#the Witcher series 2

[silverflameataraxia]

[altrame]

Did NOT expect to like this show so much. I love these guys.

[namedafterflowerstournament]

Botanic Tournament : Main Bracket !

Round 2 Poll GGG

Jaskier is Polish for buttercup

(Buttercup and Asters)

[maaarijaaa]

We meet again ✿ Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes x Detective!Reader

Requested by: Anonymous

Summary: After your father stepped down as a detective, you decided to take over and got on your first case. What you did not expect is a letter standing on your front porch from a person you wanted to leave in the past…

Warning: smut, nsfw 18+, murder

A/N: Hello everyone! I have not written a smut in a long time so if this is bad just let me know. English is not my first language, so let me know if I made any mistakes. I do not allow for my work to be posted or translated on this or any other platform. 🫶🏻🫶🏻

Ever since you were little you were introduced to the world of the detectives. Your father was a detective him self and was also, your biggest role model.

You two have traveled all around the world to solve cases together. You were his little Nancy Drew.

As years went by your father became old and decided to step down, meaning that you would have to take over his job. You were excited at first, until you got on your first case.

There has been a murder in a neighborhood not that far from yours. The person who was murdered was a young woman, probably in her late 20s. Her body was found by her sister who came home late at night that day. Her sister owns one of the most popular bookshops in town and that day, the bookshop held a small event, celebrating the success of a new book that was recently published by a writer that was from the town. The book became really popular not just in your town, but also across the country so they had a reason to celebrate.

Her sister sent you a letter asking you if you could solve the murder and you agreed.

Solving murder cases were not your thing since your father never allowed you to help him whenever he was asked to solve a murder.

But your father has stepped down, and now you are the one in charge so you have to try your best.

The woman’s sister invited you over to their house so you could investigate.

The living room where her body was found looked pretty normal to you and did not see anything suspicious.

“Was your sister at the event too?” You asked the woman.

She looked at you for a few seconds before she spoke. She was still in shock after finding her sister’s body so you understood why she took her time.

“She was, but only for a short amount of time. She said that she was not feeling well and wanted to go home. I told her that we can go together since its dark and could be dangerous but she did not want me to leave since she that the event was important to me. After a hour or two I kinda felt that something was wrong and was scarred that something might have happened to her so I left to see if she was doing okay. I was first relieved to see that the lights were on but that quickly changed when I saw her lying lifeless on the ground.”

You noted every detail before asking her other questions.

“Did she act differently at the event? Was she maybe scared or maybe uncomfortable?”

The woman took her time since she tried to remember the way her sister acted.

“What I remember is that she was a little bit scared, like she saw a ghost or something but I brushed it off since she was often scared or shy whenever she was crowded by the people. What surprised me the most is that she requested to walk home alone at such late hours. She never went out when it was dark unless there was someone with her, but I thought that she was brave enough to alone so I let her. I also saw that she was walking fast, like as if she was running from someone.”

You noted every important detail about the night.

You asked the woman if she had any scars. Anything that would prove that she was murdered.

She told you that she had bruises on her body, mostly on her neck. She also told you that police and doctors believe that the killer held their hands on her neck until her last breath. There were a few scars that were caused by a sharp object that could have been a knife or other things like glass.

That’s everything she knew since they are still trying to find the cause of death before she is laid to rest.

You went around the house to see if the killer left something or dropped something. You found nothing.

Her sister let you search in her room.

You checked everywhere until you opened a box that was hidden under her bed. The box was full of letters.

All the letters she has received were from a guy named Connor Smith.

Most of them were love letters where he declared his love to her, until you opened the letter that were sent to her only a moth before she was killed.

You could definitely see that his love turned into obsession. He told her that she will always belong to him. That he was the only man she was allowed to love. He also wrote her that she should stop seeing the man she was out with once, which meant that he was probably stalking her.

You exited the room so that you could talk to her sister.

“Do you know if a man named Connor Smith was at the event?”

The woman looked at you with a weird look on her face.

“Yes, Connor used to work at the bookshop until two weeks ago. I invited him since he help us a lot with the bookshop.”

You noted that down.

“Did you maybe see him around your sister that night?”

“I am just asking because he sent your sisters some letters so I need to know. Was Connor around your sister that night?”

“Yes he actually was. They talked about something and maybe a half an hour or so she asked if she could go home since she did not feel well.”

