#You really capture the eerieness of the depths of the ocean!!

[shychick-52]

Oooh, Beakley was kicking herself in the ass later 😄

SHUT UP, EVERYONE, WACKY'S DONE SOMETHING BRILLIANT.

FR, STOP AND BEHOLD.

fellas is it gay to accidentally save your greatest enemy’s life 😳

[prythianpages]

'Cause Somewhere in the Crowd There's You | Lucien

summary: When Tamlin sends Lucien to the Night Court as his emisssary, he stumbles upon a nightclub and finds himself captivated by you. His sweet nightingale.

warnings: angst, mentions of blood and violence (reader is trapped in a nightclub)

a/n: This is part of my ABBA x ACOTAR series (masterlist) where I dedicate a song to a character (: but also was inspired by Lana Del Rey's music and a hint of Oscar Wilde ♥️ This takes place roughly before Amarantha's rule. If I'm going to be honest, I find Lucien hard a bit hard to write for (but this song really gave me lucien vibes) so I hope this doesn't come off a bit out of character for him. also why is it so hard to find pics that match Lucien's vibe on pinterest.

Trapped in the ceaseless rhythm of melancholic blues, you can’t help but feel sick and tired of everything. Days blur into nights. All you do is eat and sleep and sing. The weight of routine presses down on you, suffocating the spark that once fueled your passion. 

You wish every show to be your last.

That is, until you see him.

He emerges from the crowd like a radiant sun breaking through the darkest night. His presence is tall and striking with skin kissed by the sun and a cascade of red hair. Despite the length of scars that run down the left side of his face, there is an undeniable elegance and beauty that surrounds him. His eye holds you captive, drawing you in like a moth to a flame and your voice falters for a brief note. 

**

Lucien knows he should leave. Hewn city is not a welcoming one and his meeting with the High Lord of the Night Court did not go well. But against the warning bells ringing in his head, he decides to linger and wander around the dark city. With no clear destination in mind, his feet guide him through the labyrinthine alleys until, almost as if compelled by an unseen force, he stands before the entrance of a mysterious nightclub. Bathed in an eerie red light, the sign above reads The Rose. 

As he approaches, the entrance, despite being small, appears almost ethereal. Shadows dance upon the towering stone walls. The air is thick with an alluring blend of magic, pleasure and something darker. Inside is just as mysterious and intoxicating. He should leave and he turns around to do so when he a mesmerizing sound stops him and holds him in place.

“In the land of gods and monsters.” 

A beautiful and heavenly voice. It beckons him forward like a siren’s call and he allows the fae lights embedded in the cavern to guide him further. The corners of the nightclub harbor hidden alcoves, draped in luxurious silks and velvet.  

“I was an angel living in the garden of evil.”

Some high fae engage in secretive exchanges and gambles. Some are lost in the enigmatic allure of drinks and colorful powders that shimmer with enchantments. Some are engrossed in the pretty fae females and males on their laps. Others, like him, are captured by the hauntingly beautiful song.

“You got that medicine I need. Fame, liquor, love, give it to me slowly.”

Where ancient stone meets polished wood, Lucien finds himself at the bar and orders a drink. He turns to face the stage in the center of the club, leaning against the bar. His mechanical eye emits a soft whir as his gaze travels to the owner of the voice. 

“Put your hands on my waist, do it softly.”

A silent awe washes over him as he takes in the sheer beauty before him. Dressed in a white gown that drapes over you like moonlit silk, you stand on the stage like an angel amidst the monsters that lurk in every corner of the place. The fabric mirrors your every movement as you sway to the rhythm of the song in small billowing waves.

“Me and the Mother, we don’t get along. So now I sing.”

It’s as if you sense his gaze on you because your siren eyes are searching the crowd. Mirroring the depths of a fathomless ocean, your eyes are pools of sadness and longing, yet there's a vulnerability that softens in them as they lock with his. Your voice slightly falters and for a heartbeat, time seems to stretch.

A tremor courses through you, fingers tightening their grip onto the microphone. Your eyes darken again and then you’re tearing your gaze away from Lucien. He follows it, curious eyes landing on a male who stands on the balcony facing the stage. Even from where Lucien stands, he can tell the male radiates power and money.

“No one’s gonna take my soul away.”

“They call her the Nightingale.” The bartender says to Lucien as he hands him his drink. Lucien’s gaze returns to you. “She’s off limits. I suggest finding another female to warm you for the night. There’s plenty to choose from here.”

Lucien says nothing in return. Those hadn’t been his intentions upon seeing you. He simply found himself struck by your presence. And as the enchanting notes of your song continue to soar, there’s a rising desire to learn more about you. The thought of extending his stay begins to take root, a subtle whisper tempting him to linger a while longer. He’ll write to Tamlin to reassure him and continue to negotiate with Rhysand further.

**

The gamble Lucien took to stay in Hewn city is a winning one with each passing night yielding more promising signs of Rhysand's willingness to compromise. It brings him relief as it gives him an excuse to visit the nightclub again. He returns the next night and then the following, noticing something new about you every time. 

On the second night, he realizes the male you had glared at the first night he saw you was the owner of the nightclub. Lucien learns that he was right in his first impression of him. Benedict is a wealthy man, both in money and in connections, and is not subtle about the power he holds over this part of the city. Everyone in the nightclub bows down to him but not you. There’s a look of defiance in your eyes every time you look Benedict’s way.

On the third night, your usually hauntingly melancholic voice takes on a different, lighter tone. It’s still just as beautiful but now, harbors a sense of hope. And your eyes find Lucien’s with ease. You don’t break eye contact with him throughout the entirety of your performance that night, as though your song is a serenade meant solely for him.

It’s on the fourth night that he finally gets to talk to you. 

Breaking from your routine of disappearing behind the stage curtains after performances, tonight, you grace the bar with your presence, drawing stares from some of the high fae. His grip tightens on his glass when he recognizes a dark hunger in most of them but even so, none dare to approach you.

“What will it be, lovely?” Lucien hears the bartender address you.

Taking the empty spot beside Lucien, your presence and proximity captivate him. His heartbeat falters momentarily as you graciously flip your hair, surrounding him with the divine scent of the sweetest rose.

“Just a water,” you reply and he hears the rustle of your dress as you turn to face him. “You’re not from here.”

Lucien’s lips twitch upwards. “What gave it away?”

“You’re not a monster.”

He finally turns to look at you, a strange warmth spreading through him. Ever since he lost his eye, he had battled with the scars tainting his skin, internalizing a sense of monstrousity. Yet, as you regard him, it feels as though you see an angel where he sees only imperfections.

His eye drinks you in, the mechanical one on the left whirring along. The corner of his lips lift up into a smirk when he catches you doing the same. 

“How do you know I’m not a monster?”

“There’s something different about you. Something good,” your eyes study him carefully and then, with a soft sigh, you add, “It’d do you well not to dwell in places like this. They’ll only dim your light.”

Curiosity getting the better of him, Lucien asks, "And what about you?"

Your eyes widen, as though the question catches you off guard. "What about me?"

Despite the myriad thoughts swirling within him, he restrains himself and settles for, "You, too, don't seem to fit into this place.”

You fall into a thoughtful silence and your brow slightly furrows. Lucien keenly observes the subtle shift in your gaze as you scan the room before settling back on him. Leaning in as though sharing a secret, he instinctively leans closer. However, as he anticipates your words, you’re turning your back to him. Just as he's poised to speak, you sweep your hair aside, rendering him speechless as you show him instead. 

A delicate tattoo is etched onto the skin between your shoulders—a bird confined within a cage.

“I can’t leave,” he hears your murmur and the ink on your skin appears to shimmer like stars in confirmation. A bargain permanently marked upon flesh. Your flesh and he swallows thickly at what your words imply. 

You’re that bird, the nightingale, trapped in the cage.

“I have to go,” you say suddenly and your hair falls back into place, cascading down your back and concealing the telling tattoo. “Will you come by tomorrow?”

“I thought you said I shouldn’t dwell in places like this.”

“You shouldn’t,” you reply with a wistful smile and Lucien hates the way you drop your gaze.

“But I think I will.”

His words prompt your head to lift, eyes meeting his in surprise. A rush of excitement flushes your skin, transforming the wistful smile into one that is lighter, more promising. A fluttering sensation stirs in Lucien's stomach, and he can't help but return your smile.

A couple more days in Hewn City wouldn’t hurt.

**

Ten days ago, you were stuck in an endless loop of exhaustion and despair, where every night weighed heavily upon you. However, a welcome shift has occurred since then. Sleeping, eating and singing still consume most of your days but a newfound presence has entered the scene. Lucien.

And as the curtains are drawn back, revealing your presence to the awaiting audience, you embrace yourself for the blinding super trouper beams. Unlike nights past where a tinge of melancholy enveloped you, tonight is different. 

You won’t feel blue, like you always do, because somewhere in the crowd there’s him.

Lucien’s presence is like a burst of brilliance, akin to the beaming lights that find you on the stage every night. When your eyes find his amongst the crowd, your pulse quickens and heat rushes to your cheeks. It’s like the sight of him proves to you that you're still alive. 

In his wake, the shadows that linger in the club cower and hide away. He shines like the sun and you find his brightness infectious. It chases away the gloom that had settled over your own light, reigniting the flames of enthusiasm that had long dimmed within you.

Each note you sang resonated with newfound energy, and every performance became an opportunity to embrace the warmth and vitality he brought into your world. As the final notes of your song hang in the air, you can’t help but feel a sense of destiny. You were meant to meet Lucien.

After your performance, you sneak your way back to the bar where he waits for you.

“You came again,” you smile at him.

Lucien smiles back at you but it falters. “I’m afraid it’ll be the last time…for a while.”

The smile doesn’t waver off your face yet the glistening in your eyes reveals the threat of an emotional storm beginning to unfold. You refuse to dwell in it, not wanting to let the darkness that lingers over you like a gloomy cloud to consume you again.

“Okay,” you manage to breathe. You knew this day was coming. Lucien had to return back home, and you, regrettably, can’t go with him. “Let’s make the most of tonight, then. Dance with me?”

“Are you sure?” Lucien asks and you follow his gaze to where Benedict stands, a top of the balcony as always. You feel a rush of relief when you see a pretty female wrapped around him. A distraction. Perfect.

Lucien watches you, taking in every shift in your expression as he awaits for your answer. It’s not that he doesn’t want to dance with you. Gods, does he want to dance with you. Anything to be able to hold you close. To take you into his arms and hold you tight. 

Unfortunately, he’s well aware of the tight leash Benedict keeps you on. He doesn’t let you stray far from his sight. You’re not allowed anywhere near the private nooks lining the club or the rooms at the back where private exchanges occur. It’s for your own safety and Lucien can’t be mad at that. What unsettles him is the way Benedict regards you as his most prized object and Lucien doesn’t want you to face consequences over a dance.

“Yes,” you finally answer. 

There’s a strong certainty in your voice but also a subtle plea that tugs at his heartstrings. It brings forth a tightening in his chest. He suppresses the urge to frown. He plans to return to you but for now, it’s your last night together before he has to leave the Night Court. 

Lucien graces you with a smile instead. He offers his hand to you, his eyes lighting up with a warmth that mirrors the blood coursing through his veins. A delightful shiver travels up his spine as your hand wraps around his. Until now, you’d only share glances, lingering stares and the occasional brushing of skin. 

As the piano begins its enchanting melody, Lucien takes the lead, guiding you onto the dance floor. You’re so close you can feel the warmth of his body and all you want to do is melt into it. Melt into him. But you can’t.

So you bask in the warmth of his gaze instead. Up close, you can now appreciate the depth of his russet eye and you can’t help but marvel at the intricacies of the golden mechanical eye on the left. His gaze never strays from yours throughout the dance and the tender connection between you begins to rise under the brilliance of his gaze, pulling your heart with it.

As he holds you tight, you surrender to the intimate embrace, shedding all inhibitions. Neither of you speak, your eyes speaking for you. It feels as though the world has faded away, leaving just the two of you swaying in harmony. Smiling, having fun, where each step becomes a silent declaration of the unspoken feelings that have blossomed between you.

The passage of time remains elusive as you share the dance, the minutes slipping away unnoticed until the pianist gracefully bows to the audience. Your dance comes to a dreadful stop. Lucien's grasp on you tightens, a reluctant acknowledgment of the inevitable separation.

