#ik ik the other dragons are not water

[glytchedmuffins]

Gotta love how my brain automatically thought of Dan Heng when they talked about the pools.

Man literally has moving sea patterns under his bed, his water dragon brain will be so pleased.

I am now imagining us walking into his private room (if we got one, so will he) and just finding him mostly submerged in the water with only the top of his head and hands peeking out as he reads a book about the planet, collecting data, his tail happily swishing in the water.

[journey-to-the-attic]

aa this is super cool!! big ol dragon dad lucifer trying his best to protect ik from her nightmares is so :,)))

i think i said at some point that the purgatrio would be dragon hunters, with the idea that dragons and humans are warring species (see: sam's ideas about diavolo and barbatos' roles) where each sees the other as villainous and/or destructive

but i feel like we could mix the sol ideas! solomon to me is a contradictory character who cares a LOT but simultaneously insists and deliberately gives off the impression that he's some sort of grand puppetmaster, when in fact he's just a really lonely guy attempting to emotionally distance himself for his own sake

so he has the encounter with asmo and saves him, but he tells himself it's just because he disagrees with the other hunters' methods, and to wouldn't be a 'challenge' to take down an already wounded dragon, hence why he heals and then frees him

and so with ik having formed a family with a band of dragons, diavolo spreading the witch-child's story to get people to realise dragons and humans don't need to be natural enemies, when solomon and asmo meet again, solomon's abandoned hunting, and asmo forgives him for the hot second it took him to realise that "o shit i like dragons actually" (and then they can have their bestie era)

(also bringing this back to barbatos and the ouroborous cycle; solomon saving asmo + asmo forgiving him is another key point in reconciling dragons with humans - but in all the timelines where ik dies early-on, without her own story to encourage him and ik's own prompting, solomon fails to admit to himself that he did it out of kindness, and he and asmo never reunite/reconcile)

After becoming overly fixated on Dragon!AU, I ended up creating brothers in Flight Rising's (free dragon browser game) generator.

What do you think? :Dc

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Lucifer

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Mammon

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Leviathan

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Satan

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Asmodeus

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Beelzebub

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Belphegor

OH YEAH THESE RULE!!! i love how you managed to get belphie's hair even on his dragon form - his cow patterns and the peacock patterns on lucifer are nice touches too!

you nailed them all, this is brilliant!!

(mammon would get ik to pick bangles and such from his treasure hoard to decorate those spines on his neck with)

[heartfullofleeches]

Can u like the post or hashtag for the casino group??? Ik that clover the bunny rabbit dude is there but my memory is a lil foggy

Yeye. Links to the main tags and the existing individual ones + some brief descriptions on everyone we have so far-

Clover [he/him] - Pathetic meow meow Rabbit demon man. Was a devoted Christian before his demise. Timid, somewhat cowardly. A magician who messes up a good percentage of his acts - also a hopeless romantic search for the other half to his heart and act. The dagger that took his live is still embedded in his chest - the wound bleeds profusely when removed

Hearts [they/them] - Acrobat Clown. The new head of security after Spade stepped down. Unlike their coworker who abandoned the role due to their violence when taking care of unwanted guests, Hearts is a trigger happy mess looking for any reason to strangle someone with their ribbons. Limbs are doll pairs - the ribbons they use for their performances are woven throughout their entire body flesh and not. Does not like to talk about what happened to their limbs.

Diamond [they/them] - Disgruntled bartender. Wears a gas mask they refuse to take off due to the effects their eyes have on mortals and lesser demons. Their saliva is a powerful toxic that in micro doses can give folks a nice buzz/act as an aphrodisiac. Grumpy asshole. Hates their job, hates the casino. Really wants to kiss someone, but at the same time they don't due to the whole poison thing.

Spade [any pronouns] - Head of maid staff. Invisible without their face makeup and clothing. Stoic, a person of few words. Secretly has a love for cute things which is once reason why they were glad to hand over their role as head of security to Hearts as it meant they could wear the maid outfits. On friendly/sibling terms with the Aces

The Aces [they/them] - A group of four assistances assigned to the other four. Pretty much hive-mind with some minor individuality between them. Still, they are connected mentally and almost never act alone.

Queen [he/him] - A signer at the casino. Siren Demon. Has a on land form, but rarely leaves his tank as the lack of water dries out his skin. Flirty, uses his voice to lure wandering mortals to his tank. Whether he eats/drowns them or befriends them depends on the humans actions.

King [She/her] - Big ass dragon lady. Another entertainer at the casino - the undefeated champ at the knight tournaments held. Loud, thickskulled. So many scars it looks like she got tossed in a blender.

Mr. Devil: Owner of the casino. Dealer. Only knows how to play blackjack. Seriously, what are they doing here? Tries to make the casino a safe space for humans, demons and everything else in between and not - but is nowhere to be seen when things go wrong.

[spiderrmax]

the end?

"50 wordless ways to say I love you"

47. staying up half the night to finish a game with them. word count: 1431 author's note: this was really fun to write because i had to remember the steps to beating the ender dragon. (im not a gamer im sorry) (also since you guys aren't speedrunning you don't finish the game)

It’s 10 pm when you have the amazing idea to start a new minecraft world. When you propose the idea, Kyle laughs, not believing you to be serious at first. The two of you are all ready for bed, his hat discarded and curls loose. However, when you scoot to the end of your bed, turning on your console, he follows suit, sitting right beside you. (The both of you ignore the heat in your face as your legs brush against one another.)

“Minecraft is a game that Ike likes.” Kyle teases, as the familiar soundtrack fills your room.

“Shut up. You mentioned never beating it before. We conquer The End tonight.” You swiftly respond, one of your elbows reaching for Kyle’s ribs. He takes the hit, before recovering quickly, nudging you back into your original spot on the bed.

“The End?” Kyle asks, watching as you make the new world. He smiles a bit when you title it with the two of your initials. You’re cute, he thinks, allowing the thought to simmer before he tries to forget about it.

“It’s where the Ender Dragon lives. You’ll catch on, you’re smart.” You explain, handing him a controller. “You’re going to be the little guy on the bottom half of the screen.”

Kyle doesn’t mention how he’s used to focusing on the upper half, allowing you to teach him the strings. It’s not like he hasn’t played the game before, again it was one Ike enjoyed a lot when they were younger. Ike just never cared to do much other than terrorize villagers and pick flowers.

The game loads up, and the two of you are in a spruce biome. You’re quick to start chopping down wood, and Kyle simply follows in your footsteps. Kyle is impressed with how swift and efficient you are, getting enough wood to make a full set of wooden tools. When you ask for his wood, he has no hesitation in giving it to you, kindly thanking you as you craft his tools too.

“Wanna explore for a bit? We’ll need to go mining at some point but we don’t need to rush the game.” You explain, leaning closer to him. (Kyle doesn’t know if it’s subconscious or not, but he doesn’t move much after that, scared you’ll realize and drift away.)

Kyle’s character mostly follows your character around. You continue to mine at blocks vital to progressing the game — more wood, surface coal, cobblestone — as you guys escape the forest. Playing the game with you is much more relaxing, even if Kyle isn’t making much of the decisions. Not that he minds, really, as it is similar to how Ike would play. If anything, the only reason it’s so tolerable is because he’s playing with you.

The two of you find a village around 11, the hour of exploring feeling like minutes as the two of you wondered around. Kyle watches as you steal from their farms, their chests, and destroys their hay; he can’t feel pity for the villagers with their silly design. Notably, you share the loot with Kyle, not keeping all the nicer items for yourself. It’s almost second nature, to give him the iron pickaxe you found. Kyle leans in closer; you don’t move even as his shoulder brushes.

Before venturing into the mines, you suggest stealing two villagers beds to set your spawn point just incase one of you were to die. Two yellow beds are placed down together, in the middle of a plains biome. Kyle doesn’t comment on your deliberate placement of your bed next to his. He does have to pause to take a sip of his water, face on fire. (It’s just a video game. One he’s playing with you, one he’s enjoying despite the open world. He wonders if you are picking up on his internal struggles, or if you are too focused on the game.)

Hours pass, and the two of you have made more progress than Kyle ever has. You guide him through getting enough diamonds to craft a pickaxe in order to make a portal to the Nether; he wasn’t even aware of the other dimension until you explained it to him.

Despite being prone to raging whenever he dies in game, he doesn’t care when a blaze burns him to a crisp. He watches as your character gets his stuff — “it’ll despawn, I promise to give it back” — and hides in a corner, waiting for him to safely get back to you. He thinks of playing with his friends, who in comparison, would’ve kept his stuff joyfully, and smiles down at you.

You have to get enough blaze rods to get to The End — five, preferably. Once you have that you get to leave the dreaded dimension. As you enter the portal, you show your first signs of exhaustion, yawning and reaching up to rub at your eyes, and Kyle looks up to see it’s one in the morning. 

