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ezziefae · 3 months

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My thoughts on The Prisoner's Throne.

(spoilers ahead, and talk about Holly Black's planned book)

ps: I finished this book in one sitting on release day and needed days to process everything, that's why this is a late post. Enjoy!!!!

Heather and Vivi

Where were Heather and Vivi? They were present in the prologue but then they vanished. I was excited to see Vivi become friends with Wren, especially after the rude comments she made towards Wren in TQON. I wonder why Holly excluded them from everything after the prologue, such as the family drama scene at the feast. However, I appreciated how they were mentioned in the story, particularly when we learned that Oak and Heather's mom are close, and that Oak would sleep at their house.

Oak abdicating as heir

So yeah, Jude and Cardan have given Oak permission to resign from the throne as heir, and obviously Oak is taking that opportunity to do just that, just not yet….he has to stay heir for months since Jude and Cardan are going away together. I always knew Jude and Cardan were going to stay as High King and Queen of Elfhame, but only because Oak married Wren and therefore became King of the Ice Needle Citadel, but that didn't happen…Jude is letting him step down because she knows he's grown, and wants him to make his own choices, which is great. If Oak resigns, Jude and Cardan will need to have a child to maintain the royal lineage. So, it's VERY possible that we may see a Jurdan baby in the future.

political problem (Holly Black's next faerie book)

So finally we know what the next book will be about. We know that Jude and Cardan have plans to go to the Undersea. That was the plan Holly Black has been teasing at us for a long time now. This means we’re getting another Elfhame book (Holly didn't say an "Undersea book", she said "Elfhame" even though it's going to be set in the Undersea). In an interview online, Holly Black states that this book will possibly be a stand-alone. Many fans are speculating that this book is going to be a Nicasia POV, but from reading the interviews from Holly I believe it’s going to be either a Jude or Cardan POV (maybe even both). This would make sense since Holly has said many times that she's planning to give us more Jurdan, and that Jude still has a lot of story in her. The Prisoner's Throne leaves us with many unanswered questions, such as what happens to the Ghost, if Oak gets married, news about Wren and her family, and whether Jude and Cardan have children. A standalone book to wrap up these loose ends would be very needed.

Cardan saving and being protective of Jude

Do you guys remember the post I made about Cardan fighting alongside Jude? and how he will not sit on the sidelines to watch her fight? Fans who know Cardan well already knew this to be true, but this book further proved this. This isn’t the first time has Cardan stepped in front of Jude to save her from being impaled. My man sacrificed himself so Jude wouldn't get hurt. Many times during the Stolen Heir duology Cardan has been called a coward, but mannn he's no coward, he will protect those he loves dearly, it was so refreshing to get more of his protective side in this book.

Taryn and The ghost

Since TQON, fans have been speculating that Garrett and Taryn are involved in a romantic relationship. Although it wasn't confirmed in the book, The Prisoner's Throne offered some insight into this. We find out that Heather, Vivi, and Oak have all speculated about it. Furthermore, Oak reveals that even after 10 years, The Ghost has remained close to Taryn and her child Leander. In one chapter of TPT, The Ghost has a serious conversation with Oak, but when Leander interrupts them, Oak notices that The Ghost becomes a different person around Taryn's son. He changes his behavior and has an indulgent smile towards the boy. I personally find it adorable, and after all the hardships The Ghost has been through, I believe he deserves to find happiness, even if it's with Taryn of all people.

The Ghost’s tragedy *sobs into pillow*

I never expected The Ghost to become such a prominent character in the book. It was amazing how I started to develop an emotional attachment to the Ghost throughout the book, only for him to end up turning into a tree by the end. The chapter where the family feasts and Lady Elaine and the Ghost are found dead was pure chaos and full of royal family drama. I had such a good time reading that part, until the Ghost turned into a tree. Also, going back to the topic of the Ghost and Taryn, I feel bad for Taryn even though I know she is a terrible character. It was heartbreaking to see Taryn sob and hold the Ghost while he was slowly dying (We didn't get word from Taryn that they were dating but I think that part was enough comfirmation that they were indeed lovers). As far as we know, Taryn and the Ghost did not get a happy ending in this book :(

ps: This is why I believe holly black's next book will be a Jurdan POV, because the only way we get to know about the ghost is through them. Nicasia is not close to Wren, Oak, the Ghost, or Taryn, we will never get insight on what happens to them if this next book is a Nicasia POV. Also I've been hearing as of 3/12/24 that Holly might possibly write a Jurdan dual POV, so...more reason to believe that it will definitely not be a Nicasia POV.

Taryn Vs Wren

It's funny how Holly decided to create a lot of family issues in the second book of the duology. Many fans believe that this duology should have been a three-part series to resolve these issues. One major problem is that Taryn dislikes Wren and holds her responsible for what happened to The Ghost. Oak's family is also not very fond of Wren. It would have been nice to see a moment in the book where Oak's family and Wren could have worked together and gotten along, but that didn't happen. If Oak and Wren plan to get married, I hope that they can resolve these issues between them all.

Cardan VS Taryn

It shocked me that after 10 years of them being brother and sister in law, that they still don’t get along. I think Taryn was wrong to feel like she had to protect The Ghost from Cardan when he was only trying to help. In fact, it annoyed me a bit. While Cardan was respectful towards Taryn, he had every right to dislike her, unlike Taryn who had no reason to dislike Cardan. Moreover, I would like to mention the moment when they found the ghost almost dead and Cardan ignored Taryn and answered Jude instead, Cardan being petty to Taryn in the most respectful way is hilarious. I think that moment perfectly sums up their relationship.

Wren’s Family

Although I’m happy Wren's sister Bex reunited with Wren, I was very much expecting to get more closure from that, like seeing Wren's entire family together reunite in the book. It feels like that left a huge void at the end of the book.

Wren’s Transformation

Okay, that was absolutely shocking. Holly mentioned in one of her interviews that there would be a transformation in the book, and I guess that was it. Wren now has beautiful wings. Can someone please draw a picture of Wren with wings? Also, can you imagine what Oak and Wren's children would look like if they ever had any? Their child would have blue skin, hooves, and wings. That would be a very interesting looking child.

Wren VS Jurdan

Wren was so wrong for making Jude and Cardan appear weak in front of their court. While reading this part, I remember thinking 'Wren, please stop," I found this chapter fun to read, and seeing Jude and Cardan's reaction to Wren's power. It was interesting to see how Wren exposes Jude's geas and curse to almost the entire court, and how Cardan becomes overprotective of Jude while Wren was removing her curse. I love Cardan.

Where was Queen Annett?

Since the stolen heir, I believed that queen Annett was going to be a problem for Elfhame and Wren. As you may recall, Wren freed her prisoners, and I always believed Queen Annett would've punished Elfhame for it since Wren was with Elfhame's heir Oak. However, she did not appear in The Prisoner Throne at all. I wonder if Holly forgot to bring this issue up or if she has decided to address it in her upcoming faerie book. (Queen Annett is also pregnant, so I think she will definitely be brought up again)

Madoc's Character

I'm a bit disappointed. I was expecting a lot from Madoc in this book, but nothing happened, except the fact that Jude lifted his exile (temporarily?) It bothers me that she lifted his exile easily, does Jude not remember he caused many problems for them? Madoc is the reason why Cardan almost died, why Oak was put in danger, he's the reason why the royal family died, and why Orlagh was weakened. I at least expected that Jude lifting his exile would've caused political problems for her, since Madoc is a political criminal for Elfhame and the Undersea. I thought he would’ve at least made a big heroic or villainous move in The Prisoner's Throne, or found a way to at least redeem himself, but nope.

Oak and Wren's Ending

So…Oak does not become king of anything, which is shocking. Everyone believed that if he didn’t become the King of Elfhame he would at least rule the Ice Needle Citadel, which can still happen, since he did propose to Wren at the end of the book. But still, I find it unnecessary, I think that Wren should step down from being Queen, and run to the mortal world with Oak where they can live away from the royal duties. Oak has expressed many times he does not want to be king, but if he marries Wren he will be king, which doesn't seem satisfying to me. Wren never cared for power in The Stolen Heir, she only ever cared for love and her family, I think the ending felt incomplete and unfinished. A lot of stuff was built up from The Folk Of The Air series, and this duology was supposed to give us results, but it did not. Even Oak and Wren's love story felt rushed. I didn’t see much of a connection. It didn't give me much of what I felt when I read Jude and Cardan's love story (You guys are so welcome to disagree with me)

Jude and Oak

So if you read the book, you know how shocking Jude and Oak's relationship became. Especially that scene where they “duel” (And Jude was an absolute fucking badass in that scene) The way she tricked Hag and even Oak at first that she was going to trade Oak for Cardan. I was very impressed with Jude in this book, especially in this chapter where we see her ordering her archers, and her ripping her dress to be able to fight while she's all wet. Her dialogue was so badass: "What if I give you Oak's head instead of Cardan's" and even this quote "Well, then, what a wonderful opportunity for you to prove your loyalty and die for the High King." Chapter 23 (I was so gay for Jude in this chapter, she was so mommy material) Despite feeling a bit betrayed by Oak and believing that she had failed in protecting him, she still trusted him when it came to Wren.

Oak Vs Taryn

"For a moment, he thinks of going over there and dumping his red clover tea over his sister's head" (Chapter 19)

(Jaw was on the FLOOR when i read this) I think it really sucked that Oak's family never told him about this, and I understand that Oak had every right to feel so raged that his family hid his mother’s true killer from his knowledge. Oak and The Ghost have been close, we did get some insight of The Ghost going to the mortal world and train Oak with Magic. I really hope Oak and The ghost's issue gets resolved, but that can only happen when the ghost gets cured....I love family drama, and it shows.

Jurdan Kids

Going back to the topic at hand, Cardan and Jude have given Oak permission to abdicate, which leads me to believe that they are planning to have kids of their own. So far, there hasn't been any indication from Jurdan that they are against having children. Holly has given us insights into Jurdan taking care of Leander, which is incredibly heartwarming. For example, we find out that Cardan plays with Leander, and there's a part where Jude is in the mortal world with newborn Leander, and Oak remembers Jude playing with baby Leander with a toy, almost like she was playing with a cat. I think these are definite hints from Holly that Jurdan would make great parents. Holly did say that we would get an answer to Jude and Cardan possibly having kids in the Prisoner's Throne, and I believe this was it. I will definitely make a separate post on this.

Randalian

I'm so happy this man is dead, it was long overdue. This man annoyed the crap out of us since the folk of the air series (it’s crazy that Jude and Cardan never decided to remove him from the living council, he never saw eye to eye with Jude and disrespected them constantly)

Lady Asha apperance

It turns out that Lady Asha is still in the court. She was only mentioned once when Lady Elaine was speaking with her. At that moment, I became suspicious and believed that Lady Asha was also part of the conspirators.

Locke appearance

The dream Oak had with Locke as a fox was fun and interesting. Even though it was a dream, it was cool to hear Locke again and how he acknowledged being murdered by Taryn.