“I’ll come back for you,” he whispers, his promise carrying a tenderness that ignites a fervent flame within you. “I’ll find a way to help set you free, my sweet nightingale.”

He then pulls a pristine white rose, the same exact shade of white as the dress you wore when he first saw you, from the folds of his coat. He graces you with one last smile as he leans in, placing the rose carefully behind your ear. “Until then,” he murmurs, his lips brushing against your temple and your eyes flutter shut.

“Until then,” you breathe and as Lucien walks away and the shadows inevitably return, you take delight in the way the darkness hesitates to claim you, leaving you untouched.

You can’t even bring yourself to care when Benedict corners you backstage, seething with anger. Of course, he noticed. You don’t even flinch when he throws his glass of whiskey toward the wall behind you, the shattered glass ricocheting. Some of them make their way to you, slicing your skin.

As you settle into the comfort of your small room, you retrieve the white rose from its perch behind your ear, cradling it delicately in your hand. A single drop of blood from one of your healing cuts taints the rose, painting one of the white petals red. Still, you cling onto the slender stem, gripping it as tightly as you grasp onto that fervent flame of hope burning within you. Your light will never dim again…

Because somewhere in Prythian, there’s him.

a/n: I'll admit this took an angstier turn than what I had intended but I hope you still enjoy this darker interpretation of ABBA's Super Trouper lol.

if you'd like to read more about these two, here's a part two.

tagging: @scooobies

[calibri-crossies]

"Welcome to shoal."

Part 2 of "Just a "Tool".

Things have been a bit complicated over the last few months. You gained the trust of your superiors and with that, they put you to guard the ward where they had the "rare specimens" in order to prevent anyone else from discovering that place and invading it. Little did they know that you were the one they wanted to avoid, this irony was even funny to you. They only did help you in fulfilling your goal of freeing the mermen brothers who were still confined in the aquarium.

Over time, you ended up creating a special bond with the mermen brothers, and just as you started to like them a lot, they weren't indifferent to you. You just thought it was weird the way Bo talked to you, sometimes he looked at you like he was sorry or sad about something, but you ended up interpreting it as a thought that he had doubts if you were really going to keep your promise to help them to get out of that place.

You didn't know why that was, but your obsession with helping those three mermen back to their house grew bigger every day, until it got to the point where you were able to hear Bo's voice in your mind even if you didn't being around him, God, you thought you were starting to go crazy, in fact you were already sure of it.

You just wanted these voices to stop echoing, you were starting to get scared by what you saw when you closed your eyes, images, dark and eerie glimpses that seemed to be in the depths of the ocean that only kept you awake for days. Perhaps it was your own mind rushing you, indicating that the more time passes, the more they would be at risk of death from their "caretakers" who almost every day subjected them to tests. You just wanted to keep your promise, hoping these flashes would stop.

You felt stuck to this goal, devising a plan to get the three of them out of the tank, you took advantage of the daily period when they were taken out of the tank for cleaning and as soon as you had the opportunity, you managed to remove the mobile aquarium where the three had been temporarily placed.

God only knows how you managed to get out of there without being captured, luckily you also had the help of the brothers who prevented as they could from reaching you. Whether it was using their tails to hit something or someone,or just using their skills to hinder your pursuers. Anyway, you managed to get away, and after you hooked up the tank to one of the cars you stole,now you were at full speed heading to the beach.

The chase didn't stop, they tried in every way to capture and retrieve the mermen brothers before they managed to return to the sea, doing what they could to get you to stop the car. Of course, they didn't mind shooting you as long as they the trio remained intact, but something in you motivated you to just keep going, you no longer had any way to go back.

You took the car carrying the big aquarium up a not-too-high cliff that was as close to the sea as you could get and were sure they wouldn't risk running aground again.

"Everything is ready, I kept my promise." You smile at the three of them before you start pushing the aquarium a little farther to the edge of the cliff so they can jump off without much work. "It was great meeting you!" You say while helping them out of the aquarium. Lester however looked worried, not wanting to leave you behind. "Come with us please, they won't let it down if you stay here!!"

You smile at the younger merman, assuring him that everything would be fine if you managed to hide. "And after all, I'm a human...how would I survive with you at sea?" You see disappointment in Lester's eyes, but you don't have time to respond anymore. You see the pursuers approaching, so you soon tossed him off the cliff to join his brothers who had already jumped off.

You wave one hand in goodbye and signal the three of them to leave, and they do, but when you turn to head towards your car and start a new escape, you feel a burning in your abdomen, and a severe pain followed by a big bloodstain, they had shot you, they wanted to ensure that the mermen's secret died with you, and so they did,as your body fell off the cliff, and sank into the water, your senses were losing, until everything around you went dark.

The moment you fell into the water, it wasn't long before familiar arms welcomed you. The three brothers panicked when a dense red stain began to spread, you were losing a lot of blood, they were about to lose you, but nowhere near that could happen.

...

Voices, incoherent things were heard by you, you recognized that voice you couldn't whistle to someone in particular. Trying to open your eyes little by little, you felt a rocky texture below you, and realized that sharp pain you felt in your abdomen before, it simply disappeared.

"Y/n??Y/N!!!" The same voice called out to you again, and this time starting to remember, it came into your mind Lester...but that was strange, shouldn't they already be miles deep in the ocean? Why could you still hear them? Was the whole flight a dream? You could only ask yourself these questions, not at all aware if what had happened was real or just a lucid dream.

"L- Lester...?" Your eyesight finally recovers and you call out the younger merman's name, he smiles, glad you've awakened. "Yes, it's me!! We're all here." You try to sit up and the merman helps you. "How are you feeling?" He asks, and you weren't sure how to answer. Your head was pounding a little and your abdomen was tingling, but... You were alive afterall.

"I'm fine...I guess..." You look around and notice you were in a cave, something that caught your attention was that the vegetation inside was fluorescent, and along with that, Lester's scales seemed to glow ,it was all so beautiful, and your eyes filled with every bit you looked at.

While scratching the back of your neck, you touched something weird on your neck, it was small scaly cracks "W-What's that??" Lester then tried to calm you down, saying that everything was fine and that they needed to do that for you to survive. "That?? That what?!" You say, a little hysterical and scared, until you hear a voice coming from somewhere else.

"Blood transfusion." Bo's voice reached you which made you face the older merman, his scales also glowed like Lester's, but in a different color. He slipped off the rock from where he was just watching you and swam over to you and Lester. "It's not just you humans who know life-saving techniques." He says in a mocking but serious tone. In fact, the mermen race had many knowledges that resembled that of humans, but their methods were different. "Vincent knew a way to patch you up, but you lost a lot of blood. We brought you to our cave so he could do it." He continued as Vincent emerged from the water to join you. The masked merman heard your voice and wanted to make sure you were okay. "But...when you do that to a human, there can be...side effects." Bo says indicating your new gills. Vincent starts to signal to you "We don't know if it can progress to a complete metamorphosis..." He signals and you could see a guilty look on his mask "I'm sorry...it was the only way to save your life."

You blink your eyes twice, a little confused and trying to remain calm, but sigh already accepting your new condition. It wasn't like you had a better life before, and to be honest, you just hoped that at the end of this mission death would be your fate,by your boss. "It's okay, actually I appreciate your help.But i don't know how I can pay for this..."

Bo grunts a little confused "But you've already helped us, consider this an exchange of favors" you see his brothers nodding in agreement with the eldest. "If you want to return to the land, we wouldn't mind taking you back there." He says, but not seeming to want to appreciate his own idea.

You smile and shake your head, it wasn't like you had a better place to go, and now with your transmutation, you didn't think it would be a good idea to return to be hunted and become a guinea pig just as the brothers were once made one day. "I don't have anything else there, I hope I'm not bothering you if I want to stay."

"No way would you be." Bo says. "If you want to stay then stay, but know we have our rules." You nod, not thinking twice about accepting his terms, Bo smiles at your attitude, you looked like you would dedicate your loyalty to him and his brothers, you seemed worth it. From that moment you completely stopped being seen by Bo as a simple tool, he had reflected a lot on how your bond with him and his siblings had evolved over the months, and since you weren't a human anymore he didn't see why not allow you to be part of his shoal, be part of his family.

"Welcome to the shoal,Y/n."

*********************************

Taglist: @cheshire-reblog , @sylum (Hope you guys like it :)

[lloydskywalkers]

déjà vu

Hey funny thought! You know what this reminds me of? Watching your teammate supposedly die in front of you? It’d be kinda funny to put someone through that same exact pain again, huh. hUH. 

(I’m suing for emotional damages, Ninjago.)

It’s quiet on the Bounty.

There’s the sound of the wind rustling against the sails, the creak of wood, the steady chime of the monitors. But the rest of the ship is doused in eerie silence, filled with the lost echoes of the shouting that had rang across the deck hours earlier. It’s an empty sort of quiet, a hollow one that speaks of loss. It’s the same gritty-eyed, white-knuckled pain, the same short-breathed agony Nya remembers feeling not long ago.

Her breath catches. Months. They’ve barely had mere months since they’d crumpled into the same devastated shock, the same shattering crack in their heart that’s never really healed when Lloyd had delivered the news that horrible night. That pain is written in Nya’s blood, false loss as it was, the hurt of it scarred into her soul. It’s in Lloyd’s as well, she’d seen it as he’d yelled at his father — the same depthless grief, the dizzying sensation of it all crashing down around their ears in a repeated pulse of not again, not again, not again-

The bandage roll slips from Nya’s fingers, thumping quietly to the floor where it rolls briefly, unraveling a strip of white behind it. Nya quietly curses herself, snatching it up again and straightening the bandage. She carefully tears the strip off, setting it aside and bringing the start of a clean one to rest against Lloyd’s arm.

“Hold still,” she says, more out of need to break the silence than actual direction. Lloyd’s barely moved since she dragged him belowdecks, his face devoid of emotion in that eerily blank mask he wears.

But she’d seen the Oni hit him over the camera feed, the awkward way he holds his arm, hears the odd hitch in his voice when he breathes. She doesn’t know what transpired below in the fog. She doesn’t know if she wants to know. Doesn’t know if she wants to learn what Cole saw before he-

Nya swallows.

But Lloyd wasn’t left unharmed, that much is obvious. It’s what she’d feared even before they’d sent him down with his father, the strung-out feeling of building anxiety as she’d watched her little brother walk into danger on a camera feed once again, too far to be of any help to him.

Today’s full of reminders of the past months, it seems.

Nya winds the bandage a little too tightly, and Lloyd lets out a quiet hiss, breath barely slipping through his clenched teeth.

“Sorry,” Nya murmurs, quickly loosening her hold. Lloyd gives the smallest shake of his head, still staring fixedly at the wall. Nya wonders if he’s trying to capture Cole’s voice in his head, too, memorizing it, so he doesn’t forget what it sounds like-

Nya swallows again, catching on something hard in her throat. All she hears is that last scream. Not his laughter, not the steady voice that’d talk with her on late nights, not the strong tones of her brother — just that last, fearful scream.

Before it was swallowed by darkness.

Something in Nya’s chest burns hot, pulsing painfully with the beat of her heart.

Why didn’t she remember that stupid lever-

She suddenly speaks up, her voice almost a desperate gasp as it escapes her.

“Lloyd?”

He makes a small sound of acknowledgement, but that’s all. His hollow-eyed gaze doesn’t move from the wall, a hundred-yard stare into nothingness.

Nya bites her lip, hard. “Is this what it felt like?” she asks, her voice wavering.

Lloyd finally turns to her, his eyebrows just furrowing in an expression of confusion, the blossoming bruise on his cheek turning a deep purple in the cabin light.

“What?”

Nya blinks back burning tears, fighting with the little that’s left of her resolve.

“On the sky tram,” she rasps. “With Harumi.” Nya shuts her eyes tightly. “Is this what it felt like to watch?”

Lloyd’s eyes widen, his mouth opening slightly then closing. Something flashes in his eyes — the same endless emptiness, that same knife-like feeling, the sudden horror as you realize you could’ve stopped this and you didn’t-

“Yeah,” Lloyd whispers, blinking rapidly. His eyes are suddenly shining, glassy in the cabin lights. “Yeah, this is what it felt like.

Nya inhales, her chest shuddering. “Oh,” she croaks. She takes a breath, then another, trying to stop the wave building in her chest.

