#pytho speaks

[marbledpython]

Thoughts on kh4 sora’s hair go

ok AA

first.. let me try to draw himb..

ok

all in all, its not a BAD new look tbh, but its definitely different enough that it looks a little odd on sora

[apollos-pythoness]

around a week back, i had a falling out with my grandma over something she said to me with no ill will but that, despite that, still hurt. now, we're both incredibly stubborn, and so neither of us wanted to be the one to apologize first, so we haven't talked since.

but last night, i had a dream. i don't remember the details, but i do remember that my gran and i talked. when i woke up, i felt it was a sign from Apollo to make peace and let the whole issue be water under the bridge. so, to confirm i got the right message, i decided to consult the cards. i hadn't even begun to shuffle them when the high priestess, the empress (reversed) and temperance (reversed) fell from my deck. i sighed and walked over to the kitchen and, without saying a word, i just hugged my gran, and she hugged me back and told me she loved me.

i thank the Gods deeply for teaching me to be more humble, to forgive, and to stop being so damn stubborn. i am forever grateful.

[sweet-soul-fragnance]

Coronis : -----

Lie vs Truth

Lie

coronis is First mentioned by hesiod in catalogue of woman :

"To him [Apollon], then, there came a messenger from the sacred feast to goodly Pytho, a crow, and he told unshorn Phoibos (Phoebus) [Apollon] of secret deeds, that Iskhys (Ischys) son of Elatos had wedded Koronis (Coronis) the daughter of Phlegyas of birth divine."

further coronis is mentioned in literature composed by pindar and ovid that are popular and mostly known by many people.

pindar version : apollo upon knowing that cornois betrayed him by sleeping with another man while still being pregnant with child of apollo sent artemis to kill coronis . when she was on her funeral pyre apollo saved asclepius (Apollo and coronis child) and took him to centuar to teach asclepius.

Ovid version : ovid says that a crow (a/q to him crows were white back then) came and told apollo of cornois secret deeds behind his back and apollo in anger turned the crow black and himself shoot coronis with his arrows but soon repented , tried his best to undo his deed but couldn't. Apollo poured the fragrant myrrh, sweet perfumes on her breast, that once he embraced . unwilling to harm asclepius he saved him from the flames .

This myth connects apollo-crows relationship (crow is sacred to apollo)

TRUTH : Apollophanes, the Arkadian, came to Delphoi and asked the god if Asklepios was the son of Arsinoe and therefore a Messenian, the Pythian priestess gave this response:--‘O Asklepios, born to bestow great joy upon mortals, pledge of the mutual love I enjoyed with Phlegyas' daughter, lovely Koronis, who bare thee in rugged land, Epidauros.’

(Pythia , the mouthpiece of apollo who speaks the words of apollo to the mortals)

Apollo confirmed through the pythia that Apollo and Cornois enjoyed their mutual love saying coronis lovely and praising asclepius

The oracle makes it quite certain the Asklepios was not a son of Arsinoe (some accounts assumed that asclepius was the son of apollo and arsione and that the story of pindar and ovid or hesiod was a fiction invented by them or by one of Hesiod's interpolators, just to please the Messenians."

[albelen]

Book Talk: Flamefall

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

Let me start this post by saying, prepare yourself. From the first page until the very last, you’re gonna be holding your breath because holiest of all the holy-- this book never had any dull moments. Nothing ever feels like a filler scene.

Since in the first book no one from the main cast died, I knew that eventually someone had to-- BUT DUCK?

After the next few chapters, I always expected for Duck to show up. I knew there was no way for him to simply “die” the way he did, but I lost hope when Annie gave the piece of armour to Cor and then talked about always having a part of Duck inside of her even though she may end up forgetting his face (THIS WAS SO HEARTBREAKING TO READ. I read this line over and over again because despite the pain, it’s still so beautiful??)

Imagine the surprise when he showed up in the last scene. HOLY DRAGONS. While i’m glad he’s alive, I also fear he’s changed, that being imprisoned we won’t even have the shadow of the old Duck.

I still feel so bad for the Sutter family, Duck-- and then Ana. It wasn’t easy for Cor, this is why I also understood why he decided to support Magara and her cause.

In this sequel we also get a new character - Griff.

I like him, but I’m still unsure of what to feel about his romance with Delo. To me, it feels a little forced? The way Griff mourned for Julia, and then suddenly he’s describing Delo as this nice lord, so kind compare to Julia. It was a little disorienting, but I still want the best for them.

I feel like Delo could do so much more, not only for Griff but for the Norcians or at least try and show how he’s not on board with how they treat anyone who aren’t Dragonborn. Also to hell with Nestor, Delo’s father, using his late wife to guilt his son to do as he says.

Moving on, I loved the way Annie became a sort of “hero” and inspiration for the Norcians.

Among all the characters, I relate the most to Annie except for the whole guardian, Firstrider thing, of course lol I like the growth she had both in Fireborne and here as well; the way she learnt how to believe in herself, how to be confident in her job, how she learnt that she didn’t anyone to tell her she can do it. She doesn’t need encouragement from other people to be strong.

I can’t wait to read what she’s gonna do in New Pythos and how she’s gonna help the Norcians. I have a feeling Power’s gonna go after her as well, he didn’t attend the Norcian language for nothing.

Speaking of Power - AHHH his crush on Annie was so unexpected. I initially thought that he’s helping Annie because he believed in her (more than he believed and trusted Lee) but that he also has a crush on her?!? Sorry Power, i still want Annie and Duck.

How can I talk about Flamefall without mentioning my boy Lee? He can be just as frustrating as Annie. For goodness sake, they are so bad at communicating, thank the dragons for Crissa!! I feel like Flamefall focused more on Griff and Annie, so I hope we get more Lee on the last book. I’m excited to see how Lee will deal with Atreus AND Ixion. He’s new found confidence and cause added more depth to his character.

All in all, this book didn’t lose any momentum, there’s just always something going on and you won’t even notice how you’re already finishing it. If you think things have escalated towards the end- WAIT UNTIL THE LAST TWO CHAPTERS DEAR DRAGONS.

i usually don’t mind cliffhangers but this one hurts i want to read the next book ASAP.

The writing, as I forgot to mention in my Fireborne post, is actually simple and easy to read. The way the POV interchanges between the three main characters is a good example of a multi-perspective book done well IMO. The jump from one character to another is not disorienting and it’s interesting to see a certain scene or a moment from both Lee and Annie’s perspectives.

I rated this 5 out of 5 stars. Definitely one of my favourite reads of the year and when the next book comes out, I’m getting it immediately and I will not be waiting months for the paperback anymore.

[sapientiaethumanitas]

May we hear the story of Ezekiel and a pythia, please?

My dear ladies. First of all Ezechiel and I would like to thank you for your interest in this story.Unfortunately, we must apologise from the bottom of our hearts for the fact that writing down the story has taken so long. Not only do we lack inspiration at the moment, but we also lack passion. Most of our friends and writing partners are taking some time off at the moment and we are also a little tired. We hope that you will enjoy the story anyway! Stay in the best of health! <3

"I don't normally believe in such bullshit either - but brother, if I tell you: this woman...this demon can really see into the future!” Khagmar was seldom excited, but the visit to the so-called Pythia had upset the great vampire.

Ezekiel was always fascinated when Khagmar showed his feelings and it didn't matter what kind of they were. Showing affects was actually a human habit, but apparently the adaptation had progressed so far that Khagmar could no longer avoid them. "Brother, believe me. You will go straight out!" Ezekiel almost dropped his book from his hand. He had been so beautifully immersed in the ancient treatise and getting up or even making the way up the mountains to the city of Pytho was the last thing he intended to do now. "I...do not want to go. I want to read some more." For many thousands of years Ezekiel was not allowed to speak and even now that he was allowed and able to speak again, his vocal chords were still underdeveloped. 

