#adult rats are FINE I can deal with them

[heytherecentaurs]

It’s hard to have a nuanced and level-headed compassionate reaction when people are actively trying to kill you. Whatever the Rat Grinders were before they aren’t that now.

(Discourse beneath the cut.)

I think conversation about what the rat grinders deserve is reasonable. They were manipulated and exploited. Maybe they deserve redemption. But why should it fall to the bad kids to give it to them? Also just because you’ve been manipulated doesn’t mean you’re less responsible for your actions. Teens radicalized by the far right are still responsible for their actions. “I was manipulated” isn’t a great defence for murder. Also everything about the Rat Grinders comes from a place of privilege and a belief they are owed something. They made the choices and bought into the ideology because of their sense of entitlement and this really common insidious belief I see on the far right of denying they have privilege and viewing themselves as some kind of oppressed class.

I interpret the rage and fanaticism as an analog for radicalization. The death of the people they once were and the rebirth of fanatics. It started out small, making choice after choice until it reached a point of no return. The Rat Grinders gave away pieces of themselves until they were new people. An ideology didn’t make them hateful spiteful self-entitled people. They accepted the ideology that fit their personality. Does who they were make them owed redemption? Obviously saying no was an option. Lucy said no; she healed the rats. She tried to follow KLCK but reached a breaking point. Have they ever shown remorse? Has there been any indication that they ever wanted to turn back from the path that led them to their conflict with The Bad Kids? Doesn’t seem like it. Where in this story has Kipperlilly been anything more than Kyle Rittenhouse with a blonde ponytail?

If they are to be redeemed, who they are now needs to be destroyed. Another death is required. And it should not be up to the bad kids, a group of teens to see that the rat grinders are deradicalized. Somewhere some reasonable adults need to take responsibility and control over things and deal with the situation. The bad kids may be able to fight to save the world but they don’t have degrees in therapy or any kind of deprogramming knowledge that’s gonna stop the rat grinders from killing them and Elmville along with them.

I like the rat grinders as villains but they are villains in a D&D game. And just because you may find them sympathetic doesn’t mean they automatically deserve redemption. It just makes their deaths tragic and avoidable and that’s fine. A lot of people die tragic avoidable deaths because of their own character flaws and because they trusted the wrong people. That’s allowed to be the case. They can be tragic and still die. Hell they can be tragic and still deserve to die narratively.

[pocketramblr]

For the AU ask game, what about a roleswap between Izuku and All might?

Fun fact: a role swap does not necessarily mean an age swap. It really depends on what roles are being swapped.

1- The Symbol of Peace, Dekiru, has been the Number One Hero for a few decades. Happy, bright, and always moving, his smile is the only part of him not covered by his lucky green rabbit costume. Toshinori was a few years out of college when he was rescued in Dekiru's debut, and sometimes when he's sad or needs motivation, he goes back and watches videos of it. Which is why what he's seeing is impossible:

2- Dekiru's mask torn off, revealing a child's face, still round and freckled even with the pale skin and dark eye bags. Toshinori would think he was just a kid cosplaying the hero, except that kid definitely just saved his life from the villain now knocked against the wall, and even as the kid is passed out on the ground too, a thin layer of smoke is flowing from the neck of his costume, trying to obscure his face, too late. When Toshinori gets closer, black tendrils flip out from his arms and stand threatening over him. Toshinori holds up his hands, "I just need to check your pulse and airway" and he's allowed closer to do that. The kid wakes a few minutes later, and in a crack of green lightning, they're dashed away to the roof of a nearby building, the kid panting. Toshinori asks what's wrong, how can he help?

3- Dekiru sighs, and then tells Toshinori everything. He was created in a lab by a villain trying to get a very specific quirk. He couldn't wait however long it took babies to manifest, and he didn't want to deal with adults, so Dekiru has always been a child. But even then, the villain would not get the quirk he wanted. Dekiru escaped with some help- don't ask- made pro hero, made number one hero, and went and killed that villain a few years ago. However, doing so weakened him- he used to only need one hour of sleep a day to reset and get 23 of quirk usage and crime fighting. Now he only gets two hours of energy from each hour spent asleep, though he really does try to push it. Hence, just passing out now. He's swaying on his feet now, actually. Toshinori offers to carry him to his agency- he could throw his bright yellow suit jacket over the kid and carry him on his back, without the mask no one would realize who he was, just assume he's taking his kid home. Dekiru says it's fine, actually, and flies them both off the roof- only to fall the last few feet. Bright red, he agrees, though he tries to use float to be as light as possible as Toshinori's back. Not that it's needed, the man isn't as fit as he was when he was younger, but he's still plenty tall and strong.

4- except, ah ha, you know how they kinda left the villain from earlier there? Whopsie attack number two a few minutes later, and Toshi just puts Dekiru down behind him and grabs a pipe to fight back with. With the villain defeated, Dekiru looks up at Toshinori, and asks if he wants his quirk. He'd make a great hero, and probably would be able to do more with it than Dekiru can, since he'll only need to rest more and more over time. Toshinori accepts, walks Dekiru back to his agency, and gets a number to talk about it later.

5- later, Toshinori asks what will happen to Dekiru when he gives up his quirk. The kid is evasive, and Toshinori is pretty sure he'll lose his repowering speed even more until it goes away. He asks if Dekiru has ever done anything besides sleep and fight. Dekiru hasn't, and Toshinori ties his acceptance of the quirk to the fact that Dekiru has to gain something too. A normal life, friends, school, something. Toshinori suggests UA- they changed their rule to allow quirkless students, so Dekiru could get his license that way and prepare using support gear, have a second run at a real career and life instead of giving it up all to Toshinori. Dekiru admits that Nedzu was one of his fellow lab rats kept by the villain and would probably be all too excited to approve of this, but don't expect not to end up owing Nedzu a favor after this. So, Toshinori begins training physically again, this time to receive a quirk, and Dekiru begins studying, since he never needed school before and has several years to catch up on if he's going to be ready for high school in a months. Toshinori gains a provisional licence in the winter and can get a full one after a year at an agency, which Nedzu insists be UA. After sending Dekiru off to the entrance exam with a good luck and double checking all his support gear, Toshinori gets invited to watch, and almost has a heart attack when Nedzu stamps "Accepted" on the paperwork as Dekiru dismantles a giant robot, sliding the stack over so that he can see that on the top of the boy's form, his name is listed as "Midorya Izuku" and for emergency contact, "Yagi Toshinori (Uncle, legal guardian)"

[seiya-starsniper]

For the flower prompts: Hyacinth - loser has to ask out...

I will leave pairing(s) to your discretion, whoever most strikes your fancy ❤️

TJ, thank you for the prompt! I went with Dreamling, with a nice little monsterfucker twist to ring in the first day of @monsterfucktoberbingo!

Square: Were-creature.

Flower Prompt Game!

-------------------------------------

“You ready for tonight?” Johanna asks, dropping her densely packed duffel bag onto the table before plopping in the chair next to Hob. She’s tense. Hob can tell without even looking at her. But there’s also a thrum of excitement coming off her in waves.

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Hob replies, not looking up from his stake sharpening. “How many stakes have you got in there?” he asks.

“A dozen wooden, and three steel,” Johanna answers, patting the duffel with pride.. “All consecrated, and plenty of holy water.”

“Good girl,” Hob praises her. He means it too. Johanna’s one of the best damn hunters he’s ever worked with, and he knows she’s going to give the vampires they’re hunting tonight absolute hell. It’s one of the biggest nests they’ve ever come across. Nearly six dozen vampires all quartered in a large abandoned grain barn that spans nearly a quarter of an acre. They’ve been hunting all the nearby towns, picking off the elderly first, but soon moving onto the adults and children. Their mission tonight is to raid the nest for hostages and kill any of the guard vampires, then torch the whole thing at dawn when the rest come back to sleep. Their reign of terror should hopefully end tonight.

“How many are you aiming to gank yourself?” Johanna asks casually, but Hob can hear the competition in her tone. 

“You looking to put some money on that?” Hob replies cheekily. “I thought you’d have learned with the banshees that you can’t ever beat my record, Constantine.”

“Those were unfair odds and you know it!” Johanna whines. She’s right, of course. Banshees tended to flock more to men, and so Hob had taken out far more than Johanna had. But a bet was a bet and Johanna had had to clean Hob’s shotguns for a month after.

“I’m just saying,” Hob says, shrugging his shoulders. “I’m happy to let you clean out the Impala when I trounce your numbers tonight.”

Johanna grimaces. It was no secret that Hob lived out of his car and that he was a bit disgusting about it. She’d once opened the back door to sit in the back and had been greeted a rat he hadn’t even known was there. To this day he doesn’t know where it came from. 

“How about this instead?”Johanna replies. “If I get the most vamps in this nest, you have to ask Peggy out.”

Hob sighs. He should’ve seen this coming. “Johanna—”

“I’m serious Hob,” Johanna interrupts him. “I know you two get along and I see the way the two of you look at each other. You’d be good for one another.”

“Peggy’s young,” Hob argues. “She deserves someone who will get her out of this life.”

“You and I both know she’s never getting out of this life,” Johanna replies solemnly. “And she’s 25 for Christ’s sake. Not even a decade younger than you, stop looking at her like a child.”

Johanna was right. She was usually right, not that Hob would ever tell her unless under extreme duress. Peggy may have been a child when she first became a hunter but she was a full grown woman now. And well…she was quite beautiful and smart as fuck. Hob could maybe love her. It’d been almost fifteen years since Eleanor was taken by vampires herself, and the void she’d left behind had gotten easier and easier to bear with each person he saved. 

Hob sighs. What could it hurt? If things didn’t work out, he knows he and Peggy could still be friends. 

“Fine, but if I get more vamps than you, you’ve gotta ask out Rachel instead,” Hob says back. 

Johanna blushes a furious shade of red and Hob smiles. Now that was a relationship he was invested in seeing bloom.

“You got yourself a deal Hobsie,” she replies, and the two of them shake on it. 

—------------

Hob is at five vampire deaths when he starts chasing three fledgling vampires into the woods. They’re fast, but uncoordinated, and Hob thinks he can probably pick them off one by one if he times his shots right with the crossbow he borrowed from Johanna.

He realizes too late that the vampires have isolated him from the other hunters, and that he’s been led to a clearing to be ambushed. There had also been a fourth he hadn’t accounted for, and he curses at himself for falling for such an obvious trap so easily. He manages to take out one of the fledglings, but the remaining three overpower him. Just as they’re getting ready to tear into his flesh, Hob gets unexpected support in the form of a fucking were-panther.

Hob watches in awe as the beast knocks aside one of his assailants, freeing Hob from their hold and allowing him to stake one of the remaining vampires holding his arms. He then watches in awe as the panther tears into the throat of the fledgling it knocked aside, before the beast grabs the thing by the hair and yanks the head clean off. 

The final vampire is easily picked off between the two of them. Hob is surprised by how fluidly they work together, despite this being the first time he’s ever met the creature. When he is certain there are no others approaching, he turns to the panther, who is looking at him with curiosity and brilliant golden eyes. 

“Not that I’m not grateful for the assist, but what the fuck is a were-panther doing here?” Hob asks.

The air seems to vibrate for a few moments and Hob recognizes the tell-tale signs of a shift and moments later he’s face to face with a pale naked man with a shock of messy, jet black hair, and the most brilliant blue eyes he’s ever seen.

Fuck, but he was gorgeous and Hob’s type in every single way. Despite his shifter disposition, the man’s human form was void of any hair, and though he was thin and almost lanky, Hob could see the ripple of muscle in his legs and arms. Hob knew he was staring, but for some reason he couldn’t tear his eyes away from the man. It was only when his hands landed on the man’s cock that he jerked his gaze upwards, and instead of disgust, he found the were-panther actually looked pleased at Hob’s obvious leering. 

“My name is Dream,” the were-panther introduces himself with a smirk.

“You certainly are,” Hob replies then slaps a hand over his mouth. “I mean—” 

God’s wounds, why had he said that? He was smoother than that! Had the vampire hunt really scrambled his brain that much? 

Before he can come up with an apology for his poor brain to mouth filter however, Hob hears a low, rumbling noise, and he belatedly realizes that Dream is purring.

“You are pleased with me,” Dream says, stepping closer into Hob’s personal space. “That is…good.” 

Hob suddenly smells his grandmother’s homemade bread and his favorite beer. He realizes quickly the delicious scent is coming from Dream, and before his brain can tell him otherwise, he pulls the pale man in a desperate, teeth clacking kiss.

Dream moans into his mouth and pushes Hob down into the grass in the clearing, grinding his hips down on Hob’s rapidly hardening cock. He growls and tugs angrily at Hob’s jeans, and Hob quickly works at shucking them off before the were-panther could tear them clean off. Now that would be embarrassing to explain to the rest of the hunters. 

It isn’t long before Hob’s completely naked underneath Dream and it feels absolutely amazing and right the way their bodies fit against one another. Dream’s cock is a pleasant weight against Hob’s own as he strokes them together, pleasure building higher and higher with each needy whine and moan shared between them. 

“That’s right, love,” Hob pants, increasing the speed of his strokes when he realizes he’s close. “I’m so close, I wanna come with you, come on—”

Dream wails as his orgasm hits him, and then there’s a sharp pain in Hob’s shoulder when his own orgasm follows shortly after. His brain blearily registers that Dream’s bitten down on him, and though there’s some part of him that knows he should be alarmed by that, his body is too blissed out from the earth shattering orgasm his just experienced to care.

“Mine,” Dream mumbles, licking at the new mark on Hob’s shoulder and snuggling into his chest. “My mate.” 

Ah, fuck, Hob thinks as he drifts off to sleep, wrapping his arms protectively around Dream. Johanna was absolutely going to skin him over this.

[bosmerbitch]

Hey ho! My name is Sky and I am here to play videogames and write videogame fanfiction like a proper adult!

My current fic is A Collection of Honest Compliments, wherein Sephina (Tav) and Astarion find their footing together and become a ridiculously sappy yet insanely dangerous power couple! Read it here!

Here’s the OC lineup:

Sephina

- tired of dealing with the party but is the only adult with half a braincell so she ends up being the one to make the most decisions

- insanely, nearly toxicly loyal to a fault to two people: her adoptive sister Lya and quickly Astarion (he reminds her of Lya and thus he has an easy in)

- she’s super normal and not at all hiding anything whatsoever. Haha 😳

- uses a mask of indifference to come across as neutral when in reality she’s actually rather ruthless

- “murder’s fine if it’s the best option”

- “can everybody please just get along” (← does not give a rat’s ass about anyone except two people and actively is ready to kill everyone else if they get in the way too much; understandably does not want people to know this, but is also getting a headache from all the bickering)

- compartmentalized trauma so often that she seems okay and well-adjusted until suddenly she really isn’t

- Anger management issues but like for actual reasons outside of her control

- just as fucked up as her adoptive sister and hides it under the mask of flirtation

- her and Astarion are too much alike in many respects and so they turn into 5 year olds pulling pigtails

- “fucking try me, asshole” (← will actively murder anyone who gets in the way of or hurts herself or her sister)

- impulsive but like she gets a pass because her life fucking sucked. And still sucks

- Actively freaking out at all times that she will lose her only family left in her life to a fucking tadpole of all things, not doing great

- Karlach is so very much her type that she can’t help but want to fuck her, but also hot tiefling is A+ distraction from certain doom

- the pairing is technically straight but they are Most Definitely Not and it Shows

- tadpoles have fucked with certain things that have to do with control; Astarion’s is the impulses he has to touch her, and thus an agreement between them is struck that touching is ok. Snowballs from there

- smitten best friends that disgust and confuse the whole party with their weird touchy-ness and habit of whispering and laughing like mean girls in highschool to each other

- we’ll admit how fucked up we are to each other but no one else. Deal? Deal

- hi I would kill for you :3 would you like me to? Is this person bothering you? Can I murder them? Pwease 🥺

- power hungry man meets powerful shortie who’ll whisper sweet nothings in his ear and make him actually interested in sex again because all she wants to do is make him feel good. Through cute bonding moments, plus murder and mayhem of course

- somehow the most romantic gentle couple even though they are. So fucked up. Like SO fucked up

[tyranitarkisser]

Im thinking about Hinabuki in the context of right after the events of sdr2 where everyone who died is in their death comas and the survivors have decided to pretty much spend the rest of their lives on the real Jabberwock and become one anothers found family. I think at first Hajime would be ashamed of the talent he was given when he became Izuru Kamukura and swear off using them just on principle. Or, if he does use his powers he feels obligated to use them to clean up his mess somehow. He could be a doctor or surgeon, a professor, or something else that would help bring hope back into the world. Except quite frankly he couldnt give a rats ass about hope and the world, even if his alter ego was responsible for the apocalypse... that stuff is more Naegi and the Future Foundations deal anyway. He cares about himself and his friends who are responsible for all the same fucked up things he is. Theres no telling what the world would think if he were to show his face again, and he really doesnt care to entertain that thought anyway.

Enough time passes and eventually Ibuki and Nidai wake up and recover. Well, mostly - Nidai is paralyzed from the shock of technically dying twice but being a robot the second time so it didnt quite register in his brain as quite real enough to kill him in the real world? Idk. Id just like to see more of him, and Akane can help him take care of himself. But i like Nidai and Ibuki waking up because they are both relatively low stakes characters that wouldnt really take away the narrative impact of everyones deaths in the Neo World Program and the lesson it taught the survivors - at least, not as much as if, say, Gundam or Komaeda woke up. Teruteru, Impostor, Mikan, and Gundam pass away after a year or so. Kuzuryuu is still hanging onto a thread of hope that Peko will wake up soon, and no one really knows what they would do if Komaeda woke up and theyre kind of dreading it if it does happen.

Anyway Ibuki wakes up, and not really having made any friends before she was killed, Hajime tries to offer her company and the two get close. Lets say in this canon he did all of her freetime events and knows her more serious side when she isnt playing an exaggerated caricature of herself, and through time together they start a relationship! He learns that she has trouble making genuine connections with people and her nonserious personality is both a coping mechanism and also partially the reason why she cant make friends, but luckily she has Hajime who is interested in her for who she really is, and eventually, the other survivors get to meet Ibukis more serious side thanks to Hajime. He assures her that who she is is fine and it isnt so scary to allow people to know the real you after all.

Conversely, Ibuki finds it ridiculous that after all that trouble Hajime doesnt want to use the talent he was given, because whether or not he used it for evil as Izuru that doesnt change the fact that he has them now so he might as well use them. She encourages him to use his abilities selfishly, as a creative outlet. She inspires him to make art and music he never would have imagined he would be capable of but somehow it comes so naturally that it blurs the lines between his artificial talent and his raw feelings. He takes on a more punk/alternative look and lets Ibuki pierce his ears (she wants to pierce his face but thats where he draws the line NO face piercings for Hajime)

I think an alternative look for him would be fitting not just from Ibukis influence but also consider his more edgy and skeptical personality... i dont think it would be so unthinkable that kind of aesthetic would resonate with him. How many kids in high school have no concept of style but as adults learn how to better express their personality? Even still he isnt exploding with personality like Ibuki is, hes still the same serious and apprehensive Hajime Hinata hes always been, only now hes okay with that. It took destroying the world for him to be comfortable with himself but hey, whatever works right?

[fruitbowlsngoals]

can you tell me about this bitb au ive been hearing about 'round town? It seems rly cool!! :33

Of course!!

So this au that I've got here is the little guy au where most of the main cast that the council plays are kids-teens and the occasional adult.

It's kind of this massive multiverse crossover that I'm going insane about.

Everything kind of takes place on Prime as that's kind of where I started building this au from.

With that small kind of intro done and now that I've fleshed out some of the lore for this proper.

Information is below the cut , feel free to ask more questions if you have them ↓

Galloway is a place In Deadwood it's this semi isolated town that no one's really ever heard about it and if you have it's because you grew up there or moved there because it was cheap.

With Deadwood already being freaky and scary it seems the perfect place to put it. Galloway being basically a nowhere town was quickly turned into one of the main sights for Overlords experiments as he messes with genetics and what not.

However things went wrong and the BitB crew kind of got wrapped into it.

Roland's parents are actually a part of the scientist crew that helped start it (mainly to explain why he didn't exactly know he was a bug) and it's why they're so helicopter-ish and deadset in making sure Roland can achieve good things. An example of how this went horribly wrong would be the Trickster , but that's a whole other can of worms.