Taryn is aging...but not Jude

FINALLY, we have some information on this topic. Oak describes Jude as looking very young, and Taryn as aging. He offers two possible explanations for this: either Taryn has visited the mortal world too often as her years are catching up to her, or becoming a mother has exhausted her. For a long time since TFOTA series, fans have speculated that since Jude is the Queen of Elfhame, she will never age. And it looks like Holly seems to support this, especially since Oak finally wonders "if Jude is quite as mortal as she once was". I from now on have no doubt about it, i am a "Jude will never age as long as she's Queen of Elfhame" believer.

The Cardan and Oak problem

it turns out that it wasn’t a big deal, Oak had been too much in his head, he was his own enemy when it came to Cardan, and it was amazing to see Cardan and Oak have a brotherly talk by the end of this book. Cardan’s character has really matured, and its amazing how comfortable he's become with his loved ones (i love him so much) I will admit, that when Cardan was talking to Oak about delaying his abdication of heir, I thought he was going to announce Jude’s pregnancy and you can't blame me, the way Holly wrote it made it sound like he was going to do that. (would’ve made me scream) but nope.

Summary:

The beginning was slow, but I nonetheless enjoyed it. I love Oak and Wren, however, I felt that they could have had a stronger connection in the story. There were too many unanswered questions left in the book, and it did not provide any closure to Oak and Wren's future. I feel that the series should have been a three-part book series instead of a duology. Moreover, many of the main characters seemed to have lost their power, such as Oak's resignation as heir to the throne, Wren losing her godly powers, and Tiernan being fired from his position as Oak's guard. I think many new readers who have never read the Folk of The Air series might not have appreciated that. Despite this, I appreciate that Jurdan was not removed from the Elfhame throne. However, I think that Holly Black set up more problems in this book than solutions, which makes it feel neglectful towards Oak and Wren's story. I am excited about this book, and I am sad that we may not get more news on Elfhame until possibly 2026, as she is currently working on the second book of The Book of Night. Anyways, In other news, I have a virtual event with Holly Black tonight 3/12/24, so I will write anything important down, and I will try to ask good questions!

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peterbarnes · 7 months

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Maybe Season 2: Chapter 1

Summary: You work at the TVA as an analyst. Every day is the same- boring case after boring case- but your entire life changes one day when a new variant shows up.

Word Count: 1.5k

Catch up on season 1 of the series!

A/N: chapter 1 is here!! I'm gonna try to upload weekly. I'll try to stay somewhat canon-compliant but since I kind of diverged during the season 1 finale, not everything will be the exact same as the show (obv). Enjoy!

It’s hard being in a place outside of time.

Your life drags on, but there’s nothing to quantify it; no way to measure your loneliness or your work. But - if you had to guess - it would be somewhere close to eternity.

You hadn’t slept once since He Who Remains passed. It was peaceful, just like he’d hoped. And it was a stark reminder that despite everything, he was still just a human being.

“You must protect the timeline,” he whispered to you on his deathbed. “My variants…if they come -”

“I won’t let them,” you interrupted. “I’m not scared.”

“You should be,” he said, voice quivering. “The Conqueror. He has no hesitation, no restraint. He is a vessel of destruction. I am a vessel of destruction.”

You took his shaking hand, gripping it tightly. Your heart thumped in your chest, nearly blocking out all other sounds. It was like someone was squeezing your ribs, blocking any air from coming in.

“Everything will be okay,” you promised.

It was a lie.

- - -

“No, no, no, no,” you repeated to yourself.

You were running around the citadel, from TemPad to TemPad, document to document. It was a mess - books scattered across the floor and cracks breaking apart the marble walls.

“Miss Minutes!” You called.

“Yes?”

You shrieked at the sudden voice and whipped around to find the orange clock floating behind you.

“Why isn’t Renslayer answering my calls?” You questioned.

Miss Minutes wasn’t taking your succession of Time too well. She met every question or command you gave with an eye roll or a snarky comment.

“I already told you,” she said, exasperated. “I don’t know.”

“Your job is literally to know everything,” you snapped, slamming a document down onto your desk.

“Hey!” She retorted. “You watch your tone with me, missy. Judge Renslayer is completely off the grid. I can’t track her or her TemPad anywhere.”

“Can’t or won’t?” You asked.

Miss Minutes didn’t answer. She simply scoffed and crossed her orange arms.

“You see that?”

You pointed out the window - to the Sacred Timeline beyond the Citadel. Except, it didn’t look the same as when you arrived. Instead of a beautiful blend of neon hues in one direction, streaks were going in all different directions. Branches, and they were growing fast.

“If I can’t contact the TVA’s head judge, then we can’t create a plan to stop this branching!”

You were screaming at this point, more to yourself than Miss Minutes.

“This never happened under He Who Remains,” Miss Minutes argued, pointing her gloved finger at you. “This problem started as soon as you took over.”

You glared daggers at the AI, but she wasn’t wrong. You had promised to protect and uphold Time, to prevent a multiversal war. All you had accomplished since you took over was making it worse.

“It’s not just me,” you tried to reason. “The TVA is falling apart. Now that we - the employees - know they’re variants, they’re either going back to their place on the timeline or refusing to prune. It’s a disaster!”

You plopped onto your desk chair, burying your head in your hands. Your nails picked at your scalp, pulling hair and skin out of frustration.

“This is your responsibility now,” Miss Minutes told you coldly. “If the TVA isn’t working right, get down there and fix it yourself.”

And with that, she was gone. The only person - and you use ‘person’ loosely - you had to talk to.

You sniffled into your sleeve. It was a blue sweater, warm and soft. It might appear mundane, but it was the only piece of clothing you’d worn that wasn’t your TVA uniform. It wasn’t supposed to be defined by your job, but you. Yet here you were sniffling into it as you crumbled under the pressure of your choices.

“I can’t fix it. Why can’t I fix it?” You scolded yourself as tears cascaded down your cheeks.

Miss Minutes’s words echoed in your head.

Get down there and fix it yourself.

Your eyes narrowed at the TemPad that sat on the desk before you. You wiped your eyes on your sleeve before grabbing the device and activating a Time Door.

You walked toward it, prepared to enter when something caught your eye. Your old TVA jacket lay scattered on the floor in the corner, still caked in blood from when you fought Sylvie and Loki. The memories flashed through your mind, and you winced. You pictured an alternate timeline where everything worked out perfectly. You and Loki together in a beautiful house. You would get a high position at a tech company as he spends his days exploring human literature and making amends for his past. Sylvie peacefully traipsing the countryside, finally having that chip off her shoulder. Mobius visiting you and Loki, sharing stories about his jet ski rides.

If only reality were as perfect as dreams.

Before you could talk yourself out of it, you ran and grabbed the jacket from the floor. It slipped on easily, like habit. As much as you had tried to run away from it, there was comfort in the familiarity.

The Time Door stood before you, inviting you in. You inhaled a deep breath and closed your eyes.

And then you walked through.

When you opened your eyes, you saw two gold doors. You backed up, trying to figure out where you were, only to back into a wall. The tiny space you were in was an elevator, you quickly realized. No button was pressed, but it moved nonetheless like it was taking you where you needed to go.

You were about to slip the TemPad into your pocket when it started beeping furiously.

“I swear if this isn’t Renslayer -”

There was no message, no notification awaiting you. Instead, what you saw was utter destruction.

“Oh my God,” you whispered in horror.

Bomb after bomb was being dropped on branches. They snapped off the timeline like twigs as entire universes were completely eradicated. It wasn’t pruning - it was genocide.

If you had never let the branches grow this far, this never would have happened.

It’s your fault.

It’s all your fault.

Suddenly, the elevator dinged, and the doors opened. The control room of the TVA was packed. Analysts and Hunters crowded the room, staring at the screen in front of them. What was on your TemPad was now displayed much bigger. A broken timeline, a massacre.

“Those are lives,” you heard someone say.

Shock overcame your body. You had no control anymore of your actions - you didn’t even realize you had been walking until the elevator doors shut behind you and you were in the center of the control room.

The TVA workers parted as you walked by them. Gossip spread, and whispers were shared. They all knew - you could tell. They knew about your betrayal, how you sided with the man that had stolen their lives - your life.

As the last of them parted, one person stood firmly in your way. Raven hair messily fell past his cheeks, and his blue eyes bored into you. They widened as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

“Hi.”

It was all you could say.

“Hi,” he responded.

An awkward pause settled between you. Loki cleared his throat and turned to Mobius, who nodded at him encouragingly.

“He was wrong,” Loki said to you. “A replacement didn’t stop the branching.”

“He wasn’t wrong,” you told him softly. “I just wasn’t right.”

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“What?”

“I tried,” you said, voice cracking. Tears slowly welled in your eyes. “I thought I could fix it. But no matter how hard I tried, it was never enough. I was never enough. I failed.”

You tried to wipe your tears discreetly so no one would see.

“You have some nerve showing up here,” one of the workers shouted. Others sounded their agreement.

You stared at the floor in shame.

“Easy, X-10 or I’ll throw you in that cell with Brad,” Loki threatened, his tone pointed and glare blazing.

“I want to help,” you said to the hunter. “There’s a war coming. We need to be ready.”

Mutters broke out amongst the crowd.

“A war?”

“What war?”

“What do you mean?”

But amidst all the chaos, Loki’s eyes didn’t leave yours. You watched as he slowly walked toward you. The anger in his eyes faded immediately when he looked at you. Instead, they looked sad - the type of melancholy only heartbreak could cause. Misery, longing, and fear all in one. But he pushed it aside, approaching you and holding out his hand.

“Stay?” He asked softly.

“Always.”

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daisymintt · 9 months

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Merlin and Arthur were on their way back to the citadel after a successful quest when they were attacked by a group of bandits. Merlin had taken a slash across his stomach from a very dirty sword, he was sure if the wound didn’t get cleaned soon it’d get infected, and Arthur had dislocated his left shoulder before they where able to get away.

Arthur supported Merlins weight on his uninjured side as they escaped only to get cornered against a cliff face. Arthur helped Merlin slide to the ground, his back pressed against the cold stone. Merlin gritted his teeth against the pain, an arm wrapped around his middle trying to suppress the bleeding, slipping in and out of consciousness. Merlin tried to grab at Arthur’s arm as he stood, hand on the hilt of his sword.

“No, Arthur, they’ll kill you!” Merlin gasped out. Arthur looked back resolutely.

“Don’t worry Merlin, I won’t let them near you.” Arthur promised, stepping forward and unsheathing his sword as the bandits stepped out from among the surrounding trees trapping them.

Lightheaded and desperate he encanted in a whisper a spell he hadn’t used since the incident with Knight Valiant, “Bebiede þe arisan cwicum.” (I command you to rise up to life.)

His eyes flashed gold, the familiar feeling of his magic warming him. The golden dragon crest embroidered on Arthur’s signature Pendragon red cloak started moving. Its head lifted from the fabric, solid and real, and the attackers stumbled back in fright.

Arthur, still unaware of the dragon coming to life on his cloak, was confused by his attackers sudden fear. The dragons wings came next, then its legs, and finally its thin, whiplike tail, until its entire body was free from the confines of the red fabric. Arthur yelped and threw his cloak on the ground, the little golden scaled dragon tumbling across the forest floor with it. She got to her feet and shook her head. One of the attackers laughed and taunted, “What’s this here? Is this little lizard gonna protect you?”

