#massive balls creature canon

[prehistoricmancunt]

Lisa Frankenstein inspired filet crochet tapestry !!!!!👂🏽✋🏽🤫 (yet to be blocked)

designed & crocheted by me !

[pa1nrema1ns]

Two Intertwining Melodies || Sung Jin-woo (Part 2 of 3)

Siren!Jin-woo x Deaf!Omega!reader

A/N: Hello again everyone! Thank you so much for all of your interest and feedback on part one of this series. Due to the sheer enormity of the second chapter, I've decided to expand the siren au into a trilogy rather than a two-parter. My dear friend and beta reader @forbidden-sunlight has been an absolutely incredible source of support in the creation of this story. She also wrote the imagine that inspired this au. Links to the prologue and first chapter are posted below. Do be sure to read them first before continuing. And as always, heed the content warnings that are listed.

╰┈➤ Previous Chapters

🦪 Prologue by @forbidden-sunlight 🧜‍♂️ Part 1: Master and Apprentice

Content warnings: 18+MDNI, canon divergent, graphic descriptions of gore, death, and violence, afab!reader, reader is a makeup artist and hair stylist in the entertainment industry, a/b/o dynamics, heavy mentions of heat cycles, knotting, and breeding, threats of assault/non-con made by Kang Taeshik towards the reader (Jinchul intervenes and protects her), suggestive themes, some sexual descriptors, mythical creatures au, yandere!Jin-woo.

Word count - 9.6k

Summary - You find yourself returning to your childhood home of Jindo Island after receiving the offer of a lifetime. However, you can't shake the feeling that someone or something is watching you.

Dividers by @anitalenia and @firefly-graphics

[Skill: "Monarch’s Domain" Has Been Activated.]

“Come on out!”

A cacophony of deafening blasts, wails, and the clash of steel rings across the crimson-tinged horizon of the one hundredth floor of the Demon’s Castle; a perfect accompaniment to the Armageddon currently taking place. Infantrymen by the hundreds emerge from the shadows to skewer Baran’s forces while Iron, Igris, and Tank slaughter the larger and more formidable combatants with wanton brutality. Issuing a non-verbal command, Jin-woo orders Fang to incinerate his enemies with ‘Song of Inferno,’ and a calamitous ball of flames bursts forth, eradicating most of the battalion.  

“Amazing… on all the top floors I’ve been with him, I’ve seen nothing quite like this,” Esil whispered in awe. Although she was a demon princess who grew up in this wasteland and had seen many spectacular sights, the power of commanding shadow soldiers was most certainly not one of them.

In contrast to his companion, Jin-woo calmly observes the cataclysmic destruction with a piercing gaze. Despite gaining the upper hand against his troops, Baran remained steadfast in his refusal to engage directly in the ensuing fight. This simply would not do. Jin-woo needed to secure his victory in this decisive battle, and fast.

Jinwoo’s opponent possessed the last ingredient required to craft the Holy Water of Life: The Purified Blood of the Demon Monarch. A fortnight of endless fighting had culminated to this moment, and he was on the precipice of triumph. But the Demon King was unlike any adversary he had ever faced before. Jin-woo could gauge just from the sheer murderous energy emanating from him that Baran was in a league of his own. And his power spoke for itself: endless demon hordes at his beck and call, a wyvern as a mount, and an insurmountable supply of mana that showed no signs of running out. Jin-woo would need to approach his foe strategically lest he lose this war of attrition.

At long last, as if he could sense the siren’s impatience, the Demon King makes his move. He bids his draconian steed to fly at a lower altitude. Once within range, Baran unhinges his jaw and unleashes a massive beam of white lightning. Within seconds, thunder runs rampant throughout the land, devastating everything in its path. However, Jin-woo and his shadow army stand strong regardless of the imminent danger.  The siren even has the audacity to smirk. 

So Baran thought he could defeat him with electricity? Excellent. He really could not have asked for a better opponent. As luck would have it, Jin-woo’s oceanic nature gave him the edge in this situation. The surface of water, acting as a conductor of electricity, causes high voltages and amps to spread rapidly. With this in mind, Jin-woo launches a counterattack.

“Wreak havoc on all who dare to stand in my way, Charybdis!”

Powerful torrents of black seawater manifest from the shadows just before Baran’s attack could hit him. The rushing stream then runs across the land and coalesces into a violent maelstrom in the sky. The raging vortex absorbs most of the lightning in its maw before redirecting its flow towards the Demon King. Baran wills his steed to evade by canting to the left, but Fang incapacitates him by striking the wyvern’s wing with a blast of fire magic. The Demon King leaps from his mount’s back before it’s forced into the whirlpool and electrocuted. He lands gracefully on his feet and shoots a sinister grin at Jin-woo.

“It was worth it to let Fang have the sphere,” the siren remarks nonchalantly, as if it was just any other day and not a fight to the death. “I’m glad you’re finally on the ground. Constantly looking up was making me tired.”

With the Demon King grounded, Jin-woo no longer required the aquatic effects of Charybdis. The dark water above evaporates as it returns to the abyssal depths of the ocean, its job now complete. With this hindrance finally gone, Baran doesn’t hesitate to release another beam of white thunder, this one even greater than the last. Fang attempts to lessen the impact with ‘Song of Protection’, but the force of taking a direct hit ends up obliterating him. Undeterred by his comrade’s demise, Iron bellows at Baran and slashes at his body with his axe. But he proves to be no match for the speed of the Demon King, who ruthlessly splits his head in half. Igris then valiantly joins the fray and swings his great sword at the demon. However, this too is a fruitless endeavor, as Baran swiftly catches his blade and wipes him out with a flick of his wrist.

Just as Igris’s body fades, Jin-woo emerges from the ashes in his true sirenic form, Knight Killer and Baruka’s dagger at the ready. “Scylla!” He snarls a second incantation that brings forth another wave of black water, this time in the shape of a six-headed beast. The aqueous leviathan slams into Baran, crushing his body under its weight and submerging the entire floor of the dungeon in water. The Demon King swiftly breaks free from the tides and springs onto the roof of one of the sole remaining towers. Soaking wet and surrounded by large bodies of water, Baran ends up on the defensive; if he were to use his lightning, he risked electrocuting himself. Jin-woo was also in an environment that favored him, and the Demon King could not pinpoint his whereabouts while he was swimming underwater.

Even with this advantage, the gap in power was still significant between the two. Knowing this, Jin-woo doesn’t allow him a moment of reprieve. He uses his tail to project his body from the currents and launches at the Demon King with his daggers. The demon responds in kind, countering his onslaught with a flurry of strikes from his own weapons. Jin-woo holds his own against the extraordinary speed of Baran’s slashes. But he was low on mana, and fatigue was rapidly building up. While oceanic magic was incredibly effective, it incurred a high cost of mana. This, coupled with an extended exposure to a dry, fiery atmosphere, was having a seriously detrimental effect on his endurance. It was time to end the battle after dragging it out for so long. Jin-woo just needed an opportunity to catch the demon off guard– 

Klang!

A loud noise reverberates in the dungeon as a lance ricochets off Baran’s head. The demon redirects his focus to the sheepish face of Esil. Huh? I thought I told her to head for higher ground. When did she…? Jin-woo ponders briefly before banishing the thought. He requested a distraction, and someone kindly provided him with one. He wasn’t about to squander his only chance.

Using Baran’s hesitation to his advantage, Jin-woo discards his short swords and sinks his fangs into the Demon King’s neck, crushing down on his windpipe. As Baran struggles to throw him off, Jin-woo unsheathes his claws and gouges out chunks of flesh. The demon howls in agony, his pained cries music to the siren’s ears. “How stupid of me,” Jin-woo sneers, his voice deepening in pitch as his actions became more monstrous, “I was fighting you like a man this entire time, when this is who I really am. Heh, I guess being disguised as a human for so long made me forget.”

Summoning all his strength, Jin-woo uses his muscular arms to tear Baran’s torso from his body. The vicious mauling completely eviscerates the demon, with only his entrails being left over in its wake. His victory now secured, Jin-woo exhaustedly slumps to the ground and reverts to his human appearance. The throes of battle destroyed most of his clothes, much to his chagrin. The only apparel that remained intact were his tattered jeans, and those only just spared his modesty. He scoffed in annoyance; he’d need to purchase a new wardrobe soon to make himself more presentable for you …

“Jin-woo, sir!” Esil dashes towards him with a worried look on her cute face. The siren smirks, satisfied despite the many setbacks he faced during this confrontation.

“Esil, tell your father the Radis clan is now the number one family.”

“Jin-woo sir,” the demon girl responds exasperatedly, “Our family name is Radir.”

6:00 AM, on the outskirts of Jindo Island…

Jin-woo deeply inhales the crisp morning air as he soars through the endless skies. Much had transpired in the short time between the conclusion of his showdown with Baran and now. He had gained the Purified Blood of the Demon Monarch, along with the World Tree Fragment, and Spring Water from Echo Forest. With these three components, he was at last able to craft the Holy Water of Life. Once finished, he cradled the precious vial in his palm, as if trying to ascertain proof of its existence. Afterwards, Jin-woo deposited it into his magical inventory for safekeeping.

Of course, the elixir was just one of the many spoils of war he had claimed. Kaisel, the wyvern who now served as his mount, was his for the taking after Baran’s death. The gift of flight had expedited the journey home, much to his joy. A rune stone had also provided him with the skill, ‘Shadow Exchange,' a means of trading places with any of his soldiers scattered throughout land and sea. Thanks to this new ability, he was able to leave that hellish landscape. After being gone for what felt like eons, Jin-woo was desperate to return. To his family. To Ashborn. To you.

He’s relieved when the familiar cityscape of Jindo-gun comes into view. He estimates it would take roughly 15 more minutes for them to arrive over the briny waters. However, before they can make it past the coastline, the spellbinding fragrance of bergamot and vanilla overwhelms Jin-woo’s senses. This could mean only one thing: you were nearby. The headiness of your musk had also gotten more potent in his absence, signifying your fertility.

“Fuck!” Jin-woo’s hisses as desire courses hot and heavy through his veins. He tries to resist the temptation of your pheromones, but you smelt so damn good; so ready and willing for him and his knot –

Jin-woo grunts as he bites down hard enough on his bottom lip to draw blood. The pain causes him to regain some mental clarity, and he wills himself to calm down. But it’s of no use. His thoughts were currently being clouded by lust and the instinctual drive to breed. Those two weeks he endured in the Demon’s Castle had significantly intensified his longing for you, and the pent-up sexual frustration was coming to a head. Jin-woo really had to nip this in the bud. His stamina was at its limit, and he was in no condition to be seen by you. The siren also desperately needed to go home and check in on his mother and Jin-ah. He was the only alpha and protector of their family after the disappearance of his father. He couldn’t afford to waste another—

The wind carries your scent as it blows past Jin-woo’s face a second time. It was as if you were beckoning him like some sort of enchantress. Unable to ignore your maddening aroma, Jin-woo at last gives in. He knew the decision he was about to make was foolish, reckless even. But he must heed the call of his omega.

He silently apologizes to his mother and Jin-ah and asks them to wait just a little longer. “I’ll only introduce myself… maybe I can even get her name,” he tries to reason with himself while slowly succumbing to delirium. His mind made up, Jin-woo commands Kaisel to deliver him to the area where your scent is the strongest. The wyvern then returns to the void shortly thereafter, leaving the worn out siren to his own devices.

Grainy sand molds against his bare feet as stumbles across the beach in search of you. “Shit. If this keeps up, I might not make it back to Mom and Jin-ah.” Jin-woo mumbles softly. He really was in poor form. Maybe it had been a mistake to depart immediately for Jindo island without taking a break in between. Damn. 

As black spots start to obscure his vision, Jin-woo’s gaze finally lands on you. His lips quirk into a tired smile. Even through blurry eyes, you looked absolutely stunning while standing in the sunlight. Like an earthly goddess.

With his consciousness ebbing further and further away, the siren musters up the last of his energy to stagger towards you. He makes it only two steps before his body gives out and he collapses. Rather than hitting the hard ground, a soft and warm embrace met Jin-woo. He blearily cracks open an eye, curious about what broke his fall. It was at that moment your lovely, albeit worried face greeted him. Pretty, he thinks, exhaustion finally taking its toll on him. The last thing Jin-woo remembers before the darkness overtakes him is the soothing smell of bergamot and vanilla.

Two weeks ago, someone or something had been watching you. It was during the first day of filming the mystery-thriller, ‘Murder on the Cerulean Sea’, a passion project by renowned producer, Go Gun-hee. The man had an incredible work ethic, with a career spanning over 40 years and numerous accolades to his name. He had recently come out of retirement, and the entertainment industry was buzzing with anticipation. Known as a cinematic miracle maker, every motion picture Go Gun-hee produced set box office records. Suffice to say, you had been over the moon after finding out you were amongst the few who made the cut for makeup artists hired to work on set. Although the instant you found out where the filming location was to take place, you immediately felt your enthusiasm dampen. Jindo-gun. At one point, this had been your home. Now, it was but a distant memory.

You had spent most of your childhood on the island of Jindo. Its scenic beaches, sprawling forests, and crystalline waters made it ideal for shooting a film based on a luxury yacht charter. There was one major caveat however: the sirens. Several pods of these unpredictable creatures resided off the coast of Jindo, and the alphas were infamous for their aggression, especially during the height of the mating season.

Growing up, your parents warned you time and time again not to walk alone along the shores at night. "Don’t ever go to the beach by yourself after dark," your mother had signed this to you almost every day. A constant reminder to stay safe and vigilant of your surroundings. Townsfolk also gossiped and shared sordid stories about the lost souls who fell victim to the sirens. But this wasn’t just word of mouth, a child’s fairytale, or mere superstition. These deadly apex predators were very much real, and a troublingly high number of homicides were committed by them each year. Unfortunately, this did little to dissuade foolhardy tourists and arrogant fishermen from pouring into the island during the hotter months of spring and summer.

Eager to escape the foreboding atmosphere, you had applied to and been accepted into a 2-year cosmetology program in Busan shortly after finishing high school. Makeup had always been a strong interest of yours and with the support of both your parents you flourished in your craft.

Although you had been nervous about the transition from quaint suburbia to the big city life, you found yourself quickly growing accustomed to the fast-paced environment. Your school had also been very accommodating, providing you with a sign language interpreter and captioning services for your classes. A kindhearted young woman by the name of Lee Joohee had been assigned as your interpreter during your time in Busan. You became fast friends and remained close even after graduation.

After receiving your license, you relocated to a small apartment in Seoul and began working as a hair and makeup artist in stage productions, commercials, and musicals. You greatly enjoyed the creativity and networking opportunities of your profession, often getting to bump shoulders with many well-known actors and actresses. Within a few years, your portfolio grew considerably. This enabled you to broaden your horizons by breaking into the film industry. ‘Murder on the Cerulean Sea,’ would be your first foray into this competitive market and you wanted to prove yourself as a newcomer to the scene. So, despite your reservations, you begrudgingly agreed to board the private jet headed for Jindo island.

If you recall correctly, the mating season for the sirens wouldn’t take place for another four months, so everything should proceed without a hitch… right?  

You began to feel a little more at ease when you found out Cha Hae-In and Yoo Jinho were cast in major roles in the movie. You had first met them when they were both burgeoning stage actors. Cha was surprisingly camera shy and preferred to keep a more subdued profile whereas Jinho was outgoing and incredibly humble despite his privileged background. The bubbly brunet was the youngest son of the chairman of Yoojin Construction Company, a major industrial conglomerate in South Korea.

Although you came from different walks of life, the three of you had hit it off right away, finding common ground in your passions for campy horror films. You even taught them a few signs, and this inspired Jinho to devote himself fully to learning sign language. Cha also practiced her signs with you whenever she had the chance, but her busy schedule often made it difficult for her to find spare time. Nevertheless, you were deeply touched by the efforts made by both of your friends.

