#the way he casts magic while in this form is unique too

[gummi-ships]

Kingdom Hearts 3 - Storm Flag

[rnakamura22]

When they heard that you found your way home

Random　Characters

Prefect is female! Yandere vibes! Her name is Yu!

Malleus　Dragonia

Oh, Don't mind the sky getting pitch-black and thunder striking down rapidly! What? Flying classes got canceled? You saw Jack and Epel were totally soaked? Where are you even looking? Another man? That’s unacceptable!

You’re his first friend and crush! To him, you are like the first sunshine of spring! A beautiful blue butterfly in the meadow flying above the flowers! A gem more precious than any treasure he has! And now you’re just dumping him? Nuh-uh. Ain’t gonna happen! He’s one of the most powerful magicians in the world, so it takes no more than a flip of his hand to crush any form of way back home. He could lock you up in his room, mess with your body, destroy any form of mirror, etc. Hey, this was gonna happen one way or another since he already decided for the future Queen of the valley long ago(AKA when he met you).While he locks you up in his Diasomnia room, he could happily come and discuss the wedding plans. He already decided on the crown by the way, but he made a promise to discuss the dress colors with you since taking your opinion into account is necessary. Lila would be teary eyed of Malleus’s growth. You have no choice to accept your fate since even if you escape, he will come searching for you. After all, can a mere human win against a loving dragon?

Lilia Vanrouge

This 700 year old vampire fairy has more knowledge and experience than any of the villains. He thought his love ended with Malleus’s mom. But then, you came along. A cute little innocent human who only lived about a little percentage of his life! You are like a baby! You’re too young to survive out there! What if your way back home never worked! What if some thing got messed up? No, you need to be in the world safe and sound! He will protect you! He still has feelings about the age gap though. I mean, what happens in family day at school with your future children? Well, not to worry! As for making you stay, just break a few mirrors or take out any bad memories! He needs to look out for his juniors after all! He won’t break you, but he will punish you if you disobey. Fairies are possessive. Blame your own luck for shooting the heart of the vampire fairy.

Rook Hunt

At first, he seems happy for you! A lost deer should run back to her herd as quick as possible. But you forgot he’s a hunter. And a skilled hunter like him NEVER fails.

He casts his unique magic on you as you are about to leave. A part of him wishes for your happiness, but he couldn’t help it. A large part of him couldn’t forgive you. The most valuable prey were about to outrun him. He could never accept that. His magic will find you. Wherever you go, however you try to escape, the chase continues. Until you give up your world and return with him, they would be absolutely no peace.

Epel Felmier

(Anyone else love peel’s smug VILLAN faces from the ghost bride?)

Epel acts happy but inside, he’s devastated. He wanted to visit his home village again just the two of you. He knows he’s got competition when it came to you, and it was all for nothing. Well, he ain’t admitting that, that’s for sure.

From that day on, with the help of Vill and Rook, he creates a special gift for you. An apple red as the roses. A glittering poison apple just like the Beautiful Queen of his dorm created. To trap you, his one and only Snow White. He still wants to have fun with you and the first years. He wants to graduate with you. You gave him courage, and made him happy. He wants to return you with his own thankful emotions. #Yeah, Right.

On the day you were going to leave, he comes up to you and thanks you, than he says the magic words.

“Prefect…I want to give you something. Please have a bite. It’s a special apple I picked. It’s the most delicious apple I harvested and the most beautiful one! I cared for it so much!”

Epel now understands what Vil said for so long. His cuteness can become a weapon. Look at your eyes! You melt for his cuteness, and bites the apple without thinking twice, I mean, who can resist his cuteness. Instantly, you fall unconscious.

“Whoah!? That was close… but now you can be with us forever Yu! Snow White won’t hold a candle to you…. Let’s graduate together Ok? And we can be together forever…”

He’s a poisoned apple, what would you except? As the saying goes, looks can be deceiving.

Sebek Zigvolt

Ah, he says like 90% of the time about how fairies are better than humans, but for you, it’s an exception. He might not show it, but he cares a lot about you. He’s a tsundere after all.(No, you cannnot tell me otherwise) But he blames you for dumping him and making him feel bad.(AKA you two are not dating)

“This is your own fault human, you made me fall to your schemes and now you’re throwing it all away? Unacceptable!”

He may not show it, but he enjoyed school life with you and the other humans of his grade. He wants to live with you at the valley of Thorns. But your comment of going back to your world snaps something.

Better run away because lightning bolts are coming down in 10 seconds to smash that mirror. He will not let you go. And is you disobey…say goodbye to your eardrums and your freedom.

Silver

(Anyone else love this Silver’s face? I believe Silver can be a villain too, you won’t change my mind)

He is SHOCKED with a capital S. He’s a human, but raised by Lilia and fairies so he has fairy values and they may be SLIGHTLY different from humans especially about love.

He wants to be with you after graduation. He already planned a few preparations so you won’t be getting away.

Before you go, he casts his unique magic on you to appear in your dreams as a dashing prince. Saving you, chasing you, maybe choking you a little bit. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt. Convincing that your world is horrible and terrible, and you should come back to Twisted Wonderland and live with him. Silver is a prince, and you are his princess. To him, the bad witch is your world. After all, he needs to defeat the bad witch to save his one and only princess. Than he can live happily ever after.

[thosetrollkids]

MONSTOBER: DESIGNS

Part 1: Teen Cast!

HELLOOOOO everybody! Welcome to my project, Monstober! A series of several posts with large, in depth looks at different aspects of my AU, Monster Kids, that I wrote during October this year. Special thanks to @eurazba for listening to me ramble over all this and helping with the AU over the years <3

This post will be going over the general monster designs for notable teen characters, as well as some thoughts as to why I chose said designs :D

There will be a second post for the main adult cast, and once posted, you can find it linked here :)

Jim / Toby / Claire

Jim Lake Jr (Sphinx): It's him! The poster boy! Wahoo! Honestly, I don't have many notes for his design process, because his design has stayed relatively similar since the early drafts. His was the very first design, and other than being a typical lion/eagle sphinx for like. two drawings, and then a panther/blackbird for two more, once the snow leopard/blue jay combo was struck, he's only really changed in small ways. I chose a blue jay, because they're one of my favorite birds, they're blue, and I'd used them to be an accent to Jim in a previous drawing. Snow leopards are also my favorite big cat! So similar reasoning for that particular aspect. If I were to design him today, blank slate, I miiiight have changed his cat species, but I still am way too attached to the leopard/jay combo.

Toby Domzalski (Gargoyle): Toby's design also hasn't changed much! The main trio haven't, other than minor adjustments. He originally had yellow eyes, but they're back to standard green. He also used to have larger wings, and while I liked the idea of the main three being able to fly together, I decided to go with a different route as I leaned into his design looking more aquatic, and he instead has wing shaped back fins! They fold down and sit under his clothes, as he only really can use them while swimming.

Claire Nuñez (Harpy) Also another design I haven't changed since conception! Harpies were always something cool to me, and I was inspired by an illustration of harpies in a mythology book I had bought at the time. Her design was originally just 'bird' until I tired to find a more specific species that fit. I landed on barn owls, and coincidentally, they are also associated with brujeria/witchcraft in Mexico! Win-win. With her stronger connection to magic overall, she's also the only member of Team Trollhunter that can fly reliably; her magic feeds her energy enough to keep in the air (Jim's wings are too small for anything besides light gliding and cushioning falls).

Steve / Eli / Krel / Aja

Steve Palchuk (Faun): Steve's design was always pretty formed in my head. For the guy that tries so very hard to be an all-American boy, an icon of that is the whitetail deer buck, and it very quickly fell into place! His design is fairly simple, which is why it works so well for him, IMO. Fun fact, he has a set of scars on his cheek from the equivalent of the fight he had with Jim in S1. More to expand on in a later comic, >:3c

Eli Pepperjack (Bat Humanoid): Eli was actually also a sphinx originally, but I wanted Jim to stay fairly unique among the main teens, so my follow up design was something more batlike! I did do plenty of research for monster bats, or hybrid bat monsters, but what research I could do didn't produce much (then again, could always be wrong!), so I went with 'attributes'. He's based on a Little Brown Bat. He little >:) His wings are also not capable of flight, they're basically large hands, all the better to hunt down creepers with, my dear.

Krel & Aja Tarron (Amphibious humanoids): WAHOOOOO!!!! I'm very proud of these, because you have NO IDEA how many months I struggled to find a design I liked for them. They have been (checks notes) spidertaurs, a few other passes of various insectoid tries, I was going to attempt something more seal like, because I knew the main group's designs were already mammal-heavy, and something aquatic or insectoid was what I wanted to balance the group out. Then my beloved @eurazba, listening to me ramble one night, helped me come to the idea of their 'human' transductions looking closer to old monster movies! Creature from Black Lagoon was an easy pick, I did some research about CFBL and Shape of Water (thanks Del Toro), and bada bing, bada boom! My fishy twins! Also Krel is the only one wearing shoes. Just realized this...

Mary / Darci / Shannon

Mary Wang (Dryad): Mary has also gone through a lot of changes (turns out, I was very indecisive outside of the main trio, AJDJSBSJFHB). She was actually a -taur alongside Darci! Specifically a unitaur (saw a lot of alternate Monster Falls art of Mabel Pines as one, and I really liked the idea. The overall AU was inspired by the Gravity Falls AU, now you know!) She stayed that for a while, then also went through some bug-like redesigns, and then a couple months back, I decided on a dryad! Before that point, I was trying to stay strictly to animalistic monster designs, but it became a little too confining, so she exploded into my sketchbook and became real. Her tree is a california redbud, and her 'antlers' are like the branches of the tree, and leaves/flowers bloom in time with the season on them. The hooves were based on a Zelda design from an artist I liked a lot (truffe.art on IG!)

Darci Scott (Praying Mantis-taur): HERE COMES THE BUG PAYOFF. Some of you may remember my design for Darci hasn't changed for quite some time, and while I liked the look of the cervitaur (a centaur, but deer), it didn't feel... as unique as I wanted? And I was still missing my BUG. So, debating over this, I did a few passes of her mixed with a bee, spider, etc etc... and then once again, @eurazba was like "hey! praying mantis." and I fell in LOVE with the concept. (Very quickly sketched her up as I was doing these sheets, actually NDJSNJKJD)

Shannon Longhannon (Gorgon): Last design of the group, another that has hardly changed since conception. Nagas, gorgons, lamias- whatever they're called, I love the visual of a reptilian character slinking around gracefully, and she helped balance out all the mammalian designs as well. She was originally a typical green/yellow snake, but when I inevitably color her, I picture something more ruddy, reddish brown, to match her hair :) She indeed is able to turn someone to stone, but as she was not born a gorgon, this ability is dulled, and only lasts for a few hours, working only if she focuses completely on doing so to someone. She's taken to wearing shades more often to not scare people who don't know this.

[local-ground-apple]

sleepless

I haven't seen the part 3 of chapter 7 yet... Basically what you & Malleus are doing when everyone is under the sleeping curse

,,Malleus !”

You thought the last thing you would hear before falling asleep for the eternity would be Lilia’s desperate scream prompting Malleus to stop casting his unique magic and turning every student into some sort of fairytale protagonist.

No matter how hard you tried to fight drowsiness, your eyelids seemed surprisingly heavy. Eventually they drooped and you closed your eyes, taking one last look at the frightened faces of Prefect and their friends.

Perhaps the eternal slumber wouldn’t be that bad, you silently thought to yourself, feeling sleepiness washing all over your form.

Then you blinked and your eyes opened involuntarily.

As quickly as you awoke, you closed them, feeling a slight panic threating to take control of your tired body.

This wasn’t supposed to happen.

You were supposed to fall asleep just like everyone else, waiting for a knight in silver armor to wake everyone up.

However, you were wide awake. You tried desperately to calm your uneven breathing and steady your racing heartbeat. After all, in the sleep people should be the epitome of tranquility. You were aware that if you didn't manage to calm yourself down quickly, you would be discovered and you weren’t keen on finding out the consequences of your strange immunity to the curse.

You took deep breaths, slowly relaxing your tense muscles, trying to appear as if you were dreaming calmly. You forced yourself to stand still, yet you couldn’t exactly help the way your legs slightly trembled in panic. You clenched your fists for a brief moment, reminding yourself to calm down, as you forced your body to comply.

You could feel the fatigue and sheer stress washing all over your form, threating to uncover your disguise to Malleus.

Just pretend you’re sleeping, you’re sleeping, you’re sleeping. Focus on your breathing…

You told yourself multiple times in your head, praying that it would work. That you would manage to fool the dragon faerie that was revering in his successfully casted curse. You could faintly hear his footsteps, as he was pacing around the room. Sometimes they would get closer to your form, only to move away again after a brief while.

You were thankful for not standing near Yuu or the rest of Malleus’ Diasomnia friends. He seemed to stop near then every once in a while. You could hear him speaking something, yet you couldn’t make out the words leaving his mouth, as you were way too focused on trying to come up with a solution from your current predicament.

You felt lost.

And you knew you couldn’t hold on for long.

You were just a mere human and after a stress-filled hour of standing still, keeping your eyes closed, as you tried to relax your tensed muscles, you felt exhausted. You knew it was a matter of time before you would collapse and Malleus would discover the exception to his curse.

You could feel sweat beginning to form on your forehead, intent on running down your cheek. You wanted it brush it off, yet you weren’t sure where exactly Malleus was standing. He stopped walking around a while ago and the dreadful silence was sending shivers down your spine.

You didn’t know where he was.

Yet, you couldn’t briefly open your eyelids and peek.

You weren’t brave to make such a risky move. No, it simply wasn’t worth it. You weren’t mentally prepared to be discovered just yet.

You took another deep breath, as you tried to think. What could you possibly do in such situation. Maybe you could attempt to wake someone up ?

