#but if you want some seeds of doubt... perhaps there shall be some in the knuckles ask. whenever that happens ahahahaaa

[beatcroc]

Mecha-Sonic, Dr. Robotnik has created other robots based on Sonic and thrown them away before he created you. Do you have any thoughts on this?

[catalina-infanta]

The Question of the Collar & the Dark Rise Trilogy

I am pro collar. And Ill tell you why.

I have been seeing a couple posts on this topic and people go back and forth, but none have fully encapsulated what I see as being one of the biggest reasons I believe the collar is consensual and probably a kink. I also think there is a possibility it also allows free will, but today I shall argue for why I believe it’s consensual on James’s part, because that is where the doubt lies within the fandom it seems. It is very clear to me that Will is erotically enticed by the collar also, but who really needs convincing of that?

So, firstly, there are so many instances where we see that James is visibly turned on by the collar. See how Will acknowledges James in the quote below as looking already surrendered, and going “pliant as if the same hot gold ran like sweet need through his veins” :

James is clearly very turned on by the collar, it’s in the text in many instances. The words used here are evocative: need, pliant, sweet, and hot.  Where do you see that kind of language other than in the erotica and romance genres? It then goes on to talk about how his shirt is open, how his eyes are glazed, and how he is “yielding”. Basically, this is a sex scene without the sex. The collar is an object of lust for the duo, and this is being communicated to the audience. Authors, when writing, do not use evocative language by accident. No. They paint a picture with words to influence their readers emotionally in the direction they want our minds to go. Every detail is planted on purpose when you are a good author. And Pacat is a good author!

But there is so much more. Here, in the next scene, James is seen wetting his lips:

Wetting one’s lips is a sign of attraction. If you don’t believe me, just Google it! We also have another scene where James’s pupils are blown wide when watching the collar in the throne room scene; yet another physical sign of attraction in a human being and something we see in novels all the time.

But Pacat goes further than just showing the physical signs of being turned on. If Anharion consented to a collar that controls him (to what extent it controls him, we are still unsure) we should see the signs that this is something he is possibly interested in emotionally. Or at least, something Anharion was interested in and James responds to at least on some level. And there are so, so many signs. This is shown through what he likes, shown through what he does, says, and what others say about him (not just Will, but Sinclair as well as others). Why is Pacat seeding all these comments about James’s need to serve, to please, other than to put in our minds that there is an aspect of James/Anharion's character that this is something he likes, and that it is a possibility that the collar might have been his choice in the past? It’s a kink for sure, and something James may determine he is not interested in in the next book, but for the sake of argument, look at the screencaps below:

Will is picking up on something about James’s personality, and James is relieved and perhaps surprised that he has been so transparent. It is clear to Will that James likes to take orders. After all, before he was Sinclair’s (the Dark Lord’s) man, he was the exemplary novitiate, wasn’t he?

In an even better example of this below, we see him kind of asking Will that Will's request for James to come to him after opening the gate become an order. But, why ask this? What purpose does it serve James to make Will give him an order? Why does James want it to be an order?

Will catches on and gets it, equally turned on. His lips curl (in a smile) and lowering your lashes is a sign of submission in human interaction; James is lowering his lashes showing submission to Will. James is aroused here too, because in the next moment he asks Will to kiss him.

We have it from others perspectives too, here below, we have Sinclair telling James he likes to serve, he is a born submissive and to “belong” to someone, echoing what James himself has said to Will countless times:

And just to top this with a cherry, Sinclair’s scene with James he tells us James, upon a successful mission, liked being praised and “sitting at his feet”. This calls to mind the imagery of the chain at the bottom of the throne.  

In terms of similar character types in Pacat's work, Erasmus from Captive Prince comes to mind. He was a collared slave and we get some glorious descriptions with him being quite the submissive with the “lowered lashes” (ring any bells?) :

May I just interject to reiterate that the language around the collar is really so sexual, I don’t think I need to post more about this, because some of the screencaps above illustrate this, but I am sure you can all imagine and remember how you felt reading those scenes; they were enticing. I just cant imagine Pacat would use such romantic, erotic, and lush imagery if this collar were the instrument of coercion, compulsion, and humiliation, and even possible r*pe, that we are supposed to think because this is YA fantasy genre and not horror. Someone might argue that they weren’t sleeping together when Anharion was wearing the collar, but I would counter-argue that of course they were! Everyone who knew about the Dark King and his Betrayer knew they were in a romantic relationship, from James’s father, to Gauthier, to Kettering. And we are only supposed to think the collar is all these bad things based off the second hand knowledge passed down by characters like Gauthier, or the vague and evasive language used in the last chapter by both James and the narration (but this is not really shown by James's feelings when he has it put on him). But when James first puts it on, he is described as “hating how good it felt” as well as having some rather erotic flashbacks to Anharion and Sarcean (and that didn’t sound coerced to me, it sounded romantic and swoon-worthy, it sounded like he was being "filled up" which is a way my old therapist friend used to describe being emotionally fulfilled by one's partner). So, why would the principle couple be one that started in coercion and assault? Maybe this is something else being said by Pacat about purity culture, and how there is nothing morally wrong with kink as long as the two are consenting, loving adults who trust each other? James CLEARLY trusts Will to "hold the key" so to speak as he asks him to in the throne room. Just because some of us dont explore our sexuality in this way doesn't make it wrong and I think Pacat is challenging the readers (as Will is being challenged) to reconsider their biases about what is "wrong" not through the lens of what other people think but through what two people feel is right in the loving and trusting relationship that they have together through Total Power Exchange. This is not a story about abuse. Who would want to read that?

No, this is something else in my opinion. I think the collar is completely in line with the desires of Sarcean and Anharion, and their reincarnations are now echoing those desires thousands of years later and they will see whether it is ultimately something that they want to explore together in the next book. The collar was consensual: it is not in line with the YA romance fantasy genre to have a couple start out so grossly abusive towards each other, especially when the language is evocative of romance, and the personalities are showing desire. I think we are meant to challenge our assumptions here about people and what is considered “normal” instead of just thinking if a couple doesn’t fit our idea of a perfect mold that there must be something wrong with them. Also, please remember that Pacat is twisting our heads in one direction with the characters own misconceptions and half truths, when I believe he is planting enough evidence to surprise us (and Will) in the last novel with the revelation that has been hidden in plain sight all along: that Sarcean wasn't hurting Anharion. On the contrary. He was freeing him.

[transalphabf]

Post 666

in honour of my 666th post on this blog i think you all deserve some devillish porn

Finding yourself bound to an altar, your legs and arms cuffed in cold iron, splaying your cunt to the cool air of the moonlit night, terror grasped you.

The chanting around you was enough to make you feel fear, but the air seemed to extinguish for a moment, after their voices reached a fever pitch. You realised you were no longer alone in the summoning circle you had awoken in.

Before you stood a monstrous figure. Goat headed, large scaled wings rising behind it, you clamped your mouth shut, not wanting to scream and force its attention on you.

Your head whipped to the side when you heard gurgling noises around you, and the robed figures dropped down one by one, until the only sound that remained was your own breath coming in quick puffs, and the low, heavy breathing of the demon before you.

With a huff, the metal dropped away from your wrists and ankles, and you hesitantly sat up. The creature watched you, scarlet eyes gleaming in the light of the full moon, before offering you a hand.

“Come with me, and you shall wear a crown. Come with me, and be the bearer of my spawn, you shall live a life of luxury, that which you had not imagined.” It- no, he said. You swallowed. “You shall wish for nothing, and I am bound to this mortal plane for as long as you are, so no harm shall fall upon you.”

Your hand shakily reached out, and he took it in his own, warm, large hand. A spike of arousal ran down to your cunt just from that touch.

“We shall consummate here, and then depart for our new home.” He informed you. Your eyes ran down, unsure what awaited you, but his enormous cock throbbed before you, and you had an idea of what it would be.

He knelt down, and a long, dextrous tongue left his snout, toying with your clit, before pressing into your cunt, lapping at your tight hole, pressing deeper, licking places that you could never have imagined being touched by anything but the largest of cocks. You came pretty quickly, shaking, gripping his large curved horns as you felt the tip of his tongue run against your cervix, and press into your g-spot simultaneously.

It was almost too much, so when he lay you back on the cold stone altar, resting his cock over your stomach, so you could see how deeply filled you’d be, your mind was too stricken with lust to realise that it would end up directly in your womb.

But perhaps that’s what his tongue had been preparing you for.

He pressed in, corrupting your formerly pure body with his hellishly hot cock, inch after thick agonising inch searing you from the inside, forcing you to cum just from the flared head bumping against your g-spot on its way to batter your cervix.

When finally the tip pressed insistently on your cervix, you were mewling and making the most unholy noises.

His goatlike nostrils flared, and with a rough, hard thrust, his enormous cock breached your cervix and began fucking your womb right away, his clawed hands gripping your hips, drawing blood a little from how hard he held you.

Not that you minded.

Your mind was filled only with the pleasure, and the idea of him filling your womb with his corrupting seed, becoming his infernal broodmare, giving him a legion of demonic children, being his pleasure toy day and night.

You came again, and again, as he fucked you for what seemed to be hours, and as the sun began to rise, when your womb could take no more and your body on the verge of giving out from pleasure, you felt his cum pour into your womb, his enormous cock pulsing the thick rivulets into your womb, knowing that without a doubt he was impregnating you.

Which just served to make you cum once more.

After that point, you lost consciousness, but awoke in a fine bed, with black silk sheets and a soreness that you couldn’t place.

Was it a dream?

The figure lying beside you was a handsome man, dark hair, a goatee which should have looked out of place, but seemed to suit his slumbering face.

There was no denying it though, this was the more human form of the demon that corrupted you.

With a smirk, you sought to touch his cock, and it began to harden as you lined it up to ride your demonic master.

https://ko-fi.com/sigtryggr if this post made you cum, please consider supporting or tipping me via ko fi

[raayllum]

Time to be wonderfully self indulgent and talk about a scene comparison I've wanted to for a hot second (while pointing very decidedly to This Post for posterity's sake).

So let's talk about the hostage exchanges for Callum and Rayla in 4x09 and 5x08, shall we?

First, let's look at the scene setup.

In 4x09, Rayla is very much the aggressor and pursuant, and the one who — initially — has more power. She has her sword up to Terry's throat, neither him nor Claudia have strong reason to think she wouldn't go through with it, and she explicitly threatens Terry's life precisely because of his importance to Claudia. This is similar as to why Finnegrin threatens Rayla (though there are differences, which we'll get to in a moment), so both elves start out as the aggressor in each scenario.

However, there is soon a shift. Callum's "deal" happens because he escalated violence against Finnegrin (the infamous punch), a tad more similarly perhaps to how Rayla is only threatening Terry because she believes Claudia and co. are a threat to the whole world. Now to be fair, Claudia is only threatening Rayla's parents because Rayla is threatening Terry, but we can assume she had the realization of their connection to Rayla a while ago and has been sitting on it just in case she needed leverage, given that she doesn't seem to need a second to consider. I also think we're inclined, typically within the show, to see the person offering up Options / a choice to make as the one who holds more power in the immediate situation (i.e. Karim's whole sun seed for Janai debacle) even if it may be 60-40 the way it is here.

Not a huge power imbalance, but enough that people are being pushed into corners, and that's exactly where Claudia and Finnegrin attempt to do, and arguably do more successfully, to Callum and Rayla respectively.

We've talked a fair bit about Claudia, so now I want to talk about Finnegrin, simply because he gets a whole episode of corner backing, and therefore there's more stages.

The first stage is Finnegrin attacking Callum as an individual — "Look at you: slave to your friends, your loyalties, your pride. I can give you your freedom though" — and it's the least effective, as Callum never budges or shows any real hints of budging even under torture. However, Callum's admission that he has indeed done dark magic before ("I did one spell. One. I had to, to save my friends") gives Finnegrin the tools he needs to create the next prong of his approach.

Stage two is attacking Callum through his friends, and is far more effective. This is why he sets the hand cutting challenge, and Callum buys into it, i.e. the idea that he has to choose, over the idea that Callum could conceivably offer up his own hand instead. This is not to say that he wouldn't — there's little doubt in my mind that Callum wouldn't have seriously considered if not outright done the chain spell up on deck if Rayla hadn't tried to intervene, since as Finnegrin correctly assesses, "They would do anything for you, so clearly you'll do anything for them" — just that his own hand didn't occur to Callum as an option the way it might've to someone like Rayla.

The third stage, of course, is the one that's most interesting to us, simply in how Callum's "hostage deal" differs from Rayla's in both its construction, their assumptions, and their responses.

Claudia: One thing I don't know though — if I threw the coins in the lava, would it release your spirits? Or would they be trapped in some kind of eternal burning agony? Let's trade. You let him go... and I'll give you the coins.

Finnegrin: The cave is for his protection. This way, he lures us a leviathan but doesn't get eaten. The one getting thrown into the sea serpent's hungry mouth is your elf girl.

Claudia's offered deal is different from Finnegrin's in a few ways.

1) Claudia's deal is explicitly stated in not just the text, but the scene itself ("Let's trade") meanwhile Finnegrin, unlike the two stages prior, does not offer Callum any notion of freedom this time around. Even though neither ends up being a fair deal regardless, the setup of said deal is different. Rayla is being legitimately offered; Callum is making a (desperate but understandable) assumption.

2) Exemplified in a drabble I wrote in which Finnegrin was bluffing, I think it's worth noting that the peril Rayla's parents were in was much more apparent. They were completely defenseless, Claudia was already holding them over the lava, and just one quick throw would be enough to potentially leave them in an "eternal burning agony" (which sounds worse than death by sea leviathan to me; at least that decidedly ends at one point). Rayla could see and hear all this. Callum, by contrast, did not see Rayla tied up, or in distress, and Finnegrin had no proof other than his word. That's not to say Callum was wrong to believe him — he'd just watched Finnegrin torture her, and Finnegrin was very much not bluffing in canon — but that normally Callum is a bit more skeptical and wants a bit more proof in regards to things, and this was a time where emotion really pushed him forward. The immediate consequences of however Rayla responded would be seen with her own eyes, where it's unlikely Callum would've even known precisely when Rayla had died/been eaten with any of his senses or knowledge; it's arguably the one 'mercy' that Finnegrin provided him.

3) And as stated, both Claudia and Finnegrin end up being disingenuous. It seems likely that Claudia always intended to trick Rayla, even if she'd let Terry go, given that while we don't see her slight of hand in general on screen, it doesn't seem like it would've been possible for her to take the coins back out again and switch them before tossing the pouch. That seems like a one and done type of thing earlier on. Finnegrin, of course, takes Callum to task for his assumption ("Oh my poor lad; that deal was no longer on the table") and given his choice to feed Rayla to the sea leviathan anyway, I don't think Finnegrin was ever telling Callum about his plans in order to get him to give up the info. I think it was just supposed to be a punishment, plain and simple, for the literal blow to his pride.

But now for the difference I think everyone clicked on this meta for, realistically, are the choices that Callum and Rayla made in response to the offered Deals.

When Rayla's parents lives are on the line, she considers, but ultimately refuses.

She does not partake in the deal. Rather, she escalates her own refusal of it by pushing Terry to his knees, says so outright — "I'm not making a deal with you!" — and looks up at Claudia, watching and waiting to see how she responds. Claudia as wholly tossed the coin pouch, and Rayla is seeing it arc down towards the lava, before she finally releases Terry to go and try to save her family.

Rayla does not fold the second her parents are verbally threatened, or when there is a possibility of getting them back. Despite her wanting to stop Claudia and Viren, the bigger issue is ultimately letting Claudia escape > actually keeping Terry away from her as an ally/helper. It is only when her parents will burn to death in front of her eyes that she relinquishes her stalemate in an attempt to save them.

You can argue that Rayla going back on her refusal means she made the same choice as Callum in 5x08, and that's fine; it's your prerogative, it's your interpretation, it's cool beans.

However, that doesn't ignore the character beat that Rayla at least refuses upon the first possibility of a threat. Claudia directly threatens three of Rayla's loved ones, and Rayla doesn't budge and verbally/physically refuses to give Claudia what she wants.

And Callum does the same with Finnegrin under torture... until Finnegrin threatens Rayla. The second Callum realizes that Rayla is in danger, that she will or might be killed, Callum folds.

The parallel response here would've been Rayla letting go of Terry the second that Claudia said she might throw the coins into the lava, but Rayla doesn't. And Callum does, even though as he said earlier ("I'm not going to help you murder the Archdragon of the Ocean") this makes him complicit in murder.

And this is where Callum's assumption really bites him in the ass, because he assumes that Finnegrin is still operating under the terms of their previous deal ("Told me something I wanted and now she's free as a bird") even though Callum isn't asking for his freedom, but Rayla's. But Finnegrin's pride is wounded — this was always meant to be a straight up punishment, not enough form of coercion — the wick of his anger lit, so it makes no difference.

