#chapter: nil

[phantomguild]

Lief @Mystery Vulpix: "Don't have a name, huh? Heard that one before. More like you refuse to tell us who you actually are."

The Vulpix turned to look at the Sylveon/Ribombee hybrid. His presence did give them a bit of surprise, as up to now Mint was the only hybrid they'd interacted with. They thought a bit about his words. There was a bit of truth to them.

They did have a name, though it was more of a "designation" than a proper name like near anyone else had. After a bit of thought, they decided to humor Lief's statement by finally telling everyone.

"'Monarch Experiment 01'." They answered blankly in response to him. "That is the closest thing I have to a name. ... You can see why I do not want people to call me that, aside from being a mouthful."

"Definitely not like any name you have heard, I can assume. I am taking suggestions for an alternative name that's more... normal sounding."

Ask Hints have been updated!

Unnamed Porygon2's profile unlocked!

[sbiciolo]

A GOOD DAY TO PLAY A FINE GAME OF NONE!

I'm not usually an AU kind of guy, buuuut....

occasionally....

[tehmiesh]

laughing at the number of games I started over the last year (in order)

ori and the blind forest

octopath traveler ii

tears of the kingdom

octopath traveler

pikmin 4

sea of stars

the last campfire

baldur's gate 3

terra nil

versus the number of games I finished

octopath traveler ii 💀

[lucdrawsthings]

all my life I have sought to be valued, only to discover that I am truly worthless.

[feelingsofaithless]

Oh, doomed and petrified The face of fear and doubts You see the angels fade away So one last try You look at the sky and you pray

[inkstainedhandswithrings]

um,,,, yeah… yeah, uhm

Chapter 7!!! i guess

chapter summery: Nevaeh gets Anakin and Obi-Wan out of a tough spot. But something is off about Obi-Wan‘s old friend. And more so than usually.

summery of my feelings on this chapter:

I’m not gonna lie to you guys, I don’t love this one but I hope y’all will be able to tolerate it and accept that better work is to come. This one is a bit more focused on Nevaeh and Obi-Wan and their friendship and all actually finally lead to some progress in the overarching plot BUT IT IS ACTUALLY FILLER AND IT IS LONG AND IM SORRY

anyway, if these are your thoughts after the chapter:

I’d totally get that

(but maybe just tell me this so I have motivation for the next one? you don’t have to though)

tags below cut:

@saturn-sends-hugs @phantom-of-the-501st @ihaventpickedausername @exxasperatedauthor @shahrezaad

[creativesplat]

Another sketch people! @alflearweek Day 6: Fierce/ Dragon

So this was originally going to be the other way around (eg. Alfred being rescued by Alear), but I couldn't find a moment in the story that would work, and then I played through the Fell Xenologue again, and then boy golly there was opportunity for hurt/comfort angst and rescue. Rafal out here making it easy for angst writers to put their little guys in situations (Chapter 5 be intense y'all).

[hana-loves-bumblebees]

Selma Lagerlöf really thought she could sneak in a greek tragedy into Nils Holgersson’s wonderful journey through Sweden and we wouldn’t notice

[mintmentos]

The progression from kidnapper and kidnappee (kinda reversible cuz they both did it to a degree?) to human/alien queer platonic partners isn’t something I thought I needed but boy am I lapping it up

[phantomguild]

(@shaymincafe) Shiso @ Nameless: You mentioned that your designation was "Monarch Experiment 01". What exactly was this experiment? Does it have anything to do with that crown on your head?

Nameless sat at the top of the gate to the center of the hexagon, the main base of operations for the Phantom Guild. The crystals powering the barrier gave off a blue light, ready to become active at a moment's notice. Their gaze turned down towards the purple-hued Shaymin, thinking over her question.

"It was a series of experiments to create a weapon capable of autonomously eradicating Hollow Pokémon. I was created with a unique ability: replication, of physical forms, and the power of the Aspects." They turned their gaze away to look over one of their paws, turning it over from front to back.

