#Wai Ka-fai

[theghostofcarloskeith]

"Runaway" - Ladytron x The Longest Nite (1998, dir. Patrick Yau/Johnnie To)

[cultfaction]

Preview: Running On Karma (Masters of Cinema - Limited Edition Bluray)

The tenth film co-directed by Johnnie To (Running Out of Time) and Wai Ka-fai (Peace Hotel) following a string of collaborations that included comedies, romances, action films and historical epics, Running on Karmais a crime thriller with a distinctly Buddhist flare starring a titan of Hong Kong cinema in Andy Lau (Infernal Affairs). Big (Lau) was once a devoutly religious man, but turned away…

[richea]

[Translation] Kratos of the Expiation: End of chapter 1

This update brings us to page 50/317. It's a long one, covering 22 pages and 3 chapter parts. If you're interested in Kratos backstory crumbs, this is definitely one you'll want to read. For part 6: Dubbed / Subbed

Chapter 1: Part 4 of 6

Having received the oracle, the Chosen returned to her home with Kratos in tail. For the journey ahead, they’d need to write up his contract as a mercenary, as well as decide who would be tagging along. A map detailing the surrounding area was spread atop the dining table. The Chosen―Colette Brunel, her father―Frank Brunel, her grandmother―Phaidra Brunel, the village mayor, and Kratos all sat around it.

The first trial the Chosen must undergo―receiving the oracle―went as well as expected. It was the first time Kratos had witnessed it himself, but it went exactly as it had been described to him. The angel bearing the oracle descends and bestows a Cruxis Crystal upon the Chosen. A Cruxis Crystal is the same thing as a hi-Exsphere. Wearing this, the Chosen is ready to undergo the process of becoming an angel. From there, the Tower of Salvation―the symbol of regeneration―appears, and the Chosen is dispatched towards her next location. This was how the trial of the oracle always went. Remiel had been the previous oracle-bearing angel as well, and he seemed competent at the job. It seems he’d been informed that Kratos would be tagging along, which is why he wasn’t surprised to see him. Kratos wondered why he was acting as if Colette was his daughter, but he soon learned why. Apparently a rumor had spread in Iselia that the Chosen’s real father was actually an angel, and Remiel used that to his advantage.

“I suppose the place to start would be Triet. This was where my sister first embarked during her journey,” Phaidra, the old woman, stated as she gave the map a sharp look.

Phaidra is the previous Chosen’s younger sister. The air of refinement Kratos sensed when he met her in front of the temple wasn’t unfounded. She was a lot like her sister, Aithra. Kratos had been in charge during Aithra’s journey too. She left home on her Journey of Regeneration, carrying the hopes and dreams of humanity on her back―and perished. That was 70 years ago.

The Chosen’s lineage all grow up hearing various secrets of World Regeneration. Those secrets are not shared with the outside world, but are instead passed from parent to child, and child to grandchild. Many of those secrets involve the mortality of the Chosen, and due to this, those in the family tend to be clad in a different air than the rest of the world.

“Indeed. Triet is a city in the desert. We’ll need to prepare carefully in order to reach it.”

Kratos pointed out the route from Iselia to Triet on the map.

“This route is the best, as it gets us there the fastest while also avoiding as much trouble as possible. If you took the more direct path, you’d run into the sandworm’s nest.”

“You certainly know your stuff,” Frank said as he looked at Kratos with a hint of praise.

“I’m a mercenary. I need to know these things to get by.”

Kratos darted his eyes away from Frank and folded his arms. He stroked the muscle of his arm with his fingertip, and discovered that he was more tense than he realized. Explaining the route from Iselia to Triet had dredged up memories of that abhorrent journey. Even though he was an angel who wasn’t able to feel physical fatigue, the strain on him mentally made him feel weary. He felt an intense exhaustion wash over him, and before he knew it was forcing himself to blink back tears.

He knew the route between Triet and Iselia so well it hurt. That was the path he had taken when going to Iselia with his family of three; the village with a non-aggression treaty and ties to the human ranch.

“We’ll be leaving tomorrow, right?” Colette asked. Her hi-Exsphere―the Cruxis Crystal―glistened on her chest.

“Yes. It’d be best to leave as soon as possible. I’d like to set out before sunrise.”

“You’ll be leaving that early?”

Frank looked at Colette, worried. He was sending his daughter on a journey to her death, after all. He likely wanted to drag out their parting for as long as possible. But with the Renegades on the move, they didn’t have that luxury. Cruxis isn’t aware of this, but the one leading the Renegades is Yuan Ka-Fai, one of Cruxis’ top men. Kratos kept that a secret from everyone. It’s not like Yggdrasill had any interest in the Renegades, anyway.

Yuan probably wants to kill Colette as soon as possible. The Renegades operate to stop Martel’s revival, making Colette a big threat to them since she’s such a close match. Luckily, Yuan is currently overseeing Tethe’alla’s preparations for the World Regeneration, so he shouldn’t be able to do anything until he’s done with his briefing session with Pronyma, the leader of the Desian’s Five Grand Cardinals. Kratos wanted to pass through Triet before this happened. According to his research, the Renegade’s base was somewhere in Triet’s desert. Before Yuan returned to his post as one of the Renegades, Kratos wanted to cross through the desert.

The room had a heavy, gloomy atmosphere. As Kratos stood up to excuse himself as the only non-family member, the doorbell rang.

“Oh, that must be Raine.”

Phaidra got up to open the front door, and on the other side stood a beautiful silver-haired woman.

“I’m terribly sorry for running late.”

“We’ve been waiting for you. Come on in.”

Phaidra beckoned her inside, and Raine sat in a chair at the end of the table. Her eyes scanned the faces of those present, stopping at Kratos.

“Is this the mercenary who helped my students?”

Kratos nodded, and Raine flashed an obligatory smile at him in return.

“I’m Raine Sage, a teacher for this village’s school. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

It was a fair introduction, but Kratos could tell that she was being cautious. She seemed to be quite the wise woman.

“Kratos Aurion, a mercenary. I’m traveling around looking for work.”

“Work? In this area?”

“I’d heard rumors that the Chosen would soon be embarking on her Journey of Regeneration. I figured I’d swing by and see if any job opportunities popped up.”

“Then it sounds like you got exactly what you were looking for.”

Raine stared Kratos down. Kratos met her gaze, and Raine seemed content at that. She turned to look at Phaidra.

“I heard you wanted to speak with me?”

“Yes. Allow me to ask you once again: Would you be willing to accompany Colette on her journey? Your wisdom, calm decision making skills and healing artes would certainly come in handy.”

“I would love to, but I can’t just leave my brother Genis behind...”

“That child is your brother?”

Kratos thought back to the silver-haired boy from earlier that day. He used magic, and the only ones who are able to do that are those with elven blood. There are those out there who can get an injection that allows them to use magic, like Kratos himself did, but that’s limited to those within Cruxis’ ranks. Knowing that elves are almost extinct in Sylvarant narrowed down what these two might actually be.

“Yes.”

Raine looked at Kratos, cautious.

“We’ll look after Genis for you.”

Raine seemed shocked at Frank’s suggestion.

“Well... But why do you want me to go with her so badly? I’m aware the priests were killed, but surely there’s―”

“I wanted to have you accompany her from the get go,” Phaidra interjected quietly. “The Chosen of Regeneration will be on the path to her end, so I want a woman to accompany her, of whom she can confide in.”

“Her... end?” Raine muttered, and Colette flashed her a smile.

Seeing that smile made Kratos realize Colette truly had understood her fate as a Chosen. That’s likely why she was always so polite and warm.

“The Chosen undergoes a series of trials, and in doing so becomes an angel. After becoming an angel, she’s taken in by Cruxis, and there loses her life.”

Raine’s entire face stiffened. On the contrary, Colette kept a gentle smile on her face and nodded.

“By sacrificing the Chosen’s life, the world will be regenerated.”

“I... I can’t believe this...”

Kratos closed his eyes hearing them talk.

This conversation likely happened among the Chosen’s lineage each time the World Regeneration began. Though this wasn’t the full truth.

The Chosen doesn’t exactly “die.” She becomes a vacant, living corpse, and Martel takes over her body. From there, the Chosen herself ceases to exist and Martel takes her place. If this doesn’t happen, the Chosen is simply killed. Either way, the Chosen is doomed to a horrible fate. Kratos’ job was to lead her to that doom.

A demon. That’s what he was―a demon. He was neither angel nor human, just a horrible, terrible brute. Despite this, he knew that if the Chosen―if Colette succeeded and let Martel take over her body, the world would be saved.

“Professor Sage, please. I’d like you to come with me, and then return home to tell Lloyd and everyone else about my journey. You can tell them that I became an angel, and I’m living happily by the Goddess Martel’s side. I think that’d be better than them knowing I’m dead.”

“Colette...”

Raine desperately tried to hold back her tears at Colette’s words.

“I’m so sorry to ask something so hard of you, Professor...”

How would that boy react if this strong, kind Chosen were to disappear? The boy who had the same name as his son popped into Kratos’ head.

Chapter 1: Part 5 of 6

Botta’s report was incredibly irritating to Yuan. How embarrassing it was to have to send out a whole squad just to kill a 16 year old girl, and still manage to shamefully come back having failed to do that. He could maybe understand if they had just felt remorse for having to kill an innocent girl, but it wasn’t that. They had simply failed to do their job at all. How pathetic was that?

Though in a way, he couldn’t blame them given the circumstances.

Kratos Aurion had appeared. He was Yuan’s friend, as well as his biggest foe. It’s true that Botta likely wouldn’t hold a candle to him.

Yuan lost count of how many times he’d let out a deep sigh, and tossed the documents he was holding onto the desk.

It was frustrating to be stuck in Welgaia at a time like this. Though it was thanks to his position that he was able to swiftly get so many leads on what the Chosen of Regeneration was doing. He was stuck getting insider leads, but for someone who doesn’t like meticulous planning ahead, this was incredibly suffocating to Yuan.

There you are, getting mad again. There’s no need to stress so much. Just take a deep breath.

He felt as if he heard the voice of a woman he once knew.

Yuan gave a bitter smile. It was exactly times like this that required a clear and steady head.

Anyway, typically speaking, it would be unfathomable that Kratos would be at Iselia. Yuan was pretty sure Kratos wasn’t there by choice. That was a cursed, horrid land where Kratos lost his family. Even should he descend down to earth, that one area was the last place he would want to go.

There was only one person who would be able to order Kratos to do something against his will.

Mithos Yggdrasill. This was all likely part of his ruse. Yuan felt ashamed at his own inability to foresee this. He knew that this Chosen had a high chance of succeeding and that Yggdrasill would likely take whatever measures needed to ensure her success, but he never expected that he’d dispatch Kratos in order to do so. To Yggdrasill, Kratos was both the human who had betrayed him, as well as the very seal that holds back his biggest trump card. If by some chance Kratos were to die, Yggdrasill himself would fall.

Perhaps Yggdrasill doesn’t believe that “some chance” will come to pass. If so, the faith he places in Kratos is almost akin to a religious devotion, in a similar vein to the love he holds for his older sister, Martel.

