#ray blackwell

[kashimalin-fanfiction]

Ancestral Blood (Ikemen Revolution)

Ray and Lancelot decide to explore the ruins of the castle in the Forbidden Forest. What they find is a locked door that only their magic can open, revealing a secret lost to time itself.

───────────────⋆⋅♠⋅⋆ ─────────────── 

The castle in the forest had been relatively unexplored for centuries. Historians were the only visitors now, going through the place in their efforts to learn more about the country's history. However, such occasions had dwindled significantly in the past century or so. Stonework in the castle crumbled, blocking off stairwells and passageways. Animals had made their homes here, the remnants of nests scattered about. But these relics paled in comparison to the slight buzz still in the air from all the crystals that had occupied the building recently - a stockpile stashed away by the former head of the Magic Tower, Amon. While Alice the Second and both armies had located the crystals and rescued Cradle from near disaster, their ambient energy still charged the very air even after they had been removed. 

It was making the hair on the back of Ray's neck stand on end. 

"I'll get this next batch." The King of Hearts, Lancelot Kingsley, stepped out from his position alongside Ray and waved his hand. With a red glimmer in his eyes, the stones blocking the top of the third floor stairwell were slotted back into place within the ceiling above. Ray watched it with a careful gaze, taking in the way Lancelot utilized his magic with little effort. 

"Thanks, King Lancelot," he said as the path was cleared, taking tentative steps up the rest of the stairs, ready to cast a levitation spell at any moment. 

The two had come into the forest to practice magic, as had become routine after the two armies made peace. However, today, Lancelot and Ray both agreed to conduct a more practical lesson, combining it with their joint effort to examine the old fortress to ensure Amon had left no other surprises. 

“The upper floor’s definitely in better condition,” Ray noted. “That makes sense, given that animals probably couldn’t get up here as easily as downstairs.”

Lancelot nodded in agreement. “Indeed. Perhaps there will be more from Cradle’s history than we expect.”

“While I would love to believe that, too, this building has definitely been ransacked before. I’m sure any thief worth their salt would have found a way upstairs, especially back then. It will be a miracle if there is anything.”

Lancelot hummed thoughtfully. “This is only a practical lesson. It’s still worth exploring.”

Surprised at Lancelot’s excitement, concealed under the guise of a “lesson,” Ray continued to follow close behind. 

They investigated old guest rooms and sitting areas, a room that must have been a library - the sight of all books either gone or torn asunder broke Ray’s heart - and a couple of bedrooms, the beds stripped down to the frames for any cloth and ornamentation of value. 

But as they walked, Ray ahead of Lancelot, he paused, staring. 

It was a door that caught Ray’s attention. 

The paint had faded with time, most likely from the broken chunk of ceiling above that now cast light upon it. It almost beckoned him closer, and Ray allowed himself to be led by the siren’s call. 

The pair of double doors was tall – imposing. While some of the paint had faded with time, the blue and gold gilding was still brilliant. A heart, club, diamond, and spade trailed down on either side of the handles, an equal balance of Red and Black. Crystals were embedded into the wood and handles, and Ray reached out to take one in hand.

And a jolt ran through his body, snapping him back. Lancelot was at his side in an instant, but Ray shook his head.

“This door is locked with magic,” Ray stated.  “It felt like old magic.”

Lancelot placed his own on as well, tracing the designs gingerly before humming in agreement. “Old magic, indeed.” He stared up at the door as he drummed his fingers against it. “It’s sealed with two different kinds, I believe.” 

“You can tell?”

“You learn to sense these things. My father’s magic and I were quite similar, but when I work with you, King Ray… it is vastly different. And this magic… feels just like both of those.” 

Ray raised an eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?” 

“... Let’s see just what that means.” Lancelot gestured to the other door. “Time for a test. Put your hand on as well. This time, lean into the magic.” 

Still skeptical, Ray reached out, his fingers resting against the wood. This time, he allowed himself to sink into the sensation that crept along his arm, settling inside of him with a comforting hum.

“On three, ask it to open. One…”

Ray took a deep breath, his eyes fluttering shut.

“Two…”

There was crimson in his vision when he opened his eyes, letting out a sigh. 

“... Three.” 

Open. A command befitting a King resonated in his skull. It echoed powerfully, his magic harmonizing with the magic nestled within the door. 

