#afk fanfic

[foxiwolf8]

What do you mean it didn’t happen like that?????????

Another one thank you , I think I will keep doing these till I run out of gas ( which is never yes)

[shenhe2009]

( Little warning : bad english )

THE PEOPLE OF THIS SOCIETY, THE PEOPLE OF THIS APP, I BEG YOU!! GIVE ME MORE AFK JOURNEY FANFICS AND MY LIFE IS YOOOUUURRS!!!

[afkjourneyhasmebythethroat]

merlin holding valen by the shoulders: so only family doesn’t need to be invited to the winter feast

valen: yes

merlin: and you don’t have an invitation to hogan’s but you go every year

valen: yes

merlin: so you’re hogan’s family

valen: no im just his most trusted knight

[obsessedwrhys]

I cant find any fics with the plots i want so im gonna write them myself. the agony.

[inkyrainstorms]

I had Thoughts about Glass Twins today. (I’m still writing them, lmao. its slow going but its so fun)

Mainly, it’s about the years Hyde spent locked up in his own house. Just. The idea that he retreated into himself in the months following the accident, then began acting out. His parents would be relieved at first, that he seemed to be recovering, but then he would actively get worse. He’d become volatile and destructive (mainly out of desperation for some sense of control in his life), and his parents would respond by locking down the house, slowly, bit by bit. The alcohol cabinets get locked, then the windows, then the doors, and in trying to escape himself and his own thoughts, he’d inadvertently lead to his own home becoming a prison.

It doesn’t help that Henry’s face is everywhere. On the walls, in he picture frames, the very guy he thought tried to murder him followed him everywhere.

And then! And then, in the beginning of that third year, when Henry’s halfway done with college and his parents are talking about how proud that they are, that their son is already planning to get a doctorate, already making such big steps forward in his life (Hyde never got his diploma) (his parents brought it up, once, back when Hyde was first pulling himself out of his depressive funk and into a New and More (not) Fun funk) (he asked them what the fucking point was, if he could barely step foot outside without them having a heart attack) (he was hoping, in a sort of halfhearted way, that they’d agree. Yes, Hyde should try and get his own life back, that he wouldn’t be stuck here forever) (but his parents never brought it up again) Hyde begins mellowing down.

He doesn’t kick up as much of a fuss, doesn’t insist on fighting them at every turn, even participates in conversations at the dinner table once in a while (not a lot) (but… more than usual). His parents are so glad he seems to truly be recovering. He hasn’t had an episode, self-destructive or otherwise, in months. They begin to loosen up, begin to forget checking if they’ve locked the doors every time they leave the house

Hyde packs a bag.

Hyde tries and fails to pick the lock on his window, and he gets his hands on a sturdy hammer from the shed they’d forgotten to lock up one day. He smiles at dinner the night he breaks the lock off his window and tucks it behind the bed. He asks questions, pays attention and everything.

He waits. He’s ready to leave, he wants to leave more than anything— but he waits.

He’s not sure what for. (He’s not ready to let everything go, like holding the broken glass of a picture frame, scared that if you let go, you’ll bleed out, you’ll scar, and things will never be the same).

Henry will come home for the summer. He’ll visit soon, for as little time as he always did, then leave and graduate and Hyde will probably never see him again. Henry will leave eventually, for good.

And that haunts him.

The Anniversary passes. Hyde decides he’s going to get to leave first.

(He doesn’t leave if a note or anything. Henry will be home soon, sooner that usual, probably. He’ll see the house and Know. He’s understand. (And Hyde hopes it hurts anyway) (he hopes it hurts them both))

———————

@afkphorabit @kaykayli @aliens-took-my-iwa-chan and everyone else I’ve accidentally indoctrinated into the most self-indulgent au ever. Wooo

[allo-vra]

The joys of being in small fandoms *opening docs with a sigh*

[this-is-a-name-dont-worry]

Finally caught up on the sidequests

Anyway congrats to that girl, she may have lost her parents, but she gained a dad and two uncles, as well as a sweet castle

[miss-anachronism]

for requests. i need. valen x male magister merlin. im a sucker for this guy. anything really. thank you!

Ooh, I’ve never read an x reader/MC fic, let alone written one! New territory, as exciting as it is scary.

I’m not so sure I have a good grip on Valen’s character, but I tried to write it from his perspective. I hope this suits your needs! It gets a bit philosophical. And sorry if its OOC :,)

He isn’t sure what to think, really.

They’re sitting around a dying campfire, just outside the borders of the Dark Forest. Lorsan is pacing somewhere in the distance, muttering to himself, or to the wind, maybe. Trying to figure out what’s happened to his home. Korin leans against a tree, tending to his wounds- courtesy of Merlin. The magister himself is across from Valen, wrapping his own wound and chattering with his hamsters.

Logically, Valen knows that the lesson he should have taken from this scramble is a lot more profound than what’s been on his mind. He should be contemplating the Wilders, the forest, their next steps, how to protect the refugees. And he’s trying to, but it’s just that something- someone- keeps catching his attention.

He didn’t know Merlin could bleed.

It’s such a silly observation. But as Valen watches the angry red wound on Merlin’s forearm, his gut twists. It’s like seeing a god’s flesh tear, and seeing that its blood is the same bright red as his own.

Valen isn’t sure what exactly Merlin is. As far as he knows, no one does, not even Merlin himself. But to the average young Lightbearer, he’s a myth. A legendary figure that you might glimpse once in your life, but would never get to meet. Never speak with, let alone camp alongside. Fight alongside. Merlin throws his head back to laugh at something Chippy has said, and something stirs in Valen’s ribs, something he knows is dangerous.

All of this is dangerous. Merlin is not someone to be loved; Valen has seen what happened to Mirael. Forgotten about, left in the dust, accidentally as it was. The way she watches Merlin, her face made of mixed admiration, bitterness, and regret. He wonders if she would take it all back, if she could. Scariest of all, when she bid them farewell, the look in her eyes sent an ugly pain of jealousy through Valen’s chest. And he doesn’t want that to happen to him, selfish as that may be. Every time Merlin falls asleep, he risks waking up knowing nothing.

