#wizard zedaph

[wolfclaire]

Chapter 80 of Alone together? is out now!

It was time for celebrations. After working tirelessly with bits and pieces of old code, reading and triple-checking every single line and letter of chunks of new code, it finally worked how it was supposed to. It was time for happiness. All new guests were slowly waking up from their slumber and pain-induced coma. They were confused; some suffered from slight memory loss, but they were awake, and they were alive. It was time to heal every wound the evil man did to them. Every physical scar, every wound, every mental trauma.

[ep2nd]

Final chapter!

I'll put the whole thing below later, when I'm not at a play, sorry

[tasty-arsenic]

hermits as stardew valley??? 2/4

heres the second batch of some lovely hermits

i kinda realised that the last batch were just Magical Mountain so i decided to do the neighbourhood this time

i think i actually improved which is nice

the first part, the third part, the fourth part

roles below

Bdubs: Carpenter

Cub: Scientist

Doc: Doctor

Etho: Electrician

False: adventurers guild shopkeep

Gem: gardener

Grian: fishermen

Hypno: idk man

Impulse: blacksmith

Iskall: local menace

Jevin: mines shopkeep

Joe: book seller

Keralis: Museum guy

Mumbo: Wizard

Pearl: Postal

Ren: saloon owner

Scar: travelling cart

Skizz: new farmer

Joel: bus driver/new guy

Stress: also works at the saloon

Tango: sewer creature

Beef: rancher

Wels: adventurers guild other guy

Xb: general store shopkeep

Xisuma: mayor

Zedaph: Scientist

Cleo: seamstress

extra little guy for people who read all of this <3

[hermitcraftheadcanons]

Some of the hermit eggs actually contain mini alternate hermits! For instance, one Gregg contains a tiny Ariana Griande; Scar's eggs aren't just elves, but also cowboys and wizards and a teeny tiny mayor; one Jevin egg hatches green; some of the Bdubses have small eyes; and if Ren had been around for the hunt, a puppy Renbob or Renperor may have appeared. (One baby Doc still has its other arm; this one does not know that hubris has consequences.)

One Zedaph egg hatched wearing a yellow and pink superhero costume. Zed still denies he ever had that.

-Mod Mleem

[funnyrobot]

[Transcript:

Tango: You’ve always been the bed wizard, you know that, right?

Zedaph: *Laughter* What a nickname, I love it. Bed wizard.

Tango: *Sly voice* That was my nickname in college.

Both: *Laughter*]

[theinwardshoe]

If Life series/empires/hermitcraft series were a dnd campaign

Jimmy and Zedaph are basically the same character

Just the jimmy always rolls critical fails and zed gets between 15-20

Vintage beef and Pixlriffs are the local Paladins

Ren and Ollie are bards

Doc is the wizard

Gem is the mage

Xisuma is the dungeon master

[writingdevil]

Woods-[Hermittober24 Day Four]

(Warning-Blood,body horror- Prompt list by @collierose1 )

"Pearl!Hurry up!It's starting soon!"

"Yeah,I'm coming,Grian!"

Pearl quickly gave Tilly a final rub,then herded her back into the thick of the woods.She knew Tilly would find her way back.

She stretched her two sets of arms out,spreading her dark and light blue moth wings out wide.In the distance,she could hear a splash,and she knew that Xb had already began making his way to the show, and she could hear Keralis and Hypno chatting as they made their way over as well.

She sighed,relaxing her muscles,then took off into the night sky,giggling as the stars shone down at her,almost winking at her,to enjoy what the woods would bring her,would bring them all.

The moon felt almost desperate on her back,as if it couldn't wait any longer for the magic in the air to mix with the darkness of the woods.It vaguely reminded her of her night,but with a shudder and another flap of her wings,the moon was forgotten.

Her smile grew as she flew through the woods,past the builds and carved memories of her family,the branches decorated with ornaments that showed off who each Hermit was.

Crystals for Scar.

Pink flowers for Stress.

Wool for Zedaph.

On her flight to her brother,she waved at Welsknight,who gave her a wave back,then gave a powerful flap of his hawk wings and was off,joining Xisuma,who was staring off into the distance intensely.

"Pearl!Over here!"

