#these two are forever immortalized TOGETHER in so many ways and will continue to be

[dae-seeme-rollin]

TIL that the Mars Perseverance has parts named SHERLOC and WATSON

[ancient-qveen]

EMPEROR in Petrified zine issue no. 2, winter 1993

-Samoth interviewed. transcription below

(fuck that font fr also lmfaoo at what Samoth says about Chuck from Death XD rip. And this interview takes place around autumn of 1993 after the arrests)

Here is an interview with Samoth of Emperor!

1) When was Emperor formed? Why was the name Thou Shalt Suffer changed?

Samoth - Emperor was brought to existence during the grey depressive autumn Anno 1991. Thou Shalt Suffer is a different band… When the gathering of Emperor took place, me and Ihsahn continued with Thou Shalt Suffer, but in the spring of Anno 1992, I left Thou Shalt Suffer and from that time, Ihsahn has worked alone, so Thou Shalt Suffer still breathes… Await the satanic symphonies of Thou Shalt Suffer

2) Who are the current members of Emperor?

Samoth - Samoth - Ihsahn - Tchort - Hellhammer

3) Since Mortiis was kicked-out, and Faust has been jailed, who have taken their places?

Samoth - After Mortiis “passed away”, Tchort joined our horde and last week Hellhammer from Mayhem took Faust’s place (since Faust is arrested and charged, and has also confessed to burning down one church and murdering one human pig (brutally-stabbed to death) he is unable to continue in Emperor… hail Faust!

4) Who are the unholy black-metal bands in the circle? And why have bands such as Immortal and Fester disassociated themselves? Can you also list some of the black metal bands from Norway, and list the “false” black metal bands?

Samoth - All bands who praise their art and will live and die for it. About Immortal and Fester… None of these bands claim to be black metal. Maybe things got to extreme for them… I don’t know, I haven’t talked to any of these guys for quite a while. Emperor, Darkthrone, Burzum, Mayhem are the bands who “Sit on the throne”. (The future of Burzum and Mayhem are unsure)… Grishnackh will spend his next 20 years in jail, but he still has 2 unreleased albums/ Mayhem are “dead”, but “De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas” will be released, and Mayhem is immortal… They will forever exist one way or another). There are newer bands, such as Mysticum, Hades, Satyricon, and Gorgoroth. Also other bands, such as Arcturus, In the Woods which are not black metal, but dark music… And Enslaved, the epic metal gods of Norway which also “Sit on the throne”. To be honest, there aren’t many false bands here, they have been destroyed.

5) Satanism has become a big problem (haha!) in Norway, what do the common peasants think of you Unholy Sons?

Samoth - Black Metal and Satanism is hated like the plague!

6) Since the formation of the circle, how many churches have been burnt-down?

Samoth - About 10 churches have been burned in the name of black metal… And there have been other satanic cirmes such as ritual rape, church/grave desecrations, two murders, several attacks on christians (Tchort will go to court for one of these attack cases). And after the formation of the Norwegian Black Metal Circle, also other countries have been inspired… In Sweden, they have burned 3 churches, in Germany there have been two murders and one church-fire. in England there has been one church-fire, and in the U.S.A… I think there is more to come… The battle between good and evil is eternal… It is the nature itself…

7) Are you constantly being harassed by the police? Have you been accused of church burning?

Samoth - The police have watched us for a while, Grishnackh was arrested earlier this year, but was released because of the lack of proof, but after the murder on Euronymous, he was arrested again. Over 100 people went into the police station for questioning… That led to a lot of arrests, like Faust, and me… I am charged for burning down a church (“Skjold” church… One of the biggest wood churches in Norway… Only ashes are left…) together with Grishnackh… I have now confessed the crime (that is why I am out for jail), my case will go to court sometime next year. Other than Faust, Grishnackh and me, there were 6 other people arrested and most of them have confessed their crimes. So the police have really started a Black Metal Satanist hunt; anyway, this will not stop Emperor whatsoever!

8) What is some of the merchandise available from Emperor?

Samoth - The only stuff available from Emperor Horde are the “Wrath of the Tyrant” demo (a blank tape + 2/3 IRC’s), our mini album and shirts are available from Candlelight and several distributors.

9) What will be the future Emperor release? Will your style change?

Samoth - Our full length album “In the Nightside Eclipse” is recorded and is to be released as soon as possible. Also our demo will be released as an LP, only 666 copy’s by Necropolis Records… About our style… We will always progress, “In the Nightside Eclipse” is without any doubt the best thing we have done so far… It is more or less in the same way as our mini album, but with some progressions and more professional/atmospheric sound… A masterpiece of Pagan Black Metal art!

10) What are your favourite bands?

Samoth - I listen to a lot of different music, I like bands such as Bathory, Fear of God, Bel Canto, When, Dream Theater, Burzum, Darkthrone, Arcturus, Coil, Diamanda Galas, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Skyclad, Emperor, Mayhem, Katatonia, Dissection, Tiamat, Mordor, Abruptum, Morbid Angel, Rotting Christ, Deicide, Immortal, Necromantia, Thou Art Lord, Vangelis, Dead Can Dance, Manowar, GGFH, Sisters of Mercy, Eterne, The Church of Babylon, Enslaved, Tangerine Dream, Venom, Hellhammer, Celtic Frost, Destruction, Software, Opeth, Munch, Mefisto, Das Ich, Malleus, and the list goes on, I also worship a lot of sound tracks. So I ain’t really close-minded when it comes to music, but I’m still quite fastidious when it comes to bands, the must “give” me something.

11) Are you planning on touring in the U.S. or in Europe?

Samoth - We have already done a U.K. tour (with U.K.’s black metal gods Cradle of Filth), and we were offered to join Dismember and Morbid Angel for a full European tour, but we let it down… We are not interested in supporting fucking Dismember, anyway Morbid Angel have my full respect, and I admire all their music… We have now been offered a tour (in Europe) with Samuel, we might do it… But as you know, things have happened here in Norway lately, so it depends on different things…

12) What do you think about Death Metal? And the scene here in Florida?

Samoth - I like real death metal, but I hate all this trendy bands that just keep on cloning each other all the fucking time… About Florida… Deicide and Morbid Angel are great bands, I also like the debut album of Athiest (I totally hate their crap lyrics… Life metal bullshit…) Florida is crap, I don’t like U.S.A in general (even though I have never been there…) And please someone get this Chuck “Flower Power” of Death killed… Fucking hell, he might be Jesus Christ!

13) Upon your death, will you rule in hell among evil…?

Samoth - I will rule in a medieval like realm of darkness… I will sit proudly at my throne with my blacksword at hand in my grey silent castle into the eternal forest…

Thorns - Thanks Samoth for the interview!

[kaeso4ka]

You ask for help and help comes

Pairing: yandere Optimus Prime x human! reader

“Is it free here?”

You nodded, moving aside. You didn't look at him, didn't look away from the deserted-literally deserted-streets of Jasper.

The unknown man, however, was not embarrassed by the silence; he continued cheerfully.

“You're in a bad mood...”

“From a bad life,” you sighed heavily, finally turning to the person speaking, ‘what do you want...?’ you trailed off towards the end.

Sitting next to you was a rather innocuous looking man in his thirties, with an interesting haircut and wearing a balaclava. It was as if he didn't fit in, stood out, was... lighter than the hot, blazing sun.

“I just noticed you weren't feeling well, so I thought I'd come over,” the man turned his face to you fully, smiled. Kind eyes looked attentive but not clingy, “you need help.”

The man spoke ultimatum, but the soft tone of the man speaking made you feel...cozy.

“I do. But no one can help me with my problem,” you smiled weakly at the other's naivety, ‘my name is Y/N,’ you added for some reason after a short silence.

“My name is Yeshua. What makes you think no one will help you?”

The name, as well as the man's appearance, seemed... vaguely familiar. Like you had seen him once before... or had you only heard the name? But the fact was, there were hardly many people with that name in the United States.

“I'm in very big trouble on a galactic scale,” you wanted to say ‘literally,’ but you held back. The phone beeped, attracting attention.

You reached into your bag, lighting up the display... Of course. Optimus. And turned the phone off.

“Do you believe in God?” Yeshua nodded at the bag, from which, between everything else, a small icon peeked out. The icon was indeed quite small, shabby from time, but it still showed Jesus looking on it with humble serenity.

You carefully took out the icon, twirled it thoughtfully in your hands.

“I bought it... A long time ago,” you fell silent, and then, on regaining your composure, answered the question, ”I don't believe in God. I know there is one.”

You yourself were surprised that you had chosen to talk about such a strange subject with this strange man. Why God at all?...isn't this Yeshua a sectarian?

“I agree with you, there is a God. But then why do you think no one is helping you?”

