#Fanfic Monster In The Mountain
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🌻👶💖
Sometimes things are better when the whole gang is there.
#flowisk fankid#flowisk family#Ardyth Heep#Ardyth Heep Dreemurr#adult!frisk#adult!flowey#nonbinary frisk#flowey the dad#dadriel#fanfic monster in the mountain#undertale au#flowisk#flowey x frisk#fun fact if you call him 'Flowey' in this particular universe there's a high chance that he will attempt murder#i'm only doing it here for proper tagging purposes
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Every now and then I find myself going back to this whole thing (scenario? Storyline?) the whole thing got kind of messy and dramatic, but it was so much fun having these two bark at each other.
And as Monster in the Monster steadily but surely gets closer to its end, I'd honestly love for Az and Flowey to meet one last time, I have an idea of what would happen, the only thing stopping me is that the Flowey blog currently has too many things happening at once, so I'll have to wait it out...(will I still be interested in doing it by then??? Bleh.)
I don't normally do this, but if you've read both fanfics, here's basically what I have in mind...
It'll basically be Az, post-Chapter 20 but pre-Chapter 22, gets tossed into Flowey's bedroom and he panics and attempts to tear a hole into the wall to get back home, but for some reason, he can't, and looks at Flowey- who is staring back at him like "why the hell are YOU here and why are you freaking out?"
Az refuses to tell him why exactly he needs to go back (sppooillerss), he just needs to get home NOW.
They both then realize that they have to answer questions to get back home, and whether they get along or fight is up to how it plays out.
Or...hell, if I stay patient and plan this out accordingly, maybe I'll have post-Chapter 28 Az tossed instead, that'll be much more interesting, but perhaps too spoilery for people who haven't read the fic.
I'm just thinking out loud.
The first question was more of a test of how antagonistic I can expect the conversation to be. It's better than expected, I'll say that much.
So Flowey, now that you've seen the Absolute God of Hyperdeath from an outsider's perspective and seven years of retrospect, does it make you more glad for letting the souls go? Less?
Flowey: "Seeing him makes me overjoyed that I let the souls go, although...I...hate to say it, but I understand why he's still keeping them,"
(Flowey eyes his darker counterpart with heavy thought)
"Although... I'm skeptical of the stranger's story about Frisk's past, there's only ONE way you were able to get everyone near you to absorb all of the souls- plus the human souls, Frisk had to have been there, either way, you were desperate, weren't you?"
Asriel: "'And you think you're 'smart', don't you?' Apparently not with the way you have the audacity to assume and ask me such things,"
Flowey: "Oooooo, did I touch a nerve? Did I make the big bad Godmodder angry?"
Asriel: "I see you're furthering my point, I'm becoming more and more certain that our special 'heart to heart' will end with violence, and your Frisk will be delivered a lovely gift containing your head in a box,"
Flowey: "Mmm, an interesting threat, but you like Frisk too much to go through with that,"
Asriel: "There you go with your assumptions again...,"
#Fanfic Monster In The Mountain#Fanfic Growing Pains#Mr.Hyperdeath#teen!flowey#flowey ask blog#undertale au#undertale aus#god of hyperdeath#Asriel Dreemurr#Flowey askblog#Undertale askblog#just spitballing an idea out
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@neonghostcat I love your fic, Cultivate, so much! I'm still only on chapter 27 at the time of this post but I've really been enjoying it. This is for Shen Yuan and Liu Qingge and Tao Ying their magic tree.
Art under the cut
#thank you thank you thankyou#for writing this#it's so fun to read#and little Binghe is so freakin cute#little tricky fox boy#cultivate#cultivate: slow life on a monster infested mountain#cultivate fic#shen yuan#liu qingge#svsss#fanfic#fic#fanart#fanfic art#ao3#liushen#Youtube
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[Fic Book Covers 9/?] Cultivate: Slow Life on a Monster-Infested Mountain by @neonghostcat
When trying to transfer Shen Yuan from the real world to Proud Immortal Demon Way, the System runs into an error. The transfer is not complete. Shen Yuan is dropped off at the foot of a mountain aware of two things: he's in the story, and the Shen Qingqiu of this world is not only aware but thinks he tried to possess his body — and he's PISSED. Shen Yuan tries to opt out and live a simple life on what locals tell him is a monster-infested mountain no one in their right mind would bother with. Sounds like a great hiding spot! (TL;DR: Stardew Scum Villain Valley Mountain.)
#svsss#fic book cover#fanfic cover#cultivate: slow life on a monster infested mountain#neonghostcat#liushen#fic rec#*mine#enjoying this greatly pls give it a read#the yearning........the obliviousness...........the slice of life........chefs kiss#anyway making the little peach letters was very fun 10/10 recommend you photoshop little fruit letters occasionally#illogical makes
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Some fan artfor Cultivate: Slow Life on a Monster-Infested Mountain by @neonghostcat on AO3. This is a scene from chaper 29 where Liu Quingge (poisoned and delirious) is mooning over Shen Yuan fight the monsters and beasts attacking the homestead.
#fanart #fanfiction #mxtx #moxiangtongxiu #sssv #scumvillainselfsavingsystem #shenyuan #shenqingqiu #liuqingge #cultivate #neonghostcat #fanartforfanfiction
#digital art#procreate#mxtx#fanart for fanfic#fanart#sssvs#scum villian self saving system#mo xiang tong xiu#neonghostcat#cultivate: slow life on a Monster-Infested Mountain#ashs-artblog#original shen qingqiu#shen yuan#shen jiu#shen qingqiu#liu qingge
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FIC REC FRIDAY #1
From The Eastern Mountains by cupcakemolotov / @cupcakemolotov
Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence. Sometimes you have to let go to find yourself. When Caroline walks away from MF, unable to bear Christmas without her mom, she finds herself on an unexpected journey. The world is open to her, but some ties you can't break. Some, you don't want too.
This is quite an old fic, but I only recently stumbled across it and I absolutely ADORE it. I love post-canon fics where Caroline travels the world, and this one is no exception. It begins sometime after Liz’s death, when Caroline decides to leave Mystic Falls and everyone she knew behind to travel the world and take time to mourn. In fact, Caroline’s struggles over mourning her mother are poignant throughout the entire fic, but rather than an angst fest, feelings of hope and healing weave between the words instead, and as the story progresses, not only does Caroline begin to move on but she also reunites with Klaus when she’s ready and their relationship begins to blossom in a way it never did within Mystic Falls. It’s just so beautiful. This fic would be a great one to read at Christmas too - no doubt thanks to it being part of a gift exchange - as Caroline often meets Klaus at Christmas through the years and Caroline struggles with the holiday due to her mother’s absence. The Mikaelson siblings are also present, and if not, are mentioned and referenced in regards to their antics, which warms my heart. Another particular trope in the story which I LOVE is Klaus finds out about Damon’s transgressions against Caroline. So forewarning, there is some Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-Con but it doesn’t go into detail, and the way Klaus finds out (by accident may I add) is AMAZING. You’ve got to read it. It’s like my favourite reveal ever, I think I squealed when I first read it, tis amazing. Also, because if that wasn’t enough, a Wolf!Klaus also makes an appearance, which is a rarity in the fandom and a detail I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR LIKE YESYESYESYES GIVE ME THE ORIGINAL HYBRID PEOPLE!!!
So yeah, overall this is a real banger of a fic and I’d rec it over and over if I could.
#klaroline#klaus x caroline#fanfiction#klaroline fanfiction#fic rec fridays#fanfic recs#from the eastern mountains#cupcakemolotov#there's also some delicious smut#and Caroline coming to accept her inner monster#which soothed my soul#it's just such a brilliant read#GO READ IT
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darkwing + dragons = drabble
After reading that fae disney fic earlier, I wanted to write something. So I took a pluck of an AU I had. Basically this is just “mel writes simps and their hot queens again”.
Whether this is like original DW or the DT17 is up to your imagination.
It had been roughly fifteen minutes since Drake Mallard, a.k.a Darkwing Duck, a.k.a The Dark Knight, a.k.a. The Violet Avenger, a.k.a about twenty other nicknames he’d given himself, first stood in front of the cavern’s entrance. Not because he was afraid or anything, of course! He feared nothing and no one! Especially not the dragon he had bravely volunteered to slay! His knees knocking? The wind was a little chilly, that’s all. The gulp that echoed into the darkness of the cave? Some food stuck in his gullet. His hesitance to take a single step further in the abyss? That was… You know… just a…
Okay, so, perhaps, he was the teeniest, tinest, itty-bitty-ist nervous about the job he had taken. Maybe it wouldn’t have killed him to listen to the entire description of said job before he had loudly declared to take it on. At the tavern, his previous displays of heroism had gone under severe scrutiny, and even his own beloved daughter was joining in on a few jokes aimed at his esteem. So when one of the King’s adversaries announced a hefty reward for whoever would stop the rampant thievery of gold and jewelry that had been going on within the dark woods, Drake hadn’t even let the man finish his sentence before brazenly his eventual victory. He had bragged about how he’d taken down villains and ruffians of all shapes and sizes, so whoever was committing these thefts didn’t stand a chance against him.
Then whe he was told it was a dragon stealing said riches… well. It was a bit too late to back off, especially when his dear daughter began giddily praising dear daddy about his future fight.
So there now Drake stood, sweating buckets down his feathers, remembering the warnings the king’s adversary had given – how the dragon’s size dwarfed the largest castles, the sharp claws that tore through metal like paper, and the fiery breath it spewed that could OH HE WAS SO DEAD.