So what happens is , the outbreak happens, people become bugs over the course of like a month or so . Rand being a bit of a geek and paranoid freak is the first to figure what's happening while exploring and he realizes that's how Rachael went missing. He drags the others into everything and the campaign kind of continues as normal aside from the fact that Becky and Rat are just gone. Becky and Rat are found by the gang after the events and basically proved the fact they were fine and that they wouldn't attempt to kill anyone much like Rand had. So now they're a bit of a ragtag vigilante group that's slowly making their way out of Galloway to go find and deal with more of the Overlord facilities.

[heard-nsfw-is-back]

Conveniently common kink fic. Steddie degradation fic. Because it's hot.

This is long as shit and just full of NSFW. It's 12am I need an EXORCISM.

Steve is always a little mean. He can't help it that sometimes his face moves faster than he can school it. His words come out colder and he can't wrestle with them to be nicer. His parents gave him shit for it but they were the masters of passive aggressive back handed compliments so it's not really his fault.

Eddie on the other hand loves to be made to feel small. Having to survive on next to nothing, having to grow up too quick, taking free therapy with ttrpgs. Wanting to not have to think, or do, anything. To not want to mess up. He's good with words, better in his creativity, but sometimes he wants to be made in someone else's image.

When Steve is sarcastic with the kids it's a sweet sort of corrective comment. A "don't do that that's dumb" kind of thing like a "I know better don't think I don't" kind of way. And fuck if that's not the hottest thing ever. Pretty Steve with his kind eyes and wicked humor. A wicked tongue if Eddie was brave enough to think it. Steve looks at Eddie trying to plan the next outing and work on times when he blurts out "oh just sit there and be pretty and silent, let the adults make the actual plan".

And Steve regrets it immediately until something in Eddie's eyes spark and heat spreads out from his chest to the ends of his body. That's what he was waiting for. That reaction of pure blind obedience. Eddie sits back down swallowing a groan and waits patiently for the next thing Steve tells him.

Nothing happens for the next few days, but for lack of trying. Steve is carefully judging if what he saw was what he actually saw or what he wanted to see. The next time he sees Eddie he makes a note to try again just in case. They talk for a little before Steve glances at Eddie's hair. "You never properly brush this rat's nest. If you're going to have it this ridiculously long the least you can do is take care of it." He runs his fingers through Eddie's hair making sure to tug at it. It's not rough or tangled, he knows that Eddie is just this side of vain to keep his hair well maintained. But Eddie blushes and tilts his head back, eyes almost glassy. Oh yeah he can work with this.

All his effort goes from being sort of bitchy to everyone to only being bitchy to Eddie. And having that attention on him does wonders for ego, before Steve rips it apart so well. Will comes up to him privately, concerned. "Steve has been really mean is everything ok? Did something happen or did you want me to say something?" Eddie smiled, touched that he would care. "I'm fine don't worry, I'm a big boy and if Steve has something to say he can say it." A double meaning if there ever was one. Will narrows his eyes, distrustful but relenting, and walks away with a nod.

Steve leans in one time and Eddie has to Work to not buckle under him. He goes on for a full minute about how he needs to get his house together. "You go through so much effort for a boardgame you can't even manage to find time to wipe a window sill? That's a bit pathetic don't you think." Eddie feels hot wonderful shame creep under his neck. It's true that his place has been neglected and that same time next week he cleaned the whole thing. Steve comes over with everyone and is impressed. He sees Eddie looking at him and refuses to make eye contact. "You actually know how to use a mop, that's almost impressive if it didn't take you so long to get it done." Eddie has to lean on the table next to him to stand up right.

"Ok that's enough! Steve what's wrong with you? You're being so nice to everyone but Eddie. What's your deal?" Dustin stands between him and Eddie and he feels sort of angry that such a sweet and hot reaction was being blocked. "He's fine. That right Munson? You're good?" A soft check in, but hopeful that he can continue. Eddie just shrugs. "I'm good. It did need to be done." Steve feels almost giddy. If he can keep making Eddie look at him and only him with those sweet eyes he'd be the happiest man in the world. Dustin rolls his eyes. "Whatever just back off." Steve nods, changing tactics. It wasn't fair to the group to be involved in the game he was playing with Eddie.

Later, when the kids leave to go home, he sticks around and plops down on the couch. Eddie stands and looks at him with those pretty eyes. "Can I help you?" Steve bites and Eddie plays with his lips. Steve stares and committed that image to memory. He's so cute, Steve thinks, and beckons him over. Eddie almost trips over himself to get closer. "No, on your knees. I'm a king isn't that right? Aren't you supposed to kneel for kings?" Eddie pauses and Steve is about to put that down as a hard limit before Eddie slowly lowers himself. A wide grin stretches Steve's face before Eddie crawls over to him. And THAT is an image he will never get over. Those hips, that back, those arms holding him up. Perfection honestly. Eddie kneels in front of Steve and he has him wait there for a moment.

Then he spreads his legs and pulls Eddie up to him, trapping him in his legs and in his arms. He can feel Eddie shaking and throbbing and he wants to be mean and laugh. So he does. "I haven't even done anything and you're so touch deprived you're already hard and aching. That was quick." Eddie's blush gets more red and he starts breathing a little heavier. "I wonder if I can make you cream these pants just talking like this. You're so cute I just want to break you in to pieces." Eddie ducks his head, a little overwhelmed. Steve grabs his jaw. "Don't. Keep your eyes on me."

Look at me, only at me. Forever. And Eddie understands, because of course he does. The need to be seen as a whole. Steve craves it, a hole in his soul and Eddie is determined to fill it. To be the center of his world. Eddie keeps eye contact and gently moves a little closer. The need to kiss Steve is an all consuming itch now. Steve pulls him close and finally, finally he's kissing Eddie. He tastes like a sandwich and soda but he doesn't care. Eddie's breathing air in to his heart and soul and he feels something in him get just a little smaller. A little more healed. A little more possessive.

He has barbed wire in his heart and he wants to keep Eddie trapped in it. He rolls Eddie under him and groans, he needs to be inside Eddie. Have Eddie in him. Anything Eddie wants he would make it happen if he would just stay there with him. Eddie pulls off their shirts and pushed his tongue in to Steve's mouth. A little air gets in and they moan together. Already in synch. Steve's rough with it and Eddie is giving slower, steady movements and Steve wants to cry. Sweet, caring Eddie. Eddie pulls away and Steve already misses the feeling of his mouth on his. "Do you want to? Y'know? I want you, I'm ok with just this." Eddie asks, pushing some of Steve's hair off his face. 'Just this' he says as if he hadn't been the source of his soul for a while.

Steve grins and grinds his hips down on Eddie, watching Eddie keen and buck under him. "I want this. I want you. I want you begging first, for mercy or more." He bites hard on Eddie's neck and the garbled moan he can feel in his mouth is a symphony made for him alone. Eddie traces the muscles of his back and when he bites and licks his neck a little further down, those hands dig in and this time Steve has to let out a deep groan. He reaches up a little and pulls Eddie's head back as far as the couch will allow.

Eddie is looking up and him and his face is red and his lips are swollen and his eyes are glassy and near tears. Steve gets a little more possessive and greedy. "I'm still not begging." Eddie retorted and Steve has to grin. "I thought I was the only one allowed to be a bitch?" He traces the lines of Eddie's stomach, looking for more spots to bite and lick and suck. There's a spot just under Eddie's left ribcage that makes him arch slightly and Steve dives in. He's unrelenting in his attention and Eddie can't do much but hold on. Any witty comment or thought really practically skips out the window. He feels small and warm and safe and hot all at once and he knows that only Steve can do this. Can make him feel so minute but so vastly important and needed at the same time.

Eddie feels tugging at his pant's waist and he picks up his hips to let Steve rip it off. It gets caught on his shoes and Steve looks up from the dip of his thigh. "Shoes indoors? Absolutely not. Filthy." Eddie's brain happily filed the reprimand as Truth. Steve sees him fall deeper and deeper in that glorious submission. Absolutely gorgeous. What a pretty thing Eddie is. No one could compare.

Steve sits up and pulls Eddie's boots off and carefully sits them down next to the couch. Maybe he could convince Eddie to pick them up with his teeth and carry them over to the door on his hands and knees. Yup, that delicious image had to be made real. He looks over at Eddie and he sees him stretched out, arms up gripping the couch as a life line to sanity. And suddenly the couch wasn't good enough. "I'm going to get up and go to your room. You're going to follow me." Eddie nodded, dazed.

Steve stands up and walks backwards making his way down the hall, stripping clothes off on his way. Eddie stands and looks over at Steve, a moment of debate and Steve is ready to do another check in before Eddie gets back on his hands and knees. A growl rips it's way up from Steve and Eddie grins. "Don't test me. I haven't been as mean as I want to be." Eddie waits and Steve mentally prays that he didn't make a mistake before Eddie crawls over, obediently following him. Steve's naked so he knows Eddie can see what that's doing to him and the little shit just preens.

Steve waits until Eddie is just close enough and gets a fistful of those amazing locks and pulls him up. Eddie whines and holds on to Steve's arms, pulling him closer. They're flush against each other and Steve sighs, blissful. Eddie feels amazing on him and if he had any more patience he would enjoy it but right now he needed to eat Eddie as torturously slow as he could. Eddie led them to his bed, meticulously made, and Steve just pulled Eddie's back against his chest. "Nice bed. It looks inviting. You weren't hoping for this were you my perfect slut?" Eddie pressed his ass against Steve and he dug his hands in to Eddie's sweet waist. "It looks like you were."

And so what if he did? What else could Eddie focus on except that voice, that body those hands? If he spent the past few months making an effort to make his brain explode from his dick, who was going to judge him? From the heat and throbbing of Steve's election against him, certainly not the other man. He tilted his head to the side, inviting Steve back on him. He was already covered in deep red bites but it would never be enough. He could still feel his thoughts threatening to distract him and he keened a little.

Steve gave a depreciating laugh and it hit just right. "What a pathetic little man you are. You need me that badly? You're so selfish, this isn't enough for you? So greedy pet." Eddie could only nod, dreamily. Steve pushed Eddie down on to the bed and made him arch his back. Any and all thoughts faded to blissful emptiness. It was only Steve. Steve was the only thing that mattered.

Eddie was so pretty like this. Back covered in freckles, skin soft and shoulders pink from Eddie's blush. Dimples of Venus that Steve knelt down a little to bite and suck on them. Eddie was just as soft and creamy as he looked. Steve groaned, completely addicted already. He would spend the next time just paying attention to this spot. Eddie wiggled, trying to get him a little lower and Steve grinned. So wonderfully impatient. Not that he had much patience left himself but he wanted Eddie begging, and he was still quiet.

"Use your words." He whispered into the cleft just above Eddie's ass. Eddie moaned and picked his hips up into Steve. A harsh bite to the apex of his ass made Eddie squeak and press back down in to the bed. "Your words Munson. I know you can. Are you so turned on you can't even speak? Maybe I just have you bark or meow instead since words are too hard for you." And that was Definitely going to be a thing. A pretty collar and bell around Eddie's neck. Maybe later he could convince Eddie to wear his name on the tag.

"Please, please, please." Eddie sighed and starting rocking on the mattress for some relief. Steve let him hump the bed for a full 10 seconds before pulling his hips up. "Please, what?" Eddie whined and felt tears prickling his eyes. "Need you. In me. Please please Steve." Steve cocked his head. He desperately wanted to eat Eddie out but maybe he shouldn't edge him just yet. Next time. "You have lube?" He asked and brushed his hands up and down Eddie's backside. Up to the middle of his back and down his thighs as best he could reach, trying to soothe him and keep them both grounded.

Eddie looked up, tears making his face glitter in the soft light of the window. God he was beautiful, and all Steve's. Eddie dug around the nightstand and pulled out the last of a bottle of lube. He meant to buy more but he was too busy recently. Steve just shook it a little. "Been lonely Eddie?" Eddie turned to look back, a blush painting his cheeks redder. "No." He answered honestly, and Steve felt the wires in his heart squeeze. He leant down and kissed Eddie again. He missed the air the other man breathed on his soul.

Steve fumbled blindly trying to figure out the cap and squeezed the last bits of lube on to his fingers. A second outside of Eddie's body was too long now. He rubbed the tip of his middle finger on to Eddie's hole and felt it clench. Eddie made a small sound of surprise and Steve melted just a little. He was so cute. Everything he did was adorable. He played on the outside just a little and when Eddie whined and bucked in to his hand Steve slowly pushed inside.

Eddie pulled away, needing air and Steve pressed their foreheads together. They were touching but still so far apart. If they weren't in each other's skin, they were too separate. Steve pushed until only the knuckle was left and he gently pumped in and out, trying to stretch him but also find that spot inside. Eddie tossed his head back, hair getting too hot to deal with and Steve used his other hand to grip as much as he could. He used that leverage to hold Eddie close, not that he had any plans to get away.

Steve pulled out and pressed two fingers in and started scissoring. Needing to drag it out and still find a way to torture Eddie. He twisted his fingers and Eddie almost screamed. "Thats it. There we go." Steve waited until Eddie caught his breath and went to town on his prostate. Every brush, every twist of his hand and fingers relentlessly pressed against it. Eddie was drooling a mess and could barely keep his eyes open, he was panting or pleading for "More please please fuck it feels so good."

Steve rushed a third finger, he wanted to torture Eddie but he forgot that Eddie was made for him and tested his patience so well. When Eddie was squeezing the blankets and his moans and whines got too quick, he figured Eddie was getting close. He pulled his fingers out and Eddie did start crying. "No please come back put it back." His eyes shined in the setting sun and Steve couldn't be mean if he tried. Instead he kissed Eddie's shoulder and pressed the head of his dick to him, trying to get as much of the leftover lube on himself.

Eddie shifted his weight and Steve just pushed him down. "Don't think, just take. No. That's not right. Accept. I'll give you what you need you just need to let me give it to you. Be a good boy and lay there for me." If Eddie could lift anything, clearly Steve wasn't doing it right. Trapping him against the bed, he presses slowly and carefully inside. Steve watched as Eddie's shoulders tense and his eyes rolled back. Fuck he was going to be quick if Eddie kept looking like a fucking angel. His hips pressed against Eddie's ass and he waited for the tension to leave Eddie's back.

A few minutes pass, and Eddie is pushing back, trying to rock some movement. Steve lays down fully. "What did I say? I said use your words, and don't move. Isn't that right?" Eddie whined, a sweet pathetic little noise, and nodded. Steve picks up one of Eddie's legs and lays it on the bed. The angle is perfect and Eddie can almost feel the head of Steve's dick press mercilessly on that spot. Stars, constellations a damn galaxy bursting in his vision. Steve hums, Eddie shakes in his orgasm and Steve tries not to let that go to his head. "What a whore. You came just from me inside you? What a mess. If you think I'll be nice, you're wrong. I'll wring out more from your spent little body."

Steve pulls back still careful to not hurt Eddie and keeps moving just as slowly until Eddie is arching under him and then he picks up the pace. Faster and faster he gets and tries not to let the hot tight feeling of finally being inside of his pretty little thing's body make him cum too quickly. He does some inane math, tries to name the states in alphabetical order, anything to keep him feeling this forever. God Eddie was so good around him. He looked down and watched as Eddie matched his breathing to the piston of Steve's hips.

Eddie was euphoric. He couldn't think, couldn't speak, just moaning and whining for more of Steve. He was oversensitive but fuck if that didn't make it better. The feeling of Steve's hands like vices on his hips and hair, of his dick rubbing so hard and so good inside. He could live like this. Be a sex toy for Steve if he wanted. A free use doll for anytime Steve felt the whim.

Steve couldn't hold on much longer, the sight and feeling of Eddie under him was slowly driving him crazy. He bent down, and bit into the crease of Eddie's neck and shoulder and Eddie swooned and screamed Steve's name. The heat around Steve's dick got tighter and hotter somehow and it was enough to push him over the edge.

When they finally caught their breath, Steve eased his way out, memorizing the sight of his cum dripping out of Eddie's hole. "Don't move I'll be right back." On shaking legs, Steve made his way to the bathroom and found a small hand towel, he got it warm under the hot water and wrung out the excess. He went back to Eddie who dutifully did not move an inch and he couldn't help but smile. What a good boy he was, and he told him as much.

He wiped down Eddie and tried to get the covers off to tuck him in. It was too covered in sweat and cum so he just picked Eddie up and leaned him against his side and ripped the blankets off. He could start laundry later. Gently he laid Eddie down who looked seconds from sleep. "You're so good to me. For me. My wonderful sweet boy. You did so good, took me so well." He murmured praises and Eddie sleepily responded. It was just sounds but Steve couldn't help but love it.

Eddie knocked out and Steve put on laundry and got a cup of water. He would make Eddie drink it when he woke up but for now he needed sleep. And Steve needed to hold him.

[sergeantsporks]

Gilded Family

Rating: Teen and Up, Gen

Ch 29/?: Infection

Ch 1, Ch 2, Ch 3, Ch 4, Ch 5, Ch 6 , Ch 7, Ch 8, Ch 9, Ch 10, Ch 11, Ch 12, Ch 13, Ch 14, Ch 15, Ch 16, Ch 17,  Ch 18, Ch 19, Ch 20, Ch 21, Ch 22, Ch 23, Ch 24, Ch 25, Ch 26, Ch 27, Ch 28

In which none of the previous golden guards or wittebro died, actually, they're all fine and living happily together as one big dysfunctional family

Ao3

“Sa-am,” Evelyn sang, sweeping into the lab. Phoenix followed in her wake, ducking behind her to stay out of Petro’s glare radius.

Sam set down a rat with a glyph attached to it that scampered away immediately. “Hello, Mother Dearest. What is it that you need?”

“I didn’t say that I needed something.”

“You get musical when you’re going to ask me for something. What is it?”

“Mm. Yes.” Evelyn nodded a couple of times. “Now that you mention it. I could use a transportation glyph, please and thank you. Also perhaps you could come with us so that we can get back, and because my magic is a wee bit depleted from the barrier?”

“Ah. Just give me a—” Sam reached down, patted the table where the rat had been, and cursed. “Never mind. Give me a now. May I ask where it is that we’re headed?”

Evelyn glanced at Petro. “Not in front of him.”

“Who am I going to tell, Mummy Beloved?” Petro sighed, tilting his chair back on its legs, “I am to be left alone, without a single soul to talk t—” His chair tilted back too far and he crashed backwards. “Hm.”

“Good,” Evelyn said sharply, “It’ll give you time alone to think about what you’ve done.”

She stalked back out, Sam scurrying behind her. Phoenix turned to go, but Petro cleared his throat. “Little bird, I’ve got a favor to ask. I know you don’t trust me, and you have no reason to, but this is very important to me, so please at least consider my request.”

Despite every warning bell ringing in his head, Phoenix stayed. “What?”

Petro’s face split into a grin. “Bring me back a souvenir?”

Phoenix sighed, and he picked up Petro’s chair, setting him upright and checking to make sure his bonds hadn’t been loosened in the fall. “You know, when I was in your memories, I heard someone singing a lullaby. I don’t know who they were, but do you think they’d be proud of who you are now?”

Petro’s eyebrows went down in an angry v, and all the spiteful humor on his face gave way to rage. He lunged forward against his bonds, snapping his teeth at Phoenix, who jumped backwards to dodge the attack.

“That’s none of your business,” he snarled, “You don’t know what you’re talking about, so just shut up!”

Phoenix backed out of the room, shutting the door on a growling, slavering Petro. He thought he’d seen the worst of Petro, but the hot hate in Petro’s eyes had been far deeper than before, even worse than when Petro had tried to kill him. Whoever could make Petro snap like that would have to wait, though. Evelyn and Sam were already outside, drawing in the dirt.

Before Phoenix could reach the door, Mole slid in front, crossing his arms. He held out a leaf to Phoenix, stained with green mud he must have found on the garden fence.

Phoenix hissed in. “It’s—I’m going to tell them Mole, I just…”

Mole shook his head, taking Phoenix’s arm and tugging him back further into the house.

Phoenix gingerly extracted himself from Mole’s grip. “I can’t. I can’t make them stop to deal with this, not when we’re so close. It’ll take too much time.”

Mole sighed, chewing on his lip and looking at the door, and Evelyn, and then back to Phoenix.

