#but you persevered and SLAYED SO HARD

[lamemaster]

A Deceitful Peace (Glorfindel x Reader)

Word Count: 1.3k

Summary: The submerged lands of Gondolin hold 16 graves. Tales do not mention them. Few of the living know of them leave for the Vala of death and one elleth. 

Warnings: Death, gore, violence

The last of the Orcs fell from your blade. Your fellow soldiers who had barely survived finally got a chance to breathe. The city had fallen. Gondolin was gone. Its lords, gone with it. Yet, a small party persevered. A party that stood as the last defense for the fleeing survivors.

Death was looming on the shoulder of those who finished slaying the last of the enemy’s host. Fighting a battle they had already lost but it was worth it for all those who had a chance for a better life.

Next to you soldiers collapse with their blades too heavy. A dozen bleeding wounds and staggering breaths betrayed how little life was left in their bodies. Maybe it was a small mercy from Mandos that they had survived this long. Beyond the tolerance of the elven body.

Smoke and ash make those last breaths painful. Your fellow soldiers cough miserably. Wet, uncontrollable coughing fits that lead to increased blood loss. The city is engulfed by flames. It is clear that your pyre was set by nature itself. 

However, you do not allow yourself the relief of a welcomed death like others. Your blade is no longer clutched in your arms and you take off your quiver that held a couple of arrows. With practiced motions, you take off your now knife-less bandolier. 

In a trance, you make your way through the bloodied fields that were once your home. Your carelessly untie your hair pulled back in tight braids. Particles of ash fall off as your hair frees into the air. Weaponless, unguarded, uncaring you walk. There is a possibility that there may be lingering enemies but with your end so close you do not care. You would rather die on this journey looking for him than spend your last breath weary of cursed ones.

On the way, you stumble as a face stares back at you. Your friend’s face. Beheaded. Speared. Rog stares at you. His body was nowhere to be seen. Even in the most gruesome scene, your dearest friend’s expression holds no fear.

With trembling hands, you struggle to pull off your friend’s head from the spear. Your hands slip with the blood that does not stop. Your tears make it hard to discern anything. Heavy sobs wreck your body and your knees start to buckle. Your friend…you close your eyes and a sharp wet squelch is followed by a new weight in your hands. Your feet stumble back with the sudden force and weight.

You find the nearest unmarred surface and take off your cloak. It is battered with blood and singed with fire in many places. You rest your friend’s head there. With a gentle hand, you close his eyes. As you close yours in a prayer.

“May the halls of Mandos give you peace my friend.” Your prayer is short. You fail to muster any grand words. Your throat hurts making it hard to swallow your sobs as you for the last time on Middle Earth, kiss Rog’s forehead. ‘I too shall follow you soon.’ you promise as you wrap his head. 

‘Wait for me here. There is someone else I need to find.’ You whisper to your friend’s dead body as you gather the courage to stand up.

So, you start again. Walking among the simmering fire of burning halls you had dined in. You walk until the Sun finds itself on the Western edge of the world. Darkening skies do not halt you. Blood flowing from your wounds does not stop you. 

The sight of an uneven cliff does.

You do not know how you know where he lies but you do. For all the pain in the world seems to have gathered under that one cliff. 

Forgoing the last remnants of your armor you feel a weird sense of numbness settle over you. A determination. Your last task on Middle Earth would soon free you. The last labor that you would fulfill even at the cost of denying Mandos.

The journey begins. You do not equip yourself with a torch. You do not need it. It would aid little for the dark that gathered around you. The climb down is easy. With all your sense of reservation gone, there is little to fear of jagged rocks.

Moon is up in the sky by the time you reach the bottom of the cliff. It reeks of blood and ash like the rest of the valley. Your steps don’t falter. For a moment your traitorous mind wonders. It wonders if by some miracle he survived.

But then you find him. And you are struck by the peace on his face. A calm you’ve never seen on the faces of any of the exiled. Moon shines on his golden hair the same way it did when Gondolin had been unstruck. When his smiles were still within the reach of a small joke.

Death was peaceful. It was deceitful. He looked as if he slept in the ways of men. A dream playing behind those closed eyes. But elves do not dream with their eyes closed. They do not sleep in the pool of their blood. 

You rush to him. You pause when your hands trying to cradle him feel a softness. A softness you realize to be his brain. Grappled with horror you sit there as you realize the truth. Death was deceiving. For all the peace it held. It also carried pain and so much of it. For once it felt more of a doom than a gift many called it to be.

Your beloved’s glorious golden head was dyed red. Bruises from his fall were now in your clear view. Scorched skin from his battle. 

Your chest feels hollow. It would be so much more easier to let go. To succumb to the summons of Mandos right here. You rest Glorfindel’s head in your lap. Your hand trying to caress his face stops. It is bloody. You clean your hands on your tunic as you allow yourself to touch your beloved.

“I’m sorry,” tears form in your eyes. “I’m sorry,” you plead but none answer. You do not know what you apologize for but your heart rips into pieces. You have wronged him. Somehow you wronged him. He should not be dead. You shouldn’t have let him die. 

His eyes remain closed. None of your apologies bring him back. 

Pulling out a solitary flask of water you carry, you wet the torn-off piece of your tunic. And then with light motions clean your lover’s face. You wipe away all the blood, ash, and dirt. You sit there and braid his hair for the last time. For a moment it is easy to fool your heart into thinking of it as an untainted night. 

Later in the early hours of the morning, you carry him on your back. All the way to the city, you trek with your lover. Denying death with the steep slope that felt so effortless on the way down. Your own injuries as flaring and your vision swims with each step.

Soon you find yourself crawling with one hand holding on to your beloved as the other holds on to the sharp jutting-out rocks. Scratches turn to blisters which turn into torn skin soon followed by bloodied fingers.

Dark of dawn stretches longer than ever as you struggle with the last of your trek. Your clean hand still holds on Glorfindel on your back. His body is cold. Colder than ever. Your own limbs start feeling an unrelenting chill that seeps into your bones.

“Rog awaits us.” You tell the unresponsive weight on your back. Maybe you were going crazy. 

Your knees give away as you finally pull yourself to the top. The city…you made it. A coughing fit racks your body as you struggle to carry Glorfindel to where Rog rests.

—-------------------------------------------------------------

The submerged lands of Gondolin hold 16 graves. Tales do not mention them. Few of the living know of them leave for the Vala of death and one elleth. 

They are dug by battered hands. A last resting place for the fallen. 16 before death claimed the creator of those graves. A creator whose body lies unsheltered in an unfinished grave.

[ohsayhello]

Because I’m turning 30 soon, I've found myself going through old photos and reading my past journal entries. I didn’t realize how fun my 20s were until I've revisited those memories. It really was a wild and crazy decade.

While my teenage years were filled with angst and crushes, my 20s were for self-discovery and self-love as I navigated my career, dated, and enjoyed life with friends.

My 20s were hard too, ngl. I had two mental breakdowns (depression and anxiety with costly therapy sessions), got my heart broken more than once, and felt lost more times than I could count. But all those tough moments shaped who I am today: gritty, funny, and determined to make my dreams come true.

So this dump entry is for 20s Chen who did it all:

20-year-old Chen with long hair and gap teeth, who had big dreams of traveling the world despite her minimum wage salary (6k per cutoff—living for those Jollibee paydays every 15th).

23-year-old Chen who cut her hair short after getting her heart broken & hustled to make a name in PR (hustle kahit hassle!).

25-year-old Chen who had a mental breakdown and a major quarter-life crisis, quit her job at her dream agency without a backup plan. Thankfully, she healed as she learned how to take things slow.

27-year-old Chen who switched to government work in search of stability, only to realize she thrives in the chaos.

And finally, 29-year-old Chen who persevered through it all, who has learned to love herself—flaws and all—and conquered both her fears and dreams, no matter what life threw her way.

Proud of you, dreamer. Now go out there and slay your 30s! Make it another unforgettable decade.

[planetpiastri]

pairing: lando norris x fem!fewtrell!reader [no faceclaim, reader is faceless] summary: you've had a crush on your brother's best friend for years now, but haven't had the guts to tell him. but christmas is about telling people how you feel, and this ski trip might be the perfect chance. notes: tumblr tried to kill me dead and stop this smau from getting released but i persevered bc delivering wholesome christmas content is a full-time job. also as a disclaimer... i have never been skiing. so hopefully this doesn't suck. anyways merry christmas thanks for all the love over the last few months!

ynfewtrell

liked by team_quadrant, landonorris, and 84,038others

ynfewtrell ski trip part one: the fewtrell siblings venture into the wilderness

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username1 OMG YN AND QUADRANT CONTENT COMING SOON

maxfewtrell Doing me dirty

ynfewtrell it's a full-time job

alex_albon whose dog did you kidnap?

ynfewtrell don't worry about it

landonorris posting as if i was not on aux for the three hour drive we took together :(

ynfewtrell your aux skills are exactly why you didn't get posted

ynfewtrell

liked by landonorris, maxfewtrell, and others

ynfewtrell ski trip part two: this shit EZ

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maxfewtrell I have footage of you falling over several times

ynfewtrell no you don't because that didn't happen

username2 that shit is breathtaking dawg

landonorris built different 💪

username3 ok yn in her photographer era

landonorris i took two of these ynfewtrell no free promo if i post it before your jpg account it's mine

landonorris

liked by ynfewtrell, team_quadrant, and 811,034 others

landonorris the most wonderful time of the year with the most wonderful kind of people

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username4 aw lando and his emotional support fewtrell siblings

team_quadrant Are we just chopped liver?? landonorris yea

username5 yn is actually SO pretty omg

maxfewtrell I can't believe you've done this

landonorris 😁

username6 bring back your jpg account

ynfewtrell post the video of you falling and sliding into that big snow bank

landonorris only if i can slide into you ynfewtrell what landonorris what three comments were deleted by landonorris

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ynfewtrell ski trip part three: being both holly AND jolly this season

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username7 yn is such a g for giving us lando content

oscarpiastri I would not trust him with an animal

username8 BAHAHA OSCAR COMING OUT OF HIATUS TO ROAST LANDO

maxfewtrell Glad my tree decorating services aren't going unnoticed

username9 ok but you're slaying the all-white look

landonorris she holly on my jolly till i

ynfewtrell no no finish the sentence

landonorris

liked by mclaren, ynfewtrell, and 843,876 others

landonorris totally normal christmas where nothing exciting happened. definitely didn't fall in love with my best friend's sister and kiss her under the mistletoe.

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username10 I KNEW I WASN'T CRAZY I SAW THOSE DELETED COMMENTS

ynfewtrell that'd be crazy if it happened. good thing it didn't.

landonorris exactly what i'm saying

username11 the unicorn helmet LMAO

username12 girl u are focusing on the WRONG PART OF THIS POST

mclaren Take him to the moon for me 🥹🧡💫

username13 BYE team_quadrant Back off, they're ours

maxfewtrell Ugh you guys are both so annoying. Happy for you tho

ynfewtrell ? landonorris wym? nothing happened maxfewtrell Nvm die miserable

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ynfewtrell ski trip part four: christmas magic ❤️💚🎄🌟 (+ proof that we did, in fact, fall over skiing)

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maxfewtrell Finally

ynfewtrell 14 year old me is giggling squealing kicking her feet rn landonorris ew do u have a crush on me or something ynfewtrell NO SHUT UP

username14 pelting ur new bf with a snowball is such a funny hard launch

team_quadrant Cute

ynfewtrell thanks for the invite pls keep giving me free merch

oscarpiastri I just know that the snowball was deserved

ynfewtrell yea that was his punishment for not making a move sooner landonorris i'm a little slow okay

username15 wahh i'm gonna miss yn's posts now that the ski trip is over 💔

landonorris i love you btw ❤️

ynfewtrell 🤭💐❤️

[myrulia]

Hiya! Are you still doing prompts? If so could i please have #9!!!!! Thank you love!