"Yes, yes. Of course you may. You can do anything, ruva! But tomorrow morning you will leave directly. You must see her. She fascinates me. So far all her prophecies have come true - without exception!” Khagmar ran around in circles, waving his hands. Ezekiel had admittedly stopped listening after the great vampire had given him permission to leave the next day. He was already engrossed in his treatise again....

______

Although Khagmar was still asleep, Ezekiel followed his wish and set off for Pytho at dawn. He had heard a lot about this city; it was said that there was something magical about it from which the legendary Pythia took her prophecies. The city lay on the highest relief in the desert of Korath. Ezekiel had expected a typical desert city full of sand and stones - but the opposite was the case: the city was built in a modern way, lush green vegetation everywhere, buildings made of white limestone and water sources everywhere. On a mountain stood a white ancient temple with huge columns. Ezekiel looked at the people who were walking around the city in a lively manner. Many pilgrims came to the temple and so he joined them. The heat was painful even for a vampire.

The sun had sunken his skin a little when he finally arrived at the temple with almost a hundred other people. There was a smell of rosemary, lavender and sandalwood in the air, a soft mist hung inside the temple. But besides these things, a magical aura surrounded this place, which gave Ezekiel a strange feeling. Vampires hated magic. It was the only thing that could really harm them and their bodies resisted everything that was connected to it.

But there was no escape now. When Khagmar set his mind on something, there was no turning back from it. And Ezekiel's imagination was not yet enough to come up with a prophecy. Besides, he did not want to lie to his brother. He loved him too much for that. 

With an uneasy feeling in his stomach he walked up a mighty staircase from the atrium to the back of the temple. From there he entered a small room that apparently functioned as an anteroom. A woman was sitting at a table and hurriedly wrote something down in a book. She looked no older than mid-thirty, but her hair was dark grey. When the vampire approached her, she did not look up. Ezekiel cleared his throat and put on a smile, but she still did not look up. 

Instead, her feather scraped faster and faster across the parchment. The vampire tilted his head, just as he did when he was waiting for something. Minutes passed until the woman stopped writing and looked up at him: "If you want to see the Pythia, take one of the pomegranates and offer it to her as a sacrifice.” With her feather she pointed in the direction of a golden bowl on a column containing over a dozen fresh pomegranates. "I thank you. Is there anything else I need to consider?" Ezekiel gave her a smile, but she had resumed writing. The vampire no longer received a reply.

He waited a few moments longer and went to the bowl. The pomegranates were of absolute perfection. He grabbed one and went into the next room. What he saw there took his breath away: on a crack of earth a young woman was sitting on a stool; she was wrapped in a red cloth that fell over her eyes. In one hand she held a small bowl, in the other a laurel branch. She had put her head to her neck and breathed in the vapours rising from the crevice.

Ezekiel soon realised that the magic of the place was not alone responsible for her visions. He took a few steps towards her and passed a golden bowl in which a fire was burning. It smelled intensely of fruit in its vicinity and so the vampire combined that he had to put the pomegranate in there. It cracked and hissed as the fruit was consumed by the fire. 

With a worried look Ezekiel came closer to the fortune teller, standing decently half a meter in front of her. She did not move. Another step, another one. As he stood just an arm's length away from her, she suddenly raised her head, and under the hood, eyes flashed out, completely white. She sat up straight and turned her eyes out of the sockets so that iris and pupil came out again. Ice blue met emerald green. Pythia fixed the vampire, reaching out her slim hand to his arm. Minutes of silence followed.

Ezekiel's heart was beating like crazy, he could not estimate the unknown being and was even afraid of her. The silence felt like an eternity. Ezekiel was about to ask her if she was all right. But just in this moment she breathed heavily and spoke in a strange voice:

“"Damned will be the one who was never been loved. Alone will he be as he was on the day he was born. His own hand will kill what is dearest to him. His soul will never be free again." 

The prophecy ended with the Pythia taking a deep breath, trembling, embracing Ezekiel's arm and returning to her original position. Then a last breath left her mouth and her eyes disappeared back into their sockets.

The vampire's eyes became glassy. He looked breathlessly at the rigid prophetess, silent in the hope that it would all be a great spectacle and the vision a made-up lie. But he had understood the content and a cold shiver ran down his spine. 

He knew it was the truth.

[tangleoflies]

Got some more canora

Children of Himeros, Pytho and Delphi, both living in the temple with their father, Pytho taking a background role because his strange appearance, he sorts through the offerings, whereas Delphi works alongside her father working to understand her visions and speak her prophecies, she also helps her brother get over his social anxiety

[hestiaember]

Ruleandtwilight Bio “Hestia, you who tend the holy house of the lord Apollo, the Far-shooter at goodly Pytho, with soft oil dripping ever from your locks, come now into this house, come, having one mind with Zeus the all-wise: draw near, and withal bestow grace upon my song.”

Hestia folds her hands behind her back, peers through the glass at pottery fragments placed meticulously on little plastic stands, a tiny number denoting their corresponding caption. Pottery sherds. Mycenae. ~1100 BC. While the memories of her human life are muddled, she does remember pottery like this, thrown from the grainy clay dug from the earth outside the village. She used to steal honeyed figs from within the amphorae tucked in the recessed corners of their home, lick the sweet stickiness from her fingers. Her mother would scold her, shoo her away. Now, her child tugs at her shirt, she lifts him to sling him over her hip. How little children change. The next rooms build the rise of Greece, the splendor of Athens, the wise kings and hallmark democratic republics that followed. As always, there are towering columns, intricate jewelries, treasure-troves of pottery, all robbed. Perhaps it should upset her, but man was always interested in capturing what was not his to capture, constructing a false glorious past to always look back to as the gleaming city on the hill. She remembers man then, they were just as crass and foolish as they are now.  These same great kings and sage orators had believed her a goddess among mortals for her eternal youth and ethereal grace. They believed her to be of Zeus himself, when she was instead borne of the teeth of demons and the wrath of Hades. She had used her influence over humans to try to instill peace, a love of home and family rather than a glorious death in battle.  They went to war anyways; they wrote hymns to her in vain. She often wondered what cruelty she deserved from the Fates to only ever desire family, be worshiped as the cornerstone to any home, to watch widows weep for their lost partners, feel prayers for dying children carry on the wind. She heard they have a fire for her where the Pythia speaks her prophecies. She never bothered to go, she wasn’t sure she could stomach what kinds of pain in the home might bring someone so far as to seek both the Pythia’s consul and Hestia’s divine intervention that would never come. The next exhibit is of the Roman Republic. She remembers these days well, they are among her most cherished. She’d thought she’d found her place high upon the Palatine Hill, guiding her daughters in the Temple dedicated to herself- Vesta, now- not only in their duties, but in life. She brought her chosen daughters prestige and independence unparalleled in any other reach of the empire, even as it grew to its largest. They were treated as they deserved. She had the pleasure of giving them the love, the life, the happiness they should have for the years they served, pardoned them from their duties only when they chose it themselves. As she walks through the rest of the museum, children in tow, she recognizes snapshots of her life thereafter: The Byzantine Empire, the Islamic Caliphates, Medieval kingdoms, the Italian Renaissance, the Industrial Revolution. Just like her life in Athens and Rome, childishly condensed into glass-cased rooms filled with statues, rotting texts, broken artwork that they purport to represent anything of rich, complex societies filled with innumberable people, stories, homes.  The most recent years are only counted to her in the aging of some of her children (and some who age too slow, some not at all). They exit the Seattle museum, a little hand in hers on each side, a couple of others not far behind in tow. This, she thinks, is what connects all people through history, the common thread between her mother in Mycenae, her daughters on the Palatine, the many she took in long after the Vestal hearth was last extinguished. Love. Family. TL;DR: Hestia lives in Forks with a family of adopted supernatural (and some human but in-the-know) children. She was turned around 1075 BCE in Mycenae, Greece.