The ringtone to his office’s communicator rang. Yuan hit the switch on the speaker system, as if it was the most irritating thing he’d ever do in his life.

“What do you want?”

“Lord Yuan. It is I, Pronyma of the Desian’s Five Grand Cardinals.”

“So you wish to speak about the World Regeneration. Very well then.”

Shortly after, Pronyma appeared in Yuan’s office. She bowed, and Yuan started to speak.

“So the time has finally arrived.”

“Indeed it has. The Tower of Salvation has appeared in Sylvarant, as I have seen with my own eyes.”

“Is that so. Then the Chosen is likely to embark on her journey soon enough. Speaking of,” Yuan continued on while keeping himself composed, so as to not raise suspicion, “have you finished your meeting with Kratos?”

Despite being one of Cruxis’ top men, Yuan hadn’t been informed that Kratos was down helping the Journey of Regeneration. Kratos is Sylvarant’s overseer. If he was down on earth, that would mean someone else is controlling the Desians. Depending on who was in charge, that would change how Yuan would have the Renegades operate. He needed to pry this information out of Pronyma.

“Did you not hear of what Lord Kratos is doing? It seems Lord Yggdrasill sent him down to earth on a mission.”

There was bewilderment in Pronyma’s words.

“...No, this is the first I’ve heard of it.”

Yuan responded to her, feigning ignorance, which prompted her to tilt her head in confusion.

“Perhaps news is simply coming slowly to you because you are the overseer for Tethe’alla instead. I heard Lord Yggdrasill sent him as a bodyguard for the Chosen.”

Yggdrasill has no doubt about this Chosen becoming Martel’s vessel. He’s probably just keeping information tight in order to make sure absolutely nothing can go wrong. There’d be no other reason why Yuan would be kept this in the dark.

“...Lord Yuan, do you truly see no issue in Lord Kratos being a bodyguard?”

“What are you implying?”

“Nothing really. It’s just that when I heard that Lord Kratos had descended onto Sylvarant, that past incident sprung to mind...”

“I see.

Yuan glanced down at the map of Sylvarant and rested his elbows on his desk, exhausted.

It’s been 70 years since Kratos defected from Cruxis. The event had been a complete and utter surprise to both Yuan and Yggdrasill. Despite a number of quarrels, they had been under the impression that Kratos was going to support Yggdrasill in working towards his Age of Lifeless Beings. But unbeknownst to anyone, Kratos’ heart had made a quiet shift away from following Yggdrasill. He descended onto Sylvarant and seemingly disappeared. It was decades until Cruxis was able to find him again. When they finally did, Kratos had a woman by his side―his wife, Anna.

Anna was held in a human ranch as an Exsphere host body―a test subject who would grow an Exsphere in her body to produce a Cruxis Crystal, as part of the Angelus Project. However, she escaped from the ranch with the Cruxis Crystal still growing within her. Kratos had assisted her in doing so. The two of them wandered about Sylvarant aimlessly, as if looking for something, and Cruxis pursued them relentlessly.

It was during this time that Yuan, as the leader of the Renegades, secretly got in contact with Kratos. The two of them―rather, their family was staying in a small abandoned fishing hut by the seaside. When Yuan visited, Anna wasn’t found within the building that was falling apart.

---

“So this is where you’ve been living,” Yuan asked. Kratos―who was on night watch―lifted his head. His Cruxis Crystal had been removed from his hand. The light from the fire flickered against the battered boards of the hut’s wall. Strung up by pillars with rope was a cloth that Yuan didn’t recognize the purpose of.

“Yuan. Have you come to kill me?”

“...No. I came here as your old friend.”

“...Is that so.”

Kratos lifted up the pot and poured its contents into a cup. It was a very pleasant-smelling coffee. Yuan removed his cape and sat across from Kratos.

“Where’s Anna? It’s not safe for a woman to be wandering about at this hour.”

“She’s on the beach. Noishe is with her. Our son wouldn’t stop crying, so she brought him out so the sounds of the waves would calm him.”

“Son? You have a son?!”

Kratos nodded and handed Yuan a cup of coffee.

“He’s three months old.”

Yuan was dumbfounded and looked up at the ceiling of the hut. That weird looking cloth he saw hung up was a diaper. The is the man who was once a world-famous captain of the knights. For some reason, thinking about this made Yuan sad.

“I can’t believe this. Do you even understand what kind of position you’re in?”

“I’d like to believe I do.”

“What were you thinking? Having an infant around will only hinder you when you’re constantly on the run.”

“...You’re not wrong about that.”

A smile crawled on Kratos’ face and Yuan let out a sigh.

“What is your aim right now, anyway?”

“The same thing you’re trying to do. I want to stop Mithos and his Age of Lifeless Beings.”

It’s true that Yuan was operating as the Renegades in secret. Such a thing only made him more acutely aware of how hard it was to go against Yggdrasill’s operations.

“What exactly do you think you can accomplish all on your own?”

“I am alone, you’re right, but I have a trick up my sleeve that you don’t.”

This was true. Kratos possessed the one and only thing that Yggdrasill feared. Kratos was capable of disabling the Eternal Sword―the very thing that had allowed Yggdrasill to seize control over the entire world.

Long ago, Mithos Yggdrasill had won over the trust of the Summon Spirits and been adored by them. The Eternal Sword was granted to him by Origin as a sign of said trust. However, surely the King of the Summon Spirits wouldn’t approve of how the world had been split in two, as it still currently is. Therefore, Yggdrasill sealed Origin away. He used Kratos’ mana in order to do so, and Kratos would need to die in order for the seal to be undone.

“Your trump card costs you your very life. How do you plan to work around that?”

“That’s where you come in. I have an idea.”

Kratos stared at Yuan with determination in his eyes. Yuan stared back at him.

“My plan is to kill you and get Origin to recognize me as the Eternal Sword’s master. Are you saying you’ll give me your life?”

“Yes, after I land a lethal blow on Cruxis.”

“A lethal blow? Such as?”

“...I’m going to kill Mithos.” Kratos gulped down his coffee. “Once things are settled, you can have your way with undoing the seal on Origin.”

Yuan was speechless.

Killing Mithos―the weight of those words was not lost on Yuan.

He was a friend of theirs who they had spent months―years together with. He was the disciple to Kratos’ teacher, and at the same time, he was like family; they had such a warm bond between one another. Yggdrasill’s older sister―Martel―had entrusted Yggdrasill to Kratos. And even if Kratos did defeat Yggdrasill as he claims, he will perish along with him.

“Kratos... We have spent far too long simply twiddling our thumbs. We had simply tried to overlook the fact that Yggdrasill―no, that Mithos’ light no longer flickered as it once did. I know you feel the same way I do.”

Kratos gave no response. The hut fell silent, making the sound of the flames flickering feel even more prevalent. From a distance, the sound of a lullaby could be heard. It was Anna.

“Was having a family what finally turned you to determination?”

Kratos set his cup down and stood up. He was likely going to see Anna.

“...When the time comes, I’m going to have my family escape to Iselia. That village has the non-aggression treaty in place, after all.”

“Does she know about your plans?”

“...No. Not a thing.”

“And you’re just fine with keeping her in the dark?”

Yuan stood up as he asked this. He wasn’t actually looking for an answer. Words weren’t needed for Kratos to express affirmation. That’s just the kind of man he was.

---

“...I doubt we have anything to worry about.” Yuan spun around to face Pronyma and crossed his legs. “What matters is that he did come back. He even pledged his allegiance to Lord Yggdrasill.”

“Do you truly believe so?”

“Hmph. I see women are doubtful no matter the race. Kratos... has changed. Losing his family caused him to cast off his shell, becoming a mere husk of what he once was. What exactly do you think a husk is capable of doing?”

“...You are correct. I was too abrasive in my words, wasn’t I? I do ask for your forgiveness.”

“It’s no matter. Traitors are to be doubted. I do have to ask though, if Kratos is down on the Journey of Regeneration, who is it that’s controlling the Desians?”

“That would be me. I am to control them and report everything to Lord Yggdrasill.”

Pronyma had confirmed what was the worst possible scenario.

“...I see. Then there’s nothing to worry about.” Yuan tried his best to hide his internal conflict from Pronyma and gave her a nod. “Then let us discuss what is to become of Tethe’alla post-World Regeneration.”

Yuan slipped Pronyma the documents he had gathered. As she was distracted examining them, Yuan started to plot a way to bring about Yggdrasill’s demise.

Chapter 1: Part 6 of 6

Walking through the forest at night overwhelmed Kratos with a sense of deja vu. This was the first time Kratos had ever walked down this road, that was for sure. And yet the scenery itself was familiar.

That was 15 years ago. Dashing earnestly through the forest at night, chasing after his wife Anna and his son Lloyd. No matter how many he took down, enemies just kept popping up. It felt as if an entire lifetime passed before he finally caught up to Anna and Lloyd.

“Genis, why are you coming along?”

Walking in the front was Raine, who was speaking to her younger brother Genis who was trailing behind her. Hearing this snapped Kratos back to reality.

This wasn’t the same forest as back then. It was close, but it wasn’t the same place. What he’d seen was a mere illusion, prompted by some small obscurities lining up.

Deep within this forest lies the house of a dwarf. Raine claimed the dwarf was Lloyd Irving’s adoptive father. Colette wanted to say goodbye to Lloyd tonight, since they’d be setting off so early in the morning. Knowing the fate of the Chosen, it was only right they let her. This was her final farewell, after all.

Kratos surveyed the forest with a complicated feeling in his chest. Iselia Forest was familiar to him, and there was a boy here named Lloyd, who even had the same last name as his wife Anna―Irving. Things lined up too perfectly for him to simply dismiss it as all just being a coincidence. It’s not like Kratos had seen his son’s corpse with his own eyes. He wanted to hope that such a miracle had actually occurred. Simultaneously, a part of him begged that such a miracle didn’t occur. Either way, he was terrified of whatever the truth was.

“R-Raine, you’re scaring me.”

Genis shivered and hid behind Colette, who was walking beside him. Kratos couldn’t help but snicker at how he and Genis got scared at the same time.

“Wh-What’s so funny, mister?”

“...Nothing, ignore me. However, I think fear is something you feel from deep within your own heart. Perhaps you feel guilty about something, and that’s why Raine’s voice scared you?”

As if hitting a bulls-eye, Genis gulped.

“Genis. Did something happen? Your clothes do seem awfully dirty. Don’t tell me you got up to some sort of mischief?”

“N-No way! I was just, um, doing something with Lloyd, and...”

“Don’t tell me you got him involved too.”

“I-I said, I didn’t do anything bad! Geez! Can’t I just do stuff without you having to know everything? It’s none of your business!”

“...Fine. This forest is dangerous though, you know. I didn’t want you coming along.”

“It’ll be fine, Professor. Kratos is with us!”

Colette said this so innocently that all Raine could do was shrug her shoulders.

“You’re not wrong about that. Having a mercenary with us is reassuring, but...”