Him and his big mouth! What had been thinking?! Sure, if he turned back now he’d be called a gutless coward, but at least he’d be alive to hear the insults! Better to die in shame than to die in ashes! What did he have? Token armor of any knight, a simple sword, and a few pellets of smoke used to make a flashy entrance – how was that supposed to win against a beast of such legend? At that moment, Drake turned back around, ready to high-tail it out there, hoping maybe he could distract his daughter’s disappointment with a pony –
When he heard singing.
“Emeralds and rubies, diamonds and pearls,
I take in their beauty, more lovely than girls,
Give me a coin, I’ll give you a kiss,
But no love can give me this same kind of bliss…”
“One last thing,” the man had said before taking his leave and wishing Drake well on his ill-thought-out quest. “Many of those who have failed this task have heard a woman’s beautiful singing voice from the lair of the dragon. Some say it’s the dragon itself trying to lure in a victim. Others say it belongs to a victim herself, trapped by the dragon for their entertainment. Whatever the truth is… no one has ever seen who the voice belongs to.”
The man hadn’t been kidding – the singing was indeed beautiful. It stopped Drake in his tracks, blinking a bit at the odd dissonance. The cavern itself was dark, with chilling winds and the stench of rotted meat. Yet the voice was soft and peaceful, as if whoever was singing hadn’t a care in the world. If the circumstances weren’t what they were, he might’ve been content to simply bask in the lyrics and enjoy the sweet caress of her dulcet tones. But it served as a heavy reminder – maybe there was a trapped woman inside. Drake’s conscience simply couldn’t let her stay there.
With a deep and heavy sigh, damning this conscience, Drake turned back into the cavern and began to walk. Every so often, he was tempted to walk back, but each time he did, that voice would lure him forward. Drake did have an appreciation for the female form, so to speak, but it’d been a very long time since he’d thought of pursing anyone romantically. He’d been devoted to knighthood to begin with, and then when Gosalyn came along, she became his most important person. It wasn’t as if he didn’t want some female companionship – it just wasn’t a priority. There were more important things in life – like trying not to get eaten by a dragon.
To his surprise, the darkness wasn’t everlasting. The further he went along, he spotted lit torches on the sides, illuminating the fact the cavern split off into dozens of different directions. The rancid smell also lessened – perhaps it had only been a few unlucky animals that came to rest and died, which was a much better thought than it having been previous knights who failed the task. “Come to think of it,” Drake thought to himself as he flipped a coin to decide which path to take, “He never said the dragon killed anybody.” How strange.
He didn’t know much about dragons – did anyone, really? But why didn’t the gigantic, fearsome beast kill someone – even by accident – as it was taking treasure chests and other pretty things away? With its size and power, it would have been like swatting flies. He mulled about this as he began to kneel down – the path he’d chosen was getting smaller, the walls closing in and the number of torches were fewer. But there was a light at the end of this tunnel, and the singing was at its strongest. Soon he could see that the path would come to a complete stop, and he swallowed hard – somehow, he was high, high, high above a gigantic dragon’s horde! He peered down at the literal mountain of golden coins and sparkling jewelry, all of it illuminated by thousands of torches up and down the walls. Even the king couldn’t possibly be this rich!
Drake’s eyes wandered over all the various tokens and trophies, wondering if he could get away with a pocketful or two – raising a child as a single parent was expensive! – before realizing, to his great relief, there was no sign of the dragon. He could live for another moment. Maybe the dragon was out hunting for more treasures, and then it’d return here. Surely by then he’d come up with a master plan to defeat it. Maybe there was a clue among the coins! His eyes searched and searched until they found –
“Sapphires and topaz, amber and jade,
There is no beauty for which I would trade,
Give me a coin, I’ll give you a kiss,
But no love can give me this kind of bliss…”
The most ravishing woman in all of existence.
What an opportune time to realize Drake had a type, and this woman that was sitting ever so casually on one mound of coins was checking off every box he didn’t know he wanted. Even from his angle he could tell she was a tall beauty, with shapely legs lazily drifting out from a flowing red rose dress that glittered like scales underneath sunlight. (Which should have been a hint.) As she sung her song of selfish desires, she held up a rather large ruby with long yellow and black claw-like fingernails (Which should have been another hint.) With a tilt of her head, her long dark hair fell over her face, a white streak in the middle proudly standing out, but even then, her rich green eyes shone out, her slitted pupils taking in the treasure. (Which should have been THE biggest hint OF THEM ALL.)
To say Drake was smitten was an understatement, much as it would be to call a typhoon a few drops of water. He completely forgot why he was there in the first place, his little tail wagging so hard it could have made a hurricane. He leaned forward to both get a better look at this mysterious maiden and to hear her enchanting voice all the better –
And leaned in too much. While in his hometown he was known for making dramatic entrances, they had less THUMPS, WHACKS, and OWs in them as Drake managed to somehow hit every single jagged rock that was on his way down, along with smacking into several treasure chests that had been previously closed up. The armor likely helped him from breaking any important bones, but it may have also ruptured a few important organs. By the time he wound up rolling right in front of the very startled woman, he noted this was probably the fourth worst concussion he’d ever had.
The woman, meanwhile, had dropped the ruby and immediately began to stand, eyes narrowed dangerously and hiding one hand began her back – as she spoke, the hidden hand’s nails became even more claw-like. “Who are you?” She snarled, fangs glinting as white as any of the stolen pearls at her feet. “Answer me, if you value your life! Why have you entered my domain?”
There were valuable hints in her introduction and Drake wasn’t hearing any of them. Granted, his brain was badly battered and bruised, but her beauty also had a deciding factor in his blindness. He shook his in an effort to clear it, before valiantly propping himself up on one knee. “Fear not, fair maiden, for I am here to rescue you!”
Whatever the woman had been expecting him to say, apparently it hadn’t been that. Her expression changed six different times as the words sunk in, and she even took a glance behind her, as if somehow a fair maiden had wandered in without her notice. After a long moment of confusion and hesitation, she brought out her (untransformed) hand and pointed to herself. “I’m sorry, but…” she asked slowly, anger gone and replaced with befuddlement. “When you say, fair maiden, you don’t mean me, do you?”
“Of course I do!” Drake replied immediately, hand to his chest. “Yes, this makes perfect sense now! The dragon collects beautiful things to keep for itself, so it’s only natural it would also collect the most beautiful woman on earth!” He stated these things calmly, as if it was natural fact, and that anyone would clearly agree with him.
The woman – with her dragon-like dress and dragon-like nails and dragon-like eyes – blinked slowly in stupefied disbelief.
“I am Sir Darkwing Duck,” he continued, oblivious to the woman’s incredulity. “And I am here to slay the evil dragon that has been plaguing our fair kingdom!” With that dramatic flourish out of the way, he began to look here and there before asking, “By the way, you wouldn’t happen to know where the dragon is, do you?”
The woman placed a hand over her mouth, which Drake took a sign of her being in awe of such chivalry, instead of her physical effort to restrain hysterical laughter. After a few seconds of settling down, she weighed her options, and decided she was just bored enough to play. “Ah, yes, the dragon,” she finally replied, choosing her words carefully, fingers pressed together. “Why, I think you just missed them. I haven’t seen them today. But, if I may ask…” She began to walk around him, as Drake nervously popped off his helmet, sweaty now from nervousness instead of fear. “What is your reward for taking down the beast? A loftier title? A proud mark of land? Or, maybe…” At his side, she tucked two of her fingers underneath his large beak and tilted his head upwards. “A kiss from a pretty princess?”
She even made sure to draw out the “s” sounds, a forked tongue flickering teasingly to see if he’d get the hint.
He didn’t, though he did make a very entertaining “HRGK” noise in his throat. After a choke and a sputter, he suddenly began backing up, tripping over his elongated cape in the process “NOOOO no no no no no no no no! No princesses! None of that!” A squeaky laugh escaped his mouth as he tried to find his footing. “This is, uh, you know… for justice! For all! It is my noble duty to defeat any forms of evil! Because, miss, ah…?”
“Morgana,” she answered, now taking her time to lay down on the coins the same way one would normally lay on their beds, “Morgana McCawber.”
“Morgana.” Drake repeated, first in a lovestruck stupor, before trying to snap back to reality. “A-hem. Miss McCawber-”
“You can call me Morgana, if you desire.” She began to toss a bejeweled necklace back and forth in her palms.
Having a voice that sensual say the word desire was not helping Drake’s sweat problem. “M-M-Morgana. I… have a duty to… help those who have been wronged! And a kidnapping is one of the biggest wrongs of all! So before I can get any slaying down, I’ll be more than happy to help you escape from here!”
“Pass.” Morgana only stopped her game of toss to admire her own reflection in the necklace’s many shines.
Drake blinked once. Twice. Three more times. “Pass?” Surely, he must have heard wrong. “You can’t pass on being rescued!”
“I don’t need to be rescued, for I was never kidnapped.” This was the truth, and she continued to spin more ‘truths’. “The dragon and I… have an agreement, you could say. We both enjoy all the lovely things in life, so we share whatever the dragon obtains. Why should I leave a life of luxury? I have everything I could ever want here.”
“But… but…” Drake grasped the air, trying to find the sense in all this. What kind of fairy tale had the damsel in distress deny being in distress? She didn’t appear to fear the dragon at all! Had being kept there for so long warped her innocent mind? “Okay, look, you can’t just stay here with a gigantic, dangerous, fire-breathing dragon! It’s only a matter of time before it turns on you!” She barely appeared to be listening, flicking a few coins playfully with her fingers. If she wanted to be stubborn, so could he! “I can’t just leave you here! I’m rescuing you, and that’s that!”