“Κα ὶ στρατηγ ὸ ν δ ὲ α ὐ τ ὸ ν ἀ πέδειξε.” (Protect Arthur.) he commanded the dragon in a deep whispered tone. She looked towards him and ducked her head in obedience before directing her attention to the attackers who had gotten more bold now. One of them raised their sword, ready to bring it down towards Arthur who looked frightened and confused, his dislocated arm hanging limply at his side while the other tightly gripped his sword, but before the blow could land the tiny dragon launched herself at him.

With her tiny, needle sharp claws she claws at his eyes, wings beating around his face. He screamed in pain and desperately tried to pull her off him causing her to dig her claws in deeper. His cohorts started yelling to each other, unsure how to help. One of them used the butt of his sword and slammed it into the man’s face, missing the intended target and knocking him out. His body collapsed on the floor, bloody scratches marred his face and his nose was bloody and broken.

The little dragon perched on his chest ready to pounce, its tail lashing about, then fast as a snake she struck. Before the bandit could react she flew at him and buried her fangs in his shoulder, he shrieked and tried to pry her off but she was too quick for him. She darted down the mans tunic, the man began hopping from foot to foot yelping and in pain as he tried to grab her. At one point he must’ve struck her because an Arthur heard a faint yelp before the bandit doubled over in pain. The little dragon crawled out of the bottom of his breeches with a satisfied smile, blood painting her talons and mouth.

The few remaining bandits looked uncertainly between Arthur and the little dragon, debating whether this was worth the risk. The little dragon flapped her wings and glided over to Arthur where he stood stiffly watching the whole thing unfold before him. She landed on his uninjured shoulder and lovingly nuzzled his face before hissing at the bandits, her tail twining around his arm protectively. One of them shakily raised their sword towards her.

Her eyes narrowed and she opened her jaws, a funnel of fire billowed out towards the bandits who dropped their weapons and ran. Pleased, she settled herself on Arthur’s shoulder, Arthur wasn’t sure exactly what to do with this. Last time he had seen a dragon it was razing Camelot and had been much bigger. This dragon couldn’t be bigger than a well fed rat yet it contained all the fight of a full sized dragon.

Tentatively he raised his hand to it and gave its chin a scratch. The dragon purred and leaned into it. It purred. How such a creature had come from his cloak he couldn’t be sure, magic had to be involved, but he couldn’t find it in his heart to be truly fearful of her when she had protected him and Merlin. A groan of pain turned his attention back to his injured manservant.

“Merlin!” He cried and rushed over to his side. Merlin was not looking good, his face was pale and sweaty, his hair sticking to his forehead, and the blood stain on his tunic was steadily growing.

The dragon on his shoulder whined and glided down, landing on Merlin’s shoulder. She nudged his cheek, Merlin’s eyes fluttered open. Arthur allowed himself to breathe, Merlin was still alive.

“Come on, Merlin, almost there. Just hang on a little bit longer.” He said as he crouched down, throwing one of Merlin’s arms over him and helping him stand. Together they made the remaining trek back to Camelot with a new friend in tow.

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dysphoria-chan · 11 months

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Leafko, a story about plants

Before I start to repost my art, I'll like to introduce Leafko to tumblr! An episodic RPG Maker game inspired by plants.

Set in a forest where plants had become sentient, follow the journey of Leafko, a little girl who searches for ancient relics to prevent the rebirth of a dark entity. In each episode, the protagonist meets a different character with unique abilities. Bring light back to nature before it's too late.

Explore various locations and dungeons taken by nature. Each dungeon has its own dynamics and useful items, some even keep secrets to find.

Simplified turn-based combat with classic mechanics. Equip swords, daggers, shields and everything that reminds to old-school RPGs. Not to mention that plants also wield magic.

Dig into an interesting lore about kingdoms and nature. Relations between the different type of plants, from leaves to flowers, from fruits to nuts. Each location has an interest history to read about.

Meet a new character in each chapter. Unlike other RPGs, the player doesn't control a large group of members, but just the protagonist or a partner who helps her on certain moments of the plot. Know their stories and their conflicts, maybe they help Leafko to grow.

Story

Forestia is a huge forest where plants have become aware and have built kingdoms. Leaves sprout from their heads, flowers adorn their bodies, and bark protects them from cold. These beings, called 'Herbaes', live in harmony with nature, worshiping the forest as gratitude.

Some centuries ago, the Herbae discovered a way to obtain more resources through new technology. Although they had brought progress, they became ambitious. From their malice, a dark entity emerged and began to consume everything, polluting the forest.

Four braves decided to confront it and sealed darkness with their weapons. Nature blossomed again and the heroes' weapons became relics. A new era of peace had begun, but the fear of a new malice emerging still remained.

In the present, Leafko, a very insecure girl, has been chosen as the priestess of the Citadel. Guided by the Monarch and her tutor Fertile, she must prepare for the Blossoming Ceremony, a ritual in which new plants will sprout. Frustrated with not being able to fulfill her tasks and the pressure that her tutor puts on her, Leafko has nightmares about a dark entity that she can't understand.

Chapter Trailers

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You can found Leafko on itch.io and RPG Maker.net!

Stay tuned by upgrades and patches, you can follow me to get news about this game. You are free to contribute to this project by donating through Patreon or PayPal!

#indie game #pixel art #rpg maker #rpg #games #Youtube

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cassynite · 1 year

Note

17. Your bed after travelling for the sensory prompts?

Hhhhh thank you for the ask. I'm going to call this scene canon-possible--I'm still not totally sure if this actually happens. Regardless, I hope you enjoy it! I certainly am pretty proud of it.

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

The return was silent, by the end. Though they took the fastest route home, spending an eye-watering amount of gold on teleportating from Nex to Drezen, they'd still had to get to Quantium from the edges of the Mwangi expanse where Bikotsi and the rest of his people had parted from their group and wished them well. It took hours, and left Sparrow exhausted by the time they stepped back onto the familiar grounds of Drezen's citadel.

She and Daeran are the only ones remaining of their party by the time they reach Mendev once more. Seelah peeled off in Nex, saying she had business down south. Sparrow had offered help, but Seelah was apparently meeting other friends--and while she was more than ready to jump into another adventure, she recognized that Sparrow clearly was not. She'd told Sparrow she knew how to reach her if she did need the help, and then urged her to get some rest. It had been a long journey, after all.

Sosiel used the teleporter to return to Andoren, to his family and his husband. He'd hugged Sparrow before they left, offered to have them visit his vineyard to recuperate with friends. Sparrow said no, because she'd known what was really behind the offer. Bad shocks, painful moments, were best handled alone. She appreciated Sosiel's care even if she did not want to endure his hovering.

Woljif had hovered, or tried to, with the benefits of coming to Drezen with the Arendaes. But Daeran knew what she needed and had sent him off to his own estate with a few well-placed words, with the promise they would meet again once everyone had slept off the journey. Woljif had agreed, his tail lashing, and had told Sparrow he'd be up and ready by the next day if she was.

And Nenio, of course, stayed behind in the Mwangi jungles, her work not yet done. The ruins still needed more study, she'd said. And besides, she wished to discuss theory with Isore, whose name she already engraved into her still-nebulous memory.

Isore. Crow. Isore, whose real name Sparrow had not even remembered. Isore, who had scars stark against his skin, who had looked so small compared to Sparrow's memories. Who'd known where she was for years and never tried to find her; who had crushed her against his chest and wept when he did see her again for the first time since she was eleven. Who saved her life and the lives of all of her friends, the life of her husband.

Who, when she'd asked him to come home with her, said no.

Her body is aching by the time she and Daeran finally make it to their rooms, the paperwork and concerns brought to Sparrow's attention non-emergent enough to wait. But, while Daeran strips to his skin as soon as he walks through the door and collapses onto their bed immediately, she sets down their traveling packs and starts pulling out everything inside. Her body itches even through the exhaustion. She wants to put things in their right place, clean up and erase the marks of travel from their room. She takes things out, one by one, and puts everything away in a drawer or a chest or their closet. Her body is distant and automatic in the motions.

It lasts for several minutes until she hears Daeran's voice from the bed next to her. "Dear heart, if you do not come to bed this instant I will tie you to it." The threat is diminished somewhat by being addressed to the pillow Daeran has buried his face in, visible from the corner of Sparrow's eye. "Whatever mess there is can be cleaned tomorrow, after sleep."

Sparrow keeps putting things away. A mud-stained pair of trousers to be washed, the only Greater Restore scroll they hadn't used, a ring of protection Crow had made--she closes the bag, moves on to another pack. "I don't know if I'll have the strength to rise at an appropriate time tomorrow," she says, pulling out Daeran's spare boots. "I'll be just a few minutes."

"You'll be hours." With clear disgruntlement, Daeran raises his head from the pillow. "And since 'appropriate time' for you is before even the sun wishes to grace the land I would go so far as to say that you are entitled to sleep in. We will put everything away tomorrow, I give my word."

"You mean we'll get servants to do it."

"Did I not just say?" Daeran stretches out a single golden-skinned arm from under the covers, beckoning to her. "Come to bed. It's cold without you."

The image is tempting enough to make her pause, but the itching is still there, and she knows it won't go away until everything is in its place and she doesn't have to look at it anymore. "I don't...I need a few more minutes."

Daeran does not lower his head back down like Sparrow hoped. Instead, he raises one golden eyebrow. Sparrow takes out two more things and puts them in drawers before the nagging sense that she's keeping her husband up forces her to say, "Please don't wait for me. I'll blow the lights. You need rest."

"I certainly do, almost half as much as you," Daeran returns. To her horror, he sits up entirely, looking absolutely miserable doing it. "If you insist on finishing tonight, I suppose I shall help."

"No, don't do that. Lie back down. It will just--" She closes her eyes. "All right. Let me put out the light."

Daeran stays upright while Sparrow takes off her stiff traveling clothes and blows out the lamps, until the only remaining light is that which emanates from her husband. But Sparrow still stands on the edge of the bed, keenly aware of the supplies still on the floor.

Supplies enough for two and no more, still stained from their trek through the Mwangi expanse.

"Why didn't he want to come back?" Her throat is tight; she swallows once, twice. There's a horrible pressure against the sides of her nose that she's pressing back against. She has to keep it together.

After several seconds of black silence, Daeran says, "Please come to bed, Sparrow."

Sparrow's shoulders slump, as if all her strings have cut. She puts one knee on the soft feather mattress, and then feels more than sees Daeran's dim arms reach forward and pull her to his chest in a crushing embrace. She buries her face into his shoulder, clinging to him like a lifeline.

"We only just found each other again," she chokes out against his skin. Every moment of their hellish trip splinters inside of her, each culminating to the look on her brother's face when he stepped away from her and said goodbye. When he walked away. "Why didn't he want to be here?" Why didn't he want to be with me? Even in her mind the words are too raw.

"I want to be here," Daeran says, his voice uncommonly fierce. "I want to be here, and if your blasted brother had any sense he would want to be here as well. If his guilt, or his pride, keeps him from you, then that is his burden to bear. It has nothing do with you."

