#with the power to shape them into destiny

[ena-writes-stuff]

— diamonds, clubs, hearts and spades.

˒ ⌕ in a world of magic, the Kingdom of Diamonds' greed sparks a war. after millennia, the Queen of Clubs urges peace for her daughter, and the King agrees. fourteen years of peace follow, until a letter proposes a union, threatening the fragile harmony.

— warnings: female reader, use of his real name

— words count: 742

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

In ancient times, when the light danced in every fold of existence, the world was woven with the threads of magic and enchantment. Beneath the starry skies, the four Kingdoms flourished in harmony: Diamonds, Clubs, Hearts, and Spades, each a pillar of cosmic order, guided by human hands entrusted with the sacred task of preserving the balance and prosperity of nature.  

Yet, the ancestral peace was shattered when the golden caravels breached the shores, bringing with them the shadow of greed and avarice. Originating from distant lands, beyond the confines of the Sea of Night's Sighs, where the stars bent to whisper long-forgotten secrets, the vessels of the Kingdom of Diamonds advanced, propelled by insatiable desires for wealth and power.  

Driven by an insatiable longing for material possessions, for the fleeting sparkle of gold, and for the promise of boundless conquests, the King of Diamonds defied the limits of the known. Ignoring the teachings of the wise and the warnings of the stars, he coveted the magic once devoutly guarded by the sages and wizards of the Kingdom of Clubs. Greed, like a voracious flame, consumed his reason, causing him to forget the ancestral bonds that united the Kingdoms. Driven by his boundless ambition, he challenged celestial balances, defied the very gods themselves. And thus, the shadow of conflict stretched over the lands, threatening to unleash a storm that could forever sweep away the fabric of reality as it was known.

For countless eons, the world bowed before the primordial sources of magic, flowing from the four natural elements, and only the sons and daughters blessed by the magical Kingdom of Clubs could raise their wands and conjure the winds of destiny. Yet, in a moment of alchemy, a flash of understanding was born, a rainbow woven of mysteries that challenged the very laws of nature. Thus, the war between the Kingdoms took shape, a symphony of thunder and lightning, where the Realms of Clubs and Spades marched united, defending the sanctity of nature and the magical creatures that began to shrink under the hungry gaze of humans. Meanwhile, in the South, the kings and alchemists led an army thirsty for the right to manipulate magic, an art that only unfolded when the life force of creatures was extracted.  

Millennia passed since the first spark of discord was ignited on the border between the Lands. The war now dragged on like a wounded dragon, its flames weakened as the hills between the realms grew taller, rising like guardians of forgotten peace. In the shadows of the stone castles, the alchemists wove webs of mysteries, their cauldrons boiling with forbidden promises, while the mist of the unknown enveloped the destinies of the realms.

At the height of the winter solstice, when the snowflakes danced around the castle like magical beings, an aura of enchantment enveloped the atmosphere. The word "peace" echoed through the ancestral corridors, a melody long forgotten but now revived with the promise of a new beginning. The Queen of Clubs, a legendary figure whose courage rivaled the very light of the stars, lay upon her bed, marked by the scars of countless battles. Her weary yet determined gaze fell upon her only daughter, an eleven-year-old whose fate was intertwined with the threads of destiny, written in blood and mystery. She knew her final moments on earth were near and summoned the King, her beloved, to her side.  

In a final sigh, she pleaded that the future no longer be decided by the edge of the sword, but rather by hope and compassion. She urged the King to ensure the happiness of the young heiress and to seal the peace between the realms. With tears in his eyes and a heavy heart weighed down by impending loss, the King granted the beloved Queen's final wish. And so, in reverence to her memory and driven by the fervent desire to prevent further bloodshed, the King ordered the withdrawal of troops from the borders. For fourteen consecutive solstices, the world they knew lived in harmony, as if embraced by an aura of tranquility long forgotten.  

Then, on a morning bathed in the glow of the aurora borealis, a mysterious letter arrived in the Diamonds Lands, brought by a messenger raven that flew with a majesty befitting of legends. Sealed with the royal emblem, the letter carried with it a proposal for lasting peace: the union of the heirs of the Diamonds and Clubs realms. It was a symbol of an end to hostilities and the promise of a future where the shadows of war would never again loom over the land.

That’s how our story begins.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

— next chapter.

[shisasan]

[cienie-isengardu]

Quan Chi's bio states he was basically born to be a slave in the mines. With Shang it's at least debatable whether he 'chose' to be poor of it he was just unlucky but I don't think Quan Chi chose to be enslaved since he was a child and mined minerals for OutWorld's government.

This seems awfully deliberate, like how Liu Kang had a hand in Smoke's family dying as a way for him to join the Lin Kuei. Like Liu Kang gave Mileena the life most iterations would kill for and whilst he did cripple Shao, Shao got the better deal compared to Quan and Shang.

I don't think there's a really good way to justify that one. It feels like Liu is punishing an incarnation of Quan Chi for something he didn't even do. Unless someone wants to make the assumption that Quan Chi was born evil...which doesn't make any sense since we literally see a good version of him and Shang fighting against Titan Shang Tsung.

Even if he was born evil, erasing him probably would've been preferable than subjecting him to slavery given how slaves are treated.

Last time I checked mortalkombat.com there was no official BIO for Quan Chi so I can’t address something I did not read yet by myself - not that I don’t believe your word, I just like be familiar with officially released source material and context before I start throwing the stones at any characters, especially since MK1 already proved with Shang Tsung that BIO, story mode and intros may approach differently character’s origin.

That said, I don’t have a doubt that Liu Kang is biased when it comes to certain people as it is visible in story mode alone how he interacts with the Royal Family or his Champions he considered his friends and for example Lin Kuei serving him and Earthrealm from centuries. He on purpose get involved with characters lives, be it choosing Johnny, Kenshi, Kung Lao and Raiden for Earthrealm’s Champions or deciding that Shang Tsung and Quan Chi won’t get a chance to obtain any power (magic) however the same story mode proved that Liu Kang’s plans could be - and in fact were - foiled by actions of others. Shang Tsung and Quan Chi learned magic due to Titan Shang Tsung’s scheming, Kenshi lost his eyesight again, despite Liu Kang’s hope for different means for his bonding with Sento

so it is not like every character’s life is set in stone and the once made Keeper of Time’s decisions won’t change due to outside forces.

My main problem with accusation that Liu Kang intended Quan Chi to be born in slavery or Shang Tsung in poverty is the implication he intended slavery and poverty to be part of his new era in the first place - and with that he chose to doom billions beings to unimaginable hardship solely to punish two people he personally dislike for things done in previous timeline steered by Titan Kronika who cared only for balance between good and bad, not for the living beings who were her own creations. 

Because Shang Tsung is not the only character we could see living in miserable conditions, as the Edenians infected with Tarkat sickness lived in literal poverty, banished and shunned by society, with little food or basic goods to survive on their own. Quan Chi may be a slave working in mines, but we have the whole Umgadi system that literally takes away freedom from the first-born daughters of edenian families, who from childhood are trained and indoctrinated to put Royal Family’s best interest before anyone and anything, because apparently the monarch is more important that the lives of common people. 

If we agree that Liu Kang in fact decided to include slavery and poverty in his new timeline just to punish two people, following that logic we should also assume that by making Johnny the USA’s famous movie star (with all the references to Hollywood and pop culture we know from previous timelines and our own word), he also allowed history to repeat itself with the European colonization of Americas and coming with it irreversible destruction of native cultures followed by unjust and cruel treatment of the indigenous population and ever further consequence: the Atlantic slave trade and the racial segregation that was part of America’s history preceding the official independence of USA (and racism being part of its history for another ages). All just to put Johnny in comfortable life as close to what his friend had in previous timeline.

What frankly, does not sit well with me knowing what kind of person Liu Kang was once and is currently as Earthrealm Protector. He was not a flawless human and definitely he is not the flawless and all-knowing god now - he doesn’t pretend to be one either. And sure, some of his decisions led to bigger tragedies but the fact he stepped down from Keeper of Time’s position to be just a mere Earthrealm’s deity implies he truly wished to allow people make their own choices. Because as Keeper of Time he could manipulate time and events to his own liking at any given time, but as a mere deity he is forced to play alongside the unfolding events and mortals choices - he may guide people, he may punish those disturbing the established peace, but he does not fulfill characters’ wishes or demand to erase the problems of their world because he did not give himself such power, as intro dialogues suggest is the case:

Li Mei: Why permit crime to fester in this timeline? Geras: It was beyond Liu Kang's power to prevent it. 

or

Liu Kang: It is beyond my power to prevent all injustice. Li Mei: Then it shall always fester. 

or

Scorpion: As Time’s Keeper, you could have abolished kombat. Liu Kang: Even a Titan’s power has limits.

or

Kenshi: With Liu Kang's help, maybe they'll find a cure. Baraka: If he could've helped, he would have done so by now. 

or

Baraka: If you're a god, then cure me. Liu Kang: I did not give myself that power.

or

Baraka: Tarkat is a cruel fate, Geras. Geras: As Liu Kang has told you, we cannot cure it. 

My point is: when a god gives mortals a free will then he must also accept that people will choose the wrong, even outright evil things. Not because anyone is born inherently good or bad, but because things like greed, pettines, fear, curiosity, ignorance or love exist and emotions are as strong an impulse, if not stronger, as is common sense. 

As much as I would really like if Liu Kang gave everyone the same, fair chance for a good life, I think we need to take into account that each character's life does not exist in a vacuum and was preceded by hundreds of lives and choices of other people that lead to this point in time. Choices that could get in the Keeper of Time’s way and push events in different paths that he intended. Like Smoke’s family - did he truly decide to kill them to get Tomas into Lin Kuei as the best way of action or did the Lin Kuei warriors, who found outsiders on the protected by them territory, acted too aggressively on their own and their choices lead to unplanned tragedy? Or Shao’s sickness - was it Liu Kang’s choice to prevent the possibility he will raise one day against Sindel but the plan was foiled by one stubborn father who wouldn’t accept his child’s sickness as it was or the iron discipline of father was a part of the plan from the start? My point is, it is hard to tell where Keeper of Time’s will ends and where start the will of mortals that make each day their own choices, for good or bad. 

Sindel is the best example, as Liu Kang intended her to rule Edenia as a firm yet fair queen and for all we know she indeed is one compared to the previous rulers. Yet what we learn from story mode and intro dialogues put a great shadow of doubt on whether she was truly so great Queen, if the sick Edenians are banished and forced to live in poverty, as their assets were taken according to Sindel's own edict, and in general treated like unwanted trashes. Not only that - Li Mei's intro dialogues says that Outworld has organized crime and Sun Do's beauty hides its darker side as it is far from the peaceful city Earthrealms think it is. Since people often are pushed into crimes by the bad circumstances (poverty, seeking refuge from persecutors) rather than inherent evil, should we accuse Liu Kang he planned such misery for those mortals or we accept that Sindel - generally seen as a good person, even admired by vast number of characters, including Liu Kang himself - made a choices that in fact have endangered or literally destroyed hundreds of innocent lives for ages? The Royal Family got rich off the harm of others, its power was secured by people deprived of their own civil freedom (Umgadi, the Palace Guard). Who should we blame for that? Liu Kang who destined Sindel to be Queen or Sindel herself, who had a power and free will to decide?

Like I said, no one lives in a vacuum and there were countless numbers of mortals before our main heroes were even born. Kenshi is dealing with his ancestors’ desperate choice to join Yakuza for protection and born out of it shame and crimes; their choices affect who he is and what drives him. Bi-Han is affected by his father’s decision and decisions of Lin Kuei Grandmasters before him that shaped reality in which Bi-Han lives now and considers an enslavement, because someone in the centuries old past chose to pledge their clan to serve Earthrealm and by extension, Fire Lord. Did Liu Kang intend such a turn of events or is it an effect of countless choices made by mortals preceding Bi-Han and Kenshi existence?

