#i need to get back in the swing of writing emet

[a-pink-beau]

FFXIV Write 2024 #28 - Deleterious

[Note: A semi-sorta sequel to my Prompt #9 - Lend an Ear. Might not make as much sense without it.]

Summary: Beau reflects on her failed plan after returning from Mt. Gulg.

Content Warnings: Suicidal Ideation

Spoilers: Shadowbringers

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I’ll be right behind you. I just need a moment,” Beau says to Lehon’a, both having finished their conversation with Ardbert. Ardbert had vanished, leaving the two alone to reflect on the events that had just transpired.

The last thing they remember is being atop Mt. Gulg, having collapsed from the light overtaking them. The Exarch taken by Emet-Selch.

“Okay, I’ll be just outside.,” Lehon’a replies, closing the door behind her.

Beau walks back over to the bed she had awoken in and sits down on it and gives a thousand yalm stare to the floor.

“That didn’t go how you imagined it, did it?” Beau looks up to see Arbdert has reappeared in the room. Beau quickly looks back to the floor, her eyes wide as she lets her tough exterior shatter. She needed to keep it together just long enough until Lehon’a was out of sight. Now that she is gone, Beau finds herself trembling.

“I would have killed everyone.” Beau grips the sheets of her bed where her hands lay. “Had the Crystal Exarch not been there, I would have killed everyone.” Ardbert stays in silence, unsure if he should reassure her or give her the cold hard reality that she may be right. “I’m so stupid.” She swings her hand up into her face, as to punish herself. “Stupid, stupid, stupid.” Three more blows to her brow.

“Now I don’t believe that will get us anywhere.” Ardbert takes a step closer to Beau. “I suppose in hindsight, there were some flaws in your plan.” Ardbert is trying and failing to be gentle with the Warrior of Darkness. Beau stands up and aggressively approaches Ardbert.

“One Lightwarden. Two Lightwardens. It wouldn’t have mattered! Because there is nowhere for the light to go!” Beau turns away and places a hand to her forehead. “Gods, even if it had worked and the Scions had been able to defeat the Lightwarden that I would have become, Lehon’a would just have to take in all that light anyway and it would have all been for nothing!”

“Then maybe we should be thankful the Exarch did what he did.” Beau doesn’t seem to acknowledge Arbert’s comment as she paces the room.

“I really thought I would be doing something. I really thought I had it all figured out.” She finds herself near the table in the room and lays hands on top of it. “But again I made the wrong decision.” She grabs a water pitcher and chucks it across the room, flying through Ardbert and clattering against the ground behind him. “Because I’m too stupid to make a proper plan!”

“Fortunate then, that you have surrounded yourself with the people that you have.” Ardbert’s voice remains calm but firm. Beau stares at him, angry. “You thought yesterday to be your last day alive, correct? But here you stand.” He smiles. “Because of your allies.” Beau’s shoulders deflate, her anger turning to grief.

“I’m not worth the effort,” Beau says, her voice having lost much of its volume.

“If we’re going to go that route, then think of it this way; they just saved the First and they don’t even know the half of it. Their efforts saved countless lives yesterday. That sound better to you?” Ardbert has found himself tired of Beau’s regular self-deprecation. “Their care for you has saved lives. So I’m going to have to disagree there. You are worth the effort. I suppose you are just going to live a little longer, friend.” Beau doesn’t respond, she instead sits herself onto the floor, putting herself deep in thought. Ardbert takes a breath, feeling as though he should ease up on her.

“It must have been hard on you; thinking you knew the day your life would end. I hope you maybe feel some sense of relief now that that final hour is behind you.” He takes a few steps towards her and kneels down in front of her. Beau just stares through him. “It is okay to feel lost, Beau. Most people do at times. This pain you try to hide, your friends can feel it. And they wish to help. Pushing it down will not shelter them from it.” While his form is incorporeal, Ardbert nonetheless still rests a hand on Beau’s shoulder. “You can let them in.”

Beau still does not respond. Ardbert lets out another sigh and plants himself beside her, sitting on the floor alongside Beau.

“I think I’d miss them,” Beau whispers, her misty eyes looking forward. Ardbert nods his head.

“I’m sure they’d miss you, too.” Ardbert tips his head toward Beau. “Suppose it could be a good idea to try to make an effort to spend more time with them now.” Ardbert finds a smile growing onto his face. “Might make the next time you try to attempt a big self sacrifice a little easier if you’re tired of them.” Beau scoffs, a smile breaking through her somber face. Ardbert, thankful his attempt at levity worked, lets out a sigh of relief. “Might be worth getting moving soon. Wouldn’t want Lehon’a to come check in and find you’re actually expressing some emotions for once.” Beau rolls her eyes with a smirk.

“Go disappear, ghost boy.” She waves her hand through his chest. Ardbert laughs.

“With pleasure.”

Beau finally looks over to where Ardbert had been, and finds the spot vacant. She wipes her eyes and stands herself up. Grabbing her rapier from atop the chest at the foot of where she had been resting, Ar’beunti heads for the door to catch up to her fell Warrior of Darkness.

[sgnblg]

December prompt #1 Morning

From thoses prompts, not sure if this works like that, not sure if I will do all December. It's the first time I write prompt, in English moreover. But sounds fun to at least try ! Spoilers end of Endwalker below - Zenos/Jethrault

The day dawned. Jethrault grunted but did not move. It was rare that he saw the sunrise with his own eyes. No doubt the dynamis in his body had not yet dissipated and he retained an energy not usually seen in the morning.

Motionless, he looked around quickly. He sighed as he realized that he was not alone in his Sharlayan room. He was there too. Brought back with him from his last trip, his last fight. What had happened after their confrontation remained unclear in the Elezen's mind, but he knew one thing: he needed this person with him.

Zenos was looking at him too, lying down but alert. His blue eyes betrayed a restless night, but his features were calm. He was waiting. Since their return it had been like this. He had waited for death, then waited to be ignored by the Scions in the ship, to be arrested in the Labyrinthos, to be chained to Sharlayan. None of this had happened. because Jethrault had always stood in the way. He had saved the world, he had defeated Meteion, he had stopped the calamity. His fight against the Prince of Garlemald may have brought him to the brink of death, but he had not let fate rid him of this troublesome friend.

Jethrault called Eos in a hoarse voice, and the fairy had materialized instantly. He had stopped her when she tried to heal him and ordered her to take care of Zenos. There was nothing to heal though. Since yesterday, the fairy had had plenty of time to heal even the most minor of the prince's wounds. Jethrault was just too careful.

"Am I now your trophy, my friend?"

Zenos had whispered, but Jethrault had perceived it perfectly. With one move he was upright, with the next he was swinging a pillow in Zenos' face, who didn't even dodge it.

"I intend to get my bed back, and you're taking up too much space for a trophy!"

Rising, he pulled on pants and a loose shirt, activating a pot to heat water and pushing the mess onto the table to set up some dishes. Zenos didn't move. He could sense the cracking of joints the Elezen had not stretched, the spiky black curls that partially covered his face and neck, the smell of strong coffee he was brewing.

"So what do you plan to do with me? Your companions did not seem pleased to have you in my company…"

Jethrault raised his hand in a vague gesture.

"That is their problem. Come, you must eat."

Zenos straightened and took the time to dress properly. Jethrault knew Garlean manners and had left the prince's place some cutlery lined up around a plate. As much of a monster as he had become, Zenos was still a member of the imperial family and he appreciated the gesture. The breakfast was copious, bread, cheese, meats, many things that Jethrault did not touch. He only drank his cup of coffee, a dried fish and an apple. Zenos served himself silently and ate quietly.

"Solus, Emet-Selch. He took his own life after his duty was done. Perhaps it runs in the family."

Zenos stopped his gesture to look at Jethrault. His body looked awkwardly seated on the stool, but Zenos could see the ether through his artificial power. The thin, dry body remained taut with a thousand muscles ready to move instantly. The memory of the Ascian made him alert. When Jethrault turned his gaze to him, Zenos knew that he had the same reaction to the prince, and that it was mutual. By that simple look, it was obvious that the Scholar had spared him and brought him back for this, to fight again. So what Jethrault added did not surprise him.

"I don't care about him, but you… I'm not done. That the world wants your head, that Hell claims your soul, so much the better, it will keep me busy! But I... still need you. I still need our fights, and I'm not done with you."

"Does that make me your punching bag? I didn't defeat you I remind you."

Jethrault put down his apple, unfinished.

"You're like me, you have no shortage of ideas to reach new heights. You waited for me, and I will wait for you as well. That's a great sign of friendship, isn't it?"

