#ciaran means little dark one

[fatelcved]

what if his name is rory or maybe ciaran :' ) and he's a lil elf ( related to rin perhaps... ) with some scary magic that he uses to protect people :' ) would you remind him that he's got his whole life ahead of him to be recklessly throwing himself into danger to protect others?? would you hold his hand even when he's bloody bc you can see the way his eyes get distant every now and then?? would you bonk him on the head when he gets a lil too goofy for the situation at hand?? would you--

[evilbitchartist]

THIS IS A KIERAN APPRECIATION POST!!!! MY BABY BOY!!!!!!!!! KIERAN HATERS BEGONE!!!!

sorry for card art only i am a tcg enjoyer ANYWAY A BIT OF YAPPING UNDER THE CUT INSTEAD OF BEING FOREVER TRAPPED IN THE TAGS THIS TIME

ok. ok im soso normal THEY GAVE HIM AN IRISH NAME!!! HIS NAME IS IRISH!!!! i ADORE irish and celtic folklore/names so this is very exciting for me!!! how did i not notice this until now!!!

basically kieran (i see it spelt ciarán or ciaran here too!!!) is an irish name that mean "little dark one", and is associated with young, dark haired men. LITTLE DARK ONE!!! that's actually soso perfect for kieran because like 1. his black hair obviously and 2. how he becomes antagonistic as the dlc progresses!!! poor little troubled guy </33 never going to forgive them for putting him on the VILLAINS WIKI an antagonist is NOT the same this as a villain YOU WILL NEVER BE A VILLAIN TO ME KIERAN

also this is just a little personal observation thingy and isn't an actual fucking character analysis or anything but he reminds me a little of púcaí (pookas)!! basically little morally ambiguous shapeshifting creatures. stories about them both helping rural irish farmers, as well as just being general nuisances or sometimes even genuine threats. kieran's personality/design shift reminds me a little of them, and his design is sort of reminiscent of how they're typically depicted (small humanoid creatures with some animalistic features and dair hair). might just be an excuse for me to yap about folklore though!!

i love you kieran my baby boy <3333

[adelaideoldburg]

SSO MOODBOARD

Ciaran: meaning "little dark one" or "little dark-haired one"

[yanderes-galore]

Can I request gen hc Lord blade Ciaran?

Sure! Made with help from Dark Souls Anon! May not be long but I hope it's to your liking :) This won't be the most intense set of HCs out there, sorry.

Yandere! Lord's Blade Ciaran Concept

Pairing: Platonic/Romantic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Overprotective behavior, Worship yandere, Violence, Blood, Tame yandere, Murder, Death, Dark themes, Angst, Dubious companionship.

Ciaran, while we know little of her, is loyal to those she serves/serves with.

She is seen in the game grieving for Artorias, a knight that she is implied to have romantic feelings for.

As a knight and assassin she has a sense of honor and would only show her face to those she trusts and cares for.

Dark Souls anon mentions that her obsession would be different depending on if you're a human or god/goddess.

Due to her nature, she is definitely some sort of overprotective and loyal yandere... perhaps even a worship yandere.

She isn't very intense and would act as a loyal follower of her darling.

If you were human, she acts a bit condescending towards you... but would feel a need to protect you.

This world is rotting, someone like you would need aid to survive.

Even as an undead, she would follow you to the ends of this world.

Ciaran is known for being an assassin.

She often uses daggers and is quite agile.

So, if you were in any sort of danger, her blades will be stained in blood and ichor.

She knows humans don't ever seem to stay dead in this world.

But that doesn't mean she's going to let you have such a fate.

She'll protect you and follow you through this world until she herself perishes.

If you are a god/goddess, she's still protective yet worships you.

She never leaves your side, even when she has to perform her duties, she never leaves long.

You are what she lives for, she lives to serve.

It doesn't matter to her how many die in your name.

She wants your name to be respected, anyone who drags your name through the dirt is removed.

Being a knight and assassin such as her allows her to pick off targets with ease.

Then afterwards, with her clothes stained in the substances of her/your enemies, she seeks you out to pray and protect.

She isn't possessive... she's more like a loyal guardian.

She's a knight, after all.

Ciaran wouldn't care if her feelings are unreciprocated.

That's an interesting trait as most yanderes would want to force that as much as they can.

However, Ciaran is fine with her adoration being unrequited.

Be you a god/goddess or undead human, she's fine if you don't feel the same.

As long as she can stay beside you and serve you, she's happy.

She wants to be your weapon, used for whatever task you request of her.

If her adoration is reciprocated, she's beyond happy.

She takes every ounce of affection you give as a gift.

Every touch or sweet praise is cherished.

She'd sacrifice her life for you and follow you anywhere.

Her obsession wouldn't even end when you die.

If you have passed away she would defend your soul and grave.

Similar to how she grieved for Artorias in canon, Ciaran would stay by your grave.

No one can pry her from you.

She will stay by your side even in death.

It's implied she died while grieving in canon, which means she'd stay at your final resting place until she died.

She'd be quite the tragic yandere.

She was always at your command, slaying others in your name to help you.

Now, with no other commands... she feels this is where she belongs now.

To die at your side is an honor.

She knows no other is as loyal as she is.

She's the most worthy of your affection and praise.

So, Ciaran would die happy at your side...

Knowing deep down, you were the only one for her... and she was the only one for you...

It makes her pleased that those who threatened her place by your side have all died by her blade before she passed, even if you once cared for them.

[chimaerakirin]

SOULSEKAI

It's the end of the world as they know it, and Shigaraki Tomura feels fine. February 26, 6 AM. This is not what he was planning to do today, but he can work with it. Frankly, this might be even better. This is not at all what Midoriya Izuku was planning to do today, and it's a disaster. He's going to miss the UA Entrance Exam! Where are his shoes, and who's this voice in his head calling him Ninth?

Rated M for violence (Soulslike-appropriate) and Language (also Soulslike-appropriate). Later chapters may go up to E, because I will not allow Tomura to be maidenless.

<- First - Sixth - SEVENTH - Eighth ->

Crossroads

As Danelys said, it's roughly two days past the forest's edge to the next Cairn, or it would be if they stopped for the whole night. But with a solid road to follow, a particularly large predator in the party to spook off lesser ones, and a full night's rest just behind them, they're able to use torches to travel most of the night, only stopping when the dragonhound gets tired. As a result, they get there in the early afternoon of the second day.

The dog is absolutely thrilled to see a big pile of rocks, and sniffs it thoroughly before lifting a leg.

"Not there!" Tomura yelps frantically.

The dog freezes, giving him a baffled look.

Tomura looks around, then points to the grass a few meters away from the road. "There, if you need to."

The dog whines but obeys, a disgruntled look clearly indicating that this isn't as interesting.

"No," Tomura says sternly. "Marking the rocks would be rude. They belong to someone else already." Specifically to Danelys, as far as he's concerned. Like hell does he want the place to smell like dog piss when she shows up.

"What are you gonna call him?" Yoichi asks. Midoriya only just summoned him back, deciding there was no need for him to walk too. "Artorias?"

"Fuck no. Artorias was badass but that was about as far from a happy ending as it gets. That'd be a fucking terrible legacy to be stuck with." Tomura watches the dog run a few laps around the Sanctuary boundary. "Ciaran, I think."

The dog comes to a stop and barks at him, bouncing happily, then runs another lap.

"After the Lord's Blade? That's a girl's name though."

"No it isn't," Beros says. "It's a Celtic man's name. It means Little Dark One."

Yoichi and Midoriya both blink at her. "I thought you were from Otheon."

"I am. My mother was Welsh. My brother—" She stops.

"Y-you don't have to say," Midoriya says gently.

"No, I may as well. My mother's Quirk was Dartbow. Like mine, but smaller. My father's Quirk had something to do with poisonous claws. I have nothing of his, but my younger brother… I don't think they ever figured out exactly what it was meant to be. But the first time it activated, he poisoned himself with his own Quirk. After the funeral, a blue skinned man approached us."

"Flect Turn," Tomura says.

"Yes. He said we weren't alone in our loss, told us that he knew where we could talk to others who shared our grief. My father tried to punch him."

"How far did the backlash toss him?"

"Across the street," Beros admits. "You're familiar with the High Leader?"

"My dad founded the biggest Quirk research company in Japan. He hates Humarise, he tried for years to get them expelled from Japan. He almost succeeded too. He studied Flect Turn's Quirk himself. I've heard a few rants about it."

Midoriya does a double take. "Wait, your dad founded Arukan Solutions? But the company's sixty-two years old!"

Tomura stares at him. Shit. He might have fucked up just a little. "How do you know that? I didn't know that."

"My dad works at Arukan! Just how old is your dad?"

"Older than he looks. I don't think I ever really asked. He always said his birthday doesn't matter." Yoichi is looking at him weird, so he shakes it off and walks up to the Cairn. "I'm gonna call Danelys. You should probably use your motes too."

He's got 7745 motes, because even before the quest reward there was an absolutely ridiculous number of dogs. It was almost more like playing a horde shooter than a Soulslike. He pulls out the furniture, pulls down his mask, and uses [Appeal].

"Well met, my Skymarked," Danelys says happily. "How goes your journey?"

"Pretty good." He grins back at her. "Made a new friend. Ciaran! Over here!"