And so we come back to Quan Chi and the question, did Liu Kang decide to introduce slavery to his new timeline solely so Quan Chi could end in one or did mortals (Edenian aristocracy/government) at some point make the choice to enslave other living beings, including Quan Chi’s family, for their own gain? Because for Quan Chi to be born in slavery it means:

his parents or at least mother - and that alone may implies Quan Chi's being a result or rape - would need be a slave in the first place and

mother was punished for her son’s crimes he did not commit - and if Liu Kang’s plan had succeeded, he would never have committed either.

We can go on with questions like that but I think it comes down to this one matter: do we believe that Liu Kang would intentionally damn a billions of innocents to either punish Shang Tsung and Quan Chi or secure the well-being of his favorites like Royal Family and Johnny or not.

The game and intro dialogues won't give us a definite answer to that and each of us will need to settle this dilemma for themselves. I myself still debate whether to believe or not that Liu Kang sat down eons ago and wrote out how numberless generations will live so a few certain characters end in miserable (Shang Tsung & Quan Chi) or happy setting (Sindel). I do however believe that within Liu Kang's timeline, the Keeper of Time's choices shaping people's destiny and free will of characters can and are co-existing. I won't cross out yet the possibility that Liu Kang indeed decided to include slavery just to fuck up Shang Tsung and Quan Chi's lives - and I won't do it at least until I read the new source material.  However, I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt that slavery and poverty are the outcome of bad choices made by mortals living before the heroes and villains were born.

Of course, this is still not the best scenario and there is no denying Liu Kang wanted a meaningless life for both sorcerers and that he did interfere with events and destinies of mortals. But if he set all life in motion and then immediately step down from Keeper of Time’s position, we need take into account that A) he gave up control over people voluntarily and B) he did it eons before Shang Tsung or Quan Chi - and their families - came to alive and for such a long period of time, many bad things could have happened without his participation or ill will (is Tarkat even part of Liu Kang’s plan or did it happen spontaneously, as a result of the actions of unforeseen forces? As the “forces of nature” balancing things out?). The characters already asked Liu Kang why he did not prevent injustice, why he did not abolish violence, why he did not cure the horrific illness, why he did not make his timeline the better place… but I think to do so he would need to take away the free will, so no mortal could commit a crime again or go against his plan. Which is the total opposition of what he wanted and Liu Kang is aware his world did not improved as he hoped:

Liu Kang: This timeline has not improved as I had hoped. Geras: Thoughts like that led to Kronika’s madness. 

But I guess that is the problem with free will, it allows bad things to happen. There is no win-win scenario and someone will always be harmed - if not by their own choice, then by someone else's, because people do not live in a vacuum.

So, unless Quan Chi’s Bio (that I still didn’t see for myself) outright says Liu Kang decided to made his former enemy born as a slave, I’m willing to give Liu Kang the benefit of doubt that slavery and poverty weren’t on purpose added to his new era just to fuck up two people he didn’t like - even if his dislike is well-understandly considering everything that happened. 

It is easy to look at MK1’s story mode and blame Liu Kang for the characters' background but that is looking at this specific point of time the way we look at NRS and blame them for messing up our favorite heroes for drama’s sake alone. In-universe though? There are plenty of factors outside Liu Kang’s control that shaped the world before any of them came into picture. Like I said, it may not be so easy to determine how much for things to be the way they are now is the fault of god and how much of mortals alone.

Also, in regard to why not just erase them from the timeline, I too myself wondered about that. Or why not make them born in Earthrealm, whereas as mere humans they would pose a threat for a 100, maybe 120 years at best and then be safely tucked in the afterlife. Or why let them both live at the same time and not separate them by ages. My working conclusion for now is that erasing people is not such an easy matter, as people - their histories and relationships - are too well connected threads on time fabric. MK11’s Jacqui ending showed that changing one thing may lead to much more serious consequences. She wanted to spare her father from death at Sindel’s hand and following it the life of revenant. But when she removed that event from his history, in result she erased her own existence, as Jax did not meet Jacqui's mom and thus Jacqui wasn't born. Original Shang Tsung and Quan Chi brought more pain and despair to people than anything else, but since we don’t have an idea how time fabric works or how much it is influenced by the countless erased timelines, maybe Liu Kang couldn’t erase them without erasing more innocent and/or important people? Just a thought to think about.

[lovetwist]

Veil of Deception (I)

SYNOPSIS: In a world where political alliances are forged in blood and treachery lurks around every corner, you find yourself thrust into marriage with Feyd-Rautha, the enigmatic scion of House Harkonnen. Born to be his perfect mate, you grapple with the terrifying prospect of becoming entangled with a man known for his brutality, obsession, and madness. As your union unfolds, you navigate a landscape of deception and dark desires, struggling to find your footing in a marriage fraught with danger and uncertainty. Caught between duty and defiance, summon your strength and resilience to survive in a world where loyalty is a luxury and love is a dangerous game.

WARNINGS (R18+): mildly dub-con, smut, first time, weapons kink, mentions of violence, manipulations, genetic breeding, power play

Word Count: 3.5k

PART 2

Below the towering spires of obsidian and steel, against a backdrop of opulent extravagance that flaunted wealth and power, a tension hung heavy, pregnant with the promise of destiny.

As Lady Atreides, sole daughter of Leto Atreides, you stood poised on the precipice of a meeting that would shape the course of your future. Your heart seized with nerves as you awaited the arrival of your betrothed.

Since your 15th name day, you had known of your engagement to the na-Baron. It was an inescapable fate predetermined by the Bene Geserrit. Your mother, Lady Jessica, had gone against them by giving birth to Paul, a male heir for Leto. Two years later, she gave birth to you – a gift of compromise for both sides. In return, Lady Jessica and Leto achieved the familial harmony they wanted, through the sacrifice of their daughter.

Every year, the Harkonnens requested your portrait to be sent along with a lock of hair. In exchange, they sent House Atreides jewels, gold, silks, and spice; disguised bribes for the upkeep of such a fine lady. They had only sent a portrait of Feyd-Rautha once. It was taken during his coming-of-age ceremony, a lean young man dressed in black fighting leathers. You stared often at the picture, looking to find some clue that could reveal his character. His demeanor was unnaturally cold and collected, yet his dark eyes barely concealed a burning rage. You wondered if Feyd-Rautha poured over you pictures as you did his.

Years passed and the engagement felt more like a false formality than reality. Unlike other noble families, you never exchanged letters with Feyd-Rautha or even met as a courtesy. Having completed your Bene Geserrit training under your mother, you learned that such things did not matter when it came to pairings arranged by the Reverand Mother. You caught whispers of conversation between your mother and her Bene Geserrit sisters. There would be no chance of failure, this union would be perfect. You were genetically engineered to be his absolute mate. Attraction and physical compatibility was assured. Everything about you was designed to lure him in – your scent, your voice, your everything was to be his undoing from the moment he would lay eyes on you.

Yet the thought gave you no confidence as you stood here now in Giedi Prime. Sexual attraction differed greatly from love, he didn’t need emotions to breed you. Feyd-Rautha, the enigmatic scion of House Harkonnen, was a man followed by countless stories of brutality and wickedness. You heard that he laughed when Reverand Mother subjected him to the Gom Jabbar. He didn’t endure pain, he reveled in it.

Your palms grew clammy, breath becoming increasingly shallow as you pondered the dark fate that awaited you in the form of this formidable man. Would Feyd-Rautha be the embodiment of all the whispered sin that had reached your ears, or would he prove to be an enigma beyond your wildest imaginings? With each passing moment, the anticipation mounted, weaving a delicate web of uncertainty around your heart as your braced yourself to meet the man who held your destiny in his hands.

The grand doors of the chamber swung open with a regal flourish, your heart quickened its pace, echoing the rhythm of anticipation that thrummed through the air. Through the gray haze of incense, you beheld Feyd-Rautha, a vision of masculinity and charisma, whose presence seemed to command the very essence of the room. His eyes met yours across the expanse of the chamber, a charged moment filled with unspoken tension, as if the universe itself held its breath in anticipation of this meeting.

You were ensnared in a tempest of conflicting emotions, thoughts swirling like sand caught in a desert storm. You questioned your own composure, wondering if you could maintain the facade of confidence expected of a lady of House Atreides in the presence of the young Harkonnen and the terrifying Baron. Feyd-Rautha may be your future husband, but he was not required to provide you a good nor happy life. After all, why would he? You were the daughter of his family’s sworn enemy. He may have been bound in marriage to you by centuries of bloodline manipulation, but he maintained a free will.

Would his words falter, betraying the tumult and hatred raging within him? Or would he summon the grace and poise befitting his station, masking the turmoil that churned beneath the surface? Your apprehension mounted, a symphony of doubt and fear playing out in the recesses of your mind. Yet, amidst the chaos of your thoughts, a glimmer of determination flickered like a distant star on the horizon, urging you forward into the unknown with a quiet resolve born of necessity.

For in the labyrinthine dance of politics and power that defined their world, you knew that you could ill afford to falter now. With a steadying breath, you squared your shoulders and prepared to face your destiny, whatever form it may take in the guise of a madman husband.

Feyd-Rautha, with an air of effortless confidence, strode forward, his gaze a smoldering ember that ignited a spark within your soul. In that fleeting moment, as your paths converged amidst the darkness and mist of the surroundings, you felt a surge of something unfamiliar yet undeniable—an electric current that crackled between your bodies, binding your fates together inextricably.

Words eluded you as you struggled to articulate the wave of emotions that threatened to consume you. Yet, in the silence that stretched between you two, you found solace in the understanding that this meeting was but the first step on a journey fraught with uncertainty and possibility. He bowed without taking his eyes off you. In greeting, you extended a gloved hand, Feyd-Rautha grasped it with a firm sense of resolve. You knew that your lives were now intertwined in ways neither could fully comprehend nor stop.

And in that moment, amidst the hazy dream of your shared future, you glimpsed the faintest flicker of something akin to desire dance across his eyes. You noticed a dilation of his pupils as he laid a kiss on the back of your hand. Then, his grasp of you tightened and tightened. Your face contorted in pain as a crooked smirk appeared on his features.

In the dim light of the chamber, your eyes traced the contours of his cheekbones and the fullness of his lips, searching for traces of the young man you once memorized in a portrait. Yet, try as you might, only a beast stood before you in the guise of a gentleman. When he stood at his full height with his darkened leer, you held yourself back from cowering. His gaze was vicious, his smile vulgar with blackened teeth, and he exuded an air of savagery.

“How delightful it is to finally meet you, Lady Atreides.”

His deep, raspy voice caught you off guard. What a performer he could be! Long gone was the ethereal allure he displayed when first entering the room, now you could see him for what he was.

“Likewise, my Lord Feyd-Rautha.”

Uncertainty lingered like a specter in the room, casting a pall over the impending union that would bind you with him. You let your gaze lower onto the floor as your parents approached to talk with the Baron and na-Baron.

You could feel his intense gaze burning through your body even as you moved away to be with your brother. Could his eyes pierce through your facade, unraveling the intricacies of your soul like fine thread? Such questions gnawed at the edges of your consciousness, casting shadows on your will to remain strong.

As the evening progressed, the tension in the air thickened like a fog, suffocating any semblance of ease. Seated at the long banquet table surrounded by your family, the Harkonnens, and noble guests, you found yourself ensnared in a delicate dance of propriety and peril.

Across from you, Feyd-Rautha lounged in his seat, a predatory gleam in his eyes as he watched you with unabashed fascination. His demeanor was that of a predator toying with its prey, his every movement calculated to instill a sense of discomfort. Your family would leave to Arrakis after the wedding festivities, then you would be truly left alone with him. The precariousness of your position tugged at your heart.

As the meal commenced, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense, punctuated by the clinking of silverware and the strained chatter of polite conversation. You forced yourself to engage in small talk with those seated around you, your words measured and careful, lest you betray the fear that coiled like a serpent in the pit of your stomach.

Despite your best efforts to maintain a facade of composure, you couldn't shake the feeling of being scrutinized by those dark, probing eyes. It was as if Feyd-Rautha could see straight through you, peeling away the layers of pretense to expose your most secret vulnerabilities. You found yourself growing increasingly unsettled. You longed to escape, to retreat to the safety of your chambers and away from the suffocating presence of the Harkonnen heir.

