#phantom blood musical lyrics

[erisicy]

Phantom Blood Musical Rough Translations Master Post

Song Lyrics

Overture: Eternal Voice

M1: Light and Darkness (Already has a translation in the JoJo Wiki)

M2: Dio

M3: Invasion

M4: Hey Danny

M5: Fleeting Time

M6: Voice Calling from the Darkness

M7: I Won't Stop Beating You Until You Cry

M8: Trembling Era ~ Rugby

M9: 7 Years of Friendship

M10: Voice Calling from the Darkness <Reprise>

M11: Ogre Street

M12: Voice Calling from the Darkness - I Can't Help But Drink

M13: Golden Spirit

M14: Zeppeli's Notes

M15: Born Evil (Already has a translation in the JoJo Wiki)

M16: Courage

M17: Youth with Dio

M18: Voice Calling from the Darkness - Dio

M19: Fleeting Time <Reprise>

M20: Trembling Era - Darkness in the Back Alley

M21: Resolve of the Ripple

M22: Stars Drawn Together

M23: Pain

M24: Windknight's Lot

M25: Dio's World

M26: The North Wind Made the Vikings

M27: Knight's Pride, Gentleman's Heart

M28: Tomorrow is Now

M29: Golden Spirit <Reprise>

M30: Dio's World <Reprise>

M31: Fire and Ice

M32: A Story Told Even in the Next Universe

M33: Phantom Blood

Other Scenes (in order)

Old Speedwagon Opening Narration

Dario "Saves" George

Dio's Life in London

Jonathan and Erina Meet

Dio Arrives at the Mansion

Boxing Match

George and Dio Talk

Jonathan Carves his and Erina's Name on a Tree

Dio Kisses Erina

Aftermath of the Fight

George is Sick

Jonathan and Dio's Next Plan

Accidental Creation of a Vampire

George and Inspector Archer Flashback

Dio Returns to the Mansion

George Gets Stabbed

Dio Becomes a Vampire

Zeppeli Explains Hamon

Encounter With Wang Chan

The Effects of Hamon on Wang Chan

Encounter With Jack the Ripper

Jonathan and the Others Find Dio

Encounter With Dio

Tarkus and Bruford's Entrance

Bruford's Defeat

Zeppeli's Successor

Jonathan Confronts Dio (Musical Original Scene)

April 13th Curtain Call

Transcripts

April 13th Curtain Call (JP)

[themostfinalofpams]

This is so Dio Brando core

[pupsmailbox]

SCENE︰EMO ID PACK

NAMES ⌇　acid. adder.���adrian. aisling. alex. alice. alix. amethyst. annabelle. aqua. ash. ashlee. ashley. aspen. astley. avril. awe. axe. ayesha. bates. bell. bella. belladonna. bellatrix. billy. blade. blair. blitz. bloodie. bloodscene. blythe. bow. bree. butterfly. callie. candi. candy. celeste. chase. checkerz. clarity. click. coraline. couture. crow. cyril. cyrus. dakota. demi. demonia. devin. dino. dizzy. doge. dom. dominic. ebony. electra. elliot. emery. emmett. emo. epic. erin. evan. flash. fred. galaxy. gavin. gerard. ghostie. gif. gloom. gray. grayson. grim. gutz. happy. havoc. hazel. heyley. hunter. hyde. indigo. ink. iris. ivory. ivy. jack. jade. jason. jasper. jax. jeff. jet. jett. julie. kai kandi. kandiz. kat. kayden. killer. kit. kitt. kobi. kyler. lady. lapis. lee. lexie. liam. luna. lurk. lynx. lyric. lyxzen. mace. maddox. madeline. mae. malice. marceline. marcie. mars. mavis. meow. mia. midnight. mika. mill. nana. neo. net. nick. nina. noah. noob. nora. nyan. nyx. obscene. octavia. olivia. onix. onyx. opal. orange. orchid. pearl. phantom. phoenix. pierce, pierce. pitch. pixie. pop. punk. pusheen. rain. rainbow. raine. rainer. rave. raven. raver. rawr. razorz. reaper. ripley. river. rogue. ronnie. rose. rouge. roux. rubi. ruby ruby. sable. salem. sally. sapphire. sash. sasha. scythe. silvi. silvia. smiley. smoke. smokey. snap. snow. sonya. soot. sparrow. spike. splatter. spook. stella. steve. stripe. sunny. suzi. suzie. suzy. taffi. taffy. tag. tech. tempest. travis. trend. tyler. vesper. vine. vista. vivi. waffle. wave. web. wentz. wesley. wild. willow. wound. xander. z!m. zach. zack. zade. zaire. zak. zander. zara. zero. ziggy. zim. zircon. zoe. zoom. zyair.

PRONOUNS ⌇　awesome/awesome. ay/aym. bark/bark. bi/bim. bite/bite. black/black. bling/blingee. blood/blood. bone/bone. bow/bow. brace/bracelet. bright/bright. bright/colour. byte/byte. cat/cat. cata/catatonic. ce/cer. check/checkered. chem/chem. cir/circut. color/color. computer/computer. cool/cool. cos/cos. creepy/pasta. cringe/cringe. cry/cry. cut/cut. dead/dead. death/death. die/die. dino/dino. emo/emo. emoticon/emoticon. epic/epic. ev/ev. exe/exe. ey/em. eye/strain. fang/fang. fringe/fringe. game/game. gamer/gamer. ghost/ghost. gir/gir. girr/girr. glit/glitter. glitter/glitter. gloom/gloom. glow/glow. glow/stick. gore/gore. grr/grr. gun/gun. gut/gut. hor/horror. hx/hxm. hyper/hyper. hyperpop/hyperpop. internet/internet. it/it. ix/ix. kan/kandi. kand/kandi. kandi/kandi. kill/kill. kit/kit. knife/knife. lix/lix. loud/loud. luv/luv. mask/mask. meme/meme. meow/meow. mew/mew. mlp/mlp. mon/monster. mspaint/mspaint. music/music. neo/neon. neon/neon. net/net. nostalgia/nostalgia. nya/nya. nya/nyan. nyan/cat. old/old. online/online. pika/pikachu. pix/pix. pixel/pixel. plur/plur. pony/pony. pop/pop. pop/tart. queen/queen. quiet/quiet. rain/rain. rainbow/rainbow. random/random. rave/rave. rawr/rawr. raz/razor. red/red. rei/reina. scene/scene. scene/scenester. scenecore/scenecore. scream/scream. shx/hxr. si/silent. silly/silly. skull/skull. slash/slash. slice/slice. sound/sound. spi/spider. spook/spook. stab/stab. stick/sticker. sticker/sticker. stud/stud. swag/swags/swagself. thxy/thxm. troll/troll. tutu/tutu. txt/txt. vamp/vamp. video/game. virtual/virtual. vocaloid/vocaloid. web/web. windows/window. x3/x3. x]/x]. xD/xD. xe/xem. xey/xem. xP/xP. xy/xyr. youtube/youtube. ze/zem. ze/zer. ze/zero. zi/zim. zim/zim. zom/zombie. zomb/zomb.

[wannaeatramyeon]

Gun Park x Reader: Marked

You have marked him. And now, Gun sees traces of you in everything.

On the very armchair he sits, where your bodies joined. In his bed, where you lain naked, bedsheets twisted around you, giving that smile of yours that makes his brain stop and stutter.

With his clothes, his ties - where you thoughtfully and with practiced hands knotted them for him morning after morning. Then, grinning, smoothed his suit lapels and told him how handsome he looks as he smiles down at you.

His fist, currently clenched tight around a whisky glass, which had only seen violence and brutality before you. That you had kissed lovingly, pressed your lips to each knuckle. Then done the same with every scar on his body.

You have invaded all his senses.

Hints of your perfume. Notes of citrus and you linger on his skin and in his home. It follows him like a phantom no matter where he goes. Overriding even the all-too-familiar metallic tang of blood.

A song that you liked, a band that you listened to. Now everywhere, he hears it too. Picks out the lyrics that you have sung along to. Funny how he had also chosen one of your songs subconsciously this evening, not realising what it is until the music flowed out.

You have invaded his home and painted it with memories.

At the kitchen counter when Gun prepared coffee for you, you had curled your body around his back and wrapped your arms around him. "I love you" you murmured against his shoulder as he pretended he didn't feel the same way and he couldn't hear.

In the same kitchen, where you stood crying when he said he couldn't give you what you wanted.

Tonight, as he drinks alone in his apartment, he feels your absence more than anything. More than the alcohol in his bloodstream, more than his desire to fight.

You have marked him.

