#Avengers: Dark Messenger

[wingedshadowfan]

GUYS OH MY GOD

Xaden fills the doorway like some kind of dark, avenging angel, the messenger of the queen of the gods. He’s fully dressed, his face a mask of veritable rage as shadows curl from the walls on either side of him, hanging in midair.

when xaden comes to save violet from the unbonded, he's described as "the messenger of the queen of the gods".

(...) a woman with a full pack, whose high cheekbones and oval face remind me of renderings of Amari, the queen of the gods.

in rhiannon's description, we learn that the queen of the gods is called amari.

Her eyes widen as her gaze sweeps over the town, each structure with its identical green roofs, then pauses on the Temple of Amari, which was the most noted landmark besides our library.

in xaden's pov, when violet wakes up after brennan mends her, she instantly guesses she's in aretia because she sees amari's temple.

xaden is from aretia.

which is known for the temple of amari, the queen of the gods.

and he's been going to aretia to deliver news from basgiath for the rebellion, as well as help rebuild it.

he's quite literally the messenger of the queen of the gods.

wow.

#fourth wing #rebecca yarros #iron flame #fantasy #romance #the empyrean #booklover #violet sorrengail #xaden riorson #violence sorrengail #violet and xaden #xadenviolet #viden #riorgail #rhiannon #aretia #amari

[immentallyilll]

Prevent the war

Yandere!Aemond x fem!Targeryen!reader

-Rheanyra sent reader as a messenger to Storm's End to convince Lord Borros to bend the knee, but Aemond is already there - Pairing: Yandere Aemond Targaryen x reader Targaryen  Trigger Warning: Yandere Aemond, dragon racing (i guess), fighting, threats, slapping{once}, swear words, talk of forced marriage, 

-short backstory- Reader is the fourth child of Rhaenyra and Harwin. She was included in the fight where Aemond lost his eye because he claimed Vhaegar for his own. He blames them all for his eye. Reader has a female dragon named Bantis that hatched in her cradle and they have a very strong bond (like Rhaenyra and Daemon with their dragons, I am also thinking of some sort of dark-purlpe dragon that resembles Caraxes in appearance and also size, but you can play with your imagination). Reader is a very good dragon rider and was taught how to fight to protect herself by her father Harwin and her brothers. She is known for her beauty and intelligence as well as her skill with daggers

-reader´s pov-

When you arrived at Storm's End, you expected the guards to be a little shaken by the sight of a dragon, but they stood firm. You got out of the saddle and started to walk towards the gate, but an earth-shaking roar coming from the side of the castle stopped you. There lay the monstrous Vheagar, which means that Aemond is here for the same reason you are. Millions of thoughts flashed through your mind. What if Aemond has already convinced Lord Borros about the Greens? What if there's are more of them, more dragons? What if Aemond has come to avenge his eye? By now you are at the gate and guards escort you into the hall where Lord Borros is sitting in his chair. The guards introduced you with your titles "Lord Brros, I bring you a message from Queen Rhaenyra," you confirm in a slightly trembling voice. He was quite amused and added some provocative comments, about how the house of a dragon did not know who rules it since the so-called ,,king Aegon" has sent Aemond. "What's her message?" he asked, handing one of the guards a letter from your mother. Your sight wandered through the hall and landed on Aemond, who stood there with an unreadable expression on his face. He wore a long leather coat that reached almost to his heels, and a belt from which hung a large sword Blackfyre. Aemond caught your staring gaze, but you were too focused on his handsome appearance to notice that. Aemond's towering figure seemed even more alluring and overpowering than ever. Your eyes now wandered over his face, which you were convinced was sculptured by gods. His significant jawline and prominent cheekbones. The nose and chin being the dominance of his face. You were so hypnotized by Aemond's enchanting nature that you almost forgot why you came here in the first place. But a loud voice that resounded through the room woke you up from your daydreams

“Remind me of my father´s oath?”he questioned. Now you finally realised how long you were marveling of him. Your attention was immediately fully drawn on lord Borros. He´s offended, because from his point of view, what were you to bring him a message that questions his loyalty. You had nothing to offer him, he had no son you could marry and Lucerys along with Jacaerys were already bethroted to your cousins.“So you come with empty hands, go home princess. And tell your mother that the lord of Storm´s end, is not some dog she that she can whistle up, at need to set aggainst her foes.” the lord ordered you to leave with slight anger in his voice.

"I shall thake your answer to the queen, my lord," you announced, trying not to sound disappointed, but your attempt failed thoroughly. You turn and head for the door, relieved at the thought of leaving. "Wait ... my lady Strong." Amond's voice echoed through the room, and you stopped turning to face him, anger visible on your face. "Did you really think you could just fly about the realm trying to steal my brother's throne at no cost?" You tensed, but gathered your courage and took a few steps forward. "I came as a messanger, not a warrior." But Aemond obviously had different plans, "Fight would be a little challenge." Now you actually started to worry, shifting in your place. "No. I want you to put out your eye." Asserted Aemond as he took off his eye patch to reveal the beautiful sapphire he had inserted in place of his eye. You are shocked, a little frightened by his action, but mostly angry with yourself, because the man of whose beauty you were enthralled by just a few minutes ago (who appears to be your uncle) is now the reason you are trembling because he wants to put out your eye. "As payment for mine" you are sure, if Lucerys was here instead of you, he'd be already dead. "One will serve" Aemond took a blade that was hidden under his coat and threw it among you. You looked down at it and wished that you never came here. Worry showed on your face and Aemond seemed amused by it. "I will not blind you," he said with ease, and hummed, smiling."I plan to gift it to my mother"  “No” you tried to sound as strong and fearless as you could, but in fact, it only came out as a pathetic whimper. Your fear ha staken over you. It appeared Aemond was not happy with your answer, since he stopped smirking and his jaw clenched. “Then you are a craven, as well as a traitor.” he added and his face had now no expression. “Not here” said lord Borros and your eyes widened. Was he aware of somethig or did they plan this all along? Aemond was now headed towards you, screaming ”Give me your eye or i will take it, you little bastard!” he bent down, not stopping, for the blade he trew there earlier and you instinctively took out the two daggers which were hidden under your cloak, prepared to fight even though you knew he was way more skilled. The guards were prepared to protect you, at least something positive. Aemond was getting nearer every second, with expression of a maniac.”Not in my hall.” finally, Lord Borros stopped this madness and Aemond froze in his place and grew even more angry.”The girl came as an envoy.” and he continued “ I will not have a bloodshed beneath my roof.” he defended you. Then lord Borros looked at the guards “ take princess y/n to her back to her dragon. Now” he orded, but by the look of Aemonds you knew this wasn´t over. Again, turning around you began to walk towards door while putting your daggers away.

The moment you stepped outside the castle, you ran to your dragon. Heavy rain falling from the sky, making your vision blurry. As you hurried, you looked upon where Vhaegar laid before and how lightning struck, she was no longer there and your heart sunk to the ground itself. Feeling your guts clench, tears on the verge, panic rushed over you. Bantis shared your worries and nugged her head towards your body and you rested your forehead on hers, comforting each other with this manner. There was no other choice for you, than climb on your dragon and fly home as fast as you can, because there was still Vhaegar with Aemond somewhere in the rainstorm: “Dikimarvose(focus).”  you alost screamed because of the rain muffling your voice: “Laehossa ynot, Bantis(pay attention, Bantis)”, you tried to calm her down, but more of comforting yourself. “Lykíri, ryptys!(be calm, listen!)” adding, while you climbed onto her wing and settled into the saddle. "Soves, Bantis!(fly, Bantis!)”

 She spread her wings and soared into the blizzard. Now flying through the dark night, enlightened only by lightning. Raindrops whipping your face, as were looking around yourself, convincing, that there was no monsterous dragon rode by mad dragon rider, who threatened to cut your eye out. While looking around yourself, a roaring sound rang through the heavy rain. But after a moment, hearing a loud growl above your head, was the opposite of what you wished for. You looked up, and the air left your lungs, your heart stopped beating at the sight of the giant. Lightning seems like it's calming down and Vhaegar with Aemond are no longer lingering above you but even worse. They appear right in front of you, Vhaegars jaw opening and snatching at you and Bantis. You quickly reacted by directing Bantis downwards, missing Vhaegars legs by a meter or so. Aemonds demonic laughter sounded across the air, while turning around. Aemond screamed at you "I see you." Vhaegar snatching at you, again. "Ilybonos!(bastard!)”. Now you went down again panting, as Vhaegar reached for you and Bantis with her feet claws. They were right behind you. there was no chance you could escape if you stayed under them, so you had to change your place at least, for some kind of advantage. "Aderi! Pales!(quickly!turn!)” you screamed. Bantis didn't need to be told twice, turning to the side. You were no longer high in clouds, seeing the large cliff with many gaps you and your dragon can hide, compared to Vhaegar.

You flew into a big space between the walls of a cliff, it was near the ground. Aemod with Vhaegar had to fly over the top, which was open and they could still see you so they followed you. Now you were a little further than they were, but you could still hear the psychopathic laugh from Aemond. “Jemela gelyni enka!” (you owe me a debt) Aemond yelled down at you.”Rina!” (girl!).You couldn´t see them anymore, your breath fastened. Then, Vhaegars large body appeared in front of you. You could not turn or stop, because of the speed. Bantis crashed into Vhaegars torso. She was unable to keep balance or recover quickly, which led to her falling to the ground, still with you on the back. You tried to make her settle in the air but nothing worked. gods must have prayed for you since Bantis wasn´t too high by the time she fell on the ground. She tried to soften the fall by burying her legs and wings into the ground, which seemed helpful at first, but the hard landing made her body jump. With that you fell off the saddle, rolled off on her wing and landed onto the ground. As you ,,landed” you hit your head a few times, which made you feel dizzy, but you were still conscious. Lying there, on a ground, regain your strength, panting.

Bantis is also exhausted from constant dodging, sudden descents and ascents. She huffed in tiredness, while you´re trying to come to your senses. Head still feeling woozy, as you shaked it, hoping it would help to stop the slightly blurry vision. There was a great rumble somewhere behind, the sound was layered with sea and wind. You listened to the surroundings.

You heard ponderous slow steps, Aemond is approaching you. Hearing his voice way closer than you thought, only a few feet connecting your distance. You began to get up, while he talked to you “ So you thought, that comming to storm´s end, begging for Baratheons support,trying to steel my brothers throne, will come with no punishment, Ao byka aspo?(you little bitch)”. His voice full of anger, now echoed just a few meters away from you.  Straightening up from the  one knee you used for support of your weight, you glared in direction of his voice. “ Your brother´s throne? Aegon does not deserve it. He´s nothing more is nothing more then a preverted drunk, who doesn´t even want to rule.” You gripped the handle of your dagger with your left hand as you spoke, preppared for sparring that is about to begin. “Se iksā mēre laes qogralbar”(and you are one eyed fuck). Aemonds large steps carried him to face you. Now standing straight, you draved your dagger at him, which he did not expect and just in time he brought his right forearm to yours. This movement prevented him from getting stabbed. This angerd him even more and now he lost it, gripping your chin whith his hand, almost breaking your jaw. His fingertips digging into the flesh, which you could only wince at. With a swift montion his right arm, which was till now blocking yours, clasped your left wrist with force, causing you dropped the dagger. The left one, that was crushing your jaw, is now gripping you by your hair. Which made you only hiss in pain. You kicked him in the shin, making loose his balance. But he recovered faster than you. Aemond grabbed both your arms and with the back of his leg he kicked your ankles, shoving you to the ground. 

 Aemond gripped the collar of your shirt and brought you even closer to his face.“You think these harsh words will save you?” he asked mockingly, with emphasis on the word harsh. “It´s not very ladylike to talk like this, you know?” he said and you felt scolded as if you were a child. Wiggling underneath Aemond seemed to anger him, because he pulled you by your shirt again almost to sit up. “Look at yourself, you are a pathetic little bastard. You can´t even tell if someone noticed you stare at them, can you?” The realization hits you. he noticed, he saw the way you devoured his appearance. Redness grew on your cheeks from embarrassment. Trying to look away you moved your head, but Aemond´s hand clasped your cheeks in one hand, slightly squishing your lips. “Aww you´re not getting shy, are you? Come on, tell me, what did you think when your eyes were fixed on me until you forgot where you were. It must have been something intersting.” he said in singing voice, mocking your shocked expression. Your nerves boiled, anger grew abd you started to figet in again. Aemond laughed at your squirming body, head titling back and you saw your chance not willing to loose it.

