#imtura was such a challenge to make

[zhoras-bitch]

Tyril and Imtura in our world.

[the-unconquered-queen]

The thing about Aerin and MC in this book, even if you’re not pursuing him…

Tyril, Nia, Imtura, and Mal have had a hell of a year. If you don’t have the inspiration skill to give a good speech, Mal makes it clear that he doesn’t think MC could understand what they all went through, implying that MC had it easy because they were just asleep.

But that doesn’t mean that MC isn’t facing their own challenges in the fallout. Shadow Realm capture aside, they’ve just come back to the Light Realm to find that they missed out on an entire year of their life. Meanwhile, everyone else moved on, doing their own thing. They’ve all changed, blatantly so, but MC still feels the same. MC has to feel like life just went on without them, and quite frankly, the LIs aren’t helping.

Now, take Aerin, who’s spent that same year locked up in a cell, with (seemingly) no visitors and no information… you can see how he’d be the one who could understand MC’s situation best, since his life was basically put on pause while everyone else’s continued, too. They’re both playing catch up.

And if you add in the fact that no one cared enough to regularly make time for Aerin and the fact that MC’s friends gave up on them after, what? A month? Less? Well, there’s clearly some kinship there, whether they like it or not.

[baldwinboy5ive]

I was going to post these screenshots and say "haha AU where the Blades gang, including Aerin, does the Morellan equivalent of the Hot Ones challenge"

but then... I wrote... a whole... stupid fic. I absolutely promise you that it is so, so stupid. Please don't read it without having acknowledged that.

Name on the Wall

Pairing: Aerin Valleros/F!MC, Blades of Light and Shadow Other characters: Tyril Starfury, Nia Ellarious, Mal Volari, Imtura Tal Kaelen, Kade of Riverbend Rating: ...T...? BOLAS says "godsdamn" is a swear haha. Word count: 3441 Summary: See above. It's total fluff. It's "HEY let's give Aerin and MC a happy ending! A VERY happy ending!"

I am tagging @lovehugsandcandy @lilyoffandoms @malthemagnifisent because they requested (or demanded haha) a tag, and @oh-so-youre-a-nerd because you said you wanted even CRUMBS of Aerin haha

Raine had once said to Cherta that her friends were her found family, and Cherta had told her that she needed to work on growing the “found” part. Well, it was finally happening. Raine couldn’t help smiling as she approached Riverbend, ready to begin a days-long celebration of her engagement to Aerin Valleros, former disgraced prince of Morella, now pardoned citizen and hero of the realm for his part in defeating the threats to their kingdom. 

Tyril was first to arrive and meet Raine and Aerin, and greeted the former with a fierce embrace, and the latter with a curt nod. Kade was next to appear, and they waited for Mal and Nia’s arrival with Threep and Loola. They all planned to meet in the town square with Imtura, and drop the nespers off with an old neighbor of Raine and Kade’s, where they were to be given plenty of food and attention until tomorrow, when everyone would be in attendance of an engagement party. 

Upon its arrival at the town square, Threep and Loola immediately burst forth from a carriage, fluttered their wings, and flew up to Aerin, nuzzling his face and purring. 

“The entire way over here! ‘Snacks! Snacks! Snacks!’ They wouldn’t even stop when I threatened to turn the whole carriage around and go back to Whitetower!” Mal yelled, throwing his hands up in exasperation as he hopped down from the carriage. 

“Because they knew you were bluffing,” said Nia, stepping out of the carriage behind him. 

Tyril, ignoring their banter, looked at the affectionate display by the nespers, and then wordlessly turned towards Raine, expectantly raising a hand and waiting for an explanation. 

“Oh, yeah. You know they always used to hiss at him. Especially Loola. You know. Not so happy about being locked up and all that, especially while Aerin was walking around in those dungeons. Well, she finally got to him the last time we were in Whitetower, that time you went to go see your family back home in Undermount. She clawed his face up pretty bad,” said Raine with the tiniest of smiles. 

“Ever since then, Aerin’s been bribing them with treats,” finished Mal with a loud snicker. “He basically would buy out my buddy over at the pier and dump a whole bag of fish on them, and now look at those spoiled things.”

“You can still see it!” Aerin said, pointing to some faint scars on his cheek, while obligingly throwing some fish out of his pockets to the nespers. 

“Yeah, he could finally pretend he was big enough to cut himself shaving!” said Mal with an obnoxiously loud laugh. 

Aerin rolled his eyes. “And I have two nespers here who’d do anything I say for a few more of these anchovies, including making you look like you’d cut yourself shaving.”

“Sorry, Mal,” said Threep, who at least had the decency to look abashed. “An anchovy’s an anchovy. You understand. It’s nothing personal.”

“Hush, Threep. Mal, you know he wouldn’t, really,” said Loola. 

“Wait a minute…” began Kade as realization dawned on him. “I was locked up, too. Hold on. You mean I could’ve been getting free stuff from Aerin this whole time?!” 

Before anyone could answer, Imtura came striding up towards the group. 

“Landrat! Princeling!” Imtura said, clapping both of them on the shoulders with a hand each. “Time to get our hot sauce on!” 

“Huh?” said Aerin. “I thought all the party stuff was tomorrow.” 

“It is,” replied Raine with a mischievous grin. “Today we’re doing the Saucy Folks Challenge.” 

“Yes!” Nia said giddily. “I’m scared! And also excited! But mostly scared!” 

Tyril nodded emphatically. “To be honest, I feel quite the same way,” he said. 

“What’s… going on?” said Aerin dubiously. 

“The Saucy Folks Challenge,” Raine repeated. “Ten hot sauces in order of increasingly intense spiciness. The challenge dictates that each participant eats fried pargallus wings tossed in the hot sauces, in order, while answering deep, burning - pun intended - personal questions. You can drop out anytime you like, but if you make it to Number Ten, you get your name on the wall of honor, and a bunch of free food. It’s… mostly a bunch of fried stuff.” 

“And bragging rights, don’t forget the bragging rights,” added Mal. 

Aerin groaned. “You mean you four knew?” 

“Well, uh, yes,” Nia stammered. “She and Kade said it was a tradition. I couldn’t see the harm in it.” 

Aerin turned to Raine, and asked, “Then why didn’t you just tell me that’s why we were coming here early?!” 

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Imtura said with a booming laugh. “You know godsdamn well you would’ve said no. That girl isn’t stupid.” 

With a rueful smile, Aerin said, “I don’t have a choice, do I?” 

“You don’t; I think I’ll bow out, though,” Kade said. 

Mal chuckled. “I’ve been eating spicy food my whole life - I thought I had a leg up on all you guys, but I didn’t think you were going to quit before we even got started!” 

“Yeah…” Kade said absently, looking off into the distance at some of the stores in the town square. 

Raine shook her head. “You’re wrong, Mal. Kade’s already beaten the challenge. You can see for yourself. His name’s on the wall… at the tavern.” 

“Ohhh. The tavern. That’s where this challenge is hosted,” Aerin said, as understanding came over him. He and Raine had talked extensively about their families - including the sheer amount of trouble Kade was always getting himself into when he and Raine were growing up in Riverbend. “You just don’t want to face that barkeep again.” 

The group - minus Kade - laughed. 

“Come on, just come with us,” Imtura insisted, slinging an arm around Kade’s shoulders. 

“Besides, Raine’s here, and she’ll never let him kill you,” Aerin pointed out. 

“That’s true,” agreed Tyril. 

---

A collective cheer came from the crowd gathered in the tavern as the group stepped inside. 

“The heroes of the realm!” several people shouted. Tankards of ale were raised, and the heroes were clapped on their backs and shoulders as they made their way to the bar counter. 

“Raine! Back home already? To what do we owe the pleasure?” asked the barkeep. 

“That,” answered Raine, pointing to the wall behind the bar. There was a painting of a pargallus, a small domesticated bird found widely throughout Morella, raised for its feathers, eggs, and meat. It was dramatically engulfed in flames, and its eyes were crossed out with black X marks. This was the logo of the infamous Saucy Folks Challenge, so named for the Saucy Sausage that originated from Riverbend, along with the other nine hot sauces that made up the challenge. 

“See? Right there,” said Kade proudly, pointing to the long list of names under the cartoon pargallus. 

“All right, I concede,” said Mal, raising an eyebrow. 

“Hah! The Saucy Folks Challenge! Wonderful! Any special occasion, or just because?” asked the barkeep, who was already beginning to gather some trays and baskets.  

Raine glanced over at Aerin, who flushed a crimson so deep he almost resembled the burning pargallus, and she showed the barkeep the royal ring she wore on her hand. “He gave this to me when we first met. A lot’s happened since then. But now it’s official: we just got engaged.”

There were several surprised gasps from the tavern patrons, and then a second round of celebratory cheers made its way throughout the establishment. 

“Well, then, I offer my congratulations!” said the barkeep. “Our little Raine, all grown up, about to get married! To a prince, no less!”

“Well, that part is currently up in the air,” corrected Aerin. 

Mal smirked. “I think the term they used was ‘On Probation,’ or, alternatively, ‘We’re Watching You, Young Man.’ They may be on a three-strikes system. Or something.” 

“In any case, back in the king’s good graces,” continued the barkeep, his voice becoming stern. 

“Ehhh…” said Raine, teetering her palm back and forth in the air. 

The barkeep’s expression turned deadly serious. “What I’m getting at is, surely this family is now prospering. I mean it, Kade. It was cute at first, but this has gone on long enough. You think it’s easy making a living here? I don’t care that you’re a hero of the realm, Kade, you’re our hometown boy first, and I expect our folk to take care of each other here in Riverbend - and that means paying your tab in full!” 

Kade sat on his barstool taking this in quietly, all while a big smile spread across his face until he was positively chortling with joy. 

“What’s so funny?!” demanded the barkeep. 

Kade, still with the giant grin on his face, swiveled around on his stool to face his future brother-in-law. 

There was an awkward pause. For a moment, no one spoke. Then Aerin relented, groaned, and said, “Fine.” 

“Hooray!” exclaimed Kade, putting both hands in the air and spinning on his barstool. 

“Wait, really? I’m finally getting paid?” said the barkeep with no small amount of astonishment. 

“Hand over the tab,” said Aerin with a sigh. He accepted a thick stack of paper from the barkeep, and his eyes grew wider and wider as he scanned over it. “What the three hells, Kade?” 

“Thanks, Aerin! I can tell we’re going to be great as brothers-in-law!” Kade said with a laugh. 

“Yep.” 

---

“Here it is!” Raine said brightly, approaching the table around which her friends were gathered with an enormous tray filled with fried pargallus wings, each basket of wings being labeled with a number. 

“The local butcher’s family has been making these hot sauces for generations. People around here say that they just keep getting hotter and hotter every year. They partner with the tavern to host the challenge, since… well, people want a lot of ale while doing it,” Raine said with a laugh. 

“All right,” she continued excitedly. “You ready? It starts with our hometown favorite, Saucy Sausage, and it only gets hotter.” 

“It starts with Saucy Sausage?!” said Nia with great trepidation. 

“I warned you,” replied Raine with a grin. 

“So, Kade? You in or not?” Mal said, nudging Kade in the ribs. 

“I was going to say I have nothing to prove - I’ve already got my name on the wall. But you know what? What the hell, my only sister’s getting married! I’m in!” 

The table cheered. 

“A lot of people do it for weddings, but it’s not a wedding-specific tradition,” Kade clarified as he sat down. “It’s just a thing people do in Riverbend. No special occasion needed, really. People make any old excuse to get together with friends and do the challenge.”

“Then I suppose, as we are here, celebrating an occasion, with friends, it appears we are all set to go,” concluded Tyril. 

As everyone began to grab a basket for themselves and get seated, Aerin hesitated. 

“Come on, you can sit next to me,” said Raine warmly. 

Aerin, however, stayed where he was, and fixed his eyes on Tyril. “Did you mean that?” 

“What?” 

“Well…” Aerin began hesitantly. “That we’re friends?” 

“Yes,” said Tyril flatly. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“Because… you don’t really treat me all that differently than when you all were threatening to kill me every two seconds?” 

Mal, Imtura, and Nia all exchanged amused looks with one another. Then Imtura gestured towards Tyril and said, “You think he doesn’t like you? I think you offended him, Aerin.” 

“Yeah, he looks confused and offended,” added Mal.  

“Yeah, tell him, landrat,” Imtura goaded Raine. 

Aerin felt that Tyril appeared exactly as he always did. 

“Um… no he doesn’t,” Aerin said, to which everyone else but Tyril laughed. 

“You keep hanging with us, princeling, and you’ll start to see it,” Mal said good-naturedly. 

“Yes, that’s just how his face is, Aerin,” Nia explained patiently. 

“Not you, too,” Tyril grumbled at her. 

“It’s just… well, I just assumed you still hated me,” said Aerin. 

“Then why would I be here right now?” Tyril asked. 

“To support Raine, of course.” 

“If we still hated you, we would have simply thrown a private bachelorette party for her without you.” 

“Ooh, we could still do that, too, though,” said Imtura. She and Nia exchanged a look, ensuring that this was definitely happening. 

“Then… you’re here for the free ale?” Aerin said helplessly. 

“Former Prince Aerin,” Tyril said icily, “I assure you that if I should ever attempt to make nice with Raine’s acquaintances, even if I did not like them, it would not be for the paltry reward of free ale and a basket of assorted fritters.” 

“You also get your name on the wall,” Mal interjected. 

“And hey, those fritters are good!” Raine insisted. 

Tyril turned away to look out of the tavern window in order to hide the mixture of amusement and annoyance on his face. When he turned back around, he was perfectly composed. 

“You are, as they say, stuck with us,” insisted Tyril. 

“Huh. So we’re friends,” said Aerin, a teasing grin finally appearing on his face. 

Tyril Starfury let out a breath and, in his heart, cursed Raine of Riverbend for letting things come to this point. That boy really was annoying. 

“The things I do for my friends,” he muttered aloud. 

“So?! We starting, or what?” said Imtura. 

“Yes, we’re starting!” Raine said decisively. “All right, everyone ready with Sauce One? All you have to do is finish those wings to move onto Sauce Two. Oh, and think up some really good questions, everyone!” 

“Wait, hold on, landrat,” cut in Imtura. “You never told us how we win.” 

“Yes, we did,” said Kade. “You get through all ten sauces in order, you answer all the questions that are asked of you, and then you win.” 

Imtura’s face was a mixture of astonishment and dismay. “No, I mean, then who wins?” 

Kade and Raine both looked a little confused. “Everyone who gets to Sauce Ten?” Raine said. 

“Then how do you…?” Imtura trailed off. 

“You beat the challenge by getting all the way to the end, that’s it,” said Kaid simply. 

“So you’re saying there’s a chance that all of us could win, and no one single person is the champion?!” Imtura demanded.

Raine snorted. “I’m not so sure that all of us will win.” 

Then it was Mal’s turn to scoff. “I’m the one who introduced you to Purple Parnassians, kit.” 

“Mal, those things are probably a one on the scale, maybe a two.” 

“Hah!” barked Mal, though Raine didn’t miss the look of apprehension that crossed his face. 

Imtura narrowed her eyes at Mal. “Ooh, I’m beating you, at least.” 

Aerin, who was familiar with Purple Parnassians back in Whitetower, looked even more nervous than he was before. “So I really have to do this?” he said. 

“Oh, just you wait, you who mocked Saucy Sausage,” replied Raine. She then turned towards Tyril, and added, “And so did you, if I remember correctly.” 

And so the challenge began. 

“Oh, gods,” cried Tyril. “This is horrible.” He shot his arm out towards Imtura. “Ale. Ale.”

“Help!” wailed Mal. He cast a stricken glance over to Nia, who herself was in excruciating pain from Sauce Five, and was not capable of thinking straight. Nia grabbed a pitcher of water and threw it upon herself and Mal, leaving the two of them sputtering. 

WIth tears in his eyes, Tyril straightened his shoulders and summoned up what was left of his dignity. “This isn’t working,” he declared. “Hand over the milk.” 

“With the ale?!” gasped Imtura, who was fanning herself with her napkin in between gulps of her own ale. 

“Not together!” growled Tyril with aggravation. 

“This burns more than the Nerada Stone,” sobbed Aerin. 

“I’m in too much pain right now to decide if that’s too soon or not, Aerin,” said Mal. 

“Wait,” Tyril suddenly said, who was in slightly better shape for having had some milk. “I just remembered we were supposed to be asking questions.”

“Oh, yeah,” said Mal. “Okay, I’ll go first. So, comparing this to the Nerada Stone: too soon?”

“No, it was funny,” answered Tyril with grave sincerity, readying himself for another pargallus wing. 

“Agree,” said Kade. 

“You don’t even know funny!” shot Mal. “And this proves it!”

“Just eat your wings!” Tyril roared back, more tears welling up in his eyes. 

Nia was panting hard, and dabbed at her eyes with a napkin. “Imtura, did you ever feel that you lash out at people sometimes because your mother wasn’t generous enough with her affection?” 