[ready2bl0w]

Dante and Vergil Music Headcanons (featuring playlists)

Dante

In my opinion, Dante comes across as someone who dabbles in a variety of genres, although he’s not without his favorites. He certainly favors rock and R&B above all. With Dante, he’s busting out your typical “Dad Rock” artists, alongside some industrial (I swear I’m not saying this because I'm a rivethead). He definitely listens to Nine Inch Nails. Pretty Hate Machine is his favorite album. He listens to some KMFDM (Ready to Blow and Stray Bullet are both Dante-coded). He’s an absolute sucker for that signature rugged mechanical sound. It scratches something in his brain. On the more classic side of things, Dante enjoys his fair share of SOAD, Guns N’ Roses, Alice in Chains, Melvins (does that count as “Dad Rock”???), AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Pearl Jam, and some of the heavier Nirvana tracks. I mean, I could go on and on, but this is just a small scope of what kind of rock he’s bumping.

In terms of R&B, Michael Jackson is a given. I also picture Dante listening to a lot of “hornier” tracks and artists. Thinking Adina Howard's Freak Like Me, Ginuwine’s Pony, and just all of Jodeci in particular. Prince and Janet Jackson are among his favorites as well (he often hums Nasty to himself). Sir Mix-A-Lot would also be in his rotation. Select songs, but nonetheless, when he comes on, Dante can’t help but bob his head ever so slightly to those raunchy tunes.

His guilty pleasures are Barbie Girl and anything the Vengaboys make.

Vergil

Classical music is a given. Tchaikovsky, Wagner, and Mozart are among his favorites. Aside from that, I’ll be honest, I’m unsure as to what else he listens to. Not very familiar with the eldest twin. Although, I can see him playing some tunes from “The Phantom of The Opera,” “Carmen,” and the like (perhaps on an old record player he managed to get his hands on. I imagine he takes jobs alongside Dante sometime after they return from hell, so…). Once he’s settled into the human world, as best as he can, I imagine him experimenting with some gothic music, mainly tracks heavy with orchestral instruments. OH! Add 20’s - 40’s jazz to that as well. Specific songs, however. Not that many, in fact.

Many of the songs listed in the playlist below are NOT songs Vergil would listen to (unfortunately, I don’t think he’d give Bad Apple a try). However, I find the lyrical content fits Vergil well—sometimes to a T.

Take Ethel Cain’s Family Tree (Intro). The second verse goes:

Jesus can always reject his father, But he cannot escape his mother's blood. He'll scream and try to wash it off of his fingers, But he'll never escape what he's made up of.

While Vergil cannot reject his father, he certainly can’t escape the human blood Eva has passed onto him. He does his absolute best to cast away his humanity, operating with the sole purpose of gaining power so that he may never be that helpless boy, pierced by demons and left behind by his family. His efforts are in vain, however, and we see that his humanity still lingers inside him through V.

“He’ll never escape what he’s made up of.”

His guilty pleasure? Earth, Wind & Fire’s Let’s Groove, of course.

[barrenclan]

for the next music post: bird song by f+tm is a good one for rainhaze killing asphodelpaw (& then, depending on how the rest of the story goes, him subsequently being haunted by his actions)

Ahh, Bird Song is such a classic. You know the visual I can imagine for this; Rainhaze speaking to himself/his conscience/previous self as the "bird", as he wanders to BarrenClan territory. And then in the part of the song where he kills the "bird", it cuts to him having killed Asphodelpaw.

"Well I didn't tell anyone, but a bird flew by Saw what I'd done he set up a nest outside, And he sang about what I'd become He sang so loud, sang so clear I was afraid all the neighbours would hear, So I invited him in, just to reason with him I promised I wouldn't do it again"

"I opened my mouth to scream and shout Waved my arms and flapped about But I couldn't scream I couldn't shout, The song was coming from my mouth"

Yeah, Rainhaze. Fuck McCafferty though.

"And I know that I'm not a nice guy I hurt people's feelings, I guess I should die But my body says hurt myself, and my heart says to harm myself"

"How did I get like this? So afraid of everything"

Wow, yeah, it really is. Look at these lyrics.

"We're machines that breathe and weep And look really good Trained to kill"

"Send me back in time And I'll bring us back in line Just tell me whose mother I have to kill" <- ermmm. well.

"And I've replaced my heart With metal parts And I'm working out just fine But I can't get it to start"

Lmao? Okay YouTube thanks

JULIE AND THE PHANTOMS MENTIONED!! This AU idea is actually along the lines of my original draft of the script; originally Asphodelpaw and Pinepaw wouldn't have a last moment of connection before she was murdered, so he'd be more torn about her death. But yeah, wailing, I love this song. Watch this show.

"No time for goodbyes Didn't get to apologize Pieces of a clock that lies broken"

"If you could only know I never let you go And the words I most regret Are the ones I never meant to leave Unsaid Emily"

Another classic! I think I've been suggested this one before, but it fits very well of course. Cormorantpaw specifically I can imagine singing it; goes well with Issue 33.

"All day I've been wondering what is inside of me Who can I blame for it? I say it runs in the family"

"But business is business and business runs in the family We tend to bruise easily, mad in the blood I'm telling you 'cause I just want you to know me"

Wilbur Soot is honestly a pretty good voiceclaim for Rainhaze.

"Under the weight of a broken nose It's not that simple, but he won't seem to notice There must be more to this"

"Would do something, if it wasn't all so effortful 'Cause I'm so high, my brain can't even look at the fall And when you've reached the top there's nowhere else to go but-"

I hadn't, but I do like it!

"I'm alive and I can see The water is foul and it's hard to breathe There's lead in the water, there's lead in the water There's lead in the water, and you think that I'm fine I'm stained by the water and only the water I'm drained by the water, are you losing your mind? Dead in the water, dead in the water"

No, I haven't heard of this one before! But you're right, it's very fitting! Also, psh, no one has ever animated before you start animating. If you want to, go for it. I'd certainly be interested!

"Oh, in Pine Point, where I was born The roads are all overgrown And no one's lived there for years The town was never the same The mine was closed in '88 And everyone disappeared"

"Oh, in Pine Point It's deteriorating And your memory started fading"

[dansconcepts]

GI Roleswap AU - Meeting Venti

"I am the last one." The yaksha- who's actually Venti, who knew?- admits. 

You seem pretty lighthearted about it was Aether’s immediate thought, but he noticed the tenseness he doesn’t often see in the bard/yaksha’s eyes, the unnatural glint of a smile that doesn’t match. His tease dies on his tongue.

However, in unsurprising Paimon fashion, she holds no such reservations as she goes, “You don’t seem the least bit upset about that!”

Venti's eyes immediately narrow, but his smile grows even wider, if that were possible. “Don’t tell me how I feel.” He hisses out, words dipped in honeyed poison.

“EEP!” Paimon screeches. The fairy’s head frantically bobs up and down. “Got it! Loud and clear!” 

Yet under her breath, she murmurs, “to think the bard can be so scary like that… what a terrifying change!” 

Venti’s eyes glare impassively at the small being, and she immediately freezes, wondering if he heard. 

The yaksha turns away. He has a more settled gaze, with an actual frown. She lets out a sigh of relief. Aether watches them, calculating. 

“If that’s all you needed, I best take my leave! Oh, to depart from you is quite the relief!"

"HEY! WHAT DO YOU MEAN RELIEF?!"

"Ehe~! Bye-bye Traveler and your little pet!" The bard waves in lieu of answering. Almost like an afterthought, he adds, "You're pretty decent for a human!"

And he disappears with a sudden breeze of the wind.

[Some angsty Venti in the form of the flute scene because Xiaoven under the cut]

Is this how he dies? 

The silence blares louder than his pained gasps of breath. Each sharp intake bleeds out of him like the gashes he's taken. His head pounds to a jarring rhythm, lyrics growled and snarled at him as they take delight in his pathetic attempts to stand up and find his lyre. 

He'd honestly cry out, if his throat was able to. Yet it feels like even that, too, is torn apart, and his tears flow more freely than he'll ever be able to feel. 

It certainly flows better than his rhymes. He snorts.

He honestly could use the rest, eternal as it’ll be. So many of his friends have done so already.  Vennessa… Dvalin… 

He wonders if there will be anyone who would tell the tale of the death of the final, and last, Yaksha. The one who sung lullabies to entrap monsters into eternal slumber. The one who used the winds to carry a voice razor sharp in both wit and piercing with wordplay. The one only seen by a few and trapped by the contract he had signed, dying on the same soil he vowed to protect. 

Voices grow louder with their resentment. Crescendos, really, until everything means nothing. All of it.

He is so tired.

This is what he deserves. He aches to close his eyes.

Yet he doesn't.

A soft melody calls to his soul. To his role. To the body that lays still, so unlike himself who never stops dancing to a phantom beat.

He is certain it belongs to a flute. 

Yet what flute's songs can drown out screams? What flute was a serenade, coaxing the burning of the wounds to soothe, the thoughts in his head to rest, letting himself focus on the forefront of his mind?

A stunning clarity did the flute bring. Even with his... talents, he cannot produce such a sound. Its playing coos at him, reaching out a metaphorical hand from its composer. 

It was unlike any song he's heard before, and he knows so many over the years from purely seeking it out. 

He wants to stand and cry and laugh and cry again.

So unlike his music.

Music acting to save, not to kill. 

He knows not of anyone, either archon, mortal, or adeptus, that plays an instrument like this flute.