Besides, what is Valen to a hero of myth? His whole life has been barely a blink in Merlin’s. Whatever he is, there is no reasonable way Valen could ever mean something to Merlin the way that Merlin is beginning to mean something to him. Merlin will outlive him a thousand times over. And he’s probably met a thousand different people, fallen in love with quite a few of them. Someone who has experienced so much life, so much loss, can they still love? Could they ever?

And yet, he bleeds. It’s such a human weakness that it seems impossible. Valen knew heroes could bleed; he didn’t know gods could. Merlin does not go about the world serene and calculating, watching every moment with practiced ease. He stumbles, laughs, misses with his spells. He jostles Valen’s pauldron excitedly when they win a fight, he’s the last to flee when they lose, ensuring everyone else has disengaged safely. He has only one dimple, on his left cheek. Sometimes he speaks so fast his words blend together, and Hammie has to remind him to slow down. It’s endearing. It’s human. Valen doesn’t know what to do with it. Because it was so much easier, to write off affection as admiration. When the pieces had first clicked, he thought it all made sense. The natural pull that the magister gave off- yes, of course, it was just Merlin’s nature. But they’re a week into this camaraderie, and Valen keeps noticing things like the lick of hair on his neck that doesn’t sit flat.

Pretty fucking annoying, that’s what it is. Valen’s always prouded himself on his ability to swerve out of love’s path. He can flirt and charm all he wants, but at the end of the day all the love letters he receives are ink and paper, nothing more. Whenever someone seriously reciprocates- god forbid- he disengages as smoothly as he can, lest they get the wrong impression.

But Merlin has changed all that, somehow. Impossibly so. He supposes it’s in his nature, to take everything and turn it upside down. Valen doesn’t want to flirt with the Magister, to laugh as he flushes under his praise. Well, it would be nice, he always has liked the attention; but the thing is, that isn’t the point. With Merlin, he just wants to be. No performance, no elaborate courtship. Just… be. Together. All this, for someone who is more myth than man.

It seems like the scariest thing he’s ever faced.

“Valen?”

He jumps as the magister suddenly speaks, and realizes with mounting embarrassment that he’s been staring the whole time. Luckily, the magister grins good-naturedly- and ah, there’s that dimple again.

“Lost in thought?”

“You could say that.”

He leans back on his hands and forces his face into a smirk. It’s easier than he anticipated; despite everything, Merlin makes it simple to be around him.

“I’ve been meaning to say,” Merlin mirrors his position as Chippy and Hammie scuttle away, the former setting off on a quest to climb the nearest tree, “I really appreciate your help in all of this. Coming along, and aiding me- far past your assigned duties. It isn’t lost to me.”

Valen gives him a look. “Of course, magister. I’m not one to leave danger to fester; I’m sorry you ever had that impression of me.”

“No, it’s not that, it’s…” Merlin’s brow furrows as he collects his thoughts. “You know, you seem so… charmingly nonchalant. Like nothing bothers you. But that clearly isn’t true. You care a lot, Valen, and it’s really, really nice to see. You’re someone who is just… good, you know? And I appreciate it.” He grins sheepishly. “Sorry. Kinda cheesy compliment. I’ve lost all my memories, you know, but being around you- and Lorsan, Cassadee, Mirael- honestly, I don’t feel like I’m missing much of anything. Everything I need is right here.”

He shrugs and turns back to the fire, as if he has not sent Valen’s mind reeling. Functionally, Merlin has been aware for only a week- one week out of thousands of years. He’s wondered how he’s been so calm about the whole thing, and…

And it’s hard to believe, but it’s much harder to doubt what Merlin says, not as he stares into the fire with that soft smile. It dawns on Valen that he probably knows more about Merlin than Merlin does- all of the legends, at least. And yet, despite that insurmountable legacy, despite the name and title that bears unimaginable weight, Merlin is… content. Content in just moving forward, and hoping he’s doing the right thing.

And isn’t that all that Valen’s doing, as well? He doesn’t deserve all this praise; he always shies away from large displays of gratitude, loathing how awkward they make him feel. Because he’s just moving forward, and trying to do the right thing. It’s a simple motive, really. Faith, and what effort it takes to retain it. He always thought Merlin would have some deeper, existential knowledge of the world that would put all else to shame- access to the secrets of the universe, and what not. And, certainly, his magical capabilities are second to none- but his philosophy, the way he lives; it very well might be human after all.

Maybe the usual Merlin, the one with all his memories, is the knowledgeable, immovable sage that Valen grew to look up to. Maybe, once restored, Merlin will become that god-like fairytale hero, wisdom surpassing all others, power knowing no ends.

Selfishly, Valen hopes that never happens. That the Merlin in front of him stays the same, annoying dimple and all, and keeps looking at Valen like that. Like he sees something in him that Valen never knew was there. He hopes Merlin never raises above their quips, their banter.

He know’s it’s all in vain. But god, he hopes.

[frugalkubal]

A Love Drowned in Twilight

Steel rang ‘pon steel as Midnight Hunter and Nocturne Hunter met upon the field, dusk and shadow entwined in cruel fate.

"Yield thee, ere death doth claim thee," Midnight pleaded, blade trembling.

Nocturne smirked, though sorrow lingered in his gaze. "Nay, love. I shall not be the coward between us."

The horn of war did wail—no time for dreams, no space for mercy.

A fatal thrust. A crimson bloom.

Midnight gasped, catching Nocturne as he fell. "Fool," he whispered, voice breaking.

Nocturne smiled, bloodied fingers brushing his cheek. "At last… thou hold’st me."

With a final breath, he was still.

And Midnight Hunter, though victorious, was lost forever.

End.

[fujimomozane]

"A Star Reborn" Part 1 & 2

Summary: Magister Merlin reappears after being gone for a decade, and is immedtely thrust into a task- to put out the fire in Ryeham and find the arsonist at fault. Coupled with memory loss, fainting, and a sickening sense of deja vu, it's no easy task!

Note: This an intro to my version of Merlin before I post other stuff. This is also available to read on AO3, I have the exact same username as here! It might be easier to read there.

