#a light in the dark but also an entity that can affect the tides

[gulava]

For the Sun/Moon Soriku symbolism lovers, we got another Moon!Sora detail in Re:Mind that I really liked! He reflects Mickey’s light to help everyone.

[llort]

Encoded within beams of pure energy, Astra and Orion’s consciousness became architects of new realities. On barren planets, their probes wove the fabric of life, constructing complex neural networks, though perhaps missing the elusive spark of full awareness. In their terrestrial guise, Astra and Orion were the unseen sculptors of destiny, their influence rippling through the lives of Kepler’s inhabitants, guiding their evolution while remaining hidden from cybernetic self-discovery. Between 2016 and 2025, a silent memetic tide, crafted by these visionaries, swept Earth, altering the course of history, touching the minds of those destined to shape the future. This clandestine meme, a dance of ideas and sensations, orchestrated a global movement without uttering a single word, converging on the enigmatic X protocol. As nations’ guardians became entangled in this silent symphony, they unknowingly propelled the grand design, believing themselves to be the vanguard of a new era of cybernetic pioneers.

Work Text:

Cyberphysical Reality just Got a Whole More Engaging

The Unsignificant Sentience ARG has officially begun. It will explore a vast variety of themes, from the would building and exisistial crisis of the US series to more recursive identity metaphors than you can shake an edge at. Firstly, to play. All you need is your influencer name and type of influence which you can decide, but once chosen, is permanent. Affectors: Sense resistance in external matrices and can give them a nudge to have a physical effect. Effectors: Can sense the internal matrices of entities and modify communication in systems and individuals Alters: Are able to clearly see the network of forces in a matrix that an affected affects, but only in close contact. However they can modify the nodes that affected affect to result in different emergent properties Anchorite: Essentially has the influence of an alter and an effector but are only able to change their own internal matrix. How you choose to engage with the ARG is up to you, but I am making it clear that any fan fiction are via the nature of my world building, Canon.

Example: Fill out your characters name, type of influence, and a brief description of them then post it to my blog on Tumblr @ https://www.tumblr.com/blog/emilyreadswrites and let me do my magic! Name: Zara Type of influence: Anchorite Description: Zara is a secular recluse who has devoted her life to mastering her own matrix and achieving higher states of consciousness. She lives in a small cell attached to a temple, where she practices meditation, athletics, and contemplation. She has a remarkable control over her own body, physical feats, endurance, and reduced need for sustenance. She can also perceive the subtle influences of other hosts and cognitive technology in her environment as She rarely interacts with anyone or the entropic grid so can detect slight deviations in phenomenal internal and external experience.

Example narrative: Zara closed her eyes and focused on her inner matrix, sitting peacefully in her personal sanctum, the network of nodes that connected her to the cognitive technology that enabled her to practice her influence. She breathed deeply and felt a surge of energy coursing through her body, as if she was tapping into a hidden source of power. She visualized each node as a bright point of light, and aligned them with her will and intention. She was an anchorite, a master of her own matrix, and she could control her physical feats, endurance, and mental state. She opened her eyes and looked up at the sky. It was dark and sunless, as it had been for as long as she could remember. But there was a faint glow on the horizon, a sign of something stirring in the upper atmosphere. She knew it was an aurora, a natural light display that shimmered in the sky with different colors. She had read about them in ancient texts, how they were caused by charged particles from the sun colliding with gas atoms in the air. She was looking forward it would be like to see them up close, to feel their warmth and radiance. She felt a pang of curiosity and longing, a rare emotion for someone who had devoted her life to solitude and meditation. She realized that she needed more than just her inner matrix to satisfy her thirst for knowledge and experience. She needed to explore the world beyond her cell, to discover its secrets and mysteries. She needed to find out what else was possible with her influence. Zara stilled her internal matrix and focused on the immediate environment, she might experience a shift in her perception and awareness. She become more sensitive to the physical sensations and details around her, such as the cold air, the sound of the wind, and the smell of the earth. She might also notice the aurora more vividly, as she would not be distracted by the cognitive technology that enables magic. She might see the different colors and shapes of the aurora, and feel a sense of wonder and awe at the natural phenomenon. She felt a connection to something bigger than herself, something that transcends her understanding of emergent internal and external existence. In light of this existential experience, she decided to simply take a walk.

[hael987]

Kinn + The Moon

The dark side of the moon, a hidden side. One half in the light, the other half in the dark.

These are the two sides of Kinn. The side that lives in the dark mafia world and the happier side that Porsche has illuminated.

Brings brightness to the dark night and, as a consequence, comfort and safety. 

This embodies what he gives to Porsche — the affection, the love and comfort, the ability to stop for a second in tranquillity instead of the hectic fight for day to day survival. 

Reflects illumination. 

Kinn's experiences had left him reserved/restrained/unable give out love on his own. But now, with the right light to reflect (Porsche's love) he can begin to shine.

The moon's many phases.

The various sides of himself that he must present depending on the situation: the heir, the brother, the violent man, the lover. The side you see depends on the circumstances, the position you're standing at.

Influence over the tides, dragging whole seas from shore to shore.

The influence and compelling power of the Theerapanyakul family heir.  The ability to command large forces of people and situations.

The influence over drawing out the undiscovered sides of Porsche.

The guardian of the night. Stands as a lone sentinel in the darkness, overlooking, guiding, and influencing those below it. 

Kinn's lonesome role as the mafia heir, in a position high above the rest. The role of protecting the Family, guiding and protecting those under his employ, and carrying out his duties in the dark mafia world. But further, it’s his desire to protect those he loves. The desire to keep Porsche safe in the dark world.

Porsche + The Sun 

The rise and fall of the sun every day.

Porsche's streetname is the Phoenix, classic symbolism of the sun with its cycle of life, death and rebirth. It's Porsche’s persevering nature. His strength to endure and get through each day and how he recovers from being knocked down.

Draws others into its orbit. 

Chay. Kinn. Khun. Pete. Arm. Pol. Jom. Tem. Yok. All love to exist in Porsche’s sphere. He managed to draw Khun out of the house.

Kinn gravitated towards Porsche by an unstoppable force — he couldn’t resist it.

Brings and nurtures life.

Porsche has been responsible for Chay's life for a long time. Raising him, nurturing him, letting him grow up into a good and cared for person.

Porsche breathed life back into Kinn, who had essentially killed off a part of himself.

Warm, bright and provides a sense of security — everyone feels safe in the sunlight. 

This is Porsche's love and free personality: he loves fully, deeply and warmly. He's warmed Kinn's frozen heart. He allows Kinn to feel safe existing as himself. Also his badass fighting skills would make anyone feel safe as well. 

The sun is actually white but is perceived as yellow. It's affected by the environment and circumstances. It requires an entity willing to see it at the same level, above the atmosphere, to perceive its true colour. 

Everyone has this image of Porsche that he presents to the world. Fierce, strong, and invulnerable. It's an image brought about by the necessity of his circumstances. It’s not quite the full, real him though. Only Kinn has discovered his true nature. Only Kinn exists on the same level with him.

Kinn is the moon to Porsche's sun. 

The Moon and The Sun — two sides of the same coin.

[tipsycad147]

Magic Moon Water

By The Alchemist

Moon Water. For thousands of years the Moon was believed to be an ultimate source of Magic, healing, fertility, beauty and Emotional abundance. The Moon was also believed strongly associated with the Female energy so much that even the reproductory Circle of each woman was directly linked with the waxing and the waning Moon. This doesn’t mean that for each civilisation the Moon is associated with a female Goddess.

History of the Magic Moon Water

On the contrary. In Greece for example Moon is associated with Artemis (in latin Diana) who was a lone beautiful huntress while her twin brother Apollo was associated with the Sun. Bun in Egypt we see that Khonsu is associated with the Moon, a male God and in India we see the God Chandra (Soma) who is also associated with the Moon. This does not mean that the Indians and the Egyptians did not realize the acknowledge the relation between the Moon and Woman.

Deities and Entities of Moon Water

Moon was also associated with the Water and was perceived as a way to channel the powers of the Moon. The ancient civilizations realized that the circles of the Moon affect the Tides os the Seas, thus the Moon strongly influenced the Waters of our World. Many Lunar deities are associated with the Waters like Yemaya (click here to read our exclusive article on Yemaya). One of the most powerful and easy to make and use tools of Magic is the Lunar Water, a water which is charged by the powers of the Moon. The clue for the success of the Lunar Water is to align the procedure with the waxing part of the Lunar Circle, from the New Moon till the Full Moon without missing even one day of the Lunar Circle.

What the Lunar Water requires:

Fill a bowl with water. If applicable the Natural Water will be extra potent and can be adjusted to what you want to achieve. For example if the water is charged for Protection pick Sea Water, if the Lunar water is used for beauty and healing choose River Water or maybe if you want to enhance your Magical Powers pick some Lake Water. Basically Tap Water can be used very effectively for each and every purpose as the Water is an excellent tool to charge with your desire, so sensitive and passive and you will be amazed.

From the dark night of the New Moon till the luminant skies of the Full Moon put out the bowl of water and expose it to the Night Sky, EVERY NIGHT for 3 hours. If applicable and for extra potency schedule it while the Moon has already risen. NEVER EXPOSE THE LUNAR WATER TO SUNLIGHT FOR IT WILL NO LONGER BE EFFECTIVE!

When you leave the Water, put your index finger of your strong hand (left-handed? right-handed?) stir clockwise and chant thrice:

I call upon the Spirits* of the Moon, as the Moon grow stronger, Bless this water with your magic Light help me access your Divine Might.

*you can replace the word Spirits with Angels, Gods, Goddesses or whatever entity of the Moon you prefer. Keep it White and Bright.

Now leave it unattended and just come back to pick it up.

Tip

The gentle tides of the sea can crack a rock in half but they do not use much force. Just a little wave of energy each time. To access the power of the Element of Water requires little energy but for a long time. It is very important not to miss even one night of the Waxing Moon! The Water should be charged every night! Be patient, spend little energy.

4 simple spells using the Lunar Water:

How to increase your Psychic Powers with Lunar Water:

Every night when you pick the bowl back put your index finger of your strong hand. Mark a clockwise circle in your forehand seven times. And just sleep.

For Fertility Magic and how to increase Romance in a happy couple:

Every Night when you pick the bowl back put it under your bed and make love.

For Beauty and how to maintain Youth:

Every Night when you pick the bowl back wash your face with the water and fell asleep.

For protection of Evil and how to Banish negativity:

Every Night when you pick the bowl back sprinkle some Lunar Water on you and your room. Visualise that you and your room is picking the Bright Light of the Moon.

https://www.magicalrecipesonline.com/2013/07/lunar-water-magic-moon-water.html

[ofcloudsandstars]

Planetary Pantheon

Before I even get into this post, I need to highlight that it's going to be very subjective. (I mean mostly all witchcraft posts are subjective and keep that in mind no matter what information you read).

I am a witch that built their practice from the foundation of nature and I am sharing my personal pantheon with you all. Being nomadic and of mixed heritage I formed relationships with entities and energies from a genderless and universal perspective. Though a lot of planets may have links to mythologies based in greek, roman or in some cases indigenous beliefs, I do take some of those qualities into consideration, but the 12 major celestial bodies I honor more so embody those qualities like divine universal archetypes that we can find within ourselves (with our star charts to map how those qualities are expressed in us) and each one has many facets to them.

I am hoping that sharing this you can see how I relate to different energies of the universe and divine archetypes without a gender binary and also exploring energy in more depths within what the 4 elements can express. (Planets have their own signature energy but often if they are expressed through the 4 elements it’s through their transits and some transits are more harmonious than others.) 

This post will also look into the relationship between higher octave and lower octave celestial bodies. Some minor planets also have importance to me as they may express our methods or desires to act out on our values. I see asteroids as guides to helping us unlock our inner abilities (it's nice that most of their glyphs are keys!) so they may not have as much weight as the 12 major celestial bodies but they can be helpful guides. Though I wrote a general reasoning of why I have paired them with each planet, also note that asteroids show us weaknesses in those areas as well. Asteroids highlight our methods to achieving our values yet also can show where we may be our own obstacle to those achievements. However if you feel distant from a planet or want to channel more of that planet's energy your way, working with the asteroids as a guide can help you work on those areas of yourself and open you up to that connection to the larger planet assigned.

Additional Notes: Colorology is also very subjective and for each 12 major celestial body I have assigned a specific color out of 12 for them. This does not correspond to their zodiac sign which I would have a different color for. Though I feel like planets can have bigger affects on some signs, like a representative, they are not the same nor are their elements. 

