#because how actually different is it to mercy kill mages in hopes of being seen vs kill countless people some of whom are very much-

[autisticcole]

Heheheheheho I have gotten some of the Dragon Age books (🏴‍☠️) and this is gonna really let me dig into some stuff, especially my favorite guy Cole, cause now I can read his OG appearance, I want to see how much stuff Cole says, especially during his quest actually makes sense, and how much is in-universe "both sides are right"ing about not listening to what Cole wants to do.

I am mainly talking about Spirit!Cole thanking Inky for not making him change... Despite the fact that thoughout Cole's quest Solas ignores what Cole wants (Like being binded) & wants to do (Kill the guy who beat beyond beating a 12 (at most) year old (most likely, it isn't outright stated (to my memory) the Templar who fucked up the paperwork was also one of the ones who physically abused him, but I feel it's a pretty safe assumption) & got that child killed due to neglect & faced no consequences) but ultimately the choice that causes Cole to thank the player for not changing him is the one where you listen to Solas over Cole (Or well Varric, who also doesn't let Cole do what he wants but is closer to what Cole would have done if he had went alone for the confrontation) & in this route I would say Cole's character changes a lot more, especially as he forgets the original Cole, which... Rubs me wrong, but I'll save my more detailed thoughts for 1. After I fully read Asunder & 2. Either a full Cole analysis or a detailed post about my thoughts on his quest & routes (& maybe how I'd rewrite them, as a Autistic person & a ally to the aroace community)

Anyways my point is that I want to see how true it is characters rejected or wanted to change Cole, I want to see what leads him to feel that having two men argue & tell him who he is supposed to be & do only to have a third person decide out of those two's options for what he should do is remotely a situation where he's been accepted.

[exn0bisstudios]

hiya! if it isn't spoiler-y or you won't be making a separate post for it, could you tell us a bit about the work hunters and seers do? does being a member of the order as a hunter always guarantee that you'll have a seer for a partner, or do they have different kinds of work that don't require a partner, or maybe require a bigger group to work with?

I will be making a post about it. After that, you'll obviously get a more in-depth look during the game itself. Still, since I have some other things lined up first, I would be happy to give some cursory notes here in this ask!

Please be aware that this info might seem a bit jumbled since I'm just tossing out notes (also I’m running on two hours of sleep lmao). This also got really long, so I apologize for that! As I said, I'll eventually get a much more organized & concise post up for you guys!

About Seers of The Twilight Order

What is a Seer?

Seers are magically gifted individuals of strong mentality who have been soul-bound to a Nightmare, which allows them to use Void magic. Said magic is the only thing that can actually destroy a Nightmare - yes, they can be hurt by weapons. Still, they'll eventually reform from the damage unless a Seer comes along and wipes them out. Since the Void is essentially power in its most raw form, it is not meant to be used by mortals. So, the Order devised the binding to allow an adept enough mage to use a Nightmare as a proxy. It's a messy necessity since, without Seers, Yereth-Shai would have fallen to the Nightmares a long, long time ago.

Unfortunately, this proxy system is hugely flawed. Nightmares, by their very nature, are corrupted, as is the Void. The forcible melding of a mortal soul to this corrupted being will eventually erode the mortal, no matter how mentally resilient they are. The more they use the Void magic, the faster that corruption sets in. Not to mention that the binding ritual itself can be deadly outright.

In short, becoming a Seer is a death sentence. Most last for around 5 years before corruption kills them. Unfortunately, it's also common for Seers to go insane, either from corruption or just from having a primordial creature that hates them living in their head. The Order has a care facility set up for any non-violent Seers who have lost their minds, where they can live out what's left of their lives in peace and safety. Sadly most that go nuts are also violent, though, and are mercy-killed by The Order before they can cause civilian casualties.

If you're asking, "why would anyone want to be a Seer" the answer is, again, purely because it's necessary for the survival of mortal-kind. Many people who volunteer to become a Seer do so because they see it as a way to atone for past sins. Some do so to be a hero, however short-lived it might be. Some just see it as a civic duty. Regardless of why the Order won't turn away volunteers.

Who can become a Seer?

The only actual requirements are that the candidate must be willing, mentally resilient, and magically capable. Of course, it's always preferable for a candidate to be young and healthy. Such individuals typically prove more resilient to both the required training and the ritual itself. However, so long as they meet the core necessities and make it through Seer training, the Order won't turn anyone away.

A candidate will go through 5 to 8 years of relentless training to prepare for the binding ritual. The training is brutal and has been deadly but is necessary if the candidate hopes to survive the binding. In addition to physical and mental exercise, a Seer candidate is trained in advanced magic techniques. A particular focus on personal control is crucial, considering the Order has no desire to give someone prone to violence access to raw power.

What can a Seer do?

In addition to their ability to wield Void magic as a weapon, they can manipulate it in other ways that benefit the general public. Destroying Nightmares is always a Seers primary duty. Still, they are also often called in to clear an area of Void corruption. A little-understood phenomenon, Void corruption tends to occur in populated areas and acts as a beacon for Nightmares. A Seer can absorb and neutralize the corruption at their own expense. They can also 'see' Void energy, appearing as a kind of smokey aura, which helps them find problem areas or address concerns of corruption/possession.

Some Seer facts

The tell-tale sign of a Seer is the solid black sclera, resulting from their tie to a Nightmare. Black stripes/spots in the sclera are typical in corruption or possession cases, but only Seers have solid black.

Even though many Seers were previously criminals, they are almost always received with respect. Regardless of their past deeds, people recognize the altruistic sacrifice they've made by becoming a Seer and honor them for that. On the flip side, most Seers are understandably received with an equal amount of fear.

Seers cannot comprehend or cohesively communicate with their bound Nightmare while awake, getting at most snippets of violent imagery or projected emotions. They are also plagued by violent nightmares when they sleep due to their subconscious trying to process the foreign presence in their mind. The more a Seer's mental barriers deteriorate, the more the Nightmare can torture them inside their own head.

While they are given combat training, Seers are adamantly encouraged to stay out of active combat as much as possible. They are under strict orders to not use their Void magic unless against a Nightmare or Void-related emergency. They are too valuable to risk on the front line, and using their Void powers speeds up their corruption (and thus, demise) too much to just use them recklessly.

Regarding our dear MC...

Take everything you just read about Seers and throw it out the window.

MC is an entirely unique, never-before-seen case. To start, they never underwent a binding ritual. As far as the Order can tell, MC's Nightmare has been there at least in a cursory sense for their whole life because it has chosen to be there. MC's sclera went black when it finally bonded with them (age depends on MC's background but from 8-11 y/o). It was an entirely painless experience for MC.

MC is the only Seer who has been able to actively communicate with their Nightmare in any capacity. The fact their Nightmare introduced itself and keeps a running commentary on what MC is up to during their waking hours is seemingly inexplicable. MC doesn't suffer any nightmares due to The One's presence, either, and is instead able to interact with a dream manifestation of them.

The MC shows no signs of possession and seems to suffer no ill side effects from the One's presence or from using Void magic. They are also the most potent Void magic user the Order has ever had. This penalty-free relationship has allowed them to be the only Seer to hold the position for more than 8 years.

The general public is not aware of pretty much any of this, however. The official story is intentionally vague, saying that the MC is a prodigy and ends the conversation there. They're somewhere between a myth and a legend to the general public, and the majority would not recognize them in person. The MC is under strict orders not to reveal the truth of their situation unless they deem it absolutely necessary. This is mainly for their own safety. After all, just because the Order trusts them doesn't mean the rest of the world will.

In short, the MC is very special. You'll have to play the game to find out why.

About Hunters of The Twilight Order

What is a Hunter?

A Hunter is a specialized member of the Order's main military force, highly trained in martial and magical combat and tactics. Their primary function is to suppress Nightmare and Void-related violence to allow for a Seer to safely end the engagement, as well as to serve as a Seer's protector and right hand.

They put themselves in danger so that a Seer doesn't have to. However, they are not seen as expendable or as shock troops. Instead, they are provided years of highly specialized, rigorous training to ensure they survive the impossible odds they're frequently up against. As a result, hunters are, without exception, the most effective and impressive fighting force on Yereth-Shai.

Who can become a Hunter?

