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#humanity is a cage but so is divinity
gr8butnotstr8 · 3 months
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Dare i say homelander's character always was kind of heartbreaking but after this episode I just- i don't think i have the words to properly describe my thought process but i'll try.
He's not just a whumpee turned whumper.
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, right? Well that's it, until it's not just this.
Ever since he was born he's been nothing but feared, often even revered: not really like a god, at least not in a christian way, more like a lovecraftian abomination. He has never known humanity.
I repeat:
He has never known humanity.
When that scientist (Barbara) tells him his need for love and approval is too deep and too human for him to ever get rid of it he softly replies that oh well then it's good he's not human. And I mean, he isn't completely wrong is he? You cannot place the shackles of divinity upon a child and expect them not to succumb to the burden of your lowly, human, fearful gaze. How can we ever dare to demand him not to feel superior to anyone else when the first notion to be drilled in his head was that he's too powerful to be loved. Or at least to be only loved. Love tainted by fear is not what he's seeked all those years, even if he may not realize it. He craves approval, he craves genuine affection, to hold the gaze of another without seeing that glint of terror creeping out to meet his eyes, because it's always there. Even the most devoted hometeamer knows, deep inside their head, that Homelander's very nature demands they fear him. Sure they think it's just the respect they owe him for protecting them or whatever, but it really isn't. It's just the natural, human reaction to something that looks human but really is so far above human that you can't help but tremble. A weird kind of uncanny valley.
And so here he is. A god. In a horrific way yes, but still a god, and to try and mix - taint - his divinity with human wants? That's blasphemy. The mortals that tortured him when he was but a child, that shaped him into this wretched being yearning for satisfaction (such an alien concept, so beyond his reach) now must pay.
Humiliation of the flesh follows, because mere humans can't withstand what he was put throught, and as they die like flies he forgives them. Their sins have been forgiven. They have reached atonement not much in death but in the ways they died. In the tortures they put him throught.
Homelander is a "god born of man" and to free himself of the taint of humanity (and so mortality, which is his greatest fear) he needs to destroy his creators.
Anticlimatic, I know, but tragic nonetheless.
The paradigm has been flipped:
"God creates man, man destroys God" has now been reversed.
His yearning for love, his human neediness, has been shattered when he freed himself from his wretched notion of humanity.
Humans created him and made him of divine nature, then dared to call themselves his equals, then they brutalized his body to study its strenght and test its limits. How arrogant of them, to presume there'd be limits to such a thing.
In the end of this deeply nonsensical yapping i think homelander is truly cursed to never be happy, because he will always be in a cage and can only choose which one. He can accept his humanity (and the schackles that comes with it) and the inherent weakness of it, but that will never make him happy: he's too convinced he's a god, he believes in his own myth, his only religion (he is after all the only man in the sky).
Or, he can trascend humanity and become the fearful entity he was always destined to be, without human needs of love or approval he can be the ultimate arbiter of the planet. But that too comes with schackles, i'm afraid.
How could a divine being, basically a god, ever achieve satisfaction? Happiness? These are human matters. To give up humanity he has to give up on these goals too.
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bestial4ngel · 4 months
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Finally watching a John Waters movie,, this shit is so fucking funny and insane I love it lmfao
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neverendingford · 1 year
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#exploring my gender options has given me new appreciation for the gender I started with. like. now I can make my voice go highe and lighter#but now I'm exploring the opposite direction. feeling the thrill of my vocal cords vibrating through my jaw#working on eking out a few lower notes and getting that bass rumble where I can#I get incredulous looks when I do my high voice when paging over the intercom. I want to get incredulous looks for my low voice too#I want to do both#Vivec craves radical freedom - the death of all limits and restrictions. He wishes to be all things at all times.#Every race every gender every hero both divine and finite... but in the end he can only be Vivec.#that quote by Sotha Sil still lives in my head. there's a reason Vivec is such a nb icon.#I think the magic is finding a way to incorporate everything into yourself. you cannot be every gender. but you can be yourself#and humans have the ability to absorb infinite lives into themselves. we live near someone until we become. in part. them#we become part of the world around us as we live next to it. we become part of the people around us when we live with them#I've just reinvented the 'god is everywhere. I'm god and you're god' opinion I heard Christians ranting against as a kid#reject modernity. embrace pagan animism#I want people to look at me and realize that I refuse to be caged#I want people to hear me speak and realize that I live beyond the walls they have built for themselves#I want children to see me and see a forest beyond their compound#I want elders to see me and see a burned and ashy meadow sprouting green leaves again#I want to love so wholly that I cannot lose sight of myself#because how can you not see yourself when you are in the sky. in your friends. in your family.#you live in the tiny trinkets on your desk and the hollow worn into the couch#fuck it. I'm painting these words#tag talk
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stupidsexygrizzop · 9 months
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got this real specific kind of illness that has me comparing tfr oken and spn michael i think i need to be put down
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veritasss5 · 3 months
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The price for your new beginning | pick a card.
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Disclaimer: this is a GENERAL READING, take what it resonates and leave behind what doesn’t. This is for fun and should never be taken seriously. This is for entertainment purposes. It is just for helping you to have a general idea about your situation. If it does help you fine I am very happy about it, if not then I am sorry that it wasn’t for you and move on.
Take a moment to relax your mind and choose with your intuition.
Pile 1 → Pile 2 → Pile 3
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Pile 1
Pile one I sensed you have family issues where you wish to run away instantly.
I got the KEEPER OF BEGINNINGS for you.
In order to become free from any negative and toxic situation that you are in, you must sacrifice the cords and chains that are blocking you from flying freely to explore this world.
You must let go people’s expectations on you, they are “suggesting” to become a certain version of you, but none are the version of you want to be.
To become a butterfly, you must go through a metamorphosis. Sacrifice the old for the new. There won’t be a new beginning without the ending.
The never ending cycle of old and new would never exist without each other.
I do sense you are someone supposed to fly freely in the sky and explore the ocean of this world. Blue and light blue are strong colours that I see for you.
You may fight a lot for your freedom, and you are reluctant to sacrifice and make a huge discussion for your own personal choice.
Pleasing people is easy, but is it worth it? Have you ever seen a butterfly locked in a cage?
Choosing yourself was never an easy option, but at the end this journey full of obstacles will be worth it if you are the one to choose among others' expectations about you.
It’s fine to say no. It’s fine to misstep in a world full of perfection.
Go fly higher little butterfly of freedom. Don’t stay in this cage full of lack of empathy for you. If someone really thinks for you, it is you. People that love may not understand you, but it is fine.
You are the one to seek importance and validation from you.
It’s time to break the chains without fear of consequences.
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Pile 2
Pile two I sensed you are very close to your new beginning. I saw a person in the dark really close to the door of light where you can exit the tunnel of darkness.
I got the KEEPER OF COMFORT for you.
You can relax now. All your hard work that you put before has paid off greatly for you. The price that you have to pay is only to get out of your comfort zone and do stuff that your past self would never imagine.
I do see that you are highly guided and protected. So the results earned is also thanks to your great spirit team or divinity that has your back.
There is one specific spirit or ally (can be physical or spiritual) that helped you a lot to get out from your darkness. They helped you greatly when you needed it the most and now you can share your happiness and achievements with them.
Some people do see a big shift of energy in you or a great change in you. They either congratulate you directly or secretly admire you from a far. They consider you as a strong person and a few of them never imagined you would do this big jump of change.
If you are still struggling, keep going because you are someone that has a high inner strength. You are very close to your new chapter and so don’t let go of your hope.
If you can’t handle anymore, ask help for divinities or spirits to come and guide you.
After that door you will enjoy a beautiful view, like a secret garden that no humans have ever seen before. That beautiful view that only you get to visit is a very beautiful and fulfilling prize after your struggles and hard work. Just like when you climb the mountain and see a beautiful landscape on the top of the mountain.
People won’t get it, but you are happy. You are happy that you got what you desire and that’s what matters the most.
You are a beautiful human being full of love and empathy, don’t let people shut down your light.
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Pile 3
Pile three I sensed you are very heartbroken for something. I sensed grief and loss. You are very sad that you lost something important and you can’t recover those good memories of before.
Moving to the card, I got KEEPER OF SURRENDER for you.
This card is suggesting you surrender and let go of the things that you can’t recover or repair anymore.
You already made the sacrifice, you can’t undone the action. Sometimes losing something dear to you hurts so badly, but it is also a sign of healing and welcoming the new positive experience that is awaiting for you.
Your price for your new beginning is indeed sacrificing what can't have a good influence or impact for you. I see a lot of crying and grief. Please take a break and have self love healing sessions with yourself.
Put a lot of extra care with yourself, and treat yourself as a very light feather that is made of delicate material.
You may be overwhelmed by negative emotions right now, but soon you will be free from the grief.
For you that is autumn right now. Winter will come for you to rest and heal. And so on spring will also come for you to be strong and welcome the new beginning that Life (universe) is having reserved for you.
You are the pile that doesn’t need a new beginning instantly after the heartbreak phase. So take your time that you need to pick up your strength to move on. Listen to yourself and the voice that is hidden in your heart. It is time to think about what you actually need in your life.
One day you shall shine like a bright star, but it is not today, for now.
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ataraxiaspainting · 8 months
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Icarus.
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Yan (Emperor) Zhongli x F Reader.
Synopsis: You were taught ever since you opened your eyes to never go against your god. So why do you wish now that you have never opened them at all?
Warnings: Yandere themes, major power imbalances, manipulation, future forced marriage, some violence/gore, and unhealthy relationships.
Word Count: 3k.
Ten Songs Like This Piece:
Little Dark Age by MGMT
As the World Caves In by Matt Maltese
The Other Side Of Paradise by Glass Animals
All Eyes On Me by Bo Burnham
Space Song by Beach House
Murders by Miracle Musical
Tongues & Teeth by The Crane Wives
Teacher’s Pet by Melanie Martinez
A Pearl by Mitski
Isabella’s Lullaby by Takahiro Obata
*~*~*~*
“‘You know that I love you.’ And despite herself, Coraline nodded. It was true. The other mother loved her. But she loved Coraline as a miser loves money, or a dragon loves its gold. In the other mother's button eyes, Coraline knew that the other mother loved her as a possession, nothing more, a tolerated pet whose behavior was no longer amusing.” – Neil Gaiman, Coraline
*~*~*~*
There is no sin greater than to be a bird.
To be a bird is to be devoid of all burdens, soaring above all who are shackled by them, like a warden overseeing prisoners, or the sweetest and ripest peaches up on the highest of branches so no one can reach it. They can go anywhere, birds, with the winds at their call, the very embodiment of freedom itself, something your god has taught all his people to be wary of. Freedom can be a blessing, he told one of his counselors once, but it can also cause humans to be too conceited. There is no sin greater than to be a bird because all others will be envious. Envy is also a sin, one so common that even Archons are said to possess it. Sin gives birth to more sin, more suffering, and thus only the original that birthed it all shall be punished by Celestia’s fury. 
There is no greater sin than to be a bird, so the gods put in place cages, made to make those trapped by gold and chains and other things entirely. Birds who are not lured into such traps are dealt with by lightning, making them fall back down to the ground below, the last thing they see is the very sky that punished them. The sky, the stars, the moon, the sun… the entire world will be against you when you are a bird.
It will be that way until you die. The world hates birds and the way they fly and soar. Birds are meant for cages, or to be struck down with their corpses made into trophies.
There is no title greater than to be a hunter.
The sin; to be a bird, freedom… the title; to be a hunter, despotism.
To shoot, to stab, to twist until the prey bursts, is the way of someone whose greatest sin is doing good for this world.
To bleed, to be trapped, to be killed and put on display for all to see, that is what a bird’s purpose truly is, in the eyes of the divine.
They are different, quite so, like different ripples in lakes of mixed blood and water.
You can almost hear them, can’t you?
Celestia favors the strong. Celestia despises the weak. It makes sense to most people, those who were born into power be it money made from blood or strength made from blood. They don’t see the way the world works. The way flies feast upon rotting meat and are soon to be eaten by something bigger. It makes sense for most people, but not for you. Despite everything you have ever been taught from word of mouth, life on the streets teaches you otherwise. For everything you have endured, you have learned that you are not weak. In any case, quite the opposite.
You don’t pray anymore with everyone else, as they keep reciting such things over and over again at the states positioned throughout Liyue as if the emperor would listen to them. 