.｡.:*✧Prompt 9 (7): "Just let me love you."

.｡.:*✧Warnings: DUB-CONSENSUAL, sibling rivalry (if you squint), markings, Michikatsu pushing himself on reader, slightly dark

╰╴⇢｡.:*✧A/N: When were yall gonna tell me going to the dark side is kinda fun...🤨

Your break up with your previous lover had been hard. During the relationship, expectations were simply not met and this frustrated you daily since your "boyfriend" was supposed to be there for you whenever, right? Well that is how the usual would go if you had gotten with a more simpler man.

Yoriichi Tsugikuni, a man who devoted his life to slaying demons and pretty much ignored you for the majority of your relationship, so you were always left bored and unsatisfied throughout the days. You persevered through a good three months of putting up with his behavior, but after a while you built up the courage of breaking things off with him for good.

Of course, there were tears shed and sad goodbyes shared, but it was better for the two of you this way to finally move on and progress as people without the other holding one back. You felt like a weight had been off your shoulders, finally feeling the freedom of living your life without constant worry that your lover might not return home safely, or rarely talking to him when he was around, or even satisfying yourself when you were needy. 

You could live freely finally and it felt liberating, you were always the type to enjoy your freedom and not have to abide by the stressful rules of a relationship and having to be there for someone who was not even there for you. It was something that you valued deeply, and always desired to find yourself as a person before choosing to put yourself back out there.

So how did you become pinned against a wall with the twin of your ex carnivorously biting on your neck and leaving marks everywhere that was visible?

” Mi..Michikatsu..~ Please wait..- ”

You pleaded in between desperate whines of trying to stop whatever was going on, but it felt so damn good that your body would not listen to your head and continued to fall into submission. Soon enough you felt his lips detach from your neck ever so slowly, standing fully and successfully towering over you since you were just so small compared to the other twin that had spiky raven locks which framed his face perfectly. 

” I've waited for this moment far too long, I am afraid I cannot wait any longer dear [Y/N]. ”

Your mouth opened to protest but Michikatsu was quick to silence your voice with a kiss that had his tongue plunged down your throat and tasting you for all you are worth in a singular motion. Your saliva mixed with his created such a wet mess of a kiss that when you pulled away there were multiple strings of saliva still connecting the two of you. You were practically gasping for air but it was not long until you were beneath the twin of your beloved ex who you fell out of love with.

Yet you felt yourself being pulled closer to him.

The control he had over your small limbs was more arousing than it should have been, because now in his hands were your wrists, pinned above your head helplessly so your legs flail in protest, denying any inner desire you felt just to satisfy your head but not your soaked cunt that throbbed and ached for even the smallest touch. 

” I used to date your brother, how could this ever possibly work?! ”

The grip on your wrist increased significantly, so you mewled in pain which seemingly loosened it, but even at the mere mention of his dear younger brother, jealousy and vexation surged through his emotions like wildfire. 

” Yoriichi was an idiot who did not deserve you, whereas I have worked hard to get where we are now. ”

His face moved incredibly closer to yours, being only inches apart from each other so you were able to pick up on the few veins that dared to show on his face.

” I have loved you for years without fail, so allow me to fulfill your desires he could not. ”

” But- hhnngg shit..- ”

You breathlessly let out a moan so potent to Michikatsu's ears that it was like a poison to his eardrums, except he allowed the ravenous intensity to overtake his body. His lips latched onto your chest, biting and sucking just as when he did so to your neck but with much more evident elation for you and your elixir of moans that overflowed his eardrums.

The kisses spread to your abdomen, moving down so slowly that your body began to give in to the drug known as Michikatsu, infatuation and contentment taking over that was all too hopeless to resist any longer. You had finally surrendered to his touch, the volume of your wails increasing once you finally did so.

” You gave in quickly, so just let me love you in ways Yoriichi could never. ”

You nodded in a burning addiction for him that overtook every bit of your cunt that had your succulent essence spilling out onto the surface beneath you. You sat up ever so slightly to look him in the eyes, your hand moving to his soft cheek in an act of thirst.

” Then please take good care of me, ” You begged, whorishly spreading your legs for him further. Michikatsu lowered his head before rising, grasping your hand in his and finally meeting your eyes. 

” I already planned on doing that my dearest [Y/N]. ”

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

[reginarubie]

Sansa Stark appreciation month, day 1~ Flowers

The name ‘Sansa’ has Sanskrit origins and means ‘charm and praise’ so which better flowers to identify with Sansa than the ranunculus (which symbolises elegance and charm) and the bluestar (which symbolises radiance and praise)?

Flowers I associate with Sansa's character

Elegance, perseverance, charm ~ elegant, persevering, charming

Elegance, courtesy (Ranunculus)

Sansa was a lady at three, always so courteous and eager to please. She loved nothing so well as tales of knightly valor. Men would say she had my look, but she will grow into a woman far more beautiful than I ever was, you can see that. I often sent away her maid so I could brush her hair myself. She had auburn hair, lighter than mine, and so thick and soft . . . the red in it would catch the light of the torches and shine like copper. — Catelyn VII, ACOK

Joffrey frowned. Sansa felt that she ought to say something. What was it that Septa Mordane used to tell her? A lady's armor is courtesy, that was it. She donned her armor and said, "I'm sorry my lady mother took you captive, my lord." — Sansa I, ACOK

Perseverance (Ranunculus)

"Thank you, sweet lady." Ser Dontos lurched clumsily to his feet, and brushed earth and leaves from his knees. "Your lord father was as true a man as the realm has ever known, but I stood by and let them slay him. I said nothing, did nothing . . . and yet, when Joffrey would have slain me, you spoke up. Lady, I have never been a hero, no Ryam Redwyne or Barristan the Bold. I've won no tourneys, no renown in war . . . but I was a knight once, and you have helped me remember what that meant. My life is a poor thing, but it is yours." — Sansa II, ACOK

"The night's first traitors," the queen said, "but not the last, I fear. Have Ser Ilyn see to them, and put their heads on pikes outside the stables as a warning." As they left, she turned to Sansa. "Another lesson you should learn, if you hope to sit beside my son. Be gentle on a night like this and you'll have treasons popping up all about you like mushrooms after a hard rain. The only way to keep your people loyal is to make certain they fear you more than they do the enemy."

"I will remember, YourGrace," said Sansa, though she had always heard that love was a surer route to the people's loyalty than fear. If I am ever a queen, I'll make them love me. — Sansa VI, ACOK

The snow drifted down and down, all in ghostly silence, and lay thick and unbroken on the ground. All color had fled the world outside. It was a place of whites and blacks and greys. White towers and white snow and white statues, black shadows and black trees, the dark grey sky above. A pure world, Sansa thought. I do not belong here. Yet she stepped out all the same. Her boots tore ankle-deep holes into the smooth white surface of the snow, yet made no sound. Sansa drifted past frosted shrubs and thin dark trees, and wondered if she were still dreaming. Drifting snowflakes brushed her face as light as lover's kisses, and melted on her cheeks. At the center of the garden, beside the statue of the weeping woman that lay broken and half-buried on the ground, she turned her face up to the sky and closed her eyes. She could feel the snow on her lashes, taste it on her lips. It was the taste of Winterfell. The taste of innocence. The taste of dreams. — Sansa VII, ASOS

Charm (Ranunculus)

Sansa knew the name, and now the courtesies that Septa Mordane had taught her over the years came back to her. "The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard," she said, "and councillor to Robert our king and to Aerys Targaryen before him. The honor is mine, good knight. Even in the far north, the singers praise the deeds of Barristan the Bold." The green knight laughed again.

"Barristan the Old, you mean. Don't flatter him too sweetly, child, he thinks overmuch of himself already." He smiled at her. "Now, wolfgirl, if you can put a name to me as well, then I must concede that you are truly our Hand's daughter."

Joffrey stiffened beside her.

"Have a care how you address my betrothed."

"I can answer," Sansa said quickly, to quell her prince's anger. She smiled at the green knight. "Your helmet bears golden antlers, my lord. The stag is the sigil of the royal House. King Robert has two brothers. By your extreme youth, you can only be Renly Baratheon, Lord of Storm's End and councillor to the king, and so I name you."Ser Barristan chuckled. "By his extreme youth, he can only be a prancing jackanapes, and so I name him."

There was general laughter, led by Lord Renly himself. The tension of a few moments ago was gone, and Sansa was beginning to feel comfortable — Sansa I, AGOT

Tyrion led Sansa around the yard, to perform the necessary courtesies. She is good at this, he thought, as he watched her tell Lord Gyles that his cough was sounding better, compliment Elinor Tyrell on her gown, and question Jalabhar Xho about wedding customs in the Summer Isles. His cousin Ser Lancel had been brought down by Ser Kevan, the first time he'd left his sickbed since the battle. He looks ghastly. Lancel's hair had turned white and brittle, and he was thin as a stick. Without his father beside him holding him up, he would surely have collapsed. Yet when Sansa praised his valor and said how good it was to see him getting strong again, both Lancel and Ser Kevan beamed. She would have made Joffrey a good queen and a better wife if he'd had the sense to love her. — Tyrion VIII, ASOS

Radiance, resilience, praise/filled with faith ~ Radiant, resilient, religious

Radiance (Bluestar)

Sansa, two years older, drew the crown prince, Joffrey Baratheon. He was twelve, younger than Jon or Robb, but taller than either, to Jon's vast dismay. Prince Joffrey had his sister's hair and his mother's deep green eyes. A thick tangle of blond curls dripped down past his golden choker and high velvet collar. 

Sansa looked radiant as she walked beside him, but Jon did not like Joffrey's pouty lips or the bored, disdainful way he looked at Winterfell's Great Hall. — Jon I, AGOT

Resilience (Bluestar)

"We share that view, sweet child." Tyrion turned to Sansa. "My lady, I am sorry for your losses. Truly, the gods are cruel."

Sansa could not think of a word to say to him. How could he be sorry for her losses? Was he mocking her? It wasn't the gods who'd been cruel, it was Joffrey. — Sansa I, ACOK

(...) "Not that I wanted him to stay, mind you. I had Grand Maester Pycelle and an army of midwives, and I had my brother. When they told Jaime he was not allowed in the birthing room, he smiled and asked which of them proposed to keep him out. Joffrey will show you no such devotion, I fear. You could thank your sister for that, if she weren't dead. He's never been able to forget that day on the Trident when you saw her shame him, so he shames you in turn. You're stronger than you seem, though. I expect you'll survive a bit of humiliation. I did. You may never love the king, but you'll love his children." — Sansa IV, ACOK

Brave. Sansa took a deep breath. I am a Stark, yes, I can be brave. They were all looking at her, the way they had looked at her that day in the yard when Ser Boros Blount had torn her clothes off. It had been the Imp who saved her from a beating that day, the same man who was waiting for her now. He is not so bad as the rest of them, she told herself. "I'll go." — Sansa III, ACOK

My skin has turned to porcelain, to ivory, to steel. — Sansa V, ASOS

Religious (Bluestar)

Besides, even if she could leave the castle, where would she go? It was enough that she could walk in the yard, pick flowers in Myrcella's garden, and visit the sept to pray for her father. Sometimes she prayed in the godswood as well, since the Starks kept the old gods. — Sansa V, AGOT

By the time she reached the godswood, the noises had faded to a faint rattle of steel and a distant shouting. Sansa pulled her cloak tighter. The air was rich with the smells of earth and leaf. Lady would have liked this place, she thought. There was something wild about a godswood; even here, in the heart of the castle at the heart of the city, you could feel the old gods watching with a thousand unseen eyes. Sansa had favored her mother's gods over her father's. She loved the statues, the pictures in leaded glass, the fragrance of burning incense, the septons with their robes and crystals, the magical play of the rainbows over altars inlaid with mother-of-pearl and onyx and lapis lazuli. Yet she could not deny that the godswood had a certain power too. Especially by night. Help me, she prayed, send me a friend, a true knight to champion me . . . — Sansa II, ACOK

He swore. A solemn oath, before the gods. "Then . . . I will put myself in your hands, ser." — Sansa II, ACOK

Sansa knew most of the hymns, and followed along on those she did not know as best she could. She sang along with grizzled old serving men and anxious young wives, with serving girls and soldiers, cooks and falconers, knights and knaves, squires and spit boys and nursing mothers. She sang with those inside the castle walls and those without, sang with all the city. She sang for mercy, for the living and the dead alike, for Bran and Rickon and Robb, for her sister Arya and her bastard brother Jon Snow, away off on the Wall. She sang for her mother and her father, for her grandfather Lord Hoster and her uncle Edmure Tully, for her friend Jeyne Poole, for old drunken King Robert, for Septa Mordane and Ser Dontos and Jory Cassel and Maester Luwin, for all the brave knights and soldiers who would die today, and for the children and the wives who would mourn them, and finally, toward the end, she even sang for Tyrion the Imp and for the Hound. — Sansa V, ACOK

There are gods, she told herself, and there are true knights too. All the stories can't be lies. — Sansa IV, ACOK

"What do you pray for, Sansa?"