[unwelcome-ozian]

What do snakes symbolize? Especially within Christianity and Catholicism. Are there any bible verses that include snakes?

Often when an individual hears of the serpent in a spiritual context what comes to mind is the story of Adam and Eve. In Christian beliefs, the snake represents temptation and evil. The snake also is the servant of Satan.

The Bible states in the garden there are two trees, the tree of life and the tree of knowledge.

Genesis 3:1-6 “Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” Christian Bible - King James Version

Symbolically the tree of life holds the world together in harmony and represents truth. The other tree gives the temptation of body, of earthly things, and discord. Again, a duality between harmony and dis-harmony, good and bad, truth and lies.

This is the story of the separation of the individual Spirit from oneness with the Source, the Divine or God. The serpent, in this analogy, represents temptation, rebellion, and selfishness.

To “know good and evil” is to embrace duality rather than unity. To “know good and evil” is to embrace separation from the Source rather than maintain the Oneness with the Source.

How can the snake, a symbol of evil, be used to tempt Eve? In the Bible, God declares after creating the heaven and the earth in 6 days, that “I am the creator of good and evil.”

The symbol of the serpent is seen again in the story of Moses and his relationship with the Egyptians. The ancient Egyptians were the descendents of a more ancient civilisation that was far more enlightened, wise, powerful and knowledgeable than the Egyptians of Moses’ s time. While they were more corrupt and less wise and enlightened than their predecessors, the priesthood still had and used residual mystical knowledge and power.

The symbol of the serpent was prominent in ancient Egypt. The uraeus was a crown in the form of a golden cobra worn by the Pharaoh. It later times, it symbolised the Pharaoh’s power and authority over the land and people. In earlier times, it symbolised the Pharaoh’s mastery of the kundalini energy, the power it represented and the spiritual status of the Pharaoh who was also the high priest. Depending on the time period and context, the serpent represented both good and bad: life energy, resurrection, wisdom, power, cunning, death, darkness, evil, and corruption.

Acts 7:22 “And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds. Christian Bible - King James Version

Exodus 4:2-4 “And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand: Bible - King James Version

This passage can be seen as Moses receiving instruction in the mastery of the kundalini energy.

Exodus 7:9-12 “When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent. And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. Bible - King James Version

This description sounds very much like a duel between sorcerers using their magical powers in confrontation with each other. The serpents represent that power or the kundalini energy expressed by the individuals. Aaron prevailed as his kundalini energy / serpent (staff) overcame that of the Egyptians.

The term “Kundalini” comes from India and is a core concept in the yogic traditions. Kundalini is described as a sleeping, dormant potential force in the human organism. It is one of the components of an esoteric description of man’s ‘subtle body’, which consists of (energy channels), chakras (energy centers) and prana or vital energy. The symbolic image is that of a serpent coiled 3 and a half times around a spine or central rod or staff. Through meditation, and various esoteric or yogic practises, the kundalini is awakened, and can rise up inside or alongside the spine. The progress of kundalini through the different chakras leads to different levels of awakening, mystical experience, purification and expression of spiritual powers.

It would appear that the ancient Egyptians were well acquainted with these practises and traditions. So were Moses and Aaron. It was Aaron’s staff (kundalini energy) that parted the Red Sea.

How is the serpent symbolising the kundalini and spiritual awakening related to the serpent in the garden of Eden?

The serpent in the garden of Eden represents separation from the Source and the emphasis of self-interest, rebellion against the oneness of all life and the seeking of personal power over others (the fall of man). The rising serpent as in rising kundalini represents the awakening of the individual and reconnection with the Source. The rising kundalini activates consecutively the energy centers (chakras) requiring them to purge their negative energies and destructive properties.

Numbers 21:5-9 “And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. – Book of Genesis - Christian Bible - King James Version

The symbol of the brass serpent placed upon a standard or pole represents the rising of the kundalini energy and the transformation or Spiritualisation of the material or base energy. The symbol of a serpent rising and wrapped around a pole or staff was common in ancient Egypt.This same symbol is used today as the caduceus, the symbol of medicine and healing.

John 3:15 "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: Christian Bible - King James Version

Another serpent that is a God is Isis. Isis was transformed into a fire spewing cobra (called Uraeus in Greek), and symbolised the bearer of this symbol that he was in possession of the secrets of the material world. This snake worn on the head also indicated the possession of the so-called third-eye, from which nothing could be hidden.

In Greek mythology the snake plays an important role. It is said that the Zeus freed eagles at each end of the world. The place where these two eagles met was the center of the world, the center of the earth. This center, sometimes called the navel of the earth, is guarded by a snake, called Pytho. Above this navel the Oracle of Delphi, called Pythia, was constructed. We see this Oracle play an important role in the life of Pythagoras.

The snake has both positive and negative images. In positive stories it creates the world, in others, it causes flooding, devastation, even death. The snake therefore is usually portrayed as a duality.

In “The Book of the Dead”,  snakes were the first to acclaim Ra when he appears from the surface of the waters, and hence, snakes were referred to as the lowest strata of life.

Historically, serpents and snakes represent fertility or a creative life force. As snakes shed their skin through sloughing, they are symbols of rebirth, transformation, immortality, and healing. The ouroboros is a symbol of eternity and continual renewal of life.

Symbolism of the snake can also have different meaning depending on the type of snake.

Oz

There are many bible verses about snakes. LINK

[kabhi-haath-pakad-k-tu-mera]

And Death Sees No Justice

Theseus is sent on a quest to retrieve Thanatos, but it proves to be harder than he had thought. IWSC Round 5. Harry Potter and Greek mythology crossover.

————

     

l.

Most of Theseus’s existence in the underworld has been spent in the Fields of Asphodel, weaving through crowds of lonely, sad souls that bemoan their existence. It is disconcerting at first, it had been to him when he had died a few centuries (a millennium?) ago, but you learn to ignore them with the passing of time. You have to if you value your sanity, especially if you can understand them. He wonders sometimes if this ability that has been given to him by The Unseen One really is for his benefit. It certainly feels like a curse. So many souls, millions of them, all filled with regret that has rendered them insane. Sometimes he feels like he is one of them. He probably is, he muses. Like them, all he does now is regret the decisions he had made, and wonders if things could have been different.

 Except the Lord likes to shake him out of his reverie from time to time. Once every few centuries, he is taken to The Court of The Dead by the Erinyes themselves and dropped before Hades by whom he is given a Quest. It could be anything that The Unseen One fancies—bringing a mortal’s soul, a golden apple from The Garden of Hesperides or some artefact from the mortal world that holds power. Theseus cannot fail the quest that he is given, not because he fears for his life—he already is dead, after all. He knows, however, that he would be sent to the fields of punishment for eternity if he were to fail. He shudders involuntarily upon the thought of what the Lord Hades would do to him upon failure, and he also knows that he is waiting for him to slip, simply waiting for him to give up, and thus is his punishment for trying to abduct his Queen Persephone, and thus is his punishment for being naive enough to go along with everything that Prithous had told him, everything that has brought him to this point.

It still startles him to find himself suddenly airborne in the claws of one of the Furies no matter how many times he experiences experience it. He notices not for the first time that it is Tisiphone who carries him every time, only Tisiphone, and wonders if it has it a more sinister meaning. The Lord Hades is perched on his throne while the throne beside his is empty, meaning that the mortal world is now facing the warmer months. The court is empty, apart from The Lord. Even the Furies have now left. Theseus stands silently as The Lord considers him. It is a while before he speaks.

“Theseus, son of Poseidon, you have been summoned here for a great purpose.” his voice is quiet, but it carries over in the empty court “The underworld is in need of help. I would like to ask for your help, for you to take on a quest.” 

