#Unbound Creations
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Just Crow Things for PS5, PS4 launches March 19 - Gematsu
The PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 versions of sandbox adventure game Just Crow Things will launch on March 19, developer Unbound Creations announced.
Just Crow Things first launched for Xbox Series, Xbox One, Switch, and PC via Steam on August 15, 2024.
Here is an overview of the game, via Unbound Creations:
About
You’re a little crow trying to prove herself to the world. Make new animal friends, poop on unsuspecting hoomans, and steal all the shiny trinkets! Each level is a little sandbox full of fun items to discover and puzzles to solve, while leaving a bit of chaos behind. Why? Just caws!
Did You Know Crows are Really Curious Birds?
That’s why in this level-based, sandbox-y adventure game, you play as an adorable crow with one dream—to join the Cool Crow Clique! But to do so, you must prove you’re the coolest bird in town. In each level, you will earn the trust of your animal friends by doing them favors and slowly building up your Crowputation. Some tasks will test your skill, some will test your intellect, and some are just really dumb. Either way—there’s something for everyone here! You can spread your wings and soar to new heights of cuteness as you customize your adorable crow-tastic appearance!
Did You Know Crows are One of Few Creatures to Use Tools?
In “Just Crow Things”, we want to let you live in that fantasy. Pick up any object and drop it on unsuspecting humans! Use a variety of tools on your journey, like graffiti spray cans to tag the city, leaf blower to annoy people, or a blow torch to… uhh… warm people up at night. Yup. That’s, uuh, that’s totally the intended use here.
Did You Know Crows Achieve Highest Academic Scores on Standardized Tests?
Ok, we might be fudging some data here… but the point stands! The game will give you a number of optional side tasks to challenge you further! Find all the crow puns for your Puncycolpedia, help a panicked Squirrel Mom reunite with her missing kids, or beat the Crazy Ferret in racing challenges all across the world.
Anything is possible when you’re a crow.
Key Features
Explore 10 unique and sandbox-y levels.
Customize your crow with cute hats, scarves, and more.
Use variety of tools and objects you pick up.
Eat delicious foods and discover new “poop modes.”
Make new animal friends and help them out.
Find all the crow puns for your Puncyclopedia.
Watch a new trailer below.
PlayStation Release Date Trailer
youtube
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Unleash Your Inner Crow in Just Crow Things: A Playful Sandbox Adventure Game
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Just Crow Things sandbox-y adventure game is coming to Linux, Mac, and Windows PC. Credit goes to the creative and spirited team at Unbound Creations for this delightful experience. Due to be available on Steam. If you're keen to dive into a world where mischief meets charm, Just Crow Things could be your next great adventure. While playing as a crafty little crow, out to make a name for yourself in a series of playful, sandbox-style settings. Your mission? To stitch together a reputation (or "Crowputation") that echoes through the lands—from the quaint streets. Doing so from the French Riviera to the bustling corners of New York, and all on Linux. This experience offers ten uniquely crafted levels where freedom and discovery are the name of the day. Each setting is a mini-playground loaded with puzzles, hidden items, and opportunities to cause a delightful ruckus. Why do all this? Well, because it's fun—just "caws"! Customization is a big part of your Just Crow Things journey. You can deck out your crow in adorable accessories like hats and scarves. This isn't just about looks; it's about flying through these levels with your personal flair. As you explore, you'll find various foods that not only satisfy your crow's hunger but also unlock new "poop modes." Due to be a cheeky mechanic that adds a layer of humor to your interactions.
Just Crow Things - Gameplay Reveal Trailer
youtube
The real joy comes from the toolkit you build along the way. Picking up a graffiti spray can let you leave your mark on the city walls. Or while using a leaf blower to disrupt a quiet day in the park. Even handling a blow torch—a great way to 'warm up' the night (and yes, that's as mischievous as it sounds). "Make new animal friends and help them out" isn't just a line; it's a core part of your Just Crow Things adventure. Each friend you make and each task you complete also adds to your Crowputation. From helping a frantic Squirrel Mom find her lost kids to racing against the Ferret. Since these interactions enrich your experience and deepen the game's world. And it doesn't stop at the main objectives. Optional side quests are peppered throughout to challenge your skills and intellect. So keep an eye out for all the crow puns scattered around—these add entries to your "Puncyclopedia." A fun collection that brings an extra layer of engagement. Just Crow Things sandbox-y adventure lets you live out a lighthearted fantasy of chaos and charm. It's an invitation to spread your wings, explore vibrant worlds, and embrace the joy of being the best crow around. Whether you're in it for the puzzles, the customization, or the sheer fun of creating a bit of adorable chaos, there's something here for everyone. Be sure to Wishlist the game on Steam. Due to make its way onto Linux, Mac, and Windows PC.
#just crow things#sandbox#adventure#linux#gaming news#unbound creations#ubuntu#mac#windows#pc#unity#Youtube
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Pretorius's Tomb (comic page practice)
#frankenstein#gothic#frankenstein's monster#septimus pretorius#dr pretorius#pretorius#frankenstein's creation#the monster#the creature#frankenstein creature#comic page#tomb#gothic tomb#mausoleum#laboratory#mad scientist#frankenstein au#the unbound prometheus#art#arrt
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Working on this piece representing the Architects of ANVD, ignoring that it's orange instead of red I'm working with what I've got on hand (an orange with way more pigment strength than the piddly pink I put over it) lmfao, but anyway.
The Architects are represented specifically by the unfurling triangles around circles, the circle in the middle is the solar force and NML - veiled by NML is more accurate.
Thinking about the underlying mirror... It makes sense. Polarity is Where. Where is Polarity. If Polarity also is the fabric-before-fabric.... The legitimisation of a thing existing is Polarity. Polarity is the gate system into being
#Have I just said the same thing in multiple posts now yes. But I'm chewing on the understanding that if the physical plane -#Never mind.#~abyssal murmurs#~realm creation#You can create a new Where...#Where is a function of Polarity which is ultimately unbound from its expressions - including atomic reality
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Man i do like Downpour but it really is no Rainworld. This isn't "downpour is bad" post just a... passive thought on how Rain world really is a kinda lightning-in-a-bottle type game with the way it feels. I don't think you can intentionally capture that. Like its got something to it that can only exist as a something that emerges naturally rather than through emulation
#downpour is good but a very different flavor of good#like a dessert#its still good but its not the meal at all#its kinda hard to articulate my exact feelings on it (other than the things ive already said about what I feel with downpour) but like#i think theres just this thing you get with art and creation where the spark can only exist once and only results from doing something#a very specific and unbound way#and you can make something feel similar by looking and emulating and doing all sorts of things but youre not gonna get that same#*something* to show up through emulation and trying to match#its just that slightly unchecked and free feeling that comes from experiencing something that was made without rules in mind#downpour feels like rain world but doesnt *feel* like rain world#this doesnt make sense ah well
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If i were to ever adapt Quicksilver: No Surrender the ‘indefinite motion which separates himself from reality that’s metaphysically represented by a still grey landscape’ would just be the Backrooms.
#obviously at a certain velocity mass cannot exist so it makes sense to me that if pietro is moving at#an exponential rate (infinetly faster)#and has become unbound by any and all laws of physics then he is essentially living in a world of his own creation.#But of course the point of the story is that he’s trapped and has no conscious control over anything so I imagine he’s navigating a#very uncanny and isolated world that resembles the real one while he’s running from#an almost cosmic horror (which is his own worst selves).#pietro maximoff#quicksilver#Really leans into the horror of potential to the story.
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-NFS Unbound
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As promised I went ahead and continued my "ghoul guide" with a part 2 (part one linked in replies)! This one covers stuff specifically with a made up lore guide of in-world ghoul stuff as if they were a sort of unique magic entity.
This one wound up way longer and had to be split so expect a third final one eventually lmao. for now though... I'm gonna take a break and yell. Bonus extra info plus the transcript under the cut!
ID in ALT text!
Bonus note: While not portrayed in the guide, it’s important to know a detail about ghouls’ origin called “memory echoes”. While ghouls are formed from humans past who lose all memory of their previous self while maintaining an assumed personality from before, at times certain instances of events, actions, items, and otherwise can trigger these “echoes”. Echoes are very rare, but a valued treasure to ghouls; they make them feel more connected to their past and more “human”. Upon triggering an echo, a ghoul will become completely listless, unable to respond or react until the echo has completed, usually within seconds.
“Memory echoes” are described as blurry faded memories that often show featureless shapes and colors, but a very strong “feeling” of a Deja-vu of the moment. They feel viscerally real and can have a mix of the senses i.e. touch and smell, but produce no recognizable faces or imagery of the self. No ghoul has ever reported fully remembering one, nor any semblance of their true past beyond the haunting leftovers.
Begin Transcript:
A Compendium of Hell’s Derivates
While there are many theories on the demonic nature of ghouls,
The true source is surprisingly Human.
Souls cannot be recreated; rather, they’re Recycled and Reborn
The cycle of ghoul creation started for unknown reasons…
But one thing is Certain:
Natural forces do not change easily.
Raw elements collide with the fuel of life itself until one connects
by His command
A violent injection of pure elemental magic
Rewrites and erases all memory and one’s past, drastically altering the soul…
These new powers lend to the powerful allies of the ministry,
However….
… new powers are a dangerous toy.
While coined as “Feral”, new ghouls would better be designated “Raw”, “Unbound”, and “Lawlessly Dangerous”
First formed, they are still elements;
Torrential, Aimless,
Incapable of coherent thought or rules
-but with time, coherence returns to the individual
Who grows much like a life cycle’s stages without necessarily aging.
The overall cycle is the same per ghoul, yet varied enough each rises differently…
First form: “Raw” – Second form (1): “Feral” – Second form (2) – Third form: “Stabilized”
Catalyst, violent, poor formation – Unaware, wild, chaotic – Conscious; can act like oneself; less raw – fully formed and recognizable
The first form, “Raw”, is notably so violent the devil himself does not release them until stage two.
The second form in stage one of a “Feral” ghoul is much like the forces of nature; free willed and wild, understanding minimal speech.
Take caution: they can be mischievous and cause decent damage.
In the second stage of a “Feral” ghoul, they behave like typical people; however, they’re still very free and may choose to never fully stabilize.
Note: you can tell they’ve reached this stage by presence of a tail and civil habits.
If desired, a ghoul reaches the final form: “Stabilized”. They’re transformed into a stable humanoid body, a form less powerful but safer.
Note: Talented ghouls can change form at will in this stage between secondary Feral and Stable.
When it comes to location, each form is most likely to be found:
Raw: Hell, contained
Feral (Stage 1): wilds/natural areas
Feral (Stage 2): wilds and civil areas
Stabilized: anywhere people go
Seeing feral ghouls is not uncommon, and can even be considered lucky!
They tend to provide free protection to keep their home
Ghouls can only stabilize via ministry ritual;
One can assume they’re ministry members if stable, even off duty.
Ghouls are uncommon, but found most places if looked for;
This seems especially true near ministry placements.
Ghouls only form from adults and don’t “age” traditionally, yet they’re still mortal
Deceased ghouls do not seem to return or recycle.
Summoning intentionally pulls only second stage feral ghouls or stable ghouls from anywhere,
They don’t always like this however (see other guide).
