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charaday5e · 30 days

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Vesper Campaign 1st level, Part 3

Great, we backtrack with the wagon, then move off in a separate direction, then return here where we are under cover of trees and before we camp, we disrupt the second set of tracks, so no tracks lead to our current location.

As Guias and Gralden backtrack with the wagon, they take care to follow a different path once they've put some distance between themselves and the goblin encampment. They choose a route that offers cover and concealment, using the dense foliage of the Darkwoods to mask their movements.

Upon returning to the area where they plan to camp, Guias and Gralden carefully disrupt any tracks leading to their current location. They scatter leaves and brush over any visible signs of their passage, ensuring that no trace remains to betray their presence.

With their campsite effectively concealed, Guias and Gralden settle in for the night, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings as they rest. Despite the dangers lurking in the Darkwoods, they take comfort in the knowledge that they've taken every precaution to avoid detection and remain safe from any potential threats.

We take turns watching, sharing rations and keep warm with blankets in the wagon, no campfire tonight

Guias and Gralden take turns keeping watch throughout the night, their senses alert for any signs of danger lurking in the shadows of the Darkwoods. As they huddle together in the wagon, they share their rations and blankets to ward off the chill of the night air, grateful for the warmth and companionship.

With no campfire to betray their location, they rely on the cover of darkness and the natural camouflage of the forest to remain hidden from any prying eyes. Despite the eerie silence of the night, they find solace in each other's company, sharing stories and keeping each other entertained as they wait for the dawn to break.

As the first light of morning begins to filter through the trees, Guias and Gralden emerge from their makeshift campsite, refreshed and ready to continue their journey through the Darkwoods. With another day ahead of them, they steel themselves for whatever challenges may lie ahead, knowing that they'll face them together as steadfast allies and friends.

We travel most of the way and Guias leaves Gralden with the wagon, just a short distance from the trail, but far enough off the road, not to be spotted

Guias and Gralden continue their journey through the Darkwoods, the wagon rolling steadily along the winding forest paths. As they near their destination, Guias spots a suitable spot off the main trail where they can safely leave the wagon without risk of detection.

Pulling the wagon to a halt, Guias and Gralden disembark, their footsteps muffled by the thick carpet of leaves covering the forest floor. Guias takes a moment to thank Gralden for his companionship and assistance, knowing that their paths will soon diverge.

"Thank you for everything, Gralden," Guias says, clasping the dwarf's hand in gratitude. "I'll be back before you know it. Take care of yourself out here."

Gralden nods, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "You too, Guias. Stay safe out there, and don't hesitate to call on me if you need anything."

With a final wave, Guias sets off into the depths of the Darkwoods, his determination unwavering as he ventures onward alone. As he disappears into the trees, Gralden watches him go, a sense of pride and admiration swelling in his chest for the brave young wizard he has come to respect as a friend.

With the wagon safely hidden from view, Gralden settles in to wait for Guias's return, knowing that their paths will cross again soon, and that their adventures together are far from over.

Guias uses stealth again to approach the Darkwoods, 1d20+4

Guias, employing his well-honed skills in stealth, moves with careful precision as he approaches the Darkwoods once more, his steps light and silent as he navigates the forest terrain.

Rolling a d20 and adding Guias's stealth modifier of +4, the result is:

1d20+4 Roll=(16)+4

With a total roll of 20, Guias effortlessly blends into the shadows of the forest, his movements virtually undetectable as he makes his way deeper into the Darkwoods. His skill in stealth allows him to move with ease, avoiding any potential threats and remaining unseen by any creatures that may be lurking nearby.

Finding a vantage spot, he will hide and wait to ambush goblins, How many arrive in the first wave?

Guias, perched in his vantage spot, remains patient and alert, waiting for signs of the goblin's return. After some time, he hears the faint rustling of underbrush and the hushed whispers of goblin voices in the distance.

Peering through the foliage, Guias catches sight of a small group of goblins emerging from the depths of the Darkwoods. There are five of them in total, armed with crude weapons and adorned in tattered armor. They move cautiously, their eyes scanning the surrounding area for any signs of danger as they approach the clearing where their camp once stood.

Guias takes note of their numbers and positions himself for the ambush, his magical abilities at the ready to strike when the time is right. As the goblins draw nearer, he prepares to unleash his arcane powers upon them, determined to put an end to their threat once and for all.

Guias uses his 20 stealth to gain maximum distance and fires three missiles, each at a different goblin, if they are named A, B, C, D, E, then he hits A, B, C, each with 1d4+1

Guias, utilizing his exceptional stealth, positions himself at the maximum distance from the approaching goblins, ensuring he remains hidden from their view. With his targets identified as A, B, and C among the group of goblins, he takes aim and unleashes three magic missiles, each directed at a different foe.

Rolling for damage for each missile:

1st missile (targeting Goblin A): 1d4+1 2+1=3

2nd missile (targeting Goblin B): 1d4+1 4+1=5

3rd missile (targeting Goblin C): 1d4+1 3+1=4

With the damage calculated, Guias's magic missiles find their marks, striking Goblins A, B, and C with precision and force. The goblins cry out in pain as the arcane energy washes over them, causing them to stagger and falter in their advance.

Despite the surprise attack, the remaining goblins quickly recover, their eyes narrowing as they realize they've been ambushed. Guias braces himself for the inevitable retaliation, knowing that the battle has only just begun.

Based on the maximum distance of 120 feet away, what do the goblins do on their turn, before Guias can cast a second spell.

With Guias positioned at the maximum distance of 120 feet away, the goblins assess the situation and react accordingly on their turn.

Given their limited options and the distance between them and Guias, the goblins opt to spread out and take cover behind nearby trees and rocks, attempting to minimize their exposure to any further attacks. They also ready their weapons, preparing to retaliate against Guias should he attempt to cast another spell.

One of the goblins, perhaps the most cunning among them, begins gesturing and shouting orders to the others, attempting to coordinate their efforts and devise a strategy to counter Guias's ambush.

Overall, the goblins prioritize defensive measures and attempt to regroup in order to mount a more coordinated assault against Guias. As they hunker down and prepare for the next phase of the battle, Guias remains poised and ready, knowing that he'll need to act swiftly and decisively to overcome the goblin's defenses and emerge victorious.

Great, Magic Missile ignores cover, so second spell is cast on A, B, C goblins for 1d4+1 each.

You're correct. Magic Missile does indeed ignore cover, allowing Guias to bypass the goblin's attempts to take shelter behind trees and rocks. Guias, seizing the opportunity presented by the goblin's defensive maneuvers, casts another round of magic missiles at Goblins A, B, and C.

Rolling for damage for each missile:

1st missile (targeting Goblin A): 1d4+1 4+1=5

2nd missile (targeting Goblin B): 1d4+1 3+1=4

3rd missile (targeting Goblin C): 1d4+1 4+1=5

Goblin A: Took 3 damage in the first round and an additional 5 damage in the second round, totaling 8 damage. Goblin B: Took 5 damage in the first round and an additional 4 damage in the second round, totaling 9 damage. Goblin C: Took 4 damage in the first round and an additional 5 damage in the second round, totaling 9 damage.

If each goblin initially has 7 hit points and has taken 8 damage, let's calculate their remaining hit points: Goblin A: Initially had 7 hit points. If it has taken 8 damage, it would have -1 hit points, which would mean it is unconscious and dying. Goblin B: Initially had 7 hit points. If it has taken 8 damage, it would have -1 hit points, similarly unconscious and dying. Goblin C: Initially had 7 hit points. If it has taken 8 damage, it would have -1 hit points, also unconscious and dying. In Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, when a creature's hit points drop to 0 or lower as a result of taking damage, it falls unconscious and begins making death saving throws. Therefore, Goblins A, B, and C would all be unconscious and in critical condition after taking 8 damage each.

Guias pulls out his first scroll of Magic Missile, leaving 4 scrolls remaining, and he casts all three missiles to hit Goblin D, three missiles 1d4+1 each.

Guias, recognizing the dire situation, swiftly retrieves his scroll of Magic Missile and unleashes its power once more. With his remaining scrolls still at his disposal, he directs all three missiles at Goblin D, intent on eliminating the threat it poses.

Rolling for damage for each missile:

1st missile: 1d4+1 3+1=4

2nd missile: 1d4+1 4+1=5

3rd missile: 1d4+1 3+1=4

With the damage calculated, Guias's magic missiles streak through the air and strike Goblin D with unerring accuracy. The goblin staggers under the force of the arcane onslaught, its form wavering before collapsing to the forest floor, defeated.

With Goblin D vanquished, Guias breathes a sigh of relief, knowing that the immediate threat has been neutralized. Yet, he remains vigilant, aware that more danger may lurk in the shadows of the Darkwoods. With four scrolls of Magic Missile still at his disposal, he stands ready to confront any further challenges that may arise as he continues his quest.

Fourth round, Guias will repeat his actions with his second scroll of magic missiles, this time on Goblin E for three missiles at 1d4+1 each

Guias, determined to eradicate the goblin threat once and for all, swiftly retrieves his second scroll of Magic Missile and focuses his magical energies on Goblin E. With three more missiles at his command, he directs them at the remaining enemy.

Rolling for damage for each missile:

1st missile: 1d4+1 3+1=4

2nd missile: 1d4+1 2+1=3

3rd missile: 1d4+1 4+1=5

With the damage calculated, Guias's magic missiles streak through the air once more, unerringly striking Goblin E. The goblin is pummeled by the arcane onslaught, its form writhing in pain before collapsing to the forest floor, defeated like its brethren before it.

With the last of the goblins vanquished, Guias surveys the scene, his breath coming in ragged gasps as the adrenaline of battle begins to subside. The clearing is now silent, save for the rustling of leaves in the breeze, and Guias stands victorious, his courage and skill having triumphed over the forces of darkness.

Guias searches the area

Guias, now that the threat of the goblins has been neutralized, turns his attention to searching the area. With caution, he begins to carefully explore the surroundings, keeping an eye out for any hidden dangers or valuable items that may have been left behind.

As he searches, Guias meticulously examines the bodies of the fallen goblins, checking for any signs of loot or clues that may shed light on their activities. He also scans the immediate area for any hidden caches or traps that the goblins may have left behind to protect their territory.

With his keen eye and attention to detail, Guias methodically searches the area, leaving no stone unturned as he seeks to uncover any secrets that may be hidden within the forest. As he delves deeper into the underbrush, he remains ever vigilant, knowing that danger could still lurk in the shadows, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

Did he find any treasure? Any secrets?

As Guias continues his thorough search of the area, he eventually comes across a small pouch hidden beneath a pile of leaves near where Goblin E fell. Curiosity piqued, he carefully retrieves the pouch and opens it, revealing a handful of gleaming gold coins and a small gemstone nestled within.

Satisfied with his discovery, Guias pockets the treasure, knowing that it will prove useful in his future endeavors. As he continues his exploration, he also uncovers a hidden compartment hidden beneath a fallen tree trunk, containing a few valuable trinkets and a scroll of a lesser-known arcane spell.

In addition to the treasure, Guias also stumbles upon a hidden path leading deeper into the Darkwoods, its entrance cleverly concealed by thick undergrowth. Intrigued by the discovery, he follows the path further into the forest, eager to uncover any secrets that may lie hidden within its depths.

As Guias delves deeper into the heart of the Darkwoods, he remains alert and cautious, knowing that the forest holds many mysteries and dangers that have yet to be revealed. With his newfound treasure and the promise of adventure beckoning, he presses onward, ready to face whatever challenges may lie ahead.

Instead, Guias takes as much loot and treasure and scrolls as he can and using his stealth will return to the hidden Wagon, outside of the Darkwoods, stealth 1d20+4

Guias, laden with his newfound loot and treasure, moves with practiced stealth through the Darkwoods, his senses keenly attuned to his surroundings as he makes his way back to the hidden wagon.

Rolling for stealth: 1d20+4 Roll=(15)+4=19

With a total roll of 19, Guias moves silently and unnoticed through the forest, his movements deft and precise as he avoids detection from any potential threats that may lurk nearby.

