#pretty sure it was just the angel mace other than the hell fight

[sunflowercider]

Once Javier Asrahan becomes a grandmaster, there are only two times he is ever harmed by a blade.

This first time is one of his most painful memories. A chaotic battle in the pits of Hell itself. He desperately attempts to defend his master, and only briefly succeeds. The throbbing pain of his shoulder is no comparison to the shattering of his heart as he watches the man closest to him sacrifice himself to save everyone they love.

(He does not allow this man to suffer alone.)

The second and last time he is injured by a blade is a quiet evening not long after. The master of his heart is resting in the bed before him. The entire household is appalled at the state of his health and has ensured he remains rested and well-fed. Javier is no exception, and has brought an apple for a bedtime snack. The man watches him as he quietly quarters it and hands a slice over, making sure to pick any seeds out. As he cuts into the next slice, there's a long sigh beside him followed by a quiet "I love you". Javier whips up to gape at the man. There's a faint stinging in his palm. It's a wonder he can hear his master's yelp of shock over the ringing in his ears. The man tugs at the hand holding the apple, babbling about something, but all Javier can do is tug him closer and ask him to repeat himself. Through gritted teeth and pink cheeks, he does, and Javier is reminded of his most treasured memory every time he sees the nick on his palm.

[purplesurveys]

1006

(found at xxbieberburnham)

“The rest of your life”

Are you independent or dependent? Dependent as all hell. I’ll put my foot down on very certain things, but most of the time I prefer hearing input or suggestions from people I trust. I definitely think it’s something I still have to work on because I know I’ll have to be mostly independent at some point.

If you could put your life into a category, where would it go? I feel like this would be easier to answer if you gave a list of categories. I don’t know what kind of insight you’re looking for.

How many animals do you have? I have two, but I call them pets.

Are you popular? Idk and I don’t care. All I know is I don’t actively seek to be so.

What time were you born? 9:11 in the evening.

Have you had any candy this week? Yeah, I had a gummy worm this morning. Mom bought a box of Halloween-themed sweets and there were cupcakes had gummy worms on them alongside marshmallows designed to look like a tombstone.

Are you more afraid of tornadoes or hurricanes? Hurricanes are terrifying, but I’m used to them. We don’t get tornadoes at all so I’ll not only be unprepared for those, but would definitely be more afraid of them too.

Do you like those nerd glasses? Sure, I still think they’re cute and look good on people but I never called them nerd glasses lol. Mine are kinda shaped like one.

Have you ever been in a fist fight? Nah, I’d be wiped out pretty fast.

What color is your house? A light shade of beige.

When was the last time you saw a rainbow? More than a year ago, I’m sure. It was during our ride back home from a journalism workshop, which if I remember correctly was all the way in Cavite. Goddamn we traveled a lot for those workshops.

Have you ever ate a crayon? I’ve never bitten off a piece but I’m not ruling out at least licking.

Ever rode in a helicopter? Nope. Would love to.

Do you like rabbits? Sure.

Do you like mushrooms? For the most part I don’t even think they taste like anything, so I never really had a problem with mushrooms.

“It’s like you step into the room and just press play”

What was the last movie you cried at? That Thing Called Tadhana. I had watched it five years ago after my first breakup; I got to go to Sagada shortly after that breakup, so that movie was actually very therapeutic for me at the time because it allowed me to release my feelings the way Mace did, also in Sagada. Now I’m stuck at home and can’t travel and that movie just hurt too much to finish.

What ice cream flavor best describes your personality? I don’t really...pair ice cream flavors with types of personalities.

Would you rather work for a small or large company? Large, because I feel like I’d be challenged more in those and thus learn more. Also it just looks nicer on resumés, if I’m being honest. Smaller companies are ok too but I prefer those that already have a rep for churning excellent results and having a good track record for workplace culture, like the company I’m currently working with.

Where's your favorite place to buy clothes? Ukays. I used to not like them, but my mom and sister did a great job reeling me in and making me see the appeal.

How many languages do you speak? Two.

What was the worst movie you've ever seen? Me Before You was such a waste of my time. Predictable, cheesy, and typical asshole-guy-softens-up-over-time-oh-and-just-as-you-start-to-root-for-him-we’re-gonna-kill-him-off. But idk, I was with friends who were into movies like those and I wanted to support them, so I went along to watch.

What video game have you played the most? Cumulatively, pretty sure it’s Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

What was your favorite TV show as a child? I was a Nickelodeon girl and Spongebob, Fairly OddParents, and My Life as a Teenage Robot were my top 3, with Jimmy Neutron closely trailing at #4. I loved Disney shows too but wasn’t really able to appreciate them as much until I got a little older and could understand their humor better.