Then he had a sincere, amused, almost wistful laugh.

"Even if I won last time, what a fight! What a fever! What a hunt!"

Zenos smiled in turn. The fight was still recent but his memory was already nostalgic. As he plunged headlong into this battle, Zenos couldn't imagine coming out, not alive, not unscathed. Something about that morning seemed crazy. The sun through the window, the smell of bread and coffee, their laughter, surely themselves. it was improbable, but for a moment, for a morning, life wasn't a burden.

"Indeed."

[theaetherhealerffxiv]

Amaurot Days

FFXIV Oneshot: OC Based Fanfiction [Wol-verse]

Rating: Rated M please, its smut. If you are under age dont read please.

Pairings: Wol  x Emet-Selch/Hades

WoL/Wod is NB with female leaning [you/yours/etc]

Summary: You want to congratulate Hades on his new office.

Word Count: 1898

You wrapped your arms around his shoulders as he lounged in the chair. A satisfactory hum greeted you as the tired man rolled his head to gaze up at you. “I hear congratulations are in order.” You say with a giggle, gently placing your lips on his forehead. Feeling him grunt as your mask bumped the skin leaving a little red mark. 

“Yes,” Hades muttered reaching up and snatching the mask from your face, pausing to take in your visage. “I see that the gossip has reached you.” Throwing the white mask he reached up and dug his hand into the hair that hid behind your hood, pulling you down to kiss him. It was slightly awkward with the angle you two where at, but you kissed regardless. The kiss was rather chaste for what you wished to give him but after a moment you two broke apart and you walked to a table that had caught your eye when you came in. On it, a red mask. Lifting it up you fingered it gently; you could feel your lovers eyes burning with anticipation.

“There was no other proper candidate for this position.” You placed the mask back down to turn and look at Hades, his golden eyes, his white hair, your heart swelled and you smiled. “I am so proud of you.” He rolled his eyes, looking away and placing a hand on his mouth to hide the smile while his other waved that silly little wave he always did. “But!” You put your hands on your hips bringing those gold eyes to stare at you again. “I wish you had come to tell me!!” You did wish that he had come to tell you, instead leaving your coworkers at the Hall of Rhetoric, and your mutual friend Hythlodaeus to tell you. You watched as he sighed and leaned back in the chair, clearly more exhausted than you expected him to be. Your love was always fond of naps, but this seemed like a different kind of exhaustion. 

“I wished to keep you from producing one of your, squeals, that you do. In public at least.” He muttered the last part and looked away again, once again your heart swelled as you saw a soft blush creep across his cheek bones. You strode over, heaving your robes off and throwing yourself on his lap. Hades quickly adjusted his position to allow you to straddle him, he sighed and placed his hands on your hips as you sat and tilted his chin up. “Yes, my Soul.” Hades muttered as you caressed his face and gently brushed your thumbs over his dark circles.

“You look so tired Hades…” You mutter concerned. Hades shifted, clearly a little bothered by your position. You ignored it in favor of trying to get the man to talk to you. He tried to distract you by rubbing circles on your silk shirt. You frowned and held his face so that he had to look at you.

He sighed with defeat. “Hythlodaeus needed my help with something. I had to change, for it.” Hades sighed again as he saw you frown. “My Soul, it was needed. I needed to do what he asked of me.” He reached up and cupped your cheek as you leaned forward pouting a little. “I used more magic than I calculated. I will be fine with rest.” He leaned up and forward to kiss you again pulling you forward with a groan.You pulled away a little and he whispered your name before letting his shoulders heave a little. 

“You do not want to rest do you?” You tilted your face, which was still close to his and kissed his lips lightly, then you began to pepper kisses across his face, pushing back is hair to plant kisses on his forehead too. 

A hum was rewarded to you as he shifted to hold you closer. “Nay, I do not. I want to celebrate with my Soul.” Hades muttered a small smile crossed his lips. “You know, Hyhlodaeus said my other form was impressive…” The man teased as you pressed kisses to his lips. 

“He always does my love.” You tilted his head up and gently bit down his neck causing him to moan your name. “Now, you said you wanted to celebrate yes? Should I create some food?” You where being a tease at this point, you knew what Hades wanted, as you two had been working non-stop for days. Originally the two of you thought that you could resist touching each other, or needing to copulate. You were wrong, you wanted him as much as he wanted you. Golden eyes hooded he gazed at you, pulling himself up straight and yanking you down to press his lips against yours. His hips ground against yours, his hands found easy purchase in your thin shirt. No more talking, was what this told you. Part of you was a little disappointed, you had wanted to tease him more. Suddenly you gasped, dark wings appeared wrapping around you as Hades snapped his fingers, relieving both you and him of clothing. “Hades!” You scolded, but was only rewarded with him lifting you up and striding over to the bed you two shared. 

“Yes, my Soul?” He asked, the wings dissipating into nothing. You gently slapped his now bare chest.

“There is no need to manifest your other self here.” You glared at him, even as his hands began to touch you, as he moved your legs so that he could press his erection against you. You shivered as you felt the warmth of his body against yours. 

“But, it was impressive.” Hades murmured as he kissed your neck, biting and sucking ruthlessly. Internally you thanked that your robes would cover them. 

“You are impressive, to me in either for Hades.” He lifted his head as you spoke and kissed you, telling you ‘I know my Soul’. You bucked your hips into his and he caught them with a groan. Then moving to press your hands to his back you breathed evenly as you allowed your magics to mingle with his. Now that you two where close you could sense that he had used quite a bit. The least you could do is replenish it a little. He shivered and shifted his hips, muttering your name as a prayer as he slid into your slick heat. Your eyes nearly rolled back into your head as you felt him do so, the pleasure of the two of your magics mingling and the physical connection caused you too to moan his name. He shivered in your arms and buried his face into your shoulder, his breath taken away as you let your magic flow slowly stop. Once it did he sighed.

“Part of me wishes you would never stop doing that,” Hades muttered nipping at your shoulder again. “By creation I do not know how you do that.” 

You giggled, “I have told you! I developed it specifically for you. Which is why I refuse to go to the Bureau to get it cataloged.” Hades shifted in your arms to raise up on his elbows, his gold eyes searching yours, before letting his hips gently pump into you. Letting your lips pop into a O. He smirked above you. 

“By creation,” He hissed. “It has only been a few days but it feels like it has been eons.” You bucked your hips into his and one of hands caught your hips stilling you. “Not yet my Soul.” Hades moaned, “You will know when we can throw ourselves into such passions.” 

“Hades,” You wined. “Why do you want to take this so slow?” Usually the two of you would fall into the will of your bodies quickly, but tonight was truly a crawl. He shifted to look at you leaning into one of his hands, while the other, that had been on your hip, was now roaming your body touching and groping you. He did not answer you, but you stared into the heat of his eyes with confusion. Hades has always been a bit of a mysterious figure to you, and the whole of your friend group. You had fallen for him quickly, and he you. Originally he had said it was something about your soul, that there was something connecting yours and his. You could not see what he did, so you could not understand. Your hands, still on his back slid down and gently kneaded his rear. His eyes fluttered as he pressed further into you, your legs gently falling open more to allow him access. “Hades,” You breathed and he, now playing with your nipple, hummed opening his eyes again to look down at you. You frowned, causing him to pause. “Emet-Selch.” You said, testing the name on your lips. He frowned now.

“No, to you I am Hades. Only ever Hades my Soul.” He growled pressing his lips to yours, and you knew it, that was the catalyst. His hips began pumping unabated, and you tried to keep pace. You felt your magic gently pouring into him again, and then, his into you. You moaned against his lips loudly as the pleasure began to mount deep in your belly. It was a fire, and you knew, and felt his. The passion continued hands sliding against skin trying to memorize bodies that the two of you already knew. Until suddenly you two stilled, the pleasure snapping rippling like unabated magics. His name tumbled from your lips as yours fell from his. He shook violently as his strength left him, but he did not wish to fall on you and crush you. Panting you caressed his cheek as he slowly settled on top of you again. Still inside of you he gently pressed loving kisses to your lips. 

“You will forever be mine Hades,” You whisper. “Forever, this soul of mine is yours.”

“Yes,” He breathed as he rolled to have you on top of him, snapping once more a blanket landed atop of you two. Shifting so that you were no longer connected physically you sighed at the mess he created. Hades looked at you with a smirk. “I can magick it away my Soul,” He whispered but you shook your head. 

“No,” You curled up against him. “It is a welcomed mess.” 

The bliss of sleep took the two of you swiftly.