Morgana made an amused “hm” sound, and then stretched a bit like a sleepy cat before freely lifting her left leg and slowly dragged it under Drake’s beak. “You are, are you now?”
As she expected, this gesture proceeded to melt his brain into pudding. Any chances of a coherent plan to get Morgana out of the cave were gone. Any chances of brain cells surviving were also nil. All he could do was stand there stupidly, his cheeks redder than a farmer’s best grown tomatoes, eyes so wide it’s amazing they didn’t roll out of their sockets. “Uh,” he attempted a sentence, failed, attempted again, failed again. Any time it seemed like he could have been broken out of his lustful trance, Morgana simply moved her leg back and forth, back and forth, and he once again became a helpless puppet.
Still, Morgana thought, this was more fun than she’d had in some time. Not that she’d ever admit to being lonely or any such weakness. Why not draw it out a little more? She pulled her leg back and began to sit up – Drake fell face forward into the coins and didn’t bother getting up right away. “There is something you can do for me, sir knight.”
He mumbled something into the coins that could have likely been the words “oh please oh please oh please” several times. What remained of his common sense managed to smack him, and he promptly sat up, spitting out a few silver tokens. “What’s that?”
“Let’s make a deal.” She smiled as she spoke, tapping her nails together. “It’s been some time I’ve been among people… perhaps things have changed. If you can find me something out in this world more beautiful than any coin or jewel, I’ll leave this cave for good.”
For the first time in his life, perhaps as a kindness from the gods, Drake was able to come up with something rather smooth. “I don’t suppose a mirror would count?”
Morgana chuckled – maybe took a look to make sure there were no rings on his fingers – and tossed her hair over her shoulder. “Very clever, my knight, but no. Find me something truly beautiful, a once in a lifetime treasure, and I give you my word… I’ll leave with you.”
As much as Drake’s hormones wanted him to instantly agree, and do anything else she asked of him, and boy did he ever want her to ask more of him, he drew a deep breath. On a moral high ground, this was dubious. She was an ally of the dragon, it appeared, and would only leave on account of greed. Yet there was a lingering light of hope. There was beauty in the world out there, but beauty was subjective. He’d have to be creative and show her that the world was worth living in, and shutting yourself away like some hermit wasn’t healthy. This could be the start of a new quest!
His idealism and ego mixed rapidly. Once he convinced her of how wonderful the outside world could be, then maybe she’d help him slay the dragon! Now there was a fairy tale laying in wait! The power of love conquering evil! And then they’d live happily ever after, and she’d be an excellent mother to Gosalyn, and they’d get married, give Gosalyn some siblings, and then all those jerks who laughed at him in the tavern would shut their traps when they saw the gorgeous piece of tail he nabbed WHO’S THE DWEEB NOW YA BUNCH OF JERKS –
“Well? Do we have a deal?” Morgana’s hand was outstretched and waiting for him.
Boy, he’d been taking a lot of trips to fantasy land lately. Drake cleared his throat, and, praying his palms were no longer sweaty, took Morgana’s hand to give it a firm shake.
“Deal.”
#fanfic#darkwing duck#morgana mccawber#morgwing#i have a mountain of aus where its just...#darkwing/siren or mermaid or dragon or whatever monster version of morg#the man's a monsterfucker okay
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Day 3: Anniversary
Fandom: The Hobbit
Pairing: Gen
Word count: 100
Written for: @fluffyfebruary.
Frodo sat down again. "Uncle! We're nearly to the line!"
Bilbo knew there would be a queue at the gates of the mountain. He'd realized that morning, when Bard had mentioned the date. He hadn't known it was so late in the season.
It had taken them the better part of the day to reach the bridge and the sky was darkening outside their bumpy little wagon.
"Frodo, my boy," said Bilbo. "Tell me, can you see the moon?"
"I can't. It isn't out tonight, Uncle."
Bilbo shook his head. Thirty years to the day, and here he was again.
#really short this time#it's getting hard to write these monsters#drabble#fic#fanfic#fanfiction#the hobbit#frodo baggins#bilbo baggins#the lonely mountain#fluffyfebruary#honestly this was not that easy! i've never written a drabble before#fifteen-fanfic#my fic#fifteen#green-fifteen#gen fic#WAIT is this fluffy#i think so#the implication that Bilbo has taken Frodo with him to live in the mountain warms my damn heart!#i mean it's not that angsty#i used the canon timeline i can't be blamed
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FAMILIAR FAMILIAR MASTERPOST
(EDIT: pinning this for linktober to keep things in order! All shenanigans will also be reposted on my alt blog, @critbit-hoard )
If you want to see my general info (and also which tags to look at my other art, click here)
FAMILIAR FAMILIAR is a self indulgent TOTK AU where Link and Zelda traverse the wild lands of Hyrule together. There are ruins to be discovered and monsters to be eaten.
This project is a linktober challenge that will extend past the month of october. Please be patient with me as this is entirely being funded by a hyperfixation and the support of beloved patreon backers (ty patreon backers). Pls note fanart, fanfics, and spinoffs are perfectly fine as long as credit is due!
Chronological Order (updating as we go!)
1. Blood Moons and Headaches
2. Basement Adventures
3. Basement’s Adventures Haunted
4. Basement’s Extra Haunted
5. Lost (and found)
6. World’s Endin, Purah’s Stressin
7. Concern about Death Mountain
8. Goron City
9. Death Mountain vs Oversized Railgun
10. The Sage of Fire
11. Interlude
12. Goodbye Eldin!
13. Rained In
14. Skyview Towers
15. Close Call
16. Welcome To The Swamp
17. A Guide Named Yona
18. Sidon’s No Good Very Bad Two Months
19. Authority Issues
20. Lab in the Sky
21. The Water Sage
22. Reprise
23. Century Idol
24. Safe Travels
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I think it can work if they willingly gave up at asgore, as in they stopped reloading when he kills them for the final time, but yeah I get what you mean. Having the fallen humans give away their souls outside of battle takes away from asgores grief at having to kill them and I also think it makes the monsters look much worse in pacifist since it creates a precedent that humans could get along with monsters before frisk and it makes them seem much more blood thirsty in the pacifist route since they would have had proof they could get along with them in the past.
Overall I just think them dying TO asgore is too important to negate but I also think all the humans did multiple runs of their own so they all could have chosen to just not reload Ala charas plan of letting the monster have their soul.
Transcript: I don't like the idea that any of the fallen children sacrificed willingly, i think their stories hit much harder if they either get brutally murdered or are forced to sacrifice
#i have many many thoughts on the six humans (and a mental fanfic im plotting out for all 6 of them i will never post)#but yeah i very much agree that they all should die a peaceful sacrifice doesnt work to me but a violent sacrifice does#i also want the humans to have SOME agency when in the underground them all just dying and not getting back up is kind of boring#but them all slowly loosing motivation to keep going and coming to the same conclusion as chara that if they die monsters can go free?? oof#love that. they all did climb a mountain nobody comes back from just like frisk and chara did....
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Wanna see adult Asriel and adult Frisk getting married? 💒🖤💖
Now you have! Please throw rice at them! 🍙 💐🎊
#friskiel#frisk x asriel#asriel x frisk#frisk/asriel#asriel/frisk#adult!asriel#nonbinary frisk#adult!frisk#fanfic monster in the mountain
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Flight of the Crows
dragon/fiend!Sylus x gn!dragon/fiend!Reader
Might fuck around and make this a short little series cuz like 👀 This definitely taps into my early fanfic days of "What if they're a monster like him but DIFFERENT??!!" and it slaps idc Written with my Raven character in mind, but can be read separately from that
No spoilers for his myth please!!! I'm only gonna be basing this off what little I know but that is really not a lot so please just hush lol
Title from "Flight of the Crows" by Jhariah
Warnings: slow burn, dragon/fiend Sylus, dragon/fiend Reader, implied/referenced torture, blood, injury, near death experiences
Word Count: 647 (this is mostly a teaser/proof of concept tbh)
Main Masterlist
First Love and Deepspace Masterlist
Second Love and Deepspace Masterlist
The Raven Masterlist
AO3
Tag List Form (fill this out to be tagged in future fics)
Your lungs heave painfully as you clutch at loose gravel in the fight to catch your breath. Half of the battle comes from the burning pain that rockets through your veins, begs you to collapse, to lay down and die. The other half comes from crawling on hands and knees up the rocky side of the mountain.
Your fingers are bleeding. All of you is bleeding. Where the blood stops and your skin begins is a mystery.
Grime sticks to your bloody hand as you turn it over. Your nails have been filed to nothing; down to the quick and beyond. The plate scales that once trailed up your arm were removed by any means necessary. Knives, brute force - whatever it took. Tossed into the crowd of onlookers like souvenirs to your suffering.
The plating on your face hurt the most. Exposed muscle as it was imprecisely removed. It would most likely get infected from the dust and rock. You'd much rather die up here than in front of those monsters.
"Well, well, well."
You jolt back to rest on your knees, glaring up at the imposing figure before you even as your vision swims with the motion. His armor and red eyes give him away: he's a fiend.
Just like you.
"This is my territory," he bites. If cruelty had a voice, he is not the owner, but he mimics it well enough. He smirks dangerously. "I don't like to share."
Your legs shake with effort as you shove yourself to your feet. Fire ignites along every nerve in your body. Your back is a raging inferno. Spots prick at the edges of your sight.
He tsks. "You're brave, aren't you? Standing up to me in that state."
Blood drips to the ground. It is already stained where you were hunched over before, but now it puddles on top of the saturated dirt, beading up like delicate gems. You can't tell where it's coming from any more.
