#The Nice House By The Sea 2 Preview

[dispatchdcu]

The Nice House By The Sea #3 Preview

The Nice House By The Sea #3 Preview #thenicehousebythesea #nicehousebythesea #nicehouse #DCEU #dccomics #comics #comicbooks #news #dcu #dcuuniverse #art #info #NCBD #amazon #comicbooknews #previews #reviews #batman #darkknight #bringdownthehouse #zatanna

The Nice House By The Sea #3 Preview: Max expects just one thing from the exceptional people she gathered in the House by the Sea: that they follow the rules. There aren’t many. They’re very reasonable. This should not be a challenge. But Oliver didn’t follow the rules. And now Max knows… Written by JAMES TYNION IV Art and cover by ÁLVARO MARTÍNEZ BUENO Variant cover by TK 1:25 variant cover by…

[todorroki]

HEY GIRLS........ I'M DEAD (love sea ep 2 thoughts)

do you think mame watched kp and nodded to herself like "yes... exactly..." while rubbing her hands together because that's the only reasoning i can come up with for what we got today. anyways nothing too coherent will be said this week sorry. my mind is still [metal bar crash] [car siren] [truck horn] [glass shattering]

let's just say when i started this ep i was sitting upright on the sofa and by the 8 minute mark i was sliding down my seat, and by the time they got to the SHOWER? clutching the armrest, practically parallel to the seat cushion, scandalized as though i haven't been filtering by E on ao3 for years now. MY EYES! no warning full on horny beam blast to the brain. and i was wondering how they were going to measure up to their nc scenes in LITA. me to my past self: u know nothing. fool.

first line in is rak wondering about sex with mut like LMAO talk about setting the tone. i love this episode because the direction said absolutely no nonsense we're gonna dial up the horny right away and they're so valid for that. the tension was Chef's Kiss. when rak just went ahead and sucked on mut's finger i screamed (silently). mut's expression here is ME

tongrak's resistance is weaker than wet paper! what happened to don't go for him LMAO even the cockblocking seashell wound was forgotten by the time mut started sucking on his arm.

and MY GOD there was so much Tongue. OPEN YOUR MOUTH?????? HELLO??????? as someone who has greater-than-anakin levels of hatred for sand, i was not even CLOSE to thinking about the sand in this scene so hats off to fortpeat. drove the surrounding setting completely out of my mind. then the nc back in rak's room afterwards?? i was mentally screaming HEELLP! shooting terrified glances at the closed door by the tv hoping no one else in the house was awake because jesus peat was Moaning.. tongrak took ride dick bicycle SERIOUSLY! and fort's low "im expensive" and "woof" line delivery is PEEAK I SAY. SO GOOD. they've truly outdone themselves with this one. im practically speechless. and BEST BELIEVE IM REWINDING IT LIKE A MADMAN!!

this is Not the horny speaking btw, peat's face is so cute here. when his eyes go a little wide ↓

nc aside, the motorcycle ride is so cute. rak clinging onto mut with both arms like OKAY!! I SEE! mhm mhm olivia wilde nod

tiny break from our main couple- we get vimook this week!! even a forehead kiss and the preview for next week asking mook out?? wow we're moving fast!! side note: are those chanya's real tattoos? because the small flower one on her arm is pretty. also enjoying palm just popping up constantly out of nowhere. he's simply a chill dude.

i liked that scene at the restaurant a lot. both the scenery And the food on the table looked great. i think that was the first time mutrak actually have a nice, proper conversation with each other. and they were very sweet! we get mut's backstory, and a bit of rak's thoughts on his job.

now i have No idea if anyone else has this error, but when i watched ep2 on the iq app on my tv, there was a line of subtitle here right before rak says because it's fun, though there was no actual dialogue:

it was something along the lines of 'actually, it's an escape' which would match rak's line of thought in the book. but it doesn't show when i watch the episode on the iq website. not sure if they forgot to put the audio into the scene or what.

similarly, when mut texts kom in the scene afterwards, the iq site only has the punctuation while the tv app showed the texts' translation. same thing with some of tongrak's flashbacks at the end. i don't know if it's just on my end or anyone else has this problem! not surprised tho the eye kew site n tv app both operate terribly imo :-) why are the subs placed so high on the website :-) ui and ux nightmare :-)

my hatred for this corp aside, WE GET DIVING AGAIN THIS WEEK!!!!! i'm so excited to see the behind the scenes for this part. i love seeing the logistics of filming underwater. and because this one involves a panic almost-drowning scene, it must've been hell to film, especially if they had to do it more than once. really looking forward to it. the visuals so far in both episodes are killing it.

shoutout to fort in the wetsuit... he's so hot

i really like how they're slowly dropping rak's trauma in bits and pieces in these 2 eps. (and i know we're supposed to focus on the trauma, but my brain went 'omg peat with his hair down so cute' during that scene with rak's sister sorry). compared to mut, who spells out his past with ease because he's made peace with it, rak outright avoids talking about his problems.

also, i LOVE mut's character when he's being serious. any time fort's tone drops to talk lowly or softly, i ASCEND. please give fort more serious roles!!! he deserves them!!

and we end with the title drop tongrak mahasamut!

the ending song changing from rak by himself in the first ep to mut sitting with him in this ep is a nice touch! it's the little details.

overall, pacing for this ep was good. i love it more than ep1, though idk if my opinion is influenced by the nc frying my brain. also, the boy next world poster!! just in time for their workshop starting this week whoop whoop

as always, if you found this post and read til this point, thank you so much for your time! anyways, if you'll excuse me, i have to rewatch some uh parts of this episode again haha. my screenshot folder is um. quite filled. just like tongrak. alright im out.

[whatsonmedia]

Music Releases: Dead Chic, BERRIES, The Ocelots and More!

This week is packed with new music releases from a variety of artists, including Dead Chic, THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS, BERRIES, The Ocelots, and more! Get ready to discover your new favorite song or album. DEAD CHIC tease forthcoming debut album with powerful, luminous and epic 'Fortune'! Straight from the beginning Fortune just has that edge and strength to it and the coarse vocals burst through. It's like a burst of energy that just cannot be contained. The raspiness sweeps straight through  Listen 'Fortune' https://open.spotify.com/track/309ebGLU8IFokDjlcDdHgV?si=6f535c29eb5e4c60 "Fortune” is out now Debut Dead Chic album “Serenades & Damnation” is out 8th November 2024. Dead Chic will perform an acoustic duo showcase at Rough Trade West on 12th November at 5pm. Phonseca return to tease sophomore album with pulsating synth-pop epic 'Staring At The Sea'! A good video and enjoyable to watch to. Just a straight up recording of the duo themselves and no-one else. I've not heard of Phonseca till now but am impressed with Staring at the Sea Watch 'Staring At The Sea' https://youtu.be/0PZFdmVZcHs?si=NFJq0CG5jCTWVOwl Staring At The Sea” is out now via the Old Bad Habits Label. Catch Phonseca playing live in all their glory at The Louisana in Bristol on 27th October. Get tickets here THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS release "Lazy" 7inch Vinyl! Compared to some of their earlier material which I do remember hearing, Lazy does sound different compared. Though it does have its upbeat sounds and happy and jolly lyrics it's not something I could listen to on a loop Listen 'Lazy' https://open.spotify.com/track/5qJE1fvk8TiIkclDQ2fOHP?si=8646efe3b3c14b7c Buy the vinyl  UK Tour Dates: - 1 Nov- Southampton - 2 Nov- Cambridge SOLD OUT - 3 Nov- London - 5 Nov- Glasgow SOLD OUT - 6 Nov- Newcastle - 8 Nov- Belfast - 9 Nov- Dublin SOLD OUT - 12 Nov- Manchester SOLD OUT - 13 Nov- Leeds SOLD OUT - 15 Nov- Nottingham SOLD OUT - 16 Nov- Bristol SOLD OUT - 17 Nov- London at The Roundhouse! SOLD OUT BERRIES - Release Fierce "Jagged Routine" Single || From Imminent New Album 'BERRIES' (18 Oct) Not heard from BERRIES in a while so it's nice to hear from them again. Following on from Watching Wax, Jagged Routine is a good continuation from that. The all-female rock trio are coming into them  Overall, a great single to follow up with, and to top it off they're on tour later this month  'JAGGED ROUTINE' STREAM ON ALL SERVICES HERE + UK HEADLINE DATES THIS AUTUMN BERRIES - HEADLINE TOUR 2024  OCTOBER - 23 - Brighton, The Prince Albert - 24 - Nottingham, Bodega - 25 - Leeds, Hyde Park Book Club - 26 - Manchester, Gullivers - 29 - Bristol, Thekla - 30 - London, Lexington - 31 - Norwich, Waterfront NOVEMBER - 1 - Southampton, Heartbreakers TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW & AVAILABLE FROM HERE The Ocelots Announce New Album, 'Everything When Said Slowly' and UK/IE Tour Dates! Release Date: Feb 7th, 2025 First single ‘About You’ – Listen / Download Now I enjoy the soft vocals as it gives it that almost ghostly feel, almost like the guys are singing right into your ear. The melody of the track just glides gently with a soft acoustic edge. Quite like it Watch 'About You' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBvdMDlRiz8 Take two guitarists, one providing backing vocals, a drummer and a front man with a softly smooth vocals plus a little bit of creativity and what do you get? The Ocelots video for About You. Not heard of these guys before but already liking them ALBUM PREVIEW LINK HERE : EMBARGOED UNTIL 7th FEBRUARY 2025 IRELAND: - Feb 7 - The Jeremy Hynes Room - Wexford Opera House - Feb 8 - The Seantí - Waterford - Feb 12 - The Black Gate - Galway - Feb 13 - The Commercial - Limerick - Feb 14 – Whelan’s - Dublin - Feb 15 - The Duncairn - Belfast - Feb 16 - Sandinos - Derry - Feb 21 – Coughlan’s - Cork - Feb 22 - Levis’s bar - Ballydehob - Feb 23 – Prim’s Bookshop - Kinsale UK: - Oct 26 - Boia Festival - St Davids, Wales - Oct 29 – London – Third Man Records, Blue Basement - Feb 26 - Newport (Le Pub) - Feb 27 - Frome (HydeAway) - Feb 28 - Worcester (St. Swithun's Church) - Mar 1 - Birmingham (Sunflower Lounge) - Mar 2 - Sheffield (Cafe #9)  - Mar 4 - Leeds (Oporto) - Mar 5 - Manchester (Castle Hotel) - Mar 6 - London (Green Note) - Mar 7 - Brighton (Folklore Rooms) - Mar 8 - Winchester (The Arc) - Mar 9 - Southbourne (Wight Bear) - Mar 11 - Cambridge (Portland Arms) - Website - Facebook - Instagram - X - YouTube - Spotify - Patreon For more music updates visit WhatsOn Table of ContentsDEAD CHIC tease forthcoming debut album with powerful, luminous and epic 'Fortune'! Phonseca return to tease sophomore album with pulsating synth-pop epic 'Staring At The Sea'! THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS release "Lazy" 7inch Vinyl! BERRIES - Release Fierce "Jagged Routine" Single || From Imminent New Album 'BERRIES' (18 Oct) Read the full article