------

“Why are you staring at me Ascian.” You growl as Emet-Selch watched you carefully, his golden eyes almost looking, hurt. 

“Nothing, Hero.” He snaps back before reaching out and catching your arm, you frown, it had caused the entire party to stop. 

“Nothing? Then why, pray tell, are you grabbing my arm -” You froze as you saw his golden eyes stare at you, his hair went stark white and he looked younger for a moment. A name crossed your mind, quickly, Hades? Something other than the light struggled against you. It reached out to the Ascian with such force you began to panic and ripped your arm from his grasp. Turning quickly back to the Scions you clutched your chest in an attempt to hide your sudden stress. 

You left the Ascian there, his hand slowly falling. “You are there.” His words quickly taken away by the wind. Emets hand shook as he looked at it, shock, you were there. 

[emetkoto]

6 from pre, 2&12 from love, emetkoto!

6. If you had told one of them that the other would be their soulmate, what would they think?

GOD they would both be so..........angry

Emet would be SO offended that you would even DARE to imply that he would EVER have feelings for anyone other than his beloved Apollo, let alone a pathetic sundered being like K'oto...big vibes of the last quest of shb where you try to tell him that you've all lost people and he gets SO mad that you would compare yourselves to those he lost <3 might even piss him off bad enough he can be bothered to lift a finger and unmake you if youre (un)lucky

K'oto would also lash out in his usual fashion but he would also be very much flustered and embarassed at the thought <3 yelling at you about how that cant be right while his face is red hot and he cant even figure out why.....love that angry man <3 if you persist he might start biting and potentially tackle you and start swinging just to get you to shut up bc hes so full of confusing feelings and hes terrible at dealing with them so he just channels them all into anger

2. What are their primary love languages?

K'oto is very much a physical lover, but when it comes to showing like actual genuine romantic affection and not just being all up on someone bc hes flirting hes kinda shy about it so in public he tends to poke fun at his partners to show it..his way of being like "look i pay attention to you i know all these things about you i can pick on you for i love you".....and ofc biting. biting is a love language :) but he knows its not for everyone so he reserves it mostly for estinien bc he can take it, strong dragon skin and all. emet mostly sees the physical affection since their sweet lovey moments happen in private and also hes always kind of afraid to talk too much when theyre together lest he annoy emet and make him leave

Emet is kinda....like a cat? he shows he likes you by tolerating your presence, aka being in the same room as you, slightly closer to you than anyone else around :) also makes a habit of complaining about things you do that he sees as reckless or stupid, calling it annoying but really it comes from him being worried...kinda folds into his whole thing with belitting k'oto for being a lesser being since hes sundered, he's worried about him </3 also like a cat once he closes the distance (usually without you even noticing and only when youre alone) he likes to cuddle and be a bit touchy feely...ofc its all on his terms and if hes tired of something you will know! hes not big on like mushy words or anything, he prefers to just spend time together quietly, i doubt in the thousands of years he was with apollo he once properly told him he loved him bc he just Doesnt Do That but he made it known in his own ways and did the same with K'oto <3

12. What kind of nicknames do they call each other?

during shb K'oto always shortened his name to just 'Emet' and it annoyed the hell out of him at first bc like thats a big special title that was bestowed upon him how DARE he make a cute little nickname out of it....but he grew to kinda like it by the end...when they were together it was a brief break from his duty as Emet-Selch and his pain as Hades, he could just be K'otos Emet for a while <3 from the end of shb onwards he exclusively referred to him as Hades as a way to remember him as more than just the ascian Emet-Selch but as the ancient Hades who once lived, yknow how it is </3

(endwalker spoilers for this next part)

Emet is always on that 'Hero'(derogatory) bs honestly there isnt really anything else he ever called him besides the occasional mocking 'my dear'.....I'd say the first and only time he calls K'oto by name is at the end of Endwalker during their last goodbye and you just know it broke him but it was #closure or whatever, he needed that <3 if he ever comes back again (and he fucking better) or if i write a fixit fic where he sucks it up and joins the polycule he'll use a healthy mix of his name and hero bc its just so iconic :)

[owlespresso]

emet-selch/wol.

indulgent. vampire au. My ko-fi is still open for donations. I write headcanons and drabbles in exchange for donos. https://ko-fi.com/owlespresso Commissions are also open! https://owlespresso.tumblr.com/post/186937812263/commissions-are-open SPICY CONTENT below the read more. You have been warned.

Childish, Hades thinks as the woman’s little hand grasps his sleeve. The lavish cloth crinkles in her deceptively firm grasp, her arm swinging his from side-to-side. 

In her, he sees bits and pieces of Azem, sees hints of his long-forgotten paramour swimming to the surface. That is all that prevents him from yanking his arm from her incessant grasp. So, he allows her to lead the way, past bakeries, boutiques and storefronts. He could buy her entire storefronts, dress her in the most lavish of silks, yet she requests none of the luxury items he’d expect.

Her hold leaves him leaves him in an instant. It frightens him more than he would ever admit, but any palpitations in his long dead heart settle as he locates her mere feet away, nose pressed to the glass display window. Her furry tail swishes back and forth behind her, batting snowflakes from the chilled air. Her small, paw-like hands press to the frosted glass, gaze undoubtedly on the merchandise behind it.

“Out of all the things,” he drawls, breath a puff of frost churning in the early winter air. “I could purchase for you, and you chose this?” 

His gaze slides from her pointed ears down the slope of her neck, where the flesh remains pale and unblemished. The deep-rooted animal urge it sparks in him would have been enough to overwhelm any youngling, he idly thinks to himself. He cannot help recall a time when he was that age, but thousands of years prior. 

Beyond the fogged window lays a decorative display stacked high with stuffed animals of various shapes and sizes.

“Huh?” She glances back to him with those wide, doe eyes. “What’s wrong with that?”

“Surely a young, enterprising woman such as yourself would want something more expensive?” Far be it from him to judge, but close be it for him to tease. Too long had it been since he had the opportunity to tease his precious Azem. Even if this tiny spec of a woman before him doesn’t have her memories nor her incredibly magical prowess, he could see the potential there, sees the familiar glint of his lover’s soul, wrapped light in flesh, bone and blood. 

“I don’t need anything fancy,” she declares. “If I get somethin’ that’s just gonna sit around ‘n look pretty, it might as well be somethin’ soft.”

“Ah. So glad am I to know that my gifts will be measured by their softness rather than monetary worth.” Hades’s lips curl in the beginnings of a fond smile. “But I could also drape you in the finest of silks or gift you a top of the line vehicle that could stay on the road for years. Perhaps a visit to a five star restaurant?”

“Nah, nah. I don’t need any of that right now.” She dismisses his every idea as though he were speaking gibberish, stubborn and unwavering in her course.

“You’re unable to drive, aren’t you?” he points out with a lick of smugness palpable in his lilting tone. “Perhaps we should look into lessons.”

She quiets at his jest, a silence that speaks more than words could. A sore subject, then. Hades neatly folds that tidbit of information and nestles it upon the shelves of his memory, for later use.

 “...Well, come along then.” He has to bend at the waist to grasp her little paw, but it’s well worth it when her fingers immediately grasp him tight, the rest of her following him inside. The warm air crowds in close, the shop’s interior cozy and small. The polished wooden floor creaks underfoot, shelves piled high with stuffed animals and toys. Azem has ever been one to go against the grain. He should have expected her dormant shard to be the same.

Blessedly, there are no other customers currently occupying the aisles or the lobby. Hades is willing to endure a great much, but perhaps the screeching of enthusiastic children would have been where he drew the line. 

Her boots scuff the floor as she scrambles for the only display at the front center of the store, where a massive-stuffed shark is held atop an earthly wooden pedestal. It’s surrounded by at least a dozen of its kind, abet smaller and clustered on a lower level.

“Is that what you want?”

“Is that okay?” she looks to him bashfully, batting thick eyelashes. 

“My dear, I could purchase at least a hundred of these stores and more before my wallet suffered even a dent. I assure you I can buy whatever you get your grabby little paws on.”

“They’re not grabby!” she huffs, eyebrows pinching into a tight scowl. 

“Then how do you explain this?” He lifts the hand she’s clutched so tightly and raises an eyebrow. The apples of her cheeks tinge deep pink as she wrenches her hand away from his hand, reaching for the stuffed shark. It’s more than half her size. He doesn’t bother hiding his laughter as she struggles to lift it from its lofty perch. He allows her to flounder fruitlessly for a few long moments. The sight of her straining on the tips of her toes.

