#troupe 2

[rykardthebarbarian]

For: @freydis-freydat Where: Aventia When: Siege Week 3 Notes: sad awoo

The third week of the siege was marked with significant losses on the side opposing the Dark One's army. With every death, morale inside the war-beaten walls of the fortress plunged even lower. The nights were alive with the sounds of mournful wails as the survivors grieved for those who had not returned from the battlefield.

A sliver of a crescent moon hung directly above them in the sky. The hour of the wolf was upon them. How fitting. "You didn't have to help me with this," Rykard said to Freydis as they carefully placed the last fallen werewolf onto the pile of wood that would act as kindling for the cleansing fire. His expression was grim as he recognized the mangled face of one of the deceased. The boy was young, probably no older than nineteen. His family had a bakery in Haven, he tried to picture the wolf's warm smile as he handed out loaves of bread to the Iskaran refugees the day they had arrived in their settlement. He had never learned his name. He wondered if the boy's mother even knew he had left to go fight. If only his bravery was enough to keep his heart beating. "They deserve to rest."

"You will be free from the bonds that bind you," He spoke solemnly to each of the corpses that had been laid upon the make-shift funeral pyre. "You are free from the bonds that bound you." Rykard walked over to horse-drawn cart they had used to transport the corpses, grabbing the torch that had lit their way. He handed the torch to Freydis, glancing away from the unlit pyre as if he was trying to steady himself. Though he did not know these wolves personality, their loss felt like a stone resting on his chest. He swallowed the lump in his throat. "They we're under your command, you should be the one to send them off."

[blightedmikhael]

It’s fair to say that Mikhael has not met a lot of other cambions. Overall, he could count with a hand the number of other cambions he had met in his entire life. Because of that, he tended to assume. Assume that other cambions used their abilities as much as he, that they trained to be able to switch between Infernal Sight and regular sight at a moments notice, that they checked the species of anyone they met just to ensure they kept an edge on the encounter. So he had presumed. And now he has to cover his ass, because clearly Rowan is not picking up what he had been trying to put down. 

“A bastard child of an Ankhurian spearwoman and an unknown father,” he says lightly, slowly sidestepping the secret he thought both of them knew they shared. “That's good. Religion can be a guide in times of struggle, and we are breaching those times as we speak.”

"Your origins being?" Rowan's not sure what makes him so curious about this quest of Mikhael's, but he feels compelled to help him. Granted, he feels compelled to help most people. But this guy had the kind of energy of someone a hero in a novel would meet on some grand adventure. Not like Rowan considered himself the hero in that situation by any means. "I've been here my whole life and I think people are fairly....Spiritual." Or maybe temples and churches had gotten an influx of people due to what had happened in Aventia. Which was actually rather funny when he thought about it, in a morbid kind of way. People always turned to prayer when something threatened their comfort, when it would benefit them. He thought it was rarer that people talked to some higher or lower power on a daily basis. Something tells him that Mikhael is one of those rarities though.

[kiwizoom]

KuroPaku genderswap

[linterteatime]

Guys...i don't think this is the worst thing i have drawn yet

[seahortensia]

[blightedmikhael]

Mikhael has long since learned balance. Balance between his human side and his infernal heritage. Balance between his instinct to destroy and his habit to protect. Balance in the hunt, and balance in respite. The balance between faith and fanaticism is a lesson he was first taught once he had learned why Ankhuria had stopped cleaving their witches, and that was practiced every time he was faced with yet another member of the Astorian Vanguard of the Light that worshiped senseless violence. He had never seen the appeal of violence for violence sake, always more partial to specific applications of destruction in order to eliminate threads. It is why he is partial to contracts meant to hunt down certain individuals, rather than more wide spread battlefields. 

“You were sent by the Divine?” His surprise is genuine, eyes dipping and looking to the side as he considers the rather tasty bit of information the devil had all but dropped to his feet. Is the Divine aware of the devil within her ranks? Of the wolf amidst her flock? He doubts it, and that only cements his disdain for the false prophet that the Astorian Vanguard of the Light had chosen to elevate. Weakness begets weakness, and it is clear the faith within the Vanguard’s ranks is weak. “She must have a great deal of faith in you.”

The observation comes lightly, a tentative thought to which he manages to inflict just enough awe to make it seem real. It’s a dangerous game he is playing, but the more he listens to the devil’s diatribe, the less likely he is to leave things well enough alone. The man before him is a snake, and Mikhael feels the disgust on his spine even as he keeps a hold of his self-control. 

“Doing some good after Aventia— Yes, I would like that,” he admits steadily, softly. The Dark One strengthens by the minute, after all, so it is his duty to mitigate some of his influence.