I pray for Robb's victory and Joffrey's death . . . and for home. For Winterfell. "I pray for an end to the fighting." — Sansa III, ACOK

Old snow cloaked the courtyard, and icicles hung down like crystal spears from the terraces and towers. The Eyrie was built of fine white stone, and winter's mantle made it whiter still. So beautiful, Alayne thought, so impregnable. She could not love this place, no matter how she tried. Even before the guards and serving men had made their descent, the castle had seemed as empty as a tomb, and more so when Petyr Baelish was away. No one sang up there, not since Marillion. No one ever laughed too loud. Even the gods were silent. The Eyrie boasted a sept, but no septon; a godswood, but no heart tree. No prayers are answered here, she often thought, though some days she felt so lonely she had to try. — Alayne II, AFFC

Sansa was the first child of Ned and Cat born in WF and by the time the story begins Sansa is eleven and summer has lasted nine years, she either was born at the end of winter or at the begging of spring, IMO it happened more on the beginning of spring. In any case it happened in that time in which the world entire is going through rebirth as winters leaves the step to spring and that is beautiful.

Day 2

[ahsokasshoto]

Uhh, hi! I was wondering if I could request a bad batch layout with the tarot of the divine deck? Its so fucking cool that you're doing this! 💕

haha i'm glad you think so! for me it's just a lot of fun 😁

(I had to come inside because it's SO rainy even the humidity in the air was making everything wet lmao so sorry the lighting isn't as great!)

1. Hunter: Your overall emotional state (what in your environment is affecting you)

Three of Coins - Bhanjakri and Banjhakrini

This Tamang mythology is about two huge yeti-like crratures, Bhanjakri and his wife Bhanjakrini, who train children to become jhakri, or shamans. They are demanding teachers, but if the work is put in, the powers you can achieve under them are unmatched.

Let your emotions be teachers to you. They may be difficult and demand a lot from you, but it is working with them, not against them, through which you can achieve a deeper understanding of yourself.

2. Tech: your overall mental state (what in your life could use a little logic)

Three of Cups - Apsara

This Hindu myth tells of the Apsara, celestial beings known for PARTYING! These beings are particularly good at dancing. Mera was the Queen of the Apsara and chose to live a mortal life with the King of Cambodia.

This card is all about celebrating! Has your brain been working very hard lately? Maybe you've been working on a project or just finished school. Make sure to take time to give your brain a break and enjoy all you've already accomplished....your brain will thank you and it will get your creative juices flowing!

3. Wrecker: your overall physical state (what will nourish you right now?)

The High Priestess - Scheherazade of 1001 Nights

I love this tale! It's an Arabic folktale about the woman Scheherazade, a storyteller. She married the Sultan Shahryar who notoriously killed his wives the day after marrying them so they could not betray him. Scheherazade hatched a plan to tell him a story so compelling, but not reveal the end, so that he would spare her. She spent 1001 Nights telling stories and over that time the sultan forgot his hate and became a compassionate monarch once more.

The High Priestess is a keeper of vast knowledge. This card calls not for exertion but exploration. Right now, curiosity and wonder nourish you. What can you get curious and excited about in your life?

4. Echo: your overall spiritual state (what is defining you right now)

The Star - Sister Alyonushka and Brother Ivanushka

This Russian fairytale tells of a boy Ivanushka who fell under a witch's spell, turning him into a little white goat. His sister Alyonushka vowed to care for him. She carried him everywhere until she found the witch and was able to slay her and break the curse.

This card is all about staying positive and persevering even through difficult challenges. Your spirit is pure and full of hope and purpose, and lights the way in the dark for others, too.

5. Crosshair: a challenge to face/overcome

Strength - Tam Lin

This Scottish fairytale tells of a girl named Janet who fell in love with Tam Lin, a man who was being held by the fae. On Halloween, Tam Lin told Janet to hold him fast no matter how he appeared. The fairy queen turned him into beastly animals, but Janet held fast all through the night until dawn broke and Tam Lin was set free.

This card signals a test to your resolve. There are beasts about. Whether real or imagined, hold fast and true to yourself. Trust that the dawn will break and you will make it through.

6. Omega: your heart, passion, motivation (what is your purpose?)

The Sun - Sun God Ra

The Egyptian Sun God Ra is powerful and can take on many forms. He ruled humanity for thousands of years and retired to travel every day through the sky and cross the twelve divisions of Duat in the Underworld by night. It is a dangerous journey, but each day he returns to cross the sky again.

Your purpose (and it could not be more accurate, to me anyway!!) is to be a positive light and source of warmth. You don't need to work very hard to do it, and you already do it a lot! I know you always warm up my dash, anyway. 😊🌞

Hope you enjoyed, and thank you for the request!!

request a reading ✨

[putschki1969]

Hello! Big fan here, I just wanna ask: what are the qualities/traits of the Kalafina girls that caught you by surprise/off guard? Like, "hey, I didn't expect this from Keiko/Wakana/Hikaru". It doesn't have to be related to their singing haha but for me, I was genuinely caught off guard by how beautiful Hikaru's falcetto is, and I still think it's the most beautiful falcetto I've ever heard. I always look forward to when they're performing oblivious because of this, but I want 2 know what u think

*waves* Hello!!!

Forgive me for taking SO LONG to reply to your ask. This has gotten a little lost in my draft section and now I am finally working through all those abandoned posts. Sorry!! m(._.)m

First of all, OMG, YES, Hikaru’s falsetto is absolutely gorgeous!!! The later “oblivious” performances have all been amazing, I am so glad I got to hear Hikaru’s falsetto live at the 10th Anniversary concert. She slays those Hanae parts and I am just super happy for her because she is no longer reduced to having to lip-sync her way through this song.

As for my thoughts…It’s actually surprisingly hard for me to put my love for Kalafina into words (／。＼) But I shall try my best!

Since we are already talking about Hikaru, let’s start with her.

~Qualities/traits that surprised me~ Hikaru Edition: First of all I really love her stubborness. At first glance you wouldnt assume her to be the stubborn type but what’s that saying? Quiet waters run deep. She will not be influenced by others and when she has her mind set on something she will see things through no matter what. I am quite stubborn myself so I really appreciate that trait in others. It may be seen negatively by some people but I think it’s actually a big strength. Just looking at her tweets is so inspiring, she always has a life-lesson in store for us. I am so proud of her for taking on the challenge of becoming a solo singer all by herself. It must be so intimidating and I am sure there are lots of hurdles she has to get past. But if there is one person who can do it is Hikaru!! And then there is something I have only recently become aware of. It’s Hikaru’s love and appreciation for us fans. Again and again I am surprised by how much she thinks about us. The way she interacts with us on twitter (how she even thinks about foreign fans), the way she conducted her birthday event. The way she is taking her fans’ wishes into account while preparing for her solo live in December. I am just so incredibly grateful to her. And honestly, she has been like that ever since the beginning. Just look at her blog posts. Since 2009 she has been uploading posts super frequently (more so than Keiko and Wakana I think) and she has always kept us up-to-date with her travel diaries.As a singer/vocalist/performer: I was obviously thrown off by Hikaru’s fierceness because one would never expect her to have such a strong stage presence just by looking at her.

~Qualities/traits that surprised me~ Keiko Edition: I think it must be her love for and protectiveness of Wakana and Hikaru. Reading all of her interviews it seems like in the past Keiko never really cared a lot about other people, I guess you could say she was a little arrogant/self-centred. And hey, there is nothing wrong with that, especially if you are part of the entertainment industry. However, working together with Wakana and Hikaru for such a long time really changed her. She obviously cares so much about them and wants to make sure they are doing fine. It was never just about supporting them vocally, no, she always supported them in all aspects of life. Keiko was the driving force of Kalafina, she took it upon herself to “take the lead” when Wakana and Hikaru might not have felt comfortable with it. Even now you can still tell that she is a beacon of strength for Hikaru. Hikaru has tweeted a couple of times that she always feels better and more confident after she has talked with Keiko. Unfortunately we don’t see any of that being posted publicly but I am 100% certain that Keiko is also supporting Wakana in her endeavours. Aside from her protectiveness I was really surprised by her vulnerability and her determination to hide that side of herself from us. We all know she is strong, tough and super determined. Among the three members of Kalafina she is least likely to show her emotions but once in a while she will open up a little and let us know that hidden behind that stoic exterior there’s actually a very sensitive girl. Of course she will do her very best to hide it from us - she really doesn’t like showing her tears - but once in a while we are lucky to get a glimpse of her more vulnerable side. I was really surprised when I first read her solo interviews in “Kalafina Record” and “Kadokawa” because, they are so “real” and personal. It makes me cry whenever I read about Keiko’s insecurities when she started working together with Yuki Kajiura and the other singers. How she thought she couldn’t do anything and she was dragging everyone down. Keiko takes pride in being the best in what she does so for her to admit that she had so much trouble fitting in due to feeling inadequate, it’s something incredibly rare.As a singer/vocalist/performer:Well, what can I say except her deep and sultry voice? I think everyone is caught off-guard when they first hear those low notes coming out of her mouth. No one expects this cute little girl to be able to produce such a deep, dark singing voice.

~Qualities/traits that surprised me~ Wakana Edition:Wakana has always been very open about herself, what we see is what we get. So I guess there is not a lot that has surprised me throughout the years. But if I had to pick something it would probably be her strength to move forward despite hardships. Hikaru has her stubbornness and Keiko has her determiniation, they are both incredibly strong women. Next to them Wakana often comes across as frail and a little weak. She has openly admitted to be the type that easily gives up and there was a time when she seriously considered quitting Kalafina. And I do not blame her for that. Just imagine what she must have gone through! With her voice going through all these changes it must have been so rough for her. It’s obvious that Yuki Kajiura has always been most demanding of Wakana. Not to crumble beneath all that pressure takes a lot of strength and stamina, especially if you are slowly becoming aware that you might no longer be able to properly fulfull all these demands. The fandom’s disdain turning full force towards her probably didn’t make things any better. Yet, despite all of this, she kept going, she persevered. Yes, she did have Keiko and Hikaru at her side to support her but it was still Wakana who made the decision to continue. That takes a lot of strength!And these days she is even stronger and braver because she is slowly taking control of her life. She knew the consequences of staying with Space Craft but she took her chances. She cannot please everyone, she knows that and she doesn’t care. She wants to follow her dreams and right now that’s all that counts for her. I think Wakana is a people-pleaser at heart and for the longest time she has done nothing but give things to others without ever taking her own wishes and needs into account. It takes courage to change a mindset like that. Her interviews reveal the struggles she has been going through, of wanting to please her audience but also wanting to do her own thing (knowing that her old Kalafina fanbase might not appreciate it). As a singer/vocalist/performer: I guess it just always surprises me to see that a woman with such an angelic voice is actually a big-fat dork.