Both her admiration and determination are admirable for one so small, especially since she she could just as easily find an employee to assist her.

“Allow me,” he steps beside her and and grasps the plush with lofty ease, tucking it underneath his arm. He imagines he must look quite the fool. A man so tall and darkly dressed stands a stark difference against the colorful shelves. What would the rest of the Convocation think? Lahabrea would doubtlessly have a field day. He could imagine the howling and the carousing—

“Thanks,” she mumbles. “I can carry it, though.”

“Please. It’s more than half your size,” he scoffs. “Is there anything else you require? No need to hold back on my account.”

Much to his relief, the shark is all she’s ventured inside for… and he walks out the store flanked by a cat of a person and a large, stuffed animal.

[kunstpause-archive]

FFXIV Write Prompt #3: Muster

“Mustering the troops?”

The slightly patronizing sounding voice of the Ascian tore Cassia out of her thoughts. She didn’t need to turn around to know that Emet-Selch was standing not too far behind her. Just like she didn’t need to look at him to know that his face helt the usual peculiar mix of disinterest and amusement as he spoke. His tone gave it away freely already. As did the small sigh of exasperation he let out when she didn’t immediately answer.

“Oh come on Hero, why the long face? You’ve rallied the masses and they are ready for whatever you need them to be. Cause for celebration one might think.”

Vanquishing two lightwardens in a row had indeed put a new spring into the step of nearly every person in the Crystarium. The city had been bustling with activity before, but it was nothing compared to the past few days. A palpable feeling of careful excitement seemed to hover over the place now, visible in every aspect of the city life. From the crafters, who worked with a smile on their face, to the looks of hope in each pair of eyes she had seen at the markets. But nowhere was the change as visible as with the guard. They trained more rigorously than ever before, full of enthusiasm. Of conviction, Cassia realized. A deep seated hope burying itself to the surface, speaking of grand feats and the possibility of defeating the sin eaters. All those faces filled with hope, and Cassia couldn’t help but worry. “They are not ready,” was all that she could mumble. 

“Pardon?” came Emet-Selch’s reply, a hint of curiosity swinging in his voice as Cassia shook her head.

“We never wanted to rally the masses, as you put it. We wanted to help and now…” she let out a deep sigh. “They are going to die.” 

Cassia kept looking ahead, her eyes following a group of guards engrossed in a late evening training exercise before she turned around to look at her uninvited conversational partner. “Not all of them of course, but I’ve seen this before, back in Ala Mhigo.” Her voice was quiet as the memories of fallen soldiers, comrades, friends, felt almost overwhelming for a moment. “They are going to march into battle, fighting for their future - and some of them won’t ever get to see it.”

The look Emet-Selch gave her was one she hadn’t seen before. It was far less disinterested than before and Cassia didn’t know just what to do with it as he suddenly said, “Those who survive will, though.”

She couldn’t help but let out a scoff at his words. “Oh, that makes it all better of course. That some survive…”

But the Ascian didn’t seem offended at all. “Doesn’t it?” he asked, an eyebrow raised in question as he held her gaze. “All of them want to fight. For their lives. They know the risks, know they might not see it all the way through but they are willing to die for what they deem worth fighting for.”

Cassia knew his words held some truth to it, but she couldn’t help but feel tired. Tired of watching people around her die. Tired of seeing the loss in every corner of the world. Tired of watching people make sacrifices over and over again. 

“What good is fighting for a future to every single one of them, if they have to give up their own?” The question sounded almost helpless. She knew all too well that sacrifice was often necessary. But the futility behind it all had never been so obvious, so overly present as it was here in the First where, with every piece of knowledge they gained, it seemed like there were less and less good options for going forward left.

“And what would you have them do,” Emet-Selch argued in that moment, the questioning look on his face an obvious challenge to her. “Should they just sit around and wait for the inevitable end?”

“Isn’t that what you had originally hoped for?” Cassia shot back before shaking her head. “We don’t even know when that end would actually be, and they would be alive in the meantime!” 

“Maybe dying for what you believe in is preferable to living on in uncertainty, waiting endlessly for it all to be over.” Whatever Cassia had expected him to say next, it certainly had not been this, and as Emet-Selch spoke something in his voice gave her pause. A new cadence, that did not quite fit the way he had sounded so far. Not entirely at least.

“Is that what you’re doing then?” Cassia asked on a sudden whim, following the feeling in her gut. “Waiting for something to finally be over?”

For a moment he looked almost startled, before the patronizing look he sported so often was set firmly back on his face. “I believe we were talking about the soldiers, do try to keep up my dear.”

But the sudden change could not fool Cassia, no matter how quickly he had fallen back into his act. And an act it was, Cassia realized by now. She had suspected it before, but this moment, however small it had been, drove home like nothing else just how much of everything he did and said felt like one big stage-play. She had tried to take her measure of him before, but she had been looking at him through the eyes of a warrior. Now that she saw something intimately familiar in his whole demeanour, her entire perception subtly shifted. Through the eyes of an actress, he showed a decidedly different picture. 

“Soldiers tend to be the same in every war,” Cassia said, a telling look in her eyes. “No matter where or when they come from.”

A scoff and a frown were his answer as he gave her a scathing look. “You'd think to compare me to those people?”

“You were the one sounding all wistful about dying for a cause,” Cassia said with a shrug. Her casual answer only seemed to spark more of his disdain, yet he made no effort to leave. Instead he scoffed once more before narrowing his eyes at her.

“Dying is the easy part.” Emet-Selch’s voice sounded slightly more raw than before. “Everyone can die for their cause, living on, fighting on, is the true challenge.”

She thought she could sense a hint of anger in his tone, if only for the briefest of moments. It wasn’t like what he said felt wrong. On the contrary. It felt all too familiar and Cassia let out a quiet sigh. “What if you get tired of fighting?”

To her surprise it was her quiet, honest question that had Emet-Selch almost recoil for a moment. But like before, he was back to being his usual, condescending self in a heartbeat. 

“I tire of this conversation,” he said, looking past her with a distant look in his eyes. “Why do you insist on being this boring…”

Cassia couldn't help but let out a dry laugh at the almost childish sounding insult. “I don’t think I am boring you at all,” she said, watching the corners of his mouth twitch ever so slightly at her words. “I think I am making you uncomfortable.”

Emet-Selch’s lips curled up into a mocking smile. “My dear, more impressive people than you have tried and failed at that.” He sounded surprisingly less sharp than Cassia would have anticipated before he added, “I shall take my leave now.”

“Comfortably, I assume,” Cassia said with a small huff. “But by all means, don’t let little old unimpressive me stop you.”

It seemed like he wouldn’t, as Emet-Selch gave her one last long look before turning around in silence, slowly walking away. Before him, the familiar purple glow of a portal opening appeared when he suddenly stopped. 

“You lose.”

His back still toward her, Emet-Selch’s words hung heavy in the air as Cassia frowned.

“What?” she asked confused, and at that he turned his head, looking at her over his shoulder with an intensity that nearly took her breath away.

“When you get tired of fighting, that’s when you lose,” he said softly before disappearing into the portal, leaving behind only silence.

[blooms-of-ice]

Wyda is officially retired...for now. She had a good run, and I loved writing for her! GOD the existential dread I felt as I drew closer and closer to running the event that would end her.

Her story continues through another. Give a follow here! :D

I’ll be keeping this blog up as an archive, although I might still post every now and again. But since her arc is done, here goes! An unedited, unfiltered slurry of words-directly-from-brain-to-keyboard about Wyda! I’m warning you, this is true farm fresh to you stuff. And spoilers for many events in FF14. Read on if you dare.

Strap in, it’s going to be a long and bumpy ride.

Did I say that I love Primals?

Primal lore gives the FF14 devs a lot of creative freedom when it comes to designing bosses. Want the arena changed? Want something/someone to look absolutely wack? Want to spin up a threat without having a villain train for years prior? Bam, primals.

It also gives us, the players, the same creative freedoms when it comes to roleplaying!

The requirements to summon one are humorously low. At first, primals result from misguided and zealous beastmen shenanigans. Ifrit, Titan, Ramuh, Leviathan, Garuda...but then we get a bunch of weird summonings. Like when Ga Bu summons a funky version of Titan through his despair alone. Or when Yotsuyu brings forth Tsukuyomi because she really, really wants to see the world burn. Hell, Gilgamesh just thinks about his friend Enkidu in the presence of some crystals, and that’s enough to bring forth a primal. So I guess the only requirements for a primal summoning are 1) crystals and 2) thinking kinda hard? Strong feelings, especially negative ones, seem to be more effective but then again! What the heck happened with Gilgamesh? Who knows?!