[graphicpolicy]

Check out this week's new comic releases

Check out this week's new comic releases. See what's coming to shops! #comics #comicbooks

See what’s coming to comic shops this week courtesy of Previews. As always, check with your local shop as to the availability of items. Highlights for the week include: The Deviant #8, Grommets #2, Hyde Street #1, The Walking Dead Deluxe #98, The Creeping Below #1, Conan the Barbarian: Battle of the Black Stone #2, Absolute Power #4, DC All In Special #1, The Nice House By the Sea #3, Star Wars:…

[comicbookclub]

DC Comics Preview: The Nice House By The Sea #2

Read a preview of The Nice House By The Sea #2 from DC Comics, written by James Tynion IV with art by Álvaro Martínez Bueno.

[comicbookclublive]

DC Comics Preview: The Nice House By The Sea #2

Read a preview of The Nice House By The Sea #2 from DC Comics, written by James Tynion IV with art by Álvaro Martínez Bueno.

[felassan]

Extended thoughts on the Dark Fortress preview pages [spoilers at link]

(Would I be an MJ if I did not do this? This post is under a cut due to spoilers.)

I like the preview pages a lot, I’m excited for release - roll on March 31. There’s a lot packed into just these limited pages, so I’m looking forwards to seeing the issue and its contents in their entirety. 

A flashback to the Battle of Ostagar all those years ago is the last thing I was expecting when coming to this comic and it hit me with a one-two of feelings and nostalgia. Up there just off-screen, the Hero of Ferelden and Alistair have just lit the beacon in the Tower of Ishal. In these panels, the rain, the lighting, the atmosphere - it’s surreal (not in a bad way) seeing these fateful events again, back where it all kinda began really, and that page does a good job of replicating that cutscene and the heavy feel of it in a different medium. It’s a nice touch seeing surprise/unsureness and even conflict on some of the soldiers’ faces as Loghain gives the order to retreat. A couple of them even seen disconcerted as they walk away (looking at one another in askance). I like this take on Ser Cauthrien, and I wonder if Aaron ever encountered Aveline, Wynne, Carver or non-mage Hawke at Ostagar before the battle...?

Loghain’s words “He must do what his honor compels him to do” almost feel like a bit of metacommentary, i.e. on Loghain’s character in addition to obviously being about Ser Aaron.

In-universe before now, there have been varying accounts of Ser Aaron’s experience at Ostagar. Did he miss the fight, did he kill two ogres, etc. Now we see the truth of the matter is exactly as he told Vaea, which speaks of the trust and close relationship between the two. I’m not going to lie, the “I am coming my king” and subsequent panels make me cry on this re-read. Aaron reaching out for Cailan in his sleep with his other fist clenched, jerking awake from a nightmare in a cold sweat.. Aaron is so brave, he was the sole or one of the few soldiers in Loghain’s company to make this kind of stand (and you can see that there was a moment when he did turn to leave and considered it before turning back), and these panels convey the extent of the trauma that he experienced on the field of battle that day. I’m positive that in panel 2 here, it’s the exact moment when he sees Cailan die. It also hurts to think that not far from there, Duncan is seeing the same thing. They’ve done a good job integrating the new characters’ pasts with previous canon events with things like these. It’s like, expanding on things, but without anything conflicting.

When Aaron reaches for his alcohol skin I’m pretty sure his hand is shaking. Vaea is so tender and understanding/supportive at this part and it’s a really poignant and soft moment for them.. Aaron’s nightmares are a regular occurrence it seems. I love her and their relationship so much.. keeping watch over him while he sleeps a bit away from the others and the fire. ;; Also Autumn’s ears here, she’s lying down but still listening to what’s going on with and between her people. ;;

Brief pause here: I always appreciate getting a good sense where different events are taking place in the additional media. Also we now have in-universe confirmation that in the timeline we’ve now reached 9:45, as opposed to only external word-of-god. Do you guys ever think about your Wardens and how it’s been 15 years for them?

Aaron is like a father to Vaea 😭

Fenris has two daggers now in addition to his twohanded sword. The better for ending Danarius’ bloodline my dear 🔪

Have they tweaked Fenris’ hairstyle a bit, compared to Blue Wraith? Possibly also his skintone and eyebrows, compared to Blue Wraith? (I find this kind of thing hard to tell. If I’m incorrect here please feel free to correct me.) He looks good in this preview.

Poor Francesca. Tessa is really kind at this part and it’s nice to see more moments like these between female characters (women supporting one another). It reminds me of the moment in a previous issue where Vaea hugs Francesca on the ground. Tessa makes a great point here that true strength isn’t necessarily being stoic and unemotional, it’s standing up for what you believe in and for the greater good, even at great personal cost. It’s not 'not crying' and hiding your sadness. That’s a nice message, and again, Fran has really grown on me.

I also think it speaks well of Fenris and his character development after all these years in-universe that he was looking for a way to help Aaron, then immediately thought to go speak to Francesca when she was upset to see if he could help her in turn.

hhh brooding silent Marius staring broodily and silently into the flames and not responding to Fenris’ attempt at making conversation tho, the gentle lampshading..  That’s so true to his character. These might be my favorite panels in the whole preview. Fenris’ dry wit and facial expressions, the general composition, Fenris peacing out like “ok bye ig” lmao. You also get the sense that Fenris is reeling a bit and feeling abandoned since Hawke and co split up. After trying to do something to help both Aaron and Fran above, he then tries to make conversation with Marius. He’s trying to lighten the mood but also to connect after being alone for some time. He has missed having a group around him, and I suspect this group with its varying troubles and issues reminds him a lot of Hawke and co. That both the humor aspect and this characterization comes through in these 3 panels is pretty brilliant.

We reach the titular dark fortress! If ever there was a fortress for a bad guy, huh? x) The narrow exposed causeway being the only approach is a smart line of defense, strategically. Also, the realization that this is where Fenris lived while he was a slave of Danarius’ :| It’s a horrible-looking place and will be full of bad memories for him.

If this is how stormy the Nocen Sea gets in places - well, it reminds me of the lore that in Thedas naval exploration beyond the known map has been historically limited by different factors like pirates, Qunari dreadnoughts, stormy seas and sea creatures etc.

Characters speaking their native languages in places is always a nice touch. Now we’ve heard “By the Maker!” in Orlesian.

Aspects of the style and architecture of the Tevinter buildings in this preview, like the window shapes and the red lights and stuff, echo or remind me of what we’ve seen of Minrathous in the most recent trailer and some of the recent pieces of concept art for the next game. Neat.