The crystals on the door illuminated, and opened before them. A dark room lay beyond, but Lancelot smiled and stepped forward with confidence. The dim sunlight came with, shining on darkened corners. While still worn with age and time, the room had a majesty to it. 

“I do believe this room has never been explored before. I assume nobody has been able to open it.” Lancelot turned about. “This may be one of the rooms that only the first Red and Black Kings had access to.”

“What?!” Ray darted inside, casting his own ball of light – too quickly, and ambitious, as it flared up to a blinding glare, which immediately diminished when he cursed at it. 

“Patience,” Lancelot chided. “I’ll manage the light.” With ease and poise worthy of his many years of practice, he split his ball of light in two, casting them to each side of the room. 

They illuminated a pair of desks, facing one another. They were well-structured and elegantly carved, matched by two chairs that had seen better days. Fraying rugs covered the floorboards, with gaps visible here and there from age and decay. 

“A study, then,” Ray said aloud, taking the time to head over to the desk on the right. Curiosity got the better of him, and he started tugging at the drawers. Pines from quills and unopened ink bottles greeted him, along with a few yellowed pages in a more archaic form of their current language. Deciding to not parse them right now, he placed them on the desk and intended to keep going when Lancelot called out. 

“King Ray, come here.” 

The hitch in his voice made Ray pause, head shooting up to look. Lancelot was starting to step towards the back of the room, a seating area accompanied by two couches and a low table. However, that was not what had caught his interest. 

Ray hurried to join him, and his gaze caught the edges of gilded frames. Paintings.

The building had been ransacked over the years time and time again, so the thought of discovering anything new sent a shiver up Ray's spine. 

One ball of light moved closer when beckoned, and Ray and Lancelot stared up at the paintings.

While grime and dust coated the surface, the works of art had not lost their brilliance. They were taller than either man, declaring to the whole crumbling hall that they were the most important figures present. 

The man on the left had a stern gaze, light brown hair trimmed short and framing brilliant blue eyes. His chin was held aloft, proud and poised. 

But the painting on the right was much more interesting, due to the people that stood before it. 

"... That is the spitting image of you, King Ray."

Even when Lancelot whispered those words aloud, Ray could not believe it himself. A mischievous emerald gaze stared out across the room, but to Ray it felt as if he was looking at a mirror. It was as if someone had planted it here, for him to find. 

“... Must be a coincidence, a trick of the light,” Ray said, realizing his mouth was dry as he tried to speak. “There’s no way.”

“All kinds of things are possible given how long Cradle has been established.” Lancelot stood firm on his stance, still casting glances between Ray and the painting before them. 

Ray shook his head, as if to deny it. However, a small spark had lit up in his heart, growing warmer with each passing moment. His magic had reacted to the door. His abilities had allowed him to open it. And now, it was his image – his ancestor – that they found in the room before them. 

He reached out a hand to touch the painting, fingers barely grazing the surface out of fear he might damage it. Staring up at the figure once more, he could almost imagine what this man was scheming behind those glittering eyes. Surely, something that his brother would sigh and complain about. 

Lancelot left Ray a moment, pacing the room and casting more lights to illuminate the space. It was probably more brilliantly lit than it had ever been before, and revealed how truly ornate the room was. 

“This must have been their study,” Lancelot said aloud, having most likely come to the same conclusion as Ray. “Of the two kings of Cradle.”

“To think they used to work together like this…” Ray trailed off as he finally turned away from the paintings, staring out at the room before them. “When history tells us they fought against each other, but there was a time they worked together.”

“They were brothers.” Lancelot now went towards the desk on the other side, opening drawers the same way Ray had done minutes prior. “But we can certainly assume this room has not been opened since they parted ways.” 

Ray’s eyes widened. What Lancelot said was most likely true – the door had not obeyed when it was only his magic. It only reacted when both of them had opened it together, willing their magic to unlock the doors. 

“... So that makes us distant relatives?” Ray asked, a teasing tone to his voices, his eyes glittering the same as the painting behind him. 

Lancelot turned, chin raised high in perfect profile with the other painting. “So distant that it is barely worth a mention. You are no family of mine.”

Ray laughed then, grinning wide. “It has been centuries. But still, what a discovery. We’ll have to tell Blanc about it when we get back. This is amazing.”

“It truly is.” Lancelot gathered a few documents he had found in his hands. He doubted they would be worth anything of value, but any history from before the brothers’ war was vague at best. “Well worth our time today, indeed.”