But this is one of my favorite things in FF14. It’s a powder keg of a situation that will, and HAS, gone off multiple times.

Being tempered, meanwhile, is a fate worse than death. You’re forced to change sides and fight for the enemy. You don’t even find peace when you die - tempered souls linger in Eorzea thanks to how messed up they are by the process. But you don’t become a mindless servant either. *Points to Emet-Selch who is....kinda...on your side (???) but also on Zodiark’s side*

Things aren’t nearly as dark now that tempering can be cured. I’m very thankful, since otherwise my campaign would’ve had a very, very depressing ending. One that I originally planned for but STILL. I’m weak. ;_;

Riding off the Rails

Primal lore is flexible. In ARR, the rules are established, but later expansions took those rules and went “Well, what about this? And this? And this?” In other words, this is me admitting that I’m shameless and will stretch this lore until I reach the moon.

Developing Wyda was a ‘chicken first, egg later’ sort of situation. Though trite, I gave her amnesia in order to give myself an excuse for knowing nothing about FF14 lore (and because I was new to roleplaying). When I finally sat down to flesh her out, my mind kept returning to primals. I love ‘em and their potential for drama! So yeah, I was determined to make it work.

There were a lot of questions I had to answer. If Wyda is a primal, then why isn’t she tempering everyone she meets?! How is she getting away with being a ‘normal’ person? And how do I avoid power creep? I know, for a fact, that if I walked into an RP event and just said...hey. My character is a primal, are you cool with that? The answer would be a solid no. Nooooo! I’d tell that to myself! So I wanted to solve these questions in a fair way that would allow others (and myself) to remain immersed in the roleplaying world. Luckily, FF14 lore is like a bottomless chest of building blocks. It was just a matter of stacking them carefully.

Primals are summoned when someone thinks around some crystals (Ah, Gilgamesh...)

The primal’s purpose is based on the summoner’s desires, but with a monkey’s paw twist (Ga Bu’s Titan punching the other kobolds away is indicative of this)

The amount of aether used in the summoning determines how powerful the primal will be (Shinryu being beefy as hell)

Primals can be summoned out of thin air, or be channeled into someone’s body

When a primal is channeled, the summoner needs the Echo to resist (Ysalye and Ryne). Otherwise the summoner is tempered by their own creation.

Now, with those blocks in hand, I started spitballing...and it led me to this thought. If a primal’s purpose is to NOT be a primal, what happens?

Would they know that they’re a primal?

Can they still use their primal powers?

What happens when the primal is based off of someone who still exists?

For Wyda, I chose to swing this way.

Her memory is garbage because she’s a primal based on someone else. Even if you know someone really well, you can’t perfectly recreate/emulate them.

She’s normal-powered because all her primal magic is going towards suppressing her powers. Extremely inefficient. And she’s very human-like because she’s possessing someone else’s body, as opposed to being made purely of primal aether.

Primals temper whether they want to or not - aether leaks, and it corrupts. To solve this for Wyda, instead of leaking aether out of the wazoo...thanks to the nature of her summoning, she just leaks a tiny bit all the time. Not enough to temper.

But I also wrote myself into a corner. If Wyda isn’t going to behave like a primal, then how does she exist for so long? They need a constant source of aether to survive, and she’s not doing primal stuff since she’s too busy being human. And so...the answer is that she doesn’t. Once her aether runs out, then poof.

See? Fun! (But also pain. So much pain.)

Playing with Fire

Eorzea (like most fantasy RPG settings) is a nightmare factory. Most, if not all, who make their living ‘adventuring’ are scarred from what they have to face. For every success story (WoL), there are countless more tragedies (Avere). And even if you survive...who wouldn’t get trauma if you were an adventurer and it was normal for your buddies to be eaten by a beast, tempered by a primal, possessed by a ghost?

Which is to say, Wyda's scars run deep. Shit goes down. 

To repeat that in slightly more words: Wyda is an accidental byproduct of Cravendy’s grief and longing. At her lowest moment, Cravendy (a Seawolf pirate) thinks of her friend Dots and the unfairness of it all. And oops, there are crystals nearby. So now, we got Wyda walking around in Cravendy’s body, thinking that she’s someone named Dots. By the way, Dots is still alive! Very awkward.

Wyda is a denial incarnate. She is Cravendy’s dream for safety, family, and happiness for Dots. But denial does not erase the past, nor does it change how you feel. By existing, Wyda suppresses those feelings for Cravendy and freezes the other woman in the past. With the both of them like this, Cravendy will never accept her trauma and Wyda will be plagued with a stranger’s guilt.

Primal souls are weird. I have no idea where they come from, but they seem separate from the summoner’s. So as Wyda’s influence wanes, Cravendy’s soul begins to resurface. This forces Wyda into a cycle of self-discovery and self-destruction that, unfortunately, convinces Wyda that she ought to disappear. It’s a tragic conclusion she reaches after having her worldview shattered. She’s a copy of Dots, she’s a primal. What’s real, and what’s not? What even matters?

The Power of Love

Love is a persistent theme for all of my characters. For Cravendy, love is why she hurts, so she would rather forget it than bear any more pain. But Wyda is the opposite - she loves too much. When all else is a sham, Wyda trusts that the love she feels is real. And ultimately, this love dooms Wyda and saves Cravendy.

Wyda’s fatal flaw is her self-destructive selflessness. Thanks to being mistaken for Dots all the time, Wyda develops a low sense of self. Then events of the campaign erode that into nothingness. She’s a second rate copy full of brittle memories, she’s a fake! And discovering Cravendy’s sleeping soul only pushes Wyda further into her flaw. Here is my purpose, she thinks! My original! And I’ll save her no matter what, because she deserves to live!

But it’s a mistake. Certainly, Cravendy is saved, but Wyda deserves to be saved too. Although she loves with all her heart, Wyda never learns to love herself and see her own self-worth. She doesn’t understand that her friends don’t share her view of herself - as a worthless copy that can only find value in saving another. Her selflessness loops into selfishness.

Maybe Wyda will come back...She certainly has a lot to learn still!

The TLDR version of all this is that I accidentally pulled a Kingdom Hearts plot with this character, and now I understand, Nomura. I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU BRING BACK YOUR CHARACTERS. ;_;

[the-dragons-knight]

FFXIV Write 2020

Prompt #10 - By my Blood

Avail - ‘to have force or efficacy’

- Major Patch 5.3 Spoilers of Shadowbringers MSQ -

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

This wasn’t him. Katsum knew this and yet...to see him - or a face that looked like him - staring down at her with such anger and hatred, his sword posed to strike her down without another thought…

“What is the matter, Warrior?” She heard Elidibus’s sickening voice echo around her from where he hid in the shadows, “What causes your strength to waver so?”

He knew. Of course he knew. It was why he had her fighting him specifically, to push her, to anger her. Well, she would not play his games.

“Fury, guide my blade!” The shade of Lucia shouted as she wound up her swing and brought it down upon Katsum, the Miqo’te blocking it with her shield. There was no hesitation when she pushed away the sword, throwing the shade off balance and opening her guard for Katsum to lunge in and strike. As her sword pierced the shade, “Lucia” crumpled to the ground, her voice crying in agony as she stopped moving. Katsum faltered at the sound of it, only to be knocked off of her feet from behind. She rolled to her side just in time to dodge the blade of Raubahn as he stabbed the ground, the Bull of Ala Mhigo glaring at her and as he drew it again and thrust it down at her. With swiftness, she sat up to avoid the blade, its edge just grazing her hair, and struck out with her own blade to stab through the shade’s chest. “Raubahn” growled, pulling away from her staggering, only to hiss and suddenly charge at her with a cry of battle. Katsum struggled to stand, readying her blade as she shifted around her and sliced through him, the shade crumpling behind her with a rasp of pain.

“They aren’t real...they aren’t real...” Katsum clenched her eyes shut and chanted this quietly to herself, yet when she turned to look at the shade of Aymeric, her hand trembled, “Not real...not real...”

“You underestimate me,” Katsum was shocked, caught off guard by his response, allowing the shade to strike at her and land a blow on her arm. She winced at the pain, yet she did not strike back. He wound up another swing, spinning around to swing at her legs and she jumped back to avoid its range. He was fast though, and caught up to her, striking down at her where she had to lift her shield and hold back against his weight as he pushed down upon her. Then, he let go and she watched his foot fly out and kick her backwards, dropping her shield as she rolled across the tiled ground. She gasped at the pain in her shoulder, using her sword to prop herself up to stand again, turning to face Aymeric again.