Her eyes followed the sound of Impulse's voice, finding him,Scar,and Grian all perched on a tree near the entrance to the woods,with Grian waving her over excitedly.

As she flew over,she passed False,who looked like a golden blur with her falcon wings,and she just smiled at Pearl,holding out her hand in the form of a fistbump,which Pearl happily accepted.

"You excited for the show,False?"

"Yeah,we'll finally have something new around here."False then gave her a nod,and flew to join Stress and Iskall on the other side of the line of dark trees.

Finally,she landed on a branch next to Impulse,who seemed to be shaking with glee,his imp tail wagging a clear sign of that."I'm so excited for tonight, Pearl.Every year,I can just never wait for what happens tonight."

"Yeah,same-and mine was only last year."

"Yeah,now you'll actually be watching it with us, that's fun,definitely better than being on the other end," Scar said,looking up from petting Jellie on his lap,lounging with his back against the base of the tree.Pearl could see his green eyes brimming with mischief and of ideas of what to do with this new addition,and Pearl longed to see the type of fun magic the wizard would come up with,whether it would make people scream or cry or break. You never know with Scar.

"I'm sorry,but we appear to be missing someone, and the show starts in ten minutes,"Grian pointed out in mild annoyance,hopping along branch to branch as he looked around,his clawed feet clinking as he hopped,and at one point,he even climbed up onto Impulse's shoulders,holding onto his demon horns for support.

Pearl giggled as her brother grew more and more frustrated,even as she saw a pair of glowing red eyes behind him amongst the foliage.

"Now where is that spoon-"

"Boo."

Grian screamed in fright,launching himself off of Impulse's shoulders,flapping his crimson wings wildly and hitting both Pearl and Scar in the face.

Her harpy brother ended up clinging to the base of the tree,just above Scar's head,who was struggling to overcome the shock Grian had just given him,a hand clutched over his heart,and pressing Jellie to his chest.

Grian,meanwhile,was glaring at Pearl's left,as a boisterous laughter filled her ears,and soon enough,Mumbo Jumbo slicked out of the shadows, red eyes brimming with mischief,his fangs flashing in the moonlight.

"Oh-Oh I'm so sorry Grian-"Mumbo attempted to say,but his laughter overtook him,making him lean forward as Grian just glared at him harder.

At this point,Pearl was giggling too."You can't even properly say sorry to him,Mumbo!He's gonna stay mad at you forever now."

"That's right,"Grian said,nodding aggressively "in fact,I propose that we replace Mumbo with the newcomer."

"What?!"the vampire shrieked,giving the harpy a shocked look "You can't do that!"

"I agree Mumbo,"Scar said,casually waving a hand in the air,and for a brief moment,glittering crystal shards appeared in its path,but when Jellie attempted to bat at them,they disappeared,"I don't think it's fair to kick someone out because they're scary.If it was,Grian would've been the first to go because of those beady eyes of his."

Both Pearl and Impulse burst out laughing,and Grian glared at them all with said beady eyes,but before he could retort-

"AAAHH!"

The show started.

Everyone scrambled into their ideal viewing seat, either climbing onto branches,or peering from the safety of hidden nooks and crannies.She even saw Joe holding Jevin in his lap,who was just a gelatinous blue sphere with dark eyes.

Pearl decided to simply sit on a branch,thankful that her brother had picked a tree with a good view of the wood's entrance,wrapping her wings around her in anticipation.

Speaking of her brother,she glanced over at him, and found him sitting on a nearby branch next to Mumbo,who kept giving him awkward and worried glances.Soon enough though,Grian rolled his eyes and used his feathered arm to wrap around the vampire,a soft smile on his face,and all seemed to be forgiven.

It felt like the very leaves around her were holding their breath,until another scream pierced the woods.

Pearl knew that Xisuma's magic was heavy in the air,but it felt like it was now suffocating her as a young woman stumbled into the woods.

The woman panted and sobbed as she ran, clutching her ginger hair in pain,before falling to her knees.

This was the one the woods wanted.

The woman continued to cry,some form of pleas tumbling out of her,as she gripped the grass underneath her,staining her overalls with dirt,and attempted to crawl further into the forest,but that would bring this newcomer no relief.

"What do you think she's gonna be?"Impulse asked in a hushed tone,using his tail to wrap around a branch,then leaned out as far as he could.

