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fieldofdaisiies · 5 months ago

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Whisper of the Forgotten | pt. 10

pairing: azriel x reader | type: angst | words: 1,5k words | warnings: war | masterlist

“AZRIEL!” Your wail, the scream of pure pain and agony, tears through the few Illyrian warriors left on the battle ground, shaking the ground. You need to find him, but have no idea where he is. Dead bodies are scattered all over the ground, covered in blood and weapons, and dirt and fear kicks in that he is one of them.

You haven’t felt like this in a long time, helpless and broken. Last time you had felt like that was when you had been locked into the Prison, many centuries ago.

Your heart hammers against your ribcage when you spin around, trying to make out anything in the distance, but the dust in your eyes and fog hovering above the ground make it hard for you to see.

Wails of pain coming from warriors who have been injured reverberate through you, making you shudder and you fold your arms around your body.

The feeling within your soul, the tug, the bond that connects your souls, fades more and more with every ragged breath you take. The air burns down your throat, and tears start to fall from your eyes.

Only an hour prior the battle had still been raging on, Illyrians and Darkbringers, joined by all the armies from the other courts, battling and fighting against the Death God and his supporters. It was blade against blade, steel against steel, wails and war cries sounded from every corner and then—

Then the land fell dark as an otherworldly being, a creature made of darkness and vengeance, one that you once used to call your friend, and hope to do so in the future again, landed upon the fighting warriors, upon those who supported and belonged to Koschei.

It was a nest of swirling black shadows, ruling over the land, wiping out every living being in its wake, sparing those on your side, until nothing but destruction and dust was left.

You and Nesta, your powers unified, were the ones who landed the death blow.

Ataraxia tightly clasped in her hand, she lunged at Koschei first. You joined her on her quest, fuelling your energy, gathering all the power you had, and then, joined by the forces of the Wild Hunt, you came upon him, knives and magic working together as one — ending his life.

He had been weakened before, but had his people, his supporters, armies from the continent to protect him, shield him.

The battle had raged on for months, you had all been weakened, but you had known the day would come where you would face him. The battle would come and you would return from it victorious.

The land roared, cracked open, screamed when Ataraxia pierced through his chest, followed by the blow of your magic. You sent a gust of wind at him, at the ashes and dust, the only thing left of him, and allowed the wind to carry him away.

A mixture of tears, dirt and blood coated your face, your entire body, and when you turned back to face your family, you fell into their arms.

The Wild Hunt, brutal beasts and warriors, all came together to hug one another, screaming and weeping now that you were reunited and won the war.

But right now, you can’t waste any time, you need to find your mate.

All these centuries, everything that has happened between you – you can’t lose him now. Not like this. Azriel doesn’t deserve this. He doesn’t deserve to die out here. You need to find him and tend to him, heal his wounds. And–

“Y/N!” Cassian calls to you from a distance and you need a moment to figure where his voice is coming from. Eventually, your eyes land on the Illyrian male who looks battered and broken, his body coated in grime and blood. He is standing in front of a healer’s tent, but walks into your direction, limping.

“Y/N!” he calls again. “It’s Azriel!” Cassian trembles as he braces his hands on his thighs, his eyes revealing everything you need to see.

And the pain in his voice is everything you need to hear.

Driven by fear and terror, you dash forward, into the general’s direction, past him and into the healer’s tent and fall to the ground, a sob bursting from you when you take in your mate and the–

───── ⋆⋅ ☽☾ ⋅⋆ ─────

You wake up with a loud scream parting your dry lips, and burning fiercely in your throat. Your eyes a damp with unshed tears and—

A strong arm curls tightly around you and you feel the soft press of lips against the side of your neck.

“Share your nightmare with me,” Azriel mumbles, his voice hoarse and low.

Your breathing is ragged but you relax immediately, pressing into his warm and solid body, finding solace in it.

You close your eyes, hoping to ease the burning and for your heart to calm down. Your breaths start to calm as well, levelling, and you slide your hand into his scarred one.

“I dreamt of the war.”

Azriel’s body shudders in response to your answer, and his arm curls tighter around, his naked body flush against yours.

“I dreamt of how I couldn’t find you, how I was looking for you, and how I was reunited with my family.”

“But you found me,” Azriel breathes, his voice full of emotion.

You turn in his arms, slowly in order to not hurt him. The war hasn’t been over for too long, Azriel earned himself many deep gashes. The blades that caused him those had been drenched in faebane and the healing took much longer.

“I did,” you whisper and a tear rolls down your cheek.

“I can’t believe you could forgive me, Y/N.” Azriel‘s eyes are closed almost as if it pains him to look at you. “After I‘ve hurt you so much, after I betrayed you, after—”

Having wiggled one hand free, you place it atop his lips, stopping him. “Our souls belong to each other, they were for another and so are we — made for another. Two hearts that belong together shouldn’t be kept apart. It is true that you hurt me, but you apologised and you have shown me that you are a better male now.”

You push up on your elbow, allowing your naked limbs to tangle with his.

You lean over him and brush your lips against his, at first sweet and delicate, then a little deeper. The kiss is bittersweet, full of tears, longing, love, pain, madness and desire.

“I love you, my mate.”

“I love you, my mate,” he says with a smile but claims your mouth in another kiss in the next moment. This one is deeper, hungrier, a dance of tongues and lips.

You are both breathless when you part, your hands resting atop his heaving chest, not all the wounds from the war now having healed yet, but bandages protecting them.

“Shall we get up?” Azriel asks, his tone a little lighter, sparkles glittering in his hazel eyes. “We have a lot of rebuilding to do, don’t we?”

You have started to rebuild the Middle with help of the Wild Hunt, your mate and some of his family members. Both Rhysand and Feyre apologised and told you that they could, for the time being, not return to the middle — their experiences and what was done to them here has been too traumatising to be yet ready to return here.

You understood of course.

But the Valkyries join you a lot, helping you greatly.

“I think that rebuilding can wait a little longer, Azriel,” you hum and kiss his jaw. “There are other things I want to do now.”

“Other things?” Azriel drawls and pulls your leg over his waist. “What other things?”

You let your fingers dance up his chest, before curling them around his neck, bringing him in for another kiss. “Oh you know exactly what other things.” Your lips curl against his when you press against his front.

And oh does he know! Making love to you for the rest of the morning, before you head outside and start to work on your house and the large garden beyond.

general tags (crossed-out I couldn't tag) : @juulle987 @marimorena06 @danikasthings @younxii @nightcourtwritings @mrofontaine @lunalilyf @whor-3-crux @tired-all-the-time @anni-was-here @ummmmmwat @azbracadabra @j-pendragonx @hollyismentallyillhelp @famousbasementpainter @bsenpai @lena-davina @red-highlady @thesugatoyourtae @azrielsbabyg @aroseinvelaris @moony-thoughts @wrensical003 @cherryjain17 @moonfawnx @crushedcloudsx @devilsfoodcake22 @valeridarkness @azrielscertifiedslut @mulansaucey @cynicalpotato95 @hanasakr @high-bi-andreadytocry @eerievixen @feyretopia @moonlightazriel @randomness-it-is @brekkershadowsinger @eliieee23 @girasoli-e-sorrisi @illyrianvalkyriecarynthian @kennedy-brooke @highladyofillyria @theworthlessqueen @marina468 @topaz125 @illyrian-dreamer @azriels-mate123 @eos-princess @courtofjurdan @a-frog-with-a-laptop @insufferablebookaddict @azrielsmate2 @callmeblaire @lilah-asteria @berryzxx

#azriel x reader #azriel #acotar #acotar x reader #acosf

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nolongerapileofashprobably · 11 months ago

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Should the dev team have committed to Zelda's draconification being permanent and have her stay a dragon at the end, and would that have made for a more honest and poignant ending than the one we got? Some fans think that the ending we got renders her sacrifice completely meaningless and devoid of impact.

The dev team absolutely should NOT have committed to Zelda’s draconification. It would have ruined the entire story and narrative for Zelda’s character and Hyrule itself.

Some people think it made the sacrifice meaningless and devoid of impact. . . But it didn’t. Her choice was her own and it was a statement of dedication to Link and Hyrule as a whole. It was also utterly tragic that she had to do this in order to heal the Master Sword. I am still in utter distress whenever I play the game and watch the memories, despite knowing the ending. Because it’s the tragedy she endured willingly that makes the sacrifice meaningful, not the permanence of it. The sacrifice would hold no value had it been a choice Zelda made knowing she would be reverted.

She didn’t. She thought it was permanent.

And I’m honestly tired of some of these fans just not wanting a happy ending for her character. She deserves peace and a happy life. That’s what she got, which is absolutely justified. And those who think of a story so plainly and only at the big picture miss the details and narratives that point directly towards the ending we actually got.

Let’s talk about if she didn’t turn back.

Firstly, we can start with simple things that personally can be reworked in the future but would create a hurdle for the devs in the future— Zelda would never die as a dragon, she is an immortal being. The Zelda series is quite literally founded upon a reincarnation cycle between Zelda, Link, and Ganon. And only one of them is linked through blood: Zelda. That would cause a bump in the whole reincarnation foundation.

Beyond that, Zelda’s character development would suffer with this choice becoming permanent.

Any fan upset by the ending doesn’t understand the implications of Zelda being granted a second chance. She dedicated her entire life before the calamity to training and praying, only to have her magic awaken AFTER the champions, her father, and nearly Link are killed. Her efforts for the next century keep her body suspended in time and keeps Ganon at bay through her light power. When she wakes up, she is granted a ‘second chance’. In reality, it is simply the life she fought for and rightfully deserved.

So after she made Hyrule her home again, unifying the scarcely populated land and invigorating its culture, she is once again forced to sacrifice everything. This time, she does so as a leader and as one who holds such strong power. Her journey as a Queen leads her to become the very leader she WANTS to be, not the one she was constantly reprimanded to be by her father and the old kingdom. And she learns this throughout her time in the past, with Rauru as her guide.

And that leads us to this point: the belief that to rule is to give up everything.

But where others are punished for this choice (despite Zelda’s warnings, Rauru’s ignorance of Ganondorf’s power leads to Sonia and his own death), Zelda is REWARDED for her choices.

Because she did not just claim that another will defeat Ganondorf and seal him away until present day like Rauru.

Zelda did much more. She raised the sky islands, made a promise with Mineru, solidified the aid of the sages, collected the Master Sword and chose to give LINK the best chance he could have against Ganondorf. Zelda did every single thing she could to ensure Ganondorf would be defeated. She even aids in the final battle, as her will is to end that evil and grant Hyrule the peace she herself will (presumably, to her own knowledge) never experience.

