#beloved vengeful snake god

[pharawee]

Bound by a chain of karma and an ego that knows no end, he is coming back to reclaim what once belonged to him.

[ant1quarian]

YEAAAAH I CAN FINALLY GET THIS OUT!! THANK YOU,,..,

BEWARE THIS IS SUPER LONG 💀

—

So .  Frisk does a pacifist run, monsters r free, yknow the drill. One thing: the barrier, AKA a bunch of concentrated, human magic, doesn’t rip. It explodes, sending out a huge shockwave of magic that humans unintentionally absorb (the barrier was made of human magic, after all), and they all turn into various different, new species.

A lot of humans turn into bitties. Frisk does, for one. Monsters take pity on the bitties and start to make the adoption centers and such that most bitty AUs have. However, monsters aren’t exactly the best towards bitties- most treat them as pets or pests, or just lesser in general. Particularly racist monsters form bitty rings as a kind of… “punishment” for the former humans ‘cause of how their ancestors sealed monsters away so long ago.

Now, here’s where it gets a bit more interesting: some humans turn into nagas and sirens. Both are very powerful, like boss monsters almost. I’ll talk abt sirens in a moment, but I’m gonna focus on the nagas first.

All three formerly human species are still, you know, human, and don’t want to hurt people. but since literally all of them are incredibly confused and scared (imagine waking up with a snake’s tail instead of your legs. it’s cool in theory but god, the body horror) a lot of nagas end up killing monsters. This results in nagas being hunted down and drove into forests, in which they finally find other former humans and pack instincts kick in, forming colonies of nagas. The nagas are a tiny bit more peaceful than sirens, generally. That doesn’t mean defenseless though- nagas are just a tad more defensive than offensive. Speaking of offensive…

Sirens are a bit different. Back when the barrier exploded, humans that turned into sirens were put in a trance and just endlessly sought out water until they found a large enough source. Then they walked in and woke up as sirens. The same thing that happened with nagas happens with sirens- most sirens that didn’t end up in the ocean die, and eventually the remaining sirens find each other.

Here’s where sirens and nagas start to deviate in terms of ideology (specifically towards monsters). Nagas, generally speaking, don’t actively hunt monsters. They do kill any that venture into their forests, but that’s nothing compared to sirens. Sirens are more often than not very spiteful and vengeful towards monsters. They blame monsters for turning them into sirens (body horror my beloved) and also for killing other sirens. They sing to lure in monsters and drown them. Any monster they spot is already dead. No beach is safe- sirens lurk everywhere in the water, even in the arctic.

I first thought of this… AU? As a Sans x reader, but I don’t know what species the reader would be. Maybe something like the Trappist System where there’s multiple readers romancing different Sans AUs? Originally, reader was a spiteful, cecalia siren that met Sans on a dock- maybe as spy of some kind, to gather information for the sirens? But I love nagas as much as (maybe even more than) sirens, so now I just can’t pick. 

The main thing that started this was the idea of siren body horror, and the sheer terror of becoming something like that. The power you now wield, but having no idea how to use it. The unshakeable feeling that your body is horrifyingly wrong, twisted into something inhuman without your consent. I don’t see many fics touch on that kind of thing with sirens and nagas, and it’s such an intriguing idea to me that my brain cobbled together… whatever this is lol.

Apologies for the SUPER long ask, I wrote this in my notes before sending the ask so tumblr couldn’t eat my writing halfway through. Thank ye kindly for letting me ramble about my little au idea in the first place :]

YOU!!

POINTS AT YOU

HAVE AMAZING THOUGHTS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BLESSING ME WITH THEM!!

That concept is something I love and adore and if I had motivation to write (instead of, y'know, being completely kidnapped by Minecraft-), I would love to write this.

Don't apologise 'cause I really like it! :D

Long rants/asks are always welcome here!

,,, Ngl I thought I replied to this but I must have gotten sidetracked lmao.

The thought of doing this like how I'm doing the Trappist system intrigues me! I feel like it would be very goofy indeed

THANK YOU FOR BESTOWING YOUR WONDEROUS THOUGHTS UPON ME! 'TIS MUCH APPRECIATED!

[chiimaera]

SIGYN. lawful neutral.

norse myth, truth & other lies book series fc: charlize theron

dossier:                      

sigyn had always stuck out, even amongst the gods. she is not violent, she is not vengeful, and her life goal is not to die in ragnarok once it comes. her only idea and her single driving thought is the wellbeing of her family. in all her verses, she was a mortal first and because of this loyalty, she is granted immortality through divine blessing.        

in mythology, loki kills baldr by rigging a game. the gods could not let this pass since baldr was extremely beloved among them. everyone who was part of this and connected to Loki in any way was punished. after killing lokis sons, loki was taken in a cave deep under the earth and chain using his own sons entrails. they put snake over his head so the snake could drip venom on his forehead and cause him immeasurable pain. ever faithful, sigyn remained at his side using a bowl to collect the venom that was dripping from the snake’s teeth.

From time to time, she had to leave his place to pour the content of the bowl. During that time, the venom would drip on Loki’s head. The poison was very powerful, and it made him tremble and scream in agony. Loki’s screaming and trembling are said to be the origin of earthquakes in the human world.

mythos canon does not have to apply to other muses unless desired          

because of her sacrifices ( mythology and headcanons ), she became the goddess of fidelity, nurturing, and grieving. primarily, she was honored by women. if someone was praying to sigyn, they were usually in deep sadness or was heartbroken. also, people who lost their children paid respects to sigyn to keep them safe in the afterworld.

She would not be a God that you would pray for seeking justice but the god to whom you would pray to achieve inner peace. she was usually represented as either a young, innocent bride, a grieving mother, or a nurturing mother, and that were three main aspects regarding Sigyn’s personality. It depends on which Sigyn’s personality you pray to. If it is to the bride, the offering should be cake or some other sweet which should be made by the one making the offering. To the nurturing or grieving mother, one should offer fresh milk and bread.        

personality:   

she is stubborn and willful. she seeks law and order, follows rules and expects others to do the same. this can come off as naive and self righteous at times, putting expectations on others and being disappointed or sad when its not met. her ability to keep giving second chances is taxing and quixotic. as her name sake, she is a fighter and will stick up for herself and others—especially those she loves. she will fight tooth and nail even at a disadvantage. she is loyal to a fault, always wanting to make sure the people closest to her are taken care of even when they break her heart over and over.     

she is hard working, intelligent and focused, tends to be more introverted. she dislikes cheats, liars and bullies and will tell people when she disapproves of their behavior. sadness comes easier to her than anger though she will refuse to cry in front of others if she can help it. when shes comfortable, she can be playful and sweet, letting her guard down enough to let herself breath outside her responsibilities.    