"Cub's banking on it being an allay,"Scar whispered back,lifting Jellie up to see the show for herself.

"I dunno,"Mumbo shrugged "she might end up just being an animal hybrid,like a fox or something."

"You're just saying that because of her hair colour!" Pearl pointed out playfully,tucking her knees under her chin and using her lower set of arms to wrap around her legs,"Besides,Etho's already an artic fox."

Their conversation was broken momentarily as the woman screamed again,but this time in horror,as the entrance that she had burst through began to close up,a huge wall of thorns and moss caging her in,no doubt the work of Bdubs and Stress.

The woman tried to stand up,but once she placed her foot on the solid ground,she roared in agony, crashing to her knees again.

Blood was beginning to pour from her head,and through her shoes,and Pearl knew that it wouldn't be long now.

Grian scoffed at her,"Oh yeah,because there's definitely only one of each creature here,isn't there?It's not like we have multiple avians or anything."

"Why are you on Mumbo's side?You were literally trying to get him kicked out a moment ago!"

Grian swung his feet out childishly and stuck his tongue out at her and said,"I just pick the side that's funnier."

"Shush!"

They all jumped at the sound of Xisuma,and Pearl looked down to find him on the ground,closer to the woman than anybody else,his helmet hiding a swirly void full of malevolence and chaos.

She remembered staring into that void when it had been her turn.She just remembered feeling cold.

Xisuma just pointed at the woman again,and Pearl's eyes widened.

Antlers were sprouting from the top of her head,her face-which was engulfed with anguished rage-was caked with blood,and Pearl could see the madness taking over in her eyes.

She had discarded her shoes,now deemed useless for the deer feet she now had,and her legs were shaking so badly that wondered if she was even going to remain conscious long enough for introductions.

The woman snarled at the sight of Xisuma,and Pearl grinned excitedly as the woman tried to attack Xisuma with her new horns,but only managed to fall onto her face.

Pearl liked this one.

The woman huffed,her face scrunched up in bitter rage as she glared up at Xisuma,who loomed over her like an ominous shadow.Suddenly,the air began to feel tighter somehow,like all the energy and magic was pressing down on this very moment,and the woman groaned as her antlers grew bigger and bigger,fists clutching the now crimson grass underneath her.

Pearl wondered what it felt like.Did it feel like her skull was slowly cracking open?Did it feel like when Pearl's back was being split open,and suddenly there were wings unfolding from her?

Pearl held her breath,as Xisuma offered a hand out to the woman,who Pearl could tell had finally lost her sanity.

"Hello there,Gem!It seems that the woods brought us a fighter-you'll fit right in with the Hermits!"

Welcome to the family,Gem.

[scrimblescromble]

Week three of @shepscapades hermit design challenge!

Here we have Wizard Zedaph of the Crystal Cliffs! The High Wizard's first advisor, who every other advisor advises against because he's a bit wacky.

He's not scared of Xornoth, and is also pretty immune to his powers.

[stellaricwriting]

xisuma - ranger. dragon related?

keralis - warlock patron

xb - warlock (keralis)

hypno - wandering wizard (fae)

scar - wizard, charlatan

grian - rogue/sorcerer

mumbo - automaton artificer

impulse - tiefling cleric (skizz)

skizz - aasimar patron

joel - warlock (lizzie)

gem - swashbuckler rogue

pearl - sorcerer

etho - ranger (giant fox)

bdubs - druid

cleo - witch. def undead

joe hills - bard

tango - artificer.

zedaph - fae artificer

stress - witch/cleric

iskall - artificer/warlock patron

cub - artificer/warlock (vex)

doc - artificer/bard.

ren - bard!!!

false - fighter. changeling?

jevin - wandering wizard

beef - unsettling. probably fae. class debated

wels - fae paladin

[bigrons-mailbox]

Ello, the name's Big Ron. I run Big Ron's Supertech store.

My fellow towns people; [none of them are on yet, can you believe that?!]

