#sunders reblogs

[thescrolls-haveforetold]

i have not posted her in a while… sunder kitty

[fell-court]

so, no, I don't need saving.. a pity dawn won't rise over your broken corpse. and with each life, comes a new meaning.. and it seems "this one likes to take it to heart"- yeah, no

A quick /gpose of a hypothetical Ascian Tsutsuji. This was a bit of a tricky one to set up, given all the effects, and very much something that won't be canon, but it's fun to play about with nevertheless - plus, the vibes match the song well ^-^

[faustquillpen]

I'll probably draw more of a reference sheet for her because ref sheets are fun..... I just like listing things about characters and drawing them a bunch.... It fun

Anyway this is Sunder (name may change??) A Maintenance Eel that gained sentience and decided she wanted to do more than fix old leaky pipes and rust away to be replaced later by newer models.

She's part of a series of game ideas I've had with robot protagonists in the same world, her game would be a sort of puzzle platform type game where she can transfer her consciousness through electricity by plugging into outlets and possess non sentient eel bots and other technology to solve puzzles n stuff. Usually she's in a little charging chassis that I didn't draw in this particular one.

I think this is actually pretty decent??? I'm actually becoming semi confident in art skills. I'm able to tell I'm at least getting better!!!

Also the design for her was done by @blinkpen !!! (Besides the tail part I added that lol) (Basically I gave them a concept of the character, an eel bot with outlet hands and other details, and they did the rest of the design!!!) [This is RiDragon's art/oc rambling blog and if you don't want me to tag you lmk!!! Just wanted to give credit.]

[fanfoolishness]

If you’re using AI for these things please take a long hard look at why, and what you’re giving up (in addition to the fact that AI art steals and scrapes from other artists without their consent).

The joy of creation in fandom is in the struggle, the striving, the effort. The finished product is the goal, but the journey is where you pour your passion. You learn and grow by producing fanworks. You figure out what inspires you and makes you feel connected; you learn how to reach out and connect to other fans; you play, you make mistakes, you carve out beauty where there was nothing there before. And the way you do it is like no one else in the world. You can see the fingerprints of the artist in every piece of art no matter what kind of art it is — traditional, digital, writing, gif sets, musical arrangements, crafting, embroidery, dollmaking, mods, cosplay, custom action figures. These are all media that I have seen fellow fans create in, and they create things that are lovely! Unique! Personal!

Sometimes our work can be a little homely or awkward or untrained, but that is no problem, as these things are still beautiful. It shows that the artist is willing to learn, that they have an idea they want to share, and that is wonderful. That is passion. This is the joy! This is the power! Why would you ever want to take that away from yourself?

like i'm sorry but we as a fandom have to stay firm on our anti-AI values. we cannot suddenly start giving AI a pass when it's something we "want to see" like destiel kisses. it's not suddenly fine. we're not going to start using AI to make fanfic scenes come to life or audio AI to make characters "say" stuff we want to hear. you have GOT to be firm on your anti-AI stance. if you start making exceptions then suddenly anything will fly. fandom is for real art and creations made by real people. no AI fanfics. no AI art. no AI rendered "bonus" scenes. no AI audio. none of it has a place here.

[thescrolls-haveforetold]

Blessed be, images of my darling kitten (she is 7 months now!)

[alien-in-the-mirror]

if you lot don't reblog my posts i will sunder us all again

[aneffervescentuniverse]

i stayed until i couldn't.

“One of the hardest parts of life is deciding whether to walk away or try harder”

— Unknown

[perplexed-angel]

EDIT on the main post not a reblog this time: I know these are all season 12. I knew when I posted it and I knew whaile making it. My mind just decided to type 15 for some reason

[jjungkookislife]

Quarterly Fic Recs 2024: #2

Hello! It's that time again (I feel like this past quarter flew by! I enjoyed these fics these past few months, and I hope you'll enjoy them too! Please consider reblogging fics you enjoyed to share them with others! I love finding new fics to read! :)

Seokjin

the leather loafers @jimlingss

summary: Yes. You went to the ball. Yes. You ran into the prince. Yes. The shoe fits. BUT-! You aren't that Cinderella bitch. THEY'VE GOT THE WRONG PERSON!

into the rush @minisugakoobies

summary: When your best friend Taehyung tells you he has the perfect thing to help you get over a broken heart, you’re surprised to learn he means dodgeball, the beloved game of sociopathic gym teachers everywhere. But even more surprising is the way you find comfort in the game, and so much more, as you fall into the rush with the help of another teammate - his brother, Seokjin.

