#The Fearful Legend of the Snowy Night (Part 1)

[ygreczed-3]

The Red Guard and the Snow Angel

Stormy Lands concept art

The Thunder War Spirit’s seal concept art

Gavin and the thunder war spirit

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4

On the stormy lands.

Gavin : It's been raining for days. I just want to see a fucking fire now. And feel dry again. Connor : The man from Braverive said there was a city in the middle of the thunder desert… We should be close. Hank : I really need a dry bed. I'm too old for this shit…  Gavin : Rheumatism, old man ? 

They see a cave

Hank : Shut up. Let's just stop for the night.

X

Gavin wakes up in the middle of the night Nines and Connor are in stasis, Hank is sleeping.

??? : ��𝔲𝔪𝔞𝔫… ℑ 𝔠𝔞𝔫 𝔣𝔢𝔢𝔩 𝔶𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔯𝔰𝔱… 𝔗𝔥𝔦𝔯𝔰𝔱 𝔣𝔬𝔯 𝔭𝔬𝔴𝔢𝔯… 𝔣𝔬𝔯 𝔰𝔱𝔯𝔢𝔫𝔤𝔱𝔥… ℌ𝔲𝔪𝔞𝔫, 𝔠𝔬𝔪𝔢 𝔱𝔬 𝔪𝔢…

Gavin walks away from the camp and goes deeper in the cave. There is a stone shining orange/yellow in the dark blue night.

???  : ℑ 𝔠𝔞𝔫 𝔪𝔞𝔨𝔢 𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔭𝔬𝔴𝔢𝔯𝔣𝔲𝔩. Gavin : … And what do you want from me ? ???  : … 𝔜𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔟𝔬𝔡𝔶.

Gavin touches the stone and a huge lightning strikes from the dark grey clouds. Connor, Nines and Hank are awakened by the sound of thunder, and then Gavin's scream. A thunder spirit is invading the cave, transferring from the stone to Gavin's body.

Hank : What the hell ?!

The magic flows into Gavin's nape, forming a golden seal.

Connor : Nines ! His neck !

Nines sees the seal and hits the spot with an ice arrow. The thunder vanishes from the cave but the seal remains on Gavin's neck. Gavin drops on his knees, in shock, trembling and breathing heavily. 

Hank : You okay kid ? What happened ?

Hank turns to Nines

Hank : How did you know you had to hit the neck ? Connor : We're magic creatures. We have seals too, we know they're a weakness. Hank : So… What was that ? Nines : A thunder war spirit.

*Nines looks at the stone*

Nines : This one was sealed in that cave... Somehow, Gavin unleashed it and now... he hosts it.

X

NB : So, the people that live in the stormy lands sealed the thunder war spirit in that cave a long long time ago. The first generations used to educate fighting monks to watch the cave but as time passed, it became a legend and now fighting monks are sent to other strategic points. The cave and the thunder war spirit that, in the past, devastated the Stormy Lands with bestial ferocity are now almost forgotten.

The war spirit was waiting for a suitable host to come by, someone already powerful and skilled in the arts of combat, but also spirited and ambitious, because those emotions fuels it. Its purpose is to take control of the body it possesses using negative emotions. Attacking the seal that appears on Gavin's neck stunts the spirit and seals it again for an unkown period of time. The only way to control the spirit is to use a goal as a channel, and redirect the thunder power to serve this purpose. The control can be absolute when the host has a steel motivation.

The basic victims of the war spirit are theoretically unable to have higher purposes in life than their own interests, so they always end up being totally under the spirit's influence and are killed to give full control of their bodies.

X

Gavin is outside, touching his neck, lost in his thoughts. It's raining and he's drenched. Nines glares at him from the entrance of the cave.

Nines : You should be dead.

Gavin  doesn't even turn his head to stare back at the golem.

Gavin : Heard this already. Nines : Elemental war Spirits are powerful. Humans… Most humans actually couldn't even contain their magic. That’s... quiet impressive. Gavin : … It's lurking inside… waiting for the best moment to kill me, I can feel it. 

Gavin sighs and closes his eyes, his fingers still tracing the edges of his new scar.

 Anyway. I can't believe you left a scar there. Scars in the back are made when you run away… and I've never run away.  Nines : … Now you can't say you killed everyone who left you with a scar. Gavin : Who knows, I could still kill you. Nines : … Don't be ridiculous. You can't even defend your own body. How could you pretend to be strong enough to kill me ? Gavin : Don't underestimate me, snowy prick.

X

Gavin is still outside, in the pouring rain. Hank is standing by the entrance of the cave.

Hank : Hey… How do you feel ? Gavin :... Weird.  Hank : ...You know, we fight from time to time, but we're brothers in arms, in the Red Guard… Nice to know you're okay. Gavin : … Hm… ...Hey Hank… If I… Die during this mission… I want a tombstone… next to my mother. And I… I want you to visit it, sometimes. I doubt that anyone is gonna remember me… except you, because I was a pain in your ass. Hank : Pff. Don't think about it now. Just be careful in the future, alright ?

X

Hank's frowning in pain, groaning. Connor rises up his head. 

Connor : You okay ? Hank : … That little brat was right… I have an old injury on my back… this constant rain is making it so sore… Dammit. Connor : Does this make it better ?

Connor applies his hand on Hank's back, using snow magic.

Hank : … Yeah, it… actually works. Connor : Cold sooth pain. Markus knows healing magic, he tried to teach me but I'm way better at fighting.  Hank : … What was your job ? When you were still in Detroit ? Connor : I worked a long time in Amanda Stern's fields. And some time before the Night of Freedom, she asked me to clean up and classify her books. I… I read them when she wasn't around. She had a lot of books about Kamski and magic. Hank : That's how you had this idea ? Connor : … One book actually says something that… intrigues me. Hank: ? Connor : "The key to our prosperity lays in…" And the end was never written. If we knew that maybe… Our people could finally find peace.

X

During the trip, Hank and Connor grow fond of one other. Hank likes Connor's capacity to analyze things and is low key impressed by his knowledge and his fighting skills, they even start to spar together. Connor happens to be interested in human sciences, and they end up talking philosophy a lot. 

Connor feels intrigued by Hank, and starts feeling this "warm feeling" that puzzles him. Hank slowly realizes golems might not be totally responsible for what happened to his family, and starts showing empathy to Connor.

One night in an inn, Hank can't sleep, as usual, so Connor takes him out. They walk around the town, Hank talks about the Golden Age in Detroit, and the beautiful night market that was organized once a month. Connor says he remembers it. Golems weren't allowed in it, but he liked to watch the lights and hear the music from afar. When they get back to the room, Hank goes back into the bed and actually falls deep asleep. Connor stays there and looks at him as he sleeps, and can't help but think about how beautiful his silver thin hair looks in the moonlight. He brushes his hand, and it's so warm, a warmth that echoes his feelings. He just sits down near the bed and stays there, lost in his thoughts.

Nines doesn't like that Connor gets closer to Hank. He recognizes Hank is somehow well behaved and… righteous compared to Gavin, but he's still a HUMAN and he thinks Connor is forgetting they are not on the same side. Connor doesn't want to hear anything from his brother, because "I know what I'm doing okay ?". And he's embarrassed to think his brother might understand he's developing affection for Hank. Also, Connor is totally oblivious to Nines and Gavin's growing connection. 

X

On the other hand, Nines relates to Gavin more than he would like to : they're actually pretty similar in the way they think. Gavin doesn't believe they'll even reach and find Kamski, he's just sticking around to make sure he'll be able to capture the androids when they fail, to take them back to Detroit and get all the glory. Nines is accompanying Connor because he doesn't trust the humans and is ready to kill them without batting an eyelid if they tried anything. 

One day he finds Gavin in a sandy combe, training. Nines doesn't really know how, cause they didn't even say anything to each other, but he joins him in his training. Gavin admits the thunder spirit has made him really powerful and that he was sure he would be able to kill him, but this time, he wasn't bragging… His words sound like self realization, and Gavin doesn't seem that happy about it.

Nines provokes him saying "Show me" but Gavin shrugs. He says "I don't want to summon it… it would kill me too."

Nines asks Gavin if he is scared of the spirit, and Gavin looks away for a minute. "I'm a human. Humans are vulnerable  to magic, that's why we fight it. But now… magic is part of me… How am I supposed to feel safe with this beast inside me, all the time ?"

Nines can't believe he replies "Beasts can be tamed. Magic can be controlled. Fear can be overcome. Just work on that instead of doing bulk up."

Gavin stays silent and Nines starts to walk off but then he turns around to face Gavin again and says "I can show you how."

The man hesitates but finally accepts.

[narniaandplowmen]

The Wild Abandoned

Fandom: The Witcher

Pairing: Geralt/Jaskier

Also on AO3

6773 words.

General Audiences / No Archive Warnings Apply

Complete

When he arrived back at the foot of the mountain, Geralt most decisively went in the complete opposite direction of Jaskier’s smell. He didn’t hear the animal following him at a safe distance.

* * *

Jaskier didn’t necessarily plan on following Geralt. They just happened to be travelling in the same direction, that was all.

CHAPTER 1 - The Wild Abandoned

Animals following him wasn’t that unusual, all things considered. Most creatures were curious about this strange, not-quite-human being travelling through their territory, but even when Geralt fed them the scraps of his own meal none of them had followed him for - Geralt narrowed his eyes and mentally tallied. For five days, at least. Of which Geralt spent only three asleep, deciding to hurry his travels as his coin ran out. He had heard rumours of Posada looking for a Witcher, and - although he hated himself for it - he hoped none had shown up yet. He did not have to check his purse to know there was only one coin left in it, nor did he need to check his supplies to know they were dwindling. Geralt sighed as he heard the creature following him speed up to catch up with the chestnut mare. Whatever it was, it would be scared away as soon as he arrived in Posada. If there was any lesson Geralt had learned over and over and over again during his time on the Path, it was to never get attached.

In Posada, he met a bard named Jaskier, and his life changed.

Two decades later, on a mountain, half the continent over, his life changed again.

When he arrived back at the foot of the mountain, Geralt most decisively went in the complete opposite direction of Jaskier’s smell.

He knew the smell of humans lingered, but five days, an equal amount of baths in the Gwenllech and three un- and repackings of his supplies later, Geralt could still faintly smell the bard’s distinctive, pinewood, autumn leaves and wolve’s fur smell, although the flowery perfume he usually masked it with was gone.

Geralt tried to blame his surroundings for creating the smell, but he knew there were no pine trees to be found for at least a hundred miles.

It was still the middle of summer as well.

He didn’t hear the animal following him at a safe distance.

* * *

He knew it was still too early to arrive in Kaer Morhen, so although this far North wasn’t his usual territory, he took whichever jobs he could get. The benefit of breaking out of his usual stomping grounds was, aside from the fact that the ‘Butcher of Blaviken’-legend was not tied to his name, that Jaskier’s joyful catchy kind annoying songs hadn’t reached the area either. A group of drowners, two frighteners, a wreight and a cockatrice later, he could almost forget what happened on the mountain.

Almost.

It wasn’t till the beginning of October, after the wreight but before the second frightener, that Geralt noticed he was being followed. The animal seemingly attempted not to get noticed, timing his footsteps at the exact rhythm of the latest Roach, a horse with a surprisingly consistent walk. Geralt did not know how long it had been following him, but that night he purposefully didn’t finish the rabbit he had hunted and roasted, throwing the bones with plenty of meat in the bushes behind him, in the general direction of the sound of softly padded paws touching the forest floor.

The next day, the bones and meat were still there.

The sound, however, was gone.

He tried not to let the overwhelming silence bother him.

Three days later, Geralt was almost convinced his offer had scared the creature away. Either that, or the pouring rain had caused the animal to give up on his curious pursuit, and find shelter somewhere in the cavernous mountains. The resulting floods paid Geralt’s next meal and shelter as he took care of the drowners plaguing one of the small Northern villages. They pay had been small, but the citizens thanked him for arriving so quickly. For a moment he feared that the villagers would burst into an all-too-familiar song, but instead they told him a neighbouring place needed his help as well.