“Hey it’s getting late. Do you want to head to bed?” Kyle’s voice is soft, peering down at you with such genuineness you can’t stare at him long.

“No, I’m okay. Let’s keep going. We still have to get ender pearls.” You mumble, voice clearly affected from your tired state.

Enderpearls come from Enderman, Kyle learns as the two of you wait for it to be night. In comparison to the five blaze rods, you need 12 eyes. Just in case, you’ll never know how many spots are full at the portal. (You explain things to him with such passion, despite being exhausted. Your hands wave slightly, and Kyle has to take the control from your lap to prevent it from falling. He’s never cared so much about Minecraft.)

Kyle’s first Enderman kills him, coming from behind. You conviently left out how they teleport, and watching him stumble around has you giggling with delirium. Purposely, this time, you lean closer, head tucked against Kyle’s arm. He can feel your laughter, and doesn’t mind being the source of your amusement. As he respawns, he shifts a bit, to allow you to fit better.

You yawn again, and after a moment, a second time. Your character is not moving as efficiently as it once was, and although you haven’t died, you aren’t fighting the mobs either. Kyle is doing most of the work, and almost is cocky with how smooth he can kill Creepers without them blowing either of you up.

At 2:48, you guys finally have gathered 12 pearls. Enderman spawn less frequently than other mobs, thus making it harder to hunt them down. Over the hour you have continued to sink into the warm of Kyle’s hoodie. If it was the morning, with people to witness, he thinks he would be a flustered mess. With the world asleep, it feels right to have you at his side; no one awake to argue with him.

Your character has stopped moving, and Kyle peers down to see if you’re asleep, too. Slowly, you blink up at him, confirmation of your (barely) consciousness. Kyle grins, and pressing a kiss to your forehead comes naturally. A sleepy grin appears on your face, but you don’t say anything. You don’t need to.

When the sun rises in the game, Kyle takes your controller to save the game. Your grip too weak to have any fight, and once the game finishes saving, he turns off the TV. Kyle yawns too, stretching as he stands for the first time in hours. You can barely keep yourself up, and once Kyle’s joints are no longer stiff, he helps guides you back up against your pillows.

“We didn’t get to the End.” You mumble into the comforter, shifting around to create space in your bed for him. He slides in, perfectly designed for the other half of your mattress.

“We can play another day.” Kyle murmurs, pushing hair from your forehead. Your eyes are shut now, and Kyle can’t help but smile from the simple domesticity of it all.

“Thanks for staying up with me.” You cuddle closer, those words acting as your goodnight as you can no longer force yourself to stay awake.

Kyle doesn’t say anything for a moment, yawning himself as he finally lets himself feel exhaustion from being up until three AM.

He tries to think of something romantic to say, like they would in the movies, but he doesn’t need to. The arm he curls around your waist, the way he eases into your mattress, and the relaxed look on his face tells it all.

[heeblybeebly]

totk pokemon region would go so incredibly hard:

ive just had so many ideas this would be so fitting everything is just coming into place omg

each region/race is a gym BUT DUAL TYPE

• rito- flying/ice

• goron- fire/rock

• gerudo- electric/ground

• sheikah- psychic/fighting

• korok- grass/fairy

• zora- water/steel

• zonai- ghost/dragon

• hylian- normal/bug

and a secret scary gym (ganon's forces ect)

• monsters- dark/poison

yiga clan as team rocket !!!

they're so similar omg its crazy

legendaries as the great dragons

regional bosses as mythicals

others as pseudo-legendary?

gleeok split evolution would go so well actually

using zonai arm abilities in battle could do stuff as the gimmick, not affecting pokemon directly like the other ones (idk what they'd do though)

or cooking as a gimmick, like modifiers you set before a battle even starts??? (ik cookings already a thing in pokemon but idk)

the story wouldn't follow the main game story-wise (would you even play as link????)

you'd maybe start at lookout landing and the sky islands would be a late-game area

hylian being normal-bug fits WAY too well with early game for you not to start there

like the main game, you choose what region to go to next, maybe the gym leader's pokemon evolve further depending on what order you do them in?

the temples could be where the gyms are, not being taken over (but the phenomena still happening due to pther readsons or something)

the actual dragon tears could be cool maybe each giving access to more legendaries, the final one being the light dragon (maybe some wierd implications in the story but :/ )

if you see this and have one of those shocking very fitting ideas i can edit this post to include it if you want

thanks for reading my ramble, and while you're here

here's some things you should do: play celeste, play isaac, dont be a dick to people, drink water and have a nice life

[girlfriendsofthegalaxy]

tuesday again 11/14/2023

twenty-nine, please be kinder than twenty-eight and the tail end of twenty-seven. phil update: unauthorized access

listening

Maisie Peters’ Guy on a Horse (previously featured with song Not Another Rockstar). headbanging indie rock off the spotify recced playlist. i would have liked this song much more in my worst misandrist period from high school-early college but the lines “Got this far and I’m Joan of Arc/And you’re just a guy on a horse” made me laugh. spotify

also off the spotify recced playlist (many bangers on last week’s) The Last Dinner Party’s My Lady of Mercy. all-girl baroque british indie rock, a dizzy quality i like very much in this small dose but would never be in the mood for a full album’s worth. spotify.

OH this feels like it’s probably on every griddlehawk playlist. one day i will read those things

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reading

fallow week

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watching

Sirocco (1951, dir. Bernhardt). it was on tubi and i wanted to watch a Bogart noir without hooking up my laptop and finagling The Big Sleep with the good subtitles off the dvd. Sirocco has…hm. aged poorly is an understatement. it is not internally consistent with character motivations (a truly fucking baffling ending) and the leads have zero chemistry. the leading lady didn’t have anything to fucking do to create chemistry. the hottest moment was when she absentmindedly gave him back a cigarette with a lipstick print, and he finishes smoking it with a thousand-yard stare. comparing this in marketing to Casablanca was criminal. stop fucking comparing everything to Casablanca it’s never going to be as good!!!

third most unforgivably, below the brownface and script that was once in the same room as fun dialogue, it could have been a singular half-hour episode of television instead of a feature length film.

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playing

genuinely cried at the conclusion of the mainline Fontaine quest in g/enshin. this was a beefy fuckin update my god. i think the last act in the five-act quest was like two hours of cutscenes. i know how the fuck are they funding this (gacha) but still. any other company this would be hysterically cost prohibitive.

in other games: Luna Story Picross I, i am having fun but i think my brain has not yet picked up on the internal logic of picross yet. if there was a Good Picross paid app like the Good Sudoku paid app that teaches you sudoku strategy i would get that in a shot. this is a very millennial app, lovely gradients and extra chunky pixel art. very crossstitchable . ik pixel art is already crossstitchable but this lands somewhere between whimsigoth and every astronomy-themed gift on the marketplace and i find that compelling

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making

horseshoe knife from the Dragon Forging Experience!!! at the ren faire. unrelated half pound block of beeswax for scale. i did not have enough upper body strength and got a blister :( but any excuse to swing a medium-sized hammer with malice aforethought. my initials are somewhat indifferently stamped on the other side bc again, upper body strength, but those don’t need to be on the internet

hung up all the cat wand toys. this is extremely not very hashtag aesthetic but hopefully seeing them every day will remind me to actually play with my fucking cats, bc they were in a horrible pile behind the futon and were a right bitch to detangle every time. we’ll see how this goes. mack has not ripped them all down yet bc she doesn’t want to stretch over the little samsonite train case i yoinked off the side of the road in mass. strongly recommend a big makeup case or train case like this one to hold all the cat bits and bobs like flea treatment and brushes and extra toys and the filters for the water fountain et al.

[levithestripper]

You’ll Always Be My Prince: Chapter Four—The Flowers

go to the previous chapter || go to the next chapter || back to the series masterlist

chapter summary: it’s been two years since the incident on driftmark. two years since aemond lost his eye and claimed the she-dragon, vhagar. since then, rhaella and aemond have begun to grow up. aemond has made leaps and bounds in his swordsmanship, whereas rhaella finds herself facing a foe not even he can protect her from.

chapter warnings: rhaella waters’ pov, creator chose not to use archive warnings.

length: 4.3k || read on ao3 || join my taglist

a/n: huge apologies for taking nearly eight months to get another chapter out! i hope it won't be that way in the future, but we'll see. i've written and rewritten this chapter dozens of times, and i've finally found success with this version of it. i hope you like it as much as i do! please let me know what you think!

ik i usually provide chapter warnings, but i don't want the tags to spoil the chapter! it's worth it i promise!

and a huge thank you to @procrastinatingsoicanreadfanfics for letting me include her oc alethia stahl in this chapter! i highly recommend you go check out alethia's story in woman of the watch!

