#he uses just about every weapon you'd think of for a knight but the sword + axes would get the most promotional material ykwim?

[eldritchships]

I do want to insert Gravesly into either Kingdom Battle or its sequel (because Kingdom Battle is unfortunately one of my favourite games), and I think I'd want to have his default weapon be based on this historical gun axe

His sword and his axes are his main weapons of choice so I feel like it fits perfectly for him

[magical-girl-coral]

Canonical evidence of every Fear and Hunger S ending in the Termina

Happy Ending

Cahara's sword in "Happy Ending" is the Sabbath sword you can find at the church. While it was said it was developed by Vatican city in the 1700s, this is also the same city that secretly did human experiences on innocent people to get closer to the old gods so chances are they were lying about this too.

If I had to guess, Cahara used his massive wealth to create weapons against creatures of the night and some of them somehow ended up in the hands of Vatican knights. Maybe one of his family members decided to start their own knighthood against monster and it massively backfired.

The true God of Fear and Hunger

While originally I was on the fence on this one thanks to ending C II, the Kaiser's flesh form was what sold me. That, and the fact that he mentions in his monologue before you fight him how he roamed the earth while out of his mind fits perfectly with Le'grade's derangement after D'arce resurrects him.

The only thing I'm bothered with is how D'arce doesn't have any hints of her existence in Termina. You'd think she'd get at least one name drop if she was the one who brought the Kaiser back from the dead.

The Enlightenment

The ending I'm the happiest is the most canon has got be Enki's just because of the lore drops we get from his skin bibles. It's interesting to note that Enki knew the God of Fear and Hunger was originally a nameless girl and that she was already a demi god thanks to her mother.

It also said that "[The God of Fear and Hunger] was the pure representation of fear and hunger, not spoiled by even a glimmer of hope", which is odd cause the player can and should bring the girl her doll and knife to make her more useful in battle and to make her feel lighter with the situation at hand.

It makes me wonder who brought the girl down to the depths if they made it obvious she was never getting out.

God of Ultra Violence

It's pretty much an open secret now that August is a descendant of Ragnvaldr thanks the cannibalism trait in his soul tree, his friendship with moonless and how the only contestant he truly open ups to is Abella, the only other person from Oldegård. I didn't even notice until I wrote this post that they both even have the exact same hair in their profiles.

It's also nice to know Le'grade is still getting his ass handed to him by a guy who not only got to get the title of a god before him, but also by the clan he build after he escaped the dungeons. Truly a massive L. We love to see it ❤.

[howlingday]

(can't remember if I sent this one before so sorry if I did) jaune Arc is a proud member of the arc sword lords a combination of a noble family and knight order devoted to mastering the sword. Though he's the odd one out of his family. Instead of relying on twitch reflex and aura and charisma jaune devoted himself to the basics and a strong body with full plate. Between the family's sword style ( the steel net) which focused on the seven strikes and how to block dodge counter and parry them and crane style a martial art all about balance footwork and defence leading to a brutal counter and jaune's own mastery of the disarming and armor sundering. Well the end result is that jaune's basically impossible to touch in combat and every mistake ends in a counter that either takes away your weapon your armor or your life. A style so perfect jaune's armor shines like new because he's never even taken a scratch. But is a tank enough in this world of bloody evolution? Or is the shining knight of remnant due for a greater fall when his skills fail to match up to the power of the soul?

(tldr: jaune's a super tanky build that lacks any magic or aura from a family that are either spell swords or monks what's life like for the black sheep of the arcs?)

"When I was growing up," Jaune said, leaning his head on his partner's, "I was kind of the odd one out."

Pyrrha remained silent as he spoke. The two had grown closer as of late, and though it wasn't the level of intimacy she'd desired from him, it was still nice to be this close to him. In the corner of her eye, she saw Nora and Ren turn the corner, only for the former to guide the latter back the other direction. She'd have to thank her later somehow.

"Dad was the best guy with a sword in town. And all I ever wanted to do was to be him." Jaune gestured with his arm out. "That tree? Split in half. These marble columns? Well, you wouldn't be able to tell from a distance, but he could slice them so finely, you'd have to use your finger to tell the difference." He chuckled. "And then there's Mom, and she was the best with magic. She could make anything happen with spells. The two of them made the perfect daughters." His hand fell to his knee. "And then there's me."

"You're good, too, Jaune." Pyrrha said, resting her hand on his. Neither could tell, because they refused to look each other in their faces, but both could feel heat rushing into their cheeks. "And you've always been good to us, too."

"But not good enough for my family." Jaune said softly. "To them, I was 'Big Jaune,' or 'Jaune the Jock'. Every time I tried to help out with something other than grace, or something smart, or anything that wasn't 'lift big heavy thing,' I was useless."

"But you're not useless, Jaune." Pyrrha found her courage to look him in the face. "You're smarter than you think, and you're more than just the muscle of the team." Pyrrha chuckled. "And to be honest, I thought Nora was more of the muscle anyways."

The two shared the chuckle while Nora giggled next to the quiet, yet smiling Ren.

[jedimaesteryoda]

tw://violence, sexual violence

Knowing who I'm about to talk about, that trigger warning is earned. Among all the (many) villains in Berserk, the one that always freaked me out the most was Wyald, the second apostle Guts met in the Golden Age arc.

Wyald's the kind of guy you can tell there's something not quite right with just by looking at him with a simian appearance and an unsettling smile. His apostle form is giant ape-like being with his upper torso on top, and an eye in the middle and one on each shoulder. And you know it's bad when his apostle form has a spiked phallus that makes me shudder to think of the women he may have used it on.

On a side not, it was so satisfying to see Guts emasculate him with his sword.

In terms of stats, he is superhumanly strong being able to punch a boulder to pieces, crush a guy's skull with two fingers and knock down a tree. Though in terms of weight class, he's not the most powerful apostle compared to the likes of Zodd and Grunbeld who could easily kick his ass (proven when Zodd dispatches him) with their more powerful apostle forms. And, let's be honest, even if Wyald was in his demon form and they in their human forms, they would still kick his ass given they're talented warriors in their own right having honed their skills whereas Wyald movements are noted to be sloppy with no technique. He is a classic brute who's all power and no skill. It's seen in the way his weapon of choice is a log, and his men easily being routed by the Band of the Hawk. Hence, why a pre-Dragonslayer Guts was able to defeat Wyald using his intelligence and outsmarting him.