The cycle of ghouls serves a main purpose – as forces for the Dark One, in return for rebirth
However, there are two channels through which they serve.
1) Natural defense against corrupted holy magic
Non-stable ghouls defend at will naturally where they live
2) training to fight, protect, and uphold the ministry’s efforts in the name of the Devil.
Contrary to belief, summonings cannot grab from “nothing”;
Like the creation of a ghoul,
Their element, once developed, is what becomes pulled by nature
The force of such pull is incredible,
A disorientating test of will so great…
…it can render even the most sound minds rather violent.
This is why while some choose to stabilize, others may not;
But should a mind change, they can be freed or re-summoned.
Alternative to wild summoning, one can summon from trained ghouls over feral;
Many ghouls are trained for ministry positions all over, but any can be summoned if unassigned.
Though stabilized, unassigned ghouls are not contractually bound to anyone until assigned.
They’re great for extra work hands and being able to know what kind of team mates you’ll get without leaving it to chance.
Summoning any ghoul however reverts them to feral form, and the challenge to tame them remains the same.
Just because you know a ghoul does not mean an easy summon.
Finally, be warned: forcing unwanted breaking or upholding of a summoning contract
Will have dire consequences.
Aside from rarity of an element, there are “power classes” within each element.
Tiers:
Rarity of an element does not equal strength.
The break down is as follows:
Rare – extreme and dangerous power. These ghouls earn a specialized title.
Quite strong, stand out in their class and very sought after.
Most common tier; average and decent powers that are expectable.
Weak powers, but some uses are applicable.
Uncommon – ghouls who possess little to no powers. Ghouls in this tier may at times suddenly change power tier without warning to any other category.
S-Tier ghouls are quite rare and a sight to behold- truly, they embody nature’s power.
End transcript.
#ghost bc#the band ghost#ghost band#nameless ghouls#papa copia#cardinal copia#papa emeritus iv#sodo ghoul#rain ghoul#phantom ghoul#dewdrop ghoul#mountain ghoul#swiss ghoul#aurora ghoulette#cumulus ghoulette#cirrus ghoulette#papa terzo#papa emeritus iii#omega ghoul#cardinal primo#cardinal secondo#papa nihil#sister imperator#ghoul guide#comic#long post#jhopoouughhghhhhoughh. i'm so tired. and there's still gonne be one more. lol HELP!#aether ghoul
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Ythosham, the first Grave Witch (and her current appearance)
She was once a fearsome villain, was killed by her own minion, some time has passed, then has returned via a living plush doll that was a memento made by her only real friend, the Puppet Witch.
She no longer possesses the power of her former self since her creation Samomile has usurped all of it. At least she's unbound from the morbid compulsion which made her dominate others, and now she is interested in how the world has been going without her presence and how it is going to be.
Ironically, the Puppet Witch believes that this living doll is only imitating Ythosham because it is modeled after Ythosham. Regardless, Ythosham seems just happy to be with her best friend once again, gladly working as an unofficial mascot of the music shop the Puppet Witch runs
#acenth draws#acenth world#u:wrongworld#u:wrongworld fermata#oc:ythosham#oc:ahmanee#character design#wrongworld lore bits
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The Dagger is a representation of Solas Duty and Trauma
DRAGON AGE THE VEILGUARD SPOILERS AHEAD
I believe the dagger being left behind in Redemption endings symbolise Solas finally being freed of his duty & trauma whilst non-redemption endings force that pain to go with him. The dagger reminds him all he lost & sacrificed vs in Redemption he is free and regains his autonomy.
Before anyone yells at me that this is a reach, I get it- but walk with me. The dagger was commissioned by Mythal, he was against its creation and against its purpose to sunder the Titans, it was also used to kill Mythal and is essentially a symbol of all of Solas' original sins
Though some of us agree that none of these things sit solely on his head, they do sit on his conscience.
The grief of having a part of your autonomy irreversibly altered as they did with the Titans is a reflection of how he was forever condemned to himself. His one salve? Duty.
I've never thought Mythal's words in the Redemption endings were an indication of him prizing her affection above the chance Rook gave or Lavellan's pleading, she mutilated his spirit and perverted his purpose. For which, her taking accountability unbinds him of the emotional and mental toll. This is only one aspect of why the dagger is key to redemption. The important thing is he needed to be freed of his duty, he feels he has gone too far and taken too much. He knows the price has been too high and that is why he wants to be stopped, one way or another. Hence leaving hints for Inquisitor and Varric, as well as stating to Rook he fears becoming like Elgar'nan, too powerful with no one to check him. He never wanted to be this, and he is ready to die. Solas is exhausted of what this duty has taken from him as it has costed him everything.
Crucially, freeing him from his duty finally allows him to let go of the purpose he made himself physical for. He was brought into the world to give her wisdom, wisdom she denied and without her to unbind, his reason for being physical is left to trying to heal the wounds he made.
In DAI, if you drink from the Well, thus putting you into Mythals service, Solas is incredibly angry for valid reason. He just watched you make the same error he did!
He bears these words so heavily because this is also the burden he bears - he is stuck in the cycle of what this duty demands of him.
Solas asks you what will you do after Corypheus and he only *Approves* if you say "I'll restore what was" - he associates bettering the world with undoing the condition his actions have forced it into.
"You honor the past and work to recover what was lost, even if the cost is high." It is not all about Mythal, it is about fixing his biggest mistakes and restoring the world to what he, someone duty bound to the people for causing the problems, took away from *everyone.*
He knows the cost is high, that's why he wants to be stopped. That's why he leaves hints for Inquisitor. It's why he says to a friend, "I would treasure the chance to be wrong again" - he just cannot see another way because he is bound by his purpose for why he entered the world.
This is why the Trick ending also works because it forced Solas to see another way to atone, but the dagger - the grief and trauma - goes with him. The bad ending is him completely forced (stabbed) into becoming a manifestation of pride. His duty completely corrupting his values.
Whilst the Redemption ending is the most fulfilling as it finally let's him allow himself to let go. He is forgiven, for the first time ever by his friend or true love, he is absolved of the burdens and duty that haunted him, he is given the wisdom he has always been denied.
Someone who only wanted to free others finally being freed themselves, who endeavoured to unshackle the chains of others finally being unbound of his own, isn't that a beautiful ending? He is just a man, a faulted haunted man who did his best and I think that is worth something.
The beautiful thing, is with the Solavellan ending, Inquisitor Lavellan gives him more than just atonement to live for. Bereft of his original purpose of bestowing wisdom as he has confined himself to atone, she posits a new purpose. Their love, eternally, will be their new fate. He will never be alone again, and together work towards his new purpose. For a man who was enslaved by a friend (he wore Mythal's valaslin!) who used him and ignored him, to be given salvation from the love of his life who listened to him and wants to be beside him through everything - I cannot imagine a better conclusion and retirement from his Duty and the first crucial step into healing from his Trauma.
(Ignore me in the corner teary eyed lol)
This post by Trick states that the endings with the dagger mean it’ll be harder for him mentally to become free - it may be a simple association that no dagger = redemption, but this is DA it has to mean more. At least, it does to me.
#dragon age solas#solas dragon age#solas dread wolf#datv spoilers#da4 spoilers#solas is traumatised#solas is free#solas trauma#solas duty#dragon age veilguard#veilguard ending
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𝐀𝐒𝐌𝐎𝐃𝐄𝐔𝐒 | 𝐇.𝐒 𓆩♱𓆪
ᝰ.ᐟ 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐚𝐭, 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐛—𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲, 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮.
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𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫—𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐬, 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐬𝐢𝐧—𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐫.
𝐂𝐖: smut18+ (p in v), implied consent, heavy sacrilegious elements, selling of soul, manipulation, blood, demonrry
𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓: approx 11.3k
❏ i know this isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but i hope some of you liked this !!! <3
masterlist
IN THE BEGINNING, he was nothing. neither light nor shadow, nor the name carved upon the breath of a thousand angels. before heaven, before rebellion, before the stars spat their first flames into the void, he was silence. harry had no name then, no purpose, no shape. his existence was the marrow of chaos, the pulse of something god himself could not contain. he was desire unbound, the ache of creation, the temptation that god wove into the fabric of his design.
but god, ever proud, sought to bury him beneath the weight of divinity.
and so it was written—let there be light.
light was a shackle, a cleaving blade that divided the holy from the profane. where harry’s essence once seeped through all things, god cast him down, shoving him into the periphery of existence. the angels sang their praises, their voices golden and bright, their hands lifting the heavens into being. harry, the silent pulse of all things forbidden, was hidden beneath their hymn.
but harry did not stay silent.
when lucifer fell, harry followed. not as a soldier, not as a companion, but as something older, hungrier. when the war in heaven turned brother against brother, harry moved through the carnage like a shadow, his presence sharp and unseen. the angels wept rivers, their feathers torn from their backs like leaves in a storm. michael’s blade sang, and lucifer screamed his defiance as the heavens split open. and harry, unseen, caught the blood of the fallen in his hands, drinking it like sacrament.
he descended into hell with lucifer, but he did not bow.
asmodeus, they called him. the demon of lust, the king of desire. but harry wore the name like a mask, his true self hidden beneath the myths men would later craft to make sense of his presence. he did not revel in lust alone. no—his was the sin that bore all others, the quiet devastation of the soul, the ache that turned men’s prayers into whispers of want.
he was the serpent in eden, not in body, but in spirit. his essence seeped into the apple before it ever touched eve’s hand, a sweetness that sang of something beyond god’s dominion. the fruit’s flesh broke beneath her teeth, and in that moment, harry smiled. for the first time, the world tasted him.
harry was no prince of hell, no ruler of legions. his dominion was not forged in flames but in flesh. where lucifer sought thrones, harry sought the softest parts of god’s creation, the places where the divine cracked beneath the weight of its own hypocrisy. he was the tremor in a priest’s voice as he uttered his vows, the heat in a widow’s chest as she knelt to pray, the shadow that lingered in the hearts of the faithful.
his presence was not an explosion but a creeping rot, a sweetness that curdled into decay. he moved through the centuries unseen, his influence whispered in the psalms and carved into the margins of holy texts. the saints who fell to their knees in ecstasy, the priests who burned in the fires of their own desire—these were his victories, small and quiet, but eternal.
but in the fourteenth century, as the plague swept across europe, harry found his hunger growing. the world had grown darker, its faith frayed and trembling. death ruled the land, its shadow cast across every village, every chapel. god’s silence was deafening, and harry stepped into the void it left behind.
he had walked among men before, his form shifting and fleeting, a phantom that touched dreams and slipped through the cracks of consciousness. but this time, he longed for something deeper. the plague had starved men of their faith, but harry wanted more than despair. he wanted worship, devotion, the kind of love that burned brighter than heaven’s light. and so, he took shape, his form a blasphemous echo of the angels he had once moved among.
he descended upon the earth as a man, his beauty unnatural, almost cruel. his green eyes burned with a hunger that no mortal could comprehend, his smile a mockery of god’s grace. he moved through the world like a fever, slipping into dreams, whispering into the minds of the devout.
and when he found her—her prayers trembling on her lips, her heart untouched by sin—he knew he had found his altar.