Raine stared at Kratos. At this, Genis also looked up at him.

“Mister, are you going with Colette tomorrow too?”

“I am.”

“Wow. Hey, how long do you think it’ll be until the world is regenerated?”

“Who can say?”

“I’ll do my best to come home as quickly as I can!”

Colette made a pose triumphantly. Genis grabbed at the end of Colette’s skirt and furrowed his eyebrows sadly.

“...Okay. We’ll all be waiting for you.”

They continued up a small hill, and the sound of a small stream came into earshot. In between the trees, a light could be seen. The dwarf’s house was close.

With his heightened hearing, Kratos could hear the sound of Lloyd and a man who sounded like a dwarf arguing.

“You didn’t let the Desians see your Exsphere, did you?”

Kratos felt as if a stake had been driven into his heart. He stopped in his tracks and shut off his hearing.

He’d seen that Lloyd had an Exsphere during the quarrel in front of the temple. But what did he mean by it being an Exsphere he had to hide from the Desians?

He wanted to know, and he also really didn’t want to know. He felt completely torn between the two options and bit his lip. While Kratos stood there completely spaced out, the rest of the group had already approached Lloyd’s house. It seems they’d finally also heard the argument from inside the house. They were standing in front of the door, looking at one another. Kratos approached while suppressing his hearing to the normal human-level. Even then, he could clearly hear Lloyd and the dwarf arguing. A shiver ran down his spine.

“...That Exsphere is your mother’s keepsake. The Desians killed your mother in order to take it from her.”

“...They did?”

“I told you about how I found you at the cliff near the ranch, right? Your mother was still conscious at that time, so she explained everything. There’s no doubt about it.”

“Why didn’t you ever tell me?!”

That was his limit. Standing behind the others, who were bewildered, Kratos shut his eyes and turned off his hearing entirely. He couldn’t bear to hear another word.

There was no doubt about it. He was... Kratos’ lost hope.

He sensed a person approaching. Kratos opened his eyes to see Lloyd standing there, looking at them all rather awkwardly. Kratos adjusted his hearing to be the normal level once again, and the boy’s voice filled his ears.

“Oh...let me guess...you heard that just now?”

“I’m sorry, because of me, you...”

For some reason, Genis was apologizing to Lloyd over what happened. Kratos wondered why, but that was the last of his worries right now. Kratos studied Lloyd’s house while taking shallow breaths so that nobody would notice. It was a wonderfully built two-story house. Dwarves typically live in caverns, so this was likely built for Lloyd’s sake. There was a bench, a flower bed, a clothesline...

As Kratos’ eyes scanned the surroundings, he spotted a stone monument in the garden. His eyes immediately went to study the stone’s engraved words.

Here lies Anna Irving.

Kratos’ face stiffened.

“Lloyd, let’s go up to the terrace.”

“Sure.”

Lloyd went to follow Colette inside the house, and Kratos uttered without thinking.

“This gravestone...”

“Huh?”

Lloyd stopped and turned around.

“Whose gravestone is this?”

“Ah, you heard, right? It’s my mom’s.”

“Anna...hmm... Is your father alive?”

Kratos wondered if his voice was quivering as he asked this. He swallowed. If Lloyd remembered anything from when he was an infant, then maybe...

“...I don’t know. But Dirk is my dad.”

It felt like all of the energy drained from Kratos’ body. He couldn’t tell whether it was from disappointment or relief.

“...Yes. That was a careless thing to ask. I’m sorry.”

One thing was clear.

Lloyd―his son that he failed to protect was alive and well.

Kratos felt as if he had finally regained the life he lost 15 years ago.

[asotin]

Tales of Symphonia: The Animation (2007) United World Arc Episode 1

"Even so, I like this world. That's why I thought, 'I want to protect it.' The sky. The air. The land. And you."

[crouching-mouse]

I’m FINALLY done with this fuckin’ story OTL

No you guys, you don’t understand. I came up with the idea for this over 10 years ago. I’ve been writing it on and off since 2019. Not to toot my own horn too much but this might be my fanfic magnum opus. It’s VERY depressing and I’m very proud of it, so please check it out! (if you want)  

“Scandal”

Summary: After losing his family, Kratos hopes to find peace within Cruxis's familiar halls. But everywhere he goes, he finds himself haunted by rumors of his time away, and the past he thought he left behind keeps coming back in all the worst ways.

Rated: T

Gen

Words: 7,925

[soryualeksi]

Time to inflict my headcanons on everyone again, so.

I just had this lovely conversation in my own head where I was trying to articulate how I’m lying. (Without outing myself as autistic because it’s none of anyone’s business. But basically, I give people disclaimers if something comes up how I’m likely going to go about dealing with it so they won’t be too surpised.)

And after a long long fictional conversation to try and find the right words, my brain kindly spat out the line, “If I’m making a story up whole-cloth there’s just too many details I need to keep track of. It’s far easier and more efficient to tell a PART of the truth and then keep in mind WHICH part of the truth I’m telling.”

Aaand in the next moment my brain added the very helpful “lmao yuan”.

!!!

THINK ABOUT IT

Is he ever telling outright FALSEHOOD to the party? (As starkly opposed to SO MANY OTHER CHARACTERS WHO GET A PASS!!!) The things he IS telling are correct and honest. You get like 90% of your exposition from him, he just DUMPS it all on you like “okay look I made a handy flowchart here’s how Yggdrasill runs the world and here’s the underlying mechanics and here’s how we’re in the grand scheme and by the way I’m a double agent for Cruxis while I’m actually running the resistance no harm from telling that to just any rando btw what you need is that sword at the Tower of Salvation but only half-elves can wield it so that’s a problem bye”.

Yuan is being hmmm not-entirely-truthful (lmao) by not telling PART of the whole truth and frankly? The parts he DOESN’T tell? Are actually mostly personal business. “I’m taking you hostage, Lloyd, to further my goals. WHY is none of your business. I’m trying to get Martel off the machines that keep her body alive. WHY is none of your business. Lloyd, you look JUST like someone I know. WHO is none of your --- for fuck’s sake, Kratos, you WILL tell your own damn kid that you’re his damn bio dad OR I WILL and also, Kratos, I’m 100% planning to kill you for Origin’s Seal and I told you so 2 billion times already AND I’M GOING THROUGH WITH IT ANY MINUTE NOW KRATOS!!!!!”

YUAN isn’t the one who boldly LIES into the party’s face, he doesn’t even really stretch the truth, he just WITHHOLDS parts that uhmmmmm couuuld maybe be worth knowing but ehhh (unbiased lmao).

Anyway, enough rambling. Neurodivergent!Yuan. The character that gets the reputation of being “shifty”, “weird”, “a liar”, “untrustworthy” and whose social mannerisms everyone keeps making fun of (me included tbh because he’s my nerrrd) despite lying FAR LESS than like every other character in the damn game. ;___;

[eternalidealist]

@iirvings​ continued from X

"Oww...” Which was Genis’ response after tripping on said vine. Of course Raine immediately ran to his side while he got up. The young boy’s knee now having a scrape which was now beginning to fade as his sister healed him while lightly scolding him about watching his step.

As soon as this was quickly resolved, the entire group along with one unconscious convict who was supposedly called ‘Regal’ by the now captive doppelganger eventually reached Mizuho after a few minutes. The man, Orochi greeted Lloyd as if they were friends and though he looked at the other ‘Lloyd’ oddly with confusion he said nothing while he scolded Sheena for bringing in outsiders which she immediately explained the emergency and then left to make her report.

Of course the convict regained conscious and lo and behold his name was indeed Regal which made the others minus Presea and Regal look at the other ‘Lloyd’ with a lot of suspicion. In Colette’s case, it was concern since she was struggling with identifying this ‘Lloyd’ as her friend or not. Regal was just confused since from what he saw in their expressions, they already knew his name before he even said it.

Which lead to well everyone taking residence inside the inn in one of the rooms. And then Raine finally spoke up while looking at both Lloyds.

“This is a theory I have for a while...but I need to test it out.” The professor explained.

“What theory, sis?” Genis was rather confused. “What if he’s a trap set up by Cruxis or Kvar?”

“You’re going to find out similarities and differences between me and the doppelganger.” Lloyd immediately figured it out.

“Correct, Lloyd.” Raine softly smiled with pride at her Lloyd while she went to her bag to take out a few things to test both Lloyds with.

[romanceyourdemons]

mads mikkelsen and tony leung ka-fai should also star across from each other, however their film would be a slick international organized crime thriller with some of the coolest costumes of the decade and a tasteful five minute torture scene

mads mikkelsen and tony leung chiu-wai should star across from each other. they should star across from each other in a blisteringly homoerotic film about two men whose personal lives have recently disintegrated who meet in a small danish town, one of them distracting himself by pouring himself into a career that makes him constantly travel, one distracting himself by writing endless letters to the town council about the protection of the local environment. they should meet briefly in a way that leaves both of them changed forever, both healed and hollowed, and the film’s dialogue should be completely ad libbed. trust me i’m a professional i know these things

[ranticore]

I thought I'd make a quick "here's how u pronounce" for some names/words in inver & hibernogallic (the french language spoken there)

If I was really hardcore about it I'd post voice clips of me saying the words but if I did then u would know that i am shocking bad at french

Inver - not pronounced like the real world place Inver. It's more like "awn-ver"

Esk - not what you think - try to mash "esk" and "ash" into one word while you say it Comes from the first syllable of Eiscir.

Félix - sorry fellas it's "fay-LEES" as in 'lease'.

Senca - that's "San-ka"

Islin - you can pelt me with sticks and rocks for this one. It's "Ish-la"

Ó Donnchadha [Islin's surname] - irl this is the root of "O Donohue" but it's not spoken that way. "Dun-a-ha" is the best way I can write that without explaining how lenition sounds ('cha')

Erica - short for Ericales so it's like "er-ee-ka", not the feminine form of Eric.

Sionnach [Eri's surname]- "shun-ach" again with the soft ch. You can google how to pronounce that one

Carhaix - no fuckin clue I think it's car-ay

Lough - just say "lock" don't even try anything else

D'Ouilly - it's like Dwilly but ppl in Inver sometimes call them Dawleys.

Sidhe - you know how to pronounce this one

Searrach - if you got Sionnach right then you can work this one out too I believe in you

Amhan - that's "awan" and yes from the same root as avon

Invergorken - from Inbhearr Ceann, locals would scrub out the middle syllable and just say "Inverken". You can tell an outsider by their more careful pronunciation

Síofra - "shee-fra"

Valéry - not like Valerie, heavy stress on the second syllable so it's "vaLERy"

Ye - everyone is wrong about this. It's not "yeh" it's YEE and it's a plural "you". Similar to yous, yeez, or y'all

Wycombe - a real place I've been to multiple times and we'd see the road signs and go ahh it's WHY-CUM-BEE but it is in fact pronounced wiccam or if you prefer, Wickham. Basically the only time I let a character have an English name.