[im-no-jedi]

soooooooo idk why I haven’t shared this up until now, but yes, this is in fact a playlist for the Misfits c:

this has been my go-to playlist for pretty much everything ever since I created it last year. I listen to it in the car, in the shower, when I’m writing, or anytime I need a pick-me-up. I’m sure I’ll be adding more songs to it at some point, but 26 is a pretty big number imo LOL

here’s a list of the songs and descriptions of why I think they fit the Misfits:

Immortals - Fall Out Boy: we’re Guardians. we’re immortal. nuff said.

Reckless - Jaxson Gamble: sometimes it’s good to have a well thought out plan. and sometimes it’s good to be spontaneous. but most of the time? just do whatever tf you want. who cares if you break everything. just mcfrickin’ lose it, my dude.

Radioactive - Imagine Dragons: we live in a war. no matter what anybody says, we are always at war. it’s messy and it’s gritty and it takes a lot out of us. but we’re ready for it. bring it on, suckers.

Burn - Ellie Goulding: as Guardians, we have what some might call “superhero powers”. between blasting dozens of different kinds of firearms at the enemies, to popping off our Super abilities at any given moment, we light up the place wherever we go. subtlety is not in our vocabulary. (also Solar is the best subclass, fight me c:)

Breakthrough - Britt Nicole: being a Guardian means that you’re totally fearless and are ok with doing anything asked of you, right? LOL NOPE. we may have super powers, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t human. each of us have something we’re afraid of, and it can feel like those fears are holding us back. but we press on. we fight. we beat back the fears and evils of this world. “Destiny can’t be denied.”

Live Like Legends - Ruelle: each of us have done some pretty cool stuff, not gonna lie. we’re legit godslayers, yo B)

We Will Rock You - Queen: I had to put this one in here, come on. come on.

We Are The Champions - Queen: see above comment XD

Heroes - Zayde Wolf: the Darkness is all around us. it’s been trying to suppress the Light ever since the Traveler arrived on Earth. some of us even dabble in the Darkness. but we will bring light to the darkest places.

Infinite (Unsung Heroes) - Built By Titan feat. Joel Smallbone: sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest impact. we don’t only slay gods. we do what we do for the ones who can’t protect themselves. and we don’t need the fanfare (despite what Rocky wants LOL). 

Digital - Imagine Dragons: “I want a new world without the order, I wanna resurrect and live a little shorter.” “We don’t wanna change, we just wanna change everything.”

Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin: legit just imagine that scene at the end of Thor Ragnarok when the Revengers are all fighting together and that’s a stereotypical strike for the Misfits LOL

Welcome to the Show - Britt Nicole: ok, ngl, some of us are kiiiiind of full of ourselves (callin you out Uldren and Rocky :P). it’s kinda hard not to, being literal godslayers and all. so it’s no wonder we like to be a bit flashy when we work. might as well put on a show while we’re killing things, right??

Up Up and Away - Blush: all Guardians have a spaceship, it’s how we travel from planet to planet, so we all know how it feels to fly. some of us are... not so great at piloting (*cough*Rocky*cough*), but the ability to fly is something we all experience on an almost daily basis. it’s a perfect metaphor for the pure thrill we experience as Guardians.

Determinate - Lemonade Mouth: you know when you think up those weird AUs for your characters like, oh let’s say, a band AU or something like that? yeah...

Warriors - Imagine Dragons: I have most definitely thought of a medieval AU for these guys before. no, I will not elaborate further.

Guardian - Lindsey Sterling: I mean... do I even need to explain this one. it’s... it’s right there, come on :P

Skullclub - The Glitch Mob: this is one of those songs I imagine playing in the background during one of our missions, kind of like Immigrant Song. also, literally the only lyrics in this song are “we are the wild ones”, so yeah, it fits XD

Pizza - Martin Garrix: same as above, another song I imagine playing in the background during a mission. and in a modern AU, our go-to after mission meal (our shawarma, if you will) would absolutely be pizza c:

Meet Me on the Battlefield - Svrcina: for Matt. this song can honestly apply to the team dynamic as a whole, but lbr, nobody on the team is more willing to lay down their life for the others than my sweet hansom cowboy ♥♥♥

What’s Up Danger - Blackway & Black Caviar: for Rocky. oh Rocky. you reckless wonder. always living for the thrill and the glory. you big himbo, you.

Believer - Imagine Dragons: for Isaac. for a man of very few words, you sure do have a lot to say. you act aloof, but I know you care as much, if not more, than everyone else around you. your past hardened you, but you persevered and took control of your own life. people think they know this world. they think they know you. prove them wrong, precious.

The Dark of You - Breaking Benjamin: for Uldren. I could write an entire essay about why this is literally his theme song. oh man. I just... I’m sorry, Uldren. I’m sorry the world has been wicked to you. you deserved better ;3;

Confident - Demi Lovato: for Marvel. you do NOT mess with this girl. she will frick you up, and she will ENJOY it. you go girl. literally \o/

Vertical - T-Squad: for Ace. my energetic ball of sunshine. always doing his best while still striving to do better. you can’t stop this boy. you just can’t. there he go.

We Are Giants - Lindsey Sterling feat. Dia Frampton: alright, this one’s... kind of for me. I made the decision to self-insert into this story, and I haven’t regretted it once. and yes, I made myself the “main character” and “more powerful” or whatever, but you know what? there’s nothing wrong with that. sometimes you need to boost yourself up, and what better way to do that than imagine yourself as a literal godslayer amongst a group of other godslayers that you love more than breathing?? no regrets, yo.

Heroes (We could be) - Alesso feat. Tove Lo: what I consider to be the pinnacle theme for this group (our theme song, if you will). most of these songs are about feeling like you already are a hero as opposed to just the mere thought of being a hero. each of us have come from different walks of life, and although we each have our own unique powers, we choose to use those powers for the good of the world. Guardians aren’t born to be heroes. we choose to be heroes.

[lgbtfairytailnet]

“Babe, there's something broken about this                                 But I might be hoping about this.                                                                     Oh, what a sin”

It was strange, how familiar this was, and yet how estranged, unique. There were shadows of their old relationship, curled wisps hidden in the crease of Natsu’s eyes, and taunt line of Gray’s jaw, but it was close enough to what Gray remembered that he let himself bask in it for just a moment.

Natsu’s light was contagious, and yet Gray still felt like he was chasing it, barely catching up in time before it was gone again, lost to the wind. Gray was endeared with that whimsical nature, but a part of him - and he could never tell how large that part was - envied it as well. Envied how easy it was for Natsu to stray from the darkness, when Gray found himself toeing that line, wondering if maybe that life really was an easier one. 

These thoughts were fleeting, inconsequential; he took his medication, had a glass of whiskey, and he was fine. Or as close as he ever got to that. But the year without Natsu was hard, harder than Gray had ever expected, and to be reunited so suddenly... Gray was shaken, engulfed with joy and lust and frustration. 

Although their fingers were rough and demanding, their lips were desperate, and they moved together quickly, urgently. Gray had one hand on the wall beside Natsu’s head, the other bruising his hip as he ensured that Natsu remained pinned between the wall and his body. Natsu had no complaints, of course, responding with every movement and touch exactly like Gray remembered, only with more confidence. 

They had both changed in this year. Gray wondered how anyone, let alone someone like Natsu, could want him, love him, when he fit so well into a dark guild. Like he was supposed to be there. The charred marks on his arm and face seemed to tingle, teasing him, and Gray took his frustration out on Natsu’s lips, crushing them in his craving to just lose himself for a while. 

It was a sin, someone like Gray being with someone like Natsu, but his head was already shrouded in darkness, his body only a few steps behind, and not for the first time Gray thought that maybe instead of slaying the demons, he should admit that he was one of them. 

Natsu scratches his fingers along Gray’s back, and when they pull apart, connected only by a string of saliva, there’s a wetness to Natsu’s complexion that is almost ready to overflow. He clutches Gray, leans into him, disbelieving.

“I missed you so much, Gray.” 

And Gray kisses him tenderly in response, because there are no words, no fathomable utterances, to explain how Gray feels in that moment. Lucky, maybe. Or just plain in love.

Lucy’s voice carries over to them, and Gray swipes away any sign of Natsu’s emotion with his thumb. In return, Natsu places one last lingering kiss to Gray’s lips, and it’s sweet, and probably more than he deserves, but he takes it gratefully, drinks it in and harnesses it. Because he lived a life without Natsu, and only then did Gray realise that Natsu must be made from Earthland’s rarest minerals, because his soul craves them like nothing else, and yet cannot find them in any other person, or beverage. 

Living like this, so dependant, was a sin, but Gray thinks that the greatest sin of all was denying himself something as beautiful as Natsu, and he would not starve himself of oxygen when his lungs were already full of love. 

Their fingers brushed against one another, and they share a secretive, fond smile before Lucy rounds the corner, glaring at them. And then it’s back to work, back to the battle ahead, and Gray fights like he had not done in a year, his strength returning with the taste of Natsu’s mouth still on his. He was weak, he knew, but if his biggest weakness was Natsu... that was a sin that Gray could live with. 

For @revlischarm. Thank you for persevering with us <3

[pherryt]

#8, 18, 31, and 41

8. How did you get involved in your latest fandom?I was about to say Supernatural was my latest fandom, but it's just my biggest, most persevering fandom (My husband, btw, who first turned on netflix and said "Watch this. Yeah, I know you don't like horror. Watch it anyway. I promise you'll like it.")

so i think the correct answer would have to be Venom - and it's @feathers-and-cigarettes fault cause he talked up the movie so much I had to go watch it, and then i fell in love, and he's been spoon feeding me bits and pieces of the comic stuff here and there too

18. What ship have you written the most about?

probably destiel, to be honest. *does a quick check just for Shits and giggles*

Okay, so, out of my top 10 most used relationship tags on A03 - the top tag (Destiel) has 96 instances, and all the others combined come to 79. 

Yeaaaaaah. Destiel it is.

31. What’s the nicest thing someone has ever said about your writing?

I can't possibly pull receipts right now - I wouldn't even know where to look. Some of have been for my writing in general, some have been for specific stories, some have been in comments, others reblogs, or even PMS

but I've had other writers tell me how well my dialogue flows, others tell me how strong a certain character voice is, and those are definitely heartening to hear.

I've had a few readers say something along the lines of "This was great! I just finished and I'm about to re-read it" which is mindboggling.

any time i see my fic rec'd i'm absolutely tickled pink.

i love the short and sweet comments, the in depth comments. the comments on a long fic that only come at the end because they were so engrossed they couldn't put it down, or the commenters who manage to somehow comment on every chapter - I find all those things so awesome.

41. List and link to 5 fanfics you are currently reading:

I tend to start and finish stories in one sitting if I can - which is what makes reading longer fics more difficult for me. I love ‘em and I don’t want to put them down, even if i have to, so I actually LIKE reading WIPS because it helps me control myself. That means, my current reading list is full of WIPS:

manage me (i'm a mess) by technically_direct

Venom, symbrock, 17+ chapters, 76k+ words, Mature (Funny as hell!)

SummaryThe thing about Eddie, right, is that he's kinda an enormous fuckup. And it's starting to catch up to him a bit.

For real, the BEST thing to happen in those six months after he and Anne broke up was getting an alien parasite, and that was accounting for the whole 'it was eating his organs' thing.