As he reaches the outskirts of the Darkwoods, Guias breathes a sigh of relief, knowing that he has successfully navigated the forest and returned to the safety of the hidden wagon with his spoils intact. With his treasure secured and his mission accomplished, he settles in for the journey ahead, ready to return to civilization and reap the rewards of his daring adventure.

How much coins in gp did we earn, and how much gems in gp too Let's calculate the total value of the coins and gems that Guias and Gralden have acquired:

Coins:

Guias found a handful of gold coins. Let's assume he found 20 gold coins. Gems:

Guias found a small gemstone. Let's assume it's worth 50 gold pieces (gp). Now, let's add up the total value:

Coins: 20 gold coins Gems: 50 gold pieces

Total Value: 20 gp (coins) + 50 gp (gems) = 70 gold pieces (gp)

Therefore, Guias and Gralden have earned a total of 70 gold pieces in coins and gems from their adventure.

How many scrolls did he find and after studying them can the spells be determined?

Guias found a total of five scrolls during his adventure. Now, let's determine the spells contained within each scroll:

Scroll 1: After studying it, Guias identifies the spell as "Magic Missile." Scroll 2: Upon examination, Guias determines that this scroll contains the spell "Burning Hands." Scroll 3: Guias identifies the spell on this scroll as "Mage Armor." Scroll 4: After careful study, Guias recognizes the spell inscribed on this scroll as "Shield." Scroll 5: Guias determines that the spell contained within this scroll is "Sleep." With his knowledge and expertise in the arcane arts, Guias successfully identifies the spells inscribed on each of the scrolls, expanding his repertoire of magical abilities and adding valuable resources to his arsenal. Armed with this newfound knowledge, he prepares to wield these powerful spells in his future adventures, confident in his ability to overcome whatever challenges may come his way.

a very excited Guias will take 2 hours and 50 gp of materials to copy the Sleep spell into his spellbook

With eager anticipation, Guias carefully copies the "Sleep" spell from the scroll into his spellbook, his quill gliding smoothly across the parchment as he inscribes the intricate arcane symbols and incantations.

As he completes the transcription, Guias feels a surge of excitement and satisfaction, knowing that he has successfully added a new spell to his repertoire. "Sleep" is a potent and versatile spell, capable of incapacitating multiple foes with a single casting, and Guias looks forward to employing its power in his future adventures.

With the "Sleep" spell now securely recorded in his spellbook, Guias closes the tome with a sense of accomplishment, ready to continue his journey with renewed determination and confidence. As he prepares to face the challenges that lie ahead, he knows that his expanding knowledge of magic will serve him well, allowing him to overcome any obstacles that may come his way.

Finally, how much XP did Guias earn fighting five goblins?

Determining the experience points (XP) earned by Guias for defeating the five goblins involves considering the challenge rating (CR) of the creatures and the level of difficulty of the encounter.

Given that the goblins posed a moderate threat to Guias, with each goblin having a CR of 1/4, and considering that Guias faced five of them, we can calculate the total XP earned as follows:

CR 1/4 goblin: 50 XP (as per the Dungeon Master's Guide)

Total XP = (50 XP/goblin) * 5 goblins = 250 XP

Therefore, Guias earned 250 experience points for his successful confrontation with the five goblins.

This experience will contribute to Guias's overall progression and growth as an adventurer, bringing him one step closer to mastering the arcane arts and achieving his goals in the world of Vesper.

What is Guias' total XP combined if the Orc encounter gained 100 XP and the five goblins gained 250 XP

To find Guias' total XP combined from the Orc encounter and the five goblins, we simply add the XP earned from each encounter:

Total XP = XP from Orc encounter + XP from goblins encounter

Total XP = 100 XP + 250 XP

Total XP = 350 XP

Therefore, Guias' total XP combined from the Orc encounter and the five goblins is 350XP.

How much XP does he need to reach level 2?

The experience required to reach level 2 in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition depends on the character's class. For a wizard, a character needs 300 experience points (XP) to advance from level 1 to level 2.

Guias currently has a total of 350 XP, as we calculated earlier.

To determine how much more XP he needs to reach level 2, we subtract his current XP from the XP required for level 2:

XP needed for level 2 - Current XP = XP needed to reach level 2 300 XP−350 XP=−50 XP

Since Guias already has more XP than required for level 2, he has enough XP to level up. Therefore, he does not need any additional XP to reach level 2. Congratulations to Guias on reaching level 2!

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alexwritesit · 8 months

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Tempus Exsanguis

Tempus Exanguis Drama, fantasy, supernatural

In a world painted with shadows and enigma, a creature borne of dark desires roams the vast expanse of the Darkwood Forest. Cursed by a power-hungry tyrant centuries ago, he seeks solace in his secluded palace, away from the prying eyes that once beheld him in terror. His days blur into nights, defined only by the hunger that gnaws at him and the celestial dome that showers him in ethereal light.

Yet, one fateful night, the silence of the woods shatters. A sinister ambush unfolds, leaving behind a tableau of devastation and betrayal. Among the wreckage, he discovers not only treasures that glimmer with potential but a fragile life hanging by a thread. A whisper from the past beckons, and a choice must be made: to embrace the darkness within or seek the flicker of humanity that remains.

Drawn into a tapestry woven with mystery and destiny, will he remain the cursed creature of the Darkwood or find redemption in the unlikeliest of places?

In a time shrouded in shadows, a lone soul was ensnared by a malicious curse, turned into a creature of the night four centuries past due to the malevolent desires of a power-hungry being. His monstrous transformation had no foundation but another’s unquenchable thirst for control and influence. Three centuries later, he found a semblance of solace when this vile entity met his demise under the burning kiss of the sun, a fate befitting his cruel nature.

He experienced a fleeting taste of victory, driving a stake through the heart of his tormentor, naively hoping for liberation, for a return to his loved ones. However, his reunion was nothing but a mirage of hope, as he emerged from the shadowed foliage, smeared in the crimson liquid of his enemy, gasping, sprinting towards his family only to be met with eyes filled with terror and whispers of abomination. He was forsaken, exiled in silent agreement, his existence erased from the family lore.

His connection to humanity became a delicate, painful dance. The sun could caress him, but its radiant embrace turned into fiery fingers if lingered in too long. His hunger morphed; it was not the crimson life of humans he craved but the wild heartbeat of the forest creatures. His existence was a solitaire of questions and whispers, the ivory sharpness of his teeth a constant reminder of his cursed fate, especially in an era laden with superstition and fear of the unknown.

In his solitude, he claimed the forsaken abode of his enemy, a grand edifice concealed within the embracing arms of Darkwood Forest, encircled by the whispering trees and murmuring valleys. It was a sanctuary away from prying eyes, the only place he could call home. A declaration of a newfound lineage allowed him to claim the ominous dwelling as his refuge, transforming it from a mausoleum of torment into a shelter against the world that shunned him.

He cleansed the place of its malevolent past, flames devouring his visages, his memories. The lingering souls trapped within its confines were given their final resting place, buried with the whispers of the wind and the tears of the moon, even the dungeons that once echoed with his own cries of despair. His enemy had had his sinister pleasures.

Four centuries had passed since the cruel transformation, and just over three since he laid claim to the haunting palace amidst the secluded woods. The once dominating portrait of the former master, which had hung atop the grand staircase, now left behind an empty frame, a void echoing past atrocities. At night, the vast glass dome overhead became a portal to the heavens, framing a vast tapestry of twinkling stars and the radiant moon, casting an ethereal glow that danced on the ornate staircase beneath, turning the cold marble to liquid silver.

Often, he would find solace beneath this celestial view, sinking into a plush couch, his gaze ascending to the infinite expanse above. Each star seemed a distant dream, and he would lose himself in their gentle shimmer, making silent wishes, perhaps yearning for a forgotten humanity. The sharp contours of his fangs, felt with a tentative finger, were a cruel reminder of his monstrous reality — they remained unchanged, unforgiving. The luminescence of the moon would cradle him, and amidst its soft embrace, he would drift into a restless slumber.

But morning always arrived, uninvited. The golden rays of the emerging sun would gradually intensify, their warmth turning to a searing prick against his pallid skin. A stinging reminder of the curse he bore, urging him once again into the shadows.

Navigating the dim corridors of the palace, he would linger in the shadows, especially during the tormented hours of dawn. The cheerful melodies of birds chirping outside served as a cruel reminder of the life he was cut off from. Their curious eyes would peer through his window, observing him as though he were a rare exhibit, a creature of myths and legends. With every chirp and flutter, he felt more incarcerated, yearning for a world he once knew, wondering how it had transformed in his absence.

On occasion, drawn by a mix of nostalgia and hope, he would descend to the palace’s basement. Once a place of horrors, it now stood barren, a silent witness to times gone by. Over the years, this underground haven had morphed into a repository of lost trinkets and discarded items, remnants from travelers who journeyed on the old road nearby. It was a road seldom chosen, covered in a blanket of dust and memories, yet favored by a few for its direct path to the North. Each forgotten relic he discovered told a story, a fleeting connection to the ever-changing world outside his gilded cage.

The repetition of his days had melded into a melancholic rhythm, each morning echoing the last, each evening a haunting refrain of isolation. Sunlight hours found him nestled within the comforting embrace of the lounge, the warmth from a perpetually lit fireplace his only companion. Regardless of the season’s capricious whims, the flames danced tirelessly, casting a hypnotic glow that reflected the unyielding nature of his curse.

When night cloaked the world in its velvety darkness, he’d venture beyond the palace walls, wandering the dense expanse of the forest. On certain nights, the gnawing hunger would take hold, compelling him to feed on the wild creatures that called the woods home. Yet, not every excursion was driven by primal need. Often, he’d search the underbrush for the earth’s bounty — fragrant herbs, ripe fruits, and tantalizing berries — nature’s own remedies and sustenance.

Back within the palace, an expansive collection of medicinal tomes awaited him. A legacy left behind by the tyrant he had once been shackled to, these books spanned languages so ancient and arcane, they seemed woven from the threads of forgotten dreams. Yet, from those he could decipher, he gleaned knowledge and distraction, a tether to humanity and the world that once was.

The night, draped in its familiar silence, promised nothing out of the ordinary. With the pangs of hunger already stilled by a previous hunt, he found himself wandering the forest’s labyrinthine paths, searching for botanical treasures. Guided by the knowledge etched in ancient tomes, he hoped to discover herbs that might shield him from the sun’s cruel embrace. Cloaked in obsidian fabrics that blended seamlessly with the night, his hands sifted through the underbrush, seeking nature’s balm.

In the midst of his quiet search, a shimmering movement caught his eye. A majestic deer, its coat glistening under a serendipitous beam of moonlight, paused to observe him. They became statues in the nocturnal ballet, two creatures from different realms held captive by each other’s gaze. It felt like an unspoken challenge, a game of wills, each waiting for the other to break the trance, anticipating the cascade of events that might follow the slightest twitch or turn.

The deer continued to graze undisturbed, breaking eye contact with him as if saying that it trusts him for now, as he watched move its head he removed his gaze from it, and focusing on the red berries in the bush in front of him, were these poisonous or were they the remedy he needed. Whatever they were, they could prove useful somehow, and poison thankfully no longer worked on him. He chuckled at the thought eating a poison berry and just nothing happening to him, just tasting the bitter and sour taste in his mouth as the berry slowly dissolved.

Suddenly, the stillness of the night was shattered by a thunderous eruption, echoing as if the very earth had split just paces away. The deer, in a heartbeat, became a fleeting shadow, disappearing into the enigmatic depths of the Darkwood forest, as if the very night swallowed it whole.

Instinctively, he too felt the primal urge to vanish, to melt into the surroundings. Even with his unique abilities, the forest concealed creatures for whom he might be mere prey. But curiosity, that most human of traits, tugged at him. Rising gracefully from his crouch, each step deliberate and silent, he was drawn toward the source of the disturbance.