What's your favorite sport? My answer won’t change - if it counts, pro wrestling. If it doesn’t, my next favorite is table tennis.

If you were given a brand new yacht, what would you name it? Nothing creative is coming to me at the moment.

Do you believe there’s life on other planets? Yes. Maybe not the ones in our solar system, but those out in the distant universe for sure.

What was the worst place you ever traveled to? Can’t say I’ve truly disliked a particular place we’ve been to. I will say that Chinese people have a...culture that I’m not used to, and I did not enjoy touring with a bunch of them during my cruise. They had buffet habits that I would consider unhygienic, they would sit at the same table my mom and I were eating at if there were available seats(??????? imagine if I just sat beside you at a diner while you’re having lunch?), and apparently it’s acceptable for them to actually look you in the eyes and point directly at you if they’re talking about you with other people. It was honestly a lot to put up with for six days, and the only reason I didn’t lose my temper was because my dad works in the ship and I didn’t want to cause him any trouble.

What is one thing you’re really bad at? Making art.

Do you believe in angels? No. I like referring to my grandpa as my guardian angel, but I don’t actually believe in angels.

Would you rather be a famous actor or musician? I know I’m awful at either, but I’d much rather act.

“where have you been all my life?”

If you could have invented one thing, what would it have been? It’d be cool to come up with something that ends up being widely popular and/or beneficial to society, but do it accidentally; like how popsicles came to be. Imagine building a legacy from your own oopsie lmao sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

What's your favorite exercise workout? I don’t do workouts.

What's your favorite thing to do? Wow, very straightforward. Hmm these days I’m slowly inching back to wrestling, so I’ve been watching compilations and documentaries and doing some catching-up here and there. Lately I’d say that’s my favorite thing to do, but that can always change.

What did you do for your 17th birthday? Gab and I went to Pinto and she brought me to Filio after. Then I got back home to see what Athenna had done to my room while I was out, which was to cover the floor with balloons and the walls with printed photos of Zayn Malik.

Does your local Wal Mart have benches in them to rest? First, we’ll need to have local Wal-Mart stores here.

Was your favorite stuffed animal really a teddy bear growing up? I never liked stuffed animals, so I didn’t even have a teddy bear.

If your house was haunted, what would you do? Not fuck with the ghosts/spirits.

Are you crazy in love currently? Not crazily, but in love.

Are you good at swimming? I can tread and do several strokes, but I also tend to panic so I think that eliminates the concept of me being a good swimmer.

What's worse: Slow internet or slow walkers? Slow internet. I can get around slow walkers; but unless I have mobile data, slow internet is out of my control for the most part.

What is the rudest thing a guy has ever done to you? I can’t pick between whistling at me, catcalling me, lunging at me, or flirtatiously harass me in front of his friends while I was minding my goddamn business carrying a goddamn box of cake at the mall. Yeah, not a very big fan of men.

Do you sleep with the sheets tucked in or out? Out.

What do you do to fall asleep faster? Put on a YouTube video and let autoplay take over.

Do you carry a bottle of water wherever you go? Yeah I used to, until I lost it.

Ae you afraid that one day you might get cancer? The fear of the possibility is there, but it’s not predominantly in our family history and so I’m more afraid of other issues I have a higher chance of getting, like high blood pressure.

“Letters to Juliet”

Are you a fast or slow walker? Fast if I’m running errands, slow-ish if I’m out for leisure.

Do you usually have to wear a belt with your pants? No.

Does it bother you when people's underwear hangs out? Kinda. Even more when their crack decides to show up too.

Are you usually the person to try new things with your hair? No, I am one of the last people in line when it comes to that.

When's your birthday? April 21st.

Do you own a bobble-head toy? Nopes.

What color was the towel you used to dry off with today after a shower? Turquoise.

Has anyone ever walked you home? I’ve had someone drive me home. Walking isn’t really applicable here.

Have you ever liked someone and they were taken? That’s never happened to me.

When was the last time you went fishing? In my past life, maybe.

True or false: You've read the book Lord of the Flies? False.

Have you heard of the band Yellowcard? Yes.

Have you ever seen the show Teen Wolf? I’ve seen an episode and oh my god it was so boring.

Do you have any quotes, lyrics etc on your walls? I used to until my mom took it down while I was in school. I made it myself, so it stung.

Are you a fan of Star Wars? No.

“Our parents never let us cross the street, but we did it anyway”

Has anyone ever told you that you have nice hair? Whenever it was actually nice, yeah. It was never my best feature though.

What brand of camera do you own? I have...an iPhone, if it counts, ha. My old DSLR was a Nikon.

Is there something you're not looking forward to? The next day. Having to go through rounds of anxiety is not enjoyable.

