#MM Trial

[hellmouth-manor]

wings, hearts, some things are meant to be torn apart

CW: Dismemberment, Violence, Blood

[the-hasegawa-fan]

hey chat. heh....

(CAMI DONT LOOK)

we love ace right ace nation??

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HE SHOULD BE DONE BY TOMORROW🫶🫶🫶

[raayllum]

PAWN-OF-AARAVOS DARK-MAGIC-SCARRED CALLUM WITH LITERAL BLOOD ON HIS HANDS IN THE TRAILER

HOW DOES THAT VINDICATION FEEL?

I love that Claudia gets the white hair and he gets the facial scarring, just like you speculated about! They’re two sides of the same coin!

Also ICARUS CALLUM? HE FLIES TOO HIGH AND HIS WINGS FALL APART? THEY’RE JUST GIVING US EVERYTHING

Listen we Knew ever since he got that cube he'd be a pawn and worried about it (+ increased Claudia and Viren parallels to boot), the blood on his hands even in a dream was a lovely wish come true already, and white streak Callum will always be famous but I gotta say I am loving the corrupted face variant, showing the initial inklings of corruption

I already talked about it in my trailer breakdown post and it's like that singular screencap is Crazy, it's Nuts like the implications no matter which way you play it? Because it's clearly a nightmare or scary vision sequence and like

If it's Rayla's nightmare (the way Runaan is), that means she knows what he did on Finnegrin's boat and that she's scared of what Callum's becoming—Rayla, who's had more faith than arguably anyone that Callum is special ("No, Callum's different!") and amazing with or without his magic ("Humans could take their fates and change them" / "He's noble, and true") and so confident that his destiny was a book he could write himself she refused to even consider the possibility of her needing to be his (and the world's) safety net, because Callum has regularly done the impossible. If her confidence in him is shaken, his must be abysmal

However, if it's Callum's nightmare or vision or whatever (and that's what I'm leaning towards) it does show a shift of sorts. I'm gonna copy and paste what I've said earlier about it and then go into more detail if well, there's detail to go into:

We know from 6x01 details that he has a nightmare regarding Aaravos, and we also know from people at cons that this screencap was not there. Looking at the scene itself, the deep purple lighting highlights that it’s not quite 'real’, nor is it necessarily possible due to the background being Finnegrin’s office on the Sea Legs, where Callum last did dark magic. I could very easily see this being a dream where Callum is having horrifying visions of himself outside his body, and this is one. I do find it interesting that, rather than black dark magic slug goop like I first thought on his hand, it’s actually blood on his hand, and the changes this indicates of Callum’s psyche / fears. Normally when Callum breaks things (primal stone, moon opal necklace, the green slug) it’s with his other hand, for starters. But more importantly, I think it’s interesting that this nightmare isn’t Just about being flat out possessed, but of being more of a dark mage: the eyes, the corruption, the blood, etc. and how that may lead to Aaravos’ will being further enforced over him. It speaks to a recognition of his own agency as well as growing fears of being not just controlled, but corrupted along the way.

One of Callum's greatest assets has always been his self awareness. He's intelligent, attentive, growing in confidence in his own capabilities for more than just magic. This is one of his biggest differences from both Viren and Claudia. However, this awareness of what he could do—what Aaravos could get him to do, possession or otherwise—may make him more stressed, worried, fearful, and paranoid.

Additionally acknowledged is that like in S4 and even in 6x01 Callum seemed mostly concerned with being possessed, as stated. Obviously S4 still had indications it was going to grow into More than just "what if my agency is stripped away" to "what if my agency is stripped away (and it's 'my' fault / because of my previous choices)" from Callum himself ("What if I'm on a path of darkness" is no longer a flimsily founded worry) and even from other characters like Soren ("I know you love magic, Callum, but I hope you're careful, 'cause it can change people").