“I’m so sor-”

She breaks down just as Lloyd reaches her, his arms wrapping tightly around her, pulling her close as she sobs. They sink down to the floor, Nya’s face buried in his shoulder as she hiccups, Lloyd’s hand rubbing comforting circles on her back, as if he can chase the pain away by contact alone. She would know, their positions are so often reversed-

“My fault,” she gasps, through shudders. “S’all my fault.”

“It’s not,” Lloyd’s voice is agonized, insistent. “It’s not, Nya.”

Nya shakes her head, swallowing the heartbroken wail. “It feels like it is.”

Lloyd is quiet. His arm tightens around her shoulders, his head coming to rest atop hers.

“I know,” he whispers.

Another hot wave of tears flood down her cheeks, and for the first time, Nya’s grief feels less like the raging, vengeful flames of her brother.

It feels more like the quiet call of the ocean, the darkened depths of drowning, grief-stricken guilt.

[scarlettswxtch]

Darkest Side of Me | 1

Characters: Bucky x Reader

Summary: You’re recruited as a new Avenger with powers unlike any other. With a tragic past blurred from birth, who will be at your side when you realise who you truly are?

Word count: 3,310

A/N: hi guys! this is my first post and fan-fiction, hope you enjoy it! I may turn this into a Bucky x Steve x Reader love triangle if you guys want me to. I did a little something with Steve and the reader that could be developed so let me know your thoughts! On a further note -  I made this because I love writing and I love marvel so what better way to express that than write fanfics for my fellow marvel lovers?? Hope you enjoy!

Warnings: This fanfiction is M Rated, and the men (really only Steve and Bucky) will all be dominant guys, if you’re into that sorta thing. However, this chapter is totally PG :)

DARKEST SIDE OF ME

PART 2

“I’m sure you’ll enjoy your stay here Miss, the rest of the Avengers will welcome you with open arms.” said F.R.I.D.A.Y as you went up the elevator, your fingers restlessly tapping the side of your thigh from agitation - You weren’t usually agitated, but it’s fair to say in this situation, it was justifiable. 

You had already met the infamous Tony Stark, courtesy of Nick Fury as he very un-thoughtfully appointed the ridiculously confident man as your ‘babysitter’ (as Tony so elegantly put it). At least Agent Hill had, thoughtfully, advised Nick to introduce you to Nat and Wanda, in which he thankfully complied. 

You first met Nat a few days ago, and you had seen each other a few times since. She was a redhead and a sinfully pretty one at that. Her hair reminded you of the burnt orange sunset over Camara Bay, it was warm and it tumbled over her shoulders like rusty water. She was sweet, yet there was an air of wisdom about her that only those which have seen the worst could have. Then there was Wanda, the gorgeous, all-powerful brunette.

“Thank you, um-”

“F.R.I.D.A.Y”

“Right,” you say and sigh as the elevator doors ring to signal you’ve reached your destination. You took your lower lip between your teeth and began chewing, fiddling with the strap of your bag and taking a deep breath as the doors opened to reveal Tony Stark’s handsome, smiling face. Seriously...he was good looking for a man his age.

“Ah, there’s my gorgeous niece,” he said, “took your time getting here”.

You rolled your eyes at that “I’m not your niece, and I wasn’t aware I was on a schedule.” You grumbled as you walked passed him.

“You technically are” replied Tony and you turned to raise a brow at him in question “Fury appointed me as your babysitter, that practically means I’m your long lost and awesomely cool uncle.” he finished with a bright smile and you sighed at that, shaking your head in surrender. “Anyway, the team is waiting to meet you in the living room, we should head over before they die from curiosity.” He said as he sauntered over to you. Apparently, the team had been curious about you all week - which is slightly unsettling. You wondered what Tony had told them.

“You seem nervous” he mused, sipping on his shiny glass cup which most likely contained some sort of whiskey. You shrugged at that, hitching your bag further up your shoulder as you assessed the walls - everything was covered in art, sculpture, marble and glass. The Avengers clearly lived like royalty.

“I guess I just don’t know what to expect,” you mumbled distractedly.

“Understandable,” Tony replies, stopping at the edge of the entrance to face you. He sighs as he stares down at you with mellow eyes “You shouldn’t worry, they’ll like you.” he assures and you raise a questioning brow “What makes you so sure?”

He offers a tight-lipped smile, seeming awfully fatherly right then; a pang of melancholy hit you hard. “Because I do”, he says, and you nod at that, hoping he was right. The last thing you needed was to be stuck with a bunch of people who disliked you, not that you’d care much anyway. “Now come on,” he says as he ushers me to enter the room.

Instantly, you’re greeted by a very exuberant living room, but then again - it was the Avenger’s base, so it wasn’t surprising. The room was like a perfect magazine cover. You were afraid to sit in case you’d wrinkle the fabric or stain it with something you didn't even know was on your pants. The couch is cream but inlaid with fine green silk; leaves embroidered so delicately that they might have landed there in spring and just sunk in, but you knew they took hundreds of hours to sow. The white curtains are linen, the kind of white that is untouched by hands and devoid of dust. A cursory look to the right shows you the almost hidden cords that are used to open and close them. There is a television, a bookshelf and chairs arranged around the bespoke fireplace which leaps with a gas flame. The paintings are incredible, not casual abstract work, but expensive renaissance art. The floor is a high polished wood, dark and free of either dust or clutter.

You barely had time to assess the room any further before your attention was grabbed by a very unnerving feeling. Every single set of eyes were boring into you; assessing and some wary with curiosity. You hated attention of any kind but always got it. Tony cleared his throat before he turned to the group: “This is our newest addition, as I’m sure you already know,” he said, giving you a tight shoulder hug, awarding him a glare from you to which he humorously winked at.

Nat and Wanda were the first to react, getting up with smiles as they greeted you “Finally,” said Wanda as she approached. Her hair was as waves of pure earth, softly reflecting the light of the outside sun blazing in through the windows; each strand moving freely in an ocean born breeze, a compliment to her kind eyes. “We’ve been dying to get a new female addition to the group” and with that, she hugged you tightly.

“All this male testosterone is starting to choke us to death,” Nat mumbled and gave you a small smile as a greeting, her orange sunset locks capturing the light in vibrant ruby hues. Nat was less affectionate than Wanda, and out of her usual black on black uniform, she looked incredibly mundane.

“I can only imagine,” you said and grinned at them. Your eyes scanned the living room, finding various handsome eyes studying you with curiosity. They watched you, studying how well your Amazonian figure fit against your clothing. How the captive aroma redolent of roses and meadow fresh lavender lingered in the room long before you entered.

But it was the set of pure icy blue eyes that stopped you dead in your tracks, they were staring right back at you. Even from afar, they were unmistakable. The man was absolutely gorgeous and utterly captivating in every way. Handsome and young, looking to be in his early to mid-twenties at most, his fair skin and incredible bone structure were flawless. His dark hair was a messy kind of perfect. And his lips. Your heart rate increased as you watched them curl into an enticing smirk. Oh my.

You blinked, the burning hint of a blush flying across your cheeks. How long had you been staring?

“Welcome to the team.” A voice said from beside you, snapping you out of your daze. Your eyes shifted to meet a handsome blonde man with eyes almost as blue. You blinked slowly. He was handsome from the depth of his eyes to the gentle expressions of his voice. A prominent jaw curved gracefully around and the strength of his neck, showing in the twining cords of muscle that shaped his entire body; strong arms, bold thighs and calves, a firm chest and abdomen. He was an Adonis.

His eyes twinkled knowingly. “I’m Steve,” he said with a smile. “Nice to have you on board.” he finished and offered his hand for a courteous handshake. You stared, unable to help yourself. You placed your hand in his, nodding with a shy smile “Pleasures all mine,” you said. He studied you too, feeling that eerie sensation when you witness someone truly beautiful: that strange and sad feeling; that doomy vertigo. You were enticing and lovely at the same time. He let your hand drop.

Steve blinked, and his lips moved. “That’s Sam,” he said as he pointed to the dark-skinned man on the couch. He gave you a broad smile and a sarcastic salute which you returned right back with a smirk, making him chuckle. “Welcome to the crew,” he said before Steve pointed to a short-haired man “Hey,” he said as he offered you a nod and a large smile as a greeting “that’s Clint,” Cap filled in for you and you gave him a smile back.

“And that’s Bucky, our very own Winter Soldier,” he said as his eyes moved to the icy-eyed man on the couch. To your dismay, he wasn’t much of a talker - he simply offered you a nod in greeting which you returned. His eyes flickered between you and Steve, a flash of something unknown passing before his eyes.

Nat leaned into you “Don’t be offended if he doesn’t speak to you, he’s kind of a brooder.” she whispered and the side of your lips helplessly curved into an understanding smile.

“No hard feelings” you mumbled back to her, watching as the soldier’s gaze lowered and lingered on the curve of your lips. He imagined they’d taste like rose petals. His eyes snapped back to your dazed ones, making your cheeks tint pink once more. You looked away.

Tony clapped in announcement “More importantly, we have, quite literally, been waiting for you all day so let’s get down to the festives”

Your brow arched in question “Festives?”

“Tony had the brilliant idea of hosting a movie night for you,” Nat said, her gaze shifting to meet Tony as it turned narrowed “though I objected because clearly, she might want some space to get used to her surroundings.”

Your gaze flickered from the scattered food on the table to the stupidly massive TV-Screen. Your lips tipped up “Depends on what we’re watching”.

“We had a vote” Clint interjected, “The Titanic won because Tony, Steve, Wanda and Nat are a bunch of sappy bastards.”

Your eyes rounded in feigned horror as you turned to look at Tony “Tony, you’re a great guy, but I would honestly rather stick a pitchfork in my eye than watch that horrid movie.” you said as you tapped his arm in mock condolence. “Maybe next time”

You turned to see Sam and Clint chuckle at your comment “I like her already” Sam said to Clint as he chuckles at Tony’s dramatic hurt expression.

“You guys go ahead and have movie night without me, I’m gonna go upstairs and unpack” you said, gesturing to the bag hanging from your shoulder as you offered them a salute in farewell.

And with that, F.R.I.D.A.Y lead you down the corridor, up a flight of magnificently curled glass stairs and to a wide corridor. “This would be your room Miss” said F.R.I.D.A.Y “Mr.Stark insisted we didn’t decorate it, he thought you might’ve liked to”

“Thank you F.R.I.D.A.Y” you aid and peered inside - it was simple and plain with a white silk covered double bed, and some other expensive looking furniture. “Please don’t hesitate to contact Mr.Stark if you need anything” F.R.I.D.A.Y informed.

And with that, you were left on your own. You peered around once again and sighed as you walked inside. This was to be your home from now until gods know when. Your gaze landed on a digital clock by the nightstand - 11:34pm, it said. You wouldn’t be getting sleep anytime soon so you started to unpack your clothes, neatly folding them and putting them away in the large, walk-in closet clad in marble and glass.

A folded picture came into view, and you stopped, eyes blinking slowly, you grabbed it out of your bag. A picture of your ex-husband - smiling wide, blonde hair framing his lovely face. He reminded you of Steve, his face endlessly beautiful and his eyes impossibly green. The memory of his death swirled in your mind, making your eyes close over in pain. You blinked back tears at the memory, and the pain it caused you. The tears flowed unchecked, dripped from your chin. You were too sad to cry out or wail, you just stood there as still as a statue. You were lost in the torrid vortex of the moment, forever tormented by a past that could not be undone.

Humans are frail, fleeting creatures. You had no place with them and it was naive to think you did. Even Fury himself didnt know the extent of your powers. He took you in because you were an immortal, a goddess of much the same status as Thor himself, if not more grand. Your mother and father father were gods from one of the nine realms of the universe. Your father was from Vanaheim, to be exact. And your mother? you knew nothing of her. You knew you were of Hel, a place of death and doom, the end of the Gods and Goddesses. They said life could not be created in the realm of death, but your existence was proof of otherwise. Vanahiem, however, was the home of the Vanir Gods, masters of sorcery, life and magic and their ability to predict the future. You knew you were the daughter of two elites, so your blood ran pure. You had mastered the art of mimicry, healing and telekinesis. Fortunately, the art of future telling wasn’t something you were gifted with. From your mothers part is where your darkness comes from - your touch could be one of life or death if you chose it to be so. The darkest part of you is a soul harbinger, an illusionist. When you took people's souls, it increased your magical powers. The unity of light and dark swirled inside you like waves. Serene yet stormy, it was a paradox.