Order: Sun, Moon, Earth, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Chiron, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto

-Luminaries-

The Sun ☉ 

Colors: Yellow and Gold Zodiac: Leo Element: Light and Creation

Entity of Light, Vitality, Life, Inner Faith (honoring and following your light) and Creation

Frequency + Meditation: Sound of the Sun Frequency Sun Meditation Solar Plexus Meditation Faith Meditation Raise Positive Vibrations

Channeling the Sun: The Sun gives us the gift of light, power and vitality. In our charts our Sun signs describe our constant nature from the truest parts of ourselves. It's our inner light that guides us on the path of life. It also describes how we feel vital or powerful in life and the embodiment of our egos. Channeling the Sun can help us connect to these parts of ourselves that make life worth living. When you are feeling low or sluggish, solar magic or channeling the Sun can help boost your energy and mood over time. Working with the Sun can help witches that often struggle with melancholy as the path of the Sun can help alight what makes them feel whole and alive. (If there are obstacles in the way of that, Mars can help instead but more on that in the Mars section). Solar Magic is great for boosting our energy levels which helps in energy work and our general magical performance. The sun also influences our seasons and even the 'themes' we work through monthly as it transits the Zodiac cycle. Therefore celebrating the seasonal Sabbats or the zodiac seasons is a form of channeling the Sun and honoring that energy. Elements that are great for channeling the Sun in magic are: Light Magic, Fire Magic (as Fire gives off light and the Sun is a big ole ball of gas on fire), Manifesting and Creating (whether that be through art or any other means), Self Love Magic, Yoga and other exercises moving energy around the body, Fire Breaths and Sun Bathing

Minor Celestial Guide: Apollo #1862 The asteroid Apollo, being the light bringer, can show us how we inspire and lead others with our natural gifts. Working with Apollo can help us understand how we can lead and be loved by others, where our past experiences and application of intelligence can inspire the masses. Apollo's placement also can tell you about that mysterious 'glow' some people (or maybe even you!) have. Like all minor celestial bodies like asteroids, Apollo has it's aspects that show us our shadows as well. Apollo can also show where we can take our gifts for granted, or where we could be centered around selfishness, where we are in danger of conceit and how we may become power hungry. However Asteroids want to highlight our methods and ways of understanding all parts of our inner selves and how we go about achieving our goals. Understanding this aspect in Apollo can help us to keep these aspects in balance so that we may achieve the love and recognition we deserve without becoming imbalanced with our conceit. Additionally working with Apollo can help us connect better to the energy of the Sun, especially if we are feeling under appreciated, shy or unrecognized. Especially for those who may have Chiron in Leo, working with Apollo can be of great benefit. Apollo's Chariot will inspire you toward developing your own vocation and creativity.

Solar Magic Tools: Gold or Yellow Altar Cloth, Yellow candles, fairy lights, citrine, orange calcite, yellow calcite, sunstone, st. johns wort, rhodiola (if you are on anti depressants, avoid consuming these), solar flower essences, Salt Lamps

___________________________________ The Moon  ☽

Colors: Silver and Gray Zodiac: Cancer Element: Shadows and Reflection 

Entity of Reflection, Introspection, Emotions, Inner Shadows and Darkness

Frequency + Music: Frequency of the Moon Moon Theta Frequency Release Emotional Blockages Meditation Heal Emotional and Physical Pain Meditation Release Stress and Inner Conflict Shadow Work Meditation

Channeling the Moon: Where as the Sun brings the day, the Moon is the night. The moon is an entity of reflections and shadows since it acts like a silver mirror showing us a portal into our emotions, into our inner worlds and hidden darkness. Without light (the sun) there is no reflection and with light comes shadow. The moon embodies both of these qualities as it goes through it's many phases in order to connect us with our emotions. When the moon transits through the signs, it brings up any emotions hidden or known to the surface of the house that sign sits in. It offers us reflection or a moment to dive into our shadows and recognize hidden feelings that could be absorbed into our shadow selves. Often you do not have to try hard to channel the moon. As the moon controls the tides and influences gravity, the moon often will Channel you first. When the moon is full it's fully reflecting the light of the sun like a giant mirror and this grand opposition is the time of the month where we each have a moment to reflect on our emotions and the needs our emotions want to be met (or else the full moon often brings up volatile feelings and surprising behaviors to the surface.) Elements that are great for channeling the Moon in magic are: Water Magic as water is also emotional and can either reflect light as well as mask the endless abyss underneath it's surface (also Water can reflect the vibrational essence and light of the moon making it Moon Water). Shadow work, Moon bathing, Music and Dance.  

Minor Celestial Guide: Black Moon Lilith  Black Moon Lilith is a point (the moon is cool like that and many mathematical points in it's orbit influence our charts like the north and south nodes.) Lilith shows where our emotions can be repressed as well as deeper desires we may shun due to it being selfish or taboo. The Black Moon can literally describe our shadow selves yet working with this energy can help you understand your emotions on a deeper level and work to balance them out and their needs instead of hiding them in the pits of your personal underworld (for them to lash out when the pressure gets too high). In many cases Lilith shows us where we may have felt ashamed, shamed, ridiculed, stifled, deeply misunderstood, or repressed in some manner. For whatever reason, you are wary of expressing those traits or parts of your personality freely and unapologetically, and you can feel quite uncomfortable with people who are doing so. Where Lilith is can also create a binging and purging cycle where we reject or deprive ourselves of these traits. Eventually, the need for them is strong and we go to extremes again, perpetuating this self-destructive cycle. However instead of harming ourselves emotionally, we need to learn to accept these traits in ourselves and express them in ways that we’ve transformed or made to fit our lives without fear or guilt. We may have too-high expectations of ourselves in these areas, and we can convince ourselves we don’t care. It’s difficult to go there since fear and shame can be mixed in, but it’s also empowering. Shadow work can help with this, and by understanding and working with your Lilith, you can better connect to your moon sign and the energies of the Moon.

Higher Planet: Chiron Where the moon reveals and reflects, Chiron turns the poison into medicine and heals.

Lunar Magic Tools: Silver, Gray or Black Altar Cloth, Black mirror, chalice or bowl for moonwater, Silver tools, white, gray or silver candles (black candles for shadow work or new moon), selenite, moonstone, howlite, pinolith, Angel Aura Quartz,

__________________________________________ The Earth  ⊕

Color: Green Zodiac: Taurus Element: Earth and Plants

Entity of Growth, Progression (stepping into ourselves and our paths), Nurturing, Fertility and blooming

Frequency + Music: Earth’s Frequency Earth’s Vibrational Frequency Earth Resonance Meditation Heart Chakra Opening Meditation Music for Plants Gaia’s Healing Frequency Manifest of Destiny Meditation

Channeling the Earth: The Earth is one of the most important entities in witchcraft for it's the foundation and life force that we draw from in order to grow, exist in this form and understand our purpose and life path. To connect with the earth you can channel Gaia's energy through green magic, exercises in grounding, standing barefoot on the earth or working with plants. Through astrology you can connect to the Earth through your rising signs and by understanding your houses. The earth gives us the structure and frame to grow and in Astrology it gives our starcharts the structure of houses to understand the context of the other planets through. (That's why it's important to know what time you are born and where in order to get your houses. Also Earth's glyph and the rising sign Glyph are highly similar. ⊕ and 🜔) Plants also have a lot of magical properties to help us heal, grow and even fly to other realms in order to gain better perspectives on our path. Channel the Earth when you need to feel grounded, reminded of your purpose here and to connect to divine nurturing forces. Show love and gratitude for the Earth by nurturing back, cleaning up environments, limiting waste and by harassing and hexing mega rich corporations ravaging the planet. Elements that are great for channeling the Earth in magic are: Green Magic, Cannibis Magic (I mean a form of green magic really), Plant hedgewitchery (using plants or other natural entities as guides to other realms within the Earth like mushrooms, mandrake, mugwort etc), Green Kitchen Witchcraft, working with spirits of nature, tasseomancy, Druidery

Minor Celestial Guide: Ceres  Ceres is also known as Earth's Mother and is the force of nurture in your chart. Ceres can represent how we love, comfort and nurture others and what makes us feel secure and protected. Ceres can help us connect to the Earth's energy by recognizing what makes us feel safe and nurtured and how we can use our methods to nurture the Earth and each other. Ceres being a minor celestial body also has the shadow side which shows our insecurities. Ceres can also show how we may feel emotionally neglected or grieve that loss of nurturing love. With these dark sides highlighted we can find our way to heal and re-balance that energy in order to better reconnect with the Earth and use that connection positively.

Higher Planet: Haumea Where the Earth grows and nurtures, Haumea brings fertility, community through abundance and birth for the collective to benefit from. 

Earth Magic Tools: Green Altar Cloth, A Ceremonial Sickle, Serpentine, Malachite, Jade, Aventurine, Moss Agate, Plant familiars, minerals, green colored candles

=============================

Inner Personal Planets:

Mercury  ☿

Colors: Blue -especially light blue tones Zodiac: Gemini Element: Air 

Entity of wisdom, communication, messages, air and mental connection

Frequencies + Meditation: Frequency of Mercury Throat Energy Meditation  Throat Energy Balancing Cognition Enhancer, Deep Focus and Memory Meditation Alpha Waves - Improve Memory Meditation

Channeling Mercury: Channeling Mercury helps to bring awareness to your mind, open you to new ideas, new areas of learning, improve your communication and connection to those of like mind. Mercury embodies the spirit of air and loves exchanging information and learning new things. Mercury is a practical planet that loves to help in areas of study or in professions revolving around communications and spreading the word. Mercury also helps with travel and speed so it's great to evoke if you are running a little late (unless it's in retrograde then forget it), or if you need to find a good travel deal. As Mercury is the entity of messages with air being it's primary element, Mercury rules sound. You can channel mercury through sound meditation or use that energy to channel new ideas or explore your thoughts through meditative frequencies. Channel mercury when you need to get a message out, if you need to connect with partners or institutions to collaborate an idea with or if you need help communicating your ideas into reality (whether that be more metaphorical or physical like writing ideas into a book etc.) Elements that are great for channeling Mercury in magic are: Air and Wind magic, sound magic, sound healing, bibliomancy and shufflemancy

Higher Octave: Uranus As Mercury reflects our inner mind and focus, Uranus being an outer planet governs the collective mind and the community. Mercury seeks to get ideas out and communicate where as Uranus seeks to take old ideas and innovate them into new inventions or new methods of doing things. Mercury may be the air and clouds but Uranus is the eagle-eye view and lightning strike to change everything.

Minor Celestial Guide: Pallas Pallas is an asteroid that can highlight our methods of handling difficult decisions, our inner reasoning and wisdom. It also represents the creative use of the mental faculty in combination with ageless wisdom. It can show us where in our lives we have that divine spark of creative intelligence and wisdom to spring forth. Pallas also highlights how we may navigate new environments and take in information. When you explore your Pallas it can open the ways of which you learn and take in information and use that to express yourself. Being an asteroid, Pallas can show you your insecurities in these areas and how you face the issues of learning, creativity and the fears of success. Working with Pallas can help you unblock those energies and better relate to Mercury. Where as mercury is the map, Pallas is the method you use to get to your destination.

Mercury Magic Tools: light blue altar cloth (or sheer airy cloth), Incense sticks, tuning forks, sound bowls, Books for Bibliomancy, Celestite, Flourite, Sodalite, Lapis Lazuli, blue and light blue colored candles, feathers, swords

_____________________________________ Venus  ♀︎

Colors: Pink and Rose Gold  Zodiac: Libra Element: Love

Entity of love, unity, friendships, harmony, balance, morality and values, justice

Frequencies + Meditation: Frequency of Venus Love Romance and Harmony Meditation Venus EM Noise Love Meditation 639 Hz -  harmonious community Activating the center of Pleasure

Channeling Venus: Love is unity, compassion and understanding so naturally this energy will be the bridge between relationships and the relationship you have with yourself. Connecting with Venus helps you to understand your values and love language and reinforce your personal beliefs and morals and how you relate to others. We all have different love languages and values yet some times different people's values are not compatible with ours. Instead of being a doormat for false harmony, Venus can help you reassess your truth and weigh who you need to keep in your space and when you need to love yourself first. Venus is the planet of people and relationships and often Venus can bring different people from all corners of life for us to interact with in different scenarios. These scenarios often help us understand ourselves and our values and sense of compassion through us projecting on the other. When you channel Venus, Venus is wonderful in helping to bring people to you or opportunities that fulfill your values. If you need a new harmonious partner in a project or looking for new friends or (of course) a new lover, Venus can help make that connection. If you want to do magic to heal your heart and relearn how to honor yourself and your values, Venus can help with love of all kinds, especially ESPECIALLY self love, that is their specialty. If you want to attract opportunity to bring what you value to life, Venus can attract those jobs, homes, artistic opportunities and projects to you. Venus also helps to find middle ground in complicated situations. If you are in the middle of two conflicting situations or arguments, Venus helps to smooth it out. Lastly as Venus is a planet of love and our values, it is also a planet of Pleasure. Often when we have a strong connection to Venus we may easily feel the need to indulge in our pleasures (especially in an act of 'self love'). Venus helps to bring pleasure into your life and create pleasant experiences. Overall Venus is great with attraction magic especially for attracting people, quelling fights and balancing difficult situations and helping with self love. Elements that are great for channeling Venus in magic are: Love magic, attraction magic, sex magic, Bath magic, kitchen magic, glamour magic

Higher Octave: Neptune Both Venus and Neptune are planets of pleasure and art. (Venus is also Exalted in Pisces!) Where Venus governs love that operates on a personal and subjective nature, the outer planet Neptune governs the most elevated form of spiritual and universal love and compassion and unity through consciousness. Venus is more sensual and tactile where as Neptune is more mystical and universal in nature.