Have you ever read the book Thirteen Reasons Why? Have not read the book nor seen the show, but have read enough of the premise to know I am not a fan.

Do you wear white pants? Sure, I have a pair of white jeans that I absolutely love.

When was the last time you were really angry? Yesterday. My sister and I were ordering KFC from a food delivery app and no driver was taking it because drivers in that company are notoriously picky bitches about their destinations. They kept canceling our orders and at some point I had enough and proposed that we just get Pizza Hut, this time straight from the Pizza Hut website, which has always worked out for us before. So Pizza Hut confirms the order, calls me up and says the ETA, so far so good. Around 15 minutes later the doorbell rings and it’s...KFC? With our original orders? Apparently that stupid ass app took our order anyway after repeatedly canceling it, and I never got one fucking notification that our order was received. Tried to cancel Pizza Hut but they said they had already started making the pizzas, so in the end we had to pay for both meals. I had never been so angry.

Have you ever made a 3 pointer in a basketball game? Hah, of course not. I’ve barely made one of those free throws that are worth one point.

Do you think you look better with your hair up or down? I’ve gotten more compliments whenever it’s up, so that must look better on me even if I personally don’t necessarily agree.

Do you warm up before you hardcore exercise? I don’t exercise, but isn’t warming up recommended anyway?

Do you want a pair of Converse shoes? Not really; I suppose they’re alright. It’s not my favorite brand in the world, but I wouldn’t turn down a free pair either.

Are you more of a studs or hoops type of person when it comes to earrings? Hoooooooooops for days.

How many shirts do you have of your favorite band? Just one. I’m not a band shirt person.

Turn on the TV. What channel are you on? There’s no TV in this room.

Have you ever wore a tie before? Yeah, as a kid my mom sometimes made me wear neckties. They made me SO uncomfortable I was having internal breakdowns about being seen in public. I was 7 years old. Neckties to me were a boy thing and I felt 0% boy; and so it gave me such serious dysphoria. It’s like making a boy wear a pink tutu even if he’s already visibly distressed. Whenever I told my mom I felt uncomfortable, she would just tell me it “looks good.” Jesus Christ. Why did no one ever drag my mom to a parenting seminar? Did no one seriously see the signs???

What did you have for breakfast this morning? Garlic rice, bacon strips, and glazed ham.

“For the Krusty Krab”

Are you good at art? Of course not.

How many times have you read your favorite book? I don’t have one.

Name one thing that you really hate. Raisins, on their own and incorporated in a dish.

Have you ever tried walking on stilts? I haven’t.

Is there a war that you find interesting? Eh, not really. So many of historical accounts are bombarded with war narratives as it is, and I’ve just never really found disputes or tensions among countries to be the most interesting part about history. Plus women were mostly absent, and that makes it even more boring.

Would you rather live in the city or country? City.

Do you think $7 is too much for a movie ticket? Not always. $7 or ₱350 is actually pretty reasonable if you wanna see a movie at an upscale mall; people who watch movies in places like that shouldn’t be complaining about movie tickets that cost that much. But all movie theaters are the same anyway - pitch black, freezing, comfy chairs - so I just go to midscale malls where tickets would be like a hundred bucks cheaper since it’s gonna give me the same experience anyway.

Would you like to be a newscast person? For a long time I thought I wanted to be one because that’s what my entire family was rooting me to become. Eventually I realized reading from a teleprompter, interviewing guests, and asking questions to reporters is not a career I want.

Do you like word searches, coloring or crosswords better? Word searches, then coloring, then crosswords.

Close your eyes and press a random key on the keyboard. U.

How many William’s do you know? I don’t think I know anyone. It’s too foreign-sounding a name.

What time did you wake up this morning? I woke up at around 6 AM, but I fell back asleep immediately and woke up again around 30 minutes later.

Do you enjoy crutches? ...No? That seems a little insensitive for people who actually need them.

What's better: Snapple or Arizona tea? Arizona. It’s because I’ve never had the Snapple one, but tbh Arizona is already pretty delicious anyway.

Make a word out of the word: Dinosaur. Round.

“she said I love this song, I’ve heard it before”

When you were younger, did you play with legos? Yes. I was never a creative kid, but I liked playing with them anyway.

Do you like Trix cereal? It was only my absolute favorite cereal as a kid, no biggie.

Do you get nervous easily? Ugh, yes. My parents asked me to get water containers from our local water station last Saturday and I literally had to allot like two hours to brace myself and make a script in my head. I constantly rehearse shit nearly every time I have to go out of the house.

How long is your Facebook password? I’m not sharing that.

Do you like the movie Mean Girls? No, I didn’t find it funny the first time and that made me uninterested in giving it a second chance.