"How could it not? How couldn't it? What is wrong with me?" She doesn't even know what she's saying anymore, there is only the pressure, the breaking of a thousand shards of glass in her throat and her chest, and Daeran's arms around her. The end of a trip where she found her brother and lost him all over again.

"I want to be here," Daeran repeats, voice raspy. Sparrow feels the pressure of a kiss against her head, then her damp cheek. "I will always want to be here. Your brother can stew in his own misery or grow up and love you like he should have. I will be here either way." He lays them down together, still holding Sparrow tight against him, an anchor in the storm. He lets Sparrow fall apart in his arms, and strokes her hair when the relief of exhaustion finally pulls her down into sleep.

When Sparrow wakes up the next day, eyes crusted and bleary, the sun is already shining through the room, and any traces of their travels are gone.

#cassy answers #turbulentpumpkin43 #cassy writes #oc: sparrow #daeran arendae #pathfinder wrath of the righteous #pwotr #wotr #gettin better at emotional scenes i think!#pwotr pals

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walkswithmyfather · 1 year

Text

“So it came about when the command and decree of the king were heard and many young ladies were gathered to the citadel of Susa into the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken to the king’s palace into the custody of Hegai, who was in charge of the women. Now the young lady pleased him and found favor with him. So he quickly provided her with her cosmetics and food, gave her seven choice maids from the king’s palace and transferred her and her maids to the best place in the harem. Esther did not make known her people or her kindred, for Mordecai had instructed her that she should not make them known. Every day Mordecai walked back and forth in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and how she fared.

Now when the turn of each young lady came to go in to King Ahasuerus, after the end of her twelve months under the regulations for the women—for the days of their beautification were completed as follows: six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and the cosmetics for women— the young lady would go in to the king in this way: anything that she desired was given her to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace. In the evening she would go in and in the morning she would return to the second harem, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She would not again go in to the king unless the king delighted in her and she was summoned by name. Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai who had taken her as his daughter, came to go in to the king, she did not request anything except what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the women, advised. And Esther found favor in the eyes of all who saw her. So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus to his royal palace in the tenth month which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she found favor and kindness with him more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. Then the king gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his princes and his servants; he also made a holiday for the provinces and gave gifts according to the king’s bounty.” —Esther 2:8‭-‬18 (NASB)

“Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?” —Esther 4:13‭-‬14 (NASB)

“For Such a Time as This” By In Touch Ministries:

“Though we may not always understand what God is doing around us, we can trust He’s working to accomplish His good purposes.”

“We clearly see the Lord’s sovereign hand at work in Esther’s life when she was plucked from obscurity and elevated to be the queen of Persia. She was a young woman with no social standing or power. Without her cousin Mordecai’s protection, Esther was actually very vulnerable. Can you imagine how upset, confused, and uncertain she must have felt as events were unfolding around her?

We may feel like that, too. God’s purposes are being worked out just the way He’s planned, but from our earthly perspective, things sometimes seem confusing and unclear. That’s why Esther’s story is encouraging. It teaches us to trust in God’s will. After all, He doesn’t save us and then leave us to fend for ourselves. Instead, He continually guides each of His children in the work He has planned.

Begin looking for the Lord’s hand in your life. He is working out His design—sometimes with gentle nudges, other times via jarring disruptions. No matter what happens, don’t forget that He is present and always moving and directing. Never imagine yourself to be insignificant in His eyes. You’re so highly esteemed that almighty God has designed a unique calling just for you.”

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xenokattz · 1 year

Text

Once upon a time, when I was in still drowning in the brainrot that is "The Pearl I Carry in my Heart," I thought some of the chapters would start epistolary style.

It doesn't quite fit any more but I'm a hoarder so I kept all the letters in a different doc. Here's some of them if anyone wants BTS. There's more but let me figure out text cuts first because I have not posted in a minute.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

My greetings to you, Great Feathered Serpent, God-King of Talokan.

I am M'Baku of the Jabari, firstborn of [name] and [name]. I am now King of Wakanda and will be your contact regarding the Wakanda-Talokan Alliance. Because I know you will demand it, I will tell you that Shuri of the Panther Tribe, daughter of the late Queen Ramonda, remains as the Black Panther.

Our representatives should begin outlining the details of this treaty as soon as possible. The United Nations will likely give Wakanda little more than one month to grieve our queen before they come crawling out of the termite hill. If they find us, it will not be long before they find you. The people and resources of both our nations need to be protected.

I would rather just get on with it and send a list of demands but the council tells me that a summit is more appropriate for cultural exchange as well as all military treaties and the other things that come with an alliance. I have attached a draft of the possible topics during the summit. The soonest we will be ready to receive you is in two months. I would make it sooner but someone destroyed the capital and we are currently unpresentable.

Record and send your response through this bead and I will reply as soon as possible.

M'Baku of the Jabari, King of Wakanda

~*~

King M'Baku of the Jabari,

I made this alliance with Princess Shuri, the Black Panther. I will not speak to any other.

~*~

Ajaw K'uk'ulkan,

I regret to inform you that the Black Panther is unavailable for the foreseeable future. I will, of course, inform her of your response. It is up to her whether or not she will contact you.

M'Baku of the Jabari, King of Wakanda

~*~

Where is the princess?

~*~

She is away grieving her mother, you great feathered bottom-feeder. You will speak to me and no one else until this summit. If I find out you have tried to contact Shuri before she is ready, I will dance on your molars and left patella which will be the only pieces of your body remaining once she is done with you. I will wipe jade from the face of the earth so you cannot pay the Maize God into rebirth. I will melt down your useless gold armour to build myself a new toilet in the Citadel. Do you want this summit or not?

Respectfully,

M'Baku of the Jabari, King of Wakanda

#nashuri #namuri #shuri x namor #namor x shuri #seaprincess #black panther wakanda forever #wakanda forever

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tearsoftime0086 · 7 months

Text

Odyssey/Dark Star WIP

Various scenes of the cursed fate of Zed and Karma from the Odyssey and Dark Star universe.

~ Jhin pierces her heart first.

It is painless, just as he’d promised. The ethereal bullet leaves no blood behind, flesh searing away in an instant. Her consciousness melts away much more slowly, vision flickering between the dark purple galaxies above and the golden mask before her.

Her last thoughts are of him.

In the gaping crevice of her heart, Jhin gently places a pulsating, dying star.

Zed sits alone in the Templar Garden, shoulders rigid and hands awkwardly stiff in his lap.

“At ease, Templar,” Karma says. The young man turns to her immediately.

“Karma -” he breathes, before shaking his head. “High Priestess. My apologies.”

“Either is fine,” she waves her hand loosely, eventually gesturing to the bench. “Do you mind if I sit next to you?”

To her amusement, Zed manages to shift his whole body over without moving a muscle. “Please go ahead.”

Their interactions were never much more than this. A light compliment. Crossing paths at the Citadel. Sitting in the Templar Garden, together, silently.

And yet… she…

Zed smiles to himself, and her heart races.

“You must know I never ever use mortals for my canvas,” Jhin drawls, tinkering with his gun, “Much too fragile, and imperfect from the start.”

The ghostly barrel lines up with her face. “Imagine my surprise when your request came in, High Priestess.”

Karma remains calm. For all Jhin’s theatrics and taunts, she knew he couldn’t refuse a chance like this.

“Imagine my surprise when you accepted it so quickly.”

The singular visible eye in the mask squints before Jhin chuckles quietly to himself. “Ora-touched individuals are rare to come by - especially ones who have remained intact for so long.”

Karma squeezes the folds of her dress.

“But of course, I accept, High Priestess,” Jhin laughs, “That’s why you’re here after all. And I would love to make you a masterpiece - one that will exceed any pathetic hivemind.”

Karma watches the line of acolytes, a stoic, unmoving wall covering the Citadel. The Naming Ceremony - a special moment that came for only the brightest of students. Here, all remnants of their previous identity would be wiped away in exchange for guardianship over the Ora.

Her eye falls on the acolyte at the end of the line. While the silent wall seems to ripple with unease as the High Templar comes to bless them, the last acolyte remains motionless.

It is finally his turn.

“Acolyte Govos, of justice and loyalty. Be reborn as Templar Zed, Holy Justice of the Ora.”

The newly named Zed bows deeply. As his head rises, he stares not at the crowd before him, but the Citadel’s flowing megafauna, their translucent glow reflected in his irises.

“What have you done, Jhin?!”

“Only the finest work for you, Your Majesty. Let us watch the tragedy unfold.”

“I was not strong enough to protect Ly’rav. I was too reckless, too desperate. Until we became whole. We are worthy and complete and -”

The skin on his arms ripples wildly, flesh knitting and unknitting in surreal turmoil. Zed’s sigh is long and unsteady. All she can do is reach for his hand - small fingers wrapping over a clenched fist.

“I had all the power I could ever desire… and I was not strong enough to control it.”

#league of legends #bits and baubles #karma/zed #zed/karma #karma #zed #jhin #ashe

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asoiafandotherbooks · 6 months

Text

TWOIAF/Fire & Blood: The Death of the High Septon

The High Septon, a man of three-and-fifty, in robust good health, known for his strength, died in the middle of the night. Unsurprisingly, there were many rumors of the cause of the High Septon’s death.

The various theories:

1) Suicide – either as a sacrifice to save Oldtown or he was too cowardly to face the wrath of Maegor.

2) The Seven struck him down for the sin of pride, heresy, treason, and arrogance.

3) Murder

Suicide could be the answer. The High Septon would hardly be the first cult leader to kill himself to avoid the consequences of his actions.

I have to go with the murder theory. The Hightowers have proven they will not let Oldtown be destroyed. The High Septon’s life would be a small price to pay in their eyes to keep Oldtown safe. It can’t be a coincidence that Morgan Hightower oversaw the High Septon’s protection. Lady Patrice Hightower, Lord Martyn’s maiden aunt and a reported witch, also paid the High Septon a visit at dusk. Others suggest the Archmaesters at the Citadel assassinated the High Septon. The Citadel may not like Targaryens but they would like their impending death by fire much less. Still others thought it the work of Visenya Targaryen, a rumored sorceress. We can eliminate Visenya – she would have used Vhagar.

As soon as the High Septon was declared dead, Lord Martyn Hightower had the Warrior’s Sons disarmed and arrested, including his own brother. The city’s gates were opened, and Targaryen banners raised along the walls. Lord Hightower’s men had the Most Devout rousted from their beds and marched at spearpoint to the Starry Sept to choose a new High Septon. All of this was accomplished well before Vhagar was seen approaching Oldtown.

The election of the new High Septon was easily accomplished. All septons voted for Septon Pater: an blind, stooped, and feeble, the ninety-year old was famously amiable. High Septon Pater had no problems anointed Maegor Targaryen in the Starry Sept.

Visenya returned to Dragonstone after Maegor was anointed in the Starry Sept but Maegor remained in Oldtown for the last half of 43 AC, holding court and presiding over trials. Maegor gave the captive Warrior’s Sons a choice: execution or the Night’s Watch. Three-quarters of the captives chose to join the Night’s Watch. Seven of the remainder, famous knights and sons of lords, were executed personally by Maegor. The rest were beheaded by their own former brothers-in-arms. Was this the soon to be members of the Nght’s Watch? Only one member of the Warrior’s Sons received a full pardon – Morgan Hightower. What a surprise! Well played, HIghtowers!

