#fd: Manifest

[enchanted--roses]

My newest couple, i love this thanks !

BIRTHDAY BASH EXCHANGE

Ruby Lewis & Ben Stone for @malice1329

I hope you like it!

[vordenburg]

Before Pride Month ends, I would love someone to announce they’ve been cast as co-leads in a sapphic Western — it can be Classic or Contemporary, I don’t mind.

[summertimemusician]

Linktober Day 9

Deity

*sneezes after downing coffee* Well irl stuff got in the way so I'm way behind my original schedule for these and for Linktober but here we go with another arguably short one, fuelled purely by self indulgence, headcanons, spite against my linguist essays that kept me from keeping to schedule, severe sleep deprivation, a shout out to the Ender Lilies soundtrack and Majora's Mask soundtrack, and Nintendo for not clarifying anything about the lore so I'm snatching what I can and making it my own lol. Look, when you fíxate so much on details the Zelda team doesn't elaborate on you have to fill in the gaps with what you can.

As always can be read as romantic or platonic, technically in a LU context but not explicitly in it by itself.

The Lord of the Mountain liked hearing people sing.

In a way, it wasn’t a surprise, Hylia and the Golden Three each had their ballads and symphonies and minuets, each splendid and with cuts of their divinity in it, Farore was fond of lightning and forest alive minuets, and you could swear Farosh sparked just a bit brighter when one would him the beginnings of the Minuet of the Forest near their spring, Din was fond of boleros, fiery and alive and howling with the echo of flame touching earth that made a shine run through Dinraal’s scales, Nayru, in contrast, was much fonder of blizzard and river quiet serenades, the songs of contemplation at first snow ringing clear when Naydra curled around it’s spring, content to be free of Malice.

And of course Hylia had her ballads and lullabies, perfectly fitting to her display of divinity, of honey days and vast bird like wings, of ambered summers to come and to pass and dazzling solar storms of starlight and sunlight sparking through the human form of her descendants and heroes. So in a way, you weren’t surprised at all that the Lord of the Mountain – Satori, with a familiar touch of londsleite divinity, the hunt of the woodland beasts and diamondscar adoration for the Hero of the Wilds, similar in glory to the Light Spirits petrichor and vermeil fondness for the Hero of the Twilight – liked to listen to people sing. What you were surprised was how it attempted to follow along, it’s head across your lap the second you sat down in the clearing, a gentle hum on back of it’s throat, an owl’s cry and a cicada’s humming and faintly, chirring purring as presses it’s faces into your hands, a gentle request for petting.

It was adorable, even with the faint notes of the chill of clear spring water on winter and the livewire feeling of magic, like holding your hand too close to a flame but not quite touching it.

A low chuckle brushes against the back of your mind, a feeling like biting on ice, the prowl of a wild beast and the build up of lightning and light used to create his blade, the amused affection of a warrior reconvening with their brother in arms, you think you see the bone ivory of the Deity’s hair on the side of your vision, though you know he’s not physically there, ‘He likes you.’

You hum, gently patting behind it’s ears, pushing through the chill, gracefully not mentioning the burning with a smile at the mythic being’s faint chirring, birdsong and the wind through cherry blossoms that sparkle like rose quartz, “Well I quite like him too, I can see where it’s gentleness comes from.”

The ghost of a touch over your hair, the caress of lightning striking over your skin and the hair on the back of your neck pricking up and the crisp cold of winter, the chill of the ending and the flame of a new dawn, of new days, the phantom of magnolias and spring water on your tongue. The fragrance of pine, daffodils and blood soaked lilies on ashen fields on your senses, gentle and careful, marking but not claiming, ‘Only because it’s you, beloved. It’s not something easily given.’

You sigh, shakily composing yourself, you let yourself relax into the phantom sensation. Of hopes and dreams and healed suffering, of the divinity of hunt turned into protection and lightning given form, of tangled timelines and crystalized memories, “I know. It does not change my opinion, either way.”

To be the subject of a god’s care and regard was dangerous, after all. For the human and the deity in question, you know the stories from your world well, of the effects of Hylia on First and Sky, of Twilight and the personification of the Twilight Realm and the spirits of his land, of Wild and clawing from death’s embrace into that of the wilderness.

Knew how the fact the Fierce Deity’s mere proximity causing pain on those who changed him into hunting for hunt’s sake into protection for the sake of someone else cut deeper than even the ever encroaching entropy all beings must one day face. It was no wonder the Song of Healing was his creation, to want to ease the burden.

You gladly grant him some peace, in turn, even if it wasn’t much. It’s the least you can do, for always having his ways of watching over your heroes.

“Join me? We can make a duet.”