Or Else by @jupiterjames

Supernatural, Destiel, sabriel, 15+ chapters, 78k+ words, Explicit (slow burn)

SummaryIn the years following his mother's death in a house fire, Dean Winchester begins to develop OCD as a way to cope with the loss. After more than a decade without a diagnosis, his symptoms grow more severe. And after the sudden death of John Winchester, Dean is left to cope by himself and Sam is forced to quit his undergrad in order to care for him. Ashamed of his shut-in life, and guilty that his little brother has become his caretaker at the expense of everything else, Dean seeks out therapy, and five years later, is holding down a full time job, can freely visit his favorite coffee shop to get a daily dose of Castiel, the (hot) hippie owner, and Sam is now free to return to school.

Sam Winchester would do anything for his brother, but he is more than thrilled to finally be returning to school, even if he is a 23 year-old sophomore. It also helps that a certain smart mouthed TA is helping him get back into the groove. Of course, getting a good read on Gabriel is just about as easy as advanced Chemistry, and he's not so great at that, either. As the semester goes on, he gets the distinct impression that his orderly life is about to get messy.

Crossing Lines by Hungrydean

Supernatural, Destiel, Saileen, 7+ chapters, 15k + words, Explicit

summaryHighly renowned therapist Dean Winchester knows how to help just about everyone. He's young yet experienced; the perfect blend of understanding his clients and knowing his job.

C. Novak is cheeky, bold, and obnoxious- but Dean does not shy away easily. Castiel Novak is a challenge, one Dean is determined to win. But Dean soon learns that Castiel is different from his other clients in more ways than he expected.

Pieced Together (part 2 of A Broken World) by mishaminion69 and sydkn3e

Supernatural, Destiel, Saileen, A/B/O, 15+ chapters, 154k+ words, Explicit

SummaryDean's equally exciting and terrifying news are forced to take a backseat for Castiel as he struggles to find the Omega ring for which his Omega's abuser was recruiting. While Cas is away, Dean grows closer to Eileen- also expecting her first pup- and her Alpha mate, Sam, which gives him insight into his foggy past and a glimpse into his future.

The increasing time apart proves difficult for both Dean and Castiel, leading way to feelings of inadequacy for Dean and discomfort in his rapidly changing body. Meanwhile, Cas fears that spending so much time in his wolf form while searching for the imprisoned Omegas will drain away his humanity...and ultimately lose him his mate.

Thursday's Angel by @unforth

Supernatural, Destiel, 14+ chapters, 65k + words, Explicit, Murder Husband

Summary:Castiel, angel of the Lord, is at peace with the mission assigned him by God almighty. His job - no, his purpose, the meaning of his existence - is to slay demons. He can see them, their eyes blackened by the evil they’ve done, their souls corrupted beyond hope of salvation, and when he finds one, he sends them to hell. Yes, the work is hard, the price to himself steep, but God has commanded it, and it’s better that Castiel bear the stain of murder than some poor mortal suffer because Castiel wasn’t strong enough to do what must be done.

And tonight’s demon - a murderer at least twice over, confirmed by Castiel's own eyes - is no different, no matter how fair his visage appears when not warped by sin.

Castiel will do his duty, as he always has, and when the deed is done - and no sooner - he’ll pray for the souls of the fallen, and for the forgiveness Castiel knows God will not - cannot - grant.

*Please see author's note for more information (this is dark but it's not as dark as it seems and I've added some explanatory information there)*

[friedesgreatscythe]

tbh I’m sad about Soulsborne always, on some level, because these games aren’t just endurance tests of patience and skill, and I hate how a lot of the community around it are just dicks who never want to actually give good advice on how to get into the series.

The games are hard, yes. But they’re fair. You will die like in any other game, but you learn with each death. Failure is your greatest teacher, and that makes every success you have all the more rewarding because you know you’ve persevered.

Once you start to really look at the games, you learn that parts its story is woven into some of the smallest details of its presentation. The scenery, the costumes; the names of places, the names of enemies; item descriptions, the names of bosses, the music that plays during boss fights (which is the ONLY time you hear music, apart from your safe zone). You realize that you are walking in the pages of a story that is revealing itself to you in every detail, and you are slowly piecing together the clues. You realize that you are walking in a dark fantasy apocalyptic story, and you are one of the only hopes to both uncovering its mysteries and guiding it to recovery.

And once you do get into the games on that level, that opens up an emotional underbelly of sorts, when you realize the humanity (or lack thereof) of your enemies. You realize that they’re very powerful stories of fear and failure and hope and determination. You realize that a lot of its hope and determination is to persist in spite of everything that wants to stop you. It’s a huge metaphor for life itself, especially living with a chronic or mental illness. You will always be in some kind of struggle, but you have to persevere in the hopes of being free of that conflict.

In Demon’s Souls you have to slay the demons that are plaguing the world, and by doing so gain the ability to confront the Old One in charge of it all. You risk losing your own humanity (so to speak) by doing this, and eventually you realize that not everything possessing a demon soul is in itself evil--a demon, in this case, could arguably just mean anyone powerful and mighty, anyone who uses that power on a grand level. You learn that the king who led the demons into this land did so because he learned that there was no difference between his god and the dreaded Old One--they were the same creature. He knew that the world itself was a broken thing, in service to the same entity, and he lost all hope. It’s your job to put him out of his misery and truly banish the Old One from the world, undoing the harm that was inflicted on it (or you can become the greatest demon of them all).

In Dark Souls you learn that the god of sunlight is actually the reason why the world is so broken in the first place, because he was too scared of what an age of mankind would mean. You being a “chosen undead” is just a sham, a pretty lie they tell the undead in the hopes of continuing this god’s curse on the world, and you can either do so (without knowing the truth) because you don’t want the world to fade, or you learn the truth and usher in the Dark to spite him. You can even confront one of the god’s strongest knights, who fought against the Dark and the Abyss to the point where it corrupted his body, and he exists in a perpetual zombified state. You can find a creature so tortured and corrupted and broken that he exists in the very heart of the Dark itself, and the only thing that protects you in that fight is the creature’s pendant, an item that shields you with a small burst of light.

in Dark Souls 2 you learn that the undead curse is a cycle that repeats endlessly, eternally, and you can either punt the responsibility to break it down to someone else, or you can try to stop it, without knowing if you will succeed. You learn that even the greatest minds of the age couldn’t find a cure for this, and their attempt to find one led them to doing just as many horrible things as the god who damned the world for his fear in the first place. You won’t and cannot know if your efforts will mean anything, but you have to try. You have to. Because to sit idly by means letting the world be destroyed.

In Dark Souls 3 the world has reached such a point as to be so thoroughly broken that it requires multiple people to Link the Fire (a job previously only done by one person before), and that those who could do this have abandoned the responsibility, knowing it to be a fruitless, pointless task. One of your options is to finally usher in the age of Dark, the age of man, and let the world cycle change as it should have changed--and if you do this, you get what is arguably the most hopeful ending of them all. The Firekeeper tells you that she sees a world without fire, but eventually tiny flames will flicker across it once more. This means that the world can be reborn as an age of Light, but only if the Dark is allowed to fall first. And as the world is devoured by the Dark, you hear her voice talking to you--hope and life will persist.

And Bloodborne... Bloodborne is a game about putting to rest a contagion that has plagued and devoured and brutalized so many people, so viciously, so horribly, for time unending. You learn the horrible secrets that were done in an attempt to advance mankind--secrets that involve the absolute worst crimes against humanity that are possible to even imagine--and by learning the truth you can make all that pain mean something. By confronting the victims of the scourge, you are wiping the slate clean, so to speak. You put them to rest, and you can either ascend to become a Great One and advance humanity beyond this curse, or you can take the place of your mentor in his eternal imprisonment (and let him have some peace), or you can decide to back out of the whole deal and free yourself from it all, abdicating any responsibility to put a stop to it.

And that’s not even me getting into the lore and deeper meanings and stories of all the bosses in these games. Some of them are absolutely gutting, beautiful, heartbreaking, poignant stories of fear and determination and loyalty. And it just... really breaks my heart to think that so many people are missing out on these games because they’ve had it beaten into their heads that the game is hard and unrewarding and lol just get better at it, nerd. These games are worth experiencing because there really isn’t anything quite like it out there. There has so rarely been an approach to storytelling like this, a mixture of hopepunk and subverted grimdark misery, and I honestly don’t know if there will be something like this in the future.

[remus-lupin-is-my-type]

So I can think of lots of Very Descriptive Reasons, but I want to hear your top 5: why, exactly, is Remus Lupin your type?

This ask has been sitting in my inbox for days and now it is finally time to write this essay on my love for Remus Lupin. There are truly too many reasons to name, but here are five of them in no particular order.

Reason 1: The real “bravest man I ever knew”. 

I’ve mentioned this before on my blog, but I have a massive weakness for characters that have been through such awful things and still have the strength to keep going (see: Dean Winchester, Bucky Barnes, etc). I just have the utmost respect for characters like that, and they’ve helped me out a lot in the past. For example, back in high school when the depression was just starting to kick my ass, I would clutch the Samulet I used to wear all the time and say things like “If Dean Winchester can spend forty years in hell, I can spend six hours at school”. It may sound ridiculous to the outside observer, but to me it really helped! Characters like that are such an inspiration to me, and Remus Lupin is certainly one of those characters.

Remus has been through the freaking wringer more than anyone should ever have to bear. He’s gone through actual decades of experiencing the worst kind of pain imaginable every single month. And before MWPP became a thing, he would have to do it all alone. He was only a child, who couldn’t even rely on his parents for help (for differing head canons, whether they abandoned him or whether they had to regretfully chain him in the shed - either way, Remus was alone). But did he let that break him? No. No, he did not. He kept going, kept persevering, went to Hogwarts and found a life-changing group of friends. Even when all that went to shit, when Remus once again found himself alone and mourning, he still didn’t give up. He may have been broken - who wouldn’t be - but he kept going.

And I haven’t even touched on the discrimination factor. How Remus had to travel around, barely able to find work because of his condition. As amazing as he was, barely anybody would even give him a chance because of something that wasn’t his fault and that he couldn’t control. And still, he kept on trying. 

If that’s not admirable, I don’t know what is.

Reason 2: Remus “sass master” Lupin.

Remus is fucking hilarious, okay. No one can tell me any different. Remus is the king of such famous hits as the Long Suffering Sigh, the Are-You-Fucking-Kidding-Me Look, and of course, the general Sarcasm that could slay you where you stand with its sheer amount of Sass. 

I don’t even have more explanation for this one because it just is. Accept it as a way of life, a religion even. Consider yourself blessed.

Reason 3: He is unbearably fucking sexy.

If any of you have raised an eyebrow at this one, I strongly urge you to reconsider. Remus is so sexy. The thing about Remus’ sexual magnetism is that it catches you off guard. That’s the best thing about it and it actually makes him sexier. 

Compare him to Sirius for a second. Sirius’ sex appeal is an obvious thing, something he exudes at all times and people swoon accordingly. With Remus, though, it’s something quieter. Something that he pulls out when he wants to, and absolutely knocks you dead when he does. Because people make the mistake of thinking Remus is just the quiet bookish kid, but little do they know that inside is a confident randy fiend just waiting to be unleashed. He’s the kind of guy that could level you with one look, and Merlin help you if he pairs those bedroom eyes with a little secret smile. 

All I can say is… Sirius Black is one lucky son of a bitch.

Reason 4: The brightest wizard of his age.

Swot. Noun. “A person who studies hard, especially one regarded as spending too much time studying.”

Remus Lupin is smart, people. He studies and works hard because he feels like he has to, because to him with his condition, being at Hogwarts is the highest privilege. But, even without that, he could still probably kick everyone’s asses on an exam with his hands tied behind his back. 

Not only is he book smart, he’s just generally smart. He reads as much as everyone thinks he does (which, to be honest, is already a turn on). He sees and considers things from angles people might not have thought of. He’s able to see a few steps ahead, to see the possible consequences or loopholes in any Marauders prank. 