Yoongi

tiger layer @kth1

summary: You are here to serve your king. In any way he pleases.

minis: july 1874 @hobidreams

summary: time goes on, and so does your love stretch and grow alongside it.

sunder @sailoryooons

summary: Sunder (sun·​der) transitive verb : to break apart or in two : to separate by or as if by violence or by intervening time or space

Hoseok

in good hands @/minisugakoobies

summary: Once again, another partner has left you feeling unsatisfied. Maybe it’s time to call in an expert. Don’t worry, Hoseok knows exactly what you need.

Namjoon

none :(

Jimin

delicate @/gimmethatagustd

summary: After months of not talking to each other, Taehyung thinks he can charm his way into your life again. Thankfully, Jimin is there to help you work through your feelings.

Taehyung

only here to sin @/gimmethatagustd

summary: When your genius of a boyfriend returns to Harvard for his sophomore year of college, you never would have expected to have his worst enemy keeping you entertained in his absence.

Jungkook

valentine vixen @bunnyhugs77

stripper reader! x rich! jungkook

supercharged @btsmosphere

summary: It starts with a blow to the chest that changes your life. When your city’s most celebrated hero pays a visit, it turns out the noble Bolt has no trouble tossing lives aside. Lives that won’t be missed. Lives like yours. Seven mysterious and powerful men give you another chance – one that starts to feel more like a curse the moment you meet golden boy Jungkook. The boy who wants you as far from his brothers as he can get you. Is it you he hates, or the blue lightning that now runs through your veins? And could it be his golden light that illuminates your heart when darkness threatens?

fan identity [SMAU] @tteokggukk

summary: in which you and jungkook are both famous internet celebrities that have never interacted, but share a common secret. you both have fan accounts for each other where you actively show support and express your opinions. one day, you were both nominated for the same award, social media influencer of the year. lowkey rooting for the other, you both express your opinions on your secret fan accounts as certain interactions begin to arise from a famous fan account dedicated to your “opponent” nominee.

closer @sweetestofchaos

summary: being close to you is still not close enough

OT7/Multiple Members

dirty, dirty boy @gimmethatagustd

summary: For Taehyung, the only revenge sweeter than fucking Namjoon’s girlfriend behind his back is fucking Namjoon from the back.

s

Namjoon

bf snapchats @secretsecretbunny

Jungkook

supercharged @btsmosphere

summary: It starts with a blow to the chest that changes your life. When your city’s most celebrated hero pays a visit, it turns out the noble Bolt has no trouble tossing lives aside. Lives that won’t be missed. Lives like yours. Seven mysterious and powerful men give you another chance – one that starts to feel more like a curse the moment you meet golden boy Jungkook. The boy who wants you as far from his brothers as he can get you. Is it you he hates, or the blue lightning that now runs through your veins? And could it be his golden light that illuminates your heart when darkness threatens?

Seokjin

day six [corruption kink] @euphoricfilter

gf gives him a blowjob @sugarlywhispers

slithered from Eden @aphrodijin

summary: in which your new lover is probably a fairy or a vampire, you’re not sure. all you know is that he’s too beautiful to be human, to be even real at all.

i hate u, i love u @jeonbunnie

summary: If loving Jin is wrong, you don’t wanna be right.

this is us @btsgotjams27

alternate timeline

Yoongi

yours to keep @ugh-yoongi

established relationship au

twelve @sailoryooons

summary: When the red string of fate appears around your ankle, you have twelve days to find your fated partner or die. That’s how the spell works - that’s how fate has always run Her business. There is one, very inconvenient witch who keeps getting in your way, though, and you might just kill each other before your mark does.

pull it harder @multicitrus

summary: Yoongi has a slight hair-pulling kink.