How do you want your wedding to be? Big, grand. Lots of friends, lots of food. Not Catholic/Christian.

Have you seen the movie or show Catfish? Nope.

Do you hate it when you arrive to something early? Not usually. Being early is my goal in most situations, unless I’m headed to like a party.

Have you ever been on Omegle? A few times as a teenager.

Are you still in love with one of your exes? Yes. It’s not going away for a while.

Do you think it's attractive when guys wear beanies? I don’t necessarily seek out men with beanies lol but I don’t think it looks bad on them either.

What's something that makes you feel shy in public? Unfamiliar situations.

Do you like the shows on MTV? No.

If you could go back and relive one day, what day? That last Friday I was in school before the lockdown happened. If I knew what the next eight months were going to look like, I would’ve stayed much longer in school, dragged my friends out to drink, blew my money on food, had more fun basically.

What's one word you hate to be called? Exhausting. Like being told I’m exhausting to be with. How does that not hurt?

[team-free-squiggle]

And... this is the post!!! My Sides!!! I was inspired by @thatsthat24‘s Sanders Sides series to look a little deeper into myself, and finally put some names to my traits.

Literally. 

So, left to right, top to bottom, in order:

Pride

Their name is Rogue (like Rogue One), and yes they chose it themselves. They are very proud of that.  Dark red crop top, ripped black skinny jeans, and a short black leather jacket that they usually wear, buuut it’s super hot out. Literally loves to be punk, loves the aesthetic, and always looks good because they have to be proud of themselves.

Lies, Slander, and More Lies

This is my Deceitful Side, also known as Diana (Die-Anna). They kinda love to borrow aesthetics from the Dragon Witch, and has very extremely oh so evil powers. Totally embraces the Slytherin that I am. Is a little too strong sometimes, I’m working on being more honest with myself, okay? Also absolutely has slits in that dress and can run and fight in it ‘cause I am not the type to stand on the sidelines. 

Femininity

Since I am a demifluid enby, I do have Sides for my different genders, which is admittedly strange but also weirdly kinda cool (to me). One is my femininity, or Malee (May-lee). Nicknamed May. She is a total girly-girl, but doesn’t hate on anyone who isn’t. Basically a femme lesbian. Super sweet, wears makeup all the time, really works with Pride a lot to try and get me to look good. But she’s not all about looks - super feminist. Also the Mom Friend of the group. Super strong, powerful. To be honest her icon is Lucy from Narnia, so you can tell she is not a weak-willed woman. 

Creativity

They are an artist of all types. Their name is Cassie. Started with ballet, went to music, and never stopped trying to draw and write. Still a musician and a writer, getting more and more into crochet recently. They are the source of all inspiration and ideas, and no matter how bad things end up they are always there to persevere. Really wants to fly. Loves the Imagination, ‘cause that’s where they can do anything they want.

Depression

This little shit. She is like. The darkest Side. Annoyingly, she - Dani - is also a part of me. She holds onto all my insecurities, always makes them bigger than they’re out to be. She’s the one that blows things out of proportion and makes my Anxiety kick in. She’s the one that hurts me the most. Also the source of any and all dysphoria, usually shown to me through Pride and/or Anxiety. Like I said. A little shit.

Anxiety

Not too bad, kinda chill. Their name is Judi. Does what depression tells them because Depression is stronger, but overall, kinda relaxed. Unless they send me into a Panic attack because they are so worried about something (usually because it’s because I get stressed out over what I have to do and then they kick in). They are good at keeping me awake. Which is a good thing with everything I have to do.

Masculinity

His name is Mace, and he honestly hasn’t been around much up until the past year. Kinda quiet, shy. But strong. Still there. Really just super chill, wants to sit around enjoying sports and/or geeky things. He comes out when I’m at the gym. He also really comes out when I’m in band, because it is a physical activity. Does like classic rock and some country as well as punk and some other alternative.

Nonbinary

Is honestly a mood. I don’t know how. But they are. This is Charlie, my enby Side. They are just there, kinda in the back, until someone tries to offend someone else, specifically in the LGBTQ+ community. Then they bring the fire and wrath down that the homophobes and transphobes and any other such bigots deserve. They do not stand for someone hurting because of stuff like that. If someone is being racist or homophobic, you better believe that they can and will Fite that person behind a Denny’s at 3 am. 

Me!!!! 

Hi! It’s me, Angel! zYour resident pansexual demifluid enby. Huge nerd, creative mess, and just someone who does love life a lot. Yeah, I got my issues, but then who the hell doesn’t? Also, I love cats. 

