He then gave Shadow a serious expression. ''Also, don't ever call yourself an 'ugly, disgusting creature'. First, it doesn't suit you, and second, I can confirm that you're way more handsome than you think. Well, not as handsome as me, but I think you already know that.''

Shadow rolled his eyes in response to the comment, while Sonic just laughed softly at his reaction. He could sense Shadow relax a little, having finally managed to drag him out of his dark thoughts and thrown into more familiar territory. However, Shadow did lower his gaze, muttering, ''You saw me in that form…''

''Yeah, so? I mean I still think you look hot, even as a squid.''

''…the Doom Morph- Wait, what did you say?''

Shadow rose an eyebrow, giving Sonic a questioning look, only to be met with a slightly panicked look from Sonic, who once again said something without thinking about it, only registering now the meaning of his words.

''W-Wait, I meant- I still like you the way you are! I don't care whether you're Black Arms or not-'' Sonic quickly added, his fawn muzzle now red as a tomato from embarressement. Truth to be told, he just wanted to assure Shadow, only to end up saying too much. His moment of panic only lasted so long, though, replaced with surprise when he suddenly heard Shadow laughing. The dark hedgehog placed his fist over his mouth, trying to stifle the laughter, but it was obviously not working.

''I should've expected you would say something like that. You really don't think things through,'' Shadow commented.

''Yeah, that's true…'' Sonic grumbled, only to perk up. ''But, hey, I got you to laugh. That has to count for something.''

''Indeed, you did,'' Shadow agreed, placing his hand on Sonic's muzzle and caressing it with his thumb, before pulling him into a comforting kiss. God, he loved his idiot boyfriend.

''I'm really happy to see that you feel better now,'' Sonic said, his tail wagging. He then gave him a determined look. ''So, what's the next move? I know you've been gathering Chaos Emeralds, and I want to help you in any way possible.''

''I wanted to do this on my own. I wanted to save Touka by myself and defeat Black Doom with my own hands,'' he said in a firm tone.

''That's understandable,'' Sonic said. ''He hurt you, so it's no surprise you'd want to defeat him on your own. However, don't forget that you're not alone. Everyone in Team Neos is fighting against the Black Arms, and we all believe that you're also doing your best to fight against Black Doom. We trust you more than you think and we will help you the best we can.''

''Thank you,'' Shadow replied, smiling as he felt the burden on his shoulders crumbling and leaving him with a sense of ease. ''You can help me by finding another Chaos Emerald. The faster we gather them, the sooner we can defeat the Black Arms and Black Doom.''

''I'm already on it,'' Sonic said, smirking as he tapped on his AR Visor, showing the holographic screen of the map with the dots showcasing the location of the remaining Chaos Emeralds. ''Tails and Warren made this for me and Lucas so we could track you down by finding the Chaos Emeralds.''

''I see… I guess I also need to apologize to Tails,'' Shadow muttered. He then took a deep breath, giving Sonic a determined look, clenching his fist. ''I've sensed a Chaos Emerald somewhere near Cosmo River.''

Sonic nodded. ''If you're going there, I should check the other two locations and see what I can find. We'll then meet up again and search for the location of the last Chaos Emerald.''

''Right,'' Shadow nodded, only to get a peck on the cheek from Sonic.

''If you ever feel like Black Doom tries to control you, give me a call and I'll be there in no time to stop him,'' Sonic assured him.

''Since when did you get so protective?'' Shadow asked.

''Of course I'll get protective, since you got threatened,'' Sonic pointed out. He then slowly turned, about to leave. ''I'll see you soon!''

Shadow observed as Sonic left, dashing off into the distance. Shadow placed his hand over his chest, feeling his heart pounding. Despite everything, he felt relief after this conversation with Sonic. He had realized that he put himself under so much pressure, believing that this was something he had to do alone and forgetting in his fear and worry that there were people who genuinely cared about him and who'd help him. He felt incredibly foolish for dismissing them, for giving into his negative emotions. But now, he was filled with new determination to make things right.

xXx

''You called me, Father,'' Eclipse said, feeling anxious as he walked up to Black Doom. He had wondered whether the leader of the Black Arms was aware of what he had done and feared what he would do.

''I did. I have a task for you,'' Black Doom said, surprising Eclipse. The little alien was relieved to hear that he would go on a mission, wondering what it was. ''Shadow had managed to find four Chaos Emerald and has also been using his gifted powers more and more, yet he still eludes me. His rebellious nature, while challenging, is getting tedious. Therefore, you will once again confront him and make sure that he follows the path I had prepared for him.''

''I will make sure to fulfill my mission. Shadow is my brother, and it is only right that he joins his family,'' Eclipse said, grinning. He felt happy that he was given a new mission, believing that this time, he would be able to convince Shadow to join the Black Arms. He would bring Shadow to the Black Comet and get praised by Black Doom for his effort, feeling excited about that scenario.