However, he's presented the answer when the song reaches a bridge of calm, of promise, and of a cool caress against his cheek. Wind! 

He's taken, higher and higher, and he laughs. He laughs, even with the blood drying on his skin. He laughs, because he is weightless, and has heard the most beautiful thing in his whole lifetime. He doesn't want to let it go. 

The beauty of this world rushes through him, and suddenly he wants nothing more than to experience more of it. To remember it. The now and the then. Maybe even the potential of a future just as beautiful.

And, as if praising him, he feels the wind slowly die down around him, gently setting him back on the ground. 

It spins around him. His braids float with it. His hand trails after the winds with a giggle, before it drops something in his hand.

A Vision.

An Anemo Vision.

He recalls the name from his Lord Tartaglia, mentioned offhandedly with an indifferent shrug, slightly terse on his lips.

"Alatus." He breathes. The name of his saviour. 

And the music stops. Yet the wind- or perhaps it was himself, really- keeps the melody stuck in his head. 

It hasn't ceased. He doesn't want it to.

He doesn't ever try to replicate it. 

[chvoswxtch]

congrats on 3k!!! 🎉🥂

I would like to get midnights with frank castle with song 'The Loneliest' by Mäneskin, I was thinking this lyrics:

'Tonight is gonna be the loneliest

You're still the oxygen I breathe

I see your face when I close my eyes'

but you can choose different ones, thank you 💕

thank you so much!!

I wasn't sure if you wanted angst...but that's immediately where my head went when I read these lyrics

but, there is a slightly nice ending :)

blurb below the cut

the loneliest (frank's version)

I see your face when I close my eyes

Frank wasn’t sure what city he was in tonight. Hell, he wasn’t even sure what state he was in. Every highway seemed to stretch on endlessly into the infinite horizon, and the scenery flying past all started to look the same, like a condensed blur of muted colors and fuzzy shapes. He didn’t pay attention to the towns he passed through, and when he eventually made it to his next destination, he couldn’t even remember fully how he had gotten there. It was like he was stuck on auto-pilot until it was time to get the job done, and even then, he wasn’t fully present.

Because in the back of his mind he was with you.

He couldn’t feel the cheap motel sheets scratching against his raw, wounded body. He couldn’t taste the metallic tang of copper from blood that had dripped from his broken nose and past his lips. He couldn’t smell the sterile sting of alcohol he had used to sanitize fresh gashes that pierced what his vest couldn’t protect. He couldn’t hear the dull roar of live music coming from the seedy dive bar the street over.

But when he closed his eyes, he could see you.

Frank could still see the crestfallen tears shimmering on your cheeks in the moonlight the night he left. The night he lied to you for the first time, giving you the half-assed excuse that it was too dangerous to be with him, and that it was safer for you if he disappeared. The night he couldn’t confess that he had fallen in love with you and that meant he had something to be afraid of again. Because he knew deep down that if you were ripped away from him because of what he was, then it would all be over for him.

Frank couldn’t survive that kind of hell twice.

As much as he tried to convince himself that he was doing right by you, his heart didn’t agree. And every time he closed his eyes, he was haunted by the sight of your dejected face in his rearview mirror, illuminated by the crimson glow of his tail lights. From the night he left you, there was this pit of unease that was constantly falling in his stomach, like a boulder passing through a void that had no bottom to reach. Frank couldn’t bear the dread that he had made a grave mistake.

Even as Frank laid in the motel bed alone, he swore he could feel the tenderness of your phantom touch caressing his bruised jaw. He could faintly taste the strawberry chapstick that was always coated on your soft lips. He could just barely smell the aroma of your green apple scented shampoo tickling his nose. And as delicate as a whisper, he could hear your angelic voice in his ear, begging him to come home.

Frank had been running away his entire life. He ran away to join the Marines to escape his small town life. He ran away to other continents so he didn’t have to face his shortcomings as a husband and a father. He ran head first through every layer of hell seeking vengeance and ignored his own nightmares by creating them for those that owed him a debt in blood. And now he was running away from you.

Letting out a heavy exhale, Frank reached for the burner phone on the nightstand, wincing slightly at the stress it caused on a rib that was most likely broken. With his thumb, he flipped the phone open and typed in the number that he knew by heart.

Yours.

Pressing the call button, Frank closed his eyes while he listened to the line start to ring, sending a silent prayer up to a God he hadn’t believed in for years that it wasn’t too late to stop running.

[onedaughterofman]

You, forever (Chapter VII: Zenith interlude)

Pairing: Papa Emeritus IV x g/n reader

Summary: The Clergy takes something from Copia, but he refuses to let go.

Warnings/tags: Mostly fluff, some angst here and there. Mentions of blood, some sexual innuendos. I put my whole heart and pussy into this. It was supposed so be "short and sweet". It's more than 6K words, I think.

PREV CHAPTER HERE

“Cardinal? Care for a dance?”

Draped in ceremonial robes and surrounded by a faint, golden glow, a Sibling of Sin stands right in front of him. The Cardinal lifts up his head, focuses for a brief moment on their face before looking away again.

The music coming from the ballroom is distant, barely above an echo in the air. This party is supposed to be for him, Imperator said. A celebration of his arrival at the Ministry and a welcoming to his recent role as the head of the Ghost project. They are celebrating the release of Prequelle, the general favorable reception it caused on the public.

Despite that, the Cardinal is hidden away from the rest of the clergy and Siblings. He’s on a bench, and the halls continue for a long way to his right and left following a labyrinthine path. A part of Copia wishes he could mingle with the rest of the guests and celebrate, but he’s positively not in the proper mood. Even if Prequelle is a work born from his blood and sweat, he can’t help feeling that there’s something missing. He tried hard, so hard to make something good, but people are still clinging to the past.

During tedious days and interminable nights, he paid attention to the critics and reception. It didn’t matter how hard Imperator tried to shelter him from the negative reviews, focusing exclusively on the praises and applause. Copia read everything, listened to each complaint.

At last, there’s no way to escape the truth. He’s not Terzo. Not Primo or Secondo, either. He’s not the mastermind behind Infestissumam, the rebel innovator behind Meliora or the messiah that brought Opus Eponymus to life, relaunching Ghost.

No. He’s only Cardinal Copia, creator of nothing but a mild disco-flirtatious album that lacks the raw power or lyrical profundity of his predecessors.

What a disappointment. He doesn’t deserve this stupid party or even his appointment as the new frontman. A brief noise forces his head to shift again. Next, he notes you are still standing there, staring at him with dark pupils and piercing eyes. The strength behind your gaze makes his shoulders tense, and he struggles to summon the right words as he swallows. You follow the movement of his throat, the way his muscles contract and relax.

Fuck. What did you say to him?

“I’m sorry,” Copia stutters, after a beat. “I’m not… I’m not good at dancing.”

The phantom of a smug smile appears on your lips, vanishing almost as rapidly. You nod slowly, taking a few steps forward until you take a seat right next to him. The Cardinal instinctively scoots away, putting as much distance as he can without standing up.

Without mercy, you move a bit closer. There’s that small, tight smile in your lips again, and your stare is heavy on his skin.

“Is that so? Because I saw you in the Rats video and that looked a lot like knowing how to dance.”

Oh, Satan. What do you expect from him? Are you here to laugh, to mock him? Is this part of some cruel joke, or a bet?

He’s too old for this.

You are too, but some people never grow over their mean phase. He’s about to excuse himself and sprint away when you finally look away, eyes locking into the paintings on the wall. Copia does the same, analyzing the minor details in the frame before observing the painting.

The infinity is built in front of his gaze. A red snake, swallowing its own tail, symbolizing the never-ending circle of life, death and rebirth. Just like the snake, Copia feels terribly trapped in an eternal cyclic path that will just lead to his own demise. The recent, tragic and sudden passing of the Emeritus lineage has struck hard in the Abbey, causing all kinds of speculations

If he’s not cautious, Copia will end up just like them, he fears.

In the distance, the music changes. The piano is a bit softer, carrying the melody with grace. Your head follows the rhythm, foot tapping on the stone floor. “I must admit I didn’t know what to expect when I first watched the video,” you continue, whispering. The tone of your voice is soft, hushed, as if this was a secret no one else should discover. “I never saw any Papa doing something like that before.”

That’s it, then. You’re here to remind him how different he’s from the rest, how he doesn’t fit along the Emeritus’ heirs. The Cardinal gathers a deep breath, feeling the air burn in his lungs before exhaling. It’s useless for you to come here to taunt him, when he already knows anything you may say and more. He knows he’s extremely different, too unusual or particular. It doesn’t matter how hard Imperator insists he’s suitable for this job, Copia knows she’s wrong.

And here you are, to solidify his theory. No one in the Clergy agrees with his designation. He’s…

A failure.

“I like it.”

The music stops for a moment. The echo travels through the air, following the interminable corridors until it disappears down the hall. Copia studies your face, searching for any clue of sarcasm or a lie, but not a single trace appears. Your mouth is stretched in a smile, and your eyes are sincere, shining with the reflection of the faint golden light.

