#the deadly desert

[mystery-salad]

The world is safe now.

You tell yourself that as Zhaitan clings to a tower of decay, crumbling beneath its claws as the canons aim true. The shots hit, cheers raise as the dragon topples down. Falling from view through the miasma it created below. No one can hear it hit the ground over the relieved shouts of victory ringing across the airships. But everyone feels it in a resounding rumble that shouldn't have carried through the air like that. The celebrating falters, confusion rising but not fast enough to prepare for what follows. The shockwave hits like nothing you've ever felt. Everything goes dark as the screams begin.

The world is safe now, Orr is not.

You wake up in the rubble as survivors try to make sense of what happened. The dragon is dead, but no one accounted for where all the consumed magic had to go. No one planned for this despite generations of preparation. Perhaps there's a reason for the dragons, you hear murmurs through the tents. But you didn't come this far to call it quits, and one land riddled with a decaying radiation can't stop the mission. The contamination in your blood won't stop you.

The world is safe now. Orr is gone.

Mordremoth stares you down from within his mind. You're like a weed that won't die, small and foreign but resilient and ready to take everything. The odds are against you with the team sent away, you can't face the gaze of the dead like last time. They're safe at a distance, you have to hope they got far enough as you defy the odds and strike another dragon down.

The world is safe, but there's a catch.

Trahearne shudders as your mind returns to your body, as you look around in wonder that there isn't a shockwave like last time. He's so calm as he explains the truth of it, defying how terrified he is of dying, of asking a friend to do this and stand at ground zero once again. But you stand just as calm, picking up the blade and telling him to close his eyes. You hope he'll rest well, wherever his life takes him next. As the blade cuts through, you know it's real as the shockwave begins just like last time. You brace for impact as much as you can.

The world is safe now. The desert is gone.

It's almost tempting to let Balthazar handle the rest, let the god walk a path of destruction to each dragon, sparing yourself further damage. But his path leaves so much unnecessary devastation...so here you are alone with another dragon. Well, not completely alone now. You have Aurene, though you're still not sure if that's truly a blessing any more. The two of you corner Kralkatorrik, the perfect trap laid deep underground in old sunspear ruins.

The world is safe now, until the dragon takes a last stand.

Waking up in wreckage is becoming normal to you. When did that happen, when did the panic vanish? No time to think on it as new plans have to be laid out. You chase him down, you and your dragon, to kill her grandfather and save the world again. Setbacks are numerous. It's harder to work alone on this one, so many soldiers are ready to see it to the end with you. You tell them they don't know what they're asking for and send them away again. Aurene, still a child, fights the dragon's minions nearly overwhelmed as you get to his heart and strike. You've never seen the explosion from inside before. It's so bright.

The world is safe now. The island is gone.

Is it worth it all? It has to be, you tell yourself, as people celebrate your victories in a shrinking world. Refugees who have fled the fallout zones don't seem to agree, but at least they're alive right? And you know you're almost done. Jormag and Primordus, opposites and twins, rise together and somehow feel like childsplay after the last one. Perhaps it's because aurene is an equal to them now. You don't dare to think of the devastation that would be left if she were to die now. Thankfully you don't have to as the siblings tear each other apart.

The world is safe now. The mountains are gone.

No one has seen the final dragon in ages, hidden away deep underwater until you stumble into the truth while chasing a lesser threat. Soo Won was so gentle once, but the void ravages all. It feasts on the magic you released so willingly into the world, your devastations have paved the way for this chaos.

The world is safe now, for the void to reform.

You've survived so much despite the odds, held together by the very magic degrading your bones and poisoning your blood. The void pulls at those strings as it taunts you through the voice of the dragon who started it all. It's the hardest fight you've ever faced. As Aurene pumps you full of power to survive, you wonder if your death would bring destruction too in this moment. But it's left a mystery as Soo Won falls and the void fades. There's a moment of peacefulness you've never felt before, the grandmother hanging on long enough to comfort her granddaughter. But she can't prevent the state of her death. The jade sea shatters beneath your feet as she dies.