So when she is rewarded for her efforts, by being bathed in sacred light and her body reversed to its previous state. . . It is entirely in line with the narrative thus far. Additionally, Rauru and Sonia present themselves as a ‘second chance parents’ for Zelda. A supportive, patient father in Rauru. A guiding teacher and mother in Sonia.

Tears of the Kingdom mirrors Breath of the Wild in terms of Zelda’s development and story. To give an ending where Zelda remains a dragon. . . It would have been tragic and dishonest to the story that we got.

If you want to read something more in depth and not written by someone with one eye open, this post grants a well rounded answer to this question.

#loz totk #loz totk Spoilers #loz tears of the kingdom #loz totk Zelda #totk Zelda #some people don’t want Zelda to be happy and for those people I hope their pillow is forever hot #I am protective of her because some people just want to misunderstand her and I don’t like that lol #anyway she got to have a peaceful life with link after all this so I am happy :)#zelink #botw zelink #loz botw #botw #the legend of zelda #botw link #link botw #zelda botw #loz tears of the kingdom spoilers #the legend of zelda breath of the wild #Totk zelink

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eddyiewriting · 11 months ago

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Lead them to victory - Or die trying.

As a bastard-born, no one expected anything from you. Cast aside and forbidden to inherit anything, you never had much hope for the future. But the Face of Destiny is unpredictable, and soon you find yourself in the middle of a battle that can decide the fate of your kingdom forever, and those who once hated you, now see in you their only hope for survival.

DEMO

FORUM

PATREON

SUMMARY

You are the youngest child of King Logan, The Unifier, the first king who unified the North in centuries. But you’re not simply his child. You are a bastard, a child born out of wedlock, and as such, with no rights or hope to inherit anything. Considered to be cursed, you are hated by most of the kingdom, including your older brother, Gareth, the oldest and heir of King Logan.

But when a foreign empire invades, unforeseen events put you as the only one capable of leading the kingdom.

Unprepared and distrusted by most of the kingdom, is up to you to lead the realm to victory or annihilation.

Play as a man or a woman.

Navigate the intricate web of politics, forge alliances, and lead your army through the fire of war.

Choose between 3 primary skills: Warrior, Diplomat or Scholar. Each opens different types of dialogue and actions.

Evolve your character’s abilities. Start as a frail Scholar and become a die-hard Warrior.

Shape your character and their morality. How far are you willing to go to protect those you love?

Lead your people to victory – or die trying.

ROMANCE OPTIONS

Owain Dalkeith: the son of a minor noble who was sent to the capital to be trained as a knight. He became one of the closest friends of your brother, Gareth. He’s a charming man, who usually prefers parties to battles, but this doesn’t stop him from being one the fiercest knights in the kingdom.

Cerys Calenhadd: the youngest daughter of a noble. She is one of the ladies-in-waiting for your sister, Brianna. Too smart for her own good, she dislikes the perceived notions that women don’t serve for leadership or warfare, often challenging the traditions of the realm.

Arthur: a recruit for the army and possibly the tallest man in the land. Despite his size, Arthur is shy and dislikes violence or using his strength, preferring to tend horses than to fight in battles.

Teagan: is a servant of the church, a devout servant of the Face of Death. She is quiet and mysterious, with more in common with the dead than with the living.

CONTENT WARNING

There will be a lot of violence here. Also, sexism, racism, psychological trauma, sexual content, discussions of abuse and mental health, and war crimes.

#choice of games #if wip #choicescript #dashingdon #interactive novel #hosted games #thebastardcrown #if: thebastardcrown #cyoa game

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tanadrin · 11 months ago

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Stephen Shoemaker has talked at length about the eschatological nature of early Islam in other books and articles; he makes some very interesting points in The Apocalypse of Empire (which is not just about Islam, although it discusses Islam at length in two chapters), synthesizing some points made by other scholars.

Scholarly trend to view Islam as a movement that was from the beginning pragmatic, not apocalyptic. Other scholars try to portray Muhammad as basically a national unifier/Arab empire-builder, with religion as a tool secondary to this aim. This seems to amount to not taking early Islam as it portrays itself very seriously, and indeed in some cases seems to be almost an apologetic project to try to help make early Islam more relevant to the present day.

Snouck Hurgronje(sp?) argued that early Muslims saw Muhammad's appearance itself as a sign the end of the world was at hand, and that Muhammad would not die before its arrival. He and other scholars after him saw other elements of his message as more or less accessories to his concern with the impending end of the world.

Projects of empire-building and apocalypticism are not necessarily opposed! The rest of this book furnishes examples from Byzantium, Rome, Zoroastrianism. For a contemporary example, we might look at ISIS. It was relatively common in the ancient near east to think the eschaton would be realized through imperial triumph, and that the end of history was imminent. Indeed, Muhammad's religious beliefs probably played a significant role in the dynamism and success of his nascent polity.

Later Islamic tradition like the biographies deemphasized the urgent apocalypticism (again, not unlike Christianity!). But the Quran is rife with warnings of impending judgement and destruction ("the Hour"), and incorporates Christian apocalyptic material like the parable of the rich fool from Luke. Shoemaker furnishes lots of quotes like "The matter of the Hour is as a twinkling of the eye, or nearer," and "The Lord's judgement is about to fall," etc. Astronomical events will predict the Hour's arrival; doubters will soon be proved wrong, etc.

Perspectives from the New Testament help us understand why different passages portray the urgency of the Hour differently; the historical Jesus probably preached an imminent apocalypse, but the Gospels were compiled later, so they can be more ambivalent. Likewise later Muslims, when compiling the Quran, would have to deal with the fact that the "urgent" end of the world hadn't arrived yet; though the strong eschatological perspective persisted (as it did in Christianity, too), there was an effort to try to moderate some of these embarrassing passages.

Some early hadith and other early traditions corroborate the impending eschaton, emphasizing the link between his appearance and the end of the world. "According to another tradition, Muhammad offered his followers a promise (reminiscent of Matt. 16:28, 24:34) that the Hour would arrive before some of his initial followers died. In yet another tradition, Muhammad responds to questions about the Hour’s timing by pointing to the youngest man in the crowd and declaring that 'if this young man lives, the Hour will arrive before he reaches old age.'"

Donner argues the conquests were an effort to establish an interconfessional "community of the Believers" that included Jews and Christians, requiring only belief in God and the last day. According to him, Muhammad and his earliest followers didn't even think of themselves as a separate religion; rather, their earliest community was a loose confederation of Abrahamic monotheists who shared Muhammad's apocalyptic aoutlook, and who were trying to establish a righteous kingdom in preparation for the end. Cf. the Constitution of Medina, which seems to be a very early source. It has a dramatic discontinuity with the ethnic and religious boundaries established in later Islam. Traditionally held to be a brief experiment that ended with Muhammed expelling the Jews from Medina, Donner argues that in fact Muhammad's community remained confessionally diverse for decades, including Jews and Christians into the Umayyad period. Indeed, a lot of their early successes may have been aided by their nonsectarian outlook.

Only under Abd al-Malik(!) does Islam begin to consolidate, and a new Arab ethnic identity crystallizes that distinguishes Muslims from outsiders they ruled.

In variant readings of the Quran we can glimpse a view not unlike that of the early Christians, where the Kingdom of God had its inception in Jesus's works; here, the conquests of the early followers of Muhammad are part of an the initiation of the end times. Muhammad is the "seal of the prophets" in this reading because the world is about to end.

So the picture that emerges from all this is that Muhammad was an apocalyptic preacher and reformer, very much like Jesus, who wasn't aiming to found a new religion necessarily. But he preached that the world was ending, and as part of his preaching on this subject he led the creation and rapid expansion of a new polity meant to unite the community of believers. Only once he died, and the world failed to end, and his followers had to consolidate their gains and transform them into an actual, durable state did a coherent scripture (the Quran) and a coherent religious identity (Islam) emerge, both strongly affected by the new social, cultural, and political contexts his followers found themselves in. The turning point seems to be the reign of Abd al-Malik, around fifty years after the death of Muhammad, when the oral traditions of the original community of believers are approaching their expiry date, and a new generation (and new converts) need a worldview and a political system that is relevant to their present circumstances. This is extremely comparable to the transition from early Jesus-traditions to the Gospels finally being written down in the second century, when the last people who knew Jesus directly, or who knew the Apostles directly, were dying, and the community had to transition to a form that could survive indefinitely, or else be forgotten.

#stephen shoemaker #the apocalypse of empire #islamic studies

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epic-kotlc-crossover · 1 month ago

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Luck Runs Out

This is the second chapter in the Ocean saga!! We both enjoyed writing this so hope you enjoy reading it!!

tags (as to be added or removed): @myfairkatiecat @sombrathedragon @bookwormgirl123 @thesfromhms @ham-cheese-toastie

@justalunaticfangirl

“Please don’t tell me you're about to do what I think you’re about to do,” Keefe said, raising an eyebrow.

“Brother, you’ve heard the legends of the island in the sky. This proves they’re true!” Fitz replied. “This must be the home of the wind god.”

“But Captain, we don’t know that for sure.”

“How many floating islands have you seen before?” Fitz teased.

“Fine. What’s your plan?” Keefe asked skeptically.

“I’m going to climb to the top and ask him for a hand.”

“But…. what if you’re caught off guard and fall? You could lose your life, or worse! You could make him angry and delay our journey even more! Please don’t forget how dangerous the gods are,” Keefe begged. Fitz sighed, and Keefe could feel little waves of annoyance coming from his direction. Along with….was that–? Nope. Stopping that thought right there.

“Have a little faith in me, friend. We’ve made it this far, haven’t we?”

“Well, yes. But what happens when our luck runs out? What will we do when your wit kills us?”

“I still believe that we could be kinder.” Keefe recognized the sadness in his tone. Fitz must be thinking of Dex. “We should lead from the heart, and see what that does before we use violence.”

“And what will we do when that tears us apart?” Keefe challenged.

Yes, wondering if anything they did would result in death was a bit morbid, but after Dex, everything suddenly seemed more real. No one from their fleet had died in the war, and Keefe almost got comfortable with that guaranteed safety.

Keefe couldn't make that mistake again. Not with the tiny needles of guilt that he could feel coming from Fitz whenever there was a moment of silence in their conversation.

"Where is this coming from, my friend?" Fitz asked gently.

"I don't want to see another life end, Fitz." Keefe's voice broke. "You're like the friend I could never do without."

Fitz smiled slightly, and put his hand on Keefe's shoulder, the touch electrifying. "And suddenly you doubt we can figure this out?"

How much longer until you can't, though? Keefe thought. He didn't want to explain his worries. Use your telepath powers and figure it out!

