#with heretical sprinkles...

[raeb33s-art]

WIP forge puppy that I have no idea if I'll finish...

Also bonus:

I swear it is a mostly iconoclast run.

[aratakigang]

The Dottores after finding a method to halt the effects of Eleazar by putting Collei through the most mentally horrific and physically excruciating torture known to man, even causing countless children to die as a result

[godwyne]

marika knowing deep in her soul that eventually, one day, she will have to make an enemy of miquella. such blatant display of opposition to the erdtree, the golden order and to the greater will would reflect poorly on her if she failed to act.

but i think as his mother, she would allow him the grace of failure before being forced into action.

[boundbyeclipse]

the devil to to the rescue.

genre : angst, fluff (?)

word count : 1.5k

tags : vampire!female!reader, heretic!kai, brother!damon, bestfriend!enzo, bestfriend!bonnie, reader feeds on an animal, small mentions of Caroline, Tyler, and Klaus

a/n : i don’t know if there’s fluff in this but maybe a tiny sprinkle of it (?), wrote this in one go because i was bored so excuse any grammar mistakes if there are any ♡

Full moon shone brightly above your head as you were out to feed in the dark woods. As a newly turned vampire, you needed to feed, and having some knowledge, thanks to Caroline, you decided to head out alone. Though Damon had encouraged you to try out human blood, you refused it under any circumstance. There was no way in the world you were going to hurt people, and if control was lost, you could kill them. It just wasn’t what you wanted.

As you found your target, which was a deer, you took a deep breath and focused on it before dashing over to it. It wasn’t the best feeling, nor was the taste, but you did what you had to do. And you may ask, why not just go for human blood bags? Tell you what, there were none at the Salvatore boarding house, but you weren’t going to rob a hospital either. This was your only option right now.

“I’m so sorry” you whispered to the poor animal that was lying dead on the ground, wiping off the dripping blood off of your face as you stood up to leave.

You were almost out of the woods when you heard something shuffling and breathing behind you. A pair of glowing eyes is what you saw in between the bushes. Your body tensed up as you began to slowly walk backwards, but your back hit a tree. As you were about to apologise and vanish, a snarling wolf jumped out and sped at you, sinking its teeth into your shoulder mercilessly. It hurt like hell, and you wanted to fight back, but the wolf kept on chewing on the flesh ; you felt weak. But to your advantage, a howl in the distance made the wolf climb off of you and run off deep into the forest without looking back.

You winced in pain, pressing your hand against the wound as you put all of your strength into running, making your way back to the house.

Opening the door you saw Bonnie and Enzo cozily cuddling by the fireplace, whilst Damon was busy looking through the books on the shelves.

“You’re ba- Oh my god, what happened?” Bonnie’s eyes widened as she saw you stumble towards the couch.

“I was out in the woods… I fed…” you could barely speak, hissing at the pain of the bite, your chest heaving.

“I got attacked”

“What? By who?!” Damon spoke with concern in his voice, sitting next to you as he grabbed your hand and revealed the wound to everyone.

“Werewolf” Enzo answered before you could. All three of them exchanged looks, probably thinking about a solution to this problem.

Bonnie pulled the blanket off of her and stood up, Enzo following her movements right after.

“What do we do?”

“Well… Klaus is in New Orleans and he sure as hell won’t show up for just a drop of blood to heal her” Enzo pressed his lips together as he crossed his arms. Damon blinked, deep in his thoughts as he tried to figure a way out. He wasn’t going to let you die, you’re his sister and he loves you to death, so any chance given, he’ll do anything to protect you and save you.

Damon snapped his fingers as he came to a conclusion.

“I think I know who could help us”

Bonnie tilted her head.

“Who?”

“Let me just make a quick call”

The pair looked at each other, Enzo shrugging his shoulders and Bonnie frowning at him, not quite grasping the situation yet. Damon dialed someone’s number and the person on the other line wasted no time in answering. All of you listened to the conversation, impatiently waiting to hear something good. Whoever it was, it didn’t take long to convince them to agree.

“So, do we have a deal?” he asked Damon.

“Yes, yes we have a deal. Now please, hurry up, I don’t want to see my sister in pain for another second”

Bonnie walked up to Damon, her voice stern, hands sweaty in distress.

“A deal? What kind of a deal did you make this time, Damon?”

“Not a big one. Won’t hurt you, promise” the left side of his mouth curved up into a smirk. None of you had any idea what the hell was going on. And knowing Damon, it didn’t really sound like this deal is not a big one.

“Damon” she insisted.

“Relax, Bonnie. I’m handling things just fine. Like I told you - it won’t hurt you. I’m doing this for ____”

“Don’t tell me you’re talking about-“

The door swung open and a tall man entered the house, a little smile on his face as he walked towards the living room you were all at.

“Missed me?” he smiled, raising eyebrows at Damon, then shooting a glance over at Enzo, and lastly, Bonnie.

Enzo narrowed his dark brown eyes “Kai Parker”

“You’ve got to be kidding me” Bonnie whispered under her breath in disbelief, cursing the Salvatore in her head for inviting the enemy.

“Nice to see you too, Bon” Kai smiled, giving her a little wave. Even you couldn’t believe that your brother put faith in this sociopath to save your life. Deep inside you wished you could just smack him across the face, but if Kai is the only option left, then so be it.

“Seriously, Damon?” you looked at him through half-lidded eyes, huffing as you leaned against the back of the couch.

“Great. Not even a thank you”

“I won’t say it until I’m actually healed” you snapped back.

Bonnie sighed, wrinkling her nose, her upper lip pulled up. You could tell how mad she was, and you knew how much she hated Kai. She definitely had a reason to react this way.

“Tell me, how in the hell is this ruthless idiot going to help? Aren’t you at least a little bit worried that he might kill her?”

Damon rolled his eyes and grabbed an empty glass, pouring himself a shot of bourbon. He whisked the liquid in circles before drinking some of it. But before he could reply, Kai was the one who answered her question.

“A little bit of magic. Ever heard of siphoning?”

Enzo furrowed his eyebrows and scoffed at him.

“And how are you so sure it’s going to work?”

“Well,” Kai took a seat next to you, “I healed Damon that way after… What was his name again?”

“Tyler Lockwood”

“Oh, right. right. So, Tyler bit him and I just happened to be the one he asked to quite literally, lend a hand”

“Ugh” Bonnie grunted, “just get it over with”

Kai turned his body sideways, you mirroring him so it’s more comfortable for the both of you. He carefully placed his hand over your wound, the contact making you clench your teeth as your skin ached. A deeper shade of orange glimmered from under Kai’s palm, his eyes closed as he siphoned the infection out of you. In a matter of seconds, the wound was gone and you no longer felt any pain. It surprised you how it actually worked.

“There,” Kai raised his hands up, but somehow couldn’t take his eyes off you, “sorry, my bad. You’re just really pretty”

Bonnie rolled her eyes again, stepping closer to Kai.

“Oh, come on, enough of that. You did what you were asked to do, you can leave now”

“Nu-uh, me and Damon had a deal. Which room’s mine?” Kai looked over at your brother.

“Care to tell us what the heck you agreed upon?” Enzo asked.