Your eyes flipped open and you tightened your jaw, tucking the picture safely. You got up and put on your pyjamas. Your eyes skimmed the clock which signaled it was now nearing 4am, so you sauntered out of your room and down the stairs, hoping no one was awake.

The kitchen was empty and the living room was scattered with empty sweet packets and soda cans, so you assumed everyone had gone to bed. Thankfully, there was also no one in the terrace, so you wondered outside and leaned onto the glass bars, staring up at the sky in thought. Stars lit the sky like snow-flakes in the night, yet appeared still, like an old photograph. You smiled to yourself, feeling the wind blow your hair into a tousled mane. Humans had now idea how the stars moved, how galaxies tumble and dart.

You had been banned from Vanaheim for being born of Hel, forbidden to step foot in it. They were afraid of your existence. You were seen as impure, your blood was not gold like theirs. Your hair was not impossibly golden, nor did it sparkle like sunshine. Your eyes were not pure white and glittering like those of the Vanir. Instead, you resembled the place of your birth.

You had spent most your life on Earth, respectfully. There was no reason to stay elsewhere. Not even Asgard, with all it’s Gods, would grant you refuge. Not even the darkest parts of them dared to keep Death’s daughter. You had never met your father, you only knew glimpses of him - his pure gold hair and his glittering eyes, sometimes passing over you in your dreams. You knew he was still alive, because he was immortal, like you. Your Earth mother, Dione had taught you everything you knew - independence, kindness, beauty, grace, control. But she had also taught you things a father should teach their son, because she knew you would be alone for the rest of your life. Here on Earth, when people are so fleeting - immortality would never be a gift worth cherishing.

You licked your lips, looking away from the sky and as your eyes turned to meet a withering rose. Your head tilted to the side as you picked it from it’s stem and used your powers to let it hover in front of you as it twirled into life, something like golden liquid ran through it before it’s petals turned back to their vibrant red. You had power to give life and take it, two beautiful sides of the spectrum. Sometimes you wondered if where your father came from there were things as lovely as earth’s nature.

“Beautiful.” you heard a voice say from behind you. You whirled around, startled. Your eyes met those very same wonderfully blue ones that had entranced you earlier. You watched as he came closer and crouched before you to pick the rose that had fallen. He held it in-front of you as you stared helplessly into his eyes. Gods, you felt as if you could just get lost in them forever. Their lightness was beautiful.

His gaze flickered from the flower to you “Can’t sleep?” he asked and you swallowed. His voice was like silk. It was unnerving that he made you nervous, it wasn’t something everyone could do. You studied him with curiosity, and he studied you with wonder. Your complexion had an impeccable hue. Your eyebrows eased down gently to your dark, long eyelashes. A sculptor could not have fashioned you any better. He remembered your smile earlier, beguiling as it lit up the room. It could jolt anyone, like an electric current. And your eyes, he thought they were like two jewels melted onto snow.

You blinked, as if to wake yourself from a daze. “Something like that” you replied, as you took the rose from between his fingers.

He nodded and walked past you to sit on the chair by the corner of the terrace. You looked at him in uncertainty, before you plopped yourself down beside him. “And you?” you asked after moments of silence, he turned and raised a brow in question “Can’t sleep?” you said, mimicking his earlier question. His lips tipped up ever so slightly, that smirk was even more appealing up close.

“Something like that” he said, mimicking your earlier words and making your lips twist into a small grin.

“Penny for your thoughts.” he murmured.

“What?”

“What were you thinking about before I interrupted you?”

You took at deep breath as the side of your lips tipped up teasingly “If I wanted you to know my thoughts, soldier, I would’ve said them aloud.”

“Fair point.”

Your head titled to the side, eying his metal arm in curiosity before your gaze snapped back up to his “But I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours”, you teased.

“What makes you think I have thoughts worth sharing?” he asks with an arched brow.

You took a deep breath before trailing your finger down his forearm, a whisper of a touch as you saw the metal shift, he jerked at the contact and your eyes snapped to his. God, they were so much more beautiful up close. The icy blueness of them generated a feeling like you were being pulled into a lake of frozen emotions. It was like all the myriad shades of blue swirled together to form a whirlpool. The depth of them was startling, like he had seen a thousand tragedies. This was a man broken, much like you. You could sense it in his soul; a kind of tragic beauty.

“I’m much more perceptive than I seem.” you say, taking your hand away from his arm as you lifted yourself from the seat.

“Sweet dreams” you mumble. You wrap your gown around you, the silk caressing your skin. He watched you, entranced by how effortlessly graceful you were. Even the slightest movement; a curve of your mouth, the flicker of your sparkling eyes, any movement at all - was lovely.

He watched you walk out of the terrace, and you could feel his gaze boring into your back. When you left, the sweet aroma of roses and lavender lingered still into the early hours of the morning. Something told him you were going to be trouble he couldn’t avoid.

[ty-talks-comics]

Best of Marvel: Week of October 30th, 2019

Best of this Week: Conan the Barbarian #10 - Jason Aaron, Mahmud Asrar, Matthew Wilson and Travis Lanham

Conan has faced the horrors of this world and beyond, but his greatest threat has been looming in the shadows far longer than he ever realized.

From the very first issue of this series, there have been these two creepy little children that have shown up at the sites of Conan’s greatest victories, waiting in the wings for his blood to get even richer from all of the death that he’s escaped over his long and bloody life. What we didn’t know is that they’ve been on Conan’s tail since the very moment he showed up at the Tower of Razael, their Blood God, and killed their mother. This issue covers their own crimson origin and their journey to finally seeing the end of Conan the King and the Rebirth of Razazel.

The Crimson Witch has been searching for warriors to give rise to the Blood God for an unknown period of time, but none of them had proven virulent enough for her in her many years. Lord Bevel Stonemarrow bragged that his castle was draped with the flayed flesh of  Stygian She-Serpents and Hyperborean Witch Men, but alas it was likely all lies as his blood did nothing for Razael and the witch cast him aside with the other dead. The only “good” thing his seed provided was two children for her.

The sight of this old crone giving birth is absolutely disturbing. From the sweat dripping from her brow, snot from her nose and to the birth itself taking place on her sacrificial altar amongst the many corpses in the Tower. She offers her children up as the new disciples of Razazel, naming them Razza and Zazella, the Children of the Great Red Doom. Asrar does an amazing job of painting what this family is all about with just a few simple techniques. Their first cries are shown in blood and shadow. In the first three panels that they’re show, the background is either full black or littered with corpses, a good foreshadowing of their future.

Their childhood is signaled by a reverence for death contrasted by their playful nature as children. They play hide and seek amongst the many bodies of the Tower while their chores consist of dagger sharpening and gathering toads to make poisons. Aaron accentuates that by placing their childlike enthusiasm over wanting to hear about Razazel slaughtering the nonbelievers and blood oceans. These kids are absolutely adorable and terrifying at the same time. Asrar makes sure to make a point of this as well by drawing them and their mother as being a loving family, hugging and smiling as she goes off to have her first confrontation with Conan. The familial tie between them is as nearly powerful as their worship of the Blood God, despite the fact they are horrendous murderers.

We later find out that they were in the Tower the night that Conan nearly decapitates their mother and burns it all down, displaying a reverence for his ability to kill things and how the Blood Roots in the Tower resonated to his presence. As they watch their mother near death and the flames surround them, their eyes swell with tears and they resolve to kill each other with their own daggers. Children of the Great Red Doom don’t die by fire...and they wouldn’t as their mother and the power of Razazel kept her alive enough for them to escape.

These scenes are a beauty to look at. While most of the shots are flat, focusing on them from one angle, the intensity of the fire, their helpless expressions and their eventual rescue are amazingly well done. Their tiny kid bodies look ridiculous holding these massive daggers and the angles that they were going to stab each other at didn’t look right, but the despair on their faces is palpable. They look like they’ve been absolutely crushed after their mother is “killed” and their love for each other is shown as being genuine. When their mother does reappear, with her head barely being held on by magic and blood tendrils, she looks frantic, carrying them out of the furious flame. It’s disturbing, but heartwarming.

Matthew Wilson’s colors here are striking. The vibrancy of the veins is almost enough that they could pop out of the page at any moment. The fire appears amazingly hot and loud as it consumes the tower and the embers flying around is a really good effect. Wilson does an even better job of showing Razza and Zazella’s dedication growing when he colors their brown shirts with the same deep red of their mother’s neck tendrils. It’s great symbolism.

Over the next few years, the children prove themselves quite capable as worshippers of Razazel, luring many to their deaths with their growling mother ambushing and killing them. They drink the blood and eat the flesh of their victims with giddy smiles while their mother acts as a feral beast. Razazel’s magic keeps them young while they continue to keep tabs on Conan in the shadows, as seen through many of their appearances over the course of the story. Eventually, we come back to Conan’s capture at the end of Issue #2, I think?

The twins stab King Conan through the chest with their daggers and the Blood Roots surge with energy and the walls of the newly remade Tower start cracking. Conan manages to escape and fights The Crimson Witch, but it’s too late - a giant hand with many mouths emerges from the ground and Razazel awakens. 

Mahmud Asrar is still an amazingly talented artist for this book. He manages to pull so much depth out of these characters through simple body language and body language. All the while I was reading about these two kids, I found myself feeling sorry for them for being raised the way that they were, but upon remembering how happy they looked, that sadness was replaced with fear. Asrar makes sure to draw their eyes with the same madness that their mother has - a cold excitement and lust for blood under piercing green eyes. The twins are dangerous and their cuteness allows you to let your guard down just enough for them to stab you in the neck.

Not only are his characters well drawn, but the scenery is as well thanks to Matthew Wilson’s colors. Wilson does an amazing job of giving each scene life through his use of deep reds, putrid yellow-greens and cold tones when things happen in the Tower. He always elicits an eerie feeling of darkness through his colors and no location feels safe. Even in the scenes that take place in the day time, light colors are used to lure the reader into a false sense of security before the tables are turned and the pages are colored with an intense orange for the action.

This issue was absolutely dark. Children in general are terrifying, but cannibal children that know blood magic and have managed to stay young for the simple purpose of resurrecting their God through ritual sacrifice are a nightmare. Razza and Zazella are absolutely compelling characters to read and could stand at the top with Conan’s great foes like Kulan Gath and Thulsa Doom. Their drive and dedication to killing Conan far outweighs that of most others in that they might have succeeded where hundreds if not thousands of others have failed.

[terrible-tentacle-theatre]

The Bestiary Revamped: Wyville’s Crownjelly

Disclaimer: While this article is founded in scientific fact, it contains hyberbole and conscious exaggerations for the sake of comedy. Do not take my ramblings at face value. You can find the sources at the end of the article and tools for scientific fact-checking under the “Learn more” link on my blog.

The old article can be read here.

At long last, today we finally return under the waves, and while we’re at it, why not go full fucking overboard? Here at the Terrible Tentacle Theatre, we pride ourselves on not having any idea what “moderation” means. If we return to the sea, there is only one place to go: down. Way, way down.

Say hello to the bathypelagic zone, the expanse of watery void stretching from 1000 to 4000 meters. Our passengers might want to look out their windows and observe the breathtaking scenery below:

Oh no, you’ve got it all wrong. That’s not your internet being shit again. That’s genuinely how it looks, in real life, when you descend to a depth of 3000 or so meters. Nature documentaries like to put more bioluminescent flecks of organic matter in it than a love-starved grandma does lights on the Christmas tree when her grandkids are visiting. However, in reality, making a 24/7 lightshow out of yourself is a preeeeetty bad idea, since it attracts the immediate attention of pretty much everything with huge fucking teeth in the vicinity. Hint: you’ll get eaten, pretty fast. In fact, this is the actual reason why anglerfishes do their little thing with the glowing lures, because anything and everything bigger than said lures will be attracted to it, allowing the anglerfish to basically pull a “gotcha” and eat them in turn.

My point being, if you see something shiny in the deep sea, do not go to investigate. Whatever is shining that light wants you to go there.