But you knew that there would be no reprieve, no sanctuary from the darkness that had descended upon your life like a shadow. For tonight, and every night thereafter, you were bound to him by the cruel machinations of fate, condemned to walk a path fraught with danger and uncertainty. And as you raised your glass to Feyd-Rautha’s toast to your impending union, you couldn't help but wonder what horrors awaited you.

“To the most beautiful bride in the world, I will certainly savor tomorrow’s…memories.”

The men at the table chuckled darkly while your father’s and brother’s jaws clenched. You lay your delicate hand over theirs, do not mourn me. If I am to die, I shall do so with honor.

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

As your mother lowered your veil, you noticed tears forming in her eyes. You never thought you’d live to see the day the impenetrable Lady Jessica shed tears for you. I must really be walking into my death, you thought.

You looked at your reflection in the mirror. There were no words to describe the vision you saw. Crafted from the finest silk and satin, your wedding gown exuded an air of majestic elegance with flowing skirts cascading like waves of moonlight around your figure.

The bodice, adorned with intricate beadwork and delicate lace, hugged your curves with a tailored precision, accentuating a slender waist and graceful neckline. A row of tiny diamonds trailed down your body, gleaming against the smooth expanse of your back. While the front of the dress was conservative, your back was tastefully exposed through a combination of sheer silk, diamonds and pearls.

Your hair was pinned neatly into a bun with a delicate braid on each side. The veil was gauzy, making your face seem like a daydream. The ivory fabric of your dress pooled at your feet in a sea of frothy tulle and satin, forming a train that trailed behind you like a regal cloak. The wedding dress was embroidered with delicate motifs of growing vines, mountains and ocean waves – a reminder of Caladan.

At your collar, a border of intricate lacework added a touch of timeless elegance, its patterns catching the light in a dazzling display of shimmering beauty. With every movement, the gown seemed to whisper tales of romance and splendor, a clear hope to the love and devotion the seamstress had prayed you’d find. You choked down a sob.

You’ve made me an angel for him to ruin.

The wedding hall was adorned with such grandeur, you’d expect the emperor’s daughter was getting married instead. The flickering silver torches cast dancing shadows upon the ebony stone walls. As guests gathered in hushed reverence, the air crackled with anticipation, as if the very walls themselves whispered of your impeding damnation.

At the front of the hall, beneath a canopy of arched black silk, Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen stood, an imposing figure in his ceremonial garb. His porcelain skin was stark against the darkness of his clothes as he awaited his bride.

You approached with measured steps, hardening your grip on your father’s arm. Your eyes must’ve betrayed your fear and resignation because you could see Feyd-Rautha biting the inside of his cheek to suppress a laugh.

As you reached the altar, his lips curled into a predatory smile, his voice dripping with malice as he spoke the vows that bound you together in unholy matrimony. The words echoed through the hall like a curse, sealing your fate alongside his.

As you exchanged rings, a union forged in the fires of despair, you vowed that though your body may be bound to Feyd-Rautha, your spirit would remain forever free.

Standing before him, you felt the weight of his gaze like chains around your soul.

With a solemn nod from the officiant, you and Feyd-Rautha were instructed to seal your union with a kiss. He removed your veil, his eyes lingering on your face. As his lips met yours, a shiver ran down your spine.

The kiss was surprisingly gentle, but devoid of love. You gasped when his tongue entered your mouth. It was a macabre dance of dominance and submission, a twisted mockery of affection that left a bitter taste upon your lips. You try to push him away, but he holds your hands firm against his chest. The Harkonnens roar with applause and laughter. As you pulled away, a sense of profound emptiness washed over you, a hollow echo of the dreams and desires that had once burned within your heart.

The rest of the wedding banquet was a blur. As you were led to the high table by Feyd-Rautha's side, you couldn't shake the feeling of being trapped, ensnared in a web of malevolence. The guests, mostly Harkonnen allies, noble families, and sycophants, feigned smiles and exchanged whispers, their eyes gleaming with a perverse curiosity at the spectacle of your union.

The feast itself was a decadent display of excess, with platters of exotic delicacies and goblets overflowing with rich wines. But the opulence only served to accentuate the suffocating atmosphere, as the room was closing in on you with each additional piece of ornate furniture.

Feyd-Rautha, ever the consummate host, played his part with calculated charm, his laughter ringing hollow in your ears as he regaled the guests with tales of conquest and murder. You watched him from across the table, his features twisted in a mask of false benevolence, and you couldn't help but feel a surge of revulsion mingled with a sliver of pity. He, too, was playing a part – ever the performer. 

Throughout the banquet, you were subjected to the leering gazes and whispered innuendos of the Harkonnen cronies, their crude remarks slicing through the thin veneer of civility like daggers. But you held your composure, steeling yourself against their taunts and jeers, refusing to let them see the cracks in your mask.

As the night wore on and the wine flowed freely, the mood grew increasingly raucous, the revelry descending into a frenzied ecstasy. You found yourself adrift in a sea of faces, each one a grotesque caricature of humanity, their laughter and applause a cruel mockery of your predicament.

And amidst the chaos and debauchery, you couldn't help but wonder what was in store for you, chained to a man whose heart was as black as midnight. As you absentmindedly finished your last sip of wine, Feyd-Rautha stood suddenly, his chair loudly rattling against the granite floors. A chilling silence descended upon the hall.

He extended a hand towards you and you immediately understood his intentions. You departed the hall, hand-in-hand as men watched with envy and women stared with pity. You couldn’t bear to look at the faces of your family, afraid that you might beg them to take you home.

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As you left the banquet hall with Feyd-Rautha, a heavy sense of foreboding settled over you. The echoes of the evening's macabre festivities lingered in your mind, each laughter, each lewd jest, a reminder of the gilded cage in which you now found yourself imprisoned.

You walked beside Feyd-Rautha, his grip firm upon your hand, guiding you through the labyrinthine corridors of the Harkonnen estate. There was an eerie stillness in the air. With each step, you felt the weight of your predicament pressing down upon you, the reality of your situation sinking in like a cold, unyielding truth.

You stole a glance at Feyd-Rautha, his expression unreadable in the dim light. Occasionally fireworks would alight by the window, allowing you to see his eyes gleaming with a predatory hunger that made you look away immediately.

As you walked in silence, your mind raced with a flurry of thoughts and emotions, a storm raging within you. You couldn't help but wonder what awaited in the bedchamber. You weren’t ignorant to the act of consummating a marriage, but your husband was no ordinary man. What horrors lay in store for a woman bound to a man as cruel and cunning as Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen… what would satisfy a man like him? But amidst the fear and uncertainty, a flicker of desire burned within you, a stubborn resolve to claim him as much as he claims you.

He led you into a large room with double doors. Compared to the gaudy decorations of the wedding hall, this room was relatively simple: a chamber of dark elegance and understated grandeur. There were only the bare necessities required of a bedroom, but each piece had been impeccably handmade with the most exquisite of materials. At its center, a massive four-poster bed stands as the focal point, its frame crafted from polished ebony wood, intricately carved with motifs of serpents and ivy. Perfectly sized above the bed, stretching over the ceiling was pure reflective glass. You swallowed thickly, this man had no shame.

A grand chandelier hangs from the center of the ceiling, its crystals casting prismatic rays of light across the room, illuminating the space with a haunting allure.

The walls are lined with dark, navy paneling, adorned sparingly with antique tapestries depicting scenes of forgotten battles and dangerously sharpened weapons. A sleek, black writing desk sits nearby, stacked with books on war strategies and adorned with quill and parchment.

A sense of regal simplicity pervades the space, each element carefully curated to its master. This is a sanctuary of solitude, where one can retreat from the heaviness of the Harkonnen world and immerse themselves in the embrace of peace.

Busy admiring the room, you didn’t notice Feyd-Rautha locking the doors behind you. You tensed when you suddenly felt the coldness of a blade against your back. With one precise slice, he cut your wedding dress open leading all the decorative pearls to fall to the ground. Your hands instinctively went to cover yourself, but his newfound grip on your wrists was even faster.

“You are mine now, pet.” His hands slowly guided yours down as he ripped away the rest of your dress. “Do not resist me, I want to see you in all your beauty.”

Your face flushed as you looked away from him. You knew objecting to his wish was futile, perhaps if you appeased him then he’d be gentler. You learned this was a useless thought the moment you saw his expression – raw, animalistic hunger chipped away at the edges of his sanity. His pupils dilated so wide that his eyes became monochromatic orbs of obsidian.

He removed his own clothes with swift and lithe movements, revealing pure sculpted muscle. Through the rapid rise and fall of his chest, you could see that he was barely holding back his lust. Feyd-Rautha was going to devour you without leaving a single morsel for the world.

“I-I… If you hurt me, I will scream.”

“Go ahead, it’ll only stroke my ego if you do. Scream loud enough for the whole banquet to hear. Let them know what pleasures your husband bestows upon you.”

With each step he took towards you, you took two steps back. When you felt the bed come into contact with the back of your knees, you realize you’ve been trapped.

“Lie down.” he commanded.

Sensing the tonal shift in his voice, you obeyed. You felt his long, slender fingers enter your most intimate place. When he curved against your inner wall, you let out an involuntarily moan – which he quickly swallowed from your lips. You had touched yourself before, but only rarely during occasions when you couldn’t sleep and the moon was hanging high.

However, this was different – he was different. His fingers reached places where yours never could. Your body made lewd sounds as he pumped in and out of you with torturous speed. The way you grind against his hand was indecent, but he rewarded you with such sweet friction. Hearing his low pants against your ear, you couldn't help but writhe into his touch. When you came undone, he smirked and licked your essence from his fingers.

Before you could catch your breath, he was on top of you again; caging you between his toned arms. He reached out to grasp your chin before roughly crashing his lips down on yours. The kiss was all-consuming, he was drinking in every part of you without letting you breathe. Your eyes wandered down to where his member stood unnaturally stiff and enlarged. Your new husband sneered at your expression before his right hand circled around your throat.

“Your throat… it shall be my axis tonight.”

[ane-doodles]

Make it turquoise!

Cult of the Lamb Narindersona and Lambsona :D

Special thanks to @linkerbell for motivating me to draw, name and finally share them

Below information extracted from a conversation on discord:

Aneerinder:

(Using he/him for this occasion)

I wanted to maintain both the theme of the felines and the god of death but with a bit of the Japanese aesthetic that I like and other details that I usually use in my drawings.

First, the species is still a serval (like my Narinder) but in white. The stripes and spots they have are painted by him himself, except for the ears and tail, which are natural.

Instead of just making him the god of death, I wanted to base him a little more on the idea of a prophet, who receives messages from the future and teaches them to others if you ask in the right way. He is considered the writer of destiny, even though as such it is outside his area, how someone lives or dies is outside his power, he only receives them and archives the stories of their life.

Based on this idea of a writer/illustrator, the idea was born that his hands would function as a writing instrument (similar to this character in the movie 9 who had pen(? fingers to write). Constantly gushing ichor from these using them as ink…

Jumping to the moment of imprisonment hehehe

He is partially blinded using a paper talisman behind his head. To prevent it from being able to write or create something with the ink/ichor, it is surrounded by water, so that the ink always runs.

He also ends up being immobilized with red ropes as an allegory to the "red thread of destiny", especially his right hand is especially tangled to prevent him from continuing to "write the destiny of the gods". To prevent the ropes from breaking there are also paper talismans hanging from them.

In short, prevent him from writing/drawing in any way in order to keep the destiny of the gods in his hands. He ends up becoming dependent on other senses, little talking, much listening.

He loves stories, after all his job as a god is also to record the lives of mortals.

Their followers could ask for glimpses of their futures, which were considered predictions.

When someone dies and reaches the other side, they are given a scroll with a copy of the record of their life.

I'm still thinking about how to draw him, but if I design a shape for him as a follower, I'll most likely end up wearing glasses to see.

You will never in your life get him to close the haori he usually wears.

Aniki:

Ok lamb, she/her this time

The lamb genocide occurs during an expedition trip. She coincidentally returns to her village the day it is destroyed. Easily resigned, once she finished digesting the idea that she was the last of her kind she had no choice but to move on.