Breathing out, he took two steps back, shaking Fitz off. "How much longer until your luck runs out? How much longer until we all fall down?"

He gestured at the rest of the crew. "I can't lose them, too. If you keep relying on your wit and telepathy, how many more people will die?"

Fitz's eyes shuttered in, the brief flash of hurt covered by a small grin. It didn't cover the hurt coming off him in waves, though, and Keefe tried not to feel guilty.

"Thank you for your concern, Keefe, but I assure you that we're almost home." A full smile—but still fake, Keefe noticed—appeared and he pointed into the distant water. "I understand that you're tired. I understand that we're fazed. But remember, I took six hundred men to war and not one of them died there."

Except for the seven that did the minute we tried to go home, he thought bitterly.

Fitz stared at him, clearly trying to meet his eye. Keefe refused, knowing he'd fold immediately if he did.

I can't let you keep planting seeds of doubt. Keefe flinched. hands coming to rest on his head. He hated when Fitz would transmit with no warning.

I can't have you disagree on each route. Fitz paused and lifted Keefe's chin up. Piercing teal eyes seemed to beg him to agree. If we don't present a unified front the crew will grow distrustful.

Please?

Keefe sighed. "Fine," he told him. "I'll try."

Fitz brightened and clapped his back, pulling him into a side hug. "Thank you."

Keefe couldn't stop the needling worry that something bad was going to happen. That Fitz would run out of luck or run out of the gods' favor.

He hoped he was wrong.

#epic the musical #kotlc #keeper of the lost cities #fitz vacker #odysseus #keefe sencen #eurylochus

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sasheneskywalker · 1 year ago

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batfamily fic recs which are told through unusual formatting

a hat fashioned from tin foil by discowing (ameliafromafairytale) nightwang @karakurachou – 8 hours ago jason todd is alive and faked his death so he could become robin: a conspiracy theory thread

Batfam conspiracy theories meet social media.

T | No Archive Warnings Apply | No Relationships

occam's razor by BeatriceEagle r/SolveIt • Posted by u/Phalangefier 3 days ago

It's the fifth anniversary of Jason Todd's death

Today is the fifth anniversary of the day that Jason Todd and Sheila Haywood were murdered, so I thought I would post a write-up unifying all of the information that we have on the case. There have been a lot of posts about Jason over the years, but this case is so weird and has so many branches to it, I don’t think that anyone’s ever compiled all of them in one place.

T | No Archive Warnings Apply | Dick Grayson & Jason Todd

Send to All by kerosceene I, _______________, hereby acknowledge that this form represents my wishes should I contract phytoaphrodisiac-induced delirium (hereafter referred to as “PAID”) during engagements with or while apprehending Dr. Pamela Lillian Isley (“Poison Ivy”).

The bats have a sex pollen release form. Because of course they do.

T | No Archive Warnings Apply | Tim Drake & Bruce Wayne, Stephanie Brown & Tim Drake, Barbara Gordon & Dick Grayson, Clark Kent/Bruce Wayne, Tim Drake/Kon-El | Conner Kent, Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne

Batman Hits the Red Hood with His Batarang by redboard (Ink) Batman hears whispers of a new crime lord in Gotham, trailing blood and carnage in his wake. The Red Hood is skilled and ruthless, and quickly seizes control of the drug trade, seemingly for his own ends.

Red Hood, after years of planning, your moment has finally arrived. Why have you come?

An "Under the Red Hood"-themed tabletop game, for one or two players. You will need colored dice (or a dice roller), your imagination, and, optionally, a friend who has as many feelings about Jason Todd as you do.

(Yes, I'm serious. This is not a bit.)

T | No Archive Warnings Apply | Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne

#Justice4Gotham by Havendance So, uh, Hi. I’m still alive. I didn’t die of the clench (barely). I’m kind of sorry for disappearing on you for so long but life just got really busy and I didn’t really have time to chase after Batman and Robin anymore. I’m not sure how many of you guys still check this blog, but if you are out there, I’ve got a big favor to ask you all.

On June 27th at 7:03pm, Gotham City was hit by the worst earthquake the east coast has seen in, like, ever. And now we could really use your help.

[Or: When you run out of things you can do, there’s always yelling at the world from the blog you made when you were ten.]

T | No Archive Warnings Apply | No Relationships

Night Blogger by AnonDude There's a blogger catching the internet's attention with a long, insane, and twisted tale. The problem is, he seems to persist under the impression that he's just a random anonymous blogger looking for advice on his relationship. That's all.

QuillsNFrills: I like your first entry! But I'm a little unsure as to what genre you're aiming for here; it seems a little confused and all over the place. It's clear you want it to be something more lurking under the guise of a simple relationship blog, but is that…mystery? Thriller? A dark romance? Sci-fi/fantasy/magic (with the…whatever is going on with BF's head)? I'm also kind of wondering if I'm reading right that maybe there are hints this isn't a reliable narrator? Maybe that will continue…eyes. Anyway, keep up the good work! – April 15, 2023 –

BlueberryPancakes: this […] only continued to get MORE wild, and despite the "clearing up"…I still don't know whether to believe […] it's supposed to be an obvious red herring and this is all an Experience^tm, or whether this is really OP's life. – April 17, 2023 –

M | Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings | Tim Drake/Jason Todd

A preliminary examination of potential significant others (last saved by T. Drake) by Betty, Elf_Herself, Petra thefourthvine wrote, "I want the story where someone sits down and thinks that, and lists every single person in the canon (probably in some kind of database, with numerical codes and assigned weights for each category and stuff) and weighs all the pros and cons and finally, after a lot of careful deliberation, selects a candidate for the position of Significant Other."

This is the first step in that process.

G | Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings | No Relationships

#dc #dc comics #batman #batfamily #bruce wayne #dick grayson #barbara gordon #jason todd #tim drake #stephanie brown #fanfiction #fanfic #fic recs #fic rec #fanfic recs #fanfic rec

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r3g-p14y3r · 1 month ago

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I’d like you to know, anyways…

Yippee!!! Tis another Gun x 713 drabble. Angst this time though. (Don’t worry it isn’t canon!) Be warned I teared up myself, but again, I might just be emotional.

CW: death, swearing

Well, this isn’t how he thought he’d die.

Sure, sure, back when he was a droid he thought he’d die then in the Unified, and the multiple times he’d been jumped before the laws for automaton rights were set in motion—

But this? This? Oh, this is just pathetic in his opinion.

He can feel— sense— the numerous footfalls approaching this spot he’s hidden away the both of them under. It’s…definitely not comforting in any way, knowing what used to be the law in this world was closing in like a pack of animals. Makes him think of being hunted. “Tsk. Dammit…”

There doesn’t seem to be a way out of this. His range of motion is severely limited due to his stupid choice of not getting anything in him fixed for the past few decades— and that stupidity has only been aggravated by his current injuries. There are humans surrounding him, and… and, well, the one right in front of his frozen form is unresponsive.

No, he isn’t going to use another word for that. He refuses.

Gunvor can’t understand most of the words being spoken by the humans, what with the blaring sirens in his head saying to get going. Move, they urge, it can’t end here. Not like this.

But why should he? There’d be no point, would there? After all, the only reasons he stayed in this life are destroyed and have no way of being mended at this time.

The last bit of Ari’s memory had been torn from his hands during the scuffle.

Missile, the adored yet pain-in-the-ass pet that they were, is lying in pieces somewhere a klick or two away.

713 is…

…

. . .

“I’m sorry I couldn’t do a better job.”

Fine. Fine, he’ll accept the bitter truth. His partner is injured as well. Unresponsive? That’s true, but also— “Bullshit. It’s bullshit,” he forces out.

—the better word would be crippled.

He can’t move his arms anymore, which leaves him with said partner in them just like that accursed dream did. The difference is that this situation is very much real, and very much something that he is not going to wake up from.

Which means 713 is not going to be coming back from this. He can’t get them out of here. He also won’t just… be jolted out of bed and be able to call the other like the anxious person that he is to make sure they’re alright.

Again, there’d be no point in trying to survive this, even if he could.

Can 713 even hear him? He can’t tell; its screen is blank and cracked to oblivion.

The people are getting closer.

Gunvor mimics taking a breath before he speaks again. “Hey…love, don’t know if you can hear me.”

He sounds so tired, so strained.

“I’m just going to hope that you can.”

The bot doesn’t know where he’s going with this; he didn’t plan to make some sappy speech before an inevitable death, so he’s just spitting out whatever comes to the front of his mind.

“Remember the first time you asked me out to a date? I-I know, I know it didn’t look like it since I’m stuck with this stupid frown on my face, but I swear to you that I was so happy when you made that scrappy crown for me on the way home. I can’t smile, but I’d like you to know anyways that I felt like I was. Kinda…kinda fell for you right then and there. Stupid of me to get attached so fast, yeah. I got no excuses.”

Oh, he can make out what those bastards are saying now. He should’ve picked a better spot.

Please no not yet— I need more time.

“I-I-I. I wasn’t expecting to fall for some neon green, idiotic beanstalk,” he babbles, “but hey! Here I am! Stuck with said beanstalk who…”

Who might not even be hearing my spiel right now.

“Never mind what I was going to say. I just…I wanted to have more moments like that, you know? You’re sweet— and stupid— and also get on my nerves whenever you tease me but we-don’t-talk-about-that— I love you for all of it.“

“…They’re here,” he hears a voice call from what can’t be more than a few meters away.

Please. Not yet.

Gunvor lowers his voice as he continues. “I’m glad you loved Missile as much as I did. I’m glad that you stumbled upon me when I was chasing the little guy like a fool. I’m…”

His vox finally cracks.

“I’m glad I met you, okay? It’s overly sappy and makes me cringe inside the tiniest bit, but still. I’m glad. I’m glad I met you. And again, I’m sorry. I should’ve done better. I don’t think there’s much time left and I can’t say all I want to say. I’d love to hear your laugh again. I—“ I feel like crying. I want more time with you. This was too short. I still can’t believe I met you. I love you. I love you. I love you.

“Found them.”

No. No, please. Please.

He doesn’t bother with listening to the authority’s demands, whatever the hell they may be. He isn’t letting go. Even when he hears the telltale clicks of a few dozen barrels, he doesn’t. He can’t.

In what he hopes to be a last attempt at comfort, he hunches over himself with the last of his strength and presses his forehead to 713’s. He doesn’t want the last thing he sees to be some scummy humans who aren’t Marie or his daughter.

“Anyways, you’re probably tired. It’s alright, really. Just rest,” he whispers softly.

They’re yelling now. Fine. Let them.

He doesn’t fucking car—

BANG.