After fighting the second freightner, the now-familiar sound of the animal’s steps returned. So did the rains, and Geralt decided to cut this season short and turn his meandering route into a direct journey to Kaer Morhen, the closest thing to a home he knew, except for- No. The closest thing to a home he knew. Geralt stared at the deer-made path ahead of him and banned all thoughts from a certain bard out of his head.

* * *

The creature, whatever it was, kept following him. If his medallion hadn’t stayed silent, Geralt would almost be worried. It was far away from its own territory now that the towering, deciduous-treed and cavernous Dragon Mountains had been replaced by the equally towering but pine-treed, steep-cliffed Blue Mountains. The creature hadn’t accepted a single offer of food, or shelter, or warmth. Not even when Geralt, silently cursing his own idiocy, had called out into the forest that the food thrown away was intended for this mysterious pursuer.

Geralt almost considered travelling the long way so he would pass through the planes, simply to see if the creature would follow, would allow himself to be seen, but that morning he woke up covered in a thin layer of snow.

He saddled Roach, saw his latest offering of food was once again ignored, and hastened his journey towards Kaer Morhen.

The creature followed, even during the treacherous journey towards the Witchers’ Castle.

Geralt almost resented the idea of wintering inside, since the creature would surely leave before spring.

‘You can’t follow me inside, you know. A castle isn’t fit for wild animals to thrive,’ Geralt had called into the dark two nights before arriving home. ‘You should go back. To your territory. To your family, if you have one. And if not, I am sure that you will be able to start one, if you are strong enough to follow me this far.’

His reply, as usual, had been silence.

The next day, the creature followed still.

* * *

‘Geralt! You’re uncharacteristically early,’ Vesemir greeted him at the gate.

‘Stayed North this time. I- I was already on my way back, simply hurried my way when the snow started.’

‘You were on your way back? Did that bard of yours finally take that teaching position Oxenfurt has been begging him to accept?’

Geralt placed his bags on the stable floor a little more violently than needed.

‘He’s not my bard. And I don’t care what he is doing right now. It’s not my concern.’

That evening, after a bath in the hot springs and a nice bowl of soup eaten next to the safety and warmth of the fire, the entire story came out, and Vesimir’s heart bled for his young pup.

* * *

Geralt didn’t mention the strange creature that had been following him until Eskel arrived two weeks later, mentioning that he had been followed for the last days of his journey home.

He wasn’t jealous at all when Lambert, arriving five days later, reported he had seen a wolf-like creature from a distance. Nor did he find an excuse to leave the dinner table to train his frustration away when Lambert said he had even fed the creature, for it looked haggard and ragged.

* * *

They didn’t speak of the creature till mid-December, when the three men went out into the snowy wilderness to hunt for fresh meat.

The creature was still there, following them from a distance.

‘If that thing ate every living thing on the mountain, we might not catch any prey at all,’ Eskel wondered aloud after two hours of fruitless searching.

‘Well, it clearly didn’t eat every living thing on this mountain,’ Lambert replied, to a frowning Eskel.

‘What do you mean?’

‘Well, we’re still here.’

‘I would barely call you ‘living’,’ Eskel retorted, steadying his stance just in time for Lambert to pounce on him.

‘Shh guys!’ Geralt hissed, focussing on a sudden burst of sound in the forest. A running predator, a fleeing prey,  breaking branches, noises rapidly going louder until CRACK a frightened deer broke through a frozen bush, leaping over Eskel, a panicked cry as the Witcher grabbed her leg and pulled her down.

‘It does feel pretty unfair,’ Lambert mused as they dragged the carcass back to the castle. ‘This isn’t our prey, we stole it from that wolf. Should we, like, leave a part of it as some sort of thanks?’

Geralt ignored his two brothers but did hold out his bloodied sword when they decided to leave a part of the animal behind.

The next morning, the Witchers were woken up by a loud howl. When Geralt looked outside, he saw a bloody trail leading from the forest to the castle gate, where their offering was returned. ‘Looks like we didn’t steal its prey after all.’

* * *

The knowledge that, outside of the thick, stone walls, there was some creature looking out for them, made it a strange winter. From the brief glances in the dark evening, they had concluded it must be a wolf, but no reasoning for its seeming loyalty could be found. There was no magic, no curses or spells, no laws of surprise offered to pregnant wolves that could explain the presence of the animal. It didn’t seem to want shelter, and offered food was only touched occasionally. Any attempts at luring it out of the forest failed, as the wolf seemed to know when they were watching.

Geralt didn’t attack his brothers more aggressively during their training when the only consistency they could find was that the wolf didn’t seem to want to accept anything from Geralt, nor show itself when Geralt was nearby.

He also didn’t resent Vesemir when he told them one morning that he had seen the wolf prowling around the castle, and that when he had spoken to it, it had sat down and listened, its head slightly tilted and bright blue eyes surprisingly intelligent.

And that spring, when he travelled south and heard the creature following him, he most certainly didn’t feel relieved.

That was, not after he heard the news that the famous bard Jaskier had gone missing, hadn’t been seen in almost a year. Rumours were that the last time he was spotted, was in the presence of a certain white-haired witcher.

His arrival in larger cities was met with thrown rocks and angry insults.

He had almost forgotten what it felt like to be called a butcher and a murderer.

It was yet another reminder never to get attached.

The first coherent thought in Jaskier’s mind as he carefully made his way down the mountain was his internal surprise that he wasn’t crying. In all the songs of heartbreak and rejection, there were tears, heartbroken cries of anguish and dramatic falling to the knees. But the reality was that Jaskier was empty. Completely and utterly empty. For once he was devoid of words, devoid of song, devoid of poetic descriptions, laughs, chatter, of everything that made him the apparently so burdensome travel companion as he was.

The second coherent thought in Jaskier’s mind as he gathered his stuff from the inn and made his way into the forest was that he was lucky he never showed his more useful side to the Witcher. If he had, his broken heart would now most likely be literally torn to pieces. Geralt didn’t kill monsters, only if they hurt others.

And isn’t that what he did?

* * *

It took him half a day to find a body of water large and still enough to reflect his entire length. On the edge of the cave’s pool, lit by a hole in the ceiling letting in the midday sunlight, he started taking out his belongings, dividing them into three neat piles of ‘keep’, ‘toss’ and ‘hide’. The cavern itself gave ample opportunity for ‘hide’, and whatever he deemed unworthy of keeping was tossed in the ice-cold water. Whilst he waited for the stillness of the water to return, he methodically packed the rest of his belongings, taking in each item with precision.

A spider building his web in the opening between the light bright world of the insects and the darkness of the cave the eight-legged creature preferred, looked down at the strange man below him. He seemed to stare into the water for an eternity, before the form shifted, turned, and ran.

* * *

He didn’t necessarily plan on following Geralt. They just happened to be travelling in the same direction, that was all. Sure, there were quicker ways to reach the undiscovered regions north of Haakland, but those weren’t safe. Passing through planes and cities in this shape would certainly cause his end.

Jaskier told himself that travelling as a human would only slow him down.

He told himself that he couldn’t perform with this emptiness inside.

He knew that was nonsense, he knew he could act, pretend, and nobody would notice.

He followed Geralt anyway.

* * *

It was almost as if the past two decades hadn’t happened. It was almost as if he was still a young wolf, on his way back home after receiving his education, following a mysterious rider smelling of adventure and death and destiny.

Like last time, it took Geralt an embarrassingly long time to notice his presence. Unlike last time, he had gotten quite good at timing his footsteps to match that of Roach’s. And unlike last time, Geralt had thrown meat and bones in his direction.

Jaskier refused to eat. He could take care of himself, without being a burden.

He made sure to take a different route that night, knowing the direction in which Geralt was headed. He was practised with catching up to the Witcher by now, he was almost surprised that he had been able to find the man at all. If he was the cause of all of Geralt’s suffering, you’d think someone with Witcher training would be able to avoid him.

Then again, you’d think someone with Witcher training would know what he was.

* * *

After fighting a lost garkain without Geralt noticing a thing, Jaskier decides to follow the man for the Witcher’s own safety.

He does not allow himself to think about why Geralt is so out of form that he doesn’t notice a garkain following him for a full day, or the fight happening less than fifty miles from his camp. Instead, Jaskier blames the rain for Geralt’s sudden ineptitude.

He rejoins Geralt after he exits the village where he, according to two children playing witcher-and-monster a little too far into the woods, has defeated a freightener. He ignores every offering of food the Witcher throws in his direction. Not even when the man stupidly yells into the forest that the food was meant for him. There are enough squirrels and rabbits to hunt himself.

He never allows the Witcher to see him.

* * *

They are about a two-days journey away from Kaer Morhen when Geralt addresses him again. ‘You can’t follow me inside, you know. A castle isn’t fit for wild animals to thrive. You should go back. To your territory. To your family, if you have one. And if not, I am sure that you will be able to start one, if you are strong enough to follow me this far.’

If Jaskier were human, he’d laugh. ‘What do you think I am doing,’ he thinks instead. ‘Where do you think I am going? My territory is not where you finally noticed me following you. My territory is here, with you.’

It’s that last thought that makes him halt. His territory isn’t the Haakland’s mountains anymore, it isn’t the pack he left behind, nor is it Oxenfurt, nor is it any court he has performed at. His territory for the past twenty years has been Geralt.

But Geralt’s territory has never been him.

He follows Geralt to the top of the mountain and then makes his way down to await the Witcher’s brothers.

* * *

Eskel notices he is being followed after an hour. Lambert after fifteen minutes. As some sort of price, he allows the Witcher to see him, for just a bit.

He graciously accepts the offered food. He stays on the mountain, unable to leave his territory.

He knows it’s pathetic, he knows he should leave, he knows he will easily be able to take up the position as Alpha and lead his family through Haakland and beyond.

He stays near Geralt anyways.

* * *

It is well into December when he hears three pairs of footprints and silent banter echo through the forest he has now gotten to know so well. The Witchers, out for a hunt. He shrugs, listens where they are headed, and turns to run the other side.

He follows them, of course. And when he sees a lost deer that could feed him for the next month to come, he chases it towards them.

He wastes his precious energy that night dragging their pitiful offering back to the castle’s gate. An Alpha takes care of his pack, not the other way around.

He only eats from their offered food thrice. Twice out of politeness, and once because he is desperate. There isn’t much game and the mountain is cold.

* * *

He doesn’t approach the castle when he knows Geralt is watching. He knows the others have seen glances of him, and he secretly wonders if Geralt is frustrated that he is the only one who hasn’t. He wonders if Geralt has even noticed that he is the only one who hasn’t seen him.

In mid-February, during a particularly bright night, Vesemir talks to him. It’s mostly stuff Jaskier already knows: about who and what the Witchers are, about their history, about their home. But it is also things he doesn’t know. Vesemir tells about Lambert’s love for a Witcher from a different school, about Eskel’s insecurities regarding his scars, and finally, right before dawn starts to break, Vesemir tells him about Geralt. About how he most tortured of the children adopted into in Kaer Morhen managed to find joy on the Path in the shape of a brightly-coloured bard, who followed him and cared for him relentlessly for twenty years. About how he could finally let go of the heavy burden of his responsibilities, how he could finally see it as a joy rather than an oppressive fate. About how he realised the mortality of this human bard when he visited a village just as the little boy whose life he once saved was being carried to his grave by his grandchildren. About how all of the Witchers learned to never get attached. About the danger of the wolf being there, for it is clear the inhabitants of the ancient castle are getting attached to his weird loyalty.

That spring, Jaskier follows Geralt on the Path. He is his territory, after all.

Jaskier is too forgiving. When Geralt exits the first big city with wounds and quickly forming bruises, he is once again reminded the rest of the world is not.