every little thing @7ndipity

summary: When you overhear Yoongi talking about how clingy you’ve been lately, you decide to take a step back from your friendship to give him space. But your sudden absence goes far from unnoticed by him.

silk touch @jjkwifestyle

summary: where yoongi's touch drives you mad.

wishes and kisses @95rkives

summary: sneaking into his studio with burnt homemade cupcakes to celebrate his birthday.

boyfriend yoongi @perfectlyoongi

always, us @katnisspeetaprim

Hoseok

scary good @7ndipity

summary: A spooky movie and needy Hobi? You couldn’t imagine a better way to spend Halloween.

hoseok drabble @dirtybtssnaps

fuck around and...? @kooksbunnnn

summary: Being neglected can bring out the brat inside you, little do you know that he loves to be the brat tamer.

retribution @kpopfanfictrash

Namjoon

the morning after @7ndipity

summary: Namjoon’s reaction to you waking up sore after a night together.

needy @likeastarstar

he's a munch @kooktrash

established relationship

doom boy @soft4gguk

Jimin

prompt drabble @jl-micasea-fics

gf gives him a blowjob @sugarlywhispers

I'm here sweetheart @folkookie97

summary: Jimin comforts his wife during her crying spell.

i promise i'll say yes @taetaespeaches

Taehyung

the one with the hall pass @eoieopda

summary: you and your boyfriend have everything important in common — especially your taste in men.

taehyung drabble @euphorajeon

ride with me @theharrowing

summary: While on location for Taehyung’s driving vlog, he shuts the camera off to make a confession.

it's definitely you @pt2change

baby @minisugakoobies

summary: It’s just another Saturday night out, drinking with your favorite people, trying to pretend that you’re not completely in love with your best friend.

fireworks ^

summary: Taehyung knows exactly why he doesn’t remember last year’s fireworks.

Jungkook

paradise @minisugakoobies

summary: That sexy man on stage - the one currently giving your friend the lap dance of her LIFE - is your super shy neighbor, Jeon Jungkook?!

naked @btsgotjams27

summary: You’re selfish when it comes to him. He wants more, but you won’t let him.

late night calls @bangtaninborderland

summary: you get a call from Jungkook at 7am, struck with worry you pick up only to find your adorably tired boyfriend.

OT7/Multiple Members

carnival of terror ch. 4 @theharrowing

summary: The carnival is in town, and it is unlike anything you have ever experienced. Will you make it out alive?

the one with the hall pass pt. 2 @eoieopda

summary: you and your boyfriend have everything important in common — especially your taste in men.

[mumms-the-word]

When was Gale Chosen by Mystra?

I’m going to get so much hate for this but here we go

I’m looking at lore timelines for Faerûn (for fic purposes but also because it’s interesting) and I’m curious when people think Gale was named as one of Mystra’s Chosen. There's a poll at the bottom of this post for you to vote your answer!

Assuming, of course, that things like the Spellplague, Mystra’s death/disappearance, and the Second Sundering/return of Mystra happened, finding the exact year that Mystra chose Gale is tricky.

For context, here is a timeline of relevant things that happened according to Faerûn lore (I explain this more in this old post about Mystra’s timeline if you’re curious but that post doesn’t matter for this poll specifically)

1385 - Mystra dies(?) and anything resembling a goddess of magic goes silent for nearly 100 years; The Spellplague begins and the 4e rules for D&D kick in, so magic is different than normal; SUPPOSEDLY no gods name any (new) Chosens during the Spellplague era, but no one seems to agree on how long that rule lasted Early 1400s? - Elminster hears Mystra's voice but she seems otherwise silent for everyone else (her silence is explained mostly in Ed Greenwood's Elminster novels, in case you were wondering where I pulled that factoid from) 1457 - Gale is born (assuming he's 35 in the game) 1465 - Gale (age 8) accidentally sets fire to his neighbor's rose bush and meets Elminster for the first time 1479 - According to Bury Elminster Deep, Elminster meets Mystra's spirit trapped in a bear and begins finding/possibly naming(?) other Chosen of Mystra and gathering power for Mystra so she can survive the upcoming Second Sundering (Gale is 22) 1480ish - According to Elminster Enraged, Elminster restores power to Bear!Mystra and she Quietly Returns; we still haven't seen her with a physical body, she seems to be just spirit and stardust (Gale is 22-23) 1484 - The Second Sundering begins; various gods are returning and the magic rules of the Weave are changing back to pre-Spellplague normalcy (Gale is 27) 1487 - Mystra now has a physical body because she does this Big Reveal at the end of The Herald (another Elminster book) by physically entering a room where five of her Chosen are; this is known officially as Mystra's Return; additionally the Second Sundering wraps up, so all the gods are locked into their domains and the Weave is officially back to pre-Spellplague normalcy (Gale is 30) 1491ish - Gale (age 33-34) loses his Chosen status after searching for the Karsite Weave and getting plagued with the Netherese orb 1492 - BG3 begins (Gale is 35)