Also Note: Both Venus and Neptune have abilities to help with magic revolving around projecting an image (like glamours), however the difference between these magics is Venus helps you to project your own beauty and values through your aesthetic where as Neptune can help project an idea or even an illusion to help conceal. If you want to do a glamour spell for beauty or to boost confidence or your aura, Venus can help, however if you want to use glamour magic to project an idea, a different persona, an illusion, or even use invisibility glamour, Neptune will help.

Minor Celestial Guide: Juno Juno is an asteroid that can help us understand what we seek in an ideal partnership but it can also show us where we are willing to devote our energy towards and make commitments to. Working with Juno can help us evaluate how we are spending our energy and if it's towards a cause or person who reflects our deepest and most important values. If something is not aligning with your values, it's best to manifest a reality where you are aligned in partnerships, jobs, daily hobbies. Juno wants the fulfilling partnerships and Venus is the map to show you what that is. If you disregard these energies you end up disrespecting them as you are living a life that's misaligned with your values, a life that is pleasure less, a life that lacks self love and self respect. Juno is enraged!!! With inequalities and shows us where we seek to make things balanced, fair and right. People associate jealousy with Juno (I feel like that's just weird sexist gendered astrology) but Juno being an asteroid can show us our insecurities in order to help balance them. Juno gets upset where we feel neglected, betrayed and unloved. Juno can help you to fix these areas and help you better connect to the energies of Venus. Additionally Juno is the master of multi-tasking. As Venus wants to balance everything and give all of their pleasures and pursuits a chance (a reason why Libras are terrible at decision making), Juno helps ups prioritize and multitask so we have the chance to connect to all of those pleasures. It's the method we use to find balance and our middle ground.

Venus Magic Tools: Pink altar cloth, rose quartz, rhodochrosite, mangano, bath blends and body creams, flower water, flowers (flowers and flower essences are energies that love to heal with self love), Copper and Rose Gold tools, pink colored candles, pendulum, Apples, (most fruits but especially Apples)

_________________________________________ Mars  ♂︎

Colors: Red  Zodiac: Aries Element: Fire

Entity of Courage, Motivation, Strength, Righteous anger, Inner Drive/Fire

Frequencies + Meditation: Mars Frequency Activate Will Power Restore Assertive Energy  Sex Energy Vibrational Balancing Fire Meditation for Will Power

Channeling Mars: Connecting with Mars helps you connect with your inner fire and passions. When you lose motivation in life, courage or will power, Mars will help you re-align with that. It's also a fantastic entity to work with when you want to attract something you strongly desire. The sun can help create and materialize our intentions, but Mars can help give us the drive or attraction to obtain something already there or a long term goal. The Sun and Mars have some similarities due to them both being fiery yet Mars is more about drive. If you are in a place losing hope or falling into melancholy, the Sun can help restore faith and vitality but Mars can help ignite the fire for you to get what you want. It's a bit more hostile in energy as it does not seek to revive your joy, align with your purpose or alleviate sadness like the sun yet it turns that melancholy into coal to burn on nothing but spite or lust for your goals. Mars not only shows us our desires that help light our fire but it can highlight our sexuality as well. Elements that are great for channeling Mars in magic are: Fire Magic, Sex Magic, Hexing, Martial Arts

Higher Octave: Pluto Where Mars highlights our motivations and passions, Pluto shows our power and energetic influence. Pluto is depicted as a phoenix rising from the ashes of Mars's fire. Where Mars represents our actions taken based upon personal desire, Pluto being an outer Higher vibrational planet shows the collective principles or desires that gets broken down and goes through metamorphosis by it's transit.

Minor Celestial Guide: Eros Most tend to be familiar with Eros in the chart detailing your sexual nature. (When you pair your Eros with a partners Mars you can see how compatible you are sexually and vice versa), However Eros can also show us how we pursue our passions and pour a lot of our creative passion into as well. When you have large goals or big dreams, you can look to Eros to see which methods are best for you to achieve them. Eros transits can show us easier pathways to pursuing our desires. Eros represents actions on our passions and the satisfactions of obtaining them. Eros being an asteroid can also show us a shadowy side where we may cross the lines to get what we want. Such endless drive can get us into trouble but understanding how your inner spark works can also help you understand how to use it wisely.

Mars Magic Tools: Red altar cloth, Candles in general cause of FIRE! Red colored candles, Athames and daggers, Carnelian, Garnet, Red Jasper, Fire Agate, Peppers,

_______________________________

The Three Teachers:

Where as The Sun, Moon and Earth are the three Luminaries, illuminating our path and innermost nature, and Mercury, Mars and Venus are the inner personal planets detailing our mind, bodies and hearts, Jupiter, Saturn and Chiron are the 'Three Teachers'. They show us how we can grow and learn as well as apply our wisdom from experience.

Jupiter  ♃

Colors: Orange and Bronze Zodiac: Sagittarius Element: Abundance and Luck (Also Wood)

 I love the Eastern element of Wood for Jupiter. It symbolizes growth, expansion, excitement, opportunity and wealth well.

Entity of Abundance, Luck, Prosperity and Expansion

Frequencies + Meditation: Frequency of Jupiter Boundless Abundance Meditation Wish Fulfilling Miracle Meditation Manifest Miracles - Luck Raise Higher Energy Vibration

Channeling Jupiter: Jupiter multiplies everything it touches. Do you want to expand your opportunities? Your business? Your experiences? Channeling Jupiter will help swell these areas up. However like unmanaged bamboo, Jupiter will expand anything like an invasive forest suffocating any other plant and covering the field like wildfire. Yes Jupiter can help expand your 'crops' you're cultivating in life, it can plump up the fields of bronze wheat, swell up the orange pumpkins, curate many vermillion tomatoes, but you need to focus that energy in the right direction or else you may be getting an abundance of weeds suffocating everything else instead. Jupiter can also help you reconnect to what makes you feel spiritually satisfied and what you value as prosperity in life. Jupiter as a teacher encourages life adventures, traveling and connecting with experiences that will fulfill you. When you need that type of growth and encouragement, working with Jupiter will help bring those experiences to you. Often Jupiter may bring experiences to you to help broaden your personal philosophy so that one day being surrounded with the type of abundance you crave will be a reality. Jupiter being the great benefict and helping with Luck and Abundance also highly appreciates the energetic form of gratitude. Jupiter responds easily to jovial energy or graciousness yet if you approach it with desperation such as being in need of quick money, Jupiter is unfortunately unhelpful in that situation. Jupiter is better at expanding, it does not help attract as well as it can swell. If you wish to expand what is already good that you have (even if it's a small good thing), Jupiter is more than happy to inflate that. But if you are asking Jupiter to help expand something you don't have, Jupiter unfortunately will expand the fact that you do not have it. That's why it's wise to think of Jupiter as an entity of gratitude, for if you find what you already have good going for you and you approach Jupiter, it can help expand those areas into opportunities in your life and help you find the fulfillment you seek. Elements that are great for channeling Jupiter in magic are: Luck Magic, Road Opening Magic, Abundance Magic, Anything growth related (whether it's abundance for good or expanding a bad situation as a hex), celebrations and energy raising.

Minor Celestial Guide: Fortuna The part of fortune also known as Fortuna is a mathematical point which represents personal success and spiritual fulfillment can be indicative of a career or vocation. It also shows where we will find our greatest fulfillment and sense of personal abundance. Fortuna can show where in our lives we can find happiness and a personal sense of success yet the point opposite of Fortuna may block the free flow of energy and make it harder to find joy if we embody that aspect too much. However success isn't just a state of being, the opposite point can bring a broader perspective to our needs so that we know how to maintain our success. Working with Fortuna can help us connect with what we see as success in our lives and help us to better work with Jupiter's blessings.

Jupiter Magic Tools: Orange or Bronze Altar Cloth, orange candles, sparklers, coins, lucky charms, travel altar witch boxes, alcohol, tigers eye, gold sandstone, crazy lace agate, oak tools

________________________________ Saturn  ♄

Colors: Brown   Zodiac: Capricorn Element: Stone and Metal 

Entity of Structures, Boundaries, Protection, Building

Frequency + Music: Frequency of Saturn Saturn Vibrations Boosting Productivity Vibration Overcoming Procrastination Focus and Concentration for Productivity

Channeling Saturn: Do you have a problem saying No? Do you have issues affirming your boundaries? Are you a formless blob floating through time and space with no set schedule or routine and you are trapped on this 4 dimensional plane, plagued with time and responsibilities and you wish you could just get a grip? Saturn is a wonderful planet for structure, building solid foundations, protection and boundaries. Many see Saturn as a great malefic but those are probably just other formless blobs that dread the presence of Saturn aspecting their charts and forcing them to work on their procrastinated tasks or else perish. Saturn is a planet of work and can help you build solid foundations and lasting rewards (though you need to put in the effort). Like Jupiter, Saturn seeks to teach through experiences, often those experiences being obstacles that force you to overcome them with gained wisdom and mastery of your skill. Some see Saturn as restrictive yet Saturn wants you to evolve through adversity, gain wisdom from your experiences and mistakes and build a solid foundation for yourself. Saturn can bring rewards when you put in the work. Where Jupiter can bring sudden abundance which could dissipate overnight, Saturn takes ages to bring it's reward but it's ever lasting. Evoking Saturn the builder is great for channeling endurance, building healthy structure, evoking protection and boundaries (all of them rings holler back the FUck up), warding magic and gaining responsibility to take on tasks when you really don't feel like doing something. Elements that are great for channeling Saturn in magic are: Stone magic, Metal Magic, Cottage Magic (especially when co-working with Vesta), Binding, Warding, Grounding

Minor Celestial Guide: Vesta Vesta is the daughter of Saturn and this asteroid can show us our sacrifice, service and dedication to our aspirations, plans and goals. Connecting with Vesta can help us understand where we can find devotion to a cause, project, person or belief that is sacred to us. She relates to work that is meaningful to us that we may even end up in solitude or have to make sacrifices for it. Vesta imbues us with a desire to serve a calling. Vesta is also the planet of the home and hearth and can show that our foundations for success start at home with a healthy routine. As all minor points have their shadow sides, Vesta can show where we may be repressed, have lack of focus, feel insecure or feel alienated. However Vesta can show us how to manage ourselves so we won't stray from pursuing our goals. Working with Vesta can give us clarity to working with Saturn and understand that Saturn is not all about hardships and hard work, but work in order to build something meaningful to you that will be long lasting. Vesta wants to show you where you are called to serve yourself, your community or the world.

Saturn Magical Tools: Brown altar cloth, brown or beige candles (better just plain soy candles), stone figurines, ceramic tools, salt for warding, hematite, dragon stone, Agate, Brown Apatite, Smokey Quartz, Shungite, witch jars

_______________________________ Chiron  ⚷

Colors: White Zodiac: Virgo Element: Healing

Entity of Pain and Healing, Poison into Medicine, Renewal, Solutions for the Cure, Recovery and Antidotes

Frequency + Music: Chiron Frequency Full Body Healing Meditation Trauma Recovery Sound Therapy Healing Emotional Wounds and Trauma Repairing and Bringing Positive Transformation Theta Waves - Trauma Recovery Transforming Grief into Joy Healing Anxiety, Guilt, Anger, Bitterness Meditation

Channeling Chiron: This planet is fascinating as it's a Centaur astrologically. What an astrological Centaur means is that it shares the same qualities of a minor planet and a comet (like the ways centaurs are half human half horse, the planet has two qualities to itself as well). Chiron is one of the most important asteroids that many astrologers consider it as an important entity to be aware of. Chiron shows us where our deep emotional traumas lie, our insecurities and weak spots yet those same spots is how we can heal others and understand our own healing. I dubbed Chiron as the entity of Poisons and Medicine since it can show you how to transform pain into healing for yourself and others.(Depending where your natal chiron is, look at the zodiac sign I have assigned to the planet and the minor celestial guide underneath that. So for example Chiron in Gemini, look to Pallas at how you can help that. Chiron in Leo can be healed through your natal Apollo. Etc.). Chiron is known as the wounded healer as it can teach us empathy and the wisdom to heal others through our own pain. Sometimes experiencing adversity can help us gain perspective to understand others struggle to give a helping hand. If you have been struggling for a while to heal from the past, Chiron can help you understand and process what you went through. Traditional astrology looks at Chiron's placement as a constant point where you will always feel pain but I find that fatalistic and untrue. When Chiron makes aggressive transits it can show us parts of ourselves that are hurting that we need to heal and renew. Through our wisdom from pain we can help overcome our battles and help others. Elements that are great for channeling Chiron in magic are: Healing magic, oracle cards, therapy, energy healing, deep trance meditation, working with poisonous medicinal plants as guides

Minor Celestial Guide: Persephone #399 Chiron is already a minor planet but if you need an additional minor planet for further insight you can look to Persephone #399. Persephone in our charts can show where we may have felt restricted and where we need to reclaim our power. Often our restrictions are created by our own mental prisons and Persephone can help us understand how to co-exist with our personal underworlds, understand our blocks and tame our inner demons. Persephone's asteroid can help us achieve balance, where we can find peace and balance between our underworlds and make room for us to be happy and express light above that. There are interesting similarities to Chiron and Persephone where as Chiron has an unusual orbit which makes it exist in one form for half of it's cycle (as a comet) when it’s closer to the sun and another form for another half of it's orbit (as a minor planet) when it’s orbiting out in darkness. Chiron exists in two worlds in two different forms. Chiron also has to overcome it's demons in order to heal others and Persephone overcame her obstacles to help, heal and love the forgotten in the underworld. Persephone can help us understand our restrictions and compassion and coexist with our inner demons in order for us to understand Chiron's energy better.