Absolutely no, you were quick to brush off this solution. There was no way you could wake someone up, if you didn't even know why you weren't cursed in the first place. It appeared that you would have to silently leave the room and look for help.

I'm so dead, you thought to yourself at the mere prospect of even attempting to walk out of here without Malleus noticing. It seemed almost impossible. Even if you were to open your eyes for a brief moment and peak, you were convinced that escaping quietly would be failure.

Before you could take another slow breath and try to think once again, you felt a cold breath on your exposed skin, as clawed fingers grazed over your cheek.

It seemed that you had been discovered.

,,Hmm, why aren't you asleep, Child of Man ?"

You shut your eyelids with all your might, your whole body tensing up at the mere touch of sharp claws that were threatening to cut your delicate skin. You could feel your body trembling in pure fear, as you didn't have to pretend anymore how petrified you were.

,,My, my, I am aware that you're not sleeping. Might as well stop pretending"

You could feel a hint of impatience in his tone of voice that seemed always playful. As of this situation was amusing. You supposed that maybe it was, to him. You, on the other hand, were petrified. The tears were welling in the corner of your eyes, as they threatened to run away.

You squeezed your eyes closed, refusing to open them up and come face to face with overblotted Malleus. No, no, no, no, no, if only you were asleep, just like everyone else.

The claw that was gently running down your cheek seemed to grow impatient, as it pressed harder on your skin, earning a surprised yelp from you. It didn't draw any blood, yet you could feel that it was only a matter of time.

You opened your eyes abruptly, when it pressed hard enough to finally make the crimson droplets run down your cheek.

,,That's quite, hmm, unexpected"

Malleus stated, as his hands gripped your chin, forcing you to look at him. He titled your head slightly, as he was engrossed in his thoughts. You could only glare at him, as tears rolled down your cheeks. You didn't even bother to struggle, fully aware of his iron grip on you.

It was the end.

Or was it.

,,It certainly didn't work on you, Child of Man. Even when I attempted to cast the curse once again. Why is that ?"

You were painfully aware of his full attention on you and the way he was staring at you. You didn't know how the respond to his question, you were as perplexed as he was. You furrowed your eyebrows, slowly feeling anger remplacing your initial fear.

It you were going to die either way, you may just as well go down in a epic way.

You abruptly pulled away, catching Malleus slightly off guard, as you managed to get away from his grasp. You quickly regained your balance, as you crossed your arms over your chest. You weren't even going to run away, aware that he would catch up to you in the span of few seconds.

You brushed away your tears, as you took a deep breath in a poor attempt to calm yourself.

,,I don't know"

Your voice slightly faltered and you cursed yourself mentally for this pathetic display of weakness, yet Malleus didn't seem to mind. He tapped his clawed fingers gently on his chin, engrossed in his thoughts, as if he was considering some possibles options.

Then it hit you.

Your eyes slightly widened, as you remembered one event from few months ago.

,,Maybe it's because I was already once under a similar curse. When me and Silver were fooling around near the spinning away..."

You whispere, yet Malleus had heard you loud and clear, as he raised an eyebrow.

To be completely honest, he didn't remember you that well. He knew you were another magicless student that just happened to end up in Twisted Wonderland, just like Yuu. You just never bothered to really get in troubles.

Malleus hadn't really talked a lot with you, yet he knew that you were quite close with one of his knights. You and Silver were great friends, in his opinion. He had even let you stay in Briar Valley during the winter break.

That would explain how you had seen the spinning well. However, it still didn't quite make sense in his opinion.

,,Fooling around the spinning wheel ? How come I wasn't aware of this ? How did you wake up, Child of Man?"

You grimaced hearing all those questions.

The real answer probably would be, because Malleus was way too busy caring about Yuu to actually even notice you getting cursed in his own castle. And since Sebek wasn't even aware of that situation, Lilia could be bribed and Silver decided to keep quiet about it, Malleus had absolutely no clue what had happened.

,,Well, Silver woke me up and we bribed Lilia"

You responded honestly, as you watched Malleus furrow his eyebrows in confusion. The whole story seemed just so bizarre to him and you couldn't really blame him for this. You and Silver were equally confused as him, when he managed to wake you up. Only Lilia seemed so done with you both that he forbade you two to leave his sight for the remaining time of your stay.

Silver.

It reminded you of something. If the curses were similar, perhaps you could actually wake him up. You glanced at Malleus that seemed to be still processing your story and you bolted in the direction of Silver. You were going to risk it and take your chances. If your kiss was able to wake him up, you could...

You weren't quite sure what you both could do against Malleus. Perhaps nothing, but at least you wouldn't be forced to sit here with the dragon faerie.

Yet, he was faster.

As if sensing that you were about to kiss Silver, Malleus grabbed your wrist pulling you back with force. You let you a startled scream, as you struggled to get away, yet he was way too strong.

It took you a while to calm down.

You were screaming, cursing Malleus, hitting with your weak punches that absolutely did no damage to him. You were crying while yelling your rants till you eventually fell asleep.

Not because of the curse that you seemed inmune to. No, you collapsed from emotions and stress, giving Malleus few hours to peacefully gather his thoughts.

He wasn't planning on killing, how you had yelled at him. No. Not especially since now he knew how Silver felt about you.

He may have gone insane, yet he also knew when to stop. Malleus supposed that you would stay here as long as he deems it necessary. Till he figures out how to effectively curse you.

You were just a human.

A human.

Yet, he couldn't force you into the eternal slumber.

Perhaps, it was the side-effect of the previous curse from the spinning wheel that you had suffered from. Or you were just inmune to his unique magic in particular. Malleus furrowed his eyebrows. He couldn't comprehend why Lilia wouldn't inform him of such situation.

He had to brush his thought off, as a tired and quiet voice.

,,Just let me wake up Silver, please"

Malleus sighed heavily. So you woke up after all. He had hoped that you would be sleeping for a little longer, so he could come up with any sort of plan.

,,No"

He responded and he watched just how quickly your face had changed from exhausted and hopeful to filled with pure hartred and anger.

You opened your mouth to argue with him and attempt to change his opinion, yet he was faster than you.

,,Since you're awake, you may as well just talk with me, Human"

reader after few days be like:

you: day 32th of asking you to let me wake up Silver malleus: nO

alternatively:

you: this isn't fair. i feel excluded, i really wanted to be under the sleeping curse. i really enjoyed the one from spinning wheel malleus: you're not okay you: as if you're the one to talk, man

[amurderandconspiracy]

A Waiting Move, then...

Dragon Age Veilguard Inspired Scenes, follow up to previous scenes (in chronological order): + Scents and Grief + Letter to Lucanis + Fives Stages, Two Talons, and a lost little Crow + A Crow's Caw and Crumbling Masks > A Waiting Move, then... > King and Rook Checkmate in Two + An Antidote: Hyacinthus Litwinovii Purpura These scenes were prompted by what was not shown during/following the Regret Prison. We've finally achieved the multi-part final scenes for Lucanis and Rook being reunited. This first scene A Waiting Move, then... is the build up to their reunion and has two separate moments captured in the hunt for Rook. I will be posting the final actual reunion King and Rook Checkmate in Two just after so hopefully you all can enjoy them both.

Faelarin de Riva.Fae is a nonbinary Crow!Mage! [see here]

>>

He felt his essence spooled out like thread pulled from a skein, tumbling over itself, unravelling as the tether that bound his spirit and that of Spites were being drawn taut and the further into the Fade that the spirit ranged from its corporeal enmeshment, the more it felt like the spun fibers were pulling thin.

Lucanis could hear the frantic worry of his friends outside of himself, loosely aware of the reality they inhabited and this twilight space of consciousness he held, allowing Spite to travel the Fade in search of Rook. Agony lanced through him as another pull on the tether travelled into his body, his face contorted and he gnashed his teeth to keep from screaming as the sharp pains of being pulled asunder almost tore his sanity from him. Sweat was pearling up and running over his face and body as he fought to maintain a connection with reality and Spite, slowly realizing one or the other would have to give.

Emmrich spoke through the fog of twilight suspension, “Spite almost has their location…hold on Lucanis!” his voice melded into the sound of his gold rings and jewelry clinking with each circumduction of his arms, the arcs and rotations causing the metal to bounce off each other in the metered symphony that accompanied Emmrich’s casting style.

Lucanis had been briefed on the methodology for this type of search, the careful dance of magics requiring Emmrich’s scrying to follow the path Spite was taking through the Fade, Neve’s enhancing and warding magics and shift in her evocation to use subtle barriers almost like a stasis, and a form of grounding coming from Harding that was unique to her Titan powers. While Lucanis was as magical as a brick, he had studied the different types of mages enough to know this was a careful interlacing of magic that most would not have attempted, however the Veilguard had been working to understand the vast reaches of resonance and interrelation of magics while dealing with the gods, so to turn their hypotheses into practice was a painstaking opus.

A cold damp press of cloth touched Lucanis’ face, wiping away the sweat and trying to offer some easement of discomfort, he could feel the careful press of the cloth and the gentle way in which the person dabbed at his skin.  He normally would have hated the softness involved with the action, the intimacy of it was not something he had sought before but the comfort involved was grounding in a way.

“Hurry Emmrich, this is getting to be too much” Neve’s worried voice pitched a little distance to his left. She was obviously pacing, the rhythmic sound of metal landing and shifting as the springs settled just out of a balanced bearing meant she was also canting on her hip. Her walk always carried that extra note, the measure of her stride with the weighted addition of the serpent prosthetic almost seemed to telegraph her emotional state. If she rested back on a cocked-hip she was making an assessment or had already judged someone wanting.

Harding’s magic was holding his body in place and he suspected she was also kept periodically pressing the damp cloth to his face, a soothing action so fitting to her caring demeanor, but this magic that held him was also fueled by a fierce heart that longed to protect people and it came through in her steady voice, “You can do this Lucanis, just a little more.” She was clearly speaking to him but the way she spoke was an encouragement for herself as well, to bear up and be brave.  Lucanis wondered if she ever knew how strong she was and how vital to the team she had become, ever their voice of fearless determination. Spite liked her for her no-nonsense approach and determination to do what must be done, even if for a time that had meant she was resolved to kill Lucanis and Spite if the need had arisen.

Abruptly the pain ceased, held afloat like a gathering storm under his skin and rising on fibers of his spirit that had frayed over the last few weeks through these attempts to use he and Spite to locate Rook in the Fade. Lucanis was alert and tried to brace for more pain, the minutes ticking and he could sense those gathered in the Lighthouse pressing closer to his prone form. From deep beyond the edges of his waking mind, Lucanis heard a triumphant bellow ripple through the Fade, travelling over the threads of their tether and echoing in the scrying magics swirling in the chamber, “FOUND!”

Then in a flash there was a quick, forceful retracting of energy, a surge as the tether rapidly recoiled and snapped back into Lucanis with a rush. The overwhelming blast of Spite returning and the wholeness of his own spirit being recovered sent a wave of nausea and disorientation through Lucanis’ body, managing to temporarily render him unconscious. The magic receded around them as Neve and Harding pulled back their power and allowed it to dissipate, only Emmrich’s scrying magic remained in the air and reset the energy of the room to a gentle hum. Lucanis dragged his consciousness from the depths, both he and Spite meeting in his mind as both recovered from the expenditure of their energy and the several-times over near loses that had accumulated over the last few weeks.

FOUND ROOK. FOUND THEIR PAIN… Spite spoke within their shared mind; his purple form looking worn and weary in reflection of his sacrifices and the strain of his revelation. BIG BURST OF AGONY AND SADNESS DREW SPITE TO ROOK. HURT SO MUCH. THEIR HEART WAS BREAKING…AGAIN.

Thank you Spite. Were you able to get to them or…just feel their pain...could you see them? Asked Lucanis, trying not to word-vomit all his questions and unload all his worried inquiries on the weary demon.

HEART BREAK FELT LIKE. LOSS. WHEN ROOK DISAPPEARED FIRST. Spite was clearly trying to put to words the raw emotions he felt and existed by in the Fade but relate them to Rook’s feelings, he looked saddened as he spoke.

Both Lucanis and Spite unwittingly reliving the tortuous sound of Rook yelling Lucanis’ name in a fear filled and wounded cry just before they disappeared into the prison. Lucanis never experienced the waking moments after that sound as Spite had overwhelmed him and his world had gone black, Spite piloting their body to rage and attack any perceived enemy in sight as he attempted to reach the elven god who emerged from the Fade. Their friends had pulled them both back, trying to minimize further losses to the team as Elgar’nan had unleashed fires that turned Tearstone Island’s sand to glass and melted any living material left, effectively destroying large swaths of his own Antaam army in his rage.

So, we just need to wake up, give them your information…then Emmrich can work with Neve to find them. When they do…we go, somehow, and we save them. Like they saved us. Lucanis was trying to measure his hopefulness, his eagerness, and he stepped forward to his demon making direct eye contact as they both breathed and pulled themselves together for their next mission. Spite nodded resolutely and stepped forward into Lucanis this time, their essences overlapping as they reached their accord, returning then to consciousness and the world with shared resolve.

****^*****

Emmrich had taken the information from Spite and the map he had constructed through his Fade scrying to formulate a plan. The action had taken almost a day as he and Neve talked and theorized through every contingency, at points coming to forks in the discussion that required heated exchanges and deliberations on the costs and benefits of the different options. 

Lucanis had retreated for a time, after the third such dispute, and written several letters to their allies, informing them that they should be alert for any changes and that the Veilguard was determinedly close to a solution. Lucanis knew he was being overly vague in the way he sent this information but he knew that diplomacy was sometimes the best way forward, especially when the efforts of the team had largely fallen off the bigger focus of Northern Thedas while in their singular mission to retrieve Rook. Lucanis sent two missives for Teia and Viago, one to each of their residences to ensure they would receive the notification. He did not know the exact nature of their entanglement at this time but it was always best to plan for whatever twist those two created and make sure Viago was able to be present when Rook came home.