So if that's the timeline we're working with, when do YOU think Gale was selected as one of Mystra's official Chosen? Keep in mind that Chosens, according to Faerûn/D&D lore, are extremely rare and carefully selected, though Mystra does tend to collect and name more Chosens than the average Faerûnian deity.

You can base your answer off anything. Vibes, original lore, game content, Gale's dialogues, your gut feeling, idc. Just curious to see when people think Mystra made his Chosen status official.

I'm also curious whether you think Gale becoming Chosen happened before or after he started a sexual relationship with Mystra, but that's a separate question you can answer if you feel like it.

Curious to see the results!

[evienyx]

In case you missed it:

The two newest chapters of Fractures have been uploaded: the end of Book 1 and the start of Book 2. The links are on the two previous posts.

I updated late last night (at least for me) so here’s another notification for anyone who didn’t catch it!

My next post will be the next Fractures update.

I’ve finally finished the first chapter of Book 2, which took so long because I did in depth chapter outlines for all of Book 2 first, which should make future updates quicker. I hope.

I WOULD have published it by now, but unfortunately I couldn’t finish the tagging of the new work and putting all the links in before I had to go to work. Woe is me.

Anyway, give it a few hours. Look out for those two new chapters tonight (or today depending on your time zone).

Typing of mobile makes it hard for me to express how exciting this is. I’m very excited. Thrilled. I swear.

[novafire-is-thinking]

Round One is ready!

Results will be recorded on this Google Sheet.

It is recommended that you vote on ALL of the matches, but it’s not required. If you don’t know who someone is, TFwiki is your best friend. Or you can just vote based on vibe. That works too.

This round will run for 24 hours. I will post round two the following day unless a tiebreaker is needed.

For current and future followers who want to be notified when poll updates and new rounds go live, don’t worry about getting spammed with my non-poll post and reblog notifications if you have alerts on. I found a way around it.