Phoenix crouched slightly so that he was on Mole’s eye level. “I’ll tell them when we get back. I’ll play it safe. No unnecessary risks. I promise.”

Mole threw his hands up in the air and stormed away, shutting his room door harder than necessary, but not hard enough for it to slam. Phoenix sighed.

I guess I’d be pretty mad at him if he was sick and wouldn’t tell anyone.

At least he could be sure that Mole wouldn’t tell anyone.

Phoenix joined the others outside just as Evelyn snatched the arm of a passing adult. “Marcus. I’m going out. You’re in charge of the barrier while I’m gone. It should just be a few hours, then I’ll take over again. If you think your magic is starting to fade, ask Aurelia to use hers.”

Marcus nodded, and the glow around the fence took on a different hue; still blue, but a more greenish blue than Evelyn’s magic.

Sam finished his glyph and dusted his hands off. “All set! Where is it we’re off to?”

“The head.”

Sam coughed. “The head. You mean where the Collector is? You mean that place that’s crawling with their spies? That place Phoenix barely got out of alive? That head?”

“That’s the one. I know it’s not exactly a vacation, but that’s where the last Grimwalker is, so that’s where we need to go.”

“Oh boy. Does Dad know?”

Evelyn glowered. “I don’t need your father’s permission.”

Sam held his hands up in surrender. “I didn’t say you did! It just seems like. Maybe. Perhaps. Going on a very dangerous rescue mission to a very dangerous place. Might be the sort of thing we discuss with the whole family? Instead of rushing off half-baked? At the very least, we should have Auric on standby?”

Evelyn paced back and forth. “We don’t have time for a lengthy family debate over the risks! Every second they spend up there is another second that the Collector might find them, or worse, kill them without realizing!”

“Okay, okay!” Sam hissed in. “Sorry, one last thing… no offense, Phoenix, but are you sure you’re up for this?”

Phoenix shoved his hands back in his pockets. “I’ll be fine. The situation’s not ideal, but it’s never going to be.”

“Sam,” Evelyn pleaded, “I’d do this on my own, but my magic is shot. Phoenix is the one who figured out where they are, so we need him there to guide us. We need to get in and out quickly, and only you can help us do that. Are you going to take us there?”

Sam’s mouth set in a firm line. “Well. I’ve already got the glyph drawn. Why not? All aboard that are coming aboard.”

Sam and Evelyn stepped into the circle, and Sam tapped the glyph. Golden light rushed around Phoenix, and when it faded, he faced a familiar archway, glowing eerily in the light cast by the Archive House hovering thousands of feet over them.

Phoenix’s heart pounded in his chest, and he gingerly touched the shattered remains of the portal door.

Are you there, Jason?

Are you still safe?

Evelyn opened her bag, passing out concealment stones. Phoenix saw potion bottles hidden deep in her bag, clinking gently together with her movement, but she quickly buckled the bag back up, hiding them from sight. Phoenix slipped the concealment stone over his head, and the magic drew lines around his joints. His clothes popped in the darkness, now more colorful and flowy, like a puppet’s.

“Where next, Phoenix?”

Phoenix peered out of the decimated lab, and immediately stepped back, head spinning. Outside, the ground gave way to a straight drop into unending darkness, the bridge long gone. “Down there.”

“Eugh.” Sam pulled out a notepad, drawing three new glyphs. “Feather-fall,” he explained, handing them out, “I don’t think taking the stairs is an option anymore.”

Evelyn immediately jumped over the edge of the precipice. Sam grabbed Phoenix’s arm. “Hey.”

“Hey?”

Sam nodded towards the edge. “Mom’s… not in the most logical headspace right now. Make sure she doesn’t do anything stupid?”

“Me?”

“Yeah, you. Once we find wherever he kept us stored, I’m going to hang back and start the return glyph.” Sam glanced up at the sky. “Being this close to the archive house gives me the creeps. I want to get out of here as soon as possible.”

Phoenix shuffled closer to the edge of the drop, but didn’t jump. “You’re not hanging back to try and catch a puppet, are you?”

“Well, I wasn’t, but I’m thinking about it now.” Sam gave him a little push. “Just help me keep her safe. Go!”

Phoenix took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and jumped before he could think too hard about it. He clutched the feather-fall glyph close to his chest, opening his eyes and activating it just before hitting the ground. He staggered forward, and Evelyn gripped his forearms to keep him steady.

“Easy, Phoenix. You’re alright.”

Sam tapped down gently next to them, landing as gracefully as a fairy. He held a small light glyph in one hand, gently illuminating the skull around them. “Oog. I did not miss this place.” His voice echoed in the cavern, and he kicked at something glimmering on the ground. “He never cleaned up down here, did he?”

Phoenix recognized the object Sam had kicked, and his stomach churned. Golden masks littered the ground, some accompanied by bloodstained scraps of white fabric, others by a spaulder or a torn-up breastplate.

Evelyn’s hold on Phoenix tightened. “We were this close the whole time?!”

“What is this place?” Phoenix asked. He could guess, and something pressed at the corners of his mind, a sense of familiarity, but the others seemed much more familiar with it.

“Uncle Pip’s dumping ground,” Sam grumbled “He dropped a lot of us down here once he was done with us.”

“It was always the first place Caleb and I checked,” Evelyn whispered, picking up the mask Sam had kicked. “We’d try to catch you before you hit the bottom—like poor Alex did. Not everyone ended up here, but…” She turned the mask over in her hands. “This is where we found you, Phoenix.”

Memories of both being dragged across the bridge and dragging bodies himself warred for dominance in Phoenix’s mind—not that he’d ever thought about or remembered this place before today. The memory of Belos pushing his lifeless body over the edge was faint, barely more than a feeling of déjà vu overshadowed by the pain of his injuries, but watching himself fall, while clearer… didn’t even feel important or worth thinking about.

Which was almost worse.

Evelyn shook her head, tucking the mask into her bag. “If where he made you is really just a few feet away… that’s just twisted.”

“Not to mention ridiculous,” Sam added, “What did he think happened to the bodies when he came down here to get a new kid? Did he think Grimwalker bodies just disintegrate? Okay, wait, actually, if Dad rescued all of us, then he never had a corpse for long. He probably did think that. Fascinating, he had a completely warped understanding of decomposition because of us. I would love to pick apart his brain if he were still alive.”

“Yes, incredibly interesting,” Evelyn agreed impatiently, “Phoenix?”

Phoenix took a deep breath. Okay. Which way?

He started to walk, letting his feet pick the direction without any thought. He passed a few more masks, gleaming dully in the dim light from Sam’s light glyph. Finally, a cave yawned out at them from the darkness, and Phoenix stopped.

“There,” he whispered.

Evelyn’s hand found his in the darkness. “Let’s bring them home,” she whispered.

Sam drew more light glyphs, wafting them into the room. Phoenix stared at three vats filled to the brim with dirt, the fingers on his free hand twitching and clawing as if he were buried and needed to dig his way out. Tubes fed into the dirt, and Phoenix knew in the back of his head that they should be filled with glowing green liquid. But the whole room felt… lopsided, somehow, and whatever the tubes had been hooked to before, they now lay disconnected on the ground.

A small hand stuck out of one stone vat, and Phoenix pointed with a squeak. Evelyn pulled him to it, but neither of them made any move to dig it up.

“Are they still alive?” Phoenix gingerly reached out—the hand wouldn’t even be the length of his pinkie finger when stretched out.

The moment his finger brushed the tiny fingers, they twitched and tightened, curling around his index finger. Evelyn gasped and immediately started to dig, shoveling away great handfuls of dirt. Phoenix joined her, his free hand digging around the grimwalker’s arm with practiced movements, as if he’d been doing this his whole life, even though some part of him said that he’d only ever watched, and another part of him whispered that he’d only ever dug from the opposite side.

A small face started to appear in the soil, chubby with baby fat and smeared with dirt. Evelyn seized a heavy white cloak hanging on a peg, wrapping the little grimwalker up. They weren’t quite an infant—if Phoenix had to guess, they were a year or two old.

Evelyn gently brushed dirt off of the sleeping grimwalker’s face. “Hey, little guy,” she said softly, “I know a bunch of people who are going to be so happy to meet you. And we’re going to take good care of you.” She gently kissed the top of the grimwalker’s head, then handed them to Phoenix. “Here—can you hold them for a moment? Mind their head, I think they’re big enough that it shouldn’t be too floppy but it’s been… a while.”

“Ack—” Phoenix held the baby like it might explode, cradling their head in one hand. “Um—Evelyn, I don’t know if I should—I’ve never held a—what if I drop—”

“You’ll be fine,” she said briskly, “You won’t hurt them.” She reached into her bag, pulling out potion bottles and holding them between her fingers. “Go wait outside with Sam.”

“Why? What are those? What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to burn this miserable hole down to the ground so that no one can ever use it again,” Evelyn growled, “Go.”

Her magic gently pushed Phoenix out of the cave, and she threw the first potion, destroying one of the stone vats with an almighty boom and a crack of splitting stone.

“Yep,” Sam said in a resigned voice, “That’s what I was afraid of. Well! As long as she’s being safe about it! We’re far enough down that the Collector won’t notice. I think.”

The grimwalker in Phoenix’s arms squirmed, reaching up towards his face and batting at his nose. “Mrgh?” they gurgled.

“Ohhhhhhhhh boy—” Phoenix bounced the baby up and down the way he’d seen caretakers at the orphanage do. “Okay, go back to sleep, go back to—”

Another boom, and this time, the machine in the corner exploded, sending shards outwards. Phoenix’s arms started to ache, and although the flickering of the explosions made every rock and shadow seem strange and eerie, he could clearly see that the blackish green veins had reached his fingertips and were starting to web outwards, turning his nails black.

Crack

Phoenix shook his head back and forth as if that would dislodge the feeling of something slithering under his skin, making his arms itch and crawl and… bubble.

“Phoenix?” Sam asked, “Are you okay?”

“She needs to stop,” Phoenix whispered, “She needs to stop destroying it, she needs to—” He deposited the grimwalker baby in Sam’s arms before he could drop them, his arms trembling uncontrollably. The baby frowned, reaching towards Phoenix with little grabby hands.

“It took so long, she can’t…” Phoenix pressed his arms against his stomach, doubling over. “Stop it. Stop it, stop it—”

“Mooooooooooooom? We need to leave!” Sam yelled somewhere in the distance, “Something’s wrong with Phoenix—”

“Just a little bit more,” Evelyn called back, “I’m almost done—”

“Stop,” Phoenix rasped. His arms didn’t just itch anymore, they burned, shifting and tearing and breaking and reforming over and over and over.

“Mom!” Sam yelped, “Forget the cave! You’ve done enough! We need to go now!

Golden light rushed around Phoenix, and something inside of him whispered to take it, to consume it, to dig his claws (what claws, he’d never had claws) into the light and seize it for his own.

The light faded on its own, turning to red trees, and Phoenix’s legs wobbled.

Evelyn reached out to catch his arms, but yanked her hands away at the last second, her mouth dropping open in horror. Phoenix fell to his knees, too sluggish to break his fall with his hands, and crashed forward on his forearms. His arms showed no sign of flesh or skin, just oozing, pulsing mud that shifted and swirled, revealing white bone and covering it up just as quickly.

“What—is—happening—” Phoenix groaned.

Evelyn grabbed Sam’s collar, hauling him and the baby grimwalker backwards away from Phoenix and shoving him towards the house. “Get your father. Now.”

Sam scrambled away, calling for help. Evelyn approached Phoenix slowly, holding her hands up.  “Hey—stick with me. When did it start getting worse?”

Phoenix touched his forehead to the ground as the mud ate at his upper arm, slinking towards his shoulders. “Hnnnngh—”

“Okay, okay, let me just—” Her hand touched his shoulder lightly, then flicked down to the mud. She immediately drew back with a yelp, shaking her hand, and eyed his arms with a mixture of horror, worry, and… disgust. “It’s like…”

“Belos,” Phoenix grated out. He pushed up to his feet, blinking back stars from his vision. “It’s like Belos, it’s—”

His curse

The attacks

Is that going to happen to me?!

“Phoenix—” Evelyn started, but Phoenix was already backing away from her.

“Stay back—I don’t want to hurt you.”

She faltered, her face heartbroken. But she didn’t chase him when he ran, stumbling through the forest. He had to get as far away from the house as he could before this lashed out—it had already hurt Evelyn, he couldn’t let it attack anyone else.

Phoenix’s arm brushed against a tree, and a jolt of pain rushed up his spine as a low branch pushed right through the mud, touching bone. He stumbled to the side with a howl, clutching his arms close to his chest.

A solitary raindrop dripped from the sky, tracing down his cheek.

Rain had never bothered Phoenix before. It had never scalded him the way it did normal witches. But now the boiling water hissed into his arms, dragging tracks in his arms and dripping muddy water from his fingertips.

And it burned.

Phoenix ran, this time looking for shelter from the rain, any shelter. He tripped, skidding down a sharp bank, and finally crawled under a fallen tree that created a small hollow. He curled into a ball, pressing his arms tightly against himself to keep them from exploding outwards. The mud had stopped trying to crawl further up his arms, leaving burns behind. It didn’t… settle, exactly. It just swirled more sluggishly, crawling and migrating around his lower arms.

Phoenix scooted further back into his hollow to stay away from the rain. At least Caleb and Evelyn couldn’t come looking for him in this weather—and he doubted they’d ask a grimwalker to find him when he looked like their worst nightmare.

“What am I supposed to do?” he whispered out loud. Every memory he had of Belos lashing out (and a few that he didn’t remember himself) with his curse played through his mind. He’d always consumed a palisman’s magic right after, but the thought made Phoenix sick to his stomach. He couldn’t do that. Not knowing how Hunter felt about his palisman, not knowing what loyal creatures they were.

What had he been expecting with this infection? That it would just make his arms ache? That his wounds would just keep spitting out cursed mud forever? That he could see some of Belos’ memories when it was convenient and not face any other consequences? Of course there was a price. There was always a price, always some exchange for any information or benefit when it came to Belos.

The rain slowed, but didn’t stop, still trickling down and making the air into a steamy fog. Phoenix’s stomach rumbled. Right. He hadn’t actually stopped to have breakfast this morning, and it was probably well past noon by now.

Had Belos ever eaten anything? Could he? Would Phoenix be able to stomach food now? Or would he be forced to eat a palisman or starve at some point?

A branch snapped, and Phoenix’s head snapped up, his ears twitching to locate the sound. He didn’t call out—anything that could be out in a rainstorm was bound to be a predator looking for its next meal.

Maybe it would be better for something to just eat me now before this gets worse and I hurt someone, he thought bleakly. Tears of exhaustion and pain blurred Phoenix’s vision, but he blinked them back, not letting them fall. I’m sorry, Darius. Jason. Hunter. I can’t…

“Phoenix?” Caleb’s voice called, “Phoooooooooeeeeeeeeeeeeeeniiiiiiiiiiiiiiix! Are you out here?”

The ortet emerged from the steam, holding an umbrella over his head. Even with the barrier between him and the rain, tiny pockmark burns dotted his arms and face, and his clothing steamed. A pang of guilt tore at Phoenix—he’d come looking, even in the rain, and he’d gotten hurt.

“Go away,” Phoenix choked, “Just… go home.”

“Are you coming with me?”

Was he crazy?! “I can’t.”

Caleb shrugged. “Then I’m not going home either.”

He took another step closer, and Phoenix curled further into the hollow. “Stay back!”

Caleb halted in his tracks, holding his hands up as best he could while still gripping the umbrella. “Hey—it’s okay,” he shushed, edging closer, “I’m not gonna hurt you, it’s okay.”

“No—stay away—I don’t want to hurt you!”

“Then don’t,” Caleb said simply, taking another slow, steady step towards him.

Phoenix shook his head. How could he not understand?! He’d seen Belos, he’d fought Belos; why was he still coming closer, knowing what might happen?! “I don’t want to—but the curse, Belos’ attacks—”

“Oh,” Caleb sighed, “I see.” He reached the hollow, ducking inside and kneeling next to Phoenix. Phoenix’s heart thudded in his chest, and he pulled his arms even closer to himself, keeping them away from Caleb.

“You should run before… before…”

Caleb cupped Phoenix’s face in his hands, his thumb wiping away a streak of dirt. “Hey. Listen to me. Phillip didn’t hurt people because of the curse.” He shook his head. “Phillip hurt people because he wanted to. And Phoenix…” Caleb smiled gently, brushing Phoenix’s hair out of his face. “I’m not scared of you.”

A sob burst out of Phoenix’s throat, and he fell forward, burying his face in Caleb’s shoulder. Caleb wrapped his arms around Phoenix without hesitation, one hand cradling his head and the other resting on his back. Phoenix clutched him like a lifeline—his hands had turned to claws, so he stretched his fingers out flat to keep from tearing Caleb’s skin.

“I don’t—want to end up—like him—” he cried, tears still pouring from his eyes, “I don’t want to—” Every lie and trick, every harsh word, everything he’d done wrong in the last month pounded against his head, screaming that it was already too late, and this was just his body finally showing what he really was.

“You won’t,” Caleb said fiercely, “I won’t let that happen. I promise, you won’t turn into him. I promise, I promise, I promise.”

“It’s already started,” Phoenix stammered, “I’m sorry, I should have told you. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have hidden it, but I’m seeing his memories, and—and getting upset over things he’d get upset over that I shouldn’t be getting upset over. And I lied to you and Evelyn about my arms, and I lied to the Collector to trick him into letting us go, and I lied to King to get him to come with me, and… and now my arms-!”

The mud started to move again, dripping away from him, and Phoenix hid his face in Caleb’s shoulder rather than see the white bone and the oozing, burning mud. He heaved in a shaky breath. You’re acting like a child, a voice in his head scolded, but Caleb felt warm and solid, and he didn’t want to let go.

“Okay. Okay.” Caleb rubbed a slow circle on his back. “Okay. Hey—hey, I don’t know why this is happening, or you’re seeing his memories. I don’t. But they don’t make you him, not any more than Hunter is Belos because he went into Belos’ mind and saw his memories.”

“But the Collector. And King. The way I lied and tricked them…” Phoenix shuddered, his clawed hands clenching into fists and opening over and over. “I knew it was like him, I knew it was exactly something Belos would do. And I knew that the Collector had been tricked before. But I still… I still…”

“You were scared,” Caleb said gently, “You were facing something much more powerful than you, and the only way out was to use your head. Lying isn’t always the wrong thing to do, Phoenix. Sometimes you have to lie, to protect yourself and the people you love.”

“And how do you know Belos wasn’t just scared?” Phoenix challenged, “Maybe he thought he had to lie, too.”

Caleb heaved a deep sigh and slowly sat back on his heels, ending the hug. “Phillip was scared,” he admitted, “Phillip was scared of a lot of things. He was scared of dying. He was scared of losing me. But most of all, Phillip was scared of what he didn’t understand.”

“Then how?” Phoenix asked, his voice cracking, “If he lied because he was scared too, then how is it any different?”

Caleb went very still and stayed a little bit too quiet for just a little bit too long. Outside, the rain came to a stop, leaving just lingering wisps of steam. “I think,” Caleb said slowly, “that Phillip let his fear of what he didn’t understand turn into hatred.” He closed his eyes, shaking his head slightly like he was admitting something to himself. “I encouraged him to turn it into hatred.” Caleb opened his eyes again, his shoulders hunching just ever-so-slightly, as if he were scared Phoenix would be angry at him. “I thought it was the right thing at the time, but…” he sighed. “That’s besides the point. Fear can help keep us safe. But not everything we don’t understand is out to get us. And that is something Phillip never learned. Something he didn’t want to learn.”

Phoenix tucked his arms in close again. “I… don’t understand.”

“Phillip chose to hate the things he didn’t understand instead of trying to find out more about them. And he went out of his way to keep doing so and to keep lying, and he kept on hating the unknown so badly that when the time came… he ended up causing one of his worst fears to come to pass rather than letting go of the fear that turned into hate.”

Caleb twisted his hands around each other. “I can’t say for sure where the line lies,” he said finally, “But I think perhaps Phillip crossed it when he sought out the unknown in order to destroy it, rather than just protecting himself when something harmful came his way. And most of all, I think he crossed that line when he was given obvious signs that he was hurting innocent people, and doing the wrong thing, and he chose to ignore them and keep going instead of changing.”