“Whoa!” Imtura sputtered, spitting out some of her ale and coughing, in equal measures from shock and from the heat of Sauce Five. 

“Priestess isn’t holding back!” Mal exclaimed. 

“Well?” Tyril prodded. 

“Yes! Happy?!” Imtura growled, tearing viciously into a pargallus wing. 

“All right, Mal, you’re up,” said Raine. “Deepest darkest secret you’ve never told anyone else ever.” 

Mal managed to bark out a weak laugh amidst his panting and gasping. “Why do I get that one?!” 

“Everybody can answer that one, too,” said Raine diplomatically. 

“Um… don’t have any,” said Mal. 

“Boooo!” shouted the rest of the table. 

“Fine! I had a crush on Raine when I first met her!” 

“EVEN MORE BOOOOOO!” yelled Imtura. “We all knew that!” 

“Yeah,” said Nia, sniffling through her tears. “Raine said, deepest darkest secret no one knows!” 

“Very funny,” Mal said, himself sniffling through tears as well. 

“Kit this, kit that,” Tyril mocked savagely. “It could not have been more painfully obvious.” 

Mal turned towards Tyril with venom in his eyes. “Oh? And you?” he said accusingly. 

Tyril then had a coughing fit from his efforts to make it through Sauce Seven. When he recovered, he said, “Everyone liked Raine. That is no real secret.” 

“Is no one going to ask Tyril about the existential crisis he had when we went to Zaradun?” challenged Mal. 

“Just eat your wings!!!” shouted Tyril with more emotion than he’d shown all day. 

“Ice, elf boy, please,” huffed Mal, pushing a glass of water towards Tyril. 

Tyril obliged, using his magic to drop some ice cubes into Mal’s water. “Only because you said ‘please,’” he said grimly. 

Ignoring this, Nia asked, “Raine, did you ever have romantic feelings for anyone else in your adventuring party?” 

Raine, who was soldiering through Sauce Nine, but visibly struggling, eventually gained enough composure to answer. “Maybe. I might have. If Aerin hadn’t come along when he did.” 

“Who?” 

“Yes, who?!” 

“Tell us!” 

“Oh, I don’t know! You guys know I flirted with everyone back then!” 

“Who could forget the bug monster…” Mal said darkly, as he wiped his brow and downed some more ale. 

“Done!” Raine suddenly shouted, throwing a bone down into the basket in front of her, and raising her tankard of ale. “Sauce Ten!” 

The tavern patrons all cheered and whooped, and thumped the tables. “Raine! Raine!” some chanted. 

“All right, I am not getting left behind,” said Imtura with renewed determination. She clenched her jaw, and then tore through Sauces Eight and Nine. The others followed suit, amidst sobs and yells, and dramatic gulps of their ale. Sauce Ten was now in everyone’s sights. 

“We’re gonna add a whole bunch more names to that wall tonight!” shouted Kade. “I get a special mark for doing it twice!” 

“Keep fighting!” growled Nia. 

“We can do this!” added Imtura. 

“Put mine up there!” screamed Mal, his face bright red and shiny with perspiration and tears. “Done!” 

“Done!”

“DONE!”

“Sauce Ten, done!” 

Raine turned towards her fiance, and gave him a triumphant smile before leaning in and kissing him. 

“Feels like fire,” he said with a big grin. Raine couldn’t tell if his face was red from the kiss, or - well, frankly, it was probably mostly from the challenge. 

Aerin looked around at the people surrounding him - sweating, coughing, wiping away tears, gulping down milk and ale - and even through the sheer pain he was feeling in his whole face from going through this ordeal, he realized he didn’t want to be anywhere else, doing anything else, with any other folks. 

His family wasn’t the one into which he was born. His family was the one that took him in, forgave him for the things that he’d done, and relentlessly teased him every chance they got. 

He gritted his teeth with determination. They were his new family. Therefore, his name godsdamned well better be joining theirs up on that wall. 

“Done! SAUCE TEN!” he shouted, and it brought the house down. 

The tavern erupted with a deafening cheer. 

There was no better way for Raine and Aerin to start their celebrations and new life together. 

[camillemontespan]

a deal with shadows [mal volari]

Mal Volari had always been a man who burned brighter than a star. But this past year, he felt like he had burnt out. Every day was spent simply placing one foot in front of the other, trying to appear normal, trying to appear happy, trying to appear more Mal, but deep inside, something was wrong.

His zest for life had diminished. His love for adventure had faded. The shadow realm may have been defeated by Luna but to Mal, he felt like it had all been for nothing. The shadow realm may as well have taken him. 

Losing Luna had been the tipping point. Without her, his life felt meaningless. She had shown him what the world was like with a partner, someone who fought your corner, someone who loved you.

He had been given the world and in one swift motion, she had been taken away from him.

And now, after one long year, she was alive. She had escaped the shadow realm. She had found him.

But it was too late.

**********

'Come on, land rat, there's ale to be drunk!' Imtura crowed, jostling Luna as the group made their way along the canal towards the inn. 

'I was hoping we could find a quiet corner to process what just happened..' Tyril muttered. 

'That troll nearly broke my nose, the bastard!' Mal announced. 

'It would have been an improvement!' Imtura hollered back over her shoulder. 

As Mal raised a middle finger at Imtura in response, Luna couldn't help but feel her stomach twist. 

Mal had been acting normal with everyone else except Luna. He argued with Imtura, teased Mal, engaged in deep conversations with Nia but with Luna… nothing.

He still spoke to her of course. And he would still call her 'kit', his nickname for her. But any closeness they had before Luna had been trapped in the shadow realm seemed to have vanished. 

Not to sound like a lovesick teenager, but he was supposed to be her boyfriend. Well, at least Luna thought so. They hadn't exactly defined their relationship even though they had shared many nights together. Mal had wanted to take her on adventures. To Luna, that seemed like boyfriend behaviour.

They hadn't so much as kissed when they were reunited. Everyone else had been delighted to see Luna again, happy that she was alive, and while Mal had told her he had missed her, he hadn't reacted in a way Luna expected.

Maybe that was her fault. She couldn't control his emotions or his actions. But she at least expected him to spend a night with her so they could reunite properly.

Testing the waters, Luna reached out to brush her hand against Mal's. He jumped at the sudden contact before glancing at her.

'Hey kit,' he said, giving her a smile that didn't reach his eyes. 'You okay?'

Luna's hand fell back against her side.

No, I'm not okay.

**************

Imtura and Mal sank several tankards of ale while Tyril and Nia played a game of dice.

Luna sat in the corner watching their game, her eyes occasionally looking up to glance at Mal.

The more Mal drank, the louder he became. He joked with Imtura and exchanged stories about adventures. 

As time wore on, Luna became increasingly frustrated with him. Why wasn't he having a drink with her? Why wasn't he talking to her? Why was he absolutely fine with everyone else but acted like she was some sort of creature from a different land?

Luna slammed her tankard down on the table, making everyone jump in surprise.

'Luna, are you alright?' Nia asked, her eyebrows knitted together with concern. 

Tyril reached out to take Luna's arm to try comfort her but she was already standing up, her hands shaking. 

'I need air,' she said. Her eyes landed on Mal's, challenging him to react. To do something. Anything.

He stared at her as if she'd grown two heads.

'I'll come with you-' Nia began to say.

But Luna had already left the table.

****************

She sat down by the side of the canal and stared down at the water. Hot tears filled her eyes and slowly slid down her cheeks. She furiously rubbed her eyes with her hands, hating herself for getting upset.

'Stop it Luna..' she croaked. 'Stop it, stop it, stop it.'

'Hey kit.'

She saw Mal's reflection in the water. He settled down beside her, his knee brushing hers.

She sniffled. 'Go away, Mal.'

His body stiffened beside hers. 

She didn't want to turn to look into his brown eyes and see nothing reflected back at her. 

'We need to talk..' Mal muttered.

Luna scoffed. 'Oh trust me, I'm aware of that.'

Mal's hands clenched into fists. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. 

'I know I've been acting different,' he said quietly. 'With you, I mean.'

Luna kept her eyes on the water, watching Mal's reflection. His hair was so short now. That was what Luna fixated on. If she thought of anything deeper, she would end up throwing herself into the canal.

'Luna..' he whispered. His hand reached out to take hers. His calloused fingers wrapped around hers, his thumb rubbing her palm. It was almost reassuring.

'I don't understand,' Luna finally spoke. 'I'm back from the shadow realm and you've been acting weird. You don't treat me like you used to. You're fine with everyone else. But with me, it's like you don't know how to act around me. I feel so alone when I'm with you.'

Her voice cracked as she said this. Because she did feel alone when she was with him. The chasm between them felt like it couldn't be healed.

'I'm sorry,' Mal said. 'I'm a dick-'

'I just want an explanation,' Luna cut in. 'If you don't love me anymore, I'd rather you told me.' 

Mal's head whipped around so he could stare at her. Luna swallowed and willed herself to look at him.

His eyes were filled with pain.

An emotion. 

'Of course I still love you!' He protested. 'Gods, I'm so happy you're back! I never stopped loving you!'

'THEN WHY ARE YOU ACTING LIKE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PERSON WITH ME?' Luna shouted. 

A pin could drop in the thick silence between them. Mal stared at her,  his eyes searching her face as he tried to find the words to explain himself. Luna's lower lip trembled as she stared back at him, willing him to say something.

Mal wrenched his eyes away from hers. He focused on looking into the water.

'It's because I am a different person..' he muttered, his voice so low that Luna had to lean in to hear him.

'What does that even mean?' she asked. 'Mal, for God's sake, can you just tell me the truth without being ominous?-'

'I let myself be corrupted by shadow,' Mal interrupted, his voice filled with anxiety. 'Alright? That's why I've been different with you. I'm not.. I'm not me.'

****************

Luna's heart pounded in her chest. She stared at him as she tried to make sense of what he had just said. 

'Mal..' she croaked. 'What did you do?'

Mal covered his face with his hands and leaned down. His broad shoulders heaved as he started to weep.

Alarm filled Luna. Mal never cried. She couldn't help herself, she had to comfort him. She gently wrapped her arms around him and held him as he cried. 

'I was lost without you,' he said, his voice muffled as he spoke against her neck. 'I was desperate to find you. I never stopped searching for a way to rescue you. I tried everything with no results. I couldn't allow myself to think you were dead because that would have ended me, Luna. I couldn't have carried on.'

Luna softly rubbed her hands on his back, trying her best to comfort him. 

He slowly sat up and faced her, taking her hands as he did so.

'I made a deal,' he told her. 'A deal to get you back.'

Luna blinked. 'What? How? Mal, I escaped myself -'

'I know that now,' Mal interrupted. His voice was flat now, empty. 'The creature I made a deal with.. they said that they had been in the shadow realm and had seen you. They said they would help me to rescue you. But they weren't going to do this out of the goodness of their heart.'

Luna swallowed, dreading hearing more of his story. His hands clenched hers tighter as he went on. 

'Most people allow themselves to be corrupted to gain more power, more influence,' he explained. 'As you know. But I didn't do it for those reasons. I did it to get you back. I did it for love.'

Luna closed her eyes, willing herself not to burst into tears. She could feel Mal's hands gripping hers.

'They said if I embraced the shadow, they would go into the realm and get you out. They warned me that once I allowed myself to become corrupt, I wouldn't be the same. But I didn't care. I just wanted you.'

Luna squeezed his hands. 'Mal..'

'Every day since I've been corrupted, I've been different,' he continued. 'I don't like adventuring anymore. I don't even like being a thief. The stuff that made me me.. it's gone. I feel like a shell of myself.' 

Luna bit her lip. 'You've been acting like your usual self with the others..'

'Exactly,' Mal said, 'acting. It's not genuine.'

Luna's eyes met his. 'So why haven't you been acting the same with me?'

Mal swallowed. It took a moment for him to speak. 'Because you're going to hate me once I tell you everything. So I figured may as well speed that process along.'

There was a silence until Luna broke it. 'Mal, what the fuck are you talking about? I could never hate you. I promise. I love you.' 

Mal's jaw set.

'The creature didn't tell me the fine print,' he carried on, his voice dull. 'They kept something from me when I agreed to corruption. I only found this out once it had been done. I..'

He broke off and tears filled his eyes again. Luna had to do something. She had to show him that she still loved him. That she was in his corner.

She kissed him. It wasn't a soft kiss. It was fierce, filled with fire, filled with all of the feelings that she felt deep inside.

Luna heard Mal groan against her lips. She felt his tears slide down his cheeks. 

She moved to kiss the tears away. 'It's okay..' she whispered. 'I've got you.' 

Mal's fingers twisted in her hair, bunching the tendrils into his fists. His body was shaking as he held onto her. He leant his forehead against hers.

'I could have you back,' he croaked, 'but anything I felt for you would fade.' 

************

Luna blinked. She could feel her skin bloom with goosebumps. Her eyes began to water,  threatening to spill hot tears down her cheeks. Her heart began to pound, quicker and quicker as she processed what he had just said.

'M-Mal, what?' She struggled to speak. 'Why- why did you do that?'

Her entire body was shaking. She could feel Mal's hands grip her shoulders, trying to ground her. 'I'm so sorry, Luna-'

She pushed at his chest, making him topple. 'How could you do that?!' She screamed. 'You gave up your love for me-

'So I could have you back in my life!' Mal interrupted, his voice desperately trying to make her see reason. 'I would rather have you back in my life, alive and safe from the shadow realm, than not at all!'

'At the expense of our relationship!' Luna wailed. She was crying hard now. She couldn't stop. 'Mal, I love you-'

'And I love you, I know I do -'

'But you're going to stop loving me at some point?!' Luna demanded. 'Is that the twist?'

Mal looked down at the ground, ashamed. 'Please understand..' he whispered. 'Please.'

Luna rubbed her eyes furiously before fixing her stare on him. 'We're going to fix it,' she told him. 'Me and you. We're going to set this right.'

'Luna..' Mal croaked. 'I don't think we can-'

'Yes we can,' Luna cut in. 'I love you, Mal. If I can stay in this realm and have you, then I will do anything. I know you are willing to not be together so I can be alive but I refuse to do that. I won't do it.'

Mal swallowed but nodded, knowing he couldn't argue. 'Maybe there's a loop hole,' he said softly. 

'If there isn't,' Luna said, 'we will make one.'

Their hands clasped and their foreheads leaned together. They sat like this for a long time, silent.

Finally back together, but apart. 

[skepticalfrogcat]

Hi! Question about Finch , when and why did he start cartography 👀 and what is his favorite type of scenery? Wait one more, what has been his favorite trivial moment on his adventures thus far??

Ok Ty!! 💖

I think map making has been something he always sort of casually did (he was absolutely the kind of kid to make little fake treasure maps for himself and Kade when they were younger), but he only REALLY started doing it when he actually started adventuring. And he only becomes more interested in it once Imtura teaches him wayfinding, because then his maps can become a lot more accurate. I think his favorite type of scenery would be mountains! Not only just because they're beautiful, especially the view from the top of one, but also because they'd be really interesting to mark on a map. Forests would be a close second, though.

As for trivial adventuring moments, it really depends on if you're looking for one that was challenging but overall enjoyable, or one that did mild psychological damage. If it's the first one, then I'd say he probably had a lot of fun in Undermount, because that place is FULL of puzzles for him to solve, which is something he loves doing. Give him a little mind game to figure out and he'll be occupied for HOURS. If it's the second one, he would've been VERY conflicted when Aerin betrayed them, because he still loves him, and wants to believe he isn't too far gone, but it's just sort of hard to see either of those things being possible anymore.

[suoirallesalta]

A Masterlist of all @suoirallesalta edits!

Every edit is tagged under #suoiredits. edits are sorted acc to their books! enjoy

click here for my art masterlist!

Making Sabina in the Character without using Character’s assets style (edit challenge

Kepler, in only the harness. 

f!Adam

Jen in her dress including the lingerie

Simon Montjoy in Ava’s dress

younger Mitzi Montjoy

AVSP MC as on the cover

💫 Nia Ellarious

the perfect pair? (Nia x MC in an AME crossover)

Goddess of the Sea (Nia x Sunkissed edit)

Nia and Imtura with... moustaches

Nia with TE Alma’s hair and MTFL Ava’s outfit (#suoirandom edit)

Nia as Neisha (new avatar)

Starry Nia (#BladesAW)

Empress of The Shadow (#BladesAW)

Nia as BloodBound women: Kamilah (#BladesAW)

Nia as BloodBound women: Rheya (#BladesAW) 

the pretty young girl next door (#BladesAW)

Quartermaster Nia Ellarious (#BladesAW)

Nia Ellarious as TE MC (#BladesAW)

Nia Ellarious as Shreya (#BladesAW) 

Nia Ellarious in her dress including her lingerie

nia ellarious hot goth girlfriend

The Priestess (GIF edit) (Nia in RC outfit)

Tyril Starfury

cold and broody™ vampire elf (#BladesAW)

cold and broody™ bodyguard (#BladesAW)

cold and broody™ elementalist (#BladesAW)

cold and broody™ orc (#BladesAW)

cold and broody™ designer; feat. f!Tyril (#BladesAW)

f!Tyril (#BladesAW)

Tyril with f!Blaine’s hair (#BladesAW)

rogue-ish Tyril Starfury (with a beard)

The Mage (GIF edit) (in RC outfit)

Scream(o)s from the inside (Kade album cover edit)

Bald-ur (#BladesAW)

Damn those elves and their magicks (Mal - Aerin hairswap)

Modern Rogue-ish Mal Volari (with a beard)

StarCorp

Blades of Lust and Sensuality

Jax Tora and Robin Matsuo (face swap)

Duke Richards in the banana mascot outfit from Platinum.