You feel more than see him shift, ephemeral, fleeting, gentle against the edges of your existence, as foreign to Hyrule as your own, sparking over your spine as you feel ozone and rust on your teeth. Satori is humming again to match the rumble of thunder in the man’s voice, the heralding of songs of war and elegies for the dead, ‘Of course, though I’m afraid I do not know many songs, besides…’

“It’s alright,”, you smile faintly, there’s a white ocarina in his hands, as he leans, a spectre against your side, “I’ll teach you some of my own, though you’ll have to forgive me if I don’t remember all the lyrics.”

‘It would be my honor to learn.’

You think he smiles, from the fluttering of something ancient and long forgotten against your side.

You sing to Satori and the Chain, a small respite of familiar and forgotten tunes, the Lord of the Mountain hums along. The Fierce Deity’s song cutting through any nightmares that may ail your heroes for another night.

When the dawn of a new day comes, the feeling of divinity against your skin feels just a bit more obvious, sinking into every crack of your being like a shroud, falling over your boys like a veil, reflecting the breath of eternity over Hyrule.

(First gives you a look that’s half exasperation, half understanding. Sky pointedly sticks to your side as Time looks you over, markings deep with vibrant color. You shrug with a helpless smile as you feel the lightest brushes of Hylia’s fond days of gold and starlit summers days against the Lord of the Mountains warm, luminous affection and the Fierce Deity’s smug, but content lonsdaleite smile.)

[lafiaso]

quick sketch to celebrate VIRCHE FD!!!!!!!

I can't wait to see you again bb! I wanna see you smile and happy!

[abiibas]

day 300 something of hoping that runway update comes ft more damien 😳

[jupiterjunebug]

i love bruv but i will also do a run in to ensure he loses, ya feel me?

[yourlocaltreesimp]

Yan!Chain Headcannons

part 1(Hyrule and Legend)

This episode is dedicated to @mushroomwoods and our conversation on how we want to marry Twilight

Tw: Yandarism and it’s accessories, violence, obsession, cannibalism mentioned, Twi has wolf mannerisms, Time has FD living vicariously in his mind

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

Twilight

Absolute gentleman when you first got to know eachother, one of the more willing ones to give you trust without falling head over heels. Became close friends before he realised your part as his guide.

Speaking of, there’s a lot of guilt to say with Midna. He never really got to know if she loved him back. All he knows is that he fell in love with his guide and then, they were gone. If you see where this is leading then you know.

When Twilight rather abruptly remembers that you were in fact his guide alongside Midna, he doubts his own feelings. Especially considering all of the protectiveness he’d had to repress from the wolf which still made its place in his mind. But… you came back. And you cared. So, he must’ve loved you, right ? He’d be blind if he didn’t.

Main love language is probably physical touch and words of affirmation. It’s what he grew up with in Ordon and it’s what’s comforting to him. So, it’s what he extends when caring for you.

He also has the tendency for acts of service while he’s crushing. Will drop whatever he was assigned to do so you can sleep, talk, have company. Or do things you didn’t ask for like mending your clothes, restocking your bag, killing a man.

Absolute sweetheart. Cuddle buddy. Guard dog. Will cannibalise someone who’s rude to you as Wolfie and won’t bat an eye. Your safety is the most important.

Speaking on Wolfie and guard dogs, I mentioned this briefly before. Twilight has some left over effects from his wolf form. Keener senses, sharper attention, as well as various other side effects he’s taken in. They all manifest as an extra voice in his mind. Not like a separate person per say, just a separate intelligence. Like when you’re panicking and that primal voice tells you to run. He just has it all of the time. Especially in regards to you. As far as that little voice is concerned, you are his. Not shared with anyone. Not part of any other universe. Not by anyone else’s side. His. His love, his deity, his light, his mate (such term of endearment making the little voice keen with happiness). All his. And he’d do anything under the stars to keep it that way.

He’d love to just keep you in Ordon, where the people are tight knit, and where you can’t wander off without him knowing. He’ll work so you can stay at home and rest, maybe even look after the kids he’ll stick you with. It’s a dream of his, actually. The only thing him and his primal side agrees on.

They also agree that kidnapping you is Ay okay if it means that picturesque comfy living is the end of it.

Preferred nicknames for you: Darlin’, Love, Sweet Heart, Sugar, Babe, Honey

Bonus: He and Warriors had a bet on who could make you the most flustered. He’s a bit of a flirt with accent of his, especially after he learns of its affect on you.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

Time

Absolute last when it came to falling for you. He doesn’t even know why in hindsight, he’d always taken a shine to you. He just… never noticed. dense as mf Anyway- You were definitely friends, or at least reliable source of comfort and calm. You’d talk him off the ledge of his panic attacks, cradling him like he was so precious and in turn, you never really worked as a part of the chain. Well, He never forced you at least. You always did anyway.

The deity was the first to point it out, being the one to live in his head. Pointing out his Time would never let anyone else do what you did, never. But alas, the deity still regarded you as a weak spot in Time’s bleeding heart, and there was nothing he could do to change that.