Logic

Rarely works tbh. Their name is Laura, and they are usually too busy staring at pretty people to work. They end up blanking out a lot because of this. But they do work sometimes. Like, during school, they’re okay, but if one of the other Sides gets distracted, which happens all the time, Logic just flies out the window. Literally. The above picture is Morality joining them on flying out said window so they can go have a nice day together. I’m also pretty sure my Logic is gay for my Morality. 

Morality

Will love you no matter what. Even if you’re a bitch to them, which you shouldn’t be because they are the sweetest thing. Literally just wants to cuddle everyone and everything. Also the Parent Friend, along with my femininity. My Morality’s name is River, because they’re flowy and pretty and yet can destroy everything when they are in the mood. I’ve really been trying to listen to them more, because they do have a super optimistic and pretty cool outlook on life. I am pretty sure they are gay for my Logic.

Now that you’ve met the sides, this is kinda how they match up against each other.

Pride vs. Depression - Depression tries to knock down my self image. Pride tries to keep it up. Pride often can end up being a tool to Depression, though I am working on trying to see through that. Gah, depression is difficult. But I can fight it.

Lies vs. Morality - Honestly, since Morality loves everyone, they get along rather well. It could certainly be worse. Lies aren’t always the villain in my case, after all. 

Femininity vs. Masculinity - Honestly, they work together, but since femininity was always at the forefront, it’s been hard on masculinity. I really need to work on accepting all of myself, but you know what? I’m on a rollercoaster that only goes up, my friend. *sorry not sorry I quoted the Fault in Our Stars*

Creativity vs. Logic - Kind of an obvious rivalry here. Fantasy against Reality, and all that. But they work together to create the best kinds of ideas, and they both really help out when I’m trying to make music (due to both the technical and emotive portions of it).

Nonbinary vs. Anxiety - It’s basically the Anxiety of coming out. Like, being nonbinary is still new to me, and it’s really confusing a lot of times. Actually, it’s confusing pretty much all the time. But the Anxiety is really only over being outed, or over whether or not I’m faking it. You know, the usual gender stuff.

But yes, these are my Sides! I hope you at least found this interesting, or something... cause I honestly have no idea anymore.

Let me know what you think (if you want), and I will see you guys later!!!

~~

Tag List

(Sanders Sides)

@astraastro

@madly-handsome

@amber1594

@lie-lie-birdy

@thebaagelboy

@justanotherpurplebutterfly

@ravenclawunicorn1

@ako1209

@princessbelix

@water13girl

@romanasanders

@deathshadowrules

@virgils-jacket

@fandomsofrandom 

@cochroachkappa-blog 

@zoeyheys 

@chipminkle 

@6tick6tock6 

@maizieandbirds 

@panic-at-theeverywhere 

@not-my-patton 

@cookieturtleart123 

@confinesofpersonalknowledge 

@generalfandomfabulousness 

@thegirlofwolvesandfangs 

@toujours-fidele 

@light-it-on-fire 

@ghostmaster83 

(All)

@birdybabybird 

@awesomelissawho 

@funsizedgremlin 

@surviving-an-ocean-of-fandoms 

@teacupfulofstarshine 

@am-i-heaven-or-am-i-hell 

[kreetthekobold]

10 - Attack

In fact, it was almost a year and a half later before Karl’s wedding was announced. In the world that Kreet lived in, such young marriages were not unusual. Common wisdom was "If you're old enough to 'do it' you're old enough to be a parent”. The fact that the bride-to-be was gravid with child by then was the typical situation rather than the exception. The circumstances were obvious and Karl had been reprimanded by his Master for his indiscretion, but in fact he was quite in love with the woman and she seemed to be so of him as well. In the intervening time the old lady who lived outside the Monastery walls had died and thus the young couple was provided a place to reside on the Monastery property.

While the young lady, Vosa by name, had never been a friend of Kreet's, she was civil enough and - with no other candidate available - Kreet was allowed to serve as her First while Brand was the First for Karl. It was a week away from the celebration that found all four together in Vosa's room at the laundry.

"So you are staying on as Cleric Quint's Assistent then?" Brand was asking Karl.

"Oh yes! The Master Cleric put in a good word for me with the Abbot. I know I can't really be a true Cleric anymore. I've got a family to think about now," Karl said, rubbing Vosa's swelling belly. "But you know I'm damn good at Cantrips and Spells. Even the Master says so. I think they'll groom me to take over for him one day!"

"I don't doubt it," Kreet said. "You'll be teaching me and Brand soon!"

"Oh, be honest," Vosa spoke up. "He already is, isn't he?"

Kreet and Brand looked at each other. Kreet had to nod. "Yeah, he pretty much is. He's really good at it."