''Fulfill your mission, or don't come back at all.''

Eclipse froze when Black Doom floated past him, leaving the room.

''You still have to atone for your disobedience.''

Eclipse fell on his knees, the threat filling his mind. He realized that Black Doom knew. His father always knew, having used the hive mind to stay in control of everything. But, what was worse was that his own position was in danger. If he failed to bring Shadow, he wouldn't just get punished, but he would also be thrown out of the Black Comet. He would lose his only family. Eclipse gritted his teeth, getting up. He knew he couldn't let that happen. He couldn't afford to lose everything he knew. He would make his father proud.

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selunesdreams · 5 months ago

Text

Chapter 41: Our Lady of Silver

Chapter from ongoing fic Forms of Imprisonment. Full story on AO3.

Pairing: Spawn Astarion (post-tadpole) x OFC

Word Count: 2.5k Warnings: 18+. lore heavy/lore building (part of a series, this chapter might not make much sense standalone), soft Astarion, scheming Astarion, discussion of murder/death, religion, religious trauma. Smut in other chapters/throughout story.

At the sight of her grandmother, Celeste drops to one knee beside Astarion, the stone floor cold and harsh against her skin. She keeps her head lowered as her cheeks flush, a sense of shame overcoming her.

Every instinct screams something different - kneel, run, beg forgiveness. But she remains frozen, Astarion looking down at her quizzically as if bowing before the divine was the most absurd thing he could imagine.

To Celeste’s surprise, rather than chastising her inadequacies, Selûne waves her hand dismissively.

“Stand, child. My kin do not bow to me.”

Astarion reaches down and pulls Celeste back to her feet by her elbow, leaning over and murmuring in her ear. “Do I bow?”

“I doubt you would if I asked you to, Pale One,” Selûne replies. Astarion bristles, his usual instinct to charm and flatter, seemingly ineffective in the face of a goddess.

“No, probably not,” he mumbles.

“Come,” she says, her voice guiding them forward. As they pass through the archway, Celeste pauses to trace the delicate carvings of the moon etched into its border before they enter a spacious room. White marble floors and matching columns lining the perimeter, illuminated by the night sky through a domed glass ceiling. Intricately designed cuts of moonstone form a glittering throne in front of a window facing a city in the distance below. Selûne pays it no attention as she leads them to an adjoining chamber, its dark stone walls enveloping the tightly enclosed space, starkly contrasting the expanse of the previous room. Candles line a long wooden table, its surface marked with drips of melting wax.

Selûne settles into the chair at the head of the table, the soft embers of a dying fireplace softly burning behind her. The Shards take their places beside her as Aylin and Isobel settle at the opposite end, calm and composed. Astarion’s posture is rigid and his jaw tense as he and Celeste join them. He’s glaringly out of place surrounded by celestials and the divine, but remains stoic, his uncertainty obvious as his eyes flicker around the room.

“It’s a pleasure to see you after so long,” Selûne breaks the uneasy silence. “You must have questions.”

“I have many, but I’m not sure which are the right ones to ask,” Celeste’s tone is reverent and precarious as she responds.

“There are no wrong questions here, child.”

“If I may be so bold,” Astarion cuts in, “Why are we here? I can’t imagine you invited us to chat.”

Celeste’s head snaps towards him, glaring as if to say, do not embarrass me.

He offers a charming smile that doesn’t comfort her at all.

“Direct.” The moonmaiden muses, “I’ll get to the point then: I summoned you here because I plan to destroy the Tear.”

“Forgive me, I don’t believe I heard you correctly.” Astarion says with disbelief, “We aren’t talking about the same Tear that I went to all that trouble to get into her hands,” he gestures at Aylin, “in the middle of a war with Sharrans? A war I’m fairly certain we’re losing, if you haven’t noticed.”

“Watch your tone, vampire,” one of the Shards admonishes him, akin to a striking viper. His glare snaps to her briefly, but he doesn’t respond in any other way. He returns his attention to Selûne with a guarded demeanor.

“Why? And why now?”

Celeste shifts in her seat beside him, finding his tenacity agonizing.

“It has outlived its use. The Tear existed centuries before the Moonborn I entrusted it to, before Aylin.”

Astarion blinks. “Forgive my impudence, your holiness, but why have you waited so long if it’s outlived its use?”

“It would be a waste to destroy a source of such potent magic. Forging the Tear required many great sacrifices. I wish to channel it into something - someone - else. Someone worthy.”

Astarion glances over to check on Celeste, silent and still beside him. Worry etches her face, yet there’s no sign of skepticism as she listens to the goddess speak.

“And presumably one of these three is worthy enough,” Astarion says, gesturing to the women seated around him. “Is that why we’re here?”