Anyone, so long as they are willing and survive the training. Hunter backgrounds are incredibly varied, from noble to urchin, but all of them give up their old lives for the sake of the Order. Most candidates are given over to the Order young and spend near their entire lives as members of the Twilight family.

It should be noted that orphans make up the largest demographic, as the Order provides food, lodging, education, and eventually a salary for life. For a child with nothing, it's often the most stable option they have.

What can a Hunter do?

In addition to killing virtually anything with appropriately nightmarish skill, Hunters are known for being brilliant - if unconventional - tacticians and skilled generals. Many a monarch has tried to buy themself a Hunter with a laughable pittance of a success rate.

Hunters are also gifted with a unique soul-bound weapon upon graduation. While these weapons are not strictly sentient, they have a sort of will of their own and are inextricably part of their owner. This bond gives a magical boost to the Hunter's natural prowess, in addition to acting as a powerful channel for their own magic. Soul-bound weapons cannot be used to harm their master. In fact, most cannot even be touched without their master's permission, causing grave injury to the individual attempting. These weapons cannot be broken and, if lost, will find their way back to their master. A Hunter also takes their weapon to their grave, as it will decay upon its master's death.

The forges of Twilight Order are the only place to create these weapons, and the technique has never been shared outside of Order smiths and enchanters.

Some Hunter facts

Hunters almost always outlive Seers simply because, as dangerous as their job is, their powers aren't slowly killing them. As such, there are a lot more Hunters in the Order than there are Seers.

The mass majority of Hunters will never be paired with a Seer. Bodyguard duty is reserved for the elite. The Order takes excellent care in choosing these pairs, and transfers to a different partner are rare. Once a Hunter is assigned to a Seer, they are expected to stay together until one of them dies.

Most Hunter-Seer pairings develop an unshakable bond, so much so that Hunters that lose their Seer struggle to function as well with a new partner. As such, a Hunter who has lost their Seer will return to regular troop duties, often as an officer. Their career as bodyguard is over.

That said, if a Seer needs to be neutralized, it is traditionally their paired Hunter's job to strike the killing blow. While being a Hunter is usually a lifetime career, those who have had to kill their Seer can retire from service. The Order is not unsympathetic to their trauma.

Regarding our dear Mira...

Mira is unique in their own way, though not to the same extent that the MC is.

In Mira's case, they genuinely are a prodigy. They've been with the Order since they were a child and took to the training like a fish to water. Their proficiency is precisely why they were paired with MC - who better to protect the Order's most precious Seer than their most skilled Hunter?

Mira is also special in that they have four soul-bound weapons. No touchy.

About The Twilight Order

The Twilight Order is a neutral faction that pays no homage to any nation but demands fealty from them all. It was formed for the sole purpose of defeating the Nightmare threat, and they have stayed true to that through the decades. Members of the Order are strictly forbidden from meddling with politics unless it furthers their mission. The faction itself takes no interest in the rise and fall of kingdoms outside of keeping their funding secure.

The Order is given a begrudging kind of respect on the global politics scale. Many people view the Order with suspicion, especially considering the number of secrets they keep and how they pointedly disregard whatever laws suit them. However, no one dares rise against them - not just because the Hunter army could decimate a country, but because they're the only ones who can tame the Void.

Though thankfully most governments are content to leave the Order alone, it is a delicate diplomatic balance, so long as they stay out of the political sphere.

Some relevant facts about the Order

Once you are initiated into the Order, you leave your old life behind. Each member takes on the surname 'Twilight' and is encouraged to completely sever ties to their old life. This rule is less strictly enforced with members who have been with the Order for a while. It's common for commanding officers to look the other way if their subordinates exchange letters with their original families. So long as the individual isn't compromised by these engagements, it's quietly allowed to happen.

The Order takes a similarly vague approach to romantic relationships involving its members. Physical relations & romance are not forbidden, nor is marriage or attempting to start a family. However, if such a relationship compromises the participants, it will be condemned, and those involved are punished. Duty above all, for the sake of all. No exceptions.

[fairfaxleasee]

"You mock my pain." for characters of your choice?

For @dadrunkwriting

Anders leafed through his armful of papers one last time. He was standing on Cassia Hawke's doorway - if he could just, finally, get through to the woman there might still be a chance. Cassia's arguments and analyses were brilliant - if she would just help him with his manifesto, show him how to write it so he could make people see, she could actually be a Champion instead of just being called a Champion.

Of course, Cassia probably hated that title more than anyone else in the city. He never had figured out why someone so brilliant would hate center-stage as much as she did. Or why she would devote herself to that elf. Anders had watched her spend three years wallowing in the misery Fenris had caused; she never once cared what he did for her, never once thanked him for saving her life, never once even looked twice at him, but the second the elf asked a favor she jumps to do it and she let him right back into her life. Well, if she wasn't careful she wouldn't have Anders to help her the next time the elf ripped her heart out. The least she could do to repay him was help him with the manifesto. And that wasn't mentioning what she still owed Bethany.

He knocked on the door. Cassia's servant opened it. She looked surprised, then angry to see Anders. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to see Hawke. Now let me in."

"Mistress Hawke didn't say she was expecting anyone. And she doesn't like unexpected guests." Orana tried to close the door.

Anders stuck his hand in the jamb to stop her doing it, "That didn't stop you from letting me in before."

"I - that's - we don't need you anymore! Now leave!"

"Oh, of course! Mages are handy to have around when you need them, aren't they?"

"Please leave!"

"Does Hawke even know how much I did for her?"

"That's -"

"She doesn't, does she? Maybe I should just tell her the next time I see her. Given how much she hates unexpected guests. I'm sure she'd love to know about all the times you invited me in. And what I saw when I was there."

Orana looked away and was breathing heavily. Anders felt a bit bad for twisting her arm like this, but he needed to see Cassia, and he wasn't taking 'no' for an answer.

Eventually Orana whispered, "I'll tell the Mistress you're here."

She tried to close the door, but Anders pushed it open and strode into the foyer. Orana glared at him, but they both knew that even without his magic, there was no way the petite elf was going to be able to force him out. "Stay here." She rushed off to the back of the house.

Anders looked around the room. Orana had left the door she'd taken to find Cassia open. Anders walked over to follow her through it - Cassia needed to understand how important this was.

An angry hiss from the floor and a sharp pain in his foot cut him off. "What the -" He looked down to see the small tabby he'd given Cassia the previous week. He usually liked cats, but this cat hated him with a fiery passion that might just burn brighter than his hatred for the Templars. Of course, from what he could tell, the cat (who Cassia had named Dante of all things) hated anyone who wasn't Cassia. He glared down at the thing.

Anders wasn't sure how, but the cat laughed to itself and began speaking, "Vell, vell, vell- so ve meet AGAIN, Mister Mage."

He wasn't sure where the cat had acquired its almost comical accent, but he decided not to comment on that. Instead he quipped, "Oh, Maker I forgot she has TWO of you..."

"Ach, your memories, they are such fragile, slippery things. I do so vunder what else you may be mis-remembering in that tiny little brain of yours. Ah, if only I could examine it." The cat hopped up on the bench next to Anders and hissed at him again.

Anders took a few steps back, hopefully out of the cat's range. "Oh no! I'm not letting you poke around in my head-literally or figuratively."

The cat left the stool to follow Anders, "It is so crowded in there, isn't it? And it is not all that spacious in the first place." The cat stepped on the pile of papers that Anders must have dropped in his retreat. It proceeded to knock them in all directions and smear the ink around. "Oh, and what's this? Oh, did you think you could convince mein Mistress to raise the quality of your middling little 'manifesto'? Come, my friend-we both know that is a waste of both her time and talents."

"That's not for you to say!"

"Oh, I think you will find it is very much for me to say. After all, it's not like you're velkommen here!"

The cat lunged at Anders with a feral hiss. Anders jumped back, hit his head on something, and blacked out.

When he came to, Fenris was standing over him, grinning. He tried to get out up, but the cat had settled on his chest (and he'd have known without the renewed attacks that it was to restrict his movements, not out of any kind of affection).

Fenris laughed down at him.

"You mock my pain!" Anders spat.