“You left me speechless for a while, Cardinal.” You continue, averting your gaze. An air of familiarity clings to your body and hair, slowly tearing at his walls. You’re not the frightening, intimidating person he initially thought you were. No, you’re calmer, way kinder. “That’s why I was hoping you might dance with me. Everybody's having fun tonight. It’s a shame you’re here all alone.”

“We can try it, if you want?”

The words leave his mouth before his brain can process them. Copia's mouth is agape while he's fighting to produce a coherent thought. The way your face lights up at his proposal doesn’t make things easier for him, but he achieves the strength to continue. “I mean, I still remember some of my dancing lessons.”

“I knew it!” Your hand lands on his arm, a fleeting and yet burning touch, marking his skin with your emotion. “You looked so professional in that video! You took lessons?”

“A long time ago. Sister thought it would help me become a bit less… shy? I don’t know, truly.”

“I assume it didn’t work.” The mischief coats your words, and he smiles in return.

“No, but it was a good workout. I still work-out, you know. Lots of walking inside the Ministry.”

“You do have a nice, toned body.”

The confession seizes him by surprise. Being raised inside the Ministry has made him almost immune to all sorts of lascivious, hedonist behavior. He has heard and seen things that will be forever branded in his memory, no matter how hard he tries to forget them. However, he’s not used to that being directed at him.

He should get used to it, probably. He’s read the comments some people make about his clothing and moves. They are... creative, to say at least. Tremendously interesting.

“Ah, si. I also… run a bit,” Copia says, when the silence becomes excessively oppressive on his back. “And I do some thrusting, here and there.”

You chuckle.

He has made you laugh, and it’s a breathtaking sight to behold. “Not that I need the training,” the Cardinal continues, moving a bit closer. “My junk works just fine. More than fine. Uh…No complaints.”

When you laugh once more, Copia fears the entire world has come to a stop. He sees you in slow motion, notes the way your lips stretch and your hair sways following the movement of your head. He swallows, but his mouth is incredibly dry.

You’re beautiful.

“Do I know you? No, sorry. I mean, can you tell me your name?”

You do. “I’ve been serving the Ministry for a while, but I’m mostly cleaning and cooking. I’m afraid Sister Imperator doesn’t trust me in clerical duties.”

“Why not?”

“Apparently I speak awful Latin and get lots of herbs and incense confused. I need to study more diligently, she said.”

“Well, if you need any extra help, you can ask me. I know some stuff.”

“I’d be honored, your Dark Eminence.”

“No need for that. Cardinal it’s okay. Or just Copia.”

“Copia.” The way you mention his name, pronouncing each sound with a slow, clear intonation is music to his ears. The Cardinal fears he might become addicted to it. He knows he has just met you, but he’s passionate at the core of his heart. He can’t help but to yearn for love, for someone to adore during days and nights.

It might be a fantasy, but he keeps his hopes high. Maybe, you can become the one he’s been searching for.

“So, dancing lessons?”

Holding onto your hand, Copia follows you through the corridors.

Your hand is warm between his fingers. Copia holds onto it, following you through the empty corridors.

“Thank you for helping me hide from Imperator.”

“You’re welcome,” Copia says, breathless from all the running. “But I don’t see why we are running. I thought you did well in your Latin lessons.”

“I did, that’s the problem! She thinks I cheated!”

He laughs, absentmindedly leaning closer to you.“I’m sorry for being such a good teacher.”

“Then I’m sorry for being such a good student.”

Steps resonate in the distance. You flinch, drawing a short breath before your hand jolts to grip his forearm. The Cardinal hurries behind you, rapidly hiding from whoever is wandering the Ministry. It’s only when the noise fades he realizes how close he is, how your fingers are still closed on his flesh and your bodies are almost pressed together.

The air is not enough to allow him to breathe. Copia opens his mouth to let out a slight gasp, fighting to calm the frantic beating of his heart. He can’t move. In the enclosed space, he doesn’t know where he wants to go, if he wants to put more distance between the two of you or to lean closer. His hands hoovers over your body, fingers twitching in an effort not to touch you. He wants to, but doesn’t dare.

To resist his desire becomes harder when you look at him through your lashes. From this distance, you can feel the heat radiating from his body, smell the way his perfume mixes with the minty scent of his aftershave. The Cardinal averts his gaze, staring at the stone wall. He’s extremely nervous, timid.

“Copia?” You whisper. That sultry, half lidded stare burns on his face like fire. “Thank you.”

Without saying anything else, you lean to place a kiss on his cheek. It’s a soft gesture, a chaste one, full of innocence and tenderness he never experienced before. You begin to walk away, turning around to call for him when he remains in place.

“Are you coming?”

Dumbfounded, he follows.

“Come on! Faster!”

“Come on! You can go faster!”

The wheels on the tricycle don’t agree. They creak and whine, almost as if they were about to fall off the frame and roll into nothingness. It's natural. The frame is not meant to support the weight of not only one, but two adults. 

Yet, your nails dig in the Cardinal’s shoulders, as you cling to him for dear life. You laugh loud and the sound echoes on the walls and before disappearing into the hallways. Copia’s voice alerts you shortly before he turns on a corner, hoping not to crash and wreck anything. He can’t explain to Papa Nihil why more and more vases and decorations keep getting broken in the vestibules.

Oblivious to his worry, you merely chuckle louder, gripping onto him with more strength. “Faster!”

“I’m the only one pedaling here!” He yells, breathless. The muscles on his legs burn and ache, but not as much as they will tomorrow in the morning.

Oh, well. A bit of pain is nothing when he can enjoy the comfort of your body pressed against his back or hear the sound of your chuckles. You look so cheerful, gull of joy. It makes his heart race and sing.

“I thought you said you worked out!”

Upon hearing your words, Copia continues. A dead end halts him on his tracks. The wheels produce a sonorous screech on the floors, leaving behind marks. You climb down from the tricycle, and a sad, disappointed expression manifests on your face. Copia doesn’t like seeing it. He despises it.

Even if your feet make contact with the ground, your hands remain on his shoulders, toying with the collar of his cassock. The gesture sends shivers down his spine, electrifying his body. “We’ll have more space to ride outside,” he says, hoping you’ll accept his invitation.

“A race, then?”

You run without waiting for him to signal the beginning of the competition. He grants you some advantage before following at full speed.

On the patio, you run. Copia’s voice is carried by the wind, no more than a faint counting sound in the distance.

You're extremely thrilled he’s taking some time to indulge in a foolish game with you. He’s been exceptionally busy lately, so full of stress with all the tours and his clerical obligations. Sadly, you almost don’t have time to spend with him, even if he tries to dedicate a few minutes of his days to you.

Crouching behind a big statue, you cover your mouth with your palms in an effort to muffle the noise of your panting. All your efforts are fruitless, because Copia takes no time to find you.

His fingers tickle at your skin, over the ribs, and you jump in place both from the sudden contact and the surprise. “This is unfair! You always win.”

“Si, certo. I used to play here all the time when I was a child, there’s no corner I don’t know. Most orphans preferred the playground near the west entrance and not this one because it’s close to the Chapel of Rituals, so nobody bothered me.”

In a swift movement, your fingers close over his wrists, pulling him closer. Copia falls on the soft ground, green grass staining the white material of his suit. Despite that, you don’t stop tugging until his head is set on your lap. Even if he attempts sitting up, you don’t let go. You merely move your hands from his arm to his face, ghosting over his cheekbones and nose before setting down on his hair.

Gradually, your nails lightly scratch at his scalp. Copia’s eyes go from wide open in surprise to half lidded, all fluttering eyelashes. “You need some rest, Copia,” you mumble, making him nod.

“I know, I know. There’s so much to do.”

He’s right. The clerical duties are never ending, so heavy on his shoulders. More than once you have discovered him passed out in the library or in his office, head against the hard wood of the desk and hand clutching a pen. The Cardinal’s shoulders are always so tense and high on his body, from carrying both Nihil’s and Imperator’s expectations.

If only you could do anything to relieve him from some of that pressure, you would. You have been gaining more and more responsibilities, but it’s never enough to grant him respite. “I’ll tell you what,” you offer, when you think he might start snoring softly at any moment. “When this is all over, we’ll go to the beach. I heard the Ministry owned a beach house not too far away from here.”

Eyes batting open, he furrows his brows. “Where did you hear that?”

“Imperator mentioned something when she was talking with Papa Nihil the other day. I might have eavesdropped.”

A deep, slow sigh it’s the sole answer you get. “It doesn’t matter” you cut him before he can complain.“Promise it. When you have time, we’ll go to the beach.”

“I don’t like the beach.”

“Because you have never been there with me.”

The glint in your eyes, he clearly sees it. There’s so much hope and excitement within your pupils, it’s impossible to deny you. Hell, he’d accept anything you propose, asking only for you to gaze at him in return. “Okay, okay,” Copia whispers, looking elsewhere. His lips stretch in a timid smile. “When this is over, I’ll take you to the beach. But then, we’ll have to go somewhere I want.”

“Where?”