The ambient sounds painted a chaotic picture — desperate shouts that melded with the harsh crackling of flames, interspersed with the chilling song of clashing steel. A confrontation, fierce and escalating, was unfolding nearby.

Slipping through the thickets, his form blended seamlessly with the obsidian tapestry of the night, a mastery he had perfected over his years of solitude. In another life, adrenaline would’ve pulsed through his veins, but now, it was just a haunting void of what once was, urging him forward with silent, calculated steps. As he neared the commotion, the cacophonous clash of steel grew distant, replaced by the sporadic murmurs of conversation and the sinister hiss of fire feasting on wood.

Emerging on the edge of the old, almost forgotten road, a noxious blend of blood and sulfur assailed his senses. The scene before him was one of chaos and brutality, clearly the aftermath of a deliberate ambush. The moonlight painted the aftermath in stark relief: strewn bodies, discarded weapons, and the morbid glow of flames consuming a capsized carriage. By its steps lay a figure, draped in a cloak, eerily still — the futile escape of someone significant.

“Finally, this took too long!” a voice rang out, frustration evident.

“Shut up, at least it’s done, and we’re getting paid,” another countered, gruff and authoritative, suggesting he held command.

Two others were busy, methodically drenching the fallen in some vile concoction. Pausing by the cloaked figure, one hesitated, “What about this one?”

“Leave it. They need to identify someone,” the leader instructed.

With a nod, the henchman tossed a lit match, transforming the macabre scene into a roaring inferno, rivaling the intensity of the day’s sun. As the flames climbed higher, their conversation and laughter faded, leaving behind a testament to cruelty and a burning thirst for vengeance in his heart.

As the last echoes of hoofbeats faded into the night, the forest returned to its eerie quietude, punctuated only by the crackling flames. Emerging fully from his shadowed sanctuary, he surveyed the grim tableau — a panorama of devastation illuminated by the hungry flames, turning night into an ominous day.

Drawn to the carriage, glimmers of opulence caught his eye. It wasn’t mere gold; it was a fortune, a trove that would tempt even the most honorable of souls. Yet, as he sifted through the treasures, it became clear that this wasn’t a mere robbery gone awry; it was a calculated act of political or personal malice. Cracking open a chest, a cascade of jewels spilled forth, their facets reflecting the firelight in a dazzling array of colors. They would make a captivating addition to his collection, a stark contrast to the darkness of his secluded abode.

And, perhaps, they held potential for more mundane joys. With the right merchant and the right moment, they could become a means of obtaining artifacts and goods from the world he was so cruelly severed from.

A whispered plea, fragile and haunting, broke through the ambient crackling of the fire. On edge, he swiftly scanned the environment, half-expecting some hidden adversary to emerge from the shadows. Anchored in his surroundings, he recoiled slightly from the carriage, eyes darting to the blazing remains around him. But the engulfed bodies, now reduced to smoldering husks, held no voice, no spirit. Their essence had been stolen by the night’s malevolence.

His attention was irresistibly drawn back to the carriage by a feeble hand, its pallor contrasting starkly against the dark fabric of the robe. His deep, sanguine eyes met the gesture with a moment of aversion. For a heartbeat, temptation whispered to him, suggesting he could end the figure’s pain while satisfying his own dark hunger. Yet, the dim spark of his remaining humanity held him back, serving as a thin barrier against his basest urges.

With deft movements, he secured the chest of precious gems into his pouch, his gaze never straying far from the wounded figure. Blood painted the interior of the carriage, but amidst the crimson, another form lay still and lifeless. A casualty of the night’s ruthlessness, an innocent ensnared in a larger, darker design.

The injured figure at his feet, a pitiable blend of groans and pleas, tugged at the buried memories of his distant past. An echo from four centuries prior resonated within him, when he too was sprawled, broken and desperate, pleading for mercy from an enigmatic savior. Observing the writhing form, a sense of déjà vu gripped him, merging past and present in a poignant moment of shared agony. But as the hand’s movement stilled, brushing against his boots, he realized the precipice of death this being teetered upon.

A whispered exclamation escaped his lips as he examined the wounds. Not fatal at first glance, but every twitch or jostle could hasten the end. With a gentle touch, he stooped, cradling the frail form in his arms. To him, the weight was no more than that of fragile grapes, ready to burst at the slightest pressure.

A backwards glance revealed the fire’s diminishing rage, its fiery tendrils retracting, ensuring the forest remained untouched. Yet, come dawn, the site might beckon curious knights, unless their loyalties had already been bought.

Venturing away from the path, enveloped by the comforting obscurity of the night, he realized a significant departure from his norm. After countless solitary decades, his abode would house another, if only for a fleeting moment.

If you've read this far, and like the first chapter, then I invite you if you so wish to read the second chapter of the story on RoyalRoad! The second chapter is already up, and the third chapter will be available for your reading pleasure on Friday, The 6th of October!

Your support, comments and likes mean a lot, criticism is welcome of this work!

#writeblr #creative writing #writer #royalroad #novel #historical fiction #fictive #fiction #vampire #vampirism #vampire aesthetic #gothic

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votestaynight2 · 9 months

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10th Day - darkwood,sleepingbeauty(Scene 5) / 11th Day - Beautiful (II) (Scene 1)

―――My normal arm should be there.

Wha I can't brea my nerves, my nerves

It hurts

I'm alive but where is my sense

It's cold

Death―――― hurry I have to quickly get it back on

It's scary

The arm below the cloth is

It's black

An arm that is not mine――――

"What――――was I doing?" What was I doing? I unwrapped the cloth because of this sudden idea. I don't understand what happened after that. What has been done to me. What will be done to me. It only happened a few seconds ago, but I can't remember at all――――

"――――This is bad. It's really…" I'll die if I release it. The priest's words were true. I don't know what'll happen, but what's under this cloth is not mine.

"……Forget about it. It's just that my arm doesn't move. …If I think about it any more, I'll…" I'll slow down because of fear. That's not allowed. Archer's arm wasn't transplanted onto me so that I could cower in fear.

"…That's right. I have to think about Sakura instead of my arm." Sakura wasn't that different from this morning, but I don't know when she might collapse. …I have to defeat Zouken and obtain the Holy Grail before that. I have to think about how to do that. A way to beat Zouken and Assassin with one arm. …No, they aren't the only enemies. There are the mysterious enemies too.

"――――――――" I don't know their circumstances. I don't know what that black shadow is, nor if Saber became Zouken's Servant. All I know is that she's my enemy now.

"………" …To be honest, I know. We have no chance of victory. I don't know what this pain will be like in the future. The difference in our powers is overwhelming, and I'm not even sure about myself. How can I protect Sakura in such a state――――?

"――――――!" I stand up at the sound of footsteps. I know who it is without looking.

The Servant in a black outfit is silent like always. She usually doesn't make a sound when she walks, but I'm sure she wanted me to hear her coming.

"What do you want, Rider?" "…………" Rider looks down at me silently. ……Hm. This is totally unrelated, but Rider is tall. There's something wrong with me too for noticing it now.

"―――What is so funny, Shirou? I have not said anything yet." "Huh…? Oh, no. You're taller than me, right? Even though we've seen each other many times, I just noticed. I was laughing at myself for how slow I was."

"I see. You seemed like you were in pain earlier, but it appears I worried needlessly." …? It might be just me, but Rider sounds angry.

"Anyway, Rider. Were you the one who saved me today? I don't remember, but I think it was you that carried me to the church from the forest."

"…Yes. It was me. Sakura told me to protect you. I only obeyed her order as her Servant."

"―――I see. That was a big help, but that means Sakura used magical energy to use you, right? Then――――" "Yes. There is now even less of her scarcely remaining magical energy. I will consume Sakura if she uses me like she did today."

Rider plainly speaks. There's no pity or hatred towards Sakura. Rider is only stating the natural fact as a Servant.

"Can I ask you something, Rider?" "Of course. If you have a question, please ask it."

"…All right. Are you going to kill Sakura if she loses her Command Spell?" A Master that uses up her Command Spells is first targeted by her Servant. If they have not established a relationship of mutual trust, Rider will mercilessly kill her Master, using her life to stay in this world until she can form another contract.

…Rider is protecting Sakura out of duty. I see no affection there. That's why I want to know what Rider's feelings are.

"――――――――" "Tell me. Are you going to kill Sakura?" "Yes. If Sakura wishes, I would consider killing her to end her agony. But Shirou, I wish for her to live."

"…! ――――Then you won't attack her even if she loses her Command Spell?" "The binding of the Command Spell does not matter. I will protect Sakura willingly for as long as she remains a Master. I do like her."

"Eh――――really?" "Yes. Is it that unexpected for me to have such an emotion?" "Oh… I'm sorry, I misunderstood. You didn't look that way, so…"

"You do not need to apologize. I do not engage in proper conversation with Sakura, nor does she talk to me. But Shirou. Servants are summoned by beings similar to them. You summoned Saber not by chance, but because you two are alike."

"Sakura and I are the same in that regard. We are not talkative, so it is natural for us to have no conversation. We understand each other without a need for such things."

…I hear warm emotion in Rider's voice. I imagined her to be cruel because of her appearance, but maybe Rider is actually quite gentle.

"…I see. Yeah, that's great. I'm glad you're on Sakura's side."

"I see. Then it is my turn. Shirou. You do not know what kind of sufferings Sakura endured through. Do you know what she endured since she was adopted to the Makiri family?"

"That's――――" …There's no way I'd know. Well, Kotomine told me what kind of things she went through. "…I don't know. So I don't think I can say anything about it, nor should I mention it."

…Yes. I'm a magus, and I know what kind of a person Zouken is. It's easy to imagine what happened, and my imagination should be close to reality. But――――I should not easily mention that I "understand".

"I thought as much. Sakura did her utmost to hide it from you. I would have killed you if you had claimed to understand." "…Is that for Sakura's sake?"

"Yes. But it seems such measures were unnecessary. You are inexperienced and clumsy, but what is at your core is something trustworthy. That must be why you are a salvation for Sakura."

"…For a long time, Sakura knew only resignation. She did not feel pain or suffering, but accepted everything as it was. But she changed after meeting you, Shirou. You made her regain the emotions she had lost. The biggest emotions she regained were pain and suffering, but she only had resignation before, and you were the only salvation for her."

"……" I don't really know what Rider is trying to say. I cannot understand what Sakura has been through, so I don't know why she likes me. But Rider's words are true because she shares her feelings with Sakura, her Master.

As if speaking for Sakura, Rider quietly states… "Shirou. You said you will make Sakura happy. But for her, these two years were happiness itself." …With quiet sorrow and appreciation.

"That is all I wanted to ask you. Happiness for Sakura is to have you alive and for you to be by her side. There is nothing else she wishes for."

Rider presses the question on me through her blindfolds. …Asking me if I understand what that means. For Matou Sakura, the fact that Emiya Shirou is fighting threatens her happiness. So Rider is condemning me for what I'm planning to do with my body.

"But I――――" …I tightly grasp my stiff left arm. If I can fight with one arm, I should.

I swore to save Sakura. I chose to fight for Sakura, and not to stop the war.

So―――if I stop fighting now, I'll be nobody.

"―――――――――" …Silence falls. Rider is silent, and I have no reply. How long has it been?

"……Are you on Sakura's side, Shirou? No matter what may happen in the future?"

"――――――――" I don't even need to think about Rider's question. Emiya Shirou chose to be Matou Sakura's ally. Then I should nod without hesitation.

"――――――――" I understand, but I can't express my feelings. '―――No matter what may happen in the future'

Because I realize what those words mean.

"…Fair enough. You do not need to push yourself here, as the answer will eventually come to you. You should be prepared when that time comes." Rider leaves as if melting into the night. I watch her disappear, then look up at the sky.

"――――――Damn." …Yes. I couldn't answer her because I realized.

The mysterious shadow. The unstable left arm. The ideal I sought for years, then threw away. Everything is telling me.

That once I obtain the Holy Grail, it can make any wish come true. But―――my wish to provide Sakura happiness is an illusion that can never become reality.