Ciaran yips and trots up, plopping his butt down on the road next to Tomura and leaning down to sniff at the New Person.

"Oh! So this is why you were asking about dragonhounds! He's absolutely adorable!" She reaches out and scratches his nose. The sound of his tail thumping against the ground is spectacular. "I'm not at all surprised he chose you."

"The Earl probably would have been." He reaches up to scratch Ciaran's shoulder, and the dog promptly drops flat so he can reach better.

"So there is still an Earl of Gnarlwood?"

"A new one as of a few days ago, but yeah." Tomura launches into a recitation of the whole quest, Ciaran yawning disdainfully at the mention of the Earl's entitlement. "So now Warrick is in charge. They'll probably be fine."

"Yes, he seems well suited enough. It's rather worrying that the entire household fled. They couldn't possibly have all used the Cairn to travel."

"Do you have to be a Skymarked to do that?"

"To do so easily, yes. Thaumaturgists and Theurgists can, but it's rather more difficult. They have to calculate the specifics themselves, then insulate themselves from the power in the pathways. They can go anywhere that they can manage the process for, however. Godlings and holy beasts can travel a bit more easily, it's an inherent gift with inborn protection, and in the latters' case comes with instinctive navigation, but whether they need or want to is another matter. For Skymarked, the process is automated by the Records themselves, but in exchange you can only go to Cairns that your Mote is already recorded at."

"Instinctive, huh?"

"Yes. Meaning Ciaran can travel to you if you're separated by such a distance for whatever reason, regardless of if you're anywhere near where he left you. He simply knows how to reach you."

"Does that mean he can also go back to visit his mom if he wants?"

Danelys smiles at him. "Indeed. Whether he will choose to or not is more in question. He would not have chosen you if he wasn't ready to go off on his own."

Ciaran yips, looking quite proud of himself.

"Yeah, I get it. You're a big boy." Tomura looks back at Danelys. "So how many levels can I get right now?"

"With your current count of Motes, you can reach the seventeenth level."

"Four points then." He opens his stat window. "Let's see… Two to DEX, one to STR, and one to FOC, I think… No, wait. FOC determines how many skill slots you get, right?"

She nods. "It does."

"How high do I need to go to get another slot?"

"Hm, 24 I believe."

"Then skip the STR for now. It's lower, I can grind it manually. Two to DEX, two to FOC."

"Very well. Thy will be done, my Skymarked. I grant thee the power within the Motes of Sky, and let the Record reflect thy choices."

Once again, she kisses him on the forehead. Too late, he realizes the problem with taking his mask off to talk to her, and he's reduced to ducking his head to hide the burning in his cheeks.

"Oriella doesn't do that," Yoichi whispers in a singsong.

Tomura turns and gives the older man his best murderglare. Yoichi promptly tries and fails to hide behind Midoriya, and Tomura turns back to Danelys. "Do you uh… Wanna help me take Ciaran for a walk? Beros needs to spend her motes and I don't feel like spending time around her Scribe."

For the first time, he sees her shocked speechless. "I— I'm not… We aren't… meant to…?"

He turns red again, and looks away. "You don't have to if you don't want to, I just…"

"No! I would like to, very much! It's just… not usually done."

He pauses. "…But it's not against the rules?"

"No, it's not." She stands up. "Where shall we walk to then?"

"I dunno. Just… around a bit? Is there anything to see around here?"

"You know, I don't actually know… Let's go find out!" She grabs his hand and marches out of the Sanctuary circle.

Tomura resolutely ignores Yoichi's shit-eating grin as he follows her out over the grass. There really isn't much to see for a while, which he wonders about. "Hey Danelys?"

"Hm?"

"Why are all the Cairns we've seen so far in the middle of nowhere? Defiler's End was at least two hundred meters from Lastry Keep, the Gnarlwood Cairn was even further from the Earl's castle, and this one is nowhere near a village even though there's a crossroads right there. Why aren't they inside the walls?"

"Because it's a violation of the Sanctuary. Cities and castles are mortal constructs. The Cairns are holy. It's forbidden for mundane powers to lay claim to them. If someone walled in a Cairn, it would no longer be neutral. Even churches and monasteries would never dare. Steles are a different matter, mortals build those themselves, although they still need to be blessed. That's why they're commonly put into temples and chapels, or a village's center square if they haven't one of those."

"Huh. What exactly do Steles do, anyway?"

"Primarily they permit summoning higher-order beings. In theory you can even summon gods, but since answering is entirely voluntary and most us consider it a bit presumptuous, having who you called for show up is rather rare. It's more common for the middle-ranks to send someone less important to scold the mortal doing it, while the upper ranks don't generally bother with that much. For Skymarked they serve the additional function of allowing you to send and receive messages, directly if it's someone you know personally, or simply for any to read if they look at the same Stele after you."

He idly notes the idea that he should try sending a few messages, then something else she said registers and he does a doubletake. "Wait, 'most of us'? You're a god?"

She blinks at him, Ciaran giving him a matching look. "Yes? What did you think Scribes were? And only the Divine have eyes like mine. I'm quite a young one though. Even for a Third Rank."

"How old—" He shuts his mouth with a clack. He may have gotten all the experience he has with girls from dating sims, but those did in fact teach him you're not supposed to ask a woman her age. He blames the shock.

"This is my second Dwindling. You're my fourth Skymarked." She wilts. "I am… not particularly good at the guidance part of being a Scribe. The others all died before reaching their hundredth level. Only one made it past fifty."

"What's the level cap?"

"There is none, technically. But in practice I don't believe anyone has ever gone past seven hundred and sixty."

"That's… Eight stats, times…" She said five was the bare minimum that a Skymarked could have in any stat, right? And FromSoft liked to cap out at ninety-nine… "Oh. That's how many levels it takes to get from five to a hundred for every stat without any manual grinding."

"Yes. There have been a handful of Skymarked in history who have reached that point. They're offered a reward when they get there. No one has ever turned it down."

"What kind of reward?" he wonders.

"A choice. Ascension or reincarnation."

"Ascension? You mean godhood?" She nods. He guesses that makes sense. If they've been properly grinding their stats they ought to be close enough to it anyway. "Godhood or New Game Plus. Yeah, I wouldn't see any point in not picking one of those. Which one would you pick?"

She hums. "I'm not sure that's a sound question… I already have the former, after all, and I don't know what it's like to be anything else. Which would you pick?"

"New Game Plus, probably. Just to keep playing. Wait, reincarnation does guarantee you get to be Skymarked the second time around, right?"

"Of course. The Mote of Self carries over, and it contains the memory and personality, if you remember."

"Right, you said that." Midoriya wanted to be very sure it wasn't actually a person's literal soul he was consuming before he used Ivar's Mote back then.

"The Mote remains dormant until one reaches the attribute requirement, of course. And it's harvested of its accumulated Motes of Sky first."

Well that takes some of the plus out of New Game Plus, but since the point seems to be resetting your stats anyway… "Do you get a different Scribe the second time around, or the same one again?"

"The same one… I think…" She frowns. "The best Scribe's Skymarked is actually a bit infamous in the Hall of Records. They've reincarnated several times, and I think they're currently the third-highest level Skymarked in the world. The maximum rank for a Scribe is First Rank, but Tersia is considered the unofficial Zeroth Rank, she's had them in all of their lives. I've heard they're one of the Prime Ten, the very first Skymarked from the end of the final god-war, but I don't know if it's true. The timeline does fit though."

He thinks about that for a few minutes, rubbing his forehead idly. (It's kind of weird, his neck hasn't itched in… basically since he got to this world, but his face prickles like he scrubbed it too hard with something rough.) "Yeah, I think I'd probably pick New Game Plus. I'm gonna press X on this Tersia being the 'best' Scribe though."

"Press X? That sounds familiar… Oh! It's one of the game thing buttons! I don't get it though…"

"Press X to doubt. It's from an old game that had a lot of talking to NPCs and you could tell them you thought they were lying to you."

"Ohhh, one of those meme things. Why do you doubt she's the best though?"

"For starters, I bet she wouldn't have any idea what the hell I just said. You did though."

She turns an odd shade of pale purple. "Oh. Well. Um. I. Thank you," she squeaks.

Ciaran huffs and gives him a look that he can only interpret as 'nice going bro' and Sensei help him he has no idea whether it's sarcastic or not. Then the hound freezes, raising his head to sniff the wind, and growls.

"How big is it?" Tomura asks. He doesn't bother asking if it's a threat. This dog is definitely smarter than some humans, and wouldn't be reacting like this if it was just potential lunch.

Ciaran barks and growls again.

Tomura looks at Danelys. "I'm going to go see what that is. Are you allowed, or…?"

She plants her staff and closes her eyes, focusing. "I am not forbidden. I will go with you. There is a Stele and a powerful undead nearby."

Melina, he thinks, and turns to Ciaran. "Lead the way."

The dog takes a few steps, then crouches halfway and barks.

"What, ride you?" Another bark, and a distinct nod, and Tomura climbs onto his back. Danelys slips on behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. Only then does Ciaran stand back up and take off running. The offer was fair, this is way faster than Tomura could move.

