#Templar order AU

[ares-49789]

Cap 25.5

-Cuénteme, señor García, ¿desde cuándo has sido consciente de la situación que vivían sus sobrinos?-Preguntó la jueza, la mujer no quitaba su mirada del hombre que estaba de pie a su izquierda, escuchaba también el sonido de las teclas del portátil sonar mientras la taquígrafa escribía todo lo que pasaba en la sala, el hombre suspiró, no pasaba nada, había pasado horas practicando mentalmente sus respuestas a cualquier pregunta que le pusiera hacer la jueza

-Hace dos semanas más o menos que sé del verdadero nivel del abuso hacia mis sobrinos - dijo el hombre - pero siempre los dejaba quedarse conmigo si necesitaban un tiempo fuera- explicó David con las manos a su espalda, con sus dedos intentaba calmar sus nervios, clavando sus uñas en las palmas de sus manos

-¿No lo sospechaba ni nada similar?- preguntó la mujer, apoyando su barbilla sobre sus manos, David devolvió la mirada a la mujer, una sombra oscureció su expresión al pensar en la respuesta

-Yo... Sabía que Pedro era duro- dijo el hombre - Después de todo había perdido a su esposa - David apoyó sus manos en la pequeña valla que había al frente de su podio - Lukas y José nunca hablaban de la situación en casa, preferían simplemente sentarse a ver cómo trabajaba cuando venían a verme al taller- explicó el hombre - Ellos son buenos chicos- dijo David - siempre se han cuidado el uno al otro cuando lo necesitaban, son fuertes- David sonrió a José y Lukas, que lo miraban desde su mesa

- Por favor, limítese a responder mis preguntas - pidió la jueza, viendo el intercambio de miradas entre el hombre y los demandantes, parecía que de verdad se importaban, eso era bueno, podía reducir las probabilidades de una manipulación

-Si señora - Dijo David, suspirando, la jueza se inclinó hacia atrás en su silla, pensando por unos segundos antes de mirar al demandado, el hombre parecía tranquilo después de haber contado su historia, cómodo incluido, aunque su abogado seguía pareciendo un ciervo iluminado por las luces de una camioneta en mitad de la noche

-El demandado tiene derecho a hacer unas preguntas al testigo- dijo la mujer- ¿Lo hará? - Pedro miró a su abogado y le dió un toque en el brazo, este se levantó dejando caer al suelo un par de papeles que rápidamente se agachó para recoger, la jueza suspiró cuando su atención pasó del joven abogado a la puerta que se abría tímidamente al otro lado de la sala de juicio, dejando que entrara un joven

-El lado del demandante hará preguntas al testigo- anunció el abogado, después de poner todos sus papeles en orden sobre su mesa antes de ponerse en el centro de la sala - Mi nombre es Marcos González y estoy aquí para representar a mi cliente Pedro Rubio- La jueza asintió y el abogado se acercó al testigo, aunque fue detenido por el mismo guardia que había llevado a David al estrado

Clara suspiró cuando Tobías se sentó a su lado, había desaparecido quince minutos antes y encima ahora aparecía despeinado y lleno de polvo

-¿Qué te ha pasado?- preguntó la chica, Tobías le dió una sonrisa cansada a su amiga, como si le quitara importancia a lo que le había hecho desaparecer tanto a él como a su prima... -¿Dónde está Helena?- Clara no la veía por ningún lado y se había ido junto al chico, seguro que le había pasado algo

-Han surgido cosas importantes - contestó Tobías, haciendo que la sangre hirviera dentro de las venas de la chica de pelo rizado y rubio

-No hay nada más importante que esto- dijo Clara

-Ella dijo lo mismo - Tobías recordó, poniendo sus manos sobre sus rodillas

-¿Entonces qué está haciendo?- preguntó la chica

-Algo importante- Tobías evitó la mirada inquisitiva de Clara, mirando a la espalda de José, que a su vez veía como su tío respondía a las preguntas del abogado de Pedro, José susurró algo a la abogada y luego a su hermano

-¿El qué?- preguntó ella, a punto de agarrar a su amigo por el cuello de la camisa

-No puedo decirlo- Tobías sabía perfectamente que no podía contarle a Clara la realidad, no porque ella fuera a ir largando información importante a cualquiera que se cruzara con ella por la calle, sino porque Helena había decidido que era mejor para su prima vivir en la ignorancia, en parte para no cambiar la forma en la que la chica miraba a la pareja

-¿Porqué?- preguntó la chica, intentando con todas sus fuerzas no golpear a Tobías hasta que le diera la información que pedía como un buen agente de la CIA lo haría

-Ella me dijo que no te contara - contestó Tobías, haciendo que Clara sintiera un jarrón de agua fría en toda su cara, como si algo la golpeara de pronto en el pecho, fue entonces que terminó su interrogatorio, si Helena no quería que lo supiera entonces era algo que de verdad no podía conocer, si, seguro que era para mejor

-Chicos, ¿cómo váis?- la voz de José sacó a Clara de su tren de pensamientos, el chico había salido de la sala principal y había caminado hasta ellos

-¿Qué haces aquí?- preguntó Diego, que lo había visto acercarse desde que se había levantado de la mesa de los demandantes, él y Diana estaban prestando mucha más atención al juicio que el resto de sus amigos

-Eres el próximo en salir - dijo José a Diego, el chico asintió, y José miró la fila de sus amigos, notando al instante que había una baja

-¿Y Helena?- preguntó el chico, haciendo que todos además de Clara fueran conscientes de la falta de la chica, Tobías suspiró

-Algo importante surgió - dijo el chico, José iba a preguntar por el origen de este asunto importante, pero Tobías se remangó un poco y le señaló su muñequera, José nunca había sido el más inteligente, de hecho de los dos hermanos era considerado el más tonto, y con razón, había cosas que desaparecían de su mente hasta que algo lo obligaba a recordar a la fuerza, así fue como recordó que su amigo era un superhéroe, y ese superhéroe tenía una compañera... Tonto tenía que ser para no sumar dos más dos

-Es el cuarto día - dijo el chico a media voz, Tobías asintió -Oye Tobías - dijo José- ¿Podemos hablar fuera?- preguntó el chico, Tobías se levantó y en silencio siguió a su amigo fuera, ni siquiera le importó que Clara los estaba siguiendo con la mirada

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Introducción | Arcos

[sherlockholmeshound]

whenever ppl try to come up with some version of 'romance and love isn't forbidden by the jedi, on this one novel-'

i'm just...

[sunnynightsartist]

MY ASSASSINS CREED OC ‼️‼️ Silas Charles, colonial brotherhood.

Started out as Shays son for an AU, but idk if thats ok so i turned him into an actual OC.

Another variation is that Silas became a templar like Shay, but did not trule believe in their ways.

Btw, Shay wouldve had Silas with say, a random lady or old crush when he was younger. Since silas is about 20. (Not sure of the timelines)

Anyway i love him sm

Hes my pride and joy

(He has a different backstory if we take out the whole "silas is actually shays son!" 😭)

I love ass ass creed

[euporie-art]

I'm in a writing mood.... do I write the darkspawn sitcom fic or the benbaro fic....

[thebleedingeffect]

Wish I knew how to draw cause I have this whole idea for a idea for an assassin's creed self insert-oc cause I like having fun and it's an super self indulgent idea- BUT I have NO FUCKING IDEA HOW TO DRAW

[felassan]

Article/interview from Well Played: 'We chat with Mark Meer about finding a character’s voice, the everlasting love for Mass Effect and the allure of tabletop RPGs'

The interview is also available in video format: [link]

Excerpts:

"Mark: "Early in the process, we sort of came up with what is the core of Shepard, whether Renegade or Paragon, and that is a military officer who’s used to giving orders under pressure and maybe not necessarily showing that much emotion in the given scene, so that does help justify the path that we’re taking in terms of not having [discordant differences between Paragon and Renegade in any given conversation if a player was switching between these dialogue options mid-conversation]". -- Mark: "Then there’s is the final line of the Citadel DLC, which is, “Hell of a ride, Shepard”, and Shepard just responds, “The best,” and that was literally the final line that I recorded in everything that I ever did Mass Effect." -- Mark: "There was some stuff that I’d suggested that didn’t end up being followed because of other practical concerns. The Turians, specifically because of the structure of their mouths, I pitched that they should have a little clicking sound when they talk or at the end of sentences. This was before Garrus was going to be a main character in the game, so it was decided that it would get old very quickly because we have a Turian, so they ended up just going with a filter for a Turian." -- Mark: "We would usually do any Vorcha stuff at the end of the week, just to give your voice a whole weekend to recover because there was no particular technique, I was just screeching as loud as I could with a mouth half full of water." -- Interviewer: "You’re a frequent collaborator with BioWare, and they do have a game coming up in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, so can we expect to maybe hear your voice in the mix there?" Mark: "I am not in that game, but I look very much forward to playing it. I have been in a lot of the other Dragon Age games. Such significant roles as Lyrium Merchant and Red Templar." -- Mark Meer will be a special guest at PAX Aus 2024, running from October 11-13 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre."

[source]

[teecupangel]

So I had the thought of Desmond becoming a MLP: fim changeling queen. Why a changeling? You may ask, because they are very cool.

If you don't know changelings are these horse-like bugs that can shape shift into pretty much anything even inanimate objects (or many that one is an illusion). They use this ability to collect love from other creatures since that's their main source of energy, seems like they need to eat normal stuff but in smaller quantities.