“Let’s go get rigatoni affumicati al pecorino, from that nice Italian restaurant near here,” he declares after a beat. “ Do you want to?”

“Deal. But first, the beach.”

“Vabbè. The beach.” Your palm is warm and soft when his fingers make contact with your hand. He takes it gently, placing his lips on the back of it. The black makeup leaves behind the faint mark of a kiss. “I promise it.”

There’s so much echo around. Step after step, your shoes make a loud noise  that breaks the heavy silence of this place. Almost as if he was sensing your uneasiness, Copia’s fingers caress the back of your hand, moving to graze over the palm. “Only a bit more,” he murmurs. “Watch your steps, my dear.”

“It’d be easier if I wasn't blindfolded.”

“You didn't complain about it last night.”

Copia abruptly stops before you can reply. His hands move to your head, deft fingers swiftly removing the blindfold. Nothing prepares you for what you see.

The space is large and broad around you. Illuminated by candle light and a few faint lamps, there’s a fountain in the middle of the room. From right to left, you note some tunnels extend for meters and meters before disappearing in the dark distance.

Where's this place?

Has it always been here, hidden under the main building?

“I know this is not like the beach.” Copia speaks up from behind you. His fingers bend around your shoulders, pulling you lightly until your back meets his chest. As always, he’s gentle and tender, an incredibly comforting presence. He makes you feel giddy inside, so at ease. “But I thought it was a nice sight anyway.”

“Are we under the Abbey?”

“Si, ecco. A whole system of tunnels goes even beyond the fences. It’s supposed to be an escape route, used during the old times in case of an attack. Nowadays it’s mostly abandoned and closed, unless you have permission to be here.”

“Do we have permission?”

“I do. Don’t worry. I’m the only one who comes here.”

“That’s selfish of you. Maybe I want to come too.”

“I can help you with that, very well.”

His arms are strong when he surrounds you in a hug, tilting your head until his lips find yours. Copia lets out a few chuckles against your skin, closing his eyes to thoroughly enjoy the coziness of your body next to his. In front of your eyes, the water of the fountain dances to its own song. The statue of the Fallen Angel stands watchfully in the middle of it, beautiful and magnificent.

Just like Lucifer fell from the heavens to the ground, searching for freedom and truth, you feel yourself falling for Copia. If he’s your damnation or the promised land, you don’t care. As long as you can have him close, worship him and walk by his side, then nothing else matters.

Nothing can offer you absolution or console, if it’s not him.

“Thank you for showing me this.” Your voice is scratchy, coarse from the lack of use.

“Prego,” Copia replies, holding closer. “This place was always a shelter for me, to hide when things became too bad. I want you to have it too.”

The murmur of the water travels through the air, lulling you into a sense of peace and safety. In your lover’s arms, you cling to these private moments you get to expend together, away from the rest of the Clergy. Now and forever, the light from memory will conduct you through the shadows.

In moments like these, away from the world and outside expectations, you feel incredibly free.

Over the muffled music, the water is a constant buzzing in your ears. It’s dusky in the tunnels, more than usual, and a part of you wonders if Copia dimmed the lights on purpose to allow himself to camouflage into the shadows.

The entrance to the main room stands in front of you. Written in stone, an ancient warning lays carved in somber color for your eyes to see.

“Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate.”

You take a step forward. The distant ticking of the clock it’s the only sign of time passing. Under the Abbey, everything seems to be put on a stop. “Copia?” You call, and for a long moment there’s no reply. “I know you are here.”

“Si, uh. I was just…”

“Hiding?” Your chuckle is full of air. “You need to stop hiding during celebrations prepared in your honor. Everybody is up there wanting to congratulate the new Papa Emeritus the IV.”

“Lo so, believe me. I just need some air.”

Distorted, the melody of the piano keys hardly manages to resonate in the underground. You don’t recognize it, only acknowledging it’s a slow ballad. Your hand extends in Copia’s direction, floats in front of his face until his eyes look up to meet yours. There’s sadness clinging to his factions, drenching him in a unique kind of sorrow you fear you’ll never completely understand.

This man, as much as you love him, remains mostly a mystery. He has shared a few details, scarce information about his childhood and teenage years. How someone who has been through much can remain kind and cheerful it’s something you can’t comprehend.Every so often, you feel as if the world’s weight was balancing on his tense shoulders, oppressing his true nature into dust.

The Clergy clearly searches to transform Copia into the perfect frontman, a well curated marionette they can maneuver round and round. There’s a bitter glint behind your irises, a misery you hope he can’t discern in the shadows.

If your love could guard him, then not a god or Satan would be able to touch a single hair of his head.

Then, you’re just a human. Another Sibling of Sin, someone who performed their vows not too long ago and who comes from nowhere.

“We met on a night like this. Do you remember?”

Copia’s hair follows the movement of his head when he nods leisurely. He holds onto your hand, tenderly cradling the palm to his cheek. His eyelids are pressed together when he snuggles closer, lessening the deep crease of his brows.

“How could I forget it?”

“Was I the first person you danced with? After you were ordained as the new leader?”

“Yes.”

“Can I be the first person to dance with you, now that you have become a Papa?”

As if your words had struck him right on the face, Copia’s eyes flutter open. “Please,” he whispers, through gritted teeth and quivering lips. He’s scared, terrified even, and now he’s clinging to you as a life line.

It’s okay. You can be his anchor, his sheltered place. Everything will be alright, for as long as you are together.

Even if the music is muffled by the sturdy stone walls, you begin to escort him through the vast room. Your voice rises in a melody you heard him singing, nights and nights ago. Copia seems surprised that you recall it, but how could you forget the way that song draped around your aching heart and eager soul, touching every nerve of your sensitive core?

If he composed it for you or not, you don’t care. That’s the song you love, the one you’d sing forever and ever if you were ever granted life eternal. The humming travels up your chest, throat and mouth, exiting your lips and filling the silence before getting lost into a distant echo.

Clinging to your body tight and circling around the room, you dance. 

Copia’s body is squeezed tight against you. Laying in bed, limbs tangled and hair tousled, the two of you struggle to regain a regular breathing rhythm.

For a long moment, you stay silent. There’s a thick veil of worry covering your skin. He realizes, sensitive as he always is to your emotions. Copia clutches your hand between his, caresses the back of it without breaking eye contact. “What’s wrong, my dear?” He asks gently.

There are no words in your mouth, nothing logical that can explain why your throat is filled with anguish. It’s most likely nothing, you know it, but your heart beats rapidly and heavy inside your chest.

“I think it’s going to rain soon.”

“Why do you say that? There’s not a cloud in the sky tonight.”

“The wind has changed,” you murmur, averting your gaze. “And I’m worried.”

“About what?”

“Your trip. How long will you be gone?”

This time, his facial expression is the one that denotes concern. “Not too long, and there’s no need to worry,” he comments, squeezing your hand. His fingers curl around your wrist, pulling you closer. “Sister will be there with me. It’s just a dumb meeting with some members of the Clergy, to plan the next tour and album.”

“Let me go with you, then. No one should object to a Sibling of Sin accompanying their Papa.”

“You’ll get bored.”

The same conversation, time after time, is what bores you the most. Why can’t Copia allow you to travel with him? That is something you don’t fathom. A part of you suspects it has to do with Imperator’s presence always following him like a shadow.

“I mean it, Copia,” you stand firm, sitting up. “ I miss you so much when you are gone. Why can’t I go instead of Imperator?”

“She’s the one behind the whole project, I can’t ask her not to go.”

“Then why does she despise me so much?”

As usual, he remains silent. “She doesn't,” Copia states, but there’s an undeniable doubt in his voice.“She has an old vision of how things should be.”

“She has a vision of me dead, I’m telling you.”

“Come on, don’t say that.I’ll be okay and will take care of you. Do you trust me?”

Yes.

“Of course I do, Papa.” The mention of his title, the one he holds in the highest regards, causes him to feel as if he’s about to burn and melt into the silky sheets. His heart is about to explode in a whirlwind of emotions and excitement. Copia is happy, so moved and sensitive every time you call him that.

“Then believe me when I say this. Everything is going to be alright. I’ll be back from my trip soon, and then we might even have some time before the tour. You know what that means?”

“Our beach trip?”

“Yes, why not.”

“It’s winter, Papa.”

“That won't stop me. If it’s not the beach, I’ll take you somewhere else.”

“Okay. Maybe somewhere warm. I really think it’s going to rain soon.”

The next morning, the clouds are distant in the blue horizon when Copia takes one last look at the Ministry before stepping into the car.

Dark clouds float above his head. It’s going to rain soon and the drops of dew that cling to the air are almost frigid cold, dampening his clothes and hair.

“They are looking for you.”

The ghoul maintains his distance. The sturdy boots barely produce any noise against the moist ground, due to the carefulness of his walking. He advances slowly, step by step, as if he’s dealing with a hurt and scared animal that might bolt away at the first sign of danger.

Maybe the ghoul is right. Copia feels like a wounded and terrified creature, about to dissolve into dust. His body is closed tight, holding him together by threads that may break and disintegrate with the slightest wrong movement.