We have our name and identity for the mage on the cover! Tractus Danarius, bastard son of Danarius. Danarius fucked around huh. “Tractus” has a Latin root, fittingly for a Tevinter name. Its different meanings are quite interesting: being dragged, extracted, plundered, an anthem sung in some masses, an elongated area or abnormal passage... I wonder if one of them will come into play somehow, the name possibly having been chosen for a reason? I also wonder how young Tractus is relative to Fenris, and if their paths have ever crossed in the past.

Tractus makes his entrance with two elven slaves or servants in tow. Like on the cover, his eyes are red. The head of his staff is a red sphere, also. Can we assume a connection to red lyrium, then, given these factors and the villains’ interest in using red lyrium to power the sarcophagus? I would guess that as normal magic was required to make it work with blue lyrium, the thing required to make it work with red lyrium is blood magic? A blood magic ritual. My guess is that the thing Tractus shows Marquette and Nenealeus is probably a chained up dragon or similar, which they plan to sacrifice and use the blood/power derived from that to fuel the magic/ritual. This is considering blood as a theme in this setting, blood as a source of power mechanically and the dragon-like beast on one of the covers which has clearly at one point been shackled and collared. (Here’s some previous speculation about Dark Fortress based on the covers.)

Although Tractus’ relative youth and inexperience compared to Nenealeus comes across in these pages, I get the feeling that Nenealeus will regret talking down in this manner to Tractus later in the comic.

It seems Tractus paints his nails dark. His commitment to aesthetic I give 5/5 stars

Remember the fall of Ventus/Qarinus to the Antaam invasion in TN? The Antaam must be progressing through Tevinter if people fear that Neromenian may soon fall also.

I appreciate that everyone’s horse is different! It’s a nice touch. A lot of the time in media groups of people ride identical horses like they’re clones or automatons as opposed to actual creatures.

Tractus’ smile when he’s asking if they’re going to wait for Qintara to arrive is slightly manic, lol, he’s giving off “Are we there yet?” car journey energy here. The doorway in this panel - is that a portcullis-style door? It seems like it has spikes at the bottom which would sink into the floor, and that there’s some kind of mechanism running along the floor towards it. Presumably to contain the [dragon?]?

I forgot Nenealeus has a sword - I guess then he knows magic artforms similar to those of a Knight-Enchanter or Arcane Warrior. Also here, Marquette echoes the Executor in TN, with the sentiment that Qintara fell with Ventus. Nenealeus is then referencing Gaius, the impersonator Qintara, right? That’s interesting; Gaius’ true master was Fen’Harel, on whose behalf he accessed important information about the world. This means then [?] that some of the time when Gaius believed himself to be working on behalf of Fen’Harel, he was really being manipulated by Nenealeus. Poor Gaius, at different points Fen’Harel and Nenealeus were pulling his strings. Does Nenealeus’ manipulation refer to Gaius trading it away to House Danarius for information?

Marquette references the red lyrium idol, and suddenly my Dragon Age 4 ears are pricking the way Autumn’s do. x) He mentions that it makes weapons, referencing I assume Meredith’s lyrium sword, Certainty and the ritual blade that pops out from the base of the idol during The Dread Wolf Take You. I wonder when the events of this comic take place in relation to the stories related at the spy meeting in TDWTY? Is this before or after the events of the Mortalitasi’s tale? At any rate, Marquette voices something we’ve been obsessing over: what else can and does the idol do specifically, beyond just making weapons and being Ominous and Powerful? Because whatever it is, it’s key to Solas’ ongoing plans, and Solas obviously knows.

So it seems that the villains’ plan is to use the red lyrium idol’s sword part with the sarcophagus, red lyrium, a ritual and [the thing Tractus shows them in that panel - the dragon?] in order to transform Shirallas into, essentially, a Red Wraith, a Red Lyrium Fenris. And then to arm him, under Nenealeus’ control, with the sword.

Does Shirallas still have his vallaslin - is it just the lighting and the angle in that panel? Also, that panel with Shirallas and Nenealeus looks so ominous and foreboding 😭 .. (and reminds me somehow of Fenris and Danarius when Fenris was still his slave and bodyguard) Shirallas, we really are in it now 😭 This is a really cool panel btw, like the composition, the lighting, the dramatic-ness. 

Nenealeus is motivated by a desire to route the Antaam from Tevinter (like the mage in the Mortalitasi’s tale in TDWTY) and reconquer lost lands in order to restore the glory of the Imperium (which reminds me in a way of of Aurelian Titus, who also wanted to restore the Imperium to greatness). Classically Tevinter here.

“Danarius the Lesser” is a sick burn. I’d guess Tractus’ life thus far, as a bastard, has had themes and struggles with inferiority and consequent lack of power but desire for it (being disrespected, but craving respect, being connected to a certain world but not really part of it, in fact rejected by it). Venatori connection confirmed. That the Venatori had to be convinced to accept someone as a Danarius - implications for the role of the Venatori remnants and their role in Tevinter and things in general going forwards? Lightning flashes overhead as Tractus and Nenealeus have this face-off in that panel, emphasizing the tension between the two. I wonder what the magic in the fortress and in the courtyard can do? It’d have been no mean feat to escape from this place as a slave, it seems, especially bearing in mind there’s only one proper way out, that causeway (passage not included). Tractus’ staff-head lights up when he’s making a threat (uh-oh), and then wow! Shirallas moves so quickly, in the blink of an eye suddenly appearing out of nowhere and startling the guard-mage onlookers. He’s fast and formidable.

I wonder about Tractus. Is he a “half blood” because he’s a bastard and his mother wasn’t an Altus, or even wasn’t a mage, or because he’s a bastard and his mother was an elf? Or both?

Will we see a face-off between perrepataes (Marius and Shirallas)? Will Marius face-off against his former master, Nenealeus? Perhaps a showdown between the Blue Wraith and the “Red Wraith” is on the cards?

Back to our team in the tavern! There’s a looot of great character content packed into these pages, which is really cool. Each brief character interaction conveys a lot, and in general this sequence is just well-executed imo. How troubled and tired Aaron looks at the bar (my heart.. it hurts); Fran worrying for Aaron; Vaea knowing that she can’t pressure him too much because that’s just not how it works when it comes to folks who struggle with issues like these; Vaea asking after Fran’s wellbeing; Fran struggling to come to terms with what happened to her father; Fenris watching the door waiting for news (he’s so vigilant isn’t he? safety, an escape-route..); Marius Broods Harder; Vaea’s [relative] pacifism being highlighted; Vaea engaging Marius looking for reassurance; and the choice of having Marius break his silence now is meaningful and impactful in that it shows what happens when one becomes ‘numb’ to the constant murderizing of people, so to speak. Fenris then rightfully points out that becoming numb to killing and violence isn’t really a good thing and is worse, really, than being ‘soft’ or uncomfortable with it. I wonder if he’s speaking from experience here, given the hundreds of people Hawke and co kill their way through during the Kirkwall years, for example. Then Vaea’s concern for Aaron and his state of mind, and Fenris’ uncanny insight into that, of a man he’s only recently met.

Tessa looks so cute when she comes in the door! I love Vaea’s lil “:D” face when she sees her, and I wonder what the tavern food on the table is.

Those two panels, when Fenris talks about Hawke and Leandra, are the biggest emotional gut-punch in the preview pages 😭 omg.. I’m not strong enough for this.. bls... bruh... This is then compounded by (hitting me when I’m down!!) the look of sheer... fear, fury, alarm, upset, shock - that appears on Fenris’ face as soon as he hears “I found Danarius”. Seriously, look at his eyes here. He (understandably) still has a trauma-response associated with the name/man.

Bless Tessa. 

I have to say, it’s very Metal of Fenris that not only did he kill Danarius in DA2 (in those universes), but he has also been going around Tevinter since then killing all of Danarius’ [adult] heirs, and that his response to learning there’s still one remaining is to grab his sword and go to march off with the aim of ending the bloodline a second time. Very metal

I love the final panels in the preview as well! Vaea’s sense/smarts and how she wasn’t afraid to tell Fenris no, Autumn’s giant ears, how Autumn also moves with Vaea to step in front of Fenris to stop him (SHE! HELPED!!!), Autumn’s Happy Face and furiously wagging tail and agreement with Aaron, and Proud Dad Aaron rising from his slump to praise Vaea with the most Proudest Daddest expression that you ever did see...  ( ´•̥̥̥ω•̥̥̥` )

[saharamae21]

Never Ran Smooth (Part 1)

Hey guys! Here’s a preview of a fanfic that I’m writing! The full story will be on wattpad and if enough of you guys like it, I’ll post it all on here. This is the unedited first chapter! It’s a little shorter than I wanted, but oh well! Let me know what you think. Chapter 2 is up on my wattpad! | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six | Part Seven |

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My soul is in the sky.