“How do you know I’m not doing the same thing?”

“Phoenix, would you lie to… King? Yes, King. Would you lie to King again?”

Phoenix shook his head dully. Even without knowing how King had reacted when he’d found out—he should have told him the whole truth from the beginning. Let him make his own decisions.

“And the Collector—”

“They’re not what everyone thinks,” Phoenix said in a rush, “They’re just a kid who wanted friends, and I was so desperate to get home that I ruined any chance I had, but if I hadn’t lied to him and tried to run, if I’d tried something else, anything else, I think I could have—I could have—” he stopped, eying Caleb. The ortet wore a small, knowing smile on his face. “What? Why are you smiling like that?”

“You took time to understand the Collector,” Caleb said gently.

“He’s still terrifying. Even more now that they probably hate me.”

“But…?”

“But not bad,” Phoenix admitted, “I don’t want to hurt them. And I don’t think I have to lie to them—I shouldn’t lie to him.”

“There you go. Still think you’re just like Belos?”

Phoenix held up his dripping arms. “But if I do start to…what if I start to act like him, and I don’t even realize?”

“You have me. And you have Evelyn. And you have all your siblings.” Caleb gave him a crooked grin. “I think we’re kind of experts on what Belos acts like. If you’re really worried… just trust us. We’re not perfect. And we make mistakes. But we’ll help you the best we can.”

He stood up, offering Phoenix a hand. “They’re all worried about you. Let’s go home?”

Phoenix reached up to take his hand, but before he did, he heard a rustle and a snap, and the hiss of magic. A glowing net shot out of the bushes, slamming into Phoenix.

“Got it!” a voice cheered from the bush. Two familiar masks and white cloaks popped up, dirty and dented, but still undeniably coven scouts. “Urgh, what is that thing?! I’ve never seen anything like it!”

Phoenix tore at the net, his throat closing up and his breath seizing in his chest. “Get it off—get it off, get it—”

“Stay calm—” Caleb knelt down next to the net, flicking out a knife and sawing at the magical ropes. “I’ve got you, Phoenix, you’re going to be o—”

One of the scouts yanked Caleb back, throwing him to the side. “Back off! Our kill!”

Phoenix strained and kicked to get away, but the net held, and the more he struggled, the tighter the net got, digging into his skin. His arms started to shift again, the cursed mud sliding in and out of the holes in the net, bubbling and squirming to burst free.

Caleb surged to his feet, cannoning into one of the scouts and wrestling them away from Phoenix. “No!” he yelled, “He’s not—a monster! Leave—him—alone!”

“Get off!”

The scout drew a spell circle, and a flesh-eating plant tore out of the ground, snapping Caleb up in its jaws. The human yelled in pain, and a sound like a roar burst out of Phoenix’s throat. A surge of energy shot through his limbs, and he tore the net apart.

“Titan—”

“Watch out, there it—”

Without thinking, Phoenix threw one hand out, and the cursed mud responded, shooting forward and slamming into one scout’s chest, throwing him backwards into a tree. The other scout threw a fireball at him, and he raised his other arm to shield himself. The magic slammed into his arm, but it didn’t seem to burn, just sort of… splattered against the mud uselessly. Phoenix tossed the scout into the branches of another tree effortlessly, turning to face the plant.

The cursed mud stretched out so far that he could see most of his arm’s bones, and some of his fingers as well. Phoenix faltered, exhaustion sweeping up from the tips of his fingers and through his whole body, like the mud was sapping all the energy he had left.

Caleb cried out as the plant tightened its grip, and Phoenix’s vision blurred. He felt himself moving, felt trees rushing past him, felt something heavy in his arms, but it was all automatic, his feet stumbling along the way until familiar lights blinked at him. He heard a yell for someone to help, and something tugged at the weight in his arms—Caleb, he realized, someone was trying to pull Caleb away. A snarl rasped out of his throat, and he pulled Caleb closer. Shadowy people moved in his eyesight, their faces blurred and indistinct, but all of them keeping a wary distance. He felt big, and detached, like some clumsy beast that had stumbled into a domesticated town.

Something wrapped around his waist, something solid and warm. Phoenix started to pull away, but the thing just clung tighter. It didn’t make any move to take Caleb, or tug him anywhere, or knock him over, it just… held on.

Hugged, he realized, and some small part of Phoenix started to settle back down, enough that he saw and recognized the dirty, freckled face that pressed against him, eyes squeezed shut. He recognized the scar stretching from his left eyebrow to just under his right eye, and the calloused hands, rough from hours spent in the garden.

“Mole?” he whispered.

Evelyn hovered in front of them, her hands fluttering like she wasn’t quite sure whether or not it was safe to touch him. Finally, she stepped forward, sliding one arm around a half-conscious Caleb. Phoenix let her help him down, wrapping his arms around Mole instead.

Mole squeezed so tightly Phoenix’s bruised ribs ached, but he didn’t pull away. “I’m sorry,” Phoenix whispered, “I’m sorry, you were right. I should have asked for help.”

Mole sniffed and nodded, stepping back and holding one fist to his chest, rubbing it in a circle.

“He also says sorry,” Evelyn supplied, “For… being angry?” she guessed.

Mole nodded and hugged Phoenix again. Phoenix wrapped one half-melting arm around him, which quickly turned to one arm around his shoulders while Mole helped him into the house, Phoenix’s legs folding and stumbling like a newborn snake-horse’s. Cherry paced back and forth in the kitchen, but his attention was mostly taken up by the baby grimwalker in his arms, who kept trying to tug on his hair.

“They found you.” Cherry leaned against the table for balance, his distraction allowing the little grimwalker to grasp his flyaway hair strand firmly. “I thought—it got worse, and I didn’t say any—” He held the baby grimwalker tightly, as if they were the only thing keeping him tethered to the world. “But you’re—not okay. But you’re here—titan.”

“I’m sorry,” Phoenix croaked. Guilt bubbled up in his stomach again—Cherry had been in a bad enough state when he’d left. And Phoenix had added the stress of hiding how badly he was doing on top of that. “Cherry, I…”

Grimwalkers gathered in a murmuring circle around Phoenix, staring at his arms.

“Did he…” Meleager asked quietly, gesturing to Caleb.

“No,” Caleb protested weakly, “He—”

A loud retch split the air, and the crowd parted around one grimwalker with a blotchy scar marring their right cheek. Everything else about them was pale—their platinum blonde half-up hair, the magenta of their eyes that fell closer to light pink, and the color of their skin, so pale it was almost translucent. They held one hand to their mouth, staring at Phoenix’s arms.

“Ash—” Evelyn started, but they backed away, gagging again, then turned and ran.

“On it,” Matt promised, chasing after them.

At the edge of the circle, Sam glanced at Cherry, who’d started pacing again, at Evelyn, who was still supporting Caleb, and at Phoenix and Mole. His spine straightened, and he gave the grimwalker next to him a slight push.

“Okay!” he announced briskly, shooing grimwalkers out of the kitchen, “Quit gawking! Big whoop! You people are acting like you’ve never seen a guy’s arms drip off his bones before! Give them space! Go do your chores! Isn’t it time for a patrol? Get on it!”

The crowd slowly dispersed, still murmuring.

“They’ll get used to it, assuming you can’t get rid of it,” Sam announced, “We all will.” He gave Evelyn a pointed look at that, then flounced off, following the grimwalkers to the hallway.

Evelyn lugged Caleb towards the temporary medical center. Phoenix started to follow, but fell at his first step, every muscle completely drained of energy. Mole half-carried him to Cherry’s room, pushing him into bed.

“What about—” Phoenix started in a whisper, but Mole just shook his head with a sigh, throwing a blanket over him. He patted Phoenix’s shoulder, as if to say leave it to me, and went outside, closing the lights and the door behind him. Phoenix sighed, pulling his arms close to himself under the blanket.

If I go to sleep now, will I wake up? Or will it take over?

Despite the worry twisting in his stomach, Phoenix’s eyes started to droop shut, heavy with exhaustion.

Just… for a moment.

[redheadlesbianfreak]

What did you think about the Michael Bay TMNT movie? I haven't seen it and don't follow TMNT in general, but I'm curious about what you thought because his movies can be pretty divisive.

This is an interesting ask, because I definitely have a lot to say about these two movies! I'll start with the designs of the turtles. I think these are one of my least favorite designs for the turtles, and I'll explain why. For one, the TMNT have always been very short and stocky. This is because they are usually mutated from tiny turtles you would find in pet shops (such as box turtles or red-eared sliders). The turtles themselves are generally around 5 feet or even 4 feet depending on the adaptation.

((I'll go ahead and list a few examples. Here are the heights of the turtles tallest to shortest in 2012: Donatello is 5'6, Leonardo is 5'1, Raphael is 5'0, and Michelangelo is 4'11. In the 2003 series, the turtles are roughly the same height at about 5 feet. The adult human characters tower over them. The original turtles depicted in the Mirage comics are even shorter! Donatello is 5'1, Leonardo is 5'0, Michelangelo is 4'8, and Raphael is the smallest at 4'6!))

This is a bit silly, but I care a great deal about the turtles being small! I think it's cool to have a group of guy superheroes who are short and stocky, rather than massive, muscular dudes. It subverts expectations and gender roles. And it really adds to the idea that these guys are underdogs, as you have these short kings going against giant mutants. It's something I've always appreciated. The designs of the turtles in the Bay movies really feels like it's trying to appeal to this weird male fantasy by making them huge monsters.

But it seriously backfired. Most die-hard fans were creeped out by the designs, and trying to make them look "realistic" made them look awful. They aren't very expressive and they do NOT look like teens--more like 40-year-old men. The only people I've seen who like these designs are middle aged women who think the Bay turtles are hot. Given the... specific camera angles they use for the movies, I guess I don't blame them. It feels like they accidentally sexualized the turtles in trying to make them fit this male fantasy ideal.

Onto the characters. I think that Donnie and Raph are the best. Raph is the most likable turtle by far, leading me to think that Raph is Michael Bay's favorite. Leo is pretty awful and it feels like he hates his brothers in the second movie. Mikey is also terrible, constantly flirting with and harassing April, which feels out of character for him. I don't feel a brotherly dynamic like in the other iterations. Raph and Leo act like divorced parents who are fighting over the custody of their children, Mikey and Donnie. Mikey and Donnie don't feel like they have a lot of agency at all.

Master Splinter is okay. I don't remember much about this version of Splinter and his design is way too realistic. They decided to have this version of Splinter start out as a rat, and I prefer it as him starting as a human who mutated into a rat. April is oversexualized in a pretty dehumanizing way. Megan Fox stated that she was treated poorly by Michael Bay, so it's uncomfortable watching her in this film. This version of Casey Jones is one of my least favorites; they made him a cop instead of a vigilante, which is super anti-Casey.

The villains are very forgettable. Karai doesn't do anything in the first or second movie, and I can't believe they did her dirty twice. The Shredder is equally boring and unmemorable. I usually enjoy the Shredder a lot, so the fact that this version doesn't stand out isn't great. I liked Bebop and Rocksteady just fine for the second movie, and I also liked Baxter Stockman as well. Overall, the villains were far too generic, which is disappointing given TMNT's history of super iconic villains.

Now for the plot. The first movie's plot is super weak, and it doesn't feel like there's a main character. I think Raph is supposed to be the main character, but I can't tell. I don't remember much about the plot itself, aside from a few key moments. One moment that stuck with me was a scene where Donnie says that he licks the frosting off poptarts and puts them back in the box. That's the first thing that comes to mind when I think of the 2014 movie, not even the famous elevator scene. Do what you will with that information.

The second movie's plot is a huge improvement. It looks nicer and it does a better job with the characterization. There is a clear main character in Leonardo and he does have an identifiable character arc. They recycled the tired "Leo vs Raph" plotline, which is disappointing. But that's an issue I have with most TMNT movies, so I try not to hold it against this one too much. Mikey is also less awful to April in this one, so that's neat I guess. They still have a scene where April dresses up as a "hot schoolgirl" for no reason, which is embarrassing.

They do come up with a cool concept: Donnie finds out how to make a substance that will turn the turtles into humans, and they can live on the surface. Leo tells Donnie to keep this from Mikey and Raph, who are hurt that Leo made that decision for THEM when they do find out. The whole thing causes Mikey and Raph to split from the team to work together, and it's honestly a really cool idea. In the end, all four decide to remain mutants. I do wish they did more with this concept, as it's super cool and adds nice tension to the plot.

I do have some issues with this movie. Remember how I said they made Casey Jones a cop? This movie has a bunch of bizarre military and police propaganda. The TMNT franchise is generally pretty critical the military and government (see the way the President of the US is depicted in TMNT 2003). But the military is depicted as not only the Good Guys, but they also accept the TMNT as heroes. In most other versions, the turtles are seen as monsters by the government and general public, and are essentially vigilantes as a result.

I would like to end with talking about the production of these two movies. Mainly the elephant in the room: Michael Bay. Many of the actors who've worked on this movie (notably Megan Fox) have stated that they were abused by Michael Bay. The working conditions were horrible. Even though the sequel improved some things writing-wise, it doesn't matter if the people working on this movie were abused. I don't want to see Michael Bay working on this franchise ever again, or frankly, working in film at all. They could easily give the job to a director/writer who would not abuse those working on the movie.

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

I genuinely do not understand why everybody wants BTS to be goody-two-shoes. For f-k's sake, I personally don't give a rat's a-s, even if they start following gangsters one fine day. It's their life, their choice, it's their account, as long as the person they follow is legally allowed on the platform, it's fine. I get that they are celebrities and need to stick to certain rules, but this is truly difficult for me to understand. They can't follow fellow female k-pop stars or anyone who perhaps interests them, like, what is this?!! I used to think that this is a cultural difference because maybe, I just don't understand Korean Idol culture in depth, but now to my utter dismay, I see it's my friends who I hang out with that make a big deal out of who they follow or unfollow.

I mean, everybody's allowed to judge anyone for being friends with people of questionable reputation, but to spew hatred and nonsensical stuff of this degree, just for this is just so f-king toxic. I swear this fandom is bat shit crazy. And for once I wish they would just start randomly following anybody and everybody they want to, and keep following regardless of the hullabaloo of "ARMY". This catering to the fanatical whims of "their" fandom gets on my nerves. Sometimes I feel BTS themselves are also very insecure about losing their fandom, which funny enough, kind of makes me feel sad for them. This whole need of BTS Armys to forever visualize them as sweet soft teddy bears, who don't have vices and needs and wants and everything else like regular humans, (when they are actual billionaires) is simply delusional.

And BTS needs burner accounts, for what it's worth.

You're preaching to the choir here. Army obsesssed with the IG accounts, obsessed about the people BTS members interact here and how it's perceived. All from this moral high ground, as if their opinion matters. As if they can control the actions of some adult men that can can and should do whatever they want, especially in the case of such non-issues. I wish Tae would grow a pair and just follow whomever he wants and not backtrack on it. What would actually happen? Nothing. Because it's not that serious. The fact that they only follow each other on their public IG accounts is such BH ot7 bullshit cause god forbid there's a chance for their narrative to be in danger. It's silly and innacurate of their real life, which is the case with so much BTS content out there. That entire need for authenticity and what made them relatable in a way through the way they interacted online and shared so much of their process and journey, it's long forgotten.

They won't lose their entire fanbase. They'd still get their money and fame and adoration. But nothing will change for the better if they don't put their foot down and send a clear message to their fans that they're not some kids. Because Army is not treating them like adults (and everything that entails) as long as they call BTS "our boys" that need to be protected in situations when there is absolutely no need for that. Imagine thinking you need to protect men close to their 30s. Like, just think about it and take out BTS out of the equation and them being regular men. Is this where we are at? Not me, certainly.

[profanepurity]

If Satanas is just that good a judge of character, that's a little funny to me in this sea of angst. I do have a couple questions though. 1) What exactly happens to the Prime Movers (and Omega) when the church "takes the Papas away?" 2) As Antichrist, I somehow doubt that Copia can remain a puppet forever. Comes a time when our rat-loving Damien Thorne here finally snaps. 3) On the Lilith and Eve thing, well, Eve didn't really submit in the end either did she? And tbh, her eating that fruit is why humanity even knows the difference between good and evil and why we have free will so why aren't our two girls besties at this point? 4) How are we going to keep Natalia safe here if she's the one poking holes in the shit Copia's getting told? Because, speaking as a religious trauma survivor of a high control group, you get paranoid with religious authority figures REAL fast.

No one ever listens to the old goat bastard, no matter how many times he’s right. Satanas really is just that passive aggressive old man in the corner, sipping his ale, minding his business watching everyone cry when shit blows up in their faces like he told them it would. Then when they come crying to him he rolls his eyes into the next universe lol

1) That’s a good question. Hopefully nothing horrible happens to them lol. I’m sure they’re fine

2)Satanas is rattling the little wooden walls of his stable for the day Copia decides to snap. It’s only a matter of time indeed lol

3)I think Eve found convenience and safety in being compliant to a man like Adam. Lilith getting her to eat the fruit did give her enlightenment, but she was aware of the consequences tempting Eve would bring for her as well. Lilith is as flawed as we all are, she was human first. Her actions were out of spite, and she used Eve as a means for her revenge when Eve didn’t deserve it. Lilith doesn’t hate her at all though. I think there’s a level of regret and acceptance between the two now. There’s a respectful understanding.

4)I AM HOLLERING bc I want to tell you about that SO BAD but that would be a major fucking spoiler for what’s to come. (Which is also how Satanas feels a lot of the time). Copia and Natalia are dead ass living in a horror movie, there’s never true safety. Natalia’s relationship with the authority within the church is pivotal. With that said, Natalia is going to show Copia the truth. She is the one that will lead the Guiding Star’s flock. She is the unholy master’s beloved lamb. A gift for the son.

I also just want to take this as an opportunity to say that for all religious trauma survivors, or survivors of any kind, that interact with my content, I want you to feel safe here. Some of the subject matter that I post that deals with religious figures and themes are in no way intended to cause distress, and I apologize if it ever has. My motivation is to tell a story and make people happy and hopefully have fun getting a little sad and a little scared. I have always used art as a means to escape, and I want to offer that all to you as well. There’s been a lot of angst related content recently, but I’m looking forward to getting to the heart of what this story really is; spooky, silly adult fun.

Much love 🖤💐

[meatmuncherlol]

Part something, something

Adventures of Sakazuki and Borsalino when they first joined the marines! 26 year old Borsalino and 24 year old Sakazuki (Months after Saka's birthday)

*It was 11:41 PM, Sakazuki was on the couch reading a book, waiting for Borsalino to come back to their apartment*

S, thinking: God where are they? We have class tomorrow for fuck's sake, and they're out having a party?! Bet they're gonna come back with a bitch on their shoulder.

*Few minutes later, Borsalino swung the door open, drunk*

B: Hey *hiccup* Zuki...

S: WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?! It's almost 12 am, we have class tomorrow! I've been waiting for you to come back since 3 HOURS AGO!

B: Awhh, you've been waiting for me? That's *hiccup* sweet of you..

S, realizing what he said: Shut the fuck up. You're drunk as shit

B: I'm not THAT drunk, just had 4 bottles.

S: 4?! WHAT KIND OF A MANIAC ARE YOU?!

B: A kind of maniac who doesn't give a shit about class

*Sakazuki ignored Bors and continued to read their book

*Borsalino plopped on the couch next to Sakazuki and took a quick peak at his book*

B: Watcha reading there Zuki.?

S: *sigh* I've told you so many fucking times NOT to call me that.

B: Awh c'mon, it's cute! *pats Saka's steaming head*

S: No it's not, now go to bed.

B: UGHHH...fine..

*Borsalino walks to bed and plops down

*Not even 5 minutes later, Borsalino came out, puke on their shirt*

B: Uhm, hey, Zuki..?

S: What.

B:..I puked on my bed.

S:...

S:..you.did.WHAT?!

*10 minutes later, Sakazuki was cleaning Borsalino's bed while Bors was in the shower*

S: *sigh* The things I do for Bors.. What would they do without me?

B, coming out of the shower: Hey so uhm, I used up all the hand soap and lotion.

S:...why..?

B: I was making positions but it didn't work😢

S: You drunk bastard.

S: Anyways, i'll wash your bedsheets tomorrow, you'll have to sleep on the couch.