The others were next, teasing him about it. They didn’t think their suspicions were real, however, until they saw the frozen look he had on his face.

He was the last aside from you to realise it, coming swiftly after remembering your guidance. He’d always thought your caring nature as a rouse. But seeing how you never gave up on him, growing up alongside him, keeping him safe from dangers he was forced into… he was a fool for you.

Love language is Quality time and Acts of service. Loves just simply being with you, enjoying one another. He has to repay the favours of what you’ve done for him. A nice massage, a rest day, a nap. Anything your heart desires.

That said, you not only have one overly protective mf on your hands… but two! FD, while originally seeing you as an oversight, fell like an angel from heaven. I’m scared for whoever throws disrespect on your name because they will be delt with, By both the Hero of Time and the Fierce Deity of War.

Time would court you traditionally. Flowers, Gifts, Poetry. Whatever he could truly accomplish given the circumstances. You are pampered more an any of the Zeldas in any of the timelines. So much as make a single comment of how much you like something and his wallet is open.

Might genuinely think you’re a deity, you’re the only one FD likes enough to seek out approval from, so that must mean you’re something.

Worships the ground you walk on. Kills any nonbelievers. That’s his motto

Would definitely kidnap you. Between him and the deity, you’re not leaving. But depending on how cooperative you are, he’ll be a little more lax. Might even let you get a job if you’re good enough, so long as he can walk you to and from home like a good partner.

Preferred nicknames for you: my Love, my Beloved, Dearest, Darling, anything classy.

Bonus: He’s definitely thought about how similar Twi and you can be, down to comparing what traits were passed down the lineage to his successor.

[thevoidgalactic]

Disabilities and Mental Health in Fractured Dreamscapes

A ramble by yours truly

Literally just me rambling about some of the disabilities my characters have, nothing serious-

Likely will contain spoilers for FD, but nothing major. Some of this is set during/after installments that I haven't written yet, but there's nothing really pertaining to the progression of the story

regardless, all of this will be under the cut, in case you'd like to read FD first (Linked in my pinned post).

enjoy!

Basically everyone in FD is disabled in one way or another, mentally and/or physically.

most, if not all of these, are important to their character or what they represent.

some of the less obvious ones i wanna mention are-

Artemis has peripheral neuropathy and uses a mobility aid.

Directly after Artemis was taken back home from Apathy, they hid in their room for the majority of the time, too afraid to interact with anyone and too exhausted to try. Naturally, this inactivity along with being trapped in Apathy (Wherein time functions differently) led to some health problems, the most prominent of which being neuropathy. It was difficult and sometimes impossible for them to walk after that due to numbness and joint pain. Eventually in the timeline, they start using crutches to get around with less pain.

Helios has stress induced psychosis.

There's already a fic about this! Atlas causes Helios a Shit Ton of stress and paranoia, which manifests as auditory and visual hallucinations, and nightmares/sleep paralysis. Now, this is primarily for the story, but it does have a little bit of real-world relevance. (although, real stress-induced psychosis is usually short term, while Helios's is long term)

Atlas has an unnamed condition.

Why is it unnamed? Atlas is the functional main character of FD and the catalyst for most of the events. As such, even if he's an ass, I do want some level of being able to project--so he exhibits a mixed range of symptoms that are usually shared between multiple conditions, including borderline personality disorder, schizophrenia, psychosis, bipolar disorder, and simple anxiety disorders and depression. Obviously, he isn't a perfect representation of any of these conditions, nor are any of these characters, as I'm not an expert. But i do try to do my research.

There are many more disabilities represented in FD, but i just wanted to ramble about these for a bit! If anyone knows more than I do, feel free to correct me (POLITELY).

ok bye

[nell0-0]

It's Fierce deity anon because yes, I'm ill about em, but im also the one who's ill about ur recent art so it's fine

Op heal that hand!!! i believe in you! nothing must stop you from drawing ur blorbos! i believe in it to heal faster,manifesting a speedy recovery even

ill keep giggling in my evil little place as i have placed little seeds of the Fierce and Time/Mask agenda, i think they're silly chat, i think Fierce likes to ruffle his hair from time to time, I think Fierce git attached the moment he realized 'this child is selfless, he'd give himself up if it meant protecting others and now I'm willing to sacrifice myself for this lil guy, he's my son now'

im exploding chat, im clawing at the walls of my lil place because of them, sobs

So happy to hear you like my art ^^. Believe me, I would love to draw the blorbos all the time it I could, I have ✨ plans ✨. Sadly, those plans need a healthy hand or I risk overdoing it *sigh*

Hmmm... I'm terrible at updating fics since I get sidetracked by drawing fanart all the time, but may I suggest Avoiding conflict is conflictive by yours truly?