I laid in the backyard of the hotel as my parents assessed the damage that took place a few days ago. Hurricane Agatha really did it’s worst. I could feel the damp ground soak puddles into my t-shirt. The grass stains this would produce would give my mom a heart attack, but the coolness felt good. There wasn’t a care in the world for me for the first time in days. I simply closed my eyes and enjoyed the damage that had been done. With the yard like this, my dad would have no choice, but to move all the workers outside to help. This meant that I would have the day off.

I live in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. It’s the kind of place where you either have two jobs or two houses. I was the latter. In the hierarchy of the town, the Stryker clan ranked towards the top, even if we didn’t seem like it. We were like kings in the Kook community. My dad owns the 4 star hotel on the rich side of the island, which means we take all of the touron’s money during their trip. We didn’t let our wealth get to our heads like other families though. My dad always tells me that you work for a living, so everyday I work at the hotel. Today would be my first day off all summer.

I smiled widely as I sat up and waved at my mom, who was motioning for me to go. She didn’t need to tell me twice. Suddenly I was on my feet and making a break for it. I waved to the cooks, the front desk workers, and the house cleaners as I sped past. These people were like family to me. I slipped into the locker room for employees and fumbled quickly with the padlock. I cycled through the three sundresses I kept in there for emergencies and quickly got changed. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity. I pulled my hair down from it’s ponytail and walked around town for a bit. I could feel a skip in my step as my feet carried me towards the Boneyard. The Boneyard was a local beach and I got word that there was a party out here today.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Are my eyes deceiving me or did Savannah Stryker finally escape her father’s grasp?” I heard a familiar voice ask. I turned around to see Kiara. She was a Kook just like me and we had similar morals, but she was friends with the Pogues. She just didn’t agree with the other rich folk in the area and her parents didn’t control her. I wish I had her freedom. In all honesty, I may be a Kook by association, but none of them really liked me. I spent my whole summer slaving away at the hotel and the others looked down on me for working with the other 99% of the population. Kie was the only one in school who was worth hanging out with. Even if I didn’t get to see her outside of school, it was nice to know I had a friend in her.

“Hey Kie, how’s your summer been?” I asked and rubbed my neck. I felt a little awkward all of the sudden. Parties weren’t really on my radar unless they were held by the Island Club.

“The usual,” she said, her eyes flicking between three boys. “Keeping the idiots out of trouble.”

I knew the boys, but only because of what I heard through the grapevine. John B was sort of famous. Everyone on the island knew who he was because nine months ago his father disappeared at sea. I wondered how he was doing with everything. Then there was Pope. He was Heyward’s son and I’ve seen him make deliveries to the hotel. Everyone said he was a genius and what he lacked in social skills, he made up for in brains. Finally, there was JJ. I’ve heard a lot about JJ. He works as a busboy at the hotel. I’ve never seen him this close before though. He was the loose canon of the group. Suddenly JJ’s eyes looked up and met mine and I turned away, silently cursing to myself. Did it look like I was staring? Oh god, he’s walking towards us.

“Hey JJ. Do you know Savannah?” Kie asked the blonde boy. JJ just stared at me and grabbed Kie.

“What is she doing here?” he asked in almost an annoyed tone. I looked up at him and wondered if it was a good time to introduce myself or not. “Did you invite her Kie? She’s my boss's daughter and I really don’t want any more Kooks here.” I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Finally, I gathered my courage and stuck my hand out.

“Hi, I’m Savannah,” I spoke loud and clear, waiting for him to shake my hand.

“Yeah, I know Princess,” he muttered. He turned his back towards us and called out one last thing over his shoulder. “Grab a drink or get out.”

It took me a second to process before lowering my hand. The feeling of burden welled up in my stomach. Kie assured me that JJ doesn’t leave good first impressions and that the more I see him the more he would warm up to me. I smiled at her and decided not to worry about it.

***

The party seemed to really take off after I arrived. More and more people began to show up and more drinks were being served. I held my cup tightly in my hand as I sat next to Kie by the fire. The sun had already set by now and I was nearly about to call it a night when the shouting began. My head snapped towards the water as I saw Topper throw a punch. At first I couldn’t tell who it was, but as soon as Kie got to her feet I knew. John B recovered quickly and tackled Topper to the ground. I didn't know John B well, but I knew Topper. He was a grade A asshole and didn’t know boundaries to save his life. The fight escalated quickly and before someone could stop him, Topper was drowning John B.

“STOP!” I pleaded. Kie held my arm so I wouldn’t interfere. “He’s going to kill him!” My breath was hitching. “Topper, stop! Sarah do something, anything!” I yelled at Topper’s girlfriend.

There was nothing I could do, but watch as the next few events unfolded. I watched as JJ marched up to Topper confidently and held something to his head. I was frozen in fear. I could hear Kie and Sarah yelling frantically as JJ stood his ground. Then it was over. No one was shot, but JJ fired two warning shots into the sky while demanding people get off their side of the island. Then, he looked at me.

“You stay Princess. We have to talk.”

[minijenn]

Keys to the Kingdom Preview 2

Since ya’ll asked so nicely, here’s a nice long juicy preview for you. Gotta put it under a cut tho because of blood/possible vomit trigger warning! If you’re squeamish to that sorta thing, just skip past the first paragraph and you should be fine. Enjoy... and don’t say I didn’t warn you... :3 

Mere seconds after his dark corridor opens up somewhere worlds away from Agrabah, Sora stumbles out of it, though he doesn’t stay standing for very long. His vision abruptly blurs, his ears ringing and his head pounding as he collapses into shallow water, waves lightly lapping over his clawed hands as his portal disappears behind him. His stomach turns violently in the aftermath of using it, to the point that he quickly finds himself overwhelmed by just how sick he suddenly is. He’s powerless to hold back a brutal, painful series of coughs that ravage his lungs and leave an unpleasant, metallic taste inside of his mouth. It’s only as his vision starts to clear and his coughing starts to turn quiet that he can see the crimson blotches staining the clear waters beneath him. Blood mingled with something darker, something unnatural, something that he doesn’t get to make sense of before it all dissolves away into the sea entirely. 

But really, he can’t even be bothered to care as he manages to slowly crawl his way out of the ocean. He collapses onto his back on the sandy shore, his chest heaving for air as he’s met with clear blue skies above him. Something about the air here is undoubtedly familiar, from the calming warmth it carries to the salty sweetness wafting along the gentle sea breeze. But it's only as he finds the strength to sit up and take in his surroundings that he realizes exactly where he’s managed to escape to. 

He’s home. 

The adrenaline his hectic departure from Agrabah had left him with slowly begins to fade at this realization. His legs are still somewhat unsteady as he struggles to stand, but sure enough, the back half of the play island sprawls out before him. And, across the stretch of sea spanning before him, is the main island. The main island, where the town he’d grown up in his, where the house he’d always lived in is, where his mother is… Where, after everything he’s been through lately, he wants nothing more than to run to, swim to even, if he has to. To be there, to be home, to greet his mother with a warm hug and sleep in his own bed and wake up to find that this has all been nothing more than a bad dream. And, with his damaged heart yearning for even some kind of comfort right now, he almost decides to make the short journey across the sea, the journey home… at least until he happens to catch a glimpse of his own reflection in the ocean before him. 

His hair is more white than it had been before, his eyes more yellow. His claws seem longer now, sharper, but this time, there’s something else that’s sharp to go along with them: his teeth. Just about all of them seem to end in a point, some longer than others, but each equally as unnerving. Because by all accounts, he can’t deny that each time he sees his reflection, it looks less like him and more like a monster pretending to be him instead. 

He knows a monster wouldn’t do well in his tiny village. A monster would never be welcome into his mother’s home. A monster only deserves to be alone. And now, Sora realizes as he morosely tears his sights away from the main island, that’s exactly what he is on both accounts. 

At the very least he can take solace that he managed to slip away from Xehanort and Maleficent alike. And in the process, he’d left Roxas and Xion behind. He tries to shake the guilt that comes along with that thought as he begins to head to the far side of the island. There are definitely worse worlds he could have stranded them in, after all, and the other lights are bound to run into them sooner or later. Sora can only hope that they don’t end up somehow running into him too. 

 He has to stop as soon as he reaches the far shore of the play island. Because so many of his memories live here on this bright beach, so many of them made bittersweet now that he stands here alone. He remembers the first time his parents brought him here, the hours he spent playfully chasing his father through the shallows, the perfect picnic lunch his mother had prepared for them. He remembers exploring the Secret Place alongside Riku, their wooden toy swords clashing above the din of their innocent, childish laughter. He remembers finding Kairi on the day she’d first washed ashore, the time he’d spent showing her around and helping her feel more at home in her strange new surroundings. He remembers, tears starting to swell in his eyes, the sweet and serene sunsets the three of them had spent, gazing out across the sea, wondering what lay beyond its horizon. He remembers the stories they’d tell, the laughter they’d share, the smiles they’d offer each other in a time when the most they’d had to worry about was building some silly raft so they could pretend to set sail to somewhere else. 