B: BUT I DON'T WANNA!

S: Well TOO BAD!

B: I'll sleep in YOUR ROOM!

S: WHAT, NO! I'll sleep in MY room.

B: Well, then I just have to sleep with you..!

S, with a red face: WHAT?! THATS EVEN WORSE! NO!!

B: I'm not gonna sleep on that dirty ass couch.

S, with a defeated face: Well, I don't wanna deal with your bullshit, so I'm gonna sleep on the couch.

B: Okay, works for me!

*Borsalino goes into Sakazuki's room and tosses him a pillow*

B: Night Zuki!

S: Promise not to vomit all over my bed?

B: I can't keep that promise!

S: Oh they better not vomit on my bed.

*It was 1:09, Sakazuki lying down on the couch, staring at the ceiling*

S, thinking: I wonder if they found my secret chocolate stash..

*Suddenly, Borsalino bursted out the bedroom door, sobbing so hard they can't even breathe properly*

S, with a panicked tone: H-hey! You okay?! What happened?!

B: I...had a night...mare...

S:...really..?

B:...mhm...

S, sitting up: *sigh* Okay.. sit beside me and tell me all about your "nightmare".

*Borsalino ran and sat beside Sakazuki while he calms them down*

B: Well, I woke up... and went outside just to see everyone gone..!

S, quietly: Oh you fucking drunk dumbass.

B: Also, I got scared bcs there was a GIANT RAT in the room!

S: Giant rat?

B: Mhm! It was THIS BIG!

S: Okay.. Well, I think that "Giant rat" is gone, now shoo and go to sleep.

B: I'm scared.

S: Bors, you're an adult, drunk as hell, and is currently sobbing from a silly nightmare.

S: Why don't I tell you a story, will that make you feel better?

B, wiping their tears: Mhm.

*Borsalino scooted closer to Sakazuki and hugged his arm from fear*

S: There was this beautiful princess...blah blah blah story blah prince saving her blah blah turns out the prince was having an affair with the princess's sister blah blah the princess kills him blah blah the end

S: So, you feeling any better?

B: Mhm..

S: Can you go to bed now? It's like 1 am.

B: Sure..Thx Zuki, good morning..

*Borsalino went back to Saka's room and Saka lied down on the couch again, staring at the ceiling*

S, thinking: God, why can't I sleep?! I need energy tomorrow!

*Finally, he fell asleep

*2 hours later, it was 3:21 AM*

B: Psst..! Zuki, wake up!

S, half awake: Wha...what..?

B: My head hurts and you're bed sucks.. Can I sleep here with you?

S, still half awake, unaware: Yeah sure whatever..

*Bors lied beside Sakazuki, the couch was too small to fit both of them so Bors put their leg on Sakazuki's legs, their arms around Saka, and their head on his chest, so Bors would fit

B, thinking: Dang, we really need a bigger couch.

*Bors fell asleep*

*The next day, 8:37 AM*

theres a part 2 to this (finished this in 2 in the morning) GONNA MAKE PART 2 A LITTLE LATER SO YEAH CYA

[casspurrjoybell-25]

Skating on Thin Ice - Chapter 23 - Part 1

*Warning - Adult Content*

Elijah Ellis

"Are you sure your head's okay?" Joshua asked me as we got into his car after the bus dropped us off at school.

"Yeah, it's fine," I assured him with a sigh.

Losing was never fun and I really didn't want to talk to Joshua since I was in a mood after how badly I played tonight.

Not to mention, I was frustrated by the fact that I couldn't stop thinking about Fox Ridley.

Fox was consuming my every thought.

I was practically drowning in handsome images of him in my head.

My own brain hated me and wanted me to suffer.

"By the way don't make any plans next Friday and Saturday," Joshua told me as he drove out of the school parking lot and toward our home.

"You mean don't make plans on my birthday?" I asked in an annoyed tone.

"Right," Josh confirmed.

"Not like I have any significant other to make plans with," I muttered, resting my head against the window.

"Well, you have plans with me. I just told you that," Joshua responded in a light tone.

I didn't reply as Joshua continued driving us home.

By the time we got there, I saw that the lights were still on, meaning Dad had waited for us to get home like he always did.

I sighed as I grabbed my stuff out of the car and made my way toward the house.

"How was the game?" Dad asked as soon as I stepped foot in the house, Joshua right behind me.

Dad sat in the living room on the couch with his glasses perched on his nose and a book in his hands.

"We lost," Joshua told him with a shrug.

I waited for Joshua to rat me out about hitting my head but he never did.

Usually Joshua couldn't wait for the chance to tell Dad something about me but surprisingly, he kept his mouth shut.

"You can't win them all," Dad reassured us with a smile.

After nodding in agreement, tried making my way to the stairs before my father called out my name.

I sighed and shut my eyes for a moment in frustration before turning around to face him.

"Can I talk to you for a minute alone?" Dad asked with a hopeful look, motioning for me to sit beside him on the couch.

Joshua took that as his cue to leave and quickly jogged up the stairs.

"Yeah?" I muttered as I took a seat beside my father on the couch.

"I wanted to talk to you about what happened on Thanksgiving," he told me.

I had already figured that was where this conversation was going.

"Dad, it's fine," I sighed, running a frustrated hand through my hair.

"I'm over it."

Dad shook his head and gave me a serious look.

"It's not fine. I'm sorry we talked about you behind your back. We shouldn't have done that."

I hummed in agreement, hoping to be done with this conversation.

"But I am concerned about you," Dad continued, eliciting a groan from me.

This was what I didn't want to talk about.

His concern only made me feel fragile, like I was nothing but an emotional wreck and it was obvious to everyone who knew me.

"I promise you, I'm fine," I urged him, leaning back on the couch.

"You don't seem happy," he pointed out, his voice wavering a bit.

An uncomfortable feeling crept up in my stomach and I averted my gaze from my father, keeping my eyes situated on my hands that were in my lap.

"I think you could benefit from talking to somebody," Dad continued when I didn't say anything.

"I really don't want to," I mumbled, keeping my eyes down.

Dad placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"And I don't want to force you into anything that you don't want to do but I'm worried about you."

I swallowed a lump in my throat and tilted my head back to look up at the ceiling.

"How about we make a deal?" Dad suggested, causing me to look toward him.

"You talk to me about what's bothering you and we can make a decision together about what your best option is."

"Okay," I quietly uttered, knowing he wouldn't budge on this.

"Great," Dad replied with a smile, clapping his hand down on my shoulder.

"Go get some rest."

As soon as he dismissed me, I scurried up the stairs and into my room and fell asleep that night wishing I could go back to a time when I didn't feel like such a burden.

********

The week went by and soon enough it was Friday night, the day before my birthday and Joshua insisted on the two of us going out after hockey practice, just the two of us.

I spent the whole day dreading it, but didn't have the heart to decline his offer since he was making an effort to be closer to me.

The two of us walked into the theater and up to the ticket booth.

"I got it, it's your birthday," Joshua said when I started to take my wallet out.

I wasn't about to argue with him about it, so I left my wallet in my pocket and allowed him to buy the tickets.

We ended up seeing some movie that I had never even heard of and it wasn't a complete snooze fest, so I wasn't too annoyed by my outing with Joshua.

He kept checking his cell-phone during the entire thing, seemingly uninterested but I didn't care.

"So, uh, how did you like the movie?" Joshua awkwardly asked once we were in the car.

"It was alright," I replied.

"Yeah..." he trailed, pausing for a moment before he started the car.

"So I've been meaning to talk to you about something."

I tried not to groan at his words.

It seemed like all I ever did with him or my Dad was talk about serious things that I didn't care to speak about.

"Yeah?"

"Don't take this the wrong way," he quickly let out, looking at me briefly before looking back at the road.

That probably meant I was going to take it the wrong way.

"What is it?" I asked in an irritated tone after he took a long pause.

"Okay, I'm just going to ask," he let out a deep breath.

"Do you have a thing for Fox?"

My eyes widened and I smacked my hand down on that center console as I whipped my head to face him.

"What the hell?" I nearly screeched.

"Why the hell would you ask me that?"

Was the way I was affected by Fox really that noticeable that I had Joshua asking me about it?

Joshua tightly pressed his lips together, looking uncomfortable.

He let out another breath before continuing...

"Look, it's totally fine if you have a thing for him but.."

"I do not have a thing for Fox," I assured him, even though I wasn't too sure myself.

"But Fox isn't... he's not..." Joshua let out an exaggerated sigh after stammering his words.

"Spit it out, Joshua," I snapped, heat rising on my cheeks.

"Um... he's not... he's not into dudes," Joshua stuttered.

"I just don't want you to get hurt or upset."

I almost laughed out loud at Joshua's concerns.

If only he knew just how 'not into dudes' Fox actually was.

I kept my laugh to myself and stared straight ahead at the road, my lips in a thin line.

"Okay," I finally said, not able to think of anything else to say.

"So you like him?" Joshua asked lightly.

I sighed.

"I guess."

I knew I felt something for him, I just didn't know exactly what it was.

Joshua just nodded and the two of us didn't say much to each other for the rest of the ride home.

[casliveblog]

Custom Toonami Block Week 159 Rundown

Spy X Family: We’r eback to the small vignette episodes now, Bond has a premonition of his own death and since they’re out of dog food he fears that if Yor makes his dinner he will just fucking die and if he refuses to eat Yor will murder him. So he tracks down Loid on a mission and does a fucking Air Bud spy mission deal and Loid is just kinda like ‘okay guess this is a thing data dogs can do’ and assumes it’s a conscious choice to get back at the company that turned him into a data dog when he’s really just avoiding his assassin wife. Loid’s weirdly okay with this and they manage to pull off the mission and get Bond some non-Yor food, it’s cute but between this and Anya building a pipe bomb last episode feel like they’re kinda pushing what some of the gag characters can do even for a comedy. Also with Bond’s premonitions already being cutaways and him having no dialogue it’s kind of hard to tell when one of his imagination spots is a premonition or one of the ‘exaggerating consequences’ deals that the other characters do. The B-story is Damian and his gang getting in trouble for lapsing on etiquette because Damian’s fucking burned out pushing himself to meet his father’s goals for him from the season finale. So his two flunkies get in trouble with him but the adults see what’s really going on and send them on a nature hike so Damian can relax for a day and shift gears instead of keeping his nose to the grindstone. I really hate his goons’ voices in the dub and I assume that’s intentional but it’s still a nice little fleshing out episode for all three of them.

Inuyasha: Man this fucking episode is like a third recap, it takes like seven minutes to get back to where we were last episode, I thought I clicked on the wrong episode for a moment since they basically just give you a speedrun of last week. Sango’s ready to attack Kohaku and break the rat shrine meanwhile Hakudoshi… summons demon slugs to attack Kikyo’s tree because I guess that’s something he can do now. It’s funny they have to tell Inuyasha not to Wind Scar the tree on accident to get at Hakudoshi but they end up clipping him and killing the slugs but the tree’s already dead and Sango can’t destroy the shrine because it has a barrier and she never almost killed a bat child to get the Red Hiraikotsu that’d be obsolete in a season anyway. Sango, Kohaku and Kilala all get swallowed by the rats while Sango’s trying to protect Kohaku and Kohaku’s trying to pretend to hate her so Naraku doesn’t know he’s not a meat puppet anymore. Like you’d think that’d be something you could feel, like if the guy whose brain you’re directly interfering with suddenly had autonomy you’d think you’d know. Still Kikyo comes out to break the barrier but Hakudoshi’s been Wind Scar’d so not much he can do about it. Sango angsts about Kohaku and how even though he’s directly tied to countless deaths today along she still wants to protect him as his sister which is fine because as far as they know he’s still being controlled but it’s actually a lot worse because he’s letting people die to get a shot at Naraku that we all know will never come, not that him not being there would dial down the death toll any, if anything using Kohaku as an envoy to fuck with Sango actually makes Naraku’s murder spree less efficient since he’s just a kid with a scythe and if he just starts sending poison demon puppets to blight the whole countryside it’d probably be a lot worse. Either way Kikyo gets the message that as long as Naraku’s looking for her he can just keep pulling filler demons of mass destruction out of his ass until he finds her so she might as well come fight him. I mean Naraku basically does that for fun as it is but this time he’s specifically pinning blame for it on Kikyo like a ‘you did this by not doing what I wanted’ because Naraku is a gaslight gatekeep girlboss.

Yu Yu Hakusho: We just jump a hundred days after Yusuke announced the new tournament and it’s time for the prelims. Kinda speedrunning the arc here because we just have to take Mukuro’s word for it that Yusuke’s gotten stronger again since we have no clue what he’s been doing. It’s kinda funny that despite being the literal ringleader of the tournament Yusuke is still out of the loop on how it works, guess that’s his Goku instincts trying to keep things exciting. Most importantly Koto’s back to announce again, honestly one of my favorite parts of the series in general. Turns out there’s so many demons out there hoping for a lucky break that they had to have 128 preliminary brackets just to weed out all the mooks, luckily because there’s that many basically no one who’s named has to fight each other and everyone we already know advances except for Chu who gets knocked out by a sexy lady that’s way stronger than him, and Yomi and his son Shura have to fight each other which kinda sucks but guess we can’t have too many enemies off the bat. Also apparently Shigure is alive which I know he’s a really good surgeon and Mukuro has bacta tanks but dude got the top half of his head cut off, like not even just the head Hiei went right through the guy’s brain, that’d even kill a zombie but okay. Also there’s some kind of sexy monkey lady that Yoyo kids wants to bang so good luck with that I guess. The only halfway decent fight for this will be Shura vs Yomi and the show knows that so we just get a quick montage of everyone using their special techniques and blasting everyone who doesn’t have at least three degrees of separation to Yusuke.

Jujutsu Kaisen: Feel like this is the second time we’ve done the ‘shit’s going down’ cliffhanger only for Geto and Gojo to solve the problem off-screen, like I get that it’s to build them up as invincible badasses that can solve arc-spanning problems in an instant so when shit really does go down it hits harder but how many times are we gonna do this? So yeah the gang’s in Okinawa now with some time to kill after the kidnapping arc wrapped up quicker than expected so Gojo gives Riko the quick and dirty two day tour of Okinawa, I swear I don’t know whether the JJK author is using the series as an excuse to hit the tourist spots of Japan for ‘research’ or is just already well-traveled within the country and using that knowledge as inspiration because sometimes this feels like Adam Sandler levels of ‘the story’s set here because I wanted to go here’. Geto tells Gojo it’s not good for him to keep his infinity shield shit on for this long which I guess it’s something he has to turn on which was never really established nor is it something the fans seem to realize given I’ve seen memes of Riko slapping Gojo being the only thing to get through to his skin. Anyway they show up to Jujutsu High a day late but once they’re safe inside JJH Gojo turns off his barrier and IMMEDIATELY gets stabbed by Megumi’s dad, turns out the Arkham City Bane Plan worked and he’s officially snapped Batman’s back because Gojo being on high alert for two and a half days straight gave him enough leeway to ninja his way in and stab Gojo though this ridiculous Machiavellian planning is kinda pointless because Gojo reveals the surprise stab didn’t do much and it turns out Megumi’s dad also has a ‘cut everything even if it’s an infinity barrier’ sword so idk why he even needed the whole Arkham City plan. Anyway instead of both taking him on and having two people fight and protect Riko, they split up and Gojo fights Megumi Sr. (I’m prolly not gonna learn his name) while Geto takes a leisurely walk to let Riko make her choice. Gojo does his Almighty Push shit but Megumi Sr. ninjas around long enough for Gojo to think it’s a feint and he’s going straight for Riko but it turns out the feint was a feint and he actually just carves Gojo up like a Christmas Turkey. I mean we know Gojo doesn’t die so I’m really confused about what kills curse users in this universe which is why I’m only mildly perturbed that shots of dead bodies tend to be memes for this series because for all I know that person could just get back up and keep going.

Geto tells Riko that he and Gojo always planned to let her make the decision for herself if she wanted to be sacrificed and that even if it meant fighting the world they’d do right by her and themselves and not let the way people say things should be entrap them into doing something evil. She’s inspired by everything she’s seen over the past few days and has her ‘I want to live’ moment and… immediately dies. God that’s so simple yet effective, like Riko feels like a character that is deliberately not given much screentime or development, like it’s supposed to hurt like that, normally she’d be a manic pixie dream girl that inspires the heroes to live and want to see the world but that’s absolutely not her role here, she’s a deliberate anti-climax, she’s barely a person because she never got the chance to develop her own personality and is punished the moment she decides she wants to grow and it hurts so much worse than any kind of saccharine filler you could throw in there about her developing feelings for these two because she’s a girl with a lot of possibilities cut short, it’s the point where literally not fleshing her out too much gets the point across all the better. Also I have no idea what this means for Barrier Buddha given he still exists in the main story but doesn’t get his sacrifice here so I guess either they find someone else or it’s like a global warming thing where ‘it’s not gonna fuck us over right now but the next generation’s screwed’ which would be the main timeline’s period which that’ll suck. Also also, I guess Megumi Sr. passed by the maid on the way there so either she’s dead or let the guy that murdered the only girl she loved like a daughter ninja right by her without even knowing and I dunno which is worse. Anyway Geto hears Megumi Sr. ‘killed’ Gojo and is ready to bust out the demon dragons.  

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off: There’s a lot of gay in this episode and I have many questions but still it’s pretty good. There’s a thing about a screenplay that doesn’t come back up this time around so I’ll skip it and get to the part where Ramona has discovered Scott was actually kidnapped by a Rick and Morty portal and idk if turning into coins is a normal thing in this world or if that should’ve been their first clue but yeah Ramona does have trans-dimensional imagination powers and I can’t tell if magic is just a thing that exists in this world or if some people are just not phased by it because they’re world-weary twenty somethings. Knives and whatsherface do a very gay little jam session and that’s pretty cute and Ramona continues her investigation by talking to people that knew/dated Scott which is kind of a neat inversion on how I thought the plot was going to go with Scott learning more about Ramona through her exes, kinda interesting to have the title character be so absent and be an ephemeral presence in the background. Anyway while Ramona is questioning drummer girl who was Scott’s first girlfriend, Roxie shows up and she’s what I imagine that kid from Craige of the Creek that roleplays as a knight is gonna grow up to be and they have a cool trans-dimensional movie ninja Amy Rose airplane samurai fight and do the Soifon/Yoruichi thing of ‘I’m fighting you because you left me weirdly’ because there’s apparently only one lesbian fight in all of fiction. Still it is fun and I do like Roxie and how quick she is to check if every girl she meets is a lesbian just in case. Though this does make me kinda question Ramona because with Matt we did establish it was a fling on a whim from when she was young but then with Roxie we saw that it was just… no real reason, just kinda grew apart which obviously happens but the fact that Ramona has so many of these types of relationships makes her seem like someone that has a lot of hyperfixations and then burns out quickly, like not a deal breaker but if the series is going for ‘yeah her and Scott are the one’ deal it’s gonna have some work to do to prove this isn’t Ramona just liking someone for a while and then pissing off when she gets tired of it like the color of her hair (though assumedly Scott would be cool enough about it to not go off on an evil tirade and be a jerk) also Gideon’s in his Poor Kaiba phase which never happened in Yugioh but the comedy basically writes itself so I’m down.

Ranking of Kings: So we’re still in filler but this one’s actually pretty interesting, the story of Ouken’s descent into madness. It’s basically just an elongated version of the flashback of Desha, Despa, and Ouken overthrowing their dad and committing war crimes but also with the added wrinkle that Satun tried to posess Ouken when they killed him and they may not have driven all of him out completely. It’s really kinda creepy to see Ouken go from ‘I can use infinite healing as a superpower for fighting to help people’ to ‘I am a murder machine because I must keep fighting’ to ‘I wonder why people have to die at all, lemme just run some tests…’ and then finally he starts seeing his ghost dad everywhere and stards murdering people, donning the armor and going on a rampage, wanting to see more death thinking if he sees enough he can cure himself until that much blood just kills his soul and without fear or compassion he becomes the rampaging Dark Souls boss we know from the main story. Not really much in the way of new information but seeing the whole journey is pretty neat.

