#I want to seek out my followers and give them blessings. I want to curse and ruin the worst kings.

[wawhii]

Religious fictive talk once again.

If you're going to be strange on this post, especially about my source, don't fucking read it.

[missmorize]

My Personal Alastor Headcanons

Not because I'm a simp or anything ahahahah.... All SFW aside from some cursing of course. :)

I am sleep deprived and stupid so some of these maybe shit and have terrible spelling errors. My mind is running at 3% and some of these were spontaneously made up because that's how my mind works. Enjoy.

📻 Viv let us play with Alastor's sexuality and so I hc he is demisexual (totally not me projecting and basing it off my own experiences, nahhhh...) and he rarely falls for anyone, but when he does he falls HARD.

• That being said, the flirtation begins. He is terrible at it... He respects boundaries and is incredibly respectful but he 100% butchers pickup lines because he genuinely thinks our generation likes those.

- "If you were a vegetable you would be a cucumber."

- "Do you have an extra heart? Mine was stolen."

- Can demons have strokes? That's probably what you are saying

- Angel Dust hears and DIES. Surprisingly gives some solid advice.

- "Stop with the pick-up lines. Just be yourself and it'll work, trust me, ya weirdo..."

- So he does. AKA secretly follows you, will randomly spawn to open doors for you or pull out chairs, chivalry isn't dead, dear! Also tells you about his grizzly murders in his lifetime, if anyone disrespects you prepare for your knight in shoulder pads, will be slick and dedicates one of his radio shows to you and plays an old song from his day. Makes you SWOON. Angel is proud.

- Also likes dates to Cannibal Town and introduces you to Rosie. She thinks you are the cutest thing in the world, prepared to be coddled by both.

📻 He likes to play dress up with you if you let him. Picking out your wardrobe is SO fun for him.

📻 Is a top tier cook. Usually prefers meat and will cook that for you, but if he finds out you are a vegan/pescitarian/etc he will do that. Gets excited when you compliment his cooking.

📻 HE HAS A SECRET TAIL HE IS ASHAMED OF AND I WILL NOT HIDE IT. I LOVE WHEN POWERFUL CHARACTERS HAVE A MILD INCONVENIENCE THAT MAKES THEM LESS SCARY.

📻 He learns words and if it's not from Rosie... Be prepared because it gets bad and gets cringe.

- "Ah! Darling, I heard some demons today as I was on a stroll, they were from your era. What is a mee-mee?"

- "I see... I see. They also said the word "gyatt" to a woman, I assume that is a compliment, so my dear, you have a-"

- You stop him right there, explains what that means and he short circuits. He walks over to the corner and just places his head against it. "I would like to be alone for a while..."

- "If mama knew I said this she would beat my ass to next Tuesday..."

📻 I know it says he's not big on touch but I HC he really doesn't care. He never seems to show any recoil from it, but maybe its just if its strangers?

📻 Will educate you on everything he knows on the macabre and morbid.

📻 Will FORCE you to sit down and check out vintage stuff. Watching TV? Not anymore, there is a microphone cane through it. Charlie has bought you like six phones now...

📻 He is overall an attention seeking puppy.

📻 Does things that get him praise. He WANTS his ego boost and knows you'll give it to him.

📻 Gossips with you about everyone and anything, listens to you rant and will give some genuinely good advice unless its like about an ex or something.

- "Simple, dear! Just kill them."

📻 Jokingly (?) tries to get you to sell your soul to him.

- "All in jest, don't worry! I think the look on your face is HILARIOUS!"

📻 If he sees you upset he tries to make you smile.

📻 If you are short he will put things on the top shelf and stifle a laugh as he watches you try to get it. Bless Husk and Angel for getting it for you.

📻 Angel is the only male he doesn't really have a problem with, hence when he hears about Valentino he has a bit of anger, also just because he thinks hes gross and perverse. Someone like that doesn't deserve to be breathing.

📻 Whiskey is his forte. VERY picky with his drinks, he doesn't like the cheap stuff like Husk does. A lot of people say he drinks wine but I imagine he only likes the hard stuff.

📻 He is the type of man to leave the toilet seat up. Vaggie has voiced her opinions on it.

📻 When he got Niffty out of that toilet he probably waited until the bubbles almost stopped. He's a little bit of an asshole.

📻 Actively pranks Husk. Someone save the cat-man...

- Switches his alcohol with non-alcoholic and sees how long it takes him to realize or get drunk even though he's not.

- Plays poker against him but will actively cheat to make sure he wins 100% of the time.

- Puts cucumbers down to scare the shit out of him.

📻 Since he is a deer demon (a Stag at that) he is VERY territorial, especially of the Hotel. This is HIS home. Will never admit it though.

📻 ✨Sweet Southern Boy✨ (Not really a HC I just wanted to say that, nor is he really sweet)

📻 He hides his accent. It will come out though when he is extremely extremely angry or when he is extremely relaxed.

📻 Will wake you up by staring in your face, you may or not have screamed once.

📻 Bullies Sir Pentious. He's still pissed about him ripping his tailcoat and he holds a grudge.

📻 Also not a headcanon but doesn't mind personal space, will come into the bathroom as you shower for conversation and draw on the steamed mirror. If you ask him to stop he will and completely understands.

📻 Sits and stares at a wall sometime.

📻 Gets everyone to taste his coffee, it is mostly coffee grounds.

📻 Has ate a dog demon on more than one occasion. Unapologetically.

📻 You know those compilations of like people getting hurt on youtube? If he used the internet that shit would be the funniest thing in the world to him.

📻 Uses 1920s slang to confuse everyone.

📻 Jealous.

- Plationic: Um... He's your best friend, right? Why are you giving attention to others when he is RIGHT THERE. Oh? They can do that, well he can do it ten times better. Watch what else he can do! Yeah, he's the coolest, right?

- Romantically: Time to butt heads and flex every possible way. Will RUIN the person's confidence, the psychological warfare begins. He is the better one and he must make it known. If they start flirting with you, blood will be spilled.

📻 When people try and lecture him it goes in one ear and out the other.

📻 His hair tufts are his ears, that may actually be canon, not sure.

- If he gets comfortable enough and you scratch behind they he MELTS. It scared him at first but once he first fell asleep it was nice.

📻 Will tell you about his mother constantly. Bases a lot of his morals and being a gentleman off how his mother taught him and treats women like ✨queens✨

📻 I HC one of his biggest problems with Lucifer and why they had tha number was because he was absent in Charlie's life so much and since his dad left him and his mother he believes absent fathers are the worst. He believes you have an obligation AS A FATHER to be the best you can be and raise your child.

- Absent father? Will bully so hard. He hates them to a fault, even if it wasn't their fault. He refuses to take criticism on it and its one of the things he is most stubborn about. Man got some daddy issues he doesn't want to talk about.

📻 His daddy issues lead to abandonment issues.

📻 His mom passing away will make him be extra attentive if someone he cares about is sick.

- Will check in and only really care if it's the girls.

- Will probably tell the guys to suck it up. Rip.

📻 Touch and affection starved and just doesn't show it. I don't care if it's not in character, let me project my issues in peace.

📻 Says the most out of pocket shit just for shock value.

📻 Rosie teaches him things he isn't allowed to say.

📻 His favorite body part to eat is the heart. He thinks it's poetic.

📻 Owns a record player because of course he does.

- If you want him to try modern day music, you best be getting vinyls.

- If you pull up Spotify he will feel betrayed.

- "So... My radio show isn't good enough? You need some... Application to play music for you?"

- Will guilt trip you and not feel bad. You already use phones and social media, like... Will only indulge if you play HIS type of music, and even then he will bitch about how it sounds better on the record player and how he play it on his show instead.

- I clearly know nothing about how radio shows work and I don't care.

⚠️Mildly suggestive depending on who you are:

📻 Likes boobs, he just likes sleeping on them. He was a mama's boy and he probably rested his head on his mother's chest all the time growing up.

[irisgoesgardening]

Zexal Month, Day 21 + 22: Originality + Powers

@zexalmonth Magical Numbers Hunters AU!! In which Photon Transformation becomes the key to hunting numbers. I have been releasing snippets of the story throughout my art blog. You can find them here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6

The story is as follows:

BACKSTORY: Thousands of years ago, the gods battled to determine if chaos or order would prevail. The legendary warrior Astral sacrificed his memories to seal away the god of chaos, Don Thousand. However, Astral World would not be victorious for long. Astral's memories were scattered across the human plane in the form of Number cards, meant to be the gods' blessings upon mankind. With the last of his powers, Don Thousand cursed the Numbers to possess its wielders and manifest their deepest desires. In turn, Eliphas vowed that if there ever was to be a being who could collect all of the Numbers without sullying their soul, they would be able to obtain a wish from the gods and determine the battle between chaos and order, once and for all. Of course the task is impossible. Numbers are too powerful. Those who have tried throughout history were condemned to madness and destruction upon trying to wield the power of the gods.

Until two scientists are determined to end the war, once and for all.

Mitsuko Tenjo and Dr. Faker attempt to build Numbers immunity in humans. Along the way, Mitsuko gives birth to Kaito.

Then, they have a breakthrough—the Numbers are linked to other dimensions.

Thus, Byron enters. He has been researching dimensions and how certain humans have higher "spiritual drift" values than others. Humans with high drift aptitudes are able to wield Numbers for longer than the average human due to their close connection with the home of the gods (the other dimensions). Unfortunately, once Don Thousand's curse sets in, they become an extremely dangerous individual. The three work together for a few years. Due to the stress of the work, Mitsuko finds that she can no longer have children. She falls into despair, deciding to collect all the Numbers to have another child. With all of the progress they have made, Mitsuko decides to set out and become the first Hunter—Hunter Starlight. One day on a hunt, she and Faker encounter the Barians. They offer to grant her wish as long as her future child will fight on behalf of Barian World to destroy Astral World. They accept. Eventually, Haruto arrives, but at that point, Mitsuko's body has deteriorated from collecting Numbers. She dies, leaving Dr. Faker heartbroken. Although she didn't succumb to Don Thousand's curse, her body slowly withered away.

This was the cost of using the power of the gods. Haruto is born weak. Dr. Faker seeks out the Barians to break the contract. They laugh in his face and say after he collects all the Numbers, they'll heal Haruto. For now, if he doesn't want Haruto to end up like his mother, he'll need to find a few replacements. They hint that the most powerful Hunters are born from despair. Kaito is the perfect candidate. Before he begins his experiments on his son, Dr. Faker must be sure though. He turns his eye on Byron and Kazuma Tsukumo's sons. Yuma Tsukumo is randomly picked to see if an average citizen of Heartland could become a Hunter. Cue episode 55's flashback. This time, Faker sacrifices Byron and Kazuma for his experiment but also to buy more time for Haruto. "Take two innocent souls as a token of my goodwill" kinda messed up shit. In turn, the Barians give Haruto powers to destroy Astral World but still refuse to break his contract. Faker proceeds to isolate Christopher and further plunge him into despair. When he is at the end of his rope, Dr. Faker asks if he wishes to become a Hunter. Hunter V is soon born. He is instructed to train Kaito to become a Hunter as well. Faker continues to keep a close eye on Yuma and Kamishiro Rio and Ryoga—twins with abnormally high spiritual drift values. TO BE A HUNTER: Hunters are legends in Heartland City. Their identities are kept secret, but they are hailed as heroes to mankind. To become a Hunter, there are five key determinants: 1. Despair Values (Or, D-levels) 2. Physical Strength 3. Mental Fortitude 4. Spiritual Drift (Or, the individual's ability to communicate with the Numbers/drift between dimensions) 5. Numbers Affinity (Their compatibility with their Number) Episode summary in the reblog!!

[drippingviolets3]

Omfg yall I’ve had this theory boiling up for MONTHS now and I gotta spill-

So first of all for my normal viewers, though it doesn’t say so in my description (yet. That I am aware of.) I’m into a game called Touch Starved and it’s a gothic horror visual novel. The demo is our, it’s free, go play it if you’re cool with the themes.

Now, one of the character’s has caught my eye, and for all the wrong reasons. Leander, the only “human” (or at least, non-cursed human) of the cast. His gang of bloodhounds are both portrayed as saviors, but are also described as being just as bad as the senobium (again for my usual viewers, go play the demo and you’ll learn what that is). This got me suspicious, and as everyone in the fandom has been doing, I started to theorize and….

Bro Leander is totally a cult leader 💀

My reasoning goes as follows:

1• The base of operations for them is a tavern. It’s said that their alcohol is watered down, but it makes people drink more. Alcohol can lead to dumb decisions, but under influence and the right persuasion, it could lead to something drastic.

2• Everyone seems to worship Leander. He’s able to get an entire bar to calm down when the player even mentions the senobium (more on that later), they always want to see his magic in work and receive his gifts, like how cult followers will seek out blessings from their leader

3• The matching cloaks. That alone screams shady, but at the same time screams unity under one cause. If Leander is their leader, they’re following *his* cause.

4• The phrase “as above so below” that they used in their ads. It means that whatever happens in a higher realm or plane of existence, will also correspond with the lower realm. It comes from The Emerald tablet of Hermes, which is a part of Hermeticism. The thing that they worshipped was not to be shown or described as straight up the devil or god, people were meant to come to their own conclusions about him. That could mean that the Bloodhounds are luring in people from various circumstances, and promising them each something they believe in because they’re all meant to have a individual belief on their being of worship.

4• Leander claimed that his flower bouquet he made was for someone in need of good luck. Leander could very well be the person they’re worshiping because they belief he’s creating miracles, and we all know Leander is an attention whore.

5• The bloodhounds are given a place to stay as well as food and water. The member’s entire lives are in control of Leander and the bloodhounds. If Leander decides you aren’t worth his time he could easily give the word and everyone would rip you apart. This could encourage obedience from the members.

Every character in this game has a dark side as edgy as that sounds. No one is truly innocent, including characters like Leander. I’ll be adding to the theory as I go on, but other then what I’ve already written that’s all I have so far.