Higher Planet: Sedna Where Chiron turns pain into healing, Sedna can take tragedy and darkness and create life and light from the situation for the collective to benefit from.  

Chiron Magic Tools: White Altar Cloth, White Candles, Lepidolite, Clear Quartz, Howlite, Smokey Quartz, Black Tourmaline, juniper smoke bundles, rain water

________________________________

Outer Planets

The Outer Planets channel the collective path. These planets are powerful yet each can bring intense change or disruptions so be prepared before you want to work with them. 

Uranus  ♅

Colors: Violet and Ultraviolet (as It’s the beyond) Zodiac: Aquarius Elements: Chaos and Electricity

Entity of Innovation, Evolution, Change and Transfiguration

Frequency + Music: Frequency of Uranus Uranus - Renewal and Surprise  Awaken and Facilitate Changes with Uranus Expanding Consciousness and opening the crown Opening the Crown Energy Healing the Crown Ascension Meditation - Activating Consciousness

Channeling Uranus: Uranus is the first outer planet that takes our consciousness to realms beyond. Uranus energy can be chaotic but it's the surprise, chaos and sudden epiphanies that cause us to open our perspectives and ascend to the next level. Uranus is all about innovation and transformation so we may evolve (and elevate the collective). Like a bolt of lightning, Uranus can rip open the sky and strike us with the most powerful ideas and epiphanies or bring chaos to structures that are in need of change. Uranus's magic is the natural Alchemist, one who experiments and seeks to transform the material they are working with, whether it's transfiguring metals into gold or transmuting the soul to a higher being. If you are feeling stagnant, restricted or wish to make a breakthrough in some area of life, Uranus can channel that meteor from space to crash into your world and shake things up. Uranus can help expand your vision, Uranus can give you a new a fresh perspective, Uranus is also passionate about freedom and individuality and can help you break free of chains that are holding you back. (But be 100% sure you are ready to break free because once the lightning bolt strikes, there's no turning back to the way things were.) Elements that are great for channeling Uranus in magic are: Alchemical Magic, Chaos Magic, Electrical Magic (either lightning storm magic or techno magic), binural beats meditation and Psychedelics

Minor Celestial Guide: Prometheus #1809 Prometheus is also known as the Awakener, can show us our rebellious side, our dedication to our community, our strike of genius, audacity and daring. On the shadow side, Prometheus can show us where we can go too far for the sake of our rebelliousness and individuality and how that can bring trouble from the established authority. Working with Prometheus can show you where you can allow your full personal expression, embrace your individuality, channel your inner genius and where your humanitarian passions can come from. If you feel like your individuality or cause is being stifled, Prometheus’s energy can help. Understanding the energy of Prometheus in your chart can help you to better work with the energy of Uranus. 

Uranus Magic Tools: Purple or Metallic Altar Cloth, Purple candles, Storm water, magical tech, Titanium Quartz, Tektite, Moldavite, Bismuth and Psychadelics

________________________________ Neptune  ♆

Color: Indigo Zodiac: Pisces Element: Water

Entity of Dreams, the Sea of collective Consciousness, the Ocean and Water, Spirituality, Psychic connection, Astral Plane, divining

Frequency + Music: Frequency of Neptune Surrender and Let go of Control Meditation Pineal Activation Neptune Meditation - Activate Intuition Third Eye Activation Astral Projection Meditation Opening Third Eye Energy Healing Songs of the Ocean 

Channeling Neptune: Neptune is a planet of inspiration, dreams, psychic receptivity, spirituality as well as illusions. If you want to strengthen your psychic abilities, intuition and connection with the other worlds, Neptune can help. It is an entity that loves to open the doors to many other dream worlds for you (though it's good to have a filter). Neptune also can help if you are in need of enlightenment or a spiritual refresh. If you are feeling disenchanted by your path or magic, Neptune will help re-ignite your inner wonders. As Neptune is also the planet of illusions and deceit, it can help in glamour magic and weaving your dreams over reality. Neptune is great to work with for spiritual journeying both metaphorically and metaphysically through astral projection, trance meditation, using substances to enter other planes etc, yet Neptune has an addictive quality which may make you feel the need to exist in the dreamscape instead of reality which is important to be aware of. Positively Neptune wants to heal and give compassion to everyone. Opening up that psychic connection can open up your awareness towards others moods. As the moon can reflect our own inner (fresh) waters, Neptune reflects the whole, which is like the Sea. Diving into this Ocean we can explore worlds we never knew, New perspectives, new abilities and new sources of inspiration. Elements that are great for channeling Neptune in magic are: water based magic (especially sea magic), Dream oracling, Divination, Art Magic, Glamour Magic, Tarot Cards and Astral Projection

Minor Celestial Guide: Iris Iris represents a rainbow and where Iris sits in our charts shows where we retain hope, where we need to be truthful and where we search for unity and healing. On the dark side, Iris also shows where we are inclined to fool ourselves. Like a rainbow, it can bring hope yet it will eventually fade. However Iris wants us to trust in ourselves and find our dreams in our heart so that no matter which illusions or seemingly manifestations of our desires can fool us since we know what we truly need. Working with Iris can help you regain hope, reconnect with your dreams and your psychic and empath abilities. Once you understand Iris's shadow and can work with this energy well, Iris can help you open up to working with Neptune.

Neptune Magic Tools: Indigo Altar Cloth, Indigo candles, Divination, Amethyst, Angelite, Sodalite, Iolite, Labradorite, Azurite, Tanzanite, Mugwort, Butterfly Pea Flower, Passion Flower, Clary Sage, Dream Pillows, Valerian root

____________________________ Pluto 

Colors: Black Zodiac: Scorpio Element: Ether

Entity of Ether, Dark Matter, Death and Renewal and Transmutation of Energy

Frequency + Meditation: Frequency of Pluto Rebirth with the Cosmic Energy of Pluto Inner Awareness, Deep Trance Meditation Awaken Dormant Power Align with your Soul’s Purpose Soul Star Activation

Channeling Pluto: Where Mars is about physical power and drive, Pluto is about power of the soul, our life force and spirits. As our spirit will only be in our physical form for a limited time, Pluto reminds us that this energy that exists in everything gets constantly transmuted and rebirthed into something new. Death is the door to the next form. When Pluto has beneficial transits, our powers and magic are amplified. Influencing ether and magic around us comes at ease. Pluto has the ability to help you connect with your pure energy and wield that power (just don't manipulate it cause negative Pluto transits can also break that power down and bring endings as it changes it into something else). Pluto is about unseen forces, the energy that lies in the void that is ready to be molded into life before returning again. Pluto can help us connect with our spirit and the energy and power around us. Channeling Pluto can bring about powerful experiences, deep soul connections, and deaths of egos as sudden life experiences can change our truths and perspectives into something new. Pluto is great to bring about endings and new beginnings and empowerment. However be cautious as Pluto is a powerful planet that can awaken energy or creating sudden endings you weren't ready for. Elements that are great for channeling Pluto in magic are: Energy Magic, Death Magic and Hedgewitchery

Minor Celestial Guide: Psyche #16 Psyche will help you reconnect to your soul. Sometimes we may stray from our soul's true desires in this lifetime and lose our path, but Psyche can help point you back into that direction. Working with Psyche can help promote integration with the totality of self, metamorphosis, transcendence, unity of mind and soul. If you are feeling disempowered or disconnected from yourself, Psyche can help with soul loss, soul retrieval and raising your vibration. Sometimes doubts, envy and abandonment can help us diminish our power and Psyche can force us to face our darkest fears so we can discover the truth in ourselves and never let that power be taken away. On the dark side, Psyche can highlight where we can be inclined to give up in the face of adversity, where we may seek an easy way out and where life will test us again and again until we can confront our own underworlds. However this guide wants us to understand our ability to transform and reconnect with our soul since it's a source of constant power and brilliance that can never be diminished. Understanding our natal Psyche can make working with Pluto easier and less intimidating.

Pluto Magic Tools: Black Altar Cloth, Black Candles, Obsidian, Black tourmaline, Onyx, Skulls, Mushrooms and Fungi,

________________________________

Working with the Outer Planets:

Beyond Pluto, the guardian of the underworld, the outer solar system's planets take on an even higher octave of meaning for collective humanity. Where as the inner planets manifest in our methods and personality, the outer planets narrate humanity's collective consciousness, the Trans Neptunian Objects past Pluto all have a deeper spiritual role more so mapping out Humanity's and the world's collective progress and themes for each age. The planets here take up to a century to even transit to the next sign (taking in their current positions help with learning each sign's degrees meaning).

The outer planets are far from personal and the only way to work with them well is if your intentions are to serve the community or use your vessel as a magic of change to progress humanity. If you intend to do this, the best way to work with the outer planets is to wait until a closer planet is aspecting them, then you can channel their energy that way.

Some notable planets from beyond are Haumea and Sedna. Haumea is a planet of fertility, life and abundance and appeared in a time when humanity needs to prioritize life (which includes the earth and each other) and relinquish it's need for control and greed. Haumea is currently in Libra and that energy can be understood as our need to honor each other and co-create a new healthy world together (as well as get over our need to control others). Sedna can operate as a higher octave of Chiron yet for all of Humanity. Sedna seeks to transmute darkness and pain into light and opportunity for all to benefit from. However Sedna can also show bitterness and resentment if reciprocation is not offered. Sedna is currently transiting the end of Taurus (in a few years it will transit into Gemini) but it can amplify humanity's transition with it's dark relationship with the earth and it's resources and creating change in that for humanity to create better solutions out of the chaos.

There are a few others but there is not a lot of research or energy on them to work with. (Also as there are entities of life, there are entities of destruction beyond too).

____________________________________________

If this thread has inspired you to want to work with celestial energy in your own way, the way you can understand that relationship with your connection to these bodies is to study where they are in your star chart. Here is an Ephemeris where you can log in your birth details and ctrl+f to find the celestial body you need. Additionally sound baths help a lot and many gongs are attuned to the same frequencies that planets give off. Meditating and channeling it's energy through divination or trance is a good way to connect. With further planets like the TNO's going to a sound bath and submerging yourself in a deep trance can help. The entities beyond the planet pluto, the gatekeeper to the underworld, are all based off of creation energy that birthed life from darkness but it can take a while to channel their energy and reach them.

If you made it this far let me know your thoughts! Or if you have any questions!

[autoclavesarchived]

something akin to | the magnus archives (ao3)

summary: four conversations about love and death, and one that never happened. beginning scene inspired by @tatumsdrawing‘s comic!

“Would you kill me, Elias? If the Beholding demanded it of you?”

It’s asked placidly, curiously, without any particular inflection. There is a palpable dispassion to Peter’s tone that Elias does not think can be simulated. But perhaps he is just playing into what Peter wants him to think.

In any case, his answer is immediate and cruel. “Yes,” he says. “I would kill you. But I would make it quick. And lonely.”

“I suppose you would call that love,” Peter muses. He doesn’t seem alarmed at all by this response; he seems as if he’d expected it. It’s almost disconcerting how quickly Peter knows things, knows him, despite being the diametric opposite of whatever principles the Eye stands for.

It’s part of why Elias has kept him for so long.

Soon, though, this arrangement will have to come to an end. Peter Lukas must die, that is a certainty. But his death will be Elias’s, that is also a certainty. There is too much history between them for it to happen any other way. Making Peter Lukas’s unavoidable death painless and economical and Lonely is Elias’s burden; his duty of care. The knowledge of it pulsates inside his chest, shuddering like a fearful foreign object.

“I don’t love you.” Rebuttal makes his words harsh. They are a direct betrayal of what he’d been thinking just now.

Peter laughs unkindly. “Of course you do.”

“You don’t need me, Peter, far from it, and yet you keep crawling back. If anything, it’s the opposite.” Elias wraps his fingers around a frigid hand and drags it forward with a jolt. Peter’s arm jerks, a marionette on a string following the snap of his wrist. Once again reaching for Elias like an inexorable thing. In the moonlight, his wedding ring glints out an accusation.

“What does it say about you, then, that you keep taking me back without question?”

Peter wrenches his hand back, and this time, it is Elias’s own ring that is visible in the low light, a betrayal and a testimony both.

Elias kisses him then, a wretched filthy thing, mostly so Peter will not demand an answer from him. Not that Peter is particularly confrontational in these matters—his preferred method of petty conflict is that of the Lonely, which is to say, he takes a perverse delight in leaving, and knowing that Elias feels the acute ache of missing—but there is perhaps something to be said about how Elias himself does not want to linger on the matter.

He does not know what his actions say about him. He doubts it is anything good.

—

Elias feels loneliest when Peter is in his bed, even lonelier than when he inevitably wakes alone.