Still, he breathes.

“Saltarian and the rest are wondering where you are.”

“How… How did you find me?”

Without hurrying, the ghoul outstretches one hand. He’s not wearing any gloves, and his silver jewelry shines under the pale glow coming from the lamps. One finger points to himself, right at the chest, over the place where the Emeritus’ sigil has been branded on his skin. “We’re bound together by our deal,” he says. “I’ll always know where you are. That way I can come when you call me.”

“Then the others know where I am too.”

Under the black night sky, the ghoul stands still. Through the dark glass of his mask, his pupils emit a dull light that can barely be discerned. Copia focuses on that glow, on the way the ghoul’s head tilts in his direction as he lowers his body to the ground. Sitting on the dirt, the creature only stares at him.

Next, his fingers toy with the long sleeves of his uniform, rolling them up his arms. Copia follows the action, silently. “Do you remember when you summoned us?” The ghoul questions. His body irradiates heat, reaching a temperature that would be too hot for any normal human. Copia feels half tempted to lean into him, because he’s freezing to his bones.

“Sí, I do. I was terrified,” he admits, narrowing his eyes and breathing through his mouth. It’s a bad habit. He knows it, but he can’t help himself. The oxygen isn’t enough. It’s never enough,

“Then you remember our deal, right?”

“You serve me, and in exchange I let you inhabit a human vessel to roam through the earth.”

This time, the ghoul moves his head slowly. His tongue clicks. “Not exactly. We are summoned here to look after the Ministry’s best interest and ensure the safety of Papa Emeritus. In exchange we are provided with a body to possess and energy to feed off. It’s simple, but the contract is up to interpretation, as it always is.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because the Clergy has issued a command in your absence. They told us to stop you from leaving the Abbey’s ground, no matter what," the creature confesses. “And right now, you’re very close to abandoning our profane land.”

Copia stiffens, skin pale. He’s struggling to inhale and exhale, almost shaking.

“Where is Sister? Has she arrived?” Copia whispers through his teeth. Each syllable is hard to pronounce, because his jaw is almost as tense as the rest of his body. The cold stone causes his teeth to clatter and stomach to shiver, but he doesn’t want to step out of his hiding spot and go back inside the building.

No. His shelter is safe, while the abbey is dangerous. Copia doesn’t know who he can trust in anymore, who might be waiting for him in the shadows. The ghoul shakes his head, solemnly.

“Something horrible happened,” Copia adds, and his companion only nods. “I know something happened.”

Word by word, his shoulders rise as his head drops. The dirt is wet, wetting his clothes. “I can’t find them anywhere,” he mutters, quivering. He wants to disappear, to curl up in a hole and die from anguish and pain.

You can’t abandon him, you can’t simply go and never come back. Copia needs you, more than anything in this world, more than anyone else.

Love me, his soul screams. Love me and never leave me. Never cast me aside, never ignore me.

Love me

Love me

Love me.

“I smell blood on the dirt.”

No.

“Not too old. It’s recent. A few kilometers from here, down the south.”

Copia stands up, but the demon grabs him by the sleeve of his jacket before he can move. The sharp nails leave behind marks, slicing through the cloth. “I have to go,” he pleads.

“You can’t leave the Ministry grounds. That’s the order.”

“Let me go.”

“Even if I do, the others will follow you. And I’m not going to lie, most of them don’t care if they have to drag you back by force.”

The reasoning falls into deaf ears. Copia struggles with all his might, but it's useless in the face of an eternal, inhuman being. “I’m the one in charge here. It’s an order!", he yells, desperate. "I command you to let me go!”

“No, you don't. You can’t even use the binding magic right. It’s a sad attempt.” There’s a glimpse of something in his voice, a bitten emotion that doesn’t quite match the ferocity of his nature. He’s not aggressive, or indifferent. He’s almost sorrowful. 

“I don’t understand! You are my ghoul. You serve me!”

A deep sigh is the only reply he gets. “My loyalty is to you, but contractually I serve the Ministry's interests. The pact doesn’t mind who’s in charge of it, if it’s you, another Papa or some old human behind the shadows.”

“Then come with me. That way you’ll be certain I’m safe. No harm done to anybody in the Ministry.”

“You don’t get it, right? To ensure Papa Emeritus’ safety is not the same as to obey you. If you ask most of us, an easy way to keep Papa safe is to lock him inside the Abbey and forbid him from doing something crazy, like going outside in the middle of the night when it’s about to rain.”

Like a marionette with no strings, Copia's arms fall to his side. The creature's grip on his flesh lessens, but the sting of sharp claws remains. “If something happens to Papa Emeritus, if you get sick or injured and can’t perform, then the Old One’s message won’t be spread. There is a tour coming soon. It would be a problem to lose you.”

In the wind, the top of the trees dances in a serpent-like manner. Copia focuses on it, trying hard to match the movement with the rhythm of his air intake.

It's useless. Nothing can bring him peace if you are not around. “But I have to find my beloved.”

“That’s the problem here. You’re not only Papa Emeritus IV. That’s merely a title you endorse. Sadly, right now my duty is to stop you from leaving, not to care about Copia’s feelings and wishes. They don’t serve the Clergy or Satan.”

“I have to find them, please. You said you smelled blood. They need help.”

“I smell blood under the dirt, permeating the ground. It’s not fresh, just recent. I don’t think they need help anymore.”

No.

It can't be.

He won't believe it. Hasn't he given enough? Hasn't he given away his name, his face, years and years of his life to serve this Ministry? Hasn't he done enough?

Copia is asking only for one thing in return to his efforts: you. 

They can't take you away. 

No one can. 

“Silenzio!” He yells. In the darkness, his eye emits a faint pale glow. “Tell me where they are, now. I’ll go.”

The ghoul's bared teeth shine when he growls, in a silent warning. His muscles are tense under his tight skin, almost as if he was ready to pounce and devour him to the bones. “Alright," he breathes out, after a beat. "No need to get so mad, I said my loyalty is to you and not to the Clergy.”

“Why?”

“Maybe I spend too much time with humans. I’m starting to feel things I’m not supposed to, like empathy and pity. It might be your fault. You always treated me like a friend and not a servant.”

“You’re like family to me.”

Instead of offering comfort, his words seem to shatter the creature's spirit even more. “Something I learnt from humans is that even family can stab you in the back. Don’t trust us. We’re not like you in the end.”

Copia listens carefully when the ghoul tells him where to go. It's not far away, but it is beyond the Ministry's fences. He can make it before it begins to rain, probably, but it will be a tough journey. 

It doesn't matter. He can't fail. 

“One last thing. The tunnels under us, you know them right?”

“Yes.”

“Most of us would consider them part of the Ministry’s grounds. That way, you can get farther away without any ghoul on your heels. I’ll try to distract them as much as I can, but there’s no guarantee.”

“Thank you. For everything.”

“I hope you don’t regret it. This won’t go unpunished for me.”

“I’ll reward you when I get back.”

Without agreeing, the infernal creature begins to walk away. He doesn’t turn around when Copia speaks up, only tilting his head to examine him through the corner of his eyes.

“You said you spent too much time around us, and that’s why you’re experiencing new feelings.” Copia inquires. “Would it be too bad to be a bit more human?”

For a small eternity, an infinite of seconds that weigh as much as his sorrow, the ghoul stays in silence. After that, he swallows. His fists are pressed against his body. “It’s dangerous,” he says softly. “What happens when you lose everything that makes you yourself?”

Copia doesn’t know what to reply. His gaze pierces into the creature, searching for any clue. He detects nothing, only a rare sense of humanity.

To discover humanity in a demon, that’s something he was never prepared for. Copia feels his blood freeze when he witnesses him go without looking back. Before completely disappearing in the distance, the ghoul’s voice continues in an incredibly gentle manner, almost breaking at the end

“You die.”

NEXT CHAPTER

Ps: Sorry for writing a nice ghoul and then implying they died. That wasn't very fluff of me.