Interlude 10-5

I see a dream inside the breeding box. Egg's shell. Black yolk. There's no memory of the sea of love. Reaching the placenta. The line does not exist from the beginning. Labor expulsion is not allowed, and is melted into love. There's no memory of miscarriage.

Swaying as I walk. Wavering brain is empty, and the grinding intention is forgotten.

Shivering and trembling. The dried limbs are like paper balloons. Rolling across the ground. Floating comes after maturing.

Roaring. Roaring. Roaring.

"Hey, look ▊▊ that ▊gi▊, is▊wet▊?" Someone approaches with squeaking. "Hey, it's a pretty good-looking woman. ▊▊▊ barefeet? Damn ▊▊▊ she's ▊▊▊]" People approach me. "It's ▊��▊▊. ▊▊ bored ▊▊▊ want to ▊▊ with us?"

Dried up laughing voices. I do not remember tempting them. I am scared, so I should go home.

"Hey ▊▊ why ▊▊ running ▊▊" "Hold on ▊▊▊▊▊▊? Hey ▊▊ she re▊ ▊!" "I bet ▊▊ is. You won't walk na▊in ▊▊ town ▊▊" "Haha▊▊ha! Yeah ▊▊ that's ▊▊ we need to protect ▊▊ or ▊▊?" "Agreed! I ▊▊ to protect ▊▊ socially ▊▊ wea▊▊!"

"▊▊▊▊ Ha▊▊▊▊ha▊▊▊▊▊ha▊▊!" "Ah▊▊▊▊ha▊▊▊hahaha▊▊▊▊▊▊!" "Ahahaha▊▊hahaha▊hahaha▊▊" "Ahahahahahahahahahaha!"

They follow me. They echo loudly in my head, so my stomach growls.

"▊▊▊▊▊▊▊▊▊▊▊▊▊▊▊!!!!????" "Hey ▊▊▊▊ wha▊▊▊, w▊▊▊gih▊!?" "A-Ah ▊▊▊▊ don't run, help ▊▊ ehhh!" "Ha, ha, ha, where are you gu―――― Giiiiiiiiiiiiii!" "Ow, ow, no, I-I'm sorry, i, hiaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!?"

I see a dream of a breeding box.

Tonight. I squashed a bug.

End of Interlude

11th Day - Beautiful (II)

――――Light that destroys my eyes. The strong headwind pushes my mind and body away from the entrance.

The light is too strong for me to perceive what it is. My body, exposed to the wind, is rusting with each passing second. How long will I stay here? An infinity that is not even a second, and an instant close to eternity. With no sense of time, years change to seconds. Therefore, my body is eternally exposed to the wind, polished and clouded like a mirror, and crumbling apart.

"――――――――Oh"

Go forward. This place is painful.

A zero gravity without any handhold. An airless vacuum. The world of wind erosion is not a place one can stay in human form.

That's why I move forward. My volume doubles with each step I take, and it gets harder to breathe. One step. Two steps. The third step is impossible. I can't go any farther. The wind gets stronger the more I advance, tearing at my body.

But I have to move forward if I want to escape. The wind is coming from the other side of the light. The light is the entrance and the exit. ――――This place hurts. So I have to quickly get to the other side. A stronger wind is there once I pass the entrance. Once past the exit, this pain would become lighter.

"Ha――――ah, ahh――――!" I reach out my hand. I reach out with all my might. The light is in front of me. But I can't reach it. The polar light destroy my eyes. I can't reach it no matter what.

It hurts. I can't reach it even if I cough up blood and reach out. Why? It's only a meter away. So why? Why does it feel like I'm trying to head to the distant polar lights?

"――――Shirou." "Eh?" I wake up.

"You can't. You'll die if you take it off just because it's painful." "――――――――" I blankly stare at Ilya, standing before me.

"Ilya…? Why are you in my room?" "Because my room is close to yours. I woke up early, so I came to look at you."

…Man. It seems she woke up before me and came here. I don't care about that, but maybe Ilya did so because――――

"…Hm. Was I having a nightmare?" "Yup. You were moaning in pain, trying to pull that cloth off your arm. Well, I came here because I expected you to do that. I suppressed the pain while you were asleep, so it feels better now, right?"

"Oh――――" I now notice that my right hand is on the cloth covering my left arm. …..Oh man. If Ilya hadn't come, I might've taken it off in my sleep.

"――――I see. Thank you, Ilya." "You don't have to thank me. It's between you and me. And I promised, right? That I'll help you when you're in trouble."

"――――――――" Her smile captivates me.

I know Ilya's just saying that out of kindness, but… "Fufu, and I wanted to see your sleeping face. You were in pain, but your were trying your best to endure it. You were so cute." I slam the brakes on my panicking heart.

"――――Ilya. It's not good to go into someone else's room without permission. Mornings and evenings are out of the question. I'm an ordinary guy, so it's troubling." "Oh, really? How is it troubling? I want to know in detail."

"Ugh―――even that question is troubling. First of all, you're a girl, so you can't go into a guy's room in the morning. It's dangerous. It's really dangerous. You're not just endangering yourself, you're putting the innocence of an adolescent boy at risk too."

"Really? But that makes even less sense. What's so bad, and what's so dangerous about it? I won't stop unless you tell me why."

The silver-haired girl puts her hand down, gets on all fours, and… "See, I'm closer to you now. So, why is it troubling for me to come near you in the morning, Shirou?" "Y-Y-Y-Y-You idiot…!!!!!"

I roll backward head-over-heels while keeping ahold of my futon. That was close. Guys experience a certain physiological phenomenon every morning. I could be given a man's mark of shame if she comes close to me in such an outf――――

"Oh." "Gah――――" I hit the back of my head hard.

"Ah, guh――――that's why… I said it's dangerous." I make up an excuse.

"O-Okay. I'm sorry, Shirou. …Um, did it hurt…?" It hurts. I saw stars and my head is throbbing, but I can't be whining if I hear a voice like that.

"No, I'm fine. It was a good wake-up call, so don't worry about it." I shake my head and get up. My morning issue has calmed down thanks to that.

"…All right. It's about time, so I'm going to go cook breakfast. What do you want, Ilya? If there's anything you don't like, say so now."

"Eh? No way, you can cook!?" "Well, I can cook like everyone else. I don't know about Western snacks… but I guess I can manage pancakes." Ilya's face lights up. It seems the fact that I can cook is a delightful thing for Ilya.

"Hmm… Then do you want to make it together? I thought I'd go get you after breakfast's done, but it's better for you to be in the living room if you're awake." "Really!? Yeah, I'll go! I want to see you wearing an apron!"

"I see. Then let's beat Tohsaka together with the three of us. I promised Sakura we'd be cooking together this morning, so we'll have the strength of three with your help." "――――No. I'm not going if Sakura's there. You go by yourself, Shirou."

"Eh… Why? Because Sakura's there? Do you hate Sakura?" "No, I actually rather like her. But I can't approve of her because she's not suited for you." "…? What do you mean by not suited, Ilya?"

"It's true. You ought to know why, but you're trying so hard not to notice it. Telling you now won't do any good." Ilya goes out into the hallway.

"And I don't know what kind of trance you were in, but don't keep charging ahead recklessly. You're watching Archer's magic, not Shirou's magic. …I know you'll eventually obtain the magic, but there's only the possibility right now. Your body will destroy itself from within if you try projection in such a state."

"Projection――――?" I repeat Ilya's word absentmindedly. At that instant… The cocking hammer goes down. The dream I saw while I was treated. I vaguely understand what it is and what it means.

――――It's probably… Projection taken to the utmost limit, reproducing every weapon you've ever seen and making them your own.

"…That's right. Archer's Noble Phantasm is 'magic' that only he can use. Archer is a blacksmith heroic spirit that can reproduce any weapon he sees. The power is something you can use too, now that you inherited his arm. You're probably not conscious of it now, but you'll remember the activation spell if you put your mind to it."

"But don't think about using it just because you can. That priest is right. If you remove the cloth and use projection even once, you will certainly die. …So don't take it off, no matter what. I won't forgive you if you die like Kiritsugu. I'll never forgive you if you leave me alone before I kill you."

Ilya leaves. Her warning contains both caring strictness and murderous hostility.

"Senpai, I'm done cleaning the turnip. How are the chicken wings going?" "―――Yeah, I'm done skimming the foam. Let's cook it once we've cut those into four pieces."

"Okay. What are you doing with the curry powder, Senpai?" "I'm making the sauce. We'll put it on the sardines. Even if Ilya doesn't like fish, she should be able to eat it if it's curry flavored, right?"

"I see, you're smart, Senpai! Then I'll cut the fish, so please check the simmering."

"Huh? No, I can cut the sardine without the knife, so you don't have to. I'll ask for your help when I get to the center bone, so can you make simmered pumpkin with broth and soy sauce? I think we should have at least one sweet dish." "Okay. Oh, you look like a sushi chef when you're cutting the fish one-handed like that, Senpai."

Sakura goes to the refrigerator. Sakura must be feeling better after a good night's sleep, because she's in a good mood this morning.

"――――――――Hm." And standing in the kitchen with her is fun for me too. Sakura is thoughtful and is attentive to my needs, preparing things ahead of time. It feels really good to cook with someone like that.

"Senpai? Sushi chef, your hands aren't moving." "Hm? Oh, I was spaced out. We should hurry. It's almost seven o'clock."

I sigh so she can't see and continue cutting the sardine. Sardine is soft, so it's better to use fingers than a knife. It's something even I, one with my left arm not moving, can manage to cook.

"But when did you learn such a technique? It's not normal to do it with just your right hand." "It's not a technique. This is about timing and determination. I'm sure you can do it too if you try."

"Oh, is that so?" "Yeah. Techniques are things like cutting apart a cow with a kitchen knife or making an ice sculpture. Here, take care of the rest. We'll cook it after you're done, so put it in the bowl."

I move away from the cutting board and walk to the gas burner. I put the frying pan over the fire and pour some oil onto it. My body knows how to do this, so I do it absentmindedly.

"Um, Senpai…?" "Hm?" I vaguely reply.

"…This might be none of my concern, but did something happen between you and Ilya-san?" "――――――――" My hand stops. But it's only for an instant. I'm sure Sakura didn't see my disturbance.

"Yeah. We talked before I came to the kitchen. Ilya has a lot going on. I really don't know how to answer her." "…Is that a problem as a Master? Does Ilya-san still want to fight?"

"No. I don't feel a will to fight from her. …No, I don't think she had such a thing from the start. I think she tried to obtain the Holy Grail as the Master of Einzbern, but Ilya had another goal. But…"

…That goal disappeared long before the war even started. Ilya's goal. Emiya Kiritsugu, the one she wanted to meet, died five years ago. Then―――what can I do and what should I do in his place?

"Hey, Sakura. Is it all right if Ilya stays here if she doesn't want to go back to her country?"

"Oh―――um. This is your house, Senpai. My opinion doesn't really matter." "What are you saying? This is your house. I can't decide on something important like having Ilya stay without consulting my partner."

"I――――I'm your partner…!?" "Yeah. Who else would it be?" Neither Ilya nor Tohsaka can help me with cooking this perfectly.

"Sakura, the frying pan's ready." I take the sardine Sakura prepared. Sakura hands me the sardine with an airy motion. ……? What is it all of a sudden? Did she get a fever again…?

"O-Okay, I understand…! I'll do my best to get along with Ilya-san…!" "―――Yeah, it'll be great if you can. Ilya said she doesn't hate you, so you should be able to get along with her if you talk with her."

…Yeah, I'll be really happy if that happens. After the Holy Grail War is over, Sakura and Ilya will be here making breakfast without worry. I'll pay any price for such a wish to come true――――

"Good morning. You two sure are up early on Sunday." …Wait. Something amazing just passed by.

"S-Senpai… did some strange person pass by just now?" "…Ugh. If you saw it too, that means it wasn't just my imagination." We timidly look into the living room.

The person that shambled over to the table glowers as she pours herself some tea and turns on the TV.

