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smileybokuto · 4 years ago

Text

| Spooky Story |

a/n: This is a story I wrote in creative writing when I was a senior in high school! I thought you guys would enjoy it. I just want to preface this I was also taking Criminal Psychology at college while taking this class. It only has original characters in it.

Warning: Graphic, tw:blood, tw:torture, tw: killing, tw: stalking, dystopian society

wc: 2.9K

Ethereal

11.01-31.20XX

01.

The world in utter turmoil, violently crying against the classroom window. This room however, remained still not worried about the rain banging against the window. The bot at the front of the classroom unaware that all of the other students, who were engrossed by its lesson about old earth’s flora. Everything is as it normally is here in the Ethereal.

Then it happened.

The bot stops writing and the room goes quiet. Then the lights go out and the room is engulfed by darkness. Everyone sits still, so still you could hear a pin drop, no one dared make a sound. Until we heard a blood curdling scream. People started to panic, saying ‘we were going to die’.

Chaos set in quickly.

November 01, 20XX:

The world went dark.

This was the end but also the beginning.

-Fox

19.

Our society is stuck in hopeless depravity ever since the power went out.

“Fox,” Fleance yells, “Come on the others are waiting on us.” Fleance is my best friend, he found me when the world went dark. He dragged me out of the high school. When we got outside we saw a group of kids for our school terrified for their lives. I remember telling them it’s going to be okay and to follow us. They are Jett and Jace the twins, Wyatt and Keegan the lovers, Warren the go with the flow kind of guy, Abel and Hunter the inseparable best friends, and the girls Fora, Peyton and Thea. We all have our positions that helps us survive.

“Fox!” Fleance snaps in my face.

“Yes, what’s up?” I ask.

“Come on the others are waiting for us,” He rolls his eyes.

“Oh sorry,” I laugh.

“Such an airhead,”He shakes his head. We walk back into the camp to see that the fire pit is burning and Jace the hunter was back with an Gerenuk corpse.

“Dinner’s here,” Abel screams, “It’s about damn time too.”

“Sorry man, I got my foot stuck on a tree branch and fell,” Jace laughs. This is how it is everyday here for our small family.

26.

“Wyatt and Keegan it’s game time, stop making out,” I whine.

“Sorry Alpha,” Keegan teases, “We’re making you uncomfortable aren’t we.”

“I told you not to call me that. I’m the leader not an Alpha.” I chuckle. “Anyways we need Wyatt our raid organizer to organize a raid; and stop doing your mental tricks on me.”

“Fine. Also it’s not a mental trick. I am simply a Mentalist. By the way the Scientist, Herbalist, the brains and the genius want to see you.” Keegan says.

“Can’t you just call people by there names,” I groan and walk off. I walk over to the ‘Scientist’ more commonly known as Peyton who specializes in Science back in school.

“Oh, Fox just who I was looking for, I made a new drug. I call it, ‘drink this or you’ll die.’ Not very original but it works, it makes you puke up any poison from poisonous berries.” Peyton squeals.

“Sounds good Peyton glad to hear,”I say patting her on the back. “Oh if you need anything tell Wyatt and Fleance so they can do the raids.” She nods and I walk over to Fora our Herbalist, she’s basically our doctor.

“Hey, Fora, I heard you were looking for me.”

“Yes, the boy who wandered in…he died. However before he passed he kept saying watch out for Cain. He said it over and over until he died.” She says with a look of concern.

“This is the third one this month right?” she nods yes. “Okay then we’re going to keep this between us and don’t worry this Cain person hasn’t made any attempt to hurt us.” She nods, “Ok, I have to go see Jace and Hunter. One more death and we’ll move again.”

“Ok, I trust you. The boys are at the lake trying to test as the boys say ‘alkalinity’ of the drinking water. Which is just a fancy way of checking to see if the water has any neutralizing components to acid.” She rolls her eyes with a bright smile. I chuckled and walked down to the lake to see the boys in the lake.

“Fox!” Hunter says walking out of the Lake to greet me.

“Why hello there ‘Genius’,” I smile and he gave me a puzzled look, “don’t worry about it. So what did you guys need to talk to me about?”

“Oh, so the water is neutralizing itself…hey you okay, you look a little down,” He says looking directly into my eyes.

“I’m fine, I just have a lot on my mind.”

“Yeah you are our leader seems like a hard job. If you ever need anyone to talk to I’m all ears.”

I smile, “Hey, I’m the therapist that’s my job.” He laughs when I finish, “Anyways I have to go find Fleance.”

-Fox

01.01-31.20XX

08.

“I’m Cain, and I love the way your heart beats can I see it?” A sinister laugh resonated around the tent. I sit up screaming and Hunter runs in.

“Hey,hey, hey. It’s okay. What’s wrong?”He says in a soothing voice while hugging and rubbing my back.

“I…I…I just had a bad dream I’m fine,” I stutter.

“You’re not fine, you are far from fine.” He looks into my mind. “What’s the problem? I’m a genius so I can solve it.” I laugh and it calms my nerves.

“Thanks,” I hug him a little tighter, “ Sometimes I feel so ordinary and I don’t understand why everyone picked me to be their leader.”

“I’m a man of science but listen to me when I say you’re everything but ordinary, far from typical. The way you dress, the way you think it so unpredictable. I look into your eyes and I believe in miracles.” Hunter finishes.

“I didn’t know you felt that way. Is that why you voted for me?” I ask

“That and you inspire us to keep living. I remember the day you found Abel and I. You told us ‘everything you want is on the other side of fear.’ This made me join your group, but it isn’t what made Abel join, he joined because he told you he didn’t know what to do. You responded with ‘I just wanna go on more adventures.Be around good energy.Connect with people. Learn new things. And grow.’ You know exactly what to say and when to say it to put people at easy.”

“Wow your edenic memory serves you well.” I chuckle. “Hey, if I tell you something will you keep it a secret even from Abel?”

“Yeah,” he stared into my eyes waiting for me to speak.

“I think someone is hunting us. I think it’s someone named Cain. I keep hearing a voice saying they like my heart and they want to see it. It’s a malicious voice. I think that Cain is one of the psychopaths trying to kill people like us. I think he wants to destroy the Ethereals peace. We are the last surviving peaceful group.”

“ Maybe, I’ll create a way to protect this base. That’s why you’ve moved us so much. Makes sense.” He shakes his head. “Don’t worry I’ll figure out a way to make this place safe.” With that he left my tent.

12.

“Fox!” Hunter runs over with the biggest smile. It was like an adult getting socks for christmas. “Guess what,” he whispers.

“What?” I ask curious about why he was so excited.

“I figured it out. We can use the new drug, we’ll have to do a raid for it but, we can do it. We have to get Fillory.” He says

“You mean the drug that glows when touched by skin or anything that human made?” I ask.

“Exactly, we will be able to see whenever someone enters here. We’ll be able to leave.”

“That’s brilliant,” I hug him.

“Are you two a thing now?” Fleance asks pointing between us.

“No,” I say lightly patting his arms.

“Good, cause I’m the only one you can have.” Fleance says faking betrayal.

“ Oh you’ll always be my best friend. No matter what.”

“Of course I will, there was no way I would let you leave me.” He laughs. He’s such a chuckle head.

-Fox

20.

“Fox, we’re ready for the raid. Get everyone ready. I saw two Psychopaths, one being Sam, and the other name I could not read.” Wyatt tells me. Damn two psychos, they have their names branded on there backs to let us know they are coming. This is a tactic they use to instill fear in us but I won’t let that happen.

“Ok we can deal with it, we need to get the chemical and get out without any of them seeing us. Is that understood?” I tell him sternly.

“Yes, I’ll get Fleance, Jace and Hunter,” I nod to him and he walks off. I wonder who the other Psychopath is. What kind of ink do they have? Why do they have tattoos of there names on there backs.

“Hey, ready?” Fleance asks and I nod in response.

“Okay, we are heading in from the west ward. It is the quickest route to the pharmaceuticals. To leave we’ll take the front entrance since it’s the closest to our base. Everyone got it?” We all nod. “Let’s head out Fleance and Jace be on the lookout, Hunter there's a code to the vault we’ll need you to break. Fox, I need you to use your bow to defend the back and i’ll defend the front while to boys defend the sides.”

“Let’s move out,” I say as we all take our positions. We get into the hospital without a single altercation. We quickly made it to the vault with all the drugs and Hunter takes about three minutes to figure out the code. But he cracks it, then I hear a squeak. “Guys,” I whisper to silence them. I put my index finger to my mouth, and they all look confused. Then another I hear another squeak. I felt chills run down my spine. Then I saw the ink, it was a thick and violent print. The tattoo almost took up his entire back and it read ‘CAIN’. I turned around and Hunter grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the back where we came from.

“That’s him,” I say recalling his shoulder length blonde hair and his grey stormy eyes. His smile also held something sinister.

“I’ll find you,” Cain screams after us, but he doesn’t pursue us. He simply stands at the exit and watches us as we run away.

“We’ve got it. We got Fillory.” Hunter skips.

-Fox

04.01-31.20XX

01.

It all started on a cold day, specifically June 11 2018, the day I turned ten. My ‘mother’ told me I was a monster after I cut off an infant's head. This to me was exciting, it gave a sense of thrill. The reason that I cut off the infant's head is due to the fact that it would not stop crying. This lead my mom to think I was a psychopath, telling me I was not her son, that I was adopted and probably from a family of killers. I thought she was joking until she pulled out the adoption papers. I looked at it and it read:

‘Adoption of Cain Lillian by Samantha Lillian and Charles Lillian. The biological son of Lily Ford and James Ford brother to Abel Ford still in custody of biological parents.’ I was outraged and in that time of outraged I searched for them. All of them, I wanted to know why was I not good enough for them. When I finally found them they were at a park sitting having a nice picnic. However sadly I was detained before I could gut them…I mean talk to them. They strapped me down to a table and stabbed me with a small needle over and over again until they were done carving my name into my back so that everyone would know I was a psychopath or so they put it. They then put me in a cell with a food bot. No human interaction and I felt my anger bubbling and bubbling until it happened.

On that fateful day when the power went out. I was free the bot was down and the cells let up and I could exact my revenge.

-Cain

12.

November 01 20XX, I killed them. To be more specific I skinned them alive. I started with my father, James Ford. I tied them both to chairs across from each other they sat there struggling but I drugged them before hand. I sat in between them sharpening my knife, smiling and laughing at them.

“Why are you doing this to us?” She cried.

“Mother dearest are you so vain you don’t even remember your son,” I chuckled.

“C-Cain,” she recalled. “How did you find out about us? I thought you were happy with your new family.”

“Well if you’re conscious enough to make coherent sentences, it’s time to start.” I laughed.

“Start whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!” She screamed as I cut a chunk of her thigh off.

“I love hearing you scream!” I shouted enthusiastically jumping for joy like a little kid high off candy. “Can I take out your kidney? Or your tongue? I promise I’ll show it to you.”