He's also quite arrogant to the point that he recklessly charges straight ahead for the Hawk in spite of the clear risk. That may by due to the fact that he knows he is immortal and can heal from almost any wound as well as use his superhuman strength. His overconfidence proves to be his undoing.

He is the leader of the Black Dog knights, Midland's army made up of criminals who garnered the worst reputation. Under his leadership, they had a long list of war crimes, deliberately targeting civilians. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't uncommon in the Middle Ages as well as in Berserk's setting for armies to target the local populace, but Wyald takes it to another level of brutality as shown with the village where they raped and murdered the women, killed the men and threw kids into a fire and used their dismembered body parts as standards.

If you haven't already guessed by now, what really made him scary is that while not as strong as the aforementioned Nosferatu Zodd or Grunbeld, they at least have standards and you know the worst they'll give you is a quick death. Wyald on the other hand, might mutilate and/or rape you. Wyald is exactly what you'd fear most from an apostle: a sadistic, raping, brutish and heartless psychopath who is a monster in every sense of the term. He has zero restraint to the point he even kills his own men for routing or even advising caution. He even tries to rape Casca in his apostle form in the middle of a fight.

"That's the problem with grown-ups." *Crushes subordinate commander's skull with two fingers* "If you start talking about living or dying, you end up wasting your life away."

He approaches war with a libertine attitude with the motto "to enjoy and excite" or basically YOLO which sounds fun until you learn his idea of enjoyment and excitement is rape and slaughter. He even approaches it with a casual attitude, referring to people who exercise caution as "grown-ups" as if he is a kid complaining. He is over a century old, and he is at the same time both old and child-like. His words end up making more sense when you see his actual human form when he dies:

By the time his behelit activated, he was already an old man who had lived an insignificant life and for much of it, played it safe. Likely plenty of people as they get older, he was filled with regrets and wished he could be young again, and do the things he wished he had done. He got his wish in the form of a behelit and became an apostle. Being forever young with superhuman strength and healing, he could finally ingratiate his id without fear of any consequences.

But eventually karma caught up with him. He died a gruesome death at the hands of another apostle as a result of his actions stemming from being hypocritically worried about dying. As he told Zodd, he was told "Do as thou wilt" to which Zodd replied "Then, I shall do as I will," and dispatched him. For the first and final time, he faced the consequences of his actions and paid for it.

Wyald died not even being a climactic villain but a fake climax of the Golden Age arc. He didn't even deserve the top tier. He served to satisfy readers only with his justly deserved death.

[unknown--anna]

Genshin men's reactions to seeing you fight for the first time

Plot: You had been blessed with a dendro vision, and for the most part, you do your commissions alone and always come back unharmed. Most of the time, your boyfriend saw you using your vision to help plants flourish. One day, he accompanied you in doing your commission, so what will they think when they finally see you in combat?

Gender neutral reader

Genre: lol idk this just sounded interesting to me soooo fluff? Casual?

Includes: Kaeya, Tartaglia/Childe, Zhongli

Kaeya

Kaeya whistled once you had defeated all the monsters. "Oh ho ho~ Who knew my snowflake could be so chilling." The Calvary captain smirked. The way you ruthlessly tore down your enemies by using the roots of nearby trees and blades of grass like swords made Kaeya look in awe, in contrast to your usual gentleness.

"I should join you much more often." He wraps an arm around you. "Maybe you should accompany me sometime. I think we'd make a splendid duo."

He was not kidding about joining you or you joining him, especially when he gets to show off with you in front of the other knights.

The best time was during the crack of dawn, when the plants had collected lots of dew. Why? Oh ho ho~ You'd first wrap your enemies in the surrounding plants, then Kaeya would freeze the dew stuck to the plants and the enemies; incapacitating all enemies, then finishing them.

But what if you two were in a place without plants? Oh that's no problem. You'd simply infuse your weapon with dendro energy to finish the job or take them down physically.

If you still got hurt while fighting alongside him, those enemies would never feel the warmth again; only the freezing cold.

Within the Knights of Favonius, you two were known as the power couple. Taking out any enemies with efficiency and elegance.

"Another commission? It'll be a piece of cake for us, won't it? My snowflake."

Tartaglia/Childe

His mouth dropped, and I say dropped. "Why we're you hiding this from me?!" He excitedly took your hands in his. You could practically see stars in his eyes. He was so used to your gentle nature, and seeing this side of you made him ecstatic.

Would he ask you to fight or spar with him? Obviously! In his eyes you were a not only his lover, but also his comrade, and now he's fallen for you even more.

Absolutely loves to brag about having a powerful lover, that it sometimes get annoying. "Ow! Hey I'm making you look good!" He exclaimed after you smacked the back of his head. "Can't you tell it's embarrassing?! You've been bragging 24/7!" You rolled your eyes at him. In the end, you could never stop him from beaming with pride every time you defeat any enemies, then telling dozens of people about it.

Of course, if he wasn't sparring with you, he loves fighting alongside you. Though he doesn't let you in on fatui missions, monsters and treasure hoarders are always a great option for the two of you to fight. With your dendro, you absorb the hydro which Childe provides, which slows your opponents greatly; allowing either you or him to do the finishing blow. You two will literally compete with one another to do the finishing blow to your enemies. "Come on, comrade~ Try and beat me to it."

If you ever got hurt, oh ho ho~ Amen to the enemies, cause they're about to meet God.

Though he mostly manages to not get you involved with the fatui, yours and his names are well known amongst the treasure hoarders near Liyue. The Deadly Lotuses they call you two. Most likely because of your visions.

"Ah, so we've gotten a name for ourselves? I'll take it as a compliment. After all, my Y/N here is quite the powerful individual, don't you think?"

Zhongli

He's the least expressive of the bunch; having experienced countless things in his thousands of years living, but that doesn't mean he wasn't surprised. Normally he'd see you humming a song while using your dendro vision to help glaze lilies flourish, so seeing a rather... Violent side if you did catch him off guard.