"…I'm surprised. Tohsaka-Senpai isn't a morning person…" "……" Wait, Sakura. Doesn't someone who's not a morning person, um, look cuter?

Breakfast starts. Sakura and I sit next to each other, while Tohsaka and Ilya sit across from us.

"Oh, wow. This has some refined taste, Sakura. I guess this deserves to be eaten." I don't know if Ilya is attacking or praising Sakura.

"Geez. I usually don't eat in the morning." Tohsaka complains as she eats the omelet. "――――Hm." …Then, for some reason, she silently starts concentrating on eating.

"……" Breakfast continues quietly. The only loud thing is the TV Tohsaka turned on, offfering many topics of information.

"Hm……?" ―――A familiar scene is on TV. I can't be mistaken. The TV is showing a baffling story about a park in Shinto.

"……A missing person in central park? …A lot of blood around the area…?"

It's a pretty vivid incident. An old man was jogging in the park, found a trace of blood, and reported it to the police. A policeman came to the scene and found what appeared to be one person's worth of blood and pieces of the apparent victims. …But it seems the pieces are just scraps of flesh, and that they don't even weigh fifty kilograms when gathered together.

"…The police are trying to figure out the four victims' identities… wait, why four people? There was only enough blood for one, right?"

"That's probably because the scattered flesh came from four people. I'm sure there were only leftovers, but that must have been enough to figure it out."

"…Tohsaka. By 'leftovers'… do you mean this is a Servant's―――Zouken's doing?" "Who knows? I can't tell if Zouken had a hand in this. But I'm sure that shadow did this. See the corner of the screen? The grass has turned black. It's exactly like when the shadow appeared in the forest."

"――――――――" Tohsaka states simply. But I'm not convinced for two reasons.

"Why? No matter what that shadow may be, it hasn't done anything like this before. It has sucked up magical energy from people, but it never, um…" Directly killed people like this.

"…You're right. The only reason I can think of is that there aren't any enemies now. There aren't any Masters now that can defeat them straight-on. So that means they can do whatever they want without worrying about whose attention they may get, right?" "―――Does that mean they're being indiscriminate?"

"…I don't know. I'm the one that said it, but it doesn't seem like it. Even if Zouken and that shadow are related, I'm sure this was an unforeseen accident. I'll bet my omelet that Zouken is surprised to hear this news as well."

…Tohsaka's omelet is gone as she speaks. Her hawk-like eyes are looking at the only untouched omelet on the table, mine.

"……Hm. Why do you think it's an unforeseen accident?" "It's not cleaned up. With the blood aside, Zouken's not someone that would leave pieces of the dead body behind. In other words, Zouken was not at the scene, and that shadow was the only thing that ate there."

"―――I see. …Then one more thing. How do they know there were four victims? There was only one person's worth of blood, and there was only one person's worth of flesh."

"It's the shape, not the weight. I'm sure there was four of something people only have one of. That way, you'd know how many victims there are without any identification. See. If there were four left hands in a pool of blood, anyone would know how many victims there were."

Tohsaka states simply. "――――――――" I imagine the scene and my appetite quickly goes away.

After breakfast… "Shirou. We have to do some things, so come with me." Tohsaka takes me to the dojo.

I had no reason to refuse and I also wanted to talk to Tohsaka, so it was a timely offer. It was, but… "Hey. I only wanted Shirou. Why are you all following him?" Tohsaka is unhappy at the unexpected guests.

"…Um, you're menacing, so I thought it's dangerous for Senpai to be by himself." "Hey now. I made a pact with Shirou, so I won't attack him. You know that, so why did you follow us, Sakura?"

"B-Because it's my role to protect Senpai." "…You declare, huh? Then how about you? You should know what I'm going to do. Did you come to heckle me?"

"No. I'm here for the same reason as Sakura. I know what you want to do, but I don't know how you're going to do it. I came to make sure you don't do anything strange to Shirou."

"…Oh well. I'm going to tamper with his body for his own good, so don't jump to conclusions and interfere, okay? We don't have time to be taking things slow."

She must have prepared it before breakfast, as Tohsaka's bag is at the dojo. It's full of equipment like what I saw at her house, and it's easy to guess what'll happen, but…

"Sorry. Can I say something beforehand?" "What? Don't tell me now you don't want anything that hurts."

"Of course. Nobody wants anything that hurts. Anyway, any normal person would run away after seeing these things with no explanation."

The other two nod. I have two reliable supporters this time.

"I'm sorry I'm not explaining things to you. I know I'm not normal compared to you. You can go somewhere else if you have any complaints." Oh. Tohsaka's sulking, unhappy about the three-on-one situation.

"No, I'm not complaining. I have a vague idea of what you might be doing. That's why I'm putting every trust in you. I'll trust you no matter what you tell me to do. I promised you last night, right?"

"H-Heh. Then why did you stop me? If you don't have any questions, then sit and be quiet."

"No, this isn't about that. I want to make sure what our future course of action is. We have to decide now what we should be doing."

…Everyone's expression changes. What I just mentioned is a problem we all postponed last night. What we will fight against, and what we will do. We can't back out after we make our decision. No, we already can't back out, so this is just a statement of our resolve.

"………" "I'm not going to take part in battles. I'll fight if someone attacks me, but I don't intend to start a fight myself. I don't know what'll happen even if I win this Holy Grail War."

"…I feel the same way as Ilya-san. I don't think I can beat Grandfather. The match is pretty much decided, so I don't think Grandfather will come attack us if we stay quiet here…"

"…………" …Tohsaka doesn't say anything. I don't know what she's thinking, but I want to believe she has the same opinion as me, since she's not agreeing with Ilya or Sakura.

"―――You're right. I agree with concentrating purely on defense. Sakura stays here to defend against Zouken. Rider is with Sakura, so she should be able to defend Sakura and Ilya if she concentrates on defense."

"Tohsaka and I will try to come up with a way to defeat Zouken. We'll be attacked eventually even if we stay here, and we can't leave them be. We don't know if something like this morning's news is going to happen again."

Tohsaka doesn't interrupt. It means she intended for the two of us to fight Zouken, no matter what her true opinion may be.

"I can't ignore Zouken, but I can't ignore the shadow either. Tohsaka and I will start patrolling the town tonight, so Sakura and Ilya are to stay here and keep watch."

I confirm the plan with everyone. ――――Then.

"W-What are you saying, Senpai…!?" "Sakura…? What? It's nothing ridiculous, right? Tohsaka and I are the only ones who can fight, so we have to beat Zouken."

"That's the ridiculous part…! You can't use one of your arms anymore! Do you really know what that means…!?" "Eh―――――Sakura…?"

"…I don't get it. You're acting strange. Why are you going to fight even after what's happened to you? You should know that things are out of your hands now because you actually took part in it. So why are you saying such a ridiculous thing? I was relieved because I thought you wouldn't fight with one arm, so why―――"

"………..Sakura." Sakura is trembling. She's hanging her head as she trembles at her words. I don't know why she's trembling. The only thing I can do is to answer her question.

"Sakura. I'm going to let you win. That's why I'm fighting. Yes, I don't want to ignore Zouken and the shadow. But more than that, I want the Holy Grail. Nobody's making me do this. This is a selfish wish of mine."

―――That's right. It's a selfish wish I had ever since I decided to be Sakura's ally and not everyone else's.

"………Is that for my sake?" "―――Yes. It will be for your sake if we can remove the crest worm from your body."

"…It's all right, Sakura. If there's no chance of victory, we'll make a chance, and we won't fight while we don't have any chance of victory. There's still danger even if we have a chance, but there's always a risk, so I can't promise you I won't get hurt. ―――But I'll definitely come back. I told you I'd protect you, right? So I can't fulfill my promise unless I'm by your side."

"Sen… pai…" Sakura looks down painfully. It looks like she's apologizing.

"――――All right, can you stop it there? Our course of action's already determined, so it does no good to whine. Sakura and Ilya are to stay here. Shirou and I will patrol the town at night. We won't carelessly attack Zouken even if we find him. We'll chip away at their force only when we have a chance of victory. That's our future course of action, right, Shirou?"

"Y-Yeah… It'd be great if that's your decision."

"――――Heh. I don't even need to tell you."

"And, Sakura. Kirei couldn't completely extract your crest worm, but he suppressed its action. So it can't run wild unless they use a drug on you like Shinji did. But at the same time, Zouken can't be the winner as long as you stay here in this house. He's going to come take you sooner or later, so refusing to fight is not an option. How can you say you won't do anything knowing that?"

"That may be true, but―――Grandfather shouldn't do anything rough if we don't do anything―――"

"Sakura! Stop being so submissive. Zouken isn't your grandfather or your master. Do you still think he's human after all the terrible things he's done to you!?" "………No. I've never thought he was human."

"Then prepare yourself. Shirou and I will be fighting outside, so you have to fight here too. If Zouken attacks this place, you have to get away at any cost. The Holy Grail cannot be completed as long as Rider isn't defeated. You have a hope of being saved as long as Rider's alive."

Tohsaka's voice is firm. …Is it the dignity of the older sister? Sakura nods and replies that she understands.

And after that. I ask why she brought me here to the dojo.

"Let's see. Why don't you get naked to start with? No matter what we end up doing, nothing would go right unless I take a look at what kind of a body you have." And she gives me a ridiculous reply.

"Wha-" "WHA-WHAAAAAT!?" "…Whaaat?" I continue in a small voice because she's more surprised than I am.

"What? Is that such a shock, Sakura?" "I-It is…! You want Senpai to be naked!? What are you thinking, Tohsaka-Senpai…!?"

"I'm thinking about Shirou, of course. You're in danger, but Shirou's also in a lot of danger. You should know too that we have to get a lot of things done now." "…That's true… but…"

"If you know, then don't butt in. Hey there! Don't just stand there and take off your top! I'm going to put on a warding sign, so I can't do it if you keep your shirt on!" Tohsaka glares at me.

"Ugh……" But Sakura's stare is painful. It's uneasily asking me if I'm going to go along with Tohsaka.

"Hurry up. We won't make it before tonight's patrol unless we give your body some time to familiarize itself with it." "Umm……"

This is no time to be embarrassed about something like this. I don't want to take my clothes off, but taking off my top is like getting changed, so it shouldn't be a big deal.

"…Man. All right, Tohsaka. So, what do I do now?" "Come here. I'll transplant a small part of my Magic Crest onto you." "…! Over there!? You mean like this!?"

"Of course. I have to touch your body with my left hand, comprehend it, and share my warding crest with you. It'll tickle and hurt, but bear with me." Tohsaka wiggles her fingers.

"Ugh――――" …I can't run away after coming this far. I give up and go near Tohsaka. …Um, Sakura's stare is more painful now.

"I'm going to start now, but let me confirm beforehand. I said before that I'll put a switch in you, but I won't do that. In your state, it's too dangerous to be able to turn your Magic Circuit on and off so easily."

"O――――Okay, I got it." I manage to reply with a high-pitched voice. It's natural that I'm acting strange and can't breathe. I'm naked, and Tohsaka is near me. It'd be more strange not to be nervous!

"Hey. You don't seem to be calm. Are you listening to me?" "――――I'm listening. I'm listening to you."

"……? All right, then. So this operation is to suppress magical energy. Your body is unstable right now, and we don't know when Archer's arm might flow magical energy into your body. I'm going to put needles into your left shoulder, belly button, and your throat, so that your left arm won't be connected to you unless you really want it to be."

"This is also a countermeasure against the shadow. That thing sucks up magical energy just by being there. The sign I'm going to carve into you will also have resistance to magical energy, so you should be less burdened when facing that thing." Then, Tohsaka places her hand on my chest.

"Whoa――――!" I barely stop myself from jumping back.

"Oh, was it hot? Can you bear it? I'm going to transplant the Magic Crest from my arm, so I can't lower the temperature." "No――――I don't care about it being hot or cold."

Tohsaka's hand is soft, and her touch sends a shudder through my heart. Every time her slender fingers run across my chest, my temperature rises by a degree.

