#farewell to a legend

[goryhorroor]

horror sub-genres: southern gothic

[gintrinsic-writing]

A Flicker in a Distant Timeline

CW: references to violence, loss of a limb, blood.

--

Like this, the King of Evil didn’t look like much—sweating through his robes, hair in disarray, panting through pain and exhaustion alike. He was too weakened to transform, and his baser form—his simple Gerudo body, absent of Demise’s visibly corroding influence—lacked the same petrifying, untouchable presence. Link figured he should tell him so. 

“You reek.”

Ganondorf’s glare was half-ruined by the tears rolling down his face; courtesy of some well-aimed dirt, Link thought smugly. “And you,” Ganondorf managed between breaths, “sound like a dying frog.”

Link barely had enough energy to muster up the indignation that deserved, but he managed. “A frog? That’s the worst you could come up with?” He scoffed, ignoring how much it stung to do so. “Were you even trying?”

“Croak, croak, croak,” Ganondorf griped, waving a hand back and forth. The Triforce of Power shimmered like a kaleidoscope against the back of his hand. “Annoying little wheezes.”

“Oh, forgive me. Some asshole punched me in the throat.”

“Only after another asshole pulled my hair!”

“So what?” Link croaked—ah, dammit, Ganondorf was right. What a miserable day.

“So, hair’s off-limits.”

“Off…” Link paused to stare. He blinked several times for good measure. Only a little blood managed to dribble into his eyes. “It was a fight! To the death!”

“Fated by the deities themselves,” Ganondorf agreed darkly. 

“And you think hair is off-limits?”

“Well, yes.” Ganondorf sneered at Link as if the hero was particularly dense. “We’re not animals.”

“You literally are, you dumb pig,” Link groaned. 

Ganondorf made some weird growling sound, then coughed. “Just you wait,” he grumbled. “As soon as I catch my breath, I’ll—”

“You’ll what?” Link mocked. “You’ll kill me? With what weapon? You couldn’t summon a speck of dust right now.”

Ganondorf curled his lip disdainfully. “As if you’re one to talk. You can’t even get up, can you?”

Link chose that moment to finally admit to himself that he’d been managing his half of the conversation while lying prone on the ground. He was sure the Master Sword was within grasp if he needed it. Probably. “I can move,” he answered loftily, only croaking a little, “whenever I want to.” 

“Sure,” Ganondorf agreed.

“I can.”

“Like I said, sure.”

Link groaned again. Dirt stuck to his lips in a very unheroic way. 

Seconds passed, then Ganondorf heaved another breath. It sounded more significant than the previous ones in some strange and foreboding way. He pushed off his knees with both hands and stood up straight. His spine popped immediately. “Damn the goddesses,” Ganondorf spat, bracing a clawed hand against the small of his back as he resumed his slouch. Link couldn’t help but nod in tired agreement. “And damn Demise!”

That sounded particularly vicious. Link nodded again for solidarity. “Is Demise the reason you’re so fucked up?”

“Yes,” Ganondorf hissed.

“Ah.” What was he supposed to say to that? Something meaningful, probably. “Sucks.”

“Indeed.” 

Something wet fell on Link’s face. Then it happened again. Rain, he thought bitterly. Maybe he’d be lucky enough to drown. “I don’t suppose you’re dying? Spare me the trouble of having to finish this?”

“Unfortunately, no,” Ganondorf grumbled. “You?”

“Also unfortunately no.”

Ganondorf eyed him skeptically. “I thought you’d bleed more when I cut off your hand.”

Ah yeah, that. His right wrist really hurt. “To be honest, me too.” A wave of dizziness washed over Link, which he promptly ignored like he had the last four times. “How did you survive that light magic bomb?”

Ganondorf shook his head. “No fucking idea. Luck, perhaps. I felt my heart stop for a moment.”

“Really? Cool.”

Ganondorf shrugged. 

“So… now what?” Link asked quietly, licking at the raindrops gathering on his upper lip. They tasted like dirt. “You gonna kill me?” Because in all honesty, he couldn’t get up. Trying left his pulse racing and his limbs trembling. He was pretty much useless. 

“I should,” Ganondorf answered just as quietly. 

When nothing else was said, Link grunted. “But…?”

“I’m tired.” Simple, honest, absolute. 

“Yeah,” Link muttered. “Me too.”

With a pained little oof, Ganondorf sat down beside Link, crossing his legs at the ankles and keeping his weight off of his left hip. He fiddled with his many bracelets. Link struggled to read his expression. “Perhaps I’ll feel up to it in a minute,” the King of Evil finally said. 