Some additional notes on the language - it's mutually intelligible with hibernian and aquitanian but considered really ugly by native speakers of both those languages. The most common complaint is that it sounds like someone speaking their language through a mouthful of rocks

There are no standalone words for "yes" or "no" - when they are used (and I made sure while writing that they are not used often in dialogue), it's usually as an additional affirmative in a sentence, and not in answer to a question. I slipped up a few times tho

To answer a question in the affirmative or negative instead of saying yes or no, you just repeat the verb from the question - "did you sleep?"/"I did" - "have you seen this?"/"I haven't"

[lautakwah]

Could you reocmend me some chinese gangster or crime movies to watch? Please?

BOY COULD I!!! so a few of my absolute faves are: casino raiders 2 (1991) (unrelated to 1 or no risk no gain), god of gamblers (1989), the inspector wears skirts (1988), infernal affairs (2002), a moment of romance (1990), rich and famous (1987), spl: killzone (2005), once a thief (1991), chasing the dragon (2017), and let the bullets fly (2010) (<- only mainland film in this list LOL but also. one of theeeeee best movies ever made. cannot stress that enough.)

and then i can always just recommend john woo, ringo lam, and johnnie to (& wai ka-fai, they tend to collab a lot) since their heroic bloodsheds and crime films are just god tier. a lot of them are also very much genre-(re)defining and it's a delight seeing where the rest got it from 🥰

[celluloidrainbow]

鍾無艷 | WU YEN (2001) dir. Johnnie To & Wai Ka-Fai Lost in the woods, the Emperor Qi stumbles across local chief Wu Yen, his predestined bride, only to accidentally free a promiscuous fox fairy who promptly falls in love with both of them, changing between man and woman to clumsily woo each, setting the scene for a constantly shifting triangle with the emperor torn between both the fox fairy and Wu Yen and the fox fairy after whichever one will agree to marry them first. (requested by @tendergazing, link in title)

[atiny-piratequeen]

𝑨𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒙𝒊𝒂-a state of freedom from emotional disturbance and anxiety, especially as an ongoing condition of soul-fulfilling attainment; unconditional tranquility

𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔

Ataraxia Verse, Atx Asks, Asks towards the boys directly are on @atiny-crew-musings

𝑰𝒏𝒇𝒐:

Ataraxia, abbreviated as "Atx" for short, is a new universe, focused around ateez as various 'monsters'. The idea grew from a commission from @jacksons-goddess-gaia and thanks to her and @little-lazuli, along with some interested anons, has grown into a wider, expanded universe, and this post is to help us get to know our players a bit better. This post is in no way finalized and changes may apply, especially as more works are added.

An important note: The characters in this universe are polyamorous and queer. Just because there are some 'x reader insert' works in the series does not negate from the overarching theme of this being Polyteez.

Eye renders below were done by me (7/8) and @doodles-and-teacups (1/8-Mingi's were rendered by them, thank you again, Mickey!)

.·:*¨ ✘♚✘ ¨*:·.

Hongjoong-Ocean Vengence

Faka’ita fai ki tahi

Anger bestowed on the sea.-Tongan

Race: (Reborn) Seaborn-Once a Human, Now a Siren

Height: 6’1, 6’5 in Seaborn Form in Water

Age: 23 When human, 85 currently

Appearance: Blue hair, deep brown eyes, appears black from afar. From his forearm down and calves down to his feet in humanoid form, they are black with small, speckled scales along his skin that glitter depending on when it is hit by the light. In Seaborn form, he has the tail of an orca. His dorsal side is sleek and solid black while his ventral side is white.

Powers: Hydrokinesis, Swift Swimming, Thickened Blubber (tail), Cold Resistant, Vocal Manipulation, Hypnosis

Weapons: Aside from his fangs and claws, Hongjoong's signature method of inflicting damage is to slam his tail against the ribcage of his enemies, often trying to break their ribs and puncture their lungs from the force of the hits. On land, he uses neon knives gifted to him by a particular Entity.

Personality: Hongjoong is one of the more cynical of the core eight men of this universe. He is guarded and fairly quick to anger. Despite this, he has become an exemplary leader in the village where he and Seonghwa live. Hongjoong would do anything for his seven and his village and is incredibly perceptive when it comes to reading the movements of potential enemies and planning counterattacks according to his findings.

Scent:

Home: Talavou, the village steadily growing in the depths of a series of islands in the Eastern Hemisphere of the world. Once very small, holding a population of only one thousand or so Seaborn and Reborns, now it has grown and neighboring areas have developed alongside the central village that are all under the same jurisdiction.

.·:*¨ ✘♚✘ ¨*:·.

.·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·.

Seonghwa- Seafoam Kismet

Papata pē, ka na’e lalanga

It may be coarse in texture but it was woven.-Tongan

Race: Seaborn (Angelfish)

Height: 7’, 8’ in Seaborn Form in Water

Age: 177

Appearance: Soft, silken blonde hair, green eyes (change with emotions). His forearm down to his hands and his calves down to his feet are covered in an ombre platinum to blue. Several patches of scales will appear on his skin depending on his emotions/if he's injured and trying to protect himself from sustaining more injuries. He has a scar on his shoulder and on his abdomen after a Certain Incident. In his Seaborn Form, he has a magnificent tail holding some qualities from some ocean angelfish. His tail now has thick brown stripes starting along the midway point. Between these stripes, orange and yellow dots litter the spaces. The end of his tail is solid black with a single, vibrant electric blue stripe along the flowy fan of his tail. His hands have claws that can tear through skin and crush bone.

Powers: Hydrokinesis, Swift Swimming, Glow-in-the-Dark Scales, Vocal Manipulation, Hypnosis

Weapons: Unlike his Talavoutian Captain, Seonghwa does not use any outside weapons when he fights. He prefers to use his own brute strength and his primary method of ending conflict is to tear the hearts out of his enemies.

Personality: Despite his often snarky banter with Hongjoong, Seonghwa is fiercely loyal and would do anything for the people he loves. He tends to put himself in danger trying to protect weaker entities, and this is why he primarily lives on the shore nearby the village instead of living in it-protecting sea turtles and helping them hatch and make it into the water without any of them being eaten by predators. Despite his handsome, princely appearance, he is one of the easiest to make flustered and unfortunately (for him), his emotions are broadcasted on full display thanks to his scales and his eyes. While incredibly intelligent, he is surprisingly aloof and often loses track of time, leading to him getting scolded by the other members of The Fold for not visiting them as much as he should be.

Scent: Sea salt, Vanilla + coconut undertones

Home: Despite being a native of Talavou, Seonghwa primarily lives on the nearest island to the village. This island has no name, yet.

.·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·.

︶���꒷♡꒷꒦︶

Yunho-Magma Sentinel

Ng ko er a belochel, el mesengei otelochel e suebek

Like a pigeon seeing the danger, yet it flies from cover. (Palauan)

Race: Hellhound

Height: 7’5 in Hellhound Canine Form, 9’ in Humanoid Form

Age: 666 Years Old

Appearance: In his Hellhound form, Yunho stands taller than a horse. His appearance is based off of a Tibetan Mastiff, and as such, he has a coat full of dense, thick black furr. His paws are bigger than that of a bear's. He has two, circular markings above his eyes resembling eye brows that are made from red fur and has a patch of fur along his chest, stomach, the bottoms of his paws, and the underside of his tail where all of the fur is deep crimson. In this form, his fangs are so massive, they can be seen even when his mouth is shut. In his bipedal 'human' form, he stands at 9 feet tall, and his eyes retain their deep, blazing color as they are when he is in his hound form. When he is angered, his eyes blaze, and as a result of it, he has permanent burn marks in the corner of his eyes despite his ears being downcast in his hound form, they are upright in his humanoid form. His tail is the same size as it is in his hound form. He doesn't have an under or overbite in this form, but his canines are just as sharp. His tongue is a vibrant red and orange because of his ability to spit fire and magma, but he can control the temperature so it doesn't harm anyone if he doesn't intend it to. Yunho's wrists, ankles, and his neck are littered in scars, memories of a past imprisonment when he was a few centuries younger.

Powers: Magma and fire manipulation (from his mouth, his hands/paws), Yunho's fire is so hot it can continuously burn one's spirit even after they are dead. He has the strongest ability to track scents of all of the boys in The Fold and can even breathe underwater and track there, too. Because of his ability to manipulate heat, he can technically 'fly' by running on air. His flames get stronger when he goes in a 'berserker' state and when his flames come into contact with Mingi's, they weave together and can eviscerate an entire continent.

Weapons: Yunho doesn't use any items for weapons. In both of his forms, his claws and teeth emit either lava or fire depending on how concentrated it is, or how angry he is. He uses his massive body to knock enemies off of their feet and tends to aim for the jugular when it comes to larger entities.

Personality: Hellhounds are, by nature, quite competitive and combative. While Yunho is not as overtly as aggressive as some of his peers, his hostility comes out in a full show of force when those he cares about are in any form of danger and/or distress. Aside from that, he tends to be a standout compared to other Hounds. He is kind most of the time, often offering his services to struggling couples in order to help incubate their eggs. Because of this, he has been essential in the population boom in Talavou and has helped many of the guppies of Seaborn come into being. Because of a certain incident in his past, he is exceptionally gentle with children and often offers himself up when it comes to looking after them. If any children in his care were to become threatened or frightened by any opposing forces, Yunho would respond with EXTREME prejudice. Despite any preconceived notions about his nature, Yunho goes out of his way to be gentle with those weaker than him and because of that, he is often called upon to be a guardian watchdog for traveling caravans of monsters and spirits alike.

Scent: amber + geranium, smoked wood when enraged

Home: Born from fire and flame, Yunho lives in the Underworld, in a section known as the Crimson Fields. This area is where many Hellhounds reside, and it is, in its own right, a massive open village. It has areas designated for any battles, as Hellhounds tend to be on the more aggressive end, by nature. Yunho has a cabin of his own that he built by hand, and lives on the outskirts. He prefers to live with his seven, though, and will spend most of his time not in the Crimson Fields visiting Velvet Elysium-the Succubus/Incubus colony Jongho was born in, Talavou-the Siren village, The Whetū Faewilds-Yeosang's Home, or in San and Mingi’s Den in Serein Mountain.

︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ*:.*:..*:...｡o○　　○o｡..:*..:*..:*Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

Yeosang- Wildwood Lex Talionis

Air tenang menghanyutkan

Don’t think there are no crocodiles because the water runs calm.-Indonesian

Race-Faerie, ???

Height: 6’5

Age: ?????

Appearance: Yeosang is the tallest fae in his village, standing abnormally tall for his race, as most of his other villagers are well over a foot shorter than him. His eyes are usually a dazzling mixture of blue and gold, with flecks of pink and stardust-like twinkles in them. the edges of his eyes are dark purple. His eyes change when he is angered, bleeding into an intense crimson and magenta color. The corner of his left eye has a big, distinct birthmark in the corner of it. Across his nose are freckles that glitter and glow with his magic use, they change depending on what type of magic he uses. His hair is silky, long, and black, and almost always has some form of decorative clip in it. Yeosang wears the most ornate jewelry of all of the boys, and it seems like each of them has some tie to his powers in some way, shape, or form. He wears loose-fitting clothing, but is actually quite muscular underneath.