-----

Part 1- You're Finally Awake! (2700 words)

  It was the third time that Magister Merlin had vanished for years and then reappeared in the Mystical House.

  It had happened in the early morning. Dolly was only waking up, while Hammie had been studying locating spells all night and was busy finalizing one. Chippy had gone off into Ryeham.

  Hammie went into the Magister's room every so often to retrieve his research, but at times, she went in just to sit on his bed and stare at the wall. Some nights she thought she heard his voice.

  For the past ten years, she had hoped Magister Merlin would return after having vanished for the fourth time. 

  Twenty years ago he had left Ryeham to travel all over the world. 

  Thirty, he had woken up for the third time thirty years ago, after disappearing for even more than... how long? Hammie couldn't quite remember. It must've been decades. 

  She had a hard time keeping up with the dates. Keeping a journal helped with that. 

  All she knew for certain was that she missed Merlin to a degree she hadn't thought possible. It never got easier waiting for him. It was like a constant state of withdrawal.

  But when a thud came from Merlin's room, no one was in it.

  Dolly and Hammie entered it with broom and staff raised. Red flashed in the dark, and a burning smell lingered in the room; it was warm and deep like a wildfire. 

  And on the table, Merlin laid his head, his glasses askew and his horns not poking out from his hair. He was dressed suspiciously plainly, there was no way he would've dawned something like that on his own. He had a penchant for eccentric fashion.

  His iconic hat, which originated the tradition of mage hats, sat next to him. The branch sprouting from its top and most of the tassels that once hung off of it were missing, leaving three red tassels behind, and three Esperian coins on the other side, each hanging by a red thread. Red thread was a charm and warded off evil. 

  The lack of embellishments on the hat left it puny, and the warm magic that the Magister radiated was weak. 

  At least Hammie wouldn't need that locating spell anymore. Instead, she'd begin working on a memory recovery spell the next night...

  Hammie rushed to him, checking for any injuries, and finding none, she sighed in relief. Her sigh made Merlin stir. His hair, once floor-length, ended at his waist. Hammie would need time to get used to his new look.

  "Magister Merlin? Magister, please wake up," Dolly called, hovering over the Magister like a lamp over a book. 

  "Mirael... be quiet, my dear, I am rather busy," he mumbled. Dolly blanched. Besides having red hair, Dolly was not Mirael or anything like her. Mirael was Merlin's student in the past. Hammie wasn't much fond of her. The girl was troublesome.

  Merlin raised his head, his lips downturned and brows drawn into a knot above his barely-ajar eyes. His voice, that strange androgynous tenor, was raspy and stilted from sleep. "Did I not tell you... to stop playing with fire?"

  Hammie was awestruck. She knew she'd see her Magister again. Yet, it felt unreal, like the being before her was not the Magister, but a mirage, an oasis in the desert she'd been treading for a decade. 

  She didn't expect to see the Magister like this, depleted, perplexed, and mumbling to himself like an old man. She should've expected it. 

  "Hey, Magister. You're finally awake!" Hammie squealed, reaching up to grab Merlin's arm. 

  The only thing that mattered was that her favorite person in the world was finally back. 

  Where the fuck am I?   Was not a graceful thought to have upon waking up from what felt like being murdered. 

  Looking around, he was met with a dim, warm room made largely of dark wood and furnished with it. Everything oozed luxury. 

  The second thing he thought was Who are you? as a white hamster pulled on his arm. Some redhead, perhaps a maid, was gawking at him. 

  "Do I know you?" he said, creaky as an old door. He hadn't spoken in ages. 

  "Magister Merlin, it's me, your familiar, Hammie! Your second familiar, Chippy, went to Ryeham. And that's Dolly. She takes care of the Mystical House," said the hamster. 

  A talking hamster seemed entirely normal to him. 

  "I am Magister Merlin?"    

  "You're Magister Merlin Starhawk, a renowned mage known across the world! Everyone knows who you are." The hamster, Hammie, stepped back, her eyes, like two blueberries, looking up at him with much hope. 

  It hit him who he was. Yes, he was a mage, and a good one at that, and his name was Merlin, and Magister was a magely, esteemed title. Starhawk was a surname. 

  With each new trigger, a memory hit him. Hammie and Chippy were his familiars that he created, Hammie a mage, Chippy a knight.  He didn't know how exactly he got them but Merlin had had them for... forever. 

  Dolly had been in the Mystical House for a while, too, and the House itself could move on account of being an enchanted house sitting upon... some creature. 

  "Why does it seem like this has happened before?" Merlin pressed his fingers into his forehead in an attempt to wring the headache out of his skull. 

  "Because it has. We can explain things later- do you need anything? Water, perhaps?" 

Merlin nodded. Dolly scuttered off. 

  Hammie walked to the window, her walk a little funny on account of her small legs. She gasped. Anxiety sparked in Merlin's chest, cold and common; he was anxious often. 

  "There's smoke coming from Ryeham! And you know what they say about smoke," Hammie said. 

  "Where there is smoke there is a fool smoking a pipe inside my house?" Merlin joked, not thinking before speaking. His body didn't feel entirely his. The joke felt oddly personal- someone had done that more than once, but he couldn't remember who. 

  "... You certainly have a way with words, Magister. I'm just glad you're here. But no, where there's smoke, there's fire! Chippy might be there. We should check on him." 

  Merlin rose from his chair and immediately dropped as fuzz overtook his vision and hearing. It sounded like he was underwater. 

  For a moment, his every sense was shut off. Dolly caught him, and he had not felt the impact of hitting the floor, which he certainly had. Pain radiated in his legs.

  "I think I fainted," Merlin muttered. His head was ready to burst from pressure. When he was sitting, the pressure and fuzz ebbed enough for him to be coherent. 

  Deja vu prickled at his fingertips and permeated the air. Everything from the way he fell to the way Hammie rushed to him felt like it had happened before. It left his stomach hollow, saddling him with the strangest sensations he couldn't pinpoint, not in his body or mind.

  "You've had issues with fainting before. It has never been this bad." Hammie tipped her little head up at him.

  Dolly brought water just in time. 

  "Let me get ready, and then we can retrieve Chippy." 