“Because... I don't know. God works in mysterious ways, right? I mean, if it wasn't for God, would I be here? Besides - besides, you're about to come under the jurisdiction of another God - Primus, “here let's think about it. God is he is God to us humans. What if I become, let's say, an alien? And aliens have a different God. And that's it, no one will help me...”

That's silly. You glared at the man, realizing that you were talking nonsense to him.

Yeshua, however, did not look judgmental, bored, or surprised. He looked sympathetic.

“Don't you know that the human Soul is immortal? Once in the world, it remains forever until it is called into the kingdom. No matter what shell hides it,” Joshua smiled at you so brightly and kindly that your heart snapped with a feeling of warmth, ”just as a Cybertronian will not have a Soul if he uses a holoform.”

“Yes...,” you cut yourself short halfway through. “How do you know...?”

The puzzle in her head came together instantly, as if doused with ice water. You wanted to ask a question, so simple and stupid, but you didn't. You stared silently at the man in front of you.

“Do not fear the inevitable, but also do not fear the impossible,” Yeshua rose from the pew, bowed politely, ”I know, among other things, that there are only two types of beings in the universe, regardless of race: the good and the good-but-unhappy. But this is not forever. One day we will all appear There and everyone will be forgiven. The unhappiness will be gone.”

“I wish I could live to see it...” you smiled sadly, ”but what are millions of years compared to eternity There?”

Yeshua smiled, and you understood that smile.

“I have to go.”

You tried to smile back, but it didn't come out well, so she just nodded.

“Goodbye.”

As the departing Jesus became a dot on the horizon, you rose from the pew. Pretty soon there was no one left on the hot Jasper street.

[shirajellyfish]

Hellooo!!! I hope this ask finds you well, Shira!! Ah, gosh I'm really shy to be asking anything. But I AM curious and a fan of your work...

How did you come up with the living dolls AU? How did it come to be?

Or has this been asked already? If so, I'm going to cry in the corner while scrolling to look for your answer.

Oooh I love being asked things! I'm so happy! I ended up rambling on this subject a little more than I meant to, oops. It's just so fun to discuss! Putting in a Read More for the incoming wall of text.

Living doll AU had a few inspirations that I ended up pulling together into a single fic concept.

It started as one of many, many, MANY random AU ideas. I have about a bajillion of them, and don't intend to write most of them as fics since many are very one note. Just little concepts, single scenes, brief moments. One of these was an idea about a world where animatronics are like dolls in a way (ha, I did NOT plan on that becoming literal.) They seem perfect and beautiful, owned commonly by many people. Reader would want one but be unable to afford any, admiring those had by others instead, thinking about how lucky those people are to have such wonderful perfect friends.

But the animatronics are are also thrown away as easily as dolls. One day, Reader would randomly stumble across a Sun and badly broken Moon in a dumpster. (the concept for this is very similar to the scene that made it into the final fic.) They'd find out that someone had thrown the two out without a care, discarding them as easily as an old broken toy. Reader would take them in and fix them. This wasn't really something I felt the urge to write into a full fic though, and it didn't really have anywhere exciting to go from there.

I put the idea away for a while, and never expected to revisit it. But then, later on...

The idea of immortality. People often believe that an AI would be immortal, but that isn't true. Machines are made of mechanical parts that wear down with time and use, everything in them must be maintained and eventually replaced. The seemingly 'immortal' things humans make will continue to exist for exactly as long as someone loves them enough to maintain them. An animatronic could live forever, or it could last barely a week before being discarded. That's something that became central to the story, the fic eventually even being named after it- As Long as we are Loved.

This got me thinking about a story about maintenance and repair, with repair as a form of showing love. That wasn't very appealing to write though, because I've already written a LOT of words on the concept of repair as an expression of care. I See You Sundrop has a great many thousands of words that focus on repair as an act of caring for a friend. Writing a fic about that would be treading over the same ground I'd already covered.

But then, when I thought about that little idea from earlier, I wondered... What if instead of being visually perfect robots almost like dolls, treated like toys, they were literally dolls brought to life? Made alive by caring, and sustained entirely by it? Immortal in the technical sense, but often living only a short time because they depend on being loved to continue living.

There's also the fact that I just plain love doll AUs, and wanted more of them. There are very very few doll AUs in the fandom, and most of them are along the lines of flirty doll monsters that want to eat people. That wasn't really what I wanted from a living doll AU (no shade to those fics, they just weren't my personal jam.) You know what they say, if what you want to read doesn't exist you just have to write it yourself!

You can blame @storytellingbadger for it actually getting written though haha. I did a lot of brainstorming in chat with her. It was such a weird out there AU, and SO self-indulgent, I didn't actually think I'd write it out. Instead I went off on silly concept tangents in chat with her. She responded with questions and encouragement to help me flesh out the idea, and somewhere along the way my brain latched on so tight to the idea that I couldn't stop myself from writing.

Ah, that got a lot longer than it should have been... I feel a little embarrassed posting this entire ramble when I probably should have just said "Oh, the immortality thing, and caring, you know?" But I've already written it now, so you might as well have it.

Thank you for reading :)

[streets-in-paradise]

Third Fate - Achilles x Fiancee!Reader

Requested by Anon

" Hey, I found your tumblr and I'm loving what you do here, mostly troy. I don't know if you're getting requests, but if you are, you can make one for Achilles based on that scene where he's told he can go and win glory in battle and have his name spoken for centuries or he can stay and be loved, have children, wife? I would love to see Achilles receive more love, with a wife and children. Feel free to make any changes you want, thank you very much in advance."

Hi, anon! I got this way sooner than what i expected because I was really in the mood to write it. The bittersweet mix of angst and fluff was exactly what I wanted to get into this week. Hope you will enjoy it :)

For a lenght concern i kept it in a pre war, pre marriage discussion of the prophecy. If once you read it you happen to like what i wrote here let me know and I can post a continuation showing what happens next ( i originally planned to do so, but it became too long so i prefer to save that for a second part)

Word Count 3.200

Warnings: Standard Achilles sexyness ( no smut, but if you watched the film you understand what I mean with this.) Some aspects of both, the canon of the film and the source material it is based on, were changed to fit the request in my envision of the story.

Summary: Terrible news disrupt the eve of your engagement to Achilles. He is called to fight in Troy and the spectacular war that the gossip foretells seems to be the destiny of greatness he had always dreamed with, but the price he has to pay for it is his happiness with you. The three days ultimatum Odysseus gave him is his moment to decide, but he won't do it without you.

Note: Inspired by two prompts by @creativepromptsforwriting

Prompt 1014 - " Well, the prophecy was a bit unclear about this part."

Prompt 1010 - " Let's not worry about the future. Let's just take this one kiss at a time."

"I like how that sounds."

Tags: @mysticaldeanvoidhorse @helie-brain

There was no easy way for him to explain to you what he had just found out. After Odysseus arrived bringing the news of the war in Asia you were already sad thinking of the distance that would keep your fiancé far away from you for an uncertain amount of time, but the real hardships surpassed your expectations. The whispers of fame claimed the conflict escalated enough to become the greatest war your world had ever seen, but you still imagined it as one war like many others he fought before. No matter the challenges found in battle, Achilles would always return to you. 

Except that he wouldn’t,not from Troy. His mother told him of an old prophecy announced before his birth assuring that war would be the peak of his consecration as a hero, but the price for this glorification was his death. From this fact fate allowed him only two options of choice. He could either stay in Greece and be loved during his lifetime knowing history would forget him, or go to Troy to make his name immortal facing his doom. 

To the end of his tale all you could do was cry, convinced that you were losing him forever. All your plans faded in just one instant, the life you dreamed together was gone. 

“ I’m not dead yet, look at me.” He sweetly mocked you. “ How can you be so sure already that I’m here to tell you I’m abandoning you to get myself killed?” 

You could tell he was trying, but that wasn’t making it any better. 

“ If you don’t go, you will regret it. “ Was your dry comeback. “I know you, Achilles. You live to fight, staying away from the battlefield feels to you like a punishment. I can never keep you for long, not even when war calls you to fight other greeks. Why would it be different this time? You were born for this war, not to labrate the fields and raise goats. If Troy is the fate of greatness that you deserve, I can’t ask you to abandon this life purpose for the sake of our wedding.” 

Despite how much he loved to see people worshiping as a hero, he was very aware to be a man in your eyes. Your approach was realistic and showed how well you knew him, much better than some of the men bleeding with him in war. If you fell for him, you did it knowing what to expect. Begging him to change his nature to fit the requirements of peaceful domesticity was never in your plans and you wouldn’t try it even if you were desperate. 

That didn’t mean he wouldn’t be able to surprise you on occasions, exactly as he did when he proposed to you freshly arrived from the victory against King Triopas and his giant Boagrius. 