“Mhm. We’ll let him settle in here. For a little while”

All of you gasped, beginning to argue and go against it. Kai just sat there calmly, observing everyone’s facial expressions and listening to your complaints.

“Your room is upstairs, all the way down the hall on the left. And don’t give me those looks, folks. A deal is a deal. Plus,” Damon pointed at you, “my sister is alive and well”

“I cannot believe you” Bonnie shook her head, exiting the room with anger written all over her face. Enzo cleared his throat and followed his girlfriend to wherever she took off.

“Ouch” Kai raised his eyebrows, hearing no thank you’s from your friends.

“Thanks” you murmured, standing up and walking over to Damon to grab the transparent glass from his hands, filling it up with the amber liquor. Both men watched as you swallowed down the entire shot, surprise written all over their faces as your eyes darted from one to another. You shook your head in a ‘what?’.

“Didn’t expect that from someone who was wailing in pain minutes ago”

“Shut up, Damon” you turned around and made your way towards the stairs, but stopped in your tracks to say more.

“Oh, and,” you pointed at Kai, “you saving my life doesn’t mean I’ll be best friends with you. Also, don’t think about knocking on my door at three in the morning just because you think I’m pretty and you want to stare at me. That’s it for now. Have a good night”

Damon and Kai looked at each other in question, your brother grabbing the whole bottle of alcohol and drinking straight from it.

“You heard her”

Kai snorted.

“Don’t think I heard her say I can’t stare at her while she makes breakfast”

[patchodraws]

Camp fam favorite foods / foods they hate! (Hard mode: you can't say Carob for any of them)

Darius: carob

Yaz: carob

Sammy: carob

Kenji: carob

Brooklynn: carob

anyways, my real answers!

Darius is a junk food guy, but damn if he doesn't go insane for his mom's chili. she used to make it all the time in the fall, which is also his favourite season, and he grew up sprinkling Doritos on top for an extra crunch. funnily enough, his dad is the one who taught him that little trick. As for food he hates? Well, the rest of the camp fam bully him for it, but he hates most salads. just let the guy have some carrot sticks or something!

Yaz's mom, in my headcanon, is an amazing cook who co-owns a diner with her brother/Yaz's uncle. she's gotten really good at making American-style cuisine with a Lebanese twist, but to this day Yaz's favourite is her supremely cheesy, salted crust pizza. her mom's chicken burgers are a very close second. her least favourite food is a long list, but at the very very bottom is baked potatoes. it's a texture thing.

Sammy used to love the way her dad BBQ'd ribs, but ever since going vegetarian, her favourite very quickly became a simple spicy omelet with banana peppers, cayenne, and a spritz of hot sauce. girl loves her spice! least favourite food, not including meat, is pasta salad. pasta and salad are two separate things and should be prepared as such!

Kenji's mom used to make the most amazing thai curry until she started getting sick and couldn't make it anymore. she taught their chef how to make it, but Kenji always felt it wasn't the same. he's since spent his life trying to find a thai curry that will meet the sky-high expectations set by his mother's cuisine. least favourite food is scrambled eggs because it's all he ate one summer and he vomits any time he so much as thinks about them

Brooklynn is a simple girl. give her a PB&J and she's happy! of course, to make it more complicated, she has to try all kinds of different jams, different peanut butters, different breads, adding new garnishes like sliced bananas or rock salt... she gets inventive with her PB&J's because she knows no matter what, she'll like it. she doesn't have a least favourite really, but she tried crocodile once in Australia and didn't really care for it. basically called it "gamey, watery chicken"

Ben might seem like a sucker for carob, but that's his favourite snack. his favourite food is actually dry roast beef, roasted potatoes, and gravy because it's something his family would have whenever there was a big get together and he got to see his cool aunt Alexis. it's also the type of meal that can be as juicy or as dry as you want it to be, provided you do enough with gravy. heretical as it may be, Ben's least favourite is bacon; he got told once as a kid that the grease would plug his arteries and has avoided it like the plague ever since

[classicanalyzer]

What If Season 3 - What If... Agatha Went to Hollywood? Thoughts

"Everyone has a story worth telling. Even two lost souls on the wrong path. But sometimes, all it takes is a trip to the movies to remind you that anything is possible, even a happy ending. Then again, who doesn't love a cliffhanger." Uatu

This episode goes so hard. I really love the dynamic between Agatha and Kinko. Howard and Jarvis are a comedic blast. It's such a fun episode playing around with three diva characters who would've been around by this point of the timeline. The episode is also a love letter to cinema and the history of 1940s Hollywood with little details sprinkled out. This is What If at its best.

I love how this AU results from Agatha learning of Tiamut's existence. I also can't believe and love how What If also connects to Agent Carter since Howard did try to become a movie director (with mixed results to say the least). I think they also brought back Bernard Stark when Jarvis was trying to shoo away a flamingo from the set.

The dance choreography goes so fucking hard. I love musicals, so to see a musical dance number in the MCU is pretty great. The Hollywood and Bollywood dancing and music styles meshed really well in this episode. It was a pretty smart idea to acknowledge Agatha's power absorption powers would make it relatively easy for her to take the Eternals' powers. The real goats are the dancing teams of Agatha and Kingo for improvising so well during their fight lmao. Howard mentioning the Hinderberg is pretty funny since Agatha All Along said Agatha was suspected of causing the Hinderberg's destruction.

Agatha is amazing. Kathryn Hahn really loves playing this character and you can tell it. Whoever had the idea of pairing her up with Howard, Jarvis, and Kingo deserves a raise. I really love how she really leans into the actress role so much that she loves it by the end. Her Celestial design is simply beautiful. Her costumes are also great. Agatha becoming a Celestial would've been so in-character for her if she knew about them like we saw in this universe. There's something funny and cathartic about Arishem the Judge calling Agatha, a witch who lived through the Salem period, a heretic, then Agatha proceeding to beat the shit out of Arishem, that was a great historical joke.

I really love Kingo in this episode as well. While the Eternals was flawed, it had a great cast and worldbuilding. I love how Kingo was able to reach out to Agatha by appealing to an empty void inside of them until they did film. I really love his speech to Agatha. Stories whether that be film, games, etc inspire other people like me and I really connected with what he meant. It just reminds you that Kingo has a lot of depth to his character. I will say Kingo turning on Arishem in exchange for a three-picture deal is pretty hilarious (and other requests including his friends being freed). All the Eternals had to do was offer him that lmao. Kumail Nanjiani did an amazing job playing this character.

Jarvis eventually accepts the insanity and chaotic nature of the cast, which is pretty funny to see. He's such a comedic riot in the episode alongside the rest.

This episode really is one of the best episodes. This really showcases What If using its premise to create stories we never thought we needed until now.