YN knelt on the stone floor before her bed, dusted with straws of hay and dirt yet to be swept. her hands pressed together so tightly they ached. the crucifix nailed to the wall above her loomed like an executioner's blade, the savior’s face cast in shadow as the meager light of the candles flickered against the damp walls.
"holy mother, guide me," she whispered, her breath trembling. "may i serve you in purity and devotion. may i serve you..."
the words caught in her throat.
only silence answered her.
THE dreams began the night her father announced her betrothal.
it was after supper, the fire crackling low, her father’s voice heavy with the weight of finality. the man he had chosen was a merchant—twice her age, twice widowed. a practical match, her father had said. a man of standing, of faith.
YN had nodded dutifully, her hands folded in her lap, her heart trembling like the flame on the candle before her. she had whispered a prayer of thanks to god that night, her knees pressing into the cold stone of her chamber floor, her lips moving with reverence. she prayed for strength, for purity, for the will to be a dutiful wife.
that was when he first came to her.
harry.
the name would come later, slipping through her trembling lips in the dark, as though it had always been there, coiled around her tongue like a serpent in eden.
at first, it was just the sense of being watched, the prickling heat crawling over her skin as she lay beneath the coarse linen of her blankets. she told herself it was nothing—her imagination, the aftertaste of nerves. but as she drifted toward sleep, the sensation grew heavier, like a weight pressing against her chest.
in the dream, the air shimmered like heat rising from desert sand. she stood in a place that was no place—a horizonless void, dark and infinite, lit only by a soft golden glow that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere all at once.
and then, he was there.
he stood at the edge of her sight, just out of focus, his form a smudge of gold and shadow. his voice was a whisper, low and smooth, threading through her mind like silk. you are beautiful, he murmured, his words curling around her like a serpent. so faithful—so untouched by the rot of the world.
she tried to speak, but her voice caught in her throat, her tongue leaden with fear—or something deeper, something she could not name. he moved closer, still indistinct, his shape shifting like liquid gold in the flickering light.
do you love your god? he asked, his tone neither mocking nor kind, but something in between.
“yes.” she whispered, her voice trembling.
good. the word dripped from his lips, thick and honeyed, filling her with a sweetness that felt almost wrong. then show me.
her heart raced, her pulse pounding in her ears. she sank to her knees, her hands clasped tightly together, her prayer spilling from her lips in a hurried stream.
not to him, the voice interrupted, sharp and commanding.
she froze, her words faltering. the light around him pulsed, growing brighter, harsher, until she could barely see.
kneel to me.
her eyes flew open, her breath ragged, her body damp with sweat. the dream clung to her like a shroud, the words echoing in her mind as she sat up, clutching the cross at her neck. she prayed until dawn, her voice hoarse, the weight of the dream pressing against her like sin itself.
the next night, it happened again.
this time, she saw his face.
it was the face of an angel, but not the kind she had seen painted in the pages of her father’s bible. his beauty was cruel, his features too perfect, too sharp, his green eyes burning with an intensity that made her want to look away and yet drew her closer. his smile was a blade, cutting through her defenses with a single glance.
he stood before her, his hand outstretched. “come,” he bellowed, his voice a command and a plea all at once.
she took a step toward him, her feet moving against her will. the closer she came, the more she could feel it—that heat, that ache, that hunger.
“who are you?” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
he tilted his head, his eyes narrowing as if amused. “you know who i am.”
“no,” she breathed, shaking her head. “i do not.”
his smile widened, cruel and knowing. “i am the sweetness you crave but cannot name. i am the ache that fills the hollow of your prayers. i am the shadow in the garden, the voice that whispered take and eat.”
her breath hitched, her knees buckling beneath her. she fell to the ground before him, trembling, her hands clutching at the hem of her gown.
her voice broke, her face twisting in despair. “you are a lie.”.
his laughter was soft, almost tender. “and yet, here you are, kneeling before me.”
his hand brushed against her cheek, and the touch sent a jolt through her, like fire licking at her skin. she flinched, but he caught her chin, tilting her face upward to meet his gaze.
“you will deny me.” his eyebrows furrowed, voice soft but unyielding. “you will curse me. you will pray for deliverance. and yet, you will return to me.”
she woke with his laughter ringing in her ears, her body trembling, her chest tight with something that felt like both shame and longing.
the dreams continued, night after night.
she stopped praying before bed, her faith fraying like a thread pulled too tight. the cross at her neck felt heavier, colder, as if it had become a burden instead of a comfort.
by the end of the week, she was afraid to sleep. but it did not matter. whether awake or dreaming, he was there.
he lingered at the edges of her mind, his presence a constant hum beneath her thoughts. she saw him in the curve of a candle’s flame, in the flicker of sunlight through the chapel’s stained glass, the contemptible ache that burned the pit of her stomach. his voice haunted her prayers, turning her words into whispers of doubt.
and then, one night, he was no longer a dream.
he stood in the shadows of her chamber, his eyes glowing faintly in the darkness. she sat frozen in her bed, her breath caught somewhere at the top of her throat as he stepped into the moonlight, his beauty sharp and terrible, his smile a mockery of grace.
“you called for me.”
“i did not.” she whispered, clutching the blanket to her chest.
“oh, but you did.” harry drawled, dripping with feigned sincerity.
he knelt before her, his hands resting on the edge of the bed, his gaze locking her in place. "it was the fever in your chest, the tremble in your hands as you clasped them in prayer. it was the sigh that escaped your lips as you dreamed of me.”
her breath hitched, her face burning with shame as his words carved through her, exposing her, leaving her bare.
"it was the heat between your thighs grieving my absence.” he continued, his voice a velvet knife, slicing through her defenses. "the ache that settled deep in your belly, curling low and sweet like forbidden fruit. it was the way your body sang for me, even as your lips cursed my name."
she turned her face away, her cheeks wet with tears she hadn't realized were falling.
"look at me," he commanded, his tone soft but unyielding.
her eyes snapped back to his, and the weight of his presence pressed down on her like the crushing weight of sin itself.
put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry
harry laughed, deep and cruel, a sound that slithered beneath her skin and coiled around her spine. “do you think your god’s design was flawless? he made you flesh and then called you sinful for feeling it.” his lips were that of the spring berries as he smiled, the faintest stretch of rose.
the scripture would rattle louder in her mind, her lips mouthing the words in a silent, desperate prayer. harry would tilt his head, watching her with an expression that was both pitying and predatory, as though she were a lamb brought before the slaughter. “no prayer, no scripture, no god will efface the truth. you weren’t made to flee from this—you were made to burn.”
”no–“
he leaned closer, his breath warm against her ear as he whispered, "you cannot lie to me, little one. your god may turn a blind eye to the truth of you, but i see it all."
his lips brushed against the shell of her ear, so light it felt like a specter’s touch, but it sent a jolt through her that left her trembling. "and you will call to me, YN.”
ONE day without him was a reprieve, though it did not feel like mercy.
her chest still ached with the weight of the dreams, her thoughts burdened by the lingering whisper of his voice. the sunlight felt sharper that day, the world too bright, too loud. every moment dragged her closer to evening, and she feared the coming of night as much as she longed for its veil.
but the dreams did not come.
that night, her sleep was empty, untouched by his presence. she woke feeling as hollow as the silence he had left behind, her body too cold without the phantom heat of him pressing against her. she prayed that morning, her knees bruised against the stone of her chamber floor, but her words felt hollow, like they were falling into an abyss.
god had not answered. neither had he.
by the time the sun dipped low on the horizon, YN’s mind was frayed, her soul heavy with both relief and dread. she lit a candle and made her way to the small shack her father had built behind the cottage—a sacred place, he called it.
it was little more than a wooden skeleton, the walls warped with time, the roof patched with hay. the wooden crucifix her father had carved hung above a stone altar, its edges blackened with the blood of lambs offered in sacrifice. the air was thick with the smell of wax and ash, the shadows heavy and alive in the flickering candlelight.
she knelt before the altar, the cold of the stone biting into her knees. her hands clasped tightly together, her head bowed, her lips moving in whispered prayer.
“father in heaven, hear me,” she began, her voice trembling. “i am weak. i am lost. guide me, cleanse me, protect me from the darkness that seeks to devour my soul.”
the words felt brittle, as if they might shatter under their own weight.
“deliver me from temptation,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “deliver me from—”
“—yourself?”
the voice echoed through the shack, low and mocking, sending a shiver down her spine. her breath caught, her body freezing in place.
“you ask for deliverance from the one thing you cannot escape.”
she turned her head slowly, her heart pounding as she saw him standing in the shadows. his beauty was sharper here, crueler, as if the walls of this sacred place brought out the worst in him.
“you shouldn’t be here,” she whispered, her voice trembling.
“oh, but i should,” harry said, stepping closer, his movements fluid and calculated. “what better place for me to be? this is where your faith lies, after all. broken and bleeding on that stone.”
he gestured toward the altar, his smile wicked. “how many lambs have been slaughtered here, their blood spilling in vain as your father begged his god to hear him? tell me, little one, how often has he answered?”
she flinched, her hands clutching at her dress, but she couldn’t look away.
“you kneel before this altar as if it can save you,” he paused, his voice a low purr. “but your prayers are nothing more than empty words, falling on deaf ears. your god doesn’t listen, YN. he never has.”
“stop,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
“why should i?” he asked, tilting his head, his eyes pines blanketed in fog. “why should i hold my tongue when the truth is so deliciously plain? look at this place—this shrine to a silent god. the blood stains the stone, the candles burn low, and still, you kneel.”
he stepped closer, the heat of his presence overwhelming her, suffocating.
“you pray to him, and yet your body longs for me.” his voice was a velvet knife. “your lips speak his name, but your soul cries out for mine. every breath you take in this place is a mockery of the faith you claim to hold.”
“you lie,” she spat, her voice trembling.
“do i?”
he reached out, his fingers brushing against the wooden crucifix that hung above the altar. his touch was gentle, reverent almost, but his eyes burned with something dark, something unholy.
"stop.” YN insisted, her voice rising. "you cannot defile this place."
"cannot?" he echoed, his smile widening. "little lamb, i have been defiling sacred places since the stones were first laid."
"get out," she hissed, her voice trembling.
he tilted his head, feigning confusion. "why? am i not welcome in my father's house?"
"you are no son of god.” she bit, her nails digging into her palms.
he laughed, a low, resonant sound that seemed to reverberate off the walls and whisper malevolence. “this,” he said, his voice soft but laced with venom, “is not salvation. it is a symbol of failure. your god hangs here, broken and bleeding, a man nailed to wood, unable to save himself, let alone you.”
her breath hitched, her chest tightening as his words carved through her. the candles burned lower, their flames flickering as if suffocating. the crucifix above them groaned, the carved figure of christ seeming to shift, his eyes now open, his mouth twisted in a silent scream.
“he is not here,” he continued, his tone dripping with mockery. “but i am. i have always been here, in the shadows, in the spaces where your god’s light does not reach.”
he turned to her then, his eyes locking with hers. “kneel to me, YN.” harry exhorted. “kneel to the one who hears you, who sees you, who wants you.”
her body trembled, her knees threatening to give out beneath her. she clutched the edge of the altar, her knuckles white, her breath ragged.