Rayla refuses Claudia's deal when thinking it existed, only to find out it didn't. Callum agrees to Finnegrin's deal only to find it out it no longer exists. He gave Finnegrin what the pirate wanted and it isn't even going to save the person he gave it up for.

Both failed exchanges — or in Rayla's case, a failed rescue — end in defeat and devastation: Rayla sobbing and letting out a scream of anguished frustration, and Callum laying on the floor in despair, totally sideways from how much he's pulling at his chains.

I don't think I have to say much else as these scenes and comparisons basically speak for themselves. Neither choice these two make is necessarily the right or wrong choice — for Rayla, her inability to put what she wants first could've resulted in her parents' deaths and has caused herself and others a lot of suffering; for Callum, he understandably wanted to protect a loved one at all cost, even if that left him exploitable and unsuccessful amid Finnegrin's ire, and gave the pirate a dangerous piece of information.

However, I do think that although Callum's choice spells an ominous future (and that Rayla's foreshadows the uncertainty of what she may do when Callum is, inevitably, possessed again, and their futures collide), it's worth examining it as his biggest, more positive difference from Viren, and that's what my next post will be about — so stay tuned if you like.

[cappulcino]

Seven Days Til Fall (Part 4)

Part 1 – Part 2 – Part 3 – Part 4 – Part 5

Read on AO3 (you do need to be logged in, though)

Words: 4,646

Pairing: Lucifer Morningstar x Angel!Reader

Summary: You're an angel sent on a divine mission to retrieve a powerful relic that has been stolen from Heaven. The orders are clear: gain an audience with the Devil, make deals with them if necessary, anything to return that object to the Silver City. But Hell is not quite what you expected, and neither is Lucifer.

Trigger warnings: Minor character death (new souls in Heaven).

The fourth morning in the Silver City began with the usual routine –prayers, the harmonious hum of celestial voices, and the ever-present glow of the Divine Light.

As you made your way from the Cathedral to the Pearly Gates, the Archangel Michael called out your name and landed a respectful distance away from you.

"Your Grace," you said with a mixture of respect and unease. "Peace be upon you."

"Yes, yes…" Angels of the Highest Orders were not obligated to greet those they considered beneath them, so he didn't. "I shall find peace when the Cup of Eternal Grace is back where it belongs. How are you finding Hell? Are you faring well in your mission?"

What were you even supposed to say to that? That nothing down there was like you had been taught? That the Lightbringer was actually a fair ruler, and sometimes even a decent person? Of course not.

"Hell is, uh… Well, Hell. Very, very oppressive. Still, the mission is progressing nicely and is quite… enlightening. It sure is more complex than I had expected, but–"

"Complexity is to be expected when dealing with Lucifer and their infernal legions," Michael cut off, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly at your hesitation.

You paused, realising just how much you disliked the way Archangels constantly talked down to you as if you knew nothing of the world. Composing yourself so he wouldn't suspect anything of the doubt that was taking seed in you, you flashed him a brief smile.

"Naturally. But we are fairly confident that the lead we're currently following is–"

"'We'?"

You gulped and mentally scolded yourself. You couldn't let Michael know you saw Lucifer as an ally or partner of some sort in your quest.

"I… merely meant that the Morningstar has been very cooperative. With their help, I'm getting closer to finding the chalice. I think it is being or has been traded at the Obsidian Bazaar. But it moves with the Shadows and–"

Michael interrupted you once more. "You may want to speak to Arakiel, I believe they are back from earthly duty. They might know what demon the humans traded with. And if that fails, you have my blessing to consult the Library."

For goodness' sake, how long had Arakiel been back? You would think somebody out here could have given you that vital information…

"A-Alright. Thank you, Your Grace."

"Needless to say, I ask of you to be extremely careful. Despite my sibling's many names, they only bring darkness. Do not lose yourself to it… or to them. Failure is not an option."

"Yes. I mean, no. No, it isn't. But I won't fail." You were trying to sound confident despite the knot in your chest.

"See that you don't, indeed," the Archangel replied calmly though you noticed his voice carried an underlying warning.

His large wings flapped, lifting him off the floor, and you bowed your head in reverence, thinking the interaction and the awkwardness that came with it were finally over.

But, maintaining himself above you, Michael spoke again. "If you succeed, I will personally ensure that your efforts are recognised. Perhaps a promotion is in order. But if you falter…"

The implication sent a chill down your spine and you felt your feathers stick up. But before you could say anything –and what was there more to add anyway?–, Michael was already gone.

You let out a shaky breath and set off again. However, as you did, another voice hailed your name. Raphael.

"Where exactly do you think you're going?" You gestured vaguely as you tried to answer, but the Archangel gave you no time to explain. "Your mission will have to wait. We have over a thousand souls incoming."

And so you hurried to the usual meeting place, quickly joined by Camael and Muriel.

"What is it this time?" You asked your friend.

"I don't know, ask the Virtues. Earthquake, I think."

"I don't understand why they ask us to help, though", Muriel added. "Why don't they ask another rank to supervise the operations?"

She was right. Lower Angels and Principalities were more than capable of handling themselves. But if they absolutely needed to be watched by members of the Middle Orders, why did the Archangels not ask the Powers? Better yet, the Virtues. It was their fault if there had indeed been an earthquake after all.

So here you were, working relentlessly to welcome and comfort the newly arrived souls when you suddenly felt something tug your garments. You looked down. A tiny human.

"Are you an– an angel?" he asked in a reedy voice.

"I am."

"A real one?"

You nodded and crouched down to his level. "A real one. You're in Heaven, sweetheart."

He stuck his thumb in his mouth, looking all around him, evidently lost and scared.

"What's your name?"

"Jeremiah."

"Jeremiah. That's a very pretty name."

"Where's my mummy?"

"Uh…" You took a look around to see if there was any mortal woman who looked like this child. "I don't know, little one. What's your mother's name?"

"Mummy."

"Right."

You sighed heavily. You felt sorry for this young boy, deeply. But you just didn't have time for this and, frankly, God's whims were starting to test your patience.

Muriel passed by then, and you grabbed her arm.

"Hey. This is Jeremiah. Do you know if his mother is here somewhere?"

Muriel, in charge of the Silver City's administration, checked a list that had been handed to her. "Uh… Jeremiah… Here he is. Jeremiah Dupree. No, I'm sorry, we don't have any other members of his family for now. But it says here his mother prayed to God and His son to save him, so that's why we took him in."

You blinked and shook your head in disbelief. "That's… That's not… what she meant…"

"No?"

"No."

At that moment, Jeremiah started crying, and you picked him up, trying to soothe him.

"Why is he crying?"

"He's scared, he wants his mother."

Muriel truly didn't seem to understand. "But he's in Heaven, he should be happy. In fact, you should be happy, too. Why aren't you happy?"

"Muriel. Here we have a deceased toddler, alone and terrified, and there is a mortal woman down on Earth who has just lost her child. How is that a good thing?"

Muriel frowned. "I don't know, maybe God wanted to test that woman. You know how much humans love their offspring, it's the best way to test them."

"Oh, for Heaven's–" You shoved the crying child in her arms. "Take him. I have to go, I'm terribly sorry. Peace be upon you."

"Angels are fickle creatures, are they not?"

"Your opinion has not been requested, Mazikeen. We are certain Our guest will return."

In Hell, Lucifer was pacing in their throne room, unease etched on their face, much unlike their usually composed demeanour. You were late. Angels were never late.

What was going on? Had something happened to you? Or worse, had they said something yesterday that had driven you away?

They sat down on their throne and replayed the events of the previous day and your last supper together over and over in their mind, trying to pinpoint any moment where they might have gone too far. But no matter how much they searched, they couldn't find a reason. You had seemed to enjoy your time together –there had been laughter, even a few real smiles. So where were you?

Lucifer was well aware you wouldn't return to their domain once you had completed your mission, and that thought alone left a surprising and unwanted hollowness in their chest. But the breadcrumbs you would need to follow to get to them were still numerous and scattered all around Hell; your mission was far from over. So, again, where the h–

"Apologies, Your Majesty," you called out panting as you stepped into the throne room, your wings ruffled from your rapid descent.

"We suppose there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for your delay," Lucifer said with a half-questioning tone, hands tightly clasped on their lap.

"There is. I was–"

"Then there is no need to apologise, dear. We were just curious about your absence."

You blinked, trying to make sense of those words. You weren't sure what Lucifer was feeling right now –you never were–, but it certainly didn't look like mere curiosity.

"'Curious'? Is that Your way of saying 'worried'?"

Lucifer's eyes snapped at you with an expression you couldn't quite decipher, but they kept their tone calm and polite. "We will simply say that your presence has become… expected."

"Well, I am very sorry."

Your voice was soft and your words genuine, but Lucifer brushed them away with a dismissive hand gesture which, thankfully, seemed to bear no hard feelings.

"Now. Follow Us. We have an idea where the Obsidian Bazaar might be this morning."

They stood up, and that was only then that you realised how different their robes were from those they usually wore –much more refined, much more revealing, too. Your breath hitched and, for some reason, your heart missed a beat.

"Well?"

Only when Lucifer spoke did you realise you were no longer looking at them in the eye like you were supposed to.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty."

Lucifer merely hummed in response and started heading to the terrace from which you guessed they wanted to take flight.

"Actually–"

You extended an arm that you thought would only catch the Lightbringer's attention but ended up brushing their wrist with your fingertips. Your eyes widened and so did Lucifer's for an instant, so you backed off, waiting to be scolded.

When the scolding never came and you were met with Lucifer's full focus instead, you spoke again, relieved. "Actually… I think the Cup can wait."

Lucifer raised an eyebrow. "Can it now?"

It could. Your mind was elsewhere because of what had happened in Heaven this morning and in this Godforsaken land yesterday and the days before that.

"I fear I'm not in the best disposition to pursue my mission at the moment."

"And why would that be?"

You sighed, looking up at the Morningstar with a defeated expression. You weren't sure how to say this, but you suspected they already knew what was ailing you anyway –they had been hinting at it for three days. So maybe there was no need.

And indeed, with the slightest smirk on their lips, Lucifer said, "You have questions." You simply nodded. "Mmh. We thought as much. After all, doubt has been making its way into your heart since you first came down here, has it not? It was only a matter of time before you felt the need to have all your questions answered once and for all."

Noticing that Lucifer had said that doubt was not entering your mind, but your heart, you gulped. "I… suppose so."

"Very well, then. Come with Us."

"Where?" you asked as they started walking towards a hallway you had not yet taken.

Lucifer stopped and briefly glanced at Mazikeen, who was standing in a dark corner of the room, ready to protect her ruler, as usual.

When they spoke, their voice was as bitter as their facial expression, and you wondered why. "Away from… prying eyes."

After a series of shadowed corridors and labyrinthine turns, you were now approaching a small metallic door forged with Hellfire. You had yet to see what was hidden behind it, but the surrounding air already seemed warmer –not because it was hot, but because it was safe–, and your nose picked up a faint, familiar fragrance, definitely celestial.

"After you," Lucifer offered surprisingly after opening the door.

You hesitated a brief instant, debating whether you should keep following etiquette and decline entering first, but quickly gave in and marched through the door.

The place Lucifer had taken you to seemed to be a small, secluded courtyard –the very heart of their palace, in fact. You first noticed how bright the red sky above your head was. But then it was another vision altogether that caught your eye.

The whole space was littered with ancient fragments of the Silver City. Marble statues, once regal and proud, lay cracked and forgotten, wings chipped and faces eroded with time, some even standing half-buried in the black ash.

You looked around and also found portions of walls that you knew had once reflected the Divine Light, still carved with barely discernible scenes of celestial harmony: angels in flight, the hosts of Heaven gathered in worship, and at the centre of it all, the brightest among them, Samael –though their figured seemed to have suffered most.

You caught sight of an inscription in an extremely ancient angelic language. You couldn't read all of it –partly because it was hardly visible beneath layers of grime and dust, but also because the celestial dialect had changed much since the War, and, just like the demons of Hell, you had been made to forget your mother tongue.

Still, you managed to read, "I am Samael, firstborn of the Most High. In my Father's glory I did rise, to bring Light where there was none."

"This is where We fell."

Lucifer's voice pulled you out of your thoughts. You turned around to watch them walk over to a stone bench, intricately decorated with scenes of stars and Creation.

"Oh."

Lucifer delicately patted the space beside them. "Sit." When you hesitated –you couldn't possibly forget every protocol–, they rolled their eyes and insisted. "Please."

That one word was enough, and you promptly sat next to them.

The silence that followed was heavy and seemed to stretch infinitely. You kept looking around, and you found this place felt more like a tomb rather than a royal courtyard, a place of pain and pure solitude, visited only by the one who remembered its true significance.

"Do You, uh…" You cleared your throat, unsure about how to proceed. "Do You come here often?"

"At least once a century." So, often, by your immortal standards. "To remember."

"Is it not painful?"

"Of course it is. But We have learnt to live with the pain. It is part of this place, part of Us."

You remained silent for a moment, lost in thought, not noticing the way Lucifer was looking at you, patiently waiting for you to express whatever it was you were feeling, ready to welcome it all.

"There has been an earthquake this morning –hence my delay. And there was this little boy, crying for his mother. Every other angel around me was unfazed. And I suppose… I realised just how deeply mistaken I was. I mean, I used to think Heaven was so… perfect, that there was no place for suffering, for…"

Hearing your voice trail off, Lucifer proposed, "For doubt? Questions, uncertainties? How do you wish to call it?"

"Torment," you replied resolutely. "That's how it feels."

There was yet another moment of silence before Lucifer's soft voice broke it. "You remind Us of who We once were, you know."

"Do You realise how backhanded Your compliment is?" You mumbled.

"But you still see it as a compliment."

You lifted your head then and finally noticed the look on Lucifer's face –understanding and… fond. That look made your heart flutter and when it became too hard to sustain, you turned back to the celestial ruins before you.

"Is that why You left Heaven then?" You asked eventually.

"We most certainly did not 'leave' and you know that. We were vanquished in the Great War, and God found Us to be evil so He cast Us out. Took Us by our winged back, raised Us over His head and flung Us down to Hell."

For a second, you considered saying something along the lines of "You brought this on Yourself," but you knew you would only be regurgitating what Heaven had forced you to believe and you didn't want to do that any more, especially not when Lucifer was opening up to you. You didn't want to be mean.

Goodness… You didn't want to be mean to the Devil.

"They sang as We fell, you know." Lucifer let their words linger a moment and then repeated in a whisper, "They sang…" You looked down and noticed how tight their fists were, proof of a wound still fresh despite the billions of years that had passed since the Great War. "When We woke up here, Our wings like leather and Our body burnt, We swore to destroy anybody who would humiliate Us again."

"Is that why You said You would destroy the King of the Dreaming?" You inquired, remembering what Azazel had said yesterday. "Did he humiliate You?"

"In a way."

"How so?"

Lucifer took a moment to compose themself and try not to let their anger speak. "Morpheus came to Us in search of his helm that had been stolen from him. One of Our demons had it –very much like that chalice you are looking for, in fact. But while Heaven made a deal with Us for the artefact, Dream decided to challenge Us to the Oldest Game."

"And won, I presume?"

Lucifer nodded. "Our last move was anti-life. Do you know what can survive anti-life?"

You furrowed your eyebrow in deep thinking, trying to come up with the right answer. What could possibly defeat that? Less than a week ago you would have probably tried "faith". But now you knew faith could be lost, especially in the face of death. So you gave up.

"Hope," Lucifer simply stated.

"Hope…" That answer made sense. And yet… "But is there truly hope in Hell?"

"Of course there is. You have seen many Damned in the past few days. Surely by now, you must have realised that hope is what keeps them dreaming of escape, of salvation. That is how Morpheus humiliated Us, by reminding Us that part of the power Hell holds resides in the idea that those imprisoned here still dream of Heaven."

"I know that," you replied in a soft tone. "But I meant… for the Fallen Ones. For You."

A small smile tugged at the corners of Lucifer's mouth. They liked that you seemed to care so much about them and their feelings, and when they spoke again, you could swear their voice had never sounded so sweet.

"We, too, are prisoners of Hell. We are not that different from the Damned."

"So You still have hope."

"Sometimes."

"When?"

"Hope… can be found in the most trivial things. A melody, sung one last time by a damned soul before it loses its sanity. A fleeting memory, a whisper of what it felt like to be free. Unexpected turns of events. Something or… someone daring to defy Our expectations."

Right now you weren't sure whether Lucifer was speaking for all the denizens of Hell or solely for themself, but you saw a flicker in their eyes, a vulnerability that wasn't there before that made you opt for the latter.

Their eyes were raking your body with surprising tenderness as they went on. "Someone… who can make Us believe, if only for a short instant, that there could be more to Our existence than this throne and crown of flame."

With that, you were now certain they were talking about themself, and you weren't sure what to make of it. Your thoughts were a mess, especially considering your proximity to the Lightbringer and how they were looking at you.