High Septon Pater formally dissolved the Warrior’s Sons and Poor Fellows – from now on, the Crown would guard the Faith. Maegor gave the surviving members until the year’s end to give up their rebellious ways – after that, bounties would be placed on their heads – a gold dragon for a Warrior’s Son and a silver dragon for a Poor Fellow.

Maegor reconciled with Ceryse Hightower, his first wife, while at Oldtown. Ceryse agreed to accept Maegor’s other wives while he restored Ceryse to all the rights, incomes, and privileges due her as wedded wife and queen. The Hightower held a great feast and even a second bedding/consummation so all men “would know this a true and loving union”.

To be fair, while Maegor took a second wife he didn’t divorce Ceryse. Aenys forced the separation when he exiled Maegor and Alys. We don’t know if Ceryse was given the option of accompanying the duo to Pentos. The nature of Fire and Blood doesn’t allow us insight into Ceryse, Alys, or Tyanna. We don’t know their feelings towards Maegor or how he behaved as a husband. So curious! I don’t include the Black Brides into the equations as their marriages were coerced and they didn’t have favorable opinions of Maegor.

Up next, the doomed rebellion of Aegon the Uncrowned.

#asoiaf #game of thrones #hotd #house targaryen #maegor the cruel #maegor targaryen #house hightower #high septon #high septon pater #morgan hightower #martyn hightower #patrice hightower #ceryse hightower #warrior's sons #poor fellows #visenya targaryen #twoiaf #fire and blood

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khadgarbignaturals · 1 year

Note

*peeks out from under my rock* hey can u rant about why you hate Jaina? I mean, I’m reading the books (at a snails pace because psychic damage) and I don’t like her, but I’m curious to see what else she done did that’s got you peeved.

wall of text incoming. i dont care enough to put paragraph breaks so read at your own risk.

the biggest thing i despise her for is the purge of dalaran where she and the silver covenant (high elves lead by vereesa windrunner) went around dalaran and killed or imprisoned every blood elf they could find (including civilians). this included aethas sunreaver who is a blood elf mage that was really good at magic and worked really hard to make dalaran a faction neutral city and give blood elves a home within it. he was appointed to the council of six and worked closely with archmage modera to stop malygos’s attack on dalaran and to teleport the city to northrend. the point is that he was super powerful and did a lot of good for dalaran. just before mists, garrosh was threatening jaina’s city of theramore and went to the council of six to ask for aid. the council was against sending and because of their faction neutrality, but aethas cast the deciding vote to send a small force of kirin tor to theramore, not wanting to aid garrosh by not acting. the mage that was sent ended up being a spy for garrosh and theramore was bombed, completely destroying it. after this, jaina kind of went on a warpath, demanding the council of six join the alliance against the horde. the council remained neutral and aethas stated he had no idea that mage was a spy, and that breaking the kirin tor’s neutrality for vengeance is not the right thing to do. jaina stormed out of dalaran, stealing some books about a powerful magic artifact that she later planned to use to make another bomb to drop on orgrimmar, but was stopped by kalegcos. she returned to dalaran to apologize and requested to rejoin the kirin tor as a low ranking member but seeing that she had (supposedly) changed, and admiring her humbleness, the council voted her as leader of the kirin tor, a decision i find incredibly stupid but aethas was in full support of. at this point, garrosh had fully begun his whole anti alliance war thing and really wanted this pandaren artifact that jaina was protecting in darnassus. aethas caught a group of horse mages trying to find it and started scolding them for doing so, but realized that if this mission failed, garrosh would know exactly who thwarted it and (knowing him) the fallout would cost many blood elf lives so aethas remained silent and let the artifact be stolen. he had hoped jaina’s wrath would be less than garrosh’s. he was wrong. jaina was enraged and demanded all blood elves leave dalaran, and when aethas went to her and told her that the sunreavers were still neutral and had just as much of a right to live in dalaran as the humans, she imprisoned him in the violet citadel and went around dalaran with the silver covenant and killed or imprisoned any belves they found. she also is just generally racist against the horde but like, half the alliance is so she isnt special for that.

tldr: she was a huge dick to aethas sunreaver and is really racist against all horde but specifically blood elves, and the whole purge of dalaran thing.

#i could go on forever about the injustices aethas faced in the kirin tor and specifically from jaina #there are blood elves in my head with incredibly strong opinions about this

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thiefguard · 6 months

Note

your bruising headcanons were excellent

may i humbly request smutty headcanons too 🥺

Hi anon, thank you so much! I had a lot of fun writing them :3

Ofc you can request smutty hcs!!!

AU where Lamp was born from a mining-based economy :)

Queen

The Kingdom was built on its mines, literally and figuratively. Everyone knows of the wonders that lie beneath. Diamonds, rubies, sapphires beyond compare. As a child, (the small and future) Queen learns the smooth, cool touch of her mother’s opals long before she learns of the labour that bore them. Her teenage years are a string of suitors, each offering ever more splendid prizes. Aquamarines, from the riverland depositories. Jade from the sea-shelf, tourmaline from the mountains.

All would win her favour with jewels. None would tell her the truth of their harvest.

But the Queen has eyes, and in time she has power. Sense to see the back-breaking labour, sanity to put an end to it. She tours the shafts. Trails her fingertips along the walls until they come away black with smut. She meets the workers, listens to their stories, hears their coughs as dust rattles through their lungs.

The mines are shuttered. Past centuries bought forth enough jewels to last lifetimes. Let her people emerge from the dark and breathe in the light. Let their gemstones fill museums, not vaults. Let them trade, and smith, and work the stones for pleasure, not survival.

She styles herself to set a precedent. The court’s halls are hung with portraits of Ancestors who could hardly stand beneath the weight of their ceremonial jewels. For herself, she selects a single, simple piece. A pendant with a malachite stone, that reminds her of her mother’s eyes.

“Beautiful,” a husky voice murmurs one morn. Bold fingers brush the pendant, and the Queen gazes up into unfamiliar eyes. ‘Beautiful’, the word echoes in her mind, then ‘yes, oh yes you are.’

Priestess

Tess can barely remember a time before the Sound. Logically - when her mind is settled enough for reason - she knows it wasn’t always there. She wasn’t born with the ringing in her ears. Didn’t grow with the reverberation of it pulsing through her her veins. Didn’t stumble into adulthood with the deafening urgency pulling her towards it, every moment of every day.

So. There must have been a beginning, but that moment is as lost to the surface as she is.

It was a relief, the first time she realised that the sound grew louder in proximity to the mine shafts. Because if it has a source, then there must be a Reason, and if she can understand the reason, then perhaps the ceaseless, endless, terrible noise might finally abate.

She packs little for her journey. Perhaps part of her senses that supplies will be of little use below the surface. Perhaps part of her knows that she won’t be coming back.

She hesitates, just for a moment, on the precipice. One foot inside, palm coated with soot as she presses it to the stone wall and feels the sound echoing from below.

All she truly knows is that every step, every turn, every descent, takes her closer to the source of the Sound, and she cannot, will not, must not rest until she finds it.

Guard

He refuses to be bested by a common jewel thief.

The mines are perilous, have been shuttered for centuries, but the allure of the gems within remains.

Guard has worked many roles within the Citadel. He began as a boy, guarding stalls in the central market. From there, he graduated to the docks, proved himself protecting the fisherfolk and their catch. His time at the Temple was a promotion in name, but he found that he missed the sea breeze, the creak of wood, the lap of waves. Patrolling the corridors, he learned not to ask questions, not to look anyone directly in the eye. And then… the Incident, and now – the mines.

The role is a punishment, he knows that. A lesson in guarding his tongue more than guarding the deep, cavernous passages. Only madmen would attempt to break and enter here. Madmen – and a jewel thief.

For weeks he catches only the faintest glimpses. A shadow on the wall. The twitch of a cloak. A flash of blonde at the end of a corridor, gone in a blink. He might even doubt himself, if she didn’t want him to know she was there.

At first it’s just snatches of laughter, ringing out from the end of a corridor.

As he comes to learn her favoured routes, he finds symbols crudely hewn into the stone. Trailmarkers, obviously intended to throw him off the scent. This arrow leads to a channel so narrow as to be impassable, that one to a gap only a child could squeeze through.

She’s taunting him, teasing him, and the longer it lasts, the more determined he becomes to catch her.

He sets traps, lies in wait. Follows the routes she’s prone to taking, maps the antechambers he thinks she’s searching for. Here, where the last trove of diamonds was mined. Or there, where emeralds were as plentiful as pebbles.

Once, he follows her so deep for so long that he turns around on himself. Looks up to find the paths unfamiliar, no sign of his markers to guide him. An hour passes, then another. He tries first this fork in the path, then a tunnel that leads towards a distant hum. The longer he walks, the darker it becomes. He feels the first lick of fear long before his lamp dies. He sits, then. Feels the cold of the walls seep into his skin as he tries in vain to recall his steps.

Just as panic is beginning to set in truly, a flicker of light.

A full passage away, but closer than he’s ever seen her. Blonde, yes, and smaller than he’d thought, but the dim candlelight casts a shadow that rises to the ceiling – that almost touches him as she crooks a beckoning finger.

Her cheeks are grimed with soot and her grin is all at his expense, but for a moment’s blessed relief, Guard allows himself to be bested by the jewel thief and guided back to daylight.

Teller

Teller grew up on stories of the mines, but has never set foot in one until Jul disappears.

Oh, it’s not so dramatic as all that. No sudden Vanishing, here one moment and gone the next. When she’s deep on an exploration, he can go weeks without seeing her – months, if he should travel while she’s underground.

But as summer ebbs into autumn without a glimpse, the browning of the leaves brings a sense of… unease.

It’s silly, he knows, to think that he could stroll straight out of the Temple, shimmy down the nearest shaft and find her in an afternoon. But still. He can try.

He doesn’t go unprepared. Magister would give him men, he knows, and all the supplies he could need. But first he would need to Ask, and then he would need to Explain, and neither of those are conducive to actually Doing. And so, just this once, he takes a leaf out of Jul’s book and Takes.

The map book Magister keeps in his quarters is beautifully illustrated. Teller has watched him pore over it for hours, always cleansing his hands reverently before turning its pages. The whole Citadel is here – its streets and tunnels, above ground and below. The mines will have changed shape over the centuries, he knows, altered by cave-ins and erosions and neglect. But he has a start.

The map helps for far longer than he might have expected. It charts a true course, leads him through narrow, winding tunnels that must surely pass well beyond the boundaries of the Citadel.

His guilt grows as his coal-black fingers incriminate themselves upon the pristine pages. And so he looks, learns, and stows it away. He's sure that he remains on course, certain that his recollection is true, even as he enters an unmarked ante-chamber. A vaulted ceiling that has no right to be here. A shaft of light, impossible at these depths. And a distant sound that might be running water, but sounds like no stream Teller has ever crossed.

Most curiously, most temptingly, most bafflingly of all… at the center of the room, a pedestal. Hewn from marble of a shining cream, topped by a plush red pillow of the softest silk. And there, in the center... incongruous, illogical, but oh so very real... a pristine brass oil lamp, just begging to be touched.