[cloudcountry]

SUMMARY: some mildly embarrassing things that have happened to you while a certain black army member was pining for you.

WARNINGS: none!! :D

COMMENTS: currently meowing as i format this. man i wish i had a cat

ray finds himself showing off a lot more when he spars, pulling moves he wouldn’t normally pull and talking a lot more smack. when you cheer for him, his ego gets so high he starts really getting into it. the testosterone kicks in as he puffs his chest and totally destroys his opponent. he’s looking forward to that victory kiss, he’ll be even more smug about it.

luka thinks it’s embarrassing that he can think of nothing but you when he’s preparing meals. he makes your favorites far too often for it to be a coincidence, and of all the people who had to catch on first, it's seth. he won’t stop bugging luka whenever he’s in the kitchen, whether you're there or not, and he’s just about had enough of it.

fenrir is very proud of his skills with firearms, but those aren’t his only guns. he wishes you would notice him more when he flexes in front of you, rolling up his sleeves on the regular and lifting heavy things. it takes him pouting at you for you to finally look his way and offer up that sweet smile, telling him that of course he’s strong and that he never needed to prove that to you.

sirius isn’t used to being clumsy. in his defense, he also isn’t used to you coming up behind him and hugging him so sweetly, arms wrapping around his neck as you laugh in his ear. The watering can he was holding drops right on his foot and soaks his shoes, but he doesn’t hear your apologies over the ringing in his ears caused by his embarrassment over you.

most would argue that seth is usually embarrassing and that there’s no way he could sink lower. however, the entire army is proven wrong when he finds himself enraptured by you. he’s winking more than he ever has in his life, opening doors for you and pulling out chairs. you look so incredibly flustered and mildly uncomfortable with all the pampering and attention, but no matter how often sirius tells him to back off, he still manages to smother you.

[kissmetwicekissmedeadly]

CHECK UP ON YOUR POSTER BOY LOVING FRIEND TODAY - THEY MIGHT BE GOING CRAZY

[yorinee]

3/23♠Happybirthday!!!Ray〜〜〜✨

[maladaptivedaydreamsx]

Ray Blackwell - I'll Use My Body To Tell You

[luca-draws-ikemen]

guess who just got turned into a marketable plushie

[midwinterrmemento]

good afternoon, let’s talk about this official art again

[lichtluv]

╔═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╗

𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦'𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵...

𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬.

╚═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╝

～ 𝐫𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝.

[sevenai]

us: cybrid keeps copy and pasting main male visuals (nobunaga, napoleon, ray, leon)

cybrid: fine… we’ll switch it up. keep the black visual theme but let’s make him have white hair instead. genius.

[xxsycamore]

One Hot Love

╰┈➤ 📸 Because we're not ready to let go of summer just yet.

Fenrir Godspeed x Main Character + Fenrir/Alice/Ray/Sirius/Luka/Seth • rating: E (MDNI) • tags: Polyamory; they're all dating; but focus is on fen/alice; Beach Sex; Road Trips; modern elements; i gave them cars and car radios basically; Skinny Dipping; Water Sex; Vaginal Sex; getting caught; Outdoor Sex; Banter; Black Army polycule • wordcount: 1,780 • masterlist

a/n: That was me paying homage to the passing summer WHAT HAPPENED, WHY COUDN'T I POST THIS ANY SOONER? Anyway, One Hot Love by Makoto Matsushita was THE summer song for me this year, and at one point it aligned with my ikerev nostalgia so here we are... always wanted to write a black army polycule <3

"Man, that song is stuck in my head now. Putting the only CD we could find on repeat was no doubt better than going the whole drive without any music on, but…"

"What are you talking about, you could have listened to Seth's melodic voice instead~!" Alice gawks, a hand over her heart in a display of affection that seems to be aimed at riling Fenrir up. Though, knowing how the 10 of Spades has her head over heels for him, Fenrir won't be surprised if that's her genuine reaction to listening to the man's monologues for four hours straight. And despite that they all love Seth, Fenrir is sure that in this aspect Alice is alone.

They came here with the rest of the officers and the King to check out what was reported to be a group of disciples from the Magic Tower disrupting the peace around the coast. Ray insisted on checking it out personally and the others kind of tagged along and from there it turned into a (work) road trip.