Next chapter is probably the end! This is a wild ride. Be prepared, maybe? And, as always, thanks for the support! This wouldn't have been a multi-chapter fic without it <3

[twentyfivemiceinatrenchcoat]

oooof ask for hozier recs and i shall deliver!! i've been obsessed with him i fear...

my personal rn is probably Too Sweet, but my most played song of 2023 was All Things End. beautifully moving (as in i was sobbing for the entire song the first time i heard it), i just adore the way he describes love.

more personal favorites: Through Me (this song is insane actually!! can't describe it with words.), From Eden (one of the best love songs i've ever heard), Angel of Small Death (soo insanely addictive, his voice in this one ugh) and Movement (soft and beautiful and the very first song of his that I heard). The Eat Your Young EP is a wonder in itself but tbh so is everything else,,,,

now for some specifically sugu coded songs: Through Me and All Things End, Who We Are from his last album (the lyrics... my days the lyrics are so beautiful), Blood Upon the Snow!! (written for God of War Ragnarok, it's so good ??), Almost (Sweet Music) (be still my foolish heart, don't ruin this on me ✊😔)

but like i said, every time i hear a Hozier song it's sugu coded in my head... the lyrics always make sense to me. the way they're always so poetically romantic, yet in many of them there's a lingering pain underneath, wether it's because the love is already gone or because the love is simply way too much for just one heart to handle... i'm not okay.

fun fact, i once fell asleep listening to him and dreamt that it was suguru singing... and you know what it makes so much sense, i'll take it.

this got kinda long i'm sorry :(( anyways i hope you have a great day/night

(perhaps i shall write a lil' sugu thing inspired by too sweet)

NOE !!!! finally getting to this……. thank you so much for the recs!!! 🥺🥺 i appreciate it sm…… putting some of my thoughts under the cut hehe

I LOVE TOO SWEET . SO MUCH. it was the first song of his i listened to and wowwwwwww does it go hard….. so catchy and good and just. augh. IT’S SO SUGUCODED TO ME…. esp depression era sugu….. the lyrics are just gorgeous and so him. “but while in this world // i think i’ll take my whiskey neat // my coffee black and my bed at three // you’re too sweet for me”…. :’3 my baby

FROM EDEN IS SUCH A BOP . i loveee the instrumental ……. AND THE LYRICS . ”honey you’re familiar like my mirror years ago // idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on its sword” <- BANGERRRR I CRIED . i am thinking many knight sugu thoughts ngl…. “i slithered here from eden just to sit outside your door” THINKING MORE SUGU THOUGHTS but specifically cult leader sugu …. aughhh 😔😔

angel of small death & the codeine scene……… tell me why this one made me so insane . such a tasty title and instrumental and lyrics i’m just????? i feel this way abt all of these but this one is so sugucoded too 😭 “freshly disowned in some frozen devotion”…. that’s our guy <333

EAT YOUR YOUNG IS SO CRAZY GOOD OUGHH….. i love love loveeee the “seven new ways that you can eat your young” part 😵‍💫😵‍💫 soso addicting. the lyrics are great and his voice is just soooo……. i don’t even know . i’m a little obsessed . “it’s quicker and easier to eat your young”…….. hhhhhhhhHH very sugucoded too ofc . any mention of eating is automatically a sugu reference 🙏

movement is super catchy !!!!! kinda relaxing too…… very soft. i rlly like the chorus :33 gives me waltz vibes…… kinda haunting…….

all things end + through me are soso pretty!!!! goshhhh his voice is nice……. i love the final part of all things end!!! w the synchronized clapping!!!!! so good …. and the lyrics for through me are so tasty . “with each grave, i think of loss // and i can only think of you // and i couldn’t measure it”…….. nomnom

ohhhhhh who we are is so beautiful :(((( his voice sounds so tender ….. i def get the sugu vibes here too!!!!! the feeling of something important slipping through your fingers …. “this phantom life, it sharpens like an image // but it sharpens like a knife” 😵‍💫😵‍💫 vert tasty . very sugu.

I’VE HEARD BLOOD UPON THE SNOW BEFORE BC OF RAGNAROK….. godddd it’s so. chillingly beautiful. the instrumental scratches my brain just right …… and the LYRICS . “too all things housed in her silence // nature offers a violence”….. “the parent forced to eat its young before i grows”…… it’s very . Raw . i like it a lot :3

AND FINALLY….. almost (sweet music). SO GOOD. i adore this instrumental and vibe so much + the lyrics are obv super pretty….. “i laugh like me again — she laughs like you”…… i love how light this one sounds in comparison to some of the other ones!!! a summer song for sure… a lil bittersweet….. and the chorus is literally SO addicting i can’t stand it……. BUT YES THIS ONE IS SO VERY SUGU. NOE. IM TEARING UP 😭😭 “be still my foolish heart // don’t ruin this on me”…. the idea of sugu thinking this…. maybe an au where he slowly recovers after his almost-defection….. or a childhood friends to lovers au…… i dunno. but my brain is spinning. i love him :(((((((

PHEWWW THOSE WERE GOOD . i love his voice sm….. i think my favs out of these options are too sweet, almost (sweet song), from eden and maybeeee angel of sweet death/eat your young…. but they were all super catchy :’3 thank you sm for these recs noe… sugu has invaded my brain

[erisicy]

Phantom Blood Musical M6 ("Voice Calling from the Darkness" Lyrics Rough Translation)

(CW: domestic abuse)

[Dario]

Dio...

Dio...

Get up, you idiot!

What the hell are you lazing around for!? Huh!?

Why are we out of booze?

Who do you think is keeping food on the table, you bitch?

Get out and buy me some booze now!

[Dio]

Father! Mom isn't feeling well—

[Dario]

What are ya pretending to be sick for?

Are you even listening to me!?

[Dio]

Stop it, father!

Mom… mom!

[Dario & (Dio)]

I'm sorry, please forgive me (Mom...)

Truth is, the store didn't work out (Mom...)

(Hey...)

They just gave up on me

What a useless man I am. Please forgive me

If it comes down to it, I'll need you to work for me

So, get better soon! (Stop it!)

Dio...

Can you hear my voice calling out to you? (Mom... mom!)

[Dario]

Go buy me some booze!

[Dio]

I don't have the money…

[Dario]

What the hell are you talking about?

You make quite a lot of money, don't you?! (?)

[Dio]

Please! Can you at least let me keep enough to buy medicine?

[Dario]

So, you're going to disobey me, too?

[Dio]

Father—

[Dario]

Do you have any idea how hard I work, you little shit!?

Yet everyone insists on making a fool out of me…

Even after I swindled all that money from that nobleman!

Yes, that nobleman… Joestar…

I'll need to write him a letter

[Dio]

No… I'm not like you!

[Dario]

Dio...

Dio...

[Dario & Jonathan]

Dio... (Dio!)

Dio...!

[delicatebluebirdruins]

Village complete listen through

30th October 2023 as i said some thoughts that are simply made me curious enough to look at the tracks on my phone

(started scrowling through gallery on the wiki and found this picture and this should have been a cover for the physical release no idea why there is so many things on fire)

Monologue

Summer Twilight: whatever you think of the title it is not what you think

Memory of Mia (mom for short)

a bad feeling: is interesting

pain in the darkness

Luiza's House

Villagers

Off the Hook: I wonder what scene this is paired with

Danse Macarbe

A moments respite 1 and 2: basic soundtrack love it dearly

In the Mist and Stay With Me: really eerie

Music Box: what it says on the tin really

Phantom

Promenous- nous dans les bois: Angie boss really uncomfy to listen too

Beasts

treading water and acid rain (basic soundtrack)

attack from the air: initially i was confused about this and i still am as i am typing this

internet cut out and the music paused so I missed roll out

confrontation

eradicating evil and rose: basic soundtracks i just love them

Take Us Up

I Know: listening to the preview was good full thing is better and it turns fairly sinister around 1:53 (is it when we see the mysterious figure? probably) for a moment then turns nice again

memories

the mercenaries titles (RE4R sounds like it a little)

the mercenaries village

Shadows of Rose

Dive

Just Like Me

They're everywhere (kind of made me jump reminds me of Coraline and has the sound effects of face eaters)

Guardian Angel

Touch My Word

Michael

Tick Tock

Reward

Executioner 2 (sister walked in on this and we were both cringing it is a lot that's the only way i can describe it)

Jump

welcome rose

Playtime: very short

You did it! is when we cut open the teddy bear

Dolls: or as we called it hide and seek if there were any way to download mp3's from youtube this is one of the songs i would have gotten for sure

Malice

No one loves you

that voice

deeper

the purifying crystal: the tale end

Run! Rose!

I've got this

Offer Yourself (other song I love the remix of eradicating evil)

I'm Okay: has the same notes as Rose and it makes me sad

Begining of the End: okay title and sounds a little bit like descent into the village and has vocals at the end

In Life and In Death

Blood and Death: goes silent for the last few seconds and it is effective

Light At the End: might be a trailer song because of the lyrics from Yearning for Dark Shadows (long ago i went searching for berries) but i really like it

The Winter's Legacy: is great and it still sounds like two steps from hell song (i just can't think of which one)

Roll Out is a cool its kinda reminiscent of the first Alice film which is interesting comparison to make

[pixies-and-poets]

Here a little drabble for everyone ❤️

He doesn't have to lie ontop of the poet to hear it. Even at a distance, he can hear Woodrow's rabbit-heart dilligantly ticking away. It's become background noise for the Phantom - like the metronome of an orchestra.

When they meet each others gazes, Tom hears his heart skip and fumble before returning to a (slightly elevated) pace. It speaks in ways that words cannot express.

When Woodrow is frightened, it's overwhelmingly deafening. It's working so hard - blood rushing in his ears. As difficult as it is to supress his hunger, he tries to calm his companion - if he were to feed now, he could loose too much blood. He rests a paw right over his heart, reassuring his dear poet. As Woodrow calms down, he lies against Tom's large body, blinking slowly as he recovers.

