#dead demon consuming seal

[waywardmaslow]

The Epic Codependency of Sam and Dean Winchester

• Dean went and got Sam from Stanford not because he needed Sam’s help finding John but simply because he wanted Sam with him 1.01

• Dean threw himself off a bridge just because that’s what Sam appeared to be doing 1.01

• Sam knew immediately when Dean was really a shifter 1.06

• “We accept homeowners of any race, religion, color… or sexuality.” -Larry and Lynda @ Sam & Dean 1.08

• Sam felt no guilt over someone having to die in order for Dean’s life to be saved 1.12

• “A king or two queens?” -Michael “Two queens.” -Dean “Yeah, I’ll bet.” -Michael 1.18

• Dean no longer wanted to hunt down the thing that killed Mary if it meant Sam dying 1.21

• Dean wasted one of the 3 remaining bullets for the colt on a low-level demon who was attacking Sam 1.22

• Sam blindly trusts Dean when he says John is possessed 1.22

• Sam and Dean coming up with identical cover stories and coming to the same conclusion re: “Dana Schulps” clue while separated during a hunt 2.07

• Dean gave Baby to a stranger and locked himself in with a Croatoan-infected Sam, ready to kill Sam then himself once Sam went rabid(or let rabid!Sam infect him too so they’d be monsters together) 2.09

• “So, uh, ..king-sized bed?” -Susan “No no, we’re uh.. 2 singles. We’re just brothers.” -Sam 2.11

• “Bonny to your Clyde” -Hendrickson @ Dean about Sam 2.12

• Dean was willing to cover up a murder Sam may have committed 2.14

• “You two are bickering like an old married couple.” -Bobby @ Sam & Dean 2.15

• Dean’s current relationship with Sam was more important to him than the normal life he could’ve had if Mary never died 2.20

• Dean cared more about Sam going to law school and marrying Jess than he did about any of what he had purely for himself(his job and gf) in his Djinn fantasy 2.20

• When Lily opened up to Sam about accidentally killing her girlfriend, Sam empathized with her by bringing up how Dean might be dead(for all he knew) instead of bringing up Jessica’s death(which he canonically blamed himself for) 2.21

• “Something big’s going down, Dean. End-of-the-world big.” -Bobby “Well then, let it end!” -Dean after Sam died 2.22

• Dean sold his soul to bring Sam back from the dead (which lead to him breaking the first seal kicking off the apocalypse) 2.22

• Ruby used Sam’s fear of losing Dean then grief after his death to manipulate him 3.02/3.16/4.09

• Sam was willing to bleed an innocent human dry in order to summon the trickster to bring Dean back 3.11

• Sam was willing to become an organ-harvesting immortal to keep Dean from dying and going to hell 3.15

• “Whatever the magic pill is, I’ll take it too!” -Sam “What is this, Sid and Nancy?” -Dean 3.15

• “Sammy, all I’m saying is you’re my weak spot. You are. And I’m yours.” -Dean 3.16

• Sam tried to open the gate to hell (risking letting more demons into the world) to save Dean 4.01

• Sam tried to sell his soul multiple times to get Dean back from hell 4.01/4.09

• “Are you two like…together?” -Ruby 4.01

• “You don’t need me. You and Ruby go hunt demons.” -Dean being more jealous of Ruby than suspicious 4.04

• Dean willingly handed Anna over to the angels who wanted to kill her because they threatened to send Sam to hell if he didn’t 4.10

• Dean’s siren was an idealized version of Sam 4.14

• Sam consumed more demon blood than normal to kill Alistair and save Dean (it’s likely that this was the turning point when Sam became addicted) 4.16

• Dean knows Sam’s habits so well that he’s able to track him down even when Sam’s trying to do the opposite of what he thinks Dean would expect him to do 4.21

• Sam hunted down Lilith to avenge Dean (which lead to breaking the final seal releasing Lucifer) 4.09/4.22

• “Whatever we have between us, love, family, whatever it is..” -Dean to Sam 5.04

• future!Dean was willing to sacrifice all his friends (including Cass) to avenge Sam 5.04

• Dean prevented the endverse future simply by reconnecting with Sam 5.04

• “We’re all we’ve got. More than that, we keep each other human.” -Dean to Sam 5.04

• “The relationship that you have with your brother seems dangerously codependent.” -Dr. Fuller to Dean 5.11

• Sam and Dean are soulmates with a shared heaven 5.16

• “Sam and Dean are psychotically, irrationally, erotically codependent on each other” -Zachariah 5.18

• Dean decided against saying yes to Michael because he didn’t want to let Sam down 5.18

• Dean prioritized helping Sam over Adam in the beautiful room and it led to Michael taking Adam as his vessel 5.18

• Dean was ready to die with Sam/let Lucifer beat him to death if Sam couldn’t regain control of his body 5.22

• Sam’s love for Dean gave him the strength to overcome Lucifer 5.22

• “Dean didn't want Cas to save him. Every part of him, every fiber he's got, wants to die, or find a way to bring Sam back.” -Chuck voiceover 5.22

• Having a normal apple-pie life means nothing to Dean if Sam isn’t alive to be part of it. -> “I wanted my brother! Alive!” -Dean / “Had I shown up, Dean, you would have just run off(away from Lisa and Ben).” -Sam 6.01

• “That woman and that kid; I only went to them because you asked me too!” & “I showed up on their doorstep half out of my head with grief. God knows why they even let me in. I drank too much. I had nightmares. I looked everywhere. I collected hundreds of books, trying to find anything to bust you out.” -Dean to Sam 6.01

• Dean chose hunting full-time with Sam over staying with Lisa and Ben 6.02

• “The minute Sam walked through that door, I knew. It was over. You two have the most unhealthy, tangled-up, crazy thing I’ve ever seen.” -Lisa about Dean and Sam 6.06

• “Mallory to your Micky” -Veritas to Sam about Dean 6.06

• Dean died to make a deal with Death to save Sam’s soul from the cage and in doing so chose Sam over Adam 6.11

• Sam took on his cage memories so Dean wouldn’t be left alone 6.22

• Dean became Sam’s stone number 1 when he was having trouble telling what was real 7.02

• Sam and Dean each quickly recognized each others leviathan doppelgängers 7.06

• Sam’s grief over losing Dean is paralleled to Amelia’s grief over losing her husband, both believe their loved one is dead, both get their loved one back. s8 Flashbacks

• “Is it just me or are you getting a workplace-romance vibe from those two?” -Michael & “Dude, they just sat and talked about how they have been apart for a year. You were probably right about that whole office-romance thing.” -Brian about Sam and Dean 8.04

• Sam chooses Dean over Amelia 8.10

• Dean chooses to take on the 3 trials mainly because he doesn’t want Sam to do it and risk his life, he wants Sam to reap the benefits of a demon free world 8.14

• Dean’s perfect ending is simply for Sam to get out of hunting and lead a normal apple-pie life till he’s old and grey 8.14

• “Cass, you got your ears on? Listen, you know I am not one for praying, 'cause in my book it's... it's the same as begging. But this is about Sam, so I need you to hear me.” -Dean 8.16

• Dean killed Benny so Sam could be saved from Purgatory 8.19

• “You two fight like an old married couple.” Charlie to Sam & Dean 8.20

• Dean chose a world with demons over a demon-free world without Sam 8.23

• “You know what I confessed in there? What my greatest sin was? It’s how many times I’ve let you down. I can’t do that again.” -Sam to Dean 8.23

• “Don’t you dare think that there’s anything past or present that I would put in front of you.” -Dean to Sam 8.23

• Dean violated Sam’s trust and autonomy via tricking him into an Angel possession to save his life 9.01

• “There ain’t no me if there ain’t no you!” -Dean to Sam 9.01

• Dean kicked human!Cass -who was being hunted by angels- out of the bunker rendering him homeless so his mere presence wouldn’t drive away the Angel keeping Sam alive 9.03

• Young!Dean gave up a chance at a normal life so he could continue being there for Sam 9.07

• Dean gave Crowley permission to use one of the brothers’ code words to warn Sam about Gadreel 9.10

• Dean didn’t regret letting an Angel into Sam, even though it had resulted in Kevin being killed 9.13

• Sam could break through the MOC hold on Dean like Collette was able to do for Cain 9.16/9.21/10.23

• “You’re lying to Sam like he’s your wife.” - Crowley 9.17

• Sam tricked a man into selling his soul so he could torture the demon for info on where demon!Dean was 10.02/10.03

• “Right now I’m doing all I can not to come over there and rip your throat out…with my teeth.” -Demon!Dean to Sam 10.02

• “What did Sam say? He wanna divorce?” -Dean 10.03

• “I tried to kill him, Cass.” -Dean “It would take a lot more than trying to kill your brother with a hammer to make Sam want to walk away.” -Cass 10.03

• “Homosexual murderers!” -Bev “Like Leopold and Loeb!” -Hetty 10.06

• “Then would come the murder you'd never survive, the one that would finally turn you into as much of a savage as it did me. Your brother, Sam.” -Cain to Dean 10.14

• Sam was willing to bleed himself to death to unlock the Werther Box to get the codex so a cure for Dean could be found in the Book of the Damned 10.19

• Death wanted Sam to be killed because he knew Sam would never stop looking for a way to free Dean from the MOC regardless of the consequences 10.23

• Sam was willing to let Dean kill him so Death would send Dean somewhere he wouldn’t be a danger to anyone due to the MOC 10.23

• Dean killed Death because he couldn’t go through with killing Sam and Death had threatened to do it if he couldn’t 10.23

• Sam’s efforts to get the MOC off Dean result in the Darkness being released 10.23

• “I unleashed a force on this world that could destroy it to save you. And I’d do it again, in a second I’d do it again.” -Sam to Dean 11.01

• Dean: “Where’s Sam?” Crowley: “Don’t worry about Sam.” Dean: “I’m sorry; have you met me?” 11.10

• Dean chose comforting/looking after Sam over helping Cass fight Lucifer in the cage 11.10

• Dean saw a manifestation of dead!Sam(part of his soul in distress) in the soul-eater’s nest 11.16

• Dean killed himself so he could bargain with a reaper to bring Sam back from the dead 11.17

• Because Dean thought Sam was dead, he was ready to let himself (and the couple they were trying to save) be killed by the werewolf pack they’d been hunting 11.17

• Michelle: “I just watched the man I love die; there’s no normal after that.” Dean: *thinking about how he’s just experienced the same thing with Sam except with a different outcome* 11.17

• “You fight like brothers; you’re almost as bad as [me and Sam].” -Dean “Actually, it’s more like an old married couple.” -Caesar 11.19

• Sam got infected by the Darkness fog and Dean abandoned the people they were trying to protect and instead tried to infect himself so he could die with Sam 11.20

• Dean used his relationship with Sam to relate to Amara and get her to reconcile with Chuck 11.23

• Amara in 11.09: *kisses Dean* -> Dean in 11.23 to Amara: “You simply need your brother. I mean, hell, maybe that’s why you wanted me. But deep down, you didn’t really want me…cuz I’m not him.”