Powers: Phytokinesis, Fae Magic,....r̨͇̖̪͊e̹͓̜͍̘̝̼̓̌͟m̻͎̾ͮ̅̀a̴̜̯̟͎͔͓̔ͬͮͪi̷̦̦̟͒n̙̻̳̺͇̓͐̄̀͘i̴̮̼͚͍͎̫ͭͧn̡͎̟̙͖̣̣̪͈̿g̨̯̙̻̜̣̩ͥ̓̇ ̨͕͕̭̩ͫd̷̠̰̗̞̭͖̃͊ͪ̈́ä̛̹̹̳͐͛t̛̹̯̰̣͂͐͐͐á̤͎̯ͮ͌͜ ̛̤̣̹͇̿cͯ̃͒ͦ҉͎͚̬̫ͅo̠̳͓̮̣̺͖̹ͣ̀ŗ̻̪̝ͫ̐ͅr͎͈͈͔̙͓̞̘̎̂ͣ́u̘͙ͮ͟p̵̞͙̲̲̦̗̱̫̏ͮͫͨt̴͚̯̦̖͇̻ͯ̎̐e̸̥̗̤̦ͪ̇d̤̬̻͇̩̆ͫ͊͞

Personality: Yeosang is a healer and by nature, he is very kind being, and every being in his forest looks to him for guidance and leadership. Despite his initial soft-spoken mannerisms, Yeosang can be quite hostile when it comes to his loved ones and his forest. There is a mysterious air that follows the man and it seems only Wooyoung truly knows what he's not quite telling the others. Yeosang often protects those around him with anything at his disposal, but he also has been known to curse those who cross him for several generations, inflicting pain and misfortune on their bloodline that will not be lifted until he can be appeased once more. He can be quite sadistic and if angered and set off, tends to kill in slow, agonizing ways before returning to his home.

Scent:

Home: The Whetū Faewilds

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ*:.*:..*:...｡o○　　○o｡..:*..:*..:*Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

»» ──ஓ๑♥๑ஓ ── ««

San- Novaturient Eleutheromania

Tēnā ra koe, e whakamaui ake nei

Greetings to you who have come from death’s door-Māori

Race: Manticore

Height: 6'8 in Manticore Form, 6’7 in Humanoid Form

Age: 277 Years Old

Appearance: In both his manticore form and his humanoid form, San has bold, striking magenta eyes with slits down the center. In his manticore form, resembles a lion, both in appearance and height and in size. As far as manticores go, he is actually on the smaller end. His tail is a thick, solid black scorpion tail and he has wings on his back that are covered by Mingi's shredded scales for protection. San wears a choker made from Mingi's scales, as well, that protect his neck from fatal wounds to the jugular. In his humanoid form, his ears, tail, and wings stay visible. San has retractable claws and a barbed tongue, though his tongue is much softer than a traditional feline creature's is.

Powers: Shape Shifting, Sonic Roars, Potent Venomous Stings, Flight, Super Strength

Weapons: San's roars can disorient and even deafen his enemies, and he often uses this as an opening to either escape or rush in for a hit and run style attack with his claws or his tail. His tail holds very potent venom that can down up to thirteen elephants in a single jab. San's jaws are incredibly powerful and can lock once he's got a full bite of whoever he's holding onto, giving him more time to riddle them with more stings from his tail and neutralize them as quickly as possible.

Personality: San is the most guarded of all of the members. He is from a race of monsters that has been hunted to near extinction for sport, and because of that, he does not trust anyone easily. After a chaotic night and a certain incident in the rain, San stumbled onto Mingi's mountain and was saved by the dragon. After then, he stays inside their shared den, creating a labyrinth at first to separate him from the stronger winged man to keep himself safe, but those days have long since passed and he is often attached to the hip with the large monster. If you are one of the small few who win him over and gain his trust, a different side of San is revealed. He is a fun-loving man with those he loves and despite his own fear of being killed, San sometimes finds himself throwing himself in the heat of the battle to guard the others. It is the only time he'd intentionally put himself in danger, as he often thinks of himself and his own self-preservation first before most others. He means no ill-will by his actions, and it is the cause of great unrest in his heart, being afraid of the world around him that so many in the fold find beauty in.

Scent:

Home: San's previous home was destroyed, so he now lives in Serein Mountain with Mingi.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Mingi-Nacarat Querencia

Berakit-rakit ke hulu, berenang-renang ke tepian.

Bersakit-sakit dahulu, bersenang-senang kemudian.

Rafting to the headwaters, swimming to the riversides. It is painful at first, but victorious in the end.-Indonesian

Race: Dragon

Height: 1024’ (As Tall as the Eiffel Tower w/o Antenna) in Enraged Dragon Form, Size in Form Varies Otherwise, 10’ in Humanoid Form

Age: 500+ Years Old

Appearance: Mingi is a massive gold-type dragon, and to many smaller than him, in either form, he stretches as tall as the heavens. His dragon form is covered in deep, international orange scales along with sharp spines along the length of his spine that can pierce through even stone. His underbelly is an ombre cream-to-gold color, and the end of his thick, tree-trunk-like tail has silken fur. His eyes are deep and mixed with shades of orange and gold, and he has twin, spiraled crimson horns on his head that are similar to a giant eland's. His wings are wide and have a shimmer underneath them that serve to distract and blind when Mingi fights. In his humanoid form, he stands as the tallest of The Fold. His hair is two shades of orange, with the lighter amber shade being at the top and front, while the deeper, international shade is towards the back. Mingi's horns, tail, and wings remain present in this form, as well as thick patches of scales covering his vital points (over his heart, around his throat). from his forearms down to his (clawed) fingers, his arms are an ombre from deep orange to gold. From past fights, in both forms, Mingi is littered with scars, with the most prominent being a deep scar over the center of his wings, where he nearly had them torn off in a conflict many moons ago.

Powers: Shapeshifting, Fire Breathing, Superior Strength, Flight, His flames get stronger when he goes in a 'berserker' state and when his flames come into contact with Yunho's, they weave together and can eviscerate an entire continent.

Weapons: Mingi himself is stronger than most weapons this universe has to offer, as is the power of a dragon. His claws can tear into mountains and have shaped the very den he resides in, his back developed spikes once he reached maturity as a dragon and he can slam his massive body into enemies to do catastrophic amounts of damage, especially if he is going back-first. Mingi's tail is very thick and muscular and he has used it to rupture organs with several tail slams. Despite all of this, his most impressive and terrifying weapon is most likely his fire. Growing whiter the more gold and gems he eats, the heat from his flames can get so hot they cremate a being on the spot.

Personality: Mingi is a kind-hearted dragon despite his intimidating appearance and capabilities. He tends to have a good read on a person's intentions, especially after all the years he'd been present on this planet. He is often hyper-aware of his size and strength and is very concerned with hurting the people he loves by accident. It took him nearly three years to allow San anywhere near him during his rut cycles, for fear he'd harm the feline man. Mingi is very passionate and this is both his greatest strength and weakness, as his passion leads to him being beloved by not only his Fold, but those who are lucky enough to meet him. Unfortunately, he often gets overly angered when those he loves are in danger and this leads to him erupting into anger to protect them.

Scent:

Home: After many centuries of traveling, Mingi settled on a mountain known for its rainy conditions, which are very unfavorable to would-be travelers. He burrowed into the side, and with the help of Yeosang and Wooyoung's powerful magic, can make the mountain disappear into a different plane of existence for periods of time (often when he and San are absent). This mountain is Serein Mountain.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

༻༻༻⋇⋆☽ ✦⋆⋇༺༺༺

Wooyoung- Cosmic Verisimilitude

H̵̘̔̓̎e̵̦̓̚͜ ̵̡̛͙̣͌w̷̛͖̫̫͠h̶̢̝̿o̷̢̗͋ ̵̣͚͊p̸̮͆̈́ŗ̴̞͂̍͒o̶̹̿͠v̷͉͆́͗ͅó̷͕͗k̷̳̺̞̔̉é̷̯̍̇s̶͈̊̉ ̴̡͒̐ȧ̷̰͇ ̸̡͉̑͝w̴̡̟̒̅ả̸̘̩ͅr̶̦̭̗̾͝ ̵̘͇̻̿̆m̷̝̺̽͠ü̴̺̟͔̈́̎s̶͚͛̾t̸͉̰̰̆̎ ̶̮͉̟̏̃͝b̷͇͊́̊ḛ̷̂̍̔ ̷͉͚͇̇ś̵̹̎͘ụ̶̰̉̚r̵͎̋͛̕e̶͎̐ ̶͈̘̎̍ţ̶̺̭͗͛h̷̛̰́̿a̸̡̽̔͝t̷̢̻̳̃͂ ̷͇̖̩͛̉̋h̸̬̝̑̊e̶̬̓͐ ̵̘͝ͅk̵̢̼̤̿ń̷̠̤̺͒̕o̸̪̺̪͊w̴̝͊ṣ̸̹̌͆̐ ̴̢͝ḩ̵̨̝̃͌͠ǒ̷̹̣̰w̶̦̤͊̎ ̴͇̒ṱ̸̗̾ò̷̲̖̫ ̴̬͂f̴̼̪̓̋í̴̯̾g̷̞͍̹̔h̷͖̚ṱ̵̓̏̏

Race- Eldritch God 

Height: Larger than the Heavens in ‘True Cosmic Form’, Changes Size at Will, 5’7 Usually

Age: ???????

ᵯēꞩꞩⱥꞡē īꞥⱦēɍɍᵾꝑⱦēđ

Appearance: "Oh, this is fun. Did you all think you'd get all the juicy details here? No. I don't think so. Besides, do you really want to see me in that form? Are you so eager to perish? Here, let me give you the cute version. Ahem. Wooyoung-that's me-has deep purple and blue eyes with cosmic stardust swirling in them. My hair is whatever color I decide looks good, but the long, black look fits me best."

Powers: "My powers are beyond human comprehension. Let's leave it as 'enough to consume this world and not break a sweat. That sounds nice and dramatic, doesn't it? Don't worry. It's not like I go around snapping my fingers crushing planets in an instant...much. Haha."

Personality: "*chuckling* I'm sure you understand by now."

Scent: "Hah. No."

Home: "My home is with my Seven. My Fold is the only thing keeping this pathetic planet from ruin. Be grateful. I think I'm quite done here for today. You can have this back."

ȼꝋꞥꞥēȼⱦīꝋꞥ ɍēⱦᵾɍꞥēđ

༻༻༻⋇⋆☽ ✦⋆⋇༺༺༺

•┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

Jongho-Wanton Yūgen 

He 'ohu ke aloha; 'a'ohe kuahiwi kau 'ole

Love is like mist, there is no mountaintop that it does not settle upon-Hawaiian

Race-Incubi

Height: 6’7

Age: 24 Years

Appearance: Jongho has brilliant hazel eyes that have small, defined hearts in them that make his eyes shine when he experiences pleasure. His hair is a deep red color, contrasting starkly with his eyes. His tail is a thick, almost leathery material and has a heart-shaped tip at the end. Mid-feed, markings may appear on his body, resembling tattoos.