“Isn’t it beautiful?” Helaena asks, holding up an elegant white dress over her head. Adorned with lace and embroidered flowers, it’s a grand wedding dress suitable for any noblewoman. “Do you see the beading along the middle, Rhaella?” The princess lowers the dress, exposing her face, vibrant violet eyes shining in excitement. 

Rhaella nods, looking the dress up and down. She covers her boredom and discomfort with a smile, not wanting to rain on Helaena’s parade. “Yes, Princess. Do you like this more than the last one?” At this point, the pair—well, Helaena—have been trying on dresses for no less than an hour, trying to find the perfect dress for Princess Helaena’s upcoming wedding to her brother, Aegon.

Helaena thought for a moment before responding. “I don’t know. The last one fits funny.” Without saying another word, Helaena stands. Ridding herself of her loose-fitting dress, she pulled the wedding dress on over her head. She doesn’t put it on properly, holding the waist taunt. She spins in a circle in front of a full-body mirror. “I like this one!” Helaena turns to look at Rhaella, who returns her gaze with a smile.

“It looks beautiful on you,” Rhaella hums, pulling her knees to her chest. The skirt of her dress slid down her bare legs, bunching at her slim waist. Now one-and-two years old, Rhaella’s no longer permitted to wear the tunics and breeches she prefers outside the Keep. Wearing them made her feel sick, her skin crawling and her stomach churning with every step she took wearing one. She does her best to ignore it, however. It doesn’t work very often. Helaena switches back to her previous pink dress, laying her wedding gown on a table at the other end of the room. 

“We must find you a dress, too,” hums the Princess with a smile, sitting with her legs crossed on the floor across from her. “It will be fun, Rhaella!”

Rhaella forces a smile. “You don’t have to do that; it’s your wedding; focus on you.”

“No, no. You’re my friend; I’ve got to take care of you, too!”

Rhaella knows Helaena means well, but her stomach can’t help but churn at the thought. “Are you sure? You don’t have to.”

Helaena nods enthusiastically, grasping their hands within her own. “It’ll be fun! I want to hang out with you more. We’re cousins, but I hardly know anything about you.”

She stifles a chuckle. She had only started spending time with Helaena after Aemond expressed his worries over Rhaella being alone. Going into it, Rhaella thought she’d hate it but found the opposite. Assuming her cousin to be a quiet and rather uninteresting girl, Helaena proved a fascinating conversationalist if given a chance. “If…If you’re sure, then okay,” Rhaella sighs, squeezing her hands back. 

A knock sounded at the chamber door, and Helaena let them in. It was her mother, Queen Alicent. “Have you picked a dress, sweetheart?” she asks, hands folded in front of her. Helaena nods, standing. She picks the dress up to show her, smiling behind it. “It is a wonderful choice, my dear.”

“Thank you, Mother.” 

Alicent offers Rhaella a polite smile. It did not look forced but did not appear as she wished to converse with her. Rhaella returns the gesture. She turns back to her daughter. “It is nearly noon. Come for lunch when you have finished; your father wishes for a family meal.”

Helaena nods with a hum. Quietly, she slips the dress onto a hanger, handing it to one of her handmaidens. Another of her handmaidens helps Helaena into a fancier dress. It was still loose fitting, as the princess despised tight-fitting garments. The solid gold background has mini dark green diamonds dotted along it, her skirts reaching the floor. The previous handmaiden weaves two braids into Helaena’s hair. She threads both plaits into one, pulling them together to form a half-up, half-down look. “See you later,” Helaena says, waving goodbye to Rhaella as she leaves her chambers, handmaidens following.

Rhaella didn’t know whether to follow her or not. It’s clear The Queen did not view her as family, or else she would’ve spoken to them both. I am only a bastard, after all, Rhaella thinks. I would not be welcome there. Left alone with nothing but her thoughts, she left Helaena’s chambers, gently closing the door behind her. Knowing she doesn’t want to sit alone in her room feeling sorry for herself, Rhaella finds herself roaming the twisting pathways of the Keep’s garden.

The gardens of the Red Keep are vastly different from the singular garden within High Tide’s walls. High Tide’s garden has exotic plants, symbols of Corlys Velaryon’s many conquests. In contrast, the Red Keep’s many gardens were outfitted primarily with plants native to King’s Landing and the surrounding regions. The garden she found herself in—the royal one—was the fanciest of them all. Surrounded by flowering bushes and tall trees with multicolored leaves, she recalls a memory of her and Aemond here a few months prior.

“Do you like it here?” Aemond asked.

Rhaella looked up at him. Aemond had grown taller these past few months, shooting up like a weed where she had yet to grow an inch. They leisurely walked arm in arm, enjoying the peacefulness around them. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, do you like it here? Like, in King’s Landing?” Aemond’s tone implied there was more he wished to say but kept hidden within himself instead.

She looked up to the cloudless blue sky. “Most of the time. Why?”

Aemond sighed quietly. “It’s just…I’ve noticed that I’m your only company. I never see you spending time with anyone else.”

“I don’t really care for the others here. They’re either jerks or boring.” Rhaella doesn’t give an entirely honest answer. Even if she tried to branch out and make friends with others here, few are willing to speak with her, let alone become an acquaintance. 

Her words made Aemond chuckle, a smile spreading across his lips. It made Rhaella giggle as well. “You’re not wrong.” He knew there was more to the situation than what she said, but he had learned to pick his battles wisely.

“Why do you ask? At least, why now? It’s been this way for a while,” Rhaella countered, now looking him in the eyes again.

Aemond doesn’t keep her gaze. “I don’t want you to be unhappy.” Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks, startling Rhaella. He gazed at the tall, flowered hedges in front of them. The flowers crawled up the hedge on thin vines, their blooms a vibrant purple, just like Aemond’s remaining eye. He plucked it from the vine and turned to Rhaella, tucking it behind her ear. “I don’t have as much free time anymore,” he said softly, voice laden with a subtle sadness.

She took his free hand within both of hers, his other hand busy brushing the hair from Rhaella’s face. “You don’t need to worry about that, Ae.” She squeezed his hand reassuringly. “Besides, you’re a prince. It’d be strange if you did have free time.” 

Aemond nodded in agreement, chuckling softly.

“In a way, I have it better than you do,” she teased, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“Oh yeah? How so?” He asked with a smirk as if daring Rhaella to prove it.

“Being a royal prince, such as yourself, you have all these duties and standards to uphold. Your life’s filled with noise, whereas I get to sleep past breakfast and stroll the halls in peace.” Her words scared away the looming sadness that had begun to form over Aemond as they both erupted in giggles.

Aemond placed his hand atop hers, squeezing it back. “I suppose you’re right, Rhae,” he said, a smile returning.

As they resumed their stroll, they soon found themselves at the end of the pathway. The path spat them out at the center of the garden. When faced with the heart of the garden, the winding pathways seem trivial, as if they belonged to some minor lord. The center expanded further than Rhaella could see, every inch flooded with rare vegetation and expensive plants, an obvious flaunt of House Targaryen’s wealth and decadence.

“Do you know the story of this place?” Aemond asked. Rhaella shook her head no. Aemond led them to a bench, sitting down as he began to tell the story. “After Aegon the Conqueror was crowned King, he returned to King’s Landing. At the time, the city was no more than a muddy army camp with a small town surrounding it. In his first years as king, Aegon built what would become this city. He couldn’t finish it, but his successors did. When Houses swore fidelity to King Aegon, many gifted him with extravagant plants and things like that. King Aegon’s successors planted many of them here, in the royal garden, to show those sworn to them that they cherished their gifts.” Aemond pointed to the flowerbed behind them, at an exotic-looking flower, the petals a rich blue. Rhaella twists around to see what he is pointing at. “See that?”

Rhaella smiled and nodded, “It’s beautiful.” She turned her head to look at him. “But what’s so special about that one?” she asked.

Aemond smiled back, unmistakably delighted she asked. “That was a gift to King Aegon from his Hand—Orys Baratheon—when he was named Lord of Storm’s End.”

“So?”

“So,” Aemond repeated, “It represents that the Baratheons and Targaryens have been friends since the beginning. Since before the beginning, even. Orys Baratheon came with King Aegon from Old Valyria to Westeros.”

“Yes, but what does that matter? Tons of Houses have their gifts planted here. What makes that flower special?” Rhaella asks, confused at the point Aemond was attempting to make. 

The pair sit correctly on the bench again, albeit facing one another. Aemond took Rhaella’s hands within his own this time. “It matters because you’re half Baratheon, Rhae. That flower,” Aemond gestured toward it with his chin, “symbolizes that you belong here just as much as everyone else.” He brought their faces close, his forehead pressed against hers. “I know it; you know it. Everyone else just has yet to see it. But they will. I promise they will.”