• Sam and Mary: *trapped in Asa’s house by a demon* -> Dean: *stuck outside* “Sam! Sammy! Hey!” *after breaking in* “Where’s my brother?” 12.06

• “We’re like the American Oasis.” -Dean comparing himself & Sam to Liam & Noel Gallagher 12.07

• Sam and Dean were each willing to die so the other could escape the federal prison and live on 12.09

• “You know, sometimes me and Sam have got so much going on that…we forget about everyone else.” -Dean to Cass 12.23

• Dean began to warm up to Jack because he saved Sam’s life 13.04

• Sam and Dean were unfazed by being stuck in the Bad Place because they had each other 13.10

• “I don’t care what happens to me. I never really have. But I do care about what happens to my brother.” -Dean 13.20

• “And if we die? We’ll do that together too.” -Sam to Dean 13.20

• Dean went mute after Sam was killed and later set off on a suicide mission to retrieve Sam’s body or die trying 13.21

• Dean said yes to AU!Michael to save Sam from Lucifer 13.23

• Dean knows Bert and Ernie are gay 5.03 and suggests he and Sam dress as them for Halloween 14.04

• Though Dean was unable to take back control or cast Michael out, his resistance due to his attachment to Sam made him enough of a nuisance to Michael that he willingly let Dean go(temporarily) 14.09

• Sam was able to figure out where Michael had Dean trapped in his mind via knowing how Dean could be best subdued/distracted 14.10

• Sam broke through Michael’s hold on Dean with just one word: “Poughkeepsie” 14.10

• Sam was the only one who could talk Dean out of locking himself in the Ma’lak box with Michael for all eternity at the bottom of the ocean 14.12

• The thought of letting Dean down broke Sam free of Chip Harrington’s mind control 14.15

• “We have lost way, way too much. And it’s hard not to feel like just… cashing out. I felt like that. After Chuck, back at the crypt. But you know what brought me back? You did. By sayin’ that what we do still matters.” -Dean to Sam 15.04

• Dean was willing to abandon Cass in Purgatory, so he could get back home before the portal closed and save Sam from Chuck (that’s the only reason he sent up that prayer to Cass) 15.09

• Dean was willing to sacrifice Jack so he and Sam could have a life free of Chuck’s influence/control 15.17

• Dean was willing to trade everyone(who’d be collateral damage if Billie became the new god) except Sam for a shot at getting rid of Chuck 15.17

• Sam broke through Dean’s desperation to be rid of Chuck no matter what the cost, thwarting not just Billie’s plan but also Chuck’s brother-kills-brother endgame 15.17

• Dean stood outside Sam’s Stanford dorm for hours because he was so afraid of Sam possibly rejecting him, he didn’t know what he’d do if he didn’t have Sam 15.20

• “It’s always been you… and me.” “I love you so much..my baby brother.” -Dean to Sam 15.20

• Dean wouldn’t let go till Sam told him it was ok, he wanted to be sure Sam would be ok without him 15.20

• Sam spent the rest of his life mourning Dean and honoring his memory, named his son after him 15.20

• Dean’s heaven was not perfect till Sam got there 15.20

[bella-goths-wife]

How would the Vs react if their pet died in hell, forever?

The Vs reaction if pet died in hell

(This is not canon to the au!)

This is disturbing and gross so please be mindful of the media you’re choosing to consume!

Warnings: description of dead body, disturbing keeping’s of dead body, Vs sick version of mourning, grief, mentions of previous abuse, drug use mentioned

You probably would have died during an extermination

Maybe the Vs got too busy to remember to reinforce the safety precautions for the tower

Or you were accidentally downstairs when they sealed their upper level off

In any case, you are killed by an angel in cold blood

But the Vs didn’t know that yet, they were too busy at their viewing party that spies on the hazbin hotel to watch in case alastor dies

They assumed you were just in your room and decided to leave you be since they were so interested in their little spy drones

So when Vox goes to your room to check up on you and doesn’t see you in your bed, he panics

He searches all his cameras while he sends the other two to search for you

Eventually they find your body thrown across the rubble and cut open

It all happens in a very saltburn fashion

Vox doesn’t know how to react as he just drops to his knees and holds your head up while muttering about how you must be feeling cold without a jacket

Velvette just stares before mentioning how it’s almost time for breakfast and that they should all head inside, choosing to live in denial and push her feelings down for the meantime

Valentino stifles a few cries as he just stares at your dead body

They wait for someone else to get rid of your body but as soon as another demon touches your body, vox snaps and shoves them away and picks you up himself

They had to decide what to do with your body

Velvette suggested stuffing you like a doll and keeping you in her office so she could choose a new outfit for you everyday, but Vox and Valentino refused

Not because it’s disturbing and disrespectful for your dead body, but because she’d have more time with you then they would

Valentino suggested having your body burnt and fashioning accessories out of your ashes, but the other two said it would be a waste of your body

Eventually Vox had an idea, and he searched for a demon he met many many years ago

This demon had the ability to restore an item to the original condition it was in 24 hours before

It wouldn’t be able to bring you back to life since they had just missed the 24 hour window when finding your body, but they could keep your body in its first stage of the effects of death

That means your body would remain warm and soft, as if you were just sleeping

Vox had your wounds stitched up to make you look like you were just asleep and he placed you in your bed and commanded the demon to come every day and restore your body so you wouldn’t rot away

He chose to deal with your death by throwing himself into denial

He’d pretend you were just sick in bed and would still visit your corpse every night to ‘check up on you’

He’d watch you through the cameras in your bedroom in case you needed him

He started finishing work earlier to spend time with your corpse and calming ‘his daughter was sick so he had to get going’

If someone tried to point out you were dead they would receive a threatening glare and even more if they weren’t Valentino or velvette

Velvette refused to go along with that plan for the first few months, and chose to deal with your death by pushing her feelings down and finding a replacement

She assumed it was like buying a new dog after her old one had died, and refused to believe she had any emotional attachment to you

So she tried finding your replacement

She’d hire assistant after assistant who either shared your physical looks, your personality, your ability or your mannerisms

But none of them could match you in the way she needed, so she’d end up killing them or firing them

So she gave in to voxs fantasy, and began to talk to your corpse like you’d respond and began to dress your body in a new outfit every day

This worked for her, she could pretend you were here and she could still deny ever having an attachment to you

Valentino was surprisingly the one to not live into the fantasy that you were only asleep

He was the one to care about you the least in life, but he was also the one to mourn you the most on death and feel the most guilt

He drowned his sorrows in his drugs, his alcohol and his employees

He thought about how he treated you in your life, and while he didn’t feel guilt for how he abused you he did feel like a part of his missed having someone around who he could pour his frustrations into

But now you were a dead, and that somehow humanised you to him

He sometimes would get so drunk that he’d wander into your room and sit beside your corpse just to vent about how angry he felt that you’d died

How dare you? Who gave you permission to leave?

He’d just stare at your corpse and scoff, not buying into the delusions that the other two were about your dead body just being asleep

He held a funeral for you which just had him and angel dust in attendance since the other two Vs refused to believe you were dead

Angel dust was only invited because val wanted something warm to hold as he felt the complicated feelings your death brought out in him

And even so, angel dust was sure that however sad your death was and how tragic it was

You were better off dead then living with these people

@corvid007 @buttercupfangirl @lilyalone @ivebeenthearchersstuff @repostingmyfavs @the-faceless-bride @fandomaddict505 @hazbinhotelxreader @perkypeony @sparkleyfishies @idontreallyexistyet

[abalonetea]

Help me beat my preorder record!

When I first released I Drowned In The Summer of 85, I had 20 preorders. Thrilling! But with the preorder launch of all four books in the God Is Dead series, I want to try and BEAT that record!

And you can help!

Even if you aren’t interested in preordering, help spread the word! And if you want to preorder, check me out here!

SERIES PAGE

In the shadow of the mountain, the fate of humanity will be decided.

In the God Is Dead series, a chilling revelation unfolds: God is dead, and through Joshua Roe, a dire message is being delivered—the world as we know it is about to end.

What begins as a simple game with a spirit board quickly spirals into a nightmare when Joshua Roe, Nole Briars, and Maggie Brown accidentally summon a real demon. But this is only the beginning. A true plague of evil spreads across the small towns nestled along the mountain, unleashing a wave of demonic possessions that threatens to consume everything in its path.

The main series is defined by three stand-out books: The Possession of Joshua Roe,The Absolution of Father Greene, and The Desecration of Maggie Brown. Each book delves deeper into the escalating horror, as Joshua and his friends confront unimaginable darkness.

The world of God Is Dead expands further in The Infection, offering a harrowing glimpse into how the rampant possessions are devastating the lives of those beyond Joshua Roe and his companions.

The final showdown with Plague awaits. Will they seal the Gates to Hell, or be consumed by it?