While taking a break on set, you felt a pair of eyes boring into you as you were relaxing with Cha and Jinho. At first, you chalked it up to paranoia. It had been years since you visited the island, and you’d nearly forgotten how oppressive the ocean seemed at night. But it was the middle of May. The mating season for the sirens would not take place until September at the earliest. Regardless, the sensation of being watched still lingered even after the mysterious presence had left.

There was also the enthralling scent of lavender and sandalwood thickly permeating the air. It had a distinctly masculine undertone to it that had piqued your interest. It was far too strong to be from a couple spritzes of cologne or perfume, yet more subtle than the pungent smell emanating from many of the alphas who composed the cast and crew onboard the yacht. Their musk was overbearing at best, but this fragrance was entirely different. It was sweet. Delicate. Intoxicating…

You had to find the source of it. Making up an excuse about wanting to get more fresh air, you stay behind on the deck of the ship while your friends return to their accommodations to retire for the evening. As you lean over the railing to scope out the scent, an intense wave of heat suddenly ignites in your lower belly causing you to gasp and buckle at the knees. It briefly lingers in your abdomen before shooting directly to your core. You bite back a moan as your eyes flutter shut from the pleasure spreading throughout your body. Slowly but surely, you were entering into a primal state; one of pure unbridled arousal. You should be concerned. No, you should be horrified. You were so vulnerable, so out of sorts. And yet…

You had never felt so exhilarated. It was as if ecstasy became you. You were ascending higher and higher to parts unknown, all semblance of rationality long since abandoned. The coil in your gut was wound so tight, it was at its breaking point. If this continued, you would inevitably plummet over the edge and succumb to your baser instincts –  

The metallic odor of copper violently infiltrates the air, abruptly bringing you back to your senses. Your eyes bolt open, and you release a shaky breath. You’re surprised to find yourself on your knees. They must’ve given out on you at some point. However, your shock shifts to horror when you catch sight of an unruly mop of purple hair from the corner of your eye.

It could only belong to one individual: Kang Taeshik.

Shit. You’d been acquainted with the man just yesterday, but he terrified you. Taeshik was an up-and-coming actor on the scene; one who excelled in any role he played. In spite of this, the first impression he left on you was enough to make you keep your distance. Although Taeshik’s demeanor was docile, there was a cold and calculating look in his eyes that made you shudder. It reminded you of a predator eyeing its prey. The most off-putting aspect of the man, however, was his stomach-churning scent. He positively reeked of blood.

You could feel panic setting in as he began to saunter towards you, a lascivious smirk spread across his face like a dark promise. You’re unable to rise to your feet, still weakened and lightheaded from the erotic sensations affecting you earlier. Worse yet, you feel a lump in your throat, making it difficult to shout or scream for help should the need arise. You were essentially cornered, defenseless, and alone with a menacing alpha. And if the pungency of his musk was anything to go by, he was on the verge of a rut. You sink back into yourself in fear and begin to tremble uncontrollably.

You can see Taeshik’s mouth moving as he closes in on you. You’d become adept at lip reading over the years, although it was difficult to decipher everything he was saying in the darkness. The only words that you can make out are "little omega" and "whore." Your blood curdles. Someone, anyone, please help me! You silently plead, knowing it was futile. For a moment, you foolishly imagine the owner of that enticing scent coming to your rescue.

Thankfully, just before Taeshik can grab you, a large hand envelops his wrist in a vice grip.

The purple haired nightmare cants his gaze to the side and narrows his eyes. He’s greeted by the furious expression of none other than the film’s director, Woo Jinchul. Relief floods your chest at the sight of him. Thank God, you think.

Taeshik rips his arm away and leaps back, creating some distance between himself and the taller man. Jinchul quickly assumes a protective stance in front of you. His broad back prevented you from seeing your would-be assailant, something you were extremely grateful for. For a few tense moments, you can only sit and stare at Jinchul’s imposing figure as he confronts the other man.

Despite how scared you are, you wish you could partake in the conversation if only to defend yourself. Taeshik may try to manipulate the situation by implicating you as an instigator or seductress, something many male actors in the industry unfortunately got away with due to their connections or wealth. It was despicable and made you seethe with anger at the salacious lies and rumors spread by the press and social media.

After several painstaking minutes, Taeshik departs with nary but a shrug of indifference. Apparently Jinchul’s status and power as director did nothing to intimidate him. He waits until Taeshik’s figure disappears before turning to face you. There’s an uncharacteristic warmth in his usually hard gaze, and you’re able to catch a whiff of his natural scent: cardamom and cedarwood, a calming combination.

Jinchul gently offers his hand and effortlessly hoists you to your feet. Your legs are still somewhat stiff but functional now. He permits you to steady yourself by grasping onto his shoulders and it doesn’t escape you how oddly intimate these actions are. As if to further prove this, Jinchul, in a strange display of affection, tucks a loose strand of hair behind your ear. Your breath hitches.

A beat passes before the realization of what he just did hits him. Jinchul’s eyes widen, and he quickly snatches his hand back as if he was scalded. And was it your imagination, or were his ears turning pink? He awkwardly clears his throat before opening his mouth. ‘Are you alright? Did Taeshik harm you in any way?’ You read his lips closely, appreciating the pauses and slow enunciation of his words. Jinchul was aware that you could lip read rather efficiently, and this made it easier to communicate with him since he would not have to always rely on an interpreter.

You shake your head and see him breathing a sigh of relief. ‘He won’t ever be allowed near you again; I will make sure of it.’ Jinchul is back to his usual no-nonsense demeanor it seems. But what had caused him to act so… tender towards you? And Taeshik? The man had always been creepy and taciturn, but he never went out of his way to torment you. If Jinchul hadn’t arrived at just the right time, you could have been assaulted. You feel bile rising to your throat at the thought. Why was this happening? You were always careful and made sure to take your heat suppressants every day. None of the alphas you worked with had ever tried to hurt you before, so why? Unless you were going into heat, but that shouldn’t be possible…

You suddenly break into a sob, overcome with emotion. Your distress causes Jinchul to spring into action. He promptly removes his blazer and drapes it over your shoulders to ward off the chill of the night. Jinchul then produces an embellished handkerchief from his pocket and hands it to you. He hesitates before placing a comforting hand on your shoulder and his lips move again. ‘I’m here for you,’ he mouths. You wipe away the tears with the handkerchief and stifle your cries into its soft fabric. All the while, Jinchul remains by your side and grants you as much time as you need to collect yourself. When the tears finally run their course, you lower the ruined towelette from your face and chance a timid glance at him.

Jinchul regards you with a pensive expression on his sharp features. He withdraws his hand from your shoulder and reaches back into his pocket to pull out his phone. He then begins typing away and once finished with his message, he hands the device over to you, displaying the contents of his notebook app.

"As director of this film, I want you to know that I will always prioritize the wellbeing of our cast and crew. With that being said, the actions I witnessed Kang Taeshik commit tonight were morally reprehensible. I won’t disclose the full details of the discussion I had with him, as I do not wish to cause you any further emotional distress. I will say that I can personally attest to the fact that Kang Taeshik sought to menace and harm you while you were in a vulnerable state of heat."

You feel your heart sink into the pit of your stomach as you skim over the last sentence. So Jinchul knew you had unexpectedly gone into heat? Of course he would; he was an alpha. How could you have been so stupid? The director was most certainly going to see you as a liability now… you may even end up losing your job.

You reluctantly force yourself to continue reading. If this to be the conclusion of your tenure, then at least you would see it through to the bitter end.

"Please do not blame yourself for what has happened. Your disposition as an omega has no bearing on your contract or employment, nor does it offer an excuse for an alpha, or anyone for that matter, to harass you. It is with impartial and sound judgment that I have made the executive decision to terminate Kang Taeshik and remove him from production effective immediately. This will cause some inevitable delays, but an impromptu casting call can be arranged in the meantime. I’m willing to run over schedule if it guarantees everyone’s safety."

You exhale and feel all the tension dissipate from your body. So, you weren’t the one being let go, Taeshik was. You hadn’t known much about Woo Jinchul beforehand, but you were thankful that he was a man of good character. This was becoming exceedingly rare in an industry composed of unscrupulous and morally bankrupt members of the upper echelons.

You type back a response before handing him his phone.

"I am so sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused you. I really don’t understand what happened. I’ve been taking suppressants for years, and an alpha has never tried to threaten me before. Thank you for stepping in to protect me. I really don’t know what he was planning to do."

You couldn’t help but apologize even though Jinchul had vindicated you. What leaves you reeling, however, is the reply he gives you when the mobile device is back in your hands.

"I should be the one to apologize, not you. My behavior towards you earlier was incredibly uncouth, and for that, I am deeply sorry. As director, I should be conducting myself in a manner that is more befitting. Instead, I allowed my instincts as an alpha to impair my judgement. I promise this shall not happen again."

Uncouth behavior? Did he mean when he was brushing your hair from your face? How could he be apologetic about something so innocuous?  The implications don’t fully register until you replay that last sentence: My instincts as an alpha. Instincts…alpha…!?!

He was reacting to your pheromones.

That evening, Jinchul insisted on having you treated at the on-site infirmary. Alas, with few medical staff and even less equipment it was difficult to determine what was causing your symptoms. Was it possible your medication was no longer working? Omega suppressants were highly effective, but that didn’t mean they were infallible. A missed dose or interaction with another drug could negate the effects. But you weren’t taking any other medications, and you never missed a dose.

Needing a second opinion, you were transported to the emergency room at a nearby hospital for further evaluation. Jinchul had opted to let Cha and Jinho drive you there after explaining your circumstances to them (minus the issue with Kang Taeshik; he was keeping it under wraps for now). Unlike him, they were both betas which made them immune to your pheromones.

You ended up being kept overnight for observation. After running a series of tests, including labs to assess your hormones and an ultrasound, you were found to be undergoing a pseudo estrus or ‘false heat’ as it’s more commonly referred to.

Unlike a regular heat, a false heat occurs only when a highly compatible alpha is within close vicinity of an omega. This in turn triggers a massive release of pheromones leading to an increase in libido, fever-like symptoms, cramping, and fatigue. Whoever this alpha was, their presence was so virile that your heat suppressants were fully canceled out by them.

You were questioned extensively about your experience by the healthcare team. "Do you have any partners? Are you sexually active? Is there anyone you work with who is an alpha? When did you first start experiencing the signs of your heat?" The list was never-ending. With the help of an interpreter, you answered everything to the best of your ability. And by the end of it all, you were still at a loss.

No one on that yacht had been emitting that scent, you were sure of it. It had to have been someone wholly unrelated. Perhaps a fisherman or a swimmer? But it was late and everyone who was local to the island knew better than to risk the waters at night. Everyone except you and the entourage on board the yacht, that is.

Frustrated, you eventually gave up on trying to figure out the identity of your potential mate. Your physician, a compassionate fellow omega by the name of Min Byung-Gu, strongly recommended an entire week of bed rest for you. This was to serve as a means of letting the heat cycle run its course. You were also provided with prescription medications to alleviate your symptoms.

Resting was crucial. Any physical stress or strain could worsen your condition, and omegas were particularly susceptible to injury or illness while at their sexual peak. In addition to this, your doctor recommended ceasing all contact with alphas, effectively barring you from returning to work. You were crestfallen at this, but you acquiesced knowing it was for the sake of your recovery.

To avoid any mishaps, Jinchul arranged for you to stay in a penthouse for the time being. The lavish suite was situated on the very top floor of a deluxe condominium, affording you all the personal comforts and privacy you would need. You couldn’t help but snort when you opened the door to your new living quarters. It was like you were a goddamn princess trapped in a tower.

As if that wasn’t enough, your boss had also hired two very intimidating bodyguards. Both were betas who had been tasked with protecting you during your heat. The first to be introduced was a hulking beast of a man called Thomas Andre. He was huge, with a herculean frame that looked to be made of steel rather than flesh and blood. A wild mane of blonde hair and intricate patterns of black ink also adorned his chest and arms, making him even more imposing.

The disarming smile he gives you is anything but, however. He’s also surprisingly gentle with you when he shakes your hand.

Your other bodyguard had a physicality that was far less egregious, but his razor-edged gaze, unnervingly calm composure, and the bulging muscles of his arms revealed a powerful aura that was not to be underestimated. This man had gone by the name of Liu Zhigang, a master swordsman of the highest caliber and one of the strongest individuals in China.

He too, had been unexpectedly friendly, even going so far as to ruffle your hair and calling you a “good girl,” in his native language. Your interpreter had been particularly scandalized while signing this to you after you were insistent on finding out what he said. You, on the other hand, thought it was rather cute, especially when juxtaposed with his tough guy image. There had also been no ill intent or malice in his words; he was being genuinely amiable to you, just as Thomas Andre had been.

Perhaps you could make do with this situation. But you could only imagine how hefty of a price tag these two highly skilled warriors could warrant. Jinchul was sparing absolutely no expense on you. He must have felt terribly guilty about your traumatic experience that night…

You make a vow with yourself not to take his generosity for granted.

And so, the next week passes by rather uneventfully. You ended up becoming stir crazy right from the beginning. You had been so accustomed to the fast-paced lifestyle of a makeup artist and hair stylist that the very concept of wasting the day away seemed foreign. Gone were the 12–14-hour shifts that had once encompassed your daily routine. It was maddening, this sudden lack of purpose.

Sleeping, reading, eating, and binge-watching dramas with closed captioning had been your main escape from the dullness of being confined to bed all day. No one, not even your parents, Jinho, or Cha had been permitted to visit you while on bedrest. Jinchul and Min Byung-Gu had advised you to limit all external stimulation while you were in heat. You understood the importance of this, but it did nothing to prepare you for the overwhelming loneliness that awaited you.

Sure, your bodyguards had been cordial to you, but they were preoccupied with keeping watch over the premises and warding off any intruders. Neither one had time to engage with you beyond a simple greeting or farewell. Even your interpreter kept her presence scarce, coming only twice per day to check in with you and to relay messages from your friends, family, and the director.

It was as if you were a bird in a gilded cage. Locked away, out of sight, and out of mind. You hated every second of it. You wanted to curse the cruel hand you were dealt, to resent the alpha who had caused you all this misery in the first place. But…

You couldn’t bring yourself to do it no matter how unbearable the isolation became.

Once those seven agonizingly slow days were over and done, you were given medical clearance to resume your job. You never thought you would be so happy to work again. Of course, you still had some restrictions in place. Jinchul wanted you to take it easy, so he requested that you work no more than 4-6 hours per day. At this point, you were willing to do anything if it kept you out of that forlorn penthouse.

In addition to this, you were prescribed a significantly higher dosage of oral heat suppressants. It was to be used as a prophylactic to ensure you would not enter a second heat. The side-effects had been merciful, with nothing more than the occasional bout of nausea and a loss of appetite to show for.

Jinho and Cha were ecstatic to see you again, although your other colleagues were far less enthusiastic. The attentiveness and apparent favoritism towards you by the director did not go unnoticed. You were predictably met with the cold shoulder by many of your peers upon your return. It didn’t help that Jinchul had kept the confrontation between him and Taeshik confidential. Only executive producer Go and your bodyguards were made aware. This was done to protect you and to prevent the besmirching of your character by the media. The rest of the cast and crew had simply been told that Taeshik had departed from the film due to ‘irreconcilable and creative differences.’ The purple haired man’s PR team, for their part, also appeared to be going with this story.

Frankly, you could care less about what your coworkers thought of you. You were just glad that you never had to be around a horrible psychopath like Taeshik ever again. Cha and Jinho, on the other hand, had taken it upon themselves to act as your newly appointed bodyguards in Thomas’s and Zhigang’s stead. Any nasty gossip or snide remarks were met with a frosty glare from the blonde woman and threats of litigation from the heir apparent of Yoojin Construction.