Charlie Smith

A relaxing day at the waterfall! (edit inspired by Charlie Premium Scene!)

Quartermaster of the Dreadlord (DSAW)

Quartermaster of the Flotillan Pirates (DSAW)

Siren of The Light (DSAW)

Charlie as Atlas, Eli and Shreya from TE (DSAW)

Maggie

Maggie! M-Maggie? (MM and DS Maggie Crossover)

Maggie with HC Hazel’s hair and QB Poppy’s outfit. (#suoirandom request)

Oliver Cochrane

Oliver Cochrane as Luke Hemmings

oliver cock rain (DSAW)

f!Oliver (DSAW)

Distant Sores (Charlie x Edward face swap)

DS MC using BaBu2 sprite (DSAW)

Distant Couture // Hot Shores (DS x HC crossover, DSAW)

Ayna Seth

student!Ayna and professor!Ayna

Ayna as Imogen from ILB

buff ayna

Ayna as Jackie in the Open Heart 3 CG

vampire!Ayna

Ayna Seth

Ayna Seth as a Lovelink Match

Ayna Seth as Robin Tora

aynia ellarious

TA meets TA (Ayna - Aiyana Midthunder crossover)

Blaine Hayes

m!Blaine in f!Blaine’s dress

f!Blaine as m!Blaine

Blaine with PT Raleigh’s Hair and MOTY MC’s outfit (#suoirandom edit)

Blaine Hayes edit inspired by @aestheteasteria’s icon

Tatum Mendoza

John Somerset x Tatum Mendoza crossover

Tatum in Ayna’s dress / Tatum as Ayna

MC

politics reporter and student (FA mc x WT mc)

MC with ATV Pax’s hair and TNA Robin’s outfit (#suoirandom edit)

Ayna x MC

girlfriends

partners

Bodyguard Murphy (lmao)

Murphy Icons <3

I think I got the address to the wrong Murphy

Skye Crandall x Gerard Way

Dark Mage Ajay (choicedits challenge)

Power Duo (Luz x MC)

Bridgette Gardner with TRH Cedric Vescovi’s hair and PM Hayden’s Outfit (#suoirandom edit)

Luz Estrada in her dress including the lingerie

Noah Marshall in the banana outfit (edit request)

Sadie McGraw

Sadie McGraw (in the TNA MC’s Golden Dress)

A bit younger Sadie McGraw

Sadie McGraw (in casual(?) outfit)

Aislinn Tanaka

Aislinn Tanaka in QB Poppy’s outfit and diff black hair

aislinn tanaka hot goth girlfriend

aislinn tanaka hot goth girlfriend 2

aislinn tanaka girlfriend

aislinn tanaka’s v short hair

Gabe and MC as Mal and Nia

Babe Ricci with long hair

The Boys

Ava as Britney from ILITW

IGHT (NB face swap)

MC with TE MC’s hair and BB MC’s outfit (#suoirandom edit)

bryce.. lahela .. and,, uh.. bryce sterling..

Rookie Ramsey

Rookie Varma

Raleigh Carrera

Raleigh Carrera with AME Mackenzie’s hair and VOS Naomi’s outfit (#suoirandom edit)

An exclusive sneak-peek at Raleigh Carrera’s fuck-the-stereotype Vinyls look that has got the fandom in meltdown!

Raleigh Carrera with BOLAS MC’s hair and THM Eris’s outfit. (#suoirandom edit)

A Very Wilshere Christmas! (Album Cover)

The Hottest Couple of the Industry (Avery x MC)

Poppy is just angry Avery

Zoey Wade

“Besties!” (mc and Zoey as Mc and Ava from MTFL)

priestess zoey wade

zoey in floral

zoey in floral (beach-wear edition)

TA Zoey Wade

Zoey Wade as Atlas Ernhardt

Zoey Wade in TE MC’s gala outfit

zoey in the dress she gave to mc in the first chapter

Ina/Ian Kingsley

Ina Kingsley with TF Becca's hair and BB Kamilah's outfit. (edit request)

Ina Kingsley with TNA Sam’s hair and WT MC’s outfit. (#suoirandom edit)

Veronica with TNA Sofia’s hair and ACOR Sabina’s outfit. (#suoirandom edit)

MC with BP Courtney’s hair and QB Poppy’s outfit.

how (ridiculous) mc would look if she actually wore that ligerie under that dress

📰 Robin Tora

Asian Robin as Ava Lawrence from MTFL

Asian Robin as Ava Lawrence from MTFL (#2)

Asian Robin as Ava Lawrence from MTFL (#3)

Robin as Mikasa Ackerman from Attack on Titan

Jax Tora and Robin Matsuo (face swap)

Robin in an oversized baggy shirt

wait, wrong Robin- shit (Sofia TNA edit)

Robin Tora as Robin Tora and Robin Tora as Robin Tora

Robin as Cassian in Witness

Robins at the beach

robin hood

asian f!robin tora as blaine hayes

Flame the Crow & Me : One Boob (TC&TF face swap)

Annia Adairious (TCTF AW)

orc!Val (TCTF AW)

Kenna Rys with NB Katherine’s hair and HSS Principal Rivera’s outfit (#suoirandom edit)

🌙 Atlas Ernhardt

Atlas Ellarious

Atlas, the adventurous elf

Queen of Vampires, Atlas, of Clan Ernhardt

Vampire Queen Atlas (edit #2)

Atlas, the Snow Princess

Atlas, the Moon Princess

Atlas in genderfluid flag colors!

m!Atlas in f!Atlas’s Gala dress

f and m!Atlas swapped

☀️ Eli Solaris Russell (my mc)

Eli’s first (accidental) spell cast!

Eli’s momentous first day at Penderghast

⚙️ Beckett Harrington

“Small dapper Beckett… confirmed.”

Beckett as Connor from Detroit: Become Human

Shreya Mistry

Shreya “Wonder Woman” Mistry

❣️ Pend Pals

“All dressed in black.”

Pend Gals on a night out in matching black outfits (#1)

Pend Gals on a night out in matching black outfits (#2)

Magick Docs (OH crossover)

Pend Pals in Belvoire attire

Pend Gals on a night out after the Amorelia Day Gala (faceapp faceswap edit)

The Elementalists - Across the Dimension (2D art crossover)

💞 Shreya x Atlas

“your eyes, they shine so bright”

“Hey Shreya.. Marry Me”

“Wedding Day!”

💞 Beckett x Eli/MC

Beckett and Eli in a western setting

Eli x Beckett face swap

Eli x Beckett in Robin x Sofia art (lmao)

🌟 Double Trouble (Eli/MC + Atlas)

Hydrobreath (Eli + Atlas)

“my younger twin sister” (double trouble x mtfl edit)

Misc

Blood of the Sun (a spinoff movie poster)

Coolness of metal and water-atts (meme)

Alma with FA Dionne’s hair and D&D MC’s outfit (#suoirandom edit)

Sam Dalton

Sam Dalton as Sam Dalton and Sam Dalton as Sam Dalton

Sam Dalton with BB Serafine’s hair and TCTF Val’s outfit. (#suoirandom edit)

Sofia as Lady Dimitrescu from Resident Evil

the cake on sofia’s skirt works as floral print

John Somerset x Tatum Mendoza crossover

Vampire Harlenay

Flynn o’Malley in fem VOS characters’ hair 

Flynn o’Malley in fem outfits

Anna Koishi

Anna Koishi, at the club, with short pink hair

Anna Koishi with TE Atlas’s hair and PT Avery’s outfit. (#suoirandom edit)

Anna Koishi as Atlas Ernhardt

politics reporter and student (FA mc x WT mc)

Asian f!Dakota with Hispanic f!Dakota’s hair

Daenerys, the mother of dragons (using TRR mc)

TRR mc as Daenerys (edit #2)

the greatest witch of our time (BB mc as Hermione Granger)

me before you (poster edit with TRR Mc and AME Adam)

Aquaman (ft Cassian and Ava)

Wolf Bride wolf in Poppy’s outfit

Imogen Dragons

rip fallen books

The Crew (DSAW)

Wizards of Waverley Place (THOBM edit)

omg a hit tweet (pb meme)

Choicedits Challenges

ACOR Sabina without using her assets

OpH Jackie without using her assets

Harry Potter and Hermione Granger using Choices assets

Priestesses of the Light

Coldplay’s Higher Power album cover using only Choices assets

Asian Wolf Bride MC as TE MC

Lovelink Edits

Nicholas Adley in Pirate Outfit

Jamie Grant in multiple outfits from HERO

[bladesappreciationweek]

Resources for Day Five: The Realm of Light

From Prince Aerin to Farin Starfury, the Realm of Light is full of inspiration! Looking for something off the beaten path? You could illustrate some of the old Myths, make an edit of a mythical beastie, or tell of a story about that overly-attractive side-character we were blessed with for a single scene. The possibilities are endless! 

Assembled Transparents | Lore 

Quotes: 

”There’s so much wonder and beautiful in the realms, [MC]. It’d be a shame if you didn’t experience it all.” Mal

Characters: 

Kade | Threep | The Royal Family | The Starfurys | Kaya | Ellara and Xiaus | Skull Crusher & Ventra Tal Kaelen | Mermaid | Voxper

signal boosts appreciated

Prince Aerin:

“It’s not just that he’s the oldest. He’s also the favorite. Handsome, bold, outgoing...a great hunter and warrior...nothing like me. 

“At least i have my books. I love reading of all the realms, even if I rarely get a chance to visit them.”

“Is it really so hard to believe? My reflexes are well-honed after a life with him as my brother.”

“I’ve learned how to defend myself...I just wish I’d started defending others sooner.”

“I’ve already accepted my place. And it’s in my brothers shadow.”

“The scholars of White Tower say that once something is lost, it cannot be restored. Once something’s corrupted, it’s impossible to bring it back to the Light.”

“You know, this is all extremely un-princely of me.”

“it’s silly but I used to believe there must be some kind of magic that could make my brother like me, or my parents notice me.”

“I fear there are more trials to come. For all of us...”

“Dearest brother, may I suggest paying the terrifying orc mercenary what she’s owed?”

“Until the stars align for us again...”

“As far as princes go, you’re not half bad.” Mal

Threep

“Every day my wisdom is valued less and less around here.”

“It’s true, we’re pampered little things.”

“I am quite a gift, aren’t I?”

“May I remind you that I am a nesper, imbued with nearly two millenia of wisdom, from a far more glorious age than you can even imagine?”

“Offerings of food are always acceptable. Elven cream cakes and honey-wine, perhaps?

“I’m not a prude. I simply don’t understand why you people must burden the mating process with all that messy...kissing and such.”

“I somehow imagined nespers would be more...majestic.” Tyril

“Fine, but when you wake up in the middle of the night and find the adorable cat-bat gnawing on your face, don’t come crying to me.” Mal

“Wait, ‘Exalted One’? The cat?” Imtura

Adrina Starfury:

“I’m this one’s little sister. Though he likes to pretend he’s an old child.”

[To Duchess Xenia] “We are nothing like you!” 

“It was Adrina who attacked Duchess Xenia when she had us all under her spell. It was Adrina who saved us all. She is the future of House Starfury.” Tyril

“I swear, if you’re more excited about the nesper than me...” Tyril

Lord Valir Starfury

“My son. I thought you were dead. We all did. That you’d been overcome with the same and...and...”

“It’s been so long since I’ve seen both my children smiling at the meal table.”

“Adrina, you are a worthy heir to my house.” 

Farin Starfury:

“You cannot trust anyone outside our house, son of my blood. Did you not learn that at your father’s knee?”

“You cannot trust in friendship, nor love, nor vows of loyalty, only to the strength of our house and our blood.”

“The Lords of Starfury do not flee. You cannot show cowardice before the other houses.”

“[MC] is right, honored ancestor. It is my friendships, my love for my friends that will let me restore our house. Not posturing and competition.” Tyril

Kaya Duskraven: 

“She was humble, funny, compassionate. She cared deeply for those in need, and always kept my ego in check. She helped me see how to be a better person. She opened my eyes to the world.” Tyril

“We shared great Kilvali, emotional connection. Our souls sang together.” Tyril “I think what kit’s asking is if you two...you know...did the thing.” Mal

“Kaya Duskraven was a kind, caring, and compassionate friend! And you’re not worth the earth she stood on!” Tyril

“Kaya Duskraven was the bravest, cleverest, noblest elf I have ever met. She abhorred injustice and fought for knowledge and understanding. She taught me so much. To honor our past as elves but to also challenge it. To right the wrongs of our forebears. She gave her life trying to under the harm done by the Shadow Court.” Tyril

“We miss you greatly, Kaya. May you walk among the stars.” Tyril

King Arland:

Prince Baldur:

“I’m something of a collector of exotic beasts, you see...”

“And I yearn for the swooning damsels who will flock to my palace to hear my heroic tale of slaying the drakna queen.”

“All his life, Baldur’s been told he’s destined for the crown. He acts as though he’s invincible...because he is.” Aerin

“I just wish he would change. Open his eyes to the world. Set aside some of his pride...be a good brother.” Aerin

“In case you haven’t noticed, he isn’t the brightest.” Aerin

Ellara:

“Looked like you could use a hand, my love.”

“The shadow forces are many, but they are weak.”

King Xiaus: 

[Ellara asks what to do] “We fight. We die. And we pray that one day, a hero will rise to avenge us.”

Mermaid:

“You’re not...going to lure me to my watery death or anything are you?” asks MC.

Scholar Vash:

“Save your energy, Priestess. These are no mortal wounds. The rot of darkness has infected me.”

Skullcrusher:

“[When you stare] Lookin’s free kid, but everything else will cost ya.” 

“I said no re-matches.”

Ventra Tal Kaelen:

“I have an entire army at my command. I say the word, and they bring me the sun itself. What I need is an heir. Someone reliable. Someone i can trust to carry on my legacy.”

“She’s too busy focusing on whether I’m a suitable princess to see what my true talents are.” Imtura

‘To be honest, I’ve always hoped that if I run long enough, or far enough away, she might give up on me...” Imtura

Voxper: 

“By the laws of the old pact, forged between man and beast, you have played with me. I now owe you a boom.”

[blightarts]

Blades of Order & Chaos

Chapter Title: 1 - Awakening

Previous Chapter: Prologue

Word Count: 4375

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Pixelberry. This is my version for the upcoming sequel of Blades of Light & Shadow. I am not claiming this to be the canon story of the book. This is only written to increase the hype for the actual sequel.

MC/Pairing: Kite (Blue Elf Male MC) / Kite x Nia

Taglist: @princessstellaris @mechaspirit @brightningstar @cal-north @mahariel-theirin @lxdy-starfury @tyrils-star @imturaxamara @kelseaaa

Everyone in the throne room stare in awe as the last surviving member of the Shadow Court, Sir Laundsellyn, reveals his true identity.

Sir Laundsellyn: Well, if you must know… My real name… is Lucius Nightbloom.

Kite grits his teeth, equipping the Bow of Gal’dariel in hand and drawing an arrow towards his supposed relative.

Kite: As if I’d believe such a superstition!

He lets the arrow loose as it rides the wind, making its way towards Laundsellyn’s head, but the shadow knight quickly parries it with the Blade of Light.

Sir Laundsellyn: You’re quick on your hands, I’ll give you that…

He smirks maniacally.

Sir Laundesllyn: …But not quick enough…

Laundsellyn brandishes the Blade and coats it with darkness, transforming it back into the Blade of Shadow, again leaving everyone appalled.

Mal: After all of Nia’s efforts of purify that thing…

Tyril: …Gone, in an instant…

Kite and his friends seethe in rage.

Imtura: Okay, that’s it!

Imtura charges forward, followed by Mal and Tyril. King Arlan’s guards do the same, but Laundsellyn remains unfazed. He sighs and snaps his fingers, letting his hovering swords loose. While Laundsellyn clash with Kite’s friends, his swords fly across the room and towards the guards. The swords easily pierce through their armor and their hearts, killing them instantly. As the dead soldiers collapse on the floor, the swords make their way towards King Arlan next.

Kite: Not on my watch!

Kite quickly stands in the way between the swords and the King while equipping the Blade of Sol and the Shield of Castiel. One by one, the elf parries and shatters the hovering blades, but unsuspectingly, one bolts past his face, leaving a wound on his cheek, and pierces through King Arlan’s heart.

King Arlan: Ack!!