But for the sake of this Au let's say they can feed on the other emotions as well but the closer to love the emotion (example: happiness) the more energy they get. With love giving out the most energy.

So Desmond wakes up at Solomon's temple and sees he is some kind horse-bug and cause he is a queen changeling he is really big. Like draft horse big, even bigger than the Clydesdale. But still thin and spindly cause you know, bug. He wouldn't be like Chrysalis starved hive but also he wouldn't be rainbow colored like Thorax's. I see Desmond being desert colored for camouflage (dark red, brown, pale, black, sand) while having some white and red mixed in for the colours of the brotherhood.

Desmond curses his luck and wanders around trying to get used to his new body until Altaïr and company come for the apple. He discovers that he is completely armored and his carapace is really resistant and though, he is really strong capable of shatter stone with a kick, he is very flexible and can climb on surfaces like Spiderman, he can lift things with telekinesis through his horn (solves the issue of no hands), has this big bug mandibles that can come from his snout, his fleshy tail is very flexible and has a pair of stingers with a paralyzing venom, he has wings under his carapace like a beetle open it and fly, and he is pretty much an omnivore but absolutely loves flower nectar, honey, bee wax, and other insects.

One night while sneaking in a city he complains about not being at least a normal horse to not catch so much attention and then fiuussh he transforms into one of the smaller horses he saw in the stables he passed, smaller size and everything. He practices his new shape shifting ability and even figures out how to change color and become invisible. For now he can only shape shift into other quadrupeds, horses, dogs and even something as small as a cat. And that's how he discovers his new emotion based diet. Now that he can spend more time in the cities he doesn't feel as hungry and when some kids tried to pet him and play with him while disguised as a dog he felt an energy boost from feeding off the affection they were giving him.

So to kick off plot once the general date of the expedition to the temple comes Desmond comes back to the temple and waits. He turns invisible and when the fight for the apple comes he drops the invisibility and everyone sees his him in his big insect glory, they think Desmond is some Demon/guardian of the apple.

He manages to run off the templars, save Malik and Kadar and with his telekinesis gives Altaïr the apple.

From here I must clarify that Desmond can speak human languages perfectly he just chooses not to at the moment. And mainly uses this bug language of clicking, chittering, buzzing, crooning and hissing.

From here Desmond either goes back to being invisible and sneaks to Masyaf or just follows outright along with them outside the cave and transforms into a normal horse in front of them to travel back to Masyaf. With the second it allows for more interactions, Al Muslim gets to see Desmond at the beginning and they think the guardian of the apple is following them around and chose their faction as worthy of the treasure.

Al Muslim tries to order him around but Desmond just gives him the stink eye and follows Altaïr around. Using his shape shifting ability to help sneak around and get information, eventually learning how to transform into non-quadrupeds, humans and even inanimate objects. Every once in a while Desmond speaks like a human in public but everyone thinks he is just a very clever parrot except Altaïr who spends the more time with Desmond whose Desmond speaks more and more to everyday.

After Al Mualim is defeated Desmond makes Masyaf the place to put his hive without knowing, at this point everyone knows Desmond can speak and it's fully sapient.

When things calm down Desmond gets the surprise of his life when he lays his first clutch of eggs, he is not a Changeling Queen for nothing. And when the eggs hatch among the grubs is Clay (once Altaïr dies he will be reborn like this too).

The other changelings (changeling workers/soldiers) are also sapient and can do everything Desmond can but Clay becomes a sub-queen of sorts. Clay is a changeling whose function is to be the main Queen (Desmond) right hand, therefore Sub-Queen (princess). While the workers are regular horse sized Clay as Sub-Queen is somewhere in the middle is bigger than the workers but smaller than Desmond. Also Clay doesn't lay eggs (to Desmond's complains).

So now the brotherhood is composed of humans and changelings, who can infiltrate pretty much everywhere, their venom is widely used by the assassins and they make the templars incredibly paranoid of everything even their own pot plants.

If anyone in the brotherhood dares to even look at any of Desmond's hundred children wrong both Altaïr and Desmond will make their lives miserable.

(Now I see Altaïr with a handful of grubs who crawl all over him)

Masyaf becomes the main changeling hive and Clay goes on to make a second one in the nearest assassin headquarters (then he begins to lay eggs).

When Altaïr dies he is reborn as a grub that becomes another Sub-Queen. A lot of brotherhoods around now have a changeling hive with a Sub-Queen and all respond to Desmond (the main Queen).

Changelings feed on surrounding emotions and when they go infiltrate but they mostly feed on the affection of each other's and their fellow brotherhood members.

So when it's Ezio's turn he is just surrounded

By this three giant bug-horses and their million children/niblings.

There was a man who visits their home often. He would always be accompanied by a strange bunch. People in hoods and animals of various sizes…

All of them would call him ‘mother’.

Ezio swears the people with hoods and the animals would change at times, even when they had already entered their home.

It was strange.

Sometimes they would visit with one brown dog but leave with no dogs at all but the number of people would rise.

Other times, he would visit with butterflies on his hair and leave with no butterflies at all but cats walking behind him.

He never stays long, talking to Ezio’s father the longest then taking the time to talk to everyone else for a bit.

Ezio liked it when he visited.

He always gave them new toys they had never seen before. Sometimes, he would bring books that sounded interesting and would be read and borrowed between the siblings.

As Ezio grew older, the more he understood who the man he only knew as ‘Desmond’ was.

He was royalty.

The mother queen.

Ezio still didn’t know what that was supposed to mean and why he was called 'mother queen' instead of 'father king'. All he knew was that Desmond was the ruling matriarch of a kingdom they do not know about.

And House Auditore was part of that kingdom.

Ezio always thought they were nobles of Firenze.

But no.

They were spies.

He still remembered the conversation he had unintentionally eavesdropped on while Desmond was visiting them.

“I’ve warned you about being too close to Lorenzo de’ Medici, Giovanni.”

“I am loyal to the Brotherhood.”

“I do not doubt your loyalty. Just as I know that Clay is loyal to me, I also know Clay will do what he believes is right. The same can be said to you.”

“I am honored to be compared to the princess-”

“Clay would tell you that it’s meant to be an insult. But it’s not. I’m just telling you this to make you understand that just because you are loyal to the Brotherhood, it does not mean you are not compromised.”

“I can assure you-”

“If I order you to return to Monteriggioni with your family and to not return to Monteriggioni even if Lorenzo de’ Medici begged you to, would you do it?”

“Ezio Auditore.”

Ezio stepped back from the door and turned to face the unfamiliar voice who called out to him.

He looked a lot like Desmond but with golden eyes.

“I didn’t mean to-”

“It’s fine.” The golden-eyed man said, “You will hear what Desmond has ordered your father to do later anyway. Walk with me.”

“Uuuhh…” Ezio didn’t really have any reason to say no so he began to follow the strange man.

As they exited the hallway and made their way to the main room, a cat meowed and nuzzled the man’s legs before following after him, glancing at Ezio curiously only once.

By the time they reached the inner courtyard, five cats were following the man.

“Uuhhh…”

“Altaïr.”

It took a moment before Ezio realized that the man had introduced himself. He was unsure if he could just call ‘Altaïr’ or if he was a noble of higher standing than them so he just asked, “These cats…”

“My children.” Altaïr answered.

Oh.

He was one of those people.

“Sef.” Altaïr called out and a white cat with black fur on his legs and paws meowed as he sat in front of Altaïr, “Stay with Desmond and tell him that I’ll be training Ezio Auditore until he’s done with Giovanni Auditore.”

Ezio opened his mouth to speak but the cat’s meow was loud enough to stop him. Ezio watched the cat quietly make his way back inside before he turned to face Altaïr as he asked, “Training?”

A hooded man that Ezio swore was not there before handed Altaïr two blunt swords used for training and Altaïr threw the other sword to Ezio who caught it easily.

“Uh- merda!” Ezio shouted as Altaïr suddenly charged him, easily disarming him with enough force to stagger him off his feet.

“Get up faster. You’d be dead if I had followed up on my first attack. Again.” Altaïr ordered as he took a few steps back.

Ezio growled and stood. As soon as he grabbed the sword, Altaïr charged once more. Ezio managed to keep hold of his sword but fell on his ass when Altaïr smacked his cheek with the back of his hand.

“You’re too focused on my sword. If I had a hidden weapon on my left hand, you’d be dead. Again.”

Ezio growled once more.

This bastardo was asking for it.

.

.

Training only ended when a hooded man who looked too much like Desmond and Altaïr that Ezio had to take a doubletake, giving Altaïr an opening to hit him on the side with the pommel of his sword, announced that lunch was ready and Desmond would like Altaïr to eat with him and the rest of the Auditore.

As Ezio wheezed as he held his poor bruised side, Altaïr handed the sword to the hooded man who could have been mistaken as Altaïr and Desmond’s son as he said, “Very well. Check the perimeter before scheduling everyone’s meal time, Sef.”

“Darim is already on it, father.”

Wait.

Sef?

Did Altaïr named a cat after his son???

[least-evil-resident]

medieval resident evil au where Umbrella is a cabal of dark mages trying to unlock the secrets to lichdom and go mad learning secrets from the undead eldritch horror outside of space and time

Chris and Jill are Knights in service of the Order of Stars, Leon is a beginning town guard, Ada is still a spy, honestly not much is different

If you give them ttrpg character sheets then it's even more fun

Would guns be wands, badass Crossbows, or straight up magic, or different based on the game? They could also just be guns but that wouldn't be nearly as interesting.