You couldn’t have asked for better friends or a more considerate boss, but you were starting to find the constant protection and coddling from them to be too much. You were a woman with her own autonomy after all. And yet you were being treated like a piece of glass, as if you would shatter with the slightest gust of wind. It was suffocating and your newly toxic work environment certainly wasn’t making matters any better.

To keep yourself grounded (and from going insane) you had taken to embarking on early morning walks along the beach. The peace and tranquility were a welcome solace from the tumultuous reality of your situation. You could spend hours getting lost in the beauty of the dawning sun.

You should have known this temporary serenity was not to last.

That Sunday had started out much like any other morning. You poured yourself a cup of coffee, changed into a pair of leggings with a matching sports bra, and slid on some comfortable running shoes. It was a little before dawn, and you were hoping to catch the breathtaking sight of the sunrise along the sandy marshes of the island. You weren’t scheduled to work, so you had all the time in the world to explore and enjoy nature. You planned to make the most of it.

You start off by walking to a well-known bakery to purchase some freshly made kkwabaegi. The crispiness of the fried dough complements your coffee perfectly. After eating your sweet treat, you continue your journey, heading southbound for a local beach. The area was usually a tourist trap in the summer, but it was much less populated at this time of day.

The moment your foot connects with the sand, you are instantly hit by the familiar smell of lavender and sandalwood. You begin to panic.

 Shit! It was that alpha from a few weeks ago!

You know the right thing to do, the reasonable thing to do, would be to turn back and run. You were all alone in a secluded area with someone who was potentially dangerous. The last time you were near them, you had been rendered completely helpless just from their pheromones alone. If you got too close to them, you could end up going into another heat.

The other possibilities were more nightmarish. You’d heard horror stories about depraved alphas who would kidnap omegas and force them into becoming their mates against their will. Dominance amongst alphas these days was often synonymous with entitlement, something many of them would use to justify their disgusting actions. If this person nearby was of the same barbaric mindset…

Despite the storm of conflicting emotions raging within you, you remain rooted to the spot. It was just no use; you couldn’t convince yourself to retreat. Curiosity and the need for closure far outweighed your fear and anxiety. You had to find out the identity of this individual, regardless of the risk.

You steel yourself before nervously trudging in the direction of the scent. For whatever reason, the strength of the alpha’s pheromones was nowhere near the same extent as it was on that night. It was soothing this time, like a hot shower at the end of an exhausting day. Had the increased dose of your heat suppressants been responsible for this? Well, no use in questioning it now.

As the aroma grows stronger, you find yourself heading closer towards the sea. The sun was starting to peak over the tussling waves, and you briefly turned your head to avoid receiving an eyeful of blinding light. It’s in the periphery of your vision that you finally see him: the alpha that had been evading you for so long.

Even from a several yards away, you can tell he’s quite tall; standing at a height of around 185 cm. He’s also naked from the waist up, with only a pair of shredded jeans on his figure. But what captivates you most is the feverishness and intensity of his gaze. No one had ever looked at you like this before. It was almost reverent. Like you were some kind of deity.

The man staggers towards you slowly. Had he been hurt? There didn’t appear to be a scratch on him, although his remaining clothes were a mess. You reason that he must be experiencing heat exhaustion. This would explain why he had taken off his shirt. Your hackles lowered, you decide to throw caution to the wind and approach the man.

His body gives out just as you begin to close the distance between the two of you. You immediately pick up the pace, turning your walk into a jog. You’re able to catch him right before he falls face first into the sand. That was a close one, you think, releasing a breath you weren’t even aware you were holding. You’re able to fully take in the man’s appearance now that he was close enough to hold.

He was unspeakably handsome. As a stylist in the entertainment industry, you’ve seen your fair share of gorgeous celebrities. But all of them paled in comparison to the robust beauty of the man before you. Unblemished olive skin that was smooth to the touch. Silken ebony tresses that you were tempted to run your fingers through. And a God-like physique that had your pulse quickening. What you’d give to caress the rippling muscles of his torso...

Just who in the world was this ethereal alpha? And how was he able to sleep so soundly in the arms of a virtual stranger? The man had even nuzzled his face in between the valley of your breasts as if it was the most natural thing on earth! Oddly enough, you weren’t put off by his actions. In fact, you found them to be endearing. Was this what it was like to form a predestined bond with someone?

You briefly consider texting your friends to get help for the man but decide against it once you start weighing your options. If he was transported to the hospital, there was a chance he would be forcibly separated from you. What’s more, if it was found out that he was the one who caused your false heat, there could be far reaching consequences. You were still being monitored on set, and Jinchul might deem this man to be a threat to you.

He didn’t look to be injured, at least not physically, so you rule out the hospital. You deliberate for a few more minutes before ultimately choosing to wait and bide your time until he regained consciousness.

The two of you remain entangled in this strange embrace as stunning shades of orange, red, and yellow paint the sky. The waves shine incandescently in the sunlight, and you find yourself facing the ocean, distracted by its splendor. After a few minutes, you feel something shifting in your arms.

You return your focus to the man. He’s finally started to stir, groggily raising his head from your chest.  You both lock eyes, your wide-eyed gaze contrasting with his half lidded one. You see his chapped lips open and close, mouthing only one word: 'Omega.'

You feel a shiver run down your spine. Alpha, your inner omega silently preens, instinct taking over.

The man attempts to talk to you again, but you hush him with the gentle press of your index finger to his lips. He obeys right away and makes no further efforts to speak. You had many questions that you wanted to ask, but that could wait for just a little longer. Your alph – no, this alpha, was in desperate need of some water. He looked awfully parched.

You unzip the tote bag you brought with you and sift through its contents before producing a canteen filled with water. You open it and push the lid to his mouth, motioning for him to drink. He follows your orders without a second thought, taking several generous gulps. Rivulets of excess water drip from the corner of his mouth, down his Adam’s apple, and you find yourself getting distracted by his body again. You internally curse as you feel yourself growing wet. You discreetly press your thighs together, hoping to dull the ache building between them.

You fail to notice the flare of the man’s nostrils or his blown-out pupils as he watches your actions from the corner of his eye.

When he’s finally had his fill, you cap your canteen and place it to the side. You then reach into your pocket and pull out your phone. The man shoots you an uneasy look when he sees it in your hand. Was he unfamiliar with mobile devices? You type a quick message in your notebook app and turn the screen towards him.

“I’m going to use my phone to communicate with you because I have a hearing impairment. Is that alright? I just want to make sure you aren’t hurt.”

The boyish look of surprise that crosses his face while he reads doesn’t escape you. He must not have been expecting you to be deaf. You anxiously await his response, unsure of what his reaction will be.

His expression morphs into something akin to barely concealed wonder, and he nods his head. You breathe deep and type away on your phone again. Your next message elaborates on your concerns.

"First, can you tell me if you’re in any pain or if you’re injured? If you are, I can get an ambulance for you. My name is Y/N, by the way.”

His eyes quickly flit over your words. In response, he dips one of his fingers into the wet sand. You’re curious at first, until you start to recognize the shapes that he’s drawing as letters. Why was he writing in the sand? Was he not comfortable with using your phone?

Once finished, his message reads:

“I’m unharmed. I do not need help. Thank you for the water.”

Great, so he wasn’t hurt. Now you can finally focus on getting some damn answers!

You start typing furiously, pouring all your heart into unspoken anger. As soon as you’re finished you nearly slam the mobile device into the man’s face. He blinks owlishly, looking adorably confused by your actions. You don’t know whether you want to slap or kiss him.

“Now that I know you’re okay, can you please answer a few questions for me? Tell me, were you sailing near a large yacht a few weeks ago? There was this scent that day, an alpha’s scent. It smelt incredible. Ever since then, I’ve been trying to find this person. And then I came across you! You have the exact same smell as them! And you’re obviously an alpha yourself since you recognized me as an omega right away.  Please, just tell me who you are! I ended up going into heat because of that alpha, and I feel like I’ve been losing my mind over them!”

The man’s face flickers from shock to guilt as he reads your explosive words. You regret typing them almost immediately when you see the sadness in his steel gray eyes.

He tries to use your phone to write back, but he’s clumsy and ends up swiping his fingers over a bunch of random characters. He huffs and bites his lip, clearly embarrassed. Crap, now you were feeling even worse about unleashing your tirade on him. You’ve always had a temper on you, and it often led to you lashing out and hurting the people you cherished most. And now you had allowed your mounting frustration to get the better of you in front of this poor man. For all you knew, he could be an innocent bystander who was just trying to get some help after becoming overheated.

You had to set things right.

You gently take the phone from the man’s hands, place it in your lap, and cup his cheek. He nervously glances at you, afraid that you’ll still be mad at him. But he’s greeted by your warm smile instead. Reassured, his shoulders relax, and he leans into your touch. After a few moments, you withdraw your hand, eager to continue the conversation. You can’t help but mourn the loss of contact as you resume your typing, however. Your next message reads:

“I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have taken out all my anger on you, especially when you probably don’t have anything to do with this. Please, allow me to start all over again and explain everything to you. Just so I can confirm if you’re the same person I bumped into several days ago. And don’t worry about having to use my phone. I’ve got a pen and a notebook you can write on.”

His eyes take on a hopeful sheen, and you have to force yourself to part from him in order to get to your bag. He really was too charming for his own good, this strange alpha…

That reminds you, you still hadn’t gotten his name!

Once the writing utensils are given to him, he starts scribbling away. His chicken scratch is barely legible, but it was better than nothing. Your handwriting wasn’t necessarily the best either, if you were being honest. He wrote:

“Omega, you are not at fault for anything. I should be the one asking for forgiveness. I wasn’t there for you when you needed me most. My name is Sung Jin-woo, an alpha from Jindo-gun. I am the person who was exploring the area around that large boat several nights ago. I became worried when I smelt an omega’s scent. It was you; you were the omega I was seeking that day. I should have shown myself to you sooner. What happened to you after I left? Did any other alphas approach you?"

Sung Jin-woo, huh? It suited him. He had an oddly formal way of writing though, one that clashed with his youthful appearance. This time, you don’t miss the possessiveness in his eyes as he writes that last sentence.

‘Did any other alphas approach you?’

You gulp, reminiscing over the entire ordeal with Kang Taeshik. Should you even tell Jin-woo? By now the problem had been resolved and Taeshik was already fired. There was no reason for you to make Jin-woo feel even worse about causing your heat.

In the end, you choose not to mention Taeshik. He was out of the picture, and you didn’t have to worry about him anymore.

You resume typing in your notebook app, your response stating:

“No, not really. My boss found me on the verge of passing out, though. He’s an alpha so he could tell why I wasn’t feeling well. I was taken to a hospital by my friends since they’re both betas. I had to stay in bed for a week, but as you can already tell I’m alright now. I’m just glad I was finally able to meet you, Jin-woo 😊 You see, I work on that big ship. I’m a makeup artist and hair stylist, and the yacht is the set for a movie that’s being filmed…”

The next few hours pass in companiable silence as you communicate through pen strokes and text messages. Both you and Jin-woo had shared a considerable amount about one another over this time span.

You learn that Jin-woo had grown up on the island, much like you. He lived with his mother and little sister on the outskirts of town and served as the sole provider of the family after his father passed away. When you question what he did for a living, he paused before writing he was a fisherman. This would explain why he was out so early in the morning. The most ideal times to fish were sunset and sunrise. But how had his clothes gotten torn up like that? When you asked, he merely answered that he fell off his boat and had almost gotten swept up in the propellor. Apparently, his shirt and pants had been destroyed by the turning of the blades. You were incredulous at first, given just how dangerous that sounded, but Jin-woo had a way of selling you with his words. You eventually found yourself believing him despite your previous skepticism. He must have also been fishing that night two weeks ago.

Jin-woo had asked you many questions as well. He seemed particularly concerned about your heat cycle. When you disclosed the cause of it was your compatibility with him, his entire body tensed. Jin-woo’s hands then started to shake and you took one of them in your own to calm him. He glances at you, and you’re taken aback by the fire in his eyes. For the briefest of moments, you fear that you might’ve revealed something you shouldn’t have. Before you can compose an apology, Jin-woo releases your hand, picks up his pen, and starts writing again. Once finished, he gives you the notebook with an expression of apprehension on his face.

“Is this something you’re comfortable with? Now that we’ve met, I’m really interested in getting to know you more. But how do you feel about me? Do you want to continue this conversation? I understand if you’d want me to leave after everything you were forced to endure.”

How did you feel about him?

You mull over all that’s occurred since returning to your hometown. You had never expected to encounter so many trials and tribulations. By all accounts, you had every right to cease any further contact with Jin-woo. But you were undeniably intrigued by him. He had been nothing but respectful of your boundaries, and you found yourself being drawn in by his earnest personality. If nothing else came from this meeting between the two of you, then at least you could become friends.

You type an honest response and wait on bated breath as he reads it:

“I’m not sure how I feel about us right now. Honestly, I don’t believe in things like destiny or fate when it comes to finding a soulmate. But I do want to continue seeing you. I also would like to learn more about you as a person. Maybe we can take things slow and figure it out from there. What do you say, Jin-woo😉?”

All the anxiety seems to melt away from Jin-woo’s face. A cute grin tugs at his lips, lighting his darkened visage.

His answer is succinct:

“I’d really like that, Y/N.”

Your heart skips a beat. That was the first time he used your name.

A small part of you starts to wonder if the two of you really are fated to be together. Cheesy as it sounds, you were more than willing to take a chance on this budding relationship with Jin-woo.

Little did you know this meeting would set in motion a series of tragic events that would shatter countless lives and forever leave a stain on the island’s reputation.

🔱 To be continued...

Tag list 1:

🪼 @the-dumber-scaramouche @ghostdoodlen @skylar896 @phisen @eliciana

Tag list 2:

🐬 @asylrd @mochinon-yah

[wainwrightjakobshammerlock]

Things I know abt dungeon meshi solely by having mutuals who are into it

theres two lesbians one of which (falin) is like a feathered transgender woman who canonically has a massive dragon dick and the other (marcille) is an elf who is worlds biggest struggler

senshi aka the bear dwarf who gets pantyshots and exists as a tulpa in peoples brains that makes them eat better

namari the female dwarf that actually looks like a dwarf

laios (laois?) the Human Fighter whos actually balls to the wall insane and also a monsterfucker and also falin's brother

chilchuck the halfling whos married w kids and is in an union but everyone portrays him as divorced and probably kissing senshi

izutsumi the catgirl whose very name is a meme

very based and cool character design overall with genuine diversity amongst the fantasy species. think the antithesis of world of warcraft

themes of class and neurodivergence

mana = excuse for yuri

actually theres so much yuri

farcille fanartists regularly putting out yuri that would belong in the sistine chapel

the overtaking of its normally yuriful ao3 by yaoi </3

tasty and scrumptious meals i will never be able to consume because slimes and dungeon creatures arent real

[thedovesaredying]

Can we get chikcen photos, btw I love your nikto series where he's just there, 1/2 arms and just chilling post-retirememt

Nikto doesn't deserve nice things, he's a horrible little creature, but I'll give them to him anyway, just because I can! This fic is set in the same AU as @ghouljams 's Cowboy AU (tho obviously what's canon to that universe is up to them lmao, I'm just playing in the sandbox), and like they said, it's a bit of a "therapy AU".

We're letting this man work through some of his trauma in a way that doesn't involve killing random civillians. Let our boy sit on the porch sipping a nice ice tea with his big baby (Sputnik) curled up on his lap.

I did take some pictures of my boys recently! Under the cut!

A pic of Marshal being a dramatic baby boy, trying to look all big and impressive.

Marshal's brother Blodie who, unlike his brother, is actually Big and Impressive. He's officially now the largest bird in the flock! He's outgrown his dad and is absolutely massive, a certified BIG BOI.

Stevie, who continues to be just a big ball of fluff. Bonus Goldie in the background, oblivious to everything.