Meanwhile, in the prisons of Whitetower, Aerin clutches his chest and crouches down, as it starts paining.

Aerin: What… is… this…?!

He turns to the barred window in his cell, showing the castle under attack, and wonders anxiously.

Aerin: Father…

Back in the throne room, as King Arlan collapses, Kite quickly runs to his aid.

Kite: NOOO!!!

Mal, Tyril and Imtura turn for a moment to witness what Laundsellyn had just done. They then face him with deadly glares.

Mal: You bastard!

Tyril: You’ll pay for that!

Imtura: AAAAAAAARRRRRGGHHH!!!

As the three recklessly attempt to land a strike on the shadow knight, who just yawns at them, Kite gets on his knees and tries his best to help the King.

Kite: Your Highness, it’s okay. You’ll live.

King Arlan coughs up blood and gives Kite a reassuring smile.

King Arlan: It’s… too late for me now, Kite…

He reaches for the elf’s hand and grips it tight while both men are in tears.

King Arlan: Save the Realm… Save every… one…

The light fades from the King’s eyes as Kite grits his teeth in pure rage. He closes Arlan’s eyes and gently lays him on the floor, before turning to Laundsellyn with a glare.

Kite: I’ve had enough…

Channeling an Orb of Light in his hand, the elf stands up and walks towards the shadow knight, who knocks back Mal, Tyril and Imtura with a blast of Shadow magic from the Blade of Shadow.

Kite: Laundsellyn!

Laundsellyn notices Kite approaching him and smirks.

Sir Laundsellyn: Oh, are you approaching me? Instead of running away, you are approaching me. Even though with your allies incapacitated and your strongest weapon now in my possession, you still muster the courage to face me, the most powerful Shadow being?

The Orb of Light in Kite’s hand glows brighter as he gets closer.

Kite: I cannot slay you without getting closer.

Laundsellyn chuckles.

Sir Laundsellyn: Oho! Such foolish bravery. Then come at me as close as you like.

He approaches Kite at the same pace. When the two are only a meter apart, Kite drives one of his open hands, surging with Light energy, towards Laundsellyn. However, the shadow knight dodges in time, gets behind Kite and hits him on the back with the hilt of the Blade of Shadow. The elf gets knocked down on the ground.

Sir Laundsellyn: Too slow! Even with the power of the Light on your side, if your speed cannot match mine, you have no chance against me. You would’ve been dead by now.

Kite persistently stands up and faces Laundsellyn once more.

Kite: Are you sure you want to give pointers to an opponent?

Laundsellyn shrugs.

Sir Laundsellyn: Weaklings bore me. I’d like to have a challenge, and seeing how you’re the strongest among your friends, I figured you’d at least entertain me. But you’re just as disappointing as them.

Having enough of the shadow knight’s insults, Kite channels another Orb of Light in his right hand and Cleansing Fire in his left hand.

Kite: You have no need the right to talk anymore.

He clasps his hands together, fusing the both magical spells together into a more powerful one, which surprises and almost blinds everyone else in the room.

Tyril: Amazing! Kite is performing Coalescence Magic.

Mal: What is that?

Threep: A rare concept of magical where two spells are fused together to create a stronger spell.

Imtura: That’s awesome!

Loola: What makes it rare is that it requires two or more mages with incredibly high magical affinity to perform such magic, but since Kite is able to perform it on his own makes him a very powerful magic caster.

Kade grins and raises his fist up high.

Kade: Go get ‘em, brother!

While Kite’s friends cheer him on, Laundsellyn smirks and claps.

Sir Laundsellyn: Yes, that’s it! You’re growing so quickly. Now…

Laundsellyn puts his left hand forward, channeling Shadow Magic on his palm.

Sir Laundsellyn: Let’s see how strong you really are.

Kite turns to his friends while continuing to channel his spell.

Kite: Get everyone else behind me!

Mal, Tyril and Imtura nod in agreement before splitting up. Mal helps Kade carry Nia, Tyril and Loola use their magic to transport the guards’ corpses, and Imtura lifts King Arlan’s corpse and taking him behind Kite. Cleared of casualties in front of him, Kite is ready to fire his spell.

Kite: It’s time!

Laundsellyn grins.

Sir Laundsellyn: Nothing holding you back now, eh? Well, if you are giving it your all, perhaps I should too.

The shadow knight opens his hand wider, channeling Light Magic along with his already channeling Shadow Magic, astonishing everyone.

Loola: How can that be?!

Tyril: Light and Shadow Magic should not be able to coalesce with each other, since they erase each other when channeled together!

Laundsellyn laughs at the comments made.

Sir Laundsellyn: Did you fools forget that I am the descendant of the one who can channel both Magics together?!

The Light and Shadow energies merge into a far stronger type of magic while Laundsellyn continues his explanation.

Sir Laundsellyn: When the Light and Shadows become one, they create the most powerful type of magic that has ever existed; Chaos Magic.

White and black sparks begins to surge across Laundsellyn’s arm as he is ready to release his spell.

Kite: Brace yourselves!

Both Kite and Laundsellyn unleash their magic.

Kite: Coalescence Magic: Blinding Brilliance – Radiant Inferno!

Sir Laundsellyn: Chaos Magic: Rejection Pulse!

Kite thrusts his hands forward, releasing a wave of bright, yellow flames towards Laundsellyn, who in turn, quickly clenches his fist, unleashing a shockwave, infused with both Light and Shadow Magic. Both spells clash furiously, while both casters maintain their stance to keep their spells intact. However, Kite is struggling to keep himself standing.

Kite: I can’t… hold it… much longer…!

Mal, Tyril and Imtura immediately rush into his aid by placing their hands on his shoulders and back.

Mal: We got you, kit!

Tyril: Keep fighting!

Imtura: Show that coward not to mess with us!

Kite turns to his friends.

Kite: Everyone…

The elf nods with a grin before turning back to Laundsellyn. Together, the four scream with determination while the shadow knight smiles.

Sir Laundsellyn: Ah, yes. The power of friendship… how admirable. However…!

Laundsellyn thrusts his spell-casting arm forward, adding more force into the push of his Chaotic Pulse, causing Kite’s flames to be driven back.

Sir Laundsellyn: It’s all for naught!

In a panic, Kite and his friends push further and yell their hearts out louder, but it is all a waste as Laundsellyn’s spell eventually reaches them, throwing everyone back. Kite lands and skids across the floor while Imtura crashes against the wall, before landing on the ground, unconscious. While Mal is thrown back, Tyril collides with him, rendering both unconscious as they collapse on the ground.

Kade: Guys!

Kite struggles to stand up but is unsuccessful. Laundsellyn shrugs and shakes his head.

Sir Laundsellyn: My goodness, that was really tiring. As much as I love a good challenge, I really don’t want to stay in a fight for too long, or else it would get very dull.

He then turns to Kade, holding an unsconscious Nia in his arms.

Sir Laundsellyn: Now, hand over that elegant priestess, if you please? She’s worth more than what the Dreadlord believes.

Kade grits his teeth and glares at Laundsellyn while Threep and Loola gets in between them.

Kade: You won’t get near Nia. Not again, you Shadow Court scum!

Threep: She has been through a lot. Leave her alone!

Loola: We won’t allow you to harm our dear Priestess anymore!

Laundsellyn sighs and swings the Blade of Shadow, letting out a strong force to ward off Threep and Loola. They land next to Mal, Tyril and Imtura.

Sir Laundsellyn: This is boring me. Will you just hand me the priestess? It will be easy for everyone.

Kade looks around and spots one of the guards’ swords. He grabs it and points it towards Laundsellyn.

Kade: S-Stay back…!

With a flick of a finger, Laundsellyn easily disarms Kade before kicking him on the face, causing a nosebleed and letting the bard’s grip on Nia go as he is thrown back by the sheer force of the kick. Kite despairs at the sight of his brother’s pain.

Kite: KAAAAAAADE!!!

Laundsellyn marvels in his victory before crouching down beside Nia. He starts to reach for her but not before being struck by a fireball at his back. He turns to Kite, annoyed. The elf has his hand out, just finished casting Cleansing Fire at the shadow knight.

Sir Laundsellyn: You’re starting to get in my nerves, boy!

Laundsellyn hurls the Blade of Shadow and it pierces the ground, just right in front of Kite. The floor starts to crack then collapses, causing Kite to fall bellow.

Sir Laundsellyn: Tch! Good riddance.

With no further interruptions, Laundsellyn reaches for Nia once more, however…

GLEAM!!

…Nia’s eyes burst open, glowing brightly, as overwhelming amounts of Light energy surges through her, taking Laundsellyn by surprise as he steps back.

Sir Laundsellyn: This is…!

Nia raises herself from the ground, beginning to hover, before turning to Laundsellyn with rage in her Light-filled eyes. The shadow knight grins.

Sir Laundsellyn: Well, well, well… It’s been two thousand years… Priestess of the Light.

Laundsellyn takes a stance, ready to face Nia while she starts speaking and behaving like someone else entirely.

Nia: Lucius Nightbloom, you have done enough. Prepare to repent for your sins.

Laundsellyn pulls his swordarm back, preparing to stab Nia.

Sir Laundsellyn: Not planning too, milady. I’d rather slay you a second time.

More knights of Whitetower enter the throne room.

Knight 1: Halt!

They spot King Arlan, dead on the carpet.

Knight 2: The King is dead!

Knight 3: Slay the shadow dweller!

The knights begin to charge towards Laundsellyn but he was more focused on Nia as he dashes towards her, thrusting the Blade of Shadow forward, but the priestess evades the attack in the nick of time. Laundsellyn cannot stop his momentum as he continues to advance forward.

Nia: History shall not repeat itself this time, foolish deserter.

Nia blasts Laundsellyn with a large Orb of Light, propelling him outside the castle and into the sky. She then turns to the knights.

Nia: Tend to the wounded. I shall handle Laundsellyn myself.

The knights nod in confusion and do as they are told while Nia follows Laundsellyn outside.

Sir Laundsellyn: Ah! That hurt a lot!

Unfazed by the painful attack, Laundsellyn stops his trajectory by conjuring wings made with Shadow Magic and hovers in the air. Nia follows him and floats in front of him, putting her hand forward, ready to blast him once more.

Nia: Surrender and face punishment, Lucius. You have nothing else to do.

Laundsellyn chuckles and pretends to lay down, like he’s on a hammock.

Sir Laundsellyn: I would rather not. Besides, you are not my only goal here. What’s more important to me is reclaiming this.

He brandishes the Blade of Shadow as it hovers in front of him. Nia, realizing what the Blade can do, fires another Orb of Light towards Laundsellyn, who easily evades it this time.

Sir Laundsellyn: You cannot stop fate, Priestess, especially when it’s the return of the “Fateseeker”!

Laundsellyn channels Shadow energy in his hand.

Sir Laundsellyn: Shadow Magic: Relinquish!

He then snaps his fingers, fueled with Shadow magic, creating four duplicates of the Blade of Shadow.

Nia: I won’t let you!

Nia advances forward, trying to reach out to Laundsellyn with an Orb of Light being conjured in her hand.

Sir Laundsellyn: Too slow!

Laundsellyn uses the original Blade to block Nia’s attack while he hurls its duplicates in different directions.

Nia: NOO!!

The first duplicate Blade flies to the north, beyond Morella and towards the snowy mountains. The Blade lands on one of the peaks, breaking a seal, causing it to crumble and summoning a blue beam of light which pierces the sky. From the debris, a figure walks out, with the body of a human, the head of a hawk, and large feathered wings on his back. The figure takes a deep breath and spreads his wings, as if he’s waking from a very long nap.

Winged Figure: Millenia had passed… How are you faring after all this time, my love…?

The second Blade ventures to the  distant west, past Flotilla and toward the uninhabited volcanic island of Kel’Dhana, the former home of the orcs. The Blade plunges itself in the core of the volcano, breaking its seal, causing an eruption and summoning an orange beam of light which cleaves the sky. From the mouth of the volcano, an abnormally large orc clad in obsidian climbs out. Steam escapes his nose as he attempts to speak.

Obsidian Orc: It has been… too long… I crave for some destruction!

The third Blade glides to the far east, past the poison fields then towards the ruined and cursed city of Necropolis, home of the vhampyrs which is surrounded by a magical barrier. The Blade pierces through the barrier, shattering it, and opening the world to the city and its inhabitants. Each coffin inside the city bursts open, letting out the imprisoned monsters, and their leader, the Beast of Blood.

Beast of Blood: Hungrrryyyyyyy….

The fourth and final Blade flies to the south, in the barren wastelands of Zaradun. The Blade buries itself in the sand, searching for something underneath. Soon, it reaches the treasure room of an ancient dungeon and plunges itself in front of a decrepit machine. A seal breaks and a yellow beam of light drills through the ceiling and the sand before finally reaching the sky. The machine begins to move but then collapses, leaving some sort of golden cocoon in its debris. The cocoon then cracks open and from inside, unveiling a short woman inside with a sadistic smile.

Woman: My, my… after thousands of years… I’m finally free.

She fiendishly licks her index finger before spreading her arms wide. Golden webs begin to shoot out from the tips of her fingers, latching onto the walls of the dungeon.

Woman: I wonder what marvelous treasures the future has brought for me!

The women pulls the webs and the dungeon begins to collapse in on itself.

Back in Whitetower, Nia notices the four beams of light in all directions before turning to Laundsellyn.

Nia: What have you done?!

Laundsellyn pulls out a devilish grin before quickly floating upwards, avoiding Nia’s attack. The priestess glares at the shadow knight.

Sir Laundsellyn: Unleashed the Lieutenants of the Empire upon this realm!

Laundsellyn aims the Blade of Shadow towards Nia and hurls it at her, but she quickly evades it.

Nia: You cannot kill me again, Lucius!

Sir Laundsellyn: Who says I was aiming for you?

Realizing that the missed attack was intended, Nia turns to the Blade which is currently opening a portal to the Shadow Realm. Before she could act, Laundsellyn swiftly zooms past her, entering the portal and closing it immediately.

Nia: This cannot be…

Nia looks back at the beams of light in despair as they vanish.

Nia: The Empire… has returned…

The glowing light in her eyes start to flicker while the aura surrounding her begins to fade slowly.

Nia: This vessel’s companions… They are the key…

As Nia hovers towards the castle’s throne room, she speaks to herself through telepathy.

Nia: Nia Ellarious, your friends. Protect them. They are essential to the Empire’s defeat.

Once she reaches the room, she uses her Light magic to heal everyone who is still alive while lifting an unconscious Kite from the hole that Laundsellyn made. The knights, on the other hand, mourn the death of King Arlan and their fellow soldiers while they kneel by their corpses.

Nia: Protect Kite Nightbloom most of all. He carries the blood of the one who once defeated the ‘Fateseeker’.

Once Nia completely heals her friends, she gently lands on the ground and returns to her former self.

Nia: Huh? Where am I?

She turns to her friends groaning and coming back to their senses.

Nia: Everyone!

The priestess tends to each of her friends, making sure they are okay, especially Kite, but sees that the wounds they sustained during the battle against Laundsellyn were all gone.

Kade: Urgh… what happened…?

Mal: Did we win…?

Loola: I’m afraid not.

Tyril: My head hurts…

Imtura: My back hurts…

Threep: My stomach hurts… I’m famished…

Kite sits up and looks around for Laundsellyn.

Kite: Where’s that bastard?!

Nia gently and worriedly grabs Kite’s arms while she thinks back to what was said to her when she was not herself earlier.

Nia: Kite, it’s okay. He’s gone.

Kade: Like “dead” gone?

The priestess shakes her head in disagreement, disappointing the others and Kite most of all.

Kite: He stole the Blade of Light, and turned it back into that blasted Blade of Shadow.

Tyril: We have to reclaim it.

Nia: That is not our main concern now.

The group turns to Nia.

Mal: What do you mean, priestess?

Nia: I don’t know what happened but… when I was facing Laundsellyn…

The whole group was surprised that Nia had to face off against the shadow knight alone.

Imtura: Wait, you fought him while we were out cold?!

Mal: And you even sent him packing. Nice work, Nia!

Nia’s friends praise her for fending off Laundsellyn, however, she looks down, more concerned with what he has done.

Nia: That’s not important right now…

Kite notices uneasiness in his beloved’s eyes to which he responds by wrapping his arms around her.

Kite: What did he do, Nia?

Nia gulps and looks into Kite’s eyes.

Nia: He has unleashed the Lieutenants of the Empire…

Silence fills the room as Threep and Loola’s furs stand and shivers run down their spines.

Kade: Who are the Lieutenants?

Loola hovers on top of Kade and sits on his head.

Loola: The Lieutenants are considered to be the strongest soldiers of the Empire of Ash and the most trusted associates of the “Fateseeker”. After the Empire’s fall, they were sealed away, frozen in suspended animation.

Threep sits on Nia’s shoulder and helps Kite in comforting her while explaining who the Lieutenants are.

Threep: They are a total of four Lieutenants, but with Laundsellyn serving the Empire, you could say that he is now the fifth Lieutenant.