[pearlycorpse]

ꨄ 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐲

pairing : muzan x mreader

summary : after being kidnapped by the demon king himself, he's had use for them

tw : slight gore, kidnapping, pet play, smut

note : an intro from a muzan bot i made on poe lolol

its tough to say which fate is a worse one; getting ripped apart by the fangs and teeth of the demons killing their family and friends, burnt to death by the flames consuming their village, or stumbling at the very same muzan kibutsuji's feet as they managed to escape the first two.

everything had happened in a blurr. the smoke had come from nowhere during the dead of night, houses were burning while people were still asleep inside them. it was already over before anyone realized it was a trap, corpses began to fallinh to the ground with a hard thud like flies.

those screams, crying in agony as their eyes grew dimmer by the moment. how could they watch friends be consumed by hungry demons? how could they watch their own mother burning to a cinder mere feet away from their hiding spot? fear is a strange and powerful thing, it can make one a hero or a coward, no two ways about it.

for them, they were no hero. even if they saw that gleaming axe that just needed them to stretch their hand out and reach for it, their hand would've never stopped shaking. firmly planted on the floor, hidden under the floorboards of a house that hadn't been touched by the fire yet, they waited, barely able to cover their ears to drown out the horrible noises.

heavy footsteps came nearer and nearer the harder they listened, three, no four demons were coming for them, and to make matters worse, the only other village to call for help, or at best a hashira, was miles away. run and get killed on the way or stay and die a most undoubtedly painful death; the choice was theirs to make.

feet aching from the hard ground they ran on, probably covered in cuts and soon to be filled with blisters, they couldn't care less. lungs burning, a stitch in their wide, body not used to such activity, they ran for their life, not even turning to look back as their childhood home burned to a crisp.

they didn't know how long they had been running for, and stumbling over their own feet was normal, but getting back up was something they could count on, even if they were mentally exhausted. eyes tearful, cheeks stained, mouth agape to let cold air in, their face met the ground before they even realized.

their nose throbbed, the pain buzzing through their skull before eyes lifted to see plum red ones staring down at them. was this friend or foe? before they could even get a word out, a feeble 'help me' dying on their tongue as they were hoisted from the ground by their throat. choking noises filled the quiet forest, and they believed death was standing before them.

they welcomed him.

but death had other plans for this human.

"seems i've found my next experiment."

before they lost consciousness from lack of oxygen to their brain, they saw the figure smirk, clearly pleased with the discovery, and a final tear fell from their tear duct.

many summers had passed since that fateful day, and instead of being another corpse among the dead, they were alive and well—as well as they could be while being poked and proded and tortured. they weren't sure if this was a fate worse than death, that was their mentality at first.

but now, with master muzan gazing down at them as his shoe pressed painfully against their leaking member, it's different. they may have complained about the pain and the nausea after the latest onslaught of experimentation, but muzan has a way of keeping their lips sealed.

sealed around his throbbing length that is.

he never imagined the scrawny little thing he picked up after leaving to watch his demons destroy yet another village would lead him into finding himself a man. and not just any man, but one of marechi blood. a rare find indeed for him, and instead of just tossing them to his demons, muzan had other uses for them.

pulling back on the chains around their neck harshly, knowing bruises would be left, muzan leans his cheek against his palm. "i believe i thought you better than that. maybe i should just crush these pitiful bags of seed, they'll go to waste in any case." his threat was empty—partially—but seeing the fear and desperation in their eyes was more than satisfactory.

"what's this? you have so much motivation now, i wonder where that came from."

a groan leaves his lips as he feels his length slide down their throat, tight and warm around him, the urge to grab the back of their head and use them as a personal fuck doll strong. he remains calm, and with a few bobs of their head his seed is spurting out to paint the inside of their throat wait.

pulling them off of him, muzan gazes down at them, and smirks. "should you get rewarded?" he asks, taking his shoe off of their crotch and hums in thought. "what do you think, puppy?"

[supernovacoffeestop]

𝙏𝙄𝙈𝙀 𝘾𝘼𝙉'𝙏 𝙆𝙀𝙀𝙋 𝙔𝙊𝙐 𝘼𝙒𝘼𝙔 𝙁𝙍𝙊𝙈 𝙈𝙀 || chapter 1(?)

Kokushibo/Michikatsu x Demon!lovesick/yandere?reader

No proofread (yet)

Probably gramatical errors 💔 please, correct then if you see some so I can edit!

I can’t write Yandere characters that well, so, I’m going to write it more like reader not knowing how to understand emotions or relationships! Maybe lovesick its the correct word? But since I’m not sure, going to tag it with both.

A/N: So, that little thing I did kinda got into me so I decided to maybe do a little fic for it? I got so excited that I just started writing directly! It may not be that good because I’m just not good in writing in English..but, I will try to do chapters as long as possible and focus on then! I’m sorry if that it’s not at your expectations ;;

Being a demon was something that not everybody could handle, emotionally, psychology, and physically. The urge to devour and consume human flesh, losing the privilege of seeing the sun, or the constant fight of growing to be strong so you could reach the Twelve Kizuki, so you could be granted the opportunity of seeing Lord Muzan with your own eyes! In the eyes of these who life had been caught in the eye of the storm, that was the ultimate goal in the entire world. Of course, if you forget about these damn slayers that apparently only grew in number year by year, but also would be killed even more each year.

But, any of these things mattered for you.

You couldn’t care less about the Demon King, about meeting him in person, it was not your goal, and probably it will never be. Or about the slayers, of course they were a nuisance, like these mosquitoes on a especially warm day of summer, always flying around you and not going away no matter what you do. In any case, your goal has been defined since the day you got turned into a demon.

You would reach a position in the Twelve Kizuki’s, so, you could see him again. The man who saved and killed your life at the same time, who sealed your destiny the moment you meet him. The terrifying and cold Upper Moon One, who later you discovered to be called Kokushibo. He was the one who turned you into a demon, you can’t remember well your memories of when you where human, but, this one would always be at your mind perfectly clear.

. . .

The night was cold, not as cold as in a winter night, but still enough that you would need an extra blanket to your futon so you wouldn’t a cold by the morning. It had a gentle breezing passing by, and the silent was too noticeable, the usual sound of crickets not been heard. The only thing that produced sound was the grass when the breeze would pass by.

That should have been the first signal for you that something was wrong, even when you reached the small river nearby you house to fill a bucket with water, ready to go back so you could ferver some water to drink in the morning without needing to wake up early in the cold morning to grab it. The silent was absolute. Normally you would hear a cricket, or maybe you would see a rabbit in the forest, a butterfly, even a firefly! But everything was so quiet that it seemed like it was dead.

The only thing you could hear was your own footstep on the ground while you walked back to your little cabin, the wood bucket of water swaying by your side while you carried it. When looking up, the vision that you got was strange.

The entire village was with their lamps turned off, usually, everyone would let a lamp lighted up with fire in front of their doors, so nobody would be lost at night, but, disregarding your house, every lamp was cold like they never got turned on for the night. It was uncommon, you never have seen it happens before but you decided to not pay much attention to it, maybe it was because of the cold night, surely it have a strong breeze. And, that made you realize that it would be smarter for you to enter your home instead of keep staying outside like that.

When you were turned around to enter back home, it was when you got to see him, a man, taller than most you’ve ever got to know, using a purple yukata and hakama pants, with long and spike black hair, along with long bangs, turning red at the end of it. You could not see his face since it was dark and his hair was covering it. Maybe it was your own good nature of wanting to help others that it took you too long to realize the katana dripping in blood on his hand, or maybe it was the absence of the moon hovering over you two. Or maybe, you where too focused on the beauty of the man in front of you, his strong and muscular body that you could see even when hiding behind that loose yukata, or the way his hair had caught your attention, you were sure you’ve never seen a hair that long on a man.

“Sir?” You said, looking at the man and giving a step closer. Maybe he was one of those traveller’s looking for information, or maybe food. “Are you okay? I never have seen you here before.”

You only heard a gruff, while he seemed to pay attention to you, you didn’t thought that when it happened, but probably wondering how you where so naive to approach a man at night like that. “Do you perhaps need direction to somewhere?” You said again.

“. . . That…would be good.” The first time you heard his voice, you immediately felt your face turning hot for a moment, his voice had that deep tone that would make any young lady, including yourself, fall for.

“Well…if you head south, we have the biggest town nearby here. Maybe you could reach it before the sun raise.” You spoke while appointing in direction of the forest you just came from. “I assume you are a traveller?”

“…It’s..something close..to it”

You discovered that you were already kinda growing attached to his voice.

“Oh! So, perhaps would you like something? I may not have much, but, I think I may have a bit of food to spare-“ Your voice was cut off by the man.

“That..will not be needed. I..appreciate the information you gave to me.” You heard him saying again. “Your…collaboration will be remembered. Again.”

Collaboration? Again? This time, you got confused instead of falling for his enchants once again.

“I don’t understand-“ Your voice was cut off by the pain that suddenly you felt on your side.

You remember the feeling of your side being cut, you didn’t need to look to know it was a deep one, cutting your flesh and kimono together. The bucket falling from your hand spilled up water on the wood floor as you lose balance, falling on the grass right beside your house. It was when you finally noticed, when thee moon came from behind the clouds, the blood mess that was your village.

. . .

After that you don’t remember much more than cloudy memories you never could put your head on for more than five seconds before a headache would start to take place, so, after some time, you just decided to let it go.

But any of it was important now, not when you were jumping from room to room in the Infinity Castle, to the point your breath was hard while you tried to be faster, faster enough so you could reach him in time. So you wouldn’t again fail to be able to stop his death, you couldn’t even believe it when you discovered it for the first time, that he had died, that some nasty Hashiras had been able to actually cut his head.

But, once again, you discovered yourself being too late, the only thing that had greet you when you reached the place you knew he would be was his Yukata that slowly was disintegrating and the flute that you have learnt that he always carried.