And, of course, we have Frog photobombing a picture as usual. She is the main character. (From left to right we also have: Maisie, Smokey, Marshal, Blondie, Tawny, Bean, Buttercup, Cricket, and Goldie).

[gloomwitchwrites]

Dark Knowledge: Part Four

Miraak x Hermaeus Mora x Female Dragonborn Reader

Chapter Specific Warnings (per the warnings MDNI): canon-typical violence, canon-typical swearing, suggestive themes

Word Count: 6.2k

A/N: Part Four of Dark Knowledge (for @childofyuggoth)

The First Dragonborn and the Last Dragonborn meet. Miraak makes an offer.

Part Three

ao3 // taglist // main masterlist // dark knowledge masterlist

Is this what falling feels like?

You thought you knew.

How many times have you slid down the side of a mountain or purposefully launched yourself over a wall you believed was much shorter than what it turned out to be?

Too many times to count, and every time it happened you believed you were falling. But those instances are nothing compared to this.

This is just air. A hover before the descent. Endless amounts of space with nothing to grab on to. You are falling. Fast—so fast it seems impossible—toward the inky water below.

What were you expecting when you tore at the fleshy wall of your cage? What did you think would happen when you dug your nails in, scratch scratch scratching until the gelatinous hole grew wide enough to fit through?

Before you, beyond your endless air, are towering spires and connecting bridges. There are arches made of books and so many eyes embedded into the wall of the tower you hurtle past. Are they Hermaeus Mora’s eyes? Is he watching you fall? Does he care or is this all amusing to him? A game?

Perhaps the eyes are not his. Perhaps they belong to no one in particular. Just empty pupils and empty irises that are simple decoration. Hermaeus Mora appears to create with purpose, but you don’t truly know him. How can a mortal, even one like you, hope to understand a Daedric Prince?

You’re a complete fool. An idiot.

Those were not bars made of black metal. They shifted under your weight. Wiggled. Bent outwards. Unfurled. There is no victory of escape. No reward for tearing your nails into the wall or using your Thu’um to weaken it.

The Seekers knew, didn’t they? They knew that you were clawing toward your death. That is what this fall is. A precursor. A bridge. The height of the song that swells with the music before the Bard plays the final cord.

Your hands extend outward. Seeking. You put all your efforts into reaching for the monolith beside you. Distantly, you hear those Seekers shrieking. They’re likely signaling others, or maybe announcing your imminent death.

All this falling, that feels so incredibly fast, is also so terrifyingly dull. You’ve already accepted the outcome. You already know what awaits you in the dark water. There is no surprise. Your future—your fate—reaches toward you in eagerness.

Black tentacles burst from the water, completely extended in your direction, vibrating with the anticipation of your falling body. You should have listened to Teldryn. You should have never opened the book. You should have taken it to Master Neloth as you originally intended.

What a mess you’ve made.

The largest and longest of the tentacles greet you with a brush of their slimy appendages. You start to curl into a ball, turning your face away from them and upward toward the sickly green sky. Apocrypha’s illness of an atmosphere roils. Ripples.

But as you curl into yourself in an attempt to protect your head, a winged shadow passes above you.

There is a roar, and it is so loud it shakes your bones and teeth.

The shadow returns and with it comes a dragon’s claw.

The tentacles that pull at you, that tug on your limbs and hair fall away, surrendering to the massive silvery blue beast that catches you before you strike the water. Your waist is completely enclosed in its great fist, as are your arms which are crossed over your chest.

The dragon soars upward, turns sharply, trumpets one more time before threading through the massive towering spires that dot the landscape.

It is a beautiful creature. Unique. Its head is more like that of a snake’s than of the dragons you’re used to. There is also a clear underbite as if the dragon’s jaw is too large for its head. The dragon’s scales are smoother and finer. Its hide shimmers, nearly iridescent.

You twist a bit in the dragon’s grasp. There isn’t much room, but there is enough for you to look out upon the lands of Hermaeus Mora.

The realm of a Daedric Lord is vast, and truly you understand just how large Apocrypha is as the dragon carries you above the landscape. Heights have never bothered you, but your head is spinning, swirling with dizziness. How long has it been since you’ve last eaten? Since you’ve rested properly?

Everything is starting to catch up. Everything is rushing forward, ready to slam into you like a giant’s club. You want to resist the tug of exhaustion. The dragon’s claw is a cocoon of safety, and it lulls you into sleepiness. You desperately fight it, but there is no denying what your body craves. It needs the nothingness of sleep absent of dreaming.

When you awaken, it is because the dragon shifts in the sky. It descends toward a towering structure amongst a maze of many. The largest of the bunch has a platform. It isn’t large enough to hold the dragon but it is big enough for the beast to gently lay your body down on its slightly rocky surface.

It takes flight yet again, circling overhead before retreating into the distance. You watch it go, not knowing if this place will be a refuge or a new hell.

Slowly, you push up from the platform, observing your surroundings. The tower is like that of any other across Apocrypha, and beyond it, the labyrinth is a swirling mass of buildings and stairways. It’s clearly a warning to keep away, but to keep away what? People don’t casually find themselves in Apocrypha. What’s the point of the maze?

Standing on shaky legs, you slowly stride from the platform to the interior space, passing under a low archway that leads into the tower.

It’s…a laboratory? No—not quite. A study? That doesn’t seem correct either. It is a home, but more like someone’s attempt at making something strange into something familiar. On the surface, it is a human space made within the horror of Hermaeus Mora’s realm.

Everything around you appears to have been touched by Hermaeus Mora’s influence. To your right is a massive cutout in the black stone of the tower. Within the cutout is a large bed covered in dark sheets that look exactly like the dark waters of Apocrypha. There are furs as well, and you’re not sure if they’re from creatures of the mortal realm, or from this one. The rest of the space consists of stacks and stacks of books, some of which appear beyond saving.

To the left is a stone desk covered in scrolls and loose pieces of parchment as well as quills and ink vials. There is an alchemist workbench as well as an enchantment area. All the soul gems are black, and all the vials on the shelves are full. There are many ingredients on the shelves that you recognize, and a good many you don’t.

Parts of the space remind you of your own home, but something about it feels…off, as if Mora’s influence is wrapped around every item. In your mind, you envision the large Daedric Lord hovering in the air, his mass of tentacles sliding over and around everything yet invisible to the human eye. You sense someone watching you, but as you observe the large space, you notice no one inspecting you from the shadows.

You touch nothing. You know better than to poke around with things you’re not familiar with. There could be any number of unwanted surprises hiding here, and the last thing you want to do is trigger something on accident. Instead, you peer at everything, keeping a safe distant between whoever this stuff belongs to and you.

Apocrypha wants to consume you. It wants to suck the flesh from your bones and then break them open to slurp up the marrow. This realm desires to keep you in its clutches, to possess you and your knowledge, to chew on your brain until you become one with the Daedric Lord. Even here, in this new environment, the tacky pull of Mora’s influence gnaws at the back of your mind. You shiver, wiggling your shoulders in response as if Hermaeus Mora’s tentacles lay against you like a cloak.

So far, Hermaeus Mora has been unsuccessful in drawing you in. And you plan on keeping it that way.

Glancing around the large interior space, there is no sign of the owner. It is entirely quiet. You observe the space uninterrupted. What you really need is a change of clothes. This…sack you were put in does nothing to protect you. It’s also entirely too revealing. You want it gone and to replace it with your armor.

But that might be impossible. Wherever you are, you’re likely far away from your gear. The next step is figuring out what is available to you in this moment. There has to be something useful in this place for you to take, especially a change of clothes. You’ll even take a blanket off the bed. It’s certainly better than what you’re wearing now.

A movement in one of the many vials catches your eye. You pause, and then turn toward the flickering movement. Something is wiggling around in the glass. Something dark and slimy and wet. Something with tentacles. Something with cloudy eyes.

“Does my collection interest you?”

You drop into a crouch, snagging a knife off the nearby table. You flip the handle around and brandish the knife like any blade. It’s dull, which is disappointing, but it’s better than having nothing. Anything can be a weapon in the right hands.

From the dark recesses of the room comes a specter. At first, it is just spots of color. Then those spots elongate, extending outward into points, glowing brightly and revealing a humanoid figure.

Whoever this is, they wear a mask. It’s golden. Shiny. The eyeholes are thin slits and the top of the mask curves upward at four separate points. The bottom half of the mask look like tentacles. It reminds you of the Seekers and their faces. Their robes are a deep greenish brown accented in gold embellishments around and down the arms, at the waist, and shoulders. The colorful glow comes from an aura around the upper half of the body. It’s dragon-like in appearance.

They take one powerful step forward and you sink closer to the floor. With the distance, there is still a thickness in the air, as if their mere presence is enough to change it. It sits heavy on your chest, pushing you down toward the floor.

The stranger takes another step toward you. Instinct ignites, tells you to strike first.

You throw the knife.

You’re good with blades, especially after spending time with some members of the Thieves Guild. But you’re tired. Exhausted. Bone-weary. Your aim is shit, and this intruder easily bats the knife to the side.

“In my own home.” The stranger is a man, and you are in his home. “How rude,” he croons. He doesn’t even sound upset, just slightly irritated as if the thrown knife is an inconvenience.

He takes another step in your direction. More and more of his form comes into clearer focus as he nears. He is bright and bold, and the power that radiates off him is like an unrelenting hand around the throat. It’s so concentrated in the air you could choke on it.

But you don’t plan on staying. You’ll make for the maze. That has to be better than being stuck in here with him.

You throw yourself out from behind the table and sprint for the platform. Your legs burn and your chest heaves, but you’re determined, eager to break free and go about this on your own terms.

As you approach the archway, the dragon from before lands on the platform. It starts to slide a bit, but it’s smart, using its massive claws to hook itself onto the wall of the tower. It’s serpentine head swivels toward you, and then it roars.

It is earth-shattering and you fall to your knees in pain. The world vibrates around you and everything spins. The floor is cold beneath your hands and is hard against your knees.

You are so tired, and you hate it. It makes you weak. It keeps you at the mercy of others.

The serpentine dragon shakes as if it were a dog removing water from its fur. Its giant head turns in the direction of the glowing man. “Miraak. Zu’u drun ek.”

Miraak.

Hermaeus Mora’s servant.

The man whose influence corrupted many minds on the island of Solstheim. The man whose power corrupted the stones, the same stones you purged upon request of Storn Crag-Strider. His followers attacked you in Riverwood, tried to slit your throat and claim your death in his name.

Mora called Miraak “Dragonborn”, and spoke of his desire to return to the mortal realm to conquer it, and in turn, Hermaeus Mora’s influence would spread. But the Daedric Prince also mentioned Miraak’s desire to break away from Mora’s control. That he was “restless” here.

This is the reason you are here in the first place. You and Teldryn didn’t venture into Miraak’s temple because it was too heavily guarded. The Black Book was the option you went with, and instead of finding direct answers, it has handed you over to the person you’re seeking information about.

How…convenient.

You want to laugh but you might sound mad.

“You serve me well, Sahrotaar.” Miraak’s glowing brilliance begins to fade, and then it slowly melts away from his body, disappearing into the air. “Go. When you hear your voice on the wind, know that it is me.”

Sahrotaar shifts, his massive head turning toward you one more time before he pushes off and disappears into the sky. Miraak watches him go, and then slowly twists in your direction. Now that the glowing aura around him is gone, you can see Miraak more clearly than before.

While his robes appear a bit aged, they’re in good repair. Miraak looks regal, almost kingly, which is so odd in a place like Apocrypha. Everything drips with Mora’s influence, and while you see that influence in Miraak’s mask, everything else about him seems detached from Hermaeus Mora’s touch.

Miraak fits right in, and yet is very much out of place.

“You are Dragonborn.” Miraak’s voice almost echoes as if there are two of him speaking. “I can feel it.”

Exhaustion might be setting in, but you’re feeling sharp. Your tongue is a blade and your words are the sting of steel. “How perceptive,” you bite, trying your best to slowly put some greater distance between you and Miraak.

“And yet,” he pauses, masked head tilting slightly to the side, “you do not understand just how much power a Dragonborn can wield.”

You roll your eyes so hard it almost hurts. “And you do?”

“I know things that the Greybeards will never teach you.” Miraak starts to walk toward you again. It’s leisurely, as if he’s not scared of you at all.

And why would he be? You are disheveled. A mess.

“I’m not looking for a teacher,” you snap, slipping as you try to stand.

Miraak is so close, and you’re desperate to escape him. That is what your survival hinges on. Escape. You have no chance if you try to take him on like this. It will not be a fair fight. And you will lose.

Throwing yourself to the right, you reach for another knife. It’s just as dull as the other one, but you don’t care. You’ll use your nails and teeth if you must in your attempt to flee him.

Miraak dives toward you, and you swing at him. He leans back, the edge of the knife scraping against his mask as he moves out of the way. You try again, and this time, you know your exhaustion is truly sneaking up on you. Your reaction time is poor and Miraak grabs your wrist out of the air.

He twists and pain shoots up your arm. You release the blade with a strangled cry. Pinning your arm behind you, Miraak thrusts you toward the floor, your cheek smashing into the cold rock as he pushes you against it. When you kick out at him, Miraak sits on your legs, his weight concentrated on your upper thighs.

You try to buck him off, but only end up rubbing up against him. The sack you’re wearing rides up, dangerously close to exposing yourself to him.

Miraak laughs softly and bends forward, the mask incredibly close to your face. “An enticing offer. But you are…filthy.”

“I hope Mora chokes you with a tentacle,” you growl, wiggling some more.

“I suspect you’ve already choked on one.”

You throw your elbow back but Miraak pushes you right back down against the floor.

“Behave,” he purrs. “I don’t intent to harm you.”

“Liar,” you growl, the air from your lungs pushing some of the hair off your face as you speak.

Miraak shifts his weight on your legs. “What have I done to illicit such anger from you?”

Is he serious? Has he completely forgotten that he sent his worshipers after you?

“Your cultists attacked me,” you say through clenched teeth.

“They were simply trying to subdue you.”

“They tried to kill me. One of them even had a note. It said that whoever struck the killing blow would earn your favor.”

Miraak stiffens. “That is most unfortunate.”

“Unfortunate?” you laugh, bitterness in your tone.

“That was not my instruction.”

Hermaeus Mora’s words come creeping back to you.

I see why Miraak’s devotees were after you. They sought to kill you, which is such a shame since Miraak only wants you brought to him.

“What do you want from me?” you murmur.

Miraak is silent for a moment before he speaks. “If I release you, will you try to stab me?”

You pause, considering it until Miraak begins to fidget in irritation. “No promises,” you finally answer.

His chuckle is low and soft. “I value your honesty.” Miraak removes his weight from your legs and releases your wrists.

You push up onto your knees and glance up at him from your position on the floor. Miraak towers over you, the two of you observing each other in silence. His chest rises and then falls with each breath, but he makes no other move. It’s a bit unnerving, and you question what it is he’s thinking about behind that golden mask.

There is a break in the silence. A flash of movement. It is Miraak’s gloved hand. He offers it to you, palm upward.

You glance it. Then back at his mask. Then back to the hand.

What options do you have? Where will you be if you refuse him? It is unlikely that Miraak will so easily let you go. You don’t trust him, but you trust Hermaeus Mora even less.

With a deep frown, you slide your hand into his. Through the glove, you feel his warmth. That heat is human, and it is an oddly comforting thing after so much strangeness.

Miraak helps you to your feet. Your legs wobble, exhausting swinging its angry head again. Everything aches. It sits down in your bones, the weight of it like boulders. Your stomach growls loudly and you want to cringe from the volume.

Miraak still clutches your hand. You don’t hate it, but it does make you uncomfortable. Yanking your hand away, you drop your arm to the side, hiding the fingers as they curl to form a fist.

“You can bathe through there.” Miraak indicates the direction with a light tilt of his mask. “You need it.”