Everyone tries to process everything that just happened to them ever since the night before.

Tyril: This is just…

Imtura: …a lot to bear…?

Tyril nods at what Imtura said. Everyone turns to Kite.

Mal: What do you think we should do, kit?

Kite gulps, struggling to think of a plan, before looking at Threep.

Kite: Where were the Lieutenants sealed away?

The nesper shakes his head.

Threep: I am not certain, but they were imprisoned outside the borders of Morella; one in the north, somewhere in the mountains; another is in the east, in the cursed city of Necropolis…

Tyril is surprised at the mention of Necropolis.

Tyril: The home of the vhampyrs?

Threep: Yes.

The elf thinks back to his dream about his ancestor, Farin Starfury, facing off against her supposed brother and leader of the vhampyrs, the Beast of Blood. Threep continues to tell the group where the other Lieutenants were sealed away.

Threep: As I was saying, the third is located south of Morella, somewhere in the Zaradun Wastelands. This Lieutenant was sealed by the dwarves in an ancient dungeon but it costed them their lives, which ended with the dungeon being buried in the sands.

Mal freezes at the mention of an ancient dungeon underneath the Zaradun Wastelands. He speculates and worries if that was the same dungeon he explored prior to his retirement a few years ago. Threep goes on.

Threep: And lastly, the fourth is sealed deep within the volcanic island of K’ell Dhana, the former home of the orcs. Whoever was sealed there was believed to be the cause of the island’s destruction, prompting the orcs to relocate to where Flotilla is now.

Imtura recalls her nightmarish vision, regarding Flotilla’s destruction, and starts to wonder whether its linked to whoever was sealed in K’ell Dhana. Kite notices the disturbed expressions of some of his friends.

Kite: You guys okay? You’ve been having the same anxious faces since this morning.

Mal, Tyril and Imtura look at each other, understanding that each of them had seen something horrifying the previous night. They all turn to Kite and the rest of their friends.

Mal: Well, you see, kit…

Imtura: You weren’t the only one who had a weird dream about something related to the Empire of Ash.

Tyril: I believe that what Mal and Imtura are saying… The three of us must’ve dreamt or seen something related to each of the Lieutenants.

Kite is about to ask them about what happened but the acting leader of the knights approach the group.

Knight Leader: Brave heroes, the King is gone and the citizens are panicking because of the appearance of the shadow dweller and the beams of light that occurred in the horizons. We must act quickly. What do you suppose we should do?

The group turns to Kite.

Kite: What?

Kade: We trust your intuition, Kite. What should we do?

Kite shakes his head.

Kite: No, no, no. I may be the best among us, but I’m not a leader.

Nia: Well, we trust you in these situations because you’re the bravest among us as well.

Mal: Yeah, you were still the only one to keep pissing off Laundry Boy when he was about to abduct Nia and the one to receive the “drop you down the floor” treatment.

Tyril nudges Mal for ruining the moment.

Kade: Point is that we’ll follow you to the bitter end.

Imtura: Aye!

Kite looks at his friends and nods at them with determination.

Kite: Alright, I’ll think of something.

He turns to Threep and Loola.

Kite: Which do you guys think is the closest Lieutenant to Morella?

Loola: We believe it is the one sealed in K’ell Dhana.

Kite then turns to Imtura.

Kite: Imtura, get a ship ready. We sail as soon as possible.

Imtura: Spoken like a true captain, landrat!

Kite grins as Imtura points to one of the knights.

Imtura: You!

Knight 3: Eek! Y-Yes, ma’am?

Imtura: Take me to your harbor!

Knight 3: U-U-Understood!

The knight frantically runs and leads the orc towards the Whitetower Harbor. Meanwhile, Kite turns to the knight leader.

Kite: Keep the citizens safe in one location. If we do not return in a day, evacuate the whole city. As of now, we are dealing with a threat far worse than the Shadow Court.

The knight salutes in understanding.

Knight Leader: Understood.

He signals his underlings to move out as they carry King Arlan and their comrades’ corpses. Kite and his friends hurry to the port. Nia smiles at him.

Nia: That was amazing, Kite.

Kite: Thank you, Nia.

The group reaches the harbor with Imtura and the knight readying one of the ships. She spots her friends.

Imtura: Ah, just in time!

The knight gets off the boat while the group gets on it.

Knight 3: Fortune favor you, brave heroes. May the Light be with you.

Kite nods at the knight as he and his friends set sail towards Flotilla.

Imtura: Next stop, Flotilla!

The group stares into the vast ocean, bracing themselves for what’s about to come.

Meanwhile in the prisons of Whitetower, Aerin sits clumsily in his cell, still clutching his heart while screams of panicking citizens flood his ears.

Aerin: What… What is happening? Why is my chest still paining?!

He jumps in surprise when a portal to the Shadow Realm opens on front of him. Laundsellyn steps out of it.

Sir Laundsellyn: Ah, there you are.

Aerin recognizes the shadow knight and glares at him.

Aerin: You!

Sir Laundsellyn: …Was it something I did?

Laundsellyn shakes his head.

Sir Laundsellyn: Doesn’t matter.

Aerin clenches his fist and attempts to land a punch.

Aerin: Stay back, heathen!

But Laundsellyn catches his fist and knocks him unconscious with the hilt of the Blade of Shadow.

Sir Laundsellyn: We have much to discuss, Prince Aerin. I hope you are willing to listen.

The shadow knight drags the prince towards the portal, entering the Shadow Realm, before it closes.

––––– END OF CHAPTER –––––

[pixelsandkink]

Scoundrel, Flirt, Fool (Mal x f!MC)

Rating: smut alright Word Count: ~4,000 Summary: If Mal can have a list, she can too.  Notes: I fully did not expect for the party to FLY from Undermount to Whitetower, so...imagine that they didn’t. This is an interlude after they’ve restored Starfury’s good name, (possibly) defeated Duchess Xenia but have not yet arrived in Whitetower for the “sHarD pURificATion rItuAL.” 

Additionally, this is the first of the fic giveaways, for @brightpinkpeppercorn, you wonderful sunshine ray of a person. Thank you for making a meaningful donation. (More for you at the end!) __________________

There were benefits to being friends with the lone son of Undermount’s House Ascendant.

A covered wagon, abundant coin, and enough bottles of wine to make the crate in the back clink like chimes.

“Music to my ears,” Mal’d said with a slick, satisfied expression, folding his arms behind his head.

When they finally do stop to get rooms at a tavern in a no-name village he looks at them and says: “Let’s waste some money." And so. He spends the evening moving Tyril to his feet for quick dances, which they both have to stumble through because they don’t know the steps. He challenges Imtura to a game of throwing knives, much to the chagrin of the barkeep. He has to be soothed with a raucous story that involves not one, not two, but three women and what they’ll do for you when you can convince them you’re a prince.

“How much of that is true?” Adela asks when he brings her a drink. He winks.

“You want me to kiss and tell?” Mal puts an exaggerated hand to his heart. “You wound me. What do you take me for?”

“Downright rapscallion,” Imtura offers.

“A miscreant,” Tyril adds.

“Oh, a scamp!” Nia tosses in, looking delighted to have thought of yet another accuracy.

“Scoundrel,” Adela says, winding her hair around her finger.

“Now that’s just mean!” Mal cries, but he looks pleased. “Though it sounds kind of saucy when you say it.” He winks again for good measure.

Adela rolls her eyes, but they go right back to his. The bolt of lightning that shoots between them singes down to the pit of her stomach.

“Were you or were you not just teaching Nia to pick pockets?” she asks as a distraction.

Mal’s hand moves through the air as if waving the thought away. “No. She wouldn’t do it.”

Adela laughs. “Then that probably means you should leave the thieving for another time, and come play cards.”

Mal slides into the seat next to her, already rubbing his hands together. The game goes on for a few hands, until Adela finds she’s only hanging in by the skin of her teeth, even losing a few hands to Nia.

“It isn’t your night, huh?” Imtura teases gently.

Mal’s whole face has gone bright with his grin. “Ah, come on. Adela doesn’t have to be good at cards. She’s pretty enough to distract the other players.”

Adela’s cheeks burn and she turns to him as he tosses a card on the pile. Mindlessly, she follows suit, giving him a shove with her elbow. “Flatterer! Add that one to the list.”

It’s only then that she notices the rest of the party groaning. She watches as Tyril, Nia and Imtura are forced to throw in cards too, before Mal scoops up the pot.

“You distracted me!” Adela sputters as she realizes how he turned the hand. “You don’t play fair!”

Mal smirks. “Who would choose fair in the face of victory?”

Adela has to bite her lip to keep from smiling. “Cheat. Add cheat too.”

The night winds down from there: Imtura needs to stretch her legs and Nia has promised Threep a bedtime pie and Tyril has “had enough camaraderie.” (Though she suspects he already wants to write a letter home.)

When it’s only Adela and Mal left at the table, she turns to him. “Another drink?”

Mal looks at her, considering. “There are many bottles of elven wine in my room, waiting to be poured.”

An easy task like getting to her feet feels heavy. It’s that special thrill of anticipation, a buzzing that permeates through to her bones. He takes her hand as he weaves his way through the tavern.

“You’ve been in a good mood tonight.”

Mal hums, low in his throat. “I’m not used to the hero bit.”  He pauses as they climb the stairs and leave the din behind. “But it was good to do something right. In fact, they ought to erect a statue to me. Solid gold, and encrust my blades in other precious gems so they stand out.” He raises his hands in the air to suggest a height so massive that Adela giggles before he even makes his point. “Mal the Magnificent--Defender of Undermount.”

“And what are the rest of us then?” she asks indulgently.

“They can make you miniature statues, running around my knees like children.”

Adela snorts.

“Honestly, though,” he says, “it felt strange, but good. And right to see Elf Boy get his due.”

He pauses again, at his door, before turning to her with a smirk. “Plus, I never mind walking away from a nobleman with a jingling pocket. Always seems to balance the scales a bit.”

Inside, the room is like hers: spare, but clean. It attempts to be cozy with a couple of threadbare rugs, two chairs, and a misshapen vase. She walks around, pretending to acquaint herself with all the nothing there is to see. It’s to burn off the nervous energy, the now now now her body is screaming for.

He takes a moment to start the fire. When that’s done, she watches as he hefts one of the wine bottles up and pulls the cork with his teeth. The motion is all lips and tongue and bright white grin, intent on the task.

Oh, she thinks, to be a wine cork.

Mal makes that humming sound again, handing her a glass, “I have to know what that thought was.”

Her cheeks go hot as he brings her a drink. “You don’t.”

His grin only widens. “Oh it must have been a disgusting thought. Filthy, even.”

Adela laughs and gives him a faux-kick to the shin, which makes him laugh too. “In fact,” he says, “I don’t think you’re here to have a drink at all.” The quirk of his eyebrow is downright smarmy. “I think you’re finally here to jump me.”

“Is that so?”

“Oh yes,” he stands up straighter to make a clean line of his body. He makes a long sweeping gesture from his head down to his feet. “You’re ready to avail yourself of Mal the Magnificent. To fulfill whatever that dirty fantasy was.”

“Oh, quiet!” she says playfully. “I think you’re the one with all the dirty fantasies.”

He blows out a long breath. “You’re not wrong.”

“Flatterer!” she accuses, and he gets another elbow to the arm, just as at the card table. She quickly lifts the glass to her burning face, taking another fortifying sip.

“What?” he asks. Mal’s eyebrows knit, his mouth lifting up at the corners, making an expression so incongruous she has to laugh again. “Oh, you don’t think I have my fantasies? Of you?”

He pauses for a hairsbreadth too long. Long enough for the pit of her stomach to seize with anticipation. Long enough for his expression to change, to grow serious.

When he speaks, his voice is lower, like maybe she’s not the only one whose world spun round in that speck of a second. “Of course I fantasize about you, Adela.”

Her name in his mouth makes her body tense, makes the breath pause in her lungs.

Mal’s eyes meet hers, half-dare, half-deference. “You’re usually the last thought I have before I fall asleep each night. Your smart mouth. Gods help me, the way you look with your blade in your hand. The way you look when you dance. Your pretty skirts and what’s underneath them.”

Her hand fists at her sides, tightening with every other part of her body. Well, except for her head, which has begun to spin with wanting him. He leans forward, and he smells like wine and the scent of him underneath. Slowly enough to stop him, to push him away, he moves closer, the bright light of his eyes dancing. Her breathing speeds up as he brushes his lips against the corner of her mouth.

“Stay, Adela. Let me touch you. Let me do all the things from my fantasies.”

She nods, too quickly, and then his mouth is on hers, stealing her breath and all common sense. His kisses dash the need for wine. She tastes it on his tongue, but they’re inebriating all on their own. He’s inebriating all on his own.

He trails them sweetly down her jaw, her throat, into the crook of her neck. He doesn't stop until she makes an embarrassing noise, part giggle, part yelp. It makes him draw back and smile, softer than the vulpine grin he usually wears.

“Are you ticklish there?”

“Shut up, Mal.” she says. “More kissing.”

“Ah,” he says and nuzzles until she makes more of that sound, until that sound slides into moans, until he’s done away with their wine glasses so he can grab her waist and pull her closer.

His hands, so quick and deft and sure: they take their time with her, sliding up her legs. He makes her skin feel brand new. He makes everything about her feel brand new. It's as though her body hadn't existed until he touched it.

He lets out a heavy shudder and sighs into the bend of her neck, before he pulls away, stroking a thumb across her cheek. She catches it with her teeth at the last second, making him chuckle.

“There’s a fantasy, Adela. I don’t intend to rush through it.”

“I’ll play along,” she says fisting her hands in his shirt. “What comes next?”

“The disrobing,” he replies matter-of-factly.

“Hmm. Is it quick? Or--”

“Slow,” he cuts in. “It’s always slow or none at all.”

“None at all?”

He smirks. “In my quickest fantasies, there’s no need for getting naked at all. Your skirts lift well enough.”

“Mal!” she says, slapping his chest. She doesn’t know if the admonishment is real or fake.

Before she can get away, he grabs both of her wrists. He makes a show of stretching both of her arms out to her sides.

“That’s a good start. Now, this.”

His hands slide down to the belt around her waist. He has to step closer to undo the buckle. Close enough to kiss, if he wanted. Instead of sliding it around her waist, he walks around her in a slow circle, coiling the belt into his palm. He places it neatly on the side table, next to the ugly vase.

“And then?” she asks, once he’s come back around.

“These.”

Mal’s gaze flits down to the buckles at her armguard. The leather slides easily into his hands, and the other follows suit. He takes his fingers in her hand, giving them a short massage that has no right to feel so good. It’s strange how he can touch her fingertips, but she can feel him everywhere.

“What’s next?” she asks, with a croak.

He doesn’t say anything at all. He uses the laces in her dress to tug her even closer than she was before. He begins the slow work of undoing them. The more he does, the longer it seems to take, until the blue overdress gapes open. His palms graze her hard nipples as his hands move underneath it, to slip it from her shoulders. He folds it (as carefully as he rolled the belt) and leaves it in the chair.

“The boots next.”

He gets down on one knee in front of her, and something about his expression: deferential and sly and knowing and possessive and controlled. It makes her swallow hard.

“And why the boots?”

He shrugs as if to say you tell me. The laces on the boots take longer. It seems punishing that they should take so long. She begins to contemplate if boots should be abolished altogether when he finally gets one off. Somehow, there's another. She has to brace her fingertips on his shoulders, which, if she thinks about it, are so nice, they should have to go the way of boots. Far too distracting.

By the time the second boot lands next to the first she’s certain that losing her mind must be the next step. His sure fingers trip their way up each calf and keep coming up as he does: the bend of her knee and the backs of her thighs, and up her backside (and she thinks they might want to detour and linger a while), before they slide right up to the waistband of her leggings. There are only a few laces there, she knows.

“Now these?”

“Now these,” he echoes with a smile only on this side of devilish.

There’s no slow here. Slip, slip, slip and he tugs them down her legs. She helps him by stepping out of them and they get folded up next to the overdress.

He sighs, some blend of relief and satisfaction. The shirt is criminally simple. Three buttons on each sleeve and then it would lift right over her head. And then--

Mal spreads his arms at his sides. “Would you mind helping me out?”

There’s a challenge in his eyes, in the amusement swirling around his mouth. Adela launches herself at him. She wanted to tease him, she did. But he has more annoying belts and buckles than she does. And shoulder plates and sturdier boots.  By the time she’s stripped him down to his pants she thinks she might rather die than wait another second.

He has some nerve, looking like that. Broad-chested with muscle and sinew and enough self-awareness to know it. She could sigh looking at a sculptor’s work of him, but the real thing, flesh and bone, makes her go liquid between the legs.

They lock eyes as she slips her hands into his pants and tugs them down. He steps out of them, kicking them off to the side. Her hands slide down his chest and down the muscles over his stomach. Her fingers tremble when it contracts under her touch.

“You’re not going to sneak a look?” He asks, raising his scarred eyebrow.