"I can't say I was quite expecting that, my love." He says while looking at you adoringly. It also assured him that you were capable of protecting yourself if danger ever loomed near you. It quelled some of his fears of losing you.

"Alright, I trust you to come home safely, my love." He says before planting a soft kiss on your forehead. He'd finish up his tasks at Wungsheng Funeral Parlor while he waits for you, then happily welcome you home with a warm cup of tea.

He would be a little less overprotective of you, so you wouldn't see him as a helicopter partner, though that doesn't mean he wouldn't worry at all.

Occasionally, he would join you during your commissions when he isn't occupied with work. After you attack the enemies using dendro, he'd have the ability to cause a crystallize reaction; providing elemental shards as shields.

If you ever did get really hurt, well... Pray for whoever or whatever hurt you, as they're about to meet with Zhongli's meteor.

"My love, are you alright? I am aware that you are fully capable, but do you need to rest?"

A/N: SEE FICTIONAL MEN ARE THE REASONS I CAN'T GET GUYS IN REAL LIFE

[alaezasmystery235]

Hi! I'm here for the couple moodboard 🥰

My Juno is in Aquarius in 2nd house and at 16 degree

If you were in a kdrama you'd be a shy but smart heroine, you'd literally save the world without anyone noticing, and you have a lot of pain to endure, through your courage and determination you'll show how imperfections strenghten us (i'm getting Libra energy, i also used my tarots and the strenght card popped out while thinking about you)

Now, your male lead is veery stubborn, super confident and impulsive, but he has a soft side too, you reminds him to always think twice before taking action, (i get a lot of aries energy from him, and taurus too, i'm feeling he's a taurus moon) he's hella charismatic dang (i got the knight of swords for him) he might be a gemini ascendant imo, he's super fast, like reeeeallly fast, you can't even see him coming almost, it's like you feel dizzing and inebriated when he's around you. Like you just had to slow down and stop otherwise you'd miss him lmao. (and you don't realize you have a crush on him, it feels impossible for you, you are the opposites)

Your worldbuilding is one of those medieval fantasy with swords and armours, you both are soldiers, but he's the captain and you are an apprentice.

But you also must learn etiquette because in this world, the soldiers are the ones that have the power, so literally entering the army means getting a place in the castle. Every soldier has a different job, obv the higher the rank the most prestigius the job. You as an apprentice chose to create armours among the jobs available, because you know how to put together comfortable and indestructible ones (you also knows magic so you add interesting combo to every armour)

The male lead is in line to be the king, but he's fond of his job since he was an apprentice that he is continuing it even now that he has a higher rank, he creates weapons, especially swords.

For fashion this is what i see you in:

lightweight armour because you want to be comfortable and not get in the center of attention (plus you know how to create them so you add a lot of smart magical features 😎)

for your everyday life you opt for light airy ethereal dresses, and for balls you opt for still airy but puffier dresses that makes you look like a nimph

Here is the male lead's fashion:

More aggressive, not super heavy as he needs the fastest and agile (a bit showy because well, the less he has on the faster lmao), but very pointy to literally scratch everyone that ever touch him when he's fighting

For his casual looks i chose something long, mysterious and obv a cape because he needs to cut air... always 🤣

Obv for popularity you have already understood that he's very popular and you are more of a hidden gem hahah

Ok WOW i hope i didn't bore you lol that was so cool and funny to make

I hope you like this, will wait for your moodboard! Thanks, and take care!💕

Hiii ❤️

Hold up this has to be the most interesting ask I've got . The subtle mix of magic made it even more endearing ( I'm a potterhead so ....) and I love the clothes, especially the purple one 💜

Juno in Aquarius in 2H

Feedback is Compulsory

[nerd2614]

April's Fall - Part 5

Lost Memories

@write-it-motherfuckers original prompt

Part 1 // Part 4

“Run away with me!” The young teen exclaimed as he twirled away from my blade.

I laughed and parried his returning blow. He was joking about it more often these days.

“I can’t, Raph. You know we’re needed here.” A smirk crossed my face as he fell to the ground with a grunt.

“Oh my April, my Autumn moon! How could you wound me so?” Raph threw his head back with all the pompous royal arrogance he could muster. I rolled my eyes and held my hand out for him to grasp. Raphael’s hand in my own was warm.

“We’re only using wooden swords now because someone got scared.” I teased.

His grip tightened and I braced to help him to his feet. He winked and swept his legs under my own. With a thud, I fell on top of Raphael and was flipped to the ground. I felt the cold bite of his dagger at my throat.

“We’re using wooden swords because you spilled my blood.” He reminded me with a wicked grin.

“You are both using wooden swords because we can’t trust either of you not to lob each other’s heads off accidentally.” A firm voice reminded us.

“Hello Father, Mother.” I greeted them politely, brushing the dust off my training pants. Raphael inclined his head and murmured his acknowledgement.

“Are you training like you’re meant to, children?” Mother inquired with a teasing lilt.

“Yes, m’lady.”

“Yes mother.”

“Carry on then.” Father waved his hand to reset the match. Raphael and I turned to face the centre of the ring, swords poised at the ready.

“I’m getting better!” Raphael exclaimed as he knocked the gilded blade from my hand. Practising to fight in ceremonial garb was always a pain. The weapons were too heavy and the material too restrictive.

I huffed and crossed my arms. I would never tell him, but the last round hand jarred my wrist badly. “Only because I let you win!”

“Oh, come on, April -” Raphael boasted as he passed my sword back, “- it is I who lets you win!”

I growled and brought my blade to attention, ignoring the twinge of pain. “Wanna bet?” Instead of retorting, Raphael nodded to someone behind me. I turned to see one of the younger messengers from the court. We had all celebrated his centenary not two moons ago.

“Lady April, there’s been terrible news from The Twisted. They’ve captured your parents.”

Suddenly my wrist didn’t hurt so much.

I was informed to wear the gown of spider silk as we were meeting someone important today. Standing next to Raphael, I could not figure out what was so important about the toad in front of us. He had beady eyes that reeked of betrayal. His hair was weird too, more like matted fur.

“This is James,” Raphael’s mother introduced when it became clear that I would not inquire, “he will help protect the both of you. You can trust him.” The last sentence was directed to me. She then left us to get acquainted, as was the custom.