As he did not pay attention, your knee shot up, inbetween his thighs. And you hit your target, Aemond´s lips parted in yelp but the sound was more of a growl. With your legs wrapped around his waist tightly, you rolled over with him so you are now on top of him. Knees on each side of Aemond´s hips. “Whose pathetic now?” you asked him in prideful tone, looking down at him. the hair in now messy and a few strands bothered you by hangig around your eyes and as you blew it out of your sight, eyes glimpsed infront of you and faith came back in that moment, your dagger. Only a few meters away from you. Aemond realized your attention was drawn on something else than him, as he laid on the ground Aemond titled his head to look where your gaze was heading. Both of you looking at the dagger, back at eachother. Immediately you climbed off of him and headed forn the blade. Aemond turned to his knees and reached for your ankle,  which caused you to fall and he pulled back to him. Your hands clawed at the ground, mixture of dirt and sand. “Where were you going dārilaros (princess)?” he questioned and you could hear the grin in his voice. Aemond was about to turn you over but you grasped handful of the dirt and threw it into his face.”Orvorta!(cunt)” he yelled at you. Unfortunatelly for you he managed to dodge it. Aemond gripped you by your arms, but you fought, trying to get the hold of control back. After a second of fighting, you felt a sharp stung on your cheek . he slapped you across the face, harshly and you yere sure . Aemond´s hand found it´s way back to your hair, yanking you to stand up with him. You whimpered in pain, you tried to collaborate, in hope he´d let go of your hair, he did not. 

Aemond jerked you to straighten up and to face him. his expression spoke of loss of patiance and rage. his hand moved from your hair, which you reliefed for a moment but, replacing it to your throath. Squeezing hard enough to make it difficult for you to breathe, but not enough to kill you. Your eyes began to water up and you lip started quivering, pawing at his hand to release you. “Your mother has once said that conecting our families by marriege would help to prevent the war. I will not take your eye. Not only a part of you, i will take you entirely as you are, a beautiful and fierce dragon rider.” Aemond acknowledged you with his intentions as he softened the grip a little, as if waiting for you to answer. Your mouth parted in awe. What choice did you have, either die or marry him and live. you were not ready to meet your father, you want to see you mother againg along with your brothers. You want to ride with Bantis again.

“Sīr, kessa ao dīnagon nyke?(So, will you marry me?)” he asked with sweet voice, as if he was your secret lover for years and now he asked for your hand somewhere in a beatuful garden. “Skoros iderennon gaomagon eman.(What choice do i have)” you replied, looking upon his sapphire eye. Aemond seemed pleased with your anser since his firm grip was now gone and turned into a soft carese of your cheek, that felt loving and beatiful. 

#aemond fanfiction #aemond one eye #aemond targaryen #aemond #aemond x fem!reader #aemond x reader #yandere house of the dragon #house of the dragon fic #yandere hotd #hotd #yandere aemond

[sleepingdeath-light]

listed below is everything that i have published for my 2022 kinktober writing event - listed by date of publishing and updated daily between the 1st and 31st of october.

minors please do not interact with any of the content outlined here! thank you!

MINORS AND AGELESS BLOGS WILL BE BLOCKED

os = one shot ; hc = headcanon set

(readmore used because there are 60-something links to scroll past)

day one ; edging

os . “in the dead of night”

feat. masky (marble hornets) and an amab!reader (they/them) + dub con

hc . howl pendragon (howl’s moving castle)

hc . clotted cream cookie (cookie run kingdom)

day two ; gun play

os . “russian roulette”

feat. din djarin (the mandolorian) and a female!reader

hc . undertaker (black butler)

hc . natasha romanov (marvel)

day three ; overstimulation

os . “cry for me”

hc . steve rogers (marvel)

day four ; breeding kink

os . “the heir”

feat. prince caspian (the chronicles of narnia) and a female!reader

hc . bruno madrigal (encanto)

day five ; impact play

os . “one more time”

feat. mean dom!light yagami (death note) and a gender neutral!reader (they/them)

hc . vincent phantomhive (black butler)

hc . the grabber (the black phone)

day six ; praise

os . “pretty little thing”

hc . daycare attendants (five nights at freddy’s)

hc . jason voorhees (friday the 13th)

hc . sawyer brothers (texas chainsaw massacre)

hc . thomas hewitt (texas chainsaw massacre)

day seven ; hair pulling

os . “weary head”

feat. l lawliet (death note) and a gender neutral reader (they/them)

hc . affogato cookie (cookie run: kingdom)

hc . hawks (my hero academia)

day eight ; body worship

os . “lady in red”

feat. grelle sutcliffe (black butler) and a male reader

hc . undertaker (black butler)

hc . padmé amidala (star wars)

day nine ; daddy/mummy kink

os . “his baby”

feat. erwin smith (attack on titan) and a male reader

hc . jane foster (marvel)

hc . dark!wanda maximoff (marvel)

day ten ; consensual non consent

os . “tourist trap”

feat. otis b. driftwood (the firefly trilogy) and a female reader

hc . bucky barnes (marvel)

hc . asa emory (the collector)

day eleven ; pegging

os . “something new”

feat. tony stark (avengers) and an afab reader (they/them)

hc . korrasami (legend of korra)

hc . valkryie (marvel)

day twelve ; multiple penetration

os . “at world’s end”

hc . slenderman (creepypasta)

hc . hela odindöttir (marvel)

day thirteen ; oral

os . “hell and high water”

hc . eyeless jack (creepypasta)

day fourteen ; knife play

os . “born to rule”

hc . jesse cromeans (laid to rest)

hc . azuma genkaku (deadman wonderland)

day fifteen ; deep throating

os . “king for a day”

hc . baby firefly (the firefly trilogy)

day sixteen ; hand jobs

os . “the consort”

hc . natasha romanov (marvel)

hc . newt scamander (fantastic beasts)

day seventeen ; shower sex

os . “after dark”

hc . levi ackerman (attack on titan)

hc . jennifer check (jennifer’s body)

day eighteen ; threesome

os . “scream for us”

hc . eda clawthorne & raine whispers (the owl house)

hc . gomez & morticia addams (the addams family)

day nineteen ; temperature play

os . “pathetic mortal”

hc . frost queen cookie (cookie run: kingdom)

hc . dabi (my hero academia)

hc . marvel woman (multiple film series)

hc . fire spirit cookie (cookie run: ovenbreak)

day twenty ; gagging

os . “quiet, love”

hc . saeyoung choi / 707 (mystic messenger)

hc . scp 035 (scp foundation)

day twenty one ; sensation play

os . “training”

hc . queenie goldstein (fantastic beasts)

hc . scp 049 (scp foundation)

day twenty two ; collaring

os . “new pet”

hc . sirius black (harry potter)

hc . sinclair brothers (house of wax)

day twenty three ; face sitting

os . “good boy”

hc . wanda maximoff (wandavision)

hc . marauders (harry potter)

day twenty four ; exhibitionism

os . “disciple”

hc . tom riddle (harry potter)

hc . captain caviar cookie (cookie run: kingdom)

day twenty five ; thigh riding

os . “the reward”

hc . charlie morningstar (hazbin hotel)

hc . scp 035 (scp foundation)

hc . remus lupin (harry potter)

hc . original avengers (marvel)

day twenty six ; bondage

os . “all wrapped up”

hc . jumin han (mystic messenger)

hc . hoodie (marble hornets)

day twenty seven ; voyeurism

os . “secret admirer”

hc . ticci toby (creepypasta)

hc . misa amane (death note)

day twenty eight ; breath play

os . “three, two, one”

hc . bo sinclair (house of wax)

hc . tiffany valentine (bride of chucky)

day twenty nine ; pet play

os . “pretty piggy”

hc . sebastian michaelis (black butler)

hc . harley quinn (birds of prey)

day thirty ; period play

os . “the urge”

hc . alcina dimitrescu (resident evil village)

hc . trancy demons (black butler)

day thirty one ; degradation

os . “stupid bitch”

hc . philip whittebane / emperor belos (the owl house)

hc . angela blanc & ash landers (black butler)

#sleepingdeath #minors dni #kinktober 2022 #minors will be blocked #ageless blogs dni #ageless blogs will be blocked #writing masterlist #kinktober masterlist

[calisources]

𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐘 𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐒 : here are a list of 55 female names, 55 male names and 55 a song of ice and fire valyrian names and last names. You can do variations to the names and eveything because, you know fantasy, but I chose those that I thought sounded good. If this list is good, I found a generator for more fantasy names centered in ASOIAF for different kingdoms and lands. you don't have to give credit but please like or reblog if you find useful.

Male Names.

Kallias, meaning beauty.

Dimitri, earth lover.

Teivel, the devil.

Kaiser, Emperor or ruler.

Harvey, Strong warrior.

Lysander, liberator. 

Erel, angel and messenger.

Asael, made by god.

Laurent, the bright one.

Perseus, avenger, destroyer.

Chrysander, golden protector.

Zale, strength of the sea.

Cahir, warrior, battle man.

Magnus, great and powerful.

Nikolai, people of victory.

Kian, king.

Damien, to tame.

Micah, who resembles God.

Kaemon, joyful.

Arsenio, strong, potent.

Lucius, light or genius.

Loan, light.

Calix, very handsome.

Rowan, brilliant red.

Egan, little fire.

Adonis, lord.

Declan, full of goodness.

Arzhel, bear prince.

Thaddeus, courageous heart.

Alastor, vengeance.

Carden, wool carder.

Leone, lion.

Osian, little dear.

Ezekiel, strength of god.

Zion, highest point.

Asher, blessed.

Kratos, strength, might.

Zadkiel, righteousness of god.

Arwan, king of the other world.

Malakai, messenger.

Acheron, river of sorrow.

Elijah, the lord is my god.

Jace, lord of salvation.

Killian, little warrior.

Cyrus, the sun.

Deimos, personification of fear.

Bryson, child of a noble.

Conan, little wolf or little hound.

Maverick, independent one.

Lennone, keen.

Anteros, god of required love and defender of unrequired.

Denarius, silver coin.

Lorcan, little fierce one.

Ariston, excellent.

Vortigern, high overlord.

Female Names.

Naima, tranquil.

Freya, noble woman.

Alora, beautiful dream.

Danyi, sweet.

Juniper, evergreen.

Arcadia, adventurous.

Cora, virtuous.

Rosela, rose in italian.

Rhea, river.

Kyra, sun.

Solasta, shining, light.

Evangeline, messenger of good news.

Narcissa, flower.

Nyssa, new beginning.

Nyx, night.

Elodie, great fortune.

Gemena, intelligent.

Elis, god’s promise.

Irene, peace.

Samira, wind.

Melantha, dark flower.

Odeliah, praise god.

Aleyah, noble, elevated.

Sariah, princess of the lord.

Ilaria, happy and cheerful.

Odessa, long journey.

Jezebel, pure.

Brielle, heroine of god.

Emersyn, brave, powerful.

Marilla, shining sea.

Braelyn, meadow.

Enora, honor.

Sereia, mermaid.

Seraphina, fiery ones.

Kaena, praise.

Zenaida, of zeus, eternal life.

Isadora, gift of Isis.

Faera, bringer of gifts.

Fayra, gift of god.

Lilibet, pledge to god.

Orlaith, golden princess, sovereign.

Thalassa, sea or ocean.

Visha, deadly poison.

Sora, sky.

Leysa, defender of man.

Cassiel, angel of saturday.

Calia, beautiful person.

Aloisia, famous warrior.

Isleen, vision.

Elowen, elm tree.

Davina, beloved.

Elysia, from the blessed isles.

Gwenna, blessed ring.

Mairween, blessed rebellion.

Esmeray, dark moon.

ASOIAF Valyrian names.