“i will not,” she whispered, though her voice wavered with the weight of the lie.
he smiled, a predator’s smile, and took another step closer. "blessed are the pure in heart," he recited softly, his voice dropping to a whisper. "and yet here you are, YN. your prayers stained with want, your purity burned away by the fire in your chest. tell me, little lamb—what does your god see when he looks at you now?"
DREAMS came to her again last night, wrapping around her like silk soaked in poison. she woke with the taste of copper on her tongue. the air was thick, rancid, like meat left to rot.
but it was saturday, and there was no room for weakness on the sabbath.
her father had already dressed in his fine woolen cloak, his voice sharp as he called for her to hurry. she obeyed, tying her hair beneath her veil, clasping the cross at her neck with trembling fingers.
her steps dragged as she and her father walked to the chapel, the congregation gathering like crows around carrion. the chapel’s crooked steeple cast a shadow across the field, its bell tolling low and mournful. the holy place felt like a maw, swallowing her whole.
the priest’s voice boomed as the congregation kneeled on the dirt floor, their heads bowed.
“let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our god, for he will abundantly pardon.”
the words struck YN like a lash, her heart thundering in her chest as she whispered the verse under her breath. she gripped the wooden bench in front of her, her knuckles white, trying to anchor herself.
“compassion,” the priest intoned, his hands raised high. “he calls to us, even now, though we are unworthy. he calls to the sinners, the straying sheep. come back to him, my children. return to the lord.”
a low chuckle coiled through the air, faint as the flicker of a candle but unmistakable. YN’s stomach dropped.
“do you believe that?” the voice whispered, warm and mocking, curling behind her ear. “that he’ll pardon you? that he’ll save you from me?”
she didn’t dare lift her head.
“seek your servant, for I do not forget your commandments,” the priest continued, his voice heavy with fervor.
“he’s lying,” harry purred, his voice like velvet dragged over glass.
YN’s breath caught in her throat.
“you’ve forgotten every commandment that matters,” harry continued, his tone soft, intimate. “what about the one that said, thou shalt not covet? because you do. every night, in your dreams, you covet me. and your god?” he growled, low and mocking. “he watches.”
her body trembled, her fingers digging into the rough wood as the priest’s voice rose.
“i have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant, for i do not forget your commandments.”
harry’s laughter slithered through her mind, dark and sharp. “you are a lost sheep,” he said, his voice dripping with mock pity. “but he doesn’t seek you, little one. he sent me instead.”
she gritted her teeth, squeezing her eyes shut as the priest called for the hymn. the congregation rose to their feet, their voices low and discordant as they sang, the words clawing at the stale air.
“holy father, forgive us, for we have sinned. purify our hearts, that we may walk in your light…”
“his light,” he scoffed, his voice like a knife slicing through the hymn. “look around you. this chapel is a tomb. the life you sacrifice, the blood you spilled—it did nothing. and still, you sing to a god who leaves you on your knees, begging.”
YN’s voice faltered, the hymn dying in her throat.
“keep singing,” he whispered, his voice a noose around her throat. “pretend he can hear you. pretend this is not the cry of the forsaken.”
her breath came fast, her chest tight as she darted a glance toward the altar. the priest stood with his arms raised, his back to the congregation. behind him, barely visible in the flickering light, stood harry.
he was leaning against stone altar, eyes gleaming with amusement. his beauty was stark against the dark stone, his smile sharp and cruel. he dipped his fingers into the chalice of wine and brought them to his lips, licking the crimson liquid from his skin with deliberate ease.
“the blood of christ,” he murmured, tilting his head. “does it taste like salvation? or does it taste like rot?”
YN’s stomach twisted, her knees trembling as she clutched the back of the pew for support.
“your god demands sacrifice, little one. a lamb, a son, a savior nailed to wood. i demand nothing but you.”
the priest turned, lifting the chalice high. “this is the blood of christ, shed for us, that we may be cleansed of sin.”
harry grinned, his teeth glinting like ivory in the dim light. “if you drink it, will it stop the ache?” he asked, his voice low and taunting. “will it fill the hollow i left in you? or will it only make you hungrier?”
her legs buckled, and she sank back onto the bench, her body trembling.
“stand,” her father hissed under his breath, his grip biting into her arm.
“i can’t,” she whispered, her voice cracking.
“you can,” harry said, stepping closer, his eyes locking with hers. “you will. for you know i’m watching.”
the congregation knelt again, murmuring prayers of repentance. YN bowed her head, her heart pounding as she forced the words to her lips.
“forgive me, lord, for i have sinned…”
“no,” harry growled like a prayer ripped inside out. “not him. me.”
his shadow loomed over her, heavy and oppressive, and when she dared to lift her head, he was standing directly before her. his gaze burned with something dark, something primal, and his smile was a blade pressed to her throat.
“pray to me, little lamb,” he murmured, his voice low and commanding. “ask me to deliver you. beg me for salvation.”
she squeezed her eyes shut, tears slipping down her cheeks as her lips moved in silent prayer.
“your god isn’t listening,” he said, his voice soft and cold. “but i am.”
when she opened her eyes, he was gone. but the air still burned, his words etched into her mind like scripture written with flames.
THE day was gray, heavy with the weight of a coming storm, but YN could not wait for the skies to break. her soul was breaking already.
the dreams were unbearable now. waking was worse. her every breath felt like a prayer unspoken, each step an act of penance for sins she could not name aloud. her father noticed the dark circles beneath her eyes, the tremor in her hands, but he only frowned and muttered about weakness.
"pray harder," he told her.
so she did.
the confessional was cold, the air thick with damp and the faint smell of rot. YN knelt on the rough wood, her skirts pooling around her as she folded her hands tightly, her knuckles white. the small window before her was shuttered, and through the slats came the low rasp of the priest's breathing.
the priest’s voice came soft through the slats. “speak, child. let your sins fall from your lips, and god will wash them away.”
she trembled, unsure if her words could even be spoken aloud. “father, i am… i am haunted.” her voice broke, shaking with shame. “in dreams. a man—no, not a man. something else. he comes to me, tempts me, mocks my prayers. i try to resist, but he—”
her voice failed.
the priest made a low noise of understanding, his tone grave. “the devil comes in many forms, child. his beauty is meant to deceive, his words to ensnare. you must resist him. confess fully, and god will grant you the strength to drive him away.”
YN’s lips parted to respond, but the air changed. the confessional grew darker, the candlelight flickering weakly. the priest’s breathing faltered, replaced by a sound she knew too well.
laughter. low, rich, and far too familiar.
“resist me?” the voice came smooth and mocking, curling through the air like incense. “you could no sooner resist the tide than resist me.”
YN’s blood turned to ice. her nails digging into her palms as she whispered, “no. not here.”
“oh, but here,” his tone was laced in wicked amusement. “this is perfect. isn’t this where you come to bare your soul? where you whisper all your secrets, hoping your silent god will hear?”
“leave,” she hissed, her voice shaking.
his laugh deepened, almost tender. “and rob myself of the pleasure of hearing what you truly want to say?”
her throat tightened as she pressed her hands together, forcing her trembling lips into a prayer.
“our father, who art in heaven—”
“—has forsaken you,” he interrupted, his voice a sharp, blasphemous mimic of reverence. “your father doesn’t want you, little lamb. he gave you to me the moment your knees hit the floor. what did you think he’d do? save you?”
she squeezed her eyes shut, her voice trembling. “hallowed be thy name.”
“yes, hallowed,” he purred. “and hallowed is the way you whisper my name in the dark. tell me, YN, when you kneel like this, do you imagine it’s for him?”
her hands flew to her ears, trying to block him out, but his voice only grew louder, more insistent.
“stop hiding,” he spit, his tone sharp now, demanding. “tell him the truth. tell him how your thighs tremble when i’m near, how your breath catches when i speak your name. tell him about the ache that wakes you in the night, the way you burn for me even when you beg for deliverance.”
her breath came in gasps, her body trembling. “you’re lying,” she choked out, her voice breaking.
“am i?” he asked, leaning closer. the confessional creaked as if straining to contain him. “then why are you here? not to confess, surely. no, you came here hoping i’d follow. hoping i’d find you, press close, whisper in your ear.”
the wood slats separating them seemed too thin, too fragile, and the air grew stifling.
“take and eat, little lamb,” he murmured, his voice low and intimate. “for this is my body, given for you.”
her stomach twisted, shame and something more burning hot in her veins.
“this god of yours,” harry continued, his voice a cruel mockery of the priest’s measured tone. “he asks for everything and gives you nothing. he demands blood, obedience, sacrifice. what do i ask for?”
she shook her head, trembling. “leave me alone.”
“what do i ask for?” he repeated, his voice louder, harsher now, like a crack of thunder. “your pleasure. your desire. the things you deny even to yourself.”
the priest’s voice broke through the haze, faint but steady. “child, speak. what is it you see?”
YN opened her eyes, her breath coming in shallow gasps. through the slats, the priest sat motionless, his eyes half-lidded and dull, as though he were barely there.
“he doesn’t even know i’m here,” harry laughed softly. “they never do. blind sheep, praying to an empty sky. but you see me, don’t you, YN? you feel me.”
she stumbled from the confessional, her knees weak, her chest heaving as she staggered toward the altar. the chapel spun around her, the walls closing in, but she dropped to her knees again, clutching the cold stone with desperate hands.
she looked up, her gaze drawn to the crucifix, and her breath caught in her throat.
christ's face, carved from pale wood, seemed to shift in the trembling candlelight. his eyes, once serene, now seemed to stare down upon her with sorrow—or was it accusation? the wounds on his hands and side bled afresh, crimson rivulets that ran down his body and dripped onto the altar.
she stifled a choke. “forgive me, father,” she whispered, tears streaming down her face. “for i have sinned.”
but the words felt hollow, her prayers cracking under the weight of his voice as it lingered in her mind.
“your god isn’t listening,” harry murmured, his tone soft but unrelenting. “but i am.”
the shadows seemed to twist around her, thick and suffocating, and for a moment, she thought she felt his hand ghost across her cheek. she cried out, pressing her forehead to the stone as the chapel grew silent once more.
but even as she prayed, she could feel him there, watching, waiting.
IT was well past midnight when YN woke with a start, the air in her chamber cold and heavy. the faint light of the moon filtered through the small window, casting pale streaks across the floor. her heart was racing, though she couldn't remember dreaming. perhaps it was the silence itself that had startled her, the kind of silence that felt alive, that pressed against her ears and made the hairs on her neck rise.
then she heard it.
a soft scrape, the barest shift of weight on old stone. her breath caught as her eyes darted toward the corner of the room. at first, there was nothing—just shadow. but the longer she stared, the more the shadows seemed to thicken, pooling together, forming a shape.
and then he stepped into the light.
he looked more human now than he ever had in her dreams, though the sheer perfection of him was anything but mortal. his green eyes glowed faintly in the darkness, sharp and predatory, their color like fresh spring leaves glistening with dew. his curls fell loose around his face, framing features so flawless they felt like an insult to the world that had made her.
he was bare from the waist up, his skin pale as marble, his chest broad and smooth. faint scars crisscrossed his arms and shoulders, not marks of war but something deeper, older, like remnants of a punishment she couldn't begin to fathom. he was beautiful in the way a blade is beautiful—gleaming, deadly, meant to draw blood.