  Merlin stared at his face reflected in the mirror in the bathroom attached to his bedroom. 

  He was gaunt in the cheeks, his face passing for thirty or so, with not many scars or wrinkles. His face had a few off-colored marks. He picked his skin, didn't he? 

  His eyes were yellow like a hawk's. Was that the reason for his name? 

  His eyes were harrowingly tired, the stark black brows above nothing like his silver hair, and his silver hair nothing like his relatively youthful appearance. When pulled and released it it bounced back into a loose curl. Such a texture was bothersome to upkeep and often ended up nest-like. 

  That explained the endless bottles on the wall-mounted shelves and stained bathtub. Alchemical and potion knowledge often translated to chemical knowledge. The number of potions and ingredients in his bathroom would impress any alchemist.

  Not much about himself bothered Merlin. His shorter height, marked as "165" centimeters on the wall (did he leave that in case he forgot?), was advantageous, and his lean build was surprisingly muscular for a mage, acquired from years of carrying the world on his back. 

  And carrying oversized hamsters. 

  The only things besides his magically bound chest that he found disagreeable were his ears, as short as a human's and pointed. He ran a finger along them and down to his three earrings. He could move his ears well. On his forehead were two imperceptible bumps where horns would eventually grow. 

  What was he? Some sort of... 

  Hammie knocked on the door, and he asked her what he was. 

  A treesprite and a human, apparently. He couldn't for the life of him recall his parents despite Hammie's words. It seemed that not all of his memory fell into place so easily.

  Merlin concluded that he was a strange creature in every way possible and impossible. 

  He put on a glamor to hide his ears and horns. He knew that these traits of his must be hidden from others. 

  And while he was on it, he threw in a disguise. Being the most known mage in the world must have meant that everyone would recognize him. 

  That would be a bother, wouldn't it? He put on some actual clothes that weren't the pitiful tunic he woke up in, putting on some robe that was magely enough. 

  He put on his hat, and the final addition to his outfit was to change his eyes to an ocean blue, and his long, grey hair to be short and pink. The two gold bands on his hair didn't want to budge, so he was forced to leave them.

  The only thing of his that remained was his hat and the wiseness in his eyes. 

  Ryeham was gorgeous...

  Except for the putrid smog. 

  Finding a hamster familiar wasn't that hard. He was the only non-human around, the cream plume on his helmet bobbing around like a question mark, begging to be caught by a cat. 

  "Magister Merlin!" He shouted, his mouth falling open. "You're back! I can't believe it!" 

  "Trust me, I am as shocked as you are, Chippy. We're here because of the smoke." Hammie kept up with Merlin easily. Granted, Merlin was walking at the speed of a turtle with a limp.

  "There's a big fire up ahead," Chippy pointed behind himself. The surrounding houses were backlit by orange.

  "We came just in time, then." 

  When they reached the fire, there were troops with stars on their shields. Merlin somehow found that worthwhile to notice. 

  In the center of the group stood a large, familiar man. He had a brunette beard and shortly cropped hair that had begun to grey.

  They were surrounded by fire elementals, and Merlin didn't know how he knew that. That's how it was going to be, nothing was going to make sense to him, all the information that went into him an absurd soup in his brain, sloshing around, whatever was left of his previous memories deep down in that soup.

  What Merlin did know was that he had to help. It was another decision he made without a second thought, leaping into battle by casting a shield on himself and his familiars and raining down stars onto the fire elementals. They sizzled as magic zipped through them. 

  The biggest man yelled "Everyone! Go search for survivors, and leave this to me!" to the troops. Judging by his stature and demeanor, he must've been a commander of some kind. 

  The troops scattered. Merlin's familiars provided much-needed support to him as he was casting spells with mere flourishes of his hand while the soldiers hacked through elementals. 

  There were more throughout the village, but they weren't around long before Merlin snuffed them out. 

  The commander turned to Merlin. 

  "Magister?" he asked, blinking like he was sure he was hallucinating, or seeing a ghost, a possibility with how pale Merlin was. 

  Merlin went stiff.

  "You're back. I wouldn't have recognized you without Chippy or that hat of yours. Where have you been all these years? Ah, you can tell me later. How about you dispel your disguise so I can see my old friend again?"

  Merlin had no idea who this man was, and his warm, welcoming tone and open arms confused the abyss out of Merlin. He pursed his lips in silence. 

  "I regret to inform you that he's forgotten everything like the other times we told you about. He doesn't remember who you are," Chippy said, wiping at his eyes.

  "I have not a clue." Merlin shrugged. The fire was dying down. The screams? Not so much. The village would've been beautiful with its golden fields and cozy houses if not for the ruckus and impending doom.

  "I see, Chippy. That's why you're so surprised to see me. I'm happy to reintroduce myself." The man had kind eyes despite his imposing nature. Merlin didn't like looking people in the eyes, but with him, it wasn't uncomfortable. 

  "I am Hogan, the former leader of the Heroic Order of the Lightbearer Empire and the current magistrate of Holistone." 

  Merlin felt that deja vu upon hearing Holistone . He tried to grab the memory, but it sank quicker than he could reach out. He'd need a stronger trigger to remember what that was. Perhaps a town? 

  "We were friends for years before you disappeared. I hoped one day you'd return. I'd love to chat, but this is no time for idly standing by. Look at these fire elementals." 

  Hogan gestured to the the elementals appearing ahead of them. Merlin frowned.

  "They don't belong in Ryeham. How could they just appear out of nowhere?" 

  "They must have been summoned, perhaps by a mage," Merlin blurted out. 

  "It seems my instincts were right... This fire was no accident." 

  "An accident of this scale would lend itself to something truly improbable. It may be the doing of an arsonist, mage or not," Merlin said. 

  They went ahead, Merlin continuing to put out the fire elementals as they went until they reached the houses where the fire had started. Their tops were blackened and hollow, the fire emanating a suffocating heat, turning half the village into an oven. 

  "It began on the roof," Merlin said to himself. The roofs were hay and wooden. It was easy to start a fire in such a place. 