The demigod seethes internally at the polite, honeyed words spilling from The Lord’s mouth. As if he has a choice. Hades’s face splits into a smile and Theseus knows he that he has read his mind. A moment later his smile drops and he sits up straight, looking at him with fire in his eyes. 

He speaks again, “The underworld has lost one of its most loyal subjects—Death. I need you to find him and bring him back here by hook or by crook, demigod.” The Lord leans forward at this point. “Find him, leave no stone unturned. If word gets around that Thanatos has gone missing … The consequences could be destructive.”

It takes Theseus perhaps a second to realize the implications. The Doors of Death are now unguarded. Any soul could escape into the mortal world, not only from Erebus, but also from Tartarus. He feels a chill pass up his spine thinking of Tartarus and the spirits that reside there. From the brief moments of proximity to the place he had had, he knows that the beings there are not to be taken lightly, and if they got released into the mortal world they would wreak havoc. No wonder The Unseen One is so worried. 

“Does anyone know where he is?” The demigod speaks for the first time. There are, after all, some who know plenty about the going ons in the mortal and immortal world, like the Grey sisters, the Furies or…

“The Oracle.” the answer is short and to the point. There is no way around it. “You will be led to Delphi by the Labyrinth. I have pulled in a … favour from an old acquaintance of yours. You will be guided by the thread.”

An image of Princess Ariadne of Crete, Mistress of the Labyrinth passes through his thoughts. Is she dead? Theseus hasn't thought of her in a long time. He feels a sudden pang of guilt. Had she died on Naxos? He does not voice this thought however, he doesn’t get a chance—Tisiphone and her sisters have appeared again and he finds himself airborne, flying over the fields of punishment and towards the fields of Asphodel. Tisiphone drops him onto a flat plain that overlooks the river Styx, and then the Erinyes disappear. He gets up with some effort, trying to get his bearings and looks around. The spool of thread is instantly noticeable—golden fibre a stark contrast against the dark backdrop of the underworld. He picks it up and feels the wall behind it for a Delta, which glows a faint blue upon contact and opens a hole inches from his feet. He has no way of knowing how deep it is, it's too dark to see. He jumps in anyway.

————

II. 

The opening closes as soon as he jumps in, and torches that light up along the wall reveal that he is in some sort of a dungeon. He looks around and his eyes land upon the sword immediately. It is stuck inside a fissure in the wall. It does not surprise him when he pulls it out that it bears the Athenian crest. His sword—his father’s sword—comes to him whenever he is sent on a quest. Another pang of guilt wrecks through his body, followed by a surge of anger. What kind of a ruler had he been? What kind of a son? What kind of a father and husband? How is it that he had got to this? He shakes his head and sets off towards the oracle. 

Navigating the Labyrinth is not an easy task. He knows that he needs to keep his eyes peeled and be ready for anything that it sends his way—the labyrinth is evil, meant to misguide you—but he doesn’t, because he knows that it remains unresponsive to him. He also knows that Hades has something to do with it—another clever way to remind him of the life that he had lived, the glory he had had. He lets out a breath. The gods are all sadists. He takes the first right he gets to and starts dropping the thread. 

It isn't too long before he finds himself in a cave near the sea, right in the middle of it. He can hear the sound of waves crashing—the call of the sea. He feels more powerful than he has in a long, long time. This is his domain. He contemplates for a moment staying here forever. What were the odds? Thanatos is missing, he could perhaps live as a fugitive the way Dedalus did. He discards the thought almost immediately. The Furies would haunt him wherever he hid. He emerges from the cave into warm sunlight falling upon the Island of Delphi. His eyes rake across the sea for a few moments and he basks in the strength he feels—the power of the sea. Finally he starts scanning the horizon for the volcano in which the priestess resides. 

He sets off towards a mountain covered in green from which fumes are rising. He has always wondered how the priestess’ manage to live inside the volcano—an active volcano—where the corpse of Pythos rots. If he is being honest, Theseus doesn't think that Pythos is down there anymore. It had to have been millennia since he had been slaughtered. Monsters always reform, even if heroes don't. 

When he is at the mouth of the cave that would lead him inside he hesitates. He has always been wary of oracles and their prophecies. Going to one is sheer stupidity, always has been, but now neither he nor countless other demigods have a choice, since the others keep moving so. He still stands there for a few moments. There are mortals around, some with strange contraptions in their hands, but they do not seem to notice him—Hecate’s mist envelops him. He wonders if they can see him at all.

 He steels himself, finally, and enters the cave quietly. The heat is sweltering, and the toxic fumes have dried his throat before he finds the High Priestess of Apollo—the Oracle—in the right cavern. Unlike the others, this cavern is somehow cool and free of the vapours released by Python’s allegedly rotting body. The Priestess is sitting on a Tripod seat with a laurel branch in her hand, looking in his direction without any trace of surprise, as if Heroes from the Bronze Age come to her every other day. For all he knows, they probably do. The mounds of offerings scattered around make him realize that has forgotten to bring offerings himself. The Oracle doesn't seem to be bothered by this however, and motions him to sit before her, which he does. Even though the Priestess is seemingly human, looking at her sends chills up Theseus’s spine. Her aura is … eerie. 

“Ask, hero, what you must,” The oracle speaks, and her voice sounds far away, even though it is coming from the woman sat before him.

He draws in a breath and asks shakily, “Where is Thanatos? What am I to do?”

The Oracle gives a ghosty smile and somehow a mist, or perhaps it is the fumes, settles over them so that Theseus cannot see the Oracle clearly. All he knows in that moment is that the mist is forming images—a woman and a man … sitting on a throne, another woman standing a little off, and another man on the other side. The images get more clear and he realizes that he is looking at his parents, his mortal parents—Aethra and Aegeus—and the woman is the Lady of the Labyrinth Ariadne and the man standing away from the throne is Pirithous.

The voice comes from Aegeus first, “You shall move up North to the Albion’s land,”

Ariadne moves towards him and speaks, “You shall find the ones taken by an undead hand,”

Pirithous turns to look at him, “You shall befriend the one who has mastered death,”

It is his mother who speaks in the end, “And you shall fall down again when it all ends.”

Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, the mist disappears and Theseus is left looking again at the Priestess, his heart racing and his ears ringing. He draws in a shaky breath and gets up, nodding at the Oracle. He turns around to leave, half expecting the Oracle to call after him. She doesn't, and he hurries out towards the Labyrinth.

————

III.

The rush of adrenaline that had flowed through his body when he had heard the prophecy has still not died when he is safely inside the labyrinth. Safely inside the labyrinth. Theseus snorts. The underworld has finally been successful if driving him insane. He sits down right there and then, exhausted. 

‘You shall move up North to the Albion’s land,

You shall find the ones taken by an undead hand,

You shall befriend the one who has mastered death,

And you shall fall down again when it all ends.’

Albion’s land was where the white people lived, in the North-West, beyond even the Gaul. ‘The one who has mastered death…’ Death probably meant Thanatos. And ‘you shall fall down again with the taken's final breath.’ That was reassuring. So he had to go to Albion and find people taken by an undead hand. What was an undead hand? Someone who had already escaped from The Underworld? And one of these people had mastered Death, which was probably why Thanatos was not responding to Hades’s calls. If he had to travel so fast, it was probably best that he was travelling by the Labyrinth. But which way was he to go? He sighs, staring at the rocky walls of the labyrinth, and feels his eyes get heavy with every passing second until he finally lets them shut. 

He has a dream. This in itself isn’t unusual, but this particular dream is one of those dreams. The ones that bring messages. He hasn't had one of those in ages but he knows. He can feel it. He is on an island that he has been to before, but he cannot quite place it’s name or it’s whereabouts. There is a woman lying a little away, and this woman he does recognize. He is on Naxos. Ariadne turns towards him as if she were expecting him, but how? He had thought only Gods had the ability to call upon a hero’s soul unless … unless Ariadne had ascended to Olympus? 