“My K-”

“Too long, Tongue it is,” I say grabbing her tongue and slicing it out. I wiggled it in front of her face. “I told you i’d show you.”

“You monster, kill me! Leave her alone! Kill me!” My ‘father’ cried.

“Oh are we going to have a hero here. Fine, I guess I have no choice. I’ll take your heart out,” as I finished my thought I lunged at his chest and carved out his heart making sure that I didn’t cut any vital organs so it continued to beat.

“ If you're going to kill me just do it.” He groaned with pain shining in his eyes. I loved it.

“On the contrary I will kill you but I want to skin you first.” I laughed starting to carve away at his skin until all you could see was muscle. “Now you look beautiful don’t you think?” I kicked his foot. “Did you die on me, Awe that sucks oh well. On to the next one.” I turned around and did the same thing to my mother.

-Cain

15.

After a couple days I found there first hideout. My targets and the last of my family. I however was bored so I wanted blood and lucky for me there was kid passing by. I captured him and tortured him but he didn’t satisfy me the way my parents did. So I told him to head into the camp and tell them Cain is coming. I did that three times and I will keep doing it until the day comes.

Then one day they went to get Fillory. I’m sure they didn’t know this but Fillory was a drug created to react to the psychopathic gene in people so that the government could find us easier. Now they have spread it across the whole entire perimeter of their base but it’s okay. They’ll have to come out soon enough.

-Cain

06-11-20XX

11.

“Teams?” Hunter asks tilting his head slightly.

“Abel and I, You and Fleance.” I laughed, “Wyatt and Jett, Jace and Keegan, Fora and Thea, Peyton and Warren.”

“Ok, who’s going first?” Warren sighs not wanting to play hide and seek in the woods.

“Hunter and Fleance,” I declare.

“Ok, we're counting to thirty, go and hide,” He says as he covers his eyes. Abel and I run deeply into the forest. We run until we find a cave and duck into it. We muffle our laughter with our hands, when we finally stopped laughing it was silent, it was so silent it reminded me of that day. The day the world went dark but now I feel safe because I found them. I found all of them.

Then I heard something.

A snap I think, it is probably an animal…but where is the scurrying noise.

“Fox,” Abel whispers, I turn my head to see Cain holding a knife to Abels throat. He sees the panic on my face and smiled, “It’s ok.”

Then I saw Cain smile and I knew, “Say goodbye,” he laughs. As soon as I start to say goodbye, my vision instantly turns red and the smell of sulfur engulfed my senses as Cain drops Abels lifeless body in front of me.

“Why,” I sob, “Why did you kill him, you monster!” I threw a rock at him and he dodged it with ease.

“I’m the monster! Ha, he had everything. He lived in my bed, he was loved by my parents, he was loved by all of you, and I wanted it all for myself.” He sneers, clearly outraged.

“What are you talking about? Abel had no siblings,” I cry, I couldn’t stop.

“None that he knew of. They gave me up and now, I killed the son they wanted.” Cain looks down at his brother and smiles. I sat there sobbing cradling Abel’s head in my lap as Cain says

“Goodbye brother.”

#spooktober #halloween #smileybokuto #tw:blood #tw: torture #tw: death #tw: psychological torture #tw: jealousy #tw: killing #tw: human experimentation #original work #original fiction

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atlasxrose · 4 years ago

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As many of the Christmas ones with Xander you want

tw:nsfw, tw: sex mention, tw: singing, tw: dancing, tw: GLEE

🎁 / our muses exchange gifts to one another .

Atlas was tired, Xander had apparently been away all week and for the first time in months the witch was forced to reacquaint himself with how deafeningly loud Alarick’s snoring was. The wall that divided their rooms practically vibrated, the entire night. But, it was Christmas Eve, and Xander had promised to be back, so after he’d pulled on a heavy sweater, the witch had headed closer to town and towards the vampire’s home.

There was something different about the place as the oracle approached Xander’s front door, he pulled the key that the vampire had given him out of his pocket and slid it into the lock. There was a warmth when Atlas entered the home that felt almost palpable, was that cookies? Xander stepped around the corner, a bright smile on his face, unusual, but welcome, as the two were quick to embrace. Atlas breathed out a few words, I missed you, I love you, Merry Christmas Xander, as Xander’s arms wound aptly around his back and pulled him close. The vampire’s face buried in his hair, he spoke the same soft words in return as the pair lingered there for a while.

“Do you wanna see what I made you?” Atlas asked, a smile on his lips, it had been expressly difficult given how dilapidated his old work space in the forest had become, the long hours spent weaving out in the wilderness was now less of an soothing retreat and now more of a hassle. His loom did not fit in Alarick’s cabin and nature had worn away at its once sturdy frame.

“Another sweater?” Xander quipped, Atlas shook his head, still in the vampire’s arms as he leaned back, Atlas added a heavy roll of his eyes, his hands rested on the back of Xander’s neck.

“It’s a blanket, actually.”

“Ah great, because I can never have enough blankets.”

The witch felt his face bright slightly, he enjoyed the labor that went into it. The satisfaction that gift giving gave him.

“I’m kidding, I’m literally wearing the sweater you gave me. I can’t wait to sleep with it, now c’mon, I want to show you what I got you.”

Xander took his hand and pulled Atlas deeper into his home, the silver rose-petaled daylight ring that the witch had gifted the vampire previously glinted as they passed through rays of sun that flooded from above. The ring felt cool to touch as Xander gripped his hand and led him through the den and to a back study that, as far as Atlas knew, had mostly gone unused.

“Ready?” Xander asked, his hand fell from Atlas’ as he reached for the double doors, he looked back with something akin to mischief in his eyes. Perplexed, Atlas merely folded his arms across his chest.

“I suppose.” There was no small part of the oracle that was not concerned, there was every possibility that he was going to hate whatever was through these doors. Atlas braced himself as Xander swung open the doors and all at once the oracle’s breath hitched, a gasp escaped his lips.

The study had been refurbished, significantly. Dusty shelves had been revitalized with every spellbook and reference guide the vampire had apparently been able to get his hands on. The witch moved to run his fingers along a herbalist’s guide to the native forests of Greece, bestiaries and spellbooks, hand written journals of witches and oracles alike. Shelves of every regent the witch could think of, fresh and powdered, local and imported; there were planters that hung across floor to ceiling windows that allowed for natural light to come through and join the soft rays that filtered through the skylight. Beneath sat a wide-brimmed cauldron, freshly polished and - bronze? Before the windows between planters was a desk, stocked with tools and equipment, items for enchanting, for brewing, for divining.

Perhaps the most beautiful portion of the room was along the far wall to his left, rows of different materials, and above all a hand crafted loom, the finely polished wood and detail was stunning, all at once Atlas was upon it before he turned towards Xander at the sound of his voice. A clearly satisfied smile on the vampire’s face.

“I want you to have somewhere you can work, why not here?” Xander stepped in, “I love you, and I don’t want you to go, so, stay - stay here, with me.” Atlas threw his arms around the vampire all at once, his lips upon Xander’s as he breathed yes, yes, yes, in between each kiss.

🍞 / to invite my muse to a holiday dinner with their family .

“You look fine,” Atlas insisted, his family had been making their own clothes for centuries, they absolutely were not going to care about the state of Xander’s holiday attire. Actually, he does look a little too put together.. The oracle shook the thought from his mind, he was only slightly nervous, and the last thing he wanted was for those nerves to rub off on his vampire fiance.

“Easy for you to say, what am I supposed to tell your father again, I’m thirty-two and holding?” Atlas rolled his eyes.

“Just be yourself, he’ll love you. They all will, I promise.”

🔌 / help hang lights or decorate with my muse.

“This is stupid.” Xander commented as he held the ladder while Atlas climbed it.

“No, it’s festive.” Atlas corrected. He reached off of the top to hook the last strand over the eavestrough, the witch wobbled a bit and Xander all but hissed.

“Be careful, just come down.”

“I’ve almost got it, just... a little more... -” All of a sudden Atlas lost his balance and he was suddenly falling from the top most part of the ladder, he landed in Xander’s arms and heard the ladder clatter to the side beside them. His face red, his arms wound around Xander’s neck, the vampire just shook his head.

“Can we go in now?”

🎄 / decorate and help my muse with a christmas tree.

Atlas hummed in between verses as carols played over the radio, they had been nearly nonstop since November first and while Xander was not amused, they were presently decorating the Christmas tree together and thus the music was on theme.

“You have a nice voice,” Xander commented,

“Thanks, it’s the only one I have.” Atlas offered, the vampire scoffed as the witch continued to go behind Xander and reposition the ornaments he had just hung up.

“What are you doing?”

“Just... It’s important to space things out so there isn’t any weird vacant spaces.”

“Right.” Xander shook his head and continued to not adjust his technique for placing ornaments.

🌿 / our muses catch themselves under a mistletoe .

“Look,” Atlas offered, his hands on Xander’s chest after they’d bumped into each other. One of their friends had a holiday party, and truthfully, neither had really felt like attending but here they were. Being social. being seen, together. The witch pointed above them as the pair swayed lightly to whatever holiday anthem played around them. “mistletoe.”

“Is this why you like the holidays so much?” Xander asked, an inquisitive but playful look in his eyes as Atlas merely shrugged.

“Maybe.”

Xander kissed him then, strong, certain, less of a formality and more of a promise: we’ll do this again next year, and the year after that, and the year after that, too.

💨 / our muses are trapped inside a cabin during a snow storm.

The snow had hit suddenly, and hard. The two of them were visiting Atlas’ parents, and while they were enjoying the holidays with the Coven, the two had slipped away to steal a few quiet moments alone, and while they were out and away, a storm rolled in overhead. Out of blind luck, a cabin appeared in the distance, all at once Xander scooped the witch into his arms and sped ahead through the dense snow bank to burst through the cabin door.

Wind and snow bellowed behind them as their laughter rang through the small structure, their lips pressed together as Atlas kicked the door closed. It’s freezing in here, the oracle smiled as the vampire moved their lips in a heavy tandem. The other’s hands worked away at their clothes as articles were haphazardly discarded about the abandoned cottage.

I can think of one way to keep warm.

✨ / our muses watch the northern lights together .

“So, why the top of the world?” Xander asked, the pair had traveled about as far North as you could, beyond the closest National park, to a place that the coven had only ever heard whispers about. From within their walled tent, the pair managed to keep warm against the minus forty degrees weather that roared outside in the night air.

“Just wait.” Atlas promised his head nestled on the delicate curve of Xander’s shoulder, his hand wandered idly across the vampire’s chest as he traced small lines across cool skin. All at once Xander’s eyes went wide, the witch drew his gaze from the ethereal green glow that had been cast across his lovers eyes, to look at the roof of the tent.