Fenris let out one last peal of laughter and shoot his head. "No, mage. I'm not mocking it. But I am enjoying it. Besides, you're the reason Cass has the damn cat-thing in the first place - it's only fitting you get to see what a fine gift it was."

"Are you going to help me up any time soon?"

"I'm not going to help you up at all."

Anders tried to get up again, but the cat swiped a clawed paw across his face. "Damn it!"

"How does it feel, mage? To be completely at the mercy of something that sees you as wholly insignificant?"

"Reminds me of the Templars. Only not as cuddly."

Fenris opened his mouth to respond, but stopped and looked up. Anders couldn't follow his gaze, but the voice that carried down from the balcony solved that mystery.

Cassia must have finally come out from wherever she'd been. "Fenris? Have you seen Dante?"

Fenris glanced down at either Anders or the cat. "Uh... We've decided to work out our differences?"

"Do I like how that sounds?" Cassia sounded slightly annoyed.

Fenris responded immediately. "Yes. We're being nice. ...to each other."

"Do I have any follow up questions?" Cassia asked.

"No but you might want to make sure there aren't any copies of a particular manifesto lying around." Fenris grinned down at Anders for that last part.

"Fine, Cassia sounded like Fenris had just told her what he'd like for dinner. "I'll get rid of all but five."

Fenris looked back up at her, "Why five?"

"Because not having ANY would look suspicious."

Anders had had enough of listening to people plan to kill him like they were discussing weekend plans. He shouted, "HOW MUCH THOUGHT DO YOU PUT INTO KILLING PEOPLE!"

He heard Cassia laugh from above him. "Wow, Fenris, your Anders impression is getting good! And I didn't even see your lips move."

The elf grinned, "You know I like to impress you, Cass."

"You know that wasn't an impression, Hawke!"

She laughed, "Well, since you're clearly committed to the schtick, Fenris, I suppose I'll answer the question. I don't put any thought into killing people. None. That would be premeditation. I just consider several contingencies and what the most rational courses of action would be for them."

"Hawke! Would you get down here and help me?"

"Sorry. It's suddenly so cold in here. I need to go around and find some kindling."

"Hawke! Hawke?!"

Fenris laughed. "She's gone, mage. But you were so eager to barge in here. I hope you enjoy your stay."

[seagreen-meets-grey]

Like a Shadow in the Night

She was here to study the dead lord's library. She was not supposed to pay any mind to the imprisoned dark mage. He, however, did not agree.

Crossposted on ao3 and ff.net

_______________

The flames of the candles flickered in the air as she moved through the room, floorboards creaking, shadows dancing around her. The storm outside was raging, gathering its strength for the night, shaking the walls of the old mansion. It seemed alive, the wind crawling through every niche, every nook, rattling the roof, moving curtains, howling around every corner.

Outside, she knew, the Elite Guard was having a tough night in the wind, the rain, the hail. Lightning flashed in the sky, lighting the room for a brief moment before deafening thunder pierced her ears. Through the stained windows, massive dark silhouettes bowed to the powers of the sky, small twigs and branches occasionally hitting the building. A gust of hail splattered against the glass.

She was glad she didn’t have to be out there right now, guarding every entrance, every square of the perimeter. Instead, she was up here, listening to the unfortunate moods of nature as she sat down at the small table and placed the candelabra next to the pile of old leather-bound books she wanted to take a look at.

From time to time, she could hear a distant humming, the clang of something being dragged over metallic bars, or the sound of an object hitting a wall. She didn’t spare it much attention, for she was here to check out the library of a fallen lord, not to deal with the imprisoned mage. His magic didn’t work in here, anyway. The late former inhabitant had made sure to secure the entire place and adjacent grounds against any form of magic. He’d seen himself too safe for too long, though, and when he went on a stroll through the woods, one of the witches he’d had hunted by a local band of anti-magic veterans had made short work of him.

Now, all the writings and ancient scrolls he’d collected throughout his life and passion for witch hunting could come in handy for the Elite Guard and their fight in the looming war between the Dark Forces and the King’s Guard. And since she was an expert in the field, the Guard had sent her in here to do some research.

Fiddling with the long blonde braid hanging over her shoulder, she skimmed a few paragraphs on the history of the Shadow Clan, spotting nothing she didn’t already know. Maybe this book wasn’t what she’d been looking for, the information it contained seemed to be too basic to tell her anything new. After carefully flipping through a couple more chapters, she placed it aside and opened the next book, a small one with yellowing pages and paling ink. It was written in tiny, cursive handwriting and she had to bring her face closer to decipher anything. She let out a curse at the little light her candles could provide her, hoping the storm would let up soon so someone could repair the giant chandeliers hanging from the high ceilings in every room. Or maybe they could just fetch her a few torches, but every person in the proximity of the mansion was indispensable from their current job. She sighed. The candles would have to do.

A few hours passed, the storm kept howling and her head began to grow heavy. She had to blink away the tiredness and concentrate on the pages, the words starting to swim before her eyes.

“Doesn’t that get boring after a while?” She jumped, accidentally ripping part of the page she had just been about to turn.

There, in the doorway, leaning lazily against the frame, was a young man. His clothes were dirty and torn. The mop of wild hair on his head was hanging into his face, glowing auburn in the spare light. Impossibly green eyes were watching her and a shudder ran down her spine at the intensity. She felt like prey under that gaze.

“How- how did you get out?” Alarmed, she stood, holding the candelabra in front of her as if it would actually be of help, would he decide to attack her.

He shrugged, taking a bite from a bread roll she realized he must have taken from the basket of food she’d brought and placed in the kitchen, for herself and for the guards after a shift change. Which, she reminded herself with a gulp, wouldn’t be for at least another hour. And even if there wasn’t a storm raging right now, nobody would hear her screams from inside the mansion.

He chewed and raised an eyebrow at her defensive stance. “Relax, I’m not going to do anything to you.” When she didn’t move, he took a few slow steps towards her, a wicked grin forming on his face. “What, do you not trust me?”

She didn’t dare leave him out of her sight for one second as he started to stroll around the room, ran his fingertips over dusty surfaces, gaze wandering over the bookshelves lining the walls, the spiderwebs, the windows, and finally, her. She felt trapped, although he wasn’t standing between her and the door anymore. She could make a run for it. But what would that do? He’d escaped his prison; she didn’t know what else he could do.

“How did you get out?” she repeated.

He was tall but skinny, maybe she had a chance of overpowering him, if needed. But something told her she shouldn’t underestimate him. It had taken the Elite Guard years to track him down, months to finally trap him, with the help of a royal knight disguised as a trader who’d been able to get close enough and backstab him at the last minute. Hundreds of men had died in an attempt to catch who they called the Shadowbringer. Others called him the Night Fury. Offspring of Lightning and Death itself. If she didn’t know about this place’s securities against magic, she’d have suspected the storm was his doing.

He sneered. “They think all I am is because of my magic. They think they take that away from me and I am nothing more than an empty vessel.” He fished something out of his pocket that looked suspiciously like a lock pick, twirled it between his fingers and put it away again. “But I’m not stupid.” He spoke with a calm, collected voice that could have fooled her if she didn’t know better. There was a dangerous power behind that voice and she got chills from the way his eyes drifted over her body. “Meredith, isn’t it?”

She didn’t answer, but the twitch of her mouth and slight widening of her eyes revealed her surprise. “Yeah, I thought so. The guards are arrogant enough to think themselves above me when they talk right next to me, like I’m incapable of listening or thinking just because they have me locked up– and, and some kind of… of power over me.” He was gesticulating at nothing in particular. Something in his eyes turned dark as he regarded her. “What about you, Meredith? Do you think you’re mightier than me because you’re collecting knowledge on how to defeat me?”

The hairs on her arms stood up at the implication that, even though he was at the Guard’s mercy at the moment, he could still defeat – kill – them all. She gathered her words and her voice back from the pit of her stomach. “I think you’re supposed to be in your cell right now.”