verses:                                  

main ::  lightly based off the novel ‘truth & other lies’ series, sigyn was born to a mortal family on midguard. her mother died when she was young and her brother is a con man so she took over her fathers business at a local book shop and printing press. her father was diagnosed with brain cancer which leaves him bed ridden and hallucinating. she does her best to care for him when shes not working in the shop, fixing the machines and making sure projects are completed on time. her brother is known in bad circles for conning people out of money so she keeps bookies and loan sharks at bay as best she can. she is stubbornly unwilling to give up on her family no matter the strife

             her undying and unyielding loyalty, even at the expense of her wellbeing, sparks a divine energy inside her. while it is acknowledged by odin and freya, they never approached the woman because she is mortal and could not live in asgard. without being introduced, her magical abilities are only brought out when in danger or high emotions, uncontrollable and unknowing to her.             

main verse can be a period piece (1700-1800s) or modern                   

mythological & marvel ::  when odin was gathering his allies, creating the pantheon, he found a one mortal who stood out among the many. despite her families struggle, the betrayal of those closest to her, she remained loyal to her blood and kept her promises even when she was heart broken and exhausted. through her untimely death, odin brought her amongst the Aesir gods as the goddess of fidelity, unable to let that light inside her die. optional to include marriage to loki and her sons.            

this blog does not acknowledge the marvel comics for this character

[beeceit]

Is there something about itbotb Purple's design/characterisation that you didn't expect to include but ended up liking too much to leave out? And/or what's the biggest change from when you started putting together ideas to now?

I absolutely love this question!! It really made me think and I appreciate that SO MUCH I accidentally deleted the first version of my answer (That I was super proud of ):< ) but let's see if I can recreate it bc I have A LOT to say

Okay so Purple's design was absolutely NOT what I expected in any way shape or form! He was originally going to be very sleek and techno, taking some inspiration from Shelldon and the rest from 80s sci-fi (long black coats my beloved) and then I got the Firefly theme stuck in my head and was struck with A Vision and remembered that Donnie was the only one hyping up Leo's cowboy fit in Clothes Don't Make The Turtle. I wanted to make him similar enough to my design for the Renegade Animation (not abandoned, btw, just... lacking time and energy to really work on it rn) that it could be seen as an If-Things-Went-Differently look at him, as Renegade has Donnie as 29 and vengeful where Purple is much calmer. I'm using a lot of Grim Reaper imagery for Renegade and absolutely fell in love with Donnie having a scythe and cloak, so Purple has a western style version of that. That's also where the first thoughts about giving him a skeleton arm came from. A lot of the details about the prosthetic arm are going to be coming in a future chapter so I won't say much about the arm itself here. I think that Donnie makes things to cope, and the more fucked up he is about whatever he's coping from the more intricate it'll be. So the arm he lost is both meant to match Blue's missing arm, and to show what Purple can do when he's not so crunched for time and materials. He lost that arm pretty close to the initial invasion, even before Raph died, so there were plenty of materials around to salvage and food wasn't scarce yet so he could give the arm his whole focus. The silly little black glasses were just kinda me fucking around and then they became central to the design, same with the snake bite piercings. I was driving myself crazy, could not come up with anything, and then as soon as I tried out those the rest of his look came so naturally. Stonertello started as a joke also, but the more I thought about it the more I went "Oh that fucks actually, let's explore that." Frankly, I don't think Donnie, at least how I characterize him, would be able to cope with all the Everything without some sort of chemical intervention. I've seen multiple people's version of f!donnie smoking, but I don't approve of cigarettes, so I tweaked it to marijuana which I'm more okay with. For that I'm heavily relying on my friends who use, specifically my autistic friends and how they've described marijuana helping with their symptoms. With his marijuana use I also wanted to give Blue a bit of a background for dealing with helping a loved one struggling with addiction, so he's not coming out of the gate entirely with helping Leo. Purple's use genuinely started healthy but as things got worse the more he isolated and relied on it until it became an addiction. Purple's characterization is actually very personal to me bc I'm trying to mesh Donnie's canon character with what I remember of my uncle, and we're going to see a lot of his character through Casey, not just from Blue. My Uncle Jim passed away from cancer when I was 11 and I can't remember a time before we knew, so I very much grew up watching him slowly deteriorate and I really don't remember any version of him that wasn't very weak and muted. (Except for that time he tickled me until I pissed myself in front of god and everyone at a family gathering. I don't care if I was like 7 and you're dead now, I hold grudges /j) I love Purple so much, I may even like him more than Blue tbh

As far as changes to the story as a whole, I have SO MUCH to say about that too, but this is already ungodly long so I'll go into that later :)

[squib-2006]

Next

I am going to rewatch one episode of ninjago a day until I ether give up or finish

I will put my thoughts down as I watch it and rate each episode out of ten.

Day 1

Ep 1 rise of the snakes

The old monastery was so empty

Those controllers are huge

I want to play what they are playing why can’t this be a real game

Not cool sensei wu you didn’t even let them save

Cole talks with Kai’s voice wow he is magic

Yes the tornado of creation the super op move that will only be used three(I think it’s three might be wrong) times throughout the intire series, but seriously so my situations could have been solved if they just made the tornado

The game magically didn’t reset and erase there progress

The people that “spotted lord garmadon” need to get glasses. How do you confuse an adult dark warlord, with a literal 10 year old

The ninja bumping into eachother looks so awkward but is still somehow funny

Jay being awkward around nya is always good for my Jaya heart

Really Kai you could have killed someone with opening the door with out checking if someone was under it

Also did the monastery always have a dragon stable or did they have to add it

Jay falling=peek Comedy

Kai stop being sexist to your sister

I miss the dragons they were so cool

Rocky and Cole friendship my beloved

Jays voice was so much lower in the first season it sounds weird to me cuz I’m used to him screeching every five seconds

Dragon acrobatics are cool

Jamanakai village the og village I wish we could go visit it in the newer seasons because I love how it looks

BABY LLOYD MY BELOVED
YOUR LAUGH GIVES ME JOY

You get ur candy baby

Cole saying that he escaped again implies this isn’t the first time they have delt with him

Wow these adults are a-holes. They gust throw rotten fruit at a child

Kai your parents literally fought in the serpentine wars your telling me they never mentioned anything about the serpentine ever

Why are they carrying Lloyd like that

Oh my god I remember them putting Lloyd up on the sign and finding it funny as a kid but now this just seems cruel

Zane paid for all that candy with a single coin

Mucacho, kai just called Lloyd muchacho. Why

Now they’re just bullying Lloyd with candy

“Kai about to get on his dragon” top ten moments before disaster

Why does wu have a dragon saddle bag

And you cannot tell me wu didn’t put that there on purpose to motivate them

What is it with kai and Cole steeling each other’s voices.