Your fingers are cold. Your toes are cold. It's blazing hot up here, in the fiend's territory, but you're so cold.
The world tilts on its axis. You don't catch yourself. Your exposed jaw skids into the little pebbles and rocks. They stick into the sinewy muscle, jabbing through, down to the bone. You paw weakly at the ground. You have to get up.
"They've really done a number on you." You can hear his boots as they scrape along the dirt, but it's distant, echoey. You have to close your eyes to hear it better, too distracted by your swirling vision to focus. Your palm scrapes the dirt again as you try to push yourself up. "And yet you still fight. Are you that desperate to live?"
A shadow covers your face. You blink your eyes open, but they don't focus. They can't focus.
The silhouette of the fiend kneels down beside you. His head tilts. Sun bolts into your eye. You hiss and turn into the remaining shadows.
"You want to live so badly, but you haven't even asked to make a deal," he hums. "I could save you, you know. But what would you give me in return?"
Gods, it hurts.
It hurts.
He grabs one of your horns, what little is left of it, and lifts your head harshly from the dirt. "Do you speak?" he growls, patience wearing thin.
You're dying.
You're dying, you're dying, you're dying and-
And you can't.
Gods, you can't die.
Not at their hands.
Not of their doing.
Dirt clings to your dry lips. "Help..." It's barely a whimper. Barely coherent. You see the shadow of his head lean forward to listen even closer. "I'll..... I'm......"
He lowers your head back to the ground, softer this time. "We'll discuss payment when you wake up."
What feels like streams of cool sand glide up your body as unconsciousness claims you.
---
Tag List:
@the-golden-jhope @huen1ngk41 @armycaratlover @sylusfluffymeow @cheesemachine44 @nyx2021 @angel-jupiter @thelittlebutton @pikachuzhc @pomegranatepip @cordidy
#fanfic#fanfiction#sylus#sylus x reader#love and deepspace sylus#lads sylus#lnds sylus#love and deepspace#love and deepspace x reader#lads#lads x reader#lnds#lnds x reader#gn reader#x gn reader#gender neutral reader#x gender neutral reader
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its entirely unethical that there are no monster hunter/svsss crossovers. the system manager messes up and just shunts shen yuan to a holding world while trying to sort shit out, and SY just wakes up in the middle of the darj snowfields (mh:s) as a wyverian and gets taken in by hakum village. SY would go batshit insane for the whole taming monsters and keeping the balance thing, especially once he meets the hunters guild research people, and just goes 'yes, thats what i want to do' and then he proceeds to become a hunter/scholar and travel around all of the known world and into the new world.
he'd have two different sets of armor/weapons/gear of different purposes, one for all out hunting and another for quick quiet movements for field research.
some monster friends he has are a Najarala, Lagiacrus, Nerscylla, Tobi-Kadachi, Paolumu, and Beotodus (going off of MH:stories with having 6 party members total).
he just starts exploring the hoarfrost reach (23 years post system fuck up) when the system fixes the problem but then it looks at the replacement soul it chose and is just like 'oh. oh no. he's competent now. fuck.' but it cant go back on it cause of its user policy and so its forced to take This Guy and put him into the new situation, and unfortunately for the system all of SY's soul bound stuff goes with him, which means his wyverian body and his monster familiars.
the system CAN however make all of his familiars be deaged into eggs.
eventually the beast peak lord picks him off the street like a wet rag because this weird feral kid refuses to give her the eggs that he's hoarding, but shes never seen these eggs before and she really wants to study them, so she just forcibly adopts the 'kid.' he's not a kid, hes just a wyverian, who can get really really old even without cultivation, so he's like the human equivalent of a 16-year-old when he's actually around 44.
anyways, liu qingge is absolutely whipped for his weird shixiong who is both older and younger than him, who can delicately flip over a massive Earth Boaring Slime Muskrat with his spear, and who can smash a Tiger Footed Armadillo Dragon in the face with a massive hammer that shatters its skull, and who is so excited to sit down in a small roadside teahouse and rant about trophic cascade, and Liu Qingge has no idea what that is but Shen Qingre (clear restlessness/zeal) is extremely pretty when he's passionate.
#arachnophobia#svsss#mxtx svsss#shen qingqiu#shen yuan#svsss au#mxtx#mo xiang tong xiu#liushen#liu qingge x shen qingqiu#svsss monster hunter au#grim talks#cang qiong mountain sect#multiple links#ao3 link#ao3 fanfic
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hello! i just came by one of your post, and checked your profile for more. could you do a rape scenario for sukuna? it can be short, or long, anyway you prefer, no pressure <3
Smut. 18+. Rape/Noncon! This is a very brutal little fanfic! Do not read if things like this bother you! Contains blood/torture/humiliation/double penetration. All the bad things! This turned out way longer than I planned but I got kinda into it lol. Goes harder than I intended too but let’s face it: being raped by Sukuna would be a very hard experience.
You were a powerful sorceress. That’s what everyone had told you since you were a young girl. Your power dwarfed that of every other person in your large village, and so you were treated as special, almost like a deity. You had your own group of guards, whom you cherished as dear friends, and you adored the villagers who showered you with gifts.
So when the monster Ryomen Sukuna attacked your village, you didn’t even hesitate to step in and try your best to protect it. You were a bit naive, having been sheltered by the villagers, but you were not stupid. You had heard rumors about Sukuna, and so you were aware that you probably didn’t stand a chance against him. Still, if you could only keep him distracted long enough for some of the villagers to flee into the mountains, it would be worth trying to fight him.
He was most likely after the cache of cursed weapons and items stored there, and would probably have little interest in chasing down the people scurrying like rats. You would offer the treasures to him, but he was already in the village, already slaughtering everyone who stepped into his path. He would listen to no offers, no negotiations. So you dismissed your guards, who only left when you commanded them to guard the children as they were evacuated, and then hurried to the village square to confront Sukuna.
When you saw him, your heart nearly stopped. He was far more terrifying than you had ever imagined. It wasn’t just the four arms and four eyes, the massive height, the muscular figure. It was the aura he emitted, the crushing pressure of his very presence. Every inch of your body was screaming for you to run, or to immediately drop into a bow and beg for your life. This man was a cruel and brutal beast. He would tear you apart if you displeased him in the slightest of ways. That’s what you felt when you looked at him.
Even so, there was something awe-inspiring about him. You understood instantly how he had brought so many villages to heel and why people were drawn to him. There was a savage beauty to him that made your heart pound furiously.
But despite all of this, you still had to fight him. Every second you could buy was another second for the villagers to escape.
“If it’s the cursed tools you want, you can have them,” you shouted to him from several feet away. “Spare the rest of the villagers, and you can take them all with no resistance!”
He looked at you then, his red eyes all four sweeping over you. “What resistance?” he asked with a laugh, sending invisible blades slicing through a woman who was running by you. Her blood splattered across your robe.
As you suspected, trying to talk to him was pointless. Battle was the only language he understood at that moment.
So you attacked him. The fight was brief, lasting less than half an hour and consisting mainly of you evading his slashes while failing to get a solid hit on him. You got the impression he could have ended the fight instantly but had chosen to toy with you first. In the end, his slashes ripped through you, shredding your robes as well as your flesh, leaving you a bloody mess on the ground.
As your life faded, you saw him walking toward you, and to your great surprise, he used his Reverse Cursed Technique to heal you! Not enough to restore you completely, but enough to pull you out of the dying state. You were still covered in slash wounds, but they were closing up and no longer pouring blood. You struggled to get to your feet, realizing with embarrassment that your clothing had been completely destroyed, leaving you naked and totally vulnerable before this monster. You wrapped your wounded arms around yourself and looked at him questioningly, wondering why he spared you.
You got your answer soon enough.
He’d dragged you into the shrine, sat down on the raised dais, and pulled your bare, cut up body into his lap. You were too terrified, and too weak, to struggle. You’d used up all your cursed energy in your vain attempt to stall him, and you’d lost a lot of blood. It was still dripping down your body in small, slow trickles.
When he reached down with one of his four hands and pulled his own robe open, you nearly screamed. Revealed to you were two gigantic cocks, one above the other. Both were standing tall and hard. Apparently the battle, brief and one-sided as it was, had aroused him. Or maybe it had been the sight of your naked, bloody flesh. Regardless, you understood what was happening, and your only comfort was that more of the villagers would have a chance to escape while Sukuna was violating you.
Just then you heard a commotion at the shrine’s entrance, and the worst possible sight greeted you when you looked up. Your guards, the handsome and kind hearted young men who were charged with protecting you, had rushed in. The look of horror on their faces probably mirrored your own. You could only imagine what they were thinking, finding you in this state.
They ran forward, intending to help you, but the first one was sliced to ribbons before he got even a foot closer. The rest of them paused, but clearly were prepared to run at Sukuna again, but Sukuna’s smooth voice stopped them.
“Take another step, and I’ll slice her up the same way.”
They all froze, their infuriated eyes watching Sukuna’s hands jerk your arms behind your back while the other two moved over your body.
“Kneel,” he told them, and they quickly dropped to their knees. Sukuna grinned. “All of you watch.”
You turned your face to look at him. “Please, no! Just let them go! I won’t struggle!”
His haunting red eyes met yours as a wicked smile spread over his face. “I want you to struggle,” he said, and his two free hands yanked your legs apart, exposing you to your guards.
To a man, they all looked away, but then you felt a painful slash across your shoulder. Blood spurted as you cried out, and the guards looked back up. Sukuna didn’t even have to speak the threat for your guards to understand.