Vinland Saga: So Olmar’s still being a whiny little pissbaby about how no one treats him like a man while he’s rolling on the floor drunk crying like a baby, so his dad’s bodyguards Fox and Badger convince him the quickest path to toxic masculinity is murder, like not even war duel murder like the shit Thorfinn was on, shooting fish in a barrel ‘bring out a guy to kill’ murder. And of course the guys they randomly pick to have him kill are Einar and Thorfinn (dunno why they picked up both in the first place, like having a witness is probably a bad thing and killing two slaves is twice the monetary loss) so they interrupt Thorfinn and Einar’s nice morning of waking up screaming and hitting on handmaids respectfully to come get them killed. Obviously Einar’s not a fan of the plan but Thorfinn’s just like ‘yeah sure why not’ and this kinda pisses Fox off because if people don’t value their lives he doesn’t feel a macho when he kills them and then he’s out of a job. He just starts cutting chunks out of Thorfinn and Thorfinn’s like ‘why should I fear death? Life’s been nothing but dead father figures and slavery so go ahead, fucking do it, DO IT’ and before Fox can go too hog wild on him, Snake steps in and shows who’s the real badass, punching out Fox and making the lesser guards piss themselves while being impressed by how Thorfinn was cut to ribbons without even flinching so looks like these guys may be up for a promotion.

[casspurrjoybell-21]

Pirate Chains - Volume 1 - Strong Tides

*Warning Adult Content*

Chapter 32 - Trust and Treachery - Part 2

Nyx

"Hey, don't pout," he said gently, almost as if he could read my thoughts, as he often did. "Alright, one last question. Why did you tell me?"

Confusion clouded my expression as I looked at him and he continued...

"I'm the one who's keeping you here, Nyx. If someone else were in your position, they would likely try to strike a better deal with the opposing party."

I allowed his words to sink in for a moment.

'He was absolutely right. It never even crossed my mind to conceal this from him, not even for a second. A deal he said.'

That baldy certainly proposed one to me, offering fair compensation for my work. With such a plan, I could potentially negotiate a favorable agreement with him in the future. He might even release me. Then again, why did he approach me? I hadn't really considered it until now... I mean, it's not as if I have a say around here. The only reason could be... Yes, by turning me against Agenor, he would undermine him in front of the crew and strike him unexpectedly, perhaps even harm him. That cunning filthy ball-head. He was using me.

"You're right, I could have done that. But I don't want you to get hurt," I declare.

And it was the truth. I needed to ensure his safety as well as mine. The weight of my words seemingly surpassing the mutiny itself. His smile faltered slightly as he delved into a moment of deep contemplation. His gaze shifted south, towards my leather collar. He was likely reflecting on the times he treated me harshly.

He met my eyes once more, his expression tinged with remorse, before his gaze descended again, this time settling on my lips. I adjusted my position, feeling the blood rush to my cheeks. His captivating eyes seemed to unravel my soul like an open book, causing me to instinctively lick my lips. However, I needed to refrain from indulging in indecent thoughts and refocus on the matter at hand.

"Actually, one of the two guys approached me," I explained. "And I have a doubt that they intend to involve me in their scheme somehow..."

His eyes narrowed and he interrupted me...

"Approached you?"

"He simply spoke to me. He seemed friendly enough but it was evident that he had ulterior motives. I assure you I didn't disclose anything. I don't even know anything of value. So, for now, we should be okay," I reassured him.

He regained his composure and sighed. I continued...

"I understand the feeling of discovering that those you trust are plotting against you. Trust me when I say that it's best to address the situation promptly before it spirals out of control."

He looked away with a calculating gaze before he spoke...

"I know exactly who the two rats you mentioned are. They've managed to persuade four others to join their foolish rebellion so far. However, when the time comes, only one of them will have the courage to speak up. And as for trusting them, Nyx", he directed his look at me and continued.

"Let me be clear. I want you to be part of my crew. In fact, as far as I'm concerned, you already are. But don't mistake those hooligans for the people you're accustomed to working with. I may be their captain but even I don't trust them, nor will I ever. They're pirates, Nyx, and you mustn't forget that."

His gaze swept across the ship as he continued...

"As for those who foolishly choose to stand against us, let them. If they desire another captain, so be it. They can go play captain on another vessel. This ship is MINE. Back in the day, we were only five when we seized control of it and it looked much more squalid back then."

"You stole it," I exclaimed.

He arched a brow and replied...

"I raided it. Does that surprise you? Did you think I would, what, purchase a ship?"

Memories of my beloved Regina rushed back to me and I glared at him. He scoffed in response. I managed to suppress my anger and asked...

"Fine. So, who were the other four, Mister Raider?"

"Two of them perished that night, another one abandoned ship after some wild times. And the last one, well, you already know him. It's Ace," he replied.

I nodded, finding Ace's presence among the original crew unsurprising. However, raiding a ship with only four people? That crew must have been either incredibly weak or they must have devised a cunning plan.

"I don't force anyone to stay on the Martina," he stated firmly.

"Anyone is welcome to leave. But if they choose to remain, they must be under my command or I'll rip their intestines out and feed them to the fish."

I stiffened. Something told me his threats were far from idle. Noticing my growing anxiety, he reassured me.

"You don't have to fear me, Nyx. There are only two things I hold dear above all else."

That didn't ease my anxiety.

'Only two?'

With his power-hungry nature, his treasures and his desire for fame, I felt insignificant in comparison.

"What I value most," he continued...

"Is you and the Martina."

I involuntarily released a breath I hadn't realized I was holding and a wide smirk of his revealed his joy at my momentary distress. I clear my throat.

"So. You were already aware of the rogue pirates, then?"

"Of course. Once again, you underestimate your lover," he teased, winking at me.

"I'm not underestimating you," I defended myself and ignored his shameless playfulness.

"I just see you sleeping around most of the time, so..."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Are you hinting that I'm lazy?"

"You are lazy."

"Probably due to the fact that I'm kept awake most of the night."

I pursed my lips and looked away, muttering...

"Shameless as always."

He smiled and even without looking at him, I could feel his intense gaze enveloping me like a trap.

[digitalsatyr23]

The Watchful Eye (Commission)

Setting: Arachnia Characters: Reah and Hideaux

    “What about this request? ‘Local farm besieged by rat hounds. Requesting aid to prevent further damage to crops. Reward: 5 copper per rat hound.’ That should be easy,” I said.

    “Yeah, but look at the location. That’s hardly local. We’d spend more money going there and back. Hopefully they find someone in their area, but as for me, I need more coin than five copper a piece,” said my friend.

    “All right, fine. What about… This one? ‘Accursed on the loose, must be stopped at all costs.’ And that pay… I haven’t seen that many zeroes in a while.”

    “Might be a bit above our pay grade, though. The last time I tried to take on an Accursed, damn thing almost ripped my head off. Saw a lot of men die that day… That’s not something you take on with two people.”

    Frowning, I put the request back on the board and kept looking. After weighing the pros and cons of the many Guild requests available, we finally settled on a good old fashioned bounty hunt. After we shook on it, we left the Guild Hall and prepared for the journey ahead of us.

    It’s been over a decade since Nicholas took the crown. Once the leader of the prestigious organization known only as “The Guild”, Nicholas helped the Boccovian Empire through the tumultuous Black Sky War, leading not only to Boccovia’s victory, but also to its survival. My father had told me a great many things about this time. It’s not surprising, since he had helped Nicholas in the war. When it was all said and done, he came back to our village in Tirachna, down in the Crescent Valley, but he seemed… Changed. He was like one big scar, covering up some deep pain barely beneath the surface. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much I could do to bring him comfort. All I could do was be a good daughter.

    While my father Toma always had a haggard look to him, he was at his best when he told me stories. I suspect the nasty details were stripped from them, but he wasn’t shy about sharing his adventures. Fighting dangerous fey, riding a magical train to a tower in the desert, saving an innocent girl from the clutches of Hell – he had done it all and more. I think that’s what really set me on this path. I knew the life of an adventurer was dangerous, but if I could bring back my own stories to tell, maybe that would comfort him the same way they comforted me.

    “Is something on your mind?” Hideaux asked me.

    “Hm? Oh, it’s nothing. My mind was just wandering a little,” I replied.

    My name is Reah, daughter of Toma Fenae. Unlike my traveling companion, I don’t hail from Boccovia. My home lies far to the east in the wild lands of Tirachna, home of giants, beastmen, and more venomous animals than you can shake a stick at. When I came of age, I took part in a tribe ritual known as the Proving in which I had to hunt a beast on my own and bring back something as a trophy. In my case, I hunted a dinosaur known as a snapjaw (though I’ve heard they’re called “allosaurus” in other lands). After felling the beast, I took its jaw bones back to my tribe and proved myself an adult. Later I would use my trophy to make a twinblade, using the jaw bones in place of where metal blades would go. This became my weapon, Bonespur, and it has always been my most stalwart companion.

    After my Proving, I made up my mind to join the organization my father for so long helped but never became a part of. As a member of the Guild, I’ve gone on many adventures to different lands, slaying beasts and helping those in need. Some years have passed since I joined, and I have the battle scars to prove it. Each one is a reminder. Each one is a story.

    While a bit shorter than most Boccovians (I last measured at 5’6”), I was quite a good deal stronger, being both lithe and muscular. I grow my bright red hair down to my shoulders and keep a protective charm braided into the right side. My eyes are peridot green, my skin tanned from the time I spent outdoors, and my hands are always covered in calluses. My attire is a tad strange compared to most Boccovians, incorporating bits and baubles from all the places I’ve seen. A painted green ironwood spaulder from my homeland, a wolf fur mantle from Boccovia, a bead armband from canyon sages, a patterned yellow chest wrap from the arid plains of Ugankka, dark blue breeches and padded fur long boots from the Glacier Isles, and a light blue sash from the faraway deserts of Niraiyah, its colorful braided waist ties and a carved peridot in its center a sign of its fine craftsmanship. I even had a jeweled armband on my left forearm I got from helping a huldra village. Made from the seed of a dryad, it had grown roots and woven itself around my arm, which I decorated with gemstones. On my right hand is a fingerless blue glove with another protective bead charm around the wrist. This way, my hand could never be led astray by evil spirits and cause me to miss the mark. I preferred traveling light, so I only had a few bags and satchels on me. One thing I always keep with me (besides Bonespur and my guild token around my neck) is an ivory wolf necklace my father gave to me. It was given long ago, even before the Black Sky War. I was told that if ever I was in true danger, it would protect me.

    “Hmph. You can let your mind wander all you want, just as long as the rest of you doesn’t stray from the path,” said Hideaux. “We’re almost to Bannon Bridge. If you slip and fall into Moletooth River, you’re on your own.”

    Hideaux was a veteran member of the Guild. He was a scruffy and portly man with dark brown hair, a light tan, and blue eyes. His unshaven chin had hints of grey in the beard, and his hairy arms had tattoos around the biceps depicting wild animals in an autumn forest. He was wearing sturdy brown breeches, a white linen shirt, mud-caked boots (we had been on the road a while), and worn-in leather armor. Aside from his big traveling pack, he had brought along his longbow, a painted wooden shield, and a hand axe that rested in a belt loop. We only knew each other from shared missions, but we got along well enough. I joined the Guild so I could have an excuse to travel. Hideaux was a more practical man. With a wife and kids at home, he put his life on the line so they could live well. Watching him pull out a wine bottle and take a swig, though, it was clear “they” included himself.

    “By the gods, man. Why’d you bring something like that along?”

    “A man’s got to drink, doesn’t he?” said Hideaux.

    “We’re almost to a river!”

    Hideaux laughed. “Well I’m thirsty now! Besides, I have no intention of fighting the moletoads over their sandbanks. If you want to deal with them, be my guest. I’ll save my energy for that mage.”

    I took another glance at the wanted poster we had taken from the last Guild branch we were at. It was a bounty for a man named Orthyx, a rogue mage. 2,000 gold for bringing him in alive, or 1,000 if he was brought in dead. Either way, it made for an easy split. The previous ruler of Boccovia was Alderman, and while he was a benevolent ruler, I had heard once from Nicholas himself (as my father and I had visited him on the occasion) that he was also naïve. The man had been surrounded by ambitious nobles and self-interested magi who took advantage of Alderman’s kindness, but once Nicholas sat the throne, he was quick to clean house. Those who didn’t bend the knee and follow Nicholas’ lead fled the capital. In the safety of the post-war wild lands that were still being resettled, these magi were left to their own devices. Far enough from the capital to avoid bother, some became unofficial lords, waving their power around to cow fresh settlers. Others returned to their studies and research. In Orthyx’s case, research meant disappearing villagers.

    The two of us reached Bannon Bridge, which took us over a large river that flowed below. The white rapids crashed against sharp rocks, kicking up mist that washed over my face. It was a welcome respite after so much time walking. Had there been horses to spare, we could have saved ourselves some trouble, but stable masters had struggled to keep stock with so many in need (and hungry monsters on the loose besides). I didn’t mind, though. It just meant more time to take in the sights.

    The sun shone over the grassy plains and descending cliffs before us. A thin layer of dirt and dust was kicked up with our every step. I stopped, taking a moment to wipe the sweat from my brow. That’s when I noticed the once cool breeze had halted. Something was amiss. I reached for Bonespur and readied for the worst.

    “Hm? What is it now, Reah? You don’t think this bridge has a troll, do you?” When Hideaux finished, a loud splash rang out, and a creature leaped from the river, landing in front of us. “What the devil?!”

    It was an elemental. Its watery body was in the shape of a horse, and what passed for a mane was like a rolling fog. Shimmering eyes like gemstones stared us down as Hideaux pulled out his axe. But then the elemental approached in a calm, slow trot.

    “Wait,” I said, putting out my hand. “I don’t think it’s hostile.”

    “Isn’t that an elemental, Reah?” asked the sweating Hideaux. I gave a nod. “How do you know it can be trusted?”

    “I don’t, but let’s see what it wants first. If it tries anything, don’t hold back.”

    As we tried to maintain our composure, the water horse stopped a few feet in front of me. It glanced over to Hideaux for but a moment before looking back at me.

    “Honored child,” its words echoing in my mind, “thou hast journeyed many moons, and I sense a great fatigue. If thou would permit, I shall take thee down the road.”

    “But why?” I asked in my mind.

    “My master knows your father well. I would not permit such an esteemed guest to toil upon their boots so long.”

    “If you’re offering, I accept – but only if you bring him along as well.”

    The elemental looked to Hideaux one last time, then telepathically said, “It shall be done.”

    Another elemental of similar shape to the first appeared on the bridge. Hideaux took a step back.

    “Uh, Reah? If you have a plan, I’d really like to hear it!”

    I took a look at the mythical steeds before me, feeling a well of excitement in my gut. “I say we ride!”

    “What?!”

    “Just trust me. These two mean us no harm.” I quickly saddled myself upon the first elemental, feeling the soft yet dense watery body beneath me. I then gestured to Hideaux. “Come on, man! Where’s your sense of adventure? You were acting so calm a minute ago!”

    Hideaux scoffed at my comment, but approached the water horse, nonetheless. The gairen people - one of the natives of Boccovia - were superstitious to a fault, and Hideaux was no exception. Yet even from the start, I sensed no malice in these creatures. Once we were ready, the first elemental let out a bubbly neigh and took off, with Hideaux and the other elemental riding close behind. As the two water horses galloped, splashing white waves followed in their wake. I felt myself bob up and down as we rode like I was on a true horse, yet they were gentle bobs, as if calm river waters were flowing around me, and the rise and fall was like the ebb and flow of a tide. A wet muddy trail grew behind us as we traveled further and further west, passing rolling hills, sparse woods, and a great burial site where the gravestones were as numerous as stalks of wheat in a field. Two hours must have passed, maybe even more. During that time, I tried to speak to the elemental I rode upon.

    “Who is this master you referred to earlier?”

    “A great power in the realm I call home. She and your father have something of a history together,” said the elemental.

    “What, as lovers?”

    The elemental snorted in protest. “More as allies… And enemies.”

    “I don’t understand. I’ve never heard of this woman.”

    “Such things needn’t be understood, simply known. And know, too, that she watches over you, even now.”

    I wasn’t sure what to say. It was clear the elemental didn’t want to divulge the details, but why? Why did it matter if I knew? This and dozens of other questions rolled around in my head as we continued our trek west. Finally, we reached a crossroad near the town of Mildan. The horses stopped in its center.

    “This is as far as we go, honored child,” said the water horse. “May the tide remain in your favor.”

    “Wait, who is your master? What’s her name?!”

    But it was too late. The horses ran south, fading into mist and disappearing. All we could do was watch and scratch our heads.

    “Hmph! What strange creatures,” said Hideaux. He then touched his rump, realizing all too late that it had been soaked. “Oh, well isn’t that just great. Good thing I brought a drying spell wand!” Hideaux reached into his pack to pull out the magically-charged stick, but when he tried using it, nothing happened. “What? I’ve barely used this thing! How is it already out of spell power?”

    “Wasn’t that a bargain bin wand?” I asked.

    “There’s a difference between a bargain and a scam! Hopefully this backwater town has an inn with a fireplace. If I knew this damn thing wouldn’t work, I would have brought an extra pair of pants!” As he fumed, I couldn’t help but laugh at Hideaux’s complaints. “What’s so damn funny?” he growled. “These were my best pair! And besides, cold water on the skin is the perfect way to catch a cold. Unlike you, I don’t bounce back from being sick so easily. I have to take good care of myself!”

    “And you think I don’t have to take care of myself, you old codger? How do you think I maintain these?” I knocked my fist against my abs.

    “Bah! Good looks are wasted on the young.”

    That’s just how it was with us. We helped each other just as much as we poked fun at each other. I didn’t mind the quiet of solo travel but having someone to banter with made time pass pleasantly.

    As we approached Mildan, the dark sturdy wood of the buildings came into view. It was a well-built town, if a bit weathered. Its stone walls were in need of repair, showing signs of cracks and scorch marks from recent years of turmoil. It didn’t surprise me. Many of the demons that had appeared during the Black Sky War were migrating west towards the desert lands, and with the country of Quinavelle resting against the mountain border that separated east and west Boccovia, it was safe to assume the people had seen quite a few nasties as of late. When we reached the gate, the guards on the wall were quick to question us, sounding harsh and agitated. It was only when Hideaux pulled out his Guild token that the two guards looked at each other and nodded, letting us in. It was a palm-sized bronze coin with an eye symbol on one side and a hawk wing symbol on the other, representing the God of Magic, Gicaccius, and Boccovia respectively. The sight of it was proof we were here on serious business.

    Inside, various parts of the shanty town were mid-construction. Even the cobblestone streets were halfway done, leaving the mud and dirt exposed here and there. It would take more people, and more stone besides to finish off the project. As for the people, their clothes were conservative and mostly colorless. Whites, greys, and blacks. Everyone kept a close eye on me and Hideaux as we made our way through Mildan, passing us distrustful glances before disappearing into buildings or alleyways. It was a claustrophobic town with all too many nooks and crannies for people to hide away in. We both stayed on alert, knowing all too well the dangers of desperate folk.

    “So what are you thinking, old man?” I asked in a hushed tone.

    “An inn couldn’t hurt. There’s bound to be a bloke or two to spare good gossip for coin,” replied Hideaux.

    “Then I’ll follow your lead.”

    Hideaux examined the signs around the town, which were mostly in Igearan. We both had a passing understanding of the dialect, and quickly found a watering hole named “The Mudpie”.

    “Charming,” I smirked.

    “Better than the last one we visited. This one doesn’t have any broken windows.”

    “Not yet anyway.”

    Hideaux shot me a glare then pressed through the entrance. Once our eyes adjusted, we could see a long sitting bar taking up the right side of the room, several simple tables and chairs, support beams, a stairway on the left, a firepit on the wall opposite the door, and several tired-looking workers. Most wore simple clothes stained by dust and stony debris, and despite the good weather and bright sun from before, the people here were pale of skin with dark eyes, dark hair, and cold expressions. The only one inside that looked happy to see us was a black and white-furred dog that came up to sniff my pantleg.

    “There’s a good boy,” I said, rubbing its head. It was clear it wanted a treat, so I helped it to a bit of jerky from my travel rations. Its eyes lit up with delight, and until it grew bored and went elsewhere, it stayed by my side.

    Hideaux led the way to the bar where both he and I sat on sturdy but rough-edged stools. The man behind the bar scribbled on a loose piece of parchment then approached our side of the bar, setting his hands down.

    “Welcome, travelers. What can I get you?”