If it’s the “ancient language of our ancestors” how do you know how to read it. Like I know your a robot but still Zane I don’t think doctor Julian programed that in

This prophecy is incorrect because Lloyd is the green ninja

This competition is so stupid

I should just start a counter for how many times kai and Cole switch voices (3)

Setting up Kai’s obsession with the green ninja

How did Lloyd get to a snowy tundra wasn’t he just on a mountain village

Why is it so easy to open the tombs I think it should be a bit harder to release vengeful snake people

This Ice is so pretty

How is the snake now under Lloyds control if he hypnotized him self. Shouldn’t he be under his own control

Sneks

Any time baby Lloyd laughs I want to grab him and jut hug him so hard he screams because it is so cute

Any time jay gets hit by something I giggle I don’t know why it’s so funny to me

The kendo suits look so weird to me for some reason

Rip Cole

The combat here seems so clunky compared to modern day ninjago

Baby fire ball is adorable

Jay looks so sad poor bean

Rip pole

Where did the other Shuriken of ice go?

Oh there it is

And then the one underneath coles foot magically goes back to Zane despite it being trapped in the ice

Cole could have chopped Zane’s legs off

Wow petty much jay

When Cole smashes down the scythe of quakes the grounds textures glitch

Sword of fire gets to hot for Kai to control because he is getting to angry more evidence that the golden weapons are sentient

How does the stone light on fire and in a perfect circle around kai

Sparkles are pretty

Lean ninja. They knew what they were doing

Wu gets mad at them for training yet he is the one who wanted them to train

Why are those watermelons so tiny like the cucumbers are larger then them

Baby Lloyd is so cute even when terrorizing villagers

Wu be smoking the good stuff

Kai doesn’t care until he remembers that nya is there. He really loves his little sister doesn’t he

Jays voice was really low when he said “that leaves us with one choice” and then the “run” broke my eardrums

Stealth 100

Not all of them have tails nya

Jay stop being sexist to nya

Kai shaking his head at jay gives me life

Kai ignores his sisters advise and looks the snakes in the eyes

Kai’s whole body flattened when he hit the wall

Also physical Comedy = peek comedy

Always look where your going Lloyd

Also Lloyd is somehow need the fountain now

No one listens to nyas advice they all stare at the snakes

By golly made me cringe

Maybe if you hadn’t strung Lloyd up like a piñata and taken him to wu so much of this whole show could have been avoided

Wu never teaches them anything they ask him to

Patience nya you just have to wait thirteen seasons and you can become a dragon

Why didn’t the anti venom cure Cole

Final thoughts

This is a good intro into the season but it drags on a bit with the green ninja tournament and without watching the pilots you might be a bit confused. Lloyd was as cute as I remembered. The ninja go the other hand were a bit boring. I liked the set up they did and the animation was good if not a bit clunky. Over all I give this episode a 7/10

[littlelegoman]

Spolied for the new season!

D eath mention tw:

The urge to make an oc with venge stone jewlery because its kinda pretty.

ALSO AHHA DRAGON DRAGON NYA? THAT YOU?

They always become dragons i swear to god

Nya not remembering who she is once she ascends to fucking merging with the elemnt.

Athe other water master who merged with the searjkrkr

Really i think its possibke fore everyone to merge with their element

Maybe thats how it all ends. Maybe not this season but ninjago in gen, they all become their element. Idk maybe.

HER REMEBERING KAI LETS GO

IM GLAD IT WAS KAI AND NOT JAY SHE SAID FIRST BC HER BROTHER OR LOVER MAN

SHE REMBERS BOTH BUT LIKE SHE CALLS FOR KAI FIRST

She remmebers jer mame letes go

She fucking disolves when out of water

Nyad my beloved

Also those are orcas ime pretty sure

"You are eternal"

We've had this convo ebfore imortaltiy would not me fun

If you could give up your powers-

Isntt that how passing it on works? Didnt uh ice master give his to Zane? Dont you lost them once theyre passed on? I dont thinknive seen Ray or Maya use their powers

-

Kai and jay tension lmao

Holy shit is this how they get arrested? Do the cops think the OG ninja are exporting vengestobe?

Nope just a dead man on vengestone

What ever her name is uh is it miss demeanor?

MD's kinda... kinda cool.

LMAK ZANE OVER THERE "i require assistance"

The new ninja kinda cool mgl

Way more efficient ngl. The rockets

Adid they just but the vengestine-

"We really admire you old timers"

FUSHIA NINJA??

IS THIS A call back to

The elemnt of.

Surprise?

"Some of use are even talking to ckasse sof water!"

JAY FUCJING HITTING KAI

Oh they probs break apshera or of jail and thays why theyre criminals

wiat the mayor hates the new ninja and likes the old ninja?

Desperate people do Desperate things

SKYLOR??

"You had her number?!" Bro he's fucking your girl behind your back /j /nsrs

Bro just put nya in a water tank

Vut a fucking fish tank man she only needs water jfc

This is one of tiktoks where its like the story: and the sory if the chracrters had a brain:

Oh okay so they dont know its the og ninja

So they do make it out okay???

Aspehera rays thhem out probably.

I'd say kill Aspehra when she does the job bc its easitiest but snakes live a bit after death because they need low oxygen

BOT PROXALS JUST LIKE "hey dad wheres the staff :)?"

Lso bc it takes a while they prob get caught this way

are they looking for the staff withor their fucking masks

DUmb mother fuckers

'NOTHING TO IDENTIFY US"

As kai has a fucking scar that is easy to identify

[blushing-starker]

Of sleeping angels and forgetful lovers

im back y'all, enjoy

Tony slips between the billowing curtains, careful to make his arrival as silent as possible: there is an angel slumbering just a few feet away and God help whoever awakens them with anything less than a kiss and sweet murmurs.

Not wanting to be struck down by another celestial deity twice in a millennia, he carefully maneuvers around the scattered objects on the marble floor; a low table straining under the weight of scrolls, thick manuscripts and what honestly seems to be a stone tablet; a few chests clumsily tipped over, gold, silk and fragrance oil bottles spilling from them luxuriously. Surprisingly enough, Tony has to avoid staining four lace dresses thrown on the floor.

Poor thing. Any admirer of the creature basking inside this chamber should have known better. It's an insult to even suggest a holy being should disgrace themselves by wearing anything lesser than silk or pure gossamer. Ignorant gnat is probably swimming in the underground by now.

Still. It would be rude to tarnish a gift that isn't his to rip apart and incinerate. His lover would take pleasure in doing that himself. So he moves his body to the side, inhaling sharply when the wind shifts a garment closer to his dusty lower half. Oh, he'd get back at the wind god after this.

To honestly believe he's ancient and unable to persevere under the childish attack, how ridiculous. The offending yard and a half of pink lace (angels tended to take up more space than human minds could comprehend, but the ones who liked to roam the Earth often diminished their size; his paramour would never dress in something that large with an altered body. He's self conscious of his low stature as it is.) flies overhead and he muffles a snicker. Asshole wind god can't calculate how much strength to use.