You noted that down too and told her that you will come back in a few days. You also told her that she should tell you if she found something suspicious or any new clues.

You thanked her for inviting you over and left her home.

After leaving their home, you stopped at the local marked and bought some groceries since your dad requested it in the morning before you left.

You brought everything that your father requested and left. When you arrived to your house, you saw that there was a letter at the door.

Ever since you got this case, people would not stop asking you about it. They wanted to know everything. You have received letter from people in town who wanted to be part of the case. You even received letters from the local newspaper with dozens of questions.

Who did it? What clues did you find? Any suspects?

All you wanted was to be left alone and solve this case in peace.

Before you opened the letter, you stored the groceries that you brought and made your father some lunch since he was starving. Poor man.

Leaving your father to eat in peace, you went to your room and opened the letter.

I heard that you just got your first case

If you need any help, I am there for you

S.H

You instantly rolled your eyes when you saw who sent you the letter.

Sherlock Holmes, one of the most successful and most popular detectives in the world. He was smart and intelligent, knew several languages and every case he got, was solved.

But you knew Sherlock way before he even became a detective.

You two used to be lovers until he became a detective and made it his priority.

You did not care at first. You were happy that he was doing something that he loves.

Until, he started to travel around the world to solve cases.

During that time you would miss him a lot and wrote him letters daily. He never responded to one of them.

After he came back from Spain, solving a case that involved kidnapping, he admitted cheating on you with other woman so he could get some information out of her since she was one of the main suspects.

He told you that it meant nothing to him but you did not believe him, so you left him.

And after five years of no contact, he sends you a letter saying that he will help you with the case. What an idiot, you thought.

You ignored his letter and went off with your day.

You went down to the town center to visit your favorite cafe, hoping that you could relax and read the notes you took while visiting the victim’s sister.

You sat down at your favorite spot, outside since it was a nice day and the sun was shining, and ordered some coffee and your favorite cookies.

You were so lost in the notes you took that you did not notice the person standing behind you.

“Well, we meet again sweetheart.” He spoke softly

That made you jump since you did not know that he was behind you. You even realized that others were staring at you.

Turning around to see the figure behind you, you could not help but to roll your eyes again.

It was Sherlock.

He took the seat next to yours and sat down, meanwhile you started reading your notes again, ignoring Sherlock

A few seconds went by before he spoke again.

“Are you going to ignore me again”

You did not say anything as you still read your notes.

“Did you receive my letter” he spoke

You looked up at him

“I did” you spoke back

“I meant everything I wrote in the letter. I am willing to help you with the case if you just let me…” He could not even finish the sentence because you cut him off.

“I do not need your help. I am capable of solving it alone.” You spoke harshly

Sherlock understood why you were like this since he has hurt you a lot, but he really wants to help you.

The lady who works at the cafe, came with you order.

You were about to pay her, but Sherlock was faster.

He payed your order and ordered some coffee too. The lady noted down Sherlocks order and left.

“What do you know about the case?” He asked you.

You knew that he will not give up so you just answered him.

“Well I visited her sister today. She is terrified and wants answers to why could someone do this to her sister. I asked her a few questions about that night. She told me that her sister did act weird and that she was scarred. She described it as she has seen a ghost. She later on leaves the event at around midnight, saying that she does not feel well. Her sister feels like something is wrong and goes home to check up on her only to find her dead in the living room. Her body has both bruises and scars. Most of the bruises were on her neck and doctors and the police believe that the killer killed her by pressing their hands on her neck until her last breath. The cuts were caused by a sharp object. Could have been a knife or glass but I did not find anything suspicious until I checked her room where I found letters from a man named Connor Smith. He has sent her too many love letters over the years. The last letters she received from him was a month ago. In the letters, it said that she should stay away from the man that she was seeing because he did not deserve her. I suspect that Connor was stalking her too, but I can not say that its clear that he did. I asked her sister if Connor was at the event, which she said that he was and that they had a conversation. Shortly after their conversation, her sister came up to her, asking her if she could go home since she did not feel well.”

“So, this Connor is the…” Sherlock spoke before you cut him off.

“Is the main suspect, but I need to find the name of the other guy she was seeing. He could also be a suspect or may know something we don’t.”

Sherlock nodded as he listens to you.