“Hi, James, I’m Raphael! It’s about time there’s another guy around!” My friend grinned and held his hand out. He nudged me to encourage me to introduce myself.

“I don’t like you.”

“April!”

James licked his lips. “Don’t worry, Raphael. April and I will be close before you know it.”

I was aiming the arrows with vicious accuracy. Raphael had requested James accompany him today so he could learn the ropes. So when a throat cleared behind me I launched into an attack.

“Your training is coming along nicely, April.” The guardian almost smiled as he halted the arrows with a flick of his wrist.

“Guardian Sebastian.” I bowed my head in deference. “I apologise.”

“There is no need to apologise, child. It is I who should extend my apologies. We found your parents bodies at sunrise.”

Walking around in the forest was never peaceful anymore.

"She's only young." The people whispered.

"Who would take care of her?" Those of the court gossiped.

Even the trees were not silent. "Evil witches." they hissed as I passed them.

“You’ve been feeding information to the witch.” Raphael's demeanor was calm, but his eyes were filled with contempt.

"No, I haven't! How could -" With a flick of my wrist, the ceremonial sword that had been dangling uselessly on the wall bit into James' fleshy neck. His tearful protests stopped almost immediately, replaced with a smug grin.

"I see you have progressed far more than you let on, April." He spat my name with a venom that only fueled my disdain.

"Answer the question." The only reason he was alive was because Raphael desperately wanted it to be untrue.

"How did you know, Elf?" I sighed at James' futile attempt at prolonging the inevitable.

"I may look young, but I’m much older than you, mutt." Raphael snarled. I smiled and forced the sword deeper into his neck, making James stumble backwards to avoid being beheaded.

"That may be." James mocked. "I just can't wait for the day you get what you deserve. The war is just beginning… and I'll take everything from you. Just wait." With that he stormed out of the room into the arms of the guardians. His yells echoed through the corridor as he was dragged to his new home.

"I never did like him." I pointed out smugly. Raphael rolled his eyes before sinking into a pensive state.

Only mere seconds had passed between you swallowing the potion and waking up. You were still trying to warn your not-so-stranger against fighting the hellhound that held you captive. “Run!” You croaked weakly. “Run, Raphael”

James cackled with his hand still gripping your throat. “How does it feel to have lost, Raph?” He taunted.

“Get your hands off her!” Raphael snarled dangerously, "I shall not tell you again."

"What will you do, lover boy? Once I discard you it won't take long for April to forget all about you again!"

"What have you done!?" The one you'd been calling Grandmother screeched as she stormed out of the front door. "All of my hard work! Wasted!"

In her anger, the witch sent James flying through the air towards herself. She flung his body into the ground and proceeded to send sharp pebbles to collide with his skin.

“Idiot!” She bellowed.

Before you could process what was happening, Raphael had hoisted you to your feet and the two of you stumbled into the woods. Your vision was still faulty. The trees started to blur together.

“April, my love, please hang on just a bit longer.” Raphael knelt next to you and stroked your cheek lovingly. Blood smeared across your cheek.

“It’s really you.” A happy sigh escaped you as you returned the gesture. His face was battered and his eyes were glistening with unshed tears.

“Yes.” Raphael took in a deep, laboured breath. His hands clasped both of yours, squeezed them gently and let them go. “Now run. Stay off the path. The others are coming. I will distract her.”

“But-”

“Go.” His voice was firm. “You will see me again.”

You glared at Raphael without malice. It was not a vow that you would see him again alive. He always had a way with words, manipulating the person to think the outcome would be in their favour if they followed his words. You were always more direct - sometimes forgoing words altogether.

A small smile tugged at the corners of Raphael’s lips. He knew you would escape and be safe. Only because it was he who asked you. You limped further into the trees. Away from James’ howls of pain.

Birds fluttered in the trees above you. Small game hopped, ran, and bounded around you, creating a path for you to follow. The leaves crunched under your feet. One foot in front of the other, you concentrated on moving forward as fast as you could. You stumbled and fell to your knees. Tears welled in your eyes but you blinked them away. A doe tip-toed out from behind the trees. She knelt beside you in order to nuzzle you up. Her nose was velvety soft as you stroked it.

It took all the strength you had, but you managed to drag yourself to your feet. The doe stood with you. Placing a hand on her back, you allowed yourself to be led through the thicket. The howls faded until there was nothing but the sounds of running water and the whispering of trees.

You made it to a river before you fell again. The cold water was refreshing against the bruises and cuts on your skin. You wept into the water. Nothing made sense. Memories were still whirling in your head. Disgust at James. Betrayal at your Grandmother - no, the witch. Your bruised ribs made it hard to breathe which exacerbated your rising panic.

Movement further up the river caught your attention.

“Lady April!” A voice called out. He was wearing light armour that changed colours with the trees. “You’re back!” The young elf grinned as he placed a hand on your shoulder. You flinched away instinctively. His grin dropped.

“Where’s the Prince?” He asked, voice curious and stern.

“The Prince…”

“Oh, my Prince!” I swooned into Raphael’s arms. He promptly dropped me onto the soft clovers we were practising on.

“That’s no way to win!” Raphael laughed, pinning me to the ground. His grip was cumbered by the poofy skirts that made up my dress. I used it to my advantage to flip him over.

“I say it is.” I giggled. “Use every element to my advantage, right?”

“That’s why you’re my knight, my protector.” Raphael breathed out.

“A great job I’m doing.” I rolled off him to lay beside him in the grass.

“You are.” The Prince of the Autumn court stroked my hand with his thumb. “You know, one day I’ll rescue you.”

"And, one day, I'll be a Princess." I snorted.

Raphael smiled softly. "One day."

You clamped onto the elf’s hand. “The Prince, you have to help him. He’s fighting with-”

“APRIL!” His scream echoed over the water.

“- her.”

The witch cackled as she levitated Raphael behind her.

Tags: @scuzmunkie, @wordsaremylife, @luarinne, @inuhuffclaw, @wayward-demigod

[aetherlocket]

Follow the River

BNHA X READER

Fantasy AU

This is chapter 1. Read the rest on FFNET, AO3 or Wattpad!!