Sukuna shifted his hands so that only one of them was holding your wrists behind your back. Only one was needed. Two of them were still holding your thighs wide apart, and the last one moved down between your legs, his fingers gliding across your slit. One finger slipped between the delicate flesh and found your most sensitive spot, stroking it with agonizing gentleness. You didn’t want to feel pleasure in this situation, from an evil, sadistic man who’d murdered many of your friends, and right in front of your poor guards who were forced to watch. But Sukuna’s fingers moved masterfully, rubbing in exactly the right way to send jolts of pleasure through your entire body.
You quivered in his lap, trying to pull your hands free, trying to close your shaking legs, but it was no use. Your struggling and fighting only seemed to excite him.
He pressed his mouth against your ear, and said in a low, sultry voice, “For a nobody in a backwater village like this, you’re pretty strong. But that’s alright. I enjoy breaking the strong ones.”
Suddenly you felt something wet and soft moving over your clit. You looked down in alarm to find a mouth in his palm, the lips open and a long tongue protruding from it, lapping at your spread open pussy. You cried out in surprise, and then in horror when you realized the pleasure was becoming too much for you. Sukuna was going to make you cum right here in front of your guards.
You struggled again, jerking against his grip, but it only made him laugh loudly.
“You should be thanking me,” he said. “If I don’t get you properly slicked up, my cocks are going to rip you apart.”
You whimpered in response, tears filling your eyes. You knew what was coming, but having him verbally confirm it broke your spirit.
You’d been avoiding the eyes of your guards. You couldn’t bear to meet their gazes. But there was one you’d been particularly close to, and you couldn’t help seeking his face for some small bit of comfort. But when you looked at him, you found his face flushed pink as he watched you writhe about in Sukuna’s grasp.
Sukuna chuckled in your ear. “Your guards are starting to enjoy the show.” The words cut you deeper than any of Sukuna’s slashes had. These men were your friends! Some were like brothers to you!
Suddenly Sukuna’s hand-tongue plunged inside you while his fingers pinched your clit. You moaned despite yourself, your back arching against your will. You’d never felt anything like this, and with tears of shame and pain running down your face, you came on Sukuna’s hand.
When it was finally over, and you were a trembling mess in Sukuna’s lap, you hung your head low and sobbed. You were so ashamed of yourself for feeling pleasure, for having an orgasm from the touch of this brutal conqueror. But your torment was only beginning.
You felt Sukuna lift your whole body up, then position the tip of his absurdly huge upper cock at your entrance. Then without hesitation, he pulled you down, roughly and quickly, impaling you.
A scream erupted from your mouth as you felt yourself stretching past your limits, your skin slightly tearing, warm blood trickling down your thighs. Sukuna was merciless, immediately beginning to move you up and down his length with two of his powerful hands, as if you were a toy to him. You cried, you struggled, but it only made his movements faster, harsher. He was enjoying your pain, laughing at your humiliation.
Eventually, after an unknown amount of time passed during which you almost blacked out twice, you heard his voice again. “My lower cock is feeling neglected.”
You were half conscious, but you snapped to awareness when you felt his other tip pressing into you. His fingers had slid in beside his upper cock, and were stretching you even further open, to make room. You looked back at him in disbelief. “Y-you can’t! That would kill me!”
Again he put his warm mouth close to your ear as he said, “From the moment you attacked me, you’ve been living on borrowed time. At least use your pitiful death to please me.”
You glanced out at your guards, your addled mind somehow hoping they could save you. But they were all frozen, the ones that had looked slightly aroused earlier now looked horrified as they realized what Sukuna was doing. A few of them had tears in their eyes.
“Please send them away,” you begged. “Don’t make them watch me die.”
“But that’s the best part!” he said, the grin on his face looking slightly unhinged.
And then, the second cock shoved its way in. You gasped first, then screamed as he sheathed it completely inside you, ripping you open in the process. As he began moving you up and down, drilling into you, the pain was blinding, maddening. You wondered if this was what giving birth felt like.
Two of his hands were on your waist, lifting you up and down, one was still holding your wrists behind you. The fourth hand touched your face, turning it to the side so that he could look at you, so he could watch the agony in your eyes. For a moment, he wore no expression at all. And then he dipped his head closer to yours and kissed your mouth. It was a bizarrely sensual kiss, a kiss for lovers. Gentle, slow, intimate. It confused you more than anything.
He released your wrists, but you were too weak to do anything useful with them, so they dropped limply to your sides. The hand he’d been using to restrain you slid down, and again a mouth appeared in his palm, the tongue softly circling your clit.
You wanted to scream again, to beg him to stop. Don’t make me feel pleasure while you’re killing me! you thought. But your tortured body sought out any relief it could find, any sensation that didn’t hurt. And Sukuna’s tongues, one in your mouth and one gliding wetly over your clit, did not hurt. In fact they were the only things that didn’t.
So your body responded. Even as his twin cocks tore through you, even as you could hear blood dripping onto the floor, you moaned into Sukuna’s mouth. Reflexively, without your permission, one of your hands moved up to touch his face as he kissed you, sliding back and into his hair. You felt him smile against your mouth, his eyes shimmering with delight.
You didn’t want this. You could think of very few things you could want less than being violently raped by Sukuna in front of your helpless guards. But the human body does all sorts of strange things to cope, to survive. So you came, moaning and crying at the same time, your body twitching in his hands, your guards looking on in horror.
Eventually, Sukuna’s cocks shot out massive loads of cum, first the upper one and then the lower one, completely filling you. Afterwards, he pushed you off his lap, and you landed unceremoniously in a heap on the floor, blood and cum pouring out of you.
You were certain you were dying, and within seconds you passed out right there on the floor of the shrine.
When you awoke, Sukuna had taken all the cursed tools your village had been guarding and left. You heard from one of your guards, who refused to look you in the eye, that Sukuna had healed you almost completely before leaving. You had no idea why.
You also found out the majority of the villagers had made it safely into the mountains, and were now being escorted back by the guards. So even though you had gone through hell and back, you would still do it again. Your suffering saved a lot of lives, and you could live with that.
Sometimes you wondered why Sukuna spared you, and even went so far as to heal you. Maybe it was just a whim. Or maybe he thought he might return someday to terrorize you again. Either way, you had survived. Your village had survived.
#Sukuna x reader#ryomen sukuna x reader#sukuna smut#Sukuna#ryomen sukuna#tw: rape#tw: blood#tw: torture
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Hello there, call me Momo!
34 years old
Appalachian Mountain Based
Writer by choice anxiety ridden by birth
She/Her, Demisexual, INFJ, possibly autistic
Do not repost my works anywhere!
Will block if I believe you're a bot.
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Welcome to my little corner of monster romance and writing. Here we are kind, respectful, and enthusiastic! Try and do the same when you join us!
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Madness - Chapter 1
Warning: swear language, mentioned childhood trauma, and you know it's a war college so you should be prepared.
Note: I hope you will enjoy this chapter, I'm currently working on ch 2, there will be more excitment as the story goes on, pls bear with me I have so many ideas for this fanfic ;)
A dragon without its rider is a tragedy. A rider without their dragon is dead.
—Article One, Section One
The Dragon Rider’s Codex
„You’re late.” says General Melgren, when I enter his office. He is staring out of the window, and didn’t turn around when he heard me closing the door.
„I apologise, but…” I try to defend myself.
„I dont’t care about your excuses. This is the Conscription Day and you will not fail.” he starts his lecture for the hundreth times.
As if he let me fail. I had been trained for this day since I was born. I am strong, he made sure of that. He doesen’t know the word love since my mother’s death. I never once received a kind word from him. For me he’s a monster, not a father. I hate him.
„Yes, General.” I answer, while I’m tightening my grip on my canvas rucksack.
„Go, and don’t forget what’s your duty. And do not forget that you are a Melgren! Do not bring more shame on this name, that you already had. The Riders Quadrant the only place the suitable to hide your…disfunction.”
What a kind man, I thought. That’s not my fault that I was born this way.
„Yes, General.”
„You’re dismissed.”
With his last word I walk out of the office and I go to wait for Violet in front of her mother’s office. Voices rose from beyond the closed door. They arguing, again.
It’s not a surprise beacuse everybody knows that Violet Sorrengail isn’t meant to be a Rider. She’s small and fragile. The complete opposite of a Rider. Only General Sorrengail is blind to this fact.
Basgiath War College is famous for its cuelty throughout Navarre. Nonetheless thousands of twenty-year-olds waiting to enter their chosen quadrant. I am one of them.
Every Navarrian officer, whether they choose to be schooled as healers, scribes, infantry, or riders is molded within these cruel walls over three years, honed into weapons to secure our mountainous borders from the violent invasion attempts of the kingdom of Poromiel and their gryphon riders. The weak don’t survive here, especially not in the Riders Quadrant. The dragons make sure of that.
I nearly dropped my rucksack when General Sorrengail’s door opened with such a force that’s matching Mira Sorrengail’s temper. She’s Violets older sister by six years.
Mira Sorrengail is the epitome of the perfect Rider. She has short hair to match the standard Rider’s length. She was dressed in black leather and carried her battle worn rucksack in her hand. She was elegant and lethal.
„It seems that General Sorrengail didn’t change her mind about Violet and the Riders Quadrant.” I say when she realises that I was waiting for them.
„No. She’s batshit crazy.” Mira says without a care that the guards might tell her what she said.
„Don’t worry, I’ll be there for her. I can’t guarantee that she will graduate without a scratch, but I will do my best to protect her.” I try to calm Mira.
In this moment the door opened again a whole lot gentler then before. It was Violet.
We practically grew up together, because my father always left me here in Basgiath when he had left to fulfill his duty as one of the most powerful Generals.
