#Project IQRUS

[tryingtimi]

35✨

Angels by Avenged Sevenfold. It was a nice, and which for I itched to write something. It's really small, more like a warm-up than anything else.

EXPLORATION | PINCH OF ANGST | WC: 543

“What are you watching?” Auva asked, joining Dane standing by the large window.

The glass tapped the ground, reaching to the ceiling even. It framed the office, like a one-way wall — showing everything from the outside world to anyone who stepped inside the room, yet hiding even the fact they’re being watched from those under. Dane put his hand into his pockets, the fine textile rustling ever so quietly.

“A tragedy.”

People gathered around the small abode in the foot of the Astin Crops’ main building. The line was perfect, if long. No-one tried to shove the other to get before them, no. They waited for their turn, curiously examining those who already earned their rations.

Adran walked beside the abode, carrying inside all the boxes they filled up from their recent dive.

Auva audibly shifted, leaning just a touch closer to the glass.

“Why you call this a tragedy?” Her voice was soft, eager. “The units found a lot of edibles recently, it makes the people excited. Does it not?”

Many faces bled into expectant expression, smiles and hands clapsed together with their loved ones colouring the grey landscape of mundanity. If Dane would have shared any poetic vein with his friend, he’d say he saw sparks in their eyes alight. The line wasn’t from the Aquor Sector, however divers the crowd seemed to be. Clearly, there was no-one from the lowests.

“It does, yes. But with this, people forget the world. They see the goods they get, and turn from the depths. They look forward, and never glance below. What comes from there isn’t stopped. It catches up to us, very soon, yet no-one worries. No-one prepares. They forget everything; from where they from, who they lost, what was sacrifised to reach the point where we are now.”

He followed the slowly brightening line. The crowd did not thinned, even though most of them picked up their rations. They circled around the side of the abode, slumped shoulders evenly straightening as they spoke to Adran. He accepted the hands that reached for him, gently similing to them as he spoke. The sparks brightened, the depths floating father away.

“Are you mad because they do not grieve their losses?” Auva asked, genuine curiousity in her voice.

Dane set his jaw, stealing a glance from his left leg. His weight sit on the mechanical leg uncomfortably unnatural.

“Grief is an amputation, Auva.” Water flooded his mind, the trashing waves and crashing screaming filling his mind. He glanced at Adran, and the solid platform under him that did not let them see below. “But hope is incurable. And it is a disease that should not be taken lightly.”

“Hope is what makes these people going, until you save them, Dane.”

Not a single muscle in Dane’s face moved as he turned to her. His expression hardned into stone, reaching down to his chest, turning it heavy and full. Full of dead weight that expanded with every smiling word from Adran’s muted mouth.

“I can’t save them. I am not an angel, or a hero. I am just a man,” he said, tone even. His eyes wandered back at Adran. ”We all are.”

[tryingtimi]

Happy Blorbo Blursday! ✨

IQRUS/Project Icarus really caught my eye, and so I’m curious! Aside from Acharo and Lero Astin (Funnily enough, I was going to name Antris in my Untitled WIP Astyn before I changed my mind), are there any key important figures in the word, modern or historic?

I’m talking all kinds of importance, political, influential, religious, innovational, popular! I’d love to hear if you have any characters like that!

- Circa

Happy Blorbo Blursday to you too Circa! Thank you for the question! 💙 (Astyn sounds such a magical name tho, it would have been fun to have a connection like that between our WIPs hehe) <- typed up in the ancient times when I got the ask lmao.

And sadly, my answer is that I really don't have any more yet. They are the key ones so far, and since my focus was on other stories in the past almost ?2 years?, I haven't developed any more things for IQRUS. Will do soon tho.

[tryingtimi]

A Wishing God

To break my absence, I leave here a possible ending of IQRUS. It's fun to explore all the things I was just contemplating yet. This piece also started as an attempt for one of the Flash Fiction Friday prompts, Expanding Horizons, but it ended up more.

DANE AND AUVA | ANGST | IQRUS ENDING EXPLORATION | WC: 2,476

Water rumbled quietly. The waves had reached out as enormous fingers, stretching forward in the distance. They licked the solid metal, swallowing more and more of it, almost touching Dane’s feet as he sat on the ground. It wouldn’t have mattered, though. He was wet already, anyway.

The Aquor Sector’s ankle high water level’s surface let him see the solid floor under him.

He couldn’t move his muscles as he sat in the liquid. Mind filled up, overflowed with everything he wanted to keep it in the pit of his existence. He came here for a reason, yet he wasn’t able to get further than tiptoeing to the edge of the Trashland and finally let his legs to give up under him. All the turquoise, slightly translucent hell surrounded him in the moment he reached the ground. His pants soaked through immediately, his mechanic leg getting tighter around his thighs as liquid terror seeped into the fittings. He knew he should have been afraid of the mutation.

But he couldn’t care less about that.

The day of him getting the Caelus Sector offered modifications burnt into his mind. All the serums, plays with his genes, protection he got. Immunity for the top of humanity, they dared to say.

All the people playing God up there.

He tried to think about pulling his pulled-up legs closer to his chest, but he wasn’t able to do that. His body wasn’t under his control now. Fright ruled his blood flow, all of his big and little muscles, his mind. There was nothing he could do about it, only acknowledge it. He was paralyzed. By shock or trauma, he couldn’t tell anymore.

The waves pulled back, slowly making space between Dane and them. The touch of the liquid swayed around his lower body. Every tiny movement of it made something twitch inside him, building up a feeling he didn’t know how to control now or ever.

He wasn’t planning to move, however.

Even if he could have, he was sure he would have been just sitting in the water, watching the far horizon of endless waves and light. There was nothing at the other end. No land, no building, nothing.

Tender swaying and quiet splashing signaled Auva’s arrival.

She didn’t say a thing, only stood beside him for a second, then slowly sat down. He lowered his head, letting it drop between his shoulders. He couldn’t bear the sight of that infinite horizon anymore.