Worse, they were now dismissing protocol and boundaries altogether, letting their hand slowly come up to your wings, and you let them, convinced their touch wouldn't affect you.

But the wings were the most sensitive body part of any winged being –touching them was deemed far more intimate than touching a cheek like Lucifer had done to you yesterday. As such, it was extremely difficult to control them, particularly when not focused on that task. You definitely weren't.

Lucifer’s fingers hovered over the feathers of your wings, as though testing the limits between boldness and restraint. But then, with deliberate care, their hand settled into your soft plumage, trailing slowly down the length of one of your feathers as if memorising every delicate ridge and curve.

The effect was immediate. A shiver raced down your spine and rippled violently through your wings. It wasn't just the physical sensation, though that was overwhelming enough. It was the way their touch seemed to stir something inside you, an ache, a longing you couldn't quite understand.

You blushed awkwardly while your reaction made Lucifer smile and they continued. "Someone… who stands before Us and looks at Us without fear or hatred." Their eyes went up and met yours then. "Do you fear Us, little dove?"

"N-No," you said in an unstable but honest tone. "Nor do I hate You. In fact… sometimes when I look at You, I still see an angel."

That made Lucifer chuckle softly. "Do you realise how backhanded your compliment is?"

You smiled, seeing how easy it had been for the Morningstar to throw your own words back at you. But then, the smiles and laughter faded, and you noticed that so had the respectful distance between you two.

Lucifer's eyes, usually so sharp, were now half-lidded and fixated on your lips. The realisation made your pulse quicken, everything was so overwhelming.

But one glance at your eyes, one second during which Lucifer paused to silently ask for your consent, was all it took to break the charm. Had the ruler of Hell simply taken what they wanted as was their wont, perhaps you would have given it to them. But now the sudden awareness of what you were about to do made you remember how wrong and blasphemous it would be, and you pulled back.

"I… I can't."

Lucifer slowly closed their mouth –pinched their lips until they turned white would be more accurate– and looked away.

"But like We always say, hope is the cruellest of emotions." They stood up then and started heading towards the door. "Well then. Your time for questions is up. We should go back to–"

But Lucifer didn't have time to finish because, behind them, too caught up in the panic that this whole interaction had sparked in you, you had just flown away.

Crying. That's what you had been doing all afternoon, huddled up in the most solitary chapel in the whole heavenly kingdom. Crying, crying, and crying some more.

Eventually, the tears dried up, leaving an aching emptiness behind them. You dabbed at your eyes with the sleeve of your robe, taking slow breaths in a pathetic attempt to regain a semblance of composure.

Your feelings were too strong, too hard to understand, and you felt the urge to flee from them and to immerse yourself in something else to drown out what hurt inside. Prayer hadn't worked, obviously, so now you resorted to work, deciding to follow Michael's advice –browse the celestial Library, seek answers, and stay out of the darkness.

"Peace be upon you. Which works will you need to consult today?" Raziel, Keeper of Secrets and All Magic inquired as you entered the building.

"Peace be upon you. The forbidden section, please." You tried to sound confident despite the hours spent weeping.

"Ha. Funny," the Archangel retorted without looking up from his register.

"I'm afraid this is most serious. I have been tasked with retrieving the Cup of Eternal Grace from Hell. I need to learn about that place, the demons, the Shadows… Everything."

"Do you have clearance?"

"From Michael, yes." Raziel's eyes narrowed so you gave him a little push. "You can ask him. Ask Uriel, too. The whole Council knows about my mission."

Mentioning the name of the Archangel of Wisdom and Truth as well as Michael's was enough for Raziel.

"If the Divine Council can vouch for you…" he mumbled as he sat up to go unlock the forbidden section. "I don't know why they would ask you of all angels but… Must be part of His Plan."

"Yes. His Great, blasted Plan," you retorted in an inaudible whisper.

No Divine Light reached that section of the Library and you were forced to navigate the narrow corridors guided only by a weak candlelight and your halo. The scent of old parchment reached your nostrils as you scanned the scrolls and leather-bound volumes for anything related to the demons or the Shadows.

Suddenly, your fingers traced over a particularly worn volume tucked away in a corner. It was bound in dark, weathered leather, and had no visible title.

Being fully aware that you shouldn't probably do this, that your inquisitive nature had already played tricks on you, you briefly checked your surroundings and picked the book.

It was in the same archaic celestial language you had read this morning on the ruins in Lucifer's private courtyard, but it didn't take much to understand that this was a diary that dated back to years mortal beings didn't even have numbers for, before the War.

Quickly, led solely by your thirst for knowledge –true knowledge–, you flipped the dusty pages in search of mentions of the only thing that seemed to truly matter right now.

And then you found it, that cursed name. Samael.

You read fast, focusing only on the words you remembered or that hadn't truly changed in the evolution of the angelic speech. And what you saw on those pages made your eyes widen in horror.

"Samael's absolute terror… prayers… forgiveness… Father spat out the Poison from His mouth… feathers ripped… In the wake of their Fall, we sang… exultation, celebrating the expulsion of the Rebellious Child. The heavens rejoiced… I won…"

Suddenly, a voice spoke behind you. "Curiosity. A dangerous thing, isn't it?"

Startled, you almost dropped the diary. "Gabriel. Your Grace. I, uh…"

"You know, this is exactly how it started for them. Lucifer, I mean."

"I simply… I just…" Tired of trying to find excuses and explanations, you gave up and instead, asked, "Your Grace, why did God let this happen?"

Gabriel snorted inelegantly. "Why does God do anything?"

"Precisely."

"It's not for us to know, you're thinking too much."

"But… I mean, Lucifer… They were His favourite child."

"And now they're not," the Archangel said as if it meant nothing. "Lucifer defied the Almighty. Children who misbehave get punished."

"B-But this was… brutal, sheer savagery. You sang! They were terrified, and you sang!"

"Of course we sang. We had won. Duh." And there was Gabriel's belittling tone again. "You were there. You sang, too."

"No!"

The two of you froze in that instant, both realising you had just admitted something you definitely shouldn't.

"Oh, dear," Gabriel said after a few seconds. "It seems you've let something slip there."

"I, uh… I didn't mean–"

The Archangel raised his hand to stop you. "No need to explain. I think I understood perfectly." You swallowed dryly. "To seek a bit of knowledge is fine. But remember curiosity could be your undoing."

"Are you threatening me, Your Grace?"

"No. Merely… advising. Now, I'm sure you're very sorry about everything you did, so I'm just going to…" Gabriel closed the distance between you two and grabbed the diary from your trembling hands. "And, well, may God give you pardon and all that, and I absolve you blah blah blah, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. There we go. Good Dominion."

With that pseudo-absolution done, he gave you two small, very condescending pats on the cheek –the same Lucifer had caressed yesterday– and a fake smile, and then left you there, in the cold dimly lit, and unbearably silent Library.

For the first time in your entire eternal life, you wanted to scream.

And there was evening, and there was morning –the fourth day.

[milatibrahiim]

𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐡 𝐇𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐝 ❁

يَوۡمَ تَرَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَٰتِ يَسۡعَىٰ نُورُهُم بَيۡنَ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَبِأَيۡمَٰنِهِمۖ

بُشۡرَىٰكُمُ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ جَنَّـٰتٞ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَاۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلۡفَوۡزُ ٱلۡعَظِيمُ

On the Day you see the believing men and believing women, their light proceeding before them and on their right, [it will be said],

“Your good tidings today are [of] gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein you will abide eternally.” That is what is the great attainment.

[ 𝐀𝐲𝐚𝐡 𝟏𝟐 ]

𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐛𝐮 𝐇𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐡 رضي الله عنه:

Some people said, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! Shall we see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection?" He said, "Do you crowd and squeeze each other on looking at the sun when it is not hidden by clouds?" They replied, "No, Allah's Messenger ﷺ." He said, "Do you crowd and squeeze each other on looking at the moon when it is full and not hidden by clouds?" They replied, No, O Allah's Messenger ﷺ!"

He said, "So you will see Him (your Lord) on the Day of Resurrection similarly Allah will gather all the people and say, 'Whoever used to worship anything should follow that thing. 'So, he who used to worship the sun, will follow it, and he who used to worship the moon will follow it, and he who used to worship false deities will follow them; and then only this nation (Muslims) will remain, including their hypocrites.

Allah will come to them in a shape other than they know and will say, 'I am your Lord.' They will say, 'We seek refuge with Allah from you. This is our place, (we will not follow you) till our Lord comes to us, and when our Lord comes to us, we will recognize Him. Then Allah will come to then in a shape they know and will say, "I am your Lord.' They will say, '(No doubt) You are our Lord,' and they will follow Him.

Then a bridge will be laid over the (Hell) Fire." Allah's Messenger ﷺ added, "I will be the first to cross it. And the invocation of the Apostles on that Day, will be 'Allahumma Sallim, Sallim (O Allah, save us, save us!),' and over that bridge there will be hooks Similar to the thorns of As Sa'dan (a thorny tree). Didn't you see the thorns of As-Sa'dan?" The companions said, "Yes, O Allah's Messenger ﷺ." He added, "So the hooks over that bridge will be like the thorns of As-Sa-dan except that their greatness in size is only known to Allah.

These hooks will snatch the people according to their deeds. Some people will be ruined because of their evil deeds, and some will be cut into pieces and fall down in Hell, but will be saved afterwards, when Allah has finished the judgments among His slaves, and intends to take out of the Fire whoever He wishes to take out from among those who used to testify that none had the right to be worshipped but Allah.

We will order the angels to take them out and the angels will know them by the mark of the traces of prostration (on their foreheads) for Allah banned the fire to consume the traces of prostration on the body of Adam's son. So they will take them out, and by then they would have burnt (as coal), and then water, called Ma'ul Hayat (water of life) will be poured on them, and they will spring out like a seed springs out on the bank of a rainwater stream,

and there will remain one man who will be facing the (Hell) Fire and will say, 'O Lord! It's (Hell's) vapor has Poisoned and smoked me and its flame has burnt me, please turn my face away from the Fire.' He will keep on invoking Allah till Allah says, 'Perhaps, if I give you what you want), you will ask for another thing?' The man will say, 'No, by Your Power, I will not ask You for anything else.' Then Allah will turn his face away from the Fire.

The man will say after that, 'O Lord, bring me near the gate of Paradise.' Allah will say (to him), 'Didn't you promise not to ask for anything else? Woe to you, O son of Adam ! How treacherous you are!' The man will keep on invoking Allah till Allah will say, 'But if I give you that, you may ask me for something else.' The man will say, 'No, by Your Power. I will not ask for anything else.' He will give Allah his covenant and promise not to ask for anything else after that.

So Allah will bring him near to the gate of Paradise, and when he sees what is in it, he will remain silent as long as Allah will, and then he will say, 'O Lord! Let me enter Paradise.' Allah will say, 'Didn't you promise that you would not ask Me for anything other than that? Woe to you, O son of Adam ! How treacherous you are!'

On that, the man will say, 'O Lord! Do not make me the most wretched of Your creation,' and will keep on invoking Allah till Allah will smile and when Allah will smile because of him, then He will allow him to enter Paradise, and when he will enter Paradise, he will be addressed, 'Wish from so and so.'

He will wish till all his wishes will be fulfilled, then Allah will say, All this (what you have wished for) and as much again therewith are for you.' " Abu Huraira added: That man will be the last of the people of Paradise to enter (Paradise).

[ 𝐒𝐚𝐡𝐢𝐡 𝐀𝐥-𝐁𝐮𝐤𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢 𝟔𝟓𝟕𝟑 | 𝟖𝟏/𝟏𝟔𝟏 ]

[talldarkandroguesome]

22nd of Lasst Seed, Tirdas

So I have stopped giving two fetching thoughts to what the Coucil and their fetching ghiaundhiuel want! Wait, that doesn:t look right.

Guarshite. Yes, that is the one.

Perhaps I have drank two bottles of some important spirit from Hammerfell I have no heard of before. But do I not desever it?! I believe that I do. Due. Doooooooo.

Anyhow.

The Council can line up and lick my prick and then bend over and take whatever I wish to give to them. Bugger them all and make them thank me for it.

There are really members questioning if I have somehow corrupted Nettle!

Worse still, they will not shut their ugly faces about my being the champion of Rimmen. AT THEIR BLOODY ORDERS!

I could sodomize the lot of them with a mace.

Well. Not Mother. That would be strange.

Speaking of, she is hardly any help. She just sits there looking all high and mighty and lets them all treat me like this.

Thank you, Mother, she wishes me to say. As if she is not part of the problem!

At least Sildras still loves me.

Avon is at his parents tonight. Some party with his sister. He brought Sildras along with him because I, "had that strange look", whatever that means. I think he thought I might bed his sister. Or her husband. Maybe both.

As if I would have an interest in them!

You would think my own Daesohn, not by blood or no, would have more faith in me.

But no! No one fetching does!

Well... I suppose Luayl does.

Which is why I plan to find my way into his room.

I deserve to feel appreciated, do I not?!

I have a worth. A meaning. I am more than just... well... I suppose I am not proving well that I am more than an eager cock, but that is getting off topic!

The point is, I deserve some love. Affection. Reassurance!

I am a mer with needs and feelings. And not all of them are sexual.

Yes, sure, many of them are. But not ALL! I have depth!!!

Sure I yearn to be taken rough and deep by another mer, but that is just an average Tirdas for anyone, really.

If I were at the Nest I would have no trouble finding others who would be willing to use my body for their pleasure and mine. Unlike here. I am looked down upon as a lowly, base creature for what is a perfectly natural need. Everyone on the Council is the same. I have heard enough reports.

B'Cahn! When I worked for House Intelligence I saw my share of what they get up to. I know the sorts of appetites they all possess.

Yet the moment they can judge me they leap upon me as a Khagouti upon an injured scuttler. It is simply savage. SAVAGE, I tell you!

Not that I have anyone to listen. None save Farayn. Though she cannot talk back or commiserate in the same way as a person. And I doubt Zethith would be very sympathetic. Or understand. Daedra are so much different than mortals.

Not that I am mortal, but... Fah! It is hard to think. I need to find Luayl. I need him to get me to forget how this day has been.

I just hope he does not ask me about my feelings. That is the last fetching thing I need to think about. Just pound my body like the stormy sea upon the cliffs until I am unable to think or move.

Perhaps I need another drink. Maybe just a sib.

A sib.

A sippp.

Fetching ink keeps running.

Another taste of.... whatever this is.

Yes. That shall cure it all. Then maybe a meal once I am good and mindless again. I cannot recall when last I ate.

[jrhughes]

The Sign of the Covenant 

Sunday, September 24th 2023 A.D. 

Genesis 17:1-14 

Golden Text:       10 This is My covenant, which ye shall keep, between Me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.  11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt Me and you.  12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.  - Genesis 17:10-12 

God wanted His people to be a special people. As you know a covenant was cut. The meat offering of the covenant, offered to the Lord had to be cut.  Here there is a cutting on every male child of Abram and all that are in his household, born or otherwise acquired.  This was a covenant sign that all of the people belonged to God under the covenant of God. 

This was now thirteen years after the birth of Ishmael and the first time in Scripture that we are told God had personally visited Abram since Abram was 86.  Abram was 86 years old when his son Ishmael was born of Hagar. Now Abram is 99 years old and we have God speaking to him about another child. WHAT?  Abram is 99 years old. 

My wife has a tea for the ladies. They always have a Bible quiz. One of the questions often asked was: How old was Sarai (Sarah) when she conceived a child?  There was a lady named Sister Gladys Kennedy who always attended who was in her nineties. The correct answer was Sarah was two or three years younger than Sister Kennedy, when Sarah conceived Isaac. Our point being that this was indeed a miracle birth of Abraham and Sarah, with a child coming from a 90 year old womb and the seed of a 99 year old man.  IS ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR GOD? 

Draw near with faith and realize that with God, all things are possible.  If you doubt that you can ask Lazarus who was raised from the dead after being dead for four (4) days. NOTHING IS TOO HARD FOR GOD. 

Message Text:  -  Genesis:   Chapter 17:1-14 

1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I Am the Almighty God; walk before Me, and be thou perfect. 

Abram was ninety years old and nine. Did you read that carefully? Abram was ninety-nine (99) years of age. We all KNOW that would make Abram too old to do any good for God, he should have done things when he was much younger.  God cannot use an old man like that.  Oh, sure God should be nice to Abram, but after all Abram is 99 years old. He considered past his prime by the world. Well Abram was, in the eyes of the world, too old when he left Haran. 

Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran (Genesis 12:4). He was 86 years old when the son Ishmael was born of Hagar, the servant girl (Genesis 16:15-16). He had waited some 25 years for the fulfilment of God’s promise to give a son through Sarai. It had been some 13 years since his last recorded word from God. 