[taggedmemes]

SENTENCE MEME BALDUR'S GATE 3 / PART THREE

i heard what happened.

thank you for protecting the child.

we can risk violence here or face it for certain on the road.

a low thought, but i'd be lying if i said i hadn't considered it.

i'm not some murderer for hire.

to get these people to safety, there's nothing i won't do.

if your people survived that, they'll survive anything.

it's unusual for them to organize so cleverly.

you're equal to the task.

try not to keel over with the first blade drawn.

might not look it, but we're tough.

there's optimism and then there's stupid.

how are you going to take my gold if you're dead?

just leave the gold on my corpse.

i wish we could at least give them a proper burial.

gold ain't any use if you're too cold to spend it.

you're giving up?

you should leave it, or destroy it.

at best it's worthless. at worst, who knows.

do not trifle with that moon witch or her trinkets.

only trouble will follow.

we've enough troubles and burdens as it is.

perhaps you can sell that for a couple of coins.

i should pluck your eyes out.

a cursed book? how obvious.

this quarrel sours our feast.

be you friend or food?

am i not astonishing?

i am by all accounts a student of higher commerce and extortion.

it's not what it looks like, i swear.

i wasn't going to hurt you.

i can't believe i didn't see it.

i'm not some monster.

why didn't you tell me?

i needed you to trust me.

you can trust me.

do you think you could trust me just a little further?

let's make ourselves comfortable, shall we?

i was just swept up in the moment.

i'm looking forward to seeing you fight.

you're invigorating, but i need something more filling.

this is a gift, you know. i won't forget it.

good morning. how do you feel?

i just feel a little woozy.

i thought you'd be more powerful.

someone, or something, wants me alive.

as for my other quirks — well, we can figure those out in time.

i'm just glad you're being sensible about these revelations.

i was worried people might turn up with torches and pitchforks.

that explains the pallor.

we're each monsters in the making.

i taste absolutely awful.

we need him, like it or not.

we're bound together, no matter what comes.

you say all the right words, but i'm not so sure you mean the right things.

i will respect the decision that was made.

we're all friends again.

there's a long day ahead of us.

what a manner of place is this?

is this a path to redemption or a road to damnation?

your journey is just beginning.

what would suit the occasion?

i am [name], very much at your service.

if you want to threaten me, don't disguise it.

you're paranoid, aren't you.

must be the surroundings.

rather bleak and lonesome, one feels so exposed.

this quaint little scene is decidedly too middle-of-nowhere for me.

enjoy your supper. after all, i might be your last.

are these theatrics leading somewhere?

are you not entertained?

far be it from me to disappoint.

how dear is one's soul?

you're made if you think i'll make a deal with a devil.

what is madness but a denial of reality?

exhaust every possibility until none are left.

when hope has been whittled down to the very marrow of despair, that's when you'll come knocking on my door.

i'll have the last laugh in the end.

one might say you're a paragon of luck.

i've something important to discuss with you.

we've been travelling together for a while now and it's just about time that i shared something with you.

are you telling me you're addicted to magic?

i would not burden anyone other than myself with this were the stakes not so high.

if not out of the simple goodness of your heart, then perhaps your own self-interest might be sufficient motivation.

please, trust me.

your help could be the difference between life and death.

i'm afraid that's not going to work on me.

let us agree on actions first and explanations later.

i didn't come seeking battle.

you're different than the others, i can tell.

i'm afraid proper thanks must wait.

your boldness is a blessing.

it takes more than mere fire to break me.

i must ask again for your aid.

why entrust this to me?

i know him better than most.

i'm not interested in your lineage.

you shouldn't keep secrets like this from me.

he named me friend, and that meant the world.

they're a powerful friend with a keen interest in privacy.

i'm sworn to say no more.

i spent more time dueling than rubbing elbows with lords.

not to say i didn't develop a taste for good win and a talent for courtly dance.

it's been a badger's age since i've twinkled my toes.

a drunk ogre could put on a better show.

we can learn a lot from fairytales, don't you think?

he'll require of you only what you're least ready to part with, and then require more still.

the devil won't take just anything, he'll take everything.

that is a story reserved for lifetime friends and calmer days.

i question the wisdom in that decision but so be it.

there's no way you could have known.

i doubt a fight against them would go your way.

seems you have good survival instincts.

i go my own way — alone.

[the-lights-are-loud]

It’s terrifying. Rumors of relentless assassins and boundless war on the tip of each tongue. It’s not something you would expect a child to be familiar with, let alone fully understand. Nothing was surprising to his ears. Why would it? It had been one of the things he’d known since birth.

Sometimes he would tip-toe around their quarters at night, listening to each room. His parents had hushed whispers, soft arguments, and muffled pacing. His brother was seldom quiet. Impatient flipping of papers, grunts and huffs of arms practice, and frequent escapes to the kitchens. His room was always dark and silent. Tomblike.

There were other whispers. Ones that intrigued his young mind. The whisperings of answers, of hope, of safety. He followed these. The stories of faraway prophecies, curse-breakers, and magical heroes. This was what kept him up at night. 

“Son, you need to focus. These meetings are important.” His father pulled him from a daydream of peaceful uncertainty.

“Sorry, sir. Uh, but if they are so important, wouldn’t it be okay for me to read what the scribes write? That way I can get more out of them?” He immediately shut his mouth, an apologetic expression quickly spreading across his face. It was out of line to speak against him.

His father huffed, “You must learn now that you won’t always have time to review these meetings. You need to be able to make decisions with what you know. So please, pay attention.”

“Yes sir,” he breathed, shaking at the idea of that future. One where he would have to do this. By himself. He suppressed the urge to hide, to panic, to tremble. 

The rest of the meetings crawled by. Each commoner, noble, and guardsman had their two bits to give. He couldn’t help it, his mind wandered, wanting for life, unlike this one. One that was blessed, unkind, and didn’t have the weight of the world. Where he could be free, to choose, to live, to leave, the allure drew him.

“Your Majesties.” The strange tone drew him back to reality, raspy and sour with no fullness to the sound. Standing in front of their dais, directly beneath his hard throne, was a woman. He had never seen someone who looked so young, yet so old. Her hair was a brilliant white, hanging around her shoulders, like thin, fragile crystals. Her eyes were piercing, vivid blue, holding infinite wisdom, and childlike wonder. She had few wrinkles and the ones she did have crinkled at the edges of her eyes and mouth, from years of the practice of smiling. Her robes were nondescript, a simple, rich brown. Her arms were open like she was preparing for an embrace.

“Your Majesties, I bring tidings of hope. All is not lost for you.” She measured her words like they were rehearsed.

“And who are you to proclaim this?” His father interjected. His interest was clearly piqued, but he radiated skepticism. 

“Someone you haven’t heard from in a while.”

“And who might that be?” His mother finally spoke, clearly annoyed with the roundabout exchange. The strange woman smiled.

“I am Lachesis, The Oracle.”

His father shot up, hands balled into fists. “Get you and your black magic out of my home, and out of my kingdom.” 

Terrified of his father’s words, he flinched back. For once, he didn’t understand. She backed away.

“If you seek answers, my library is open, even when I’m gone.” She smirked at him and his brother. “You have made a mistake sending me away before I can save you.”

“Get out of here. Get. Out.” His father’s voice was shaking. He wasn’t the only one. 

“Boys, go upstairs, your tutors are waiting.” His mother ushered them out of their seats. He couldn’t help but try his hardest to stay.

“Young Prince, you will come looking for me soon,” she cackled, those eyes that were once wise, now insane.

“Konrad,” his mother snapped at him. He was rooted in place as he watched Lachesis be dragged from the room. “Konrad, leave.”

His feet walked him out of the room, but his mind was still on his cold throne, watching his father yell, his mother scream, and guards close the hall's doors. He could still hear the maniacal laughter ringing in his ears.

[hiswordsarekisses]

At times the root of my struggle has been that - I was afraid sometimes that God would not stick up for me. That He might let something happen that would hurt me in many ways - and I feared that I may have had to do things I didn’t want to do in order to protect myself. It caused bitterness and unforgiveness - and when we do not let go and trust God that’s what happens. If you have ever struggled with letting go of something you felt was not fair, or struggled with forgiveness toward those who have hurt you or have not protected you, and/or gave out you at risk over and over again - this post is for you.

“Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, sandwiches a teaching on “judging others” between one about worry - and another about trusting that God will give you what you ask for.

Why sequence them like this?

Could it be because judgment – the act of placing ourselves in God’s seat — is really about a “worry” problem?

Could it be that fear and insecurity lie at the root of our judgments, that in our woundedness and thirst for things to be made even

- we worry that God won’t truly stand for justice and take care of business?

Does the famous “ask, seek, knock” teaching immediately follow the famous “judge not, lest ye be judged” one because Jesus is inviting us to trust God with our grievances, realizing that a good Father would know “how to give good gifts to his children”?

For what kind of father would give a child what they didn’t need…

…exchanging bread for a stone and a fish for a scorpion?

Maybe God hears us crying for revenge, but He calls it the scorpion-curse that it is

- and gives us a fish-blessing instead.

This kind of forgiveness is one of the deepest forms of “trusting the story”

- because it requires the offended to absorb some of the debt that wrongdoing creates.

Forgiveness means refusing to make them pay for what they did.

However, to refrain from lashing out at someone when you want to do so with all your being is agony.

It is a form of suffering.

You not only suffer the original loss of happiness, reputation, and opportunity, but now you forgo the consolation of inflicting the same on them.

You are absorbing the debt, taking the cost of it completely on yourself instead of taking it out of the other person.

It hurts terribly.

Many people would say it feels like a kind of death.

Yes, but it is a death that leads to resurrection instead of the lifelong living death of bitterness and cynicism.

… No one “just” forgives, if the evil is serious. …

Everyone who forgives great evil goes through a death into a resurrection, and experiences sort of a spiritual nails, blood, sweat, and tears. …

Everyone who forgives someone bears the other’s sins. …

Forgiveness is always a form of costly suffering.”

(Marty Solomon)

“Be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32

[misqnon]

one piece x inuyasha au bc I'm insane and wrote this during my break today

luffy is a human kid* sent to the great demon era (I'm great at naming <3) where demons rule the lands after he falls through a cursed well in the forest where he and sabo and Ace grew up. he seeks to collect all the pieces of the shikon jewel and put them back together into....one piece. (loud booing) listen,

in this era, the wielder of the shikon jewel becomes the most powerful demon that rules over all the others. luffy does not care that he's human. he wants that damn jewel

zoro is still a swordsman. not much changes. people think he's a demon, but he's actually just a really strong human who can use techniques like asura. he was a demon hunter for spare change after he got lost leaving his home village. not much changes there, either

nami is a petty thief and navigator who used to work for the demon arlong. she starts to awaken some priestess powers with usopp's help and the staff he gives her, though she doesn't really follow any other priestess rules. she learns other magic, too, still messing with the weather and wielding a variety of attacks without a care for whether they're sacred or demonic

usopp's following in the footsteps of his father- a priest turned adventurer killing wayward demons along the way. his weapon of choice in this au is a bow and arrow which sometimes he and Nami will work together to bless the arrows!

sanji is a travelling cook who's secretly the son of a daiyoukai. due to his mother's intervention, he's a hanyou, but he passes as human and his crew doesnt know he is one.

chopper is a little reindeer demon who's learning medicine and priesthood under the care of lady kureha, joining luffy's crew after they defeat the demon wapol

robin is a demon from ohara who works under the demon warlord Crocodile for a little while, fulfilling a role similar to kaguya. she deserts him after luffy and crew save vivi and the alabasta region from his reign, but she's still wanted by the world at large for being a "dangerous type of demon" with knowledge of the old world and the creation of the shikon jewel passed down in her clan.

franky is a human/zombie/demon hybrid who survived an explosion after his mentor, a demon named tom, was attacked. he put himself back together with human and demon parts alike, similarly to how sesshomaru and naraku would absorb spare body parts in the og show. he's a blacksmith!

Brook is a revived man much like kikyo was brought back by demonic methods. he has to consume souls to keep living, but he only steals the souls of their enemies. he's also pretty bad at it. he's still a musician, though his instruments are a bit more traditional

jinbei is a whale shark yokai, so a fish yokai from the same clan as Arlong...but not evil lmao. he used to be a warlord too, but decided he didn't like the whole feudal part. he's the crew's cultural guide and diplomat of sorts, attempting to keep peace between demon territories and human villages they visit alike from freaking out when a rag tag group of thieves, demons, priests, and fighters show up on their doorstep. he and robin discuss history and archeology often, and in theory robin has a lot of the same knowledge jinbei does, but jinbei has better....people skills.

the setting would be the inuyasha universe, feudal / yokai infested Japan. however, the world government is an issue in luffy's time (1500's fictional goa kingdom) that secretly has ties to accessing the demon world. I haven't thought out the logistics fully, yet. but you can bet your ass luffy's mentor shanks, who is often gone on long "journeys," was actually traveling back and forth from the feudal era and the goa kingdom this whole time.

* spoilers below

* I haven't gotten ro gear 5 yet myself but I imagine luffy is secretly the reincarnation of the demon "joy boy", which will. aid the whole shikon jewel thing. and is also why he is able to traverse the cursed well.

though, humans like shanks seek out the jewel too, for the power it can hold in controlling demons or perhaps (myth?) giving them the power of one.

[keldae]

C. A moment’s respite.

The Last Light Inn was a small bastion of safety in the shadow-cursed lands, the darkness held at bay by Isobel's magic. It was a welcome reprieve for the party of adventurers seeking to take down the Absolute and the cultists in Moonrise Towers – the fairy’s blessing had provided protection from the shadows, but it still was good to have a safe harbour to retreat to.

Having tucked herself away in a corner, Devi sat on a rickety chair, watching the tieflings, the Harpers, and her friends mingling about the inn’s common room. Every once in a while, she could hear Karlach's laughter as she conversed with Dammon, or a shout as Wyll cleaned some other hapless dice player out of their gold with a good-natured grin. Yet her gaze kept travelling back to the wizard in the next seat, sipping on a cup of wine and intently reading a scroll that he had found on one of the bookshelves in the inn. Gale appeared to be completely lost in thought, a little furrow lining his brow, his hand sometimes abandoning his wine cup on the table to stroke his beard as he considered something.