“O Almighty Geo Archon, give us your blessings for the many moons ahead of us all!” They would hold hands with their bodies being placed in circles around the sculptures. They close their eyes altogether, to not see the sacrifices trapped between them at the monuments, the last thing they see is the Lord of Geo’s face, looking down at them with a stone-cold glare laced with eerie delight. “O Almighty Geo Archon, give us your blessings for the many moons ahead of us all! O Almighty Geo Archon, give us your blessings for the many moons ahead of us all!”
To be praying and to be preying are two quite different things, but to the people of Liyue, there is no difference. Blood seeps into the earth all the same, regardless of who sheds it. So, as evidence that the people of Liyue do indeed bow down to Celestia’s every whim, they bring birds of all kinds and steal them of all they have. Their feathers make for excellent clothing, their bones make for stellar weaponry, and their feet make for charms of good luck. Celestia only smiles down upon the strong, after all. Celestia despises freedom because, without the divine, humans would have nothing to leash them onto rationality and laws. Perhaps that is why Mondstadt is very much in chaos now. Their god was said to have betrayed Celestia by giving his people forbidden knowledge of how nature originally ran its course, causing an uproar among the citizens. 
No one knows what happened to the god of Mondstadt after that.
Was he smitten down? Did his people turn on him? No one in Liyue knows for certain, as people of Mondstadt are forbidden from entering the land said to be made up of the purest of gold.
“O Almighty Geo Archon, give us your blessings for the many moons ahead of us all!”
That is the first thing you hear when you wake up, huddled in a corner to prevent yourself from getting even more wet from the rain. You assume that maybe it will be the last thing you hear when you close your eyes for good.
*~*~*~*
You grew up in Qiaoying Village and, once you grew up, got exiled from Qiaoying Village. You stood out, which no one saw in a good light. You were a mischievous, rule-breaking child, always stealing Jadevein Tea Eggs and both tea and tea sets made of fine porcelain. Your older brother taught you lessons far too valuable and unique for the traditionalist settings of Qiaoying Village, lessons like how to pick the elderly’s door’s locks, how to properly identify which pockets had the most Mora, and how to make alleyways a labyrinth for those who chase you.
Your older brother, though, did not partake in thievery himself. You suppose that might have been the first warning sign of many more to come. He made you, a child about half his age, do his dirty work for him. He always hoarded the rewards afterward, and if you got caught or he got caught with whatever treasure you had given him, he would pretend to scold you for going against the way of the Qiaoying. He said it was just pretend, but that look in his eyes still haunts you to this very day. As you got older, though, you got dumber. You crossed a line with everyone. You decided to steal from a Fontainian duke.
It was a foolish decision. Fontainians are known for their high sense of justice, and their tunnel vision when it comes to crimes and punishments. But you were just a child, were you not?
You couldn’t help it. You were just a child. That is what you told yourself then, and it is what you tell yourself now.
No one helped you then, and no one helps you now. Hell, it would be a miracle, a blessing from Celestia, if your older brother came to Liyue Harbor to visit you. But he never loved you, did he? He never loved you, and you never hated him until you saw him for what he truly is. A petty servant of Madam Mei with a spine thinner than that of a twig. He was a coward then, and likely still a coward now. Perhaps it would have been noble of him, while you were still an infant, to use that pocket knife he always carried around. It would have been better for you, for you to not know anything you know about him now. 
But he was a coward, your older brother. The person who taught you everything about thievery is also now the person who taught you how important it is to keep your cards close. Life on the streets calls for both, you suppose. Liyue Harbor may not be the friendliest for the homeless, but at the very least it had pockets to swipe into when no one was looking. Old habits die hard. You ended up relying on every memory of the past, no matter how bitter or how deceivingly sweet they were. You bore it. You bore it all. Every memory, every fragment of a lie, and every fragment of a half-truth. Life is never so simple after all, is it?
Your life was never perfect, and therefore still is not now. But you know deep in your heart that you would prefer this life over seeing your older brother’s face ever again.
But now, with eyes brighter than amber staring above you as you lay, your arm broken, you wish that your brother had taught you some fighting skills instead of everything else he taught you.
But he was a coward, and so are you.
To be fair, though, he never met the emperor and never thought that he would. So did you. No one in Qiaoying Village did, most likely. It was so far from the proclaimed harbor made of gold and trader’s blood and prayers. This was where the emperor lived, in his castle in the mountains surrounding Lingju Pass and Mount Tianheng. It was made up of the finest gold and wood and jewels. Only the best for the emperor, while people like you get mere pebbles. That is why, when you saw yet another stranger in a white cloak roaming around the alleyways, you attempted to strike. Your mistake.
Your mistake.
You were on the ground in an instant, your arm breaking so loudly an elderly man on his deathbed could hear it. 
The stranger’s eyes glittered like gold.
Frozen gold, perhaps, with how he was staring down at you with such disappointment.
So, he stared down at you.
You stared down at your arm.
You should have known better. But you are just someone trying to live, are you not? It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault. But that white cloak the man is wearing with the sigil of geo on the back, one of the few symbols of the emperor himself, should have made you not attempt to pickpocket him. You should have known better. You really should have known better. Should you apologize? You are already as good as dead though, aren’t you?
Does a death sentence await you?
Life? Death? Prison? Life. Death. Prison.
Escape.
You have to escape.
But the emperor seems to know what you are doing, what you are planning.
So he stops you with a simple hand raised, and pillars of geo appear out of nowhere, trapping you in the corner. Now there is nowhere to run.
He stares down at you.
You stare down at your feet, all mangled up from a life made of thievery and poverty.
He doesn’t speak. Neither do you. You prefer it that way.
You are in a cage. But he is not.
Please.
Please don’t kill me. 
Please.
*~*~*~*
Is it a sin to indulge? Perhaps it is, perhaps it is not. Perhaps it depends. Is the indulgence centered in reality or fantasy? This escape attempt, perhaps, is both.
Like the many that came before it, the only sounds you can hear is the rain, the water falling from the glass windows like teardrops, and sometimes you can swear you hear the sound of someone weeping. Despite everything you have gone through though, you do not weep with them, whoever they are. You only keep stepping on ahead for a brighter future, one where you sneak off to Sumeru, a land that prioritizes knowledge over riches. You’d have a better life there than here, you think. Anywhere but here you would run off to actually, even if it was Snezhnaya. 
You are treated well, too well.
You still don’t know why instead of throwing you in the dungeons, Morax placed your unconscious body in one of the many, many guest rooms that were spread about in his castle.
You are treated far too well, almost to the point that it is maddening. Everything is so perfect, from the morning birds outside your window that wake you up every morning when it just so happens to be time for breakfast to the hairbrush you use to put your hair up when it is time to sleep, the design intricately laced with jade and topaz. Perfect, perfect, perfect. It’s maddening, sickening, how perfect everything is. You wish he had just put you in a cell because at least then everything would not have been so planned out for you, even the type of flowers you saw in the gardens that week. 
“Damn it all…”
In your opinion, the clothes you received today were more intricate than usual. The sleeves are puffed and transition from white to a deep teal color. The dress itself showcases delicate lace patterns of glaze lilies around the waist and wrists, while the skirt is impractically long for any running. Strangely, the inside of the skirt features a constellation pattern, though it seems to be a design meant for your eyes alone. The purpose of this starry sky motif remains unclear. The dress, like everything else, appears flawless and fits you perfectly, almost as if it was tailored specifically for you. Given Morax's wealth, you can't help but entertain the possibility. However, the overwhelming perfection of it all borders on madness. Perfect. Perfect. Perfect. Perfect, so damn perfect. 
Today, you were not given shoes, presumably due to the rain and the consequent cancellation of your garden visit with Morax, where you typically indulge in tea and wine. As you approached the staircase leading to the dining room, however, the guards obstructed your path. Their actions were gentle, but their words were not. They formed a human barricade, preventing your descent. One guard clicked their tongue disapprovingly, while the other remained silent. Perhaps they harbored some disdain towards you. The servants in this establishment either treated you with utmost care or completely disregarded your presence, so it was not entirely surprising that the guards displayed a semblance of dislike.
The real surprise was you not being allowed to go to the dining room to eat.
“The emperor wants you to stay in your room for the time being. He shall see you shortly there.”
So, you went back, albeit muttering curses along the way. Due to your lack of shoes and the guards not even allowing you to go downstairs, this escape attempt is as short-lived as a moth flying much too close to a flame.
As you were told, Morax came in his usual attire, black and brown robes with a geo sigil on the back. 
“...”
“I have been told that you have been getting a bit too curious with your wandering.”
Ah, straight to the point, it would seem. 
There is no point trying to beat around the bush when it comes to Morax. “It is not like there is anything else to do here.”
He sits beside you on the bed, not too close but not too far either. A perfect balance. “I can give you other activities to do if you would like. I can also answer some questions you have since you’ll be living here from now on.”
“...This isn’t temporary…” You look down at the arm he broke, a time which feels like a millennium ago. “Am I being charged?” Your question is quietly said. “Aren’t thieves simply sent to cells for a few moons?”
His chuckle was unexpected, causing a slight surprise. Morax, who was typically expressionless, wore a smile on his face. Despite the possibly good intentions behind it, the sight and sound were unsettling and made your skin crawl.
“...You don’t tell me anything.” You whisper under your breath. That much is clear. Despite Morax's little attempts to conceal it, his secrecy is unmistakable. You can't help but feel like a naive child stating the obvious.
“You are here for multiple reasons. For instance… you remind me of someone. As such, you must have questions, if you are anything like her.” His eyes glaze over you, from the top of your head where your hair is half put up with a hairpin to the anklet just hovering over your right foot. “All humans are born with an innate sense to pry. I won’t judge, as I am an Archon.” Are his words heartfelt? “Through my veins flow gold, but yours flow with sanguine, life, and desires.” 
His hand reaches forward, but he does not touch you. “You must see yourself as better than us because of this. Am I correct?”
“My feelings are not as monochrome as they seem to you. They are complex, quite so. But you are right, in some regard.”
“This is why I cannot stand the so-called divine.”
“Another reason as to why you are here. You are a sleeper of such, and I intend to help you open your eyes to the truth.”
You look at his eyes, seeing all the horrors within their depths.
The emperor known as Morax possesses eyes of pure gold, along with attractive features and pale, rosy lips that curl into a sickly sweet smile. Your body instinctively reacts, urging you to flee before your mind can fully comprehend the situation. However, your brain, awakening and analyzing the situation, is interrupted by the overpowering force of instinct, echoing the same warning as your body: the charming smile is a mere facade, reminiscent of something unsettlingly artificial. It is akin to a sculpture with painted skin and eyes or a doll with exaggerated, intricate features. This man, with his literal golden eyes, his potentially persuasive words, and his captivating yet unnerving countenance, is someone you cannot trust.
Desperate to escape, you attempt to run, only to find that arms and hands, seemingly made of stone, emerge from the walls, gripping and restraining your own. Two of these strong hands ascend, slithering towards the center of your back, forcefully pushing you down into a bow, while you remain compelled to gaze upwards. Your focus remains fixated solely on the emperor's eyes, observing the eloquent patterns of gold within them.
The caress of their touch is tender upon your cheeks, unlike solid ones that demand for you to stay.
“You shall become my consort and see the gates of Celestia for yourself. Humans are made to worship, after all. The divine are made to simply awaken those who have strayed off the path of destiny.”
*~*~*~*
To possess the gift of sight, encompassing all, is the gravest transgression one can commit. Thus, those winged creatures who lack this awareness are banished to the depths of the earth, their vision, their literal eyes stripped away until their cries reverberate to the surface, where the emperor Morax shall pronounce the ultimate verdict.
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kiame-sama · 1 year
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Omega Marechi (Yandere!Upper-Moons x Omega!Reader x Yandere!Muzan)
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Warnings; yandere, multiple yandere, stalking, mention of violence, mention of social imbalance, my abo au (less than 1000 omegas world wide and omegas are a commodity of sorts), omega reader, abo social ladder, abo societal structure, unfair situations, instinct manipulation, kidnapping, threat of murder, blood, violence, mention of human consumption, demons, female bodied reader, female reader pronouns (let me know if y'all want a male version).
(It's a personal headcannon of mine that omegas are short & chubby, so very soft and squishy)
(Also, let me know if y'all want a continuation of this, I have a certain idea involving stockades I have been interested in trying out)
~~~~~~~~
Deep within the winding surfaces and ever changing interior of a fortress wreathed in darkness, demons began to gather. Though they were few in number, each demon had their own impressive strengths and abilities that set them apart from the many other members of their brood. Even with their combined presence and strength, their master stood above them in every way possible.
