#possible book 8 spoilers????

[ielectrica]

Twisted Wonderland Zombie Overblot AU

So I've been thinking about this for years now. Ever since 2021, a year after I had entered the fandom of Twisted Wonderland (which, by the way, saved me from my suicidal ideation and my deteriorating mental health back in 2020. But that's not the focus of this post, soooo....). And honestly, if Malleus couldn't fight OB!Grim until after he was fully healed or forced to fight him alongside the others when he isn't at full health, it's gonna fuck up the entire school, staff included! So, the plot summary is a bit messy on my end because it's written as a letter, but here it is!: "The catalyst of our desperate and demoralizing situation had only been the beginning when some kind of monster had transformed into a being worthy of a curse being plagued upon us.. Everyone and everything was slowly being destroyed one by one. It’s unnaturally bright blue eyes, it’s marred and patchy gray fur with claws almost like talons…

"It shook us all to the core. This monster just couldn’t be stopped.. How could something have become so powerful that not even the great Malleus Draconia could put an end to this fearsome beast? Not even its master could muster up enough power despite their leadership and gathering the best of magicians in order to face it. Even as I had written in fervent need to communicate this to someone, to anyone, the screaming and the fall of human, beastman, fish person…

"I didn’t know if we, the students of Night Raven College, could hold it together anymore. Nothing seemed to work on this hideous Overblot beast..

"Every magical spell, everything in the books that the teachers have taught us… This hopeless situation was just getting worse and worse… The sky turned gray, almost resembling the bottomless pit of dismay and despair. The clouds a murky, blackened hue of darkness, an abyss of seemingly never ending night…

"At this point, it was meaningless to focus on taking down the beast. Everyone had to run for cover, go back to their homelands to be with their families. But not everyone had the fortune or good luck to be back in loving arms.. Not all of us made it.

"Now seven years later, the resources like food and water have become scarce, people are resorting to inhumane means just to survive another dreadful day in this apocalypse. Nobody’s found a single thing that could lead to the cure yet and people are dying off more and more each and every day. This winter is a bitter, frigid cold that may be the end of Twisted Wonderland..."

The details that I have outlined and the updates:

Involves a battle between OB!Grim whom we see at the beginning and Malleus along with the other housewardens and the rest of the student body.

But what happens is that the accumulation of blot that comes from the usage of magic and the fact that Malleus isn't in tip top shape after he semi-recovers from his overblot (since he didn't get to fully recover), OB!Grim wipes the floor with them and basically creates these OB phantoms and shadows that act as zombies.

Non-magical humans could treat this as a normal zombie apocalypse and magical humans have to treat it as it is, being extra careful of their blot accumulation unless they want to overblot and turn into an OB zombie either by that or by being bitten, scratched, or attacked in some way by the OB zombies.

Because of Malleus's magic, the weather has morphed into black clouds in the sky so that the sun is nearly blocked out on Sage's Island.

So, the Fae (Malleus, Lilia, and the other Fae around the world, plus Briar Valley) are safe and immune from being turned into OB zombies via being attacked in any way. Although they still have to be careful with blot accumulation, they won't likely turn into zombies. Half-Fae are more likely to be infected by blot, but the Fae blood makes it so that it slows down the infection rate, making it so that they can save themselves. Silver, however, is not safe from this since he's a human. A Fae's blessing, however, does provide protection, albeit limited.

Adding more to this: Magic is much more primal and wild and in tune with nature again since most of what is left of technology has been wiped out thanks to Grim overblotting and destroying everything in his path. No, not even Malleus Draconia can stop Grim since that little bastard had to go and eat the last blot stone.

But thanks to magic being more primal and wild again like it was back in the time of the Middle Ages, the Old Gods (such as Altaria, the Goddess of Light, Healing and Resurrection. She is a human Goddess while Zakros is a Fae God and is the God of Destruction, Darkness, and War. Yes, EVEN SWORDS that were forged by the Fae have been named after them and yes, Silver wields Altaria while Sebek wields Zakros since those swords have selected them as being worthy to wield them) are being worshipped again.

The zombie apocalypse is what brings Fae, human, beastmen, merfolk, and all other intelligent species together, all united under one common cause. To rid the world of the zombie overblots and start the world anew.

What started it all was Grim eating Malleus's overblot stone and self-destructing since Malleus's overblot stone combined with the blot already in Grim's system accumulating and overflowing without an outlet to keep it steady, balanced, and stable. In order to get rid of the zombie overblots that are overwhelming the world, the Dorm Leaders and their families will have to join forces in order to beat down Grim and deplete his magical reserves. But I want some character arcs like character redemption arcs, changes that are somewhat in character. Things that'll really shake up their foundational roots and make them rethink the choices that were made up until now. For example: Lilia rethinks all of the choices that he made while in his youth due to him having magic again thanks to this amulet that the spirits of Meleanor and Revan helped him find. This is a second chance to make things right by them, Malleus, Silver, and by association, Sebek. So, he would go about it in a more strategic, calculated, and methodical way in order to make sure that his magical reserves won't get depleted this time. Yes, Yuu is suspicious in the eyes of the main cast since they were the last ones seen with Grim before they disappeared during his overblot.

It'll depend on the composition of their DNA, but Half-Fae have a possibility of getting infected, the same with many other intelligent species.

Please, please, please tell me what you think about this! Hell, you can even DM me about it so that I can organize some ideas for it!

[egophiliac]

GET LOVED, IDIOT

GET LOVED SO HARD YOUR KIDS HOLD HANDS AND POWER-OF-LOVE YOU BACK TO LIFE

sorry guys, this is just my brain now. this is going to be the only thing I think about for the next week at least.

oh and also this

FIVE YEARS IN AND IT'S FINALLY CANON 🎉🎉🎉

WE DID IT

[anonyanonymouse]

I don't know what to say. It was beautiful. It was everything I wanted out of the book and I am so happy. They went through with destroying his horn (just one!) and he is experiencing the long-term consequences of it. Lilia died and both Malleus and Silver brought him back with true love and a wish, because true love conquers all... Just what the original movie would have wanted 😭

And Malleus, Silver, and Sebek sobbing so much over him. He really got to find out just how much he means to them 😭😭😭 and I adore how after all this time, when Silver and Lilia finally got the chance to talk one on one, they were just talking casually about trivial things in their lives. Silver even said there was so much more they should have talked about... But that normalcy is just what they need after everything

The way Lilia still after all that time thinks so little about what he's done for Silver, asking him if he'd rather keep his blonde hair color. The way Silver was so happy to describe just how much he loves his hair and how important it is to him. Ohhhh,,,,,...,,.,,....

I really like that Silver gave away his armor. His reason for it is so him. He wouldn't want to keep a weapon that he just puts up on a wall and never uses, he wants it to be used for something important. It's such a nice way for him to give back to STYX and the island!!! He doesn't directly say it's because of the armor's association with KOD, and I think that's fine. He really made his peace with having KOD as his father, he's accepted it as part of his life now!

AND THE ADOPTION. IT'S EVERYTHING I COULD HAVE ASKED FOR!!!! Silver and Lilia are both so so. Oh my god. They mean the world to me. I can't believe Lilia's reasoning for not giving Silver his surname is the exact same reason Silver was afraid to ask for it. He didn't want to burdon his kid with the name of his "real parents" enemy. Lilia when I GET YOU. And Silver LAUGHS AT HIM FOR IT!!!! The only other time we ever see him laugh is when he's a kid!!!!! And his laugh is just as sweet now as it was back then 😭

Lilia Vanrouge's adoption of Silver Vanrouge is officially valid in the country of Briar Valley. Silver is now Lilia's true son. The game has been building us up to this moment for 5 years and I am so happy 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 Silver's profile now officially says Silver Vanrouge. I can stop tagging him as twst Silver / twisted wonderland Silver / ect and just tag him as Silver Vanrouge. I'm so happy

All the ghosts of the past got to come back to life and dance in peace with each other at last. Malleus got to meet his mother and Silver got to properly meet his parents, and we got to see Leah!!! Both Malleus and Silver got to thank their parents for protecting them so that they could live in a world with their loved ones, and got to tell them to rest in peace at last. It's sooooo sugary sweet oh my god. THIS GAME!!!!!!