"At some point, somewhere in our lives, the world made us feel small, so we set out to show them. But, Agatha, you never needed all this power. Because you've always had the only magic you'd ever really needed to leave your mark on the world." Kingo

"Uh-huh, uh-huh. And what magic is that?" Agatha Harkness

"The movies. The movies are magic, Agatha. Hell, they're better than magic. Because they change the world by changing people. By making them feel something real. And with that kind of power, you don't have to be feared. Because you can be adored." Kingo

"You can't possibly understand how long I've worked for this." Agatha Harkness

"Well, I've been on Earth for thousands of years, so I kinda do. And if you're anything like me, maybe all this time, you've just been looking for the right collaborator. So, what do you say? Wanna change the world? For real?" Kingo

[the-most-humble-blog]

<div style="white-space:pre-wrap">

<meta recipe-classification="classified">

<script>

ARCHIVE_TAG="CORPSE_STARCH::KITCHEN_DOCTRINE::NUTRITIONAL_EXECUTION_PROTOCOL_EXTENDED"

EFFECT="servitor appetite activation, culinary heresy enforcement, dietary class division mockery"

TRIGGER_WARNING="bureaucratic horror, fascist satire, cannibal culinary grotesque, meal-based execution"

</script>

Make Your Own Corpse Starch at Home!

📍 LOCATION: Hive Primus Kitchen Block 998-B | Clearances: Level Skull++ Only

---

Tired of overprocessed food?

Tired of standing in line at the Administratum-rationed slop trough, just to *beg* some apron-stained vendor for his third-hand meat mush?

Tired of *waiting behind the stall* while that fat bastard with the greasy cog-piercings tries to upcharge you for “premium marrow filtration” on something that’s 60% burnt spleen and 40% boot leather?

Well, *no more*, Citizen!

It’s time to ***take initiative*** in the Emperor’s name!

It’s time to become the ***starch provider*** your quadrant deserves.

---

✨ MAKE YOUR OWN CORPSE STARCH AT HOME™ ✨

(Easy! Cheap! Approved by 7 out of 10 Inquisitors!)

Includes bonus points toward:

✅ Purity Assessment

✅ Street-level Morale

✅ Informant Loyalty Credit Bonuses

---

🛠️ REQUIRED TOOLS:

☑️ 1 heretic (or a particularly annoying co-worker)

☑️ A domestic-grade flensing saw (or ask your neighborhood Tech-Priest!)

☑️ Large cauldron (blessed or scrubbed of sin via Mechanicus rites)

☑️ Bone strainer (or mesh from repurposed flak armor)

☑️ A sense of righteous vengeance

☑️ Industrial hunger

☑️ Three hymns of psychological fortitude

---

🧠 STEP-BY-STEP IMPERIAL PREP:

**Step 1: Apprehend Your Protein.**

Find a citizen guilty of:

- Eye rolling at the Schola

- Owning pre-Imperium literature

- Hoarding “gluten-free” ration cards (heresy)

- Saying “The Emperor didn’t seem that tall in person” (DEATH SENTENCE)

- Participating in unauthorized yoga

Bonus: Target smug walkers and suspicious vegetarians.

The leaner the subject, the easier the bake.

---

**Step 2: Report Immediately.**

Notify your local Adeptus Arbites:

> “This bastard mocked the Emperor while chewing!”

Provide visual evidence if available.

(If not, cry convincingly. The Emperor values *initiative*.)

Reporting earns you:

- Their food stamps

- Their personal effects

- First harvest rights to ***whatever’s still twitching***

---

**Step 3: Harvest Time.**

When they’re dragged off for lobotomy and servitor conversion, make your request to the attending Chirurgeon:

> “Mind if I keep the offcuts?”

They will nod. They always nod.

The Mechanicus hates waste almost as much as it hates poetry.

Prioritize:

- Spleen (dense, fibrous, nutrient-rich)

- Calf meat (low chew resistance)

- Brainstem casing (best used as starch binder)

---

**Step 4: Cleanse the Meat.**

Use incense if sanctioned. Otherwise, aggressive boiling.

Add:

- Three spoons of salt from the penal mines

- One sprig of Ecclesiarch thyme

- Holy water, or spit from a trusted Commissar

Skim floating heresy. Anything that resists heat is likely traitorous.

---

**Step 5: Break It Down.**

Grind bones into paste using Mechanicus-approved grinder (or mortar and pestle if below Tier 4 clearance).

Mix with blood curdle and marrow slush until doughy.

Flatten into imperial baking sheets (or old license plates)

and ***bake in forge-oven for 1 hour*** or until screams stop echoing in the metal.

---

**Step 6: Package & Label.**

Once dry and flaky, powder and jar in sanitized containers.

Affix purity seal. Label should read:

> “Official Corpse Starch – Batch 0911 – For Internal Righteous Use Only”

---

🍽️ SUGGESTED USES:

- Sprinkle over ration slop for crunchy martyr flavor

- Add to Ecclesiarch tea for righteous consistency

- Dust over morning sermons (trust us—boosts morale)

- Mix into guilt-loaves for the children you’re raising on fear and protein

---

🩸 “BUT I’M A PUSSY!”™ SECTION

(Diet-Friendly Alternatives for the Spiritually Undermuscled)

We understand. You still flinch when the Reclaimation Truck backs up.

So here’s an alternative starch plan for:

- The lactose-intolerant

- The shadow-averse

- The “I don’t eat humans” crowd

- Beta-males with sensitivity to emotional seasoning

---

🧁 SUBSTITUTE INGREDIENTS:

- Soylent Glimmer™ (now 80% less guilt)

- Shaved servitor husk (already dead inside, just like you)

- Leftover ration bars (grind, lie, profit)

- Your own fingernail clippings (biologically neutral, spiritually dubious)

- Hair. Yours. Hers. Doesn’t matter. *Hair is starch.*

---

🎖️ HERETICAL ADD-ONS (Use With Caution):

- Xeno-derived protein (illegal)

- Flavored sorrow beads (shunned but effective)

- Anything that “tastes like chicken” (you’re a coward and the Hive will smell it)

---

💡 EXECUTIONER COOKING TIPS:

- Always bless your flenser. Dirty tools rot both meat and soul.

- Burn tattoos off the flesh. Ink = ideology. Ideology = ***heresy.***

- Add crushed lho-stick ash for that authentic Hivegrime tang.

- Bake on a scream cycle for extra fluff.

---

📣 TESTIMONIALS 📣

> “I made corpse starch for my family and now my father-in-law finally salutes me.”

> – Decanus Flakmunch, Hive Primus Sector 12

> “Tastes like Uncle Remus, but less opinionated.”

> – Sister Spitea, Order of the Iron Spatula

> “Reported five citizens for suspicious belly laughter. Got a year’s worth of starch and a promotion. Feeling full.”

> – Private Kneebiter, PDF Morale Division

> “I added corpse starch to my shampoo. My hair now sings the Emperor’s Hymns.”

> – Junior Tech-Adept Gristlefex

---

🎁 BONUS RECIPE: *EMPEROR’S BROWNIES™*

Ingredients:

- 2 cups corpse starch

- 1 crushed ration cube

- 1 drop of joy (stolen is fine)

- Sobbing (silent, from the heart)

Bake until the smoke detector screams.

Best served under curfew.

---

🕯️ ADVANCED VARIATIONS:

1. **Arbites-Chili Bake**

Spicy, confrontational, leaves a guilty aftertaste.

2. **Purity Pancakes**

Thin enough to lie to your children. Thick enough to keep the Ecclesiarchy watching.

3. **Astartes Smoothie (Unofficial)**

Just corpse starch, weapon oil, and a single crushed oath. Will destroy your insides. Worth it.

---

📦 STORAGE PROTOCOLS:

- Keep in dry, blessed area (avoid psychic hotspots)

- Do not mix with sanctioned baby formula

- NEVER feed to psykers (unless funny)

---

🔥 CULTURAL NOTE:

Corpse starch isn’t just food.