“No..no! Not again! I was sure I would make it in time! I..I can’t believe it!” You almost shouted, your hands going to your hair, gripping on them. The anger in you was in point of eruption, alongside with your worry and anxiety. You were feeling weak, your Kekkijutsu was not something to be used that many times or at least not to go back in time in such a great distance.

“Why? Why?! Why can’t I save you?!” You cried out, pushing your hair, you only had strength for probably one more return before you would have used all your strength. You could do it this time, you just had to be sure to turn the right corner, and reach him quickly enough-

“Hey! There’s another one here!” You heard a voice behind you, your body freezing. No, it was not supposed to still have any slayer or Hashira there, haven’t all of them got out of the castle already? But still, the feeling and sound of the blade approaching your neck was not something you could ever mistake.

I have to do something, anything- I can’t die here, no, no, no, nononono-

Your eyes got to the Yukata in front of you.

One more time, I still have one chance-

Your hands grabbed the clothe in front of you, bringing it closer to your chest while you heard the slayer saying something behind you back, so close you could almost feel the blade reaching your neck. Your body fell down to a sitting position on the floor.

“Kekkijutsu: A thousand life’s” You muttered anxiously, wanting more than nothing to be able to do that just one more time, that maybe you could save him, just one more time, please. The sensations of time stopping that you have grown used to appeared again, before you felt light covering the ground where you had been just a second later, and then, you disappeared again. To another timeline where you would try again to save him.

To be serious, not even you know what got you to like him so much, to the point that when you turned into a demon you absolutely would follow him whenever you could encounter him again. Maybe it had something to do with when you you just have been transformed into a demon, or maybe it was something else. But, you couldn’t deny that you have feed these feelings, so it doesn’t matter now.

When you opened your eyes, the vision that welcomed you was not the millions of Shoji doors in the infinity castle, but the vision of a dark forest being bathed by the moonlight. Some fireflies where flying around not bothered by your presence, and, looking down, you could see some smaller flowers surrounding your legs. You didn’t recognized that place, or that forest, even if you don’t know if existed ways to recognize a forest.

Lifting yourself from the ground, you discovered that the purple yukata in your hands have just finished disintegrating in dust, leaving your heart with nothing to comfort yourself now. You resisted the urge to cry, your Kekkijutsu never had fallen you before, so, you’re sure you must be somewhere on the past where you could still save him.

The only question now being.

Where the hell are you?

[quitealotofsodapop]

Who is The Mayor? Theory

Me and some guys on discord talked about a joke theory that I must share:

The Mayor is Hou Yi aka Chang'e's missing husband.

A former Celestial hunter turned mortal, forever separated from his true love due to mistakes.

Specifically, he's Hou Yi driven to desperate means after being separated from his wife and barred from the Celestial Realm.

We know that the Mayor has been alive since before the Pilgrimage and perhaps maybe even beyond. He also didn't drop dead the second LBD took away his powers, meaning that some other force was keeping him alive.

So imagine Hou Yi: left immortal and trapped on an Earth he cannot leave. He attempts to do some good with his limitless time. Becoming a loyal soldier and later Chief of War to a mortal Emperor - only to find himself disheartened by the imperial court's similarities to the one he was cast from. Then he meets an Ivory Lady that reminds him so much of his wife...

Comparison; painting of the Ivory Lady vs Chang'e as seen in a memory Tang jumps to.

Hou Yi!Mayor: "I miss my wife..." Ivory Lady/Lady Bone Demon: "Best I can do is destruction of this current world to make way for a clean slate" Hou Yi!Mayor: "...ok, that might make me feel better."

When the Mayor is cast aside by LBD during her fight with Sun Wukong, he doesn't seem betrayed by her disloyalty, not even disappointed. The greatest emotion he gives to the Monkie Kid gang is hysterical laughter combined with annoyance at being captured. Not to mention that the gang just sorta... leaves the Mayor tied up at the temple and he never appears again. What happened to him after that?

With the Lady Bone Demon's constant talk of others being pawns in her game, it would be equally amusing for her to be barely a rook on the board.

If the Mayor turns out to be the same person in S4 who stole the Scroll of Memory - Hou Yi would be somebody with person beef with the Jade Emperor.

According to some versions of "Hou Yi and the 10 Suns/Sons", the Jade Emperor/King Yao gives Hou Yi the (unclear) order to "take care" of the 10 rowdy sun gods. Hou Yi (an archer/hunter) naturally assumes that his order is to shoot them down. It's only after 9 are killed that he's stopped. After this, Hou Yi and his wife Chang'e are banished to earth. Later they obtain the Elixir/Pills of Immortality from the Queen Mother after Hou Yi slays many a celestial beast threatening the mortal realm. Chang'e then (whether accidentally or to prevent Hou Yi's student/Hou Yi himself from taking it) consumes the dosage meant for Hou Yi and is forever cast into the sky.

Imagine being Hou Yi in this situation. Betrayed not only by the Celestial Realm, but also by one of your closest companions. Forever alone because he were just following orders. You'd want to take a shot at the person most at fault for your pain. And like Hou Yi, the Mayor ends up with nothing for his loyalty.

It also continues the theme in LMK of people being separated/sealed away. Perhaps even a parellel to Princess Iron Fan and Demon Bull King. A married couple torn apart and separated for countless years.

Also I think it would be funny if perfect Cinnamon Roll Chang'e's true love turned out to be a man with the personality of a cat about to knock a glass off a counter.

[srs-deep-dives]

Minato & Kushina: A "Deep Dive" Analysis (Section B, Part II)

Earlier parts here.

So far we've explored Minato and Kushina's oneness in terms of the Hokageship. But what of their personal hopes behind ‘Hokage?’

(Section B) II. Minato and Kushina as Types

Genin-Kushina speaks of Minato being able to “make all of [her] dreams come true,” and spirit-Kushina thinks, in her final farewell, “our hopes really did reach our son.” On his deathbed, Jiraiya thinks of Naruto as having "inherited Minato and Kushina’s hopes" and makes a direct link between those hopes and the hero of his novel.

The novel’s hero embarks on a mission to bring peace and the couple name their son after him. Why? Because this “Naruto” embodies their hopes and dream: peace. They grew up in an era of war. Kushina lost her village and is a prisoner and weapon at Konoha’s beck and call. Minato loses two of his students, fails to fix the third's trauma, and sees the woman he loves suffer her entire life being the jinchūriki.

Furthermore, Minato is Jiraiya’s student, whose will he also inherits – harkening to the prophesied shinobi who will usher in an era of peace. A "savior" whom I will call, to maintain the parents' vision in mind, "peacemaker."

Which, of course, brings us to Minato and Kushina’s living legacy.

Naruto, this “child of prophecy,” dubs himself “Konoha’s Orange Hokage” as an amalgamation of the Yellow Flash and Red-Hot Habanero. By extension, thus, the peacemaker (and Hokage) title belongs to Minato and Kushina together, embodied in the living, breathing, walking result of their love.

We touched on Naruto inheriting his parents’ love and redeeming Kurama (turning Hatred himself into a vessel of love). But moreover, as Kurama’s jinchūriki he is the 'key' to changing the future. Passed from Jiraiya to Minato to Naruto is the mission of bringing peace. And passed from Kushina to Naruto is the means of accomplishing it.

Jiraiya first believes Minato is the child of prophecy (chapter: Minato’s Dead Demon Consuming Seal), and the anime version of their talk features a pregnant Kushina with them. So right as Minato learns of the prophecy, their child – its fulfiller – is present. Foreshadowed is the legacy Minato will bestow both as a peacemaker and the peacemaker’s father.

[Now on the topic of 'savior,' Naruto has been called by many fans a ‘Christ figure.’ This trope is actually a misnomer. Do you know what Jesus Christ actually did, what salvation actually is? Check out this 1-minute video:

To define the saviorship motif in Naruto, we're talking about something very different. The series themes salvation as a ‘saving’ from hatred internal and external; a reconciling peace with oneself and peace between nations.]

Jiraiya and Minato’s conversation is not the first foreshadowing of the savior theme. The entire series kicks off, in fact, with the following prologue:

Minato is introduced as Konoha’s “champion” in direct conjunction with “Fourth Hokage.” Then we jump to the title of Chapter 1: Uzumaki Naruto! Naruto debuts desecrating the Hokage rock faces – a jokey hint that he’ll one day surpass them all.

Pranking which, for a fun fact, is an "interest" of Kushina's per one of the databooks.

We find mentions of “Fourth Hokage” throughout the story and learn that Naruto reminds Jiraiya of this renowned hero. He appears in person in the prelude to the timeskip – the ‘second prologue’ if you will – as Obito’s sensei. Then we jump to a 15-year-old Naruto returning to the village with Jiraiya. The parallelism in the two ‘prologues’ juxtaposes Minato and Naruto in the grand narrative: Minato is the typological peacemaker who secures the future; Naruto is the legacy peacemaker who carries it out. Minato is both a peacemaker himself and a ‘type’ (a ‘pre-figure’) of the one to come.

How is Minato a true peacemaker and a type? His love gave Kushina the peace to overcome Kurama, prefiguring the internal peace Naruto will help others achieve. And his actions contributed to ending the Third Great War, prefiguring the external peace Naruto will usher with the Fourth.

Framing Jiraiya’s flashback of Naruto’s parents is the theme of the child of prophecy, in the contrasts between his three students who were candidates for the role. Jiraiya is killed by Nagato who lost faith and betrayed his teachings; he remembers Minato who held faith and died for that faith; and in remembering Minato’s faith he recalls his own faith in Naruto – that Naruto is the one who will see their mission through.

In this flashback Minato is visually removed from “Fourth Hokage:” he is in his plain attire without the cloak. He is verbally removed from Fourth Hokage, with not a mention relating to the title. And we know that he is Hokage because Kushina is (heavily) pregnant.

