#i am pretty certain I never made it very far on the second pyramid level as a kid and I have no idea why

[rugessnome]

laffy taffy pyramid

...maybe part of it was not being in a great state to start with and maybe playing too much of it but the jumpscare aspect of the Wangdoodles made me feel bad so 😭 can't just simply finally play through one of the iconic flash games of my childhood...

[weyheyjxlya]

Ｔｉｍｅｌｅｓｓ

*•.¸♡ pairing: asahi azumane x reader

*•.¸♡ genre: sfw | fluff | a lil angsty (hehe) | wc: 2.3k

*•.¸♡ prompt : Amnesia

*•.¸♡ warning: anterograde amnesia | blind panic attack | fist fight | a little cursing

*•.¸♡ a/n : so henlo! been so busy recently but I promise! I’ll continue where I left off You’re Back. so this is my second time writing for a prompt for the server collab of Haikyuu Headquarters. this is a hard one and it is expected to be long so this will have two parts. also, I created a playlist for this in spotify so listen to it as well. so ya, I hope u enjoy this mi lovely people.

also, I just reached 100 and I’m crying because this is a milestone for me. I did not ever expected that I would write for tumblr and here I am enjoying it. so omg thank you very much minna!! ilysm!! <3

[♬• playlist •♬]

part I | part II

Life never felt so good every time you are talking to this specific person over the internet. May it take minutes or hours, error messages, internet connection problems, etc. You both never failed to stall conversations. It's like the world revolved around the two of you. You two found each other's presence like it's the most precious thing in the world. Hands may get tired from making the keys clack and eyes may hurt from looking at the screen for a long time but it's all worth it. Every single word you receive from each other is worth it. It may seem addictive to the eyes of other people but for the two of you, it's like a heaven-sent gift. Both of you are hopeless romantics. Both of you are each other's shoulder when problems set foot into your lives. You found comfort in each other, a loving comfort that made the both of you yearn for each other. Yearning for each other while slowly realizing that the two of you are already falling into the depths of love together. That should've been the case already but there's one thing. One thing that' stopping both of you. Real names and real faces. Recognizing each other by only your original created avatar and usernames made the love stop its way into the battlefield. You don't recognize each other genuinely, doubt, and fear still in place between the two of you. Therefore, one day you both agreed to take it to another level. You both decided to finally meet one another.

02 | 11 | 2018

depressed_epiphany: ha! u got me there

insouciance_flower: well, that's how smart I am lmao

depressed_epiphany: but hey, let's take this to another level. how bout we meet next week?

insouciance_flower: so eager to see my beauty huh?

depressed_epiphany: you disgust me. but how bout the hamaya isobashi next town? I wanna try their foods so badly

insouciance_flower: deal! 7:30 pm it is?

depressed_epiphany: oh yes it is! see you!

insouciance_flower: see you <3 (ew)

02 | 18 | 2018

"Ma, do I look good?" you asked for affirmation as you twirl around in front of the mirror while admiring the frills upon the ends= of your dress

Excitement made its way upon your whole system as today is the day that you'll be seeing the other person that you've been talking for months with. Despite the animosity, you've found tranquility in the hands of the guy with the username "dxpressed_epiphany". For the whole day of wondering, you've been wondering about what's his name, age, height, personality. Is he the same in person or he's just nothing like when he's online. You've been worried about those pieces of information throughout the waiting process for this day to come. What if you wouldn't like each other after meeting up? That would be devastating, you thought. But despite all of those unending thoughts, you've decided to just let it be and go with the flow then walked your way to the driveway to fetch your car.

With trembling hands, you hopped into your car and started it. As you go out of the driveway, your resolution becomes firmer.

"Don't be nervous now Y/N," you scolded yourself

As you got further away from your house, your speed also accelerated. The restaurant's a bit too far from yours so that's why you've decided to drive there an hour earlier, so if in case of loss you can still find your way back again to the right track.  As time pass, roads are getting darker and less crowded. Trees and open fields filled your peripheral view. As the sun makes its way down to exchange places with the moon, your eyes wholeheartedly admired its beauty and followed it, forgetting for a while that you're driving. Just as you put your eyes back on the road, you've noticed that you're going towards the end of the road. So you reflexively stomped on the breaks and shakingly took the wheel and forcefully steered it which made your car turn 360 for plenty of times until you...

~~~

05 | 18 | 2018

"Pa, what am I doing here in this hospital bed?" you asked

"Oh thank God!" your parents sighed as they hug you together tightly as if they lost you

"What am I still lying here for? I'm supposed to be having a date today," you've mentioned

08 | 17 | 2018

As months passed, after being stood up by the girl that he had been hoping for. He received no replies after that day. The program where they had been talking to got out-of-date. And those lead Asahi to who he is right now. Negativity got its way on his system, even if Sugawara karate chops the negativity out of him. He thought there's no way in hell that he'll ever be able to be in a proper relationship anymore. Asahi got into various kinds of relationships and got off with it in just a short time. He thought that there's something wrong with him.

"Why are you still in my mind insouciance flower?" he wondered as he skims through his finished business in his laptop

"Please let me go," he agonized as that day left a mark on his heart that made all of his hopes flew away with the wind. He is certain that that girl would be the one once they would meet. That incident left him in a devastating state as he waited hours for her to arrive in the restaurant. His heart broke and contacted Suga and Daichi later that night as he drank his sorrows away at the nearest pub that they can get laid off to.

As he reviewed all of his thoughts, he came up with a thought of finally letting go with all of his yearnings and hopes that he could once again talk to and meet her for once, even if it's just a coincidental event. He has decided to repeat that day, to do all the things that they were supposed to do, and to go to the place where they're supposed to meet. It's more of a pilgrimage just so he could let go of the sorrow that he had been feeling ever since.

08 | 18 | 2018

Asahi wore the same attire that he wore on that specific date. While readying himself up inside the car, hands are shaking as he grabs the handle of his car as he went down and tidied his clothes as he walked into the restaurant where they're supposed to meet.

Fingers fiddling with the buttons of his cuff links, nervousness crept its way into his system as he recognized some servers that had seen his terrible state from the last 6 months. He came a little later than the actual time that they've agreed together. Eyes scanning throughout the restaurant as he subtly hoped for the last time that he would encounter a coincidental event where he could meet her for once.