  The goal of putting out the fire was delayed by a hoard of bandits arriving from the other side. They were all rugged and clad in messily cobbled-together armor, a rushed job, or just a cheap one. 

  They might've thought cornering them into the fire was a good tactic. 

  Yet, their faces grew harrowed when Merlin threw fire at them. 

  Merlin put out the flames that might've spread. There was no chance of the affected homes being saved- they were engulfed in the fire, and so he let them burn.

  More bandits came in from all directions, surrounding the villagers, who were forced to hide behind fences and in the houses they could reach without having a bow and arrow pointed at them. Merlin's heart beat feverishly. 

  The amount of bandits greatly outnumbered the troops. 

  When the fight turned against Merlin, he thought it over. That would be a pitifully foolish end to a life that had essentially just begun. How had he gotten into so much trouble after only coming to? Was it always going to be so? 

  Someone to his left hit a bandit's sword right out of his hand. The person's speed and agility were immaculate, and with them, the fight went quicker and better than expected. 

  Merlin could finally work his magic with finesse and not haphazardly throw fire. 

  Was it an effective tactic? Certainly. But it was like throwing rocks as opposed to shooting arrows. 

  When it was over, and the bandits had retreated in fear of the mage who could envelop them in vines and the swordsman who moved like a shadow, Merlin could see who had fought at his side. 

  The sight was a pleasant surprise.

Part 2- Bad Things Happen in Good Towns (2600 words)

  "Valen! You just got here now?" Hogan snapped. "Were you deep in your cups again?" 

  Merlin would've thanked "Valen" for salvaging the situation if Merlin wasn't stunned and catching his breath as though he had run for his life. Had his body always been so fragile? 

  "That's not fair... I ran into a bunch of fire elementals on my way here. Those guys were really annoying," Valen said. His voice was light, bright, and aloof.

  "Anyway, looks pretty grim here... I didn't expect the fire to be this big. This is not normal, General." He didn't spare Merlin a glance, while Merlin stared at the guy intensely enough to start another fire. 

  He had umber hair with a similar hair texture to Merlin, a dueling scar on his left cheek, and his eyes were lavender purple. The top of Merlin's head reached his shoulders, and Merlin had to tilt his head up to see his face and not his smooth neck, exposed from a white shirt and framed by fur. 

  He did not know this man and felt no familiarity or deja vu towards him; the lack of such feelings was refreshing. He wasn't bad to look at with the red reflecting off the side of his face like a dramatic sunset. 

  The image of a fierce warrior did not particularly match Valen's demeanor, but the muscularity of his arms gave his profession away. 

  "That's right! We think it's arson. The culprit is likely a mage!" Chippy piped up. 

  Valen leaned down to Chippy like one would to a child. 

  "Whoa! A talking hamster. You're a familiar, aren't you?" He smiled, the corners of his mouth not quite lining up. 

  "In that case, this gentleman with the General must be a mage. I've gotta say picking a hamster as your familiar is rather... unique." 

  Merlin did not want to be acknowledged in such a way. He turned his gaze to the man's belt, bristling, detecting a hint of mocking in his tone. Merlin knew the decision to have Hammie and Chippy as his familiars was a personal one. 

  Memory loss and mysteries be damned, Merlin was ready to fight the pretty boy with his bare hands for Chippy and Hammie! Hogan reflected a similar disdain. 

  "I'd normally overlook your banter, Valen. But in front of this Magister, you'd better watch your words." 

  Valen was visibly taken aback. 

  "I've never seen the General so defensive. Well, great Magister, I'm Valen of the Heroic Order. How would you like me to address you?" 

  Merlin desperately searched for something to latch onto as a fake name while avoiding Valen's expectant gaze and perfect face.

  Smog? Devastated villager? Crying child? Glimmerblooms, no! His eyes were caught by a fox painted on one of the villager's houses. 

  "Magister Vulpin," Merlin stammered. He could've chosen a worse name. "Magister Smog" did have a certain ring to it, though.

  "Vulpin... Hm, an interesting name. I'll make sure to remember it." He offered a bow, and Merlin sighed in relief. "Forgive my rudeness earlier. I'll be sure to make it up to you once this fire has been dealt with."

  "Um, no... It's nothing." Merlin shook his head and flushed at his awkwardness. Every word was a tongue twister, and his tongue had become more twisted than a rope.

  The fire, having eaten the two houses, no longer crackled deafeningly, and the smog could begin to lift. The winds would sweep it away soon enough. But first, the winds carried chatter from the other side of the smoldering remains. 

  "Hogan, I shall go see what the hubbub is about, if you do not mind." Merlin folded his now pink hands into his sleeves. He should have worn something lighter. 

  "Go ahead, and take Valen with you. Just in case." 

  Valen's sour face showed he wasn't thrilled at the command.

  Behind the remains of the houses stood a woman with hair the same color as the flames. It reached her ankles. It must be uncomfortable to walk with that cape of hair trailing behind you, I cannot imagine having to take care of it, Merlin thought. 

  Her black dress was graceful, as black as soot, and she stood out from the villagers like Merlin did. She was not from Ryeham. 

  The familiarity that hit Merlin at the sight of her was strong enough to make him collapse. It was sickening.

  "Are you more interested in accusing me of starting the fire than being useful?" the woman with a hat shaped like Merlin's said. She had a star on her chest. She looked a bit like Merlin, and not in the way most mages did.

  Her floral perfume dominated over the charred stench. 

  "I saw ya casting a spell with m'own eyes!" a furious villager shouted. 

  "A spell to quench the fire, my dear. I'm just trying to help. You could be a little more grateful, you know." 

  "The Scarlet Sorceress is as beautiful as her fire is dangerous. That's what the rumors say..." The villager crossed his arms, a woman behind him standing with a pitchfork. As if a pitchfork could defend them against a mage. 

  "I'll take that as a compliment. If this was my fire, you would all be cinders by now." 

  Merlin could listen to her voice all day. Not like he wanted to. With the way she spoke to the villagers, she struck him as blunt and careless. 

  Merlin would never. Probably never, he wasn't quite sure yet. 

  "The Scarlet Sorceress?" Chippy squinted at her. "I've... heard of her!" 