“I won’t fight you,” She shook her head as she frowned sadly, speaking then to the air surrounding her, “You cannot make me fight him.”

Aymeric paused, as if something bid him to stop, and for a moment there was silence as neither of them moved.

“We shall see about that,” Elidibus mused from the shadows as Aymeric suddenly charged at her. Katsum barely had enough time to raise her sword to block him as he rammed her, struggling to hold her footing as she slid back. Something touched her shoe and she looked down to see her shield lying there, quickly picking it up and holding it out as the tip of Aymeric’s blade nearly pierced the flesh on her neck. She saw his blade come into view again as he sliced out at her and she rolled under it to get away. She turned back and widened her eyes as she threw out her blade to parry his, pushing against him as she struggled to stand and locked them in their struggle. A tear fell from her eye as she stared back into the hateful gaze of her beloved and cried, “I will not fight you...I cannot...”

He did not answer, only pressed against her harder to try and break her balance, yet she held fast.

“Very well, you have made your point,” Elidibus appeared from the shadows behind Aymeric, “I grow tired of this pointless struggle anyway. Let us move on.”

She thought that Aymeric would simply fade away, but Elidibus lifted a hand and an arrow of darkness shot out and struck Aymeric in the back.

“NO!!” Katsum dropped her blade and caught Aymeric as he fell, cradling him close to her as he stopped moving, “No, no, please!!” She frantically looked for a wound to stop the bleeding from, but there was none. She listened for heartbeat, a breath, any to show he was alive, but there was none. He lay motionless in her arms, and tears poured from her eyes as she leaned over his body and cried, “Don’t leave me...please...please don’t go...”

Her sadness slowly turned to anger as she turned her hate-filled eyes to Elidibus and shouted, “Why!?!”

She watched him blink in surprise, shock filling his eyes like he remembered something. Then that all too familiar pressure in her head began, and she shakenlying breathed and let the Echo take hold…

“Umbra! Noctem, please!” A blonde Elezen woman cried as she held out a hand between her and the dark-haired Elezen man she spoke to, pleading with him to no avail, “My love, please listen to me!”

“Bringer of fire...bringer of chaos...” The man growled as he glared at her, a dark, purple haze over his eyes that Katsum had seen only once before, yet she knew what it was, “I invoke the will of Zodiark...and cut you down!!!”

He shouted as he charged at her with a spear made from dark blue crystal, and she dodged to the side, holding out what looked like an astrolabe to shield herself. The man growled again and swung at her over and over, pushing her further and further back towards the railing of the walkway. The faceless ancients around them all watched in horror, none of them knowing what to do as they stood there.

The woman’s eyes filled with tears as she shook her head, “I will not fight you, my heart! If I must, I will let you harm me, but I will not harm you!”

Still, the man pressed forward, raising his spear to throw at her. She dropped her guard and closed her eyes to let him hit his mark, tears flowing freely as she waited.

“AURORA!!” A flash of light made her winced as she waited for the pain, yet when it did not come, she gasped and her eyes flew open.

“NO!!!” A deep gash punctured through Noctem’s chest, blood and aether already beginning to soak his clothing as he dropped his spear and staggered. Aurora rushed forward to catch him in her arms, laying his head in her lap as she cried, “My love, my moon and sky.” She held out her hand over his chest and focused her healing light upon it, yet no matter how much magic she used, his wound did not heal.

“Azem...Aurora...” She looked down at him to see the purple haze gone from his sea-colored eyes, his sad smile breaking her heart, “You set me free, my love. Thank you...”

“No, no, no! Noctem, please don’t! Please don’t leave me!” He reached out and placed a hand on her cheek, caressing her face as she held it there and sobbed.

“Oh, my sun and stars...I will never leave you...I will always be...right here...” His voice faded and his eyes closed, his hand slipping down to rest on her heart and she grabbed it tightly to hold it there as she watched him fall limp.

“No...Noctem, please…” He did not answer, and Aurora fell upon him as she cried, “Nooooo!”

The crowd around her murmured sadly, some of them crying tears of their own. Aurora sat up slowly as looked back behind where Noctem had been standing, seeing three very clear faces standing there: a very young Elidibus clutching the robes of a stern looking Lahabrea, and Emet-Selch, a faint cloud of purple magic still dancing around his fingers. At first, she opened her mouth to cry out for their help, yet when she saw the magic in Emet’s - Hades’s - hand, she stopped as the pieces fell in place. Suddenly, her jaw tightened and her eyes glared at them with hatred.

“You killed him...WHY!?” Her voice made nearly everyone jump and Elidibus hid further behind Lahabrea in fear.

Hades said nothing, but Lahabrea scoffed, “T’was his own fault that he wandered into my study when he did. I specifically said I was not to be disturbed, so when he opened the door, the darkness enthralled him.” The man shrugged and waved his hand as if to dismiss the matter, “I have killed no one. I am not guilty.”

Hades finally spoke, hissing out at him, “We have spoken on this. There is to be no communing with Him where others might be affected!”

Again, Lahabrea only shrugged, “It is still not my fault he is dead.”

“It is because he was going to kill Azem!”

“I curse the name of Zodiark…” A collective gasp echoed as everyone turned back to Aurora, yet she stared straight into Hades’s eyes with a fury unlike any he had ever seen from her, “I curse the convocation of the fourteen and all it now stands for! I relieve myself from its ranks and vow to be its undoing!”

“Aurora, please,” Hades took a step towards her, yet a flash of light appeared behind her and a talon struck out at him from the glowing phoenix that now floated above her.

“I am Azem, the wanderer, and from this day do I take my title from the Fourteen forever as it is mine alone to weild,” She lifted her husband’s lifeless body into her arms and stood, holding him close as her phoenix landed beside her to let her climb on its back, “The reign of Zodiark shall end, and there will be no need for anyone to sacrifice themselves EVER again...” She laid Noctem on the glowing bird’s feathers and sat behind him, the phoenix shrieking as it lifted into the air once more, the stars twinkling around it as she spoke only once more, “With mine shall it end. By my blood shall this world become as it should be.”

The crowd watched as the phoenix lifted into the skies and flew up into the stars, twinkling as it disappeared from sight, Azem and her Umbra along with it.

Katsum blinked as the Echo faded, suddenly remembering where she was and looking down at her empty arms to find Aymeric was gone. Her trance faded then, her mind settling as it finally believed her that the Aymeric had not been real afterall. She shakingly sighed and stood to her feet, wiping the tears from her face as she gathered her sword and shield again and looked up at Elidibus. He was staring at her, like he was still caught in a memory as she had been. Yet just before she could say anything, his shock faded into a blank expression and he hummed, “We’ve wasted enough time here. Let us move forward. Your journey is not yet finished after all.”

He turned and disappeared into the shadows again, leaving Katsum to stand there alone. The Miqo’te’s ears dropped as she turned and looked up at the city’s tallest buildings, thinking about the vision she saw.

“Aurora...Azem…?”

[anchanted-one]

FFXIV. Write Prompt. 29. Paternal

"Oi, Ryosen?"

"Thancred!" Ryosen smiled, straightening from his stance to greet the Scion.

"Do you hate me?" he asked rather directly.  "Do you wish it had been you, and not me watching over Minfilia?" 

Ryosen tried not to frown. The former Minstrel had become quite a gruff, direct man here in the First. Gone were the easy smiles and the airy manner. His face was as serious as any Samurai's, and his manner of speaking just as terse.

"I do not," Ryosen denied. When Thancred raised his eyebrows skeptically, Ryosen sighed. "It's the truth." In his days since arriving, he had often watched Ryne's nervous but obviously affectionate exchanges with Thancred with some jealousy, that was true. Thancred had spent years as Ryne's protector and mentor, and though he might have been a little more abrasive than necessary, he had done a good job raising her. But that jealousy was only a candle next to the sun that was his regret. "My only real regret about Ryne is that I couldn't be here with you rather than instead of you. I am sad I didn't get time." 

He found himself greatly liking Ryne right from the start, like the daughter he'd never have. He thought she liked him too. Perhaps it was something Minfilia told her that final day?

But regardless of how quick and easy their rapport had been, their time together would be short. 

"Two weeks. Two weeks were all we got, and now... now the clock is ticking." Now that Erika and Desmond had slain Emet Selch and saved the First. He would be heading home soon. And he would never see Ryne again. "Our time... my time. It's almost coming to an end." His voice broke, and he took a few deep breaths to calm himself, lest he broke down in front of Thancred. "But that does not mean I begrudge what you had with her. Your time, your relationship. You have done so much for her, and have kept her alive and well as best you could while dealing with your own grief. Indeed... indeed I find myself feeling deeply indebted to you for safeguarding her, and Minfilia's will as well as you have."