“Aylin’s power is unmatched already, but Isobel and Celeste could stand to benefit from the Tear. And you, Pale One, as well.

Astarion’s jaw goes slack.

“Me?” He lets out a bark of laughter that echoes through the chamber. “Why not your high priestess?”

“No ordinary mortal can magic of that nature,” Selûne explains. “Celeste was born of the same magic the Tear holds. Isobel has touched death and returned, and remained loyal to our cause. And you,” Selune adds, “are a free vampire spawn. Trapped in undeath, yet strangely alive. Untainted by the evils of true vampirism, unpersuaded by the temptation of profane ascension, and occasionally,” a smile tugs at the corner of her mouth, “prone to doing what is right and just.”

Astarion wonders if the goddess is truly aware of the terrible things he’s done, would do, to get what he wants.

And if the good he’s done could ever overcome the weight of his sins.

“The power concentrated in the Tear divided amongst you could provide balance. ” Selûne continues. “Astarion, however, you are…unique in this. You are not devoted to me by any means, but you are devoted to Celeste. And wielding no magic of your own, the ritual required would…change you in order for you to withstand its power.”

Astarion’s body tenses, a flicker of mistrust in his features. “Change me?”

Celeste reaches for his hand under the table, her fingertips grazing his knuckles.

“The Tear is brimming with life. Vampirism is...living darkness.” Selûne stands, pacing before the fire. “You would become like Celeste. Not Moonborn by blood, but magic alone. The moon’s shadow, kissed by darkness. Teu-guenhwyvar, if you will. Bearing all the Moonborn’s strength and vulnerabilities.”

Astarion squeezes Celeste’s fingers as he considers the implications of Selûne’s words.

The goddess’ brow furrows at his silence. “You are free to say no, of course.”

“The sun…” Astarion chokes out, his eyes locking with Celeste’s.

Selûne nods, anticipating his question. “Yes, you could bear it again.”

“I’ll do it,” Astarion declares without hesitation.

“Astarion,” Celeste begins, but Selûne cuts her off.

“You would be bound to her,” she cautions, inclining her head towards Celeste. “For the rest of her life, you would sacrifice your immortality for the same demi-immortality she possesses. Hundreds of years, eternal youth, but you will die one day. Despite your redemption, Astarion, I cannot entrust so much power to you and leave it unchecked. Celeste is the only being you would ever consider putting before yourself. I would entrust to her the delicate equilibrium between nature and goodness that I am allowing to fracture.”

Astarion’s focus moves to Celeste, who seems equally surprised as he is.

“How does this…binding, work?” He asks Selûne with suspicion.

“My offer’s purpose is twofold: you would be bloodbound, nullifying the promise made by Celeste’s father to my sister. In swearing herself to someone else, she would nullify any promises made on her behalf, the new oath taking its place.

“Why not just swear myself to you?” Celeste asks.

“You cannot make the oath to me, because the original was against me. But you are able to swear yourself to another. The price to break a life oath is death, which is the consequence if you wish to escape Shar’s claim on you without forging a new oath.”

Astarion shifts in his chair. The idea of being bound to someone with no escape, except through death, was all too familiar to him.

“How long have you known this was possible?” Celeste’s voice is barely audible, a subtle resentment hanging over her words.

“Since your father swore himself to me again,” the goddess remains serene, in contrast to her granddaughter’s anger. “This is how we’d always planned to free you, Celeste. We originally intended for you to swear the bond to your mother, but when she perished…I had to wait for another opportunity.”

“This choice is still entirely up to you and Astarion,” Isobel reassures them. “I will bear this burden if you wish not to. You could swear the oath to myself or Aylin, as your family, even if we are not close, you can trust us.”

Celeste’s mind races and she looks to Astarion, his eyes reflecting the apprehension that dances within her own. The crackling of the fire punctuates the uncomfortable quiet.

“How does the life oath work? If Astarion and I were to go through with it?”

“The very nature of your souls would be tied, his a shadow to your own - a dark reflection of recognition. It does not diminish your own free will, nor does it require your romantic bond to endure, but it does create an unbreakable loyalty - you can never harm the other.”

Astarion’s gaze flickers between the moonmaiden and his lover, expression unreadable.

“And, to be clear, I could walk in daylight again.”

“Yes. The Tear’s power will strengthen Celeste’s existing power and nullify her weaknesses, including her vulnerability in the sun. That strength shall extend to you, as well.”

“I suppose that makes my choice clear, then.”

Celeste’s hand slips free from Astarion’s, her fingers nervously intertwining in her lap.

The moonmaiden nods. “Your answer is as expected, but I’d prefer to hear from my granddaughter.”

“And if my answer is no?” Celeste asks abruptly, raising her head.

“Then I will imbue Isobel alone with this power.”