Powers: Seduction, Hypnotism, Pheromone Manipulation, Strength

Weapon: Jongho came into being with exceptional strenth, and is a standout amongst most of his incubi peers because of it. Despite his ability to use his brute strength to subdue enemies, Jongho prefers to use a trench knife given to him by Hongjoong in fights and he takes grate care to keep the blade sharp. In his non-dominant hand, he defends and attacks with a tonfa he'd been gifted from Seulgi. His tail is also strong enough to choke out most entities.

Personality: Jongho is quite close to the members of The Fold, as is the case with all of them, but he holds them in such high regard, he's gotten a strong fear of them seeing him feed and therefore seeing him as a 'lesser being'. All of them have offered themselves to him but it is a battle he has yet to overcome quite yet. He enjoys their touch-though at times he will not admit it without a fight-and has learned to cook to counter his hunger. Wooyoung gave him a paw-print necklace he keeps around his neck at all times and Jongho often finds himself suckling on the stone when he is exceptionally hungry. Despite going two decades without eating an actual meal, Jongho is still strong enough to fight and stand alongside the other members of The Fold.

Scent: amber, warm vanilla + cashmere notes

Home: Jongho came into being in Velvet Elysium and spends his free time there being cared for by Seulgi or exploring with his close friend, a certain ghost he'd bonded with. When not in The Underworld, Jongho can be found with any given one of his hyungs, enjoying his time in their presence and mentally steeling himself for more.

•┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ * 。° 。 • ˚《》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ * 。° 。 • ˚《

┍━☽【❖】☾━┑

𝑬𝒏𝒔𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒍𝒆

┕━☽【❖】☾━┙

⋘ 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑎... ⋙

⋘ ᴛʀʏ ʟᴀᴛᴇʀ... ⋙

♡.﹀﹀﹀﹀.♡

𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒌𝒔

♡.﹀﹀﹀﹀.♡

Beauty Leaves- Seonghwa x Fem!Reader

⋘ 𝑃𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑖𝑡... ⋙

⋘ 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑎... ⋙

⋘ ᴛʀʏ ʟᴀᴛᴇʀ... ⋙

[yuki-boshi]

Kai no Kiseki - English Summary - Act 3 Van Route 5

Table of Contents

Act 3: Van 5

The chapter begins with Yun at the café, enjoying a free meal. Van asks if Ka-Fai had a specific reason for coming to Anchorville or if it was just intuition. The group teases Ka-Fai's itinerary, finding it odd that he would travel from Tharbad to Anchorville which are on the opposite ends of Edith, all in one day. Yun Ka-Fai explains he wanted to experience a bit of everything and mentions that Bergard, with his new hobby of riding an Orbal Bike, should understand the feeling.

Chloe is honored to meet Ka-Fai, explaining that Dominique has spoken of him before. Judith is surprised to learn that Ka-Fai knows her grandmother, and he reveals that he’s been friends with both Dominique and Bergard for a long time.

Agnes cuts to the chase and asks if Ka-Fai knows anything about the Remnants. He says he doesn’t, but he has sensed a distortion in the world for a few months now. Bergard wonders if this is due to Ka-Fai's Tengenkan (Heavenly Eye).

The group summarizes that the Remnants don’t belong in their current world. They possess technology far beyond what’s possible, a monstrous entity, and the White Device, all of which defy logic. Renne comments that it all seems like science fiction, explaining that this technology was once referred to as “Biosynthetic Nanomachines.”

The group then considers that these nanomachines might be causing the “contamination” effect and the mechanization of people like Jeffrey and the Executor demons. As far-fetched as it sounds, Bergard believes this could explain why, when Ka-Fai cleaved the Executor, it turned into mist.

Ka-Fai looks at Van, asking if he's realized the truth. Van admits he wasn’t entirely sure but explains that with his heightened senses, he can detect the existence of things. When the Masked Soldier used the Alter Core, and when Ixs had used it in the past, they seemed to momentarily vanish. Van suggests that when they activate the Alter Core, they aren’t moving from Point A to B like teleportation arts, but are instead temporarily removed from existence and then returned.

Quatre and Risette grasp the concept and discuss it in scientific terms, noting that the White Device defies the laws of causality. Renne refers to it as a “space-time jump” but on a small scale.

With that answer, Ka-Fai announces his departure, commenting that Van has lived up to what Shizuna told him. Bergard sighs, noting that Van’s explanation must be the real reason Ka-Fai came to Anchorville.

--

During free roaming, talking to Luiz and Shannon reveals that Luiz is Shannon’s boyfriend.

Speaking with Edwin at the bar reveals he tried to gather information about the hospital incident but feels like he’s missing a key piece of the puzzle.

In an optional scene, Bergard plays the piano while everyone encourages Judith to sing. She performs, afterward commenting that she hasn’t sung in a long time and was surprised by how well it went.

Speaking with Old Man Perdue reveals that Dominique used to sing at the café as well, and it was the Fourth Best Way to enjoy the café. Talking to him again prompts a comment that Yun Ka-Fai has a mischievous side that rivals even Perdue’s.

----

Grim Garten Door 7

At Grim Garten Door 7 in the hub, Rean and Shizuna are fishing, calling it a form of meditation. Shizuna had intended to fish, but when she saw Rean already doing it, she joined in. Speaking with Rean, he mentions that every time he's encountered Shizuna, it's been in battle. This is the first time he's gotten to know her outside of a fight. Talking to Shizuna, she compares the baitless fishing meditation to something else Ka-Fai taught her, making Rean sweat and wonder just what Ka-Fai has been teaching her.

Lapis finds it odd that people are fishing but not catching anything, but now that she’s thinking about fish, she’s hungry. Crow calls it "air fishing" and says he’d rather go drinking. Altina tells Judith she wanted to see the Sacred Journeys movie but couldn’t find it in Basel. Judith explains that movie availability varies by region. Swin and Celis also mention watching movies, and Judith wishes they could use Grim Garten to screen some films.

Towa, Renne, and Bergard are talking, with Towa asking if Bergard listens to the radio. He says he does, tuning in to everything from news and weather to talk shows, music, and entertainment while riding his ETWS bike. Bergard even recalls an episode of a talk show that featured Towa. Renne smugly recalls the Connect Event when she was on a talk show and imagines Bergard will likely hear that one too.

Meanwhile, Rufus, Risette, Zin, and Rion are playing cards. Fie offers tea to Nadia and Quatre, helping calm Quatre down. Elaine, Agnes, and Rixia are chatting, with Agnes sharing the events of Anchorville with Elaine. Elaine expresses a desire to travel there as soon as possible. When talking to Elaine, she remarks to herself that Agnes has become someone Van can rely on, and she feels at ease leaving things in her hands.

At the hot springs, Kevin notices Aaron and Feri looking down and offers to lend an ear, saying they can talk to Father Kevin. Aaron calls confessions lame and says Kevin’s a quack, offending him slightly. However, Aaron observes that Kevin seems like a loner, despite having help from Swin and the others. Kevin acknowledges Aaron’s perceptiveness, thinking to himself that he just needs to focus on his mission and forget the rest.

At the boss, they fight Campanella and Walter.

---

Connect Event: Quatre

Van knocks on Quatre's door, but Quatre asks him not to come in. Van finds it strange, noticing Quatre’s voice sounds off, and wonders if Quatre might have a cold, so he asks to enter anyway. Upon stepping inside, Van is shocked to see that Quatre's body has changed, developing more feminine features, including breasts.

Embarrassed, Quatre explains that the change was unexpected and the breasts have grown from 10% to nearly 60%. Van recalls a report about strange bodily reactions caused by hormonal imbalances and suspects it's related to the "Angel" process Quatre underwent.

Quatre reveals that Esmeray and Hamilton created a stabilizer, which Esmeray regularly administered, but for the past few days, neither Esmeray nor Hamilton has been reachable. Trying to ease Van's concerns, Quatre admits this isn't the first time the changes have happened, assuring that things will go back to “normal.” Quatre hopes the transformation subsides before anyone else besides Van, who entered unannounced, notices. Van offers to check in with the hospital to see if they can help.

The two head to Anchorville General Hospital, where they consult Pharmacist Belbrin. He mentions that among the items confiscated from Doctor Grant is a new medication from Remferia, likely stored in the underground facility. With clearance from Inspector Daswani, Van and Quatre proceed to the facility, which also holds the illegal agave drugs. Quatre quickly becomes exhausted, and Van attributes it to the hormonal shifts, suggesting Quatre take it easy, as mental state will also play a key role in recovery. Quatre begins to feel something for Van but is unsure of the emotions.

Quatre eventually uncovers a room previously missed while searching the facility’s computer. When a monster attacks them, Van holds Quatre close, causing Quatre to blush and experience an elevated heart rate.

After they locate the medication, Quatre hesitates, concerned about its safety. Van reassures Quatre that regardless of being a boy or girl, it won’t change how Van sees Quatre, and there’s nothing wrong with either.

In the end, Quatre returns to normal and walks home with Van, reflecting on the experience, which was short-lived but unexpectedly fun. Quatre gains a new perspective, realizing that whether a boy or a girl, Quatre is still Quatre. After parting ways with Van, Quatre admits that while in the "female" form, the idea of turning back felt like a waste and wonders what those thoughts meant, hinting at growing feelings for Van.

Connect Event: Judith

Van returns to the café and sees Judith offering to help Chloe with deliveries. Judith finds the timing perfect and asks Van to join her. After the fourth delivery, Van wonders how many are left, noticing that Judith doesn’t usually help her mother with deliveries. Judith explains that her career keeps her busy, and she rarely visits Anchorville, making this a rare opportunity to catch up with the locals. The last delivery is for Old Man Hermann, and Judith casually mentions her dad, saying Hermann used to take care of all of them. Van is surprised, as it’s the first time she’s mentioned her father. He asks if her dad has passed away, but Judith assures him he’s alive. She explains her father works in the movie industry as a screenwriter and has connections with people like Hermann. Chloe and her dad never actually married, which might be related to the Grimcats situation. Despite the distance and lack of formal ties, Judith says her dad is still important to her.

As Van and Judith approach Hermann, they see him about to fall into the canal. Judith quickly transforms into Grimcats to save him. Hermann, confused, asks what happened and sees Judith in her Grimcats form, but assumes it’s just a costume for an acting gig. Van silently wonders why Hermann doesn’t question it further.

Judith delivers the final package to Hermann and takes him home. Back at the café, Chloe serves Judith’s favorite tea and offers Van a special cocoa. Judith, slightly annoyed, notes how everyone assumes Van is looking after her. Reflecting on it, she admits it’s partly true and playfully frames it as Van being lucky to have a close connection to one of the top actresses in the business. Van agrees, and Judith thanks him for his support, mentioning how it’s the first time Grimcats has had friends to rely on. They both promise to support each other moving forward.