In truth, I've had the next chapter half written for months, I really should get back to that. It's fun both drawing and writing for the FD and Time/Mask duo

You've given me a mighty need to draw FD ruffling both Mask's and Time's hair, so thanks for that I guess anon, I know what I'll be drawing in the future. I love parental FD as much as I love FD being clueless as to how mortals feel and think.

So much miscommunication between those two, and yet they both care about each other but feel the other has burned their bridge long ago and- aughhhh they make me ill /pos

[zot3-flopped]

Love how independent and free spirited Harry is. Just strolling along on his own in the sunshine, without even a bodyguard - let alone the paid companions who accompany needy Louis everywhere he goes.

[enchanted--roses]

Love it thanks

BIRTHDAY BASH EXCHANGE

MEET RUBY LEWIS' FAMILY for @malice1329

Andreas Lewis - Father

Magnolia Lewis - Mother

Ruby Lewis

Jayden Lewis - Twin Brother

Ben Stone - Fiance

Olive Stone - Stepdaughter

Cal Stone - Stepson

I hope you like it!

[bearlytolerant]

Evil God Theory part 2

Hello again. I posted about my theory on the tentacled character coming out of the veil in the gameplay trailer in a part one post. Now I’m going to talk about the second figure with the elf ears.

I think our other friend could be Falon’Din. I will be honest, my confidence in the evil god on the right being Falon’Din isn’t as great as my first post but he’s still my first pick and here’s why:

This was a phrase said by an unfamiliar voice in the very short trailer (:33) we got on Dragon Age Day:

“All the world will soon share the peace and comfort of my reign.”

Falon’Din was the god who guided people into Uthenera (a peaceful sleep) but solas says this about him:

I do not believe they sing songs about Falon’Din’s vanity. It is said Falon’Din’s appetite for adulation was so great, he began wars to amass more worshippers. The blood of those who wouldn’t bow low filled lakes as wide as oceans. Mythal rallied the gods, once the shadow of Falon’Din’s hunger stretched across her own people. It was almost too late.

Imagine a god who ushers people into eternal sleep being a bloodthirsty conquerer. He would probably think his reign was comforting and peaceful if everyone is dead.

Also it’s understandable if you don’t necessarily believe Solas. This codex is pretty interesting too though:

The People swore their lives to Falon'Din
Who mastered the dark that lies.
Whose shadows hunger
Whose faithful sing
Whose wings of death surround him
Thick as night.

Lethanavir, master-scryer, be our guide, 
Through shapeless worlds and airless skies.

—Song to Falon'Din, found in the Temple of Mythal, author unknown

Reusing this lovely picture from before but highlighting the background in red because it looks like the world could be experiencing an eclipse. A very nice and literal representation of someone associated with darkness and shadows and night being able to cloak the whole world in darkness.

Now onto some other Falon’Din things. The shape on this figure’s head most closely resembles shapes associated with Falon’Din as pictured with the owl constellation Tenebrium. I’ll just put what the wiki says here:

Falon’Din’s sacred animal is an owl. It is either his companion or his manifestation and simultaneously a messenger of Andruil. The constellation Tenebrium, called “shadow” in the common parlance and depicting an owl, may have been associated with him before it became associated with the old god of night, Lusacan. Falon’Din himself is sometimes depicted as a cloaked and hooded pointing figure.

A comparison of the figures headpiece and horn-like appendages(?) behind the shoulders and the constellation association:

Now onto some outfit comparisons.

From Vir Dirthara: Duel of a Hundred Years

The pages of this book—memory?—show a narrow plateau on top of a mountain, Two armored figures—one in gold, one in black—are fighting in the snow. Steel flickers so fast the air hums. Blood dots the ground. They do not stop for breath. The one in black makes no sound as a blade parts his throat.

"Mythal, in her wisdom, interceded in an argument between Elgar'nan and Falon'Din. With clever words, she convinced them to settle their grievance through a battle of their champions. Elgar'nan and Falon'Din agreed, and set their champions against each other rather than declare war among the gods. May those knights long be remembered, and Mythal's wisdom be praised."

The codex does not say which champion was which when fighting but we could assume Elgar’nan’s was dressed in gold (big E and all his sun/light symbolism), while FD’s champion is probably the one dressed in black. While the main cloak/robe seems to be black (refer to the pic after the statue), there’s also a lot of gold so again, not real strong evidence but it could be something. Also the sleeves match up decently with the Falon’Din statue sleeves.

I did notice too that this outfit seems to match up in some ways with Falon’Din’s outfit in the mosaic. Where the clothes in the mosaic are belted together, it seems this character has the same style but I can’t be certain because the lighting doesn’t help.

I also included an old dao picture of a statue because the shoulder piece in that statue plus the way the figure stands near the end of the gameplay trailer reminded me a lot of that particular statue. So I put them side by side so you can have a look for yourself.

All that to say, my theory on the second one isn’t as strong and I don’t feel like I have enough evidence yet to be super confident but this is my best guess.