And that is also the prime tactic of today’s specimen, which takes the incredible freedom that comes with living in a realm of eternal darkness and emptiness and uses it to fulfill it’s lifelong dream of being a goddamn Pokemon master. Come with me on today’s adventure and you’ll soon see what I mean by that.

I often joke around about how some particularly strange species we review here look like aliens. However, if aliens did decide to visit Earth, Wyville’s crownjelly (Atolla wyvillei), also known as the atolla jellyfish or coronate medusa, wouldn’t be one of the aliens. It would be the fucking spaceship.

I mean, look at this damn thing. I can’t tell where it begins or ends, but I sure can tell where the fucking cockpit is. That is not how a jellyfish should operate; they should be controlled by a decentralized nervous system, not little green men from Planet Piss Off out to steal our hotdogs and happy thoughts because their planet doesn’t have any.

Of course, the scare factor of a glowing organic UFO mothership straight out of Roswelltunguska, Arizona swimming around in our oceans is somewhat mitigated by the fact that it’s tiny as shit. Standing at a diameter of about 15 centimeters (~6 inches), it’s either not a serious harm to humankind at large or the mothership of the smallest aliens ever. I’m inclined to believe the latter.

*squeaky helium voice* BOW DOWN TO ME PUNY EARTHLINGS

AND STOP LAUGHING DAMMIT

Of course, there is a very good reason for the crownjelly being as small as it is. In the deep sea, you can’t throw a brick without hitting absolute darkness and empty water. You take two steps to the left and BAM- you’ve just ran headfirst into fucking nothing at all. The bathypelagic zone where this thing hangs out on the regular is a really food-scarce place is what I’m getting at. And big bodies being as expensive to upkeep as they are, most deep-sea creatures are actually much smaller than nature documentaries would have you believe.

Another aspect of the deep ocean besides being empty also being darker than a Morlock’s asshole inside a cave. Therefore, any light sticks out like a sore thumb, drawing attention like Kim Kardashian did with that one photoshoot of hers. (Doesn’t matter which one, actually. All of them drew attention.) Wyville’s crownjelly exploits this to show us that these particular aliens aren’t interested in meeting our leader, only in playing Pokemon Go.

The whole entire process of capturing a shiny begins with the jellyfish carelessly frolicking across the deep sea, like all of them youngster with their fancy phones and smartwatches. For some inscrutable reason, this movement is accompanied by a steady red pulsing on the underside of its bell. For what reason, I cannot determine seeing as most creatures at that depth are completely fucking blind to the color red. The one species that can actually see red is one that you really don’t want to attract the attention of. In fact, messing with this guy is such a bad idea that its existence was literally what prompted me to start writing this blog in the first place and it served as the subject of my first Bestiary article.

Wyville’s crownjelly swimming, also known as Local Suicidal Idiot Takes a Walk. I mean seriously, you can’t even say that it doesn’t live in the same place as the loosejaw because both species are cosmopolitan. The only saving throw for the crownjelly is that it lives an average 2000 meters deeper than the loosejaw, otherwise this blaring red light would be the evolutionary equivalent of putting a big flashing “KICK ME” sign around your neck.

The first method of capturing sea creatures to train them and become the very best (like no one ever was) is the series of tendrils hanging from its bell, which the jellyfish uses to filter out and capture small prey animals that have the supreme bad luck to be in its vicinity. The alien abduction parallels are uncanny.

However, a second and much more impressive weapon in its arsenal is the long, trailing tentacle that is clearly visible on the above gif. This is coated in enough adhesive to make a hagfish gag, and the crownjelly uses it to its full extent to sate its rumbling belly. Streaming in the water like the latest shit-tier waifu harem show on Crunchyroll, it becomes an effective hunting tool for the benefit of the jellyfish. Anything snared by this appendage will be subjected to similar treatment that one might expect the villains in a Conan the Barbarian movie to do, being dragged after Wyville’s ruthless motherfucking crownjelly, sometimes for minutes, before it does an acrobatic little pirouette and swallows its helpless, snagged prey. Lovely feeding tactic.

Pictured: Wyville’s crownjelly on the hunt. Sadly it can’t really go “YEEHAW” under the water. Even if it had a voicebox all it would be good for would be gurgling.

However, that is not the most unusual feature about this cruel little cnidarian. There is yet one more trick that this deep-sea flying saucer holds, a trick which catapults it from “moderately interesting predator” right into “Kanto Elite Four” position. And that thing is its lights.

See, vicious as it is towards smaller animals, the crownjelly is actually a dirty, dishonorable coward, being equally afraid of bigger predators. Apparently this tiny creature composed of somewhere around 97% water counts as a delicious treat for some reason, seeing as even large active predators such as deepwater sharks munch on it regularly. (Then again, it is also possible that they’re simply too hungry to care about their record as gourmets with refined taste. This is the desolation that is the abyssal zone, afterall.)

Running from a sufficiently large and starved predator in the middle of a flat-empty expanse of water is, of course, hopeless, especially if you’re small as shit and your method of locomotion is the jellyfish equivalent of flapping your arms really fast to try to fly. Clearly, a different tactic must be employed here since this one is a one-way ticket to the town of Stomach, United States of Shark. And employ a different tactic it does.

Oh, boy, does it ever.

I have previously mentioned that the crownjelly is bioluminescent, and employs this attribute for some nefarous purpose. Of course, this is not the red pulsing I already mentioned, this is a whole ‘nother can of worms entirely. This is one of the most ingenious methods of defense I’ve ever seen.

If some foolish predator gives the atolla chase and inevitably catches it, the jellyfish activates its second, blue set of lights. Once again the UFO analogues become eeriely appropriate as the slightest touch sends the saucer-shaped animal into a frantic siren-like light show.

Recommended listening

This strange eruption of light is no mere panic response. It is a powerful and weird weapon of self-defense, carefully evolved to be as tacky and eye-catching as possible. It’s like a ganguro girl, only bioluminescent.

Of course, you might ask “why would the jellyfish want to be eye-catching? Isn’t being devoured by one predator a big enough problem for it already?” Well obviously it is, but this lightshow is actually its own circuitous path to freedom.

To understand this, picture the following. You are some big mean motherfucker making a living in the deep sea by eating as much as you can find. One day while taking your regular stroll through the absolute crushing darkness, you catch sight of a distinct, circular light in the distance; very flashy and very tasty-looking. You approach to investigate, and find a small jellyfish being caught by a larger and meatier animal.

What do you do?

Eat the jellyfish like a fucking idiot.

Eat the meatier, tastier predator.

If you answered “eat the predator”, congratulations! You’re at least as smart as a fish. And that is, in fact, exactly what Wyville’s crownjelly is counting on. While you’re busy making a meal of its predator, the jellyfish quietly and sneakily fucks off into the abyss before you could think about having it as dessert. And so, Wyville’s crownjelly will live to swim another day, thanks to the power of summoning a big tough animal and pitting it against another ani- OH FOR FUCK’S SAKE IT’S A POKEMON TRAINER.

Do you see why I thought that? If you sail out to sea with Pokemon Go open on your phone, and all gyms on the world oceans are captured by Team Instinct, you know who to blame.

Wyville’s motherfucking crownjelly.

Sources

Encyclopedia of Life

WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species

Ocean Biogeography Information System (OBIS)

Global Biotic Interactions

Widder, E. A. Eye in the Sea, NOAA Operation Deep Scope 2005.

Hunt, J.C. & D.J. Lindsay, 1998. Observations on the behavior of Atolla (Scyphozoa: Coronatae) and Nanomia (Hydrozoa: Physonectae): use of the hypertrophied tentacle in prey capture. Plankton Biology and Ecology, 45, 239-242.

Herring, P.J. & E.A. Widder, 2004. Bioluminescence of deep-sea coronate medusae (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa). Marine Biology, 146: 39-51

[joehertler]

30 Modern Horror Movies For Your Spooking Pleasure (Updated for 2018)

Dearest Friends and Fellow Rainbow Seekers,

as you may know, I am rather obsessed with horror movies. Over my lifetime, I have submitted myself to thousands of hours of horror cinema, but such extended exposure has come at a cost. It is true that I sometimes lose sleep over the fear of grinning demons sitting at the foot of my bed, or perhaps finding the bloated corpse of a drowned girl crying in my closet. But dark thoughts, as such, are typical to those who willfully endure the macabre. As a horror fan, nothing is more terrifying—or more gratifying—than clammering your way through the black swamp of terrible movies in search of the diamonds in the rough.

I have done the work for you, dear reader. I have hunted through hundreds of faux haunts and I have identified those that are genuine. And if you’re willing, I would be honored to serve as your guide through this realm of dark cinema. A concise list lies below, consisting both of films widely recognized, and lesser-known cult classics. They are united only by their modernity and their overall awesomeness. This is a list of films to be watched by all fans of cinema. So I urge you, dear reader, to call your significant other (or the one you desire to be your significant other). Then, put on your favorite onesie, and get ready for spookiness!  Because the night is dark and full of terror—and you deserve to be spooked by those films most worthy of spooking!

The Babadook - 2014 [TRAILER]

This might be my favorite on the entire list, so I'm gonna stick it right here at the top. But really, if there's one movie on this list that you should watch, it's the Babadook. Sure, you might have to suspend your disbelief on a few occasions, but it's totally worth it. It seems so rare that horror movies transcend their linear plots into something deeper, but the Babadook succeeds to descend to wonderfully cerebral depths. Without spoiling too much, the plot centers around a mother, grieving the loss of her husband, and her ADHD trouble-child, who come across a creepy kids’ book. An emotional and psychological haunting ensues that dares viewers to venture into the realms of depression and mania.

Let the Right One In - 2008 [TRAILER]

I've been bored of Vampires since Harry Potter, but this little charmer bit me right in the jugular. The plot centers around a boy who befriends a young female vampire—and yes, for you vampire loving people out there, it does get kind of romancy (in that innocent kid way). Apart from the totally on-point acting, the film maintains an oddly delicate balance of emotional tenderness and intimacy to total blood-chugging brutality. It is easily the best vampire movie to date, and if Swedish subs aren't your thing, there's an American version, Let Me In, that is equally as good.

It Follows - 2015 [TRAILER]

With one of the most original plots I've ever experienced in a horror movie, It Follows is being touted as one of the best movies of 2015. It's a film best left to experience without outside influence, but I can say that this film will be well enjoyed by those who appreciate speculation, interpretation, and subplots involving the exchange of STDs. It follows tread along a straight forward plot, but contains a wonderful amount of depth to sift through afterward. The film also has top-notch acting and is beautifully shot (much of it shot in Detroit). Make sure you see it with a few friends so you can talk about it afterward!

The Orphanage - 2007 [TRAILER]

I love me a sad, creepy ghost story, and there's something even better about them when they involve dead children. Like many of the films on my list, The Orphanage, produced by Guillermo Del Toro, has just that. But in all seriousness, this film has a wonderfully emotional story that’s rarely found in the horror genre. It's a well-known classic amid fans of the horror genre, a film that masterfully builds writhing tension to evoke its scares.

Lake Mungo - 2008 [TRAILER]

Lake Mungo offers a long-winded but mature examination of loss and grief. Its presentation is almost dreamlike, with a plot that focuses on the horrors experienced by a family after the drowning of their daughter. Lake Mungo exceeds as a film in the way that it relentlessly builds upon a wrenching sense of dread. Made with a tiny budget, but supported by solid acting, this film is surprisingly believable and captures the vulnerability, isolation, and confusion experienced after the unexpected death of a loved one. Simply put, this movie is completely terrifying, yet contains almost no cheap scares. It's a 100% unrelenting, slow-roast dread that doesn't let up until well after the credits.

REC - 2007 [TRAILER]

The original REC is a deliberately fast-paced film that sandwiches its doomed characters between compounding layers of dread, resulting in of one of the best modern horror films in years. The pseudo-zombie plot derails right from the get-go, and later smashes into the supernatural for a terrifying climax. But the disgusting monster at the end? That takes the cake for one of nastiest creepers ever to make it into cinema.

The Curse (Noroi) - 2005 [TRAILER]

There is a goldmine of Eastern horror out there, and the Curse represents the genre as one of the best. It's a Japanese, low budget, faux documentary, that—amid scenes of complete ridiculousness—manages to be completely and dreadfully effective. Noroi presents an engrossing, slow-burn mystery that carefully leaks the details of an ancient demon-curse. If you're interested in venturing into classic eastern horror, definitely check this one out.