It's not a long ride. A good distance, maybe a kilometer, but a fast one. They stop in front of what looks like a half-collapsed church, a twisted old tree in the bounds of a crumbling wall, a building with an obvious steeple but only three walls and a third of a roof against the back section of the fence.

Tomura slides off Ciaran's back and draws his knife, pulling his mask up over his nose, and steps through the archway into the church yard. Sitting on the ground in a hunch, facing the church door, is a bulky figure with unnaturally shiny black skin marked with bright red scars, the top of its head utterly lacking in hair, not to mention a scalp or even bone. Its brain is entirely exposed, and Tomura knows, he knows, that if it turns around, he'll see its eyes set directly in the gray matter.

"…Noumu?"

It wasn't moving before. It wasn't even breathing. But now it moves. It stands up and turns around, dead eyes fixing on him, and it opens its boney beak to show off jagged tombstone teeth. The shriek that comes out is staggering. There are no words. Just pain, rage, and hate. All aimed at him.

[Noumu, Weapon of Deceit]

Then it's charging at him, faster than he can really get out of the way, and when he tries to dodge, getting clipped by the outside of its grab throws him to the ground. He barely has time to roll out of the way of its following stomp, and takes scratch damage where the cracked ground is levered up into his side. The lashing strike with his knife to its ankle bites into its flesh more than he was expecting, although he half recognizes it's stupid to be surprised. Sensei gave it Shock Absorption, not Slash Absorption.

Sensei also gave it Hyper Regeneration. The cut closes instantly, and Tomura has to fire a Caelite Shard into its eye to buy enough room to get up and Quickstep away. The eye regenerates too, and he only knows for sure he damaged it by the goop sliding down its face. Its health bar is barely chipped.

It is chipped though. Noumu isn't at full health. He can kill it.

It rushes him again, fast enough that he wonders if it has Quickstep too, and he uses his own Glyph just barely in time to get around it and cut into its spine. That gash seals up too, and he swears. Ivar didn't show wounds at all until the Bleed stacked up enough to start ticking. He can't inflict Bleed on this thing, can he? Hyper Regeneration makes it immune.

He Quicksteps across the yard again, buying space, and casts Force Armament on his knife. If he can't bleed it, he'll have to cut deeper. He'll have toOH SHIT—

He goes flying across the yard again, half his stamina and about as much HP gone, his lungs burning. Fuck, this thing was designed to fight All Might, how fast did he think it needed to be for that? He's not going to be able to get up before it reaches him, he's—

Ciaran is there, jaws clamping down on its outstretched arm and tearing. The limb comes off at the elbow, and the dragonhound bodychecks it completely off its feet, biting again and taking a chunk out of its torso just under the ribs. Then another bite. Noumu shrieks, then a regrown arm grabs Ciaran by the scruff of the neck and yanks, tearing off another strip of flesh in exchange for getting the dog away from it. Ciaran yelps as he slams spine first into the big tree, something cracking on impact.

Tomura sees red. He's vaguely aware that the Noumu is down by a quarter of its health, and that is not enough, not when the last whine of another, much smaller dog is echoing in the back of his mind. He grabs a firebomb from his inventory and casts Force Armament on it, then throws it at the still-gaping hole in Noumu's side. The flames are tinged blue, and the shockwave takes another chip out of Tomura's health because the blast was bigger than he was expecting, but Noumu takes it much worse. As Tomura expected, it's weak to fire, and it doesn't deal well with magic damage either.

He takes the brief window its panic gives him to heal with the flask, then he hammers it with three Caelite Shards in a row. 40 FP left. He Quicksteps in again and cuts several times, then retreats and casts Shard again. 29 FP. Noumu isn't panicking anymore. Instead it's shrieking in rage and pain again, and it doesn't give a shit that he just burst its other eye.

It's also moving even faster now, and he can't evade its grapple when it grabs his arms and opens its maw. The beak does Piercing damage, he's sure. The teeth do Piercing and Slash both, it feels like, and his health drops to under a hundred as they dig into his shoulder. He's lucky it didn't insta-kill him, fucking boss grapples. And his HP is still ticking down in small chunks as it chews and there's a notification that his arm is crippled. He can barely move it.

He can turn his wrist though, and that's enough. Four Caelite Shards, right into the pit in its side where the meat didn't regrow quite right after Ciaran ripped it out. The Noumu staggers and lets go, HP bar dropping sharply. It barely has more than he does, percentage-wise, and he's pretty sure he's closer to five than ten. He's also got precisely one focus point left. He can't cast anymore, can't Quickstep. But he's still got his knife, with its Force buff, and it's not his left arm that's crippled.

It reaches for him one more time, and he stabs upward, digging the knife into the wrist that was already regrown once and twisting outward, then he spins the blade, digs it into Noumu's chest, and rips as hard as he can.

Its final shriek is more of a gurgle. It drops to its knees, then collapses, its health bar disappearing entirely, and a stream of 1600 motes flows into his counter. Above the corpse, a Mote of Life appears, but it looks… off somehow. The blue isn't quite right, the angles of the prism asymmetrical, chipped and cracked.

He leaves it there, and staggers over to kneel next to Ciaran, who's squirming and whimpering, left legs curled up, the side that hit the tree. The dragonhound isn't bleeding, but when Tomura reaches out to touch his flank, he whines quietly.

"It's okay, I'll fix it." Tomura pulls out his flask again and pours it into Ciaran's mouth. He doesn't care that the flask is empty now.

Ciaran hacks and sputters, but it works, and the dog gets cautiously to his feet, then yips and bounces a circle around Tomura. Then he rushes over to the church yard gate and yips again, before rushing back to Tomura and nudging him. When Tomura is too slow to get up for his liking, he wedges his muzzle under his human's good arm and lifts, but instead of taking him to the gate, he escorts him around the church building to enter through the broken wall.

At the back of the building, there's a stone pillar, the surface polished white and drifting like clouds. Ciaran deposits Tomura directly in front of it, and paws at it slightly.

Tomura stares at it. In theory you can even summon gods. He puts his hand on it and wishes.

"Well fought, my Skymarked," Danelys says, suddenly there. Her hood is down, showing that her hair isn't actually short, just crown-braided. There's also a distinct tone of relief in her voice, and on her face. "I am glad you won."

He grins, tired and lopsided. "I wasn't gonna lose while you were watching, was I?"

"Indeed not. But that creature was far beyond your level. That you defeated it, especially alone—"

Ciaran whines.

"—with only Ciaran to help you, brave as he is, is no mean feat. And you are sorely injured."

"Yeah, I kinda can't feel my arm right now. Could you maybe refill my Vital Flask?"

"I could," she agrees. "But that is less than you deserve."

"Huh? Whaddya mean?"

"To fight such a powerful foe, then sacrifice your last drop of Vital Nectar to heal your hound instead of yourself… I will heal you directly. You did, after all, summon me to the Stele."

He expects, with those words, that she'll cast a Prayer spell. Maybe use that staff to channel it. Instead, she cups his cheek in one hand, brushes his hair back with the other, and presses her lips to his forehead, yet again.

When she's using his Motes to level him up, it's vaguely warm, but just on his face. Now, as she's healing him, the warmth goes everywhere, and there's a lot of it, like he's been siting in the bath for an hour, or under a pile of blankets next to a heater all night. The bruised feeling in his ribs fades away, then the splintery hamburger that his shoulder was turned into merges back into solid muscle and bone, which feels downright hot, feverish instead of just warm. The numbness in his arm disappears, a wave of needles prickling along the nerves as they reconnect. By the time she steps back, his HP is completely full again, the Crippled icon is gone, and even his FP is restoring.

"Thanks, Danelys," he mumbles, faintly numb and too awed to even blush.

"Of course, my Skymarked." And she smiles.

Shit, now his throat is dry. "You can call me Tomura, you know."

"If that is thy wish. But only when we are alone." She glances at Ciaran. "Present company excluded, of course."

The dog barks, satisfied.

Tomura scratches behind his ears. "Good dog, best friend." Then he glances back out into the church yard, where he can still see the dead Noumu. "Hey Danelys? You didn't say there was another otherworlder around here…"

She blinks. "I… didn't realize. Your world doesn't have magic, and that creature was undead. Did you know it? You called it by name."

"It was something my Sensei made. It was supposed to help me beat one of his enemies…" He remembers Sensei showing him the lab where they're made, the Doctor protesting from another room because he didn't trust Tomura in his workspace but also didn't want to be close enough to supervise him personally. The tank with the half-finished Noumu, Sensei transferring Hyper Regeneration into it and showing how well it works by letting him try Decay on another with a copy of the same Quirk. Sensei telling him how it was almost done, all that was left was to let the Quirks integrate and to program it properly. It would follow his orders perfectly, Sensei promised. It would be incapable of hurting him, so no one could turn it against him, and it would defend him automatically, in case All Might targeted him directly.

He's not really surprised it got turned into an undead, it pretty much was one anyway. He's not sure how its Quirks translated either, both were passive buffs to start with and the regen obviously came over with flaws. But Sensei promised it wouldn't be able to hurt him. How was it programmed? Was it with Quirks? He's sure Sensei has dozens of brainwashing ones. Do Quirk-based status effects not translate over?

Why was it called 'Weapon of Deceit' anyway? It was supposed to be the most straightforward thing possible. He reaches up to scratch his neck, then stops. He doesn't need to do that, it's not itching. Why isn't it itching?