Daenar Tarreos

Baesenyx Barreos

Jaererys Laeraellis

Tyraerion Laenaenor

Jacaegar Laeneneos

Gaedar Aglaeris

Raenor Gonnalys

Rhaegon Maentigar

Vimar Arnalys

Vahaegaron Nargyreon

Laegor Naeltigar

Aeron Taeltheon

Maerya Barnaris

Alyhna Caeneneos

Vysenera Naeltaris

Daessa Baelnaris

Baessa Rahmaereon

Haelera Veltheos

Saerena Arinarys

Alaenna Lenyreos

Elaessa Narnareon

Jaelanya Galgyreon

Vhaenys Dortalor

Saerera Raeldaerys

Visegon Goniar

Jaedor Gaelennis

Malaelor Maentheos

Rahaelon Baeltigar

Maerion Laergaris

Visegon Qargaeron

Vahaeron Arreos

Gaelyx Arlaeris

Garaevon Calnalys

Naelara Dalreos

Eraerla Raenlaeris

Daenenera Maenanyon

Haerys Narnalys

Hera Aergaris

Vysessa Qarareon

Elaerya Aerlaeris

Maeharys Malreos

Tahaenyx Rahiar

Aeganar Gaelralis

Balaevar Lendaerys

Daegar Valanyon

Gaegar Nohaellis

Matagor Vellaeris

Rahaemon Laendaerys

Daelon Aeraeris

Aerena Mallaeron

Daenelys Callaeris

Renaera Raelennis

Daenelys Dortheos

Raevor Daerlaeron

Bamera Caenennis

#roleplay memes #sentence meme #( cali meme. ) #rp memes #rp prompt #rp musings #roleplay prompt

[fourthwingfan]

Madness - Chapter 19

Surpriiisee. I'm done with the next chapter.

And thank you, you are all so supportive. ❤️

Enjoy! :)

In response to the Great War, dragons claimed the western lands and gryphons the central ones, abandoning the Barrens and the memory of General Daramor, who nearly destroyed the Continent with his army. Our allies sailed home and we began a period of peace and prosperity as the provinces of Navarre united for the first time behind the safety of our wards, under the protection of the first bonded riders.

—Navarre, an Unedited History by Colonel Lewis Markham

What. The. Hell.

It’s as if everyone in the room has turned to stone, but I know that can’t be true. I can see Violet as she moves away from the guy who holds her. I can feel the guy’s warm hand in my hair, his skin malleable under my fingers as I shove his hand away from me.

And…I just stand there. What the hell?!

„Quickly, we need to move!” I wince at Vi’s hoarse voice as she breaks the silence.

Complete, unearthly silence.

The clock on the desk isn’t tickin. No one breathes. Their gazes are frozen. To the left, the woman I sliced open is hunched over, and the man I stabbed is leaned against the wall on the right, staring in horror at his thigh.

I mark time in thunderous heartbeats as we stumble into the only open space in the room, but our path to the now-open door isn’t clear.

Xaden fills the doorway like some kind of dark, avenging angel, the messenger of the queen of the gods. He’s fully dressed, his face a mask of veritable rage as shadows curl from the walls on either side of him, hanging in midair.

For the first time since crossing the parapet, I’m so fucking relieved to see him that I could cry.

Violet gasps beside me – and chaos resumes.

„It’s about damned time.” Aon rumbles.

Xaden’s gaze snaps to mine, his onyx eyes flaring in shock for no longer than a millisecond before he strides forward, his shadows streaming before him as he stands at our side. He snaps his fingers and the room illuminates, mage lights hovering above us.

“You’re all fucking dead.” His voice is eerily calm and all the scarier for it.

Every head in the room turns.

“Riorson!” The man’s dagger clatters to the floor who held Violet.

“You think surrendering will save you?” Xaden’s lethally soft tone sends goose bumps up my arms. “It is against our code to attack another rider in their sleep.”

“But you know he never should have bonded her!” He puts his hands up, his palms facing us. “You of all people have reason enough to want the weakling dead. We’re just correcting a mistake.”

“Dragons don’t make mistakes.” Xaden’s shadows grab every assailant but that man by the throat, then constrict. They struggle, but it doesn’t matter. Their faces turn purple, the shadows holding tight as they sag to their knees, falling in an arc in front of me like lifeless puppets.

I can’t find it in my heart to pity them.

Xaden prowls forward as though he has all the time in the world and holds out his palm as yet another tendril of darkness lifts a discarded dagger from the floor.

“Let me explain.” The man eyes the dagger, and his hands tremble.

“I’ve heard everything I need to hear.” Xaden’s fingers curl around the hilt. “She should have killed, but she’s merciful. That’s not a flaw I possess.” He slashes forward so quickly that I barely catch the move, and his throat opens in a horizontal line, blood streaming down his neck and chest in a torrent.

He grabs for his throat, but it’s useless. He bleeds out in seconds, crumpling to the floor. A crimson puddle grows around him.

“Damn, Xaden.” Garrick walks in, sheathing his sword as his gaze rakes over the room. “No time for questioning?” His glance sweeps to us as if cataloging injuries, catching on my bloodied face.

“No need for it,” Xaden counters as Bodhi enters, doing the same quick assessment Garrick had. The similarity between the cousins still gives me pause. Bodhi has the same bronzed skin and strong brow line, but his features aren’t as angular as Xaden’s, and his eyes are a lighter shade of brown. He looks like a softer, more approachable version of his older cousin, but my body doesn’t heat at the sight of him the way it does around Xaden.

An illogical laugh bubbles up through Violet’s lips, and all three men look at her like she’ve hit her head.

“Let me guess,” Bodhi says, rubbing the back of his neck. “We’re on cleanup?”

“Call in help if you need it,” Xaden answers with a nod.

„Are you okay Vi?” I turn to her and gently grab her arms.

Oh my god. I have a terrible nasal voice. If that man wasn’t already dead I would kill him for breaking my nose.

„I’m alive. I’m alive. I’m alive.” She repeats it again and again.

„Yes. You’re alive.” Xaden says as he steps over the bodies toward Violet’s armoire with her daggers in his hand.

Garrick and Bodhi haul out the first bodies.

„I didn’t realize I’d said that out loud.” She says and starts shaking like a leaf.

„It’s the shock.” I say gently and move her toward her chair. „Sit. It’ll be better, just breathe.”

„Are you hurt?” Xaden asks while whipping Violet’s cloak from its hook and retrieving a pair of boots. His words are clipped.

Silence.

“Come on, Violence.” His cajoling words are at odds with his terse tone as he folds the cloak over his arm and brings the boots through the remaining bodies he’s left on the floor. “Pull your shit together and tell me where you’re hurt.”

That nickname again.

“You’re breathing like crap, so I’m guessing it has to do with—”

“My ribs,” she finishes before he can guess. “The one by the bed hit the side of my ribs with the sword, but I think they’re just bruised.”

“Must have been a dull sword.” He cocks a dark eyebrow. “Unless it has something to do with why both of you sleep in your leather vest.”

“Trust him,” Aon demands.

 “I have trust issues if you couldn’t tell. It’s not that easy.”

“It has to be for now. And I burn him alive if he ever hurts you.”

“It’s dragon-scale.” I say and move so that the light shines on it. “Mira made it for us.”

 He glances between our bodies, his mouth tensing before he nods once.

„And you, Sunshine?” He asks before moving in front of me. „That’s a lot of blood.”

„Yeah, well not all of it is mine,” I shrug. „And maybe I pissed one of them off a bit, and he broke my nose.”

„You and your big mouth, Sunshine.” He sighs in exasperation.

Before I can argue that point, his gaze shifts to my face and narrows at what I imagine has to be incipient brusing. “I should have killed him slower.”

„And your ribs? He hit you really hard.” Violet asks from her seat.

„Sunshine?” Xaden asks with a raised eyebrow.

I sigh. Fine. „It hurts a little but my face is worse than that. Not worth mentioning.”

“Never lie to me.” He says it with such ferocity, bit out through gritted teeth.

„I would promise, but there are secrets I can’t tell you.” I whisper and I can hear the sadness in my voice. „Sometimes I have to put my life first. Secrets can kill you in the wrong hands.”

He looks at me with an indecipherable look, then nods.

„Then be honest with me when you can.” He says quietly and his gazes softens.

My heart flutters.

“My nose hurts, and my ribs too.” I admit.

“Let me see.” I open and shut my mouth twice. I don’t know what to say and I simply nod. I’m tired of arguing. I let him do what he wants. At least tonight I don’t have to control everything.

Two other men walk in through the open door, Garrick and Bodhi following closely after. They’re all…dressed. Fully clothed at—I glance at the clock—two a.m.

“Take those two, and we’ll get the last ones,” Garrick orders, and the others get to work, carrying the last of the bodies out through the door. I can’t help but notice they all have rebellion relics shimmering up their arms, but I keep the observation to myself.

“Thank you,” Xaden says, then flicks his hand and the door shuts with a soft click. “Now, let me see your injuries. We’re wasting time.” He turns to Violet. „And you… go and get dressed.”

She must be quite shaken up because with a glance at me she goes to her armoire and does as he said.

 I swallow, then nod.

He cradles my face in his hands and tilts my head to observe my face. I flinch when he lightly touch my nose.

„Sorry, Sunshine. But it’s not that bad.” He slowly drops his hand. „Nolon can mend it in the morning. Now let me see your ribs.”

I sigh. Better to know now if they’re broken anyway. I turn my back on him, but I can see his face in the full-length mirror. “You’ll have to—”

“I know how to handle a corset.” His jaw flexes once, and something that reminds me of raw hunger flitters across his expression before he locks it down, drawing my hair over my shoulder with surprising gentleness.

His fingers skim my bare skin and I suppress a shiver, locking my muscles so I don’t arch into his touch.

What the hell is wrong with me? There’s still blood on the floor, on me and yet my breaths are tight for the entirely wrong reason as he makes quick work of the laces, starting at the bottom. He wasn’t lying. He absolutely knows his way around a corset.

“How the hell do you get yourself into this thing every morning?” he asks, clearing his throat as inch after inch of my back is exposed.

“I’m freakishly flexible.” I answer over my shoulder and laugh at him. Our eyes meet, and warmth flutters through my stomach. The moment is gone as quickly as it came, and he pulls my armor apart, inspecting my right side. Gentle fingers stroke over the abused ribs, then prod carefully. Then he repeats it on the other side.

“You have one hell of a bruise, but I don’t think they’re broken.”

“That’s what I thought. Thank you for checking.” It should be awkward, but somehow it isn’t, even as he laces me back up, securing the ends.

“You’ll live.” He says as I turn around to face him.

„I’m ready. Where are we going?” Violet asks, and I can feel myself blushing.

Oh my god. She saw it all.

„Well… I should go and get dressed to. I’m not exactly decent.” I look at my corset and short.

„We don’t have time.” Xaden shakes his head. „Here, put it on.” He says as he shrugs off his flight jacket and gives it to me.

Without a word I take it from him.

“Let’s go.” He helps me put it on, like I’m something precious. Now I know I’m hallucinating it because I’m anything but precious to Xaden Riorson. He grasps my hand and tugs me into the hallway, Violet following us. His fingers are strong as they curl around mine, his grip firm but not too tight.

He gave me his jacket. It’s huge, and it has such a nice smell. It’s his scent. Mint and leather.

Every other door is shut. The attack wasn’t even loud enough to rouse the neighbors. We’d be dead by now if Xaden hadn’t shown up, even if we managed to get out of their hold. But how did that happen?

“Where are we going?” The hallways are dimly lit by blue mage lights, the kind that signal it’s still night for those without windows.

“Keep talking loud enough for others to hear, and someone will stop us before we get anywhere.”

“Can’t you just hide us in shadows or something?” Violet asks.

“Sure, because a giant black cloud moving down the hallway isn’t going to look more suspicious than a couple sneaking around, and you’re so small Violet, that nobody will notice you if you stay behind us.” He shoots us a look that keeps us from countering.

Point taken.

Not that we’re a couple.

Not that I wouldn’t climb the man like a tree if presented with the right set of circumstances. I cringe as we make it to the main hallway of the dormitory. There will never, ever be a right set of circumstances when it comes to him.

But in my defense, and in a sick, twisted way, his rescue was pretty damned hot, even if he is hauling me down the hallway at an untenable speed. Even if he only did it because Violet’s life is tied to his. My chest screams for a break, but there’s none to be found as he leads us past the spiral staircase that leads up to the second- and third-year dorms and into the rotunda.