It made for a lovely picture, the wizard so lost in thought, focused on the words before him and not on his surroundings. A man reading really shouldn’t have been that interesting – and yet, Devi found herself transfixed. Something about the angle of his brows, or the set of his jaw, or the way his long fingers moved in the lamp light made her want to study him, committing him to memory.

Because Mystra ordered him to become a memory, a little voice in her head muttered. When we find the Absolute, he's going to follow her damned orders to blow himself up taking it out. That made her look away, gazing into her own wine, lips pressed together tightly as though she could avoid having them tremble, betraying her feelings on the matter. Damn the gods for throwing them all into this predicament, and damn Mystra in particular.

A nudge to her side got her attention. Her heart leapt when she saw Gale's smile at her; he'd apparently lost focus on the scroll. “I'm surprised you're not playing against Wyll again,” he commented with a chuckle.

Devi snorted. “And lose even more gold pieces to him? That bastard’s too damn good at dice.”

Gale smirked. “Have you forsaken your goal of winning the pants off of him in payback?”

“It's taking a temporary pause. But I will say, if his left boot goes missing tonight, I had nothing to do with it. I'll get one of the tiefling kids to give me an alibi.”

That got another chuckle from Gale. “Ah, the mark of a wise criminal. As I would not like to have my own boots stolen in payback, rest assured, I'll keep your secrets intact.”

“Smart man.” Devi grinned and sipped her wine, then gestured to the scroll with her cup. “Find anything interesting in that?”

“Not as much useful information for our predicament as I'd hoped for, but it’s still very fascinating reading.” Gale looked back down at the scroll. “Apparently, if we can make our way to the cellar of the inn, we may be able to find a Selûnite refuge, hidden away from the Sharran Justiciars. The former innkeeper, before the shadow-curse took over, was apparently sympathetic to the Selûnites.”

“Huh. Interesting.” Devi nodded thoughtfully. “Shadowheart might get a laugh out of it, at least. I’m just happy she and Isobel haven’t had a spat yet.”

“Yet being the operative word,” Gale muttered. “Still, Shadowheart does recognize that not all of us have the protection that Shar lent her, or the pixie’s blessing, and Isobel is invaluable for everyone’s safety. Regardless of their… disagreements on their goddesses, they’ll keep the peace for now.”

Devi nodded again, watching as Gale rolled the scroll back up. “Sorry if I’m distracting you from your reading,” the thief said. “I know you love your books.”

“Think nothing of it,” Gale chuckled. “You are quite pleasant company to have around, even if you are quite a bit quieter than usual tonight. A gold piece for your thoughts?”

“That’s the most anyone’s ever offered to hear what’s in my head,” Devi laughed. She looked over at the sound of dice clattering, and Wyll gracefully accepting a rare loss with a seated bow to a triumphant-looking tiefling, raucous laughter drifting over to the corner. “My mind’s all over the place tonight. I’m just…” Thinking about you and how unfair it is that Mystra’s ordered you to your death. No goddess deserves that level of devotion! Forgiveness isn’t worth that much. “I’m thinking about how good it is to see everyone relaxed and safe for the moment.”

“It is pleasant to see,” Gale agreed, looking away from Devi to survey the rest of the inn’s common room. “Would that we could see this more frequently, with everything happening to us. The tadpoles, the Absolute…” He shrugged. “But it could be argued that the rarity of these moments of respite make them that much more valuable, when we do get them. We more fully appreciate them.”

“I think I’d appreciate them fully, even if we got them more regularly,” Devi grumbled. She heard Gale chuckle, then looked back at the wizard. “So… found any more interesting reading?” Usually any books that she found while exploring were immediately handed to Gale or Shadowheart – Devi could read, but she struggled in making sense of the markings on the pages. She lacked Gale’s ability to easily comprehend the written words. Education was more valued for a wizard prodigy and not a back-alley Baldurian thief.

“Quite a bit,” Gale said with a smile. “I have a small library growing in my tent from the books that we’ve found on our travels. If you would like, I could read some of them to you.”

“Would you?” Devi perked up, interested by that prospect. “Any chance that book you mentioned about, uh, stimulation is in your library?”

Gale chuckled. “Alas, no – that particular book is in my tower in Waterdeep. However, I do have a few other tomes in my collection here that may be of interest to you.”

“Consider me intrigued,” Devi said with a grin. She finished off her wine, watching Gale set his own empty cup on the table. “Shall we go investigate?”

“Precisely where my thoughts were, my dear.” Gale grinned and stood up, offering her his arm like a proper gentleman. “We’ll leave the others to their revelry for now. Time spent with you is always a pleasurable experience.”

“Even when we’re both covered in blood and gods-know-what?” Devi laughed and took Gale’s arm, letting the wizard lead her out of the inn and back towards the party’s camp, set up on the lawn outside – all the rooms in the inn had been claimed by Harpers or tieflings.

“Even then.” Gale’s smile made Devi’s heart skip a beat. “Although a peaceful moment like this is always preferable.” “You won’t hear me arguing that.” Devi smiled, savouring the moments she could spend in Gale’s company, in relative peace and quiet. Gods help me, I will talk him out of sacrificing himself to destroy the Absolute. He deserves to live, and I want him to live. She offered up a silent prayer to any god that would listen (except Mystra) – let Gale live. Even if he never loves me the way I do him, let him live.

[rmorde]

The Husky and His White Cat Shizun (2HA, Erha) delivered everything I wanted in a story plus everything I never knew I would actually want in a story.

When I consumed all four books and realized there was more, I was horrified. So, I ventured to all fan translations I can get and practically lost sleeping hours to finish it. It is that good imo.

First off tho, it is not for the faint of heart. Do not be fooled by the cover with pretty art. The premise barely scratches the surface of how dark the story is. Book 4 is also a fucking trap that lulls you into bringing down your defenses before giving you an upper cut in the face then pummeling down your soul into tiny little pieces.

It promised me a cute albeit dark-ish story of two men falling in love. However, what it delivered was a narrative with a thin veneer of fluff to hide tons of absolute brutality concerning racism, classism, elitism, generational trauma, body horror, genocide, rape, mob mentality, gossips, and so much more.

At its core tho, it is still a love story. You just need the patience of a saint and nerves of steel to power through all the pain and agony after the Farming Arc (Basically, be like Chu Wanning as a Reader). ----> I guess you can summarize my feelings as "Went in for the BL. Stayed for the plot. Surprised how underneath that pain, horror, and tragedies woven in the story - it was always about love."

Sure, there were asspulls here (Nangong Bloodline Mo Ran) and there (Butterfly Boned Beauty Feast Mo Ran). There were attempts to set up those reveals tho but they were a bit clunky. However, it is not too detrimental to the overall appeal of the story for me. There were weird phrasings and word choices too but I gave them a slide since it is a light novel after all.

The gore in the story is unexpectedly top notch tho. The fights and monsters are interesting. The stakes in the plot really ramps up the suspense. While some Reveals are fairly obvious, they were still rewarding because they were set up quite nicely such as the reveal of 0.5 Chu Wanning's soul being implanted in the current timeline Chu Wanning, Taxian-Jun appearing, and Shi Mei not being as nice as he presents himself to be.

I also like how redemption was explored in the story. A lot of characters, like Mo Ran, were presented with second chances to fix their own fuck ups. While the villainous characters were sympathetic, they were not given a pass. All of them have to work hard and make the right choices to achieve true redemption.

Just for example: Mo Ran. He feels remorse for everything he had done as Taxian-Jun. He did his best to make up for it. Chu Wanning even forgives him. However, it was not enough. Because the wrongs he had done are not just againstbWanning after all. He still had to pay for his sins with his peaceful life as Grandmaster and earn his happy ending through zombie Taxian-Jun.

There are many more characters trying to seek redemption in the story but I think it would be better if that is in a separate post instead.

Now, another recurring theme featured in Erha is kindness. In the story, Kindness can both be a blessing or a curse. A small amount of it can have big repercussions. Also, contrary to what most people think, kindness is a choice that requires a lot of (mostly thankless) hard work and sacrifice.

Anyway, Erha is my first danmei and I love it. It is dark but with a nice satisfying ending. I'll check out others. Scumbag Villain Self Saving System seems to be a good follow up but from I have read so far about it, it's kind of a parody/comedy type of story?

Maybe I'll check out Heaven Official's Blessing first instead.

[childofchrist1983]

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. - Psalm 119:8-11 KJV

No matter our age,, the answer to keeping ourselves pure is the same: Love God and live according to God's Holy Word. Sounds so simple, so why is it so hard to do? Jesus Christ summed up the Holy Bible in one word: Love! Our sinful nature goes against God's and His will for us, and we must humble ourselves before Him and seek His help to walk obediently in Him and His Holy Word and Spirit. That's why it's so hard!

The first of the Commandments call us to serve and love God with all our being. We are not to put anything or anyone above God. We are not to take God's name in vain by using it as a curse or an exclamation of anything other than praise. We are not to take God's role in condemning anyone or anything. It belongs only to God to decide if someone will be judged, damned and sent to Hell, not to us. We are to take time out of our days to give thanks and praise to God. The rest of the Commandments speak about our responsibilities to others. As we learned from reading the Holy Bible, our allegiance to authority only goes so far.

We are not to follow immoral rules. We are not to kill the spirit of a person as well as not to kill, cut or harm the body. We are to keep ourselves out of harm's way; not to put ourselves in dangerous situations without a good reason, and not to use people for our own pleasure; to treat others with the same respect we want them to show us. We are not to lie or cheat or steal, but to be satisfied with the blessings we have been given. If we do these things, we will be pure in the eyes of the LORD God Almighty. He knows what is necessary to live a fulfilled and happy life and has given us guidelines to follow all our lives. May we open our hearts and minds to Him and His Holy Word and live according to His Word and will everyday.

May He help us encourage one another as we continue our walk with Him and our duty to Him daily. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for being present for all our new beginnings and all our lives. May He redirect any anxiety we feel as He provides countless opportunities for growth and change. May we humble ourselves before God always, asking Him to forgive our sins and make our hearts and lives anew through His Holy Word and Spirit. May He help us make Him and His Holy Word top priority, so we can grow spiritually and grow in our relationship with Him as we apply it to our daily lives. Thank God that we can focus on Him and everything about Him, for that is what keeps us sane and at peace. May our words and actions always be a reflection of Him and His Holy Word and Spirit and will for all our lives.

Everyday, we must remember to thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for the grace that He poured out for us on the cross at Calvary. He has freed us from the burdens of sin and guilt. May He help us to always walk in His grace and Holy Spirit, not by our own measure. May He give us the humble humility to know that our freedom and eternal salvation is found only in Him, so that His grace may sustain us, and we may never lose sight of His love and light and mercy. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for calling us to Him and to serve Him. May He equip us to do all that He has called us to do so that as He works through us, He may use us to produce fruit, to reach others, and to encourage all brothers and sisters in Christ. May He work all of these things in us and through us for His Kingdom and His glory. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for all His creation, for His miraculous ways and for everything He does and has done for us! Keep the faith and keep moving forward in your walk with Jesus! He loves us and He knows what is best for us. Seek, follow and trust in Him - Always!

Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His Holy Word and for sending His Holy Spirit so that we might have His grace, not only to awaken us and transform our hearts in our spiritual rebirth and guarantee our eternity with Him, but to also call upon Him whenever we are in need. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for all the reminders of His love and mercy and faithfulness within His Holy Word. He is bigger than any challenge or circumstance in our lives. Knowing this within our minds and our hearts, nothing can deter our faith in Him and His Truth. May we all accept Him and His eternal gift of salvation and ask that He would transform our hearts and lives according to His will and ways. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His Holy Spirit who saves, seals and leads us. May we always thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His almighty power and saving grace. For He is our strength, and He alone is able to save us, forgive our sins and gift us eternal salvation and entry into His Kingdom of Heaven.

May we make sure that we give our hearts and lives to God and take time to seek and praise Him and share His Truth with the world daily. May the LORD our God and Father in Heaven help us to stay diligent and obedient and help us to guard our hearts in Him and His Holy Word daily. May He help us to remain faithful and full of excitement to do our duty to Him and for His glorious return and our reunion in Heaven as well as all that awaits us there. May we never forget to thank the LORD our God and our Creator and Father in Heaven for all this and everything He does and has done for us! May we never forget who He is, nor forget who we are in Christ and that God is always with us! What a mighty God we serve! What a Savior this is! What a wonderful LORD, God, Savior and King we have in Jesus Christ! What a loving Father we have found in Almighty God! What a wonderful God we serve! His will be done!

Thanks and glory be to God! Blessed be the name of the LORD! Hallelujah and Amen!

[mademoisellefantasy]

One of those nights

She thinks. All she does is think. What a curse to have reason and word! And that word never goes away. It stays like permanent ink, like carvings on stone, like fossils on the Earth's soil. The maiden of the castle was allowed to think once and now she won't stop. What she once thought to be a blessing turned into a curse in few months.

"August and it rains… Only my room and the duke's guestroom shine in the darkness and clouds."

For a little while her thoughts allow her to be less serious, to fuss over the weather and her lord's guests. She stumbled upon them in the small dining hall; them eating peacefully-

"Were the nobles holding hands? Oh, how lucky are they to have love in their blue-blooded hearts!"

-her holding dirty dishes to wash. How easily does romance fade out at the stench of half-eaten food… Still, she was happy to have shared a goodnight with them, to have spoken little phrases in their odd languages.

"I wouldn't call me happy."

There it goes; the curse! At the briefest mention of happiness, it goes reminding her she has a half-written suicide letter she doesn't know if she'll finish or not. It is a letter that made her realize how truly unfitting in this world she is. How apologetic she is. How sad. How useless she feels. How her sister was right to point out all these flaws all these years. How she could just maybe give up. Besides, all her life she's tried to become better and somehow ended up being worse.

"When did it start? When did I forget it takes luck to make it in this life, not just hard work?"

She had always believed that if she worked hard she'd be rewarded, she'd get everything she ever wished for. They forgot to tell her she'll start feeling lost, she'll forget to talk to others, and she will be at odds with her family. They forgot to mention that the curse would make her doubt herself at every step, be too decisive one moment and scared or tired the next.