Lucanis held firm to that hope as he waited. He felt some intense drive to properly groom himself and get his kit and gear in order before this most important mission.  So, with determined focus, he bathed, washing off the film of depression and strenuous physical stresses the Fade explorations had exacted on his body.  He sharpened his razor and carefully fixed his facial hair, using some oils Rook had found in Treviso’s market to smooth his beard into its newly maintained styling. He pressing his clothes carefully and meticulously cleaned his fighting leathers until they were to their proper order and wore like a second skin without unnecessary stiffened leather rubbing against itself.  Finally, he took out each of his knives and polished them, getting out several dry cloths, his specialized whetstone, and oils to properly care for each individual blade. He left only one blade to the last, the wyvern tooth dagger Rook had gifted him on their first proper outing in Treviso. He carefully touched each detail, cleaning with a singular mind as he caressed and cherished the dagger, the gifter, and the memory of their realized affection. As he worked a cleaning cloth over the blade he thought through a jumble of worries and wants and his mind settled in a careful hopefulness that he usually guarded against.

He sat in Rook’s room waiting until he heard Taash’s agile but heavy steps coming down the stone hallway. Before the doors opened, he rose, sliding the wyvern tooth dagger into his left side waist sheath tucked against his lower ribs, above where his regular weapons rested in their scabbards on his hip.

“We’re ready!” Taash projected with pent up anticipation and a similar vein of hope that Lucanis had settled into. “Oooh, that is style.” Taash appreciatively remarked on the practical but fashionable suit of the First Talon.

“Thank you.” Lucanis responded, preening only somewhat, “Shall we?” and he gestured for Taash to proceed back to the main room of the Lighthouse so they could embark with Emmrich for this mission. They both walked swiftly to the main room where the others were prepared, having drawn the needed magical diagrams to complete their mission and bring Rook home.

[gcthvile]

Hayden - A Disney's Descendants OC

Haden was born into a world where shadows loom large and legacies are hard to escape. As the son of Hades and Maleficent, his early years were marked by the absence of his father, who was preoccupied with his own fiery domain. This absence cast a long shadow over Haden's upbringing, leaving him to contend with the fiery legacy of Hades while navigating a life overshadowed by his older sister Mal's strong presence.

From a young age, Haden was a tempestuous blend of his parents’ qualities. His hair, a striking combination of brown fading into blue at the tips, was a visual reminder of his father's influence, even as he wrestled with his own identity. His demeanor mirrored the sarcastic, snarky edge of Hades, a trait that often put him at odds with others, including his sister Mal. While Mal focused on making her own path and fitting in with the VKs, Haden struggled with his anger issues and felt the weight of living up to his father’s infamous reputation.

Haden's fierce personality was both his greatest asset and his biggest challenge. He could be a loyal ally in battle and a force to be reckoned with, but his quick temper and tendency towards sarcasm made it hard for him to form lasting friendships. Despite these struggles, he found a sense of belonging among the VKs who appreciated his unique skills and fierce loyalty.

On the Isle of the Lost, Haden's life was tough. With his father Hades absent and his mother Maleficent focused on her own schemes, Haden often felt ignored. His fiery temper and sarcastic attitude didn’t help him fit in easily.

He was known for his sharp wit and strong abilities, though his anger sometimes got him into trouble. He had a complicated relationship with his sister Mal, who was more strategic compared to his impulsive nature.

Unexpected news

Maleficent paced furiously in her dark, cluttered lair on the Isle of the Lost. Her eyes narrowed as she listened to the announcement echoing through the magical crystal ball.

“Ben, the son of Belle and Beast, is giving five children from the Isle of the Lost a chance to live in Auradon,” the voice from the ball repeated, “Carlos, Jay, Evie, Mal, and Haden will be chosen to leave the Isle and join the new world.”

Maleficent’s expression shifted from surprise to fury. She turned sharply to her children, who stood in the shadows of the lair. Mal, looking both shocked and apprehensive, met her mother’s gaze. Haden, his face a mix of excitement and anxiety, stood next to her.

“This is a joke, right?” Mal demanded, trying to make sense of the news. “We’re actually being given a chance to leave?”

“It’s no joke,” Maleficent snapped, her voice dripping with disdain. “Ben, the so-called ‘king-in-training,’ is trying to clean up his precious Auradon by taking us out of the picture. But he’s made a grave mistake.”

Maleficent’s eyes gleamed with a cold, calculating light. “If we want to take advantage of this opportunity, we need to act quickly. I want you all to get me the Fairy Godmother’s wand.”

“Why do you need the wand?” Haden asked, his tone a mix of curiosity and defiance.

“To break the barrier,” Maleficent said with a dark smile. “If we free ourselves from this cursed Isle, I can take over Auradon and show them the true power of a villain!”

Mal and Haden exchanged glances, both understanding the gravity of the task. Despite their own mixed feelings about leaving the Isle, they knew they had little choice but to follow their mother’s orders.

“Get ready,” Maleficent commanded. “You have a lot to do before you set foot in Auradon.

~~~~~

Life at Auradon

When Haden arrived at Auradon Prep, everything felt way too perfect. The other kids were always polite and polished, which drove him crazy. He felt out of place and frustrated by the perfectness around him.

One big adjustment was dealing with magic. Back on the Isle, magic was a no-go, but in Auradon, it was everywhere. Haden’s hair would glow blue whenever he got angry, which made him even more self-conscious and irritated.

To cope, Haden started playing pranks on the Auradon students. He loved messing with their orderly lives—switching their stuff around, setting up harmless tricks, and mocking their perfect manners. It was his way of dealing with how uncomfortable and out of place he felt.

Despite his rebellious streak, Haden found some comfort with the VKs. They were the only ones who really understood him. Over time, Haden began to accept that while he might never fully fit in, he could still be himself and find his own way in Auradon.

Over time, Haden started to see Auradon in a new light. At first, he resented the perfectness of the place, but as he spent more time there, he began to appreciate the calm and order it offered. It wasn’t just about fitting in; he started to genuinely like the more positive environment.

Haden wasn’t alone in his change of heart. The other VKs—Mal, Evie, Carlos, and Jay—also felt the shift. They all decided to embrace the new opportunities Auradon offered and work on becoming better versions of themselves.

One surprising development for Haden was his growing interest in music. He was introduced to the guitar, and then tried his hand at the piano. To his surprise, he found he had a pretty decent singing voice too. Music became a way for him to express himself and connect with others in a positive way.

Eventually, Haden joined the music club at Auradon Prep. It was a new experience that allowed him to channel his energy creatively and find a place where he truly felt at home.

Back home

As Mal adjusted to her new life as Ben’s girlfriend, Haden noticed her growing discomfort. While Mal tried to fit into her princess role, Haden also grappled with his place in Auradon. Even though he was happier than before, something still didn’t feel right to him.

When Mal confided in her friends—Evie, Carlos, and Jay—about her issues, Haden sympathized with her struggles. He admitted to Mal that he was also having trouble adapting to the “perfect” world of Auradon. While he was grateful for the opportunities and the calm environment, he still felt out of place and disconnected.

Mal’s use of a spell to change her hair color and her attempts to maintain a princess-like image made her increasingly uncomfortable. When Ben found out about the magic, it led to a major confrontation. Mal’s insecurities came to light, and she ended up in a heated argument with Ben, causing a rift in their relationship.

Seeing how distressed Mal was and feeling similarly unsettled himself, Haden decided to accompany her when she chose to return to the Isle of the Lost. Despite the Isle’s harsh conditions, Haden felt a sense of familiarity there. The Isle had changed in their absence, now ruled by Uma, the daughter of Ursula, with Harry and Gil, the sons of Captain Hook and Gaston, also making their mark.

Haden’s return to the Isle was a mix of old and new challenges. He had to navigate the new power dynamics while dealing with his own feelings of displacement. The Isle, with its new rulers and evolving atmosphere, offered a different kind of challenge for Haden and Mal as they tried to reconcile their past with their present.

Reunion with the past

Haden was leaning against the edge of the docks, absently fiddling with a rusty piece of metal. The sound of approaching footsteps caught his attention, and he looked up to see Harry swaggering towards him with his usual cocky grin.

“Well, look who’s back,” Harry drawled, his tone dripping with false familiarity. “Haden, the Isle’s very own troublemaker.”

Haden’s expression darkened. “Harry. What are you doing here?”

Harry stopped a few feet away, leaning against a crate with a self-satisfied smirk. “Just heard you and Mal were back. Thought I’d drop by and see how you’re faring. You know, old friends catching up.”

Haden glared at him, his anger simmering beneath the surface. “Old friends? You’ve got to be kidding. The last thing I need is a visit from you.”

Harry chuckled, unfazed. “Oh, come on. Don’t be like that. I’m just here to see how you’re handling the whole ‘Auradon’ fiasco. Must be a bit of a shock to go from their perfect little world back to this mess.”

“Shock doesn’t even begin to cover it,” Haden snapped, his voice edged with bitterness. “And don’t pretend you care. You’re just here to stir up trouble.”

Harry’s smirk widened, clearly amused. “Maybe I am. Or maybe I just missed our little... chats.” His gaze lingered on Haden with an almost nostalgic glint. “Remember how much fun we used to have? You always did know how to keep things interesting.”

Haden’s eyes narrowed, his frustration bubbling over. “Yeah, well, not everyone finds your games charming, Harry. What’s your angle this time?”

Harry shrugged nonchalantly. “Just thought I’d remind you of the old days before I let Uma know you’re back. It’s always nice to see some familiar faces.”

Haden clenched his fists, clearly uncomfortable with the reminder of their past. “I’m not in the mood for your games. Just stay out of my way.”

Harry raised his hands in mock surrender. “Alright, alright. I’ll leave you to brood. But don’t be a stranger, Haden. We wouldn’t want to lose touch.”

With a final smirk, Harry turned and walked away, leaving Haden to seethe in his anger. The encounter stirred up old feelings and reminded Haden of the complications that came with the Isle’s less-than-idyllic past.

Before Auradon:

Before Haden left for Auradon, he and Harry had a complicated relationship. Growing up on the Isle of the Lost, both were natural troublemakers, constantly getting into scrapes and mischief. They were often rivals, competing to outdo each other in pranks and schemes. Haden’s fierce personality and Harry’s cocky, flirty attitude created a dynamic full of tension and competition.

Despite their frequent clashes, there was an unspoken bond between them. Their banter was sharp and often had an underlying flirtatious edge, a way to mask deeper, more confusing feelings. They knew how to push each other’s buttons, but when it came down to it, they had each other’s backs. Whether it was a fight or a tricky situation, they could rely on each other, even if they wouldn’t openly admit it.

Their relationship was a mix of rivalry, grudging respect, and something more complicated that neither of them fully acknowledged. It was full of charged moments and unresolved emotions, making every interaction unpredictable and intense.

After Haden Went to Auradon:

When Haden left for Auradon, everything changed. For Harry, it felt like a betrayal. He saw Haden’s departure as a rejection of their shared life on the Isle, and it stung. Harry was left feeling abandoned and bitter, his playful, cocky demeanor hiding a deeper sense of hurt.

Haden, on the other hand, struggled with guilt. Leaving the Isle was a chance for a better life, but it meant leaving behind the people he cared about, including Harry. Even in Auradon’s calm and positive environment, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing. The tension and unpredictable nature of his interactions with Harry had been a big part of his life, and without it, Auradon felt strangely empty.

Upon Haden’s return to the Isle, old tensions resurfaced quickly. Harry’s attitude was a mix of flirty cockiness and bitterness. He couldn’t resist teasing Haden, but there was an edge to his words, a reminder of the hurt and anger he felt. Haden’s resentment was clear too. He was frustrated, not just with Harry but with himself, for feeling out of place in both Auradon and the Isle.

Their interactions were now even more charged, full of unresolved issues and the weight of their history. The flirtation and banter were still there, but now it was laced with bitterness and regret. Every encounter was a reminder of their complicated past and the unresolved emotions between them.

~~~~~~~

Haden was in the old, abandoned hangout spot on the Isle, trying to clear his head. The familiar grittiness of the place felt oddly comforting. Suddenly, he heard footsteps approaching and turned to see Evie, Jay, and Carlos sneaking in.

“Haden!” Evie called out, her voice a mix of relief and worry.

Haden frowned, his anger simmering just beneath the surface. “What are you three doing here?”

“We came to bring you and Mal back,” Jay said, stepping forward. “This isn’t where you belong anymore.”

Carlos nodded. “We’re worried about you, man. Auradon is your home now.”

Haden’s expression hardened. “Home? That place never felt like home. I never fit in there. Not really.”

Evie tried to reach out to him. “But you were doing so well, Haden. You found your place in the music club. You were happy.”

Haden shook his head, his frustration evident. “Happy? Maybe for a while. But there’s always been something off. I don’t belong in a world that’s so perfect and ‘good.’ I’m Hades’ son, for crying out loud.”

Jay crossed his arms, trying to stay calm. “We get it, Haden. We’ve all felt out of place at some point. But running back here isn’t the answer.”

“Running back?” Haden’s voice rose in anger. “This is where I grew up. This is where I know who I am. Auradon isn’t real for people like us.”

Carlos stepped closer, his tone pleading. “But we’ve changed, Haden. We’re not just villains’ kids anymore. We’ve made friends, found things we care about. You can’t just throw that away.”

Haden’s eyes flashed with anger and pain. “You don’t get it. You’ve all found your place there. For me, it’s different. I can’t just pretend to be someone I’m not.”

Evie’s eyes filled with tears. “Haden, please. We care about you. We’re your family. Don’t shut us out.”

