As I am lying in bed with the 'Rona, I might as well post the Forte x Crystal sketches I made a while back.

Unlocking the Power of Shanti Kai™ Mineral Essences: Crystalline Elixirs for Transformation

When it comes to holistic well-being, there's a realm of natural remedies that go beyond conventional approaches. One such realm is the world of mineral essences, and at Shanti Kai™, they've elevated this practice to an art form. With over 25 Master Mineral Essence Blends and a staggering 300 individual mineral essences, the Shanti Kai™ Mineral Essence Line offers a treasure trove of healing potentials, each tailored to address a spectrum of energies and issues. Today, we'll delve into the fascinating world of Shanti Kai™ Mineral Essences and explore how these crystalline elixirs can empower and uplift your life.

Harmonize, Energize, and Find Balance

Shanti Kai's Master Mineral Sprays are your go-to companions for grounding, balancing, clearing, and rejuvenation. Whether you're seeking to fortify your daily life or navigate moments of uncertainty and change, these sprays offer the support you need. Harness their vibrational energy to attract positivity, harmonize your surroundings, and amplify your focus.

In a world filled with distractions and environmental stressors, these sprays act as your protective shield, clearing unwanted resistance and shielding you from harmful environmental rays. During cosmic shifts, planetary transits, or any auspicious occasions, they serve as soothing balms, promoting healing and enhancing meditation and spiritual practices. The versatility of Shanti Kai™ Mineral Sprays allows you to mix and match them or use them in combination with their Flower Essences and Spectral Blends for a holistic approach to your well-being.

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The true magic of Shanti Kai™ Mineral Essences lies in their Master Blends, such as the Sapphire or Tourmaline Master Blends. These blends represent a harmonious union of the individual varieties of Sapphire and Tourmaline Essences, carefully combined using an all-natural catalyst and specific pre-established blending ratios. This meticulous process ensures that the essences target precise frequencies, enhancing their transformative power.

In a world where well-being is increasingly vital, Shanti Kai™ Mineral Essences offer a holistic and harmonizing approach. Their commitment to purity and their innovative blending techniques create elixirs that resonate with the very essence of nature's brilliance. So, whether you're seeking grounding, balance, clarity, or rejuvenation, look to Shanti Kai™ Mineral Essences to elevate your spiritual and emotional well-being.

Explore the myriad of energies and possibilities these crystalline elixirs offer, and let them become an integral part of your journey towards personal transformation and inner harmony.

Chapter 72

Chapter 72

A Thousand Years Later...

The once bustling city of Air Town had transformed into an awe-inspiring sight over the course of a thousand years. The city had evolved into a massive castle of white and gold, standing tall and proud atop the floating landmass. The castle's design was a testament to the architectural prowess of the gods, a dazzling display of their powers and creativity.

As the years passed, the Old Gods had worked together to rebuild and fortify the city, turning it into a grand castle that now served as a symbol of hope and unity for the people. The castle was adorned with intricate carvings, intricate murals, and magnificent sculptures that depicted the stories of the gods and their heroic feats.

Redundant bastions encircled the castle, providing layers of defense and protection. Each bastion was equipped with powerful defensive mechanisms, relics from a time when the city had been threatened by vampires and other malevolent forces. The castle was a formidable fortress, a beacon of safety which floated high in the sky. The wealth of towers and spires that adorned the castle reached towards the heavens, each one representing a different god or goddess who had played a crucial role in the city's history. Some towers glimmered with golden accents, while others sparkled with crystalline formations or emitted a soft glow of their own. It was a testament to the diverse and powerful abilities of the gods.

The interiors of the castle were just as magnificent as the exterior. Grand halls with intricate arches and beautiful murals adorned the walls. Marble floors reflected the golden light that filtered through stained-glass windows, casting a warm and enchanting ambiance.

In the heart of the castle stood a grand chamber, called the Nexus, where a massive crystalline sphere floated gracefully. This sphere housed the combined powers of all the gods, a reservoir of divine energy that continued to fuel the floating city. It was a symbol of the Old Gods' everlasting presence, their essence woven into the very fabric of the city they had protected for generations.

Emilya stood alone in the Nexus, wearing a bralette, a short skirt, and tall boots; all black and embroidered with golden thread. She marveled at the Heartcrystal.

Through a window came a mass of purple smoke, which swirled and danced on the air to Emilya's amusement. She smiled brightly as Varasta descended and assumed human form once more. He wore a magnificent green robe. He said, "Hey there, airhead." Emilya giggled.

"Hi, Mister Airhead. I'm Missus Airhead."

Varasta put his hand on the back of her head, and kissed her deeply; longingly. When they finally broke free from their embrace, Emilya was smiling brightly.

"You never get tired of me, do you?," she asked him. "Not even after a thousand years."

Varasta chuckled. "You remember how opposed Helion was to making you an immortal? I spent years wearing him down. Had to try two hundred times."

Emilya looked upwards, lost in thought. "Oh, yeah! But once he made me an immortal, he had no trouble making me a real blonde. Isn't that funny? I just wish he would have given me some powers or something."

Varasta smiled widely. "I'm awfully glad he didn't. You would have misused them." He took hold of her waist.

She laughed. "You know, sometimes I think I love you. But just sometimes." Varasta smiled even wider.

Without any ceremony, Chronus materialized in front of them. He was regaled in a long black coat adorned with useless golden zippers and black belts. A pair of round, black sunglasses were poised on his nose. "Every time I stop time," he began, "You two are in a kissing scene."

"Why do you keep doing that, anyway?," Emilya asked him. Chronus shrugged his shoulders. Varasta chuckled.

"Because he's a pervert," said the sky god.

Chronus adjusted his glasses. "You're the one with the human trophy wife." His countenance betrayed a smirk.

"Oh yeah," said Varasta, "where's your girlfriend? I'm going to find her and tell her to break up with you."

Chronus raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure she's around here somewhere," he replied casually. "You know how she likes to keep me on my toes. She's got an advantage."

Emilya laughed, enjoying the playful banter between the two gods. "Oh, come on, you two," she said, trying to diffuse the tension. "Let's not start another godly squabble. We have more important things to discuss."

Varasta winked at Emilya. "You're right, my dear," he said, his sarcastic tone giving way to a more serious one. "Speaking of important things, how is your relationship with Materiya holding up? It's not easy being in a thousand-year-long romance, not unless you're me."

Chronus leaned against the wall, his coolness still intact. "It has its challenges, of course," he admitted, "but we've learned to navigate the complexities of being immortal beings. Materiya's shy nature and her ability to see anywhere can be a bit overwhelming at times, she can spy on me easily, but I wouldn't trade it for anything."

Emilya, always perceptive, could sense the depth of Chronus's feelings. "It sounds like you really care for her," she said, her voice soft with empathy. "But I can imagine it must be tough to maintain a relationship when you both have such unique abilities and responsibilities."

Chronus nodded in agreement. "It's true," he said, "but we support each other, and that's what matters. We have a connection that transcends time and space, and that's something truly special. Plus, we've both seen Rome."

Varasta smirked, nudging Chronus playfully. "You never did tell us about those romantic time-traveling adventures you two have," he teased. "Maybe now's the time to spill the secrets of your eternal love story."

Chronus rolled his eyes, but a hint of amusement danced in his gaze. "Some things are meant to remain private, my friend," he replied cryptically. "Let's just say that our love story is a tale for the ages, a journey through time and emotions that has shaped who we are today."

Emilya grinned mischievously. "I can't help but wonder about all the grand gestures and heartfelt confessions that must have taken place over the centuries," she said, her imagination running wild. "You must have quite the collection of love letters stored in your tower."

Chronus couldn't help but chuckle at Emilya's enthusiasm. "Perhaps," he replied with a knowing smile. "But some things are best kept between two souls who have loved each other for a thousand years."

Varasta chuckled darkly. "You're always keeping secrets, aren't you, Aleister?" Chronus shook his head.

"I'm hardly Aleister anymore. We gave up those names a millennium ago, when the public discovered us."

Emilya looked disgruntled. "Boys, boys, when will you learn? All this time and you haven't stopped bickering. You're his real wife, aren't you, Chronus?"

Chronus smirked, his cool demeanor unwavering. "In a way, I suppose I am," he replied with a hint of amusement. "Though we never had a traditional marriage ceremony, our bond runs deep, deeper than any mortal union."

Varasta chuckled, playfully nudging Emilya. "You hear that, my dear?" he said with a teasing glint in his eyes.

Emilya grinned, her playful spirit undeterred. "Well, lucky for you, I'm an immortal space cadet, and I don't mind a bit of eccentricity," she said, leaning in to give Varasta a quick kiss. "Not one bit."

Chronus watched the interaction with a soft smile, appreciating the genuine affection between his two friends. "It's always fascinating to see how you both navigate the complexities of your relationship," he remarked. "Love takes on a different meaning when you have eternity to explore it."

As the playful banter continued, the mood shifted, and the three gods turned their attention to more pressing matters. Emilya brought up the threat of Kalki and Hel, whose army of mutants had conquered all of the world, except for their home continent of Agartha. Varasta crossed his arms, his sarcastic tone replaced with seriousness. "Kalki and Hel have become a force to be reckoned with," he said. "Their army of mutants is unlike anything we've faced before."

Chronus nodded in agreement. "They've grown stronger over the centuries," he added, "and they seem to have an unyielding thirst for power."

Emilya's expression turned grave. "What are we going to do about it?" she asked, concern evident in her eyes. "They've already conquered so much, and they won't stop until they've taken everything."

Varasta's eyes gleamed with determination. "We need to gather the other gods and devise a plan," he said. "If there's one thing we've learned over the past thousand years, it's that we're stronger when we stand together."

Chronus agreed, "Yes, and we must also consider the possibility that Kalki may be stronger than Helion. He has powers that we've never encountered before, and we can't underestimate him."

Emilya took a deep breath, her resolve strengthening. "Then let's rally the gods," she said, her voice firm. "It's time to face this threat head-on and protect what's left of our world."