The guy I keep seeing flying around the town; @mumbos-mailbox

others(?); @grians-mailbox, @gems-mailbox, @joels-mailbox, @ethos-mailbox, @bdubs-mailbox, @rendogs-mailbox, @itlw-mailbox, @pearls-mailbox, @orionsound-mailbox, @docs-mailbox, @zedaphs-mailbox, @cleos-mailbox,@gtwscars-mailbox, @impulses-mailbox, @jimmys-mailbox, @lizzies-mailbox, @bigbs-mailbox (will add if I've forgotten any) tags; slow internet ; in character big rons announcement ; psa computer wizard ; ooc BIG RON LORE?! ; lore book of signatures ; misc & headcanons NO NSFW and No suggestive. Shipping is undecided as of now.

[ask-doccy]

Her you go, a special potion just for you! Courtesy of your local totally not evil wizard.

🧪

Onkel Zeddy! Herr Cubby! I got a potion and I want science tell me if is OK to drinkie (No ask dada bcus no want him to take it away)

@ask-zedaph @ask-cubfan

[leo-crafts-theories]

How the Hermits escaped the Moon

I have very specific thoughts on the ways each hermit got from s8 to s9 and I've never had the chance to put them all together, or even mention most of them... I've categorized them and after each list I'll put some explanations of the more specific/less intuitive situations.

Space Travel (up)

Cub*

Jevin*

Doc and Ren

Beef

Wels

xB and Keralis

False

Cub and Jevin... they tried. They're in another section of this list that I'll explain there. I don't buy the simulation thing, so Doc and Ren just had access to a ship - Renbob still gets to be their pilot, but it's just them. (They stopped over at some place Bob knew to get Ren some proper and disguised cybernetics instead of the haphazard spare-parts job he'd been dealing with all s8.) xB, False, and Wels are basically just following canon, with the note that Keralis doesn't technically need a ship to survive in space and probably got onto xB's ship by clinging to the outside until xB noticed. Beef didn't have a canon exit - but his base for the entire season was an unearthed alien spaceship, so it's only logical that that would be his mode of escape!

Xisuma Rescue

Bdubs (forcibly)

Hypno

TFC

Etho

Zedaph

Anyone who was planetside and didn't canonically Leave, would have had to be rescued by an admin. Hypno helped out, speeding up the evac process and coming up with a way of keeping these hermits safe and in some sort of stasis until a hospitable planet 9 could be found. Bdubs went kicking and screaming, but the others were understandably glad to have the way out.

Dimensional Shift

Gem

Xisuma

Cleo

We don't actually know from canon where Gem went. Despite Wizard Gem supposedly being a different character, the amethyst and timing would make Empires 1 make sense as a destination. Plus, Gem and Pearl flew in from Empires in the first place. Xisuma and Cleo are pretty much just what's seen in canon. Cleo might have gotten some help from the resident Voidling - see the last section.

Void Travel (down)

Boatem. Void travel is similar to space travel, but a little more wormhole-y. And unlike a couple of the spacefarers, Boatem had both spacesuits and a pretty good method of transport in Pearl, whose natural dragon form is just about big enough to carry four friends - two on her back, and two in her claws.

Was off-world at the time

Iskall and Stress had been taking an extended stay in their Vault Hunting world while all this went down. They didn't find out immediately, but as soon as they did, Stress volunteered herself to help bring hermits to safety.

Joe

Joe

Yeah I don't know either. I haven't decided whether to headcanon an Xisuma rescue/some other logical method, or have "fly away from the problem, in atmosphere, on elytra" actually work. The latter option is very Joe, and the cartoon logic is very tempting.

Stress Rescue

Cub

Jevin

Tango

I've talked about Voidling Stress recently; she's by far the best-equipped hermit for space travel. She would have also zipped around to direct Pearl and the various spacecraft in the right direction, but three hermits found themselves adrift in space... Cub. Did you really think a llama would get you anywhere?? So Cub might have dug out his old Vex mask for some magical air assist, but that thing's meant more for high-atmosphere than no atmosphere. It fed him enough air to keep him alive, barely, but barely conscious and without a ship, he wasn't going much of anywhere. (Stress was quite distressed to realize that the llama hadn't made it.) Jevin fared only slightly better. He'd been banking on not actually needing to breathe at all, and on his flying machine doing all the moving, but hadn't factored in the fact that space is COLD. And also he does occasionally need air, he just doesn't always realize it... Stress found him in a frozen torpor, clinging to a slimeblock flying machine that was very slowly trundling off in slightly the wrong direction. And Tango... well. We know what happened to Tango. Ironically, he was the only one of the three who was semi-conscious when Stress found him... until his rescue, he mostly wished he wasn't.