"Have I lost who I am? Am I turning to someone new? Why does it feel like I am just a worse version of myself?"

Her favorite song speaks of the beauty of existence, yet all she's been able to think of -damn that curse- is disappearing. Her sister is right, she is a coward.

"I don't want to cry again."

Crying in a castle is odd. The nobles either pretend they don't see your pain or discreetly ask you days later if you're alright now.

"No."

The maiden seeks comfort in everything and everyone that'll give it to her. A servant boy called her strong the other day.

"I was crying like a baby."

Still, he called her strong. She doubts she is anything good anymore. She tried to kill herself again and her mother is worried.

"How many more times will I almost do it? When will I finally just give up?"

It is one of those nights, yet she must let it pass and sleep. The lord's guests will need her tomorrow early in the morning.

So, this is very much inspired by my current mental state, but I am glad I managed to at least make something creative out of my depression.

The castle photos are mine and the location is Hapimag Chateau de Chabenet. I was listening to the following while writing:

[reginrokkr]

𝐂𝐋𝐗𝐗. A recent Discord conversation made me want to look into the references I've posted on this blog and I couldn't help myself but take special attention on a few ones that point towards how horrible is to be cursed and corrupted once you are, be it by pure corruption or even Eleazar:

◜Craven trespassers… the majestic one’s dark curse… is inescapable…◞ ◜…In death… there is awakening…◞  (Buliwyf, Guardian of the Desolation.)

◜Depart! Depart…! The shadow of the omnipresent struggle is not something you can bear!◞ ◜...The echoes of the end… will never… subside…◞ (Herger, Jester of Bloody Tears)

◜…Void emptiness… everything is… void…◞ (Rethel, Slain of the Split Bow)

...The curse... inescapable... but... we will be reunited... (Sealed Orders — Khaenri'ahn / Schwanenritter).

And how this has very dark connotations when linked with King Irmin as per one of his statuette's descriptions, but more likely than not the crystallized entity met in Caribert that, according to Chlothar, "blessed" him and Caribert but it could be just as good as the curse described by all these Khaenri'ahns.

A one-eyed carving that emanates an ominous energy, with no indication of what it’s made of. As you gaze upon this idol, you can almost hear a strange, comforting whisper… “See, my child. All that lies under the throne of heaven shall be destroyed by upheaval. The eternal peace of the pitch-dark void shall embrace us all.” (Deathly Statuette)

𝐂𝐋𝐗𝐗𝐈. “Trees” also symbolize wisdom. In one of the legends, a sage hanging upside down on a tree had acquired the knowledge of how to inscribe runes and control sacred words, and thus followed the kingdom established along the tree's roots, eventually gaining a glimpse of the secret of the cosmos / demonic skies. All knowledge, memory, and experience flow through this giant tree [...].

Reading this description, it got me thinking if the kingdom that is alluded in the Silver Twig's description is Khaenri'ah. While it doesn't have to be necessarily it (there is a terrifying readable that talks about a kingdom even further down below than Khaenri'ah viewed in a dream), it's also true that Khaenri'ah is the kingdom we know of that was established underground. There is knowledge about Khaenri'ah using the Ley Lines as a source of energy (they made blocks out of the elements they carry, to be precise) until relatively close to the Cataclysm that they switched it for abyssal energy, so it is safe to presume that they were in touch with Irminsul be it directly or indirectly.

Where I want to go with this is the recurring thought I have sometimes of the role as Bough Keeper (also known as Seeker of Truth, Guardian of the Branches, Observer of Fate or The one who picks up the branches) stems from the Khaenri'ahn times, hence the possibility that there was a more spiritual (not religious, although the devotion many have for the Abyss is if not outright religious, borderline) faction that held ceremonies around Irminsul or one of its emanations in a similar fashion as Sal Vidagnyr did by sending a priest to offer the tree a crown of white branches as tribute and seeking answers that Irminsul did give them once the gods stopped answering to humans (Irminsul also was the one that warned the last king priest of the coming calamity that would happen to the civilization and, as it announced him, he came back to the whole devastation).

There is one last detail that could make this possibility viable and is the fact that there is a sword art known among the Black Serpent Knights named "Truthseeker", which could be adapted to other weapons as well. While not directly related to Irminsul per se, there is this link with one of the translations Bough Keeper has as Seeker of Truth.

𝐂𝐋𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐈. The release of the book collection Perinheri brought a few new details about Khaenri'ah that were mentioned previously one way or another but never specified more in depth as they do in this collection. One of the topics of interest I've found is the existence not only of the black sun and crimson moon as the astronomical phenomenons present there as the norm (solar and lunar eclipse respectively), but the names that the two dynasties take after: Crimson Moon Dynasty as the earliest upon Khaenri'ah's formation and Eclipse (or the old Blacksun) Dynasty, each name taking after the current astronomical phenomenon that Khaenri'ah is exposed.

Simultaneously, these two dynasties have aspects that differentiate them clearly from one another:

Crimson Moon Dynasty → During this period —which goes as far back in time as the times when birds had yet to be split into domestic and wild kindreds—, an orphanage was established in the pursuit of individuals who could transcend gods that came from outside the Kingdom. Said transcendent one never came, not even at the end of the Eclipse Dynasty punctuated by the Cataclysm.

A special command of knights existed that would no longer be present during the Eclipse Dynasty, and that is the Beastmaster Knights which used darksprites (riftwolves and their family of beasts) in order to fight outside sources of danger that poured from the Abyss. These darksprites are said to have been created via alchemy and more precisely yet, their first creator was none other than Gold.

Eclipse Dynasty → The period that came after the Crimson Moon Dynasty, known to be a darker one yet than the previous one. The prospect of using beasts to fight foreign sources that could bring dangers to the kingdom has fallen into disuse and instead, automatons began to be made and used in their stead. Nevertheless, towards the end of the civilization of Khaenri'ah these darksprites were being used in spying operations such as in Sumeru, or as a means of testing dangerous automatons in the making in outside factories.

Furthermore, it's relevant to mention that creation through alchemy continued even if these beasts weren't used anymore as part of the kingdom's military, granted that Gold aimed for bigger creations such as Durin and Elynas among other beasts as well as human creation with Albedo being her finest work of all that is known.

One last thing of interest is that the eclipse and the crimson moon were mentioned together in another instance that is Dain's official introduction:

◜[...] Chalk pursues gold, in this time inopportune, the eclipse is swallowed by the crimson moon. [...]◞

𝐂𝐋𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐈𝐈. Another topic of high relevance that the Perinheri book collection addressed is an existing curse, the Curse of Wilderness, that explains the reason why there are hilichurls from other civilizations older than Khaenri'ah and why being a pure-blood in the kingdom is so important, which is intimately tied to this curse in specific:

◜Hleobrant is the descendant of those who forsook their god and came to the Kingdom. This is why the Kingdom's obstinately pure-blooded aristocracy persists. This is the price of betraying your own god. As for you, Perinheri, you are one who drifted there. Thus, you bear no such curse. You may not have the nobility to shoulder a world, but you too have your own destiny. And as for me? I betrayed no one, not for a moment, until my god died, so I too bear this curse not.◞

This curse isn't cast arbitrarily on civilizations that Celestia eliminates, but is, actually, a curse that is present by default. Those who forsake their god are automatically cursed and it remains dormant when these people who abandon their faith go to Khaenri'ah for unknown reasons (could be the environment by itself that acts as some kind of protection for one, could be other factors that I can't think of at the moment). As soon as these people leave Khaenri'ah again, as the survivors of its destruction were forced to do, that's when they turn into hilichurls.

The reason why there is a sense of pride in being pure-blood and that any of them risk getting shunned if they were to procreate with those who aren't is because they lack this curse for reasons yet to be disclosed. Nevertheless, during the Cataclysm these Khaenri'ahns who were deemed the biggest sinners were also cursed eventually, albeit with a different curse: the Curse of Immortality.

Lastly, upon being made aware of the way the Curse of Wilderness works, I can't help but think that Dain's words during We Will Be Reunited hit different with this knowledge:

◜It's just my opinion, but a word of advice: Always be on your guard when around gods. You shouldn't place too much trust in them, but at the same time... don't go too far in the opposite direction. Don't go trying to overthrow them or hunt them down. Even if the god in question is your sworn enemy.◞

𝐂𝐋𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐕. Recently I've come across a brief Q&A done to Xiao Luohao (head of creative concept and writing team) and among the questions he answered, there is one that particularly struck me and relived memories of the Winter Night Lazzo, when the segment that is in the prime of Dottore's life is shown busy with an experiment in "blasphemy" as he himself puts it. Said scene in which Irminsul is burning was never shown, but presenting it into that trailer wasn't completely senseless either because according to Xiao Luohao:

Q: About Teaser: A Winter Night's Lazzo: Did Dottore burning the Irminsul tree become a continuity snarl?A: No. It's a future content.

This got me thinking about the impact this would have on the world, but also its memories, the souls that are within it and even Nahida. Because Irminsul is known to sustain the world by feeding it with the seven elements through its Ley Lines. But Irminsul acts as a repertoire of memories of the entire world and its beings, souls reside in the current of Ley Lines and it is also alluded to be a tree of time —through which it is not only possible to see memories of the past, but glimpse into events of the future as the princess of Sal Vindagnyr did, blessed as she was for being born under the Frostbearing Tree, possibly one of Irminsul's emanations—.

But focusing more in Dain, I couldn't help but delve further into the meaning of why his title is "just" Bough Keeper when it's crystal clear through the miscellanies that he has a vast knowledge that spills in a more subtle way in his quests, having him possess knowledge he shouldn't know until he's specifically told (like Venti's identity or Zhongli's contract), but also the suspicious arrivals in places where nothing happens at first and that it happens in the brief future to come. These points, relevant as they are, points towards a genuine connection with Irminsul that isn't easy to achieve as seen in Sumeru. So this made me wonder since a long while: Why name him Bough Keeper and not allude more directly to Irminsul?

Maybe what Xiao Luohao revealed is the answer that I've been looking for. If Irminsul is bound to burn, I can only imagine that the consequences might be horrific. But at the same time, I firmly believe that there is a glimmer of hope to this omniscient entity that seems to predate even the Primordial One's arrival. And that's because maybe the reason why Dain is titled as Bough Keeper is because he isn't some Irminsul guardian, but a guardian of the bough that would bring Irminsul back in a continuation once the burning happens.

"The parable of the Tree".[...] The priest had pity on the gardener and said to him: "Go, and cut the branches of the spirit-tree down." The gardener did so, and afterward did as the king ordered, cutting the spirit-tree itself down.Then the priest said: "Plant the spirit-tree's branches in the ground." But the gardener said: "A spirit-tree shall take five hundred years to grow." The priest said: "Your one thought shall echo through eternity." And so the gardener planted the branches in his back yard. In an instant, the slim branches grow into a new tree, and the new tree spirit was a continuation of the past one.For it is the God of Moments who is able to take "seeds" from this "moment" into the past and the future.

Given that it's enunciated in one of the loading screens that Irminsul isn't a tree in the biological sense, if we take in consideration everything it does it wouldn't be far-fetched to think that it hits the mark of being a spirit-tree. And, going even further, it may be possible to make Irminsul grow again in 500 years (unless time shenanigans happen in the same fashion as the Sacred Sakura, perhaps as per Istaroth's involvement or... maybe Dain's own if another one of his titles, Confluence between the past and the future will hold any value lore-wise) and if Teyvat happens to rely on it 100% for its survival, not everything will be lost.

So to wrap this up with Dain's title as Bough Keeper, I can't help but imagine how crucial it is for him to custody that bough that maybe will be the one to bring Irminsul back after it's been burned. At the same time, and presuming that he knows what will happen in the future at least to some extent (if we give any credence to his non-coincidental actions going first to Lupus Boreas' place before anything happens, only for something to genuinely happen time after), the premise of knowing that something really bad will happen and having to sit down and do nothing about it, to always look at the bigger scheme of things in case that Irminsul's burning will cause something bad, but not so irreparably-bad that nothing positive can be drawn from it once it happens.

𝐂𝐋𝐗𝐗𝐕. Related to some extent to the previous post, I find heavily interesting that those few who can glimpse the source of all fate in Teyvat are a great thing all things considered, to the point that even in a place like Khaenri'ah they're branded as heretics. This is something that not even gods like Remus can do and, according to him, they might as well be considered as saints. Quite the irony, but this is approaching dangerously to what I mused in the past about Dain being a priest-like figure due to his knowledge stemming from Irminsul. Considering his links to fate, namely to re-weaving it in combination to having a certain wisdom that wouldn't make it incompatible of him to know about the source of all fate, he could be considered both a prophet and a saint.

𝐂𝐋𝐗𝐗𝐕𝐈. One of the mysteries to me was if the role as Bough Keeper was something that was already established since Khaenri'ah days, but with what's means to happen to Irminsul alongside the little ramble here I did, I'm more inclined to believe that it is not. I'm also inclined to think that, unless particular individuals are knowledgeable of the bigger picture and / or what's bound to happen to Irminsul, it'll be unknown by most. So following that logic, if anyone knows about Dain I'd say that he's more likely to be known as Twilight Sword than Bough Keeper, even if he demonstrated to have a solid connection with Irminsul during early Cataclysm days at the confirmed earliest.

𝐂𝐋𝐗𝐗𝐕𝐈𝐈. Sometimes I do jumps of faith with bold claims that don't tie to Dain 100% (as in being stated that x goes with him instead of me making the connection). But then pleasant surprises happen like peeps finding years-old posts that I've forgotten about that just confirm what I said and I get a little happier. In this particular case, it's about guessing that it wouldn't be far-fetched of Dain to know the source of all fate, thus be considered a prophet and saint by others if they knew (I highly doubt he'd think of himself that way, but if he were, it'd be a prophet and not a saint). Then I re-discover gems like this exist:

◜[...] Dainsleif is a man of mysterious origins but claims to have knowledge of fate itself. As the confluence between the past and future, who is he, really?◞

◜...We waged war against the forces from beyond the sky, yet we were rejected by the laws of this world and tormented by an unjust curse... [...] ...As a people not accepted by any existence, our only option is to choose our own path...◞

𝐂𝐋𝐗𝐗𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈. This isn't directly related to any 4.6 content, but it bears a significant connection when thinking about the Perinheri collection book and to a minor extent, Arlecchino (or perhaps more Emberfire) if we're to recall that it's said that pure-blood Khaenri'ahns are untouched by fate, hence the reason why they're considered to be pure. Which all things considered, it is a good thing to be outside the world's system given the atrocities fate causes —one of the lyrics that are insistent in Emberfire is the wish to not be tainted by fate, as if it were a more positive thing than being tainted by it—, but it is also a nightmare to be in constant war against the laws imposed in the world by the Heavenly Principles, almost as if making the world reject them due to the Heavenly Principles' arbitrariness.