“What now?”, he asked eventually. He wanted to squeeze his eyes together, but he couldn’t. Dane wanted to stay aware of Auva’s presence by his peripheral vision.

After everything had been done, he wasn’t ready to just drown in his darkness, alone.

Because he was like that. Alone. Finally, and completely. No Adran, no Eran, not even Icharo. So much good for one evil to fall. And so, their most dire problem hasn’t been solved by the sacrifices. Was it really worth it then?

Auva shifted, and Dane could see her hand reaching over to touch the waves that came back to them again.

“Now, you must become a Guardian. Properly.” She tenderly caressed the surface, her fingers parting the water ever so slightly. It didn’t leave a mark, only its echo on the froth. “That would be the ideal. That would be the end of my task. But you must choose it willingly. “ She paused for a moment. “And I am not forcing anything.”

Dane exhaled. A long, stretched out breath. Then, after closing his eyes for a second, he opened them again and looked at Auva.

She didn’t force him to choose. She should have, yet she didn’t. A strange, heavy weight loomed over Dane, as he sat under the open sky and watched this figure beside him who he still couldn’t fully fit into his mind. Into his heart, yes, but not into his mind.

Dane wasn’t sure if he wanted to be something like her. He had no idea what that would mean. Icharo… Lero was her kind too. Whatever they were truly, they had powers he didn’t know he wanted to deal with.

He still felt his mind numbing ever so slightly, only just thinking about what he went through and saw.

Save them.

Adran’s last words bubbled up from his tensed muscles into his mind, showing him the memory of their last moments. His brother. His savior.

Everyone’s savior.

Dane’s left eye twitched a little. He wasn’t the one who should be a Guardian of people. Ionera should be safe after Adran’s sacrifice. They won, didn't they?

He snorted at this thought.

Winning. There was no winner in matters like these, was there? And whatever he was ready to do, one question still remained unanswered: if he was ever ready to take up the burden of making things right so his brother’s death won’t be for vain?

“So be it,” he said, his voice even. “How does it work?”

Auva nodded ever so slightly, an almost reluctant acknowledgement. Then, she pulled out a little glass bottle from the tiny case attached to her belt.

Something gold swayed within.

“You need to drink this first. Everything else is up to you after then.”

“What’s this?”, Dane asked as she handed him the bottle. He hasn't taken it yet.

“A substance that flows in my body and keeps it moving.”

His eyelids fluttered closed for a moment as he gulped.

“So, it’s your blood.”

Auva glanced at the far horizon beside them, lost in thought, before she guided her gaze back at Dane and the liquid.

“That’s an accurate conclusion, yes.”

“And you want me to drink it?” He heard it the first time too, but he needed to make sure. And if Auva didn’t quite understand why he needed this confirmation, she hid it well. As well as any human would have.

“It’s not about what I want, Dane. The world depends on it. Your world.”

The water reached for them again, swaying closer and closer, almost reaching his legs. And the gold swayed with it in the bottle. Auva didn’t move her hands, yet the liquid twirled and twisted. Its metallic shine absorbed the light around itself.

Dane could feel the faintest unease in his mind.

A familiar feeling at this point. Something that made him sick.

He forced his gaze at Auva.

At her, who was the bearer of this thing. This something that changed his world at its core. This thing that those carried in their physical bodies too that killed his loved ones and doomed humanity.

Dane curled up his toes in his fully soaked shoes. His hands were white from all the force he was gripping them together.

Auva was one of them, yet she was so much different. She was here to help. She did not ask anything from him. She let him choose.

Choose something he always strived to reach. Saving everyone. Saving Ionera. Protecting the ruins of their world.

Dane wasn’t the right one for this responsibility, but he was the only one left for this world. So, with heavy hands, he slowly took the bottle, closed his eyes and snapped his head back so he could swallow everything.

Then, he let his hands fall back down and nervously waited.

Waited.

And waited.

Nothing has felt different. The water still licked his sides, he might not have been as cold as before, but other than that; nothing.

“How long does it take to begin?”

Auva smiled. He didn’t know how he could know this with his eyes closed, but he did. For certain.

“ᴏᴘᴇɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴇʏᴇs,” she murmured, her voice sounding like a… prism. It belonged to her yet echoed on a thousand other.

He slowly lifted his eyelids, seeing nothing different over the horizon then before. A touch of early morning mist, endless water and small waves… in a room.

An intricate, vast room that contained everything he called his world. A room made of a prism. The walls reflected the sky, expanded horizons before Dane. All the layers of the images he’d seen opened up for him; the clouds’, the sky’s, the water’s and everything’s outlines splitted into hundreds of their own reflection, into shapes and colors he’d never seen before. Dane could see, feel and hear everything around himself. His vision, hearing and ability to feel erupted and expanded into something that made him be aware of all the happenings of the world. To feel every person and every living thing as if they were a part of him too.

Dane became the beating heart of Aetherius.

And with that, his core fright from before — that was so deeply a part of him he couldn’t acknowledge it fully — towards death evaporated into nothing. He knew he won’t die anymore. That he can’t die. Fear and death turned into mere concepts in his mind.

Then, he turned to Auva.

It wasn’t her true name. That wasn’t something that could have been spoken out loud. Dane stick with it, though.

The air wobbled around her figure that did not wore the features he was used to seeing on her. Golden bronze skin without a face, although Dane knew it wasn’t a skin exactly since it flowed in her physical form as well. Quills cascaded around her shoulders, blanketing her upper body, a featherless wing-like extension growing out of her back as a cape would.

He could use only mortal words to describe her, even though she was so much beyond that comprehension.

“ɪ ᴡɪsʜ ɪ ʜᴀᴅ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ʙᴇᴀᴜᴛɪꜰᴜʟ ᴛᴏ sᴀʏ,” whispered Dane. His voice similarly echoing in a thousand other as well. He wasn’t sure if he was capable of feeling anything at all, yet he knew he would feel awe if he would be his self from before.

Auva smiled. Dane could tell she was, no matter her faceless form.

“ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴅ.” Her voice still ethereal, the language they spoke celestial, if it was a language at all.

“Is ᴛʜɪs ʜᴏᴡ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs sᴇɴsᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ?” Dane needed to ask. There were things that did not ease with his ascension.

“ɪ ᴄᴀɴɴᴏᴛ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴀᴛ Gᴜᴀʀᴅɪᴀɴ. ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰɪʀsᴛ ᴡʜᴏ’ᴅ ʙᴇᴇɴ Mᴀᴅᴇ, ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴍᴀᴋᴇs ᴍᴇ ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴘᴇʀᴄᴇɪᴠᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢs ᴅɪꜰꜰᴇʀᴇɴᴛʟʏ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴍᴏsᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴜs. sᴏ, ᴛᴇʟʟ ᴍᴇ, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ, ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪs ɪᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ sᴇɴsᴇ?”

What was he sensing? How could he describe it? He should have been overwhelmed, but he could not experience life as before. Eternal things laid before him, more than his world only. He won a glimpse of the other worlds that had burnt into his mind; people with pointy ears, monster-like creatures, black suns, violet moons and so, so much more. He’d seen a fraction of all the different sides of that infinite prism that his world reflected it too. He couldn’t be sure what he sensed actually.

He knew what he should have reacted to, though.

“ᴇᴍᴘᴛɪɴᴇss.” That wasn’t it exactly. “ꜰᴜʟʟɴᴇss ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴍᴘᴛɪɴᴇss ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ sᴀᴍᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ. ɪ ᴄᴀɴ sᴇᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅs ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛʜɪs ᴏɴᴇ. sᴛʀᴀɴɢᴇ ᴏɴᴇs. ᴜɴᴋɴᴏᴡɴ ᴏɴᴇs. ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ᴄᴀɴɴᴏᴛ sᴇɴsᴇ ᴍʏ ɢʀɪᴇꜰ ᴛᴏᴡᴀʀᴅs Aᴅʀᴀɴ ᴀɴᴅ Eʀᴀɴ’s ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ. ɪ ᴄᴀɴɴᴏᴛ ᴍᴏᴜʀɴ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴀɴʏᴍᴏʀᴇ, Aᴜᴠᴀ. ɪ ᴅᴏ ꜰᴇᴇʟ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ. ɪ ꜰᴇᴇʟ ʙᴇʏᴏɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇᴍ. ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ᴄᴀɴɴᴏᴛ ꜰᴇᴇʟ ᴍᴇ.”

Some kind of wrongness nested in his core also. A plague, a reversed black hole. Aetherius’ doom, the dimensional tear that let the terrors pour into his world.

It had been hidden from him, but now he could sense it. The calling of the ocean, deep under all the monsters and darkness; the portal slumbered there, out of the reach of any mortal. But not his, not anymore. And so he could have a chance to extinguish it. Or begin to do that.

Auva nodded, excitement reflecting in the vibration of her magnetic field around her.

“ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʀᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ꜰᴇᴇʟ ᴀs ᴀ ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ, ᴇᴠᴇɴ ɪꜰ ɪᴛ’s ᴛʀᴀɢɪᴄ, ᴛʜᴀɴ sᴛᴀʏɪɴɢ ᴅɪᴠɪɴᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʟᴍɪɢʜᴛʏ.”

“ɪ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ.”

“ᴡᴇʟʟ ᴛʜᴇɴ,” She extended her hand. “ɪᴛ’s ꜰᴏʀᴛᴜɴᴀᴛᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ sᴛᴀᴛᴇ ɪs ᴛᴇᴍᴘᴏʀᴀʀʏ” And with that, Dane’s senses began to shrink. Whatever he experienced, it did not leave him, only made him more and more anxious. He couldn’t put his finger on what he’d seen in the next second, when he stopped feeling everything.

Minute by minute, he gained back that core terror of death and the dreadful woe that nested in his bones. He got back his grief and his mourning. His ability to remember and love. His focus wasn’t on all living things anymore, he wasn’t everywhere all at once. And he saw Auva only as a woman sitting waist deep in the water.

“How could this happen? I thought being a Guardian is a permanent task.”

Auva smiled and glanced at the bottle in Dane’s hand. He mirrored her movement, realizing he wasn’t paralyzed anymore, even though all his grave emotions only multiplied in his chest.

He furrowed his brows when he saw the golden blood still sway in the bottle. He could have sworn that he swallowed all.

“It was. Before you’ve changed the rules of turning into one. What I’ve said previously was something I only came to know the moment you made up your mind. And so now the rules are letting Guardians choose after they experience what it's like to be one. You’ve created a new concept. A new era. Change is never immediate from now on. It needs time and so you could have only one drop to begin with.”

Dane tightened his hand around the bottle.

“It sounds like I’ve modified space and time in a blink of an eye. That is something only…” God should be able to do, Auva. He stopped himself before he could finish his sentence like that. He couldn’t deny it anymore. He was one of them for a short period of time. If it was a short period of time at all, since time itself lost its meaning for him in that state. Or that’s how he could describe it if he attempted to put it into words.

A soft touch on his hand made Dane shiver slightly. He glanced at Auva’s tender gaze that was full of comfort, yet reflected something deep that he couldn’t really grasp. As if the cosmos itself had been captured in those eyes.

“It must be a lot.”

It was. Dane couldn’t deny that either. But there was also one thing that stayed with him the most after the experience. Something that made him confident enough to hold Auva’s eyes.

“I’ll take the role temporarily. I’ve seen the tear, so I need the power to unravel it, to find it again and close it. But as soon as we’ve reached that, I’ll find someone who’s worth enough to take this role properly,” he said and with that, he flipped his hand to took Auva’s in his too.

[tryingtimi]

13 & 29!