They sit together like that for a while, breathing the same air and existing in the same space. Rhaella eventually pulled him in for a hug, her arms wrapped around his shoulders, her face pressed into the crook of his neck. “Thank you,” she whispered in his ear.

Rhaella hears someone shout behind her, pulling her back to the present day. She found herself sitting at the same bench she sat on with Aemond, the flower behind her in full bloom. Birds chip from their perches in the trees, chatting with pretty songs. The sky was clear and bright, just like that day months ago. Looking over her shoulder, she sees Aemond waving at her from a balcony overlooking the garden. Seeing him, Rhaella races closer to the balcony so neither would have to yell at the other.

“Rhae!”

“Hey, Ae! What’re you doing? I thought you were having a family lunch!” she calls up, a hand shielding her eyes from the sun that beat down on them. 

Aemond leans against the railing, gazing down at his friend. His silver hair has grown longer in the past years, the ends brushing the middle of his chest. He was beginning to grow out of his childlike, boyish face and into that of a handsome young prince. Seeing her friend grow up before her eyes stirs something within her that Rhaella would rather ignore. Aemond grins at her as he speaks. “Father was called away for a small council meeting!” His arms were crossed across the railing, giving him an air of confidence. “You busy?” 

She shakes her head no.

“Well, me and Aegon have to train with Ser Criston in the courtyard, and I thought you might want to come watch. I’ve gotten better since last time!” A lock of hair falls from behind his ear, fanning out like a beautiful silver curtain. 

“Oh yeah?” Rhaella grins back, raising an eyebrow at him.

“Oh yeah,” Aemond returns her sarcasm with confidence. 

Rhaella crosses her arms over her chest. “Guess I’ll just have to come watch you then, huh?”

“Guess you gotta,” he hums, teasing her. “See you there, Rhae?”

She nods, humming back. “Can’t wait to see you fall on your ass, Ae!” Rhaella says with a giggle, disappearing underneath the balcony. 

Rhaella makes her way to the courtyard Aemond spoke of. It is the same yard Aemond trained in years ago with his nephews, Jacaerys and Lucerys, so Rhaella had little trouble getting there. Climbing the stairs to the balconies surrounding the courtyard, she sits at one of the many terraces bordering the yard. The area wasn’t crowded, surprising her, as many ladies of the court found watching the two Targaryen princes spar peak entertainment. Maybe I’m just early, she thought. It would be nice not to deal with swooning women, though.

Aegon appears in the courtyard first. He has cut his hair shorter in the past weeks, most likely in preparation for his upcoming wedding. He, too, had grown taller, now towering over Rhaella. She doesn’t interact with him often, but when she does, he isn’t as crude to her as he was in the past. Perhaps his newfound responsibilities have begun to force maturity onto the boy. Aemond enters right after, spinning his sword by his side. He wore a special eyepatch with two straps to keep it in place as he fought. He and his brother have since graduated from wooden swords to dulled metal sparring swords. 

Ser Criston came out last, wearing his arming doublet and thick breeches, arming himself with a sparring sword. He calls the boys names, gaining their attention. The brothers stand beside each other in front of the knight, Aegon showing far less enthusiasm than his brother. Aemond and Aegon are roughly the same height now, which means Aegon can’t look down on his little brother anymore. “Today, we will continue working on swordplay and evasiveness. You both have improved tremendously, so I will stand aside during sparring, assessing your progress silently. Notes will be afterward, as I want you both to evaluate the situation and correct your mistakes without my input molding your decisions. Understood?” Both boys nod. Criston backs away, his body parallel with the weapons racks scattered along the sidelines.

By now, the balconies and connecting walkways have flooded with people, predominantly noble ladies and their handmaidens. Down in the courtyard, a few lords watch from the sidelines. Rhaella can’t make out most of the lord’s faces, save but one. Ser Harwin Strong. He hasn’t been seen at the Keep for many a year for reasons unknown to Rhaella. Beside him stood a woman Rhaella had never seen before. Leaning over the railing for a better look, the woman wore her long, dirty blonde hair loose, letting it fan across her strong shoulders. She wore a simple—but undoubtedly elegant—blue dress. Rhaella can’t make out the details of it, but she can make out accents of green and red throughout the fabric. 

The colors of House Strong. Ser Harwin’s house, she thinks. Rhaella leans back in her seat. Are they married? Wouldn’t I have heard someone talk about the wedding of the son of a prominent House like theirs?

Footsteps sound behind her, and Rhaella turns to see Helaena walking up the stairs. She sits beside her with a smile, hands smoothing out her dress. The clanging of swords echoes off the walls, paired with the occasional pained grunting or a frustrated yell. Rhaella glances at the stranger next to Ser Harwin, then at Princess Helaena. 

She would probably know something of her. Rhaella shifts in her seat, facing her body toward Helaena. “Can I ask you a question?” she asks, fingers fidgeting with the hem of her skirt.

Helaena’s eyes glitter with intrigue. “Mhmm,” he hums with a nod. 

“You see Ser Harwin? Down there in the training yard?” The princess nods again. “Who is the woman next to him? I’ve never seen her before, and even from up here, I can tell she’s not from the South.”

Princess Helaena leans closer to the railing but maintains a respectful distance from the edge to prevent dizziness. When her eyes land on the woman in question, Helaena mumbles to herself. Rhaella caught parts, but what she manages to piece together doesn’t mean much to her.

She tries again with—what she thinks—is a simple question this time. “Is she Ser Harwin’s lady-wife?”

Helaena responds quietly, “I’ve heard whispers about her from my handmaidens. Rumors say she washed ashore one day, and Ser Harwin rescued her.”

Just as Rhaella moves to respond, a searing pain erupts within her, unlike anything she has experienced before. She imagines this is what battle must feel like. A white-hot blade piercing her tender abdomen, slicing the muscles up her thighs and across the tops of her slender hips. Her hands grasp at her belly, desperate to make the unending pain stop. A wave of nausea washes over her, adding another layer of misery.

Helaena looks at her with panic, then with a sympathetic understanding. She calls over her handmaidens, who were chatting quietly amongst themselves and the other ladies-in-waiting. Helaena speaks to them, but Rhaella could not hear her, as the pain blinded her to anything else. Two handmaids help Rhaella stand, her legs shaky as the jelly on her breakfast toast. Once Rhaella is safely down the stairs, the remaining ladies do their best to dab away the bloody splotch left behind on the expensive cushioning.

The handmaidens rush Rhaella to her chambers and into the washroom. They carefully help her disrobe. Her skirts are soiled with blood, the same with her inner thighs. Rhaella lets the women do as they please, allowing them to manipulate her like a marionette doll with its strings cut. The women speak to her, asking her questions and if what they’re doing is okay, but Rhaella doesn’t understand them. As if her head were underwater or as if they were speaking a language she didn’t know. She felt herself guided into a bathtub. The warm water feels good against her skin. One of the women asks permission to help her bathe, and Rhaella mechanically nods consent. Her voice sounds distant and far away as if this were only a bad dream Rhaella hopes to wake up from soon. 

The gentle touches of the handmaidens help to rouse Rhaella from the trance she had retreated into. Her heartbeat echoes in her ears as her chest heaves from the residuals of a hyperventilation fit she doesn’t remember falling into. She feels dried tear tracks on her cheekbones. The pain hasn’t ceased but has let up slightly, allowing her to rebuild the strings of self-sufficiency. Still shaking, she grips the sides of the tub. Her voice warbles when she finally manages to speak. “What—What’s happening? What’s wrong with me?” she asks, voice cracking with unshed tears. 

“My name is Joanna, m’lady,” says the handmaiden, giving her a higher-ranking title than she deserves. “You’re just fine, okay? Nothing’s wrong with you.”

Rhaella nods helplessly. “Then what—what’s happening?” 

Joanna kneels beside the tub, holding Rhaella’s trembling hand. She strokes her knuckles soothingly. “Has no one taught you of womanhood?” Rhaella shakes he head no. Joanna looks at her with a tenderness a mother would give her daughter. It fills Rhaella with a sense of safety, almost. “Well, when a girl gets to a certain age, our bodies change from that of a girl to a woman. What marks that change is the first appearance of their moonblood.” As she explains, she continues to comfort Rhaella, rubbing her arm. “Another mark of this change is beginning to grow breasts.”

The more Joanna speaks, the more Rhaella wishes to cry. Unable to hold back her emotions, tears roll down her cheeks again, running along the dried tracks already there. Joanna hushes her, guiding the young girl to her bosom and cradling Rhaella as she cries. “Shhhh, shhhh, it’s okay, you’re alright, honey. You’re alright,” she soothes, rocking back and forth ever so slightly. She continues this until her tears stop. Snagging a towel from the shelf behind her, Joanna helps Rhaella out of the bath, wrapping the fluffy towel around her. “Let’s get you nice and dry, yes? That sounds good.”