Danelys's voice breaks into his thoughts. "Is something wrong?"

"Uh… Just wondering. The Noumu… It dropped a Mote. A weird-looking one. Was it supposed to be Skymarked?"

"It can't have been. Undead can't, not like that." She walks over to the body and lifts the Mote prism to examine it. "This is… Broken? What exactly was Noumu before?"

"It was bioengineered. Killed but also kept alive maybe. I don't know. Sensei's Doctor never liked explaining things to me. I just know that it was supposed to obey me, and wasn't supposed to be able to act on its own. Why?"

"Most Undead don't have souls. That's why they can't become Skymarked, they only have Motes of Sky to animate them. This creature did have a soul, but it is… damaged. There are extra… bits grafted to it. Bits that correspond to abnormalities in its attributes. It's as if someone cut several people's personal information from the Records of Sky and pieced them together like a patchwork blanket, or a child's doll made of scraps. It's… atrocious, frankly." She looks up. "Whoever did this… It should not exist. Not in any world. Please, let me separate the Motes of Sky from it and send the rest on."

"Go ahead. I'm sure as hell not going to restore it."

"Thank you, Tomura." She sounds… really relieved.

He twitches. "No problem. I'm gonna try to send a message on the Stele, okay?"

"Of course."

[shi-daisy]

Flower Mischief

If you can't tell I'm currently bouncing! Day 3 and I been waiting for this prompt cuz Florist Tamlin AU is giving me life. Today on the agenda, Tamcien being cute and petty. Readers will recognized the boquet described here from the old flower language insult post that's floating around Tumblr. Hope you all like!

@tamlinweek

Tamlin Week 2024 -Day 3: Flower Language

Flower Mischief

Tamlin perked up when he saw his favorite costumer, and good friend coming down the road. He was about to greet Lucien with the biggest smile he could until he noticed the redhead's russet eyes were puffy and reddened and his pretty face had tears tracks. A far cry from his usual beautiful smile.

"Lucien! What happened? Do you need water?! Should I call someone?"

"No...It's fine. I was just hoping Andras was still clocked in. I need a ride."

"I think he left an hour ago, but I can help if you'd like. What happened?"

He sighed not wanting to look at him. "Elain cheated on me."

Tamlin nearly screamed. He froze for a moment and then put down the pot of lilies he was holding.

"I'm sorry. Did you just say Elain cheated on you?!"

"Yes. Let's just say I came home early from college and had a surprise visit. Sorry to say the floral orders will stop for a while."

"Forget about that! I'm so sorry to hear that. Let me get you some water. Here sit down and I'll be right with you."

Tamlin rushed back to the breakroom where Dorevan was raiding the mini fridge.

"If you took my ice water I'll kill you."

"Chill, pipsqueak. I took some soda and stole the salami sandwich Hart left there. Roxy packed us salads for lunch, you can have mine if you want, too much lettuce."

"You're gonna get scurvy if you don't eat at least a leafy green a week!" Tamlin chastised his brother as he grabbed two ice water bottles. "Are you gonna close up?"

"Yeah, Ciaran and Roxanne have date night but they're leaving the kiddo with mom and dad. I'll close shop late, maybe get the wedding order done too. Thesan is my friend but if he changes colors one more time Khalid will be a widow before the wedding."

"Go easy on him! Those two are hopeless."

"Like you and your pretty redhead?"

"Hush!"

Dorevan smiled. "I can hear you all the way down here. Just be nice. He's single now, isn't he?"

"Shhhh. He is but the poor man was just cheated on! I'm not going to take advantage fo that."

Dorevan rolled his brown eyes so far Tamlin thought he'd go blind. "You're such a goody two shoes. Go get that man and help him get revenge. Perfect first date!"

"If Alis was on shift she'd kick ya."

"Good thing she's off today. Now run along before your fire fox leaves."

"Stay quiet or I'm telling Cresseida you don't really like seafood and go to the restaurant just to have her as your waitress."

"Tamlin I swear to fuck if you do that I'll beat you up!"

Tamlin just laughed as he walked out with the water and went back to Lucien's side. "Here you go!"

"Thanks."

The two had a nice drink and Tamlin began putting everything away everything before his shift ended.

He noticed Dorevan had left the orange lilies out on display and he had an idea.

"Lucien, you once told me your ex knows flower language, correct?"

"Yes. I often suggested themed boquets for that reason. Why do you ask?"

Tamlin smirked mischievously. "We could give her a little parting gift to ease your sorrows. Free of charge of course."

"Tamlin, I can't ask that of you!"

"Hey if it bothers ya just take me out for coffee sometime."

It made him giddy to see a slight blush take over the redhead's dark skin. Tamlin took out the flowers a day explained their meaning to Lucien as he arranged them.

"These are geraniums they represent stupidity, the yellow carnations mean disapointment, the foxglove is insincerity, and finally the orange lilies represent hatred."

The end result was a beautiful boquet that was full of loathing. Lucien seemed impressed. "Too good of a parting gift but it's a nice way to be petty silently. Thank you."

"Anytime."

The pair heard a honking from outside the door. Tamlin recognized it as Arryn Vanserra's red SUV.

"Ugh! The twins found me? No doubt they'll want gossip."

"You know them?"

"We're siblings."

"Oh...Oh right you have the same last name. You just look very diffrent."

Lucien smirked. "I was the cuck baby. Ask mom."

He nearly busted a lung laughing at that.

"Luciiiiii, I'll become an old lady honking outside. Oh hi Tami!"

"Hey Tanya. Congrats on the transition, you're looking lovely."

"Thanks blondie! Just came to pick up the baby, Eris and Nesta sent me to take you out for treats with Arryn."

"You all know already?!"

"Eris is a bigger gossip than me, dummy. We went to get your things. Gideon and Nemesis would've beaten Az up if Eris didn't stop em and let Nesta unleash a yelling reckoning instead. It was glorious!

The boys are setting everything up for ya at Cedric's place. Unless you wanna go stay with mom and Helion. Feyre said you can stay with her and Bryaxis too, she's pretty livid at flower girlie too."

"Ugh no, mom and dad will get over emotional and I don't wanna worry them. Feyre's family and roommates are fun to hang out with but their house is a permanent rave. I'll stay with Ced."

"Wise choice, now get to it! We can go clubbing after the ice cream! Wanna come along Tamlin?"

"Well, I'd love to but I have to make a delivery before that." He said while glancing at

"That can be done tomorrow, I'd rather have you out for some ice cream and dancing if you're still interested." Lucien said.

Tamlin smiled. "Then let me clock out and I'll be right with ya."

With the Vanserras heading for the car, Tamlin put away his apron, clocked out and got a small flower for the road. He and Lucien went to the backseat while twins sat in the front, before they headed out he put a small bloom on Lucien's hair.

"What's this?"

"A little pick me up for the road."

"A daffodil? What does this one mean?"

"New beginnings."

Tamlin was overjoyed to see Lucien smiling sweetly at him, already in a better mood. He'd make sure the redhead was the one receiving flowers this time.

[thephoenixandthecrocodile]

Thoughts on the ROP Season Finale

I absolutely ADORE the Balrog scene. Amazing visuals, amazing ending to the Durin’s relationship, amazing music! It was absolutely gorgeous

Also love that Disa and Narvi came to Durin’s aid even when Durin told them not to. That’s true love.

So, the Rhun storyline definitely suffered the most this season and I’m hoping now that we know who the Stranger is, we can focus on developing the dark wizard and what role he has to play in all of this.

Also, I love Ciaran Hinds, so definitely want him to have more screentime next season haha

“Pity will not defeat Sauron” – oh oh oh if only you knew what the pity of a Baggins means for Sauron’s future.

And then there’s Numenor -_- Honestly, at this point, I can’t wait to see it fall into the sea.

Earien, babe, maybe you should stop following orders you don’t fully understand.

This season Pharazon: Miriel is a traitor because she’s working with Sauron. Pharazon next season: You know, Sauron’s not that bad actually.

Earien is frustrating but she always wears the most beautiful outfits

How does Elendil have such easy access to Miriel’s private chamber? XD

“And where is my place, if not by your side” JUST KISS ALREADY?!

AH!!!! Narsil!!! I squealed during this scene.

Love this tracking shot of the carnage in Eregion and Galadriel kicking ass

God damn it, Galadriel, you had one job! Protect the nine!

Oh my god Celebrimbor!  This scene, this scene broke me and is everything I wanted from Celebrimbor’s death. The pain. The defiance against all odds. The quiet victory. The prophecy of the one ring and Sauron’s end. It was so beautiful.

That face caress! How often do you think Sauron did that when they were ‘friends’? And now...

“Look what you’ve done to yourself” Oh fuck you!

I LOVE defiant Celebrimbor! So brave. So tragic. So flawed. In the end, he stood before the Dark Lord with nothing but his words and shook Sauron to his very core and made the Dark Lord cry. What a fucking bad ass.

ALSO THOSE FUCKING TEARS!!! GIVE BOTH CHARLES AND CHARLIE ALL THE AWARDS RIGHT NOW

I’ve enjoyed the glimpses into the Southlands this season. I think it’s going to pay dividends in Isildur’s character arc next season when he returns to Numenor and can testify to the needs of the Southland and the righteous of Miriel’s campaign.