“What are your plans now for the case?” He asks

“Well, they are still checking for a cause of death, but the main theory of the death cause is that the killer killed her by chocking her very hard until she took her last breath. I wanted to hear if they have found something in her body since she said that she was not feeling well. Could be because she was talking to Connor, but it could also be that she was..” You spoke, but to your surprise, Sherlock cut you off.

“Poisoned” he spoke

“That’s one of my theories, but I could be wrong.”

“At this point everything is possible.” He spoke before asking you more questions about the case.

“Do you know where Connor lives?” Just then, the lady comes out with Sherlocks order and he pays.

“Well, no but he used to work at the bookshop where the event was being held at so they probably know.”

Sherlock nodded and then drank his coffee. Then you realized that your coffee and food is still untouched so you take a bite of cookies and drink some coffee too before you speak again.

“We have not seen each other for five years and then you all of a sudden send me a letter where you will gladly help me with my first case. Why?!”

Sherlock looked at you for a moment before he spoke.

“The truth is that I wanna make it up to you and helping you with your first case would be my honor. I know that was an idiot for doing the things back then, and regret doing it. I regret hurting you and most of all, I regret leaving you.”

At that moment you told your self “he does not mean it”, but then you saw that his eyes are filled with tears that are threatening to spill.

“I don’t know if I can forgive your for hurting me back then, but what I know for sure is that we can try again, but…as friends for now.” You spoke while looking at him

“I understand but could I at least help you with the case?” He asked as a smile began to form on his face. You chuckled since you could not take him seriously.

“Fine, I would be needing some help.” You said while chuckling.

Both of you finished your drinks and you shared your cookies with Sherlock before standing up and leaving.

You walked around town and talked about each others lives.

He told you about the amazing places he visited while solving cases.

From Paris to Moscow, and even Cape Town. He told you that he can bring you with him when he travels again.

You smiled at that, already imagining the places you two could visit, but that imagination was cut short when you told yourself that you have moved on and wanted to stay as friends.

Well, so you thought.

You walked together for what seemed like hours, but it was only 10 minutes.

You two found yourself standing on Sherlocks porch.

Sherlock opened the door and yelled “Hello!?” to see if anybody was home, but it was dead silent.

“Well turns out we are alone” he said while turning to look at you.

You gulped hard, since the last time you were alone with him in his house was when you had your huge fight with him because of his affairs. You ended things with him and stormed out. You have been there to visit Enola and her mother but you were never there when Sherlock was back.

You headed towards his office to focus more on the case.

You went through the notes you took, to see if you can at least solve something. What bothered you the most was that you did not know the name of the other guy she was seeing.

It would have been much easier to know since he could tell his side of the story, but right now he is on the list of the main suspects.

“How are we going to find the guy she was seeing if don’t know his name or have any description of him?” He asked

“I don’t know but I think its best for us to investigate and see if Connor is behind her death. Besides, the news have spread around town, so he is going to come forward sooner or later.”

“You are probably right” He sighed

During the time you spend in his office, you would often notice that his hand would often brush yours or your waist. You did not mind at first but he kept on going so you decided to confront him.

You pulled away from him and yelled “Alright Sherlock, ever since I got here, you would not stop touching me!!! So if you don’t have anything better to do then I think that I should leave!!”

You were about to exit his office when he suddenly pulled you into a kiss. You really hated yourself at that moment since you gave in.

He pulled away and looked into your eyes before he spoke.

“These past years without you have been hell and everyday I hate myself even more for hurting you and don’t think I could ever forgive myself for making my work my priority and doing all those disgusting tings I did that hurt you. I think about you, I dream about you every damn night and I love you…more than anything in this world.”

You looked at him with tears in your eyes, and did not know what to say.

Sherlock later on took you to his bedroom without pulling his lips from yours. He laid you down on the bed before pulling away from you to take his shirt off. He then helped you get out of your corset and rest of the dress. He finally took his pants, along with his underwear. He then laid on top of you and began kissing your neck.

“May I??” He asked for your permission. You have done this while you were still lovers but it was a long time ago so it was the only right thing to do.

“Yes” You blurted out.

He slowly lined himself on your entrance and began thrusting. You both began moaning softly while he kept a slow pace since you needed some time to get used to his size.

“Fuck, it feels so good” He said.

You could not form any words at the moment because of the pleasure.

Sherlock later on sped up the pace and you were a moaning mess.