~~~

As Asahi continued to scan around the whole restaurant, one subject caught his eyes. It's a lady, alone, has been circling her wine glass ever since, and has been circling her pasta with a fork and made portions of it as she successfully twirled it into mini pyramids of pasta.

He didn't noticed that he had looking at her for quite a while now and got snapped back to reality when he saw the lady stood up from her seat and started walking towards his table, in which he doesn't know because he flinched and returned his gaze over his food. Fear came into him when he felt someone poking him from behind but he slowly turned his head and...

"Hi! Are you my date for today?" you innocently asked the lone guy as you wore your wonderful dress that has the frill that you've wasted your time with as you admire how pretty it is made

"Hi I'm sorry, but I don't think so" he gulped as he continued focusing on his food because your face is too divine to look at it much further

"Oh sorry for disturbing you then," you replied with a courteous smile as you go back to your seat

Thirty minutes have passed since the time that you should've left. Also, you've noticed that the lone guy had been alone for a while, who's just there, aloof and lost in his sight. Devastated, you nonchalantly walked over to him.

"Hi! mind if I just take the other seat?" you inquired

"Sure," he replied and right away, you asked for assistance to transfer your tables from yours to his and started conversing the night away.

~~~

"I've had a great time. Can I see you tomorrow as well Asahi-san?" you asked

"Yes Y/N, same time and place right?" Asahi giddily confirmed

"Yes, see you tomorrow then!" you giggled as you walked out first from the restaurant

Asahi never felt happier as he paid for his bill because for once he forgot his purpose for revisiting this place. He became certain that he finally would get to let go of the insouciance flower.

"Hi, Sir!! Thank you for finally making her enjoy and smile for this night. She had been here for 6 months already but still, thank you!" the staff at the counter thanked wholeheartedly

"You're welcome?" Asahi replied as he can't register what's inside the all of the sudden gratitude of the staff but he just brushed it off and started walking towards the car

08 | 19 | 2018

"Hi, Y/N!!" Asahi blurted as he walked towards your direction

"Uhh hello? I'm sorry but I don't think I know you?" you replied as you wondered how did this guy get to know who you are. You've thought for a moment that this stranger just saw your name from a name tag or something, so you've checked yourself and your table if there's any but there's none. How did this guy even got your name?

"Uhm but we just talked yesterday, we even got to agree to meet here again after yesterday," he mentioned while you noticed that he shakingly fiddles with his fingers

"I'm sorry, but as long as I can remember, I was picking out a dress with my mom yesterday. Don't you think you're just mistaken?" you justified

"But what just happened yesterday? I know I'm not mistaken, it's you. I remember perfectly just how beautiful you are," he replied

"Hi, I appreciate the compliment but the thing that I don't appreciate is flirting with someone I just met," you replied with a straight face

"But," he replied, and before he gets to explain himself more staff that he recognized from 6 months ago approached him and dragged him out of the restaurant.

~~~

"Hi, sir! I've heard that my staff yesterday thanked you but I want you to please dismiss it and I hope you just don't meddle with Y/N-chan anymore. She's a special case. So please sir! could you please just stop it here." the staff that looked like the head one pleaded and bowed

"I'm very sorry to hear about that but I just can't. Before I would give you a yes to your request if you could just please explain to me why she's a special case?" Asahi begged as his hopes are being crushed furthermore

"Well if that's the only way to stop you. Everyone in this restaurant and the community knows about her case. Y/N-chan has anterograde amnesia meaning she cannot create new memories right from the event when the accident happened. So after she sleeps the night off, all memories from today will be erased. So every day she always thinks that it's still Sunday and she has a date for tonight. It's the same routine for 3 months now, she had the accident 6 months ago and they've mentioned that she has a date in this restaurant back from that day. But on the way here, the accident happened. So to prevent her from knowing everything and to blind panic, her family mentioned to us to just don't mind her when she's doing the same routine every single day,"

"6 months ago right? can you please provide me what Sunday that day is and the time that she usually goes here," Asahi pleaded as he's realizing something from the sudden shock of tonight's event

"Yes, it's February 18, the year of 2018. She mentioned that she goes here one hour early from the actual time of her date to prevent her from getting lost so it's 6:30 pm" the staff answered

"I think I got all the details that I need. Thank you very much!" Asahi thanked the staff wholeheartedly but got his heart to soften as he believed and realized one thing. It was you. You are insouciance_flower. The one that he had been waiting for. The one that he loved dearly over the animosity. So that is the reason why he forgot things yesterday because you had met his vibes and taste. It is you.