Which makes sense! Possession is a loss of agency and that's accordingly terrifying, esp to a character like Callum who is the thematic embodiment of Freedom in the series and who cares about agency and being able to Do things 110%. Just having your agency stripped away from you wholesale, though, doesn't give much of a character arc — even if Callum only makes decisions out of paranoia next season > love, he's still making decisions — so like... He can and should be worried about his choices and what they may lead to, honestly. Not only is there set up, it's a much more standard TDP storyline (when is anyone ever let off the hook?) and it's more interesting. Callum is also very good at keeping his fears logically grounded (i.e. not worrying about Viren after 3x09, but stressed about not being a mage in s2) so that's another point in the "yeah this is Setup" column alongside 5x08 and... all of s4 and s5 honestly. So this screencap is very exciting cause it seems Callum is having increased fear and self awareness about his previous dark magic use and the possibility of using it or doing something else he considers awful in the future and I can't wait!

Icarus chose to fly too close to the sun after all

[belongstocaptaindoyle]

I love her! 🥰💖

[armandaughter]

tumblr freaks i NEED a last minute halloween costume

[kingpains]

dr1 designs pt. 1

[bookshelvesandtealeaves]

✨ BOOK REVIEW ✨

Celestial Monsters by Aiden Thomas

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[instagram]

Thank you Macmillan Children’s and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book picks up right where The Sunbearer Trials left off and we’re thrown right into the action with no recapping, which I really appreciated.

I loved being back with these characters and following their journey to save the world. Teo, Niya and Aurelio are such great characters and I really enjoyed watching them interact in this new environment.

The blossoming romance between Teo and Aurelio was so sweet. In the midst of all this chaos, they had each other, and I really loved watching the way that unfolded without overshadowing the main plot.

I also really loved getting Xio’s POV and their journey in figuring out what kind of person they wanted to be. I especially loved them trying out new pronouns and everyone just immediately accepting and adapting regardless of how angry they were with them.

I’ll admit to growing a little bored during the middle of this book. It felt like not a whole lot was happening, they were just moving from town to town and encountering the same things in a different wrapping. It felt a bit repetitive, as though it was just filler rather than actual plot.

Despite that, I still really enjoyed this story and found it really quick to read!

[adwox]

the first colored sketch of zero i made ⁉️

[rui-drawsbox]

rando suggestion, but i'd definitely start charging more per piece/backgrounds/props next time you open your commissions!! the quality of your art is worth way more than you're charging for it currently and it helps prevent commission overload in the future too (>_<)

Shhh don't say it to anyone but by "fixing my guidelines" i also meant fixing my prices🤫

But no yeah, the only reason i currently only offer white/transparent backgrounds is bc i don't really enjoy it enough to do it for other people??? I'll forgive stuff like simple props or one color/gradient backgrounds sometimes since it's not that hard but i don't want to make it a regular thing jsbfjsj

[violetsareblue-selfships]

good morning!! <33

[pixieberry992]

I hope she comes back in silverborn ☃️

[IMAGE ID: A sketchy digital drawing of Noelle Devereaux from Nevermoor. She is facing the left, and laughing or saying something meanly. Her hair is light brown and slightly curled, and it is in a high ponytail behind her head. She has blue eyes and fair skin, and there is a small silver earring on her visible ear. Her figure isn’t drawn below her neck. The background is a solid colour: pale desaturated blue, matching her eyes. On top of the drawing, in white, are doodles of devil horns on her head. IMAGE ID END]

[hellmouth-manor]

virtus junxit mors non separabit

There’s no sign of the Hellmouth that can be found after all that transpired. Perhaps it closed up entirely. Perhaps it moved. Perhaps there are others. Perhaps there aren’t.

At first, it’s hard to feel that you can put everything behind you. It’s difficult to feel like you aren’t being watched, or to accept the possibility that you’re safe. But… you can feel a hidden strength inside your soul.

✨✨✨

For Arisa, the virtue of Unkindness: not nearly as pretentious as Mercy, and not to be mistaken for her cruelty (although, she wields that perfectly fine as well). She will be sure that those she cares for are prepared to face the rigors of the world at large, even if she must impart that lesson herself. And when all is said and done, she knows the gap between platitude and truth.