His Little Brother

Thank you so much for the numbers! 💙 Well, it was a lovely combination of two IQRUS song, Goodbye by Ramyes (from Arcane) and Doom by Imagine Music. So, since I already planned to write this scene in the near future, I've lived with the opportunity now. Context: The cult experimented on making a specimen of the mix of a human and a zaphrin (angel/lesser god-like creatures) that can erase other zaphrins. Adran happened to be the best candidate to this role, so they made him insane and turned him into an eldritch monster, then went to the Everocean to destroy Auva and kill Dane. It's almost the end of the book.

ADRAN COHREN | BODY, ELDRITCH HORROR | GORE | BLOOD | WC: 819

Adran’s jaw – that nauseating, deformed piece of his face where his sharp, shark-like teeth slumbered – clenched together with an ear-shattering crunch. His Evolved hand closed over Dane’s neck with ease. It seemed so tiny compared to his clawed arms that Dane tried to draw blood from with his weak fingers. To no avail, however. The scales that grew over Adran’s translucent, slithery skin could stop lasers from slicing them through. A mere scratch of a human being was not near to harming him.

Adran’s neck twitched as he saw his brother’s tears escaping from the side of his face.

“Ad…ran…” he forced out the letters with the air that rushed out from his lungs but couldn’t get back anymore. His face slowly turned into the purple of the sunset behind him. “Fight… it…”

ɪᴛ ɪs ᴛɪᴍᴇ, ɪɴsᴇᴄᴛ.

He watched Dane struggle, desperation and terror pooling into his ocean-blue eyes. No. ʏᴇs. His brother let out a gutwrenching cry as Adran’s claws tightened, his neck bruising visibly. No! NO!

ʏᴇs, ʏᴏᴜ'ʀᴇ ᴍɪɴᴇ. ɪᴛ ɪs ᴛɪᴍᴇ.

Electric shockwaves ran down across his skin, right into his bones, the little sparkles popping up here and there in the ooze that dripped from his whole body. His mind had been out of his reach, thick fog and froth washing Adran farther away from himself. Numbness sunken him deeper and deeper locking him into a dark corner of his existence. He’d seen his grotesque, eight feet tall self lifting Dane higher through an old screen, not his eyes. He was lost. He was doing what was best.

It was the best for Her. And so it could be the best for the world as well.

Adran saw what he was doing. Through a screen. Through… he saw his arms and a scar on the sensitive skin between two lines of scales.

A scar.

ɴᴏɴsᴇɴsɪᴄᴀʟ.

His scar.

ᴀsɪɴɪɴᴇ.

The scar he got when he saved Dane. From falling. From dying. He stirred in his numbness. Adran looked down at Dane’s remnant of his mechanic leg. He ripped it out of their fitting. He trashed in the shadows of his mind, trashed for air and freedom.

He was choking Dane. The one he saved and has scarred himself for. Dane lost his leg that day, the day he got his scar. When they were kids. He saved him. From falling. From dying. His Dane.

Adran looked at his gagging, deepening red face.

At his little brother.

NO!

Adran’s mind buzzed and whirled, it melted and bled as he screamed his throat raw when he finally forcefully took the control back over his body. He immediately let Dane go, then with his eyes jumping everywhere at an insane speed, he turned around to look at the source of this bone-crushing unease, this madness.

At Icharo Astin, The Golden Prophet.

He couldn’t describe the guttural loathing that his form presented under the golden robe, and he didn’t try to. With the thin thread he could grab of his sanity, Adran charged towards The Golden. The vessel’s floor thumped under his large, oily feet, the air around him resonating and tearing apart. The Golden did not move as if he was sculpted from stone-cold confidence. He stood there as the grand statue of lunatics. He was indestructible. Death couldn’t lay a hand on him.

Adran, however, was worse than death.

And so he broke through the invisible, yet crushing resistance that this man’s, this monster’s cosmic protection had lifted before him. There was a slight hint of surprise in The Golden’s unreadable, faceless expression when Adran soundlessly roared at him and began to rip him out of existence. He surprised a God, after all. ᴅᴇsᴛʀᴜᴄᴛɪᴏɴ. ʏᴏᴜ'ʀᴇ ɢᴏɴɴᴀ ᴅᴇsᴛʀᴏʏ. ʏᴏᴜʀsᴇʟꜰ. Adran felt an endless shock of pain in his core, in his bones, in his mind. He started bleeding from everywhere as he sucked the skin, the bone, the life out of The Golden before him.

What he was consuming, was a part of him already. And he couldn’t bear it. It was too much for his body.

Jarring gurgling exploded from The Golden’s mouth. Deafening agony resonated in the air, as both he and Adran shrieked.

Vibrant red and sparkling gold blood bled onto the floor, pooling under them.

Yet, Adran had only one thing stuck in his mind. One thing he was holding onto; that last thread of sanity. Golden-red blood oozed from his face as tears, when he looked at the terrified Dane from the corner of his eyes.

“Save them,” he… forced his mouth to form the words.

Then, with the thought of his little brother, Adran howled in sync with The Golden one last time, before he tore every part of him out of the worlds and destroyed himself in the process.

Completely and permanently.

[tryingtimi]

A list of all the pieces I’ve posted so far, arranged in chronological order. Trigger warnings and more details in the links. This post also will be edited and expanded as I share more things.

CANON

When He Snaps | 1,125 ↳ Dane loses it after a meeting with the Council. Auva comforts him.

Hope and Magic | 332 ↳ Dane and Auva are having a conversation about what magic and hope is. Not necessarily canon.

Dane’s Panic Attack | 399 ↳ Little exploration on Dane’s panick attacks those will happen during the story once or twice.

When Everything Has Lost PART I | 2,475 ↳ Adran is on a secret mission with Thaddeus and they stumble upon a very strange cave in the depth of the Everocean.

His Little Brother | 819 ↳ Adran tries to kill Dane, while he's struggling with this insanity and his mutation.

A Wishing God | 2,476 ↳ A possible ending where Auva and Dane contemplates over godhood.

NON-CANON

And Serve I Will | 2,124 ↳ A horrific scene that unravels what the cult actually does behind the curtains.