Asahi blankly walked to his car and drove home as this sudden news hit him so bad. His heart was filled with guilt. Blaming himself why you got involved in an accident.

The idea of giving up from meeting you came to him once, but he persisted. Persisted to make it up to you. He absorbed Sugawara's words from 5 years ago that he needs to get rid of that "negative goatee" in himself. He would do everything to meet you up every night so that he could fulfill that agreement that you two made before you got into that accident. He would do everything even if every single day and effort would be disregarded as you'll soon as you sleep and forget about it. That is his resolution and will be his only resolution to make it up to you.

Meanwhile. back from the restaurant. The head staff contacted your parents as this sudden threat to their daughter came.

[purplesurveys]

932

What's your favourite sport? Do you prefer to watch it or play it?: I love pro wrestling, if you count that as a sport. I definitely prefer to just stay in front of a TV – I have never been in a ring, nor am I physically fit to even give it a shot without getting harshly injured. Conversely, I love table tennis but I’d rather play it than watch a game.

Who was the last person to send you a friend request on Facebook?: It was a stranger who, upon checking, seems to be some sort of spam account promoting a pyramid scheme. Happy to nope the fuck out of there.

Have you ever been to that person's house?: Definitely not. I don’t add people I didn’t know on any level, anyway.

How recently did you wash your hands?: This morning when I cleaned up after Cooper.

How many girls do you know named Emma?: Not a common name here, so I don’t know any Emmas.

[trigger warning under this I guess. Lots of angst going on at the moment.]

Are you upset, for any reason at all?: Yeah. I’ve been feeling very upset and under stress lately...to give you an idea, I find it a personal achievement to have gotten up and taken this survey. I’m at least self-aware that this is a temporary slump, but while it’s here hanging around, it really sucks to be in it.

How did you feel when you woke up today?: Shitty. The only reason I got up at all was to feed my dogs but otherwise I’ve been glued to either the couch or my bed.

When you're stressed, what helps you to relax or calm down?: Lately, it’s episodes of Good Mythical Morning. Rhett, Link, and their crew will never have any idea just how much they’ve helped this 22 year old, now-wondering-what-her-purpose-is-in-life fresh college graduate keep sane, but I’m glad they have hours upon hours of content and podcasts lying around to keep me company while no one else can.

What were you doing before you started this survey?: I finished another survey that I abandoned yesterday, and was watching GMM to fill up the silence in my room.

Is there something else you should be doing, that's more important?: I’ve been job-hunting 24/7 but lately I’ve been giving myself a break on weekends since no one will be processing applications or booking interviews on a Saturday anyway.

When was the last time you neglected to do something that you'd planned?: Around noon today.

Is there someone that can always make you smile no matter how bad you feel?: Apparently not. I’ve been a wreck all month so far and nothing has worked. Before September, I certainly thought animals or certain humans worked as cures for me.

Do you have any friends that you feel don't fully appreciate you?: I don’t feel that way about them. I think my friends care for me a whole lot, which I appreciate. I’ve had friends come to my DMs quite a few times in the last few days with messages of support since I’ve been a little vocal about how sad I’ve been feeling these days, so I for sure don’t feel invisible. Making me feel present is the best gift anyone could give me.

When was the last time someone told you that you were beautiful?: Last week when Gab came over.

Who was the last person that apologised to you?: Myself.

What were they apologising for?: Haven’t been looking out for myself recently.

Do you think they meant it?: I guess not, because I still haven’t stopped being destructive towards myself.

Would you be embarrassed if your parents looked at your Facebook?: I have them as my friends so they see everything. But I’m 22, so while they can complain about some of my posts (and it’s usually the political ones lol), they can’t tell me to take anything down anymore the same way they were able to do so when I was younger.

Describe the personality of the person you have feelings for.: She’s very warm, understanding, generous, and immeasurably protective of the people she loves.

What does your pencil case look like? What's in it?: I have a plush dog pencilcase that I use for my pens and pencils (given by my sister) and a pink pencilcase with a floral design that holds my highlighters (given by Jane).

In your Facebook friends list, who is the first person listed under 'D'?: Some girl named Abby whose surname begins with D. She was someone from my high school and we mutually know each other, but we’re not friends and we’ve never even talked.

How did you meet him/her?: I’ve never talked to her but I’ve known of her since grade school I guess? since she’s my sister’s batchmate.

Did the last person you kissed have facial hair?: No.

You're locked in a room with your ex. Any problems?: It would just be my girlfriend too so there wouldn’t be any problems, except that I’d probably break down crying upon seeing her again because I’ve barely pulled myself together over the last week and have had to go through it alone.

Be honest. What are you most afraid of?: These days I’m definitely doubting my capabilities and achievements and all the shit I’ve put on my resumé and portfolio, and now I’m scared if any company will even give me a chance. I’m honestly holding a little bit of resentment for every employed person right now because I have seen absolutely no one talk about how brutal this whole process/waiting game is, lol. This is so SHITTY, is it just difficult for me or what???? I’m so baffled.