Finally, he's at the bed. Home at last. And then the wind blasts through the chamber and he picks up the smell. Dried blood, decomposing flesh, something musky and tangible in the air. After that comes the sound. A deep rasp, powerful and similarly fear inducing as a lightning storm amidst the sea. It's a warning growl Tony had ignored, once, an uncountable number of years before. He counts them now, hastily and quickly, because surely his nemesis has grown tired and. Well. Not slow, but certainly slower in that long expanse of time. Just as he had. Fuck.

The beast appears, a vengeful mass of writhing smoke and viridescent ash hovering near the side of the bed he's currently trapped against. His lover disliked it when he brought war to the chamber, said it reminded him of harsher times and a dying Tony; he had left his knives and whip with his second in command, had gone so far for his beloved as to purge the poison from his body. (Listen. Listen. A shit ton of years past, a moron tried to eat him. Actually hoisted him on a spit before he woke up and strangled the fucker. So what if he has poison coursing through his veins to defend himself, it's not that nonsensical.)

From the grey and green smoke, a dark head emerges. And another. And another. And four fucking others and why hadn't his lover mentioned anything, why hadn't he warned Tony of the very amused looking, incredibly spiteful monster currently hissing at him? He has no arms here, the chamber's strongest weapon was currently dozing on a six feet wide bed, soft snores muffled against fluffy pillows. Oh, if his father could see him now, facing death at the hands of his enemy rather than bring his partner back from the golden fields of dreams.

Technically, he's facing the many headed beast in favor of facing his darling, a much more wrathful creature, but his father need not know that.

Death looms closer, is rearing its ugly heads and flaunting the seven inch fangs that will most likely shred him to pieces. There are ruby droplets splattered on the neck of the monster and ah, there's the ignorant admirer. At least he won't be devoured hungrily. Granted, he will definitely be devoured slowly and tortuously no matter what.

As his vision is swarmed by the huge monstrosity, Tony thinks of his beloved. Of his soft, brown hair. A little long, a little curly and always brushed aside uselessly. (There is one lock he particularly enjoys playing with because it never grows enough to be tucked back. It often annoys his lover, but he adores that stray curl.) Soft cheeks, tinted rosy during the chilly winters, a healthy tan when summer sweeps in. Lips softer and more colorful than a rose. Dimples. They appear and he's tripping in love all over, stumbling after his lover's affection just to see the two indentations on the side of his mouth.

His body is a masterpiece, graceful and as elegant as a star. Tony adores subtle, enjoys the fine curve of his paramour's neck, takes pride in making shapely thighs tremble beneath his worshipful mouth, is set on fire when the sweetest sighs and loveliest moans slip from bruised lips. All he needs in this life is to bring happiness to his companion. And, he supposes, he has, so death won't be a complete tragedy. Although, Tony would have liked to see his beloved's eyes one last time. They shone like amber, like the heady drink the humans call whiskey.

Once, when he was shy and his darling was unsure of his intentions, he had blurted out a confession under an apple tree, words spilling, spilling, going so fast that breath abandoned his chest.

"Your eyes are like star fire. Like the sun left the sky to shine inside you. It's amazing, something so beautiful I can believe in life again. How could I not when someone as lovely as you exists so gracefully?"

They had stood there, tree branches creaking overhead, leaves drifting down slowly and bees sluggishly swimming through the air in search of flowers and the ichor of life. His companion had blinked at him and then smiled, slow and sweet and pure. Whatever breath remained in his lungs was stolen, vanished without a trace. Tony had been a goner ever since.

He thinks of that time now and discovers that he is not afraid of death. After all, his lover could simply visit him in the fields of the dead, what, with being the Angel of Death, and everything.

The hydra leans back, prepares the killing blow and he thinks, Peter.

A whisper of movement, the growl of the beast; he's ready, he's going to meet his fate head on and not falter and-

A warm hand scoops him up. He tentatively opens his eyes, is met by a bleary pair much prettier than those this body has. There is amusement there, tangled with fondness and love. It's such a beautiful sight that he melts, sinks deeper into the cradle holding him up to Peter's pillow marked face. He always had a thing for his lover's hands; they could kill with just a hint of touch, but they only ever brought Tony to life.

"Anthony," oh, to hear that teasing sigh, to be given the gift of that music, "did you forget you were in your snake body again?"

Embarrassed, he dips his head, agile tongue flickering into the air to taste Peter's affection as a distraction from the flush valiantly trying to survive in his cool cheeks. The angel before him giggles, grins at him before stroking his scaly head gently.

"You forgot about your body and the fact that Milos here is, like, three inches smaller than you when you stand up?" Tony grumbles, slithers across Peter's wrist and forearm. His lover just sighs, rolls over in bed and lets him travel all the way up to the base of a long neck. He loves Peter's entire body, of course, but this is the perfect spot to settle into while he's in this form. Lightly, because it's rude to tease him, goddammit, he's the fallen angel, not a stable boy, he nips at Peter's hair, pulls at a few strands until Peter halfheartedly swats at him.

"Just because I can revive you doesn't mean I won't kill you, Tones. I've got a hundred," his beloved yawns, drags a blanket over the both of them, "and fifty four souls to pick up in the afternoon. I can squeeze you in among them and nobody would know." A lie, obviously. His best friend James would know. The rest is true, Peter would kill him if he called on him again while it was nap time, even if it was an accident.

Thing is, now that Milos is brooding in the corner of the bedchamber and some good ten feet away from him, Tony has no need to call on his angel. Why would he, when he's right by his side? Just as he always has. Just as he always will.

With snake lives saved and fates changed, the first fallen angel and the Angel of Death fall into a deep slumber; tail and hands wrapped around each other, as it should be.

[folklorevermoremythology]

So Many References: the Willow Music Video

So many references!!! Let's start with one of the first scenes: 

TayTay admires the reflection of the lake that shows her beside her lover. Moments later, she jumps into the lake, as she is in search of the heart that fate has in store for her. The Greek legend of Narcissus tells a similar but more tragic version of what is shown in the music video: Narcissus was a beautiful young man who was never able to recognize his own reflection. After rejecting the nymph Echo, the gods punished him for his petulance, causing him to fall in love with his own reflection. Seeing his beautiful face reflected in the lake, he also jumped towards the one he loved, but that caused his death. The next scene in the video, after the dive, depicts a Taylor younger than the one who jumped into the lake, which may suggest that her passion for her beloved is very strong and crosses the boundaries between different lives. Taylor herself confirmed that the song portrays the strong desire for someone and how complex that desire can be.

On to the second reference in the video... The song’s lyrics read: “head on the pillow I could feel you sneaking in / as if you were a mythical thing”. This little passage alludes to one of the most beautiful Greek myths: Eros and Psyche, the conflicting allegory between Love and the Rational Mind.