[tryingtimi]

Hi Timi!✨

I'm really curious in particular for your answer to this ask since Lonel and IQRUS share a world of what I understand which makes this very interesting...

If you were to write a story in your setting, which would occur at a point in time other than the current time for any of the particular WIPs (or a point in time already covered but within an entirely different region and focusing on entirely separate events), what would it look like? Why would this time/place be interesting to write? If happening before the WIPs current time, would it tell of history known to the current time? If told after, would the events of the current WIP be known history to the characters? Would any characters/objects carry through time?

Hope you enjoy!

~ Circa✨

Love you for this it’s such a fun question, thank you!

Funny thing, I have actually three story planned in the world of IQRUS.

One before Lonel (so far it’s called Sasin but it will change in the future), then Lonel and lastly IQRUS. Sasin will be a story about mafia clans having magical abilities and separated by those, plus a detective who will be deeply connected to them. There, the detective will get a little knowledge about zaphrins in the end of their storyline and stuff in Auris, so they will appear in Lonel later. Because those two are taking place in different countries but slowly get connected by the strange phenomenons like constant raining (which wouldnt be as weird in Auris, Lonel’s country but it is in where Sasin takes place), and the water acting up or not usual. Sasin will have more knowledge of the, lets call it “intergalactical” picture and they want to spread it or get help, assemble force, idk yet. Meanwhile somewhere around where the main Astin Tower will be built, Icharo (IQRUS’ villain) does his thing to flood the planet. That’s what the other countries experience as weird little changes.

However, Lonel and Sasin’s story isn’t widely known to the history of IQRUS, because they are pretty secretive things. But, Adran and the Deep Corps memebers all find many little relics and stuff from the places those stories took place in. That was my first little motivation at the beginning to be honest. To have some Easter Eggs in IQRUS from other stories, like paintings with Selys' name on it that the Deep Corps found in the sunken cities or something like that.

Also, I think what Icharo begins, will mute every supernatural aspect other than his eldritch horrors. So, whatever was with Lonel and Sasin, those powers will be blocked or surpressed almost completely. We’ll see. Because IQRUS revolves around techonolgy that is so advanced it feels like magic. But there is no true magic to where Dane and Adran lives. On another Towers tho… who knows. They might meet Selys at some point.

[tryingtimi]

Hi there everyone, I decided that now I finally made a WIP intro for my current project, I might as well make a long overdue re-intro too.

About me.

I’m Timi, a late 20s central european adult who tries to finish a book for the hundredth time. You can find me sharing bits of my projects here, as well as spreading my friends’ and other creators’ art of every kind. Occasionally ranting a little bit about life, current media or music obsession.

My intrests are very much revolve around fantasy, sci-fi, litfic, horror, romance and everything inbetween. Can’t be too specific because I enjoy a variety of genres, depending on my mood lol. My all time favourite books are the whole of the Stormlight Archives, the whole of the Green Bone Saga, Interview with The Vampire and Memoirs of a Geisha. Hope that helps (I know it doesn’t, I’m sorry.)

Other intrests. painting ∘ animation ∘ languages ∘ knitting ∘ martial arts ∘ dance

About my writing.

I tend to write what I enjoy comsuming, therefore every kind of fantasy with a pinch of romance and a handful of horror — be that any kind. Plus I sometimes tiptoe into sci-fi territory.

Current work.

PROJECT SASIN ⬑ urban fantasy. crime. romance.

wip intro ∘ wip tag ∘ 40k in 42 days challenge

Later sometimes I might expand the Sasin intro to something like the old ones I made, but I wanted to deliberately keep it lowkey for now. I also have three more projects shared on this blog, that I will not list because of space saving purposes. They are also in the backburner for now, as I try to concentrate solely on Sasin this year. However, there is a lot of content for them from last year if anyone's interested, so.

old wip intro | project Lonel | Metalsea series | project IQRUS

Other blogs.

reblogging other's snippets | reblogging writing help material

[tryingtimi]

Thank you for the trick, hehe! I'll leave here the beginning of a scene then, that I'm still working on. It's a cult scene from my sci-fi wip called IQRUS. The trick is: it's a non-canon scene anyway. 🧡 Also thank you, I am well! Hope you are too!

Iron grey clouds gathered around the horizon, shielding the sun and devouring its rays one by one. Cleaning them out of sight. Brother Noxton have been taught that this kind of a weather was the prime time of maintaining the holy duty.

When the world itself tried to look away.

He waited to join this voyage since he successfully has been Restored. He left the facility in the hope to be a part of Her plans and now, finally, here he was.

IQRUS taglist 🌌: @bloodlessheirbyjacques, @jess-p-edits, @circa-specturgia, @moonscribbler, @blind-the-winds, @odysseywritings

Hi hello!

🎃🦇 Trick or Treat! 🎃🦇

Hi, hello, Timi! I hope you're well today. I pick...TRICK!🎃👀

[tryingtimi]

i was playing around with comp titles (from every media) for my projects because i find that it helps me solidify the atmosphere or v i b e of the story if you will, and so far i got this:

Sasin: Jade City meets Mistborn set in a fictional Jazz Era Korea.

Lonel: Wolf Among Us meets Interview with The Vampire set in a fictional ‘60s Budapest.

Metalsea: Stormlight Archives meets King Midas myth.

IQRUS: The Foundation set in a flooded Heaven (Urdak) from Doom Eternal.

i find this so fun, because it shows so well what were the base ideas tbh.

Sasin’s base idea was just to have a story with a place where the four animal gods can lend their power to the mafia clans who rule the whole country.

Lonel’s base idea was to have a vampire ruled world where only one single werewolf left.

Metalsea’s base idea differs because it was a worldbulding one, to have a world where the planet is torn apart into two and people live like that.

and IQRUS’s base idea was similar, to have a cyberpunk world where the world is flooded and there are eldritch angels among the people.

anyway.

If you read this far then can you please share with me what was the base idea for your story? I’m so curious.