It’s history.

It’s enforcement.

It’s ***recycling, with purpose.***

Your ancestors were probably turned into starch.

It’s only fair you pay it forward.

---

📜 LAST WORDS:

You are not above the system.

You *are* the system.

And the system’s hungry.

So don’t just report. Don’t just obey.

***Contribute.***

Because in the end…

> If your meal doesn’t scream,

> ***it isn’t starch.***

Reblog if you believe the emperor is not shorter in person.

Praise be the Emperor.

---

🧠 Read more respect-coded doctrine and emotional architecture at:

👉 https://linktr.ee/ObeyMyCadence

🛡️ Masculine polarity. Scrolltrap psychology. Unforgiven words.

🚪 Warning: This post triggered a city-wide recipe audit and 14 summary executions. All before breakfast.

</div>

[AUTO-PURGE IN: 00:00:00 — RECOVERY TEAM DISPATCHED TO KITCHEN BLOCK 998-B]

[butchreg]

( flag is niche regression flag by @muttreg )

rhiannon , barnes or lottie ( / othrs ) ﹒ he/she ﹒ bodily 19 ﹒ sfw agere blog

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fandoms ﹒ yellowjackets , arcane , tlou , hotd , heretic , sweetpea , wicked ( film ) , general horror , many niche fandoms 4 agere , feel free to ask or look through my posts ^_^

blog rules ﹒ do not follow / interact if you post ageplay , nsfw , kink , ddlg / mdlg , etc . my blog is a safe space for me and other regressors . no proship / profic or anything of the sort . i refer to many characters with pronouns different from canon — transphobes dni . if you have a problem with a headcanon of mine regarding gender or pronouns please just block me or don't interact . you're quite welcome to make your own content if you're not satisfied with mine .

about me ﹒ autistic butch age + pet regressor . critter of many names :0. person with a cdd and alters . i primarily use i / me referring to myself though we / us may be sprinkled in as well . permaregressed to around 16 / 17 . tiny age ranges from baby to teen , it's hard to verbalize . regression is involuntary and often triggered by trauma , do not call my regression "impure" . no caretaker . some parts are flips / cgs but mostly i'm just a little guy ς꒰ ´‌ ତ ˋ‌ς ꒱ა . transgender and disordered ( will not be disclosing specifics ) . uni student so posts may be sporadic . nonhuman dog creature . masculine terms are preferred but i am not a man . prev pinned bc some information is still useful / relevant !!

[localplaguenurse]

hii its amorette—can i just say i freaked out when i saw capillaries updated?? i loved the latest chapter so so much!!

i love how you characterize dottore and wanted to ask if you have any tips on how you write him / things you keep in mind while writing him, since your fic really inspired me to try writing my own! i hope you have a nice day :DD

Hi Amorette!!! Glad you liked it!

I saw this right as my first break at work ended and suffice to say, it’s been on my mind all day. You’ve opened a Pandora’s box, you’re getting a whole character analysis, because Dottore is actually a royal pain to write about so I have to REALLY study this bastard. The first half is going to be just purely on his canon traits, and the rest are my interpretations and headcanons.

So canonically, Dottore is very prideful and driven by the pursuit of knowledge. No subject is off limits to him, and he doesn’t care about how ethical or moral his research is. Whatever he needs to do, he’ll do it, the ends justify the means. He’s been obsessed with surpassing the gods since he was young, which is why he was ostracized by society. Sohreh’s notes describe him as initially “frigid,” but then she goes on to say she had a good time working with him and is looking forward to spending more time with him (Rip Sohreh). He created segments of himself from different ages as a way to surpass the limits of human cognition, and because they could offer their own individual contributions to his research. Omega is described as more selfish since he was the one to nuke the other segments for the gnosis, and Webttore/Beta is more manic and prone to mood swings. Also, none of the segments like each other.

That’s all the canon stuff. With that alone, you already have a pretty solid start for how to write him. He’s a man who views himself above the people who rejected him and wants to surpass the gods that ignored him. He doesn’t really care about keeping company and he barely gets along with himself. He’ll do anything in the pursuit of knowledge and doesn’t care if someone has to die for him to get it done. If Sohreh’s notes are anything to go by, he may have been antisocial but not completely opposed to finding connection, but that’s up to how you personally interpret her notes and subsequent death. He’s very calculating, and though he does resent the gods, he’s at least mature enough to hold it together for a conversation.

Now, onto my personal take on Dottore, which I’ve sprinkled through the fic already but it won’t hurt to share here :3

So the one key thing I have latched onto personally is his name. Zandik. By this point we all know it means “heretic” but really think about that for a second. That is the name of a man who was born in a world where gods are not only real, but they actually interact with the populace. Maybe it was because my bestie got me into Ethel Cain, but I started thinking about the implications/potential of religious trauma. What sort of homelife would a kid have when his own parents named him heretic when god is actually real? Certainly not a very pleasant life. Of course at some point he’d develop a hatred of gods when he’s been seen as a blasphemous monster since he was born. Of course he’d despise society as a whole, they’ve despised him from the start. This isn’t something he asked for, but it’s all he has. He did no wrong and yet all the world hated him for being born, what did they expect him to turn into?

As a result, my personal interpretation of Dottore is that he is still that prideful, cold and calculating scientist that hates the gods and isn’t afraid to do awful things to prove it, but he is also, deep down, motivated by validation. At the very least, that’s how this all started. At this point he’s become more callous, but there’s a part of him that wants to be appreciated, genuinely, by someone or something. This would have been especially prevalent in his younger self/segments, because he’s not as “mature” as he is now. If you cut through the 400 years of his callous cruel ways, you might find a little boy full of pain and anger asking what he did to deserve all of this. 

… TLDR: He’s very smart, very callous, thinks very highly of himself, and I write him as one of those “they treated me like the villain so I became the villain they feared most” characters with a splash or religious trauma for flavour.

If you want to, you're more than welcome to use some of my characterization if you ever write about him! Honestly, for as big a pain in the ass he is to write, he's really interesting to explore as a character! It's actually why my favourite chapters/moments so far are the backstory ones, or whenever he's reflecting on his relationship with widow. He's a bastard and I love him.

[sleepyfan-blog]

Author's note: Mer-Cedric's Debut in Celestial Seas’! I hope you enjoy it. Bakerin and Quilterin (Arnault's Bonded) belong to the wonderful @kit-williams! Thank you for letting me borrow them. The song Cedric is singing is Amen and Attack by Powerwolf. Next fic

Warnings: none, please ask to tag!

Tagged: @egrets-not-regrets @@the-pure-angel @kit-williams @bleedingichorhearts

Summary: Mer-Cedric trades with a couple of allied baseline humans.

Cedric hummed softly to himself as he gutted and de-scaled the half-dozen large tuna that he had hunted down and caught. He was currently sitting on one of the sand spits that appeared near the shore of the nearby beach. He checked the temperature of the fire by placing a hand near the crackling base of the flames before returning to the task of preparing the tuna.