The king of demons, he who sired every other demon, stood watching his upper ranked generals as they gathered beneath him. Short dark hair seemed to swallow all light in the inky abyssal color, bright red eyes glinting like lit lanterns on the darkest of nights. His fair skin unblemished and so smooth it could be mistaken for the marble of a true artisan's finest work. Truly a vision of a true apex alpha with the beauty of a divine being.
The six generals that gathered were supposed to be without company and solely focused on their sire, yet one was not alone. Next to the top general of the king's army was a large rectangular box shape that was draped in heavy fabrics to conceal what may be held within. The fabrics seemed to be soaked in a heavy perfume mixed with the hint of an unusually appealing scent that taunted the senses.
"What have you brought, Kokushibou?"
The deep and commanding voice of the demon king rumbled out with a tint of curiosity in his tone. Where he expected quite a bit from his upper moons, even he had to admit that the actions of his top general were odd. It was not often that the upper moons did something that surprised him- and usually was met with a swift reprimand- but his curiosity had been peaked by the abnormal behavior.
Without saying a word, Kokushibou gripped the heavy fabric and quickly pulled it away, revealing what had been concealed. Beneath the cloth lay an iron cage- much like what an exotic beast would be transported in- with blankets lining the bottom of the cage for cushion. The cage itself wasn't very interesting when compared to what lay within.
Laying bound in the iron cage was a woman, her (h/c) locks strewn around her head and her (s/c) flesh looked incredibly plush and no doubt was soft to the touch. A delicate and fine silk kimono wrapped around her bound form, even that which held her was made of the expensive materials. Her eyes were covered in a long silk ribbon, mouth held shut by an intricate golden muzzle, her arms cuffed together with similarly intricate cuffs in front of her and lower legs cuffed together.
A woman- no matter how decorated- wasn't much to crow about, but the pungent scent that had been smothered by the perfumes was now free and quickly reached those nearby. There was a visible change in the way the other upper moons stood, their nostrils flaring and eyes fixed on the soft woman as they contemplated what she was. The scent reached Muzan last, but he knew immediately what was being presented to him, though he could scantly believe what his senses were telling him.
"No," Douma started, his multi colored eyes wide in disbelief, "that's impossible. Omegas aren't real! It must be a trick."
"Looks real to me. Smells real too. Actually," Akaza sniffed, looking curiously at the bound female, "she smells like a marechi."
A soft whimper came from within the cage, the female inside moving and seemingly trying to pull away from her binds. The muzzle secured on her kept her from speaking and muffled her sounds as she responded to the voices around her. Blindly she turned her head towards the sound of Akaza speaking, seemingly trying to understand where she was and who she was with.
"She was being transported as cargo on a train. From her scent, it was made clear to me that she is an Omega and a marechi. She has no mating marks present on her body. The humans transporting her were on their way to deliver her to slayers, a gift from a small village of fools."
Muzan silently descended from where he had been standing above the upper moons, approaching the cage curiously. The other demons watched in interest as their sire crouched, observing the bound female that had been presented to him. He had not encountered an omega, even in his long life, so seeing such a rare and unusual being in a cage was surreal. Truly, he had thought omegas were just another myth created by humans.
He reached a finger between the bars, his sharp nail gently scraping over the exposed neck of the omega. Naturally, she responded with a fearful sound at the feeling of something sharp against her neck, trying to writhe away from the sensation. The obvious fear was accompanied by an intense scent that prodded at their minds to defend the soft woman from whatever may be causing her distress.
Muzan observed the struggling of the delicacy he had been presented with, red eyes gleaming and unwavering. After a moment of simply watching the omega struggle, he reached his hands forward to grip the cage bars. With one flex, the metal groaned beneath his hands, crumpling like sand and bending out of shape. One of his hands held the cage still as he ripped the bar off of the cage, pulling out several more until he could access the omega.
The loud sound of the metal bending and crushing had clearly upset the omega who let out a muffled scream into the muzzle, body twisting and writhing to escape the frightening sound and its source. Another scream escaped her as one of Muazan's hands gripped the back of the her kimono, dragging her out of the remnants of the cage. A sharp scent made him freeze, the taunting ambrosia of marechi blood filled his nostrils as he moved to examine the omega.
Sitting on her cheek was the smallest of cuts, blood slowly beading along the line of the slice. Within the second Muzan noticed the small injury, a greedy mouth formed along his hand. The elongated tongue quickly stretching out and slowly laving over the gathered blood with an apparent groan of satisfaction rumbling in his chest from the taste.
His pleasured sound only seemed to frighten the omega more, whimpering out and beginning to cry from the terror. It was understandable, she had been in the cage for an unknown time and now was listening to the sound of an unknown assailant flavor her blood. With a quick motion the blindfold was pulled away, revealing (e/c) eyes that were filled with delicate tears and horror.
Her gaze became fixed on the bright red eyes of the predator in front of her, body falling completely still. Much like the way an injured fawn would freeze upon seeing the open jaws of a bear. The body of the soft omega seemed to curl in on itself, as if she were trying to seem as small as possible all without looking away.
He lifted his free hand towards her and gripped her ornate metal muzzle despite her frightened sounds and slow shaking of her head back and forth. She cringed and closed her eyes tightly as his hand gripped the clasp of the muzzle that held it on.
For a moment, things seemed to stand still in baited anticipation of what the demon king would do next. All upper moons keenly awaited their sire's next move as it would determine the fate of the omega they all were interested in. Wanting to get their hands on her if he allowed her to live, or wanting a piece of her if he chose to consume her.
A soft click of metal could be heard in the profound silence as the clasp of the muzzle was disconnected.
~~0~~
You warily watched the frightening man remove the muzzle you wore, seeing how hungrily he looked at you the entire time. He seemed to be contemplating you, much like many others would when first coming into contact with you. The man- or monster, would be more accurate- suddenly grinned, hand gripping your neck and slowly lifting you up.
Even with how you struggled, the man seemed to have no problem holding you until he was fully standing. His expression became more fierce as the veins in his face became more pronounced, tongue slowly dragging over his lips. After a moment he lowered you so your feet were on the ground, no longer holding you off the ground but still holding you in place.
"You are a truly unfortunate human. Luckily for you, I intend to keep you for the time being. You staying alive or not will be determined by your actions."
~~~~~~~~
You had been taken to a large ornate bed that no doubt belonged to the demonic alpha that broke your chains but left your cuffs. From the way he stared at you, you felt like you were being appraised much in the way one would appraise a meal. A yelp escaping your lips as you were thrown down on the soft surface.
In seconds you felt the silk that held your clothing together rip open, the ornate kimono falling open. Your body was completely left exposed to the intense gaze of the man, you had been dressed for meeting several new mates who were top members of the demon slayers. Instead it seemed the demons found you and decided to keep you for the time being.
Part of you was terrified to fight back as you didn't wish to anger the demon that took you to bed. Based off of his scent, you knew you were dealing with an alpha of great strength and willpower. The alpha himself seeming to be above other alphas that you had caught the scents of whenever one would pass through your village. He was clearly the one others answered to as they had gotten out of his way rather quickly when he decided to drag you to his chambers.
You tried to keep your thighs pressed together to give yourself some kind of protection, but the demon was quick to pry them open. His gaze was intense and you felt your body warm in response to how he stared at your exposed figure. A whimper from you seemed to break the trance he was in as his eyes flicked up to look at you for several seconds.
"And still, you are afraid. Tell me, Omega, did the humans you lived amongst even give you a name, or have you always been Omega?"
"My name," you struggled to keep the fear out of your voice as you answered the alpha demon, "it's (Y/n), (L/n)(Y/n)."
"(Y/n)? I am Kibutsuji Muzan, king of demons. You have gained my attention, (Y/n), quite dangerous indeed. I expect you to be an obedient omega, understand?"
"Ye-yes, I understand, Alpha."
"Good."
You whined softly as one of his hands came up to palm your soft chest as if appraising it like fruit. His bright red eyes gleaming in interest as he observed you trying to sit still for him and let him continue what he wanted. Clearly you were a high tier omega as you were so obedient and did exactly what the alpha told you to do.
The village you grew up in must have trained you to be a good omega, taking the word of an alpha as law. In any case, he was quite pleased to have such a treasure in his grasp. He vaguely considered keeping the omega for himself, but he knew the way the upper moons stared, even Akaza showed clear interest.
An omega would certainly be a unique reward and incentive to push the upper moons further. Beyond just that, using the unique human omega sent could throw off the slayers in such a way there would be no one left to stand against the demon king.
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riptide-pools · 8 months
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LMK OCs
Lady Crimson | Fire & Brimstone AU
Character: Lady Crimson is the twin sister of Red Son. Her powers are wind element similar to Princess Iron Fan but got sealed by Lady Bone Demon from her brooch, the 'Ankh Shield'. She obtained the brooch due to Samadhi Fire Incident but she doesn't remember any memory of it.
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Lord Crimson | Flames & Ashes AU
Character: Lord Crimson, similar to his female counterpart, had encountered the Samadhi Fire Incident but remembered every bits of the memory. But for him, he succumbed to the fire and brought back by LBD.
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Zǐ Dīngxiāng / Rai | Celestial Gatekeeper AU
Character: Rai is the Celestial Realm's guard. To prevent any intruders from entering the Heavens. They're a Lotus Dragon, born from a dew drop from the hands of a divine being and his lotus bud bloomed into his being. He's also a student of Ne Zha.
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Lang Zhu / Wolf Spider | Toxic Spindle Webs AU
Character: Zyan [human name] is an arachnid obsessed scientist. After Wolf Spider turned into one of Spider Queen's goons, he lost his humanity. He had doubts towards Mayor and his Mistress. And as he knew his hunch had been correct, he sacrificed himself to save Spider Queen from LBD, yet he failed and he perished alongside his Spider brothers.
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Haiyang | Gilded Cage AU
Character: Haiyang is Mei's older sister. As the heir to the Dragon Clan, it is assumed that the Dragon Blade will be given upon her. Yet when Mei took the blade and defended the home from the Bull Clone, she had forced to accept that the destiny of the Dragon Blade won't be in her hands. Hence her not so close relationship with Mei.
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lulu2992 · 11 days
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Does Jacob Seed believe in God?
It’s a popular theory that, even though the oldest Seed brother is part of the Project at Eden’s Gate, he only has faith in his own ideology and doesn’t necessarily believe in God or the Voice. So is Jacob one of Joseph’s Heralds simply because he wants to support his brother and use his influence to his advantage, or does he actually believe in a higher power and in the Father’s message?
The first time we come (very) close to Jacob, during the mission “The World is Weak”, he explains why he thinks humanity has “forgotten what it is to be strong”. He says that “our heroes used to be gods” but that they are now, among other flaws, “godless”. If Jacob associates godlessness, so the lack of faith in God, with weakness, one of the things he criticizes the most, it implies to me that he thinks believing in God is a quality, so he most likely does too.
The next time the Deputy is captured by Jacob’s soldiers, he stays in the background to let Joseph talk to them and explain how he lost his wife and daughter. The Father tells this story in the Whitetail Mountains for a reason: it’s about pain, sacrifice, being tested, and doing whatever we’re asked to prove our devotion. Although Jacob doesn’t say anything to the Junior Deputy in that scene, the pained expression on his face proves that Joseph’s speech affects and resonates with him, and we only fully understand why the next time we meet him.
The third time the Deputy gets captured and ends up in one of Jacob’s cages, he too has a story to tell. While he casually shows how submissive and “well-trained” Pratt has now become, he talks about his experience in the military and more specifically during the First Gulf War. He explains how he and another soldier, Miller, got separated from their unit without food, water, or radio, and had to survive in the desert. When he realized, after eight days, that they were most likely going to die, he accepted his fate. “And in that acceptance came clarity”, he explains, and before he says the last two words, Jacob pauses and looks at the sky. In my opinion, this may indicate he believes this epiphany was of a divine nature.
When he continues his story, he says sacrificing Miller so he could survive “wasn’t something [he] wanted” but “something that [he] had to do” before concluding that it was “[his] test” and looking at the sky once more. Again, to me, this suggests he believes that this “test”, this sacrifice he didn’t want to make but thought had to happen, was a divine trial, a “test of faith”, exactly like Joseph killing his own daughter. And in order to join his army, people are expected to do the same: they must sacrifice something (or someone) that’s holding them back. To Jacob, it appears a sacrifice is not just about the “weak vs. strong” ideology and culling the herd, it’s also how you prove your devotion, your commitment to the Project, to the Father and, by extension, to God.