Rhaella feels a discomfort so great that she knows no words to describe it. It felt as if she was being destroyed from the inside out. Joanna reassures her that nothing is wrong, but deep down, Rhaella knows something is wrong. Yet, despite everything, Rhaella has never felt as safe as she does now. It does nothing to dull the flames of her discomfort, but it helps Rhaella stay present.

Dressing went by in what feels like a blur. Rhaella wears a simple chemise with the comfiest socks the handmaiden could find. Joanna teaches how to line her undergarments with a cloth to prevent bleeding through her clothing, and Rhaella thinks she understands the concept. The other handmaiden left at some point prior, but Rhaella had yet to notice. There is a knock at the door, but apparently, it is merely a courtesy knock as the door swings open without waiting for an answer. 

On the other side stands Queen Alicent.

Unlike this morning, the Queen looks at Rhaella with the same sympathy Princess Helaena and the handmaiden Joanna look at her with. As Alicent enters, Joanna stands and curtseys; the Queen acknowledges her, then dismisses her with a wave. The handmaiden pulls the door shut behind her, ensuring it doesn’t slam.

Rhaella watches Joanna leave, then turns her gaze to Alicent. She watches her sit beside her on the end of the bed. She feels small in comparison. “I apologize for my appearance, Your Grace,” Rhaella mumbles, staring down at her lap and sniffling, unable to hold her gaze. 

Cautiously, Alicent brings a hand to the small of Rhaella’s back, rubbing up and down her spine in an attempt to comfort the poor girl. “Oh, honey, there’s no need to apologize. I’m not here as your Queen; you need not fret. Speak plainly, child.”

She allowed herself to relax, leaning into her side as she’d seen Alicent’s real children do. Rhaella sniffles, nose still running from the recent crying session. “Thank—Thank you,” she stutters out.

“How are you faring, honey? Helaena’s handmaiden told me what happened.”

Rhaella shrugs. “I don’t…I don’t know. Everything hurts and feels wrong. Like this shouldn’t be happening.”

Alicent continues to rub her back. “The first one is always the worst. How much did the other handmaiden explain to you?”

“That it’s called a moonblood, and how to keep from bleeding through my clothing.” She looks up at Alicent from her place nestled in her side. “And that I should expect…” Rhaella doesn’t finish her sentence, simply gesturing towards her chest area and hoping she’d understand.

She nods. “And you know what this means?” Rhaella shakes her head no. “It means you’re becoming a woman. Your first moonblood symbolizes the Gods preparing you to have children one day.”

A shiver rushes over her. Being only two and ten years old, Rhaella had yet to consider having children. Her mind races at the thought. Bastards like me don’t get husbands from significant houses. I don’t even know if I want a husband! It seemed impossible to her. It is something only trueborn ladies with noble husbands do. “What if I never have children? What if I don’t want them?” she asks in a panicky voice, looking up at Alicent.

Alicent sighs before responding. “It is not up to us to decide if we have children. We must put faith in the Mother Above to bless us with the gift of life. Whether she does or not is up to her and the path she has set us on.”

“I pray she never blesses me with children, then,” Rhaella grumbles and rolls her eyes. 

Rhaella’s irreverence doesn’t faze Alicent; she has grown used to hearing it from Aegon. “Perhaps you are yet too young to understand.” Her words sound patronizing, but something tells Rhaella she doesn’t intend them to. “A piece of advice: fill a stocking with barley and warm it over the fireplace; it will help ease the pain.” With a final squeeze, Alicent makes her way to the door, bidding Rhaella farewell and good luck.

With the Queen gone, Rhaella is alone for the first time since her moonblood began. Her whole body ached. She can’t get comfortable since every time she shifts to try and get a semblance of comfort, thick clots of blood rush from her. Part of her wants to cry again, but no tears come to let her. Gingerly sliding off the bed, Rhaella waddles to the washroom, too terrified of leaking to walk normally. Replacing the linen lining to the best of her abilities, she discarded the soiled cloth in the tub to wash later. When she finally returns to bed, her legs feel as if she’s run to Highgarden and back. Crawling into the middle and curling in on herself, Rhaella found a bit of lasting solace in the coolness of the sheets. It doesn’t take away from the pain, but it helps her feel as if what the handmaiden Joanna said had some truth to it. It is barely mid-afternoon, but Rhaella feels the claws of slumber grasp hold of her. Despite the sun that filters in through the curtain-clad window, she falls asleep quickly, hugging a cold pillow to her chest.

taglist: @procrastinatingsoicanreadfanfics, @criminalskies, @hyojae99, @poisonedsultana, @schniiipsel, @moonlighttfoxx, @losstboi, and @eleniblue.

[vancalox]

.........also 30-33 for deia or all three of them if u want!!🥺🤲

30. What is Rook’s class? Did they choose it?

deia and evander are both rogues, matthas is a warrior!

31. What specialization does Rook pursue? What called them to it?

deia is an archer (veil jumper i fucking guess 🙄 just minus all the magic and flare lol) and evander is.... idk. a saboteur i guess but only insofar as it relates to dirty fighting. mostly hes a dual wielding daggers guy. evander taught deia everything she knows abt the rogue trade when she was a kid after years of begging to come with her brothers on missions, but INSISTED she never fight in close combat hence why she took up the bow. shes good at being sneaky and staying out of sight, because that was the only reason her brothers agreed to take her anywhere exciting lmao. as for evander. knives are fun, easily concealed, and make him look cool at parties.

for matthas, he really subscribes to the archetype of a protector so a sword and shield fit him naturally. i also think he really looked up to people like cassandra and cullen in skyhold, who likely taught him a great deal of what he knows now.

32. How would a desire demon tempt Rook?

honestly a desire demon IS tempting deia through the entirety of veilguard and his name is solas <3 DFGJKHGJFDK ik solas is pride but. yknow.

really it would look a lot like alistair's dream during the broken circle questline of origins; she wants her family back, whole and happy again. everything she does in veilguard is motivated by the singular wish that she could have that by the end of it.

evander wants his family also, but he dreams of a life of wealth, comfort and complete freedom for them and himself. a world without authority or rules. a world where he's in control of his own destiny and can actually bond with his family instead of feeling like they might only want him around for what he can provide.

matthas would desire being ashara's second in command, back with the inquisition, in power and respected and, most importantly, loved.

i genuinely think at the start of veilguard they would be corrupted so, SO easily by desire. like if u think getting duped 4 times in a row by solas was embarrassing i just know it wouldve been way worse if he was a desire demon lol. but by the end of it....... no i dont think so. by the end of veilguard all they want is to walk out alive, with each other.

33. What do fear demons look like to Rook?

hmmmm GOOD QUESTION. its kind of tricky for deia bc i cant rly say a person/creature/animal like i can for all my other protags. but i know if she was in presence of a fear demon it would absolutely utilize her fear of water. she nearly drowned the day she was saved by the inquisition and has had a fear of deep water ever since.

evander is claustrophic and scared of being restrained, stemming from very early memories of being enslaved. but im not sure if he neccesarily fears slavers, since he's gotten very good at killing them during his time with the shadow dragons lol. so i'll have to think on that one!

matthas..... hm. can i be real i think a part of him is scared of ashara LOL. her disappointment, her ire, the magnitude of what she means to him and how very little he unfortunately means to her. i do think he would maybe see her. but he would also see her as a desire demon! so thats fun! mark him down and scared AND horny!

i think he's also afraid of orlesian harlequins. just for something fun <3 JKJFGKJFGKJ

[piereoglyphics]

Did Oni headcanons a while ago so here are Dragon ones!

- literally the dogs ever. have you seen chompy. and Riyu. and zippy.

- Live longer!!! obviously.

- cant shapeshift so like... just big dragon idk what to tell ya man

- They tend to mark things with not only scent but just. their stuff. And they *know* if you touch it.

- Source dragons are the only ones that can speak telepathically. Elemental ones speak more woth actions/gestures/mannerisms

- dragons have many personalities that may be influenced by if theyre an elemental one or not! Like how Kai is hotheaded, or Cole is more grounded.

- Justice driven! Rarely evil. Literally dragons are the representative of good. while oni are the reps of evil. They prefer to understand whats going on rather than fighting

- Instinct to rip apart Oni but wont if it puts themself in a dangerou position

Dragon Hybrid notes

- Dog-like behavior, which may feel like ADHD

- Lives longer!!

-sometimes has dragon traits depending on how much of a dragon they are! Ex; Horns, tail, sharp teeth, forked tongue, wings. Paw pads.. claws, scales.