Fanaticism. That was the bare minimum Dantalion required of members of his Vanguard. And yes, the faith was his. His to use, his to exploit, and his to charge headlong into holy war. His advantage lied in the fact that he stood to win no matter the victor. What Dantalion was after was a country soaked in blood and its people crushed beneath the weight of conflicting beliefs. Mongrels were so easy, which is what made them entertaining.

Fanatics would get it done for him, and if someone didn't have the spark of fanaticism then it was Dantalion Althais' job to spark it. Or destroy the toy who resisted, either or. One didn't simply play a game like his by setting one path, he had multiple avenues to achieve his holy war. It wasn't a matter of if at this point, but when. And he was starting to get impatient.

"There's more than simple appeal in my offer. It's a necessity. Why do you think the Divine sent me here personally? To share the miracles the One God has bestowed upon me with these poor, downtrodden citizens, but also to prepare. The people will receive more than his Light, but also his divine judgment as well." Dantalion could speak to his faith and loved doing so, but he wasn't a clergyman. His sermons were merely preamble. Dantalion was a leading member of the militant faith, and sewing peace into the lowest tier of this queendom was merely phase one. "Increase the faith of the meek, strengthen them in His Light, and then work to topple those who reject him. What else would you call Aventia's fall if not punishment for the wicked? Holy war is coming, and for the sake of your soul I'd like to help you do some good before you must take up arms with me." Like the devil he was, every word was its own form of test and trap. Dantalion had been at this game for a long time and knew exactly how to root out those who'd be useful to him, and those who needed to be discarded.

[notsofrozt]

So, for y'all "S2 Jayce meets S1 Viktor" hungry folks, here's a list of 5 of the bookmarks I've been collecting (for you specially @maiawhimsicalt) in no particular order and with no particular comentary, my braincells are on strike rn:

1. Of Memories and Tomorrows by Lieyantosh

Post-Season 2 Jayce and Season 1 Viktor, the grief of having lost your soulmate while having to look at his younger version who doesn’t even know you, the endless exhaustion of being a second-hand love and also science.

This fic has changed something in my I cannot describe, and if anyone here even remotely likes Arcane (or even if you don't know the series at all, it's that well written) y'all should read it right know.

You didn't hate me because of what my future self did,” Viktor said, feeling distinctly pathetic. There was a certain vulnerability in this, like he was opening up his ribcage for Jayce to see. “You hate me because I'm not him. Because you came back. And he didn't.”

2. the future came undone by Lieyantosh

Instead of appearing several months after the wild rune took him, Jayce lands in the past and decides to take out Viktor before he can turn into the monster he saw in the future.

This author is just *chef kiss*

3. intertwined, sewn together by lamoureg

Just as soon as the dance begins, it’s over.

In the silver, the faint mist rays of light, he can make out a face. One that’s achingly familiar, one he knows like the back of his hand, yet isn’t familiar with whatsoever. A man, bronze skin pallid and devoid of the life Viktor is so used to seeing. Shaggy dark hair hanging in curtains around his face — a face littered with cuts and bruises, stained with dirt and soot. Heavy set brows and eyes wide in shock.

Rather inappropriately, Viktor’s first thought is oh, fuck. And his second. And his third.

Because staring back at him is Jayce.

If you read this with Jinx and Ekko's song playing in the background you're going to cry.

4. You’re starting to look really weird by anónimo

Viktor lays awake, listening to the steady breathing beside him. The breathing of a man sleeping on his husband’s side of the bed, in his husband’s clothes, with his husband’s face, but who is most certainly not his husband.

This one has a very original concept: the reunion from Viktor's POV. Older Jayce got Ekko'd into his other self's body, so there's a stranger inhabiting his partner. It delves into that whole psychological horror aspect. I love it.

5. Stay Your Pretty Eyes On Course by Neibba

“I do not recall telling you my name.” Viktor stated matter-of-factly. “Yet you know it. Have we met?” Yes. Many times. Practically lived together inside their lab, but he couldn’t tell Viktor that. No, this Viktor had no idea who Jayce really was, and he intended on keeping it that way.

After the Hexcore collapsed, Jayce gets sent back to where it all started, the day he met Viktor, but Viktor seems to have no recollection of him. What happens when Jayce gets another chance, knowing what he knows now.

This author is a writing machine powered by glorious evolution and brainworms. I love this fic, its updated almost daily, and the way the relationship between the two of them develops is wonderful.

I have many, many more saved, especially one shots of S2!Jayce having all kinds of breakdown as soon as he sees S1!Viktor. I'll make another list later when deadlines aren't breathing on my neck.

I hope you like it!!!

[hoperays-song]

I've realized that there's this specific type of found family that I adore where it's just this one extremely concerning kid going around doing all this dangerous and reckless stuff and just summoning all these parental figures to them who all end up so stressed out and going "Kid, kid no. Go get some sleep, take care of yourself. Please, I can't keep doing this. Please just stop."