This is going under the cut because I couldn't fit it in the flow of the rest. I've written one fic with all of this in mind - just, instead of listing things directly, it's about the emotional aftermath of a few of the hermits who may have had it worst, and Stress still helping them out even after they've been safely rescued.

[tasty-arsenic]

Hermits as Stardew Valley???? 1/4

the brainrot consumes and as i gain over 130 hours in a game ive had for like a month i decide that i should make an au

these sprites can be unproved apon but im happy with them right now

i know that there is already hc sdv aus out there but i wanted to make my own!!!

part 2, part 3, part 4

roles below

note: not 1 to 1 with the game

note note: not all sprites reflect their jobs, ill get to that

Bdubs: Carpenter

Cub: Scientist

Doc: Doctor

Etho: Electrician

False: adventurers guild shopkeep

Gem: gardener

Grian: fishermen

Hypno: idk man

Impulse: blacksmith

Iskall: local menace

Jevin: mines shopkeep

Joe: book seller

Keralis: Museum guy

Mumbo: Wizard

Pearl: Postal

Ren: saloon owner

Scar: travelling cart

Skizz: new farmer

Joel: bus driver/new guy

Stress: also works at the saloon

Tango: sewer creature

Beef: rancher

Wels: adventurers guild other guy

Xb: general store shopkeep

Xisuma: mayor

Zedaph: Scientist

Cleo: seamstress

[emberreblogging34]

Already did this chain but honestly it was so fun and I have a oneshot about 12493 cod falling on Joel's base I'm halfway through

F - For a moment, it seemed like is plan of incinerating all of them was going to be successful, as one particular cod was set alight.

E - ‘Exactly!’ Impulse replied, who had, to be fair, gotten more sleep since declaring the upcoming court case, but was still strongly convinced the fish were up to something.

A - ‘Ah! Hey Cleo! Don’t mind us, we’re just ruining Impulse’s day for the greater good of the server!’

T - The flapping of his unexpected and rather unwanted irate oceanic moustache was quickly put to a stop by Joel yeeting it to the other side of the room. ‘BLOODY FISH!’ (honourable mention: 'that's right. I'm suing the fish')

H - 'How would shouting ‘uno reverse’ at the fish rain stop it?! That’s not wizard magic!’

E - Enough to, far from recommend putting the case aside, convince Skizz that something was off. And on the other side, fish-lawyer Joe, xB, and a single cod in a clip-on tie they’d deemed capable of representing the entire party of 12,493.

R - Ren and Tango tripped over each other and ended up in a tangled mess on the floor. Zedaph dived into the fireworks, dying instantly.

I refuse to give any more context.

Word Wip Ask Game

Rules: You are given a word, and must share one sentence/excerpt from your wip(s) that starts with each letter of that word!

I was sorta tagged by @ixtaek (Thanks!), and am starting a new post because the first one was rather long. The word I was given is FAN, and all excerpts are from my original story "Blood & Aether".

F - For his part, Plow bore his trusty shovel (the shaft of which was carved from the heartwood of a bluewood) over one shoulder like a spear at rest as he marched ahead.

A - "Actually … uh … I need some of your blood."

N - Not that its architecture or street life were ugly or even bland; there just wasn’t anything particularly striking about the place one way or the other, not once one got past the abundance of waterrises coming off of the lake. Just another Picerpbury settlement.

****

I'm not sure who among my followers is also a writer, so I'll leave it open. If you see this and you want to be tagged, then you are tagged. Your word is ... STORY.

[writing-the-end]

LoL Chapter 51- Fallen Angel

(Sorry this is late! i got my vaccine and it mcfucking knocked me out lol)

Masterpost

A Wizard Hermits tale (AU, designs, ideas belongs to @theguardiansofredland)

The hermits return to Eremita from a restocking trip, to discover they have been raided. And one hermit has been taken. 

Warning: Capture, slight torture scene

_________________________________

Eremita has become their safe haven, the last bastion for the guild. Even when the arcane guard chased them all the way to the water’s edge, no sane person would dare follow the hermits into the Ashioll sea. Which is exactly why they lived in its mysterious, misty embrace. 