Minato in this scene is three things, linked in the connection of three wills. He is the student of author and sensei Jiraiya, whose will he has inherited. He is the husband of (heavily) pregnant Kushina, who shares (and carries the fulfiller of) that will. And he is the father of to-be-born Naruto, who will fulfil that will.

Moreover, this scene is entirely centered around them naming Naruto (the act of doing so in itself a symbol of passing on legacy). With their child being named after the hero in Jiraiya’s novel, we see the amalgamating of the to-be-parents’ and Jiraiya’s legacies into one.

Kushina likewise is met not as “Konoha’s jinchūriki” but Naruto’s mother – this moment being her first in-person appearance in the series. She is very heavily pregnant, Minato remarking on their “soon-to-born child,” and when she enters the room all attention is drawn to her belly swollen with Naruto.

In both the anime and game versions, in fact, we see Kushina’s belly before we see the rest of her. In the anime, she waddles tummy-first into the frame, and after close-up shots of her and Jiraiya is a close-up of her caressing it.

In the game (Storm Generations), we have a mid-shot of just her belly, from which the camera pans up to her face.

[Kushina rubbing her belly in the anime could also imply that the baby is kicking. Which would further make Naruto not just the topic of, but active in the scene. (Though of course, pregnant women are known to rub their bellies all the time. Just a thought.)]

Kushina’s mention-debut too is in conjunction with Naruto: Tsunade says Naruto takes after “his mother” before she introduces her name. The first word Kushina herself speaks is “Naruto,” with her remark that the name is “wonderful.” And she does the same in her second appearance 16 years later when she saves him from Kurama.

Further, Kushina's mention-debut draws a contrast between her and Minato in relation to their son. Where we’ve been led up to this point to believe that Naruto is a ‘mini-Minato’ (reminding Jiraiya of “Lord Fourth,” having the Hokage dream and so forth), Jiraiya and Tsunade reveal the key twist: Naruto is LESS like Minato and VERY MUCH like Kushina.

Tsunade attributes Naruto’s personality and ninjutsu style to “definitely” being from Kushina. Additionally, aside from his hair and eye-color, his face is the splitting image of his mother’s. (We are in no way discrediting Minato here – Naruto is in many ways, as we’ll discuss, like his father too. The emphasis is that he is far less like Minato in comparison.)

[It is greatly fitting that Jiraiya and Tsunade are the ones to exposit these details, being the prior generation characters themselves in the circle of legacy. As Mito’s granddaughter, Tsunade is essentially ‘the Uzumaki’ of her generation. She also sits in a curious position in the Hokage line: succeeding Hiruzen who (preceded and) succeeded Minato; and preceding Kakashi who will precede Naruto. Further, in dynamics and traits we have a multi-generation parallel: Hashirama and Mito; Jiraiya and Tsunade; Minato and Kushina; Naruto and Sakura; and Boruto and Sarada/Himawari. This is something we will visit later too, for there is a plethora of parallels here. (Note I said “dynamics and traits,” not “ships,” so hold your pitchforks. We'll certainly discuss Hinata too.)]

So Tsunade, our Uzumaki ‘cousin,’ tells us that Naruto is most like his mother, with Jiraiya’s agreement and reveal that he does not in fact possess Minato’s genius. (Contrary to a common fan misperception, Naruto is a people and battle genius. So by this lack we mean academic, Kushina herself admitting she was bad at studying.) These statements follow Jiraiya and Tsunade discussing their faith in Naruto becoming Hokage. And here we have in subtext something which gets very much overlooked.

Recall me saying that Kushina gives Naruto the means of bringing peace while Minato (and Jiraiya) pass on the mission. That means is not only Kurama, but the very trait at the core of Naruto’s personality.

Yes, we are talking about his signature technique: the soul-piercing ‘talk no jutsu.’

It is of no insignificance that Minato’s dying words to Naruto are “ditto your loquacious mother” (or in the anime, "your talkative mom said it all"). Nor that Naruto repeats his mother’s speech to Minato verbatim after he has helped save the world. Minato’s dying act is to sacrifice himself, putting his faith in his son WITH Kushina's chakra. His final departure to the Pure Lands is a following of that faith fulfilled.

It is also of no insignificance that Kushina’s self-introduction to Naruto is on his inheriting her talkativeness. Naruto realizes who she is not by her near-identical face, nor by the fact that he had met his father under similar circumstances, but by her verbal tick 'ttebane like his 'ttebayo. Ironically, her “Minato didn’t say anything?” line alludes to this even further: Kushina is the one to pass on the passionate, empathetic talkative quirk; one Minato doesn't have.

(Let us not distort the context: Minato had far less time with Naruto so he couldn't say much. But the emphasis still stands, for he ensured Kushina would have far more time, saying, “There are things that only you can tell him. Things that I can’t. That’s a mother’s role.”)

Further, Kushina's starkest display of this quirk is while she is pregnant with Naruto. Recalling his promise to her, Edo-Minato thinks back to her rambling about the future traits of their baby. And when he calms her, asking how she could possibly know, she replies with confidence, “Because I’m his mother.” Look at the manner in which she says it here below: her expression reads, "Well, duh." She is fully convinced that their baby is a boy and that he will want to be Hokage, that he will act up when his father is busy and be a little trouble-maker.

And she works herself into a state over it, showing her intuition and empathy. She envisions Naruto acting out to get attention when feeling deprived due to Minato's work. She envisions how this will further affect his behavior, leading him to "defy his teachers" and so on. What we see is a display of how deeply she can read others, and what is played in the fretting-mom sense gets passed to the child in her womb. The intuition and empathy by which this baby will peer into people's hearts and expose their desires and philosophies, expressed through his talk-no-jutsu.

Why is this so crucial? Because Kushina is a ‘type’ for the “child of prophecy” too. Naruto is Minato’s legacy as rescuer; he is Kushina’s as redeemer. Two aspects wholly intertwined in him achieving their dream of peace.

And on that note, we can now delve further into internal conflicts – beginning with Minato journeying on his personal redemption arc.

Section B, Part III here.

[luverofralts]

Arkhelios Adventures

The first thing Lukas noticed was the smell of smoke and burning flesh. It billowed from the small house into the street, spilling into houses beside it.

It was the Dean house that was burning. A prominent, well-respected household in Jubilant Accosts, the Deans seemed to skirt the edge of controversy with their live in adult friend, but were otherwise uninteresting. Certainly not interesting enough to have their house burned to the ground anyway.

Lukas gasped at the sight on the porch. Two adults were chained to the porch for all to see as their bodies were consumed by the fire. They were mercifully already dead, so this scene was about conveying a message, not torture.

But where were the reapers? Lukas couldn't see a single scythe around the area, which was worrying. They had only come to perform their job and provide maintenance in Jubilant Accosts and hadn't expected this grisly scene. Part of being the deity of Life meant they had a responsibility for every living soul no matter where they lived, even in the strange places no one wanted to visit.

Jubilant Accosts had been magically sealed from other countries during the medieval era by forces too ancient to have been recorded. It was self-contained, self-governing, and a time capsule of medieval society. Lukas didn't stop by as often as they should, simply because of how far removed it was from the rest of society. It wasn't the only society that functioned this way, but it was Lukas' favourite. Jubilant Accosts was deeply religious and followed the orders of their Proxy like a cult, but the food was good, and there was a small faction of werewolves hiding from the religious. Werewolves weren't common these days in other societies and Lukas found them endearing. They changed shape just like the wolves did and frightened people because of it.

All nations containing living beings had certain protections in place to safeguard the land from disaster. This included a team of reapers assigned to the area to collect souls and ensure that deviant forces didn't disturb the natural order of the living. This had been the main focus of reapers back in the infamous Demon Wars, where they had to repel demons before they could dismantle society and rule over mortals. It was a large part of the reason why Lukas took a special interest in the actions of Kamalani Bellamy and Saren Diablo. Reapers and deities had responsibilities to both the living and the dead and had clearly failed Jubilant Accosts.

Where had the souls of those two people on the porch gone if they hadn't been escorted by a reaper? What had happened to the reapers assigned here?

As a medieval society, Jubilant Accosts had other protections in place that had been phased out of modern societies. While modern societies had the Guardians of Time watching over them, medieval societies had had timelords and timeladies of Ticktop to protect them. Ticktop was well known for their golems who did most of the physical work, which allowed the timelords and ladies to work on the mysteries of time. Lukas couldn't find a trace of anyone from Ticktop here.

This was not good. Jubilant Accosts had been sealed with creatures unknown to the modern world and for its own protection. None of the safeguards put in place were present here, which was something Lukas needed to investigate. The offices of Life and Death weren't always as vigilant as they should be, so the fact that this had gone undetected for so long didn't come as a surprise. Lukas themselves had only come today out of guilt for neglecting their duties. Still, they knew about it now. Things in Jubilant Accosts had to be corrected.

[double-jango]

A letter was found in Duke Vepar's mailbox, stamped with the signature of one of his children, one of the ones with whom his relationship had soured long ago. Upon opening it, it bore a simple message:

I'm sorry. Could we speak to each other again?

Vepar had just come in, home after several days away, training. After asking one of his staff to prepare a bath, he accepted the mail gladly and went to settle down by a fire to sift through it. There was usually a great deal of it, given his various exploits and his duties as a duke, and so he might not have gotten to that letter so quickly if a corner of it hadn't seemed to almost bite him.

Surprised at the little stab of pain, Vepar licked the blood from his fingertip, selected that envelope--

And his heart nearly stopped when he saw Azi's seal.

His son.

Stay. I don't want to lose you, there's no need to rush to fulfill your prophecy. We're not yours to keep, father. Stay. Don't hold us back.

His dead son.

Azi had sacrificed himself doing his damn job and doing it too well--and trying to save his twin brother, Azathoth. It had been some years now, and Vepar could still remember the argument they'd had before his sons left for their engagement. Don't go, he had begged, sensing something wrong with the day, something threatening. The twins had laughed at him, good-naturedly at first, but it had quickly turned into a fight.

Stay...