Also if we think about the two that Mythal has had to humble it was Andruil and Falon’Din. Mythal had to take Andruil’s voidy toys away. Falon’Din got too blood thirsty and was forced to go into timeout when Mythal went to Dad Elgar’nan about him and he lost the duel. Plus there’s some connection with his symbol being an owl and the owl being a messenger for Andruil. So it would be fun to see this little duo be our boss fight baddies.

Again, if you read this far, thank you!

[lafiaso]

"To the young Lucas Proust of that fateful day she will support you. So dont cry and suffer all alon, dont be afraid to speak up when you are in pain. Because you will meet someone who will accept you for who you are, and who will love you in return. I can assure you that." -Lucas Proust

[hao-and-yoh]

Understanding the Shaman King “Fractured Duality” Multi-Universe.

The Main FD timeline universe exists on its own reality plain separate from the SK Canon, where the FD story took place. All canonical facts exist and all canonical characters exist. In this universe/reality, events in the Shaman Fight diverged from the beginning of the tournament - which centralised on a new route to the conclusion of the Shaman Fight centering on a redemption path for the destined Shaman King: Asakura Hao.

Post Shaman Fight, significant changes have occurred. The Asakura family live in peace in Funbari Onsen. Asakura Hana grows up in a loving home environment with both his parents and is a budding young shaman learning the ways of the shaman world with Matamune as his guardian spirit. The family are regularly visited by The Shaman King, Hana’s uncle and brother to Asakura Yoh.

There is no “Flowers of Maize” in this universe. Though the branches of the other Asakura family lines do exist.

Other key factors include:

- Asakura Opacho is raised with Hana within the Asakura household. Tamao plays a key parental role in her upbringing.

- Canonically Ren is married to Jeanne, they have a son, Tao Men. Jeanne is alive and well in this universe.

- The Golem was destroyed after the Shaman Fight at Hao’s request.

- Asakura Munzer Redseb and Asakura Munzer Seyram were raised by Mikihisa and are friends of the Asakura family, living locally to the Asakura household.

This is not an extensive list.

“The Realm of the Shaman Kings” universe is a play box of possibilities for wider stories. The Shaman King here exists on a higher plain above all other realities. As God and observer of the wider universe, the King’s role is to maintain peace and order across the multiverse. His central inner identity is multi-faceted, as he is the God to all these worlds at once. Therefore, his route to reaching his Godhood had an infinite number of paths, as he remains the destined victor of the Shaman Fight in every universe where the Shaman Fight exists.

Canonically, Hao manifested a version of his brother within the “Realm of the Shaman Kings” using the Great Spirits.

Put more simply, from a fictional exploration perspective, the Hao in this realm is FD Hao and Canon SK Hao at the same time. The same can be said about the Yoh that exists in this universe, too.

Note: Due to the vastness and infinite possibilities within the observable multiverse, it is entirely possible that “Alt Hao” came from one of these realities, but was not “removed” from his reality, and instead “cloned/copied” by the previous Shaman King to meet the requirements of the deal that was struck between the King and Matamune. However this is not “Canon”, and is left open to interpretation.

The Alternative Universe did not exist until the King created this world as an act of mercy and kindness for the being that is “Alt Hao” from the FD universe. In this world, The Shaman Fight no longer exists.

This reality does not exist within the normal plains of other realities within the multiverse, and instead exists in a commune within the Great Spirits. The world itself is a true reflection of the real world, including illusions of a population. Here, “Alt Hao” lives in peace with the brother he remembers from his vast fabricated memory of his past/life. “Alt Yoh” also shares these memories. The King included facts he was aware of at the point of this world creation, including “Alt Yoh’s” strong power/furyoku. Yoh’s personality is almost the same as his true self, though he is influenced by his brother and his experience being raised along side his twin. “Alt Hao” remembers his experience from the FD universe and is aware he is an illusion. He does not remember his encounter with the King within the “Realm of the Shaman Kings.”

Canon Universe remains as one separate observable reality that exists on a linear time line in the same way as the FD timeline. The conclusion to the Shaman Fight remains the same here, and the events of “Shaman King Flowers” and beyond remain the same. Hao is the Shaman King in this universe the same way he is King in the FD universe.

2001 og Anime Universe

As the author of the fanfiction world(s) listed above, (and as the above fanfic facts are subject to change) the fate of the 2001 og anime reality remains a fun idea for me. Throughout the writing journey of “Fractured Duality” - there were several points I was inspired to include references to the original anime, as this story has its own Canon divergence journey - ending with there being no declared victor of the Shaman Fight.

(15/01/2025)

Note: I am delighted to add to this post that the “the 2001 og anime universe” is now “Canon” in the “Fractured Duality” Multi-verse.

Note: The fanfiction world facts listed above are subject to change and are not an extensive list.