BUT WAIT. GOD APPEARED.  God actually appeared to this older man. WOW! He must want him to go to tell those in the nursing homes, that is all that he can do at 99. RIGHT? NO! Life has passed him. He can only prepare to die. God has nothing for a 99 year old man OR perhaps God is not bound by the ideas of man.  

The LORD appeared to Abram: Undoubtedly, this was another appearance of God in the person of Jesus, who took on a temporary human appearance before His incarnation on earth (as with Hagar in Genesis 16:7-9). 

I Am Almighty God: God’s first words to Abram made an introduction and a declaration of His being. By this name El Shaddai (God Almighty), God revealed His Person and character to Abram.  

The last time God appeared to Abram was 13 years before. 

I Am the Almighty God; walk before Me, and be thou perfect. But God speaks.  We believe that this is an appearance of God. And whenever we have an appearance of God before the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, the One Who declares or shows Himself in Bodily form is the LORD Jesus Christ. 

No man hath seen God at any time; the only Begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him.- John 1:18 

Since there is only one form in which God appears bodily, we believe God the Son, then this must have been an appearance of God the Son centuries before He was born of a virgin in Bethlehem. And this Person spoke (say, speak, utter) and directed this old man to walk (go, walk, depart) before God AND to be perfect (be upright, sincere).  Why would God ask a 99 year old man to begin a ministry to walk in it, to be upright and sincere? Perhaps the ways of God are different from the ways of man. Perhaps with GOD, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. 

But is Jesus Almighty God?   YES! 

8 I Am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.  - Revelation 1:8 

2 And I will make My covenant between Me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. 

I (GOD) will make My covenant (agreement, promise that cannot be broken) between Me (God) and thee (Abram). Did you read that?  GOD ALMIGHTY is going to make a covenant, (a promise that cannot be broken) between Me (GOD) and you, mortal man. God knows the future and God here declares that Abram and his seed will keep the covenant. This was a promise of God Who is all knowing. This was the same covenant that God had been telling Abram of since his days in Ur, then Haran and finally here in Canaan. It had now been 25 years since God first made His promise to Abram.  Have you ever had to wait that long? 

GOD IN PRESENT TIMES. There is a story that I have been told, that I believe to be true. There was a fine Christian lady who had been praying for the conversion of her husband for two decades. Then one day her husband was on the way home from a business trip and had been killed in a car crash. She was hurt and now very upset with God, Who had not saved her husband. One day, about a month later, a young seminary aged young man came to the office of that man and asked for him by name.  They told his wife. She came out to see him and told him the sad news.  And when she found out that he was a seminary student she asked him why did he think God had not saved her husband? The young man said I need to tell you this.   

About a month ago I was hitchhiking back to my school.  It was cold and raining and so I was trying to get a ride. A man in a late modeled car stopped to pick me up. He said he usually did not pick up hitch hikers but it was cold and raining.  He asked me where I was going. I told him. He said well, I can take you up the road about an hour. But may I ask you a question? Then he asked me about the Bible and some passages. After about 15 minutes I asked him, Sir, if you were to die today do you have the assurance you would go to heaven? He said, quite frankly I do not and my wife has been bugging me for years. She became a Christian very early in our marriage. Then I asked him if he would like to know for certain. He asked can one KNOW? I said Yes.  First we have to know that God loves you and has a plan for your life and it ends with the paradise of heaven. But when we sin, the plan of God is frustrated. I explained how all sin earns us the death penalty for the wages of sin is death. A person who sins has earned eternal death and torment. But that love of God had sent Jesus to die on the cross to pay that death penalty for us. So, we do not have to go to hell, but can go to heaven and He makes it so very easy.  

Then I went over Romans 10, verses 9 through 13. And by now I could see a tear in his eyes. Then I asked him if he wanted to pray to receive Jesus and know that he would be in heaven when he died. He said he really would like that. So we pulled off to the side of the road and he prayed that prayer confessing his sins and asking God to save him. It was wonderful. We were both in tears. Crying tears of joy. And we continued our talk until I was to get out and go up a road to my school and he let me out.  He gave me his card.  He said he could not wait to get home to tell his wife. So your husband is in heaven, as we speak.  

The two of them rejoice together and she prayed and asked God to forgive her for doubting Him. 

NOTE: MY GOD IS REAL FOR I CAN FEEL HIM DEEP IN MY SOUL. 

3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,  

Abram knew he was in the presence of God. What did he do?   

Abram fell on his face. You and I can only imagine what might happen.  Suppose that the resurrected Jesus appeared before you in all His glory. Do you suppose you would react as Abram or later John? 

12 And I turned to see the Voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;  13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks One like unto the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.  14 His Head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and His eyes were as a flame of fire;  15 And His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and His Voice as the sound of many waters.  16 And He had in His right Hand seven stars: and out of His mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and His countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.  17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. ...  Revelation 1:12-17  

Then God spoke in an audible Voice: 

4 As for Me, behold, My covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. 

My covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. God once again assures Abram that Abram is to be the one through whom will come the seed of the new covenant with God. The covenant agreement is with Abram and He tells Abram that he is to be the father of many nations.  This promise is being made to a man who has had no children with his wife Sarai and only one child with the Egyptian maid Hagar. God knows the future and God is sharing that information with Abram. 

5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. 

Abram means, “father of many.” What a name for a man who was fatherless for the first 86 years of his life. The culture looked upon children as a reward. Thus many thought no children may have been a punishment.  

Now, God went a step further and made his name “father of many nations.” 

Thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. God changes the name Abram, father of many to a new name that means father of many nations (Abraham). God is now revealing His plan. God is planning on a people that are peculiar to God (Jewish nation) which will be joined by whosoever will and those people will make up the covenant people. All who are in Christ Jesus are also heirs to this promise. 

Galatians 3:26-29: - 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. - Galatians 

6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. 7 And I will establish My covenant between Me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. 

I will make thee exceeding fruitful.  God here makes a promise to Abram about him being exceeding, (surpassing, going beyond) fruitful, (profitable, beneficial). The covenant first announced in Genesis 12:1-3 is to be passed on to the children of Abram-Abraham. His children, which children? 

And I will make nations of thee. From you, Abram will come nations of people. 

Kings shall come out of thee. Not just numbers, but also important people, leaders of those nations. 

And I will establish My covenant between Me and thee and thy seed after thee. And I do not limit this to you, Abram, but My covenant is with you and your children and grandchildren and great .... Never before had God mentioned this part of the covenant. God Who knows the future, could assure Abram that this covenant was going to last. His line, his offspring would keep the covenant.  

8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. 

By now Abram would have realized that in the natural man, Abram most likely would not produce children. But God had made a promise. 

I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. Those who come after Abram: his seed, (descendants, those not yet born) children, grandchildren, great ... will God give to those children of Abram this land of Canaan.  And it shall be an everlasting (continues forever) possession. (They will own it) 

I will be their God. They will receive the land, but more importantly God has agreed to be the God of Abram (Abraham) and the line of Abram. They will not worship gods made with the hands of man that cannot speak, cannot hear, cannot perform miracles. NO! As for you and your house (lineage) is concerned you will worship and call upon the Only True, Living, Creator God. The land was and is God’s covenant promise to the Jewish people. Are the promises still valid?  YES. (See Romans 3 and Romans 11) 

9 And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep My covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.  10 This is My covenant, which ye shall keep, between Me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.  

Keep My covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee.  

Covenant:  Easton's Bible Dictionary 

A contract or agreement between two parties. In the Old Testament the Hebrew word berith is always thus translated. Berith is derived from a root which means "to cut," and hence a covenant is a "cutting," with reference to the cutting or dividing of animals into two parts, and the contracting parties passing between them, in making a covenant (Genesis 15; Jeremiah 34:18, 19). 

. . . 

2. The word is used with reference to God's revelation of Himself in the way of promise or of favor to men. ... We have an account of God's covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17, comp. Leviticus 26:42), ...   

This covenant had a sign or token. Every man child among you shall be circumcised.  There was to be a cutting away of the foreskin on every male child who was a part of the family of Abraham and those bought in his household, the ones Abram owned. Circumcision was/is required of every male at the age of eight days old. 

CIRCUMCISION: 

A religious rite performed on male children of Jews on the eighth day after birth; also on their slaves, whether born in the house or not. It was enjoined upon Abraham and his descendants as "a token of the covenant" concluded with him by God for all generations, the penalty of non-observance being "karet," excision from the people (Gen. xvii. 10-14,xxi. 4; Lev. xii. 3). Aliens had to undergo circumcision before they could be allowed to partake of the covenant-feast of Passover (Ex. xii. 48), or marry into a Jewish family (Gen. xxxiv. 14-16). It was "a reproach" for the Israelite to be uncircumcised (Josh. v. 9; on "the reproach of Egypt"... 

. . . 

... According to Ex. iv. 24-26, the circumcision of the first-born son was omitted by Moses, and the Lord therefore "sought to kill him"; whereupon "Zipporah took a flint and cut off the foreskin of her son, and made it touch [A. V., "cast it at"] his [Moses'] feet," saying, "A bridegroom of blood art thou to me." Thus Moses was ransomed by the blood of his son's circumcision. 

Strange as was this omission on the part of Moses, the omission of the rite on the part of the Israelites in the wilderness was no less singular. 

. . .  

...As recorded in Josh. v. 2-9, "all the people that came out" of Egypt were circumcised, but those "born in the wilderness" were not; and therefore Joshua, before the celebration of the Passover, had them circumcised with knives of flint (compare Ex. iv. 25) at Gilgal, which name is explained as "the rolling away" of "the reproach of Egypt"... 

There are some commentators that explain God did this because it was safe for the child, others had done it and so forth. NO! God did not follow them. This was a sign or token. It was the idea of God. It was only long afterward that the wisdom of God was seen and verified God knew exactly what He was doing, when to do it, and the purpose of it so the world would know who were his people. Later science caught up. IT WAS NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND as some try to have you believe. This was the idea of God. The world tries to tell you that it was adopted from other cultures. Not true. THIS CIRCUMCISION was the outward sign of the covenant with God. 

But we ask: but I ask you, who are the true seed of Abraham?  

7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.  8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. - Romans 9:7-8 

28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:  29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. - Romans 2:28-29 

11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt Me and you.  12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.  13 He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 

God makes it very clear to Abram who is to be circumcised. God does not limit it to genetic (DNA) but also every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. All of these males must needs be circumcised: and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. There are to be no exceptions.   

Notice the reaction of Abram-Abraham: no committee meetings, no checking around, just immediate obedience to God and to the everlasting covenant. 

14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken My covenant. 

There is a severe penalty for those who do not come under the covenant authority of God. The uncircumcised will be treated as one who has rejected the Covenant of God. He is a covenant breaker. As such he will not enjoy any of the benefits  of the Covenant of God. In the New Testament era it is not as if you rejected baptism, it is as if you rejected the salvation offered to whosoever will. 

For God so loved the world, that He (Father-God) gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him (Jesus and His death in their place) should not perish, but have everlasting life. - John 3:16 

Notice the verse says should not perish. Why? Because Jesus died for all sins and all sinners, but if you chose not to accept His death in your place, although you should not perish, it does not say you SHALL NOT perish. Failure to repent and rely upon Jesus death on the cross will leave you outside the salvation covenant. 

As Circumcision is necessary to every male in the household of Abram, salvation is only for those who are willing to turn from a life of sin and accept the death of Jesus to pay for your sins.  Jesus paid the death penalty. You must accept the benefit: His bloody, sacrificial death has earned for you.  BECAUSE OF HIM you should not perish, you should have everlasting life. Have you accepted Him and His death in your place?  If not . . .   . 

Final word about Circumcision. The world will tell you that this practice was practiced by others before, but the main purpose of earlier circumcisions was to help in procreation of children. Only here in the Bible does God set it forth as the only way to heaven is through Jesus. The circumcised ones had to also believe in the Messiah of Israel, then yet to come. But now He has come, being born in a stable near or in Bethlehem. HE came to die. HE died to pay the death penalty that your sins earned you.  TURN ALL THE WAY TO JESUS. 

The New Testament Covenant.  Salvation, saving one from being on the way to hell and now making heaven his/her home. 

HOW?  God does not make it difficult. 

Romans Chapter 10:9-13 

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.  12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him.  13 For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved. 

If you believe Jesus is Lord, the One Who makes the final decisions in your life; and you believe that after His crucifixion (bloody death on the cross) He died and was buried in a tomb. (But God raised Him from the dead.) YOU can be saved from the penalty and torment of hell and the lake of fire. Call upon Him to forgive you, to cleanse you, to come into your heart and life. You trust Him as Lord and the Only Way to heaven, then you will be saved. You will make your final home the paradise of heaven. HALLELUJAH.  

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I come before You asking You to make sure that I am totally in the faith and am a fit vessel to be used of You. If I am not now fit, Lord, please forgive me of all of my sin and unrighteousness, cleanse me and make me Yours. Then Lord make me fit for Your use and bring to me those that You want me to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and all that HE has done for me. And make me aware that the covenant with You (since Jesus was born, lived and died for me) is only available through my faith in the Lord Jesus and what HE has done for me. I admit my heart is deceitful, the things I do, even for You are like filthy rags. Take me, as I am and change me, so that I may be used by You. Then make me willing and available to be used by You, I pray in the Name of Jesus Christ, the LORD. Amen and amen. 

May God bless you in all that you do for Him, Brother J.R. Soul winner, Bible teacher, Defender of the Faith

[amicidomenicani]

Question Dear Father Angelo, My name is Milena and a few years ago, after a long period of ignorance and disinterest (mea culpa) of everything that revolves around the word Faith, I decided it was time to take a stand on the biggest question in the world: God. I did not want to be slothful by being totally disinterested in the problem and I felt that I could not be satisfied with a superficial faith, in which we declare ourselves believers more by tradition and by sense of belonging than by conviction. To believe I need to understand (as far as possible). This is why I decided to take up the Bible, the Old and New Testament, and read everything. Let me be clear, I did not take this step as a believer. I expected to grasp contradictions, illogic and teachings too tied to the ancient world that would have revealed to me, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that the Text was entirely human, both in form and in inspiration. In fact, at the beginning it was not easy, I seemed to immediately grasp the inconsistencies and illogicalities that I invariably marked with a pencil, and then come back to them, some time later, when (by chance?), the answer I was looking for came up right under my nose. And here what at first seemed illogical to me became instead clear and shareable if read with the right key. Furthermore, the more time passed, the more attentive and passionate my reading became. In the end I had to change my mind and all my prejudices about this Sacred Text collapsed to the point that I consider it the most beautiful book I have ever read, perhaps the most beautiful that can be written (not so much for the form, but for the substance), and I still consult it often because in addition to giving excellent advice it is an inexhaustible mine of reflections. In one sentence I could say that I have found more answers than I was looking for. It is therefore not for a question that I am writing to you, but to find out if in your opinion an answer that "came to my mind" in the face of a criticism that a Jewish boy has leveled at the Christian interpretation of a passage from Isaiah is correct. I will explain. In Isaiah 53:10 we read, referring to the Servant of the Lord, that "he shall see his descendants in a long life". As you know better than me, according to the Hebrew interpretation the Servant in question would be the people of Israel and not Jesus. In particular, as regards this passage the Jews affirm that the term descent (in the Hebrew text literally seed zerah - זרע) would refer to a blood progeny and consequently could not apply to Jesus who, notoriously, had no children, but rather to the Jewish people. In this way it would seem incorrect the interpretation of those Catholics who maintain that the term descendants must be understood in a broad sense so as to encompass the "almost filial" relationship that Jesus established with his disciples and which in a certain sense continues today. Now, looking in a Hebrew dictionary, I discovered that the word zerah זרע, as it happens in Italian, can refer not only to sperm, but also to the proper seed (of a plant for example). So here is the illumination that caught me and about which I ask you for an opinion to understand if I am on the right path: reflecting on this passage, Jesus' parable of the sower came to mind. In that parable Jesus explained to the disciples that he is a sower and his words are his seeds, which can only sprout if they find fertile ground in us. At the same time, I recalled that, according to what is stated in the Gospel of John (Jn 1:1-3), all things came to be through the Word, so much so that even in Genesis God the Father creates the light, the firmament etc. simply by saying their name (Gen. 1: 3 - God said, "Let there be light," and there was light). In essence, the Word is a real means of creation. I venture a parallel (please correct me if I'm wrong!): just as the seed (understood as sperm) generates the human being