There was a great white palace that was impossible to not catch eye of peering over a fog blanketed summit, where King Enji, Prince Shoto, and Enji's other children resided. Many knights guarded the palace and served under the King, and (Y/n) was one of them.

She was born and raised to become a warrior and serve for one in a higher position. It was something of a family tradition for the women to become something of the sort. Her father was more of a businessman, her grandfather a chauffeur, while her mother was a dragon hunter, and her grandmother also a knight, though not quite so skilled.

Although (Y/n) didn't have the natural talent her female family did when it came to fighting, she tried her best and eventually earned the respect of many skilled warriors in the Kingdom of Yuuei. Every day, she seemed to learn something new in the art of combat, while dedicating her life to the protection of Prince Shoto.

Only few, including her, knew of the corruption underlying King Enji and his family. The blatant favoritism when it came to King Enji choosing his heir went overlooked and uncontested in the community due to his outstanding reputation.

On the road not too far off from the great palace was a white horse. (Y/n) the knight handled the frantic animal attached to the carriage as if it was nothing, and Prince Shoto watched carefully as if he would learn just by watching her armor covered hands move the reins.

"How far is this kingdom?" he asked.

"If you fall asleep, it'll feel like nothing," the knight's voice was echoey and serious inside the steel helm.

"So it's far." Shoto sighed and his eyes fluttered closed as well, sinking into his seat just a bit. "All I must do is speak with this noble's daughter, correct? And then I may go home?"

"Yes. I've forgotten her full name, but your own father is considering a marriage between you two," (Y/n) replied without hesitation.

"I- what?" Shoto blinked. "Why hasn't he told me this?"

There was no response.

"Why do you know, but not me?"

(Y/n) stayed silent, and only swallowed nervously.

"Ah," Shoto sighed. "I see. You weren't supposed to say that."

"Please don't tell King Enji I said anything.." (Y/n) squeaked, not befitting for a warrior graced with the strongest armor and sharpest sword in the kingdom.

"Don't worry about it.." Shoto's voice lowered as he turned his head to the side, watching the trees rapidly pass by him, his hair covering some of his view as a frown made its way to his face. (Y/n) turned her head away from the road for a second to make sure Shoto was alright, and something in his expression flicked a switch in her.

"I.. You know, he isn't sure. It's just to see if she's up to his standards, I guess. Not a guarantee-"

"Won't you get in trouble if you keep talking?" Shoto said with his usual dead tone, but he was just a bit relieved on the inside. He had no intention on marrying anyone, and being forced to would further destroy the already unbearable relationship between him and his father.

(Y/n) nodded without a sound and focused her eyes on the road from then on. But then Shoto pouted. He wanted to know more.

"How do you feel about this?" Shoto asked. "This.. marriage."

(Y/n) hesitated for a moment before answering. "This.. is what the King wants, so there isn't much I can do about it. I just don't agree with it, per say... It's not right..."

"That's all I needed to know," Shoto replied.

(Y/n) always wondered what was going on inside of Shoto's mind, and that moment was no exception. He was an enigma. She didn't blame him for being cold at times, however.

She also wasn't particularly so sure about that area. She hadn't been to their destination before, so she simply trusted her instincts and a ripped map to take her and Prince Shoto there.

Being trusted with such an important figure in the kingdom gave her stomach butterflies. As she began to feel a smile free itself from under her helmet, the carriage came to a sudden halt, throwing both (Y/n) and Shoto forwards.

"Step out slowly. Keep your hands in the air and don't try anything," said a voice, and a battle axe was pointed at the pair. Three, to be exact, one for each silhouette.

(Y/n) knew better than to reach for her halberd, and reassured Shoto with a quick, soft metal touch to his shoulder, slowly leaving the white carriage. "You're challenging someone with armor and a weapon while you're bare? I hope you know that you won't be leaving with the Prince."

"Oh, we don't care about the Prince. We just happened to hear from someone that you're carrying a lot of money in that carriage to offer the daughter of that noble," said a different man, presumably a second bandit. "But we may have to kill him if you resist. There's three of us, and only one has to get close to him. Your armor means nothing."

The third bandit made his way behind the carriage, closer to the Prince, just in case. Shoto gave (Y/n) a look, though she couldn't tell, facing away from him. She was already sweating in her armor from the sun and quite worn out from training, so this wasn't the ideal situation for her. And yet, she didn't downplay herself.

The knight lifted the front of her helm, exposing her face, riddled with sweat. "Yes, there is money. There's a bag next to where the Prince is sitting," (Y/n) said, taking the chance to look at Shoto. He shook his head, as if reading her mind, diverting his gaze to the bandits, his hands inching closer to his sword by the second.

"Before you go and do that," (Y/n) said, stopping the second bandit from walking past her, "Who gave you this information? Only us, the King and the noble were informed of this."

"I won't say. You'd have them executed. They're a big help, so we can't have that," he said, and smiled. (Y/n) cursed mentally. Was it one person, and the bandit refused to reveal their gender, or is it another group of people?

As the second man placed his foot on the edge of the carriage, (Y/n) halberd left it's holster, its tip barely making its way to the second man's neck before the edge of an axe was placed dangerously close to Shoto's neck as well.

"You're risking the life of your Prince? I don't understand you. Some knight you are," said the second bandit.

"I apologize," (Y/n) said, moving her halberd away from his neck.

"Thank you for the distraction," Shoto said, and before anyone could process it, blood fell down like a fountain to dirt. The second bandit tried to speak, only to cough up blood. "Speaking with a sword through your heart proves to be difficult, doesn't it?"

The loud thud of the large man hitting the floor made even the knight flinch, watching the man writhe in agony, holding his fist weakly against his heart for his last few moments. She then realized; she wasn't doing anything to help whatsoever.

"Fuck!" The other men had tried vigilantly to swing their axes at the Prince, who jumped back off of the carriage. It seemed that they had completely forgotten about the money, and focused their attention on the death of the Prince.

The knight missed her attack, but they couldn't even reach the Prince before a clean slice to their necks were delivered by who they were trying so desperately to kill. They went into a stiff paralysis and fell over, holding their necks and drowning in their own blood.

(Y/n) could only stand there mesmerized, lowing her bloody halberd, almost forgetting to wipe the acidic substance coating it.

She was also, frankly, ashamed.