The world is safe now. But how much of it is left?

[cleocatrablossy]

Unfinished comic-y thing for day 4!

Prompts: Forehead Kiss/Reunion/Superhero

I saw forehead kiss and reunion and realized it was literally cannon to my pirate au. I’ll finish this eventually.

[notearsnora]

According to Variety magazine, some scenes of WICKED PART II were shot in the white desert national park, Egypt in late 2023.

[halloween-post-its]

Day 5 👺 Lead Wheeler - Return to OZ 🛞

[hellcatchvalley]

[slamming drinks down] im TIRED of the desert and YES this includes the moon desert

[yuuniee]

— 💓 Surprise!!

I feel like writing drabbles for my ships so... Send a voice line from a card of a character I ship with my ocs, and I’ll write a small thing, because until now, I had like one or two fics written for my other ships and I want to expand on them too... :(

Characters I ship with my ocs: Cater, Ruggie, Jack, Floyd, Jamil, Epel, Rook, Idia, Silver, Rollo

[bunninsula]

[danielleurbansblog]

Review: The Machine Murders

Synopsis: A Dubai balloon festival is attacked by the worst social engineering exploit the world has seen. A prime moment to be working for Interpol. Manos Manu, an Interpol data scientist, arrives in the United Arab Emirates to solve a series of impossible murders that have shaken the Middle East. Interpol’s Singapore back office has proven world-class, with a machine learning team of the…

[gottamusethemall]

Headcanons about XVI (Lotta spoilers)

Personal headcanons about XVI will be below the cut cause of length and spoilers. 

The first person that Ultima used as a puppet was none other than Anabella. Despite all her concern for Joshua and relative lack of concern for Clive, Anabella didn’t bother to ensure whether or not Joshua was alive. Joshua’s body was probably buried underneath the rubble, and he was presumed dead. Clive was only noticed because he was out in the open. There was no shortage of ways to get Branded Soldiers, so there wasn’t a particular need for Anabella to let Clive live, but Ultima ensured that Mythos survived. 

The connection between Anabella and Ultima would also explain the Masked Man’s appearance at Phoenix Gate during Clive’s initial awakening. The Masked Man is assumed to be Sleipnir, someone that is capable of moving around swiftly without drawing suspicion to their absence elsewhere. Cid probably served with Waloed during this time. 

Ironically, there is a point of similarity between all the dominants. They are all beings of remarkably strong will, though their goals differ. Joshua and Clive have the strongest wills, which is why they are the two fires that are the cornerstone, but Clive’s time as Joshua’s first shield makes his will stronger, which is why he is Ifrti’s Dominant. 

Clive is able to absorb the eikon from the other dominants when their wills are weak enough. Normally, a dominant is fiercely opposed to surrending their Eikon. However, when a Dominant’s will is broken, normally associated with a feeling of weakness that can be impressed or generated, then the Eikon can be withdrawn from them. 

It is assumed that Ultima can decide who will become a dominant. This is because the Eikons are all seen looking at Ultima, so he is of a higher power than the Eikons. Knowing that he will want as many Eikons as possible to ensure that Mythos will have as much power as possible. Therefore, Leviathan’s dominant is somewhere. 

While Ultima can choose who will be a dominant, he cannot keep track of where those dominants all are. This is presented when the masked man says ‘We have found you.’ For Leviathan, it would make sense that a group that is mostly unknown could hold the Dominant of Leviathan and Ultima wouldn’t be any the wiser. 

While Jote is my initial decision of the last Dominant, Mid is actually my second choice. Both are strong-willed and are not in the place where they are thought to be. Expecting that Mid may have been sent to Kanver while Cid was with Waloed, would make Ultima aware through Barnabas, which is why I believe it’s Jote. 

[unikornu]

Ulukita deadly fields but views are kinda nice...

[EU] Unikornu

[froppy-butterflyfan2000]

Scorpius and her inter-dimensional friends, Eagan and Helena eating a McOstar burgers at the McOstar in the Starship of Ostar.