Most of the time, the young shark mer ate his kills fresh and raw, but he'd recently come into possession of an unspoiled pouch of delicious smelling herbs and spices, and the occasional cooked meal wasn't a bad thing. Besides, the parts of the tuna he wasn't going to be making into grilled steaks were going into the boiling water as part of the stock for a hopefully delicious stew he was also making. He'd sent a request to some of the local humans to please bring fresh vegetables - for which he was happily going to trade some of his tuna meat in exchange - to build out the body of his stew. He'd added some kelp and sea asparagus to the slowly cooking stock, but he was looking forward to trying potatoes and onions for the first time.

Maybe some corn, too! Or mushrooms...

He began to sing one of the holy hymns that his older brothers had taught him as he worked “Fight the demons of this world, no victims left to hide. Eins! Zwei! Amen and attack! Make them pray or make them pay! It's time to swim up right. Drei! Vier! Amen and attack.”

Preparing the tuna felt meditative. He continued to sing as he sprinkled seasonings on half of the tuna steaks, spearing each on a stick and setting them over the fire to cook, his mind wandering to past battles that he'd partaken in, as his voice once again lifted in song.

“When the night is cold and black, we sing amen and attack!”

Deamons and Traitors rarely attacked during the day, preferring instead to use cowardly and weak tactics in order to try and catch their would-be prey off-guard. While the local humans could do little against such supernatural forces, the shiver Cedric belonged to had taken to patrolling the area, ripping into the heretics and demons with their wickedly sharp claws and jaws.

In gratitude, the humans helped however they could. The medical supplies they left out were incredibly useful to Cedric and his fellow apothecaries as they tended to their injured brothers.

“And we lead the storm of the wild! Be the wildest of the pack! Screaming amen and attack!” Cedric belted out as he carefully turned over the tuna steaks, to ensure they were being heated evenly. Even though a majority of his training focused on how to keep his brothers alive and in fighting shape, that did not mean his combat training was lacking.

As an Apothecary of a Black Templar Shiver, one of his duties was to mitigate damage.. and if that meant taking out the largest or most dangerous opponents at range with the weapons he had at his disposal, so much the better. The God-Emperor had blessed them with strength and abilities far beyond mortal ken, and their duties were to protect and defend their charges from all threats.

A duty that Cedric took most seriously.

“We fight with Him on our side! Amen and attack! Attack! Attack! Amen and attack!” Cedric continued to sing. The half of the tuna he wasn't cooking he had carefully wrapped up in treated kelp leaves, to keep the meat fresh and easily transportation.

He hoped that some of the humans who had promised they would come were going to arrive soon. The first of the tuna steaks were nearly ready!

Cedric was about to sing the next verse when he heard approaching footsteps from behind and to the left of him, prompting the young Apothecary to turn and look at the pair of approaching humans.

It took him only a moment to recognize their scents and trilled a greeting to two of his older Brothers' Favorite Humans! He recognized their scents and faces immediately! “Hello Miss Bakerin! Hello Miss Quilterin! It's wonderful to meet you again!”

Both of the baseline humans smiled in response as they came close enough to enjoy the warmth of the fire. Miss Bakerin spoke first “Good afternoon… You are Cedric, yes? The… The healer in training?”

“Yes I am.” Cedric affirmed with a nod, tail flicking happily in the water. As with all Apothecary mers, his tail was primarily white with red flecks. He did have black striping, to match his non-apothecary brothers. “I have tuna to trade! Some are cooking. The rest are raw, and wrapped, as asked for.” He patted the kelp-wrapped meat carefully with a clawed and webbed hand. He could see that both of them had covered baskets and looked curiously at them.

“We… We've brought a bunch of things.” Miss Quilterin explained, setting down the basket she was carrying. “I.. I've been making these out of water-proof fabric.” out from the basket she pulls out a large, patch-work piece of fabric. Each square has a little scene going on, and Cedric can easily tell that she put a lot of work and effort into making this thing.

“May I touch it?” The young mer asked, intensely curious, though he was trying to be polite. “What is it?”

“This is called a story quilt. Arnault has told me about some of the battles all of you get into, so I tried to make a story quilt out of one of his victories… I hope it turned out okay…” miss Quilterin explained, her face calm but her scent showing her anxiety and uncertainty.

Cedric handled the quilt with the proper awe and respect that such a glorious woven-story deserved. The fabric slipped and slid under his fingers, so he gripped it a bit more tightly “this is amazing, miss. Arnault is going to love this when I show it to him.” Given how long it took to carve the glorious victories of the shiver in sandstone, this quilt was worth at least half of his catch. “By the emperor… If I had know that you were going to be bringing such things, I would have been out hunting for longer!”

“R��� Really?” Miss Quilterin stuttered, surprise chasing away her nervousness.

Cedric nodded, entirely serious. “It is difficult to keep more permanent records of our battles, in part because we tend to move from sea to sea. From world to world, and must pack light because of it. That and much record-keeping is difficult to manage underwater or in the depths of space. This is a wondrous gift, miss. Thank you, truly.”

He startled at how red Miss Quilterin got “i… truly? That's… I… Oh Goodness…” She stuttered, her eyes huge and her scent fluctuating rapidly between emotions.

and immediately scooted over to her, dragging his tail up and out of the water, carefully telegraphing his movements as he placed one large hand on her forehead, checking her temperature? “Are you not feeling well, miss Quilterin? Please sit down, I do have some of my medical supplies nearby. Is the heat of the fire too much for you?”

Bakerin chuckled and placed a restraining hand on Cedric's elbow. “Easy, Cedric. She hasn’t taken ill or is affected by heat stroke. She rarely gets such high praise for her work and is having difficulties processing what you're saying with grace.”

Quilterin pouted at Bakerin's words and murmured “I… That's not… That's not exactly true! I just… I didn't know that you would think so highly of this story quilt.”

“Uh huh. See what I mean, Cedric? She flustered easily. She's alright.” Bakerin explained with a playful smile. She reached up and ruffled Cedric's hair. “I brought the vegetables you asked for, as well as some bread. You should eat the bread above water, or it will get soggy.”

“Thank you, Miss Bakerin!” Cedric responded, smiling contentedly. “Do you want cooked or raw tuna? Or a mix of both?” he asked the both of them.

“I'll take four uncooked pieces of raw tuna and two of the cooked pieces, please.” Quilterin asked. “I also brought several quilted slings, as Arnault mentioned that they've helped…”

“Miss, when I said the quilt is worth half of what I've caught, I meant it.” Cedric pointed out, carefully gathering up and pushing the correct amount of Tuna in trade for the quilt alone. “The slings are much appreciated, but will need more tuna to pay for… Or, I did see mussels and class near the shoreline, I could grab some of them for you in trade for those, if you'd like a selection of sea food.”

“I… This is too much, Cedric! I won't be able to eat all of this before it goes bad.” Quilterin protested, shaking her head a little.

“The kelp leaves will help keep the tuna fresh for weeks, and older brothers have told me that tuna freezes well and will last for months that way. I can also use some of the curing salts I brought with me to turn some of them into… I believe it's called jerky in this language? Dried meat that can be stored longer. But you will be getting paid what you’re owed.” Cedric responded. He wasn’t going to steal from this kind human, nor short her what she is owed. A pity the pearl oysters aren’t ready yet and have been claimed by Brother Roland and Brother Arnault for gifts for Miss Bakerin and Miss Quilterin. Not that he was going to ruin that surprise.