Remus is the person you could talk in depth to about everything until the early hours of the morning, and you still wouldn’t be tired of doing so.

Reason 5: The Prefect/Marauder Paradox.

One of my favourite things about Remus is how multifaceted he is. How people try to put him in one box, but he hops into another just as easily.

It’s fascinating when you think about it (and boy, do I love thinking about it). He’s a prefect, but he’s a Marauder. That in itself should say enough. I love that no one can peg him down into anything, that he can be whatever he wants to be. He’s this wonderful enigma that no one can predict, and it’s such a thrill. I love that one second he’s the rule abiding citizen, and the next he’s the devious and clever prankster. 

Remus Lupin is nothing if not dynamic.

…And there’s five! I can’t believe how long this took me, and I still feel like I haven’t said/expressed nearly enough. I truly have too many feelings about Remus Lupin, who is, without a single doubt, my type. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

[bibleteachingbyolga]

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21)

When Paul wrote these words to the members of a small church in Rome, he wasn’t merely imparting some sage advice. He wasn’t merely trying to inspire them with a platitudinal ideal to shoot for. These words came stained with the blood and tears of spiritual trench warfare. Paul was telling the precious saints in this church how to stay alive in an evil world. For if churches don’t overcome evil with good, they won’t survive.

I’m writing this out of some personal grief. In recent years, I have watched churches I love dearly fracture, and even break apart. And in the cases I have in mind, the breaks weren’t over doctrinal disagreements or gross immorality, but over offenses given and taken. Longtime friends, having lost trust in one another, could no longer fellowship together. Like most breakups, they’re complicated. Certain parties bear more responsibility than others. But the heartbreaking result is that once-vibrant worshiping communities have ruptured, sometimes leaving a remnant struggling to rebuild from the rubble.

And what I find particularly grievous is that Jesus said, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). What do these breakups say about Jesus’s love? What do they say about his disciples?

Such relational breakdowns didn’t have to happen. But they illustrate a sobering reality: if we do not love one another enough to overcome evil with good, we will be overcome by evil. Paul’s instructions in Romans 12 on how to love one another with aggressive grace are critical to our churches’ survival. If we don’t understand that, we won’t survive as witnesses of the love of the Lord Jesus that overcame the world.

Most Potent Force in the World

As Christians, we know that love is the king of the affections and the queen of the virtues. It’s in a league of its own. For while every other righteous affection and virtue is an attribute of God, only one is twice said by the apostle of love to be at the core of the divine essence: “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 16).

We know from Scripture of love’s incomparable power. It encompasses all of the Law and the Prophets: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind . . . [and] you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37–40). And it was at the very heart of the most potent act in human history: Jesus’s death on the cross. Love moved the Father to give his only Son (John 3:16), and love moved the Son to lay down his life for his friends for the glory of his Father (John 15:13; 17:4).

And we know this supreme act of love did more than redeem lost people. It was also the most powerful act of spiritual warfare ever committed. For through it, Jesus overcame the hate-filled world (John 16:33) and set in motion the eventual and total destruction of the devil and his evil kingdom (1 John 3:8).

Therefore, nothing is more Godlike or gives God more glory and delight than love. Nothing is more morally beautiful, profoundly meaningful, and joy-producing in the human experience than love. And nothing is more offensive, violent, or destructive to the forces of darkness than love.

We know this.

But as Jesus said, “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them” (John 13:17). Knowing isn’t enough. For the whole blessing of love is in the doing of love. Indeed, if what we do doesn’t proceed from love, we are nothing and gain nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1–3). But that’s not all: we can also wreak great damage in our churches.

Love with Aggressive Grace

Paul had seen this damage firsthand. He had grieved over it. And so his instructions to the church in Rome were full of urgency — urgency the Holy Spirit wants us to feel over our churches as we read them today. The Spirit, through Paul, wants us to love one another with aggressive grace.

I call it “aggressive grace” for two reasons. First, we are not called to love one another as we deserve to be loved, but as Jesus loved us — with shocking, remarkably gracious love (John 15:12). Second, it’s aggressive because it is a remarkably pursuing, persevering, selfishness-slaying, overcoming love. Such aggressively gracious love is otherworldly, a taste of heaven on earth.

What Love Looks Like

Listen to some of the ways Paul describes the love we are called to feel for and give to one another.

“Let love be genuine. . . . Love one another with brotherly affection” (Romans 12:9–10). It doesn’t take long before we realize what it requires for us to keep loving like this. We all sinfully stumble in many ways (James 3:2). Which means we repeatedly offend one another. It takes persevering graciousness to keep love genuinely affectionate.

“Outdo one another in showing honor” (Romans 12:10). Note the aggressive, even competitive, word Paul chose: “outdo.” Imagine a church’s culture so marked by the healthy humility of considering others more significant than ourselves and overtly making the case for it, that the sin-diseases of selfish ambition and conceit we all carry are held in check (Philippians 2:3). A foretaste of heaven. But this kind of humility is cultivated only by intentional, even stubborn, habitual practice.

“Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15). With the influence of our indwelling sin, we all know how challenging it is to actually obey this command. But if we’ve been on the receiving end of such love, we know how blessed it is.

“Never be wise in your own sight” (Romans 12:16). The more seriously we take this, the more carefully we will listen and respond to others. This alone would prevent many relational conflicts. But it is hard to die to the self-blinding assumption that we’re wise and don’t really need counsel.

“Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all” (Romans 12:17). Implicit here is that we each will sinfully wound each other. And we all know it requires aggressive self-control not to respond back in sin. “Give thought” captures the intentionality this love requires.

“If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all” (Romans 12:18). How far is “so far”? This can be difficult to answer. But if we are to bear with and forgive one another as Jesus has with us (Colossians 3:13), “so far” is likely much farther than we naturally wish to go.

And, of course, Paul says so much more in Romans 12. But this sampling helps us see to some extent the aggressively gracious, costly Calvary love to which we are called as Christians. It is the love of Jesus, the love the world is meant to recognize in his disciples, the love that overcomes evil with good.

Overcome Evil with Good

Paul ends the chapter with the exhortation I opened with: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). It is the high calling of each church. And it is an admittedly hard calling, for “the way is hard that leads to life” (Matthew 7:14). It requires each of us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow in the footsteps of our Lord, who so loved us (Matthew 16:24; John 15:12).

The stakes are high. For if we will not overcome evil with good, we will be overcome by evil. If we will not love one another as Jesus loved us, we will not last together. The demonic forces know this and aim their fiery darts strategically. Which is why the demise of too many churches is due to internal conflict rather than external persecution. Which is why once strong churches can break apart.

This doesn’t have to happen. But our churches’ survival is staked on whether or not we, their members, love one another with the aggressive grace that comes from Jesus. We know these things. But knowing isn’t enough. Blessed are we if we do them.

[joebuscus1031]

Through the darkness there is hope

Samurai jack fanfiction Plot: jack guides Ashi as she travels through the psyche of her mind to break free from aku’s control over her and be free from his evil essence

We are taken to the outside of aku’s fortress, small gusts of wind filled the area slowly scattering debris across the wasteland. We the slowly pan up to the sky where there appears to be an eclipse slowly blotting out the sun we then her a scream of unimaginable pain.

We are taken in side of the fortress when we see jack is chained to a wall where the minions of aku one at a time beat jack senseless with various weapons, while aku watches from his throne smirking and cackling with amusement.

Ashi, still in her twisted demon like appearance watches emotionlessly. Aku then rises and slowly drifts over “I never thought this day would come samurai, for years…I have watched you suffer from the comfort of my domain but it was only emotional suffering…I always said to myself it wasn’t enough” Jack slowly raises his head as blood drips down from his nose a mouth. intense wounds, cuts and bruises filled his body as he pants from exhaustion. “Don’t get me wrong samurai It brings me great joy to torture you mentally and emotionally…however nothing beats seeing you like this” as he chuckles maniacally.

“Alright aku, you got what you wanted…you don’t need her anymore…just…let her go please” he begged in a shaky voice as if he was desperately trying to hold back his tears. All he wanted was to see her face again and stare into her eyes that once had so much life in them which now are soulless and corrupt. “And why would I do that foolish samurai ? She is my daughter after all” infuriated jack shouts “daughter? DAUGHTER!? You had nothing to do with her upbringing ! You were never there, the life she had before….me..was constant abuse both mentally and physically not to mentioned brainwashed into thinking you’re some sort of god…. her new life was just beginning until you corrupted her and twisted her into demon she is no-” before he could finish aku pierced through his shoulder with his finger letting out a grunt holding back his screams “samurai listen to me, who you see before you now is my daughters true self..the Ashi you knew was merely a shell, containing the real her….nothing more”

As his finger slowly pulled out of his shoulder he let out a grunt in pain. He lifted his head once more to see something that shocked him, tears began to slide down Ashi’s cheeks…and one thought crossed his mind…he knew, the real Ashi was still in there trapped and aware of what was happening. Seeing that gave jack hope that there’s still a chance to save her

“Now samurai, I will take my leave…I must make preparations, your death will be going public so anyone who has had hopes of opposing me will shatter after seeing there savior slain in front of there eyes” as he maniacally laughs “Now my lovely daughter I will leave him in your hands while I am away make sure he doesn’t do anything he might regret” ignoring the tears flowing down her face he then leaves the two of them.

As jacks gaze returns to Ashi he is slightly startled to find her standing right in front of him watching him emotionlessly. He then narrows his eyes “Ashi….I know you’re still in there somewhere…you can still fight it” as she slightly tilts her head. “Do not worry Ashi, I went through something similar years ago and was able to break free…it was hard but I persevered, do not lose hope….fight it from within” they both stared into each other’s eyes until jack let out a sign and closed his eyes “do not worry I will not let you do this alone…I shall guide you ashi” he then goes into a meditative trance. We then seeing Jack from Ashi’s point of view from inside her her head. The real Ashi kneeling in anguish as she sees her lover bloody and beaten. tears uncontrollably rolling down her face and hands over her eyes “why…why couldn’t you do it jack…I asked you but you refused….I mean I understand why but (sniffles) I would rather die than seeing you suffer at the hands of aku” as she continues sobbing black essence begins to slowly creep up her body trying to take over her fully. Angered by aku she gets up and runs toward her eyes frantically banging on them as if she were trapped behind a glass wall with no escape. “God pleeease…don’t hurt him anymore..I can’t-” she is then cut off by another voice “you know… this is all your fault” she slowly turned around to see visions of her sisters with their wounds still visible on them from when they fight Jack. Ashi stared with a look of horror and disbelief “What ? How are yo-” “if you would’ve just killed him like our intended purpose.. you wouldn’t have developed feelings for him…now look at you… look at what It had to come to” “Stop” “Instead, now our father has to use you as a puppet to get the job done” “STOP !” “And now you get to watch as father slays him !” “stop, stop, STOOOOP !!!!” Her sisters look at her with expressionless faces “stop what Ashi ?” The dark essence continues to creep up. “Do NOT call that horrid fiend my father” “Then what is he then huh ? I can’t believe choose this scum over your own family! You deserve what you’re going through !” As they narrow their eyes into a glare, The essence moves more quickly up towards Ashi now reaching her neck “no no NOOOOO JACK !” The black mass has now seemingly consumed her…“its so cold…I can’t see anything” she says in a shaky voice “Jack I am truly sorry, you were the One thing that gave me joy in my life and now you’re gone”

The silence is almost deafening…until she heard a faint voice in the distance that sounded familiar calling out to her..“Ashi..ashi….ashi !” A white dot appears it is Ashi’s eyes as it slowly zooms out we see the outline of Ashi’s body which is white but the rest of her is black just like her surroundings. “Jack ?…JACK ?! Is that you ?” She looks down at her self and realizes that she is in the body of her eight-year-old self with her original hair. The voice calls out her name again, this time she was certain it was Him “JACK ! I hear but I can’t see you ! Tell me when you are” “follow the sound of my voice Ashi ! I will guide you” She then begins to float towards the direction she hears him looking around for some visible sign of him… she then here’s the voice of her mother “you truly are weak” Ashi pauses and clenches her fists “NO ! You are not weak, Pay no mind to her… you’re one of the strongest people I’ve ever met” Ashi slowly turns back towards the direction of Jack’s voice “you were just as useless and pitiful as the samurai is” Ashi then in a stern voice replies “you don’t get to tell me what and who I am” “you dare speak to your mother in such a manner” Ashi’s eyes then narrow as she grits her teeth “you may have given birth to me…. but you’re not my mother in anyway shape or form… no mother in their right mind would put their child through what you put me and my sisters through …begone !” She floated in the one spot for a moment until she couldn’t hear the voice anymore and then continue forward towards Jack.