[tryingtimi]

Going lowkey, but still wanted to have a proper wrap-up of 2023, because it's been a hell of a year. I've looked back what were my goals for the year, but they lost their relevance after the first half of 2023, so I won't be mentioning them.

WHAT HAPPENED

86,969 words throughout the year on various project. This was the first year I tracked my writing and I will continue doing so because it feels nice to look back on it hehe. Especially because the number is higher than I expected.

Lonel's first ACT is done, and I couldn't be happier for that.

Submitted two short stories to writing contests. Didn't win, but creating them was fun, and honestly, the fact I finally gathered enough courage to submit was a big achievement for me personally.

Written five short stories for Lonel and one for IQRUS.

Decreased the number of my drafts from 80 something to 8.

Drew a Cronyl x Avelyn picture, that I was not brave enough to share lol. I might do it later sometimes. We'll see.

PLANS FOR 2024

Finishing Lonel's zero draft.

Starting the first draft of Book 1 for the Metalsea series.

Submitting to at least four more contests/ magazines. (shorts only)

Pumping up my painting/art skills to do fanart for friend's and my stories.

I've grown a lot this year as a person and an artist (partly because of you guys here) which helped me having a clearer picture of where to go further. Taking steps to get my writing out there is one of those that I'll strive for in the next year.

Hope you guys will have a year full of creative achievements, risk takings, and many experiences that you'll find treasurable at the end! <3

[tryingtimi]

And serve I will

Inspired by a brief daydreaming session during this Tunes day post, I started working on this scene, because @aninkwellofnectar gave me a bit of a kick for it. Now, it's finally finished and, well, it's not canon, but it was a fun one. My first attempt to get a hold of how to write true eldritch horror and cult stuff all in all, so. Any thought is welcome. 💛

CULT ACTIVITY | DISTURBING IMAGERY | INSANITY | WC: 2,124

Iron grey clouds gathered around the horizon, shielding the sun and devouring its rays one by one. Cleaning them out of sight. Brother Noxton has been taught that this kind of a weather was the prime time of maintaining the holy duty.

When the world itself tried to look away.

He waited to join this voyage since he successfully has been Restored. He left the facility in the hope to be a part of Her plans and now, finally, here he was.

The wind nestled with the hems of his deep blue robe as the hallowed vessel contently turned on the Everocean. Water rumbled underneath, white and turquoise froth ralling on the sides in all their Evolved might.

“Brother Noxton.”

He lifted his gaze at Mother Keron, who joined him standing by the railing of the vessel. Her divine features softened by the shadow of her hood. Round, small, completely black eyes watched him carefully.

Brother Noxton bent over to greet her, but the Mother let him straighten right back, revealing a holy hand as she gestured him. The boney, membranous, yet lithesome fingers oozed the same translucent substance, as it dripped from the rest of her.

“It’s great to see you here, young Brother,” she said, the tentacles growing out of her mouth making the words hard to understand. Ethereal speech. Brother Noxton contained his awe and visceral nausea. Blessed feelings. “As you are new, I shall give you one important piece of advice, before we proceed. Everything for Her, nothing for your eyes, child. To serve, you shall obey.”

“And I obey, as is only right. For mine is to serve, and serve I will.” His chant made the tentacles twirl and twitch, some pulling back under her hood. The Mother’s mouth distorted, muscles visibly tightening under her opaque skin. A smile, as Brother Noxton could best interpret.

He felt his Evolving features mimicking the gesture. Nestling little extensions wiggling at his nape.

The vessel slowed suddenly, and the Brothers and Sisters gathered onto the wide, main platform he and the Mother were standing. His place was not far from where he already stood, so only some steps were needed to find the right spot. Everything grew still, as the machine under them completely stopped, the rumbling water quited and he appeared in the entrance of the central cabin.

Icharo Astin towered over all of them, his subjects barely reaching his shoulders. A golden robe blanketed his figure, heavy and all-covering. Brother Noxton couldn’t see his face under the hood – not if anyone could do such a thing –, nor any of his features; although he did not dare to look at him for longer than a glance.

The two parallel lines of devotees descended onto one knee in unison, heads deeply lowered in reverence.

The Golden Prophet walked among them only in these divine times, which Brother Noxton would have wanted to celebrate with excitement if it wouldn’t have been a disgustingly human thing to do.

The vessel’s floor never clicked under shoes or heels, in fact, when the golden robe slid before him, the Brother saw no rustles of the material or any sign of moving legs. The Golden most definitely glided over the surface, and… ah, yes. Brother Noxton felt bile gathering up in the pit of his stomach, his mind faintly itching from something. He remembered how terrified he was, when he first felt like this. All before his epiphany, and the way this restless, mind numbing feeling showed him.

“You may rise.” Mother Keron’s gurgling voice made everyone do as she said.

The Golden took his place at the front, before everyone, shapeless, shadowed face turning away from the devotee, right towards the Everocean. Brother Noxton watched him as long as he dared, then, when his skin started to burn from the shivers that ran through him constantly and his head felt heavy, but his tiny extensions twirled and scratched him pleasantly at his neck; he looked away. He didn’t want to, but the duty demanded his attention.

The Mother turned to the entrance, and so did everyone. A figure emerged from the darkness of the door with two Sisters on each side. The middle person was a man, probably in his early thirties, hands tied behind his back, mouth covered with a nanomask. The machinery filtered his sounds and moans, but Brother Noxton could see his eyes; those wide, terrified eyes. He trashed in the grasp of the Sisters, but they did not bother with him much. He was merely but an inconvenience of the Evolved, nothing much.

When the Sisters reached the middle of the platform with the man, they stopped and made him stand still somehow. He seemed to breathe hard from the rapid rising of his chest, but he most certainly couldn’t tell what had happened to him. Understandable, Brother Noxton thought. It’s not something they can expect or get explained to.

In his head, the Brother used to imagine a speech or a theatrical preparation of the holy duty. In reality, however, there was none of these. What happened was far more simple.