Haden looked away, struggling with his emotions. “I’m sorry. But I can’t go back. Not now. Not like this.”

The silence that followed was heavy with unspoken words and unresolved feelings. Evie, Jay, and Carlos exchanged glances, realizing they couldn’t force Haden to return. They had to respect his decision, even if it hurt.

“We’ll be here if you need us,” Jay said quietly. “Whenever you’re ready.”

With that, they turned and left, leaving Haden alone with his thoughts. He watched them go, feeling a mixture of relief and regret. The path he chose was uncertain, but for now, it was the only one he could take.

(i got lazy with writing the rest of the movie)

Haden’s Personality

Haden has a fierce and fiery personality, inherited from both of his parents. He has a quick temper and doesn’t shy away from confrontation. His anger can be intense, often making his hair light up with blue flames, a clear sign of his inherited power from Hades. Much like his father, Haden is known for his sharp tongue and sarcastic wit. He often uses humor as a defense mechanism, deflecting from his true feelings with snarky comments. His sarcasm can be biting, but it’s also a way for him to connect with others, especially those who understand his background.

Haden has a rebellious streak a mile wide. He questions authority and has a hard time following rules, especially ones he doesn’t agree with. This rebellious nature was a big part of his life on the Isle of the Lost and continued to influence him even in Auradon. Despite his tough exterior, Haden is fiercely loyal to those he cares about. His bond with his sister Mal and his friends in the VK group is unbreakable. He would do anything to protect them, even if it means putting himself in danger.

Haden carries a lot of resentment, both towards his parents for their legacy and towards the world that judges him by their actions. This resentment can make him seem bitter and unapproachable at times, but it’s also a driving force behind his desire to prove himself. Haden is constantly at war with himself. He struggles to reconcile his villainous heritage with the person he wants to be. This inner conflict makes him complex and often misunderstood, as he battles his darker impulses while striving to find his own path.

One of Haden’s more surprising traits is his creativity. He discovered a love for music in Auradon, learning to play the guitar and piano, and even joining the music club. His musical talent became a new way for him to express his emotions and find solace in a world that often felt foreign to him. Haden values his independence and often tries to handle things on his own. He has a hard time asking for help, preferring to rely on his own strength and abilities. This independence can sometimes make him seem distant or aloof.

Beneath his tough exterior, Haden is deeply sensitive. He feels things intensely, whether it’s anger, sadness, or joy. This sensitivity is part of what drives his fierce loyalty and his creative expression through music. Once Haden sets his mind to something, it’s almost impossible to change it. His stubbornness can be both a strength and a weakness, as it drives him to achieve his goals but also makes it hard for him to adapt to new situations or viewpoints.

Haden is highly protective, especially of his sister Mal and his close friends. He sees it as his duty to look out for them, a trait that stems from growing up in a harsh environment where they had to rely on each other for survival. Despite his often gruff demeanor, Haden has a certain charisma that draws people to him. His confidence and intensity can be compelling, and he has a way of inspiring loyalty in those around him, even if they don’t always understand him.

Haden’s Powers

Like his father Hades, Haden can control and generate fire. His flames are typically blue, representing his connection to Hades. His pyrokinesis is linked to his emotions, especially his anger. When he gets upset, his hair lights up with blue flames, and he can create and manipulate fire more intensely. Learning to control this power is a constant challenge for him, especially in situations where he feels strongly. Haden has inherited a natural affinity for dark magic from both of his parents. This includes spells and enchantments, particularly those related to fire and shadows. While he doesn’t rely on magic as heavily as his mother Maleficent might, he’s capable of casting powerful spells when needed. This magic can be both a blessing and a curse, as using it often brings him closer to the darker side of his heritage.

Haden possesses enhanced physical strength and durability, making him tougher and more resilient than an average person. This allows him to withstand attacks and physical challenges that would overwhelm others. It’s a useful trait, especially in confrontations, and complements his fiery nature. Haden has a limited ability to move objects with his mind. This power isn’t as strong as his pyrokinesis but can be useful in a pinch. He often combines it with his fire control to create more complex effects, such as launching fireballs or creating barriers.

Haden has heightened senses, particularly sight and hearing, allowing him to detect danger and navigate his environment more effectively. This heightened awareness is a survival trait from growing up on the Isle of the Lost, where being alert to threats was essential. Haden can project an aura that intimidates others, making them uneasy or fearful. This is a subtle power that he often uses unconsciously, especially when he’s angry or determined. It’s part of what makes him so formidable in confrontations, as his presence alone can be unsettling.

While not a traditional power, Haden’s affinity for music has a magical quality to it. His singing and playing can have a calming effect, even on himself, helping him to channel his emotions more positively. It’s a way for him to connect with others and express his inner turmoil without resorting to his darker abilities. Due to his parentage, Haden has a natural resistance to many forms of magic. This makes it harder for others to enchant or manipulate him magically. It’s a protective trait that has helped him survive the many magical threats on the Isle of the Lost and in Auradon.

Haden has a limited ability to change his appearance, a power inherited from Maleficent. While not as versatile as his mother’s shapeshifting, he can alter his appearance slightly, such as changing his eye color or hiding his fiery hair. This ability is more about blending in or surprising his enemies than full transformation. Haden can control and manipulate shadows, creating areas of darkness or using shadows to conceal himself. This power is particularly useful for stealth and evasion, allowing him to move unseen when needed. It’s a skill he developed on the Isle, where hiding from more dangerous individuals was sometimes necessary.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

hope you guys like him!

@missstrawbs2001 @jackiequick @blueboirick @meiramel @aidanxsophxoxo @purpleprincessonfyre @ask-missparker @askstevella @therealdaydreamstark @rickb-chaos @luna-d-marsh @gaminggirlsstuff @eddysocs

[ro-botany]

On the Characteristics of the Risen, and the Character of their King

The Risen King... Finally, a concept which once only existed in whispers and a single cipher 0 card, has made it into a Fire Emblem video game! Just the mobile game, sure, but it counts. And the Fell Exalt Chrom unit is so fascinating to me that I have not only this, but at least two other meta posts in the pipeline about it. I am so normal about him.

To kick things off... let’s talk about exactly what Risen King Chrom is, and also how he’s doing mentally. (Badly. He’s doing very badly.)

---

Real quick, we have to get one snag out of the way: the mechanism by which a Risen is made.

Shadows of Valentia introduced us to a prototypical version of the Risen created by Forneus, known as Death Masks. They’re made by fitting a dead body with a mask containing insects known as thanatophages. The thanatophages prevent the body’s decay and assert physical control over them in a manner not unlike certain real world parasites that control the muscular movements of their hosts.

I’ve seen a handful of my colleagues (lol) assume there are modern Risen made the same way. BUT. The Risen which exist during the events of Awakening are explicitly NOT Death Masks. During the xenologue Death’s Embrace, Brady states that “In the future, our wounded often turned to Risen just as we were tryin' to heal 'em.” This has to mean that Grima is transforming the dead and dying remotely, using some kind of magic; and at the height of their power, they may be either passively creating or deliberately casting an area of effect that turns dead bodies automatically. There’s nothing to suggest any Risen are manually created with thanatophages, or that Grima is manifesting thanatophages for that purpose.

Alas, we cannot do insect body horror with RK Chrom while also staying true to canon. But moving on...

---

Fell Chrom is, to make an understatement, very unique among the Risen. And to discuss why he’s unique, we first have to define what’s typical.

Behaviourally, typical Risen don’t appear to have sentience outside of their competency in wielding weapons and their tendency to form loose hierarchies based on individual strength. They’re incredibly aggressive by nature; it’s like their only innate drive is to fight and kill humans. Most of them are not capable of speech, though the stronger Risen Chiefs can grind out single words or even short phrases, which are usually just related to wanting to kill things. When being actively controlled through dark magic, they appear capable of basic tactics, though whether that comes from them or the person controlling them is unclear.

There’s no doubt that Fell Chrom is a Risen. He’s certainly got the appearance, the purple miasma, and the vocal distortion for it. Not to mention the giant glowing fatal wound in his side. Man certainly isn't alive.

He’s evidently still subject to control via dark magic too, if the fact that he was forced to war against his own country is anything to go by.

Fell Chrom also has the strong aggressive drive typical of Risen. Nearly all of his dialogue in battle situations suggests this. In order of increasing intensity: There’s the turn action quote “Find me an enemy”, which depending on your mood can read as either resignation or as chomping at the bit. There’s hostile level up quotes like “You shall count yourself...among the dead” and “You would...block my path”. His special trigger quotes are yet worse. He yells “This is your fate”, “No resistance”, and “Useless effort” with a fury you don’t expect from Chrom—and for the fourth one, he just shouts “DEATH”. And his voice clips for attacking aren’t words or even anywhere in the realm of a regular human noise, they're just distorted, monstrous growling.

But unlike with typical Risen, aggression is not all RK Chrom is. He can walk around the Askran castle and be around others without constantly trying to attack people. And in fact, he’s aware of and bothered by how violent being Risen makes him. One of his status page quotes is begging someone to “back away!” in a panic, as though he’s afraid of hurting them. It’s possible the violent instincts Risen have mainly only come into play for him in battle situations, or possibly when he’s in a state of heightened emotion.

And while RK Chrom displays the kind of difficulty with speech you would expect of a Risen, with his slow halting pace and gravelly tone, he speaks in complete, coherent sentences and displays remarkable clarity about who he is and what’s happening around him. He’s no husk. Chrom's mind is intact.

That is massive. That is completely unique among Risen, and deeply, deeply horrifying. Because even though he can think, he is by no means in control.

---

If the Forging Bonds supports are anything to go by, Chrom did try to resist Grima, at least in the beginning. From C through to A he moves from disbelief to outright despair at the very prospect of warring against Ylisse. But by the S support—which necessarily takes place years after the others due to how far Grima’s campaign has progressed—he’s given up. So much of his dialogue is mourning the past, or repeating Grima's belief that everyone is doomed and nothing can change. He’s not fighting it anymore. He's resigned to his fate as Grima’s executioner.

And why wouldn’t he be? After the initial confusion from being resurrected passed, he was lucid. He was fully mentally present when he was murdering his allies and slaughtering his own people. And between the deep, fundamental drive to kill and the direct influence of Grima on his actions... There wasn’t a damn thing he could do to stop himself. He couldn’t protect a thing.

Even now that he’s free of Grima’s influence in Askr, he doesn’t exactly do anything to avoid being an instrument of violence. Otherwise he wouldn’t be a playable unit. Everyone he’s ever cared about is dead, and he’s been nothing more than a monster and an instrument of violence for years. Why not fight. It’s the only thing he has left.

This Chrom is a deeply broken man. Angry and utterly hopeless. It’s no wonder after all he’s been through.

And yet... there’s still a spark there. For all his rigid insistence that Grima’s bleak outlook is the truth, his ally growth quote speaks volumes: “If this power were mine...back then...”

If fate is so immutable and hope is so pointless, why deal in what-ifs? Why wonder about what could have changed? And he’s still trying to protect people he cares about from himself; why else would he yell for others to “back away” when he feels he might attack them?

Through all the years of horror and the terrible curse of undeath... he’s still Chrom.

[asordinaryppl]

A3! Performance Event - Winter Troupe's Tenth Play: Nomadic Bartender - Episode 1

Customer A: I’d like a Gimlet, please.

Guy: Of course.

Customer B: … You’ve got such beautiful technique.

Customer A: Indeed. Each movement you make is smooth.

Customer B: It’s like you cast a magic spell whenever you make cocktails…

Customer A: Even just watching you work is fun.

Guy: Thank you very much. My apologies for keeping you waiting.

[Door jingling]

Syu: …

Guy: Welcome.

Syu: I think I’ll have a Gibson today.

Guy: Of course.

Syu: The Winter Troupe’s next performance is startin’ soon, yeah?

Guy: Yeah. We’ll be holding a meeting soon to discuss the direction we’ll be taking. I’d be happy if you came to watch again.

Syu: Seems like the rest of the troupes had the members who joined last playing as leads, so you’ll probably be next.

Syu: ‘Course I’ll come to watch the barkeep who always serves me such delicious drinks.

Guy: … Thank you for waiting.

Syu: It’s oddly relaxing in here, even though it’s got a lot of customers.

Syu: That reminds me, I’m thinkin’ of bringing an old friend along next time. I think I’ve told ya about him, he used to work with my father.

Syu: We lost touch after my father passed and he quit working for the troupe, but a while back we reconnected by chance. 

Guy: Feel free to use our store, then. We’ll be waiting for you any time.

-

Tsuzuru: For now, we agree that Guy-san will be the lead as planned. So next is the theme…

Tsuzuru: Guy-san, is there anything you’d like to do?

Homare: Guy-san, you too have gained a great amount of experience since our fourth performance, and have evolved into a good and proper theater nerd. You must have requests, I’m sure.

Guy: Truthfully, knowing my turn as lead was coming up, I’ve spent some time thinking about it in advance.

Guy: Could we do something that involves my other profession, bartending?

Izumi: Bartending?

Guy: I opened Journey because I wanted to spread Zahra’s culture in a different way than Citronia does, but it has now become an important part of my life.

Guy: That’s why, I would like to also incorporate it in the form of a play.

Tsumugi: A play set in a bar would have a mature atmosphere unique to the Winter Troupe.

Tasuku: It’d also overlap with Guy-san’s current self. I think it’s a good idea.

Izumi: If the play is going to be about a profession again, it’s going to be similar to the last one, so I’d like it to be different in some way.

Tsuzuru: How about giving the bartender a side hustle?

Izumi: A side hustle… like, owning both a bar and a food cart …? There was a manga like that, wasn’t there?

Tasuku: Or bartending and battling?

Hisoka: That reminds me… A customer the other day said that Guy’s cocktails are like magic.