“I… Even so, this is far too much high-quality meat for one person to have all at once. We baseline humans don't eat as much meat as you do.” Quilterin explained “Nor do we need as many calories.”

Cedric sighed internally, pouting a little. He did have a small handful of treasures he had found and kept - just in case he found a human he wanted to bond to, like brothers Roland and Arnault have, but the slings were too useful and the quilt too expensive, if she wouldn't take the fish meat he offered. “Well… I also have these, if you are interested.”

From one of his armor’s pockets, he pulls out several pouches. In the first pouch, he lays out a dozen carefully polished abalone shells, which he'd found and treated until they shone, their pearlescent luster almost luminous in the afternoon sunlight. From the second pouch, he pulled out six of the best pieces of ocean jasper he'd found. From the third pouch, he pulled four larimar gemstones, their sea-foam coloration and patterns striking against the brown sand spar they were on. “You may choose up to four from these, along with the meat you requested, miss Quilterin.”

She inspected each of his offerings, and he turned his attention to Miss Bakerin asking “Do you want tuna in trade for your goods? Or would you like a mix of things as well?” he was trying not to fidget.

“Tuna works great for me, Cedric.” Miss Bakerin answered with another smile and hair ruffle. “I've brought bread and vegetables, which aren't as expensive. I would like to try that stew your making, when you're done. If you don't mind.”

“Not at all! But there are tuna guts and scales in the stew, and I intended to make it for my brothers, who are out among the shoals right now.” Cedric warned, aware that baseline humans could get picky about things like that. Some of his brothers were wary about baseline humans and were nearby in case of attack. But Miss Quilterin and Miss Bakerin have always been very nice and kind to him - and Cedric doubted that Brother Roland and Brother Arnault would have chosen untrustworthy baseline humans. He handed over the tuna - raw and cooked in trade for the food she'd brought, immediately getting to work on chopping up the vegetables before putting them in the stew.

“I don’t mind the occasional fish scale in my stew.” Bakerin reassured him with a smile.

“Then I’d be happy to share some of it with you, when it’s ready.” Cedric answered earnestly.

“I've picked out which of these gems you're offering… You're sure that the quilt and the slings are worth this much,” Quilterin spoke up. She was holding up two of the abalone shells and one each of the Larimar and ocean jasper stones.

Cedric was sad to see them go, but it was worth it for the high quality supplies offered. “Alright, they are yours, along with the meat you requested.”

“If you don't mind me asking… What was that song you were singing when we were walking over?” Bakerin asks curiously as she arranges the tuna meat he’d given her in the basket she'd come with.

“Oh! It's one of the battle hymns my older brothers taught me.” Cedric explained “I learned it recently and it's been stuck in my head. I hope that the lyrics weren't too off-putting.”

“Nah, you're fine, Cedric. You've got a good singing voice… Does Roland sing? I haven't heard him sing, not that I remember, anyways.”

Cedric blinked in surprise at that “... But… Brother Roland has one of the best singing voices of the entire shiver! He leads the battle choir. Thank you for the compliment, miss.” He checked how the vegetables were cooking, nibbling on a piece of potato. The texture felt off, so he let the stew continue to cook, happy to chat with Miss Bakerin and Miss Quilterin as the veggies cooked.

[nusaran]

11 & 12 for the Rogue Trader questions?

Thank you for the ask!! From the Rogue Trader Character Building Questions <3

For Helena von Valancius who is in a Star Wars Crossover and an Edelthrad is the Rogue Trader AU, so there are going to be differences between those. I am excluding Heinrix from this, because he is the love interest and there would be little competition ;D

11. Who amongst their retinue are they closest to?

Star Wars Crossover: In the beginning she was the closest to Edelthrad as he was her Master teaching her how the dynasty runs its business. Later it would be Abelard in his role as her bodyguard and advisor. Jae Heydari and Pasqal would be the second closest, as Jae provides a different type of council to that of Danrok's and Pasqal as her loyal droid who is wholly unimpressed with the others.

Edelthrad as Rogue Trader: Abelard, even though he is loyal to Edelthrad, and Helena does not know why it feels as if Abelard feels guilty towards her about something. Cassia and Idira are the second closest there.

12. Who amongst their retinue do they clash with the most?

Star Wars Crossover: Idira Tlass. One because Idira was very close to Theodora (jealousy from both ends) and secondly, she is very vocal about her disapproval of Helena as the successor even though no one else is left to take the mantle. Idira's position, once quite high, is unstable and they disagree philosophically about the Sith Code quite a lot with Idira testing boundaries and Helena's patience.

Edelthrad as Rogue Trader: Edelthrad actually. He is quite dogmatic with some heretical corruption creeping in and then there is Helena with mostly iconoclastic with a sprinkle of dogmatic in there. They clash regularly about how the protectorate should be run. He is very antagonistic towards Helena from the very beginning as he knows a particular secret about her, which she doesn't.

[guivret]

I’m not really having much of fun rping as iconoclast/occasionally heretical for pragmatic reasons rogue trader since it’s sort of basic? A guy who values life and some sprinkles of malice here and there for gains but the dogmatic options fill me with so much dread and overall how close it hits and how on the nose that side of the lore is lol

No notes on the writing so far, all’s good. Big fan of Pasqal

[arcandoria]

What is the name of Cerys' voidship? Have you ever thought what class she might be in Wrath of the Righteous? What mythic path might she take? (And maybe any thoughts about Relly in a 40k au? 👉👈) What did she know about space marines before meeting Ulfar? Did she have any relationships before Heinrix?

Oh those are fun, thank you friend!

I ended up landing on "Invictum Irabus" through the randomizer. I don't think she renamed the ship, it came with it, but it does fit her a bit and overall sounds cool!

I'm not completely sure on what class she'd be in a PFWOTR setting - I'm also really bad at multiclassing in any capacity. lol I do think that she would fit well as Barbarian Pack Rager, like Rellihn is. But Instinctual Warrior also sounds like a good fit! She'd start and stick to the Angel Path.

Relly in a Rogue Trader AU is a fun thought - I'd go with making them a Voidborn, Blade Dancer + Executioner, and they'd be Iconoclast with a sprinkle of Heretic. They'd retain the uncanny blue eyes with red irises, and the overall pale look. And the pointy ears! I have no idea who they'd romance though. Jae is a good equivalent to Woljif in personality/theme, but still doesn't feel quite right.

So initially I had Cerys know as much as the average Guard about the Astartes in general, but once she nailed pretty much every single ability check when talking to Ulfar, I decided to make her a bit of a nerd instead. And, more specifically, a Space Wolves nerd. I think knowing a Chapter that had uncharacteristic ways and deviating from the set rules would work well to her as inspiration, since Tallarn people are also known for playing a bit to their own tune there. So she knew quite a bit about the Space Marines before Ulfar! Still mostly what's written though, and she gets to know real stuff when she and Ulfar become friends.

Heinrix is Cerys' first (and only) proper, serious relationship. Cerys has been in the Militarum since 16, renovating her time and expanding her company for 3 decades, so there wasn't much room (and she never expected it anyway) for serious relationships. Sure, she had relationships that lasted a little longer or were exclusive for some time, but mostly with fellow soldiers that also knew their time together was limited, so there wasn't more of a deep and permanent emotional connection like she's had with Heinrix.