Furthermore, this can be applied to Dain as not only a pure-blood Khaenri'ahn, but also as someone who deliberately was in a journey in search of his destiny and, by the seems of it, he would get to choose what he wants to do instead of having fate laid there for him. It would make an interesting thought to be an observer of what fate does to people in combination with his claim of having seen many fight to defy fate —as per Arlecchino's miscellany— and, based on his own experience as becoming a master of his own fate forcefully because he never had one to begin with plus the atrocities fate does, choose to fight partly to allow others be masters of their fate too, as he claims to be advocate of.

◜In my long journey I have seen many fight to defy fate.◞

Remus and the civilization he constructed, Scylla, Nabu Malikata, Amon, Greater Lord Rhukkadevata and Nahida after her, Egeria, Focalors and Furina, Scaramouche, Arlecchino, the star twins, Ei, Neuvillette, René, Jakob are just a few of potentially more to come in the future.

𝐂𝐋𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐗.One of the things we learn through Arlecchino's SQ is that those who fall victim to the sanguine flames of the Crimson Moon are bound to cast shadows of themselves in the realm world, shackled to their strongest desires or obsessions in the moment of their death. Among its requisites, the sunlight factor seems to be decisive in whether their presence makes itself manifest or not, similarly as it was with the sinshades of Enkanomiya who could only make themselves be visible during the Evernight—night—while they disappear during the Whitenight —day—.

Keeping in consideration that a calamity befell the Crimson Moon dynasty to the point where there were heretics, a war from which there is a mention of survivors of this race and the fact that they wanted nothing to do with the Black Sun dynasty, it is plausible to infer that there were victims that fell by the same sanguine flames and the following possibility that these shadows existed in Khaenri'ah. During Arlecchino's SQ we get a glimpse of what it could be like with only one of these shadows, but it makes for a horrifying experience to imagine plenty more of these shadows talking to people, convincing them of things and more. To that, we could also add the probability that Khaenri'ah wasn't basked in daylight per se, as it's been described so far to be under the "sea / ocean of stars" and under the light of either a crimson moon —lunar eclipse— or black sun —solar eclipse—. During these astronomical phenomenons, the world would in a perpetual night / dawn / twilight state— in Khaenri'ah more specifically.

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

27th October >> Mass Readings (Except USA)

Friday, Twenty Ninth Week in Ordinary Time 

or

Saint Otteran, Monk. 

Friday, Twenty Ninth Week in Ordinary Time 

(Liturgical Colour: Green: A (1))

First Reading Romans 7:18-25 Every time I want to do good it is something evil that comes to hand.

I know of nothing good living in me – living, that is, in my unspiritual self – for though the will to do what is good is in me, the performance is not, with the result that instead of doing the good things I want to do, I carry out the sinful things I do not want. When I act against my will, then, it is not my true self doing it, but sin which lives in me. In fact, this seems to be the rule, that every single time I want to do good it is something evil that comes to hand. In my inmost self I dearly love God’s Law, but I can see that my body follows a different law that battles against the law which my reason dictates. This is what makes me a prisoner of that law of sin which lives inside my body.

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body doomed to death?

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 118(119):66,68,76-77,93-94

R/ Lord, teach me your statutes.

Teach me discernment and knowledge for I trust in your commands. You are good and your deeds are good; teach me your statutes.

R/ Lord, teach me your statutes.

Let your love be ready to console me by your promise to your servant. Let your love come and I shall live for your law is my delight.

R/ Lord, teach me your statutes.

I will never forget your precepts for with them you give me life. Save me, for I am yours since I seek your precepts.

R/ Lord, teach me your statutes.

Gospel Acclamation Psalm 94:8

Alleluia, alleluia! Harden not your hearts today, but listen to the voice of the Lord. Alleluia!

Or: Matthew 11:25

Alleluia, alleluia! Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom to mere children. Alleluia!

Gospel Luke 12:54-59 Do you not know how to interpret these times?

Jesus said to the crowds: ‘When you see a cloud looming up in the west you say at once that rain is coming, and so it does. And when the wind is from the south you say it will be hot, and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the face of the earth and the sky. How is it you do not know how to interpret these times?

‘Why not judge for yourselves what is right? For example: when you go to court with your opponent, try to settle with him on the way, or he may drag you before the judge and the judge hand you over to the bailiff and the bailiff have you thrown into prison. I tell you, you will not get out till you have paid the very last penny.’

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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

Saint Otteran, Monk 

(Liturgical Colour: White: A (1))

(Readings for the memorial)

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

Either:

First Reading Genesis 12:1-4 All the tribes of the earth shall bless themselves by you.

The Lord said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your family and your father’s house, for the land I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name so famous that it will be used as a blessing.

‘I will bless those who bless you: I will curse those who slight you. All the tribes of the earth shall bless themselves by you.’

So Abram went as the Lord told him.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

OR: --------

First reading Leviticus 19:1-2,17-18 You must love your neighbour as yourself

The Lord spoke to Moses; he said: ‘Speak to the whole community of the sons of Israel and say to them: ‘“Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy. ‘“You must not bear hatred for your brother in your heart. You must openly tell him, your neighbour, of his offence; this way you will not take a sin upon yourself. You must not exact vengeance, nor must you bear a grudge against the children of your people. You must love your neighbour as yourself. I am the Lord.”’

OR: --------

First reading Deuteronomy 6:3-9 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart

Moses said to the people: ‘Listen, Israel, keep and observe these commandments, which will make you prosper and give you great increase, as the Lord the God of your fathers has promised you, giving you a land where milk and honey flow. ‘Listen, Israel: the Lord our God is the one Lord. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength. Let these words I urge on you today be written on your heart. You shall repeat them to your children and say them over to them whether at rest in your house or walking abroad, at your lying down or at your rising; you shall fasten them on your hand as a sign and on your forehead as a circlet; you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.’

OR: --------

First reading Deuteronomy 10:8-9 The Lord set apart the tribe of Levi to do him service

Moses said to the people: ‘The Lord set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the Lord’s covenant, to stand in the presence of the Lord, to do him service and in his name to pronounce blessing as they still do today. Levi therefore has no share or inheritance with his brothers: the Lord is his inheritance, as the Lord your God told him.’

OR: --------

First reading 1 Kings 19:4-9,11-15 The Lord was not in the wind, or the earthquake, or the fire

Elijah went into the wilderness, a day’s journey, and sitting under a furze bush wished he were dead. ‘O Lord,’ he said ‘I have had enough. Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.’ Then he lay down and went to sleep. But an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat.’ He looked round, and there at his head was a scone baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. But the angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat, or the journey will be too long for you.’ So he got up and ate and drank, and strengthened by that food he walked for forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. There he went into the cave and spent the night in it. Then he was told, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.’ Then the Lord himself went by. There came a mighty wind, so strong it tore the mountains and shattered the rocks before the Lord. But the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake. But the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire. But the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there came the sound of a gentle breeze. And when Elijah heard this, he covered his face with his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then a voice came to him, which said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ He replied, ‘I am filled with jealous zeal for the Lord of Hosts, because the sons of Israel have deserted you, broken down your altars and put your prophets to the sword. I am the only one left and they want to kill me.’ ‘Go,’ the Lord said, ‘go back by the same way to the wilderness of Damascus.’

OR: --------

First reading 1 Kings 19:16,19-21 Elisha leaves the plough to follow Elijah

The Lord said to Elijah, ‘Go, you are to anoint Elisha son of Shaphat, of Abel Meholah, as prophet to succeed you.’ Leaving there, Elijah came on Elisha son of Shaphat as he was ploughing behind twelve yoke of oxen, he himself being with the twelfth. Elijah passed near to him and threw his cloak over him. Elisha left his oxen and ran after Elijah. ‘Let me kiss my father and mother, then I will follow you’ he said. Elijah answered, ‘Go, go back; for have I done anything to you?’ Elisha turned away, took the pair of oxen and slaughtered them. He used the plough for cooking the oxen, then gave to his men, who ate. He then rose, and followed Elijah and became his servant.

OR: --------

First reading Tobit 8:4-8 A prayer on the wedding night

On their wedding night Tobias rose from the bed, and said to his wife Sarah, ‘Get up, my sister! You and I must pray and petition our Lord to win his grace and his protection.’ She stood up, and they began praying for protection, and this was how he began:

‘You are blessed, O God of our fathers; blessed, too, is your name for ever and ever. Let the heavens bless you and all things you have made for evermore. It was you who created Adam, you who created Eve his wife to be his help and support; and from these two the human race was born. It was you who said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; let us make him a helpmate like himself.” And so I do not take my sister for any lustful motive; I do it in singleness of heart. Be kind enough to have pity on her and on me and bring us to old age together.’

OR: --------

First reading Tobit 12:6-13 Bless God and utter his praise before all the living

Raphael took Tobit and his son Tobias aside and said, ‘Bless God, utter his praise before all the living for all the favours he has given you. Bless and extol his name. Proclaim before all men the deeds of God as they deserve, and never tire of giving him thanks. It is right to keep the secret of a king, yet right to reveal and publish the works of God. Thank him worthily. Do what is good, and no evil can befall you. ‘Prayer with fasting and alms with right conduct are better than riches with iniquity. Better to practise almsgiving than to hoard up gold. Almsgiving saves from death and purges every kind of sin. Those who give alms have their fill of days; those who commit sin and do evil, bring harm on themselves. ‘I am going to tell you the whole truth, hiding nothing from you. I have already told you that it is right to keep the secret of a king, yet right too to reveal in worthy fashion the works of God. So you must know that when you and Sarah were at prayer, it was I who offered your supplications before the glory of the Lord and who read them; so too when you were burying the dead. When you did not hesitate to get up and leave the table to go and bury a dead man, I was sent to test your faith, and at the same time God sent me to heal you and your daughter-in-law Sarah.’

OR: --------

First reading Judith 8:2-8 The widow Judith was devout and feared God

Judith’s husband Manasseh, of her own tribe and family, had died at the time of barley harvest. He was supervising the men as they bound up the sheaves in the field, when he caught sunstroke and had to take to his bed. He died in Bethulia, his home town, and was buried with his ancestors in the field that lies between Dothan and Balamon. As a widow, Judith stayed inside her home for three years and four months. She had had an upper room built for herself on the roof. She wore sackcloth round her waist and dressed in widow’s weeds. She fasted every day of her widowhood except for the sabbath eve, the sabbath itself, the eve of New Moon, the feast of New Moon and the festival days of the House of Israel. Now, she was very beautiful, charming to see. Her husband Manasseh had left her gold and silver, menservants and maidservants, cattle and lands; and she lived among all her possessions without anyone finding a word to say against her, so devoutly did she fear God.

OR: --------

First reading Esther 4:17 'I will not bow down to any but you, Lord'

Calling to mind all the wonderful works of the Lord, Mordecai offered this prayer:

‘Lord, Lord, King and Master of all things, everything is subject to your power, and there is no-one who can withstand you in your will to save Israel.

‘Yes, you have made heaven and earth, and all the marvels that are under heaven. You are the Lord of all, and there is none who can resist you, Lord.

‘You know all things: you know, Lord, you know, that no insolence, arrogance, vainglory prompted me to this, to this refusal to bow down before proud Haman. I would readily have kissed his feet for the safety of Israel.

‘But what I did, I did rather than place the glory of a man above the glory of God; and I will not bow down to any but to you, Lord: in so refusing I will not act in pride.

‘Hear my supplication, have mercy on your heritage, and turn our grief into rejoicing, that we may live to hymn your name, Lord. Do not suffer the mouths of those who praise you to perish.’

OR: --------

First reading Proverbs 31:10-13,19-20,30-31 A perfect wife - who can find her?

A perfect wife – who can find her? She is far beyond the price of pearls. Her husband’s heart has confidence in her, from her he will derive no little profit. Advantage and not hurt she brings him all the days of her life. She is always busy with wool and with flax, she does her work with eager hands. She sets her hands to the distaff, her fingers grasp the spindle. She holds out her hand to the poor, she opens her arms to the needy. Charm is deceitful, and beauty empty; the woman who is wise is the one to praise. Give her a share in what her hands have worked for, and let her works tell her praises at the city gates.

OR: --------

First reading Ecclesiasticus 2:7-13 You who fear the Lord, trust the Lord

You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy; do not turn aside in case you fall. You who fear the Lord, trust him, and you will not be baulked of your reward. You who fear the Lord hope for good things, for everlasting happiness and mercy. Look at the generations of old and see: who ever trusted in the Lord and was put to shame? Or who ever feared him steadfastly and was left forsaken? Or who ever called out to him, and was ignored? For the Lord is compassionate and merciful, he forgives sins, and saves in days of distress.

OR: --------

First reading Ecclesiasticus 3:19-25 Behave humbly, and you will find favour with the Lord

My son, be gentle in carrying out your business, and you will be better loved than a lavish giver. The greater you are, the more you should behave humbly, and then you will find favour with the Lord; for great though the power of the Lord is, he accepts the homage of the humble. Do not try to understand things that are too difficult for you, or try to discover what is beyond your powers. Concentrate on what has been assigned you: you have no need to worry over mysteries. Do not meddle with matters that are beyond you: what you have been taught already exceeds the scope of the human mind. For many have been misled by their own presumption, and wrong-headed opinions have warped their ideas. For lack of eyes you want for light; if you are without knowledge, do not attempt to convince.