They could no longer simply fly off upon the backs of sky turtles, or even teleport into the towns they frequented. Now, when the hermits absolutely had to go into public for supplies they couldn’t make or grow themselves, they sailed in on Cleo’s pirate ship. And when they had to leave, they made sure that if anyone was following them, they took a roundabout direction back to their home. It adds time, weaving between the islands and through the mists, but ensures no one can guess where they live. 

Cleo’s pirate ship beaches up onto the sand, nestling back into place as a wrecked vessel once more. The dream magic fades, revealing broken oak boards, seagrass growing through seams, and splintered masts of the ghost ship Cleo commands. Hypno blinks free from his sleep, rubbing his eyes and yawning. “Already? Man, my dream was just starting to get interesting.” 

With the help of rattling skeletons, their bones held together by magical muscle and sinew, the hermits unload food, meats, fabrics, and more. Enough for months, as if they were preparing to be snowed in after a massive blizzard. Almost all the hermits were a part of the flow of supplies. 

Almost. Only three hermits stayed behind. Zedaph had an accident with his two explosive friends, and while it wasn’t the first time, Grian wanted to keep an eye on the burns in case the magic lingered. Mumbo stayed behind as well, but for very different reasons. One, he was easily recognizable. Everyone knows the multimage that Dolios wants captured alive. Him and Grian are the only two who Dolios demands be captured alive. He also was in the middle of inventing some new contraption, and was not about to leave it behind and lose all his progress. Last Cleo saw of him, he was extinguishing burning locks of hair. She wonders if he’s made any progress, or if he’s burned all his hair away at this point.

Once Impulse and Tango have unloaded their share of the shipment, they go in search of their friend. Both still feel bad for burning Zed, even if it was by accident. And they’ve all been burned at this point in all their years together. But it doesn’t mean they don’t feel bad, especially leaving Zed behind. At least they brought back a caramel apple from his favorite stall in the market, as well as fresh hay for his barn and animal friends. 

“Zed? We have a surprise for you!” Tango calls, his voice twinged with mischief, as if they plan to prank their friend rather than give him a gift. No response comes from the flat roofed barn, except the distant bleat of a sheep. Tango looks at Impulse, fiery hair remaining vertical even as his head tips to the side. “Could he be taking a nap?” 

“You know Zed and his sleep schedule, he wouldn’t interrupt it, even when he wakes up on the wrong side of the bed.” Impulse waves it off. “He probably just isn’t listening, or maybe pulling a prank of his own. Let’s go in.” 

Impulse waves Tango through the gate, careful to keep the sheep, goats, and other farm animals from getting between Tango’s feet and causing his hair to ignite the dry hay in his arms. A horse nips at the bale, but Tango keeps it well away from catching fire. He’s relieved to lighten the load he’s carrying as soon as they're inside the barn. Both mages look to the bed tucked in the corner, but no Zedaph. Tango tosses the haybale aside. “He should be resting.” 

They clamber over the piles of hay, searching every nook and cranny for Zedaph. Even his cookie stash, which they let him believe is still a secret. But Zed is nowhere within the barn he chooses to live in. 

Concern pales both Impulse and Tango’s face, and Tango’s hair reacts in kind to the revelation. “Perhaps he’s being treated by Grian?” 

Tango doesn’t answer, already following the path across the width of the island, from one shore to another. Grian’s floating cloud, the quartz tower with large archways and a glass domed roof. Perfectly built for a sky angel, his wings and speed. Not so perfect for his roommate, and all of Mumbo’s redstone machinery, his own lanky body climbing up onto the solid cloud and stairs to sleeping quarters.

The redstone workshop at the base of the building has been cleaned up, though a few vials seem to have rolled away, as if they were grabbed then subsequently dropped. But, just like the barn, no sign of Mumbo. 

But there is a sound. Echoing from the glass dome, a sniffling, stifling cry escapes from above, followed by a gasping, shuddering breath. Impulse runs up the steps as fast as possible, each bounce from stair to stair accentuated with a tiny explosion to give him more speed. Tango blazes behind, fire burning bright as the sun as energy courses through him. He notices on the way up grey streaks against the pure white quartz. 