Connect Event: Risette

Risette and Van visit the church to seek advice from the bishop about Risette’s situation. The bishop suggests it could be related to PTSD. Van asks if he means trauma, and Risette tries to protest, saying it shouldn’t be possible. The bishop finishes her thought, noting that Risette has no memories to begin with. He explains that although she has forgotten, a deep “fear” might be etched into her subconscious. The bishop advises specialized treatment as the best approach for PTSD, but Risette asks about other options. He reveals an amulet that could tap into her subconscious but warns it might intensify the emotional wound. Risette agrees to proceed, and the bishop activates the amulet, casting it on her to explore her subconscious.

In her mind, Risette sees a man, an old lady, and a child version of herself, angry at the man for not getting her what she wanted.

Suddenly, the scene erupts into flames, and a giant machine attacks. Risette wakes up in pain. The bishop warns that they should stop before it becomes too dangerous. Van agrees, thanks the bishop, and takes Risette to Shino’s Bar/Food Truck for a drink. Risette, still shaken, confesses she doesn’t know where she was or who “they” were, unable to make sense of her past. She questions her very existence, explaining that when she awoke, she had no body or memories, and everything about her now feels synthetic and robotic. Yet, thanks to Van and Mirabel, she somehow became a person. Risette thanks Van for helping her face her trauma and giving her the courage to confront her PTSD.

Patrolling Anchorville

While patrolling Anchorville, you can find Regena talking to Bracer Xiao Lin. They discuss how Heiyue seems to have more reliable sources than the police, as they’ve already sent their forces to Anchorville. They wonder if Heiyue is searching for the Gekka Styled Masked Man. Regena also reveals that not just Xiao Lin, but Kazan and Rahad have also come to Anchorville.

You can also find Shino, the cocktail mixer from Kuro 1 and 2, here in Anchorville with her food truck. Additionally, Yun Ka-Fai is still in Anchorville, and Aaron asks why he hasn’t left yet. Ka-Fai explains that he’s waiting for the train and thought he’d pass the time by watching a movie, listing several that interest him. Van hopes Ka-Fai doesn’t miss his train.

---

4SPG: A girl named Merina is searching for her "real family" after discovering she was switched at birth. The group asks Chief Bannings at city hall, but he says he's never heard of such a case. However, after some thought, he recalls a case where a family came in after fourteen years due to a similar mix-up. The group realizes that another person must have learned their family isn't their biological one and that this individual is a boy. Speaking to Edwin from Eton reveals that the mix-up occurred at the hospital, which was involved with both the mafia and Almata. The mistake came to light during the restructuring at the end of December. When they return to inform Merina about the gender mix-up, they find her with a boy named Jodie. They visit the hospital and speak to a doctor to learn more. Upon returning, it’s revealed that both families had discovered the mix-up the previous year but chose to keep it quiet, which upsets Merina. After calming down, Van asks if she wants to know the truth, and she agrees. It turns out her closest friend, the boy Jodie standing beside her, is the one who was switched at birth with her. They share the same birthday.

4SPG: Rachel, the second girl in the idol group Vega alongside Yulia, has gone missing. After asking around—Shino at her bar truck, Wagner at the hotel bar, and a guard—the group heads out onto the roads to search. They find Rachel, who vents her frustration about how the idol industry treats her like a prop and a doll, rather than a person. Her emotional outburst causes monsters to chase her, but the group arrives just in time to save her. Rachel admits she doesn’t want to return, revealing that her dream was to become a singer, but she’s disillusioned by the industry’s focus on metrics and audience appeal rather than talent.

Van challenges her pride, reminding her that she got this far through her hard work, and if she gives up now, she'll throw it all away and become a nobody again. Encouraged, she returns to Yulia, and they sing again—but this time, Rachel does it her way. Their manager worries he’ll get fired if management finds out, but the group believes that Rachel's true-to-self performance has won over an audience that genuinely cares about them.

Main Story:

At the Bracer Guild, the group exchanges information with Regard, Kazan, and Rahad. After talking to Jack and Hale, they discuss Hamilton in Tharbad and the drug situation, before leaving to gather more information for Van. Later, Jack and Mirabel both call at the same time, wanting to share intel and meet at the Black Cat Café.

In a curious moment, Yun Ka-Fai breaks the fourth wall, mentioning that there are "two more acts" and asking if they’ll make it through. (He’s referring to Van 6, Rean 3, Kevin 3, and the Finale.)

At the café, the group meets with Mirabel and Jack, who confirm that Heiyue’s activities have begun, narrowing it down to two locations. Daswani also joins, explaining that he couldn’t gather any intel from the CID. Alvis arrives as well, mentioning that Elaine is on her way but will take some time. Alvis and Daswani were recently at a City Hall conference concerning the Remnants. Jack then asks if the group noticed anything strange at City Hall, which confuses them. Risette realizes that City Hall is one of the locations Jack and Mirabel were referring to, and they confirm it. The second location is the logistics warehouse.

As they discuss this, the Genesis and Alter Core react, and a laptop feed shows the Masked Men. Blue taunts Arkride and Marduk. Red, a Gekka-style fighter, activates his Alter Core, glowing red, and tells the group to enjoy the "crimson night."

Outside, the Police and Bracers split up to handle the monsters attacking the city. After saving civilians and clearing the area, the group encounters Heiyue assassins, who have been contaminated. Upon defeating them, the assassins merge and sacrifice themselves to bring Tyrant back into the world.

Aaron gets furious, wondering if the Masked People used their nanomachines or something else to recreate something to aggravate him. Cao, Gaolang, and Boss Fan also appear to assist, and Dominique, who had been missing, shows up too. Bergard is shocked to learn Dominique had been working with Heiyue all along. She explains that she was helping Gien deal with some matters, which is true, as she had been seen speaking with him a few acts earlier.

Fan, Gaolang, and Dominique stay behind to fight Tyrant, allowing Van and the others to head to the logistics center. To everyone’s surprise, Aaron’s father shows up to help. Annoyed, Aaron asks why his dad is here, and Cao explains that one of the Masked People is someone Aaron’s father suspects, and he needs to be there to confront this person or he won’t be able to face his late wife.

At the logistics center, the group is ambushed by an Executor, and Aaron’s father is critically injured. The group defeats the Executor, but Blue uses the Alter Core to make it repeatedly teleport as a feint.

Rene Kincaid arrives to help Van by predicting where the Executor will teleport. Van asks why Kincaid is here, and he explains that all CID forces are deployed elsewhere, and he’s the only one available to assist.

Blue escapes, and Van finds it difficult to reconcile with Kincaid after being ghosted for so long. However, they agree to collaborate to resolve the incident as part of a “4SPG request.” During their free-roaming phase, Kincaid discloses that the Contamination effect is referred to as the “Executor Factor,” or ‘eFactor’ for short, by the CID.

As the group delves deeper, they discover the eldest son of the Divanshi Family. One son had been dealt with in a 4SPG, while the other was transformed into a mechanized monster by the Alter Core in Act 2 Van 2. Eventually, they confront the Red Warrior, who possesses a replica of a pedestal used in Kuro 1. The Red Warrior inadvertently refers to Gien as a brat, suggesting he is either much older or hails from a bygone era. Just then, the Blue Provoker arrives, seemingly intent on finishing off the group, but the Red Warrior commands him to leave and refrain from interfering in his battle.

The Red Warrior draws two swords, the Hagun and Donrou, which Cao recognizes as legendary cursed swords from the East. Surprised by Cao's knowledge of his weapons, the Red Warrior powers up.

After the fight, Aaron ponders whether the Red Warrior is the Taikun from Kuro 1, but he quickly dismisses this thought, realizing it was merely a lingering grudge that had possessed him. He concludes that the Red Warrior is indeed the genuine article who ruled with an iron fist 40 years ago, asking if he is the Taikun Lagun Karn.

Aaron and Cao manage to unmask the Red Warrior, revealing a face strikingly similar to Aaron's. Simultaneously, Kincaid and Van unmask the Blue Provoker, to Agnes's shock, revealing him to be Giacomo. Gaolang and the others arrive, and Karn expresses his admiration that they managed to subdue his “shadow,” promising to remember their names. He also recognizes Dominique, commenting on how poorly she has aged. Giacomo's familiarity with Dominique surprises Judith. Subsequently, Karn and Giacomo make their escape.

Afterward, everyone regroups outside the logistics center. They express their confusion over how Giacomo can be alive, as Van was convinced he had died, pondering how he could have returned. Theories arise that his revival may resemble Dingo's in Kuro 2. However, unlike Dingo, who was ephemeral and revived in a shard body, both Giacomo and Karn have a tangible presence. Kincaid informs the group that the CID and Marduk are withdrawing, leaving Van’s group to rely solely on the Bracers and Daswani’s forces. Agnes speculates whether something significant is set to happen in Anchorville the following day based on Karn’s words, but Kincaid interrupts, revealing that President Gramheart is essentially placing her under house arrest until the Space Project’s rocket launch.

The chapter ends.

[444namesplus]

Ba Baa Baas Bae Baes Bais Bam Ban Bao Baos Bau Baus Be Bees Bei Beis Bem Ben Beo Beos Beu Beus Bi Bias Bie Bies Bii Biis Bim Bin Bio Bios Biu Bius Bo Boes Bom Bon Boo Boos Bou Bous Bu Bua Bues Bui Buis Bum Bun Buo Buu Buus Chi Chia Chias Chie Chies Chii Chiis Chim Chin Chio Chios Chiu Chius Chu Chua Chuas Chue Chues Chui Chuis Chum Chun Chuo Chuos Chuu Chuus Da Daas Dae Daes Dais Dam Dan Dao Daos Daus De Dea Deas Dee Dei Deis Dem Den Deo Deu Deus Dha Dhaa Dhaas Dhaes Dhai Dhais Dham Dhan Dhaus Dhe Dhea Dheas Dhee Dhees Dheis Dhem Dhen Dheo Dheu Dhi Dhia Dhies Dhiis Dhim Dhin Dhio Dhios Dhiu Dhius Dho Dhoa Dhoas Dhoes Dhois Dhom Dhon Dhoo Dhoos Dhou Dhous Dhu Dhua Dhue Dhues Dhum Dhun Dhuo Dhuu Dhuus Di Die Dies Dii Diis Dim Din Dio Diu Dius Do Doa Doas Doi Dom Don Doo Doos Dous Du Duas Due Dues Dui Duis Dum Dun Duu Fa Faa Faas Fae Faes Fai Fais Fam Fan Fao Faos Fau Faus Fe Fea Feas Fee Fees Fei Feis Fem Fen Feo Feus Fi Fia Fias Fiis Fim Fin Fios Fius Fo Foa Foe Foi Fois Fom Fon Foos Fous Fu Fua Fuas Fue Fues Fui Fuis Fum Fun Fuos Fuus Ga Gaa Gaas Gae Gaes Gam Gan Gaos Gau Ge Gea Geas Gee Gei Geis Gem Gen Geo Geu Geus Gi Gia Gias Gie Gies Gii Giis Gim Gin Gios Giu Gius Go Goe Gom Gon Goo Goos Gous Gu Guas Gue Gui Guis Gum Gun Guo Guos Guu Guus Ha Haa Haas Hae Haes Hai Hais Ham Han Haos Hau He Hea Heas Hee Hees Hei Heis Hem Hen Heo Heu Heus Hi Hie Hies Hii Hiis Him Hin Hio Hios Hius Ho Hoe Hom Hon Hous Hu Huas Hui Huis Hum Hun Huo Huu Huus