For Cu, the virtue of Devotion: a grand word for something that in truth comes down to something much smaller and softer than worship. Cu’s devotion is a special appreciation for friendship, and every small thing it means– each and every ritual repeated being an act of preservation for each cherished thing.

For Eli, the virtue of Renewal: to shift one’s perspective and find another angle– to illustrate, over and over and over again, as many times as it takes. Obfuscate into colors and imagery, reinterpret, reimagine, re-abstract, until the underlying meaning can be conveyed to any other manner of individual; a picture is worth a hundred thousand words. Eli’s renewal is a form of connection, where the self portrait is a picture of the viewer themselves.

For Hibiki, the virtue of Vindication: there is a special relief in finding a body of work that validates your bottled feelings, to have your worries and fears resolved through struggle and reinforcement both. This isn’t an act of pride or judgment– but rather, an acknowledgement of feelings and source of inspiration. To be caught when you fall may as well be flying.

For Hisashi, the virtue of Ferocity: it is more honed than viciousness and more precise than brutality, yet it is something purer and baser that sits inside all living creatures– the love of ferocity is an unspoken thing that is both difficult to accept and undeniable, like the broken bird brought to the doorstep by the feral cat that has made itself a part of your life.

For Kamiya, the virtue of Sincerity: to be a pillar of truth in a den of lies is no easy feat, but sincerity shines like the northern star. He is a point of stability around which one can orient themselves when rocked by uncertainty, a bright light to rally around when all feels lost. His outstretched hand doesn’t have to be questioned.

For Micah, the virtue of Deception: or perhaps, it would be more accurate to call it the virtue of Revelation. To know that people are layered, and to know how to reach past those layers to find the truth. To know when to hold your own layers up, and when to take them down. To understand the importance in refusing to follow others blindly, and refusing to believe the unkind untruths people say about themselves.

For Minami, the virtue of Solidity: it is something more tangible than reliability. It is the weight of a hand clapping your back, and the person who will not falter to hold your gaze when you look towards them each and every time. It is a support you can lean on, but not one that you must rely on– she will be sure that you can stand on your own two feet. She is the solid path that you can follow, or walk beside, or stray from as you please.

For Miori, the virtue of Resilience: where even withered grass can thrive again, and clipped feathers can be grown. She is the strength found in the ability to endure, not just for herself in today but for trying again tomorrow. While resilience persists, even a stifled hope has means to break barren ground– and every pain endured is a pain understood when it is glimpsed in others.

For Mirai, the virtue of Reflection: of inner contemplation, she is the quietude in which the most important things come to be heard. She is the harmony that amplifies the melody. The moon that lights, with the sun’s rays, the deepest dark. She is the pause and all that it entails– the unseen space of time in which a flower blooms, the vital space of time when one stands at the edge of a precipice, the liminal time in which all that exists is yourself and the grass underneath and the sky above and, momentarily, peace.

For Miranda, the virtue of Survival: of knowing that survival of the fittest is a misrepresentation of strength– that the saying should really be survival of the kindest, in truth. When one exists by ‘one step at a time’, every second is sharp and grueling against the senses. When one walks alongside others who chatter and laugh, time passes without realizing and one day you find you’ve already climbed several mountains. Living is more than just being alive. Surviving is more than just experiencing loss.

For Nikephoras, the virtue of Authenticity: it is one side of a two-faced coin. To know truth is to know untruth. To have clarity is to recognize obfuscation. Each pearl of a lie begins with a grain of truth, a grain that she is unafraid to grasp or acknowledge themself despite how rough it may be. To know the hearts of others, and choose to treat them with respect and care is his strength.

For Olwin, the virtue of Foolishness: the value of which cannot be understated. It is a virtue more mature than whimsy, more focused than capriciousness; wielded with intention to disarm not just enemies but allies as well. Foolishness and play are the beginnings of friendship– a space created for non-judgement, an atmosphere that is safe for exposing fears and admitting vulnerabilities. He paves the path for change, in himself and in others.