“ Do you think I wouldn’t give it all away for you? Then I guess you don’t know me as well as you claim. “ He teased you with insistence. “ I can do well raising horses, I have some magnificent ones already. Do you know that horses are one of the most remarkable exportations of the trojans? If their city gets sacked by greeks and I manage to buy a few of theirs to mix with mine we would get an excellent rare breed. “ 

You cleaned your face and warned him against the mockery. 

“ Don’t play with me! With the memories of your proposal still fresh, fate demands me to let you go. Being your wife is my dream, but I can’t have you knowing I would be destroying everything you worked so hard for. The immortality of your name is a cause bigger than me, the happy marriage we could have had or the children I could have given you. It can’t be a coincidence that this war gets unleashed precisely now, just as we are taking the first step to formalize our union.” 

“ They are pressuring me to choose, it’s true, but the load of this decision lies in the fact that I want both more than anything.” 

Achilles interrupted himself to take your hand, inviting you to abandon the distance you were forcing ever since he began to explain the situation. 

“ I need you by my side, it’s the only vulnerability I have ever allowed myself. A glorifying death doesn’t scare me, but surviving far enough without you would be torture.” 

Your lips parted in sincere amazement for that confession, so unusual of him. 

“ A slow agony. If the war doesn’t kill me first, lovesickness will.” He continued. “ The comfort of lonely men fighting in foreign lands is dreaming with their distant wives at night, the hope of returning to them makes life bearable. I would not have this, from the moment I would board my ship I will be aware you are lost to me. All I would have is the wound of my pierced heart still bleeding love for you and plenty of time to wonder how wonderful it would have been to make you mine… Sooner or later I would lose my mind. Knowing glorious death would be the only comfort already promised to me, I would roam the battlefield searching for it. It’s most likely I would perform incredible acts worthy of being remembered, but I would do it as the insane man who is desperately looking for the warrior meant to kill him. The poets would write for centuries about the madness of Achilles.” 

“ Aren’t they singing that already? Many people have described you as a madman.” You teased him, unsure of how to comfort him. “ Not that I mind, but that is a fact.” 

“ They have no idea, unfulfilled passion would consume me in such an incredible way that Paris would feel a reasonable man hearing about me.” 

He dragged you even closer so he could hold you in his arms and you fell for his touch chuckling sweetly. 

“ Would you be competing against both princes at once while fighting the trojans?” 

“ The warrior prince and the lover boy wish they could compare to me, I win in each one of their expertise areas. “ He followed your provocation, then whispered at you. “ I fight as fiercely as I love. “ 

You bit your bottom lip to avoid an audible response, but your flustered face was speaking for you. For an instant you felt as if nothing had changed between you and you have never heard the terrible omens. 

“... Maybe that’s why no woman is meant to have you, the great goddesses would be jealous. “ You theorized out loud while caressing his cheek. “ It’s too much, like Icharus flying too close to the sun… Although I would be lying if I deny I would gladly burn and fall for you.” 

Achilles stopped the flow of words taking your breath away with kisses that numb your senses, but not your mind. He had the habit of expressing important things in short, ambiguous phrases or not saying anything at all. When the hungry kissing began to escalate and you felt his hands roaming the sides of your body you understood that was his answer. If he would be saying goodbye, he would at least try to keep himself distant to make it easier for both of you. Given that his involvement on the war would ruin your chances to formalize, he would be encouraging you to find someone else. 

 He was pulling up your skirt slowly, evidently searching for the heat underneath. The opposite of what you would need from him if he would be about to leave you, so you stopped him right away because you realized what that meant. 

" This isn't the time to act impulsively. I know you love me as strongly as i love you, but you have to choose what truly matters the most to you. If you decide to stay, others will be making history and maybe the pleasures of the thalamus will not be enough to cure the resentment for what you will be missing. Think carefully, hearts can change and the future wife you adore now can one day become the load that brought you down. " 

Although a sensical objection, that didn't seem to preoccupy him much. 

" Never, you were made for me. The omens were very clear, staying grants me a blissful life with you for the price of letting my name fade. I have only two options: be loved and forgotten or waste my life following the fool's orders until death will reward me with immortal glory. Between spending the rest of my life with you or with Agamemnon, I think it's clear where I would rather be. "

The sacrifice was too great, ultimate proof of his love for you. Behind that relaxed phrasing Achilles attempted to de-dramatize giving up his biggest personal dream for the one you shared, what you still considered wasn’t fair. 

Responding with an equal offer was not only what your heart began to crave, but an alternative solution neither of you had considered. 

“ There has to be another way, your mother never said what I must do in all of this.” 

He wasn’t sure of where you wanted to point, but began to suspect it. 

“ Well, the prophecy was a bit unclear about this part.” 

The mischievous happiness renewed in your eyes let him know you had just found hope in the most insane of places. 

“ Don’t give me that look, this is what happens for leaving you a while alone with Odysseus! Now you think you can outsmart destiny and find me a third end.” 

You smirked with pride before presenting your idea. 

“ I can’t interfere with yours, only my own. If no part is clearly stated for me in this sacred command sent to you, then nothing stops me from choosing one. Instead of having you abandon your dream to stay with me, I’ll follow it with you.” 

His eyes were wide open staring at you, disbelief making him feel you were then playing with him. 

“ Are you telling me we could just get married and board the ship to Troy the morning after our wedding night? What kind of honorable nuptials would that be? When all the wives of the country would be giving their farewell to their husbands, would you follow me like slaves are meant to? War holds no virtuous position for a woman to occupy, it would be a stain to your reputation your parents would curse me for. “ 

“ If your baby cousin can go, so can I.” You justified yourself.” To stop me you will have to stop Patroclus and we know that is not going to happen.” 

The exactitude of your threat made him feel frustrated. Not because he wouldn’t love having you with him, but since he was refusing to publicly humiliate you like that. All Greece would know you were going to be the only wife following her husband to Troy for unexplainable reasons and they could judge your morals. Decent wives were meant to wait for their husbands and take care of their homes, not let passion distract them from their social duties. War camps were masculine places meant to be despised by the women, since their only female presence was typically in a state of degradation. Besides, Helen had already caused a moral breach shaming the greek concept of marriage and that was the reason pushing the fight. People would be judgemental of your relationship, they would question you for immorality and him for lacking authority to make you stay like a normal wife should. 

He wasn’t thinking about him anymore, of protecting his name and the weight of his masculine prestige. He was extremely worried about you and the consequences it could bring when he wouldn’t be there to protect you. 

“ Do you sincerely want to go to Troy and watch me die?” 

“ It’s still better than watching you sail knowing you will never come back.” You terminated in response . “ I have heard the city is built to withstand a ten year siege, enough time for us to have a life together before destiny will reclaim you.” 

Arguing with you was hard, even if the idea was insane you would find ways to make it sound logical. 

“ A camp on the trojan beach is no place to start a family. “ He replicated softly, just letting you know he was trying to make you understand you couldn’t ask that. “ What are we going to do when the children come? Because they will, eventually. If you become my wife no omen of death is going to stop me from making love to you.” 

You smirked innocently, ready to deliver a justification. 

“ I'm not naive, Achilles! Do you think I don’t know what happens in those camps? Captives get pregnant all the time, so it's not impossible to go through it there. It may not be ideal, but I can make it. If you would leave me here and break our relationship to protect me from your fate, you could still put a baby inside your finest war trophy girl.” 

“ And who said I’m leaving?” He questioned you. “ I’m not doing it and I am not breaking up with you. Now stop with this nonsense, my wife can’t be giving birth surrounded by death.” 

“ But trojan women can? Because births aren’t going to stop there. “ You insisted, sitting near and acting as if you were two civil parts on a trial. “ Hector has a baby boy, if he can be a father in this mess so can you.” 

The provocation made him hold a groan, but he turned back and kicked the nearest surface as a frustration release outlet. 

“ It’s different for him, his wife is a princess and they have a city to defend. “ He tried to articulate in fast speaking, doing all he could to not show signs of anger growing because of your stubbornness. “ I don’t want you to have the life of a war captive, to denigrate yourself for me.” 

It was very sweet, you were feeling his pain but he had to understand yours too. 

“ As long as you are still breathing I will not accept a life without you. When the time comes I will embrace grief, but I’ll cry for you as your widow. In the meantime I don't want no one else, I’ll have the ground of your tent as thalamus and I’ll have your children.” 

He gave a few steps towards you, presenting one more solid concern. 

“ What will be of all of you when I'm gone?” 

That should have been a strong preoccupation making you desist, but it didn’t. 

“ We will be alright. They will inherit your share of the sacking, we know your death is linked to the fall of Troy so I can assume we will win something. Given that the House of Aeacus would possess fresh new heirs to renew the bloodline, I may even be able to bargain with Agamemnon the throne of Phthia for one of them. He hates you, but he would not be politically capable to refuse if you become the maximum fallen hero of the war he just won.” 