But now… the shore is silent. Whatever glimpses he wishes he could catch of his parents, whatever echoes he wants to hear from his friends, whatever feelings he’d been filled with in the fleeting moments they’d all been there together… they’re all gone. And in the absence of all of the things that he’s always cherished so much about this place… Sora strangely feels as though he doesn’t belong here. At least not anymore. 

He doesn’t know why his dark corridor brought him here, doesn’t know what to do now that he’s arrived. It’s a rare moment of solitude that he isn’t grateful for, not here on the otherwise empty shores of his youth. He’s half tempted to call upon another portal, though considering how terrible he’d felt after that last one, that’s not something he’s keen on experiencing again so soon. So he stays where he is, awash in far too many emotions, far too few of them pleasant. 

He slowly strolls up to the shoreline, his hands in his pockets as he takes in a deep breath of the salty late-afternoon breeze. There’s no telling what might happen next, now that he’s torn himself away from his friends and his foes alike, and honestly, he’s not so sure he wants to know. Not when he knows there’s so little left for his future now that his awful, final fate has been set in stone. Now that he knows what he’s ultimately doomed to become by the end of it all, no matter how much he wishes he could be literally anything else. 

This wasn’t how his life was supposed to go, he thinks as he pulls his hands out to stare at his own blood-red claws. At 16, he’s supposed to be getting ready to finish school, spending time with his friends, thinking about what he’d like to do as a career, about starting a family someday with someone he loves. There wasn’t supposed to be any Keyblades or Heartless or darkness or destiny. He wasn’t supposed to turn into this, into something that he can barely even call fully human anymore, into a helpless slave for someone he’d never serve on his own volition, into someone who he barely even recognizes as himself now. He was supposed to stay right here, right at home, with his mother, with his neighbors, with Riku and Kairi. His life was supposed to be simple, but comfortable, ordinary but content. But now… the happy and peaceful life he could have, should have had has been stolen from him… only to be replaced with the endless nightmare it’s become.

[slunatic]

Full Summary: Juniper is a demon hunter who has a habit of acting without thinking, especially when women and magic are involved. So, hearing about a witch in the woods is her weakness. She has to go see for herself. The witch is not happy and does the logical thing—tries to kill Juniper.

Chapter 2: Like a Bad Penny: Chapter summary: Juniper sort of annoys her way into getting magic lessons from the witch in the woods.

Chapter 3: Learning. Chapter summary: Keme shows off her magical talent before she teaches Juniper healing magic. It goes better than Keme thought until Juniper vanishes. 

Chapter 4: The Adventure Begins. Chapter Summary: Juniper shows back up and they go on a fiend hunt. Seeing Juniper in action fires Keme up.

Chapter 5: Take Care. Chapter Summary: Juniper talks Keme into taking a day off to relax. They go to the beach and have a good time.

Chapter 6: Fallen. Chapter Summary: Juniper gets on Keme’s nerves (no surprise there) and distracts her from what she’s supposed to do, yet still manages to get Keme into bed.

Chapter 7: Love Sick. Chapter Summary: Things seem to be going well between Juniper and Keme until Keme finds Juniper’s sisters in her woods. Juniper’s been injured.

Chapter 8: The Truth. Chapter Summary: Keme adjusts to Juniper's sisters as they spend time at Juniper's house. Juniper changes their lives after drinking one of Keme's potions.

This is an original story and story #4 in my #starvingfor10 quest. It is a request/gift for a reader. I’ll be posting it on Ao3 on Saturdays, but if you become a patron, you can get early chapters or even daily updates. Here is a preview for the first chapter.

Preview:

“Hey, Juniper, did you see the witch while you were out in the woods yesterday?” a vendor shouted at her. The voice carried over the din.

That was enough to get her to stop in her tracks. “Witch you say?” She stepped over to the stall. “I did not see a witch. Tell me more.” She leaned in close. She was usually on top of witches, in quite a few different ways.

“Supposedly, she moved in a few weeks ago, not far off of a path in Milo.”

“Really?” Juniper cocked an eyebrow and rubbed her chin. “How did I not notice?” She looked in the direction of Milo. It is a nice day. Maybe she should try her luck.

“I’m shocked no one hired you guys yet. I’ve heard she kidnapped a party going through the woods and used their bodies for experiments.”

Juniper nodded. “As witches do.” Or as people believed witches did. It was her experience most witches just wanted to be left alone to practice their craft, typically considered unauthorized magic. They definitely did not kidnap people for more company when they tended to live in the woods for no company. Whenever they did want for company, they tended to hang out with other witches, doing all sorts of fun stuff.

But, on occasion, witches did do wicked things like kidnap people and experiment on them, sometimes even eating them. But, then again, regular people did wicked things like kidnap people, hurt them, and kill them, sometimes even eating them. Of course, she was not in charge of hunting regular people, but she did have a license to go after witches. She also had a knack for learning spells, so she needed to know more.

“Yeah. Nobody said anything to you or your sisters?”

“Not to my knowledge, but you know I’m just the muscle. I do the grunt work.” Juniper flexed her arms to demonstrate. Everyone knew Willow was the brain behind their operation. All jobs went through her.

“Well, the witch is out there, destroying lives.”

Juniper nodded. She needed to find out more. Witches intrigued her to no end, especially since they were open to alternative lifestyles. Sometimes, they were willing to teach her tricks and spells that were not written in any books. Regular people were quite stuck in their social norms, but witches cast those aside norms and did what they wanted, sometimes for good, bad, or indifferent.

Moving about the marketplace, cutting through the sea of people, Juniper learned more of this new witch in her own backyard. People had dark things to pass along. They were not sure what the witch looked like or even how long she had been in Milo, but people were certain she kidnapped people, ate them, used spells to make them zombies, poisoned them, and worse. Chills raced through Juniper. Time to go into the woods! She dashed back to Seven Sisters Inc. It was always best if one of them — maybe not Hazel — knew where she was if things went sideways.

She must have been gone for a couple of hours. Her family was cleaning up their fiend market. Juniper barely made it inside. She opened her mouth to let out all of her excitement, but damn it if Hazel did not ruin that.

“About time! Help clean up!” Hazel threw a broom at her. She had to weave out of the way. It clattered to the ground on her left.

“Going into the woods to date a witch,” Juniper said and ran off. Shit, did I say date?

“Did she say date?” Rowan’s voice carried.

“Decapitate a witch! I said decapitate!” Juniper called back. How the hell did I let that slip?

[dispatchdcu]

The Nice House By The Sea #2 Preview

The Nice House By The Sea #2 Preview #thenicehousebythesea #nicehousebythesea #nicehouse #DCEU #dccomics #comics #comicbooks #news #dcu #dcuuniverse #art #info #NCBD #amazon #comicbooknews #previews #reviews #batman #darkknight #bringdownthehouse #zatanna

The Nice House By The Sea #2 Preview: Tensions inside the House are rising. Resentments are simmering to the surface. The residents need something to unite around. So an adorable dog is just the thing…right? They can all be trusted to love an innocent animal…right? Written by JAMES TYNION IV Art and cover by ÁLVARO MARTÍNEZ BUENO Variant cover by JAVI FERNANDEZ and JOSHUA HIXSON $3.99 US | 40…

[mittens-220]

Hataraku Maou-sama! Volume 21 Detailed Chinese Summary Part 7

Detailed preview summary: Read here

Detailed summary part 1: Read here

Detailed summary part 2: Read here

Detailed summary part 3: Read here

Detailed summary part 4: Read here

Detailed summary part 5: Read here

Detailed summary part 6: Read here

Demon King and Hero, Final Showdown

The cleaning up after the battle was addressed here, Ignora still has not lost her power yet. By herself, she was stronger than all the sorcerers in the whole of Ente Isla, so they were discussing if she should be tied up. Nuxe objected strongly, saying that she heard from Alas=Ramus, Mama did do bad things to us, but to me, she is someone who guided us since we were born, and Eros was already born as Malkuth, why was I still born then? Maou asked Utsushihara what was going on, Utsushihara said that he was not everyone’s leader, but he had a theory with regards to her question, which would be that the Tree of Life let him take Lucifer’s appearance, it might be pitying the angels. In my opinion, even though I will not say to spare Ignora, but I also wish that you do not punish her too severely. Your goal is to free the Sephirah, this goal has been achieved, right? Maou said that there was still their future, we cannot guarantee that this person will not cause any  trouble in the future, right? Utsushihara said, you’re still concerned about this, us Sephirah did not choose you people at all. Maou and Emi looked at each other, Alas=Ramus appeared and shouted Papa and Mama, Maou and Emi said this battle was meant to be a Christmas present, after dragging it out for half a year, it became a birthday present, so we definitely cannot do any less. Utsushihara said, then I will respect your opinion.