Violet was a kind, gentle but sharp tounged woman. She dosen’t fit any of the criteria that makes someone suitable for a life of a Rider.
„Hi Aelin.”
„Hi, Vi. How are you?” I ask her refering to the talk with her mother.
„We don’t have time for a chit chat. Let’s go. We only have an hour before all candidates have to report, and I saw thousands waiting outside the gates when I flew over.” Mira says as she starts walking, leading us down the stone staircase and through the hallways to Violet’s room.
„She’s fucking efficient, I’ll give you that.” Mira mutters
All of Violet’s personal items have been packed into crates that now sit stacked in the corner.
„I was hoping I’d be able to talk her out of it. You were never meant for the Riders Quadrant.” Mira says while emptying Violet’s rucksack to see what she packed that makes it look so heavy.
„So you’ve mentioned. Repeatedly.” Says Violet while she stares at her sister with daggers in her eyes. „And what are you doing? It took me the whole night to choose what I want to bring with me.”
„Sorry Vi, but your pack is almost as heavy as you. It would be impossible to carry it across the Parapet, even for me, and I’m stronger than you.” I wince as she try to catch her books that Mira deemed unnecessary.
„Hey, I want those books. You can’t throw all of them away.” Shouths Violet.
„What’s this for then?” She asks holding up one of the books.
„Obviously killing people. If my memory correct that’s a book about poisonous herbs” I say to at least save one of the books for Violet.
„I’m surprised that you even tried to read a book” Replies Mira not even paying attention to what she says.
„I’m not illiterate Mira. I just have problems with reading and you know that too.” I cringe because I really hate this topic.
„Shit, Aelin I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way.” Sighs Mira, then looks at Violet to divert the subject.
„Take off those horrible boots, they are a death trap. You’ll slip right off the Parapet with those smooth soles. I have a set of rubber-bottomed rider boots made for you just in case.” States Mira while giving the boots and black leather clothes to her sister. „Now, get changed while I sort out the rest of this mess.”
„And you…” She begins and check my clothes if I too need to change them.
„You’re set.” Mira states in a surprised tone.
„Yeah, you know my father. He never let me embarass him by falling off the Parapet beacuse of something this trivial.” I said as I roll my eyes.
„Than at least he did one thing right in his life.” Mira says harshly while she finish packing into Violet’s rucksack.
„Rider black is supposed to be earned. Someone’s going to say we didn’t earn them.” I hear Violet refer to her clothes and mine, when she emerges from the bathroom in her new attire.
„You’re a Sorrengail. Fuck what they say.” Responds Mira while she laces Violet into a vest-style corset over her shirt.
„Here, this is yours. Put it on too.” Mira say and I get a corset that matches with Violet’s one.
„What is this?” I ask while trying putting it on.
„Something I designed,” she explains „I had it specially made for you two with Teine’s scales sewn in, so be careful with it.”
„Dragon scales?” I jerk my head back to look at her. „How the hell? Teine is huge.”
„I happen to know a rider whose power can make big things very small.” A devious smile plays across her lips.” „And smaller things… much, much bigger.”
„How much bigger?” I ask laughing.
„It’s a secret.” She says while motioning Violet to sit in front of her.
„You’re the worst.” says Violet.
„Oh come on Vi, don’t tell me that you aren’t curious.” I tease her.
„Head forward. You should have cut your hair.” Mira says while she pulls the strainds tight against Violets head and resume weaving. „It’s a liability in sparring and in battle, not to mention being a giant target. No one else has a hair that fades out silver like this, and they’ll already be aiming for you.”
„You know very well the natural pigment seems to gradually abandon it no matter the length.” Says Violet with defiance. „Besides, other than everyone else’s concern for the shade, my hair is the only thing about me that’s perfectly healthy. Cutting it would feel like I’m punishing my body for finally doing something well, and it’s not like I feel the need to hide who I am. Besides it’s not like Aelin will blend into the environment either.”
„So what’s your excuse for not cutting your hair?” Mira asks with raised eyebrows. „Because I know you have one too. You two always come up with something to get out of trouble.”
„I won’t cut it. I can braid it tightly to not distract me in a fight, besides it’s not like I resemble the General. My hair and my eyes come from my mother.” I say while looking into a mirror on one of the walls.
It’s true. I’m nothing like my father. I look just like my mother, as they say. She was a beauty and the only person whom my father loved in his life. Unfortunately that caused her death.
When she was in her last months in the pregnency, she was attacked by a group who wanted to eliminate the General using my mother. But she was a warrior and tried to save us by escaping. That was when someone injured her and left her to die. When they found my mother she was dying. Pregnant with me. The healers tried to save her but they are not gods. They can’t bring back the dead. They were only able to save me. These are the only facts that I know because nobody want to speak about my mother in fear to anger the General.
Between the few minutes that my mother had died and I was saved, happened a lot of things to my body. My hair is supposed to be a natural golden color but has strands of silvery white, just like my eyes. They should be golden but there are tiny circular parts around my iris where the silvery white color appears. The healers said that it was due to lack of oxygen. My father can’t even look at me because I remind him of my mother and my unique coloring is remind him of her brutal death and that he couldn’t save her. I think this is the main reason that he hates me. The other is another consequence of the circumstance of my birth.
When I was old enough that the General brought tutors to start my education, it turned out that my brain suffered some damage too. I was dyslexic. It doesen’t mean that I can’t read, it’s just really-really difficult. As if the words are running away from my eyes, everytime I try to read something. It doesen’t matter if it’s a short or long text. My memory is great enough that I can remember a lot of things after hearing it but not everything. That makes studying a whole lot of harder. The General ordered that we keep it a secret, so outside my father, and the tutors, the Sorrengail children are the only ones who know it. This is the other reason why the General said in his office that I bring shame on the Melgren name.
„Well then there’s nothing that I can say to change either of your mind.” Sighs Mira. „Then listen to me well.” As she starts to summarize years of knowledge into fifteen harried minutes, barely pausing to breathe.
„Be observant. Quiet is fine, but make sure you notice everything and everyone around you to your advantage. You’ve read the Codex?” Mira asks
„A few times.” Violet answers.
„I tried but I don’t remember everything.” I shrug.
„Then Violet will help you memorize it once you begin your classes. Then you should know that the other riders can kill you any time, and the cutthroat cadets will try. Fewer cadets means better odds at Threshing. There are never enough dragons willing to bond, and anyone reckless enough to get themselves killed isn’t worthy of a dragon anyway.”
„Except when sleeping. It’s an executable offense to attack any cadet while sleeping. Article Three-„ cites Violet.
„Yes, but that doesn’t mean you’re safe at night. Sleep in this if you can.” She taps the stomach of my corset. „Both of you.”
„There’s hidden sheaths sewn diagonally along the rib cage in your corset. For your daggers.” Continue Mira.
„I only have four.” Says Violet, then she grabs them from the floor and slide it into the sheaths.
„I have four and a sword.” I say to Mira while pointing at them at my ribs and thighs, the sword is strapped to my back.
„That’s fine. You’ll earn more.” She nods „Wear the armor at all times. Keep your daggers on you at all times.” She points to the sheaths down her thighs.
„Someone’s going to say we didn’t earn them.” Violet says. Clearly she worries too much.
„Come on Vi, remember what Mira said. You’re a Sorrengail. Fuck what they say. We will survive no matter what!” I say trying to calm her down a bit.
„Exactly. You’re both famous Generals daughters. A Sorrengail and a Melgren. You can do what you have to do to survive and never forget that.” Agrees Mira with me. ���There’s no such thing as cheating once you climb the turret. There’s only survival and death.” The bell chimes – only thirty minutes left. She swallows. „It’s almost time. Ready?”
„No.” Replies quickly Violet.
„My hands are trembling.” I show them that indeed my hands are visibly shaking.
„Neither was I ready.” A wry smile lifts a corner of Mira’s mouth. „And I’d spent my life trainig for it, just like Aelin.”
„We’re not going to die today.” States Violet and slings the rucksack over her shoulder.
The halls of the central, administrative part of the fortress are eerily quiet as we wind our way down through various staircases, but the noise from outside grows louder the lower we descend. Through the windows, I see thousands of candidates hugging their loved ones and saying their goodbyes ont he grassy fields just beneath the main gate.
From what I’ve witnessed every year, most families hold on to their candidates right up to the very last bell. The four roads leading to the fortress are clogged with horses and wagons, especially where they converge in front of the college, but it’s the empty ones at the edge of the fields that make me nervous.
They’re for the bodies.
Right before we round the last corner that will lead tot he courtyard, Mira stops.
„What is – Oof.” I hear Violet’s muffled voice when Mira yanks her against her chest, hugging her tight in the relative privacy of the corridor.
„Aelin, you too. Come here.” Says Mira as Violet makes room for me, and then extends her arms.
„I love both of you. Remember everything I’ve told you. Don’t become another name on the death roll. Both of your lives are equally important. Do everything you can to stay alive.” Her voice shakes, and I wrap my arms around her, squeezing tight.
„We’ll be alright. I’ll be alright.” I promise.
She nods, her chin bumping against the top of my head. „I know. Let’s go.”
That’s all she says before pulling away and walking into the crowded courtyard just inside the main gate to the fortress. Instructors, commanders, and even General Sorrengail and General Melgren are gathered informally, waiting for the madness outside the walls to become the order within. Out of all the doors in the war college, the main gate is the only one no cadet will enter today, since each quadrant has its own entrance and facilities. Hell, the riders have their own citadel.
„Find Dain Aetos,” Mira tells us as we cross through the courtyard, heading for the open gate.