She considers him for a moment then says, “Theseus, we meet again.” She grimaces. “I was told of your quest. You're on the way to find Thanatos, yes?” 

Theseus nods, only barely.

“You don’t have enough time to travel all the way to Britain—to Albion,” she continues, “It’ll be too late by then. The souls have already begun stirring in the search of the doors, they might have all escaped by the time you are able to locate his whereabouts,” She says and stops for a moment, scrutinizing him, then says, “The Labyrinth will guide you. Begin the way you always have, forward and right, and keep on towards the north. You will be led right to your destination.” She looks him over one last time. “Do what needs to be done, Theseus. Goodbye.”

And just like that he is waking up, and when he is fully awake he sends a quick prayer to Ariadne. He starts forward like he had been instructed, and goes right when he gets to the intersection. He wanders into tunnels occasionally, to check his direction and his location, and keeps moving for three days until he finally reaches a tunnel on the right that leads him into what appears to be a cupboard. 

There are people outside who are speaking in a different tongue, although he does catch a few words now and then, and he is sure that Thanatos is there somewhere around here because he can feel the energy that is radiating off him—energy that reads death. He accidentally knocks over a vial of a dark, muddy liquid and he can hear people coming towards the cabinet. The door of the cabinet is thrown open and the light, although rather dim, blinds him temporarily. When his eyes have adapted to the sudden brightness, they are looking into a young, bright green pair looking at him in bewilderment. 

————

IV. 

He realizes in a few more moments that he is inside a shop in Albion, in the company of two young people of about Sixteen years of age and a few older men. The mist does not seem to be working on them for they can very clearly see him and feel his presence. All of them spring into action at the same time, hauling him out the cupboard and drawing what look like wooden sticks while speaking in a foreign tongue, some of which is directed at him. He realizes along the way that these are all wizards, like circe. It is the young girl with long, bushy hair that finally speaks in a tongue familiar to his, if a little rusty.

“Who are you?! What were you doing in there?”

“Theseus.” is his only reply. 

He doesn't answer her other question, because what is the point? He cannot tell her that he is here looking for the God of Death—they would have him strapped into a bed in a mental asylum before he could say ‘Hades’. At his name the girl’s stick lowers and she regards him. She turns towards the others and says something to them that makes them drop their sticks too, and somehow it makes him feel a little braver. He trains his eyes over all of the people present, until his eyes stop over the man with green eyes that had let him out of the cupboard. He has a scar on his forehead, and his eyes too, tragic and haunted, are trained on him. 

He notices this look in all eyes that he has gotten the chance of looking into, although in the brunette boy it is a lot more intense. He wonders what has happened to these people. The girl then says something to the boy upon which the others seem to protest but they are all ignored. The girl motions to Theseus to follow them, which he does. They get out of the shop whose sign is written in a foreign language. She takes hold of his hand and turns, and he feels like he is being forced in and then out of a very thin pipe. He falls onto his knees when the squashing sensation stops, heaving.

They are in a sort of a lounge, a royal lounge. The two sit down and ask him to sit down also, their gazes trained at him. 

“I am called Hermione,” the girl says, “and this is Harry Potter.” She stops for a moment and stares at him long enough that Theseus starts to get uncomfortable. "Are you really Theseus?” 

He nods. “I am, Hermione, and I am here on a quest.”

“How are you still alive?” This question is asked by Harry.

“I am not. I have been sent from the Underworld by the Lord Hades to find Death. You wouldn’t happen to know about it?” 

Harry and Hermione exchange quick looks and look back at him. Neither of them are surprised.   Hermione is about to speak but Theseus cuts her off.

“I know that he is here somewhere, Wizards. I need to know where.”

Harry gets up and walks towards a set of windows and looks towards him from there. “What if he was? What would you do then? And what of the souls he was supposed to have taken? Where would they go?”

Theseus is more than a little surprised at the question. The answer is obvious. They would be taken. He says as much. Harry’s eyes flash dangerously, or maybe it is just the sunlight falling on the glasses that make him feel so. He heads towards where Hermione is sitting and sits back down, and his eyes do not leave Theuses’s. Quite suddenly, Theseus can see why such young children look mature beyond their age.

They have battle scars of their own, embedded in the skin from being made to participate in a war neither of them had wanted to fight. A demonic soul for whom even the worst punishments in the field of punishment would be insufficient, who had ruined much of these children’s childhood by trying to kill them. There had been a battle, so many lives had been lost, even if they had won the war... how many families torn apart? How many lovers estranged? How many children orphaned? And then Thanatos had come to him, to serve him, for he was now his master, the holder of the deathly hallows, and they had all come back to life. A lover, a dear friend, his closest parental figure all came back. He wouldn't let them all go away now, won’t give back Thanatos. 

It is at that moment that a Redheaded boy the same age as his companions enters the room and Theseus can tell that this boy has had life restored into him. As has Hermione. The redheaded boy stops in the doorway, looking at him. Harry and Hermione look at him too, their resolves steeled, their mouths set into firm lines. He can still feel Thanatos’s presence from the green eyed wizard but now he doesn't feel so sure about completing this quest. Hades could easily employ any creature to guard the Doors of Death. How was the death of so many who were sucked into the vortex of war justifiable? How was the death of these two, who had helped this world’s saviour win the war justifiable? How was the Undead one’s killing so many justifiable? There was no revenge for them. No revenge that could ever be possibly extracted from anyone would ever balance out this. Does he really want to take Thanatos back?

————

V.

He has stopped again for some shuteye when he feels the power of the Lord Hades summoning him. He cannot resist against it if he tries, and he is not foolish enough to do so. He finds himself back in the company of Harry and Hermione and a number of others which he assumes are wizards, a number of them resurrected. He sees Thanatos too, as beautiful as ever, dark and dangerous as he had been when he had delivered him on the banks of the Styx. The Unseen One is there also, with his eyes—literally filled with fire—looking, staring, glaring at him. He is sure that he has crossed the line this time. He would go to The Fields of Punishment now. It’d be worth it if these wizards are allowed to live, after all that they have been through. 

The Unseen One speaks finally after some time, “Theseus, son of Poseidon, you have willingly forsaken your quest and ignored direct orders from me to bring Thanatos to The Underworld. You shall be dealt with accordingly, but now…”

He is beconking Thanatos forward, who is trying to resist even though he too is a servant to the Underworld—to Hades. He finally does step forward and with him, the resurrected begin fading. The Unseen One is gone in a flash of blinding light and Theseus too feels himself being called back. There is no Justice done here he knows, and now until eternity, there will never be.

————

A/N: There are a few things that I feel the need to Point out, please bear with me.

*Hades in this story is referred to as ‘The Lord’ (as he rules the Underworld) and as ‘The Unseen One’ (which is the literal translation of his name). 

*The Erinyes are the Furies. Tisiphone’s name means ‘vengeful destruction’.

*The sword shown here is the same sword that Aegeus had left behind in Troezen for Theseus.

*Albion’s land is what the Greeks called the British Isles during the Bronze Age.

*Gaul is what France was called by the Greeks during and before the Bronze Age.

[marbledpython]

*shakes you* why did you do this to me,,, why did u make me play kingdom hearts right when school started im in cant play vidya game hell pytho :(

sorry i had to 😔👊

[xxkellsvixen19xx]

Notice Chapter 11

Y/N hadn't much spoke to Michael after the belt situation. Despite being married and living in the same quarters she opted to sleep in the sub room. There was so much of her that was still furious for him stopping their session the other night. She lay in the darkness of the room as tears threatened their way from her eyes.

Her phone buzzed non stop with yet another message from Michael.