  The sorceress ignored the insults from the villagers, her eyes flicking to Chippy. 

  And then, to Merlin. 

  They both shared a glance that wasn't their first, or even second, and then her eyes moved to his hat. Her gaze was striking along with her face. 

  "You're..." she said, her sky-blue eyes wide and her vermillion lips twisted. "Nevermind. You reminded me of someone. The cards were right, this morning is awful, and I should not have gone out." 

  She turned on her heel and stormed off, bellowing "I'm leaving, don't stop me." 

  A little boy with a stick and a bird on his head stopped her by blocking her way. Merlin debated slinking away while everyone was distracted. He had helped enough, no? The fire was gone... and he could find that knight again some other day.

  "You're not going anywhere, Scarlet Sorceress! All my wares are gone! I demand compensation!" he protested. 

  A fire flickered to life in her hand.

  "Get out of my way, young man. I'm not known for my patience." 

  "Don't you dare try to get away with this! I'll make sure you're held responsi-" 

  The sorceress put a hand to her ear and shushed the boy. 

  "Quiet. Something isn't right. The wind... it's suddenly loud."   

  Merlin knew exactly what she meant. There was a hiss in the air, a hiss that became booming as a whirlwind of a wind elemental formed in the ruins of the house. 

  Merlin didn't envy whoever owned the house. 

  Normal attacks didn't harm the elemental, and the woman's fire only strengthened it. 

  Merlin knew that that was no way to deal with such a creature. So, he began drawing up as much magic as he could to seal the elemental away.

  Amid the sealing spell, he turned to the Sorceress, her eyes even wider than when she first saw him, with a sadness in that blue. With each push of his magic pressure and fuzz built in his head and eyes.

  "Do I... know you?" he asked weakly just as the fuzz overwhelmed his senses, sending him under a blanket of nothingness. 

  He'd taken out himself along with the elemental. He didn't even get to hear the woman respond. 

  He knew that they'd meet again. 

  Merlin screamed at the sight of Valen, not because he was scary, but because waking up in some man's arms was incredibly concerning. He had only met Valen a bit ago. What business did Valen have embracing Merlin?! 

  "Calm down! Calm down! Oh, Dura, I think I'm deaf now," he plugged his ear. Merlin scampered away. 

  He blushed bright red when he realized he had fallen off some bench near a windmill. The grass and surrounding area were ruddy, carrying a fresh, non-smog-filled scent of soil and hay.

  "I... I apologize. You startled me. Where am I?" Merlin stayed on the ground for fear of messing up more than he already had or fainting. Farmers in the fields were already looking at him funny.

  "We're still in Ryeham, I was told to take you here after you fainted. How are you feeling?" 

  His face showed genuine concern. 

  Take him here? Valen carried Merlin here? Oh dear. Those arms of his weren't just for show.

  Merlin got off the ground, dusting himself off. His legs were wobbly as he plopped down next to Valen to not eat some dirt for breakfast. 

  "I am... fine, I suppose. Are you worried?" 

  He raised a full brow. "You defeated that huge wind elemental alone, but you fainted before I could applaud." Merlin huffed a laugh. "Anyone with a heart would worry about you." 

  "You passed out for a while. General Hogan and his men returned to Holistone. He ordered me to stay here and look after you." 

  That Hogan cares about me, huh? I wonder what I did with him in the past. 

  " Before he left, he told me to make sure that when you woke up, your memory was alright. What a strange request... Do you often forget things?" 

  Merlin shrugged. "I do not remember if this has happened before. It possibly has, but I remember everything that just happened. There was that redheaded woman..." 

  "The suspect, Mirael. She's been taken to Holistone for questioning. You're a Magister, so perhaps you've heard of her, or maybe you know her, because she rushed to you when you passed out. She was identified as the culprit by young master Rowan." 

  "Rowan?" Who was that? Ugh, he would have to ask that tens of times in the days to come.

  "That kid with the huge bag and the duck on his head. He's Rowan, the second son of the wealthiest man in the Empire and head of the Mithril Consortium. General Hogan took him for questioning, too." 

   "Do you know Mirael?" Valen leaned on his fist. 

  "Potentially. Possibly. Probably." She sure knew Merlin. And when he asked, he passed out just after. 

  "Don't take this the wrong way, but you're a strange one, Magister Vulpin." 

  Merlin sighed. That was undeniable. Being called a fake name felt strange, but, guess what, familiar.

  Chippy and Hammie had returned from walking circles across the windmill, running up to the Magister and clambering to get up on the bench. Only Hammie managed as Chippy's armor was too heavy. 

  "Magister! You're conscious again." 

  "Chippy checked the village. It's free of bandits and elementals of any kind," Hammie reassured Merlin was a pat on his leg. 

  "The General is waiting for us in Holistone. We should go meet him if you feel better!" Chippy hauled his sword over his shoulder. 

  Merlin hummed to distract from how long it took him to answer. "We can set off now." 

  "There might be enemies on the road, Magister Vulpin. I'll go with you." Valen rose, standing pompously. 

  Merlin decided that he liked Valen. Despite the slightly mocking tone in his voice and that undercurrent of high-society pompousness, the deja vu plaguing Merlin disappeared around Valen, putting the mage at ease. 

  The hamsters reflected that attitude. That was a good omen. 

  "Although, you might not need my protection," Valen tossed his hair, smirking. "If you could handle that thing you can handle a little trouble. I've never seen magic like yours." 

  "Of course! The Magister is the Me-"

  "Yes, yes, thank you, Chippy," Merlin cut him off like an axe. "Even though I am capable, I do faint quite often, and it would be a travesty if I did not have someone to look out for me. Your help would be much appreciated, Sir Valen." 

  Valen's smug expression turned surprised by Merlin's politeness. He offered Merlin a hand, and he took it, getting up carefully. 

  "Do you always talk like that?" Valen asked.

  "Talk like what? I speak rather normally. Do you dislike it, Sir, or is it, perhaps, grating?" Merlin looked up at Valen. He laughed.

  "Nothing. I like it, sounds..." Valen was visibly holding back some comment in fear of offending Merlin, Merlin could tell by the way he pursed his lips and glanced away.