OR: --------

First reading Ecclesiasticus 26:1-4,13-16 A perfect wife is the joy of her husband

Happy the husband of a really good wife; the number of her days will be doubled. A perfect wife is the joy of her husband, he will live out his years in peace. A good wife is the best of portions, reserved for those who fear the Lord: rich or poor, they will be glad of heart, cheerful of face, whatever the season. The grace of a wife will charm her husband, her accomplishments will make him the stronger. A silent wife is a gift from the Lord, no price can be put on a well-trained character. A modest wife is a boon twice over, a chaste character cannot be weighed on scales. Like the sun rising over the mountains of the Lord is the beauty of a good wife in a well-kept house.

OR: --------

First reading Isaiah 58:6-11 Then will your light shine like the dawn

Is not this the sort of fast that pleases me – it is the Lord who speaks – to break unjust fetters and undo the thongs of the yoke,

to let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke, to share your bread with the hungry, and shelter the homeless poor,

to clothe the man you see to be naked and not turn from your own kin? Then will your light shine like the dawn and your wound be quickly healed over.

Your integrity will go before you and the glory of the Lord behind you. Cry, and the Lord will answer; call, and he will say, ‘I am here.’

If you do away with the yoke, the clenched fist, the wicked word, if you give your bread to the hungry, and relief to the oppressed,

your light will rise in the darkness, and your shadows become like noon. The Lord will always guide you, giving you relief in desert places.

He will give strength to your bones and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water whose waters never run dry.

OR: --------

First reading Jeremiah 20:7-9 The word of the Lord has meant insult for me

You have seduced me, Lord, and I have let myself be seduced; you have overpowered me: you were the stronger. I am a daily laughing-stock, everybody’s butt. Each time I speak the word, I have to howl and proclaim: ‘Violence and ruin!’ The word of the Lord has meant for me insult, derision, all day long. I used to say, ‘I will not think about him, I will not speak in his name any more.’ Then there seemed to be a fire burning in my heart, imprisoned in my bones. The effort to restrain it wearied me, I could not bear it.

OR: --------

First reading Micah 6:6-8 The Lord asks only this: to act justly, to love tenderly, to walk humbly

‘With what gift shall I come into the Lord’s presence and bow down before God on high? Shall I come with holocausts, with calves one year old? Will he be pleased with rams by the thousand, with libations of oil in torrents? Must I give my first-born for what I have done wrong, the fruit of my body for my own sin?’

– What is good has been explained to you, man; this is what the Lord asks of you: only this, to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God.

OR: --------

First reading Zephaniah 2:3,3:12-13 In your midst I will leave a humble and lowly people

Seek the Lord, all you, the humble of the earth, who obey his commands. Seek integrity, seek humility: you may perhaps find shelter on the day of the anger of the Lord.

In your midst I will leave a humble and lowly people, and those who are left in Israel will seek refuge in the name of the Lord. They will do no wrong, will tell no lies; and the perjured tongue will no longer be found in their mouths. But they will be able to graze and rest with no one to disturb them.

EITHER: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 1:1-4,6

His delight is the law of the Lord. or Happy the man who has placed his trust in the Lord. or The just will flourish like the palm-tree in the courts of our God.

Happy indeed is the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked; nor lingers in the way of sinners nor sits in the company of scorners, but whose delight is the law of the Lord and who ponders his law day and night.

His delight is the law of the Lord. or Happy the man who has placed his trust in the Lord. or The just will flourish like the palm-tree in the courts of our God.

He is like a tree that is planted beside the flowing waters, that yields its fruit in due season and whose leaves shall never fade; and all that he does shall prosper.

His delight is the law of the Lord. or Happy the man who has placed his trust in the Lord. or The just will flourish like the palm-tree in the courts of our God.

Not so are the wicked, not so! For they like winnowed chaff shall be driven away by the wind: for the Lord guards the way of the just but the way of the wicked leads to doom.

His delight is the law of the Lord. or Happy the man who has placed his trust in the Lord. or The just will flourish like the palm-tree in the courts of our God.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 14(15):2-5

The just will live in the presence of the Lord.

Lord, who shall dwell on your holy mountain? He who walks without fault; he who acts with justice and speaks the truth from his heart; he who does not slander with his tongue.

The just will live in the presence of the Lord.

He who does no wrong to his brother, who casts no slur on his neighbour, who holds the godless in disdain, but honours those who fear the Lord.

The just will live in the presence of the Lord.

He who keeps his pledge, come what may; who takes no interest on a loan and accepts no bribes against the innocent. Such a man will stand firm for ever.

The just will live in the presence of the Lord.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 15(16):1-2,5,7-8,11

You are my inheritance, O Lord.

Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you. I say to the Lord: ‘You are my God.’ O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup; it is you yourself who are my prize.

You are my inheritance, O Lord.

I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel, who even at night directs my heart. I keep the Lord ever in my sight: since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.

You are my inheritance, O Lord.

You will show me the path of life, the fullness of joy in your presence, at your right hand happiness for ever.

You are my inheritance, O Lord.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 22(23)

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. Fresh and green are the pastures where he gives me repose. Near restful waters he leads me, to revive my drooping spirit.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

He guides me along the right path; he is true to his name. If I should walk in the valley of darkness no evil would I fear. You are there with your crook and your staff; with these you give me comfort.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

You have prepared a banquet for me in the sight of my foes. My head you have anointed with oil; my cup is overflowing.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me all the days of my life. In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell for ever and ever.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 33(34):2-11

I will bless the Lord at all times. or Taste and see that the Lord is good.

I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise always on my lips; in the Lord my soul shall make its boast. The humble shall hear and be glad.

I will bless the Lord at all times. or Taste and see that the Lord is good.

Glorify the Lord with me. Together let us praise his name. I sought the Lord and he answered me; from all my terrors he set me free.

I will bless the Lord at all times. or Taste and see that the Lord is good.

Look towards him and be radiant; let your faces not be abashed. This poor man called, the Lord heard him and rescued him from all his distress.

I will bless the Lord at all times. or Taste and see that the Lord is good.

The angel of the Lord is encamped around those who revere him, to rescue them. Taste and see that the Lord is good. He is happy who seeks refuge in him.

I will bless the Lord at all times. or Taste and see that the Lord is good.

Revere the Lord, you his saints. They lack nothing, those who revere him. Strong lions suffer want and go hungry but those who seek the Lord lack no blessing.

I will bless the Lord at all times. or Taste and see that the Lord is good.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 102(103):1-4,8-9,13-14,17-18

My soul, give thanks to the Lord.

My soul, give thanks to the Lord all my being, bless his holy name. My soul, give thanks to the Lord and never forget all his blessings.

My soul, give thanks to the Lord.

It is he who forgives all your guilt, who heals every one of your ills, who redeems your life from the grave, who crowns you with love and compassion.

My soul, give thanks to the Lord.

The Lord is compassion and love, slow to anger and rich in mercy. His wrath will come to an end; he will not be angry for ever.

My soul, give thanks to the Lord.

As a father has compassion on his sons, the Lord has pity on those who fear him; for he knows of what we are made, he remembers that we are dust.

My soul, give thanks to the Lord.

But the love of the Lord is everlasting upon those who hold him in fear; his justice reaches out to children’s children when they keep his covenant in truth, when they keep his will in their mind.

My soul, give thanks to the Lord.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 111(112):1-9

Happy the man who fears the Lord. or Alleluia!

Happy the man who fears the Lord, who takes delight in all his commands. His sons will be powerful on earth; the children of the upright are blessed.

Happy the man who fears the Lord. or Alleluia!

Riches and wealth are in his house; his justice stands firm for ever. He is a light in the darkness for the upright: he is generous, merciful and just.

Happy the man who fears the Lord. or Alleluia!

The good man takes pity and lends, he conducts his affairs with honour. The just man will never waver: he will be remembered for ever.

Happy the man who fears the Lord. or Alleluia!

He has no fear of evil news; with a firm heart he trusts in the Lord. With a steadfast heart he will not fear; he will see the downfall of his foes.

Happy the man who fears the Lord. or Alleluia!

Open-handed, he gives to the poor; his justice stands firm for ever. His head will be raised in glory.

Happy the man who fears the Lord. or Alleluia!

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 127(128):1-5

O blessed are those who fear the Lord.

O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways! By the labour of your hands you shall eat. You will be happy and prosper.

O blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Your wife will be like a fruitful vine in the heart of your house; your children like shoots of the olive, around your table.

O blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Indeed thus shall be blessed the man who fears the Lord. May the Lord bless you from Zion all the days of your life!

O blessed are those who fear the Lord.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 130(131)

Keep my soul in peace before you, O Lord.

O Lord, my heart is not proud nor haughty my eyes. I have not gone after things too great nor marvels beyond me.

Keep my soul in peace before you, O Lord.

Truly I have set my soul in silence and peace. A weaned child on its mother’s breast, even so is my soul.

Keep my soul in peace before you, O Lord.

O Israel, hope in the Lord both now and forever.

Keep my soul in peace before you, O Lord.

Gospel Acclamation Mt5:3

Alleluia, alleluia! How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Alleluia!

Or: Mt5:6

Alleluia, alleluia! Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right: they shall be satisfied. Alleluia!

Or: Mt5:8

Alleluia, alleluia! Happy the pure in heart: they shall see God. Alleluia!

Or: Mt11:25

Alleluia, alleluia! Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom to mere children. Alleluia!

Or: Mt23:11,12

Alleluia, alleluia! The greatest among you must be your servant, says the Lord: the man who humbles himself will be exalted. Alleluia!

Or: Mt11:28

Alleluia, alleluia! Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened and I will give you rest, says the Lord. Alleluia!

Or: Lk21:36

Alleluia, alleluia! Stay awake, praying at all times for the strength to stand with confidence before the Son of Man. Alleluia!

Or: Jn8:12

Alleluia, alleluia! I am the light of the world, says the Lord; anyone who follows me will have the light of life. Alleluia!

Or: Jn8:31-32

Alleluia, alleluia! If you make my word your home you will indeed be my disciples, and you will learn the truth, says the Lord. Alleluia!

Or: Jn13:34

Alleluia, alleluia! I give you a new commandment: love one another just as I have loved you, says the Lord. Alleluia!

Or: Jn14:23

Alleluia, alleluia! If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him. Alleluia!

Or: Jn15:4,5

Alleluia, alleluia! Make your home in me, as I make mine in you, says the Lord; whoever remains in me bears fruit in plenty. Alleluia!

Or: Jn15:9,5

Alleluia, alleluia! Remain in my love, says the Lord; whoever remains in me, with me in him, bears fruit in plenty. Alleluia!

EITHER: --------

Gospel Matthew 5:1-12a How happy are the poor in spirit

Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them:

‘How happy are the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Happy the gentle: they shall have the earth for their heritage. Happy those who mourn: they shall be comforted. Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right: they shall be satisfied. Happy the merciful: they shall have mercy shown them. Happy the pure in heart: they shall see God. Happy the peacemakers: they shall be called sons of God. Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

‘Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.’

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 5:13-16 Your light must shine in the sight of men

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You are the salt of the earth. But if salt becomes tasteless, what can make it salty again? It is good for nothing, and can only be thrown out to be trampled underfoot by men. ‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill-top cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on the lamp-stand where it shines for everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine in the sight of men, so that, seeing your good works, they may give the praise to your Father in heaven.’

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 7:21-27 The wise man built his house on a rock

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘It is not those who say to me, “Lord, Lord,” who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven. When the day comes many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, cast out demons in your name, work many miracles in your name?” Then I shall tell them to their faces: I have never known you; away from me, you evil men! ‘Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against that house, and it did not fall: it was founded on rock. But everyone who listens to these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and struck that house, and it fell; and what a fall it had!’

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 11:25-30 You have hidden these things from the wise and revealed them to little children

Jesus exclaimed, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. ‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 13:44-46 He sells everything he owns and buys the field

Jesus said to the crowds: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which someone has found; he hides it again, goes off happy, sells everything he owns and buys the field. ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it.’

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 16:24-27 Anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. What, then, will a man gain if he wins the whole world and ruins his life? Or what has a man to offer in exchange for his life? ‘For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and, when he does, he will reward each one according to his behaviour.’

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 18:1-5 Unless you become like little children you will not enter the kingdom of heaven

The disciples came to Jesus and said, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ So he called a little child to him and set the child in front of them. Then he said, ‘I tell you solemnly, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ‘Anyone who welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.’

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 19:3-12 Husband and wife are no longer two, but one body

Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and to test him they said, ‘Is it against the Law for a man to divorce his wife on any pretext whatever?’ He answered, ‘Have you not read that the creator from the beginning made them male and female and that he said: This is why a man must leave father and mother, and cling to his wife, and the two become one body? They are no longer two, therefore, but one body. So then, what God has united, man must not divide.’ They said to him, ‘Then why did Moses command that a writ of dismissal should be given in cases of divorce?’ ‘It was because you were so unteachable’ he said ‘that Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but it was not like this from the beginning. Now I say this to you: the man who divorces his wife – I am not speaking of fornication – and marries another, is guilty of adultery.’ The disciples said to him, ‘If that is how things are between husband and wife, it is not advisable to marry.’ But he replied, ‘It is not everyone who can accept what I have said, but only those to whom it is granted. There are eunuchs born that way from their mother’s womb, there are eunuchs made so by men and there are eunuchs who have made themselves that way for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.’

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 19:27-29 They will be repaid a hundred times over and inherit eternal life

Peter spoke to Jesus. ‘What about us?’ he said. ‘We have left everything and followed you. What are we to have, then?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I tell you solemnly, when all is made new and the Son of Man sits on his throne of glory, you will yourselves sit on twelve thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children or land for the sake of my name will be repaid a hundred times over, and also inherit eternal life.’

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 22:34-40 The commandments of love

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees they got together and, to disconcert him, one of them put a question, ‘Master, which is the greatest commandment of the Law?’ Jesus said, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second resembles it: You must love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang the whole Law, and the Prophets also.’