[fukashiin]

ACEYUU WOKE ME FROM THE DEAD

book 7 spoilers <3 very long rant im sorry!!

it was never meant to be this way. when he was such an ass to us in the prologue, when he laid those pesky remarks upon us and immediately assuming that we got into NRC as a janitor because we weren't good enough without any prior knowledge of how we were brought here against our will and having to adapt to such an unfamiliar environment where everything - trends, names, history, and even the currency - were different. he didn't know about the throbbing headache we had while the headmage was explaining the school's curriculum and suddenly bringing up the word "magic" into the conversation like it was foreign language.

he thinks he's above us just because we're a clueless student who couldnt cast any spells and took up the miserable job just for the sake of money and to live. he had this one-way "not my problem!!" mindset about us that he dipped the moment after because he never would have suspected that we would grow to be something more important, something more irreplaceable in his life.

he never meant to test the waters, and he's drowning by mistake.

his concern for you gets more obvious as each book advances (or was it always obvious??). you're just an otherworlder oblivious to the dangers that lurk in twisted wonderland, so it's only casual for him to fret about when you've been taken into scarabia with minimal escape routes, to be the first one to notice that you were missing among the entourage of people that have been kidnapped, to be the only one to point out that you weren't in the best condition AND suggesting to bring you back home in case the party was all too much. he knows how vulnerable you are, and he jumps into action as quick as possible because that's basically his brand. nothing deeper!!! (unknown dangers lurk around you on the daily, but you lurk in his mind so much more than he lets on. you're probably more used to the dangers of magic than he's used to the thought of you occupying his mind 24/7. isnt that ironic)

and he didn't consider the complications of how dangerous it could be for the headmage to send us back to our original world, possibly damaging the very fabrics of time and space and ceasing to exist while transporting - he just instantly goes to the part where the news was positive and that we could travel between Twisted Wonderland and earth in one piece, blocking out his surroundings just to see your smile, as that was possibly the happiest you could have ever been in front of him.

imagine each time he hangs out with someone new, or if someone has gained a romantic interest in him once you've left, he tries to find a part of "you" in them in his peripheral vision. whether they have an ounce of bravery that you had, whether they're as understanding as you are to know that he isn't just a human built of jokes and pranks, whether they won't doubt him like the rest did - as you were the only one who truly believed in his capability to truly lead the rest out of danger.

he could beg for other people to believe in him, to see that his skills could draw out much more if he really wanted to, but he didn't have to do that with you. in a flashing moment of possible failure, he turned to you in a heartbeat, uncharacteristically, desperately calling out for you to save him because he had no idea what was happening. he almost started to lose himself and quickly realises that the power he was wielding so suddenly wasn't some lousy spell, that it could possibly cause someone's life, and you were there to steady him when he needed it the most. a rarity of a scene he entrusted his entire body to you with. you believed in him. you ARE the betterment of him.

you held his hand like a vow, to protect each other and strengthen through every obstacle and turmoil that drives you one step closer to becoming a better version of yourself. your hand, tightly coiled around his, radiated the warmth and comfort he needed in his times of darkness and inner conflict.

it should've been you. you're perfect.

and that's why his dream still has you in it. it doesn't have to be one way or the other, you can simply go back and forth to his world and your own in just a snap! he could never dream of you leaving his sight and grasp, hindering him from ever telling you how much you actually meant. he has all the time in the world.

and that's what he wants, but his heart says otherwise, and that's fine. he just wants you to be safe and see him for who he is. you inspired him to take pride in his name, as an ace can do anything!!

[player-1]

Me, tired and frail: Finally finished Book 1...Finally!! Hopefully I can get Book 2 done before Canto 8-

Also here's the audiobooks if you still somehow want to catch up before Jia 'Hong Lu' Baoyu gets his work-mandated therapy session :’)

GROW UP (Bulk chapters): Book 1 part 1-34, part 35-58, Book 2 part 1-25, part 26-45

Project Gutenberg: BOOK 1 & BOOK 2

[theood]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!! 🎉🎉

Thank you sweetheart!!! I'm always so excited to call on big holidays ^_^)b and you're such a good gift giver!!!

Like!!! AHHHHH?!?!??! HAHAHAH *HAPPY FLAPS AND BITES SOMETHING*. LOOK!!!!!

[suffarustuffaru]

arc 8 otto gets more and more deranged with every appearance i love it 😭😭😭😭 this chapter was a mainly otto centric one which was fascinating!!! URGH i have many thoughts :((( the whole chapter being about “walking with light”….. where otto acknowledges that:

and this is AFTER julius apologizes to otto and otto emphasizes to julius’s face that. yeah. julius is still an enemy. like yeah theyre exchanging more pleasant words now but otto specifically emphasizes that otto isnt a knight. julius isnt a merchant. julius is in another camp. theyre opposites T^T AND THEN roswaal telling otto that opposing emilia and subarus way of thinking is a poison that Will kill him. BUT THEN OTTO says

he cant walk with light meaning he cant see reality and still choose to be idealistic and noble like julius and emilia and subaru even though hes still trying to support emilia and subaru. :,,,))) and he admits that!!! hes still choosing to walk a darker path than them even knowing hes not as strong as others!!! even knowing that emilia and subaru will never agree with him and vice versa!!! hes walking alone, in a way T^T

[volfoss]

actually i think the horrors of trying to read along with watching is going to kick my ass in the last 3-4 seasons. for context for anyone who hasnt just spent the last hour or two in the mines of trying to make a really bad spreadsheet for this- you have episodes in season 5 that are adapting 2 (over 1000 page) books and doing massive jumps between chapters. As in adapting both chapter 7 and FIFTY ONE of one book kind of jumps. And some of them are taking chapters from THREE BOOKS. im in hell

[wontlasttwodays]

"All the privilege I claim for my sex (it is not a very enviable one you need not covet it) is that of loving longest when existence or when hope is gone." - Anne Elliot

"Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you. Unjust I may have been, weak and resentful I have been, but never inconstant. You alone have brought me to Bath. For you alone I think and plan. Have you not seen this?..." - F.W.

Persuasion by Jane Austen

I NEVER let go.

(spoiler) The Ones Who Live . Episode 5 Preview

[nostalgebraist]

In other uncanny-valley AI voice news...

Google has this new thing called "NotebookLM," which allows you to upload any document, click a button, and then a few minutes later receive an entire AI-generated podcast episode (!) about the document. The generation seems to occur somewhat faster than real-time.

(This is currently offered for free as a demo, all you need is a Google account.)

These podcast episodes are... they're not, uh, good. In fact, they're terrible – so cringe-y and inane that I find them painful to listen to.

But – unlike with the "AI-generated content" of even the very recent past – the problem with this stuff isn't that it's unrealistic. It's perfectly realistic. The podcasters sound like real people! Everything they say is perfectly coherent! It's just coherently ... bad.

It's a perfect imitation of superficial, formulaic, cringe-y media commentary podcasts. The content isn't good, but it's a type of bad content that exists, and the AI mimics it expertly.

The badness is authentic. The dumb shit they say is exactly the sort of dumb shit that humans would say on this sort of podcast, and they say it with the exact sorts of inflections that people would use when saying that dumb shit on that sort of podcast, and... and everything.

(Advanced Voice Mode feels a lot like this too. And – much as with Advanced Voice Mode – if Google can do this, then they can presumably do lots of things that are more interesting and artistically impressive.

But even if no one especially likes this kind of slop, it's highly inoffensive – palatable to everyone, not likely to confuse anyone or piss anyone off – and so it's what we get, for now, while these companies are still cautiously testing the waters.)

----

Anyway.

The first thing I tried was my novel Almost Nowhere, as a PDF file.

This seemed to throw the whole "NotebookLM" system for a loop, to some extent because it's a confusing book (even to humans), but also to some extent because it's very long.

I saw several different "NotebookLM" features spit out different attempts to summarize/describe it that seemed to be working off of different subsets of the text.

In the case of the generated podcast, the podcasters appear to have only "seen" the first 8 (?) chapters.

And their discussion of those early chapters is... like I said, pretty bad. They get some basic things wrong, and the commentary is painfully basic even when it's not actually inaccurate. But it's still uncanny that something like this is possible.

(Spoilers for the first ~8 chapters of Almost Nowhere)

The second thing I tried was my previous novel, The Northern Caves.

The Northern Caves is a much shorter book, and there were no length-related issues this time.

It's also a book that uses a found-media format and includes a fictitious podcast transcript.

And, possibly because of this, NotebookLM "decided" to generate a podcast that treated the story and characters as though they existed in the real world – effectively, creating fanfiction as opposed to commentary!

(Spoilers for The Northern Caves.)

----

Related links:

I tried OpenAI's Advanced Voice Mode ChatGPT feature and wrote a post about my experiences

I asked NotebookLM to make a podcast about my Advanced Voice Mode post, with surreal results

Tumblr user ralfmaximus takes this to the limit, creating NotebookLM podcast about the very post you're reading now

[kathryn-maraudersversion]

Serpents and Stars Part 5

Summary: You’ve run from them. You’ve fought them. You’ve denied everything. But you have one last card to play if you push them away hard enough, maybe they’ll finally give up on you. Maybe you’ll finally be safe. (Spoiler: You won’t.)

Pairing: Poly!Marauders (James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin) x Slytherin!Fem!Reader

Warnings: One sided arguments.

Pt 1 Pt 2 Pt 3 Pt 4 Pt 5 Pt 6 Pt 7 Pt 8 Pt 9

Run. Run far away.

That was the thought screaming in your head.

If you ruined this, ruined them before they could ruin you, then it wouldn’t matter what you felt.

It wouldn’t matter that James made your heart race.

It wouldn’t matter that Sirius made your skin burn.

It wouldn’t matter that Remus made your chest ache.

So, you did the only thing you could. You sharpened your words into knives, and you stabbed them where it would hurt most.

You caught them in the Gryffindor common room after dinner.

James was sprawled on the couch, laughing as Sirius tossed a pillow at Remus, who barely looked up from his book.

They looked so at ease. So right and something in you snapped.