[beacon-sanctuary]

Beacon Sanctuary Character trailer: Orion

'The void, a sea of black with only stars to lead the way, mere points of a chain long left in disarray. Figures of myths and legends forgotten to decay, may you please let this spider return the link of a brighter day'

High in the air sounds a crow, squawking and belting as it flies over head, it's feathered form blotting against the snowy surface like ink on a paper. Dead tress coil around a clearing in a spiral, all grasping to the clouds while its leafless limbs fall short and stop dead, covered in a blanket of snow as a crunch can be heard in the distance. A boy, seemingly no older than a teenager strolls through the winding trees, face deep in a book, muttering the words off the page. His black boots and cane strike to the earth while his crystalized breath cascades across the weathered tome ; flowing from his black, blue-star studded face. His piercing sapphire orbs lazily comb over the words, only stopping dead in his tracks as the sound of footsteps approach him. Reverberating across the trees, his pointed ears hear an orchestra of growls gets carried in the snow filled wind.

Crunch, crunch, chrunch

"Huff, well ain't that just my luck, right when I'm at a good part y'all show up~" to his groan he was met with low snarls and growls as from the cover of falling snow, there stalked a pack of shadows, twitching and snapping their bodies in a sickening and bone cracking contortion as their mangled forms glared and bore their yellow fangs. Approaching the boy with every step they took, hiking back on their hands as the magi gave them one sentence before they dove. Snapping shut his book, a wry smirk danced across his night skied face as his eyes crackled to life

"Alrighty then lil' pups, how 'bout i send ya back to the kennel!"

At this decree the shadows have a piercing howl, pouncing all at once to the boy. Who in turn slammed the tip of his cane to the earth, kicking up snow as the blast frim his magic shot him into the air, leaving the pack to only gnaw if snow left in his place.

Taking in a deep breath, the Magi closed his eyes as flashes of images appeared in his mind. An overwhelming void, swallowing everything in its path, a web of silver string cutting through the sea of black, and finally splitting to a memory. A storm hanging in the sky, scarlet pools across the ground, and ultimately the words of a child screaming "orion!" as a familiar chill washes over his body with hushed whispers slithering in his mind.

Snapping his eyes open, Orion rakes his hand across the shaft of his cane as blue magic blazes across the obsidian staff flattening to a slanted razors edge. And ultimately in a flash of blue, twinkling like a star in the sky, the magi disappeared. And in an instant down below, one of the wolves now found their head severed. Flopping in the aor is a stifled whine from the blade being all that played it off. Black and blue energy erased its body to nothing while a cacophony of snarls sound at the lost of its kin. Bolting towards the magi, the wolv's inky jaws snarled and foamed with fury, starving to consume this torch with all their might, but as they charge instead of showing worry or even fear. All that's shown in the torch's night sky face is a smug grin and light laugh.

"Y'all are makin' this easy for me~" he sang, only to spin in the air, hoping above their charge, as just like first there he goes decapitating the wolf with barely any effort. Digging his boots to the ground to halt his descent, he swung a hand to his back, and coiled his weapon before piercing the third wolf through its mouth. The shock running through the blade being non-existent. As if the blade cut through the shadow like a hot blade through butter. Though before the other wolves could attempt to make a move at him once again, he flung the deconstructing body of their fellow shadow at their feet, barely slowing one who darted out the way, and slamming directly into one who was sprinting at him face first. Tumbling the second into a heap.

Focusing on the one not slowed down, hoisting the blade out before him, Orion began to rake his blade in a circle, sparks of magic burnt in the air, as the words of the book filled his mind while he envisioned himself standing on a silver string surrounded by a start darkness.

"As the mirror reflects the soul, so to will it show the enemy its folly, meet yourself in the void forevermore, inanis reflectunt!(1.) Instantly as Orion said the penultimate words the spell sparked to life, in moments the circle filled with a black expanse dotted with rows of zigzagging stars. But as the shadow rammed into it, a constellation mirroring its exact movement rammed into the wolf, sinking it's fangs into the shadow before exploding into a ball of magic, leaving nothing, not even the snow or the shadow's yelps behind in its wake where the wolf once stood. Leaving a circle of dead grass on the ground.

Sighing as the disk dissipated, Orion's arm tremored from thd pain in his shoulder. seething with himself as a rustle was made in the snow.

'crap, that hurts, I need to be careful with that spell, the impact still hits!'

"Oh right, I got you rabbies havin' self left, well just for you, I'll make this short and sweet~" squinting his eyes, Orion looked dead in the soulless eyes of the shadow before him, he saw the pain that made it, the fear, fear of hunger, pain amd dying alone. Shaking his head, his sapphire eyes re hardened, 'Whoever you spawned from, I hope they finally have what craved, let's put you to rest lil' pup'

Crunch, crunch

And with one last charge from the wolf, the magi gave his final spell

"Sever the light in my path, leave nothing behind in my arc, sing with my blade, Tenebris, Sever!" With one swing of his blade, an arc of black-blue crescent of void energy cut through the sky in a lone whistle. Moving through the sky warping anyone's perception of its arc cleanly sliced the shadow in two, before the nature of the void consumed it to nothing.

Standing up, and cracking his back, Orion groaned snd swung his blade to his leg, returning it to a cane as he once more returned to his book, finishing the book he began.