The aurora borealis was close enough to brush the top of their tent, lines of green and gold and pink danced through the walled enclosure. Atlas’ eyes sparkled as he watched with some delight, his head canted to take in Xander’s expression, it was one of bewilderment and wonder, there was a smile, and that was all the oracle longed to see.

“It’s beautiful.”

NAUGHTY :

💋 / give my muse a hot steamy kiss .

“Xander?” Atlas called out, his home was welcoming, cozy, comforting. It had transformed recently, infused with new life, perhaps a bit of happiness. “Helloooo,” the witch called out again, he went from room to room until the oracle pushed open the bedroom door and all at once he felt Xander’s lips upon his. All at once Atlas groaned as he pushed his hands through the back of Xander’s hair, his lips parted as the vampire moved his lips against his in a fiery tandem. The witch kissed out of need, necessity, out of desire, he emptied himself into the other and continued to pour. Kissing Xander had always been unlike anything else, anyone else, and while the vampire slipped past Atlas’ lips he greeted him warmly, eagerly, hungrily. The oracle remembered every story ever told about Hephaestion and his prowess, his generosity, his willingness to please, and truly, he held nothing back thousands of years later. When Xander at last broke away Atlas was pressed against the door, nothing but his own hot breath between them as he panted, lips suddenly sore. Xander smiled, “I missed you.”

👗 / my muse dresses up as a sexy Santa for your muse .

The auditorium lights kicked on and from the stage, Atlas heard the doors swing shut. He felt some nerves as he wrung his hands together just off stage, this was a stupid idea, it had to be stupid, whose idea had this been again? The oracle looked down at the skimpy outfit he’d put together for this number and sighed, he’d spent too many hours hemming this sexy Santa skirt, too many days stitching these knee-high boots to not go through with it. Atlas fixed his hat one last time, the white pom-pom bounced idly on the side of his head as he walked with confidence onto the stage and took center.

The witch could tell by the look on Xander’s face that the vampire was shocked, good.

With a smirk he pulled the cropped red and white velvet top a little down so it at least met his upper abdomen before he leaned forward and folded his pleather-gloved hands on his knee. Leaned forward, the opening to Jingle Bell Rock began to filter through over the radio.

Preferring to sing acoustic, Atlas began on time, his choreography leading him to sway from side to side as he stepped to the beat.

“Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock,” The witch smiled, he did a short twirl as he pittered across the stage, “Jingle bells swing and jingle bells ring, snowin’ and blowin’ up bushels of fun,” the talented tenor breezed across the lyrics, Xander’s stunned expression egging him on as he pun amidst a fake snowstorm. “Not the jingle hop has begun!”

“Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock, jingle bells chime in jingle bell time.” Atlas effortlessly hit the high note as he stepped to the beat and did a broad wave of his arm, he drew it across his field of vision as if beckoning a massive and unseen audience.

“Dancin’ and prancin’ in Jingle Bell Square, in the frosty air!” Atlas twirled again into a high kick as the tempo increased, “What a bright time, it’s the right time, to rock the night away.” He punctuated this with a turn before he slapped his bare thighs, “Jingle bell time is a swell time, to go glidin’ in a one-horse sleigh!”

As if on an invisible sleigh, Atlas held the reigns as he stomped across the stage, his high-heeled boots echoed like a dozen hooves as he walked, “Mix and a-mingle in the jinglin’ feet, that’s the jingle bell, that’s the jingle bell, that’s the jingle bell rock!!!!”

👅 / my muse licks your muse .

“Stop.” Xander swatted at the oracle as the witch ran a hand through his hair. The vampire was not amused, his gaze on whatever book he was reading remained fixed before Atlas ran his hand through his hair again. Again, the vampire swatted at Atlas’ hand. “Stop,” Xander empathized, “what has gotten into you lately?” The vampire pressed, his gaze severe as he leveled his eyes on Atlas at last. The witch smiled, grabbed Xander’s head between his hands and pulled his face towards his so that he could run the flat of his tongue across the entire length of the vampire’s face. “Ugh.” Xander objected as he pushed a laughing witch off of him, the hint of a smile on the vampire’s face despite his disgust. “You’re gross.”

“You love me.”

#gabrielxnikephoros #convo:xander #corinth.meme #tw:sex mention #tw: sex #tw:

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beingjustlittlered · 5 years ago

Text

KNY Demon Slayer AU

Tokito Muichirou × Reader

Reader POV. A dedication, to my せんぱいとむいちろうくん。

REMINISCENT- Part 1 : Muichirou AU

I was stuck. Being forced to stay like a sitting hen, with a few others of my unit, while the rest of them were dying in the demon maze. Nothing irked me more.

I'd been trying every possible argument but all of them were silenced by a non-committal grunt from Tengen-san. "Official orders," they said. But Oyakata-sama was no more which meant the orders didn't stand anymore. I was close to having my ears boxed when I yelled that opinion out loud.

But didn't. We were ALL imagining different loopholes in our head. Jumpy and eager, desperate to be allowed into the battlefield and avenge the deaths so far. But no one moved. Oyakata-sama's words were final.

"Please be safe. No matter what, just. Stay alive. Keep one breath aside for me. That will do." I muttered the prayer over and over, until finally dawn broke. It was followed by an awful, inhumane cry. All heads turned in the direction of the demon maze.

Tengen-San and Rengoku-san rose from their perch, hands on their respective swords. There were sounds of crashing, upon which two figures popped through the top of the maze, into the sky, the way stray corn ears would over spitfire.

Then the building began to fall apart and the screaming ensued.

It was chaos. The pillars, or what was left of them, were barking orders and trying to maintain composure. It was not safe to stay in the village anymore. I pushed myself through the throngs of people, eyes searching.

Shinazugawa limped past, clothes soaked in blood, something worse than emptiness in his eyes. In his hands he cradled two guns with more care than he could have ever been expected.

I stifled a sob with my fist. _Genya._ I rushed on.

Please. Please, my mind echoed. I tended to whatever injuries I was called upon, teeth gritted with impatience. But duty always came first.

_Why were there so many bodies?!_ I wanted to scream. So many people. But where were YOU?

"EVA-CHAN!"

"Tanjiro!" Kamisama, onegai! I could see the checkered pattern of Tanjiro's tunic now. He was hunched over. MOVE, I wanted to shout. Please, move.

He did. I came to stand next to him, looking down at the person he had been tending to.

"Mui-kun," for all the screaming I had wanted to do, my voice appeared to have died before I could.

"Eva-chan, you'll look after him, won't you? I need to go find Nezuko!"

I managed a nod, not taking my eyes away from the long haired boy lying unmoving before me.

"Tanjiro! Daijobu-ka?"

"Hai! Daijobu-desu!"

With that, he was off. Swallowed by the crowd.

I kneeled next to the Mist Hashira. Hashira. Who would believe this boy was a Hashira. Angry tears welled up in my eyes, and I took both his hands in mine.

"I'll save you, Mui. I'm here. I'll protect you now." Perhaps it was wishful thinking, but I felt a little squeeze of response.

A week. A mere seven days were all that Muichirou spent under my care. One day he was still unconscious, the next he was gone. That morning I came to find his bed and house empty. Panicked, I asked Iguro-san whose dwelling was the closest, about his whereabouts.

That was how I knew, he'd gone on a solo mission. Anger surged through me first. I vented it all out in the sparring ring. Then I was left alone in my house, with only the tears for company.

His wounds had only begun to heal. There was no telling what would happen to him. No source of communication. His karas was dead and he had told nobody about the location he was at.

Crying wouldn't help. Sleep was useless. I went back to the sparring ring.

Two days later, Muichirou arrived at my doorstep in the middle of the night.

"Pack lightly. We're going to the swordsmith's new village. Tomorrow. At dawn." And he left.

As informed, Muichirou was waiting under a sparse undergrowth next to my minka the next morning. When I reached where he was, he crouched infront of me, so I faced his back.

"Get on. And wear the blindfold." I followed through, silently. Silencing my roaring thoughts, for the time being.

It probably took a day, maybe less. But we didnt make any stops. Muichirou didnt suggest, so I didnt complain. The relocated base was closer to the swordsmiths' new village. I knew we had reached only because Muichirou had stopped. He crouched again, and tapped a hand on my calf signalling me to get off.

Tugging the blindfold off, I allowed my stiff joints to slowly relax to touch the ground. I stretched a little to rid the rest of it, hoping they still had a hot spring in this new village.

"We cannot stay," Mui said as if reading my mind. He reached into the satchel he was carrying over his chest, and tossed a piece of dried meat to me.

"Eat and follow." My patience was wavering, but I willed it to hold. We entered into a thick part of the forest and began walking. I was sure I'd crossed the same tree atleast three times after we had walked for about an hour. I was just about to point it out, unable to ignore it any further, when Muichirou spoke up.

"Close your eyes."

"What?"

He simply looked at me.

"Muichirou-kun, why won't you tell me where we're going? You said, the swordsmiths' village but we're well past it now."

He still just looked. Why do I even bother? I trusted him. With as much as my life. I closed my eyes.

"Hold out your hand.' Frowning, I did as told.

Soft cotton slipped into it, and I grasped it in reflex.

"It's the sleeve of my yukata. Keep your hold to it. Don't let go no matter what."

I nodded once and we began to walk again. I expected myself to trip in places, or atleast get swatted in the face by a tree branch. But I survived without injuries. I knew we'd arrived somewhere, when a heavy scent engulfed me. Distinctive to only kind of flower I knew in all my years as a herbalist. But there was also something peculiar within in. Like a smell within a smell. Another scent that was attempting to dominate the original smell.

"You smell it. What is it?"

"Spider lilies…but.."

"Take off the blind fold."

I hesitated. After seeing all the blood over the past week, I was reluctant to face the colour once more. Especially in such proportions considering the strength of the smell. But I took off the blindfold.

There was no red. Not a single speck of that ugly colour. Instead, I stood in the middle of a midnight sky coloured field.

"Blue. Blue Spider lilies." I couldn't believe my eyes.

"It's real."

"But how? Kibutsuji. He's looking for these. They shouldn't be real. They must be destroyed." But even as I said it, my mind warred with my mouth. No. This divine creation was meant to studied and employed.

"They must be protected. And they are. Only I and Oyakata-sama know of this. Knew. Now you do as well."

"Why, Muichirou-kun? Why show me?"

"Tamayo san is dead. You're the most talented herbalist in the community. And, I trust you." All this time, he'd been facing the flower field, eyes far away. But he turned to face me then.

"I trust you, Eva. More than most."

I knew the tears were showing in my eyes, but I willed myself to nod.

"Take a few with you. Keep them well hidden." He held out his satchel and I followed his introductions. Once I was done, I returned his satchel.

"Time to go." He looked at me pointedly.

But I wasn't ready. I had so much to say to him. To ask him. To simply exist by him. And these few minutes were all I got in so long.

I abruptly bowed, wanting to sound strong but not wanting to show him my tears.

"Muichirou-kun! Thankyou for surviving! And thankyou for coming back safely! I promise," my breath caught in a sob and I swallowed hard.