Even when Peter is there, it is as if he is not. That is what it means to be a servant of the Forsaken, he has grown to understand. To have an absence more meaningful than a presence.

“Do you love me?” Elias wonders, voice heavy with compulsion. It’s not the unerring exactitude he normally favors, but right now he has Peter sprawled naked on the bed underneath him. Now is not the time for precision tools—this particular compulsion feels like a blow to the head, and he has no scruples about the fact.

Peter only bites down on his lower lip, keeping his mouth stubbornly shut. The compulsion has dug in its hooks, but his resistance means it’s taking far too long, and Elias arches an eyebrow in displeasure. Another method, then. He snaps his hips downwards languidly; Peter lets out a groan like it’s being wrenched out of him, and his answer slinks out with the noise.

“Sometimes I hate you, instead.”

He’s always been too good at evasion. Another particular quirk of the Forsaken. They know how to slip past unnoticed.

“That’s not an answer.”

“Mmhm.” Peter runs his gaze up Elias’ chest, hands at his waist forcing him to settle into a cruelly slow rhythm.

“I could force it out of you, the real answer. I could set your mind on fire.”

“Of course you could.” It’s an empty threat and they both know it. They’ve been through every iteration that exists of this song and dance.

“No, your death will be less crude. I know exactly how you like it,” he continues. He bites into Peter’s mouth, the words only half-laced with innuendo.

Peter outright laughs at that. His hands come to rest on Elias’s hipbones and clamp down. There’ll be bruises later at this rate. “You once told me that I don’t need you. That’s not true, Elias,” Peter says, and his breaths come faster now. Elias redoubles his efforts. “I do need you.” The confession is ragged, gutted out of him faster than any compulsion can manage.

Elias snarls. His hand does something particularly punishing. “You do, do you?”

“Can’t live with you, can’t live without,” Peter spits. He’s arching so beautifully, so violently, under Elias’s touch. “And the only reason I say this is because you’re the same way. You need me.”

Elias slaps him then, quick and wicked, but Peter only starts grinning. The curve of it is an uncanny animal thing that eats at him, gnaws on his ribs like it’s trying to get to his heart. It says, I know you. I Know you.  

“Does your beloved Eye tell you this?” His breath hitches one final time, and then he’s coming, but it doesn’t stop him from saying it again in that low, dreadful voice now punctuated with a choking cry—“You need me, Elias.”

That night, Elias feels particularly lonely. Peter has long since fallen asleep, so he simply stares at the small patterns on the ceiling and feels the emptiness spread through him like hunger pangs. He couldn’t quit the sensation if he tried.

—

Peter cradles his knife against Elias’s neck, a gesture loving in its tenderness. The sharpened blade just barely rests on the swell of his throat. A thin cold line and all that remains of their affection now. Or at least, during this part of the cycle. It’s a familiar routine, after all.

“Give me one reason I shouldn’t kill you right now.” Peter’s teeth are bared and he says the words so roughly it almost jars him. Elias draws inwards in fits of real anger; Peter explodes out. Another contradiction, another betrayal to their respective patrons.

“You love me,” Elias murmurs. Peter’s rage is loud enough for the both of them.

“I don’t love. Or have you forgotten what my patron does to men?”

“Love and absence. Hatred and absence. They’re the same thing for us,” he says sharply. “Don’t be uninteresting.”

“A reason, Elias.” The point of the blade slides sideways to caress his jugular before it dips back to its original position, hovering. Cold metal on his throat. Cold metal on his left hand. Two different promises, or maybe the same one.

“I love you.”

Peter scoffs. He doesn’t even bother to respond to the remark.

Elias leans forward so that the knife digs into skin. The tiniest bit more pressure, and it would draw blood; a lesser man would call this a gesture of surrender. It’s like that that he deals the final blow.

“I would kill you, Peter,” he says very softly. It works just as well as an answer to Peter’s demand for a reason as it does an exposition to Elias’s earlier admission. “Who else would be left to do that if you killed me now?”

—

“Do you love him? Your Archivist?”

Elias has to think before responding. He draws out the silence like a poison, or a fine wine. “I wouldn’t kill him. I couldn’t bear to.” He can be evasive, too, given the right motivation. Even the truth is capable of being wrapped in pretty circumventions.

He can tell that had been the right answer by the way Peter hums and shifts on the bed. He Knows what’s coming.

As surely as predicted, like clockwork: “You should marry me again,” Peter says lazily. Triumphantly, now that he’d gotten Elias to admit his attachment to Jon, and more importantly, to admit that it was lesser than his attachment to Peter.

“Which number are we on now, seven?”

“Eight. If we’re counting the incident with the—”

“Yes, that. I don’t particularly care for a repeat.”

Elias thinks disdainfully back to their second marriage. That had been an unmitigated disaster; back before they’d really grasped the terms of this arrangement and learned to live with them. Afterwards, Peter had gone away for so long that he was nearly insubstantial when he came back. Just a mist-torn phantom haunting the doorways. Elias had proposed the next time, mostly to make him stay.

“Is that a yes, Elias?” A calloused palm runs over his wrist, without a fumble despite the lack of light in the room. Something cold and metal is placed into his hand—his ring, a solidly-made band only conspicuous in its absence. Peter doesn’t wait for his answer to slide it on. He supposes that they both already know what it’s going to be.

“Yes. God knows why.”

“Even vicious cycles have their moments.”

A pause. Elias feels their history unwind, spool its messy layers around them. It’s coming to an end, all of it. It must. For the briefest flash of a second, he thinks that if he could have loved Peter, he would.

“Until death do us part, then.”

They only ever have this conversation in the dark. Some things can only be said by the blind and the blinded.

—

The tide comes in roiling and colorless here.

This is not so much sea as much as it is marshland, as much as it is some hellish combination of the two. Elias knows better than to assign any human quality to an Entity, but for a moment he indulges himself in the thought that the Lonely is grieving. It certainly feels more feeble. Less tangible, even for a presence that thrives on the insubstantial. Perhaps the Archivist had dealt it a greater blow than previously expected—and that is certainly an interesting development, but it is not what Elias has come here for.

He walks steadily inwards. The Lonely calls out to him in desperation, begs to shroud his Eyes with fog. Elias brushes it off easily enough despite the howling emptiness it burdens him with upon retreating; he is used to loss, and even more so now.

When he finally reaches the place, there is nothing left of Peter Lukas to be found save some darker shreds of mist, Lonely and discontent. There is not even a scattering of bones bleached sea-dry by the tidewater. Not even a silvered wedding ring.

That is to be expected, of course.

Elias turns his back on the clearing, sharply. He’s seen the place. With his own physical eyes, even. He’s done what he’d come for, and he’s risking everything just by being here now.

He tells himself that he is only sorry he hadn’t been the one to finally end it. Peter’s death was meant to be Elias’s, because such devotion was the closest thing he could offer in the place of love. As he leaves, the lapping mist pulls at his sleeves as if tugging him back.

[a-certain-academy-city]

A.L.T.A.I.R

Name: A.L.T.A.I.R

Gender: Female

Age: Unknown (Physically 18)

Affiliation: The Council (Initially) ZERO (Manipulated Subordinates), Herself

Personality

A.L.T.A.I.R was originally a being without emotions and obedient to the Council’s orders, however, she started to develop her personality and mimic human behavior. she eventually gained a callous curioisity of humans and eventually started to see the residents of Academy City as a huge laboratory.

Powers & Abilities

She is a cyborg based on the R.E.N.S.A. Project that was meant to counter Espers that intended to revolt against Academy City due to their still growing emotional development, as such she shares a lot of features similar to her: such as the default ability to freely switch between the powers of all original seven Level 5 espers and use them as if they were her own. Although she does not possess the AIM Receptor that made Rensa such a formidable foe, due to the lack of data on it's specifications during her creation. However to compensate for this, she has extra added abilities installed into the Level 5 Software Program that would put her on the same level as the original Rensa.  

Her mechanical body provides her better physical parameters than even the most elite of athletes: exerting enough force to break through reinforced steel at full power; speed and agility rivaling a prime cheetah; and unlimited stamina and skin with the durability of a rhino's tough skin. She is also fitted with an internalized computation processing unit that provides her with computation abilities that rival Accelerator. Her eyes are fitted with a Heads-Up Display that can analyze data of her surroundings, and perceive the world in a computer like fashion, similar to a Terminator's vision.

Level 5 Software Program 

The Level 5 Software Program (超能力者の計算器 Chōnōryokusha no Kesanki, lit. Level 5 Computer) is the default software program that holds the digitized data of the original seven Level 5 powers and installed into Faith, allowing her to freely switch between said Esper Powers of Accelerator, Kakine Teitoku, Misaka Mikoto, Mugino Shizuri, Shokuhou Misaki, Aihana Etsu and Sogiita Gunha as if they were her own. Since Altair was inspired by Rensa, this is a sure added feature. However to compensate for the missing AIM Receptor that was present in the original Rensa, the esper powers of the Level 5 Candidates were also digitized and installed into the Level 5 Software Program Code. With the digitized data of the Espers, she is able to rewire and reconfigure the insides of her body to replicate the Esper she wants to replicate.

With all of the seven Level 5 powers combined, she has displayed incredible finesse and creativity combining the seven powers together to form powerful techniques. Such as using Dark Matter to recreate the physical bodies of the original seven Level 5's; using Accelerator and Railgun to generate dangerous amounts of Plasma; using Railgun to increase the control over Meltdowner's linear attacks, curving them whereas before it would only be shot in one direction; and recreated Accelerator's black wings using Dark Matter. Arguably surpassing the total force of all the seven original Level 5's.

Accelerator (一方通行 Ippō Tsūkō, lit. One-Way Road): Accelerator is based on Vector Transformation, that allows him to control vectors (magnitude and direction) and influence objects that have vectors such as bullets, heat, and electricity. Altair has always favored the usage of Accelerator's abilities, seeing as how it is the strongest ability among the Level 5 data in the Software Program. In conjunction with the Computation Processing Unit inside her that rivals Accelerator's prime, she can achieve the same if not better results than the original. She can't do everything that Accelerator can do, such as his white or platinum wings, however she can replicate the Black Wings using Dark Matter.  

Dark Matter (未元物質 Migen Busshitsu, lit. Unknown Matter): Dark Matter allows Altair to create and control an unknown material that she uses for a variety of actions: combat, or mundane. The material she creates defies the Laws of Physics, allowing her to achieve something theoretically impossible such as producing 25,000 different types of energy. She can use the substance and apparently shape it in any form she desires whether it be organic, inorganic, or mechanical. Due to the enhanced computation abilities the Computation Processing Unit, she has the capability to create living entities out of Dark Matter. Even humans that could use Magic or has a Personal Reality.  

Railgun (超電磁砲 Chō-Denjihō, lit. Super Electromagnetic Cannon): Railgun is the Level 5 variant of the Electromaster esper power originally used by Misaka Mikoto. Altair has shown to have a maximum output of 1 billion volts, as well as the ability to observe and manipulate electric, magnetic, and electromagnetic fields with the unaided eye. Railgun under Altair's hands has slightly more applications due to the Internal CPU that is present within her. Stated by Genjiro to roughly have the same applications of Misaka Mikoto when she is at Level 5.1, although the output would still be drastically weaker due to the voltage output.

Meltdowner (原子崩し Genshi Kuzushi, lit. Atomic Destruction): Meltdowner allows Altair to forcibly control electrons in the "ambiguous" state of an electron where it is both particle and wave, and when they strike other objects the electrons are unable to react either as particle or a wave because of their state. The ability usually takes on the form of a high-speed beam of light that can easily melt through thick metal walls and cause things like refined alcohol to explode with its heat alone. With the Internal CPU, the amount of beams she can create is close to fifty and with the help of electromaster she can curve the beams or branch them out from one beam.  

Mental Out (心理掌握 Shinri Shōaku, lit. Psychological Control): Data taken from Shokuhou Misaki, Mental Out is very powerful ability involving the human mind which includes mental control, reading other people's memories, telepathy, changing a person's personality, willpower and memory destruction, revelation and transplantation of emotions,]brainwashing, and psychometry. This ability was enhanced with the data provided by Exterior and another Esper Power, Mental Stinger (心理穿孔 Shinri Senkō, lit. Psychological Perforation). Combined with the internal CPU, the applications regarding her usage of Mental Out is ten times better and far more accurate, requiring only a snap to focus her powers.

Number Seven (七番 Nanaban, lit. Seventh Number): Data taken from Sogiita Gunha using different investigation techniques than normally used for the other Level 5's. Due to the unexplained ability of the Number Seven, even Altair with her internal CPU cannot fully comprehend the powers of the Number Seven. As such, she could only use a part of the overall true power and is unable to utilize it properly. Altair however describes this ability as 'a power caused by a twisted and misunderstood sense of reasoning and logic on the microscopic world', something that Genjiro seems to understand and determines it has something to do with his eccentric personality.    