At that point he felt true powerlessness because he just couldn’t convince you out of it for your own good. 

“ They can’t grow in a warzone, think of the ruthless people they will become.  Those kids would not know any better until it would be too late for them. I don’t want a soulless soldier as heir, people saying Achilles’ son has surpassed the brutality of the father.” 

“ Let our little monsters run free through the camp, they will turn out fine if we guide them right. “ You imagined out loud, not scared at all by the dark warning. “ I can’t wait to see them messing around, you will be in tears the first time one of them will grab a wooden sword trying to copy their father.” 

Illusion was starting to make his negative stance harder to maintain, he loved what you were saying. It sounded so wonderful that he couldn’t help find some sensical feeling in it. There was only one detail you haven’t solved for his resistance to fall completely. 

“ How would I fight the enemy worried for you? You will be the only married woman around thousands of men and although I'm terrifying to most of them, I can’t keep control at all times. Some of those men will not be myrmidons, they will not know who you are.” 

“ That’s the best part: I’ll keep Patroclus bussy.” You announced with excitement, knowing well he wouldn’t resist it. “ I know you don’t trust him in an open battleground yet, but he would not accept being left behind so you have to take him or he would never forgive you. With me on board you have a safe mission to give him that would keep him away from combat but still make him feel a hero. By the time you will judge him ready to charge into battle my presence will be naturalized and his vigilant eye won’t be needed anymore.” 

Hope was truly hitting him because he started to feel as if the crazy plan could work if you all would make it work out. Most of the persons he loved the most could be with him for the rest of his lifetime, making the surviving gap before the consecration worth living. His little cousin, his best friend and his wife along with his future children all gathered like some warrior family. 

A taste of happiness before the end, walk the two roads simultaneously into a third fate. 

“ Blessed be your stubbornness, you wonderful woman! “ He praised you, surprise making his attitude switch as he rushed towards you. “ How can you be in every detail? You are insane, but I love you. I don’t deserve you, I can’t believe this.” 

He made you smile and by that point you knew you were about to win. 

“What exactly? My incredible ingeniousness, my gorgeous looks?” 

“ That you love me so much, '' He admitted, then picked you up bridal style. “ That you will be my wife and I will brag about having you to both greeks and trojans. I will not rest until you will be the most honored person in that camp alongside me, your sacrifice will be part of my legend and maybe that will be my start to repay you. “ 

His immense gratitude was making you chuckle due to the unusual intensity, but he wouldn’t stop. 

“ I’ll love you to my last breath, I promise you that.” 

You were all smiles while caressing the strands of hair falling at the sides of his face. 

“That’s all I want. No other payment you can offer matters to me because my will for sacrifice comes from love, just like yours.” You purred blissfully. “ Let’s not worry about the future, let’s just take this one kiss at a time.” 

Mesmerized as he was, he replied against your lips. 

“ I like how that sounds.” 

[bones4thecats]

Champa🧨fluff?

DBS! Champa Fluff Quote ; "Why Them?"

Character: Champa (Dragon Ball Super) Requester: 🧨Anon A/N: You are now 🧨Anon. Now, enjoy <3 ⚠️ Spoilers/Trigger Warnings for: Pure fluff for our chonky god of destruction ⚠️ P.S: The Reader is like Champa (a cat), but is based on a Birman

╔══════════════════════════════════════════╗

╚═════ Champa ══════════════════════════════╝

🧨 You and Champa had been together for many years, about 2 million to be exact. How have you lived so long? You may be asking. Well, you were blessed with immortality and forever youth by Zen'o, who began to see you as a motherly-figure centuries prior and wanted you to be by his side forever

🧨 You were by no means as powerful as the young Omni-King, but you could pack a punch with your shapeshifting and time-manipulation abilities. And that was one thing that Champa admired about you, your strength

🧨 When he first asked you out, you were shell-shocked. You were close to many of the Gods, creation or destruction, but you never expected that one would like you in any way beyond the friend-zone

🧨 Due to the shock and uncertainty, you said you would go out with him, but it was not the start of a relationship. You wanted to make sure that your feelings were aligned with his own, to which he was fine with

🧨 Champa had taken you to get something to eat back in his universe, Universe 6. You found the universe to be sad and beautiful looking in a unique mix, and the people who made you both your food were happy that they did well. They didn't want their planet destroyed because of a mishap...

🧨 He doesn't admit it, but he acts a lot like Beerus in his own ways. Such as; they do not like it when their S/O is not happy, it makes them either uncomfortable (due to not comforting others in the past) or they panic because of said issue

🧨 Speaking of Beerus, it was a very fun first meeting. And I mean that

🧨 Champa had mentioned the other cat many times, to which you always smiled and swayed your tail in interest. You weren't that close to Beerus, he was more of a loner out of the other Destruction Gods, but, with Champa's help, you wanted to get to know the purple feline

🧨 You both had arrived in Universe 7, and you were overjoyed to see Goku and his oldest son, Gohan. They both grew up in such horrible situations, and witnessed so many tragedies, but that didn't stop them from being good people, which you admired so much

🧨 Your boyfriend was not amused to see how close you were to the two, so, in his natural jealous-state, he was walked up behind you and hugged you from behind. Smiling as your ears puckered up and your pupils went from wide to normal as he nuzzled into your neck

"Wait-wait-wait! Are you guys?!" Goku asked, a giddy jump coming out.

"You'd be correct. But don't tell Beerus yet, we'll tell him later." You replied, feeling Champa nod in your neck as you chuckled.

"Your secret is safe with us, right Dad?" Gohan asked, looking at Goku, whom just nodded and smiled before running off to his daughter-in-law, Videl, and granddaughter, Pan.

🧨 The rest of the day went well, even when Beerus and Whis arrived, which made you feel more at ease, but felt more anxiety settle in your mind

🧨 Champa had told you that he was going to speak with his brother alone, saying it was more of a brother-to-brother thing to explain. To which you nodded and continued to play around with Pan

🧨 Beerus was laying in a hammock that was set up by the shade when he heard his brother approaching him. He opened his eyes and sighed, sitting up to ask his brother what he wanted

"I just wanted you to know what me and Y/N stand at. You are my brother... somehow..."

"I should be saying that. And if it's that you're dating, I know. Goku wouldn't stop raving about it earlier."

"That little- wait. You're not mad?"

"I don't really care, to be honest. But, I need to ask you one thing."

"What?"

"Why them?"

🧨 Looking over at you as you picked Pan up and tossed her in the air towards Piccolo, who was waiting to catch her and toss her up to Goku then back down and up again in a telephone-game set-up

"Why anyone else when they exist?"

[mapofthemazeinthemirror]

TXT with a vampire significant other

warnings: vampire reader, mentions of mortality?, blood not mentioned :)

note: I don't know where they come from, but the vampire thoughts keep coming! More Beomgyu x vampire reader on my 18+ nsfw blog!

☆ gender neutral

Even after you've been together a few years, you still catch Soobin admiring you as if he's smitten; your beauty and grace never wear off for him, and he still gets a little flustered and stuttery. You know he would spend every second of the rest of his life by your side, but you still want him to properly live it, not hide away with you all the time. So you let him introduce you to his friends, hard as it is for you to be around humans, and tag along to spend time with them for as long as you can stand. You find it gets easier each time, and more worth it to see your boyfriend laughing and enjoying time with his buddies.

Though Yeonjun knows you can't cry, he seems to be tuned in to your emotions. It's as if he can sense when you're upset. He knows you're older than him—though you've only given him a ballpark figure of just how many years you've seen—but, you're still his baby. He never lets you wall him out; even if you think it's too disturbing for a human to hear or he won't be able to understand, he wants to try. As the only person who knows your true nature, he wants to be someone you can open up to, tell all your secrets and fears to. He feels he can take it, because he loves you.

Beomgyu wants to hear all the stories—the real, true ones, not legends and lore that he can find on the internet that could just be foktales—and he wants to hear them from you. So many late nights are spent talking, Beomgyu mostly listening and throwing out questions and comments to your information. He listens so intently, eyes growing wider and wider, wrapping you even more around his little finger, especially when he breaks into an impressed smile during your recounts of things you've seen or done. When it's very late and Beomgyu refuses to sleep, too enthralled by the conversation, you retort to a little trickery; you gently brush your fingers through his hair over and over until his eyes start to grow heavy, continuing to talk in your quiet musical voice, until you've lulled him off into a deep sleep.

