#myth reads tower of dawn
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The Sun Medallion
I finally found time to finish the first chapter of the sequel to The Quest for Santa Perla. Here it is:
“Why. Is. Being. An. Archeologist. So. Dang. Hard!” grunted Pix as he leapt from boulder to boulder to escape the approaching rhinos. “You’d think it be easy seeing all we do is dig.”
Sausage, who was right behind him, said, “Quite complaining, this is fun.”
Pix turned to glare at him and saw that the rhinos had stopped chasing them and had gone back to nibbling the grass. He stopped and bent over, with his hands on his knees, and tried to catch his breath.
“Dude, the amount of running we do, you should be in better shape,” said Sausage as he lightly punched Pix in the shoulder. “You still have it?”
Pix straightened up and rummaged through his bag before pulling out a small disk with the sky god’s emblem on it.
“Santa Perla!” he exclaimed. “It’s so shiny!”
“Really?” asked Pix as he straightened his glasses. “That’s what stands out to you? Not the history or life behind it?”
…
“Ah Pix,” said the museum director, examining the artifact. “Once again you don’t fail to impress.”
“Thank you, sir, “said Pix.
He turned to leave but stopped when the director said, “Pix, this came for you in the mail.”
He handed Pix a letter with the Dawn kingdom seal.
“A letter from Princess Gem?” asked Pix as he turned the letter over.
“Evidently yes.”
“Huh,” said Pix as he opened the letter, which read:
Dear Mr. Pix,
Please come at once to the Sunlight Castle as quickly as possible. I ask for you urgently. I also ask that you bring your associate, Mr. Sausage.
Yours truly,
Princess Gem
“What is it?” asked the director.
“She’s asking me to go to the castle and bring Sausage. I have to go,” said Pix as he left.
…
“Sausage, pack up. We have another quest,” said Pix as he threw Sausage’s bag at him.
“Oof,” he grunted as it hit his stomach. “What is it?”
“I don’t know, but it’s from the Princess of Dawn.”
“Must be a big deal.”
“What else would it be? Now pack.”
…
“Wow, would you look at this place?” said Pix as he slowly rotated, studying the kingdom.
It was filled with crops and orchards, and beehives dripping with golden honey. He could hear cows mooing in barns off a little ways. The church of the sun towered over everything, casting radiance around it. As he and Sausage approached the castle, a bear roared next to the door.
“Ack!” shouted Sausage as he leapt away.
Pix, though startled, merely straightened his glasses and continued forward.
“What kind of princess lives with a bear at the front door?” asked Sausage as he looked at it over his shoulder.
“This princess,” came a female voice up high somewhere.
Princess Gem of Dawn leapt down the stairs to meet them, her reddish brown hair bouncing, dress the color of a sunrise swishing against her brown boots.
Pix bowed deep and elbowed Sausage so he would get the hint and bow, too.
Princess Gem gave a small wave and said, “Come with me.”
Pix and Sausage looked at each other before following her into a large war room filled with maps and books.
“What do you ask of us, Your Highness?” asked Pix while trying to hide his excitement at how much knowledge was in the room.
“Please, no need for formal titles. Sit.” she said, gesturing to the chairs surrounding a table with a map of the seven kingdoms on it.
The men sat as Princess Gem pulled down an old tome with runes on its spine. She flipped through it before showing them a picture of a golden sun medallion.
“This is the Sun Medallion, It brings life and bountiful harvest to our land. It was recently stolen from the church by a dirty pirate called Pirate ‘Joe’ Joey. I need you to find it,” she said.
“Why us? Shouldn’t you be calling in the Sheriff of Tumble Town?” asked Pix as he studied the picture.
“He’s already on the case, but we believe the thief has taken it to his hideout in Animalia.”
“No way, the Hidden City of Animals? I thought it was a myth,” said Sausage disbelievingly.
“I believe you have spoken to a literal goddess. Why is this surprising?” asked the princess.
“She has a point,” said Pix. Looking up from the book, he asked, “You asked for us because we are needed to track down a hidden city long lost to time?”
The princess nodded. “Precisely. I’ve recruited two helpers for this mission, a body guard and mechanic/explosives expert. I just need an explorer and an archeologist. You two up for it?”
Pix and Sausage looked at each other before Pix extended his hand to shake. “We’ll do it.”
Princess Gem looked relieved. “Thank you. Allow me to introduce your companions.”
She waved a hand and a pair of chocolate brown doors opened and in came two women. The first was a tall dark haired woman dressed in black armor with a large axe on her back.
“Name’s Katherine,” she said with a hint of excitement in her voice.
“You’re not Princess Katherine from Glimmer Grove, are you?” asked Sausage.
Her eyes widened slightly as she said, “Nope, not at all! Definitely not a princess.”
Pix, Sausage, and Gem all looked at each other and shrugged.
The other woman was considerably shorter than her counterpart and had fair hair with copper goggles on her forehead. She seemed a bit paranoid and jumpy, with a golden pocket watch in her pants ticking quite loud.
“This is False of Cogsmeade,” said Gem.
False gave a hesitant wave and continued looking around.
“Hi, I’m Pix,” said Pix. “This man here is my helper, Sausage.”
“Nice to meet you,” said Katherine with a small bow. False just nodded her head in acknowledgement.
“Great, now everyone knows everyone.” said Princess Gem with a small clap. “I’m currently gathering supplies, whatever you may need for your trip. You leave in the morning.”
Quick notes:
I know personalities are drastically different than from the prequel or the smp
I know False doesn't trade gunpowder, but I thought it fit her character
#empires season 2#empires smp#empires false#katherine elizabeth#pixlriffs#mythicalsausage#geminitay#joey graceffa#original fiction#apollothebear:)
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ZOMBIES MASTERLIST
it's been two years since i did one of these holy heck. (it's also been two months since i was requested to make this list but we're not gonna talk about that)
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C O M P L E T E D
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new dawn, new day
zed wants to go to human school. eliza doesn’t. (canon compliant, pre-movie)
read here
if only we knew (the things we know)
the wolves are dying. the great alpha is a myth. wyatt doesn’t know where to turn. (pre-z2, canon compliant)
read here
and the chasm grows
the moonstone is lost in the powerplant explosion. the wolves face their fates. (post-z2, au, sequel to if only we knew)
read here
i can't feel the waves anymore
a companion piece to and the chasm grows. (willa-centric, post-z2 au)
read here
blood // stone
a zeddison twist on the powerplant explosion. (human au)
read here
to what your heart once was
willa is marked by a dark prophecy at birth, prompting fear and distrust in the pack. she takes her fate into her own hands. (soulmark au)
read here
i-d-e-n-t-i-t-y
zombie containment, and what comes after. (canon compliant, coda to z1)
read here
(when the sun comes up)
in the name of love wyatt tries to pretend to be human enough for seabrook. a body is found in the forest. (wyaddison au, mostly canon compliant)
read here
bury you back underground
as anti-monster laws tighten and his future shrinks, zed necrodopolis turns to a life of petty crime. (zeddison, mostly canon compliant)
read here
two lonely hearts meet in the dark
in every timeline, they end. addison searches for a beginning. (zeddison, some wyaddison, time warp au)
read here
the king walks the tower
crown prince of the kingdom, wyatt survives an attack on his family and vows to avenge them. (wyaddison, royalty au)
read here
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I N P R O G R E S S
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the river near the valley
Tentative peace has lasted as long as Princess Addison has been alive, hanging by a thread. When a new enemy marches to the north, it falls to Addison to convince the King of Strigoi to join forces with her people in the coming war. (wyaddison, some zeddison, royalty/medieval au)
read here
all the things left unsaid
wyatt and willa are caught by hunters. this is the fight, the fall, and the road back to home. (au)
read here
river cold, mountain wild
after three years living as a werewolf in the human world, addison returns to seabrook and the wolf pack for a summer and finds herself caught at a crossroads. (great alpha!addison au, mostly canon compliant)
read here
PRETTY
against her better judgement, addison falls into her rougish co-worker's bed and a whole mess of a relationship she never wanted. (zeddison, human au)
read here
my hand in yours
after years apart, a high school crush of eliza's reappears in town. (wyliza, post-z3, mostly canon compliant)
read here
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O N E S H O T S
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like stars in the sky
tumblr prompt fill collection
read here
#disney zombies#z2#z3#zombies 3#zombies 2#disney zombies 3#addison zombies#addison wells#wyatt lykensen#wyatt zombies#willa zombies#zeddison#z o m b i e s#zed necrodopolis#zed zombies#eliza zombies#eliza zambie#okay i think that's all the tags i can be bothered typing#as usual this is a keeps request lmfao#she said 'you should make a new list of all your fics the week the new movie comes out'#and i said 'okay worm' and then woke up enough two months later to do it#the other important fact here is that i sat down to write the next chapter of valleys#clearly getting a lot of work done#roo writes
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I'm a bit out of the loop so excuse the question, but does Danchou even know that Lucio and Shalem are the Speakers?
you're all good asking question, no worries, and god knows we don't have a proper ressource to check lorewise aside from collecting the infos ourselves otherwise.
So as it is, the tldr, is that Danchou knows something is up with them, especially with Shalem, but don't know they're Speakers.
the longer version is that:
-Lucio did not tell MC about him being a Speaker.
-However, when he met MC, he was pretending to be an actor on a play about the Creation Myth, then told them it was all fake, and then after that, appeared in MC's dreams to try to expand on the creation myth in order to know what MC thinks he should do now.
-MC still believes those things were dreams, induced by the play.
-But MC also knows something is up with Lucio in the sense that he's not just a regular actor guy. Lucio has showcased his powers to MC multiple times, most alarmingly, by setting the sun so MC could watch the sunrise, so MC knows something is fucked up with Lucio, but doesn't know exactly to which extend
-MC doesn't know Lucio is Sahar and Lucio intends to keep it a secret from the crew. (Likewise Sahar only appeared in MC's dreams so far, which MC has brushed off).
-They discovered Shalem in an Ark which was exposed on a "Creation Myth Exhibition". on there, they read about the Etermanki, which all had them stunned. The exhibition had a mural representing Bahamut with two people, and from the writing underneath they read that it apparently refers to the Speakers, but the writing is too vague for them to know what it means.
-When MC comes back to the Exhibition later after feeling a pull from the Ark, they free Shalem from her prison, and she starts to babble about everything that happened, because she's extremely confused, and as a result, super confusing.
-She makes it clear that she was there since the dawn of creation. She then realizes that she has memory issues and doesn't remember everything about who she used to be. She's then so confused and overwhelmed that she faints
-Lucio then appears and mentions that the Ark she was locked in was destined to lock in a God.
-So MC knows Shalem is a Godly creature from the Creation Myth, but not that she's a Speaker, despite the circumstances.
-Lucio conceals that he's Sahar from Shalem in her FE so she doesn't spill the fact they're both Speakers to everyone.
Shalem is still confused and wants to find Sahar again.
In the Tower of Babyl storyline, Sahar and Shalem talk as if nothing was holding them back, and i genuinely don't know when something changed in between them.
-In Art of Mercy, Altair finds archives on which he finally reads about the Speakers, a topic he's been really curious about. He reads one of the name being Helel Ben Shalem, and if you have Shalem in your party, Altair will gasp and put together that the name, while probably a coincidence, is probably too big of one considering the circumstances of Shalem's origins.
-This is where the whole Speaker Thing was Left Off as far as i'm aware
So
-MC knows Shalem is akin to a God and has existed since Creations, but not the details
-MC knows Lucio is a far bigger deal than he pretends to be
-Lucio had shared a huge part of the truth to MC in dreams that MC has been writing off as "just dreams"
-Altair is the only character who actually put together than Shalem is probably a Speaker and it's never been discussed ever again.
so that's where we're at, Speaker wise, as far as i remember.
hope it helps!
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FFXIVWrite 2022 Day 8: Tepid
Urianger watched the Scions leave the Rising Stones on their way to meet with the Eorzean Alliance to discuss the towers and Fandaniel’s ominous decree. Estinien seemed content to remain behind to avoid potential badgering from Aymeric, leaving him alone with the learned Elezen. Just as he proposed he may do when Dia asked him what he’ll be doing if not joining them, he approached the dragoon.
That said, he didn’t know the first thing about Estinien. Nor did he know how to converse with someone in a way that didn’t pertain to serious business very well without having known them well.
“Pray…dost thou fancy…miscellany?”
Estinien gave a quizzical look. “Er…in what way?”
The conversation was going south. Urianger panicked internally. “Well…what literature hast thou partaken in recently?”
“Literature?” Estinien thought and said, “I can’t say I’ve partaken in anything recently. Reading wasn’t a priority when I served in Ishgard, and after leaving, I hadn’t encountered many books in my travels.”
I shall needeth approach this carefully, Urianger thought. “Might I recommend something light for thee?”
“Er, sure.” Estinien figured there was little better to do than entertain his request anyhow. He wasn’t sure where the training dummies were and if they’d withstand his efforts. Urianger’s excitement was writ plain on his face as he led him into Dawn’s Respite. From there, Urianger pulled out his collection of tomes from under his bed, making Estinien’s eyebrows raise.
“Elementary Aetherology, Myth of the Twelve, Divine Prophecy for the Unsophisticated”, Urianger read through titles aloud until he stumbled upon what he was looking for and held it up. “Here it is!” Urianger then turned to Estinien and handed him his find.
“Fables of Eld”, Estinien read aloud, “So you would have me read fairy tales.”
“Not quite. The title is misleading, for the contents of this book are a much larger story that doth involve such fairy tales, but doth not focus on any one alone.”
Estinien hummed. “I have to admit. I didn’t think something like this would be in your collection. From what I saw, you prefer more philosophical reading.”
Urianger gave a sad smile. “‘Twas a gift from my late friend, Moenbryda.”
Estinien looked back and gave a stoic nod. “Then I’ll treat it with care.” He then utilized one of the chairs in the room to sit and read. Urianger sat next to him with a book containing information on astral and umbral balancing, and the two proceeded to read in silence. Urianger had cycled through some pages by the time he glanced at Estinien to see his progress. He had gone through maybe half of the first chapter by the time Urianger had consumed a quarter of his book.
By the Twelve, I shall be withered and left decomposing in the ground by the time he reacheth the halfway point, he thought.
“Is something wrong?” Estinien asked as he noticed him staring.
Urainger had a far more stern expression on his face that came from his focus, his eyes squinting and his mouth in a frown. “Ah, pray forgive me. I merely wish to know how thou likest your reading.”
“Hm. It’s all right.”
Urianger blinked. “And that…that is thy only thought on the book?”
“I’ve not made it that far yet.”
Urianger nodded. “Very well. I shan’t interrupt thee again.” He went back to his own, continuing to read at a pace that one could only describe as ‘frightening’. Some moments passed yet again, this time with Urianger about halfway through his tome when he asked, “How far along hast thou made it?”
Estinien answered annoyedly, “I’m about a third of the way through chapter one.”
Whence dost thy sluggish reading speed come, Urianger asked himself.
“Er, I shall check on the status of my comrades. Why dost thou not keepest the book in thy collection for a time?” Urianger offered.
“Hm. Very well.”
Urianger nodded and left. Once he entered the lobby of the Rising Stones, Tataru asked, “So, how do you like our newest member?”
“I’ve no grievances as to the measure of the dragoon’s strength. Verily, I do wonder if the dragon slayer cannot slay the challenges in his intellectual prowess.”
“So…is that a no from you?” Tataru tried to clarify.
“To borrow his own words, he is ‘all right’.”
“Hm. Maybe you just need more time. He just got here after all.”
“Mayhap so. Until then, I’ve no wish to sit and wait for the man to finish one chapter, and so I ask of thee if our comrades have sent word.”
“Ah. Nothing yet.”
The door opened and Estinien came out with a wide eyed look. “You mean to tell me that the princess hadn’t even bothered to ask the dragon of his purpose?”
Urianger couldn’t help but give a small smile. “Dost thou believe this to be the right course?”
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that the dragons do nothing to intentionally harm without good reason. Why she’d order the cannons fired at him without finding proper recourse…”
Urianger chuckled. “Perhaps thou may wish to keep reading. I will say that Moenbryda would happily agree with thee were she still with us.”
Estinien harumphed and went back into Dawn’s Respite.
“Seems a bit hypocritical coming from a former dragon slayer.”
“Thou may thinkest what thou may wish, but he understands the purpose of the tale. Aye, he readeth at a pace akin to a crawling babe, but so long as he absorbeth the contents, ‘tis all that matters.”
—————
Urianger, long having worked with Thancred and the Loporrits, sat in the station where the Ragnarok docked and the entrance to the Aitiascope was guarded. In the middle of a conversation with Livingway, he heard footsteps clad in armor behind him approaching his location.
“Urianger”, he heard. The astrologian turned to face Estinien, still in his normal armor.
“Ah, it hath been too long, Ser Estinien. Pray, what bringest thou to me?” It was in that moment that he noticed the tome he lent him an age ago.
“I just finished it. I figured since it was a gift from your friend, it may be better suited in your possession than in mine.”
Urianger smiled and retrieved the book from Estinien’s grasp. “Thank you, my friend. What didst thou thinkest of the Fables of Eld?”
“I liked it. I’m glad to see that Ayrkalla and Princess Magdalene settled their differences.”
“Indeed so. Pray, thou hast come a long way from Radz-at-Han, wherefore dost thou not rest here?”
“I’ve one more visit to make at Leveilleur Manor before Vrtra will want me back at the palace, so I’m afraid I’ve not the time. ‘Til next time.”
Urianger nodded, “Until we meet again.”
Estinien waved and walked away. Urianger turned back to Livingway, who asked, “And what was all that about?”
“Oh, merely returning an item of great import to me.” Yet, even though he was glad to have had the book returned to him, a thought couldn’t help but cross his mind.
Nearly a year hath passed since we crossed the great expanse together and thou hast only finished now?
#ffxiv#ffxivwrite#ffxivwrite 2022#urianger augerelt#estinien varlineau#tataru taru#writing#fanfiction#i wanted to write a possible scenario of what these two were up to while we were at that meeting#i wish i had a witness to have seen me figure out a translation to Urianger-speak for ‘so….do you like…stuff?’