“You okay sugar?” He asked while thrusting into you.

“Yes! It just feels soo goood!” You said.

Both of you reached your limit and were out of breath.

“Did you really mean everything you said?” You asked.

“Every word. Do you think that we can try again?” He asked

You were skeptical about that but you had other plans.

“Well first of all, it would take some time for me to trust you again so you would have to prove it. Second of all, yes we can but as friends for now until I know that I can trust you again.”

Both of you looked at each other and smiled. He came on top of you again and gave you one last kiss before you both doze off.

[kassylin]

Joey Batey putting those muscles to use since...

lmao

[characterswithgodsnamesbattle]

Round 2 Poll 13

Eris is the Greek goddess of discord

Rihannon refers to a Celtic character who may be goddess of horses

[sporadicboinglerstealer2000]

I'm starting the think Emhyr's plans are just bs. Right I was thinking last night about it all and pretty sure we can all agree both Emhyr and Vilgefortz plans for Ciri are like the worse out of any of the factions that want her (the lodge and elves are both shitty too but I feel like are not as bad compared to these two twits, not by much still bad) But Emhyr says he'll '...beget her a son who will beget a son.' which would not work for his plans of making Nilfgaard a powerful empire since the elder blood can only remain active in the female line, so Vilgefortz must have omitted some details there. However his plans for marrying Ciri will only speed up this process by one generation. Like if he was normal about this and was like 'this is my long lost daughter' (easy to tell cos they look near identical and Ciri has the obvious looks of her mother and grandmother so anyone who met those two women (like Queen Meve of Lyria and Rivia, Calanthes relative) could verify that) then it would either be his foretold grandchild or great-grandchild who would be the actual prophecy child who would inherit his grand empire. However if he got his way then his son and grandson would have half of the gene because they aren't women and wouldn't be able to carry the full elder blood gene, so unless it was a family of controlled incest then the power he wants would just cease to exist. (I doubt getting the Nilfgaardians behind his whole Targaryen family would go down well).

Another thing, if the plan went accordingly and Ciri was on the ship with them then he'd would of sent away Pavetta anyway, which would make it all sooo much worse because Ciri would know he was then (even in the books she notes something familiar about him which would make sense since she was 5 when he 'died' so a part of her could have some recognition). Though admittedly that probably wouldn't happen since I think Vilgefortz would've gotten rid of him and then had both Pavetta and Ciri for his own sick plans. Essentially Emhyr has justified this incest by speeding up the process by a generation because he's impatient. If he hadn't attacked Cintra and instead sent some messengers to Calanthe being like 'hey it's me, your son-in-law I'm actually an emperor and Ciri will be my heir and as such Cintra will join Nilfgaard' then there's Cintra secured. Presumedly he had the whole incest plan the whole time looking for Ciri (I assume so anyway) and only changed his mind after Geralt tore into him, Yennefer didn't want her daughter to cry, said daughter cries so he lets her go. Like he only saw reason after having it pointed out to him? Also the fact it's obvious Ciri is practically identical minus the hair and probably eyes (are his eyes described?) If the incest plot didn't exist then he could just be like 'i've searched for you my long lost daughter you're an empress' then things could've gone a little better, only thing is now Ciri may actually want to go with him (I can see Geralt and Yennefer being able to accompany here or at least allowed to live), but no and I fail to see why at least a version of this couldn't happened.

[givingairtomymouth]

I'm just now watching The Witcher and... not this trauma again 😭

I barely accepted the childhood one 😭

[redeemed-wren]

Every single character I have ever obsessed over falls into one of four categories:

Kid with no one in his corner who's used to looking after himself realises that (often despite his best efforts) people actually care about him and he has a support system.

Older brother type vibes who is the comic relief and painted as dumb or clueless but actually has deep insecurities and is so so smart in other ways and has a fiercely protective streak.

Young (though not always) woman who has been through a rough time and has Trauma but is still strong and refuses to let her past define her and makes an effort to be kind. (this character tends to become part of my soul)

Loser man become dad.

Also bonus points to trope voted Most Relatable but is never my favourite character:

5. Kid who has had a reasonably trauma-less life compared to friends and feels a bit like a sidekick and maybe doesn't consider their problems worthy when their friends have been through so much more

[mysweetvengeance]

Welcome to my tumbler page, up above is a small glimpse into my madness. (Some fandoms I’m into.)