Cyclonus vs. Hound ✧ Dominus Ambus vs. Cerebros

Censere vs. Getaway ✧ Megatron vs. Broadside

Maccadam vs. Rung ✧ Thunderhowl vs. Predaking

Whirl vs. Kup ✧ Tracks vs. Froid

Meteorfire vs. Hubcap ✧ Tyrest vs. Alpha Trion

Flatline vs. Blurr ✧ Topspin vs. Misfire

Dai Atlas vs. Dinobot ✧ Ratchet vs. Grimlock

Rodimus Prime vs. Hook ✧ Cheetor vs. Pharma

Star Saber vs. Hardhead ✧ Thrust vs. Smokescreen

Blackout vs. Heatwave ✧ Hardshell vs. Slingshot

Vos vs. Wasp ✧ Chase vs. Helex

Knockout vs. Silverbolt ✧ Powerglide vs. Grapple

Nemesis Prime vs. Optimus Primal ✧ Drift vs. Skyquake

High Tide vs. Beachcomber ✧ Motormaster vs. Rampage

Fireflight vs. Fracas ✧ Doubledealer vs. Quickstrike

Huffer vs. Breakdown ✧ Ten vs. Tarn

Snarl vs. Boulder ✧ Shockwave vs. Sentinel Prime

Cosmos vs. Sunstorm ✧ Crankcase vs. Trepan

Bluestreak vs. Windcharger ✧ Scrapper vs. Skids

Long Haul vs. Ambulon ✧ Dreadwing vs. Soundblaster

Optimus Prime vs. Riptide ✧ Soundwave vs. Cliffjumper

Metroplex vs. Bonecrusher ✧ Sideswipe vs. Barricade

Depth Charge vs. Brimstone ✧ Offroad vs. Ultra Magnus

Scavenger vs. Rattrap ✧ Starscream vs. Afterburner

Rewind vs. Brawl ✧ Hot Shot vs. Tesarus

Wheeljack vs. Blades ✧ Thunderclash vs. Kaon

Astrotrain vs. Wildrider ✧ Blaster vs. Lockdown

Fulcrum vs. Swoop ✧ Blitzwing vs. Dead End

Warpath vs. First Aid ✧ Perceptor vs. Ramjet

Mirage vs. Bumblebee ✧ Chromedome vs. Sunstreaker

Tailgate vs. Overlord ✧ Jazz vs. Sludge

Prowl vs. Slug ✧ Swerve vs. Brawn

Deathsaurus vs. Springer ✧ Skyfire vs. Sunder

Air Raid vs. Spinister ✧ Terrorsaur vs. Bulkhead

Seaspray vs. Kickback ✧ Guzzle vs. Runamuck

Tarantulas vs. Trailbreaker ✧ Rhinox vs. Ferak

Red Alert vs. Thundercracker ✧ Fortress Maximus vs. Lugnut

Impactor vs. Dirge ✧ Wing vs. Mixmaster

Brainstorm vs. Skydive ✧ Nightbeat vs. Inferno

Gears vs. Hoist ✧ Runabout vs. Drag Strip

Sky-Byte vs. Scorponok ✧ Swindle vs. Tigatron

[thescrolls-haveforetold]

She’s watching me play as Val

[ungrateful-cyborg-moved]

I'VE MOVED TO A NEW ACCOUNT! This blog will not be used anymore, but you can find me there:

Gen blog: @skaars-treasure-trove

OC blog: @sundered-souls (didn't change)

FFXIV reblogs: @sundered-souls-hub

Political posts: @earthling-politics*

The main reason is that I want more control and freedom over what I post and see on Tumblr, so everything is on sideblogs from now on.

* nothing graphic will be posted

[artificial-absinthe]

And this one

I absolutely love this one. So sinister and gloomy. This story line I deeply enjoyed. It was like a Cybertronian gothic horror story, emotional involvement with a creature included.

Art for the month of gay Mercy ships!

For @emperor-kumquat

It was supposed to be a romantic picture, but it turned out gloomy as always ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[iamnicodemus]

Dragonfire

Pairing: Dragon!Wednesday Addams x Knight!Gender Neutral Reader

Summary: After a dragon attack leaves a village on edge, a wandering knight is tasked with slaying the great beast. When the knight enters the dragon's lair, however, they find something quite different from the winged horror they'd expected...

A/N: This is an alternate, high fantasy universe where Wednesday Addams is a shapeshifting dragon. This is also my first ever fic on this site and my first time ever writing from this PoV (it's also barely proofread, lol). I hope you enjoy, and please feel free to leave feedback. As always, likes, comments, and reblogs are appreciated.

When you’d entered through the mouth of a cave near the summit and made your descent into the hollows of the mountain, you’d expected that your journey would eventually bring you face-to-face with a dragon. You wouldn’t have come to this godsforsaken place otherwise — navigating winding, uneven stone corridors and ducking under stalactites that looked to have been polished to razor perfection. After a recent incident in which a great black dragon had sundered much of the fertile fields surrounding a nearby village, the leaders of said village had called for the monster’s head. You, a traveling knight errant, were the only one brave enough to rise to the occasion. You’d been tasked with searching the mountain where it supposedly dwelled and slaying it without mercy. The reward? A handsome sum of gold and a great accolade under your belt, both of which were invaluable to you. 

Work had not come by easily as of late. More often than not, you were forced to set up meager camps in the woods due to being unable to afford a room at an inn. You slept on a rough bedroll on the grass, your throat parched and stomach aching with hunger most nights before you drifted off into a dreamless sleep. Assuming, of course, that the surrounding wildlife allowed you to rest without fear, or that highwaymen wouldn’t happen upon your position. Both had occurred on numerous occasions, and your armor still bore the scuffs and dings from each encounter.