In the last 24 hours, have you seen or spoken to anyone you dislike?: I’ve dealt with myself, but that’s it.

What colour are the eyes of the last person that told you they loved you?: Dark brown. 

What is a word or phrase that you say often?: I like saying “I guess” because it makes me sound unsure about most things and thus makes me not 100% accountable if things go wrong hah. I do have another answer that’s more in line with the angst and depression I’ve been going through recently, and it’s that I’ve repeating BoJack Horseman’s ‘piece of shit’ monologue to himself, but this time saying it to myself.

Name 3 songs that remind you of someone special.: Sparks by Coldplay; anything by Mitski; and anything by St. Vincent.

How much chocolate do you have in your house atm, if any?: We have...a lot. We still have the chocolate cake from Nina’s birthday and we recently received an entire pack of various fun-size chocolate bars like Twix, Three Musketeers, etc. from my aunt. We also have chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream that I normally would finish up in a day, but I’ve been saving it for every future job rejection I receive. 

Who is the most intelligent person you know?: Chesca.

Do you have younger siblings? If you do, are you protective of them?: Yes. I’m protective of my sister but I don’t show it lol. We are not showy in this family.

Who was the last person you insulted?: Idk probably a politician on social media.

What are the other members of your household doing at this moment?: I have not gone out of my room all day...I did not miss this sensation. It’s been a while since I’ve locked myself up for this long.

Do you have any neighbours that you don't get along with?: There’s a house behind ours that loudly plays 80s and 90s power ballads and love songs and it gets insanely irritating and makes the neighborhood feel cheap, but I keep my feelings to myself and I’ve never actually confronted them about it and asked them to stop or decrease their speaker’s volume.

How recently did you speak to the last person you kissed?: Like 30 minutes ago. I’m not very talkative these days and it was actually just the second time today that I initiated a bried conversation. I feel bad for her, and I can’t wait to get better so I can start treating her right again.

Who was the last person you told to get lost, or something similar?: I don’t usually tell this to people.

Give me a random line from the last song you listened to.: “We know better so we’d both better go.”

Have you ever had an argument with the last person you Facebook messaged?: Lots. She’s my girlfriend lol.

Do you have any plans for tonight?: I don’t know. If I feel any better, I’d practice and review for my upcoming interview this Tuesday, but if I’m not okay by then...I don’t know. I’ve stopped planning my days out recently and just go where my legs take me.

Where were you at 9 o'clock last night?: I was at the dining table trying to take a survey, but I quickly lost interest in it.

In the past week, have you slept past midday?: Kind of. Like I mentioned, Gabie’s on the night shift so I’ve been keeping her company, which means I occasionally take naps in the afternoon.

Is there anything happening tomorrow, that you're looking forward to?: No. I’m so scared of tomorrows now.

Is there anyone you used to be friends with, that you now dislike?: I dislike Athenna only because of her attitude and the way she treated Angela during the last few days of their friendship. I don’t have any personal beef with her, at least I don’t think I have. She likes stirring up shit though and I won’t be surprised if she was able to make up a story about me to get our other friends to dislike me.

What is your least favourite chocolate bar?: Eh, I’m pretty picky about chocolate bars so I have more brands that I dislike than the ones I do enjoy. I only like Reese’s, Butterfinger, Twix, and Whittaker’s. 

Do any of your friends or relatives have the same birthday as you?: Just this girl I went to grade school with named Mitch. Otherwise, April 21 babies are a rare breed apparently.

Name the last song that made you cry.: O by Coldplay.

Who do you miss at this moment?: The me from like two weeks ago lol. How far I’ve fallen.

Where is that person?: Stuck in August, I guess.

Have you ever dyed your hair an unnatural colour?: No.

Have you had any deep conversations today?: No.

Is your television on atm?: It’s not, but I have my phone playing GMM videos on YouTube to keep me company.

If it is, what are you watching?: It’s one of their product test videos.

Are you wearing anything blue?: My shirt is blue, actually.

Who were the last 5 people to make you smile?: Rhett and Link, and that’s pretty much it.

Do you use Twitter?: Sure.

Tell me about the last YouTube video you watched. They’re pitting brand name cleaning products and natural cleaning products against each other and seeing which one is more effective. I love these videos of theirs, hahaha.

Is there anything else you'd like to say?: No, I feel like I’ve grilled myself enough in this survey.

[soaringsails]

5. A Significant Offer

Wordcount: 4,280 Warnings: more violence Summary: Finally face to face with the goddess and her wizard, Neema makes an interesting deal, Naiakiir makes a new friend, Callie makes helpful music, Lisseth makes water dangerous, and Runa just makes a mess. That’s inevitable when the wizard pulls out all the stops in the fight for control...

As soon as the door closes, the dragonet moves in front of it, pacing silently, its eyes on Runa, Lisseth, and Callie. Lisseth puts a hand on Runa’s arm just as the other girl starts to raise her sword.

“Don’t,” Lisseth says quietly. “We don’t know where they’re taking them.”