to life, in a similar way the seed (of the word) generates the human being to Faith, that is, it creates a new creature. Therefore, it is quite possible to affirm that this creature who was born in faith in Christ thanks to the word of Jesus is the fruit of His seed and therefore is a descendant of him. In this sense, then, all Christians would be the descendants of Jesus and it would be us who keep alive the power of His Word through the continuous transmission from generation to generation, which is why Jesus may well be the Servant of the Lord of whom Isaiah speaks when he writes "he shall see his descendants in a long life". I hope I have not reasoned badly. In case I did, forgive me, I'm still learning. I thank you again for your helpfulness, for the service you offer and I send my best wishes to the whole community of Dominican Friends. Milena Answer  Dear Milena, 1. I congratulate you on your meticulousness in investigating the words with which God revealed himself and communicated himself to men. They are the most precious words that can be heard and they are all words of eternal life. 2. First of all, I tell you that the interpretation you have given on the descendants that the Servant of Yahweh shall see in a long life is correct. 3. In fact, through the word the Lord continually generates new children to the Father and introduces the life of God into us. St. Paul is clear on this point: "Faith comes from what is heard (fides ex auditu), and what is heard comes through the word of Christ" (Rm 10,16) and is perfectly in line with what the Lord said about the mustard seed (Mt 13:31). 4. I would like to make two considerations about your email. The first concerns who the Servant of the Lord, of Yahweh is: whether he is Israel, as you say, or whether he is a specific character. Yes, the Jews understand it as a synonym for the people of Israel. And for this interpretation they can rely on Is 49:3: "You are my servant, he said to me, Israel, through whom I show my glory". However, it should be remembered that there are four songs of the Servant of the Lord and in them we find the emergence of a very specific person as appears in the first of these four songs, which is found in Is 42:1ff. Furthermore, often in Sacred Scripture Israel or Jacob are synonymous with both the patriarch and the people, as when it is said that salvation is from the Jews (Jn 4:22): that is, it comes from a member of the Jewish people. 5. But let's see in order what is specifically said in the four songs found in Isaiah 42:1-4 (5-9); 49:1-6; 50:4-9 (10-11); 52:13 - 53:12). About the first “Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, upon whom I have put my spirit; he shall bring forth justice to the nations" (Is 42,1), here is what the Jerusalem Bible says: "In this poem, the servant is presented as a prophet, the object of a mission and of a divine predestination (v. 6, cf. v 4; Jer 1,5), animated by the Spirit (v. 1) to teach the whole earth (vv. 1 and 3) with discretion and firmness (vv. 2-4), despite the opposition. But his mission exceeds that of the other prophets, since he himself is a covenant and light (v. 6) and carries out a work of liberation and salvation (v. 7). The choice of the servant is accompanied by an outpouring of the Spirit, as for the charismatic leaders of ancient times, the Judges (cf. Jg 3:10) and the first kings, Saul (1 Sam 9,17; cf. 10: 9-10) and David (1 Sam 16: 12-13; compare Is 11: 1-2)". 6. Regarding the second song "Hear me, O coastlands, listen, O distant peoples..." (Is 49,1), it takes up the theme of the first (42,1-8), insisting on certain aspects of the servant's mission: predestination (vv 1.5), a mission extended not only to Israel which he must gather (v. 5), but also to the nations to enlighten them (v. 6), a new preaching that shakes (v. 2), which brings light and salvation (v. 6). It also speaks of his failure (vv. 4.7), of his trust in God alone (vv. 4.5) and of a final triumph (v

. 7). Israel: this word is generally considered a gloss inspired by 44:21 and incompatible with vv. 5-6 which distinguish the servant from Jacob-Israel and where the Servant is sent precisely to Israel, to Jacob: “For now the Lord has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, that Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; and I am made glorious in the sight of the Lord, and my God is now my strength! It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth" (Is 49: 5-6). It is perhaps justified by the ambivalence of the figure of the servant who at times represents Israel and at other times its leader and savior. 7. The third and fourth songs add new clarifications about the person and the mission of the servant. The third song is found in Is 50,4: The Lord God has given me a well-trained tongue, that I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them. Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear. In this third song, the servant appears more like a sage than a prophet. He is the faithful disciple of Yahweh (vv. 4-5), in charge of instructing in turn those who "fear God", that is, all the pious Jews (v. 10), but also the lost or the infidels "who walk in darkness". Thanks to his courage and divine help (vv. 7-9), he will endure persecutions (vv. 5-6), until God grants him a definitive triumph (vv. 9-11). Until v. 9 inc., it is the servant who speaks. Is 50: 6:  I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting. This description of the sufferings of the servant will be taken up and developed in the fourth song (52:13ff). This fourth song takes up the theme of suffering. The persecutions that the servant will endure with great patience (53,7) are a scandal for the bystanders, but actually they are an intercession and an atonement for sins”. 8. Therefore, in the light of the text, the interpretation that identifies the Servant of the Lord with the people of Israel is certainly present, but it is neither the exclusive nor the main one. The distinction between the person and the people appears very clear in Is 49:5-6, precisely because this person is sent to save the people of Israel. 9. We now come to the descendants on which you have given your learned and precise explanation starting from the meaning of the word (from semantics). I present to you the comment made on it by G. Girotti, a Dominican martyr in Dachau and now blessed: "He shall see his descendants... The Hebrew text contains more exactly two distinct propositions: he will see a posterity, a progeny, he will prolong his days. The fruits of the Messiah's sacrifice are mentioned. As a reward, first of all he is granted a posterity, an innumerable multitude of men, who through him have been regenerated to new life, so that they are united with him as with a second progenitor of mankind (cf. Rom 5:14 ff.; 6:3). Thus, the promise made to Abraham was fulfilled (cf. Gen 15:5; 22:17). This first fruit or prize of the Messiah's sacrifice is made up of a crown of saints. 10. The second fruit is the following: in a long life, that is, the "Servant of Yahweh" will live eternally blessed. “Once I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever” (Ap 1,18). The expression: in a long life, implicitly contains the prophecy of the resurrection of the Servant of Yahweh after his death, because in common usage this expression is not used for the life of the soul alone, but for the life in soul and body. 11. The third fruit consists in the prosperous success which, through the Servant, the will of God will obtain. This will (Hebrew: consent) is the providential plan relating to the redemption, the salvation of mankind, it is that admirable r

estoration that embraces men and things, time and eternity, of which the prophet has already spoken several times in the previous chapters (cfr. 2, 4; 11, 5…) and of which he will speak even more clearly later on". As I wish you an ever deeper understanding of that Book which contains words that communicate eternal life (God), I gladly remind you to the Lord and I bless you. Father Angelo

[fleurcense]

A MATHEMATICAL EQUATION’S FORMULA (answer)

—

Was it you? Or was it her? Who shall take the blame for the unfortunate phenomenon that had or has, fell on you?

Did fate not warn you about the uncertainty of the future? Where it sways back and forth like the waves at the sea when the wind becomes stronger as season passes by. Tell me, have you known all along the formula for the equation— the damage would be too hard for you to bear if you solved it thus you pretended you never knew the answer?

How bold— how naive, for you to blame the fate when it was your flimsy emotion that successfully manipulated your mind— the consequence of your own choice for planting a seed of hope at the wrong soul who bore no evil but warmth.

She was aware all along— the flowers in your garden were growing with the help of her—the one that she did unconsciously but was interpreted as entirely a different thing. Her friends, whom she spent most of the time with, had encouraged her to take the invitation letter he had given, a visit to his garden— A visit to solve the equation together. How unfortunate, for doubt has been whispering its seeds of what ifs— I mean how could her? It would be evil of her if she took his hand, providing the key to her equation when she, herself, hadn’t even discovered her own solution. She was an equation— a complex object that even the vessel herself couldn’t fathom.

In Newton’s first law of motion, where he implies that things cannot start, stop, or change direction all by themselves, and it requires some force from the outside to cause such a change. Wouldn’t the same case applies to this? She thought. His heart moved on his own— his blood raced from every vein to another, his heart pumping faster than the speed of light— she wondered how he hadn’t died.

Anyway— then— if she is following the newton’s law, shouldn’t he be blamed for being the force that made his emotion conjured such fragile feeling? No, she didn’t mean to invalidate his feeling. In fact, she applaused— for him who hasn’t given up to find a solution to her equation. However, one can only hold for so long.

Is it not tiring for you to erase your whiteboard, rewriting the equation from the beginning over and over like a cycle that never ends? What is it that you see in me that I couldn’t see? My equation will remain the same, the keys will never be taken, and solutions will not be created. I am a complex, terrifyingly intricate question that makes the person loses its insanity. She thought to herself.

Her axiom of equality often changes — x equals x, perhaps one day if 2 stops by she would be x equals 2x, changing her fate entirely— maybe x won’t equal x but rather changes to a family tree from x connecting to y connecting to z and the cycle goes on and on. Her life is a puzzle that is meant to grow. Interference from the outside force will cause nothing but a delay in her process to transform.

This— precisely this phenomenon— is why she couldn’t take his invitation. Her life is full with uncertainties, endless of possibilities waiting at the end of every door she will walk through. In the process of it, some parts of her will be shattered to pieces so she can grow from experiences and she will not let him be her experiment. For him who deserves nothing but an equation that matches his, a solution that he doesn’t want but need.

She does hope— though, from time to time, that he knows what she has planted deep in her root. The one where she hopes in another universe— perhaps— maybe— in hundred of galaxies, millions of orbits scattering beneath the sun, where horizons became an army of ants— perhaps, in one of those universes, in one of the planets inside the universes— by the chance of 00.000000001% , she accepts his hand and walks in his garden that is full with blooming flowers where her smile becomes the source to keep them alive— where she manages to provide him a solution to his favourite equation— her equation to be precise— and she doesn’t leave him hanging like she does in this universe.

Perhaps. She hopes.

—

From me, the moon.

xx sofea.

[dilftaroooo]

hi! can you please write a nsfw oneshot for dio brando x fem! reader ? to be a little specific; can you add a boss/assistant dynamic & corruption kink? tysm ( ◠‿◠ )❣️

mmm corruption kink. thats absolutely my fav, anon 🤤. i'll be more than happy to write it for you. enjoy!

(business office au)

you gotta earn it. (boss!dio x secretary!reader)

word count: //1.7k+//

synopsis: you want that raise? then show mr.brando what it is you're willing to give up to him. it's only fair.

tw/tags: dubcon, nipple play, corruption kink, size difference (not heavily mentioned though), business attire, afab reader, cute virgin reader.

"No."

Those words left you speechless; stiff in your spot as you looked into piercing, yellow, eyes. He said it in such a nonchalant manner, you don't think he even took a double take on your question. You spent so much effort to muster up the courage to ask your boss the question that you dread to be answered - but not in this way. He must have made a mistake.

"'No'...?" You echoed.

Dio leaned back in his seat, eye contact never faltering as he crossed his legs, burgundy colored dress pants ruffled at the movement. He tilted his head in a mocking manner as one well groomed eyebrow raised upwards.

"Oh dear. Perhaps my beloved secretary has gone deaf? I shall repeat myself once more: 'No' meaning, 'No, I will not offer you a raise.'"

Your fist clenched as you try to fight back the tears of humiliation and neglect. Why? Why did he refuse you? You worked so hard for him and you knew he knew that. So why won't he give you this raise? Leave it to Dio to crumble up your acts of valor and throw them into a fiery pit.

Trying to regain your composure, you speak up,

"But, sir, Why? I've done so much for you these past couple years; schedule your meetings, review your records and documents, compose orientations for newcomers. I even make sure to make your coffee each morning - a long black with two shots of expresso."

Your eyes were becoming wet. You were on brink of breaking down and crying right in front of your boss. You don't even think he was the slightest bit convinced by your retort. All he did was observe you with a wicked smirk plastered on his face. There was no change in his features but, reluctantly, you resume.

"Please, Mr.Brando. Please give me this raise. I-I'll try to do better for you! Just tell me what it is I need to do. Please, I'll do anything, Mr.Brando."

Dio stiffened. It was that keyword that gained his attention: 'anything'.

"'Anything', you say?" You nod and a flash of his white teeth glimmered from the building's colorless light on the ceiling. His chuckle was deep. "Think before spouting careless words such as that, my little mouse." The small squeak emerges from his office chair as he gets up, approaching your meek figure and you cower at his nearness. His fingers gently grasped your hair and you notice how well kept they were - manicured with a clear polish and decorated with gold rings. You didn't miss the Rolex watch wrapped around his wrist.

"Such pretty hair," He lightly plays with your mane before tightening his grip and hoisting your head up, forcing you to look directly at him. "You don't mind if I tug on it do you, love?" He adores the wince you let out, eyes scrunched close with pain.

"Ouch! Mr.Brando, Please stop-"

"Oh but you said you would do anything for me, remember? So I'm allowed to use you however I please. You want a raise, don't you?" Your face burns when his lips feather against the skin of your cheek. You heave out a low sigh at his deed. Dio deliberately consumes your reaction - savoring it like the smoothest red wine.

"Have you ever been fucked before, dear?" The amorous question made you whine. This was just too dirty. You shake your head for an answer.

"N-No, sir."

"Really? You've never been touched before? No one has ever pounded that filthy, little, pussy of yours? Tsk, tsk, tsk - What a shame. Looks like I have to change that." He lets go of your scalp but your head never moves, eyes still on his frame as you process his words.

"Wait, Mr.Brando, please. I've never- oh!" You were put to an abrupt stop when he picked you up from under your arms and legs before setting you down on his desk. It messy with scattered documents he found frivolous and purposeless, there were much more important matters at hand.

Tearing off your white dress shirt and bra in a blink of an eye, he gave your mounds a carnivorous stare, gulping at your nipples swell at his glance. He wasted no time kneading them. You let out a moan from his heated touch. It was foreign to you.

"What a lewd sound you made just now, Y/n. You like this, right? I barely even started." His fingers teased your stiff buds, pinching and pulling at them.

"Ngh- No, Mr.Brando..."

His touches were blunt and straightforward, they were rough as he assailed your fragile body. He was fervent to take it to the next step. He lifts your legs up to take off your pencil skirt.

He lets out a delighted sigh beyond seeing your choice of underwear. "Lacy panties? Was my little mouse expecting this? Getting all dressed up for your boss. You're such a nasty fucking girl."

"That's not true! I was in a rush to-"

"Excuses, excuses. That's all I hear from you. Shut up and take your panties off. I want to see how wet your cunt is." You obeyed under his stern tone - slowly stripping off your red-laced panties. You still had your legs closed, ashamed to show him your untouched flower but Dio pried them open by your knees. Your heady scent instantly fills his nose and he takes this time to observe your pussy, you were soaked - vagina pulsating, waiting for anything to be plunged inside, trimmed hairs placed on your pubic area, clit swollen with excitement. It was remarkable.

"Look at you, throbbing so greedily." He puts two thickset fingers in your sopping pussy without warning." An invevitable moan escaped your lips when he applied pressure to your g-spot.

"M-Mr.Brando - mmmm - that spot, you're hitting that-"

"Quiet, little mouse. As much as I love to hear you scream did you forget the setting we're in right now? I hate the idea of someone seeing this pretty pussy other than me." You pitch your voice down an octave - not too fond of the idea of being caught by your coworkers (especially by Jonathan).

His digits rapidly thrash inside you, bodily fluids flew everywhere. "You're making such a mess all over me. So sloppy. I have no doubt that this is what my little mouse wanted. Your grip is so firm around me." Your small hand cover your painted lips. You didn't want anyone to hear you but Dio was making it all too hard, he was hitting all of the right spots within you.

Pulling his fingers out, he unzips his flyer and sought out for his cock. His length was huge, you were unsure if you should even continue. His member intimidated you. Dio knew you were on edge, he softly coos at your expression.

"Aw, don't worry, sweetheart. You'll only feel a slight pinch." Aiming his shaft to your entrance, you recoil once he plummets inside of you, tip kissing your womb. What you felt was more than a pinch. it was easily comparable to being stabbed in your nether regions. Tears flowed from your eyes.

"Pull out! Please, it huuurts!" Your cries were ignored as Dio continued slamming into you like no tomorrow. He covered your mouth with his large hand, muffling your wails.

"Ah- You feel that? My cock jabbing at your womb?" His thrust slow down so you can feel every inch of him - veins feeling more prominent than before. "That's how deep I go inside of you. This tiny body of yours can't handle a cock like mine. Ha! And would you look at that, I can even see your stomach bulging from my dick. How filthy."

He traced his fingers along the bulge forming near your abdomen. He rams in you relentlessly. You gripped the sleeves of his business suit, wrinkling them while doing so. Dio was fired up by the calls of his name leaving your lips, making him go at a, almost inhuman, pace.

Vulgar slaps of skin filled the room and you were both close to coming. Dio's hot breaths reached your ear and his thrusts losses its initial tempo.

"You're a few inches away from getting that raise, sweetheart. Just let me fill you with my seed." He bites the crevice of your neck - his teeth were sharp.

"Mr.Brando-! I'm gonna come...Agh- Mr.Brando... D-Dio!" Said man met his high after his name was yelped - relieved to let himself go, his cum spurts deep in your walls. You came shortly after by the feeling of him filling you up. Both of you sigh.