Our boots against the marble floor are the only sounds as we pass into the academic wing. Instead of turning left, toward the sparring gym, he takes us right, down a set of stairs that I know leads to storage.

Halfway down the steps, he pauses, and I nearly run into the sword strapped to his back. Then he gestures with his right hand, keeping mine in his left.

Click. Xaden pushes on the stones and a hidden door swings open.

“Holy shit,” I whisper at the expansive tunnel revealed before us.

“Hope you’re not afraid of the dark.” He pulls me inside, and suffocating darkness envelops us as the door closes.

This is fine. This is absolutely fine. Just breathe.

“But just in case you are,” Xaden says, his voice at full volume as he snaps. A mage light hovers above our head, illuminating our surroundings.

“Thanks.” The tunnel is supported by arches of stone and the floor is smooth, as though it’s been traveled more than its entrance lets on. It smells like earth but isn’t dank, and it goes on for what seems like an eternity.

He drops my hand and starts walking. “Keep up.”

“You could—” Violet winces. “Be a little more considerate.” We trudge after him.

“I’m not going to baby you like Aetos does,” he says without turning around. “That’s only going to get you killed once we get out of Basgiath.”

“He doesn’t baby me.”

“He does and you know it. You hate it, too, if the vibe I’m picking up on is any indication.” He falls back to walk at our side. “Or did I read that wrong?”

“He thinks this place is too dangerous for someone…like me, and after what just happened, I’m not sure I can really argue with him. I was asleep. That’s the only time we’re supposed to be guaranteed safety around here. I don’t think I’ll bother sleeping again.” she shoots a look sideways at his profile. “And if you even think about suggesting that you sleep with me for safety from now on—”

He scoffs. “Hardly. I don’t fuck first-years—even when I was one—let alone…you.”

Ouch. There goes my fantasies. I’m a first-year after all. But deep in my heart I’m glad, that he is not attracted to Violet.

“Who said anything about fucking?” She fires back. “I’d have to be a masochist to sleep with you, and I can assure you, I’m not.”

“Masochist, huh?” A corner of his mouth quirks into a smirk.

“You hardly give off snuggly morning-after vibes.” A smile curves on her lips. “Unless you’re worried about me killing you while we sleep.” We round a corner, and the tunnel continues.

“I have zero concern about that. As violent as you are, and skilled with those daggers, I’m not even sure you could kill a fly. Don’t think I didn’t notice that you managed to wound them and never went for a kill shot.” He shoots a disapproving look her way.

“I’ve never killed anyone,” She whispers like it’s a secret.

“You’re going to have to get over that. All we are after graduation are weapons, and it’s best if we’re honed before leaving the gates.”

„That’s enough, both of you. You argue like children.” I roll my eyes. “Is that where we’re going? Are we leaving the gates?” I ask Xaden. I’ve lost all sense of direction in here.

“We’re going to ask Tairn what the hell just happened.” Xaden’s jaw flexes. “And I’m not talking about the attack. How the hell did they get past the locks?”

Violet shrugs but doesn’t explain.

“We’d better figure it out so it doesn’t happen again. I refuse to sleep on your fucking floor like some kind of guard dog.”

“Wait. This is another way to the flight field?” I do my best to mentally wall off the pain in my face. “Will you be there too?” I ask Aon.

“Naturally.”

“Are you going to tell me what that was in there?”

“I would if I knew.”

“Yes,” Xaden says, and the path curves again. “It’s not exactly common knowledge. And I’m going to ask you to tuck this little tunnel into the file of secrets you keep on my behalf.”

“Let me guess, and you’ll know if I tell?”

“Yes.” Another smirk appears, and I look away before he can catch me staring.

“Are you going to promise us another favor?” Violet asks. The path begins to climb, and the ascent is anything but gentle. Every breath reminds me of what happened less than an hour ago.

“Having one of my favors is more than enough, and we’ve already reached mutually assured destruction status, Sorrengail. Now, can you push through it, or do you need me to carry you?”

“That sounds like an insult, not an offer.”

“You’re catching on.” But his pace slows to match ours.

“What were you doing tonight anyway?” I ask curiously.

“What makes you ask?” His tone clearly insinuates that I shouldn’t. Too bad.

“You made it to Violet’s room within minutes, and you’re not exactly dressed for sleeping.” He’s strapped with a sword for crying out loud.

“Maybe I sleep in my armor, too.”

“Then you should pick more trustworthy bedmates.”

He snorts, a flash of a smile appearing for a heartbeat. A real one. Not the fake, forced sneer I’m used to seeing or the cocky little smirk. An honest, heart- stopping smile that I’m anything but immune to. It’s gone as fast as it appears, though.

“So you’re not going to tell me?” I ask. I’d be frustrated if I didn’t hurt so damned much. And I’m not even going to touch why he needed to haul us all the way to Tairn when obviously Violet can chat with him anytime she wants.

Unless he wants to talk to Tairn, which is…ballsy.

“Nope. Third-year business.” He lets go when we reach the stonewalled end of the tunnel. A few hand gestures and another click sounds before he pushes open the door.

We step out into crisp, freezingly cold November air.

“What the hell,” I whisper. The door is built into a stack of boulders on the eastern side of the field.

“It’s camouflaged.” Xaden waves a hand and the door closes, blending into the rock as if it’s a part of it.

There’s a sound I now recognize as the steady beat of wings, and I look up to see the four dragons block out the stars as they descend. The earth shudders as they land in front of us.

 Tairn steps forward and Sgaeyl follows, her wings tucked in tight, her golden eyes narrowing on me.

„What have I done?” I ask Aon.

He stands next to Sgaeyl and snaps at her.

„Do not worry about it, little one. She’s always so grumpy.”

I try to disguise my laughter as a cough.

Andarna scurries between Sgaeyl’s claws, galloping toward us. She skids the last dozen feet, paws digging into the ground to stop just in front of Violet, bringing her nose to her ribs.

„What’s so funny?” Xaden looks at me.

„Aon. He said Sgaeyl is always grumpy. But so is he.” I smile at Aon. „They siblings after all.”

Sgaeyl turns her head and shots a menacing look toward Aon, before she lowers her head and stares at me.

She’s so close. I have never been so close to another dragon. But I keep eye contact with her. I’m not weak.

She huffs a breath in… approval?

“No broken bones,” I hear Violet, as she strokes her hand over the bumpy ridges of Andarna’s head. “They’re just bruised.”

“As sure as I can be.” She forces a smile.

“Yes, I want a word. What the hell kind of powers are you channeling to her?” Xaden demands, staring up at Tairn like he isn’t…Tairn.

Yep. Ballsy. Every muscle in my body locks, sure that Tairn is about to torch Xaden for impudence.

“He says—” Violet starts.

“I heard him,” Xaden counters, not sparing her a glance.

“You what?” My eyebrows hit my hairline, and Andarna retreats to stand with the others. Dragons only talk to their riders. That’s what I’ve always been taught.

“It’s absolutely my business when you expect me to protect her,” Xaden retorts, his voice rising.

Tairn’s head swivels in that snakelike motion that puts me on alert. He’s more than agitated.

“And I barely made it.” The words come out clipped through clenched teeth. “They would have been dead if I’d been thirty seconds later.”

Tairn’s chest rumbles with a growl.

“And I’d like to know what the fuck happened in there!”

I inhale sharply. „Xaden!” I shout and grab his arm. „Do you want to get yourself killed?”

I’ve never seen someone so much as dare to speak to another rider’s dragon, yet alone yell at one, especially not one as powerful as Tairn.

„Let him go. If Tairn wants to kill him, let him do it. I don’t want to look for another rider.” Aon steps closer to us.

„I knew that you love me.” I wink at him. „But I can’t watch it. All four are connected to each other. And Violet is important to me.”

„Just her?”

“We need to know what happened in that room.” Xaden’s dark gaze cuts through me like a knife for a millisecond before he glares back at Tairn.

Tairn’s mouth opens, his tongue curling in a motion I know all too well.

I pull on Xaden’s arm and I step in front of him.

„I’m so sorry that he’s rude to you, Tairn.” I say in my most polite voice. „He’s just a little freaked out. Don’t scorch him, please.”

In awe, Violet blinks up at the navy-blue daggertail as Xaden moves to my side. “She talked to me.”

“I know. I heard.” He folds his arms across his chest. “It’s because they’re mates. It’s the same reason I’m chained to you.”

What? They can…talk to each other? My chest hurts. Theoretically I knew it that they have a connection, but hearing it… it hurts.

I step away from them and I go over to Aon.

„Why am I here?” I ask him. „I mean I can’t hear half of the discussion.”

„I wanted to see you, to know that you’re all right.” He lowers his head and nudges me with his nose. „And unfortunately it seems the wingleader cares about you.”

„What? How do you know that?” I ask as I pet his nose.

„Sgaeyl likes to gossip. Now concentrate on the conversation, little one.”

I look at him in disbelief, but I nod and walk back to the others.

“You make it sound so pleasant.”

“It’s not.” Xaden turns to face Violet. “But you and I are exactly that, Violence. We’re chained. Tethered. You die, I die, so I damn well deserve to know how the hell you were under that man’s knife one second and across the room in another. Is that the signet power you’ve manifested with Tairn? Come clean. Now.” His eyes bore into her.

“I don’t know what happened,” She answers honestly.

Violet pivots to face the golden dragon, repeating what she said to us. „Nature likes all things in balance, that’s the first thing we’re taught.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Xaden asks Violet, not her.

Guess that means he can hear Tairn, but not Andarna.

“Feathertails shouldn’t bond because they can accidentally gift their powers to humans,” Violet continues. “Dragons can’t channel—not really—until we’re…they’re big, but they’re all born with something special.”

She relays the message. “Like a signet?” She asks out loud so Xaden and I can hear.

“Sgaeyl said, that no,” Aon tells me. “A signet is a combination of our power with your own ability to channel. It reflects who you are at the core of your being.”

Andarna sits up and tilts her head proudly.

“But I gave my gift directly to you. Because I’m still a feathertail.” Violet repeats again, staring at the smaller dragon. Almost nothing is known about feathertails because they’re never seen outside the Vale.

They’re guarded. They’re… I swallow. Wait. What did she say?

“You’re still a feathertail?” I look at Andarna in desbelief.

She blinks slowly and then cracks a yawn, her forked tail curling.

“You’re…you’re a hatchling,” Violet whispers.

Oh. Gods.                       

“She’s a what?” Xaden’s gaze swings between Andarna and Violet.

“How much faster?” Violet gasps. “She’s two years old!”

Sgaeyl chuffs at Andarna in obvious disapproval.

What an interesting conversation. I can’t hear half of what they say. Whatever, I will ask Vi later.

“Hold on. Is Andarna yours?” Xaden walks a step toward Sgaeyl, and the tone in his voice is one I’ve never heard. He’s…hurt. “Have you hidden a hatchling away from me these last two years?”

Sgaeyl blows out a blast of air that ruffles Xaden’s hair.

I look at Aon questioningly.

„Her parents passed before hatching.” He answers.

Tairn grumbles.

“Unpredictable?” Xaden questions.

“Gods, no. I could barely control it as a first-year.” Xaden shakes his head.

It’s odd to imagine Xaden ever not being in control.

“I would never!” Violet shakes her head.

Andarna’s head flops against Tairn’s leg. How could I not see it before now? Her rounded eyes, her paws…

“Of course, you wouldn’t know. Feathertails aren’t supposed to be seen,” Aon says.

“If leadership knew riders could take her gifts for themselves, rather than depending on their own signets…” Xaden says, staring at Andarna as she blinks slower and slower.

“She’d be hunted,” Violet finishes quietly.

“I won’t,” Violet promises as she looks toward the dragons. “Andarna, thank you. Whatever you did saved our lives.”

Her mouth drops open into another jaw-cracking yawn.

Violet stares at her and wobbles.

“What did she say?” Xaden asks her.

Tarin grumbles.

“Tell me what she said. Please.” His mouth tightens and I know that last bit cost him.

“She can pause time,” She forces out, stumbling over her words. “Briefly.”

Xaden’s features slacken, and for the first time, he doesn’t look like the stalwart, lethal wingleader I met on the parapet. He’s flat-out shocked as his gaze swings to Andarna. “You can stop time?”