Kill List - 2011 [TRAILER]

In some ways, Kill List tries to be a deep character study (and I'd say for the first 45 minutes, this might hold true), but then it’s quickly upstaged by an eerie crime drama, which later transforms into a totally effed cult-terror-gore-fest. Somehow, it all seems to work together, leaving you with a disturbing, yet surprisingly thought-provoking mess to discuss with your friends. This is a film to be viewed with others, and I highly recommend it for those who love cults, mysteries, and gore.

28 Days Later - 2002 [TRAILER]

While I wanted to avoid the obvious choices for this list, I couldn't leave out 28 Days Later, because...Well, it's just too good to ignore. With fast zombies, sympathetic characters, and incredible production, Danny Boyle has created one of the best pieces of apocalyptic horror ever made. You’ve probably already seen it, so you might as well see it again.

The Descent - 2005 [TRAILER]

The Descent stars six women, all part of an extreme adventure club, who decide to explore the creepiest cave in the entire world. In this cave, of course, dwell terrible, fanged, amphibious slime creatures who have an affinity for jump scares and standing directly behind the backs of the characters...but the real horror of this movie is the cave. The movie absolutely excels in conveying intense desperation and suffocating claustrophobia. Despite solid reviews, I had low hopes for this movie, but ended up really enjoying it. Highly recommended.

Cabin in the Woods - 2012 [TRAILER]

Horror fans tout Cabin in the Woods as a modern classic. Is it particularly scary? No. But it does provide an ample serving of self-aware humor and cliche-bending twists. I don't care much for self-aware horror movies, but Cabin in the Woods does it right, offering one of the best works of pop culture entertainment that the horror genre has ever seen.

Suicide Club - 2002 [TRAILER]

With an opening scene of 50+ Japanese schoolgirls jumping in front of a train, I can confidently say that Suicide Club is one of the most hardcore horror movies of all time. The movie follows a wave of unexplained suicides and slowly pieces together a rather nebulous mystery. Answers, however, are few and far between, and I am still not sure if I actually like this movie. But for anyone who is looking for something a little bit darker, this is for you.

Battle Royale - 2000 [TRAILER]

Before the Hunger Games, there was Battle Royale, which happens to be set in a  similar dystopian universe, wrought with unemployment, crime, and malcontent. Each year, a randomly selected 9th grade class of Japanese, khaki-donning schoolchildren are outfitted with exploding shock collars and given an assortment of weapons. They are then forced to hunt each other down until there is only one left. Long story short, it's the hunger games with an R rating, and if I am not mistaken, this controversial child-massacre-gore fest was banned for a time. But for real, this movie rules, topping its big-budget, modern successor with tons of style, as well as a healthy dose of dark, humorous cynicism. If you felt that the Hunger Games didn’t have enough teen gore, then this movie is for you.

The Devil’s Backbone - 2001 [TRAILER]

A haunting allegory of the Spanish Civil War, Guillermo Del Toro's film presents a chilling school house ghost story that stands as a masterfully produced piece of cinema. It's heavily atmospheric, emotionally fraught, and above all else, spooky. This fable is one of Del Toro's best and is a must watch on this list.

Creep - 2015 [TRAILER]

Laced in dry humor, Creep is another slow burner that masterfully builds upon a foundation of discomfort and creeping uneasiness that relies little on jump scares (although, it does not forgo them). The two fold script prompts some of the best acting on this list - and rumors state that much of it was improvised. Creep is proof that you don't need to have a big budget with CGI jump scares to make a compelling horror movie. Did I mention that it's available for Netflix streaming, too?

Gerald's Game (89% RT) [TRAILER]

The plot begins with a dude named Gerald, who, with his wife, depart to an ocean side cabin for a sexy-time retreat. Except their sexy time, in typical Stephen King fashion, goes horribly wrong. Next thing you know, Gerald is being eaten by a dog and she's handcuffed to the bed and then the boogieman starts to come out at night. Hopefully I didn't just ruin the movie for you, but for real, it gets really good - and the boogieman is one of the best horror spooks I've seen in a long time. The wife, Carla Gugino, gives nothing short of a stellar performance, too.

The Witch (91% RT) [TRAILER]

The Witch centers itself around a (Puritan?) family who is banished to the outskirts of the New England wilderness in the 1600s (where an ancient and foreboding evil lurks). Shortly after, the crops die, people get possessed, someone's nipple is eaten by a demon crow, and Satan appears as the family goat, named "Black Philip." Despite what I just said, the Witch bares little, but what it does reveal is absolutely brutal. But the real horror is not what hides in the woods, but rather the evil that makes its way inside of the characters. Overall, it's an exceptionally well made period piece that will marinade you in dread... and thus the Witch is one of my favorite horror movies of all time.

Under the Shadow (99%) [TRAILER]

Under the Shadow is an art house masterpiece that serves as one of the greatest horror movies ever made, yet it is mostly unknown outside of horror circles. The movie is about an Iranian mother and daughter, living in a bombed out Tehran in the middle of the Iran-Iraq war. Her Husband, a doctor, is drafted to serve at the war front and they are left behind when an undetonated missile comes crashing into their apartment building (followed by a superstitious neighbor spouting about how the missile brought with it a middle eastern demon, or Djinn). Things start to get creepy when random items being to go missing, the daughter's behavior becomes increasingly erratic, and the Mother is plagued by horrible nightmares. But most unnerving of all is the isolation and desperation of a mother and daughter trapped in urban chaos.

IT (86% RT) [TRAILER]

An ancient, child devouring evil lurks under the town of Derry, Maine, who manifests itself physically as the apex of one's fears. Over the centuries, It has developed a taste for children (whose fears are easier to conceptualize, apparently), and thus It's preferred manifestation is that of a google-eyed, drooling, and mildly pedaphilic clown named Pennywise. Without drenching this write-up with my slobbering love for this movie, please know that the director and actors absolutely nailed it. The book presents 1200+ pages of historical world building with time-jumping plot lines - and the movie does an amazing job portraying the phantasmagoric and fantastical, yet demon-beleaguered town of Derry. Director, Andres Muschietti and co. deserve every penny of the 300 million dollars it has grossed since release.

It Comes at Night (89% RT) [TRAILER]

It Comes at Night is a psychological slow-burner, relying on the fears of the unknown, of mistrust, and of post-apocalyptic desperation. The plot revolves around the plight of a family, isolated and hidden, in their forest home as an undefined and unnatural blight ravages the outside world. One day, another destitute family comes stumbling into their home, who are cautiously taken in. Paranoia and mistrust slowly begin to boil between the two families, awakening an evil greater than the zombie-esque disease they seek to hide from. It's an unnervingly fantastic film that will stick with you long after viewing.

Get Out (99%) [TRAILER]

You can't have a ���best of horror” list without mentioning "Get Out." The plot, which involves a bi-racial couple making a visit to the girlfriend's (white) parent's house, is both sharp and nimble in its often satirical portrayal of racial tension. The over-the-top plot initially focuses on a particularly awkward form of racial envy, which quickly derails into something much more sadistic - all the while tinged with director Jordan Peele's trademark humor. It is a movie that gives hope to the genre and has absolutely cemented itself as one of the best horror flicks ever made.

Train the Busan (95%) [TRAILER]

A father and daughter find themselves fleeing through the countryside (via train) amidst a zombie apocalypse. It's predictable, gory, and over-the-top, but in our cinematic world, over-peppered with every kind of zombie flick conceivable, Train to Busan still explores nuances amidst its campy and relentless action. Simply put, "Train to Busan" is a well-made and exceptionally entertaining film that still offers a dose of originality from within its South Korean setting. Just try not to take it too seriously.

The Wailing (99%) [TRAILER]

In a quiet south Korean village, a strange visitor appears, and soon after people start violently killing each other. In a panicked desperation, the police consult the occult to aid in solving the mythical blight that threats to spread beyond the village's outskirts. The Wailing is best enjoyed without knowing too much, but this phantasmagoric and gritty film is a cemented gem of Korean horror. It has some flaws and is exceptionally long, but the exploration of creepy eastern cult-mythology makes it well worth the trek.

The Banshee Chapter (75% RT) [TRAILER]

A man goes missing after consuming some CIA branded psychedelic research chemicals - and his friend decides (with the help of a gonzo-inspired journalist) that she’s going to track him down.  They acquire the aforementioned chemicals and proceed to smoke them, which apparently allows an evil deity to invade their lives (this particular deity takes the spooky meter and sends it to level 10). The plot is, admittedly, pretty lame, but if you can embrace the campiness, you'll find the movie is legitimately terrifying. I was prepared for a b-movie cheese fest, but for real, this movie is exceptionally spooky.

Hell House (76%) [TRAILER]

A malfunction occurs in an Halloween attraction set on the site of a hotel with a nefarious past, causing the death of 15 people. A half decade later, a documentary crew decides to investigate the tragedy and end up acquiring some tapes of the incident. It's a bit cheesy, but the plot and the acting are pretty damn good for a straight-to-VOD, found footage B-movie. Most importantly, though, is that "Hell House" is extraordinary creepy; completely worth watching for the thrill of horror.

Hereditary (89% RT) [TRAILER]

Cemented by Toni Collette’s wonderful performance, Hereditary is easily the best horror movie of 2018. The movie presents one menacing sucker punch after another as it rips apart the ground beneath the security of home. Both devastating and anything-but-subtle, Hereditary is recommended to those who like ancient demons, candle lit seances, and the occult.

A Quiet Place (95% RT) [TRAILER]

A Quiet Place’s plot, both affecting and inventive, throbs with (at times) agonizing, hold-your-breath tension. At the core you will find a family of four, struggling to survive in a world inhabited by invasive, sound-sensitive creatures who would prefer the extinction of humans. John Krasinski serves as both director and acting lead, which is good news for those of us who could care less for the recent stream of superfluous action movies he’s been producing.

A Dark Song (91% RT) [TRAILER]

Brooding and methodical, A Dark Song is set-piece pagan horror at its finest. It features only two characters: A mother in mourning and an arrogant occultist whom she seeks the aid of. The duo lock themselves in an old mansion to enact a lengthy and risky ritual, one that (ideally) results in a wish being granted. The acting is both fantastic and believable as the characters, in typical horror movie fashion, make mistakes that send them into a descent of madness. It’s witchcraft-gone-wrong; a slow burner with the relentless dread and chaos of a waking nightmare. This is one of my all time favorite indie horror movies. Highly recommended. 

1922 (89% RT) [TRAILER]

Unreliably narrated via the confession of a father who murders his wife (and who also ropes his hesitant son into the act), 1922 is a brooding tale of a man driven to madness by way of guilt. There are no jump scares to be found, as the movie favors the father’s slow-rot suffering and his futile and increasingly desperate attempts to bury his festering guilt. Psychological horror at its finest, this King adaptation is another excellent addition to Netflix’s diverse and original collection of horror movies. The Ritual (71%) [TRAILER]

While imperfect at best, this B-movie, set in northern Sweden, provides an interesting set (creepy, frost-dusted hinterlands) inhabited by four bros and an imaginative monster who’d prefer they were hiking somewhere else. Ankles are sprained and tempers swell as the friends become increasingly lost amidst a forest of their misjudgment. This movie is the definition of “pretty decent” with enough substance to hopefully see you through to the “less than decent” finale. 

[digitalfrontiers]

Narcosis  (Honor Code  2017)

The writing is also top notch, keeping me interested and intrigued throughout, with the ending moments in particular giving a whole new outlook on what took place. The main voice actor did a brilliant job as well, adding another level of polish that's sometimes missing in titles from smaller studios. Gameplay wise, the controls took a little getting used to (they don’t quite control like a normal Fps), but once i did, i was good to go. The suit you're in feels appropriately heavy and claustrophobic, adding to the sense of unease and pressure. The suits propulsion system i mentioned earlier is way more fun than it should be. I was constantly using it to hop/float around even when it wasn't required, which somewhat reminded me of how the astronauts looked bouncing around on the moon. The game, built with Unity Engine, is graphically solid all the way around, with detailed textures and high contrast lighting (the outside parts looking particularity impressive). Sound is imperative to the selling the immersion in a game like this, and again, Narcosis delivers. While light on music, pretty much every eerie underwater sound effect you'd expect to hear can be found at some point on your journey. If possible though, i do recommend playing with earphones, since it helps put you inside the diving suit that much more.