In his final moments, Jacob says what led many people to conclude he was possibly an atheist: “My brother saw all this coming. I don’t know if he talks to God... that doesn’t matter. He was right.” I don’t think this means he doesn’t believe in a higher power, though. Many other characters in Far Cry 5, such as Jerome or Grace, clearly are religious but also think Joseph is a false prophet and that there’s no way the Voice he claims he heard is God’s. Here, Jacob doesn’t say it’s not true and that the Voice isn’t real; he simply admits that he doesn’t know if Joseph can communicate with God.
So, in my opinion, it’s very likely that Jacob believes in a higher power and that part of what he does to people has a religious significance. That said, as he takes his last breath, whether or not the Voice Joseph hears belongs to God doesn’t matter much to the Soldier anymore. What does, and what he seems to be certain of, is that he was right to believe in his brother.
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kachowden · 2 years
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(Tw: Somewhat nsfw themes, disturbing descriptions, unhealthy idolization)
Surely,
I want to write about a man who is obsessed with you.
His love for you evades all reason without even trying.
Your being consumes his thoughts, mind and soul
Breathing means nothing, so little, if it means he can’t feel you next to him.
Basic human pleasures are lost on him in your presence. He does not need to eat, nor drink, nor sleep, for he believes your love will sustain him. Resurrect him.
“I love you. I love you I love you oh god I love you.”
Do not part with him, do not leave him he will surely perish if you do.
He’ll kiss yours hands, yours wrists, every finger and palm. He will praise your life above every god or flower between breaths.
The desires he feels for you are sinful, pathetic in comparison to you. His hands claw at his own skin, a cage that holds in his deepest depravities. Disgusting, ugly lust burns inside his bones. It feels terrible. It feels horrid. It feels amazing. Surely, he would never be able to fulfill you the way he wishes.
But he would be so grateful if you let him try. Just a taste?
Please?
Please haunt him. Haunt his dreams- His dreams, that are so blissful yet dull. He cannot feel you in his dreams. Even if they speak of you in his arms, he cannot feel you. He would rather be awake. Rather awake in your arms, in your breath and in your eyes.
He is jealous of himself. The one that holds you in his dreams.
He’d let himself drown in you. In your eyes, in your skin and in your tears.
No never your tears. If you cried he’d die surely.
Please please please
God if you kissed him just once, just once please just one kiss- he won’t ask for more he promises -oh god please just one kiss
But he doesn’t believe he’s worthy of your kisses. Surely he’s not, not someone as divine as you. He does not deserve your love, your touch or your kisses. Even your eyes on him would be too much.
Don’t look at him like that. He can’t handle it. He’ll melt, surely
Please take pity on him.
Surely you will?
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lovesickeros · 7 months
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☆ love; heretical and divine
{☆} characters tsaritsa {☆} notes cult au, yandere, drabble, gender neutral reader {☆} warnings blood {☆} word count 0.8k
To love a God is heretical. It is an act of blasphemy– it is to drag them down from their throne of hollow gold, to topple the pedestal the worshipers uphold on their shoulders like lambs at the herders heel. It is the act of forcing them to their knees and ripping that beating heart of glorious gold and beautiful, cruel divinity from their chest, so pure it burns.
To love a God is to make them sin. To make them painfully, horribly human.
To love a God is to sin.
The love of a worshiper is no love at all, brilliant in its raw purity, untainted by sin. It is fear and obedience masked by adoration so overpowering it corrupts. It makes the lamb so unquestioning in it's faith it will never question the knife that cuts, the teeth that rip, the claws that tear. If the Creator deemed them unworthy of the very life crafted by their hands, then they must have committed a sin so grave there lay no salvation for their horrid soul.
But she is no worshiper– her lips speak of heresy as easily as she breathes, her words nothing but lies, cold and cruel like the ice that crawls along her skin like webs.
She loves a God like a lover should.
A damned sinner reaching longingly for the heavens.
She loves a God in the subtle brush of their lips, their muffled voices behind closed doors as they indulge in curiosity untamed. She is a sinner through and through, but she feels herself fall further with every brush of her hand across their cheeks, every touch she bestows upon them like a lover. She memorizes the imperfections of their body like memorizing a map– every scar, every mark, every line drawn on their body like a canvas, her touch the brush that stains the pristine white.
No devoted lamb shall ever see the painting they create in these stolen moments– it is for the eyes of a heretic so vile it makes them shudder, their body dirtied by the love of a woman so vile even their divinity is obscured by the ice.
The lambs may be satisfied with fleeting glimpses of gold and empty words from lips that guide them to the jaws of the wolves, but she is not. Her hands crave them like a starving hound, aching to touch that imperfect skin hidden by the veil of gold that obscures the painfully human body beneath. She longs to free them from the golden cage that binds them– to see their wings blot out the sky, their divinity tainted by sin and making them all the more beautiful for it.
It is a longing that leaves a festering wound that cannot heal, will not heal. Even if it could, she would not let it.
For as much as she tries, deny it as she may, she is no better then the blind lambs following the herder who holds a blade in their hand, glittering like gold in the sun, stained by dull red.
She is a fool, and what a fool they make of her with the touch of their hands against her skin– so cold it leaves frost on their fingertips. Yet they do not fear the cold, mapping out every inch of her imperfections, carved into her body by her own hands.
She has always been a heretic, cursing the divine until she could speak no more, but if divinity can be found in them – in this love that consumes, that burns her hands and her lips – then she is a Saint, praying at the altar until her throat bled.
But in the end, she has and will always be a cold woman with hands stained with blood. Until it is all she can taste, until it is all she can smell, until it is all she can feel. These hands of hers, heretical and divine, will bleed the God from their veins– she will become the wolf to their lamb until the rivers of Teyvat run gold with their ichor, until the gold bleeds into red, the taste of their divinity on her tongue.
Until she drags a God from their lofty throne and makes of them a monster.
There is no greater triumph to the heretic then to love a God into sin. To make a God sin to love.
To love is to be human, and they are no God.
Even if she must tear the gold from their very being until all that's left is something human. Even if Teyvat crumbles and decays, even if it begins over and over again..
She will do it again and again, until the gold can bleed no longer. Until her sins grow too great for Teyvat to contain.
To love a God is to devour, and be devoured. An endless cycle of sin that dulls the glow of gold into something new– something horrifying and divine, in it's own right. Something just as horrid as her, just as divinely corrupted by the sins she carries on her shoulders like a trophy, as gold as the sun and as cold as ice.
Divinity, carved into something human by love all consuming, until it all bleeds away and they begin their dance anew, for as many cycles as it takes.
An eternity, if she must, of dooming this world of theirs to fire and decay for a glimpse of the being snared by their golden shackles.
#sagau#genshin sagau#self aware genshin#genshin impact sagau#self aware genshin impact#genshin cult au#genshin impact cult au#fic tag#tsaritsa#tsaritsa x reader#rip 2 anyone who expected like. a normal fic lol. lmao.#im very normal abt the tsaritsa and love its so tasty#i left it very up to interpretation what like. actually happens but. yknow.#i just think tsaritsa being the god of love and not knowing how 2 love without being weird abt it is fun#also wanted to dig into the concept of reader being fundamentally changed by being the creator besides gold blood yknow#but the tsaritsa Knows its changed you and she hates it. she hates it but how does one destroy what is divine?#how do you destroy the very thing that has created you in its hands so cruel and kind?#ive really gone off the deep end huh#this is a warning 2 the normal ppl u might as well leave now. lol#lowkey going for her actually straight up eating u but decided that was too weird for my first fic in a while. had 2 tone it down#i also wanted to add a bit of a concept of the constant resets teyvat goes through and how it plays into the themes#the tsaritsa constantly stuck in a cycle of getting rid of your divinity to be with you as you actually are but teyvat “dies” shortly after#bc obvs ur not the creator afterward so it just croaks and then it all resets again and again#but its the tsaritsa we r talking abt do u think that stops her. NO#obvs still up 2 interpretation go wild this was just what i intended#can u tell i have a lot of feelings abt tsaritsa and concepts of love from her pov. haha. I PROMISE IM NORMAL#i am mentally well why do u ask#what warnings do i add here. dont open this fic ive lost it maybe. yeah#covid rewiring my brain or smth idk man
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kii-nami · 4 months
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GILDED DREAMS | SUNDAY
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You do not protest the clear display of authority over the most minuscule of details. Maybe you don’t even care for things like that, maybe you even take pity on him for that fact. Whatever it is in the end, Sunday doesn’t know. Neither does he ask. Birds are born to foolishly oppose the safety of captivity, but some will walk into the cage willingly. For they believe it to be temporary. Sunday’s gloves are stained with your divine blood. Your name will be written in the holy scriptures by his own hand soon enough.
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cw: 6.5k words; part one of two; fem!mc; nameless!mc; i'm not a hsr lore scholar; sunday get behind me i have a glock and nothing to lose except you;
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To survive is to suffer. And crippled birds neither fly nor sing. All they are truly good for is to live a life of captivity. The only way to keep them safe is to build them a cage strong enough to protect them from all known predators. A prison of comfort, peaceful enough for them to forget their broken wings and settle down, with only sickeningly sweet scent of heaven in the air. Idyllic enough for it to become a dream.
Thus, Sunday dreams of eternal paradise in which no bird will ever get its wings clipped. In his gilded dreams, humanity’s life is free of misery. There is no survival of the fittest, for there is no weakness. There is no uncertainty, for there is no future. There is no suffering, for there is only Order. Or so the Dreammaster says.
And Ena the Order dreams of a paradise for everyone but Sunday, as he is a necessary sacrifice for the greater good of peace. One must be crucified for the sake of humanity, and Sunday is more than willing to become a martyr if it means he will finally obtain a cage big enough to contain anything and everything that could threaten his family. Or so the Dreammaster says.
To live is to dream. And you, Sunday decides, dream of nothing. For if you were, you would not have been roaming the halls of this maze. Yet Ena the Order sees none of your trespassing, and Sundays dares not to disturb Them with the news of someone so easily escaping their handmade heaven. Yet the ravens won’t stop screeching, the voices continue chanting. You do not belong here, so Sunday has no other choice but to take you out himself. That is the right thing to do. Or so the Dreammaster says. That is what he wants.
“Be not afraid.”
Your hand stops midair. The ribbons of your intricate sleeves keep swaying gently as your fingers tremble a mere inch away from the marble surface of the statue you were admiring. Then you shudder, dropping your arm limply at your side and finally look at him.
“Fear is the soul killer.” You agree easily, the light tremor of your voice betraying you by giving that very fear away. “I’ve been wandering these halls for hours, however. It is natural for me to expect the worst, Mister Sunday.”
You know him yet he remembers you not. So it must be your first time in Penacony, otherwise Sunday would have surely remembered someone like you. Someone who is capable of evading Order’s omniscience. It matters not, however. For he will guide you back to paradise with his own hand.
“I shall show you the way, then.” Sunday offers you his hand in an exercise of faithless chivalry. The white fabric of his gloves is yet to be stained with blood or soiled with the touch of the passing visitors he is forced to exchange pleasantries with. But soon it will be. He doesn't want it to. “If I may.”
“I would be eternally grateful.” You smile. “My family must be worried sick about me.”
There is nothing but kindness behind your voice and the light reflecting of your eyes can blind a sinner if they look at you. Sunday knows better than to trust the emptiness of words and fool’s gold of flattery for he is throwing those around on the daily. So when your palm presses gently against his own, he leads you to your untimely demise with no hesitation and all the remorse one could have, leaving you none the wiser to his true intentions.
Sunday half-expects to be stabbed in the back with some sort of a mythical dagger bestowed upon you by an Aeon who opposes the harmonious Order he is conducting under Ena’s blessing. He's waiting for you to try and snap his other wing right off his back to make sure he isn't even capable of dreaming of the skies. Yet nothing of the sort ever happens. It's a little unnerving, unsettling in a way that makes Sunday feel the phantom pains of things long lost. He wants to accuse you of treachery yet cannot. He wishes to call you a master of deception yet cannot.
Like a saint, you seem to trust him to help you find your way back. Akin to a sinner, it is him who rules over the silver of his tongue and the steel of his word.