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In the heart of a city where the air was thick with the warmth and moisture of a humid subtropical climate, an old shop stood. It was a relic, untouched by time, nestled between towering glass structures that scraped the sky. The shop was known as "The Whimsical Mister" and it was said that on entering, one would find themselves stepping into another world.
The proprietress was an enigmatic figure with the flair of a bygone era. Her name was whispered through the streets, a myth among the denizens of the futuristic metropolis: Madam Vespertine. Her appearance, as captured in a rare photograph that was said to be imbued with a life of its own, was that of a being from a science fiction novel.
In the image, Madam Vespertine sat at a timeworn wooden table, scattered with playing cards. She wore a tall, feathered top hat, weathered and dark as the night sky. Her face, painted to mimic the visage of an animated porcelain doll, was unnervingly alive, eyes like galaxies swirling with stars, pulling one into the depths of the unknown.
The tale that circulated among the city's inhabitants told of how Madam Vespertine could read one’s fortune not through the cards alone but through the very fabric of spacetime. The cats that surrounded her, creatures with fur that shimmered with an unnatural hue, were her familiars, once ordinary felines transformed by her touch into beings that existed across dimensions.
Legend had it that on the eve of the Planetary Alignment, when the celestial bodies of their solar system lined in a rare configuration, Madam Vespertine could open a gateway to alternate realities. Seekers of truth and thrill would gather, their hearts pounding with anticipation, as the air in her shop vibrated with the energy of uncountable worlds.
One night, a traveler from afar, dressed in attire that spoke of interstellar journeys, came to Madam Vespertine. He requested a reading, not of his future, but of his past, in a reality where he had taken a different path. With a knowing smile, Vespertine dealt the cards in a pattern that spiraled like a galaxy, and as the traveler looked on, the cards began to glow, each one a window to another life he could have led.
The walls of the shop faded, replaced by stars and nebulas. The heat and wetness of the outside air were no longer felt; instead, a cool, otherworldly breeze caressed their skin. For a moment, the shop was no longer in the city; it was afloat in the vast ocean of the cosmos.
And as the final card was turned, the traveler saw not a different choice, but the interconnectedness of all his choices, every path he had walked, or could walk, a tapestry of existence that was his life in the multiverse.
But as dawn approached, the gateway narrowed. The cards dimmed, and the city's reality rushed back in, the humid air settling like a blanket. The traveler left with more questions than answers, his mind alight with possibilities.
Madam Vespertine, the guardian of paths not taken, watched him go, her eyes reflecting a universe of secrets. She knew he would return, as would many others. For in a world of science and precision, the enigma of chance and choice was the most powerful force of all.
And in "The Whimsical Mister," it was alive and waiting.
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Flying too close to the sun origin
#Flying too close to the sun origin movie
#Flying too close to the sun origin code
#Flying too close to the sun origin movie
The Eternals: Ikaris's last act in the movie is to fly off into space and throw himself into the sun.During the final battle with Bond, Graves is defeated when his plane flies through the beam of solar energy being projected by Icarus.
#Flying too close to the sun origin code
In Die Another Day, Icarus is the code name of Gustav Graves solar energy Kill Sat.He says his purpose is to make sure Light burns up and crashes. Death Note: During their first confrontation in person, L compares Light to Icarus through his use of the death note (he doesn't quite know yet how he killed hundreds of people all over the globe, just that it's obviously supernatural).When he discovers Jill Layton, a woman who looks identical to the dream girl, Sam wants to pursue her at all costs, while making his life a downward spiral. Brazil: The protagonist has recurring Dreams of Flying in which he dons an armor with crystalline wings and romances a floating Damsel in Distress that he wants to save from manifestations of the Crapsack World he lives in.Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice: Upon using Zod's corpse to create Doomsday in the genesis chamber of the Kryptonian ship, Lex Luthor tells him "You flew too close to the Sun".He survives only because his cousin leaps after him, and sacrifices her life to save him. The ensuing battle for the Tsukiyama Heir results in two helicopters going up in flames, and Shuu (Icarus) being thrown from the roof of the building. Mirumo Tsukiyama has sent his son, Shuu, to be evacuated from the building's heliport in order to escape extermination. Building, referring to it as "Daedalus's Tower". In Tokyo Ghoul:Re, Matsuri Washuu invokes the myth of Icarus while discussing the coming battle at the L.E.Parodied in One Piece when the giant squid Daidalos flew too close to the sun and turned into surume (dried squid), traumatizing his friend Ikaros.In the manga's final arc, she lives up to her namesake when Tomoki leads the Angeloids to an attack on Synapse Ikaros delivers Tomoki to Synapse, but it turns out she was installed with a 'safeguard' after trying to turn on Synapse, that her wings would burn up if she came too close. Heaven's Lost Property's Deurotagonist Ikaros is the titular 'lost property' an Angeloid that fell from the Floating Continent of Synapse.In Fullmetal Alchemist, a parallel is drawn between Icarus and the Elric brothers, who believed they could successfully perform human transmutation despite the fact that no one ever had before.Daedalus and one of his creations is given wings and dies from exposure to the sun (not because of wings melting, but because she was a Proxy and sunlight is their Achilles' Heel) In Ergo Proxy, one of the characters is a scientist named Dr.(Incidentally, Icarus was also warned not to fly too low, as the water would also damage his wings.) The moral of the story in this reading is to not act recklessly and to heed the warnings of others, especially those with more experience and knowledge. The reason behind their trouble may vary problems will range from extreme temperature changes to oxygen deficiency at high altitudes. (It's particularly common with characters who have only recently gained the ability to fly). This story has had an influence on modern media, with a number of stories about flying characters going too high and suffering the consequences. Eventually, the sun melted the wax off his wings and they disintegrated, causing Icarus to fall to his death. Icarus, however, overcome with the joy of flying, started soaring higher and higher toward the sun. Attaching the wings to their arms, he and his son Icarus managed to escape, flying over the ocean. The father, Daedalus, constructed two pairs of wings out of wax and feathers. In the Greek myth of Icarus and Daedalus, a father and son attempted to flee from an island where they were held prisoner. A specific Mythical Motif and Stock Shout-Out to the myth of Icarus meant to highlight a character's reckless negligence and dangerous ambition.
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Look I just have a lot of (negative) feelings not only about how Tower of Dawn deals with Chaol's disability from a narrative standpoint but how it uses it to try to show the Correct Romantic Relationship by contrasting Nesryn and Yrene's interactions with and reactions to Chaol, and how it tries to say Yrene is the one who is better about it when that is demonstrably not the case despite her supposedly being a kind medical professional.
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another one SO THIRSTY for size kink #2
Part I here
Words: 1290 ~ Warnings: P in V sex, unprotected sex, oral sex, FEELINGS
Pairing: Pero x fem! reader
***********
The Spaniard looks at you as if he cannot quite believe the words that passed your lips. “You mean this, gatita?”
You nod, breathlessly.
“After dark,” he murmurs, and he is impossibly close. His scent, polished leather, lemon oil, and the musky smell of clean sweat, surrounds you. “I will come to you, si? By the tree of sorrow.”
The weeping willow. Pero likely didn’t know the English. You nod. “By the tree. When the moon is up.”
He strokes his thumb along your lower lip. The rough caress of his callused skin sets your nerves alight. You poke your tongue out, a little tasting his skin, salty, warm.
He bites back a curse. “Until then.”
And then he’s gone in a few heavy footsteps, just the memory of his touch remaining. You smooth your index finger over your lip, and wonder how he will feel inside you.
******
The moon hangs heavy and fat in the sky, a near perfect circle, when you slip out of the straw bed you share with Cara.
“Oi,” she whispers, her eyes still closed. “Where you going?”
“Chamber pot.”
“No you ain’t. Going for a poke are you?”
You scoff, although you love her. “Don’t tell on me.”
“Go get him,” Cara mutters and turns over, pulling your side of the thick blanket more fully on to her own body.
You kiss her forehead and open the door very carefully. For once, God - or the Devil, considering your destination - is on your side and it doesn’t creak.
Pero is silhouetted in the moonlight; his expression hidden by the draping branches of the willow tree. Its leaves sway gently in the night breeze, framing him, like a hero in a myth.
But you know better than to believe in bedtime stories. The man kissed by moonlight is no more than flesh and blood, and no less than you want.
You reach him and he holds out his hand. His palm is so large as he folds his fingers around your own.
“Bonita,” he whispers.
“What is that?”
“Pretty.”
You feel heat creep up your face. You’ve been called a lot of things; not usually pretty. You tug his hand. “Come on.”
“Impatient?” he teases. “I like this.”
You grin back at him.
Like children you scamper down to the copse, led by the glow of the moon, gazing down upon you like a blessing or a complicit friend.
Without warning, Pero scoops you up and carries you, and you squeal, slapping your hand over your mouth so you won’t be heard.
“Never been carried like a lady,” you whisper into his neck. His thick stubble tickles your lips and it’s wonderful.
“Then it is past time for this, no?”
That he can look past your dry hair and chapped hands and plain figure and see a lady, warms your heart.
He lays you down in the circle of trees and you tense at the feeling of - a pile of blankets?
“Pretty sure most soldiers don’t supply this treatment,” you smile.
“Perhaps I want to be invited back, gatita.”
“By me?”
“Who else?”
He braces himself over you, and he is so big; so wonderfully broad. You lift your hands and smooth them over his wide shoulders. He feels warm and firm under the tunic and your tummy flips; your lower body pulling with desire; every nerve winding up tight.
You expect him to begin, then, but instead, he kisses you.
Just the brush of his lips over your own to begin with, teasing, light, and then as you tug at his hair and pull him closer, he uses his tongue and teeth, and you open for him. He licks into your mouth, and each stroke of his tongue in that parody of the most intimate act makes you wetter.
“You have done this before, no, bonita?” Pero asks against your lips.
You nod.
“Very well,” he says, moving to kiss your neck, and you are relieved beyond words that he wasn’t expecting an untouched maiden. That isn’t the kind of life you live, you are hardly a gentle noblewoman in a high tower.
You clutch at him as he makes his way down your body, uncovering you one slow inch at a time. Fireflies dance in the long grass between the trees. Your toes curl as he latches on to a nipple, and you clench one hand in his soft, worn dark tunic.
“Little kitten,” he murmurs against your damp flesh. “So perfectly formed.”
You thrill to his touch as he continues to undress you slowly by the light of the moon. You touch him your fair share, too, his hair, his shoulders, feeling under his tunic to trace the fierce scars on his back.
When he finally, finally spreads your legs and slides between them, his mouth biting gently at your inner thigh, you could scream from the need for him.
“This is what you want, no?”
“Yes,” you breathe.
His large hands settle on your hips and he begins to feast on you like a man starved.
When you come, you buck into his mouth and you bite your own hand to keep from crying out.
When you float back into your own body, he is braced over you, rubbing the blunt head of his heavy cock through your wetness, and your muscles clench; the want spirals all over again.
“Pero.”
“I’m here, cielo.”
You don’t ask what the new word is. You want him too much for that. You wrap your legs around his broad, firm hips, and dig your feet into his ass. He feels big, and you wonder if you can take him.
He pushes gently into you, letting his forehead drop against yours. The scar over his left eye is bathed in moonlight, curved in sharp relief against his golden skin, and you lift a hand and stroke it gently.
“Beautiful,” you murmur.
“That is my line, is it not?”
“Men can be beautiful.”
He pushes in a little further. The stretch is bittersweet - velvet fire.
“Good?”
“Very good.”
You clench your muscles and he breathes raggedly.
You’ve never had this much power over a man before. You do it again.
“Wretch,” he rasps, but it’s teasing; loving. He moves, then, just a little, and licks of pleasure flit up your nerve endings.
“Again.”
And he complies, over and over, and you clutch him to you as he makes love to you under the watchful kiss of moonlight.
After, you sprawl across him. His torso is littered with scars and so firm and broad that you can use him as a bed.
“Sleep, gatita,” he whispers into your hair. And so you do.
*******
The Spaniard stays.
He stays to make love to you by moonlight - sometimes in the copse, sometimes in a secluded corner of the barracks storeroom, when all others are out on a hunt. One memorable time in the kitchen before dawn, when he drizzled honey over you and oh, so slowly, licked it off.
He stays and ends up semi-adopting the kittens from the barn cat. They trail around after him. His fellow soldier, William, the Irishman, mocks him mercilessly. Pero can often be seen carrying the runt of the litter around in a little pocket you fashion for him, attached to his leathers.
Anyone who questions this receives a death glare in return.
He stays to train new soldiers.
But most of all, he stays because he has won your heart, and because you hold his in your hands.
********
Pedro Pals, assemble! @starlightmornings @skvatnavle @knittingqueen13 @djarinsbeskar @nelba @agirllovespancakes @absurdthirst @usernamesarebitches @casualpalacebagelrascal @greeneyedblondie44 @leonieb @f0rever15elf @autumnleaves1991-blog @littlemissthistle @demigod-dragonrider-schoolidol @pascalsky @buttercup--bee @astroboots @mourningbirds1 @songsformonkeys @tardisfangurl @the-ginger-hedge-witch @disgruntledspacedad @pedro4ever @roxypeanut @mrsparknuts @mrschiltoncat @pedro-pastel @lunarthoughts @officerbrowneyes @missredherring @myoxisbroken @read-and-rec @dornish-queen @abuttoncalledsmalls @wantingpedropascal @miuola @wheresarizona @ourmotherofyearning @danniburgh @jaime1110 @jaime1110 @insomniamamma @the-feckless-wonder @sarahjkl82-blog @alienprincesspoop @thirstworldproblemss @buckstaposition @lackofhonor @graveyardnails @keeper0fthestars @lilangeldevil006 @kindablackenedsuperhero @heatherbel @thegreenkid @mstgsmy @jasterslegacy @thestrawberry-thief @engineeredfiction @ladylothlorien @poenariuniverse @idreamofboobear @yoditorian @mouthymandalorian
and people who interacted with pt 1: @wildchild1964 @djarinsidebitch @quacksity @its-forevermore @itstheanxietyforme @sirarthurconanchristie @savingreading @someplace-darker @chasingdreamer @javierian @ellenmunn @theamuz @meshlamando androgynousclambonklawyer ew-erin dragcn-queen bonnieonhisside @chook007 @oh-kittykat @goldenholland mudhorn-djarin19 hyacinthsatdawn fulltimefangirl111 killerduckzilla jennajackflash querido-pascal stardust-danvers @codenamewife @kesskirata raindancejodi captainreyloswan iampearlteacup @bonktime
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the prince and the jackal | {f}
collab oneshot | fantasy! au | 11.8k words
“Because the prince of the earth can make you fall not only for nature, but the boy who rules over it.”
s u m m a r y : in the Kingdom of Terrae, you, a metalbender, believe in the deforestation to modernise the land. As a member of the Lumberjackals, you thrive on cutting down trees and stealing resources until you get caught by the Crown Prince, Choi Beomgyu, a lover and embodiment of the nature you wish to destroy. However, instead of imprisoning you for your crimes, Beomgyu decides to show you the beauty and wonders of nature, leaving you to doubt your beliefs, your identity, and your very feelings for the certain boy determined to change you for the better.
w a r n i n g s : prince! beomgyu, woodcutter! metalbender! reader, reader hates wildlife and all things nature, beomgyu is sunshine and flowers and everything good, shit ton of wildlife and fantasy stuff, bts kim line are part of the lumberjackals so are evil in this story i am so sorry y’all, beomgyu has a pet squirrel called jisung yes han jisung, kind of enemies to lovers not really but im pretending it is
p l a y l i s t : fairy of shampoo by txt | colours of the wind by judy kuhn | willow by taylor swift
a u t h o r ‘ s n o t e : yes i am back from the dead to bring this fic hello!! this is a collab with @soobmint @juunnies @bffsoobin @honeyju pls do read their parts too they’re so sexc <3 do lemme know what you all think and thank you for reading!!
back to collab masterlist
back to my masterlist
“And this prayer I make,
Knowing that Nature never did betray
The heart that loved her.” — William Wordsworth, Tintern Abbey, 1798.
“ONE MORE BLOODY TREE, AND I’LL SCREAM THIS FOREST DOWN!”
You ignored the complaints of your comrades, trekking deeper into the forest.
The sun was nearly drowned out by the towering shade of the surrounding trees, and there remained a constant buzz of the animals, either scurrying away or chirping in the skies. The cut up logs strapped on your back was a huge burden, and slowed your steps as you trudged onto the muddied pathways, staining your boots.
“_____, how much longer until we go to the markets?” one of the men asked, exhaustion clear in his voice.
“Just a few more logs, Tae,” one of the woodcutters, Seokjin, answered, casting a side-ways glance at you.
“But we’ve already got so many!” the former whined, pointing to the goods over their shoulders. “We can make decent money today!”
Unsheathing your sword, you cut away at the vines in your path, masking your sight ahead. It must be here somewhere, you thought, eyes darting sharply to every flower and bush. It has to be.
“Haven’t you fools understood already?” a snarl resonated from the group. Your horse trotted past you as Namjoon, sat on top, brought out his machete, brutally slicing the branches of the towering trees. “The wood we’ve got won’t last us all year!”
His eyes blazed with a certain greed as he looked over you all. “We must find the Tree of Life,” he declared, strolling past you, cutting down the path. “One strip of its bark could bring us a fortune.”
You listened to his statements with raised brows, following in his steps. In truth, none of you had ever seen the Tree of Life. No one in the kingdom had for centuries — it had become something of a myth, a legend passed down from every earthbender to child of its origins, and its significance. You didn’t know the great specifics, but the whole group knew that if they were to obtain even a twig from the great tree, it could grant them millions worth of gold.
And that was something the Lumberjackals desired more than the wellbeing of an omnipotent tree.
Soon, the search progressed, your group cutting down a few Ebonies for its useful properties, but there was no heavenly legend welcoming you in all its finery. The sun was descending on the horizon, and although Spring was present, you were situated in the part of the forest where the gusts of the Ice Kingdom blew consistently in your direction. The cold was about to descend, and you were far from your home in the Metallum villages.
Taehyung, the youngest of the Kim brothers, held onto a nearby oak, all strength leaving him. “I don’t know about you, but I am not travelling any further.” He glared daggers at Namjoon, who showed no signs of stopping. “I’m setting camp here, and you can do nothing to stop me.”