Therefore, Maou shouted Ignora’s name, and Ignora responded with “Satan”, Maou rebuked that she should not act like Kamael, we do not plan to kill you, the condition is that you cannot do anything disruptive to the Sephirah again. By the way, what is your purpose or where did you go wrong, tell us everything. The atmosphere became very tense. Amane spoke at this time, leave it to her to extort a confession. Go and check if there are any other things in the shrines which were destroyed before. Then she released all her killing aura and made eye contact with Ignora who knelt on the ground. The scene then follows Maou, they returned to the Tree of Life which bloomed, staring at the faraway holy cross continent of Ente Isla, even though there are still many troublesome matters in the future, the good things have already started. Alas=Ramus decided to grow up from now on, and grew up a few years on the spot, telling Maou and Emi, Papa, Mama, thank you for coming and helping everyone, I like both of you the most.”

One week later, Suzuno went to the Sasaki family house alone to report the battle situation, she said that Ignora’s original goal was for their race to be acknowledged by the Sephirah, then make use of the Sephirah to build perfect humans and world, so they created some miracles and built up the foundation of the Theocracy; and Lailah went against Ignora and created the legend of the holy sword, created a different religious faction. The concept of Ignora’s created religion was that angels were the only superior existence and there was no God, so her name was only the name of the sea and it was not passed down in the Bible. Ignora’s plan was to use something like the promotion of saints to expand the population of the angels, but Emi, as half angel and half human, proved that angels were humans, and various reasons caused Ignora’s failure. After Kamael lost his power, he was locked in the Malebranche’s base together with his own Heaven troops, those Sephirah who lost their Mama were taken care of by the Landlady’s family first, then they had to emphasise the point that Chiho was an important factor in uniting everyone.

One month after the battle, Maou and Emi were walking on the streets of Sasazuka, chatting about work, they walked until they reached the intersection from Vol 1, talking about that small knife bought at the 100 yen store, talking about how they were misunderstood as lovers and husband and wife. Then Emi pulled out her sword, it seems like she did not talk to Maou about this beforehand, but Maou showed an expression like he was ready for death and put up a barrier. Emi said, to the Ente Isla humans, you are a symbol of terror who might still be alive somewhere, are you aware of that? Maou said that he probably does. Then the two started to fight. Even thought it was called a fight, Maou was only dodging the sword and only dodged for the sake of appearances for a few rounds, then Emi pointed her sword at his back. Emi pointed the sword at him and continued to have flashbacks, saying that when she was saved by him in the eastern continent in volume 10, she remembered what was said when they met for the first time at Azure Sky Canopy. It was “Nice to meet you (for the first time)”, both of them smiled. Maou said, with this, can your journey end. Emi said’ that’s right, the journey of Hero Emilia to fight the Demon King will end today. Maou felt the blade on his neck, telling Emi, help me apologise to Ashiya, he will probably understand. Emi said that she will pass on the message. Then she stabbed Maou.

Chiho, who rushed over, saw this scene, Maou was stabbed and collapsed on the ground, large amounts of black fog emitting from his body, and even greeted Chiho when he was on the ground. Chiho was gaping, Emi greeted her leisurely, saying that I do not hate the Demon King anymore, but the Demon King and the Demon King Army are still existences which are not tolerated by the Ente Isla people. As she spoke, she supported the upper half of Maou’s body, saying that even if they fought God and saved the world, the hatred of the people who were killed will not disappear, right? Chiho said, but why now…… Emi gently stroked Maou’s hair, saying that because it is now, when everything has ended. When my battles and the Demon King’s battles have all ended, we need to have a final showdown. Chiho was in despair, Emi held Maou up, leaned into his ear and said, “Nice to meet you, Maou Sadao.” The barrier disappeared and the clouds in the sky cleared up.

[graphicpolicy]

Check out this week's new comic releases

Check out this week's new comic releases. See what's coming to shops! #comics #comicbooks

See what’s coming to comic shops this week courtesy of Previews. As always, check with your local shop as to the availability of items. Highlights for the week include: Convert #1, Grommets #4, Universal Monsters’ Frankenstein #1, Void Rivals #12, BRZRKR: The Lost Book of B #1, Hello Darkness #2, Nice House By the Sea #2, Zatanna: Bring Down the House #3, Zero Hour 30th Anniversary Special,…

[blasphoeme]

Flowers for His Queen

Jonerys Week Day 04: Family

Hello dear readers! It has been a long while hehe. Here I give you another addition to my Flower for His Queen series :). 

There are two chapters to this addition. The first chapter consists of fluffy family fun on the shores of Dragonstone. The other chapter, well.... if you couldn’t tell already, it’s a night of smutty fun. The chapters in their entirety can be read in the links below. I hope you guys like this! 

PS: Happy Bday @rone-of-house-targaryen ! This one’s for you :3

Chapter 1: A Day of Fun in the Sun

Chapter 2: A Night Under the Silver Moon (M)

Credit for these beautiful mood boards goes to my dear friend @midqueenally. Took us a while haha but we did it! Thank you and love you~

~Preview~

Following the bounding figure of a great big white fluff ball of a wolf, three young jubilant children ran along with their arms stretched out. Three young dragons with too much energy they had to run instead of walk. Their hair of raven and silver billowed behind them. Little toes digging deep groves into the warm grainy sand with every step they took, skirting the waves that rushed into land before retreating back out to sea. Their boisterous chorus of laughter and childish joy propelled their little bodies forwards across the wide expanse of the sandy shore, startling a herd of beady eyed seagulls searching for a stray crab to snack on into the air.

A short distance behind, keeping a watchful eye over the children were the King and Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. The sea breeze plucked at their hair with each languid step they took. Resounding crash of the waves against the side of jagged cliffs resonated in their ears and the salty tang of the sea filled their nostrils as they traversed the sandy shores of their family’s ancestral stronghold. A place that meant so much to them both. It was a place of new beginnings, of changes in the wind, a place where their destinies collided and intertwined. Much like their fingers interlocked with one another so tightly, leaving no space or gaps in between. Up the steps cut into the cliff ahead, a forbidding castle with its grey stone walls loomed high above.

“I can’t believe it’s still standing.” The queen mused. So many years had passed since they were last here, before the long winter, before the wars, before their lives changed forever. “This was where we met. Never would have thought we’d end up marrying when you first walked these shores, did you?” She certainly did not. When she first set off for Westeros, the idea of political marriages did surface in her mind. But definitely not with a man like her Jon. Not someone as noble and loyal and lovely as him.

“I can’t believe it’s still standing.” The queen mused. So many years had passed since they were last here, before the long winter, before the wars, before their lives changed forever. “This was where we met. Never would have thought we’d end up marrying when you first walked these shores, did you?” She certainly did not. When she first set off for Westeros, the idea of political marriages did surface in her mind but, definitely not with a man like her Jon. Not someone as noble and loyal and lovely as him.

“I was under the assumption that the queen from the South would be well... Unlike you.” Lifting their joint hands to his lips, the king pressed a line of kisses to each of his wife’s knuckles. His scruffy facial hair tickled her skin.

The queen pursed her lips, eyes squinting against glare of the sun as she looked up at his obscured face, locating his eyes from memory instead of sight. The mid-day sun drew a ring around her king’s silhouette with a halo of light whilst shrouding his comely features in shadow. “In your mind I was old and hideous? That’s not a very nice way to think of your would-be queen.” Dany said to Jon, not forgetting to stick her tongue out at him before turning her head away from him.

Laughing, his arms found her waist, drawing her to him, into an embrace. Her curves, soft warm and plaint against the hard plains of his own body. Jon was delighted at the sight of his wife acting so much like the child she claimed she wasn’t all those years ago. To him, his love and her occasional bouts of childishness was so adorably sweet. He loved it and he was glad he could see her like that.

Playful and carefree.

“In all honestly, my love, I had the impression that you would be terrifying and not the least bit beautiful.” His words tinged with pleasant mirth disappeared into the strands of her lavender scented hair as he pressed a kiss to her crown.

Dany twisted within his grasp, reaching over her shoulder to poke a finger into her husband’s firm chest.  “Hmm... You’re very fortunate that I’m fond of you.

[aftermathdb]

DEATH BATTLE Review: Aquaman vs. Namor

Marvel and DC’s Aquatic kings of Atlantis duke it out in this Season 6 opener. Who will reign supreme, and who will end up sleeping with the fishes?- We’ll find out in the Season 6 premiere of DEATH BATTLE!

Woo hoo! It’s good to be back, folks! Man! It’s been a while. There have been a lot of changes. Like the new schedule for their podcast, the new location change of said podcast, and a whole bunch of other stuff like changing the Youtube channel name. With that said, let’s dive right into the first episode of the season.

Aquaman′s Preview.

We start off Aquaman’s lap by going over his origin story. And thanks to the new movie that’s been swimming around theaters, I’m sure we know his story by now. A good ol’ romance between the land and sea that would make one of the most remembered heroes around. The one and only, Aquaman.

With his origin story now out of the way, we can freestyle right into the powerset of the Atlantian King. And get used to those swimming, water, and ocean puns, because they’re not drowning out anytime soon.