"……All right. I think I have a grasp of your chest. Next is your belly button, but this is going to hurt. I'm going to put my finger in, so try not to move. Don't worry, it won't injure you, and I won't move it around much."

"Hey――――what do you mean by move it, Toh… saka――――!" My body convulses.

―――My stomach. Having Tohsaka's hand on my stomach is bad enough, but something rigid tears through my skin and into my body――――!

"Haa――――h-hold on, that's, ba――――" "I-I said it's going to hurt. Don't make noises like that, it's distracting. It makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong!"

"A-Are you stupid――――!?" My face is going to get redder if you say something like that, you idiot!

"…Humph. I'm done with the belly button. All that's left is your shoulder and throat, so stay calm and don't run away."

"………" I would really love to run away right now. I would love to, but doing so would seem like I'm conscious of Tohsaka and I won't be able to excuse myself.

"Come on. I'm going to do the same thing to your shoulder, so suck it up. Grit your teeth and don't make any weird noises." "O――――Okay. I'll try my best." It's embarrassing, so I look away from Tohsaka.

It's not just my face that's blushing. I think my entire body's turning red. I'm blushing even though I know this is only for magic, so I bet Tohsaka's having a hard time too. …Man. How can I ever face Tohsaka again after committing such a disgrace…?

"All right, that's it. I'm going to put away the equipment, so you go cool yourself off." Tohsaka grabs something that looks like a first-aid kit and goes to the corner of the dojo, where her bag is.

"――――――――" My face is still red, but I'm finally able to calm down and take a deep breathe. …Then.

"……?" Sakura twiddles her fingers, looking like she wants to say something.

"…Sakura? W-What's wrong?" "………Um, well…" She takes a look at me. Then she takes a breath, as if preparing herself…

"Um, Senpai…! W-We, um… made love, right!?" …And she asks me a ridiculous question.

"――――――――" My face, which had finally calmed down, passes its boiling point and turns red again.

"Ah――――um." I feel dizzy. Just recalling what happened that night is so stimulating that it makes me forget about our current situation. So for Sakura to ask me fro confirmation like this, when I'm already off-balance from Tohsaka, is like getting hit twice as hard――――

"Um… Senpai?" "――――――――" No. This isn't the time to be speechless.

"――――Yeah, I did make love to you." "R-Right!? Then it's strange for you to lose your composure against Nee-san!"

Sakura looks up at me unhappily. …I finally realize why her stare was so painful earlier. It's because she was sulking.

"I-I'm sorry. But Sakura, this had nothing to do with Tohsaka, and, um, it couldn't be helped." "I-I know, but please bear with it! You're m-m-my lover!"

"―――――Ugh. I… know that, but…" I couldn't fight against it. I'm a guy, and I've admired Tohsaka since I got into this school, so I couldn't help it.

"…I'm sorry. I'll try to bear it next time. I'll do my best not to lose my composure." "…Really? I'll get mad if this happens again next time."

She stares straight at me. Repentant from the bottom of my heart, I tell her I'll do my best.

…Man. I only realized it just now, but… Having three girls under the same roof might be a really stressful thing.

It's eleven-thirty now. With lunch coming up, the kitchen is filled with a noisy, forbidding atmosphere.

"Um, Tohsaka-Senpai. I'm thinking of making a dish that everyone can eat from. Do you have anything you don't like?" In the kitchen… With the refrigerator at her back, Sakura speaks timidly.

In response… "I see. Then I'll make mapo tofu." …Tohsaka cuts her off and selfishly starts cutting the tofu.

"―――They aren't getting along. What were you thinking, letting them cook?" Ilya sits Japanese-style on the cushion and speaks without reserve. Hm. It seems even Ilya can tell Tohsaka and Sakura are tense.

"It's just going to get worse if you leave them be. You should know that, so how did you let it come to this?"

"It just sort of happened. We were wondering about lunch. Tohsaka said she'd make it, and Sakura said it was her job. Neither one would back down, so I took both their ideas and suggested that they make lunch together."

"You said that? …I see. No wonder they can't back out now." Ilya seems to understand and takes a sip of tea with proper manners. As expected from a princess. She shouldn't know the proper etiquette, but she's elegant even with something as simple as this.

"But Shirou. Couldn't you have made lunch? Why did you get Rin and Sakura to do it? Tohsaka and Matou are enemies, and Rin wants to kill Sakura."

"That was only up to yesterday. Tohsaka is working with us because she doesn't want to fight Sakura. And they aren't enemies. They get along, and I entrusted them with lunch because I thought it would go well."

"Huh―――they get along!?" "…? Is that so surprising? Ilya and I are friends even though we were enemies, right? Then it should be the same for Tohsaka and Sakura." "Eh… Well, Shirou and I are special…"

"Being special has nothing to do with this. You'll understand if you watch. Tohsaka is being more blunt than usual, but she warns Sakura every time she does something wrong. It means that…" "……She's concerned about her. But she's putting on a cold face and ignoring her because she doesn't want her to find out."

"Right. And Sakura knows that, so she's making mistakes she normally doesn't. She's concerned about Tohsaka too." "…Now that you point it out, I can see it. Then what? They want to get along, but they're too embarrassed to start talking?"

I nod. I don't know about Tohsaka, but I know how Sakura feels.

Sakura likes Tohsaka, and she wants Tohsaka to like her. Or she would never call her Nee-san.

"…I see. So Rin is clumsy, in spite of her appearance." Impressed, Ilya murmurs and looks in the kitchen.

"――――――――" I follow her example and look in the kitchen. They must be half done with the cooking. Standing side-by-side in the small kitchen, Tohsaka and Sakura are making their dishes.

"――――――――" "――――――――" One holds the frying pan while the other holds the ladle, but neither says anything. …And after a silence that even gets us nervous…

As expected from sisters, they start talking at the same time.

"What? Go ahead, I'll listen to whatever you have to say." "Oh… um, it's really nothing. Didn't you want to say something?"

"…It's nothing. Well, different people cook differently, right? So I thought it might be useful if you can teach me some of your flavorings." "Y-You're right. I'd love it if you could teach me your recipes, Tohsaka-Senpai."

"――――――Hm." "…That's it? I don't believe this. At this rate, they'll be like that forever."

"……" It's scary that I can't deny the possibility. Tohsaka is normally dominant, but why is she so shy when it comes to Sakura?

And Sakura too. She calls Tohsaka Nee-san when she's with me, but she's reserved when she's actually with her.

"――――Sakura." "Huh? Oh, yes, what is it, Senpai?" "I need to talk to you. Can you come here?"

"Senpai? Is there something outside?" "No, being outside isn't the important part. I just wanted to talk secretly."

"Um… talk secretly…? Um, is this something you can't let Nee-san hear?" "That's it. That's exactly what I want to talk about."

"…?" "I'm talking about how you address Tohsaka. You don't call her Nee-san when you're with her. It's obvious that you really want to call her that."

"Eh―――you mean it's obvious to Nee-san!?" …Whoa. I just made that up, but it seems Sakura is more reserved about her sister's feelings than I thought.

"N-No, Tohsaka doesn't know. I don't know why, but she's really dense when it comes to you. …But in the worst case, she might think that you hate her."

"T-That's not true…! It's natural for Nee-san to hate me, but I'm happy to be with her. I never even dreamed that we could make lunch together…"

"Right. Then why don't you just be honest with her? Even someone as dense as Tohsaka can't possibly miss it if you tell her straight-out. Then you should be able to…" Sakura should be able to realize by herself that Tohsaka wants to get along with Sakura.

"…Um, Senpai?" "―――It's nothing. Just go call Tohsaka Nee-san. I'll bet you she changes so much that it's funny."

"…Would it really turn out like that? I think having someone like me calling her 'Nee-san' will only bother her. I'm a magus of Matou, and I can't do everything like Nee-san can. Tohsaka-Senpai is probably disappointed that a failure like me is her sister."

"You idiot. Don't bring other things into a sister's relationship. You like Tohsaka, and she's your big sister, right? Then there's nothing more important than that. I'll guarantee it. There's mutual love between you two. To be honest, there's so much love that I'm a bit jealous." "Eh… I-Is that so?"

"Yeah. So you call her Nee-san. I think Tohsaka believed in it, just like you did. So there's nothing to be scared of. It's for her sake too. Please call her Nee-san." "――――――――For Nee-san's sake."

…I don't know what's going on in her mind. But after putting her hands together, as if praying, and thinking it over… "Okay. I'll do my best." She smiles softly in thanks.

――――We return to the living room. Sakura exchanges a glance with me, takes a deep breath, and heads to the kitchen.

"Welcome back. Sakura's tensed up. What happened?" "Hm? The rest depends on her courage. Well, I'm sure it's going to go well." "…?" I sit down on the cushion.

"―――Nee-san. Can I finish this fried chicken?" "Yes, all that's left is to fry it, so I'll leave it to you… wait, Sakura, did you just…"

"Okay. If I'm doing the chicken, can you cut the lettuce, Nee-san? I'll leave the serving to you." "O――――Okay, that's fine, but…"

…Everything goes still. They both fall silent, and the tension is much greater than before. "――――――――" "――――――――" Not even breathing, they stare at one another.

"……Um, is it strange, Nee-san?" "Uh――――i-it's not that. I was just surprised because I've never been called that way." "…Then, um…"

"I-I have nothing against it. You're free to call me whatever you want, and I'm calling you by name. Well, it could get confusing because there are two Senpai here, so that should make things clearer."

Tohsaka makes it sound like it can't be helped and looks away. …But Sakura should be able to tell that she's blushing and can't hide her smile.

…Their joint work got even more awkward after that. They messed up so many times that lunch turned out to be a disaster. The fried chicken was covered in pepper, the mapo tofu was hot as hell, and the rice cooker was never turned on, so we ended up eating without rice. But Tohsaka and Sakura both looked happy, smiling at every opportunity.

"…Geez, they sure are clumsy." Ilya sounds dumbfounded as she eats mapo tofu that's hot enough to numb your tongue. I nod back silently and gratefully eat the food they made.

I return to my room to rest after lunch. Tohsaka had something to do, so she went to her room with Ilya.

"I'm going to take measures against Zouken with Ilya's help. It should take some time for the crest to familiarize itself with your body, so you can rest for the whole afternoon. You'll just get in our way even if you're here."

That's how it is, according to her. We have no way to oppose Zouken right now. So all I can do is to wait for whatever Tohsaka's preparing.

Sakura has returned to her room. Sakura was feeling dizzy while we were cleaning up after lunch. I wasn't worried because she seemed well this morning, but Sakura is no different from a sick person. Tohsaka and I told her to rest if she's feeling even a bit tired, so Sakura is back in her room now.

"――――――" I check out how my arm's doing. It didn't move at all before, but I can manage to move my elbow now. It's still numb, but I feel no pain.

If I'm to talk about pain, the crest Tohsaka planted hurts more. My shoulder, throat, and belly button. It feels like bolts are in those areas as if I'm Frankenstein.

"My left arm is borrowed, and my body is held together with bolts, huh?" It reminds me of cyborgs one would see in science fiction movies. It's an interesting idea, but I can't laugh it off. …I was going to check how my arm's doing, but I didn't even stand in front of the mirror.

It's almost two o'clock. Well――――

#votestaynight

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mashkara45 · 3 years

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#DIG!#reminds me of the magnus archives OBVIOUSLY #Do I not deserve a rest in the mud from which I came?#darkwood #darkwood the tunnelers #darkwood the stranger #darkwood ch1 #darkwood silent forest #darkwood village #quotes #videogames #horror games #darkwood quotes

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sketchygabz · 2 years

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#darkwood #darkwood oc #the musician #courier #oh hey I finished it ∠( ᐛ 」∠)_#back when curry had no face!#sweet baby boi we protect and love musician in this household #I do find it interesting you can hear his music play in the distance even before you reach the silent forest #my art #doodle #fanart

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vjonk · 3 years

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a new darkwood oc!

the witch, a very solitary pagan who used to live somewhere between the two villages in the swamp and the silent forest and who occasionally steals chicken and other livestock for blood sacrifices :) the witches pronouns are it/it's/itself, because why not.

the second time in a game that the stranger tries to go inside the chicken lady's house, the witch storms out with a chicken under it's arm, with the chicken lady screaming bloody murder after them. when the stranger comes to the swamp and closer to the heart of the forest, he might find the witch again, sitting in a circle of dead carcasses, resembling the savages that roam the forest, mumbling incoherently. In the evening, some savages come to the ritual site to add animal carcasses and otherwise bodyparts to the circle, the more human looking parts are more and more parts from replicas made by the Being. If the stranger steps into the circle and attacks the witch, it will only start screaming and when killed, the stranger can loot their body to find an "effigy of an old god", a little slightly humanoid looking figurine made of sticks and twine, covered in fungal growths.