(Art credit goes to @vv-meloyelo-vv Please give them a follow they make great art!)

~~~

Footnotes

Inanis reflectunt: This is Latin for Void Reflect, the spell is basically this, a caster draws or summons an area where they want to reflect an opponent's attack. In the case of the void variant (which is this) the spell. Makes a constellation of the attacker and after their attack strikes the disk reflects that person's attack by double against the attacker. Though the caster should be wary when using it, it will make you feel the full physical impact or strain of matching an opponent's attack. So if it exceeds your physical limit you will wind up having a lotta damage dealt on yourself. Pretty much for fighting something back you take the physical toll for however much power would be required to do so.

Tenebris Sever: This spell is actually pretty simple, you collect the magic into your blade and flatten it into a wicked thin edge, and then you launch the attack out with a simple swing. And with this being a void variation means that it will consume and erode what it touches, unless whatever the spell hits has enough strength to withstand the affect. (The spell translates into darkness sever)

Author's Note:

Heya, hope y'all enjoy this trailer, I had fun writing it and i hope y'all enjoyed reading it as well. If you have any advice or opinions feel free to comment or send me an ask. And if you really enjoyed it, feel free to reblog it or share it with your friends! With that i hope you all have a good day!

Oh yeah if you just found this post and are curious of who Orion is, here's a link

Orion bio

[whumpqhs]

Shrouded Shield, 1

Because I totally needed another story to work on...

If you sent an ask or tag, I do have a list for responding! I’ve been swamped lately with work and such. Sorry!

Yes, I still plan to continue my other writing, promise! I just wanted to get this down first.

Credit to @redwingedwhump for the setting this is in. Thanks!

TW: I’m not exactly sure how to tag this, because it’s not exactly dubcon or noncon, but this story contains parts where someone has to act like they’re okay with being touched when the writing is clear about how uncomfortable it makes them. So take that as you will, and please be safe.

“Gana?”

“Hm?”

“How’d you get that?”

Riva was pointing at the binding mark on the inside of her forearm. After today, she’d always remember to wrap both arms--for warmth, if you asked her. Right now, all she could do was silently curse herself for not thinking to cover it.

“You know what it is?”

“Yeah. It’s from the… the thing you bound yourself to.” This was, they’d established earlier that evening, Riva’s first encounter with a warlock. She was still talking to Marigana, and she’d been trying to act like nothing had changed, but her expressions were tight and her body was tense. Like she was afraid of being sacrificed on some altar somewhere.

“Yeah. Um… it’s a long story.” Marigana rubbed her fingertips over the mark, flat to her skin like a tattoo, or a birthmark. She wanted to give her (former?) friend one last chance to decide that, actually, she was better off not knowing.

“That’s okay.” Although it clearly made her nervous, Riva scooted closer. “I mean… If you’re okay with telling me.”

“...yeah. I’m okay. Do you… know whose mark it is?”

Riva shook her head. Her short dark hair flew back and forth with each twist. Marigana, against her better judgement, shifted over and stretched out her arm. Now both of them were tense.

“Alxaka. She’s… a demoness… according to some people. To others she’s an evil goddess. Some say she’s neither; instead, they think she's a powerful fae, strong enough to grant powers just like if she were a god.” 

"...oh."

She looked up briefly at Riva’s fearful, fascinated eyes, then said quietly, “You, um, can touch it if you want, it won’t hurt you.” She didn’t want anyone touching her, anywhere, much less her mark. It was the offering that was important; the willingness. She had to look safe. Nonthreatening. “And it won't make you turn evil, or anything.”

She’d been expecting a refusal, a murmur of Oh no, that’s alright, so she could feel justified in putting her arm back. Instead, Riva stretched out a careful, quivering hand. She brushed over the mark with her own fingertips, and Marigana kept her face and body perfectly still. 

“It doesn’t feel any different than the rest of your skin.”

“Nope. It’s just like a birthmark.”

“Your skin, it’s really hot. Are you too close to the fire, do you want to move?”

“Oh, um, no. I just… am like that, heh.” She gave Riva a sheepish grin as if to say, Sorry for my body temperature! And drew her arm back.

“...Alsaka?”

“Al-tsa-ka.”

“What do you think she is?”

“Me? I think she’s fae. Legend says she walked the fires of Hell itself to rescue one of her faithful, to take back what was hers. I don’t think a goddess would upset the rest of the pantheon that way. But a fae wouldn’t care.”

Riva nodded, solemnly. Marigana hoped she was satisfied, but she piped up again, “So--how did you get… how…”

“How did I bind myself to her?”

Silent nodding, at first, and then she added, “If you don’t want to tell me, it’s okay.”

“No, no, it’s fine.” She smiled, making the expression relaxed. “It’s alright.” She couldn’t have secrets. Secrets made them afraid of you. Everything had to be offered, and okay to investigate. She had to make sure they felt safe. “Um, I was… I’d just turned eighteen. I had a really bad fight, with my parents.” Not completely untrue. And Riva started nodding, even relaxing a bit. This, she understood.

“Ohh. Over a boy?”

“Uh--yes. Mhm.” She nodded back, managing a sheepish little laugh. Now, that part was an outright lie. There had been no boy, no boy in her village wanted aught to do with her. There had been men, certainly, strange men with heavy chains who showed up at the door. Who’d heard from a reliable informant that there was a changeling lurking about. Who intended, as all good Iron Priests intended, to cleanse the land of evil… which, in this case, meant her.

Her father, the reliable informant, had opened the door to let them in. By now the panic of the memory had faded, but the hurt and betrayal still twisted in her chest when she thought about it.

“So--you left home?”

“Huh? Oh. Uh, yes.” 

“That must have been hard.”

Riva was looking at her, but she didn’t seem quite so afraid. Her eyes were soft, and her body wasn’t so tense. 

“It… it was. Yes.” She absently chewed at her lip as she remembered the crowded house full of running feet, the shouting, the chaos. And, before that, the thick frozen shock that was almost worse. How her father’s mouth formed a hard line when he looked at her. How it was one of the priests who broke the spell, turning to him, confused.

“You said there was a changeling. I don’t see one.”

“It’s her--I told you, she looks human. With that sigil. Mari, show him.”

She remembered the desperation, how she’d thought maybe if she complied things would go better. It felt dangerous to let go of her control, but she did it, cutting the power to the sigil that made her look human like everyone else. Letting them see her claws, and deep violet skin, and glowing eyes. Her long ears and the broken bits of tissue that had once been horns. 

“That’s not a changeling--” one of the priests started. 

Another cut in, “But we’ll take her.”

“No!”

The voice came from behind her, she remembered hearing it and knowing it was her mother but being unable to understand why. She thought of them as her father and mother, but that wasn’t true, was it? She’d taken the place of their real daughter. Her mother had told her so. Many times. They would never see their real daughter ever again, thanks to her; all they had was this… cheap imitation. This misplaced bit of fae.

“No? Why not?” Another one of the priests. He lifted those heavy chains and they clanked together, discordant, harsh. “Surely you want rid of that thing--”

“You can’t take my daughter!” Her mother’s voice had been thick with emotion. It had barely registered over the shock that rushed through her, stinging like icy water. She’d never been called anyone’s daughter before. Her mother had always been very clear that she was not their child.

“You can't have her! I won’t let you!”

“...your daughter? I thought she was a changeling?”

"She is. It's…" Her father shook his head. “She’s--um, my wife, you know, she’s easily upset. She gets confused.” But his expression hadn't matched. She remembered later how it was testy, tense. As if he was discovering something he didn’t like one bit. “It’s alright, I’ll help you get her into custody. Come here, Mari. Now.”

“--listening to me?”

“Huh?”

Riva patted her shoulder. Lots of practice kept her still and relaxed, as if she didn’t mind being touched. 

“You were lost for a minute there. I said… what happened after you left?”

“Oh. Um… well, it was winter. I ran into the woods… didn’t really have a plan, I was just so upset.” Panicked was more like it. Terrified. Upset would come later. 

Riva nodded as if wanting her to go on. She couldn’t explain to the girl--her friend, still?--that she was tired, that remembering this made her ache. That it drove her sleep into a fractured mess, reliving that night, that she’d be dreaming about it… because she couldn’t say no. Everything had to be offered up. Including her most painful memories.

“Um, it was cold. I come from up north, it was freezing… snowy…” And oh how she hated the cold. She just wasn’t built for it. She remembered how it felt, running out of the house without her coat or scarf; like jumping into a frozen lake. The cold had stabbed into her like thousands of needles. “It was… I didn’t have time to get anything warm for myself, I just left. It was so cold it hurt, the air hurt… it was painful to breathe. I ran for as long as I could.”

“You poor thing.” 

Marigana blinked and looked up at her, watching her face. She seemed sincere enough. Of course, Riva thought she was talking to another human like herself, not a changeling with a convenient illusion spell. Most assuredly, that would have changed her reaction.

“I… I’m okay. Um…” she tried to focus, to get through the telling so she could be done. “...they didn't come looking for me…”

“Oh,” said Riva, as if this were another tragedy. She remembered the wash of relief she’d felt, staring out into the shadows and seeing no spark of firelight, no torches coming after her in the cold. But if you’d had loving parents, them not caring if you froze to death would be sad, of course. She just shrugged. 

“It’s, it’s okay. Um, so--it was cold, I… didn’t have anything warm on.” This part of the memory was different. It didn’t hurt all that much, but it was heavy. Raw. “...I was freezing to death… um, I heard a voice. A woman. She said… it looked like I was one of hers. Said she could save me, so I could serve her cause.”

“And you said yes?”

“Mhm.” She nodded, looking at the mark again. Alxaka’s symbol was a shield, wrapped in a cloak. It made sense for the deliverer of undeserved luck and mercy. Protection, but not for anyone righteous or good. “I said yes. Suddenly I wasn’t cold anymore.” It wasn’t just physical warmth, though, that flooded into her when she accepted the offer. It was soothing, calming, a sense that she’d come home. That someone would protect her. Her eyes almost closed, remembering, trying to call that feeling up again. Lately it was so difficult. She tried… focused… 

But Riva was still watching her. 

“...um, she led me to this little cave. More of an overhang, I guess. It went far enough back that it was warm, and she gave me a spark for a fire. The next morning, I was able to make it to another village… then from there, I worked my way to this company.” It had been a lot more complicated than that, of course, but Riva hadn’t asked, and she was already so tired. She’d have to find somewhere lonesome to sleep tonight, in case her control over the sigil wavered or failed. If she looked anything less than human, she’d have a lot more problems than a nosy friend. 

“That’s so sad…” Riva nodded to her, and patted her shoulder again. Still intent on setting her at ease, and making her feel safe, Marigana kept still, smiling as if she enjoyed the gesture, the contact. As if it didn’t make her want to flinch away. “Thank you for telling me.”

“Oh, uh, of course. You know me, I’m an open book.” She smiled. “No secrets.”

“That’s good. Friends shouldn’t have secrets from each other.” Riva stood and stretched. “Ahh, well, it’s time for my watch. Get some sleep, hm?”

“Yeah. Sure.” She nodded back, waiting until Riva had wandered off to her post before she stood and walked off in the opposite direction, finding somewhere out of the way to tuck herself into the shadows. 

To all appearances, she was a perfectly normal human girl, twenty-or-so summers, sleeping under a thin woolen cloak. As her exhausted mind began descending into a nightmare about the Iron Priests, her last thought was the hope that she’d keep up those appearances until morning.

[gray-autumn-sky]

Gray-Autumn-Sky OQ FF Master List- Updated July 2018

Because of length, this list had to be split into two lists.

Back to Part 1 of Gray-Autumn-Sky’s OQ Master Fic List

Missing Year One Shots:

Missing- Set in the Missing Year, Roland runs away and Regina helps Robin to find him.

A Starting Point- Missing Year. Regina loses a bracelet that Henry gave her and breaks down; Robin witnesses it and is there to comfort her.

The Search- After Regina falls asleep, Robin spends the night searching for her missing bracelet. (Continuation of Starting Point)

Thank You- Regina thanks Robin for finding the bracelet. (Continuation of Starting Point)

Kindred Spirits- On Henry’s birthday, Roland unknowingly comforts Regina.

No Longer Alone- The Merry Men come the rescue when Regina is attacked by Zelena’s flying monkeys, and they remind her that she’s now one of them.

Our Little Secret- Regina is sick with a cold and a fever and Robin takes care of her–despite her protests.

Insatiable- Robin walks in on Regina “pleasuring herself” and is surprised when she asks him to join her; the two try to keep their love affair a secret.

Snow Cones on a Sunday Morning-  On a snowy night, Regina is missing Henry and Robin is there to comfort her.

Into the Woods- After being caught by the Wicked Witch, Robin and Regina bicker as they attempt to free themselves.

Don’t Give Up- Regina travels back to the Missing Year in an effort to save Robin’s soul.

Can I Be Your Valentine?- Robin watches as Regina teaches Roland to make Valentine’s cards.

Friends with Benefits Verse:

Friends with Benefits- Once a sexual relationship begins, can Robin and Regina remain ‘just friends?’ Set during the Missing Year.

Morning After- Follow up to Friends with Benefits. The morning Regina is supposed to cast the second curse, she wakes up with Robin by her side. Set during the Missing Year.

Deja Vu-  When Robin and Regina meet for the first time in Storybrooke, Regina’s jolted by a sense of deja vu. Set in Storybrooke with flashbacks to the Missing Year.

What Friends Do-  Robin can't stop staring at Regina's ass when she wears one of her tight dresses--which she wears, just to get a reaction out of him.

Dancing in the Rain- When Regina has a hard day, Robin shows her the pleasures and joys of the rain.

Season 4A-Inspired One Shots:

Friday Night, Movie Night- Hood Mills Family fluff. Robin and Regina spend a night in with their boys watching a movie.

Filling in the Missing Pieces- Dimples Queen fluff. Robin watches Regina cuddling with Roland after reading him a bedtime story and reflects on the first time he saw them together like this during the missing year.

Lost then Found- An evening spent searching for Roland’s lost stuffed monkey leads to an unexpected marriage proposal.

You Found Me- A follow up to Lost and Found. On their 10th anniversary, Robin and Regina tell the story of how they got engaged.

I Choose You- The moment when Robin realized that he would choose Regina over Marian; set after the library scene with Page 23, but before they knew about Ingrid’s Shattered Sight Curse.

Operation Parent Trap- S4 AU. Noticing their parents are miserable, Henry and Roland plot to reunite Robin and Regina.

As It Should Be- A continuation of Operation Parent Trap; Robin and Regina take the boys home, enjoying some family time and then some alone time.

The Vault- The first time sees Regina’s vault; the first time he realizes that he’s falling in love with her.

Embracing Love- Written for OQ Smut Week- Robin and Regina have trouble staying away from  each other after Marian returns; Robin and Regina spend the night together at Robin’s camp, just before the Curse of Shattered Sight hits Storybrooke.

Claiming a Happy Ending- Both Robin and Regina find themselves missing each other and Regina decides to do something about it. This was written between 4A and 4B, when I had the delusion that I wanted to be “spoiler free.” I was also ill when I wrote this and haven’t looked at it since, so…it might be a little rough, LOL. (Really, I should delete this.)

Shattered Expectations- Dark OQ smut during the Curse of Shattered Sight; and after the curse breaks, Robin and Regina share a sweet moment together when he helps her change back.

Where Our Story Began- Set directly after Smash the Mirror, Robin asks Regina if he can walk her home and when they get there, she gives him The Legend of Robin Hood–a book that both exasperates and surprises him.

You’ll Always Win-  Set in an AU version of S4 where Marian was Marian, was never frozen, and Robin and Regina had to work through that. And Regina confesses she’s allergic to trees.

Reasons (Not) to Camp- Based on the AU above, Regina and Robin spend a night together at the Merry Men’s camp.

The Wrong Choice- After choosing to try again with Marian, Robin can’t shake the feeling he’s made the wrong choice.

Season 4B-Inspired One Shots:

Letters to My Love- Regina discovers a series of love letters that Robin wrote to her while he was in New York.

Rain, Rain, Don’t Go Away- Written for OQ Smut Week- Sex in the Rain. Set during a light rainstorm in NY, Robin can’t stop thinking of Regina.

The Comfort of You- After Robin returns from New York, Robin and Regina take a nap together, alternately reflecting on how glad they are to be together again.

Sweet Dreams- Worried about impending fatherhood, Robin finds himself unable to sleep, and Regina comforts him.

The Light behind the Dark- Robin and Regina attend Zelena’s first ultrasound after returning to Storybrooke, and Robin shares his uncertainty about raising Zelena’s child.

On the Road to Happiness- On the way back to Storybrooke, Robin and Regina discuss what happened in New York with Zelena/Marian, and decide the best way to get their revenge against Zelena is to be happy together.

To See You Smile- While he’s in New York, Robin and Regina have a Skype date.

Season 5A-Inspired One Shots:

Wonderful Tonight- The night of a ball at Camelot, Robin finds himself in awe of Regina. AU

Moments like These- AU. Instead of attending the Camelot ball, Robin and Regina stay in for the night with Roland and baby Neal; Roland inadvertently gets Robin and Regina to open up about their feelings regarding the child Zelena is carrying.

Just the Two of Us- Amid the chaos trying to save Storybrooke from the darkness, Robin and Regina spend a night at home alone together.

Late Night Tea- Robin and Regina have a much needed talk about her being a mother to his child, her infertility and their happily ever after.

One Day At a Time- Robin opens up to Regina about what happened with Zelena and doubts whether or not he’ll be a good father to the child she’s now carrying.

Together- Post 5x10; Robin and Regina cuddle up together in with Baby Hood and finally give that precious little girl a name; all the while, they discuss their memories of Camelot and the off-screen discussion about Zelena’s role in the little girl’s life.

What Remains- Swan Queen BroTp. Regina and Emma talking about what it’s like to have to kill the man they love; afterward, Regina seeks comfort in Robin.

In the Camelot Rain- The first time Robin feels ready for sex again after what happened in New York.

Lean on Me Verse (5A-Inspired)

***This was initially meant to be longer, based on time Robin and Regina being supportive of one another during 5A. However, as the season progressed, inspiration dwindled.

I would love to finish this; so, if you have prompts, please send them! :)

Lean on Me, Part 1- Regina struggles with Emma’s sacrifice, and Robin is there to talk her thought it and offer her support.

Lean on Me, Part 2- After Robin is attacked, Regina admits her love for him.

Lean on Me, Part 3- Robin gives Regina a meaningful gift in Camelot.

Season 5B-Inspired One Shots:

A Vow I Intend to Honor- A short drabble inspired by the deleted scene from the 5A finale; Robin’s motivation for following Regina and the others into the Underworld.

A Father’s Love- In the Underworld, Robin reflects on meeting Henry Sr. and gets Henry to open up about his feelings about losing Neal when he was just getting to know him.

Facing the Past- Robin and Regina visit Cora, who can’t help but try to manipulate the situation; after the encounter, Robin reassures Regina that he loves her just as she is.

Returning the Favor- Robin is missing his children, and Regina comfort him; together, they choose a name for Baby Hood.

Finding Peace- Robin and Regina encounter Daniel in the Underworld, and he helps her to embrace her role as savior.

Unresolved- Post 5x15- Robin confides in Regina about missing and mourning Marian.

The Power of Love- Post 5x16- Robin retreats into the woods to protect his daughter from Hades; but another threat looms, and Regina has to protect the baby from Cora.

Safe and Loved- Set during 5x16- Robin and Regina return to the loft with Peanut and the three of them enjoy a little family time–Regina holds her for the first time and heals her cheek.

I’d Rather Not Remember- Snow, Henry and Robin comfort Regina after she encounters Leopold in the Underworld.

Subtle Comfort- Post 5x19, Regina opens up to Robin about her complicated feelings regarding Cora and Zelena.

With a Stoke of the Quill- A “Fix-it Fic” for 5x21. After watching Regina grieve, Henry rewrites a part of her story.

Light in the Dark- A canon divergent end for 5x21 where Robin doesn’t die and Regina tells him about her struggles with the EQ and how she fears she’s meant to suffer. Robin comforts her and reveals a bit of his own dark past.

With You Always- Robin’s soul stays with Regina after his death because of their connection as soulmates. Slowly his presence becomes stronger (sort of like what happened with Voldemort–as described by the person who requested this).

Season 6-Inspired One Shots:

Unraveled- When the Evil Queen attacks Regina, Robin lashes out at the Charmings.

Acceptance- Follow up to Unraveled. Robin helps Regina to accept the Evil Queen as a part of herself.

Forgiveness- Follow up to Acceptance.  Regina processes and comes to terms with her split and being whole again.

Coming Home, Piece by Piece-  Slowly but surely, the Hood Mills family comes back together–a S6 AU

Back Where I Belong- A companion to Coming Home, Piece by Piece.  Feeling somewhat overwhelmed, Robin reflects on his reunion with Regina and the kids.

Soul Mates- Robin makes a deal to return to Regina and the kids; and is able to come back because they share a soul.

With a Full Heart- And AU in which Robin is alive and was sent away to protect his children from the Evil Queen; and once she’s gone, Regina goes to find him.

Until Tomorrow- Regina keeps in touch with Roland via an enchanted mirror, and during one of their chats, he calls her his mom.

Even Though-  Henry notices that Regina is sad at Emma and Hook’s wedding, and asks her to dance.

Dying Wish-  How Robin ended up in the Wish Realm

Come Back to Me- Written for OQ Fix It Week. Regina has a plan to bring back Robin. Will it work?

Wedding Day- Written for OQ Fix It Week. Robin didn’t die; and once all settles down in Storybrooke, Robin and Regina get married.

Soft Spot Verse:

Soft Spot- The Evil Queen kidnaps Peanut, and Robin finds them together in her vault.

Soft Spot, Part 2- After finding the Evil Queen with Peanut, Robin sits with her for awhile and the two of them share a tentative kiss.

Soft Spot, Part 3-  Regina is upset after Robin spends a night comforting the Evil Queen.

Soft Spot, Part 4-  Robin can’t let Regina walk away and he does his best to comfort her.

Soft Spot, Part 5-  When Zelena kidnaps Esme, Regina comes to realize she needs the Evil Queen.

Leaping Into Darkness Verse:

Leaping Into Darkness, Chapter 1-  Robin feels a little insecure about entering into a relationship with someone who already knows so much about him, and fears he’ll disappoint her, just as as he disappointed another version of her.

Leaping Into Darkness, Chapter 2- On a walk in the woods, Robin suggests Regina’s outfits aren’t conducive to heisting.

Leaping Into Darkness, Chapter 3- Regina gets sick and Robin isn’t quite sure how to care for her.

Leaping Into Darkness, Chapter 4- High giggly sex by the riverside on a hot summer day

Season 7-Inspired One Shots:

You Can Always Go Home-  Henry returns home to Storybrooke with his daughter, Lucy, after the untimely death of his wife, Elena.

Reset - Facilier helps Regina to cast a curse that sends her back to Storybrooke, to just after she and Robin returned from the Underworld.

A Light in the Darkness - Written post-finale.  An OQ AU inspired by Lydia and Berto from One Day at a Time in which Robin’s soul stays with Regina after his death. She can see him and talk to him, and it’s almost like she has him.

Back to OQ Master Fic List, Part 1

Other Fan fiction (Dragon Queen, Dragon Outlaw Queen, Captain Swan and Red Beauty)

[sunigyrl]

Anqualë: Calls from the Darkness

Series Summary: The Queen of Mirkwood was lost to her kingdom almost two centuries ago after a battle with orc marauders. King Thranduil and Prince Legolas have worked to move on, but the past still shrouds their lives. Try as they might, the agony of loss still dogs their steps. Yet things are not always what they seem...

Series Pairings: Thranduil x Wife!OFC, Legolas x Mother!OFC

Warnings: Violence, choking, sword fighting, attempted rape, stabbing

Word Count: 4083 (yeah, I went there)

A/N: As promised, here is chapter two in the series. This one is a little more than twice the length of last chapter. There’s more action this chapter and a bit of violence. Please heed the warnings, especially if you think this may trigger you. As always, DM me if you’d like to be added to the tag list.

Part 1 | Part 3

Staring out of the bar covered window, Arahaelil looked out over the dark landscape beneath the tower. Though it was midday, a veil of gray hung over the land. But then this was a realm of darkness after all, so of course the sun would not shine here. No beauty lived in this place- for beauty could never thrive in this land. It was destined to be a place festering with evil and hatred, for such was the nature of it's master. This was the dark kingdom of Angmar, dominion of the Witch-King.

Taking a moment to survey the city below, Arahaelil was greeted with the usual sight. Orcs, wicked and loathing milled about performing their tasks alongside hoards of wicked men.

Long ago the men of this realm had let their hearts grow dark and evil. Their king was one of the nine that had received a ring of power in the days of old. As the strength of the ring's power grew to align with that of the One Ring of the Dark Lord, the king's heart grew colder and darker until it was consumed. But the pull of the ring did not stop at the king. It's venom spread into the hearts of his subjects until each and every one was blackened by its veil. Soon the king rallied a legion of orcs to his lands, and combined the strength of both armies to create a deadly force that had one purpose- to make way for the Dark Lord's return.

Continuing to watch from her prison, Arahaelil noticed a rider on a gray horse trotting toward the castle. For some reason unknown to her, this rider stood out amongst the others. Though he looked no different than the other men that she saw coming and going about the city, something "felt" different about this one. Focusing on him for a bit longer, she watched as he stopped near the inn and dismounted. Gathering some supplies, he passed the reins of his horse to a stable hand. As he moved to make his way into the inn, he stopped suddenly and turned around. Looking up at the tower, Arahaelil swore that she could feel his eyes boring into hers though she could not see them for his large gray hood. For a moment the gray rider simply stared at Arahaelil as she stared back. Something felt vaguely familiar about this rider, though her mind could not place it.

Making an attempt to push at his mind so that she could see his thoughts, her attention was quickly disrupted by the blowing of a horn. Looking beyond the city to the gate, she saw that a large envoy was returning. Which meant that he would be here soon.