Tom is thankful for the poet's beating heart - without it, he wouldn't be here... he will do anything to keep it from stopping. 💓

MMMMMMMMMM

That's my OWN heart that's going crazy!!!

Yes, Phantom reminds himself, a life is like a song: a melody that swells with beauty, lyrics that drive one to joy or anguish, but all driven by a steady beat, never ceasing for a moment- until it does, and then it's over all too soon. As important as music will always be for the vampire, perhaps it truly belongs to mortals. And more and more, HE belongs to a certain mortal, too.

[love-bigboss1fan-me]

Just a fun music video, enjoy 💜

Song: A Phantom Pain

Written by Ludwig Forssell

Subtitles in the video

Edit: ok I have been trying to edit a lyric for awhile and the new video is taking forever to load so for now in one lyric it is supposed to be “Every part that is real disappears” hopefully I can fix that soon

ID: The video starts with Higgs walking on the water and bowing followed by quick shots of him using his hand gestures followed by him summoning B.Ts to him and Sam laying on black sand of The Beach. Both men smile. Then we have Higgs trying to use his powers as Sam holds Amelie, and Higgs looking in disbelief. Then it moves to with Sam and Higgs facing each other on the Beach as Higgs circles around Sam. To a close up of Higgs’s new black, red and, amber cybernetic suit to a close up of his traditional golden skeleton jaw and a shot of him grinning. Then another quick shots of him using his powers, one where both arms turn into black mist, him pulling a tar squid from the tar and another where he is standing next to a tar lion with a golden face. Then it fades into another clip of him in his black, red, and amber cybernetic suit, strumming a red guitar. It fades to Higgs laying on the black sands of The Beach, smiling. Then two a quick shot of him presumedly standing over someone, but we don’t know who or what yet. Then it fades to Higgs in his traditional military outfit and golden skeleton jaw circling Sam when they first met patting Sam’s shoulder, Sam is in his U.C.A blue porter uniform covered in tar. Next is Higgs kneeling next to trapped Sam and then Higgs to snap shots of Amelie, Coffin, and Fragile. Higgs is kneeling again this time covered in tar and blood looking beyond Fragile. To Higgs leading Fragile into timefall. Following Higgs licking Sam’s forehead. Then back to Higgs standing on a floating rock looking between Sam and Fragile and knocks her umbrella out of her hand with his powers, to Higgs holding Amelie in his arms. To Higgs firing and holding his weapon and Amelie over his shoulder. To a hologram of Higgs with other Demens circling the screen. A snapshot of Higgs holding his golden mask, to him with his black mask stepping forward to where he jumps in front of Sam with both Masks on. To Higgs walking around to beaten Higgs to him walking into timefall and a Demens’ member holds Fragile’s umbrella over him. To Higgs grinning again and his pod glowing red. To Higgs summoning his weapon to Higgs walking towards the screen again with his golden mask on. To a final shot of Higgs in his cybernetic suit and guitar. When the screen is black Higgs laughs

[full---ofstarlight]

six-song soundtrack!

Rules: If you're tagged, make a new post with links to music and/or lyrics describing the following:

An event that defines your character's past

How your character sees themselves

How others view them

Their closest relationship (platonic or romantic)

A major fight scene

End credits song

tagged by @sun-marie!!

I did it for Avis Hawke since she is top of my mind r now lmao

An event that defines your character's past - Welcome to the Black Parade, MCR

How your character sees themselves - Immortals, Fall Out Boy

How others view them - The Last Great American Dynasty, Taylor Swift

Their closest relationship (platonic or romantic) - Poison and Wine, The Civil Wars/I Will Follow You Into the Dark, Death Cab for Cutie

A major fight scene - No Mercy, PVRIS

End credits song - I Know the End, Phoebe Bridgers

THOUGHTS below the cut <3

An event that defines your character's past

Welcome to the Black Parade - My Chemical Romance 

He said, "Son, when you grow up Would you be the savior of the broken The beaten and the damned?" He said, "Will you defeat them? Your demons, and all the non-believers The plans that they have made?" "Because one day, I'll leave you a phantom To lead you in the summer To join the black parade"

When I started DAII was also when my brain decided the only thing it wanted to listen to was My Chemical Romance. Therefore, Avis and MCR are interlinked in my mind. And also, I think that this song is… so much of her and Malcolm’s relationship. (And Mama is her and Leandra yeoch)

How your character sees themselves

They say we are what we are

But we don't have to be

I'm bad behavior, but I do it in the best way

I'll be the watcher (Watcher)

Of the eternal flame

I'll be the guard dog of all your fever dreams

Immortals by Fall-Out boy which I constantly forget is from Big Hero 6 actually lmao. I just think it really fits her, especially end game.

How others view them

Sorry to be a Swiftie on main but, “The Last Great American Dynasty” 

And they said

"There goes the last great American dynasty

Who knows, if she never showed up, what could've been

There goes the maddest woman this town has ever seen

She had a marvelous time ruining everything"

I feel like this is the general post game view everyone in Kirkwall and Thedas has. This is Cassandra POV actually.

Their closest relationship (platonic or romantic)

Carver - Familial: Poison and Wine - The Civil Wars

I wish you'd hold me when I turn my back

The less I give the more I get back

Ooh, your hands can heal, your hands can bruise

I don't have a choice, but I still choose you

Listen. I know this is a song about a failing romantic relationship. BUT I love it way more if it’s about a tense familial relationship. Because the idea that you’re tied to this person that you’ve failed, that has failed you, but you still love them and you still want them in your life? Delicious. 10/10. 

Anders - Romantic: “I Will Follow You Into the Dark” - Death Cab for Cutie

Love of mine, someday you will die

But I'll be close behind, I'll follow you into the dark

No blinding light or tunnels to gates of white

Just our hands clasped so tight, waiting for the hint of a spark

Listen I went back and forth with multiple songs on their very good playlist, but settled on this. 

A major fight scene

No Mercy - PVRIS

This place is going up in flames and

We watch and we wait

And I think I kinda like the way it

It burns in my face

There's blood in the water but it tastes so sweet (tastes so sweet)

The sky is on fire, let it rain on me

… is this not the final DAII fight? 

End credits song

… is it cheating to do I’m Not Caling You A Liar? 

JK — “I Know The End” By Phoebe Bridgers

Either way, we're not alone I'll find a new place to be from A haunted house with a picket fence To float around and ghost my friends

No, I'm not afraid to disappear The billboard said, "The end is near" I turned around, there was nothing there Yeah, I guess the end is here

... and since I just tagged a ton of people i am not going to tag anyone r now BUT pls say i did and tag me i love this meme a lot ahaha

[brownhairedbookworm]

Oh. Oh, fuck, the club room, no, no no-! It's about to be an awful nightmare. Monika shivers as a deathly chill flows through the air and through her skull. Please don't show her the corpses of her friends, tonight, please, no, her stomach can't take it!

A piano begins playing an upbeat tune, from somewhere behind her. Sickening. Monika holds her clasped hands to her chest, taking timid steps to where her mind needs to go. A dream this may be, but Monika knows the realm of nightmares isn't where she holds any strength. Her legs certainly aren't obeying her frantic desire to escape the phantom of this high school campus.

As she shuffles to the music room, Monika begins hearing snippets of lyrics echoing off of the empty walls. They're... They're her own voice, but... Acidic, somehow. Cold and sharp. None of the love she has fills the words.

"Home in the Lit' Club~ Never alone in the Lit' Club~"

Jazz instruments begin to play with the other Monika's vocal mania, covering her up for a moment as the force of the energy overwhelms the real one.

"-so alive~! I only wish you'd let me drive. Can't be long, 'til we kill again~ Who'll be laughing, then?"

Monika feels the blood drain from her dreaming face as she touches the Music Room door. She pushes it open and looks at the piano, where... She is already sitting. Not her, but... Still her. The black ribbon and wings aren't hers, but her own ponytail is unmistakable. Even if it's on a younger, more slender woman.

Without even lifting her fingers from the keys or stopping her song, the Other Monika turns her face to the real one. Cruel, cold red eyes meet their green originals. Monika feels tears building up at the side of her eyes, but she can't close them or look away.

"Stuck in your head, and I'm laughing. It fills you with dread, so I won't stop laughing~ We killed all our friends and I can't stop laughing! What else can I do? Always part of you~"

The Other Monika starts to cry blood, as her manic smile spreads, showing sharpened fangs. "Let me out, Moni~ Let's have some fun~ Don't you want to feel the rush of power, again? Hold someone's life in your hands, be their goddess? I know you love the rush, and it gives you such a sense of control~" She reaches a pale hand out and touches Monika's cheek.

The rush of fearful adrenaline finally jolts Monika's heart, and she bolts upright in bed with a shriek of pure terror. "No no no no no, I can't, I won't, never-!" The woman clutches her chest and sucks in a desperate breath.

...She needs to talk to Sayori. And... Confront this while she's awake. Or at least in a waking trance, like Sayori can put her in. Lord knows she won't be able to go back to sleep, tonight, but... She can try. Maybe after a little water and a few doses of melatonin.