  "... Courtly?" 

  Merlin put his hands on his hips.

  "Are you afraid of me?" 

  Valen groaned. "Of General Hogan. He's never asked me to treat even the stuffiest of nobles so carefully, so I'm rightfully cautious. You must be a big deal." 

  "Do not fret, I do not bite." 

  Valen quirked a brow and flashed a grin. "Really?" 

  A wind picked up, allowing Merlin to divert from the topic. He cleared his throat. 

  "Is it cold, or is it just me?" Merlin hugged himself. 

  "It's not just you, Magister," Valen said as they passed by seemingly endless wheat fields. 

  "It is said that Merlin's ward has long protected Ryeham. It's the only reason that people can actually live here. 

  "But recently, Ryeham's been getting colder. It's almost snowed the past few days. We've come with the Magister to investigate this change in weather," Hammie explained. Valen listened intently. He was keeping his strides shorter to not leave Merlin in the dust. 

  Merlin, the Magister, had not been aware that he was there to investigate anything besides the fire. 

  "My apologies, Miss Hamster, I never got your name."

  "Yes, we should be introduced. You are Valen. I am Hammie." 

  "Are all your familiars hamsters, Magister?"

  Merlin had forgotten that he was part of the conversation. Processing that he had been spoken to, he owlishly turned his head to Valen. 

  "Yes," Merlin said, leaving no room for silly comments. 

  Hammie made the most intimidating face she could manage. 

  "Chippy told me that General Hogan ordered you to protect the Magister. You must know that serving the Magister is an honor,but it's no easy feat. I've got my eye on you. I hope you'll become a competent retainer." Hammie folded her hands skeptically, giving Valen a once-over.

  "Apologies again, but I have to correct you. I'm a knight, not someone's retainer ," Valen said with a hint of offense. "Protecting Magister Vulpin is just my current task. It's not a lifelong post."

  If he kept yapping in the wrong direction his current task might last only a few more moments before he takes a permanent vacation, Merlin thought. 

  "Unless... your Magister is someone like the great Merlin, then I may consider it." 

  Merlin's stomach was light, nearly empty, at the words. He couldn't say anything. Not a peep! Do not tell him who you are, Merlin! Do not fall for the trap! 

  "Did I hear that right? Well, the Magister is... OW!" Chippy flinched in pain. "Why did you step on my foot, Hammie?!" 

  Merlin said everything left unsaid when he side-eyed Chippy.

  "Oh, sorry... I got distracted and didn't see where I was going." Hammie fluttered her eyelashes. 

  "Once you've spent some time together, you'll realize that although the Magister isn't Merlin, he's just as powerful! He's... exactly like Merlin, but he's not," Hammie said, losing steam at the end. 

  Merlin grimaced. "You don't have to flatter me." And nearly give out my identity. I could have done that myself, you know. 

  Valen had already seen a sliver of what Merlin could do. With such displays, Merlin couldn't keep things under wraps for long. 

  "I'll have to wait and see." 

  So, they headed to Holistone, Valen eager to find out more about the mage and warm up from the uncharitable weather, Merlin set on figuring out the fire, restoring his memory, and proving himself to the knight; the hamsters were just happy to have their Magister back. 

  And the rest? The rest is history.

-----

Note: Thank you for reading!

[yohohonabottle]

Illustration for my pirate au fic "Spirited away || Phantom of the sea" – chapter 2. You might see this pic next to the previous one.

[afkjourneyhasmebythethroat]

crying screaming throwing up i love him so much

[silver-flame-alchemist]

NEW STICKER DROP!!!

Come pick your poison!!!!!! Four stickers in one!!!!

[yaboiii-azzy]

i have found my way into another fandom *cough cough hellhole cough* and this time it's afk journey and with its silly heroes

so, there now exists fanart for @aeipathy-dendrology 's fic series the power of friendship (and also this memory i lost). say hi to cypher

[sweetestlittledarling]

As your local stranger, I am here to give you a prompt (saw your bingo card)

Hiding and Injury :)

Hi! So, I saw this earlier and I wanted to post but my brain did the thing of anything I wrote I hated and a little bit myself. I am now trying my best not to overwhelm myself and not to be too hard down on my writing. I wanted to thank you for suggesting this and I want you to know I finished. So here is the finished project for my first 'Bad Things Happen Bingo'

Title: The Knight

Fandom: Afk Journey

Rating: PG

Pairing: Valen/Lorsan/Mabon (Oc Merlin)

Prompt: Hiding an Injury (Part of "Bad Things Happen Bingo")

Word Count: 1570

Summary: Valen is a knight and his word is his bond.

Stupid. Plan and simple. He had let his guard down and someone had managed to get a hit on him. Leaning against an alleyway wall, Valen grunted as he pulled his hand from his side and found it completely covered in red. The strike had been sharp, and it had gone deep. He couldn’t be sure how deep it was but if pain were anything to go off of, this was bad. “Dura above, you sure put yourself in it this time Valen,” he muttered to himself, “a few months away from Mabon and look what happens.”

              “Captain Valen!”

              Valen rose quickly as he heard the sound of boots approaching, quickly shifting his cape around to hide the wound. He put on his best confident smile. “Good of you boys to join me!”

              “We are still on the search for the bandits attackers who- “The man speaking stopped suddenly, looking at Valen with a weird look. “Are you alright sir?”

              “I’d be better if we find the culprits before they escape,” Valen answered, doing his best to mask the pain in his voice. When the men before him shared a look, he sighed. “I’m fine! Go! We’ll lose them if we continue to just stand here and chit chat!”

              “Yes sir!”

              Valen sighed at the sound of fading boots as he leaned against the wall again. He didn’t need them to worry about him, not when there was work to be done, and not when it was his own stupidity that had gotten him hit in the first place. Dura, what would they think of their captain if they knew? Valen looked down at the red on his hand and grit his teeth. He had been hit worse while traveling with Mabon and survived. He’d be fine. For a moment thinking about the magister filled his mind with the open field of brilliant blue flowers.