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

1. I draw with procreate on a phone, with a finger, and a dream.

2. I draw fandom content. (I also draw OC content.)

3. would love to be art mutuals/friends, I don’t bite. :)

That’s all folks. 🥕

[mywingsareonwheels]

Liz Carr is winning at being visibly disabled (with awesome fantasy wheelchairs!!) in genre shows this year, and I love this so much for her and all of us. <3

(Also my Gods she’s a superb and deeply charming actor as well as an amazing activist and I hope this makes the world just so much more aware of how great she is. :) )

[silverflameataraxia]

[its-sixxers]

perks to gamer dad: his computer specs blow mine out of the water so housesitting is fun

how am i using said perks ? playing dragon age origins of course

[namedafterflowerstournament]

Botanic Tournament : Main Bracket !

Round 2 Poll NN

Jaskier, the character's name in the original, Polish version means Buttercup. Editors changed it into Dandelion in English versions because they thought it was too girly. Marigold (the name under the pic) is Jaskier's name in the Czech edition.

(Roses, buttercup and dandelion)

[trueadventuresofthemind]

Geralt: Jaskier... Jaskier: Don't f**king Jaskier me. I'm talking to you. This is how this works. Me:....

[hannibard]

"I'm choking from the taste (but I can't help but swallow)"

Chapter 4: Brutal Punishment

Summary: Jaskier is summoned by Radovid and is served a cruel punishment for his mistake.

click here to read on ao3

When Jaskier was 13, he started getting closer to the stablehand, who was a few years older than him. He used to skip his lessons just to meet up with the boy, and they spent hours chatting about anything and everything, and the more Julian got to know him, the more a strange desire for him grew. He had only ever had crushes on girls before and it took him a while to realize that what he felt for the stable hand wasn’t much different, but when he did, he wasted no time in making a move.

It was late afternoon and they were huddled together in an empty stall in the stables. The hay pressing on young Julian’s back felt softer than the most high quality eiderdown when their lips touched for the first and last time, and the faint sunbeams peaking through the cracks on the hardwood wall lit up the space just enough for him to be able to see the other’s flushed face. It was a magical moment that ended all too soon.

After a servant caught them in the act they hastily informed the Viscount, who came and dragged Julian back to the manor by the hair and proceeded to give him the beating of his life once they were safely behind closed doors.

What under different circumstances would have become a fond memory for Jaskier to look back on ended up becoming lifelong nightmare fuel.

What he was feeling presently wasn’t dissimilar to the all-encompassing dread that once filled him as he stared at his father’s furious face. His breath was coming in short as cold sweat clammed up his entire body.

“Rad- Y-your majesty, this isn’t-“

Radovid raised his hand in a swift motion and Jaskier took the hint and shut up.

The king stared at him for a long moment that felt like it lasted hours when it was probably just a minute or two, his lips pressed in a firm line, before turning his gaze towards Blade, who was looking down at the floor with their hands clasped together behind their back, posture rigid.

“You.” Radovid addressed them at last. “Follow me. Julian, you are to remain in your quarters until you’re summoned.” He said and started walking away towards his office. Blade didn’t spare Jaskier a single glance as they hurried to obey.

Jaskier stayed frozen in place until both of them were out of sight and then didn’t wait a second longer before entering his room and slamming the door shut behind him. He leaned against it as he slowly slid to the floor.

He sat there for a long time, with his eyes pressed shut and his hands pulling at his hair as he tried to calm his hyperventilating with some simple breathing exercises. Despite what his father had said when Jaskier had voiced his ambitions, his chosen profession could be unexpectedly useful. 

How could I have been so stupid?

Things with Radovid were already strained enough as it were, but, maybe due to some lingering sentiment, the king hadn’t subjected him to any actual punishment after the bard’s little show of defiance- save for the forceful nature of their bedroom activities that had lost any pretense of mutual consent. Jaskier doubted that would be the case this time.

The room was dark and he could barely see anything, no matter how much his vision had adjusted since he entered, but he had trouble dealing with fire on a good day so lighting a candle in this situation wasn’t even worth considering. Once he felt stable enough, he got up and made his way to an armchair where he discarded his doublet and vest before throwing himself to the bed face down.