This mission was an opportunity to change all of that, for good. Either you’d claim the dragon’s head and be eating like a king for a good while, you’d meet your end in a hellish blaze, or — if you’d refused the mission — you’d be a week or two away from living in squalor. The first two possibilities were largely preferable to the third.

The air grew colder the lower you descended through the cave, A deep silence filled the cavern, broken only by the clang of your iron boots against stone. The noise wasn’t ideal. You’d hoped to approach the monster quietly, perhaps finding it curled up in its chamber, fast asleep. The way your footfalls were sounding, however, you’d be lucky if it weren’t wide awake and lying in wait for you. You half expected it to come racing up the cavern any moment now, its maw opened wide with anticipation, purple flames waiting to erupt from its throat.

Your heart hammered beneath your beige tunic and iron cuirass. You kept your sword raised at all times, taking what little comfort you could from behind the slim protection it offered. In your other hand you carried a lantern, creating a cone of light in what would’ve otherwise been pitch darkness.

After what felt like an eternity of wandering through the semidark, you finally spotted an incandescent light pouring out from the vaulted entryway at the end of the passage. This was it! The dragon’s lair. Excitement and apprehension knotted up in your chest as you made your approach. You weren’t sure when you started running. Your boots pounded against the ground, the lantern swinging wildly in your grasp at your side. Your breath hitched, and then, you emerged—

—into a long, rectangular chamber that looked less like the vast, bone-littered lair of a dragon, and more like an eccentric aristocrat’s dreary getaway. To say you were baffled would be an understatement.

Flaming sconces and dark tapestries lined the smooth, limestone walls. A chair and table, both looking to be hewn from slate, were set up in a corner. Upon the table sat a large stack of parchment and a black-feathered quill beside it. A viol and its bow were leaned against the far wall.

What stood out most, however, was the coffin-shaped bed in the middle of the chamber — and the human shape resting atop it.

You inched closer, sword at the ready. Laying on a black pillow and linen sheet, arms crossed over her chest like a corpse before burial, was a girl that looked to be your age. She was almost porcelain pale, with merlot lips and raven hair styled in a parted fringe and two tightly wound braids that hung at opposite sides of her head.

Despite the confusion welling up in you and the strained atmosphere that came with hunting a dragon, you’d be lying if you said your heart didn’t skitter upon seeing her. She was absolutely gorgeous, and the thought nearly revolted you because you weren’t yet sure if she was fast asleep, or if you were looking upon a well-preserved corpse.

Who was she, even? A captive of the monster? She looked to be a noblewoman of some sort, if the fine, pitch-black kirtle and white chemise adorning her were any indication. And yet you hadn’t heard anything about the dragon kidnapping anyone, let alone someone of nobility. And what was up with the furnishings in here? Since when did dragons care about those?

None of this made sense. Had you scaled the wrong mountain, stumbled through the wrong cave, and trespassed on a particularly refined hermit’s home? No, this was definitely the mountain you’d been directed to. The dragon had last been seen prowling around the summit before disappearing into its depth, not that you could for the life of you figure out how such a large creature managed to squeeze through this narrow, rocky deathtrap of a cave system.

Her eyes shot open.

“How long are you going to stand there staring? I’d like to continue sleeping without a loud, toy soldier in tin plate hovering over me.”

A yelp almost escaped you. You startled back, sword almost slipping from your grasp.

The girl abruptly sat up and pinned you with a searching gaze. You froze. The way she studied you — through dark brown eyes that seemed as though they could dissect you with naught but a look - was unnerving. Yet, you could not bring yourself to look away. Your skin flushed with heat and your heart raced.

“Why are you here?” she asked, her voice perfectly even.

“Uh, I’m, er—” Damn it, why were you stuttering? “I’m looking for the….dragon?”

You felt silly saying it aloud, even more so under the gaze of this stranger. You must’ve been given bad information, because there was no logical way a fully-fledged dragon could dwell in a cramped place like this.

She didn’t react at all to your statement. In fact, her angular face remained clear of any emotion. Not how most would react to news of a winged, firebreathing beast in the area.

“And why have you come looking for me?”

For me.