Consider pistol=dagger, rifle=longsword, shotgun=axe? Grenades could be hand bombs or magic.

Or pistol=hand crossbow, rifle=light crossbow, shotgun is either special bolt or a spell

Beneath the cobblestone streets of raccoon city, where gaslamps and auto-carriages ramble, is the lair of an evil sect of mages developing spells in secret to transform humans into beasts

Could be very bloodborne-esque. Lots of fire and brimstone. Maybe STARS are more like paladins, and the bsaa is an order of Templar type organization.

If we go dnd 5e rules, Chris is a fighter for sure, Jill is like a rogue I guess? Leon could go either. It could be fun to make Claire like a sorcerer since she gets the grenade launcher

In later games I think Chris definitely fits either paladin or barbarian, where Leon goes for more rogue/maybe ranger vibes. Jill seems more rogue+fighter but magic rogue is cool, maybe artificer. Claire would be sorcerer multiclass I think. Keep any mages low powered that way.

Sherry in 6 is maybe warlock or aasimar instead of Cleric? Blood hunter would be cool. Rebecca starts as a Cleric in 0 for sure. For a low magic setting where research and Rituals are matched by quick, small combat spells, how high of a DC do you think enemies would go?

Of course, in a classless system like gurps or all flesh, this would be a lot less restrictive. What would be the best system for resident evil normally? What would be the best one for its fantasy au?

Wesker very much fits the low-fantasy vampire theme. He has a reflection and can step in he sunlight but wow it hurts his eyes. Chris rolls a 20 to punch a boulder to death.

Leon has the lucky feat or 20 in dex or something to pull off his stunts. Chris also gets Charisma as a leader for the bsaa, so paladin is up his alley. Leon's secret service requires more rogue skills, but his time in operation javier trains his skills as a Ranger under Krauser maybe?

Jill and Claire both get grenade launchers, but Jill is more Rogue with her lockpicking so it makes sense for them to switch level ups later on as claire learns more professional skills for rogue training.

Barry definitely hits fighter/barbarian with his heavy weapons. Jake is maybe more monk/barbarian but with something like a dhampir ancestry feature? Sheva is maybe rogue/fighter or paladin fighter since thats when chris starts taking paladin levels. Billy has to be rogue/fighter I think, or maybe fighter/rogue, if he even gets a second class. It would almost make sense for him to be pure rogue and rebecca be cure cleric, since she retires to become a researcher and hes never heard from again. Helena is I guess just plain rogue, hinting at her role in 6, while Leon has his ranger levels. Piers is more rogue/Ranger (or fighter archer). A lot of the one off teammates just don't get super interesting classes as a consequence of their limited appearance. Carlos... Fighter? Just fighter is fine.

Now, the problem here is that each game starts off with little to no equipment for various reasons. In the case of our spell casters like claire and jill, we can't just de-level them between adventures in the resident evil campaign. But we could give them more limited access to spell components to match the resource management of survival horror.

This is more complicated outside of dnd 5e, where a game like All Flesh Must Be Eaten has very different spellcasting rules, so you'd need to stray from a low-magic to a straight low-fantasy setting. Alchemist tools and one use spell scrolls replace your grenades and spell casting maybe? That's the issue you'd run into with treating the setting as one campaign instead of each game as an individual campaign though.

The easiest one to do is RE8. It's literally the same. Ethan starts 7 as a human Commoner, takes levels in artificer as the game goes on, since that one introduced crafting, and comes back very subtly as a human variant with a few new levels in fighter from chris' tutoring. Hey that means we can give Hiesenburg an artificer friend! Class buddies ♡ hiesenburg is probably artificer/sorcerer, giving him charisma and intelligence. Dimetrescu is maybe barbarian if she even gets class levels.

I don't think we can justifiably say Rose is a variant human, I think she gets her own custom ancestry features for this. Sorcerer also feels better than Druid for her, but a couple levels in - you guessed it, rogue! Cover her gun and Stealth skills. You get a lot or rogues and fighters in low powered/low fantasy settings, who knew lol

[sleepyfan-blog]

Runneth Over

This is the next part in Cedric’s adventures in the Astartes Husbandry AU, and specifically the Introducing New Primaris Black Templars arc. For other adventures click here and here. First. Previous. Next.  

Tagged:  @egrets-not-regrets @kit-williams @bleedingichorhearts @i-am-a-dragon34 @undeaddream @gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan

Warnings: Misconceptions, physical violence, poor coping mechanisms

Summary: Cedric and Melinth have a conversation. 

“... I had plans for the day, Chief Apothecary Melinth. Is there a particular reason why you called me into your office today?” Cedric asked, doing his best to project a mask of calm, even as resentment and frustration boiled inside of his hearts, threatening to cause problems if he let them. He would not lose his temper again. 

“I have several questions to ask of you, and they are important. Sit.” Melinth ordered, pointing at one of the chairs.

The younger apothecary obeyed wordlessly, suppressing the desire to grind his teeth in frustration, or cross his arms over his chest and scowl. “And these questions cannot wait until I have completed what I wanted to get done for the day?”

“Correct. As you may already be aware, I have been studying the gene-seed that was implanted in your two dead brothers. In part to see whether or not the Mechanicus somehow altered the structure of the organ itself, among other reasons.” The older Apothecary explained. “While the technology available to mortals and created by them in this time period are… Crude to say the least, we have been able to recreate certain much better technologies within a select number of bases, this being one of them.”

“... Is there a point to this, sir?” Cedric asked, trying to resist the temptation to roll his eyes as the other droned on. “As I told you earlier, the Mecnanicus did tell us Primaris Marines that we all have hybrid gene-seed. In order to try and reduce the likelihood of us developing or having certain gene-seed defects. We were told that our geneseed stock came from loyalist primarchs, as using traitor gene-seed, even stock from before they turned traitor, is heretical.”

“So you have said. DId you know that the Mechanicus are not the only ones who were working on trying to improve the astartes blueprint, and had access to different kinds of gene-seed stocks?” Melinth asks, as he seemed to be attempting to stare holes through Cedric’s body by the force of his eyeballs alone.

“I did not, though that doesn’t surprise me. Is there a particular reason why you are telling me this?” Cedric asked, realizing that he’d slipped a little in not addressing the other properly “... Sir?”

“Both… Malachai and Lestras, was it? Both of their gene-seed is sixty-percent  of the line of Dorn, which is what we were expecting. Do you know what the remaining 40% is? Any guesses or suspicions at all?” Melinth asked, leaning forward a little in his chair.

“Given that about sixty percent of all loyalist chapters are sons of Guilliman in part or full in M42… I’d hazard that the answer to that is probably Primarch Guilliman?” Cedric answered with a slight shrug of his shoulders. 

“That’s not - wait, what?” Melinth asked, startled “How? That makes no sense. There were seven loyalist Primarchs who survived the heresy. That is a fact. So how did Primarch Guilliman’s Gene-seed spread so far?”

“His is the most stable, of all of the Primarchs, including the First. Lords Russ, Khan, and Corax all vanished into the warp, to return when the Imperium’s need was at it’s highest. Lords Vulcan was brutally killed and lost - though the Salamanders and their successor chapters hope to one day find him. Lord…” Cedric hesitates for a moment, trying to remember if he’d ever been told when, exactly Melinth was from. Did he hail from a time before…? If so, this was an unfortunate time to reveal to the Imperial Fist that his Lord Father was Probably Dead. “Lord Dorn has been lost to us for a long time as well. He vanished one day during a bloody battle, with only one of his powerfists - arm included - to be found. The lord of the first is rumored to have once again been seen walking in Imperium Nihilus, accompanied by his sons- both those who were always loyal to the Imperium and those who had forsaken their vows after Lord Johnson vanished, presumed killed by his treacherous second in command.”

There was a flash of… Something across Melinth’s face as the older Apothecary listened to his words. The other stood as Cedric finished speaking and stalked around his desk towards him. “I don’t know how much of anything you, or the other allegedly Loyalist Alternate Marines I can trust, if anything. Did you know that Fabius Bile of the Emperor’s Children has been creating clones and astartes for thousands of years? That mad butcher is amongst the most skilled geneticists alive in any time period that has him in it. The remaining 40% of your dead Brothers’ gene-seed are of traitor legions. Specifically a twenty-twenty split of World Eater and Word Bearer. Both of their genetics indicate that they were cloned, rather than made naturally and taken to become Astartes.”

Cedric was on his feet and part of him wanted to back away as the older Apothecary got in his face. Fury at being called a liar swelled in his chest and he hissed back “I have been truthful as far as I know to every question you and the other firstborn marines have asked me, as much as my vows as an Apothecary allow me to be! Speak plainly, rather than dancing around the point like a throne-damned Alpha Legionnaire!”

“Fine, then. I suspect that none of you were created by Loyalists. What I think is that the group of you were actually created by Fabius Bile in order to infiltrate loyalist chapters. Whether or not you know that and are purposefully working to weaken those chapters or gather intelligence… Or you are sleeper agents, planted in those chapters and unknowing of your true purpose and you genuinely believe the things you say… I cannot tell at this time.”