You snort. “Now you’re the one being rude.”

Miraak crosses his arms but otherwise doesn’t acknowledge you’ve said anything at all. Giving him your best scowl, you turn on your heel in the direction he indicated. There is a deep cut in the wall, one that cannot be seen straight on. You pause right at the opening, and turn back toward Miraak.

He’s walking away in the opposite direction. Your gaze darts to the arch and platform, to the maze beyond the tower. If you time it right, you might be able to slip away from him, to enter the maze and lose him.

As you take a single step toward freedom, and Miraak’s voice rings out around the room. “Don’t even consider it.” You freeze, one hand firmly planted on the wall, every muscle tense. “You cannot flee from me, Dragonborn. I would find you.”

“Bastard,” you whisper, and Miraak turns in your direction as if he heard you.

Slipping inside the opening in the wall, you enter a small, private washroom. In the middle is a tub made from the same black stone as the rest of the tower. There is a drain in the bottom but no indication of how to fill it.

More importantly, is there water on Apocrypha? There is the dark water you plummeted toward, but is there actual water? The kind you drink or bathe with? It seems impossible, and yet there are hundreds if not thousands of Hermaeus Mora’s most devoted followers who haunt his halls, preparing his Black Books.

Do they eat? Do they hydrate? Or are they sustained on Mora’s influence alone? The very idea makes your skin crawl.

You’re about to back out of the room when a Seeker floats in. Its mandibles flare in agitation, and you gasp, stumbling into the wall as you move out of the way. The Seeker doesn’t even give you a second glance. In its four hands the Seeker clutches four buckets of water. Slowly, it empties each one into the tub before disappearing out the way it came.

Seekers are servants of Mora…aren’t they?

You follow it out and watch as it floats to a well-like structure. It’s not exactly a kitchen but there is a small fire pit near it. The Seeker begins filling the buckets and you take this time to glance at the rest of the room. Next to Miraak is another Seeker. A third floats near the bookshelves. A fourth slowly ascends the stairs that leads to another space out of sight.

“What is this?” You gesture at the Seeker fetching your water.

Miraak quickly turns in your direction, his back straightening. “Why are you still wearing those rags?”

You blink, stunned that he completely stepped around your question to ask one of his own. The Seekers floats toward you and you step to the side.

You wave your arm in the creature’s direction, and repeat your question. “What is this?”

“That is a Seeker,” replies Miraak flatly.

“I know what it is,” you retort. “But what is it doing here?”

“It serves me.” Miraak’s arm extends to the rest of the room. “They all serve me.”

You shake your head. “They serve Hermaeus Mora.”

Miraak rolls up the scroll before him and tosses it onto a nearby pile. “They did serve him. And now they attend to my every command.”

The Seeker that floats next to Miraak trills. Miraak glances at it before returning his attention back to you. Even though his features are hidden behind the mask, you feel his gaze roaming up and down your body. You immediately cross your arms over your breasts.

Miraak’s answer gives you no comfort.

“Is that all?” he asks, almost bored.

You glance away from him and back at the opening in the wall. The Seeker emerges, carrying empty buckets. You’re too tired for this. Not liking his answer but accepting it nonetheless, you head back into the small washroom.

You stare into the water in the tub, and keep staring until the Seeker returns, emptying the buckets. The tub is full, and the Seeker gives a little nod of the head before it dismisses itself. Stepping up to the tub, you hesitantly dip your hand into the clear water.

It is cool, and the temperature sends a little shiver up your arm. While you’d prefer it warm, you’ll take anything at this point. You’re coated in grime and even a bit of slime. There are still some crusty bits on your face from when the Cipher removed the paste they slathered over your eyes.

Glancing over your shoulder, you check to make sure no one has entered uninvited. There is no one there. You are alone.

Slowly, you slide one arm and then the other out of the worn rags. It falls to the floor, pools at your feet. You take one step toward the tub. The moment you begin to lift your leg, an arm slides along your back and around your waist.

The touch is so surprising that you shriek and then lash out. The side of your fist hits Miraak in the middle of his mask. He makes a humph sound and draws backward from the blow.

With your hand still raised in alarm, you stare at him in disbelief. Then you realize how intimate the placement of his hand is. That disbelief quickly turns to anger.

“What the hell are you—”

Miraak lifts his hand and flames erupt above his palm. The sudden fire snaps your mouth shut. He hasn’t released your waist, and with the mask, you’re not sure if he’s staring at your face or the rest of you.

His attention shifts to the tub and you take this opportunity to hook your toes under the sack and bring it up enough to snag it. You immediately hold it against your body, clutching it like a shield as the flames in Miraak’s hand vibrate and shift, swirling and then extending as he begins to heat the water in the tub.

You watch in fasciation as the water ripples and then starts to steam. Before it comes to a simmer, Miraak abruptly cuts the flame. He reaches into his robes with his free hand, and from it he retrieves several bundles of lavender.

Miraak tosses them into the tub, and only then does he step away from you.

The gesture of heating the water and throwing in the lavender is…odd. You hate that you like it. But it’s too human. Too kind. Too intimate. Isn’t this man supposed to be your enemy? Isn’t he trying to take over Solstheim and the rest of Tamriel? Does he not see you as a threat to all his carefully laid plans?

“Are you going to join me, too?” you ask, irritating slipping in your tone.

Miraak pauses at the opening in the wall. “Your stink is nauseating.” He disappears, leaving you open-mouthed. Shocked. Fuming.

Growling, you throw your poor excuse for clothes on the ground and step into the tub. The water is perfectly warm and you instantly melt into it, sinking down down down until your head is under the water. When you come up for air, your eyes are closed and you’re smiling. You push your hair back out of your face and breathe deep, reveling in the comforting warmth of the water.

As you open your eyes, a shadow takes form in front of you. At first, you’re confused, and then you quickly realize that it’s Miraak. The entire upper half of your body is on full display, laid bare before his gaze.

You cover your chest and sink into the water until only your head bobs on the surface. Frowning, you stare him down as a he places a chair in front of the tub. He sinks into it, reclining casually, and then tosses a bar of soap at you from one of his pockets.

Snatching it out of the air, you bring it to eye-level. You sniff it, and smell nothing.

“I didn’t poison the soap,” Miraak deadpans. “If I wanted you dead—”

“If you want on my good side, I prefer compliments. Not an insult to my intelligence,” you interrupt, wetting the bar of soap and lathering it between your hands.

Miraak doesn’t finish his sentence. He leans back in his chair, watching as you start to move the suds over your arms.

“Please leave. You’re making me uncomfortable,” you say. Miraak doesn’t move. He just sits there. You drop your arm into the water to rinse it off. “Think I’ll run? Is that why you’re sitting there watching a naked woman bathe herself?”

“Yes,” he replies, almost instantly.

“You are unbelievable,” you mutter, starting to work on your other arm.

“You’ve consumed dragon souls,” states Miraak, completely changing the subject.

You pause in your lathering and glance at him. “You’re just like Hermaeus Mora. All this knowledge and yet everything that comes out of your mouth is incredibly dull.”

Miraak moves as if in a silent laugh. You roll your eyes and return to scrubbing your arms.

“Do I amuse you?” you ask, inspecting the undersides of your nails.

“You bite,” replies Miraak. “And teeth are useful.”

You’re not sure if that’s a compliment or a threat.

He takes a deep, audible breath and shifts in the chair, lifting his hips as he adjusts. You keep your gaze firmly on your nails as if that one subtle movement didn’t stir something in your belly.

“Do you ever wonder if it hurts?” he asks, almost absently, like he’s not really expecting you to answer the question.

“Do I ever wonder if what hurts?” you hesitantly reply.

“To have one’s soul ripped out. Do you think the dragon’s feel it? Do you think they understand what’s happening to them?”

The soap almost slips from your hand. Miraak sounds pensive, almost sad. “We are not dragons,” you answer softly.

Miraak nods. “You’re right. We’re not. Because we’re better than them.”

There it is. Arrogance. Now you feel it. Now you understand a bit of what Hermaeus Mora hinted at. That overwhelming heaviness is back. Miraak’s power is potent. It crackles in the air. Sizzles on your tongue.

His gloved hand taps against the arm of the chair. “When the dragons ruled over mortals, I served as a dragon priest on Solstheim. That was my purpose for many years.” Miraak’s golden mask is turned away from you as if he’s recalling an old memory. “During that time, I came to possess one of Hermaeus Mora’s Black Books.”

Miraak stops tapping the arm of the chair. His hand forms a fist. “He taught me many things. A great many powerful things. One of these things was a dragon shout capable of bending dragons to my will.”

The pause afterward stretches, and you decide to fill the gap, to play along. He is revealing information. Pieces of his history. Why he’s doing so is a bit of a mystery, but you also know that if you play this right, you might gain something that will give you an upper hand on him.

“And what did you do with that knowledge?”

Miraak’s mask swivels in your direction. “Knowledge like that was forbidden. I was a dragon priest serving my dragon masters. To use power like that against them was unthinkable.”

You know where this is heading. “Yet you did it anyway?”

“I betrayed them,” states Miraak. “I used that shout and my power as Dragonborn to devour their souls. With each soul I consumed, I became more powerful. I terrified our dragon overlords. I threatened the power the dragon priests possessed.”

You move to the edge of the tub. Placing the soap on the ledge, you cross your arms over the lip of the tub, you give Miraak your full attention. Men are all the same in the end, and it is clear that Miraak is just that. A man.

His chest rises and falls rapidly. “During the Dragon War, I was…propositioned. Hakon One-Eye, Gormlaith Golden-Hilt, and Felldir the Old all pleaded with me to use my power as Dragonborn to assist them in defeating Aludin. But I refused them. I attempted my own rebellion against the dragons instead.”

“I suspect that did not go well for you?”

“No,” he admits. “I was unsuccessful. And because of my betrayal, the dragons razed my temple on Solstheim.”

“I’ve seen your temple,” you say. “It’s something to behold.” That much is true. Those words are not lies. You and Teldryn were both impressed with how large the structure was on the outside, and the two of you discussed at length just how massive the temple must be on the inside.

“You also interrupted my progress on Solstheim.”

“Yes,” you say slowly, sinking into the tub a bit. “I did.” He stares at you a long moment before you decide to bridge the gap. “You didn’t tell me what happened. After your temple was razed.”

Miraak glances away again. “There are two stories that are told. The first is that a fellow dragon priest named Vahlok became my jailor. Restraining me to Solstheim. The other story is that when Vahlok was about to kill me, Hermaeus Mora stepped in and saved me, transporting me here, to the realm of Apocrypha.”

You laugh and Miraak’s head snaps in your direction. “What?” he asks, clearly flustered.

“It’s obvious that the correct story is the second one.”

“Is it?” replies Miraak, a bit of amusement leaking into his tone.

“Is it not?”

He shrugs and you only shake your head, returning to your soap, this time lathering it into your hair.

“So if Hermaeus Mora stepped in to save you, what have you done all this time?”

Miraak shrugs. “I’ve not been idle.”

“Clearly,” you snort.

Miraak sighs. “I’ve devoured many dragons. Far more than you have I suspect.”

“And that makes you better than me?”

“It makes me more powerful. But you are Dragonborn. You are the only one who I can consider my equal.”

The pieces are falling into place. What was it that the Greybeards told you all that time ago when you first ventured up the mountain? They told you that there is only ever one Dragonborn at a time.

But here you are. And here is Miraak.

The two of you. Together.

You swallow, and your salvia sticks in your throat. “You crave power. Why would you ever see me as an equal?”

“It is foretold that the Last Dragonborn will be my freedom. For so many years I believed it involved your death. But I was wrong.” He leans forward in the chair. “Hermaeus Mora does not lie, but he does twist the truth until you believe that up is down and down is up. He likes control, and I am a thing to collect. It’s what he wants from you, too.”

You shake your head. “You don’t know what Hermaeus Mora wants from me.”

“Beware, Dragonborn. Hermaeus Mora will betray you as he has me.”

“I am not Mora’s puppet. Nor will I be yours.”

“We are the First and the Last. We are the beginning and the end. I am the first blood drawn and you are the killing blow. We are bound by fate. We are inevitable.”

You don’t like where this is going. All this talk of fate is pulling at your nerves. Hermaeus Mora said fate you brought you to him, and now Miraak says the same. But Teldryn told you different before you opened the Black Book. He insisted that the woes of Tamriel are not yours to fix. That your life is your own.

You grip the bar of soap hard enough that your nails begin to sink in. “And yet, you did not slay Alduin.”

“And you have?” counters Miraak.

“Not yet,” you mutter.

“Alduin would not face me because he knew I would defeat him. But the two of us? Together? We could do it. Easily.”

You’re beyond clean now, but Miraak goes too far. He wanted you brought to him so that he can manipulate you into serving with me? To help him…what? Conquer Solstheim? Skyrim? All of Tamriel? Would that even be enough for him, or will Miraak demand more, dragging you along with him in his lust for power?

“You presume much, Miraak. What makes you think I’ll join you?”

Miraak stands from the chair and walks to the edge of the tub. He grabs the back of your neck, and lifts you slightly out of the water. Leaning in, the golden mask is all you can see.

“Do you not feel this? We are tethered. Either we fight it and end up fighting each other. Or you join me.”

As quickly as he grabs you, Miraak releases you, and you fall back into the water, your arms wrapping around your torso protectively. He stares at you behind the mask, and then turns, disappearing from view.

The water has grown cold.

The bundles of lavender have unraveled. Wilted.

You sink further into the water, watching as a lavender stem floats by. The purple petals are dark. Almost black.

You’re not in a physical cage. There are no bars. No restraints. But you are not free with Miraak. He demands an answer, and there is only one he is expecting.

But it’s not the one you want to give.

taglist:

@glassgulls @km-ffluv @singleteapot @tiredmetalenthusiast @childofyuggoth @coffeecaketornado @wrathofcats @ninman82

[sofoulandfairaday]

Lupin hc I’m begging!

Okay, so.

I hate Fanon Moony with a passion. So before I even say anything here are some Remus Lupin posts so we're on the same level with his characterization: 1) the best marauder characterization post, 2) canon Remus, 3) CANON Remus p.2

Good? Great.

Loving parents. Was absolutely the apple of both his parents' eyes; they loved him immensely and would have given him the world. The guilt Lyall felt over Greyback's attack was unspeakable and he did everything in his power to make Remus' life as comfortable as possible. Overprotective. Overbearing even, but always for his own good. They tried to protect him and comfort him with all that they had.

There were definitely incidents when Remus was a kid. Not only were his transformations extremely painful when he was a child but they were also hard to manage. Lyall and Hope did try their best but it broke their hearts to see him hurt & it was very difficult for them to deal with young Remus' injuries. They couldn't take him to a Muggle doctor after all and

The stigma towards werewolves in the Wizarding World is huge. There aren't enough stories that deal with what it's like to be one. If you're looking for a good read that integrates (not so) small details of the thousand small obstacles that being a werewolf poses while integrating them in an overarching (marvellous) plot, read Moonlit Marriage by @celestemagnoliathewriter (Remadora).

Constantly worrying about money.

He didn't even grow up poor, that's the thing. He grew up fairly decently (his parents weren't rich by any means but they had enough to stay afloat). However, they had almost no savings and when they died (First Wizarding War period) he was left with nothing. Being a werewolf also meant that he couldn't hold down a job.

So many insecurities. So many. About his appearance, his magical talent, his place in the wizarding world, himself.

Speaking of. Not a Greek god. Not a smooth-talking seven-foot-tall Casanova type. He was shorter than both Sirius and James, thin, covered in scars. Kind face.

Awkward. Might have even had a little stutter as a child.

Kind. Helpful. Grateful. Glad and still a little incredulous, after years, that James (& SIrius) might have picked him to be their friend.