Ja Jaa Jae Jaes Jai Jais Jam Jan Jaos Jau Jaus Je Jea Jeas Jee Jem Jen Jeo Jeos Jeu Jeus Ji Jia Jias Jie Jies Jii Jiis Jim Jin Jio Jios Jiu Jo Joa Joas Joe Joes Jois Jom Jon Joos Jou Jous Ju Jua Juas Jue Juis Jum Jun Juo Juos Juu Juus Ka Kaas Kae Kai Kais Kam Kan Kao Kaos Kau Kaus Ke Kea Keas Kee Kei Keis Kem Ken Keo Keos Keu Keus Ki Kia Kie Kies Kim Kin Kio Kios Kiu Kius Ko Koe Koes Koi Kois Kom Kon Koo Koos Kou Kous Ku Kua Kue Kues Kum Kun Kuos Kuu Kuus La Laa Laas Laes Lais Lam Lan Laos Lau Laus Le Lea Leas Lee Lees Lei Lem Len Leo Leos Leu Leus Li Lia Lie Liis Lim Lin Lio Lios Liu Lo Loa Loas Loe Loes Lom Lon Loo Loos Lou Lu Lua Lue Lui Luis Lum Lun Luo Luos Luus Ma Maa Mae Maes Mai Mam Man Mao Maos Mau Maus Me Mea Mee Mei Meis Mem Men Meo Meu Mi Mias Mie Mies Mii Miis Mim Min Mios Miu Mius Mo Moa Moas Moe Mois Mom Mon Moo Mous Mu Mua Muas Mues Mui Mum Mun Muo Muu Muus Na Naa Naas Nae Naes Nai Nais Nam Nan Nao Naos Naus Ne Nea Neas Nee Nees Neis Nem Nen Neo Neos Neu Neus Ni Nii Niis Nim Nin Nio Nios Niu No Noa Noas Noe Noes Noi Nom Non Noo Nou Nous Nu Nua Nuas Nues Nui Nuis Num Nun Nuo Nuos Nuu Pa Paa Pae Paes Pai Pam Pan Pao Pau Paus Pe Pea Peas Pee Pees Pei Peis Pem Pen Peo Peos Peu Pi Pias Pie Pii Piis Pim Pin Pio Pios Piu Po Poas Poe Poes Pois Pom Pon Poo Poos Pou Pous Pu Puas Pue Pues Pui Puis Pum Pun Puo Puu Puus Ra Raa Raas Rae Rai Rais Ram Ran Raos Rau Raus Re Reas Ree Rees Rei Reis Rem Ren Reo Reos Reu Reus Ri Ria Rii Rim Rin Rio Rios Riu Rius Ro Roa Roas Roe Roes Roi Rois Rom Ron Roo Roos Rou Rous Ru Rua Rues Rui Ruis Rum Run Ruo Ruos Ruu Ruus Sa Sae Saes Sais Sam San Sau Se Sea Seas Sees Sei Seis Sem Sen Seos Shi Shia Shias Shie Shies Shii Shiis Shim Shin Shio Shios Shiu Shius Shu Shua Shuas Shue Shues Shui Shuis Shum Shun Shuo Shuos Shuu Shuus Si Sia Sii Siis Sim Sin Sio Sios Sius So Soe Soes Sois Som Son Soos Sous Su Suas Sui Suis Sum Sun Suo Suu Suus Ta Taa Taas Taes Tai Tais Tam Tan Tao Taos Tau Taus Te Tea Teas Tees Tei Tem Ten Teo Teu Thi Thia Thias Thie Thies Thii Thiis Thim Thin Thio Thios Thiu Thius Thu Thua Thuas Thue Thues Thui Thuis Thum Thun Thuo Thuos Thuu Thuus Ti Tias Tie Tiis Tim Tin Tio Tios Tiu Tius To Toas Toe Toes Toi Tom Ton Toos Tou Tous Tu Tua Tuas Tue Tues Tui Tuis Tum Tun Tuo Tuu Tuus Va Vaa Vaas Vae Vaes Vai Vam Van Vaos Vau Vaus Ve Vea Veas Vee Vees Vei Vem Ven Veo Veos Veu Veus Vi Vie Vii Viis Vim Vin Vio Viu Vo Voa Voe Voes Voi Vois Vom Von Voo Voos Vou Vous Vu Vue Vues Vui Vuis Vum Vun Vuo Vuus Wa Waas Wae Wai Wam Wan Wao Waos Wau Waus We Wea Wees Wei Weis Wem Wen Weos Weus Wi Wia Wias Wie Wies Wii Wim Win Wio Wiu Wo Woa Woe Woes Woi Wois Wom Won Woos Wou Wu Wua Wuas Wue Wui Wum Wun Wuo Wuos Wuu Wuus Za Zaa Zaas Zae Zaes Zai Zais Zam Zan Zaos Zau Zaus Ze Zea Zeas Zee Zees Zei Zeis Zem Zen Zeo Zeos Zeu Zeus Zha Zhaa Zhae Zhaes Zhai Zhais Zham Zhan Zhao Zhaos Zhau Zhaus Zhe Zhea Zhee Zhees Zhei Zheis Zhem Zhen Zheo Zheos Zheu Zheus Zhi Zhia Zhie Zhies Zhii Zhim Zhin Zhio Zhios Zhiu Zhius Zho Zhoa Zhoas Zhoe Zhoes Zhoi Zhom Zhon Zhou Zhous Zhu Zhuas Zhuis Zhum Zhun Zhuos Zhuu Zhuus Zi Zia Zias Zim Zin Zio Ziu Zius Zo Zoe Zoes Zois Zom Zon Zoo Zoos Zou Zous Zu Zuas Zue Zues Zuis Zum Zun Zuos Zuu

[likes-words-and-shrimp]

Chapters: 7/7 Fandom: Tales of Symphonia Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Colette Brunel/Lloyd Irving Characters: Lloyd Irving, Colette Brunel, Genis Sage, Raine Sage, Zelos Wilder, Sheena Fujibayashi, Regal Bryant, Presea Combatir, Kratos Aurion, Yuan Ka-Fai, Dirk (Tales of Symphonia), Frank Brunel Additional Tags: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Injury Recovery, Post-Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Wingfic, Eventual Romance, Mutual Pining, Self-Acceptance, Happy Ending, POV Multiple, Body Horror, Transformation Words: 36,180 Summary:

Lloyd had never been too fond of his wings. But they were still useful, and convenient when they needed to be. It only made sense to use what he had. Until his wings changed one night, and became permanent, with real feathers attached to bone. And they were heavy.

Looking back on 2023, I think one fic I'm really proud of writing is this one, a multichapter Symphonia fic I was able to complete, with a focus on Lloyd and his wings taking on a different transformation. It's seven chapters of Lloyd and Colette dealing with the painful and difficult changes, but also the rest of the party helping them on this new shift in their journey. If you decide to read it, I hope you enjoy!

Just have some more additional thoughts for this fic under the cut:

Since this year for Colloyd Week was going to be its 5th year running, and it was also Symphonia's 20th anniversary, me and @frayed-symphony wanted to do something a bit more special with the prompts this time. We decided to bring back some prompts from previous weeks while still using a new quote day and the usual free day. (Here's the prompt list with her art which everyone should see) With that in mind, I also wanted to do something a bit different for myself writing-wise, and tell a story over the course of each of the prompts!

The tidbit about mana wings eventually becoming more feathered versions is actually a bit of lore taken from the Kratos novel. Essentially, if an angel uses it for too long, the wings will become a permanent part of the body, the mana solidifying into feathers. That's why we see a lot of angels in Welgaia floating about with feathered wings, and explains why Kratos, Yuan and Mithos don't keep theirs out consistently. And the reason for the title, it's from the Lloyd's Thoughts on Angels skit because I thought it would be fun to make all those angelic issues relevant for this fic.

I really wanted to use this bit of canon lore for Lloyd, and whether it's an effect of his unique Exsphere, or anything else, his wings succumb to the same transformation. But, well, it's more than just the wings changing here.

I also wanted to play more with Lloyd's self-consciousness here and the guilt he probably still carries with him when he failed to notice Colette suffering in time. Lloyd is also the unifying force for the party where he helps inspire and lift them up from each member's own troubles, but I also wanted to see this reversed while Lloyd is going through his own baggage and past traumas. It was also more interesting to write about Lloyd going through physical changes the way Colette did in the game and have that comfort role-reversed.

A lot of this fic was a learning process! The wings in Symphonia are just a favorite aesthetic for me, and learning about how they can change was really intriguing, so much of this fic centered around the Wings prompt. I was also planning on having everyone play a part with the Soulmates prompt, which I felt was fitting for Symphonia's anniversary year. Much of the later half of the story came as it went, like with the focus on Dirk, and the very last chapter that's a few years in the future, where Lloyd has a better handle on who he is now.

Change itself is also something I just wanted to focus on overall; how we change as people, or how our loved ones change over time. And sometimes change is frightening, but it can also be exciting and learning to accept and welcome it can also feel rewarding in the end. I think I wanted to show that in this fic, though how well I succeeded kinda depends on the reading, and maybe I was heavy-handed with the wings metaphor haha.

But also, I just wanted to write a longer cute ship fic of my OTP. That's another reason. :D

Compared to most chaptered fics, this isn't very long, but I like that it's contained enough at just over 36k. I still have other Symphonia WIPs I want to finish, but I'm really proud of completing this one, and a big thank you to those who've read and commented on this fic! Symphonia has always been special to me and I'm glad I could celebrate both the game and my favorite ship this way.

Around the new year, I'll probably make a Symphonic fic recs list for stories I've read this year. If you read this far, hope you'll look forward to it!

[byneddiedingo]

Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung Ka-fai in Farewell China (Clara Law, 1990)

Cast: Maggie Cheung, Tony Leung Ka-fai, Hayley Man, Lester Chit-Man Chan, Hung Chun, Jun Liao. Screenplay: Eddie Ling-Ching Fong. Cinematography: Jingle Ma. Art direction: Lee Lok-Si. Film editing: Ma Kam. Music: Jim Shum.

Despite a narrative clotted with flashbacks, some scenes that don't seem to fit, and an unsteadiness of tone, Clara Law's Farewell China remains a vivid, sometimes harrowing look at Chinese immigrants in New York City. Maggie Cheung gives a dazzling performance as Li Hung, who leaves her husband, Zhao Nansan (Tony Leung Ka-fai) and their infant son in China to seek work in New York. When Nansan stops hearing from Hung, he finds his way to the city to search for her. Hayley Man gives a lively performance as a 15-year-old Chinese-American runaway from her family in Detroit, who steals and turns tricks as she aids Nansan in his search through the city's lower depths.