“And what gave you that idea?” Cedric asked, his voice dropping into a low growl, furiously insulted at the accusation “You’re completely wrong on all counts, but please. Enlighten me as to what your thought processes is, so I can help you know the truth.”

“You and your alleged Primaris Marine brothers are incredibly skittish of older marines. Loyalist, renegade, chaos, it does not matter. All of you are wary of us, despite none of us having ever done anything to hurt you. While I understand wariness towards traitors of varying stripes, if you were created by loyalists, you would not fear us, the way you do.” Melinth states, voice hard and accusatory. “However, if you were created by Bile, deep down you would have an instinctive wariness of all factions, given that Chaos uses Bile’s creations as cannon fodder for the most part. Renegades would either kill you or force you to work for them, and us Loyalists would likely mercy-kill you to put you out of your misery and to keep you from falling into the hands of our enemies.”

Mercy kill. Mercy kill. Mercy kill. That phrase rang over and over in Cedric’s head as the older Apothecary continued to rant and blather on at him. Fury and anxiety warred for dominance in his hearts, and when the other gestured particularly sharply at him, Cedric’s body automatically flinched and took a half-step back, to avoid being struck by the Angry Firstborn Marine. “I’m not one of Bile’s creations. None of us are. We were created by the Mechanicus, as for the reasons why we are wary of all firstborn marines… We have ample reason to be, from our experiences in M42.”

“... That. That kind of reaction right there. The way that your body is still tense but hunched, like you’re expecting me to strike you. Have I ever once shown that I would strike a fellow loyalist out of anger?” Melinth growled, stalking closer to Cedric, or rather he tried to.

Cedric’s body automatically backed up, towards the door to the office as his mind scrambled to find something, anything to say. His dumb-fuck mouth decided to blurt something out before his brain to mouth filter could alter it “Just because none of you in this time have hurt me, doesn’t mean that was true in M42! You wouldn’t be the first firstborn son of Dorn who beat me because you were angry! Not even the first Apothecary to do so.” His mentor had been furious when he’d found Apothecary Alinciet physically training him in such a way, and forbade the bastard from ever coming near him ever again. He still had some of the scars of that physical altercation on his arms, though.

“... Explain to me what you mean by that. Right now.” Melinth ordered Cedric, voice thundering loudly in his ears, echoing off of the walls of his office.

“... No.” Cedric breathed out, barely louder than the rapid beating of his hearts in his ears.

“What do you mean by no?” The older apothecary growled, stalking towards Cedric again “I have you a direct order, Astartes. You will answer my fucking question. Who. Hurt. You?”

“Why should I tell you? It’s not as if firsborn Marines are in danger, which is the only thing you fucking care about!” Cedric hissed back, his eyes going blurry as tears threatened to fall from his eyes. He really needed to figure out why he was crying so fucking much. “And don’t spew grox-shit about actually giving a fuck about me or my brothers! You just accused us of being some of Bile’s creations, seconds ago! All of whom you would happily kill to be rid of!”

“Hold on, that’s not what I-” Melinth started to lie.

Cedric did not want to hear empty platitudes or lying grox-shit anymore. Which was why he committed the sin of interrupting a superior officer by hissing “LIAR! I am not the liar of the two of us, it is you! You don’t give two shits if I or my brothers live or die! If you did, you would not have handed our primary care over to a fucking Hydra and a chaos-corrupted death guard! Do not stand there and pretend to be pure of heart and standing in good faith when you long ago washed your hands of those of us among the living. When your only interest in Primaris comes from what you can learn from carving up our dead.” 

Melinth was up in his face, hands moving to grab at him and Cedric’s body reacted on instinct to defend himself as the other was not dressed in the black and white of a Black Templar, nor the robes of an off-duty Older Brother. Which is why Cedric ducked his grab, rolling to one side and kicking the bastard in the back of his weaker knee with lightning speed and devastating force.

Melinth cursed as he started to fall, twisting his body and going into a combat roll, grabbing something from under his desk.

Cedric did not give the older and more experienced Astartes time to recover, launching himself at the bastard, slamming into the other’s chest shoulder first and sending the other bodily into the nearest wall. 

Books and knick-knacks flew off of the bookshelf that Melinth landed heavily next to. He grunted in pain and growled “Stand down marine!” 

“No! You do not get to call me a twisted abomination meant to break my chapter and then try and take it back! You’re just like THEM! Simply more subtle and all the more insidious for it!” Cedric hissed, hauling the smaller marine up by his shirt before lifting and throwing him through the air at the other wall.

There was a satisfyingly visceral crunch as the older marine hit the second wall. He wheezed and scrambled towards the panic-button in his room “What… Like who, do you accuse me of being?” His breathing was shallower, and there was a bit of blood on his lips, where they had split.

A wicked, cruel thought occurred to Cedric. A dark vicious part of him nearly shivered in delight at such a thought, before he balked at his own dark desires. He would not beat this miserable shithead into his deathbed, like certain Firstborn bastards had done to countless of his brothers. He had to be better than that, or he would never be able to look any of them in the eye ever again. And he would prove Petras and the other detractors right. “You’re a primaris Killer. You may not be from M42, but you let Malachai die on that surgical table. I know you did. You’re far too skilled an apothecary and were too well provisioned to have not been able to… To save him. You gave us away to Chaos and renegade Astartes. It is only their curiosity and desire to see us willingly come to their side, along with the treaty that stays their hands from murdering us.”

“Primaris… Killer?” Melinth wheezed as he pushed his way back up the wall with his hands, staggering towards the panic button.

Cedric thought about stopping the other from getting it, but a wave of bitterness and lethargy locked his limbs in place, despite the rage pulsing through his body that nearly robbed him of his senses “Primaris Killers are a shorthand way for us to refer to loyalist firstborn marines who have killed more than one Primaris Marine because they wanted to, or in a fit of murderous rage. Not because the Primaris Marine was showing signs of heresy, not because they needed to be culled for medical reasons either.”

“I did not. Let Malachai die. I tried to save him. He was. Very badly injured. Even if we had a spare Dreadnaught to put him in, that would not have saved him.” Melinth answered, the hand that reached out for the “please help me” button shaking a little. 

“So you claim.” Cedric spat out “I have precious little reason to trust any firstborn marines with myself, much less my brothers. Some of whom I’ve had to watch die twice from the same wounds that they were given by-” His voice cracks, breaks, falters. He cannot, will not, volunteer this information without checking with those who had been killed by The Fucker and getting their permission to do so. He will not expose such a weakness without them agreeing to such beforehand. “-by a Primaris killer. If you think we are Bile’s creations, ask that Night Lord Apothecary if we are or not. He should be able to tell you, if he’s who I think he is.”

With that, Cedric turned on his heel and left Melinth’s office, slamming the door behind him. He stormed down the hallway, intending to head to the bakery that Roland’s bonded ran and worked in. Maybe they’d let him knead some of the dough? It would help him work out the fury boiling in his system without causing more destruction.

Instead he nearly physically ran into a green and gold blur that turned into Captain Ash’val. “Ah, there you are Cedric! I was wondering if-” The Salamander began to ask, starting to reach out to Cedric as he spoke.

The young Apothecary, who would normally be quite content to help the other with whatever he wanted, or allow the very tactile Astartes to hug him when the other wanted, deliberately stepped out of the other’s immediate grabbing range and interrupted him “I don’t have time for idle chatter today. I am helping Ramiel arrange the funerals for Malachai and Lestras, ideally everything should be ready to go by the end of the week. That way the temptation for you firstborns to carve them into little pieces and study them is removed. So that, at least in death, they will have a measure of dignity and respect afforded to them.” 

Ash’val made a small choking sound, as if someone had just slit his throat.

They hadn’t, because Cedric briefly looked him over. He was physically whole and intact, and therefore Not His Problem to deal with right now. The young Apothecary darted around the stone-still Salamander, moving swiftly out of the base and ignoring anyone who wasn’t an actual Brother of his when they called his name. 

Someone was following him, so Cedric dipped into the cross-training that Claude had absolutely insisted that all of them learn on how to be stealthy. He managed to shake the Firstborn who’d been following after him in the densely crowded streets of the mortal city before making his way to his favorite bakery, and to one of the few firstborn marines he genuinely and deeply trusted with both of his hearts. 