“Not gonna find out if we don’t--”

“Give them a few minutes,” Callie interrupts, adding her own restraining hand to Runa’s shoulder. “Maybe they’ll just talk to him and be back before we know it.” She doesn’t sound very confident about it.

“Really want to give them a bigger head start?” Runa growls.

Lisseth and Callie share a nervous glance, but nod. “Let’s not get them killed by interfering,” Lisseth says.

Runa makes a face, but some of the knotted tension leaves her and the others let go of her. “Five minutes,” she says. “If they’re not back by then…”

She leaves the threat hanging open. The dragonet simply growls and continues pacing in front of the closed door.

The hallway behind the door isn’t terribly long, but it curves slightly, and slopes downward again. Neema looks up at the ceiling, noting the shallow stairs hanging above them. There is no door at the end of the corridor: it simply opens up into a massive room at what must have been the very highest point of the temple. Now it is the lowest, buried deep in the earth, but still, somehow, improbably and impossibly preserved.

The room is dominated by a central altar: hourglass-shaped with two tiered pyramids climbing from the floor and the ceiling, the stone steps covered in glittering tiles and innumerable candles. In the space where the two pyramids would meet, there hangs an immense crystalline statue of a woman. Beautifully carved, facets of crystal reflecting the warm glow of the candles, it has the look of a natural growth, with planes of jagged and rough hewn rock. It seems almost as though it might have grown this way, if not for the unmistakably deliberate shape of wings, dress, and figure.

Once, she might have been welcoming, her arms outstretched, hands gently cupped as they reached skyward. The effect, however, is made almost eerie by the fact that she, like the rest of the temple, is upside-down, now suspended so she seems to clutch toward the earth, stretching to seize any who might draw near.

In the space under her, reaching up in a diminutive mirror of the statue’s position, is Sidhale. He kneels, hand resting within the statue’s, and there’s a tingle of power in the air: the Source, channeling through the crystal goddess into him--her devoted, her movable hands in the world. He looks down the steps as Caenlat ushers Neema and Naiakiir into the room, and though there’s a moment of surprise in his eyes, it’s swiftly covered in the smooth, slick sneer they’d seen before.

“Well,” he says, standing up easily, his broken arm and gunshot wounds seemingly disappeared, “I’ve seen a lot of things, but did not expect this.” He shoots a glare at Caenlat, one that promises she will be dealt with later if there is no suitable explanation, and turns his attention to Naiakiir and Neema. “Why have you brought them here, to the holiest inner sanctum?”

Caenlat ducks her head, cringing away slightly as she gestures toward the two women. “I believe…we may have acted in error. She says she was called, brought to the goddess, as you were, Great One.”

Sidhale tips his head, eyes glittering as he sizes up Neema and Naiakiir. “Is this so? One of you claims to be Chosen?”

Neema steps forward, shaking off her amazement at the sight of the temple’s inner sanctum, so whole and unbroken despite the Fracture and centuries buried in the earth. She focuses on Sidhale, taking in his newly healed form and merely raising an eyebrow at his question. If he is surprised by her fearlessness, he does not let it show.

“I do not claim anything,” she says, mounting the first step. “It is true. I am Chosen.”

Sidhale lets out a sinister-sounding laugh. “Oh, are you? One of the sky people come to see the fearful power they never managed to tame. But who am I to judge devotion? If the goddess truly chose you, then you should not fear to speak to her.” He drops his hand from the statue’s, gesturing for Neema to take his place.

“Of course,” he adds after a moment, “if you are lying, she will know. And she will punish you for your presumption, and you will be made to serve in more...base capacities.”

Neema ignores the crass threat, taking a few more steps forward, but Naiakiir’s hand on her arm stops her.

“Are you sure?” the diplomat asks quietly, still keeping an eye on Caenlat as the naga hovers behind them, looking between Sidhale and Neema. “You don’t have to do as he says, we could... It’s not too late to figure out something else.”

Neema takes one small moment to tuck away what she wants to say. I have to know if this goddess is real. “This is the way forward,” Neema mutters back. “We must make certain that no one else falls victim to this. If we want to stop the kidnappings, we have to stop Sidhale.”

“I--I know, but…” Naiakiir looks up at the wizard, who is still smirking, waiting patiently. She glances back at Caenlat again. “Just be careful, Neema, okay? There’s power here.”

The Coalitioner smiles reassuringly, patting the stock of the rifle she’s pretty sure she’s going to name Old Faithful. “I’ve got this just in case. It’ll be fine.”

Naiakiir nods, letting go, and Neema climbs the steps on the narrow path that’s free of candles. She hesitates a moment, sparing one more glance for Sidhale, whose smile grows wider as he gestures for her to take the statue’s hand. She takes a deep breath, reaches up, and rests her palm against the crystal finger.

It’s warm, surprisingly, as if the candles flickering below infused it with some of their heat. Neema feels...comforted. Welcomed. And in the silence of the temple, a warm voice that sounds as if it is made up of sunbeams whispers, “Neema.”

Neema’s heart races; there’s a feeling of power behind that voice, and the same power is pulsing like a heartbeat just out of reach on the other side of the crystal. If she could reach through the smooth surface of it, she thinks, she might touch it. But she’s not entirely sure she wants to.

“How do you know my name?” she asks.