Tsuzuru: Magic… How does a wizard bartender sound? 

Homare: There certainly has not been enough fantasy in the Winter Troupe’s repertoire.

Azuma: I think being a wizard also fits Guy’s mysterious image.

Tasuku: I think it’s a good idea.

Tsumugi: I agree, too. It’d also differentiate it from the florists in Blanc.

Tsuzuru: I’ll continue in that direction, then.

Izumi: Good luck!

Guy: I’ll be looking forward to it.

Izumi: (It’s been a while since Guy-san played a leading role, so he seems very motivated. I wonder what the next performance will be like.)

-

Guy: …

Azuma: It’s been a while since I last saw that charm.

Guy: I was letting my father know that I will be playing the leading role in our next performance.

Azuma: I see…

Guy: It may be impossible now, but I hope there will come a day when I can tell him in person.

Azuma: I’m sure those feelings of yours will reach your father.

Guy: … You’re right.

masterpost | next episode

[illarian-rambling]

I heard ghost ship in space and came running :)

So I’m not 100% certain how your cast fits into the ghost ship unless I’m vastly misunderstanding what you mean by ghost ship but I’m here to ask questions all the same because I love characters. Here goes:

I’m going to assume at least some of the characters are either from or end up forming a spaceship crew (feel free to ignore this if not) so I’m curious what roles they end up playing (like who’s the captain, the mechanic, the helm officer, etc)? What ways do they suit those roles and what ways do they really not suit those roles?

What’s their goal? Do they all agree on it? I feel like going out into the death void that is Illarian space isn’t something you do unless you have a plan of what you want

How do they react to the unique challenges of space? Like I love space, but the tiny living quarters, lack of natural light or nature of any kind, spending time in a small environment with the same five people, rationing, knowledge that any minor damage to your ship could kill you… it’s not for the faint of heart. Are they used to it? How do they cope (or not)?

I hope some of these help the brainstorming :)

This helps so much, thank you!

So, by ghost ship, I mean the characters for this are gonna be ghosts. Essentially, the vague idea is that some mages on Illaros found out that there's this 'mysterious wall' at the edge of their solar system, and they want to launch a ship into space to check it out while also investigating some of the other planets along the way because yay first space travel! However, technology hasn't progressed to space suit level. The ship is actually just a wooden ship with a runic engine that they're teleporting into space via a teleportation rune etched on basically a manhole cover they managed to launch up there by putting it on top of a well with a bomb at the bottom. They know they don't have the means for survival up there, so what do they do? They go to a Chosen priest and ask them to summon up some ghosts.

At this point, the gods have a vested interest in this mission. A few ghosts might be small enough to slip past End unnoticed and find out if there's anything else in the universe. But they don't want to give up their best and brightest on what's likely a suicide mission, so they pick some screw-ups with a few skills to send instead, promising them a better place in the afterlife should they succeed. Some divine magic allows the ghosts to be bound to the ship and off the mission goes!

The thing about all these fuckers being dead though, is that they don't need a lot of traditional ship stuff. Especially since it's a magic ship that mostly flies by itself. I've got five crew members planned out, each with a role.

Faalgun Falani is the captain. He was a renowned Flying City pilot until his gambling addiction got him fired and eventually beaten to death. He's an uptight sort who tries to adhere to a code of honor, even though he often slips up. Out of all of the crew, he knows the most about space and the other planets, as the Flying City travels between planets frequently. I think he really wants to get into his religion's heaven to prove that he's not a total failure. Maybe he's got family or a lover there too? Who knows!

Nyda Burningrock is an astronomer who died about 400 years before the story takes place. She's Nabafyrian and has a bit of a complex about not being an adept fighter in such a martial culture, despite her rough and tumble nature. She was actually the first to theorize that the 'stars' move under their own power more than what's accounted for by gravity and the rotation of the planet, and she found a way to predict those movements, but unfortunately, she didn't write anything down or cite any sources. Her end came when she decided to travel to the realm of the Fair Folk to observe the sky there. She lasted about 15 minutes before getting hunted for sport by a fae lord.

Kaulakri Placeholdersurname is gonna be a sort of foil for Nyda, I think. She's a halawemavish selkie and the ship's cartographer, as well as a natural historian. She has beef with Nyda because mapmakers have been trying to replicate Nyda's method of predicting the unpredictable movements of Illari stars for centuries, but again, Nyda wrote literally nothing down. Kaulakri, on the other hand, writes everything down. She's neat and orderly and unfortunately wasn't able to get her comprehensive map of the world's ocean currents organized in time before she died of a random stomach bug.

Pashananath (Pash for short) is the ship's negotiator, for if they encounter any life beyond the wall of End. He's one of the Fair Folk and grew up in the Hive (a vast compound city ruled by a powerful fae demigod). His Contribution (an important concept for fae) was music. He was quite the musician, but due to his faculty for languages, he also worked as a honeytongue - essentially a smooth-talker/jester for hire in Fair Folk society. He died very young for one of the Fair Folk when another fae decided to kill him for playing a pitchy song. Pash isn't too mad about this (fae morals are weird), even if the rest of the crew things he should be.

And finally, there's Anarac. The scientists didn't ask for him, but the gods sent him anyways. No one knows what his specialty is because he never talks. He's the longest dead out of all of them and is one of the extinct Araunian people.

With such a cast, I'm hoping there'll be a good deal of tension. I don't think they actually know much about End (besides Anarac), except that the Chosen who summoned them said it's dangerous, so they arent worried about it nearly as much as they should be. I'm hoping that Nyda and Kaulakri can have a fun rivalry, while Pash might be the son figure Anarac needs, and leading these people to success will help Faalgun stop thinking he's a failure.

I'll probably structure it more episodically, with fun stuff happening at each planet they stop to explore. I have no idea what's gonna happen when they reach End's blockade, but I guess I can figure that out later. I think the main environmental problem for a ship full of dead people would be that if they get too far from the ship, they start to lose their ability to stay corporeal, then they just fade away.

Lmk if you have any more questions or suggestions! I think this really helped me with getting things straight in my mind, so thanks a ton <3

[hungryforpowernotfood]

There Was a Book For That This Entire Time?!

Summary: The reader gets their period & asks Stephen for help, which comes with a little more than expected (sfw)

Warning(s): menstrual/period blood (I have no idea what the quality of this is, I haven't revisited it in so long)

Pairing(s): ftm!stephen strange/ftm!reader (reader can be read as ftnb, but presents & passes as male here)

You woke up earlier than usual with a damp, sticky sensation pressed against you between your legs. You felt yourself tense up at your quick realization of what it was.

You sat in bed for a moment, telling yourself to get up before you were finally able to. The bathroom was connected to your bedroom—as per request—so you didn’t need to risk being seen by anyone. Stephen had been trying to convince you to move into the Sanctum for a while, especially because you practically lived there. He had eventually been able to win you over by offering you a bedroom with your own private bathroom—it was the only luxury he could think of to offer you, the only unique feature any of the rooms had, so you took it.

He always assumed you liked your privacy—you didn’t always study with other people, and you didn’t like meditating around other people at first. He understood the inclination towards independence, so he never questioned you.

You avoided looking in the mirror—you didn’t want to ask to have it taken out because you didn’t want to explain, and you were still learning magic. As soon as you learned a spell for it though, you would have it removed.

You changed in the bathroom after cleaning yourself up, then you did your best to wash the blood out of your clothes. You ran cold water over them, trying to wring out the blood, before eventually just putting them in to soak.

Once you finished, you left, in search of Stephen, or anyone else you could find who could help you get blood out of fabric…and potentially the mattress you may have left a stain on, though you didn’t check.

By now, the stain on your sheet was dry so you would most likely have to resort to magic.

You found Stephen in the library fairly quickly—you were sure he didn’t sleep every night, instead spending some in the library.

“Stephen?” You asked, leaning against one of the shelves.

He only hummed in response, not looking up from his book.

“Are there any spells that can clean blood?”

He looked up and gave you a suspicious look. “Why?”

“I had a nosebleed,” you lied, “I just wanted to clean it up.”

“I can clean it.” He stated, closing the book with one hand. He got up and started walking towards you, you blocked him before he could create a portal, or do anything else.

“Don’t you think I should learn? I get them often, and I’d like to know how to clean them up myself.”

“They can be tricky, but I can show you.” He moved you aside gently with an arm and drew it into a circle—forming a portal and stepping through it before you could object.

“Stephen, it's fine, I don’t need to learn it now.” You objected, but it was too late. He had paused in front of your bed, and you knew he had seen it.

Your heart pounded in your chest and in your ears.

He turned back to face you and gestured for you to step through the portal. Once you did so, he turned back to the bed and cast a spell that cleaned the blood off the bed—letting the portal fall behind you. When he was done, he conjured another portal—a smaller one this time—stuck his hand in, and pulled a book out.

He turned and handed you the book. There were a few sticky notes sticking out of the pages, and the cover looked worn and tattered.

You slowly took the book into your hands, as if you were holding an injured animal—you held all the older books that way.

“The spells for getting menstrual blood and other blood out are different because of the consistency,” He explained, “some of the spells can be a bit tricky. But if you want any help, you know where to find me.”

Stephen winked, and turned, preparing to cast another spell for a portal, when you grabbed his arm, preventing the motion.

“Wait…you’re—”

Stephen nodded. “The Ancient One gave me this book when I first came here. But I know all the spells I need from it, so now you can have it.”

You looked up at him for a moment. “Are you sure?”

“Of course. I’ve memorized everything I need from it.”

You nod.

“Oh, and y/n.”

“Hmm?"

He turns to fully face you. “I understand why you didn’t tell me this…but you can come to me with anything, okay?”

“Okay.”

He smiles at you, before drawing an arm in a circle, a portal being created with it, and exiting your room, leaving you alone with the book.

[vastarakki]

Hey, here’s my personal pet theory: the reason why Hunter needed a staff to do magic wasn’t because he was born without magic, but because the brand on his wrist is a special sigil that blocks all nine schools of magic, leaving him with no access to the more typical forms of spell-casting we see in the show.

My reasoning is thus:

Number one, even with the revelation of what he is, Hunter’s lack of magic makes no sense. The whole reason why humans can’t do magic the way witches can is because they lack an internal power source, right? But Hunter has a magic amplifier for a heart, so he should have all the power he needs to cast spells, even if he is partially human. It even says in Belos’ book about grimwalkers that the galdorstone is for “heart & power”, implying that it’s meant to function as an internal power source much the same way a witch’s heart does. So what gives?

Also, Darius’ comment in “Any Sport in a Storm” about Hunter’s predecessor being one of the strongest witches he’d known points to the possibility that having no magic may not have been a problem for the Golden Guard that came before Hunter.

Number two, we don’t ever really see Hunter use any spells from any of the pre-existing schools, even though he should be able to, as long as he has access to an outside power source like a staff. Instead, his spell-casting takes a rather unique form, which seems to be the only kind of magic Hunter can use. Why? The guy's a certified nerd, you'd think he'd have studied up on more spells than just this one trick.

Number three, the show makes a point of not only showing us the brand on Hunter’s wrist, but the lack of said brand on somebody else's.

See, at first glance, it might not seem like anything out of the ordinary. We can just assume that all the members of the Emperor’s Coven have a brand like that, right? Except... Lilith doesn’t.

I can’t find a single picture of her with a brand on her wrist, even though they had her in short sleeves for the whole of season 2. So I think it’s safe to say that the lack of a sigil is too consistent to count as just an animation error.

That’s a bit suspicious, isn’t it? Why does Hunter have the Emperor’s symbol branded on his wrist while Lilith, the former head of the Emperor’s Coven, doesn’t?

It's almost like there's something special about Hunter's mark...

So in conclusion, all of this is just wild speculation on my part, but also I'm right and this is the only thing that makes any logical sense.

[return-to-twisted-wonderland]

Here's the final one being Caelan Vanrouge

💙💖

Caelan Vanrouge

Caelan: Slender, Narrow

Inspiration: Based on Aurora's iconic color changing dress

House: Diasomnia

Personality Traits: Caelan is graceful, whimsical, and a bit dramatic. Known for his sense of style and poise, he loves blending formality with charm and isn't afraid to be the center of attention. He's deeply caring and fiercely protective, much like his brother Lilia, but in a softer, more refined way. Caelan has a deep appreciation for beauty and enjoys being surrounded by it- from the natural world to artistic creations.

Unique Magic: "Color of Enchantment"

Caelan's Unique Magic allows him to subtly alter the emotions or environment of those around him through the aura he radiates, which shifts between two hues; rose-pink (for warmth and happiness) and cool blue (for calm and peace). This magic creates an ambiance that can uplift, relax or even subtly influence people's mood in his vicinity.

Pink Aura: The rose-pink hue encourages joy, friendliness, and a sense of camaraderie. People touched by this aura feel more open and receptive.

Blue Aura: The cool blue radiates tranquility, helping to ease anxiety and promote focus and calm.

Weaknesses

Limited Area: Caelan's influence doesn't extend far beyond his immediate area, making it ineffective on larger groups or from a distance.

Emotion Overload: Using both hues too frequently or intensely can drain Caelan emotionally, leaving him feeling physically and mentally exhausted.

Conflicting Effects: Strong emotional states in others, especially anger or deep sadness, can disrupt or even overpower his magic's effects.

Appearance and Outfit

Physical Appearance: Caelan has pale skin with a gentle blush, soft red eyes and black hair with highlights between shades of pink and blue at the tips, echoing the fusion hues of Aurora's dress. His features are delicate yet sharp, with an aristocratic air.

Uniform Modifications:

Color-Changing Accents: His Disaomnia uniform is enchanted to shift between soft rose-pink and cool blue accents, similar to Aurora's dress. The subtle shifts happen based on his mood, adding a touch of whimsical magic to appearance.