„Dain?” Asks Violet with a smile. I think she has a huge crush on him, but didn’t admit it yet. I don’t think he’s such a good person as Vi thinks, but I was never that close with him. We always avoided each others company. There’s something in his eyes that’s makes me uneasy.
„I’ve only been out of the quadrant for three years, but from what I hear, he’s doing well, and he’ll keep both of you safe.”
„As if I want to go near him” I say silently
„It doesn’t matter Aelin, just stay alive.” Scolds me Mira
„And you. Don’t smile like that,” she turns to Violet. „He’ll be second-year.” She shakes a finger at her. „Don’t mess around with second-years. If you want to get laid, and you should” – she lifts her brows – „often, considering you never know what the day brings, then screw around in your own year. Nothing is worse than cadets gossiping that you’ve slept your way to safety. This applies to you too Aelin.”
„So I’m free to take any of the first-years I want to bed,” I say with a smirk. „Just not the second- or the third-years.”
„Exactly.” She winks.
„Then we should definitely find the handsome ones. This is our first task Vi.” I joke with her, in hope that she at least smiles because she seems a little greener the longer she looks at the wagons at the road.
„Let’s cross the Parapet first Aelin.” Says Violet
„Sure Vi.” I wink at her.
We cross through the gates, leaving the fortress, and join the organized chaos beyond.
Each of Navarre’s six provinces has sent this year’s share of candidates for military service. Some volunteer. Some are sentenced as punishment. Most are conscripted. The only thing we have in common here at Basgiath is that we passed the entrance exam – both written and an agility test – which means at least we won’t end up as fodder for the infantry on the front line.
The agility test was easy with someone like me who had the „luck” to train under General Melgren’s watchful eyes. But the written exam was a nightmare. I barely passed despite the fact that I practiced for non-stop before it. It’s just the fact that I’m not like the other normal candidates. Give me a weapon and I’ll know how to use it. Bring me an opponent and I will figure out how to win. But I just can’t will my barin to function normally. Which my father likes to remind me all the time.
The atmosphere is tense with anticipation as Mira leads me along the worn cobblestone path toward the southern turret.
The majority of the crowd moves to line up at the base of the northern turret – the entrance to the Infantry Quadrant. Some of the mass heads toward the gate behind us – the Healer Quadrant that consumes the southern end of the college. Then I spot a few taking the central tunnel into the archives below the fortress to join the Scribe Quadrant. Violet wanted to be a scribe for her whole life. But General Sorrengail has other plans.
The entrance to the Riders Quadrant is nothing more than a fortified door at the base of the tower, that we rider candidates will climb.
We join the riders’ line, waiting to sign in, and then I glance up.
High above us, crossing the river-bottomed valley that divides the main college from the even higher, looming citadel of the Riders Quadrant on the southern ridgeline, is the Parapet, the stone bridge that’s about to separate rider candidates from cadets over the next few hours.
„And to think, I’ve been preparing for the scribe’s written exam all these years.” Says Violet in thick sarcastic voice. „I should have been playing on a balance beam.”
„Believe me Vi, I’ve been playing on a balance beam for years but I don’t think that’s the same as the Parapet.” I say laughing. „However I’m a little excited about this.”
Mira ignores us as the line moves forward and candidates disappear through the door. „Don’t let the wind sway your steps.”
Two candidates ahead of us, a woman sobs as her partner rips her away from a young man, the couple breaking from the line, retreating in tears down the hillside toward the crowd of loved ones lining the roads. There are no other parents ahead of us, only a few dozen candidates moving toward the roll-keepers.
„Keep your eyes on the stones ahead of you and don’t look down,” Mira says, the lines of her face tightening. „Arms out for balance. If the pack slips, drop it. Better it falls than you.”
„Maybe I should let them go first,” whispers Violet.
„No,” Mira answers. „The longer you wait on those steps” – she motions toward the tower – „the greater your fear has a chance to grow. Cross the Parapet before the terror owns you.”
„Mira’s right and you know it Vi. We will be alright. I’ll be there with you until we cross this damn thing.” I try to cheer her up. „If you want I’ll be the first, than you can watch and copy me.”
„Thanks, Aelin.” Smiles Violet.
The line moves, and the bell chimes again. It’s eight o’clock.
Sure enough, the crowd of thousands behind us has separated fully into their chosen quadrants, all lined up to sign the roll and begin their service.
„Focus,” Mira snaps, and I whip my head forward. „This might sound harsh, but don’t seek friendships in there. Forge alliances. Both of you.”
There are only two ahead of us now – a woman with a full pack, and a man with the woman crying over him. He’s carrying an even bigger rucksack.
I look around the pair toward the roll-keeping desk, and my eyes widen.
„Is he…?” Whispers Violet.
Mira glances and mutters a curse. „A separatist’s kid? Yep. See that shimmering mark that starts on the top of his wrist? It’s a relic from the rebellion.”
„A dragon did that?” She asks.
I nod. „Yes. General Melgren told me once, that it was his dragon that did it to all of them when he executed their parents. Nothing like punishing the kids to deter more parents from committing treason. Most of the marked kids who carry rebellion relics are from Tyrrendor.”
It always seemed cruel to me. Punishing the children for their parents actions.
In this moment the blood drains from Mira’s face, and she grips the straps of my pack, turning me to face her. „I just remembered.” Her voice drops, and we lean in to hear her better. „Stay the hell away from Xaden Riorson.”
That name…
„That Xaden Riorson,” she confirms, fear lacing her gaze. „He’s a third-year, and he will kill you the second he finds out who you are.” She lifts her gaze to Violet. „Both of you.”
„His father was the Great Betrayer. He led the rebellion,” Violet says quietly. „What is Xaden doing here?”
„All the children of the leaders were conscripted as punishment for their parents’ cirmes,” I murmur. Yep, my father was really a monster.
Mira whispers as we shuffle sideways, moving with the line. „Mom told me they never expected Riorson to make it past the parapet. Then they figured a cadet would kill him, but once his dragon chose him…” She shakes her head. „Well, there’s nothing much that can be done then. He’s risen to the rank of wingleader.”
„That’s bullshit.” Violet seethes.
„He’s sworn allegiance to Navarre, but I don’t think that will stop him where you’re concerned. Once you get across the Parapet – because you will make it across – find Dain. He’ll put you in his squad, and we’ll just hope it’s far from Riorson.” She grips my straps tighter. „Stay. Away. From. Him.” She knew me well enough to feel the need to repeat it. I don’t like this whole rebellion relic thing. This punishment is too curel.
„Roger that.” I say to calm her down.
„Noted.” Nods Violet.
„Next,” a voice calls from behind the wooden tablet hat bears the rolls of the Riders Quadrant. The marked rider I don’t know is seated next to a scribe, whose eyebrows rise over his weathered face. „Violet Sorrengail?”
She nods, and picking up the quill she sing her name on the roll.
„But I thought you were meant for the Scribe Quadrant,” he says softly.
„General Sorrengail chose otherwise,” I answer him.
„Melgren?” He asks.
„Yes, my name is Aelin Melgren.” I say then I sign my name on the next empty line on the roll.
„You look so much like your late mother,” He says while sadness fills his eyes.
„You knew my mom?” I ask amazed.
He turned his head to Violet „Pity. You had so much promise.” So he knew my mother, but won’t say a thing. As usual. But I just want to know what she was like.
„By the gods,” the rider next tot he scribe says. „You’re Mira Sorrengail?” His jaw drops, and I can smell his hero worship from here.
„I am.” She nods. „This is my sister, Violet. And this is Aelin Melgren. They’ll be first-years.”
„If your sister survives the Parapet.” Someone behind me snickers. „Wind just might blow her right off.”
„Shut up, idiot. You have a higher chance falling of the Parapet than her. It seems you don’t have a brain to think with, if you don’t know to not interfere in the adults conversations.” I answer angrily.
„You fought at Strythmore,” the rider behind the desk says with awe. „They gave you the Order of the Talon for taking out the battery behind enemy lines.”
„As I was saying.” Mira puts a hand at our shoulders. „This is my sister, Violet and our friend Aelin Melgren.”
„You know the way.” The scribe nods and points to the open door into the turret. It looks ominously dark in there, and I fight the urge to run away.
„I know the way,” she assures him, leading us past the table so the snickering asshole behind me can sign the roll.
We pause at the doorway and turn toward each other.
„Don’t die, Violet. I’d hate to be an only child. And you too Aelin, I consider you my sister so stay alive.” She grins and walks away, sauntering past the line of gawking candidates as word spreads of exactly who she is and what she’s done.
„Though to live up to that,” the woman ahead of us says from just inside the tower.
„It is,” Violet agrees.
„But at least she’s a good sister.” I say laughing.
My eyes adjust quickly to the dim light coming in through the equidistant windows along the curved staircase.
„Sorrengail, and Melgren as in…?” the woman asks, looking over her shoulder as we begin to climb the hundreds of stairs.
„Yep.” There’s no railing, so I gesture Violet to keep her hand on the stone wall as we rise higher and higher.
„The generals?” the blond guy ahead of us asks.
„The same ones,” I answer, offering him a quick smile.
„Wow. Nice leathers, too.” He smiles back.
„Thanks. They’re courtesy of our family.”
„I wonder how many candidates have fallen off the edge of the steps and died before they even reach the Paraphet,” the woman says, glancing down the center of the staircase as we climb higher.
„Two last year.” Violet replies immediately. „Well, three if you count the girl one of the guys landed on.”
The woman’s brown eyes flare, but she turns back around keeps climbing. „How many steps are there?” she asks.
„Two hundred and fifty,” Violet answers.