[aikoiya]

LoZ LU: Fierce Daddy

My hc? Fierce would see each & every one of the Links as his sons & every last Zelda (minus Sun) as his daughters.

However, more so in a spiritual sense.

This is based upon the hc that FD is who First was before he was First & the hc that he & Hylia were married.

However, he's stoic, very quiet, & somber. And he sometimes experiences PTSD. This is because, in my hc, he too was a protector much like the Links.

The difference is that while the Links typically (side-eyes Legend) only get a max of 2-3 adventures, then they just go about their lives. FD was on his "adventure" for, quite possibly, thousands of years with very few breaks.

This is, in the end, why he is the way he is.

Before that, he was generally a very soft-spoken, shy, introverted, gentle boy. Now, he's still quiet, but in a cold way. He can also be vindictive, harsh, & blunt.

Despite this, in his very being, he is a compassionate & empathetic person who hurts deeply when innocents are made victims of injustice. Underneath his aloof persona is someone who puts others first before himself.

The thing is that Demise had only just been repelled temporarily by the Golden 3 & several other deities, including Hebrogar, Sheikaku's father, & it'd left them sapped & the first patron deity of the land had disappeared. It was theorized that Demise had murdered him. (The theory is incorrect.)

But anyway, Demise had begun to kill mortals as bloodsport & to corrupt those that swore fealty to him.

The Golden Land became tarnished as the Monster General raped & pillaged & murdered & even cannibalized the people of the land.

And after he was sent packing for the first time, FD, Sheikaku, was named the next patron. The reason being that he was one of the only deities that didn't have a significant position in any other pantheon yet & none of the other ones seemed willing to touch the once Golden Land for fear of the Daiyōkai returning & making an example out of them.

And when FD realized this, he volunteered to be the next patron.

No one told him that he had to do this. It wasn't thrust upon him or spoonfed to him about it being destiny or his responsibility. Nobody even suggested that he do so. More so, he saw the chaos around him, saw that no one else was stepping up, & he decided that it may as well be him.

Unfortunately, he had to learn very quick that words wouldn't always be enough. Oh, he'd tried, but the longer he did not act, the more monsters, yōkai, & even Demise's mortal followers began to commit more atrocities upon innocents.

While his father, Hebrogar, had trained him to fight & protect himself, he'd never had to kill a person & the very idea galled him. But his people were dying & he was doing nothing... So, he took up his sword & forged himself into a weapon of both protection & just retribution; a Daikishin (Sheikah) or Dāvoh'lawàr (Gerudo), a wrathful god who visits just vengeance upon those who have wronged innocents. However, he does so without being guided by hate.

Although, the act of doing so. Of killing so many thinking beings, even wicked ones, took its toll on him.

He spent the next few thousand years cleaning out the evil from the land.

And as he traveled across the Golden Land, he also put to rest the souls of the dead & delivered them to the Beckonwyld (my hc of the Hyrulean afterlife). This typically involved the use of a song he'd created called the Song of Healing. However, that didn't always mean that it was always peaceful. There were times when the souls became corrupted by their own On'nen & manifested bodies from it to become Poes, which Sheikaku would then need to either soothe or put down with his Nijūrasen Zanbatō.

He became exactly what his current title implies, a Fierce Deity. A being inspired by the Japanese Kishin & the Buddhist Pāla, specifically the Dharma Pāla. Even more specifically, Yama. He became outwardly cold, ferocious, & vindictive towards his enemies. He became a god of war, retribution, death, spirits, twilight, & the moon. A figure of divine judgment.

He was deeply feared.

Yet despite this, he somehow managed to retain his compassionate & loving heart, though now it was hardened & scarred by trauma, as well as hidden behind walls.

However, at his very core, he is extremely Ashitaka-coded (from Princess Mononoke). He always does only what he believes is necessary, but at every chance he gets, if he sees a way to get peace, he will choose that. Like, he will choose to fight & defend himself, but he refuses to do so with hate in his heart. Which... is very difficult to do because... that's how he started out...

He used to get so angry over what was being done to his people... but as time passed, he learned that all this did was cause more pain, so he began to train himself in restraint & emotional control.

His family helped a lot with this. His father especially, who taught him the most about emotional control & resilience. About stoicism in the face of tribulation. If not for him, Sheikaku may have become like Demise...

He is also very no-nonsense & ever so slightly autism-coded in a similar way to how Ashitaka is.

Remember, he's witnessed the absolute worst of humanity over & over, repeatedly for thousands of years with only brief glimpses of light.

Problem is, due to his new reputation as a terrifying avenger, his fellow deities began to fear that he'd become another Demise &, honestly... he didn't blame them. His first couple hundred years as the patron certainly didn't do him many favors. (Though, such a fear was unfounded.)