"I know! They wanted to bring a doctor in when it's my time to deliver, but I told them my Karl can do it better anyway!" she said, holding Karl's hand.

Karl looked alarmed at that, "Well, I could probably help, but you know I've never been present for a real delivery before!"

"We’ve done plenty of animals," Brand spoke up. "Surely they're not that much different."

Karl looked at him seriously, "Maybe not, but it's never been my wife before!"

"Well I'm not worried," Vosa said, "but since it will make Kay feel better, we'll have a doctor anyway."

Vosa's look turned a bit ashamed, "besides, it's not my first you know."

Of course they all knew that. She had been pregnant before, but the child had died shortly after its birth. That had created a stir in the Monastery, but she wouldn't say who the father was to anyone. Most everyone suspected a village boy who had been seen around the Monastery anyway.

"So I guess it's just you and me now," Brand said to Kreet. "The last of the Young Clerics."

"Well, if you don't count those four new kids they brought in last year," she reminded him.

Brand scoffed, "Those runts?! They'll never amount to Clerics. They wouldn't know a Cantrip from a Canticle!"

They all laughed at that, all except Vosa who, Kreet suspected, really didn't.

Suddenly they heard noises outside. They all looked up, not recognizing the sound. Then the alarm bell began to ring and screams were heard in the distance.

"What the hell is that?" Brand shouted, standing up.

Vosa looked at Karl, who assured her it was alright, then turned back to Brand and Kreet. "The Monastery is under attack. Come on, we can help."

The three left the room, but not before Vosa grabbed Karl's hand. "Be careful Kay!" she said, sincere concern in her eyes.

"I'll be fine," he assured her. "I'm not stupid. And you'll be fine too. But get to the sanctuary just in case."

She nodded and then the three were out into the darkness. On the other side of the Monastery a fire was burning, but it appeared to be outside the wall. Kreet noticed the gate was shut up tight and monks were manning the normally empty guard towers with crossbows.  It struck her that these normally peaceful men were nonetheless quite ready to weild any weapon available when threatened.

The three soon came upon Cleric Quint who had just finished talking with one of the Priors.

"Brand, come with me. Some bandits have breached the south wall. Kreet and Karl, you stay behind us. They've already been engaged by some of our best monks, but we are the only true Clerics here. Fortunately we had a warrior staying with the Abbot. I'm told he's gearing up and will be with us shortly. Let's get rid of these creatures before they can cause any serious damage!"

They ran towards the south wall, Brand and Cleric Quint outdistancing the lame Kurt and the small kobold quickly. Kreet saw the flash of metal and heard the yelling of both the monks and the bandits as she rounded a corner of the last building. Brand and her Master were in there somewhere, but she couldn't make them out. However, her extended night vision did allow her to see one of the bandits running at a monk she didn't recognize. The monk couldn't possibly have seen him, since he was engaged with another bandit already in front of him. Kreet began a Cantrip, but Karl was faster. He knocked the man over with Sacred Flame.  "Kreet, cover your eyes!" he shouted, which she instantly obeyed, then he case a strong Light spell.

She had her glasses on before she opened her eyes again. The Light spell had blinded most everyone there, but the Monks knew their land and the Bandits did not. Skulls were bashed in and bones broken. Kreet saw the Master then, taking on two terribly big men in fur armor with only his own stave, but he wielded it viciously. Beside him Brand was casting a Protection spell on the Master, then turned to help another monk who was giving way to a huge monstrous shape she'd never seen the like of before.

And then, like an angel in steel, a man strode in from behind them. In the full plate armor he wore, he could not move quickly, but he made an impression on everyone on the field that could not be denied. He headed straight for where Brand was barely keeping out of the way of the huge mace wielded by the beastly thing in front of him.

Thinking quickly, Kreet went to her knees and cast Bless on Brand, the Master and the new figure. Whether or not they noticed, she couldn't tell, but it was one thing she could do for them anyway. It was the most powerful spell she knew that was not the forbidden spell, but she knew even that was only a level 1 spell. She began to feel useless.

Then the Knight, for Kreet could think of no other word for him, engaged in battle with the monster.  It was no easy matter, even for him, to defeat the thing. But he wielded his shield expertly and the mace only glanced off it while that opened him up to strike at the heart of the thing. He scored a hit on one massive leg and she could see the blood spurting as Karl's light began to fade, but it's ire was up and it roared at the man who suddenly looked small as it reared up to it's full height, it's mace directly overhead as it prepared for a tremendous blow.  Kreet could see no way the Knight, in his heavy armor, could avoid the blow. He might manage to survive, but it would be a chancy thing.