I enjoyed the Isildur Theo hug. I hope they meet up again. There’s potential for a tragic friendship between them.

Listen, Estrid wants to go to Numenor simply because she wants to know what indoor plumbing is right.

Like the reference to Bronwyn and the role she held in the community.

MY GOD THE EMOTIONS THAT CROSSED KEMEN’S FACE WHEN HE SAW ISILDUR WAS ALIVE! Bwahahahaha

BEREK!!!! Best horse ever!

Also, these poor people. First, they were under the watch of the Elves, never knowing a moment peace and privacy. Then Adar. Then “Halbrand” who just never showed up, and now the fucking Numenorians. They just can’t catch a break.

“After all, they’re only trees.” FUCKING KEMEN!!!!! This little shit. If an Entwife doesn’t squash him next season I’m going to be pissed.

Ahhh! Glow-up Adar!

“A meaningless name. A name I was given.” That is so trans coded.

Ahhhhh he returns the ring so he can still be an Uruk and be with his children. ☹

“I forgive you. No more flames. No more darkness.” *cries*

The ring gave him hope, something he hasn’t had for Eru knows how long.

“Forgive me child.” “it’s too late.” “it’s never too late. Not even for me. And not for you, my son” “It’s too late” *sobs* No!!!!! Adar!!!!!! *bawls*

This is another season that completely broke me. Adar betrayed by his own children, children he truly adored and wanted to protect. Adar who maybe could have actually give them a true home and peace.

Also, Galadriel freezing and having major PTSD as seeing Sauron again is so relatable. It’s what happens when you see your former abuser unexpectantly and she also must have realized that Celebrimbor was dead and it was now up to her to protect the nine so his death wouldn’t be in vain.

Ok using the crown as a weapon is awesome, but still fuck you Sauron. I hate you so much!!

Elrond begging to save Celebrimbor’s life work slayed me. All that work and knowledge gone. Like the burning of the Library of Alexandria.

I fucking love this fight with Sauron and Galadriel. So proud of our girl holding her own against Sauron for as long as she did. Also kicking Sauron over the rocks was beautiful and of course the bastard has to regain control of the fighting by casting illusions of her friends.

DON’T YOU DARE USE CELEBRIMBOR IN YOUR ILLUSIONS YOU LITTLE SHIT

“The door is shut.”

“I would have placed a crown on your head” Do you think Sauron’s little speech to Galadriel is how Morgoth seduced Mairon? That promise of equally shared power. Of worship and glory.

Also love that everyone is so focused on Galadriel’s ring that no one even pauses to consider Gil-Galad THE HIGH KING might have a ring as well. XD

I’m with Gil-Galad: DWARVES!!!!!!!!

That fucking smile when Sauron things Galadriel is going to give her the ring. That she “understands” his goals.

Love that Galadriel took a page out of Elrond’s book and yeeted herself off a cliff to protect her ring. XD

Poor Sauron, rejected by the only two people he “loved” today. As this point, you would think he’d pause and consider that “maybe they have a point. Maybe I am toxic. XD”

Precursor to the morgul blades!

Poor Elrond looks so dead when he finally uses the ring to save his friend. That heavy decision to risk corruption because his friend’s lives mean more than anything else.

Also, he must feel so much guilt “failing” Celebrimbor. He can’t fail Galadriel, not another friend. Not again.

Wonder if Galadriel’s wound will bother her like Frodo’s?

Poppy’s speech and the montage are so sad, but also uplifting in a strange way? I actually miss Bellows now.

Also, Isildur you just LEAVE THEM WITH KEMEN?!!!

SAURON TOOK FEANOR’S HAMMER. THAT LITTLE SHIT!

I love that Gandalf’s entire life purpose is finding Hobbits to adopt and then send them off on dangerous adventures where they prove to the world that they are the most hearty and bravest of folk in Middle-Earth.

Also, I would love it if Nori is the great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-ancestor of Pippin Took. XD

I got teary-eyed at Nori and Gandalf’s parting. I really love their relationship.

I don’t know why, but this version of Tom Bombadil, the one sung by Gandalf and Bombadil makes me want to cry.

Aw Durin’s first concern is Elrond and aiding him. They’re so in love.

How can DURIN not being DURIN’S preferred heir?! Like you don’t name a kid DURIN if you don’t want him to be king. -_-

“Pity. I’ve never known you to be such peaceable company. I was growing accustomed to it.” XD

RIVENDELL!!!!!

It’s both a tragic and a gift that the rings that Celebrimbor made himself allows Galadriel and Elrond to build Rivendell and Lothlorien and protect it from Sauron for so many years. I hope he takes that knowledge with him in the halls of Mandos. He may have helped create the seven and the nine, but they were corrupted because of Sauron. His own work was beautiful and allowed so many people to live in safety and peace in a world in the midst of a world war. And also saved Galadriel’s life in ROP. THAT is his true legacy.

[misc-obeyme]

CIARAN O'MARA

CC's Obey Me MC

short, chubby human

likes: painting, plants, animals, and the ocean

dislikes: being bored, cooking, heat, and being teased

more below the cut (ETA: I will update this profile soon! You can also find a few picrews below the cut as well as some excellent art.)

Okay, here is Ciaran's moodboard, finally. All images were found on pinterest.

Basic Info

Ciaran is a short, chubby human with blue hair and green eyes. They are amab and use he/they pronouns. They're in their thirties. They're somewhat pale with a light scattering of freckles. Their natural hair color is black, but they're pretty good about keeping up the blue hair color. They like to wear sweaters and light colors, but sometimes will go really crazy with their fashion choices. Most of the time, though, they like to be cozy.

The name Ciaran is Irish and while the moodboard says it means "black," I think it really means something like "little dark one" or "dark haired." This has nothing to do with their name, I just chose Ciaran because I like it. The common English spelling is Kieran and it's pronounced that way, with the hard K sound.

History

Ciaran was born in some fictional New England town in the United States of America. They are the youngest of two with an older sister named Fiadh (pronounced fee-uh). Their parents moved to the US from Ireland before they had the kids. Their father died when Ciaran was very young. Their mother is a devout Irish Catholic and has no idea that Ciaran is in the Devildom because it'd probably kill her if she found out. (Despite being Catholic, she's very kind and accepting. It's just that finding out Ciaran lives with Lucifer might be a little too much.)

Ciaran is a painter. They like to paint with oils on large canvasses, but they will also do watercolor. They really enjoy doing small paintings on the go and for that, they use a little watercolor kit that they carry around with them. They mostly paint landscapes, occasionally abstracts. They used to do portraits, but they haven't in quite some time.

Before coming to the Devildom, Ciaran lived in an apartment with Fiadh and worked at an art gallery. They generally spent their time putting together art shows, but would occasionally sell one of their own works. When they were brought to the Devildom out of nowhere, Fiadh spent quite a bit of time tracking them down. She was unable to afford the rent on their apartment without Ciaran's contribution and had to move back in with their mother. It takes some time, but eventually, Fiadh finds her way to the Devildom just so she can complain to Ciaran (though it's also because she wanted to make sure he was okay).

Relationships

Ciaran is outgoing and likes people, but they are also feisty and have a short temper. They get into arguments with Lucifer and Satan a lot. They're nervous around Belphie for quite a while. They get into trouble with Mammon all the time, try to get Levi to go outside with them, love to do makeovers with Asmo, and is always up to go get food with Beel. They generally get along with all the brothers, they just have a slightly more rocky relationship with some of them.

They love Diavolo, feel comfortable with Barbatos, slightly intimidated by Simeon, and start out being annoyed by Solomon until they get to know him better.

Ciaran also finds Arsenios to be suspicious until they get to know him better. Then it's definitely a situation where they get annoyed with him because he tends to tease them a lot.

Ciaran's sister is their other main relationship, as detailed above. There are a couple other human world ones, but since Ciaran is mostly in the Devildom now I don't feel the need to write about them here lol.

Etc

I feel the need to mention that the cow in Ciaran's moodboard is because Ciaran likes animals, especially farm animals. Not because they love Belphie or anything lol! Though they eventually come to love Belphie, they're wary of him for quite some time after Lesson 16.

This is a general summary of the things I've talked about in the asks I've received about my MC. You can find them and all related posts under the tag "misc mc ciaran."

Ciaran isn't me or even really a self insert. I definitely gave them a lot of things that I wish I had, but otherwise they are their own person! Though I suppose one could argue that I put a little bit of myself in every character I create lol.

As with Arsenios, I love talking about Ciaran, so anyone is free to send me any asks they like about them! And as it's been asked before, you are also welcome to draw them if that is something you're interested in doing. I'm happy to answer any asks about their appearance or you can just interpret what I've posted how you like!

Thank you for showing an interest in my MC!

An adorable holiday chibi of Ciaran by the incredible @/starry-miki!

This amazing artwork of Ciaran by the talented @/opal0684!

Just a couple of picrews I felt like adding:

The middle one with Arsenios is probably most accurate, especially the height difference lol. I might add more in the future.

[kousaka-ayumu]

Retrospectives

Warnings: Broken english

Kaida is staring at her diary, hand on her forehead thinking about Sebek's behaviour.