And we even get to go over a lot of his powers about communicating to fish, though, not all of them…

(Don’t worry. Arthur got better).

And that “Clear” thing gets explained around here:

But there is one aquatic sea creature that he can’t mess around with, like his friend, Topo. Who goes from a goofy octopus to…

That.

But as it turns out, Aquaman isn’t just limited to sea life. He can also talk to birds and other less intelligent animals. And while he doesn’t have total control over humans, he can still mess with their heads and disorient them enough to win fights.

DAMN! Aquaman is scary when he wants to be!

But no true Atlantian King would be complete without his trust weapon of choice, his trident………s……… Please note the plural.

(Poseidon is in Boomstick’s hand, Neptune’s trident is in Wiz’s hand).

Aquaman also has plenty of strength feats to back him up as well. Like the time he lifted a ship comparable to the size of this thing thanks to his water magic:

And he’s got plenty more feats to back him up.

Now, blocking the Dead King’s scepter is an impressive feat. As that was the same scepter that sunk Atlantis in the first place.  Since Atlantis is considered a continent, it has to be bigger than Greenland, the largest island on Earth.

Which, in simpler terms, means that the total size of Atlantis swims at about

836300 square miles! In order to sink or destroy it, the dead king Atlan would have to have managed to take down this much volume in one blow:

In order to do this, Atlan would have to have struck it with a grand total of 

over 155 trillion tons of TNT! And Our boy Arthur blocked that!

But even with all of that power, Aquaman isn’t exactly invincible. He’s susceptible to dehydration, and his durability has limits (as we’ve seen with the piranha thing).

But he’s found different ways to work around that weakness. Like that one time where he used blood to refuel himself. And no, I’m not showing a screenshot for that. It might not be as bad as Elfin Lied, but I’d say that for a guy like Aquaman, one time in the blood pool is enough.

And the end line really should have been a line from Brave and the Bold. Literally any time he would shout his signature “OUTRAGEOUS!” would have been nice to hear. But we just get his word  of warning from the Superman animated show instead.

Namor′s Preview.

We start off Namor’s lap by going over his origin story. And thanks to the new movie that’s been swimming around theaters, I’m sure we know his story by now. A good ol’ romance between the land and sea that would make one of the most remembered heroes around. The one and only, Namor.

Except this time, Namor would spend more time in the sea rather than on land. Basically, Aquaman is Surf and Turf, while Namor is just… Surf.

With his background out of the way, let’s delve deeper into his arsenal and powers.

(Wow… Never seen that before…)

Uh, anyways, Namor is also Marvel’s first mutant… Well, kinda. See, Namor isn’t the first mutant to be born, he was simply the first that Marvel introduced. This is because Namor is part Atlantian and part Mutant. Where the mutant part comes from is anyone’s guess, but maybe he just had an X-Gene laying around. This gene is what allows Namor to fly with those wings of his.

And Namor has plenty of other powers to fish for as well.

He can mimic marine life to copy their abilities. He can also communicate with other marine life as well, and his Atlantian education makes him a worthy heir to the throne of Atlantis.

He’s also got a trident named after Neptune.

Wait for it…

(God. I love the fact that I’ve figured out my screenshot editing skills. Makes things so much easier to work with).

Anyways, Namor’s trident isn’t just a fancy fish fork, it has hydrokenisis, mystic blasts, mystic formation, and can even animate objects.

And if he needs backup, he can use his horn to… Huh? What’s that (inaudible whispering) He doesn’t use it in the fight? (Inaudible whispering) And Aquaman doesn’t even call for Topo either? (Inaudible whispering) And now you’re telling me that we need to get to the feats?

Oh………

Y’know, the fact that they didn’t go over the Island Utopia’s weight kinda shows that Namor……… Probably wasn’t going to win this. I mean, tossing  a 9000 ton naval destroyer is impressive, but when compared to the 255 thousand ton ship that Aquaman threw……… It’s not exactly reassuring to the Namor fans.

But, much like DC’s Atlantian royal, Namor isn’t invincible. He also needs water. Not to survive, but to maintain mental stability. This can sometimes cause him to be the villain. Though it should be noted that this isn’t how bipolar disorder actually works.

But as long as there is water left in his body, Namor will continue to be the defender of Atlantis.

And again, we could have gotten his signature battle cry of “IMPERIOUS REX!” From the 2006 Fantastic Four show. But no. Much like Aquaman, we get a word of warning from the 90s version of the show.

The Battle Itself.

Luis is lead on this fight, with Zack, Kiid, and Kayas helping out. Aquaman will be voiced by Kaiji Tang, and Namor will be voiced by Todd Haberkorn. Jerky is the sprite artist, as per usual, Kings of the Sea by Therewolf, Chris Kokkinos lead on sound.

I should also note that instead of his usual “Alright the combatants are set! Let’s end this debate once and for all!” Wiz now says ‘Alright the combatants are set, and we’ve run the data through all possibilities!” It doesn’t have the same feel of epicness that the previous line had. Maybe they’ll change it back, or maybe it’ll take some getting used to. But at least they kept the good old line from Boomstick.

“IT’S TIME FOR A DEATH BATTLE!”

So, with DBC’s new schedule, we didn’t actually get the full audio for the fight. Shame though. Friday was enough time to not only see  the battle, but to also gather enough questions for them to answer. Also, now broadcast can’t force Achievement Hunter out of the studio anymore with the excuse of DBC since they moved. But the just of it the story of this fight is that Aquaman does a splash in the pool, and it ticks Namor off.

So they do battle underwater. I should also note that the pool says “50 ft” which implies that it’s that deep. There’s also no “FIGHT!“ Soundbite. Which takes away from the overall feel of it. I miss that announcer. Hopefully, they’ll get it back next episode. Because that sound is something that I’d use for a text alert.

They even exchange a few fisticuffs in the air before crashing onto a beach.

And we also get to see a little Easter Egg too!

(Roshi rebuilt his house. Yay! (Commentary suggests that this takes place before or during that fight though, but I like my idea better mostly because it feels better continuity-wise))

And Namor decides to bring out the big fish, by using his animation powers to summon a few rock golems to do battle with Aquaman.

But Aquaman doesn’t drown easily.

So they take the battle to the water again, where both of them call their aquatic armies to fight. But Aquaman’s army is also backed up by the Clear, so they obviously win there. So they take it even deeper where they clash.

Oh. Right. The finishing blow.

5…

4…

3…

2…

1…

(Y’know, I tried to make this a gif, but the website I used didn’t want to use videos from the website. So it’s back to using screenshots).

Well……… That’s quite the predicament you’re in, chum.

Verdict + Explanation.

Well, both were evenly matched in terms of ability. That was basically a no-brainier. Comparing abilities on their own basically means that you could essentially flip a coin to determine a winner

Namor had wing feet, but Aquaman had magical flight thanks to his trident. Neither side really held advantages in any category.

But while Namor could win in some scenarios, Aquaman had more intense abilities to win out more times than not.

Remember how Namor could match Savage Hulk?- That’s an impressive feat of strength, considering that Hulk could lift a 150 billion ton mountain. But Aquaman could stop Atlan’s Atlantis-Sinking strike. Which had over a hundred times more energy put into it. It’s not exactly a 1-1 comparison, but Aquaman has more feats that back up his own strength.

Namor once kept Utopia from falling into the ocean. Calculating it, that means that Namor managed to hold up a little over 1400 tons of TNT. While the force Aquaman stopped was nearly 200 billion times more powerful.

And when it came to speed and reaction, Namor could catch the Human Torch, who breaks the sound barrier on occasion and regularly flies 140 mph on his normal days. But Aquaman has gone toe to toe with Wonder Woman on multiple occasions. And we all know how fast she is.

Aquaman also had the edge in the whole “Controlling sea life” thing too. While Namor could communicate and command them, Aquaman could dominate their will. And giving them a Clear fueled edge-up also meant that Namor was stuck commanding regular fish while Aquaman was controlling super-fish. This not only meant that Aquaman’s aquatic telepathy was stronger, but it also meant that whatever he was commanding was also stronger.

In the end, both fighters had plenty of counters and abilities, but Aquaman’s strength, speed, and telepathy made Namor fish food.

Overall impression.

I feel a bit… Unsure about this. Not only is the “FIGHT” soundbite missing, but we didn’t get Wiz’s usual “Let’s end this debate once and for all!” line. Don’t get me wrong, this is still very well-researched, and the fight was pretty fun (When you could see it, anyways), but the voice acting was a bit……… weird. Not bad, it took some re-watching to get the feel of it, but for first-time viewers, it would feel weird.

The rock golems aren’t exactly that great-looking either. This kinda feels a bit… rushed. Like we go the unedited version instead of the more polished version. If I’m right on this, and the polished version is out by the time this goes up, then sure. Let’s go. But the overall feel of it doesn’t feel like one of Luis’ fights. More like… a rushed product. It kinda hearkens back to the old Captain America vs. Batman fight that was also filler. Maybe it’s because they said that they planned this for last season, but this doesn’t feel like a strong start.