“In small increments,” Vi whispers.

“In small increments,” Xaden echoes slowly, like he’s absorbing the information.

“And if I use it too much, I can kill you,” Violet says softly to Andarna.        

Silence, then Violet breaks it.

“Is Professor Carr going to kill me, too?” Every gaze whips toward Violet.

“Why would you think that?” I ask her with concern.

“He killed Jeremiah.” She says in a trembling voice. “You saw him snap his neck like a twig right in front of the whole quadrant.”

“Jeremiah was an inntinnsic.” Xaden’s voice lowers. “A mind reader is a capital offense. You know that.”

“And what are they going to do if they find out I can stop time?”

Terror freezes the blood in my veins.  “They’re not going to find out,” I promise her.

“No one is going to tell them. Not you. Not me. Not Aelin. Not them.” Xaden motions with one hand toward our dragons. “Understand?”

„Be safe, little one.” Aon says as they all bend slightly, then launch, wind gusting against my face. Andarna struggles, her wings beating twice as hard, and Tairn flies up underneath her, taking her weight and continuing on to the Vale.

“Promise me you won’t tell anyone about the time-stopping,” Xaden asks Violet as we head back into the tunnel, but it feels an awful lot like a command. “It’s not just for your safety. Rare abilities, when kept secret, are the most valuable form of currency we possess.”

My brow furrows as I study the stark lines of the rebellion relic that winds up his neck, marking him as a traitor’s son, warning everyone that he’s not to be trusted. But so far he has proven to be more reliable than my own father.

“We need to figure out how unbonded cadets got in your room,” Xaden says.

“There was a rider there,” Violet tells us. “Someone who ran away before Aelin arrived. She must have unlocked it from the outside.”

“Who?” I halt, taking her elbow gently and turning her toward us.

She shakes her head.

“At some point, you and I are going to have to start trusting each other, Sorrengail. The rest of our lives depend on it.” Fury swims in Xaden’s eyes. “Now tell me who.”

„Tell us, Vi. You know I will always believe you.” I say softly. „Who else was there?”

#fourth wing #fanfiction #fourth wing fanfic #the fourth wing #violet sorrengail #xaden riorson #oc #the empyrean #xaden x oc #xaden riorson x oc #tairn #sgaeyl #dragons #andarna #madness

[tgrailwar-zero]

Shit, shit shit- Invader, can you do whatever weird techy stuff you do to insulate Thrud from whatever hacking signal is happening to her?

(failing that, do we have anything we can use to help protect Thrud?)

While I'm asking- can you to keep her safe while we take Rider and Avenger and track down that Attack Program?

KUKULKAN: "I'd rather not? I could try, but it'd be risky since this is clearly a virus… Especially if we don't have an idea of the cure, or quality of the hacking… if it can damage someone attached to Lord Sigurd, then it must be bad. We need intel."

She glanced away for a moment, before rephrasing her logic in a simpler sense and a slightly awkward smile.

KUKULKAN: "…Baaasically, would you kiss someone with an unknown infectious disease? I'm curious about things, but not that curious, you see?"

With a roll of his eyes, both amused and slightly stressed, your Rider lightly took your (collective) hands.

CONSTANTINE: "That means you're not hacking her either. It's a nice sentiment, but let's try to gather more information first. This isn't like Lucius- this has an active chance of damaging your body."

KUKULKAN: "We can work on improving your hacking later, okay?"

The Valkyrie, in clear discomfort at both the conversational nature of this moment and because of, well, everything else, sighed.

THRUD: "…Do you nnnot under--understand wha-aat 'Go' mmm--means? We haaa... we have a mi--mission."

GREY MESSENGER: "…Let's get going. Lady Thrud can take care of herself. After all, according to Invader, she's one of the great warriors of the Flaming Bout."

With that- you began your stealth attempt.

You snuck past the pale Valkyrie with relative ease. There was a moment where you thought they would catch you, but you heard the sound of scraping earth as THRUD drew her spear, stepping out of her hiding place. Her body, firm from a distance, seemed to still shudder and stagger as she pointed her spear forward.

THRUD: "...cCcc...Commencing... ba-- battle."

As they slowly closed in on THRUD's position, you made your way past, only able to hear the sounds of combat slowly fading into the background.

Passing the main road and approaching a dark, fog covered lake in your slow pursuit of the White Attack Program, you saw a few things.

First off, you saw a familiar face that you hadn't seen in quite some time- HISTORIA of the Red Faction. One of SABER- CHARLEMAGNE's- paladins. He didn't exactly seem happy to be here, but he kept his posture upright and his face stolid.

Secondly, there was a small squadron of pale Valkyrie, circling the center of the lake, surrounding an ethereal figure.

Like a white ghost, it sat in the middle of the lake, a signal erupting from its body. At this distance, you could feel the pulse emanating from it, the pale Valkyrie in the immediate vicinity shuddering every time it went out before returning back to their routine tasks. The signal that you were all searching for.

And finally, you saw the form of BRYNHILDR, slumped against a tree. Her limbs pinned to the ground with spells. You saw something pulsing by her heart-- a Trigger Key, embedded within her Spirit Core.

It seemed that SIGURD had chosen not to keep his key tied to his own Spirit Core, but instead manifesting his beloved to hold it instead. However, that didn't seem to be what they were after- at least not the only thing.

The flashing white Attack Program approached the elder Valkyrie, gripping her skull with the entirety of its hand before pulsing with intense, multicolored light as the woman began to thrash violently.

You couldn't tell what it was doing. Consuming data? Corrupting data?

HISTORIA: "Hey, do you have to do that? That looks pretty painful."

The White Attack program turned its head slowly towards 'HISTORIA', raising its blade to the weakened Valkyrie's neck as if proposing that instead. The knight took a few steps back, raising their hands in concession.

HISTORIA: "Hey, hey... understood. You have a process, I suppose."

The Attack Program removed its hand from BRYNHILDR's head, shoulders tensing in a general expression of frustration.

Generally not an ideal situation. But you were out of sight, ducked behind some fallen trees and foliage, and surrounded by an incredibly dense fog. Which gave you time to plan.

But, right now was game time. Analyze your position, gather more information, and think of the best way to continue forth.

Another small detail to note. AVENGER was absolutely bristling with murderous intent, considering 'HISTORIA' was present. Not exactly an issue, depending on what you desired to do.

#thgw story #thgw: chapter 5 #main post

[thefiery-phoenix]

YANDERE AVENGERS WITH AN ESCAPED READER

Bold of you to even assume that you'd be escaping from them since well... they are the Avengers. If you managed to escape them (LIKE FR HOW DA HECK DID YOU DO THAT!!?) the Avengers like Peter, Bucky and Tony and Bruce would search for you here and there and they'd break down after you escaped. Needless to say... they'll become unhinged and they won't chill till they have you back. They'd be so worried of you like what if you were lying hurt in a dark alleyway or something? What if someone tried kidnapping you? Their heart clenches and it reforms into something more... fiery and steely filled with determination to have you back. They won't let go of you that easily no matter what part of the world you went to. And if you were able to get away from them, it would take a very long time for them to find you unless you're really good at hiding and haven't left a trace of your hiding spot. And besides they might be a little delusional and they'll just think you were confused and you weren't loved enough by them and that's why you did something like that. I think they'll just be numb and miserable and broken if they can't have you back and drown or wallow in their grief, but yes like I said, they will get you back

Now as for Thor and Sam and Clint, they'll have to calm their nerves down at first and after they finish storming and raging around here and there that you've escaped they won't think of HOW you've escaped since that was already done, they prefer to focus on HOW they're gonna get you back. These people have amazing tracking skills and when it comes to Thor, he'll of course have messengers to keep him informed of your whereabouts. They'll be thinking of why you even wanted to escape them in the first place. Was their love not good enough for you? Were they making you watch too much of cartoons? Were you feeling unloved and underappreciated? You better be good at hiding and pray you have Lady Luck on your side because once these guys catch you.... say goodbye to your freedom yet again. After lots of yelling and tears of course. But if you DID manage to get escape them for good, they'll be angry, hurt and maybe feel a little guilty that they shouldn't have been so... selfish and they'll repent for their actions. They still want you back though under any cost

When it comes to Natasha, Steve, Stephen and Scott and Wanda, they'll be having an emotional range of an OCEAN with feelings of hurt, betrayal, anger, and sadness surging trough them. They'll mostly be pissed and livid or heartbroken and devastated. Either way, their feelings won't enable them to think rationally. And after they're done taking their anger out on various poor inanimate objects, they'll be trying to track you down or in Stephen and Wanda's case, use magic. I'd say Stephen or Wanda as a yandere would be really hard to hide from since they have magic and they can track you down even if you're hiding in a forest or something. As for Natasha and Steve and Scott, well... they might take a little time with their hunting you down but when they do you better hope that karma is in a good mood and the universe doesn't want to make a fool of you cuz you most certainly will NOT be spared by any of them at all. They'll punish you and maybe tie and chain you up if they have to. If you escape them for good, they'll just be feeling hella angry and pissed but like I said, they will not rest till they get you back under any cost

#yandere avengers scenarios #yandere avengers x reader #yandere avengers #yandere avengers oneshots #yandere avengers headcanons #yandere avengers imagines #dark avengers oneshots #dark avengers #dark avengers x reader #dark avengers headcanons #dark marvel #dark marvel x reader

[elerondo]

Understanding Fëanor’s perspective on the Oath of Fëanor

I read clothonono post and I do agree that the Oath of Fëanor was not made with reclamation of the Silmarils in mind. Before the Oath’s unfortunate escalation, the Oath of Fëanor was made by Fëanor for the purpose of avenging Finwë. I submit my case with paragraphs from The Silmarillion.

Of the Flight of the Noldor, p. 84

Then Fëanor ran from the Ring of Doom, and fled into the night; for his father was dearer to him than the Light of Valinor or the peerless works of his hands; and who among sons, of Elves or of Men, have held their fathers of greater worth?

The only context that Fëanor had at the time of Finwë’s murder was that:

1) Melkor slew Finwë, but Melkor was not alone. Of the Flight of the Noldor, p. 83, emphasis mine

But even as Nienna mourned, there came messengers from Formenos, and they were Noldor and bore new tidings of evil. For they told how a blind Darkness came northward, and in the midst walked some power for which there was no name, and the Darkness issued from it. But Melkor also was there, and he came to the house of Fëanor, and there he slew Finwë King of the Noldor before his doors, and spilled the first blood in the Blessed Realm

2) Melkor took the Silmarils, among other jewels. Of the Flight of the Noldor, p. 83

And they told that Melkor had broken the stronghold of Formenos, and taken all the jewels of the Noldor that were hoarded in that place; and the Silmarils were gone.

Thus, Fëanor had all rights to suspect that Melkor may not have been working alone when “a blind Darkness came” but Fëanor did not have any clue who was with Melkor. Not only that, Yavanna had just asked for the Silmarils, and before Fëanor could answer, Tulkas prepositioned the idea that no one should deny Yavanna!

Of the Flight of the Noldor, p. 83, emphasis mine

Then Manwë spoke and said: ‘Hearest thou, Fëanor son of Finwë, the words of Yavanna? Wilt thou grant what she would ask?’ There was long silence, but Fëanor answered no word. Then Tulkas cried: ‘Speak, O Noldo, yea or nay! But who shall deny Yavanna? And did not the light of the Silmarils come from her work in the beginning?’

It seemed to him that he was beset in a ring of enemies, and the words of Melkor returned to him, saying that the Silmarils were not safe, if the Valar would possess them. ‘And is he not Vala as are they,’ said his thought, ‘and does he not understand their hearts? Yea, a thief shall reveal thieves!’ Then he cried aloud: ‘This thing I will not do of free will. But if the Valar will constrain me, then shall I know indeed that Melkor is of their kindred.’

Before Finwë’s murder, Fëanor believes that the Valar all support each other, even Melkor. Tulkas expects Fëanor to just roll over for Yavanna’s request, just because she is a Vala. Then, Melkor slays Finwë and Fëanor names him Morgoth. Worst, the Valar’s narrative being focused on the Silmarils’ Light instead of Finwë’s murder, though unspoken, was clearly understood by Fëanor due to their prior self entitlement regarding the Silmarils, and inaction regarding Finwë’s murder.