"Uhuh. Either way, boss looked like he's seconds away from taking the gun from my holster and aiming it at the car radio."

"He wasn't even the one driving, though… Was he too sleepy or something? We did get here only after it got dark yesterday but I thought it wasn't past his bedtime…"

"Pfft, sounds like him! But no. I know what got him so worked up but I won't tell ya~"

"Feeeeen! C'mon!"

Stopping in her tracks for a second, Alice lets out a deep sigh when the Ace just keeps taking long strides across the sandy path, refusing to satiate her curiosity. Letting out a loud "Hmph!" that falls on deaf ears due to the sea breeze surrounding them, Alice dashes forward to join Fenrir's side again, and keeps the pace until he's the one walking behind her instead.

A harsh and sudden gust of wind blows by, and Alice all but feels her uniform skirt flying upwards.

"Eeek!"

"Ohh, so you're wearing the pink ones! Nice!"

Putting her hands protectively on her rear as if they aren't the only two people on this beach to begin with, and as if Fenrir didn't just see everything there is to see, Alice throws him the best mean look she can muster before slowing her step so they're side by side again.

"Sorry for teasing ya. I promise I won't cheat if you want to play guess the panty color with the others tonight."

"It's really not about that!!" The focus of Alice's bewilderment quickly shifts from his ridiculous logic to the way he stops her right there and then for a kiss, full on the lips and tasting like the minty ice cream they shared awhile ago. She finds herself savoring his sweet lips, feeling the sun's warmth engulf them fully now that they stopped in their tracks.

"Ya know, I could really go for a swim right now."

Seems like he's not the only one feeling hot now.

"Just like that? Isn't the water cold…"

"One way to find out." Fenrir grins boyishly, the same smile she once fell for, and then kept falling for every day since then. Before she can even blink, Fenrir is already pulling his hoodie over his head and walking in the direction of the shore. Following the rush of wildness, Alice is no different as she gives into the moment, stripping down to her underwear. At least she diligently folds her clothes before putting them down on top of one of the nearby rocks, even if it means Fenrir would beat her at getting to the water first.

"Woohoo! Alice, come here! The water is perfect!"

Losing no more time to join Fenrir, Alice gives up on her cautious approach and lets the waves splash against her as she runs towards them, even when they make her squeal.

"Liar! It certainly is at least a little bit cold…"

"I gotcha."

Before she can complain more, Fenrir enfolds Alice in his toned arms from behind, acting like a big blanket.

"Fen… you're not wearing any underwear…"

"Yeah? Are you?"

Alice shivers as he runs one hand down to check, but the touch is more than welcomed, to her own surprise. She turns around in his arms and places hers around his neck, looking at his deep magenta eyes.

"Remember what you promised me a few months ago? About the next time we go to the beach together?"

"That I'm gonna finally have my way with you in the water like I always fantasized about? Why are you smirking at me like that now?"

Being called out on it, Alice's grin only transforms into a series of chuckles that she tries to hide against Fenrir's broad chest, hoping that he'd get the idea already.

"Alice, mind if I check once more if ya still wearing those pink panties? Just to make sure."

"F-Fen-!"

Receiving her affirmation in the form of her arms tightening their hold around his shoulders, Fenrir's calloused fingers find their way down the curve of her ass and between her legs. They slip under the thin material, crawling inside to find her dripping sex.

"Haah-"

"Still making sure, hold on."

His touch ghosts over her folds, his other hand joining on her front to stroke her clit inside her panties.

"What were ya asking about my promise to you?"

"Do you…think us coming here today counts? Ahh-"

Rubbing on her aroused nub with no remorse as if determined to make her explode on his fingers in mere seconds, Fenrir uses the proximity to the fullest as he nibs Alice's earlobe playfully.

"Do ya want it to count, Alice?"

It's a silly question, with how far they've already gotten. When they're together, it's always hard to say who started things first. The firm erection pressing flush against Alice's belly tells her they're not leaving the water without one last unforgettable summer memory.

"Make it count. I want you so bad."

"Hah! You finally said it." Fenrir chuckles, leaving a trail of wet kisses across her nape all the way to her lips, capturing them with his.

It serves as a distraction as he picks her up, making her instinctively wrap her legs around his torso.

"Hold on tight, Alice. I'm not stopping 'till you're seeing stars."

Running her fingers through the unruly locks at the base of his neck, Alice groans as she feels him guide the tip in, letting gravity do the rest as she sinks down on his girthy length with delight.