The blood on her halberd wasn't because she had killed them, saving the Prince. It was splatter from the Prince having to defend himself with an incompetent knight by his side.

"I assume we'll have to reschedule this little trip," Shoto said, wiping some blood off of the edge of his lips and softly running his fingers through the docile horse's mane. "Turn the carriage around."

****

Many could tell, simply by watching (Y/n)'s face in the rare times she had her helmet off, or even completely covered, simply from her body language, that she didn't enjoy working in the palace. Even Shoto could tell how much energy wearing the heavy suit and sparring with the others as training took from her each day.

No one could blame her. No one liked working for Enji Todoroki. Ask anyone in the palace for their opinion of him, and it will be some variation of 'bastard' or 'good for nothing.' Ask people outside the palace, and it will be something positive or indifferent, because they believe whatever the newspapers tell them.

Shoto had asked his knight once: "What do you think of this idea; I run away from this place and start a new life."

To which (Y/n) blinked and removed her steel helmet, a way of expressing her concern. It was then that Shoto knew she was serious. "Are you really considering this?"

Shoto only nodded. He felt often like he had said too much, basically, whenever he spoke. His father did a great job of making this point around him.

"I understand," said (Y/n), to his surprise.

He expected a, 'You're delusional. You're a rich prince with everything you could ever want!' or, 'Don't take your position for granted. I'd kill to be in your place.'

"I doubt that," Shoto replied, attempting to provoke her into speaking her mind a bit more, hoping for more encouraging words.

"I can tell why you do, my Prince," (Y/n) said. It wasn't working.

Shoto sighed. "I can't talk to anyone without them treating me like a Prince. I'm just a normal kid on the inside, damnit.." His voice was as low as a whimper, but (Y/n) could hear every syllable as they left his mouth. She pretended not to hear and kept her head down.

***

Shoto hadn't dared to enter the knight's quarters without permission once before.. but he had made up his mind that night about something.

Shoto chuckled as he saw (Y/n) with her helmet still on as she slept. He removed it as slowly as possible, and wasn't surprised to see that her face was sweating uncontrollably with rosy cheeks, and her hair messy.

He almost forgot why he was there as (Y/n) began to wake up, presumably from the sudden influx of cool, fresh air hitting her face.

Shoto held his hand out before the girl could fully awaken. "Come, I'm leaving tonight."

"Prince? What do you mean leaving? Why are you in the knight's quarters? I-"

"Just get your armor and weapons and come," Shoto put a finger to her mouth, lightly squeezing her arm. She didn't dare protest any further. If it was the Prince's will, then she was meant to follow it, no matter what. But there was something off this time. He seemed happy, in a way, for once, without smiling. Shoto helped carry parts of her armor out of the quarters while she carried her halberd, most dangerous areas facing the ground as Shoto led the way.

"So what's happening exactly?" (Y/n) asked, stuffing some leftover yen into her pocket.

Shoto only walked into his room and gestured for the knight to join him. He was already wearing what he usually did, his royal attire embroidered especially for him along with his holstered sword. "I told you, we're leaving."

"You weren't kidding..?" The knight chuckled. "I understand you want to leave this place, but think about it. Your dad will do anything to get you back-"

"I don't care. I'd like to see him try," Shoto replied coldly, polishing his weapon and slipping on a few bracelets, hiding them under his sleeve. "I'm not going to that noble's place. I'm not marrying his daughter either, so I'll have to leave before the trip is rescheduled. Easy as that."

***

"So where.. exactly.. are we going?" (Y/n) asked the Prince.

"To a certain mountain," replied he.

"You don't mean.. That one.. right?"

After a brief moment of silence, (Y/n)'s worst fears were confirmed, and her tongue began to feel heavy in her mouth. "Sir.."

"Is there a problem?" Shoto asked, looking straight ahead as he walked.

"I'm.. not sure if I can protect you, if anything happens, if that makes sense."

Shoto stopped and turned to face the knight. "What are you talking about?"

"Well.. a few days ago.. those men trying to take the money.. and how I was basically useless.. You had to do everything yourself. It doesn't make sense-"

"You were tired," Shoto interrupted her, then continued walking.

(Y/n) stood there for a moment, staring at the ground before picking up her pace to match the Prince's again, until they reached the base of the mountain.

"Why are there steps?" (Y/n) asked.

"Mount Hosu used to be a tourist attraction.. it's closed because of the dragon rumored to live here now."

(Y/n) shivered. "Dragon."

"Did you say something?"

"Nope."

They continued forward, climbing up an unholy amount of steps before it split into two different paths. One of the paths was dry and bare, while the other had a stream of water beside it.

"Just follow the river," Shoto said, and walked along the path with the stream of water.

"How come you know this place so well, Prince?" (Y/n) asked. As far as she knew, Shoto stayed locked in the castle all his life, and only left under supervision from her or another trusted knight.

"It's not Prince anymore, just Shoto," the boy dodged the question expertly.

***

It took a while, but they finally arrived at the top. (Y/n) immediately used her survival skills. (Y/n) gathered dry wood and use a spindle stick to light a small ember. Shoto tried himself but failed, only giving himself some splinters from the wood.

With the knight's guidance, Shoto successfully managed to roast a wild animal. Of course, Shoto had really understood none of it, but nodded in silence, and hoped that she would help him later.

"Now that I've helped you.." (Y/n) began to trace her finger across the dirt. "How about you teach me more about fighting? A knight should know more, if not just as much, as their Prince. It only makes sense."

Shoto hummed. "You're already known as a strong warrior. I don't believe you need extra training."

"Please?"

"I'm nothing special.. I can't really teach."

"Please?" (Y/n) pleaded.

"... Tomorrow, maybe," Shoto relented. He walked over behind a tree and took out two folded tents.

"Did you plan this or something?" the knight asked.

"I've been considering it for a while, let's say."

As they settled, a teenage boy had just finished climbing up the same steep mountain as the Prince and the Prince's close knight, and he was exhausted. Then, as he caught his breath, he repeated his goal over and over in his head; to hunt down the dragon perched somewhere on this godforsaken mountain.