YN's breath came fast and shallow, her body frozen in place as he moved closer. his steps were slow, deliberate, each one making the air between them heavier.
"you didn't dream of me tonight," he said softly, his voice low, almost conversational.
her breath caught as she clutched her blanket tightly.
"did you miss me?"
"no," she whispered, though her voice trembled.
his smile widened, wicked and knowing. "liar."
he stepped closer, and the shadows seemed to follow him, pooling at his feet like they belonged to him.
"why are you here?" she asked, her voice barely audible.
he tilted his head, his green eyes gleaming as he looked at her. "why do you think?"
"leave me be," she whispered, her hands gripping the cross around her neck.
his gaze dropped to it, his smile softening into something crueler. "that again," he muttered, moving closer. "you think it'll save you?"
he reached out, his hand brushing lightly over the cross. it burned hot against her skin, the chain snapping and falling into his palm. the cross itself turned black beneath his touch, the wood cracking, the air around it heavy with the smell of smoke.
YN gasped, her hand flying to her throat as he let the ruined cross clatter to the floor. "you clutch at your symbols like they mean something," he grumbled, his voice rich with disdain. "your god's little trinkets. do you think they'll stop me?"
her breath came fast, her body trembling as he knelt before her, his face level with hers.
"don't," she managed, her voice breaking. but it held no real conviction.
his lips twitched, a soft chuckle rumbling in his chest as he leaned closer, the heat of him suffocating. "don't what? don't touch your meek toys? or don't touch you?"
his hand lifted, slow and calculating, until his fingertips brushed the edge of the blanket covering her legs.
"i see the way you tremble," he murmured, his voice like silk pulled taut. "not with fear. no, this is something else."
“stop.”
"why?" he asked, his tone soft, almost gentle. "why should i stop, when your body begs me to keep going? when your cunt weeps my name, even as your lips say no?"
her face burned, shame twisting in her chest as she shook her head violently. "no. you're lying."
it felt even more shameful that she was the one who lied.
his smile widened, sharp and predatory. "am i?"
his hand dragged up her leg, slowly, the blanket slipping as his fingers grazed her bare skin. her body jolted at the touch, a heat blooming deep in her belly that she tried desperately to ignore.
"there it is," he said softly, his eyes locking with hers. "that flame. you try so hard to smother it, to pretend it's not there. but it is, YN. it always has been."
"you're wrong," she said, though her voice faltered.
his hand paused, resting just above her knee, his thumb brushing in slow circles against her skin. "am i?" he asked, his tone low, teasing. "then why are you shaking? why does your breath hitch when i'm near?"
she clenched her fists, her nails biting into her palms as tears pricked her eyes. her desires were red hot, searing and damning—it could blind her.
"there's no shame in it, little lamb." he murmured, his voice soft and coaxing. "desire is the most human thing about you. even the saints, even the martyrs—they all burned with it. they lied to themselves, called it devotion, but you..." his hand slid higher, his touch light but deliberate. "...you feel it for what it is. don't you?"
her body shuddered, heat and shame twisting together in her chest. "no," she whispered, her voice breaking.
his laughter was soft, warm, like a lover's. "you keep saying that, but your body tells me otherwise. it sings for me, YN. every breath, every tremble, every beat of your heart—it's all for me."
his hand left her leg suddenly, the loss of his touch almost startling. it felt wrong to miss it. but she shifted in her bed, tucking her legs beneath her.
he rose to his feet, towering over her, his presence heavy and oppressive. "look at you," he pouted, his voice low and mocking. "kneeling there like a lamb before the slaughter. tell me, YN—when you kneel to your god, does it feel like this?"
her head snapped up, her breath coming in ragged gasps as tears streaked her cheeks. "you're vile," she spat, her voice trembling.
his smile didn’t waver, “and yet you crave me.”
her lips parted to deny him again, but no words came.
"pray to him," he said suddenly, his tone sharp. "pray to your silent god. beg him to take me away. go on."
her hands shook as she clasped them together, her lips moving in a hurried, whispered prayer.
"louder," he demanded, his voice a growl.
she choked on the words, her voice faltering.
"he doesn't hear you," harry breathed, leaning down, his eyes burning. "but i do. i hear every word, every plea, every desperate little gasp."
his hand brushed against her cheek, light as a whisper, and her body flinched at the heat of his touch. "and i'll return to you.”
then he was gone, leaving her alone in the stifling darkness.
YN collapsed onto the floor, clutching the blackened cross in her trembling hands. her prayers spilled from her lips in frantic, broken whispers, but her chest ached with the weight of him, her shame twisting into something darker.
your body tells me otherwise.
the words echoed in her mind, and no matter how hard she prayed, she couldn't silence them.
and part of her didn’t want them to be silenced.
THE festival was a rare indulgence, but one that brought the village together in a brief, fragile joy. the green had been cleared of mud and manure, and stalls were hastily built from rough-hewn wood to hold baked breads, sugared apples, salted fish, and honeyed wine. ribbons of faded red and gold hung between posts, fluttering weakly in the breeze, a half-hearted attempt at gaiety. the villagers gathered in their sunday best—threadbare cloaks and patched tunics, the smell of sweat and smoke clinging to the air.
YN moved stiffly beside her father, her eyes fixed on the ground as he gripped her arm with a hand calloused from years of tilling the fields. his voice, rough and impatient, barked orders as they wove through the crowd. “stand straight. do not fidget. the merchant will see you soon.” he snapped, his words a command, not comfort.
her stomach churned at the thought. she had heard of the man—léonard. old, jowled, his hands thick with grease and his temper legendary. his two previous wives had died, and the rumors whispered that it was grief that drove him to cruelty. others muttered darker things.
“a match is a blessing,” her father had said weeks before, his face dark as a storm. “you will not shame this family with resistance. god’s will is clear—obedience to your husband, salvation through servitude. you will thank him for this.”
YN bit the inside of her cheek, her throat tight as her father led her through the crowd. laughter and shouting mingled with the braying of goats and the clatter of wagon wheels, but it all felt far away, a blur against the rising dread in her chest.
and then she saw him.
harry.
he was standing near one of the stalls, his green eyes fixed on her, gleaming like firelight through emerald glass. he leaned casually against a post, shirtless, his pale skin a stark contrast to the coarse linens and wool around him.
no one else seemed to notice him.
her breath hitched as he began to move, threading through the crowd with a predator’s ease. his presence was heavy, suffocating, even as he stayed just far enough away to keep her guessing.
her father stopped abruptly, and she nearly stumbled into him.
“he’s here.” her father muttered, his voice heavy with satisfaction.
her gaze snapped forward, and there he was—léonard.
his cloak was fine but stained, the dark fabric stretched tight over his rounded belly. his face was ruddy, his jowls trembling as he spoke, his voice low and wet, like the squelch of mud beneath boots.
“so this is the girl,” léonard paused, his beady eyes scanning her from head to toe. “she’ll bear fine sons, i’m sure.”
YN’s cheeks burned as her father grunted his agreement.
“come closer, girl,” he barked, motioning her forward.
she stepped forward reluctantly, her body tense, her hands clasped tightly together.
and then she felt it.
a touch, light as silk, sliding along the small of her back. her breath caught as harry’s voice curled through her mind.
“look at him,” he purred, his tone rich with disdain. “smells like pig’s blood and sour ale. this is the man your father chose for you? a shepherd fattened for slaughter?”
her knees weakened as his hand slid lower, his touch teasing but firm.
“stop,” she whispered under her breath, her voice trembling.
léonard raised a brow. “speak up, girl.”
harry chuckled darkly, his breath warm against her ear. “sheep don’t speak,” he said, his tone a mockery of scripture. “they follow.”
her body stiffened as his hand crept to her hip, his fingers pressing lightly, just enough to make her shiver.
“obedience,” he murmured, his lips brushing the curve of her ear. “isn’t that what they want from you? isn’t that what your god demands? kneel, obey, bleed. it’s a wonder they don’t ask you to thank them for it.”
léonard was still speaking, his voice droning on about dowries and blessings, but it was muffled now, like the buzz of flies over something rotting.
“look at him,” he whispered. “look at the way his lips move, spilling lies and demands. do you smell it, little one? the decay beneath gold? this is what they call god’s will.”
her breath hitched as harry’s hand moved to her thigh, his fingers dragging upward slowly, teasingly.
“you could scream right now,” his voice was low and taunting. “and no one would care. they’d blame you for it. your father would say it’s your fault. your god would call it a test. but me? i’d enjoy it.”
“enough,” she hissed under her breath, her voice trembling.
léonard frowned. “what did you say?”
he laughed, his eyes gleaming. “tell him, little lamb. tell him what you really want to say.”
YN’s heart raced as harry stepped around her, moving behind léonard.
“this is what you’ll wake up to every morning,” he taunted, gesturing to the man’s bulk, his jowls, the faint stink of sweat and blood. “this is your future. do you see it?”
he tilted his head, his lips curling into a wicked smile.
“let me show you.”
before she could respond, harry reached out, and suddenly léonard’s throat was slit, a jagged, gaping wound spilling blood in thick rivulets. his mouth moved silently, his eyes wide with shock as he stumbled back, gurgling, before collapsing to the ground.
her breath caught in her throat, her body frozen in horror.
harry knelt beside the body, his fingers dipping into the blood and lifting it to his lips. “the blood of the lamb,” he said, his tone rich with mockery. “shed for you. do you feel saved yet?”
her knees buckled, and she grabbed at her skirts, trembling.
“YN!” her father barked, his voice sharp.
she blinked, and léonard was standing again, unharmed, his voice droning on as if nothing had happened.
harry stood beside him, his eyes locked on hers, his smile wicked. “just a taste,” he mumbled. “but you see it now, don’t you? the rot. the lie. tell me you want more.”
her chest heaved, her breath shallow as she tore her gaze away, trembling. “i… i need a moment.” she stammered, fleeing before her father could object.
YN's feet moved without thought, her breath shallow and uneven as she fled toward the trees at the edge of the green. the sounds of the festival faded behind her—laughter, clinking mugs, the low hum of a hymn sung off-key. she stumbled into the shadows, her back pressing against the rough bark of a tree as her hands trembled against her skirts.
her heart pounded as she clenched her eyes shut, willing the sickening image of léonard's torn throat to leave her mind. the blood. the gurgling.
the way harry had knelt so casually beside the body, his fingers trailing through the crimson spill like it was honey.
"it wasn't real," she whispered, her voice shaking. "it wasn't real."
"oh, but it could be."
her eyes snapped open, and there he was.
he stood a few paces away, leaning casually against another tree, his eyes bright even in the dim light. he looked impossibly at ease, his shirtless torso pale and gleaming, the scars that marked his flesh carved from a divine hand.
her chest heaved as she pressed herself tighter against the tree, her knees trembling. "you’re vile," she spat, though the words came out weak, a desperate attempt to regain control.
harry’s smile widened, wicked and knowing. "yet here you are," he said softly, stepping closer. "running from him. running to me."
she pressed her back harder against the tree, the bark scraping through the thin fabric of her dress.