Like a shark sensing blood in the water, he heard the slight tremble in her voice, smirking at her. From his other pocket, he produced an apple – the red one she’d personally picked from the market this morning – and tossed it into the air a couple times, catching it with ease every time. He might be distracted enough, she thought, maybe she could formulate some kind of plan, or, or…

“I’m supposed to be many things right now.” He approached the desk and she instinctively took a step backwards, clutching the candelabra that her knuckles turned white. He laughed, low and deep and alluring. She gulped, heart hammering in her chest. In the back of her mind, she saw the field of dead bodies, saw the black skin, the shadows that had gorged themselves on their lives, eyes milky and gray and dead–

“Don’t come any closer!” Her voice was definitely trembling now, along with her hand. Molten wax ran down the brass candleholder.

Unimpressed, he put the apple down on a corner of the desk, on top of a pile of notes on alchemy. Idly flipping through a few sheets, he rolled his eyes. “I told you, I’m not going to hurt you.” When she still didn’t relax, he waved at her tight grip. “And will you finally put that thing away? I’m not a vampire.”

She did. She put it on the desk, not because she trusted him, but because she would burn her skin from the wax if she kept shaking like that. She didn’t move her hand away from it, though. Just in case.

“Wh-what do you want?”

“From you?” He looked up from the page he was reading. “Oh, nothing, really. I just like to get out of my lovely cell once in a while and roam this place. It has lots and lots of secret paths and hiding places, did you know that?” He raised his chin and nodded at the chandelier above them. “A little extravagant for my taste, though.”

Cocking her head, she regarded him, curiosity taking over. “Why don’t you just leave?”

He glanced at her, again with the single raised brow. “Sure, and then I’ll play a game of tag with your royal guard friends out there.”

She frowned, not quite buying that argument. Surely, if he wanted, he could find a way to escape. Maybe he was just putting on an act and he wasn’t as powerful as he made himself appear? No, she didn’t believe that. He must have a different plan in mind – if only she could figure it out, figure him out…

Suddenly, that wicked grin was back on his face, and before she could react, he stepped close to her, so very close. She froze, her breath hitched, the warmth of another body almost tangible. He leaned in so that their noses were almost brushing, his magical green eyes trained to hers, locking her in place. A swoop went through her stomach and her heart was beating so loud, she was sure he could hear it. She swallowed when she felt her body tingle at the proximity. Not now, not here… Concentrate… Steeling herself, she pushed these feelings away.

“Or maybe you could help me. Pretty thing like you should be able to distract the guards for a few minutes…” His fingers lightly touched her wrist, trailed up her arm, leaving maddening electricity in its wake. Dammit…

“Or I could make you…” From one second to the other, his face hardened, something dark glossing over his eyes, his hands gripping her arms so tightly it hurt. A short, terrified cry escaped her and he leaned ever closer to her instinctively retreating form, but there was no way to escape, he held her firmly in his grasp. “It would be so easy,” he whispered into her ear and a shiver like a cold shower overcame her entire body. Wow… Through all her emotions, admiration crept towards the surface, and she let it hover there. As long as it didn’t break through her mask…

Ostensibly satisfied with her reaction, he pulled away from her, dangerously unpredictable smirk back in place. With a heart pounding for several reasons, she watched him pick up his – her – apple, toss it into the air one more time, and make towards the door. “If you need me,” he called back without turning his head, “I’ll be in the shadows.”

A few moments after he’d left, the life rushed back into her veins, her knees wobbled and she collapsed into her chair.

“And scene!”

As the lights went back on, someone came to blow out the candles, people started clapping and cheering and slowly, the crowd around her came back into focus. And with this change of atmosphere, Meredith turned back into Astrid.

From around the corner, Hiccup sauntered in, the wicked Shadowbringer grin morphed back into that gap-toothed smile she liked so much.

“I think we really got it this time!” she heard Gary call from his director’s chair, but Astrid barely noticed. She held up her hand for a high-five and when Hiccup accepted it with an excited whoop, the tingles were back in full force. This time, she didn’t try to push them away.

“Fuck, Hiccup!” She laughed and lightly shoved his arm. “I was actually scared back there; you were so amazing!”

An adorable blush spread on his cheeks. “Thanks. Not bad yourself.”

Someone shouted, “Early lunch, everybody!”, and she immediately caught Hiccup’s gaze.

“Lunch in your trailer?” he asked in a low voice, a secret, suggestive glimmer in his eyes. She nodded, lips tingling in anticipation.

“Meet you there in ten.”

[1phoenixfeather]

Endless war #2

I am not writing that much now. I mean I am home a lot and school is closed down and is kind of digital. But it’s pretty easy to study at home for me because my program is about digital media and right now it’s mostly about drawing. But that’s not the important part right now.

This prompt got half a thumb up by a friend of mine. We cleaned it up pretty much and he gives me pretty good feedback and we kind share the same interests. A part of the feedback on this one got lost somewhere and he had no idea of why he didn’t like the part I wrote. But I like it and it’s not much violence, still, it’s a part of the little story I got in this one.

So I hope the people who sees this is well in these critical times and pleas enjoy this prompt. 

Previous one right here.

Enjoy

Gia woke up to distant birds singing and sweat warmth. She opened her eyes slowly and was met by a bright light. With a hand covering her eyes she saw he sunlight slipped in through the cave opening. Heated up the little space.

Her body felt stiff and she probably would have lai back. Suddenly hurt as she tried to rise up anyway. Forcing herself to be still with gritted her teeth to fight the pain. This meant the burnout still had a pretty good grip and it would take a while longer for her magic regain its normal strength. Maybe it wait for Lynx to come back.

Lynx… Where had she run off to? Maybe she was out there and fought for her freedom, like always. The rebel was always busy. But the thought of being left alone hurt. Maybe even worse than the burnout and the wound that didn’t seem to be healed at all. With a shaky hand she touched the wound, it was hard to tell if it was healed or not with the sticky blood that covered her uniform.

Someone came closer, throw a big shadow in the cave. She would have been ready for battle if needed to be. If not for the situation had been so bad, in agony she dragged her slowly away instead. “You’re awake. Honestly, I was beginning to feel a little alone.” Lynx said happy hurried to Gia and knelt down to check on the wound, which wasn’t more than a scar now, but it still hurt a lot. “Sorry I couldn’t do more. I never was interested in learning how to heal.”

 Gia laid back, surrendering to the pain. “I thought you left me to fight for the freedom you say we deserve. Does this mean that you will stay?” She couldn’t deny the hope the questions woke. Lynx smiled and nodded. 

“For now, and I agree with you. This war has been going on too long, but I don’t want to hide the rest of my life.”

“They probably think we’re dead with the others,” Gia noted, her captain wouldn’t even notice that she was gone from the battlefield. A sad thought when your own side doesn’t even care about you.

“No, they will either think I’m captured or deserted. They actually know me and that’s the difference from the military who doesn’t really value us,” Lynx laid a hand carefully on Gia’s shoulder. “There must be a way to stop this war, any ideas?”

Gia wasn’t surprised by the sudden question. “I don’t know. Personally I haven’t met the king, but he is stubborn. Or so I’ve heard.” She wanted to rest for a while until the pain was gone and then run away to another country. “Remind me to listen more to the warnings and the signs.”

“You might be the most adorable and brave person I know.” Lynx laughed and helped Gia drink some water. She really felt miserable and, not to mention, helpless. “But yes you really should have listened. But again you saved my life,” Gia almost drunk up all of it, the burnout must have taken most of her. 

“Do you think we could change their mind?” Gia asked and wasn’t sure. She had seen too much death and strong-willed people to believe that to happen anytime soon.

“Honestly, yes. But it’s not going to be easy and not a very fast or pleasant journey.” Both knew that. Lynx knew the rebels and Gia the military. Both sides were very stubborn. “But I’m ready to do it with you, are you with me?” 

Gia nodded and didn’t think too much on that right now. “Maybe we could earn their trust once again. What about teaching young mages magic, like our masters did with us?” That academy had, after all, been the closest thing to home that any of them have ever had in their entire life.

Lynx rose up swiftly, turned her attention to the entrance. “Only if I could defend us against enemies. Wish me luck and try to hide just in case.” Lynx walked towards the entrance. She didn’t even meet Gias eye.

“Lynx!” Gia reached for her, but too late and too painful to even move from the spot. If it was the military or the rebels... Either way, both of them were in danger. So she had to try to move, fight the pain and Stay quiet.