#Lamp HBO #Lamp headcanons #Lamp fic #tee hee hee hee hee #I find myself so funny #SORRY anon I know what you actually wanted #and I will try to oblige when I'm not being a silly billy #but this was super fun too!!

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thatgreyjedi · 1 year

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Alright, I feel like I need to do this rant now before we know anything that happens in the season finale of the Bad Batch.

So, we all know that deep down inside, we love each character of the beloved Clone Force 99. However, I have a gut feeling that in order for this season to somewhat end is that someone who is either close to the batch or is a member of the batch is going to die. Now over the course of season 2, I have had many differing theories as to who that might be, but I have a feeling that if they are to kill off anyone, it will probably be Echo.

Now my reasoning behind this is mainly looking into what Echo has gone through. First off, he was believed to be KIA during the rescue at the Citadel, which everyone believed that Echo died as a result of an explosion. However, he wasn’t dead, but captured by the Separatists and exploited to benefit their side against his own will. He had to endure the pain of consistently being used for his knowledge that he developed with his brothers in arms, all while he is too weak to fight back. When Echo was finally rescued by Rex, the Bad Batch, and the rest of the rescue party, he had to readjust himself to life without his private thoughts being infiltrated every living breathing second. However, the biggest curveball was learning of each brother from the remaining Domino Squad’s that he wasn’t aware of before being MIA. This also means that he had to deal with the death of one of the brothers he seem to be closest to (and what the fans say) was Fives, who sadly died such a tragic death all in the name of doing what he thought was right by informing everyone about the inhibitor chip conspiracy in the Fives Arc in season six. With all this mind, this proves how much Echo had to deal with in the aftermath of returning to his old life after being held against his will by the Separatists.

Now don’t get me wrong, Echo joining the Bad Batch was a great way to reincorporate Echo back into the Clone Wars Era show from both a writer’s standpoint along with an audience’s perspective. This got to show how Echo was able to adapt to being more of a cyborg than 100% flesh clone, as we have seen him in all sorts of adventures where his upgrades have proven to get the Clone Force 99 out of sticky situations. On the contrary to this, Echo didn’t grow up with the members of the Bad Batch, so his connection with them isn’t as deeply rooted as the connections between Hunter, Crosshair, Tech, and Wrecker are. This also can be used to support Echo and Omega’s unique bond with one another. Unlike the other members of the batch, both Echo and Omega grew up separately from the other four members; Echo growing up with the members of the Domino Squad and Omega basically being raised by Nala Se. Since both joined the batch later in each of their lives, they aren’t as rooted with the other brothers who had grown up with one another since they were created. This allowed for Omega and Echo to bond over the fact that they were outsiders in their own sort of way, which makes their connection so special in my opinion. That is why I believe that his death would hit Omega real hard because she could connect with him on such a level that maybe other members of the Bad Batch wouldn’t entirely understand.

To conclude my thoughts here, I believe that Echo would be the most likely choice if Dave Filoni does decide to kill off anyone in the conclusion of this season of the Bad Batch, mainly because of all the trauma he has had to endure. Him dying would finally allow for Echo to make peace with himself as he wouldn’t be in anyone physical pain, but also he would finally get to be reunited with the Domino Squad. If there was a specific reason he would die, it would be protecting Omega because of how he wants the best for her and to get that chance to grow up as a normal child.

That’s all I have for you tonight! Thank you for listening to my rant and hopefully this season will end on a good note, but if it doesn’t… I will also be depressed from a fictional sci-fi show like the rest of y’all

#thatgreyjedi #the bad batch #star wars tbb #conspiracy theories #bad batch echo #tbb echo #star wars #rant post #clone trooper echo #arc trooper echo #star wars clone wars #omega bad batch

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savage-rhi · 2 years

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Immortal Shield Chapter 37: Repercussions

**DM or comment if you want to be tagged in updates on tumblr

**To read previous chapters, hit this link

Tagging: @seradyn

“Fucking hell!” Caelan hissed. She grasped onto her upper right hip.

Removing her palm from the fresh wound, Caelan's hand was covered in blood. The copper smell permeating off her fingers made her grimace. She closed her eyes, taking in several deep breaths to self soothe. Crownsguard were bounding for her location. She could hear their footsteps quake against the palace floors.

Caelan nearly hopped on one foot making a beeline away from one of the citadels various chambers. She pressed her back to a wall after exiting the room and turning a corner. She tried her best to appear inconspicuous, blending in with the array of artifacts littered within the main hall of the palace. Caelan closed her eyes, ignoring the warm trail of blood that carded down her forehead from a previous altercation. Whatever was listening, be it gods or the universe, Caelan prayed she wouldn't be found. She needed time to recoup after her latest battle.

The footsteps grew more in prominence then suddenly came to a grinding halt. Caelan's body tensed while she ceased her movement, allowing little oxygen to come in and out of her nostrils. She couldn't risk the noise of her irregular breaths setting the crownsguard off. Caelan gulped, her pulse quickened while her eyes remained shut. She braced herself.

“She couldn’t have gotten far! Search the higher grounds!”

“Forget about the female intruder. We just received new orders from his majesty’s counsel. All hands on deck in the audience chamber!”

“What for?”

“Escorting the king’s body and that of his assailant.”

Caelan’s eyes shot open. She turned her head slightly around the corner, observing the guards with a keen eye. The men and women were firing off so much information to each other that Caelan was finding it difficult to keep up. It didn't help that her wounds were a distraction. The pain ebbed and flowed with great annoyance.

"Does anyone know who attacked the public forum?"

"No, we have yet to be announced of the person's identity. There's already rumors it was some sort of monster, not a man."

“Is the king dead?” The utter concern in the guards voice could be felt by Caelan as she swallowed, thinking about Ardyn.

“No, he’s gravely injured nonetheless. The king and queen are being ushered to their chambers for medical attention!”

“We have to hurry!”

“As do I.” Caelan murmured to herself. She waited until the guards were out of range, then crouched down to assess and mend her injuries she sustained in combat. Pieces of her clothes were torn, used as makeshift rags to wipe away blood and sweat. She did have the hindsight to bring a potion, but it was near empty. It wouldn’t be enough to heal her in full nor allow her to regain the endurance she had long lost.

Caelan had never been so exhausted in her life. She was dumbfounded that she managed to fight off so many men and women within the span of a few hours. Caelan didn't want to think about how many people she reluctantly had to kill in the process. She tried her best to avoid bloodshed, only going for the throat when alternatives had been exhausted. She decided not to dwell on it. Regret could come after the dust settled.

As she finished cleaning the stab wound to her hip, Caelan sent a silent thank you to the Einherjar. If she didn’t have the experience of getting chased down by a large group of people that wanted her dead for so many years, Caelan doubted she would’ve been able to make it this far protecting Ardyn via distraction. The tricks she had built up over time for evasion and escape greatly benefited. Though she had mixed feelings about being a coward, Caelan couldn’t help but feel as if fate saw to it that she had these experiences under her belt for this day. Or perhaps she was blowing smoke up her own ass. Either way, she felt lucky to be alive considering what she had been up against.

Once she finished, Caelan winced while staggering onto her feet. The commotion throughout the palace was ever growing. Officials, the public, troops, and glaive were all running amok trying to make heads or tails of what was happening. An array of rumors were starting to spread. Everything from a terrorist attack, to assassination attempt Caelan heard among scared voices while she ran through the corridors; shoving people out of the way if they so happened to be in her path. Gods, she felt tired. She wanted nothing more than to rest, but her legs despite feeling they were on fire, kept moving. The only directive Caelan latched onto, that kept her body from wanting to slump and give into exhaustion, was finding Ardyn and getting them both out of here.

Caelan traversed through the palace with no direction other than following her instincts and the occasional citizen that shouted to their associates where they were heading. Through the chaos of it all, she arrived at the audience chamber after several minutes. The large room looked like it had seen better days. Everything was shambles. From the large windows that overlooked the city and palace gardens, to the decorum ransacked, there were tell tale signs that something awful happened here. She could feel the foreboding presence that still lingered from the duel, slowly fizzling out like the life force of an insect trying in vain to clutch onto something for dear life.

It grew worse for Caelan when she saw the last bit of the king disappear into another corridor with Prompto at his side. She couldn’t hear the orders Prompto barked at his associates, other than register he was a mess emotionally. Desperately trying to keep it together and be strong. He looked utterly broken. Then her eyes focused on the lone body lying across the floor among the clutter. Air and reason began to leave Caelan's thoughts. Her heart dropped.

Ardyn’s red wine hair was disheveled and littered with debris. A mess that was unbefitting of his usual unkempt locks. Head to toe, he was covered in bruises and blood. There was no telling where one injury started and the other began. His clothes were in shambles. His head lolled to the side. Had circumstances been different, Ardyn would appear to be sleeping and maybe amongst a mid toss during slumber given his position. His pale skin and the lack of rise and fall from his chest from afar had Caelan knowing better. Ardyn--from the sight alone--was dead. He was gone.

Caelan started to heave, not able to control her eyes as she began to tear up. Her body forced itself to keep going, she had to see him. She had to feel for herself if Ardyn was truly lost. Her mind wouldn’t bend to reality so soon. That’s when Caelan stopped, seeing both the retainers she had fought earlier, Ignis and Gladio bending down to look Ardyn over. There was chattering among the two men, but Caelan only heard static ringing deeply in her ears. Despair and grief violently mixed as Caelan summoned her blade to her left. She found in herself a strong will to cut both the men down by whatever means necessary.

Caelan ignored her wounds, and every sound logic known to man. Her natural instincts to protect took over and she was seeing red.

“Stay away from him!” She screamed out.

“You again?! Damn!” Gladio exclaimed. He was the first to step in the line of fire, summoning his long sword to block Caelan’s oncoming attack. Caelan locked her eyes with Gladio’s, enraged to the point where she nearly missed Ignis coming at her from the side. Feeling a sudden call, Caelan gestured out with her right hand. Rakshasa blocked Ignis’s attack while Caelan gripped tightly onto the hilt. Caelan countered, side swiping Ignis and trading another strike with Gladio. So began the deadly dance between the three while Caelan dual wielded both her and Ardyn's weapons. Had she been in a normal state of mind, Caelan would've been ecstatic at such a feat.

"Cease your attacks!" Ignis pleaded. Caelan wouldn't let up. She didn't say a word and continued to rush, only responding with grunts and yells.

"I don't know who you are, but it's obvious you and Ardyn must be working together! Let us talk!"

"Negotiation won't get us anywhere right now, Ignis!" Gladio shouted back to his comrade and friend. "She seems set on hacking our heads off!"

"Damn!" Ignis grit, letting out a hiss upon making contact with Caelan's blade. His left leg throbbed with a painful sting.

Counter, parry, kick. Counter parry, kick. Rakshasa. Warp strike. Kick. Horizontal slash. Kick. My blade. Warp strike. Forward thrust. Parry. Stab. Repeat. Caelan followed the patterns of their three way dance, finding herself in a flow where she could best both Gladio and Ignis. Everyone's movements were like pawns in a game of chess quickly trying to take the other out before allowing the other pieces advancement across the board. The desperation between the three parties could be felt throughout the audience chamber as they fought for what seemed like hours compressed into minutes.