Psyche was a young woman of beauty comparable to that of Aphrodite, who was offended by such a comparison with an ordinary mortal. Cursed by the goddess, Psyche was never able to find a lover. Furthermore, Aphrodite ordered her son, Eros, the Cupid, to go to Psyche and make her fall in love with a terrible monster. Fulfilling his mother's wishes, Eros went to Psyche, but was so entranced by his beauty that he wounded himself with the arrow of love, falling in love with the young mortal. Psyche, following the advice of an oracle who determined that her destiny would be to marry a horrible monster, irresistible to human or divine eyes, then went to live alone in an enchanted palace in the middle of a valley where she should wait for the monster's visit. Every night, the god Eros, hidden from his mother Aphrodite, would sneak in to visit Psyche, always asking her never to look at her face or ask her about her identity. Taken by curiosity, Psyche ended up discovering who was the supposed monster that visited her every night, causing the wrath of Eros, who rebelled to Olympus.

This was just the beginning of Psyche's journey in search of her love, Eros, but telling it in full is not the intention of this text. The interesting thing here was to see Taylor making reference to the greatest classic myth about the fight and reconciliation between the Mind and the Heart, always present in any relationship.

Third reference: we all remember the snakes from the 'reputation' era, right? Well, now that Taylor has left that dark and vengeful phase, she has made a point of referencing this moment of her career as something comical – a circus attraction: 'The Python'! Python was a terrible gigantic serpent who presided over the oracle of Delphi before the sun god Apollo killed it and took the temple of the oracle for himself. 

Sounds familiar? If not, remember that Swift claimed to have written 'Daylight' (from the 'Lover' album) as a symbol of the sunlight that dispels the darkness and the fears of the night – represented by the 'reputation' era in her life. Just as Apollo killed the Python, the ‘Lover’ era came to destroy the pains and sorrows of the ‘reputation’ era.

To finish the list of references for the Willow music video, let's go to the most majestic of all: I never thought I'd see a Sabbath celebration in a Taylor video, but again she surprised me! As she already explained, while 'folklore' represented spring and summer, 'evermore' came to complete the cycle and represents autumn and winter. The scene we'll talk about, in fact, takes place in the midst of winter snow. Although many of us today do not even pay attention to the passing of the seasons, it was a common and sacred practice for many ancient peoples – their survival depended on knowing the right time to sow, water, harvest and sacrifice.

Performing rituals that celebrated the passing of seasons was the way for ancient peoples to connect with the sacred of nature, and one of the most beautiful and important festivals was Yule, the winter solstice in the calendar of the Celtic peoples. In the northern hemisphere, this date occurs around December 21st and marks the shortest day and longest night of the year. It is the point on the calendar at which the hours of the day will begin to increase and the hours of the night will begin to decrease. It is the moment when, despite the typical winter darkness, the light triumphs and starts to grow, bringing warmth and life to the land.

The parallel between this Celtic celebration and the life of TayTay is undeniable. It was during the ‘reputation’ era, her most difficult, delicate and darkest moment, that she got to know with Joe Alwyn, her current boyfriend, whose beauty and personality are often referred to as 'gold' or 'sunshine' since the 'Lover' era . It was in her darkest moment that she saw the light rising the brightest.

"LIVING IN WINTER, I AM YOUR SUMMER" (lyric from Me!, Lover era's first single)

[diveronarpg]

Congratulations, KAT! You’ve been accepted for the role of PUCK. Admin Rosey: There's nothing that thrives more in Verona than chaos and Kat, that's exactly what you brought us - a character that exudes nothing but pure and utter chaos. Your para sample highlights perfectly the best and worst of our beloved Puck and his unapologetic satisfaction in being the best at being the absolute worst. Verona has endured many things but it has yet to endure Puck - and honestly I'm not entirely sure it will. Please read over the checklist and send in your blog within 24 hours.

WELCOME TO THE MOB.

Out of Character

Alias | Kat Age | 24 Preferred Pronouns | She/her Activity Level | I think I’ll be able to get on quite a bit! At least two or three times a week, but likely more! Ya girl dropped a whole job ya YEET Timezone | EST How did you find the rp? | I originally came across it in the lsrpg tag, also I miss y’all :( Current/Past RP Accounts | These are links to inactive past accounts! https://neosy.tumblr.com/ https://grchcmisms.tumblr.com/ https://99gael.tumblr.com/ https://halogenq.tumblr.com/ https://odinbellc.tumblr.com/ ;)

In Character

Character | Puck, Pavel Lam

What drew you to this character? | beautiful chaos and twisted humor, a spring in the step of a child-like demon, all soft face and sharp features. they live life as if there are a lack of consequences, laughing in the face of harbored restrictions and societal rules. they swindle, steal, and slice, color the world with trickery and a wicked grin. they’re absolutely flavorful, chocolate cake with bitter, poison icing, long sticks of candy cane that are licked too sharply pointed.

similar to the likeness of peter pan, of trickster gods, and all devil-may-care figures. he is forever a boy, but parading as a man, selfish and big-headed. i see potential dripping from the deepest of crevices, his heart burrowed in armoured steel, tasteless victory.

what draws me to pavel lam? sweet, sweet chaos fed to me like grapes from adonis himself. let me unleash the beast of my writing in all its absolute, unruly nature. let me shatter glasses of whiskey by chucking them towards my fireplace as i express all the ways he can shred plans like priceless documents. i crave blood-stained teeth and busted knuckles, the dance of a jester as he makes away with all the kings gold. the clanking of chains and countless rings adorning fingers, gluttony and swallowed sanity. dear god, what doesn’t draw me to this character?

What is a future plot idea you have in mind for the character? |

i. pride he shrugs, his silhouette not at all coy nor a picture of interest, but on the other side of a turned back there are gritted teeth and balled fists. he supposes it’s the curse of a person forced to work for their success, scramble and claw for riches. nothing tears him apart like a lack of respect, ironic and hypocritical from someone who can’t recall the definition of the word most days. he cannot stand being discounted, or ignored, more likely to smile at a drink thrown in his face than a turned back. his pride will eat him alive if he lets it, will consume him whole without mercy, and he cannot let them know how much it bothers him. he keeps secrets and lets blood pool his mouth from having his teeth sunk too harshly into his tongue. he can only clench his jaw so tight before something begins to splinter, a comment or a jest just an inch too far, just a little too close to home and something is bound to snap; an aging dam that still struggles against the weight of its burden.

tread lightly, or beware of the snakes in the long grass.