Sunday knows he should dispose of you in the waters of the dream pool like he intended to do. That is what the Dreammaster would have wanted. Anything that is a threat to Ena the Order is a threat to his gilded dreams. And those who threaten the cage will inevitably draw a weapon against Robin. Yet he sees no ill intent in your eyes. Just concern for your family who you supposedly burdened with worry of your disappearance. And as it gradually dissolves with each step he takes to the exit of reality, a conflict in him grows stronger.
Standing at the crossroads, Sunday knows nothing. So when the time comes for you to fall back into heaven, he is there to catch you with a promise of never meeting again.
Too bad he never asked for your name. How miserable it is you never thought yourself important enough to give it to him unprompted.
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Even in dreams people like Sunday are not exempt from suffering. To suffer is to survive. That is just the price you must pay for being tied to reality like a Charmony dove that has been chained to a metal ball and released into the wilderness. And Sunday may be the head of the Oak Family on paper signed with a bloodstained feather plucked from his own wing, yet he despises dealing with people from the IPC. All precious stone in only name and nothing else, Aventurine is positively infuriating.
In more ways than one.
“One of Astral Express girls disappeared from her room last night.” His smirk is full of poorly hidden mischief and something else that Sunday simply doesn’t care about. He may crave control over all that is his, yet he wishes not to claim someone like Aventurine as one of his own. “How perfectly aligned with your sister’s unfortunate death…”
The muscles of his back are strained. To dominate over his own desires is just as important as it is to rule over every single aspect of the dream that is this life. The gilded dream of Ena the Order must continue, and Sunday will not be the one to sabotage it. To dream is to live.
Sunday taps the railing, “Are you accusing me of kidnapping now?”
Soothing tone and relaxed posture, Sunday will continue his reign over the dominion of Control no matter what he feels or wants. There is no other way. Crippled birds neither fly nor sing, nor do they grow their missing wings back. And even if some foolish being deems them fit enough to recover, takes pity on them and nurses them back to health, domesticated birds will only use those hollow, mended bones of theirs to plummet right back to the ground.
“Just stating my observations.” Aventurine laughs, a noisy little snicker that pierces Sunday’s ears like a nail on the chalkboard. Then he waves dismissively, the lackluster wiggle of his fingers as he turns around to leave. Good riddance, if only eternal. “Good luck. Her Foxian friend is very fond of fried chicken. Me too, now that I think about it…”
Sunday remains standing on the balcony for another hour. There is no rush. He knows who it was that vanished without a trace, and he knows where to find you. But he cannot control someone like Aventurine so Sunday dares not making any irrational decisions. Unlike Aventurine himself, Sunday isn’t fond of gambling. Uncertainty is at the roots of all evil.
He leaves and goes about his business. A sinner to confess their wrongdoings to him; a passerby to shake hands with, a Masked Fool to dampen already soiled mood; a Nameless to throw him a passing glance of suspicion; Robin’s shadow that should not be there for now. If the vermin – a truly formidable man all things considered, yet simply infuriating – is watching, he will see nothing but a busy head of the Oak Family. If Aventurine has better things to do than to follow Sunday’s footsteps in a feat of uncharacteristic obsession, at least Sunday finished all his work for the day and could finally take a shallow breath of momentary relief.
The halls of the maze are empty as they should be, yet Sunday didn’t expect to find anyone there in the first place. You remain in the dining room, rooted next to a marble statue, fingertips barely grazing the cool stone. The ribbons are swaying side to side and the white of your clothes is stained with pinks, blues and purples right in the middle of your back. The colors bleed out from there and drip down the dress onto your skin.
“Be not afraid.”
“Fear is the soul killer.” Your trembling fingers falter and when you turn to face him, there is way more of those pinks and blues all over your heaving chest all the way from your neck. Sunday knows not of what happened and he dares not to ask; his harmonic tuning failed once, and he will not be deceived anymore. “Are you here to escort me back to the dreamscape again, Mister Sunday?”
Sunday swears that if Ena could see you, They too would be just as terrified as he is at that moment. “I’m afraid I do not follow, Miss.”
“Then I shall pretend I said nothing.” You shrug, Sunday’s outstretched hand is hovering in the air for you to take. You do. With no hesitation and all the faith of a religious fanatic, you once more let him guide you out of the painful reality and into a dream as if you didn’t just admit to fully comprehending this fact. “Please be mindful that I will wake up no matter what. Your gilded dream rejects me.”
Sunday stops in his tracks. His crippled wing is pressing uncomfortably to his side, smoothed over bone digging into his skin as a reminder that he cannot ever fly even if he was delusional enough to try to. Every breath is a labor of well-practiced habit and an effort of greatest heights. You’re patiently waiting for him to gather his control back into his tightly clenched fist, the one that is always pulled behind his back to the broken wing he could never repair.
The colors are still bleeding all over your dress as your chest rises and falls in odd intervals. You may have the patience of a saint, yet your fears all eat you alive. Fear is the soul killer. Or so you say. To suffer is to survive. To dream is to live. How can you live if you can never dream?
You furrow your eyebrows. The harmonic tuning has failed yet again. This time without even clouding your mind enough to put you to sleep. Yet your jittering palm keeps trembling in his hold as you exhale lightly, trying to shake off the vibrations of his halo. A delicate cross dangling from your neckless is staring back at Sunday with resentment that he only saves for the person who shot Robin and the Cancer of All Worlds which took away their mother and the scissors which clipped his wings so Sunday would never dare to escape. Or maybe it’s just his reflection looking back at him from the golden glow of the cross.
In retrospect, you did nothing wrong. You don’t even try to hide anything from him, laying your knowledge bare for Sunday to interpret however he wishes to. A sinner that has confessed to their wrongdoings is ought to be forgiven in the eyes of any deity. Yet has this so-called sin been committed in the first place? If you allowed him to baptize you not once but twice, fully comprehending it meant abandoning any uncertain future you humans seem to crave so much.
What is right and what is wrong? What is a virtue and what is a sin? What is an Order and what is a Doubt? Sunday knows not. But he needs to collect all his control and pour it into a cup for you to savor one way or another. If not a sinner, you are a saint. Ena the Order sees you not, so you must have been imprisoned by someone else already. And it is Sunday’s duty to free all of mankind of the shackles of turmoil and lead them to paradise.
For he cannot let you leave yet he cannot bring himself to kill you. Sunday can talk in riddles and try to manipulate your emotions all he wishes, yet you seem to reject the vibrations of Order without even trying. So how does one contain something they cannot control? How does a devout believer tempt a messenger of a foreign god?
“I cannot let you go.” Sunday’s voice is a little hoarse, he is not used to telling the truth. It most often than not leads to suffering, yet something tells him you will see right through him if he does lie. Maybe he has much less control than he initially thought. “You know too much.”
“All is fair, Mister Sunday.” It is not a response a sane woman should give. “However, may I be so bold to ask for a clean dress?”
But saints are all-forgiving, and ordinary people are not meant to understand their reasoning. For there is none. At least not with you. No reason and a heart pinned to your sleeve, bleeding color all over your skin. Sunday needs to know your name so he can search high and low for the Aeon who crucified you for Their own selfish whims.
“I shall pick the best one there is.” Sunday nods.
You do not protest the clear display of authority over the most minuscule of details. Maybe you don’t even care for things like that, maybe you even take pity on him for that fact. Whatever it is in the end, Sunday doesn’t know. Neither does he ask. Birds are born to foolishly oppose the safety of captivity, but some will walk into the cage willingly. For they believe it to be temporary.
Sunday’s gloves are stained with your divine blood.
Your name will be written in the holy scriptures by his own hand soon enough.
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The dress is beautiful. And so is the next. And the one after that. And all the others that follow.
Ribbons and feathers. Intricate lace and weightless silks. Gold and diamonds. All never worn even once and kept neatly in the wardrobe of your bedroom. If your disapproving sigh is anything to go by, you don’t appreciate the excessive luxury, yet accept them just to hide them in your closet and put on the simplest of garments that he brought to you the day you entered the mansion.
Sunday cannot understand you, but differences are included in the natural Order of things. Reality is a lonely prison of misery, and Sunday returns there for he has no other place to belong to. Yet you seem to enjoy it as a long-awaited vacation. Way more than your family does it back in Penacony’s gilded dream.
Sunday doesn’t think your behavior is reasonable, yet he questions you not. You won’t give him the answer he is seeking, anyway. Your heart may be out there in the open, yet the pages of your thoughts are written with invisible ink and no amount of heat can paint them with life.
You have a habit of refusing things you deem unnecessary or excessive, your friendly exposition never wavering even under pressure of almost constant loneliness. Some days Sunday wonders what would happen if he doesn’t return here after all his tasks for the day are done, when Aventurine with his Nameless Foxian companion and her other nosy friends don’t breathe down his neck with accusatory air. He does not entertain such foolish thoughts; they would break his carefully crafted routine and Sunday is a being of habit. For habit is Order.
And so, against his better judgment of clipped feathers, Sunday returns. To your palace of a bedroom, with three light knocks and a little apology for intrusion. You are rarely there, so he is forced to look for you just as he is searching for the Aeon responsible for your fate. And when he does find you, all Order crumbles.
To live is to suffer. Your suffering is intricately woven into your every breath.
On Mondays you prepare a special dinner. It’s just you and him and a lonely candle on a little table on your balcony. The stars are dripping the color of your blood, the wine in your glass is untouched and you never eat more than could fit in a teacup. A life of such modesty is far too unfamiliar for the bird who was brought up in a cage of golden bars and silver spoons, yet Sunday doesn’t mind. He’s got other, more important things to worry about. For if the Dreammaster finds out about you, he will wish to dispose of you. And Sunday may have already sinned for the betterment of humanity, yet he isn’t sure if he is capable of turning saints into martyrs just yet.
“Won’t it be easier to just kill me?” You constantly disarm him with your questions. Some days Sunday isn’t quick enough to even imagine drawing a weapon to protect his mingled self.
“No.” Sunday answers a bit too quickly for his liking. “I mean you no harm, Miss [Name].”
On Tuesdays you clean. The mansion is spotless for it is empty, and there is nothing, but a thin coat of dust gathered around on the bookshelves of his study. You busy yourself with it even if you are told not to bother with such things. Sunday wishes to treat you as a guest despite the circumstances. All people were born equal and pretending that you are anything less than he is would going against what he stands for. His gilded dreams are not built on bigotry or injustice, only harmonious Order of happiness.
Your presence in the room is that of a dove on a branch behind a glass dome. All hollow bones and disarray of feathers, Sunday cannot ignore you even if it is what the Order would have wanted. Yet what the Order cannot see, that is all for Sunday to keep for himself; to hide under his pillow so it won’t ever be taken away from him by any collapsing dreams.
“Do you think me a madman?” He asks.
You laugh and shake your head in amused disagreement. Sunday wishes he could steal your laughter straight from your vocal cords to fill in the holes in his wings with it. He cannot. Yet would you let him if he asked with the utmost honesty? Only time will tell.
You are a willing participant of all and any conversations, despite allowing him to talk most of the time. You listen and ask questions, give your own opinion in bite size pieces that never overshadow his voice. His dreams are grand, and his plans are fragile, yet for all that is worth you take him seriously. A noble man with a heart which bleeds for everyone but himself, you call him. A kind person with good intentions which will pave his downfall for him, you say easily. A caring brother, who will always put his family first even if it is bound to strain the thin red thread that connects them to each other, you smile wistfully.
“A flightless bird which longs for the sky. That is what you are to me, Mister Sunday.”
His soul aches. All bruised and mattered. Sunday would rather you simply called him mad.
On Wednesdays you tend to the garden. Flowers are blooming here no matter the season. Even in reality Penacony is still a dream, albeit not dusted with a thin layer of gold and illusions. You move around the sea of color like a ghost, the white of your dress stained with soil and a twinge of misery.
You don’t think Sunday is mad and you understand his dream of peace, yet you never condone his drastic approach to things. The dreams in which you hold happiness in the palms of your hands simply do not exist. That is what you say to him, picking two stray peonies from the bush and handing one of them to him with the tenderness of a torn-up heart. The other gets its petals plucked one by one with a gentle touch of your fingers, and the pain of the missing parts of him grows with each one getting lost in the green of the grass underneath your feet.