Despite everything, he stepped down willingly as patron, but continued to protect the mortals of the Golden Land even after Hylia had been appointed because it was no longer just his responsibilty or duty. While yes, he only got brief glimpses of light & most of the time he was facing down humanity's worst... those brief instances shone bright like stars in the abyss of the night. He had come to love the land & it's people. He wanted to see them prosper...

It was at this point that Demise began to show his ugly mug again, but this time, he was beaten back every time by Sheikaku. Which... was astounding considering how it took the Golden 3 plus other deities to fight him back last time... Not that it was ever easy...

In the beginning, Hylia too feared him, but as time passed & she realized that he never once harmed any of her wards, she began to realize that he was more than what people assumed. Which, she hoped was the case as she missed her old friend.

She became curious &... over time... something blossomed between them.

Eventually, they wed (he made her the Goddess Harp as a wedding present) & she & FD created the Hylians & the Sheikah in conjunction, thus making the 2, sister peoples.

They then placed a sort of boon upon them that made it so that should one of the 2 peoples ever die out, the other would begin to bring more into the world.

This explains how the Sheikah always come back from what appears to be extinction.

But, moving on. FD designed a sacred weapon, a sword, that he hoped would protect his wife & their people, & possibly kill Demise once & for all. As a god of the forge of the Golden Land's pantheon & an experienced master blacksmith (among many other things), with the right materials, the correct magical infusions, & the appropriate runes, the weapon could do the job.

However, before he could begin to make it, Demise resurfaced, more powerful than ever. More than Sheikaku could handle on his own this time.

His mind scrambled for a moment before a calm came over him & his resolve steeled. FD gave the blueprints to Hylia, trusting her wisdom & skill in forging (which he'd taught her). Despite knowing how to do it, she was neither a master nor a goddess of the forge & thus, the resulting sword would not be nearly enough to end the bastard. (Though, just being a goddess with an amateur's level of forging skill still counted as a master work among mortals.) In normal circumstances, the best option would've been to have either Din or Hebrogar forge it, but both were still recovering from forcing Demise back before. So, Hylia could only follow their advice.

Either way, Sheikaku chose to fight Demise, & after informing his wife of his current plan & his back-up plan in case everything went to absolute shit, held the Daimaō off for weeks while Hylia forged the Goddess Sword.

But in the end, it wasn't soon enough to save FD.

The god of war & retribution knew that he was dying, but rather than simply fade away, he decided that he would do something that no other deity known to their world had. As his life slipped away from him, he could see above him the cosmic forces that called him to them. Because deities don't reincarnate upon death, they just join the universe & another takes their place. But, then he looked down & saw Samsara spinning below him like a carousel of colors. He thought to himself that he did not know whether or not his successor would be up to the task thrust upon them. They could fail. And all that they'd worked for would die...

Decision made, Sheikaku once more steeled his resolve & looked upon that which so many of his kind saw as a wheel of endless suffering & plunged into its terrible, wonderful, confusing rapids that immediately pulled him under. Giving up his godhood & willingly entering the reincarnation cycle. For he knew that the Triforce would not work for a deity & as of that moment, it was the best hope that his wife, his family, his people, had.

Needless to say, Sheikaku has a lot of issues & traumas to work through.

Though, despite all this, he would absolutely rend the flesh from the bones of ANYONE who dared harm the Links or the Zeldas.

He has... mixed feelings about Sky because of the fact that he & Sun are together. Though, not because of anything Sky did. It's just the fact that Sun remembers... Which is not something that was supposed to happen. (Forget the fact that he hadn't expected her to follow him.)

The whole point of reincarnation is to start over. So, remembering your previous life was kind of counterintuitive &... well... Sheikaku missed his wife...

It was like being put into a coma only to wake up & learn that your wife had been told you were dead & gotten married again during that time... In a lot of ways, Sheikaku felt left behind even though, logically, he knew that Sky was one of his reincarnations.

Feelings don't always make sense.

LoZ Linked Universe Masterlist

[frigid666]

re: female dating strategy, vetting in dating & the wizardliz

for those of you who aren't in the loop (and im sure it's not that many, seeing as im one of the last people to address this social media issue), the wizardliz is the username of 26-year-old dating and femininity coach lize dzjabrailova. she has had an active social media presence since 2021, and amassed a following of over 5 million on instagram. her content is geared towards young women, and primarily discusses topics of self-improvement through "manifestation," confidence-building, beauty and femininity. her content is meant to coach young women on how to navigate social interactions successfully, with emphasis on romantic relationships. to say her content is about "finding a provider man" feels a bit reductive to me, but it is part of her brand. her brand is all about being a beautiful, unattainable woman with long term goals and high expectations for others - including and especially for the men who wish to court her. she's largely considered part of the female dating strategy (fds) sphere, although im unsure about whether she's ever claimed this label for herself.