The Mother signaled with her hand to the devotee to lower their head, when The Golden stepped aside from the edge of the vessel. There was no hesitance in anyone, they did as they were instructed. However, the Brother stole a glance from The Golden’s direction and could see a little open space; a pathway up to the platform almost.

Was his still unworthy part pushing him, Brother Noxton couldn’t say, but he stayed curious. He did lower his head obediently anyway. Everything for Her, nothing for his eyes; his duty was the only thing that mattered.

…

It was the only thing that should have mattered.

Brother Noxton fidgeted the same way his extensions twirled on his nape under his hood. Not visibly enough for anyone to be noticable, but he knew it.

A splashing sound and the impression of something heavy came from the Golden’s direction. Gurgling and squelching echoed through the air, resonating there… no, not in the air, but within his ears. Something moved; from where the Brother knew this, he didn’t know. He just did.

Shivering found its way up on his spine, even to the twirling extensions. His stomach shrank, as the sounds became louder with every slow paced plop on the floor of the vessel.

His mind tickled.

It was as if the familiar, unspeakable caressing that he felt during every meeting, would have doubled; not tripled.

No.

No, he couldn’t compare this to anything. Especially not to numbers. It was something way beyond everything he knew until this moment.

…

And he needed to know what was happening.

Brother Noxton could feel the Golden Prophet watching him, as he broke his position and ever so slightly, but raised his head eventually. Not too much, only enough so he could see the happenings. His bones began to itch, as he laid an eye on the man that was brought out from the cabin previously. And a… thing standing before him.

It was a…

A…

Brother Noxton’s extensions wiggled wilder and wilder with every attempt to comprehend what he was seeing. The size, that was way, way bigger than the man’s and yet, somehow, still smaller. Or thinner in dimension. Whatever that meant, it also bore the shapes of a human and something grotesque mixture of octopus and an animal that he couldn’t pinpoint on. He didn’t dare. The needle point that his stomach became and the raw fright that nested in his core wouldn’t have let him.

Whispers.

Brother Noxton’s left eye twitched as he realized he heard whispers in his ears. From beside him. From behind him.

Inside him.

He didn’t know where the voice, voices came from, but it resonated inside his chest, his muscles, his mind. He didn’t understand what they said, if they said anything at all.

Looking at the creature made his senses itch and sharpen. Guttural gurglings, splashing, quelching, snizzling. It was as if he’d heard everything in the world and more. Then, the creature opened its terrible mouth in front of the frozen man.

And so something has begun.

An event Brother Noxton couldn’t really grasp anymore, nor could he tear his eyes off of it. His nape nestled, his extensions wiggled as if violently disturbed. He saw as the Sisters let the man go, while the air distorted around him and… had been sucked in by the creature. No,that couldn’t have happened. He couldn’t have seen that.

ʏᴇs.

Whispers. Air and skin ripped, teared, separated from the man. Shadows gathered around him, like claws stripped him bare. A grotesque change began, as if he’d been skin off, yet it was so much more. The creature, that thing sucked something out of him. Something off of him. His face, his body, his everything distorted and flew into the creature.

Then, a woman's figure appeared. The man no longer was the one who Brother Noxton had seen some time ago, but instead, a much younger woman stood there; eyes bulged by fright. His extensions raced at his nape, as he tried to make sense of the happenings. He couldn’t though. His mind was blanketed by the familiar, thick fog that felt somehow tender, yet stubborn. It stuck. And brought itself the nauseating feeling he was used to.

Whatever happened before him, it didn’t stop.

No, it didn’t. The woman, just like the man before her, had been torn into pieces by that visible, shadow-like, pulsing pull that came from the creature. The air was swirling around them, and Brother Noxton could have sworn that he saw the outline of the unknown, chained figure making a… tear… in their… what? In their reality? Is that… No.

ʏᴇs.

Underlying whispers that sounded muffled, as if they came from the bottom of his body; of his existence. They weren't there. Yet, they were. He couldn’t look away.

The woman disappeared. Her body, skin, existence had been sucked out of her and left behind an old man. Then a nun. Then an engineer. Then a politician. Faces, bodies, lifes had changed there, as the creature did its duty. The holy duty. Was this it? Oh, if Brother Noxton could have stopped the whispers!

A child.

Eyes with terror, body trembling, mouth covered. Whichever of the lot of people were there, they screamed inside the nanomask. Screamed… oh, no, they howled. Yes, now the Brother could have heard them too. He could hear… whispers. Bile in his throat. A thousand ants under his skin. People, erased from existence. Who stood there before? The Brother couldn’t remember. He couldn’t think, only hear those constant mumbles that echoed from the pit of his mind. Was that his mind?

Where did that golden puddle come from?

A last tear. A last shriek.

A figure, a creature… a thing. More bigger than the one with its shadows, even greater than the Golden Prophet himself. Its body, its… shapes made the Brother’s chest clench from such a primal fear, he couldn’t hold his position anymore. He panted, cried, whimpered, but he couldn’t look away. His eyes were stinging, as if a kind would have been twisted behind his eyeballs. Something was streaming down on his cheeks, thicker than water.

Blood.

The thing knelt in the golden puddle, golden droplets streaming down on his too long arms, through his even longer, claw-like fingers. It has no face at all.

Featherless wings. Whispers. Terrible, so, so terrible. Pain, the agony of not knowing, of not existing anymore.

Brother Noxton on the floor.

He felt the fog growing so great, it clouded all of his mind, sneaking in every little corner and nesting there to stay forever. Itching, screeching, heaviness. Words, Sisters and Brothers. The Golden.

Brother Noxton saw himself from above. He was floating over himself and all the devotees. He layed out on the floor face up, eyes so wide, and so white, the terror almost wasn’t visible. His face horrendously twisted, while white foam oozed from his open mouth. It stood in the way of his screams, but did not ease the sickening feeling. Nor the visceral fright.

His limbs constantly twitched, hands pulled up in a crooked way. The Golden watched him, his body on the ground of the vessel; then he lifted his head up and looked right into the Brothers eyes.