    “Two mugs of chilled wine, some bread, fruit, and cheese.”

    “I never said I wanted wine,” I protested.

    “Who said the second cup was for you?” Hideaux smirked. I rolled my eyes and smiled back.

    “We don’t have fruit at the moment,” the bartender said.

    “That’s fine,” said Hideaux. “Here’s some money for the order.”

    I looked down, noticing five silver stags – a common mint in Boccovia. It was far more than the order would cost in most towns (especially of the backwater variety), but Hideaux was no stranger to these environments. The bartender’s sour expression turned warm at the sight of coin and said, “This will do. Give me a moment.”

    After the other customers got bored of staring at us, conversation returned and the buzzing of life (what little there was) filled the air. People walked in and out, some drunk, others tired and sober. One of the workers was hitting on a serving girl who seemed not wholly against the advances, and the two disappeared to who knows where. Nothing unusual at all, by my wager.

  “Here you go,” said the bartender, returning with the order. “Let me know if you need anything.” Hideaux nodded to the man, and he walked away to attend someone else.

  “So,” Hideaux said, slicing the bread and cheese. “What was with those things on the bridge? You seemed to recognize them faster than I.”

  “Can’t say I know for certain… They spoke without words, whispering in my head. They knew my father,” I replied.

  “Sheesh. No wonder he buggered off to his homeland. If I was that famous, I’d quit the Guild and live in a cave… Hopefully a dry one. Speaking of,” he paused, looking over at the firepit, “I have a rump to roast. I’ll be back. Help yourself,” he gestured to his plate before getting up. Wine cup in hand, he approached the pit and talked up the first person he saw, and that was that.

  By myself, I took a piece of cheese, smelled it, then took a bite. It had a sharp aroma, and a real bite to it. Not bad, but not my favorite. I washed the flavor down with the fruity wine, then my thoughts returned to the elementals. They couldn’t have been related to my quest. Who, then, was their master? Whoever it was, they must come from high places… Or low ones.

  “Hey there,” a voice called out. A brawny man with a shaved head, dark eyes, and bushy beard took the stool to my left. “Can’t say I’ve seen you around before. Who are you?”

  “The name’s Reah. And you?”

  “Call me Mule. Are you one of those adventuring types?”

  “What gave it away?”

  “It’s not every day that someone comes through Mildan toting around,” the man’s eyes scanned me until he looked at the jewel on my sash, “such nice greenery. Except for traders.”

  “Okay, you got me. Here,” I said, slapping the wanted poster down on the bar. “You know the guy?”

  Mule was taken aback by my own forwardness, but then looked over the poster. “Can’t say I know him, but he looks like a mage.”

  “You’d be correct on that. His name is Orthyx. Word is people have been disappearing around this area ever since he showed up. Do you know anything?”

  The once friendly Mule seemed to go pale at my words and quickly backed off. I tried asking around a bit more, but no one seemed willing to talk. Either they were scared, ignorant, or both.

  “Any luck on your end?” I asked Hideaux upon my approach.

  “Not a bit. These are a tight-lipped folk. They don’t trust outsiders a wink.”

  “Can’t say I blame them. What now, though?”

  “We pub crawl our way through the town until we get answers or have to retire for the evening. Either way I’m good.”

  I shook my head. “You’re the expert. Come on, then. Let’s get moving.”

  Hideaux and I continued our way through the ramshackle town of Mildan, asking questions, slipping coin, and looking for clues. We got confirmation enough that the rumors were true, but we were also told in rather colorful language to stay out of it. So averse to outsiders, they shunned the help of strangers at their own expense.

  It was evening when we decided to call it for the day. The sun was already disappearing behind the mountains to the west, flashing rays of brilliant gold before being blot out completely. The sky remained clear as it darkened, and the distant sound of chirping crickets and other insects sounded off night’s arrival. Windows lit up as people continued their business well into the night. With such varied light, it made it difficult for my eyes to adjust. Luckily, my ears were just as fine-tuned.

  On our way back to an inn we reserved rooms at, we found the streets had grown quiet. Then, the sudden scuff of boots on dirt rang out.

  “Behind us!” I yelled. I turned and caught a club in my hand, kicking my attacker away before dodging back from the others. Several men wearing grain sacks with eye holes had cornered us in the northwest part of town, and each of them wielded either clubs, knives, or hammers.

  Hideaux raised his shield then pushed back against one of the men. “So that’s how it is, eh?” He stopped talking, getting his axe out and spinning it around so the blade faced away. Taking note, I left Bonespur on my back and balled up my fists.

  The next man to take a swing at me got a fist to the gut, falling over in an instant. Two more swung wild – one to distract and the other to harm. I kicked dirt in the eye of the first and knocked the other over with a swift kick to the leg. Taking hold of a falling club, I smacked the other across the face while he was rubbing his eyes. A fourth managed a slash across my arm in the heat of the moment. I jammed my elbow towards him, smashing into his collarbone.

  While I kept the bulk of the group fended off, Hideaux was slugging his attackers across the face with the back of his axe. Unfortunately, the man whose collarbone I shattered stumbled into Hideaux, pushing him back against the wall and leaving him open for a clubbing across the head. I turned to aid him – a bad decision – and received a clubbing to my own head as reward. I lost balance for a moment, feeling hands try to pull me to the ground. It was then I decided to take things seriously.

  The tribe I hail from is known to be in-tune with nature, using magical arts to mimic and change into the beasts of the wild. Some turn fully into animals, while others merely copy aspects of them. In my case, I was more like the latter. Calling upon the unrelenting fury of the boar, my muscles bulked up as I threw off the five men upon me. Some smashed into the walls or nearby crates and barrels, while others skid across the ground. I then dashed towards one trying to knife Hideaux in the side, picked him up by his head, then smashed him into the ground.

  “Reah!” Hideaux shouted. A new figured emerged from hiding behind me, taller and brawnier than the rest. He punched me across the face as I stood back up, pushing me back. I then traded a few blows with him. He put up his arms and absorbed most of the blows, but it was clear it was more than he could handle. Rather than knock him out like the others, I came up with a new plan. I reached for Bonespur. Hideaux’s eyes went wide.

  “Don’t worry. There’ll be no more blood tonight,” I hissed through clenched teeth. Kicking the man before me in the knee staggered him. While his guard dropped, I pulled Bonespur free from its buttoned holder, flicked a switch near the center of the handle, then swung a blade toward my attacker. Rather than take his head off, however, the blade extended further out, its hidden chain released. The chain wrapped around the man’s neck, and one quick yank later I had him in my grasp. The first thing I did was pull of that grain sack. “Wait… Mule?”

  “You know this guy?” said Hideaux, moving to my side.

  “I met him at the Mudpie. He was the first one I questioned.”

  “In that case,” Hideaux grabbed one of the thugs’ knives, “spill the stew, prick.” Hideaux got the knife nice and close to Mule’s left eye as he said, “Are you working with Orthyx? Tell us!”

  “Piss off! I don’t care about a mangy wizard!”

  “Then why did you attack us?” I asked.

  Mule kept silent, so I tightened the chain around his neck. Finally he broke. “This was just a mugging, I swear! You think I’d let a gem like the one on your sash pass me up? One of those traders would set me up for a year if I gave ‘em that!”

  Hideaux frowned, looking at my sash. “He’s not wrong.”

  Before we could press further, the commotion had finally gotten the attention of some guards. I released Mule from Bonespur’s chains. “What should we do? We were just defending ourselves.”

  “The guards won’t care,” came a whisper from an alleyway. “Quickly, to me!”

  “Who are you?” I asked.

  “Someone who’s gonna get you out of this. Now come on!”

  Hideaux and I exchanged glances before slipping into the alleyway and leaving the thugs behind. The stranger led us through the snaking cracks throughout the town before slipping us outside. After we put a bit of distance between us and the town, the stranger pulled his hood back. He was a scraggly looking man with grey hair and a glass eye.

  “Name’s Ilva. You two sure like to wave your wealth around.”

  “That wasn’t my intention,” I said.

  “Doesn’t matter. Money’s scarce in these parts. When you’re in Mildan, you keep your friends close and your coppers closer.”

  Noting the expression, I looked at Hideaux, remembering the silvers he first put down.

  “What?” he said.

  “It’s nothing.”

  Hideaux pulled unfolding chairs off of his travel pack and the three of us took a breather out in the cold grassy fields. The wind had picked up in the night, masking the crickets and muffling the sounds of guards back in the town. Perfect weather for conversation.

  “Saw you blokes in the Mudpie,” said Ilva. “I wanted to approach, but the rest of the townsfolk made it too hard.”

  “What’s with them, anyway?” I asked.

  “Times are troubled. Town’s poor, people are disappearing, and monsters keep attacking at random. Everyone’s on edge, so even a hint of the foreign is enough to make them reach for their pitchforks. When you have people showing up clearly of wealth and from far away, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that they tried to gut you in the night.”

  “Speaking of, you’re still bleeding,” Hideaux pointed at my wound.

  “Oh yeah… I kinda forgot.”

  “Of all the things to forget!”

  I dismissed his concern with a wave of my hand and set to healing the wound. I lacked the talent for magic that my father had, but I was adept enough at channeling my own ether. Pulling upon the same magic running through my veins as any other natural creature, I weaved a spell to seal the wound, hastening the healing process. After wetting a cloth with my waterskin and wiping my arm, I was as good as new.

  “That’s some trick,” said Ilva.

  “It’s no trick,” I said. “I could even teach you if you have the potential.”

  Ilva shook his head. “I’ll be fine without it.”

  “Surely there’s something we can do. You saved our hides, after all.”

  “Yeah… Why did you help us, anyway?” asked Hideaux.

  “Because,” Ilva paused, looking over his shoulders, “I know where Orthyx lives.”

  He had my attention. Finally, someone who can actually help us. Hideaux, however, remained skeptical.

  “Sounds good to me. A bit too good, I wager. What’s the catch?”

  “I want a cut of the bounty.”

  Hideaux bit his lip. “I figured as such. How much?”

  “A third. As acting guide, I can take you where he was last headed, but I won’t settle for less.”

  “You’re out of your mind! We’ll be the ones putting our lives on the line when we get there!”

  “But we don’t have any other leads,” I cut in.

  “Still…”

  “What’s your answer?” Ilva asked. “If you won’t pay, we’re done here.”

  “We can pay, but we won’t get the bounty until after we return Orthyx to the authorities. If you’re fine with the walk, then we can pay you when we get there.”

  “In that case, I want half of my share now.”

  “You sodden-” Hideaux got up from his chair and was about ready to grab Ilva, but the bruises he got from earlier made him wince, so he sat back down. “How do we even know we can trust you? What proof do you have of where Orthyx is?”

  “I filched something from him when I had the chance, though I’m not sharing until I get half of my cut.”

  “And I’m not paying until I know I can trust you.”

  The two men glared at each other. Hideaux wasn’t in the wrong. Anyone could have overheard us earlier and start claiming they know where our mark was, but whether it was truth or lie was another matter. Luckily, healing wasn’t the only spell I knew. I reached for a knife sheathed in my boot and ran two fingers across the blade, sparking the knife with white and blue light.

  “Reah?” Hideaux looked at the dagger, then at me, his mouth turning to a grin upon recognition of the spell. Then he sat back and let me work.

  “Ilva, I have enough money to pay half of your share now, but we have to know you’re telling the truth.” Brandishing my knife, I said, “I’ve enchanted my dagger. If the next thing you say is truth, it cannot harm you. However, if what you say next is a lie, the dagger will cut as deep as any other. Will you give me your hand?”

  “You could be lying yourself,” he said. “Use it on yourself first.”

  “Of course.” I paused for a moment, considering what story to share, then said, “Once when I was a child, I pretended I was a snake and tried to swallow an egg whole, but the shell broke and got caught in my throat.” I ran the blade across my left palm, drawing no blood.

  “Wait, you really did that?” asked Hideaux.

  “Yes. It was one of the most unpleasant things I had ever experienced.” Hideaux held in his laughter while I turned my attention back to Ilva. “So, now that I have shown proof, will you give me your hand?”

  Ilva was hesitant at first, but it was clear he recognized the trap. If he didn’t give his hand, that meant he was lying. Begrudgingly, he passed his hand over.

  “So do you truly know where we can find the rogue wizard Orthyx?” I asked, clutching him by the wrist.

  “I do. I can show you both to where best to find him.” At this, I cut across Ilva’s hand with the dagger. When no blood was drawn, I let him go. Ilva breathed a sigh of relief and leaned his head back. “Seven hells, I’m glad that’s over. Now what about my pay?”

  I slipped coins out from my pouch and passed them over to Ilva. He inspected them and put them in a pocket.

  “All right. We held up our end of the bargain, so it’s your turn,” I said.

  With a nod, Ilva pulled out a scroll and unfurled it before us. Channeling a pinch of ether to the end of my fingertip, I summoned a small ball of light, and the three of us read it.

    “These look like an architect’s papers,” said Hideaux. “Seems our wizard friend wanted to set up a small fortress.”

    “Indeed,” said Ilva. “He last came through town disguised as a trader, so I thought to filch a magic scroll from his pack mule. What I found instead was this. And do you see these notes around the edges?”

    Ilva’s hands were shaky, but I could read the notes well enough. According to the notes, the fortress was being constructed somewhere on the Skittering Mountains, a range northeast from Mildan. It would take at least two days to walk there, and more to get up the mountains and look, but we had our destination. I snuffed out my light spell by squeezing it in my hand, then leaned back.

    “That’s a good distance away. We should make sure we have everything we need before we go,” I said.

    “Yeah, but with the trouble we stirred up, I’m not sure getting supplies will be easy,” said Hideaux.

    “I can help. You two only just arrived, so not everyone knows your faces. I can slip you back inside at first light when the merchants are opening shop. You’ll have an hour before the guards start making their rounds in the streets proper, so that should be plenty of time to supply yourselves.”

    “Sounds like a plan,” I said. “In that case, let’s turn in for the night. We have a lot ahead of us tomorrow.”

    “Agreed,” said Hideaux. After untying a long sheet of treated hide, Hideaux and I constructed a lean-to out of sight of the town, then we set our bedrolls down. Ilva parted ways with us, returning to Mildan. Come morning, we would meet him near the western gate.

    As I closed my eyes, I said, “Hey Hideaux, do you think Ilva can be trusted?”

    “About as much as cats can be trusted with yarn, but we have to make do.”

    “All right.” I almost asked him a second question, but he started snoring soon after. I kept the question to myself for the rest of the night, contemplating the day’s events until I, too, slipped into the realm of dreams.

---

    The next morning, we were met with a cold grey sky.

    Ilva helped us back into town. I focused on gathering necessities, like refilling our rations in case food proved scarce. Hideaux, on the other hand, was buying potions from a local alchemist. After I finished things on my end, I sought him out and approached just as his dealings reached their end.

    “I wouldn’t need it to last that long, so I’ll take that one instead. Here’s your coin.”

    “Thank you, sir.”

    Hideaux handed a few coins to the withered-looking alchemist then set the vials into a side-pouch.

    “Got everything?” I asked.

    “Yeah, I’m ready. That wizard won’t know what hit him. Literally.” I tilted my head at this statement, to which Hideaux patted his pouch and whispered, “Potion of invisibility” with a smirk.

    As we made our way to the meeting spot where Ilva awaited, I couldn’t help but wonder. A proper alchemist’s wears can cost several gold crowns (another Boccovian mint), but Hideaux had only paid a fraction of the cost.

    “Hideaux,” I started, “that alchemist back there… Are you sure they’re proper?”

    “What do you mean?”

    “You barely paid anything for those potions. You weren’t trying to copper pinch again, were you?”

    Hideaux scoffed at me. “Relax, it’s nothing of the sort. You just don’t know how to haggle. Back when I was…” Hideaux trailed off, glancing at passer-by. “Well, before I was in my current profession, every coin mattered. And sure, I do like to splurge every once and a while, but I can only do that because I know how to spend my money.”

    “Are you certain? This isn’t like that cheap wand, right?”

    “Of course not! Fret about your own self for once. We only know so much about the enemy. For all we know, we might not be able to take him down. If things get bad, you save your own skin first. Got it?”

    “Don’t lose hope before we even get there. You’re going to see your family at the end of all this, all right?”

    Hideaux shrugged. “Had no intention of doing otherwise. Just don’t get hurt on my behalf like yesterday.” The man then moved ahead. I sped my pace to catch up, meeting him and Ilva near an open gate. Together, we left the town of Mildan behind and began our trek northeast.

    The three of us walked through more rolling hills of green, some of which were used as ancient burial mounds. I could feel a faint energy coming from each, a sort of buzzing of ether like the fluttering wings of insects around a campfire. We saw no signs of men along the trail, only the occasional wild beast. Around midday I spotted a healthy buck grazing. A well-placed stone from my sling later and it was stunned, laying on the ground. I offered a small prayer to Gerovi, God of nature, so that the animal’s spirt could find peace in the afterlife before I slit its throat. After I butchered the animal and wrapped the meat I could carry, I took its hide and antlers with me. My tribe would be ashamed of me if I let anything on an animal go to waste. After that, I tied the meat I couldn’t take to strings and hung them from a nearby tree as a peace offering to the land’s beasts. Later that night, Hideaux, Ilva, and I had a small feast of deer meat. What we couldn’t eat, we smoked. As I had hoped, nothing bothered us over the night or the next day.

    Upon the third day when the Skittering Mountains grew near, I sized up each of the mountains. One of them had faint traces of magic along a half-made path leading up.

    “It’s this way. I’m sure of it,” I said.

    “I’ll let you take lead, then,” said Hideaux.

    With me in the front, Ilva in the middle, and Hideaux behind, we marched single file up the left-most mountain in the range. Even if I couldn’t tell the ether here had been stirred up, there were many signs of tampering and even construction in certain parts – most notably, a small wooden bridge covering a gap between the rocks. I tested its weight then made my way across, quickly followed by the others.

    While the climb up the mountain was easy, we were far from alone. On more than one occasion did spider-like creatures burst from holes in the sides of the mountain. Their holes had a rancid smell, however, so they lacked the element of surprise they so heavily relied on. Sliced legs and swift kicks were enough to dispatch the beasts, though one nearly dragged me off the cliff by firing web at me as it fell. There were other creatures up in the mountain as well. Birds of prey roosting on rocks and roots, lizards, and even skittergoats – small goat-like creatures with pure black eyes and a single horn on their heads like a unicorn’s.

    “You know, I once heard miners used skittergoats to detect danger in their mines,” said Hideaux. “If there were monsters, the skittergoat’s horn would buzz and vibrate, but if it remained still, everything was fine.” At Hideaux’s words, we all looked at a nearby skittergoat’s horn. It vibrated gently as the impish creature looked and bleated at us before hopping away with surprising speed. “Huh… I sure hope it thought we were monsters.”

    “Just in case, keep your eyes open,” I said. I drew Bonespur from my back and turned to Ilva. “In case something happens, run. If you can’t run, hide. Just like with the arachnids, Hideaux and I will handle things.”

    “Of course,” Ilva nodded. “I’m fine with acting as a guide, but that’s all I was paid for. The rest is up to you.”

---

    The mountaintop was quiet.

    What felt like an hour had passed since the skittergoat, and after some searching, we finally found the entrance to Orthyx’s fortress. A thick stone doorway hid a dark and dusty cavern, feeling more like a mausoleum than a cave. Hideaux lit a sealed lantern on his hip and readied his axe and shield. While Ilva kept his distance in the back, Hideaux and I pressed forward.

     Half-finished grey stone halls extended before us, rough and bumpy as could be expected. It was clear that Orthyx’s fortress was far from complete. The path branched, but not for long, and we quickly found another stone door - likely for Orthyx’s chamber.

    “There it is,” Hideaux whispered. “Ready yourself.”

    A muffled thud came up from above, causing me to stop. “Wait, did you hea-”

    Before I could finish, the ceiling gave way. Stone exploded towards us as a great lumbering beast crashed to the ground, landing in front of me and my companion. Almost immediately, golden rays of light shot all around us like a volley of arrows. In that moment, my body moved on its own. I picked up Hideaux and ran for cover, narrowly avoiding the magic rays. The debris from the ceiling provided ample cover, so the two of us squatted behind the rocks to try and assess things.

    “What in the seven hells is that?” whispered Hideaux.