Flowing Coat: Much like Lilia, Caelan wears an oversize coat with the accents shimmering, ombre effect that transitions from pink to blue. The fabric is light and flowy, trailing gracefully as he walks or floats.

Decorative Chain and Pendant: His uniform features a silver chain with a small pendant that can change colors, representing the duality in his magic.

Personality: Caelan is a romantic and a bit of dreamer. He's gentle yet assertive, often encouraging others to look for beauty and joy in the world around them. While he may seem a bit spoiled or high-maintenance at times, he's fiercely loyal to those he cares about. He's also known to be a bit of a "mood-maker" in Diasomnia, lightening the mood with his humor and charisma. Caelan' charming and slightly dramatic personality draws people in. He's social and outgoing, but there's a hidden wisdom in him- a deep empathy for others and an understanding of emotions, which his magic allows him to sense

Backstory

Caelan Vanrouge hails from a world steeped in opulent magic and dark elegance, a place intricate fusion of grandeur, myth, and shadowy allure. His homeland, Astralore, is a realm where beauty is inseparable from power, where towering gothic spires and glistening arcane structures rise beneath perpetually twilight skies. Here, the ethereal is woven into everyday life — shimmering mosaics form intricate pathways, ornate archways hum with ancient spells, and lanterns flicker with arcane light, casting iridescent hues across cobbled streets. This world is governed by both powerful sorcerers and mystical guilds who maintain a delicate balance between light and shadow, beauty and dread, life and death. Caelan’s adopted family lineage holds a revered position within these ranks, tasked with protecting Astralore's delicate balance and upholding its ancient magical traditions.

Caelan grew up amidst an intense culture of beauty and refinement where each citizen holds a profound reverence for both physical elegance and the ability to wield powerful magic with precision. His family was known for their expertise in “enchantment,” a rare art of creating magical ambiance and influencing emotions subtly but profoundly. Caelan learned to master the “Color of Enchantment” under his mother’s guidance, refining his ability to manipulate moods through his dual-hued aura and embracing the notion that beauty could be a powerful weapon. Though much of his youth was spent honing his magic in an opulent but controlled environment, Astralore’s intricate culture of shadow and secrecy also fascinated him. Tales of forbidden spells and powerful artifacts hidden beneath the city’s surface captured Caelan’s curiosity, leaving him with a thirst to understand the complexities of his world.

Yet, beneath the beauty, Astralore held darker secrets — the kind that Caelan soon found himself entangled with. His family, though highly respected, was entangled in Astralore's political landscape. Mystical guilds, vying for dominance, valued his family’s magic, but there were also those who feared it. Caelan’s mother warned him of the dangers of wielding his power too openly, for those who controlled enchantment also held sway over people’s hearts and minds, a power that others in Astralore sought to possess or suppress. Over time, he learned that Astralore’s elegance masked a fierce competition among magical factions. One evening, after a series of cryptic threats directed at his family, Caelan's mother entrusted him with a delicate task — to find allies outside their realm, should Astralore’s enchantments fail to protect them. Thus, through an ancient portal of gleaming silver filigree, Caelan was sent to Night Raven College.

Arriving in Twisted Wonderland, Caelan felt both displaced and intrigued, the stark world a contrast to Astralore's endless twilight. Night Raven College’s magic, while powerful, felt raw and wild compared to the polished, restrained elegance of his homeland. In Diasomnia, he gravitated to those who, like him, understood the complexities of balancing beauty with power. Yet, his loyalty to Astralore remained unwavering, his mission to seek strength and form alliances on behalf of his family still his hidden priority.

Now, Caelan moves through Diasomnia with a subtle charisma, his every action and gesture infused with the ethereal allure of his homeland. Though he’s haunted by the distant conflict threatening Astralore, he has learned to mask his unease beneath a graceful exterior, maintaining his aura of calm. While he aids his friends at NRC with empathy and enchantment, Caelan’s mind is never far from the mysteries of Astralore, where a world of beauty and shadow awaits his return.

His World is based on: Bayonetta

💖💙

Another Vanrouge, pray for the Diasomnia.

[antares-8]

hello! i recently finished rereading the pilgrim's progress and honestly, it's some of (if not the) best beast!wirt fic i've ever read! there's a lot of stuff that i've realized makes it so good, especially after giving it more than one read through.

first of all, beatrice's characterization throughout the whole series is AMAZING and feels really accurate to the show. she's angry and almost always ready and willing to punch a man, but that's only part of her character. like, i've seen a decent bit of otgw fic where she just gets reduced down to "the angry one" but in tpp, her other emotions get the spotlight too sometimes and it makes her feels so real and human. she's determined and stubborn and willing to go to the ends of the earth for the people she cares about and you can really feel it!! she's her own person with her own stuff to deal with and it makes her so interesting in this series. i think she's possibly my favorite character.

(also, in writing that paragraph about beatrice i realized that tpp, or at least the arc with the witches, has a lot to do with grief and anger. this is more of a half-formed thought, but the way they're fairly consistent elements throughout and fit in perfectly with its other themes. i'm not exactly sure what else to say about this since i haven't put much thought into it until just now, but it's definitely something i like about it, although it's more of a personal preference.)

characters in general are one of tpp's strong suits, i think! the ocs created for this series are amazing without detracting from the main cast. felicity sticks out to me in particular, likely because we get to see things from her perspective. her motives manage to be understandable without detracting from the sense that she's in the wrong. also, shoutout to peg-leg polly, whose character description is amazingly evocative, as well as literally everything else about her. 10/10, no notes.

i think something else tpp does amazingly is all the "side" stuff. not "side" as in, like, subplots (this is all pretty much main plot, which is part of why it's so great), but as in "not the first thing you think of when you think of a beast!wirt au." "weren't you someone's son" is possibly the best example of this. we get to see how wirt's family is affected personally, something that's so often ignored. and it's a *whole main plot thing*--they never get fully shoved off to the side. the same goes with the unknown's reactions to wirt as the "new beast"--it's not glossed over. in fact, it's one the things the story is based around. tpp is BUILT around the stuff that's not immediately obvious, and it really makes it stand out in the best way possible.

and somewhat relatedly, wirt's character arc, about CHOOSING to stay in the unknown, is so good! it takes 30 works and tens of thousands of words until he fully admits it to himself but the payoff is so, so worth it. the line at the end of "to wind thy soul" where wirt says he *wants* to stay is built up so beautifully. it's another one of those things that makes tpp so unique and amazing.

and last, but definitely not least, is the WORLDBUILDING. there's a lot to say about it, but i love your version of the unknown!! it feels so real and alive, and the people in it do too. it really manages to capture the feeling of the original show--there's darkness, but it's not ALL sad times and eldritch horror, and some things are even a bit silly. and the way the unknown keeps on feeling mysterious even as we learn more and more about it is impressive. the fact that some things are mentioned but never expanded upon (like the beast-cult or the wars against nature) is far from a flaw here--they make the unknown feel like a real place, and help keep up the sense of mystery, magic, and a long history by sounding so interesting while being left mostly up-in-the-air. and the idea of using edelwood to cleanse corruption is also so good. like, if i force myself to look at it from a doylist perspective, i can say that it might exist to avoid a moral quandary which would seriously hurt everything that tpp is trying to say (although honestly, i don't think that it's a bad thing if that's the case; i love worldbuilding but making sure it plays nice with story and message is important, often moreso than making it feel "good"), but i have to force myself to think like that. while reading, it's foreshadowed well and feels so natural that i sometimes forget it was created for this series. and that's just one part of the worldbuilding! so much of this version of the unknown feels so in line with everything the show gives us, and there's so much attention to detail. it's so fantastic and i love it!!

also, a couple small details i noticed (and are appreciated):

in "all that was lost," enoch says that he can tell beatrice + greg where wirt is if they stay the night, and in "wish i was a shadow" it's mentioned that enoch vists the queen of the clouds a lot. did. did enoch ask the queen of the clouds where wirt was for beatrice and greg?

in "only one thing" greg mentions that he's sure that the cloak wirt gave him is enchanted, and in "gone to the tree" wirt mentions that he'd only tried to imbue something with his protection once before. did wirt enchant greg's cloak?? if so that's ADORABLE. wirt really loves greg huh?

anyway, yeah, the pilgrim's progress is amazing!! i didn't realize that i had this much to say about it, but it honestly deserves all the praise i can throw at it. there are some other small things that i love, but this is getting pretty long as it is. i can't wait for the next update, and i hope that you're doing well!! <3

First off, thank you for making my day! (And hopefully inspiring me finally finish the next installment. One can hope, right?) I always love to hear from readers, especially readers who enjoy my work.

Beatrice is a lot of fun to write. She accepts no nonsense (except when she doles it out to get something), her first impulse is violence, and she's fiercely loyal to all those she loves. Plus, some of her reactions to Wirt are just hilarious. She knows enough to realize how weird--or perhaps extraordinary--he really is.

I wanted to say something about how family was important in the show (the bluebirds, the brothers), but the truth is that I really like outsider POV and the parents gave me a good opportunity to play with that. That can remain our secret.

Sometimes, I feel like this entire series is just one big exercise in worldbuilding. Because the Beast is so well-known (and feared), I have to think about how the new Beast interacts with the world in general and how the world's reactions reflect back onto the character. That being said, I've still got a few headcanons that I'd like to explore.

Both of your theories regarding small details are correct. Enoch asked the Queen of the Clouds where to find Wirt waaaay back in the beginning, and Wirt added a few enchantments to the cloak before giving it to Greg. The enchantments... well, let's just say that no one will ever try to bully Greg while he's wearing it.

Unfortunately, I can't say for certain when the next update will be out. The next one is a new arc (or maybe it will be the one after that, because I've got another WIP that could become part 31 instead), so I've been obsessively tweaking it to get everything set up correctly.

As Wirt says to the people who try to drive him out of their town with torches and pitchforks, have a nice day!

[feathered-serpents]

About an Atreus-lead game…

(Note: I originally wrote this for Reddit but it’s not gaining steam there because my god does Reddit hate this idea. But I spent too much time typing it out for it to get no eyes at all so fuck it. It’s getting posted here too. But it’s been copy pasted verbatim so that’s why the tone sounds different than what I usually post over here)

I’m admittedly a little surprise to see such negativity towards this idea, at least on Reddit. But I’ve realized by reading more posts about it that the people who don’t like the idea are picturing an entirely different game than the one I’m picturing.

So let’s talk about it

The main issue I’m seeing is people against the idea are imagining games lead by the exact same Atreus as the one that appears in Ragnarok. I’m not a game dev, but I am a storyteller, and I can tell you unequivocally that this would not be the case

Firstly, an Atreus-led game would almost certainly star an older Atreus. Probably an Atreus in his early twenties. If nothing else it’s just the most practical option if they plan on keeping Sunny Suljic as his actor. He’s already older than Atreus was in Ragnarok and it’ll probably be another year or two before Santa Monica is ready to record another hypothetical GOW game. Not that they can’t recast Atreus, I’d just be really surprised if they did.

This would give us an Atreus that’s a bit more experienced and fun to play for an entire game. While still being inexperienced enough to have a good arc and make lots of improvements over the course of the game.

Next, I see people saying they didn’t enjoy his gameplay during Ragnarok. I think assuming that his gameplay would be exactly the same in a solo game is a little short sighted. People are forgetting his gameplay is not MEANT to carry an entire game in Ragnarok. His segments are relatively short and more story focused than combat focused, at least when you compare it to the rest of the game. If he were to star in his own game, his gameplay would most likely be MASSIVELY expanded. In fact I think he has a ton of potential for fun mechanics in his own game:

Seeing as this franchise has Kratos fight with three different weapons each with unique gameplay, it’s super likely Atreus would get the same treatment. I could see him getting a more close-ranged weapon, think sword or something akin to it, as well as a medium ranged weapon like Kratos’ blades. If we leave the Norse lands with him (which I think we will) it’s likely these weapons will be from other cultures, and we’ll get to see very different designs and mechanics around them.

Secondly is magic. We know he has an affinity for it, but outside of runes the games don’t really have a in-depth spell casting system. This could change with an Atreus lead game, especially if it takes place when he’s a few years older. I could see him having learned more Giant magic in that time, and this could lead the way into some very cool gameplay. Combine that with leaving Midgard, and Atreus could be learning magic from all over. Imagine an Atreus game that takes him to Egypt, and he gets to learn the magic of that land. I think it would be SUPER fun!

Lastly, the mechanic I think has the most potential is shapeshifting. It’s his “Spartan Rage” ability now, but it’s still very new for him in Ragnarok. Loki in the mythos is a natural shapeshifter, he does it constantly, a more experienced Atreus might have that kind of control over his shapeshifting. I could see him learning new forms over the course of a game. Maybe some are story given and others you have to hunt for yourself. I’d imagine it’d work a bit like finding the keys to the other realms, some are given, but others you have to go out of your way to find. I imagine being able to pick between forms, if it stays his “special move” maybe you could select one like you select between the different types of Spartan Rage for Kratos. Each form with its own strengths and weaknesses in combat. Maybe it’s a mix of both, some forms you can access during normal gameplay and others are reserved for more intense moments. He could learn the forms of the new lands he goes to, turning into lions, elephants, even other mythical creatures of the lands. There is SO MUCH you could do with a shapeshifting system.

My point is, I see Atreus as a character ripe with potential for his own game, and am surprised to find people who don’t look past Ragnarok to see it. Obviously I didn’t mind his segments in the game, but I also play on story mode so that should give you an idea of how important combat is to me. Even so, I never thought what we saw in Ragnarok was all we’d ever get from him. This is a character who has just BARELY scratched the surface of his abilities and that shouldn’t be dismissed so quickly.

If you still don’t like the idea that’s fine. Kratos is great! But I think Atreus could be a very fun main character in his own game. If you read all this thank you and I’d love to hear what you think!