He hoists himself up off of you to put his dick back in his pants and fix his attire. You grimace at the slimy fluids now sticking between your legs. Dio scoffed. "Consider yourself lucky, little mouse. You finally got that raise you so desparately wanted. What's wrong with a little cum in you, hm?"

A bit irritated, you get dressed as well, getting ready to leave his office. But before you can exit, he turns you around to face him, eyebrow lifted in question.

"Leaving now? Have you forgotten what to say?" You assume he wanted some form of gratitude from you for giving you a raise.

"Thank you, Di-

"Hmmm? Did I fuck you so dense you forgot who I am to you?" You blush at his smile.

"T-Thank you, Mr.Brando."

"Good girl. Run along now." He slaps your ass before you leave.

"Dio, why do you smell like sweat? The only thing you do is sign papers and present at meetings." Jonathan frowned at Dio's pungent scent. The man chortled at Jonathan's exasperation. If only he knew what happened behind closed doors.

"Don't worry about it, JoJo. A little boy like you wouldn't understand."

"We're the same age, Dio."

"Oh yeah. You're right. You have such the resemblance of a child that I must've forgotten." Dio teases. The both head to the parking lot of their company to call to it a night. Jonathan clenched his teeth.

"I do not! Just what in the hell were you doing in your office? Working out?"

Dio roared out a large laugh at the word akin to what you and him did earlier today.

"Yeah.. you can call it that."

this fic belongs to @dilftaroooo

[mrs-bartowski]

My dudes. My guys. My pals.

I’m about 10 seconds away from going feral.

So, I’m the kind of unfortunate chump whose brain requires continuity. Meaning, when I started thirst watching Supergirl during its mid-season-2 hiatus and came across the realization that it had crossovers with all the other arrowverse shows, my brain tasked me with watching them all. I won’t put you through a recount of this arduous feat, but it does leave me with the certain advantage of having immediate and full-contextual access to any parallels between supercorp and canon CW DCEU couples.

Normally, this is a good thing, because it’s just another crumb to obsess over. But I just finished watching Legends 6x02 and...I. AM. FUMING.

I literally don’t even know where to start, but know that if you’ve made it this far you’re in for a long ride because my entire being is in Scream mode right now and I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop typing until it passes.

OKAY. So.

Meet Sara Lance (lol jk y’all thirsty gays know who she is I mean look at this flawless human)

Next, meet her ******* Ava Sharpe (who is literally the definition of white European beauty standards-based perfection because she’s a clone from the future)

And finally, meet Gary Green. He’s...well, he’s Gary.

Sara started out on Arrow and is now the captain of the Legends. Ava was the director of the Time Bureau and Gary was an agent, and now they are also members of the Legends. Sara has been there (and been the show’s effective lead) since season 1. Ava and Gary both came in at the beginning of season 3. 

Gary is (as pictured) an absolute fool, but he is also kind of regarded as the one the Legends Must Protecc. The whole team is considered a family, and, while they are not necessarily labeled as best friends, Gary has been Ava’s longest and most loyal companion, and Sara has a way of adopting him because she’s the best equipped to keep him out of trouble.

So, why is all of this relevant to why I want to go feral? Because it sounds a bit familiar, yes? Member of the team that is somewhat a black sheep, doesn’t get included fully or all the time but often comes in with save-the day type shit (even though with Gary it’s more of a distraction than a save because he’s a mess of a man). Close friend to one of our two main heroes and, subsequently, that hero’s closest companion puts them at the top of their Protecc list. Has little faith in his relationships with the team so he is constantly going out of his way to help in whatever way he can to prove his usefulness. And so on and so forth.

Well, 6x01 marks exactly 3 years since Gary’s first appearance, and what did we find out in that episode? That Gary is an alien. And not just any alien - an alien who was sent (by the woman he was traded to) to get close to Sara because she has been labeled as one of the world’s most dangerous creatures. Not to mention, his species of alien feeds on humans (not him of course, he’s reformed, but nonetheless not a friendly species). And we find out all of this because he and his master abduct her.

Sara finds out in person while Ava and the rest of the Legends solve the mystery on their own. Now, I’ve drawn a lot of comparisons between Lena and Gary to make a point about the time frame and nature of their relationships, but let’s take a look at Sara, shall we? For starters, she’s been “dead” either literally or supposedly about...what, 15 times now? If you think that’s an exaggeration, here’s the link to her fan wiki which says she’s been presumed dead 10 times and actually dead 5. The sg writers tried to sell season 5 as “the fight for Lena’s soul” but Sara LITERALLY LOST HER SOUL when she got resurrected in the Lazarus pit. 90% of Sara’s character development has been based on her certainty that she is too close to death and evil and destruction (getting possessed by a demon, perhaps, had something to do with this?). She was an actual literal assassin and she has left civilization out of anger and pain to go back to that life once before.

She has always believed that she is too dangerous to have real love or relationships or friends. And now she has found and built and led this family through time and space and she’s done so with this goofball by her side that is endearingly attached to the love of her life. So, how does she react when she finds out Gary is an alien? Well, clearly, she goes down a dark path, right? She cries and screams and talks about betrayal because she’s had such a hard time with feeling like she only ever puts the people she loves in danger and now here she is finding out there’s been a human-eating alien in her family for three years that was tasked with observing her and keeping her in check because she is exactly that dangerous?

Yeah...try again. This is how Sara reacts:

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And then there's another scene that apparently no one even bothered to put on YouTube where you can see the pain in Sara's eyes when she asks him “why me?” You can see how hurt she is that after 3 years she’s just finding out that their friendships is based on lies and that she has trouble keeping her faith in it. But in both of these instances where are the “crocodile tears?” Where are the fearful, shaky confessions from Gary about his fear of losing the only people who have ever really loved or cared about him and desperate justifications about how he just wanted to protect them and keep them in the dark so his master didn’t come after them? Where is the outrage from Sara about how everything Gary has reassured her about over the past three years when she was scared to let the damaged-soul assassin inside of her out was a lie and he doesn’t get to tell her who or what she is again? Where is the determination from Ava to make Gary pay for not only lying for three years but for ABDUCTING THE LOVE OF HER LIFE TO HAND OVER TO A FLESH-EATING ALIEN??????

Nowhere. Those things...they’re nowhere. There’s anger. There’s pain. There’s doubt and heartbreak and fury. There’s betrayal and helplessness and desperation. But there is no scene with Sara standing on a balcony and Gary looking up at her longingly because he wants to talk to her about the secret and he knows it will change everything between them. There is no scene with Sara and Ava lamenting over what this means for Gary and the team and the world because he’s no longer the person they knew. There are no romantically-scored scenes of them looking teary-eyed at the pictures they took together or reassurances that the others’ intentions are good and trustworthy now that the truth is out in the open. There is nothing to imply that the last several years of friendship are now entirely suspect (damaged, frayed, clouded, maybe, but definitely not voided) because Gary kept this secret to protect them. And Gary isn’t made to feel obscenely guilty or shameful because his intentions were good and he only did what he felt he had to. But most of all, the world doesn’t feel like it’s going to end.

And I’m not talking about we’re now scared Gary will take his master’s side or Sara will suddenly decide that she never wants an alien to fool her or hurt her again so she’s going to make sure he doesn’t have the choice. I’m just talking about the way they address each other. There are no sobbing tears or laments over the biggest mistakes of their lives - even though it’s quite possible Gary could see this as his. There are no screaming matches over betrayal and mistrust and years of doubt and confusion. There will be no episode dedicated to going back and seeing what could have happened - what kind of danger they could have avoided from the alien(s) controlling Gary - had he told them the truth sooner because that’s the only way to save him and the world. There will be no episode where he has to single-handedly save them multiple times as some example of redemption. There will be no adamant looks and declarations about how the team knows his intentions were good and they forgive him. There won’t be any of that. Because Sara is not in love with Gary. And Ava is not in love with Gary. And Gary is not in love with either Sara or Ava. They’re just close friends. Family. Loved ones who mean a lot to each other but whose betrayal and seeds of doubt don’t bring on emotions whose force and ferocity could be acceptable for finding out the apocalypse is nigh.

I have many, many more feelings about this but right now I’m going to go write things that will make me feel better and not things that make me want to gather every writer from every CW show in a line and run down the line smacking them all in the face while the Legends writers watch and cheer. But I’m fuming. THIS is what it looks like when a years-long, heavily weighted lie is revealed between close friends/family. So, in conclusion, Supercorp endgame or die.

[kichous]

✧･ﾟ:*   our proper distance

summary. if sukuna notices the life growing within you, separated only by your flesh as he lays his head in your lap, he says nothing. series. history lesson. bonus scene ! pairing. ryomen sukuna x f!reader. warnings. mentions of miscarriages. childbirth. word count. 2922.

You spend every day waiting for the other shoe to drop. You had already asked much of him in keeping this liaison secret. That he was willing to compromise for you was a miracle in and of itself. You do not mistake his generosity for kindness. You are well aware that your safety and well-being relies on his good will.

You have been Ryomen Sukuna’s mistress for four years. You have been his lover for roughly half of your sons’ lifetimes, and you have shouldered this secret alone for four years out of fear for their safety. And although the King of Curses, whose power has only grown since he bested your father in combat, is known to sorcerers as cruel and greedy, he cares in some way for the lives of your children. He would not hold his tongue otherwise.

Twins are a bad omen because of Sukuna, after all.

For someone whose followers regularly burn your families’ crests, Sukuna goes to greater lengths than he needs to in order to protect you. You’re still amazed that he even wants to defend you at all. He is not exactly wanting for bedmates — and you have to admit that despite the inhumanity of his form, he is still just as handsome as he was when he bore the name Shun. You do not dare to believe that you are someone special to him. You do not dare to hope.

He comes to you under the cover of night, and you learn to recognize his silhouette in front of the screen door when the moon is at its highest. You light a lantern by your door when your husband is with his other wives, though Sukuna still comes even when it isn’t there. Some nights he is content to lounge with you. His predisposition to getting his hair stroked is exceedingly feline.

That isn’t to say that he doesn’t lay with you. Such intimacy was how your relationship started, after all. From your first time in the fields beyond your father’s walls, to when he presses you into the futon in your husband’s home, Sukuna is no stranger to any inch, any measure of your body. You have come to know his as well, tracking every change with every moon. You are certain you are more familiar with him than he is with you, however, as you have never seen fit to tell them about the children.

Or, rather, the children that never came to be.

Over the years, there have been ten. Each one, you have hidden from the King of Curses. Your husband is not subject to such deceit. If anything, your infertility works in your favor. He does not come to see you as often anymore, unhappy as he is with the fact that you’ve yet to bear him any heirs besides Michimaru and Takechiyo. It gives you more time to spend with your sons — and more time with Sukuna, who does not seem particularly bothered that you have not granted him children either, despite the many times you have been together.

You wonder if you mistake his satisfaction for indifference. Perhaps he does not want the hindrance of children in his grand ambitions. He is not the most fatherly of men — although, thinking about it, you suppose you do not know any good fathers in the first place. 

Sukuna’s warmongering is the last thing you would wish to subject a child to, and your sons are already afraid enough of him as it is. Your family does a good job at spreading fear and panic where Sukuna is concerned. You haven’t yet told the boys that they had already met him when he was just a man.

Regardless of his intentions, there was never anything to truly fear, as none of his seed ever took — that is, until this last moon.

You were so certain that it was impossible, that perhaps someone had cursed you. You had proved fertile enough not long after your marriage. It was strange to think that you would bear twins and nothing more. Spending the better part of your life valued only for your womb, your failure to produce more children was met with plenty of speculation, both by yourself and your immediate family. Sukuna, conversely, asked nothing of you but your company. You took solace in that fact, pitiable as it may seem.

And so, when he comes to you on a new moon, his eyes sparkling with mirth as he steps into your quarters, you are at a loss. He notices it too, as he remarks that you look like a trembling doe. It’s not the most flattering creature to be compared to, but you smile indulgently at him nonetheless. When you gesture for him to sit with you, he lays his head in your lap as always.

It is routine — you start by combing his hair away from his face, your hand tracing the familiar curve of his skull as you rub soothing circles into his scalp with the pads of your fingers. Sukuna’s eyes flutter shut at your motion, and your other hand wraps around his face to stroke his jaw. You could almost swear that he starts to purr, though you’re certain he would put you to death for ever suggesting it. At this angle, he is worryingly close to your unborn child. He says nothing to indicate that he knows of its presence.

“You look tired,” you murmur. “I could have Kinu bring us some tea, if you like.”

Sukuna lifts a hand. “Don’t bother. Just keep doing what you’re doing.” He exhales as you massage his temples. “Yes, just like that.”

“I insist.” He’s horrible to deal with when he’s cranky and you’re not in the mood. When you do not let him bruise your wrists, your hips, or your thighs, he turns to cutting words instead. He hasn’t shown any signs of displeasure yet, but you know that he is nothing if not unpredictable. It never hurts to be proactive. “Whatever you want.”

“Fine,” hums Sukuna, one of his lower eyes cracking open. “Fennel.”

Thoughtlessly, your smile drops. He notices, as the other three eyes are suddenly peering at you with suspicion.

Your servants don’t know of Sukuna — at least, that is what you are content to believe. If they have any idea that you have a lover, they say nothing to your husband and they say nothing to you. You do not want to know of their suspicions, of the knowledge that they may hold over you. You cannot spend every day looking over your shoulder from those you spend nearly every waking moment with.

But of your current predicament, they know every detail. Everything to do with your monthly blood, with the miscarriages, to the morning sickness, they’ve cleaned it all. And in doing so, you like to believe that they feel some loyalty to you. It helps you sleep at night. And because they know of the happenings of your body, they know that asking for fennel tea is asking for more blood to clean from your sheets. Infinitely more difficult than vomit, you suspect.

“Do you take issue with my choice?”

You blink, remembering yourself. Shaking your head, you try to move back, only to be pinned by the weight of Sukuna’s torso. You could shove him off, but that wouldn’t end well for anyone. “It’s fine, I just… remembered that we have run out of fennel tea, that is all.” You smile at him, and you notice through your mirror that it is too wan to seem genuine. Your heart sinks as the skepticism remains in his gaze.

“You are distressed,” Sukuna says plainly. “What have you done?”

You furrow your brows. What have you done to me? you wish to ask. You do not. “Nothing,” you hiss instead. Your scandalized tone amuses him; you can tell by the curve of his lips. He’s going to push you more. You place a hand over his mouth before he can, then yelp as he swipes his tongue across your palm. You wipe it on his kimono. “You’re disgusting. Who knows what I’ve touched?”

“It better not have been anything foul or I’ll sever these pretty hands myself.” Sukuna says the words so sweetly, they leave his lips like a song.

You run your fingers through his hair again in reply, and he chuckles.

“All right, I suppose I’ll spare you for now.” He tilts his chin up to meet you halfway when you lean down and kiss him, nibbling on your lower lip. He chases after you when you part, and he wraps a hand around the back of your head to pull you in again. “I knew there was a reason I kept you around.”

“I think I should be the one saying that about you.”

Sukuna relaxes in your lap once again, contentment flitting across his face. “That was a valiant effort at sidestepping my question, and for that, I shall reward you with leniency.” 

There’s always some sense of serenity around him, even in the midst of carnage and peace alike. Like he belongs in this world, a curse that will never, ever, leave. He is tranquil in the midst of the chaos he sows — a figure of balance. That is how the commoners who champion him refer to the Two-Faced Spectre. You envy his level of self-satisfaction. Were that all the world felt as confident and assured as Sukuna, there would be a great deal less bloodshed, you think.

Rather — knowing mortals as they are, there would be infinitely more. But Sukuna would like that, you suppose.

He interrupts your contemplation by taking your hand and sliding it over his hair again. “Did I say that you could stop?”

No. He most certainly did not. With a weary chuckle, you appease him, and he takes your other hand to press a kiss into your palm. The two of you settle in silence until the candles wind down, and when they no longer provide adequate light, you lean over to blow them out and invite Sukuna to lay with you. He reads in your expression that your only intention is to sleep, and without protest, he climbs into the futon alongside you. He takes up most of it, though you are used to that.

Sukuna lies on one side. Given the excessive amount of limbs, you doubt that the position is very comfortable. He was steps and a couple of drinks away from conjuring himself a tail, though, so you suppose that most of the reason that Sukuna doesn’t sleep is because of the discomfort. Nevertheless, he likes to hold you when you sleep, his arms like a cage. As you settle into his embrace, you find that it is tighter than usual. You fold your hands over your stomach, pressing your back into his chest.

One of his hands rests on your shoulder, while his other arm on the same side winds around your waist. He lays that hand on top of yours. Though he isn’t pressing very hard, you feel every point of his nails like the tip of a blade against your belly. You roll over so that the pin-pricks are against the flesh of your back. As you tilt your head up to meet his gaze, you’re marveled by how… familial the embrace is.

Mother and father on either side, and the child sleeping soundly in the middle. It is a fool’s dream to ever think it could become a reality. But the thought still lingers in your mind — what if?