The day James&Co announced they had become Animagi so that they could be with him was the best day of his life. Running with his friends under the moonlight is still the memory that first comes to mind when he's trying to cast a Patronus.

Disliked Sirius and James' mistreatment of Snape to a certain degree, but never enough to say anything, never enough to try and stop them (I doubt they would have, even for him).

Like the other Marauders, he adored James.

Sorry to break it to you, but Sirius and Remus were friends through James. They became extremely close only after Azkaban when they were all the other had left from the happiest time of their lives.

Could not grow a whole beard for the life of him.

The ultimate people-pleaser.

Polite.

The definition of passive-aggressive. (Y'all make him plain aggressive.)

An introvert.

A sub if I ever saw one.

Kind. Did I say kind? Maybe he didn't do enough for the victims of the Marauders' bullying because he definitely didn't have the balls to stand up to James & Sirius (and we clearly see this in SWM), but he would be helpful to any and all younger students who needed him.

Lily's study buddy, especially the last years. Remus was like her: good in school, but not as naturally gifted as Sirius and James. He wouldn't be the type to do well even without studying and he definitely had much better grades in his written tests than in practical classes.

This, combined with the fact that he was a massive bookworm meant he had a Hermione-like encyclopaedic knowledge of various subjects.

Unlike Lily, not the best at Potions (he says so himself in PoA)

Loved Care of Magical Creatures, they were always his area of interest as we see in PoA. Also (unrelated), something I've always asked myself: is there any curriculum at all for Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts? Every teacher just seems to teach whatever they like/enjoy more or their particular area of interest. I would have really liked to know what Lupin taught sixth and seventh years for example.

Tea over coffee for Remus (he's a bit of a tea snob, and drinks industrial quantities of the thing)

Not a big alcohol drinker - he doesn't like how it makes him lose control, and has never drunk alone without the Marauders in his youth. However, when times were tough after October 1981 he did indulge too much in it.

I can see him smoking a little bit of weed, not even for the feeling itself but because it helps him with some of his chronic pain.

Sweater vests and old comfy jumpers

If the Marauders had a Feminist king TM (WHICH THEY DIDN'T) it would have been him.

The Prank soured his relationship with Sirius exponentially. It was one of the reasons he thought Sirius was the spy. Everyone was paranoid at the time, questioning friends and allies left and right, but after spending seven years sleeping, eating, living alongside meek, shy, snivelling Peter Pettigrew, he could not picture him as a Death Eater.

The truth is that Sirius, for reasons we've already said, would have made Remus into a murderer. He would have killed Snape. One of their classmates, and when Remus was at his lowest too. It was such a huge betrayal of trust that their relationship fundamentally shifted forever.

He did not love his lycanthropy, would not wear it proudly. He was scared of himself in those moments, and extremely full of self-loathing. If they discovered a Cure tomorrow, he would take it without thinking twice.

[flaneurarbiter]

so I cracked open my document for worldbuilding/writing for the first time in forever today

and I realized that I can worldbuild to infinity, but I can't actually write the story to save my life. So, in an attempt to get me motivated to write the thing, here's some information on the dominant religion in my world.

Worships a pantheon of gods and spirits. The main difference between the two is that gods can be replaced, but spirits cannot.

Spirits are the embodiments of abstract concepts, while gods are more like people with supreme power over a concrete object.

Sometimes humans mash together similar gods and spirits, as seen with how Krunin and Brin got mistaken for the same person, but some are distinct enough, like the fearfully unnamed spirit of death and Rylai

 Society sees the daytime sky as more in tune with the earth, even having a myth about how the daytime sky protects the earth from the vast expanse of the universe. Hence why Fyrian’s title is “God of the earthly sky” The night sky is seen as more tied to the universe at large, since you can see all of the stars at night.

The story goes that both Greavi, Astrapulli, and Fyrian worked together to create humanity, with Astrapulli going on to take the roll of being the one to guide humanity on the road to advancements, Fyrian being Humanity’s protector and Greavi being the great provider.

Astrapulli and Fyrian are often worshiped together in a duality or balance capacity, especially in the leviathan kingdom. It’s actually half the reason the Leviathan Kingdom’s capital of Crenan was established.

The gods are worshiped in daily life at their specific shrines. People will go there and pray and leave offerings towards a god.

Not everyone regularly worships every god, but each god and goddess has their own holidays that are upheld

It might seem weird that there hasn’t been much mythical drift across time and various disruptive historical events, however the explanation of this is two-fold. First, the gods are actually real, and have made several appearances throughout history and prehistory and in every country, thus leaving humanity to make a more concrete mythical lore. Secondly, Yvine Ojan spent a lot of time codifying the myths from all across the continent, creating a relatively solid canon for the gods, and it’s only been slightly over a hundred years since she did that, thus not giving the myths much time to drift

Gods, and some spirits

Empyria-Goddess of music

Patron goddess of the L’norinette family

Constantly at war with Greavi for reasons forgotten by mortals

An'Tuska- Spirit of precipitation

Has a rivalry with Fyrian

Iapert-goddess of the sea

Merudi- God of wealth

There Is a week-long festival in the Ojalana empire that ends in a massive public ball hosted by the palace. This event, Called Deviti week attracts many tourists

Patron of the Ojalana Empire

Works closely with the spirits of plenty and deficit

Myrcid- goddess of justice and fair rule

Patron Goddess of the Ojalana Empire

Astrapulli- God of the universal sky

His left eye is the moon- which is also inhabited by Herun, the spirit of moonlight

Co-creator of humanity

Fyrian- God of the earthly sky

His right eye is the sun- inhabited by the spirit of sunlight, Degras

Co-creator of humanity

Greavi- Goddess of the natural world

Co-creator of humanity

Krunin- god of the eternal flame

Commonly depicted as a war god, representing the undying loyalty and determination of soldiers, as well as the destruction of war.  In actuality he is a god of immortality and fire as his epithet would suggest, war is actually controlled by the spirit brin-who is close friends with Krunin.

Pynis (pie-nis)- Goddess of rocks and earth

Rylai (ree-ly)- god of living spirits

Has control over the souls of all living and dead creatures (including plants)

The spirit of death

Goes unnamed out of fear that writing the spirit’s name will call it to them.

It incites a soul’s journey to the beyond-place, which hosts the true kingdom of Rylai

[sonicasura]

A short little prompt about the Interns fucking around with Raz's pokeballs when they take his stuff and then finding out.

"Hey let me out!!" Raz yelled out as the door knob juggled from the young psychics attempt to open the locked supply closet door.

"Sorry kid no can do." Lizzie answered as she gathered up the clothes and the items that the kid had on him, as the other interns began to laugh at the blight of the young boy. Walking away from the closet door and the cries of the supposed 'world saver' the interns begin to insult and talk about the young child.

"Seriously, did he really think that we'd buy the fact that he saved the world or that he actually played a part in saving Grand Head Zanotto!" Norma laughed out as the other interns chuckled while Sam looked at one of the strange white and red ball that hung from the kids backpack.

"Hey Sam why ya being quiet, usually ya love joining in taunting people." Morris questioned the red-haired Boole as she picked off one of the strange balls and looked at it closely.

"I'm getting some weird brainwaves from these, they're like animals but not like animals." The zoolinguisitic teen explained as she stared at the ball, causing the other interns to look at the ball in interest as well.

"How are you getting anything living from that toy, it's barely bigger than a softball." Norma scoffed at the idea that any living creature could fit into something that small.

"Maybe he has a hamster in there." Adam suggested

"Or an Animal brain." Lizzie darkly joked with a small smirk on her face, causing many of the interns even Sam to look at her with concern.

"How about we open this one before Lizzie goes full Little Shop of Horrors on us." Gisu suggested looking a little green at the goths suggestion. Sam just nodded as she pressed down on the small button that joined the two halves of the strange red and white ball together.

Soon in a flash of brilliant white and blinding light the source of the thoughts that Sam was picking up on was soon revealed, a massive creature standing nearly 7ft tall its body nearly covered in thick course black hair, it's skin a bright green with sharp white tusks from its upper jaw. The strange creature blinked its eyes trying to get adjusted to the amount of light in the Psychonauts headquaters before turning to those that released it.

However the creature seemed surprised at the people who released it from the ball, its eyes looking for its master. Seeing a stranger holding its master clothing and its battle brethren containers its eyes quickly turning into a glare.

"Grimmsnarl." The creature growled out as its three clawed hands closed and even began to glow as it got ready to fight for his master and its battle brethren.

How'd ya like it? I know Gremlin is a little bigger than canon Grimmsnarl but I refuse to believe that Grimmsnarl are just 4'11.

I love this since it's very on point with the characters.

Valid when it comes to Pokemon height as Nintendo can't really settle how big or small thru supposed to be. Only valid reason that I can see Grimmsnarl being 4'11 is because fae in general aren't really big. They're usually portrayed being small or barely human height.

Yeah, those interns better let Raz out and give him his stuff back. Pissing off a Pokemon like Grimmsnarl ain't gonna end well. Especially since the species are said to be stronger than MACHAMP in physical strength. The Pokemon who can send opponents across the horizon Pokedex entry wise.

[cupcakemolotov]

Feel Like Home: Chapter Three

When your date night goes weird, sometimes you gotta SOS call your BFF. Particularly when you wake up with a slight case of amnesia and no idea where you are or who you where with. (Even if the bed is super comfy and the sheets smell nice. It’s still an emergency.)

Tags/Warnings: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting; Alternate Universe - Fantasy; Dragon!Klaus; Human!Caroline; Temporary Amnesia; Witchcraft; Canon-Typical Violence; Magical Shenanagins; Bonnie is the best; Caroline's Date Goes Sideways

Apologies for those not on A03, I have recently had to lock my account due to AI Scrapping. For everyone else, you will need to be signed in to see my stories.

-

“Well,” Caroline said carefully, her mouth dry as the desert. “That is… definitely a dragon.”

Next to her, Bonnie made a slightly choked noise, but Caroline couldn’t look away from the creature that lay draped along the tunnel in front of her. She’d never thought of a subway tunnel as small, even these old, abandoned ones that were no longer in use, but she had no idea how he fit.

How had they gotten him in? More importantly, how was he going to get out? Swallowing, she took in what she could see in the low light: the long, sharply wedged shape of his face, a sinuous neck that smoothed into shoulders that were almost too large for the walls to contain. His scales were dark in the dim light, the rasp of his lungs heavy and deep over the pounding of her heart. He was gorgeous and terrifying, and she didn’t know if her fingers were trembling from adrenaline or fear. Enzo had said Klaus was sixty feet in length from nose to tail, and right then, Caroline believed it.

“Teleportation,” Enzo said.

Finally breaking her gaze away, Caroline glanced at him. “What?”

A quick grimace. “They teleported him here. It must be one of the reasons they needed the unicorn, they’d never have managed it otherwise.” His jaw clenched for a moment, a sharp shift of muscle that spoke of a deep anger. Caroline couldn’t tell if the flush was from that anger, or the steadily increasing heat they’d been wading through for the past forty-five minutes. Dragons, even dragons who were being used like batteries, produced a lot of heat.

As soon as they’d snuck into the tunnels, the temperature had gone from frigid to the hot, balmy humidity of the tropics. The closer they’d gotten to where Klaus was trapped, the hotter it had become, to the point that even concrete beneath their feet had become uncomfortably warm though the soles of their shoes. They’d been forced to risk Bonnie magicking them some heat resistance before their shoes started melting.

Bonnie made a low noise. “I hope he eats them.”

Caroline almost choked on her gasp. “Bonnie Bennett!”

Her jaw jutted out. “You’ve never seen an unicorn. It didn’t deserve this.”

“Nothing deserves this,” Enzo said. “What our Dragon Overlord will do to the witches for this?” He paused and shook his head. “His cities have always been safe for unicorns.”

Caroline thought about that as she shoved at the sleeves that were slipping down her forearms, the lightweight material too warm. She’s already lost her jacket somewhere in the tunnel, the material too heavy to knot around her waist, and she was trying very hard not to think about the dull ache that has started in the arch of her feet. No matter how comfortable originally, no high heeled shoe was meant for this kind of adventure.

But not even the physical discomfort could distract her from the fact that she’d tossed a drink into the face of the human form of the dragon in front of her face. Past her had had some balls, and she was going to have to find them again, because Enzo said she had to touch him to activate whatever he’d left on her skin.

Touch the sixty foot, massive dragon that left her hind brain screaming in terror. Who protected unicorns and had apparently spent weeks charming her into forgiving him well enough that she’d spent the night. Planned to spend more than one, based on her bag. When this was over, someone was going to owe her a drink.

“How do we get to him?”

There was a pause, and Enzo glanced over his shoulder and gave a little shrug. “We run.”

Caroline’s eyes darted around the tunnel. It was wide open and the perfect place for an ambush. “You have got to be kidding me.”

“Invisibility isn’t a spell I have in my toolkit, and unless my favorite good witch has been tinkering with new magic, it’s not in hers either.” Enzo spread his hands and ignored the glare that Bonnie shot in his direction. “There is what, two, three hundred meters between us?”

“Have you looked at the floor?” Caroline hissed. “Old tunnels are not made for sprinting, much less in heels.” She jabbed a finger towards the area around the dragon, which was shimmering like the desert sky in the hot noon sunshine. “Let’s not forget Mt. Doom over there. How is he not melting the walls?”

“Magic,” Enzo said with a shrug. “Another couple of hours and it’ll be colder than Hades down here.”

The heavy implication that it would then be too late hung between them and Caroline grimaced. “Bonnie?”

“I can’t see any magical traps, but that doesn’t mean much,” she rubbed her forehead. “There is too much magic to see anything clearly.”

Blowing out a breath, Caroline wiped at the sweat on her face. “So, to recap: we have to clear whatever the hell distance three hundred meters is so I can hypothetically break the spell on the giant sleeping dragon by touching him, without tripping on any of the grates or the uneven floor, and we have to do all this while hoping it’s not booby trapped or someone who can go invisible isn’t going to kill us?”

Bonnie and Enzo exchanged glances.

“Yes.”

“Unfortunately.”

The rest can be found here on AO3.

[riplever]

Why S2 of Tale of the Nine Tailed is better than S1 [Review]

This review is NOT spoiler-free.

If you’re watching Season 2, you’re watching it for the brothers. 

Between sometimes shabby action sequences (see: multiple dangerous characters ganging up on the heroes while their burdens stand slightly towards the side, watching in horror, very much still within reach of danger, neither helping themselves nor helping the hero... What is this, an excuse for plot to happen?) and occasionally dropping the ball on characterisations (see: the strongest mountain god, well-lived and well-experienced, cunning and resourceful, shrieking helplessly for minutes of airtime in confused desperation as her lackey dances with death... What is this, filler content?) — the reason why you’re tuning into the show episode after episode is for the brothers, and how Lee Yeon’s second chance with Lee Rang explores surprising and touching sides of their persons and relationships. Is Lee Yeon anymore than a Lover/Loser Boy who’s stronger than any other creature on the planet? Yes, he is. Has Lee Rang always loved his brother through everything? Yes, he has. Their actors play off their genuine connection with one another and give this fantasy show powerful doses of real emotion when you least expect it. The show did itself a massive favor by removing their reliance on a-dime-a-dozen romance stereotypes and letting the sibling’s bond to take center-stage. Definitely an unexpected and surprising shift from Season 1′s priorities. 

Other kinds of love than romance

Romance is this writing team’s weak spot. Lee Rang’s mermaid love interest Yeo-hee had an interesting characterisation going for her — she acts soft-spoken and demure in order to be attractive, but has a much rougher and pettier actual personality that is genuinely appealing to Lee Rang — but then they fumble the bag in the final episodes and reduced her to a run of the mill damsel-in-distress (literally silenced, she shows up, gets hurt, and is saved). It was an unfortunate viewing experience to see the depth of the character flattened in this manner, though to be fair, this seems to be a fatal flaw that the writing team has also afflicted onto several other characters. 