[vanimeldes]

Hey, sorry if this question is bothering you, but can you explain why you don't like Sansa and what makes you have this opinion on her? Hope I'm not sounding like I'm attacking you and I get why you'd choose to ignore this question, but I am curious to know your opinion. Have a nice day and sorry again if I bothered you with this question.

Hey. At first I wanted to just ignore the question, because I tend to keep some of my opinions far from this blog. Then I wanted to suggest you to check my main blog, @marta-elentari , but my main blog is *dark and full of dumb shitposts*, and you asked me too nicely.

So I decided to answer here, since, after all, Tumblr is meant to be a safe space for every opinion who isn't harmful or offensive to other people. So I'll try to articulate my own personal opinion as objective and civil as I could.

So, regarding Sansa, I would lie if I would tell that the fandom didn't have a say in my perception to her, but truth to be told, I read the books long before I started to interact with the fandom and I can't say that my opinions changed as radically as I thought.

I was totally unimpressed with Sansa since her first chapter and she didn't grow on me for various reasons:

I have never been a tomboyish girl myself, I like most of the things girls like Sansa likes such as clothes and boys but I really dislike talking about these things all day long as if these are the most important thing in my life. Even in ASOS, after all she's been through, when LF builds her new identify as Alayne Stone, she still asks him if her father can be a valiant knight who died in God knows what war, and I was like ?????? After how those very knights beated her repeatedly because Joffrey told them so, she still dreams of valiant knights, and this random thought came to me more than shallow, given that, by that time, Sansa had beem through some stuff. Also, this is a personal preference, but when I want to read fantasy, I want to read about girls who, yes, kick asses and discover magic and build kingdoms or even normal, ordinary and human girls that achieve this sort of epic-fantasy greatness such as Eowyn or a sort of epic-fantasy greatness that don't involve swords, because this is possible too; I don't want to read about the same damsel in distress that I found so often in the non-fiction romance books. Neither I am saying that Sansa is a damsel, just that I percieve her as such.

I personally acknowledge her strength, I kbow I would have never been able to live with the people who killed my father, I admit she is observant and receptive; but, in the same time, I was always under the impression that she survived mostly because she was a valuable hostage. If she wasn't, she most likely would have faced the same fate as poor Jeyne Poole. But she survived in KL with her own weapons, namely the "courtesy" that she wears like an armour. Does it make me like her more? No. Not because I am a dumb mysoginist and despise everything feminine and I consider "strong female character" a woman who acts like a man and kicks asses, but because she is not the type of female character that I would root for. These were my opinion before I interacted with her fandom.

And then, her fandom happened. I am sorry for those few Sansa fans with whom I interacted and who are truly amazing people that really thought me to see things in a new light, but 95% of her stans think and act like this: if you don't like her and criticize this, you are a dumb misogyinist who doesn't understand her character, seemingly unable to understand that just because a female character is a delicate feminine girl, it doesn't mean that she doesn't have to be criticized, when critique has nothing to do with her being a girl and being a feminine girl. Casual readers note how she has a part in Ned's death and bullied Arya. Tell this to a stan and get ready for a hate tsunami, because their Sansa can do no wrong. But she can!!! It's in the books!!!!

To deny that she bullied Arya seems like you deny the mere definition of bullying. And as someone with a brother, this sort of behaviour coming from a sister is something I can't tolerate. When she told Arya that she should have been killed instead of Lady, my jaw dropped, and I wasn't impressed in a good way.

Tell them she doesn't look down at smallfolk, another thing I can't tolerate. Speaking of which, I don't dislike her because she is pretty and comes from a privileged backround. I don't dislike a female character because she is pretty and acknowledged as such. My parents aren't the wealthiest people, But they managed to offer me and my brother what we needed and I never lacked anything. I also consider myself pretty and I was told multiple times that I was pretty. Being pretty doesn't make me and shouldn't make me and anyone dislike a character. But it turns me off when being pretty is the only quality through which you managed to go on. And I always was under the impression that The Hound and LF wouldn't have saved her from shit if they hadn't had a creepy crush on her. Yes, LF uses her from his own interest blah blah blah but if You're telling me that he would have been just as interested in her, if she hadn't been pretty and looked like Catelyn, you're not convincing me. At all. Because it's not true.

And as for Ned, no one says that she is the only one responsible for his death, but to deny her involvement is to deny the canon:

Heck, the author himself explained her part in Ned's death:

And while she wasn't completely aware of the implications, her intent was pretty clear, and I was just appalled because even if I was 12, if my father told me that we have to go in secrecy and that our lives depend on it and I must keep my mouth shut, I would never betray his trust. I would know he only wanted what's best for me. I would never sell him.

She looks down at smallfolk and bastards.

She only truly thinks of Jon when she herself is forced to pose as a bastard:

Jon raised alongside her, yet she still regards her "only her half brother".

And, on top of that, She is willing to be accomplice to the poisoning of a little boy!!!!!!

And her stans are bullies. Some of them dared to talk shit about Emilia Clarke herself, calling her responsible for convincing them to make J0nerys happen and she was the culprit all along for Jon and show's treatment of Sansa?????? Ok, let's assume that Emilia had some influence over David and Daniel. Wouldn't you think it would have made more sense if she had tried to convince them NOT TO KILL OFF HER CHARACTER?????????? Just saying.

But they are so willing to twist the other characters (mostly Daenerys, but not only), just to prove that Sansa is the only valid and worthy character in this series. They were hoping for Daenerys to MISCARRY HER BABY AND DIE OR GIVE BIRTH TO A (ACTUAL QUOTE) "MALFORMED INCEST-BORN LIZARD BABY" AND DIE OR KILLED BY JON (which happened) but still......is this ok?? Is ok to wish this for a woman? Is miscarriage or a malformed baby and death in childbirth ok as ling as this put your fave in a good light?

Again, I admit that book!Sansa is not dumb or a weakling, as some people used to claim, but she's not my type of character. She has many moments when she is shallow and vain, and straight-up cruel.

But it wasn't just about Daenerys, really. I saw a lot of ugly things these people wrote about Arya just to bring Sansa up. They wanted Bran, a little boy, to die, so that Sansa become Lady of Winterfell.

Other stans cheered for Missandei's death because she DARED TO CRITICIZE SANSA, not giving a fuck that Missandei's death was just the most racist thing D&D ever did?