Taehyun has always been the strong one, but with his vampire partner, he often forgets that he's weaker and more vulnerable. Despite his love being immortal, he still acts in a protective way of them; walking on the side of the sidewalk on which he can shield them from threatening looking oncoming foot traffic, doing the heavier and more dangerous jobs around the house. It's natural to him. He doesn't even consider the fact that you don't need him to do these things. He won't admit it, but he's a little embarrassed that you can lift him off the ground with such ease.

Huening Kai is big and clumsy, while you are graceful and dexterous. You're always catching things he knocks over or drops before they can hit the floor, Kai apologising every time he notices your quick save. You just kiss his cheek and reassure him with a smile. The two of you are so in love, and Kai can't help but think about the future—the one where you live forever and he doesn't. It pangs his heart, the thought of you moving on and finding someone else after he's gone, and he often has nightmares about it. It takes a while for him to come clean about the context of the dreams you wake him from, and you're quick to make him understand that falling in love is not something you do often, with vampires or humans. It's just something that happened because you happened to meet him.

written by mapofthemazeinthemirror - do not repost my work in any form

[0nlythrowharrybeaux]

The Divine Feminine II - Welcome to Hell (Sneak Peek)

Guuuuuys I was supposed to post this for Halloween but could not finish it since I had a busy weekend and then a busy workday today! However, here is a sneak peek! Hopefully I can finish writing it in the next few days and post it all!

Read: The Divine Feminine** - Amidst his sadness after his wife leaves the Underworld, Hades (Harry) encounters a human woman who brings him to his knees.

No warnings for the sneak peek:)

WC: 1.1k

“You’re everything.” He mumbled against her ear and she tangled their fingers together, “Wish you could be with me forever.” He sighed.

This made her smile. Y/N had never really felt like she had a place in the world. She had always struggled to fit in, to find a place in it where she felt like belonged completely, maybe she wasn’t meant for this earth? But she had no idea what Harry’s world was like. She was curious, but she also realized that in order to be down there she’d have to die and she didn’t want to die. Not yet at least. There were so many things that she still wanted to do and experience…like tornado chase, travel to Europe, or see her favorite band live at least once. As much as she had grown to love him, he was Hades. He transcended time, he was the god of the underworld. He was the ruler of the afterlife, the highest judge in the universe, at the end of their life every single being answered to him for the way they’d spent their time. He was justice. He was vengeance. He was a god. It baffled her that a being as simple and fragile as her could even catch his eye.

“You shouldn’t think so highly of me, love.” He spoke quietly and she smiled.

“And why not?” She inquired.

“You’ll make me too arrogant.” 

“As if you needed any help with that.” She quipped with a grin and he swatted the side of her thigh quickly and she giggled. "You should stop hearing my thoughts." she reminded him.

“I want to show you my world. Everything that I can offer you whenever you’re ready to join me.” He said, completely ignoring her little reminder because of course he was going to continue reading her thoughts.

“What if I’m old and gray by then?” She questioned and he squeezed her tighter.

“I can become old and gray too or restore you to whatever age you desire to be.” He said and she hummed.

“That’s fascinating.”

“It is.” He agreed, “You know, there’s…a spell that can grant you temporary immortality. I could learn more about it and perform it on you, that way you can see everything there is to see.”

“Hmmm… a vacation to hell? Sounds nice.” She said teasingly and he chuckled and kissed her bare shoulder.

“S’paradise too, you know?” He said.

“I thought that was Olympus.”

“No, that’s where most of the other deities live.” He explained and she hummed in understanding.

“Is it dangerous? The spell?” She asked.

“I don’t know, I’ll have to consult Hecate, she’s one of the goddesses that also dwells in the underworld. That’s her area. We can weigh out the pros and cons together.”

“Alright, it’s worth looking into I think.” She decided, “And what about your wife? The first day of Autumn is just two days away.” She pointed out and he hummed.

“I’ll talk to her. Tell her about you. I think she’ll be glad that I’ve found someone other than her to keep me happy.” 

***********

Every time Persephone made her descent back to the realm of the Underworld Hades would throw a bash for her. It was an absolute lavish feast and everyone was a huge part of it, Admittedly, Hades had been very distracted with his favorite, little human so he only had two days to plan this feast whereas before he encountered Y/N, he’d begin planning at least a month in advance.  As soon as Hades arrived back in his realm one of his fellow deities conjured themselves.

“Are we having the feast or not?” Thanatos asked.

“Yes. I know I’ve been gone a lot-”

“Don’t worry, we’ve got it. The dead remain dead, all is in order.” He assured his friend and Hades smiled.

“Thank you.”

“You deserve this. You never have your fun.” He said and Hades chuckled.

“Let’s ummm, make this feast more intimate, yeah?”

“Alright.”

“And ummm, let’s search through Elysium and the Meadows for some musicians. Just the better ones.” Hades said and Thanatos nodded.

“Nyx and Erebos did start setting up the great hall in their home a few days ago.”

“And your brother?”

“Wandering about the world. After you were gone more than a week he also took a leave. We shouldn’t count on him for any of this.” Thanatos said of Hypnos.

“Alright, fair enough.” Hades chuckled.

“I must tell you, Persephone is a bit…unsettled.” Thanatos warned. 

“Why?”

“Hecate overheard Eros bragging about “striking the ruler of the underworld with his arrow to fall in love with a human”. Boastful little prick…” he huffed and Hades sighed, “Ever eager to gossip, Hecate mentioned this to Persephone, or so I’ve been told by Hermes.” Thanatos explained.

“Unbelievable.”

“I told them it was just Eros being a prick. We all know how bitter he still is over Persephone’s rejection all those millennia ago…” 

“Can I be honest?” Hades said and Thanatos nodded.

“Of course.”

“He’s not just being a boastful prick…I think he succeeded.” Thanatos was shocked to hear this. 

Anyone who knew the pair knew that the one with an unwavering and undying devotion in this marriage was Hades. He never even thought to gaze upon another being. And anyone who knew Persephone knew that despite her mostly pleasant and benevolent manner, she had inherited the jealously and wrath of her father, Zeus. She could be cold and senseless in her wrath. Hades knew this and it worried him for Y/N.

“If what you say is true then your human is in danger.” Thanatos said solemnly.

**********

Hades had been unsettled after his conversation with Thanatos. He had mentioned to Y/N that he would be rather busy until Persephone’s return and she fully understood this, but he needed someone to protect her from any possible attacks that his wife might hurl at the unsuspecting and fragile human who had his heart. 

Typically he would call on his own wife or Hecate when something or something required the utmost protection, but these two were the ones who’d been consorting all summer long and likely had turned against him to some extent. Persephone was reasonable, maybe he could convince her to not harm Y/N. But what worried him was that she was all alone on earth without anyone there to guard her. Hades wasn’t all that excellent in his practice of spells, but he did find himself at his altar, performing a spell for Soteria - the spirit of deliverance and protection - for Y/N. Being Hades, the spirit realm was always more susceptible to his wishes. And it gave him peace to know that his offering was accepted. 

[wanderingmind867]

Following the Crisis, god revokes the Phantom Stranger and Destiny's powers, terrified of having them make humanity equal to him. Intimidating the other gods of the universe into not giving the stranger and destiny any sanctuary, the only place they can safely hide out is with Madame Xanadu at her in greenwich village.

This would be the backstory for the solo book about the stranger, destiny and madame xanadu fighting for answers that the universe seems to be desperately hiding from them. This series would feature all the phantom stranger's old supporting characters. Doctor Thirteen and his wife (who are still skeptics, but who still try to help the stranger find answers), and Cassandra Craft (who successfully manages to score a job with Madame Xanadu, learning magic and serving as her assistant).

But the book would eventually lead to the creation of a team like the justice league dark (and that team might become the focus of the book instead). I don't know if they'd go by that name explicitly (we may use a different name not so explicitly associated with the Justice League), but they'd come to exist. A team of five initial founders, who pursue answers to all their troubled existences together. These five founders are as follows:

The Phantom Stranger: Twin Brother to Destiny, god punished these two for being too intelligent, granting man knowledge that made god fear they would eclipse him in power. As punishment, he killed their whole community and wiped their memories. Then he cursed the stranger to wander the earth forever, never having a home ever again.

But now the stranger is freed from the curse. He remembers his past, although he's lost most of his powers. He's now just a simple magician with the same amount of strength as a mortal like zatanna, but he's still on the hunt for answers as to how to regain his lost powers and take revenge on god.

Destiny: Twin Brother to the Phantom Stranger, god punished him just the same way he punished the stranger. Except instead of cursing him to wander the earth forever, Destiny was cursed to never leave a musty old house at the edge of infinity. From that house he would read and guard the cosmic log. He would never be freed of it, as god had him permanently shackled to the book.

But Destiny is finally free of the log. His shackles are gone, and he's free of that horrible house! But just like his twin, he's lost his many great magical powers. He's pretty much just a normal mortal again, but that doesn't mean he's stopped looking for answers. He will get answers as to what god did to him and his brother, and as to how they can get their powers back.