I am not dead btw, I finally decide to draws Scorpius Butterfly-Greason with Eagan and Helena eating lunch at McOstar at the Starship of Ostar. I do not know if Helena would joins. But I believes Eagan definitely would. It is also an idea of a fan artwork on hold due to focusing on my education in college. Though the SVTFOE fandom is less active, leaving reminisces behind. I still do enjoy other people’s contents from their story, characters, and the lore of their verse(s) here on Tumblr. I am very proud of the artwork and I even added a Ostar fankid in the picture because she looks so amazing, especially her comic story in The Citadel of Starco: The Seven Deadly Sins.

The Starship of Ostar and McOstar belong to @theostarfan18.

Helena “Angela” Lepidoptera-Diaz belongs to @noellelamarie.

Eagan Lucitor belongs to @michilee25.

Morphea Butterfly-Greason belongs to @citadelstarcosevendeadlysins/@dangerpack.

Scorpius Butterfly-Greason belongs to me.

[lillypad-monopoly]

Ren's POV of them is equally unhinged btw. It's unreliable narrator-ship at its finest on both sides

So I’m rewatching 3rd Life but this time Martyn’s POV and it’s KILLING ME how Desertduo in their own POV are like just some dudes wrecking a bit of chaos but in Martyn’s POV they look like some kind of evil codependent couple that are weird and live in far away lands that no one should enter.

And honestly I feel like Martyn’s POV is closer to the truth than Grian and Scar’s own POV

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"AMENDMENTS TO CRIMINAL CODE," Kingston Daily Standard. May 16, 1913. Page 1. --- Certificate of Police Chief Necessary in Order to Purchase Firearms. ---- AFTER WHITE SLAVERS ---- New Regulations Make It Harder For Them - Increased Salaries For Penitentiary Officials. ---- Ottawa, May 16. - In the Commons this morning Hon. C.J. Doherty introduced a bill to amend the criminal code by providing that a certificate permitting the carrying of fire arms should be granted only by the Chief Police officer of the City or town in which it is applied for.

The amendment to the act further prohibits the sale of "pistols, sheath knives, daggers, knuckle dusters, skull crackers," and other weapons of offence or defence to any persons save those holding certificates. Pistols and airguns must not be sold to minors.

Mr. Doherty pointed out that influx of foreign emigrants had made the amendment necessary since there were far too many killings.

A further amendment prohibits the sale or advertisement for sale of medicine or instruments to cause abortion.

It is further provided that the seduction of a girl, previously chaste under age of 21 years, shall be an indicatable offence.

Mr. Doherty explained that it was the purpose of the bill to render conviction for white slavery easier to carry out.

There was a further provision making wife desertion a criminal offence.

Section 18 is for the purpose of preventing the breaking into letter boxes. This is to protect the rural mail delivery boxes.

A further provision permits of arrest without warrant of persons reasonably suspected of being engaged in the traffic of vice. It has been found very difficult under the present act to do this.

Mr. Doherty, in answer to a question by Mr. Wilson of Laval, explained that it was his intention to bring down legislation increasing the salaries of the penitentiary officials.

[yuuniee]

I’ve been having like several ship brainrots since forever so... AMA :)

❥ [ship list]

[bunninsula]

[rockabell-chime]

oh i am feeling nostalgic today

...it's all those train video asmrs, isn't it. i didn't spend that much time on trains. if this keeps up i'll... well, i do already want to go back. some days. not most days, my team -blue and rainbow excepted- aren't used to it. they don't... it's not deserved. it's also not... it's just not their environment

but. hm. thinking realistically about it, we could manage if i went back. rainbow would be happy, i know she's been a little bored. blue... blue wouldn't like the idea, but they'd go along. always together. celestic and wyndy and coco don't know a lot about it other than what other pokemon have told them, and us, so they'll agree for a visit, if only for curiosity

coco won't like the sand, though. we might have to change her form to the ghost-type one...?