Michael: Y/N please talk to me, don't shut me out!

Y/N ignored the message not bothering to respond. She wasn't sure how she would deal with him all she knew is right now she wanted to be alone. Since getting away prior to signing the first original contract this was a time she knew she needed for herself. She stared at the revised contract, damn her fucking limitations why did that have to ultimately stand in the way.

Bile rose up in her throat she jumped off the bed running for the bathroom just barely making it. She knew she didn't have the flu so it had to be that there was the possibility that… No I can't be she thought. She rinsed out her mouth and splashed cool water on her face to freshen up a little. Buzz… buzz went her phone again.

Michael: Y/N please come and talk to me!

Y/N sighed Michael seemed adamant to talk to her but right now she couldn't form her thoughts into actual words that even remotely made sense. She laid back down and looked out the window, it had grown dark hours ago but she could make out the ominous shapes from the Australian shrubbery outside. “What am I going to do?” she asked herself out loud. Her eyes grew heavy sleep taking her into it's grip before she could give it so much as a second thought.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Y/N must be dreaming she thought to herself as the scene played out before her like a movie. She couldn't move or speak.

"Are you alone?" Michael's voice is husky and gives away his arousal.

"I am." I whisper to him.

"I want you so much, baby. God, what I wouldn't give to have my face buried in your sweet pussy right now."

I inhale deeply and let out a moan as I pull the tie on my robe and let it fall open, and close my eyes as I continue to listen to his deep voice that pools moisture in my groin.

"I want my tongue sliding over your wet silk so that your sweet cream coats my mouth while you moan and writhe beneath me. Oh, fuck… I love to taste you."

I hear him shuffle and I know he's pulling down his pants to free his erection.

“Michael… tell me what you're doing to yourself."

"I have my cock in my hand, thinking about your enchanting lips wrapped around it… you swirling your tongue around the head and your first gripping the base… you know how I like it, baby…"

His voice is becoming dreamy and I hear his breathing pick up.

"I love to suck you, Michael… feeling you throb in my mouth… there's nothing better than hearing your out of control groaning and the way your body stiffens right before you blow your, hot, delicious load down my throat…"

"Ah, Y/N…" He's whining almost in the highest pitched voice and then I hear him grunt harshly and exhale deep breaths as he rides out his pleasure. "Oh, shit baby… I wish I were with you right now."

"I do too, Mr. Langdon." I tell him as one of my hand skates down my body my body and lands on my suddenly enticing core.

"You want me to come don't you, baby?"

"Yes." I moan and my ring and index fingers open my folds and my middle finger explores the wet flesh of my bare sex.

"I want to lay you out on our bed and kiss every inch of your delicious skin. Sucking on your favorite spots… your neck… below your rib cage… the insides of those beautiful thighs… I know all your favorite spots, baby. Once I've satisfied my taste, I tower over you and rub the crown of my cock over your perfect wet threshold before I slowly make my way inside of you. I know how it drives you crazy when I take my time…"

I moan loudly as I push my ring and middle finger inside me and let the heel of my hand rest against my clit to heighten my arousal.

“Michael…" I pant as he continues.

"I love being inside of you baby… fuck I'm so hard again thinking about being inside of you and feeling you clench around me. You feel so damn good, Y/N. The way I thrust into you, making you moan my name over and over again while I look into your gorgeous e/c eyes… damn, baby you're so beautiful."

I can hear it in his voice, I know he's stroking himself again. Working us both into an orgasm from rooms apart.

"I'm so close,." I moan again and I can feel the sweat starting to gather on my body and I feel a flush fall over my skin.

"I know you are, my sweet baby. I know you're close for me. Work your fingers in and out of that perfect pussy, Y/N. Think of my cock sliding in and out of you hitting that deep spot inside that makes you quiver and gasp for air."

He keeps talking but I can't hear anything as I drop the phone from my ear and let the hand that was holding it drop to the place beside me on the bed and grasp a handful of the comforter… wishing it were my husband's taunt muscles I was holding onto.

After I come down from my orgasm, I let my breathing come under control as I blink open my eyes and try to gather myself. I pick up the phone from beside my head and see that Michael's still on the line.

"Hello?"

"Hi, angel." His voice is a satisfied whisper, and I so wish that I were lying next to him right now as I talk to him.

"I liked this phone call, Mr. Langdon." I smile as I say.

"Mm, me too. But lord knows that I can't wait for the real thing."

Y/N shot up from the bed dropping her phone… when the realization set it at that moment.

Michael: Hello Y/N?

Y/N: Michael we need to talk

Michael: I know my love, your pregnant.

@readsalot73

@scarletraine

@acw1

@shado-cat

@mondaynightr0llins

@lokis-army-77

@the-temple-pythoness

@fern-wittrock

@frozenhuntress67

@ateliefloresdaprimavera

[aylamoenwyb]

Siren’s Call

The news that Captain had given both Sivir and her on his plans while they were away was beyond worrisome.  It caused her heart to ache.  And her frustration to boil over.  She had zero power to sway him from this stupidity and she knew it.  But...it wasn’t fair.  Every other time he ignored her and followed his bravado and ‘no fears’ mantra, she was there.  To mend and heal the damage.  Drag him to safety.  But this time, the only way she could do that, would be to not travel with Sivir.  To stay home and wait.  And if she didn’t...well he might die...

“No.  Not this time.  No.  Nothing is ever changed for me.  My concerns aren’t even felt.  Heard. No.  And he’s not ruining this for me with worries over him either.   Nor can  I even have the freedom to worry and doubt because of that cursed relic.  I hate that relic….”  

“I was clear with him.  On when we were leaving.  Why must he do this now?  I fought so hard to keep him out of this harm.  And he’s ignoring every shot I literally took for him to run off and knock on the voidsent’s damn door with a bow pinned to his ass!  And he still doesn’t know the information the voidal even wants!  I’m sorry your pride was wounded Captain cause he shot your girl, but you’re awful selective in who can and can’t beat the shit out of me and then be invited back into the bar for a round of drinks and a back pat from you.”

Frustrated at herself she’d growl low knowing full well her hearts pain would cause him not only the pain but could make him ill.  Which she would never wish.  Hearing the sound of Sivir’s footsteps up above in the cottage she’d  quiet herself before calling up, “Koma?  I need a minute to finish up my packing and wash up.  But when I’m ready, I’ll come down to your room.”  The monk agreeing and not pressing her further, Ayla would be left alone in the honeymoon cottage.  Captain’s boot steps did not follow.  

Heaving a heavy sigh.  He had never not chased before.  When he hurt, he always came but not this time.  His absence even more pointedly showing he was not debating this choice and her feelings did not weigh.  Lifting the hidden box containing her love’s heart beating soundly within it, she’d kiss the box and think.  “He treats this as finite.  As if now that this magic works, he does not need to put in the effort.  I must love or he dies.  The blame is on me.  Not his treatment of me.  Not his own cause to harm my feelings.  I am supposed to swallow them.  Not share.  Not speak.  Something for years Sivir has watch me do... he has watch me do and told me not to.  And yet, it’s all I know….It’s all I know…”

Her mind swimming in both emotions and what to do she’d have a moment of clarity.  A moment that made the corners of her eyes lift and her Vampire side snicker in delight. She knew a solution. A very practical, solution.  He treated this relic and her love as something unchangeable.  Unaffectable.  So what if she surrounded the box and her Love’s heart with exactly that?  Her unflinching devotion and love.  In a perpetual Siren’s Call that locked time and played so loud as to drown out any moment of her own hurt or insecurity.  She’d still love, but without the pressure of her every hurt sickening him….or worse.