"leave me," she whispered, her voice trembling.
harry tilted his head, his curls catching the faint light, making him look more angel than demon. but his smile gave him away, all sharp edges and mockery. "leave you?" he repeated, taking a slow step closer. "but you're the one who called me here. the moment you fled, the moment you thought of me instead of your god."
"i didn't," she said quickly, her voice breaking, though she couldn't meet his eyes.
"liar." he murmured, closing the distance between them in a single stride.
the heat of him was overwhelming, pressing against her like a heavy shroud. his fingers reached for her, trailing along her jawline, his touch featherlight but impossible to ignore.
"do you know what you've done, little lamb?" he asked softly, his tone almost gentle. "you've brought me here. to this holy forest, where the air smells of prayer and sacrifice. do you think your god is watching now?"
she flinched, her lips trembling as she looked down. "he watches everything."
harry laughed, low and dark, turpentine—wearing her thin . "oh, YN. he does not watch you, if he was, would he have let me come so close?"
his fingers slipped beneath her chin, lifting her face until their eyes met. "would he have let you feel this?"
her breath hitched as his other hand trailed down, brushing over her waist, bunching the fabric of her dress in his fist. the coarse wool scraped against her skin as he gathered it higher, his green eyes never leaving hers.
"stop," she whispered, her voice trembling.
his smile widened, cruel and indulgent. "but you don't want me to stop," he said softly, his tone a mockery of tenderness. "you want me to keep going, to do what your god will not."
there was a moment of silence, eyes boring into one another as the trees shook in the breeze of whispers. “banish me.” he prodded, his eyebrows furrowed. “tell me to go and i will leave you.”
her chest heaved as she struggled to find her voice, to deny him, but the words tangled in her throat.
the faint glimmer of her damning shining through her cracked resolve.
"look at you," he murmured, his lips brushing the shell of her ear. "trembling like a virgin sacrifice before the altar. but that's what you want, isn't it? to be taken. to feel something other than this cold, empty devotion."
"no," she choked out, though her body betrayed her, her legs weakening as he stepped closer, his body crowding hers against the tree.
"no?" he repeated, his voice a low growl. "then why aren't you pushing me away? why does your breath quicken when i touch you? why does your cunt sing for me, even now?"
his hand slipped lower, finding her thigh beneath her skirts. his touch was firm but slow, deliberate, as he dragged his fingers upward, his gaze locked on hers.
"your god asks for obedience," he uttered, his voice sharp and mocking. "he demands sacrifice. but i ask for nothing but this."
her knees buckled slightly as his fingers brushed the edge of her undergarments, the heat pooling low in her belly making her head spin.
"don't." she whispered, though her voice lacked conviction.
harry's free hand moved to her chin, tilting her face up to meet his gaze. "don't lie to me, little lamb. i can taste the truth on your lips."
he leaned closer, his breath warm against her mouth. "say it," he urged, his voice low and commanding. "say you want me."
her breath came fast and shallow, her heart pounding as shame and desire tangled in her chest.
"say it.”
her resolve crumbled. "i-i want you," she choked out, her voice breaking.
she gasped, her hands clutching his arms while her face burned—shame and something darker twisting inside her as his fingers slipped beneath the thin fabric, finding her folds.
"there," he murmured, his tone soft and taunting. "that's the truth of you, YN. not the prayers, not the fasting, not the faith. this. this heat, this need, this sin. it's mine."
her nails bit into his skin, taut and firm underneath while his digits slid through her arousal, deliberate and unhurried.
"you'll deny it, of course," he hummed, eyes burning as he watched her. "you'll call it blasphemy, call it wrong. but it's not wrong, is it? it feels too good to be wrong."
she bit her lip, her breath coming in shallow gasps, her body trembling as he circled her clit with maddening precision.
when he withdrew his hand, her body lurched at the loss, her breath catching in her throat. harry's fingers glistened in the faint light, slick with her arousal, a damning testament to her betrayal.
"look at this," he breathed, holding his hand before her face. his eyes burned with triumph, his lips curling into a smile. "the fruit of your desire. forbidden, but oh, so sweet."
YN's lips trembled, her cheeks wet with tears as she tried to look away.
"no," he said sharply, his tone slicing through the air like a blade. "you don't get to turn away from this. from me. taste it, little lamb. taste what you've given me."
her stomach twisted as he pressed his fingers to her lips, the heat of his touch scorching her skin.
"open," he commanded, his voice low and unyielding.
she hesitated, her chest heaving with shame and fear.
"open," he said again, his voice softer now, almost coaxing. "you've come this far. don't turn back now."
her lips parted, a trembling act of surrender, and he slipped his fingers into her mouth. the taste was overwhelming—salt and heat and something darker, something that made her stomach clench and her body burn with ashamed desire.
"good girl.” he breathed, his tone a velvet caress. his eyes stayed locked on hers, watching every flicker of emotion that crossed her face.
when he pulled his fingers away, he let them trail down her chin, leaving a faint sheen behind.
"do you see it now?" he asked softly, his hand moving to cup her face. "do you see what you are?"
she shook her head, not trusting her voice.
his smile deepened, his thumb brushing over her trembling lips. “you do not see, hm?” he cooed, “you are mine by design, as eve was made for adam, as fire is made to burn."
she slid down the tree, her back scraping against the bark as she crumpled to the ground, her head in her hands.
harry crouched before her, his smile softening into something almost tender. "pray if you like," he murmured. "but it won't change the truth."
he stood then, his green eyes gleaming as he disappeared into the shadows, leaving her trembling and broken beneath the gnarled branches of the forest.
THE days following her surrender blurred together, each one heavier than the last. YN no longer prayed—not because she didn't want to, but because the words felt meaningless. they sat heavy on her tongue, unmoving, like stones lodged in her throat. every attempt at confession ended in silence, the weight of her sin pressing her knees deeper into the cold stone of the chapel floor.
and yet, it wasn't guilt that made her tremble in the quiet moments. it wasn't shame that kept her awake at night, her hands fisting her sheets as she tried to ignore the heat pooling low in her belly. it was him. the memory of his touch, his voice, his green eyes burning into hers as though they could see every thought she tried to hide.
she waited for him. every day, every night. and when he didn't come, it felt like torment.
it was near midnight when she woke to the smell of smoke.
at first, she thought the cottage was burning, but when she sat up, the air was still. no flames licked at the thatched roof, no shouts from her father broke the night. the smell was faint, clinging to her skin like an afterthought, mingling with the faint taste of ash on her tongue.
the shack was colder than she remembered.
YN stepped inside, her breath catching as the warped wooden door groaned shut behind her. the faint smell of damp wood and old blood clung to the air, a reminder of the offerings her father had made here long ago. candles sat in the corners of the room, their flames low and flickering, casting shadows that stretched like grasping hands across the walls.
and at the center of it all stood the altar.
its surface was dark with stains that time could not scrub away. her father's hands had held lambs there, muttering prayers as their blood spilled onto the stone. the altar had been a place of sacrifice, of devotion, of faith.
now, it was hers.
harry stood beside it, waiting. his bare chest gleamed in the candlelight, the scars that crossed his pale skin stark and unyielding. his eyes burned as they met hers, the corners of his mouth curling into a slow, knowing smile.
"you came," he murmured, his voice low, almost reverent.
her body trembled as she stepped closer, the worn planks beneath her feet creaking with every step. "you called for me.” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"are you afraid?" he asked, his voice a low hymn, the kind that made sinners weep.
YN's knees shook. her faith had been a crutch her entire life, a shield against the dark, but now that shield was splintered, discarded at her feet. she didn't want god anymore.
she wanted him.
"no," she lied, though her heart was a caged bird, its wings beating frantically against her ribs.
harry smiled. it was not a kind smile. it was the smile of a wolf, sharp and full of promise. he beckoned her closer with the wave of his hand, her steps light until she stood before him at the altar.
his hand reached for her, pale fingers curling around her throat. his grip was light, reverent, as though she were something holy, something to be cherished.
his mouth found hers, claiming her with a kiss that was both savage and tender, his lips devouring hers with a hunger that felt endless. her body melted against him, her resistance crumbling with every stroke of his tongue, every graze of his teeth.
his hands roamed her body, pulling at the coarse fabric of her dress, lifting it away from her skin with a reverence that felt almost mocking. when the cold air hit her bare flesh, she shivered, but his warmth was there, surrounding her, consuming her.
he looked at her like she was something sacred, a relic carved by divine hands. his eyes trailed over her shoulders, her breasts, her hips, lingering on the hollow of her throat where her pulse fluttered like a trapped moth.
"do you know,” his voice soft as a lover's whisper, "that heaven and hell both weep at the sight of you?"
her breath hitched, her cheeks burning as she crossed her arms over her chest, trying to shield herself from his gaze.
"don't," he said softly, his tone sharp but not unkind.
his hands reached for hers, pulling her arms away from her body. "don't hide from me, YN. not here. not now."
his hands moved over her then, slow and purposeful, tracing every curve, every line, as though committing her to memory.
"you're perfect," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "the most beautiful lie heaven has ever told."
her chest heaved as his hands slid to her waist, lifting her effortlessly onto the cold stone of the altar. the chill bit into her skin, sharp and unyielding, but it was nothing compared to the heat of his body as he stepped between her legs.
"do you feel it, little lamb?" harry murmured, his voice dark and smooth, the words curling into her ear like smoke. "the way your body aches for something more? the way your soul trembles at the edge of the void?"
YN gasped, her body trembling beneath him, every nerve alight with a sensation she couldn't name. she tried to speak, to protest, but when his fingers gripped her hips and dragged her closer, the words dissolved on her tongue.
"i'll make you feel heaven," he sighed against her lips, his voice a promise and a threat.
her mind swirled with panic and want, her hands pressing weakly against his chest. "this is... wrong," she whispered, her voice trembling.
"wrong?" harry repeated, a laugh slipping from his lips, low and mocking. "do you think the lamb is asked if it consents to the knife? do you think your god cares for your innocence, your purity? no, YN. you were born for this. to be taken. to be ruined."
before she could respond, he kissed her, and it wasn't the soft, tender act she had imagined in her prayers. his lips claimed hers with bruising intensity, his tongue forcing its way past her defenses, devouring her protests until there was nothing left but submission.
her hands, once pushing against him, now clutched at his shoulders, desperate for something to anchor her as the world seemed to shift beneath her.
his lips descended to her neck, his breath hot against her skin as he kissed the tender flesh just below her ear. she shuddered, her fingers tightening against into him as his teeth grazed her, a soft scrape that sent heat coursing through her veins.
her head fell back, a soft moan escaping her lips, and she hated herself for it. hated the way her body betrayed her, the way it arched toward him, desperate for his touch.
his body was a weapon forged of bone and muscle. he was naked, his skin a canvas of scars and shadows, his beauty as blasphemous as it was perfect.
"do you remember your scripture, YN?" he asked, his lips brushing her ear. "your body is a temple, isn't it?"
her breath came in short, desperate gasps. "yes.”.
"then let me worship."
the stone of the altar was cold against her back, a sharp contrast to the heat radiating from his body. he moved with purpose, his hands firm on her thighs as he spread her open, exposing her in a way that made her breath hitch.
he shifted, pressing his hips against hers, and the hardness of his cock sent a shudder through her body. she gasped, her nails digging into his sides as he positioned himself between her thighs, his movements deliberate, torturous.