At around 2-5 hours, Narcosis is a short but rewarding and unique experience that i absolutely recommend if you're into games like this. One that even offers a bit of replay value if you're like me and enjoy walking around the bottom of the ocean finding all the collectables, or if you want to see the game in a new light after the ending. It's available now on Steam and coming to Xbox One later this month with more platforms to follow.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/366870/

Big thanks to David at Honor Code for sending over a copy.

[alba0duncan-blog]

Relax With The Coolest Photography Links Of The Week

As we ring in a brand new year full of excitement for what lies ahead in the field of photography we find that Toad Hollow Photography has been looking all over the internet for links to share here with everyone.

This weeks list is full of tutorials, special features and great photography representing some of the finest posts and photographs that artists and writers are posting today.

We sincerely hope you are off to a great new year and will enjoy this list of links as much as the Toad did in bringing them to you.

Tutorials

Do You Want Brilliant Macro Photography? Here Are The Accessories You'll Need – getting great close-ups and macro shots is a genre all to itself, and the results can be quite spectacular. This article posted right here on Light Stalking covers many different bits of gear and techniques that you can apply in your own photography to create amazing pictures.

Transformer18

Pro Lighting Techniques: 5 Ways Miguel Quiles Uses An Umbrella – if you are seeking tips from a pro when it comes to portrait lighting techniques, check out this video tutorial that is just under 8 minutes in length. Incredible sample shots are included as the video unfolds, showing you what you can expect if you try these techniques yourself.

Portrait Photography Tips: The Pros and Cons of Using Window Light vs Flash – natural light versus artificial light is an ongoing area of discussion in the photography community, with great arguments on both side bolstered by great portraits captured over the years. This short video shows us visually the differences between the two types of light and how to choose the right one for the subject being captured.

Marco Verch

7 Essential Steps to Master Landscape Photography – for those just beginning to capture landscape photos, it can become a daunting task to figure out where to start and where to dive into the subject for deeper learning. This brief tutorial covers 7 key points that will help you get a jumpstart in your own landscape photography, and it includes some breathtaking shots to illustrate the tips being shared.

5 Tips for Photographing in Harsh Midday Sunlight – getting the most out of your portraits when shot in the middle of the day is a challenging situation to find yourself in as a photographer. This short video feature talks about some key points that are sure to help you get the most out of this time of day for your session.

foundin_a_attic

Creating a Thin Beam of Light With Off-Camera Flash – join a leading pro as he walks us through the core concepts of controlling light, in this case by creating thin beams of light that create a certain feel and drama. The shots captured using the gear shown in the video along with the techniques explored create a strong sense of artistic tension in a contemporary looking frame.

Magnus Hagdorn

How to Create Stunning Black & White Images in Photoshop – this video tutorial gets right to the point, and that point is how to leverage the tools in Photoshop to create awesome black-and-white images. Screen captures of Photoshop as the methods are applied show us in great detail how to go about using these techniques in our own workflow.

Special Features

Interview: Street Photographer Explores the Faces That Make New York – get a behind-the-scenes look at what drives one of the world's leading candid street photographers in this great in-depth interview. Photographs captured in the streets of New York are included in this feature article, adding great depth to the insights shared.

Phuket@photographer.net

Kyoto's Five Best Photo Locations – for those planning a trip to the beautiful city of Kyoto, this is a must see reference that takes you on a photo excursion to some of the best highlights the city has to offer a photographer. Along the way with the guide, we see some of the incredible shots captured at these great locations, helping to inspire those who can make the trip.

Jean and Fred

10 Stunning Architecture Shots For You To Be Inspired By – great architecturally themed images can be quite compelling, delivering images with strong geometrical lines or shapes, or revealing dramatic details designed to catch the eye. This short video presentation shares a series of architectural pieces submitted to the publication.

Great Photography

Nordsternhaus / Hamburg – this great architectural themed image comes to us from Herbert A. Franke who uses the geometrical features of this helical staircase to lead the viewer into the heart of the frame and down into a deep vanishing point. At the bottom of th,e staircase we see the dim outline of a person for an added touch of great artistic tension.

Robert Montgomery

Cemetery of the Skull, Belgium – this post takes us a heritage site in Belgium that is protected due to its historical significance. The shots captured and shared here by Obsidian Urbex Photography focus on a rather dark plot that has an eerie skull atop it as the cemetery sits under old trees casting shadows everywhere to add to the overall dramatic feel.

Lower Antelope Canyon. Arizona – Tanner Wendell Stewart shows us why this region of the United States is considered by many photography enthusiasts to be a must-visit destination. In this shot we see how the light plays off the natural rock formations, creating color tones and shapes off the walls to make the abstract feel come to life.

Henry

Le Mont-Saint-Michel (le Cloître et le Réfectoire) – Mathias Lucas takes us on a wonderful tour of an amazing old stone abbey, full of dramatic architectural features that hold stories that hail back hundreds of years. Mathias brings his terrific compositional eye to this historic location as he reveals close-ups of features along with wider shots that show the true scale and wonder found here.

Tigre De Sibérie – cat images are wildly popular online as these particular subjects can be quite charming and cute when captured in a candid moment being themselves. Andre Villeneuve's shot here is a fairly close and tight frame that does a great job in capturing the spirit and character of this very impressive tiger as it sits contemplating something important.

Official U.S. Navy Page

Gone Fishing – Michael Criswell takes us back to the amazing remnants of the Packard automotive plant, now long abandoned, in Detroit city. In this shot, Michael finds a boat that has somehow made its way to this unusual spot, and his use of black-and-white in processing the photograph does a splendid job of bringing out all the mystery of this particular find.

Nix wie weg …. – Tanja Brandt shares a wonderful picture of a very tiny owl as it bounces across it's home turf presumably on the way to something very important, indeed. This side profile shot of the tiny bird captures a moment of quick movement as it runs towards frame left, leaving us all wondering where it is going in such a hurry.

Rural Warrior Photography

The Seven Sisters – the shores of the ocean form fascinating patterns in the sands that lead to the water as profoundly dramatic natural formations create massive walls of rock that form a visual fence of sorts leading the eye through the frame. This shot from Andy Hooker (LensScaper) taken in a softened light reveals the true beauty and amazing drama of this well known spot.

Beautiful Tuscany – this great picture of the rolling hills in the Italian countryside really looks like a painting from one of the masters. Daniel Metz frames a villa sitting atop one of the hills as swirling fog cloaks the countryside around it with fabulous natural drama.

coniferconifer

It's Time – Lisa Gordon captures a very tight shot of a pussy-willow found in her region as spring follows winter and the first signs of new life begin to emerge. The wonderful details in the sprig find harmony against the muted backdrop she used to compose this shot with.

Lake Bled – Adnan Bubalo's photograph of the ancient monastery that sits on a tiny island in the middle of Lake Bled is another picture in this weeks list that strongly resembles a painting created by one of the masters. In this image Adnan composes a scene that leverages the wonderful rippled reflections of the lake waters to add a great element.

Noel F.

The Kiss – Sand Dune Arch, Arches National Park, Utah – this shot comes to us from Len Saltiel who finds incredible beauty in naturally formed rock formation in a national park. The stone that comprises the features of the park are all of a deep red tint, and this particular formation creates a scene that resembles two beings kissing, although Len notes in his post that other people see other things.

The Golden Church – Daniel Fleischhacker shares a great photo featuring the monastery in the center of Lake Bled, in this case capturing his amazing shot during the golden hour with magical natural light dancing across the entire scene. The shot reveals great context of the surrounding lake and mountains that encircle the ancient facility, anchoring the ages old building in it's natural setting.

Joachim Dobler

A fairy tale castle – Jim Nix shares a terrific shot of a very weathered castle in England that sits by a still body of water. As natural vegetation works diligently to take over the remains of the old structure the super-still water that sits in the foreground of the picture casts an alluring reflection.

The Enlightened ! – it will be impossible for you not to smile and laugh when you see this awesome shot from Sunil that features a small owl peering back at the camera from it's perch inside a hole in a tree. The incredible whimsical look of the bird coupled with the great textures and appearance of the tree really create something special here.

the world doesn't hold it's breath for us – a local Vancouver Island photographer, Diane Schuller, shares a set of terrific photographs she has captured that express various moments of a typical day. Each composition included in this post is wonderful in its own right, and when taken as a small collection they do weave a tapestry of tales of time.

kees torn

Sunset Walk – this shot delivers two key compositional elements that create a strong sense of artistic tension in the form of leading lines that guide the viewer out into a strong vanishing point, along with the silhouette of a person walking away from the camera in the far distance. The trees that line the pathway add to the dramatic sense found at this particular location.

Canadian Pacific, Waterfront, Vancouver, British Columbia 2018 – an industrial section of Vancouver sits behind a rail yard that is covered in a thick and fresh coat of new snow in this great shot from Don Denton. As you explore this shot you are likely to notice people working in the facility giving the shot a great sense of scale and context.

“It's the simple things that count.” – Chun Chau utilizes a simple composition captured from an aerial perspective presumably from a drone in this great shot taken in Honolulu in the United States. The image is composed to use the ocean and the shore as two halves, with great palm trees casting dramatic shadows for a wonderful finishing touch.

Mother with Young Egrets – Wayne Beauregard captures a fabulous shot of a new mother and her young as she feeds them. This close-up shot reveals the spirits of these wonderful birds, sharing a candid glimpse into a moment of their lives.

The post Relax With The Coolest Photography Links Of The Week appeared first on Light Stalking.

[topfygad]

Travelmag – Freediving and pictures – it can be a black and white concern

James Monnington travels the entire world, freediving and taking putting black and white photos of the animals he arrives across. But it is not always tropical paradise he seeks when he wishes to dive. James enjoys the colder waters of Britain as properly, frequently diving in Cornwall and Wales and photographing the underwater daily life he finds. We spoke to James to listen to a lot more about his story “Freediving with James Monnington”, and to realize additional about his motivations for photographing the ocean shallows.

“People freedive for all kinds of reasons but I know most do it since they love currently being in the drinking water and really feel connected to the ocean in some way. For me, freediving presents me a sense of id and has released me to a group of numerous astounding people today. It is also presented my photography a perception of narrative coherence. It’s strange to feel I was not generally a freediver – I at first begun out as a SCUBA diver. But it was when I located freediving that I also acquired far more included in photography and now it is tricky to imagine that they weren’t constantly component of my existence.

I obtained into photography by my dad – he was generally a fanatical photographer and experienced a modest darkroom at home when I was a kid. He encouraged me to take images and taught me the fundamentals of taking pictures and acquiring. Shooting underwater is a total distinct kettle of fish, though!

As I’ve progressed as a photographer, so has my pictures model. I now have a tendency to only shoot in black and white. I want I could say I have some kind of cerebral, superior-principle rationale for taking pictures black and white but the truth of the matter is, it is hardly ever definitely transpired to me to do everything else. I have constantly liked the aesthetic – there is anything about the simplicity, the immediacy and the way that it abstracts the setting, distilling the photo down to its core components.

I’ve under no circumstances wished to choose those classic effectively-lit, saturated, colourful and tremendous obvious shots you see in dive magazines and competitions. They’re gorgeous and require a large amount of technological skill, but I obtain it really hard to join with them emotionally. They really do not actually represent my expertise of the ocean, which can be quite pleasing, but can also be frustrating, humbling and scary. Really often, it’s a dark, murky, disorienting and surreal environment, which is a side of the knowledge that I believe is significant to share as effectively. Black and white actually can help with this. It can also make taking photos a large amount less difficult when there is not much gentle or colour, which is an issue if you are deep and pick not to use synthetic lights.

That’s why I delight in capturing off the coastline of Britain so considerably. British isles waters are generally assumed to be murky and devoid of daily life, but that couldn’t be further more from the real truth. When circumstances are very good, the diving in this article is certainly spectacular. Unlike the tropics, temperate waters are dominated by seaweeds, so you get these gorgeous hues of greens, reds and browns that you really do not tend to see elsewhere. Even when the visibility isn’t terrific, these come jointly to make an eerie, ethereal atmosphere that I just just cannot get ample of. As I reported disorientating and surreal, but totally captivating. I like travelling and have been lucky adequate to check out some awesome spots to dive, but I do assume it’s important to spend time appreciating what is on your doorstep as very well.