James noticed you first. His expression lit up. “Sweetheart, what-”

“Enough,” you cut him off.

The warmth in his eyes flickered.

Sirius raised an eyebrow. “What’s got your knickers in a twist, love?”

You took a breath. Don’t let them in. Don’t let them see.

“I need you to stop,” you said, voice cold. “All of you.”

James sat up. “Stop what?”

“This. The flirting. The pet names. The stupid, constant presence in my life.” You forced a sneer. “It’s getting pathetic.”

Silence.

Remus finally looked up, his amber eyes carefully blank.

Sirius’ smirk faltered for the first time.

James just stared.

But you weren’t done. You looked at James, aiming for the one thing you knew would cut. “I will never love you.”

James actually flinched. His fingers twitched at his sides, like he was trying not to reach for something. “That’s not true.”

“Yes, it is.” You crossed your arms. “You’re nothing but a spoiled, arrogant Gryffindor who thinks he can have anything he wants just by flashing a smile. But you can’t have me.”

James opened his mouth, but no words came out.

You turned to Sirius.

“And you.” You let your gaze rake over him in disgust. “You act like you’re some charming, irresistible rebel, but deep down, you’re just a scared little rich boy desperate for attention.”

Sirius went completely still.

Your stomach twisted. You knew how much he hated his family. You knew what that would do to him. But you needed them to hate you. You forced yourself to keep going.

Finally, you turned to Remus.

And for the first time, you hesitated.

Because Remus was just looking at you.

Not angry. Not hurt. Just knowing.

So, you made your voice cruel.

“You’re the worst of them all,” you said, your tone ice. “Because at least James and Sirius are obvious about what they want. But you?” You tilted your head. “You hide behind quiet words and kind smiles, like you’re any better. But you’re just as selfish. You think you can make me feel safe? Make me trust you?”

You let out a cold laugh.

“You’re just a monster waiting to show his teeth.”

The words hung in the air. The fire crackled.

And for the first time in forever, the Marauders had nothing to say. You had done it. You had won. So why did you feel like you had just lost everything?

You avoided them. Properly this time.

No stolen glances. No hesitation.

You ignored the way James didn’t smile in the hallways anymore.

You ignored the way Sirius wasn’t everywhere like he used to be.

You ignored the way Remus had stopped looking at you like he already knew the truth.

You ignored everything and for three days, you thought it was over.

Until, on the fourth day, James Potter cornered you in the empty Transfiguration classroom and everything fell apart.

Authors note: I might have possibly put a frozen reference in here. Also sorry this one is kinda depressing the next couple are too.

Tags: @amatoanima @flaviaandbooks @nymanas @maraudersgirlsposts @yvessentials @bridkesby @treefairy-28 @navs-bhat @ill-be-okay-soon-enough @zoleea-exultant @hermionelove @starmaniii @kitcat912 @hopperbopper

[nonightingalesinberkelysquare]

WARNING FOR GOOD OMENS SPOILERS!!!!

FURTHER SLIGHT SPOILER WARNING FOR THE FOLLOWING BOOKS: The Bone Clock by David Mitchell, You Only Call When You're In Trouble by Stephen Mcauley, and Bibliomaniac by Robin Ince.

Edit: Photos by @polychromicron-persei-8 !!!!!

So I'm sure a lot of the fandom have seen the pictures posted by a very lucky fan who saw the production of good omens happening out in Scotland today!!

However what I'm not seeing people talk about is a hidden gem in the reblogs.

SOMEONE HAD MANAGED TO GET A PICTURE OF THE BOOKS IN THE WINDOW!!!

Naturally, I had to go and do my research to see if these books give us any clues or serve any other purposes other than decorative purposes

AND LET ME TELL YOU

These are the the books visible in the window:

I'll go through them one by one

(Please bear in mind, I haven't read any of these books personally!! The only information I have on them are the little bits I found online in a very rushed attempt at research!!!)

Okay firstly

"The Bone Clocks" by David Mitchell

Now, this is the one that I struggled to make sense of the most out of the three.

The story appears to follow a runaway teenage girl who is a "lightning rod for psychic phenomena." These visions are said to reorder reality and send her into a real life nightmare.

However,

It also states that there is a boy who eventually crosses paths with her and who's story "comes together in moments of grace and extraordinary wonder"

As I said, I've never read these books and the only link I could begin to make with this is the idea of a "supernatural being meets another supernatural being and what they can do when they're together defies anyone's wildest dreams" story, similar to what we have seen and could see in GO3.

The next book is where it gets FARRRR more interesting (in my opinion)

NOW

THE TITLE? INTERESTING ASF.

IS AZIRAPHALE IN TROUBLE? OR EVEN CROWLEY?

The quotes are literally taken from the amazon listing itself, but I'll just point out the bits that stuck out to me personally.

☆ "is it ever okay to stop caring for others and start living for yourself?"

And I'm skipping a HUUUUGE chunk of the story here so apologies

☆ "Tom does what he's always done - answers the call."

☆ "Thus begins a journey that will change everyone's life and demonstrate the beauty or dysfunction (or both?) of the ties that bind families together and sometimes strangle them."

THAT LAST QUOTE REALLY STICKS OUT TO ME. Personally, I'd say that could possibly relate to the heaven and hell divides?

But furthermore, we were told prior to the whole NG situation that Aziraphale and Crowley aren't talking.. so could that mean that as soon as they begin speaking once again, they have the power to leave heaven and hell behind? Perhaps stop the divides?

And last, but certainly not least

Now, keep in mind that this particular book is nonfiction and appears to be written from the authors own point of view as he aims to visit 100 bookshops in 100 days.

This has a relatively short description from what I can see right now so I'll put it in here

"Bibliomaniac takes the reader on a journey across Britain as Robin explores his lifelong love of bookshops and books - and also tries to find out just why he can never have enough of them.

It is the story of an addiction and a romance, and also of an occasional points failure."

This one interested me SO much because it SCREAMS Aziraphale character development sort of thing? You know?

I really struggled to find any spoilers for this one whatsoever but one website did mention the author's love for vintage books, which he only ever reads as and when, as opposed to focusing on just one book.

I just thought this was SO SO SOOOOO interesting, and if anybody has any differing thoughts/interpretations or has even read the books, the comment section is a safe space to do so!!! All theories/suggestions are welcomed (any hate WILL be blocked, don't test me).

OR MAYBE THIS ALL MEANS NOTHING AND IM JUST CLOWNING FAR TOO HARD?!??!??!

[whoopsyeahokay]

October Moon

summary: it'd been time to do something you'd known would have to be done. but you hadn't been sure you'd been ready. Wally hadn't been in support of it, though he'd understood. mostly, he hadn't wanted you to have to rely on Xavier...but questions had needed answering and it'd been the only way.

pairing: Wally Clark x fem!reader

warnings: smutty smut smut. mad spoilers. and obvious Canon divergence. very involved, very dense plot.

bon reading, frens

___________________________💀

OCTOBER MOON pt.8

You were snuggled against Wally, back to front, between his legs on the floor at the back of the library. It was still too early on a Monday morning to worry about being caught sitting at a strange angle with air at your back, though, frankly, you were too tired to care.

Charley sat against the opposite bookshelf, cross-legged with his back against the American History section. Ajay was sprawled across the windowsill. He listened as he gazed outside forlornly, Mina's ongoing absence starting to take a toll.

Beside you, Maddie leaned against Wally, her head on his shoulder, arms around her knees, clearly battling with too many thoughts. Claire, Xavier; Mr. South, and his possible connection to Amelia, the Something-Something, and tearing Maddie from her body.

The bloody crowbar nagged at her as much as it did you. Something about it didn't sit right. If Amelia had been behind everything, you didn't think she'd have been careless enough to forget the crowbar. Maddie's body would've been inert—no threat of it escaping.

Ignoring the alibi Xavier insisted was true, if Mr. South as himself was responsible, same question. Why hadn't he cleaned the crowbar and put it back where it belonged? No one had been looking at him; he'd have easily gotten away with it.

Currently, Xavier stood at the end of the aisle, wary and alert and watching the door for anyone who wasn't on Team Parabnormal, as he'd labeled it. A loyal guardian.

He'd been at your side during stilted suppers around the Baxter table; Aurora a shell of herself, avoiding Andrew. Andrew, grey and vacant-eyed as he nursed the wound of his best friend's comatose condition. Nanna absent to keep vigil at Ginny's bedside. And your mother, ever the saint, off to heal the bereaved between pitstops at Mr. Anderson's house to check in on his father and the full-time nurse Andrew was shelling out for.

The cops hadn't found Dave. Dave who might not have been innocent, but who you'd determined hadn't been present when his body had pushed Mr. Anderson off the roof. True, he'd still looked like himself, but his mannerisms had been off. The way he'd used his features, wore his face, it'd been...uncanny.

After sneaking back into your house under the noses of the deputies stationed across the street, Xavier in tow, Dead Grandpa John watching on in interest, you'd found a book on—

"Golems?" Charley asked, head cocked like a confused puppy, "Like the clay monster things?"

"Yes, but not in this case," You offered, "In myth it means the clay monster things, but connected Circles use the term to describe someone whose body is animated by energy that's not theirs."