Astarion raises an eyebrow. “Are you considering turning this down?” He whispers, not hiding his disappointment.

“I insist you take an evening to consider.” Selûne says, before Celeste can respond.

“I have a question before we go,” Celeste glances over her shoulder at the main hall. “Where are my parents? And the others…like me? I thought I’d see them here when we arrived, but…”

“There are others, Moonborn, here. I was able to restore them to this plane upon their deaths.” There’s a hint of melancholy in Selune’s voice as she continues, “But your father was not Moonborn, and has moved on to his own place in the afterlife. Your mother requested to remain by his side.”

Celeste stops breathing, her eyes brimming with tears.

“They are at peace,” Selûne adds, “I can assure you of that.”

After a prolonged silence, Celeste forces down the sob burning in the back of her throat.

“Thank you. For letting her go with him.” She says hoarsely.

Selûne elegantly glides across the room, her footsteps barely audible on the polished marble. With a gentle touch, she reaches for Celeste’s shoulder.

“Despite what some may believe, I do not force my offspring, nor my followers, to do my will.”

She steps back, returning to her place by the fire, her flowing robes swaying with each movement.

“Return tomorrow with your decision. Be sure it is what you truly desire.”

Selûne’s Shards follow her from the room, one of them casting a disapproving glare in Astarion’s direction before disappearing into a dimly lit corridor.

“Talk, and get some rest.” Isobel says tenderly, before she and Aylin follow after them.

Concern and pity fill Astarion as he murmurs, “Are you alright?” indecisive in responding to her grief.

“I will be. Let’s get out of here.” Celeste says, “Somehow, all this space is suffocating me.”

Remembering the vast emptiness in Cazador’s ritual chamber after killing him, Astarion nods in agreement, offering his hand, not wishing to inflict those feelings upon his lover.

“Let’s go.”

The night air outside the temple is reminiscent of the salty breezes from Waterdeep’s beaches, but without the Dock Ward’s accompanying smell of decay.

“We should talk.” Celeste shouts over wind and roaring ocean, her hair whipping against her face and sweeping over her shoulders.

Astarion’s eyes nervously flicker toward the chaos dragons overhead. “Anywhere but here.”

He gestures towards the ocean. The section of the shore connected to the portal at the temple shimmers with magic, undisturbed by the surrounding sea flowing around it.

“Are you ready?” He asks as they approach.

“To explain this to the others? No.” Celeste takes a graceful step into the water. It ripples around her ankles, its chill causing her to shiver, yet somehow she keeps dry. “But we can’t stay here either.”

Astarion stops her, his voice uncharacteristically soft as he places a hand on her shoulder and turns her towards him.

“If we do this, where would we stand?”

“What do you mean?” She looks up at him from under her eyelashes.

“Would you expect this…us, to be something permanent?” he asks. “Would you expect it to end, eventually? Or will you just go along with what I ask, as you seem to do with everything else?”

Celeste squints. “This is you asking me what I want again, isn’t it? Like you did at the gala?”

“And much like the gala, you don’t seem to have an answer.” He reaches for her, his knuckles brushing against her cheek as he tilts his head. “Do you truly not know what you desire? Or do you simply refuse to tell me?”

“I want you,” she says, “but…”

Excitement swells in his chest, only to be swiftly tempered.

“I sense a caveat.” His mouth curves into something between a smile and a grimace.

Celeste exhales. “Centuries are lengthy…you should know better than anyone. What if you change your mind? What if you feel you can’t escape me? If you end up wishing you’d never forfeited your immortality?”

Astarion thinks, considering the possibilities.

“I don’t believe I would,” he says at last, “and I still hold to that. Regardless of if I tire of you, which I cannot possibly imagine,” he adds with a seductive grin that fades back into seriousness, “there’s no future where I don’t yearn to be free of the pains of being a spawn. Besides, you’d be stuck with me for the rest of your life, too. What if you tire of me?”

“Unlikely.” Celeste pulls him in deeper, closer to her, until the water reaches their chests, and leans in so her lips hover over his.

Astarion snorts. “I suppose that’s as good an answer as you’re going to give me tonight,” he admits, his hands moving to her hips, “I won’t pressure you either way, but you should know I…do care for you. Truly. This isn’t a game to me.”

Silence envelops them for a moment, the sound of the crashing waves growing louder. Astarion cocks his head to the side as he waits for her response. He leans in to kiss her as a wave crashes down over them, causing Celeste to lose her footing, inadvertently pulling him under the current and into the portal with her.

#astarion #astarion fic #astarion fanfic #baldurs gate oc #baldurs gate astarion #baldurs gate fic #baldurs gate fanfiction #bg3 fanfic #bg3 fanfiction #formsofimprisonment #forms of imprisonment #bg3 astarion #bg3 #astarion fluff #astarion romance #astarion x oc #selune

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