- Grows much taller than Oni hybrids may

- third eyelid. its gross ik but its true. goofy oppurtunity.

- hate of oni/oni hybrid but not as strong as full dragon

- dragon hybrids w/ elements (even not being an elemental master) can control said element to a degree, or speak through it

- spin fast while fly: make portal to other realm.

- seeing in the dark/glowing eyes

- may have longer hair! most likely, or hair in general grows quicker. more commonly on face or head.

- if said hybrid has scales or claws, getting sand in them is a nightmare. Get water!!! quick!!!

[noelle-rambles]

NOELLE (my persona) >w<

LIFE WHEN ALIVE

⚠️TW: child abuse, murder and suicide if you are sensitive to those topics, please do not read this part of their lore ⚠️

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They were born in Soviet Ukraine, a couple of day's after the Holodomor ended. Their mother abused her whenever she was inconvenienced by Noelle, or she was angry and Noelle messed up, so one night in a bid of desperation Noelle sneaked into the kitchen and grabbed a knife and pounced onto their mother in the living room and stabbed her reputedly making sure that she was dead then horrified about what they had done they stabbed themself effectively killing themself (what they looked like below)

LIFE AFTER DEATH, PT.1

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when they woke up to an area of pure darkness and sticky sludge they looked around for some kind of way out of the sludge, they dragged themselves thou and then out of the sludge which clung to their skin once they were out they walked out of the area after some time they found a lake full of water cleaning the sludge off of themselves and there clothes and then continuing on there way, as they spent time in the afterlife they grew up (what they looked like below) the more time they spent in the afterlife protecting all they could on earth as a ghost not wanting others to go thou what they did, and the gods noticed this and gave them a task protect a child who had a mother just like her, and they listened protecting and giving the child a safe space and someone to talk to and once they were done the gods sent them back up to the afterlife to be rewards for there job

LIFE AFTER DEATH, PT.2

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

They ended up being given the tittle of protector god, but instead of protecting humans and life on earth (only really going to earth if they find kids going thou what they did), they decided to indulge in their interests and protect those worlds as well as the Au’s that their friends created for those worlds. They also have two different forms that they are able to transform into a cat form for when they are overstimulated or friends are upset (they curl into the friend’s lap and fall asleep) they also can transform into the image below which is there god form they mostly use when they have to do god related things

NOELLE TID BITS <3 (only five)

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

they keep seeing Au's on their name and are extremely confused since they don't remember creating it, but still protect them and builds on them like they did create them

they meet their father in the afterlife, and they still visit him since he genuinely cares for them, and he even taught them English when they first arrived in the afterlife

they love when followers give them gold as an offering

they have a horde like a dragon would, but it's not just one group their horde is full of fandom's friends and plushy's

the spear they hold in their god form is mostly used as a staff instead of a weapon

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ik that this isn't that long, but I just wanted the basics down

Tags @sylsoddsandends @whimsjellic

[starfirexuchiha]

Fire Emblem 0 (Cipher) Album Book Volume 4 - English Translation

Did you know that there were 4 story books made for Fire Emblem Ciphers?

Volume 1 is about Ike and FE9 / FE10

Volume 2 is about Male Corrin and Fates

Volume 3 is about Female Corrin and Fates

and Volume 4 is about Roy and FE6 / FE7

Thank you so much ZoraTwilight for scanning the Volume 4 book for me! I was able to translate the story within it! (I was supposed to translate this years ago but I was buried in college homework/exams at the time and forgot I'm sorry💦)

My translation isn't perfect but I tried my best to make the English sentences not sound weird. Some phrases in Japanese cannot be easily translated to English. So here goes!

Fire Emblem 0 (Cipher)

Album Book Vol. 04

Shadows taking over, Light of Hope

-----A sinister shadow is about to overtake this continent…

The sandstorm is whirling like crazy. As if it’s something that refuses to be approached. As if it’s never going away.

“Hey… do you know about this rumor?”  The guy in front of a caravan said. While wrapping his turban with the scarf is covering his mouth, the man walking next to him spoke out: 

“I’m tired… talk about that gossip to someone else will ya?”

“Hey don’t say that, there are many legends about this Nabata desert.” 

The listener gave him a dull look, but the speaker continued to run his mouth. The speaker’s face is also tired, but he at least wanted to distract himself from the unbearable desert heat as well as the drifting dust in the sandstorm. 

“First of all… there are valuable treasures buried everywhere in this great desert.” 

“Yeah…”

“And I heard about a story where there’s a secret village hidden somewhere around here. It’s a village where the descendants of dragons live.”

“I see, I see…”

“And there’s a large temple brimming with cold water underground or something…”

“…..”

The story is hard to believe. There shouldn’t be hard ground in the sand as far as the eye can see. These two are traveling merchants. They do business while carrying loads of items. Walking in the desert is a normal thing for them. In this great desert, they usually shouldn’t be traveling through the dangerous sandstorm. But this time, they chose this route because there are buried packages from Bern soldiers that contain large amounts of money here. However… if the contents inside the packages hold just food and soldier equipment, then what the heck do they do now? No, they do not need to know about such things. In fact, it’s more risky to raise such a question. 

“There’s one more thing…”

The rumor-loving man still continued to tell the story. Even though the story sounds fake, what other pleasant things are there to talk about? 

“I also heard that a ghost of a beautiful woman tends to show up around here too.” 

Just as he said that, the ghost suddenly began to appear. Right before the merchant’s eyes, the sand whirling in the storm grew stronger. It’s so harsh that the sand begins to stick onto the merchants’ carts.

And then the men saw her. Amidst the raging sandstorm stood a shadow of a woman standing in the dunes. She is as beautiful as the rumors say, the figure of the divine woman appears to be more fascinating than frightening…

“Is that…. THE GHOST YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT JUST NOW?!”

“GRAAHHHHHHH!”

The frightening sound echoed. At first it seemed that the sound of the wind became stronger but that’s not it. A bigger shadow was looming just behind that woman. The strange looking monster figure closely resembled the ones seen in fairy tale picture books for young children.

“It’s… It’s a DRAGON!!!”

As they cried out, the caravan group ran away at once, leaving their horses and goods behind. 

There’s an area in the desert where one can hear the sound of gentle water flowing and leaves rustling from the trees. The sunlight filtering through the trees created small patches of light in a small area. One could hardly believe that it is the same area as the desert a while ago…

“Hey! Big sister Sophia!”

In the desert resides a village around one oasis. It is commonly known as Nabata Village, a Utopia where humans and dragons live together. Among the powerful territories in Elibe, such an isolated land like this one exists. 

“Huh? Say it in a little more detail please~”

Fae inflates her cheeks with a face of tantrum. Sophia laughs again, sounding a little worried. Since birth, Fae is not allowed to leave the village. It’s because her power is too strong and that there is a risk that she will be used under the wrong hands of unknown people. Therefore, she should not be allowed to talk about her interest regarding the outside world. Sophia knew that. 

“I really…. don’t have anything to say”

She was watching a caravan passing by. One cannot reach this village unless they know the restricted route to get there. Apparently it doesn’t seem that someone had found the way, but Sophia had a bad feeling about this. Sophia, who inherits the blood of the dragon, doesn’t have tremendous power like Fae does, but instead has magical powers that no ordinary person can possess.  Foreseeing the future is one of them. She felt it. She foresaw that an unknown shadow is going to cover all of Elibe. Something bad is going to happen… so she hugged Fae close and frowned. 

 “Big Sister…. what’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

Fae looked worried. Her innocent face expresses unhappiness knowing that she continues to be confined in this oasis. But Sophia has been wishing for Fae to be released from this eternal prison. Someday, to her heart’s content, she wants to play with her while she is free and happy. However, that desire is far away as if she can sense that it is hidden behind the dark clouds in the sky… 

The sounds of a horse’s hooves echo in the courtyard under the clear sky. As the horse is walking, a young man with gold shining hair and blue eyes is seen with a bit of dirt on his body, showing a bitter smile on his face.

“Checkmate” 

Said a female knight riding a horse. The young blonde man who had fallen on the ground, raised his defeated face and returned an invigorating smile. 

“You win…. Mage General”

The name of the female knight is Cecilia. She is the Mage General from Etruria’s 3 generals. The young man she defeated is Klein. Against this skilled bow user, Cecilia thought that it had been the first time in a long time that she had such a tough sparring match. The young man skillfully dodged her wind magic, and has great precision when he shoots his arrows many times. If Cecilia didn’t change the trajectory of her Aircaliber magic, she might have lost that match. Klein is a noble of the Reglay family and is currently engaged in military service in the Western Isles. He was with Cecilia when returning to Etruria for a report and decided to have a sparring match with her on the premises of a villa. And now…

“You and your younger sister have a considerable amount of skill. Perhaps the next Mage General of Etruria will be Clarine I wonder?”