ii. greed it’s never enough, not all the riches in the world, not the most dangerous task nor highest penthouse. they can’t be sated by grandiose or any price tag, though such things are very well accepted and stolen. he will take all that is offered and more, refusing to reject any task that seems of interest, anything that feels as if others would turn it down out of fear or otherwise. these are the things that get people killed, and still he only laughs, the sight of his own blood lighting mirth and distaste. he feels no pity for himself, no self-preservation active in his mind or body. it’s only a matter of time before he finds himself in a situation that he even his wit and silver tongue cannot get him out of. danger signs do not flash so brightly to him, the dense fog filling the road in a blind search for glory and gore, his fingers grasp in the darkness and he plays it all as a game.

once and awhile, headlights cut through the mist in a warning.

iii. shame at night his muscles twitch and ache in sync with the pain in his chest, stood in his bathroom mirror with smudged glamour and horrid eyes – hurt, and disdain for his hurt. who is this person in the reflection? weak, and caked with dirt, hideous, with weighted skin under dull eyes that look pitifully vengeful? at night he stays out to avoid the man he shares his apartment with, the one who glares at him through the framed glass in his bathroom, the sleepless monster that feels everything he ignores, drunk and full of nightmares so that the pavel who works and the pavel who socializes can laugh and spit and jeer. the man who cowers under sheets and stares at blinking clocks is human, disgustingly so, and he rots and rots until he pulls his arms through decadent sleeves embroidered by gods. he does not cry, but seethes, and then he pulls himself together, all intoxicated and wild, the character, the jester, the mercenary.

he plants his hands on the cold porcelain edges of his sink, locks eyes with the reflection he sees, and laughs as if mad.

Are you comfortable with killing off your character? | you know me, the more pain, the more suffering, the more gain. bring it y’all.

In Depth

In-Character Para Sample:

he sits in the backseat of a parked stretch hummer with his legs spread in a dramatic fashion, leaned back in his seat with aloof expressions, careless posture. it’s not his car, but he dominates the atmosphere, the perfect center of attention, the other man’s eyes steadily on him, as it should be, as he intends for it to be. silvers drip from him, a newfound love of chains and jewelry, pretty and powerful. he looks unimpressed, perhaps playing his version of coy as he says, “okay, you have me here, now what on earth are you going to do with me?” all sharp teeth and glinting eyes, a modern day dionysus filled with lies and mirth, devilish words with a darkened tone, he leans forward, his elbow on his knee and his chin in his hand. pavel smells of fortunes, far from the street rat in rags, far from desperate but perpetually greedy, his grin so sharp it practically glows in the dark, could easily be imagined floating in midair, hovering above the leather seats.

they’re only here to play games, fingers gleaming with rings and itching to touch, to sully, to disrupt.

in instances like this they feel perhaps immortal, catching the light of the car overheads, the glare and tinted windows blocking the blackness of the late night outside. yes, mother, a child not designed but merely thrown together, a sloppy collection of limbs and blood becomes something beautiful, something frightening, so very terrible. a boy who had to struggle for money now carries himself as if he has had it his whole life, so comfortable in luxury, shrugging at expensive things and putting his shoes on the interior of italian leather.

“you know what you’re here for.”

pavel’s lips pull back in a wicked smile. the knife digs into the bottom of his calf in his boot.

it’s all too easy to play a part; pursed lips, crossed arms, sunglasses perched on the end of his nose. he appears petulant, perhaps wanton, poorly postured at a gala. expensive clothes but in an under dressed manner. he caught the targets attention immediately, an old married man with a high price on his head, a chunk of gold hidden in his chest, a new rolex behind his temples, and that’s all he sees now, not blood beneath flesh or rolling veins. if he is inhuman, then so is the man, objects for objective purpose, paid for in cash and carnage, a handsome face with chilling features.

he whispers lies and gets pretty words in response.

he likes it this way, business perceived as business, no fluttering eyelashes and personal questions, just the words of ‘roll over’ and a ringing, gawky laugh in response.

this is what war looks like to him now, red tinted club lighting and soaked underfoot, sleight of hand and golden letter openers, expensive bottles of wine and chandelier shards etched into skin. he suits this as well as he did sloppy street crimes, officers never minding the homeless man on homicide scenes; now they turn their backs to boys with expensive things, petty and spoiled, they assume, not worth their time. he climbs into the other man’s seat easily, a swing of legs over hips, knees fitted and he leans forward. it’s then that the feeling inside the car changes, near imperceptible to the eye but distinguishable by the way the man suddenly squirms, feeling less in control still, suddenly trapped. pavel gets close, faces nearly touching, eyes all humor. “what’s wrong? you wanna be on top?” he laughs, and the man pushes his chest, trying to get him off but pavel tightens his grip, fingers pressed tightly to the top of the seat on either side of the man’s head. “this is what you wanted, isn’t it?” he feels the panic, the surge in energy, and it’s then, in one quick motion, that he unsheathes the knife and plunges it into ribcage.

he still does his best work with messy murder, pulling the knife out and slamming it into the man’s chest a second time, the leak of blood getting on his clothes, pants and undershirt black for good reason.

blood runs red yet appears inky in the under-lit vehicle, seeping out of wounds like tar, a monster escaping a body first in slow motion and then all too quickly. bodies get cold fast to him, his interest only spanning how long it takes for the light to leave your eyes before it’s on to the next. not a minute to waste, unopened bottles of champagne lay waiting to pop, showers of wine and new gadgets and shiny things to replace the new gaping void he feels in the cars interior. it doesn’t make him quite nauseous, but something inside him rolls. disgusting. boring.

he removes his long white over shirt now tainted with red and discards it on the floor of the vehicle carelessly, leaving a black wife beater on his person and opening the door, one leg sliding out in front of the other. he stills just a moment outside the gaudy vehicle, allowing only a moment to pass before the dull click of a lighter.

Extras:

playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6BpLUvLJ5B0AShSPXzf4sT?si=xZj_nNlVTWOQqzk3K2S_Ig hc: owns gucci slides unironically

[fclsemessiiah-blog]

Unholy Scripture (Biography)

Ophelia is the daughter of a Swedish satanist named Elise Nygard. Beautiful and witty as a succubus, the young mortal mere twenty years of age charmed the Beast of Many Names himself, thus Lucifer answered her prayers and took Elise as his. Nine months after the Coronation of Hell’s new Queen, the Lawless Princess was born, and given the name Ophelia by her mother. Formally however, Hell’s Young Majesty is ought to be referred as Antikrista (or Antichrista).

Ophelia was raised in luxury (to the point where her baby bottle as an infant was made of black crystal and gold, I speak of such level of luxury which, minding her status, is hardly surprising). Antikrista is someone who gets what she wants and never hears no. Only thing she may have had lesser is interaction with other kids. Elise, despite having always been an artist and a tameless rock'n'roll chick, gave herself completely into doting over the infant. Father Satan himself - head over heels. Due to Royal blood and a tragedy (elaborated later in the page) which befell the Unholy Family, Ophelia was heavily sheltered through her young years, even though never allowed to be naive. As a child, she was in a way like a cat - adored by all, worshiped by all, everyone wanted to cuddle her though she’d often give the finger and demand to be left in peace, completely unimpressed. Though her Parents  - she’d snuggle to them and refuse to let go.