Lynx walked towards the rebels, ready for a fight. She hadn’t realized how much magic healing took until this morning, but she could try anyway. “Deserter huh. Here I thought you were the fiercest of us.” Her captain blurted out, but there was no disappointment. Only the sick smile she knew all too well. “Seize her, did I hear someone else?”

Lynx reached for her bow and had to try and fight them form afar. If they weren’t so damn many... On rebell throw her to the ground and hit her hard in the face. Lynx act fast and blasted the rebell and everybody around away.

The blow took energy more then expected and she allowed herself to rest only a few seconds before trying to reach for the captain. She knew if she had them under control she had the rest under control. “I don’t want to kill any of you.” She exclaimed and almost had them, with more then one grip on her legs she was dragged away.

She elbowed the one who was going to restrain her and had forced her to knees. “There is no meaning to fight Lynx.” Her former captain said loud enough for Lynx to hear over the rebells grunting from her every move and encounter. Just one more blast and she maybe could handle them.

This time they flew away from her and she would have fallen to hands and knees if she let it. With every will and strength left she run forward to the captain, she could win... They held up their hand and one big fireball took form. 

She knew that could take her out easy enough, running faster to stop them form blasting them far away.

The fireball swung right into her chest and in a snap she flew in the air. Right before she smashed into the mountain wall. On all four she hissed and whimpered. Then she was surrounded by the rebels and she hadn’t enough strength left to blast them away again.

Lynx clung to the remaining magic like obsessed, gasping for enough air to keep fighting. “I’m alone… I’m the last survivor from the battlefield.”

Her former captain doubted that. “Really? Go and search the cave!” They ordered and two rebels who wasn't surrounding her did obey. Lynx had no chance to stop them. “Don’t fight, we actually want the same.”

“I’m not sure about that anymore.” Lynx clenched her fists and realized the magic. Hopefully, they wouldn’t find Gia and if they did, the more likely scenario, she hoped they wouldn’t kill her. 

Smoke surrounded her and suddenly before any of the rebels had a chance to get to her she was gone. 

Gia heard everything and clung to a stone. It wasn’t a big cave with only one way out. Possibly just one place to hide as she could see, but there wasn’t enough strength to get there in time. “Find that traitor and bring her to me alive!” A man yelled irritated, and the rebels steps echoed in the cave like a mockery to her stupidity.

Rebels searched and quickly found her behind a rock. “We found someone, she’s military!” One called out to the others. Both ignoring her whining as they carried her out.

She was powerless against the rebels. “Don’t… Aaah…!” She almost begged as the grip hurt every fiber in her body. But moving was out of the question at this point.

A man came closer to her, he had a uniform of a captain. He showed his medal with pride on the uniform and maybe it made a difference for him.

He knelt in front of her, eyed up her before he said anything. “So you’re one of the kings mages” She didn’t answer that, just dropped her head in defeat. “You deserted from him didn’t you?” It wasn’t a question that needed any answer or an question she would answer. “A friend of Lynx I assume.” 

“From time to time,” Gia admitted, it wasn't very hard to guess in this situation. No big secret either.   

The captain searched her jacket, pockets and every little hiding place possible. “You burned yourself out, how exactly?” He realized without stopping the searching her jacket.

Gia raised her head as much as she could. “It’s called mercy, but you don’t know the meaning of that word do you?” She earned a hard slap for that and it didn’t help her weak body or the pain at all. But she stayed quiet.

The captain found and took out a medal, a symbol for her rank as captain. Then they smoothly patted her head. “I going to give you a second chance, fight for us or we could torture you until you tell us everything you know.” 

“I don’t want any part of this war, yesterday I watched all of my friends die…” She gasped when she moved too swiftly. Her shallow breathing and a few bruises were the only sign that she had been in a battle only a few hours ago. “I rather die trying to stop it then keep fighting in it.”

“Maybe you know more than others before you knew. I’m not gonna lie, it will be painful.” The captain said flatly and ignored her obvious fighting.

“More painful than a burnout?” Gia asked to know and thought nothing was worse than that.

“Yes.” Despite that, they surely knew how a burnout felt and yet was so sure. “You either give up willingly or we can make you.” The captain smirked and chuckled a cruel low laugh. “Maybe your so-called friend will come for you.”

Gia knew better, from all the mocking in the military, than to take anything personally. “If she’s smart she saves herself and end this fucking war.” Gia retorted.

The captain moved away slowly, their attention turned to a the rebels. “We take this one with us and keep her alive.” They easily carried her with them without slowing them down, ignoring her painful sounds. 

She wasn’t aware or even conscious of the whole way to their camp. But she knew this could be the end of her. Well... Then she wouldn’t need to see anymore of this damned war. 

Do you like what you read send me an ask or a message. I would love to hear from you.

(If things take time, please hang on. I try to make do with my emotional problems and school. Which has been pretty hard, but it will be fine. Anyway, give me time... I was going to wait until post this and post something else first. Well...)

[of-invisible-ties]

Tips for Tempest Trials in FE: Heroes

I know plenty of my followers play Heroes, and, like myself, are looking forward to participating in the Tempest Trials tomorrow! As a longtime player and strategist in Heroes, I’d like to offer my take on some strategies I’ve used or seen and that I hope that others will be able to employ. If this was helpful, toss me a like or reblog! I wish you all luck in getting as many rewards as possible!

What are Tempest Trials?

For those new to the game, Tempest Trials is the uniform term used to refer to one of the battle modes in Heroes. Four teams of your choosing are pitted against five to seven maps (depending on your difficulty, with seven being the hardest), and must clear them as quickly as possible for points. The units seen in these maps are stronger than usual, and their stats increase as you go. Their HP, in particular, tends to get insanely high. 

However, all is not lost!

Bonus units will also get increased stats. And, they’ll raise your score if they’re on your team. Not only that, but here are some strategies you can use to make this easier. 

Life Hack: Knowing who the boss is

In each Tempest Trial, regardless of difficulty, there’s a boss who will be faced every time you’re on the last map. These bosses will vary depending on the theme of the Tempest Trial, but early leaks have revealed the boss of this one to be Brave Ike. Because you’ll be facing him no matter what, it’s wise to have a “boss-killer” -- a unit specifically tailored to countering the boss of that trial. Because Ike is an infantry axe unit, red mages, such as Tharja, Celica, and Katarina, can all do a number on him. Bringing red units with high defense or Triangle Adept also works in whittling him down, but mages are your best ploy. 

Who to bring with you

Healers and Passive Healers

Seeing as the Tempest Trials are well renowned for being endurance battles, most people are prompted to bring along a healer. This would be fine if healers could do damage, but most can’t without the premium skill of Wrathful Staff. While I myself do use healers on certain teams, I prefer using “passive healers”, too. 

Passive healers refer to units who can heal despite not being healers themselves. A famous example of this is the Falchion + Renewal + Reciprocal Aid/Ardent Sacrifice combo. Falchion and Renewal together allows the unit to regain their health rather quickly, and Reciprocal Aid or Ardent Sacrifice allows them to spread this effect to their allies, thus marking them as “passive” or “psuedo” healers. 

Note that Renewal + Ardent Sacrifice works just as well, though. 

Another variant of this combo is the C skill Breath of Life, combined with the Breath of Life Sacred Seal. At version 3, both of these together allow you to heal all adjacent allies for 14 HP. If Linde with her Aura tome uses this, that’s 19 HP; the performing arts variants of Shigure, Inigo, and Olivia also allow for this healing effect, for 21 HP of healing. 

Dancers + good skills to put on them

Dancers are your best friend in these trials. “Dancer” units refer to those with the command skill Sing or Dance, which allows your units to take another turn. Another turn against stat-inflated enemies is huge, and makes the difference between escaping danger, killing an enemy, or getting an extra turn to heal. Dancers combined with a unit who has Reposition or Draw Back work well in tandem with each other, as a dancer can venture into danger, dance a unit, and then be drawn back out with that skill.

A good idea is giving a dancer Wings of Mercy and having them work in tandem with a unit in Desperation or Brash Assault range (aka below 50% of their HP; note that I will elaborate on those skills in a later section). Wings of Mercy allows the dancer to warp to a unit below 50% health, and because those aforementioned 2 skills have that exact health requirement. (Brash Assault 3 can only be activated on 50% hp or lower. Desperation 3 requires you to be below 75% HP, but Desperation 2 requires the 50% threshold, which works just fine for the Wings of Mercy strategy.). If you’re relying on Wings of Mercy with Desperation or Brash Assault, do NOT BRING A HEALER AT ALL. Healing your health will ruin this strategy, so it’s best to go on hyper-offense with this.