[ares-49789]

Cap 25.4

Un arco eléctrico voló en el cielo antes de impactar contra el gorila, la electricidad corrió por el cuerpo metálico del robot, apagando las luces que salían de las cuencas del animal mecánico

El portador que lo había lanzado era rayo, normalmente vestía un traje especialmente hecho para aguantar su poder y los combates, al contrario, ese día llevaba una túnica negra y blanca con detalles dorados que había sido ensuciada en varias zonas, un hilo de sangre bajaba de su nariz debido al combate, el hombre se alejó del robot con la respiración alterada, estaba sobre un tejado donde un golpe del gorila lo había mandado volando y desde el que había comenzado a atacar al robot, que ahora estaba congelado como una estatua

El hombre se dejó caer al suelo, exhausto después de su pelea, ni siquiera se dio cuenta de como el gorila se reiniciaba y volvía a moverse, escalando la casa de dos pisos con facilidad y amenazando al rendido héroe con su puño mecánico, de lo que sí se dio cuenta el héroe fue de como era levantado en el aire y para cuando abrió los ojos se encontraba a una calle de distancia de donde había caído al suelo, además, podía notar el suelo bajo sus pies

Pero Rayo no vio nada, solo la explosión del gorila que había estado a punto de matarlo segundos antes, y entonces divisó dos figuras volando a varios metros del suelo, Rayo los conocía, los había visto en la televisión y parecían... Más pequeños, apenas llegarían a la altura de sus hombros, y eso era hablando del más alto de los dos, Falcon frame

-Son solo niños- murmuró el hombre, viendo cómo la más baja de los dos recién llegados lanzaba dos proyectiles, que cortaron el aire envueltos en esa luz verde, el hombre tuvo que asomarse para ver qué es lo que la chica atacaba, encontrándose que la calle había sido plagada con una horda de robots, Rayo había estado tan centrado en el gran gorila que no se habia fijado en que todo estaba siendo cubierto por los robots, el hombre recordó los cientos de reportajes sobre madrid y las imágenes que habían quedado después, un sudor frío invadió su espalda al imaginarse la ciudad en la que vivía en un estado similar

No podía dejar todo a los dos jóvenes, no lo permitiría, el hombre se abofeteó ambos lados de la cara mientras respiraba profundamente, generando rayos azulados en sus manos el hombre se tiró en medio de la horda de centauros, cuando su cuerpo tocó el suelo toda la electricidad se extendió entre todos los robots en un racio de 10m, desactivándolos al instante

Los centauros cayeron al suelo bloqueando la calle por la mitad, los discos de Helena hicieron cuenta rápida de bastantes de los centauros que rodeaban el círculo, mientras rayos hacían contacto con más robots, limpiando la calle, Tobías había acabado sobre una terraza viendo lo que pasaba, su transformación estaba a punto de terminar

-Helena - dijo el chico, ella lo escuchó alto y claro, como si estuviera a su lado, a pesar de que estaba intentando hacer todo lo que podía para recoger los discos que lanzaba en sus trayectorias en el aire

-Dime- La chica lanzó uno de sus chakram para que este cortara la cabeza de un centauro a punto de atacar por la espalda a Rayo, el héroe había comenzado a avanzar entre el ejército a puñetazos con sus puños emitiendo electricidad, demostraba ser eficiente

-Hay que evitar que se expandan más - dijo el chico, recordando lo que habían hecho los héroes en Madrid, habían cortado las vías de escape en el perímetro más cercano al contenedor para que los centauros no destrozaran la capital, desde su posición en la terraza podía ver como los centauros avanzaban calle tras calle

-¿Y cómo hago eso?- preguntó la chica, lanzando su disco de nuevo antes de interceptar el otro solo para propulsarlo y hacerlo volar sobre el suelo desactivando al menos una decena de robots, que fueron devorados por la horda que corría hacia el héroe eléctrico que peleaba cerca de la esquina del bloque

-Intenta cortar las calles- dijo el chico, escuchando el último de sus pitidos, que indicaba que su transformación iba a terminar, dicho y hecho la luz roja envolvió su cuerpo revelando su ropa arreglada, la misma que había estado usando para el juicio, de su pantalón el chico sacó un pequeño tupper, tenía el tamaño de una caja de pastillas y de él sacó un trozo de carne -Come anda- dijo el chico - tenemos que volver a ayudar a nuestra manada

-No sabía que los considerabas tan cercanos - replicó Speed, comiendo la carne que le era ofrecida, Tobías sonrió mirando a Helena volar y hacer llover sus discos sobre los robots

-Son mis amigos - dijo el chico - Son mi familia encontrada- Tobías suspiró, Speed se posó sobre su hombro mirando el combate, pero eso no fue lo único que vió

-¡Tobías al suelo!- el aviso llegó justo a tiempo, porque cuando el chico se agachó, un rayo de energía pasó por donde su hombro había estado segundos atrás

El chico miró al frente, por encima del muro que bordeaba la terraza, solo para ver que centauros y gorilas no eran los únicos modelos de robot en la refriega, un centauro se había unido a la batalla, o más bien se preparaba para disparar otro rayo a su objetivo, él, Tobías escaneó la terraza para ver que su única salida estaba cerrada por una puerta de hierro

-Speed, ¿Cuánto te queda?- preguntó el chico, con el pecho ahora tocando el suelo evitando la visión del escorpión

-Unos min... - contestó el kwami, Tobías pudo escuchar el sonido del escorpión aterrizando en la terraza- ¡Rueda!- el chico hizo caso a su kwami y rodó por el suelo, evitando un disparo en el bazo pero llenando su camisa de polvo, no como si le importara más que estar vivo

El chico usó ese movimiento para levantarse del suelo y enfrentarse al escorpión, que cargaba otro disparo, Tobías corrió hacia la puerta de metal que bloqueaba las escaleras para bajar al edificio

-PARA- Siguiendo la instrucción de su kwami el chico se plantó instantáneamente y el rayo disparado por el escorpión atravesó la puerta de metal, Lo que Tobías aprovechó para entrar y bajar las escaleras

Sin tiempo para fijarse en el edificio el chico bajó dos pisos solo para encontrarse de frente con una persona, un hombre de más de Ochenta años, calvo y cara de mala leche, que además cargaba con una escopeta de caza en su mano derecha y un garrote en la izquierda

-¿Quién eres y qué haces aquí? -Preguntó el hombre, apuntando a Tobías con el arma, el chico levantó sus manos, Speed se había ocultado en su camisa y el kwami podía notar como su portador se ponía nervioso solo por su respiración acelerada

-Soy Tobías y hago tiempo - contestó el chico, un ruido fuerte se escuchó por toda la escalera

-¿Te está persiguiendo uno de esos bichos?- el hombre preguntó, aunque no parecía muy preocupado, Tobías asintió sin bajar las manos, el hombre escaneó al chico y bajó el arma

-Sígueme anda- dijo el hombre, señalando con su cabeza hacia una puerta ya abierta, puerta que correspondía al 3°B, el chico siguió al hombre dentro del apartamento y cerró la puerta a sus espaldas

Tobías miró las paredes de la entrada, llenas de fotos del hombre, pero no eran fotos normales, la mayoría estaban en blanco y negro y no solo de él, sino de grupos de hombres y más de una bandera de España con el Halcón abrazando el escudo

-¿Cómo has llegado a mi terraza?- preguntó el hombre, Tobías miró al hombre, que se había sentado en una silla frente a él, seguramente ya había estado ahí, pero parecía haber aparecido de la nada, aún así Tobías no respondió- Veo que no responderás -suspiró el hombre- entonces responde esto, ¿Cómo conseguiste esa muñequera y cuál es tu relación con Salvador Fernández?

Tobías miró su muñeca, las mangas de su camisa se habían subido cuando había levantado los brazos segundos antes y había dejado esta a la vista, pero eso no le preocupaba, ese hombre acababa de decir el nombre de su padre

-Soy su hijo - dijo el chico, el hombre lo miró fijamente antes de soltar una carcajada

-Eres muy joven, ¿Es tu abuelo Cristian?- Preguntó el hombre, el chico asintió

-Entonces encantado de conocerte, chico - dijo el hombre - Soy el Cabo Jaime López Márquez, serví bajo tu bisabuelo durante los buenos tiempos- Tobías miró al anciano, sabía que era viejo, pero nadie se esperaría que ese hombre pudiera ser tan viejo

-¿Serviste bajo mi bisabuelo?- el chico nunca había escuchado nada de ese hombre, parecía un tema delicado para su padre y su abuelo, sabía que ambos habían estado en el ejército, pero eso era normal, la Mili era obligatoria, pero aquí se encontraba con un hombre que decía haber estado bajo su bisabuelo

-Te pareces a él - comentó el hombre - Mucho más joven, y el pelo es más largo, pero tus ojos son los mismos - dijo- ¿está bien Falco?- preguntó el viejo, Tobías iba a preguntar por ese tal Falco, pero speed se le adelantó, saliendo de su escondite

-Ahora me llaman Speed - dijo el kwami, Tobías miró al pequeño halcón, ya no había caso en esconderlo al parecer, porque parecía conocerlo, el hombre volvió a soltar una carcajada

-Y yo que creía que no te iba a volver a ver en mi vida, Falco- rió el hombre, Speed asintió - Veo que has sido elegido por un novato, no tengas miedo de darle un tirón en las orejas, los suyos son más duros de lo que parecen

-No te preocupes, Jaime, eso ya lo hace Cristian por mí- el kwami parecía contento de haber encontrado a ese hombre, Tobías sabía que su bisabuelo había sido también portador del halcón, pero no que había contado a más gente sobre su existencia, el hombre levantó una ceja cuando escuchó la mención de Cristian

-¿Así que Cristian el miedica por fin es un hombre? El tiempo realmente pasa rápido- el hombre suspiró, sacando un cigarrillo del bolsillo de su camisa

-Oye Speed, ¿no tenemos que irnos y encargarnos del robot?- preguntó el chico, el kwami lo miró, sabía que tenía razón

-Tienes razón- dijo el pequeño halcón - que vaya bien, Jaime- dijo, antes de asentir a Tobías

-Speed, ¡despegue!- el hombre no parpadeó cuando la luz cubrió al chico, ni siquiera apartó la mirada, pero una lágrima se deslizó por su mejilla, porque estaba siendo testigo de algo que creía que nunca volvería a ver

-Chico- dijo el hombre - Sirve bien a tu país- Tobías asintió abriendo la puerta con su espada firmemente agarrada en su mano derecha

.............................................................................................................