A thunderous voice boomed through the Nexus. "Way ahead of you," said a disembodied Helion. "We are gathering now in the Great Hall. Come join us."

Check out this listing I just found on Poshmark: 🍭3/$25 🍭ATHR Beauty The Big Bang Mascara- Black.

For Tels please: 1, 4, 13, 15, 17, 28, 36, and 49! -@drunkmiraak

1. What is your character's reaction to a minor inconvenience? Such as getting their jumper caught on a door handle?

they usually give a small curse and a glare before moving on with their day - they will grumble, though.

4. What do they consider to be an unforgivable action? Why?

taking another’s life out of enjoyment. they consider it to be highest form of cruelty.

13. Describe your character's typical wardrobe for the regular day.

enchanted robes - either the robes from their stint in the priesthood, college robes, or house indoril robes - along with long, loose pants tucked into light leather boots (which are lined with fur if they’re up at the college). they have a lot of jewelry, most of it scavenged, all of it with enchantments of varying usefulness (a torque enchanted to fortify alteration, for example, or a hastily made dandelion crown with an enchantment that makes them look taller, or a cheap ring that leaves green marks that has a spell that’ll make you look vague but not enough that anyone will point it out, they’ll just sort of stare and wonder why you look so off today).

15. What is the first thing people notice about them?

probably their bigass glasses, ngl. they have thick, crystalline lenses and are in a bolted dwemer frame. they’re…. not the prettiest of apparels.

17. Who are they soft for? Do they find being soft easy or difficult?

they get soft really easily. i wouldn’t say they’re trusting, or particularly loving, but when they trust you, they trust you, and become very sentimental very easily.

28. If your character was in today's world, what social media platforms would they avoid? Or be prominent on?

i hate to say it but they’d be really active on reddit, especially on any science, history, or non-right leaning conspiracy subreddit. probably posting in r/psijicsightings and r/dwemer or something djdjdj

36. Tell us something about your OC that doesn't make it onto the page?

they can claim very, verrry distant ancestry to almalexia - the niece of a cousin of a direct ancestor or something along the lines of that. almalexia isn’t at the waiting door - a lot of their mother’s side of the family isn’t, and even if they were, the relation would be too distant, plus almalexia’s remains aren’t interred in the ancestral tomb - but their father tries to make up for the loss, despite his own lack of ancestors.

49. What is your character's biggest fear? Most irrational?

biggest fear is zero-summing, or ending up like arniel. most irrational fear is nordic ruins - which isn’t really irrational, but they’ve gotten a few strange looks for refusing to go into them.

Shakarian Princess/Dragon AU!

I really enjoy these AU drabbles. Perhaps I’ll turn one of them into a full fledged chapter fic. In the meantime, enjoy Princess Shepard and Dragon Garrus.

Places where beasts and sorcery lurked were far-flung, overcast regions with sparse inhabitants and a pervasive sense of dread hanging in the atmosphere. A storm always loomed on the horizon; the kind which promised thunder and lightning and sheets of cold rain. The fortresses which were built in these places had a weathered, foreboding aspect that practically sang of death and dismemberment. A brave knight or gallivanting hero recognized these keeps as the hold of treasure or captured royalty and would seek them out. A pity Shepard’s captor had realized this too.

Shepard sighed, drumming her fingers on the stone windowsill of the tower. Outside, the warm, summer sky beckoned and below in the gardens butterflies and birds flitted about the rose bushes and olive trees. Flowers were in full bloom and radiant bluebells and kingcups filled the air with a soft, floral fragrance. 

Moving from the window, Shepard lifted the hem of her flowing black and red gown as she made her way down the spiral staircase and out the fortified gateway of the castle. She unconsciously readjusted her crown, settling the slim gold circlet so it rested securely against her hairline. 

Birdsong herald her footsteps as Shepard headed for a solitary wooden bench set in the middle of the garden. She sat with a heavy sigh, eyes taking in the enchanted splendor all around her, before lifting and tracing the turrets of the nearby castle. The castle--her castle--was a radiant fortress. No lichen or moss marred the stone slabs of the thick walls. It looked newly built, with an aim at being impregnable. Its vantage points would allow defenders to deflect even the most ambitious invaders. If there ever were any invaders. Or defenders. No, it was only Shepard here. A solitary princess trapped far from her kingdom and people. 

At least I’m not completely alone, she mused, even as a shadow fell across the flower beds. Shielding her eyes against the sun, she watched the familiar shape descend with steady, precise wing beats. Then, he pulled in his colossal bat-like wings to land with a metallic clang of armor, digi-grade feet splaying to absorb the impact. 

“See anything interesting?” Shepard asked as the dragon solider walked over.

Her guardian was no longer under the sway of the wretched Illusive Man, as the evil sorcerer called himself, but like her, was confined to the castle and its environs. A true curse for a creature of the sky accustomed to soaring over mountain ranges and river valleys. Garrus remained stoic though, and resolute in his search for an escape. Their escape. 

Garrus flared his wings to provide Shepard with shade as he stood next to the bench. “Still nothing,” he said, shaking his head. His subvocals twanged in bitterness. “Whatever glamor or concealment spell the Illusive Man has in place is strong. Too strong for me to break through. But,” he said, turning sharp eyes onto Shepard, “I think its weakening.”

“Weakening?” Shepard parroted, brow furrowing. “You mean, the spell is losing its potency?”

“I think so,” Garrus said, mandibles fluttering in unspoken hope. “I was almost able to push through at the southern boundary. I’ve never been able to do that before, I’ve always been repelled.”

“You said it felt like a strong wind was blowing you away,” Shepard said, recalling one of their earliest escape attempts. 

“Yeah, but today I was able to get an arm through up to the elbow,” Garrus said, crystalline eyes flickering down to his left hand. There had been a time when Shepard found Garrus’ three-fingered hands horrifying. So other and foreign and claws. But those same clawed hands were capable of such tenderness. When they carded through her crimson tresses, carefully caressed her sides, talon-tipped fingers grazing supple flesh and pulling airy gasps and moans. The way they held her as they moved together in carnal rhythm, plate and skin pressed tightly together, wings outstretched and glowing in the candlelight as Garrus moved above and inside her. A dragon ravishing a princess. Two people trapped against their will finding companionship and love. 

When your evenings were monotonous, you found ways to occupy yourselves. Making love to Garrus had perhaps been inevitable, but if so, it was the first time fate had been kind. Shepard blinked away the memory.

“Is the barrier thin everywhere or only in the sky?” she asked. 

Garrus rumbled in thought, bending a knee to kneel in front of her. He was still a head taller, but it brought his gorgeous eyes closer to hers. “It’s thin in patches, but most of those are higher up,” he answered. “We can try pushing through in another few days, maybe. I can carry you, it won’t be a problem.”

Shepard reached out gripping his hands in hers and squeezing. “This is more hope than we’ve had in…” she trailed off. How long had they been here? Time held little meaning anymore. She couldn’t even be sure if the phases of the moon were real in this place. 

“More hope than we’ve had in a long time,” Garrus finished. His mandibles pulled out in a dragon grin, exposing rows of razor sharp teeth. It wasn’t a mystery why the other races feared and respected Garrus’ kind. He slowly angled his head, coming to press his brow against hers in affection. 

Shepard felt herself smile at the gesture. “Once we get free, we’re gathering up an army--humans, dragons, asari--whoever is ready and willing to hold a sword or mace and take on that deranged wizard.” 

Garrus nodded, brow still pressed to hers. “And after that?” he asked, voice teasing but a note of concern still noticeable. 

“After that, Citadel Kingdom gets the royal wedding everyone’s been pressuring me for since I turned eighteen.” Shepard pulled back to give Garrus a confident grin. “They’ll also get their first dragon king. It won’t be an easy role, but you’ll wear royalty well.”

“I wore it pretty well last night,” Garrus drawled. “Especially when it lunged at me over the dining table and I wore royal thighs around my face like--”

“Okay,” Shepard interrupted, pulling her hands back and crossing her arms. “But don’t pretend like you didn’t love every second of it.”

“I never said I didn’t.” Garrus chuckled, rising to his feet and offering Shepard a hand up. “The morning is still young. Might I accompany the lady on a tour of the garden?”

Shepard snorted but accepted his hand, linking her arm with his as they set off through the flower beds, Garrus’ wings folded about his person like a natural cloak.

One day they’d escape this place. The enchanted castle and its grounds would no longer be their prison. Yet, in spite of everything a part of Shepard’s heart was forever glad she’d been put here. No matter what, she had him now. And there’d never be a Shepard without Vakarian.

Giving In

Word count: 2295

Trigger warnings: Suicide (but not exactly?), body horror, mind control, amputation, vomiting, a little swearing. Contains depictions of severe frostbite on a nonhuman, death, and mild body horror.

The Dream and Nightmare protect sylvari from corruption by elder dragons, but when someone like Siocánta (sho-KAHN-ta) rejects both, it's only a matter of time. She dreamed of Jormag, and her love of the cold and morbid curiosity may get her more than what she bargained for as she ventures north toward the dragon beckoning her. Sons of Svanir be damned: she'll find a way to be cold enough, even if it kills her.

So this is what I’ve been hinting at for the past few days. I really thought it couldn’t happen, but here we are!

AO3 link

It seems so long ago that I first heard its voice. No, not Mordremoth’s. We all heard that. No, I mean Jormag; for in my mind, the voice of one dragon was merely replaced with another.

I’d left the Nightmare Court by then, and was well into the Shiverpeaks, desperate to leave the stifling heat of both sylvari territory and civilization. As much as I liked the ideal of rejecting the laws of life and morality, I couldn’t believe how many of the courtiers genuinely enjoyed torturing neophytes - or how much I overheated even in the coolest reaches of its territory.

Even after Mordremoth’s death, a whisper nagged at the back of my mind, too quiet to hear. Was this the remnants of my link to the Dream of Dreams, trying to rekindle itself and find a lost soul? I certainly assumed as much. But as I reveled in the cold around me - finally, somewhere that didn’t feel like it was killing me slowly! - I felt pulled toward every shard of corrupted ice I encountered on my way northward. No, it was just the call of the void.