“Haha… please don’t tell my sister that.” 

It all began in a dinner party when Klein’s younger sister Clarine started asking Cecilia to become their mage instructor.  The people of the dinner party were surprised at such an unfamiliar offer but Cecilia accepted it. The place was small but Cecilia was able to teach her a few magic tricks. 

-----It was wonderful! But… given that Clarine’s brother uses a bow, General Cecilia cannot teach him. Clarine insisted she do it, but Cecilia will not. However, Klein did mention when greeting Cecilia, that a sparring match would be a great opportunity. 

“Now then… if you’ll excuse me…”

Klein is about to leave while brushing off the dust on him.

“Klein, can you spare me a moment?”

“Huh? Um… of course…”

Cecilia was worried about the state of Klein’s mind during their match. She understands that Klein is an innocent young man during that match, so she also wanted to hear his story a little more. 

“Is General Arcard doing well?” 

“Yes. The General is trying day and night to suppress the rebellious group in the West Isles. I am trying hard to suppress the rebels too but…”

Klein stopped talking after saying that, and took his gaze away from Cecilia with an expression that looks as if he is thinking about the distant lands in the west. He hesitated to say anything because he was hesitant to reveal anything like a complaint about his military service or his superiors. He was afraid to say that there was something disturbing about this expedition. For Cecilia, just knowing about it is enough.

“I see, I understand” 

-----Let’s meet again. Future Archer General. As Cecilia said this, she smiled as she watched Klein leave.

The Western Isles is an expedition that is far away from the capital. General Arcard is currently ruling that place. I heard he was suppressing the rebel soldiers but… there are rumors that he is in some way in contact with the higher-ups, and I heard some not-so-good stories out of that.

I hope that they are not planning something by taking advantage of how difficult it is to see in the fog… and speaking of rumors, I heard that recently there has been an influx of smuggling illegal goods and mysterious cargo within Etruria. There are various nefarious schemes being planned without my knowledge. Should I briefly consult with the other war commanders in advance to confront those who pose a threat to the country?

Cecilia was pondering about this while looking at the sky, which was beginning to cloud over, when suddenly a messenger soldier came rushing in. 

“What happened?”

“A report! T-The Bern army has crossed the border and is marching into Lycia!” 

“What?!”

The Kingdom of Bern is a large nation located on the eastern side of the continent of Elibe, and although it clashed with Etruria in the past, in recent years, their relationship maintained stability. Bern’s relationship with Lycia shouldn’t be bad either. I also heard that Zephiel, who became the king at a young age, is a man of great character and is a spitting image of a king. Why on earth is he…

However for Cecilia, a general of Etruria, that is not the first thing she should think about. Although it’s not her country’s problem, they have a better relationship with Lycia than with Bern. First, she must immediately consider what countermeasures that her army should take. In some cases, she could send reinforcements over to Lycia. And so…

She ran. Roy… Lilina… She remembered the faces of her beloved disciples whom she taught how to fight, back when she was stationed in Lycia. Also Klein and Clarine of Etruria… She is feeling uneasy that promising young people in this continent are getting dragged into a war by a great unseeable force…

When I awoke, I found myself in a small room surrounded by humidity, darkness, and rocks----- It was a prison.

In his hazy consciousness, Hector, the Marquis of Ostia remembered why he was in this place.

It was a complete surprise for Lycia that the neighboring country of Bern, which they had maintained friendship up until now, is suddenly attacking them.

However, the initial confusion was short-lived, for an alliance of lords immediately gathered with their troops at Araphen, with Hector as their leader. They formed an allied army with all of their soldiers, and prepared to confront the Bern Kingdom’s army. Although they are outnumbered, the army alliance is known for their strong unity, and their spirit of not losing against a big army kept their morale high. 

Well, that’s how it should be, until Bern showed up leading an army of resurrected dragons…

Looking at it, Hector’s beloved heavy armor that had been with him for many years was cracked and brutally destroyed in many places. Also, the wounds he sustained when he faced a dragon on the front lines, covered his whole body.

Since my youth, I have been through many battles and fought alongside with many friends… But my body that I once considered to be very strong, is reaching its limit.

-----This life too, is also… 

Amidst the painful defeat, and the humiliation of being imprisoned in the dungeon of an ally’s castle, Hector sensed that his death was drawing near.

“Lilina…”

Hector couldn’t help but say his daughter’s name. His daughter got her good looks from her mother, and she also gained a lot of trust from her retainers. Plus, she has recently shown her talent as a mage. Since she’s his daughter, she’ll be strong enough to survive. He’s not worried about the future. However, not being able to witness her growth would be painful and unbearable. The heart of a fierce warrior who is at the brink of death, is filled with regret. Also there was another thing that he regretted.

----- If one of us is ever in danger, we will protect each other with our lives.

Those are the words that he swore to his best friend Eliwood during his younger days. Eliwood is also a Lycian lord, and the head of his family in Pherae. He is his closest friend like no other. As promised, they had saved each other in difficult situations many times. Eliwood is not just someone that he has a cooperative relationship with. He is a precious friend with a solid bond…

But recently, Eliwood has been suffering from illness, and is often laying in bed. Hector wanted to go to his sickbed and see his face. He wanted to cheer him up and throw away his illness.  However, it seems like his promise can no longer be fulfilled. 

No, but putting it that way would mean that Eliwood is also breaking his promise by not being able to save me from this current situation. We are in the same boat huh…

F… Farewell… my best friend…

Hector smiled weakly and quietly tried to close his eyes.

At that moment, he heard a noise from above. Several people were rushing down to this dungeon. Then, Hector saw a young man running towards him right before his eyes.

“Lord Hector! Are you okay?” 

That voice sounded a lot like the voice of a man whom Hector knew. The voice of the only man he could stand shoulder to shoulder with, the only man he can rely on in this life dedicated to battle…

(TN: Roy's voice sounds like Eliwood's)

“Roy…?”

Hector noticed it right away. Fiery red hair, eyes full of justice. The boy who looks a lot like Eliwood turns out to be Roy, the son of his best friend.

“Yes. I came to help!“

Behind Roy, there is chivalry that follows him. Reliable young warriors are gathered together. This reminded me of my past self with Eliwood and the others. The promise couldn’t be fulfilled, but instead will be inherited. I can… I can entrust everything to him, regarding Lilina’s safety, countering the threat of Bern, and Lycia’s future. 

Hector remembered a prophecy he heard from Archsage Athos during his younger days.

(TN: FE7 reference)

-----“An evil star will rise in Bern and all of Elibe will be consumed in war. But do not be afraid. Lycia will once again bring hope.”

At the end of his life, he found hope. It was like a passionate, bright, blazing hope-----

In the desert in the far west, in a hidden village where humans and dragons live together, the priestess Sophia looked up at the night sky. Fae, who was lying on her lap, perhaps tired from playing, looked up at her curiously. 

“Big sister Sophia, what are you looking at?”

Sophia saw it. She saw that within the dark shadows that began to cover Elibe, there is a small light that twinkles brightly like a star. She sensed that under this distant sky, the light is growing larger and larger, and is clothed in fire.

Sophia only stroked Fae’s hair in silence. She feels the breath of brightness that is budding in the distance, and it will not be defeated by the harsh fate that lies ahead.

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

That's the end of the translation! 😊

I really want to translate Volume 1 (Ike's story) too but I do not have the book nor do I have scans of the pages. 😭

[journey-to-the-attic]

Dragon IK AU:

LET ME EXPLAIN! So IK is half human and half dragon in this AU. She got her dragon genes from her mom but the genes are not really apparent. They only come out when the person is in mortal danger. So yeah Ik became a Chinese dragon when Belphie tried to kill her. Chaos ensues :)

(Try to imagine her to look like Bailu from Honkai Star Rail) honestly this is all inspired by Bailu bc i can't help but think Ik would be very cute Asian Dragon

-🐧 Anon

i'm not familiar with honkai, so unfortunately the bailu connection is a little lost on me... but anything with dragons is an instant five stars!! (both from me and from ik, whose love of Creatures is at least a little bit compounded by my own)

the question is: when ik goes full dragon, would she be a real BIG one, capable of scooping a demon up with a single claw, or a little one (that still has the same level of firepower as the massive one)

or both! maybe getting attacked is what 'awakes' the latent transformative ability, so at the time she turns into the real BIG one and just kinda chucks belphie away, but afterwards she's able to take the little form and coil around your neck like a little scaly scarf

(dragons in chinese mythology have water and weather based powers rather than firebreathing, among others things... i wonder if ik would gain some kind of innate wish-granting magic as a dragon?)