"I promise, to protect you as well as this secret. With my life." I straightened, willing the tears to stay put for a little while more.

He didn't speak a word. Simply staring, eyes roaming all over my face.

"Close your eyes, Eva." I did so immediately, thankful, for I couldn't stop the tears anymore. I held out a hand for his sleeve.

I was waiting for the comforting feel of the cotton, when I got embraced by it entirely. My breath came out in a whoosh as I got pressed against Muichirou-kun, his breath hot against the side of my neck.

"Mui.."

"Keep your eyes closed." I nodded and held him tighter.

I felt him pull away, but my hands were unwilling to unclench my grasp on him. He sighed and before I knew it, my lips were brushed ever so lightly by his own. The kiss was just like him. Hardly there, but leaving a lingering presence no matter how faint.

He gently moved away. I bit my lip, to keep in both a smile and a relieved sob, and held out my hand once again. And this time I was rewarded with the warm touch of his own hand instead of the yukata sleeve.

#kny imagines #kny au #kny #kny musings #kny muichiro #demon slayer au #demon slayer #kimetsu manga #kimetsu no yaiba #AU #au #imagines

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easyimagines · 5 years ago

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Hello again! I'm still on a Prince Eugene kick and was wondering if I could request another story? Doc's still a prince but the princess he loves comes from a rival family, so it's very similar to Romeo and Juliet (sans everyone dying at the end tho) and only Spina and Babe know about the relationship? Hope you have a great day ahead! -Rachel 😊

I promise I didn’t forget about this blog. Things have been crazy the last couple of months.

Warning: Mention of minor character suicide

Eugene used to stick to himself. His only real friend was his cousin Ralf. Through Ralf, he gained a friend in a ginger-haired man called Babe. The twist with Gene’s friendship with Babe was that their families were in a feud.

The families had come to grudgingly accept the friendship. What the families didn’t know was they were sneaking each other into parties and feasts.

*****

Babe, Ralf, and Gene lounged on the balcony of Bab’s family mansion. Ralf and Babe happily gushed about their girlfriends. Gene listened and daydreamed a bit. “We should find a girl for Gene,” Ralph proposed.

That got Gene’s attention. “No worries over me,” he tried to dismiss. “Love ain’t somethin’ to be rushed. I reckon I’ll meet the right girl when timin’s right.”

Babe suddenly grinned, his eyes lighting up. “I know just the girl. I’m sorry I hadn’t thought of her sooner.” Babe grabbed Gene’s wrist and pulled him up from his seat and into the great hall.

“Who’re you thinking of?” Ralf joyfully followed at Babe’s side.

“My cousin, Y/N. You’ll love her, Gene. I know you will. Just you wait.”

“You stupid, Heffron? She’s the daughter-”

“And I’m the nephew. That didn’t stop us.” Babe stopped and turned to face Gene, gripping his shoulders. “They’ve got to drop their bullshit. Sometimes, children need to teach their parents.”

“So we stop sneakin’ each other inta parties an’ jus’ walk in.”

Ralph chuckled. “You’re stressing too much, Cous’.”

Gene sighed, knowing he was outnumbered. “Fine. Introduce me to your cousin.”

Babe grinned and started leading Gene to where he knew his cousin was hiding. “Y/N!” the ginger called out.

“Yes?” She looked up from her book and was shocked to see Babe all but charging toward her with a worried looking black-haired man being dragged at his heels. “Who’s your friend, Cousin?”

“This, Y/N, is my friend Eugene Roe. I thought you and he would get along.”

Y/N gently placed a hand on Babe’s forearm and Gene’s upper arm, leading them down the small hallway leading to the emergency exit.

“Eugene, it’s a pleasure to meet you, but-” she spun on her heel to face her still grinning cousin “-what are you thinking? Do you not understand what would happen if anyone other than you and Ralf saw us together?”

Babe’s smile faded slightly but not completely. “This feud’s been going on for generations, Y/N. It’s got to end somewhere. Why shouldn’t we be the ones to end it?”

Y/N looked between Gene and Babe with a sigh. “You’re right.” She flicked hair out of her eyes so she could get a better look at Gene. “He’s already kinder than the man Father wanted me to marry.”

*****

Eugene looked, constantly, where he was putting his and feet as he tried climbing up the tree outside Y/N’s window. Over the last could of months, they’d become lovebirds. They exchanged letters through Babe and spent as much time as possible together at the parties their families held. They always found somewhere to tuck away.

When Eugene got into Y/N’s room, she was seated on her bed, her back against the headboard, crying into her knees where her forehead rested.

“Y/N.” Gene rushed to her, kneeling beside her on the bed, and pulled her into a hug. “What happened?”

Y/N sniffled before trying to speak. “My father wants me to marry Paris.” The sobbing woman tightly gripped Gene’s sleeve, her knuckles going white. “I don’t- I love you. I can’t marry Paris, Gene.”

Eugene’s head spun and he had no idea on how to get them out of this. “There has to be a way we can get out of this. There has to be…”

Y/N perked up. “We fake my death. Ralph’s uncle, he’s not a Roe but a Spina. He’s a herbalist, right? There’s got to be something he can brew to make me appear dead.”

“We fake your death, I leave a letter declaring my love for you and grief of your death-”

“You can’t bear to be in the same town and we leave this one behind.” Y/N was no longer crying. Her eyes lit up with hope and joy.

Eugene grinned and cupped Y/N’s face in his hands, pressing his lips to hers. “I’ll talk to Spina first thing tomorrow. How much time do we have?”

“The end of the week.”

Gene’s breathe caught in his throat for a moment and was immensely relieved he’d thought to step in and see how she was in person. Who knows what would have happened otherwise?

***** The scream of Mrs. Y/L was heard nearly all over the block. Her pained scream and heart-wrenching sobs echoed through the home.

She stormed to Mr. Y/L with fire in her eyes. “You’re at fault with this! This damned feud! It’s killed children of your parents, grandparents, and now your own. You knew the rumours to be true. You’d rather hold your ludicrous pride than see your daughter happy and truly loved. And you have the audacity to call yourself a father.”

The cousins, aunts, nephews, and nieces who gathered at the news watched with awestruck faces. No-one had ever heard Mrs. Y/L yell with such ardour and hatred.

“Had I known she’d do this,” Mr. Y/L started through grit teeth, “I’d have permitted their union.” That having been growled, the man retreated to his study and locked the door behind him.

Mrs. Y/L did her best to find Babe. He was the closest thing to a brother Y/N had and the whole clan knew it fully well.

The ginger was sitting on the balcony, vacant eyes staring at nothing. He had the feeling, something deep in his heart, screaming for him to contact Eugene and demand what in the hell was going on. Mrs. Y/L sat across from Babe and gently rested her hand on his. His hand has long since fallen from his teacup; the tea now cold and lightly too strong because the bag was still in it.

“Edward?”

The ginger looked to his aunt with empty eyes. No tears lined the lids for his shock and remorse were too strong.

“Did she say anything to you?” The woman’s voice was gentle, saddened.

“I introduced them; I knew they’d fall in love. We thought--it was my idea--we could end this feud with love and friendship instead of hate and violence. I never imagined Y/N would…” Babe sniffled and fought back tears. “I killed her.”

Mrs. Y/L’s jaw dropped as tears finally fell from Babe’s eyes. “No, no, no. My boy, you’re so sweet. You were thinking of them. What was the boy’s name? Eugene?”

Babe nodded. “I’ll tell him about Y/N. After Rosalind… This’ll break him.”

The sound of a gunshot echoed through the house and everyone knew the master of the house was no more.

Mrs. Y/L’s eyes hardened. “I’m ending this feud. Tomorrow.”

*****

Mrs. Y/L sat in a chair beside the preparatory bed her daughter was seemingly sleeping on. The mother held her little girl’s hand. Her eyes were far away, practically non-seeing as her mind wondered. Footsteps, soft ones, came and drew her attention. A young man, no older than 25, stopped like a deer in the headlights. His light eyes widened and he just stared at the matriarch of the Y/L clan.

“You’re Eugene Roe, aren’t you?”

“Yes. I-”

“You’re welcome here, Son. Edward, my nephew, has told me of who you are and vouches for you.”

“Ma’am…” Gene trailed off, not really sure how to progress. “She’s...she’s not dead.”

“How couldn’t she be, Mr. Roe?” the woman was tired.

Eugene looked at his watch. “10 mi’utes. She’s gonna wake up.”

“Boy, if you’re playing with me-”

“I’m not. I swear it.” He filled her on their plan.

“Did you explain this to Edward?”

“When he came to tell me she died, yeah. Is...is your husband really-”

“Yes. He shot himself.” She sighed. “We didn’t love each other. Never did. Just an arranged marriage between a couple of kids following our parents’ orders.”

Y/N’s finger twitched, then she drew a deep breath, her eyes still closed in slumber.

Mrs. Y/L gasped, a grin etched on her face, her eyes lighting up. “You weren’t lying.”

“I’m not in the habit o’ doin’ so.”

“You can marry her, Eugene. God as my witness, I am ending this nonsense feud with my husband gone. No more lives will be lost in a feud we’ve all forgotten the origins of.”

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ylaziel · 6 years ago

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7. What is their fondest memory? Their worst?

The fondest memory…

It was a thundering night, she was merely around 9 summers at the time when lightning struck close to that old building she was living in with her mentor. Nightmares, just as they are today, were frequent, uninvited guests. That night wasn’t different…

She felt the whip lick at her back again, crack to fill the room booming, so loud… So, so loud… Just like the thunder outside… She hated those dreams… Dread, fear relentlessly clawed their way into her heart again. Strike after strike, she shed tears and droplets of crimson as her flesh gave way to the very essence of life to pour forth in the wake of every merciless assault.

“Scream you little monster… Scream!!”

She refused. That would be the last thing she would give… Satisfaction to that pompous man who smelled of wine, both from the quite plentiful he drank and the half jug’s worth the small child managed to pour upon him as she tripped on a wrinkled rug. She would endure in quiet, a hiss or an almost silent whimper was the most the man managed to get out of her…

Suddenly, the terrible cracks grew louder, agonizing until she shot up in her bed, screaming and alarming the man who slept around the corner in another section of the room as another smite from the heavens shook their home. He mumbled curses to himself, lack of sleep and wicked men haunting through the small au ra. Hassan cursed them all…

Ruffling his short, dark hair, the man padded over to the small one’s bed.

“Hey kiddo…”

He was about to sit down on the edge of the bed when the little thing clung onto him and buried her face in his scarred abdomen.

“Uh… Y-You need to let go… Come on…”

The Thavnairian man grumbled, trying to peel off the small girl from himself which was quite a challenge with arms, legs and even tail holding on tight. He carefully managed after all and settled down, leaning his back against the wall that had some drapery hanging over. He carefully held the small child and pressed his forehead to hers.