Never in your life had you been more informed about the Craft as you were then. You'd even discovered your family's library was warded when Xavier had commented, "How have I never been in here?"

Crazy. Because he'd grown up with you, had been over more times in a week than you figured there were days in a year. And yet, it was true, you couldn't recall a single instance Xavier had been inside the library.

Like the ominous symbols around the school, you'd found runes (normal ones, ones you could read) etched into the thin seams of the doorframe. Wards were a thing. You'd found them on the back and front doors as well, and all the bedroom windows after you'd done a curious sweep to see what else you'd been ignorant to in your own house.

They were everywhere. It made you feel a little safer, but connectedness wasn't defensive magic like in the movies. It was subtle and innocuous and heavily influenced by intention.

Bringing you back to the moment, Charley raised an eyebrow, "So, a possession."

"Nooo?" You had to think about it. Using golems was difficult to describe. At least, from what you'd read. It made sense, but ultimately also didn't. Comparing the two states, you finally settled on, "Hard no. Not like a possession."

"It's like that shitty John Malkovich movie." Xavier put forward, and even you gave him a funny look. He shrugged, "What you told me sounded like it. You know, Mind Cage or whatever." You continued to stare at him. He rolled his eyes, "You made me watch it."

"The one about the artist who can enter people's bodies when he draws them?" Maddie asked, glancing between you and Xavier. "That was a shitty movie."

"Oooh, yeah. Yeah, something like that." You agreed. "But minus the drawing part. You would have to have some serious power, though. It's basically long-distance hypnosis. The golem doesn't have any memory of the time they spent being used." You explained. "And it only works on people who have latent or fully developed connectedness."

Xavier scoffed, "You mean to tell me Dave has magic powers?"

"Trust me, I know." You mumbled, unhappy with the thought that you and Dave, innocent or not, had anything in common.

Wally piped up behind you, "Why bother hypnotizing or...taking over someone's body if Amelia can literally just go into one?"

"Like she did my dad," Maddie stared ahead, tone despondent, her brows knitted as she thought about Christopher and everything he'd missed because he'd saved your life.

You felt the pressure of guilt behind your ribs, tried to tamp it down. She never suggested she was mad at you for what'd happened to her dad, but it was difficult to believe. She should be, you reasoned. He'd died because of you.

Forcing yourself back on topic, you said, "From what the book said, golems are extremely difficult to maneuver. It takes finesse. The golem could wake up at any moment if certain conditions change. Like they get hit in the face by a bird or something."

"Interesting," Charley chuckled. "So, Amelia or Anabelle or both can make magical people their puppets from anywhere. Sounds like a great time to be alive."

"It's definitely easier than setting up a body swap," Ajay said from the windowsill. "You don't have to worry about the person's ghost getting in the way."

Everyone went silent again, that uncomfortable heaviness sweeping back in. No one looked at Maddie.

"It's temporary, but effective," You said after a moment, when the atmosphere became too much to bear. You sank deeper into Wally's embrace, as if trying to escape it altogether. He snuck a hand under your shirt, just enough for skin-to-skin, his thumb stroking your hipbone. "I kinda feel bad that there won't be a way to prove it wasn't Dave who pushed Mr. Anderson..."

"Really?" Xavier asked from his post, "I still feel like the guy is hiding a whole secret life. He's not normal."

You snorted, "No, he's not. But he's also not a murderer."

"That you know of."

You seesawed your head, "I really don't wanna think that Rory's that blind. Her empathy should be better than that." You recalled how she'd roused from her stupor long enough to gawp at you about the change in your aura. How you no longer smelled like jasmine...

Simon was never allowed around her again, if only to keep the truth of who'd altered your cosmic chemistry hidden. And for the sake of his limbs.

Ginny would be fine with it, knew you were old enough to choose what you did with your body and who you did it with. Nanna would just tease you. Andrew, your mother, and Aurora? They had streaks. And a weird over-protective quality that'd cemented itself in all of them since the farmhouse and Aiden.

"Do we know if any other teenagers have gone missing?" Maddie asked, clearly wanting to stay focused.

You shook your head, "There were a couple, but they were found pretty quickly. Runaways who popped up in Milwaukee and Detroit. If Amelia stole your body for another ritual, it might be the only one so far."

"Why not just use it now? Why wait?" Wally asked before realizing what he'd said. He cringed and offered Maddie an apologetic look, "Sorry, Mads." Then turned to scan everyone else, "But seriously, if she's got it, why not?"

"Because she wouldn't be able to keep it," You said, and when everyone gave you their attention, you continued. "The ritual she did, it was complicated. It required a helluva lot of energy."

"Hence the sacrifices." Ajay inserted.

"Yep. She used all those people to glue her, Anabelle, and Alistair into the bodies. If she just swooped in and took Maddie's body, her ghost would be rejected pretty quickly. The chemistry would have to be identical if she even stood a chance of keeping it."

"I thought you said you couldn't find anything on that ritual," Charley said, head cocked and eyes intense, "Did you find something?"

Again, you had to shake your head, "Not that specific. But forbidden rituals that complex aren't actually easy to hide. They require and affect a lot of people. Lots of moving parts."

"Lots of sacrifices."

You nodded at Ajay, "Lots of sacrifices."

Another long silence before, "What about the farmhouse?" Xavier wondered, eyes hovering somewhere over your head as he avoided your gaze. "There might be something there to explain the ritual. A book or instructions or something..."

You'd been thinking about that since yesterday. Heaving a weary sigh, you agreed, "Yeah. There might still be clues there. If we can get into that cavern, we could get a better sense of what happened and how."

Wally's hold on you tightened, fingers digging into your hips, "You wanna go back there?"

"Not really, but we're out of options. Our library doesn't have anything on forbidden rituals, and I don't exactly know any evil practitioners in the area." You twisted slightly to look up at him, "It's the only choice we have."

He hated the idea, you could tell, his face dark and unhappy. But you also sensed that he understood. You gave him a soft smile, craned your neck to kiss his cheek.

"We'll be okay," You assured, "If anything tries to eat us, I'll throw Xavier at them."

Wally perked up. Xavier's expression flattened.

"Thanks, kiddo."

You beamed at Xavier, "Anytime."

‗‗‗‗•‗‗‗‗

Group was tense, a static hum closing in on Wally as he sat in his seat, leg bouncing, studying Mr. Martin carefully.

Ajay had opted to stay in the library, unable to bring himself to join Group when he had so many conflicting emotions swirling beneath the surface. Wally couldn't blame him, but God, he needed Ajay's steadfast presence to keep his mind from going haywire.

Things had turned sour almost immediately after Wally had vetoed Mr. Martin's scheduled activity for the day. The Mock Trial last year had been a snooze fest, and even your presence this year couldn't sway Wally's opinion.

Sure, he enjoyed that you were close, that he could keep an eye on you; something he'd felt more inclined to do after Friday night for many reasons. But it'd been thirty-nine years of lackluster scenarios because the school didn't want to subject the youth to violence and gore.

You were adorable, curled up with your notebook at the front, Eli trying to engage you in conversation as he externally processed what he'd seen on Friday. Wally could tell you were uncomfortable, and he wanted to put himself between you and Eli just to get the guy to change the subject, but he couldn't.

Mr. Martin was right there. And acting weirdly evasive while also being insistent that everyone keep to the itinerary he'd put together for the day. Usually, Mr. Martin was easygoing (to a degree) about what the Group wanted or didn't want to do, but today he seemed stressed.

Jaw tense. Eyes wild and pleading. His feathers ruffled in a way Wally had never seen before.

The catalyst had been Maddie's threat to leave Group to find clues to clear Mr. South's name. Even Rhonda, who never gave a flying fuck about itinerary's and Group activities—I'm not a joiner—spouted uncharacteristically passive bullshit that made Wally want to shake her back to herself.

It sounded so contrived, as if she'd been fed the lines. All of it reminded Wally of things Mr. Martin himself would say if he weren't being ignored in favor of everyone asking Maddie penetrating questions about the holes in her memory.

Wally hadn't said anything to anyone—not even you—but he'd noticed a strange distance in Rhonda recently. Since the theater. At first, he'd chalked it up to how she was coming to terms with what she'd seen, what their haunt now knew about their circumstances, how shitty everything really was.

Yet... Wally couldn't get past this feeling of doubt that crept in whenever he heard her rattle off something he'd never imagined she'd say. He eyed her warily, unsure how to feel when she tried to assuage Maddie with some meditative it is what it is crap.

What the hell was going on?

Wally was startled from his thoughts when Mr. Martin urged to Maddie, "Whether your memory returns or not, you're not in a position to help the accused, Maddie." At which Wally and Charley shared a nervous look. "We have no influence over what happens in that world."

Wally flicked his gaze to the back of your head, visible above the back of the first spectators' bench. When his eyes returned to Mr. Martin, a chill wracked through him. Mr. Martin was looking right at you. It was fleeting, so quick Wally nearly missed it, but unmistakable.

"Do we?" Mr. Martin then prodded, eyes boring into Maddie's. When Maddie didn't answer, he repeated, "Do we have any sway over a living person?" And the expression on Mr. Martin's face might've been docile, but there was something beneath it. Something that made Wally uneasy. "Is there something we're not sharing with the group?"