There was something awkward about that. Something sad. Link decided to do what he did best and make a nuisance of himself. “Did you have to sit so close? I wasn’t lying earlier. You stink. Does deodorant not apply to demon kings?”

“Shut up, worm.” Ganondorf flicked a pebble at him. Somehow, it landed right between Link’s eyes. 

“Ow! Fuck you.”

“In your dreams.”

Link gagged, loudly. The effect was ruined when it started to rain in earnest. Before he could think of the best way to complain, Ganondorf threw out a hand, and tendrils of dark magic formed a barrier above them. 

“Oh,” Link said lamely. “Guess you’re not out of juice after all.”

Ganondorf frowned up at the barrier. “It’ll last a minute if we’re lucky.”

“Then what?”

“Then we’ll get wet. Maybe you’ll be able to walk by then, assuming you don’t bleed out in the meantime.”

A pretty bold assumption, all things considered, but Link wasn’t going to say so. He’d take what he could get. “And then?” he pressed. 

Ganondorf clearly held back the first answer that came to mind. He pursed his lips before saying, “Your choice. I got us this far.”

Link couldn’t help it—he laughed. It sounded pretty terrible. “Yeah,” he wheezed after several seconds. “Yeah, I guess so. Okay.”

Ganondorf shook his head in apparent resignation. The barrier began to flicker. 

[bluebellseclipse]

thought i’d try posting something for once 🫣🫣 sorry for the quality 🙈

I call this one “Resting”

Now posting my art on @bluebelledmoon !

Click for better quality!

[multifandomboii]

Look at the dash, that's so cute!!

[joegramoe]

The Real Mt Rushmore

[marianamakesart]

Hey ya'll this is my piece for the Farewell Riot Forge Zine that was organized on Twitter. I was assigned to draw for Bandle Tale so I drew my two favorite yordles in one of the locations of the game 🧙‍♂️🧚‍♀️

[rhymaes]

Mysterious Lotus Casebook, Ep. 40 // The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights, John Steinbeck

[nemainofthewater]

Best Character Surnamed: Yuan

Come and vote for the best characters with the same surname!*

What does best mean? It's up to you! Whether you love them, are intrigued by their characters, love to hate them, or they're your '2 second blorbos whose personality you made up wholesale', these are all reasons for you to vote for your favs!

*note, the surnames are not exactly the same in all the cases, as often there will be a different character. I am, however, grouping them all together otherwise things got more complicated.

Propaganda is very welcome! If I’ve forgot anyone, let me know in the notes.

This is part of a larger series of ‘best character with X surname’ polls’. The overview with ongoing polls, winners, and future polls can be found here

[spellweavr]

The Legend of Heroes: Kai no Kiseki – Farewell O Zemuria

Rean, Crow, Altina, and Towa 🩷

[georgiapeach30513]

There’s something about seeing a grown man cry. The respect Jason has for so many NFL fans is astounding. When my dad even gets misty eyed and says, “Man, I would have loved to have him with the Falcons” 🫡 Jason Kelce is a good man.

[satoshi-mochida]

The Legend of Heroes: Kai no Kiseki - Farewell O Zemuria details Trails of Cold Steel series returning characters - Gematsu

Falcom has released new information and screenshots for The Legend of Heroes: Kai no Kiseki – Farewell, O Zemuria introducing The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel series returning characters Rean Schwarzer, Altina Orion, Crow Armbrust, Fie Claussell, and Towa Herschel.

Rean Schwarzer (voiced by Koki Uchiyama)

A young man who works as an instructor at Thors Military Academy in the Erebonian Empire. While he was once at the mercy of a great fate that surrounded the Empire, he was able to overcome it with the help of his many companions and collaborators. He has fully mastered the Eastern school of swordsmanship “Eight Leaves One Blade,” and is currently known as the “Divine Blade of Ash.” In this game, Rean joins his Thors Military Academy Class VII companions after receiving an invitation from former enemy nation the Republic of Calvard for “a certain reason.” Around the same time, he receives a letter from his master Yun Ka-fai, whom he has not seen for quite some time…

Altina Orion (voiced by Inori Minase)

Age: 17

A member of the Thors Military Academy Strategy Research Lab. After graduation, she also became partially affiliated with the Imperial branch of the Epstein Foundation. In battle, her partner combat shell Claiomh Solais transforms into the next-generation weapon “Shield Caliber.” Despite being born into unique circumstances, she is now growing up as a normal human, and sets foot into Calvard with her former instructor and current colleague Rean. In this game, she becomes the liaison in charge of a “certain matter” at the Foundation’s request.