The other fighting seemed to stop as all eyes turned towards the two. Even the bandits backed off to see what would happen. Then Karl shouted again for Kreet to hide her eyes, which she did instantly, having practiced the move many times now. She felt the flash and heard the roar of his Guiding Bolt. When she opened her eyes again, the bandits were in full retreat back to the wall with the monks, Brand among them, giving chase. The thing lie motionless on the ground.

She looked at Karl, and he looked at her. "Are you okay Kreet?"

"Fine. You killed it!" she said with awe in her voice.

The Knight was striding their way. When he got within 10 feet, he removed his helmet. The long hair and moustaches that graced his face were almost exactly what Kreet had expected. He was every inch the Kight in Shining Armor.

"Damn you boy," he shouted angrily. "I'd have sliced it's legs off if you'd have given me another second!"

Karl shook his head. "What?! What are you on about? I saved your fucking life!"

The moustaches twitched. "Well, it was a little quicker than I thought. Maybe you're right. Sorry lad, I don't like it when my kill is taken from me. But damn that was one huge demon wasn't it?"

Karl's face relaxed. "A demon? Is that what that was?"

"Only thing I know of that would attack a Monastery head-on like that! They always attract retainers, but with it dead I'm sure they won't be back. My name is Mekelson, boy. What's your name?"

Karl shook the outstretched hand. "My name is Karl, Sir. My friends call me Kay. And this is Kreet."

The head turned to face her, and it backed up a step. "But... she's a kobold! Oh, that's right. The abbot mentioned you. Kreet eh? You're a lucky girl, Kreet. Most kobolds I meet don't see me with my helmet off!"

He turned back to Karl, "Can she talk?"

Kreet's eyes were burning. Something was wrong with her brain. She closed them and swallowed hard. Without looking at the man, she responded. "I talk. I am an Acolyte of Pelor, the Lord of Light."

"She blessed you, you know," Karl said speaking up for her.

"Oh, did she? Well, thank you for that, Kreet. But now I'd better get back to the Abbot. He'll be waiting for me," said the man and strode off.

Karl whispered to her, "You didn't have to look away, Kreet. You're an Acolyte. You deserve as much respect as any old warrior!"

"I didn't look away out of shame, Kay," the kobold said. When she looked up at him, he saw her eyes were literally glowing red in the darkness. "I was trying not to kill him."

[tialovestelevision]