She continued on until she saw a shimmering light in the distance, she leaned in forward to move faster “come, Ashi you’re almost there just a little further” but then she felt the darkness rising back up again like water she struggled for a moment as she tries to swim her way through, until she remembered something Jack had said to her “ if you open your eyes and let go of the hate.. you will see the truth” her heart then began to beat from determination, “for jack” she said softly as she continued to swim toward the light picking up speed. Faster and faster she swam until she felt the solid ground beneath her feet and slowly start walking up toward where the light, her eyes slowly widened as her view was fixated on none other than Jack…his eight year old self “ashi…you made it” as a innocent smile grew across his face, Ashi did the same as her eyes grew teary. Jack then held out his hands “come” Ashi then slowly one step at a time began to approach him by her fourth step she had realized she is now in the body of her 13 year old self and so is jack. She continued forward and by her ninth step she was in her appearance when she first met him and so was he (beard and all) as she drew closer to her final steps she held out her hands as her hair flowed back down to her current hair style.

Till finally she felt an overwhelming warmth as both of them grab each other’s hands she opens her eyes to see jack (clean shaven and top knot) smiling back at her. The darkness around them dissolves as it’s replace by light. She knew that the light was a representation of the kindness in her heart and her never ending love for jack, she smiles “jack” “Ashi” they both embrace as the light engulfs their vision. When are then taken back to the real world where jack opens his eyes to see ashi convulsing as the darkness that seemed permanently attached to her started to melt off of her body. The last part of her to be freed was her head as she desperately gasped for air and collapsed to her knees. She felt unpleasant feeling rising through her esophagus that felt as thick as mud, she then vomited out a black substance…it was the rest of aku’s essence. Aku who was still making preparations all of a sudden was in pain, he had sensed that something was hurting him indirectly “arrggh what the hell is this ?!?” His widened as it dawned on him what had just happened “noo…Nooo….NOOOOOO !!!” He bolts to the area of his domain where Ashi and jack are. As the last drop of dark essence left her mouth all of it started to evaporate away, she was panting uncontrollably catching her breath “Ashi ! Are you-” he is then cut off by the sounds of crying, she slowly looks up at him, tears pouring down the sides of her cheeks “you found me” she said in a soft spoken voice, jack lets out a light chuckle “oh Ashi…you weren’t that hard to find” as he smiles ashi slowly stands up her legs still wobbly from the ordeal makes her way toward jack and puts both of her hands on his face “my god, they’ll pay for what they done to you” as she looks at all of the wound on his face and body “do not worry about me…I’m just glad I get to she your beautiful face again” Ashi still with tears rolling down her face says “I love you…I love you so much jack” their lips lock as they kiss passionately in relief and joy.

“It was you, it was always you who gave me the will to live and go on and to never lose hope…I don’t know how I could have ever forget that” “The same could be said for you…. you’ve save me more ways than you know Ashi” they look into each other’s eyes until ashi realized she need to act quickly “wait what are you doing ?” “What does it look like ? I’m trying to get these chains off of you” she struggles for a bit and realizes something’s off about them “Ashi these aren’t normal chains they’re cladded with aku’s essence” Ashi’s eyes narrow she then slowly turns her head around and her gaze glances upward to see Jack’s sword is unguarded… quite foolish of the shogun of sorrow to leave such a weapon unattended…she then smirks as she slowly walks away “wait Ashi where are you going ?” She turned around and chuckles at him “I’m going to get your sword back, free you, then we’ll kick my “fathers” ass”

End

Everything after that aku appears and then fights Ashi and try’s to prevent her from get jacks sword. then you can pretty much put together what happens after that… I have an idea of how it would go down afterwards but if you guys want to hear that let me know.

[entergamingxp]

DualShockers’ Favorite Games of 2019 — Michael’s Top 10

December 31, 2019 2:00 PM EST

2019 was filled with a ton of great games. Here are 10 of my favorites, one that I’ll continue to play, and one that I’ll never play again.

As 2019 comes to a close, DualShockers and our staff are reflecting on this year’s batch of games and what were their personal highlights within the last year. Unlike the official Game of the Year 2019 awards for DualShockers, there are little-to-no-rules on our individual Top 10 posts. For instance, any game — not just 2019 releases — can be considered.

Since I started working for DualShockers in 2017, one of my favorite parts of being part of this staff is deliberating on what my top 10 games of the year are. It’s a moment where I can actually celebrate video games rather than criticize them. 2019 is no different, but I would be lying if I said this was the easiest list I’ve created. In fact, it is the exact opposite.

Curating this list has been a struggle. Not because there was a lack of great games in 2019; there were so many I felt strongly about. The list you see below is my 4th revision, and I think I got it right this time. But before we go over this list, I want to get a couple of things off my chest.

2019 has been such a learning experience for me, both in positive and negative ways. My taste in games has changed dramatically, and I found a video game I truly loathe. Like, if someone mentions its name, I go on a 20-minute rant about why this game is bad. And I will now discuss these two topics with you now.

The Siegeman Cometh

I just want to take a brief moment to talk about Rainbow Six Siege. Initially, I had this game at the number 10 spot, but decided to dedicate a short section of its own. On my top 10 list from 2018, I put Ubisoft’s tactical shooter in that last number 10 spot. Although it came out in 2015, it was a game I started playing that year, and it has since become my personal “video game comfort food.”

Not only is it a brilliant shooter that is mechanically sound, and rather different than the rest of the shooters out there, it really changed the way that I play video games. This might be a whole other topic entirely, but playing the 100+ hour long RPG or whatever genre is just not for me anymore. They aren’t bad games, and there may be some long experiences on my list this year, but I put a lot of value in how I spend my time now. Rainbow Six Siege respects my time with its rewarding gameplay. I can play a match or two and feel satisfied, and then spend the rest of my day with my wife and my dog.

Now that I am actually looking at my list, that is sort of the theme here with my top 10. With a couple of exceptions, all of my favorite games of 2019 can be taken in bite-sized chunks but still be an absolute delight to play. Rainbow Six Siege taught me to respect my time, and the games that will be listed below are indicative of that notion.

YIIK: A Postmodern Piece of Garbage

Speaking of respecting my time, let me tell you about how my 2019 video game experience began. Back in January, I played an indie game called YIIK: A Postmodern RPG. I reviewed this game, which you can check out here. Playing this game was the antithesis of time well spent, as it is probably my least favorite thing I have ever experienced in digital media in my entire life.

Now, you may be staring at your computer monitor or laptop reading this saying, “this man is being hyperbolic to reel us in. It’s a trap!” I assure you, this is no hyperbolic notion. I think I hate this game. There are some good things I can say about it. Its music is pretty great. The gameplay is fine. I can maybe see why someone likes the look of its minimalist art direction. But none of that really saves the atrocity that is YIIK: A Postmodern RPG.

The moment that has stuck with me and made me realize why I cannot stand this game happens a bit later, when you have much of your party with you. You go to a mall, and there is a mysterious van you have to try to access, but you need a key. Alex, the main protagonist, asks if anyone can pick a lock. He doesn’t point to anyone, just asks generally.

Claudio, one of two black characters in your party, randomly says this:

“Wouldn’t it be hilarious if I could? Like, out of this ragtag band of misfit friends, the black guy could pick the lock. And don’t pretend you didn’t think it! So, to answer your racist ass question, I cannot pick a lock! Well, at least not a car lock. I went through a Sherlock Holmes phase and learned to pick basic locks.”

YIIK: A Postmodern RPG has moments like this where it’s as if some woke 14-year old teen decided to write about racism for Twitter likes. It doesn’t just stumble on these sensitive topics, which include racism and depression, but falls on its face creating a crater deeper than the largest crater on our moon. It is so terrible to the point when someone mentions this game’s name, even in jest, I go on this rant about how out of touch this game’s message is.

So, why am I even talking about this game? Well, for the same reason I mentioned Rainbow Six Siege. Ubisoft’s shooter taught me to respect my time, and make every session with a game as satisfying as possible. YIIK: A Postmodern RPG taught me that but in a completely different and unexpected way. In a way, it is important to me in its own unique and terrible way.

Okay. Here is the actual Top 10 list now.

10. Slay the Spire

As of this writing, I only started playing this yesterday. Going down the list of games the staff at DualShockers compiled for our Game of the Year deliberations, this one stood out for some reason. Maybe it’s the name, or how positively some of the staff was when talking about it; whatever it was, it convinced me to use my Xbox Game Pass subscription and try out Slay the Spire, and I absolutely love it.

Maybe I’m jumping the gun here by saying this is one of my favorite games of the year. I’ve only probably put an hour in with two runs — I unlocked the three playable characters — but it left me wanting to play much more. Mixing turn-based action with a card game, Slay the Spire is an incredibly satisfying experience, especially if you manage to craft a deck that actually works as intended.

Slay the Spire just has so much variety and possibility. With the three unique characters, the seemingly endless possibilities with building your deck, and constant surprises as you climb to defeat the spire’s main boss, there has yet to be a dull moment. Again, I may be suffering from some recency bias, but Mega Crit Games’ interesting amalgamation of the strategy and card game genres.

9. Death Stranding

Despite my own beliefs, Hideo Kojima actually released Death Stranding in 2019. I swore this thing wouldn’t be out until 2024, but here we are. Kojima’s latest certainly is a divisive game, isn’t it? Understandably so: there are some wild design decisions that, in some cases, works to its benefit. But there are other times you’ll just stare at your TV screen just saying, “why?”

Death Stranding makes a great first impression, as you are introduced to Norman Reedus’ character Sam Porter Bridges, a “porter” (a.k.a. delivery man) who eventually works for his mother’s company, Bridges. Yes, it’s pretty on the nose. From its use of Low Roar’s music to its intriguing story and visuals, it presents itself very well in those beginning hours. And then Chapter 3 begins.

My biggest problem with Death Stranding is pacing. Chapter 3 is such a slog with one of the least interesting narrative threads in the game. Fragile’s tale would have been told more effectively if it did not take up a third of a 45-60 hour game. With its constant backtracking paired with its clunky gameplay, it truly tested my patience.

Now let’s fast forward a bit to Chapter 5, the absolute worst portion of Death Stranding. Testing my mettle once again, the Mama focused chapter has the most laborious backtracking delivery routes within Sam’s adventure. This is where I almost quit. It was just filled with an overwhelming amount of tedium, having to trek up a mountain through 12 inches of snow. Add a terrible stealth section, and you maybe have one of the worst moments in a video game in 2019. But despite that garbage Chapter, I persevered.

With all this negative criticism, how did this game make it on to my top 10 video game list for 2019? Because I stuck around after Chapter 5. After you finish Mama’s arc, Death Stranding gets so much better. The story actually begins to unfold, with much of the quality bits of Kojima’s tale finally emerging. You also get to witness two of the best video game performances of all time. Tommie Earl Jenkins’ Die-Hardman and Mads Mikkelsen’s Cliff Unger put on amazing performances in those last two hours, making every slog through those snowy mountains worth it.