And then there's *that* part of the fandom, who goes to such lengths that they distort canon and the other characters just to show that Sansa is and has been the main character all along and she is the only one who suffered and she is so young but she deserves everything. Last time I checked, Jon was 15-16, so was Dany, Arya was 10-11, Bran was 8-9. They act, however, like Sansa is the only one who is young and who suffered in this series, a statements which is, in the context of a series like A Song of Ice and Fire, just - and I won't apologize for the word - dumb.

And then there were my own experiences.

A couple of months ago, I posted a fanart with Jon and Dany because I am confident Jonerys will happen in the books and it was forshadowed. This is the fanart, if you are interested:

Three stans DM me; telling me that this pic was ugly....not because it was some form of constructive criticism (which I am always open to), but because I painted Daenerys and not Sansa.

Other artists who did some Jonerys fanarts told how a Stan took her fanarts, changed Dany's hair from blonde to red, to make her Sansa. This is ART THEFT. This is the majority Sansa stans that I had the "pleasure" to interact or know about. With these sort of stans, It's really hard for me to find a reason why I should like a character.

It's long, I know. There are my reasons and hope I answered your questions.

As for the rest of you who'll see this post, I would kindly ask you to notice that this is my opinion. This is what I think and I'm not shading anyone here (apart those stans whom I interacted and were an unpleasant occurrence). Hate messages won't make me change my opinion.

[gaming2day]

Dark Souls III - Should we Play It today?

First of all, I even have Platinum on both Scholar of the primary Sin and Dark Souls 3. Ok, the latter part may be a lie. I still need Master of Miracles for Dark Souls 3 (grinding Concord Kepts from the Silver Knights in Anor Londo ...) But anyway, I have been through both games more times than I can count.

So how difficult is it? Average. Dark Souls has this reputation for being difficult, but I do not think it's. Yes, enemies hit hard. But you too.

There are not any "bullet sponges" here. Did they hit you half your health bar? Guess what, you'll fight back for nearly an equivalent. you'll die tons and, unlike many other games, there's no overly generous checkpoint system.

But know this: my son (with a touch SunBro assistance from me) beat Dark Souls 2, including the DLC, at 11 years old. He just finished Dark Souls 3 last weekend. he's 13 years old.

Having said that, after many hours spent in Dark Souls 3, here is my short review.

Let's start with the negative things first:

The Poise system is poorly designed (there is, last time I checked, a belief within the community that the Poise system doesn't work on all. Presumably, there's code within the game that might leave a functional Poise system, but it had been removed or "turned off" before the discharge. The developers, as far as I do know, deny it, which is ok . on the other hand it means they handled the mechanic badly.)

"Works needless to say ." So you thought it had been bad ...

What is Poise and why is it important?

Every time you hit an enemy, you've got the likelihood, counting on his balance and your weapon, to prevent his movement (preventing them from dodging, running, rolling, and, above all, attacking).

This is called a disconcerting. The movement is stopped and that they are hit. A staggered enemy may be a defenseless enemy. A dead enemy.

This system applies to you and your enemies within the game.

How Poise worked: in previous Dark Souls games you'll wear armor that increased your balance, making it harder to stagger and stop attacks.

How it works now: it doesn't work. Any enemy can stop most attacks with any weapon you employ.

It may not seem that bad initially until you get to the second Dark Souls 3 mistake - and maybe my biggest complaint with the sport.

Every enemy attacks as fast as you'll (and features a greater range), no matter the weapon you're using. Do they need a house-sized sword? you'll start an attack faster than you'll stab with a dagger. Their dagger? it'll hit you while your greatsword blows the air ahead of their face.

So if you're the sort of player who likes to trade shots with enemies ... ALWAYS stay staggered.

Your only option now's to dodge far away from everything, always. Alright then. If that is the sort of play you would like to settle on. People are doing this ever since Demon Souls. But there was always a choice.

I like being a quick ninja. But there also are times once I get uninterested in the shit of this game and that I want to wear heavy armor, draw an ultra flaming sword and attend town!

In the past, you'll choose heavy armor and a greatsword and swap hit with an enemy. Yes, it might hurt you, but you'd hurt them more. a playable sort of play that not works.

Alright then. Here is how this game is meant to be designed. But the claim that Dark Souls has such a deep combat system? I do not think that's true with this episode.

For a largely combat-based game... this is often an enormous step back.

Another complaint:

The covenant system. this is not an enormous deal if you are not a trophy hunter. it's entirely possible to play the entire game and luxuriate in it without ever messing around with most alliances.

But what if you're trying to find the Platinum trophy? prepare to grind. A lot. Because while the multiplayer system has been improved compared to the games of the past, there are still a few broken alliances that will require tons of sitting waiting to be summoned or grind. Expect a mean of 6 hours killing an equivalent enemy over and over and over and over and over and over ...

(I'm watching YOU Blades of the Darkmoon ...)

OK, so what's good?

Pretty much everything else.

The environments are beautiful and fun to explore. I can not consider one area where I got there and did "UGH. This again". (In the first Dark Souls, I found just about everything that was after the Sen fortress to be cheap and boring.)

The weapons and armor, all of them really, seem incredible.

There are many enemy variants and that they add up for the environments during which they're located.

Multiplayer is usually a hospitable opinion. I feel it's fairly balanced if you play smart. Others will disagree. If you're a crybaby and do not like being bigger once you invade, you will not be thrilled by the way Dark Souls 3 handles things.

Matchmaking has improved tons. you'll easily cooperate with your friends this point are because of password matchmaking.

Finally, one among my favorite improvements: for the primary time ever, all armor sets are useful! it's not necessary to update them. and that they are ALL functional. Most weapons also are workable.

The developers have given you a fantastic arsenal to settle on from, and everything works. Even the poorest weapons are capable be handled, in-game enemies.

In conclusion: is it fun? Yes. Is it frustrating? very often Is it worth buying? Yes. Are there other similar games that are better? No.

Do I feel resentment towards developers? A little!

If I had to attain, I might start with a ten for all the incredible things that this game does. So I might remove 3 points for interrupting combat and settle around 7. Yes, this game features a lot to supply. But you'll need to enjoy unnecessary frustration (in my opinion) to enjoy it.

Fix the Poise guys!