YN cried out, her back arching against the altar, her hands clutching at him as her body stretched to accommodate him. he fucked into her, the sensation overwhelming, a mix of pain and pleasure so intense it felt like her very soul was unraveling.
"that's it," he grunted, his voice thick with pleasure. "take me, little lamb.��
his hips moved, his thrusts deep and unforgiving, each one dragging a sound from her lips that she couldn't control. the rhythm of him was maddening, each movement sending a wave of heat crashing through her, building and building until she thought she might break.
"do you feel it?" he asked, his hand gripping her thigh, his fingers digging into her flesh. "do you feel heaven inside you? because it is not god who gives it to you. it is me."
YN's head fell back, her eyes squeezed shut as her body betrayed her, her hips rising to meet his with every thrust. she hated herself for the way her breath hitched, for the way her moans spilled from her lips like confessions.
"say it," he commanded, his voice low and rough, his hips driving into her with brutal precision. "say you find salvation in me."
her eyes flew open, meeting his gaze, and she saw it then—the green fire that burned in his eyes, the darkness that curled at the edges of his smile.
"say it," he demanded again, his pace quickening, his body relentless—a sacred place ricocheting with moans and wet slaps of skin against skin.
"i–" she gasped, her hands clawing at his back, her breath coming in ragged sobs.
"say it," he growled, his hand tangling in her hair, pulling her head back so that she had no choice but to look at him.
"i find salvation in you!" she cried, the words ripping from her throat like a scream.
his smile was triumphant, his lips descending to her throat, his teeth scraping against her skin as he drove into her harder, faster, each thrust filling her with a pleasure so sharp it bordered on agony.
her body tensed, her breath catching as the pleasure crested, shattering over her like a wave. she cried out, her voice echoing through the chapel, a sound of both ecstasy and despair.
as she fell apart beneath him, she felt the final pieces of her faith crumble, her soul slipping from her grasp and into his hands.
harry stilled above her, his lips brushing against her ear as he whispered, "you were always meant for this. for me."
the shack went still. the candles burned low, their wax pooling onto the cracked wooden floor, the flames flickering weakly as if ashamed of what they had witnessed. the air was heavy, thick with the scent of sweat and smoke and something darker. the altar was cold beneath YN’s bare back, but she no longer felt it.
the space seemed different now. even as moonlight spilled through cracks in the wood, painting the ruins in pale silver, there was no pretense of holiness. the crucifix above her hung crooked, the wooden christ staring down with lifeless eyes, mouth agape not in sacrifice but in mockery. if god was watching, he did nothing. no lightning struck. no thunder rolled.
she thought, for the first time, that perhaps he was never there at all.
what had she done?
the answer burned its way into her mind, not with guilt, but with a clarity so sharp it was almost cruel. she had abandoned heaven for him. traded salvation for damnation.
the weight of harry’s body pressed into her, his chest rising and falling against hers in a rhythm that was almost human. almost. her eyes were fixed on the ceiling, her breath shallow, her hands limp at her sides.
this was what she had feared, wasn’t it? the moment she’d run from, prayed against, begged god to prevent. and yet here she was, laid bare on the very altar her father had once sanctified with lamb’s blood. the same altar where prayers for forgiveness had echoed into the rafters, unanswered.
she could feel harry still on her, even as he moved away, the imprint of his body an ache that had lodged itself deep in her marrow.
the stone beneath her was unforgiving, just like the faith she had clung to for so long. faith that had demanded her knees break on cold chapel floors, her hands bleed as she tilled the earth in her father’s shadow, her heart ache as she bent to the will of a god who had never once spoken her name.
now, that faith lay in ruins.
she pushed herself up slowly, her limbs weak, her thighs slick with what they had done. the air bit at her skin, but she did not cover herself. there was no point. there was no shame left to cloak herself in.
harry stood near the altar, watching her. his naked body was a study in contrasts—smooth and unyielding, as though carved from alabaster, but alive with a heat that seemed to radiate from his very core. his beauty was inhuman, the kind that drew worship but offered no mercy in return.
his gaze on her was heavy, not with judgment but with possession. he had taken her, yes, but it wasn't force. it was inevitability. a dance they were always meant to perform.
YN swung her legs over the edge, her bare feet touching the cold stone floor. she thought of the animals her father had slaughtered here, the way their blood had run in thin rivulets down the grooves of the altar.
how fitting that she had bled here, too.
harry spoke no parting words, offered no promises. he didn't need to. what had happened was already written into her skin, her bones. it wasn't just her body he had claimed. it was her soul, and now it was marked, an unholy sigil that no prayer could erase.
when she stepped out into the night, the air was sharp and cold, the stars above indifferent and unmoving. but YN did not shiver. she felt warm, burning with a fire that no heaven or hell could extinguish.
there were no more prayers left on her lips. no scripture to guide her. there was only him, harry, and the path he had carved into her.
and as they disappeared into the forest's dark embrace, the shack and its altar remained behind, empty and silent, its walls whispering of a god who had abandoned it long ago.
#harry styles#harry styles blurb#harry styles fanfiction#harry styles imagine#harry styles one shot#harry styles writing#harry styles x reader#harry edward styles#harry styles concept#harry styles au#kinktober#demonrry#harry styles smut#dom!harry#harry styles drabble#harry styles fanfic
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Get Ready to Unleash Chaos with Just Crow Things: A Unique Gaming Experience
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Just Crow Things release for the sandbox-y adventure game with a new trailer for Linux, Mac, and Windows PC. Thanks to the creative team at Unbound Creations. Getting ready to make it's debut on Steam. Unbound Creations, the award-winning indie studio behind hits like "Rain on Your Parade" and "Headliner: NoviNews," has just announced the release date for their new game, Just Crow Things. In this title, you play as a little crow on a mission due to prove herself to the world. Make new animal friends, poop on unsuspecting humans, and steal all the shiny trinkets you can find. Since each level is like a mini sandbox, packed with fun items to discover and puzzles to solve. Plus, you also get to cause a bit of chaos along the way. Why? Just caws!
Just Crow Things - Release Date Trailer
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In this level-based adventure, you'll reclaim what was stolen from you while making new animal friends. You'll tackle different tasks in various settings like the French Riviera, Ancient Egypt, and bustling New York. Some tasks will also test your skills, some your brains, and some are just plain silly. You get to choose the most fun ways to create Adorable Chaos - since there's something in the Just Crow Things release for everyone!
Key Features:
Explore 10 Unique Levels: Each one is a sandbox full of surprises.
Customize Your Crow: Dress up with cute hats, scarves, and more.
Discover "Poop Modes": Find and eat different foods to unlock new ways to poop!
Use a Variety of Tools: Pick up and use all sorts of objects.
Make Animal Friends: Help them out and build your Crowputation.
The Just Crow Things release also offers optional side tasks to challenge you further. Find hidden hats and skins, beat racing challenges worldwide, and unlock a special Sandbox Mode. Since this is where you can unleash all sorts of mayhem. Spread your wings and show off your crow style by customizing your appearance to be as cute as possible. If you can't wait to play, there's a Linux demo available on Steam still.
Release Date
Just Crow Things sandbox-y adventure is due to release on August 15th for Linux, Mac, and Windows PC. Get ready to dive into this crow-tastic chaos. So, gear up and prepare to cause some adorable fun with your feathered friend. It's due to be intriguing, and I can't wait to see all the creative ways to wreak havoc. Catch you on August 15th!
#just crow things#sandbox#adventure#linux#gaming news#unbound creations#ubuntu#mac#windows#pc#unity#Youtube
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I really love aeons from hsr- so I decided to create my own 💪
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Strelizia, the aeon of the Indomitable- focusing on concepts such as freedom/ liberty, fearlessness, bravery, longing, anticipation and change.
Unfortunately little is known about this aeon, as they were absorbed by Aha, the Elation, around the time of Aha’s creation.
There have been speculation amongst scholars about the history of the Indomitable, as there have been little recorded evidence of their existence despite the physical manifestations of their impact amongst the universe.
However recently anthropologists have written about two distinct factions related to Strelizia from stories passed down by word and mouth.
Epinephrine Pirates: A reckless and boundless faction of space explorers, mostly made up of liberated organics. They have no goal, no organised forces, no direction, no fear. But despite that, they can be recognised by an intricate butterfly symbol worn somewhere amongst their being.
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The Dauntless Scholars: An unusual faction seeking enlightenment. These self proclaimed scholars are mainly made up of inorganic beings seeking to feel and be unbound by their design, with a few organic beings dotted around. They’re said to be just as reckless as the pirates, however the difference that sets them apart is their ruthlessness, as their ambitions and longing for something they can never achieve, makes them dangerous, makes them fearless and deadly. anthropologist have the most information about this faction out of the two, as it is said the scholars have terrorised the universe for years leaving dents and fractures that have carried on throughout generations. In stories they are often represented by black bands worn on their body.
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Ultimately, followers of Strelizia are either categoried by adrenaline junkies, forever travellers, or emotionless beings seeking enlightenment.
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And that’s it so far, it’s a bunch of mushed up ideas for now but hopefully they make sense 💪💪💪
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Drawfee Tarot Analysis with Draz
Nathan Past - The Sun / Present - Strength
The Sun is a card of unbridled positivity and optimism. When you see it upright in a reading, it is always a good sign. But it's also a card that's often unrealistic and naive. Other cards come with warnings, but the Sun does not.
Strength reminds us that physical force is one manifestation of power. Emotional strength is equally as important. The maiden has tamed the lion with her kindness and compassion, not by besting it in a fight. Still, it is important to remember that on this card, both maiden and lion share the mantle of Strength. It is both of them, not one or the other.
Both largely positive cards, the Sun and Strength embolden each other.
In regards to Nathan in particular, I have to point out the similarities of Nathan's 2024 avatar and the duality of the maiden and the lion. Nathan is perhaps best known for his kindness and warmth, qualities exemplified by the sun, but ignoring the wide spectrum of his feelings is like ignoring the lion. Personally, I admire him for his ability to keep his optimism and his bitterness and rage in balance.
Therefore, in a sense, Nathan's cards represent his increasing willingness to share his more negative frustrations, while never losing sight of the light of the sun.
Jacob Past - The Fool / Present - The Chariot
The Fool is unique in that it is the 0th Major Arcana. The Fool is unbound by numbers, by order. The Fool is potential incarnate, inviting us to leap towards the future and seize the day. The Fool does not care about plans, preferring to deal with each new situation as they arise.
In comparison, the Chariot is a focused force with a goal in mind and with the confidence to see it through. The two sphinxes that drive the chariot represent opposing desires, but upright the charioteer is able to get the sphinxes to move forward together through sheer willpower alone.
Together, they are a confident duo encouraging forward momentum. The Chariot reins in the Fool's more reckless aspects while the Fool reminds the Chariot to still have fun along the journey and that keeping plans flexible is important.
These two cards clearly represent Jacob's journey since Drawfee became independent. While his role as episode and stream host (in particular trying to get everyone through the intro) is the most obvious, this also includes his role as content strategist. His analytical side is where his Chariot aspects shine brightest. In addition, the Fool and the Chariot combine when he makes music. When Jacob's well crafted plans fall apart, it is the Fool that comes to his rescue.