she entered into a relationship with landon nickerson, a 26-year-old youtube gamer and enterpeneur (im unclear about what business he owns though), in 2022 that progressed very quickly. in the span of three years, they got engaged and began expecting their first child together. she recently exposed him for cheating on her through snapchat with an alleged fan of hers. at four months pregnant, she publicly ended their engagement, ended their relationship, and sold her engagement ring; she pledged to donate a portion of the sale to a charity for single mothers, though when faced with significant legal challenges against the sale of the ring, donated approximately $65k of her own money. overall, i believe she navigated the situation with a lot of dignity and class. instead of turning a blind eye and accusing another woman of lying about being privately messaged by her fiance, she believed her. her decision to expose him and leave may very well have saved her brand. yes, she got played and became the woman who got cheated on while pregnant, but she was able to salvage her dignity (and brand) by publicly taking her own advice - getting up, brushing herself off, and moving forward hopeful for better for herself, not settling for a lying cheat who ended up not meeting her expectations. how much worse would she have come out of this pr nightmare had she refused to accept his infidelity and stayed? red pill and other assorted meninists gleefully rejoiced about her becoming a single mother - however she has generally garnered a lot of sympathy and support from her existing followers and others who were dismayed to hear about her unfortunate situation.

the primary sentiment that i've seen come out of this situation seems to be that it's proof that men cannot be vetted. there's two variations.

the first variation is the disillusioned fds devotee; women who believe that beauty and femininity are able to be successfully leveraged by cunning, self-secured women to arrange desirable relationships with others (especially men). since one of their primary thought leaders was able to be played by what they would consider to be a "high value" man, then there's simply no way for the average woman like themselves (who's not as beautiful or desirable as lize) to avoid the same fate. her betrayal has left them feeling hopeless about their own romantic prospects.

the second variation is the 4b/adjacent woman. they're already deeply skeptical, if not completely nihilistic, about the possibility of loving, honest relationships between men and women, so lize's betrayal was of little surprise to them. her betrayal reinforced this denial of heterosexual romance. male infidelity is essentially treated as an expected aspect of heterosexual relationships (ie "heterorealism"). there's simply no way for ANY woman, even one of above average beauty or prospects like lize, to avoid the same fate.

lize's social media presence, relationship with landon and its timeline had, in my opinion, glaring red flags - was nowhere near the green flag relationship many fds enthusiasts are framing it as. the first red flag was lize's age. she's only in her mid-20s and giving relationship advice to millions of young people and using hers as an exemplar? perhaps this is a personal preference, but i will only ever listen to older women (35+) when it comes to relationship advice. young people are capable of profound knowledge and insight of course, but i feel like dating is only ever something you can know a lot about by having experiences and living long enough to witness other's around you having different experiences too. a young person who's barely five years and a couple short-term relationships into adulthood can never know enough to educate others on how to find and maintain a healthy and beneficial relationship. additionally, her perspective has been marked by many dysfunctional conditions; she and her family were war refugees, immigrants, lived in poverty (lize herself worked several jobs as a teenager to help her family stay afloat), and she struggled with pstd and eating disorders. she presents herself as a glamorous, financially successful woman on social media - and she is - but she is not originally from that world. she may have lapses in judgement because she is ultimately still young and not fully over whatever conditioning she experienced during her formative years. returning to her relationship history, she has been private about other previous relationships but has disclosed two, which appear to have be relatively unserious and short-lived; so not much insight can really be expected to come from them. i would also be remiss to mention that lize is an eastern european woman (born in russia, then immigrated to belgium) and landon nickerson is an american man. such combination is notorious for abuse of power, infidelity, and fetishization.

ultimately, both fds and 4b/radfem spaces advertise attainable harm reductive solutions to young women. through building self-worth, personal goals, and boundaries, and decentering men, young women can create interpersonal bubbles where they will be confronted by minimal misogyny; people and situations CAN be vetted by women armed with the right knowledge to minimize harm unto themselves while maximizing comfort and achievement. the core of both spaces' philosophies is congruent and builds upon the other. 4b/radfem women go an extra step by choosing to opt out of entering heterosexual relationships, which are common sources of misogynistic burdens (i.e. unfair distribution of childcare and household work, fear of violence, unequal reproductive responsibility). while i've always been and continue to be receptive to whatever romance finds me (mostly because i don't plan to have children), i do think it's a safer decision for women to exclude men from their dating pool. however, there will always be people who are willing to forgo safety in pursuit of something they have appraised as more meaningful. claiming "men cannot be vetted so you might as well stop trying" is irresponsible and short-sighted. many women will simply never stop desiring relationships with men or being open to it, so sowing seeds of carelessness through nihilism will only end up exposing them to more harm in the long run. encouraging women to prioritize their own safety, long-term goals (that don't include men), community-building with other women, and personal development (including building financial security) will always, always be worthwhile. we should never encourage women to stop trying to make their chose paths safer, even if you feel that she isn't making the right decisions to begin with.