She shakes her head. “I can feel what I’ve got to look forward to, but, thanks.” She stands up on tiptoe, ready to steal a kiss.

“Wait--”

“No, I think that's enough of that.” She leans in closer.

“I think you’re forgetting something.” He tugs on the collar of her shirt.

“Yes,” she says, settling to her feet again with a resigned sigh. “And hurry, don’t forget the buttons.”

He gives her a look. “As if I could forget the buttons.” Delicately, he takes her hand and spins her around, until her back bumps against his chest. He leans down to rest his chin on her shoulder, and wraps his arm around her, so he can take her wrist in both hands. The buttons are pale and far too small for his fingers, so she can’t tell if the time it takes is on purpose, or not. But it doesn’t matter because time ceases to have meaning. There’s only his heartbeat, steady at her back. And his words.

“There are days,” he murmurs, “where you come to the campfire or down to the breakfast table or back from a walk and you haven’t done them up yet. You make me watch as you finger and fiddle with them. Sliding them home until you’re all done up and tidy again.”

She was going to combust.

“There are days where I want to be these tiny little buttons.”

He lifts the shirt over her head (where it ends up, she has no idea). And then he licks the ticklish spot.

Adela turns and kisses him with so much desperation, she hardly recognizes herself. There’s only so much wanting and teasing a woman can take. She can’t bring herself to hear about what comes next, how it’s supposed to go. She revels in the muffled grunt he gives on impact. The way he immediately leans in, as intent on eating her alive as she is him. But there’s also the lines of his body, the way he’s hard in all the places she’s soft. The rasp of his chest hair against her nipples, the way he hoists her up to her toes, and then, more, so their bodies line up properly.

“And here I thought looking was fun,” he says, when he pulls away to catch his breath.

“Touching is much better,” Adela replies and then he swoops in again to kiss her again.

They stumble back to the bed, and Mal with his smooth movements, sits first and pulls her into his lap. His hands dig into the curve of her backside and the thick of her thighs. There’s more kissing, more touching and she’d forgotten how much she liked this. The scratch of his beard. The way he assumes that all of her is up for kissing: her lips and cheeks and ears and forehead and neck.

She is a feast and he’s made his hunger known.

“Adela,” he murmurs. “I want you so badly. I want you so badly it hurts.” “Yes, please,” she says, holding his face in her hands. She tilts his head up. Smooths her thumbs over his cheekbones. All she wants to do is stare. She thinks to herself, he was made for me to look at, and before she can tear at that thought, she feels him touch her. He passes the head of his cock against her, once, twice, but never pushing forward. The slant of his lips means he knows he surprised her.

“It’s not polite to make a lady wait.”

“My apologies, m’lady. I had no idea you were so consumed with lust that you couldn’t stand a little teasing.”

She shifts her hips enough to give him a brief taste of his own medicine, making him hiss. “Oh, good sir, I believe it’s you who’s consumed with lust.”

His face softens then fades. “I fear it hasn’t been only lust for some time now.”

She presses her hands across the flat of his cheeks until she cups his ears. “Mal Volari?”

“Yes?”

“I want you to fuck me now.”

His grin is back in full force. “That language is not becoming of any lady I know. Maybe you deserve to wait.”

But then he steals her breath by taking her hips and lifting his own and bringing them together in a long, slow slide that makes her back arch. She has to throw her arms around his neck for balance, but how lucky that it lets her tangle her hands in his hair.

“Yes,” she pants. Her hips drop into a grind of their own accord. There is no such thing as controlling herself because he’s licking her, touching her, and using his hands to lift her and bring her back down onto him. Somehow he’s found her perfect rhythm already.

“I love these,” he says, before dropping his mouth to her nipples.

She moans as he sucks and laves and generally attempts to drive her mad. And when she’s had enough, when she can’t help but want him again, she grabs his hair, pulling his swollen mouth to hers again.

But when she stops kissing him, she’s left with that slow fall into pleasure. The sound of their bodies meeting is the perfect backdrop to the look in his eyes as he watches her. As they watch one another.

He was made for me to look at.

Mal’s all sweat and sheen. She could be undone on this moment: the tilt of his head, the abbreviated waterfall of his hair. The long exposed column of his throat and the pinkish parting of his lips. The way his eyes fall closed, leaving her to drink, drink, drink in the sight of him on her own time.

He swears, the words grating from his throat. “Adela, I think you might be a goddess. Or a sorceress.”

“That’s much better than a lady,” she pants.

“Better even,” he says brokenly, “than a contessa. Now, give me another kiss.”

She leans forward because she can’t not when he’s so open for her. The line of his neck is a siren’s call for teeth and lips and tongue. It’s not what he meant when he said it, which is what she likes best. He hisses, and clasps her tighter to him. The hand resting on her ass digs in and shakes, making a soft laugh bubble in her throat.

It’s the effect of the firelight and the haze of her pleasure, but she can see it suddenly: Mal in bronzes and coppers and gold. Mal the Magnificent. Mal Volari of the Nooks and Crannies. Mal, her silver-tongued scoundrel is already a golden thing. Glimmering, shining, dripping gold: underneath her fingernails and beneath her tongue and between her thighs.

Suddenly, selfishly, she hopes he never gets his statue. She doesn’t want anyone else to see him like this.

“Oh, Mal,” she says, just as abruptly, her hips slowing again. She drops her forehead to his shoulder. Close, she needs to keep him close because she’s almost there.

“You’re near it, aren’t you? Please, I need it. I need to feel you.”

Somehow, he presses closer, tighter still and pleasure fires through her like a light. Like a million lights, one after another, threatening to fill her with nothing but. Her teeth sink into the breadth of one shoulder hard enough for him to let out some terrible sound, some animal sound and then she’s on her back.

It seems like he can’t get enough either, the way he holds her in his hands and lifts her to him as he moves inside her. Mal licks his fingers with practiced ease and he slides them over that sensitive nub between her legs.

“Again,” he says hoarsely. "I want to feel you come again. I want to see your face this time."

“I can’t again,” Adela says her muscles going tense because she’s absolutely going to come. Again. The second time, Mal lets out a fierce, but quiet noise and joins her before he finally, finally slows. He drops next to her face down in the pillow, one arm slung haphazardly over her waist.

It takes a long time for her breath to come back to normal and her heartbeat to follow suit. He doesn’t move the entire time.

“You alright?” she asks finally, giving him a poke in the back of the head.

He turns his head--and his head only--to face her, and clear his throat. “I don’t think I’ve ever been quite so alright in my life. If I lived another century, I will never be so alright again.”

Adela laughs. “What, you don’t think we could top that?”

“I think it may kill me to try.”

It only makes her laugh harder. After a while, he turns over and hauls her onto his chest. She makes a pillow of her hand to rest her chin on and they stare at one another. How is it, after all that, that the best part can be this?

“That’s going to bruise, I’m afraid,” she says apologetically, running her fingers over the spot where she bit him. It hadn’t yet begun to purple or anything so severe, but she’d gotten him good.

“Badge of honor,” he says. “Best battle wound I ever got.”

“Is this the part where you regale me with tales of some fight for a gem or some duel for a woman’s heart?”

“Wouldn’t do me any good,” he says with a wistful sigh. “There’s only one woman’s heart I’m concerned with these days.”

That heart goes rapid inside of her chest. “Add flirt. We’re adding flirt to the list.”

“Besotted fool,” he says, with drama.

“Lovesick moron?”

“Infatuated idiot,” he agrees.

“This is a long list,” Adela says with a yawn. “Much longer than yours, I imagine.” She brightens with curiosity. “So, wine and I? Which one is coming out on top?”

She watches something flash across his eyes. “I don’t know yet. I’ve only gotten to properly taste one of you.”

Adela freezes for a moment before she flushes with jittery excitement. “Well,” she says cheerily. “I think that we should rectify that right away.”

“Yes,” Mal says, toppling her onto her back, so he can slink down the bed. “Let’s fix that right away.”

_____________________

tagging: @choicesarehard @nazario-sayeed @pixeljazzy @brightpinkpeppercorn (Mar, you are a kindhearted, wonderful, extraordinarily generous person. You’ve done more for me personally than you may ever know, and I thank you for donating to a cause that has so much meaning to me. And for making this easy bc I was already working on this and it was already for you anyway. <3 for days.) sorry for the delete and double tag yall blame this hellsite

[somewillwin]

Imtura with abssss ugh pb wasted Opportunity 😩

RIGHT?! If theee was ever a chance to give abs to a female in choices it was Imtura.....

Pb make an effort challenge

[yourlatitude]

aftermath (i): tales.

437 days and nights with her, Mal still can't get enough of her. Her smiles. Her laughs. Her kindness. Her ability to flirt in any situation. Her playfulness. Her wit. And how she loves his tales yet always ended up getting riled up by his countesses stories. 

(18+. Explicit. Smut.)

So, with Blades of Light and Shadow Book 1 just ended, I need to make a confession. I’m having trouble with choosing LI for this book and God knows I want all of them on my bed. So I decided I’ll just make 4 smutty drabbles to each of them. My MC in this series is human. So here’s one for Mal Volari. Enjoy!

(Mal Volari) (Imtura Tal Kaleen) (Nia Ellarious) (Tyril Starfury)

(Blade of Light and Shadow: Mal Volari x Lilith of Riverbend (MC))

i.

Mal swears he never saw something as majestic as her, sweating and blushing, riding on top of him. And it’s natural of him, as a former-Lilith makes sure he is not thieving as much as he used to-thief, wanted to claim any majestic things to his own so he let his hands roam around her glowing skin, teasing and taking.

437 days and nights with her, Mal still can't get enough of her. Her smiles. Her laughs. Her kindness. Her ability to flirt in any situation, still unbeatable. Her playfulness. Her wit. And how she loves his tales yet always ended up getting riled up by his countesses stories.

She always takes those stories as a challenge and Mal honestly doesn't have any idea why. Not that he complained though because it usually ended up with them, bare and raw against each other. Like now.

“Mal-” she cries, begging on top of him. 

He can feel her slickness around him, clenching him eagerly as her hand clutching around the little amount of hair on his chest. Fuck, she is his.

“Fuck, Mal- don’t you dare-“ Her voice trembling, her eyes are starting to tear up when he slowed down, her breasts bouncing up and down along her desperation. “Mal Volari- I swear to God-“

Mal slaps her ass. Hard. She yelps.

“Oh no, Kit. When my cock is deep inside you, God cannot be in between us. Such a disrespect.”

She drops on top of him, crying and mewling as her hips moving in desperate circles. Her rhythmic is weakening. Her breasts and her hard mounds rubbing against his as her moans start to sounds clumsy between her begs. She is desperate. She is under his control.

“Please Mal, please-“ She sobs on his neck. Fuck. What were the story about him and countesses again? Thousands of countesses won’t make himself as hard as Lilith now, begging him on top of him, mewling desperately like her life is depending on his cock.

“Please what, Kit? You should tell me clearly,” He grips her hips and start to move his hips upwards. “I’m not as clever as the others, you know.” 

And she cries, her cunt is clenching so hard around him. No control. He loves it when she lost her control to him.

Mal flips their bodies, lifting her legs to his shoulder. “Oh- Go- Mal, Fuck, Mal!” She is a mess under him. She is close. So fucking close. It’s like the treasure is just a foot away from her. And with her, Mal feels like he's the treasure that she’s been desperate for.

“What, Kit? Say it. Loud.” He smirks, fastening his pace, slightly hoping that Lilith will reply his teasing like usual but she is just crying, clawing his back, eyes rolling to her head. Well, he is not complaining.

“Make me come, please.” She mewls.

And, that’s the final straw of Mal Volari’s patience.

He grips the sheets between her head, pounding into her harder, letting her understand his own desperation before he let go. Spilling into her with his own groan along her cries. She is trembling under him, around him, desperately clutching him, begging him to let her prolong her release.

Fuck countesses. Mal only wants one Lilith. Only her. He will fucking trade every glorious tales of him for her.

Mal’s lip twitches into a smirk as he watches her under him, still connected to him, trying to catch her breath with her teary eyes. “Fuck you, Mal. Don’t look so smug-“ She pouts with red cheeks.

“Well, all yours, Kit. All you have to do is ask me nicely and you’ll get this cock again.” He laughs as he kisses her lips gently. Lilith smiles as she kisses him back. Best part. The best fucking part.

“I think I should pay those countesses some respect and thank you.” Lilith whispers between their kisses. Mal raises his brow, “Hm? I thought you don’t like those specific tales about me.”

“Well, you are so good at this. Those practices must be the reasons.” She smirks, gripping his ass. Oh, tease.

Mal Volari smirks and pulls himself out of her, earning a protesting whine from her. “Turn around, Kit. Hands and knees. Let’s pay your respects to the countesses.”

Lilith smirks yet does what he says, “Don’t get too loud. Everyone is downstairs, Mal. Don't make this reunion a chance for them to roast you.”

Oh, what a perfect timing? Too loud my ass. He’ll make sure everyone will hear them clearly.

[blazerina]

Rain - Mal x MC

Rain - Mal x MC

Word Count: 3202 

A/N – I meant to post this on Wednesday in place of our absent BOLAS chapter, but it took me a while to get this out. I’m pleased to debut this Mal story. Hope you all enjoy!!

--

“That’s not all I can do…”

A voluptuous woman approached Mal, but her face was indistinct.  Seductively she advanced towards him, swaying from side to side, ready to straddle him as he fell back against a comfortable, plush, lavishly decorated bed.  

“By all means, show me more…”

And just as their bodies were about to intwine –

“Mal!” Threep perched right beside his ear, hissing into it with a whisper.

“Are you kidding me?!” Mal sat up quickly, infuriated and confused.  

As he quickly remembered the rest of the group was sleeping nearby, he glared at Threep and shrugged.

“Gods, was that necessary? I was in the middle of an awesome dream.  I don’t have any food for you, you mongrel.”

Threep purred deeply and used his tail to point towards the entrance to their make-shift camp. A small fire was glowing in the distance. Scratching his head, trying to figure out what Threep was motioning towards, Mal looked around and realized someone was missing from the group.

With a heavy sigh, Mal got up. “All right, all right. I’ll go get her.”

“Tread lightly. I sense she is deeply troubled.” Threep cautioned, following at Mal’s heels.

“Also, please see if she has any snacks with her because I’m fami-“

“Do you mind?!” Tyril sat up sharply. “Some of us are trying to sleep. Take your little party elsewhere – far away from me.”

“If you all could please be a tiny bit quieter, I’m still trying to rest.” Nia chimed in. She didn’t sit up but made her request from where she was laying.

“All of you are going to end up tossed over the nearest cliff if you don’t shut up right this minute.” Imtura bellowed with a roar.

“Hey, hey, hey! You all need to relax…I’m handling it okay, everyone?”

“Handle it, WITHOUT MAKING NOISE.” Tyril rolled over onto his side with a huff as Mal dramatically tip-toed out of the area, leaving Threep behind.

--

Raine was sitting next to the small fire she made, knowing there was no need to be keeping watch. This was her turn to sleep; time for her to be resting and getting ready for the next adventure that awaited her new group of friends.  She found a large stick and began picking it apart, breaking it into little pieces and tossing it, piece by piece into the flames in front of her.

She had been having a lot of trouble sleeping lately. The further and further she went along this journey the harder and harder it was to quiet her mind.  She felt her chest tighten and her heart flutter a lot more lately, but she wasn’t sure if that was a direct correlation to the situations she was finding herself in, or due to her growing infatuation with Mal.

A loud crack and then a snap in the distance made Raine flinch. Instinctively, she jumped up, ready to pull an arrow at a moment’s notice. She spun around and immediately felt her heart do that fluttery thing again.

Seeing his face increased the heart palpitations she was feeling. Even if his face was contorted at the moment, as he tried to wipe away a large spider web from his hands and arms.

“Get – this – darn – ugh – there – no – off – away! Ugh. Hey there, kit.” He smirked, wiping his hands on his pants.

“Didn’t mean to scare you…”

Raine didn’t even realize she was frozen in position, aiming her bow directly at his chest. She dropped it almost immediately and smiled at him, grateful for his presence.

“I’m a bit jumpy these days. Glad it’s just you.”

“Just me? Since when has it ever been just me?” He raised an eyebrow, questioning her, holding his heart as if he was personally hurt and attacked by her comment.

Raine shrugged, returning to her position by the fire. She was in a daze and too focused to be taken in by his charm this evening. She wanted to be, but tonight, something else had her full attention.

--

“I’ve…uh...” Mal stuttered. He didn’t know what to say.  He scratched the back of his head, looking for the right words.

He could tell something was going on in that mind of hers. From the moment he laid eyes on her out here, all alone, in front of a fire, he just knew she wasn’t herself.

Mal was instantly attracted to her from the moment she ran into him back in Riverbend. It was something he had never felt before. The look in her eyes, the way she challenged him not knowing anything about who he was or what he was after – it intrigued him.

Sure, he told everyone he was used to being in peril. The group had heard story after story by now about countess after countess. They didn’t have to know that none of it was true. He built his reputation on being an adventurer, a seducer, someone who always got whatever it was he wanted, using his charm and deception.