Would he run away with you? Abandon everything he’s ever worked for to raise your child (children, possibly) in obscurity. A fisherman like his father, who abandoned him as a child to be taken in by your family, ostensibly to give him a better life. You’d be a… gods, what could you do? Weave, perhaps? Something useful, at least. To show that you were not the spoiled little girl he always made you out to be.

And would your child be a sorcerer? Would they be a simpleton, like you, or would they be as powerful and fearsome as their father? Would ambition consume them, just as it had the man you loved?

Alas, you are a fool to even dream it. The four-armed could-be fisherman traces a finger along your neck, a brow arched.

“Is my face truly so mesmerizing?” he whispers, eyes sparkling. The mirth dissipates when you don’t react, and he instead leans away from you and props himself up on his lower elbow. He watches you not as one would a lover, but the way a hunter stalks its prey — like he’s waiting for any misstep he could leap upon. “All right, come out with it.”

“What?” The word doesn’t sound convincing, even to yourself. Your failure at duplicity causes both disappointment and disdain to war upon Sukuna’s face. Quickly, you lift your hands to appease him. “I’ve just been feeling a little tired these days is all. I’ve already sent for a healer, surely they can figure out what’s wrong with me.”

“Is there any better healer in the province than yourself?” he scoffs. You are not sure whether to be flattered by the praise, spoken with venom, or not. “If there were anyone with a greater grasp on reverse cursed technique they may very well be a god.”

You stroke his jaw tenderly with the backs of your fingers, rubbing a thumb across his cheek. “Not every malady can be healed by my power,” you remind him. To be fair, you did actually call for a second opinion. You could simply be suffering through some foodborne illness — but you know your body best, and you know now that there is something dwelling within it. You have called for a midwife, just to make sure. “I will be fine.”

“I don’t like seeing you upset.” Sukuna’s lips form a scowl. “Tell me what to do to make it stop.”

His words give you pause, an incredulous laugh nearly bubbling out of you. You subdue yourself, but the wonder is still there. You tuck yourself into him to hide your mirth.

Is this the closest you’ll ever get to genuine romance from him? You know that you can never tell him anything. And while you’d think yourself a monster if he was anyone else, you know the child will be safer if they had never known of Sukuna at all.

How on earth would you tell the child their father was a beast? You could lie to them, pretend that your husband was the one that sired them. You could never tell them at all, and leave it until their adulthood before they found the truth. Then you would be no better than the family you tried to escape.

You had always thought yourself a decent mother, fair and loving. But a child of Sukuna could never know a world of peace, and with how irrevocably you have become intertwined with him, you could not give the child the peaceful, happy life it deserved.

Your brother’s wife has a sister in Mino. Perhaps she will raise your baby as her own.

“There’s nothing you can do,” you murmur into the side of his neck. You can feel a rumbling in his throat, a low growl in reply. When you stroke his back, he stills. There is virtually no space between you, and you can feel the mouth on his stomach shift against your midsection. Instinctively, you slide a hand over yourself as a barrier.

He doesn’t seem to notice the defensive gesture, and for that, you are thankful. Sukuna never sleeps when he is with you, only laying in a facsimile of it in his stillness and steadiness while you actively slumber. He is always gone in the morning when you wake, but if you are (un)lucky, you can still catch his scent on you. As you lean back to rub noses with him, you find him staring at you intently. Eyes like piercing daggers, you have no doubt he has watched you like this many nights before.

“Nothing at all.” It is not a question. It is said with malice, with suspicion.

Your little fantasy of a life with him seems ever further away. A fool’s delusion.

This man does not love you — he loves how much he can control you. He loves that you sit prettily in the palm of his hand, that you give him everything without protest. He loves that he always leaves you wanting for more. He loves that you lie for him, that you live a double life only for him. He loves the feeling of turning you against his greatest enemies, even if that was never true.

He loves that he is one of the only reasons you are ever happy. He loves that you are afraid of his moods, and that you do all that you can to please him. He loves that do as he asks in all respects but one. He loves that you are so small against him, so frail. He loves you most when you are at your weakest. He loves only as a monster loves.

You cannot — you will not ever allow him to sink his claws into this child.

You press a gentle kiss to Sukuna’s lips, a false promise. “Nothing at all.”

[into-the-linkverse]

Of rupees and Koroks

my first LU fanfiction! I am horrible at endings so...yeah. i definitely went off the rails from my original plan (ADHD my beloved) and I am SO SORRY in advance if any of the characters are OOC.

“Okay, and that would come to…200 rupees, Mr. Captain Hero Sir!” Ravio cheerfully stated, holding up the bottle of shimmering red potion for War to admire. The warrior actually scoffed upon hearing the intended price.

“Something wrong, War?” Legend asked, his back leaning against a rather large crate.

“No, no, it’s just…really cheap.” War pointed towards the potion. Both Legend and Ravio blinked blankly. Legend’s face soon turned into one of severe confusion, whereas Ravio’s eyes lit up with excitement.

“200 rupees? Cheap? Were you hit in the back of the head by a bulbin?!” Twilight almost shrieked from his side of the Barnhouse He stopped playing with the cows and quickly jogged over to Ravio’s makeshift shop.

“Back home, a red potion would cost around 10,000 rupees. Isn’t that the case here?” War stated eyebrow raised as Twilight began twitching at the mention of the rupee count. Ravio’s jaw practically dropped.

“My wallet can’t even hold that!”

“Hey, I heard screaming. Who’s dead?” The barn’s door creaked open to reveal Wind, accompanied by a sweating Sky and an unfazed Four.

“War said a red potion would cost 10,000 rupees in his world!” Legend blurted out, almost barking at the heroes. Four huffed for a second, then walked up to Ravio and snatched the red potion.

“Hey, 200 rupees, y’know!”

“This. Costs 20 rupees.” He pointed at the potion, as War soon broke down in a fit of laughter.

“What’s so funny, pretty boy?” Legend folded his arms.

“You guys must be broke! 20 rupees? That can’t buy you shit!” He managed to get out before banging his fist against the hay covered ground.

“Hey, watch your language!” Sky shouted, moving to cover Wind’s pointy ears. “There are children here.” He lowered his voice as Wind swatted his hands away.

“Okay, okay, I’m trying to run a business here. Let’s go…2,000 rupees, Mr. Captain Hero Sir!” Ravio clasped his hands together, only to realize the item he was selling was nowhere on the table.

“Um…Mr. Smithy? My red potion?”

“Oh, sure.” Four passed the glittering potion back to the purple-haired hero, acting as if he wouldn’t be committing a crime if he didn’t hand it back.

“Here you go, Mr. Captain Hero Sir! Please come again!” Ravio smiled gleefully, having 2,000 rupees handed to him like it was nothing.

“Pfft- I guess War really is a rich snob.” Twilight sniggered, shaking hands with Legend in a mutual agreement.

“Hey, you take that back, farmers!” War shouted, fiddling with his glove as if preparing for a fight.

“War, you realize you’re saying that on a ranch?” A voice called from outside. The door was already opened (Wind forgot to close it) so it was easy to tell that the voice belonged to Time.

“Oh, hey, pops, wanna help us take on pretty boy?” Twilight greeted happily, only making Warriors more enraged.

“No, I’m quite fine. But thank you for the offer anyway. Hyrule asked me to collect you all. He’s having trouble with something. And for Nayru’s sake, behave yourselves.” Time explained to the group, trying not to bring up the fact that he almost locked them in the barn to keep them out of trouble.

“What do you mean “something”? I thought nothing happens on this ranch!” Wind protested, running his hands through his hair, obviously trying to make himself more presentable.

“I have no clue what the deal is myself. Wild and Hyrule are already investigating.”

“Those two? They were better hosts than us?” Warriors looked almost horrified at the idea of being upstaged by Wild of all people.

“Do you want to be cooped up in here all day?” Time asked, almost laughing at War’s sudden reaction.

“Come on, let’s get moving now!” Warriors announced, starting to direct (push) the other heroes out of the barnhouse.

Hyrule was ecstatic. He’d been picking up stray rocks for weeks in hopes to find the small beings called Koroks. Wild had told him all about the strange little creatures that hid under rocks and in trees, and Hyrule soon became intent to find one. At last, at the gates of Lon Lon ranch, Hyrule mindlessly picked up a rock and proceeded to shout in happiness.

“Wild! Wild! I found one!” He cried, perking the ears of the long-haired Hylian. Wild rushed over, practically throwing the Cucco he was holding. He jogged over, only to stop a few feet away from the brown-haired hero.

Hyrule’s eyes were alight with glee, his smile looked like an innocent rabbit’s. He tossed the rock aside, unfortunately landing on Wild’s foot, as he winced. He placed the rock to the side and crouched down to the Korok’s level.

“Yahaha, you’ve found me!” The Korok excitedly squealed, Wild rolling his eyes as he heard the line for the 400thtime. Hyrule nodded in response, too glad to speak and ruin the moment. Before he knew it, Hyrule was handed a small, foul seed. He looked confused for a second and looked up to Wild.

“Yeah…not that impressive, is it?” He sighed, snatching the seed from Hyrule, and adding to his collection. Hyrule blinked as he saw Wild open to pouch to see a mountain of the horrid smelling things. “Gotta get these back to Hestu sometime.” He casually stated, closing his pocket again.

“Buh-bye!” The Korok exclaimed, waving his small, rounded hand towards the two Hylians. Hyrule was not having this. He had spent two weeks searching for the little creatures, and when he does, he’s just supposed to say good-bye after minutes of meeting one? He reached out his arms and took the Korok up to his torso in one swift movement.

“I shall name him Peppers and he shall be mine!” Hyrule proclaimed loudly, much to Wild’s shock. He tried to wrangle the Korok out of Hyrule’s embrace, but the Korok spoke up.

“Actually, I’d love to be Mr. Hero’s friend!” It chirped, sinking into Hyrule’s green tunic. “Aw, see? He likes me!” Hyrule cuddled the Korok, adding a whiny tone to his words. Wild groaned, as he almost felt like Time, having to take care of someone like this.

“You’ll have to ask Time if we can keep it.” He sighed, poking the pointy nose of the leaf faced spirit. As if from nowhere, armored footsteps approached the two Hylians. “Keep what?” The firm voice spoke, making Wild jump for a moment.

“The Korok…?” Hyrule trailed off, still clutching the forest spirit. As the chain came into sight, some stood dumbstruck, whereas Wind’s eyes widened drastically. “Korok!?” The pirate pointed; mouth open wide as he bolted to Hyrule. “What in Din’s name is a Korok?” War groaned; his breath slightly hilted from jogging across the ranch.

“I’m not sure myself…but it definitely looks cute!” Time let slip a small remark of childish nature, a warm smile creeping up on his face. Legend soon ran up to his descendant and grabbed the Korok out of his hands.

“Where’s this little bugger from anyway?” He mumbled, turning the spirit face down to have a proper look at it. He furrowed his brow, then turned to Ravio, gestured to see if the rabbit hero had any clue about the creature. Ravio simply shrugged at him. “Hey! He isn’t some toy to be held like that!” Twilight shouted, scooping up the Korok from Legend’s hands. He held it carefully on his shoulder as one would a cat, as the Korok began playing with Twilight’s hair.

“I’m the best at dealing with animals here. I say we keep it,” Twilight nodded as the Korok’s hands started folding braids into his hair. “Peppers.” Hyrule quickly added, placing a hand on the little Korok’s back. “What’s this about p-peppers?!” Four almost leapt out of his skin after hearing “peppers”. Wild simply laughed and wrapped an arm around him.

“His name is Peppers!” Hyrule said once again, a smile dawning on his face. “Why peppers, though?” Four protested, his disdain for the food clear as day. Wind coughed a bit, trying to hold in a laugh. Sky gave him a light pat on the head and shook his head, mouthing “don’t”.

“Well, I think it’s a great name! Did…Did Wild pick it out?” Sky laughed wistfully, trying to discourage Wind from making fun of Four. “Nope, completely ‘Rule’s idea.” Wild answered, causing Four to instead eye Hyrule suspiciously. Legend folded his arms and let out a huff as Ravio giggled behind him. “Perhaps he’d be interested in renting?” Legend twisted around as Ravio flatly suggested.

“No one in their right mind would be interested in renting, Ravio.” He scoffed, turning back to face the rest of the chain. “I, personally, don’t want it. What if it steals our items and flees in the night?” War accused, pointing a finger towards the creature. A paranoid Warriors, Time couldn’t help but laugh.

“No, the Korok’s come from the Lost Woods. They’re the children of the Great Deku Tree, so I’d doubt they’d do that.” Wild explained, peaking the attention of Time. If the Korok’s were from the Lost Woods, he would have seen some by now, wouldn’t he? Or maybe they only showed up far after his era…

“Wait! You’ve met the Great Deku Tree too?!” Wind’s small figure jumped up, tugging on Wild’s tunic. Twilight eyed the older hero for a moment, he seemed…off. Korok still in arms, he strode up to Time and placed his free hand on his shoulder. “You alright, dad?” Time snapped out of his state of thought and quickly waved it off.

“I’m fine, just…glad that the Deku Tree still exists to them, I guess.” Time replied wistfully, his gaze trailing to the two blue-clad heroes, sharing their experiences with the ancient talking tree. “He was the…closest thing I had to a father.” His next comment caught Twili completely off guard. Does that mean he was related to a tree?

“Wait, your dad was a tree?! Are you joking?” Twilight exclaimed a bit too loudly, catching the attention of Four and Sky, who had been watching the unfolding chaos. Sky’s eyes widened immensely, full of curiosity as he quickly trotted over.

“Time’s father? A tree? My, that must be an interesting story!” Sky clasped his hands together in delight, eager to learn more about the mysterious Time.

“No, the Deku Tree was the closest thing to a father I ever had. I am not part tree.” Time had to hold back a snicker as he clarified that he was not of leafy descent. “I doubt that. Your hair is a very light shade of green.” Four pointed out, raising a hand to his chin in deep thought.

“I think that colour’s called yellow, dumbass.” Wind called from where he stood. Sky growled for a moment then proceeded to shout back: “Watch your language!”

For the rest of the evening, the chain shouted and argued, but settled on to keeping the Korok, naming it Peppers, much to Four’s disgust.

@bokettochild I hope you don't mind I borrowed Ravio's nicknames for everyone :)

[findingjoynweirdstuff]

Dream SMP Recap (January 14/2021) - Dawn of an Empire

While the day is at first full of happy bonding moments with Techno and Ranboo, and Tubbo continues work on Snowchester, things take a turn for the sorrowful as Puffy questions her stance in the server’s conflicts and wonders what it truly means to be a knight. 

Later, Badboyhalo gathers a Roundtable on the Crimson together to discuss matters concerning the containment of the Egg, and the future of the Badlands.

Now that L’manburg has fallen, it might be time to take a step forward into a new age.

It’s the spark of a new alliance.

The rise...

Of the Eggpire.

---

- Dream whispers to Techno that he’s currently living at his mysterious house far away. 

- Techno comes up with a plan to name his dogs after donators.

- Dream also tells Tubbo he’ll kill him soon. (Uncertain if the things he said are jokes or serious)

- Ranboo gives Techno the axe that he made to replace the Axe of Peace.

- Ranboo tells Techno that he’s planning on going off to find another Woodland Mansion

- Techno’s dogs kill Edward. Rest in Peace.

- Tubbo goes to collect ice from the ice biome for Snowchester

- Ranboo shows Techno the stronghold.

- They then set off through the Nether on another roadtrip. Apparently, Techno still has some plans that may involve some violence in the future.

- They reach the Woodland Mansion and loot it.

- They then commit some mild arson, then head back.

- Techno says goodbye. Ranboo now has three more Totems -- three extra lives!

- Puffy looks out at the L’manburg Crater, saddened by all the loss and destruction. She’s unsure of where her loyalties lie.

She considered Techno and Dream her friends -- and her duckling! But can she really support someone who did this?

“Right now, this castle is a hollow nothing...it’s just a title...There’s no consequence, ever. It just happens, and people just get sad, and they have to suffer their feelings and move on...We need safety, we need security, and happiness. We can’t live in fear.”

“To Dream, my duckling...I might be a villain. I don’t wanna be, but it’s what needs to happen. I might have to sacrifice...”

She questions what her duty is as a knight of the SMP, and starts to write her statements in a book.

“Sometimes being a hero to others comes at the consequence of being a villain to those who you hold closest.”

- She goes to destroy the cottage she made for Dream.

“I did this ‘cause he didn’t have a home...and everybody, no matter how cold, or violent, or angry, or maybe even unforgiving they may be... Everyone deserves a home, a place they can go to at night to feel comfortable and safe.”

- She burns it down. A lot of the non-flammable blocks remain, though.

- Puffy starts listening to “TNT” by CaptainSparklez and TryHardNinja as she explodes the rest of the house with TNT.