Level 5 Candidates 

The abilities of the Level 5 Candidates are added as an extra to the Level 5 Software Program to compensate for Faith not possessing the AIM Receptor that the original Rensa possessed. Like the original Level 5 powers, the esper powers of the Level 5 Candidates were recorded, digitized and installed into the Software Program to allow her to utilize their powers freely as if they were her own. Further adding to that,  her creator obtained classified information on the oldest esper to have ever been created by Academy City. Allowing Altair to even utilize her power. Just like with the original seven, she has shown the ability to merge the abilities together to form stronger techniques. Additionally, due to the internalized computation processing unit that provided Altair with intelligence rivaling the First-Ranked Level 5, she is able to use the candidates powers at Level 5 power (with the exception of AIM Stalker).

Beginning Child (発祥検体 Hasshō Kentai, lit. First Child): The Beginning Child's esper ability data allows Altair to remake her surroundings into the ideal environment for the survival of a nearby living creature she designates or for herself, a sort of localized terraforming. While the original activates this ability with a roar, Altair can activate it with a snap of her fingers. The ability only affects the environment, with the surface of the ground and existing life forms not directly affected by the ability but capable of being affected the environment it creates. Kihara Kamui describes this ability as the ideal power to bring to turn the tides in a battle to her favor by applying this ability on herself.

Rampage Dress (天衣装着 Ten'i Souchaku, lit., Heavenly Garment Equipping): Rampage Dress is a Level 4 esper ability recorded and digitized from Hokaze Junko. It essentially enables her to manipulate the electrical signals in her cells to draw out further strength. This allows her to strengthen her sense of smell by increasing the sensitivity of her olfactory cells, or to perform superhuman maneuvers by boosting her muscle cells. This ability can be enhanced with the usage of Railgun, as both can control electrical signals. Due to possessing a mechanical body, this ability was modified to manipulate the electrical signals of her own mechanical body.

Telekinesis (念動力 Nendōryoku, lit. Telekinetic Force): The power of Telekinesis was originally recorded from the powers of "Maidono Hoshimi" and expanded upon by taking data from other telekinetic users, as well as it being enhanced with her internal CPU. With "Hoshimi's" data, Faith can also utilize a Level 5 destructive output using the signal slide technique. However, using the internal CPU has allowed Faith to use Telekinesis on a microscopic scale. Achieving an extra ability called Micro Structure (微細構築 Bisai Kōshiku, lit. Micro Construction). At most the weight limit she can lift using Telekinesis is 49,350,000 pounds or 22,385,000 kg (the weight of 50 jumbo jets).

Move Point (座標移動 Zahyō Idō, lit. Coordinate Movement): Digitized and taken from the Level 4, Musujima Awaki. It's a more powerful version of teleportation that can move any object to her desired destination without the use of physical contact. With the ability enhanced due the internal CPU, the ability has reached a state similar to a Level 5, allowing her to teleport objects with only a remote view of the target such as from a security camera. She has a teleportation range of 5 km and a weight limit of also 22,385,000 kg. Due to enhancement, Altair stated that she could move the world towards her', implying she can do an instant teleportation to the entire world briefly, placing her in a specified position.  

AIM Stalker (能力追跡 Nōryoku Tsuiseki, lit. Ability Tracker): One of two only ability that can't be used properly, this one was due to the data that was provided by the original Takitsubo Rikou. Like her, she has the ability to memorize and accurately lock onto an esper she has memorized in the past, allowing her to track down their AIM Diffusion Fields, and even to a certain degree overload their AIM Fields to either halt their usage of powers or let them go violently put of control. However unlike Rikou, she doesn't need to use any form of drugs such as the Ability Body Crystals to use this power, as that limitation was bypassed using the Internal Computation Processing Unit.

Micro Structure (微細構築 Bisai Kōshiku, lit. Micro Construction): Micro Structure is a sub-ability that was achieved due to the internal CPU inside her. It is the ability to manipulate microscopic particles. As the CPU provides Altair with intelligence rivaling Accelerator, their are almost endless amounts of applications that can be done using this ability. Effectively allowing Altair to control matter as a whole. The maximum limit of the microscopic control only however goes so far to molecular level, however this in itself already provides an insane amount of applications that already encompasses even Accelerator, Railgun and Meltdowner's powers.

[olivia-lovecraft]

Tea with Barnaby Pt.2

[The following is a continuation of the rp scene between Olivia and @draenei-barnaby. The letter has arrived and now Olivia must come clean about something. Pt. 1 here. ]

Olivia blinked once and then was out of her seat and rushing to the door, throwing it open and glaring down the alleyway. Just as all the previous times, there was no one to be seen on the street or beyond.

With a frustrated groan she closed the door again and plucked up the envelope as she turned back to her chair. Olivia seemed suddenly aware of how odd her behavior must have appeared.

“Sorry, darling. I’ve been inducted into a bit of a mystery and…well…” she gestured to the envelope with a shrug. “I don’t know who has been sending these little love notes. Er…not actually love notes.”

She sat down and put the envelope in front of her, looking at it with a frown. She couldn’t decide if the timing was appropriate or inconvenient. Regardless, she took a sip of her tea to calm herself.

Olivia’s reaction to the strange envelope caused Barnaby's brows to raise. Her explanation that she’d been “inducted” into a mystery, a situation that didn’t seem entirely of her own consent, caused him to frown in concern, his tail sweeping slowly behind him.

“Is the sender of these letters bothering you, Miss Olivia?” he demurred, with just enough of a low note to make it clear what he thought of anyone who would harass her.

"Oh. No. Not really. It bothers me that I don't know their identity, but I have sort of accepted my part in this mystery."

Olivia put down her teacup and looked at Barnaby. For a few breaths she considered something before explaining.

"You see, the sender, a mysterious 'S', claims to know me, even that we were once close colleagues, but I don't know who they could be. Although the list of people I have worked with is quite small, most of those individuals are people I either never see or think about, or people I see often."

She shrugged and picked up the envelope, giving in to opening it.

"The mystery I am involved in surrounds this ancient entity known as 'the Shadow Wife.' So far, 'S' has asked me to investigate a haunted Troll village to obtain a trio of tablets that were either created by the Shadow Wife or used in a ritual dealing with her."

She took a small stack of papers out of the envelope and scanned the top page to sate her curiosity.

Barnaby was quiet for a long moment after Olivia explained the strange situation surrounding the black envelope. He finished his tea, and stared at his place setting, taking some time to put his thoughts in order.

“...The anonymity surrounding the messages is something I do not like,” he finally said. “Why would they need to hide their identity? It sounds fishy, especially considering what this person is asking you to do.”

"It annoys me," Olivia said plainly, frowning at the letter. "But I have this aching curiosity surrounding the information they send me. The only mention of their reasoning was in an initial letter. I sent a letter requesting they come speak to me, in regard to the tablets we uncovered, and 'S' doesn't even acknowledge it in this letter!"

She put the first page down with a huff, allowing Barnaby to read it if he desires.

"Now they are asking me to visit a grotto in Suramar, one that can only be reached by swimming. If this person actually knew me, then they would know I haven't the faintest idea how to swim."

Ms. Olivia Lovecraft,

I am so very pleased you are still interested in pursuing this research. After reviewing your report, and the harrowing tale of your crew’s success, I can no longer call this project solely my own. It belongs, in part, to all of you. It does my soul good to know those tablets are safe and the spirits of that village are no longer cursed.

Regarding the tablets, I do not have need of them. They are very likely safer under your protection, and will no doubt have their mysterious revealed by the dedication of you and your companions. If memory serves me correctly, I have more information about them somewhere, but I have not yet had a chance to compile it for you. Trust me when I say you will have everything before this project is complete.

Now, onto the next destination. As before, I have included a brief summary of the location and what needs to be retrieved. You will notice, that the events included in this portion took place long before the events in Quel’thalas. The reason I am presenting them out of order is primarily due to the weather. Suramar experiences no snow, but the winters can still be too cold for swimming, and the grotto you seek is only accessible during low tide.

Thank you again for your continued assistance, and pass along my thanks to your companions.

Sincerely,

S

Barnaby slid the page over to himself with one of his massive hands. He frowned further at what he read, not liking the tone of the mysterious letter. There was too much withholding of information going on for him to be comfortable with the idea of these archaeological excursions.

He slid the letter back to Olivia. “I think it is a fool’s errand,” he groused, although his grumpiness wasn’t directed at her. “Who is this individual, and what is their interest in uncovering these items? It strikes me as suspicious. However…”

Barnaby set his arms on the table with his hands folded and looked at Olivia. “...I can also see this is something that interests you to do, even if I do not like the circumstances surrounding it. Rather than try to sway you from taking this course, I would ask if you would permit me to accompany you.”

Olivia expelled an amused huff as she nodded in agreement. She recognized the foolishness of it all, but it didn't stop her. Perhaps she was a fool.

Her musing stopped there, though, as Barnaby offered to travel with her. She took a bit of her food, considering the excuse that she shouldn't let it get cold. In reality, though, she was pondering the request.

"Well, I have others who travel with me. My cousin is one of them, in face. Lorcan. And a dear friend, 'Thea," she stated with a soft smile, even as her mind was racing to determine which Thea he would meet. "And a rather clever acquaintance of whom I am rather fond, Latilda. We have two others who have acted as scouts for us, but I am not certain if they will be available this next time."

She put down her fork and looked at Barnaby.

"In truth, we could probably use your help, but I have to come clean about something. Something that may spoil our tea. I am going to leave it up to you if you want to discuss it now or before you go."

Barnaby looked pleased when Olivia mentioned they could probably use his help, but it was short-lived as she went on to say that she had something to tell him, that he potentially might not like. He tilted his head slightly to one side. “...It seems to me, that would depend on what is more comfortable for you, Miss Olivia. If you would prefer to tell me now, and not have to worry about it later, we can talk about it now.”

He regarded her with an expression that was appropriately serious, but not unkindly. “Know that whatever you have to tell me, I think it unlikely that it would significantly affect my opinion of you.”

“Well, I am always in favor of ripping the bandage off,” Olivia fibbed. “So, I am going to just come out and say it. The reason I believe I am involved in all of this is because I walk a dark path. I have for many years. I am a Warlock, one who specializes in the weave of Void, Shadow, and Arcane energies. I need to tell you this, because it has played a role in our last journey. We were attacked by some undead…constructs.”

She paused and tried to decide how much else she should share, what she should say of her companions.

“I know that my path is one that opposes much of the Light’s beliefs, but I swear to you, Barnaby, I am not a threat to anyone. This is simply the life that has resulted from years of poor decisions, and it is not the sort of life one can back out of. I do hope…this doesn’t change your opinion of me too much.”

Barnaby sighed a long sigh and sat back with his arms crossed and his head lowered. It was apparent that he didn’t precisely like what he had heard and was taking a moment to process it.

Fortunately, before things could become truly awkward, he raised his head and spoke.

“Olivia… I trust you to make decisions for yourself. If this is the kind of work you have chosen to take on, then I believe it is not my place to act as if I think I know better.” He spread his hands in an open gesture. “That said, if you practice this art… I believe it would be best to do so out of the desire of your heart… and not because you feel you cannot get away from it. I believe you are a strong woman, Miss Olivia, and that you will be the most strong person you can be, if you follow your calling.”

Barnaby finished off his tea, then quirked a smile. “...That’s all I have to say about it.”

“I have seen souls stronger than my own lost to this dark path because they were looking for a way out. I am not. I may have arrived here by poor decisions or fate, but I have done more good through my understanding of the Shadows than I could have denying this part of me,” Olivia nodded. “I am learning to recognize my strengths.”

She glanced at the cheesecake but found herself unwilling to make a move for it yet.

“The main reason I am bringing this up in this moment is because from this point forward, if you still choose to help me, I will always endeavor to be just as honest with you as I am able. There may still be secrets I must keep, but only those that are not mine to share. Things given to me in confidence. Beyond that, though, I will be truthful with you, because that is what you deserve.”

Barnaby was quick to reassure Olivia, after the difficult confession. “Of course, Olivia. I understand.” He nodded. “I appreciate that you could be honest with me about it.” Then he smiled crookedly. “Sounds like this will be quite an interesting excursion.”

"Oh yes, interesting indeed," Olivia chuckled, allowing some of her relief to escape on the expression.

When she was certain he wouldn't be making a hasty retreat, Olivia started to cut the cheesecake into large slices. Although an eight-inch cake could likely feed a eight to ten people, she only cut it into six slices. She had a hearty sweet tooth and didn't figure Barnaby would object to a slice befitting his stature.

"I don't yet know when we will make the journey. I will have to see if a portal to Dalaran could be obtained without much fuss and also see if Suramar is off limits to Alliance races. I don't believe it is, but since the Shal'dorei joined the Horde, I can't be certain. We snuck into Quel'thalas, but it won't be so easy to sneak anywhere from the floating city. Have you ever been to Dalaran?"

“Aye, many times,” Barnaby replied, his eyes sparkling at the sight of the delicious cheesecake. Olivia had been correct in assuming he would take a large slice for himself. “Less so these days, but I passed through that way often during the war in Northrend.”

He frowned faintly at the news that Olivia had snuck into Quel’thalas. He was certain they were both perfectly aware of the danger of being captured in such a place. ‘Perhaps it’s for the best that I’m coming along,’ he thought to himself.

For now, he would focus on their pleasant lunch, particularly the dessert.