For Poppy, the virtue of Mourning: to hold remembrance and to preserve the things that are important. It is living for the memory of those held dear, and finding the meaning underneath the wounds that they and their loved ones sustained. Continuing to live is a type of retribution. Continuing to love in spite of everything the world has tried to make you, too, is a type of vengeance. When one razes their hurts to the ground, from the ashes again they can rise.

For Raoul, the virtue of Belief: not to be mistaken with naivety– it takes true courage to believe. It is a choice, to leave himself vulnerable, to offer again and again the opportunity for his peers to be better. To invest in those around him and offer unconditional kindness is true love for humanity and all the potential it entails. He is the unerring patience of a door left open to the stray– watching day by day as their true personalities emerge underneath the pain and misery inflicted upon them by the otherwise uncaring world.

For Ruby, the virtue of Imperfection: the uneven lumpy crust of a homemade pie painstakingly made, the rumpled throws on a couch that betray their use, the crooked bough of a tree that makes it the perfect place for a swing– the hundreds of thousands of imperfections that make life unique. She is where flaw becomes potential. She is the scar that holds stories rather than pain. 

For Shoji, the virtue of Acceptance: it is not as simple as just taking things as they come. No, he is the intentional acceptance of the things that are worth having. And you are worth having, always, without question. It is the virtue of letting others know that they are enough, after all. The ability to show them that it is okay to accept themselves, too. And when you come, whole and all-encompassed, you discover things about yourself that you might have never realized before.

For Touji, the virtue of Outrage: it is a form of empowerment. Little else is more healing than to be cared for so deeply as to provoke outrage. He is the voice that reverberates in your bones and the pounding of your heart in your ears. When you feel alone, and small, and weak, it is the outrage that truly drives it home that you are strong, and large, and in the best company you could ask for. How much easier is it to fight for yourself, when his booming anger tells all just how much you’re worth it?

For Wakako, the virtue of Rejection: she is the refusal of what is handed to her. To scream and cry and rage is not a sin. It is not broken-ness to demand better of the world. Rejection provides the room necessary for growth– a cup overflowing cannot be filled. Defiance is an act of self-love.

For Yukiko, the virtue of Indulgence: to allow oneself their own right to happiness, and to fight tooth and nail against the forces that would prevent the happiness of those close to her. For all her deceit, she is also the simple enjoyment of a sunbeam; of spun sugar; of soft plush fur. There is nothing complicated about that. There is nothing wrong with indulgence. There is nothing wrong with you. Or if you’re wrong for wanting those things, why should you care anyways if it makes you happy? She gives you the space to see that.

✨✨✨

The virtue inside of you was there all along, waiting to be realized. Its strength means that no strings will touch you ever again.

(Not to mention, you’re reasonably sure that any other Hellmouth that tries to swallow you will probably have an allergic reaction to you, now.)

From demons at least, there’s nothing for you to worry about. Touji put it best–

Humans are going to kick demon’s asses any fucking day.

[beehivian]

I’ve had this Mastermind!Kaito AU sitting in my WIPs since at LEAST 2020 and something hit me today and convinced me to get at least a reasonable stand-alone chunk fully drafted and posted. Picks up near the 3/4 mark of V3 Trial 5. Can be treated as canon-divergent for the purposes of jumping into the plot

Words: 4861

[de-fontaine]

i'm building keqing for the sole purpose of getting the final echoes achievement when theatre resets and after playing around with her for a bit to get used to her playstyle i'm starting to grow fond of her oop

[beneathathousandskies]

Cover Reveal: The Witch and His Crow - Ben Alderson

Hello! Today it is my pleasure to be helping with the cover reveal for The Witch and His Crow the first book in The Witch Trials series by Ben Alderson which will be out March 4th 2025 and is available to preorder in all formats now here. Book Summary: ‘Win. Become Grand High. Rule them all.’ My name is Hector Briar, and I live for revenge. It’s been eighteen years since Witch Hunters…

[forlibcrty]

gamers how are we feeling about the leaked hexe details.