It’s also strange in a meta sense, because where they miss the mark on romance the same team is somehow able to depict familial love, found family, loyalty, platonic love, unrequited love, love from a distance, ungrateful and painful love with nuances, all of which were further buoyed by the capabilities of the acting cast. Are there different writers for different characters, or...? 

They fleshed out a world of living gods and myths 

Without the anchor of a romantic love interest, mystery and intrigue is what drives season 2′s story. More airtime has been allocated to the lore of these god and their powers, as well as to the diverse lesser beings from the vast canon of Korea’s traditional myths. Instead of Lee Yeon winning every single fight because of his Main Character Armor, we now understand what being a mountain god entails, and how different styles of rule and abilities result in different advantages for the various top gods. Instead of, again, being the most powerful character Just Because he’s the protagonist, we also got to see him at his self-induced rock bottom. Lee Yeon gets humanized by his peers and flaws, and proves beyond a doubt that he’s what makes the show — and not his fatalistic pining for his one true love. 

Planting lots of seeds for season 3 

Many, many seeds were planted (runaway OG god, blinded Grandma, too much of the past with Lee Rang being changed for the future to remain the same?, heavily under-used Joseon-era genre/wardrobe/theme) for a potential third season, so to say the production team is hopeful for a new show is an understatement. The success of that definitely depends on whether the writers can remember to define their story to their strengths. 

[pikolswonderland]

Garten Of Banban: As Above So Below…EXPLAINED!

HELLO BITCHES AND BROS AND NONBINARY HOES

It’s about time I FINALLY explain my GoBB rewrite, titled “As Above So Below”. However, before we get started there is some things I need to explain.

This is NOT a full explanation of the WHOLE rewrite, such as complete descriptions of characters and the ENTIRE storyline (those will be saved for future posts). This is just an introduction to the main premise, characters, world building, and LLOOORRRREEE~! Additionally, some details may change in the future due to new offical GoBB content (at the time of making this post, Chapter 5 and 6 have not been released yet). Finally, this rewrite will discuss and portray some potentially triggering content, although this explanation won’t touch any of that sort of stuff yet, this is just a warning for the future.

Now, without further ado, let’s begin!

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

The story is set sometime in the early to mid 2000’s, taking place somewhere around or near Montréal, Canada.

Banban’s Kindergarten, despite its name, is more of a recreational daycare for children with mental disabilities and can’t function in a normal educational environment. The kindergarten was particularly known for its positive reputation, supportive and enjoyable learning environment, and its huge cast of fun mascot characters! 

The kindergarten was first opened sometime in the late 80’s to the early 90’s, though the property was first purchased by the kindergarten’s founder, Uthman Adam, sometime in the late 60’s to the early 70’s. The building was first constructed as a massive military storage facility and bomb shelter, but was abandoned and put up for grabs after WW2 ended. The building was mostly underground with many floors, but most of them went unused and were supposedly sealed off. However, there was secretly some fucked up shit going on behind closed doors.

In reality, the building was secretly an illegal science facility that began production shortly after being purchased. The kindergarten was later built as simply a means to help fund the experiments and further disguise what was happening. The floors that were claimed to be sealed off were actually where the facilities experiments were being done in private. Uthman Adam was in reality both the founder of Banban’s Kindergarten and the co-founder and lead scientist for the science project.

The secret experiments almost entirely revolved around creating and raising genetically spliced hybrid creatures using a mysterious extraterrestrial substance known as Givanium, or GV for short. 

The substance was first discovered on a meteorite (which also had traces of DNA from an unknown extraterrestrial life form, that will be important for a particular character later), and it was the discovery of GV that lead to Uthman Adam and (NAME REDACTED) to begin the experiments in the first place. 

The experiments were split into two main categories, the Mascots and the Mutants. The Mascots were any experiment that was considered “successful” in their creation and development, and the Mutants were the failures. The Mutants were kept in the lowest floor of the facility, and their numbers were in the HUNDREDS, while the Mascots were on the second lowest floor, and were only made up of…well…every single canon monster character (except one or two, that will be VERY important) in the actual games so…only about 17…yeah. The Mascots, as their name suggests, were used as inspiration for the kindergarten’s mascots (so instead of like most mascot horror stories were “oH wE wAnTeD tO bRiNg OuR mAsCoTs To LiFe” here it’s the exact opposite, it’s “Oh we based our mascots on our horrible unethical experiments for shits ‘n giggles”).

Of course, that’s just the background info, when are we going to get to the ACTUAL plot?! Well, right now!

Of course, as Murphy’s Law suggests, anything that can go wrong WILL go wrong. One fateful day, the massive ball pit in the kindergarten’s indoor playground mysteriously collapsed the day before the kindergarten’s fabled “Friendship Day” (Which was also the last day of school for the year).

All of the children and staff members also disappeared, as well as nearly all police officers sent to investigate.

After a few days of searching with no luck, the mother of one of the missing children, known as Morley Newmaker, decides to take matters into her own hands and sneaks into the building at night to investigate. Unfortunately, she ends up getting trapped in the facility instead. Even worse, the experiments have escaped their containment, running amok in the facility and many of them killing any human on sight. Thankfully, shortly after getting trapped, she meets one of the Mascots, Banban, and the two decide to team up and make a truce. Banban will help Morley rescue the children as well as protect her, and in return, Morley will help Banban and the Mascots escape to the surface.

Now, it is up to Morley, Banban, and their future companions (those companions being Banbaleena, Stinger Flynn, Little Beak, Sheriff Toadster, and later on BitterGiggle) to brave their way through these deadly walls, defend themselves from the murderous Mutants and Mascots, save the children, and discover the horrible secrets buried deep under the earth…especially what exactly is the deal with that strange giant moth…

QUOD EST SUPERIUS EST SICUT QUOD INFERIUS, ET QUOD INFERIUS EST SICUT QUOD EST SUPERIUS

****************************************************** …annnddd there ya go! That’s was the main introduction to the rewrite! I’ll go in further detail with the plot in characters in the future, but this is how the story stands for now. PLEASE feel free to send me asks about this rewrite, I REALLY want to see what you have to say!

Thank you!

[spidersonicbatl0]

If doomslayer was a guest character in an new skylanders game

So Xbox own skylanders now. So if a new game is made (it going to not toys to life) guest characters are going to be include, to increase sales.

So what if the slayer was included to make adults buy the game. Most of you are going to say “but doom is rated 18+”. Yes, but Fortnite have him and he didn’t perform glory kill on anyone. Just don’t have blood and he can added. Also doomslayer is Xbox exclusive because xbox own id’s software.

Bio: one day in Skyland a portal open in the sky. Creatures from god know where attack skyland. The skylanders try the best they could to stop them. But they was much of the creatures. When all hope seem lost, a man with green armor destroys a super gory nest in an half hour. In few hours the creatures ran away from this plane of existence. Leaving the skylanders more them confused. Research from artifact let in the invasion by Hugo reveals that man is call the doomslayer. A mortal turn god. Who being fighting the creatures since they invade his home world. The portal master invite the slayer to join the skylanders, he yes because he need a vacation.

Stats

Health: 200 (max 700)

Speed: 80 (max 110)

Armor: 50 (max 150)

Critical hit 80 (max 100)

Elemental power 50 (150)

Elemental fire (because angry towards demons)

Attacks

Starting attacks

Gun fire: press x to fire the gun you have equipped at the moment

Weapons wheel: press b to open the weapon wheel to select your gun. The starting weapon are shotgun: deal great damage to enemies at point blank range, heavy canon: shoot enemies at a great distance. Chainsaw: use to refill ammo for weapons. More weapons are added with more upgrades

Upgrades

Plasma rifle and rocket launcher: when selected the plasma rifle fire fast plasma balls to damage enemies, rocket launcher: shoot a single rocket that deal great damage if hit. Warning if you take splash damage if close. Also increase ammo for weapons

Weapons mods: press y to use weapons mod or hold y to switch weapons mods on with weapons you have equipped at the moment. List of weapons mods: sticky bomb: shoot a sticky bomb at enemies from the shotgun. Precision bolt: shoot a sniper bullet to hit enemy, micro missiles: tap y to fire micro missiles for 5 seconds. Plasma blast: fires the plasma rifle to build up a powerful close up blast of plasma at enemies. Remote detonator: detonator a rocket before it hit something, lock on: lock on to a enemy to fire three rockets at once. Ammo for weapons

Ballistic and chaingun: ballistic fire one single powerful shot at enemies, chaingun fire multibullet fast at one. Weapons mods for ballistic and chaingun: destroyer blade: tap y multiple time to change an horizontally line to shoot at enemies. air blast: shoot a sticky bomb at enemies. Mobile turret: tap y to turn your chaingun into a mobile turret to shoot at enemies.

Super shotgun: doomslayer most iconic weapon. Deal massive damage to enemies at close ranger.

Upgrades path

The return of the king: weapons mods from doom 2016

Double shot: fire two shot from the super shotgun

Change shot: change up a powerful shot from the shotgun

Chaingun speed up: when activate you have increased speed

Doom is eternal: weapons mods from doom eternal

Meathook: fire a grapple hook from to pull yourself at enemies

Full auto: tap to shoot multiple shotgun shells at enemies

Chaingun shield: put a to absorb damage into a shield

Sky chi attack

Bfg9000: shoot a green ball that make if way cross the stage. One hit kill enemies with it tentacles

Soul gem power ups

A combat encounter can randomly drop a power up from doom

Onslaught: deal massive damage to enemies

Hasty: infinite ammo and increased speed

Berserk: punch enemies that one hit kill them

Trival

When play as doom slayer, an random songs from his games will play when fighting enemies or a boss

His player icon Change depends on much heath you have.

His catchphrase is rip and tear

His appearance in this take place between doom 2016 and doom eternal

[strykingback]

Changing RWBY: The Ever-After

Okay so just putting this down here: The following does contain a suicide mention

Yooo. So I just decided to start something up called Changing RWBY where every now and then I may post something that I disliked about RWBY's main canon and how I would change it. Be wary this is gonna get really REALLY RWDE.

So before I continue the following triggers will be in this: suicide mentionOh and spoilers for Volume 9! Okay with that out of the way lets begin with how I would change the Ever-After!!

To be honest, when I first saw the images of the Ever-After I was a little bit mystified but everyone including myself were thinking about one thing: "Could it be RWBY's take on the Afterlife?" which would have been interesting no less, buuuut...

It wasnt. As at the end of Volume nine it was just "there" and the God of Light and Darkness were once afterans before they "Ascended" and left the Ever-After. (Geez way to contradict your lore once again CRWBY.)

However right off the bat this is where I need to say this and it needs to be changed heavily. First off it should have been the Afterlife. As this would have meant the reintroduction of many classic characters who had died on-screen. This could even lead to even interactions with characters from Ancient Remnant. Now not to say that I wouldn't want to miss out on the Afterans as well.

Speaking about the Ancient Remnantites. WE NEEDED interactions with them, such as their reactions to hearing about Salem and how pissed off they are at Salem for leading them to their deaths and brief extinction. Not to mention how they could have explained that the God of Light and Darkness as a FINAL act of kindness created the Ever After as the Afterlife. Not to mention it is akin to that of a: "Happily Ever After" thing.

Now onto another thing the Afterans. Okay I'm all for wacky looking characters, but why did it have to be just lego set pieces, chess pieces, and other bullshit?! GO BALLS TO THE WALLS CRAZY AND PUT IN MYSTICAL CREATURES. Come on man! You have a talking Raccoon in there as an Afteran, why cant you do the same for the other Ever-Afterans!?!

For me, I would want to take any mystical character like actual fairies, talking dragons, talking fish people, animals that act like humans (Not in relation to faunus). Yeah its THAT EASY. Take for example That Time I Was Reincarnated As A Slime. By the time the village of Tempest had grown into a full blown city all sorts of monsters start to come towards the city!!! Creating an amazing sense of diversity.

Think about Humans, Faunus, Ancient Remnantites and the Ever-Afterans. It fits beautifully! And now leading into how the culture would mesh. Now since were talking about that it would mean one of three things.

The currency

Now for anything currency can be many things. It could be the old remnants currency which we'll call it the Aglaia coins, Lien for the Present. How can the Afterans trade? Simple remember how Jynxy was willing to trade? You need to have something that fits with that Afteran and its value.

It isn't going to be that damn easy! As most Afterans would need something from you in order to do so. Suddenly stealing something from someone without a trade will not fly especially if someone is alive. As when Yang finds Jynxy he apologizes for rudely taking Yangs prosthetic without a proper trade agreement. As repentance he gives her a ride on emporium to get where they need to go.

2. Who Rules What Area?

Okay so since the Ever-After is fucking massive and all. This would mean we would need to treat in terms of lands and other things. In a snowy area the Frost Giants rule that land as peaceful as they are they are wary towards other people including Afterans passing through.

In more temperate areas that are pretty much chilled out and stuff. It is ruled by the Two Twins. Who simply prophesize Good and Bad things to come. As many people taking their word to heart and even prepare in case of the hard times that is to come while also prepping for the good times.

In Any Areas marked with a Red Heart or even a flag. This would belong to the Red Queen (the main antagonist of my take of Volume 9) anything she says is law in her territory and everyone must do as she says. Or they must suffer the consequences.

If it is near the Tree of Yggdrasil it is ruled by the first Champion of Remnant. Shaka Ishvalda. Who gives people the choice to stay or be reincarnated when they pass through the tree leading back to Remnant. Kind of akin to the Lifestream in the FF series.

Any Area that has no ruler is free reign.

3. Smaller Settlements

Now just like in Remnant any corresponding area as above do have small settlements just like the Paper Pleasers but due to the nature of the Ever-After not every settlement can make it through as either it is growing on its feet, or just even suffering through...but most settlements that lead to the Tree of Yggdrasil count as checkpoints! For people going to be reincarnated to rest and relax with other travelers to converse and such.

Now I know what you must be thinking what about the means of death. Now this is where I needed to look into a few things. And well thank Record of Ragnarok and Coco because If one were to die in the afterlife....They are erased from all existence.... never to return...

Simple as that.

Lastly is the Ascendance.

Fuck how CRWBY for having such a fucking idiotic idea to glorify suicide. So we're changing that shit entirely to something else. This time the Ascendance should have been when a character learns something important that helps them grow whether if mentally, physically, emotionally, or any other fancy way. So yeah, no tea suicide drink or giving yourself up to the tree. Just learning a clear lesson.

The roots of Yggdrasil will extend to that area and will wrap around that person for a few minutes, taking them to the very core of Yggdrasil where they are given a new ability that could one day be important for the future. How can that be applied to team RWBY simple.

Yang- She grows by understanding that her own anger may one day harm those closest to her creating a massive rift between her and Ruby. As she realizes this, Yang closes her eyes and meditates thinking of good and bad moments that have come and went. Realizing she needs to change herself before it is too late as she gains the ability to set her fists on fire whenever she is using Burning Rage (Which she later on renames to Burning Passion)

Blake- After having a conversation with Sienna Khan, Blake begins to see that even if peace is obtained between both humans and faunus, nothing will change. However, there are those who are going to stand with the faunus and fight for them, even to the point where it may lead to their own deaths, endangering their careers, or worse. For Blake her semblance gets an upgrade to where she can now enter a state of focus to control said clone.

Weiss- After conversing with he Grandfather and dealing with one of the Red Queens court with him. She understands that the SDC has done more harm than good, and that she is willing to take full responsibility for their actions once they return to Remnant and end Salem once and for all she plans to take control of the SDC and begin constructing it to be better and accepting all consequences that should come from it. All while offering more to the faunus communities due to how infamous the SDC was towards the faunus. Her new ability would be to now utilize more of her Glyphs at its strongest.