One more there-and-gone glance at you by Mr. Martin, and Wally interjected, "Uh, speaking of repressed memories..." He leaned down to grab the psychology textbook he'd boosted from the library.

"We're not," Mr. Martin insisted.

Wally ignored him, desperate to pull Mr. Martin's attention away from you. Coincidence or not, Wally didn't like it.

"Well, we can, so I will." Wally presented the textbook and assured Maddie that, "We're gonna help you get through this, Maddie, okay?" A hand on her back, his eyes sincere. "We're all going to figure it out."

In the library, he and the others had agreed at Ajay's suggestion that they should start helping Maddie get her memories back. It gave Wally something to focus on that wasn't you and the farmhouse and good guy Xavier Baxter.

"Thank you, Wally," Maddie said.

What remained of the Group session was rocky and, either defeated or unsettled, Mr. Martin dismissed everyone earlier than he usually did.

Before vacating the circle, Wally leaned in to ask Maddie, "Quick question," his voice low to avoid being overheard. She resettled in her seat and slanted toward him, "The day you ended up here...you didn't by any chance drink tea that probably tastes like soap, did you?"

A hundred questions passed over Maddie's expression as she thought about how to respond. It wasn't totally random, and Wally figured it couldn't have hurt to ask. If that tea had drugged you and possibly made fifty to sixty wealthy socialites attend to the whims of a crazy woman, it very well could've been what'd caused Maddie to forget why she'd been in the boiler room in the first place.

Eventually, "No," she said, and she sounded worried about Wally's mental health. "You think Amelia snuck in somehow and drugged me?"

"I just wanted to make sure," Wally defended. "If Amelia was using Mr. South, he would've had access to things. Like drinks."

"Yeah, but how would he know which one Maddie would actually drink?" Charley asked quietly as he came to stand in front of them.

Wally gave him a pointed look, "Amelia's got serious magic, man."

"Connectedness," Charley and Maddie corrected in unison.

Wally flapped a hand, "We don't even actually know what that means. What people with strong powers can really do. Maybe she secretly convinced Maddie to take a specific can of soda or something."

"Disguised as the lunch lady?" Maddie asked with uncertainty.

It wasn't out of the realm of possibility, which made Wally, Charley, and Maddie shiver.

"I can't remember much about lunch that day," Maddie admitted, chewed her lip as she tried to recall.

"We should start there, then," Wally suggested as he shoved the psychology textbook into his backpack and zipped it closed. Briefly, he let his eyes fall on you, your attention on the teacher leading the Mock Trial.

God, he didn't want you to go anywhere near that farmhouse.

"You're making that face again," Maddie chuckled, fondness in her tone.

Charley griped, "He always makes that face now. It's the only expression I see when I look at him."

"Hey!" Wally snapped his attention to Charley, "It's not my fault my girl's sexy."

Maddie snorted, "And you're not looking at her like that because she's going on a roadtrip with my ex who kissed her?"

"He what!?" Charley gaped, pulling up the empty chair beside Maddie and dropping into it, his body angled forward, totally invested in the story.

Wally groaned, "How'd you hear about that?"

"Xavier told Simon who told me." Maddie grinned.

Mr. Martin and the others were long gone, Wally noticed with relief, and he relaxed. Well, except Rhonda, but she seemed content to linger in her seat, watching you watch the trial. Not hostile or judgmental. Simply observing, which Wally couldn't decide if he found odd or not.

"And how do you feel about that?" Charley asked Maddie.

"Honestly?" Maddie shrugged, "I don't really care. I know it wasn't serious. At least, she says it wasn't, and I believe her. And, Xavier actually apologized to me for it, too."

"He did?" That was news to Wally.

"Yeah," Maddie nodded, "On Saturday when he and Ajay were...hanging out." She slanted a knowing look at Wally. "I realized I really didn't care." And then, teasing, "I'm still not sure how I feel about him, but... He's your problem now."

"Don't remind me," Wally said, dark and adamant. He cast you another look, felt his face melt into something soft and gooey. "At least she won't be alone. That's the best I could ask for..."

"Could ask Simon." Charley inserted.

"His parents are still watching him like a hawk," Maddie said, her expression turning forlorn. "I wish there was something I could do."

Wally reached out and placed his hand on her back, "Everything's gonna work out, Mads, don't worry. We're going to get your memory back, stop a creepy death cult from kidnapping teenagers, break the barrier, and then—"

"Go to the mall to get a new wardrobe," Charley sighed whimsically.

Wally laughed, "Yeah, or whatever else we want because we'll be free."

It was such a hopeful thought, Wally was scared to let it settle inside him. He glanced up, his eyes finding you again, drawn like magnets, and he smiled.

"Face." Maddie, Charley and, now, Rhonda chorused.

"Shut up," Wally pouted as he stood, beckoning the others to follow him.

He had a plan to put into action to help jog Maddie's memory. He could ponder all the things he was going to do to you when he was free from the school later.

Right now, it was game time.

‗‗‗‗•‗‗‗‗

Xavier was stunned when Wally willingly approached him after the last bell. He'd bobbed his head to indicate the necessity for privacy before leading Xavier into an empty classroom.

Wally didn't look too happy to be there, face set, eyes hard, hands fisted as his sides before he crossed his arms and leaned against the teacher's desk, one ankle over the other.

"I want you to keep her safe." He said at last.

Xavier stood there, dumbfounded, because duh. He'd never let anything happen to you. Ever. Whether Wally believed it or not, Xavier loved you and would destroy everything in his path to protect you from harm.

"I mean it," Wally continued. He exhaled sharply, glanced away, and Xavier realized, oh shit, the guy felt helpless and didn't know how to reconcile that. "If anything happens to her, Xavier, I'll find a way to kill you."

"Got it." Xavier nodded, held up a hand in scout's honor. And then, sincerely, "Look, nothing's going to happen. If there's even the smallest sign of trouble, I'm turning the truck around and bringing her back. She can kick and scream all she wants."

It was the first time he'd ever shared a sentiment with Wally that wasn't fear.

Wally seemed to relax. His jaw still ticked, but his shoulders lowered.

Finally, he nodded and looked Xavier in the eye. "Thanks."

And that was that. Moment over. Wally strutted out of the classroom to seek you out.

Now, Xavier drove in the direction of the old Meheive estate, the truck quiet except for the drone of the radio. He'd dropped Claire off at her house after the confrontation with his father in the 7-Eleven, and had picked you up outside his house.

He'd spent the first ten minutes of the journey filling you in on the lunchbreak escapade to the Sheriff's station; how he and Simon had found a clue that pointed to Nicole. As skeptical as Xavier was, you'd altogether refuted the idea that she could be involved with Maddie's abduction. However...it made a twisted sort of sense to Xavier.

Regardless of whether or not Nicole had been influenced by Amelia, Simon had described what he believed could be the root of Nicole's possible resentment toward Maddie. The pieces fit. Xavier could map out how one ill-timed remark led to an outburst that'd resulted in Maddie's out-of-body predicament.

"Not everything has to be connected to the cult," Xavier had said sagely.

"True," You'd agreed, yet, "But do you really think, after everything, it's not?"

Yeah, fine, maybe not, but Xavier knew people could be shitty all by themselves without magical intervention.

Twenty minutes later and Xavier turned onto a gated dirt road. The gate itself was dilapidated, yawned open, its iron panels slanted away from the frame as if trying to free themselves from their hinges.

He drove carefully down the dirt road, no lights to guide him apart from his high beams. The setting felt spooky, Xavier's blood curdling as he maneuvered around fallen branches and deep pits in the dirt. No lights. Just dark and trees and whatever hid within them.

One would think the town would've maintained the property. A heritage sight previously owned by the family of one of Split River's founders. Apparently, no one had had the incentive since, when Xavier drove to the apex of the horseshoe driveway, the house itself was completely run down.

It had the essence of grandeur in its woodwork and architecture, but he could tell it had long since been abandoned to the elements.

Unlike the school, where Xavier knew ghosts roamed, this place felt truly haunted. It emanated a profound melancholy that was almost physical, cresting into him and raising goosebumps on his skin. The air in the truck chilled considerably, and he felt as if a thousand eyes were watching him from every direction.

His whole body itched to turn around and go home, warnings to leave this place impressed between the squiggly folds of his brain. No voice, no distinct words, merely a loud creeping sensation. It was eerie, Xavier thought, the feeling like the one people got when they couldn't recall a word they knew. Dangling on the precipice of knowing.

He glanced at you, watched you for a moment as you stared through the passenger window at the front porch. After putting the truck in park, he reached over and took your hand to give it a firm squeeze.

"You ready?" He asked.

He couldn't imagine you were, but you were putting on one hell of a brave face. You inhaled a rattled breath and returned the squeeze before opening the truck door to climb out.

This couldn't have been easy. Back at the scene of your brother's murder. The last place you'd seen him and in the worst way possible. Xavier's stomach rolled as he got out of the truck, his heart leaden in his chest. He didn't want to be here. He didn't want you to be here.