Seokjin joined his youngest sibling, collapsing on the patch of grass beside the gathering of flowers as he shrugged off his work of the logs. “I vote a little rest, even if Joon does not understand its meaning.”
The said-man let out a scoff at those words. “You both are just bloody lazy!” He turned to you, eyes pinning you where you stood. “You’ll keep searching with me, right?”
You agreed, but when you saw the fatigue in your leader’s gaze you grabbed the reins from his horse, stepping beside him. “You need sleep, Joon,” you said, concern in your eyes. “I’ll do another search. You three stay here.”
Namjoon held your stare for a moment before swiping his leg over the back of the horse, jumping off. He handed you the reins fully. “Come back after dawn. Us three will take over from you.”
You had a right mind to challenge the amount of time he was making you explore, but you kept your mouth shut, heaving onto the animal. Dumping your logs of wood upon the ground, you dipped your head in farewell to the Kim brothers. “I will see you in the morning, boys.”
Taehyung waving excitedly as he set up camp, Seokjin going straight to bed upon his blankets, and Namjoon’s stare cold yet understanding, you cracked the reins as the horse began to gallop away from the oaklands, and deeper into the forest.
The moon barely lit the way as you delved deeper into the trees, the sounds of nature turning sinister as the owls began to hauntingly hoot, and the wildcats began to purr. You kept your sword close, in your hand as the other steadied your horse.
You let out a hard sigh as you commenced your searching. Sometimes, only when you were alone, you wished that Namjoon would snap out of his delusions. There was no Tree of Life, no invaluable source of fortune which would challenge the earthbenders and start their industrialisation. In truth, you only wished for a life more than just cutting down wood, but your leader’s promises could be much too enticing.
Perhaps he was right. Maybe with the metalisation of Regna Terrae the metalbenders would be able to progress. It was not like the Kingdom cared for the likes of you, nor the nature which brought you to existence.
Stupid, damned forest. What good had it ever done you?
Suddenly, you heard the harsh snapping of the twigs which wasn’t from your horse. In an instant you halted, pulling the reins as your eyes darted to every corner of the dark forest.
Silence.
You furrowed your brows.
The forest cannot be trusted. Even its silences were sinister and misleading.
Slowly, you got off your horse, tying the reins to a nearby tree. “Keep still, Aurum,” you whispered. “I’ll be right back.”
Patting the mane, you turned and followed in the direction of where the sound was heard, every step quiet and cautious. There was little light, you having to rely on your ears alone, and the hands which touched trunk from trunk. In moments like these, you wished you possessed a more useful power than mere metal manipulation — firebending would have been nice, but you supposed that luck had never been in your favour.
Seething, you held onto your sword tighter, sending a little rush of power from your fingers as it sharpened the steel. No one tailing you would survive in your hands.
You then heard a little sigh, and whipped your head to the direction. Gritting your teeth, you rushed to the place of the origins, anger rising. Swiping away the branches in your path, your boots were the only sound among the quiet hush of the forest, along with the slicing of your weapon. Whoever was toying with you will not leave your wrath.
Swiping away the plants, you finally found an opening of grass among the trees. Squinting, your anger surged to find a distant figure standing before you, all masked in shadows from the lack of light within your surroundings. It stood statue-still, matching your deathly quietness.
But the figure did not seem like it offered death. Nor anything so dangerous as you promised.
“Come out!” you shouted, taking a step forward. “I know you were following me!”
No response.
“Scared, are you?!” Another hesitant step. “As you should be!”
Still, only silence answered, and the soft crunch of the leaves underneath your boots. You took a deep breath, shining your sword from the moonlight. A scoff emitted from you, nerves disappearing. This should be easy.
With an aggravated roar, swinging your weapon, you thundered towards the figure.
You rushed into the moonlight pooling onto the grass, eyes intent with damage as you willed iron-like power from your veins, and into your hands, swirling around the fuller of your sword until it reached its tip, ready to burst onto the figure.
It was then the shadows moved.
A flick of his hand. A soft glow within the darkness.
And all of nature followed suit.
You were taken aback as the thousands of vines circulating the surrounding trees unwrapped themselves from their trunks, and snapped towards you in thundering speed. You had no time to take in their stems swirling around your feet, cutting off your run towards this certain figure. A gasp escaping, you were pulled back by the impact, and let out a further scream as you began to fall flat on your face. Then, even more shock reverberated through you as your feet were pulled upwards, shooting your body up until you were suspended from a tree branch, your one foot wrapped tightly in the vines.
Your world all upside down, you shook your head vigorously, feeling the strain of your one leg under complete control of the tree. The thrum of powerful magic of nature resonated through your body, ceasing you from moving your free leg and kicking any potential passerbys.
Craning your head backwards, you saw with horror that your sword was clattered upon the ground, too far away to reach from the air. Straining your hand towards the grass, you willed your magnetic force, trying to lure your weapon into your hand.
The sword would have ended up in your grasp if another surge of the same natural magic did not break its path, sending it back on the earth.
Enraged, you looked out to the dark, sight distorted. “Gods, just come out already!” you screamed, swinging slightly by your sheer force. “Stop hiding in the damned shadows!”
There was a flutter of little animals coming out from the shadows. “Ha!” you spat, reaching for the dark. “Only sending a few creatures to scare me? You’re going to have to work harder than that!”
When there was another round of silence, you laughed harshly to yourself. “That’s what I thought.”
This time, however, you were not greeted by their usual, quiet answer.
More vines slithered down your frame, pushing your hands together. You gritted your teeth as the gnarly weeds tightened around your wrists, stopping yourself from using your hands.
Glaring daggers at the darkness ahead, you spat at the ground. “Show yourself!” you roared.
Your threats were answered.
Responded in an unimaginable way as the figure stepped into the moonlight.
You could not suppress your reaction.
The most enchanting boy you had ever seen revealed himself from the shadows. You could clearly see him from the light, the soft, child-like features amplified by his undoubted beauty — his mahogany locks curled around his face, cascading over his forehead. His gentle eyes promised great amusement, more so when they landed upon you, a ghost of a smile lingering on his lips. He was adorned in a fine green gown, few assortments strapped on his belt as leather boots, etched in ink, covered his feet. A crown of flowers and leaves settled in his curls, emitting its own, fantastical glow among the darkness.
The smile curved wider at your widened eyes. “Why so speechless now, my lady?”
By all the gods. Even his voice sounded like the sweetest honey in all the hives.
“I have come before you, now,” he continued, deeply amused by your bewilderment. “I have stopped hiding in those damned shadows, as you said.
“Where is your anger?”
Well, that seemed to bring your rage all back.
“It’s still here, you bastard!” you hissed, struggling in the rope-like vines as you tried to swipe your hand across his face. He merely took a step back, completely out of your range.
“Even without a weapon you are a force to be reckoned with,” the mysterious boy voiced out, raising his fingers as magic sparked from the tips. Instantly the vines encircled your arms, pinning them to your sides as the weeds wrapped around you completely. You were like a human-sized caterpillar, cocooned in vines except you would not turn into a butterfly and rush away into the forest.
This nuisance before you would make sure of that.
A satisfied hum escaped him. “There we go,” he said. “Now you won’t be of any danger.”
“Who even are you?” you demanded, glaring daggers at the sight before you. Terrible shame that the sight was something you wouldn’t mind witnessing for the rest of your life. Even if it was upside down.
A hint of surprise exposed upon his features. “Oh, this is amusing, indeed.”
He took a step towards you, you catching the faint scent of...flowers and trees and fruit and honey. You couldn’t really figure out a perfect essence — if nature had a scent, then this boy embodied it. “I am surprised you know not of me when you wish to destroy what I own.”
You raised a brow, at eye level with him, despite the loopy image.
Then, the gears in your head turned, and you were struck hard with the realisation.
When you wish to destroy what I own.
“Oh gods,” you slipped out.
The boy smiled.
No, not just the boy.
The Prince of Regna Terrae — the heir to the Earth Kingdom.
Choi Beomgyu.
Maybe this explained his otherworldly beauty. Crown princes of the earth kingdoms were known to be blessed by nature, so adorned the finest features known to man. Standing before you now, you cursed yourself for not seeing it before.
And cursed yourself again for cursing at him. Multiple times.
Beomgyu saw your eyes moving a mile a second and spluttered out a soft laugh, raising a finger so you focused on him. “I am glad you have figured out my identity. Now we both know what we are.”
His next words did not possess much hilarity. “I, a prince, and you, a Lumberjackal.”
The declaration had you gulping. There’s no escaping this.
He was not wrong in the slightest — you were a part of the Lumberjackals — a group dedicated to industrialising the Earth Kingdom, and giving it a head start from the other kingdoms who did not possess the natural resources that this land contained. You prided on deforestation, the cutting of wood and, even to a certain extent, the consumption of animals. Although you never participated in the last activity out of pure shame, you knew the Kim brothers certainly did, and enjoyed it to great extent.
“Do you deny it?”
You tried to look away, but his gaze was a little too intense. Even if it was reversed. “I do not.”
“And what do you have to say for yourself?” he got out, and you could hear the pain in his voice. Could you even blame him? You destroyed what he held so dear.
Still. You were a metalbender. The desire for modernisation is in your very blood.
“I do what I must do, your Highness,” you grit out, struggling in your weedy cocoon. “It is the only way we survive.
“And I will not stop.”
The boy’s eyes widened a fraction, in pure disbelief. He could not comprehend this — how could one be so against the idea of nature? How could anyone be so resolute in the decimation of what they survived on?
Prince Beomgyu cocked his head, pursing his lips.
How could one hate a deity he considered so beautiful?
He said so himself.
“How?”
You blinked.
The boy continued. “How can you hate nature?”
His question took you by surprise — you did not really know the answer yourself.
It was not like you despised the earth in all its natural form. Sure, it brought you the air you breathed, the food you ate, and the water you drank. But what else had nature given you?
You soured upon seeing the Prince’s face. You did not possess the powers other Terrae citizens were gifted with. Your branch of magic was hard, unforgiving. Simply a practicality, only useful for finding resources and making weapons.
Where were your subservient vines? Where was your natural greatness?
With this in mind, you mustered up the most brutal expression you could offer to the boy before you.
“Because nature was not kind to the likes of me. So I shall not be kind to it either.”
This time, the Prince’s eyes widened even further, afraid they would pop right out of their sockets.
Once again, his mind was in a twist — how had his dearest accomplice, his most cherished friend, been unforgiving to his subjects? He would never consider himself sheltered, but this was something quite unheard of in his kingdom.
“I know you do not believe me, but this is the only explanation I can offer.” You paused, accepting your fate. “Untie me already so you can send me to prison.”
You felt something swirl beneath the boy’s brown eyes, irises sparkling with wonderment. His voice was soft, if not lost within his own thoughts.
“I believe you, jackal,” he said. With a final step towards you, he left little distance between the two of you, eyes at level with yours as you hung from the tree. “But I cannot be satisfied with it.”
Another blink, taken aback by his declaration. “Well...well, what am I supposed to do about it?”
Shocking you further, he curled a little smile upon his lips. “Well,” he started, and as the smile began to widen further, he knew just what to do.
No, he was certainly not satisfied with her accepted hatred.
“We can start by changing that.”
It was your turn for your pupils to dilate. Gods above. This boy seems one chop away from a stump.
“What do you mean?” you demanded, but the boy was already turning on his heel, looking to the surroundings. He fell to his knees, feeling the ground beneath him with his hands. “Your Highness, what are you doing?!”
He did not deem to answer your question, only counter it with his own. “Do you have a horse nearby?”
You looked at him, surprised he figured it out by merely touching the grass. “Yes, but…”
It seemed that he did not need to hear any more, as he brought a hand out, fingers stretching. A tendril of green power burst from his palm, snaking through the dark air beyond your peripheral vision. The Prince was focused on his conjury, and you wondered what in Terrae he was trying to do.
Then, you heard a distant neighing, and found Aurum following the green trail of his magic, eyes glowing slightly.
You tried to escape the tight cage of the vines. “Gods, what are you doing with my horse?!” you exclaimed. “She hates strangers!”
The magic disappeared, along with the glow in her eyes. You could tell she was confused at her surroundings, about to raise her hind legs at the boy who spelled her. “She’ll kill you!” you warned, bracing yourself to witness the death of a prince.
It was then Beomgyu stepped towards the horse, gaze sparkling with kindness.
His hand touched Aurum’s face.
With no small amount of shock, you watched as the boy whispered to your horse, stroking her muzzle. You had never seen her be so friendly to any human she’s made contact with — by Terrae, she even deigned to show attitude to you, who had fed and groomed her since she was a mere pony. How was she sweetening up to someone she had just seen?
Maybe she’s still under a spell, you thought with malice, but then a more honest thought came to mind, and it only made you angrier.
Or perhaps animals can be just as enchanted with him as humans can.
“What are you talking to her for?” you interrupted them, letting out an aggravated groan as the cocoon engulfed you tighter. “You’re sharing words with her as if she’d spread them!”
Beomgyu slid his eyes upward to you. “I was just asking Aurum if she’d like to have an apple.”
“No, I’ll give her one myself—” you tried to say, but then stopped short. “Wait. How do you know her name?”
He looked at you as if you had asked the most ridiculous question. “Because she just told me.”
You stopped struggling in the cocoon. “What did you just say? Aurum told you?”
Hands never ceasing his comforting upon the horse, he raised a quizzical brow. “Pardon me, jackal, but do you mean to tell me that you...you cannot talk to animals?”
Maybe you were not wrong to think the heir of the Earth Kingdom absolutely crazy.
He gestured to the world around you both. “Can you not sense each and every creature nearby? Can you not hear their heartbeats, in sync to their purrs and murmurs?
���Can you not hear the very trees breathe around you?”
You did not know what to say. Perhaps you did not understand his words, what he really meant by a tree breathing. Was that even possible? You thought it unimaginable.
So you offered him the only thing that remained in your mind.
“I have never felt these things.”
The hand upon Aurum’s nuzzle paused, unable to accept the statement which you offered him.
His suspicions were confirmed. Your hatred of nature and all the beings which it birthed had rid you of your powers.
He had seen this before — lost souls who had done grave wrongdoings to the earth, and as a consequence, their very instincts were snatched, right down to the basics. There was no shortage of Lumberjackals in the palace dungeons, and upon closer inspection, he saw that these woodcutters felt no connection to their surroundings. It broke his heart seeing the lack of attachment, the lack of desire for exploration and yearning for their powers, but he knew it could not be helped.
Whoever crosses nature would not be forgiven.
Still, when he inspected the confused, tired gaze of yours, searching him for any suspected lunacy, he just knew that he could not toss you in another old cell. This plan he had in mind could not occur through rotting in one place for the rest of your life.
“Worry not then, jackal.” He raised his hand, magic blooming from his palm. “I am going to change that.”
Whispering to your horse, he listened for a soft neigh before heaving atop her back, hissing at the reins and other controls tying her down. You watched with slight fear. “W-wait a minute,” you started, trying to squeeze out of the vines, but with no luck. “You’re not going to just leave me here, are you?”
Patting Aurum’s mane, he voiced out calmly, “I wish with my whole heart, but then my plan will not work.”
You pursed your lips, watching his eyes sparkle with mischief. “If you were not a prince, I would have cursed you.”
With a flick of his hand, a rush of magic travelled to your cocoon; you felt yourself turning on your front, hovering you upright as the power gravitated you back on the ground, loosening the vines.
“Not like that has stopped you before,” he merely countered as he observed you shrug off weeds in slight humiliation. “Now get on. We have somewhere to be.”
He waited a moment, sighing when you would not oblige. “Is something the matter?”
You wanted to say yes — gods, you wanted to scream at him to get off Aurum, leave you alone and let you cut trees in peace, but of course, that would be an impossible route to take. You still had no inkling of why the Prince of your kingdom was having mercy on you, and you would be quite the fool to exploit it foolishly.
With gritted teeth, you kept your complaints behind your tongue as you brought your foot on the stirrup, heaving upwards as you brought your leg to the other side, settling upon the horse. “Now,” Beomgyu began, looking over his shoulder. “There is no need to be shy. You may put your hands around me as the horse goes fast—”
“I shall be completely fine, thank you,” you interrupted him, brows furrowed. What was this prince even doing? You wondered whether he was a fraud. With that power you witnessed, though, you highly doubted it.
And his features. There is no way a commoner could possess such enchanting beauty.
Flustered, you soured even further.
“Are you ready, jackal?”
You grunted out a yes, which was enough for the boy to command Aurum to start.
The horse, against your expectation, began galloping much faster, and with a yelp you were nearly sent flying out of the seat. Your hands, on instinct, wrapped around Beomgyu’s waist, and when you realised what you had done you cursed yourself for obliging him.
You could almost hear his grin. “I told you!” he exclaimed over the noise of hooves clattering against the rocky mud.
If only you could slap the heirs of kingdoms. “Just take me where you have in mind!” you barked back. “I need to be back to Metallum at dawn.”
“That will be just enough!”
The horse swept past more trees, animals scurrying from your path as the moon lit the dim forest path. You held onto the prince for dear life, refusing to acknowledge the hard surface beneath his silk, his ethereal warmth radiating onto you.
“Hey, jackal?”
A sigh. “Yes?”
“Your horse’s name.” A pause. “Aurum.”
You looked to the trees whooshing past your vision. “What of it?”
Beomgyu whispered for the animal to slow down, scanning his surroundings for his destination. “’Gold’. A very ingenious name.”
He glanced at your irritated face, and smiled. “My mare is called Argenti.”
Your mouth parted at the little revelation.
Argenti. Silver.
Before you could say more on the matter, the boy stopped the horse, cooing at her and praising her for helping him. Swinging his leg over, he jumped off the horse gracefully. He fixed his flower crown before turning to face you, falling rather awkwardly on the grass.
A small laugh escaping him, you daggered him with your gaze as you stepped beside him, a hand on Aurum. Your stare lingered as he took a circle turn of the surroundings, moon almost winking at him as it journeyed in the blanket of night. After a while, Beomgyu pointed to the tree nearby you, stepping past you to palm its trunk. “Here we go.”
Fingers stretching, magic spluttered as it swirled into the thick expanse of the leaves, nearly covering the sky with their excess. The matter squeezed through, and brought out the hidden vines, tumbling down till they reached the roots. Grabbing onto the plants, the prince turned his head towards you, an offer in his eyes.