"Gods- Why haven't we done this before-"

"That's what I was asking! Ahhh- Fuck, Alice. I want you everywhere, all the time, what are you doing to me?"

Alice's hearty laughter is interrupted by the erratic moans ripped out of her throat by Fenrir's deep thrusts, and she knows perfectly how he feels.

"You can have all of me, Fen! I want you so bad! Ahhh-"

Moving her body up and down on his length at a rapid pace, Fenrir kisses every part of Alice he can put his lips on, her sun-kissed shoulders, her arms sprinkled with small seawater drops that are salty on his tongue, her nape with the sweet strawberry scent of her shampoo mixing with the sea breeze.

Alice sinks her nails into his shoulder blades, knowing how much he loves it when she does that, and lets herself go; the orgasm rushes through her body like a lightning strike, pleasure spreading hotly from deep inside her and making her whole body glow in ecstasy. She opens her eyes while throwing her head back, and takes in the endless blue sky above.

Fenrir keeps thrusting into her, making water splash around them as he whispers how close he is, how good she feels around him - and then he brings her down on him hard one last time, keeping her flush to him before filling her with his warmth.

With the cease of movement, they can finally enjoy the kisses they can't hold back from giving each other, the rustling of the sea drowning the little moans of afterglow that escape their thirsty lips. Suddenly feeling giddy again, Fenrir holds her up a little more and makes a little spin in the water, enjoying the girly squeal she lets out. It's only when she is turned to face the shore that she notices.

"Oh my god, that's Sirius and the guys!!"

"Huh?" Fenrir looks over his shoulder and indeed, he can see the figures of one man with his arms crossed on his chest and another three standing not far behind him. "Should we wave at them?"

"Hell no! C'mon, let's go!"

***

"We already ate without you, by the way."

"What?! Noooo! I'm never going patrolling with Fenrir again!"

While Alice laments the loss of her lunch, Seth is already there to squeeze himself between her and Fenrir the very second Alice lets go of Fenrir's hand.

"But Alice!~ Your knight in shining armor is here to save you from the brute, and he even packed you leftovers! I'm not letting my Alice die from hunger like that. Oh my, your face is so hot! Why haven't you put sunscreen on?"

"There he goes again…" Fenrir frowns, resorting to joining Ray's side instead, the latter patting his shoulder sympathetically. Returning the gesture by bringing his arm around Ray's shoulders in turn, Fenrir notices the label sticking out of Rey's uniform shirt.

"Oh? What do we have here?"

Upon tucking it back for him, Fenrir sees something curious and pulls a little more on the fabric, leaving a confused Ray as the group stops in their tracks.

"Hey Boss, since when are your initials S.O.?"

Seth is the first to grin knowingly, chiming in. "And aren't your sleeves a little too long?"

Luka inspects the truth of those remarks, blinking in question. "A mishap with the laundry?"

Seth trades his dear Alice's presence for that of Luka's, just so he can lean down and whisper something in his ear, shielding it with his hand while looking directly at Ray.

"That's- Hey. You two better keep your mouths shut, or- And Fenrir, we haven't finished with you yet. We talked about this."

"What? Fucking on the clock? Like hell we're the only ones doing that. Besides,"

Fenrir arrives at Alice's side again, wrapping an arm around her waist for emphasis."…That's what summer's for. Having fun."

Alice blushes, attempting to make things better even if she's just as guilty.

"Fen, it's hardly summer anymore. But… I think you can blame our love for that.

"That's one hot love, then!"

Taglist: @arsnovacadenza @ale-teodora @kimi00twin @otomelady @privilegedpancake @g-kleran    @pumpumnnnp @thesirenwashere @ravenarld @kimmy-banana @devonares @galaxyprison @starshards26 @thewitchofbooks @acethephoenix256 @ikevamp-shrine-2 @nad-zeta @crystal13unny @lordsister @ikemen-banshou   @themysticalbeing @otome-scribbles @rhodolitesrose @coornn @kpop-and-otome @queen-dahlia @kisara-16 @chaosangel767 @ikemenlibrary @queengiuliettafirstlady @aurora-morning @aquagirl1978 ​ @ikemenlover24 @mcofthemansion @joy-the-reader @katriniac @ikemen-writer @tele86 @lovely-bubb1es @aria-chikage @babyblue0t7 @rhodoliteschaos @shrimpy-kitsune @nightghoul381 @xbalayage @lucyw260 @kittygrimm88 @lokis-laugh @judejazza Let me know if you want to be tagged/untagged!