Your brows drew into a frown. Had she misspoken?

You soon got your answer as she slid out of the oddly shaped bed, her right hand raised. Suddenly, her black-painted nails started to elongate, curving into razor talons. You watched in horror as a layer of obsidian black scales sprouted across her hand. Her stare never left you.

Your blood ran cold. You raised your sword reflexively, leveling the tip to her throat.

She moved like a streak of lightning, crossing the chamber in the space of a breath and swiping the sword from your hand. The blade shattered beneath the force of her clawed strike, littering the ground with iron shards. All that remained in your grasp was a leather-bound hilt, wholly useless in the face of the girl you now took to be the very dragon you were hunting. Somehow, she’d transformed into a human, or at least wore the guise of one.

You swallowed thickly. Despite the fact that she was shorter than you, her presence loomed higher than anyone you’d ever met.

Anyone else would’ve shrunk away from her, to cower and hope mercy fell upon them. You remained rooted where you stood. Out of fear? Perhaps. But also, up close, you noticed the smattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks. Could start to make out the microexpressions beneath the mask of aloofness. The way her eyes narrowed slightly in annoyance at the fact that you hadn’t answered her question.

“I’m not fond of repeating myself. Why are you here?” she said, drawing out the last question slightly, every word laced with cold menace.

You pondered the question for a moment longer. Saying you’d been sent there to kill her was a great way to get yourself disemboweled by her fearsome claws, but it seemed if you didn’t loosen your tongue soon, that would be the fate that awaited you anyway.

“Well…. I’m a knight—”

“Yes, because your sword and armor weren’t clear giveaways.”

“---and a local village tasked me with handling their dragon problem, after said dragon torched their crops,” you continued as though you hadn’t been interrupted.

She scoffed. “I burned half of their crops. What remains of their fields remains perfectly fertile. They’re lucky I spared even that much.”

“Well, despite your generosity, they still want you dead. But I’m very much open to this ending a different way,” you quickly added. Given your predicament — weaponless and more or less at her complete mercy — it was best you didn’t make it out as though you were still intent on killing her. Besides, you weren’t altogether sure you wanted her dead now. You’d embarked on a journey to slay a mindless, rampaging beast, not a person.

She didn’t say anything. She neither moved nor blinked. Maybe she was waiting for you to explain your alternative solution. Whatever was going on in that head of hers, the fact that you were still alive was favorable. But before you divulged anything more, you needed some answers yourself.

“Why did you attack their field?”

“Why does that matter?” she retorted.

“Knowing the context behind would probably go a long way with winning me over.”

“I’m not concerned with winning you over.”

“Then humor me. Come on, whatever your motive was, it’s not like I’m really a threat to you at this point, so my reaction doesn’t matter.”

“You were never a threat to me. You came here completely unprepared, with all the subtlety of a trebuchet, and apparently lacking even the most basic knowledge that dragons are capable of adopting humanoid forms.” She tilted her head slightly. “You’re not a very good knight, are you?”

Ouch. That… actually stung a bit. And wait, was that really common knowledge? Why the hell hadn’t you heard about it?

Sighing, you pressed on. “My failings as a knight aside, look, maybe there’s a way this ends with you getting that village off your back and me walking out of your lair with my life. You know as well as I do that I won’t be the last person they send after you.”

“If it came to that, I’d incinerate every intruder and decorate the cavern with their charred bones.”

Gruesome. “We haven’t known each other long, but I get the sense that you’ve got better things to do than killing a new challenger everyday. Besides, if one doesn’t work, they’ll send two. Then they’ll send whole teams. Soon enough, they’ll have a mage join the hunt, and badass dragon or not, you probably don’t want to fight one of those.”

She exhaled sharply, exasperation flashing across her eyes. You wondered for a moment if you’d said too much.

Then, she turned away from you and wandered back over to her bed. You noticed the scales on her hand fade, and her talons retract. She sat down, facing you.

“My brother was attacked in that village,” she began. “He was in his mortal guise. He thought to go fishing in the stream, but apparently the villagers don’t take well to outsiders poaching from their waters, and he was taken and flogged in the street.”