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 25:1-13 The wise and foolish virgins

Jesus told this parable to his disciples: ‘The kingdom of heaven will be like this: Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were sensible: the foolish ones did take their lamps, but they brought no oil, whereas the sensible ones took flasks of oil as well as their lamps. The bridegroom was late, and they all grew drowsy and fell asleep. But at midnight there was a cry, “The bridegroom is here! Go out and meet him.” At this, all those bridesmaids woke up and trimmed their lamps, and the foolish ones said to the sensible ones, “Give us some of your oil: our lamps are going out.” But they replied, “There may not be enough for us and for you; you had better go to those who sell it and buy some for yourselves.” They had gone off to buy it when the bridegroom arrived. Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding hall and the door was closed. The other bridesmaids arrived later. “Lord, Lord,” they said “open the door for us.” But he replied, “I tell you solemnly, I do not know you.” So stay awake, because you do not know either the day or the hour.’

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 25:14-30 You have been faithful in small things: come and join in your master's happiness

Jesus spoke this parable to his disciples: ‘The kingdom of Heaven is like a man on his way abroad who summoned his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to a third one; each in proportion to his ability. Then he set out. ‘The man who had received the five talents promptly went and traded with them and made five more. The man who had received two made two more in the same way. But the man who had received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. ‘Now a long time after, the master of those servants came back and went through his accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents came forward bringing five more. “Sir,” he said “you entrusted me with five talents; here are five more that I have made.” ‘His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have shown you can be faithful in small things, I will trust you with greater; come and join in your master’s happiness.” ‘Next the man with the two talents came forward. “Sir,” he said “you entrusted me with two talents; here are two more that I have made.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have shown you can be faithful in small things, I will trust you with greater; come and join in your master’s happiness.” ‘Last came forward the man who had the one talent. “Sir,” said he “I had heard you were a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered; so I was afraid, and I went off and hid your talent in the ground. Here it is; it was yours, you have it back.” But his master answered him, “You wicked and lazy servant! So you knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered? Well then, you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have recovered my capital with interest. So now, take the talent from him and give it to the man who has the five talents. For to everyone who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough; but from the man who has not, even what he has will be taken away. As for this good-for-nothing servant, throw him out into the dark, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.”’

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 25:14-23 You have been faithful in small things: come and join in your master's happiness

Jesus spoke this parable to his disciples: ‘The kingdom of Heaven is like a man on his way abroad who summoned his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to a third one; each in proportion to his ability. Then he set out. ‘The man who had received the five talents promptly went and traded with them and made five more. The man who had received two made two more in the same way. But the man who had received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. ‘Now a long time after, the master of those servants came back and went through his accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents came forward bringing five more. “Sir,” he said “you entrusted me with five talents; here are five more that I have made.” ‘His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have shown you can be faithful in small things, I will trust you with greater; come and join in your master’s happiness.” ‘Next the man with the two talents came forward. “Sir,” he said “you entrusted me with two talents; here are two more that I have made.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have shown you can be faithful in small things, I will trust you with greater; come and join in your master’s happiness.”’

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 25:31-46 I was naked and you clothed me; sick, and you visited me

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, escorted by all the angels, then he will take his seat on his throne of glory. All the nations will be assembled before him and he will separate men one from another as the shepherd separates sheep from goats. He will place the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left. ‘Then the King will say to those on his right hand, “Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you made me welcome; naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me.” Then the virtuous will say to him in reply, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you; or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and make you welcome; naked and clothe you; sick or in prison and go to see you?” And the King will answer, “I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.” ‘Next he will say to those on his left hand, “Go away from me, with your curse upon you, to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you never gave me food; I was thirsty and you never gave me anything to drink; I was a stranger and you never made me welcome, naked and you never clothed me, sick and in prison and you never visited me.” Then it will be their turn to ask, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty, a stranger or naked, sick or in prison, and did not come to your help?” Then he will answer, “I tell you solemnly, in so far as you neglected to do this to one of the least of these, you neglected to do it to me.” ‘And they will go away to eternal punishment, and the virtuous to eternal life.’

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 25:31-40 I was naked and you clothed me; sick, and you visited me

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, escorted by all the angels, then he will take his seat on his throne of glory. All the nations will be assembled before him and he will separate men one from another as the shepherd separates sheep from goats. He will place the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left. ‘Then the King will say to those on his right hand, “Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you made me welcome; naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me.” Then the virtuous will say to him in reply, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you; or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and make you welcome; naked and clothe you; sick or in prison and go to see you?” And the King will answer, “I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.”’

OR: --------

Gospel Mark 3:31-35 Who are my mother and my brothers? Those that do the will of God

The mother and brothers of Jesus arrived and, standing outside, sent in a message asking for him. A crowd was sitting round him at the time the message was passed to him, ‘Your mother and brothers and sisters are outside asking for you.’ He replied, ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ And looking round at those sitting in a circle about him, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of God, that person is my brother and sister and mother.’

OR: --------

Gospel Mark 9:34-37 Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me

The disciples had been arguing which of them was the greatest. So Jesus sat down, called the Twelve to him and said, ‘If anyone wants to be first, he must make himself last of all and servant of all.’ He then took a little child, set him in front of them, put his arms round him, and said to them, ‘Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in my name, welcomes me; and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.’

OR: --------

Gospel Mark 10:13-16 It is to such as these little children that the kingdom of God belongs

People were bringing little children to Jesus, for him to touch them. The disciples turned them away, but when Jesus saw this he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. I tell you solemnly, anyone who does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’ Then he put his arms round them, laid his hands on them and gave them his blessing.

OR: --------

Gospel Mark 10:17-30 Give everything you own to the poor, and follow me

Jesus was setting out on a journey when a man ran up, knelt before him and put this question to him, ‘Good master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: You must not kill; You must not commit adultery; You must not steal; You must not bring false witness; You must not defraud; Honour your father and mother.’ And he said to him, ‘Master, I have kept all these from my earliest days.’ Jesus looked steadily at him and loved him, and he said, ‘There is one thing you lack. Go and sell everything you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ But his face fell at these words and he went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth. Jesus looked round and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!’ The disciples were astounded by these words, but Jesus insisted, ‘My children,’ he said to them ‘how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.’ They were more astonished than ever. ‘In that case’ they said to one another ‘who can be saved?’ Jesus gazed at them. ‘For men’ he said ‘it is impossible, but not for God: because everything is possible for God.’ Peter took this up. ‘What about us?’ he asked him. ‘We have left everything and followed you.’ Jesus said, ‘I tell you solemnly, there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, father, children or land for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not be repaid a hundred times over, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and land – not without persecutions – now in this present time and, in the world to come, eternal life.’

OR: --------

Gospel Mark 10:17-27 Give everything you own to the poor, and follow me

Jesus was setting out on a journey when a man ran up, knelt before him and put this question to him, ‘Good master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: You must not kill; You must not commit adultery; You must not steal; You must not bring false witness; You must not defraud; Honour your father and mother.’ And he said to him, ‘Master, I have kept all these from my earliest days.’ Jesus looked steadily at him and loved him, and he said, ‘There is one thing you lack. Go and sell everything you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ But his face fell at these words and he went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth. Jesus looked round and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!’ The disciples were astounded by these words, but Jesus insisted, ‘My children,’ he said to them ‘how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.’ They were more astonished than ever. ‘In that case’ they said to one another ‘who can be saved?’ Jesus gazed at them. ‘For men’ he said ‘it is impossible, but not for God: because everything is possible for God.’

OR: --------

Gospel Luke 6:27-38 Love your enemies

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I say this to you who are listening: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly. To the man who slaps you on one cheek, present the other cheek too; to the man who takes your cloak from you, do not refuse your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and do not ask for your property back from the man who robs you. Treat others as you would like them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what thanks can you expect? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what thanks can you expect? For even sinners do that much. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what thanks can you expect? Even sinners lend to sinners to get back the same amount. Instead, love your enemies and do good, and lend without any hope of return. You will have a great reward, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. ‘Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge, and you will not be judged yourselves; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned yourselves; grant pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and there will be gifts for you: a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap; because the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given back.’

OR: --------

Gospel Luke 9:57-62 'I will follow you wherever you go'

As Jesus and his disciples travelled along they met a man on the road who said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus answered, ‘Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’ Another to whom he said, ‘Follow me’, replied, ‘Let me go and bury my father first.’ But he answered, ‘Leave the dead to bury their dead; your duty is to go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.’ Another said, ‘I will follow you, sir, but first let me go and say goodbye to my people at home.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’

OR: --------

Gospel Luke 10:38-42 Martha works; Mary listens

Jesus came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord’s feet and listened to him speaking. Now Martha who was distracted with all the serving said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered: ‘Martha, Martha,’ he said ‘you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.’

OR: --------

Gospel Luke 12:32-34 It has pleased your Father to give you the kingdom

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘There is no need to be afraid, little flock, for it has pleased your Father to give you the kingdom. ‘Sell your possessions and give alms. Get yourselves purses that do not wear out, treasure that will not fail you, in heaven where no thief can reach it and no moth destroy it. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.’

OR: --------

Gospel Luke 12:35-40 You too must stand ready

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘See that you are dressed for action and have your lamps lit. Be like men waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, ready to open the door as soon as he comes and knocks. Happy those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. I tell you solemnly, he will put on an apron, sit them down at table and wait on them. It may be in the second watch he comes, or in the third, but happy those servants if he finds them ready. You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’

OR: --------

Gospel Luke 14:25-33 Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple

Great crowds accompanied Jesus on his way and he turned and spoke to them. ‘If any man comes to me without hating his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes and his own life too, he cannot be my disciple. Anyone who does not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. ‘And indeed, which of you here, intending to build a tower, would not first sit down and work out the cost to see if he had enough to complete it? Otherwise, if he laid the foundation and then found himself unable to finish the work, the onlookers would all start making fun of him and saying, “Here is a man who started to build and was unable to finish.” Or again, what king marching to war against another king would not first sit down and consider whether with ten thousand men he could stand up to the other who advanced against him with twenty thousand? If not, then while the other king was still a long way off, he would send envoys to sue for peace. So in the same way, none of you can be my disciple unless he gives up all his possessions.’

OR: --------

Gospel John 15:1-8 I am the vine, you are the branches

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that bears no fruit he cuts away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes to make it bear even more. You are pruned already, by means of the word that I have spoken to you. Make your home in me, as I make mine in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit all by itself, but must remain part of the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, with me in him, bears fruit in plenty; for cut off from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is like a branch that has been thrown away – he withers; these branches are collected and thrown on the fire, and they are burnt. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask what you will and you shall get it. It is to the glory of my Father that you should bear much fruit, and then you will be my disciples.’

OR: --------

Gospel John 15:9-17 You are my friends if you do what I command you

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my own joy may be in you and your joy be complete. This is my commandment: love one another, as I have loved you. A man can have no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do what I command you. I shall not call you servants any more, because a servant does not know his master’s business; I call you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have learnt from my Father. You did not choose me: no, I chose you; and I commissioned you to go out and to bear fruit, fruit that will last; and then the Father will give you anything you ask him in my name. What I command you is to love one another.’

Or:

Gospel John 17:20-26 Father, may they be completely one.

Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said:

‘Holy Father, I pray not only for these, but for those also who through their words will believe in me. May they all be one. Father, may they be one in us, as you are in me and I am in you, so that the world may believe it was you who sent me. I have given them the glory you gave to me, that they may be one as we are one. With me in them and you in me, may they be so completely one that the world will realise that it was you who sent me and that I have loved them as much as you loved me. Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they may always see the glory you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. Father, Righteous One, the world has not known you, but I have known you, and these have known that you have sent me. I have made your name known to them and will continue to make it known, so that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and so that I may be in them.’

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[dragoon-the-greatest]

Okay, I see Lancelot is getting a lot of love here. Which, fair. Lancelot deserves all the love. This is just very interesting because in all honesty he would have been my last choice. Not because he wouldn't have been good for Merlin, but really, any of these people would have been good for Merlin. The thing that Will, Freya, and Balinor have going for them that Lancelot doesn't is that they all (at least to Arthur's knowledge) have magic of some sort. If one of them came back and started regularly showing up in Camelot to hang out with his manservant, Arthur would have been forced into a decision about Camelot's magic laws simply because of their magical existence in conjunction with their closeness to Merlin.

The thing about Arthur is that (bless his heart) he isn't much of a philosopher. Arthur doesn't contemplate changes to the kingdom in hypotheticals, he sees an injustice happening to someone in real time and he does his best to fix it. Sometimes this results in lasting change in the kingdom, but usually only when it affects someone he sees regularly. There are a few examples, but I'll give Lancelot some love for now.

Lancelot changed Arthur's mind about the law forbidding commoners from becoming knights, but he didn't do it by verbally persuading him. He did it through his very existence: his situation of being a good man who was clearly knight material with or without a seal of nobility. As far as we know, Arthur never questioned this law until he met Lancelot; once he did, he noticed the injustice, thought about how it affected good people who could help the kingdom, and then eventually changed the law once he was in a position to do so.

Lancelot helped Arthur into his Season 4 self and helped him to confront his prejudice about class differences (in part, at least), but I think there is very little Lancelot could have done to help Arthur confront his prejudice on magic, which was the biggest contributing factor to his fate (based on the Disir episode).

If Will showed up, Arthur would be forced to confront the truth he shoved under the metaphorical mat in season one: that sorcerers are capable of noble, selfless acts and that there are perfectly ordinary sorcerers out there who are just trying to live their lives. Will, a man who Arthur believed had magic, literally died for Arthur and Arthur ignored all the potential lessons from that. He wouldn't be able to ignore it anymore if he showed up again. (And of course, it's Will. There are a lot of things Arthur does that he wouldn't be able to ignore if Will was around to say something about it).

We don't know the extent of Freya's magic outside of the curse, but we know she was a druid. For all that Arthur promised change for the druid people, we don't see Arthur actually following through on this in any way that was actually meaningful. Maybe he stopped actively hunting them, but that is clearly not the same thing as accepting them as part of the kingdom. If he were to interact with Freya and learn more about her story (especially if her reappearance ended up with her being to Merlin what Gwen was to him), he would be forced to think about the druids more consistently and humanely. He always wanted Merlin to be happy; if Merlin's partner was someone who was actively hunted all her life and who was still negatively affected by these laws, then things would have gotten a lot more personal and a lot more real to him.