No wishes ever come true in a gilded cage so people will always seek reality, no matter how painful it may be. Sunday thinks his wishes can only ever be fulfilled by a dream in which nobody will suffer anymore. There is simply no such a thing that cannot be obtained by a paradise he wishes to create for everyone with Ena’s holy rule. And you – the misguided messenger of a foreign god, a martyr for a cause which you don’t stand for – you also deserve your wishes granted to you. For everyone is born equal.
“What do you dream of, Miss [Name]?” Sunday wonders, watching you longingly collect every single petal from the grass, mend them together with the hues of pinks and purples and then tear the peony back into pieces.
“I dream of living.”
You look up at him with misty eyes, clouded with yearning and unshed tears. The colors float around your head like a halo. Maybe one of these days Sunday will finally find an answer in those scattered petals.
Thursdays you watch the stars. Time flies as the stars keep shooting from the sky like fallen angels, and you simply observe as they crash and burn. Your fingers twitch as if you wish to catch all of them, yet you ask for nothing.
Sunday comes, his back hunched by the growing weight of endless responsibilities and troubles. Yet when he leaves with his shoulders less tense and buzzing static in his chest, to return to his life of sacrifice that is necessary for the good of all mankind, he never forgets to ask what you wish for. Silence is the only answer Sunday receives, and the gentle sway of the ribbons in a summer breeze tells him he will regret ever asking this question when you finally deem it appropriate to indulge him.
The stars glow bright when you’re out here in the garden. Caged birds keep singing their woeful tunes. Thread and needle in your hands, you’re mending the hem of your dress, still refusing to wear any of those more extravagant ones. Your nightgown is not made for the outside and you shiver. The night isn’t getting any warmer, yet you ask for nothing. To live is to suffer, yet what is life if you only ever knew of torment.
A jacket he places on your shoulders does little, and whatever selfish wishes Sunday has must be drowned in the sea of shooting stars. For they will not be accepted. There is no place for them in this reality in which he lays his mortal body on a stone and holds the nails which he will get crucified with in his own two hands. Yet if the Dreammaster were here, he would have shared Sunday’s vision of the gilded dream that he is bending and breaking to his will just to make enough space in it for you as well. A paradise in which you stay here by his side forever as the messenger for him and no one else.
“I wish for nothing, Mister Sunday.”
Sunday knows it to be a lie. You whisper your true wish with the last breath you take before falling into restless, golden slumber. He will break this world in half to grant it to you, even if it calls for eternity of loneliness. A twitch of a broken wing, you’re almost weightless in his arms. Sunday does not understand why just yet. But he will.
On Fridays you play the violin. For once it’s his fingers that are stained with color. Sunday is staring at the canvas, hues and tones blending together with shadows and highlights to create a heavenly image of absolute divinity. He thinks it belongs to a chapel right where he gets down on his knees to confess his wrongdoings and pray for forgiveness, yet Sunday knows even existence of such a thought in and of itself is a mortal sin.
The melody is full of sorrow and the birds which you released from the cages are all perched on the pews of the chapel where you put them. They cannot fly, so they cannot escape and meet their end in horrifying loneliness. For now, you are here to catch them if they were to fall, so they can only sing along to the miserable tune of a violin in your hands.
“To live is to suffer. We must make peace with this suffering.” You put the instrument back in its case and lock all the birds back in their respective cages.
They do not resist, so Sunday is convinced you are implying that they’ve made peace with their suffering just like the two of you accepted yours. Yet when Sunday washes the pinks and purples of his fingers, he cannot help but think you are wrong. To live is to dream. And to dream is to slumber in eternal paradise, where no suffering can ever touch you.
The portrait he’s made of you will never do your beauty justice, but no icon could ever depict the true holiness of a saint. He will succeed eventually. You will have all the time in the world in his eternal paradise.
On Saturdays you dance. In a world less cruel, the one Sunday will create in the name of Ena, Robin is there to support your performance with the soothing voice of a Charmony dove. She is not, for you and him are stuck in miserable world where no wishes ever come true.
You would have been one of Penacony’s brightest stars, if only you weren’t chained to reality by those who do not deserve you. A twirl, the wind picks up your ribbons as you move gracefully to the melody of a tearful piano. And in a moment of fleeting weakness, Sunday asks about your shackles. And with a sway of your swan song, you share the tale of Istanai the Repudiation.
The Aeon who claimed you at birth and refused to let go even after They forsook your people, and you abandoned Their rusted prison. They are still following you around even after all those years even if They don’t want you. They make no sense for They reject all of it, along with anything else that They have ever touched. Even Their own children, the natural Order of things, any wishes or dreams; They abdicate everything and nothing, for that is the Path that They oversee. It is the Path you were born into and that is also the Path that you abandoned to pursue eternal Trailblaze.
“To live is to suffer. For you can keep nothing. Cannot wish to hold anything.” And then you admit, heat radiating off you in waves, “And I am only useful to this world for as long as I keep Their gaze on me.”
Sunday thinks you are wrong. Yet then the clock strikes midnight, and it marks the Seventh day. And on Sundays, you weep.
With your knees on the cold floor and hands pressed close to your heart, you keep praying in a tongue he cannot comprehend. The words fall from your lips hastily and desperately, as you beg for forgiveness in a language he does not know. Yet the things that Sunday does understand, all relate to the Aeon who stole your will and clipped your wings, chaining you to reality where the weak only get weaker and the strong keep getting stronger.
That is not the Path one should walk on, the loneliness of martyrdom for someone else’s sake is not a burden that should be bestowed upon someone but instead a choice one makes willingly. And you chose not your fate, yet suffer the consequences, nonetheless.
Maybe, Sunday muses kneeling next to you for a prayer. Maybe something simple like a dream is not enough. If They refuse to let you go yet condemn you for keeping them, Sunday can create something bigger than a gilded dream of illusion. Maybe a real paradise will be just enough to steal you away to a life that is worth living.
Your hand gently wipes a tear away from his cheek before it can fall and stain the floor of the chapel. It lingers on your fingers with deep red. One glove, then another. You are as warm as he imagined in the dreams he cannot keep, for he is the lamb of Ena and he is ready to be slaughtered if it means people like you – or Robin, or their dear mother – won’t ever cry anymore. The skin of your palm is smooth against his lips. It’s all Sunday can ever allow himself to have, and that is all that he will ever keep.
“You must leave tomorrow, Miss [Name].” He says, hands grasping your own.
A tear falls. This time it feels like you are weeping for him and him alone.
Maybe being a messenger of the Order is not the end for harmony of happiness, and somewhere in the realm of gods there is a spot for his own ideals as well. The Dreammaker may not understand or approve, yet when Sunday ascends to greatness of true holiness, on his first day he will free you from suffering. And on the seventh, there will be nothing but peace. For his gaze will never abandon you.
Sunday can promise on his blood on your hands.
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And as it always is, crippled birds neither fly nor sing. They fall. Shooting stars and collapsing dreams, all Order has been forsaken as gravity pulls Sunday closer to his inevitable demise. His flesh and blood clings to him like the ideals he cannot ever atone for, yet in his noble pursuit of eternal happiness a sliver of selfish desire for comfort remains. So he lets Robin linger yet dares not to soil the purity of her embrace with the dullness of his touch.
A cage will always rust and corrode with time, falling apart at the seams. Gilded dreams are not meant to last forever. Nothing is truly eternal except for humanity’s striving to move forward into that useless future full of self-inflicted misery.
Robin’s breathless voice mutters something that is instantly lost in the wind and she pulls him closer. If Sunday were a better brother, a better man, a better person, he would have stopped all galaxies and frozen this moment just to let his sister descend this condensed and polluted air of his crumbling paradise like a stairway to heaven. He isn’t any of those things. So, he doesn’t even try. No miracle will happen if he does. A bird missing its wing will never catch flight right before hitting the ground.
And Sunday is nothing more than a crippled Charmony dove – a dying raven, truly – destined to roam the cage of his gilded dreams forever, for stepping outside signifies the end of Order and the beginning of Suffering. And he isn’t ready to die yet. He wasn’t ready.
To live is to suffer. To dream is to survive. With no cages and no birds in sight, Sunday accepts the inevitable.
“It is in human nature to reject usurpers, Mister Sunday.” Weightlessness of your voice envelopes all in bright light of heavenly warmth.
A feather. A ribbon. A silken touch of divinity confined in a painfully human vessel. If Sunday didn’t know any better, he would have thought he met face to face with some foreign man’s Goddess. Sunday knows better, however. So he closes his eyes and lets Istanai the Repudiation touch him. There are no rules he wouldn’t break to ensure Robin’s survival. And yet…
“I told you to leave.” Sunday is not used to repeating himself twice. His fingers tremble as he watches Robin take your hand and walk down the ladder he thought to be impossible.
“And as a human that I am, I rejected your order.” You smile. The light in your eyes is made of purest of diamonds and it keeps burning with holy fire. Sunday was foolish to think you would listen to reason and not your bleeding heart. “It seems we don’t have much time, so let me heal your wounds as I celebrate that my naïve soul has won for once.”
Robin, as all free-spirited birds are, is a creature of curiosity. She tilts her head and finds comfort on one of the floating ribbons, swaying on it like a swing. There’s a little ruffle to the feathers of her wings, yet she minds it not, opting to watch the two of you instead. Your eyes may be glowing, yet the sturdiness of your will is starting to wear off. Sunday isn’t sure whether it’s his silence that is making you doubt your decisions, Robin’s dedicated stare or your own thinning convictions. His guess is as good as any, but the most logical answer will always be him.
Your forced companionship has come to its inevitable end. Yet just like the day you two met, Sunday is at the crossroads yet again.
“Robin first.”
There are no protests, just gentle swaying of ribbons, a warm glow of pale pinks and purples, and Robin’s hushed voice humming a tune. She looks livelier, well rested, the shadows under her eyes dissolve under the shimmer of divine rejection. Your hands are hovering over hers, almost grazing the skin yet never daring touching it. As if you too, thought yourself undeserving. It made no sense, yet Sunday had no right to question the natural Order of things. Istanai the Repudiation refused to give Their children up, even if They abandoned them first in pursuit of eternal rejection.
A song stops. A couple of grateful words fall from Robin’s rosy lips. You nod politely, a smile returning to your face with a bit more brightness. You offer him a place to sit, a fleeting glance cast over your shoulder. Sunday has half a mind to follow in your footsteps and refuse, yet he does not. He is tired, wasted efforts and unyielding dreams quivering under the weight of reality, all he truly wishes for is to collapse for good. With his missing wing and shuttered principles. How long has it been since he took a proper breath?
Sunday takes a seat. Like a holy dove that you are, you hover near him from your own heavenly branch. Never touching and always lingering, yet the heat of your skin burns him just like divine flame would scorch a sinner. The light under your fingertips rejects his wounds and exiles his exhaustion, it bends his will and breaks his bones. And if letting go or Order meant keeping you by his side for the rest of his life – however long it may be – then Sunday wouldn’t mind a life of sin of a different kind. And if you were to cross this distance and touch him, he would ask you to stay. Yet you don’t.
To live is to survive. To dream is to suffer. Your mind is somewhere far away, and the ache of his bones makes Sunday feel like he is being reborn. From a dying raven to a Charmony dove with all his wings intact, capable of flying on his own.
“So it is true that your kind cannot be manipulated.”
You shiver. Sunday’s back is throbbing. There’s not a person here but a cat. Cursing you with a heavy gaze of his eyes.
“It’s not nice to sneak up on people like that, Mister Elio.” You chastise him gently, pulling away from Sunday and taking all your holiness away. It is only the sheer power of self-control that allows him to not reach out to tug you back into him so your sunlight can burn him alive. Such earthly desires matter not if you two are soon to separate and never meet again.
The cat – Elio – huffs, unamused by your demeanor. You pay it no mind, your ribbons dissolve into thin air until only two remain. Neither do you answer Elio’s question. Simply gather your holy blood with your own two hands and let it all spill yet again through the stigmata on your palms.
“May heavens be kind enough to let our paths to cross again, Mister Sunday.”
His bones keep aching. The restless feathers of his wings flutter even if he wills them to stop. He can surrender his halo to you and despite it being all that is truly his to own in this life, it would never be enough. Deities require giving up all mortal possessions before devoted worship could be possible and what else can he offer to you if not himself?
Sunday has no time to ponder that question. He doesn’t even have the time to say goodbye to you properly. As gilded dreams are not meant to last forever, and this one too is taken away from him by something he cannot control.