Your heart sank. To think such an innocent mistake had been punished so harshly. Even though her face remained impassive, you noticed the way her jaw tightened as she recounted the tale.

“Though a dragon, my brother is a whelp, and didn’t retaliate. He is weak and shies away from exacting retribution.”

Harsh words for her own brother, but it was clear she cared deeply about him.

“I wouldn’t have blamed you if you’d done worse,” you said, gently.

Her brows raised slightly. She looked a touch surprised, the first real expression you’d seen from her.

“I considered it strongly,” she said, bluntly.

“I’m sure they’re thanking the gods you didn’t go through with it. You’re a lot more merciful than I would’ve been.”

“There’s no need to insult me.”

You snorted. “Wasn’t intending to. What you did was smarter, actually. Slaughtering them would’ve prompted a much harsher response from the survivors and neighboring towns. Thanks to your choice, you only have to deal with one woefully unprepared knight.”

A smile tugged at your lips.

She stared at you, considering your words carefully. After a pensive beat of silence, she spoke. “I assume, to sate their desire for vengeance and prevent them from sending more idiots after me, you’ll need to return with proof that I’ve been slain.”

You nodded, giving an uneasy shrug. “Yeah. I don’t suppose you have a way around that?”

She didn’t respond immediately. She lifted her hand and snapped twice. You heard a gentle whoosh and something came flying past you. It was a sheet of parchment, one of those you’d seen stacked on the corner table.

You watched curiously as she balled the parchment up whilst muttering something quickly under her breath. From what little you could make out of what she was saying, it didn’t seem she was speaking in any language you understood.

Your lips parted in amazement as a black whirl of smoke enveloped the crumpled parchment. The gathering of smoke increased in size, taking on some sort of long, slightly curved shape. After several seconds, it dissipated. The girl now held a large, faded white tooth, no doubt one that could be found in the maw of a dragon.

Her gaze flickered up to yours, taking in your awe. “Those wizards you mentioned earlier? They wouldn’t have stood a chance either.”

“You’re a mage,” you breathed out.

“Obviously. How else would I have paved this chamber?”

She stood up and walked over to you, massive tooth in hand. She deposited it in your outstretched arms. Your arms sagged slightly under its weight, but that did little to deter you from marveling at her creation, your eyes wide.

“It’s an illusion. It should be convincing enough for your village, but the spell will last a couple of days at most. Show them your ‘proof’ and then get rid of it before the illusion fades.”

She sighed. “I will be leaving this cave soon. It seems my little respite from home has been compromised.”

Your chest prickled with guilt. “I’m sorry. Is there anything else I can do before I go? Anything at all?”

The girl looked fixedly at you. Her features softened. The two of you were standing close enough for you to notice something flicker behind her brown, doe eyes. Gratitude? Fondness? Whatever it was, it made your heart flutter.

“I’m not used to a mortal engaging with me,” she said, quietly. “And certainly not one who knew what I was.

“You’ve done enough.”

You nodded, resigning yourself to this. At least you could offer her this much, getting an angry village off her back.

You shuffled around and made your way back towards the vaulted passage you’d entered through. Your footfalls clanged against the stone floor, and with every step you took, a small pang of sadness shot through your chest. Would you ever see her again? It was highly unlikely, given the circumstances, but you hoped you would.

Stopping in front of the passageway, you peered back at her. “I never got your name,” you said, meeting her eyes.

When she didn’t respond, you almost turned back around, assuming she didn’t plan on giving you a name.

Then—

“Wednesday.”

You paused, lips parting slightly. A smile spread across your face. It was certainly a unique name, and you found you liked it quite a lot.

“Wednesday,” you repeated, softly. As her name rolled off your tongue, you thought you saw her cheeks go the slightest shade of pink.

With a final nod, you turned back around and made your way out of the chamber. You felt her stare on your back the entire time. The feeling made you chuckle. As you set off through the perilous cavern, you hoped it wouldn’t be the last time you were caught in this dragon’s gaze.

A/N: I want to give a special mention to these three users: @i984, @robiin-buckley, and @captain-lessship. They are incredible writers and even better people, and I absolutely implore you to check out their works! They inspired me to write a fic of my own and gave me excellent advice when I sought it from them. I appreciate them immensely.