He didn't have time to dwell on it because, quite suddenly, the world around him flickered. As soon as he joined you on the passenger side of the truck, the house had changed. Not drastically, but enough for Xavier to be alarmed. Its image was pristine. Turrets tall and proud, shingles restored, paintwork smooth.

"What the Jesus Christ is going on?" Xavier muttered in a mixture of awe and fright.

Without looking at him, "Even homes have ghosts if they had enough life made in them," you said, then smiled sadly, "This is how the house is perceived on the other side of the veil."

"Are you telling me we're in the land of the dead right now?"

"There's no life left here, so death moved in." You shrugged, simple as that.

Xavier gawped but went with it, not sure if he had the capacity for another magic lesson. Your voice in his head chided him that it's not magic, however, Xavier was having a harder and harder time believing it. A ghost house sounded like something a wizard would say. And wizards? Notorious for wielding magic.

"So, is this how I'm going to see every abandoned property from now on?"

"I think it depends on the property." You jerked your chin at the house and instructed, "Look closer."

Xavier peered at the house, but he didn't know what he was supposed to have been looking f—wait. There. Beneath the reminiscence was the decayed reality.

Two images overlayed to create a new composite. A house trapped between life and death. The holes in the roof were visible under the translucent image of perfectly intact shingles. The front steps were eaten away under clean, white planks.

"As cool as this is, I'm ready to hand back my magic powers now," Xavier mumbled.

He shadowed you as you proceeded up the front steps, minding the living-world gaps, before you carelessly trodded over the fallen screen door that was also in perfect condition on its hinges. Watching you pull it open while not pulling it open was a trip that made Xavier's head spin. The unnaturalness of it disagreed with his brain.

You hesitated with your hand on the main door's polished-tarnished handle. He saw the struggle on your face. After this, you'd know if Aiden's ghost had lingered or if mercy had been given and he'd crossed over.

Neither option brought peace, but, to Xavier at least, the former was worse. The little boy he'd thought of as his brother, trapped and alone, abandoned, neglected, hurt. Those things took a toll that Xavier had felt in fractions. He didn't want to believe Aiden had had to suffer them all at once.

The instant your breathing stuttered and your knuckles whitened on the handle, Xavier took over, wanting to absolve you of the burden.

As soon as his skin touched the brass, a chill zipped through his skeleton, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and, against his better judgment, he turned the knob.

When you and he stepped over the threshold, the interior flickered as it had outside. Stately and ruined; cozy and cold; marvelous and wasted. The air was thinner, the contrast darker. Xavier hated it on sight. While the mirage was the picture of wealth and classic luxury, the image beneath it spoke of endless horror and despair.

As he'd done at the place on 10th and Lasher, Xavier clasped your hand. For support. For safety. For comfort. For all of the above. He kept you close as you and he crept through the front of the house. Formal living room. Parlor. Games room. Study.

He thought he was going crazy when, moving closer to the kitchen, the light began to brighten. When he glanced around, he was mildly surprised to notice the epoch blend of candleflame and carbon arc light that had manifested.

The kitchen was empty when you and he entered.

"I don't even remember this," You said, casting Xavier a trepidatious look. "I don't remember walking out of here."

Xavier didn't say anything. What was there to say? Instead, he jerked his chin at a closed door across the room.

"Think that's it?"

You did. Together, you and he walked to the door. Opened it. The creak it released was ugly and sinister. Behind the door, it was pitch black, like all the shadows around the property had gathered there. Xavier took his phone from his pocket, switched on the flashlight, and took the first step down.

The stairs groaned under his weight, but they held. He kept your hand in his as you and he descended into the dark. At the bottom of the stairs was the shelf Christopher had toppled. There was the mattress, though it'd been burned; only the distorted wire remained.

Xavier caught you averting your eyes, quickly heading toward the back wall.

"This is where that lord entered the cavern," You said, dropping your backpack to the ground to pull out a pen. "Hopefully this'll work."

Xavier wasn't sure whether to be glad or disappointed when it did. He was certainly apprehensive, the dark that much darker. Again, he took the lead—not even a question, regardless of Wally's voice in Xavier's head—and stepped carefully down the narrow stone steps.

You stayed close, he could feel the heat of your body at his back, not giving more than a step of space as you and he kept hands on the wall to feel the way down. The staircase spiraled slightly and then, at the bottom, opened.

"Watch it," You warned, hand on Xavier's shoulder before he could move forward.

He glanced at the floor and almost shrieked. Thankfully, he had a second to process and was able to maintain his composure. A black sarcophagus lay battered on the ground, its face still horrifying, the ruby eyes glinting in the light of Xavier's phone. Scattered around it were masks with long noses and others without, as well as all kinds of trinkets Xavier could only call macabre.

Broken glass and tiny animal skulls and finger bones and whatever the hell else might belong on the set of The Blair Witch Project. Oh, Xavier hated this.

"Guess we're in the right place," He breathed, swallowing. He reached behind himself and found your hand again, pulling you around the mess and into the cavern proper.

It was huge, and the light from his phone wasn't enough to illuminate the kind of ground you and he needed to cover. Still, he was reluctant to release you so you and he could split up. Cautiously, you and he found the wall and felt about, doing a tour until, by complete luck, his fingers brushed a switch.

He flicked it and, instantly, the cavern lit up. Chandeliers burst to life from above, bringing the cavern to life. It was...not great, Xavier thought to himself, stomach lurching when his eyes fell on a large crescent of grey bones, all stacked and jumbled within clothes that had been eaten away by time.

The crescent seemed to shape outward from a raised platform that took up a good portion of the main wall. You were already on it, inspecting a table thickly layered in dust. Xavier's gaze temporarily returned to the crescent, more to the center of it where three raised altars sat.

He couldn't believe the whole thing was real. That you'd supposedly traveled back in time when Aiden had pulled everyone through the farmhouse door. Yet, here was the proof.

"You find anything?" He asked, stepping onto the platform as he pocketed his phone. Xavier glanced at the portraits on the wall, most of them no longer recognizable, but the few that were made his scalp tingly unpleasantly.

"Not really," You answered, fingers dancing over the few objects that sat on the table. "Nothing that means anything, anyway. All this stuff is gimmicky. Like the shit in mom's room." You turned to Xavier, "You know who we could really use right now?"

Xavier speculated, "Are you going to say your object-reading uncle who I now know can read objects?"

You gave him a small smirk, "I am."

"Too bad we can't ask him," Xavier sighed, spun about on his heel to take in more of the space. Across from the platform was a line of floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. Most of the were empty, but, right there, in the bottom-left corner, "Hey, I think I see something."

You followed Xavier to the bookshelf, "I don't remember seeing this."

"You were kinda busy watching a bunch of people die," Xavier reasoned, "I don't think I'd remember much either."

"Fair," You agreed as you crouched down. The second your hand touched one of the old, mangy books, you reeled back as if burned. "Holy fuck!"

Xavier jumped, got his head on straight, and then dropped to his knees to check you over, "You good? What happened?"

You shook your hand out, "It's like what I felt when I touched the tree," With the symbol on it, you didn't have to clarify. "It feels...evil." You said, giving Xavier a stressed look. "Blacker than black."

"That can't mean anything good."

You obviously agreed, leaning in again so slowly that Xavier was sure time had somehow overcranked itself. You plucked one of the books from the shelf and opened it carefully. Parts of the first page immediately crumbled under your touch, as gentle as it was.

"That can't mean anything good," Xavier wheezed. If it was all just going to turn to dust, there'd be nothing to find.

"No, wait..." You pulled a piece of paper from your backpack, slipped it between the pages of the book, and used it to turn the page. It wasn't foolproof, but it worked.

As you began to scan the pages, Xavier sat up and looked around, his eyes constantly falling back on the pile of bones. One in particular that sat just outside of the crescent. A silver revolver next to it.

Fuck.

"Here. Look." Your voice cut through his thoughts. Xavier leaned over your shoulder and looked at the page. As far as he could tell, it was all gibberish, swirly letters and pictograms that he couldn't make heads or tails of.

Except, "Those look like the symbols at school."

"Yep. And this is a guide on how to use them." You smiled for the first time since undertaking this journey, "Not so bad, after all, huh?"

"How about we just take this thing with us and get the hell out of here," Xavier suggested, feeling more and more like he was being watched.

You snapped a few pictures of the pages on your phone before very, very gently sliding the book into your backpack between your History notes and your copy of Frankenstein. You glanced at the other books on the shelf and fingered through them.

"This one looks like a grimoire," You said as if to yourself.

"Okay, that word I know, and it's associated to magic." Xavier said flatly, "Can we please just be honest with ourselves and refer to it as it is?"

You shot him a glare, maintained eye contact as you lifted the book from the shelf and placed it in your lap. "No."

Unlike the other book, that one was thinner, less fragile, and you were able to flip through it with more ease. Like the other book, however, it was also written in gibberish that Xavier couldn't translate. You either, apparently. Different gibberish, then, Xavier bemoaned.

"We'll take it anyway," You decided.

The last book was oddly mundane. A copy of Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management.

"Does it...mean something?"

"Aside from how to run a household?" You responded, "I have no idea..."

You opted not to take it. Apparently had a copy at home, just like Xavier did. His mom had left it behind when she'd moved out. Of the house. And his life.