“[Name]!” Himeko seems inhumanly comforted to see you safe, pulling you in a tight hug. And considering she wholeheartedly supported the young Foxian woman threatening to pluck his wings naked for taking you hostage, it is only logical for her to do so.
A brooding man – Dan Heng, if Sunday’s memory doesn’t fail him – stands awkwardly a little behind the two of you, while the aforementioned Foxian lady and her eccentric pink haired friend share a collective sigh of relief. You hesitantly pull away and take a hurried step forward, ushering them away before they can notice anything – anyone – else. You are far too kind for your own good and someone ought to exploit it eventually. At least it won’t be someone like him. It is far out of reach of Sunday’s capabilities to shackle a bird born of paradise.
The cat laughs. Sunday hates cats. You cannot cage them, yet they can snap your wings even if you are perfectly fit to fly on your own.
And so, the cat does.
Sunday’s bones are still aching even when he shakes hands with Kafka. Such is the nature of growing pains. A lot of misery is in Order.
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archonadeptus · 2 years
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You don’t have to but can you do a Creater!reader with the fatui finding them first and either worshiping them or keeping them locked away because they don’t want anyone else finding them?
Fatui x Creator!Reader
A/N: You have no idea how excited this request made me! It highkey brought me back away from my writer's block so thank you!♡ I want them to be obsessed with us because I'm an absolute simp. Wanna marry them~♡ Ahem anyway, I really hope this is what you're hoping for! Also... I'm thinking about making this into a series. What do you all think?
Summary: You descend to Teyvat as their Divine Creator, only instead of Spawning in Mondstat you awake within the cold of Snezhnaya and the Fatui are there to greet you.
Warnings: Obsessive worship, Unhealthy relationships, yandere hints
Characters: Pierro, Il Dottore, Columbina, Pantalone, Tartaglia, II Capitano, Sandrone, Arlecchino & Pulinella
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Winters Bird Cage
Everything felt so numb but still ever so comforting; it radiated warmth despite being snow. Your eyes glided across the soft surface of snow you had awoken amongst. This was your land, your world - yet you had chosen to live a life within a mortal body. Just one simple life cycle to truly cherish your world in person. Yes, there was always the option of descending in your true God-like form, but you decided to keep things low and hidden though that didn't really work. Though you were in human form, many if not all could sense your presence there. The announcement of your arrival was rapidly spread and now there's a group of people challenging the snow as they rush toward you. Hm. This truly was what cold felt like? Numb and prickly... Your body began to shiver as goosebumps began to litter your skin.
//
"Cold..." Your gentle voice spoke as what mortals call 'dragon breath' left your lips. Warm and cold air swirled in a mist-like manner as that word was spoken… Truly pretty.
"Your grace!" Childe was the first to reach you, his red scarf soon being wrapped around you along with his fluffy coat. "Please forgive my casual touch, my Creator." He was soon upon his knees bowing his head to you and as the other Harbingers arrived they too bowed alongside Childe.
"We have long awaited your arrival, my Grace." Pierro was the first to speak to you as the others kept their heads bowed. "It is an honour you blessed our land with your current mortal touch... Please, join us won't you? Allow us to treat you with our highest care…" Il Dottore was the next to speak, eyes shimmering with curiosity and love for you.
"My Grace, although I'm sure you know this already, we must bring you to our home so that you don't grow sick due to the cold." He paused momentarily, a flash of worry in his eyes at your weaker state. "Mortals are fragile after all." You allowed your eyes to wander between them all before finally falling back upon Childes - he seemed to agree with them. 
"O-okay. I'd like that…" You smiled lightly at them all and that instantly spread joy through them all. "Childe…" His eyes instantly snapped up to meet yours. You're calling for him? "I want to stay beside you. Please…" Yes, you knew the other harbingers but you knew Childe the best and had grown very fond of him - his presence always felt comforting. "It's really cold." Arlecchino piped up with her eyes gazing over at you all.
"You heard our Grace, let's move back toward the warmth, I won't have them freezing out here." Childe immediately nodded, holding his hand out for you. After taking his hand, you instantly hugged him tightly practically drowning in his large Harbinger jacket. "Tired." Without thinking, he lifted you up in his arms and allowed his jacket to act much like a blanket. Melting at the sight of The Creator in his clothes, he moved toward the others whilst keeping you safe. He didn't want them touching or looking at you… But alas, you didn't just make him did you? Though he wishes it was just him at times.
"Let's move now." Pierro soon piped up, standing along with everyone else and rapidly moving toward their home. The warmth Childe provided was perfect… if anything, you were feeling your consciousness slipping from you and the hushed rapid words against your ear helped aid that. 
"Sleep, My Divine. I won't allow anybody to take you from me so just rest now. I will be here when you wake up." 
//
"...Speak to me, Speak to me with love in your words." Singing… What a beautiful form of communication. That's why you ensured melodies like this existed throughout the world of Teyvat, the comfort and message each song brought always warmed you. "Make for me... Make for me a soft universe." Opening your eyes you blinked a little, your hand being held by Childes who was sleeping peacefully beside the bed you were currently laying in. He kept his promise and he was exactly where he said he would be beside you. You didn't want him moving too far away from you as afterall, he was currently the only form of comfort and familiarity you had right now despite creating the lands themselves. Though If he's asleep then where is that beautiful melody coming from? Shifting your eyes away from Childe, they soon landed upon Columbina whose eyes were gazing straight into your own. Her body was half slumped across the bed nearing your legs with a soft smile against her lips.
"Your Grace, you've woken at long last!" Much like her singing, her voice too was gentle and filled with sparks of joy. "Childe refused to let go of you but I just couldn't let him have you all to himself now could I? He needs to learn to share." Her smile didn't once falter and her eyes seemed perfectly content gazing into your golden ones. Columbine soon sat up with a gentle hum in continuation of her previous melody, swinging her legs slightly whilst sitting on the chair beside the bed you were laid in. "Tell me... Do you love me?" You instantly nodded - of course you did! You loved all of your creations equally.
"Yes I do." Her smile soon grew at this.
"And I too love you, My Divine. I shall do anything you wish of me." Soft giggles left her which caused Childe's hand to tighten a little around yours.
"You aren't disturbing and bothering our creator with your nonsense, are you?" Turning to once again face Childe, his eyes opened and the first thing he did was glare at her. 
"Oh no, don't worry it's okay." You smiled at him, lightly gripping his hand in reassurance. "She was just keeping me company whilst you slept!" He returned your smile and simply nodded, but you barely made out what he mumbled beneath his breath.
"Then I won't rest again if it means your affection will be stolen from me. You're mine."
"Hm?" His usual grin returned,
"Nothing, My Divine." A few rapid knocks sounded at the door and the silence felt beyond worrisome. You had just reawoken in a fragile mortal body, you didn't wish for any surprises. Chide seemed to notice your worry and he soon soothed it with a smile. "Don't fret, your grace, I shall always protect you." Columbine soon interjected with her voice,
"I too will forever protect you! But you don't need to worry here, everyone here worships you as they should." Nodding softly, you allowed yourself to trust their words.
"Come in." Upon the sound of the door opening Arlecchino soon bowed upon one knee - her head low like she wasn't blessed enough to even meet your gaze.
"My Divine. Please forgive my reckless interruption but I've been sent by Pierro and Pulinella to ask if you would bless us with your presence in the dining room." She took a breath, tempting fate by gazing up and meeting your golden orbs. Your gaze on her alone was enough to fill her heart with pure joy and love within an instant. It also made her aware of how close the other two were. And... Is that Chide holding your hand?
"Why are you both treating our Creator so casually? Step away and beg." Her voice seemed similar to a growl, fury rapidly filling her.
"No. I promised to be beside them, don't go around giving orders that you're unable to give." Childe replied just as quickly as she stood. Columbine however made no effort to move either as she continued to hum a tune that was mixed in with the occasional giggle.
"It's okay, Chino." What was that? Did you just bless her with a nickname? Did they have nicknames yet? According to their shocked faces, they didn't. "I- Sorry. Is it okay to call you that?" Did you even have to ask? She'd be your pet if you desired and she'd be thrilled to be yours. A nickname unique to her though? That's a gift from the Divine Creator - how could she possibly decline this wonderful gift?
"Of course! Anything from you I adore." Your small burst of laughter had them all clinging at your every word. 
"I wanted them to be beside me, it felt lonely and cold." It seemed that you disliked being cold. Did you wish for her jacket instead of his? She will happily give it to you, it's probably warmer too. Or would you rather she destroyed the Cyro Archon herself? To dethrone the Tsaritsa, maybe even to kill? Anything for you. Just name it and it shall be yours. "But I'm happy to go if you're all there too! I'm just nervous within a mortal body. Please forgive my timidness." 
"Please don't fret, your grace!" Columbine smiled at you, "You showed us your Strength and gave us all life... Now allow us to care for you whilst you're fragile like a butterfly." 
"Let us show you our undying loyalty to you and you alone." Childe soon cut in before helping you stand.
"Are you prepared to meet the rest of your loyal acolytes my Divine?" 
//
The Fatui on their knees was usually a sight only the Tsaritsa got to see,  but now? Now this sight was for you and you alone. 
"My Divine," Pierro began, "Welcome home." At this they all stood as he walked forward and guided you to the head chair of the dining hall. Upon being seated everyone else soon did the same and  sat themselves variously at the table. Pierro to your left and Childe protectively to your right. Pulinella soon spoke alongside him. 
"Choosing Snezhnaya as your mortal forms birthplace truly was a wise decision indeed. Though we didn't expect anything less from you and we are pleased to know you chose us." 
"I'm really glad to be here too! To finally meet you all in person, but I-" Sandrone and Pantalone soon stood up and after bowing to you they both approached, Presenting to you a golden laced Fatui coat.
"We made this for you, your grace."  Sandrone smiled as she held the coat out to you. Pantalone hummed as he took it from her arms and assisted you with putting it on, much to everyone else's disapproval though.
"I had it designed right away for you, My Divine." His grin at you made your heart begin to pick up. Was this nervousness or glee? "Only the finest golden lace and materials for you. We can't have our precious God of all Gods cold now can we?" Sandrone soon sat back upon her machine,  eyes sparling at meeting your own golden gaze.
"Especially during your stay as a mortal!" Did they think you were staying here forever? But you had to visit the other nations and all of your other favourite Creations!
"Ah - this truly is beyond beautiful… Thank you all! But I'm going to be visiting other nations too!" Your smile calmed them but it didn't stop Dottore from expressing his distaste.
"Other nations? Oh my sweet Divine don't you see?" He gestured around, "Everything that you'll ever need is right here."
"My Divine… You have all the love and loyalty you could ever desire and your most powerful acolytes at your every breath." Childe grinned at you, "Don't you wish to stay?"
//
Snezhnaya could be a place you could love and adore... Or it could be a winters bird cage just for you. So, my Divine. What is your choice?
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screamingcrows · 4 months
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🎲 (I WANT A KISS FROM DOTTORE SO MUCH)
A kiss from Dottore would fix me 🤝
You rolled 31! And oh ho ho anon, you lucked out. That's a kiss to the inner thigh.
This is suggestive, stressing that my normal rules apply; minors, ageless, blank blogs will be blocked
His figure was nothing but shadow amidst the darkness, nothing but a faint blue light identifying your beloved. It had been days since last you'd shared your bed, his weight oddly foreign as the mattress dipped beneath him.
How strange that a man branded heretic, associated with only ruin and sorrow by his roots, would bring such safety the divine could only ever hope to offer but a fraction of. If this was sin, then there was no better alter to lay upon than that of temptation.
With a slight frown, you realised he had stopped his descent, likely sitting with his head in his hands on the edge. You swatted at the air, sitting up to reach further before finally making contact with Dottore's chest. A small grumble left his lips, words incoherent yet their meaning restored by a hand clasping yours. A steady heartbeat hidden far beneath the exterior.
"I've missed you."
"You've seen me daily," he sounded exhausted, soft locks tickling the back of your hand, "some version at least."
"I've missed having you right here in bed," you leaned forward to kiss his cheek, missing by more than a little, and with none of the poise befitting someone in your position, pressing your face into his shoulder instead.
It managed to draw a gravelly chuckle from him, the sound delightfully unrestrained in a way that seemed unthinkable in any other setting. With slightly more elegance, your free hand found his cheek, the scruff comfortably human.
While lost in thought, he'd brought your hand to his lips, kissing every finger with care. As much as he rarely spoke of it, there was no doubt how much he craved the taste of your skin.