Pedro secó sus lágrimas usando sus mangas, había logrado emocionar a la taquígrafa, pero la jueza seguía en su pedestal, impasible ante las cualidades de actor del hombre, que se sentía satisfecho con el trabajo hecho, sabía que poca gente se podría resistir al llanto de un padre que hace todo por sus hijos solo para ser traicionado, acuchillado por la espalda, fue perfecto que se retiraba y encajaba en su papel de emocionado el sentarse y taparse la boca, porque apenas podía esconder su maliciosa sonrisa saliendo a la luz

-El demandado ha expuesto su defensa - concluyó la jueza cuando el hombre se sentó en su asiento, la mujer dirigió su mirada a los demandantes y en como estos miraban al hombre, no estaba nada claro, pero sabía que nadie era capaz de denunciar a su familia si no era por algo real, solo tenía que descubrir si el que mentía era el padre... O eran ellos los que estaban siendo manipulados, su mirada voló hasta el hombre que se sentaba junto a los chicos, era solo una pequeña posibilidad, pero si ese hombre estaba haciendo daño a los chicos o aprovechándose de ellos no lo perdonaría- Es hora de que los demandantes presenten a su primer testigo - dijo la mujer

Clara miró a Tobías, o más bien al lugar donde esté había estado sentado minutos atrás antes de salir corriendo de la mano de su prima, no lo podía creer, podía ser llamado al estrado en cualquier momento y se había ido a quién sabe donde, la chica a veces se preguntaba qué veía su prima en él, bueno, lo haría si no fuera porque esta ya se había encargado de cantar miles de baladas al chico, el caso era que no estaba ahí, y los gemelos lo necesitaban

La chica vió como tras un intercambio de miradas entre los que ocupaban la mesa de los gemelos y algunas señas a distintos papeles sobre esta, la abogada de sus amigos se levantó para quedar frente a la jueza de nuevo, de pie en el centro de la tormenta, como un guerrero que preparaba sus armas para una pelea que acabaría con él, bueno, si sus armas fueran sus palabras y lo que estaba en juego eran las vidas de sus amigos, lo cual parecía menos importante, pero era una motivación mejor que ninguna otra

-Llamo al estrado a David García Palao - dijo la mujer, Clara vió como el hombre suspiraba antes de levantarse, uno de los guardias lo siguió y lo escoltó hasta la plataforma del podio más baja, a la izquierda de la jueza, el hombre tenía la barbilla en alto, pedo Clara podía notar su nerviosismo desde ese lado de la sala, pasaron unos tensos segundos de silencio antes de que la jueza hablara

-¿Jura decir la verdad a todas las preguntas que te sean presentadas en el tiempo que te encuentres en este lugar?- preguntó la jueza, mirando al hombre desde la altura

-Lo juro- contestó David, la jueza sonrió, escuchando el tono impreciso de la respuesta del hombre, ese tono de duda e indecisión

-Diga su nombre y profesión - pidió Laura, la mujer ya lo sabía, claro, había leído todo lo que había llegado a sus manos sobre el caso como era su deber pero el papel se podía cambiar, no como las acciones reales de una persona

-David García Palao, trabajo como mecánico desde hace siete años en un taller en el distrito industrial de las Teresas - contestó el hombre, intentando bajar la frecuencia de sus latidos

-¿Cuál es su relación con el demandado y los demandantes?- preguntó la mujer

-Soy el hermano pequeño de la madre de los demandantes y ex-cuñado del demandado- dijo el hombre dejando salir el aire que tenía atrapado en los pulmones con un suspiro después de responder

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Introducción | Arcos

[bubbledrivercomix]

Who’d win ? The Goo Purist Godzilla or The Knight Templar Sibling ? :D

Pt 1 / Pt 2 / Pt 3/ Pt 4

Eda and King are both very amused from their front row seats to said smackdown. Luz is very concerned. Belos is regretting ever picking up that mirror. The Collector is just happy to see their big sibling.

Anddd here is a bit of my silly fanlore/headcanon things on this au’s backstory . The Collector acknowledges Jambo as their only cool sibling and notably doesn’t consider them as an ‘Archivist’.  The Collector has misunderstood ‘Archivist’ as a term for a jerkbag older sibling aka their older quintuplet siblings.

 ‘Archivist’ is a title for all members of their species who reach adulthood. I like to fancy that Archivists are sorted into castes , but for sake of this au’s lore (lol) , ‘Jambo’ is part of the caste called the Chroniclers , which is the faction responsible for recording the exploits of their race which the ‘Archivists’ aka our Collector’s older quint siblings are part of the Preserver faction which is the most glorified caste .

The oldest siblings considered their youngest a burden, and despite being ordered to indoctrinate said youngest by taking them on ‘Preserving’, foisted 'the brat’ into their quiet,placid, seemingly emotionless middle sibling’s care. What they never expected was for said middle sibling to gradually develop genuine affection for our Collector and indulge their more pacifistic worldview rather then crush it.

Hence the oldest were in for a rude shock when ‘Jambo’ stood against their preserving the Titans and their young , just because of the Collector’s friendship with the natives. With heavy hearts, lamenting how the ‘foul Titans’ had corrupted even their level headed middle sibling with their foul power , turning them against authority, they sealed Jambo away. The elder siblings then prepared to wipe the Collector’s memory of their time spent with the Titans , and even Jambo in hopes that due to their youth , they could be ‘raised right’ this time.

However, the Collector who had witnessed the whole ‘seal away the only parental surrogate figure they have’ deal , had fled. They were found shortly by King’s father . And the rest is canon history. :D

Thank you to everyone who reblogged and liked my previous comic before this one. I really appreciate it  and hope you will like this one and the rest of the comics !

[fanfenomenon]

i just know haytham would be the type to keep a locket with a picture of shay on it

in an AU where haytham took a young connor under his wing, I could imagine that he would give his son the most elite education in languages, literature, arts, and philosophy. one of them being drawing classes. 

when connor grew up, his skills in the arts further improved. being older now, he would notice how his father had grown rather fond of his associate, shay. connor didn't mind it though, he even thought this would be a good thing for haytham. after all, his father has been through so much pain. and with the death of his mother and the only woman haytham ever felt deep affection for, died any hope within the older man to find another lover.

even so, he thought his father deserved a second chance at love. thus begins connor's multiple attempts to win shay's heart on behalf of his father.

his father's birthday was coming up, and he wanted to give him a gift. shay was away on a mission for a few months, leaving him and his father stuck with each other’s company. haytham became more uncharacteristically irritable as the days went by, though connor understood it. communication was scarce, and due to the nature of their work, there will always be the possibility that shay wouldn’t be able to return.

it was unlikely for shay to be able to return on his father’s birthday, and both connor and haytham knew that. every year, the other templars would hold a celebration for the grandmaster, which undoubtedly would be the same this year, but what makes it so different is the absence of his father’s source of affection. well, connor would also be in attendance, as he always was years before, and haytham certainly wouldn’t be displeased with that. the older man missed the first few years of his son’s life and always wished to make up for lost time by celebrating milestones and happy moments with his only child.

still, connor couldn’t ignore his father’s forlornness, and he wanted to cheer him up in a way, but… how?

one night, a few days before haytham’s birthday, connor decided to visit his father’s quarters. he knew he had been feeling a bit lonely recently and thought perhaps he needed some company. after knocking a few times, he opened the door and found the older man fast asleep. walking closer to the bed, he found a letter on the floor. the younger man picked it up and saw the familiar penmanship of none other than shay cormac. he quickly took his eyes off the letter and placed it on the bedside table. he didn’t need to read their correspondence; he was taught to respect the privacy of others after all, and… he really didn’t want to know that much about his father’s love life.

connor looked back at haytham, feeling relief at how peacefully he was asleep. he was worried his father was having trouble sleeping and taking care of himself in the absence of one of his most special members of the order. the mohawk smiled as he glanced at the letter on the bedside table. he really missed his associate…

…and that was all he needed to know to decide what he was going to give to his father as a birthday present.

haytham was having his usual afternoon tea in his garden. he had been trying to distract himself from thinking about the irishman. it only hurts him to know that he’s so far away, that sometimes he even regrets sending him on that mission. but, they both know that they have a responsibility to the order and the safety of humankind itself. he was about to take another sip of his tea when the loud yet familiar footsteps of his son came crashing in.

“what is it now, boy?”

“happy birthday, father.”

oh, was it already his birthday?

he’d been so preoccupied with work that he’d forgotten what most people deem as the most special day of one’s life. he looked at the small locket his son held in his hand and gently took and inspected it a little more carefully. his eyes widened at the portrait of the person within the gold-plated pendant.

“this is… shay…”

connor smiled at how his father’s eyes seemed to sparkle in an instant. 

haytham examined the locket even more closely. the brushstrokes and the colors, he felt like he’d seen a great many artworks that had the same motifs before.

“did… did you make this?”

connor was grinning at this point, delighted to see his father’s surprised expression. before he could nod and comment on his father’s uncharacteristic show of mere shock, he suddenly felt a pair of arms wrap around him.

“thank you, son.”

connor stood still, startled at the unexpected physical contact. it was rare for his father to show some vulnerability, though he would always be glad to see his father open up to others more. he hugged the older man back, squeezing tightly and patting his back. as haytham pulled away, the brit couldn’t seem to hide his smile. he looked at the locket again, sliding his thumb over shay’s portrait. he glanced back at connor and asked,

“but, why…?”