[ikemen-trifecta]

I'm very proud of the last one. –Edi

[misty-moth]

…you’re telling me that Luka and Edgar are older than Ray and Fenrir? 😐

Luka POV:

That also means Luka was the second of the main Black army guys to join, after Sirius 🤔

[kissmetwicekissmedeadly]

They're so cool together 🥺❤️ We missed them

[ciaossu-imagines]

Ikerev & Zombie Apocalypse?

Of course, anon dear! I'm so, so sorry this took forever to get back to you but if you're still reading, I hope you'll enjoy the headcanons I thought of for this AU!

Okay, so we're going into this with me forewarning everyone. By it's very nature, a zombie apocalypse AU is going to get dark, gritty, angsty, and probably a little fucked up and as I love getting the chance to get angsty and dark, you know things might get fucked up here and there with some of these headcanons. If that is not your cup of tea or something you think might bother you, it might be better for you to stop reading.

So now that we have that out of the way, if you're still reading, let's get this all started. So, in my head, this AU is less of an actual alternate universe. I still very much see this set in Cradle, with the same universe existing of Magic and the Magic Tower and the different armies. However, I don't see the armies as still really fighting each other - they are at peace and the Magic Tower, though definitely still shady as fuck and definitely still up to no real good, isn't thought of as an absolute threat. Everything seems good and peaceful and that's part of the real set-up of this AU.

So, to get to the real meat of this AU. So, everything is nice and peaceful. Life seems idyllic. But then things start to change. The Magic Tower, still headed by Amon Jabberwock, is doing what the Magic Tower always does - experimenting with the Magic Crystals, seeing what can be done with them. Their latest experiment is working with the crystals and humans to see if, by ingesting bits of the crystals and thus integrating them into the human body, they can enhance the boundaries of what a human body and mind can do. The experiments seem to be well-meaning, are sold as looking to find cures for aging, for disabilities, for anything bad that can possibly happen to a human body or mind. What they're really after, or at least what Amon wants them for, is to create his own army of superhuman soldiers to conquer Cradle, though not even his followers are really privy to that fact.

Too bad the experiments seem to be failing. Most of the humans experimented on are dying…and then things seem to change. Things start to appear to be going well and the Magic Tower rejoices and gets inspired to really test even further limits of the experiment. The long and short of it though - these new Crystal infused humans? They're super-strong, seemingly impervious to all harm except complete decapitation to sever the connection of brain and body, with superhuman senses…oh, and they all go insane. Like, their brain goes bad - all limiters are taken off and they start to act solely on impulses and basic desires instead of any rational thoughts or logic. They're extremely violent if threatened at all or if something stands in the way of one of their wants. They experience extreme hunger at points and if food isn't readily available….well, humans are a source of meat too. They crave sex, food, shelter, warmth, liquid. Some of them retain enough of their personalities to have cravings for things they especially loved before the experiments as well.

The worst thing? Though they start as mindless, they quickly seem to link up into some sort of hive-mind and they start enhancing their numbers. If they don't outright kill, they forcibly turn others into beings like themselves by forcibly feeding them crystals. If the person survives this, they join The Hive.

It starts in the Tower. Amon willingly joins The Hive, makes himself the Head of it. Dalim, being a Disciple of the Tower, is in this initial first attack by these creatures. Terrified and no longer trusting in Amon, Dum does do the right thing in the end and tries to ensure that the experiment dies in the Tower, that none of the infected escape the Tower. He helps get other Disciples out but unfortunately, he succumbs to an attack by several of the infected and gets forcibly recruited into The Hive.

The infected surge out of the Tower and it's not too long before the peace of Cradle is completely shattered and things become a full out 'zombie apocalypse'. The armies each do their best to fight The Hive and protect the citizens but still steadfastly refuse to join forces with each other until much later on in the story.

I see Jonah as being one of the first to die. It's not because he's not strong and more than a capable fighter. It's because he's just genuinely someone who doesn't have a lot of common sense. His death comes in the first wave of the infected out of the Tower. He chose bravery and doing his duty but, after seeing other soldiers downed and even seeing some be forcibly infected, his ego and lack of common sense really did him in and he gets slaughtered and eaten.