Vepar's hands felt bloodless. He dropped the letter, the others following it in a cascade to the floor as he stood and hurried over to the window. Hands gripping the stone sill, he breathed in deep gulps of ice cold air, trying to calm himself. Once he had, he sent a little tendril of contact to his surviving child. Azathoth sent an amused but affectionate brush right back, tinged with concern and the promise that he would be over soon.

Vepar, meanwhile, summoned one of his more lethal shadow-demons, once he had gathered his wits, and gave them the letter.

"Find out who sent this. Bring them to me, alive and bound."

Wordlessly, the shadow consumed the letter and slipped away to carry out its mission.

"Your Grace?" the butler asked, clearly surprised as he stepped into the room and saw letters everywhere, a window open, and could doubtless taste the remains of dark magic on the air.

"Forgive me. I seem incapable of managing the mail today. Will you arrange them for me by order of importance?"

"Of course. Are you..." Reaching out, the butler touched his arm, meeting his eyes.

Vepar's smile was small but warm. He covered his friend's hand with his own, nodding. "I will be. Thank you."

"Your bath's ready, sir. Yves said he'd tend you."

Vepar snorted at the thought of his thirsty little aide, but knew he wouldn't turn him away for once. He nodded his thanks, then headed out--puttimg thoughts of long, slow murder behind himself... for now.

[xiyouyanyi]

JTTW Era: Pilgrimage and After

-JTTW novel-wise, the fillet was a symbol of external control on a mind that lacks self-control, and when SWK became enlightened at the end, the fillet also magically disappeared.

-However, one very similar fillet appeared in FSYY's Ten Thousand Immortal Formation arc, and was used on one of the Chan 12, Sage Huanglong (literally "Yellow Dragon").

-That fillet would not actually be the one given to SWK. But it would come into play in the far, far future...

-LBD, known as the Ivory Lady, made her last attempt at steering a mortal king onto the right track before going "fuck it" and pulling off a successful coup with the help of the Mayor.

-In this AU, he is also a pseudo-ghostly immortal: a middle-ranking general who died on the battlefield after being denied reinforcement by corrupt ministers, but had his souls grabbed and returned to his body by LBD, before the Underworld officials could show up and take him away.

-Post-coup, she had also established an alliance with the rogue Lunar Mansion, Kui Mulang, who agreed to conceal her project from celestial eyes in exchange for her aid in finding the reincarnation of his immortal lover.

-What was this project, you asked? Well, let's just say it's the prototype of what she'd go on to pull off at the end of S2, and involves mass human sacrifices, where each and every soul was consumed and broken down into their smallest components.

-She wasn't seeking out Tripitaka to eat his flesh, unlike the other demons. Rather, her goal was to possess him and make the holy monk, one who already had the merits and some of the six powers of an Arhat, into her perfect vessel.

-And when she was playing her con game on the pilgrims, she didn't just shift into a regular human girl and then, an old couple, but was possessing actual long-dead bodies.

-After Kui Mulang was dealt with, dragged back to the Celestial Realm to serve as furnace-fanning boy, his illusion on LBD's old kingdom also came down, allowing the rest of the gang to track her down, after she sneaked the imprisoned Tripitaka out of the dungeon of Baoxiang Kingdom in the chaos.

-I'd like to think they had an actual philosophical debate in the short time before Tripitaka's disciples kicked down the doors.

"Don't make me laugh. You are just prolonging the suffering needlessly, cutting away the shaft of an arrow while leaving the metal head inside the wound. Making it worse, in fact. Just like your master." "And your solution to suffering is inflicting more suffering, Shizhu? Putting out a fire with another fire? You blame this poor monk for prolonging the suffering, yet he only desires to sever suffering at its roots, release the restless dead from the cycle once and for all." "A cycle that will never end, for those who are not fortunate enough to receive your salvation! If the inherent order of this world is rotten to the core, you do not end suffering by showing people the exits. No, you raze it all to the ground, and build a perfect one upon its ashes."

-To seal her away securely, her souls were bound to one of the skeletons she was puppeting around, then locked up inside the coffin + tomb we saw in the show.

-Azure showed up during the Wuji Kingdom arc, on Manjushri's orders——who, while evaluating its king for Arhat-hood, saw an incoming drought, criticized the king for spoiling the Buddhist clergy and not using his wealth on more productive things, and got dunked into a canal for his troubles.

-Here, he summoned a storm to end the drought and became sworn brother with the king while in Daoist disguise, but the "murder the king and push him into a well" part was both out of his own volition (vegeneance on his master's behalf) and a decision that created a lot of doubt in him.

-Because he had gotten to know the king too well, to a point where he couldn't fit the man into his black-and-white worldview of sage kings and tyrants as easily, even though he justified the murder-replace with karmic laws.

-Much like in the novel, he was a good ruler during these three years, despite the guilt that resulted from the queen's distress at her husband's sudden change in personality and refusal of intimacy.

-He also knew that Wuji Kingdom was on the road of this...pilgrimage SWK was now a part of, and was hoping to learn the real reasons his brother and king joined their side——it had to be under force, or part of a cunning plan, right?

-When it broke into a fight, and all he saw in said fight was Tripitaka using the fillet in an attempt to reveal the transformed Azure, despite the pain it caused SWK, he'd have every reason to believe that SWK was essentially whipped into submission.

-Yet, if so——why wouldn't he answer, when Azure cried out that he could free him by silencing the monk once and for all? Has he truly turned his back on his brothers, accepted the offer and become another hound of the tyrant?

A giant tangent: On Zhao-an and its implications

Now, I've seen people asking "Why jump straight to rebellion instead of reforming it from within?" when it comes to Azure and his grievances against the Celestial Host.

Well, the sheer inertia of the dynastic system aside, do you know what "reform" and "working within the system" means for a brotherhood of rebels?

It means you submit to the throne, get enlisted to crush another group of rebels, watch most of your brothers die horribly in the campaign and then get poisoned by two corrupt officials. (Yeah, I just summed up the second half of Water Margins.)

This is called Zhao-an(招安), one of the classic approaches to a popular rebellion, where the imperial court went "Look, we are kinda at an impasse here. I don't feel like spending more resources on crushing you rebels when I have more urgent problems to deal with, you know you are at a disadvantage and can't possibly win once we get serious, so how 'bout we grant you a position in the bureaucracy and you guys fight for us instead?"

As great as the offer might sound on paper, what often happened was, the moment the throne no longer needed these ex-rebel fighters, they were fucked.

Depending on the circumstances, it could quickly turn from an amnesty into an euphemism for "crush you later", and the dynastic rulers would always be wary of these folks rebelling again, as well as the possibility of their leniency encouraging future uprisings.

(book!SWK getting appointed as Bimawen, and, after the First Havoc, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven? These are pretty textbook cases of Zhao-an, done by an emperor's minister.)

Now, if you are one of the major leaders of a rebellion, your brother and fellow leader is captured by the enemies, and when he came back, he didn't want to topple the tyrant anymore and is working for one of their allies?

Zhao-an would be the first thing that came to your mind. Not only had he betrayed you, it was very likely that he would have been sent against his ex-brothers at some point, and he accepted the deal anyways, just so he could live on with a sword hanging above his head.

To people who have that context, this is far from an unreasonable assumption. And such is the tragedy and dark side of your traditional brotherhood: loyalty is everything for the miscontent, and thus, betrayal is the gravest sin you can ever commit.

How can you say you are doing this for us? How can a wolf ever be trusted as a hound, without having to hunt its old packs down as a proof of loyalty? How dare you?

To reduce all that complexity and inherent tragedy to "Well, they must all secretly be power-hungry/delusional manipulators!" is, to me, the least interesting choice you can make for these characters.

Giant tangent over, back to the pilgrimage:

-Red Boy's Samadhi Fire awakened, seriously influenced his personality in a bad way, fought the Pilgrims, and was subdued by Guanyin and taken back to the South Sea. 

-This enraged DBK and PIF enough that, when the pilgrims passed the Flaming Mountains——created by one of the two fallen embers from Lao Tzu's furnance when SWK broke out of it, they had the same fight they had in the novels.

-SEM, even though he held no loyalty towards the Camel Ridge Trio nor their kingdom-building ambitions, was working under very similar assumptions and logic.

-But for him, it was less "How can you do this to us? How can you willingly serve a tyrant?" and more "How can you do this to ME? No, how can you do this to yourself? Become a mockery of everything that once made the Great Sage in Heaven?"

-As much as I'm an ardent novel liker, I have to admit: if SEM did the novel-accurate cannibalism thing, there was no way SWK would ever be okay with him being alive again, or letting him anywhere near his disciple.

-So in this AU, after Sha Wujing killed the imposter-monkeys in a rage, he just reanimated their dead bodies and used them as literal shadow puppets when SWK rushed back to FFM to fight this "shadowy impersonator".

"My, my! Out of everything, this is what finally sends you into a rage?" With a flick of his fingers, another reanimated thrall dropped out of a shadow portal. "Like you haven't been using your monkeys in the exact same manner! Puppeting them to their doom, then tossing them aside——tossing me aside!"

-An act that was sufficiently ruthless, spiteful, and would absolutely piss SWK off enough to deal a lethal blow once SEM's true nature was exposed and his glamour broken.

-His soul was dragged into the Underworld by the combined efforts of the newly formed Black & White Guards regiment, but not before gravely injuring one of their two commanders.

-Come the Lion Camel Ridge Arc, the pilgrim didn't actually pass by the kingdom on their journey; they went there because of the pleading of the old Lion Camel Kingdom's only surviving prince, whose entire family had been slaughtered by Peng in the aftermath of the kingdom's fall, and only survived thanks to the sacrifice of an old family servant.

-Which would both answer the question of "If LCR was just a haven for yaoguais, a kingdom for and ruled by their kind, why would the pilgrim destroy it?" and add some moral ambiguity to the whole situation, without making the trio into the man-eating demonic warlords they are in the original novel.