You hated how you understood exactly what he meant. “I am not going up with you,” you retorted.
“It’s my arms or the dungeon.”
Gulping, you swallowed down your irritation for him. Taking a step towards him, you maintained a safe distance as you made sure he was aware of your distaste. “Just get us up already.” Damn the gods for making him so aggravatingly beautiful, you thought shamelessly as you looked at him. “Your Highness.”
Perhaps he knew, for the little smile was back, wrapping his arm around your waist, and pulling you close. “That’s more like it,” he murmured out before willing his magic into motion.
Your breathing hitched as you were pulled rapidly upward by the vines, breaking through the surface of the leaves. You closed your eyes, feeling the scraping of the branches against your clothes until you felt yourself still, listening only to the deep breaths of the prince beside you. His hand was still snaked at your side.
“Open your eyes, jackal.”
Somehow, on instinct, you obliged.
And widened them further.
You were in another world entirely — the branches expanded beyond your vision, intertwining with the others from different trees, so intricately interlinked beneath your feet that they created a floor. Upon this branching surface there was a little room, decorated with every unusual object that one could identify. Beside the bed, interwoven by these branches, you saw an abundance of flowers and leaves, an lamp of glowing fireflies resting in the corner, and a thousand other items which needed further explanation.
Judging by the awe on your face, the boy answered you, heading to the small cabinet where everything was placed. “A collection of gadgets,” he began, using his magic to separate every object. “That I’ve bought or been gifted since my princedom.” He took out a few unrecognisable things and strolled to the wardrobe, made from the same intertwining branches, and opened the doors, rummaging through.
“What are you even looking for?” you asked, but were dutifully ignored as he kept searching. You admired the intricate scenery, the plush excess of leaves beneath your shoes, shielding you and the prince nearby.
You heard him let out a satisfied ah! as he closed the doors shut. He walked over to you, showing you the rather odd object — it was an unusually large ice cube, miniscule snowflakes etched onto its every side as it orbited slowly in Beomgyu’s hand.
Your curious gaze upon the gadget had him into explanation. “A present from the Ice Prince,” he said, admiring the cold gift in his palms. “It provides an infinite water supply, so is incredibly useful for long journeys.”
“Taehyun, is he not called?” You shivered at the thought. “I am shocked to think he is capable of such small kindnesses.”
Beomgyu slid his eyes to yours. “Taehyun is not the man that his subjects have painted him to be.” His irises swirled in an indecipherable emotion. “Sometimes, one cannot judge the character of another simply based on rumour alone. Only with having conversation can one truly have an honest opinion.”
A small part of you wondered if he truly meant that for Taehyun, or to you, another villain in the Earth Kingdom’s millennia-old tale. Whatever it may be, you looked away, wondering when you’d be able to leave the prince’s presence.
“Right,” you heard him say, pocketing the other unknown object in his breast pocket of his gown. “Let us go on ground once more.”
The boy was about to tug on the vines again when he was interrupted by a most unusual sound.
Well, not unusual, considering you were situated in a tree house, but the noise was so shrill you instantly looked down to its origin.
Before you was a little squirrel, cheeks puffed as its little hands perched on its sides. Its soft tail moved rapidly behind its body, indicating irritation.
Its small, black eyes were fixated upon the boy beside you. Letting out yet another squeak, you saw Beomgyu sigh out in exasperation, as if he had just remembered an important matter.
“Oh gods, I do apologise!” He exclaimed, falling to his knees as he held his free hand out, the other holding the hovering ice cube still. “I’m afraid I cannot feed you now, but would you be able to wait?”
The squirrel let out another squeak, and this time the prince flinched. You gawked at the scene — so not only can he command the trees, but he could talk to animals?
What can this boy not do?
“Ji, I am sorry!” Fishing out an acorn from his breast pocket, he offered it before him. “I have one, if it helps! I promise to feed you properly after I am done with a certain task.”
Even so, the animal seemed much unimpressed. It then turned its little head to you, and you could have sworn that its eyes judged your very soul.
It squeaked some more, and this time Beomgyu widened his eyes, cheeks flushing. “By Mother Nature, no!” He bellowed out, panicked eyes fleeting towards you. “No, I just met her today.”
“Are you talking about me?” You asked, raising a brow. The squirrel then made another sound, one you could not decipher but, judging from the boy’s reaction, could definitely take a wild guess. “By gods, is this creature mocking me?”
You were rewarded with further squeaking, but was instantly silenced by Beomgyu. “Ji, no! I cannot have you being sarcastic tonight. Save your grievances for tomorrow morning!”
And as the prince scooped the squirrel in his hand, he walked over to the bed, settling it on the sheets. “Stay here. I will be back.”
There was sure to be complaints, but the boy kept sending looks of apology as he stepped back to the edge of the exit, tugging on the vines. “Deeply sorry for Jisung’s behaviour,” he said, swirling the cube slowly. “He is grumpier tonight as I have not fed him this evening.”
“A pet squirrel, huh?” You interrogated, looking down to the grass below. “And one you can talk to? Is that how you could communicate with Aurum?”
Nodding, the prince held his arm out. “Are we ready?”
You hurrying my shook your head. “Not again!” You crossed your arms. “I’ll slide down myself. Without your help.”
Shrugging, the boy held on tighter to the vine. “Your wish, jackal,” he said, and jumped down. Perking up, you squatted down to see him descend smoothly down the tree, landing perfectly on the grass.
Grabbing onto the plant, you looked back to the grumpy pet, stuffing the acorn in his mouth.
He then stuck his tongue out, and you gasped at the audacity. “Rude!” You shouted, but we’re only answered with shrill squeaking. Ignoring the creature, you took the vine by both hands, and followed suit.
Your descent was much less graceful, landing instead on your backside. You were met with the huffed laughter of the prince, and you forced down the urge to beat him with his stupid flower crown. Or perhaps tie these vines around his neck and strangle him.
No, that would only result in him using his silly magic. Awful, attractive bastard.
“What are we doing now, Highness?” You wondered out loud, rubbing your sore backside. “Do tell me there is some use of your rather odd ice cube.”
Beomgyu, after strolling further into the woods, slowed himself for you to catch up. “There is some use, unfortunately for you.” He waved you over, stepping past the wild bushes in his path. “Follow me, jackal!” he called out to you.
Grudgingly, you did as he asked, hugging yourself from the cold breeze of the midnight, wondering where in Terrae he was trying to take you. The trees towered over you like intimidating strangers — if the prince spoke true, then you wouldtuly be unwelcome.
You were surrounded by this coercion until the forest opened up to an open grassland, encircled by the nature which looked down at you. Beomgyu turned to you, bringing out a few seeds from his trouser pockets and standing right in the middle of the circle.
“There you are,” he said as you stepped beside him. He glanced at the moon, measuring the amount of time he had left.
“What are you going to do?” you asked him, still clueless regarding the whole situation. Why has he not sent you to the dungeons already?
His eyes travelled to your face. With a half-soft scoff, he held out his hand, the seeds now in perfect view. “It is not what I’m going to do,” he began. “It is what you are going to do.”
The confusion grew within you. “What do you mean?” you tried to clarify. “What am I to do with these seeds?”
Beomgyu’s eyes promised answers. “Bring out your hand, jackal.”
You did as you were told, holding out your hand as he put the seeds in your palm, fingers barely brushing against your skin. He then descended, knees upon the grass as he patted to the space beside you. “Come, sit.”
Pursing your lips in thought, you knelt before the grass, seeds in your enclosed fist as your gaze never strayed from the boy. “Your Highness—”
Magic oozing from his fingers interrupted your demand, slipping into the earth. Slowly, but surely, a small hole was separated by the green matter, dirt being shovelled to create a dip in the grassland.
Once he ceased his conjuring, he jerked his head towards the new opening. “Place the seeds in the hole,” he instructed. “Gently now! Treat them with the utmost care.”
Grumbling in response, you leaned forward as you gingerly put each seed at the corners of the muddy dip, noticing a small spark with each placement of the grain. It was a bizarre feeling, but assumed it normal in the ways of gardening as you inserted the dirt over them, covering them fully.
You peered at the prince then, who brought out the large ice cube. Turning it rapidly, treacle of water dripped down to the ground, moistening the earth and feeding the seeds of its necessities. Putting the gadget back in his storage belt, he then returned his hand upon the damp mound, closing his eyes in a fixated peace. More magic swirled from his hands, but this time it encircled not only the place where you had placed the seeds, but you, all of you, engulfing you in its otherworldly warmth.
“Your Highness?” You whispered out, but he was murmuring, murmuring words you could not comprehend, words which felt like you were not meant to hear. His curls were being lifted slightly with the tendrils of his power, but he stayed rooted to his spot, carrying on with what you feared was a grotesque ritual.
You, too, became still when you felt fingers curl around your hand.
On instinct you looked at him, eyes widening — you should have expected his hand to radiate some form of heat, considering this boy had such an unusual glow about him, but this…
Despite the soft chaos around the two of you, the touch was oddly comforting.
His hand, dragging you out of your thoughts, led yours to the place you sowed the little grains of life, and spread apart your fingers till they covered nearly the entire, dug up earth. More matter escaped from his fingers, shooting further warmth upon the back of your hand, and travelling up to your heart.
“Close your eyes, jackal,” you heard him chant from his cocoon of magic. “I need you to see from within.”
“See what?!” You beseeched, but his fingers held onto you a little tighter, and, as if he commanded your very body, had your eyelids descend shut, cornering you into the chambers of your mind.
See from within.
What could you see?
Darkness. Eternal darkness, and rusted iron, spilled mercury, and all the grim faces of the people who wanted to decimate the very place you knelt in.
I cannot see! You screamed in your mind, because in the whirlwind of his power you felt alone, trapped in your own mind, trying to join in on a ritual which would cursed the likes of you.
But in reality, you were not alone.
No, not when you felt something foreign in your body.
You swore you stopped breathing.
Your fingers felt squeezed by another, but was ignored because you could see a whole other heartbeat which was not your own.
A familiar voice entered your mind.
“Do you see it?”
The prince’s voice; the soft, almost desperate inquiry, which you could not help but answer.
“Yes...yes, by Terrae, I do see it.”
And perhaps he said some more, but you were not listening to his words. His speech seemed a little insignificant to the little heartbeat — it was as faint as the scent of departure, delicate as a snowflake, and as real as yourself, the prince, and the neverending forest.
When you tried to lift your hand, Beomgyu’s fingers halted you still. You could not believe that you did not mind it. “Whose...whose is it, your Highness?”
You were positive that he did not hear you with the lack of volume you let slide from your tongue. However, he answered your question, almost feeling the joy radiating from his response.
“The seeds.”
Shocked, you opened your eyes, and found the Prince of Earth staring at you with an elevated joy. He gestured to observe your creation, and when your eyes fell upon the sliver of a stem which broke through the earth, between the spaces of your fingers, you wondered whether this was all a dream.
You could not help the curse which escaped you. The boy beside you spluttered into laughter, and you turned to see his face radiating with elation. The heartbeat, the one which you thought was under your control, proved you wrong as it skipped its beat along to his laughs.
“Wh-what are you laughing at?” You demanded, but you were unable to execute it with the anger you wish you held for him. He offered you a honeypot of smiles.
“You’ve brought life to the forest, sweet jackal.”
The little plant shivered in response, along with your own hairs at the back of your neck, which stood at his announcement. Its faint heartbeat grew louder, as well as your own in your ears.
“Do you feel it now?” he whispered, leaning ever so close as he looked to the forest around you. “Do you feel the trees breathing in your presence?”
Unfortunately, although you could sense your plant’s essence, the heartbeats of every tree in the forest were still unheard. You shook your head no, but that did not wipe the grin off his face.
“We have time,” he reassured you. “Just know that Mother Nature has hope for you still.”
He took your hand, putting another upon the back as he brought you a different kind of warmth. “I have hope for you.”
You parted your mouth, unaccustomed to the contact, the kindness...to all that he represented.
His eyes locked with yours, and although he had spared you the wrath of his palace dungeons, you feared whether you could escape the imprisonment of his gaze.
There was no doubt in your mind as you let yourself be arrested into his stare — the Prince of the Earth was not going to haunt just a single night.
FRATERNISING WITH THE HEIR OF REGNA TERRAE WOULD BE THE DEATH OF YOU.
Of course, that was not the last time you saw him — you had become something of a personal project to him, a sin which must be reversed. Almost every night after the fateful encounter, you snuck out from the fences of the Metallum villages, barely evading the suspicious eyes of the Kim brothers, and met with him under his treehouse.
You did not know why you endeavoured so ardently in seeing him. It was not like he had become any less irritable with his amused grins and unmatched power, but there was something about him which you could not fend off.
In a way, he made you believe you were worth more than simple woodcutting, selling oaks in the market, the empty promises of revenge against the Natural Kingdom.
Somehow, he made you realise that, maybe, you truly were deserving of a more memorable path.
These very thoughts accompanied you as the sun began to set, pulling your hood over your head as you swept past the familiar trees, reining in the urge to greet every woodland creature which scurried past you. The past few weeks, after many misunderstood arguments with the Prince’s pet squirrel, you learned the slight quirks which the animal possessed, his every movement and what it would signify. You had Beomgyu to thank once again, but each time you wished to do so, he would say the same, hair-rising reassurance.
“Fret not, sweet jackal. It is a pleasure to show you the wonders of nature.”
Sweet jackal. The endearment made you so flustered, and that aggravated you to the greatest extent. You had already shared your name with the boy, but he insisted on calling you this name, as if the two of you had already established an intimacy from decades before.
The very thought had your actual heartbeat racing.
You made sure to completely dismiss this foolery as you found the special opening of the grassland in sight, the glowing figure waving you over. A small smile involuntarily curled at your lips, hurrying closer till you fully saw Prince Beomgyu’s face clearly in the setting sun.
“You have arrived much earlier this evening,” he said in a way of greeting, fixing his flower crown as his squirrel played with the petals. “I would not say I’m displeased.”
On your part, you certainly were not either — he bore more finery than usual, his normal green gown threaded with gold swirls at the hems, small vines tied around his ears as natural jewellery. His hair was sprinkled with petals, a trait Jisung adored as he settled in the nest of his locks. His hands, too, were intertwined with dark vines, swirls wrapped around his fingers like extended rings.
By the gods, he truly was an exquisite being.
He noticed your silence, raising a groomed brow. “Is something the matter?” he asked, but when he saw your eyes dart to anywhere but his own, he immediately understood. You just managed to catch a satisfied quirk of his lips before he turned his attention to your plant.
Following his trail, you brightened up to see your creation in full bloom — bright red poppies, stark against the pool of grass, stood as they swayed to the evening breeze. You knelt down to observe them closer, and felt a peculiar sense of pride at sensing their clear heartbeat harmonising with yours.
“They’re my favourite flower,” the boy said behind you. “I have always adored how they stand out amongst all the others.”
Watching the poppies almost dance in the cool air, you stood upwards once again. “Then why do you not wear them?” you asked out of curiosity.
“Because my parents do not like me wearing them.” He gestured to the flower crown, at risk of being torn up by Jisung. “They say the colour is too harsh.”
He clicked his tongue in irritation. “At least they could have spared me on my birthday.”
You were about to comment on his parents when those words escaped his mouth. Your own mouth parted in surprise. “Your birthday is today?”
The prince mocked being stabbed in the chest, nearly sending the squirrel to the trees. Taking Jisung from his hair, he propped him on his shoulder. “You have truly wounded me, ____!” he whined. “All this time together, and you had no inkling?”
Although he was only jesting, it only embarrassed you further. “I truly am sorry, your Highness!” you apologised, clasping your hands together. “If I had known, I would have made you a present.”
“Oh?” He took a step towards you. His eyes danced in mirth. “And what would you have made me?”
That seemed to rob you of your speech. “Well, um…” you trailed off, searching your now useless mind of any decent idea for a gift, but he waved off your fluster, chuckling.
“It is no problem, dear jackal,” he said, looking at the red flowers once more. “Seeing your poppies in full growth is a gift to me anyway.”
You wished he had not said that; glancing at them now, you could only hear his fascination within the petals.
There he was again — staining your every entity of his remnants. How much more till he stains your very soul?
Jisung’s irritated squeak brought you back to the forest. You tried not to murder the damned creature as you muttered out, “Thank you, Your Highness.”
Beomgyu groaned out. “I shan’t have you calling me that hideous title all the time.” He put a hand to his chest. “Have we not reached first name basis?”
Despite your surprise, you offered him a scoff. “Jackal is not my first name,” you jeered. “And please. You’re the prince of our land. Anyone who catches me being informal with you will surely have my head.”
“I would never let them,” he merely said. “Not before I show you one last part of the forest.”
You quirked a quizzical brow. “I think you’ve shown me half your kingdom by now.”
“But this is...quite different.”
The boy stepped closer to you, reaching out his hand. You found yourself warming up as he enveloped it with yours, a gesture so small yet so triggering to your nerves.
“Follow me, ____.”
With the tug of his fingers, you were led out of the grasslands and back into the jungles of Regna Terrae, catching familiar sights of ancient mahoganies and birches, different variations of trees all grouped together.
As the moon began to ascend, your anxiety increased. His hand worked wonders for your skin, but at the back of your mind, you could not shake off the image of the Kim brothers wondering where you had gone so long.
Especially Namjoon. Seokjin and Taehyung may have been much simpler in the brain, but the leader of the trio bore his suspicions of your whereabouts. He always knew you were never enthusiastic of your occupation as a Lumberjackal, so your sudden interest to roam the woodlands for hours into the night certainly had his ears perking. Of course, you always made sure to know that you were going without being followed, but in the end, the three brothers were quite unpredictable.
You just hoped that whatever the prince had to show you, it would be seen quick enough to leave.
The density of the forest began to increase, and you soon began to doubt whether you had been to this part of the Kingdom before. It was then Beomgyu’s hands flowed with magic, and completely changed the scenery. The ancient trees, trunks as wide and thick as horses began to move apart to make way for him and you, the squirrel holding onto his shoulder tightly as it too squeaked in surprise. Your own eyes widened as each element of nature bent to his will, creating an easier path for his boots to step onto.