Alas! The Valar want the Silmarils for their Light, and Melkor (Morgoth) actually took the Silmarils! Had Melkor (Morgoth) not been chained before? And if Morgoth were to come under the Valar’s arrest once more, would the Valar then come into possession of the Silmarils finally? Furthermore, as mentioned, Fëanor knows that some being was working with Morgoth, but he knows not who. Fëanor does not know Morgoth wants sole possession of the Silmarils, or if the Silmarils would change hands. However, the matter of the Silmarils pale in comparison to his father Finwë!

Of the Flight of the Noldor, p. 84

Then Fëanor ran from the Ring of Doom, and fled into the night; for his father was dearer to him than the Light of Valinor or the peerless works of his hands; and who among sons, of Elves or of Men, have held their fathers of greater worth?

Fëanor made the Oath of Fëanor for the sole purpose of killing Morgoth, to avenge Finwë’s death. The Oath was worded in such a way that whoever touched the Silmarils would be killed. There is thus no loophole or any universe in which Morgoth could live after the slaughter of Finwë, even if Morgoth gave back the Silmarils, even if Morgoth was arrested and chained once more and the Silmarils are no longer in his possession. None shall defend him from Fëanor, and Fëanor's kin.

( bonus DLC: the sons of Fëanor could prevent more murders by taking back the Silmarils )

#the silmarillion #tolkien's legendarium #feanor #house of feanor #oath of feanor #melkor #morgoth #valar #finwe #silmarillion #silmarillion meta #✵ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇʟᴅᴇʀ ᴅᴀyꜱ — insight

[aikoiya]

Hello there, while I do some Danny Phantom idea but I am here to show you the difference between the hunter from both editions of hunter the reckoning from world of darkness and hoping to get your opinion on both hunters. (Also note that I don't know everything about hunter the reckoning thing like what is the messenger or other things and I also a bit bias for 5th edition because the idea of normal people hunting monsters is cool)

Imbued from 1st edition is supernaturally augmented people who are chosen by the messengers to hunt monster. There are 3 virtues with 3 creeds each but if the imbued want to get a more powerful edge they get more deranged ( a mechanic that every point of virtue above 7 you must get a derangement) and if they want the most powerful edge they must become an extremist.

The virtues (and creed) is

Virtue of zeal is driven by negative emotion of the supernatural and seeking to hurt the monster (the creeds of zeal is avengers creed, judges creed, and defenders creed)

Virtue of mercy is driven by positive emotion and wish to resolve conflict and see everyone thrive (the creeds of mercy is martyrs creed, redeemers creed, and innocents creed)

Virtue of vision is driven by a stable balance of emotion and determine what need to be done without bias( the creed of vision is visionaries creed, hermit creed, and waywards creed)

The extremist path are what happened when an imbued becomes too powerful (got 10 dot in virtue) and deranged ( the three path are the divine path which is chosen, the corrupt path which is corrupted by a demon, and the independent path are when an extremist don't want to be a puppet)

Yeah being an imbued sucks but they are the star of hunter the reckoning...

Until the 5th edition put the imbued in to backstage and let normal people be the star.

5th hunters are normal people that after finding out monsters are real decide to hunt them.

Hunter, while there is some edge that give them a semblance of magic abilities, are just regular people that has to research the quarry (the supernatural beings they are currently hunting) and use the element of surprise they currently have (even their edges reflect this like a library edge that a hunter can access a wealth of information), because while they can be prepared against the monster, the monster can also be prepared against the hunters.

The 5th edition creeds is both the reason, how they approach the monster, and the way of life (note that 3 words for later)

Martial creed is the militaristic hunter that seeks finality to the supernatural to protect people from monsters but are more likely to be extremist and willing to risk the element of surprise to end the monster.

Inquisitive creed are the people who want to know more about the problem and are more knowledgeable about the things they are against but they are more likely to let the monster live so they can learn about it more even though the monster kills more people and they are not well armed.

Faithful creed are religious people who are more likely to use magical like abilities from relics but if has a crisis of faith becomes weak.

Entrepreneurial creed are both engineers and business seeker as they make tech to capture (yes capture) to get a potential reward of inspiration of a invention to get profit but are reliant on their tool and the captured monster can use their power to escape and causes trouble

Underground creed use stealth and immediate action like trap and improvise to be unpredictable but their lack of long term planning leaves them unprepared.

While the creed is the way of life there are groups of hunters that treat it like a job and look to use the monster's existence to their benefits while the hunter want to end the monster existence to save people, they are the orgs (organization). I don't have enough energy to list the example of the orgs but the arcanum (the scholars that you ask in the post of dpxhtp)are one of them.

So what do you think of the imbued and the hunters? They both hunt monsters.

Hmm... Honestly, I also prefer the idea of regular-ass people being hunters. Fits more with what I tend to think hunters do.

Can Dhampirs also be hunters? Because that's basically the mythos behind Dhampirs to begin with, so I wouldn't understand why not.

#wod #world of darkness

[choking-on-your-alibis]

hello and welcome! this blog is an AU of the greek gods. In order to punish the Gods for tormenting humanity due to godly affairs, Zeus has banished them to the mortal realm, to live like mortals. However, Athena and Hera saw this as unfair, as Zeus himself committed atrocities against humanity as well. Therefore, they worked together to banish Zeus to the mortal realm too. The Gods powers and immortality are still in tact, they are simply not allowed to live in their respective realms.

(this is not myth compliant! most of them are probably not going to be related due to shipping)

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

interactable characters:

↬ achelous: patron god of the achelous river

↬ aeolus: god of the wind and air

↬ aether: primordial god of the upper air, light, the atmosphere, space and heaven

↬ alastor: god of family feuds and the avenger of evil deeds

↬ apollo: olympian god of music, poetry, art, oracles, archery, plague, medicine, sun, light and knowledge

↬ ares: olympian god of war (physical, violent and untamed aspect)

↬ aristaeus: minor patron god of animal husbandry, bee-keeping and fruit trees

↬ asclepius: god of medicine, health, healing, rejuvenation and physicians

↬ atlas: primordial titan of astronomy

↬ boreas: a wind god (anemoi) and god of the cold north wind and the bringer of winter

↬ caerus: minor god of opportunity, luck and favourable moments

↬ chaos: physical representation of the nothingness that all things sprung from. filled the gap between heaven and the earth

↬ chronos (NOT the titan cronus): the god of time

↬ dinlas: guardian god of the ancient city lamark, a place where wounded heroes could heal after battle

↬ deimos: personification of dread and terror. twin to phobos

↬ dionysus: olympian god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine, ritual madness, religious ecstasy and theatre

↬ erebus: primordial god of darkness

↬ eros: god of sexual desire, attraction, love and procreation

↬ eurus: anemoi and god of the unlucky east wind

↬ glaucus: a fisherman who became immortal after consuming an argonaut, became a god of the sea

↬ hades: olympian (kind of) god of the dead and riches. king of the underworld

↬ helios: god of the sun. also known as sol

↬ hephaestus: olympian god of fire, metalworking, stone masonry, forges and the art of sculpture

↬ heracles: the greatest of greek heroes who became the god of heroes, sports, athletes, health, agriculture, fertility, trade, oracles and the divine protector of mankind

↬ hermes: olympian god of trade, thieves, travelers, sports, athletes and border crossings. the messenger of the gods

↬ hesperus: the evening star. phosphorus’ half brother

↬ hymenaois: god of marriage ceremonies, inspiring feasts and song

↬ hypnos: god of sleep

↬ kratos: god of strength and power

↬ krios: the titan god of the heavenly constellations and the measure of the year

↬ momus: the god of satire, mockery, censure, writers and poets and a spirit of evil-spirited blame and unfair criticism

↬ morpheus: god of dreams and sleep. dream walker

↬ moros: the physical embodiment of doom

↬ nereus: the titan god of the sea prior to poseidon and father of sea nymphs (nereids)

↬ notus: anemoi and god of the south wind

↬ oceanus: titan god of the ocean. personification of the world ocean

↬ olympos: primordial god of mountains

↬ paean: the physician of the olympian gods

↬ pallas: the titan god of warcraft and the springtime campaign season

↬ pan: god of nature, the wild, shepherds, flocks, goats, mountain wilds and is often associated with sexuality

↬ phobos: god of personal fear, panic and rout. twin to deimos

↬ phosphorus: the morning star. hesperus’ half brother

↬ plutus: god of wealth

↬ pontus: ancient primordial god of the deep sea

↬ poseidon: olympian god of the sea, earthquakes, storms and horses

↬ priapus: minor rustic fertility god, protector of flocks, fruit plants, bees and gardens (literally known for having a massive penis)

↬ prometheus: titan god of forethought (made humans out of clay!)

↬ tartarus: the god of the deep abyss

↬ thanatos: a minor god of death

↬ triton: messenger of the sea

↬ typhon: the deadliest monster in greek mythology, known as the father of all monsters. god of monsters, storms and volcanoes

↬ zelus: god of dedication, emulation, eager rivalry, envy, jealousy and zeal

↬ zephyros: anemoi and god of the west wind

↬ zeus: olympian god of the sky, lightning, thunder, law, order, justice, king of the gods

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

#oc #todd’s ocs #ocs #greek god ocs #choking on your alibis

[journeythroughjourneytothewest]

Chapter 11 Recap: Having toured the Underworld, Taizong returns to life; Having presented melons and fruits, Liu Quan marries again.

We ended the last chapter with the death of Emperor Taizong, and this chapter begins with his soul drifting out of the Tower of Five Phoenixes. Yet emerging from the indistinct blur he finds himself in, the Tang emperor thinks he was suddenly in the company of imperial guardsmen who were inviting him to a hunting party. He gladly joins, but after journeying for a long time the men and horses vanish, leaving the emperor to walk “the deserted fields and desolate plains” alone. As he’s anxiously trying to find his way back, Emperor Taizong suddenly hears someone calling him over and is met by Cui Jue, who was the vice president of the Board of Rites when alive and in death holds a judgeship. Cui Jue tells Emperor Taizong that because the Dragon Ghost of the Jing River had successfully filed suit against the emperor “for having him executed after promising to save him,” the great king Quinguang had “sent demon messengers to arrest you and bring you to trial before the Three Tribunes.” Cui Jue, learning of this, had taken it upon himself to meet Emperor Taizong in the underworld. The emperor apologizes for having inconvenienced Cui Jue and gives him the letter from Wei Zheng, in which the latter asks the former to do what he can to ensure Emperor Taizong returns to life.

Cui Jue assures the Tang emperor that besides admiring Wei Zheng for having executed the “old dragon,” he’s further indebted to Wei Zheng because he’s been looking after Cui Jue’s children. As such, he will “make certain” that Emperor Taizong will be returned to life. As they’re talking, they’re suddenly approached by two young boys in blue robes who let them know that “The King of the Underworld has an invitation for you.” Following the boys, the Tang emperor is suddenly greeted with the sight of a huge city which a large plaque lets him know is “The Region of Darkness, The Gate of Spirits.” As this procession goes through the city, the emperor’s father Li Yuan and his brothers Jiancheng and Yuanji rush them and start beating Emperor Taizong and threatening vengeance, not stopping until Judge Cui calls over a demon to drive these ghosts away (Note: Li Shimin became Emperor Taizong after having his brothers killed and forcing his father to abdicate).

The party continues until they arrive at “a towering edifice with green tiles,” which is the Central Gate of Hell, the Hall of Darkness. Here they’re greeted by the Ten Kings of the Underworld: King Quinguang, King of the Beginning River, King of the Song Emperor, King of Avenging Ministers, King Yama, King of Equal Ranks, King of the Tai Mountain, King of City Markets, King of Complete Change, and King of the Turning Wheel.” They bow to Emperor Taizong, stating that they are “but the kings of spirits in the World of Darkness,” whereas the Tang Emperor is “the emperor of men in the World of Light.” Even so, Emperor Taizong says he’s afraid he had offended them, and only “after much protestation did Taizong proceed into the Hall of Darkness.”