Well, it might have been, until it grew louder as I made my way into a Svanir-infested cave.

To be blunt, I realized I’d made a fatal mistake after it was too late to turn back. The cultists called me a wench and a slave to a dead, heretical dragon - but they figured that either I’d die here, or I’d become their minion if this somehow worked. What a fucked-up win-win situation that would be. But it somehow meant that they didn’t butcher me on the spot. Instead, they led me over to a secluded patch of frozen ground. Spikes of magic-clouded ice, gleaming blue and purple, surrounded me. As the Sons of Svanir bragged about their plans for me, for the first time, I could understand something the faint whisper said.

Let me help you.

Against all the judgement I had, be it better or worse, I let the cold creep in as I listened to what this strange new presence had to say.

I must have been in that cavern for hours, maybe even days. I sat there, alone and numb, with the inklings of words infiltrating my consciousness to keep me company. Every surface around me was covered in ice, and I saw myself change in each shimmering wall and crystal. The frost touched every corner of me with its magic, curling leaves and petals and tracing filigrees over my fading bark. Most of my armor fell off, dead and dry. I stared into the clearest facet I could find, refusing to blink as my once-green irises shifted to the bright turquoise of my surroundings.

But at some point, I simply gave up. Nothing had come to me to bargain. I was still alive, still sane, and apparently intact. I walked out - straight into a Vigil patrol.

Their norn leader spoke up first, a burly dark-bearded man. “C’mon. Get up. What’s a sylvari like you doing in a Svanir den? You’ve gotta have a death wish.”

A sandy-furred charr replied to him. “Hold on. She’s as frozen over as one of them. How does that…”

A sylvari - and let me tell you, I did not want to see another one here in the mountains - interrupted the charr. “We plants get frost. Figure this one’s no exception.”

“She’s not in good shape,” they continued. “And I’ve never seen eyes the color of that ice before, but hers are so bright I’m worried she’s genuinely turned. I don’t think camp has enough resources for what she needs. Get her to Hoelbrak.”

“I’m still a pathetic grandchild of Mordremoth, much to my chagrin,” I retorted. “I’m not quite sure what took me into that cave, but hell, I’m in one piece, and that’s what matters to you folk.”

The charr signaled me to climb on her back. “I’ve carried rucksacks bigger than you,” she wisecracked. “We’ve got no spare gear, and I figure you shouldn’t be in the snow even for another hour.” That bad, eh?

You can’t trust them. Kill her. No. Why would I bite the hand that feeds me? Couldn’t do that.

Which was probably a good thing, because my condition was that bad. Lost most of my fingers, and nearly my legs below the knee, but got away with just some toes missing. They’d grow back, but no telling how slowly. The charr got some of her friends to make what they joked were the smallest combat prosthetics they’d ever made, a pair of metal gloves with articulated fingers. Moving what remained of my hands let me control the gloves to grip things and do simple enough tasks - and at least I could fight.

---

But enough about my reckless four-years-ago self. It’s not even worth bringing up how I got this big old doofus of an ice drake. Thing is, I’m a lot further north now. I have the Vigil to thank for taking me on the long road up. And here, the whispers are a hell of a lot louder. They are now a voice. Jormag’s voice.

I’ve seen others of your kind here. Curious things, you sylvari are. Every single one of you is desperate for control over your own lives. I can give you that. And so much more.

After spending nearly a year stationed in Frostgorge Sound, I’ve finally made it to the edge of the world, as far north as anyone can go: Bjora Marches. Once the norn heartland, now the den of the ice dragon’s champion, Drakkar.

It’s so cold here. Yet not cold enough, even as I walk amongst glaciers. Everyone here can hear the dragon. It’s disturbingly soothing. Alluring, even. Its voice is androgynous, and able to morph into anything, usually the reassuring voice of a loved one. I cut all my ties long ago, but sometimes I hear the voice of a friend from the Court, and wonder what went wrong. Why did you leave? You could have brought so many with you.

You can’t trust the soldiers, Jormag tells me. They will say they want to help. They don’t. You’re better with me. But I’m not ready to believe that yet. Instead, I wander off.

The inland sea to the west of Jora’s Keep and the kodan settlement of Still Waters Speaking, once called Drakkar Lake, is completely icebound. I follow the frozen waters southward, past crystalline cliffs and treacherous crags. The lake is still at night, empty of kodan fishers, but I still have to evade Svanir as I duck into a lonely passage - one that leads to a moonlit cave.

It’s beautiful. And it’s… familiar. I saw this in my Dream, the Dream I swore to forget. Here, Jormag’s voice presses on my mind nearly as much as Mordremoth’s did. No, more than that. But instead of a headache, its presence exhausts me, in a way that just makes me want to fall into a deep, refreshing sleep.

Now that I think about it, I could sleep here. Give in. Sleep.

I could rest. Yes. Rest.

It’s freezing, but I feel warm. Hot, even. I take my coat and boots off, and snap off my gloves. I stretch what remains of my hands. You could stay here forever. Maybe I could.

I lie down, spreading myself over the smooth, icy floor. Some repressed instinct inside of me makes my bark scream in pain, threatening to spill its blackening death into my heartwood. Then it dulls as I go numb, and I let my consciousness slip away. For a moment, I hope it doesn’t come back. Why would you ever leave this place? But instead, for the first time in a decade and a half, I dream - a dragon’s dream.

---

I find myself in… is this the same cave? No. I’m still looking up at the sky, but in every other way, it’s different. A deeper voice growls around me, echoing against the walls, deafening yet near unintelligible aside from a single phrase: You are here…

There’s even more ice here, and it’s… green. How strange. I talk as I stir. My voice is not mine. My voice is the dragon’s. Something rises inside me, forcing the words out of my frost-chapped lips.

You have done well, child. I will give you the strength you seek. But you must first let go.

I stagger to my feet. My leaves are as frostbitten as they were in that Svanir den. My fingers and toes are still stubs. Every movement I make is wrong, every joint at once tense and limp. My head clings to my neck at an odd angle. It could snap, and I could fall down. I am a puppet. Jormag’s puppet.

Ice fortifies. Ice protects. Yet you still fear that which can save you?

My veins are still. My sap is frozen, expanding, ready to burst out. The cold fills every cavity of my body.

I limp to a gleaming wall, smooth and polished as a mirror. I see myself. I am not myself.

This is what you could be. With me.

Don’t you like it?

I can’t respond. The chill creeps up through my throat, seizing my tongue.

My limbs creak, laden with ice, as I reach for my neck in a panic. Then I keel over, tipped off balance, as my head swings forward. For a moment I can see my hands growing back, corrupted crystals pushing through the bark, the new digits covered in rime, before everything goes black.

Then I wake up, gasping for air, still the same old me, in the same place I was before I drifted off.

Jormag continues to plead to me as I put my armor back on. Don’t you want this? Don’t you want what you lost?

The stumps of my hands and feet have lost feeling, and darkened to an ugly shade of blue-black. I can’t lose more of myself and still fight.

I have no choice but to say yes.

Then I will take you, child, to the place where the ice is green.

---

The frostbite is bad enough that it’s hard to walk. But if Jormag says I’m not going very far, then I should trust it and push on.

Indeed, I only have to retrace my steps back to the center of Drakkar Lake. There is a tunnel leading beneath the surface. No one has gone in and come back alive, short of Sons of Svanir. I think I know why.

Everything in the tunnel averts its gaze from me. Must be Jormag’s blessing - because I’d be too slow not to get caught by any of its minions in here.

I’m stumbling, now, as I wind through this strange new cavern. But it isn’t long before I see it: green ice. Not this chamber. Not yet. Soon.

I’m warm again. I leave my armor and gloves behind. My arms and legs are numb. I have to crawl.

Just a bit more. Come on. Not much longer. But the entrance to this chamber, the one I dreamed of, is a ledge. It must be a twenty-foot drop to the ground below, and I can’t walk, let alone climb-

Jump.

If you say so, Jormag.

It takes all my strength to get to my feet and brace myself. I fall, and for a moment I’m aware that my head is… in the wrong place -

---

Is this the end?

No. Not for you. I have plans for you.

Get up.

I’m… awake? So cold. Talking. Not my voice. Familiar… that dream… YOU ARE HERE. I’m moving. Stiff. Ice all over me. Ice inside me. Neck feels… wrong. Cold is good. Finally enough. But need my coat…

My arms… they… hurt! Not numb anymore. Not black anymore? Trying to scream. Something in my throat. Can’t… breathe!… no… don’t need to breathe. Wait - my hands, they’re…?!

Calm down, child. Let it take hold. Take your weapons.

They’re so… beautiful. I can… move my fingers. One by one.

Your dagger broke. But you can do better than that.

AGH! - still choking back something - a spike of ice is… coming out of my hand. There are more coming… all over my wrists. The reason they hurt. They’re so… swollen…

Take the big one. Snap it off. See? It’s a new dagger. You’re welcome.

Thank… you…

Need to bend over. My neck - oh, no. Have to… fix that. There we go. Something in my mouth. I gotta… urgh.

Everything inside… the shards… won’t stop coming. There’s spit frozen on my lip. I try to talk to Jormag. The only one who will listen now. All that comes out is ice.

Now go home. They will let you in. Then you kill them.

---

“I’m not sure what happened to that strange sylvari, the one with the mechanical hands who kept insisting she liked the cold. She came back to camp last night in a silent daze after wandering off a few days ago, leaving her drake behind. We placed her in the infirmary immediately, as her frostbite seemed so severe, she should have been dead. I say “should have” because she summoned icy daggers out of nowhere and utterly butchered the medics who were about to save what they could, then fled. Someone told me there were crystals all over her arms. I heard someone else say that she opened her mouth to speak, but frozen flowers and petals fell out instead. She’s… she’s a sylvari. She can’t be icebrood. Can she?

“Spirits save us from her deranged wrath, but we can’t speak of her anymore. For as the kodan say, her voice is not her own.”