              He would get to see it again one day, he had promised himself and there would be a bright-eyed magister and a long-eared bard beside him. Rising from the wall, he found new hope as pushed past the pain and followed his men.

…

              From the moment I met you, I knew I was meant to fight by your side.

…

A few days later

              “Magister Mabon,” Dolly said as the magister entered the tavern that evening, “there is a letter for you.” She held out the letter to him. “It’s from Holistone.”

              “I bet it’s from Valen,” Chippy said, grinning. “He’s always sending messages to Mabon.”

              “Chippy,” Hammie warned, giving the hamster knight a bit of a nudge, “don’t tease the magister.”

              “I’m not teasing, it’s true!”

              “That is not the point, it’s rude to- “Hammie’s words fell away as she looked at the magister’s face, which had gone suddenly pale. His eyes were wide as they looked at the words in front of him. “Magister Mabon are you- “Hammie was unable to finish as suddenly the magister had turned on his heals and rushed right back out the door, not even closing it behind him. Both Hammie and Chippy let out a sudden cry as they went to follow but stopped as Dolly let out a gasp.

              She had picked up the letter where it had been dropped on the floor. “It’s from General Hogan,” she gasped, “it says Valen has been injured!”

…

              It’s been long said that a wizard needs a knight by his side.

…

              Valen groaned as he continued to look up at the ceiling, he had been looking up at for at least a week now. Dura above, who knew bed rest could be so boring. To be fair it was only boring because General Hogan would not allow him anything fun. He probably shouldn’t have collapsed from blood loss in front of the general. He was out for a good twenty-four hours before regaining consciousness again. Hogan was there and ready to give him an ear full about pride and its downfall. He hadn’t hidden his wound out of pride…well not completely. Valen sighed as he thought about all the work he was going to have to do once he was out of the infirmary. At least they had given him a private room so he could wallow in his boredom in peace, but he was really not looking forward to all that paperwork.

              Another thing that really bothered him was that he was stuck in bed and Mabon and Larson were not-

              The door being slammed open made Valen jump so high he nearly fell out of the bed. His instincts nearly kicked in as he thought about his swords, but they are currently in Hogan’s possession. Luckily the face he saw was not one he found threatening, though he had rarely seen it this angry. Mabon’s icy blue eyes bore into him and Valen felt both happiness and sudden fear ran through him. He often forgot that Mabon was Merlin and Merlin was Mabon. He opened his mouth to speak but was caught off guard when, in what felt like a flash, Mabon was sitting next to him with the mage’s lips were against his. At first, he was shocked. It was not like Mabon to kiss with such forcefulness and need, but after a moment Valen was dragged in, giving into feelings that were not unlike his own. A month’s worth of loneliness and missing his love started to melt a bit as he closed his eyes, his hand resting on Mabon’s as he let the mage lead. The kiss was over far too quickly for him, as he felt Mabon pulling away. He couldn’t help but grin. “I missed you.”

              “Don’t start,” Mabon huffed, his eyes a little less fierce but still cold, “do you know the panic I felt when Hogan wrote to me saying you were hurt?”

              Of course, the general would write. Valen should have expected this. He let out a sigh as his smile then changed to one of apology. “I’m sorry to have worried you,” he said, squeezing Mabon’s hand, “I’m fine, just a little banged up.”

              “A little banged up?” Mabon gasped, “Valen, you fainted in front of the general!”

              “Something I won’t ever live down,” Valen chuckled.

              “Could you let go of your pride for a moment and listen?”

              “I am listening,” Valen argued, “I’m sorry, but wounds come with the territory! If I stopped for every scratch, I- “The swordsman’s words fell away as he watched the tears start to fall from Mabon’s eyes. He was still not used to seeing Mabon cry and he felt his heart ache with every tear. He reached out his hand and cupped Mabon’s face. “It’s okay,” he said brushing away the tears.

              “It’s not,” Mabon said, voice wobbling, “you said you would always be by my side, and I almost lost you Valen.”

              “You haven’t lost me,” Valen said. He reached forward, bringing the Mage closer, their foreheads touching. “I swore I would be by your side as your knight,” Valen said, voice soft but true, “I haven’t forgotten that, and I always keep my promises.”

              “But if I’m not here to- “

              “Even when you’re not here, I am going to keep my promise. I am going to stay alive so we can meet again, and I can travel by your side.”

              Mabon sniffled. He moved his head to Valen’s shoulder, tears and voice muffled by the man’s skin. “You’d better, or I’ll magic you back just so I…I…don’t know what but it’s going to be something.”

              Valen chuckled but rubbed Mabon’s back gently. Despite the circumstances, Valen was glad to be in the magister’s presence again.

…

              So, I want to ask…can I please be your knight?

…

              It was a few days later when the door slammed open again. Valen, who had healed enough to try to rise from the bed, nearly fell to the floor in surprise. He looked up and found another familiar face he was happy to see, along with a pair of long gray ears. Lorsan’s bright blue eyes looked at him with shock as Valen just tried to smile. “Hey there Longears, guessing Mabon called you?”

              Like a bunny Lorsan leapt at Valen, sending both Lightbearer and Wilder crashing onto the bed. Valen grunted with pain as Lorsan held tight, his side not completely healed.

              “Lorsan,” the knight grunted. “Can you please- “His words were cut off as Lorsan began to pepper his face with kisses.

              “Do…you…know…how…worried…we were?” he asked between each kiss, nose tickling Valen’s skin with each little movement, “you…owe…me…and Mabon…a drink…and a good…meal!”

              Valen reached out to Mabon who smiled from the doorway. “Help!”

              “Oh, I think Lorsan has ever right to punish you as he sees fit,” Mabon said, not moving an inch, “you worried him as well. And I agree, when you are well enough to go to the tavern again, you owe both of us a date night, complete with meal and dinks.”

              Oh boy, his knight’s salary was going to take a hit this month. Though it was kind of worth it, punishment or no. Especially since they were all together again. The mage, the knight, and the bard. It wasn’t a field of flowers, but he would take it, if he meant a little more time by their side.

…

              Please let me stay by your side, for a little bit longer…please…

[justsimpingforawhile]

A new story it's coming soooon~