Caelan avoided every hit thus far, yet it wasn’t long until she figured out Gladio and Ignis were purposefully attempting to trap her. With every counter move she made, Caelan ended up several paces back from Ardyn. She could practically feel the wall against her legs as both her arms worked double time to keep the men off her. Her limbs were growing weak. The weight of both her sword and Ardyn’s began to zap away what little energy she had left.

I can’t do this! Caelan felt her mind betray her. In the midst of her crisis, Gladio managed to nick her left arm followed by one of Ignis’s blades exploiting her right wrist. Caelan cried out, refocusing her strategy and changing up the pattern of her counter attacks. Eventually it all came to a stop as the three locked their weapons together. Gladio and Ignis grit their teeth as did Caelan while each of them attempted to use their weight to throw the other off their game. Together, these two men were strong. Far stronger than Caelan knew she was, and they had more experience with strategy. It was clear as day they were going to be the victors if she kept fighting them back. Caelan had to retreat. It was the only way she’d survive and yet she internally panicked.

“Why are you acting this way?!” Caelan tensed, letting out a pained growl. “I can’t do that! Warp striking is limited to your bloodline, I know that for sure!”

“Another lie you fell prey to! You can and you will if you want to live!” Ardyn hissed.

The words from Ardyn and Caelan’s sparring match hit her like a train. It was enough to fan the flames of war back into her after being snuffed out. Caelan blocked a series of attacks, watching close for a certain movement to transpire, and in a matter of seconds; she locked onto it. While both Gladio and Ignis raised their arms up with their respective weapons, there was a gap created between them. Caelan focused and performed a warp strike through the center, avoiding their weapons crashing into her body. The two men stumbled forward, taken aback while Caelan used the last of her strength to sprint towards Ardyn.

“Stop!” Ignis hollered after catching himself before a fall. He limped towards Caelan’s direction with Gladio tagging close by “Please, we urge you to--!”

Caelan crouched down, grabbing a hold of Ardyn’s body as if she was pulling him into a hug and shut her eyes. They both fizzled in and out of time then disappeared. A plethora of curses left Gladio while Ignis was beside himself.

The area around Insomnia's check point gate in Leide was calm. A gentle wind carded through the desert, offering relief to creatures big and small enduring the heat. There was a particular group of Anaks enjoying themselves while they lazily lounged under a group of trees. Some of the young calves were munching on rare greens whose roots ran deep into untapped reservoirs. A few of the older stags were butting heads while females watched on in wonderment.

A young Anak stopped digging at a rock with its hoof and smelled the air. There was a dense scent that was approaching fast. Before the creature could make the call to signal the herd to be cautious, a booming explosion carded through their immediate vicinity. A shock wave followed suit that knocked many of the animals over. They screeched and brayed, trampling over one another. None of the creatures wished to stick around and find out what had become of their sanctuary.

Lying in the middle of where the Anak herd once stood, Ardyn and Caelan tumbled against the ground, rolling over themselves several times until at last they came to a stop. Caelan winced, having landed several feet away from Ardyn. She forced her upper body to rise up. Her eyes blinked several times while she coughed, tongue feeling dry from accidentally swallowing dirt during their fall. She managed to produce enough saliva to get rid of the rest, then rapidly looked around. Caelan made a face. This wasn't where the Scepter was located. It seemed that her desires were lost in translation while she teleported. There was no danger present, minus the rising sun and it's hot rays. She counted her blessings and focused on what mattered most.

Caelan’s eyes landed on Ardyn’s body. She didn’t have the strength to rise on her two legs, and resorted to crawling. It was an agonizing journey. Many tiny rocks and unpleasant prickles from cactus nicked away at her clothes and flesh, but Caelan ignored it. Vowing not to stop until she arrived to him.

At his side, Caelan grunted while she adjusted Ardyn. She managed to hoist him into her arms, pulling the upper half of Ardyn’s body into her lap. She cradled his head like one coaxing a babe to rest, and allowed herself to finally catch a breath.

“I got us both out of there, you idiot. You---owe me twice the fee, now.” Caelan croaked with a faint chuckle. Her eyes carded over his bruised face. No response was given. Caelan's right hand fell upon the left side of Ardyn’s cheek, knuckles gently stroking his cool flesh.

“Ardyn, did you hear me?” Caelan’s voice broke. The corner of her eyes were filling to the edge with tears while she felt his forehead. His skin was so cold that not even the heat of the desert could break through.

“Ardyn?” Caelan sniffled, shaking her head. She felt for a pulse. There was rhythm to be found. No life struggling to hang onto what little hope it had. Caelan shut her eyes tightly and she cried. She pulled Ardyn fully to her chest, rocking him against her quaking body. Caelan shook her head, feeling denial running strong.

“No, no--no.” Caelan lied him back down against her lap. Her left hand that was cradling Ardyn's head gently tugged at his long locks while her right hovered above his chest, much like she had done when she healed him from the Behemoth attack. She was going to bring Ardyn back. This had to work. The healing magic still had to be there. She wasn’t going to give up so easily.

Minutes passed and nothing arrived. Caelan's fingers trembled, hand and nerves tensing up as her teeth grit, doing everything possible to prevent herself from losing control.

“Why aren’t you working?!” Calean's right hand formed into a fist and pounded the ground beside her out of frustration then tried again. “C’mon!”

After several attempts, Caelan let out a defeated scream. Her head fell forward while she heavily sobbed. In a blink of an eye, Caelan was among the rubble of Insomnia after the Niflheim attack years ago looking down at Hector as the crownsguard drew in his last breaths. Her mentors face merged with Ardyn's while Caelan fought to remain in the present. The past couldn't win. Not now. Not when she couldn't give up on another person she loved.

“Ardyn--don’t do this. Please. Don’t do this.” Caelan’s hand reached for his face once more, her fingers rapidly stroking over the stubble against Ardyn's cheek. Her entire being felt as if it was shattered into a billion pieces. Caelan's spirit was dying, and she was powerless to stop it.

“Do you feel me? I’m right here. I’m right here!” Her words were becoming incomprehensible as the crying grew worse. “Ardyn--I’m right here! I got you! C’mon---you’re all I have left!"

Caelan bent her head forward, pressing her warm face against his cold flesh. Her tears fell upon Ardyn's skin, and there was no reaction other than the silence she was slowly growing accustomed to. Once more she pulled Ardyn close to her chest, rocking him back and forth. Her fingertips combed through his hair, smoothing out his messy locks while she pressed several weak kisses to his forehead as he lay right below the crook of her neck.

“You idiot---you stupid idiot---” Caelan muttered between cries. “No one’s going to harm you. I'll keep you safe. I’m not gonna leave. I’m not going to leave you alone. I love you. Do you hear me? I got you. I'm your shield, I got you.”

Caelan nuzzled her face against Ardyn's in between fits, kissing where she could and hugging him so tight she was certain if he was alive Ardyn would’ve complained. It didn’t matter. Nothing did. The worst of it was, Caelan didn’t know if Ardyn succeeded in battle against Bahamut. For all she knew, this has been a waste. All for naught. The thought trampled upon her broken soul, and to make matters worse, she wasn’t at his side having chosen to fall back. There were so many what ifs that began to plague Caelan that she lost count and drowned in the misery of it.

An hour passed and Caelan remained in place. She was so wrapped up in her mourning for the person she loved most, that Caelan didn’t register the crownsguard and Accordo troops that descended upon them. As they cautiously approached, Caelan’s grasp against Ardyn tightened. They would have to pry her off his body, violently if necessary. She wasn't going to leave him alone again.

“Caelan Zamfir, come with us.”

“N-no.” Caelan forced herself to look up and away from her beloved. Her face was red, stained with tears and blood while she shook her head in defiance. There was not a single look of empathy granted her way, only a a series of firm presences devoid of emotion.

“You can’t remain here! Let’s go! On your feet!” One of the Accordo Troopers tried grabbing her arm that was continuing to stroke the side of Ardyn’s cheek. She shoved the hand away.

“I said no!” Caelan shouted.

"Grab her!" The trooper commanded.

Before Caelan could summon her blade, she was yanked away from Ardyn. A set of Accordo Troopers flung her body flung to the ground, her face pressed firmly against the dirt. Caelan struggled and yelled while her arms and hands were being tied behind her back. Helplessness traveled across her features while she watched Ardyn's body being confiscated by Lucian officials. Caelan recalled conversations she had with Ardyn about the loneliness he felt at Angelgard, being locked away for 2,000 years. How the Lucians he once loved would never let him rest in peace. How Niflheim and it's scientists took the helm soon after. Caelan couldn't help but feel Ardyn was once again being stripped of a basic human need. They'd never leave him alone. Not even his corpse. What more did people wish to take from him?

"Let him be!" Caelan pleaded. "He's dead--just let him be!"

"Shut up!" A woman barked. The female trooper grabbed Caelan by her hair, violently jerking her head up and forced Caelan to stand. Caelan's body was in too much disarray from her wounds during the battles she fought to fight against the new set of foes. She cried out and went through the motions, wanting alleviation from the pain her captors inflicted while they jerked her around like a ragdoll.

"Start walking!" The female trooper commanded, not before giving a shove to Caelan's shoulders. Caelan nearly tumbled, catching herself from a fall.

A resignation began to settle at the front of Caelan’s mind. She could only watch on while Ardyn’s body was being hauled away much like her to a series of vehicles. The crownsguard from afar carefully placed Ardyn on a stretcher, his right arm hung off to the side while two women carried the front and back respectively towards a med unit truck. She was so caught up in making sure they were handling Ardyn with care that Caelan didn’t register the onslaught of questions the Accordo Troopers and the crownsguard had for her. Caelan couldn’t comprehend anything other than the tremendous loss of losing Ardyn. These people already pried her away from him, and she refused to let anyone block her eyes from looking upon Ardyn one last time.

“C’mon, we need to get you transported to Galdin Quay.”

Somehow through the thick of Caelan’s misery, the words came tumbling through the deep recesses of her mind.

“Excuse me?” She coughed.

“Ah, so she can speak!” The head Trooper scoffed.

“No, where are you taking me?”

“Galdin Quay. If you were paying attention, you are being detained and transported first class to Accordo. On crimes for genocide within the provinces of the country under Madam Secretary’s command and in accordance to the truce between Lucian and Accordo authority. ”

Caelan shook her head. Her morose features paved way for shock as the last bit of adrenaline she had left at her disposal flared throughout her body.

“N-no, no this isn’t right. I’m a citizen of the Lucis Kingdom, if I am being detained for a crime regardless of where it took place, I should be taken to Insomnia! Even with the damned truce, I’m to remain in my homeland! The crownsguard should be processing me, not you!”

“Well, look who studied law! Orders are orders from the top. Now lets go.”

“Who’s orders?!”

“Classified.”

“You can’t do this! I have the right to--”

“You have no rights! Genocide is the highest of treasons! You must be judged!”