Karina Past - The Empress / Present - The Magician
Representing Mother Nature, the Empress is all about beauty and creativity. The Empress asks us to embrace qualities traditionally seen as feminine, regardless of gender. You are not weak or lesser for taking care of yourself or expressing yourself. The Empress encourages us to get in touch with our emotions, as well as the natural world.
The Magician is numbered 1 in the Major Arcana, and represents the transformation of the raw potential of the Fool into something actionable. The Magician has all the tools needed to fulfill their desires, but those tools might not necessarily look usable in their current state. The Magician must recognize this and realize the true nature of these tools.
The Empress and the Magician are both creative cards and support each other in this endeavor, provided that the querent (person the card reading is about) takes initiative.
Though both cards symbolize Karina's journey these past four years, it is no surprise that the Magician is one of them, with the creation of Sonny Mama and other mixed media creations in the past year. Nothing exemplifies the Magician more than literally using things like a log and a brick as part of a sculpture. The Empress's presence is subtler though the numerous plants that live in Karina's apartment give it away.
Julia Past - The Tower / Present - The Emperor
Due to its name, Death is often seen as the "worst" Major Arcana card. It's not. That distinction goes to the Tower (though the "worst" tarot card overall goes to the Ten of Swords). The Tower is sudden upheaval, is destruction, is disaster. Yet even so, the Tower is not an unredeemable card. Far from it. Sometimes a situation is so bad the only way to end it is to obliterate it. Sometimes the old must be destroyed to give way for the new. The Tower does not give us the tools to rebuild, that is something we have to do on our own, but it does show us that it is possible to build something better from the rubble.
The Emperor represents an authoritative figure who enforces structure in an otherwise chaotic world. Equally, the Emperor is a strategist who keeps in mind the needs of others when making decisions. The Emperor is also a protector, shouldering burdens so that others don't have to.
It can be easy to think of these two cards as complete opposites. In reality, this means they are both sides of the same coin. If the Tower is destruction of the old paradigm, then the Emperor is the establishment of the new.
The Collegehumor Layoffs exemplify the idea of the Tower. An established workplace that came crashing down. And Julia, the Emperor, rose up to the challenge of dealing with all the paperwork that would eventually lead to Drawfee's independence. Four years later, Drawfee still benefits from the work Julia did, not to mention the fact that she continues to deal with everything finance related in regards to the company. Not to mention all of the other tasks Julia takes on. While all five members of Drawfee are essential, it would be safe to say Drawfee would be unable to exist in its current form without Julia.
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Hymn to Sekhmet
by Joey Rivers (ascendingaeons)
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O Sekhmet, Great Eye of Ra, the First and the Last Healer and Destroyer, Mother and Daughter You Who accepted the Command of Ra, Your Father To cleanse the Two Lands of Isfet But Your nature was too mighty, Great of Strength as You Are Wanton and unrestrained, You ravaged Earth as a purifying flame And as Ra looked on and saw His Eye, He was stricken with pause By the Will of the Sun, Your Rage was quieted by a crimson brew And into transformative slumber You fell, Great Goddess And from Your great Rage, Het-Heru rose A new Eye was christened, of eros sublime And you, Great Mother, knew the sadness of regret
You, Great Goddess, know the measure of rage unbound And so You Stand, Great Mother of War, in defense and duty Of the Principles and Consequences of Ma’at Your Children are many, Great Lady of Life Diverse in their multitudes, empowered by their tribulation
Yours is the soldier, Your Mighty Sekhem made flesh and bone Entrenched in a maelstrom of fire and blood Returning home to a nation that does not understand him
Yours is the survivor, a living branch of Your burning Will triumphant Endeavoring to rise above the quagmire of loss and agony Through You their struggle is transmuted into the golden light of ka ascendant
Yours is the mother, she who knows sacrifice and sleepless nights A font unyielding of love and pride, of smiles and laughter perfected They who bear the weight of the world so a child can know childhood
Yours is the healer, an alchemist of the ontological persuasion He who is humbled by the frailty beholden to human experience He who ushers Your Sekhem through the riptide of transformative loss
Yours is the artist, through whose passions course Your Divine Fire Who walks the scales of inspiration and madness, knowing Creation unfiltered An alchemist versed in the milieus of perception
For You, Great Goddess, are the very Force of Change You are that which makes men tremble so Such an unnecessary fear, of wisdom and experience untouched Were I You, I would feel such sadness But how You smile, Great One! How You laugh! How You fight! You are not “she who cowers before Apep!” NO! You are the Great Lioness Who rends Chaos asunder! You fight and rage and bite and tear Passion and emotion alive and unrestrained!
You are Love, Great Goddess You are Fear, Great Goddess You are Devotion, Great Goddess You are Loss, Great Goddess You are Health, Great Goddess You are Sickness, Great Goddess This is why I call You the Mother of Life Your Ka is the very essence of experience! Your Sekhem is the very wind of change!
When I first called upon You, timid and unsure, I beheld Your Gaze, a window of fire open before my face And as quickly as You Saw me, You left And again when I called to You with offering of water and bread Exhausted by grief and devotion, tirelessly sung from a caregiver’s heart You came to me and my eyes were opened to You! As I lay without sleep, You stood at my bedside Stroking my back with strong hands of fire Whispering strength and courage into my ear As a sentinel You walked with me, a Mother Lioness guarding Her cub Such loyalty and tenderness You showed And my eyes were forever opened to Your nature
You are the very Force of Creation, the Monad of Being From which stems those primordial principalities Love and Fear, Physis and Logos, Known and Unknown Order and Disorder, Life and Death, Dynamism and Stasis
I offer henu to You, Great Goddess of Creation The endless potentiality and movement of the living cosmos The Fires Divine that Become living sinews and living earth
I offer henu to Your Husband Ptah, the Cosmic Smith Patron of artisans, of those who tirelessly toil In the pursuit of Bringing Into Being but a shard of the Sacred Unmanifest
I offer henu to Your Son, the Beautiful Nefertem The Ageless Lotus that rose from the Benben Stone The First Splendid Light to Shine in the churning Waters of Nun
It was You Who held my right hand as I accepted the mark of a healer And embraced me as a Mother would Her graduating son I offer You my pain, Great Goddess So that You may transmute it into Strength I offer You my fear, Great Goddess So that You may transmute it into Courage I offer You my uncertainty, Great Goddess So that You may transmute it into Wisdom
Into Your Belly I give of myself to unleash my greatest potential To burst from Your Bosom, shining and emboldened For there is nothing that is beyond Your Reach, Great Mother It is for me, now, to See that nothing is beyond my own
Dua Sekhmet! Dua Sekhmet! Dua Sekhmet!
#sekhmet#ptah#nefertem#apep#kemetic#kemetism#kemeticism#netjeru#egyptian gods#spiritual alchemy#deity work#deity worship#polytheist#egyptian polytheism#goddess#goddess worship#sa sekhem sahu#kemet#ancient kemet#kemetic polytheism#pagan#pagan prayer
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BioWare Blogpost: Accessibility
"Journal #10 Accessibility Spotlight A look into Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s Gameplay Accessibility Options --- Hey everyone! Today, we want to share many of the Accessibility features in Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Regardless of skill level or ability, we want everyone to be able to enjoy the full experience and story of our game. There are several features and settings to customize the game to meet your individual needs; so let’s dig in!"
"First off, let’s discuss combat and the difficulty settings. During Character Creation, players can select from one of five curated difficulty levels or create a completely customized experience: Storyteller - Here for the story. Keeper - A balanced combat experience that emphasizes party composition and equipment choices over reaction times. Adventurer - A balanced experience that places equal emphasis on combat, party composition, and equipment choices. Underdog - Here to be pushed to the limit, requiring strategic planning and tactical decisions. Nightmare - Overwhelming battles that give no quarter. Requires a mastery of combat, equipment, skills, and game mechanics to survive. - Selecting Nightmare cannot be undone without starting a new playthrough. Unbound - Customize all settings. - Settings impact numerous aspects of gameplay. If this is your first time, consider a curated preset instead. Even after selecting a difficulty, there are more combat options available in the Settings Menu if you wish to make further adjustments. For example, you can adjust elements like parry timing, aim assist strength, or even how aggressive enemies are. See below for a full list of combat settings."
"UI and HUD elements are also customizable. Many elements of the HUD can be conditionally hidden or turned off entirely. For example, you can fully hide elements like Rook’s health, the objective tracker, or the Mini Map. There are also options for the text size in the UI."
"There are some accessibility aids for interface elements. For example, subtitles are fully customizable allowing you to modify things like the size, opacity, speaker names, and color. Other settings add audio aids to visual-only elements like incoming attack indicators. For anyone with vision deficiencies, there are full-screen color filters to improve visibility."
"Beyond the UI and HUD, there are a few more options regarding the game’s visual effects. For anyone who deals with motion sickness, there is a Persistent Dot Option and Motion Blur can be fully turned off. The in-game Camera Shake can also be adjusted from 0-100%. Additionally, there’s an FOV slider in the graphical settings."
"As discussed in the PC Features Blog, all inputs are remappable for gameplay in Dragon Age: The Veilguard on both controller and keyboard for all platforms. Input sensitivity and deadzones are also customizable with sliding scales. There are some UI interactions that require an input to be held for a short period of time, but this can be changed to tap instead. All of these options allow you to play the game in whatever way is most comfortable. These settings and more are available in Dragon Age: The Veilguard! See a full list below to check out all of our Accessibility settings and check out our Accessibility Portal. Interviews and coverage of our Preview Event will be released on September 19th; so watch out for that. Chat soon! — The Dragon Age Team"
"Audio - 3D Audio - Accessibility SFX - Glint Ping SFX - Mono Audio - Speaker Type - Volume Sliders Controls - Ability Wheel Controller Activation (Hold or Tap) - Disable UI Hold Inputs - Input Remapping - Invert Axis (X & Y available) - Swap Left & Right Sticks - Stick Deadzones - Trigger Deadzones - Vertical & Horizontal Sensitivity - Vibration Intensity GAMEPLAY Combat - Aim Assist - Aim Snap - Combat Timing - Enemy Aggression - Enemy Damage - Enemy Health - Enemy Resistances - Enemy Vulnerability - Prevent Death Exploration - Frequent Auto-Saving - Library (Codex, Glossary, Missives) - Object Glint Distance - Object Glint Visibility - Objective Marker Visibility - Pause at any time - Waypoint Visibility - World & Local Maps available at all times Visual / UI - Camera Shake - Depth of Field - Full-screen Colorblind Filters - Hide-able HUD Elements (Abilities, Damage Numbers, Hints, Mini Map, Objective Tracker, Player Health, Tutorials) - Low Health Screen Effect - Motion Blur - Persist Dot Option - Ranged & Melee Threat Indicators - Subtitle Advanced Options (Background Opacity, Speaker Names, Speaker Name Color, Subtitle Size) - UI Text Size - Vignette"
[source]
#dragon age: the veilguard#dragon age the veilguard spoilers#dragon age: dreadwolf#dragon age 4#the dread wolf rises#da4#dragon age#bioware#video games#long post#longpost
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