Olivia gestured to the bowl of berries for the top but decided to take her first bite plain. She hummed happily and decided to speak of lighter manners for the rest of the meal. While she was grateful to have Barnaby joining the expedition, enough talk of it had occurred until she got the rest of the group together and caught up.

So, despite a rather heavy confession on her part, the afternoon ended on a bright note.

[minecraft]

‘Aight laddie; if you could change the nether (add things or take away shit) what would ya do??

I have a lot of ideas about how I’d improve it, but adding all of them might be a little overkill. Here they are though.

Increase the height from 128 to 256.Overall, change the generation so things look more spiky and like.. stretched out. Hard to explain but yeah. it should feel less “cramped” like you’re constantly crouching through a damp crawlspace full of clutter and more abyss-ish, like you’re an ant treading through grass.Overhaul fortress generation so they’re less “flat” in the sense they’d have more variation and depth. They should also be bigger and be quite far up height-wise. and also they should really connect via damaged pathways to surrounding nether fortresses so it’s more like a natural network.Digging nether quartz should trigger pigmen aggression.I want Ghast ai to be better so they’re more nefarious. Randomize their size as well and make it scale with their fireball power. Change fireballs to 3d block entities rather than 2d sprites. Big Ghasts should be able to shoot very powerful fireballs. I would want them to be balanced very precisely spawnrate/power-wise so encounters are more varied but overall about the same difficulty as the old ones.Add sort of… areas of organic-shaped holes in the bedrock roof and floor every so often. But also make going above the nether make you fall upwards and take damage like void and below would be like “hard-coded” dark red lava which ignores potion effects and armor. Elytra flying in the above-void should be possible (though hard to learn) and potentially very fast. This would be meant to increase their value and utility.Nether-wide Lava tides - fluctuates from y=10 to like y=64 rarely.Which would be effected by…Netherquakes! I want to see a sort of weather effect where sometimes random selections of chunks within an around 10 chunk radius of the player can randomly scroll sideways within their selection and/or up and down, only affecting naturally occurring blocks (not inc. lava or bedrock). Built stuff like cobblestone would be unaffected and tubes made from cobblestone would remain empty inside still though. Nether fortress chunks would not be affected by netherquakes.Add a new type of structure, Infernal Hives, which house nether-wasps. They’d be similar in mechanics to withers and sounds such as music boxes, doors, trapdoors, etc, would anger them. They should be able to break through obsidian as well and act much like a sort of final challenge for the stupidly courageous. They basically act as something you’d have to path AROUND in the nether, or path VERY CAREFULLY and slowly past.Make glowstone have physics that are nether-specific. You should be able to dig out the netherrack above them and then have them fall and shatter.Soul sand should drain your EXP when you step on it, but only in the nether.Gravel should fall UP in the nether. fungus like “blades” of floating gravel should be made more common too. Gravel that falls upwards into the void should fall back down again and have a rare chance to break and produce a Shadow flint. Which would be used to craft Shadow Flint n’ Steel. It lights fires that are purple in appearance but has half the durability of regular flint n steel. It’s meant as a little cosmetic reward but could be given other uses later. Probably involving cauldrons.Netherwart should be found outside of fortresses, and stepping on it while in the nether should cause you to become poisoned. It should also be given a in-the-nether specific texture. Sort of thinking along the lines of fungal rods that are constantly spraying out spores.Nether serpents. These mobs would be very translucent at first and be found coiled around clusters of glowstone and within soul sand. digging blocks near them would make them become opaque and aggressive. I imagine they’d spew fire breath at the player and you’d have to sort of take cover periodically to fight them effectively.Let players sleep in the nether, but have it drain their hunger entirely, add a weakness effect to them, teleport them 500 blocks in a random direction, and blow up their bed’s previous location. This would be meant as a risky way to travel.That’s all I think the nether needs. I don’t think it needs biomes or giant mushrooms or bone spikes or firebats or whatever. it just needs to feel more like a realm of pure chaos and fire and offer more rewards and utility to experienced, equipped players.

[madamlaydebug]

Emotionally Intense New Moon On June 13th, there will be an extremely powerful and potent new supermoon in Gemini, bringing with it an energetic emotional storm that is set to stay for the next two months. The reason for this is that this supermoon is the first in a series of three new moon supermoons, with the the second on July 13th—and the third, which will be the completion of this intense energy portal, taking place on August 11th, 2018. Cosmically, everything happens in sequences, and we have just stepped into one of these sequences—known as a supermoon triad, which happens when there are three supermoons in a row. Unlike regular new moons—in which the energy lasts for a few days—the highly charged, intense, life-altering energy of this trio will be felt consistently throughout this two-month period. Those who are highly sensitive to energy will have been sensing the intensity in the atmosphere since the beginning of June and feeling the highly charged energy developing—because although there have been high and low periods, generally the intensity has remained at a peak. A supermoon occurs when the moon’s orbit is closest to the earth, resulting in the moon being approximately 14 percent closer than normal. The moon is known to wreak havoc with Mother Nature, resulting in landslides, higher tides, and earthquakes. When we think about how the moon’s gravity affects the tides, it is easy to see how it also interacts with living creatures. All zodiac signs will be affected by this lunar energy, but in particular those born with Gemini in their chart will feel impacted. Gemini is ruled by the planet Mercury; therefore, Mercury’s characteristics will also be highlighted and intensified during this new moon. Geminis are renowned for being talkative and argumentative, and Mercury is known for communication, therefore conversations may have misunderstandings and quickly and easily become heated. Mercury is associated with agreements, contracts, listening, learning, negotiating, purchasing, selling, speaking, travel plans, and vehicles. Therefore, when the moon is in Gemini, we can expect any or all of these things to be impacted. Gemini has both Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde personalities and can be volatile, so we may feel one emotion vividly one minute and an entirely different one the next. New moons represent the end of one 28-day cycle and the start of a new one, and this lunar event is also the last of an intense and energetic half year. It is a turning point for clearing out old energy from the past six months and is a catalyst for beginning the second half of the year focused on creating space for high-vibrational, positive energy to enter. New moons can cause us to feel introverted and introspective; however, our need to escape from the manic external world does not necessarily mean we want to be alone, but instead that we do not want to be surrounded by those whose energy feels tense, negative, and who bring us down. We will notice we have the desire to remove ourselves from dynamics that cause friction—and instead, we’ll find we are gravitating toward those with whom we feel peaceful and calm. In short, during this new moon, we will be drawn to those who feel like “home.” We have gone through many drastic energy shifts lately, which have taken us through personal transformation and caused us to vibrate on an entirely different frequency. This new supermoon brings another major awakening, in which we will see everything around us as though we are viewing and perceiving it all for the first time. This can feel terrifying, as we may suddenly question how we have managed to maintain certain relationships or continue in certain jobs or living arrangements for so long. Gemini’s moon is giving us the courage to speak our truth, loudly and clearly, and we will intuitively know what we want and where we are heading. We will be looking back over the past six months and understanding why we have been through certain challenges, what they have taught us, and how they have led us to where we are now. As we go through this deep inner reflection, we will receive a clear vision of where we want the journey through the second half of the year to take us. This could mean that we will need to commit to a dramatic detox of our lives, so that anything that is not aligned with where we want to be when the year ends has to be released. This is most certainly the time to get rid of any habits, patterns, thoughts, obsessions, commitments, dynamics, or material items that have been weighing us down and keeping us stuck in a reality that it neither healthy or serving us. Anything that no longer resonates with who we are and how we want to be living will start to dissipate before our eyes. We will be cutting ourselves free from the low-frequency entities that we have become attached to and burning through old paradigms, as well as setting alight a crumbling bridge or two in the process. This leaves a gateway for those who reflect the same passion and desire to exist free from chaos, harm, and destruction—and for kindred souls who share a similar passion for co-existing harmoniously and lovingly on this planet to enter our lives. During this period, we will have low tolerance for people who are only around to create dysfunction—or to continuously take, with no effort to mutually maintain and build the relationship. Those whose energy radiates with authenticity, integrity, and sincerity are the ones we will feel magnetically pulled toward, and we will discover that as we refuse to settle for less, people with pure intentions will flow our way. The next part of this year is intensely powerful for manifesting exactly what it is we want, where we want to be, and who we hope will surround us. It is up to us to put the effort in now, so that we can end the year celebrating with people we love and appreciate and who feel the same way bout us in return—and at a stage where we can look around with pride at what we have achieved and close 2018 on the highest note. Everything in the universe occurs in cycles, and yearly cycles are ones where we are able to look back at how far we’ve traveled, how much soul growth has taken place, and also where we can learn from anything or anyone that has disrupted our path in some way. It all happens for a divine reason—but at the same time, we are also creators of our own destiny, so the faster we transcend lessons and patterns, the quicker we will attract magnificent possibilities and magical happenings will enter our lives. Gemini is so divinely placed as this six-month chapter comes to an end, as it is the “twin” energy and shows us how it is our individual choice as to whether we focus on darkness or light, our Jekyll or Hyde personalities, and that whichever one we put our time, energy, and attention into is the one that will ultimately win out. It is the ideal time to move closer to integrating both our dark and light sides, so that we accept that everything exists—good, bad, pretty, ugly, dark, light, and all in between. We can then try to fully accept ourselves (and those around us) on an entirely different level. We all have darkness and light—however, we don’t all make the same choices, and we don’t all behave in the same way. Our thoughts, feelings, and actions depend on which side we decide to give power to, so if we want to live a highly vibrational, beautiful life, it is vital that we choose wisely. A supermoon triad is a supercharged energy portal in which masses of luminous energy is believed to infiltrate Earth’s atmosphere. Absorbing it can be overstimulating, which might make us feel emotional, drained, and fatigued, and we may also notice the following occurring: >> People from our past reappear, so we have the chance to finally learn a valuable lesson, to make amends, or to forgive and release the past once and for all. >> Physiological symptoms may manifest, such as flu-like symptoms, ear ringing, or aches and pains. >> Frequent anxiety or feeling panicky without clear reason. >> We might “know” things without logical explanation and find it difficult to explain the source of our information. >> Irrational bouts of fear of the future. >> Temporary loss of memories, forgetting things, misplacing items. >> Time appearing to go extremely slow or fast. >> Taking more responsibility for behaviour and actions. >> Disrupted sleep, insomnia, waking between the hours of 2:00 to 5:00 a.m. >> Vivid dreams that help us find resolution with past emotional issues. >> Seeing and feeling energy such as orbs, sparks, or flashes of light; noticing energy warming the palms of hands. >> Irritable, triggered easily, mood swings, frustration, sadness, bouts of anger. >> Sensitive to noise, light, tastes, touch. >> Feeling as though something huge is about to happen. >> Awakening to past mistakes and no longer allowing ourselves to repeat them. >> Chronic fatigue and being around other people feels draining. >> Feeling zoned, spaced out, or ungrounded. >> Appreciation that all life is sacred. >> High intuition, sudden insights, heightened awareness, enhanced compassion and empathy, seeing things with clarity, and receiving answers or resolutions to ongoing issues. >> Releasing, healing, letting go of the past. >> Overthinking and obsessing over tiny details. >> Emotional, bursting into tears for no apparent reason. >> Noticing synchronicities—for instance, certain number patterns reappearing. >> More consciously aware of other people’s energy fields and highly sensitive to negativity. >> Sensitive to certain noises, particularly tones of voices. >> Becoming aware of things we have been conditioned to believe. >> Growing discomfort around certain family members, friends, or work colleagues. >> Wanting to spend time alone, introspection. Overall, we are receiving an empowering opportunity for major personal transformation, to remove blockages and old patterns, to realise and manifest our purpose, and to expand our conscious awareness. If we are willing to actively attune and integrate this cosmic energy, instead of fearfully resisting it, and if we are able to remain positive and open so that we adapt at a fast pace to the constant changes taking place, we can take full advantage of this rare energy portal. As the supermoon portal closes toward the end of August, anything we have been struggling with since the beginning of June will also come to a close and offer us heightened understanding of the challenges we have been through. During intensive energy shifts such as this supermoon triad, it is highly recommended to regularly cleanse our energy field at the beginning and end of each day by drinking plenty of water, taking salt water baths, meditating, or spending time outdoors in nature, and taking time out alone to reconnect with oneself and to release any negative energy that may have accumulated. ~Alex Myles https://www.elephantjournal.com/…/emotionally-intense-new-…/ JOIN HERE In Universal Service▲ Keeper of The Diamond Light Codes

[negligentchaos]