"This Kantonian Vulpix form is one of the forms that was pre-programmed into my being. It's the one that I personally find most comfortable, so I tend to favor this one."

"As for my butterfly symbol, the 'crown' you speak of. It's little more than a symbol of what I am. No matter what form I'm in, I always have the mark of the butterfly, since a flap of its wings is said to be capable of bringing great change."

They rolled off the backside of the gate, landing on their paws and kicking up a small puff of dirt. "Though whether or not I'll bring the good kind of change is up in the air right now."

[rafent]

◜  ₊  —  𝓡  ˚  ₊   𝐏𝐀𝐖𝐍

cw; decapitation.

Nil liked the Hooded Man.

His unquestioning adherence to orders so long as there was a battle to be had. His creative and violent solutions that demanded no direction or to be told what to do. His enthusiasm for all those things. For a Corrupted the circumstances of his transformation even differed from most. He had let Nil come to him, not forced, only compelled, and simply accepted the offer laid before him with relish. Never mind that it was no offer at all. That Nil would have killed him regardless.

He was, in any case, his most recent pawn. One that Nil’s hand needed. Someone able to be stretched thin, traveling over the various sectors of the chessboard where the crown royals couldn't be, simultaneously the most invisible and the most visible- which was why he wore the hood. To avoid the bevy of complications at being recognized, to avoid pulling apart a white spider's delicate web, so patiently exacted over years—

And for all that, Nil didn't even remember his name. Only that he’d been a prince once. Only that he was useful. Or perhaps it didn’t matter anymore; the lives that his Corrupted lived, when all of them served their best uses dead.

“You’ve returned with news of success, I hope. I've been waiting a long time for this,” he said softly without turning, knowing there would be nothing to see so much as hear from the obscured, hooded prince. Suspecting it. But the occasion was marked with surprise- instead of a report, a burlap sack dropped wordlessly at his feet without explanation.

Silence. Nil cocked his head, still imbued with an air of innocence, though his confusion was real.

“What's this?”

Wordless, again. It wasn't often that the talkative Corrupted feigned silence, or deigned a lack of response to his master. Some haunting note of importance accompanied this decision. Curiosity compelled the Fell Dragon prince at last to bend down, to untie the cord and peer inside upon a scene of. . .of—

He covered his face with one hand, obscuring an unknown expression. His shoulders trembled, beneath the skinny jut of his collarbone his chest heaved with scarcely contained emotion. Even the weak and spindly body doubled over at the waist in agony. It was almost as if he were crying until—

a giggle.

—no, it was laughter.

“Kaha..”

Unremitting, truly genuine laughter.

“Hahahaha!”

Years—centuries—over a millennia's worth of desire led to the sound. A harsh and gleeful peal; that high-pitched throttle only once exhausted of all fuel faded to a dying note. A driblet of saliva that he wiped away on the backside of his hand.

“.  .  .Hah.” Light-headed, Nil steadied.

Then he straightened. Like something within him had snapped back into place. Or simply, just, snapped. His kind eyes twisted into fragments of bloodied ice as he reached deep into the sack to surface the singular item that composed its contents- a decapitated head lifted from the depths into the light. Into the range of his hatred, his yearning, and his goal.

“What a sorry fool. Did you think you could run? Did you think I would not find you? Every speck of dirt belonging to this world lies within my web.”

With this final foxhunt, there was no more of them that remained. Brothers and sisters flushed out from the hinterlands of Gradlon by the Emblem bracelets. Worn on the bodies of his Corrupted, a roused-awake Emblem emitted the smell of honey- a 'revived' father's power- attracting the surviving children of Sombron like bees, leading them into ambush and annihilation. And yet—

“You called me a failure and yet look who it is that remains standing!" The mass of flesh was thrown squarely onto the ground, smashed viciously against it beneath the sole of his boot. That sole rubbed and smeared and ground any surface that it could. "None of our brothers and sisters remain. I am Father’s sole heir—me!!”

A smear lead to one stomp, then another. Then another. Another after that.