A warm chuckle sounds like a faint echo of summer. “I know everything about you.” The voice hums. “Your hopes, your wishes, your fears.”

“Then you know I come seeking knowledge,” Neema says. “And...to serve.” She's ready to withdraw that offer if the service demanded is more than she’s willing to give, but she'll risk the promise of it to learn more about a goddess she'd only read about.

There’s a sigh, like a warm breeze, and an overwhelming feeling of relief. “There was a time when many came to serve. They brought gifts and gained power and made me strong. Now there are so few. What do you seek in your servitude?”

“Devotion,” Neema answers automatically, remembering the passphrase from the Guardian.

“Interesting. Most seek power.”

“Well, I’m not most,” Neema says, thinking of Sidhale. “Did he want only power?”

There’s a brief flash of a feeling of contempt. Neema can’t tell if the feelings are from the statue or from herself. “Sidhale wanted many things. But he offered much in return. There can be no power without faith for a being such as Ariah.”

“You needed him to bring you followers--believers,” Neema realizes. “You need people to worship you so that you won’t fade away.”

There’s a hint of a smile in the voice. “Devotion requires sacrifice. Those who serve must learn to give that which is valuable for that which is utmost. Sidhale has learned this lesson well. If you wish to truly be Chosen, you must offer something of great value.”

There is a small mental tug accompanying the words. An understanding of an implication rather than one spoken outright. Neema turns to face Naiakiir. The warmth in the voice turns to a sick sort of satisfaction.

“What gift could be of more value than a human life?”

Neema recoils from the thought as soon as she understands what she is being asked to do, though she tries not to let on to Ariah. This is much too far. She has boundaries, strict lines that she mustn’t cross. Desperately, she casts around for another option--perhaps it isn’t necessary that she care for the person in question. Neema allows herself a single breath to firm her resolve. “Would Sidhale’s life serve?” she asks instead.

The warm chuckle lasts just too long to be comfortable. There’s an edge to it, an eagerness. “He has already offered his life. But perhaps you mean to offer it to me differently? Perhaps you can do…better.” The voice disappears, the warm presence retreating into ominous silence.

Neema opens her eyes, blinking, and suddenly understands that not a single second passed during her conversation with Ariah. Below them, Naiakiir is still turning toward Caenlat. Sidhale remains, smug and calculating, but there is an understanding of the challenge in his eyes, an almost vicious light, eager to prove himself.

“So,” he says smoothly, “it seems we are t--”

Neema doesn’t give him time to finish. Ever quick on the draw, her hands move on instinct, leveling the rifle at Sidhale in one smooth motion. Before he can move, she shoots him in the shoulder.

He roars in pain, stumbling back, pressing a hand to the wound, staring at the bright red blood that comes away on his palm. He looks back at Neema with fire in his eyes and the wickedest of smiles on his face.

“Didn’t the goddess tell you she gave me power?” he spits, and before Neema can stop him, he reaches up and slaps his hand against the statue, drawing on the pulsing Source coursing through it that Neema could not reach.

There’s a moment where time seems to slow--it does not quite stop as it did when Neema spoke to Ariah, but everything in the shrine feels somehow...stretched. And Sidhale changes. The air around him twists, the candles below him flicker as if in a sudden strong wind and then blaze up too brightly. In the sudden flash of heat, Sidhale disappears, the very reality around him distorting until there materializes in his place a massive white dragon.

The dragonets they fought higher up the temple had been perhaps the size of a small pony. The white dragon now looming over Neema is more akin to a small whale. His eyes glitter, seeming to burn with his goddess’ power, an inner light. His talons are about the length of Neema’s leg. His wings spread to consume the space in the shrine, dwarfing everything in their presence. He grins, revealing teeth longer than Neema’s rifle, and he roars, the sound echoing through the chamber and up the halls of the temple and possibly all the way to Wress.

Neema looks up at him, shocked for a moment, but her expression settles into grim determination, and before he can do more than scream, she shoots him.

The bullet grazes his shoulder, leaving a line of sparks along his scales, and he laughs. “Usurper!” he booms, voice now possessing the same sibilant quality Caenlat and the other naga suffer. “Perversion! I have given her everything, and you seek to replace me? I will crush you, and the goddess will remember who brought her back to the light!”

The moment the dragon’s roar sounds through the temple, Callie’s hand darts out, gripping Runa’s arm. The fighter, sword already raised, looks at her in confusion. Before she can ask why Callie would stop her now, when the others are so obviously in some sort of danger, the bard draws on the Source and sings, low and urgent. The music turns into magic in the air and fills Runa with that boost of confidence, that burst of inspiration.

Runa smiles and leaps, her sword scything through the dragonet. Lisseth turns in surprise, but the small dragon is already dead, Runa’s second thrust buried in its chest.

“We going?” the fighter says, ripping her sword free of the reptile. “That wasn’t a good sound, right?”

Callie just nods, taking a deep breath. “Yeah, they need us.” She turns toward Houna and the other kidnapped citizens. “Will you be okay?”

The woman glances up at her, tightening her grip on the knife stolen from the last naga. She nods. “We’ll be fine. Go save your friends.”

“Hopefully they don’t need saving,” Lisseth says with a wry grin. “But everyone can use a bit of help.” She draws on the Source, readying.