[hollowphobia-casual]

Arcane Issues, Yes I'm still on this (Spoilers for Arcane S2)

~Spoilers~

I'm going to immediately assume that a majority of people who are reading this have seen Arcane Season 2 Act 3 and I want to start by saying this isn't a critique of the story. In a sense. See, the issue with Arcane is that it's not a stand alone project, it's a story adapted from the League of Legends games and while most adaptation usually can change the source material with no problem, Riot games in all there wisdom decided to make Arcane CANON. Meaning that the events of Arcane are the events in league of legends. Which made sense back in season one, Arcane was popular and for the most part it followed the story beats of the characters as set forth in lore, with a few minor changes, which was fine. However, Season 02 and all it's bullshit is where things started to become a problem. The biggest a major issue being this thing.

The Arcane Anomaly, which at first doesn't seem like a big issue..., until you remember League of Legends is a magic heavy world, the arcane is their magic system and Piltover isn't the ONLY nation state in this world and not all nations follow the rules. For context, these are all the champions in the game of League of Legends.

These are all the champions in League who use SOME form of magic/arcane, or are literally made of magic.

So going by the show that Anomaly and it's effects were caused by the arcane in general, that means anyone of these people could cause the things that happened in Arcane to happen, as it's just a byproduct of magic in of itself according to the lore of the show. But lets say that this was just a freak anomaly, that it was just caused by Hextech alone and not just the Arcane. Well there are characters in League who rely or use Hextech.

And yes, some of them were featured in the show, Vi, Jinx, Cait, Jayce and Viktor, but there are some who didn't appear in the show or didn't acquire their Hextech gear. But after the events of the show, why would anyone keep using Hextech?! After what Viktor nearly did, why would anyone keep using it, how can we have characters using Hextech when any one of them could 'accidentally' create an Arcane anomaly and bring about an end of the world scenario?

Not to mention. Piltover in the lore of the games essentially RUNS on Hextech, there are many Hextech inventors, it was it's unique defining trait that set it's magic system apart from the rest of Runeterra (The name of the world the characters live in.) How after the events could they go on to do that, especially when their two experts on the field, vanished into thin air?! And one of them turned into a evil jesus. And then we have that issue, the disappearance of half the cast. Before, League of Legends looked like this.

And now we have this...

The way league always wrote about it's characters was how they actively now in the present, meaning that the characters you were playing as were currently actively doing things in the moment, however Arcane has already broken that formula. For one, Ambessa is just dead. She's Leagues newest champion and we don't need to get excited about future stories involving her because she is gone, she is fucking deceased. Heimerdinger too maybe? And I know people will say, well he's a yordle, he's immortal he'll come back. Have you not been watching Arcane they way they treat Yordles in this show contradicts everything about Yordles.

For those who don't know, Yordles are essentially the equivlant of Runeterra's fae. They are magical creatures from magical realm called Bandle City and are the most part, MYTHS. Meaning most people in Runeterra haven't seen one. Meanwhile In Runettera we've seen a Yordle sex Gimp, a Yordle protsitute, Yordle citizens and Yordle crime bosses.

Yeah, you remember Smeech? He's a fucking Yordle. So for all we know Yordles are being treated less like fae and more akin to this worlds elves. But, less ignore all that, let's say that despite EVERYTHING, we've seen in the show Yordles are still the immortal fairy people, Heimerdinger could still be alive, right? EXPECT HE GOT BLASTED BY PURE MAGIC IN AN ALTERNATIVE TIMELINE?! There are so many what if questions I dunno where to begin with that one. Like if he is alive, will he come back? Does Bandle city exist outside the time frame? Not to mention how does Heimerdinger a magical fucking being made of magic, not understand how the ARCANE WORKS!??! And let's not get me started on characters like Warwick, who in Arcane looked like this...

When he's suppose to look like this...

Which again, it's fine.., you know, maybe he's going to through some sort of rapid evolutionary change that strips away his humanity and transform him more into the beast we know him as, it's not like they'd do something completely insane like turn him into a magical robot?

...... I could keep going on about this, but this is what fucking pisses me off about Arcane Season 2, not that it's considered canon, all it had to do is tell the story of how we got to the current timeline and events of League of Legends, but instead of giving us clear answers, it went off and did it's own thing, which means we now have to wait for clarification from Riot as to what is going on and what is going to happen. Cause again, this isn't a separate universe, this isn't a separate story. These are the CANONICAL events that happened in Piltover and Zaun. Two city states that defined by their constant rivalry, now 'making peace' with a street thug on the council. This is some game of thrones Season 08 bullshit, expect, we KNOW what is meant to be happening next, we know the stories these characters are suppose to go on to do. But Riot takes a lot of time to make changes to their game and their characters and these are a lot of changes happening all at once. Does this mean Warwick's current lore and model are going to be thrown out for mecha-arcane Warick, we don't know. Is Jayce going to return to Piltover, we don't know. Who'se going to built Blitzcrank, we don't know. Where was Renata Glasc during the events of Arcane and how is her story going to play out now? WE DON'T KNOW. And I doubt it's going to be something we learn soon, as riot recently fired a large portion of their in house artists, so we don't know whats going to be happening going forward. What was meant to be a fun story for long term fans and to get people into the lore of League of Legends, has turned into a mess of retcons and confusion.

On the upside, If anyone was pro Demacia's mage genocide, I guess Arcane told them, you have every reason to be scared of mages, because any one of the could opps the planet.

[moonlithyms]

༺An Eldritch Date ༻

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Synopsis:. Magic isn’t all for fun, but maybe for sexual pleasure. So, maybe he meeds some help and dad saves him from the confines of being a semen puppet.

Tags: multiple orgasms; black tentacles (not the slimy kind, good kind); magical mishaps; masturbation(?); Dad saves the day; somnophillia; anal; sex; aphrodisiacs; demons; needles; dungeons and dragons

A/N: To be fair, who hasn’t thought about pleasuring themselves if they had magic?

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Just under a week had passed since Lucas returned home from his lengthy journey. Obtaining The Sorrow’s Tears had turned into a year-long quest to annihilate the Void in the town of Bottom, an endeavor filled with excitement. Along the way, he encountered numerous fascinating individuals, delved into his family's history, and gained valuable insights into himself. Despite initial reservations, his father Alistair had become more open and supportive following Lucas's pivotal role in saving existence alongside his unlikely companions. Lucas also discovered his own unique magical abilities during this odyssey, which he now pondered in his room.

Contemplating the limitations and potential of his powers, he mulled over whether shadowspawn could manifest sexual tendencies, grappling with the stark duality of their emotions—Fear and Frenzy—both predominantly negative. Despite mastering the Arms of Hadar, he yearned for greater challenges. As he sat, thoughts swirling, he found himself yielding to the urge pulsating within him, his hand instinctively reaching for the source of his desire. Moments later, lost in sensation, he continued his introspection, his mind consumed by a myriad of thoughts and uncertainties.

Evard’s Black Tentacles... a form of restraint to start with. Hunger of Hadar, too, with their formidable strength and the remarkable mucus they produce... both would serve to restrain effectively, especially given my level of control over them...

A smile played on his lips as he continued, the surge of arousal clouding his judgment. It was a heady sensation, dulling the rational thoughts he would typically entertain to avoid future complications. A twitch of anticipation ran through him. He knew that if he didn't act on this idea soon, he might not act on it at all. Rising from his chair, he retrieved his chalk and placed his tear inset gem nearby. Shedding his shirt and extraneous robes, he recognized they would only hinder his movements.

With deliberate strokes, he began sketching circles and laying down ring wards for the creatures these tentacles would originate from. The rings, crafted from a pitch-black material, were now in place. With graceful hand gestures, he began weaving his chosen spell mixture. As he traced the air, his unique twist of power rendered the casting almost painless.

Surrounding him, the dark ebony tentacles emerged from the rift in space, their glossy black surfaces glistening in the sunlight, exuding a repulsive slime. As the viscous substance oozed onto the ground, its milky white hue stark against the darkness, he recoiled when it brushed against his face, hastily spitting out the intrusive fluid.

"I remember now why I sympathized with those who endured this," he muttered, grimacing at the unpleasant taste lingering in his mouth.

Inspecting each tentacle nervously, he acknowledged that while the Arms of Hadar were familiar, this manifestation was entirely different. With a telepathic command, he manipulated them, closing his eyes as they coiled around his limbs, lifting him gently into the air.

"Good. No signs of harm... everything seems in order," he reassured himself, the anticipation mounting within him.

Swiftly adjusting his position, he found himself suspended upright, limbs bound and on full display to any potential onlookers. Tension coursed through his body as the tentacles slithered up his thighs, securing his waist with an almost possessive grip.

Despite the revulsion he felt at the slimy residue trailing down his skin, there was an undeniable allure to the sensation of restraint and the otherworldly nature of the mucus. It ignited a primal excitement within him, evident in the arch of his back and the involuntary moan that escaped his lips as one tentacle encircled his chest, pushing him closer to the edge of ecstasy.

His arousal surged, his cock twitching impatiently, yearning for contact. Precum dribbled down his shaft, evidence of his heightened state of desire. With each movement, the tentacles slithered further up his back, their length never ceasing to astonish him. Urgency compelled his hips to thrust forward, craving more as the tentacles continued their ascent. Gradually, his mind relinquished all other thoughts, consumed by the intense focus demanded by the intricate spell weaving before him.

A tentacle encircled the base of his shaft, exerting pressure and leaving a trail of its mucus along his length. Despite the initial discomfort, he emitted a soft moan, finding the sensation tolerable as the tentacle wound its way up his shaft and around the head. With a gentle squeeze at the base and head of his member, the tentacle maintained a light grip, its slimy touch simultaneously repulsive and strangely pleasurable. It was an inexplicable sensation, yet he found himself enraptured by the tender caress of his own magical creation.

They slithered up his back, their slimy trails dripping down. Despite the grossness, he found the restrained sensation and the way their otherworldly mucus slid off him oddly arousing. His back arched as one wrapped around his chest, eliciting a small moan as he neared climax from such a seemingly insignificant touch.

Lucas moaned, his cries overpowering any other thoughts as the sensation of his shaft being stroked vigorously brought him immense pleasure. His mind grew hazy as the sensitivity of his back, a familiar sensation, was heightened by the slick slime. With a sudden thrust of his hips, his body jolted involuntarily.

"Aahn~!" He moaned, the sound escaping slightly louder than intended. His body surrendered to the pleasure, each twitch of his cock accompanied by the release of another rope of lust onto the tentacle coiled around him. Suspended in the air for several minutes, he panted as he struggled to collect his senses. His mind felt shrouded in fog, making it difficult to focus. He remembered he was supposed to assist his dad with a mission tonight but couldn't recall the details or the agreed-upon time. Glancing out the window, he tried to gauge the hour.

"It's already four, huh...? What did Dad need my help with again?"

Satisfied yet tired, he withdrew his arms from the tentacles. He was fortunate the spell didn't leave any residual mucus on his body; otherwise, he'd smell for a week. Attempting to pull his arm away again, he found the grip tightening instead.

"Oh, perhaps I can just dispel the spell. It should be fine. It's just magic."

Calmly, Lucas closed his eyes and gradually released his concentration. When he opened them again, he was still suspended in the air, supported only by his arms and waist, his legs firmly ensnared. Panic began to set in as Lucas struggled to figure out what to do next.

"Hey! What gives?!" he exclaimed, confused as he tugged at the tentacles. Though they had a slight give, they refused to release him. Despite feeling the source of his magic still under control within him, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.

Lucas struggled desperately to break free from the otherworldly entities he had inadvertently summoned into the physical realm. His eyes widened in horror as more ebony appendages emerged from the void below him, each one unfamiliar. One resembled an open flower pattern, another was rounded with a small feeler, while another took the shape of a cup with a tendril at the bottom.

His gaze fixated on one tentacle resembling a needle, its shiny contents swirling inside. Lucas swallowed nervously, his apprehension growing as it lunged towards him with surprising speed, jabbing into his side.

"That hurts!" he exclaimed, his body already sensitive from previous sensations. As the liquid drained into him, a searing pain spread throughout his body. Lucas recoiled, but the needle continued to squirt its contents, splashing onto his skin and even into his mouth, tasting sweet like sugar.

Panicked, he watched in horror as the liquid seemed to invigorate his body, his soft member rapidly stiffening to an uncomfortable hardness within seconds. Despite the pain, his arousal remained intense. Lucas sat there, bewildered and frightened.

"What the fuck was that? What the hell was just put into me? What in the—"

Suddenly, his mind and body began to relax involuntarily.

"Aahh...whatever it was..." he mumbled, his speech slurring as his vision blurred rapidly. "It sure feels good..." With that, his consciousness slipped away, his head drooping as his mind shut down completely.

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Awakening later, Lucas found his head cradled by a smaller tentacle, its slimy counterpart inside his mouth, squirting an unknown substance into it. He swallowed as it filled his mouth, rendering him unable to speak. The taste was bitter and salty, reminiscent of a ration he once had that didn't sit right. Despite the discomfort, he slowly swallowed the rest of the substance, his head still foggy from the nap he had taken.

As his eyes adjusted, he could finally see the scene before him. The ebony-black tentacle in his mouth had rounded out and was now dripping with white mucus, retreating into the void below. He coughed, clearing his airways as a wave of pleasure washed over him all at once. "H-holy shit~!" he exclaimed, feeling waves of unbridled pleasure coursing up his spine, each pulse of ecstasy originating from his hips.

Glancing downward, he noticed himself encased within a cup-shaped tentacle. It completely enveloped him, with his underwear draped over its base. A smaller arm wrapped tightly around his balls, applying pressure and preventing them from slipping off. Lucas moaned loudly as his hips involuntarily thrust into the cupped arm, intensifying the sensation as he climaxed once more. It felt as though he was being milked of every drop he could provide. Gasping for air, his vision obscured by his hair, he attempted to pull his arms free but found them firmly held in place. With a stronger pull, he was yanked back into position. Whatever was happening, it was far from over, and he had no control over it.