- Final notes in a fallen Vigil soldier’s notebook

🍀Aventurine: The Heart and Spirit Healer🍀

04/08/2019

(Picture Source)

Astro Signs: Aries

Chakra: Heart

Tarot Card: The Empress – Represents strong female energy as well as creativity and fertility.

God/Goddesses: Persephone (Greek) ; Kuan Yin (Chinese) ; Cupra (Roman) ; Tara (Tibetan) ; Brigid (Celtic). All fertile symbols of Spring and a new life birthing.

🍀The Science:🍀

Mineral Class: Oxide, Quartz Group. Microcrystalline Quartz

Color: Green Iridescent. Inclusions of Mica will give a silver-ish sheen. Hematite inclusions give a reddish or grayish sparkle. Aventurine’s color ranges from green, peach, brown, blue, and a creamy green.

Formation: A rough quartz that obtains it’s green, sparkling appearance from deposits of Fuchsite – a rock-forming element in igneous rocks, sediments, and crystalline slates.

 🍀The Mythology: 🍀

Aventurine is known as the Heart and Healing stone. It’s the stone of abundance, love, and creativity. Aventurine received its name around the 17th century from the Italian word ‘per aventura’ meaning randomly or by chance. This refers to Aventurine’s randomly deposited mica platelets. Aventurine is also known as “Indian Jade” as it is frequently confused with Jade, “Stone of Heaven”, and “The Gambler’s Stone” as gamblers often use it as a lucky talisman. It’s often kept in cash boxes or drawers to attract money. It is also known to assist with job or house hunting as well as helps improve or attract better finances.

For over two and a half million years, humans have been utilizing this gorgeous stone. Ancient Tibetans knew of Aventurine, but most likely didn’t call it that. Aventurine has been found in numerous ancient statues and amulets. The ancient Tibetans used to put the gemstone in the eyes of their statues to enhance their visionary powers. This belief still remains at the heart of Aventurine meaning. They would also wear jewelry made with Aventurine to help correct near-sightedness and to promote creativity.

Tools made with Aventurine were found in the Omo Valley of Ethiopia. They utilized Aventurine’s superior brittleness and hardness. The brittleness of this stone makes it easy to create as sharp edge that lasts and it lasts because of it’s hardness. And up until the 1800’s, Aventurine was known as the “stone of Amazons” as the rock deposits in Brazil were thought to have been mined by Amazonian warriors. The rocks were carved into talismans and jewelry that were adorned by and buried with their warriors.

🍀The Healing Process:🍀

Although mostly known for its luck, abundance, and opportunity bringing; Aventurine is an all-purpose healer. It’s mostly used to: reduce stress, develop confidence and imagination, and improve prosperity. Other ways Aventurine can be used:

Spiritually: Reveals what makes us happy or unhappy. Fortifies our own self-determination and individuality. Stimulates dreaming and making dreams come true. Many believe Aventurine has the capacity to calm a troubled spirit and bring about inner peace. It gives one insight and helps bring forth leadership qualities, especially those who are Aries or have a lot of Aries influence in their chart. It also helps balance male/female energies.

Emotionally: enhances relaxation, regeneration, and recovery. Helps with problems getting to sleep. Makes us more patience. Is calming to anger and annoyances. It calms and soothes while bringing harmony to one’s surroundings. Aventurine aids in calming anxiety and panic attacks. Emotional purification and healing. Relieves emotional trauma and increases positive energy over sensitivity. Very good for rage diffusing or release.

Mentally: Bestows a multitude of ideas and enthusiasm, but at the same time encourages tolerance and acceptance of others’ suggestions. Also aids in bringing in new discoveries. Can act as a shield from “energy vampires”.

Physically: Encourages regeneration of the heart and regulates heart rhythms. Stimulates the fat metabolism and lowers the cholesterol levels. Prevents arteriosclerosis and heart attacks. Also has an anti-inflammatory affect. Good for lower back pains and sciatica. It helps with skin diseases, skin eruptions, allergies, and fortifies connective tissues. Also alleviates pain. In Tibet legend, it is said to improve near-sightedness and to increase the wearer’s creativity. Body purification.

Application: Can be worn for long periods of time on a chain, pendant, or hand comforter. In acute cases, can be laid on relevant part of the body.

 🍀Stitchy’s Notes:🍀

I recommend Aventurine when you’re amid a transformation in your life or you’re taking on new opportunities. It will help with the support you need as well as give you better perspective through those upcoming changes. It will be that “helping hand” you would need to guide you through a healthy new growth. Whether it be physical or spiritual growth, know that Aventurine is there to help!

This is also the perfect stone to help improve your relationships. Whether it be familial, romantic, professional, or interpersonal. Those relationships can benefit from the calm and harmonious attitude this stone creates making communication easier when problems arise.

I personally use Aventurine when working with Persephone. It has brought me many opportunities and welcomed change. My Vivarium Altar that I created for Persephone has an Aventurine skull that I use as a symbol of Persephone and all that She has done for me in my life and craft.

Aventurine is definitely one of the stones that is a daily fixture in my craft so its in my top 5 recommendations for baby witches.

💋Stitchy

Sources: (1) , (2) , (3) , (4) , (5) , my personal grimoire 

Khellanas Embervale

The Basics ––– –

Name: Khellanas Embervale (Formerly Ellier)

Nickname(s): Khell, Lanas

Age: About a century and a half

Birthday: December 14th

Race: Sin’dorei

Gender:  Male

Marital Status: Single

Physical Appearance ––– –

Hair: Naturally ink black, but his hair does shift colors on its own

Eyes:  Left pale silvery green, Right is a vibrant emerald green

Height: 6′5

Build: Lithe and athletic

Distinguishing Marks: Startlingly vibrant green in his right eye, but his left is a strange silvery green that seems to shift between the colors. His left arm is bandaged all the way up towards his shoulder. From fingertip to the seal binding it together. The bandages have arcane markings on them that shift and shape themselves, almost dizzying to the eye. It is heavily fortified, protective and unusual, but what lay underneath is anyone’s guess.He is also a bit slow to react on his left side, for his eye is actually blind to physical sight. He can see living energies and magic, but not as shapes that would be immediately recognized like his right eye can see it as.

Tattoos: None

Piercings: None

Common Accessories:   None

Likeness:  -Will add a better above pic later, art by me-

Personal Information––– –

Profession: Mage

Hobbies:  Making crystalline puppets

Languages: Thalassian, Orcish, Common

Residence: None

Birthplace: Unknown

Religion:  None

Patron Deity:  None

Fears: Bees, wasps and anything else that likes to swoop at people

Relationships ––– -

Spouse:  None

Children:   None

Parents:  Vyndrallian Embervale (D), Faelira Ellier (D)

Siblings:  Rinkuu Moonwhisper-Embervale -Adopted-

Other Relatives: His whole family save for a niece and his adopted brother are dead.

Pets: None

Sex & Romance ––– -

Sexual Orientation: Demi-Bisexual

Preferred Emotional Role: submissive | dominant | switch

Preferred Sexual Role: submissive | dominant | switch

Libido: High

Turn ons: Confidence, flirtatious teasing,  touch

Turn offs: Selfishness, arrogance, assholish behavior

Love Language: Touch

Relationship Tendencies: Khell hasn’t had much luck in love, in fact, he has never been in love period. He tends to throw his whole heart into things, open and honest about everything, even when he feels like crap. He can be indecisive, but he always tries for the people he cares for even if he stutters and things are a bit awkward. He is affectionate and an absolute cuddle bug. It takes a bit for him to pull his confidence from his hat and more dominant personalities will find him taking a step back as support whereas more submissive will find him taking point instead.

Traits ––– -

Extroverted / In Between / Introverted

Disorganized / In Between / Organized

Close Minded / In Between / Open Minded

Calm / In Between / Anxious

Disagreeable / In Between / Agreeable

Cautious / In Between / Reckless

Patient / In Between /  Impatient

Outspoken / In Between / Reserved

Leader / In Between / Follower

Empathetic / In Between / Apathetic

Optimistic / In Between / Pessimistic

Traditional / In Between / Modern

Hard-working / In Between / Lazy

Cultured / In Between / Uncultured

Loyal / In Between / Disloyal

Faithful / In Between / Unfaithful

Additional information ––– –

Smoking Habit: None

Drugs: None

Alcohol: None

Hobbies ––– –

Studying whatever magical tomes he happens to have

Reading

Tinkering with mana crystals

RP Hooks ––– –

Clan Embervale, if you knew his father, Khell looks almost like a spitting image of him and his father was a common face at many public events before the player died March 2018.

The Dragonlore Enclave, once a member of this guild. If you or someone you know happened to know of or be part of this guild, then you knew Vyndrallian and Erialin and thus Khell as well or at least knew of him.

Magical Intrigue, Khell is known to make crystaline creations, usually small animals or insects. Some are inert and pretty, some are active and some are active and tied to him with strings that allow him to see, hear and manipulate things with. So maybe you are seeking him for one or maybe you happen to see him sitting somewhere making glittering things to pass the time.

HOW TO CONTACT:

OoC: Message me here in a DM if you’d like.

IC: In WoW my main toon is Shaiandra, feel free to add her as a friend and message me or just spam /who for her or Koraevyn. I like walk ups and Kora is friendly and loves an audience. Keep in mind that he will turn down offers for casual flings and I will block people if they make things weird. Other than that, feel free to hit me up and I look forward to meeting you!

REMEMBER THE FUTURE - ionnalee delivers the hopeful album we all need.

Coming off the back of last year’s EVERYONE AFRAID TO BE FORGOTTEN album, feature film, and her longest ever tour routing, it was a surprise to even her own label that ionnalee would deliver another full‐length LP this year. Despite what appears to have been an intense 15 months of independent touring and production for Lee, REMEMBER THE FUTURE is perhaps just the perfect resolution of that, a huge artistic payoff, and an album we all need right now. The title, both political and emotional, addresses the two main cores of this record: a battle for the future, and a signal to not lose hope — both of these messages calling at an important time in both Lee’s, and our planet’s history.