It was only when there was nothing to recognize- nothing more of a scornful expression and face to remember- that he stopped. Only then was it enough. Panting, he rose to his full height, faced with the smirking lower face of his pawn who even then didn't say a word.

“What. You’re still here?” He gave an ugly scowl, but there was no venom and no distaste in the observation. No; Rafal was in too good of a mood. One chapter closed by Rafal’s machinations, and countless others soon to begin. His tenor dropped to the pit of his chest. Deep and inky and honest.

His hand wiped on the Hooded Man's chest as he moved past.

“Clean this mess up. I have no need for it any longer—but keep close to the vicinity of Lythos Castle. Do not be caught. Should a new Divine One step foot into this world, you will know what to do.” 

And he left quickly. It was too long a time to be away from Nel’s side. Sweet Nil would never stray for long from his precious older sister or the protective enclave of the castle. Not even for 'a breath of fresh air'. Rafal made his way back to it from the grassy outskirts, his eyes wavering with anticipation. A ribbon soon to be cut, paving the way to the Divine One’s gift- whether willingness was a factor or not.

All would go according to plan.

Because Rafal’s pawns moved as he willed them to.

[chloefraazers]

Niloy November Day 4: OT3

Since I posted Niloyakka for Smutober, have an excerpt of the WIP chapter of “equilibrium,” the Talanah/Aloy/Nil longfic I’m cocreating with @kittleskittle and @mythicaitt.

She sees Milu first and her stomach turns to stone.

And then the Sunhawk herself arrives, dressed in blue silks so dark they could be black, adorned with silver embroidery. There’s a band that crosses over her breasts and loops behind her neck, exposing her belly above a lacquered metal and silver belt and ankle-length pants the same style as her usual armour. A metal brooch sits in the middle of her chest, and her hair is in an elegant knot at the back of her head, rather than tied high.

She’s stunning. Aloy hasn’t ever seen her in dark clothes, and they only serve to flatter her beauty further.

She forces herself to look away and ducks behind chatty Marshals to not be seen.

With only moments to go before the ceremony begins, the sun creeping into position, he arrives with his group of riders – and Aloy gasps as he removes his mask.

His face is bare. Unpainted. His tattoos stand out against his skin as light filters into the clearing – and none of the Tenakth bat an eye. In fact, some pass by him and salute, a gesture he returns.

They know him, she realises. They know him and they don’t care that he’s from the Carja.

It takes her another moment to realise that his armour – and the face paints of the kids – has changed. It’s the same set, but the colours and patterns are different. Instead of the vibrant red and yellow spikes of the Desert Clan, his chest plate paint is deeper shades, and…

Chargers. Chargers and riders. Painted on, hardly realistic, but unmistakable, in deep shades of indigo and garnet.

It’s unfair that both of them look so lovely. Unfair that they’re so beautiful even when she wants nothing to do with either of them.

[steshii]

I feel like the Fell Xenologue story would’ve been much more impactful if every chapter started with an animated cutscene instead of just some narrations.

Since each nation is (mostly) a chapter, have a cutscene of the royal pairs fighting and struggling in their final battle and cut it off strategically before showing how it ends. Seeing the main characters struggle would play into the emotions of the player before the chapter starts.

The chapter could then proceed the way it currently does. The player would think the royals survived the previously shown battle when they appear, creating a false sense of hope and allowing the twist to still be pulled off down the line.

[soulcluster-moved]

also if anyone has finished fe engage's fell xenologue you have to come tell me if you liked it, I don't make the rules

[wingspears]

watching a playthrough of the fell xenologue and it was actually pretty decent by engage standards until alternate alfred started going off about how alear wouldn’t have taken the bracelet by force if he was OUR divine dragon... my brother in christ you were the one who started the fight! and why are they suddenly willing to believe that alear is from another world when they were so convinced he was a corrupted??

[silent-partner-412]

Whoever decided to make you force deploy a game over condition that also happens to be the worst unit in the entire goddamn game for the Engage DLC campaign needs to get punched in the face by me because the amount of times I’ve gotten Nil killed in these chapters is starting to drive me up the wall