“Come on now… It is but a small storm and a bad dream. They cannot harm you anymore, you understand? I will not let them..”

Hassan smiled, his halflidded chestnut brown eyes emitting warmth and comfort… Locked with those big, teary pools of lavender and azure. The small raen sniffled and nodded. This was the second time the sun kissed man did that… It was just as calming as the first time… Just that little touch, warmth on her forehead could make everything wrong go away…

The worst memory…

The festivities brought a flow of color, music, fragrance and cheer onto the streets. The crowd of people, like a giant river poured down the city. That was her fourteenth summer. The plan was clear… The target would parade with his guards, moving amidst the crowd… She have to get close, just run past and just… Use her ring, the little poisoned needle hidden in it… Just a small prick and they would be successful…

A tiny tiny prick… Yet she never managed to do it.

Even through the chatter and the melodies, she could hear the guards shout on the rooftops… She looked up, there were so many of them. Impossible she thought. She panicked and wanted to run up there, help.

Hassan was surrounded, fighting against many and even though he made his stand, he got overwhelmed sooner than expected. As the small au ra tried to skitter away and climb the closest building, she was yanked back. One of her target’s bodyguard grasped her scarf and quickly pushed her to the ground. With her small frame she could do naught against the guard who kneeled on her.

She squirmed, wriggled but could find no way out until the guard yelped and rolled off of her, dead, his chest wet with crimson as he stilled on his side…

“Come on kiddo… We need to…Go…”

Yla froze then and there… Hassan was injured, his shirt, his leather armor, his shortsword was drenched in blood. No… It must be from his enemies, it must be… He is fine, he is strong, agile, no way he would lose, yet her body refused to move. She was trembling and heard Hassan curse and heave as he picked her up and started running.

Arrows whistled through the air, some of them passed by, grazing them both. Her shoulders oozed the red liquid but she couldn’t feel the pain through the shock as she heard some of the arrows hit their mark… Hassan grunted and had to stop around a corner to catch his breath, coughing up blood. He broke down the two arrows lodged into his back…

No… He must be alright, he must be… He… He must be…

The desperate thoughts filled her mind and before she noticed they were running again, leaving the screams of the crowd, the shouting of the guards behind them, a weird symphony of chaos…

They could get away…

The Thavnairian man fell through the door of their home and kicked it shut before he crumbled to his knees. Yla hit herself on the stone floor but pain still couldn’t get through to her as she quickly crawled back to Hassan.

“L-Let me help. You will be alright, i promise.”

She said with a shaky voice, quickly undoing clasp after clasp on his leather armor and peeling away the wet fabric of his shirt, drenched in blood. Oh blood… There was so much blood, so much more than she has ever seen before yet she did everything she could.

She remembered what Alim taught her before when she helped the old man out… She looked for the vials they had from him. Milk of the poppy, some strange liquid, ointment, bandages, she quickly gathered them all just as the herbalist and potion maker taught her… The small raen cleaned, stitched the wounds, applied the ointment and dressed them accordingly… She dragged the injured man to bed and faced her longest… Most horrible night alone, drowning in fear and worry that she will lose him… And a day or two later… She did.

#tw:blood #tw:violance #askmeme #background story #ylaziel #within-the-rain #thanks for the ask #this got longer than expected #a huge tell about the forehead touch

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honnismoked · 6 years ago

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Okay, lets go on a better note. What was he ... like?

“ Chaucer… he was the sweetest skeleton anyone would ever meet. ”

“ I knew him when we were both lil’ tots. He was always sittin’ there, rootin’ for me… Ma said his pops was a family friend. That’s why I got t’know him so well. ”

“…He was always sickly. He had a marrow deficiency, so… it made sense. Not enough to support bone strength. He got better as th’years went on, though. Became an herbalist jus’ two years before I was officially sworn in as the executioner. He loved helpin’ people. A great healer.”

“ He never abandoned anyone. He even stayed with me those few weeks after the mandatory ‘markings’… My first two freckles. He would’ve turned 575 years old this February. I only got to be with him for 173 of them. ”

“ He was th’ closest thing t’ a brother I ever had, next to G. I miss him. So much. ”

#nonnies #{🐝} in character.#{🤡} executioner.

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findthefuninlife · 6 years ago

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The story is about a boy who found himself at the edge of a cliff. What drove this man to come so close to the rim of sacrifice and near insanity is where we start.

He lived a regular life, a constant, repetitious life. Wake up, work, reads, eats and sleeps, in that order, never different. He rarely strayed from the routine. If he did, again, incredibly rare, he would contemplate doing it for days before slightly altering the daily, comfortable routine he’d committed too for so long. Days blended into weeks this way. Weeks often blurred to months, even disguising years passing. He knew his routine, wake up, work, reads, ears a bowl of soup and sleeps. In that order, never different.

In working the fields one day at work he noticed something. There was a hole in the ground, a tunnel to somewhere. Out of all his years he’d never seen it, curiosity starting to plant its seed in his head as it always did. He would always be curious about “other” things but he’d never commit to doing them because every time he did he either found himself in dismay or the endeavor being more of a nuisance than enjoyment. He knew his routine was best, wake up, work read a book of poetry, eat a bowl of soup and sleep.

After months of considering taking this tunnel to wherever it leads, he found himself working around the area, still working, but just working near it to see if anything came out or if anyone went in. One day he was working as he always did and noticed a spark, an ember flash by the tunnel and then dim.

Another week and I’ll do it. The man decided today, even if he hadn’t seen an ember since. He crawled down the tunnel taking it, winding down and curving deeper into a place he’d never been. A mile or so down he started to shiver the cold intensifying. He woke up this day, went to work the fields and took a path down a tunnel.

At the end of the tunnel was a bright, beautiful crystal blue woman. He was taken by her, the shine in her, the coolness he felt in his chest at first, however momentarily the feeling was. She had the same gems he’d move in the fields in her hands, shimmering off her body light.

“Are you a worker too?” What a stupid question? Of course she was...

She smiled, “Yes, I just work a different shift.” She winced slightly, quickly but he noticed.

Play it cool, play it cool. “So— like what do you consume?” What do you consume? Who in the 8 worlds says that? Mind head slap.

She chuckled and looked at his quizzically. “I ‘consume’ fruits, apples... berries... pineapple. What do you ‘consume’?”

She’s mocking me— great. “I eat soup.” He said rubbing his arms, it was getting colder. He let off his heat a moment to warm himself.

“Aaaand?” She asked staring, gems still in her hands. She started to tug on her finger. What looked like water droplets started to form on her elbows.

“Eh, w-what?” The question had come so quick he was thrown off. “Uhm, just soup? It’s the same soup I’ve always had, I dunno really?”

She’d laughed and continued to mock off of his nervousness and interest in her. Strange, but he’d begun to unwind and forgot his routine tonight. Wake up, go to work, go down the tunnel, eat berries? and ——

“Where do you sleep?”

“I don’t sleep til the sun rises.” She’d said a little embarrassed.

Oh that’s right, opposite shifts.

And he’d slept when she did, in the mornings.

Not before long he found himself in a new routine with her. Wake up in the tunnel, eat berries, sleep, work with her and sleep. He’d noticed though the more days he spent with her the more they would mix. He found himself not before long, he found himself getting a rush from her, finding new things to do during the day after work, new things to eat. He found himself losing a routine and enjoying the lack of routine. He let go, slowly, of his comfortability. The scars that decorated his arms and back seemed to dissolve over the next few days. His resolve changed, he felt himself being more of himself than he knew was there. He found himself wanting to see this person everyday and every second. He found himself staring at her like crystals never existed, like gems of the world were put together in the most perfect way and formed her face. He found himself laughing genuinely, feeling genuinely, being genuinely happy with change.

They’d gone to the outskirts of the area and picked the best fruits. The only way to these fruits was via the tunnel. Go figure he’d never had fruit before.

They’d dip their feet in the caves pools and laugh about stupid observations blown out of proportion.

When they came together it— wasn’t all good though.

“Are you hot?” A deeply concerned look on his face was there as it always was, growing more serious everyday. He was at the back end of the tunnel and she was at the other.

“No, really it’s fine.” Having swept away a whole puddle from her face and arms. Her legs shaking weakly.

He thought to himself that he wasn’t even trying to burn today. When they first met he’d burned to keep warm but after noticing what it did to her he constantly tried to snuff it out. After a few days constantly with her no matter what he did, she’d melt away regardless how much he would emanate his heat. It tore him up inside, a thought creeping in the back of his head he didn’t want to think about.

“When you came through— this stupid tunnel— when you came through you marked a path. When you leave and another comes, it shuts for that person forever. You won’t allowed to come through.” This was all that was said that night weeks ago. It always woke him up like an alarm clock.

“So only herbalists can make your medicine”

“Yes”

“And they have to be down here to do it?”

“Yes”

“And you haven’t had your medicine since I came?”

“No”

“And you say you don’t want it”

“Yup”

“But you need it”

“There are better things to need”

“Like not melting from fire?”

“Like fire itself.”

“So what you’re saying is—“ he’d started.

“So what I’m saying is pass the damn fruit.” She’d said with a smile cutting him off.

What you’re saying is, in order for you to get better, I have to leave, in order for you to get better you need someone that’s not me here. In order for someone else to come, they’d block my way to you.

The thought cut at his throat some nights as they talked across the tunnel. There were a few days they were able to sleep together after he couldn’t take it wanted to be close to her and she’d agreed. At first it was bliss, indescribable, the sleep he got, the smile he woke up with was everything to him. After one night he’d nearly melted away her arms he never slept with her again. The sight of her losing a piece of her broke his heart.

I can’t be without you and I refuse to hurt you, even if it might taste great in our mouths, I can’t.

“I’m sorry...” Naturally cheerful and full of glee, this solemn tone through her off.

“Why’re you sorry?” She stared at him across the room laying down, a stern look on her face.

“I-I can’t stand doing this to you. I can’t be here. N-no ma-matter how much I want to be here, be with you, everything about this is just so wrong.” The words stung in his throat.

She couldn’t argue. She knew that the time was limited. One way or another they’d be without each other.

“Do you remember months ago, before this, before us, before you came down here. Did you notice a light in the tunnel during your working, just once?”

“I do, actually... what were you doing anyways? That was the middle of the day, you should have been sleeping.” He’d never considered this before.

“Well ... I was curious about the outside, I’d heard you working the fields once upon a time and wanted to see who it was. Little did I know you’d fall for me so hard. I paid some attention on my long nights watching you work. So, without actually showing myself, I knew when you’d do your ‘forever contemplating’ and I shined a gem from the sunlight coming through the tunnel.”

“Sooo what you’re saying is you were into me.” He smirked at her then listening to this confession.

“Actually no, I just thought you’d come see me once and leave. Little did I know you’d make yourself at home and stay like you owned the place.”