Just in case you flipped through the pages. There was nothing there that shouldn't be.

"Okay, let's get going," Xavier said, already halfway back to the staircase with you in tow. Those bones really freaked him out, and the portraits that still had eyes made his skin crawl.

Up the winding stairs and into the cellar, around to the steps and back into the kitchen. Only this time, the kitchen wasn't empty.

He stared in shock at the face that angled up at him, his heart in his throat. Grabbing your hand, Xavier released a heavy breath. He felt you shake beneath his palm, could hear the rattle in your chest as you stared down at the same little person Xavier was staring at.

"A-Aiden," You gasped.

Aiden smiled when you said his name, "Hi, Sissy." Like he'd seen you that morning. Like everything was normal and he wasn't a ghost clutching his stuffed lion, solid but dead in a kitchen he should never have been in.

Xavier's eyes stung, a pressure in his sinuses, and he cleared his throat. "Hey buddy."

"Hi, Zav," Aiden grinned, "Are we gonna play now?"

It felt like a kick to the gut. Xavier heard more than felt you drop to your knees beside him, your breathing now ragged as you tried to hold back the tidal wave of emotion he could sense within you. Slowly lowering himself, Xavier moved his hand to wind his arm around your shoulders.

When he looked at you, your eyes were wide, glistening, horrified.

‗‗‗‗•‗‗‗‗

You didn't know how to process what you were seeing. Aiden, dressed in his Looney Tunes sweater and Spiderman boots, apple-cheeked and pink as if he were still alive. Totally unchanged.

In a blink, you went from stone to a flurry of motion, lurching forward and dragging Aiden into a hug that he complained was too tight.

"I can't breathe," He grumbled, and that hurt more, made your stomach roll, and the back of your throat sting.

"I'm sorry," You sniffled, trying so hard not to cry; you had to keep it together for him. You loosened your hold on Aiden, but didn't let him go. Couldn't let him go.

Aiden beamed up at you, dimples on display, "You're staying for dinner, right?"

"Wh-what?" You asked and then you noticed a flicker in the corner of your eye.

Aiden wasn't alone in the farmhouse. Other ghosts seemed to materialize out of the ether. Translucent and silvery at first before solidifying as they moved around the kitchen. A woman at the stove dressed in clothes reminiscent of the 1940s. A man with muttonchops and a bushy mustache in dirty overalls. Another man, this one shorter and more put together in a three-piece suit.

More and more entered the space, each taking a dish from a stack on the kitchen table and carrying it to the stove where the woman ladled out something from a cauldron pot. The ghosts chatted amongst each other, totally oblivious to you and Xavier. Or perhaps they didn't care. You couldn't be sure.

"Sissy?" Aiden asked, frowning as he repeated, "You're staying for dinner, right?"

"I-," Had no idea what to do.

Xavier stepped in when you couldn't finish.

"We can't, buddy," And, fuck, his voice was as thick with emotion as yours. "We have to go, but maybe we could come back, and we'll play then. When it's not already dark out." He sounded so sweet and sincere. Gentle in a way few people rarely got to see.

"Why can't you stay now?" Aiden pouted, whined, clutched Limon closer to his chest, and glared at a spot on Xavier's shirt.

"Because my dad wants us to be home soon." Xavier said, rational and adult and not at all what Aiden wanted to hear.

He relaxed, but his pout remained, "Fine."

Xavier glanced at you quickly to get your support. You couldn't move, couldn't answer, still staring at Aiden in a crippling combination of anguish and shock. Your little brother was still here, trapped in the place he'd died. And no one had ever visited.

"Hey, kiddo, come on," Xavier urged, and yet you could barely hear him. Didn't matter, because a second later, "Oh, fuck."

Your head whipped up, and you saw what Xavier saw. A man in military garb whose face resembled Maddie's so much it was impossible to miss who he was.

"They're trapped here, too." You choked out, falling back on your haunches. "Just like at the school."

"How can you be sure?" Xavier whispered, shuffling closer, as close as he could get, as Christopher approached.

"Aiden was six," You said in equally as hushed a tone, "Little kids don't linger. Not unless something keeps them tethered to the earth. The Awen always, always takes them back."

Xavier paled, nodded, "Okay. Okay, so they're trapped."

"Look at them all," You gasped, trying to count the ghosts, but they kept bobbing and weaving between each other as they got their food and returned to the table to eat it. Got up again, got more food, returned to the table. A revolving door of actions.

All the ghosts except Aiden. Your eyes narrowed as you studied him. He smiled back at you, squeezing Limon; round, green eyes sparkling as they always had when he'd looked at you. Pure adoration for his big sister.

And you let him die...

Xavier must've understood where you'd been going with your earlier statement, because, once again, he stepped in where you couldn't.

"Hey, Aid...do you know if there are any funny symbols on any trees or rocks around here?" He asked.

Aiden cocked his head as he seemed to think about it. Then, to your surprise, "There's one by the pond. And one on the gate by the road."

"Awesome, buddy, thanks."

"Can we play now?" Aiden wondered, and, Jesus Christ, your lungs stopped working.

Xavier shook his head solemnly, "I'm sorry, we can't stay. But we'll come back, okay?"

Like he had before, Aiden pouted and stared at the ground, "Fine."

Without waiting for the loop to reset, Xavier hauled you to your feet and quick-marched you out of the kitchen. You stumbled, kept glancing back at the image of your brother, vision blurring as tears began to spill.

"Zav, we can't just leave him here," You whimpered, tried to pull away from Xavier, but his grip was firm.

"We can't take him with us right now," Xavier reminded you. His voice was level, kind, and you hated him with everything in you because he was right. "We'll try breaking the barrier at the school first. If it works, we come back and free Aiden."

His conviction helped soothe something in you, though it didn't mitigate the pain. Xavier helped you into the truck, slammed the door shut, and hurried to the driver's side. When you peeked out the window, you saw Aiden standing alone on the porch.

His eyes weren't...right. Bright green, but vacant. Holding Limon, mouthing a question: Can we play now?

Xavier drove like you and he were being chased by an inferno.

Halfway back to town, Xavier's hand a vise on yours, his phone buzzed. Using his knee to manage the wheel so he didn't have to let you go, he shifted and pulled his phone out, handed it off to you for you to read the text he'd received.

"It's Simon," You said, hollow, interest not even piqued when you read the message. And, damn, was it something. "At least we can rule Nicole out."

"Why, what does it say?" Xavier asked, sparing you a quick glance.

You reread the message before relaying, "Nicole took the video that Mr. Anderson and Claire thought was from Maddie." Wow. Okay. You were more aware now, the despondency slipping from your mind the further you got from the farmhouse, "She wanted the hush money so she could go to Chicago with Maddie and Simon."

"I thought she submitted a portfolio?"

"I guess it was rejected," You said, not seeing anything about that in the message.

A few beats of silence and then, "I'm glad she isn't one of the bad guys," Xavier admitted.

You watched him for a moment, a small smile on your face, "You guys are getting kinda close, huh?"

"She's the only one apart from you who doesn't try to remind me how shitty I am whenever I see them."

"You're not shitty, Zav," You said with ferocity, "You made a shitty mistake. That doesn't define who you are. At least...not to me."

He squeezed your hand appreciatively. "Thanks, kiddo." Another moment. "Hey," Xavier coaxed your attention, "Are you okay?"

"Define 'okay'," You murmured.

He didn't have to. Rather, he just continued to hold your hand as he drove, allowed the silence to hold you as you battled with yourself; with your thoughts and feelings and the reality of Aiden's presence still being at the farmhouse.

Aiden, stuck there amongst dead strangers and your friend's father. Aiden, suspended in time, exactly the same as he was the last time you'd seen him.

Exactly... the... same.

"Jesus Christ." You gasped, head shooting up. You turned to Xavier, whose attention you'd caught. He glimpsed between you and the road in concern. "We need to stop at my house."

"What for?" He seemed nervous.

Rightfully so, because, "Zav, Aiden didn't have Limon when he died."

💀___________________________

PART SEVEN - PART NINE

also available on AO3!

MASTERLIST

[nebulousgaythoughts]

BOOK OF BILL SPOILERS!!!!!!!!

(I don't remember where I found this photo, if it happens to be yours lmk!)

Alex Hirch really made Ford and Fiddleford as gay as possible without explicitly saying they're gay

Fiddleford:

1. Fiddleford got Ford not one, but TWO gifts. HANDMADE. A snow globe model of the cabin and a pair of six-fingered gloves that he went through FIVE prototypes for. This man is serious about gifts.

2. When he wants to be. Because who did he get the gifts for? The two gifts lovingly and painstakingly designed and handcrafted? Right, Ford. Obviously. Because he cares about Ford. So when he goes back home to visit his wife and kid, he'll get them something too, because they're his family.

3. Wait what

4. Alex what

5. What the fuck do you mean he forgot to get his wife a Christmas present

6. Are you telling me that Fiddleford sees Ford as more of a partner than his literal wife

7. OK, you could argue that he was just preoccupied with the lab/portal stuff, and he wanted to do something really extra nice for Ford, so he completely spaced getting his wife a Christmas gift. OK, sure. It's not inherently gay to be a forgetful husband.