Rolling her eyes in disgust, Arahaelil looked back to the place where the mysterious rider had been just a moment ago. However, as she looked for him, it seemed that he had disappeared.

"Get up slave", she heard from her perch on the end of her bed as the door opened. "The master wants to see you!"

Turning to stand, she saw a pale green orc standing in the doorway with a set of shackles in his hands. A blue orc and pale yellow one standing just off to either side with weapons at the ready should she try something.

"Hurry up! The master wants to see you right now!", he yelled again as he pulled her down to his level and clamped a large shackle around her neck. From it hung chains that connected to the shackles that were almost always fastened about her wrists. A longer chain was connected to the hand restraints that he used to lead her.

Taking hold of the chain, the orc roughly pulled Arahaelil from her prison and began the trek out of the tower and through the castle to the main hall. This was not the first time that she had made the journey to see the "master". Many times had he "called upon" her and demanded her presence. He knew, like many others, that she had great power. "The Dark Witch" was the whisper around the city. Many kept a great distance away from her, for it was rumored that she could control one's mind or body if you looked into her silver eyes. There were also tales that the master used her to cast spells on lands and weaken them ahead of his host. Though many of the tales were simply that, tales, there was some truth weaved into them. For she did have power.

As they neared the main hall, Arahaelil noticed a great number of rowdy men filling the outer halls. Taking note of their armor, she quickly realized who they were. "Ah, so it is Saellyn who has returned instead”, she thought as she scanned the now silent crowd that watched her carefully. Of course they stilled, no one wanted to draw the eye of the witch. Continuing on with a straight face and chilly air about her, she spotted a familiar figure amongst the hoard. The same gray hooded rider was standing within the group about ten yards ahead of her. Fixing her eyes on him, she focused her mind and projected a thought to him. "Who are you? Why are you here?" But he did not answer, merely cocked his head slightly to the side. She squinted in an effort to ascertain who he was and why he seemed to be following her. Before she could let the question slip to him once more, she felt a rough tug and was pulled to the right through the massive hall doors.

"Ah, so this is the fabled "Dark Witch" that strikes fear into the hearts of so many", a man's voice said from across the room. Training her eyes forward and away from him, the orcs lead Arahaelil to the furthest corner of the room before removing the neck shackle and long chain. Hurrying to leave, she found herself alone in the room with the man and at least three others from the sounds of their breathing.

"Tell me boys, does this "Dark Witch" frighten you?", the first man asked with a mocking tone.

"Aye, she's quite frightening indeed. So scary on her chain like a common dog", one of the others said with a laugh.

"Isn't she supposed to be some sort of elvish queen as well? A queen and a witch that can't even save herself. Why I'm quaking in my boots. Please, don't hurt me "your highness"", a third man mocked as he and the two others began to laugh even louder.

"Hold your tongues you idiots. Do you not know great power when you see it? Why do you think the master keeps her locked away in the highest tower, shackled with enchanted chains? He could have killed her as an example to the elves a long time ago. Yet she is still here. Even now he calls her presence to this meeting. There is more to this elf than meets the eye", the fourth man said with authority as he moved nearer to where Arahaelil stood.

"Tell me, queen, what power do you possess that has the master so enchanted?", he asked from his spot now two feet behind Arahaelil. He had noticed the way that the light from the fireplace dancing through her snowy tresses so that they looked like fire. Though he had come across elves several times in the past during the Witch-King's campaigns, never had he seen one quite like this. There were stories when he was a boy of an elf queen of the forest from long ago that had skin like the earth, hair that looked like the clouds lined with the silver backlight of the sun, and eyes colored as if they were filled by the moon. She was said to be one of the fairest beings in creation to look upon, yet she held a great and terrible power. He had always believed that to be nothing more than a child's tale for bedtime. Yet here stood what appeared to be the living legend. At once he decided that he had to touch her hair to see if it was as soft as it looked.

"You would do well to keep your hands to yourself, peasant", Arahaelil spat from her position, never turning her head to look at the men.

Quickly stilling his movements so that his hand was stopped in mid air, the man cocked his head in surprise and gave a curious look.

"Do not think me blind to your thoughts or ambitions. I see more than you know", she said darkly as she turned to him and fixed him with a steely gaze. The fire casting an orange glow to her silver eyes, giving them a fearsome look. Staring deeply into his eyes so that she pierced the depths of his very soul she continued,  "I see all. Every thought, every plan you have formed in secret under the cover of night. You desire more than you are worthy of, and your heart is as black as pitch. You would have your master's seat should the opportunity present itself. Be careful of the desires of your heart, for they will find you out and lead to a treacherous end".

"Who does this powerless wretch think she is speaking to?! You mind your tongue when addressing Lumyr, First General of Angmar", the fourth man shouted indignantly from across the room as he and the two others drew their swords.

"Put those away you fools! Do you not realize that your weapons will not serve you in this fight. So narrow is your vision that you cannot see the strength of your foe beyond these chains. Even in her weakened state, she is still more powerful than you should ever hope to be. For it is the most beautiful of flowers that are the deadliest", Saellyn, emissary to the Witch-King, said as he entered the room followed by two orc generals.

"My lord, we did not mean..."

"Hold your tongue! You insolent fools would attack one that holds more value to the master than all of you? Be gone from my sight before I have your heads.", Saellyn spat to the three soldiers as they sheathed their swords and scurried from the room.

"I have called you all here because the master has determined that the next portion of the campaign should happen immediately. Rhudaur has already fallen and he wants to attack Cardolan swiftly before they have time to regroup and establish a force."

"But sir, that battle front would already be secure by now. Surely Cardolan has scouts that have returned with reports of the battle and have already begun fortifying the kingdom with the help of Arthedain. It would take a massive front to oppose them", Lumyr said with a look of surprise.

"But that is not yet the case, is it my dear?", Saellyn said as he approached Arahaelil and stood in front of her. Looking into her eyes he demanded, "Tell me what you see".

These were the moments of her captivity that she dreaded more than anything. Arahaelil despised being forced to use her gifts to aid the enemy in his quest for domination and raising a path for the Dark Lord. Yet she had no choice. Though they had tried to break her many times over, her resolve proved too strong. It was not until they took something of great value from her that she was finally forced to give in and offer insights for their campaigns. Though she could never outright provide false information because of the consequences, she only provided as little information as possible so as to appease them.

With a look of disgust crossing her face, Arahaelil's eyes swirled to a murky white as she let her mind drift so the vision could overtake her. "I see the Cardolan riders. They have not yet reached the borders of their land for their injuries. They have been slowed much more than they thought. Yet they ride on to warn their king. Their defenses are not as strong as they should be, for the attack on Rhudaur was greater than they imagined. It will be another two days before they reach their borders and raise the alarm".

"Then we move out now. Cardolan is only a day and a half journey. If we ride through the night, we can meet them with our full force before they reach Arthedain and the army arrives. The master will be most pleased. Go and ready the troops", Saellyn said to the orc generals with a dismissing nod of his head.

"Now, tell me what you see in regard to the Ring", he demanded in a low voice as he stepped closer.

"I have told you, I cannot see it. The Ring evades my sight. It will not reveal itself to me", Arahaelil said in an annoyed tone as her silver eyes met his stare.

"Do not lie to me. I know you see it. I have seen the extent of your power. Even in this weakened state. Now tell me where it is!", Saellyn roared as he grabbed Arahaelil by the throat.

For several moments they stood there in a silent standoff. Arahaelil was determined not to give him the answer that he sought. But Saellyn’s slowly tightening grip around her neck was proving a persuasive gesture.

"You will tell me what I want, one way or another. I will have my answer from you. Even if I have to break the thing you hold dear to do it", he threatened in a low voice as he pulled her face closer to his.

Understanding the new threat, Arahaelil fixed him with a defiant look before letting her silver eyes cloud over to a milky white once again. Slowly everything in the room disappeared and she found herself quickly moving through the landscape of Middle Earth until finally she stopped. As she looked around she saw that she was standing along the edge of a river at the base of a mountain.

"That's better", Saellyn said as he released his grip on her neck and moved his hand to her arm. "Now, show me what you see".

Immediately he entered the vision and they were standing upon the edge of the Great River. Just below the large waterfall. There were grasslands to their right and tall mountains to their left. "The Great River and the Great Waterfall", he said aloud.

"That sounds like the foot of the Misty Mountains my lord", Lumyr said timidly as he watched the entranced pair from his spot several feet away.

"Yes, the Misty Mountains. Of course. No wonder the master has felt a pull from that direction. Show me more".

"I see no more, only what I have shown you. The Ring is powerful and will not allow me to see its hiding place", Arahaelil said tiredly as her eyes slowly swirled back to their natural silver color. Though she held a tremendous amount of power, being in such a dark land significantly weakened her. The enchanted chains about her wrists intensifying the effect. It always took a great amount of energy for her to tap into her powers, and at the end she was always left completely spent.

"See, that was not so hard. Given the proper motivation you can still tap into the depths of your power. Now go and rest. I need you at full strength before the next campaign", Saellyn said smoothly with a devious smirk as he trailed his hand along her cheek.

"Guards! Take her back to the tower and bring her some food. Our little witch has had a long day and needs her rest", he said flippantly to the orcs as they redid Arahaelil's shackles and began leading her away.

"Come general. I have a special task for you and your men...", she heard him say as she exited the room. Arriving at the tower, the orcs undid her bonds, save for the wrist shackles, and pushed her back into her prison.

"Food will be along", the green orc snapped as he closed the door behind him. Still a bit shaken from stretching her powers so far in a weakened state, Arahaelil moved to lie down on her bed and closed her eyes.

“Perhaps I will find Thranduil in my dreams again”, Arahaelil thought to herself as she shifted her body into a more comfortable position. When Arahaelil first arrived in Angmar she would have dreams of her lost husband and son frequently. Many nights she would watch them, and on some nights she would interact with them. As the duration of her stay in Angmar increased, so too did her powers and her ability to reach out to her loved ones. The dreams dwindled so that she was only able to reach out to them once or twice every other year. Yet somehow she had found enough strength a week ago to find Thranduil in his dreams.

Just as she began to drift into sleep, and hopefully another dream, the door swung open. "Leave the food on the table", Arahaelil called from the bed.

"We didn't bring any food witch. But I do have something for you", said a familiar voice as Arahaelil sat up quickly. It was the first soldier and his two comrades from earlier. While the soldier had moved into the room and stood with his sword drawn, the others hung back and flanked either side of the doorway .

"You would harm the property of the master?", Arahaelil asked as she stood proudly. All evidence of her weakened state pushed down and replaced with a commanding exterior. While she hated to refer to herself as anyone's property, she knew that it would give the soldier pause. This would give her enough time to assess the situation and formulate a plan.

"Harm you? Oh no girly, I have no plans to "harm you". We simply want to have a bit of fun, don't we boys", the soldier said as he turned back to the others who nodded in approval. "I have no intentions of killing you, only roughing you up a bit. Maybe something more than that. After all, it has been a while since I've enjoyed the company of a beautiful woman. Especially a rare beauty like you. Not many men can say they had a powerful elvish queen".

"Now, we can do this the easy way, or we can do this the hard way. And I really hope you choose the hard way", he said with an evil grin.

"Do not be fooled by these bands about my wrists. I am not some wilting flower so easily subdued. Now I suggest you turn around and leave before you meet your end", Arahaelil's voice dripped with authority as she met her assailant eye to eye and lifted her chin in defiance.

"So it's the hard way you want it then. Have it your way", he said as he lunged toward her.