Though he'll last throughout most of the story, I do see Lancelot dying. It's his death that inspires the two armies to join forces and come together, actually. The thing is, as a magically strong person already, the Hive (and Amon, their leader) didn't want to kill Lancelot. No, they became almost obsessed with changing him, with making him a part of the Hive. Though Lancelot was strong and clever enough to hold them off for a long time, while saving someone else whilst in the midst of battle, he was left vulnerable for long enough to be force fed what was needed to ensure he would eventually turn. Though the only one who was aware of this was Kyle, who steadfastly maintained that they would find a way to save Lance, Lancelot knew what needed to be done. He told Sirius and Harr the truth of what had happened and begged his two best friends to do what needed to be done - to kill him.

Sirius was the one to actually end up doing the deed. He'd already lost most of his family and by that point, had seen enough other people die. He'd been so strong up until that point and he'd inspired so many people to keep going with his never give up attitude, his optimism that things would get better, and his hard work. But after that, after being forced to kill one of his oldest and dearest friends? He sure kept trying, so hard, but the fact of the matter was that after that, Sirius really started to give up. Another major story event really did him in and he almost recklessly charged into the next major battle with The Hive and was taken down. Those close by at the time said he seemed almost relieved as The Hive killed him.

That other major story event? It has to do with Harr. Harr was a Magic Tower Disciple who had abducted his position the second the Tower started experimenting on humans. It was just something Harr could not handle, could not get behind, so he left. He did his best to keep his eye on things with the Tower though, worried about what might happen. When the worst does happen, Harr feels immense guilt for not having done more to stop this from happening. He becomes obsessed with finding a cure for those infected, with stopping this with as little bloodshed as possible. Loki helps him, as does Kyle, who also becomes obsessive about finding a cure.

As the days and weeks go by though and they seem to be getting nowhere, Kyle starts drinking harder and harder and becoming more and more reckless in his efforts to learn more about the infected. He needs test subjects and by the time the armies manage to trap and transport an infected person to him, not only have they suffered major casualties, but the infected in question is normally dead as well. Kyle becomes tired of seeing people die and being helpless to stop it and he directly goes out into the field. Dead infected specimens aren't helping; he needs a live one and becomes bound and determined to get one. While trying to do so, Kyle gets captured and changed.

The newly infected Kyle is feral and attacks his former comrades, killing Loki. Between Loki's death and Kyle's change, combined with watching Sirius kill Lancelot just the day before, Harr cannot handle things anymore. It's too much and his brain just can't deal. Harr takes a dive, head first, from the place this all started - the Tower itself. He's dead upon impact with the ground, quick and painless, but dead nonetheless.

Because the idea, while horrible, was too delicious to resist…I really do see Dean being brutally savaged and beaten to death by his own infected brother. The sibling rivalry had carried over enough in the infected Dalim's mind for the need to kill his brother to be a major desire of his.

Now, I have always kind of headcanoned that Mousse has narcolepsy. Obviously he doesn't have a route so I don't know for sure if that is canonically true but I see that being his undoing in this AU. He gets infected in his sleep very early on in the story.

Oliver becomes very useful though. He devotes himself to making weapons and traps and fortifying buildings to become shelters. Though he doesn't go into battles himself and is very protected, he's such an important and integral part of everything.

I do see Edgar, Fenrir, and Seth becoming rather famous as front line warriors against the Hive. All or any of them alone become major targets of the Hive because of how many infected they take out and how integral a part of survival in this new world they become.

After Lancelot's death, Blanc and Ray become co-leaders, trying everything they can to gather and ensure the safety of all non-infected individuals. Blanc keeps an eye and really dedicates himself to ensuring the non-infected are safe and taken care of and that shelter, food, water, and basic needs can be met for everyone while Ray leads the more military side of ensuring continued life and safety for the survivors.

Zero ends up specializing in rescue missions, in getting groups of non-infected people to safety, and really ends up becoming Blanc's second in command. Luka, meanwhile, stays under Ray and does fight…Luka's biggest regret in everything though? That he couldn't save his brother. So he becomes foolhardy and reckless at times, taking risks he shouldn't, because to him, if he can save even just one more person…maybe that will take some of the guilt away, absolve him even a little. Even just a smidge.

[shuubah]

When fluff is life, and Luka the angel stands above all! 💜😤