Careful to not interfere with the box or it’s magic, she’d begin to sing.  Every song she ever sang to Captain or Maahes, letting each memory of each song replay in her mind of them when she sang them.  While she sang, she used her time magics to lock the songs and the memories in a slowly growing warmly glowing orb about the treasured Pythos box.  Still singing, she now channeled imagery of times together.  Some important like their first meeting, wedding, confessions of love and some mundane.  Breakfasts and showers and cuddles by the fire.  Nights plotting points on maps...and each other.  Mixing in all the thoughts of adoration and longing and love until you could almost hear all her songs meld and sing within each other a complex melody that couldn’t be unraveled.  And was timeless.  She surrounded his heart with her immortal love and then placed it back in it’s hiding spot within her home.  

Taking a long deep breath, more at ease with the situation she was placed in. Even though she knew that this folly could be the death of him, She finished packing her bags and took the stares down to Sivir’s apartment, patting the bag upon her back and winking with a smirk.  “I had to make sure I had my fishnets.”

[pcwerhcuse]

@wolfsflowers got a pythos aka vincent !

“oh come on little wolf, am i speaking another language?“ the demon’s brows rose as he looked over at the creature, a small smile evident on his face. he was almost only this charming and pleasant at first when he wanted something. the real fun began when he was allowed to show his true colors. “i’m allowing you one wish. think of me as your genie or fairy godfather.” the contract for the deal was almost complete. all he had to do was get their signature and he would be that much closer to getting more power. “just sign the dotted line and you’ll have whatever your pretty little heart desires.” sadly unless luciano read the fine terms and conditions, they wouldn’t know that this meant they would be bound to him. force to do his biddings for the next year unless they no longer wanted what they wished for. “just sign and it’s yours.”

[mirkstrolls]

FANCESTOR INTRODUCTIONS

Late to my own event, but here we go!

1. Eryali Rennis [ancestor to Videle] [alias Pythoness Farsight, Priestess Pythonhair, Portress Seawatch, etc., etc.] [pre-Imperial Era; various locations on the continent]

Deeply paranoid and commitment-shy, Eryali felt unsafe constantly. She tried to present a mysterious and aloof vibe and keep people at arm’s length to hide her anxiety and surprising tendency to emotions; however, she was also incredibly lonely and couldn’t help becoming attached to one person or another. Inevitably, however, she’d decide that she was in too deep and that whoever she’d developed feelings for was going to betray and murder her -- so she’d fake her death in some dramatic and high-profile way, run as far away as she could get, take on a new identity, and begin the cycle again. She passed through many other people’s stories like a ghost, growing increasingly wracked with guilt and loss as she went.

2.  Neirin Orpheo  [ancestor to Widsth] [alias Lyricist Rendheart] [during the Tyrian conquest of Alternia; Kirog Leth]

Neirin was court bard to a pre-Imperial warlord, one Adicia Thengl, who had fought her way to the top of the heap of tiny, warring kingdoms in the mountainous north. When she rode out on hunting parties and raids upon their neighbors, Neirin rode at her side, carrying her banner and singing songs in her honor. As his liege, he considered her far too far above him to propose any quadrant -- so he kept his enormous crush on her a secret, never guessing that she was hiding similar feelings for him. His supposedly unrequited pining increased his melancholic tendencies, which were only matched by his proclivity for vicious gossip. When the Fire Nation Tyrian Empire attacked, Neirin betrayed his kingdom for the promise that Adicia would be spared, but was betrayed in turn: Adicia was nearly the first to die, and most of her warriors followed her within minutes in a brutal ambush. Filled with grief and rage, Neirin gathered his few remaining countrytrolls and led a guerrilla revolt against the Empire. It failed, of course, and both Neirin and his liege have been purged thoroughly from history as a result.

3. Aioane Tasend [ancestor to Taz]  [alias Comtesse Goldhand] [post-Sufferer Rebellion, pre-Summoner Rebellion; Llunegloirs/Unnamed Capital City]

Officially speaking, Aioane Tasend died in a remote prison in the East Alternian sea for crimes against the Empire. Crimes that were never specified, to be sure, but the bright violet of the signature on her warrant ensured no questions were asked, except, perhaps, why she was imprisoned rather than executed. Regardless, there was no reason for anyone to connect an officially-deceased criminal with the glittering indigo heiress who swept into the Empress’s planetside capital some sweeps later, rapidly becoming famous for her eccentricity and her lavish parties. Wild and mysterious, unbelievably open-handed with her friends and viciously ruthless with her enemies, she dazzled the aristocracy for a sweep and a half before vanishing with all her treasure, her employees, and her personal yacht just at the peak of an inexplicable rash of arson that ravaged the city. The victims of these fires appeared to have nothing connecting them, and the entire incident is shrouded in uncertainty even today -- after all, who would have bothered to see if the victims had anything to do with Aioane’s imprisonment?

4. Ssilda Tialye [ancestor to Sgt. Firewall] [alias Redeemer Senmorta] [pre-Imperial era; Malaltaj]

In ancient nights, Ssilda ruled a city. The head of a horrorterror-worshipping cult, she controlled thousands with promises of eternal life, of power beyond their wildest dreams granted by the Elder Gods. In time, war with nearby cities and increasingly dark rituals eroded her people’s faith in her: she was cast out into the wilderness, with only her most slavishly devoted followers remaining to her. But Ssilda’s pact with the horrorterrors ran deep even then; she built a lair in the wilderness and began, slowly, to gather strength and minions and sacrifices while remaining undercover, until she became almost a creature out of nightmare for the surrounding regions. Most importantly, her claims of immortality seem to be at least partially true, because Ssilda and her cult are still very much alive.

[claudinei-de-jesus]

The intermediate state

By the phrase "intermediate state" we mean the state of the dead in the period between death and resurrection.

1. The opinion of the Scriptures.

It should be noted that the righteous will not receive their final reward or the wicked their final punishment until their respective resurrections have taken place. Both classes are in an intermediate state, waiting for this event. Deceased Christians will be "with the Lord", but have not yet received the final reward. The intermediate state of the righteous is described as a state of rest (Apo. 14:13), of waiting and resting (Apo. 6: 10,11), of service (Apo. 7:15), and of holiness (Apo 7:14). The wicked also pass into an intermediate state, where they await the final punishment, which will take place after the judgment of the Great White Throne, when Death and Hades will be thrown into the lake of fire. (Rev. 20:14.)

2. Misconceptions.

(a) Purgatory. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that even the most faithful need a process of purification before they are able to enter into the presence of God. Some Protestants also adopt this opinion, who, believing in the doctrine of "once saved, saved forever", while recognizing the divine word "without holiness, no one will see the Lord", conclude that there is a "purgatory" where carnal and imperfect believers cleanse yourself from your scum. This process, they say, will take place during the Millennium while the winners are rowing with Christ. However, there is no evidence in the Scriptures for such a doctrine, and there is much evidence against it. Thus wrote John S. Banks, a Methodist scholar: The Scriptures speak of the intermediate happiness of the dead in Christ. (Luke 16:22; 23: 3; 2 Cor. 6: 6,8.)

Certainly Christians in general, after a long period of growth in grace, are as apt for heaven as the penitent malefactor crucified beside Christ, or as Lazarus mentioned in the parable. Scripture also attributes the blood of Christ to unlimited effectiveness. If, in fact, the Scriptures taught such an intermediate state, we would say that its purifying power would originate from Christ's atonement, as we say of the means of grace in the present state; but, since the Scriptures do not teach such a doctrine, we can only consider this state as a work of super error (more than required, extra).

This doctrine tries to provide what is already widely provided. The New Testament recognizes only two classes of people; saved and unsaved. The fate of each class is now determined, in the present life, which is the only probationary period. With death, this probationary period ends, followed by judgment according to the works performed on the body. (Heb. 9:27; 2 Cor. 5:10.)