Easily sidestepping his advance, Arahaelil spun to her right as he went stumbling toward the wall. The benefit of being captive in this room for almost two centuries was that she knew every inch of her space from memory. Stepping backward so that she kept him in front of her, the soldier came charging toward her again. Just as he came upon her, she jumped into the air and grabbed one of the low hanging rafters and pulled herself up. His momentum carrying him forward and through the table that had been behind her. Jumping down, it was then that Arahaelil noticed that the two others hadn't made a move to enter the room. A quick glance to the doorway showed that they were no longer watching. Instead, she could hear the clanging of metal upon metal and fighting just out in the hallway. Having no time to think about who had come to her aid, she quickly turned her focus back to her now standing opponent.

"That was a mistake witch. I grow tired of your games. I'm going to have you, one way or the other".

Realizing that she had little room to maneuver, Arahaelil quickly threw her hands in the air and used the chain linking her shackles as a barrier to stop his fast approaching sword. Bearing down on her, Arahaelil quickly shifted her weight and used it as leverage to throw him back. As he charged her a second time, she sidestepped his advance and stuck her foot out to trip him.  Falling to the floor, a dagger slipped from his belt. His sword clattering across the floor and stopping near the door. Seeing the dagger, Arahaelil made a dash to grab the blade. Just as she drew close enough to reach it, the soldier grabbed her ankle and caused her to fall.

Pulling her back toward him, she drew her leg back and kicked him in the face before crawling back toward the dagger. Fingers skimming the dagger’s handle, he grabbed her legs a second time and drug her back toward him. Kicking her legs in protest, Arahaelil struggled against his advance. However, with her hands bound together and both legs firmly in his grasp, she couldn't slip away.

"Stop squirming witch. You're mine now, and I'll do with you as I please".

"My name is not witch, and I belong to no man!", Arahaelil said loudly as she gave a swift head butt to his already injured nose and shifted all of  her weight to her legs to push him off of her. Crawling away again, Arahaelil heard him spit blood before advancing toward her. Spotting the dagger just in front of her, she stretched her hands toward it in an attempt to pick it up. Her fingers just grazing the handle.

"I will kill you with my bare hands", the soldier screamed in a fit of rage as he came running toward her. Lunging with his hands extended, Arahaelil managed to grab the dagger and rolled over just in time to bury it to the hilt in the side of his neck. She watched as he grabbed at the handle in an attempt to pull it from his neck before slumping sideways.

Using the end of his tunic to wipe the blood from her hands, Arahaelil stood and surveyed her surroundings. Remembering the scuffle in the hallway that she heard earlier, all was now silent. Not knowing what lay outside, Arahaelil retrieved the soldier's sword and slowly moved toward the door. Stepping just outside, she looked to her right and saw that one of the men lay dead. Turning to her left, she saw the body of the other. Standing further down the hallway was the one who had come to her aid. It was the gray rider from earlier.

"Who are you and why did you come?", she asked suspiciously as she dropped into a defensive stance and raised the sword in challenge. Though this man had helped fend off her would-be attackers, she still did not know if his purpose was a noble one. Many had sought her power since her captivity, and this would not be the first time that a move was made to steal her away.

"Put down your sword, my queen. You need not defend yourself against me. I am here to help you", a commanding voice said.

"Help me? Who are you", she asked again. That voice was so very familiar to her, though she was having trouble placing it.

"Why, it has only been two centuries. A blink in the life of an elf. Surely you would recognize an old friend come to break you free of your prison", the rider said with a chuckle as he lowered his hood.

With a startled gasp, Arahaelil dropped the sword. Finally everything clicked; the familiar feeling she got from the rider, her inability to read his thoughts, and now his presence during the scuffle. Though how he got here was a mystery. How had he found her after all this time? It had been nearly two centuries since she had been taken prisoner, and no one had been able to find her. The Witch-King used many enchantments and evasion tactics to ensure of this. Moving closer to him, all she could do was utter his name.

"Gandalf".

Tag List: @daytimeheroicsonly @killmongersaidheyauntie @chefjessypooh @onyour-right @lamorenareina

[dcrewatch]

Detective Conan Rewatch Episode Ranking: The “Your Mileage May Vary” List

(Last updated: December 1, 2023)

(Episode titles under Read More, because this is a loooong list! Also, I apologize, but the episodes are not hyperlinked. See the main episode list to get to those episodes’ posts!)

The 6s

004 - The Coded Map of the City Case

009 - The Tenkaichi Night Festival Murder Case

*026 - The Pet Dog John Murder Case

*053 - The Mystery Weapon Murder Case

*055 - The Train Trick Murder Case

060 - The Illustrator Murder Case

*061-062 - The Ghost Ship Murder Case

063 - The Big Monster Gomera Murder Case

*071 - The Stalker Murder Case

072 - The Triplet’s Country Home Murder Case

+086 - The Kidnapping Location Case

*106 - The Scoop Picture Murder Case

*109 - The Detective Club Pursuit Case

+113 - The White Sandy Beach Murder Case

*123 - The Weather Girl Kidnapping Case

*124-125 - The Mysterious Sniper Murder Case

*161 - The Murder Floating in the Water Stream Restaurant

*185-186 - The Murdered Famous Detective

*225 - The Secret of the High Sales

*235 - The Locked Wine Cellar

*255-256 - The 14th Round of the Matsue Tamatsukuri Linked Verse Contest

*261-262 - The Fearful Legend of the Snowy Night

*303 - The Victim Who Came Back

350-351 - The Forgotten Cell Phone

*370 - Running Away in a Game

*388-389 - Kogoro Gets Drunk in Satsuma

415-417 - The Evil Spirit Appears on an Unlucky Day

435-436 - Information Gathered About the Detective Boys

443-444 - Clam Digging With a Sigh

446-447 - The Sealed Western-Style Window

*452 - The Phantom of the Konpira

453 - Preview Screening of Fate and Friendship

*483 - The Vanished Policeman

484-485 - The Whereabouts of the Dark Photograph

488 - The Devil of the TV Station

*489 - Courtroom Confrontation III: Prosecutor as Eyewitness

490 - Heiji Hattori vs. Shin’ichi Kudo: Deduction Battle on the Ski Slope

521 - Murderer, Shin’ichi Kudo

522 - Shin’ichi’s True Face and Ran’s Tears

*536 - The Secret of the Vanished Masterpiece

614-615 - The Secret Played by the Diary

618 - Holmes’ Revelation (Satan)

*638-639 - Solving Mysteries at the Red Leaf Palace

*692-693 - The Evening Cherry Blossom Viewing Route on Sumida River

*716 - Dancing Demon at the Noh Mask Mansion (Part 1)

755 - The Tragedy of the Red Woman (Evil Spirit)

759 - The Unexpected Result of a Romance Novel (Part 1)

765 - Teimuzu River Kite Flying Case (Part 1)

*767 - The Missing Lover in the Snowstorm

*768 - Ai Haibara Imprisonment Case

*774 - The Missing Scream of Munch

*775 - The Manipulated Great Detective (Part 1)

*776 - The Manipulated Great Detective (Part 2)

*778 - The Missing Angel in a Mirage

*791 - Detective Takagi On the Run in Handcuffs

*805 - Conan and Ebizo’s Kabuki Jūhachiban Mystery (Part 2)

*813 - The Shadow Approaching Amuro

814 - The Actress Blogger's Locked Room Case (Part 1)

815 - The Actress Blogger's Locked Room Case (Part 2)

*818 - Kogoro's Pursuit of Rage (Part 1)

*819 - Kogoro's Pursuit of Rage (Part 2)

844 - The Detective Boys in a Grove (Part 2)

847 - Chiba's UFO Case (Part 1)

849 - The Marriage Registration's Password (Part 1)

850 - The Marriage Registration's Password (Part 2)

863 - The Spirit Detective's Murder (Part 1)

872 - Conan and Heiji’s Nue Legend (Roar Part)

873 - Conan and Heiji’s Nue Legend (Scratch Part)

896 - The Woman With White Hands (Part 1)

*899 - The Real Culprit's Scream

952 - The Unsolved Cocktail Case (Part 1)

*965 - Kaiju Gomera VS Kamen Yaiba (Prologue)

*966 - Kaiju Gomera VS Kamen Yaiba (Interlude)

*979 - Leading a Detective Around by the Nose

*980 -  An Encouragement of the Perfect Crime

*989 - The Case of Ayumi’s Illustrated Diary

*1009 - The Lost Article That Smells Like a Case

*1016-1017 - The Monorail Sniper Case

*1028 - Ballad of the Woman Who Loved Cake

*1080 - The Cameras Targeting Haibara

*1097 - Did I Do It?

*1100 - The Troublesome 20 Million Yen

The 5s

*019 - The Elevator Murder Case

*021 - On Location: TV Drama Murder Case

*024 - The Mysterious Woman with Amnesia Case

*025 - The Fake Ransom and Kidnapping Case

*036 - The Monday Night 7:30PM Murder Case

*037 - The Cactus Flower Murder Case

*044 - The Three Hotta Siblings Murder Case

*051 - The Golf Driving Range Murder Case

*059 - The First Errand Murder Case

*065 - The Crab and Whale Kidnapping Case

*074 - The Death God Jinnai Murder Case

075 - The Loan Company President Murder Case

*079 - The Bank Heist Murder Case

*083 - The General Hospital Murder Case

*090 - The Flower Scent Murder Case

*092-093 - The Traverse of Fear Murder Case

*094 - The Snow Woman Legend Murder Case

*095 - Kogoro’s Date Murder Case

*110-111 - The Cooking Classroom Murder Case

*126-127 - The Travelling Drama Troupe Murder Case

*152 - The Mysterious Old Man Disappearance Case

*135 - The Disappearing Weapon Case

*183 - A Dangerous Recipe

*197-198 - The Super Car’s Trap

*236-237 - The Nanki Shirahama Mystery Tour

*245 - The Gunshot at the Sunflower Estate

*251 - The Tragedy at the OK Corral

*252 - The Kidnapper in the Picture

*257 - The Mysterious Punishment from Heaven

*260 - The Shaking Restaurant

*299-300 - The Kanmon Strait of Friendship and Murderous Intent

*320 - The Art of Ninja Alibi Craft

*342 - The Bride of Huis ten Bosch

*368 - The Candy House the Witch Lives In

*369 - A Lucky Man’s Suspense

*377-378 - Momotaro Mystery Solving Tour

*409-410 - Simultaneous Stages of Advancing and Kidnapping

*423 - The Detective Boys and the Four Caterpillar Brothers

*426 - Love Letter to Ran

*437 - Aya Ueto and Shin’ichi - The Promise from Four Years Ago

438 - The Pursuit of the Fish E-mail

*440 - The Car Stunt’s Utmost Limit

*450-451 - Trick vs. Magic

454-455 - The Overturned Conclusion

*456 - The Mystery I Loved

*459 - A Mysterious Man - Overly Strict with Regulations

460 - Class 1-B’s Great Operation!

*461 - The Missing Page

*567 - Murderous Intent Raining on an Outdoor Spa

*577 - The Truth Lit Up by Fireflies

*606-607 - Courtroom Confrontation IV: Juror Sumiko Kobayashi

*636-637 - The Most Useful School in the World Case

*640-641 - The Memory Trip of the Eight Sketches

*669-670 - The Dark Tower’s Hidden Treasure

*689 - The Client’s Message

*707 - The Framed Great Detective

*708 - The Man Who Fell Slowly

*717 - Dancing Demon at the Noh Mask Mansion (Part 2)

*733 - The Wedding Reception and the Two Gunshots

*735 - The Coded Invitation

*736 - The Secret of the Statue of Kogoro Mouri

*743 - Two Coincidental Successes

*757 - The Comedian Who Turned Himself In (Part 1)

*769 - The Troublesome Emergency Patient

*806 - The Ventriloquist’s Illusion (Part 1)

*807 - The Ventriloquist’s Illusion (Part 2)

*817 - The Missing Fiancee

*824 - The Detective Boys Get Out of the Rain

*829 - The Mysterious Boy

*846 - Conan Cornered in the Darkness (Part 2)

848 - Chiba's UFO Case (Part 2)

*851 - The Descent Into Hell Tour of Love (Beppu Part)

*858 - The Shifting Mystery of Beika City (Part 2)

*869 - Conan Disappears Over a Cliff (Part 1)

*880 - The Detective Boys and the Haunted House

*883 -  The Pop-Up Book Bomber (Part 1)

*900 - The Truth of the Locked Room Revealed

*905 - Eyewitness Testimony Seven Years Later (Part 1)

*906 - Eyewitness Testimony Seven Years Later (Part 2)

*939 - The Dangerous Fossil Finding Trip

*940 - The Missing Girlfriend

*945 - The Cost of Likes (Part 2)

*946 - The Cursed Tears of Borgia (Part 1)

*961 - The Glamping Mystery

*964 - Kogoro Mouri’s Grand Lecture (Part 3)

*981 - Welcome to Bocchan Restaurant (Part 1)

*982 - Welcome to Bocchan Restaurant (Part 2)

*986 - The Two Faces (Part 2)

*990 - The Automatic Tragedy (Part 1)

*999 - Troublesome Kindness

*1002 - The Beika City Shopping Center Garbage Bin Mystery

*1008 - Out for Revenge (Part 2)

*1010 - The Idol Whose Smile Disappeared

*1015 - Stakeout

*1026 - The Wordless Witness

*1030-1031 - The Blank Year

*1036-1037 - Whiteout

*1067 - The Shopping Center in Love

*1070 - The Surprise That Leads to Tragedy

*1073 - The Detective Boys’ Pursuit of the Purse-Snatcher

*1074-1075 - The Boiled Fugu Mystery Tour Showdown

*1076 - The Charismatic CEO’s Secret Plan

*1082 - The Alley of Sad Betrayal

*1084 - The Freezing Cold Men

*1091 - Girls Day Mystery

*1092 - Stakeout 2

*1096 - Mitsuhiko Tsuburaya’s Detective Notes 2

*1103 - The Teen Novel That Smells Like Guilt

The 4s

*030 - The Alibi Testimony Murder Case

*047 - The Sports Club Murder Case

*064 - The Third Fingerprint Murder Case

*119 - The Kamen Yaiba Murder Case

*120 - The Honey Cocktail Murder Case

*175 - The Man Who Was Killed Four Times

*179 - The Coffee Shop Truck’s Wild Entrance Case

*182 - The Big Investigation of the Nine Doors

*210-211 - The Water Palace of Five Colors Legend

*214 - The Mysterious Retro Room Case

*282-283 - The Mystery of the Water-Flowing Stone Garden

*296 - Houseboat Fishing Shock

*337 - Hidden Circumstances of the Falling Incident

*352-353 - The Fishing Tournament Tragedy

*364-365 - The Synchronicity Case

*414 - The Detective Boys’ Bluebird Chase

*419-420 - Sword of the Eight-Headed Serpent

*442 - The Man Obstructed By the Steel Frame

*518-519 - Meiji Restoration Mystery Tour

*539 - A Fool’s Inheritance

*565 - The Eyewitness Who Did Not See

*566 - The Partner is Santa-san

*694 - The Missing Sweets in the Old Shop

*726 - A Happy E-mail Brings Sadness

*737 - The Suspicious Walking Path

*742 - Promise with a J-Leaguer

*761 - Kaga Hyakumangoku Mystery Tour (Kanazawa Part)

*789 - The Queen’s Weather Forecast

*845 - Conan Cornered in the Darkness (Part 1)

*852 - The Descent Into Hell Tour of Love (Oita Part)

*855 - Mystery of the Missing Black Belt

*857 - The Shifting Mystery of Beika City (Part 1)

*870 - Conan Disappears Over a Cliff (Part 2)

*871 - The Nobunaga 450 Case

*876 - The Mechanical Witness

*893 - The Mystery of the Michelin Starred Restaurant

*904 - Result of the Draw

*937 - The Killer Fist of Talos (Part 1)

*944 - The Cost of Likes (Part 1)