He thought back to the first night that they’d lay together. How he found himself staring at every inch of her just because she was there. He’d never had something so precious and delicate in his arms. He’d never wanted to break someone in his arms but when he had her he just wanted to pull her so tightly to him just to prove, beyond a doubt this was real.

After a few moments they found themselves standing in the middle of their night, staring at each other. They both started forward and then at a full on sprint. Before contact he told her to jump. As she did he opened his arms and caught her, her legs wrapping around his waste. Clashing of fire and ice.

For the first time in weeks they’d touched and even more so embraced each other. That night they laid together like they used to.

He woke to a wet back and a shiver down his arms. She was nearly all water, a pained look on her face. He was horrified, disgusted and hated himself for his selfishness. The scars on his body felt reopened.

She woke in less pain than she was in before. She reached out reflexively for a hand that wasn’t there. She got up and looked around but didn’t see anyone, just a vile of medicine on the table closest to her and a note.

“I can’t be everything for you that I want to be. I was with you on borrowed time and I couldn’t stop myself from being greedy til it nearly tore us apart. If I lost you I wouldn’t, couldn’t forgive myself. Believe me, not ever having you again is just as much a torture as losing you. I can attempt to heal from one of those though. You will always have a smile though topside. I know I can see you from my house on the hill by where we got fruit. I’ll always be there to see you and when the winds are silent and kind some days I might just be able to talk to you. No amount of words written here can express the knife that’s stuck in my chest right now as I say this. In another life I know I was a herbalist. I know that I keep you alive and loved you like I want to. I just know, in some universe you and I are an ending somewhere. I know that somewhere, some-where, you are my routine. Somewhere you and I are together, like we should be now. P.S. I will miss you, I will always look after you and I’ll love you til I don’t, whenever and however long that takes.”

The story is about a boy who found himself at the edge of a cliff only able to watch as the woman he loves is so close yet unreachable. Maybe the fates were cruel, maybe it was just not meant to be his routine, maybe asking too many questions got him here in the first place. But for a time he loved, felt love, was in love but not all love stories are happy endings. Right now the boy remembers what it was to have it and that’s all that matters. We move forward and that’s all we can do. Maybe the fates will reward him later with a chance to have her again or maybe they’ll reward him in giving her someone that makes her even happier. Maybe the fates can seem cruel but we can only work with what we have, try all that is around us and enjoy all that we can in moment. When it stays we need to be considerate enough to make it a bed. Stare a while, take it in, let them have my food, my hopes and dreams, be my ambitions for a while. When it leaves be on good enough terms to leave the door open so that maybe it might walk back through again.

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grace-for-the-nations-daily-word · 4 years ago

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Your word for today

Act your faith among the people around you.

Stand up and be counted!

I believe with all my heart that during this dark and difficulty season God is expecting you and I to act out what we believe every single day of our lives

I feel seriously offended when believers sing the same song as unbelievers during this pandemic.

Infact most unbelievers can not compare with most of us when it comes to fear and unbelief!

They actually have to remind most of us that we are Christian and should pray.

If we treat the sick the same way unbelievers treat them we should never preach that God heals all sickness when this is over.

We should never preach that God can heal leprosy and HIV if we don't even attempt to pray for a suspected covid-19 person 5 meters away from them with our masks on.

I have noticed with a painful heart that most believers (who used to be zealous miracle preachers) are on the forefront in telling people to use home remedies against the Corona virus.

They now beat the unbelievers in the things that unbelievers naturally do.

They have forgotten even praying for the sick on the phone.

I once shared here that witch doctors and herbalists look with shock at how these believers Excel in the knowledge of miracle herbs they used to condemn.

What a shame!

What happened to "In the names of Jesus.... Be healed" ?

There are people around you whose life depends on you acting your faith out.

There are people to whom you are the closest they will ever get to heaven.

They are families around you whose future depends on you telling them Jesus saves.

Someone near you will commit suicide in a few days from now and God has placed you near them as a source of hope.

All you need is to tell them " There is hope in Jesus... Can I pray for you"

Someone who has lost a loved one is almost loosing their mind and God has made you cross paths with them so you can minister Jesus who heal the broken hearted to them and they recover.

Don't let them die because you are afraid of acting out your faith.

Men and brethren listen to me today!

We are alive in such a time like this for a reason!

We are called for such a time like this!

This is the season to act out our faith even in the smallest way.

One small act of faith you do for someone will remove a huge mountain for them.

Stephen acted his faith right were he was as a deacon, giving widows food, not on a pulpit, not in front of a huge audience or a men's conference.

I believe he would see a woman with a crooked hand dragging herself as she comes to get food and he would say to her, "Jesus Christ would want to heal you ma'am if you would believe and allow me to pray for you"

And maybe another woman will come being led by her son holding tightly to his shoulder because she is blind and Stephen will take her aside as tell her "Jesus Christ heals you now, lady open your eyes and see..."

One after another Stephen touched the lives of those he came into contact with until everyone was referring their friends and family members who had issues to him.

If Stephen a deacon, could act out his faith until the whole governing body of Jerusalem got angry and sought to jail every believer, at least you can act you faith to just 5 people during this dark season.

Acting your faith simply means you do your part and allow God to do His.

I challenge you today to stand up and be counted as a believer.

No one should pass through you and die without hearing you mention Jesus to them, nomatter the case.

As for me even if they were to bring you with a dagger stuck in your heart I would still pray for you for healing.

If you die I loose nothing, I don't feel bad because if God miraculously heals you and you live I have nothing to brag about.

It's all by the grace of our Lord Jesus, so I'm not worried that I may not get my prayers answered, I'm always expecting God to do His part and have His way, and He always does.

Acts 6:8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

9 Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.

10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.

If you are to die today, for any reason what will we say about you as far as this dark season is concerned?

I know you did well before covid-19 and I really appreciate you.

But that's history!

What about today and now?

What will we testify you did during the covid-19 pandemic as a believer?

Think soberly and make a decision today!

Much blessing

June 2021 daily word

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wattydrabbles · 4 years ago

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The Heart of Edana 14/17

Ira’s fingers tapped on the bottle of homemade wine he brought as he waited outside Adessa’s door. It’d been over a month since her letter saying she would be home soon. Sure, she could have gotten held up. Maybe she found more information that got her held up in Valencia. Still the silence didn’t sit well with him. It was hard enough over the, what was it… nearly six months she went quiet over the winter?

“Excuse me, have you seen Adessa lately?”

The passing farmer shook his head. “‘aven’t seen ‘er since maybe, three-four weeks back?”

So she had been home. “Thank you.” Ira pulled the spare key from his bag and let himself into the house. It was clean, no sign of intrusion. Though the garlic hanging on the wall had started to sprout. Definitely been a while since she was home. So what made her leave?

In her little study on the far side of the house he saw her papers strewn about. On the top he found his last letter and a half finished letter to him.

Ira,

I think I’ve finally got it. The light is connected to an old power in Calpheon, and the sigil is from old Valencia. Together, they’ve been used to destroy black energy. But they were originally supposed to drive it away. If I can just find-

It ended there. Something interrupted her. But what? A new train of thought, maybe? He pulled some of the books off the shelf hoping that maybe she wrote some notes to herself in them. Something he could use to follow her path. Part way through one of her heavier tomes he found an envelope. It was small, with ‘Veil’ written on the front in a firm hand. It was never sealed so he opened it without a second thought. It only had one word on it, ‘Ilhen’. That just created more questions.

Finding nothing else to point to her location, Ira left the house. He knew that she frequently went to the inn to feel like she was in the city again. Worth a shot to ask around there. First he asked about the word, or name, ‘Ilhen’ but it didn’t make sense to anyone there. But when he asked when they last saw Adessa he finally got something concrete.

“Some white witch or somethin’. All covered in runes and hair white as snow. She came in talkin’ about some monster by Calpheon with blue eyes and black smoke. She left in a hurry after that.”

Blue eyes and black smoke?

We both know what that means.

Ira cursed Onris’ name under his breath. The idiot had let it get the better of him and she went after him. That was weeks ago and she still wasn’t home. Anxiety pitted itself in his gut as he grabbed his horse and took off for the west.

---

Everyone he talked to had said that the blue eyed monster in the forest was gone, but no one knew what happened to it. The hunters that frequented those woods said there were battle scars in the land but no sign of a body. More questions.

When he changed his questions from a monster to that of people he did seem to find more answers. There was a small home outside the city where a woman with blue eyes and dark skin lived. Likely the sister that he’d heard Adessa mention. Not that he wanted to see a member of that family right now but it was the only lead he had.

Sure enough. Shortly after he knocked he was greeted by a rather towering woman with those blue eyes. Though her eyes lacked pupils altogether, they were certainly not too pleased by the interruption, as she held an infant to her chest. “What do you want?”

Ira’s eyes briefly flicked to the infant. The child met his gaze with that sickly blue and faded vertical pupils. Great. Another one. “I’m looking for Onris. Is he here?”

“Who’s asking?”

“I’m a friend of Adessa-- Veil’s. I’m trying to find her.”

Veil’s name seemed to make the woman relax. The tension left her shoulders and she stepped out of the doorway. “I haven’t seen her since she left him on my doorstep, but yeah, he’s here. I don’t think he’ll be of much use to you.”

Left him on her doorstep? Ira followed the woman into the small house and found a casually dressed Onris looking bored as he read a book on the couch. Anger immediately flooded Ira’s blood seeing him here, fine, healthy, while Adessa was missing. He stepped in front of the woman and grabbed Onris by the collar of his shirt and dragged him off the couch. “Where is she?!”

“What the hell??”

“Where’s Veil, you asshole?”

“Hey!” The woman grabbed Ira’s wrist with enough force to make him drop the other man. The strength of her grip in her off hand, while she still swaddled the baby, was terrifying. “If you’re going to cause trouble here, I will kick you out myself.”

Ira relented, stepping back from Onris, and that seemed good enough for her. “Where is she?”

“Who? Look, I have no idea what you’re talking about!”

“Oh, don’t you get cute with me, bastard. Where’s Veil?”

“Who’s Veil?! Adi??” Onris looked to his sister and Ira realized the confusion was genuine.

“You.. don’t remember? What about…?”

Adiri shook her head. “Veil said she got rid of it, but he lost his memories with it. He remembers who he was before, but not since. Now, would you please stop harassing him? My brother may be an asshole but he’s still trying to catch up on the last few years.”

So she did figure it out.

But whatever she did, it didn’t quite work. Ira doubted she would have purposefully wiped Onris’ memories of her. “Sorry, I’m… just, sorry. Do you know anything about a witch or someone, a woman with white hair and runes on her body?”

“Onris told me about one, before. She hired him for a job once, getting some papers from deep inside the Kalis Parliament, and a few other things I think. Something about Caphras cave maybe.”

“Do you know where that is?”

“North of here.”

“Thank you.” Ira gave the still confused and slightly startled Onris a passing glance as he left. This was the closest he might have ever felt to pity for the man.