#vi attempts writing #oc x oc #oc stuff #486867: Gunvor #713705 #others ocs

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glitchy-npc · 9 months ago

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Smooth As Silk

Series: Fallen Hero Pairing: @ladyshivs's Salvatore Anzetti (he/him) / Tegan Wells (he/him. Tegan's POV. Warnings: none Word count: 1054

It tastes too much like what I used to do back at the Farm not to leave a bad taste in my mouth but I can put the mask on all the same. Be confident, charming, respectable.

Play nice.

Allying with Mafioso wasn’t my first choice but the rumors coming out of San Francisco make me nervous and along with our mutual – well, friend seems too strong a word – Hollow Ground, the partnership makes sense. Even if it's just a facade, a unified front of the gangs of Los Diablos should be more than enough to give Lord Ember pause.

If we can keep from killing each other.

Navigating the city's underworld has always felt like wading into shark infested waters and hoping they don’t smell blood. It's the nature of this business, I just need to make sure I’m not the one bleeding.

One look around Mafioso’s base tells me he’s a shark that feeds well. It’s lavish, to the point of being gaudy, Salvatore Anzetti is a man that likes to flaunt and spend his money.

Which means he probably doesn’t skimp on his security and defense measures either. How much of an idiot am I to have agreed to meet on his turf? How much trust am I willing to balance on this alliance? My strongest consolation is that if he wanted to take me out he wouldn’t have invited me to his home to do it. The furniture in here is too nice for bloodstains.

And I can’t knock his hospitality.

He doesn’t seem to have any concerns about turning his back to me to open a bottle of champagne. Real champagne, imported, expensive. He offers me a glass and I’m glad we decided to meet out of armor, the delicate crystal stems never would have stood a chance otherwise.

“To our partnership, though temporary, may it be a fruitful one.” He toasts as our glasses clink together. There’s a flash of memory from past missions that's enough to make my teeth ache. He wears the recognizable smile of an actor and a liar but it fits his face well.

Poison is a possibility, wouldn’t even notice it under the taste of alcohol and bubbles and it's less messy than a bullet, depending.

He holds the glass to his lips, but doesn’t drink. He must know I’m considering the poison angle, daring me to take the first sip.

So I do. Hell, if I die at least it was good champagne.

It's not as if I didn’t expect him to try and intimidate me, make me sweat a little. He takes a sip as well.

“So, Mafi-” I don’t even get the name out before he interrupts me.

“Please, I’m not Hollow Ground, we can use names…Tegan.”

I hadn’t expected that. Hadn’t expected to like the way my name sounded on his lips either, not an insult, it sounded more like…no, that's ridiculous.

“Very well.” I’ll save his name. No need to play every card yet.

He plays with the stem of his champagne flute. “May I ask you a personal question?”

“How personal?”

“It's an innocent one, I promise.” His smile isn’t. I doubt there's anything innocent about a man like Salvatore. But now I’m curious and let him continue.

“Why all black?” He gestures to my suit.

“Matches the armor.” I shrug but it's the truth. I want to be seen as Retribution both in and out of the armor.

“You look like you're dressed for a funeral.” His tone is light for a man talking about death.

“That sends a message in itself, don’t you think?”

He makes a small noise in agreement. Looking at his elaborate suit it's clear he knows how clothing can make a statement. The one he seems to be going for is ‘look at me’.

“Still…” He steps closer. Too close. Close enough to catch his cologne, warm and earthy. He reaches out to the lapel of my jacket, testing the fabric between his fingers and thumb. “You could use a little color.” He drops his hand as he turns his back to me again, meandering to the other side of the room and I slowly let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding.

I’m proud of myself, I didn’t deck him, didn’t even flinch. After all, I’m here to play nice.

He reaches the far wall, hand gliding over a panel I didn’t even see and when the door slides open automatically I can’t help my hand reach for my gun. Maybe I’ve lost my cool but If he’s going for a weapon he’s in for a surprise.

But it's not an armory, it's…a closet? He chuckles a little over his shoulder at my reaction and I cross my arms over my chest, forced to swallow my pride like a bad pill.

He searches for something and I can't tell if he's genuinely looking or just wasting my time. He seems to find what he was looking for with a triumphant grin. He turns to display his discovery.

It's a tie.

As he closes the distance between us again I can make out the details. It's a black silk tie but embroidered in the center is a single peacock feather in metallic blues, greens and what I can only assume is real gold thread. I won’t deny it's beautiful.

“Consider it a gift.” He holds it out between long ringed fingers, gesturing to my lack of tie. “May I?”

I hadn’t worn one for a reason, no need to give him any extra leverage if it turned into a fight, but I surprise myself with a nod, I’m not sure I trust my words.

What made me dodge the poison and the bullet only to gladly accept the noose? It's only as he slips it around my neck I realize it's not a noose but a snare, pulling me into a kiss I had half a million chances to stop.

I just didn’t want to.

His lips are soft and warm and sweet from the champagne. He doesn't even tense when I slip my hand around the back of his neck pulling him closer. His tongue slides into my mouth like an open invitation and maybe he has the upper hand but…

I sure don't feel like I’m losing.

#fhr #ockiss24 #sal/tegan #my writing

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vodika-vibes · 11 months ago

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At The End

Summary: You and Kix spend a moment together, while the galaxy falls apart around you.

Pairing: Clone Medic Kix x Reader

Word Count: 1032

Warnings: Reader is described as human, though she's an altered human due to reasons beyond her control.

Tagging: @trixie2023 @n0vqni

A/N: This is an AU, another AU, wherein the Clone Wars ended before Order 66 could be enacted, and another war starts with an army of immortal (in the sense that the don't die from old age, not that they can't die) Masters who have the ability to turn people into their people. I might continue this AU, I might not. I just really wanted to write something with Kix.

You’ve been fighting for as long as you can remember.

Oh, sure, you remember a time before the war. If you strain, you can even remember a time when you were happy. Though you’ve long since forgotten the names and faces of the people who made you happiest.

You tilt your head back, the breeze is cool against your skin, thick though it is with the scent of iron.

You open your eyes. The sky burns red, and so far as you’re aware, the sky just burns. Were you still mortal, if you still needed oxygen to survive, you would have surely died by now…if the myriad of injuries you’ve suffered over the years hadn’t done you in.

Your gaze drifts down, to the burnt out remains of the city beneath you. No one has lived there in centuries, or perhaps longer. You can’t remember the actual number of years…though you do remember the biggest details.

You remember the War.

You remember how the Republic went to war with the Separatists. You remember how the war spanned the galaxy. You remember the clone army, clad in glorious white armor, led by the Jedi, with their blades of light.

You remember the day the Clone wars ended, though you can’t remember how the war ended. But you remember when the announcement came across the holo, celebrating the end of the war.

And you remember when they appeared.

They came from the depths of the planet itself, or so it seems. Stronger and faster and more deadly than any droid or man. They swept across your home planet killing those who stood against them…and turning those who tried to flee.

You were one of hundreds who tried to flee. And you were one of hundreds who were turned. You don’t remember the change, which is a good thing, you have a feeling that it had to have been painful.

After all, you now have a pair of wings. And that was only the most obvious of the changes.

But while you don’t remember the change, you do remember what came after.

Blood and death and violence.

The attack on your home planet had been nothing but a warning to the rest of the galaxy. They only attacked your home planet at all because they needed more footsoldiers.

But you haven’t been a mere footsoldier in centuries.

You were clever enough to survive the first battles against the unified Republic and Separatist Armies. And you were talented enough to keep most of your Squadron alive as the joint armies fractured.

By the time your Masters claimed Naboo, less than 6 months after their war started, you managed to earn your way into a command position. And you remained there, in the command position, for years as the army crept its way across the galaxy.

Several decades after the war started, you met Kix.

And by met, you mean you fought, each of you doing your best to kill the other, and neither of you succeeding. In the end, he convinced you to abandon your role in the invading army, and to join him and his brothers in fighting back against them.

And you agreed.

That had been centuries ago now, and while the Galaxy is still not at peace, battles happen every day, things are more peaceful.

Everywhere except here, on what used to be Coruscant.

“You seem deep in thought, cyare.” You hum thoughtfully as Kix joins you on the rooftop, settling next to you on what used to be the Senate building. “Is there something specific you’re thinking about?”

“No. I’m just tired,” You admit with a small smile. “I’m surprised you aren’t.”

“I am, but not so much so when I get to spend time with you,” He says with a teasing smile.

“You’re a sap.” You reply with a small smile.

“I’m allowed to be a sap,” Kix defends as he leans back and looks up at the shattered sky, “I met the love of my life during the apocalypse.”

“The love of your life, huh.” You joke easily.

“Mm. And she’s an actual angel,” Kix adds, as he trails a gloved finger though your pale gray feathers. You shiver and ruffle your wings, pulling a chuckle from him.

“Do you ever think about what should have been?” You ask, as you track a Jedi cutting swathes through the Master’s Army.

“Not often,” Kix replies, “Seeing as I would have died at the ripe old age of 30.”

You shoot him a look, “I meant about the other things.”

“Oh.” He leans forward and looks at you, “No. I try not to. What ifs only lead to despair. Do you?”

“Mm. I miss the harvest festival,” You admit, “I don’t remember much about it, but I remember it being fun. How sad is it that I barely remember fun anymore.”

“We have fun.” Kix says, offended.

“We do have fun.” You agree as you lean your head against his armored shoulder, “I meant the innocent kind of fun that comes from…I dunno, guessing the weight of a massive carrot.”

Kix turns his head and kisses the side of your head, “I think I prefer the fun that we have.”

“You just like watching me drink your brothers under the table.” You quip.

“It’s hilarious. You’d think that they’d learn by now that alcohol doesn’t affect you.” Kix grins, “But I also like the other fun that we do too.” He adds with a lecherous grin.

“I should push you off this rooftop,”

“But you won’t~”

“No. I won’t.” You smile at him and kiss his cheek, “You’re far too useful to keep around. Who else will open the jars that get stuck?”

“So that’s why you keep me around.”

“That and your fancy hair.”

He grins and runs his hand over his carefully shaved head, “You want to know what I think, cyare.”

“What’s that?”

“I think, when we’re at the end of everything, it’ll be you and me watching the birth of a new galaxy.” Kix brushes his fingers against your cheek, “I think we’re going to eternity together, hand in hand, and I can think of nothing more beautiful.”