His body craved more, his hips moving beyond his control as the cupped appendage brought intense pleasure to his sensitive cock. Unsure of how many times he had already ejaculated before waking up, he noticed it was now dripping with another white substance, likely his own.

"Aahh fuck-! N-Not again!" he stuttered, his body heaving as he released another load, sending ropes of himself into the dripping tentacle once more. His balls were quickly squeezed by the smaller appendage, intensifying his climax. Every fold of the tentacle seemed to lovingly caress his cock as it twitched for several minutes, each twitch accompanied by another small squirt. Lucas' body slumped, exhausted from the numerous climaxes he had experienced in one session. His glasses slipped from his face, clattering to the floor below, leaving him with limited visibility to only what was nearby. As he felt sure he was now producing nothing but water, he suddenly felt a stinging sensation on his side.

"Oh...that good feeling stuff..." he murmured, his body stiffening once more as the tentacle resumed squeezing and rubbing him. He writhed in discomfort as he was injected once again. The burning sensation returned, but this time he wasn't as fortunate to dislodge it. Held firmly in place, he could do nothing as it emptied its contents into him. A warm sensation spread throughout his body, restoring his energy and strength, though he knew what would follow once he fully recovered.

The tentacles holding him shifted, maneuvering him onto his back in midair. His arms were held above his head, and his legs were spread open, leaving his bottom exposed. Despite his efforts, he pulled against the tentacles once more, only to find himself gripped tighter as he struggled. "Please just let go! I'm tired! I can't give you anymore!" he pleaded, desperate for release. Exhaustion weighed heavily on him, his throbbing length yearning for respite as it was kept forcefully erect.

Somewhat annoyed, a tentacle covered in his own cum shoved its way into his mouth, silencing him. The taste was sweet yet watery in its viscosity, and he pleaded with his mouth full as he was compelled to swallow every drop. Another tentacle then penetrated his body, coated in mucus, eliciting a whimper of pain from Lucas.

Tears streamed down his face as he winced in agony. His body felt vulnerable and exposed as the tentacle writhed inside him, exploring every inch of his being. Its smooth surface followed the contours of his muscles, its suckers grasping at the inner walls. In the mirror, he could see its form settling on a spot not too far inside him. The slimy arm rubbed against something, something pleasurable. He moaned, attempting to form words but failing as the pleasure overwhelmed him. Whatever it was that the tentacle touched, it elicited an incredibly intense sensation. His body arched involuntarily as the tentacle squeezed, triggering another climax. He released even more of his seed into the tentacle with full force, cumming harder than he ever thought possible.

His thoughts drifted as he felt utterly helpless, at the mercy of whatever entity he had summoned. He was plagued by questions: how had he done it? What was it? What did it want with him? And most importantly, how could he break free? Was it deriving pleasure from this?

Yet, despite the overwhelming sense of dread, there lingered a disturbing thought in the back of his mind: why was he enjoying it? It was an unsettling sensation, one he knew he should detest... and yet, he found himself inexplicably drawn to it.

Spitting out the tentacle in his mouth, he braced himself as the one inside him began to thrust in and out of his body. It was painful, his muscles tensing with each movement, but gradually, the pain began to subside as he relaxed.

"T-that's not exactly good..." he moaned, voicing his concern. "Can you go a little faster...?" he requested, surprised when the appendage complied. With increased speed, Lucas's cock throbbed with pleasure as it was sucked and squeezed by the eager entity.

"T-that's it... that feels wonderful...!" he moaned between heavy breaths, his enjoyment evident even as he subconsciously struggled against the tentacles. Despite his internal conflict, Lucas found himself relaxing, his mind and body now pursuing separate goals. Another wave of pleasure washed over him as he surrendered to the sensation, releasing another load of cum for whatever demonic entity held him captive.

"Ah... more please! Give me more of that wonderful aphrodisiac!" he begged, his voice filled with longing. A sharp stab in his shoulder signaled the draining of more substance into his body. This time, upon completion, Lucas's body arched as he released what he counted as his fourth or fifth load into the tentacle. He had finally surrendered to the overwhelming pleasure.

Feeling his mind going blank, Lucas succumbed to the numbness of pleasure, his thoughts of escape fading away. His senses were overwhelmed by dopamine, oxytocin, and testosterone, leaving his brain feeling dull and his body overly sensitive.

"Yes! This is what I wanted! To feel like this! Don’t stop! Please, you can have as much as I can give!" he moaned, oblivious to the volume of his voice.

The entity, sensing Lucas's complete surrender, intensified its efforts, fueling his pleasure to new heights. With each movement, Lucas's body quivered with ecstasy, every touch sending shivers of delight coursing through him.

Lost in a haze of euphoria, Lucas's consciousness slipped further away, consumed by the overwhelming sensations. His mind, once filled with thoughts of resistance, now surrendered completely to the blissful oblivion offered by the tentacles.

As his moans of pleasure echoed through the room, Lucas relinquished any remaining semblance of control, giving himself entirely to the entity's desires. In that moment, all that mattered was the intoxicating pleasure enveloping him, drowning out any lingering thoughts of escape or resistance.

With each passing moment, Lucas descended deeper into the abyss of pleasure, his body and mind consumed by an insatiable craving for more. And as the entity continued to feed on his essence, Lucas found himself willingly offering all that he had, his desires merging seamlessly with those of his captor.

"Lucas?" a voice called out, the door creaking open slightly.

Lucas didn't bother to glance down at his father, who had evidently heard the commotion and come to check on his son. Alistair Len stood in shock at the scene unfolding before him.

From Len's perspective and knowledge, this wasn't merely a magic spell gone awry. This was something far more sinister—an actual demon. While Len was familiar with succubi, this entity was something entirely different. Its true name remained unknown, but it was undoubtedly under the influence of Asmodeus, Prince of Demons. One tentacle bore his mark—a whale—an indication that it belonged to the fifth circle, a realm accessible only to the most powerful and malevolent entities.

Asmodeus must be in need of offspring if he was dispatching a creature to harvest. Len speculated that there must already be an egg from a hapless woman, long gone by now...

With this chilling realization, Len understood that this demon would mercilessly pleasure its victims until their demise, consuming their bodies afterward to nourish the fiendish offspring it created. The demon required humanoid sperm to birth a monstrous entity—one capable of manipulating its form and wreaking havoc at will. It was a horrifying prospect, one Len dared not dwell on any longer.

"Dear mother earth... Lucas! What is this?! How did you summon it?!" he exclaimed, demanding answers from his son. Lucas disregarded his father’s words, his eyes rolling back as Alistair heard a voice pull at his mind—tired, desperate, and strained in its tone.

"Dad! Help me! I can’t control my body anymore! I’m so tired... I kinda want to go to sleep," pleaded Lucas.

"I’ll get you out of that thing. I’ll be back, so keep using this to talk as much as you can. Don’t fall asleep! How long has this been happening?" Alistair responded, determination in his reply as he hurried out of the room to search for a solution.

Len rushed downstairs, frantically searching and opening the bookcase's entryway in his haste.

"I-I’m not sure... I remember..." Lucas struggled to keep his thoughts coherent.

"Listen to me. What do you remember?" Len asked urgently, his panic growing as he searched for his powders.

"I remember... waking up after some time, the first time I was injected with whatever it had. I think maybe three hours have passed...? I lost count of time..." Lucas admitted.

"Okay, and how did this happen?" Len inquired, his mind racing as he tore apart his brewery in search of his precious powders. As he frantically searched, he realized that while the demon possessed formidable abilities, it was ultimately dependent on external sources of power. It functioned more like an incubator than a true demon, reminiscent of Praetor Variants in terms of its circle. Finally locating a bag of exorcism powder, Len coughed as its contents flew into the air. He knew this was exactly what he needed. Turning around, he rummaged through the nearby desk and found a piece of blue chalk before swiftly making his way back upstairs.

There was a long pause before Lucas replied, his voice filled with unconscious moans of pleasure. "I think I summoned it... God, this feels fantastic!"

That was the last thing Alistair wanted echoing in his mind.

"Lucas, focus for me. How did you summon it?" Alistair pressed, trying to maintain his composure.

"I mixed two spells to, uh... use for my own benefit," Lucas admitted, his tone somewhat flustered.

Len sighed heavily. He regretted not discussing these matters with Lucas sooner, instead confiding in Santiago or even Emily. He had already been concerned that Lucas might knock up his girlfriend unintentionally.

"Yeah, you’re at that age, Lucas. You shouldn’t use magic for sexual satisfaction. It can go haywire when you're distracted from controlling it, especially with your kind of magic," Len cautioned, his words laced with worry.

Returning to Lucas's room, Len was met with the distressing sight of his son ensnared in tendrils, tentacles, and covered in mucus. It was a sight he wished he hadn't seen and never wanted to witness again. Despite his apprehension, Alistair steeled himself. He had to find a way to free Lucas from this predicament.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Alistair approached Lucas cautiously, his mind racing with thoughts of how to break the spell. He knew he needed to act quickly before the situation escalated further.

“Lucas, listen to me carefully,” Alistair said, his voice firm but gentle. “I’m going to try to break the spell, but I need you to focus and help me, okay?”

Lucas nodded weakly, his eyes filled with a mixture of fear and relief at his father’s presence.

Alistair retrieved the bag of exorcism powder and the blue chalk from his pocket, his hands trembling slightly with the weight of responsibility. With deliberate movements, he began to draw intricate symbols on the floor around Lucas, forming a protective barrier. As he worked, Alistair chanted ancient incantations, channeling his energy into breaking the demonic hold on his son. Beads of sweat formed on his brow as he poured every ounce of his being into the task at hand.

Suddenly, there was a faint tremor in the room, and the tendrils holding Lucas began to quiver and retract. He scattered handfuls of powder on the floor within the circle, focusing mainly on the edges of the opening. Next, he carefully placed the inky black rings amidst a mound of golden powders, ensuring they were thoroughly coated. With determined motions, he liberally sprinkled the powders over the tendrils ensnaring Lucas and over himself.

Returning to the smaller circle he had drawn, Len settled back down to commence the ritual. Seated with his legs crossed and hands clasped together, index fingers pressed against each other, he closed his eyes in deep concentration. Beneath his breath, he muttered incantations for minutes on end, his focus unyielding even as the house began to shake around them. Alistair remained steadfast, continuing the ritual as his son announced his seventh climax.

As the circles shimmered with an ethereal blue glow, a sudden flash of light filled the room, casting everything into temporary stillness and silence. Alistair's eyes snapped open to find his son lying naked on the ground, surrounded by lifeless tendrils and tentacles. With a sense of urgency, he approached Lucas, lifting him gently from the circle. Striking a match against the bed frame, he ignited the scattered powder with a determined flick of his wrist.

A horrifying, otherworldly scream pierced the air, causing Alistair to instinctively cover his ears in agony. The sound reverberated through the house, sending shivers down his spine as it rattled his eardrums. As the mass of limbs began to burn, consuming the chalk on the floor with fierce intensity, Alistair reached into his pocket and hurled a handful of golden powder into the air.

"That should purify the room now. No more demonic tendrils, and the connection to the realm and its portal has been severed," Alistair declared, retrieving Lucas' glasses and underwear.

Taking a moment to assess his son's condition, he noticed dark bruises and marks scattered across his body from where the tendrils had grasped him. While Lucas was still partially coated in drying mucus, it seemed to be flaking off in thin sheets. With gentle care, Alistair dressed Lucas in his underwear and placed his glasses back on, watching as his son gradually regained consciousness upon being laid on the bed.

"...Dad?" Lucas asked softly, his voice worn out. "What happened?"

"Well, Lucas... to put it simply... you summoned a demonic aberration by combining two spells, and that aberration was going to kill you by giving you immense sexual pleasure," Alistair explained bluntly. Lucas froze in shock.

"And it almost did," Alistair added with a sigh. "I was scared, you know, to lose you for the second time."

"I-I'm sorry," Lucas apologized, his voice raspy from the ordeal.

"Yeah. Don’t do that again. You might have the power to manipulate spells, but it doesn't mean you should use them for sexual pleasure, Lucas," Alistair admonished.

"Besides, there’s such a thing as birth control and your girlfriend," Alistar joked.

"I wouldn’t do anything like that with Emily unless she asked or made it obvious that's what she wanted," Lucas replied, looking over at his father.

"Wait... don’t encourage that, that’s terrible parenting!" Lucas laughed, his voice interrupted by a cough. Despite his weariness, he managed a bright and cheery smile.

"For now, you should get some rest, Lucas. You are probably very, VERY tired," Alistair advised, rising from his seat and making his way to the door.

"But don’t we need to hunt today? A banshee, was it?" Lucas asked, his voice weak.

"It can wait a few hours," Alistair reassured, tossing Lucas a vial of something as he headed out the door.

"Right now it’s underground, probably enjoying its unfortunate last meal. You should drink that, rest up, and we’ll head out," he instructed before leaving the room.

Lucas stared down at the vial, recognizing it as one of his dad’s peculiar potions known for their potent restorative properties. The liquid inside was a light, translucent purple, shimmering with magical energy.

"I hate it when the grape juice is useful," Lucas remarked, downing the vial in one gulp. He settled into his bed, his body aching from the ordeal. Despite feeling embarrassed and sore, he couldn't deny the soothing effects of the potion as it clouded his mind with pleasure and lulled him into sleep.

"Next time, I’ll just use what I know works instead of that mixture... I’d like to be around longer than nineteen years," Lucas mumbled to himself as he finally drifted off into a much-needed rest.

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~ To the Library ~