She's not built for combat, she's even terribly bad at dodging (like me qwq) which is why she dies often.

[Here I have an inside joke in which the god tells her "I may be blind, but I clearly see a lot of death in your future" jsjsjs]

Their crusades mainly consist of collecting resources and trading with traders.

She is very good at managing the cult, to the point where in the first five years it was already self-sustaining. She is also usually quick to meet the demands of her followers and thereby increase the faith of the cult, avoiding at all costs giving sermons because she is too shy to do so. Despite this, in casual conversations with cultists he often talks about the god of death in a way that unconsciously raises their faith.

She never takes the cult on herself, because she couldn't be interested in the idea of taking that burden on herself, which is why all the cult's statues and decorations revolve around the cat.

Now, having a self-sustaining cult and a faith that is constantly growing, she ends up having too much free time, so she spends her time putting together a collection of objects she finds around, making decorations for the cult, playing and exploring.

When she dies she tells stories of common events that occur in the cult, and in return the god tells her stories of past lives that have reached his domain. They have a constant exchange of stories which is what allows them to get closer.

She changes over time (new design yipee) and the crown upon returning to the god grants her a blessing in which she becomes the "eyes of god"

The new design only has some minor changes from the original.

Since she never had the ambition to take power, divinity never affected her.

She only had small surges of devotion and power that made her possessed by the god and that way she was able to defeat the bishops (similar to what a writer would do with his characters)

[burst-of-iridescent]

it will never not be bizarre to me that kat.aangers use the fortuneteller episode as foreshadowing for ka when literally every possible interpretation of this episode is anti kat.aang.

if aunt wu's prophecies are unquestionably true, then kat.aang is DOA right off the bat because she explicitly says she doesn't see romance in aang's future. yet kat.aangers love to uphold the “powerful bender” prophecy as foreshadowing for kat.aang so… which is it? are aunt wu’s prophecies only eternally binding for katara but conveniently untrue when it comes to aang? because if katara marrying a powerful bender is unchangeable, then so is aang not being able to find love, so that’s strike no. 1 for ka foreshadowing.

now on the other hand, if we take aunt wu's prophecies as false, then our boy aang is free to do all the lovin’ he wants… but following the same logic, so is katara. and since her prophecy is the catalyst for her seeing him as a potential romantic partner at all, that’s strike no. 2 for foreshadowing.

finally, we come to the last interpretation and the episode's actual message: that destiny is real, but not immutable. throughout the episode, it’s clear that aunt wu's prophecies do come true, though not in the way that their subject(s) might expect. the future isn’t created through passive acceptance, but active agency. everyone has the power to shape their own destiny, and make their own choices.

this is the complete opposite of katara beginning to view aang in a romantic light solely because sokka makes an entirely on-the-nose comment about him being a powerful bender. because had katara not heard her prophecy, that would have meant nothing to her! how is this meant to be the spark that fuels the kat.aang relationship when it's entirely based on katara holding herself to a prophesized future instead of writing her own story, and hence antithetical to the fundamental theme of the episode?

which is also why so many people interpret this episode to be lampshading zutara, because the only way that all of these contradictory interpretations — aang isn’t meant to find love, katara is meant to marry a powerful bender, but both of them still have the power to shape their own paths — make sense is if the final scene was an intentional red herring… but that’s a discussion for another time.

[mysticinsightstarot]

☆PAC : CAREER AND FINANCES NEXT 6 MONTHS☆

Pile 1 > Pile 2

Pile 3 > Pile 4

**✨ DISCLAIMER & HOW TO PICK A PILE ✨**🔮

*Disclaimer:* This reading is for entertainment purposes only and is meant to offer guidance and insight into your journey! Remember, tarot is a reflection of potential energies, but your choices and free will ultimately shape your path. 🌿💫 Take what resonates with your heart and leave the rest! You are the creator of your destiny! ✨---**✨

HOW TO PICK A PILE ✨**

1️⃣ Take a few deep breaths, relax, and clear your mind. Focus on your career and finances and what you want to know about the next 6 months. 💼💸🌿

2️⃣ Look at the 4 images (shining open door, compass on a map, glowing light bulb, and tree full of fruit). 🌟 Which one pulls you in? Trust your first instinct! 🔮

3️⃣ The image that calls to you the most holds your message for the next 6 months in your career and finances. 🌟✨

Once you've chosen, scroll down to the reading that aligns with your pile for your personalized insight! 💖✨

💫✨ Pile 1: The Shining Open Door ✨💫 You picked the pile with the glowing door—oh, I see you’re READY to step into something BIG! 🌟 Let’s dive into what’s ahead in your career and finances because, honey, things are about to shift! 🚀

1. Current Energy: Queen of Swords & King of Swords 👑⚔️ Whew, talk about power couple vibes—but it’s ALL YOU! 💪 You’re rocking both your logical side and your fierce independence. The Queen is telling me you’re super clear on your goals, cutting through the fluff, and making decisions like a BOSS LADY (or boss dude 😉). The King shows that you're also in complete control of your mental game—your mind is sharp, and your vision is crystal clear. Double swords = serious focus and balance between intellect and emotions. Yasss, no one’s messing with your boundaries or your vision right now! 🔥🔪

2. Opportunity: Two of Wands 🌍🤔 It’s decision time, boo! You’ve got a HUGE opportunity ahead that involves looking beyond where you are now. Are we talking overseas ventures 🌏 or simply a big career move? This is your “make a plan and conquer” card. The world is literally in your hands, and now you’ve just gotta decide which path is calling your name. 👑 The shining door is OPEN, and it’s saying, “Step through, but choose wisely!” 💡

3. Challenge: Death 🖤⚡ Before you gasp—this isn’t about literal death, it’s TRANSFORMATION, babe! 🦋 Something in your career or finances has to die (not literally! 😬) so you can fully transform. Maybe it’s an old job, a limiting belief, or even a partnership that isn’t vibing with your higher self anymore. Change can be spooky 👻, but this card says, "Embrace it!" Let go of the old so you can evolve into the next-level version of YOU! 🔥🚀 You got this! 💯

4. Outcome: 7 of Cups & 6 of Cups 💫🍬👶 Oooh, choices, choices! 😍 The 7 of Cups says you’re gonna have A LOT of options coming your way (think candy store level options 🍭)! But be careful, not all of them are as sweet as they seem. Some might be glittering distractions, and you don’t want to get stuck in that confusion. 🤔 The 6 of Cups is bringing in a more nostalgic, sweet energy—maybe an opportunity from the past reappears? 🌸 Or someone from your past (a mentor, a colleague, or even a childhood dream) is going to help guide you toward the right cup. Trust your intuition and choose the one that fills your heart the most. 💖✨

Bottom of the Deck: Ace of Cups 🌊💙 Awww, look at that! The Ace of Cups says this whole journey is leading to a brand-new emotional beginning. Whether it’s finding a career path you LOVE or something that sparks passion in your work, this is a whole new level of fulfillment! 🌟 It’s all about filling your own cup first and letting those good vibes overflow into everything you do. Self-love, baby, and trust that this opportunity is gonna make your heart sing! 🎶💧💖

Get ready to slay the game! ⚔️👑 Your career and finances are transforming into something new and powerful, and it’s all in your hands now. ✨ The door is open—are you ready to step through? 🔑🌟

🌸💼 Pick another pile or send a love offering to the tarot spirits (me 👀) if this resonated with you! 🎉💖 #CareerVibes #ManifestingSuccess #BossMode

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Pile 2 (Compass on Map):

✨🧭 Pile 2: The Compass on the Map 🧭✨ Oooooh, you picked the pile with the compass! 🔮💫 This is ALL about finding your true direction, bb! The universe is guiding you toward something amazing, and trust me, you’re about to LEVEL UP in ways you didn’t expect! Let’s take a peek into your future career glow-up, and honey, the wands energy here is SPICY 🔥🍃!

1. Current Energy: Ace of Wands 🌟🔥 OMG, YES!! You’re in full-on go mode right now! 🚀 This Ace is all about passion, inspiration, and new beginnings. You’ve got a burning idea inside you, and it’s like the universe just handed you a cosmic match to light it up! 💡✨ You’re feeling creative, ready to make bold moves, and so full of ENERGY it’s electric. ⚡️ Whether it's a new project, career path, or just you vibing with your creative genius—GET IT! 🔥🌿

2. Opportunity: Ace of Cups 💧💖 Double Aces?! Okay, the universe is literally pouring opportunities into your lap! 💦 This is something that’s going to fill your heart with pure joy! 🌸 Whether it’s a new job you’ll fall in love with or a chance to work on something that ignites your soul, this card says, “Embrace it, babe!” 💖 It’s about connecting with what truly makes you happy, and maybe, just maybe, aligning career and personal fulfillment. 💼💖 Passion meets heart—talk about a dream opportunity!!! 💫💧

3. Challenge: Justice, Wheel of Fortune & Six of Wands ⚖️🎡🏆 Whoa, hold up, THREE cards here for your challenge?! Okay, let’s break it down! 🔍

Justice says you’ve gotta keep things balanced. Maybe there’s something legal or contractual in your career that needs fairness (look out for contracts or deals, bb!). ⚖️ Don't worry—just make sure everything's fair and aligned with your values.

Wheel of Fortune means things are spinning fast! 🎡 Luck is on your side, but it’s a wild ride, so hold on tight and ride those career waves! 🌊 You’re on the brink of big change, and it might feel like a rollercoaster. 🎢 Stay grounded!

Six of Wands is like, "Oh hey, don’t forget you're a winner!" 🏆 But be careful not to let success go to your head. 🌟 Humble queen vibes will take you far, just stay true to yourself, and victory is guaranteed. 👑💪

4. Outcome: 9 of Wands, 4 of Pentacles, Knight of Wands, Queen of Wands & 4 of Wands 🔥👑🎉 OMG, this outcome is a total powerhouse of energy! 🔥 Get ready for a rollercoaster of action and success:

Nine of Wands says you’re feeling a bit tired from the hustle—but don’t give up! 🏋️‍♀️ You’re almost there!

Four of Pentacles is a reminder to hold onto your resources and not overspend or over-invest just yet. 💰 Patience, love!

Knight of Wands is YOU charging forward, full steam ahead, pursuing your goals with fiery passion. 🐎💨 Think bold moves, fast results!

Queen of Wands is ultimate BOSS energy! 🧡✨ You’re about to own your space, radiating confidence and magnetism. People can’t help but notice you!

Four of Wands HELLOOO celebration vibes! 🎉🎊 This is you reaching a major milestone, like a promotion, career achievement, or even a new home or office space. It’s all about success, stability, and joy!

Bottom of the Deck: Page of Wands 📩🔥 Oooh, the Page of Wands at the bottom says you’re entering a phase of super exciting communication and fresh ideas! 💬🔥 Expect some news soon—whether it’s a job offer, a new project, or an opportunity to collaborate with someone exciting. The universe is like, “Go for it, bb!” 🚀 You’ve got the vision, the drive, and now… it’s time to take action and run with it!

Summary: 🔮✨ Get ready for a passionate new beginning that aligns your creativity and heart! You’re stepping into big opportunities (seriously, double aces?!!!), and while the road might be a little bumpy, you’re destined for success! Just balance those scales ⚖️, keep pushing through the challenges 💪, and soon you’ll be celebrating 🎉 like the Queen/King of your career kingdom!