#star wars #tcw #clone medic kix x reader #kix x reader #star wars fanfiction #x reader fanfiction #answered asks

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fandomanimatic-tournament · 1 year ago

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Fandom song animatic tournament: Bracket 2 Side A Round 2

No Children (I hope we both die) - The Mountain Goats

"I am drowning There is no sign of land You are coming down with me Hand in unlovable hand And I hope you die I hope we both die"

I can't decide ([Blank] can't decide) - Scissor Sisters

"I can't decide Whether you should live or die Oh, you'll probably go to heaven Please don't hang your head and cry No wonder why My heart feels dead inside It's cold and hard and petrified Lock the doors and close the blinds We're going for a ride!"

Remember that we're voting on how Iconic they are for ANIMATICS, not for the song itself. In order to make things fair, the tone and mood of the song should not affect how iconic it is (for example, a serious song should not be considered more iconic than a joke song just because it's serious)

Propaganda and animatic links of the songs under the cut:

No Children (I hope we both die) - The Mountain Goats

Propaganda:

cmon. its no children. its AMAZING. the VIBES... the LYRICS.....

You're not a real fandom un til you have "hand in unloveable hand" as the title for every other ao3 fic

Not only is this song, like, objectively really really good, but it's been absolutely put through the ringer in terms of fan creations.

There's a video online somewhere of a whole group of people singing it alongside the person who made it (i think its just audio which makes it hit harder tbh) and it fucks me up so bad actually. like its a whole community of people rejoicing and in its own sense that's beautiful but the fact that its this song of all things is so depressing yet unifying at the same time it gives me so many emotions

AND IIIII HOPE WHEN YOU THINK OF ME YEARS DOWN THE LINE YOU CANT FIND ONE GOOD THING TO SAY AND I HOPE IF I FOUND THE STRENGTH TO WALK OUT YOUD STAY THE HELL OUTTA MY WAYYYYYYY I AM DROWNING!!!!!! THERE IS NO SIGN OF LAND!!!!!!!!! YOU ARE COMING DOWN WITH ME!!!!!!!! HAND IN UNLOVEABLE HAND!!!!!!!!!!! AND I HOPE YOU DIE! I HOPE WE BOTH DIE

It makes people make animatics about divorce/divorce-adjacent situations, which makes it swag and awesome!

Animatics with the song:

The Owl House Alador Animatic

Don't Hug Me I'm Scared

BNHA

Mob Psycho 100 Mob and Reigen Animatic

Bojack Horseman

DSMP Quackity and Schlatt Animatic

I can't decide - Scissor Sisters

Propaganda:

Literally every playful villain ever. You want to use this for enemies to lovers? Do it! Someone who sees crime as a game? Go for it! The instrumental is so silly goofy and the lyrics are so flirtatiously sinister

Scissor Sisters be so funky and this song is so silly and playful (even when it's about deciding on whether or not you should kill someone)

Animatics with the song:

The Adventure Zone

FNAF

Karmaland V

31 Minutos

Danganronpa Kokichi Animatic

The Walten Files

Please be cautious and read the title, description and warning cards on the animatic videos if you decide to watch them. If you've got specific triggers I'd recommend even more caution when watching animatics of fandoms you don't know, since sometimes canon-typical themes don't get warnings.

#fandom animatic tournament #tumblr poll #tumblr tournament #tumblr tourney

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420thewritersroom · 11 months ago

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A Burning Tree

~ok listen! I know I said that the next part would introduce Revenant!Kung Lao, but I got the brainworm to look at how Liu Kang and Shujinko handled Kung Lao's death and add more Dark!Raiden to the mix. Especially since I was heavily inspired to write a bit more about Dark!Raiden thanks to @sogekii-heii and their recent piece with Dark!Raiden (I still think about that, like oml!)~

~So here we go again! I promise this time, Kung Lao's coming back and it's going to be nasty! Also, this title actually has meaning to it, finish reading to get that meaning! Or skip to the end and get it anyways, idc~

~Before we continue just wanted to put some mild context to ensure this makes sense. Fire God Liu Kang starts getting deja vu as certain coincidences and events start playing out that are too eerily similar to how things played out during the MK9 game. All roads were seemingly leading to Kung Lao dying in his timeline, and Liu Kang struggled with how to cope and deal with this. On one hand, he did not want his friend-…His new teacher…To die, especially since he tried so hard to tailor-make this timeline to ensure everyone got a happy ending.

Yet, at the same time, he refused to stoop down to Kronika's level and start altering the timeline until it was his "perfect" utopia. However, his fears and suspicion about the situation become even more realized when Raiden gets gravely injured, and the only thing that prevented him from kneeling over was the thunder amulet infused with his person (and some other magical shit, idk). From this, Raiden gains his iconic white hair, and this gives Liu Kang a heart attack. To make a long story short, Kung Lao ends up dying at the hands of the villains, Raiden is going through the stages of grief, but he's going down the same dark path as the previous Raiden, now becoming Dark Raiden. And Liu Kang has to finally interfere.~

Still confused? Too late, now on to the story!

Previous // Next

Wilted Cherry Blossoms, Dark Thunderstorms, Burning Hopes: Remastered

Characters: Shujinko (MK1 Ver), Fire God Liu Kang, Raiden, Past Liu Kang, Past Raiden - Mentions of Kung Lao, Scorpion, Smoke, and Ashra

Word Count: 5,578

Ships: MK9 Liu Kang/MK9 Raiden (Unrequited Love)

Warnings: Canon Typical Violence (with less blood), Heavy Talks of Character Death

Shujinko still remembers that day, when Liu Kang called all his champions to inform them of the news. Old and new Earthrealm warriors were gathered for the news, and it came as a shock to everyone what Liu Kang announced.

"I may have made a…Selfish choice, when I chose each of you to become defenders of Earthrealm. The timeline I originated from, many of you were there as well. Protecting and fighting for our home against threats within and outside of Earthrealm…And with this new era, I foolishly assumed that I could…Replicate the connections that were made before. I have taken up all of your time with new worries, wounds, and ripped you away from the lives you once had before. So…I'm giving you the option…To walk away. From all of this. To return to your homes, your families, the life before I found you. There will be no shame or dishonor if you choose to retire the mantle. I wish each of you a fulfilling life…And I'm sorry."

Shujinko still remembers the near unified gasp and murmurs that filled the room-the questions that erupted in that moment as everyone tried to make sense of Liu Kang's decision. Liu Kang answered any questions that were brought to him, but Shujinko could tell that Liu Kang was set on his decision. Despite Liu Kang's stance on the discontinuation of Earthrealms defenders, many opted to continue their service to their realm, especially when Kuai Liang, Tomas, and Ashra argued against Liu Kang's decision to weaken Earthrealms defenses. And where Liu Kang would've listened to their concerns carefully and worked with others to meet in the middle, the fire god did none of that, uncharacteristically so. It seemed no amount of concrete arguments was going to sway Liu Kang into reconsidering.

If anything, the zeal the Shirai Ryu leaders and Ashra displayed encouraged others to stay and maintain their positions as Earthrealms protectors. After all they've been through, how could one do so? Discovering mystical powers that they all thought to be mythical, experiencing breathtaking realms beyond their own, and for few, the soul-changing truth and reality of their existence. For others, they might not have a home to return to; a life either filled with too many hurtful memories, broken relationships, or homes gone to the wind to never return again. All of that is nigh impossible to walk away from…But walk away few did.

Their reasons for leaving were their own, and they left with their excuses. But there were those who couldn't return to a normal life due to the aforementioned reasons before. They knew too much, saw too much; for some, a bit too much. Like a soldier returning from a grueling war, reconciling an average living after spending years, months, maybe even weeks under the wing of Liu Kang and his academy would be much to bear on the psyche. Almost ominously, Liu Kang promised to fix that for them.

What was done to these warriors was not publicly told, but Shujinko heard rumors and whispers about Liu Kang wiping away the memories of those who couldn't find it in themselves to leave behind their new life to return to their old one. It's presumed it's a consensual exchange, and Shujinko wants to believe that Liu Kang gave them the choice to lose those memories. But there was something disheartening about knowing that old friends Shujinko knew during his time in the Wu Shi Academy now viewed him as a regular stranger. That there are those who returned home who will never recognize the faces of those whom they considered allies, friends, and maybe even lovers.

Shujinko would know that pain. He experienced it before.

Raiden, long before he was exposed to the same memory wipe...When he was...Changed by his former master's death, revealed to him why there were gaps and contradictions in his memories. At that time, Shujinko noticed a change that was present in everyone. People were avoiding him, few wanted to train with him, and others spoke to him in such a careful manner as if they were hiding something from the young pupil. Before, Kung Lao, Raiden, nor Liu Kang would explain why he was treated differently, chalking it up to his new classmates needing time to get to know him.

And for a long time, Shujinko believed that...Until Raiden broke the news to him. It practically came out of nowhere when Raiden revealed this to Shujinko. Shujinko's training was placed in the hands of the thunder wielder, and after Kung Lao's death, he was far rougher and blunt than before, pointing out all his flaws but giving little instruction on how to improve. Even Shujinko's ability to copy other's abilities couldn't prepare him how to fight properly. And, at times, Shujinko thought that Raiden used their time training together as an excuse to use him as a punching bag. None of the other masters at the academy was as ruthless as Raiden was, even the ones who were notorious for being a "tough love" type of mentor. Shujinko slowly began to dread training with Raiden...Feared him even. It was almost like Raiden had some...Sick, twisted desire to break his spirit, along with those he encountered.

It was the day when Shujinko practically BEGGED Raiden to stop his assault on him, clearly yielding, nay, submitting, to the thunder wielder. His glowing white hair and eyes, along with the sparks of lightning bouncing off him, becoming an image Shujinko, even to this day, has a hard time disassociating from his idea of what Raiden is. Raiden gave him a light but firm kick, forcing Shujinko on his back after leaning on his side. Raiden walked a short distance away from him, taking in the mountainous view of the academy. Shujinko took that moment to breathe since Raiden rarely gave him breaks anymore.

"...You've been slightly improving, Shujinko," Raiden kept his eyes trained on the scene before him, his voice tainted with a sinister tone.

Shujinko only moved his eyes to look at his master, remaining silent, for he feared that saying anything would rile the thunder wielder. Especially since the clouds have been a dangerous gray for a long time since they started their brawl.

"But you're barely where you need to be. Not like you used to be, anyways." Raiden gibed, still keeping his view on the mountainous regions ahead.

Shujinko KNOWS he shouldn't speak back, he learned a long time ago with this...New Raiden, what happens when he talks back to him. But something deep inside the young monk wanted to bite back at Raiden. After all this time under Raiden's wing, he's been nothing but demeaning to Shujinko. Everything the pupil did seemingly irritated Raiden to no end. If anything, the reason he's 'barely where he needs to be' is because Raiden beats him to near death and doesn't actually teach him! Not like he used to, at least!