Madame Xanadu: Born Urania Kothari, the woman who'd become Madame Xanadu was originally just a romani woman in europe. Her mother was a skilled sorceress, and she was the product of her mother's brief affair with a demon. She never had any real interactions with the demonic side of her family, but she did learn magic from her mother. And her half demon heritage meant her magic skills were somehow even more powerful and potent then her mothers. She was a skilled sorceresses and dealer with the cards.

But one day, she fell in love with the child of a priest. When the community found out, her mother and her love were both burned alive. Urania was almost killed too, but a god took pity on her and saved her by giving the gift of immortality. He also gave her a new identity as a fortune teller in colonial america, allowing her to blend in and escape her fate. Now she uses her magic powers to help all those desperate souls who come to her shop.

When the phantom stranger and destiny are stripped of their powers, only Madame Xanadu is willing to take them in. She allows them to continue their quest for knowledge from her store. She's their immortal guardian, ensuring god doesn't touch them and harm them before they can get answers. She's also the closest thing this team has to a leader.

Cassandra Craft: Cassandra Craft was a blind girl with the power to sense things and see them the way they truly are. A psychic of the highest order, Cassandra was the first person in centuries to befriend the phantom stranger and try travelling with him. He tried to reject her by faking his death, not wanting her to hold a candle for him (an immortal wanderer who could never return her love).

Cassandra and the Stranger have moved on from any romantic attraction nowadays, but they're still very close friends. And when the stranger lost his powers, Cassandra sensed it. She felt something strange happen to her friend, and she trailed his psychic emanations all the way to madame xanadu's shop. She insisted on helping the stranger and destiny discover their fates, and she successfully scored a job as madame xanadu's assistant. And meanwhile, she's in training to become a powerful sorceress in her own right.

Deadman (Boston Brand): Boston Brand was a circus performer gunned down in his prime. But instead of being allowed to rest, some eastern deity named rama kushna forced deadman to stay on earth and hunt down his killer. They wouldn't let him have eternal peace until he did that. So for years, deadman was forced to hunt down his killer, all in the hopes that he'd finally be allowed to have some form of eternal rest.

But the funny thing is: even after he finds his killer, rama kushna refuses to let him rest. No, they turn him into their virtual errand boy! Trapped on earth doing inane things for a god is not how Boston Brand wanted to spend his afterlife, but here he is! Sometimes he's downright suicidal, just wanting to have rest. But since he's a ghost, he can't even have that! No, he's cursed to wander earth forever, always invisible to the naked eye. He's seen so much…and he just wants some goddamn rest.

So when he heard about the stranger and destiny being stripped of their power, he decides he wants to at least check on them and try to help them (seeing as the stranger had helped him multiple times in the past). But Rama Kushna wouldn't let him visit them, since they wanted to stay in the good books with the god who cursed them. But deadman could care less about rama kushna, at this point. He goes to see them anyways!

But in going to see the stranger and destiny, rama kushna exiles him too. Nanda Parbat will never be open to him if he continues aiding the stranger. But deadman could care less. At least the stranger seems to care about him! Rama Kushna is the jerk that's kept him eternal rest for decades! They can go to hell, for all he cares!

So these are the five founding members of the justice league dark (or whatever i would want to call this team). They'd meet other people in the supernatural world too (etrigan might become a member later, for example), but these would be the core five. The ones we always see. A tight knit team of people just looking for answers, and a sense of peace.

[dracocheesecake]

Beside The Lake

Summary: Daiyu Long tells Kai a story. What is hidden within, however, is lost on him.

"My family has a story about how we got our name," Daiyu said.

It had been sudden and arbitrary. Kai glanced at her from the corner of his eye. He had a stick in hand, and was using it to poke at the algae that was growing on the surface of the lake with the typical thoughtless violence of a child.

"Hm?" Both a curious grunt and sanction to continue.

Daiyu looked down and stirred the water with her tail.

"Once," she began, "long ago, there was a deep, dark pool. Inside the pool lived a dragon with scales as dark as the depths she swam in, and she was as ancient as those waters, for she was immortal. For years she hid herself from all other eyes- except for two.

For everyday, in the early light of dawn, a young water monitor would come to swim in her pool. He was fast and graceful in the water- almost as much as she. She liked to watch him, looking up at the glittering surface from the depths as his lithe form seemed to dance sinuously through beams of sunlight. Everyday, without fail, he would come, and everyday, she would watch him, floating closer and closer- but never close enough to reveal herself.

But one day, he saw her. She knew it, and yet instead of diving down into the darkest fathomless depths to escape his gaze, she swam to him. They swam together from that point onward, and never again was the pool a lonely place.

Years passed. The dragoness stayed always and forever the same. The lizard did not. If you know how age touches any mortal, you will know how it began to touch him.

The dragoness knew that soon he would go the way to the other realm, as so many before and after him had and would. But he had touched her heart and soul as no other had before; she could not live out her endless existence without him in it, he who had made it worthwhile.

And so she shed her immortality, and for him became a mortal water monitor, living out the rest of their shared life together- and it was a very long and happy one, as their children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren can all attest. That is why we are known as the Longs.”

Daiyu's voice faded. Silence echoed over the still lake. Kai broke it by snorting.

"Wow. She was stupid," Kai said.

Again, there was that echoing silence, this time veiled by Daiyu’s simmering disappointment. Her tongue flickered in and out.

“...She did it because she loved him,” she said, for now keeping her tone calm and even, as always.

Kai nodded. He stirred the waters below them with the stick, creating a small slimy whirlpool and sending it over to gently entangle the end of her tail.

“Yeah, I got that part,” Kai said, “and it was stupid, to trade her immortality. Now she’s dead, too.”

Daiyu clenched her jaw. Her claws started tapping against the wooden dock beneath them. “Yes,” she agreed, “but only because she realized that a life without love in it, even an endless one, wasn’t worth living. The point of the story-”

“I know the point of the story, and it was stupid. You don’t need to explain it to me,” Kai said, his tone taking on a slight edge in his budding irritation. He looked back over the lake, tapping the stick he held on his knee.

"I guess I couldn't expect you to understand," Daiyu said. There was bitterness in her tone she didn't try to hide.

Kai turned and looked into her eyes. His were as cold as the water, and hard as ice.

"No," he said, "I understand better than anyone what that is. That's how I know."

His words were raw and his voice dark. It froze her silent. That hard gaze held her, and in that hold came the realization. He had been hurt by something similar but wrong, centuries ago, and even endless age had never healed the wounds. The understanding, silently reached, kept them as statues. They stared at each other for a long moment, until Kai broke away.

But before he had turned his head to resume his scry of the lake, she had noticed something- shining, wet glimmers in the corners of his eyes. He sniffed, once.

"...Anyway, I hope we're both smarter than that, now."

Daiyu didn't respond. She knew she wasn't, but she wouldn't argue with him, knowing already what he would say.

[tgrailwar-zero]

"Goodnight, Masters! Rest well!"

As you said goodnight to KUKULKAN, you drifted into unconsciousness.

Darkness. Nothingness.

Quiet... before the sound of footsteps.

Distant, yet near.

Not a dream, but a memory. Faded, but clearer.

Followed by a smell.

...The smell of blood permeated the air.

Corpses, slowly decaying away into data lay strewn across the streets, as bloodstained footsteps wandered forward. The source of the carnage came from one Servant.

An ASSASSIN, his blade drenched red.

He stepped in front of a glowing form.

The LAIR SERVANT.

The gaze of the LAIR SERVANT was intense. His voice tried to keep calm, but wavered ever so slightly.

LAIR SERVANT: "So, that's why you ended all of those lives? To draw me out?"

The ASSASSIN chuckled, the red glow from his eyes piercing the LAIR SERVANT.

ASSASSIN: "…'Lives'? These are a bunch of ones and zeroes that you're playin' dolls with. Killin' them was nothin' like killin' a person- twice as boring and nowhere near as hard. C'mon, you brought them back before-- do it again. I'll do it as many times as it takes, before you burn out your mana on that punk-ass Noble Phantasm of yours."

You could feel the hatred burn from the LAIR SERVANT as he raised a hand, a divine light shimmering from it.

His anger had reached its peak, and now the wrath of a Divine Spirit was imminent.

LAIR SERVANT: "This paradise… this Solar Cell… you Interlopers have come to selfishly destroy it. Destroy this paradise where nobody has to die! A place where I can forever develop the heights of my medicine, and create a true elixir of immortality!"