„Oh god Vi, I love your brain.” I said laughing, then we climb in silence for another five minutes.
„Not too bad,” she says with a bright smile as we near the top and the line comes to a halt. „I’m Rhiannon Matthias, by the way.”
„Dylan,” the blond guy responds with an enthusiastic wave.
„Violet.” Vi give them a tense smile.
„Aelin.” I say and wink at Vi, ignoring Mira’s earlier suggestion that we avoid friendships and only forge alliances.
„I feel like I’ve been waiting my entire life for this day.” Dylan shifts his pack on his back. „Can you believe we actually get to do this? It’s a dream come true.”
„I can’t fucking wait.” Rhiannon’s smile widens. „I mean, who wouldn’t want to ride a dragon?”
„Do your parents approve?” Dylan asks. „Because my mom’s been begging me to change my mind for months. I keep telling her that I’ll have better chances for advancement as rider, but she wanted me to enter the Healer Quadrant.”
„Mine always knew I wanted this, so they’ve been pretty supportive. Besides, they have my twin to dote on. Raegan’s already living her dream, married and expecting a baby.” Rhiannon glances back at us.
„What about you? Let me guess. With names like Melgren and Sorrengail, I bet you were the first to volunteer this year.”
„Yes, I wanted to come here since I can remember.” I say with a smile. „I’m really excited about this. I mean do you see the dragons? They magnificent.”
„I hear ya girl.” Says Rihannon as we high five. „What about you Violet?”
„I was more like volun-told.”
„Gotcha.”
„And riders do get way better perks than other officers,” Violet says to Dylan as the line moves upward again. The snickering candidate behind me catches up, sweating and red. Look who isn’t snickering now. „Better pay, more leniency with the uniform policy,” she continues. No one gives a shit what riders wear as long as it’s black. The only rules that apply to riders are the ones in the Codex.
„And the right to call yourself a supreme badass,” Rhiannon adds.
„That too,” I agree. „Pretty sure they issue you an ego with your flight leathers.”
„Plus I’ve heard that riders are allowed to marry sooner than the other quadrants,” Dylan adds.
„True. Right after graduation. If we survie.” Says Violet. „I think it has something to do with wanting to continue bloodlines.”
„Or because we tend to die sooner than the other quadrants,” Rhiannon muses.
„I’m not dying,” Dylan says with way more confidence than I feel – however I practiced for this for my whole life – as he tugs a necklace from under his tunic to reveal a ring dangling from the chain. „She said it would be bad luck to propose before I left, so we’re waiting until graduation.” He kisses the ring and tucks the chain back under his collar. „The next three years are going to be long ones, but they’ll be worth it.”
„You might make it across the Parapet,” the guy behind us sneers. „This one here is a breeze away from the bottom of the ravine.”
I roll my eyes. He doesn’t learn.
„Shut up and focus on yourself,” Rhiannon snaps, her feet clicking against the stone as we climb.
The top comes into sight, the doorway full of muddled light. Those clouds are going to wreak havoc on us, and we have to be on the other side of the Parapet before they do.
Another step, another tap of Rhiannon’s feet.
„Let me see your boots,” Says Violet quietly, probably hoping that the jerk behind me can’t hear her.
Her brows puckers, and confusion fills her brown eyes, but she shows her the shoes. They’re smooth, just like the ones Violet was wearing earlier. My stomach sinks like a rock. I know what she will do.
The line starts moving again, pausing when we’re only a few feet from the opening. „What size are your feet?” She asks.
„What?” Rhiannon blinks at her.
„Your feet. What size are they?”
„Eight,” she answers, two lines forming between her brows.
„I’m seven,” Vi says quickly. „It will hurt like hell, but I want you to take my left boot. Trade with me.”
„I’m sorry?” She looks at her like she has lost her mind.
„These are rider boots. They’ll grip the stone better. Your toes will be scrunched and generally miserable, but at least you’ll have a shot at not falling off if the rain hits.”
„Oh hell, don’t you dare Violet Sorrengail,” I hiss at her. „Just minutes ago I promised your sister that you will survive this damn Parapet, and now you want to throw away your best chance? Absouletly no.
„I give you my left boot. It’s the same size.” I say to Rihannon.
„What? No, that was my idea.” Whispers Violet.
„I know, but I will do it.” I reply. „Now hurry up, we don’t have time. It’s almost our turn.”
Rhiannon purses her lips in debate for a second, then agrees, and we swap left boots. I barely finish lacing up before the line moves again.
The top of the turret is bare, the crenelations of stone rising and falling along the circular structure at the height of my chest and doing nothing to obscure the view. The ravine and its river below suddenly feel very, very far. Every trial in the quadrant – including this one – is designed to test a cadet’s ability to ride. If someone can’t manage to walk the windy length of the slim stone bridge, then they sure as hell can’t keep their balance and fight on the back of a dragon.
And as for the death rate? I guess every other rider thinks the risk is worth the glory – or has the arrogance to think they won’t fall.
I breath deeply as I walk the edge behind Rhiannon, and in front of Violet, my fingers skimming the stonework as we wind our way toward the parapet.
Three riders wait at the entrance, which is nothing more than a gaping hole in the wall of the turret. One with ripped-off sleeves records names as candidates step out onto the treacherous crossing. Another, who’s shaved all his hair with the exception of a strip down the top center, instructs Dylan as he moves into position, patting his chest like the ring hidden there will bring him luck.
The third turns in my direcion and my heart simply…stops.
He’s tall, with windblown black hair and dark brows. The line of his jaw is strong and covered by warm tawny skin and dark stubble, and when he folds his arms across his torso, the muscles in his chest and arms ripple, moving in a way that makes me swallow. And his eyes… His eyes are the shade of gold-flecked onyx. The contrast is startling, jawdropping even – everything about him is. His features are so harsh that they look carves, and yet they’re astonishingly perfect, like an artist worked a lifetime sculpting him, and at least a year of that was spent on his mouth.
He’s the most esquisite man I’ve ever seeen.
Even the diagonal scar that bisects his left eyebrow and marks the top corner of his cheek only makes him hotter. Flaming hot. Scorching hot. Gets-you-into-trouble-and-you-like-it level of hot. Suddenly, I know that I won’t take Mira’s advice that not to fuck around outside my year group.
„See you girls on the other side!” Dylan says over his shoulder with an excited grin before stepping onto the parapet, his arms spread wide.
„Ready for the next one, Riorson?” the rider with the ripped sleeves says.
Xaden Riorson?
„You ready for this, Sorrengail? I think Melgren is fine, but you seems a little pale.” Rhiannon says moving forward.
The black-haired rider snaps his gaze to mine, turning fully toward me, then he looks onto Violet. That’s when I see it, the rebellion relic. It start at his bare left wrist, then disappears under his black uniform to appear again at his collar, where it stretches and swirls up his neck, stopping at his jawline.
„Oh shit,” I whisper, and his eyes snapped back to mine, as if he can hear me over the howl of wind that rips at my secured braid.
„Sorrengail? Melgren?” He steps toward us, and I look up… and up.
Good gods, I barely reach his collarbone. He’s massive. He has to be more than four inches over six feet tall.
I nod once, while a I make sure that I stand before Violet. To my movement the shining onyx of his eyes transforms to cold, unadulterated hatred. I can almost taste the loathing wafting off him like a bitter cologne.
„Aelin?” Rhiannon asks, moving forward.
„You’re the Generals daughters.” His voice deep and accusatory.
„You’re Fen Riorson’s son,” Violet counters behind me.
Xaden sucks in a deep breath, and the muscle in his jaw flexes once. Twice. „Your mother captured my father, and her father executed him.”
„Your father killed my older brother. Seems like we’re even.” Oh gods Violet, just shut up please, I beg in my mind.
„Hardly.” His glaring gaze strokes over me like he’s memorizing every detail or looking for any weakness.
I hold his glare, as if winning this staring competition will gain us safe entrance to the quadrant instead of crossing the Parapet behind him. Either way, I’m getting across. I promised to Mira that both of us will be safe on the other side.
His hands clench into fists, and he tenses.
I prepare for the strike, if I have to protect Violet. He might want to throw us off this tower, but I won’t make it easy for him.
„You all right?” Rhiannon asks, her gaze jumping between Xaden and me.
He glances at her. „You’re friends?”
„We met on the stairs,” she says, squaring her shoulders.
He looks down, noting our mismatched boots, and arches a brow. His hands relax. „Interesting.”
Fuck, Violet and her big heart.
„Are you going to kill us?” Asks Violet behind me.
„Shit, Violet just shut up please.” I hiss at Vi. „I don’t think it is a good idea to tempt someone throwing us off, who is bigger and stronger then us. I suppose you just have a death wish with pissing him off.” I facepalmed.
His gaze clashes with mine as the sky opens and rain falls in a deluge, soaking my hair, my leathers, and the stones around us in seconds.
A scream rends the air, and we jerk our attention to the Parapet just in time to see Dylan slip.
Violet gasps behind me.
He catches himself, hooking his arms over the stone bridge as his feet kick beneath him, scrambling for a purchase that isn’t there.
„Pull yourself up, Dylan!” Rhiannon shouts.
„Oh gods!” In the corner of my eyes I see that Violet’s hand flies to cover her mouth. That’s when Dylan loses his grip on the water-slick stone and falls, disappearing from view. The wind and rain steal any sound his body might make in the valley below.
Xaden never takes his eyes from me, watching silently with a look I can’t interpret.
„Why would I waste my energy killing you when the Parapet will do it for me?” A wicked smile curves his lips. „Your turn Melgren.”
Fucking handsome bastard.
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