Without thinking, Shujinko opened his mouth, venom escaping his lips as he responded to Raiden, "Maybe I would be getting better if you didn't constantly beat the 'lesson' out of me. You know, like how a true master would teach their student. Even Kung Lao knew that."

There was a threatening pause, a silence Shujinko didn't felt until he heard the frightening sound of thunder in the air. It wasn't until now that Shujinko realized where he first fucked up, especially when he put Kung Lao's name in the conversation. Shujinko quickly sat himself up, hissing in pain slightly as his muscles began to strain, and he was reminded that his left leg was sprained. Raiden still paid him no mind, continuing to keep the stillness between them. Shujinko knew that a possible beatdown was waiting for him, so he tried to sneak away as quickly as possible.

"You know, before General Shao, you were the first person to make an attempt on Kung Lao's life."

Shujinko froze upon hearing that, twisting his head to look at Raiden. He almost wished he hadn't that day because the look of Raiden looking at Shujinko over his shoulder, white eyes staring deep into his soul, was another unforgettable image he could never scrub from his mind. His mind was swimming with questions. What did Raiden mean that he almost killed Kung Lao? Never has he ever intentionally attempted to hurt his former master.

"W-what do you mean, master? I would never hurt Master Kung-"

"It's reasonable that you don't remember, you copycat pest," Raiden chastised, making Shujinko feel goosebumps all over his body when Raiden gave him his full attention. "Liu Kang wiped it all away, the memories of the time you got power hungry and nearly compromised the sanctity of the realms."

This all came as a shock to Shujinko as he stared at Raiden stupidly, not registering that Raiden was slowly approaching him.

"And honestly, I think Liu Kang was too kind to you. I should've seen the threat you would become from a mile away. Especially when I watched you nearly snap Kung Lao's neck with your own bare hands. You should've been put down, like the dog you were and the dog you still are." Raiden continued his encroaching walk toward Shujinko, his hair, and eyes now glowing with power as static encompassed him.

Shujinko starts to uselessly crawl away from Raiden, but too frightened to take his eyes off the thunder wielder. "N-no. No, no, no, I would never-"

"JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T REMEMBER DOESN'T MEAN IT NEVER HAPPENED, SHUJINKO," Raiden shouts at the confused pupil, an arc of lightening crashing next to the cowering student, dangerously close for comfort.

"R-RAIDEN, PLEASE, LEAVE ME ALONE!" Shujinko shrieks as he tries to regain his footing, ready to book it out of there.

But he wasn't fast enough, especially with his sprained leg that slowed him down further. Raiden zapped him with multiple streams of lightning straight from his fingertips as he tased Shujinko, the pained screams of his student bringing great inner delight to Raiden, to the amulet. "You're a threat to our realm, to all the realms. You could've been a valuable asset, but Liu Kang is too busy playing the peaceful politician to utilize you as a weapon. Too busy teaching you about harmony and peace when there are actually world-ending threats out there that could be stomped out if we didn't hold ourselves back. That's what killed Kung Lao..."

Shujinko groans in agony as he tries to get away, Raiden's constant assault making it difficult to move any part of his body. "RAIDEN, PLEASE!"

"...So, I guess the only way you won't become a potential threat, is if you are never a threat at all." Raiden began to intensify the bolts of lighting, the sounds of Shujinko howling in pain becoming music to his ears.

"RAIDEN!"

Finally, the lightning stopped, and Shujinko collapsed from the constant strain on his body. Raiden snapped his head towards Liu Kang, the one who gained his attention before he could finally kill Shujinko. The fire god rushed to the unconscious student before angrily looking at Raiden.

"You could've killed him, Raiden! What's gotten into you!?!"

Raiden stared at Liu Kang, not answering him but not showing any signs of guilt either. After a brief pause, Raiden turned his back on the pair and walked away.

"Raiden! Don't you walk away from me! Rai-"

Before Liu Kang could stop him, Raiden disappeared in a flash of lightning. Something Liu Kang was all too familiar with; Lord Raiden would do the same thing if he were to exit a scene.

The next thing Shujinko knew, he was in the many medical care rooms of the Wu Shi Academy, receiving treatment for his wounds. Multiple nurses dressed his injuries before Liu Kang approached Shujinko, expressing how Raiden would no longer be responsible for training him and that he would be assigned to a new teacher. While that was a relief to his ears...Something else bothered Shujinko.

"...Is it true that I almost killed Kung Lao...That I almost destroyed the realms..."

Liu Kang was so taken aback by this that he didn't immediately answer him.

"...Is that why my memories are missing, Lord Liu Kang? Because I'm a threat?" Shujinko's voice starts to shake as he can feel an overwhelming dread take over him.

Even though Liu Kang didn't answer him, the silence was telling. Despite this, Liu Kang didn't conceal the truth from him. Yes, Shujinko did nearly become a threat to all the realms...And yes, regrettably, he did nearly kill Kung Lao when they tried to subdue him. And there were others that Shujinko did kill...His best friend, Apep...Was one of the many casualties that Shujinko caused. All of this because Shujinko, at that time, became puffed up with pride and hungry for power. But it wasn't something that came out of nowhere. Liu Kang admitted that Kung Lao's early years of being a master at the Wu Shi Academy taught him many lessons in being humble; something Lao had to learn the hard way when he was teaching Shujinko the first time.

Liu Kang had no choice but to wipe his memories away, bringing him back to when he was first found by Liu Kang and his warriors. And like a house fire, the flames burned away nearly every inkling of his repertoire, leaving very little for Shujinko to remember. But that also meant, there was no way to recover those memories, even if Liu Kang wanted to give those memories back. Much like a valued family heirloom that was destroyed during a fire, there is precious little that can recover the lost item.

While this meant that Shujinko would not be haunted by the constant reminder of his failures...It still pained him to think that he COULD be a threat to be reckoned with. If anything, he almost wished he never learned the truth. Living in ignorance would've been preferable to living in fear of himself.

Shujinko blinks, not realizing that he's been standing idle in front of Liu Kang's private quarters for…Who knows how long. He didn't realize he was deep in thought as he was carrying a tray full of food to the fire god.

No one has seen Liu Kang-not since he disbanded the Earthrealm Warriors. Barely a week after that disbandment, Liu Kang became a ghost in his own academy. None of the monks can confidently say where they last saw the fire god. One moment, he's confined to his meditation area, then he's at the zen garden, or his private quarters. Other times, no one knows where Liu Kang is at all. Oftentimes, it was just best to leave offerings for the fire god at his (once) usual spots and come back an hour later. Usually, the contents were gone upon returning to retrieve them.

Shujinko should leave the tray behind, knock on the door, then go. But something compelled him to linger a bit longer after the initial knock.

"…Lord Liu Kang?" Shujinko meekly calls out. He tries the door, and to his surprise, it was unlocked.

"Are you going to l-let me die? Like you did Lao?"

"HE WOULD'VE WANTED TO LIVE WITH ME. SPEND THE REST OF HIS LIFE WITH ME! HIS FUCKING BOYFRIEND!"

"I LOVED HIM, LIU KANG! WITH ALL MY HEART, I LOVED HIM!!! AND YOU TOOK HIM FROM ME! YOU DID THIS TO ME!!"

"Even if you didn't know fully that Kung Lao would die, why didn't you tell us! Why didn't you save him?"

"BRING HIM BACK! BRING HIM BACK TO ME!"

"Why did you let him die"

Those words will always haunt Liu Kang. The pain in Raiden's voice, the intensity of his lightning strikes, the hatred he felt for Liu Kang. That's not something one can move on from, no matter how many years pass by. But these words cut deeper than Raiden, or anyone could ever imagine

In his youthful, mortal years, Liu Kang made the stupidest decision of his life, and fell in love with a god. Of all the people he could dedicate his life to, a beautiful Outworlder, a fellow best friend, a Special Forces agent, hell, even the Hollywood star would've (not really) been a better contestant than the LITERAL GOD OF THUNDER. An entity that will outlive him by decades, who probably went through multiple lovers-Liu would become another footnote in their unending life. Not only that, but he was pretty much RAISED by this man. He practically went through the entire spectrum of relationships with Raiden, first strangers, then friends, mentor/student, father/son…And now Liu Kang wanted to add lovers to that?

Liu Kang, even then, tried to psyche himself out of falling for Raiden. He had many other suitors, plenty of girls and boys who threw themselves at the Shaolin Monk, and he had plenty of options to choose from. But no matter how he tried, his heart yearned for Raiden. If you asked Liu Kang how he discovered that he grew an affinity for Raiden…There was no straight answer.

Liu Kang can probably point to his formative years as a teen already trying to traverse and reconcile with his growing and changing body. He remembered many times where he lingered at those he found attractive, one of those individuals being Raiden. But back then, Liu Kang assumed that he was just "admiring his physique" and using Raiden as a means of motivation to get stronger.

But the feelings of desire did not fade away as he grew older. If anything, they evolved. Soon, he was having silly daydreams about Raiden. Wondering how it would feel to be held protectively by the thunder god as he lifted them away from danger. What his white mane must feel like, and how Raiden would react if Liu ran his fingers through his hair or braided it. Or perhaps how would Raiden feel if Liu put in the effort to make him a meal, something that Raiden would love. He started noticing little details about Raiden that none did, such as the light glow in Raiden's eyes when he was talking with someone he fancied or the age lines when he smiled. But then these innocent daydreams became…Fuel for more carnal wants. Soon, it developed into memorizing his physique for…Reasons.

Liu Kang began to wonder how it would feel to have Raiden pull at his hair, to whisper in his ear, to pin him down, speak sweet nothings to him, to claim Liu Kang as his, something Raiden could do at any point in time if he wished. A god could take whatever it wanted, and Liu Kang would've gladly let Raiden do whatever he desired with him.

But what outweighed the carnality and the soft trances was the genuine love he felt for Raiden. On the same note of noticing small characteristics of the thunder god, Liu Kang did know of his favorite food (it's nuclear buffalo wings), he knew about Raiden's brother, Fujin, knew about the many adventures that Raiden partook in, both sad and joyful. Liu Kang KNEW Raiden and it made him fall for the god most spectacularly.

But Liu Kang overstepped his boundaries. He and Raiden were sparing together as Liu Kang wanted to demonstrate to Raiden that he was ready for the Mortal Kombat tournament. It was a sweat-inducing endeavor as there was an intense back-and-forth, each of them blocking and countering the others' attacks before finally, Liu Kang gained the upper hand, pinning Raiden below him.

"Do you yield?" Liu Kang says, out of breath.

"Y-yes. I yield," Raiden, just as winded, replied as he shoots Liu Kang with a reassuring smile. "You have improved thanks to Bo' Rai Cho's teachings."