The LAIR SERVANT continued to burn, a divine flame sourced from a cursed bloodline beginning to leak out from his body. This was desperation. He had wasted his energy throwing wave after wave of Shadow Servants, and then reluctantly the undead corpses of the villagers that had been killed in a ploy to force the LAIR SERVANT's hand. It was an intense brutal strategy that resulted in plenty of wanton 'death', however- it was effective. And now the LAIR SERVANT, either too weak or too sentimental to conjure up the decaying data around them into more undead, was on his last legs.

However, it would be hard to tell with just a look.

ASSASSIN: "What a shame. I figured you'd have noticed by now. Thanks to my Masters, the more blood you throw at me, the more revitalized I become. Sorry."

The ASSASSIN took a step forward, fully unsheathing his blade. The mana around him distorted, burning with an otherworldly intensity. A faint form shimmer behind him, the intensity of two, burning Spirit Origins intertwining and fighting for the same cause, allowing his shine to match up against the divine light of the LAIR SERVANT.

This whole time, while the LAIR SERVANT had been trying to wear down ASSASSIN, the opposite had happened. ASSASSIN was growing stronger and healthier, staying in peak physical shape after each kill. …You're recalling something about ASSASSIN's condition…!

[ This is T-SUMMONING ] [ T-Summoning is a trait inherent to your Master status, due to the protocol you went through to reach the Solar Cell. Fusing two Spirit Origins together to create a more powerful Servant. The resulting Servant possesses the highest statistics of both fused Servants, however this power comes at an intense mana cost. This can either be ended once the Servant triggers their Noble Phantasm, runs out of mana to supply the boost, or can be stopped manually. However, either a contract needs to be made with both Servants, or a Servant's Spirit Core is captured before it's destroyed. Additionally, the maximum HP and MP is raised by 2! ] [ ASSASSIN is currently equipped with the 'PHANTOM COUNTESS' Spirit Core! ]

This was it.

The LAIR SERVANT was in your way, but once he was killed, that would be one more key- and one more path opened to the Solar Cell Core.

ASSASSIN: "Alright, Masters. Time to end this!"

( '5-option polls' function similarly to 4-option polls, with the fifth option usually involving triggering or cancelling a specific skill. If the 5th option doesn't win out, the voting percentage for that option will be evenly dispersed among the first 4, and then the success results will be calculated like if the poll had only 4 options. )

SERVANT: SLAYING ASSASSIN

T-SUMMONED: [PHANTOM COUNTESS]

Strength: C Endurance: D Agility: A (Raised from B) Mana: C (Raised from E) Luck: D (Raised from E) NP: B (Raised from C)

HP: 7/5

MP: 9/7

Maximum Damage (Strength): 7 (Increased due to the amount of blood present!) Maximum Damage (Mana): 7 (Increased due to the amount of blood present!)

Skills:

Man-Slayer (A) - A sword skill specialized in cutting down humans.

Mind's Eye (Fake) (C) - The skill to avoid danger through pure intuition.

Swordplay as Swift and Powerful as a Falcon (A) - The renowned, unmatched, unique swordsman style of ASSASSIN.

Torture Technique (A) - The deep understanding and precise execution regarding methods of torture, when using torture tools, the efficacy is increased.

Bloodsucking (C) - The act of absorbing another's blood to restore one's own vitality.

Bath of Fresh Blood (A) - This Servant becomes even more effective when drenched in blood.

[dramarants]

trying to come to terms with the bewildering final 10 minutes of tteotm:

first and foremost, undeniably, the technical and narrative execution this ep was choppy, weirdly paced, ambiguous (not in a cool OE way, just literally hard to follow - how are we in the tomb, why is she back in devil bride attire, where did the scale in the last shots come from, why did qingyu's fucking hair need to turn blond, pang yizhi what did you finally understand cuz I sure as hell don't??) and left a lot of loose threads. with all the build up to his sacrifice, you want some sort of twist or surprise but nothing comes. the ending is so abrupt and this is always and forever gonna leave a bitter taste in my mouth.

the last eps especially emphasized legacy and, with li susu returning as a goddess, I must assume the immortal realm learned the truth about ttj's sacrifices and believed it. ttj gets his roses.

I'm gonna pretend ttj explained the zhaoyou situation to her too

in fact if we're in imaginary land jiwu grew the fuck up and, upon realizing the depth of ttj's friendship in spite of everything, becomes riddled in guilt for a while and fiercely protects ttj's memory

a child!! literally how to carry a legacy and memories into future generations

ttj's destiny was to suffer and resent the world + give up his body and soul to carry out the devil god's will

instead, he embraced the light, learned to cherish the world, bore other's resentment in his final trial (strength that I sure as hell don't have! even saving jiwu from himself!) he remained in control of himself, choosing to sacrifice his body to stop the devil god's plans

the love was there and for once, to break a cycle of pain and sin, overcome the consequences in the mortal world, for ttj and lss, it was fucking enough!

by destroying the evil bone in his final moments he prevents the devil god from ever returning, truly the world's savior

his death was mostly on his own terms, with purpose he didn't have before

saving a part of his divine essence in the scale to continue to protect susu was a full circle moment

in fact ttj embodies mingye in a ridiculous number of ways by the end, from his actions to his values down to his clothes, yet another way to stick it to the devil god fate

he looks at peace in his last shot during the battle and in the scale

they had to cut scenes and therefore couldn't elaborate on the post all-in-distress world

or dedicate the 30s it takes to show him regrow from the scale or something lbfad style 🤧

it seems like he could hear susu when she was speaking to the kid? so he can follow his wife and daughter's lives knowing he's loved and respected until his return that I am headcanoning??

by being in the scale, he keeps his promise to stay by her side forever and accompany her in moving forward through parenthood and the ordinary life he dreamed of

in fact ttj never has to defend himself or put up with bs again, his fight is over and he gets to watch a harmonious world that he and susu made possible

susu my girl, having faith in him and understanding everything immediately and wishing to meet him again

bearing the cross of the only living god and continuing, again, their legacy, protecting their love and the world

she was ready to die with him!! like!! fuck till death do us part I'll share your burden let's embrace and face the end together!! a sparkle bathed version of ttj trying to die with her in ep 29!!

nothing can come between them anymore they fricking ensured that

plus them in the heavenly realm, the only two gods existing, removed from the world and basking in that moment where the devil god no longer exists and it isn't a dream 😭

the tomb scene was so heartbreaking in the good way

these characters have been on such an incredible, unhinged journey and looking back, there's so much more to unpack and appreciate

ugh it's not a bad ending cuz it's sad, I mean how many of us predicted he'd die for the greater good a long time back, it's just the way it ultimately played out was... somehow disappointing

but you know what I enjoyed the path here so much and can imagine their path ahead enough to forgive it and continue loving tantai jin and li susu and tteotm overall anyway

[motionjames]

Writing this here since it might be (thematic) spoilers, this is just an insane ramble regarding my creative process as I continue working on Sorekara. Anime catholocism that devolves into poetic drivel.

Whenever I start a story, I always decide exactly how it will end: "the two will say goodbye with a kiss. they will never see each other again. and so it goes." That sounds sort of sad but the truth is that I dont understand why people who love each other have to be together forever. I understand why people would want it, but is it always necessary? Isnt it enough to carry the memory...?

For numerous reasons, I've always struggled to experience time in a linear fashion. My affection for some one will be as bright as the day I met them, even if I havent seen them in years. I have difficulty telling when I'm dreaming and when I'm awake at times, and I sleep entire days away and work through the nights. My love and bitterness never fade. Time isnt so much as a consistant flow as it is a sequence of frames I can revisit at any time, tracing the lines and feeling the feelings anew. That's right, life is a sequence of many pictures, physical and real and undying. That's what I think about often.

So when writing stories I think often of goodbyes. They can take the gifts with them and continue to collect the memories. As I continue filling in the picture of Sorekara, the more I see how it's a story of taking and giving and faith and time.

We have a man who has so much love and nowhere to put it. We have a creature that is defined by emptiness. We have a sequence of tragedies that live fresh as the day they were carved and there is no way of reversing them. But there is still a kindness that prevails thanks to the gifts theyve recieved: a matchbox of melodies tucked into the breast pocket; a hand with a heartbeat; a shoulder to lean on; a paper flower; a mural found; a phantom revisited; a promise of something that can never come true. Each gift solidifies that moment in time. The man believes in a false miracle and one day, despite its impossibility, his friend becomes it. The roles reverse. A man who learns how to accept a miracle, and a person who learns how to give.

My sister asked me if there was a common theme in my work ("besides trains!") and I thought about it for a minute. I said, "maybe the message is that God is real but He has abandoned us...but maybe the real God was the people we met along the way?"

It's the same in Prayers: a girl presents an impossible promise and boy who desperately needs it believes her. There's a quote from a later on--

"A lie is a just a promies for the future I wish you could have!"