[evolutionsvoid]

It is said that elementals born from the Four Humors come forth due to the traces of life left within their fluids. This is spoken by the Church of Divine Wealth, who tells that the Four Humors were created by Ichor, when the godly fluid was separated into four mortal parts. It should never be forgotten that Ichor is the bringer of all life, the very lifeblood that came from the skies. When the great corpses fell to this world, their golden fluids was what brought about creation. It is only fitting that this fluid of life can give birth to new beings on its very own, as Ichor can form into its own elemental. However, there is another godly fluid that can do that as well, though its presence brings no worship, only fear. Alkahest, the rot of the gods, seethes and stagnates within the world. Its corrosive touch bringing true death to everything, feeding on life and giving back nothing. Though the Church calls this silver fluid heretical and forbidden, there is no denying its power. Even in death, there is a spark of life, bringing forth horrible birth. 

The two elementals born from the Godly Fluids are even rarer than the elementals of the humors, as their creation calls for large concentrations of said fluid. To have such vast stores of Ichor untapped, or great reserves of Alkahest left intact, is exceedingly rare. But with the countless corpses and divine graves that make up this world, there is always a stone left unturned. It is said that these elementals are valued more as omens than marks, as their presence hints at a great amount of Godly Fluid nearby. Great blessings to those who discover them, but also great danger...   

Ichor Elemental: The embodiment of life, which can be seen in its ceaseless writhing form. Ichor elementals move across the land like a living storm, their many limbs constantly swaying and grasping. They seek nothing, but give everything, as precious Ichor leaks from their stumps and sprinkles the earth beneath them with life giving fluid. One can track one of these elementals by the trails of vibrant plant growth left in their wake. When an Ichor elemental is spotted, there is much rejoicing, as a store of holy Ichor must be nearby. The Church demands that they be told of all elementals, so that they may send out the proper authorities to deal with this entity and sanctify the Ichor pool that birthed it. Either this Ichor will be harvested and taken back to a major Church sanctuary, or a new temple will be constructed right atop it, where all may bask in the Ichor's divine presence. However, though this elemental gives life, it is by no means peaceful. Life demands death, and existence calls for sacrifice and prey. Ichor elementals will attack any who get too close, their many limbs reaching to snare the victim. One should never forget that Ichor is incredibly toxic to mortals, and being exposed to large amounts of the fluid can mean a painful death. Their touch, though, is the least of one's worries, as the many bodies will stretch out to envelope prey. They will chain themselves together to reach fleeing prey, and then drag them into their writhing mass. Those taken by their arms will be pulled into the unseen maw and bathed in refined, pure Ichor. To some, this seems like a great blessing, but most will find this death horrible and painful. They will be reverted to their primordial fluids, their humors being consolidated into pure Ichor once more. It is said that every victim of an Ichor elemental will become one of its cyclopean growths, joining the mass to forever serve the Godly Fluid.  

Alkahest Elemental: The embodiment of death, one where there is no return. It reeks of the destructive power of Alkahest, its own form melting and fading, only to reconstitute itself again and again. It haunts the land like a specter, spreading death wherever it goes. They take everything, but give back nothing, as the touch of Alkahest dissolves all organic matter. These elementals can be tracked by lifeless silvery paths they carve through the world, where plant, soil and flesh is reduced to dull powder. When an Alkahest elemental is spotted, fear will grip the entire region. Not only is a vile reaper about, but there is an unknown pool of Alkahest nearby, silently eating away at the world and its inhabitants. The Church will spring into action to destroy this elemental and properly seal away this forbidden body. While some may be wary of Church interference, all are relieved that someone else is tasked with facing such a feared foe. There is no wonder of the power this elemental wields, as a single scratch will create a devastating wound, as the Alkahest eats through flesh and bone. Simple strikes leave weeping powdery holes, as victims dissolve away into nothing. This is what everyone truly fears, the final death. Those consumed by Alkahest will be turned to lifeless powder and sludge that will soon fade to nothing, their fluids never returning to the earth for rebirth. To make matters worse, these elementals seek victims, for death demands life. Any living thing will bring its ire, and its long dissolving arms shall seek to end everything it can touch. The one mercy is that Alkahest is inherently unstable and in a perpetual state of decay. In time, the elemental will not be able to hold back its own demise, and it too shall dissolve into nothing.

A warning to all, that these two elementals should never meet. Ichor and Alkahest are two opposing forces, their existences contradicting the other. Unending life cannot meet ceaseless death. Should these Godly Fluids meet in such a state, they would cause an unstable reaction, blowing the land around them to pieces. A quick end for two powerful entities, but a violent one for any caught in the blast. 

------------------------------------------------------

"Elementals of the Godly Fluids"

Just throwing in a couple more elementals! The real important ones!

[skye-huntress]

I’m in Love with the Villainess Reaction

Episode 11

Okay, but why was Rai so late? Surely they’ve been doing this morning routine long enough she shouldn’t have overslept. There’s never an explanation of this, so I wonder if Rae is actually late or if Manaria gets there that much earlier.

“You know, this might be a good opportunity for you to get over Miss Claire.” Blasphemer! Heretic! What kind of best friend are you, Misha? Sure, you two have barely spent any time together since Rae spends all day with Claire and all night doing other nonsense, and she has all these secrets lately, and where was I going with this?

No, no, don’t “put up with it”, fight back! Even if she is trying to provoke you, that doesn’t mean a response isn’t warranted. Just be smart about it so you don’t fall into a trap.

In the game, Manaria was the protagonist’s ally in love specifically. It’s only in Rae’s twisted view that she could be considered in enemy in the first place. Now, this Manaria is behaving differently, but keep in mind that Rae long abandoned the role of “protagonist”. How can Manaria fill her expected role, if Rae has given up on love?

So long as Claire is happy, right? Nothing else matters, not even your own feelings, or your own happiness.

Oh yeah, those two, Pipi and Loretta, still exist. By this point, the novels had already completely forgotten them. The manga is still keeping them around so far.

So the Scales weigh the offerings based on how difficult they are to obtain. The Flower of Flora is the offering known to be the heaviest so it stands to reason it would be “difficult” to obtain, unless you’re an incredibly OP magic user like Manaria.

I was wondering if it would be brought up, since they’re sprinkling information a little at a time instead of one big info dump. Rae doesn’t like “Poesie Amour” as a love story and I kind of agree with her to an extent. Why let the scales decide for you rather than take the initiative yourself?

I wouldn’t be surprised if Manaria knew the pot was already empty. If nothing else, she could easily check the current volume with a bit of subtle wind magic.

Huh, wonder what those two are up to. They’re either running towards Rae, or away from Manaria.

Wow, Claire, I’m surprised you noticed anything about Rae at all, given you’ve only had eyes for Manaria who is intentionally monopolising your time.

Manaria just called Claire out and it went right over her head.

Ah, I think I know why Pepi and Loretta are so freaked out. Even if they haven’t spent much time with Manaria, I’m sure there are plenty of rumours and stories circulating among nobles of both Kingdoms. The funny thing is, Rae should know all those details herself, but any information from the game that didn’t seem useful to her goals has probably been forgotten by now.