"And I have you to thank for making me a recommendation," Liu readjusts himself on top of Raiden, sitting up on top of Raiden while not applying much weight to the god below him.

There's a moment where Raiden and he are quiet after some idle talk, Liu Kang only noticing that Raiden was staring at him with a growing smile. "…What?"

"You are ready, Liu Kang. You will be the one who will save Earthrealm from Outworld's attempts to merge the realms under their tyranny."

Liu Kang, even though he was praised by Raiden countless times before, cannot help the growing heat from surfacing on his face. He faces away from Raiden before muttering, "You flatter me, Lord Raiden…"

"You'll need a constant reminder that I, along with every defender of Earthrealm, will be cheering for you during the tournament. The kombatants you will encounter will test your might, your vigor, and your mental capacities. I believe you are ready. I know you will become the chosen defender that Earthrealm needs." Raiden softly professed as he leaned up, using his elbows to leverage himself.

Liu Kang looked at Raiden, meeting the thunder god eye-to-eye. Liu Kang saw his whole world in Raiden's white pupils, soaking in every hint of emotion that was displayed in front of him.

"Liu Kang?"

Liu didn't even realize that he was leaning closer to Raiden.

"Is there something you want to tell me?"

Liu Kang didn't even register that Raiden was asking questions.

Before Liu Kang knew it, he pressed his lips together with Raiden's. At last, his hearing decided to work so that he could hear the surprised "mph!" noise from the thunder god. It was perhaps Liu Kang's first kiss, he wasn't as adventurous as Kung Lao, who definitely had a few run-ins with various individuals. It being Liu Kang's first, it wasn't anything remarkable, but it was memorable to Liu Kang…But not for the reasons he would've wanted.

When they finally parted, Liu Kang felt like he could breathe again. The shocked expression plastered on Raiden's face, however, was unexpected. They both remain in total silence, neither making a move nor taking the first step to speak. Raiden would finally be the first to move, which indicated for Liu Kang to finally get off the thunder god. Liu Kang, courteously, helped Raiden back on his feet, his hand, however, did not leave Raiden's.

"…I…I must go," Raiden quickly excused himself, disconnecting his hand from Liu Kang.

Liu Kang watched Raiden leave, and the feeling of awkwardness and humiliation quickly overwhelmed him.

Since that day, the pair seemed to share the same idea of just avoiding each other. But where Liu Kang was avoiding Raiden out of embarrassment, Raiden...Liu Kang couldn't figure him out (that bit of mysteriousness always being an aspect of Raiden he did like). Before, Liu Kang didn't mind it, but when Liu Kang began to rediscover the courage to approach Raiden, the thunder god was always turning the other way or shortening their conversations considerably. He could never get a moment with Raiden as he was always in discussion with someone else, busy with other matters, or needed to consult those dreaded Eldar Gods.

But they would finally have a one-on-one...A literal week before the official Mortal Kombat tournament. Liu Kang and Kung Lao were sitting with their Shaolin Monk brethren and family, the spiritual brothers jesting from across the table and talking about their eventful day. Raiden was missing from the scene, but he would suddenly appear in the mess hall where they were all meeting.

"Liu Kang, do you have a moment?"

Many faces turn to Liu Kang with curiosity. The same kind of energy children would have when one is called to the principal's office. Liu Kang feels a knot in his stomach, and he wipes his face with an available napkin, "Yes, Lord Raiden."

"Ooh~! You're in trouble~" Kung Lao jokes, releasing the tension effortlessly in the room.

Liu Kang smirks at his friend, throwing a dumpling at the razerhat wielder before skipping away from the table. Approaching Raiden and meeting him out in the hallway, he noticed that Raiden continued to walk further into the Shaolin Temple.

"Was there a reason for my audience, Lord Raiden?" Liu Kang finally asked after a couple turns here and there, but Raiden still remained silent. The knot in Liu Kang's stomach grows tighter as he anticipates their stop, which means he'll finally be informed the news.

Liu Kang tried to calm himself when they finally reached a secluded area in the temple, outside near the zen garden. Raiden stops in his tracks near a still-in-bloom cherry blossom tree. Funnily enough, it was the same tree he and Kung Lao would often play near when they were children before sometimes secretly training together under said tree.

"...Is there...Something wrong, Raiden?" Liu Kang drops the professionalism as he tries to make this personal, trying to appease to the human side of Raiden.

"...About that...Day...When we both...When we both sparred together as we tested your skills for the tournament."

OHFUCKOHFUCKOHFUCKOHFUCKOHFUCKOHFUCK!

Liu Kang visibly (and if possible, verbally) swallows as he stares at Raiden's back, the thunder god still not facing Liu Kang and meeting him eye-to-eye.

"...Yes..." This was all Liu Kang could utter as he waited for Raiden to continue.

"I...Um..." Even Raiden was loss for words, as if he just decided RIGHT NOW that he wanted to talk about this. "...I...I recognize that you have developed a fondness for me."

It felt like Liu Kang's heart was going to jump out of his body or crawl out of his mouth. A large part of his being was vibrating with excitement. Is this it? Is this the part where they finally take the next step? Liu Kang couldn't help but step in place, leaning against one foot before placing added pressure on the other. Liu Kang wanted to say it. He wanted to declare his emotions in from of Raiden before the thunder god could finish.

"I love you. I love you so much, Raiden. You have no idea the night I would stay up with you on my mind. The pain I go through because I wanted to be near you, close to you, with you."

All of this and more, Liu Kang wanted to confess, but he is disciplined, he is patient. He will wait for Raiden to finish his thought, if he has more to tell.

"...And I have that same...Care for you too, Liu Kang. There's much history between us, and I can understand that you may have grown a deeper affinity for me."

There's a BUT in there. There's a MASSIVE BUT in there. But Liu Kang didn't hear it. He was too enamored, far too blinded by his own love for Raiden to even recognize the writing on the walls.

"But I must, respectfully, decline your love for me."

Liu Kang's world felt like it shattered around him. Somewhere, deep down, Liu Kang knew this could be a possibility. A high probability, in fact.

But it didn't make it hurt any less. Liu Kang stared at Raiden dumbfound. There must be a reason why. Is he not his type? Is it due to the circumstances with the tournament? Is Raiden already seeing someone else? What was the reason?

"…Goodnight, Liu Kang," and Raiden proceeded to walk away. Or, at least, attempt to.

It took all of Liu Kang's willpower to surge after him and grab his wrist, "Wait! W-why can't we? I mean, you said you felt the same way, so why do you 'decline.'" Liu Kang didn't mean to sound desperate, but he wanted to know. Maybe there might still be a chance he can still win Raiden's love.

"Liu Kang, you're letting your emotions control you. I said what I said; there's nothing more to it-"

Liu Kang forces himself in his line of sight, "Why Raiden. That's all I ask."

"Does the why really matter, Liu Kang?"

"It matters enough to me as your friend…"

"…We're not compatible," Raiden tries to say with finality.

"And why is that?"

"Liu-"

"Is it because I'm mortal? The tournament?"

"Liu Kang!" Raiden's eyes flare with godly power as his voice booms like thunder. This immediately quiets Liu Kang. Raiden takes a moment to breathe, reeling back his anger. "…You have many admirable qualities. You're handsome, patient, caring, determined, and good-willed. These are aspects that anyone would fall for and would be lucky to have you as their significant other. And…Perhaps, in another life, I could return your feelings. But I cannot provide you the happiness you think I can give. The amount of responsibilities and burdens…I'm sorry, but I just wouldn't be able to emotionally and physically give back to you."

Liu Kang was speechless as he gazed at Raiden. It hurts too that Raiden is just too good at keeping a stoic look, so Liu Kang can't even find any cracks in his "it's not you, it's me" speech.

"We both will have our 'plates filled' during and after the tournament. A lot of opportunities will be heading your way. I know a mortal's life is short; one must grab at every chance of life that one can. But believe me when I say, that you will find someone who will love you more than I ever could. And it might end up being someone unexpected." Raiden smiles as he places a hand on Liu Kang's shoulder.

Liu Kang slowly hangs his head low slightly, not exactly looking at Raiden's feet, but not meeting his gaze either. "I'm sorry for lashing out, Lord Raiden."

"Do not apologize, it's natural. Believe it or not, I have had plenty of experience with such bursts of emotions. I will always love you, Liu Kang, and I pray that someone will love you more than I do."

When Liu Kang recreated this timeline, his main goal and motivation was always to provide his friends a new life. A better life. A second chance at being happy. And sometimes, that meant changing and altering events so that his friends and companions could achieve that life they'd always wanted.

That's why Raiden's words cut so close to home. The old Raiden, the former thunder god, his mentor, his father…The one that got away. Liu Kang only wanted Raiden to be happy because he saw, from the outside looking in, the stress and pressure Raiden had to maintain on his own. And being a fire god himself, he can finally reconcile with those tough decisions Raiden burdened himself with. There were times Liu Kang just wanted to hold him, to kiss away any tears or fears Raiden had.

But they were never meant to be, but that never meant that Raiden's happiness never came first for Liu Kang. Liu Kang may not be able to provide for Raiden emotionally or physically, but he can give him a life where he doesn't have to worry about a single thing. So he put Raiden in his shoes and gave him everything Liu Kang would've wanted. A loving family, a best friend, a wise mentor…A home…Everything Liu Kang has lost or never had, he gave to Raiden…In some way, it was almost like a thank-you gift to the one god who gave him everything in his mortal life.

"Lord Liu Kang?"

Liu Kang opens his eyes as he's slightly disturbed from his meditation. He can see Shujinko peeking through the door, a tray full of food. I'm sorry to disturb you. I wanted to bring you a meal from the mess hall…"

Liu Kang's glowing eyes stare at the young pupil, and he gestures for him to enter. The young man hurries into Liu Kang's quarters, taking brief seconds to admire the gods' room before setting the tray in from of Liu. Just as Shujinko was about to leave, Liu Kang speaks up, "Please, sit with me. I…I would like the company."

"R-really?" Shujinko looks at Liu Kang in utter surprise. He doesn't know anyone in the academy who has sat down with Liu Kang ever since the fire god decided to isolate himself. He's probably the first in a long time to actually SEE Liu Kang in so long. "Are you sure?"

Liu Kang smiles as he picks up the bowl of rice and chopsticks. "I don't eat much anymore. You can have some of the items presented."