Appearance: Antikrista can be described to be of diabolic, unearthly beauty no soul can hold against. The shape of her face is flawless. Her skin, unlike artificial ones of the Satanic Pontiffs, has natural skeletal markings on her bone white skin (she may mask it with aid of glamor, seeming entirely human). It appears thin, somehow even gossamer. Her hair falls in lush, velvety midnight black waves, giving her face nearly ethereal appearance. Eyes burn like embers, though in crimson rather than orange, and her wings resemble a black swan. Her frame is slender and delicate, though athletic due to martial training from very young are. As a mockery of Christ, her wrists as well as feet bear wounds of Unholy Stigmata. She too can manifest a black Crown of Thorns on her forehead, thus skin of her brow usually is scraped.

(Closest image I could find on Pinterest. Credidt to the Author and the Model)

Demeanor: This young Antichrist is a creature of elegance entwining with keen mind and sharp wit, and with a deep touch of cynism. In demeanor, she very much resembles Lucifer, her father. Holds free will above all things (might be main reason why she’s so damn annoyed by bodyguards), but does not defy her Crown, recognizing the duty of blood which binds her to Hell’s highest matters, and the Unholy Conclave. Will use her regal status as well as immense power for her own advantage whenever she feels it might be necessary. Not spoiled despite things being her way all the time. Someone wise simply knows how to have things their way rather growing accustomed to it, and wise she is bound to be. Extremely dangerous when angered, for after all, her wrath might end up, quite literaly, Apocalyptic. Vengeful. Miscievous. Playful and tender to lovers. Caring and loyal to friends and family. However outside the chosen few - sadistic, manipulative, menacing and sinister. Bold and adventurous. Unorthodox. Basks in commiting blasphemy and defiling the order of God. Has dark sense of humor. Heavily sapiosexual. Prefers intimidating, powerful and wise men as well as fatale women for intimate company, but at times does toy around with mellower, shy folks. More than often to appease her malicious, not too sincere tendencies, or if she senses something beyond the timidity - she enjoys liberating the hidden side then. Well… there too, is the possibility of tainting a saint which she rarely chooses to skip. Speaking of Saints, she may oddly enjoy seducing angelic beings even more than daemons, for they frequently are less pious around her and can be extremely feral in bedroom.

Yet in spite of her serpentine charms, Ophelia, a being of terrific omnipotence, deep down crumbles under the weight of her own self. More than often, Serpent Tempter is but a mask to veil shards and bruises her rotting spirit had left the Antichist in. She drowns the pain in harmful satisfactions, hedonism and self mutilation.

When Ophelia was a toddler of mere year or two, both she and Elise had been kidnapped by agents of Vatican. The Church could not kill the Antichrist, though could torture her. Crown jewel of her wounds was a cross carved into her ribs over and over until blade pierced flesh, bone and lung. Blood filled her respiratory tracks, making the child convulse, suffocating in agony, unable to die until Lucifer saved her and her mother (who was tormented to reveal where Seven Holy Blades are hidden and refused to betray her daughter). Her neck and spine were broken, chest crushed, limbs mutilated… It’s a wonder how, but somehow she survived. For months, she was left paralyzed (medically induced paralysis to keep her from injuring herself further) in a hospital bed, attached to tubes and machines, unable to move, to speak, even to breathe by herself, only shudder and weep. Ophelia, after having recovered a little, would crawl to her mother when brought to visit, snuggling up and she’s not even able to stroke her head. Recovery is not without consequences. Antikrista suffers from violent night terrors (often including a drowning sensation) and anxiety without even remembering where it rises from. She tends to mask the painful sensation by heavily drinking as well as indulging in a lot of sexual adventures. Elise is unable to have more children. Every time she conceives, she loses the baby, and nearly her life too. This mess and Ophelia being their only child has caused Lucifer and Elise (even more) to be paranoid and overprotective over her, often annoying her. She understands what’s happening once she learns the story obviously, but the two can’t bring themselves to speak about it for a very long time, unwillignly increasing the ever deepening turmoil of their daughter.

A while after Ohelia does find out all the truth, another tragedy strikes. Elise manages to give birth to her second living child, however he barely even resembles a breathing thing upon seeing light - so weak and sick. Healers put all their skill into keeping the newborn alive, but effort is of little use - nothing can soothe his screams of agony. Not even Elise’s coaxing. Elise understands she loves her son too much to let him live in such pain any longer, thus attempts to strangle the boy with a pillow. However is unable to. Understanding all she could do is take matters into her own hands, Ophelia asks Lucifer to comfort her mother in another room. Meanwhile she gazes at her ill, tormented brother for the first time before kissing his forehead, whispering an apology and snapping his neck with tears in her eyes. The boy, without even receiving a name, is cremated and buried in an urnmarked grave, in deepest Chapel of Hell.

All torture she went through, and the weight of immense power as well as the Infernal Crown, took a great tool on Ophelia as a person, one can hardly blame her for being a cynical alcoholic, and at times maniacal.

Some facts:

Ophelia’s most beloved bad is Behemoth. Metal as a genre with most of it’s branches (extreme especially) is a favorite to her, but she tends to enjoy classic rock, doom rock, symphony, blues and synth as well.

Her favorite colors are black, maroon and golden.

She enjoys horror films, especially slasher genre. She finds them entertaining.

She has no intention or wish to cause Armageddon. After all, Earth is to be thanked for metal, classic horror films and brutal vehicles. Besides, Armageddon would be direct obedience to Biblical Scripture, to the Divine plan, and would crush the very concept of destiny in an idividual’s hands. (Unless plot calls for something different)

She enjoys mechanics, and keeps an enormous collection of cars as well as motorcycles she has repaired.

A few animals tend to accompany her. Most notable being a foretold Hellhound called Norman (after the killer in “Psycho”), a black cat named Xenomorph (after the creature in “Alien”), a black mare named Juliet (that she should lead the Appcalyptic forces upon. Instead, Ophelia feeds the horse quinces and rides her to to during the morning traiming session. She chose “Juliet” so they both bear a Shakespearean name), and many, many snakes. She too, tends to be very fond of rats.

She detests bodyguards, even in somehow fragile state.

She became an alcoholic at the age of thirteen. She was already a smoker a couple of years before.

She lost her virginity at the age of fourteen. The initiative was hers. Often participates in carnal pleasures, not quite monogamous (can be on certain threads though, in case the connection between our muses is exceptionally deep).

She has mastered a sword, a bow, bare hand combat, throwing knives, a spear and a gun. She had been trained from very early childhood. In more intelectual sense - black sorcery, infernal powers, languages, music… You could call her education prime without a stutter.