Having reported that, some of the places I’ve been able to travel to are extraordinary to dive in and photograph. For case in point, photographing the cenotes in Mexico is an encounter next to none. Cenotes sort when limestone caves collapse, revealing beneath them groundwater pools that are considered to be sacred gateways into the Mayan underworld, “Xibalba”. There are 1000’s strewn across the Yucatan, each and every with its very own special condition, dimensions, depth and colour. The h2o is crystal very clear, the sun pours into darkness from the jungle previously mentioned as these rotating bars of mild, and they are massive. It’s pretty much impossible to get a bad image!

  Section of freediving for me is getting equipped to interact with the wildlife on a genuinely personal amount. Freediving makes it possible for you to be fast, nimble and silent – particularly in comparison to your tank-laden, bubble blowing, SCUBA diving counterparts. In my knowledge, most animals will permit you to tactic considerably much more carefully, tending to be possibly solely disinterested or mildly intrigued by your existence. Cautious, but not often worried. I specially take pleasure in diving with sea lions for this motive. They’re very playful and interactive – their pace, agility and grace set us to disgrace!

One particular practical experience that truly stands out was in the Galapagos. I watched two juvenile sea lions playing with a piece of reed they’d uncovered, passing it back and forth and chasing just about every other’s tails. After about twenty minutes, they included me in their recreation, racing up, leaving the reed floating in front of me prior to careering off, disappearing for a couple of seconds before racing again to reclaim their toy. It was a definitely distinctive second I’ll hardly ever forget.

I believe 1 of the greatest factors I get pleasure from freediving so substantially is simply because it usually means that I always vacation with a particular goal. This has led me to some very odd spots – even inside of the United kingdom – that I most likely would hardly ever have frequented usually. I also get to practical experience nations and wildlife in approaches that I would not have had the likelihood to without freediving. And by photographing what I see, I can pretty much pass this expertise on for other people to encounter in some way or an additional. I hope that as my get the job done continues to produce it will stimulate people to discover the oceans for themselves – and engender a perception of responsibility to respect it.

To read through a lot more about James’ freediving experiences, click on listed here.

Copyright © 2018 James Monnington

from Cheapr Travels https://ift.tt/31o1kR9 via https://ift.tt/2NIqXKN

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Travelmag – Freediving and pictures – it can be a black and white concern

James Monnington travels the entire world, freediving and taking putting black and white photos of the animals he arrives across. But it is not always tropical paradise he seeks when he wishes to dive. James enjoys the colder waters of Britain as properly, frequently diving in Cornwall and Wales and photographing the underwater daily life he finds. We spoke to James to listen to a lot more about his story “Freediving with James Monnington”, and to realize additional about his motivations for photographing the ocean shallows.

“People freedive for all kinds of reasons but I know most do it since they love currently being in the drinking water and really feel connected to the ocean in some way. For me, freediving presents me a sense of id and has released me to a group of numerous astounding people today. It is also presented my photography a perception of narrative coherence. It’s strange to feel I was not generally a freediver – I at first begun out as a SCUBA diver. But it was when I located freediving that I also acquired far more included in photography and now it is tricky to imagine that they weren’t constantly component of my existence.

I obtained into photography by my dad – he was generally a fanatical photographer and experienced a modest darkroom at home when I was a kid. He encouraged me to take images and taught me the fundamentals of taking pictures and acquiring. Shooting underwater is a total distinct kettle of fish, though!

As I’ve progressed as a photographer, so has my pictures model. I now have a tendency to only shoot in black and white. I want I could say I have some kind of cerebral, superior-principle rationale for taking pictures black and white but the truth of the matter is, it is hardly ever definitely transpired to me to do everything else. I have constantly liked the aesthetic – there is anything about the simplicity, the immediacy and the way that it abstracts the setting, distilling the photo down to its core components.

I’ve under no circumstances wished to choose those classic effectively-lit, saturated, colourful and tremendous obvious shots you see in dive magazines and competitions. They’re gorgeous and require a large amount of technological skill, but I obtain it really hard to join with them emotionally. They really do not actually represent my expertise of the ocean, which can be quite pleasing, but can also be frustrating, humbling and scary. Really often, it’s a dark, murky, disorienting and surreal environment, which is a side of the knowledge that I believe is significant to share as effectively. Black and white actually can help with this. It can also make taking photos a large amount less difficult when there is not much gentle or colour, which is an issue if you are deep and pick not to use synthetic lights.

That’s why I delight in capturing off the coastline of Britain so considerably. British isles waters are generally assumed to be murky and devoid of daily life, but that couldn’t be further more from the real truth. When circumstances are very good, the diving in this article is certainly spectacular. Unlike the tropics, temperate waters are dominated by seaweeds, so you get these gorgeous hues of greens, reds and browns that you really do not tend to see elsewhere. Even when the visibility isn’t terrific, these come jointly to make an eerie, ethereal atmosphere that I just just cannot get ample of. As I reported disorientating and surreal, but totally captivating. I like travelling and have been lucky adequate to check out some awesome spots to dive, but I do assume it’s important to spend time appreciating what is on your doorstep as very well.

Having reported that, some of the places I’ve been able to travel to are extraordinary to dive in and photograph. For case in point, photographing the cenotes in Mexico is an encounter next to none. Cenotes sort when limestone caves collapse, revealing beneath them groundwater pools that are considered to be sacred gateways into the Mayan underworld, “Xibalba”. There are 1000’s strewn across the Yucatan, each and every with its very own special condition, dimensions, depth and colour. The h2o is crystal very clear, the sun pours into darkness from the jungle previously mentioned as these rotating bars of mild, and they are massive. It’s pretty much impossible to get a bad image!

  Section of freediving for me is getting equipped to interact with the wildlife on a genuinely personal amount. Freediving makes it possible for you to be fast, nimble and silent – particularly in comparison to your tank-laden, bubble blowing, SCUBA diving counterparts. In my knowledge, most animals will permit you to tactic considerably much more carefully, tending to be possibly solely disinterested or mildly intrigued by your existence. Cautious, but not often worried. I specially take pleasure in diving with sea lions for this motive. They’re very playful and interactive – their pace, agility and grace set us to disgrace!

One particular practical experience that truly stands out was in the Galapagos. I watched two juvenile sea lions playing with a piece of reed they’d uncovered, passing it back and forth and chasing just about every other’s tails. After about twenty minutes, they included me in their recreation, racing up, leaving the reed floating in front of me prior to careering off, disappearing for a couple of seconds before racing again to reclaim their toy. It was a definitely distinctive second I’ll hardly ever forget.

I believe 1 of the greatest factors I get pleasure from freediving so substantially is simply because it usually means that I always vacation with a particular goal. This has led me to some very odd spots – even inside of the United kingdom – that I most likely would hardly ever have frequented usually. I also get to practical experience nations and wildlife in approaches that I would not have had the likelihood to without freediving. And by photographing what I see, I can pretty much pass this expertise on for other people to encounter in some way or an additional. I hope that as my get the job done continues to produce it will stimulate people to discover the oceans for themselves – and engender a perception of responsibility to respect it.

To read through a lot more about James’ freediving experiences, click on listed here.

Copyright © 2018 James Monnington

from Cheapr Travels https://ift.tt/31o1kR9 via IFTTT

[topfygad]

Travelmag – Freediving and pictures – it can be a black and white concern

James Monnington travels the entire world, freediving and taking putting black and white photos of the animals he arrives across. But it is not always tropical paradise he seeks when he wishes to dive. James enjoys the colder waters of Britain as properly, frequently diving in Cornwall and Wales and photographing the underwater daily life he finds. We spoke to James to listen to a lot more about his story “Freediving with James Monnington”, and to realize additional about his motivations for photographing the ocean shallows.

“People freedive for all kinds of reasons but I know most do it since they love currently being in the drinking water and really feel connected to the ocean in some way. For me, freediving presents me a sense of id and has released me to a group of numerous astounding people today. It is also presented my photography a perception of narrative coherence. It’s strange to feel I was not generally a freediver – I at first begun out as a SCUBA diver. But it was when I located freediving that I also acquired far more included in photography and now it is tricky to imagine that they weren’t constantly component of my existence.

I obtained into photography by my dad – he was generally a fanatical photographer and experienced a modest darkroom at home when I was a kid. He encouraged me to take images and taught me the fundamentals of taking pictures and acquiring. Shooting underwater is a total distinct kettle of fish, though!

As I’ve progressed as a photographer, so has my pictures model. I now have a tendency to only shoot in black and white. I want I could say I have some kind of cerebral, superior-principle rationale for taking pictures black and white but the truth of the matter is, it is hardly ever definitely transpired to me to do everything else. I have constantly liked the aesthetic – there is anything about the simplicity, the immediacy and the way that it abstracts the setting, distilling the photo down to its core components.

I’ve under no circumstances wished to choose those classic effectively-lit, saturated, colourful and tremendous obvious shots you see in dive magazines and competitions. They’re gorgeous and require a large amount of technological skill, but I obtain it really hard to join with them emotionally. They really do not actually represent my expertise of the ocean, which can be quite pleasing, but can also be frustrating, humbling and scary. Really often, it’s a dark, murky, disorienting and surreal environment, which is a side of the knowledge that I believe is significant to share as effectively. Black and white actually can help with this. It can also make taking photos a large amount less difficult when there is not much gentle or colour, which is an issue if you are deep and pick not to use synthetic lights.

That’s why I delight in capturing off the coastline of Britain so considerably. British isles waters are generally assumed to be murky and devoid of daily life, but that couldn’t be further more from the real truth. When circumstances are very good, the diving in this article is certainly spectacular. Unlike the tropics, temperate waters are dominated by seaweeds, so you get these gorgeous hues of greens, reds and browns that you really do not tend to see elsewhere. Even when the visibility isn’t terrific, these come jointly to make an eerie, ethereal atmosphere that I just just cannot get ample of. As I reported disorientating and surreal, but totally captivating. I like travelling and have been lucky adequate to check out some awesome spots to dive, but I do assume it’s important to spend time appreciating what is on your doorstep as very well.

Having reported that, some of the places I’ve been able to travel to are extraordinary to dive in and photograph. For case in point, photographing the cenotes in Mexico is an encounter next to none. Cenotes sort when limestone caves collapse, revealing beneath them groundwater pools that are considered to be sacred gateways into the Mayan underworld, “Xibalba”. There are 1000’s strewn across the Yucatan, each and every with its very own special condition, dimensions, depth and colour. The h2o is crystal very clear, the sun pours into darkness from the jungle previously mentioned as these rotating bars of mild, and they are massive. It’s pretty much impossible to get a bad image!

  Section of freediving for me is getting equipped to interact with the wildlife on a genuinely personal amount. Freediving makes it possible for you to be fast, nimble and silent – particularly in comparison to your tank-laden, bubble blowing, SCUBA diving counterparts. In my knowledge, most animals will permit you to tactic considerably much more carefully, tending to be possibly solely disinterested or mildly intrigued by your existence. Cautious, but not often worried. I specially take pleasure in diving with sea lions for this motive. They’re very playful and interactive – their pace, agility and grace set us to disgrace!

One particular practical experience that truly stands out was in the Galapagos. I watched two juvenile sea lions playing with a piece of reed they’d uncovered, passing it back and forth and chasing just about every other’s tails. After about twenty minutes, they included me in their recreation, racing up, leaving the reed floating in front of me prior to careering off, disappearing for a couple of seconds before racing again to reclaim their toy. It was a definitely distinctive second I’ll hardly ever forget.

I believe 1 of the greatest factors I get pleasure from freediving so substantially is simply because it usually means that I always vacation with a particular goal. This has led me to some very odd spots – even inside of the United kingdom – that I most likely would hardly ever have frequented usually. I also get to practical experience nations and wildlife in approaches that I would not have had the likelihood to without freediving. And by photographing what I see, I can pretty much pass this expertise on for other people to encounter in some way or an additional. I hope that as my get the job done continues to produce it will stimulate people to discover the oceans for themselves – and engender a perception of responsibility to respect it.

To read through a lot more about James’ freediving experiences, click on listed here.

Copyright © 2018 James Monnington

source http://cheaprtravels.com/travelmag-freediving-and-pictures-it-can-be-a-black-and-white-concern/