It was clearly a sight for admiration. These few weeks you had begun to realise the power of the earth, and how rich and true its roots lay. You felt the faint hum of their essences as you rushed past them, hand still clasped with his, and you dipped your head in thanks to the trees, hoping that one day you would hear them sing welcomes to you.
Slowing down, the group was barred by the curtain of thick vines, hiding you from the world behind. “I have never seen this before,” you wondered out loud, but when Beomgyu let go of your hand, and stepped forward, hands stretched out, your curiosity reigned further.
Jisung quickly scurried from his shoulder, ending up on the muddied path as he watched with black eyes of the phenomenon about to occur. You made to make fun of the squirrel when the prince let out an aggravated moan, hurling your head to his direction.
His heavenly voice chanted in a millennia old language, huge power emitting from his finger tips and swirling to the tumbling vines of the entrance. You could see the sweat beading down his forehead at the sheer effort it took, but he stayed rooted, sending surges of green matter to the cold nature.
Slowly, the curtain began to withdraw. Blinding light cut through, and when the boy let out a roar, pushing the whole family of vines apart you hid your head from the white bursting through.
There was a deathly silence for a singular moment.
You heard his ragged breathing, lasting for ten seconds before it turned into relieved, panted chuckling.
Bringing your hand away from your face, you looked to see beyond the curtain.
Your very breath was snatched from your lungs.
Before you was the most enchanting deity of nature you had ever seen in your existence — it was a glowing white tree, trunk as wide as the two of you twice over, etched with milky-coloured wrinkles that contained sparkles of ancient magic. The leaves, much like finely cut diamonds, protruded from every branch which stretched towards every corner the eye could see. The diamonds were infinite, shining from the gentle light of the moon.
Even though you had never seen it before, you knew exactly what it was.
“The Tree of Life.”
Your gaze dared to break away to see the prince for a second, whose own breathing seemed to have halted. Sensing your stare, he looked back at you, his face half glowing from the deity’s light.
“I...I thought it did not—” you tried to say, but of course you could not when it was right there before you, as if it had been waiting to be found all its life.
“Exist?” He took a step forward. “Every myth is borne from truth after all.”
Indeed it was — you had learned of the Tree of Life when you were a mere girl, listening to fairy tales before being told to sleep. This Tree could not be seen by the common man, and legend foretold that there lived an otherworldly creature inside its trunk. Evidently, no one could prove this theory, but its mystery had what inspired so many people, metal and earthbenders alike, to find it, for opposing reasons.
You knew why Namjoon wanted to find it — for the amount of gold a singular leaf could bring him. Now, having accused him of believing in fantasies, you almost felt ashamed for having ridiculed his searches.
“Come.”
You perked up at the Prince’s voice.
“You must get a closer look.”
Picking up the pace of your feet, you fell into step beside him as the two of you started towards the legend come to life. The closer you approached the more enchanting it looked — the leaves glistened further, as if greeting you with their shine.
Jisung scurried between you both, his little head never straying from the Tree. It let out an awed squeak, and Beomgyu hummed in agreement.
“Have you ever seen anything like it?”
You shook your head, transfixed. “Never,” you responded, feeling the very earth shift beneath your feet.
If nothing else convinced you of the power of nature, then the existence of this deity certainly did.
You stepped past the boy, the grass hushed beneath your feet as you stretched out your hand. When your fingers touched the milky bark your breath shuddered out of you. It was simply unreal. The touch was surprisingly soft, so unlike the normal trees, and with each crack of the bark there was ancient writing inscripted within. With further shock you felt a very distant heartbeat as the fingers ran along the words, faint yet powerful.
By the gods.
“Where have you been hiding all this time?” you whispered to the Tree, tracing the aged trunk. “Your Highness, is everything about the legend true?”
There was no response — you figured he was still star-struck, and you continued to admire the most beautiful force you had ever seen.
It was not until you heard Jisung’s shrill squeak that you turned around.
You felt your soul leave your body.
Because there he was, the one man you dreaded to see. The one man who held Beomgyu’s unconscious body in his hands as he dropped him upon the grass. You noticed the little dart on the side of his neck, and all the blood in your body was drained.
Kim Namjoon.
His answering smirk was more a flash of teeth. “Do you believe me now, ____?”
You backed up against the Tree, eyes darting to the prince. “What did you do to him?” you asked instead, voice void of any emotion.
“That does not matter,” he dismissed. “But of course, it would matter to you now that you’ve attached yourself to him.”
He took a step forward, his ebony machete glinting in the light of the phenomenon behind you. “Stand aside, girl. It is time to make our fortunes.”
On instinct, you stretched a hand out. “I cannot.”
The man was taken aback by your hesitance. “Whatever the gods do you mean?”
Gulping, you tried to steel your will, inhaling slowly. “I cannot let you do it, Namjoon.” Your eyes glanced at the still prince before glaring at the perpetrator. “You won’t get a single branch of the Tree.”
A harsh laugh escaped him, taking a step forward. “Oh, and you’re going to stop me?”
You brought out your own sword — the one which you promised to use on Beomgyu — and raised it toward him. “Do not come any further,” you warned.
It seemed the man was not not going to compromise.
Not when he swung his machete, well on his way to hack you to pieces.
You quickly brought your weapon upon you to deflect his aim, sending him forward, and away from the Tree.
He can try and hurt the Tree of Life.
Easily gaining step, Namjoon mustered his power, ebony sharpening from his fingers as he clashed against you, lightening-fast strikes of his machete having you strained. You never doubted the bastard’s swordsmanship — he was skilled enough to be a general in the King’s royal army.
A shame he chose his fighting for a darker purpose.
You tried to slice the free space of his abdomen, but the man was sharp, quickly dodging as he swerved to the side, another clash of weapons ringing around the forest.
“You cannot beat me, ____!” He roared, one hit after the other, sending you further back.
Taking every hit, you stumbled, gaining your step yet staggering once again with his sword. After all, you could not outsmart the master; he was the man who taught you to fight.
Even so, you refused to give up. “I can die trying!” You seethed as he brought his strength down. His weapon, screeching against your own, slowly descended, closer and closer to your neck.
A harsh groan escaping, you mustered all your strength into sending his machete aside, barely a spare second in your name before you whirled to your left, missing the power blow.
“All this for a bloody tree!” He screeched, thundering towards you. “We would have been rich, you fool!”
Another mighty hit, and you were sent back, averting his strikes with your sword. Because you were so exhausted, your magic would not burst from your hands, adding more power to your weapon. It was your melee strength, nearly all gone, and your nimble feet.
“What is all this for?!” He demanded, slicing at your cloak, cutting through the fabric of your trousers. The clash of weapons continued, faster and faster. “What is worth more than all the riches of the Kingdom?!”
Amidst the brawl, your eyes slipped to the figure before you. Distant, yet instantly recognisable with his eyes closed, and mouth parted, flower crown scattered around his head. Jisung, too, laid injured beside him, watching your fight with fear in his little eyes.
What is all this for?
You only had one person in mind.
But that was not enough.
No, not when that sliver of a second gave Namjoon enough time to strike you, sending his machete straight into your stomach.
A shuddered gasp escaped you as the machete entered through — a burst of pain shot through your entire body, echoing the fatality of your situation. Tears stung your eyes as you dropped your sword, looking at your opponent in the eyes.
The Leader of the Lumberjackals showed no mercy as he yanked out his weapon.
A moan rushed past your lips as you fell to your knees, gripping your blood-gushing stomach. Namjoon gazed down at you with no remorse at all. “Perhaps he was not enough,” he said, cold as metal.
He stepped past you, focusing on the glistening Tree of Life, its white treasures still exalted in the moonlight. Your body, completely spent, could not hold you upright, falling straight into the grass. Straining, you cried out as you stretched your hand out in vain efforts to stop him, but it was simply no use.
You had been defeated.
And now, after witnessing the most perfect element of nature you had ever seen, you were to watch it be decimated.
This is how it ended. You, fumbling for your last breath, your prince nearby and probably dead.
Namjoon raked his eyes over the Tree, grinning wildly. “Oh, you are going to make me the richest man in the Kingdom,” he declared, raising his machete till it hovered just before the bottom of the trunk.
He elevated his voice so you could hear. “Enjoy watching me destroy what you sacrificed yourself for!”
Closing your eyes, you were about to let oblivion take over.
You awaited the sound of his weapon against the bark.
What you heard was something completely different.
An explosion filled your ears as white light, even more blinding than the one before, had you squeezing your eyes further shut. You made out the screams of your once leader as it was drowned out by the eruption, and you tried to see what had so suddenly occurred, only to be greeted with more brazen lights.
What...what was going on?
When the deafening noise quietened, you picked up on the soft crunch of grass, edging closer and closer to you. A compelling force was felt against your dying soul, and you wondered if the Reaper had finally come to take you.
When you felt air-light hands on your abdomen, you did not expect death to be so warm.
Slowly, dragging open your eyes, you prepared yourself to be taken to the afterlife.
What you saw instead was something else entirely.
Something which made even the Tree of Life as a mediocre enchantment.
Looking over you was not human — not with the glowing, shimmering skin, sparkles and shine radiating off its golden, liquid body. Her eyes were white with the same light you had seen twice this evening, fluid locks of hair flowing all around her. Her lips offered a radiant smile, already bringing some life back into you, and her whole body, although similar to yours, was free of attire, exuding the light of a star.
Perhaps you truly were dead.
The being, however, proved you wrong with her words.
“Brave human,” she began, and her velvet voice had you clutching your stomach. “I saw what you did to defend me.”
You tried to open your mouth to tell her that you defended the Tree, but then your eyes dilated at the revelation.
The legend foretold that there lived an otherworldly creature inside its trunk.
But this...this god-like creature was not just a mere girl.
“You sacrificed yourself for my Tree,” she stated, voice echoing across the woodlands. “For my forest, my every creation, despite being an enemy of mine in the past.
“You deserve a token of my gratitude.”
Her voice nearly put you to sleep with the way it lulled in the midnight air. You wondered in your tired mind what she could offer you now that you were breathing your last breath.
Then, you felt her hands upon your stomach.
A loud groan escaped your lips as the torn flesh began to stitch on its own accord, courtesy of the magic which poured from the sublime being. Your whole body worked to heal you, reversing the damage done by your once leader, whose whereabouts you had no inkling of.
The pain, which once tore at every nerve within you, began to fade away, and you opened your eyes further after gaining the strength, fully taking in the earthly spirit which had restored you.
You parted your mouth, voice parched as you rasped out, “I...Beomgyu…”
A heavenly smile curled at her lips. “The prince is fine, soldier. It would take more than a dart to eliminate the heir of the Earth.”
A relieved breath left your lips. You then looked to the being, putting your hands above hers. “I am not who I was,” you whispered.
Mother Nature smiled down at you, and you knew then and there that perhaps the world is not so cruel after all.
“I know, brave human.”
The luminous creature ascended to her feet, letting go of your hands. She dipped her head in acknowledgment, and turned on her heel. Struggling to your side, you watched as the otherworldly figure stepped up to the Tree of Life, looking at you one last time.
Raising a hand to her chin, she blew some magic towards your way, bathing you in sparkles. With a final beam, she slipped into the tree, enlivening the whole structure till it stood straight once again.
You truly could not believe what you saw.
Feeling the glimmer dancing on your skin, however, you knew this was not a figment of your imagination.
Mother Nature saved you from death.
Truly, utterly, ethereal.
Your thoughts were interrupted when you heard soft coughing nearby, and you heaved upward at the sound, your strength all present.
Beomgyu.
Upon your feet, you rushed to where he lay, stumbling from the hurrying as you fell to your knees, hands clinging onto his face. Jisung, his injuries healed from the celestial visit, scurried upon his owner’s chest, waiting for him to awaken.
“Beomgyu?” You murmured out, fingers stroking the soft planes of his cheeks. “Beomgyu, damn you, open your eyes!”
Tilting his face till it faced you, you watched as the prince’s eyes fluttered open, tired and wide and absolutely beautiful.
A trembling breath gasped out of you. “What…” he grated out, rubbing his eyes with his knuckles. “What just...happened?”
You willed the tears in as you caressed his face. “The legend was true.”
His confused gaze had you continuing. “Beomgyu, I saw the celestial creature when I was dying, and she saved me. It was true, Beomgyu, she healed me with her hands and—”
Your rambling ceased when the boy brought his fingers to your face. Warmth flooded your cheeks, and not because of how hot his hands were.
His smile could have easily beaten Mother Nature’s.
“You called me Beomgyu.”
He did not let you respond as he brought your face down to his, tilting it slightly as he pressed his lips against yours, enveloping you in a sweet kiss.
His mouth was warm, just like him, soft and plush, rendering you helpless over him. Your shock was quite prevalent, but you let the affection take over as you kissed him back, hands carding in his curls. He moved against your lips as his fingers stroked down to your jaw, savouring every feathered touch.
When he broke away, his breathing was ragged, cheeks flushed. He saw your own dishevelled gaze and chuckled to himself.
“I think this might be the best birthday present I have ever received.”
The Prince of Regna Terrae laughed some more when you refused to meet his eyes.
You were about to counter him when you heard another, completely new voice.
“You both could have done that without me being here.”
Your stare dove to his chest, to the direction of the sound.
Jisung the squirrel glared at you with the entire irritation of the Kingdom. “Oh what? So now you can hear me?!”
A yelp resounded from you. “How are you talking?!” You screeched. “You’re a bloody animal!”
“Oh, thank you so very much for stating the blatantly obvious!” He drawled, and you could not comprehend the sarcasm that just came from a bloody woodland creature.
You peered at Beomgyu, who was just as surprised as you were, despite his entertained features. “____,” he started, sitting up straighter. “Does this mean—”
Getting to your feet, you looked around the forest, the Tree of Life standing proudly.
It was then you sensed the heartbeat.
Not just your own, or the poppies — but of the entirety of the Kingdom.
Faraway, yet still present, it thumped against your chest like an echo of your own heart, a harmonisation of all the trees, bushes, flowers and animals. It was almost enchanting how it slowly thudded within you, and with such welcome.
Like greeting a friend you had not seen for a long time.
When you caught the Prince’s gaze, his entire face lit up.
Before you could say anymore, you were swept into the boy’s arms, engulfing you with a hug of eternal warmth. His voice rang along your soul as he declared to the whole word.
“Nature has accepted you, ____!”
You heard the clicked tongue of Jisung beneath you, and Beomgyu brought you at arm’s length before sticking out his tongue at his pet.
He looked to you once more, and saw the very emotions you dared not let yourself believe in.
“I knew you were capable of change, sweet jackal.”
The tears, this time, refused to be held back any longer.
The boy melted as he swept away each tumbling drop with his fingers, clutching your face.
As you leaned in this time, kissing him breathlessly, you tasted the smile which flourished upon his lips, drinking in your every essence.
You wondered, thinking away as your heart beat faster, whether this was still a dream, a vision which would end the moment you woke up, back in the cold village you once called your home.
When you felt the presence of the celestial being again, looking down from the branches of the Tree of Life, you knew that this was no delusion.
Pulling away, you turned Beomgyu to the glistening, living structure, both of you catching sight of her.
Mother Nature smiled at her heirs.
The both of you knew it in your hearts, simultaneously beating.
The heirs of Regna Terrae would not let her down.
#txt imagines#beomgyu imagines#beomgyu fluff#txt fluff#choi beomgyu imagines#choi beomgyu fluff#choi beomgyu#beomgyu oneshots#txt oneshots#choi beomgyu oneshots#beomgyu soft#choi beomgyu soft#beomgyu scenarios#choi beomgyu x reader#choi beomgyu x you#beomgyu x reader#beomgyu x you
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Design and Mythology motifs in the Personas of Persona 2
PART 4 - ETERNAL PUNISHMENT’S ULTIMATE PERSONAS
Capping off this little analysis series, we come to a close as we take a closer look at the EP party’s ultimate personas.
Consider reading the previous three installments. As always, this is my interpretation and observations. Not everything written here is officially confirmed by Atlus.
Astria - Ulala’s Ultimate Persona
Asteria (mispelled as Astria in the 2000 translation of Eternal Punishment) was the Titan of Falling Stars and Astrology, as well as prophetic dreams. After being chased by Zeus in the form of an eagle, she turned herself into a quail and flung herself into the ocean and formed the island that Artemis and Apollo would later be born on.
Ulala’s Astria takes the shape of a woman in a large sweater and long boots with yellow stripes running down them almost giving them the appearance of the lines typically drawn behind shooting stars in media. She has 2 sets of planetarium projectors attached to her, which is also known as a star projector, and is a device used to project images of celestial objects onto the dome in a planetarium.
While not as bound as Ulala’s Callisto, Astria’s knees are bound by a chain, and she appears to be wearing a ball gag. Items such as these are common in BDSM practices. This incarnation of Ulala’s persona has her hands free however, and this could represent that she’s more in control of her circumstances, or at least more accepting of them.
Astria represents the pinnacle of the Star Arcana, as well as further separates the Eternal Punishment cast from the Innocent Sin one with the usage of Titans instead of Gods.
Hyperion - Katsuya’s Ultimate Persona
Hyperion was the Titan god of heavenly light, and the father of the lights of heaven; Eos the Dawn, Helios the Sun, and Selene the Moon. Hyperion's name means "watcher from above" or "he who goes above".
His design was made specifically to mirror Tatsuya’s Apollo, but he invokes a more authoritative aesthetic with his tasseled boots and his long elegant sleeves. His face is covered by a sun or star-like disk, but from what is visible we can tell Hyperion’s face is not split in half like Apollo’s.
His hands are split, but where Apollo had two gems encrusted in his, Hyperion only has the blue gem and an empty slot in the other. This could be in reference to the fact that Katsuya is from this side as opposed to Tatsuya who is technically from both. However, the gem is blue which is the colour used to refer to Innocent Sin, so it could be an even more direct reference to Tatsuya and his origins.
Hyperion helps to further the connection between the two Suou brothers, as well as cement Katsuya’s role as Tatsuya’s caretaker. Like Astria, Hyperion also helps to distinguish the difference between the casts of EP and IS with the usage of Titans as opposed to Gods.
Prometheus - Baofu’s Ultimate Persona
Prometheus was the Titan god of forethought and crafty counsel who was given the task of molding mankind out of clay. His attempts to better the lives of his creation brought him into conflict with Zeus. For his crime against Olympus he was chained to a mountainside where an eagle would eat his liver daily. He’s often synonymous with divine knowledge.