Runa hauls on the door, dragging it open, using it to shove the body of the dragonet out of the way.

“We’re lucky that wasn’t locked,” Callie says, plunging into the hallway.

“Here--” Lisseth gives them a moment of warning before she splays a hand toward the floor, throwing a sheet of water down it. The wave sweeps Callie and Runa’s feet out from under them, like a water slide, swooping them down the hallway quickly. Lisseth lets the wave subside and follows behind them, running to catch up.

Naiakiir watches the dragon in growing apprehension for a moment before shaking herself out of her fear. She wants nothing more than to run, but Neema is facing down a dragon; the least Naiakiir can do is take on the naga, save her friend from an arrow in the back… For a moment she imagines how Runa, Lisseth, Neema herself would act, and falters. She can’t abandon her friend, but she can’t… She can’t attack Caenlat either.

She takes a deep breath, stepping back a little, trying to be unobtrusive. Not that she needs to; Caenlat is absorbed in the fight taking place on the shrine’s steps, her eyes glued to the dragon that was Sidhale in something between fear and awe. The naga seems torn, as though uncertain whether she should interfere or not. Naiakiir watches as Caenlat tightens her grip on her bow, the shifting stance jostling her quiver.

Arrow in the back. She just has to save her friend from an arrow in the back.

Naiakiir takes a deep breath, darts forward, and snatches the arrows from Caenlat’s quiver, leaving the naga grasping a second later at only empty space.

Caenlat turns, hissing as she realizes what happened.

“Caenlat!” Naiakiir starts, clutching the arrows tight behind her back, holding her ground even as her legs shake. She has to keep her distracted. “Remember what Neema said? She’s Chosen. This is...you can’t interfere.”

“I--” the naga pauses, a hand going to her head. She turns with doubt toward the giant dragon, watching as Neema shoots him again, twice, and he roars as the scales on his chest are blasted away. “He’s hurting--she’s hurting him...!”

“You’re trying to serve Ariah, right?” Naiakiir asks, voice steadying as she figures out her angle. “Sidhale told you he knew the way, but he was wrong. She doesn’t approve of how he’s been running things. So she called Neema here, to set things right.”

“Sidhale said--only he knows…”

“No, only Ariah knows. Sidhale is imperfect, while Ariah…” Naiakiir pauses, remembering something Neema said earlier. “Everything that happens in the sight of the goddess is her will, right?”

“I…” Caenlat grips her bow tighter, her hand straying to her empty quiver again, clenching in frustration. But she doesn’t attack Naiakiir, who takes that as a good sign. She keeps talking to her, pulling her back from the fight, tugging gently on her arm and drawing her away.

They pass the door just as Runa and Callie come shooting out on the last crest of Lisseth’s wave. Callie bounces to her feet, staring at the dragon in shock for a moment before turning to Naiakiir in concern. The diplomat just nods to her, shrugging and pointing her toward the dragon, keeping a restraining hand on Caenlat. Callie nods and follows Runa across the floor of the shrine toward the steps and the dragon.

Neema is holding her own, much to her own surprise and the dragon’s frustration. His bulk makes it hard for him to dodge her shots and track her nimble movements as she darts under and around him. She shoots him in the belly, leaving a gaping hole, and pops up behind him, hastily trying to reload her rifle as she dodges a swipe from his back leg. The massive claw catches her coat, leaving a long tear in the panels of fabric and her heart racing. That was too close. She’s covered in scratches and bruises simply from dodging and rolling away, but a hit from one of his powerful limbs would be devastating.

She hears Runa’s shout before she sees her, dashing up the steps, sword already out and bloody. Relief floods Neema at the sight of an ally, and as the dragon’s attention turns to the new threat, the gunslinger has a moment to catch her breath and reload her gun again.

Runa slams her sword into one of the dragon’s front legs, leaving a deep wound in the muscle above the joint. He cries out, striking at her, but she ducks under the thrust. He turns as Neema shoots him again, two bullets firing off the ridge of scales along his back. He sweeps his tail into an attack, catching Runa with a glancing blow and throwing her to the ground. She ignores her aching ribs and stands up, attacking again, her sword flashing in the candlelight until it looks like it’s on fire.

Callie stands clear of the main fight, her heart in her throat at the sight of two of her friends fighting in such close quarters with a dragon. She’s heard stories about dragons--what good bard hasn’t?--but she never thought she’d see one. Even living on the surface, where monsters are common and one heard terrible things about the wilderness, it seems impossible that dragons still pose a threat this close to a city. But here she is, and here it is.

And she isn’t going to just stand there and let it kill Neema and Runa.

She connects to the Source, pulling that crescendo into herself through her amulet, letting it swell up until it seems like too much. She sends a burst of inspiration to Runa first, a few quick lines of an old upbeat song full of energy; the music soaks up the magic, mirroring the tone and manifesting it as real energy that sends Runa to her feet in a burst of adrenaline, sword slicing across the dragon’s face as he tries to bite her.

Callie makes her own attack then, shifting the song without missing a beat. She thinks about war drums and knives and sings out the darkness she used to know so well, sharpening the magic to slam into the dragon’s mind like a scythe. He stumbles, shaking his head, and though she didn’t draw blood, Callie knows she hurt him.