Ruby- After finally meeting Summer and the FIRST Silver Eyed Warrior along with Ishvalda. Ruby realizes the meaning of Light at the End of the Tunnel as she realizes that through Ishvalda that his teachings led to more champions of Remnant during its ancient years, then the first Silver Eyed Warrior sacrificing their eyes in order to save millions from a Grimm, led to the birth of the Hunters and with Summer defeating Salem temporarily, this led to preservation of the Future as now for Ruby....She must defeat Salem in order for peace to be fully obtained.... and thus preparing herself to pass on the next lesson to the next generation. Well for her, there is an upgrade to her semblance allowing her to move faster that she is capable of attacking while using her semblance.

Seriously there are so so so SO many ways people can grow. And yet... CRWBY just wants to be fucking lazy as shit. I said it before and I'll say it again.

Fans can do RWBY so much better than what the CRWBY can put out.

[rolladerbie]

Muse List

HERE'S MY MUSE LIST UNDER THE CUT CUT CUT---

Just gonna put it out there, that on top of my OCs, I have the ability to play the following if asked (In no particular order):

Knock Out, Breakdown, Soundwave, Shockwave, Starscream, Megatron, Pharma, Ratchet, Bumblebee ---

Trying to think of who all I've rped in the past and I'm having a hard time remembering. -IF- there's someone Canonical that you'd like that you don't see on THE LIST, please feel free to grab me by the ears and point me in that direction-- even if I need a little handholding through it. I'm willing to write anyone. (Besides, I'm a degenerate and enjoy holding hands.)

𝕄𝕖𝕔𝕙𝕤

Failsafe ; Decepticon BioWeapons Engineer - Alt: B-2 Spirit

Very likely a Sparkeater, we simply don't know for sure.

Cannibalizes parts from deceased mechs

Vivisection is the word of the day.

Failsafe is a cold, calculating individual who prides himself in his ability to make infectious diseases jump from Organic to Mechanic. As such, he likes to target Cybertronian colonized planets and plant an organic creature with one of his viruses. Then he just sits back and watches the world go up in flames. In a nutshell, he's playing Plague Inc and everyone else has to suffer for it.

Moshpit ; Autobot Wrecker - Alt; HMMWV

Heavy duty punch boy

Secretly the dad friend

Actually a soft boy

Favorite color is pink and he loves hello kitty.

Moshpit is a massive mech that does massive damage on a massive scale, even when he doesn't mean to. 'Bull in a China Shop' is the best way to describe him, and it's not something that he can readily help. Him big. He has adopted Derby as his little sister, and he's ferociously protective of her- however, it's rare that they get to see one another anymore. He's everyone's dadfriend and he has the habit of adopting jusssst about everyone.

𝔽𝕖𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕤

Derby ; Autobot Wrecker; Alt- 1986 Chevy Caprice - Custom Paint

Was a cop before she was a Wrecker.

Suffering from a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury)- She doesn't remember before the last thirty-seven years.

Behavior has changed from rigid police officer to rough and tumble demolitions expert due to TBI.

Derby was once a rather strict member of the Iacon Police before the War. She rather enjoyed her job because she found it fun to solve mysteries. When the war occurred, she served with the Autobots for some time, but having seen certain settlements being accosted so severely, she joined up with the Wreckers. Risking her life to keep the weak safe was what she signed on for. After millions of years of fighting, she suffered an injury so bad that she's lucky to be alive. Who she use to be is almost completely gone, however.

Mix-Tape ; Neutral Code Cracker / Mnemosurgeon; Alt- Boombox

Is actually a minicon and is thus quite small

Was a radio host before the war and values music like it's a lost artform.

Has been used by, and threatened by both sides of the war.

Mix-Tape never lived a very exciting life before the war. In fact, she ran a radio show about musical therapy and how certain tones can alleviate stress in a frame. When the war happened, she briefly joined the Autobots as a code maker and breaker. She was kidnapped by the cons, and then kidnapped back by the Autobots. This 'passing of the ball' got so bad that she eventually defected both sides and tried to hide out. This didn't work, however. She's been on the run ever since.

Lockjaw; Former Dinobot turned Decepticon ; Alt - Dilophosaurus

Has been treated like a pet since her Decepticon reformation.

Is a berserker, where her animal side takes over when she enters a blind rage.

Fires superheated plasma from her mouth.

Lockjaw was once a proud Dinobot, and a scout to boot. She was able to infiltrate most areas and send back information to her comrades in arms. This job, however, got her caught, and as a result, suffered a worse fate than death: Reformatting. Not only was this a painful process, it involved enough trauma to cause her to forget everything she ever stood for. Now she's a die-hard Decepticon loyalist who will lose herself to her more predatory side in a fight.

Scrape; Autobot Former Dispatch, now Battle Medic; Alt- 1965 Mustang

What medical License?

Hands On Learning

The leg bone's connected to the hip bone---right?

Scrape was content being a dispatch officer for the police before the war. She even entered into communications when the war started! But as the Autobots began to lose numbers, she found herself on the frontlines trying to do what she could to save lives. Her Medic mentor was felled in battle, and she did everything she possibly could to patch them up. They still ended up dying. She paints herself as a Medic to honor them, and actually does her best to learn as she goes.

The Furies; Decepticon Mercenaries; Alt- F-18 Hornet

(From left to right) Medusa, Fury and Harpy

Medusa is the 'baby', the 'nice one' and is very ahodere.

Medusa has an outlier ability that makes it to where locking optics with her for a period of time can shut down basic motor functions. She is unaware she has this ability

Fury is the eldest, the bitch, and very tsundere.

Fury is a tactician and has the habit of being a control freak

Harpy is the 'middle child', can be a touch aloof and is very Yandere

Harpy is by no means an autobot, but she romanticizes the forbidden relationships between autobots and decepticons.

The Furies are a trine of Seeker Mercenaries that are called in when all else fails. They are skilled assassins who have no qualms about taking out others among their ranks as well as Autobots. Of the three, Harpy takes the most prisoners because she 'falls in love' with those she interrogates and when she grows bored she disposes of them. Of the three, Medusa is something of a pacifist, but that does not mean that she does not support her 'sisters' in their endeavors. Fury rather enjoys the act of interrogation, and the three of them together is something of a horror to endure.

ℍ𝕦𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕤

Raziel; Human with Cybernetic Enhancements ; Ex Military

Took part in a military program to test cybernetics. Currently her left arm, spine and heart have been replaced.

Having worked so close to the Military, she has been given the opportunity to study Cybertronians and their anatomy thanks to POWs that have been taken by the government since the Roswell Crash.

Learning what makes a Cybertronian tick, she then synthesized pain killers for them.

Raziel wasn't always the equivalent of a Repo!Man, harvesting organs from fallen Cybertronians. She was once a doctor for a secret branch of the military that dealt with Off-World issues. Having been brought on to study Cybertronian frames, she has sickened her mind with knowledge that no human has a right to know. She lost her arm to one of these POWs, and with her advanced knowledge on their biology, had a new arm made. All of her time working with these bots gave her something of a rapport with them. If they cooperated and let her learn as much as she could, she'd see to it they were released. Come to find, according to the military, Death is a quick release. Having left the military behind, she moved on to stalking Cybertronian battle grounds to harvest organs before the clean up crew could arrive for either side. She's now made herself a little chop shop where Mechs and Femmes of all kinds come for various acts. Whether it's a paint job, a tire rotation, or a t-cog replacement, she's there for the job.

She's also synthesized drugs for Cybertronians. The downside is, they're highly addictive...

[panic-at-the-hydra-base]

So I saw fnaf… (no spoilers above the cut)

(First of all I’m not a movie reviewer or anyone special I just like to talk abt movies)

Okay I have like a lot to say and some worries about this movie. Let’s start with the good, as a fan the movie was so fun! It’s been in production hell for so long and I’m so glad it even got to see the light of day and that Scott got to be involved that all makes me thrilled. The Henson creature shop did a spectacular job and I hope people realize the balls it took to even go that route versus just cgi-ing all of it. Massive props to them and just ugh all of it was fantastic looking I could go on all day about the animatronics alone. Now I say “as a fan” because if I wasn’t a fnaf fan the movie wouldn’t be good. It just isn’t and I now totally understand and agree with the first critic reviews that came from people who have (assumingly) no knowledge of the game before hand and I agree with their low ratings. It just isn’t really a good movie🤷🏽‍♀️and that’s fine! Seriously if all it is is a kitty fan service movie where everyone had fun making it and watching it then who cares! Blumhouse made their money before it even premiered and honestly I’m not even worried about not getting another one because they know enough of us will be paying to see whatever else they do next- better or worse. I wouldn’t call it a good movie at all but was it fun? Hell yeah it was fun!

SPOILERS UNDER THE CUT

This is just me rambling because why not

I saw it Thursday opening night and my theatre was relatively quiet with some loud “harharharharhar”s before it started versus some theaters I’ve seen who are filled with ppl laughing aloud and doing other fun stuff (like fist fighting) so I wasn’t sure what to expect if it was gonna be the same vibe as like seeing a marvel movie opening night where people are verbally responsive. Idk just curious how other peoples theatre crowd experience was. The movie was really just okay as I said the part of me that’s a fan had fun but the part of me that loves movies was bored. The building a fort was kinda stupid but I understand why it was done for the plot entirely to show that Abby thinks they’re all friends okay but god it was just kinda dumb. The connecting via dreams was odd? I’m not sure how I feel about it because I’m trying to separate this movie from fnaf lore and treat it as a movie by its self but that’s really hard to do. Obviously I’m not saying everything has to/will be canon compliant but it’s still hard to have that knowledge and not compare it to the movie. I’ll have to give it another watch but it’s hard to hodge the movie alone by itself. Anyway- FOXY!!! God his feet were so silly looking I love him so much and they kept the humming/singing that he does? Loved that. Also was the animatronic they were trying to put Abby in at the end supposed to look like baby specifically? It was enough that I caught it but also not exact enough where I thought maybe they just picked a random doll like character idk I can’t remember who’s soul is in baby at the moment but whatever. That fuckass balloon boy made me unreasonably happy idk why like I saw spoilers and knew he was there but still laughed so hard when I actually saw him myself. Also loved the matpat cameo it was just enough and rolled very smoothly, good for him. I again do wanna give them credit for showing the bloody stuff considering the rating like the shadow of someone getting bit in half was good. I understand from a company standpoint of keeping it pg-13 so “kids” can go see it and give them more money but they did what they could and I thought it looked good! Vanessa was cool, kinda weird mike didn’t ask any questions earlier and also why did that bitch chuck mike’s pills into the water bitch that man has no money and you just wasted prescription sleeping pills? Gurl you you but okay whatever anyway- mike was cool nothing like crazy special to say about any of them honestly. I hope they use Matthew lillard more in the future, that’s purely me being a fan of his and nothing more honestly. He wasn’t in the movie much at all. Back to the dreams and stuff- having mike get injured in his dreams was also a bit idk…. Stupid? Like it just seemed idk pretty dumb I can’t fully explain what bothered me about it but it just didn’t seem to go with it all. I just gotta watch it again at some point because I’m very torn abt actually liking it or not. I do have a worry that people will not realize that the animatronics are actually puppets and complain about them being funny looking and moving slow. Puppets aren’t used as much anymore everything’s cgi and animated so I can totally see someone thinking it’s just badly created when it’s actual real people moving them and they’ll think poorly of it when they simply don’t know that it’s real! Again so happy that they chose that route to create them and not cgi it soooo greatful for that and I’m glad to see that’s still being used for movies. Overall very torn about this movie. Again I’m just rambling here and I’d love to think what others think abt it weather you saw it with prior knowledge or not.

[zodiacdragon334]

So because this is something I have on my mind, I felt like sharing the fic ideas that I had that never saw the light of day. Some of these never made it past a small blurb I had jotted down in discord, while others had some sort of outline before they were scrapped. Most are for other fandoms/original-ish stories inspired by other medias, but there's a few MCYT projects there.

Just a fun post, because no I'm definitely not procrastinating on writing. No definitely not, I would never!

Spoiler alert: it's a lot of Fire Emblem.

The earliest one I have was a sequel to a Pokemon Sword and Shield fic I had written wayyyyy back during covid when I first started writing. That original fic has since been orphaned, but I had a whole adventure planned involving a much more ruthless and ambitious Team Rocket, Ultra Wormholes, and Dragon-type Pokemon going insane. And the champion OC that I had as the main character ended up getting transported to an alternate version of Galar through a wormhole, where Leon failed to stop Chairman Rose and the Darkest Day was unleashed.

Second one I can find was a partial rewrite of the Azure Gleam route of Fire Emblem Warriors Three Hopes. Specifically exploring what happened to two characters that went missing in canon: Ferdinand and Hubert. It used a few plot points from Scarlet Blaze, but it was about those two having to rely on each other to survive as they escape from both the Adrestian army and Those Who Slither In The Dark and figure out how to get Edelgard back from Thales. Complete with much bickering and secrets while they fall in love with each other on the way, because Ferdinand/Hubert is genuinely one of my favourite ships ever. It was meant to be called "Azure Jewels," and this was had an entire plot outline before it was abandoned.

Then I had a original-ish story that was a combination of Fire Emblem Fates and Hollow Knight. It had that whole dark fallen kingdom at war thing going on, and the protagonist was pulled into this world from their normal life and was meant to be the hero to save them all. But they want to go back to their normal life, and it turns out there's some dark magic going on and the kingdom is actually at war with itself and driving itself to its own destruction. This one never made it past the point of being a discord blurb.

Then I had a high fantasy Farmer/Elliott Stardew Valley fic! Lots of mythical creatures, the farmer was a dragon shapeshifter in hiding, and the magical barrier protecting the Valley from everything is fading. Which leads the farmer to find a way to replenish the failing magic with help from Elliott. This one never made it out of an basic outline.

Then my next two abandoned projects were Pride and Prejudice fics. The first one was a fantasy variation of the novel. Still set in regency times, but with magic thrown in, and Darcy and Elizabeth are both shapeshifters in a world where magic is forbidden and is an instant execution if you're found out. After the Netherfield ball, they both have to flee to escape their own deaths and rely on each other to survive. This one was called "Foxhunt" and had a full outline and a few chapters written.

My other Pride and Prejudice project was a massive Fire Emblem Three Houses/Three Hopes crossover, with the P&P characters in the FE universe. It mostly followed the Azure Moon and Azure Gleam routes, but pulled elements from the other routes as well to combine them into something different. This one had a full outline and I had even started writing the first few chapters, but I got a little overwhelmed with it and it was abandoned.

Then my Empires SMP projects. I have two abandoned projects that I'm unlikely to return to, and perhaps unsurprisingly, they're both Fire Emblem crossovers. These were mostly abandoned because realistically, I'm probably the only person that will read those.

The first one was a one shot, unlike everything else here that has been a long multichapter fic. A modern superhero AU featuring Pix, Scott, Ashe, and Yuri. It had Scott and Yuri as supervillains known as Chromia and Mockingbird respectively, and Ashe as a vigilante known as the Wind Knight. Pix was an employee at the museum Scott and Yuri were trying to rob and also secretly a vigilante who was very done with their shit. It had Ashe/Yuri as a pairing (highly underrated ship, I love them so much), and I never decided if I wanted Pix/Scott to be romantic or platonic. But it was a fun museum robbery with a bunch of shenanigans and identity reveals, and the awkward moment of finding out that your boyfriend is actually a supervillain and you've been fighting each other the whole time.

And then the other one was a Fire Emblem crossover like the one I described above for Pride and Prejudice. I never came up with any plot or anything for this one, the furthest I got was coming up with Fire Emblem classes for each of the emperors. Perhaps I'll make a list of that eventually on here, but I'm unlikely to ever actually write this fic.

So the takeaway here: I love Fire Emblem and it still lives rent free in my head and has a big impact on a lot of what I write now. And I have a lot more abandoned projects than I thought I did, and that's not even counting my six Empires SMP projects I am actively writing.