“Zedaph?” Impulse breathes, screeching to a full stop. In the center of the room, Mumbo and Zed are huddled close, holding on tight. Their eyes wild with fear, and in Zed’s eyes he can see a shared memory. A shared trauma him, Impulse, and Tango all share. Two hermits, holding onto each other like its their last hope. 

Only two. “Where’s Grian?” 

Mumbo opens his mouth, but a strangled cry only escapes. Tears fall from both their faces, shaking like leaves. Something bad has happened to their friend. Tango slides across the floor, grabbing Zedaph and Mumbo. “What happened? Where’s Grian? Are you hurt?” 

They both shake their heads, but finally Mumbo gathers enough of his voice to speak. It’s weak, broken apart like glass shattering. “He took him.” 

__________________________________________________

A cold, wet air fills Grian’s lungs, biting into his skin like ice on a cold morning. When he tries to open his eyes, the dull ache of his skull becomes sharp, forcing the angel to screw them closed again. Grian grimaces, trying to figure out why he has such a terrible headache. Did he hit his head in training? No, he wouldn’t have been allowed to sleep with the hermits hovering over him. Perhaps he drank too much. Once again, impossible. Grian knows what his hangover is like, and it’s not this. 

He realizes he’s definitely hanging, but not from drinking. Cold, hard metal presses flat against his wrists, suspended over his head. The iron bites into his skin, all his weight rubbing his wrists raw. 

“Good, you’re awake. I was starting to get bored waiting, though I do quite enjoy relishing in finally having my prize thirty years in the making.” The snide, even tempo of Magistrate Dolios’s voice hurts worse than any headache or wrist, and Grian finally manages to open his eyes. The cavern he finds himself in is foreign, not even remotely similar to the brick and iron dungeons where he last woke up in Dolios’s clutches. So long ago, it feels like. The Championship. At the time, he felt like he was at the top of the world. Now? Now he feels like the world was crushing him. 

Grian resists his bindings, but even when he kicks outward, his feet don’t even scrape the dank floor. He tips his head back, until the crown of his head collides with a smooth, hard material. Just at the touch, he can feel the oppressive energy of the crystal. In his vision, he sees the sharp tip of the massive gem. Each wrist is locked tight against the crystal, the nails buried deep in the crystal lattice. 

He looks around, searching for other hermits. For Mumbo, the last face he remembers before…

The memories flood in, cascading alongside the fear and panic. He remembers everything, every terrifying second. Leaving Zedaph to meet with Mumbo, he remembers the scent of marigolds on his hands, just after crushing the petals to make a paste for Zedaph’s burns. The quiet island, most of the other hermits gone. He remembers patting his pocket, the note from his best friend telling him to meet at Iskall’s place. 

But when he arrived, Mumbo was nowhere to be seen. It wasn’t unusual, Mumbo tended to get distracted and be late. So he waited, plucking orange petals from his clothes, hair, and hands. He should’ve noticed the way the wind shifted, becoming cold and stale, before disappearing completely. 

He should’ve realized something was very wrong when the grey stormcloud appeared. But he didn’t. He was so focused on waiting for Mumbo, then on getting rid of the flowers in his feathers, that he didn’t see the husks crawl their way free of the ocean. At least, not until the husk of a soldier came barreling for him, empty glowing white eyes and ashen, flaky form charging with halberd drawn.  

Grian squeaked, dodging the attack. Stumbled over the writhing form of a cactus cat, the fading spines still quite sharp, he was saved by a pair of not-grey arms. 

Not grey arms draped in wine red fabric, the hems decorated in gold thread. He realized who it was immediately, and scrambled to try and get away. But Dolios’s magic kept a strong grip, vines of black twisting and tying Grian’s wings to his back, while a hazy fog had grown around them. 

He remembers the feeling of Dolios’s hands in his hair, pulling him to his feet as he struggled and fought against the vines and the fog that filled his mind. Hands clawing at his binds, even biting the magistrate at one point. He remembers the taste of blood, iron on his tongue and Dolios swearing, blasting Grian with magic. 

And the last thing he remembers, before being knocked out and torn away from his home, was Mumbo’s face. Rounding the corner, completely oblivious to the fight occurring. It was at that moment that Grian realized, when his eyes locked with Mumbo’s that it wasn’t him that sent the letter. The confusion, of seeing Grian, the surprise on his face. He was walking towards the infirmary, dropping the box  in his hand upon seeing the sight before him. 