- In the explosion, though, she exposes Dream’s old house as well (as it was directly below the cottage) and blows some of it up by accident, instantly regretting it. 

She’s very surprised that she built a whole new home for Dream right on top of his old base without even knowing it was there.

- She decides it was a happy accident, and now Dream is fully homeless. She still puts everything back in the chests, though, to clean up. 

- She finds in one of the old chests an abandoned copy of “Blocks” and decides to keep it. It isn’t Tommy’s canon disc, but she decides to give it meaning anyway.

“This disc might not have started canon...but it’s canon now...Red, because of all the bloodshed and wars that have been waged over them.”

- She goes back to the crater as it starts to rain and thunder, and questions whether she should keep the disc or burn it. Or perhaps give it to Tommy?

- Puffy decides that she has sympathy for Tommy. Sure, Tommy’s made mistakes, but he’s young and has been exiled twice now! He’s already paid for the things he’s done enough. Does he really deserve all of this? And poor Tubbo as well, being put in such a tough position, leading a country.

- She decides that the Glitch Cube can be her panic room for the time being.

- She goes to the Castle, thinking about how useless it is. It’s just a symbol with no real meaning behind it. Not by the fault of Eret, but because Dream calls all the shots. Eret is the king, but has zero control.

- Puffy then looks at the ruins of the Community House. Who’s to say it wasn’t Dream who did it? How do they know it was really Tommy?

- She thinks that when somebody’s made mistakes, you have to be there for them and help them grow instead of just exiling them and leaving them alone to rot. Tommy’s suffered enough consequences for his actions. He doesn’t need to be blamed anymore.

- She wonders why Techno can spawn thirty withers and not be exiled, but all Tommy does is grief George’s house a little and he gets sent miles away? There’s a double standard.

She believes in justice, not cruelty. And exile is cruelty.

- Skeppy comes online and she gets into the Skeppy Maid skin, as one does.

- Puffy goes to set up a beacon in her base. She creates it using one of the stars she got from the Doomsday withers. 

- Puffy then gets a pet spider named Peter Parkour.

- Bad comes online and Puffy shows him her Catboy Skeppy outfit.

- Puffy also gets a slime pet and names it Jream.

- Later, Bad comes online to gather a roundtable about the Egg. Punz, Puffy and Ant come online to join in. As Bad refers to them, the “Egg People.”

- Bad begins the meeting by saying that the Egg has become a problem. What is there to be done?

He also mentions the carnage that took place in L’manburg. They quarantined the Egg and kept it from spreading its Vines across the server. 

Bad proposes that instead of keeping the Egg contained...they break the containment and allow it to spread again.

- Ant insists that Bad must be corrupted somehow, while Bad claims that Skeppy has been cleansed of the Egg’s influence and that whole situation is just a matter of getting him back to normal.

- Bad seems convinced that L’manburg being gone has something to do with them keeping the Egg contained.

- Bad likes that L’manburg is gone, but it’s problematic that there’s so much chaos coming from Dream and other members of the SMP. He wanted L’manburg to remain a source of conflict, and now the Badlands lacks a consistent source of chaos for the server since Dream blew it up.

And he thinks that the Egg is just the right amount of chaos that is needed.

- Punz and Puffy, the Dream SMP faction members, both think Bad has lost it. What about peace? Who knows what the Egg could do?

- Bad points out that the Egg isn’t in the Badlands. It’s in the heart of the Dream SMP. 

If they let the Vines spread, it would give the Badlands an opportunity to take control with the one other large remaining faction weakened.

- Puffy loves the Vines, but she wants the peace to remain. Bad says that peace is never going to happen with the Egg’s power being concentrated in an isolated chamber. The potency of its influence will only grow.

- Bad suggests they look at the Egg to prove a point.

- He asks the Dream SMP members what they want, since he’s already made a case for the Badlands. 

Punz says that he’s “factionless...”

- The entire Egg Room is completely covered, and new growths seem to have appeared on the Egg. Its power is so concentrated that even Punz, who had before always had immunity to its effects, says that he’s starting to feel something.

- “Little Red,” the pet Vine that Ponk has in his Casino, has “flowered” and...turned green?

Ponk apparently poured holy Twitch Prime water on it.

- They go back to the Roundtable and Bad asks if Puffy and Punz want to join the Badlands. 

He says that he has a long-term plan, and that if Punz and Puffy join them in their forces? They could easily take over all of the Badlands territory.

He proposes they let the Egg go and wipe out the entire portion of the Dream SMP while the Badlands searches for a counter to it. They come in after the chaos, clear the Egg with their methods, being the “saviors,” and 

TAKE OVER THE ENTIRETY OF THE DREAM SMP TERRITORY, FORMING THE BADLANDS EMPIRE.

- Puffy says that she thinks Bad is turning into a tyrant. Bad says that he wants the Badlands to be a collective, all with equal say in the government instead of one ruler controlling everything. All the factions with one ruler have faced issues.

- Punz says that he’s willing to work towards chaos. He supports the idea that Bad has. Bad suggests that if Punz and Puffy agree, the Badlands can incorporate Punz’s territory and Puffy’s temple. Punz and Puffy are not a part of the Badlands faction, just part of the incorporated territories of the Empire.

- Bad wants an Empire name.

---

He declares that the Formation between the Badlands, Punz and Puffy shall henceforth be known as: 

THE EGGPIRE

“Let’s let chaos reign over the Dream SMP.”

---

- They go down to the Egg Room to destroy the barriers keeping it in.

“Eggcellent.”

As they destroy it, Bad says he’s grown fond of the way the Vines look. Wouldn’t it look nice if these spread all over the server?

He wonders if Sam would be in agreement with this.

Puffy is still having a few doubts, but Bad insists that all this current chaos will be in the name of achieving eventual peace once all other faction conflicts have been wiped away.

- What’s the best place to plant the seed of the Vines?

Badboyhalo suggests the Crater. 

The Ruins of L’manburg.

- Puffy thinks they all should have protected L’manburg. Punz hesitates...he says he “tried his best to help,” but that they should move on and upgrade the Crater with a little floral decoration.

- They head to the Crater and begin planting seeds of the Crimson all around the L’manburg Flag at the bedrock.

- Badboyhalo believes that, once they take complete control...

It will be the ultimate utopia.

- All they need to do now is convince Sam to go along with the idea. Punz suggests that they get him to go down into the Egg Room without a Prime Suit on.

- The egg puns are getting out of hand. This is an issue.

- Lastly, they gather together, the members of the new Eggpire, in the Church of Prime.

- Puffy still feels that she’s the only voice of reason, and wonders whether she’ll have to warn the others about the Badlands’ plan.

- Once he’s stepped away from the other members, Bad reveals that underneath his disguise, his red has been drained away to gray and white just like the Egg did to his statue. He doesn’t want the others to know yet, but thinks Antfrost was close to catching on.

- Meanwhile, Puffy continues to write in the Captain’s Log -- her journal from earlier. She is very concerned about these new developments.

---

Upcoming Events:

- Futuristic Tales From the SMP Episode

- Tommy’s plan to kill Dream

- The eventual reveal of Pandora’s Vault

[theshotsheardacrossworlds]

Rut

Agnes/Estinien. Set after 6.0. Agnes and Estinien get settled in Radz-at-Han just as another rut starts. NSFW.

After the Scions had gone their separate ways, Agnes and Estinien made their way to Radz-at-Han for their extended honeymoon and see to Vrtra’s request of Estinien. Vrtra was unusually coy, suggesting that the couple rest and relax and that Estinien’s “work” wasn’t urgent. Agnes was positively delighted while Estinien thanked Vrtra and grumbled.

Though, he is sweating an awful lot. It’s not too hot and humid today.

Unless…

Oh dear.

Once Varshahn left, having seen the two of them to their new, large apartment, Agnes turned to Estinien, who was sweating buckets. “Love, you’ve been—”

He gave her a rueful smile. “Aye, sweating profusely, immense hunger, rock hard cock---it’s a rut.” And he’s keeping his promise to not hide it from me this time. Not that I doubted, but I also know he always wishes to protect me.

“Herbs or bed?”

Estinien closed his eyes for a few moments, breathing deeply. When he opened them, they were red. “Bed, my sweet.” As he said the words, red aether appeared like a cloud around him and already his words were slightly slurred from the fangs. He literally ripped his clothes off (ah, we’ll need to have some new ones made) with his clawed hands and his boots destroyed by his clawed feet. The black scales were present on the starburst stars. I wonder…how it would feel if I gave them a lick? Or perhaps a nibble? He strolled to Agnes, his proud cock jutting out, and reached to caress her cheek with a claw. “My wife, my mate, my everything…”

“My very handsome dragon husband, how I adore you.” Agnes smiled. “Shall I undress and then off to bed we go?”

He breathed deeply, inhaling her sweet scent, and cupped her ass with his other hand. “I could get these meddlesome clothes off you right now, should you prefer.”

“Love! I am not having you tear my clothes off! These aren’t cheap!” She laughed and walked into their spacious master bedroom. Agnes quickly discarded her clothes, standing just as proudly nude as he. “Now, how would you like me?”

Estinien licked his fangs. “My sweet wife, I’d like to hold you for a while first. You deserve so much attention.” Wait, what? I mean, yes, I love being held! But…this is a rut right?

“Not that I’m complaining, love,” Agnes said as she lay down on her side. “But is this normal for a rut? You were practically all over me the last time within minutes of your little transformation.”

He slid behind her, spooning her close and holding her growing belly with one hand. “Tis not a burning fever this time. While I want you, I first want to lavish you with love…” Careful of his claws, Estinien ever so gently caressed her. “Such a good mate, letting yourself be bred. Our daughter is so lucky to have you as her mother.”

I can feel my face turning bright red! “Oh?” was all Agnes managed to squeak out.

“Yes, yes, my love. You keep her safe and warm, and she’s growing so much. As are you…” Oh my goodness that’s his very hard cock right in my backside. “You think I haven’t noticed.” Estinien grinned wickedly against her dark red hair. “Round and plump and full---my pretty wife, of course I’d notice. You grow more beautiful every day. How could I not notice? You will be beautiful carrying each of our babes. Our brood will be strong and happy thanks to you.”

Right, I’m going to burst into flames. How…how is this so sexy? Even with that lisp from his fangs? OH MY GODS! “Love, I—”

“Shhhh, don’t be upset, sweetheart. Tis the highest compliment. From the start, you taking my cock and seed so well, so prettily, to carrying our babes, and then giving them life…my heart is bursting from joy and satisfaction.” He began lightly grinding against her backside, still rubbing her belly. “I wonder…will our brood be larger than the Father of Dragons’? Seven eggs he brought here. We could easily have more than that.”

Agnes felt her breath hitch. “I-I’d love that many, but we’ll have to see, won’t we? Mum has a bet going with Momodi that we’ll have a dozen. Very silly.”

Estinien sucked a mark into Agnes’s neck and licked once he was done. “My sweet, why not aim higher? Two dozen…” He grinded harder, and his breathing became shallower. “Oh, how I could fill you…”

TWO DOZEN?! “Love,” Agnes managed to squeak out. “that’s a bit much, no? And I’d have to have multiple sets of twins or triplets or…gods, even more at once. And that wouldn’t be good for me or the babies. We want them to be healthy and safe and happy, right?” I know his brain is riddled with dragon hormones at the moment, but I need to nip this in the bud NOW! Agnes heard a sharp intake of breath behind her.

“Forgive me! My mind…wandered. The most important thing in all this is you. Always you. Tis my duty to see to your happiness. Your well-being. If I am not, then I have failed.”

Her smaller hand touched the claw on her belly. “Hey,” she whispered. “it’s okay. Let’s stay in the present, love. What will be will be. Let’s enjoy this---it’s our extended honeymoon after all.” Agnes quickly had an idea. “I have an idea! You could…taste me. How’s that?” She added with a wink.

Estinien’s expression at once changed from sadness to lust as he moaned. “Yes…yes, my love. Stay just like this. I shall sup from you…drink your sweetness…always want it…” He bent and raised her upper leg up. “There, just like this. Comfortable for me and you.” He leaned down to her wet cunt and slowly licked and sucked.

Oh gods, I’m going to combust. I’m going to burst into flames. It’s all too much and never enough and fuck me, those fangs… Agnes’s breaths were labored, and she tried desperately not to thrust into her husband’s mouth. “Love, please…I…”

Her moans and words only spurred Estinien on to lick and suck faster, gripping one of her thighs and squeezing. Agnes came with a little cry, and Estinien devoured every last drop of her release. When he finished drinking her, he kissed her thigh and knee on the bent leg and lightly grazed his fangs along her supple flesh.

“My Agi, how sweet you are. And how sweeter you’ve gotten. You’re positively irresistible…but how shall I have you?” Estinien asked, leering at his pregnant wife. “How do you want me, my mate?”

He didn’t ask the last time! “From behind, spooning I think would be good, love. What do you—” Agnes didn’t have a chance to finish before he resumed his earlier position. “Oh!”

Estinien chuckled. “As my lady commands.” He pressed small kisses onto her shoulder and wrapped an arm around her belly. “Agi, I told you the fever isn’t the same this time. All I wish to do is worship you. You deserve it all…” He gently guided himself into her wet and welcoming entrance, causing them both to groan. “Fucking hells, woman…always so tight and hot and ALL MINE.”

“Yes, love. All yours as you are mine.” Agnes moaned, clenching her inner walls around his engorged member.

“Yes. Yes. Yes. I. Am. Yours. Forever. Yours.” Estinien grunted as he thrusted. “My wife. My mate. My love. Mother of my children. My Agi…all mine…” His clawed hand began to drift to her clit, but as she did on their wedding night, Agnes stopped him.

“No, love, no. Want this to last…please…” This feels so good. Too good. Don’t want it to end.

Estinien’s fangs dragged along her shoulder, and he licked one of her many stretch marks. “As you wish.” His clawed hand stayed on her belly, caressing it. “How beautiful you are, my love. You’re growing every day. Our daughter is growing and thriving inside you. I can’t wait to see you grow more…I know it will be difficult as you get bigger, my love, but please don’t worry. I will still pleasure you…Anything you want.”

That’s it---I’m bursting into flames. “Oh, love…” Agnes said with a sigh. She placed one of her hands on top of his.

“Tis true. All of it. The most beautiful and perfect woman in existence in next to me…I promised to love and honor you all my days…and I shall, damnit. I shall. Anything you want. Anything…and before you say, ‘what about you, love’ know that I am happy to serve you. Your smiles, your laughs, your cries of pleasure mean everything to me, my sweet.”

Agnes could feel tears in her eyes. Oh, love. I feel the same way. I love it when you smile and laugh. I love it you’re so silly. I love it when you’re grumpy. I love you so much. “Now, ‘Stinien. Now.”

Estinien growled as his clawed hand squeezed her clit, making her gasp. “Come, sweet girl. Come. Please.”

Trust me, I will in a moment!!!! OH FUCKING HELLS! Agnes, usually only letting out little gasps and cries, nearly screamed as she came. She lost her breath and twitched for several moments after. Estinien, as always, came immediately with a roar.

Despite her still dulled senses after her orgasm, she noticed that Estinien’s hand was back to normal. It took almost a dozen rounds from him last time, and this time it’s just the one. Interesting! “Love…your hand…”

Estinien emitted a little grunt and picked up his hand. “Aye, my feet are back too. Scales gone. And you? You’re alright?”

He doesn’t need to worry so. My grumpy dragon, you are adorable. Agnes giggled. “Perfect, love. Just need to be cleaned up.” She turned her head to face him and gave him a quick peck.

“I’ll be but a moment.” He murmured, kissing her back. He returned shortly with a damp cloth to clean her and then just as quickly got back into bed. “Anything else you need?”

“Goodness this is so embarrassing, but,” Agnes blushed crimson. “Could I have a snack? Maybe one of the scones I brought with us? Gods, I’m so sorry!”

Estinien tried very hard not to laugh at his wife but failed miserably. “Agi, eat woman! You’re growing another bloody person, so eat damnit!” He grinned and tickled her sides. “Or mayhap, a sausage roll for my favorite, tastiest sausage roll?”

“Oh, you naughty man you! A scone or muffin would be good. Not a fucking sausage roll, or your wife will turn into—”

He groaned as he got up, still completely nude. “My wife will turn into a more beautiful woman. And if she gets more bloody rolls the better!”

Agnes giggled. “You’re too much, love. And I’ll try not to worry eating one scone.” He’d love me with more rolls. Oh dear, he’s so silly. But…also completely serious. I love him all the more.

Estinien came back to their bedroom with a scone on a plate and sat next to Agnes. “Go on, sweetheart. Have a little snack.” He put his arm around her broad shoulders and pulled her in for a kiss. “A baked good for my favorite cake.”

She wrinkled her nose and laughed. “Oh, so I’m a cake now?”

He kissed her cheek. “A cake. Cookies. Brownies. Sausage roll. You are everything delicious, my love.”