[mysterywriter2187]

Buster would probably let Suki, Porsha and Darius see the Moon Troupe's shows for free if they asked, but they line up to buy tickets anyway just to support him and the gang.

[thelongforgottenglamorousdays]

♡ Motohiro Ota as Kuroro Lucilfer ♡

HUNTER×HUNTER THE STAGE 2

~straight out of the manga~

[kosmo-5]

i just found out there is a colored version of the WHOLE (or nearly the whole) hxh manga, and i these panels are just gold

i looked only trough york new arc, and only briefly, but here are my favs so far:

[princessfoxington]

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

SING(2016)

SING 2 (2021)

Also, I'm sick 🤒 but I hope everyone else is doing fantastic! I love Sing!

[akanisxingrid]

The changeling had come to this onslaught with a sense of retribution. The life he could have had in Avalon if the blight wasn’t in his veins. The people who would have drawn breath fuelled each step he took towards what will become a graveyard. A finale resting place for many.

There was a notion, a misguided belief that he’d be able to make a difference without the flames. Was it pride? Or not wanting to rely on what had gotten him this far? Either way it was foolish, a belief that should be saved for more peaceful times. The darkspawn were relentless, droves and droves of them spilled onto the battlefield, did they have an end?

No matter how many Akanis dispatch twice as many would take their place. Blighted blood dripped from his knuckles like sand in an hourglass. Suddenly he was overwhelmed, one had got behinds him, in a panic he was on the floor thinking this would be the last he would see.

The tainted soil wet beneath his fingers he grasped for his blade. The blade seemed impossibly far way in the moment, even if it was realistically beside him. His eyes closed accepting what was to come. Smoke filled his lungs, the smell of putrid flesh being burned was a welcome relief. As his eyes opened he saw the Prince for all he was.

The Prince wasn’t leaving anything to chance, so why was he? Leander was a beacon, a shining example. What good was nobility, honour, restraint against the dark spawn? The high road was useless here, the only road that mattered was one that lead to survival.

Hearing the command rain down Akanis got to his feet. The blade no more of a concern in his mind. Burst into an inferno, he was the flame, the flames were him it was time to purify what dwelled in the dark. Side stepping a sweeping blade Akanis held the head of a herlock and granted them oblivion. He was now holding his part of the line waiting for Leanders next command.

open starter location: Aventia, Borderreach notes: for the combat thread girlies, limiting this to 4 + Agron.

A golden aura outlined the lionhearted prince, Leander had traveled to the far corners of Lysara and Ankhuria alike in his quest for power. Studied dragons, drank in the heat of the desert, and made pacts where needed. Wreathed in the draconic presence indicative of his training, a pair of gilded wings held him aloft as Leander's fists blazed with molten, raging flames. He wore the standard of the Lysaran army, a centurion, and Warrior of Mars, Leander proudly led the Olympians onto the field as he had countless times in Astoria.

The aura was not just for show, as the blighted blood splattered against him, it did not reach Leander's frame. Arrows fell casually to the side and the Hurlocks that swung against him with their blighted blades found a pair of raging, molten fists instead.

Politics bored him - and whatever sympathy that the Iskarans had managed to invoke as of late did nothing to quell the hatred that had burned within the prince for decades. This was where Leander thrived.

A Genlock rushed forward, its jagged blade raised to strike, but the moment it came within reach, the dragon's aura flared. Leander snarled as a pulse of energy threw the creature back, sending it skidding across the blood-soaked ground. Leander didn’t even turn to acknowledge it. His focus was absolute, his breath steady.

These creatures were meant to be impudent and stupid - while that remained true, they came equipped with war machines. They tacked on organized tactics that the Lysarans were only prepared for because of the caution that had spilled from Iskaran tongues. If any of the westerners expected gratitude from him though, they would need to look elsewhere.

A beat of his wings saw Leander lift into the air as he pulled air and fire into his lungs, weaving them together without the need for his hands. There at the center of his breast, the Warrior of Mars tethered it with threads of spirit before he opened his mouth and bequeathed a rush of golden flames onto the forces below. With it came a bestial roar, beyond human, the draconic burst of power echoed with the ego of the endlessly proud Prince of Lysara.

The creatures erupted in righteous flames, incinerated in a wide cone ahead of him before Leander took to hovering only a few feet off of the ground. As much fun as he was having, Leander opted to begin taking this seriously as his sword materialized in his hand - a blade of twisting draconic make that resonated with power.

"Hold the line!" Came the Prince's command, the Olympians had each been connected, and their power pooled together meant it was seemingly endless. No Astorian force had ever gotten past seven of them, now fifteen stood in defense of Aventia. An ogre shook the ground as the alpha stomped toward them, another horde swarmed about the creature, and Leander charged.

[abybweisse]

Ch208 (p2), Were all of us being tricked?

There's not much to say here, as we see the last scene from ch207 -- Finny leaving and Doll holding Snake as he bleeds out.