🌟💼 Drop a comment or hit me up if you feel this energy! Let's ride the Wheel of Fortune together! 🔥🍃 #CareerGlowUp #LevelingUp #CreativePassion #ManifestingSuccess

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Pile 3 (Light Bulb Glowing):

💡✨ Pile 3: The Light Bulb Glowing 💡✨ Yasss, you picked the glowing light bulb! 🌟 The universe is about to shine some serious truth into your life, but ooooh, honey, it might get a little wild before things brighten up. 🌪️ Let’s break down what’s coming in your career and finances because this pile is all about BIG revelations and shaking off the old to welcome the new. Hold on tight, bb, it’s gonna be a ride! 🌀💡

1. Current Energy: 9 of Swords 😱💤 Oooh, sweetie, you’ve been STRESSING. 🥲 The 9 of Swords is serving up anxiety central—are you losing sleep over career decisions or financial worries? 😩 It’s like you’re overthinking EVERYTHING, replaying scenarios in your mind at 3 AM like a bad soap opera. 🎬 But here’s the tea: your worries are bigger in your head than they are in real life. 🧠✨ The light bulb is about to switch on, and things will start making sense soon. Hang in there, bb! 🖤💫

2. Opportunity: 2 of Swords & Ace of Swords ⚔️💡 Okay, so the 2 of Swords says you’re at a crossroads, but guess what? You’ve been avoiding making a choice! 🙈 Whether it's a new job, a financial decision, or a major life move, it’s time to rip off the blindfold, babe! 🚨 The Ace of Swords swoops in with a FLASH of clarity! ⚡✨ This is your a-ha moment, the truth you’ve been waiting for—it's like a light bulb 💡 finally going on over your head! You’re gonna cut through all the confusion, sharpen your focus, and see the path CLEARLY. 🔥 You’ll be making decisions like a total boss. ⚔️

3. Challenge: The Tower 🌪️💥 OMG, here comes the Tower—total SHAKE-UP energy! 🏰⚡ Don’t panic, bb! This card says that whatever is falling apart was meant to go. 💨 Maybe your current job or financial situation needs a complete teardown so you can rebuild from scratch. 🧱 The universe is like, “Honey, we’re tearing down the old to make space for the NEW.” 🔄 Embrace the chaos, because it’s leading you to something SO much better. This is the card of divine intervention, where things might get a little wild… but trust me, it’s for your highest good! 💣💫

4. Outcome: Wheel of Fortune 🎡🔮 YASS, here we GO! The Wheel of Fortune is spinning in your favor, baby! 💫 This is BIG karmic energy—what goes up must come down, and vice versa. 🎡 Your luck is turning, and the universe is pushing you toward your destiny. Expect some unexpected changes (but this time, the good kind! 🙌), whether it’s a surprise job offer, a financial breakthrough, or a lucky opportunity. 🍀 You’re stepping into a whole new cycle, bb! Keep your vibes high because fortune is on YOUR side! 🎉✨

Bottom of the Deck: 4 of Pentacles 💰🛑 Okay, so the 4 of Pentacles lurking at the bottom says you might be holding on a little too tight. 🏦💰 Whether it’s fear of losing money or clinging to an old job or security, you need to let go a bit, love. 🙅‍♀️ Don’t be afraid to invest in yourself or take a risk—you can’t grow by staying in your comfort zone! 🔄 Trust that the universe has your back and that letting go of control will open you up to receiving MORE abundance. 💸✨

Summary: 💡⚡ This spread is all about breakthroughs! You’ve been feeling stressed and stuck, but the universe is about to give you that “A-HA” moment you need. ⚔️ Even though the Tower might shake things up, it’s clearing the path for your destiny to unfold, and the Wheel of Fortune says you’re about to enter a super lucky phase! 🍀 Just don’t hold on too tight to the past, bb—let that light bulb glow and illuminate your way forward! 💡✨

💫🌟 Hit me up if this reading resonated, and let’s ride this Wheel of Fortune together! 💫 #BreakthroughVibes #DestinyCalling #KarmicShift #GlowUpJourney #LetGoAndGrow

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Pile 4 (Tree Full of Fruit):

🍎🍃 Pile 4: The Tree Full of Fruit 🍃🍎 OMG, y’all, you chose the fruit tree?! 🍑🌳 Get ready because the universe is about to shower you with blessings like it’s RAINING FRUIT! 🍒🍓 This pile is all about hard work paying off and those juicy rewards coming in HOT! 💥 Let’s take a bite of this reading and see what’s coming for you in career and life abundance! 🍏✨

1. Current Energy: 10 of Wands 💼🔥 OK, bb, the 10 of Wands shows you’ve been carrying A LOT of weight lately—like, a whole tree’s worth of responsibility! 🌳💼 Maybe you’ve been juggling a million things at work or grinding to the max in your career, and now you’re feeling BURNT OUT. 🥵 Don’t worry, though! You’re about to offload some of that baggage and get the rest you deserve. Take a deep breath—your hard work is about to pay off BIG TIME, but you need to delegate or drop some of those extra “wands” first. 🌿✨

2. Opportunity: 3 of Pentacles 🛠️🌟 Collaborative energy coming in HOT! 🔥 The 3 of Pentacles says there’s a major opportunity coming your way to work with others and build something amazing together! 🤝💼 Maybe it’s a new project or a team effort at work, but whatever it is, it’s going to elevate you to new heights. 🏗️✨ Teamwork makes the dream work, bb! Don’t be afraid to share your vision and ideas with the people around you—they’re going to help you manifest your goals and bring those fruits to the surface! 🍇🍃

3. Challenge: Ace of Pentacles 💰🌱 YAAAAS, the Ace of Pentacles is here! But in the challenge spot? 🤔 That’s because the universe is handing you this golden seed, and now it’s up to YOU to plant it! 🌱💫 Whether it’s a new job, financial opportunity, or big career move, you need to make sure you’re READY to nurture this gift. 🌟💸 Sometimes the hardest part is believing you deserve this abundance, but TRUST—your hard work has earned you this opportunity. 💼🌿 Now water that seed and watch it grow into a full-blown money tree! 💰🍃

4. Outcome: Wheel of Fortune & 10 of Cups 🔄🌈💖 OMG, bb, this outcome is literally everything! 🎡✨ The Wheel of Fortune says you’re stepping into a whole new cycle of luck and abundance—so buckle up because it’s about to get GOOD! 🎢 Your career and finances are about to take a major upturn thanks to all the effort you’ve put in. And guess what? The 10 of Cups is like a happy, glowing rainbow 🌈 saying that your career success will bring you so much joy and fulfillment in your personal life, too! 💖 Whether it’s a new job, promotion, or financial win, it’s gonna make your heart BURST with happiness. 🥳✨

Bottom of the Deck: Justice ⚖️💼 Ohhh, the Justice card lurking at the bottom is serving BIG karma vibes! ✨ Everything is falling into balance now. ⚖️ You’ve put in the hard work, stayed true to your values, and now you’re reaping the rewards! 🍎✨ Whatever’s been out of balance in your career is getting righted by the universe. Contracts? Legal matters? Business deals? Expect them to go in your favor! You’re being rewarded for the good vibes and energy you’ve been putting out there! 🌿✨

Summary: 🍇💰 You’ve been working your butt off (and maybe feeling a little overwhelmed, bb!), but the universe is saying, "Hold on, your harvest is almost here!" 🌱✨ With opportunities to collaborate and a golden career opportunity on the horizon, you’re about to level up in a big way! Just believe you deserve it, plant those seeds, and watch them grow into your dream life filled with success, abundance, and HAPPINESS! 🌈💸

🍒🍃 Drop a comment if you’re ready to reap those fruits of your labor and step into your success! 🍇✨ #CareerHarvest #AbundanceComing #FruitfulVibes #JusticeServed #WheelOfFortuneFlow

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✨ SENDING YOU GOOD VIBES ✨

No matter which pile you chose, I’m sending you ALL the success and abundance vibes! 🌈💖 The next 6 months are filled with opportunities and growth in your career and finances, so trust the journey and keep believing in yourself! You’ve got this! 💼✨💸

If you enjoyed this reading, be sure to like, follow, and repost to spread the love and help others find their message! 💫🔮

🎥 Exciting news! My YouTube channel is launching soon, where I’ll be diving into personal development, spirituality, and philosophy—all combined to help you grow and create a supportive community! 🌟✨ Let’s embark on this journey together and elevate our lives! 🌐💖

And guess what? My website is also launching soon, where you’ll be able to book personal readings and get even more spiritual insights! 💻✨ Stay tuned for updates and be part of this incredible adventure! 💖

Thank you for all your love and support—can’t wait to see you all on this exciting journey! 💖💫 #CareerVibes #FinancialAbundance #TarotGuidance #GoodEnergyOnly #PersonalDevelopment

[theforsakenprince]

Forsaken as a revenge story fascinates me but not because of anything really related to the revenge story itself but rather the context surrounding it. like, "revenge is wrong" stories are everywhere and almost expected at this point, and Forsaken is no different, really. Forsaken says going on this path of revenge will turn you into a monster, but... we as the player don't really care? And why should we! Uldren killed one of our favorite characters! And every expansion before this has us killing something, so it's not really out of the ordinary.

This feeling is especially reinforced by how much Bungie tried making the young wolf a self insert during y1 (which REALLY did not last long). We, the player (if you played d1/y1 anyway) are angry at Uldren for killing off the most popular character at the time. It's PERSONAL now. And sure, the ending does feel like we're kicking someone who's already down (Ghost says it himself: Uldren's already done for), but we got the bad guy! The end, right?

Nope! Our actions have immediate consequences! Ghost is scared for us. We have to watch Petra struggle with the events of Forsaken while trying to lead a city of people stuck in a perpetual 3 week loop. Mara is obviously not happy with us (and we know we have to deal with lightbearer Uldren at some point). We may not feel bad about killing Uldren, but it doesn't feel great either. And unlike most past Destiny expansions, Uldren isn't an obligatory unequivocally evil big bad alien we need to shoot because this is an fps, he's... just some guy we barely knew anything about before now. Sure, he was a dick to us, but watching his descent into madness throughout the campaign is downright uncomfortable. All our past enemies, in comparison, have been rather straightforward: they're trying to kill us? well we gotta kill them first.

Forsaken also marks a MAJOR tonal shift. It literally kills off the comedy relief. Every release after Forsaken has a noticeably more serious tone (and while humor isn't completely absent (Saint, Crow, Fynch, and Nimbus have their moments) Forsaken's story is a particularly dark one, and it seems to carry over the rest of the year as we first start to consider the "line between light and dark"). It was definitely much more noticeable at the time of release, but Cayde's death has an impact not only on the characters but the tone of the story overall (he is the perfect example of characters continuing to haunt the narrative imo) and clues us in as the audience that shit is about to get Real.

and what happens the next year? We find a Pyramid ship.

this post is kinda all over the place but MAN not a day goes by that I don't think about Forsaken and how good it is as a self contained story and as an expansion that sets up a lot of the major players leading up to final shape! it's not really controversial to say that Forsaken is one of destiny's best expansions (story wise at least I'm not touching that power grind with a 10 foot pole) but I feel like a lot of that sentiment comes from the fact that it came out after curse of osiris/warmind which. no hate to either of them but anything that came out after them would look really good in comparison.

anyway uhhh forsaken good uldren did nothing wrong (JOKE I feel like I have to specify this is a joke people have taken this statement from me seriously before)

[demonscantgothere]

It’s about the subtextual message underneath the context of Sauron trying to permeate Galadriel’s mind in order to subdue her to his own cause and his aims — or, as Tolkien would say, “seduce” her — all the while Galadriel deeply wants to destroy him through some form of murder, but genuinely? She is downright terrified of how she might actually succumb to his charms and his will — which leads to the very real fear of what will happen if she does.

There is so much unspoken innuendo wrapped up into this particular dynamic, this power struggle between the two of them. There is an inherent power struggle between the hierarchical differences of their orders. There is an inherent power struggle between good and evil as well as the choices made that shape those destinies. There is even an inherent power struggle in the simplest of relationships, and theirs is anything but. It is complex and convoluted and messy from the very beginning of their chance meeting out at sea.

It’s riveting for a reason. This is a meeting of minds, a test of wills — and a clash between having absolute power over another or having absolute power over oneself.

[flawseer]

hmmm. what are your thoughts on dragon size. tribe-wise, as compared to each other, and your headcanons on the main characters of each arc?

Before I move on to finalizing yesterday's and today's Smaugust submissions, lets change pace and grab a question to answer. I need a change of scenery for a bit.

Let's talk about dragon sizes and body shapes/types.

General tribe overview

My general thoughts on the size relations between different tribes would be something like this. This is based on average; you're going to have outliers in either direction based on the individual (i.e. Princess Burn is very large for a Sandwing, while Sunny is very small).