Shujinko was still dumbfounded as he watched Liu consume the rice. Shujinko would finally sit across from Liu and pick up a slice of bread and carefully takes a bite. The pair ate in silence, which was more than enough for Liu Kang. Just being near someone, even if it was someone he wasn't too familiar with, Liu Kang knew that at some point, he needed to break this cycle. If Kung Lao was here, he would've scolded him and drag his sorry-ass outside, and forced him to to rekindle himself with the world at large. Liu Kang actually chuckles to himself as he thinks about this.

"Hmm?" Shujinko looks at Liu Kang startled.

"Nothing, Shujinko…Just thinking…" Liu Kang smiles.

~whoo, I wrote "considerably" less this time around :D! So, the reason why I picked the title "Burning Tree" is because I was thinking of Shujinko because trees are often associated with family ties and how they're connected to each other. In this case, its more memories than any familial ties Shujinko has with the characters. With his memories gone, it's like a tree burning (or a better analogy being the house fire I mentioned in the story). A burnt tree is nigh reversible and you are stuck with whatever was left behind, if anything was even left behind. That can go hand in hand with Shujinko's (and even Raiden's) memories when Liu Kang removed them. Liu Kang, being the god of fire, can take away those painful memories, but once the deed is done, is irreversible. Even the most dedicated of therapy sessions won't return those lost memories. But like embers after a flame, small fragments might still remain. See, I'm hella smart :D. Also, if it wasn't obvious already, I'm a big Liu Kang/Raiden lover and I was shocked to see there was barely any fics about the pair on AO3. The horror!~

#Mortal Kombat #Mortal Kombat 1 #MK1 #MK1 Shujinko #MK1 Liu Kang #MK1 Raiden #MK9 Raiden #Shujinko #Liu Kang #Raiden #Oops Kung Lao's Dead Again AU #Wilted Cherry Blossoms Dark Thunderstorms Burning Hopes

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petraevesplace · 2 months ago

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An Accidental Essay on Dorias

One of the aspects of Thracia I’ve seen receive close to universal praise from players is Leif’s tacticians, August and Dorias. They have a unique, well-written dynamic with their clashing perspectives and personalities and each add to the world with interesting backstories and connected characters. But between them, there’s a very clear favorite. It’s well-deserved and August is my favorite of the two as well. But Dorias deserves appreciation too for his impact and importance to Leif, August, and the narrative and I don’t just mean through his fate.

After capturing Fort Noel, Leif admits to almost admiring how well House Friege’s soldiers fought, which Dorias encourages. Dorias openly admires how well General Largo fought and the discipline and honor House Friege’s soldiers fight with, telling Leif if he captured General Largo to never forget his knightly pride. Though this isn’t something Leif seems to identify with, it is something important for him to understand. Just as Eyvel encouraged him to spare any foot soldiers he can as most were just regular folk being forced to fight against their will and August’s explanation of the harsh position the Southern Thracians were in recontextualized their actions, Dorias’s understanding of the beliefs and expectations of knights allows Leif to see them as more than just a cruel, evil enemy that deserves to die. Leif has already been shown to be inclined to offer mercy if he can, both in sparing Rumei and his admittance to Dorias that rather than knightly pride, he thought about wanting to avoid a needless slaughter, and the game allows you to let him be, nearly every enemy including many bosses able to be captured and released. For as deep as his hate can be, it isn’t so broadly, something each of the perspectives he’s presented with makes even less so. This empathy and understanding are important for Leif to avoid making the same mistakes as the kings who came before him and successfully unify Thracia and these three groups of people are all who he needs to have them for the most in order to offer mercy when deserved in a way that will be accepted.

Unlike Eyvel and August’s lessons though, Dorias’s is challenged by the latter. After hearing Dorias praise Reinhardt, August snaps at his fellow advisor, getting truly angry for the first and only time in the game. He’s disgusted by Dorias talking about Reinhardt in a positive light and calls all knights hopeless for thinking as Dorias does. While he’s not wrong about Reinhardt deserving reproach, what Dorias was saying is objectively true. Reinhardt is a damned fine warrior, he’s incredibly strong and skilled and potentially one of the hardest enemies you’ll face in the game. But objectivity isn’t August’s issue with Dorias’s assessment, it’s Dorias’s perspective as a whole, the traditional ways of thinking of knights and the north. To someone approaching this from a similar perspective as August, that of a common person suffering under the Empire and because of the failings of previous rulers, the willingness to respect and speak highly of someone aiding the Loptyrians in bringing Jugdral closer to destruction is insulting and just the kind of short sightedness August warned Leif about.

But that respect was also how Leif was just able to recruit Fred and Olwen. When their army first encountered them at Fort Noel, both saw Leif and his army as invaders on House Friege’s land. They had no sympathy to their cause or reason to want to join them. But when Kempf traps Fred along with Leif in his attempt to kill him, Leif’s admission of respecting the honor House Friege fought with before earns enough respect from Fred to be willing not to fight him and agree to work together, even after Leif tells Fred who he is. Fred even vouches for Leif to Olwen if he speaks with her first, admitting that even though they only spoke briefly, that was enough to convince him Leif is worth following. The boss of this chapter, Oltoph, will also express surprise and a change of mind toward House Leonster if he’s captured and released. While there are flaws in the knights’ perspective, they aren’t as hopeless as August dismissed them to be. At the core of their perspective is a belief and desire for honor, something House Friege has been falling short of with their involvement in the child hunts. Reinhardt is a damned fine warrior but not so much an honorable knight and Kempf launches himself as far from honorable as he can in every scene he’s in. While there is subjectivity to what makes something honorable, one thing it unquestionably requires is respect. Leif showing that to enemy knights on top of his opposition to the child hunts makes him a viable option for who to follow to those whose view of honor puts greater emphasis on morality than loyalty to a house or person. If he’d met Fred with the same disdain August holds for knights, one of them likely would have died to the other in that trap. Not every knight is hopeless and offering that hope and deserved respect won’t always work but will benefit their army more than dismissing all knights from the start.

This isn’t the last time August voices his dislike of Dorias’s perspective, snapping at him a second time several chapters later, not as angrily but more cruelly. To reach Leonster, August advises taking the route that’s safer for their soldiers and allows them to attack a less defended side of the castle than the main gate. Dorias, however, wants to take the route that goes straight to Castle Leonster’s main gate and through another Empire held fort. August vehemently opposes this idea, warning Dorias he’ll get innocent men killed projecting his values onto them. But Dorias isn’t making this suggestion purely out of knightly pride as we see a few chapters later, he can recognize when a battle can’t be won and it’s better to play it safe than take the honorable, knightly approach. He acknowledges his approach here would result in casualties but still had faith it would work. He believes in their army and if they take his approach, the people and their men will too, each victory raising everyone’s morale in a way August’s approach can’t. He wants to spread the hope he has and though that will mean losses along the way, at least those who die will do so feeling proud of what they accomplished while alive, giving them and those they cared about some small consolation.

August isn’t wrong to criticize Dorias’s approach though. As he rightfully points out, most of their men aren’t knights or even nobles. They don’t have the resources, training, or mentality of the knights Dorias is treating them as. They’re just regular people trying to survive fighting against their oppressor. Holding them to the same expectations all the time isn’t reasonable and is partially responsible for innocent men’s deaths when immediately after reclaiming Castle Leonster, the people of Alster plead with them for aid. Both Dorias and August advise against it but Leif insists he can’t stand by and let the people of Alster die nor can he ignore the debt he owes them for sheltering him after Leonster fell. His father would never forgive him. August calls his thinking childish but Dorias offers to lead half of their men to aid Alster, refusing to let the whole army go and refusing to let August lead them instead when he suggests it.

This moment always felt a little contrived to me, like August and Dorias gave in too easily for how serious this is. But I think I understand why now or at least came up with a perspective on this that feels more satisfying to me.

While Leif’s argument sounded childish to August, to Dorias, it sounded like an argument a knight would make, that he would make. It’s the honorable and right thing to do, to aid your allies in their time of need. But in this situation, it isn’t practical and that right there is the greatest flaw in Dorias’s perspective. It isn’t always possible to do the right, honorable thing nor does following knightly pride always lead to a good outcome. Even having faith in your army’s abilities is not enough and even dangerous on its own. Although there was value in his perspective, it’s not the one Leif needs. It won’t lead them to victory, just to the same end Leonster met thirteen years ago. For Leonster to survive, it needs to be led and advised by a more practical, realistic perspective. I think in this moment, Dorias realized this and to ensure Leif would have the guidance he and Leonster needed, and maybe as a bit of atonement for the role he’d played in leading to this, takes lead of the force to aid Alster, letting the influence of the old ways die with him so Leonster could be reborn as a better kingdom.

This isn’t the end of Dorias’s influence though. After learning of his death, there’s a six month timeskip and after it, August acts oddly. He scolds Leif for point out the army is reaching their limit, doesn’t protest Leif’s insistence on storming a prison camp despite how easily he could have stopped him by reminding him of Alster, and seems to scold himself for starting to lecture Leif after crossing the River Thracia. He’s not exactly less harsh but he does seem to be holding himself back, perhaps because he no longer has someone to balance him out. His pragmatic, logical approach is the best approach for their army to survive the war but too much of that isn’t good either. After half a year under siege, even Leif’s morale and faith in their army is low and August’s scolding does nothing to change this. Dorias was right to put importance on inspiring and raising the hopes of everyone which pragmatism and realism rarely ever do and certainly can’t right now. They need faith, to be able to believe in themselves again. That’ll be impossible for August to create not just because of his perspective but because of his lack of it as well, admitting to Leif at the end of the game he believed liberating Northern Thracia was impossible when they first met and after Leonster was liberated, attributed all their army’s successes to the Empire making mistakes.

But he does also admit to eventually beginning to genuinely believe in Leif and I believe that happened around now. He chooses to believe in Leif when he decides to storm the prison camp, taking that chance for the possibility of raising the army’s spirits by rescuing their captured men. He stops himself from lecturing Leif at the River Thracia because sharing his perspective has already affected Leif enough, Leif no longer able to admire the river’s beauty either. It’s a small, subtle character arc but August’s attempt at faith for strategic reasons becoming genuine faith would be fitting. And a nice little final impact for Dorias on the story, August seeing some of the value and positives of his perspective.

I kind of wanted to write this because of a sentiment I’ve seen of August always being right, Dorias’s advice being bad or him being a bad advisor. I can see why as August’s approach is more fitting for Thracia’s story and themes but I also think there’s still value in Dorias’s and wouldn’t be so quick to call any of it bad or wrong. Or maybe I’ve just developed a soft spot for him after writing from his perspective, who knows

Anyways, happy 25th anniversary to Thracia and all of its wonderful characters, NPC tacticians included!

Thank you to Dotted_Clouds on Twitter for this amazing art

#fe5 #fire emblem thracia 776 #dorias

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