(said dragons are also viewed more as gods/deities rather than Creatures like their western cousins, so i wonder how that might play into things (and how the celestial realm would feel about it))

[ladyevernite-fr]

@krabbu drew a wonderful character concept that just enamored me to no end. I was fortunate enough to be able to purchase the design and complete it. It was such a fun experience find the perfect aberration for this design and render these pics! Thank you Kabu!!

I have a short writing about this character in the read more if any are interested~!

Base character design and line art by krabbu/Kabuto. (KabutoMushii #145801)

Final character design/story and completed pics by me (Evernite #66767)

CW for story below: Death, mild gore/body horror (description of an emperor forming. It's not very detailed)

"Three dragons. Athena of Wind, cunning and fierce. Casper of Water, playful and brave. Ike of Plague, kind and attentive. They were to meet their fourth partner, Thisbe, at her clan's lair within the Ice Warden's domain, where they planned to all make a home together.

Days of travel passed, one imperial meeting with her coatl mate, to then gather their other imperial partner in plague, and soon enough they were within the cold tundra of Ice, their aether companion waiting for them within the evergreens at the base of the mountains. All was well. Thisbe had gotten word from them when they were passing through Arcane and knew they would arrive...until they didn't.

She knew the cold could sometimes slow travel, however when two days had passed their predicted arrival, Thisbe alerted her clan's leaders. The clan was quick to search for the trio when their partner called for aid, but what they found was a reminder of the dangers that resided in their home.

An avalanche. It had occurred days prior but the damage it left was evident...Clawing out of snow and rock, a forming emperor was emerging, Ike and Athena's bodies merging and taking Capser's along with them. A grim image of the two imperials protectively embracing their coatl mate between them as they were buried flashed through the minds of the clan as they went to work immediately. They worked quick. Being a clan full of necromancers, dragons that have come from death, and those alive by inorganic means, they had the knowledge and the ability to help if they worked fast enough. After hours of work and hope that the souls were willing to cooperate, a new aberration was formed, and the trio were back.

To die and return sharing a body with each other was a shock for sure. The process of becoming an aberration had changed their appearance not just in the sense of being merged into one, but even the colors and patterns of their scales and fur shifted. Though they retained features, they looked so different from their old selves...It was a lot, but they had been reunited with Thisbe, and as the days and months of therapy both physical and mental passed, they knew they would be okay."

[bluewings55]

This is a summary for the recent Winx club Sona AU I made. If you want to check it out: here's the link to the post:

So to summarize and some things to explain:

There are four dragons, each having his/her own element. All of them combined their magic to create light magic, and cus the ancestral witches were born, followed by light being it's opposite, dark magic was created as well.

By having base/main elements (fire, water earth sky, light and dark), wizards, witches and fairies draw their magic from a different source.

That means Flora draws her magic from the Earth drake, Aisha from the water leviathan, witches from the ancestral witches, Musa and Tecna from the Sky wyvern.

Of course 'regular' people that can wield magic have no connection to the main sources (of course there are exceptions like Bloom, the Trix, Valtor, etc)

And before you ask me "Why Musa and Tecna from sky magic? That makes no sense!".

It actually does:

What happens if you walk through the forest when it's windy? The leaves rustle and make noise. What do you need to use a flute for example? Your breath. Air and wind can make noise as well, creating a melody or their own sound.

And techno magic is TECNA-cally (⁠・⁠∀⁠・⁠) a form of Electro magic. So there ya go.

Light and dark magic is a little different tho. Since it's basically a 'mix' from all the dragons powers, and dark magic is the same, just corrupted. Light/dark magic isn't present in everyone, but everyone that can use magic can learn it, that's why fairies can become dark fairies or witches become light witches.

And about dark magic: just cus it's originally created from the Ancestral witches, it doesn't automatically mean it has to be evil. Telepathy or telekinesis is a form of Psychic magic aka dark magic. Everyone uses it, and it's not evil. The Winx used dark magic in season 2, they are still fine. And Mirta uses dark magic as well, she's not evil.

In some cases, the concentration of dark or light magic is more present in others. Faragonda, Avalon, Darcy and Acheron are good examples. (Icy, Stormy and Valtor aren't on it cus they have elemental power and learned about dark magic. This doesn't mean that they are weaker or stronger, they still have dark magic, but it's just not as present as Darcy who can't use any elements. I also didn't list the Wizards of the black circle since I'm planning to change their powers)

Each dragon also has a 'sub' element, like secondary powers:

Fire has the power of healing and destruction

Sky has spiritual and cosmic powers

Earth has the power of Life and death

Water can control blood and Chi (not in a spiritual meaning, but to become one with your own body since we are made out of 80% water, hope that kinda makes sense)

When it comes to natural opposites

Sky and earth

Fire and water

Light and Darkness

The ancestral witches:

Are the origin of all Darkness (yes ik some say it's Darkar but he's weak af)

So the witches and the Sky wyvern created Darkar from a piece of the dragon flame that they stole

This makes Darkar the fire dragons second natural opposite along with the waterstars

Not only that: when the witches and the wyvern took a part of the flame, a small piece fell into darkness. As the witches fled from the dragons, they found that piece, creating Valtor.

Just like the light fairy, they looked out for others that can harness magic and reached them the ways of dark magic

The light fairy/first fairy Arcadia

The origin of all fairies

Thought other creatures how to use their powers

Probably the founder of Alfea

I would also like to mention that the legend of the four dragons has been forgotten over time. Most people only think that the Great dragon is the only one that existed, and the ones that do know the legend think it's just a myth.

I hope this all makes sense. Again: ask and I shall answer

[iniquity-fr]

anni thoughts

complaints out of the way first: ehhhhh same gripe i had with dustcarve dig - i hate that we spend all this time waiting for the anniversary and then the actual anni date is “congrats you have to Wait More to actually get the new fun things lol”

like if they just started the teasers & then the event a week or so in advance so that the event concludes on the anniversary and we actually get to celebrate and get big shiny rewards for the anni itself instead of *starting* on it that would be SO much more exciting and satisfying. i don’t like the anniversary event being “go play the game normally and visit this page a couple times lmao” idk my hashtag unpopular opinion is that i found the dustcarve dig very frustrating and aggravating more than anything

gripes aside the new dragons look SO cool, immensely hype to get a new water modern (?!). it’s kind of maddening to SEE them and not be allowed to HAVE them yet but on the other hand unlike w dustcarve/obelisks knowing what they’ll look like in advance is exciting, makes the boring frustrating waiting nature a bit easier to deal w when i already know i’ll ike the reward waiting at the end, instead of having anxiety and anger wondering if it’ll even be worth it in the end or not. can’t wait to have 500 of those things asap.

also i need 5000000000000 of those anchors oh my god

[scourge-lover]

A lot of questions ik, but these are for Sapphire x Anduin and or Sapphire x Wrathion >:33

If they get married, who proposes?

What kind of nicknames do they call each other?

What’s their height difference? Age difference?

Did they have an official first date? If so, what was it like?

Did any of their friends or family want them to get together?

Who felt romantic feelings first?

Did either of them try to resist their feelings?

@wolf-of-stormwind

1. Sapphire proposes to Anduin. Wrathion proposes to Sapphire!

2. Sapphire calls Anduin my sunrise because he's as beautiful as a sunrise. Anduin calls her my angel because he thought he was dead the first time he met her. Wrathion calls Sapphire my dear because....DEER. Sapphire calls Wrathion my little darkness because he's a black dragon. Anduin calls him a pain in the ass. Wrathion calls Anduin my prince.

3. Sapphire is much shorter than both Anduin and Wrathion both. I've seen that Anduin is like 6 feet as adult. As an adult she's like at most 5' 4" She's also younger than Anduin. He's like 15 in War Crimes and she's 14.

4. I've already got a draft for a first date for Anduin and Sapphire! They have a picnic by the lake near Stormwind Keep. Sapphire falls into the lake and panics because of her fear of water. Anduin has to save her.

5. BOLVAR. Bolvar orchestrates them meeting and constantly manipulates events into keeping them close together. A certain black dragon wasn't a part of the plan but luckily it works out just fine. Marwyn loves the idea of Sapphire dating a prince she deserves nice things.

Arthas likes to think he's different than any stupid mortal but he falls for typical Dad behavior and HATES Anduin and Wrathion ("what do you mean Sapphire is dating TWO princes????" - Arthas)

6. Anduin and Wrathion honestly fell for each other *and* Sapphire first.

7. Sapphire's confused on her feelings for a long time because she's afraid to get close and admit any feelings. She thinks it'll never work because she's a *literal* monster. Anduin being a whole ass prince complicates things. She's a MENETHIL. Honestly at least Wrathion is easier to consider because he's a dragon and KNOWS Sapphire's identity.