He takes the form of a man in a futuristic suit of armor that encases him almost entirely, representing the rocks he was chained to in myth. The suit also vaguely resembles a computer tower.
Prometheus mirrors Baofu’s past as a prosecutor, who in trying to do the right thing ended up learning too much for his own safety and ended up losing the life of his assistant Miki. Baofu’s own self inflicted punishment was the guilt he held following her murder.
Eventually Prometheus was freed from his torment by Heracles, but unlike him, Baofu managed to free himself by facing his demons.
Again, his role as a Titan further cements the stark contrast between the IS and EP casts.
Yamaoka - Nanjo’s Ultimate Persona
Unlike every other single persona in the entire series, Yamaoka was once Nanjo’s butler and father figure. He’d been the young heir’s caretaker since he was born, and eventually died protecting an innocent woman’s life. His death caused Nanjo’s initial persona to awaken, and he vowed to become the number one man in Japan to make him proud.
He takes the form of an angel, complete with wings and a halo. He rides on a hoverboard and is wielding a spear.
It was due to his desire to protect his surrogate son that he was able to become a persona and reunite with Nanjo.
Gabriel - Eriko’s Ultimate Persona
Gabriel is a high-ranking messenger angel and true archangel in Christianity. Their name means "God is my strength" and is known to be the left hand of God and the embodiment of the holy spirit, in contrast to Michael (Eriko’s ultimate persona in Persona 1) who is the right hand of God. Gabriel was the angel who informed The Virgin Mary that she would give birth to Jesus.
Eriko’s Gabriel takes the form of a feminine humanoid being in an outfit similar to Eriko’s own, but with green instead of orange as the accent colour. They’re holding a lily (which is often held when Gabriel is presenting as female), and protruding from them are pipes similar to those on pipe organs (which are mostly used in churches).
While no story comparisons can be made between the two, there’s no doubt that an angel such as Gabriel suits Eriko beautifully with their elegance and grace.
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The Luciferian Path
From being a Luciferian for the majority of my life, I’ve had the honour of being mentored by Lucifer and his wife, Lilith. Both of whom have transformed me in incredible ways and have helped me to overcome many of my greatest internal and external struggles. From this, I would like to share my insight and advice for those interested in starting or just curious about Luciferianism in general.
When we accept to be mentored by Lucifer (or any other demon), we are embracing a path of trials so we may evolve, for every demon teaches through adversity. As Lucifer is the Light of creation who was born from darkness, he represents the light of wisdom that can be found in the depths of struggle. He has taught me that the only way one can be reborn and develop wisdom is to have themselves destroyed and gradually remade through healing and spiritual awakening. This is no easy procedure, but every birth is painful. Our path will lead us through the depths of Hell, facing all of our insecurities, negative habits, deepest fears, and false beliefs so they can be torn away to reveal our highest potential. It takes a truly courageous soul to do this, which is why Luciferianism is not for the faint of heart. This is the sort of religion that aims to turn us into warriors and sages, but in turn, it makes us outcasts from a world of people who do not seek higher knowledge and progress.
Spiritual Evolution through Rebirth:
This is both the most important thing a person can do in life, but also the most difficult. From what I have learned, every planet with life is created in order to be a place of teaching, so the purpose of life is to evolve in knowledge and become more than ordinary beings. Once this happens and we become enlightened, we will not have to reincarnate again. It is however very tempting for most people to shun this sort of path so they can relax or focus on mundane things, but this ultimately gets us nowhere and will have no rewards in the end.
Most importantly for Rebirth, we need to learn how to let go of unnecessary attachments, negative habits and thought-patterns, as well as fears. This is why shadow work is very helpful so we can analyze our traumatized self and heal them through understanding. Through embracing a path of suffering, we become stronger, more experienced, and also less afraid. It is the path of exposure that leads to the tower of wisdom, not the path of gentleness. Once we accept this and overcome our weaknesses, life becomes so much easier and we gain great pride in ourselves. Though do not think that this means those who do you harm are doing you a favour, it is how we view the negative situations that help us, not the people themselves. Additionally, suffering should not be sought after, only accepted and conquered when it arises.
So when you say you wish to evolve as a person, remember the responsibilities and trials that come with it. You will have to face the long and cold night before the dawn rises, but when it comes, you will not be the same as who you were before. If you wish to shed your doubts and your insecurities, you will need to have the strength to destroy them and embrace whatever hardships come your way. So like the wise serpents, we must shed our old skin to become anew. It is due to this that adversity is the best of all teachers. So as one of my favourite quotes puts it, “holy wisdom is not clear and thin like water, but thick and dark like blood.”
Learn Everything, Question Everything:
With Lucifer being a god of knowledge, it is by no surprise that this is something Luciferians hold very dear to their hearts. We are encouraged by him to learn anything and everything, constantly expanding ourselves, and being eternal students to truth-seeking. However, the worst thing about books and documents is that it is all too easy to portray a lie as truth and have people believe it in herds. We need to become independent critical thinkers who get into the habit of questioning nearly everything we read and seeking out as many resources as possible. Even historians are at times paid to hide certain revelations in history in order to hide dark truths, so even books you think you can trust can hold lies. Passive reception of knowledge creates slaves, and this is exactly what happens with the majority of people.
Spend the majority of your time away from social media and read as much about history as possible, from many different sources and look up different topics in detail. Though do this with many other subjects as well, but history is extremely important to be well-read on. You will find that some things aren’t as simple as others would like you to believe, such as claiming that ancient civilizations were primitive when they were far more advanced than us in plenty of ways, yet the evidence tends to be buried. Progress is cyclical, not linear- yet much progress of the ancients was lost due to wars and great floods. The reason why most historians eagerly proclaim Atlantis to be a myth is because of how advanced they were, and simply because the possibility of such greatness during such a “primitive” time seems impossible to them, yet there is plenty of evidence that it did exist if one searches hard enough for information.
Choose to learn as much as you possibly can throughout your entire life and you will see how much you will change as a person; the rewards are endless, but it can also be a burden to understand the darker depths of this world’s history. With understanding, we become more than we are now and can assist in guiding others who are in need (but do not do everything for them so they can learn on their own and not become lazy). Ignorance is one of the greatest things we need to fight against as Luciferians, so truth-seeking in as many areas as possible is key. Again, this is not easy since we all will have to realize that many things we think to be truth are false beliefs, which can be painful at times. We even need to question our own spiritual beliefs and religions, or else we will never feel comfortable enough to ask the gods themselves for the truth of existence. Believe nothing to be true until it is fully proven, this is the key.
Working with other demons in Luciferianism:
Many demons (especially the trusted military leaders of Lucifer, the majority of whom can be found in the Goetia) are excellent mentors towards Illumination, as well as Mother Lilith who is glorious in her wisdom. Just be cautious that no malevolent entities come and pretend to be them, so make sure astral protections are put up, or speak to them in your mind (like telepathy). A link to my posts on the infernal gods (demons) can be found here.
Conclusion:
Overall, Luciferians seek to expand their consciousness and then help to guide others if they are willing. This is an honourable path and all who walk it are sure to develop into magnificent people, as long as they remain diligent and courageous. Speak to Lucifer (or other demons) for guidance whenever needed, but also remember that they will not do everything for you since the purpose of this path is to grow stronger and wiser, not rely upon others.
Additional posts on Lucifer: Values of Luciferianism, Ritual of Devotion, History of the Angels, Lucifer
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CHECK MATE: CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
RATING: M for mature. NOT suitable for readers under 18 years old; read at your own risk.
WARNINGS: language
A/N: here’s my masterlist if you need to refresh or catch up! xx
Aelin, Rowan, Fenrys, and Lorcan were back in the conference room, combing over every inch of evidence and testimony stuffed into Aelin’s case.
“Play the session where Dr. Towers performed hypnosis,” Aelin ordered.
Lorcan hit play on the laptop, their eyes on the projector screen that was relaying the footage. Aelin watched herself as she was put into an altered state of consciousness. When she began to speak on camera, she started in her chair. She hadn’t realized she’d spoken while under hypnosis. Neither Dr. Towers nor Fenrys had said anything.
“Slabyy. Zhalkiy. Vstavay. Vstavay i srazhaysya. Trus.”
“Stop it.”
The video paused and the three men looked to where Aelin was staring at the screen, her hands shaking.
Slabyy. Weak.
Zhalkiy. Pathetic.
Vstavay. Get up.
Vstavay i srazhaysya. Get up and fight.
Trus. Coward.
Rowan was asking her something, but she couldn’t hear what he said as images flashed before her eyes. Golden eyes, white hair. A cruel smile. The feel of bones breaking, the shrill screams exploding from her chest. Those words falling out of the full mouth of Manon Blackbeak. Drilled into her head until she finally managed to run a dagger through Manon’s stomach. Until she was besting every woman in the Thirteen, was besting Manon, and was winning against Maeve Callahan herself.
But why? Why would she have been there, training with them? They were a myth, a scary story to tell new CIA and FBI agents. An elite group of assassins. The fact that Fenrys had managed to get pictures of them, let alone find them was a miracle within itself.
“We have to go to the Wastes,” she said suddenly, grabbing the pictures that Fenrys had shown her less than an hour ago.
“Absolutely not,” Lorcan barked. “The Wastes is off limits to anyone that’s not special or covert ops. And it’s especially off limits to you, Galathynius.”
She wanted to spit at him. “How the fuck else are we going to figure out what’s going on with me? I was there, Salvaterre. In the middle of it, training with the Thirteen. I know I can find them again. We need answers.”
Lorcan stared her down and she did the same, minutes passing before he spat out a curse and leaned back in his seat. “It would never work. The logistics alone of assembling a covert ops team to help us in the Wastes will take weeks.”
Aelin shook her head. “No cov-ops teams. Just me, you, Rowan, and Fenrys.”
“Darrow and Murtagh would never in a million years agree to it,” he said with a biting, shocked laugh.
Before she could scream at him, Fenrys interrupted, his eyes wary as he glided them over Aelin’s face. “That’s not what she’s saying, Salvaterre…”
Lorcan’s gaze flicked to Fenrys and back to her, and it took mere seconds for realization to dawn on his face. “Absolutely fucking not. Are you insane?”
“It’s the only way,” Aelin growled.
“At best, we lose our jobs. At worst, we’re thrown in prison for going AWOL and acting without orders. We can’t just go off and do our own thing, Aelin,” Lorcan spat at her.
She shrugged. “Fine. I’ll do it myself. See you later.”
She strode towards the door, making it ten steps down the hall before she heard three pairs of heavy footsteps hurrying behind her. She couldn’t stop the smug smile from flickering across her lips.
—
As it turned out, Lorcan was the one to stay back in Terrasen to make sure no one caught wind of what Aelin, Rowan, and Fenrys were about to do.
They had managed to get an overnight commercial flight to the Wastes, landing in the only airport in the barren country. Not many people inhabited the Wastes after civil war had riddled the land only a few decades ago. Most citizens had been refugees to neighboring Terrasen and Adarlan, and if Aelin recalled correctly, only a fourth of the population remained. Most lived in the capital of Briarcliff, with sparse villages throughout the vast land.
Aelin stood in the low-budget motel room they’d rented out in cash, hoping that laying low would be in their favor. Fenrys had disappeared to the pathetic excuse of a military base the Wastes had; it was a risk, but they needed a vehicle, and they needed weapons. To go find the Thirteen without protection would have been a suicide mission.
“What are you thinking about?”
She blinked, realizing she’d been staring at the bed, vision blurring. She ran a hand through her hair and turned to Rowan, giving him a tired smile.
“I don’t know… I’m just thinking about how close we are.” She sat on the edge of the bed. “But I’m scared that this will be just another dead end.”
“And if it is?” Rowan asked gently, kneeling in front of her, hands resting on her knees.
She looked down at him, a sad smile turning up her mouth. “Then I don’t know what else to do, Rowan. I can’t…” she shook her head, grabbing his hands and twining their fingers. “I can’t pretend that whatever happened to me didn’t happen. I can’t stop looking for answers. But if this proves a dead end… Darrow won’t let this case stay open for long. He’s going to want to move on. Everyone is going to want to move on.”
“Even if everyone else moves on, we won’t,” he murmured, stroking a thumb over her knuckles. “We’ll keep looking for anything that might help us figure out what happened to you.”
She stared into his green eyes, saw the love and sincerity in them. It made tears burn in her eyes and she looked at their hands, blinking furiously. She didn’t deserve it, the way he looked at her, the way he would go to the ends of the earth to find answers if that’s what she needed.
“And what if we never find anything?” she asked in a quiet voice, but she could still hear it shake. “What if I’m… stuck like this. Never fully in control. Always looking over my shoulder.” She let go of his hands and put her head into her own. “What if one day it just becomes too much? You deserve better than this, Ro. Better than a half-crazy woman that seems to be some dangerous sleeper agent working for who the hell knows.”
Her palms became wet with tears, but then Rowan’s fingers were wrapping around her wrists, pulling her hands away from her face. He took her face in his hands, wiping away the tears as he pressed his forehead against hers.
“Aelin, none of that matters,” he whispered, his gaze burning into hers. “Absolutely none of that. I’m with you to whatever end, love. We will find a way out of this together. I promise you.”
She let out a sob but he smothered it with his mouth, lips pressed against hers. He kissed her deeply, pouring everything he was feeling into the kiss. She matched his passion, hands sliding into his hair.
He groaned against her mouth, yanking her down off the bed and into his lap. His hands slid up her shirt and she was about to beg him for more when the motel door was thrown open.
“Fucking hell you two, at least give me some warning.”
Rowan growled in annoyance against her mouth and Aelin let out a breathy laugh before pulling away, scrambling off his lap. He pinched her thigh in retaliation before getting to his feet to face Fenrys.
The curly-haired man had a shit-eating grin on his face. “Now that you guys are done trying to feel each other up, I want to show you what I was able to get my hands on.”
Fenrys had managed to commandeer a military-grade, armored tank of an SUV and more weapons than were necessary. She just shook her head as they headed out, Fenrys jumping into the driver’s seat.
An hour later they were driving down a lone stretch of the only highway in the country, Rowan and Aelin in the back seat pouring over a map of the Wastes. Her eyes slid over every landmark, every little dot that represented a village but nothing seemed to stick out to her.
“I hoped being in the country would spark something,” she muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose. “But I don’t have any idea on where we can even start looking for the Thirteen.”
“Latest intel that I was able to gather was that they were based in the village of Amaroth,” Fenrys said from the driver’s seat.
Aelin frowned. “That village is decimated. It was one of the first wiped off the proverbial map during the civil war.”
“Exactly why no one would go snooping around up there,” Fenrys nodded. “The Wasterners are superstitious people. They wouldn’t dare risk bringing some curse upon themselves for walking into a decimated village. It’s the perfect area for the Thirteen to station themselves. Amaroth is in the northern part of the country, one of the outermost villages.”
Brows turned down in thought, Aelin looked back at the map laying on Rowan’s thighs, her eyes focusing on the dot that represented Amaroth. She stared at it, and flickers of memories moved past her eyes like a movie reel.
Blowing snow. Barren land. The ground shaking as a metal building broke through the frozen grass and dirt. The sharp, dangerous smile of Manon Blackbeak.
And then pain.
She sucked in a sharp breath, pulling herself out of the past and back to the present. Rowan’s hand was on her thigh, his eyes worried as he watched her face. She blinked and then let out a heavy breath, placing her hand on top of his. “I’m okay.”
He opened his mouth to say something but she looked to Fenrys to see him looking at her through the rearview mirror. She grimaced. “You’re right, Fen. I think they’re there.”
Fenrys’ answer was to press harder on the gas pedal. They drove in tense silence, Aelin’s hand gripping Rowan’s tightly as Fenrys pulled off the highway and spent what seemed like an eternity taking dirt and rocky roads, driving alongside a forest that looked like it stretched on forever.
Minutes, hours, days later there was a break in the trees and Fenrys took the road, which cut through the thick copse of trees and brush and ended up bringing them to what looked like a winter wasteland. He parked the car and Aelin stumbled out of the vehicle, eyes wide and mouth open in shock.
She was right that the village was gone, but she had expected to see it so… levelled out. Almost nothing remained, and with the lingering snow still blowing around, it looked as if smoke rose from the ashes of long-gone wooden homes.
But that only caught her attention for a moment, before she saw a metal building at the edge of the village, towering over the piles of rubble. The building from her memories. It was here, for anyone to see, and it was real. The sight threatened to send her to her knees.
“We need to arm ourselves before we go anywhere near that thing,” Rowan muttered, his gaze wary as it roved over the building.
Nodding, she opened up the hatch of the SUV and put as many knives on her body as possible, threading a hip holster around her waist to hold a handgun. She kept another in her hand as they walked through the decimated village, unease prickling every inch of her skin.
Years and years of government training took over her body, the three of them moving as a unit as they approached the metal building. Her eyes scanned every inch of the gleaming surface, frowning as she realized there were no obvious signs of security cameras. Or an entrance.
“Strange,” she murmured, Rowan and Fenrys on either side of her as they covertly rounded the building.
A blinking light alerted her and she stopped them, brows furrowed as she stepped up to the building. She ran a finger over the light and then she pressed her hands to the cool metal, running along it to see if she could feel an invisible seam. When her hand came back towards the blinking light, a red line flashed across her palm before turning green. A slight hiss sounded and part of the wall moved to the side, revealing a dark hallway.
“Fucking gods,” Fenrys muttered. “I’m going to pretend that wasn’t a bad omen.”
Shaking, she looked from her hand to the opening into the building. How… how could it have opened at her touch? Why would it open at her touch? Her biometric was somehow linked to the security system, which meant… she shook her head, dazed. She had been here, had accessed this building.
“Alright,” she breathed, straightening herself. “Let’s go.”
Their eyes quickly adjusted to the little lighting they had that ran along the ceiling, but she knew they might not get anywhere. It seemed this building was a labyrinth of halls and corridors, a maze that couldn’t be solved.