The opening track airily ascends the album with a series of melodic, inhales and exhales that bare resemblance to iamamiwhoami’s 2014 single, “fountain”. “Now I watch it all slip away, with my hands untied as the sky bleed red”, “OPEN SEA” soars out of space, with vocal reverbs that drift back home. The track finally arrives at disco of punchy synths that’s paired with a serene tiding of Lee’s lyrical echoes.

Track two introduces the more experimental direction of this album, starting with a spacey drift that guides you through a robotic‐like monologue, embellished with chilling background vocal recordings, that fans of early iamamiwhoami deep‐cuts will warm to. Eventually, “WIPE IT OFF” realises itself as a bass‐driven pop anthem that resembles some of the electronic highlights one might find on Robyn’s 2010 LP, Body Talk, before jolting into a funky galactic dance floor jam that leads you into the third track.

At “SOME BODY”, we reach arguably the most pop‐focused piece on this LP, but Lee doesn’t steer too much towards traditional pop structures. Its verses drive the song forward, but the rest of the track gives way to a more laid‐back, hypnotic chorus. And it’s these hypnotic qualities that are fortified throughout the visuals supporting this song, as ionnalee dances inside a warping spiral, with the refrain “why won’t you let me talk ’bout the sadness of tomorrow?”.

“MATTERS” apocalyptic siren is met with Zola Jesus’ vocals as a welcoming hand-hold on the barren synth-driven planet Lee paints for us. A downward spiral of vocal harmonisations positions this track as sort of offering or plea.

After “ISLANDER”s thumping march into the second half of this LP, we’re lead into a garden of reverb where this album’s title track takes place. Here, Lee illusively pulls us back and forth between emotions “And i hate that i can’t help, and that it’s fact, not fantasy. It’s these thoughts they’re all we have, but the future’s still unseen”. 

On “CRYSTAL”, this emotion is thematically resolved as pure crystalline bliss, but the lyrics once again pull it back to a place of emptiness and desperation. Jennie Abrahamson’s vocals build on the already ultra-sweetness of Lee’s, taking this track to Fever Ray levels of wickedness.

“RACE AGAINST” comes straight from the soundtrack of your favourite vintage sci‐fi — broken apart with pitched and chopped vocals that cry and chant “race against — human repent”, like something you’d find off of Mac Quayle or Cristobal Tapia de Veer's dark TV scores.

“SILENCE MY DRUM” appears to build itself as a tearful trance hit, before giving over a hard‐hitting Com Truise‐like instrumentation, and vocal bridges that are reminiscent of Lykke Li’s latest pop offerings: “Cutting knives as my back turns your way, I turn around and you smile it’s okay.”

Lee teams up with Röyksopp for a slow dance through Blue Velvet’s “MYSTERIES OF LOVE”, before closing on one of the album’s catchier highlights, giving an unexpected shift that is lifted by Lee’s empowering lower register. “i KEEP” here is a powerful end reminder, a step‐back, and a note to look after oneself in a time where the future needs you to be present.

Overall, REMEMBER THE FUTURE is ionnalee’s most cohesive body of work, yet continues to surprise and delight with elements even long‐time fans will be startled by. Lee continues to push the strengths of her production and vocal abilities, crafting a glimmering beacon of light amid these dark times. REMEMBER THE FUTURE is out May 31 via Lee’s own label, To whom it may concern. Words by Colin Johnson.

Forte.exe together with Crystal.exe. 7 minutes in Heaven, maybe?

Saturday,

I woke up early and without a word to the vampire I left the house. I was heading to a close friends home of mine. He invited me to stay for the rest of the weekend after hearing about my difficult evening the previous night.

Something heavy on my shoulders it seened, I reluctantly made the hour drive. More than anything I wanted to be a hermit that day. Lay around and wallow in my self pity. Allow some rebuttal maybe. If anything though, I've learned to keep moving on those days. Fight back..

Within a half hour on the road I was already feeling somewhat better. Energy returning where I thought was none.

We planned for a hike that afternoon and I dropped my son off at Grandpas before we started.

The woods as always were beautiful. Suprisingly warm. Sunshine swept through the ravines. Looking up, smiling as it Twinkled through the tree branches at us. Signs of spring were popping up all around us as we pushed into the forest.

I love nature. I pray each time I go that she still loves me.

In certain spots we'd sit quietly for long periods of time. I loved it that my friend refrained from asking me anything more than if I was thirsty from time to time.

We just walked, walked about for most of the afternoon.

Along the way He showed me a couple new crystals he had recently picked up. One stuck out to me. It was a beautiful piece, A crystal quartz tower. Almost flawless but a few small clouds in the center.

I held onto it for most of the hike.

As we grounded, Gaia revealed some extra gifts to us that afternoon. Some Dryad saddles, ramps and fiddle heads that paired nicely with our grilled chicken that evening for dinner.

His wife went to bed early and we quietly talked in his sun room/fireplace room for a long while. One white candle dimly lit the room between us.

As we talked, I couldnt help but notice the return of that heavy unsettling feeling. To the pit of my chest. Uneasy, unsettled, energy stuck. Then flash memories of the verbal argument the night before with my girlfriend would sneak up like a cold knife in the side. I'd wince at the pain.

I was so sharp and hurtful with my tongue. We've been together for years. I've never spoken that way ti her.

Dissapointed in myself for losing my control. The control I kept so well, so fortified I thought for years now. A strength I took pride in. To prideful in my strengths I thought... Always a harsh lesson.

As the pressure built, I lost track of my friends conversation. He tends to enjoy himself talking anyways.

I needed to take a trip inside to investigate what it was that was crushing me so harshly. Grinding away at one side of my skull slowly it felt. Depositing negative thoughts and feelings. Sapping my energy.

As I attempted to feel for what it was, take time to let it kill me if it needed to. I naturally reached into my pocket for a crystal to hold. To help me work.

My left hand felt around, I was happy for that moment to remember the quartz tower my friend let me hold for the hike.

Now, as I raised it to the candle light. Tower pointing up, I let the candle light dance to me through the flat sides. I found a side that gave me goosebumps

as I gazed. A bliss washed over me almost instantly.

Through the clarity of the quartz, slowly appearing, etheric golden wheels like cogs started forming inside. Like if you were opening up and peering into the innards of the swiss watchmakers finest watch. I was amazed! My mind was clear again! So clear, so blissful.

Surprised, I broke my concentration. Put the crystal back into my lap and slowly the bliss faded. My friend still talking quietly to himself stopped mid-sentence.

He asked me "Wtf was that?? I asked him to explain, what??.

I knew He felt the bliss too. But wanted to hear him say it.

He said he's never felt so good.

I asked him to watch quietly.

I repeated the crystal gaze.

The golden gears started to appear again.

Bliss washed over us both. This time, I sat for over an hour transfixed on the beauty revealing itself to me through the crystal. The crystaline shield around us now slowly increasing in size. My friend, I didn't realize at first, but He started channeling to me with his eyes closed. Telling me the size and design of the shield from a birds eye view. The architecture was crystalline mixed with Roman/Greek esque pillars. I saw it inside the crystal, he saw it around us. Beautiful he kept saying, try to push it larger.

After some time passed, my energy increasing with the strength of the shield. He told me that there were shadow entities trying to peer in from just beyond the shield. Slender men he described them. Tall, they'd stretch taller and taller to peer in. He knew they couldn't get in, nor see us clearly. They would slink down and are circling us he would say amused.

I broke concentration to take a peak out into the backyard. A tall shadow went zipping across the back deck, very quickly, went about 50 ft and dissapears through the back wall of the garage. Things inside the garage actuallycrashed loud enough to wake his two dogs. They ran growling at the garage door. Barked a few times. then rushed in to see check on us, Hair on their backs raised high.

He looked to me with eyes of amazement.

I went back into shield gaze.

Best to not think too much I've learned.

I must have held the shield up for another two hours, effortlessly really. My pleasure. My friend and I enjoyed the bliss. The clear mind, the NOW. I love it so, and get tastes of it not nearly enough. I Long for it as I get dragged back down. Sometimes pondering on if I made mistakes. If I'd ever get there again.

In it, I know diffrent. Someday I'll be fully 5d. We all will.

I had to use the restroom, so told friend I was breaking concentration.

As I spoke, I moved from my statue state.

3 aura green fairies flew off my head. Like little tiny butterflies dissapearing off into the room.

Purple, gold, pink pixel dust trailed behind them. I asked him if he saw, he slowly nodded and eyes wide told me at that moment I had huge whisps of green aura flowing under each eye. Like wings on my cheek bones. Said I was a wizard! Lol, I laughed. I wish it to be true someday I thought.

My friend wanted to go have a smoke in the garage.

I thought it not the wisest plan, But, I try to remind myself I'm not dead yet for some damn reason!

As we were getting up, and don't ask me why, but I pointed the tip of the crystal tower at the candle flame. The candle flame, It was incased in glass.

We both watched in amazment as the flame seemed to be getting sliced by some sort of energy flowing like a laser beam through the crystal point.

It was turning the flame red and then blue and even green! Very pronounced slicing through the candle flame. Making the candle flicker hard! Almost extinguished the flame at times. Amazing! Boggled our minds!

We forgot about everything else, heading out to smoke, we laughed while trying with the English words that seem to ever fail me, as to what we just saw.

Naturally it's gotten easier to press into our ever expanding box of beliefs. But somedays.. Wow!

Making it now into the garage, my friend points to a dark corner.

He says "it's there."

I look and sure enough the shadows, they are moving, dripping black darkness.

Poor attempt at hiding I thought.

It's no fear or lose big in these games I remind myself. So I bow my head briefly to it. My friend says hello to it. And we smoke.

It was sitting there, so I lit a Nag champa incense that was half burned.

I clutched a black tourmaline in my pocket.

The cigarette seemed to be taking to long. I felt the urge to get back to the comfort of the candle room.