Mudwings are the largest of the Pyrrhian tribes by sheer body mass. They aren't always the tallest because their bodies are kind of squat and compact, but in terms of body weight they reign supreme at the top.

Skywings are the tallest, especially when sitting down, due to their long necks. They aren't particularly massive, in fact a lot of Skywings are very slender with long limbs and necks. But if you sit one down and constructed a cube around them, they would take up a lot of space, moreso than any other tribe.

Seawings come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but they tend to be a bit heavier than you would think. In a way they are like a less extreme expression of Mudwings, not AS massive as them, as well as less compact. Kind of like a middle-ground between Mudwings and Skywings. What makes them a bit heavier is that their skin has a layer of blubber that insulates them from the cold of the ocean depths. The thickness of this layer is different between individuals.

Nightwings and Icewings lie somewhere in the middle of the size chart. In terms of mass they are roughly equal, but Icewings tend to have more elongated bodies and limbs while Nightwings are more broad and a little squat.

Sandwings are springy little bundles of wiry muscle. They like to keep their bodies close to the ground (making them look a little smaller than they actually are) and have powerful limbs for leaping on, around, and over opponents. If they were in D&D, their attacks would have the Finesse tag, allowing them to attack with Dexterity instead of Strength.

And lastly, Rainwings are usually small and light. This allows them to climb trees and sit on the topmost branches without their weight making them snap off. Their wings are also a bit smaller than those of other tribes; they're meant for short bursts of flight to help getting up on trees, while travelling long distances in the jungle is accomplished via use of wings AND tail in tandem. Their slight stature is part of the reason why so many other tribes dismiss them as weak and useless.

The Dragonets of Destiny

Clay is unquestionably the largest of his peers. He is enormous, even among Mudwings. I think he might have been the most massive thing in that cave under the mountain (weight-wise), and in a way Kestrel was lucky he was such a gentle spirit, because if Clay had decided to sit on her, there would have been very little she could have done. It's a bit silly they threatened Tsunami with hanging Clay from a stalactite, because the visual of Kestrel and Webs trying to carry him up there would have been comical.

Tsunami is, perhaps equally as unmistakably, the second largest after Clay. She clearly takes after her mother in terms of size and thus towers over a lot of other Seawings. While not as tall as Clay, her body is a bit longer and she has a very powerful tail. Most of her bulk is muscle, compared to Clay's roughly equal mixture of muscle and fat. I think she might actually be physically stronger than Clay, but is less durable than him.

Starflight might either be the third-largest, or fourth after Glory, depending on whether you measure by tallness or body mass. He might be the very definition of big-boned, appearing kind of plump but not actually being that fat. He didn't get a lot of exercise outside of Kestrel's mandatory drills, and he's not really in a rush to change that after escaping, so overall, he is quite out of shape.

Glory is what you could consider tall for a Rainwing, but she started out rather noticably underweight. This is because sunlight is a vital component to a Rainwing's metabolism, so her body couldn't get the amount of energy it needed while she was forced to live underground. This gradually got better as she went outside and got more sun time. She is still kind of thin now, but in a much healthier way.

And then Sunny is the smallest. She is just kind of petite, nobody knows why and it's not a health issue, it's just how she is wired. Maybe Stonemover's dad was really short and it skipped a generation.

The Jade Winglet + Peril

Carnelian is large and tough, being proud of her physique and aiming to be a career soldier, thus keeping herself in shape. Within the Skywing military I imagine there are two pervasive ideas of what "being in shape" means. Some train their entire body evenly, to fight strongly in the air, but also to remain formidable if they end up grounded (via wing injury, or having to defend a ground position). Others believe this is planning for failure and thus mainly train their wings while keeping the rest of their bodies light and easy to maneuver during flight. Carnelian is in the former camp.

Peril is very tall, lanky, and lean, with barely any defined muscle or body fat. This is because her fire scales affliction causes her body to consume vast amounts of calories to sustain itself, and thus she has trouble to build up any significant muscle mass or fat reserves. She would have to ingest two-to-three times the amount of food a regular dragon does to offset this, which she usually doesn't.

Winter is very toned and muscular compared to his peers (sans Carnelian), as is befitting for a royal Icewing. His tribe proudly identifies as a caste of elite warriors, so the idea of being physically frail is considered shameful and dishonorable. As a result most royals will exercise rigorously in their spare time to keep themselves in peak physical condition. Most Icewings pull this off while still looking refined and elegant. Winter looks a little broad and awkward compared to, say, his sister.

Moonwatcher is about average in terms of size. She has a bit of a curve to her due to growing up in an environment with abundant food, but underneath conceals a surprising amount of strength and stamina, owed to having to survive in the jungle on her own from a young age. She looks out of shape at a glance, but is anything but.

Umber's body type is a little atypical for a Mudwing. While still a bit broad, his frame is more wiry and light compared to his kin. He is also kind of short. His siblings can pick him up and carry him around easily.

Qibli is a bit taller than Umber and Moonwatcher, but much thinner and a bit scrawny. His frame is mostly wiry muscle with little body fat. He consciously keeps himself in shape to not be a burden to his queen, but not with the same intensity as Winter or Carnelian. He also doesn't eat enough to pack on a large amount of muscle. This suits him fine though, he is satisfied with where his body is.

Turtle was not graced with the same genes as Tsunami; he takes more after his father who was a bit on the average-to-small side. He also hates physically exerting himself and has a magical trinket that lets him double his food rations, so he is somewhat on the chubby side. Not quite obese, but noticeably plump.

Kinkajou is the smallest of her winglet, but manages to be barely taller than Turtle when she arches her back and stands on her toes (and Turtle intentionally hunches because he sees what she's doing and wants to please her). She is very slender and slight but has a surprising amount of stamina just because she is so full of energy and always runs around everywhere.

Whew... This took a lot longer than I anticipated, so I think I'm going to have to cut it here. Forgive me. I hope this is still entertaining and/or informative.

They are roughly in order from biggest to smallest, but it's very difficult to say in some cases. Like, comparing someone who is technically taller by height to someone who is shorter but has twice the body mass, where does one draw the line? I'm sure I've managed to find a middle ground here that pleases neither side.

If I wasn't so artistically drained and exhausted right now, I would draw a size chart or something.

[loaisacult]

LOA IS A CULT. Everyone Including myself and those who are familiar with it, know it’s a cult! I know everyone lies for attention or to live in the end because I used to be a big blogger myself. I won't reveal who I was, but I saw firsthand how these bloggers, claiming to be friends in real life, are actually deceiving everyone—they're all liars. Behind the scenes, they're working regular jobs while curating content from friends and family to share as their own as proof. Many of them have multiple accounts and blogs to give the illusion of authenticity. If you don't believe me, create a fake account and replicate the process—fabricate a success story, and watch as bloggers emerge from the shadows seeking help. Most of them have disappeared now... I wonder why that is, lol. It's time to open your eyes to the reality behind these façades and question the true motives driving this deceitful tumblr .

Despite the presence of manifestors, witches, and astrologists manifesting against Donald Trump in the world it's amusing to see that he still emerged victorious and by a whole lot!!!

It's worth noting that among the founders of the law of assumption and the void state on platforms like Tumblr, inconsistencies and inaccuracies have surfaced in their stories over time – there seems to be a trend of untruthfulness, among them (it might be interesting for you to verify this observation by checking out posts from your favorite bloggers, especially the newer ones; I've taken a look and it appears they're all just making their posts using GPT !

"Persist with belief"; A call to continue holding onto faith and dedication similar, to how spiritual groups encourage their followers to stay steadfast in their beliefs.

“Embrace the mysterious without needing evidence." This mindset echoes the inclination towards accepting the unknown and intangible elements of existence often upheld by certain groups that prioritize faith in the unseen, over concrete proof.

Echoing the cults claims of enlightenment or salvation, without tangible evidence but guaranteeing miraculous transformations assures me of its validity.

Despite the uncovering of deceit and dishonesty by individuals within a system built on mistruth; trust and belief persist unshaken. Mirroring the resilience shown by groups, in the face of revealed falsehood.

"When someone blindly follows something or someone else – it's, like trusting without proof of why or how things work out in the end."

“Discover the truth within yourself”. Encouraging the exploration of truths and insights through belief in something greater; a familiar motif, in spiritual practices.

Encouraging connection, with the energy of the universe is a spiritual idea that highlights the importance of harmonizing with greater forces beyond our sight.

"Fulfill your destiny"; The concept of shaping your own future through faith alone is frequently referenced in spiritual communities as a means to claim authority, over your own life path.

“Rise above the boundaries of the realm " suggesting the possibility of surpassing earthly restrictions through belief in something greater; mirroring stories of spiritual groups seeking elevated levels of existence.

Calling upon the power of the Encouraging believers to tap into mystical powers is a common theme, in teachings of spiritual groups that offer promises of special intervention or extraordinary abilities.

These instances provide insight into the use of language, with spiritual cult like tendencies that focus on faith and commitments that extend beyond tangible proof.

Please, there are bloggers out there sharing and telling us to save Palestine, claiming you can manifest a trillion dollars out of thin air, yet they can't manifest an end to war or even a simple solution. They say you can't control other people, yet they talk about manifesting specific people,, changing your family completely, or even your own race. You all were claiming you were manifesting Harris. I thought manifestation never fails, loool. "Oh, just persist, it will reflect like Neville leaving the war," they say, but all Neville managed could very well fall under the coincidence category, just like healing a burned hand, hahahahah. It's baffling that people are wasting their lives on something they know deep down is false. For the children in this community, just stick to a routine, focus on school and work, and foster your own life. While doing so, perhaps listen to subliminals, but don't rely on these vicious lies. Your time and energy are too precious to be spent on such unfounded claims.

Before you start getting defensive in my comments, take a moment to think and tell me how long you've been manifesting. How long have you been persisting in this process? Share in the comments first, and reflect on how little has actually changed. When you ask questions of these bloggers, why do they always seem to victim blame you instead of providing real answers? They claim to love and care about you so much, yet they charge for subliminals and can't manifest even simple things like you entering the void state. They won't manifest for your mental health desires, despite all the supposedly enlightening infographics they share. They talk about being able to shift reality and consciousness, yet they can't offer real help. Isn't this just typical cult behavior? It's time to question the authenticity of these practices and recognize the inconsistencies.

Some of these bloggers are in their 20s and live on disability, which gives them both the time and money to spread misinformation and false hopes. If you're young and still have potential, please make wise choices. Some aspects of spirituality are indeed real, and manifesting can be a genuine practice, but remember there's a reason why 99% of these bloggers are deceitful. They all eventually leave before their lies catch up with them. It's a disgrace that they pretend to help you in their DMs while knowing you're struggling with issues like poverty and abuse. I truly hope things improve for you, but don't rely on this cult-like mentality.

Critics might come into the comments and claim you just have doubts, but that's not the case. Once I left the Law of Assumption and started genuinely working, studying, and ensuring my grades were satisfactory, my life changed. I got a boyfriend, landed my dream job, and even took steps towards my desired appearance with a nose job. These achievements didn’t just materialize from thin air; they came from hard work. I accomplished more in three months after leaving the cult than some do in five years. I know people who've been in this community for a decade—when will they wake up to reality? That nagging feeling of doubt is actually common sense trying to prevent you from ruining your life.

How many times are you going to think, "I can't tolerate my life; I'm just going to shift," before it becomes unbearable and you realize you're stuck? How many liars need to be exposed? How many times do people have to be scammed before they see the truth? The so-called void masters aren’t helping; if they could truly access the void, they'd expose the liars. But then they’d have to admit they're lying too, and that no one has achieved these creative writing promises. It's all for attention and affirming to manifest is not a magic solution.