(b) Spiritism teaches that it is possible for someone to communicate with the spirits of deceased people, these communications being achieved through a "medium". But note:

1) The Bible expressly prohibits consulting such "mediums"; the prohibition itself indicates the presence of evil and the danger of such practice. (Lev. 19:31; 20: 6, 7; Isa. 8:19.) It is useless for Spiritists to cite the example of Saul, since this unfortunate perished for having consulted the witch, (1 Chron.10: 13.)

2) The dead are under the control of God, the Lord of life and death, and therefore cannot be subject to mediums. See, for example, (Rev. 1:18; Rom. 14: 9.) Spiritists cite the case of the pythoness that evoked the spirit of Samuel and the account of the appearance of Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration. Even if it was Samuel who appeared to Saul, it would be by divine permission, and the same can be said about Moses and Elijah. The passage that reports the case of the rich man and Lazarus proves that the dead are not allowed to communicate with the living. (Luc. 16.)

3) Although many spiritist phenomena have been proven fraudulent, there is some reality in them. Since the dead cannot communicate with the living, we are obliged to conclude that spiritist manifestations are the result of strange psychic forces or that messages originate in lying and seductive spirits, (1 Kings 22:22; 1 Tim. 4: 1 .) Many of those who embrace spiritism or consult mediums are those who have lost their Christian faith. Those who believe in the Scriptures enjoy enough light to illuminate the regions beyond the grave.

(c) Sleep of the soul. Certain groups, such as Seventh-day Adventists, believe that the soul will remain in an unconscious state until the resurrection. This belief, known as "soul sleep", is also adopted by individuals in other religious groups. It is true that the Bible describes death as a sleep, but this is because the believer, when he dies, loses consciousness to the world full of fatigue and suffering and wakes up in a kingdom of peace and happiness. The Old Testament teaches that, although the body enters the grave, the spirit that separated from the body enters Sheol (translated "hell" in the version of Almeida), where it lives in a conscious state. (See Isa. 14: 9-11; Ps. 16:10; Luc. 16:23; 23:43; 2 Cor. 5: 8; Phil. 1:23; Rev. 6: 9. .. O estado intermediário

Pela frase "estado intermediário" queremos dizer o estado dos mortos no período entre o falecimento e a ressurreição.

1. A opinião das Escrituras.

Deve ser observado que os justos não receberão sua recompensa final nem os ímpios seu castigo final, enquanto não se realizarem como suas ressurreições. Ambas como turmas estão num estado intermediário, aguardando esse evento. Os cristãos falecidos vão estar "com o Senhor", mas não deixam ainda o galardão final. O estado intermediário dos justos exemplos-se como um estado de descanso (Apo. 14:13), de espera e repouso (Apo. 6: 10,11), de serviço (Apo. 7:15), e de santidade (Apo. . 7:14). Os ímpios também passam para um estado intermediário, onde aguardam o castigo final, que se realizará depois dos juízes do Grande Trono Branco, quando a Morte e o Hades serão lançados no lago de fogo. (Apo. 20:14.)

2. Opiniões errôneas.

(a) Purgatório. A Igreja Católica Romana ensina que mesmo os mais fiéis necessita dum processo de purificação antes de se tornarem aptos para entrar na presença de Deus. Também adotam essa opinião certos protestantes que, crendo na doutrina de "uma vez salvo, salvo para sempre", embora reconhecendo a palavra divina "sem a santidade ninguém verá o Senhor", concluem que haja um "purgatório" onde os crentes carnais e imperfeitos se purifiquem da sua escória. Esse processo, segundo diz, realizar-se-á durante o Milênio enquanto os vencedores estão remando com o Cristo. Todavia, não existem nas Escrituras evidências para tal doutrina, e existem muitas evidências contrárias a ela. Assim escreveu John S. Banks, erudito metodista: As Escrituras falam da felicidade intermediária dos mortos em Cristo. (Luc. 16:22; 23: 3; 2 Co 6: 6,8.)

Certamente os cristãos em geral, depois de longo tempo de crescimento na graça, estão tão aptos para o céu quanto o malfeitor penitente crucificado ao lado de Cristo, ou quanto Lázaro local na parábola. Também as Escrituras atribuem ao sangue de Cristo ilimitada eficácia. Se, de fato, as Escrituras ensinassem tal estado intermediário, diríamos que seu poder purificador seria originário da expiação de Cristo, corno dizemos dos meios de graça no estado presente; mas, uma vez que as Escrituras não ensinam tal doutrina, podemos apenas considerar esse estado como obra de super erro (mais do que o exigido, extra).

Essa doutrina tenta prover o que já está amplamente provido. O Novo Testamento reconhece apenas duas classes de pessoas; as salvas e as não-salvas. O destino de cada classe determina-se agora, na vida presente, que é o único período probatório. Com a morte termina esse período probatório, seguindo-se o julgamento segundo como obras praticadas no corpo. (Heb. 9:27; 2 Cor. 5:10.)

(b) O espiritismo ensina que é possível alguém comunicar-se com os espíritos de pessoas falecidas, sendo essas comunicações por meio dum "médium". Mas notemos:

1) A Bíblia proíbe, expressamente, consultar tais "médiuns"; a própria proibição indica a presença do mal e o perigo de prática. (Lev. 19:31; 20: 6, 7; Isa. 8:19.) É inútil os espíritas citarem o exemplo de Saul, visto que esse desafortunado pereceu por ter consultado a feiticeira, (1Crôn.10: 13.)

2) Os mortos estão sob o controle de Deus, o Senhor da vida e da morte, e, por conseqüência, não podem estar aos sujeitos aos médiuns. Vide, por exemplo, (Apo. 1:18; Rom. 14: 9.) Os espíritas citam o caso da pitonisa que evocou o espírito de Samuel e o relato da aparição de Moisés e Elias no Monte da Transfiguração. Mesmo que fosse Samuel que aparecera a Saul, seria por divina permissão, e o mesmo pode íamos dizer sobre Moisés e Elias. Uma passagem que relata o caso do rico e Lázaro prova que aos mortos não é permitido comunicar-se com os vivos. (Luc. 16.)

3) Embora muitos fenômenos espíritas hajam sido provados fraudulentos, existe neles alguma realidade. Visto que os mortos não se podem comunicar com os vivos, somos obrigados a cumprir que as manifestações espíritas são resultados de fragmentos estranhas psíquicas ou que as mensagens têm sua origem em espíritos mentirosos e sedutores, (1Reis 22:22; 1Tim. 4: 1 .) Muitos dos que abraçam o espiritismo ou consultam médiuns são os que perderam sua fé cristã. Aqueles que crêem nas Escrituras gozam de suficiente luz para iluminar as regiões do além túmulo.

(c) Sono da alma. Certos grupos, como os Adventistas do Sétimo Dia, crêem que a alma permanecerá num estado inconsciente até à ressurreição. Essa registro, conhecida como "sono da alma", é também adotada por pertencer a outros grupos religiosos. É verdade que a Bíblia a morte como um sono, mas isso em razão de o crente, ao falecer, perder uma consciência para o mundo cheio de fadiga e sofrimento e acordar num reino de paz e felicidade. O Antigo Testamento ensina que, embora o corpo entre na sepultura, o espírito que se separou do corpo entra no Seol (traduzido "inferno" na versão de Almeida), onde vive em estado consciente. (Vide Isa. 14: 9-11; Sal. 16:10; Luc. 16:23; 23:43; 2Cor. 5: 8; Fs. 1:23; Apo. 6: 9.)

[marbledpython]

Do you have a design for Mizuki in Nirvana Initiative?

Technically, yes! but also no

I HAVE doodled up an idea of what id change as she got older, but the way i do designs is i make them After i play the game

(said doodle idea below from an older post)

When NI comes out tho i WILL be doing designs/mini refs for her, tama, ryuki, etc. but for rn i have nothing solid