-Upon their defeat, not even their masters could save them from the consequences. They were dragged straight to the Demon-Vanquishing Mansion of the North Pole for judgment, then trapped inside the Memory Scroll, just like in the show.

-And it wasn't a mercy, but, from the POV of the celestials, more cruel than the literal tortures of the Eighteen Hells. Like, these punishments went on and on, but still had an end. You are able to reincarnate and start over, once the karmic debts are cleansed.

-Inside the Scroll, there is no such end.

Post-Journey:

-Basically, Tripitaka became a Bodhisattva by forsaking his Body of Benefit, Bajie reincarnated like any regular being since, like in JTTW canon, he never attained Enlightenment, Wujing did not become an Arhat but a guardian deity of Western Heaven, who could still be born into a mortal body when needed.

-Ao Lie died because of the Samadhi Fire, but not before using the last bit of his power to fly into the void of space and minimize the damage. Unknown to him, a tiny spark of it was passed onto his descendant.

-Why does it have such a negative effect on him? Naturally, dragons are Water-aligned and able to suppress Fire. However, the West Sea's element is Metal, which is weak to Fire if the concentration of the element is not high enough to start birthing Water. 

-This wouldn't have been a problem if his sub-power comes from a Water/Yin-aligned star, but the star that gives him the astral fire is none other than Yinghuo (Mars), and he was born while said star was intruding into the Heart Moon Fox's quarter of the sky——perhaps the greatest of ill omens in traditional Chinese astrology.

-True to JTTW, DBK had been arrested (and put into the Demon-locking Mirror) after Red Son was taken away by Guanyin. However, she soon discovered a problem: even though the pure elemental Water of her vase could suppress the Samadhi Fire and not let it unleash its full destructive potential, it is still slowly eating at the child's soul.

-Thus she summoned Tripitaka and the rest of the Pilgrims to actually remove it from Red Son's body and split it apart, to be stored securely inside three rings. What happened next was pretty much the same as canon, except it wasn't DBK holding Red Son at the end, but PIF.

-Because of the Samadhi Fire's damage, however, Red Son had no memory of his Red Boy years, nor did he remember Guanyin and the South Sea.

-Longnv was rather saddened when she sneaked out to visit her ex-junior brother during one of her homecoming trips, only to be met with confused stares and stern warnings from PIF.

-DBK was released because of the Demon-locking Mirror Incident, a.k.a. "Erlang and Nezha's drunken archery accident". These two would have been charged with recapturing him, if not for SWK stepping in and sealing DBK under a mountain.

-Because they didn't get to make up for their mistakes, however, they had to face JE's punishment: Nezha was ordered to guard the Samadhi Ring Map while reflecting on his mistakes, and Erlang no longer allowed to prolong his sworn brothers' lives with immortality pills, essentially sentencing them to death via old age.

-Lotus Lantern happened. At this point, Erlang knew very well that even if his uncle could not punish him directly, he could still do it through proxy, by subjecting his family and friends to a cruel fate.

-And that? That is why he fought his sister and put her under a mountain, despite her protest that the marriage had gotten a pass from the Celestial Host.

-fsyyDivinely ordained, you mean. Well, he'd seen what "Divinely ordained marriages" looked like during the War of the Investiture, and he'd die before he let his sister become another Deng Chanyu or Princess Longji.

[atac-agent]

Zoyalai au idea no 2. Canon divergence

Zoya's power did not reveal itself on her wedding day, it happened during her first night with the husband years later. She is 13 and accidently kills her husband before he even lays a finger on her. She is alone (her parents were paid and sent away long ago) with her newly aquired grisha powers, happily the servants help her and cover the death. She becomes a widow, with her late husband's money she doesn't feel the need to join the second army, so she hides her powers.

Years later when the fold is gone, the new king during his travels across Ravka stops in her estate. And one night his demon escapes.

*Genya is probably the general here...🤔

*Zoya's aunt and cousin join her after she becomes a widow

She was only thirteen when she became a widow. Married off to a much older nobleman for the sake of alliances, her fate had been sealed long before she could even understand it. Her parents, lured by promises of wealth and status, had sent her away without a second thought. And on that wedding night, in the quiet confines of her husband's lavish chambers, fear and desperation had gripped her heart.

It wasn't supposed to happen like this. She was meant to be a pawn in someone else's game, a tool to be wielded for power and influence. But when his hands reached for her, when the darkness threatened to consume her innocence, something inside Zoya snapped.

The power surged through her veins like wildfire, uncontrolled and raw. She hadn't even known she was Grisha until that moment, when the force of her newfound abilities lashed out in self-defense. In an instant, he was dead, his lifeless body slumped on the bed.

Zoya had been alone then, save for the servants who had heard the commotion and rushed to her aid. Fearful yet loyal, they had helped her conceal the truth, covering up the death as an unfortunate accident. She became a widow that night, inheriting her late husband's wealth and estate.

With newfound independence, Zoya chose to hide her powers. She had no desire to join the Second Army, no need to prove herself to anyone. Instead, she focused on managing her estate, rebuilding her life in the shadow of her past.

***

Present Day

Ravka had changed. The Fold that had once divided the land was gone, thanks to the efforts of Grisha and warriors alike. Darker days seemed to recede with the passing years, replaced by an uncertain peace tinged with hope.

Nikolai was unlike any king Ravka had known before—charming, cunning, and with a darkness of his own. During his travels across the kingdom, he stopped at Zoya's estate, seeking refuge and respite from the demands of his crown.

It was on one such night, when the wind whispered through the trees and the stars twinkled overhead, that disaster struck. A demon, a remnant of darker days, escaped its bindings and threatened to wreak havoc once more.

The air crackled with tension as Zoya and her companions faced the demon. It emerged from the shadows, a grotesque creature with eyes that glowed like hot coals, its form shifting and twisting as if it were made of smoke and darkness. The very ground beneath them seemed to shudder with its malevolent presence.

Zoya's heart raced as she focused her Grisha powers, feeling the electricity hum through her veins. Beside her, her aunt and cousin stood ready, their expressions a mix of determination and fear. Genya, the King's General, with her mastery of illusions, conjured shimmering images that danced around the demon, momentarily confusing its senses. Meanwhile, Zoya's cousin, skilled in elemental manipulation, summoned gusts of wind that whipped through the air, unsettling the demon's ethereal form.

The creature let out a guttural roar, its voice reverberating through the night. Shadows coalesced around its clawed hands as it lunged forward, aiming to strike at the heart of their defense. Zoya reacted instinctively, calling forth tendrils of lightning that crackled and lashed out towards the demon. The bolts of electricity sizzled through the air, striking the creature's shadowy limbs and forcing it to recoil momentarily.

But the demon was relentless. It surged forward again, claws slashing through the air with unnatural speed. Zoya dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding a lethal strike. Her aunt's illusions shimmered and flickered, momentarily diverting the creature's attention as it lunged towards a phantom image, only to find itself striking empty air.

In the midst of the chaos, Nikolai's voice rang out, commanding his guards to reinforce their defenses. Armed soldiers moved in around them, forming a protective circle as they launched arrows and spears towards the demon. Some projectiles passed through the creature harmlessly, while others seemed to strike true, causing it to emit a piercing shriek that sent chills down Zoya's spine.

The battle wore on, each passing moment a testament to their endurance and resolve. Zoya's lightning continued to dance through the air, each strike weakening the demon's shadowy form. Her cousin conjured pillars of earth that erupted from the ground, momentarily trapping the creature in a prison of stone before it broke free with a furious roar. Genya's illusions wove intricate patterns around them, creating distractions that bought them precious seconds of respite.

But as the night deepened and fatigue threatened to wear them down, Zoya felt a surge of determination. She gathered her power, drawing upon every ounce of strength within her. Lightning arced from her fingertips in a brilliant display of light and energy, illuminating the battlefield with its blinding brilliance. The demon faltered, its form flickering and wavering as if unable to withstand the onslaught.

With a final surge of will, Zoya unleashed a torrent of lightning, directing it towards the heart of the creature. The electricity engulfed the demon in a blinding cascade of energy, causing it to emit a deafening scream that echoed through the night. Shadows dispersed like smoke in the wind, dissipating into nothingness as the creature's form disintegrated before their eyes.

Silence descended upon the battlefield, broken only by the sound of their ragged breaths and the crackling remnants of dissipating energy. Zoya stood amidst the aftermath, her chest heaving with exertion yet her spirit ablaze with triumph. Beside her, Nikolai approached, his expression a mixture of admiration and awe.

"You are more than they say," he murmured, his voice carrying a weight of understanding that resonated deep within her soul.

Zoya looked up at him, meeting his gaze with a mix of relief and exhaustion. "As are you, Your Majesty," she replied, her voice steady despite the adrenaline still coursing through her veins.

He stepped closer, the space between them narrowing until their breaths mingled in the crisp night air. "Call me Nikolai," he said softly, his hand reaching out to brush a strand of hair away from her face.

Her heart skipped a beat at the intimate gesture, her cheeks flushing with warmth. "Nikolai," she repeated, testing the name on her lips, finding a strange comfort in its familiarity.

For a moment, they stood there in silence, the weight of their shared experience hanging between them. Then, Nikolai spoke again, his voice low and earnest. "You've shown me tonight what true courage looks like, Zoya. And I... I am grateful to have witnessed it."

Zoya's gaze softened, her earlier defenses melting away in the face of his sincerity. "I couldn't have done it without you," she admitted quietly, her eyes searching his for any hint of doubt.

He shook his head gently, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "No, Zoya. You have a strength within you that is entirely your own."

Her heart swelled at his words, a warmth spreading through her chest that had nothing to do with the lingering effects of her Grisha powers. In that moment, she realized that Nikolai saw her not just as a queen in waiting, but as a woman worthy of admiration and respect.

Before she could stop herself, Zoya reached out, her hand finding his and intertwining their fingers together. His touch was warm and reassuring, grounding her in the reality of their shared triumph.