Let's be real here—your favorite bloggers allowed the Turing administration to achieve a landslide victory, with the court gone, the Senate gone, the House gone, and the residence done. Project 2025 is in motion, but sure, everyone’s supposed to be GOD, right? You people are worse than religious fanatics. I secured my visa because I knew otherwise, I'd be stuck here; you can't rely on the fake law of assumption. Go ask your bloggers why Trump won, and they'll just tell you to persist or claim it's all an illusion. Seriously? We'll see how much of an illusion it is once Palestine is wiped off the map, and all these so-called void masters can do is make a note to ignore the 3D world, loool. It's absurd that they think such real-world issues can simply be brushed aside with wishful thinking. Time to question these beliefs and face reality.

This message isn't directed at the older members of this cult because, at this point, only you can wake yourself up. But to the younger ones, please focus on building your life in the actual world. It's very real, and your suffering will only worsen if you keep clinging to false hopes.

To all the bloggers who know they're spreading lies, go ahead and manifest that my post gets deleted. I apologize for even considering that some of you revise events where people have literally died. Try revising this post or imagine me apologizing. It's time to stop spreading deceit and start facing the truth. Your actions have consequences, and it's crucial to start acknowledging the reality of the world we live in.

Even those who claim to manifest outside of time are no different—they're all selling courses for hundreds of dollars each month, with packages reaching into the thousands. It's ironic, isn't it? They preach about manifesting abundance yet charge exorbitant fees for their wisdom. Just think about it for a moment: if they could truly manifest unlimited wealth and success, why would they need to profit off of your hard-earned money? The truth is, their business model depends on your belief in their promises, and they capitalize on that by offering overpriced courses that are often filled with recycled content. This practice raises questions about the authenticity of their teachings and whether they genuinely have your best interests at heart.

The feeling you’re having is your body and mind trying to tell you there's truth in what I'm saying. It's like they're working to save you from falling into the trap of delusions. You are caught up in loa and you’re actually caught up in their own illusions. Many of these successful loa folks outside of tumblr grew up in wealthy families, living good lives, and got richer with a mix of luck and hard work. That's why so much of this community feels ridiculous; it's mostly made up of kids chasing dreams and adults spinning lies or looking for attention because they have too much free time.

Society keeps these cycles going, making it easy to fool ourselves. The temptation of quick success and promises of an easy life are hard to resist, especially for those always surrounded by comfort and now searching for something deeper than just money. For some, the LOA community seems like a beacon of hope and purpose. But it's important to see that while some find value, others get caught in a loop of broken promises, clinging to the idea that just thinking positively will bring success without real effort.

This way of thinking can will you ppl away from reality, you’re following and worshipping people seeking likes and attention takes the place of real achievements. LOA IS A CULT. Please wake up

[ladywhistlewrites]

chapter 1: The very first morning

As the fresh morning air made its way into her room, caressing her skin, the young lady Y/N was fast out of bed, pacing around her chamber. This was the day. This was the day her parents had prepared her for so diligently, the day she had prepared for so fervently. At noon, she would be officially introduced to society as an eligible young lady. Eligible for marriage, of course.

She swiftly looked at herself in the mirror of her nightstand, almost seeking something in her own reflection. “There must be a way to escape Her Majesty today,” she thought as she started combing her hair with her fingers. Was marriage truly a woman’s only calling? Was playing the piano, singing, and being a polite, flawless young lady all that life held for her? These thoughts roamed in her young mind ever since she was a child.

Surely, a woman should marry and have children if she wished so, but what if she wished for something else? What if she wished to go off to Oxford as her brothers did? Y/N was torn between what her parents wished, almost demanded, for her life and what she desired.

As she was lost in her thoughts, a soft knock came from her door. “Good morning, miss,” a giddy voice said. Y/N turned around and found Miss Olive’s smiling face. “Good morning, Olive,” she said with a smile. Miss Olive was a young girl herself, no more than six-and-twenty years of age, with a kind face and lively eyes. She had become Y/N’s lady’s maid quite recently, but she had shown herself to be a true confidant many times, as well as a very good maid indeed.

“Are you excited for today, Miss Y/N?” Olive asked, her eyes sparkling with genuine interest.

Y/N gave a small laugh. “Excited? Perhaps nervous is a better word. I am to be paraded in front of all of London society and judged suitable or not for marriage by the Queen herself. How could one be anything but nervous?”

Olive’s smile softened with understanding. “You will do wonderfully, miss. You have a grace and charm about you that no one can deny. Besides, this is just the beginning. Who knows what the season holds?”

Y/N appreciated Olive’s optimism but could not shake off the feeling of apprehension. She had seen how the season could make or break a young lady’s prospects. It was a game, a matchmaking game, and she was expected to play her part. But Y/N had always wondered if she could be more than just a pawn. Could she be the protagonist of her own story, taking the reins of her own destiny? Or perhaps she would breathe the air of libertinism and embrace the changing times?

As the morning progressed, Y/N was dressed in her finest gown, a delicate creation of lavender silk with lace trim that complemented her fair complexion. Her hair was styled in an intricate updo, adorned with tiny pearls that caught the light. She looked every bit the baroness she was born to be, yet her heart yearned for something more.

“Miss Y/N,” Olive said softly as she adjusted the final pin in her hair, “remember that today is just the beginning. You have the power to shape your own destiny. Do not let anyone dictate your path.”

Y/N looked at her maid and confidante with gratitude. “Thank you, Olive. I will try to remember that.”

With a deep breath, Y/N descended the grand staircase of her family’s townhouse, where her parents awaited her. Her father, a stern yet proud man, gave her an approving nod. Her mother, ever the epitome of grace, took her hand and squeezed it gently. “You look beautiful, my dear. Today, you will captivate the Queen and all of London.”

Y/N smiled, though it felt more like a mask. “Thank you, Mother.”

As they made their way to the carriage that would take them to Buckingham House, Y/N felt a flutter of anticipation mixed with dread. This was her moment, the beginning of her season.

The bustling streets of London passed by in a blur as Y/N contemplated her future. The carriage came to a halt, and she was helped down by a footman. The grand entrance of Buckingham House loomed before her, a symbol of the society she was about to enter.

Taking a deep breath, Y/N stepped forward, ready to face whatever the day would bring. This was her debut, her introduction to the world. And in that moment, she resolved that no matter what happened, she would remain true to herself.

As the grand doors opened and the sound of polite conversation and laughter filled her ears, Y/N lifted her chin and entered the hall. The eyes of the elite were upon her, and somewhere in the crowd, the Queen awaited her presence.

Would she captivate the Queen with her kindness, wit, and grace? Only time would tell. But one thing was certain: Y/N was determined to make this season her own, to write her own story, and to find her own path in a world that expected her to conform.

With every step she took, Y/N felt a growing sense of empowerment. This was her season, her story, and she would make it unforgettable.

******

author’s note:

first chapter officially out!! see you next Friday!

[hydrus101]

It’s so fascinating to me about how much of Malevolent centers around bad or misguided fathers.

We spend ample amounts of time with Arthur’s grief and his faults, his fear of fatherhood, his failings of Faroe and the ensuing spiral afterwards. We hear of Bella’s strict upbringing, of Daniel’s controlling nature, the desire to shape his daughter into what he expected her to be, and even admitting to Arthur’s face that he intended to mold him as well, into what he thought his daughter’s husband should be. We learn of Larson’s betrayals, the sacrifices of his children: the monsters he made of those he should’ve loved, all in the pursuit of power and legacy. There’s an argument to be made even, of fragments and reflections and daughter and sons, that the King - that initial version of him now dead in all respects - was a sort of father, with John and Yellow as his residuals, his sons, his heirs, in a way. Finding their own identities now, free from the shadow of a predecessor, free to chose their own destinies, wether that is to separate themselves entirely, to scream defiantly of humanity and hope and self, or to try and reshape the visage of that dead malevolent god in desperate pursuit of love that wasn’t given, driven by a hate that was shared. What other analogy so seamlessly fits with the relationship between Arthur and Yellow than that of a neglectful father? The one who was supposed to be patient, be caring, be kind, the one who was supposed to teach this new being, this new child, about what life could be like? What love and kindness it could hold? But Arthur was too unsteady then. Too unstable to give Yellow the upbringing that he deserved. His nature was shared with John, and we’ve seen the depths of love he’s embraced. Yellow was simply nurtured wrong, encouraged down that spiral by a foster father who embraced and even venerated his rage. And similarly, in the basement in New York, we are reminded of nature and nurture, of animals and babes. Briefly, quick as a glance, we learn of the Butcher’s father, both a seething livewire and a subtle undercurrent in his motivations, manifested, perhaps, in his tumultuous relationship with failure, his self inflicted violence. Roland and Amanda receive less of the spotlight, but the foundations of everything are built upon their relationship. And now, with the Unclean, we know more of Arthur’s own father—who’s fate is known and the same as his mother’s—and his envy towards his friend, his childish jealousy and vindictive actions, of which he now condemns, having learned better, having known better. Every aspect of the narrative is seeped in fatherhood, in parenting, in children. Malam says as much by the fire: “They are our betters, our futures, our learned mistakes.” Malevolent is, at its core, about parents and children and hope.

And now, Arthur and John are on the run from a mother, on a mission given to them by a father, who’s daughter is largely a mystery, or perhaps, more familiar than we might think.

[antianakin]

I watched Dune: Part Two over the weekend, and I came to realize something: Anakin Skywalker has a lot in common with Paul Atreides, and none of them are good.

Funnily enough, I was also making comparisons between Dune and Star Wars when I saw it this weekend, but more positively. Not necessarily specifically between Paul and Anakin, but in the ways the two stories subverted the Chosen One storyline.

In Star Wars, Anakin is the Chosen One and it IS a good thing, but it's not INEVITABLE unless Anakin chooses it. He HAS to make the choice to be a good, balanced, selfless person in order to achieve the perfect prophecized ending. It is impossible to achieve it through brute force of will or selfish agendas.

In Dune (based purely on the story in the films, I have not read the books so I cannot speak to what the story was in there if it's different), Paul is the Chosen One by design of other mortal people around him, he is the Chosen One because they CREATED a Chosen One through specific breeding and manipulation of cultures and religions. They literally achieve their prophecized ending through brute force, Paul becomes a messiah by forcing himself to ride a sand worm, by killing and defeating the opposing forces on the planet, by using Fremen as weapons in a holy war, by drinking poison and coming out of it alive. The subversion here isn't in how the prophecized ending is achieved, but in how it was CREATED and the fact that achieving it is a BAD THING.

Anakin chooses to DEFY his destiny out of selfishness while Paul chooses to GIVE IN to his destiny out of selflessness, and then they both end up villains as a result. Both of them made their own choices, but were also manipulated onto this path by forces they couldn't control and people they should've been able to trust. They're both left feeling like they're out of choices and so the only one left is the one they KNOW is bad.

But I find myself somewhat more able to sympathize with Paul because he tries SO HARD throughout the entire film to keep this from happening, he knows exactly what's going to happen if it does, and in the end, he's just outplayed basically. He'll never be a match for the greater forces at play until he becomes one of them, and at that point he's lost in every way that matters. It's a completely lose-lose situation for Paul the way I saw it. Even with the visions, Paul has had multiple visions come true before he has the one about the holy war, and has a lot more reason to believe that it's true due to Jessica's training. And it felt like when he drank that poison that some part of Paul almost literally did die, that someone else came back to life in some ways and that's part of the whole tragedy. He's almost possessed by the powers around him by the time he declares himself Emperor.

The same is DEMONSTRABLY not true for Anakin. Anakin walks into the darkness with his eyes open and his head held high because he believes HE ALONE will benefit from it. There's no selflessness in this choice in any way shape or form. He has had ONE VISION come true that we know of before he gets the dream about Padme and the Jedi notoriously do not believe visions to be all that trustworthy to begin with, so all of his training tells him that just because ONE vision came true still doesn't mean that THIS one is true and even if it were, he can't trust that any action he takes to keep it from happening will actually have that result. But he's selfish and greedy enough to try anyway, to discard everything he's ever been taught, for power. He convinces himself that doing this makes him a hero, that murdering the Jedi, down to the last child, makes him a hero. There's no evidence that doing what he's doing will save Padme, or that Padme would even WANT him to do this to save her. He's not truly outplayed, he had all the tools at his disposal to make the better choice in that moment in Palpatine's office, he's just not a good enough person to make it. He IS a match for the greater forces at play in terms of power, he and Mace could've EASILY killed Palpatine together if only Anakin had chosen the better path. He just... chooses not to because it doesn't benefit him to do so. Anakin could've won, in every way that mattered. He only loses because he makes the stupidest choice imaginable.