Note: the best c-skills to give Dancers are Hone Attack and Hone Speed. Keep this in mind! 

Fliers + Guidance + Healing skills

Giving a Flier Renewal + Ardent Sacrifice, along with the Guidance Sacred Seal, is a surprisingly effective strategy for making them both a ferry and passive healer at once. Guidance allows any infantry or armored units within two spaces to access a space adjacent to your flier. This is effective because it draws your units within your flier’s reach to heal them, and it’s a great set-up for a support flier. I highly recommend Elincia for this role, seeing as she comes with Ardent Sacrifice innately, and she has a brave weapon (explained below) and natural access to Death Blow. You can build other fliers with this set-up, though. 

Using Guidance with Reposition works just as well, as that allows you to replace units if you so wish. Nowi, with her Grimoire tome, Reposition, and Guidance, is actually quite useful if you managed to pull her from the Halloween banner. 

Brave Weapons, as well as the Brash Assault + Desperation combo

For those unaware of how to use the Brash Assault + Desperation combo, consult this video. I mention it here because it works AMAZINGLY in tandem with brave weapons.

Brave weapons refer to weapons that makes its wielder strike twice, which is handy in any situation. While they’re weaker than most weapons, a double attack with any unit with respectable strength will do plenty of damage. Combined with the aforementioned combo, you can get four hits off in one go! And that’s more than enough to deal with units with insane amounts of HP!

That’s also why I must stress that Desperation is your friend. I’m serious. If you put Desperation on speedy units, they will be able to have their weapons act as brave weapons so long as they out-speed the target and are below the required HP threshold. For best use out of it, they should have a speed higher than 38. Any speed stat that’s 40 and above warrants consideration for Desperation. Mages work especially well with Desperation, too. 

Important: mages are super helpful to bring along, so make sure you spare a slot for them!

Strategies for the bonus units

Brave Lyn and Brave Roy: I lumped them together because they work in tandem with horse emblem. In fact, they’d work wonders on the same team! If you don’t know what horse emblem is, watch this guide on it.  My point is, horse emblem is so effective thanks to its myriad of buffs that you can afford to run a healer on that team, because the three other teammates will benefit from the healer’s and each other’s buffs, and that’s more than enough to pick up the slack. 

Brave Ike and Dorcas: I put these two in the same category because they both function as infantry axe units who specialize as defenders. They work best during the enemy phase of combat. In tandem with these two, I’d recommend running a dancer and a fragile mage with Desperation, seeing as either Brave Ike or Dorcas will suffice for baiting out enemies and taking hits. To give them maximum benefits, bring along allies who can boost their defense, resistance, and, mainly, attack. It’ll stack well with their stats. Pairing them with healers also works, although it may be unnecessary in Brave Ike’s case, seeing as he comes with Aether. 

Brave Lucina: Thanks to the fact that she gives +3 to attack and speed to all units but mages, exploit this. Bringing along a speedy or Desperation unit, dancer or brave weapon user gives you the most leverage out of her buffs. Brave weapon users like the extra speed from her legendary weapon, Drive Speed, and Hone Speed buffs, as that makes it easier for them to attack a unit four times. Dancers like the extra speed to avoid getting doubled if they’re attacked, and speedy units and Desperation users like that extra speed and offense, too. Remember: Mages might not benefit from her legendary weapon, but they still get leverage out of Drive Speed, so it never hurts to bring one along. Bringing a red mage to compensate for Brave Lucina’s axe weakness is optimal. 

Mia: Due to being a speedy attacker, I’d recommend tossing her Desperation and not bothering to heal her. You want Mia in the Desperation threshold so she can constantly be doubling units without fear for retaliation. Use the Wings of Mercy strategy I described earlier, and she should be good to go. 

Lute: Lute makes an excellent Desperation user if given the Fury + Desperation combp. Thanks to her ability to debuff units, which includes speed for her easier capacity to double, she makes a solid lead for any team, provided that she has dancer support and red units to counter her green weaknesses. Brave Ike, the boss of the trials, will be a threat to her, so bringing along a red unit is a must. 

Aaaand that’s all I’ve got. Was this guide helpful? These are the strategies I’ve tried and seen, but I do hope it was of use. Of course, I’m open to additions and suggestions. If anyone else has ideas they’d like to recommend, feel free to let me know!

[mxmearcstapa]

Naked Madlions Update #1!

Welcome all to the exciting adventure that is the Naked Madlions, my Maddening playthrough of Blue Lions without New Game+! (All updates are going to be tagged with #Molly's Madlions) As a warning, I've played all 4 routes and as this is a playthrough, it gets pretty spoiler-heavy. I might, and have in previous posts, talk about plot elements, comparisons, and other details.

Basically, spoiler warning for potentially all of FE3H, but most specifically Blue Lions.

With that out of the way, here's how it's going!

Prologue:

GUYS I FAILED THE FUCKING PROLOGUE AHAHAHA. We stole Claude and Edelgards' weapons and shoved them behind a wall to keep them out of danger. I put Dimitri in a bush and said, "yeah, he's sufficiently tanky, he can--" and then he took one hit, and he was okay, and then he took the second hit, and then he wasn't okay. And I thought, "oh, I'll Divine Pul--oh...right." Anyay, I've now seen what the Game Over screen looks like.

With more liberal healing and less aggressive tactics, we succeeded. :P

Mock Battle:

Battle requires Byleth and Dimitri, and I took Dedue, Mercedes, and Ingrid for other slots. Dedue has a swell personal ability which makes him excellent at taking physical hits. Mercie I took because she was the only one who could heal. Ingrid I was really on the fence about, as my past experiences with her have not been the best, but I picked her for her Res, which came really in handy this battle. I made sure to stock up on as many weapons as I could, and I equipped everyone with 2 vulneraries. It did take several restarts to find the right combination of actions, and I admit that Mercedes went down, but because this is like, one of two battles that aren't permadeath, I just left her down. She was out of heals anyway, and we were close to winning. Her survival is, of course, more important to me moving forward. Even so, it took 26 turns (and several swears) to complete three mock battle. Bleh.

"HEY, KOSTAS, REMEMBER US?":

Oh, my Divine Pulses! *cries in joy* oh...there's...only 3 of them. Okay. Cool. I'm used to like...10, but this...this is fine.

This is a tough fight to start out with, because most of these dumb babies are still level 1. No one got to 5 from the practice battle because, like a dingus, I split my exp a little more evenly before thinking about what might happen next. Plus, those Poison Touch Archers are AGGRESSIVE. All the Swordbois have Pass, so we had to watch our backs to make sure no one was sneaking behind us to stab the squishier ones. Most of the battle, we kept to the initial bridge and let the enemies come to us. The bridge gives a nice choke point to control enemy movement. Much to my own surprise, we kept everyone alive and didn't need to use any Divine Pulses (oh me of little faith). As long as you're mindful of archer range, it's workable.

DP Used: 0

Mutiny in the Mist:

CATHERINE IS AN EXP THIEF. WON'T SOMEONE THINK OF THE CHILDREN?

*ahem*

Fog...sucks. About half the army had torches ready, and we only lost of one of our allied soldiers (because he ran himself through an enemy weapon. I cannot help you, sir), so not too bad! About midway through the map, I used a Pulse to pull Sylvain back up (STOP. MISSING.). At this point, Ingrid and Sylvain had learned their basic Reason magic, but their Magic skills are craaaaaaap. Sylvain I know will grow better, and Ingrid we're mostly expecting to crit, but it's a weird progression. I've never gone for straight Magic Ingrid before. When not using magic, she's been proccing her Crest fervently in the hopes that I will reconsider and have her focus on the Lance. *laughs in distance*

At the very least, having Annette, Mercedes, and Dimitri all healing was a boon. Dedue actually crit Lonato to low health, which blew away a lot of his difficulty.