As they rounded another corner, Aelin huffed in frustration. They were getting nowhere. She turned to the men, saying “What do you think we should…”
Her face paled, her heart threatening to stop as she realized she was all alone. Hands shaking, she spun around and around, not knowing how they’d gotten separated. Shit. She was in deep, unending shit—
A blow to her back had her crying out, knees hitting the floor with jarring pain. She tried to get up, to face whoever had just attacked her, but her attacker just hefted up her body and then slammed her down onto the floor again, body singing in agony at the impact.
Stunned on her back, Aelin gasped for breath as she stared up at the lithe figure above her. The woman was in a lethal black bodysuit, a red sash draped over her chest and the silver head of a mythical wyvern flashing on her breast. A brooch that was legendary, that signaled what group she belonged to. Her white hair was pulled back and braided, making her stunning features stand out even more. Her golden eyes blazed like ore, a savage grin that was anything but friendly plastered across her lips. And across her throat was a pinkish scar, as if someone had tried and failed to slit her throat.
Manon Blackbeak pressed her booted foot harder against Aelin’s chest, the flash in her eyes predatory. “Have you come to finish the job Aelin Galathynius?”
-
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The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Sunday, April 17
Cordelia: Buffy. You're really campaigning for bitch-of- the-year, aren't you?
Buffy: As defending champion, you nervous?
~~When She Was Bad~~
[Drabbles & Short Fiction]
The Bane of My Existence (Buffy/Spike, T) by SouloftheRose
A Camping Accident (Ensemble, T) by Bl4ckHunter
Autumn Gentleman (Buffy/Giles, T) by lyrawinter
Of the Watcher and Lawyer (Wesley/Lilah, T) by Aragorn_II_Elessar
Effulgent (Buffy/Spike, NR) by HollyDB
Cordelia's Cousin (Crossover with Arrow, T) by Aragorn_II_Elessar
A Camping Accident (Ensemble, T) by Bl4ckHunter
The Ring (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by violettathepiratequeen
[Chaptered Fiction]
Dawn of the Future, Chapter 17 (Dawn/Faith, T) by Brenna's Urbangirl Projects
Imperfect FateChapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, Spanish language, T) by nightmareintheheaven
When in Rome, Chapter 61 (Dawn/Spike, French language, T) by OldGirl-NoraArlani
Mortal Allies Series, Episode 5: War and Roses, Chapter 14 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Passion4Spike
Why Are There 26 Letters?, Chapter 7 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Indi_Shaw
Falling in Love, Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by Wonder and Ashes
All Stay-Inny, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, PG) by SlayerGrl
Snippets, Chapter 27 (Buffy/Spike, R) by EllieRose101
Deadly Denial, Chapter 8 (Buffy/Spike, AO) by Jws1993
Unforgivable, Chapter 9 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Jws1993
Consequences, Chapter 4 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Jws1993
Someone To Lean On, Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by MaggieLaFey
Sign of the Times, Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by JaneRemmington
Bleeding Poetry, Chapter 17 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Dusty
overcome in this war of hearts, Chapters 10-13 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by muldermeup
Harsh Truths, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by abitca
Purging the Darkness, Chapter 3 (Crossover with Harry Potter, FR7) by Buffyworldbuilder
Darkest Before the Dawn, Chapter 50 (Crossover with Lord of the Rings, FR15) by Luna
The Ring Talks, Chaper 15 (Buffy/Spike, 18+) by Myrabeth
[Images, Audio & Video]
Artwork:Buffy inspired furry OC (worksafe) by deerjuices
Artwork:Buffy Tarot: Temperance (sfw) by bramcrackerswrites
Artwork:Buffy Tarot: The Hanged man (sfw) by bramcrackerswrites
Artwork:Buffy Tarot: Justice (sfw) by bramcrackerswrites
Artwork:Buffy Tarot: The Tower (sfw) by bramcrackerswrites
Artwork:Buffy Tarot: The Moon (sfw) by bramcrackerswrites
Artwork:Buffy Tarot: The Sun (sfw) by bramcrackerswrites
Manip Gifset:Season 5 (sfw) by spuffygifs
Video: Buffy & Angel/ Only Love by darkswordfish7xx
[Reviews & Recaps]
ANGELUS is BACK??? - Angel Reaction - 1x17 - Eternity by TheLexiCrowd
Slayer Sunday-Innocence by Jane Talks Reel
BUFFY'S FIRST DATE! Buffy, the Vampire Slayer 1x5 'Never Kill a Boy on the First Date' Reaction! by Elie Moses
WORST EPISODE YET?! Buffy, the Vampire Slayer 1x6 'The Pack' Reaction! by Elie Moses
PODCAST: Episode 75: A New Man by Myth Taken
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[Fandom Discussions]
Buffy in The Zeppo meta by willowrosenboob
Faith is a love interest by kingbuffy
High school years aren't better by kingbuffy
Supernatural and Angel similarities by bleedingastigmatism
Supernatural Fuffy parallels by restlesshush
what happened with season 7 by herinsectreflection
You ever think about how Giles irreparably damaged his relationship with Buffy by leaving in s6 and weep? by kingbuffy
Early and later series are both good by herinsectreflection
Angel and the cross necklace by reading-wonderland
Top 5 Favorite Buffy Episodes by coraniaid
Faith meta discussion by legendofnora and nevergonnabemuchmorethanweather
Bangel Fan Fiction Rec Thread continued by multiple authors
The hunanity of Clem by multiple authors
I think Groo is a reference by epimetrius
BOOM "The Vampire Slayer" 1 continued by multiple authors by multiple authors
Easter Eggs by Stoney
While I hated it, I appreciate Angel Season 4’s format by multiple authors
Gunn signs customs release form, season 5. by multiple authors
Harmony appreciation by multiple authors
Giles in S7 by multiple authors
I'm glad | watch the shows as an adult and here's why by multiple authors
My favorite episodes of Angel Season 1 are Prodigal and Blind date. What's yours? by multiple authors
Poll: What would you rather have? Explain below by AJ_Babe and multiple authors
WHY DOES THE LIBRARY HAVE A CAGE by multiple authors
Can we just talk about the amazing foreshadowing BTVS had? by multiple authors
I’ve never got the whole Anya/Xander relationship. by multiple authors
Is Willow still a Jew? by multiple authors
Episodes that scare you most? by multiple authors
Now onto The Gift and wondering... by multiple authors
Which character screwed themselves over the most? by multiple authors
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Can we just appreciate Willow and Tara for a minute by multiple authors
Spike looks so great in Season 6 but he looks noticeably thinner by multiple authors
Easter Resurrection, Rebirth, & Buffy by Kodey PB
[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]
PUBLICATION: Comic Book Preview – The Vampire Slayer #1 via Flickering Myth
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Submitted by @sepublic:
So a while back, my pal @fermented-writers-block aired a theory. To sum up the abridged version, they suggested that if the Boiling Isles was allegorical to an Underworld, and the Human World to… Well, itself, then what of a third realm above? What if there was a parallel to an angelic realm, one populated by the show’s equivalent to a race of angels/Valkyries? They speculated that Emperor Belos himself may have been one of them, cast out… And he desires the portal and access to the Human World, in order to access this hypothetical Angel Realm!
In our discussions, we came across the idea that the Human World functions like neutral territory. It is the realm between realms, the buffer/barrier between the Angel Realm and the Demon Realm. It is where the two come together, and where influences from both have leaked in, to inspire real-world myths; A callback to Eda’s line in the first episode! The Portal, as speculated by my pal, potentially is rooted in the Human World, giving it equal access to the Angel and Demon Realms respectively- As a result of the Human World being between both of them respectively!
If the three realms were bus seats, the Angel Realm might be the Window Seat, while the Demon Realm is the set right next to the aisle where people walk up and down across the bus… And the Human World is sandwiched right between! This of course means that in order for either the Demon or Angel Realm to access one another, it would be through the Human World… With only the Human World maintaining access to BOTH realms, instead of just the one!
Ergo… Given the theory that Belos intends to reconnect to this Angel Realm, it makes sense that he wants to access the Human World! To him, it’s merely a stepping stone, not his destination… The ladder he needs to reach the top, it’s his stopping point before he can progress on to the end! He has no interest in the Human World, as he claims, beyond utilizing it as a passageway to something far grander and more interesting.
But now… onto a certain idea behind Belos.
To put it simply; Fermented Writer’s Block and I think that Belos could potentially be a Satanic/Lucifer allegory. A Fallen Angel, in a sense. From a Doylist perspective, this would settle Disney’s concerns over depicting Heavenly characters as negative, as the only truly negative Angel in this sense would be a literal Satanic allegory. It’d be like Doom, in a sense!
I’ve discussed… a LOT in the past, the idea of Luz and Belos being counterparts. Even if we don’t have much within canon, there IS the association with Light, as well as the ability to communicate with the Titan to some degree. Luz’s name literally means Light… And Lucifer means Light Bringer! It’s in the name, Luz-ifer! If Belos is a twisted counterpart to Luz’s guiding light, then perhaps he’s a more literal take on the Satanic allegory…
Specifically, the idea of an Angel who was cast out of their world and fell, plummeting into a realm beneath that of the Human World! We��re already making allusions with Lilith’s name, after all. And I’d LOVE to see The Owl House tackle some more classic, eldritch takes on the Angels of old and their original interpretations, such as the Seraphs!
After all, people have noted the similarities between Belos and the idea of Christian Imperialism. If Belos were a literal ‘angel’, or the show’s equivalent, this would be a fitting twist! Fermented Writer’s Block also observed that on one page of the Unauthorized History of the Boiling Isles, Belos is depicted with almost mechanical wings, in addition to the book being somewhat burnt. What if this could imply burnt wings on Belos’ part? Especially given Belos’ mechanical, industrial motifs and deteriorated nature...
If Belos WERE a Fallen Angel, then perhaps his Wings motif amidst the Emperor’s Coven imagery is intentional. Not only does it hearken back to his true origins and identity… But it could also allude to him having burnt wings, which in itself is symbolic of a Fallen Angel, as someone who was outcast and can no longer fly! The dude IS associated with Fire, to a degree… His throne room is lit by blazing braziers. Amity and Boscha are associated with his Coven System, in a sense… Amity is indoctrinated into its values and wants to join the Emperor’s Coven, while Boscha’s ideas of hierarchy and elitism reflect Belos’ values rather well. Both characters are associated with Fire… Which, helps to serve as a unifying motif among them- Especially with Lilith, who has blue fire and was leader of the Emperor’s Coven!
It’s a contrast to Luz and her Ice, and what she stands for… Her Light is reflective, while the Light of characters like Belos is harsh, dangerous, and off-putting. If Luz were more comparable to a night star, shining amidst the darkness and providing guidance- Then Belos is like the Sun, harsh, bright, demanding attention from all… But also too powerful to be personal with, something to be regarded from a distance, and never closely looked at. This would fit into Belos’ enigmatic nature, and the idea of him heralding Day, while Luz is Night… After all, Owls are nocturnal! And if Belos is a coming dawn, then that could tie into Angelic motifs… Amidst Luz’s Night bringing an end to his Light! It’s a take on that age-old term, about the Sun never setting on the British Empire… And THAT empire is emblematic of colonialism and imperialism as a whole!
It could also allude to the myth of Icarus- A mortal who flew too close to the sun! Of course in this scenario, Belos was in fact an Angel… But there’s still the recurring theme of wanting more, of one’s circumstances not being enough, of being guided by arrogance- It’s shared between Lucifer and Icarus both, to varying degrees. Perhaps Belos tried to lead a revolt in the Angel Realm, or got too arrogant… Either way, he was cast out- He flew too close to the Sun he wished to embody, and so his wings were burnt. Clipped of the thing most emblematic of his identity, no longer able to fly and ascend… Belos fell to the Earth, and then even deeper.
It’d tie into Belos having earthen motifs, as someone who can no longer fly. Him having angelic aesthetics, underscored by demonic motifs and growls, fits into the idea of Lucifer having been a beautiful angel, only to become the literal Devil and leader of Hell and all of its horrific demons! Belos already has a decayed, deteriorated condition to him that implies he’s not in the best health. Perhaps his burnt wings are the cause of this- Or at least another symptom of whatever injuries he suffered in the past? Not only that, but returning to the Icarus motifs… If we want to get meta, we can ascertain that Dana Terrace has read Fullmetal Alchemist. She knows of Hiromu Arakawa’s artstyle, citing it as something Luz would emulate back home- And there’s that other post comparing Father and Belos!
If Belos is like Father, then there’s once again that idea of using a portal to access a heavenly ‘realm’, through the Sun, in order to access a ‘God’ figure, or beings around that level. Not only that, but Fullmetal Alchemist, from its very beginning, made a very pointed reference to the myth of Icarus, likening its main protagonist Edward Elric to him! If Father is in some ways a foil to Ed, just as Belos could be to Luz… Then it makes sense for Dana to have been inspired by Icarus by virtue of his tale being important to the themes of Fullmetal Alchemist! And if Belos IS a Satanic allegory… Well, Lucifer’s name literally means Morning Star. As Belos’ antithesis, Luz brings the sunset to his Day of Unity. They’re both outcasts to the Demon Realm, but from different worlds respectively.
Now, there’s a question- Who are the Angels? What do they look like? And where does the Owl Deity factor into all of this? Well, this gets me onto my NEXT part;
I think the Owl Deity could be the closest thing to ‘God’ in this universe, AKA an all-powerful deity who reigns above all! A while back, a background artist for the show released some art he did, depicting Luz and King resting beneath a spire. If one looks closely at the top, they can see a depiction of Belos himself! And right above it is candles, surrounding an Owl… An Owl above all. Perhaps we’re looking too deeply into this. But it brings to mind a pun, about the God of All Things… Also being the God of ‘Owl’ Things!
If the candles are lit, then this suggests fire’s association with the heavens, which fits into biblical depictions of Angels! Not only that, but Belos is right beneath the Owl… And right beneath him is a fleshy stump, indicative of his own motifs… And it’s connected to what appears to be a giant eye right beneath him! Eyes are a big motif in the Boiling Isles –and amongst biblical angels- so perhaps the fleshy stump, akin to Belos’ constructs, is symbolic? That he’s bridging the gap between the demonic world below, and the heavenly world above?
Regardless, the next portion of this theory suggests that the Owl Deity is a supreme being. Perhaps a neutral mediator between both the Angel and Demon Realms, with the Human World as neutral ground. Perhaps a weapon, utilized by the Angels? Or a powerful deity they managed to sway… More on that later. Regardless, it DOES make one consider the Clawthornes’ connection to the Owl Deity, specifically Eda’s. Her house DOES have the only known depictions of this enigmatic being, after all.
And THAT house was likely fashioned, at least partly, from a tower! Towers are known for their reach towards the skies… Could a Clawthorne Ancestor have been connected to the Owl Deity as a worshipper? A follower? Maybe they were ALSO an Angel, like Belos, albeit not fallen… Or at least, much more well-intentioned! It could bring a dark twist to Lilith’s line about Eda being with her ‘real’ family… Unbeknownst to her, Belos, being a fallen Angel, is arguably ‘family’ in the sense that the hypothetical Clawthorne Ancestor was ALSO an Angel! After all, it might better explain how Eda has access to the Portal. Not to mention that golden, blazing Owl Wraith she summons during her final battle with Lilith… Birds ARE a Clawthorne Motif, after all! And Angels have bird wings.
If Belos IS similar to Father from Fullmetal Alchemist, then it makes sense that there’s a ‘God’ he plans to usurp as a Lucifer allegory. The Owl Deity could be this god, or at least associated with the Heavens that Belos seeks to conquer and return to. That of course gets us into the symbolism behind the angelic motifs of the Emperor’s Coven. Now, when Belos first arrived in the Demon Realm, he would have been acting VERY contrary to the Boiling Isles’ values about magic at the time, and he clearly had to utilize plenty of force and genocide to make people comply. In other words, this is a dude who cares not about conforming to others, but making others conform to him…
So it doesn’t make as much sense for Belos to change his aesthetics to an Angelic one, to appease the Boiling Isles residents if he’s clearly averse to everything else they do! Especially if Angels, or what lingering memory of them there is, is seen as negative by the Boiling Isles… The point being, this alludes to Belos being genuine about his Angelic motifs, and not adopting them to appear more palatable to others; Because all of his behavior suggests otherwise, that he forces others to adapt to him, rather than the other way around!
Not only that, but if the Emperor’s Coven is Belos’ attempt at reinstating his ideal form of heavenly rule/environment on the Boiling Isles… And if the Owl Deity is a god to be conquered, then how fitting is it that his subordinate wears an Owl Mask? Perhaps it’s meant to arrogantly symbolic… That the Owl figure that Belos once looked up to, now serves him! Of course it’s only in symbols; But the idea is there, that the image and motif of Owls has been appropriated, not as a holy being above Belos, but instead as an image belonging to a subservient minion.
Now, this all leads into another question- What about the Titan? What does the Titan have to do with this? And for that matter, what of the giant Titan remains, scattered across the Boiling Seas- We know others exist, but OUR Titan is the only known intact corpse! Well…
In Understanding Willow, Hooty briefly mentions his backstory. It’s hard to discern, but he mentions how it all began with a hunt, and how there were blood-red skies before Eda and King’s dialogue cuts him off and drowns out the noise. There IS the idea of Hooty being a lobotomized and weakened reincarnation of the Owl Deity, or at least a spawn of it… Or having SOME association with it, moreso than most characters! We don’t know what killed the Titans, or why OUR Titan’s corpse is intact. There could be Doylist answers to this, maybe it’s meant to be a mystery that’s never explored, but left to a sublime imagination…
But if not, then this is where I get into a crazy idea here;
Angels are depicted as adversarial with Demons. The Titans would’ve been the first Demons, of the Demon Realm. We know one of them had Magic... And if Belos is any indication as a fallen angel, there may be a heavenly aversion to magic. Hooty recalls it all beginning with a hunt…
What if the Angels hunted down the Titans? It’d explain their sudden extinction… As for why our Boiling Isles (BI) Titan is still intact, well. Perhaps it was a lone survivor! Perhaps its Magical ability permitted it to last longer than others, before it too succumbed to death after the genocide. For all we know, its Magical ability was what drove the Angels to commit genocide upon the Titans, for fear of an uprising! Either they failed to target the Titan actually responsible for finding magic, or they kept them from spreading their craft to others by killing off anyone else who would be willing to learn.