---

The cave itself also proved to be empty and devoid of much. It was definitely the right place. A well of black spirits swarmed out from the base of the cave, infecting any unwitting adventurer that might find their way here.

I remember this place. Those poor fools, still trapped. Ha!

“Quiet.” Ira found a few kunai stuck in the rocks and scattered on the floor. She was definitely here. Unfortunately he also found signs of old dried blood. A lot of it. But still no bodies. She wasn’t here either. So where did she go?

Can’t you hear them? They’ve got what you want.

“What are they saying?”

Oh, you actually want my help? How cute.

“What are they saying?”

Fine. They’re talking about the… Edana’s Heart? It was here??

“Care to explain?”

His black spirit went quiet for a while but he was getting impatient. If she lost enough blood to account for what he was finding then he’d be lucky to find her alive at all. Time was important now. Ira cursed himself for waiting this long to come looking for her.

The Edana was the first. The strongest of us. He ruled Valencia with his black spirit. The power he held was sealed into a black stone from under the castle so that no one could ever use it against Valencia. It’s been lost since… forever!

“So how does that help me find Adessa?”

I don’t know, but she was here. And so was it.

“U-uhm… excuse me?” A voice snapped Ira’s attention around as he pulled his blade up to guard. A small Shai with greying skin cowered before him. Realizing there was no threat he dropped his guard. “A-are you looking for the women that were here?”

Answers! Ira knelt down, grabbing the Shai’s shoulders. “Where are they? What happened?”

“Th-they fought. The woman in white and the other one. There was a giant here too, but he left. If he’d stayed it would have been much worse.”

“What happened to them?!”

The urgent tone made the Shai cower but he could not escape his grip. “Sh-th...they… The white one turned black and th-the other one was impaled by her ice.”

Ira’s heart dropped. The blood was hers. The world felt like it was crashing down around him. The cave itself could have collapsed and he wouldn’t have noticed. “But, where is she? Where did her body go?”

“A-a scholar was here. After the black ghost disappeared, she just laid there. A s-scholar eventually arrived with Ch-Chief Valentine. They found her and t-took her to Fl-Fl-Florin.”

He was gone before the Shai even had a moment to catch his breath.

---

“I’m sorry, but the Adessa woman isn’t here.”

Again?! Ira was losing his mind chasing her all over Calpheon. “Where, then? Where did she go?”

“Calm yourself, boy. I am not your enemy here. We did what we could to heal her but her injuries were terrible. She should have been laid up here for months but after a few days she disappeared. We still have her armor, if she ever wanted to come back for it.”

“Show me.”

The bearded Shai led him across the small herbalist settlement to where the blacksmith had set up shop. In the corner of the building, sure enough, he saw her armor. The same armor she always wore when they worked. Horrible, jagged holes cut their way through the cuirass. That explained all the blood… by all rights she should be dead.

“We cleaned it up as best we could, but I don’t think there’s any saving it. Though, she did take the weapons with her. There used to be a blade in this pile and some small knives.”

That sounded like the Adessa he knew. Never unarmed. But her path was cold again. She wasn’t here and he had a really bad feeling about this. The woman in white had a stone connected to the very first person with a black spirit. And the cursed Shai in the cave mentioned a black ghost.

With a lack of any other leads he would have to go back to Calpheon. Maybe those that he once called allies would be keeping tabs on her.

---

Weak structural supports crumbled dust over the damp ground as Ira picked his way through the ruins of their old office. Someone had gotten to them first. The bodies had long since rotted and been picked at by the rats. There was no smell left to drive off scavengers.

Anything of obvious monetary value had been lifted but many of the books and documents remained. Most of the bookshelves were waterlogged and modly, destroying much of the text, rendering them useless. The Headmaster’s desk appeared to have been

He saw familiar documents, illustrating Veil’s tattoo, contracts for their targets. And, as he should have expected, an order of execution for both himself and Veil. It looked like the last they knew they might have been in Mediah. There would be no new information here.

Behind him he heard cautious shuffled footsteps making their way through the halls. He snapped backwards through space, pressing himself into the wall by the door, blade at ready.

“I know you’re in there…!” A voice yelled through the hall. It bounced off the walls and would echo down the hallways if anyone else was here. Ira cursed under his breath for this blundering. If anyone else was looking for her then they’d find him here trapped by whoever this idiot was. “By order of Elion’s Valkyries, show yourself! Why are you here in this twisted place??”

A valkyrie. Of course. He shouldn’t be surprised - they might well be connected to this sub cult of ‘Elion’s Light’. He knew their armor. Her neck would be guarded, but her sternum wasn’t. If he angled it right-

“If you mean Adessa harm, I swear by Elion that I will end you.”

Adessa?

Throwing caution to the wind for the sake of answers, Ira stepped out into the door, hands up. “You know Adessa?”

“Name yourself!”

“You first.”

Thick tension held the air as the red haired Valkyrie poised her blade over her shield. Neither of them moved. One built purely for defense, the other an expert at quick offense. One mistake would be the end of either of them. “My name is Alyxeria. I’m here trying to help a woman named Adessa find answers. Your turn.”

“My name is Ira. I am a friend of Adessa’s, though I fear she may not remember me.”

Her stance shifted a little. That may as well confirm what he had feared. She didn’t remember. “Why should I believe you?”

“You shouldn’t. But I hope you will.” Ira remained where he stood, hands up, and waited. Grip just tight enough to end the fight if she decided to start one.

Luck seemed to favor him, however, as she relaxed her guard. “What do you know of her?”

“I was hoping to ask you the same thing. I lost touch with her almost two months back and have been trying to find her. I feared the worst. Do you know where she is?”

Alyxeria shook her head. “I offered her a meal and a warm place to sleep a few nights ago. She left by morning without saying anything. If you find her, don’t expect her to know you. I’m afraid she’s been taken by a black spirit. They’re cruel things that steal memories in return for power.”

“I’m… unfortunately familiar.” Ira’s heart broke in his chest as he heard those words. His Veil, his Adessa, was gone. Whoever he was going to find would be someone new. Maybe someone darker. Fuck you, Onris. This is your fault. We should have killed you the first time. “What led you here?”

“I recognized something about the tattoo on her arm. One of our junior Valkyrie got her hands on… a dark, dastardly book, that spoke of a cult within the church. It talked about a place in the underbelly of the city. I thought there might be a connection. I assume there is, if you’re here too.”

Spot on. Impressive. “There’s nothing left here.” Ira sheathed his blade and walked towards the Valkyrie. She was still wary of his presence, giving him space as he walked by. “Before you leave, you should burn everything you find. Better this place dies here.”

---

This was, truly, the last place he expected to find himself. Standing in front of that old door that once said home for so long. Ira sighed heavily trying to will his body to move. Gritting his teeth he reached for the loose brick, but paused. The brick wasn’t there. The key wasn’t there. Throwing a glance down the street in either direction nothing seemed out of the ordinary. No one was watching him.

Slowly, he checked the door. It was unlocked. Taking a moment to pause he took in everything he could see. The dirt by the door was scuffed but that could have been from his feet. The door had been unlocked - presumably using the hidden key, which no one should have been able to find.

What if…? Ira held back his hopes. Even if it was her, it wasn’t her. He swallowed hard and pushed the door open.

He couldn’t believe his eyes. There, in the middle of the room, stood Adessa. Looking absolutely terrified. Then his eyes started to take in everything else. The candle on the table, the burned edge on the blade, her torn open sleeve.

That tricky bitch.

Whatever black spirit had hold of her was trying to burn off the one thing that could kill it. “Adessa. Don’t do it.”

#bdo collection #Ira #Onris #Alyxeria #Veil #heart of edana series

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catherindonald · 5 years ago

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My 2020 Health and Wellness Plan

Thinking back on my past ten-ish years of blogging, I don’t think I’ve ever once shared a health and wellness plan with you, but friends, that’s all about to change. Today, I’m opening up about some of the health challenges I’m currently facing and what I’m doing to counter those challenges this year.

Now, don’t worry too much. There’s nothing major going on with my health, thank goodness. In fact, I consider myself to be quite healthy. However, I do have some symptoms that are alerting me to deeper issues, and it’s important that I pay attention to these symptoms before a more serious condition develops.

My View of Health & Wellness

Okay, to start, let me explain my stance on health and wellness with you. I typically have a DIY, less is more mindset when it comes to health, and while that is still true, my perspective has had to change a bit simply because I’ve realized I can’t do it all on my own.

First of all, thanks to my education as a nurse and an herbalist, I do have a decent understanding of health and how to keep the body well. However, I’m not an expert in all things health. I also understand that while I mostly know what to do to maintain good health, I don’t do all of those things 100% of the time because I’m not perfect. It’s true. I’m just like you—a normal person trying to navigate the world in which I live in the best way I can, and sometimes I do better than other times.

So with that said, while I know health changes can be made through simple healthy lifestyle practices, I also recognize the need to incorporate herbal and nutritional supplements into my diet alongside these healthy lifestyle practices for optimal health.

Yes, I kinda dislike supplements. I mean, in an ideal world, our diets would be enough, but the truth of the matter is that in today’s world they’re not.

In a perfect world, our soil would be full of healthy minerals and limited in toxins like pesticides and heavy metals. We’d be nourished and thriving, never knowing that such a thing as a nutritional or herbal supplement existed. Unfortunately, our world isn’t perfect, and while our bodies were perfectly designed to thrive, they don’t always function as they were meant to. Sometimes, we need supplements to help us out, even if just for a short time.

Sure, I can be bummed about this. I can buck it and ignore it, but that only gets me to where I am now. Not sick by any means, but not what I would call thriving either. So at this point in my life, I’m choosing to understand that taking supplements is a part of the process for me to get back into a better state of optimal health, and instead of being sad about it (which is really my response to my lack of self-perfection and self-control), I can accept that these tools are good and will serve me for the best in the long-run.

Subtle Symptoms That Speak Volumes

When it comes to my current health challenges, I guess I should start by saying that I’ve never had the best digestive health. For as long as I can remember, my digestion has been slow, even as a child. I’ve experienced gas and bloating here and there over the years, realizing that certain foods trigger this more than others. I dealt with a candida overgrowth 6-7 years ago, and while I thought I had fully dealt with that, I either never completely got it under control or have let my gut microbiome become imbalanced again. Over the last 2-3 years, I’ve also experienced a bit of abdominal cramping in the mornings that comes and goes. Sometimes it’s there and sometimes it isn’t. I’ve also developed symptoms of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) that come and go. Ultimately, my digestive system isn’t in a healthy, balanced place.

Next, I am also a type-A, ESTJ, enneagram 8, with a pitta constitution. What does all of this mean? Well, it means I thrive on my natural stress response, but if stress becomes chronic, my endocrine and nervous systems suffer. It also means that I am prone to liver congestion. Over the last few years, I’ve noticed that I am more easily irritated and overwhelmed. I can’t think as clearly, and I tend to forget words or what I’m doing. This is better known as brain fog. I also have had some signs of estrogen dominance. My skin is usually dry, but I have hormonal breakouts every single month. I also feel like my vision is getting worse, and trimming down isn’t as easy as it once was.