*949 - The Radio Questions and Concerns Show (Challenge Arc)

*955 - The Secret of the Insect Man

*956 - The Mystery-Solving Water Taxi (Part 1)

*957 - The Mystery-Solving Water Taxi (Part 2)

*962 - Kogoro Mouri’s Grand Lecture (Part 1)

*963 - Kogoro Mouri’s Grand Lecture (Part 2)

*969 - The Young Kaga Lady’s Mystery Tour (Part 1)

*985 - The Two Faces (Part 1)

*991 - The Automatic Tragedy (Part 2)

*1007 - Out for Revenge (Part 1)

*1013 - The Man Who Loved Too Much

*1014 - The Novelist Known as the Demon King

*1023 - The Whistling Bookstore 3

*1027 - Beyond the Curtain

*1040 - The Case of Ayumi’s Illustrated Diary 2

*1041 - The Unstated Alibi

*1055 - The Ghost’s Revenge

*1056 - I Want My Husband Back

*1063 - The Targeted Chicken Sexer

*1065 - Detectives Don’t Sleep

*1068 - Mitsuhiko Tsuburaya’s Detective Notes

*1095 - The Missing Man’s Dream

*1101 - Pride of the Immortal Man

*1102 - The Akabeko and the Three Lucky Men

[thegeminisage]

hella spoilery zeldablogging from earlier tonight

feel kind of bad cause i had to look up the gerudo maze desert thing but i was SOOO close on my own

oh my god there's a lady over here by this shrine failing at cooking and all the recipes she teaches me give me dubious food

there are PILES of rotting garbage that have flies around them and the thing in the pot is sending up this black cloud of smoke lmao

wow the blood moon came in the middle of me clearing out an enemy camp :/

good god there's a stable out here in all this deep snow? how?? would the horses not, like, die?

aww beedle's here but he's cold ):

WOW you can upgrade the boy gerudo clothes but not the GIRL ones? that is SEXIST

oh noooo shield surfing DOES damage your shield i hate this i love my current shield what if i can't find another!!!!!

lol the ridge tower si surrounded by water and electric enemies. Great

omg i found the royal lab ruins ):

ok, i gotta begin prioritizing here

while i'd LIKE to complete all 120 shrines before i beat the game just for the armor, i don't think that's going to be possible - i haven't even unlocked some of them yet bc i don't have the snowballs or the quest takes so long

but the most important thing to me is memories

so after i check out all the ridge shrines on this map i'm gonna get the hyrule field map as well and get those memories

and i'll just save a lot and if i fuck something up and trigger endgame stuff i'll reload

god idk how to do this trial on the thunderplanes so like...im gonna let it be

see? i could never do all 120 before tmrw night

PLEASE this memory i just got was so cute zelda was being a nerd over plants and caught a frog she wanted link to eat :')

i love this zelda like i'm super not crazy about her voice actress sounding much older than i think of her as, and the fantasy british accent, but she has so much more personality than many of the others

ah, and i see now why she loved the silent proncess so...can't be grown domestically, only thrives in the wild

much like herself if you watch some of the other memories haha she feels trapped by her own destiny that's easy to see

i think it's super clever how even with a map you still have to look around for shrines bc they are hidden semi-underground

and i wish i had more time to stop and enjoy the little things like that, but i CAN come back and explore later, i can't unlearn a plot point

this spoiler fear might be a little baseless...tbh i also want to finish the main story tho bc like

i want it to be something i play in my free time, not something i obsess over 24/7 and HAVE to play and think about all the time

it's been a beautiful fun and absolutely life-changing experience but also it's been two weeks and i gotta get back to my actual life, i can't be Like This indefinitely

i'm kinda stunned that it took me this ling tbh? like, even skyyward sword was like a week and a half the first time iirc and i did that at like, a pace where i could stop and explore, i remember thinking how huge skyward sword was

omg im so glad i decided to ride epona down to where i need to go next rather than fast travel + walk bc 1. faster maybe? and 2. THE MAIN THEME PLAYS WHEN YOU'RE ON EPONA OVER THE NORMAL HORSE THEME i could weep

KASS IS BY THIS BRIDGE HI BUDDY I LOVE YOU

i solved the puzzle! this time im talking to him BEFORE i go in

he told me it was stupendous ;_; thanks pal

aw dude another memeory and it played the trailer music but

is zelda really only SIXTEEN about to turn seventeen? how old is link?? i guess under 21/18 if they wouldn't let him drink...

jesus, they're just babies ;_;

also, she quoted link's horse advice so like

this + the dialogue options gives the feeling that he does actually speak, you know? so as much as i love mute link i also like these glimpses into his personality as well, bc he's always been such a blank slate

he's empathetic, playful, sometimes downright goofy, and very tenacious - confident, but not in a cocky way, and obviously always a bit shaken when he gets a memory back

it's nice getting to know him a bit, even if you have to patch most of it together - kinda like narrachara lol

;w; it's so nice to have epona gallop over when i call her again

omg i think i found kass's house! i see his journal :3

haha i got this song "when the blood moon rises stand naked on that platform" ok nintendo

i wonder if you get all the puzzles do you get to tell him who you are ):

im tempted to unlock this one now lol

like, it takes a long time to get here and it's almost the blood moon

SIGH this is gonna take awhile but it'll save me time later

oh lmao it was JUST the blood moon so i'd actually have to wait a SUPER long time nvm tbh

well. welp. welly well well

i guess.......its time for hyrule field tower

Im Scared

wow. holy shit. i can see the great plateau from here...and it looks so small. i can see the temple of time, i can see the tower from which i first saw hyrule castle. i can even see the little path i nearly followed, when catching sight of my first moblin and becoming curious, before i got myself back on track. damn. Damn. i have come FULL CIRCLE, holy shit

and like, it's just the way i played it. hyrule castle for last. but you know? i love that shit. journeys ending the way they began. gets me in the feels every time

i'll be honest, THIS i could really stop and explore. forget those awful snowy mountains. this is where the #history is

oh god. i see a guardian down near that tower. please god don't let it be a mobile one

FUCK

i saw two still ones and relaxed and a mobile one snuck up RIGHT FUCKING BEHIND ME

[wheezing]

i don't wanna stop and grind but i worry i might HAVE to get some guardian armor before i can do this, even just one piece...!

i have a diamond circlet so all i'd need from the prof is the chest and/or legs........oh god. jesus fuck

motherFUCKER the range on those still ones, i wish i had been able to take them out...!

oh jesus i made it

this is it. final tower. thank fuck

there'll be more guardians, way more. i gotta at least check and see if i can afford some arrows without setting myself back further for the armor

i think i had all the mats i needed actually i just needed cash...maybe i can cook to earn some since i sold my monster parts

k, i only have enough gears for the chest OR legs, and i don't have enough rupees for either... :/

i COULD buy some arrows and still have enough mats for the armor but then i'd be setting myself back HUGELY re: rupees

ok, i FINALLY got the chest, jesus, now i can go back to hyrule field

altho it doesnt have any def and without even going to the fountain i know i cant upgrade it so rly is it worth it at all, but w/e

also, i read online that if you can learn the timing of parrying their lasers they go down REALLY easily but i suck so much at combat

i guess i'll just wear my anti-guardian stuff, i have daruk and mipha's abilities and fairies AND FAST TRAVEL if anything goes wrong

YES i did it holy FUCK

oh my god! three-shotted!

oh

i just climbed a small hill and got my first look at the rolling green plains...i missed you

no, no, i gotta go get epona to make this perfect, there's a stable i can warp us both to

omg it's the very first people i ever encountered outside the great plateau again

NOOO i hit epona when i was aiming for a monster baby i'm sorry!!!

i gave her an apple and some pats to say sorry ;w;

"legend says that an ancient voice resonates inside that sword...can you hear it yet, hero?"

frankly i'm glad they finally got their timeline shit together bc even tho the games are SO far apart im LOVING these continuity nods

yeesh, only two memories left but they're both RIGHT at the castle...im scared LOL

): i wouldn't feel right taking epona any further

reasons i never have money: cannot physically stop myself from buying arrows

oh, hyrule field is just beautiful ;___;

ohh god im scared

its fine its fine they wouldnt put a memory that close to the castle and then make you go back to impa if hat wasnt POSSIBLE its gonna be ok

awww no zelda sees link as a living reminder of her own failures?? whyyy

ha i love fighting guardians for the first time in ages im like COME TO ME LET US BATTLE

im uh. still working on the timing, but

oh JESUS

my mouth fell open in horror i climbed over a wall to get to the outsideish of the castle (castle town ruins, so says my map) and

the music was already creepy but jesus CHRIST

there's no color except for that blight evil goop stuff...no life...it's awful

poor hyrule, oh god

it's a lot like finding hyrule castle town devastated in oot when you first wake up, except of course this time we've nothing to compare it to visually, only emotionally...

i see a fuckton of guardians too so its a good thing i learned not to be scared of them

ok, god, i can do it, just one memory, i know RIGHT where it is

apparently the hylian shield is in here too and i am sooo sorely tempted

i mean if i have to get that fucking close anyway...

lord i googled it and apparently this memory is super hard to get you gotta Activate some shit but they did it this way they made it so you have to go back out i know i'll be able to come back out i WILL

ah, apparently you need to fight a stalnox for the hylian shield.ok. ok. good, great, Nice, Perfect

haha im soooo scared ;_;

ok, apparently the two paths are COMPLETELY different, so One Thing At A Time

we'll start with the memory, it's more important

tbh, i can't even bring myself to go in. i gotta go around anyway to get to the starting point of this path so i will

lmao i am almost PHYSICALLY ILL with dread this is SO stressful

JESUS

the music went all scary and the map is in 3D like a beast!! which i knew but it's so Much

and i got a cutscene of the calamity screaming with the Classic ganondorf theme i'm Dying how the fuck does anyone just get this memory and LEAVE holy shit

oh my god the main theme comes in!!! jesus

even ballad of the windfish a little?!?!

oh FUCK and ofc with the lightning

haha aww there's a "leave area" button on the map i can bail whenever i guess tat's reassuring

not yet!! i'm gonna have Courage

ohhh i dipped into a doorway just to wait for revali's thing to recharge and the music changed!! so i got scared and went back outside lol

oh god the higher you go the oranger the sky turns it looks like the blood moon jesus fuck

I MADE IT INSIDE

oh god, zelda's STUDY, the rooms all have names bc ofc they do

holder of the triforce of wisdom of COURSE she had a study she's such a nerd im crying i bet she loved it here and it's totally decimated

a silent princess sprouted in her study too ;_;

HER LULLABY IS PLAYING IN HERE IM GONNA CRY

oh good there's the memory!!

ohhh this picture of how it used to be is hurting my heart it was BEAUTIFUL

holy FUCK dude

ok old man is struck from my heart forever he was such a DICK to zelda no wonder he called himself a fool

link knelt right away but god damn i would have interjected on her behalf

you can't expect a person to pray 24/7!!!!

and deny her her passions, which are obviously machines and learning!

omg she has a journal in here and i almost missed it jesus

TODAY SHE MET WITH IMPA im cryin

omg this is her finding the sheikah slate!!!

jesus, and she found the shrine of ressurection too and hoped she'd never have to use it, and Yet...

oh GOD i hit leave area and it plucked me down in the middle of castle town nope nope nope fast travel outta there

ok to impa and then last memory i can do it and then do stream

and for once not play again afterwards bc to be quite frank i could never stress myself out this bad right before bed again, FUCK

hylian shield and all the rest of it tomorrow

h o ly fuck

he DIED protecting her, or he was going to, but she stood in front of him for once and finally unlocked the power, that's how she unlocked it, for HIM

i'm WEEPING and the sword made the fi noise from SS

even the sheikah warriors ran like sheik in smash bros

im gonna cry that was so much!!! there's so much continuity

fi is in TWO GAMES like...that was such direct referencing!!!!

SHE HAS BEEN FIGHTING ALONE FOR 100 YEARS jesus CHRIST she is SEVENTEEN

ok, im gonna watch all the memories in order and then quit for the night

i just realized the ceremony scene is where she mentions embers of twilight and adrift in time - putting us on the mm/tp timeline

aaaah im sad

god and i LOVE her princess dress i wanna see it in her classic pink why is everyone in this game blue??

so like, despite me not being crazy about zelda's voice ACTRESSS and the VOICE she's using, she actually does the best ACTING out of the entire cast

high key loving this zelda who is smart but has trouble with feelings, also

holy SHIT

ok so one of the first memories i got was of zelda coming down mt lanayru

amd it was badass and i enjoyed it

but there's SO much in there once you know more context

mipha was highkey about to spill to zelda that she was in love with link

revali's distain for link

urbosa seems less stern and more caring now that i know her better

now i know what zelda was trying so hard to do

"we have to keep trying until we find the thing that unlocks your sealing power [long shot of link]"

and "i'm not a child anymore" ofc it's bc she just turned 17! like link in oot!

oh man oh man

i love so much link's expressions in these serious moments especially that very last look into zelda's eyes before he "died"

it feels a bit like, with the other stuff i was talking about, i'm getting just a hint of character

and it's kinda close to My Headcanon but even if it wasn't i just like getting to know him

warped back to the temple of time & i'm leaving it there for the night

tomorrow: The End

(and my shield)