This map is also funny, because I forgot I don't have access to adjutants in the very beginning, so we have to court Ferdinand the old-fashioned way. :P HE SHALL JOIN US YET. If nothing else, his weapon and vulneraries both get restored after each battle, which means "resources I don't have to worry about." As long as he's not stealing exp getting KOs, we're all happy.

DP Used: 1

Gimme My Sword!:

So I was nervous about this because I know there's a lot of mages here, and the Lions aren't super Res-blessed as a whole. But they were okay! I did split the party--Dimitri, Byleth, Dedue, Ashe, Annette, and Ferdie to the left, and Sylvain, Felix, Ingrid, and Mercedes to the right. With Ingrid's Res, Felix's Crest-laced bow shots, Sylvain's raw strength, and Mercie's healing/Res/magic, the right side was only in deep trouble at one point. I was afraid I'd need to reset entirely, but Felix just straight dodged a lethal hit, and they pushed forward. Plus, Ingrid and Sylvain both knew Heal, which was helpful.

Meanwhile, Left Team slowly fed Annette axe kills, and Dimitri and Ashe dispatched the reinforcements. The kids are shaping up well!

DP Used: 1

Closing Thoughts:

it's, uh, it's tough. It's a completely different set of resources to work with. Having 3 Divine Pulses instead of 10 really changes how careful I am: if there's an issue, I am closer to restarting the battle than being able to rewind, which is more time spent. I knew I wouldn't start with a lot of activity points, but I had forgotten how desolately you begin. Mostly I have using my AP for faculty training and cooking for the stat boosts. My truest love, fishing, returns to me as I attempt to raise my professor level. But because I'm not dining with students, they often have low motivation, which prohibits me from training as intensely. With the battle time being longer overall, it's not as prohibitive towards weapons, but magic has limited uses, so if I'm not pumping that in lessons, they learn it much more slowly. AND, even though we're getting weapon exp, it's at the cost of the weapons themselves, and this army is NOT made of money. So striving to find a balance is something of an issue, but I think I'm getting it.

Roster Progression (Post Tomb-Raiding):

Byleth: 10, Mercenary

Dimitri: 11, Priest

Dedue: 8, Soldier

Ashe: 8, Fighter

Felix: 10, Archer

Annette: 8, Monk

Sylvain: 8, Monk

Mercedes: 8, Monk

Ingrid: 9, Monk

Current Professor Level: C

Time Stamp: 14:45

[redhawke-bluewizard]

So I just finished watching Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Bladeworks

and oh boy do I have a lot to say about it. In fact, I kept Tumblr open the entire watchthrough and sent a stream of real-time commentary to @fragrantricepaddy. Since I know a few others who will want to hear my thoughts, I’m going ahead and making a big post about it. Commentary is below the cut-off. SPOILERS AHEAD

SEASON 1

I'm loving it so far: -90% Shiro, +200% Rin.

Rin's first Command was probably the single best use of a command seal I've seen in Type Moon so far

Rin and Archer's banter gives me life

So, there was a problem with Archer's summoning, and Rin says she'll "figure out what to do about it later". Judging from previous Type-Moon, that means a magic ritual involving Rin and Archer f**king, right?

they keep showing the same shot of the Tohsaka manor, and the laziness in that regard is really bothering me

somebody get Sakura a teddy bear. she looks dead inside

the whole "Servants consume minds and souls" thing makes Type-Moon magic sound even more Lovecraftian. adding it to the evidence list

Rin's faith in Archer is just... I can't even... "Handle the landing", goddamn iconic

hmm, that was a suspiciously aggressive first action by Saber.

wtf was Sakura doing meeting with Gilgamesh in the middle of the night

man, Shiro just served Shinji with a smile. Unlimited Blades is characterized by +300% sass

every single highway shot is giving me Berserker flashba- oh this is actually that scene

The teacher character has many virtues, one of which is being an age-appropriate crush. More importantly, I don't think I've ever seen a more relatable character in all of anime

omg Shiro's nickname is Brownie that's adorable

Saber: "My sword will be at your side" Shiro: "Wait" Saber: *immediately runs off*

SHE ACTUALLY CALLED HIM A HACK

Plot twist: Shiro is the tsundere

The huge chest-window on Saber's outfit never bothered me this much before

"Tohsaka, what kind of person is this priest?" "An asshole" ~Rin, probably

"The status of master cannot be given to another" and other lies he tells for filthy karma

"It's a fight to the death" "Oh Kirei shut up!" get him girl

"So then, are you all done chatting?" I fucking snorted XD

Saber's looking at Illya, and I still can't figure out if she's lacking memories in this series.

Rin just Ice Caged that motherf**ker

Shirou's having his existential crisis

Kirei seems thrilled that Shirou's participating, but after Kiritsugu, it really seems like a downgrade as far as rivals go. His standards must have really slipped over the years.

Rin just tried to fuckin end Illya. cold.

Anime gets +2 points for Shirou NOT falling on Rin's chest when they bump into each other. Another +2 points for Rin putting him in a hold anyway.

The dialogue contains a lot of sexual subtext. Terms like consent and intercourse are thrown about in reference to Master-Servant and Servant-Servant interactions. What's your game, Type-Moon...

I see your resurrection and raise you a DRILL ARROW

"I never should have introduced Archer to Gurren Lagann" ~Rin, probably

Everybody in this show has daddy issues

I feel like they got a different writer for Shirou's dialogue than they did for every other character in this show - and they paid Shirou's writer a lot less money

Oh my god, you're having breakfast with a lovely Heroic Spirit, stop making discoveries about Rin

Ms. Fujime seemed to have the strongest objections, but she's going to be single-handedly responsible for the harem aspect of this anime.

Rin, why are you surprised to see him at school? You both go here.

So, Aioko goes missing, and they're all like "She was last seen with Shinji, but no one can find him." Doesn't that mean that they should be worrying about two missing students? There was a nearby murder. Why is Shinji under immediate suspicion?

Man, Rin's aim sure sucks.

I appreciate her class in not just smashing the door down and smoking him out instead.

There's something about magical inheritance that I'm not quite getting. It's been established that only one child can inherit family magic, but it's unclear why. One possibility is that the magic can only be physically held by one person at a time. As such, all a parent can do is teach their kid and do some kind of preparation that makes the magic pass to them upon their own death. However, that doesn't explain why Rin and Sakura were seperated in Fate/Zero. That seems to be entirely political. The impression there was that other families would not allow the Tohsakas to have two mage children, which indicates that multiple kids CAN be trained in the family magic. In that case, the restriction to only one child is probably to prevent families from raising small armies of child soldier-mages.

Shiro to Rin: "I know I'm not a mage" Shiro to Archer: "Fuck you, I'm a mage"

Saber: "You gave me your word that you would return before sunset" Shiro: "Well I also told you I'd summon you if I was in danger, but I didn't do that either" Saber: "..." Shiro: "YOLO"

Shinji: "Don't throw around false accusations" Shirou: "Oh no, you're doing a swell job of making everyone suspect you without my help"

Shirou knows Detect Secret Doors, Jon must be so happy

Oh no, Caster's seen Inuyasha

"So within these walls, you are able to mimic true magic" Caster Servants can't use true magic?!

Is Shiro the only one that seems concerned at Shinji's mental breakdown and maniacal laughter?

Man, Shiro just turned on the sass for Rin with NO MERCY

Wait, she scolded him so fiercely for going to school without Saber, and then she leaves Archer just so she can have some alone time with her new beau.

I can't believe that Shiro just "but no funny business"d Saber

Goddamn Shinji is such a little shit

My assumption is that Shinji didn't get the Mato magic because it's Sakura's by right of inheritance.

Rin's voice acting just got 50% more moe

And we interrupt this Holy Grail War for some boyxboy fanservice.

"You already checked him out?" "I sure did." The audience: He sure did.

"The heart of a mage chooses results over ideals" That sounds important - adding it to the list

Shiro, there comes a time in every young man's life when he experiences 'sword envy'...

I fucking KNOW Caster's voice actress, but pride prevents me from Googling it. Jesse?

Goddamn Saber needs to get a shield. She keeps injuring her left arm.

Shirou seems to be learning more from his enemies than from his allies.

You can tell the Matous are on the decline because their rapey bug-room has much fewer magic rape-beetles than normal.