I have to assume Snake means himself and all his snake friends when he says "us". Though he could also see Finny as being used, since they were both brought into the Phantomhive household and sent on this mission.

Of course, Doll and our earl are the ones who truly extended their hands to him. He doesn't know who else to blame, like Kelvin, Sebastian, or the others.

Then he starts to flashback to his days (years?) in a cage.

[naavispider]

Have you seen that behind the scenes clip where Jack Champion is being picked up, hugged, and swayed by a person in stilts and blue suit (a Na’vi character)?

Okay when I first saw this I thought they were just messing around on set but now I realise they're actually filming this 😭 WHO IS PICKING SPIDER UP LIKE THAT it better be Jake or Norm

Look at him putting his arms out when he realises they're gonna pick him up 😭

[zorlovinghue]

Novel/Manhwa Recommendations

..... which you might not know exist, already know and read but got no other creature to talk about it, in shambles cuz there's little exposure, know but haven't read yet, don't know and might be interested, and etcetera etcetera.

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Is It Bad That the Main Character's a Roleplayer

You see it right. From the cover and title alone, we know the MC is a chuunibyo with concerning level of emo. He is Demon Knight. Yes, that's what he called, I haven't read far so I'm not sure if the name will be revealed later on.

MC's characterization is, if you know Lee Hoyeol from [The Player Hides His Past], that's exactly him, except he had to do it himself, so the secondhand embarrassment is........ strong—

The setting and world building is great, the fighting scenes is clearly detailed and I especially love that every arc is elaborate. You can see the author put effort in their research and there's plenty of staggering inspiration on how close-combat scenes in specific background could be proceed–if you're an author looking for that exact thing, you can give it a shot and if you're a reader, this is magnificent and brilliantly done!

(The arc in the sea is quite long, there's pirate and stuff too if you're interested *ominous whisper*)

Poor guy wants to come back but have to be hero first. This give a new perspective on how transmigration story with MC who got normal (yes) background and family he cherished will become, the emotional tones is particularly deep for this one but the action did a wonderful job in balancing things out.

I was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor (adapted to manhwa)

You may be aware that I've been into this lately... And yeah I'm gonna babbling about this more.

MC's name is Kang Woojin. His parents still alive, he got a younger sister and three best buddies. All alive! Wow, no one's dead. This is not a transmigration, regression or reincarnation story either. I'm pleasantly surprised, which is ironic in and of itself.

He got a power that allowed him to enter the world of the script and live as the character he chooses to act on, both a blessing and a curse. Since most of them are dead in the end so he died multiple times too. His power gives proper carrot and whips, meaning although it was dizzying he was able to take a rest too, no fainting accident even if he's overworked to death.... So far! I'm nearing 300ish chapter and the novel had finished with 480 chapter, highly likely won't be any fainting accident.

What I love about this story is that the pacing is fast yet precise. Date, month, year... Name of the day and time, contrary to my initial fear of having this tedious, it's actually really helpful to have a fxcking crystal clear timeline! In Korean novel at that!

This is misunderstanding-based story, like the author directly and straight up telling the reader that

Is the main focus.

This story have more comedy, so although the story itself have emotional tones sometimes, it is less pronounced when it comes to the MC himself (the characters he acted on got better treatment bruh)– which can be either good or bad depending on your tastes, but if you prefer action more like me then this is actually a good thing. And, this is a novel where I can perfectly say that it utilizes sensory perceptions more than 'poetic' description, incredible for that!

Another thing, a sensitive one and I braced myself for this, is that the novel actually friendly. Vietnam, Japan, Hollywood... And French later on (i haven't reach that point yet). MC going abroad like he was taking casual stroll is everything. The 'passion' and 'competitive' spirit is the tamest and calmest I have ever found. You can clearly, clearly see the author did it as minimally as possible and overtime cleverly utilize the flow so the relationship between the countries is now welcoming, not just tolerated. The amount of scarcity for this is enough to warrant acknowledgement.

The Player Hides His Past (adapted to manhwa)

Lee Hoyeol here...! Been a while since I read the novel so I apologize in advance.

This is game-turn-reality story, you might already know from the title so I just want to say that one more time.

His character's name is Grandfell Claudi Arpheus Romeo, which he created on his early teens, another chuunibyo here. The story's world-building is great, the exploration of each arc is immersive and I love the emotional tones was clearly conveyed when it's due. It did a good job in adding depth and actually fleshed out the characters' existence excellently.

The fighting scenes, the strategies, and the executions are all great! It was amazing that even though the world building was quite complex it turned out brilliantly, so the dissonance is little to nothing and you can vividly portrayed the world of the characters.

Oh and, he is another MC with complete family. Goodness gracious, he's the youngest out of four siblings and have a niece too! It's the adorable part that I absolutely adore.

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