After all are seated properly, King Qinguang begins the trial Emperor Taizong was brought in for, asking him why he had the Dragon King of the Jing River executed after promising to save him. The Tang Emperor explains that he thought he had done everything he could have to save the dragon, as he had no way of anticipating that Wei Zhen “could have performed the execution in his dream.” As such, he doesn’t feel he’s to blame. The Ten Kings then further reveal that they had known all along that even before the Jing River’s Dragon King was born, “it was already written on the Book of Death held by the Star of South Pole that he should be slain by a human judge.” The dragon had furthermore been sent “on his way to his next incarnation through the Wheel of Transmigration.” The Ten Kings then beg Emperor Taizong’s pardon for having inconvenienced him. Further, they have the Books of Life and Death brought out so they could see how much time the Tang Emperor has left, and Judge Cui subtly change the record so that the emperor is given twenty extra years of life. The matter thus having been resolved to everyone’s satisfaction, Emperor Taizong is told he can return to the World of Light.

As he’s leaving, the Tang Emperor asks the Ten Kings what will happen to those living in his palace. He’s told that everyone will be safe except for his younger sister, who’s slated to soon die. Emperor Taizong further proposes that he sends the Ten Kings melons and other kinds of fruit as a token of his gratitude, and the judges express their desire for “southern melons” [i.e. pumpkins]. The Tang Emperor promises that he’ll send them some “the moment I get back.”

After they leave the Hall of Darkness, Judge Cui lets Taizong know that to get out of the Region of Darkness he must first make a tour of Hell as well as be sent on his way to reincarnation. Having little choice but to do so, the Tang Emperor is left shaking in fear as he follows his guides to and through the Mountain of Perpetual Shade in the Region of Darkness, which is filled with thickets of thorns, dangerous animals, demons, and hungry ghosts. They next pass through the Eighteenfold Hell behind the Mountain of Perpetual Shade, a place “where there were many halls and chambers; everywhere they turned, melancholy cries blasted their ears and grotesque sights struck terror in their hearts.” The place is filled with the spirits of humans being tortured for their sins by bull and horse-faced demons in a wide variety of ways. They continue through all the many kinds of hells until they come to a group of demon soldiers, who let Emperor Taizong and his party pass through and across a golden bridge. Looking around, the Tang Emperor also sees a sliver bridge that’s being traversed by people “who seemed to be persons of principle and rectitude, justice and honesty.” On the other side he’s greeted with the site of a bridge “with icy wind churning around it and bloody waves seething below” and from which the “continuous sound of weeping and wailing could be heard.” Judge Cui lets Emperor Taizong know that that is the “No-Option Bridge” which damned souls must travel through to reach their allotted torments. And this is the bridge that the Tang Emperor must travel next, the sights of which he must have “recorded for posterity.”

Moving along in silent horror, Emperor Taizong follows his guides of Judge Cui and the Grand Marshal Chu “across the malicious water of the No-Option River and the bitter Realm of the Bloody Bowl.” They soon arrive at the City of the Dead, where they are greeted with a throng of spirits, all of them horribly mutilated, and all of them screaming at Li Shimin/Emperor Taizong to “Give us back our lives!” Terrified at the sight, the Tang emperor begs Judge Cui to save him. The judge but calmly explains that the spirits are “of various princes and their underlings, of brigands and robbers from sundry places. Through works of injustice, both theirs and others’, they perished and are now cut off from salvation because there is none to receive them or care about them. Since they have no money or belongings, they are ghosts abandoned to hunger and cold.” If the Tang Emperor were to give them some money, however, then his life and their deaths might be saved. To Emperor Taizong’s protest that he came to the Underworld “with empty hands,” Judge Cui lets him know that a man named Xiang Liang had “deposited great sums of gold and silver in our Region of Darkness,” and Emperor Taizong could “borrow a roomful of money from him and distribute it among the hungry ghosts. You will then be able to get past them,” and he could repay Xiang Liang when he gets back to the World of Light. The Tang emperor duly distributes the borrowed money, and Judge Cui further tells the hungry ghosts that Emperor Taizong will hold a Grand Mass of Land and Water for their salvation. Pacified, the ghosts let the party through.

After traveling for a long time, the Tang Emperor and his retinue arrive “at the junction of the Sixfold Path of Transmigration.” Here Emperor Taizong sees “monks, nuns, Daoists, and secular persons, and all varieties of beasts and fowls, ghosts and spirits,” as in “an unending stream they all ran beneath the Wheel of Transmigration to enter each into a predestined path.” Judge Cui explains that this reveals “the pervasive immanence of the Buddha-nature in all things.” Furthermore, those “who perform good works will ascend to the way of the immortals; those who remain patriotic to the end will advance to the way of nobility; those who practice filial piety will be born again into the way of blessing; those who are just and honest will enter once more into the way of humans; those who cherish virtue will proceed to the way to riches; those who are vicious and violent will fall back into the way of demons.”

Judge Cui accompanies the Tang Emperor to the entrance to the way of nobility and takes his leave, enjoining him one last time to celebrate “the Grand Mass of Lade and Water so that those wretched, homeless souls may be delivered…Only if there is no murmuring for vengeance in the Region of Darkness will there be the prosperity of peace in your World of Light.” Promising to do so, Emperor Taizong follows Grand Marshal Zhu into the gate. There they find a black-maned bay horse, and the marshal helps the emperor mount it. They ride along, and soon reach the banks of the Wei River where “a pair of golden carps could be seen frolicking on top of the waves.” The Tang emperor is so pleased with this sight that he reins the horse so he can watch, even though the grand marshal encourages him to get back to his city while there’s still time. Finally furious at the emperor, the marshal pushes him into the Wei River. In this manner, Emperor Taizong “left the Region of Darkness and returned to the World of Light.”

While the Tang emperor was having his tour through hell, the court, though busy with organizing the imperial mourning, are also discussing issuing an obituary proclamation for the whole empire and crowning the price the new emperor. Wei Zheng encourages them to wait a while yet, and just as another minister is calling him foolish for insisting that a dead man can come back to life, Emperor Taizong returns to his body crying out “You’ve drowned me!” Hearing the corpse in its coffin speak so surprises all assembled that the entire court falls to their knees. A few ministers are brave enough to approach the coffin and open it up at Wei Zheng’s demand. Wei Zheng further assists the newly revived Tang emperor in calming down, and it is calculated that he was dead for three days and nights before he “returned to life to rule again.”

After getting a full night of rest, Emperor Taizong gives a full account of his adventures in the Underworld to his officials. He further “proclaimed a general amnesty for the prisoners in the empire,” and gives those scheduled for execution a year to return to their families and settle their affairs before being put to death. He also issues an edict “for the care and welfare of orphans,” and releases some “three thousand court maidens and concubines from the palace and married them off to worthy military officers.” He also has a proclamation sent throughout the empire enjoining his subjects to practice “good works and mercy.” And finally, the Tang emperor reimburses Xiang Liang for the money he used in the Underworld as well as sends out a notice “asking for a volunteer to take the melons and other fruits to the Region of Darkness.”

But a few days later a man named Liu Quan arrives to offer himself as a volunteer. He does so because after his wife had given her golden hairpin to a monk begging for alms, he had chided her “for her indiscretion in flaunting herself outside their home” so intently that she “promptly hanged herself, leaving behind her a pair of young children, who wept piteously day and night.” As such, Liu Quan was “so filled with remorse by the sight of them that he was willing to leave life and property to take the melons to hell.” He’s taken to the Lodge of the Golden Pavilion, “where a pair of southern melons were put on his head, some money is his sleeve, and some [poison] in his mouth.”

Arriving at the Gate of Spirits, Liu Quan is amiably led to the Treasure Hall of Darkness after he explains his mission. He presents the southern melons to King Yama, and the Ten Kings of the Underworld, delighted by this offering, not only reunite Liu Quan with his wife Li Cuilian but decide that they should both be returned to life. It’s also decided that as “Li Cuilian has been back in the World of Darkness for many days” and “her body no longer exists,” that her soul should attach itself to the body of the emperor’s sister Li Yuying, who is destined to soon die.

What the result of all this planning is will be revealed in the next chapter.

#jtjttw chapter recap #xiyouji #journey to the west #jttw #jttw reading group #jttw book club

[kpforpresident]

#45, out of anger 😤 please and thanks!

Lexa winced slightly as the door slammed heavily, hard enough to make the remaining windows rattle in their panes. Her fingers tightened slightly around the small cracked ceramic pot before she resumed her methodical job of painting on her signature black warpaint. She was finishing touching up the streaks down each of her cheeks when a fuming blonde avenging angel appeared behind her, dark blue eyes stormy, betrayed. 

The Commander set the pot down with a quiet clink as she grasped her dressing table, the wood groaning slightly in protest. She knew without a doubt that Clarke was itching for a fight. 

“Hei, ai hodnes.” Heda murmured quietly, leaning forward to check her warpaint in the cracked and fogged looking glass that leaned askew against the back concrete wall. Behind her in the mirror, Clarke crossed her arms firmly, refusing to soften in the slightest. She cracked with fury, emanating off her in waves as she faces off with her warlord lover. 

“When were you going to tell me, Lexa? As you were riding out of the gates with your warriors? Send me a letter from the battlefield? When they brought you back, wounded or worse?!” Clarke’s voice cracked on the last sentence, her eyes glistening in a way that had Lexa reaching for her automatically, desperately, to soothe the pain that glittered and ran over her wife’s skin like a living, breathing thing. 

Clarke jerked away, the golden braids woven into her hair by Lexa’s loving hands earlier in the day swaying as she moved back to stand by the open balcony. Hands still tucked into her slides as though trying to stem the flow of a mortal wound. The sun was high in the sky above, the birds chirping mockingly as the tension steeped and grew within the bedchambers of Heda and Wanheda. 

Lexa pulled in a deep, sustaining breath as she rose from the table, going to her war chest to pull out her leather bracers that Anya had given her prior to her conclave, her fingers picking out a few prized possessions among the gleaming array of daggers and smaller, sharper weapons that she favors to tuck into her chest plate as she fights. The swords she’ll strap on before they leave, she decides.  

As she laced her fingers through her bracers, pulling them on through muscle memory, she turns to her distraught wife as a planet orbits its sun. 

“Clarke, they came to me this morning as you were working in the infirmary,” she informs softly, knowing that nothing will derail Clarke now, logic least of all. “I leave now to solve the squirmish among the Azgeda border. If all goes well, I will be back by midday tomorrow at latest. I am sorry I did not send a messenger to tell you, I thought you would be back well before we had to leave.” Regret infuses her tone; she knows that if she had informed Clarke sooner then she might have been able to head off this tsunami of anger that threatened to overtake her, just a scant half hour before she had to ride out with her warriors. 

Clarke refuses to soften as Lexa approaches her. A kiss meant to soothe, appease, misses its target as Clarke jerks her head sharply away, soft lips landing on a cheekbone instead of on its partnered pair of lips. 

“You know what happened last time you went to that border,” comes the soft, sad whisper, twin tears falling like shooting stars down Clarke’s cheeks as she swipes roughly at her face, angling away from Lexa as she denies her lover the chance to comfort her. 

 “I know, Clarke.”

They both know. Two seasons ago while riding to break up what they believed was a routine complaint of vagrants looting caravans in one of the northern quadrants of the Podakru and Azgeda border, Lexa had been shot with an arrow through the shoulder, despite the best efforts of her guard. 

With a poisoned arrow. 

She had been returned to Clarke’s desperate care in the dead of night, feverish and hallucinating as she had cried and fought, whimpering alternatively for Clarke, for her friends from the Conclave, for Anya, as she cried black tears of blood. Clarke had never been more terrified in her life.

 Clarke had worked with a desperate crew of five other trusted healers through the night to attempt to ascertain the antidote to the poison, to save their Commander. 

To save Clarke’s houmon.  

In the end Nyko had saved her, remembering an obscure Azgeda poison that grew only from the moss that flourished in the thawed pools that formed in the northern caves in the summer. 

The same caves that Nyko had happened to visit last summer on a foraging expedition in an attempt to ease past tension between King Roan’s people and other members of the Kongeda. 

They had packed Lexa’s dark wound with the dried moss and prayed.

She would never admit it, but Clarke’s tears had mixed with the dressing as she slumped over her wife, shaking with silent sobs when Lexa’s fever had finally broken, waking with a quiet, “Clarke?” and a weakened hand threading through dirty blonde locks. 