I walked back towards the door to inside, then thought it bad form to leave my friend mid smoke. As I turned back around.

My friend seemed dazed. I asked him calmly to follow me inside. Though, by the look in his eyes, I knew He wasn't the friend I walked out here with.

I asked him again calmly, "lets head inside Dan, feel the safety of the crystals again."

"It's cozy in there, no?"

He's staring off now, then he says in a weird voice.

"Hold on, I'm just getting acquainted with this body. It feels realllly niccce. *laughs creepily*

but not really creepy, he felt gentle to me. He seemed sincere. Idk how to explain it. He looked like he was trying to figure out how to operate the body for the first time. He was impressed with it. He wanted to stay in the garage.

So I toyed with him on the light switch. Little bursts of light and periods of darkness while telling him to follow my voice to safety. He was laughing enjoying the light show. He listened to me finally. He Put the incense out and followed me back to the fireplace room. I had him sit close to me. I pulled back out the tower and went back into the shield gaze. It's notable that The shield went up so powerfully this time I could actually see it clear as day. Refracting the candle light . prism the light into colors. Immediately I was relieved, and he snapped out of it.

I didn't tell him what happened in the garage.

I held the shield until mornings light. When the beautiful sunshine came at last it felt like I could rest..

I've kept a close eye on my friend. He seems fine. He said he's felt the best since our interesting night.

Interesting night indeed.

20 + 26 for the trope mash-up!

teacher AU + massage fic

“Ow.”

Bernie looks up from the paper she’s marking, frowning when she sees Serena limping over to her desk in their shared office.

“You all right?”

She lowers herself into her chair gingerly, unable to hide a wince. “I was down helping the library organize all those book donations and underestimated how heavy a box was.” Serena twists slightly in her chair, stretching her torso and arching her back. Bernie looks down, suddenly extremely interested in her student’s illegible scribblings. “Did my back in, I’m afraid.”

“I could cover your class this afternoon, if you wanted to sneak out to your osteo.” Not the most convenient timing, this close to the end of term, but Bernie often finds herself making these sorts of offers, can’t help but do anything she can to makes Serena’s life that much easier. The smile she gets in return is more than worth it, bright and genuine enough even through the pain that it makes Bernie’s heart flutter.

“That’s very sweet, but they’re doing final presentations today. I can’t miss it.” Serena bends forward with a groan, rolling up into some semblance of cat pose and Bernie has to avert her eyes to avoid a frankly stunning display of cleavage.

“I could give you a massage, if you like.” The words are out before Bernie’s brain has caught up. She feels her cheeks heating at the idea, but can’t see how to backpedal the offer now. “I mean, we, ah, we can’t have you like this in class all afternoon. And, um, I’ve been told that I’m rather good at that sort of thing by…people.” Her stammering trails off lamely, embarrassed setting in. Serena has the oddest look on her face, her fingers toying with her pendant, and for a moment Bernie think’s Serena’s as embarrassed as she is, though for the life of her she can’t imagine why.

“Really? That, uh, that would be nice,” Serena says hesitantly, but still levers herself out of her seat with a groan. Bernie jumps up a moment later, pulling out of the the low-backed chairs kept along the walls for student meetings for Serena to sit in.

Bernie rubs her hands together as she circles around behind Serena, ostensibly to warm them up, when in fact she’s just trying to wipe away the sudden sweat from her palms, a condition which only worsens when Serena slips off her loose blouse. Taking a fortifying breath, she steps closer, resting her hands just lightly along Serena’s shoulder blades. She can feel the warmth of her skin through the thin silk of her vest, the tension in her muscles.

“Just tell me if I’m hurting you,” Bernie murmurs, thumbs pressing in along either side of Serena’s spine.

Her head falls forward with a groan of mixed pain and pleasure, and Bernie realizes two crucial things. Number one, this is the first time she’s purposefully touched Serena since the night of the staff holiday party. And number two, this was a spectacularly bad idea.

Because at the first touch of her hands to Serena’s back, all of the memories she’s been ruthlessly avoiding for the last 15 weeks come flooding to the forefront. Intense, vivid memories of Serena, all sparkling eyes and dark red lips in a dress that took Bernie’s breath away. The two of them getting progressively drunker as the night went on, giggling together like school girls, even taking a turn on the dance floor. Huddling in the cold waiting for a taxi, their breath clouding the air before them, snowflakes clinging to Serena’s lashes.

Of the taste of Serena’s lips - shiraz and lipstick and her - so soft and sweet against her own, so pliant as they opened to Bernie’s questing tongue.

Her hands tighten a bit of their own accord and she has to force herself to relax as she thinks of the weekend that followed; flitting nervously around her flat, checking her phone endlessly as she went back and forth on whether she should get in touch with Serena. Torn between elation and fear that she had misunderstood, had pushed too far, terrified that she’d damaged the most important friendship in her life beyond repair.

By Monday morning she had reached a place of calm, decided that she would lay it all out for Serena and finally tell her the truth. Tell her that she’d been wanting to kiss her since the day they’d met over Serena’s broken down car in the school car park, that she’d been hopelessly in love with her for almost as long. She practiced the words on her way in to work, repeated them as she bought them both a coffee at the little cafe across the road.

Words that abandoned her at the nauseating realization that Serena had no memory of their kiss.

All of her brave intentions had shrivelled up inside her beside her cowardly heart and she decided then and there to never tell Serena what had happened, how she felt. She’s come to peace with it as much as she can over the course of the term, forces herself to act like she is still only Serena’s best friend and not head over heels in love with her. It’s for the best, she reminds herself sternly everytime Serena smiles especially bright in her direction, or takes Bernie’s arm in her own as they walk to the pub.

Bernie realizes suddenly that her hands have slowed of their own accord, resting lightly on Serena’s shoulders, her thumbs rubbing circles against her soft skin. It’s far more of a caress than a massage, but Serena hasn’t pulled away, is instead sitting perfectly still beneath Bernie’s touch.

Something shifts in the atmosphere between them, delicate and crystalline, like a spider’s web on a foggy morning. Bernie finds herself slowing her breathing to match Serena’s, tracing the smattering of freckles on her pale shoulders with the pads of her thumbs, memorizing the the feel of her skin. Without thinking she slides a hand to rest against the curve where Serena’s neck meets her shoulder, thumb tracing lightly against the slight bumps of her spine, her fingertips resting against the dip of her collarbone. She feels Serena take a slow breath that shudders through her, vibrates against Bernie’s skin.

The bell rings, shattering the charged aura, the hallways filling with the shouts of students a moment later as they make they way back from lunch. Bernie pulls her hands away as if burned, sees Serena jerk forward just as quickly.

She rises from the chair, eyes not meeting Bernie’s as she fumbles to pull her blouse back on. Distance yawns between them, reopening the yawning pit in Bernie’s stomach, the one she’s papered over with false reassurances and meaningless platitudes.

“Thank you. That, uh, that’s much better.” Serena’s voice is tight, eyes focused over Bernie’s shoulder as she offers a bare ghost of a smile. “I should get to class.”

Grabbing a stack of papers, she hurries out into the hall, leaves Bernie standing in the middle of an empty room wondering just what she’s done.

[FIC TROPE MASH-UP]

A tiny birthday gift for my dear friend, @hittcr. Hana, I wish I had more to offer you.  The title is On My Mind. 

HE ROLLS OVER the next morning with the words on yesterday’s lips still ringing in his ears. 

               I love you more and more every day.       His husband makes a fine silhouette, dark in contrast with the open window and gauzy, billowy curtains. He looks a bit like an angel, his shoulder exposed, his hair in soft curls spread out over the pillows. He’s Michael, Heaven’s mightiest, battle-scarred and glorious.                 The greatest honor of my life was the day you asked me to marry you.       Crystalline blue eyes open, look upon him in some kind of bleary, sleepy wonder. It’s a dream neither of them want to wake from. The smile on that handsome face is slow. It’s warm. And it’s just a bit clouded around the edges.                  You gave me a place in the world when I was lost.       It’s late. The sun is up, and Spencer’s still in bed. Ell’s smile back is just as soft, with an edge of understanding. He reaches out beneath the duvet, fingers gentle and soothing when they brush the shattered knee his lover has tucked against him. The warmth helps soothe the ache on the mornings movement is difficult and on the days laziness wins against his husband’s will.                 You gave me something to hope for when the only thing I had was music.       He shifts a little closer beneath the covers, his thumb pressing slow circles into the tight scar tissue beneath it, hoping to provide some measure of comfort. With his other hand he brushes fingers, feather-light and painfully soft over the curve of his lover’s chin and the angle of his jaw.                 You’re the masterpiece I don’t deserve.       A soft sigh through his nose, and he leans in to press a kiss to his husband’s lips. His own are starved for them. It’s been a few days now since they’d at last come tumbling back into one another’s arms in the middle of a thunderstorm that shook the tree in their front yard. The one that had given witness to two sets of vows: The marriage and the renewal the day before.                 I have no regrets in my life. But I would have if I had let you walk out of it.       The storm was wild, the lightning fierce and the thunder violent. But the storm passed, and still the old oak stood tall. Its trunk and branching limbs, mighty and strong held it aloft with roots that ran deep. The soft leaves trembled, and held on for dear life, and refused to let go.                 I’ve sacrificed everything I’ve ever known to build this life with you, and I don’t miss any of it because I have you.       A moment’s quiet spent breathing deep, inhaling Spencer’s scent and letting it fill him. Fortified, he slips gracefully from the bed in his silk gown and slips into the bathroom to run a hot bath with a healthy portion of fragrant Epsom salts. It’s one of the only things that helps to relieve his husband’s battered body. He’s held together with scar tissue and duct tape, but he hides his pain well. Even from Elliot. Especially from Elliot. He gave up asking a long time ago.                 There are truly no words to describe just how desperately I will always love you, and you will never really understand it.       He gives no words now. Neither of them do. They don’t acknowledge the weakness in the room, the way an old soldier’s bones rattle and creak. They don’t acknowledge that they are both broken men, body and spirit. They don’t have to. They find comfort and strength in one another. At least, Elliot hopes they do. He certainly does.                 But that’s ok. I would love nothing more than to spend the rest of my life trying to show you.       He helps Spencer to get up, holding his hand and there if he stumbles, but letting him do the hard work himself. It’s a matter of a hitter’s pride, and Elliot married the best there is. Which means plenty of pride to go around. He doesn’t mind. Spencer’s earned the right to it.                 And I will. My word might not mean much anymore, but you have it. I know you’re tired, and you don’t have to fight for me. I’ll fight for you.        Hand in hand, they walk slowly into the bathroom, bathed in golden sunlight, the sweetness of lavender hanging subtly in the air. He helps his husband to step out of his night clothes and into the bath, as they must have done now dozens of times before the weather changes and Spencer’s joints tighten a bit too far. He perches on the floor beside the tub, his knees tucked under him, his head resting on his arms folded over the rim.                 You’re my whole world. Nothing else matters. Just you.       He pulls Spencer’s hair back, ties it with an elastic, and sets to work helping him bathe. He takes his time, working the soap and lather into bronzed skin and tired muscles with practiced ease and gentleness. He makes relaxing circles and applies a bit of pressure with the heals of his hands where the knots need working. By the time he’s finished, the water’s cool.                 Today I renew my commitment to you as my husband, my lover, my partner. And every day hereafter.       It hardly matters. In a matter of moments he’s drained the cool water and refilled the tub piping hot. Perfect for the both of them. Slipping out of his night gown he’s careful when he joins Spencer, sitting against the opposite end of the tub, their legs intertwined. Moments pass. Time stretches on into infinity and the only sound to be heard is the gentle movement of the water as Ell plays with Spencer’s fingers beneath its fragrant surface. He presses a kiss to the knuckles of each worn hand and looks his husband in the eye.                  I love you, Eliot Spencer. When I can’t remember my own name, I’ll remember you.             ❛ You’re staying in bed with me today. That’s an order. ❜