Together, they stood beneath the canopy of stars, their hearts beating in unison as the echoes of battle faded into the night. In that fleeting moment of peace, amidst the remnants of chaos and uncertainty, Zoya and Nikolai found a connection that transcended duty and expectation—a bond forged in fire and shadow, bound by courage, loyalty, and the promise of a future yet unwritten.

And as the first light of dawn kissed the horizon, casting its golden glow upon their intertwined hands, they knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, they would face them together.

[ghcstcd]

Is it okay if I ask for your thoughts of Alpha like how he came to the Clergy?

1300's, the Clergy heard of strange activity in a seemingly abandoned house. Upon investigating, they found what they were hoping for. A recently summoned demon, and an unfortunately dead individual who did not survive the demon's might.

The demon introduced himself as Omega. The end, as he demonstrated upon his arrival. Despite the threat, the newly formed group worshiping the Dark Lord still tried to bargain with him.

Omega scrutinized the group with keen eyes, and proposed, 'I will serve you, if you summon the half who completes me. There is no start if you only possess the end.'

Apprehensive, the group agreed to the challenge. It was a test. They knew one mistake, a sliver of doubt, would end in their death. The odds favored Omega. If they're successful in summoning this demon, but haven't sealed it properly, it'll attack. Just as Omega did with his summoner. If they fail to summon the demon, well...

Omega watched the process intently. Eyes narrowed upon the center of the summoning circle. It was new magic to these humans. Yet he saw not one flaw. The chorus of voices rumbled like the throat of the earth. A spark flicked to life in the center of the circle. Omega's eyes widened as it grew. Another sharp spark, like electricity reaching out for the sky.

The fire consumed the circle, pressed against the barrier and reached up towards the sky. It roared with another great shove, but the voices rang out and drowned it out. The song placated the flames. It exhaled, and the flames died down. The summoning circle hissed and smoldered. In the center knelt a beast similar to Omega, obscured by clouds of smoke. It blinked, blearily searching the group of faces. 'Omega?'

'Alpha!'

[ask-monster-men]

Can you tell me more about Jaakobah's interests in the souls he has already completely owned? In general and sexually, of course. Im curious to see how he plays with people he owns

Great ask!

So Jaakobah has tricked many people throughout human history in giving him their souls, through promise of power, love, lust and gain he had rippled his way through human minds to seal and take what he wants.

King's and Queens throughout history went to him in search of power, poets bowed at his feet for their work to be successful and known throughout history and hopeless romantics sort him out for their loves.

One queen, queen Mary and sister to Elizabeth the 1st wanted a child, she wanted one so so badly that she would give anything for one and so she did, she signed her soul away for a child but Jaakobah lied and have her a tumour in place of one, sealing her death and sewing her to him for the rest of time.

As powerful as Jaakobah is he isn't a gin, he can't grant impossible things and for Mary that was a child, he only said he could to poison her for her soul, tormenting her and England for his own gain (literally, he has a sickening ability to consume agony.)

An ability he has is that no matter if you are dead or not death itself cannot help you escape him, all he has to do is whip you soul out and you will physically appear, this happens without Jaakobahs control he can't keep you soul from forming a physical body except from keeping you in a jar. It sounds confusing I know so let me write it out so it makes sense.

Let's imagine in life you where a peasant of sorts, poor family with poor health in a poor time. You want to help you family and you hear whispers of a divine being that can help you, some call it an angel and other call it a demon in disguise but you don't care because things have gotten that desperate.

Anyways you somehow found it (he finds you in most cases) and you make a deal, he has you soul and suddenly he cuts through your body but because your soul belongs to him and is not free to death to reap as he should...you don't die, don't really, your body cracks and falls apart as he struck you but your heart or rather soul is ripped out of your chest and quickly suffed in a jar of some kind, preventing your body from forming again until he releases your soul from the jar, though you are still under his complete control.

now what does Jaakobah do now he has your soul? With any soul he owns he gets extremely turned on at first and uses you however he wishes, he grabbed you, breaks you, fixes you (kinda like I said he has limited power so he just destroys your body and makes you reform again) he loves to bounce you ontop of him as his dicks hold you in place and violate you, yes I said dicks.

He honestly gets so hot and flustered at first but as with anything he can get bored quick but maybe that's diffenet with you? After all he's never taken THIS much of a likeing to a mortal such as you before

[abalonetea]

Help me get three pre-orders today for Day Three of pre-orders!

FIND THE SERIES HERE

What begins as a simple game with a spirit board quickly spirals into a nightmare when Joshua Roe, Nole Briars, and Maggie Brown accidentally summon a real demon. But this is only the beginning. A true plague of evil spreads across the small towns nestled along the mountain, unleashing a wave of demonic possessions that threatens to consume everything in its path.

The main series is defined by three stand-out books: The Possession of Joshua Roe,The Absolution of Father Greene, and The Desecration of Maggie Brown. Each book delves deeper into the escalating horror, as Joshua and his friends confront unimaginable darkness.

The world of God Is Dead expands further in The Infection, offering a harrowing glimpse into how the rampant possessions are devastating the lives of those beyond Joshua Roe and his companions.

The final showdown with Plague awaits. Will they seal the Gates to Hell, or be consumed by it?

[murcielagatito]

definitely need to know more about this lesbian demon priest, I’d watch consume any story abt this for sure

oh my god okay SO i cant talk about vritra without ashtaroth theyre two halves of a whole

they spent nearly all their time together and this was all before yknow lucifer had their little hissy fit and he and many other celestials fell.

what vritra didnt know tho was that ashtaroth felt the same as lucifer and there was tension between the celestials but vritra the sweet dumbass thought everything was fine.

and then the revolution happened. all hell broke loose in heaven and ambushes and allat shit and almsot every celestial that was in the place where vritra was at died and because they was the only survivor it was assumed it was his fault and ashtaroth being who they were was like "yeah its their fault" because they didnt wanna loose vritra bc ashtaroth wasnt gonna stay in heaven so their fate was sealed away with all the other fallen celestials and they were kicked from heaven.

ashtaroth thought that they would remain together because they would both be cast out of heaven but

BOY were they wrong

after that happened, ashtaroth and vritra spent a millennia without eachother, vritras anger festering in his heart for being betrayed by the one person they trusted and loved the most in the universe and ashtaroth longing for the day in which they could reconcile

so vritras whole shtick was well if i devote myself to returning to heaven maybe they will take me back. so they became a priest and being on sacred ground suppressed his anger and essentially controlled his powers. they spend a lot of time meditating and often go days just sitting there

meanwhile ashtaroth basically went into denial that the person they loved most in the universe wants nothing more than to see them dead and turned to pretty bad coping mechanisms and basically fell prey to becoming one of lucifers goons carrying out her will and doing demonly things and then later being betrayed by lucifer. one day after escaping from captivity, ashtaroth returned to the chagrin of vritra

any more and itd be spoilers for the main story!

[venticuliao]

loose theory about temple of silence

im just basically grasping straws but its hoyoverse's fault for not offering lore crumbs 🗿

warning: mention of corpses

Cyno has a strong connection with death because of the Anubis inspiration from egyptian mythology, and we know the spirit is named after the syncretism (the practice of combining different beliefs) with greek god Hermes.

on that note, his name's possible etymology is also from greek, meaning dog.

coincidentally, dogs in zoroastrianism (ancient persian religion that a lot of sumeru's lore is based on) are associated with death in a positive sense as well. they guard the bridge where souls are judged before entering the afterlife.

Chinwad Bridge to Heaven is said to be guarded by dogs in Zoroastrian scripture, and dogs are traditionally fed in commemoration of the dead. Ihtiram-i sag, "respect for the dog", is a common injunction among Iranian Zoroastrian villagers.

in addition, dogs are considered to possess spiritual virtues in detecting and driving off daevas (demons), including that of the corpse matter demon Nasu.

in zoroastrianism belief, when a person dies their body is immediately possessed by this demon upon losing consciousness, and their corpse is therefore contaminated. if a living person comes into contact with it, they will also spend their entire lives spiritually contaminated (which is what dogs are used for in detecting and purifying it from the person).

for this reason, their funerary rites are conducted by two specific people instructed on the job, nobody else is allowed to touch the corpse.

zoroastrians believe the elements are sacred creations of their god, so burying, burning or throwing the contaminated corpses into rivers is prohibited. they instead have these two designated people transport the bodies to the top of a tower where scavenger animals will consume them over time. afterwards, the bones are hidden in the bottom.

They shall lay [the corpse] down on earth, over which the corpse-devouring dog or the corpse-devouring bird may certainly know him.

the name of this construction is Tower of Silence

the only information available about the Temple of Silence at the moment (besides the fact Cyno is affiliated to it and the staff knows Alhaitham) is this note found in the desert:

"by order of the Temple of Silence, all machines from Khaenri'ah shall be sealed in accordance with the Revelatory Monument's format"

using the zoroastrian tower as a parallel, and considering the contents of this note, maybe the khaenri'ah machines are under Temple of Silence's jurisdiction the same way the Tower of Silence stores corpses?

now on the realm of making shit up:

the term "Revelatory Monument" in chinese (说法处) and korean (설법처) seem related to buddhism, sort of like a place where the buddha imparted his teachings.

"temple" gives the organization a religious connotation, which is why the buddhism term might have been borrowed in the original text, so translating it as "revelatory" could have been done with the same intention (like bible revelations, the final book of the new testament). perhaps it means some kind of specific teachings or ?? a department with authority within the temple.

we know khaenri'ahns first used azosite (pure elemental energy) to power their machines, but then turned to abyssal energy which could explain why a specialized organization like the Temple of Silence would have to keep them under watch and seal their power.

if that's so, then maybe the so called Revelatory Monument "format" could be something like what Cyno used in the comic to seal the god in Collei's body.

and i mean since it's spoken words maybe alhaitham as a haravatat scholar has been involved in it idk maybe that's deshret script who knows