In present day, Clarke’s burning gaze locks with Lexa’s softened one that begs for forgiveness. In a moment of bravery Lexa tentatively inches towards her love, twining their fingers together. She presses herself to Clarke, willing her to soften. Clarke lets herself be arranged into the embrace as Lexa threads her fingers behind Clarke’s neck, bringing their foreheads together. 

“In any world, any universe,” Lexa breathes as their eyes slide shut, bodies pressing together, heartbeats slowly synching into one, “I will come back to you, ai Haiplana. I will crawl if I have to.” 

Clarke nods fiercely without breaking their embrace, more tears escaping from beneath her trembling eyelids. 

She yanks Lexa even closer, smashing their lips together as she clings to Lexa as tightly as she possibly can, willing her body to meld to hers. Clarke tastes blood as her lip splits, teeth clashing as she tries to deepen the kiss while scrabbling against Lexa’s leather breastplate for purchase. Lexa lets herself be soft, lets herself be lead as she presses into her wife, selfishly soaking in the love and fear that emanates from Clarke. 

A soft knock on the door breaks them apart slightly, both breathing fiercely, foreheads still touching as their hands lock. The door cracks open the scantest inch. 

“Heda…it is time.”

“I will be at the stables in five minutes, Ryder,” Lexa calls back in her Heda voice, unwilling to break the fiery stare that Clarke is burning her alive with. She presses one more desperate kiss onto Clarke, swiping away Clarke’s tears as best she can with her thumbs. 

Clarke silently walks across the room to fetch Lexa's two favorite swords. She straps them wordlessly to her back, dried tear tracks still lingering on her cheeks. They both know that Clarke won’t come down the stables to see her off; it's too painful for both of them for her to watch Lexa leave. 

“You will come back, Lexa Kom Trikru,” Clarke orders in her fiercest, coldest voice as she checks over her lover’s armor, making sure every piece is strapped and tucked in place perfectly, to cover Lexa’s weak spots when she cannot. 

She places one last kiss on Lexa’s helm of awe as she walks her to their bedroom door, checking her over one last time with a critical eye. 

“You will come back, or I will come fetch you myself.” 

#clexa #can you feel my heart #canon #i have had two glasses of wine so if my grammar is terrible blame it on that #for you my friend #this lite angst is payback for that insanely sad and great poetry in your ask #cascowriteswords #kpprompts

[sleepingdeath-light]

last updated on : 27 / 03 / 2024

listed below are all of the fandoms that i am a part of and will write requests for. fandoms are listed alphabetically as they appear — and all are open for requests.

* = sfw requests only

animated (full or partial) series

anime

-> aggretsuko

-> attack on titan

-> beastars

-> black butler

-> brand new animal

-> deadman wonderland

-> death note

-> hetalia

-> kakegurui

-> my hero academia

western

-> amphibia

-> arcane

-> avatar: the last airbender

-> bluey *

-> don’t hug me i’m scared *

-> epithet erased

-> ever after high

-> fionna and cake

-> gravity falls

-> hazbin hotel

-> helluva boss

-> monster high

-> star wars: the clone wars

-> steven universe

-> the amazing digital circus

-> the legend of korra

-> the owl house

-> winx club

animated films

content

-> disney masterlist (general)

-> disney masterlist (encanto)

-> dreamworks masterlist

-> ghibli masterlist

disney

-> alice in wonderland (incl. remakes)

-> aladdin

-> beauty and the beast

-> brave

-> cinderella

-> elemental

-> encanto

-> frozen

-> mulan

-> peter pan

-> pocahontas

-> princess and the frog

-> raya and the last dragon

-> sleeping beauty

-> snow white

-> tangled

-> the little mermaid

dreamworks

-> how to train your dragon

-> rise of the guardians

studio ghibli

-> howl’s moving castle

-> kiki’s delivery service

-> princess mononoke

-> spirited away

-> when marnie was there

games

mobile

-> cookie run: kingdom / ovenbreak / witch’s castle

-> mystic messenger

other

-> baldur’s gate 3

-> bioshock

-> crowscare *

-> dachabo! digi-pet sim!

-> dark deception

-> dead by daylight

-> deltarune

-> disco elysium

-> doki doki literature club *

-> five nights at freddy’s

-> hollow knight

-> overwatch

-> pokémon

-> resident evil 8

-> silent hill (all)

-> something’s wrong with sunny day jack

-> the groom of gallagher mansion

-> undertale

horror films

content

-> writing masterlist

general horror

-> the conjuring

-> wrong turn: the foundation (2021)

slashers

-> a nightmare on elm street

-> black christmas (1974)

-> bride of chucky

-> carrie

-> firefly trilogy

-> friday the 13th

-> halloween

-> house of wax

-> it

-> jennifer’s body

-> laid to rest

-> malignant

-> predator (& prey)

-> scream

-> silence of the lambs

-> the black phone

-> the boy

-> the collector

-> the texas chainsaw massacre

live action general media

films

-> bill (2015)

-> fantastic beasts

-> harry potter

-> indiana jones (all)

-> star wars (all)

-> the addams family

-> the chronicles of narnia

-> the pirates of the caribbean (all)

series

-> andor

-> bbc ghosts

-> bbc quacks

-> buffy the vampire slayer

-> kenobi

-> marble hornets

-> spy (2011)

-> the book of boba fett

-> the mandalorian

-> the wrong mans

-> yonderland

-> you me and the apocalypse

marvel properties

content

-> mcu masterlist

-> non-mcu masterlist

films

-> avengers

-> black panther + wakanda forever

-> black widow

-> captain america

-> captain marvel

-> doctor strange

-> eternals

-> guardians of the galaxy

-> iron man

-> shang-chi and the legend of ten rings

-> thor

non-mcu media

-> deadpool

-> morbius

-> the amazing spiderman

-> venom

series

-> hawkeye

-> loki

-> moon knight

-> she hulk

-> the falcon and the winter soldier

-> wandavision

online media

websites

-> welcome home /// playfellow vers

written

-> creepypastas

-> the scp foundation

the dc extended universe

films

-> birds of prey

-> black adam

-> suicide squad

#sleepingdeath #account stuff #i only do reader insert requests btw #my fandoms #readmore used because there are a lot of fandoms listed lol #writing masterlist

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 4/5

Book Blurb: From Alexandra Christo, the author of To Kill a Kingdom, comes The Night Hunt, a dark fantasy romance about a monstrous girl who feeds on fear and the Gods-cursed boy who falls in love with her.

Atia is a monster who feeds on fear. As the last of her kind, she hides in the shadows of the world to escape the wrath of the unpredictable Gods. Silas is a Herald, carrying messages and ferrying the dead as punishment for a past he can’t remember. Stripped of his true name, he yearns to recover his identity.

Atia would never dream of allying with someone like him, but when she breaks a sacred law and the Gods send monsters to hunt her, Silas offers an irresistible deal: he’ll help avenge her family and take on the Gods who now hunt her, if she helps him break his curse and restore his humanity. All they need to do is kill three powerful creatures: a vampire, a banshee, and one of the very Gods who destroyed both their lives. Only together can they finally rewrite their destinies.

Review:

She is a monster who feeds on fear, the last of her kind and he is the messenger of the gods, cursed to forget his past, when their paths cross it will lead to a journey to kill monsters, gods, break curses, and face betrayals and the possibility of an impossible romance. Atia is a Nefas, a monster who feeds on fears and can conjure nightmares. She is the last of her kind, having watched her mother and father be killed, she wanders in the shadows trying to escape the wrath of the unpredictable gods. There is only one rule the Gods have for monsters: do not kill a human, and by breaking that rule you will be punished. Silas is a Herald, a messenger of the Gods, people become messengers when they are deemed unworthy of moving on or for having sinned and the only way to escape is by breaking the curse on you. Silas yearns to be free, he has no memory of his past and knows the only way to break his curse is to trap Atia into helping do it. When Atia accidentally kills a human to protect her friend, Silas curses her as his duty from the Gods, but offers her a side bargain: he will help her regain her powers through her quest to kill a vampire, a banshee, and a god and in return she will help free him from being a Herald. Atia and Silas should be natural enemies, but they can't help but feel drawn together, both lonely people enduring, and yet they see something in each other that they never expected. Can they free themselves from their curse before the Gods hunt both of them down? This one was a really unique story, I loved the lore behind the monsters and I enjoyed learning about Atia. The romance was actually really sweet and seeing how much Atia and Silas cared for one another and got under each other's skin was great. Overall, I really enjoyed this read and think if you enjoy stories about monsters, breaking curses, and unlikely romances through journeys, give this one a go!

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

#book review #bookish #the night hunt

[tgrailwar-zero]

Several dark familiars manifested- riflemen made of dull mana- that fired upon the SABER in a constant barrage. The bullets shot through the air, the warrior raising his blade to deflect them as gunfire smoke began to replace the fog that was present.

In an instant, AVENGER disappeared. A figure, like death itself, could only be seen as a silhouette.

The SABER swung his blade, a sharp gust of air cutting through the smoke and eliminating the familiars, but it was too late.

The silhouette struck.

A spray of blood, as the Wildfire blade slipped through the gaps in the Archbishop's armor, the holy man letting out a genuine cry of pain. There was a burst of black, magical fire that swallowed the Archbishop, as the warrior dropped to one knee, the flames beginning to consume him.

CAROLUS-TURPIN: "Agh… His Majesty's body--!"

The paladin's body shone with a brilliant white light followed by an echoing heavy clang, forcing ripples across the water as the AVENGER-Class Servant had suddenly gone flying. In a strike that one would think 'out of character' for a holy man, he had swung his armored fist as hard as he could as the red-clad Servant.

Holy people generally weren't 'bare-knuckle brawlers', right?

The AVENGER crashed into a tree, his Mystic Code flickering and fading for a moment before he regained his composure, as the Archbishop put a hand on his own wound, wincing and gasping for breath.

In other words, it seemed as if that choice was rather pivotal, despite the retaliation. Frankly, it seemed as if you had avoided a worst-case scenario for attacking at close range. However, regarding your ally…

[ AVENGER's Endurance has been reduced! AVENGER's 'Avenger' skill is starting to kick in! Mana costs are reduced, and damage is increased! ]

CAROLUS-TURPIN: "…Those flames… you're quite the pained soul, aren't you…? A Servant dedicated to stoking the fires of misery..."

After forcing himself up to his feet, the sound of SABER's footsteps almost echoed as he walked towards AVENGER, one hand firmly on the hilt of his blade. He seemed to be limping slightly, a thin trail of blood dripping onto the grass as he approached.

CAROLUS-TURPIN: "…We both landed good hits, I'd figure this next one will call it."

He called out.

You could feel the rage radiating off of AVENGER- pure power, but a lack of focus in exchange. Similarly, he forced himself up, glaring daggers towards the SABER.

CAROLUS-TURPIN: "…"

GREY MESSENGER: "…"

They both readied their weapons.

This seems to be a critical moment.

#thgw story #main post #thgw: chapter 5

[mirnightghost]

Maybe this is more of a question than a request but does Death knows Puss in on him? And if yes, his reaction?

P.S Very cool Au and dark red looks really good on Puss

Thank you for this question!

I think that when Death sees, that Puss is ready to play hard and may sacrifice his last life, including fight with Death itself, he will leave him. Furthermore, I forgot to say that Puss became really madman, forcing his enemies experience the same animal fear as he felt himself. I guess, they will agree after the duel that Puss can continue what he is doing, but let him no longer dare to hunt for Death. Because no matter how strong you are, death will survive because of its/his eternal endurance...I mean

You and I understand that this gray wolf is a mythical creature that personifies the inevitable process of life, right...? Or is it my headcanon, Idk

Either way, it doesn't matter to Death whether you're a good person or a bad one. Death hunted Puss because he didn't value his life. Now he has learned his lesson, feeling the fear that will now make him fight. (Yes, he is now a bad boy, but the main thing is to be aware that he can lose.)

Over time, he will generally unwittingly become a messenger of death, I suppose (I'll think about it), because, as I said, he will force enemies to fear the fateful blade that marks the final

Why did he hunt death if he began to appreciate life? Well, at the beginning of his breakdown, he yearned to avenge the fear he had been made to feel. To prove that he is not afraid and will fight for himself.

#puss in boots au #puss in boots the last wish #puss in boots