As soon as the Trooper was within striking range, Caelan headbutted him. There was a crackling sound that reverberated against her own skull as she stumbled forward, then ran towards the medic truck that was about to house Ardyn within it’s dwelling. Caelan fully intended to run past the stretcher, and head off into the deeper parts of the desert to escape her arrest; following her instincts to flee. Nevertheless, from the corner of her eye Caelan caught sight of Ardyn’s body and stopped. She couldn't leave him. No matter how much her mind screamed at her to get a move on.

Caelan was no more than six feet away when she saw Ardyn’s mouth part. There was subtle movement in his chest. Her eyes widened. Her heart pounded erratically in her chest, trying not to get her hopes up. For all she knew, these were the final throes of death making it known there was no spirit in the body, or it was a cruel tease from the Astrals. Whatever the case, Caelan was tearing up again. She was violently grabbed from behind, and before Caelan could dodge an attack, she felt something heavy hit her abdomen. The impact knocked the wind out of her and she collapsed on her knees. Once again Caelan was dragged by the scalp of her hair. She screamed out, flailing to not make it easy for her captors.

“On your damn feet!”

"Fuck you!" Caelan coughed, gasping still from the strike.

The world shook behind Caelan’s eyes. Even while she was being manhandled and forcibly guided back to the troopers, Caelan fixated her gaze on Ardyn’s body. When she was approaching near a detainment vehicle, that’s when Ardyn let out a deep and pained gasp. His body slightly rose from the stretcher before falling back. He rolled onto his side, facing Caelan’s direction. His eyes remained closed yet pulses of weak breath could be heard. Even at this distance, Caelan could see Ardyn's complexion was slowly regaining color. The rise and fall of his chest grew as did the relieved grin that invaded Caelan’s face.

“Ardyn! Ardyn, I’m right here! Ardyn!” She shouted. There were no words that could express the joy she felt radiate throughout the core of her being. He wasn’t dead. He wasn’t gone. He made it. Gods be damned, she needed to get Ardyn out of here. Caelan felt another weight to her chest and back. Before she knew it, her body was tossed into the back of the detainment truck like a ragdoll. The steel door was shut and locked soon after.

"N-no! No, no, no!"

Caelan coughed several times, wincing painfully while she forced herself to her feet and ran towards the end of the truck. The cuffs on her wrists jingled as she grabbed a hold of the bars of the truck leading to the outside world. Her breathing quickened while she watched the med team from the Lucian side tend to Ardyn.

“Is he...alive?” She could hear one of the guard holler to a medic who had been summoned. Caelan was thankful they were loud enough to where she could listen into what was being said about Ardyn. Her pulse skyrocketed. Not knowing his fate had her mind in turmoil.

“Yes, but barely. Should he be given attention from personnel?”

“Until the king says otherwise, yes. Bring him back to Insomnia!”

The king? Did the king command Ardyn to be taken care of? Where are they taking him? There were many questions that started to flood Caelan’s mind, and so many things she wanted to ask the crownsguard. If she were allowed to talk to one of her fellow citizens, maybe she could convince them to negotiate with the Accordo Troopers. Caelan started making plans on how to best appease a trooper to where she could persuade them to let her speak with a Lucis official. That is, until the detainment vehicle's ignition started. Caelan's blood ran cold. In seconds, Ardyn would once more be ripped away from her. She couldn't fathom it.

“Son of a bitch!” Caelan screamed, violently shaking her hands against the bars. She slammed her body to the door several times over. Like an animal that had been trapped in a cage, she viciously punched and kicked every surface that came into contact with her skin. Growls morphed into savage screams. Caelan ignored the blistering pain her knuckles underwent from being bust open. She ignored the calls of her body that pleaded with her to rest. Her stamina was beyond low. She couldn’t perform a warp strike against the steel of the truck, nor could she teleport her way out and to Ardyn. She barely had enough energy to conjure her blade. This was indeed a losing battle.

The truck had taken off and little by little, the crownsguard, the medic unit, and Ardyn were becoming small in the distance. Caelan took one last glance out through the bars, and shouted Ardyn’s name so loud her throat quaked. Caelan’s weakened body pressed against the right side of the truck and she slouched down. Her head bowed while she sobbed. Caelan felt so powerless as a human being, as a shield, and as a lover. Someone stronger would’ve broke free and taken Ardyn away from this mess. They would've disappeared with him, and never again be found. The thought haunted her for a long time as the truck drove off with her in tow.

Whatever was to happen, Caelan reminded herself Ardyn was alive. Barely, but he remained. As she worried about her own fate, Caelan hoped that Ardyn would recover and he’d find a way out of the mess they both created. One of them had to survive this. She'd rather it be Ardyn than herself. If anyone deserved another shot at life, it was him. Caelan knew she got to run away for years without paying her dues, and now came time to pay up.

She wasn't going to make it out of this alive. From the tone of her captors earlier, Accordo would be her coffin and grave. With great reluctance, Caelan allowed the intrusive thought to take hold. She hoped if it was said enough, she could face her death with dignity and not fear. Not like before when Ardyn and she took down the rest of the Einherjar. Caelan held onto her memories with Ardyn, all the way to Galdin Quay and she would continue to do so when it came time to cross over into Accordo.

Time was an unfamiliar concept to Ardyn as he stirred in his sleep. He knew he was alive, but his consciousness was having difficulty registering it was once more in a body and not floating among the cosmos. His eyes fluttered open, pupils shirking back upon seeing a bright light come through a window nearby. As his five senses slowly began to return to him, Ardyn could comprehend he was laying on something soft. He also noticed how dry his lips and mouth felt too, his tongue on instinct darted out to wet them before he began to raise the upper half of his body up. It was an agonizing process. Everywhere ached. Ardyn's muscles tightened and twisted, causing him to falter from time to time while he planted his palms against the mattress for support.

A series of pained groans left him. Ardyn looked down his chest, seeing he had bandages as far as the eye could see and his arms had tubes and needles going into his veins. His eyes darted up the structures, seeing the several IVs that were near his bedside. That’s when Ardyn turned his head quickly, taking in his new environment. He was in a rather large room. The architecture reminded him of the Via and their endless suites, but there was an old world charm to the place he had been residing in. A distinct floral smell permeated the room, and from afar he could see someone had been keeping tabs on a fire running in the hearth.

“This is--” He swallowed, recognizing why things felt so familiar and warm. He was in what was once the chambers of his late mother. Now modernized. Of all the places Ardyn had expected to end up due to his trespass, this was at the bottom of the list. He should’ve been cooped up in a cell as far as he was concerned. Most would’ve done such a thing considering he point blank attacked the king. It didn’t matter the good intentions, Ardyn knew how people worked and how outraged the public could become especially if a serious situation were to be misinterpreted.

Ardyn closed his eyes while he rubbed the side of his head, attempting to self soothe while he retraced his steps. The fight with Bahamut was fresh in his head, as was his final conversation with the glacial goddess herself. Everything leading up his final showdown with the draconic entity was a blur. Save for Caelan telling him she had the world of the living covered while he faced fate again.

His eyes immediately opened up. Caelan was nowhere to be found. Logically, there were many places she could be at considering the circumstances that brought them here. Ardyn didn’t like not knowing, and his fears towards her safety became visible on his face. He needed to talk to someone. He needed to figure out what the hell happened down here while he had been in the Astral Plane.

There was a soft pitter patter of feet that took Ardyn off guard. His voice hitched in his throat, eyes trying to zero in on where the noise came from. There was someone in here with him. That much he was certain.

“Come out! I’m not in the mood for games!” He raised his voice, and was met with several rounds of heaving coughs. Best wait before I yell…Ardyn thought while he composed himself. He closed his eyes, trying to calm down. For all he knew, he was getting worked up over a palace rat. The pitter patter returned, and Ardyn looked up. From behind one of the navy couches in the room, he saw a small blond girl poke her head around the corner of the furniture piece. Little by little, she coaxed herself out of her hiding spot.

Ardyn squinted his eyes, she couldn’t have been more than five years old. Maybe going on six. There was a sense of familiarity the child possessed he couldn’t place a finger on. He noticed how scared she was. Even hearing the little swallow she made upon being caught. Ardyn knew he looked like a mess, probably scary too to someone so young. He was determined to not come across as menacing from this point forward.

“Who might you be?” His voice became gentle, not brash like before. Head canting some to the side as Ardyn softened his features.

“Ser-ah-fee,” The girl spoke quietly. She visibly shuddered, walking a bit closer to the bed. Her eyes would glance between Ardyn and her feet. He could hear her little voice mutter the number of spaces between them both, repeating a safety rule no doubt her parents taught her. Ardyn couldn’t help but smile at what he was witnessing. He hated having a soft spot for kids, but alas here it was.

“My name is Seraphii.” She repeated.

“A beautiful name.” Ardyn complimented.

“Thank you.” She smiled big at that, looking at him with big dark blue eyes.

Ardyn could feel the tension die down and sighed in relief. “Seraphii, can you tell me where I am?”

“Hmm hmm,” She nodded. “You are in my papa’s palace.”

Ardyn’s warm expressions faltered. He nearly did a double take as he studied the girl. He couldn’t believe it. That he was staring at Noctis’s and Lady Lunafreya’s child. He was visibly confused, recalling Luna was pregnant last he was around. He scared himself into thinking that perhaps several years had passed and he had been in a coma, but as Ardyn looked to his right he could see a digital clock nearby with the date and time. The year was the same, but a week had gone by.

“I'm not supposed to be here. I’ll go tell my papa you woke up.” Before Ardyn could get a word in, Seraphii was already out of the room. He had forgotten how quick kids could be, and envied her to an extent. Ardyn wanted nothing more than to get out of bed and run far away from the citadel. His body wouldn't allow such a feat, perhaps never again. He was beginning to second guess the choice he made with Shiva. Thus far, being a mortal man after becoming virtually indestructible for thousands of years downright sucked. Ardyn had felt downgraded in power and strength when he was first resurrected, but now it felt much more real. There was a relief though. Like a weight had been lifted from the very shoulders of his soul. A peace at not having to carry the gift of immortality.

“Cahl, help me make sense of it...” Ardyn breathed out. "You'd understand this nonsense better than I."

He was feeling too much strain in his back and decided to lie down again. Ardyn's heart and mind traveled to Caelan and his final words he had with Shiva before returning to the world of the living. There was so much he needed to tell Caelan, so much good to share, that Ardyn could already feel impatience take hold. He couldn't wait to touch Caelan again. The memory of her devotions to their relationship motivated Ardyn to try and wake up further. He needed to see her soon. For the sake of his mind and heart.

The creaking sound of a large door began to open, and Ardyn cast his eyes towards the noise. It wasn't long before he was met with the faces of Noctis and his fellow retainers. Each of them carried a different emotion. Relief, anger, confusion, and neutrality. Here the brothers stood side by side once again, facing a man who was their most powerful adversary. Ardyn glanced between them all. For the first time in ages, he truly felt scared.

#immortal shield #ardyn lucis caelum #ardyn #ffxv ardyn #ardyn izunia #fanfic #fanfiction #original characters #final fantasy xv #I struggled A LOT with this chapter #still not satisfied with shit but I hit a wall #so when it doubt THIS BITCH EMPTY #YEET!!!

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