He's always acting strange, but now he's even mode stranger, though he's not the only one.

Ace, Epel, Minako have also acting strange too but most importantly Deuce's. Wierd, with her hearing, she should be able to know about the reasons why, but it didn't?

Now that she thought about it, there we're like 6 overblots this year, she was never there when Riddle, Leona and Azul overblot but she was there when Jamil, Vil and Idia overblot.

Not to mention Haru also acted strange, they almost tired, and she's worried for them though she never showed through her expression, she usually showed it through her body language.

Now that she thought about it Deuce was also acting strange too, she knows he liked her and she likes him too, if you ask her, she pointed to her ear.

She sigh as she finished writing in her diary and putting down her pen, she looked out the window, it was nighttime now. Looks like she's going to stay up night again how many times? She doesn't know....

The next day:

History class is over and now lunch has arrived, she sat at the table with the rest of Midnight Rose PreCure discussing their plans to defeat Ciaran secretively since they didn't want anyone to know, especially how the fairies wanted to keep the whole Precure thing a secret.

What about her? She's still a PreCure and her being one of the most experienced ones ended up being a support pillar for them, no she did not get attached to them if she did they may ended up the same way as Charlotte did. (Yeah totally didn't attached to them -_-)

"How do we deal with one of the generals?"

"I don't know!"

"Maybe we should split up."

"If we did then they take advantage of it and summoned the Minions of The Dead again."

"Maybe we should do it without them knowing?"

As they ended up discussing what plans they have, Kaida is trying to hear what the First Years(Ace, Deuce, Jack, Epel, Sebek and Minako) when she ended up hearing something that shook her "Yumeri" and "Overblot".

She realized that she forgot something. The next concert.

"Guys, have we forgot something.." She said, all eyes we're on her, her faerie which is a porcelain doll named Merria stared at her.

"What is it, Kaida?" The fairie said.

"The concert?"

And all hell breaks loose.

"Oh cheesecakes we forgot!"

"Don't worry I have the lyrics." She said as she pulled up a stack of paper, it's the lyrics for the next lyrics with the name "I Am Rain"

"Oh thank you Kaida! I will composed it today." Hokori said as Kaida handed over the lyrics.

"I'll meet you guys over for practice.. I have something to do.." She said as she leaves and her fairie followed her.

"Okay bye ٩(ര̀ᴗര́)ᵇʸᵉ!" Taiyou yelled cheerfully which unintentionally hurt Kaida's ears a little, ouch.

She ended up hearing a little bit of Sebek's voice, and before she knew it she ended up hearing their conversations and ended up in a very dark corridor of the school.

"You heard about Moonlight Bloom having a concert next week?" That's Ace's voice

"Yeah, not gonna lie, I was excited for them." Jack's voice

"It's means it's going to a perfect for another overblot!" Sebek's voice?! Her eyes widened in shock.

"Wonder who is going to overblot tonight?" Minako?! She knew she shouldn't be surprised that Minako is Lilith's daughter, yet why is this suprise her..

"Yumeri is the best choice, since she told me about her past." DEUCE?! Her eyes widened as she heard the revelation, is Deuce always like this? She thought he's going to be a great honor student and a police officer in the future...

"Heh? I never thought you be like this Deuce.." She said softly, no one heard it and left.

Sure she can't remember a lot during her time in Ninjago, and she didn't want to know about that, and is used to people dying around her, but betraying her... She wasn't used to that and it's from her crush... At least he's alive so she didn't have to worry about that.. Yet the thought of betraying someone makes her sick to her stomach..

She clutched her neon green ribbon of her uniform, feeling betrayed..

@zexal-club @yukii0nna @queen-of-twisted @yumeko2sevilla @writing-heiress @liviavanrouge @childofwitches @marrondrawsalot

[kryoxsdrawingcorner]

What favorite headcanons do you have of the four knights of Gwyn?

Thank you so much for the question!!! And I'm very sorry for the late reply, this last semester really kicked my ass X_X I've taken some time to gather some of my ideas, but a disclaimer fist: I have only played the first game (and managed to get the last missing achievement a few weeks ago, very proud of that UwU) All my understanding of the Lore and Story comes from the first game story, ingame item descriptions (which I dedicated an unhealthy amount of time to reading through), so my headcanons might sound a bit outta pocket? idk :) I'm going on a tangent here, please bear with me:

- To start with Ciaran, god i love her so much. I believe she was the first of the four to reach that high a rank and had years of experience in the subterfuge/assassin branch of the military. Though she was not the one to found the knights, that honor fell onto Ornstein, she was the first candidate chosen. - I don't think she really wanted to leave her post with the other assassins and believed that fame/glory as one of the Knights of Gwyn, would be rather counterproductive for someone who works mainly in shadows. - Assassin life is lonely, constant undercover work and month long missions away from home, I don't think she had many friends, if any at all. Working together with strangers from very different military backgrounds was not new, but to form a group? It felt like a show. A nice performance to show off how far you can come when joining the army. - It was an honor to meet Ornstein, and they first never considered being more than simple colleagues. It shocked them both how well they got along. Their humor is dry and often mean at first glance, I think that was the first thing that truly bonded them. - I think it felt easy for them to form a friendship, and that scared Ciaran a bit. Friendships in their profession don't last long. -When you fight her she will say something along the lines of: "Hmph, you humans...", suggesting that she is not also human? Maybe she is of a different race? (I've been waiting for some free time to finally make a design of her, maybe the next few days...) - Ornstein! Ornstein's first thought was to reject the offer of becoming a Knight of Gwyn, not to mention the Captain of the party. Training a special battalion of Dragonslayers was enough, he didn't have time to parent another- granted, more "elite"- group of Knights. But he wouldn't be Ornstein if an order wasn't fulfilled with flying colors. - Ornstein has always been a loner. His pedantic, cynical and all around stuck-up-ness repels people in social settings, but make him reliable as a captain. - This attitude might not be for everyone but Ciaran and him understood each other almost instantly. - I really enjoy the theory of Ornstein being an illusion conjured by Gwyndolin in DS1. While I don't know much of the later games, I have seen theories of him going after the Nameless King. I love that for him, adds drama - He and Smough definitely had something going on; but I can't imagine it ended well. Smough, though a cruel executioner, doesn't deserve to be left in a forgotten city in perpetual twilight. - Poor Artorias: He was an incredibly kind soul, who put others before himself. His undying optimism was one of his greatest strengths, even though his peers (mostly Ornstein) often found it naive. - Artorias dedicated his life to defeating the Abyss and Darkness, so much that it makes me wonder, if he had personal reasons? Was his home destroyed by the corruption? Had he lost loved ones to it? - Personally, I think Artorias was honored to have been chosen as a knight of Gwyn, but was unsure. Would this interfere with his mission? - He was an open, cheerful person and brought a careful balance to the little group. A much needed optimism radiated from him, that made people flock to him. Though I don't think he would make light of the duty they carry. He is always full of hope and believes that every life is worth saving; even if its to his detriment sometimes. - Ornstein couldn't stand that cheerfulness in the beginning. He thought it was childish and naive, that Artorias takes defeat too lightly, that he doesn't linger on loss. It took him quite some time to understand Artorias' hope is the thing that drives him, it's what inspires the soldiers around him to live another day, fight another battle.

-Ciaran had no such judgement for Artorias. She understood quickly that this is just how he is. She is an expert at adapting to peoples moods and personalities, but it felt so easy with Artorias. Joking around, training, important gatherings in Anor Londo, or even meeting off duty, she felt no need to pretend with him. Even if she decided to not say a word, she could rely on Artorias to fill the silence with comfortable chatter.

-Gough was the last that rose to the rank of Gwyn's Knight. It was a shocking turn of events, not just for Gough himself. Giants were considered lesser beings, and one of them being granted the honor? It was a scandal. - It was Artorias that "found" him. Maybe during training, his eyes followed the sound of a loud twang of a greatbow. This giant, in standard archer uniform shot arrows the size of halberds at targets that were mere pinpricks in the distance. He squinted at the straw mannequins to see if the giant hit. Every single one was pierced through head and heart. - Giving praise was easy for Artorias, but Gough shuffled his feet and kept his eyes to the ground when receiving the kind words. - Once acquainted, Artorias seemed to notice him every battle, not once did the great spear-arrows that rushed past him miss a target. - Even in a fight against dragons, one would merely look to the skies to watch the beasts fall to the ground with ripped wings. - Gough was a lonely soldier in an army of many. His skill with a bow granted him a position above "live shield" or fodder for the front lines. For a long time he was unsure if that is a blessing or not. But when he met the Wolf Knight, he could hardly believe him talking to him, let alone complimenting his skill. - Gough scolded himself; he should fear this man, he who could ruin his life with a single critique. But Artorias makes it hard to fear him when he smiles at you like he wouldn't be happier anywhere else. - They kept stumbling into each other- or, more likely, Artorias knows almost always where to find him. Sometimes he has his great Wolf with him. The beast instantly takes a liking to Gough and always leans into his hands when he pets her. - When one day, Artorias comes with a proposal, Gough is terrified. He would not admit this though, and while acknowledging the honor of a position among Gwyn's Knights, he declines politely. He hopes Artorias can understand his reasoning, even without him voicing them. - But even though Gough is sure that Artorias knows his fears, the judgement and resentment towards him and his fellow giants that will surely follow, he looks at him with resolution set in his eyes. "Thou art worthy, Gough. No other compares to thee." - Gough has not often felt hope, but in that moment, he felt alive.