It was big enough that when he turned his face to the side he could pretend Geralt was laying right next to him, sharing a bed like they’d done so many times before while on the Path. But, like mere moments ago in the hallway, when he reached out his hand empty space was the only thing waiting for him. At some point he must have dozed off because he was startled awake early next morning by a few hard consecutive knocks on the door. A guard’s voice followed soon after.

“Lord Pankratz, the king has demanded your presence at once. Please make haste.”

Jaskier tentatively entered the luxurious throne room, whose decoration featured a massive crystal chandelier and intricate tapestries covering the walls, which was uncharacteristically empty save for the king and the two knights that flanked him. Curiously, blankets and cushions of various sizes were strewn across the floor. Blade was nowhere to be seen but Jaskier had suspected as much.

He didn’t dare look Radovid as he went to the middle of the room and kneeled in a show of submission that he hoped would somewhat mollify the king, before steeling himself to take the liberty and talk first.

“Your Majesty, what happened yesterday was but a mere accident! You see, I was heavily inebriated and I didn’t have the mind to think straight. It led me to unfortunately resort to old habits, which are known to be hard to die. I beseech you to show mercy.”

Somewhere in the back of his mind he felt pride at the fact that his voice didn’t shake, yet another use of his “waste” of a profession.

There was a long, charged silence before Radovid finally responded.

“Old habits you say. Is it your debaucherous reputation that you’re referring to?”

Jaskier gulped. “Yes your Majesty.”

Radovid hummed. “Interesting. Well, to be honest, while pondering on what your motive could’ve been for such insolence, I arrived at the exact same conclusion.”

Jaskier blinked rapidly and looked up at the king, not expecting that in the slightest. “I-Is that so?”

Radovid stood from his golden, jewel encrusted throne and motioned for his knights to stay put as he walked down the carpeted marble stairs. He came to a halt in front of Jaskier, his expression unreadable. He extended a hand towards the bard and helped him up just as a servant appeared, carrying a tray with a silver goblet.

The king took the goblet and handed it to the bard, who had no choice but to take a large sip under Radovid’s expectant gaze. It was some sort of high quality red wine that left a familiar bittersweet aftertaste, though Jaskier couldn’t quite place what that was.

“Indeed. I should have taken better account of your personality before bringing you here. I promised to give you everything you’ve ever dreamed of while neglecting your infamous disregard for monogamy. It’s no wonder you took matters into your own hands to fullfil such core needs. But worry not my sweet, I’ve taken measures to correct this oversight.” He said and went to sit back on his throne, settling comfortably with his elbow perched on an armrest and the side of his head laying on his fist.

The bard’s mind was reeling, confusion evident on his face that quickly switched to horror as various scantily dressed nobles, some of whom he recognized from banquets, entered the room from the side doors and made their way towards him with hungry expressions. Suddenly it hit him. The aftertaste from the drink was pomegranate, an ingredient frequently used in aphrodisiacs.

He tried taking a few steps back but whatever was used to spike the wine was potent and he was already feeling dizzy, so he stumbled and fell to the floor, landing on a large cushion, whose intended use he just realized. By then a middle-aged couple had reached him and they wasted no time by pawing at his garments.

Jaskier tried to resist, or at least voice his objection, but it was like his limbs had turned to goo and he had little control over his tongue so he could only sit there and make high-pitched keening sounds. With the last of his will he turned to desperately look at Radovid, who was watching him with a perverse sort of excitement and showed no sign of budging despite the bard’s pleading gaze.

His eyes were ripped away from the king as the man from the couple grabbed Jaskier’s face and turned it towards him. He and his wife had succeeded in removing his clothes, with the rest of their brethren having joined them and already touching him all over. Despite his disgust at the situation, Jaskier felt relief from their touches because his body was burning hot and the feeling of need that overtook him was bordering on painful.

The man maintained his grasp of the bard’s face as he used his other hand to untie the front of his breeches and pull himself out. Jaskier sobbed, big fat tears streaming down his cheeks, and closed his eyes as the noble fed him his cock with a quick thrust that made him gag.

Whenever Jaskier found himself in trouble, Geralt was there to save him more often than not, but no matter how much he wished for the witcher to come to his aid at the moment, he knew it was a lost cause. And even though he had stopped believing in any sort of deity a long time ago, when his instructors at temple school first started using corporal punishment on him, he couldn't help but pray with all he had as a last resort for this situation to stop.

Predictably, no one listened.