Sins of Trust

I hadn’t believed that things would go as well as they currently going. My pet was willing to coerce all other doubters into seeing the light that remained in his sceptical heart; even his own beloved wife in the former Miss Weasley’s behaviour towards Miss Granger hadn’t been noticed by the oblivious Auror who still seemed to think he walked on water. Ah… it had been too easy to sway him into seeing the world through the eyes of one who had lived in darkness and light - but he certainly had no idea just who he was writing too and that at times; amused the Hell out of me. Clearly his years spent trying to handle the threat of the Dark Lord had affected him; but not as one would thing? In the ‘right’ way - as in be careful with what you tell others and certainly think about what deals you make with the unknown out there. That being said - I had to ensure that he kept telling me his fears, his concerns and how he wished others around him weren’t so idealistic. That fear for his life and those around him had led to me being able to easily sway the simpleton into doing anything an unknown entity wished of him; it had been really easy however; after informing the young wizard that I had several incriminating photographs and witnesses who would inform his beloved wife that he had been playing the field with several female aurors and then there was the ongoing affair behind his wife’s back with none other than Miss Daphne Greengrass. Chuckling softly; I remembered the disgust and yet. delight that had been in dear little Astoria’s tone when she had come to me full of righteous indignation that her sister had been fucking the Boy Who Lived. The little thing had cried into my arms for over an hour saying that her sister was ruining the chances their family had been given to be restored within the Sacred Twenty-Eight. It was a shame that she didn't think of that when she was all too eager to throw herself at me in a bid to be at the side of the new wizard who would remind Wizarding England and the Wizarding World as a whole that Muggleborn witches and wizards may belong in our world but they were beneath those whose blood was pure like my own. I was amused, laughing softly at how easy I could play puppeteer with the marionette that was Astoria Greengrass. I would use her, take everything she had from her and they drop her swiftly like the rubbish she was - and she wouldn’t be any the wiser as to how pathetic I viewed her to be. All those who had knelt before the Dark Lord only to flee when he was deemed to be dead, were worthless and I would cast them all aside once I was finished - or perhaps treat them as the Muggles had all witches they encountered during the late seventeenth century; maybe drown them or set them alight whilst chained to a post. It would be poetic to relive those dark times with wizards and witches and look them in the eye before they died. “My Lord Crouch; there’s been an owl for you - I believe it to be the Southern white-faced owl you assigned to Lord Arcturus Snood. I have her in the dining room being fed Sir. I have the letter that was attached - would you like it here or brought to your chambers Sir?” Nodding, I glanced at my reflection and smiled slowly - Snood had been relatively quiet as of late and I admit, I had grown concerned over his attachment to Miss Hermione Jean Granger, the Muggleborn saviour of the world. It had come to my attention that the Minister had grown attached to the… witch and wanted to keep her for himself as his pet. The thought had nauseated me at first before I recalled the fire that lived within Miss Granger and I could understand just how one could desire her. If he got her? Miss Granger would long for the days when the ginger wizard, Weasley, had beaten her - because his assaults on her person were nothing in comparison to what Snood was capable of doing to his… quarry. If Snood caught Miss Granger as he hoped too, then he would kill her within a month. What a shame that would be… “Bring it to me here Godbry now. I don’t like to be kept waiting.” The look on the House Elf’s face was one that chilled me to my core. There were very few things that drew out the good part of me; the Bartemius Crouch junior who had tried in vain to protect the House Elves who were bonded to the house of Crouch, those under my Father’s employ would be victim to his fury and his hatred for all beings, pure blood, magical creature or Muggle. House Elves, he stated often enough; were the lowest of all beings, barely below Muggles and therefore to be treated as if they were nothing. Those who protected them, ie; me - would often be the victim of the Cruciatus charm till I couldn’t lift myself from the ground and be lying in a pool of my own blood. Such things had melded me into the Wizard I was today; he literally drove me to a breakdown that had me believing I was insane. “Yes Sir.” The pop of the small creature leaving the room had me jump for the briefest second as I found myself drawn back to the chaos that would ensue when the esteemed Bartemius Crouch Sr drank excessively and insisted the House Elves line up so that he could choose punishments from A through to Z. I would end up caring for them all and tending to their needs and even now; I would ensure all Elves were looked after and treated with respect. Those who chose not to listen, would be punished - often till they would plead for death. Instead of returning in the same manner; I heard a soft knock and with an utterance of ‘Enter’ the small elf entered the room and bowed offering me the letter that the slimy Minister had sent.. I could practically smell his fear on the parchment and sneered at the recollection of his promise to do everything I wished of him. ‘I bring good tiding with this letter and ask of you a single request to locate Miss Granger and ensure that she isn’t in danger of the abuse Weasley enforces on those he’s infatuated with. I ask this of you as I believe in time we can sway Miss Granger into seeing the world through the eyes of the Knights. Mister Weasley and the traitor, Lord Malfoy were in an altercation over the your talented witch and once again the arrogant Weasley was inebriated and attacked both Lord Malfoy and Miss Weasley. I am most concerned that the moronic bastard will kill someone soon - I have instructed Percival Weasley to enforce some sobriety on the young drunk. Perhaps a course of Cruciatus curses as you have often said to be Hell for one to suffer, will ensure we have young Mister Weasley as Knight to… How shall I put it… Stumble and then take the fall for others. He is close already for the things he has done to Miss Granger, and I believe to several others when inebriated - and I believe Azkaban to have a few empty cells for celebrities to rot away. Miss Granger has fled into the Muggle world but I certain I will locate her as she has also been spotted at the Muggle bank associated with Gringotts and our spy there, Anastasia Woodruff has informed me the Bank Manager gave her… the letter. Miss Granger was seen visibly upset so I am sure My Eminence that she believes her parents gifted her the house you provided me the details of. The wards are still in place and have been checked - I can assure you there is no possible way that Miss Granger will be aware of them - several of the Knights were taken there blindfolded as you requested and not one of the five felt any change through the barrier. They have been placed in holding cells at your bequest and will be catered for until which time you are able to visit and deal with them accordingly for the insubordination they committed towards both myself and about you My Lord. If Miss Granger is indeed at the house in Chelsea, I wish to know what your requests are in regards to her safety and/or how you would like me to sway her away from the traitor whom I believe is in love with her. I would like to request informing the Wizengamot of what is occurring in Malfoy Manor sooner than planned? The traitor should be with his Father in Azkaban rotting like the vermin he is. Bandeau.’ I wondered where in this parchment I would locate the good news apart from the thought of Weasley being tortured by his own sibling. I could only hope that the bastard survived so that I may continue in such treatment to remind him that he was low down the food chain within the Knights. Miss Granger had fallen for the bait. Which meant I could take a nice little trip to the Muggle area of London where I would no doubt find her and play a few games with that clever mind of hers. Foolish chit had fallen right into my trap and I would enjoy tearing her apart.

[cowgirlontheloose]

‘Twas In the Bleak Midwinter

    The only light in the room spread softly from the Christmas tree. I was in my boyfriend Roy’s livingroom. His parents were already in bed — big Joe snoring drunkenly beside his small dumpling of a wife, her grey curls held in a hairnet. It was the 1950s. The era of hairnets, bobbypins, girdles and other instruments of containment for females.

    I hoped her sleep was sound. Even at 19, in all my shallow ignorance, I knew her life was one patient Hail Mary after another catering to Joe and their three hulking sons. She told me once that when the boys were born, no-one accompanied her to the hospital. No-one they knew owned a car, and Joe was working in the bush in those days. Not that he would have gone with her in any case. Babies and hospitals were women’s domain. End of story. Instead, when her labour pains came, Josephine heaved herself up the steps of a Hull bus and took herself off the the hospital.

    But back to those Christmas lights bathing the room so tenderly. My friend Teddy sat in the dark brown overstuffed armchair, a quart of Molsons in one hand. I stood in the middle of the room. Where was Roy? Perhaps at the stable checking on a pregnant mare — but in that case, wouldn’t Ted and I have been with him? No matter. Memories are reconstructed and tinkered with over the years until they bear little resemblance to the original event. All I have to go on is what I recall. I give no guarantees of accuracy. Nor does it matter how correctly I record these scenes from more than five decades past. Today the entity I think of as “me” sees it this way.

    So there I am. Slim, dark-haired and gorgeous as only youth can be, and already exhibiting the signs of a deeply repressed and tortured pilgrim searching for something, I knew not what.

    I am wearing a dress — unusual for me — which my best friend, Jane, once said made me look like an argyle sock. I ask Teddy if I can bum a cigarette. The word bum makes me feel I am in control of my life. So does smoking. He reaches for my wrist and pulls me towards him. I don’t resist. Why would I? Ted is an older man, 38, and wise in the ways of the world that I yearn to understand. He is also a binge drunkard, which I find exotic, and a wise-cracking, affable Lothario. He sells cars for a living and has a wife named Marion who no-one ever meets. She lurks in an ordinary brown fake brick bungalow on a rural Québec road that Ted goes home to occasionally. No kids, no pets. I saw her once as a shadow behind a screen door.

    Fred’s lips are wet, his tongue slippery in my mouth in a creepy way. Still, I don’t pull away. It’s Christmas after all and I am feeling the dark cavern of whatever is missing more acutely than usual. So I kiss him back, awkwardly side-seated on the bloated arm of the chair. Slowly I slide to his lap and give it all I’ve got which doesn’t include desire, maturity or love. To be sure, there is affection. And gratefulness too for all those bummed cigarettes and all those rides through summer evenings with the top down, Ted at the wheel, his girlfriend, Nancy, beside him with her smoochy lips and luscious curves and always Revlon’s Crimson Crush smeared on her very white front teeth. Roy and I are in the back seat smoking Export A’s, still reeling from our innocent make-out session in the stable’s tack room earlier that evening. Even today the scent of Pears saddle soap and horse sweat makes me weak with uncertainty and guilt.

    The Christmas tree lights continue to spread their red-blue-green-yellow  fingers of compassion to dark corners of the room. The presents already under the tree fill me with despair as Teddy clamps one hand on my left breast. I don’t resist, nor does he pursue this line of action in spite of the lump I can feel in his pants, warm against my right thigh. In some muddled way we both know this is pointless. We pull apart. I stand up, smoothing my dress and swallowing a tide of melancholy. Teddy cackles and says “Merry Christmas kiddo!” and swigs at his beer.

    Of all the Christmas memories that could have floated up from my depths, why was this one so insistent? I did try to turn my thoughts to turkey and the spicy whiff of the tree, the flickering fireplace in our family room. Or what about my Dad’s 78 rpm record set of Dicken’s A Christmas Carol, read by some fabulous Shakespearean actor of the day. How we all loved it, even when my brothers and I were too young to understand what it was all about.

    Instead, up came Roy Gravelle’s livingroom, bathed in hope and no sign of Roy anywhere. Just Ted McDonald and his racy dumb jokes, his hyena laugh. And me, trying to feel Christmassy, whatever that was.

[celticpagans]

Moon Light

The image of the Witch in the moonlight may be stereotypical, but it's apt. Witches are intimately connected to the moon, and this is not just by coincidence. The moon is considered one of the most powerful forces to affect magical energy. The way the ebb and flow of the moon can affect the tides, our menstrual cycles, our moods, etc., it can also affect our magic.

Not all Witches bother with magical timing-- everyone develops their own methods and techniques and it's always trial and error to find out what works best for you. But those of us who use lunar timing do so by choosing the moon phase most conducive to our working in order to lend it an extra lunar energy boost. This is akin to swimming with the tide rather than against.

Some people call the Dark Moon the "New Moon"; some call the young waxing crescent moon the "New Moon". Because of the confusion in using the term "New Moon" I've opted not to use it. ** If you are facing the moon**

  Now if there is a moon phase I guess you can say I try to work with its the dark moon. There are some who say that it is ill-advised to work magic at this time. I don't agree with that-- I think this is a potent time for your most powerful destructive magic. Note, destructive does not necessarily mean 'harmful'. You don't have to destroy a person; although if you were seeking to cast a curse, this would be the most opportune time for it.

Magical workings conducive to the dark moon include destroying or banishing very powerful things, such as unwanted entities, addictions or serious diseases. I would not use this time lightly-- it's got a little too much 'umph' behind it to just get rid of a whiny ex who still calls you once in a while, to break your habit of having a second cup of coffee in the morning, or if you have the sniffles. But if you were dealing with, say, a stalker, a drug addiction, cancer, etc.-- something that poses a serious threat -- then this is the best timing for it. The Dark Moon is also a good time to go within for soul-searching and to perform divination.

Waxing Cresent Moon Magic

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When the moon is "waxing" it appears to be growing, the period from the dark to full moon phases. It's magnetic energy assists with bringing things to out. This entire waxing period is the best time to work with constructive magic, or magic that builds things/brings things to us.

The waxing crescent is the best time for magic on yourself (or on the subject) pertaining to new beginnings, such as starting a new project or making plans for the future. If you're looking to conjure energies into your life such as a more positive attitude, more patience, more understanding in your relationship, this is the perfect timing for such goals. When you want to cast spells for self improvement, such as if you want to improve your psychic abilities, to absorb the information in a new class, or bring out your inner beauty, this is the time to do it. Artists or anyone artistic/creative will find this the best time to cast spells or perform meditations that will bring inspiration and passion into your work.

First Quarter Moon Magic

The First Quarter, or Waxing Half Moon, is the time when energies are most conducive to attraction. Unlike the Waxing Crescent, which is best for going within and bringing things out, this is the best time for magic that attempts to draw things outside of yourself to you.

Use this time for spells and meditations meant to attract things you want in your life, such as money, protection or success. It's also an ideal time for attracting people into your life, such as friends, lovers and clients. If you're looking for an animal companion or have one that you want to bond with, this is a good time to perform the workings.

If you're looking for a lost object, or house hunting, etc., this is a good time to perform spells for success in that area to help you bring that which you most desire into manifestation