She holds very deep fondness for zombies and despises vampires.

Has an unexplainable liking towards evil specters. She may even grant them strength for her own entertainment of watching the hauntings occur.

Can not stand men who hold themselves above women. Those shall suffer if Ophelia happens to catch them. And she will, if she wants to.

Surprisingly, Ophelia adores humans. Sinners, heathens, satanists independent souls and glorious mind that is. She holds Religious folks (including Christians, Jews and Muslims), fools and flocking sheep below maggots. She enjoys tormentimg them.

One of most frequent reasons why she sneaks up to Earth is nocturnal motorcycle or car racing, bars (bar fights included), strip clubs and metal shows, aside general curiosity about mankind. Living after midnight so to say. Well, and obviously, short break from the mayhem that is Hell’s politics.

Despite hedonistic lifestyle, Ophelia has an iron shell around her more vulnerable side and in fact enjoys reading in peace. Written sources are of few that her near-omniscence does not include, thus fuels her unending thirst for mental stimulation.

What she holds worst display of weakness and is most reluctant to reveal to another soul are her night terrors. That’s why she forbides casual lovers to stay the night.

(A picture of Elise. Credit to the Author and the Model. She may appear in action on occasion )

(Lucifer. Credit to Artist)

[sublimeperfectionland]

New Moon of the Dark Kingdom Chapter Hundred and Seven - Cursed

Zoisite and Kunzite have found true love, but when some old friends, a vengeful god, and a pair of evil twins are gunning for the Shitennou all at once, life is not going to be easy

[Scene: The interdimensional void supernatural beings travel through to teleport. Zoi is headed for Metalia's lair in Washington DC, but is stopped short by a blast that knocks him skidding across the marble floor of a hotel lobby.]

Death Phantom: You think, I, Wiseman, an Incarnation of Chaos can be thwarted so easily? You forget I am a GOD.

[The Death Phantom rises his arms. The lobby darkens as walls, furnishing, pretty much everything is blown apart]

[Zoi is flung against a marble pillar, where chains of dark energy snake around him pinning him into place.

Death Phantom: There is no use groveling. My patience with you has reached its limit.

[The chains begin to constrict with crushing force]

Death Phantom: I should have kept to my original plan to torture and kill you to avenge the deaths of my followers, but at least now I have your mother as a consolation prize.

Zoi: YOU LEAVE MY MOTHER ALONE!

Death Phantom: Irreverent to your last breath. I accept now that your mind can not be molded, not through natural means, nor supernatural. How ironic it is that the very gift that make you attractive as a slave also render you completely unsuitable.

[As the chains crush him Zoi notices a column of purple light forming behind the Death Phantom]

Death Phantom: No matter. I will retrieve your mother from the corpses of your loved ones. Unlike you, she is beyond the first blush of youth, but as a human she is better suited for breeding in captivity. Once she is thawed and her womb has been vacated, it will be easy to create another like you, maybe more, before I dispose of her as well.

[A man appears from the column of light, swinging a huge poleaxe right at the Death Phantom. The blade passes through him harmlessly, and the Death Phantom turns to confront the newcomer]

Death Phantom: Nephrite. You really think that axe is going to harm me?

Neffy: [sweating profusely] No, I do not. But I can't just stand here and do nothing. [swings again with the same result]

Death Phantom: Oh? Why can't you?

[Neffy fights with the skill of a master gladiator, but it does no good against an enemy who has dematerialized like a wraith]

Neffy: [sweating intensifies, still swinging] Because, he's family, goddamnit.

Death Phantom: No. That is not right. Allow me to probe your mind for your true motives.

Neffy: [Still fighting] Please. Just let him go.

Death Phantom: [chuckles] How fascinating. So your elder brother Kunzite had tricked you into placing a curse upon yourself, forcing you to protect Zoisite at all costs, even if it means your own life.

Zoi: WHAT?

Death Phantom: Oh, you didn't know about that...? Of course you wouldn't. It would be kinder for you to think he was protecting because he bore you some hidden affection or had a glimmer of goodness in his heart...Shall we test the limits of this curse?

[The Death Phantom Raises his arms and all the smashed wood in the lobby is drawn to Zoi's feet as if by a magnet. The Death Phantom holds out one finger and Zoi's legs are engulfed in greenish flames.]

[Neffy stares with a sickened look on his face until Zoi starts screaming in pain. He drops the axe and rushes to Zoi, pulling at the chains.]

[The Death Phantom chuckles as Zoi passes out. Although it is clear Neffy is being burned just as badly as Zoi, he makes no sound and shows no sign of retreating as he fights vainly to rescue Zoi.]

Death Phantom: I've seen enough.

[The flames vanish, leaving Zoi slumped unconscious and badly burned. Neffy stares at the Death Phantom with loathing, but still works on freeing Zoi.]

[The Death Phantom waves his arm and Neffy's burns are miraculously healed.]

Death Phantom: Listen carefully. I will give you one chance to save his life. A very slight chance, but it is a chance, the only way to save him. [to Zoi] Wake up. I'm not finished with you.

[Zoi's eyes pop open, and his breathing is labored but his injuries remain]

Death Phantom: [to Neffy] Gather your brothers. Kunzite and Jadeite. Bring them here. Right now. Tell them whatever lie you want, but neither they, nor Metalia, nor anyone else must suspect you are luring them to their deaths. Do this. Assist me in torturing and killing you and your brother Shitennou, and there is a very slight chance I will let this one live. Hurry...those burns look serious. He might die from his injuries alone if you tarry for even a moment.

Neffy: [teleporting away] God damn you.

[Zoi stares at the Death Phantom. Breathing hard in the smoke filled chamber, with pain and hate]

Death Phantom: The poor fool. He knows I am lying, but he has no choice but to obey. I did lie, of course. You will die... Or maybe not? Are you as willing to sacrifice your beloved Kunzite as you were your beloved humans? Those trapped in the flames, with no way to safety. They are probably dead already.

Zoi: [through pain clenched teeth] Go to hell.

Death Phantom: Haven't you accepted by now that I cannot be killed? And since I cannot be killed, I cannot be defeated.

Zoi: Metalia can defeat you.

Death Phantom: What good will that do her? She can't kill me and it won't bring her sons back after I have slaughtered them. All it will do is take up her time. Time that would be better spent cultivating suitable replacements...You know, I think I will let Kunzite live a while. To humiliate him. A fool as proud as him might find glory in Death. But in the degradation that comes with the lowest forms of enslavement? Yes, I think I will make you watch-

Voice: *Ahem*

[They turn and see a pair of shapes emerging from the smoke in mylar coveralls. The two peel back their hood and goggles, before crossing their arms and giving the Death Phantom an admonishing look.]

El: Would you mind keeping it down in here? We are trying to work.