Dune is a political sci fi epic about how people in power will literally create messiahs for the people they intend to subject as a way to consolidate their own power.

Star Wars is a children's cautionary tale wrapped in an space opera adventure about how letting your fears control you will bring about your own destruction, and only kindness and selflessness will save the world.

It's not exactly a secret that Lucas was inspired by Dune when coming up with Star Wars, so I find it really interesting to look at the similarities and differences in how they each approached their Chosen One storylines.

[flamebringer0]

About Nightwing Powers

Wow it turns out you can attach titles to posts, awesome. I will now make another post.

It always drove me kind of crazy how Nightwing powers are presented in canon. I think it drives a lot of people crazy because I've seen more than one person's headcanon adjustments to them. So here is my contribution to that genre.

Some Nightwings have perceptual abilities that other dragons -- other Nightwings and members of other tribes -- lack. One is the ability to read minds, the other is the ability to see the future.

All Nightwings develop both future sight and mind reading in the egg. The mind of a fetus can't integrate any of this information, and most will lose both abilities long before learning to understand what they mean. The dragonet's third eye closes, so to speak, within hours after hatching, and will stay that way for the rest of their life. For unclear reasons, the loss of these abilities is prevented by exposure to the light of a full moon immediately after hatching.

Nightwings always hatch at night, at least if the eggs are exposed to the sky. Those who hatch under a full moon retain the ability either to read minds or see the future, whereas those who hatch under two or three full moons retain both. The presence of these abilities also causes the development of silver scales on the face. A mind reader has a silver scale at the outer corner of each eye, whereas a prophet has a silver scale in the center of the forehead.

[Image ID: Two simplistic line drawings of a dragon's head. These drawings are identical with each other aside from the placement of specific scales, which are highlighted in white. The left drawing is labeled "mind reading" and shows two crescent-shaped scales at the corners of the dragon's eyes. The right drawing is labeled "prophecy" and shows an eye-shaped scale in the center of the dragon's forehead. /.End ID]

The appearance of the silver scales correlates with the strength of the ability. A larger, rounder scale indicates greater power.

[Image ID: Five simplistic line drawings of a dragon's head. These drawings are identical with each other, and with the drawings in the previous image, except in the placement of specific scales. The first drawing is labeled "Starflight" and has no highlighted scales. The second is labeled "Fatespeaker" and has two crescent shaped scales near the eyes. These scales are very thin, much thinner than those of the drawing that was labeled "mind reading". The third is labeled "Clearsight" and has a single scale in the center of the forehead. This scale is large and perfectly round. The fourth is labeled "Moonwatcher" and has three scales: two at the corners of the eyes, and one in the center of the forehead. These scales are shaped identically to those of the "mind reading" and "prophecy" drawings from the previous image. The last drawing is labeled "Darkstalker" and has three scales: two at the corners of the eyes, and one in the center of the forehead. All of these scales are large and perfectly round. /.End ID]

A dragon hatched under three full moons inevitably has the most powerful prophecy and mind reading. Other than that, it's unclear what exactly makes the abilities of one Nightwing stronger than those of another.

Raw power isn't the whole story, though. Clearsight is the greatest prophet of all time, but she isn't the most powerful prophet of all time (or even the most powerful in her immediate friend group). It just turns out that a dragon who diligently works on her abilities will have a certain advantage over one who believes he is already the most powerful and has an inevitable destiny.

It may not be immediately obvious what it would mean for someone to be "more" or "less" powerful at mind reading or prophecy, but there are two relevant metrics: clarity, and control. I think the names are self-explanatory, but just in case, here's a metaphor. If you imagine Nightwing powers as a flashlight shining into a dark room, clarity is the brightness of the bulb, and control is how easily one can direct the beam. These metrics are not really independent: weakly empowered Nightwings will be weak in both aspects, and strongly empowered Nightwings will be strong in both aspects. For those in the middle, who make up the majority, clarity is more developed than control.

The strongest prophets can direct their vision down many different paths, examining the futures that cascade out of intricate chains of decisions, possibly centuries into the future. The weakest prophets have occasional, muddled impressions that a certain decision in their immediate future might lead to something good or bad. In between are the average prophets, who have clear visions, but little ability to control when they occur or what they are about.

Similarly, the strongest mind readers can root around in another dragon's mind and examine any fact, belief or memory they're interested in, whereas the weakest may have a vague impression of the most immediate, intense feelings of whomever they're around. Average mind readers can clearly read the surface thoughts of other dragons, but can't probe arbitrary mental structures without somehow activating them -- by inducing the target to actively reminisce about a memory or some such thing.

In the old days, back when Nightwings understood where their powers came from, it was quite common for ambitious parents to try to time the conception of their eggs so that they would hatch under the full moon(s). For a single full moon, this is almost pointless: the quickest of the three moons cycles through its phases in just a few weeks, and the variation in the incubation period for a Nightwing egg is great enough that it can't be reliably timed to any specific moon phase. For two and three moon nights, this practice is more meaningful, but only in the very general sense that someone who doesn't conceive an egg roughly a year before the brightest night definitely won't have any thrice-moonborn dragonets, whereas someone who does, might.

Some seers would also offer advice about how to do this. For the most part, this advice was snake oil; only the most powerful seers could decide to have a vision about a particular egg's future. Even among the few who could, it would be extremely difficult to see and articulate all the subtle factors that lead an egg to hatch after a longer or shorter incubation, and most of them would be far outside the ability of the parents to really control anyway.

More unscrupulous parents would occasionally try to break an egg open under the full moons, regardless of whether the dragonet was ready to hatch on their own. This practice has never been successful, as hatching in this way disrupts the delicate developmental process needed for the dragonet to retain their power. It is also quite dangerous, and many of the dragonets who were subject to this simply died.

Foeslayer and Arctic didn't do any of this, incidentally. They just got lucky. Or they got unlucky. Depending on which of them you ask.

Speaking of Foeslayer and Arctic's kids, Whiteout has both Nightwing powers. It's not because she hatched one day after the brightest night, though. Hatching a day after a full moon doesn't grant any power. It's actually a manifestation of synesthesia. Synesthesia causes sensory modalities that are unrelated in most people to correlate in a specific way. Whiteout, like all Nightwings who hatched under no full moons, lost direct access to her abilities shortly after hatching. However, she's still able to use them indirectly via synesthetic influence on her other senses. This is why she describes Clearsight as "azure on the inside": to her, Clearsight's thought patterns are azure in a fairly literal sense.

Another Nightwing whose power manifests in an unusual way is Flame. I mean, Flame isn't actually a Nightwing, but he has a semi-recent Nightwing ancestor. That's why he has a forked tongue, unlike other Skywings, and why he has darker scales than any other Skywing. And he hatched under a full moon, so he can read minds. But since his Nightwing ancestry is slight, his power is extremely weak. It's so weak that he has never become consciously aware of it, and most of the time, it doesn't really affect anything. But if someone thinks really hard about him, he senses it. This is why he's the only dragon Moon has ever met who can tell when someone's looking into his mind. It's a very weak form of the same two-way communication she uses to talk to Darkstalker.

In the year 5000, Nightwings have largely lost access to their powers, since they no longer allow their eggs to hatch under the moonlight. Contrary to what Moon thinks, this isn't because they're afraid of hatching another Darkstalker. After all, if it were specifically desired to avoid hatching eggs under the full moons, we would expect to see some kind of active prohibition, or at least some sort of legend about the terrible consequences of doing so. What actually happened is that the Nightwings' new home prevented them from hatching eggs in moonlight, and after a few generations with no mind readers and no prophets, the dragons started to believe their own abilities were legendary or allegorical.

Despite the Nightwings' present powerlessness, belief in their abilities persists. The Nightwings encourage these rumors, and also train their dragonets to imitate the power they lack. This training mostly consists of cold reading and theatrics, not unlike the techniques human con artists use to simulate psychic powers. However, they also leverage the one sensory ability that Nightwings still have over all* other dragons: an extremely strong sense of smell. Most dragons are aware that Nightwings smell better than members of other tribes, but they don't grasp that they may leak private information through subtle odors that only Nightwings can perceive. By examining the smell of another dragon's body, modern Nightwing "seers" and "mind readers" deduce information in a way that is easily mistaken for magic by the uninitiated.

Darkstalker is highly scandalised by this practice when he wakes up, not least because he has an Icewing-tier nose and can't do it.

Now that Nightwings are living in the rainforest, it's likely that their extrasensory abilities will start to become more common again. Unfortunately, their only connection to the ancient techniques for controlling those abilities turned out to be evil and was sent to gay baby jail. It will likely fall on Moonwatcher to begin the process of re-developing these practices and teaching them to a new generation of Nightwing dragonets.

*Actually, Seawings can smell nearly as well. But only underwater.

[dofushiza]

Doflamingo and the Donquixote Pirates: Does he love them?

Doflamingo and the Donquixote Pirates are one of the most complex dynamics in One Piece, and fans are often split on whether Doflamingo truly loves his family. My take? He does, but it’s incredibly complicated.

From a young age, Doflamingo was raised by people who drilled into him the idea that their lives were expendable for his ambitions.

All the Donquixote Pirates grew up starving on the streets, seeing Doflamingo as their savior. Their journey began as street urchins, struggling to survive in a harsh world. To get by, they turned to a life of crime, driven by desperation and hunger. This life was all they knew until they encountered Doflamingo, a boy with incredible power.

To these people, Doflamingo was a ticket out of their miserable existence. They saw in him a potential leader who could offer them protection, purpose, and a chance to rise above their circumstances. In their eyes, he was a savior who could change their fate.

In turn, they fed Doflamingo toxic ideologies, reinforcing his already warped sense of self-worth and destiny. They told him he was destined for greatness and that their lives were a small price to pay for his ascent to power. This constant reinforcement shaped Doflamingo's mindset, making him believe that true loyalty meant being willing to die for one's leader.

As they followed him, the bond between Doflamingo and his crew grew more complex and entangled. His followers' unwavering loyalty and willingness to sacrifice themselves bolstered his belief in his own superiority and right to rule. He saw their sacrifices as proof of their devotion, not realizing that he was perpetuating a cycle of manipulation and exploitation.

This twisted form of loyalty is evident in many ways, such as Monet willingly sacrificing herself for him to save Caesar. It’s clear that his crew’s dedication feeds into his toxic mindset.

Take Baby 5, for instance. Doflamingo killed her predatory fiancés, but he never had a heartfelt conversation about stranger danger with her . He’s too damaged to provide that kind of emotional guidance.

When Law held Giolla captive and Doflamingo hesitated in his attack on the Sunny, Giolla later expressed she’d happily die for him. This reinforced his skewed perception of loyalty.

He has moments that show genuine care, like getting angry when Law used his powers on Buffalo and Baby 5 or insisting that no one laugh at Pica’s voice. He compliments Diamante, likely to get him off his ass and do his job.

Doflamingo’s care for Caesar Clown is another intriguing aspect. Ensuring Caesar’s safety would keep him safe from Kaido’s wrath, but he also calls Caesar his “cute subordinate” in the original Japanese, indicating some level of affection.

The complexity deepens with Corazon. Doflamingo only hinted at wanting Corazon to use the Op-Op Fruit to grant him immortality after Corazon left and the Navy was conveniently off their tails. He suspected his brother of being a spy and may have wanted to hurt him out of betrayal. Though I might be grasping at straws with this one.

In his own twisted way, Doflamingo tries to “help” by taking kids off the street and giving them powers to fight against the oppressive society they were born into . However, this is a mirror of his own upbringing, where Trebol groomed him to be a criminal and surrounded him with people who would die for him. Intentionally or not, Doflamingo perpetuates this cycle with his subordinates.

Ultimately, Doflamingo’s love for his family is there, but it’s marred by a lifetime of manipulation, violence, and a deeply ingrained toxic mindset.