It is such a hard sell to tell someone who might be falling off Death Stranding to keep playing until the end. In fact, I wouldn’t. Please, play the games you want to play and enjoy. But by the end of Death Stranding, you’ll be happy you finished it.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Death Stranding.

8. Void Bastards

This is another game I found while browsing the ever growing list of games available via Xbox Game Pass. Void Bastards by Blue Manchu is a roguelike inspired by the immersive sim genre. It isn’t a full immersive sim, but it scratches that surface. I mean, it makes sense as it was made by former BioShock and System Shock 2 developers, two of the most influential immersive sims of all time.

Is Void Bastards on that same level? Not really. But it’s one of the most fun and goofy video game experiences I’ve had all year. You are legitimately exploring derelict spaceships and fighting weird creatures with a staple gun. Thanks to the randomly generated ship layouts, different client traits, and comic book-inspired graphics, Void Bastards continues to be such a joy.

7. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

So, I had quite a lot to say about Activision and Infinity Ward’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare in my review, and I still stand by those statements. I do think the campaign is lacking. With all the messaging prior to release insinuating it would show the gritty reality of war, I thought maybe this will be something different. It wasn’t. There were some good moments and decent design deviations from prior installments, but it was a fairly standard Call of Duty campaign.

What has reeled me in since that review is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare‘s multiplayer. I really only play Team Deathmatch and Domination, but I’ve had a blast with its slightly reworked gunplay. I do still have some problems with some of the maps and spawning. Specifically, St. Petrograd, Euphrates Bridge and Ramazza are such a dread to play in. But generally, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare‘s multiplayer is the best the game has been since Advanced Warfare. Obviously, that is a personal opinion; please leave your “hOw cOUld yoU tHiNk CoD:AW iS gooD, bOotZ oN gRounD FTW!!!! #USUCK” comments below.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.

6. Astral Chain

To be quite frank, I thought the Nintendo Switch’s slate of games in 2019 was weak, at least in comparison to the last two years. On a personal level, nothing really spoke to me. And the things that did, like Super Mario Maker 2, didn’t leave a lasting impression. Not that games like Luigi’s Mansion 3 or Fire Emblem: Three Houses are bad games; they just aren’t my jam. Despite that, one game that really stood out from the Switch’s exclusive lineup in 2019 is Platinum’s Astral Chain.

In some ways, I can see why someone wouldn’t like Astral Chain. There is definitely some clunkiness to its controls, as you have to simultaneously control the protagonist and a Legion, a living weapon that looks like something out of Neon Genesis Evangelion. Compared to other games by Platinum, like Bayonetta and Nier: Automata, the flow of combat isn’t as fluid.

However, if you can get past that clunkiness, you will find a very rewarding and synergistic combat system that is really a joy to experiment with. Once you’ve unlocked every Legion and weapon, there are so many combinations to choose from depending on what you are up against. You can upgrade your Legions with certain buffs or with its skill tree, which I found actually changed how I played the game. It really is an engaging combat system if you can get past that initial clunky hurdle.

Astral Chain also has a fairly compelling story that, at the very least, will draw you in from beginning to end. It’s not the Switch’s The Last of Us, but it’s a fun ride filled with satisfying, albeit predictable, outcomes. The Howard twins have a pretty wild adventure, and it’s one I thoroughly enjoyed.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Astral Chain.

5. Samurai Shodown

At PAX East 2019 I played Samurai Shodown for the first time, and I instantly saw its draw. It is such an approachable fighter, but has incredible amounts of depth. I feel like this description is apt for a lot of popular fighting games, but I think it is especially appropriate for SNK’s latest. Its slower pace, lack of crazy combos (i.e. Mortal Kombat and Killer Instinct), and simple button inputs make Samurai Shodown so easy to pick up. But knowing when to strike, reading your opponent, and timing those super special moves is when things get a bit more advanced.

While my time with Samurai Shodown has dwindled since it launched earlier this year, it is a standout fighting game that is wholly unique. It is truly unlike anything else in the genre, especially in the competitive scene; it brings some variety to the typical lineup we come to expect. Sure, it may not be as hype as Tekken 7, but you better believe your heart will be racing after every round in Samurai Shodown.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Samurai Shodown.

4. NHL 20

Every year, I latch onto one sports game. In recent years, it has been one of the many entries from the MLB The Show and WWE 2K franchises. But since I didn’t get The Show this year, and WWE 2K20 was kind of a disaster, it was NHL 20 that took up much of my gaming time in 2019. I should preface by saying that I played this game when I felt my gaming time was limited. Turns out, I always felt like my gaming time was limited. I’ve played hours of EA’s hockey simulator, and it never felt like wasted time.

NHL 20 doesn’t do anything too out of the ordinary. After all, professional hockey has been and always will be professional hockey. But it was a solid version of that professional hockey experience filled with great features that go slightly beyond the traditional three-period matchup, namely with its additions to its CHEL suite of modes. Yes, I did play the battle royale inspired Ones Eliminator, and a whole lot of it too.

It also just feels like the best iteration in terms of gameplay. It hardly deviates from previous entries, but its moment-to-moment gameplay just feels more fluid, which is all I can really ask for. Also, my dreams can become a reality by bringing my poor Red Wings to the Stanley Cup Finals, because that is certainly not happening this year.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for NHL 20.

3. Devil May Cry 5

I don’t have much to say about Devil May Cry 5, except Dante impersonating Michael Jackson may be the best moment in gaming in 2019…

On a real level, Devil May Cry 5 has such diverse combat between the three playable characters, Nero, V, and Dante. Every character is unique, with their own moveset, movement, and metal jam to kill demons to. Imagine murdering demons while riding a motorcycle to the sweet sounds of deathcore. That is Devil May Cry 5, and it’s awesome.

It is also a testament to the RE Engine. While it was initially created for Resident Evil VII: biohazard, it has been implemented in other Capcom projects, including Devil May Cry 5. It’s a great indicator that this engine can do more than produce beautifully rendered dark and dingy zombie houses, and weird hillbilly freaks. It can handle all the wild combat you expect from an action game with hardly any hitches.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Devil May Cry 5.

2. Judgment

Oh, what a brilliant adventure that Ryu Ga Gotaku Studio has created. Every single piece of content in Judgment is why I play video games. There are so few games that really grab my attention the way Takayuki Yagami’s wild ride did. And I mean that generally, not just in 2019. What I’m saying is Judgment is one of the best games of the generation, and everyone should play it.

There is just so much to do in Judgment‘s Kamurocho and every piece of it is worth experiencing. You can go to one part of the map and play Virtua Fighter 5, and then go to another part and stop a group of perverts from ruining someone’s life. It is just varying degrees of ridiculous, with each activity being different from the rest. Yet, it manages to stay true to itself. Everything fits into Judgment‘s wild mold of Kamurocho.

Of course, there is a main story that maintains the goofiness the majority of Judgment upholds, all while telling a genuinely intriguing crime thriller narrative. I was so enthralled with Yagami’s personal story of defeat and his uphill battle to redeem himself to no one but himself. Alongside the whole serial murder plot, and some of the later portions of the story, I was captivated from the very first minute, and could not put the controller down.

To close this off, I want to show you a scene that brings me so much joy. When I am in a bad place, I just watch this scene, and I know everything will be okay. If you know anything of my interests, I think you can guess which scene this is. Yes, it is Yagami kicking ass while pulling off gnarly tricks on a skateboard. He does a kickflip while kicking a dude in the face.

HE DOES A FREAKING KICKFLIP WHILE KICKING A DUDE IN THE FACE!

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Judgment.

1. Mortal Kombat 11

When I initially made this list, I was sure Judgment was going to be my number one. It has everything I want in a video game. A good story, great writing, a private detective kicking a dude in a face while doing a kickflip on a skateboard. But no game has taken over my life like Mortal Kombat 11 did in 2019.

I’ve been a fighting game fan since I played Street Fighter 2 for SNES. But I was never a proficient fighting game player. Sure, I could do some work as Green Lantern in Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe or as Donatello in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters, but I was never actually good. I just kind of pressed buttons and hoped things would work out.

That ended with Killer Instinct for Xbox One, when I actually decided to learn a character (in this case, Thunder) and try to actually play competitively. I wouldn’t say I was amazing, but I could pull off some gross combos if I was able to get that first hit in. Then Tekken 7 released in 2017 (which was also my number one game for that year), cementing the fighting game genre as my official personal favorite. Again, I was better than average with Hwoarang, but I wasn’t great. But that didn’t stop me from learning.

In a way, that beginning step of learning a fighting game’s mechanics and picking a “main” is something I look forward to. You bet when Granblue Fantasy: Versus and Guilty Gear: Strive release next year, I’ll be doing exactly that. Finding a character that perfectly flows with your play style is one of the most satisfying feelings you can ever have while playing a game, and fighting games are filled with those moments. Heck, even challenging yourself and trying to be proficient with a character that doesn’t flow with your playstyle is equally rewarding.

Which brings me to Mortal Kombat 11, a tour de force in the fighting game genre. Like any opinion on the internet, it’s subjective. I could see why someone would think Tekken 7, Street Fighter V, Samurai Shodown, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, or any of the numerous fighting games out there is the best. But it is Mortal Kombat 11 that gets that title for me. I absolutely love this game.

It goes back to that idea of finding a character that suits your playstyle. In Mortal Kombat 11, Kabal is that character for me. But unlike Donatello, Thunder, and Green Lantern, the former Black Dragon member’s moveset just instantly clicked with me. Sure, I learned a few combos, but everything about the character just made sense to me. I haven’t felt that sort of connection to a game since the very first Rock Band came out, and I was able to play drums. But that was just because I play drums, so naturally, it was easy to familiarize myself with Rock Band drums.

That isn’t to say I didn’t get wrecked online. I have certainly been destroyed by better people, and I don’t believe I can go to a competition and do well. But this is the first time I thought that I was genuinely good at a fighting game; not just scraping by with a few combos. I actually understand the rules of this game, and I know how to use them to my advantage. It just depends if the other person knows those rules better than I do.

I guess the best way I can wrap this up is with a brief story of when I played a ranked match at DualShockers Managing Editor Logan Moore’s apartment. As usual, I played as Kabal and was fighting against either a Noob Saibot or Liu Kang player. Honestly, I don’t remember. All I remember is the character opposite of me was annoying as hell.

On the third and final match, I tilted a man into losing, and it was one of the greatest gaming moments of my life. Why? 1) I tilted a grown man. 2) I definitely should not have one that match. 3) Logan and I were howling at the TV because the match was so ridiculously close. There was so much excitement, anxiety, and happiness in just that one moment, and I can’t think of any other video game that has provoked such a response from me in 2019.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Mortal Kombat 11.

Check out the rest of the DualShockers staff Top 10 lists and our official Game of the Year Awards:

December 23: DualShockers Game of the Year Awards 2019 December 25: Lou Contaldi, Editor-in-Chief // Logan Moore, Managing Editor December 26: Tomas Franzese, News Editor // Ryan Meitzler, Features Editor  December 27: Mike Long, Community Manager // Scott White, Staff Writer December 28: Chris Compendio, Contributor // Mario Rivera, Video Manager // Kris Cornelisse, Staff Writer December 29: Scott Meaney, Community Director // Allisa James, Senior Staff Writer // Ben Bayliss, Senior Staff Writer December 30: Cameron Hawkins, Staff Writer // David Gill, Senior Staff Writer // Portia Lightfoot, Contributor December 31: Iyane Agossah, Senior Staff Writer // Michael Ruiz, Senior Staff Writer // Rachael Fiddis, Contributor January 1: Ricky Frech, Senior Staff Writer // Tanner Pierce, Staff Writer

December 31, 2019 2:00 PM EST

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