The fear on Mumbo’s face matched Grian’s own, as he was dragged into the sea. A second later, a swift burst of sonic energy knocked him out. 

And now he’s here. Dolios saunters across the room, gathering ingredients and writing down notes. Grian swings his legs, and summons his wings to try and be free. But as soon as the blue and white feathers appear, they crumble into ash. Crushing weight sets in on his head, his shoulders, his lungs, and his magic, and the crystal he’s trapped against hums with power. “You’re quite different from the last angel I hunted. At least you fought back, but in the end they left me without the gift of their magic. This time, I’m not letting anything go to chance.” 

The magistrate sets his bowl of guts aside, approaching the crystal and Grian. His hands are clasped behind his back, shoulders straight and head held high. The weight of the oppressive dark magic doesn’t bother him. Grian’s not ready to give up just yet. He attempts to kick Dolios, but the dark mage stands mere centimeters out of reach. So Grian decides to use his words. “You’re kind of an asshole, you know that?” 

“I’ve been told that once or twice before, yes. But the rest of Lairyon loves me. And why wouldn’t they? I’ve brought prosperity to this kingdom, done more than that stupid rainbow king could ever do, and all of this because of my power.” Dolios sweeps his hands, vapors of dark magic swirling from his fingers as his fingers clench to fists

“Stolen magic. If the citizens knew, they’d hate you just as much as I do.” Grian reels back his head, and does the best he can to annoy Dolios. He spits on him. The glob of spit lands on Dolios’s cheek, the magistrate flinching, then reaching up and wiping it away. A fresh anger in his eyes. 

“And who would believe you? An outcast mercenary orphan? The last of your kind?” Dolios stoops low, plucking a husked feather from the floor. He walks back to the table, mixing the components and ingredients from his jars of death with Grian’s feather. “Your power is rare. Angelic mages are always powerful, a power I crave. You will be a wonderful addition to my collection of magic. The last of the angels to complete my set!” 

A fearful shiver ricochets down Grian’s spine. “You’re going to turn me into a husk?” 

“Oh, gods no!” Dolios laughs, so loud that it echoes off the cavern walls as he throws his head back, brown curls dancing across rich fabric. “I wouldn’t dare waste such magic to become simple energy for me and my beast. No, no. Do not fret, little bird, you will become so much more. I don’t plan to drain your energy. I plan to steal it.” 

The hunger in Dolios’s eyes as he turns, the concoction in his hand, Grian realizes what he's seen all this time in Dolios’s eyes. Hunger. A madman hellbent on taking what he sees as rightfully his.. A predator stalking his prey. And Grian was cornered, pinned. Unable to fight back, unable to fly away. Fear is replaced by terror, a sensation Grian struggles to fight back. He needs to think clearly if he hopes to survive. 

“The last angel died before my powers were…” Grian pauses, seeing the coy smile on Dolios’s face. 

“I always had a-” Dolios pauses, waving his hand nonchalantly before marking the ground around the crystal spires with dark seal. “-fascination with angelic wizards. A dear friend of mine in my youth was one. Ever since then, I knew I had to have that kind of magic in my collection. So strong, each and every one of you. With magic even the ancient ones revered. And now?” 

Dolios steps back, casting his magic circle. Rather than emitting color and light, it absorbs all color to make the pattern of his magic. He raises his hands, and two satellite crystals awaken. Darkness swirls in the lattice of the gems, mist eeking out through pores and filling the cavern with darkness. When the mist reaches the seal surrounding the crystal Grian’s chained to, the spire behind him, pressed against his back, activates. The pressure on his body, his magic becomes unbearable, breaking into pain. Like a harpoon through his chest, the dark magic takes hold. Biting down, biting in. 

And slowly, agonizingly stealing his magic. So intrinsically tied to his soul, hsi lifeforce, it feels as if his very being is being dragged from every inch of his body in contact with the crystal. He writhes to escape the painful magic, but the bonds hold firm and he struggles to catch his breath. Dolios steps back, basking with ravished delight at the scene before him. Enjoying the pain that tears at Grian’s skin, soul, and spell. “Now the magic will soon be mine.”

[theguardiansofredland]

In celebration of th newest chapter! Doc has a knife!