Despite her behaviour, Manaria has a point. Romantic love isn’t so selfless, if Rae is truly in love with Claire, then that means she wants to be the one that makes Claire happy, and to have the love returned. Yet, Rae hasn’t tried to form a relationship with Claire, if anything she has kept a certain distance between them. So as Manaria says, either her feelings aren’t nearly as strong as she claims, or she’s a coward.

Claire, you seem nervous for some reason, I wonder who for.

The scary thing about multi-casters, combining multiple elements into even more powerful attacks. Unfortunately that doesn’t just apply to Rae.

Rod, of course she was holding back against you! You’re far too weak to have lasted long in a duel if she had.

Rae started aggressive and busted out all her best, most powerful spells, but as OP as she is, Manaria is several magnitudes above her level.

We’ve seen the attacks Rae could wield with two elements, now we see what happens when you combine all four. They made it look even more brutal than in the manga. Since Dominator turns the target’s own magic against them, it stands to reason the more powerful they are the more damage it does, so it’s incredibly effective against Rae with an Exceptional Aptitude for two elements

It was excessive, but there’s a purpose behind Manaria’s brutality. It makes it all the more clearly that Rae could never have beaten her in a magic duel. Cocytus is Rae’s most powerful attack, and there isn’t much she can do to get stronger on her own.

Claire obviously cares about Rae, it’s just too bad she doesn’t make that clearer. Maybe then, Rae would have had the courage to do things properly.

And now Rae’s spirit has been crushed. This next part is not going to be fun.

ED is a little early this time. We have another four and half minutes of episode left.

It seems seeing Rae hurt has made a bit protective of her, and she’s not even hiding it. Unfortunately Rae is no longer in a state of mind to recognise or appreciate it.

Hey, Claire, remember that whole “love is blind” thing? Seriously, you’re the only person in the whole school who seems clueless about what’s going on.

“I am not some thing to be won!” says the girl who was just defending “Poesie Amour” a little while ago, you know, a story that is all about two men competing over a girl. Look, I get she is angry, and say she has every right to be. I’m just pointing out the hypocrisy.

Claire, I’d advise you against pushing her any further the state she is in… and you just threatened to fire her… and she called your bluff.

Well, as bad as this looks, the arc isn’t over yet. That said, those two idiots aren’t going to figure things out on their own.

[anotherscreed]

[//CWs: Injury, death, insanity.]

Musharna Malice! A nightmare. It’s not yours.

Your shijie is the best big sister in the world. Her name is Jiang Yanli, and not a soul in the world can beat her lotus root pork rib soup, which she always makes way too spicy just for you. “It’ll make you cry, A-Xian,” she teases, laughing while she sprinkles in the hot spices. Not a soul in the world could be as kind as her, so sweet like candy, and still she carries herself with that subtle air of confidence around her and defends you from bullies like dogs or the people who accuse you of heinous crimes you didn’t commit. Really, she is the only one who understands you. She watched you grow up, after all.

She wed that peacock Jin Zixuan about a year ago. You know she must have much better taste in men, but you won’t stop her from being happy. They have a son now— Jin Ling, courtesy name Rulan, which she even let you pick. It took some arguing with Jiang Cheng, but he relented in the end.

But things go wrong, as they always do. You are tricked. Now all that is burned into your mind is the image of Jin Zixuan’s body bleeding out on Qiongqi Road, and his final words: “A-Li… is waiting… for you.”

You should be the one on your knees pleading for forgiveness, not the two people, the Wen siblings, who have done no wrong. This is your fault. All your fault. What is Shijie supposed to do? What is her child supposed to do?!

What are you supposed to do?

You go to Qishan three days later, raising yourself to the top of the tallest building. Right behind the four great cultivation clans when they scatter Wen Qing’s ashes, when that bastard Jin Guangshan declares siege on the Burial Mounds.

“‘Curse the heretics?’” you echo, as the green flames and the flocks of crows proclaim your entrance to the startled clans. “‘Life or death?’ Truly, a man of his word. Jin Guangshan, you promised Wen Ning and Wen Qing that you would not pursue the matter further if they turned themselves in.”

Jin Guangshan’s face twists. “Wei Wuxian, you—”

“How about this?” you cut across him. “If I surrender myself, then you will leave the remaining Wens alone.”

But of course the damned Jin won’t agree. The cruel metal of the Stygian Tiger Amulet beats against your skin like an exposed, wild heart, and suddenly your blood scorches with the torrent of resentful energy. All you see is red. Hundreds of the corpses of fallen Wen soldiers rise from the ground the clans stand upon. Lan Zhan shows up beside you, begs you to stop, insists that you’ve lost control— and that’s it, isn’t it? He’s only ever seen you as an annoyance.

“A-Xian,” a small yet clear voice rises above the battling. “A-Xian, where are you?”

Shijie?

“A-Xian. A-Xian!”

“Shijie?” you call back, panic rising in your throat as you frantically search throughout the madness you caused. “Shijie, what are you— stop! Don’t hurt her! Stop fighting! STOP!”

A scream reverberates through the night when one of your fierce corpses slashes Shijie in the back.

“SHIJIE!”

“JIEJIE!” Jiang Cheng cries out, too, and roars at you while holding back a fierce corpse, “Wei Wuxian! You said you had everything under control!” 

You hardly hear him. You sprint to her side and lift her fallen body with a tenderness most unlike the Yiling Patriarch everyone fears and reviles, and her blood soaks your hand in an instant. “Shijie,” you say again, voice breaking, because you don’t know what else to do. 

“A-Xian,” she responds weakly. “You ran away so fast last time. I didn’t even get to see your face.”

“I’ll— I’ll take you away, I’ll get you somewhere safe, I—”

“This is enough. Please.”

“Okay, I’ll make them stop, I’ll do it,” you comply fervently. You’ll do anything for your shijie. You’ll move mountains and halt an army for your shijie. She reaches up to cup your cheek, and the touch would be soothing, grounding, if it weren’t for the blood currently spilling through your fingers and your mind half-gone to the insanity of resentful energy. Still, with great strain, you steady yourself and play a soothing but desperate melody on your flute to slow the corpses and the battling. 

Even through her pain, a small amount of contentment seeps into her tired, flickering eyes, and the ghost of a smile etches itself across her lips. But her eyes suddenly widen and with a shocking amount of strength she shoves you away, letting out a final cry: “小心!”

You stumble back, disoriented. And then a blade skewers your shijie’s midsection, dark red splattering her dress and the ground and the sword that slaughtered her, and you watch her fall and fall for what feels like eternity. 

Her body hits the ground, splayed out like a slain dove.

She saved you. You. But you can’t. Do. Anything. Nothing. Nothing means anything. There is nothing but the violent grief that floods through you, the streams of burning tears that spill down your face, nothing but the frenzied hunger to KILL.

A guttural, visceral scream tears itself from your throat, drawn-out and shattering the air. You let the Stygian Tiger Amulet drag you skyward as though you are a puppet with slack strings, and you black out from the deep primal instinct drowning you— shrieking at you to wreak a bloodbath.

oh for fuck's sake could we not with the. urghhhh that was rough and i think it actually hit eros harder than me :/ im gonna go bury my face in absol floof and cry for a hot minute if anyone needs me