Top 24 Best Action Anime of All Time to Watch Right Now

Best Action Anime has always been a signature of anime genre from the very starting. Even if it's not ever the primary focus as it once was, in the 1970s and 1980s, most anime displayed scenes or set plays with intense fight scenes. And I would hope that the top action anime world never went too far away. Let's take a look at a couple of action romance anime that ranks the best of all time. Don't miss Thrillist's best action anime list. 'Top Action anime' is an audit quality, so We compiled 24 best action anime, and each anime series had a few notables. Every  anime encourages dramatic change or stands out due to a brilliant plot or character.  You asked for the best anime action of all times, and we brought a list of romance action anime.

The List of Best Action with Romance Anime

24- Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress

Directed By: Tetsurō Araki Release Date: April 8, 2016 Duration: 12 Episodes Rating: IMDb (7.3/10) The "Kabane" are horrible creatures like zombies that can only be killed by piercing their iron-protected hearts. After "Ikoma's" city overran, he boarded a fortified iron train alongside some new allies searching for a safer place. The Good action anime here is its key selling point, with the continuous panning of camera angles accentuating dynamic and rapid combat. There's a flashback: "Ikoma," a professional investor, had told "Mumei" that he would transform her back into a human. Do we feel some kind of romance action anime tension between the two? They're a fine pair of fights, for sure. In the present, Ikoma" is convening with human leaders to formulate a war plan, but humans don't trust him, possibly because of his "Kabane" blood. It doesn't work for him that he's not quite himself. He sweats like crazy, and he falls to his knees. During the Industrial Age, the action romance anime occurs as the virus infects humans and transforms them into "Kabane". 23- Black Lagoon

Directed By: Sunao Katabuchi Release Date: April 8, 2006 Duration: 24 Episodes Rating: IMDb (8.3/10) The squad of the "Black Lagoon" is ragtag of mercenaries in the coin, but their relationships are tied together. When "Rokurou Okajima" (a non-assuming businessman) joins the gang and gives it the name "Rok," he turns away his life, as he flew into a world of crime, corruption, and greed. The Titan assault is terrible, but it's not exactly a horror action anime. You will discover an operation that is heavy on the scheme, creating a character and the environment, if you can stomach the gruesome, inner presence of the titans and the violent intent of how to devote their victims. Since there is possibly more action romance anime than almost any genre, Attack on Titan is indeed the best one since the virtual absence of plot shield means that no one is ever truly safe, and the consequences were genuine. Black Lagoon, the best action anime without our happy trigger Revy, who promises to push the series together, cannot be said about it. 22- Dorohedoro

Directed By: Yuichiro Hayashi Release Date: 1999 Duration: 12 Episodes Rating: IMDb (8.5/10) We find powerless people and strong magicians alike in the abandoned and unhospitable district of Hole. Kaiman is a tall, brooding figure with the head of a crocodile. But he wasn't born that way. And he's looking for the guy who took his body, his memories, and, ultimately, his identity. When this top action romance anime begins, "En", a leading mafia magician, hears a Lizardman murdering his people and sends out the indifferent Shin and his partner, the bubbly (and too muscular) Noi, into the Hole to take care of Caiman, triggering a messy conflict between the two worlds. Although the initial premise would otherwise suggest that the moral world of Dorohedoro is far from black and white, sorcerers' society appears to be one with its internal conflicts and oppressive machines. 21- Gintama

Directed By: Shinji Takamatsu Release Date: April 4, 2006 Duration: 367 Episodes Rating:  IMDb (8.6/10) Hundreds of "Gintama" episodes cover many genres. I loved it from the very beginning, but some suggest you must get to the first serious arc to appreciate the value of "Gintama's" setting and characters. "Gintoki" is a samurai who helps people with jobs here and there in Feudal Japan after an alien invasion. Comedy's an anime's hard nut to crack. The funniest series there relies on Japanese phrases that do not translate. "Gintama" is on the thin side, and witches might lose in Western audiences. The Comedy action romance anime is still legally funny, so the award of best comedy anime is taken. Part of this is from jokes that land amid the language barrier. 20- The Tower of God

Directed By: Takashi Sano Release Date: June 30, 2010 Duration: 13 Episodes Rating:  IMDb (7.9/10) The Tower of God recently completed is the first action romance anime webtoon! I'm pleased that I Choose a good one. The anime enhanced over the webtoon in every possible way, with the distinct and raw art style and an epic weight for every conflict. This electronic orchestral soundtrack. 25th Bam was a boy who knew only a dark cavern, a filthy cloth, and an inaccessible light all his life. Then the whole of his life changed when a young girl named Rachel came into him by morning. He learned from her some things about the outside world by being close friends with Rachel. Begins "Bam's" journey, a young boy who wasn't selected from the Tower but had his doors opened. They call its kind of "Irregulars" being that each time they put a foot in, it has shaken the very base of the Tower. 19- Akira

Directed By: Katsuhiro Otomo Release Date: July 16, 1988 Duration: 2h 6m Rating:  IMDb (8/10) Akira is a classic all-time Anime. Gang wars, psychokinetic conspiracies, and a government effort are situated around Neo-scenery, Tokyo's, which could ruin the city and kill most of the inhabitants. The tale is dense, so let us concentrate on the action. Akira is not just a action anime, and not just great animation, although both are great. It's a beautiful film; it stops absolutely. There is a lot of top action romance anime list, and every year more come out. Akira remains a high watermark. It is a great film, a cool story, and a beautiful, action-packed animation with tremendous attention to detail. 18- Parasyte

Directed By: Bong Joon-ho Release Date: May 30, 2019 Duration: 2h 12m Rating:  IMDb (8.5/10) But not his side, now hosting a personality. Oh, his eyes and the mouth. Okay, that's terrible, but you can still change. The horror of the body was never so freely directed into motion. This best action anime will concentrate on Izumi Shinichi, a 17-year-old who lives in Tokyo with his family. One night, an alien Parasyte that looks like a worm enters his body, burrowing on to his arm, which is named Migi. It leads to an unusual connection between the two. 17- Land of the Lustrous

Directed By: Takahiko Kyogoku Release Date: October 7, 2017 Duration: 12 Episodes Rating:  IMDb (8.4/10) It's beautiful to watch, featuring many pleasant and well-defined people who each need a demon in an eternal war with the Lunar people who are mobilizing their bodies to harvest their beauty. Some of the settings will leave your jaw between your knees, waiting for the next episode to be clicked. Crystalline creatures called Gems in the unknown future occupy a planet devastated by six meteors. Each Ornament is assigned a role to combat the Lunar people, a species that attacks them to break down their bases and utilize them as decorations. It's dynamic, brilliant and has some of the most pleasant films in best action romance anime TV history. 16- One Punch Man

Directed By: Shingo Natsume Release Date: December 4, 2015 Duration: 12 episodes and 5 special episodes Rating:  IMDb (8.8/10) The author of the original webcomics hit it with his first idea, uh, punched it out of the park. Get this all right? Just imagine a standard shounen or even super heroic comic.  Although the action anime genre is still spoofing, One Punch Man ventures in a different direction and asks the fundamental question: What if a superhero were so powerful that he could punch all of his enemies? The top action anime series begins with a regular guy called Saitama, who chooses a nonsensical training scheme to become a superhero. He overdoes it, becomes so dominant that his opponents are not in trouble, and as a result, he becomes bored (and bald). This, however, is a cool, funny and good action anime series of bonkers with lots of action - Saitama must take things seriously every once and for a while. 15- Sword of the Stranger

Directed By: Masahiro Andô Release Date: September 29, 2007 Duration: 1h 43m Rating: IMDb (7.8/10) As part of their unprecedented ability and straightforward aim, Sword of the Stranger may very well be the most thoroughly performed entry in the best action anime of all time genre. Young orphan Kotaro and his heroic dog Tobimaru encounter an unnamed swordsman whose adventures need little clarification. It seems to Sword of the Stranger, a great option to start this rundown, precisely because it is the high-octane action with some good action anime choreographed parts that keep you attached to your seat during the film. She would not mislead her narrative characters, incredible sequences of action, stunning art styles, and only the fraternal love between two main characters has a progressing past. If you love the setting of history, that's another justification to give the Stranger's Sword a chance.. 14- Hellsing Ultimate