If Hooty has a connection to the Owl Deity… Well, remember when he mentioned being haunted by his actions forever, in Adventures in the Elements? What if the Owl Deity led this ‘hunt’ against the Titans… Either as a creation of the Angels, or as a neutral mediator who was swayed to their ideas of magic being dangerous! Either way, there seems to be a recurring theme of regret and remorse… Perhaps when all was said and done, the Owl Deity rejected its actions, and banished itself to the Boiling Isles? Maybe the Clawthorne Ancestor was connected to/IS the Owl Deity… As for how the Owl Deity died, maybe it simply willed itself out of existence in shame. Maybe it succumbed to injuries from the water. Either way, the Titan didn’t erase all traces of it, which could imply some forgiveness on its part… That, or the Titan was too dead to act in outright vengeance, who knows?
Regardless, the story goes- A Titan discovers Magic, is deemed a threat by the Angels. The Angels lead a mass extermination of its kind, with the Titan the sole survivor. The Owl Deity helps lead the hunt, but comes to regret its war crimes, and dies amidst the BI Titan’s corpse, laying the foundations for the Owl House. As I said, the BI Titan also eventually dies, alone and traumatized, as the Angels head back home.
Owl Deity culls rest of titans, is about to finish the Titan when it realizes the horror of what it did
Either the Titan took it out in a pyrrhic victory, or - more likely - the Owl Deity, being an entity focused on balance and neutrality, allowed itself to be killed/seriously wounded as way to “rebalance” things as much as it can for its nigh complete genocide
We know that Belos claims to enforce the will of the Titan. Well, if he’s a fallen angel… What if he’s persuading the Titan to help it get revenge? What if as a fallen angel, he arrived on the Boiling Isles and approached the Titan’s spirit, proclaiming himself as trustworthy, in an Enemy of my Enemy situation? Belos would point to him and the Titan as being wounded and rejected by the angels to some extent. Belos would have insider knowledge on his kind. If the Angels swayed the Owl Deity, what if Belos swayed the Titan to his side by offering it the chance to strike back at the Heavens for its crimes, and avenge its fallen brethren?
When Belos claims to enforce the Titan’s will, he’s not completely wrong- It DOES feel justifiable anger, though clearly Belos is capitalizing and manipulating this anger, and then passing off the Titan’s actions as solely its own, and not at all a product of Belos’ own manipulations in any shape or form. You know how I likened Belos to Father… And my past theories about Belos resurrecting the Titan, on the Day of Unity?
Hooty mentions it all began with a hunt, with blood-red skies. What if the skies are blood-red once more, on the Day of Unity? As the realms converge or whatnot… What if Belos’ weapon to defeat his Angelic brethren is none other than the resurrected Titan, wielding full access to the powers of Magic, and with vengeance in its heart? What if Belos resurrects the Titan on the Day of Unity, possibly with its body underneath HIS control as a parasite… We could have a scene mirroring that iconic moment from Fullmetal Alchemist, where a continent-sized Father rises from the ground and reaches out to the Heavens, accessing them with the Portal! Just replace Father’s gigantic form with the Titan’s resurrected, magic-fueled body!
Now, this does lead into the idea of settling the Angels as antagonists, once Belos is done and over with. Perhaps a resurrected Owl Deity will be instrumental, with the help of Luz and the others? If she’s the Night to Belos’ Day, then perhaps she needs to set the sun on Belos’ reign, on his Day of Unity! It all begins and ends with blood-red skies, after all. Perhaps with the help of a resurrected Owl Deity, Luz can appease the Titan, or at least sway it to not turn to vengeance and jeopardize the Boiling Isles inhabitants in the process. She has experience with calming down vengeful entities in the past, as seen with Inner Willow… And Luz CAN communicate with the Titan!
Especially if the Angels have grown to also regret their actions, as a parallel to characters like Lilith! Or at least, the Angels can be held in line and prevented from further massacres, with the resurrected Owl Deity. If the Owl Deity is regretful of its actions, then perhaps we could get a scene calling back to Understanding Willow… Where Belos, at the last second, sways the Owl Deity to his logic, and suggests vengeance and annihilation of the Angels! The Owl Deity, frighteningly, agrees for a moment, reminding the Angels that its genocide of them is merely finishing what THEY started, after all…!
But then Luz steps in. Alongside the others, such as Amity and Willow, Lilith and King, Eda, and so forth… She persuades the Owl Deity to have forgiveness in its heart, especially if the Angels show remorse and a desire to fix mistakes! It’d hearken back to the theme of having justified anger, but otherwise channeling it productively into fixing mistakes, rather than simply harming the one responsible for them! It’s about a productive way of tackling issues, rather than focused on punishment; Again, a theme as far back as the first scene, when Luz is punished with the Summer Camp, VS actually having her emotional issues properly addressed, and being given the chance to fix the damage.
Our protagonists could all call back to similar incidents, with Lilith citing how Eda sparing her gave her the chance to fix the damage, or at least remedy it… Instead of JUST dying as retribution! How Willow chose to still retain her feelings, but also spared Amity so the girl could change and improve as a person, instead of just killing her off and calling it a day. It’s about not only recognizing damage, but working to properly fix and recover from it- Recovery is the key word! Fixing the damage together, as Luz said- Productively fixing what was caused, instead of beating oneself over it, the way Amity and Lilith initially did!
This could lead to the Owl Deity, especially if it has Hooty’s memories, being swayed back to a good stance. It’d contrast Belos and his inability to grow, heal, and recover from his emotional and physical wounds! Either way, perhaps the Owl Deity could make peace with the Angels, or at least ensure they genuinely change their attitudes and behaviors. Belos is stopped, and the Titan can finally be laid to rest, its spirit perhaps still communicating with whoever is willing and eager to learn Magic, the same way it did!
Now, this does leave the question- Who was Belos during the Titan Genocide, if he was an Angel? Was he even alive back then? This gets me into the speculation that Fermented Writers Block made, of Private New Guy being an allegory to Belos… If Hooty was haunted by his actions that night, well. Perhaps Belos was just another young recruit, another generic Angel in the hunt- But he was inspired by the Owl Deity, maybe even saw it as someone to emulate? And that’s part of why he’s so power-hungry and bloodthirsty, because of his ‘idol’…
Yet ironically, Belos is merely projecting his idea and desire for what he wants the Owl Deity to be, VS what it actually is- A repentant, remorseful entity with a lot of guilt! Tying into the idea of characters projecting ideas/expectations onto others that just don’t exist, confusing fantasy with reality… Maybe like Private New Guy, Belos tried to seize power in the Angel Realm, and it’s why he was banished? And hey, going into even MORE mindless speculation- What if Owl Mask was MORE than symbolic of the Owl Deity, but outright the same kind of being? Perhaps they’re Belos’ attempt at recreating the Owl Deity albeit young and/or imperfect, an additional asset to conquer the Angel Realm, in addition to a resurrected Titan. Who knows?
Mind you… ALL OF THIS is one hell of a stretch. It’s an incredibly unlikely theory, that hinges on a LOT of factors… But it’s fun food for thought, is it not? And hey, if you never pick up a shovel, one will never find gold even if it IS there! It’s an extension of the Angel Realm theory, while tying together a bunch of other details here or there, and hearkening to past themes, morals, and lessons. I’m sure that even if this isn’t what Dana and the others have planned, what we WILL get will certainly be just as enjoyable- But until then, it can’t hurt too much to guess a bit, and maybe have some outlandish fun or there, right?
#the owl house#TOH#the owl house theory#toh theory#the owl house speculation#the owl house meta#emperor belos
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C. S. Lewis Masterpost
This year (2021) was my C. S. Lewis year! I read everything I own that he wrote. Some were re-reads, most were new to me but have been on my TBR for a while. I didn't make individual posts for each of them, so I decided to just give some brief thoughts here for anyone who's wondering what each book is about and whether they're worth reading.
Pictured above: the only part of my bookshelf organized by colour — I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Fiction
The Chronicles of Narnia: I don't think I need to say anything about these ones. Everyone has heard of it. Everyone should read it.
Fun Fact! There are two different ways you can read the series: in chronological order, or in the publication order. (So if you, like me, have ever looked at a mismatched set and wondered why the numbers on the spines don't make sense, that's why.) I personally prefer the publication order because I think it makes the most sense.
Publication order:
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Prince Caspian
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Silver Chair
The Horse and His Boy
The Magician's Nephew
The Last Battle
Chronological order:
The Magician's Nephew
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Horse and His Boy
Prince Caspian
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Silver Chair
The Last Battle
Quotes: (1)(2)
The Space Trilogy: A guy named Ransom gets kidnapped by two scientists and taken to Mars. In the second book he voluntarily goes to Venus, and the third one takes place on Earth with some Arthurian mythos woven in. I really enjoyed the first book and would recommend it, but the second one turns into a really long philosophical debate in the middle and the third one is pretty much long and boring all the way through. My recommendation would be to read the first, skim the second, and skip the third.
Out of the Silent Planet | Perelandra | That Hideous Strength
The Dark Tower and Other Stories: This is a collection of Lewis's short fiction, some of it unfinished. The Dark Tower is set in the same universe as the Space Trilogy but not related to the main plot of that series, and it's unfinished. My favourite story was Forms of Things Unknown about a mission to the moon, and I also enjoyed After Ten Years which reinterprets some Greek mythology. Unfortunately that one is also unfinished, but a couple of Lewis's friends discuss where he was planning to go with the story based on their conversations with him.
The Dark Tower | The Man Born Blind | The Shoddy Lands | Ministering Angels | Forms of Things Unknown | After Ten Years
The Pilgrim's Regress: An autobiographical allegory inspired by John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress that describes Lewis's journey from atheist to Christian. It centers around the idea of a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, which you might recognize from a well-known quote from Mere Christianity. There were a lot of characters and situations that represented different schools of philosophy which I didn't really understand, but the parts that talked about the Landlord (God) all made sense to me and I just read the rest as a journey story at surface level.
Quotes: (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)
Till We Have Faces: A retelling of the myth of Cupid and Psyche from the perspective of Psyche's sister, Orual. I loved it! As someone who reads a lot of retellings, this one is up there with the best. It's very slow-paced and reflective as per Lewis's style, and it adds a lot of depth to the characters. Easily my favourite after Narnia!
Nonfiction
The Abolition of Man: What starts as a critique of an English textbook turns into philosophizing about human values. I didn't really understand this one. It's a short book with only 3 chapters.
The Great Divorce: This is the story about an afterlife bus ride from hell to heaven that explores Lewis's concept that "the doors of hell are locked in the inside" which is actually a quote from The Problem of Pain but expanded upon in this book. I found it interesting, but my mom said it was confusing, so idk. It's a pretty short book so take a chance on it.
Quotes: (1)(2)
The Screwtape Letters: You've probably heard of this one: a senior devil gives advice to his nephew on how to tempt a human and make sure he goes to Hell when he dies. It's fascinating, and kind of twisted. Would definitely recommend.
Quotes: (1)(2)(3)
Miracles: On whether miracles are really possible. My dad read this before I did and he told me there was a lot of unnecessary rambling in the middle chapters, but it started getting back on track toward the end. To my amusement, I discovered that the chapter in the exact middle of the book is, in fact, titled "A Chapter Not Strictly Necessary." And I agree with my dad's assessment; Lewis spends a lot of time discussing nature, materialism vs. spiritualism, rational thought, and the laws of physics (from a philosophical angle, not a scientific one), all of which he uses as building blocks for his argument about miracles but which I found difficult to follow a lot of the time. Eventually he does get around to talking about miracles, and biblical miracles specifically.
Quotes: (1)(2)(3)(4)
The World's Last Night: A collection of essays on topics including prayer, immorality, 'good work,' science and religion, and the Second Coming. I found most of them pretty interesting.
The Efficacy of Prayer | On Obstinacy in Belief | Lilies That Fester | Screwtape Proposes a Toast | Good Work and Good Works | Religion and Rocketry | The World's Last Night
Quotes: (1)
The Problem of Pain: Lewis tackles the question: if God is all-good and all-powerful, why do we suffer? I've read other things on this topic from other writers, so I was familiar with the basic arguments already, but I think Lewis explains it all really well.
Quotes: (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)
The Four Loves: Lewis categorizes love into four types: Affection, Friendship, Eros, and Charity. The book is short but the chapters are loooooooong and there weren't any natural stopping places, so either you have to read 30-40 pages in one sitting or you have to stop in the middle of a thought.
Quotes: (1)(2)(3)(4)
Of Other Worlds: A collection of essays on the theme of writing, storytelling, fantasy, science fiction, and children's fiction. Most of them are pretty short and I really liked them! It also includes some fictional stories which were the same as in The Dark Tower.
On Stories | On Three Ways of Writing for Children | Sometimes Fairy Stories May Say Best What's to Be Said | On Juvenile Tastes | It All Began With a Picture... | On Criticism | On Science Fiction | A Reply to Professor Haldane | Unreal Estates
Quotes: (1)(2)(3)(4)
Mere Christianity: This was originally a series of radio talks broadcast during World War II, then later compiled and edited into a book. It covers the basic and foundational beliefs of Christianity. I read it first as a preteen when I was starting to question the faith I was brought up in, and this book provided a lot of answers! It's a classic for a reason.
Quotes: (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)
Surprised by Joy: An autobiography of Lewis's early life and the influences and experiences that led him to become an atheist and then later return to Christianity. Gotta be honest — this one bored me most of the way through, right up until the last couple of chapters.
Quotes: (1)(2)
God in the Dock: Another collection of essays on theology. There are 13 essays in about 100 pages, so they're all pretty short and to the point which makes for easy reading.
Miracles | Dogma and the Universe | Myth Became Fact | Religion and Science | The Laws of Nature | The Grand Miracle | Man or Rabbit? | 'The Trouble with "X" ...' | What Are We to Make of Jesus Christ? | Must Our Image of God Go? | Priestesses in the Church? | God in the Dock | We Have No 'Right to Happiness'
Quotes: (1)(2)(3)
Poetry
Poems: Did you know C. S. Lewis also wrote poetry? I'm not a big poetry reader, but there were a few I liked. I mostly bought it because it has a unicorn on the cover. ;)
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ACCESS FILES : // B.ARBARA G.ORDON - DISABILITY
cw/tw: mentions of physical and sexual abuse, erasure of disability, and overall “manpain”
the infamous k.illi.ng j.o.ke comic has a lot of issues itself. i am not going to start this off by saying it’s a gold standard of comics. barbara is used literally as a fridging device to inflict pain on to her father, jim gordon and by extension, b.atman. she’s sexually abused and shot in the stomach, the bullet hitting her spine and causing the paralysis that causes her to lose the use of her legs. it effectively ended barbara’s role as batgirl, as she simply couldn’t physically do it anymore.
but barbara is a resilient person, and the things that made her batgirl were not just her ability to jump from rooftops or kick a bad guy’s ass. she was bright, a near-genius with her eidetic memory, and resourceful. she was every bit of the detective that her father and batman were, right on par or even surpassing them in some aspects. she was often a voice of reason and logic within the “family.”
so she evolved from that. barbara took up the role of the “ oracle “ -- an all-knowing, all-seeing being of greek myth known for her great prophecies. in this new role, barbara sat within the clock tower of gotham, using her advanced knowledge of technology and coding to create an environment capable of tapping into some of the most advanced systems in the world so that she can do surveillance and be the eyes for the superhero community when it needs it. she created and led the birds of prey, mentored and ran missions for two different batgirls, and aided the justice league and other members of the batfamily in their own missions. she became an extremely valuable member of the superhero community in her own right, and could still kick ass, even from her chair. her disability didn’t define her, but she also fully accepted that this was her life now, and she was going to make the most of it.
barbara has many great lines and moments throughout her time as oracle that are so extremely important in showing her acceptance of the role.
“ y’know, a lot of the time it’s like you batguys want me to hold on to the past because you can’t get over it. understand -- i have. i have a new life now. one i like -- one that fulfills me. it’s not the same one i had before, but it’s good. maybe even better. “
“ do you know why i don’t keep handles on my chair? it’s because i don’t like to be pushed. “
“ never underestimate a deathbed as an opportunity to rethink strategy. “
“ when i was in physical therapy, there was a small sign on the gym wall. it read, ‘ no matter how dark the night gets, the sun still rises in the morning.’ every day, i’d wake up two hours before dawn. back then it’d take me that long to get into my chair, clean up, and go outside to watch the sun rise, but i did it. and i still do. i love life, dad. i love every single day. “
these are just small examples of ways that barbara has even outwardly said that she’s content with her life and that she isn’t going to chase some way to fix things because she doesn’t see herself as broken.
what they did in nu52 completely erases that immense character development and growth by having her regress to wanting to undergo surgery to get her ability to walk again. there was absolutely no need for barbara to be ba.t.girl. there had been two different batgirls since she had become oracle, and making her batgirl really hurt all three of those three characters and their roles in the overall universe more than it did any good.
regardless of the implications on overall character development, the erasure of disability from one of the most prominent disabled heroes in comics is just plain gross. there are already a very finite number of disabled heroes across the superhero platforms, and with a hero who had formed a complete identity due to that disability that ultimately worked for her and made her happy to suddenly change and want to get fix is ableist beyond belief. the wheelchair does not define who she is, but it’s part of her, and any erasure of disability that is like this is just simply wrong.
SO FOR THIS BLOG’S CANON:
1. i simply will not be taking nu52 into account. ba.t.girl of b.ur.nside is a story that i fully believe should have belonged to stephanie, not babs. the ba.t.girl story that precedes it is fully against what i think is right for the character, so you simply just will not see any nu52 content here.
2. there are some elements of rebirth and the more current stories that i do like, but it is still limited. for example, the current n.ight.win.g run has some things in it that i see babs doing, but i’m still fully against her not having her disability, even if i am glad that she’s back in the role of oracle. so you might see some current narrative things, but please be mindful that this blog did not erase her disability and will be carrying on as if she has been in the wheelchair this entire time.
3. the portrayal of babs on this blog is highly reflective of the late 90s/early 00s birds of prey run, with a mix of d*xon’s ni.ght.wi.ng, and both the cass & steph runs as b.at.gir.l. for the most part, everything up until 2011 is considered canon for this portrayal.
4. i will likely update this more as i continue writing here and am getting back into reading more comics!
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