8. But it is gay to write "try to forget" on a torn picture of the day he and Ford became roommates in college, implying that the memory of their relationship is traumatic on par with literally seeing a demon from another dimension. (EDIT: IT IS ALSO GAY TO WRITE "MISS YOU" IN A CODE ON THE WHITEBOARD IN THE PHOTO OF THE FIRST DAY THEY MET. I'm not sure who's supposed to be the one who wrote that, probably fiddleford since he tore the photo, but did he know any of the ciphers? I don't know. It's gay, I don't know.)

9. TRY TO FORGET WHAT, FIDDLEFORD

10. YOUR GAY FEELINGS FOR STANFORD PINES???

Ford:

1. Fellas, is it gay to seek companionship in isolation? When Fiddleford tells Ford he's flying back to visit his wife, this cuts him deeply.

2. Ford says "of course...who could fault him? I sometimes forget there is a world outside my lab."

3. So... the way Ford says this feels like he knows that Fiddleford's marriage isn't working out, for whatever reason. "Who could fault him?" My dude, that's his wife???

(Also side note, but I find it interesting that Ford says "F confessed that he's flying back home to visit Emma-May." Important words: confessed-why did he not want to tell/ leave Ford? Visit-why say Fiddleford is visiting his wife? Why not that he's flying back to be with his wife, or to reconnect?)

4. Again- Ford is reminded that there is "a world outside my lab" i.e. Fiddlefords wife. A world that he's not a part of and cannot fathom.

5. Fiddleford saving Ford from the Krampus and then immedietly hugging. Or, sorry- "EMBRACING." Fellas, is it gay to embrace your homie after a near death experience?

6. Ford immedietly asking if he can cheer Fiddleford up after him mentioning the fight with his wife (you know, the one about him not getting her a Christmas gift even though he clearly cares a lot about gifts). Not even asking like "dude...really?" Just immediete support. Maybe even understanding?

7. Ford calling Fiddleford down to the portal room to surprise him with the lights and decorations. "The smile on his face proved I'd made the right choice." OH, IS THAT RIGHT STANFORD

8. Ford knowing and playing Fiddlefords favorite song???

9. Them getting nog-drunk, building snowmen, and reminiscing about old times??? REMINISCING??? NOT THE REMINISCING!!!

10. "It can be hard sometimes to find a moment to celebrate when you're lost in the cold...but it's easier with new gloves." OH. OK.

That is all.

[inquisimail]

veilguard ask game

now that i've finished the game i'd like to share with you some questions that my friends and i asked each other during our respective playhtroughs, along with other things that i'm curious to know about other people's experience with the game. feel free to play this if you want (the questions themselves don't contain any major story spoilers)

most & least favorite: 1. ost 2. location 3. banter 4. voiceline delivery 5. part of the crossroads 6. npc (excluding companions) 7. armor 8. weapon 9. codex entry 10. environment detail 11. lighthouse decor 12. side quest 13. room in the lighthouse 14. fraction 15. enemy/boss to fight about rook: 16. what animal would your rook be? 17. very serious question, what type of pony would your rook be? what's their cutiemark? 18. is your rook more diplomatic, humorous, or harsh? a mix of all three? 19. who did you romance? would you want to romance more than one companion? 20. is rook best friends with any of the companions? if yes, who? 21. does your rook's in-game appearance perfectly match the one you have in your head? is the game version lacking any attributes that aren't possible to add in the character creator? gray hairs, piercings, etc? 22. would your rook be part of the book club? 23. would rook and inquisitor be on good terms? would they like or not be able to stand each other? secret third thing? 24. does your rook have any hobbies? 25. is rook religious? 26. it's your rook's turn to cook for the team. what will they make? 27. is there a song you associate with your rook / their romance with a companion? 28. can your rook actually swim or is the game accurate on that front? 29. can rook handle their gingerwort tea? general: 30. favorite / funniest / most cursed screenshot? 31. any bugs you've encountered? were they funny or annoying? 32. did you use transmog on your armor / weapons? 33. did you pick different companions throughout the game or stuck with the same ones? was it for tactical reasons or because you (or your rook) liked them most? 34. did you use the default casual outfit or did you pick a different appearance for hanging around the lighthouse? 35. is your powerful tingle properly contained?

[cosmerelists]

If Cosmere Characters Were Given Three Wishes From a Genie...

As requested by anon. :)

[A few of the jokes in this are WAT spoilers! They are marked in the entry title in case you need to skip 'em]

Cosmere characters have just rubbed a magic lamp and now they're being offered three wishes by a genie! How will that go for them?

1. Steris

Genie: There are three rules! Genie: I cannot kill anyone, I cannot bring anyone back to life, and I cannot make anyone fall in love. Steris: (Taking notes) Can I wish for more wishes? Genie: No. Steris: Can I wish for someone else to have more wishes? Genie: Also no. Steris: Can I cancel a wish in the future if I no longer want it? Genie: ...no. Steris: Can I modify a wish after wishing it? Genie: ...no. Steris: I see. Steris: My first wish, then, is to help you create an actual Wish Rule Handbook because that, I'm afraid, is a lot more than three rules. Steris: Let's get drafting! Genie: Why am I afraid

2. Kelsier

Kelsier: Three wishes? Amazing! Kelsier: First, I'd like to finally obtain the exact physical body I've been dreaming of all these years! Kelsier: Second, I'd like Scadrial to be utterly protected from the nefarious designs of Odium or any other hostile Shard. Kelsier: And third, I'd like Hoid to stub his toe every day for the rest of his life. Kelsier: Phew! That was way easier than what I've been doing! Kelsier: I can't believe I wasted hundreds of years on machinations, ha ha! Genie: ... Kelsier: What?

3. Szeth [Mild WAT spoilers!]

Szeth: (suspiciously) Wishes? Szeth: As in, things that I personally want? Szeth: What is this, some kind of therapy? Szeth: Away with you! Genie: H-Hey, if you want to wish for some therapy, it sounds like that might be kind of helpful for you? Szeth: Away, I say! Genie: Well, I tried.

4. Taravangian

Taravangian: [slams a 400-page tome down on the table] Taravangian: This is my first wish--it includes caveats for every possible loophole, bad faith interpretation, and/or unintended consequence. Taravangian: I declare that this whole book constitutes the sum total of Wish #1. Genie: ...Which is? Taravangian: I'd like Hoid to stub his toe every day for as long as he lives. Genie: ... Genie: That wish required 400 pages?! Taravangian: I like to be thorough.

5. Vin

Vin: I would like to always have the exact metal or metals I desire in my flask as soon as I desire them. Vin: I'd also like Elend to feel a surge of reassurance that yes of course I love him whenever he feels doubt. Genie: Two very fine wishes. What is your third? Vin: Hmmm.... Vin: Honestly, I just keep thinking that I'd like to be faster than a horse. Genie: ...Like, horses in general or one specific horse? Vin: Just...horses in general. Genie: ...It's not the weirdest wish I've heard today.

6. Adolin [WAT SPOILERS!]

Adolin: Oooh, I've always wanted the ability to point at an outfit in a fashion magazine and instantly have that outfit in my perfect size. Genie: Granted! Adolin: I'd also like Shallan to be brought here safely to Azimir if that's what she wants--like, please ask her first just in case. Genie: Granted! Adolin: ... Adolin: I would also like everyone to think I gave those wishes in the reverse order. Genie: Granted! Adolin: Wait, does that count as a wish?? Adolin: ... Adolin: No, actually I'm okay with that.

7. Azure

Azure: I would like to know where Nightblood is, please. Azure: I've been looking for so long! It's IMPOSSIBLE to find! Genie: [silently hands her a map] Azure: ... Azure: IT'S BEEN ON ROSHAR THE WHOLE TIME?!

8. Lightsong

Lightsong: You grant three wishes, huh? Lightsong: I can only grant one wish. And I have to die to do it. Genie: That's a tough break. Lightsong: Well, to be fair I live a life of luxury and worship, rather than being trapped in a tiny lamp. Genie: I appreciate that. Many people treat my abilities as frivolous, wishing for things they could obtain for themselves if they tried or for things they should never truly have. Genie: It is a genuine relief to meet someone who understands the true import of wishes. Lightsong: ... Lightsong: I was gonna wish for you to hand me that glass so I don't have to get up, but now it feels awkward. Genie: ... Lightsong: I'm just really comfortable right now.

9. Kaladin

Kaladin: [muttering to himself] Can't wish for all of my friends to be safe. They'd probably be magically locked in a room forever or something. Kaladin: I could wish for Oroden to grow up happy, but what if that means he dies if he gets sad or something? Or like loses the ability to feel things? Kaladin: I could wish for Moash to go back to how he was, but how could I take away his ability to make choices? Kaladin: It's too much! I don't want any wishes! Genie: Uh....granted? Kaladin: Did that count as a wish???

10. Venli

Venli: I wish for your freedom. Genie: ... Genie: As your first wish? Venli: Yup. Genie: Not as, like, your third wish after you obtain two other wishes? Venli: Nah. Genie: W-Who are you?? Venli: I'm a Willshaper, baby. Tumi: [hums contentedly]