Crow Armbrust (voiced by Takahiro Sakurai)

Age: 25

A young freelance contractor in Taslem, a free city in the north-central region of the continent, who negotiates, mediates, and resolves matters such as international disputes and conflicts behind the scenes. After overcoming the unusual events that occurred in the Empire and Crossbell, he was able to resolve the turmoil in his hometown Jurai with the help of his companions… Following this, he moved his base of operations not to the Empire or Jurai, but to the free city adjacent to northeastern Calvard. In addition to using a large-scale motorcycle from the Etwas Company to get around, he also signed a contract with the mercenary group Marduk Total Security Company and has updated his double-edged sword “Double Saber” to a new, foldable type. In this game, he will join Rean, a good friend and companion from Class VII, in Ored, where Marduk Total Security Company is headquartered.

Fie Claussell (voiced by Hisako Kanemoto)

Age: 21

A girl known as “Sylphid,” a B-rank bracer of the Imperial Bracer Guild, who is currently on assignment in Calvard again. She assisted Zin, Elaine, and the others during the series of turmoil involving the mafia organization Almata last year. Thanks to a mutual acquaintance with Feri, she has also built a good relationship with the Arkride Solutions Office. In this game, she will join and support Rean and the others, who have been unofficially invited by the Republic. She proposes a “certain suggestion” using her connections with Van and company, but…

Towa Herschel (voiced by Ai Nonaka)

Age: 24

A woman who was transferred from Thors Military Academy in the Erebonian Empire to Aramis High School as a temporary instructor. Though petite and easy to mistake for a student, she is extremely intelligent and highly skilled in operations. Since her school days as president of the student council, she has managed numerous administrative tasks, negotiations, and even commanded an airship. In addition to being an instructor, she is also a member of an international non-governmental organization, where she fully demonstrates her abilities and continues to earnestly tackle issues such as conflict zones and poverty. In this game, she joins her younger colleague Rean and former classmate Crow to support them as they visit a facility that her grandfather, a renowned astronomer, once visited.

The Legend of Heroes: Kai no Kiseki – Farewell O Zemuria is due out for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on September 26 in Japan.

If you missed our previous coverage, read more about the game’s characters, story, and new battle system elements here, here, and here.

View the screenshots at the gallery.

[remosss]

my two pieces for the Farewell Riot Forge zine! had an absolute blast studying the styles of The Ruined King and CONVERGENCE 💜 (characters in the first piece are from the “Oaku and Urfson” lore journals, ft @wizardmilfs’s character Rusty from my Runeterra ttrpg campaign!)

[goldensunset]

do you think volo would survive the reapers game

my knee jerk reaction is to say yes absolutely he’s so good at playing nice with his partner and legitimately working together to solve puzzles and fight noise. all the while thinking like joshua that like ‘we’re not here to make friends my partner is competition too in the end it’s gonna be me or them’ but like he’s smart enough to know he needs them

but i do think a realistic way for him to lose is to jump the gun and betray his partner too fast… like. the whole shtick at the temple of sinnoh is crazy to me bc the protag absolutely heard him muttering about summoning giratina who wants to fight arceus, and about wanting to create a better world, etc. like the protag has to be a total idiot or they’re full on crazy enough to absolutely go along with his plans. so like what i’m saying is he didn’t even have to turn on them and be evil he could’ve just kept acting like he was being normal and cool and strung them along until it was too late to know what was going on. or just like. laid out his plans and openly convinced them to be insane too. to work as true partners. so there could be a similar situation in the reaper’s game where he’s so close to winning the game (whether fairly or unfairly) but he just has to break out the dramatic villain laugh too early and then promptly get the floor wiped with him. he throws it all away for nothing

[anass-ibrahimovic]

Zlatan Ibrahimović celebrated by sweden's national team during the international friendly soccer match between Sweden and Serbia at the Friends Arena on june 08, 2024

[demacianpuppet]

Since I have not seen anyone talk about it.

Yesterday, the community launched a free Farewell - A Riot Forge Zine which we say goodbye to the amazing Forge games we could experience over the years.

It is complete free and a lot of amazing people put so much effort into it. I also wrote a Conv/gence piece for it as well.

Please go and check it out, and after that go and replay your favorite forge game.