Lisseth moves up beside her, ice already forming on the edges of her pearlescent water bottle. She sends the icicles forward with a simple flick of her wrist, one after the other, aiming for the dragon’s unfurled wings. He roars in pain as she pierces the thin membranes, leaving ragged, frozen holes in the skin. There’s an icy calm about her that matches the state of her magic where it’s pooled in her core. She treads water on the surface of her power for a moment, gathering her breath and another handful of ice before repeating her attack.

Naiakiir keeps watch on the fight while she keeps her restraining hand on Caenlat’s arm. The naga winces each time Sidhale is wounded again, and she cries out in a mirror of his own roar when one of Neema’s bullets burrows under a loose scale and lodges.

“They’re going to kill him!” Caenlat protests, straining forward, but Naiakiir stops her.

“They’re doing what they came here to do,” she says. “And Ariah is not stopping them. She Chose Neema to carry out her will and further her power, which Sidhale has been twisting to his own ends. You’re sworn to the goddess, not this man. He may have served her once, but now he is only hurting people. She wants him gone--you don’t need to protect him!”

“I--I am sworn to her through him. I must help him, I… I must...” Caenlat says, her hand on her head again, eyes closed in pain. “She granted him power which he passed on to us, so we must...serve him. At all costs. I can’t--”

“All he’s done is hurt you!” Naia shouts, voice cracking. “He isn’t serving the goddess or anything good, only his own cruel ambitions. He kidnaps people and tortures them and brainwashes them! He is perverting Ariah’s power so she sent us here to stop him. Why do you still defend him! Please, look at what he’s done to you! Why can’t you see how awful he is?”

Caenlat’s face twists in confusion, despair, and anger for a moment, and then she’s looking away again, almost shaking, weakly pulling against Naiakiir’s grasp.

The diplomat knows that her words make sense. Caenlat’s protests are so half-hearted now; she’s listening, so why isn’t it getting through? She says she serves the goddess, and she believes that the goddess could stop Neema if this coup weren’t her will, so why isn’t Caenlat turning on Sidhale? It’s almost like she…

It’s almost like she physically can’t.

Naia’s hand reaches slowly, out of habit, to the ring she’s worn in her right ear since she was five years old, her protection focus. She has to focus. She has to do something. This poor creature, Caenlat, used to be human. She’s been twisted, corrupted, into defending the very monster who hurt her. Naia has to help her. She has to.

She draws her breath for one more attempt, one more plea, and as she does so she draws on the Source. Its warmth flares up inside her, burning with her determination to protect, and she pushes it towards Caenlat.

There’s no gentle shimmer of a protective barrier falling into place, ready to deflect physical damage, but it still feels right. She pushes harder, willing all her power and warmth and certainty into the shaking form of her newest friend.

“Caenlat.” Naiakiir says, gently. “You don’t have to obey him. Sidhale trapped you for a long time, but we’re here now. I’m sorry it took us so long, but now you’re free.”

Caenlat shakes her head, her eyes clearing, a subtle glint of magic falling away from her and scattering. Naiakiir feels the Source returning to her, as it does when her barriers break, their jobs done. Caenlat frowns in confusion. Her shoulders are less tense, her hands relaxing from fists, her entire body seeming to move easier. Her bow clatters to the ground, falling from her loose grip.

“What...happened?”

“I’m not sure,” Naiakiir admits, eyes wide, “I’ve never done that before. But I hope it helped?”

“I…” Caenlat trails off, her eyes darting back to the dragon fight, but she does not reach for her empty quiver this time. “Sidhale…”

Almost as if he heard her speak his name, he turns, eyes still ablaze with malice. He roars in defiance, snarling, and Caenlat moves back, tripping over the wounded coils of her snake tail. Naiakiir steps in front of her, protecting her.

Callie shouts for her to get back, to run, but before she can do anything, the dragon lunges--and stalls, his back leg skittering out from beneath him as Neema fires the rifle point-blank into his thigh. He rears up, roaring, catches her with a sweep of his wing, throwing her down several steps where she lands, the breath driven from her.

Runa takes the opportunity. She dives forward, toward the dragon, under him, sliding along the slippery trail of blood he’s lost and finds the wound Neema has left: the double-bullet hole to the soft scales of his stomach. She screams as she stabs up, her sword sinking in to the hilt and she twists it. She keeps sliding, dragging the sword with her, leaving an opening gash along his underbelly.

And then, suddenly, as if there had never been a dragon at all, the massive creature disappears. Several scales clatter to the bloody ground, and Runa stands, confused in the middle of it all.

A low, heavy laugh sounds from behind her. Sidhale’s thin, tired form is kneeling in the shadow of the statue, reaching up to grasp the hand of his goddess. His shoulder is still bleeding from where Neema shot him before he transformed, but the dragon’s wounds have not carried over. He laughs again, struggling to his feet, using the statue to pull himself up to stand.

“You,” he spits out past heaving breaths, “will serve.”

Runa scoffs. “Not servin’ no one,” she shouts back with equal venom.

As she raises her sword to charge up the steps toward him, he merely laughs, leveling his hand at her. His eyes close as he draws on the Source, the crystalline statue behind him pulsing with power…

.