Judgement

Back over to Angel for Season 2! I’m not sure what all’s coming, but I do know Lindsey is missing a hand. 1. He’s very green, isn’t he? And he’s singing I Will Survive. That’s awesome, and this guy’s got a hell of a voice. He’s telling us about the city. Now Cordy is telling Johnny that she loves him, and he’s moving on, and she slapped him. She’s acting. She has to leave ‘cause her pager went off. 2. Wes is playing darts at a bar. He has to leave because his pager went off. 3. Angel, Cordy, and Wes are at a gym. The guy doesn’t want them to come in, but Angel keeps going. They’re in front of a mirror, and that stopped the guy. Oh, look… demons sacrificing humans. Angel: “Stop that.” They attacked him instead. Lots of violence. No more demons. Opening credits. J. August Richards - Gunn - is in them now. 4. Guest stars include Christian Kane and Stephanie Romanov, so we’re going to get more of that story. Wes, Angel, and Cordy are at Cordy’s place, talking about the demons they killed and whatever Wolfram & Hart summoned. Angel wants to join a gym once he’s human. They fought a Vartite that took two days. Cordy has a cold and is having a vision. They have a nasty emon of unknown origin to deal with. 5. Lilah at the office. I think she’s talking to Donald Trump. They’re in Lindsey’s office; he can’t get the jewel case of a CD open. Darla wants to listen to classical music. She doesn’t look like she’s feeling great. She likes the preludes and nocturnes better than the waltzes. She can sense Angel. She remembers him killing her. She wants to see him. 6. Angel is doing a forensic drawing of the demon Cordy saw in her demon. It’s a war-beast, or a pit fighting beast… Cordy described it as a pit bull. I just realized that this show was made before the pro-pit bull movement became mainstream. Prio Motu. Wes knows a demon named Merl who might be able to help. He hangs out at a safe haven for demons, which Wes wants to take Angel to, but he’s not sure Angel’s going to like it. 7. Demon singing a song. The bar doesn’t allow weapons or violence. Merl feels safe because the bar is a sanctuary. Mortar the Bentback is going to sing while the host talks to the demon who was singing before. There’s more to life than eating your young. Wes found Merl, and paid him off, so he’s giving them info. The Prio Motu is in the tunnels. The Host met Angel, and told him the name of the place is Caritas, which is Latin for “mercy.” The Host thinks Angel is cute. The Host can read souls when people sing. “Three things I don’t do. Tan, date, and sing in public.” They’re going after the Prio Motu. 8. Tunnels. Hispanic woman running. Prio Motu attacks Angel. He’s fighting it. It… doesn’t seem as tough as all that. The woman is sad the demon is dead. Angel is shocked. He was the woman’s guardian. She’s terrified and hates LA. She needs protection from the Tribunal. She wants Angel to stay away from her. 9. Cordy’s house. They’re discussing what to do next. Wes is stepping in it. The Powers do not give good instructions. Angel says the Prio Motu’s mission is his now. Merl sold them out, to get money from the dark powers. Angel’s going to find the woman. So are a lot of demons. 10. White guy sees black people, runs away, meets vampires. Doesn’t thank Gunn. Angel and Gunn are looking for the woman. Gunn found the place, because he knows his city. The space the woman and the demon were living in is very nice. Angel found a thing, and is sending it and the name of the Tribunal back to Wes and Cordy. 11. This scene is lovely and sad… Angel learning the life the woman and the demon were living. Someone just came in, though. He grabbed a sword. Angel gave the woman one of his cards and offered to help. They need the coat of arms Angel sent with Gunn to keep the Tribunal from doing something. And now Angel is fighting a demon that wants to kill her. More demons are coming, and Angel and the woman are running. 12. Oh god Cordy and Wes are so very white. Oh so white. Gunn was playing with them, but delivered the coat of arms. Angel and the woman still running… they made it to the surface. Inside a building. Well, that’s pretty. Angel’s been here before. It’s creepy. The Tribunal is an overworldly court that might save the woman and her daughter. Angel sent the woman to Cordy’s, and is now fighting more demons to give her time to escape. 13. Angel’s at Cordy’s. The woman didn’t make it there. Angel is sad and self-doubty. Wes knows what the coat of arms is… it’s for going before the Chair of Judgement. They do trials by combat. 14. Angel’s singing so the Host can help them find the Tribunal. Ye gods he’s bad. Really, really bad. Cordy is impressed by what he’ll do to save a life. Durthok the Child Eater is feeling country and singing next. The Host wants to know wh Angel picked Mandy. Angel thinks it’s pretty. The Host told Angel where to find the Tribunal. 15. The woman is on the street, and the Tribunal just showed up in a pretty snazzy special effect. And there’s a knight with a lance. A demon knight, but a regular horse. She has no champion, so her life is forfeit, except Angel showed up and offered the coat of arms, so he’ll be her champion. They’re doing trial by combat. She doesn’t think Angel’s good at anything. Angel grew up around horses, but it’s been a while since he rode one. Now he’s on the horse. He has no armor and has never jousted - he’s from too late in history for that. Now they’re jousting. Angel hit the knight in the head, but it’s still mounted. Second pass, Angel gets dismounted. Knight draws its sword. Angel gets a sword too, and dismounts the knight. This is a better place for him to work. The knight is using a mace… that’s a bad option. Stabbed Angel with a sword, though. Angel gets up and beheads the knight. The Tribunal will protect the woman and her daughter. 16. Cordy’s house. They’re getting rid of the whiteboard. Angel leaves and goes to the jail. It’s Faith! She’s doing pretty good. Having a bad day, though. Someone tried to stab her. Nobody got killed, though Faith wanted to kill her and got beaten by the guards. Faith and Angel are talking about him singing. “Road to redemption is a rocky path.” “It is.” “Think we might make it?” “We might.” Overall: I’m not sure what to say about this episode - it speaks for itself. Ohgod they’re showing Angel singing over the closing credits and it’s wonderful. Anyway, where was I? Oh, yes. Episode speaks for itself. I’m not sure they ever named the woman on screen, though I may have missed it - Wikipedia calls her Jo. That I could have missed her name is an issue given that she’s really central to the episode. Her toughness and humor and wry cynicism are a fair bit of the glue that holds a kinda absurd narrative (demon court that offers protection or kills you based on the result of trial by combat?) together. I wish I expected to see more of her - her chemistry with Angel was really great, and I’d like to see her interact with the other cast members. An issue with Angel: Very little of it passes the Bechdel test. Cordy’s presence as the only woman in the main cast does it few favors. The Host and Caritas are a breath of fresh air in the show - simultaneously dramatic and deeply emotional and wonderfully silly, the Host’s gift and his bizarrely upscale demon club fit this show’s Los Angeles like a glove. Then there’s the continuing narrative of Angel’s redemption. I’ve talked a bit about how problematic the show’s insistence that he needs redemption is, but the story’s told well here. The death of the demon guardian and Angel’s taking the guardian’s calling on, plus the wonderful scene with Faith at the end, speak a great deal to what redemption means. I’m very impressed with this episode.