“why not?”

haytham sighed, and connor could sense that the other man wasn’t satisfied with his answer.

“well, i’ve noticed that you’ve grown rather… fond… of master cormac.”

haytham slightly blushed at that, looking away from his son in embarrassment. he heard his son snicker and glared back at him. connor wasn’t intimidated at all, however. he stood still, grinning and beaming at his father.

“i’d rather you not mention that ever again.”

connor chuckled at that, placing his hands behind his back, he stood straight and excused himself. 

“as you wish, sir.”

he sarcastically replied, turning his heel to leave the gardens. once he was face to face with the estate’s double doors, he glanced back at his father sitting on one of the benches. there was a gentle smile on haytham’s face, looking peaceful as he was when connor saw him fast asleep in his quarters a few nights ago. he was still holding the locket, gazing at it in pure adoration.

connor smiled and went back to his quarters, thinking perhaps he should also paint a portrait of his father for shay when he returns.

[idolbound]

The way that I approach Meredith in either of her redemptive AUs (e.g. Inquisition or Veilguard), is that, after her red lyrium idol sword, Certainty, blows up in her face (and ergo seen as a rejection from the Maker after she called on Him), being exiled serves as an important purpose to helping Meredith realize she was wrong, and understanding that she went too far.

After being exiled out of Kirkwall (think a bloodier, more injured and rushed version of Cersei being walked through King's Landing), for the Inquisition verse, she ventures amidst the outbreak of the mage-templar rebellion, trying to not only heal and recover, but to survive without a direct supply of lyrium. In some ways, she'd have access to supplies here and there for the right amount of coin but as the conflict continues, it becomes harder to get. As the Inquisition forms and moves to Skyhold, and word spreads, she makes the perilous journey there (scarred up, far weaker, and gaunt looking than she once was), and begs the Inquisitor to allow her to join; she is basically a sellsword at this point looking for lyrium supply to stave off the awful effects of withdrawal, but also as a way to try and at least redeem herself and to give herself purpose again. Of course, Culllen and Varric won't be happy she's there, but if accepted, she tends to keep to herself, finding quarters in basically a storage closet, sleeping on bags of feed for the horses and keeps her head down, going where she is demanded to go. She's like a ghost in Skyhold, knowing she failed Kirkwall and failed herself. Over time, with the completion of her personal quest (retrieving personal items from the Gallows/Kirkwall), she finds a new resolve and will survive for about 7-10 years after the Inquisition is over before lyrium dementia will finally set in. (If her personal quest is not completed, she will die serving the Inquisition).

For Veilguard, the tale is spun a little differently. In those 3 years, she still spends time reflecting on herself, but as access to lyrium becomes more difficult, she becomes more desperate and instead, after slowly, horrifically going through withdrawal and looking far worse for wear, she ends up travelling west to enlist with the Wardens as a last resort to save herself from an inevitable end (by, well, choosing another inevitable end). While she has years of experience as a templar, she ends up re-training to serve on the front lines against darkspawn, and eventually, some believe her ability to successfully suppress magic can be useful against certain types of darkspawn, so they secure a supply of lyrium which reinvigorates her strength and capability. But in this time, she is also much of a loner among the Wardens. While they accept nefarious types and criminals, those who know what she did let her know as such, even if it risks having solidarity in the ranks. But in this time, of course, she spends it fighting and giving herself to another cause (all she knows how to do is to serve an institution and something greater). Only after Weisshaupt, can she surface as a possible companion for the Veilguard, should they require her services.

For both verses, though, I think the act of redemption does not necessarily mean that Meredith is suddenly a good person. She's not. But! what it does mean is that she has been removed from the social institution that shaped her personal beliefs and allowed her to oppress mages; it is hard to see the evil when you are inside of it, but once exiled from the Order and Kirkwall more broadly, and spending time alone, she comes to realize that using the idol to gain more power and control was too much, and in a way, it's almost like how mages use blood magic to achieve similar purposes, and that is the very thing she hates the most.

Ultimately, she knows what life she has left to live is an early death sentence; she saw how her adoptive father slowly faded away from lyrium-related dementia, and knows that fate will likely be hers, too. So, Meredith believes that achieving redemption for herself is not to make up for the lives she has hurt and harmed, but to serve and protect others until her dying breath; it is the least she can do because it is all she has ever known.

She still holds prejudice towards mages (and that will always be ingrained in her), but she lacks the power to do anything about their existence now. She cannot let go of her early childhood trauma and general fear of what magic can do, but she has been removed from her station and the means to persecute mages. If the Inquisitor or Rook has mages in their ranks, she accepts it without argument (but she will be avoidant or weary around them, always keeping a watchful eye, just in case).

Also, in this sense, living in exile (despite living under rather unprecedented or... interesting times), is the first time Meredith has ever lived a normal life outside of the Gallows and the Order, and the demands of the Chantry. So this also plays into her redemptive arc by allowing her to experience things she's never gotten to do before, understanding life from a vastly different perspective (even if it is during a time when the world may be ending, and for a very short time compared to her old life).

In the end, redemption for Meredith is not a full 180 degree turn around for her character, but regret weighs heavily upon her; regret for what she did, regret for failing Kirkwall, and regret for never having a life outside of it.

She is haunted by ghosts; she is haunted by herself.

[wetcatspellcaster]

BG3/Dragon Age Masterlist!

Hello! My name is Emma :) I write fic under howlsmovinglibrary, and this is where my follows/likes/replies come from as well! (this is my fic sideblog!)

kofi!(💘)

Currently Updating!

An Honest Lie

BG3, Astarion/Rosalie, canon retelling of Full Access.

Cooler Than Me

BG3, Astarion/Rosalie, celebrity/academia modern AU.

Backlog of complete fics (including Pieces!) below the cut!

Baldur’s Gate 3

A Bleeding Heart

Completed, 30k, M

BG3, Astarion/Rosalie, belligerent sexual tension

Astarion seems to have acquired a bleeding heart, entirely by accident. And by the gods, is she an inconvenience.

Upon Reflection

Completed, 4k, T

BG3,  Astarion/Rosalie, belligerent sexual tension

One-shot of the canon mirror scene, with added sass and yearning glances.

Party Favours

Completed, 40k, M

BG3,  Astarion/Rosalie, fake dating AU

Astarion deserved a fake dating AU so I gave him one.

Pieces Still Stuck in Your Teeth

Completed, 189k, M

BG3, Astarion/Rosalie, ‘we’re divorced but making it everyone else’s problem’ Ascendency AU 

11 years after Astarion ascended and he and Rosalie broke up, an unexpected and brutal murder forces her to return to the Gate and (in theory) put him in the ground.

This is a Love Story

Completed, 12k, T

BG3, God!Gale/God!Durge, Slay the Princess AU

When the Dark Urge ascended to godhood alongside her love, Murder tries to claim her one final time. In order to preserve her sanity, the God of Ambition crafts a tower for her to live in.

Dragon Age

Eye of the Storm

Completed, 388k, T

DA:I, Cullen/f!Lavellan, formerly tranquil Inquisitor

Asha Lavellan arrives at the Temple of Sacred Ashes tranquil, recruited by the Rebel Mages to testify to the Conclave about the atrocities committed against her Clan by a group of rogue templars. The next day, she wakes up, her hand marked with the anchor, and her tranquility somehow negated. 

The Fortress of Highever

Completed, 36k, T

DA:O, Alistair/f!Cousland, arranged marriage AU

Ismene Cousland knows that the only way Alistair can win the throne is with her help. But after finally escaping the confines of her noblewoman’s life, is marrying him to guarantee his success at the Landsmeet a sacrifice she’s willing to make?

A Man’s Word Is His Bond

Completed, 35k, M

DA:O, Zevran/f!Surana, Soulmates AU

The Antivan Crows burned away Zevran’s soulmark long before he was old enough to read it.

Just A Moment’s Peace

Completed, 23k, M

DA:O, Zevran/f!Surana, modern university library AU

There was a problem with Nyd Surana’s favourite spot in the library. Someone new had moved in four rows down. Someone insufferable.

[gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan]

Hide Away

Author's Note: More of Catius in Husbandry AU.

Summary: Catius and his brothers calm down enough to start thinking a little bit.

Warnings: Mentioned abuse, mentioned character death, None that I can think of. Let me know if I need to add anything.

Past =-= Next

Tagged: @barn-anon, @bleedingichorhearts, @c-u-c-koo-4-40k, @egrets-not-regrets, @kit-williams,

Tagged continued: @sleepyfan-blog, @whorety-k, @ms--lobotomy @bispecsual @thevoidscreams

Tagged continued: @i-am-a-dragon34, @gra93fruit-blog

Caitus had ensured that his brother-cousins were able to get out of the base, without getting into trouble as he ensures that the paperwork is properly signed and gotten to the right people.

Apothecary Zariel had grabbed the forms, reading them over and giving him a smile and the older Ultramarine’s eyes were not the right shade of blue for a moment.

His hearts stops for a moment as his eyes go wide at that before Zariel ensures that they are able to go to the Chaos base with the Honorable Chaplain Captain Petras is on base.

Ramiel explains to them what Zariel had told him, and they all traded significant looks. Especially since he’d indicated that the color of his eyes and armor had been deliberately off color.

Caitus clenches his fists and unclenches them as his mind spins as he tries to figure out a pattern. He licks his lips and as his eyes dart around and looks at his brother-cousins and around them.