Directed By: Geneon Release Date: February 10, 2006 Duration: 10 Episodes Rating: IMDb (8.6/10) Hellsing Ultimate incorporates anything from the Hellsing original and lifts it to the extreme. A little less than an hour, ten episodes tell you a macabre and witty tale of vampirism and survival. Very legendary, fabulous, unique, and one of the most sensitive artworks. A lot of vampire amines will occur. The varied best action anime output was understandable, as it had been subject to various animation studios. The animations from Gory were adequate to make you feel disgusted and distressed. The source was faithful, but the production of timing and plot was too quick and choppy for non-manga readers, making plot twists and character development trivial and impressionable. 13- Evangelion

Directed By: Geneon Release Date: November 17, 2012 Duration: 26 Episodes Rating: IMDb (8.6/10) Gurren Lagann brings things in a genre known for excess to another stage with a good action anime breeze, a node, and a screamed alarm. A mecha with sunglasses could turn off visitors who aren't in the giant robot-anime genre. However, what seems to be an embarrassing mess works much better than it does. Crochet, line, plunger, the high-energy opening sequence, and the first episode lead you through some well-designed scenes that are strange but brilliant and amusing best action romance anime for the same time. When each character is introduced, we learn more about the brain, nerve, and soul organizations and why they have been developed. 12- Katanagatari

Directed By: Hideo Katsumata with Others. Release Date: January 25, 2010 Duration: 12 Episodes Rating: IMDb (8.4/10) In his quest for 12 special blades, Katanagatari is the story of strategist and Martial Artist Shichika. It is also the tale of shifting times when the swords' age was forced to end with the rash of firearms in Japan's Edo-era.  The core partnership is just as intense as the realization of its key subjects, which ensures that the bread and butter of this series will keep you in some way amused as you chatter interminably. This isn't to say that this top action romance anime are not entertaining. Still, it is more aimed at fans who might be considering pivoting towards more dialog-heavy anime and, at the same time, retaining a substantial side dish of action. 11- Kill la Kill

Directed By: Hiroyuki Imaishi Release Date: October 3, 2013 Duration: 27 Episodes Rating: IMDb (7.9/10) Revenge is the game story in "Kill la Kill," starting from a basic plot but becoming more complicated and more in-depth, rather than just an anime full of best action anime and beautiful combat scenes than appears in each chapter. Ryuuko Matoi roamed the country in search of his killer after the assassination of her dad. At the renowned Honnouji Academy, she is at high school, unlike any other, with just her lead-the absent half of his innovation, Scissor Blade. The Academy, along with its influential subsidiary elite four, is ruled by the formidable and cold-hearted student council chairman Satsuki Kiryuin. Satsuki offers those in the highest unique clothing called "Goku's Uniforms," which offer the wearer extraordinary superhuman powers in the school's brutally competitive hierarchy. The hits are still entertaining with their characters and the storyline. This is a roller coaster; you will understand when you watch this anime. 10- Devilman: Crybaby

Directed By: Masaaki Yuasa Release Date: January 5, 2018 Duration: 10 Episodes Rating: IMDb (8.1/10) This is numbered as the top 10 action anime of the year, and it sounds incredible to modernize a classic anime, and it demonstrates that it can be significant. The 1972 and 1987 originals are little-known but decent classics. I recommend that you watch the sub or read the manga. Although it's all packed, blood, blah blah blah drugs, it's also emotionally full. It's about who the real demons are with a deep and dark psychological subject. Monsters killing people or people killing people. The fight between Fudo and these malformations is incredible. Although it's full of feelings, tears in your eyes sometimes don't like Naruto, One Piece, and Koe no katachi. 9- JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure

Directed By: Naokatsu Tsuda Yasuhiro Kimura Release Date: January 1, 1987 Duration: 42 Episodes Rating: IMDb (8.7/10) The events of the Joestars, which now take several decades, families, and even timelines, can practically not be summed up. This romance action anime has already seen several bizarre adventures from slaying vampires to defend a small town – and a lot to come! The charming old-school beginning; the following with maybe the most charismatic protagonist; a curious tour with an even better-known Villain, and even a small one clashes with the most inspired path to date. Every season has its attractions. But as the environments, skills, and tones change, two aspects remain the same the unforgettable positions of Hirohiko Araki and the fact that JoJo's battles quickly turn out to be a strategic game. 8- Mob Psycho 100

Directed By: Yuzuru Tachikawa Release Date: July 12, 2016 Duration: 25 Episodes Rating: IMDb (8.5/10) Read the full article

THURSDAY’S STONES AND THEIR MEANING.

LAPIS LAZULI → ALL CHAKRAS

Promoting clear understanding through intuition, Lapis Lazuli allows one to find the cause of and help to balance the function of the thyroid and hormones in to stave off depression. Assisting in the proper health and function of the head and neck, vocal cords, sore throats, headaches, eye ailments, or inflammation in this area of any kind.

Benefiting the immune system, Lapis overcomes hearing loss, eye issue, purifies the blood , relieves insomnia, and vertigo, as well as lowering the blood pressure.

Lapis makes quite a powerful elixir to align the etheric, emotional, and spiritual bodies all at once.

BLUE SAPPHIRE → THIRD EYE/BROW CHAKRA & THROAT CHAKRA

Sapphire is the most effective healing stone for the nervous system. Told to regulate the function of the thyroid gland, strengthening the walls of the blood vessels, improves their elasticity and assist in the flow of blood.

Sapphire may be used to rid one of obsessive or unwanted thoughts to bring peace of mind and joyous feelings. It brings lightness with the joy, with exceptional understanding and depth of thought.  As well it healing the eyes of stress and impurities for clearer vision.

It offers on a psychological level, clarity of thought which in turns offers the patient focus and instills the intent to heal, assisting in healing on all levels of the body.

Blue – wonderful meditation tool, assists in translating the meaning of messages received and also to communicate the information to others

AQUAMARINE → THROAT CHAKRA, HEART CHAKRA & SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA

Aquamarine it is said to help reduce one’s dependence on drugs, and to help eliminate fluid retention by strengthening the kidneys, liver, spleen and thyroid, thus purifying the general body. At one time, long ago, eyeglasses were crafted with aquamarine for the lens as the glass as the stone is soothing to the eyes. Although eyeglasses may no longer be made of this lovely stone, it is an excellent gemstone for improving vision. And in the Eastern portion of the world, it is held in high regard as The Stone of the Seer & Mystic.

It is told that this stone placed on the neck or worn as a short necklace will treat many neck and throat problems one may encounter. When placed on swollen glands or worn around the neck it is known to reduce the swelling as well as fortifying and balancing the glands. Chronic tonsillitis may also be relieved by wearing a necklace of Aquamarine in conjunction with Turquoise, Sodalite, Chalcedony and Blue Topaz. This stone also has a beneficial effect on the thyroid, and metabolic functions.

Aquamarine is said to impart purity to the wearer, as well as coaxing forth the gentle nature personality and nature of the wearer. A symbol of peace, it has also been told to be able to reunite partners in marriage that have separated by allowing them to understand the truth and harmony of their original engagement.

ALEXANDRITE → SACRAL CHAKRA, ROOT CHAKRA, HEART CHAKRA & CROWN CHAKRA

Alexandrite can be found in either gemstone or plain crystalline form, but not very easily. The gem can assist you in death/rebirth situations — when you are busy transforming the old into the new. The crystal form can assist you in balancing your emotions and empowering yourself.

It is known to stimulate happiness and pleasant surprises, good fortune and success in speculative matters. It is good for emotional balance. Reinforcing one’s self esteem as well as augmenting the ability to acknowledge and appreciate the interconnectedness of nature in all it’s aspects, bringing joy in that awareness.

Alexandrite is told to be useful to help treat pancreatic disorders, swollen lymph nodes and ailments of the spleen, as well as in the treatment and regeneration of neurological tissue on the cellular level.

AMETHYST → CROWN CHAKRA

This is one stone that, much like clear Crystal Quartz, is indispensable to healers. Amethyst is a spiritual stone, a stone of peace, with absolutely no known negative effects. Though powerful as single stones, they are quite beneficial in clusters. The larger cluster (especially unpolished) is powerful enough to cleanse other stones of their negative energies as well as recharging them. It is an especially excellent stone for absent healing.

If you are drawn to Amethyst it may indicate that you are feeling exhausted, stressed, or are experiencing recent difficulties and will need to use the stone to grant yourself gentle love until your energy flows free once more.

Placed under a pillow or worn during sleep it will help prevent nightmares and ward off insomnia. It will bring peaceful yet more psychically charged sleep. If placed on the temples or the point of pain from a headache or migraine, it will soothe, relax and reduce the pain. Regular headache sufferers are generally afflicted by anxiety or nerves; these will often subside if an Amethyst geode or slice/cross section is placed in the room that much time is spent. Amethyst is a natural soother of the mind and emotions, it helps to relieve the “scattered” feeling, helping to focus and keep control of the faculties. It is also used to help improve concentration by assisting to develop the creative/right side of the brain. Known to calm emotional disorders.

It will tune the endocrine system by helping to boost the production of hormones and balancing the body’s metabolism. Told to strengthen the entire immune system by cleansing the blood which in turn helps to strengthen the cleansing of the organs of the body. This cleansing in turn assists with cellular disorders as well as disease of the digestive tract; including regulating the flora of the intestines and encouraging the reabsorption of water. With the purification of the blood comes reduced bruising, injuries and swelling.

Amethyst will increase blood flow as well, which in turn assists in different types hearing issues, including tinnitus, helps to relieve eye strain, and maintain proper blood sugar levels.

Additionally, the ancient stories say those who wear an Amethyst necklace are told to fascinate others with their pleasing personality and wonderful charisma.  Heart shaped Amethysts are sometimes exchanged between couples to enhance the depth and longevity of their love and happiness; strengthening their connection.