Now, I could easily write some of these symptoms off as a normal part of aging, but because of my past health training, I know that many of these symptoms stem from imbalanced body systems. I also know that these subtle symptoms are there to warn me that if I don’t take some time to focus on supporting these body systems and get them back into a state of balance, worse conditions are around the corner.

You’ve heard that saying, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, right? Well, these signs of imbalance are alerting me that I need to pay attention to my body

With that said, I’ve created some health goals for myself for 2020, and I’m confident that if I work on meeting these goals, my body will move closer to a balanced state, and I will function as it was designed to do.

2020 Health & Wellness Plan

Health and wellness are one and the same thing to me, but health and wellness apply to more than the physical body alone.

When it comes to having a holistic perspective of wellness, there are 8 dimensions of wellness to pay attention to. I’m not sure who to credit for the following information because it’s all over the Internet, but below are the 8 areas of focus when it comes to holistic wellness.

8 Dimensions of Wellness

Physical: Recognizing the need for physical activity, healthy foods, and sleep.

Social: Developing a sense of connection, belonging, and a well-developed support system.

Spiritual: Expanding a sense of purpose and meaning in life.

Emotional: Coping effectively with life and creating satisfying relationships.

Environmental: Occupying pleasant, stimulating environments that support wellbeing.

Financial: Feeling satisfied with current and future financial situations.

Intellectual: Recognizing creative abilities and finding ways to expand knowledge and skills.

Career: Creating personal satisfaction and enrichment from one’s work.

While I have goals in each of the above areas, the physical area is the one getting my utmost attention at the moment. Below I’ll share my goals and some of the changes I’m making where sleep, exercise, and diet are concerned. I’ll also share how I plan to go about supporting each of the body systems I feel need a bit of work at the moment as well.

Sleep

When it comes to sleep, I feel that I’m doing okay in this area. I regularly get 7-8 hours of sleep each night, which is enough to help me feel fully rested in the morning. One thing I’ll continue to do here is to keep taking my daily ashwagandha supplement as this really helps me sleep better, and it also helps my body’s stress response to be a bit more balanced. I’m also giving up drinking any alcohol close to bedtime as that can interfere with good quality sleep. That means the wine will be enjoyed at mealtimes only!

Exercise

So, I have a love-hate relationship with exercise—mainly because I’m lazy, but it’s something I’ve come to realize is super important. My preferred form of exercise is yoga or bodyweight workouts, such as Barre workouts. My knees hurt, crack, and give me issues if I do too much of any sort of high-impact exercise, so these low-impact workouts are perfect for me. I love yoga so much simply because it tightens and tones my body while helping with strength, flexibility, and breathing all at the same time!

Not only is exercise great for the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems as well as metabolism, but it’s also good for the lymphatic system. It keeps everything moving and flowing, and that can help a lot when it comes to detoxification and cleansing wastes from the body.

In addition to all of the above, when I get regular exercise I have more energy, I’m in a better mental space, and I can maintain my weight better.

My goal for this year is to do 20-30 minutes of some sort of exercise each day whether it’s doing a yoga or Barre workout in the morning or something simple like walking the perimeter of our property after lunch. Some weeks I do better than others, but if I can get in at least 3 days of intentional exercise a week alongside housework and our afternoon and weekend yard work projects, I feel like I’ve done a good job moving my body that week.

Diet

Diet. Oh, where do I begin when it comes to diet? Diet is such a big issue for all of us, and it’s very difficult to find the right one for you. Plus, it seems like the “perfect” diet changes based on which season of life we’re in, where we live, and what health conditions we’re dealing with at the moment.

For me, I know I feel best when I eat a vegan diet. However, I live in a house of meat-eaters who have no desire to go vegan with me all the time, and since I’m the one that cooks for everyone, it makes it very difficult to do it on my own. I’m sure it can be done. I just haven’t figured out how to do it just yet.

That aside, I do eat fairly healthy. I cook most meals at home, we don’t eat too much sugar, and I do my best to buy high-quality foods. I also try to vary our diet so we don’t eat the same types of foods all the time. If I were to match us up with one type of diet, I’d say we’re probably the closest to a Mediterranean style diet, but we don’t implement it perfectly.

When it comes to the nutrition of our meals, I don’t keep close track of how much fiber we eat or even how many carbs, fats, or proteins are in each meal. That just seems like way too much work, and I’m really not interested in making our diets complicated. I need simple and easy at that moment.

As far as changes go here, I’m sure there are always things that can be improved. Perhaps I could cook more fish meals or reduce the amount of dairy we consume. I guess I could also cut out all sugar, but I feel like that’s a bit extreme as we don’t eat that much sugar in the first place. Adding more legumes into our diet is another option as is eating more fermented foods. Again, I’m not really sure how to improve this particular area. I think it’s just going to take some slight tweaking a bit at a time.

One thing I do know I need to improve when it comes to my diet is making myself drink more water. I’m simply not a thirsty person, and staying hydrated has always been difficult for me. I am able to keep myself fairly hydrated by drinking a bit of purified water (6-8 ounces) every time I use the bathroom. It keeps this nice little cycle going that ensures I drink regularly throughout that day!

Lastly, I have a tendency to want to snack at night, so I’m thinking that implementing some intermittent fasting would be a good idea as well as this will help with maintaining a healthy weight, and it will reduce some of the load on my liver as well. Did you know your liver does a lot of work at night? If it’s focused on breaking down fats and detoxing the food you just ate, it has less time to do its other necessary jobs in the body.

Supplements for Body System Support

So with healthy sleep, exercise, and diet practices in place, the only other thing I can do to support the body systems that are experiencing some sort of excess or deficiency is to use supplements (herbal and nutritional) to give my body some extra support.

Gut Support

One of the most vital components of wellness is having a healthy gut, and as I mentioned earlier, this has always been a weak area of mine. I’ve used various probiotics before, and I even used some natural supplements to rid my body of candida back when I was pregnant. Nonetheless, I suppose I’ve let things slide in this area over the last few years, so here I am, back to focusing on gut health.

I know that where absorption of nutrients is concerned, nutrients must be present, the lining of the gut wall must be tight and toned, and the gut’s microbiome needs to be healthy for absorption to occur. I also know that elimination must be regular so toxins are thoroughly removed from the digestive tract.

To support gut health and a healthy metabolism, I’ve incorporated some Plexus products into my supplement regimen, specifically the TriPlex and multivitamin supplements. The TriPlex consists of three products:

Plexus Slim is “the pink drink” that helps to naturally balance blood sugar to help with weight management. The “microbiome activating” version also has prebiotics in it to feed the healthy bacteria already in the gut.

ProBio 5 is a probiotic on steroids that not only helps to replenish the gut microbiome, but it includes enzymes that help the body to rid itself of yeast overgrowth. It’s also designed to be able to withstand stomach pH so it can deposit the healthy bacteria to the small intestines where they belong.

BioCleanse is an oxygenated magnesium supplement that supports healthy and regular elimination of toxins from the gut so the healthy bacteria can replenish and thrive.

In addition to the TriPlex, I’m also taking Plexus’s multivitamin, XFactor, to get some extra nutrients into my diet. This multivitamin also includes aloe, which is great for gut health as well.

My plan is to use these products for a minimum of 3 months—maybe longer if need be, depending on how quickly I reach my health goals. Gut health can be one of those areas that requires quite a bit of nurturing!

Liver Support

My next area of focus is liver health. Based on my symptoms, I’m showing signs of liver heat or excess as well as liver congestion. Because of my constitution, I’ve incorporated milk thistle capsules and dandelion root tincture into my diet daily. Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is a great hepatoprotective herb, and it’s one of those herbs that are useful long-term.

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) root is considered an herbal bitter, and it’s really good for digestion and is gently stimulating to the liver. Not only that but it’s a great fit for my constitution (it’s cooling!) and the symptoms I’m experiencing, so this is something I’ll use before meals for several months. After that, I’ll probably switch to another herbal bitter that has some nervine support (more on this below) and is a good fit for my constitution, such as blue vervain (Verbena hastata), because regular use of herbal bitters is super helpful for healthy digestion!

Endocrine & Nervous System Support

While I’m normally fairly stable in the nervous system area, after this past January’s little crisis, I’m finding that I’m needing a bit more endocrine and nervous system support just to help my body to find a bit more stability in the midst of the ups and downs from this situation.

While the TriPlex products from Plexus will help greatly with this, I’m also taking a daily ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) tablet to help my stress response as well as damiana (Turnera diffusa), a relaxing nervine, to simply nourish my over-stimulated nervous system for the time being.

My plan is to remove these from my supplement regime sometime this summer and simply rely on the TriPlex for support in these body systems.

Does Your Gut Need A Reboot Too?

So maybe you’re like me, and you’ve realized that your body also needs an extra boost in one area or another. Over the course of my natural healthy living journey, I have come to know just how important gut health is to total body health. Our mood, immune system, and many other bodily functions rely on a healthy gut to function properly.

So what’s the MOST IMPORTANT thing we can do to support this particular body system? Well, first of all, we can eat as clean and healthy as we can, and the second thing is that we can give our guts a boost with some healthy probiotics and gentle cleansing. I know mine sure does.

I’m pretty picky about the supplements I use, and I can say that the Plexus and herbal supplements mentioned above are high-quality, gluten-free, vegan, and non-GMO. They taste great, and they’re easy to use.

If you’re going to add anything to your own system other than clean food—you want to make sure it’s a clean supplement too. Otherwise, you’re wasting money and potentially leaving your body with even more to detox.

I mean, let’s be honest here, it’s likely that everyone’s microbiome needs a bit of a lift–even if you’re not a chronic antibiotic user, alcohol drinker, sugar addict, or you’ve never dealt with something like Chrone’s disease or an infection like C. difficile. Most of us have taken medications that have messed with our microbiomes (ibuprofen) or eaten a gmo-food here and there. We may not realize that we need to do the work to create a healthy and thriving bodily ecosystem again, but we do. I know I do. If this is you too, choosing to use high-quality supplements might be the place to start.

Interested? Feel free to contact me. I’d be more than happy to walk alongside you on your health journey and share how Plexus and various herbal supplements can help you meet your wellness goals.

And don’t forget—you are in charge of your health. Every day, each of us wake up and choose how we care for our body. This includes the foods and drinks we put into it, how we move it, and what we do that brings us happiness and relaxation. Each evening, do what you can to set yourself up for success the next day. Fill your water bottles with clean water, prep healthy foods for the next day, commit to 20 minutes of movement, schedule in some self-care time. Do whatever you need to do to give your body what it needs to feel good and function properly. And sometimes, you might need to take some supplements too!

Love and light, Meagan

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My 2020 Health and Wellness Plan published first on https://marcuskeever.blogspot.com/

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