"As have I-"
He gently reached for your shoulders, guiding you to lay down, caged in by his frame hovering over you.
Another beat of silence passed in the darkness of your chambers, his hands trailing down your form and coaxing a soft groan from him upon tightening his hold.
"-though I would prefer to see you," his words were spoken against your stomach, warm breath fanning across your skin, anticipation quickly spreading like wildfire.
The hardness that already lay snuggled against your thigh was proof enough of his intentions, spurring you to take action and gently tug at his hair, relishing in making someone comparable to gods shiver. No, that wasn't it. Making him shiver.
With practised easy, his hands spread your thighs apart before securing them over his broad shoulders. No light was needed to know what he looked like between your legs, revering your form with his lips before sucking a bruise into the flesh.
It was delirious as he continued to alternate between kissing and gently sucking around the sensitive parts of your thighs, a man so starved of all that which you gladly offered that it was nothing short of miraculous you'd yet to be devoured.
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museofthepyre · 3 months
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CAMP HERE & THERE SWAP! AU!!!
EVERYONE GATHER ROUND I NEED TO INFODUMP. This is going to be a long post, bear with me.
In this AU (constructed alongside the lovely @cecilsrandomeverything) is a protag/ antag swap AU, wherein Sydney and Elijah swap narrative roles, and so do Jedidiah and Adam. The rest of the cast are just swapped with their obvious counterparts (Joshua/ Yvonne, Rowan/ Juniper, Fennell/ Soren, etc)… though, there is also the less obvious swapping of Warren/ Matthew, and Lucille/ the Gravediggeress.
Titles:
Elijah, "The Angel"
Sydney, "The Miracle"/ "the Black Cat Man"
Adam, "The Vivisector"
Jedidiah, "The Horologist"
Ms. Graves, "The Sentinel"
And Lucille, "The Puppeteeress"
General Plot:
Everything pre-limn is almost exactly the same. Jedidiah and Sydney live their messy little lives, until Sydney starts wilting— Jedidiah delves into dangerous unknowable ‘magic’ in attempts to save him, but it’s not working. It’s only making him worse, and his time is running out. In a desperate Hail Mary effort, Jedidiah kills and resurrects Sydney… successfully*.
Sydney wakes up in hospital, having emerged from a long coma. The first thing he sees is a figure standing over him, haloed by the bright white lights of a hospital ceiling. Sydney saw an angel… tending to him with caring and dutiful hands, guiding him back to the realm of the living. He could feel a bruise-like ache throughout his body from where death itself had gripped him. He… had died. He knew he died, and that’s all he was certain of in that moment. He’d kissed heavens gates, and still retracted his lips from the cold metal… It left the taste of copper in his mouth. But now, somehow… he was alive again. He was alive enough to look up, all milky-eyed and dreary, at the angel who awoke him. He who preformed a miracle… divinity caged within a human vessel. Sydney felt he owed this angel a debt… he knew it would only be a matter of time before his body began to fail again. A good long life was just never in the cards for him. As he stayed in hospital, barely conscious or coherent, he came to believe that his saviour would only suffer the same fate. The body is a prison, its betrayal is inevitable and indiscriminate… even the most beautiful and holy creatures are not exempt. The body is a curse, and so, Sydney knew what he had to do with his new fleeting life.
Jedidiah must have messed up the ritual. Sydney came back, yes, but he came back wrong. So, so terribly wrong… he still… looked… dead. He was clueless to his situation, all spacey and confused… his memories were scrambled and blurry, and Jedidiah saw no spark of recognition when their eyes met. Seemingly, like a newborn fawn, Sydney had imprinted onto the first thing he saw (Elijah, who in this AU is a normal nurse). Jedidiah couldn’t accept this ending. He left Sydney there in the hospital, entrusting his care to the nurses while he isolated himself to research. He threw himself deeper and deeper down the rabbithole of forbidden magic, until he was in so deep that he could no longer see the sky above. He became lost within the unknowable… he let it consume him. He’d let it transform him. Whatever the Conductor was: some spector of the astral plane, visiting dreams to share unknowable knowledge with those who sometimes recognize his form… that’s what Jedidiah became. Jedidiah A A Martin is missing, with no body to be found. His childhood room (which he had been staying in during all this) was found in-tact, showing no sign that Jedidiah had packed up to leave. On his desk were journals filled with unintelligible writing, which slowly devolved into frantic scribbles with each passing page. Soon after… Sydney went missing too! What odd timing… he seems to have up and vanished from his hospital bed at the same time that two nurses left the job.
Elijah and Adam, who’d been college roommates a few years prior— with Elijah studying nursing, and Adam studying psychiatry. They were friends in all respects… which Elijah found himself feeling lucky for. He’d always struggled to keep friends, so when someone as sociable and charming as Adam took an interest in him… he felt indebted to the kindness. Elijah (as he does in normal CHNT) struggles with mental health… he really clung to Adam, and Adam was just as eager to be there! There to listen to him vent, help him stay grounded to reality, offer up advice, and to ask questions… lots of questions. So so many questions. After a few years, Elijah found himself feeling like Adam’s personal case study rather than a friend. As if the most interesting thing he could offer was a mind so profoundly broken that it was a spectacle to observe- something to be poked and prodded at, to see how it’ll react… but that’s impossible, Adam was his friend! He’d confided so much in this person, how could he not be? Adam told him not to seek therapy elsewhere, since Adam would help him for free! And, yknow, you can trust him, he has a psych degree. When the stress of working in hospital got to be too much for Elijah, and he began to think about staying with family for a bit… Adam was quick to provide an alternative. Adam was a social guy with many strange and unusual connections, and he just so happened to have the perfect suggestion! A much less stressful nursing position, at a summer camp run by a “Ms. Graves”, whom he raved about with high regards. They could go together! Take a little break, get away from it all… and so they did.
At Time of Series:
Adam and Elijah are co-nurses at Camp Here & There, or well… Adam is more of an assistant nurse at this point. He seems utterly distracted by Elijah’s condition, poking and prodding his way into the man’s head with words like cold, sterile medical tools. Pinning him down to an inescapable sort of “friendship”, even though their relationship feels like nothing more than an artificially preserved husk. Adam is still always nice, but Elijah can never tell if it’s genuine or not. He misses when their conversations felt warm, he misses when he felt like a friend rather than a case study… or a paranoid asshole for doubting Adam’s sincerity. He puts on a cheerful face for the kids, and while some find him to be a bit *too* cheerful, they can tell he really does care. He’s well-spoken and delivers the morning announcements with a theatrical flare! Sometimes he’s a little too eager to share his feelings, but he does mean well. The kids really like him overall, they think he’s nice!
Adam is like an illusive celebrity around the camp, he’ll show up and be very energetic and engaged for a short period of time, winning the favour of all the kids with his fun fun chaos-enabling… and then he’ll disappear! Back to his office, leaving Elijah to clean up the mess he made. Nobody knows what he’s up to in that office. Last time Elijah got a peek, he saw the walls COVERED in framed pinned insects and taxidermy… and stacks of notebooks, the ones he’s always scribbling into after speaking with Elijah. Adam seems to know a lot more than he’s letting on.
Jedidiah is missing. It’s actually his college that made report of this, after he ghosted all his classes and no professors could reach him. Nobody could track down his mother either, and his father… his father had already passed. Elijah sees someone in his dreams sometimes, a dishevelled man wearing a lab coat and too many watches. His presence is accompanied by cacophonous rhythmic ticking, like multiple clocks all overlapping at different paces. He tells Elijah things he can’t know… he speaks like a frantic and incoherent madman, it’s all so bizarre. And yet, Elijah can’t help but think he looks oddly familiar.
Then there’s Sydney, who… just up and vanished from his hospital bed. Who knows where that guy is. Although there has been a mysterious figure spotted lurking around the campgrounds… draped in layers of tattered black fabric, covered in moss and mushrooms, and wearing a strange black cat mask. They’ve been caught leaving random things outside of Elijah’s bedroom in the nurses cabin… little shiny rocks, bones, pinecones… one time an entire fairy ring grew around the cabin overnight. Nobody knows what he wants, but it’s been reported that those who see him are overcome with an overwhelming existential awe… dread and wonder in equal amounts, makes you want to sob your eyes out for the universality of pain, and dance for the love of the sunlight. The only exception to this is Elijah, who upon seeing the ‘Black Cat Man’, feels a strange sense of obligation— of care and concern, for a reason he can’t pinpoint. His guard lowers and all sense of danger melts away… he feels compelled to care for this stranger, like he would a patient. A patient who can do him no harm, still and quiet in their hospital bed. Of course, the questions and red flags all come back once the Black Cat Man is out of sight... but which reality is he to trust?
Running the camp is Ms. Graves, a mysterious lady who is rarely seen or heard from. She only seems to communicate through written letters or using Adam as a proxy. She’s just a busy lady… she really is lovely to her staff!
There are also rumours floating around regarding the crawling fields beyond camp. A desolate span of colourless grasslands infested by bugs of all sorts, wherein the fabled “puppeteeress” dwells. Nobody has ever seen her, but they have seen those handsome wooden mannequins she enchants to do her bidding! They show up on the outskirts of camp quite often… their eyes may look inanimate, but you can still feel them watching!
Ok ramble over for now. I may be back with character doodles later. Also if you’ve read a suspiciously similar fic on AO3 with this exact setup, but it’s the au’s version of “the ceremony”… yes that is me :3 hello :3
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naazaif327 · 1 month
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Just to be clear on the state of things:
The Betrayers decided to side with the Primordials and kill all the mortals They created with the Primes. A war was fought, many mortals were slaughtered, and the Betrayers were not killed but sealed away. The Betrayers spent aeons trapped, plotting and scheming to escape, until they finally did manage to get out, and this time they decided that they didn’t just want to kill all the mortals, but torture them for eternity. A Great War was fought, many mortals were slaughtered and tortured, cultures and innovations and landscapes were turned to ash, and the Prime Deities once again refused to kill their siblings and instead sealed them away.
The betrayers spent the next thousand years plotting and scheming to pull themselves back into the material plane so they could defeat their siblings and torture mortal souls for all eternity. They even came close at least a few times, like the Crawling King’s attempt in Campaign 2. They’re still trying to get out and torture mortals for all eternity, and assuming Predathos is stopped, they will spend the rest of eternity trying to get out and torture mortals forever. If they ever do get out, the Prime Deities will (maybe) try to stop them but they will not kill their siblings and will always pull their punches, even if it means mortals will suffer.
Amidst this, mortals built a GodKiller weapon that might’ve actually killed the Betrayers that were trying to slaughter and torture them forever. In response, the Primes teamed up with their siblings to squash the entire city of Aeor while scolding them for reaching too far.
Now obviously Ludinus sucks, but assuming Predathos doesn’t just eat everyone and kill the universe, then that kinda doesn’t really matter to me. They succeed at stopping Predathos and then they can kill Ludinus or put him in jail or torture him or do whatever they think is justice. OR they fail at stopping Predathos and the gods all die and then they can still kill Ludinus. Either way they get their revenge.
But like, what other chance will mortals ever get besides now to kill the Betrayers who want to torture them for all eternity? If anyone tries to rebuild the GodKiller weapon, the gods will either smite them down or get their clerics and paladins and angels to kill them and destroy the weapon. The Primes will never ever let mortals kill the Betrayers (much less themselves). What other chance besides this does Dorian and every other mortals who was harmed or tortured or murdered by the Gods have for justice? The Gods created us and then turned on us and tried (and are still trying) to hurt us and kill us, but if things go on as they were the Spider Queen will never have to answer to Dorian for killing his brother or stealing his friend, unlike Ludinus.
And forget justice or revenge, is humanity to spend eternity carrying on like there isn’t a cage full of snarling feral dogs desperate to rip us to pieces sitting in the other room? Dogs that have broken out before and will do so again? Do I think Predathos or Ludinus are the best way to fix this? No, but beggars can’t quite be choosers.
If I were a mortal in Exandria who was shown the events of Downfall, my opinion would be that if the Prime Deities were ever put in a trolley problem situation where they had to choose between saving all mortals or the Betrayers, they would choose the Betrayers. And if that were the case, then maybe in our own version of this ethical dilemma (where we could get rid of the Betrayers but the Primes had to die too) it wouldn’t be so wrong to put our own safety first and let these old, tired, wounded divinities finally rest.
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