“This is the first time that He has come to this base,” Catius states carefully. “And for understandable reasons, I think that  Ramiel and Cedric should, especially, evade and avoid him. The… rest of us, if we choose to volunteer, could stay in this Base. The Rules- and the politics of being in Ancient Terra, should protect Claude, Jophiel and I, a bit from him.”

“We are Primaris,” Claude points out. 

“Yes- but,” Caitus, “Remember that argument that got out of hand between the loyalists Thousand Sons and Space Wolves? Especially since they hadn’t been in a proper sparring arena and they had harmed each other without following the proper procedures… They got censured and punished for it.”

“Yeah, but that unsanctioned violence between first born marines,” Ramiel points out reasonably.

“True,” Catius says, “But there are far fewer of us Primaris Marines, known, on Ancient Terra. And you’ve seen how soft they are here. How protective they can be- especially Captain Ash’val. Throne- even some of the Chaos Marines are oddly protective of us sometimes, at least Apothecary Hura is towards Cedric, which can be a tactical advantage. If managed properly, any debts are paid swiftly and promptly.”

“This sounds like it could end extremely poorly,” Jophiel and Claude say nearly simultaneously, a flash of Insight pinging through the both of them, “Unless we are very, very careful.”

“Agreed- also Cedric and Ramiel need to continue to avoid and evade, as he could claim what he does to them isn’t ab… strict punishment, as they are of the same chapter, and alignment,” Catius says, “Even though he knows that there may be a Primaris Black Templar is around, I’m not sure if he knows which of you it is. Or that you are Cedric and Ramiel that he personally knows. Cedric and Ramiel are common enough names used. Even by us Primaris Marines.”

“... I suppose that is true. But for how long are we going to be able to evade him, if he tries to seek us out? How long before we either need to inform captain Ash’val directly as to why we do not want to see or interact with Petras unless absolutely necessary… Or the first borns here get to watch what Petras does to us in person.” Cedric murmured with a quiet, resigned sigh.

“I told Captain Ash’val in a panic that he murdered Ramiel in front of you,” Catius admits looking down and curling in himself, “He ordered me back to base, Petras is in the city, but coming to this Base again. I think he prefers this Base since Loyalist Sons of Dorn are partially running this Base, rather than the other Loyalist bases.”

“There has been some random times when medications and other supplies have gone missing, the counts being off for certain highly protected supplies,” Cedric says with a frown, now that his panic isn’t as immediate and visceral. “Someone is occasionally stealing supplies, but why?’

“Why not?” Claude counters, playing Chaos Advocate, "Supplies that are difficult to procure or make are very valuable, especially on Ancient Terra were the resources to make them are far more finite.”

“But- why are they stealing the supplies instead of negotiating for them?” Ramiel asks, thinking, eyes gazing in the middle distance, with a strange tone to his voice. “Ramiel, is something bothering you?” Catius ask his brother-cousin a concerned look crossing his face. “Just some… strange memories have come back to me that don’t make sense,” Ramiel says with a shake of his head as he rubs his temples. “What kind of memories?” Cedric ask his voice hitching a little in concern and worry for his brother. “J-just before,” Ramiel states with a slight stutter to his voice, “j-just before I arrived at Ancient Terra and…” He fades off at the wounded noise Cedric made, and Ramiel wraps his arms around his brother, hugging him. The rest of the Primaris Squad as they were unofficially called gather around the pair of Black Templars and gently give them both a hug. Jophiel extended his wings to wrap around them all as best he could, blocking them from view of everything. “I was giving the Honorable Chaplain Captain Petras a data slate that needed his sign off,” Ramiel continued, “And there were some… strange glowing things- and what I now know is a box of slightly glowing chocolates in a drawer on his desk.” “What colors were they glowing?” Jophiel and Claude ask, both of them having Psyker-abilities and knowing more of the Warp and such things due to that. Ramiel described the colors as best he could, and both of them gave each other a significant look before looking back at them. “That is… interesting. Please continue, if you can, Ramiel.” Ramiel nods and continues to speak about what he’d seen, also about the strange markings that were starting to appear on his mentor’s chest, near his belly. How angry his Mentor had been when he’d accidentally looked at the glowing vials and the chocolates and his belly a little.

[smoothie03]

Awful ship chart for TeuTemp because even in my mostly quite healthy TeuTemp paradise, there will be flaws and there have to be toxic traits otherwise it's too much of a Mary Sue and unrealistic lol

Had to tweak the template a bit because we're talking about a ship between teenagers most of the time (sometimes adults if it's an adult! AU) lol

Take it with a grain of salt, these toxic behaviours and character flaws aren't that present in practice but they are there. TeuTemp is mostly healthy and they are trying their best despite being young peeps with no relationship experience :3

"Problematic" Ship Trope:

Miscommunication is their biggest flaw because Gabriel/Templar is too stuck up in his role as the "golden child" that constantly has the feeling of having to perform and be "perfect" and he doesn't want to be a burden to Gilbert since he has his own struggles going on. (Joan/Hospitaller is telling him, that he has to be honest and talk about it because it just burns him out even more)

But Gilbert on the other hand is unbelievably clingy to Gabriel as he is one of the few people around the time of their youth that is genuinely nice and gentle to him. Therefore he is kinda fixated on him.

And the "dying for one another" comes from Gabriel dying canonically, lol.

Negative first impression:

For Gilbert, Gabriel appears like the "perfect little angel that apparently does everthing right, knows everything and is beloved by everyone" and sees it as a negative trait as it makes Gabriel appear quite arrogant. He doesn't like this perfectionism around Gabriel, it makes him feel horribly jealous and kind of angry because unlike Gabriel, he is regularly used as a scapegoat for his order and it makes him feel like he can't do anything right. (This results in him reassuring himself that he is awesome and better than everyone else to compensate the lack of praise he gets in this time period but in turn it makes him appear extremely arrogant and prideful as well. It kinda is a vicious circle.)

For Gabriel, Gilbert is annoyingly arrogant, prideful, loud and selfish which makes him feel the need to correct him so he doesn't cause a mess. He also has to remind him on a constant basis to think of others as well, so he doesn't only think of himself. (On the other hand Gilbert has to remind Gabriel not to be a damn doormat and prioritise himself more. They're kinda helping each other out in regards of that flaw in order to better themselves) So yeah, Gabriel kind of suffers from his internal need of taking care of Gilbert as he is a bit younger but Gilbert is a quite challenging child to interact with.

But it's important to note, that their first impression overall was very positive but they saw their flaws after a short while and caused this negative impression on second glance.

If they got sent to jail it was because...:

Well, Gabriel was probably (very likely) burnt on the stake for being gay for Gilbert. Also he was a Christian that charged interest which technically was forbidden to Medieval Christians but he was an exception. (Also war crimes since he is a military order but technically all Hetalia characters have war crimes on their list of commited atrocities) He also "canonically" went to jail because Philipp the Fair wasn't fair and said he was an heretic. (Gabriel would never, he would be afraid of commiting any blasphemy lol)

And Gilbert is a menace to society, I don't have to elaborate. The chart says it all.

Biggest complaint about the other:

As I said before, Gabriel dislikes Gilbert's rudeness, his selfishness and stubborness. He also dislikes his hypocrisy because I can see Gilbert being fixated on rules ONLY if they are his own rules and if he agrees with him, otherwise he absolutely gives a shit about them. If the rules are made by himself he also isn't flexible at all and the rules are mandatory.

And Gilbert hates Gabriel's people pleasing doormat-behaviour and wants him to stand up for himself and his will. He dislikes it how he would always disregard his own feelings and will just to play the marionette and please others. Once he finds out about Gabriel bottling up feelings even in front of him, he wants him to talk immediately.

Toxic traits:

Gabriel wants to act out of good reasons and would try to avoid committing stuff he views as "evil" which is why I aligned him to "innocent" (despite having done bad stuff in his life). He would constantly apologise as well if something goes wrong. He's also a humble idiot.

Gilbert on the other hand switches between remorseless and apologetic evil-doer depending on what angered him. If Gabriel was mad at him, he would apologize constantily and cry out of shame but if someone hurt Gabriel, he would hurt the person back without any remorse. (Gabriel doesn't want him to hurt others because of him but Gilbert is stubborn and like a guard dog) He's also an arrogant idiot but an arrogant genius at the same time, depending on the subject. He's intelligent and a genius by knowledge but stupid in his actions, mostly due to impulsivity.

Both are dishonest sometimes when it's about their feelings which results in uncommunicative behaviour. Gilbert comes off as narcissistic and argumentative due to his rougher personality. However, none of these flaws genuinely worsen their relationship to an alarming degree since they aren't present THAT often.

I can/can't fix him:

Gabriel would try to fix him. His name is Gabriel "I can fix him" Bonnefoy Payns. (He can't fix him. Once he dies, Gilbert goes feral. But he 'fixes' him for the time he's alive and he learnt some important aspects through him)

Gilbert would WANT to fix Gabriel but he knows he could absolutely make him worse as well. He's aware of the fact that whatever he does is unpredictable.

Devoted:

Both are EXTREMELY devoted to one another and very loyal. They absolutely adore each other.

Hugs (changed category from the original chart):

Gilbert's hugs are very strong and firm, Gabriel's are just right. Not too light and not too firm.

Love:

They are madly in love. I don't need to elaborate. They are down bad for each other and love each other very much :3