"I'm sorry. I deeply misunderstood." Thancred took a stance opposite him, drawing his gunblade. "Can I join you for a bit?"

Ryosen grinned. "Certainly."

As they sparred, Thancred spoke again. "You know... there's no reason for you to return home with us. You can stay here, and be with Ryne. Obligations to the Alliance back home be damned."

Ryosen's mouth hung open.  "What?"

"Never occured to you, did it?" Thancred laughed, and it saddened Ryosen to see that his laugh was not what it had once been. It sounded... a tad weary. He pounced forward, unleashing a steady series of swings that Ryosen deflected.

"You Samurai are quite a duty-obsessed bunch. No offense."

"None... none taken," Ryosen said, his mind racing.

"You've said yourself, often, how abandoning your oath in favor of fighting for the people when they needed you was the right course of action. How selling your sword—your very soul, as the Samurai say—so that your people wouldn't starve was also the right thing to do. You know it, everyone else knows it. It should have been such an easy thing to do, and yet even now it eats you up that you did it. Always, the right thing to do was not what the way of the Samurai dictated, yet it still has such a hold on you. On the way you think."

"Indeed it does..." Thancred did not fight like most Gunbreakers. He did not use cartridges often, since he required Ryne to infuse it for him. And he relied more on fleet-footed dance that he had used as a Rogue than the steady, slowly advancing footwork that Gunbreakers did. His way of defense—personal and defending others—involved evasion rather than endurance. It made for a more personalized style of fighting, a mark of an experienced warrior. Ryosen enjoyed the sparring session, and was almost sad when Thancred stopped abruptly, holstering his gunblade.

"Well, just think about it. What do you really want? You, as an individual? Do you want to return to the Source? Or will you remain here with Ryne—with your daughter?"

"My..."

"Ryne has tried to hide it, but Y'shtola knew right away. Even before she did, perhaps. Ryne, and perhaps all of the Minfilias before her, had the soul of Minfilia's unborn child. Your child."

His eyes filled with tears. "So it's true..."

"Yes it is, but you already knew that, didn’t you? Paternal instinct and all that. So what will you do? Remain here with your daughter? Or return with us? And don't think too much. What does your heart want?"

Well. That was an easy enough question to answer at least, but Thancred had left with a wink before he could say it. 

He recalled Bishamonten's parting words. "Try not to add to thy regrets, Kensei. No matter what happens, do not betray thyself again. Thou can escape me, it seems, but no matter which world thou travels to, thou cannot escape thyself." 

Had he known? Had his words been encouragement for Ryosen to follow this path? It didn't matter. Thancred was right. The best he could do was to make the choice he could best live with, and he wanted nothing more than this.

"This is my Way now," he said to himself. "The path I choose."

[doctorajoy]

कॅन्सर पेशेंट ख़तम नहीं होगा लेकिन कॅन्सर रोग अंत होगा !कॅन्सर का स्थाई ... Side effects Chemotherapy often involves severe adverse effects, but recent scientific advances mean that many of these are far more manageable than in the past.Depending on the type and extent of the treatment and other individual factors, adverse effects can range from mild to severe. Some people will have no adverse effects.The impact of treatment on a person's daily life will depend on the extent of the symptoms.Here are some of the adverse effects that may occur.1: Nausea and vomiting Nausea and vomiting affect over 70 percent of patients. Anti-emetic drugs may help. These should be taken even when symptoms have gone, to prevent them from returning.Ginger or ginger supplements may help increase the effectiveness of anti-emetics.2: Alopecia, or hair loss Chemotherapy alopecia Chemotherapy can lead to hair loss. Hair may start to fall out or become thin or brittle a few weeks after treatment begins with some types of chemotherapy. It can affect any part of the body.Hair loss has no physical health consequences, but it may cause distress. A doctor may put the patient in touch with a counselor or offer advice about obtaining a wig or other suitable covering.Using a cold cap can keep the scalp cool while a dose is being administered, and this may prevent or reduce hair loss.Patients who need the medication to reach their scalp, however, cannot use a cold cap. This includes patients with leukemia.Hair normally grows back soon after treatment is finished.Nails, too, can become flaky and brittle.The skin may become dry and sore and oversensitive to sunlight.Patients should stay out of the sun during peak times, use sun blocks, and wear clothes that provide maximum protection.3: Fatigue Fatigue is a common side effect. It may be present most of the time or only after certain activities. Patients should get plenty of rest and avoid tasks that are overtiring.Severe tiredness should be reported to the doctor, as a significant drop in red blood cells could be leading to anemia.4: Hearing impairment The toxic effects of chemotherapy can lead to temporary or permanent hearing loss in some patients.5: Low white blood cell count and susceptibility to infections When receiving chemotherapy, the immune system will be weakened because the white blood cell count will go down.This is known as neutropenia. White blood cells form part of our immune system, and they fight infection. This can make patients more susceptible to infections.Antibiotics may help reduce the risk of developing infections. Patients and their carers should also be careful to follow regular precautions.These include:Personal hygiene: Regular hand washing with warm water and soap, bathing or showering at least once a day, changing clothing, bedclothes, and bathroom towels regularly. Preparing food: Follow food hygiene practices, including keeping meat and vegetable separate, thoroughly cooking animal produce, washing all vegetables and keeping surfaces, cutlery, and crockery clean. Infected people: Stay away from anyone with signs of illness or infection. Skin wounds: carefully dress any cuts or grazes and cover them with a sterile dressing, to prevent bacteria from entering the skin. Chemotherapy patients who develop an infection need immediate treatment. This may mean being hospitalized and receiving intravenous antibiotics.6: Low blood platelet count and bleeding problems Also known as thrombocytopenia, this can lead to blood clotting problems.Platelets are a type of blood cell that helps the blood to coagulate, or clot. A low platelet count can lead to bruises or bleeds, for example, nosebleeds and bleeding gums. The blood flow from a minor cut may be hard to stop.If the platelet count falls too low, the person will need a blood transfusion.To reduce the risk of bleeding, patients should:Use an electric razor, or avoid shaving Use a soft toothbrush Take care when using sharp objects, such as kitchen utensils or gardening tools. Gloves can help prevent injuries when gardening.7: Low red blood-cell count and anemia Red blood cells carry oxygen to all the tissues in the body. A low level of red blood cells will lead to anemia. Symptoms include tiredness, shortness of breath, and heart palpitations.A person with severe anemia may need an urgent blood transfusion.Erythropoietin (EPO) is a drug that makes the body produce more red blood cells.Good food sources of iron include dark green leafy vegetables, beans, meat, nuts, prunes, raisins, and apricots.8: Mucositis Mucositis, or inflammation of the mucous membrane, can affect any part of the digestive system, including the mouth, esophagus, stomach, intestines, the rectum, and the anus.Oral mucositis can lead to symptoms in their mouth, often starting 7 to 10 days after treatment begins. There may be pain as if the mouth has been burned.Ulcers can appear on the lining of the mouth, the tongue, and around the lips. Eat, drink, and talking can be painful. If bleeding occurs, there is a risk of infection.The severity of symptoms is linked to the strength of the chemotherapy dose.Caphosol is often prescribed for mucositis. Newer drugs can now reduce the risk of mucositis.Symptoms disappear a few weeks after finishing treatment.9: Loss of appetite Either chemotherapy or the cancer itself can affect the body's metabolism, leading to a loss of appetite and weight loss until the cancer goes into remission or until treatment is finished.Severity depends on the type of cancer and chemotherapy treatment.Taking smaller, more frequent meals may help to keep up a supply of nourishment. Drinking liquids through a straw can help maintain fluid intake.Patients who are unable to consume food or liquid may need to be hospitalized and fed through a nasogastric tube, which goes directly to the stomach through the nose.10: Pregnancy and fertility Many patients temporarily lose interest in sex during chemotherapy. Libido usually returns after treatment is completed.Depending on the type of medication administered, chemotherapy may also reduce fertility in men and women. Fertility often, but not always, returns after treatment is over.Patients who may wish to have children in the future may consider freezing sperm or embryos for later use.Many chemotherapy drugs may cause congenital disabilities, so it is important to avoid becoming pregnant during treatment.A barrier method of birth control should be used during treatment and for at least a year after. Oral birth control methods may interfere with chemotherapy.If a woman is pregnant or becomes pregnant at the time of treatment, it is essential to tell the doctor at once.11: Bowel problems Diarrhea can result when damaged cells are suddenly expelled from the body. Constipation may also occur. These symptoms often begin a few days after treatment starts.12: Cognitive and mental health problems Up to 75 percent of patients report problems with attention, thinking, and short-term memory during chemotherapy. For up to 35 percent, this may persist for months or years after treatment.It can also affect the ability to reason, to organize, and to multitask.Mood swings and depression can also develop, whether related to the treatment itself or fears for the future.I am doctor ,last 35 years I saw how people are dying in diseases because of ignorance .Though we have reached to the moon but we don’t know how to cure all common diseases .The present medical science is a failed medical science .They know how to suppress diseases but they don’t know how to cure and same time all modern medicines are full of side effects .The market are full of fake medicine ! people are going for such medicine ,if this costly medicine are not giving healing effect to you then you will see new diseases due to such fake medicine .Recently a central minister died in heart attack ,she had heart surgery but her money and this modern medical science couldn’t save her life .After surgery why the same diseases coming again ? Do ever think ,do you ever ask to your doctor ? why after spending 20 lakh means 2 million rupees on cancer patient and we can’t save them .Like this I can say much more on other diseases ,If your doctor don’t know how to treat you and your problems are increasing after their medication then be aware ,please don’t go for new modern medicine. Don’t allow your doctor to do research on your body ,your life is precious .Why I am writing you ,though I don’t know you even I never saw you before but I know you are a human being like me. Herbal and homeopath treatment is the unique treatment and has enough power to root out all diseases permanently without Surgery ,injection or chemo .Now the world is going after low cost herbal homeopathy treatment ,million cancer, AIDS patient are free from their diseases ,herbal homeopathy treatment know how to root out 2000 diseases permanently .If you need my treatment call me any time or before you go for any surgery, meet any Ayurvedic / homeopathic doctor near by you.  I am sure you will get result 100 % . हुमारा वेबसाइट ज़रूर विज़िट करें ,धन्याबाद !  my wesite  www.freecancerfree.com  call. 919993906875….919109714270   डॉक्टर अजोय जी का सभी यू ट्यूब चॅनेल देखिए my youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaIveMsdrXyAY5Mny6B92Gw/videos  अजय जी का ब्लॉग पढ़िए जो आप को चकित कर देगी !  my blogs https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5095161030050072014#allposts   https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/permanent-treatment-cancer-ajay-das/?published=t My app visit   http://h.fanapp.mobi/wealthyhealthy                life with money