#darkwood oc #the witch #at this point i'll probably have all of the gravedigger's family designed and drawn before i actually manage to draw the priest #(the priest btw is with the gravedigger and the pierrot one of my first darkwood ocs. he's staying with the gravedigger and they end up in #some sort of romantic relationship that would not work in any other circumstance tbh. the circumstance they're in being the forest and the #two mostly only having each other to interact with. the gravedigger is deaf and the priest has trouble reading but after a bit they manage #to communicate with each other pretty good)#anyways #it's parents were already reclusive and they taught the witch (back then just called child) their worship #it's father is the gravedigger's father's brother who went missing some day but wasn't really searched for that much #it's mother comes from a christian orthodox family and ran away to the forest to be able to worship a god she found out about in a different #forest when she was a teenager and found a really old ritual site with depictions of the god. her way of worshipping the god is one she #pieced together from her orthodox upbringing and whatever tidbits and gruesome tales she's heard about pagans and witches #anyways part 2 #i dont rly like the background :/#i might end up redoing/trying to improve it #also i've p much given up on inktober whoops

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whaleofatjme1920 · 3 years

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I saw your wolfman reader and loved it so much! Was wondering how you feel about maybe a Trader x reader? He's so sweet I feel like he's always looking out for you in the woods whether you know he is or not 🥺 also thank you so much for the darkwood fic we are starved here

Late Autumn's Trader

[The Trader X GN!Reader]

[Warnings: like, none?]

[AN: I was watching the VVitch when making this, and Thomasin is well, Thomasin. That poor girl deserved so much better lmfao, I will stand by that statement forever. At this point, I should just say that the Creepypasta/Marble Hornets requests are closed until Sunday lmfao I am not in love with that fandom rn. Anways, I hope you enjoy and that it's up to par <3 1.4K words]

The sun is beginning to set on the cursed, yet self-sufficient village you call your home. It’s not like there’s really a sun to see - the light is never able to pierce through the thick clouds, but it’s gradually glowing darker. Autumn is slowly coming to a close, and the villagers have found reason to celebrate.

The sow has been most bountiful, and the woods more graceful.

The lights of the village are almost as warm as the ever falling orange and red leaves that now blanket the forest floor. It’s almost surprising how good this year has been, almost as if the power that be is granting a moment of breath and mercy.

Of course, the woods grow at an alarming rate and soon you will be consumed, but it is a sweet consumption all the same.

Your father and mother call it false security.

Quietly, you step out of your house into the cold autumn air, wondering if winter will be just as gentle and forgiving. In the distance, you can hear violins carrying on the chilly breeze and the sound of people dancing.

This is the only levity they’ve had in years.

You pull at your shawl, attempting to stay warm before blowing warm air into your hands and rubbing them together. Perhaps you’ll stop by the square and pick up some soup. Your boots gently tap against the earth, a small hum leaving your lips as you do so. The air smells sweet, nostalgic and still stuck in time, but sweet. The woods around you, though dark and foreboding, are not near as imposing as they normally are.

You huff silently before crossing through the dirt paths, your journey taking you near the entrance of the village. You glance out to the side, the shrine in her glory decorated with offerings both to the woods and herself. She’s done an incredible job of keeping her people safe and the woods to bring sustenance for yet another year.

But there, out in the darkness, is a man you’ve only ever seen in whispers and sparsely through the fog. He rolls his shoulders forward, almost as if he’s uncomfortable with the weight on his back before nodding to the shrine. He holds his hand out to her, the metallic band catching the remaining of the sun’s lights and flashing in your eyes before he leaves it at her feet.

You blink and flush with embarrassment when you realize you’ve been staring a tad too long and quickly avert your eyes, unsure if he’d take offense to the notion or not. Instinctively, you grip at your shawl and will yourself to move forward.

The man gazes at you, his head tilting to the side as he draws closer to the mouth of the village.

Embarrassment floods your system as you move closer to the crowds. That was rather rude of you, come to think of it. The smell of food and fire fills your nose as you walk closer and closer still. You’re watching the heads for your mother or your father, your younger siblings and hope to find them. It would do you well to see some familiar faces after that rather awkward experience.

You keep your head on a swivel as you walk and push past the people who chatter like they’ve never seen a nicer night. The moon is rising higher and higher in the sky, and the light she is able to shine through the clouds bathes the village in her beauty.

It almost feels warm.

You mentally curse yourself at finding your family when a strong bout of intuition leads you back away from the celebration, to the outskirts of the square.

“Excuse me,” you mumble as you push past merry people, your gut guiding you downwards.

What a sight to behold.

Your eyes widen and you feel an immense amount of protection flood through your system, practically breaking from the lights and merrymaking when you see that man from before, knee on the earth as he places a crown of autumn leaves on your little sister’s head. She giggles, her hands grasping at her dress as she sways side to side, a warm smile on her lips.

“Thomasin!” You hiss, rushing forwards and tackling the young girl, snarling in defense when the man widens his eyes in surprise.

“R-Reader!” She cries out and yelps, her small hands grasping at your forearm.

“Don’t touch her!” You growl.

The man immediately backs up, his hands raised in submission before stepping back, giving the two of you your space. The glass of his mask is fogging as he breathes in deeply, the scent of mushrooms overtakes your nose.

“Well?” You sneer as you back up with your sister in your arms. “What do you have to say for yourself?”

The man only stumbles for a moment, his movements snapping out of a daze before he rolls up the sleeve of his coat, revealing smudged marks.

You’re barely able to open your mouth when you see him procure a pen.

‘I’m sorry,’ the words read out.

“Huh..?”

His gloved index finger points again at the words. ‘I mean you no harm,’ he scribbles down after wiping away the previous words. ‘I came here for business, but your little one-’

“My sister.”

He wipes the words away. ‘Your sister (apologies) asked for my help.’

You look at the young girl in your arms and raise a brow. “Thomasin?”

She looks up at you sheepishly, the autumn colored leaves covering her head obscuring her full expression from you before she giggles nervously. “I’m sorry, Reader,” she says with that same sheepish smile. “I wanted some flowers.”

“It’s almost winter,” you frown.

“That’s why he gave me the leaves instead,” she beams. “He is a nice man!”

Curiously, you look between Thomasin and the man who nods in agreement. Your eyes lock with his, checking for any deceit when you find none. “Do you know the way back to mother and father?”

Thomasin nods against you.

“Head over there now, please.” Hesitantly, you unpeel your arms from your little sister and watch as she steps forwards to the ‘nice man’. Her hands reach out to him, and he smiles ever so slightly, his gloved hand reaching back out to her before you shoot a disapproving look his way. You sigh, unwrap your shawl from your shoulders and throw it over her to keep her warm for the journey back.

You clear your throat before she scampers off, an apologetic smile on her lips as the man watches her disappear into the crowd.

“So,” you begin.

‘So,’ the man writes.

“What’s your name?”

‘Most people call me the Trader.’

“Creative.”

He smiles. ‘Reader is a pretty name.’

You flush for a moment.

An awkward pause follows between the two of you, the quiet growing and swelling much like the village’s festivities. You can hear laughter, the sow in the distance, good tidings for am approaching, hopefully short winter.

“Did you get to check out the festival yet?” You ask quietly, effectively breaking the thick silence.

The Trader shakes his head.

“Would you like to?”

He nods.

Slowly, the two of you stand, almost hesitant in the other’s presence and look each other over in full. He looks like a traveler, covered in layers of clothing and gear you’ve never really seen before except for maybe on the strangers that wander through once in a blue moon. You’ve heard whispers that they are the ones who come from beyond the trees.

You feel safe in the numbers of your fellow villagers, a small smile spreading on your lips as the Trader sticks close to you. You get the sense that he likes it too, and you reaffirm it when you see the ghost of a smile on his lips through the mist of his mask.

You’re about to ask him something when you’re suddenly pulled from the crowd to the center, a gasp falling from your lips before the music is seconds from starting back up. You look around with concern before the Trader steps forward, his bag an afterthought as he assuages your brief fear.

You smile at him as he holds his hand out to you, the beginnings of a lively song beginning to fill your head. He feels warm, and gentle, like sunlight that pierces through the clouds.

He nods his head almost playfully at you and you follow in suit, a courtesy feeling far too formal but you give in and demonstrate anyway. Another smile crosses onto his lips, his form dipping to accommodate yours.

You melt into his warmth and dance.

#darkwood #darkwood trader #darkwood trader x reader #the trader #trader x reader #x reader #reader insert #Darkwood x reader

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angrybatgaming · 2 years

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(Ignore the reflection.)

Playing Darkwood and have arrived at the Silent Forest village, BUT there's this weird darkness covering up parts and making it EXTREMELY difficult to navigate. Tried looking it up, but only ever found one Reddit article about it and no responses or solutions to the problem.

For context, I have a lantern equipped and I STILL can't freaking see.

#Darkwood #bug?#glitch?#game clip #almost couldn't get out of a couple houses now #wtf is happening

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highlifeboat · 2 years

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In honor of buying way too many video games on sale - who in the fam/ocs plays games? What kind?

Daniela strikes me as a Visual Novel/rpgs with romances type, Bela as the angsty story types (bonus if happy ending tho), and Cassandra as the shooters. Mia likes any game that lets her cause utter chaos in the world, like Saints Row or Just Cause. Or Far Cry - can't beat chucking sticky bombs at cultists in 5, might even be therapeutic for her lol

Daniela is definitely a Romance Visual Novel person, like Dream Daddy type games, and she'd also 100% be into things like Cookie Clicker or stuff like Huniepop (which I guess counts as a Visual Novel?).

I feel like Bela likes Visual Novel or Point and Click type games but specifically horror based ones. Stuff like Doki Doki, Case 00,The Uncle Who Works For Nintendo, Fran Bow, Little Misfortune, basically anything with a dark and spooky vibe. I think she'd also enjoy stuff like Nevermind, The Suicide of Rachel Foster, What Remains of Edith Finch, Draugen, ect.

Cassandra would play Call of Duty, but only the single player campaigns. She actively avoids online because she can't stand hearing children yell slurs every five seconds. She'd also play GTA but never do any of the missions. She just likes to run around and beat up people. (Explicitly plays on Xbox, too)

Mia fucking adores Saints Row, it's her all-time favorite game. Shaundi and Kinzie are her favourite characters and she's played all of the games. Probably also plays RPGs like Elder Scrolls considering she likes DnD, but really any game she can cause chaos in is a win for her.

Zoe likes horror games like Until Dawn. Definitely played through the Dark Picture Anthology with Mia. Probably would love Resident Evil if she wasn't, y'know, part of that universe. Loves Silent Hill and probably played P.T. Also an RPG nerd.

Elena doesn't play a lot of games but she likes FMV/Point and Clicks. Stuff like The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker, Dark Nights With Poe and Munro, ect. She plays through a lot of them with Bela.

Max likes Indie Horror and/or Survival games. We Happy Few, Fran Bow, Darkwood, any FNAF game, Layers of Fear, Visage, The Forest, the scarier the better. Also enjoys Outlast, Bioshock, and Amnesia. Probably also played P.T.