7.0/10. It’s not a bad fight, but it’s……… Unfamiliar waters.

Next Time…

Well……… This should be a mega battle. We haven’t had a battle royale fight since… the Kanto battle royale. Should be fun, though now I have to write in every single Mega Man.

I’m thinking X might have this, if I’m not forgetting anything about the other robots. He was built to be better than classic Mega Man, so… It’s a reasonable guess. But it looks like I’m going to need to find a way to differentiate later on.

Is there a fight that you want me to review? - Send an ask/request, and I’ll look into it!

Do you want to read my fanfic based around DEATH BATTLE itself? click here!

Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you next time for…

A battle of Mega-proportions!

[lostinfic]

Hardy/Hannah fic tennis | 9

A collaboration with @fadewithfury​

Each in turn we will write 300-500 words. Neither of us knows what the other will write before our turn - it has not been beta’d or previewed.

The story so far: Hannah is a P.I. specialized in cheating spouses and Hardy the author of popular mystery novels. How will a phone number found in a forgotten coat bring them together?

Rating: All ages (so far)

Catch up here: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8

Previously: 

When Daisy disappeared into her room to do homework, he went out to his balcony and stared at the number on his mobile for Dejour Investigation.  He really shouldn’t do this. It was stupid - but he did have her book, and no other way to get in touch with her. With a deep breath, he pressed the button to dial the number. 

Hannah’s phone rang. “Where the bloody hell are you?” she shrieked.

“Sorry?”

“There’s water up to my knees! Bring your arse over here.” She pushed another towel under the sink to absorb the water leaking from a pipe. “Mr. Nowak?”

“No, it’s Alec Hardy. I’m calling because I have your book. What’s going on?”

“I had a bloody burst pipe a few days ago, and the plumber who repaired it did a shit job cause it’s burst again. I called him a half-hour ago and he’s not here yet.”

“I’ll come over and help you.”

Barefoot and trousers pushed up to his knees, Alec twisted a wrench uselessly around the pipe while Hannah watched over his shoulder.

So far, all he’d done was hold the towels while she looked frantically around the house for the valve to stop the flow of water. And now this clumsy handling of a wrench. She held back a giggle. “You don’t actually know anything about plumbing, do you?”

“I do! I know things about pipes.”

Hannah indulged him and let him work. She did like the sight of him with his shirtsleeves rolled up and the look of intense focus on his face.

He dropped the wrench and cursed. He ran a wet hand through his hair and pinched his lips together. “I don’t know what I’m doing. I’m a writer, I’m not handy. Sorry.”

“It’s alright. Thanks for trying to help anyway.” It was endearing that he’d rushed to her help despite the late hour and barely knowing her.

“I hope I didn’t make it worse,” he said.

They looked at each other and laughed.

He stood up and stretched his back with a groan, then offered her a hand to pull her up to her feet as well.

They wrung the soaked towels into the bathtub and mopped the floor until the plumber arrived. They let him work in the bathroom, and returned to the first floor.

“I guess I should go now,” he said.

“If that’s what you want. You don’t have to. I can make us a cuppa. You can’t go out with your clothes all wet.”

He looked down at his blue button-up and the light splashes on it. “Yeah, okay.”

Hannah tried to fill the kettle only to remember the water was shut off. She offered Alec a whiskey instead. While she fixed their drinks, he browsed the bookcases framing the fireplace.

“Your novels are in my bedroom,” she said.

“I wasn’t looking for that.”

“Right, you’re not that full of yourself.”

“I try not to be.” He took the proffered glass. “I was returning your book, but I can’t figure out where it goes.”

“They’re not in alphabetical order. The books with a blue spine go in the guest bedroom,” she explained. Only shades of white and grey for the living room.

“Right.”

They talked about books and the weather and house chores, but small talk was obviously not his forte. He kept a hand in his pocket, shifting his weight from foot to foot. Hannah patted the sofa cushion beside her in invitation, hoping to put him at ease.

“So you’re a private investigator,” he said.

“How did you know?”

He explained Ellie’s research. “We cross-referenced a few things.”

“Cross-referenced? Who’s the detective now?”

“I write one, I’m bound to pick up a few tricks.” He shrugged. “So your job, that’s really great. It must be brilliant.”

“You do realize I tempt men into adultery for a living.”

The way his mouth opened without a word coming out told her hadn’t, in fact, realized that.

“Yeah. That’s how most men react… including my latest date.” When she’d finally made time to see James again, she’d told him the truth, and he’d all but fled the restaurant. Somehow he thought she was no more trustworthy than the men she investigated. “I’ve seen what getting cheated on does to people, I’ve had it done to me, I could never do that to someone. I don’t sleep with those men, I just--” Her voice trembled with anger, so she clenched her jaw shut. She hadn’t meant to unload her personal problems on Alec, but she was still upset, and the plumbing problems combined with lack of sleep made it harder to control herself.

“There are other fish in the sea,” he said lamely.

She smiled tightly and curled her legs under herself. She redirected the conversation to how she’d ended up in possession of his coat. She remained vague about the Hamadi case, both out of respect for her client, and because she didn’t want to make Alec feel like she was using him to advance her case. He didn’t have the same qualms though, he asked her more questions about her work, and she sensed a professional interest behind them. He draped an arm on the back of the sofa and leaned closer, nodding as if taking mental notes of her answers.

“Seducing men is a last resort strategy. The nail in the coffin,” she explained. “I investigate them properly before, I don’t take these accusations lightly.”

“Hmm. And do you feel it changed the way you see people, say in public, are there things you notice more?”

“Are you going to write a character based on me?” she teased.

He scrunched up his nose. “Ha, sorry.”

“I don’t mind, it’s… flattering.”

“Yeah?”

“You know, it has changed the way I see people.” She crossed her legs towards him, her toes nudging his leg. “I notice the signs of attraction between them.”

His stilled momentarily, as if afraid he’d been caught. “Like what?”

“Like little, casual touches.” She straightened his collar and smoothed a hand down his shirt.

“I see. Like this?” He brushed a stray curl behind her shoulder and returned his arm to the back of the sofa in a way that kept his fingertips an inch from her skin.

“Yeah, just like that.” She bit her bottom lip as her skin goose-pimpled where he’d touched her. There was something she wanted to bring up, but hesitated. “Signs of jealousy are a big hint too. Like, erm, the way Ellie reacted when I insisted on giving you the coat personally.”

Alec burst out laughing. “Ellie? You think she fancies me?” He laughed some more. “Nah, she’s just protective of her writers.”

“All of them or just you?”

“Most of them.”

Hannah disliked being wrong, but at least now she knew there was nothing between Alec and Ellie.

“She was wary of you because I haven’t had the best luck with women lately.”

Hannah tilted her head. “How so?”

A breath puffed up his cheeks as he rested his elbows on his knees. He appraised her with a glance, as if deciding whether he could open up to her.

“This job mostly,” he summed up.

“Writer? Sounds like a nice job for a boyfriend. Romantic, almost.”

He snorted. “I had a...girlfriend. Didn’t last long. She thought so too. But it’s not. It’s a real job with deadlines and pressure from my publisher and screaming at my computer. And then there’s frustration that just because I’m at home all day doesn’t mean I can run all the errands and cook and take Daisy to school. It’s a full-time job.”

“Daisy?”

“My daughter.”

“Oh. Guess you weren’t talking about your girlfriend just then.”

He shook his head and stared at his whiskey, swirling it around in the glass. “I was married. Fifteen years.” 

He swallowed the rest of the liquor and took their glasses to the sink. Hannah followed him into the dimly-lit kitchen. 

“Your ex-wife didn’t understand your job?” she ventured. Fifteen years, it had to be more complicated than that.

“It’s not just her. When I’m working, sometimes I immerse myself so much in the world I’ve created, it’s like I’m shutting myself off.”

He didn’t explain further, but he’d spoken like someone who’d contemplated the matter at length.

Hannah thought of the fictional town of Broadchurch and Detective Thomas’ love interest who had appeared in his three latest novels. Was it an espace for him? An alter ego who could live the life he couldn’t have and love someone else. A mental shelter to get away from reality. The same way Hannah buried herself in work when things got rough in her personal life. The way she’d filled her loneliness of the last two years with more clients and more employees. To her friends and family, she called it ambition, but deep down she knew it was a distraction.

She held Alec’s gaze across the kitchen, feeling like a thread had woven itself between their chests.

She leaned beside him, against the counter, and he uncrossed his arms, resting his hand next to hers.

“It makes people feel left out, doesn’t it?” Hannah said quietly.

“Yeah.”

“Maybe it’s about finding someone who’ll make us want to let them in.”

He looked at her, something soft in his eyes. “That’d be nice.”

“All done here, ma’am,” the plumber announced, interrupting them.

While she argued with the man about the price to pay, Alec left her house without saying goodbye.