    It was hard to tell at first, as one of the rays had destroyed Hideaux’s lantern. When the dust settled and my eyes adjusted, I caught a glimpse of our foe. It was a gigantic lumbering creature with thick stocky legs and a bulbous body that was nothing more than red meat and dozens of eyes. The moment I looked at it, the beast’s eyes turned on me, firing off another volley of golden rays. Once more, Hideaux and I ran for cover – this time behind a large boulder. Its reflexes were top-notch, and it was clear the creature had no issue seeing in the dark. Whatever our next move was, it had to count.

    “Wait, where’s Ilva?” I whispered.

    “No time to worry about that. I’m going to pop that invisibility potion and fill its eyes full of arrows. When you see an opening, don’t hesitate.” I gave Hideaux a nod and the man reached into his pouch, quaffed his potion, turned invisible, then moved away. I heard footsteps followed by a bowstring being pulled taught, then an arrow flew through the air, hitting its mark. But after Hideaux’s first arrow, he suddenly reappeared. “What? How did-”

    The creature made a horrid gurgling noise and unleashed its wrath. Innumerable shafts of golden light converged on Hideaux’s chest. I thought he was a goner, but he managed to block with his shield in the last moment. The shield turned to scorched splinters as the man was sent flying, slamming into a wall with a terrible crack. He was either unconscious, or far, far worse.

    I nearly yelled out my friend’s name, but I choked it down. Unnecessary noise would do me no good. What I needed was information. What I needed was a plan. I took a moment to regain my composure, taking a slow, deep breath. What light the magic rays had made were gone, and I needed time to readjust. Even then, it proved a struggle to see. My eyes were sharper than most humans, but even I still needed some light. I reached into my pouch, retrieving bullets normally meant for my sling. Channeling trace amounts of ether into them with a whispered incantation, I closed my hand around the bullets. I shimmied to the edge of the boulder, then with a toss, the glowing bullets sailed through the cavern. It wasn’t long until the creature’s rays started chasing them. Most were destroyed in an instant, but a few survived, leaving just enough light to help me see.

    Now that the cavern was no longer pitch black, I took stock of the situation. Hideaux was unconscious, burned, and full of shrapnel. He would need treatment soon or he would bleed to death, if he wasn’t already… No. He was alive. He had to be. My eyes moistened for a moment as I continued looking around. The creature was lumbering towards one of the bullets. Not so much maliciously, but more like a curious animal. So distracted, I finally got a proper look at it. It was an eye-beast. I had heard of their lot before. Grotesque as they were, they were manmade. No one knew for sure how they were made, but since they were often employed as guards by mad wizards and cultists, it was safe to assume the method was less than palatable. Being a type of construct, it likely lacked the intelligence of a thinking guard. This mattered little, however, as its dense, bloated body and swift attacks would make most confrontations a death sentence. There had to be some manner of weakness to it, though. I just had to keep looking.

    I turned my attention to the rest of the cavern. I knew where the eye-beast and Hideaux were, but the whereabouts of Ilva were another matter. It wasn’t long until I found the man. He was crouched next to Hideaux, pilfering his body.

    “Ilva!” I shouted in a whisper. “What are you doing?!”

    He looked up at me and smirked. “Helping myself to the rest of the share, of course.”

    “Are you crazy? You’re gonna get killed!”

    “Tsk. No need to worry about that. Orthyx gave me this,” he said, pulling out a magic pendant he had hidden under his tunic. “You could say we have a little… Arrangement. It’s nothing personal, of course. It’s just business.”

    I felt a fire burning in my blood in that moment, but I was distracted from my anger when I noticed something peculiar about the pendant. Part of it looked broken. Spotting the missing piece nearby, I remembered all the sharp debris that went flying when the eye-beast first appeared. One of the rocks must have struck the pendant without Ilva noticing. And if that was the case, that meant…

    “Best of luck with that beastie! You’ll be needing it!” Ilva got up and walked off with a swagger, laughing all the while. The once distracted eye-beast took notice, immediately firing on him. A moment of confusion fell across the thief’s face before he was eviscerated, exploding in a fountain of blood and charred meat. It seemed that without the pendant, the eye-beast would kill indiscriminately.

    While Ilva’s death was as horrid as it was deserved, the way the creature reacted, as well as the way its beams moved gave me an idea. It was clearly a reactive thing, not actively seeking targets the way other monsters might. And when the beams fired upon Ilva, they all came together in the end, almost like they could be focused into one devastating blast. The time it took for this to happen was consistent with its other volleys. This could only mean that foes at a distance were at the greatest risk. I glanced at Hideaux once more, holding back the urge to drag him to safety and treat him. He was bleeding bad, but if the eye-beast was truly a reactive sentry, it was just as likely to fire on his unconscious body as it was on me.

    While behind cover, I set my weapon aside and rifled through one of my packs. While I knew some magical spells, my knowledge was limited. I compensated for this with scrolls, whose arcane words contained the ether of other casters. Among my supplies, I found three scrolls. One was called “Magic Volley” which could pepper the beast with several small blasts. Not enough to harm, but enough to distract since the spell fired from every angle on its target. The second scroll was named “Cloud of Fog”. With luck, it would hide my presence. Finally, the last scroll was called “Eagle’s Flight”, which allowed the user to fly with magic wings, if only for a short time. The cavern was vast, but not vast enough to allow easy maneuvering. I slipped the Eagle’s Flight scroll back into my pack and made ready the others.

“Hold on, Hideaux. I’ll get us out of here,” I whispered.

    First, I traced my fingers across the Cloud of Fog scroll, activating its magic before flinging the spell toward the eye-beast. Soon enough, blankets of fog covered up its location. Then I used the Magic Volley scroll, and tiny sparkling bolts fired on the beast, striking at its eyes and making it gurgle with rage. Lastly, I ran to a broken piece of stone. It was a stalactite that had fallen to the ground after the ceiling broke open. While it was too heavy for an ordinary person to pick up, I was far from ordinary. Once more, I channeled the strength of beasts through my body. My teeth clenched, my veins popped, and my muscles bulged. Taking the stalactite in hand like a javelin, I hurled the stone straight through the fog. The stalactite slammed into the eye-beast. It stumbled from the impact and blood hissed from its wound. Now all that remained was to finish it off.

    Bonespur in hand, I made a mad dash toward the eye-beast. Already enough of the fog had cleared so that three of its eyes could see me. Rays of gold fired at me like arrows. I dodged two, taking one in the left shoulder. It burned, but my spaulder absorbed most of the impact. I leaped into the air and sliced diagonally, blinding those three eyes. A stubby, malformed arm shot out of its bloated body to try and grab me, but I ducked just in time. I continued to cut and slice into the thing, spilling more blood than any creature had a right to survive without. As if on instinct, it fired its beams with abandon, burning away the magic fog and doing what it could to kill me. Luckily, my theory proved correct. It could aim well enough at me, but I was too close for the beams to converge. I had reduced its sword to a mere letter opener.

    Flicking the switch to transform Bonespur, I grabbed hold of its two handles connected by chain. I spun about, slicing and tearing into the beast with my jawbone blades in swift, graceful arcs. Flesh split open, blood flowed, and with one final attack, I slammed both jawbones into the beast’s sides, digging the teeth in deep.

    “This is the end!”

    With a powerful kick, I knocked myself back while dragging the jawbones through the eye-beast’s body. It tried to fire on me one last time, but its life energy was spent. It collapsed to the ground with a ground-shaking thud. The fight was over.

    In the heat of the moment, I had ignored the wounds I took during the fight. But now that I had the chance to breathe, my whole body felt like it was on fire. Dozens of small scorch marks riddled my skin. Time and healing magic would fix things, however…

    “That’s far enough,” said an old man’s voice from behind. “Drop your weapon and turn around, slowly.”

    I turned to attack, but a fire bolt struck me in the knee. The spell hit my bone with the force of a hammer, making me wince. Against my better judgement, I obeyed the man, dropping Bonespur. As I looked up, I realized it was Orthyx. He stood some six feet in height with a braided grey and white beard, crimson eyes, and travel-worn imperial robes. He held a lantern in one hand and had a scorching fire spell ready in the other - just in case I felt extra brave that day.

    “Orthyx. We finally meet.”

    “And it will be our last meeting as well,” said the mage. “It’s trouble enough to create a good eye-beast. It’s another thing when you have to worry about mage hunters breathing down your neck all the while.”

    “Since you’re going to kill me, how are they made? I’m curious.” I needed time to think of a plan, but I genuinely wanted to know. When the old man grinned a grin most vile, I soon regretted my question.

    “You’re here for my bounty, yes? So you must know about the disappearances.”

    My blood ran cold at the statement. I glanced back down at the dead eye-beast, only now noticing hints of noses, small hands, and protruding teeth where they would be otherwise useless.

    “You didn’t…”

    “You think I care what becomes of common folk? I once sat on the imperial council! These caverns ill-suit someone of my breed, but I’ll fix things up soon enough. Once my fortress is complete, I’ll claim this territory for my new dynasty.”

    “You really think Nicholas is going to sit back and let you take Boccovian soil?”

    “It’ll be years before these lands are reclaimed. In the meantime, it’s every man for himself. I have nothing to fear from a mage hunter. I’ve dispatched several already. You’ll just be another body on the pile.”

    His words struck me as strange. Just me? Surely he could see Hideaux as well from his vantage point. I glanced over my shoulder for a moment, realizing his body was gone. At this, Orthyx called out.

    “What are you looking at? Tell me!”

    I smiled. “Just admiring the scenery.”

    “You think this is a game?! I should-” And that’s when a wine bottle smashed against the back of Orthyx’s head. A bloody, haggard Hideaux suddenly appeared behind the wizard, watching him fall unconscious.

    “Crazy bastard. That’s what you get for flapping your jaws.”

    “Hideaux!” Despite my injuries, I ran to the old man and nearly picked him up in a bear hug, but he shoved me away.

    “Hey! That hurts! We can save the happy tidings for after we get this loon in shackles.” Hideaux crouched down, pulling out a pair of enchanted manacles from his travel pack. They were made especially for the business of mage hunting by Guild enchanters. The cold iron metal sapped the ether from the wearer’s body, rendering even the greatest of mages powerless. With the shackles on Orthyx, he was nothing more than an old man. “There we go. Now to the matter of…” Hideaux paused, wincing. “… Patching things up.”

    “But how did you get the drop on Orthyx? Even I didn’t notice you sneak up on him.” At this, Hideaux smiled, pulling out two empty vials. “Two? I thought you only bought one potion.”

    “Who said I only bought one?”

    Hearing those words, I burst out laughing. For a moment, I forgot about the pain in my body. After that, I spent the next several minutes using healing magic and bandage wraps, doing what I could to seal Hideaux’s wounds and get him ready for the travel that was ahead of us. He complained the whole time, even saying I should heal myself as well, but I ignored him. I was just happy he made it out. When things were settled, we both stood back up. Hideaux tried squeezing his weapon hand, but doing so made him grit his teeth in agony.

    “Agh! My hand!”

    “Take it easy! You took a bolt straight through it. It’s a miracle you can move the fingers at all,” I said.

    “But if I can’t use this hand, what will I do?”

    I shook my head. “There’s no way to know for sure. Just take it easy. Time will heal the rest of your wounds.”

    I tried to reassure him, but I didn’t actually know. The best we could do was seek out a better healer on the return trip (which would cost a hefty share of the bounty), but even then, it might be too late. Hideaux would likely never hold a blade ever again.

    While Hideaux retrieved his belongings from the remains of Ilva, I decided to go through the second stone door. It was already open from when Orthyx had snuck out. Bright lights shined from within the cavern. I approached the entrance and stepped inside.

    The cavern had been decorated with all the trappings a former noble would want. A luxurious bed, a finely woven carpet, a wardrobe, work desk, and similar things. That wasn’t the only thing I found, however. Past the bedroom was a passageway to another room. A stairway led to the place where the eye-beast had been made, which included arcane circles, blood-stained tools, and the remains of men hanging from meat hooks. I took the bodies down and piled them up, burning them in the hopes that their spirits could finally move on to the afterlife.

    “What are you doing up there?” shouted Hideaux from below. I looked through the hole the eye-beast had made.

    “I’ll tell you later! Just give me a moment!”

    Putting that grizzly business behind me, I made my way back down the stairs. I hadn’t noticed before, but there was a hole on the wall opposite the stairs just big enough for a person to fit through. It was oval in shape, with its inner rims unnaturally smooth. The sight of it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, but curiosity overtook fear.

    I summoned a ball of light as I traveled through the tunnel. It led to a small cavern that the wizard must have visited, as different parts of the walls were covered in special scrolls. Protective scrolls, at that. The magic scrolls hung across several odd protrusions throughout the cavern. While it beggared belief, I say these words true. These things… They looked like limbs. Stony limbs, but limbs nonetheless. Were they another of Orthyx’s experiments? I had no idea. That’s when I felt something brush against my leg. I looked down. It was a hand-shaped rock coming out of the ground. I… Must have forgotten it was there and brushed against it. And yet, I was certain I had stepped into a clearing in the chamber.

    As I turned to leave the strange cavern, I stopped. Many times before I had felt the sensation of eyes upon me. In the past, these were mostly from beasts of the wild. Birds in flight. Natural things. Yet as I stopped at that cavern’s entrance, I felt something otherworldly looking at me. When I turned around, all I saw was a hole in the wall. A hole that hadn’t been there before. The ether coursing through one of my protective charms lit up.

    “What… What is this?”

    I fought with every fiber of my being to move, yet I found myself paralyzed. As I stared at the hole, I could see it growing and growing, moving towards me as if it were a mouth about to swallow me whole. The protective charm around my right hand sparked and burned. I had to get out of there, but why couldn’t I move! Why couldn’t I move?!

    “Reah!” a familiar voice called out. “What are you doing?” It was Hideaux. Control of my body returned. Only then did I notice I was grasping my ivory wolf necklace.

    “Hideaux! This cave! We have to get out of here!”

    “Well yeah, of course. How else will we get paid?”

    “No, I’m serious!” I pushed myself and him out. “There’s something wrong with that cave!”

    Hideaux tilted his head to look past me. “Looks like a normal cave to me.”

    “What?” I turned around, realizing that the hole, the hands, the limbs… They were all gone. All I saw were the protective scrolls barely hanging onto the rock, their edges burned. I covered my mouth with my hand, shaken. “No… I swear I saw something in there!”

    “Are you okay, Reah? You might be more worn out than I am. What did you see?”

    I glanced around, unsure how to answer. In the end I took a deep breath and said, “Nothing. Let’s get going.”

---

    It didn’t take long for the mage to wake up.

    While he struggled and tried to flee on multiple occasions, without his magic, Orthyx was helpless – though he still proved a stubborn bastard. Eventually I had to tie a rope around his waist and mine, binding us together. With few options left, he resigned himself to his fate.

    The trouble Orthyx caused did little to distract me from my thoughts. Though I had long left the cave behind, the things I saw and feelings I had still lingered in me like a bad stomachache. Since Hideaux didn’t see anything, I worried bringing it up while he was awake would only cause problems. I decided to wait until the second night to broach the question. Orthyx, who had been bound to a tree for the night, was pretending to sleep – as was I. When Hideaux started to snore, I got out of my bedroll and approached the mage.

    “Orthyx?” No response. “Hey! Orthyx!”

    With a groan, he said, “What is it now?”

    “When I was exploring your chambers, I found a strange room. What were you doing back there?”

    “All my rooms probably seemed strange to a country bumpkin like yourself,” he said dismissively.

    “No, that’s… I mean the cave with the oval entrance. The one with those special scrolls hanging all over the place.”

    Orthyx was quiet for a moment. “So you found that room, did you?”

    “What were you doing in there? Were you trying to summon something, or keep something under wraps?”

    “What does it matter? It’s just a cave. Nothing more, nothing less.”

    “But I saw something in that cave. And… I think you did too.”

    Orthyx looked up at me for the first time, his eyes a mixture of hatred and impatience. Yet somehow, I felt like we had an understanding.

    “You are from the far east, are you not? How much did your tribe teach you of nature and its elements?”

    “I was taught many things. We of the Crescent Valley have always been in-tune with the natural world.”

    “Given your questions, I highly doubt that. Allow me to enlighten you, savage. To be a true mage, one must have a keen understanding of the world. In its simplest terms, the world and everything in it is comprised of the five elements. Stone, water, fire, wind, and ether – the element of life. Ether can be found in everything. It’s in the air, the soil, and the very stars. It is the binding agent of this world and any other. Do you understand what this means?”

    “That everything, including the other four elements, have traces of ether in them?”

    “Yes. And if ether is the element of life-”

    “Everything else is… Alive…”

    Once more did Orthyx make that devilish grin. “Now you are beginning to understand. Not everything living is the same as you or me, but wherever ether gathers, so too does life. Remember that.”

    Orthyx refused to talk to me for the rest of the trip. I grappled with his answers the rest of the way to Mildan. My tribe always taught me that the world was alive, and I had to do everything I could to protect it. But my image of nature was beautiful and serene. Whatever I encountered in that cave felt alien and primordial. Has this world always been what it appears to be? I didn’t have an answer.

---

    Travel back to Mildan proved a difficult affair.

    After we made it to the backwater town, we explained the situation, showing the wanted poster. While the guards were ill at ease to see a wanted criminal (and a mage besides) dragged into town, they understood the purpose of the shackles well enough and arranged for a cart and horse so the prisoner could be transferred. While the guards held Orthyx overnight in their jail, Hideaux and I relaxed at the Mudpie. As soon as we sat down, the bartender passed us two mugs of chilled wine.

    “Here you go,” he said. “You both look like you need it.”

    “Are you sure we can have this?” I asked.

    “It’s fine,” said Hideaux. “I started a tab,” he grinned.

    “Word has already gotten around about that Orthyx,” said the bartender. “Nasty business, but just knowing the source of those disappearances is dealt with takes a great weight off my shoulders. You know…” The bartender paused, staring at the ground. “There was someone dear to me who disappeared a few months back. I tried to find her, but I had no luck. After everyone went hush, I didn’t know who to trust anymore. It’s good to know there’s still some justice in this world.”

    “Cheers to that!” said Hideaux, taking a swig from the cup in his good hand.

    After that, the bartender treated us to free dinner, as well as access to rooms with baths. As the evening came to a close, Hideaux turned to me and said, “Tell it to me straight. Do you think my hand will get better?” I hesitated for a moment.

    “We’ll have to go out of our way to find a good healer. It’ll be expensive, too.” Hearing this, Hideaux took a long swig of his drink and sighed.

    “Damn. Come all the way out here, get attacked in the streets, chased out of town, nearly die in a cave, and all for what? To get enough money to fix the injuries I got doing the job? Maybe my wife was right. It might be time to hang up the axe before I get myself killed.” Hideaux set his mug down, holding his hand in pain. “Either way, I should get this looked at. I’ll be useless at home with only one hand.”

    “Don’t worry. I’ll help with the bill. And even if we can’t get it fixed, I’m sure there will be plenty of ways you can help out back home.”

    “True, yes, but nothing quite as glamorous as the life of an adventurer,” he said with a chuckle. “I’ll be helping organize books in a church somewhere or pulling weeds one hand at a time in someone’s garden for the rest of my life.”

    “But you’ll have more time with your family.”

    Hideaux looked up at the ceiling for a moment, a tear in his eye. “Yeah… That I will. Maybe my new life won’t be so bad after all.”

    “That’s the spirit!” I gave him a pat on the back.

    A smile returned to the man’s face, and soon we made for our rooms. Just as Hideaux disappeared behind his door, he turned to me and said, “In the future, I hope you’ll have time to visit this old fool every now and again.”

    “Of course,” I said. “Who else am I going to share all my stories with?”

    With the door closed and locked, I took a bath, sprinkling healing herbs into the water to help ease the pain across my skin. Though the water proved warm and soothing, my mind wandered back to that scene in the cave. Just what happened in that place? Why did it seem as if the very rock was trying to swallow me up? Was it simply the visions of a strained mind and body, or did Orthyx speak true?

    I opened the shutters of the window next to the bath, glancing outside. The moon shined brightly up above, its white light painting the town and distant fields in shimmering silver. As I looked at the grass and soil beyond the town’s walls, I couldn’t help but think about my father.

    “You always looked so haggard… How much of the world have you seen that was never meant to be seen?”