Whenever he told his stories he was always being chased, always being taken in by some poor fool who felt bad for him and ended up being his saving grace. But this time? He felt like she was the one he was chasing. It wasn’t treasure, riches or fame he was after anymore. It was her heart.

Mal had been with her long enough to crave being near her when she was gone.  He eyed her in moments when she was all alone, watching her gentle movements. The way she cared for animals and others, the decisiveness with which she led their merry band of misfits, it was all so…genuine. None of it was a show. None of it was done with any kind of ulterior motive. She wanted to save her brother and that was that.

He made up his mind a long time ago to do whatever it takes to see this adventure through to the end. Not just because he cared enough about Raine to help her, but because he wanted her to be happy. He wanted her to get whatever it was she wanted most in this world. He wanted to be some small part of the reason she was successful in her mission.

He swallowed hard, all of these thoughts racing to his mind at once. Realizing how fast he had fallen for her scared him. Would she be able to see through him? What would she think of him when she realized he really was a fraud? He wasn’t all he said he was. He wasn’t as debonair and suave as he pretended to be.

Would the charm eventually wear off? Was it wearing off now? Was the one and only night they innocently spent in each other’s arms, all he was ever going to get with her?

“I’m okay, Mal.”

Thankfully, Raine’s comment interrupted his thoughts.  He sighed mentally, grateful for the break.

“Thanks for coming to check on me, but I think…”

She trailed off and Mal noticed she bit her lip. It was a tell he’d picked up from her pretty early on.

Whenever she had something more she wanted to say but stopped herself…she bit her lip.  

If she had to think really hard about what she was going to say because she was lying and didn’t want to give away a secret…she bit her lip.

Sometimes when she was joking around or teasing someone, trying to be funny and pull off a prank, she got a twinkle in her eye…and bit her lip.

Mal decided not to press. He stayed quiet and made himself a little place to lie down near the fire. He dragged a few logs over to prop his feet up onto and laid down with both hands behind his head, looking up at the sky.

Don’t mess this up, pal. He told himself, closing his eyes as he exhaled.

“Mal?” Raine called out quietly, after a few moments.

There it is…he smirked, keeping his eyes closed, thankful she couldn’t see his face at the moment.

Still got it. He told himself, ready to reply.

“Yes?”

“I know you’re…you’re used to this sort of thing…but do you ever…” Raine sighed, clearly having a hard time communicating her thoughts.

“Do you ever miss your life before all this?”

“Well…” Mal rolled over, facing her and propping himself up on his elbow.

“You forget, this is my life.  One might say this adventuring stuff is kind of, oh I don’t know, my thing.”  

He stopped and thought for a moment before adding, “Honestly, I didn’t have much of a life before this so there’s not much to miss.”

“You’re lucky.” Raine made eye contact with him and Mal noted how beautiful she looked with the flames reflecting off her face, in her eyes.

He cleared his throat and nodded in her direction, urging her to go on.

“Before this whole thing started, I took so much for granted.” She explained.

“I find myself thinking about Riverbend all the time. Going down to the tavern, spending time with Kade, not having a care in the world. It’s kind of funny now, I guess. I used to want out so badly…now I’d give anything to go back…”

Raine intensely stared into the fire, throwing piece after piece of another stick in with ferocity. She seemed mad, almost angry and agitated.

Threep was right. Mal told himself. Better be careful.

“I think, uh…I mean, I think it’s okay to miss stuff, sometimes.  Just because I don’t doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. It’s nice that you have somewhere and someone to miss, you know? That’s probably what it feels like to have a home.”

Raine looked up at him, pulling her gaze away from the fire for a second.

“Mal, I’m sorry. I’m being so insensitive -- to be bringing this up now and burdening you with my ridiculous problems. I know how absurd all of this sounds.”

“Raine. Stop.”

He slowly sat up and went to sit beside her. He questioned whether to take her hand. He decided against it but encouraged her to continue.

“I want to hear what’s bothering you. If it matters to you, it…” he paused, why was he so afraid?

“It sounds nice. It helps me to get my mind off things too. This whole life of adventuring, fighting off evil villains, plundering for gold and succumbing to wild vixens’ charms, is sometimes insufferable, you know?”

He knocked his shoulder into hers as she chuckled, looking at her feet. Mal made a mental note of how good it made him feel to know he was the reason for her smile or laugh.

“I’m curious.” He looked at her sideways. “What do you miss the most?”

Rain smiled slightly but tightened her jaw at the same time. She bit her lip before answering.

“No – I can’t tell you. You’ll never let me live it down. I know you too well.”

This, of course, was intriguing to Mal. He now saw a challenge. He would stop at nothing to get her to tell him her secret.

  “Is it the smell of mead right out of the barrel?” He asked, knowing there was no way that could be true.

Raine smiled and shook her head no.

“Hmm, how about shoveling the stables when you needed some extra coin?” He bumped into her again, trying to get her to open up.

“That would be crazy.” She feigned annoyance with him, enjoying his attention and company.

“Last guess…you miss days upon days of utter boredom, staring out your window wondering when adventure would find you.”

“It’s true – I did do that…and now that I have it, here I am. Running away in the middle of the night to wonder and worry about what’s to come. Some adventurer I’ve turned out to be.”

Raine sighed ruefully and returned her stare to the fire.

A loud boom of thunder rolled over the forest and hillside area where the group had settled for the evening, making both Mal and Raine jump.

“That was unexpect—” Mal was cut off by another loud clap of thunder and a lightning strike in the distance that was bright enough to illuminate most of the kingdom.

Impulsively, Raine leaned into Mal and he wrapped his arms around her tight, yelling out a loud “Yoooo!” When the lightening hit.

No rain was falling yet but clearly some was moving in. The smell was now heavy in the air and the wind was picking up quickly.

“Dancing.” Raine said, out of nowhere. “I miss dancing.”

Sheepishly, she looked up at him from under her long, thick lashes. He was holding her now and he could see the light brown freckles that danced across her face, under her eyes and over her nose. The small specks of dark brown in her hazel eyes were practically glowing.

“Raine…” He whispered her name, mesmerized by her.  

Soft tendrils of hair danced around her face as he tried to build up the courage to share with her what he was actually thinking and feeling.

“I have one memory, it seems so silly now but it keeps coming to my mind as I think about Kade. We had been paid to take care of some pigs…just for a few days…and they were horrible little things. They would not stay in the pen no matter what we did! And there were so may of them. They just kept appearing. It was like they were multiplying right before our eyes…”

Mal relaxed his grip on her but kept one arm around her as she told her story. It was engaging to see her physically light up, regaling him with a tale this time instead of it being the other way around.  

“We finally got them all back in the pen together and it started pouring. Coming down in buckets! It was horrible and so muddy. One piglet escaped again, then another and another. Kade and I were slipping and sliding around in the mud and got so incredibly dirty and we smelled SO bad!”

Raine was laughing now, remembering it and how it must have looked.

“It wasn’t funny at the time but thinking about it now – we were so happy when the whole ordeal was over that we literally danced IN the rain, all the way home.  It wasn’t a horrible storm or anything, but we soaked up all that water to wash away the dirt and grime from that horrible pig farm.  We sang and danced and danced and sang; silly songs, just bouncing along, huge smiles on our faces.  We were just so happy, then.”

Mal held onto her more tightly now, feeling the sadness creep back into her body as she tensed up.

“At that time, we had no idea what…what was to come…”

She let out a long, deep sigh and leaned into Mal as he stroked his hand up and down her arm.

“Thinking about home and, now this storm coming in, it brings it all back like it was yesterday.”

“I don’t think it’s any accident your name is Raine.” Mal stated, timidly.

The voice in his head once again announced itself - Now is not the time to be a coward. You can do this.

She looked at him quizzically but let him continue. He spoke in hushed tones, voice just above a whisper as light drops fell from the sky, almost a mist, they were so faint.

“You’re so similar to this…” He gestured to the sky as it began.  

“I’ve seen you be like that lightning and thunder we witnessed. When you’re going after something you want you can be a bit violent…” he chuckled, “winds and rain so heavy you can’t see – it’s blinding the passion and love you have for your family and friends.”

“Other times you’re barely there, so sweet and soft, falling like this right now…all around, leaving an impact on everything you touch even if it’s a small one…” he held his hand out watching the moisture collect upon it.

“In the time that I’ve known you, you’re always steady, doing your job to replenish all that is around you – rain when rain falls it creates this rhythm, a pattern, constant and predictable. You’re there no matter what. You do what you can to make the people you care about feel better.”

Mal hugged her and pulled her in close, resting his chin on her head as she settled into the crook of his neck, breathing in his scent.

“Storms like the one rolling in sometimes sit in one place and stay for a long time, hovering over an area for days; or they clear out quickly but still leave traces behind…puddles in the street, streaks on windows, that kind of thing…”

“Mal…” Raine looked up at him, tears forming in her eyes.

You have to finish this.

“Shh…” he held a gentle finger up to her lips, asking her to not to interrupt him without using words.

“You told me tonight that sometimes you miss your old life and sometimes you don’t – you live for the adventure but long to be at home and that’s like those crazy days where it’s raining in one place, all hot and humid in the other, but still dry as a bone. Two places so close together experiencing such different things…it’s just like you, hot and cold sometimes. You know?”

Raine wiped a few tears off her cheeks, remaining silent. Waiting to see if Mal was done.  

“Just like the actual rain, you always have a purpose and you never leave without having achieved your goals…remember that, Raine. It’s one of the reasons I admire you so much…”

Tears still streaming down her face, Raine reached up and kissed Mal, tenderly, sweetly and longingly. Hoping to convey to him how much his little soliloquy meant to her, just now.

“Oh good.” He breathed a sigh of relief after the kiss.  “I was afraid I said too much and made you mad…” Mal smiled, blushing slightly.

Rain was actually falling more heavily now, the wind was really picking up and the temperature was dropping.

“No one has ever…” Raine bit her lip, quickly but then carried on, “…said anything so kind and sincere and beautiful to me or about me before, I…”

Mal interrupted her, taking her hand and standing up.  

“If you miss dancing, then let’s dance.”

He circled his arms around her waist while she let hers drape around his neck.

“In the rain?” She laughed, looking up at the sky, letting the water fall on her face.  

“In the rain.” Mal repeated, smiling and laughing while watching her.

They danced slowly, circling around as the rain continued to fall. Every so often thunder would roll through again, but the lightning had subsided.

“I’m still just speechless, Mal.  I had no idea there was so much more to you than you’re showing or letting on…”

Mal winked at her as he pulled her in closer to him, looking down at her. With a smirk, he responded, “Ah very good, very good.  That’s just the way I like it, kit.”

[melodyofgraves]

Kiss Me (Imtura x Rosalie (F!HumanMC))

A/N: I wrote this for @starfurys challenge for the prompt “Spider-Man Kiss”.

It’s also my first Imtura x MC fic and I haven’t played romancing Imtura yet, so I apologize if she’s a little ooc.

It’s just pure fluff, after all the angst we’ve been getting from Blades lately (and I love it), I wanted to do something more lighthearted. Hope you enjoy!

Words: around 550-600

Tagging: @scalpeljockeybrycelahela @nextheirofslytherin @brightpinkpeppercorn @noesapphic @iaraiumi @choicesficwriterscreations

The plan didn’t work.

In all honesty, she wasn’t even sure what was the plan but it sure didn’t involve getting caught in one of the traps.

The blood rushing to her head and the constant swinging caused by her failed attempts to untie the intricate knot around her ankle were already making her dizzy. She considered calling for help, the rest of the party couldn’t have been that far away but decided against it. You never know who else could be nearby and she wasn’t exactly in the best fighting position.

So she just waited, trying her best to minimize the swinging and prevent the breakfast she had earlier from escaping her too soon.

She rested her eyes for a second, testing if it would make it easier to endure, and soon was interrupted by a familiar voice.

“Can’t get you out of my sight for a second, can I?”

Rosalie came face to face with her favourite orc and a wide grin appeared on her face.

“Hi. You look gorgeous today, you know? Even upside down.”

Imtura rolled her eyes but still smiled a little. “Don’t change the damn subject. How did you get yourself into this mess?”

“I was pretty sure I took care of all the traps.” she pointed at the rope around her leg and shrugged. “Turns out I didn’t.”

“Need any help? Or are you enjoying yourself?”

“I don’t know. I think I’m kinda getting used to this new perspective.” she joked. The orc raised an eyebrow at her and she winked. “But maybe a kiss would make it better.”

“Ever get tired of all these flirting?” Imtura chuckled, taking a step towards the woman. Their lips were, very conveniently, at the same height.

“With you?” Rosalie smirked, lowering her tone to a whisper. “Never.”

The orc closed the distance between them, cupping the human’s face with her hands both to steady her and to bring her even closer. Both smiled against each other’s lips, even though the position they were in was a little bit uncomfortable.

The kiss was slow, passionate and made them both forget about their mission and the rest of the world for just a few moments.

Finally, Imtura pulled away, reaching for one of the axes attached to her belt. She cut the rope effortlessly, earning a tiny squeal from Rosalie before catching her so she didn’t hit the ground. Immy sneaked an arm under the woman's knees and feeling her warm touch at the back of the neck, she brought their lips together for another, quicker kiss. "You're damn lucky I have a soft spot for you, landrat." "I am." “Do you want to go find the others?”

“Not yet.” their lips met for once again. This time, the kiss was more gentle. Imtura sighed contently as Rosalie played with her hair, holding the human in her arms before suddenly setting her back on the ground. The voices in the distance were getting closer. Two men, arguing a little too loudly for the kind of mission they were supposed to be on.

“Pretty sure that’s our cue to find the rest of the crew.” the orc ran the finger through her hair. Her cheeks were still a little warm but she sure hoped the blush wasn’t too visible. “Better hurry before these two draw attention to themselves.” Rosalie laughed and grabbed her hand, pulling her in the party’s direction.

Imtura smiled, looking the back of the woman’s head. Hopefully, they’ll get some more alone time later.

[nazario-sayeed]

Vulnerable (Mal x F!Elf)

Summary: I used two prompts I found here on tumblr to write this fic: "I turned out liking you a lot more than I originally planned.” and “Do you think they can hear us through the tent?” “Yes, we can.” I think that's pretty self explanatory isn't it 

Author’s note: This is my first Mal x MC fic but I already have a few others planned, hopefully I'll work on them soon. I named it after Vulnerable by Selena Gomez, so that's my recommendation for today. English is not my first language. 

Word count: the last time i checked it had 2.1k words but I added some things.

Warnings: it’s not exactly smut but it’s close. Some swearing too, a bit of angst. 

Masterlist

Tagging: @moonlightfreya @soft-for-drake @dailydoseofchoices @nyastarlight @magdagamaleldin @otomegamesaremydrug @brightpinkpeppercorn @laragazzaconunsogno​ @magdagamaleldin @virtuallytakenby​ 

permanent tag list: @lahelalove @donutsgirl36 @queenkaneko @msjpuddleduck​ @flyawayboo @jlpplays1 @desireepow-1986 @embarrassingsmartphonegame @mfackenthal @cerisesayeed-ramsey​ @malsvolari​

Trying to get the shards meant spending a lot of their time moving around Morella, following the leads from one place to another and camping in unusual and unfamiliar places. They were used to it; Myriani went hunting, Nia and Tyril set up camp, Mal collected fruits and plants they could eat, Imtura chopped down wood to make a fire, Threep kept sleeping unbothered. They had a routine, and they were good at it.

By the time the sun went down, they were gathered around the fire, passing the flask with ale between each other and listening to the same stories they had heard Mal tell at least 10 times- something about contessas and alcohol. None of them bothered listening anymore. Somewhere along the bumpy road, their party became quite close. Two elves, two humans, an orc and a nesper sounded like the beginning of a joke, but somehow they worked well together. They protected each other, fought for each other and enjoyed each other's company- even Tyril was caught smiling every now and then.

They were all exhausted that night, so they went to their tents right after they ate whatever animal it was that Mariani had hunted for them. That night was colder than they were used to; winter was showing its first signs. Their tents were set up close to the fire that they hoped would last all night. 

Myriani couldn’t sleep; she kept tossing and turning in her tent until she gave up sleep altogether with a sigh. She couldn't stop thinking about her brother- everyday they got closer to finding the next shards, but they still had so much ahead of them. With each passing day, the possibility of finding him felt more and more thin. 

She closed her eyes and let her elf senses feel the atmosphere around her, trying to sense some peace within the woods around her and fall asleep. Instead, she felt that the person in the tent next to hers wasn’t sleeping either. Mal.

I could go join him in his tent, she thought to herself. It wouldn’t be the first time they’ve slept together, in the literal meaning of the word. Kissing and sleeping together. That's all they had done so far- sneaking in each other's tents or rooms to make out until both of them passed out, usually too exhausted to do more. But she wanted more. Sometimes she wanted him so badly it hurt. She knew he wanted her too; whenever they were kissing and she straddled him, she could clearly feel just how badly he wanted her.