[thecoroutfitters]

CBD Oil and Alcohol Go Head To Head In a Fight You Don’t wish to skip

CBD Oil Vs. Liquor

This epic fight between CBD and Alcohol continues at the end. Discover what goes on!

CBD Oil and Alcohol have now been paired up in a fight following the impact that is huge both are making in culture. Men and women have resorted to alcohol for all reasons. Some including:

Stress relief

Peer pressure

For Fun

To cut loose

No matter what the main reason Alcohol is just one fighter that is crazy a great deal of false claims and negative negative effects. Often liquor causes more damage then good.

CBD having said that has also been praised because of its all over curing abilities, natural advantages and low negative effects.

Let’s Meet The Fighters: In the Left Corner We Now Have Truthful CBD Guy!

Truthful CBD Man

Honest CBD Man weighs about only a little over 2 oz. (60 ml.) and originates from their moms and dads, the hemp plant. CBD could be the newcomer and underdog in this battle as its advantages are newly found and much more are coming out each and every day. CBD has technology supporting him up. Scientific tests published by Cambridge claim that CBD oil is definitely a treatment that is effective:

Psychosis

Anxiety

Drug abuse condition

Intellectual disability

As well as other sources claim CBD will work for:

Soreness and infection

Epilepsy/Seizures

Cancer Tumors

Headaches

Insomnia

Sickness

and lots of other advantages are increasingly being found.

CBD has defense opting for him in this battle. He wants to keep carefully the head protected. CBD is been shown to be neuroprotective. CBD also protects the endocannabinoid system, by maintaining homeostasis (stability). Unlike CBD’s crazy cousin THC, CBD isn’t psychoactive.

***(Full spectrum CBD oils do have trace quantities of THC though. It really is within legal limitations and certainly will not allow you to get high. You will do have a risk that is small of obtaining a false good for a drug test though when I have, should this be a concern, CBD isolate contains no THC, just CBD)

CBD exhibits different effects that are therapeutic are priced between anti-oxidant, Neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory(Watt & Karl, 2017) to anticonvulsive (Perucca, 2017), anti-emetic (Parker et al. 2011) and analgesic (Lotsch et al. 2018). -Cambridge

Just like every fighter, unfortunately CBD is certainly not perfect. An Achilles is had by him heal, yet not to worry, it’s a tiny one (CBD has a few unwanted effects):

CBD Might Cause:

Dry Mouth

Inhibit some medications

Reduced blood pressure levels

Drowziness

Increase tremor in individuals with Parkinsons -elixinol

Within the Right Corner We Now Have Alcohol!

CBD oil vs. Liquor

Liquor “the mind cellular killer”

You don’t wish to mess with Alcohol. In a write-up en titled 23 results of Alcohol in your Body (Yes! 23 effects, that’s lot), healthline illustrates just what a tough opponent alcohol could be. Liquor features a rap that is long sheet:

He shrinks mental performance

Factors blackouts

Reasons hallucinations

Dependance

Slurred Speech

Cancer Tumors

Heart harm

Liver harm

Sterility

and also the list continues. Liquor is just one tough consumer.

CBD will probably need to keep an eye out, Alcohol is somewhat notorious for going directly to the pinnacle. Liquor causes both short term and long haul problems. He inflicts memory loss on their victim and impairs their motor abilities, leaving them hopeless and reliant on him.

Whenever alcohol is not busy going for the mind, he takes cheap-shots and aims for the liver. Tangling with Alcohol into the fray throughout the years can causelife threatening liver harm, obesity and type 2 diabetes.

A few of Alcohol’s statistics

The nationwide Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) claims that significantly more than 80,000 individuals within the U.S. die from Alcohol in https://cbdoilmarketplace.org/ per year. Never tomention consuming and driving accounts for a lot more than 30 % of driving fatalities in a(-TalbottCampus) year.

The battle Between CBD and Alcohol Finally Begins

CBD’s ability to combat anxiety leaves him without any fear as Alcohol (“the mind mobile killer”) towers over him. CBD utilizes the energy of cannabis to simply simply take The jab that is first. Liquor is amused but swings straight back much harder together with intoxicating punches. Bam! Straight to your mind!

A valuable thing CBD has their guard up, he processes Alcohols assaults since he could be antioxidant and neuroprotective.

Alcohol is needs to get violent, becoming enraged he swings wildly at the liver. Next he attempts to make CBD lose their coordination. Oh no!, CBD is in the ropes. It is maybe not looking great.

Wait…CBD has the capacity to retain the combat nature. He returns together with his incredible endurance.

CBD now extends back regarding the offense together with power to achieve homeostasis, he is able to read alcohol’s every move and helps make the last blow. Making CBD whilst the victor! He could be not really sore, fortunately, he harnesses the ability of anti-inflammation!

CBD oil vs. alcohol 2

**Rest assured, no liquor containers had been harmed throughout the creating of the strip.

CBD Oil Vs. Liquor: The Aftermath

There could be reasons that are many just take liquor, as some individuals with social anxiety may require a boost that is little self- self- confidence, but regrettably it isnot really a solution that is safe. But CBD will offer an improved solution, CBD may be thebetter “liquid courage” since it also decreases social anxiety without all of the nasty results of alcohol. Even while an anxiety relief to relax in the final end of a strenuous day. CBD could be the better alternative, it’s and that is therapeutic relaxing benefits. CBD won’t also change a state of head, that makes it safe to utilize while doing all of your day-to-day company.

***A small note of care, as stated previously Full range CBD Oil contains trace levels of THC, therefore if taken daily you may possibly false positivewith THC, this isn’t always the smartest thing to complete whenever working an automobile, although CBD will not alter your thoughts. Should this be a problem stick up to a CBD isolate, since it doesn’t include THC.

It appears as though CBD is actually the victor in this fight and is a real means better substitute for alcohol. If you want to learn more about CBD oil, I produced comprehensive guide right here.

Remain secure and safe my buddies!

from Patriot Prepper Don't forget to visit the store and pick up some gear at The COR Outfitters. Are you ready for any situation? #SurvivalFirestarter #SurvivalBugOutBackpack #PrepperSurvivalPack #SHTFGear #SHTFBag