Obviously Balinor would make Arthur think, whether or not he learned that he was Merlin's father. If Arthur learned of Balinor's story (depending on whether he believed it) he would have to think about the injustice with which Uther dealt with people with magic and about the legacy he is carrying on and reflecting with his own actions. Even if he didn't believe it, Arthur would still have food for thought. He didn't see anything wrong with seeking out Balinor when he was needed; as far as we know, Balinor was a neutral force of magic for Arthur, which is definitely an example Arthur could have benefited more from in his life.

Loathe as I am to make a poll about Merlin's loved ones about Arthur, I think we can all agree Merlin would have been 1000x better off with any of these people in his life again and choosing just one is a little impossible and painful. But anyway, all that's just my two cents. Two days left to vote, do what you will!

Imagine.

Post season 4, the triple goddess sees that on his current track, Merlin is never going to help Arthur create the golden age without a little bit of extra help. She decides to send back one departed loved one to help Merlin avoid the ending of season 5.

[oomisluvr]

sakusa's first blowjob, part 1/3

synopsis: sakusa wants to take the next step in your relationship. who are you to deny him of such a request?

warnings: handjobs, blowjobs, cursing, minors do not interact.

sakusa likes to believe that he’s a confident person. he dominates the court, confidence oozing out of him in just about all he does, but he’s never given much thought to his physical attraction. sakusa gazes at himself in the mirror, gently batting a stray curl from his face.

suddenly, he doesn’t like his appearance so much.

what kind of guys did you like? should he cut his hair? straighten it? maybe he should dress differently than usual today? do you even like him to begin with?

six months. you've been together for six months and not once has he asked you to engage in anything remotely sexual. according to his teammates, that isn't normal. apparently, he's supposed to have fucked you a million different ways by now, ruining your ability to walk for days at a time.

what if you want that? is he failing as a partner?

his frown deepens. it's not that he does't want to have sex with you, it's just that, well,

he's kinda scared.

what if he's bad at sex? what if he isn't big enough? what if he can't make you finish?

he sighs, no longer wanting to look at his reflection or think these thoughts. shoving his phone into his pocket, grabbing this keys and wallet, he heads out of his dorm room to the other side of campus.

the walk to your campus apartment is uneventful, but he feels stressed nonetheless. stopping by the mini-mart to buy you some snacks, his mind wanders once again.

i shouldn't rush this, he thinks, we can take baby steps. start with some smaller stuff and work your way up to the big event. a plan, yes, a plan is what he needed.

thanking the cashier, he checks out and heads your way, suddenly feeling inspired. he checks his phone to see the time, changing his direction to your apartment.

upon his arrival, he raises a fist, giving three light raps to your door.

"it's open!" your voice calls, muffled through the thickness of the wood. he opens the door, stepping into the gentle air conditioning of your place.

"it's me."

"oh! kiyoomi, hi!" you walk over to him, kissing him on the cheek, "i wasn't expecting to see you today."

he frowns, "you need to lock your door, then. what if it wasn't me coming to visit you?" your eyes lock on the grocery bag he's carrying.

"yes. lock the door." you reach out to grab it.

"i'm serious, y/n. you need to be more careful," sakusa pulls it away from your reach. you groan.

"okay, okay, i'll be more careful. happy?"

"mm, give me another kiss and i'll think about it."

you make a show of rolling your eyes, leaning up to give him a quick peck to his lips. he smiles when you snatch the bag out of his hands, walking towards the kitchen to put the snacks away. he awkwardly follows you, wordlessly putting the goodies when they're supposed to go.

"so what's up with you? you're acting weird, did something happen?" your small hands dig through one of the bags, latching onto one of the candies he bought you.

"i just wanted to see you, believe it or not."

"that sounds even more suspicious," you begin, tearing apart the twisters he brought for you, "are you sure that's all?"

"yeah, i-" he eyes scan over your appearance, the old shorts you're wearing are suddenly looking very sexy. he wonders if you think the same way of him, "i just missed you, is all."

you take a bite of 3 twizlers at a time, hoisting yourself up to sit on the counter space by the stovetop, "you're lying. c'mon, be real with me, oomi."

he scowls, moving from his position in the kitchen to where you sit. sakusa stands above you, towering over you even while perched on the counter. he kisses your forehead, placing his calloused hands on the plush of your thighs. you know him so well. patiently, you wait for his response, chewing happily. sakusa fiddles with your skin, feeling very bashful in your presence. he thinks back to the thoughts he had earlier; he should communicate with you and tell you how he feels.

"i was wondering if you wanted to take our relationship to the next level."

"what do you mean?" you still nibble on the twizlers, finishing the last one in a single bite.

"like..." he wraps his finger around the stray thread on your shorts, "...if you want to have sex. and stuff." he cringes at the words coming out of his mouth.

"and stuff?" you giggle, poking his cheek.

"sorry, that sounded weird. it's just... we've been together for a while and we've never really talked about this kinda stuff. i know you're more... experienced than me and i don't want to disappoint you."

you reach out to stroke his face, palms resting just under his jawline. you smile when he leans into your touch, "no, no, never. i'm sorry if i made it seem like i didn't want to have sex with you, oomi. i thought i was respecting your boundaries, is all. losing your virginity can be a big deal, and i didn't want to pressure you into something you weren't ready for. i'll wait for you, though, for whenever you are ready," his skin feels soft under your thumb, a sad expression on your face.

"i-i think i'm ready, but..." he feels his blush deepen further, realizing how vulnerable he felt in the moment, "... but maybe not for everything, a-at least not right now. i think we should take baby steps."

"baby steps?" you softly smile.

"yeah, like the smaller stuff so we can get comfortable with each other before we do the big stuff."

"like?"

"like... we can, uhm, touch each other," god, this feels embarrassing to say out-loud, "and do things with our hands and mouths," your fingers comb through the thin hairs at the base of his neck; sakusa feels like he's floating. you feel so soft.

"touch each each other?" you lightly push him off of you, sliding down from the countertop. still maintaining eye contact, you slowly move to pull your hair into a high ponytail, "i mean... there's no time like the present, right?"

sakusa feels an inkling on where you're going with this, and plays into your advances, not wanting to come off as desperate, "i- yes, but, no. i mean, not if you don't want to. me personally, i-" his throat closes up when he feels your soft hands run over the waistband of his sweatpants.

you sink down to your knees, batting your lashes up at him, "are you sure, kiyoomi? we don't have to do anything, you know."

"please, yes," his voice squeaks when you run your palm over the print in his sweats, "this is fine. "i-it's okay. i like when you touch me."

you smile at him, your grip on him getting tighter. sakusa has to stifle a whine the threatens to spill out of his lips. playfully, you tug down the front of his sweats, lightly running a finger over his dick, feeling his erection strain against his boxers, "baby steps, huh? i'll take things slow then, just for you."

finally pulling down his boxers, you mentally celebrate at the sight before you. his dick stands hard against his toned abdomen, a pearly bead of pre-cum bubbles at his tip.

you take him into your hands, running your index finger across his slit, collecting the pre that's accumulated during the time you've been teasing him. he feels so embarrassed; you hadn't even begun to do anything, yet he's fully erect, dribbling pre-cum. he wants to cover his face, but kiyoomi can't seem to pull his eyes away from you.

you pull your hand back, spitting in it, and grabbing the base of his dick, building a languid, slow pace that knocks the wind from his chest. holy shit, he thinks, this is really happening. he has to remind himself to breathe when you focus your hand movements to his tip, maneuvering your hand in circular motions and rolling your wrist to keep the fluidity. your other hand finally comes up, moving to quickly pump the rest of him.

"o-oh, fuck," sakusa has to grip the counter, thighs shaking, "holy shit, that feels good," his voice cracks, but he can't bring himself to care, throwing his head back and releasing a series of moans.

"can i use my mouth?" you sweetly ask, now solely stroking his shaft, leaving the tip alone as to not deliver too much stimulation at once.

"mm, ye-yeah," sakusa squeezes his eyes tightly at the thought, "yeah, go for it. please."

you stop your movements and sakusa forces himself to choke down a whine. he's breathing heavy, eyes still shut because he knows that opening them will bring him to an orgasm. the vulgarity of the situation makes his dick twitch in your hands.

lowering his head, he finally opens his eyes, feeling blessed by the sight he sees. your pretty mink lashes make you look like an angel, your small hands wrapped around such an intimate area, fingers just barely touching. your eyes carry so much weight behind them; promises of what you want to do to him, the millions of ways you'll make him yours. gently, he brings a hand up to your head, thumbing the hair of your ponytail.

"look at me, kiyoomi," you voice sultry, yet demanding, and sakusa can't help but listen to you, pupils blown wide.

you lick his slit, dragging your heavy tongue across one of his most sensitive areas, your right hand moves to deliver long strokes. not wanting to make him wait any longer, you put your lips around him completely, hollowing your cheeks as you take him as far as you can go, the fine hairs of his pelvis tickling your face. relaxing your throat muscles, you swallow around him, once, twice, constricting his dick with the smooth muscles of your throat.

"oh my god, baby, just like that," you feel the hand on your ponytail tighten, but kiyoomi doesn't force you down, "yeah, yeah, fuck, you're so good to me, shit," he moans through the pleasure.

seeking oxygen, you come up for air, the wetness from your saliva giving you the slickness to jerk him at a faster pace, your grip on him tightening. his stomach clenches as he fights back an orgasm, mind clouded with thoughts of you.

diving back in, you bob your head up and down his length, your hands working what doesn't fit into your mouth. sakusa's hands fly up to grab the counter, his knees threatening to buckle.

"s-shit, y/n, ah, fuck," he groans over the sounds of slick, "i-i think i'm gonna cum, y/n. wait, i'm gonna cum."

you move your head back, opening your mouth right below his tip, sticking your tongue out flat; a silent invitation to cum in your mouth. your right hand stays where it is, speeding up the pace of your strokes, your left hand moves back, massaging his balls between your fingers. sakusa's face is beet red, your generosity getting the best of him. throwing his head back, he groans loudly, stomach tensing as white ropes of cum paint your face and tongue.

"o-ooh, fu-u-ck!"

you deliver tightened, heavy strokes, slowing your movements to not overstimulate him, milking him of everything he's worth. looking down at you with lidded eyes, even kiyoomi is surprised at how much he came. semen is sprawled from your chin to your cheekbones, the whiteness of himself stands out against the pink of your tongue, thick cum pooling down your fingers and forearm, almost reaching your elbow.

grateful that he's an athlete, you swallow everything he gave you, enjoying the delicate taste. tucking him back into his clothes, he helps you stand from your position on the floor. you notice a sheen a sweat on his hairline.

"god is a woman and her name is y/n. i think you took my soul."

you laugh, he smiles, "you almost got cum in my eye, you know."

sakusa's ears turn red, suddenly worried about your comfort, "sorry, you made it pretty difficult to focus," using his thumb, he swipes the cum that missed your mouth, collecting it on his finger and holding it in from of your mouth. moaning softly when you shift forward to suck away the cum, he brings his free hand to pull you in by the waist, "thank you, y/n, seriously. let me return the favor, yeah?" bringing his face closer to yours, he slips his tongue past your lips, tasting himself through a deep kiss. his hand rises to caress the side of your face, tilting his head for a better angle.

"i blow you once and now you think you can handle me?" you mumble against his lips, "you aren't ready for it," you tease, your words making his body feel hot. he is ready; he's been ready, sakusa thinks, but waiting for the right moment makes it that much sweeter. patting your ass, he pecks your lips once more for good measure. oh, that reminds him.

"i wanted to talk to you about that, actually." you shoot him a questioning look, maneuvering around him to wash your hands.

"yeah, what's up?"

"i have a plan."

"a plan? for what?"

"for how we're gonna have sex."

you grimace, "gross, don't plan it out! that's what old people do!"

"stop," he whines, "i thought really long about it. i just need to ask you a few questions."

"okay, okay," you dry your hands with paper towel, using the wetness of the paper to wipe away any sticky spots still on your face, "what do you need to know?" he walks closer to the calendar you have on the wall in the kitchen area, whipping out his phone to compare dates, you assume.

"are you free next weekend?" you think for a moment.

"yeah, i think so, but i have a baby shower at 10."

"who throws a baby shower at 10 in the morning?"

"that's what i said! she really thought that it would be a good i-"

"wait, don't get side tracked. i still have more questions."

"kiyoomi, what are you even planning to do?"

"well, i cant show you all the cards in my hand! i just need you to answer the questions."

"okay, damn! ask away then." he taps through his phone.

"do you have a preferred place to have sex?"

"uhm, not really? just not in a car or shower, at least not for the first time." he types frantically.

"okay, next question. what are your thoughts on pubic hair?"

"kiyoomi!" you laugh, "what the hell?"

"i need to know! it's for science!"

"jesus, man. i guess, it doesn't really matter? it's natural, so who cares? as long as i'm not flossing with your pubes while i go down on you, i have no issues."

"that's disgusting. you know i would never do that. i need a serious response, y/n."

"okay, okay fine!" you laugh, "not too much but also don't just have nothing. bald dick is weird."

he nods his head, considering your answer, he types into his phone, repeating your words aloud to himself, "okay, last question for now. would you prefer sex in the morning or the evening?"

"it depends on the day, but considering this would be out first time as a couple, i wouldn't want to ditch you to go to lab after we fuck. late afternoon to evening would be the best time i think." he's silent, walking over to the calendar once again.

"okay," he nods his head, squinting his eyes in thought, "okay, yeah this totally works."

"it does?"

"yes, everything is coming together."

"so can i expect to have my back blown out in the near future?"

"if by 'back blown out' you mean gently and passionately make love, then yes, expect it."

"great," you clap your hands together, "i look forward to it," your stomach growls, the angry rumble echoes throughout the kitchen."

"don't tell me those 3 twizlers is all you've had to eat today."

"no," you smile, a laugh threatening to rip from your chest before you even have the chance to finish your sentence, "i had your kids for lunch."

"y/n!" he gasps.

this is my first time writing smut, so please let me know what you think! leave a comment so i can improve; i plan to make this a series, so give me some criticism to improve the story <33 thank you for reading :)