When they were alone together, sometimes she caught glances of the real Mal, the man underneath the character he had built for himself. He seemed vulnerable and real for a few seconds- but before she could truly appreciate it he went back to his act. She liked his flirty and carefree personality, but behind his crooked smirk and teasing comments there was a real man who she liked even more. In the mornings after they had spent the night together, when they were with the group again, he always pretended nothing had happened. He came back to telling his many tales as an adventurer, his sex escapades and whatever else he thought would fit his reputation best. She didn't know if she ever expected anything different, but she couldn't deny it stung a little.

She debated on her head if she should really go to his tent, even if she already knew she would eventually give in- so she did. She silently got out of her tent and crawled to his, carefully opening it. When she poked her head through the tent, she saw Mal instinctively reaching for the dagger he kept by his side, relaxing when he realized it was her.

“You should be more careful next time. I was close to throwing a dagger at you” he said with a smirk and she rolled her eyes, climbing in the tent and closing it behind her.

“I’d like to see you try, Mal the Magnificent” she said back and he let out an amused chuckle, leaning back and resting his head on his crossed arms.

“Did you come into my tent to challenge me for a duel or do you have something else in mind?” he said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. She rolled her eyes again and threw the pillow she had brought with her at him, feeling glad that the poor lighting wouldn’t let him see the blush on her cheeks.

“Get your mind out of the gutter” she said, laying down next to him, blaming their proximity on the small space of the tent. She could barely make out his face in the dark, the only light coming from the fire burning weakly outside their tent.

“I just couldn’t sleep, and I knew you were still up so…” she trailed off, and he turned to face her, searching for her eyes.

“What’s keeping you awake, kit?” he asked and she could tell it was an honest question, like he actually cared about the answer. About her, even. 

“It’s just… this journey has been the most exhausting thing I’ve ever been a part of, but it’s also the most fun I ever had. It’s a bittersweet feeling because I’m having the time of my life finally living the adventure I always dreamed of, but Kade isn’t here to share it with me. It was his dream too and I….” her voice broke. “I don’t know. I wish he was here too.”

Mal reached between them to give her hand a small squeeze.

“I don’t know if we’ll be able to bring your brother back, Myriani. But if there’s one team that can do it, it’s ours” he said, sounding more optimistic than she could ever remember him being. She could feel the honesty on his voice.

“Mal, was that you being supportive and optimistic? What’s happening to you?” she asked him with fake concerned, and he laughed.

“Your lot has been a bad influence on me. Mostly you and the priestess” she couldn’t see the smile on his face but she could hear it.

“You probably can’t wait to get rid of us huh” she tried to tease him, hoping it had sounded casual enough. The truth was that deep down, she was scared he would agree. She knew Mal was lonely wolf, that he went where he could find the best opportunity for him. But after all of these weeks they had spent together- kissing, talking, getting to know each other- some part of her hoped he wouldn’t leave as soon as their mission was over. She didn’t know exactly what she expected, but she wished she had time with him after all of this to figure it out.

“I…” he started, hesitating for one second too long to make Myriani instantly regret what she had said. Before she could say anything to take it back, he went on, his confident tone back “Nah, you’re not all bad. I turned out liking you a lot more than I originally planned”

"Are you going soft on me now?" she asked, her voice too shaky to be casual. He smiled and instead of answering he tentatively moved his hand that was on top of hers to her hips, her skin on fire where he was touching her over her clothes.

“Mal…” she whispered, closing her eyes as his hands move up her sides to the back of her neck, his calloused hand caressing her skin.

“I don’t think I wanna talk anymore. Do you?" he said, his voice just the right amount of teasing and seriousness. She knew he was dodging her question, but at that moment, she didn't give a fuck. 

Instead of answering him, Myriani pressed her lips to his in a soft kiss. He let out a soft gasp and pulled her closer, deepening the kiss.

She threw her legs over his hips before he could react, straddling him. He barely had time to groan his approval before she leaned down and kissed him more passionately.

Mal moaned softly into her mouth as she grabbed his long hair and pulled it  hard. His hands explored her sides, her hips, her backside- anywhere he could find. With each second, their kiss grew more heated and their movements were more intense.

One of her hands slid under his shirt, feeling his firm muscles reacting to her touch. She traced every line of his stomach with her hand, tracing the hair there with her fingers to where it disappeared under his pants. Just as her hand brushed the waistband of his pants, she pulled back from him, making him groan his disapproval.

“Take off your shirt, please” he could tell by her tone it wasn't a request- it was an order. 

"So polite..." He teased, making a show of removing the shirt. 

As soon as his shirt was off, she leaned down to kiss him again. More heated, more passionate, rougher. She traced kisses down his jaw and neck, biting him with just enough strength to leave a mark.

His own hands didn’t stop exploring her body, pushing her skirt over her long legs, until his hands were above her knees, sliding closer and closer to where she was now aching for him. She rolled her hips on top of him, moving in a way that could only be described as griding on the very obvious bulge on his pants. It felt so good, it felt too good- they couldn't help the cry that left both of their mouths.

They kept kissing and touching each other, his hands already undoing the laces on her clothes when she heard something outside the tent. She froze and pulled back, attentitve to every movement and sound around them.

It was dark, but she could only imagine what they looked like at that moment. Him with his shirt off, his hair a mess from all the pulls she gave it, his lips swollen and his neck and chest already showing some of the marks she left there. Her with the laces on her outfit half undone, her skirt hiked to her waist barely covering her hips. Both of them panting, trying to catch a breath.

“Did you hear that?” She whispered. He stopped, trying to listen to whatever she had heard. But his senses weren't as heightened as hers.

“Hear… what?” He said back, don’t minding the interruption and sliding his hands up her bare legs “The only sound I heard was you moaning and-“

"Shh!" She put a finger to his lips to shut him up and there was the sound again, like someone shuffling around but trying to keep quiet. 

Only then she seemed to remember they were in a tent in the middle of the woods with four of their companions sleeping a few feet away. Very exposed, not at all alone. She thought they were all asleep when she sneaked out but… Myriani and Mal hadn’t been exactly quiet, someone could've easily woken up. She heard a quiet cough and Mal seemed to have heard it this time too, because she could feel his body tensing up under her.

“Do you think they can hear us through the tent?” She asked in a low voice that she hoped only Mal could hear.

“Yes, we can” all of their companions- Tyril, Nia, Imtura and even Threep- said in unison. Tyril sounded exhausted, Nia sounded embarrassed and Imtura sounded amused. Threep sounded like a mix of all three. Well, if they heard that, they definitely heard everything else, she thought to herself. 

Mal’s and Myriani’s eyes met in the dark and although some part of them felt embarrassed to have been overheard by their group while they heavily made out in the middle of the night, they burst out laughing together. She was laughing so hard she fell on top of him, trying to muffle the sound by burying her face onto his chest while he rubbed her back trying to calm her down- but he was laughing just as hard.

Outside the tent they head a long sigh.

“Can you please, please stop? Some of us want to get some sleep before we have to spend all day tomorrow traveling through the woods” Tyril was done with their bullshit. They heard a small chuckle in the tent next to theirs- Imtura.

“Sorry, guys. We’ll tone it down” Myriani said, still feeling low-key amused.

“I much appreciate it. Goodnight” Tyril said, annoyed; this time Mal and Myriani managed to hold back their laugh. 

“We’ll pick up from here another day?” She said to Mal with a smirk, his hands on her back.

“You better be fucking sure we will” he pulled her face down for one last kiss before she climbed out of him and let him wrap his arm around her, his bare chest to her back. She was at least 10 inches taller than him but somehow they made it work. She felt comfortable sleeping with his arms around her.

He kissed the back of her neck and she let out a content sigh, snuggling against him.

“Goodnight, Mal”

“Night, kit”

She felt his breath on the back of her neck and his heart beating against her back- it felt so right to be like that. She ignored the part of her brain that kept telling her this would end with a goodbye and a broken heart. At that moment, it was enough to feel his arms holding her close. She could let herself be vulnerable and hoped he would too. 

[juliaromantique]

mission impossible (blades gang au)

drabbles request (by @cosigottahavefaith):

“you know humming james bond theme tune defeats the point pf sneaking” 

699 words, blades gang au (it was definitely a challenge for me but i hope it turned out ok; i saw modern blades au and thought it fits here well)

∞

Night slowly fell on the city when five silhouettes slowly crept along the alley. Only occasionally they met passers-by but they did not pay attention to them. These guys were too skillful troublemakers. 

"Can you imagine the look on his face when he finds out?" Imtura's voice chuckled after her own reference and Nia couldn't help but giggle.

"Oh my God, I still can't believe we even doing it!" she said shaking her head and grasping Lyra's hand tighter. 

"Well, there's no way back now, my friends," Lyra smiled as the five of them were getting closer to their destination.

"May I ask why all of us should come along? It's definitely not the best idea," Tyril walked after them with a troubling look at his face. All this shenanigan was actually his idea but when they all got so excited and headed straight to their target, he started to regret even suggesting it.

"Oh, are you afraid we'll screw up your grand idea?" Imtura pricked at his side and he just sighed with irritation.

"You better not tell all that if we'll get caught," he asked, glancing on his friends with a threatening finger.

"That it was your idea or that you knew we gonna screw up?" Lyra smiled while others barely hold back their laugh.

"I hate you guys. I really do," Tyril rolled his eyes but a soft smile was playing on his lips when he watched how his buddies tried to stifle their laughs. They continued to sneak closer to the other campus building as they noticed what they were looking for. Or someone's window they were looking for. Imtura and Lyra walked closer while others stayed behind them. Nia held out the marker to Lyra and she took it with a coy grin. 

"Well, here's goes," enthusiastically she took a deep breath but then they all suddenly startled and froze in the place...

"dundedun dun dun dun dundedun dun dun dun dundedun dun dun dun dundedun dun dun dun deDON do do do", Mal's quiet voice brought the attention of the four others and they looked at him with wild eyes. He continued to mumble the sound but as soon as he saw their amused faces, his cheeks blushed furiously. 

"You know, humming James Bond theme tune defeats the point of sneaking, right?" Imtura said with an annoyed voice as she gave him a menacing look. 

"What? I just wanted to light up the mood!" he raised his hands in surrender but as he did, the lamp in the room lighted up and they all instinctively sank to the ground. Imtura had to drug Mal down since he was too bewildered after his performance.

"I take my words back. I hate you, Mal," Tyril whispered as they all squatted under the window and waited for the opening. After a few minutes of sitting in silence, light in the room disappeared and they all slowly straightened with Imtura looking at Mal with an intense gaze. Lyra finished her work on the window without further complications and they looked at her work. 

"Brilliant," Tyril grinned in satisfaction.

"You've done a good job, Lyra!" Nia whispered into Lyra's ear while she blushed in response. The sentence 'drakhna was here' appeared on the glass of the window and they slowly rushed back to the alley leaving their work of art. 

"You didn’t mean this back there, right Tyril?" Mal asked his friend with pleading eyes as they were jogging next to each other, but Starfury just smiled softly at him.

“I’m so happy that we did it! This idiot would know better before killing my drakhna queen in computer club,” Lyra said when they were running back to their building. "And you know what... "

She stopped making them all follow her lead. Somehow, the four of them understood what she wanted to do.

"badap ba daa ba da daa ba daa da deda daa Badap ba daa ba da daa ba daa da deda daa," Nia started to hum again, and this time they all laughed so carefree, singing along with her and smiling to each other in the middle of this adventurous night.

[lovelahela]

❛ midnight strolls ❜ ─ mal volari.

⇢ requested by @choicesloversstuff​ + entry for the march challenge !

⇢ book: blades of light and shadow

⇢ pairing: mal vaolari x human!mc (lia)

⇢ genre: fluff

⇢ prompt: midnight strolls

⇢ word count: 1032

⇢ synopsis: in which lia and mal take a midnight stroll through port parnassus, and it seems lia had a little too much to drink.

⇢ note: i really hope you like it after the long wait aksjfas i’m sorry again!!

❛ ...i pour out my heart to you and all you have to say is word?  ❜

❛  you’re a sappy drunk, kit, it’s hilarious. ❜

        It was quite funny, really.

        They had only been in Port Paranassus for under 24 hours, and Lia managed to get rather... tipsy, after a few drinks in the tavern they barreled into. Nia, bless her soul, decided to remain responsible and reasonable by giving up the alcoholic beverages after getting the color of her cheeks began to complement that of her hair, but Lia, oh, she was a different story. Wild, that one. Her little cohort — which, weirdly enough, consisted of an elf, a Priestess, a fellow human, and... an orc? — watched her with amusement as she sang drunkenly with her arm around a stranger's shoulder. The orc she clung to was twice her size and had the appearance of a menacing pirate but, to their joy, broke into song with her as well. Mal doubled over in laughter at the ridiculous sight, slapping his thigh continuously with one hand and bracing himself on the counter he sat next to with the other to maintain balance. Nia giggled sheepishly, Imtura's barks of joy echoed in the crowded room, and Tyril merely observed with the smallest of smiles on his face — which, alone, said much.

        After patting the orc affectionately on the cheek a few times, Lia — with clear effort — stood up and hobbled over to the party she grew to love over a short but rather exhilarating time. Nia attempted to stiffle her giggles in order not to upset her, whereas Imtura and Mal shamelessly resumed their mockery. A lazy grin stretched across her lips as she swayed faintly on her feet to the music playing boisterously in the background.

        "What in the Three Hells are you laughing at?" She had demanded playfully, placing her arm on the counter and supporting the weight of her body against it. Mal wiped away a joyous tear from the corner of his eye.

        "You, I'd say." If his ears hadn't deceived him, he could have sworn he heard Tyril snort.

        "Oh, shut it, will you?" Lia, too, snorted unattractively. She linked her arm with Mal's and turned her face to look at him with a wide grin and a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Let's take a walk, shall we? The weather's perfect outside."

        "Are you sure that's safe with your — um — condition?" asked Nia, voice laced with concern for her newfound friend. Imtura chuckled and said, "Let the landrat have her fun, Priestess. Besides, it wouldn't be too unfortunate if she were to trip and fall into the ocean."

        Nia gasped, and the corners of Tyril's lips twitched upwards. "Imtura!"

        The orc laughed jokingly. "I tease, I tease! Maybe."

        Mal, meanwhile, smirked at his fellow human. "I don't see the problem with that."

        "Lovely!" And with that, Lia yanked him out of his seat with an unprecedented strength, shocking him into gasping. He almost tripped and fell face-first onto the tavern's floor, swearing profusely at the sudden movement. She dragged him enthusiastically through its doors, her grin widening when her skin met the crisp bites of the cool midnight breeze. Due to the location being close to an ocean, the weather was a pleasant kind of cool when the moon took its turn of shining brightly among the twinkling stars in the black sky. 

        Her steps were uneven and staggering. Mal tsked and wrapped his arm around her smaller form tightly to steady her while she walked aimlessly along the path, smiling in an almost dazed space at the beautiful sight above her. It was a sudden change from her previously rambunctious behaviour, but it was a pleasant change indeed.

        "I like you, Volari." He laughed softly at how proud she seemed to have said that. He patted the top of her head with his free hand affectionately. "No, really. You pretend to be this big, tough, cool guy and hide your troubled past or whatever behind your confidence, but I see through you." As she said the last phrase, she narrowed her eyes at him and made the "I see you" motion with her fingers, making him quirk his eyebrows in growing amusement. "You're a big ol' softie on the inside. So, I like you."

        "I'm sure you do, kit," sighed Mal.

        "No, really!" exclaimed Lia for he second time. "You have a great sense of humour, you're skilled fighter — and thief, but we won't talk about that right now — and no matter how much you deny it, you care about us too." She had been gesturing wildly while explaining her point as if she were back recounting the most adventurous tale with Kade in Riverbend. "I know we haven't known each other long, but you're a good person, Mal, and we're going to be really good friends. I can feel it. I know it."

        His facial muscles slackened at all the meaningful sentences she spouted at him in a hurry. A fuzzy feeling warmed his stomach, but he also felt it twist guiltily. An uncharacteristically warm, kind smile graced his face as he gazed down at her. When she finally caught his eyes, he coughed awkwardly and looked away, cursing the tingling feeling of blood rushing to his cheeks. Oh, hell, he cursed mentally. He could see her raising her eyebrows expectantly at her out of the corners of his eyes, and — after a long moment of silence — resorted to replying with the first thing that came to his mind. "Word."

        Lia gaped at him like a fish, seeming as though he had said the single most offensive word to her. After processing his ridiculous reply, she poked him harshly in the ribs, squeezing a surprised cry of pain out of his lips. "I pour my heart out to you, and all you have to say is word?"

        His body convulsed with laughter for what seemed like the hundredth time that night. Soon after, they dissolved into silence yet again, and Mal pressed the softest of kisses to her forehead, hoping to God she would forget it the following morning. She let out a surprised squeak, and her face impossibly reddened further. "You're sappy drunk, kit. It's hilarious, really."