I may have let thing run outta control X) I know its not really a list of headcanons but I like going with the flow

I would love to know your thoughts and headcanons as well!!!!! <3

[cicran]

mentions of @demonkaito & @yurcna When a young witch and her familiar had crept into the hotel one night and tried to get past the front desk, Ciaran had been kind enough not to send both of them packing. Mortals are tiresome at this point, he can’t stand being around them most of the time, but the witch points out she didn’t mean any harm as she stands between himself and her familiar. She had wanted to prove she was brave enough to face the spirits and he has half a mind to let her. But she is just a child with something to prove and he looks between her and her familiar and he grabs one of the books he keeps behind the front desk. He scribbles his phone number in it, he hands it to her familiar with his immaculate bone structure and steady gaze. He tells them to go bother someone else, a glint of mischief in his eyes as he does so. Kaito is something else.

It’s not like he hasn’t had partners here and there, but being a reaper and keeping up with the hotel is a very demanding job and while he’d once had the white picket fence situation, it does not seem feasible. Until it slowly becomes a possibility again, the hotel slowly becomes full of life again in the sense that he’s not so miserable anymore with the demon around. He’d taken up being security for the hotel and that should have been that, Ciaran is a professional. But he’s also a romantic and an Irishman and banter is something he does well and so they get to talking, Yurena starts collecting other haunted books, the three of them get on well. But banter becomes flirting and flirting becomes whispering in dark corners of the hotel together and then one day Ciaran is laying in bed beside the demon and wondering where the time went. Because it feels like he belongs there at his side, like he had always been there. “I think I love you, you know.” Such a casual thing to tell someone as they lay there in bed, he’d practically face plantedd it, clothes still on and half laying on the green haired demon. Said demon doesn’t put the book down that’s in his hand, but he does make a thoughtful noise and he knows those steady eyes are on him, can feel them burning into the back of his neck. He doesn’t speak again, just closes his eyes after toeing off his shoes and he’s about to move, about to crawl further into bed when he feels fingers carding through his hair, hears a page turn. It has been years, decades even, since he’d felt so comfortable with another person, met someone who had reminded him he existed outside of two very demanding jobs. With Kaito he is not just a reaper, he is not just The Host, he’s been dead for centuries but he’s a person underneath all that. They stay like that, nearly lulled to sleep in the low light of the room and as sleep nearly has him, he swears he hears Kaito tell him that he knows. He had always been there. Until one day he wasn’t. It’s not as if the details matter, but at the end of the day something is wrong with Yurena and Kaito is gone. There’s nothing he can do for the witch and her familiar who have slowly but surely wormed their way into an unbeating heart that had been dormant for so long. He trashes the hotel lobby, he pulls at his hair, there is nothing he can do. The spirits watch, they mourn, too. He goes back to Ireland. He goes back to walking among what is left of the cemetery his family used to tend to all those years ago, stones in the ground at this point. His wife and child are buried there, he debates putting a stone down for Kaito, if not there, somewhere. But he doesn’t on account of his bed becomes a grave for the two of them no matter where he stays. He watches Yurena, he holds onto hope. He waits. And he waits. And some days he thinks he is going to become a statue at that front desk or wherever he is stuck loitering, knees drawn to his chest as he plays with the necklace bestowed upon him by his lover. Three little gold charms dangling at the hollow of his throat to match the three gold charms dangling from the demon’s right ear. He counts the days, he goes through the motions, he makes up Kaito’s side of the bed every morning. It’s the same side he cries into night after night as he tries to think of how to dull the sharp pain in his chest. The only thing that seems to do it is holding onto hope that they’re going to be together again. They’re going to be together again even if he has to find a way to beg his way into the Inferno himself. He’d never even got to say goodbye. But he holds onto the chance to say hello again. 

[elegistnox]

Ok hold on. Hold the fuck on.

Hold on.

Wait.

Aries is married to and loves Ceres, but in love with Cora? Aries is not mated and has no interest in being mated. Cora is mated to Orion, but in love with Aries? Orion is irrelevant, but Cora is absolutely pulling away from him despite being drawn to him. Talvi was sold to Gau in the Night Court and had Lilah and Ciaran, but Talvi does not love Gau because Talvi is mates with the High Lord of Winter! Who coincidentally happens to be named Olwyn! While her daugter Lilah is in love with Rhys but because she replaced Mor as the Princess of Night about to be sold off to a male like Eris!

Aries and Orion who happen to be constellations! Ceres who hails from Vallahan wealth with a name that means GODDESS OF AGRICULTURE! Cora who happens to be the alternate name of Persephone! The very Persephone who married Hades in the underworld! And Cora and Orion had Nox Orion Rhysand who is referred to by his surname but his literal name means night! Rhys who is in love with Lilah which means night beauty who has a brother named Ciaran which means little dark one! Their mom is named Talvi which literally translates to winter and Olwyn WHICH MEANS white footprint!

Did you write the matrix?

How in the heck can one person even come up with all of this?

I think you have a better understanding of my fic than I do. This blew my mind, want to co-author lol

[cigarettesandinevitablebetrayal]

Raine Callaghan doesn’t know what to make of Rebecca Sinclair most days. They had a good relationship once, but that was a long time ago. A death in the family will do that, he supposes.

Rated M for mature themes such as parental death, dysfunctional families, child neglect, implied violence, and minor mentions to the North Irish Troubles.

Other Tags: Kid Fic, Growing Up, Time Skips, Canon Divergence (Alternate Backstory), Tragedy, and Hopeful Ending.

Masterpost | AO3

Chapter 4: I Get to Watch You Grow Up Now

Divis Mountain, Belfast - 1991

Ciaran pulls his bike to a stop, surveying the space with a discerning eye before nodding. “Here’s good.” Pulling off his helmet, he strings it over the handle of his bike as he lays it on its side. He shifts the strap of the guitar case on his back to a more comfortable position. 

Beside him, Eoin does the same with his own bike and helmet. “Mum’s gonna kill us if she finds out we snuck out,” he whispers, as though they aren’t the only ones out here. As if the very stars will take the news of their transgression back to Rebecca.

Eoin has lost most of his accent, having picked up the same Cumbrian accent Rebecca speaks with, though sometimes his Ulster shines through when he talks with Ciaran and Bishop. It makes Ciaran frown a little at the sound of it, but he doesn’t mention it aloud. He doesn’t see Eoin enough these days to start an argument over something stupid like the way he talks. Rebecca’s opinion on their activities, on the other hand, is fair game.

“If Rebecca didn’t want us to sneak out, then she shouldn’t be taking you back so early,” Ciaran grumbles. They had an unspoken agreement. Eoin lives in Wayhaven during the school year, the two come to Belfast for breaks, meaning they should still have until late August. This year, she has some important and urgent business to return to. Meaning they're losing almost a month of time together. 

Eoin looks up at him with a quizzical frown as they walk out towards their usual spot among the scruffy grass. “Why do you do that?”

“Do what?”

“You don’t call Mum ‘mum’ anymore,” Eoin says. Ciaran winces at the question, his frown deepening as his little brother continues. “You used to, but you don’t no more.”

Ciaran sighs. “It’s complicated.” He pushes a few stray hairs from his face. When he looks down at Eoin, he sees the expectant patience there. He takes a deep breath. Eoin won't let it go now without a satisfactory answer, so there's no use avoiding it. “She’s never really here anymore and, when she is, she doesn’t hang around the house. She doesn’t really feel like my mum anymore.”

Eoin worries at the hem of his shirt, twisting it between his fingers. “I don’t think she likes it when you call her Rebecca,” he mumbles. “I think it makes her feel sad.”

Something tightens in Ciaran’s chest and an old bitterness crawls up his throat and makes a home behind his teeth. “It makes me sad, too," he manages to mutter. 

Eoin gives him a look like that’s only confused his understanding of the situation. Ciaran feels much the same. He could try to explain it, but he can’t much make sense of it himself. What he can do is make sure Eoin doesn’t dwell on it too long. So he pulls Eoin closer to his side, shooting the kid a smile as he lets his arm hang around Eoin’s shoulder. Eoin had laughed at the fact Ciaran had shot up in height since they’d last seen each other. They used to be closer in height, but now Eoin only just comes up to Ciaran’s chest. “Come on, no more of that talk,” he says, squeezing Eoin against his side until the kid protests and swats at him. “Let’s go see your stars, little king.”

Eoin wrinkles his nose at the nickname. He looks up, his dark eyes barely visible in the night. “Hey, Raine, what if I don’t want to be a king?”

Ciaran’s brow furrows at the question. “Why not?”

“King’s don’t do anything,” Eoin grumbles. He crosses his arms over his chest and begins stomping through the grass. “They can only move one space at a time and they’re worthless. And you’re the only one that calls me that.”

“Aunt Bishop calls you ‘little king’.” He tilts his head back and forth as he thinks of it more. He grimaces as nothing comes to mind. “Sometimes. Besides, the king is the most important piece.” He leans over to poke the tip of Eoin’s nose, earning him another swipe of Eoin’s hand. “All the other pieces protect him and the game is over when he’s captured. That makes him special, like you.”