Does this make sense? I'm going on all over the place now. But to sum it up, my characters are keen to believe the lies others feed them because those lies are wonderful gifts. Everyone is so keen to give something to each other because their stop is coming soon. Everyone believes in angels because the world would be wonderful if they were real-- the kinds with feathers and halos, not the ones that exist within their reality. Even the angels want to believe. So everyone survives through fabricated fantasies. But because of others, a sliver of that fantasy can become real. A paper flower, painted red, held between the fingers. My gift to you. My little bit of godhood.

So time continues, and the two travelers say goodbye with a kiss. They will never see each other again. But the memory can be revisited, and in that immortal frame-- in the space eliminated-- time stops-- the image is burned into the mind-- the two powerless souls created a miracle-- in the image, there was something higher than God. It was something only a human can make.

The moment passes. But it never really dies.

"My little bit of godhood. That's my gift to you."

[aryavarta112]

Top 10 Matching Tattoos for Couples This Valentine’s Day

Valentine's Day is the perfect occasion to celebrate love, and what better way to express your bond than with matching tattoos for couples? Tattoos symbolize commitment and serve as a lasting reminder of your special connection. However, not everyone is ready for a permanent tattoo. That’s where waterproof temporary tattoo in India options come in, allowing couples to enjoy stylish designs without long-term commitment.

Whether you're looking for something romantic, playful, or meaningful, we have curated the top 10 matching tattoos for couples to inspire your Valentine’s Day ink.

1. Infinity Symbols

The infinity symbol represents endless love and connection. Many couples opt for this timeless design, adding initials or important dates to make it more personal. If you’re unsure about a permanent tattoo, a waterproof temporary tattoo in India is a great way to try it out first.

2. King and Queen Crowns

A royal-themed tattoo is a perfect way to signify your power couple status. A simple crown on each partner’s wrist, finger, or behind the ear can be a stylish and elegant choice. With matching tattoos for couples, you can showcase your love in a subtle yet regal way.

3. Lock and Key

A lock-and-key tattoo symbolizes that your partner is the only one who holds the key to your heart. This design can be customized with intricate details to make it unique. If you prefer a temporary option, try a waterproof temporary tattoo in India that mimics the real ink.

4. Sun and Moon

The sun and moon tattoo is perfect for couples who believe in balance and harmony. The sun represents warmth and energy, while the moon symbolizes calmness and mystery. This celestial pairing is one of the most meaningful matching tattoos for couples available.

5. Puzzle Pieces

Like two puzzle pieces that fit perfectly, this tattoo represents how you complete each other. Puzzle piece tattoos can be done in various sizes and placements, making them a versatile and fun choice. If you’re hesitant about commitment, a waterproof temporary tattoo in India will let you experiment with different designs before going permanent.

6. Heartbeats

Heartbeat tattoos, also known as ECG or EKG line tattoos, symbolize the rhythm of love. You can get each other’s heartbeat inked or merge your heartbeat lines into one continuous design. These matching tattoos for couples are a subtle yet romantic way to showcase your connection.

7. Anchors

Anchors represent stability and strength, making them a popular tattoo choice for couples who keep each other grounded. Whether you want a small, minimalist anchor or a more elaborate design, a waterproof temporary tattoo in India allows you to test different styles before making a decision.

8. Roman Numerals

Roman numeral tattoos are perfect for couples who want to immortalize special dates like anniversaries or the day they first met. This sleek and sophisticated design makes for one of the best waterproof temporary tattoo in India looking for something understated yet meaningful.

9. Half-Butterflies

A half-butterfly tattoo is designed so that each partner has one half of the butterfly. When you come together, the full butterfly is complete, symbolizing transformation and unity. If you want to experiment first, a waterproof temporary tattoo in India is a fantastic way to see how it looks before making it permanent.

10. Quotes or Phrases

Couples often get matching quotes or phrases that have special significance to their relationship. Whether it’s a short phrase like "Always & Forever" or lyrics from a song you both love, matching tattoos for couples featuring words can be deeply sentimental. If you're unsure about placement or design, try a waterproof temporary tattoo in India before committing.

Why Choose Temporary Tattoos First?

While permanent tattoos are a lifelong commitment, temporary tattoos give couples the flexibility to explore different designs without regret. A waterproof temporary tattoo in India lets you enjoy the experience of matching tattoos without the permanence, making it a fun and stylish way to celebrate love this Valentine’s Day.

Conclusion

This Valentine's Day, make your love story even more special with matching tattoos for couples. Whether you choose a meaningful symbol, a quote, or an artistic design, a tattoo is a great way to celebrate your bond. If you’re not ready for permanent ink, a waterproof temporary tattoo in India is the perfect alternative to try out different styles before making your final choice. Celebrate love with ink that speaks to your heart!

[db2k]

hi i'm reading Animal Triste by Monika Maron right now, and I want to write down my notes here because why not

this part here is one of the many lines i highlighted in this book, and i kind of arranged(?) what i wrote on my notebook. there're no spoilers and this is not a book that a spoiler can ruin. if you've read it before, youre sooo welcome, please write a comment if you feel like it. but, even if you've not read it, its not important, we can talk. thats all ig :)

I don’t believe in the glittering, pain-driven narratives often told about love. There’s no such thing as "eternal happiness." No one will live forever with their great love. Desire for another person, in my opinion, inherently brings a profound sense of longing. If two people finally come together, they must either find new ways to keep love alive or settle for a kind of love that carries less intense yearning. I think the core emotion is longing—this might even apply to platonic forms of love. In those cases, longing is likely the primary motivator as well. Ultimately, it’s distinct from familial or friendly love, but I can’t quite pinpoint what makes it so intense.

I first encountered the idea that love requires reinvention or a kind of dynamism in one of ContraPoints’ videos. This perspective reframes love as not something static but as a constantly evolving, living process.

Here, the author emphasizes the tragic and desire-driven nature of love—a love strengthened by death and "impossibility." Love isn’t merely about happiness; it’s also shaped by loss, absence, and the shadow of mortality.

The dinosaur metaphor in the text reflects the view of those who perceive love as a powerful yet extinct phenomenon from the past. (This is a view I don’t agree with, just like the author.) The paradox is this: by contemplating love’s impossibility, people immortalize it while simultaneously clinging to a myth of "incompetence." This myth is perpetuated by unhappy individuals who either never experienced pure forms of love in their youth or whose relationships were shaped by an early fear of death. But love is tied not only to death but also to transformation.

This duality of love—expressed through opposing ideas—renders it both a memory lost in the past, like the dinosaurs, and a phenomenon constantly rediscovered. I don’t think people are "bad" at love (and anyway, it’s not a matter of skill). Instead, they learn to adapt to love’s "finite" nature and the challenges of attaining it—perhaps intertwined with the drive to long for the impossible.

In the end, I believe love isn’t a myth but rather a kind of "continuous evolution".

[elliscousland]

[ CARESS ] for sender to kiss one of receiver’s scars (maybe the ones on his face yknow……….) || @malurged

it is the sort of night where ellis is glued to vespin's side. the faster they barreled towards their fate, the more special these moments became. every day felt like a step closer to death & that made life all the sweeter. tonight, ellis had stayed up late with vespin. they lay on the grass together & ellis shared stories of constellations his father had taught him, rambling half the night away. he had scarcely noticed the moon inching its way across the sky, instead focused on the endless legends immortalized beyond it. ( stories he had tried to live by. stories he couldn't. ) it must have been charming, or maybe it was love… but ellis' arms ended up wrapped around vespin, holding him close.

peace was a rare indulgence on their stony, winding road & ellis thought that perhaps they had found it tonight. just for a moment or two or three. vespin steals one of these moments.

vespin presses a kiss to ellis' cheek, where ellis' hound had left his mark. fergie had always been an ornery beast, since the day ellis had met him & had left many marks on ellis' body. he then presses his lips to the marred flesh of ellis' newest scar. it stretched across his nose, a remnant of the night ellis' family had been betrayed. if he hadn't been so light on his feet, a traitor's blade would have taken his nose or perhaps even his life. but instead, he lived for his survival to be cherished. a quick kiss on his brow & then to the corner of his mouth & each of the scars on ellis' face were shed a ray of vespin's affection.

ellis cannot help but chase the final kiss, stealing one of his own from vespin's cracked lips. he's never felt quite so treasured, quite so seen & there is something captivating about it. emotion forms a knot in ellis' throat & he struggles to find words for a long moment. so instead, he presses a kiss to the marred corner of vespin's mouth & then his cheek & then his jaw. there were many scars to revel in, every forgotten story of vespin's survival, but he pauses & holds his hand at vespin's cheek.

" if only tonight could last forever, " ellis muses, swept up in a wave of sentiment. he knew it wouldn't & the sun would rise tomorrow & they would continue to survive. or not. but at least they had tonight.