He couldn’t comprehend what he saw there, only the shaking of his soul, while the cacophony of whispers slowly merged into one, more feminin-like voice that spoke to him from nowhere, but everywhere at once.

The Brother heard one thing, before he felt his mere existence shatter.

ᴀɴᴅ sᴇʀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪʟʟ, ɪɴsᴇᴄᴛ.

[tryingtimi]

But his job wasn't for human eyes.

More of his friends were gone than it would have been comfortable to keep track of, and it was impossible to get used to this.

Tell me a line from one of your wips that you have memorized. I'll start.

[Smoke] filtered through her lungs by way of pain, and she thought she deserved it. She probably did; the list of her faults was long.

[tryingtimi]

Not sure if I’ve done this yet, but Trick or Treat! 💖

Sweetpea, thank you for this! I'll go for a little treat 🍬 then, so I can share every funny little stuffed-into-the-corner-of-my-notion-pages pieces now. Since I'm trying to get myself in the mood for IQRUS, here's a kind of incorrect quote-like dialogue exercise out of context. It's old and I don't think it's gonna be canon because it's too funny for a sci-fi eldritch horror story lmao.

Dane: Whats’s that?

Auva: A subtance that flows in my body and keeps it moving.

Dane: So, it’s your blood.

Auva: That’s an accurate conclusion.

Dane: And you want me to drink it?

Auva: It’s not about what I want. The world depends on it.

IQRUS taglist (because it's fun) 🌌: @bloodlessheirbyjacques, @jess-p-edits, @circa-specturgia, @moonscribbler, @blind-the-winds, @odysseywritings

[tryingtimi]

I know I'm late bbuuuuut...

🦇Trick or Treat!!!🦇

Legend, you’re so in time! You can always pop in for anything 🧡 Thank you, and then I'll go for a treat then, because you're always feeding my excitement by indulging my asks. Therefore, here's a pretty old and not really canon Dava scene because I know you love them. 🍬

Lil' summary: Dane and Auva are talking about what is magic and hope. I used this as a dialogue exercise, so there is not much detail about who speaks, either way, Auva starts the convo.

“At some point, technology will feel like magic.”

“Perhaps, but that doesn’t make it magic.”

“Depends on your definition of magic, Dane. What is it really? Lightning shooting from a robed figure’s fingers? A wonder that can cure and save everyone and everything? Or a generated phenomena beyond mortal understanding and logic?”

“Neither, it is just the cruel deception of the desperate. People getting advantage over those who lost hope.”

“I see. And what is hope then?”

“Hope is… well, it’s a feeling. A stupid one, might I add. It makes people vulnerable enough to override logic and reality in their head. There’s some useful aspect of it, I admit, but I wouldn’t say the overall feeling is something that rational people need. Why, though? Don’t you zaphrin hope too?”

“I... no, we actually don't.”

“Really? Haven’t you hoped to find me?”

“That’s not how we work. I had a task to come here and find someone capable of working with me against Lero. We knew there was someone, so I only needed to wait. It was either success or failure.”

“But you couldn’t know for truly certain there is someone who's capable enough. That’s not possible, only if you know the future. Which you stated you don’t. So you zaphrin didn’t know there is someone, but hoped. In fact, hoped enough to believe that it is a fact. You’re much more of a believer than we humans, as it seems.”

Auva didn’t respond. She seemed lost in thought as she stared at her hands in her lap. Maybe Dane shouldn’t have said that. He basically shattered her whole understanding over her species. Unintentionally yes, but still. He felt awful.

Dane was ready to apologize when an ever so gentle smile creeped onto Auva’s lips.

“Yes, yes it seems we are.” She looked up at Dane and her eyes sparkled. “Isn’t it magical?”

IQRUS taglist 🌌: @bloodlessheirbyjacques, @jess-p-edits, @circa-specturgia, @moonscribbler, @blind-the-winds, @odysseywritings

[tryingtimi]

Trick 👻 or Treat 🍬 !

@bloodlessheirbyjacques 👁️👅👁️✨

Lol, my love, I love those emojis. I'll go for a treat for you, because I can't give everyone a trick just to avoid sharing content LMAO. So, here's an Atticus moodboard. 🧡🍬

[tryingtimi]

Oh hell, brilliant choices as usual. I love this Royal/ God theme.

you should see me in a crown

Oho, this is definitely an Icharo Astin song from IQRUS. Perfect for a twisted villain 🙃

Game of Survival

For some reason this one is a villain song for me, just this time, it’s Troghrun from Project Metalsea. A little different, but still going for those heroes.

Young God

Well, this says a lot, but it’s a perfect song for Cronyl’s “final form” at the end of Metalsea lol. Some part of the lyrics also very fitting for it.

Happy Tunesday! 🎶

Previous Posts: Week 1 | Week 2

You know the rules ✌️🔥✨

Listen to these three songs, and daydream about your WIPs!

Tell me about your WIP daydreams in the reblogs!

Or, make your own tunesday posts and use music straight from your WIP playlists! Tag me in them! I'd love to steal your music!

Here's a Royalty / God themed week 👑💍❤️

you should see me in a crown - Billie Eyelash

stolen from @catharticallysarcastic c:

Game of Survival - Ruelle

recommended in Week 2 tags by @writerfae 🤣, and also stolen from @jess-p-edits playlist

Young God - Halsey

I've spied Halsey in MOST of y'all's playlists so here 👀❤️🔥

Happy Daydreaming

Don't forget to tell me all about them~

Feel free to send in recommendations for future tunesday posts!!!

@the-void-writes (thank you for inspiring me to make this event c: ) @tryingtimi @avrablake @ettawritesnstudies @talesofsorrowandofruin @magefaery @writingonesdreams @circa-specturgia @muddshadow @squid--inc @aninkwellofnectar @mr-writes @kapenkoiwrites @asher-orion-writes @kashacreates @aalinaaaaaa @jessicas-story-blog22 @jezifster @lyralit @athenswrites @odysseywritings @agrimedena-drax