Eoin mutters something under his breath, but Ciaran can't make it out. He thinks about asking but decides to let it lie. If this is Eoin’s last night in Belfast for another four months, he’s determined not to waste it bickering over stupid things like what they all call each other.

Instead, he sits down in the grass, pulling the guitar case off his back and unzipping it. He pulls Rook’s guitar gently from the waxed canvas and perches it in his lap as Eoin sits down next to him. The instrument has become as familiar as his own skin over the years. He knows the story behind every sticker and scratch on the wood. Though he can’t see them, he runs his thumb over the side of the body where familiar words are etched into the surface. Tá mo chroí istigh ionat. You are very dear to my heart. According to Bishop, his mother carved those words there back when she and Rook were still together.

It’s a silly thing. At least, he feels silly every time he does it. He knows the words weren’t meant for him. They probably weren’t even true for that long. It doesn’t stop him from brushing his fingers across it every time he pulls it out or making up a voice that his mom might have spoken them with. 

“We won’t be able to see Aquila very well.” Ciaran can hear the pout in Eoin’s voice.

He plays a few chords on the guitar to cover his chuckle. “Maybe not, but do you remember which ones should be easiest to find this time of year?”

Eoin is silent for a moment and Ciaran fills the silence with a simple tune. Slowly, Eoin says, “Hercules?”

“That’s right,” Ciaran says, voice full of pride. “And who is he fighting?”

“The dragon!” And Eoin scoots a little closer to Ciaran. “Draco.”

“Can you point him out to me?”

He expects Eoin to take longer than he does to find the Hercules constellation, but he squints up at the night sky and points with unwavering certainty. They're not the easiest stars to find on a whole, and Ciaran remembers when Bishop had taken months to teach him how to find each one. Eoin picks them out faster, remembers their viewing times and stories with more clarity. If Bishop liked spending time with Eoin, Ciaran thinks they'd have a more fun time stargazing than he does. Ciaran mostly likes the ambiance.

"Hey, Raine?" He leans against Ciaran's arm and yawns.

"Yes, Little King?"

"Raine-" Eoin draws out his nickname like a whine and Ciaran can't help but laugh.

"Alright, alright," he says, lightly leaning into his brother before he sits upright once more. "Fine, you're not a king. You're…" Ciaran thinks for a minute, tilting his head back at the night sky for inspiration. Up this high, the light pollution doesn't quite reach. Stars spill out across the dark like paint speckled across canvas. "You're mo réaltín , alright?"

Eoin is quiet for a second before he asks, "What's that mean?"

"It means 'my star'." Ciaran stops playing. It used to be that he and Eoin could speak passably in Irish. When had that changed? "You need to practice more with Rebecca," he chastises. "She speaks Irish, too."

Eoin fidgets beside him. When he speaks again, it's barely more than a whisper. "She's not around that much for me, either."

Ciaran bites down hard on his tongue to keep from saying anything he'd regret later. That bitterness behind his teeth spreads a little, sticking to his gums and tongue, and he has to swallow it back to keep it from escaping. What was the point of taking Eoin with her to Wayhaven if she still isn't able to spend time with him? Sure, there's still the occasional violence in Belfast, but wouldn't it be better for Eoin to be with family? Better than being lonely, Ciaran thinks.

He shakes his head, realizing the sadness that's settled between them. Can't have any of that, especially not on Eoin's last night. "You were asking me something, a réaltín ."

"Oh, right! Will you play that song? The one about the hero dying."

" Mo ghile mear ." Ciaran wrinkles his nose, but smiles despite himself. "Why do you like the sad ones so much?"

Eoin lays out on the grass, his head resting against Ciaran's leg. He lets out another long yawn. "Dunno. I just like that one."

He ruffles Eoin's hair gently before returning to his guitar. Eoin closes his eyes as Ciaran starts playing and doesn't complain like he normally does when Ciaran starts singing. Later, he'll have to drag Eoin back down the mountain and sneak them back into the house. In the morning, he'll have to say goodbye. They'll write letters back and forth until late October when they'll be able to see each other again. But for now, Ciaran focuses on the song and the sound of his little brother drifting to sleep and contents himself with what he can have.

[icwasher]

I've been working on a story that's been in the back of my head for a while and I've already told my sister all the details on multiple occasions and I don't really want to reiterate all that to her again, so if it interests you, here is a rambling post about my current WIP!

I was originally going to write a two-book series that chronologically comes before this story, but I really don't feel like writing the other story and I think that with sufficient flashbacks and explanations, I can make this story work without the other two books.

The two books were going to tell the story of a young dark magic user (and Allure) who was also the Crown Prince of this country called Letria. For a bit of background, dark magic requires killing to get its power (in order of magical power gained from their death, plants, animals, humans, dragons) and it's also like a drug, so if you use dark magic long enough, you'll be a slave to it. The main character of my current WIP was the villain of the original story. His name is Ciaran (See-air-aine (rhymes with aim)). His little brother drowned (after Ciaran failed to save him) and his death haunts Ciaran, which is why he turned to dark magic in the first place. Long story short, he summons the devil, gets defeated, gets his ability to do dark magic taken from him, and then his father disowns and banishes him beyond the mountains to a kingdom called Oshar.

The current story picks up six months after Ciaran is banished. He's been wandering around and is almost out of money, and as he travels through the forest to get to the yet-unnamed capital city of Oshar, he stumbles upon this village that's been burnt to the ground. There he finds this three-year-old girl, Lena, who has been orphaned. He takes her in and plans to leave her at an orphanage in the next village he finds (orphanages are actually really nice in this country so this isn't him being awful or anything) but he bonds with her and ends up adopting her. Then he goes to the capital city, gets a job as a member of the Guard (basically a police officer), and gets a domestication arc!!!! His boss, Armend, becomes a pseudo-dad to him and helps him work through his TraumaTM. For a little while, he gets to live a normal life.

Then, after barely a year of living in the capital city of Oshar, Ciaran gets a letter telling him that his dad needs his help in Letria because a bunch of Allures are causing problems and Ciaran, while unable to do dark magic, is an expert on the subject. So he reluctantly goes to Letria to help out his dad.

The group there consists of his dad, his ex-girlfriend, and the Truth Seekers, who were the main characters of the first two books. He killed one of their friends, so they really do not like him.

They all expect him to still be AngstyTM and all mean and dark but he shows up at the palace in Tired Dad Mode. He wants to get this over with quickly. He just spent the past two weeks traveling in a tiny carriage with his three-year-old daughter and he is exhausted. He's using up all his vacation days to be there, and he really does not care that half the group of people he traveled to assist hates him.

During his time there, Lena gets kidnapped by the Allures who were causing trouble. They want to get to Ciaran because he's the only person who knows how to summon the devil (basically) and they threaten to kill her if he doesn't give them his information.

Now, this is a tough decision for him, and it's really important, because in the prequels (I'm going to start calling the two books that come before this one that) he chose the fate of one person (he was trying to store enough magic to raise his brother from the dead) over the good of the universe, and now he's being faced with that decision again. He makes the choice not to save her (which is heartbreaking and awful but also the Right Thing to Do) but in the nick of time the Truth Seekers show up and kick the Allures' butts, so the story gets a happy ending. Ciaran's dad offers to let him be the Heir again but Ciaran does not want to be King, so he's like, "Nah" and goes back home to be a police officer. Eventually he and his ex get back together, but that's not until years later and would only show up in the epilogue.

[missyreads]

"If I have spelled you, little witch, then you haved spelled me as well."

Download Prince of Darkness by author_amber_thoma today! bit.ly/3QcZuPX

Blurb:

The new religion left no place in Havenston for a human witch like Etain. It not only jeopardizes her safety and livelihood, but threatens a fiery death as well. That didn’t mean she was prepared to be stolen away to the Fae Realm.

Ciaran must find a way to break his curse in order to become the true king of the Night Court. The prophecy the Many Faced Goddess gave him is a riddle that holds the key.

Anin must flee the Fae Realm if she wants to live and save the ones she loves. Nearly to safety, she’s cruelly snatched back from the Human Realm and finds herself in a whole new predicament.

Kes enjoys nothing more than being wickedly dramatic. While trying to help his cousin break the curse, he finds himself bonded to a Day Fae in a way he couldn’t see coming.

None of them are prepared for fate to bring them together. In just a few nights their lives are turned upside down. After all, fate gets what fate wants.

#fantasyromance #fantasyromancebooks #bookstagram #darkfantasy #spicybooks #spicybookrecs #spicybookstagram #booktropes #bookdragon #tropes#Missyreads📚📚

[prometheus-ghost]

Such a good question! Olek is easy: I think he and his brother are identical twins. I picture Ángel's mother as stern and uptight, with hair in a very severe bun, and someone who would get along with Iben. Krester's lover, maybe similar to a younger version of Ángel. My mental image of Ciaran keeps defaulting to Sebastian but given that it means "little dark one" I try to play around with that. His real appearance is still nebulous to me.

How do you all picture unseen characters from people backstories (Krester's lover, Olek's brother, Ciaran, Ángel's mother, etc)?