Command seal seems to be a bit of a misnomer, considering we've seen them used as power sources for other magic. They're really just minor plot devices. I bet you could just use them to reconnect Saber and Shirou's link so she could get mana from him.

Jeez, I think the magic circuit overload must have fried a few of Shirou's brain cells. He's certainly slow on the uptake this morning.

"Oh to be young and in love!" shut up Fujimora, you're in your twenties

God he sucks at dates

Holy shit Saber's eye-sparkles at the sandwiches give me life

she actually went in to wipe the sauce off he actually chickened out of it

Rin's banter makes Shirou think that she's gonna fight him, but I swear she's talking about sex He's just failing every sense motive check

Fujimora: Hey Kuritsugu, do you know someone named Saber? *grave cracks straight down the middle*

SEASON 2

"Well, I have nowhere to go but up" ~Shirou, probably

Did the subs explain why Shirou stole that depleted healing gem from Rin?

Aaand the animators are really getting their kicks out of Saber's enslavement

"Your Servant body cannot resist me."

Yeah, even without having seen the original series, I'd call BS on her having killed Kirei.

More flashbacks to the Keyblade graveyard - I mean, Archer's past.

Archer went from sassy older brother to Rin's personal motivational speaker in no time

Rin is the ballsiest motherf*cker wanting to take on Caster. I can see that Archer considers her wanting Shirou and Saber back together to be a weakness.

I get that Rin thinks she can beat Caster, but why would Rin think that CASTER would think that Rin could win?

"Come down here so I can kick your ass." get her, girl

Looks like Archer's looking ahead and playing the long game. He knows that he has to keep Caster in one place or surprise her. Head on confrontations won't work on her. I hope.

Good to see Shirou getting faster with that, but it looks like he's not fully recovered.

I would like to think that Rin can see what Archer's doing.

"I've always adored and watched you from a distance." your execution sucks

"I don't hate you, and your cooking's pretty good" need me a freak like that

I like how neither Rin nor Shirou consider asking Shinji to join them for even a moment, but the crazy child who tried to murder them sounds like a Good Idea

Aaand Caster's flashback suddenly went even more Instrumentality Project than the Fate/Zero finale

"Not like this!" whatever, I hope you get eaten alive by beetles

Aww hey, I remember this courtyard

I went from being ticked at these homunculi nurses to fuckin loving them in two seconds flat

Aww, damn

I-Iris?

WHAT IS THE GRAIL CURSE DOING HERE?!

why do u make me cry

I want nothing more than for Shirou to be like "Shinji? Last time I saw you you were pissing yourself running to the church."

Tohsaka: "Your PTSD is bullshit and your coping mechanisms are crap"

Shirou: "I wanted to become a man like him." Audience: You really don't.

So if I'm getting my analysis right, if Shirou neglects his own happiness in the pursuit of saving others, all he will ever do is save people so that they in turn can martyr themselves (in the same way that Kiritsugu "saved" Shirou). But by the same token, if Rin keeps saving Shirou without making it clear that it's for her own desires, then she'll never be able to convince Shirou to be selfish.

Shirou just got all clingy bf. wow.

AND SHE'S INTO IT

*Lancer breaks the fourth wall*

"If I have to put up with this I'm gonna kick Caster's ass all by myself!" oh she'd do it too

Everyone with purple hair in this show needs a teddy bear and a warm hug

Oh my god the Archer/Lancer banter is like a couple of old men. It's hilarious

"Like I would ever walk on somebody else's grass!" XD

The Archer/Lancer fight is turning out to be my favorite anime fight scene

I feel like Rin was gonna warn Lancer that Archer likes to taunt and throw off his opponents, but the pridful fucker didn't listen, and now he's getting goaded. MAN I hope Archer's bluffing about his heel-face turn.

... Did Archer just manifest an AT field???

Archer. Cold.

ARCHER

So, is Archer some kind of Shirou Alter?

SABER AND RIN. HOLY SHIT

He's seen Excalibur. Oh noe

This is what I'm talking about. Learns more from his enemies than his friends.

Break his nose, Rin

So earlier, Archer pronounced his AT field as "Ayas", but I'm pretty sure it would be spelled as 'Aegis'.

KICK HIM

oh that was even more satisfying

and Lancer's dialogue continues to be perfect

Aww, man, Lancer can't get a break

oh. Lancer got a break :)

please not another choking scene

I was about to say, Lancer hadn't disappeared yet

Well, Archer turned out to be a huge asshole, and Rin's been tied up for the last two episdoes, so Lancer is my new favorite.

Archer's gonna burn up all his mana before he kills Shirou at this rate

Waitaminute, what happened to Assassin?!

Oh. Oh, Archer.

Ah, is Shinji finally gonna bite the dust? Thanks, Gilgamesh.

I am very content with their pre-battle resolutions and meal. The scene has a feeling of rightness to it.

"Saber doesn't stand a chance against him!" "On what basis do you make that judgement?" "On the basis that he's smoked every other Spirit he's fought without taking a scratch, while you got beaten up by a teacher with magic punches."

Aww, Rin doesn't want to tell Shirou he's their only hope of beating Goldy. Not sure whether it's her pride or that she doesn't want to put that pressure/risk on him.

Waitaminute, are Rin and Saber banging to do something magical circuit related?!?

NOPE

"All I told you to do is take your clothes off!"

But boy, Rin sure was acting like they were gonna have to bang to do the transfer. Type-Moon is using their own sleazy rep to fake-out the audience.

Anyway, Rin's plan for Shirou to use the reality marble is great, but she doesn't know about World Ender.

C'mon Shirou, a girl gives you her magic crest, you gotta at least do some pillow talk.

She fantasizes about him doing high jumps all day? Kinky.

The conversation they're NOT having is that, one way or another, Saber won't be here tomorrow.

Also, I'm reasonably certain that Gilgamesh was corrupted by the Grail when he got drenched in it. He didn't give a fuck about it before, but now he wants to do something symbolic about wiping out humanity with their own wishes. He was a chronic narcissist before, but now he's gone full megalomaniac.

oh, nevermind, there's the conversation

Jeez, I can't believe a key component of this plan is "save Shinji"

THERE'S FUCKIN ASSASSIN

I'm assuming that Goldy has just been steadily leeching off of others for mana over the course of ten years, so he's not gonna run out anytime soon.

I think Grail!Iris wants to kick the shit out of Goldy as much as I do.

"A mage is simply no match for a Servant" Pft, like when?

I really want Shirou to summon Eya (sp?) while Goldy is laughing, just to shut him up.

Rin, goddammit, stop being proud and let Saber help you

WHAT? WHAT? WHAT? ARCHER?

YES RIN-ARCHER DREAM TEAM TAKES THE WIN

WOOH, GAINAX BOOM!

So, last time the Grail's destruction caused fire and death to rain upon the city. This time, the Grail's destruction causes... a rain of pretty sparks?

FINALLY DREW BLOOD FROM THAT MOTHERFUCKER

Goldy, you sore loser!

"But first, take a step to the right."

Emiya-Archer making an appearance at the end did not at all fit with established mechanics and I am 100% okay with that.

HE WAS ABOUT TO PROPOSE

He's her bodyguard/apprentice? Sweet.

Who the fuck is this chick?

THIS is Luvia??

Her dialect is obnoxious.

Rin in tight clothes is a gift

The Epilogue seems a little late in the series to try and wedge in a love triangle

Join the Mage's Association? *pft*

I'm terribly peeved that Shinji survived this thing. The worm.

Oh boy, Tohsaka got bold - planning rendevous in the student council prez's face.

"I should have known you would take advantage of me again." SPILL THE TEA, SHIROU

"Look me in the eyes and say that you'll come." Honestly, I'm just adding this line to the list to mess with Carlos.

WAVER!!!!!!!!!!

Rin has been giving Shirou bedroom eyes in every scene of the epilogue

"Got some things to work out of my system" like all of the sexual tension built up over this series?

Closing thoughts: -What pretty animation -The romance/fluff was excellent -Archer and Lancer clearly got the best dialogue -Shinji can go jump in a lake -Sakura still needs a teddy bear -Iris deserved better -Caster Did Nothing Wrong -Why is there an after-scene after the f*cking Epilogue? -Archer is such a buzzkill