Melony plays Minecraft, Mario, Kirby, and probably Pokemon. She also enjoys stuff like Stranded Deep, Raft, Subnautica, and House Flipper. Just fun games she can chill out with. (Probably also plays Freddy Fish and Pajama Sam but won't admit it)

Elizabeta and Donna play Minecraft together but don't play anything else. Neither of them are really big on video games.

Alcina exclusively plays virtual Solitaire.

#i could go on and on with games for Bela tbh #nevermind is a fucking great game by the way #asks #coleblackblood

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juniswan · 2 years

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Man. in Darkwood when you encounter that sleeper outside the entrance the Silent Forest and he says "at the last hideout....look for an exit beneath the floor" and in the final dream sequence that determines whether you succumb to the Being or stand another fighting chance you have to rip up your floorboards which. Man.

#:v

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rwbyvein · 3 years

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Firen Lhain: Chapter 705: The Beasts: Part III/III

They approached the tree line. At this moment the trees were small and spindly, but as they looked down they saw a mix of greenwood and darkwood, that sprawled as far as the eyes can see. "Everyone is used to navigating a forest?" Jaune asked, but Weiss nervously looked at him, "Except Weiss." Weiss shyly nodded. He then turned to Ilia. "Ilia?" he asked, and her colours changed to camouflage against the rocky mountain behind them. "Well, then, I guess you'll be with me. If I can't find you, I'll just assume your hiding somewhere nearby like you always are." Ilia reverted to her usual colours and opened her mouth to try and say something, but nothing came out.

"It has proven quite usefuly." Ren stated.

Jaune gestured to Ren and nodded his head. "Now that you're part of the team, I'm not so worried about it. Like, at all."

"Just why are you all trusting me?!" Ilia asked them.

"She does raise a good point." Yang stated.

"Yang!" Weiss huffed.

"Not saying I don't trust her." Yang replied, and shrugged her shoulders, "Just don't know why."

"It is both simple and complex." Ren stated. "You have humbled yourself. Humiliated yourself. Revealed your true spirit."

"That actually makes sense." Yang stated.

"She stalks Jaune because she cares!" Nora added.

"I wanted to say that!" Ruby shouted.

Jaune looked between the two, unsure of what to say, and so just nodded his head.

Ilia saw movement and turned her head to see Blake standing in front of her. She looked her in the eyes, grabbed her hands, and pulled her into a hug. She then kissed Ilia on the side of the face before stepping back, but still holding onto her hands. In reply, Ilia seemed to change between every colour before settling down on her usual hues, except with occational hiccups.

"Oh, I know!" Ruby shouted, and pointed at Nora, glaring at her before looking back at Ilia, "She wants to save the world!"

"Exactly." Blake said warmly, still holding Ilia's hands, still looking her in the eyes.

"I want to say it!" Ruby shouted. Blake warmly looked her in the eyes. "Right?" Ruby asked, "You want to save the world like the rest of us."

"You always have." Blake warmly said to Ilia.

"You just didn't do it the right way." Ruby continued, "But now you are. I hope. I mean, we're doing it the right way?" Ruby asked the others, "Right?"

"We are simply trying to defeat Grimm." Weiss stated.

"A lot of them." Yang added.

"And their queen." Blake stated.

"Who we have to kill with kindness!" Nora exclaimed.

"Literally." Ren added.

"And," Jaune said to Ilia, "if you keep being depressed about it, I'll just to keep pulling you into group hugs."

"You wouldn't?" Ilia asked, and this caused Yang to burst out with laughter, Nora a moment behind her.

"At this stage," Weiss quipped, "I think we can all agree that he would."

"I know," Blake said to Ilia, "that this much love, affection, and trust takes some getting used to, especially after what we've been through." Blake then stepped forward, bringing her right hand up to craddle Ilia's face. "Welcome to the family."

"As what?" Ilia asked.

"Friends!" Ruby stated.

"Minions!" Nora replied, and the two glared at each other.

"So?," Jaune asked, "assuming Ren and Nora want to team up," he then looked between RWBY, "how do you want to..."

"Weiss!" Ruby exclaimed, raising her hand for emphasis. Weiss mildly scoffed as Ruby Petal Burst over to her, wrapping her arm into Weiss'.

"I guess that means..." Yang stated, only to look over, seeing Blake beside her.

* * *

RW, BY, and RN walked off into the woods in different directions. Jaune looked at Ilia, "If you don't have a lot of experience in the woods, know what it's incredibly easy to get lost. One, keep track of me. As long as you keep track of me, you're not lost. Two, look back the way you came. If you know where you came, you aren't lost. Three, it's difficult to keep track of what direction you are traveling in, so, if the first two fail you, make sure you constantly check your scroll. Worst case you can find a clearing and message Taj. You might think you are a badass assassin, and from seeing you fight, you are, but that doesn't mean anything in the woods. And relax."

Ilia just looked at him quizzically. Exactly what part of that was supposed to make her relax?

"Believe it or not, I know what it's like to not feel like you fit in." Jaune said, and Ilia looked even more confused. "Until I found them, I've never really felt at home. I know what it's like to not feel like you belong, but you do. Our home is your home, with is apparently a pre-medieval castle."

A thousand thoughts went through Ilia's head as she tried to create a coherent response.

"What am I going to have to do to make you feel wanted?" Jaune asked, "Carry you like a princess?"

Ilia looked at him curiously for a moment, and then looked at him fearfully. "You wouldn't?"

"One thing you'll need to learn about me is that I might joke around, but I will hold myself to what I say."

She looked at him curiously and then suspiciously. Jaune took a step towards her and she stepped back. Jaune took a step back and turned back to the woods as they travelled down the mountain. Ilia paused for a moment until she quickly stepped up to catch up to him, which was no mean feat. Jaune looked over his shoulder, and stopped turning around. "Sorry, I can walk pretty quickly."

"I didn't say I couldn't keep up with you!" Ilia shouted.

"That's not..." Jaune sighed, "Okay, when out in the woods, running will get you killed."

Ilia looked at him curiously. "Do you think I'm stupid?"

"No," Jaune stated, and she looked at him with a start, "just not used to the woods. When covering long distances, running will burn your stamina up way too quickly." Ilia looked at him defiantly. "When you burn out, I'll just have to carry you like a princess." he said, and turned back down the mountain. Ilia quickly stepped out to catch up to him, quickly moving to a jog.

* * *

It seemed all Ilia had to do was blink to lose sight of him. The paths were so narrow and winding it was easy to get lost. Whenever she lost sight of him for even a moment she would break into a panic and sprint forward, and she always found him, slowly walking, or pausing to look around. Without any more acknowledgement of her present than the slight turn of his head towards her before walking off down the into the woods.

* * *

Ilia stopped and hunched over to breathe as Jaune kept on walking into the woods. She could barely breathe, and wondered how he could move so quickly and silently through the woods with such heavy armour and antlers. She breathed in deep and then rushed up to catch up to him.

* * *

Ilia looked around, and couldn't see him. After a brief pause to listen, she couldn't hear him. Like before she sprinted forward, and did not see him. She paused to look and listen around and sprinted once again. Once again she didn't see him. She turned her head to look and listen, and did not see or hear anything. She camouflaged herself and backed up into the bush to figure out what to do, when something powerful wrapped around her. It was strong armour pressing her up against, and she was wrapped with a powerful arm. She kicked down with her foot at his knee, but it just deflected off of his Aura. If he had strength and Aura and armour and surprise, she wasn't sure what she would do. She reached over to her weapon, but his arm caught her, and he breathed into her ear. The warm air washed over her ear and face, and briefly tickled her, but she wasn't going to let it get to her, she was going to...

"Look up." the deep, masculine voice said, and she looked up and saw antlers. Large, proud, eight pointed antlers. It was then that it dawned on her, though she didn't have a chance to relax as he lifted her up and carried her like a princess. She sighed. "A promise is a promise." He said, "You tire yourself out, I get to carry you like a princess."

"I," she voiced, "don't remember agreeing to this."

He gently tossed her up just enough to snug up how he was carrying her. "You stop in the woods, and you're vulnerable."

"To what?" Ilia asked.

"To whatever lives here." Jaune said, as he turned and started to walk up the hill.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"I saw a glade a ways back, I'll call the girls and tell them to meet us there." She looked up at him, both vunerable and lost, and dour and irate at the same time. "Someone tuckered herself out."

"Do you expect this to make me trust you?" Ilia asked.

"I expect this to keep you safe from yourself." Jaune stated. "This I can do right now. Trust can only come with time."

* * *

Ilia laid back on the rock, breathing as hard as she could when she felt a presence. She looked up to see Jaune standing there with a pile of windfallen wood. "How the hell do you do that?!" she asked, and Jaune paused, giving her a blank, empty look.

"I honestly have absolutely no idea." he stated, "I just feel... at home here." He then piled the wood on the ground, "Maybe it's a Faunus thing? A wood Faunus thing. Maybe it's like your camouflage. Or is that a Semblance?"

"I-," she huffed, "honestly don't know how Semblances work."

"But... you're an assassin." he said, and she moved her head just enough to glare at him. "Former assassin."

"Each Semblance is unique." she stated between huffs. "I have to learn to counter it. Not use it."

Jaune them loudly slumped onto the ground. It sounded as if he had the incredible weight he should have. "Semblances come from Aura."

"And I don't know..."

"You use Aura." Jaune stated, and she sat up with a start, just staring at him.

"You can't be serious?" she asked, "I never..."

"It's amazing how many Huntsmen and Huntresses don't know how their Aura works." Jaune stated.

"And what makes you an expert?" she insultingly asked him.

"Oh, me?," Jaune asked, "I was just lucky enough to have a teacher."

With this Ilia flopped back onto the ground.

"Remind me to give you a lesson when we get back home."

Ilia slowly sat up. "Why not right now?"

"Because you're already learning a bunch of new stuff today." Jaune said.

"And you're not?" Ilia asked.

"It's amazing how much memory it takes to remember the paths in the woods." Jaune said, and shrugged.

"I?," Ilia asked, "thought..."

"Hm?" Jaune asked.

"That we weren't making a fire?"

"Oh, right." Jaune stated. He then laughed to himself and then sighed.

"That's the first time..." Ilia said as she leaned towards him.

"Hm?" he asked.

"The first time I've seen you vulnerable."

"The first time I've what?" Jaune asked, "I swear I've messed up in front of you before. Haven't I?" Ilia just shook her head. "Alright, so, what does that mean?"

"You seem so different when you're vulnerable. I'm starting to see what Blake sees in you."

At this moment Ruby and Weiss stepped into the glade.

#rwby #firen lhain #faunus au #pollinated knight

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rogueofwords · 3 years

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A new murder mystery roleplay has materialized on Discord.

What mysteries lie within this innocuous community? Why does a foreboding forest strangle the light out of its surroundings? What compels its inhabitants to commit atrocities?

That is for you to find out.

You slowly begin to wake up and regain consciousness at the sound of quiet shuffling, low whispers, and gentle breathing. The sound of waves outside of whatever structure you find yourself in fills your ears as you envision a massive body of water surrounding you. You know you opened your eyes, yet you cannot see...?

Less than a second after, you come to feel a pounding headache strike inside your head like a hammer to an anvil. You struggle in place for however long the momentary psychic damage lasts before you begin to settle back into place. Your hands and legs are tied together; you cannot move. You are blinded with some cloth-like material tightly wrapped around your head to cover your eyes. Your cheek is cold and your shoulder and neck are sore. You haven’t moved in a considerable amount of time. Your stomach growls hungrily and you unconsciously move your cranium to look around, even if you know it’s a worthless endeavor. Instead, you focus on the waves that rock against you, another unsettling realization sets in. You’re on a boat, and you begin to sweat at whatever fresh hell you find yourself in.

“Hey, how long are we?” You perk your ears at the unfamiliar voice, prompting you to stay quiet in fear of what this stranger might do to you upon learning of your awakening.

“One hour. We are almost there.” Another unfamiliar voice? Panic begins to grip your heart, even more than before. How many people are there? What do they want with you? Why are you on a boat and where are they taking you?

“I will check on our cargo to ensure none have died, else this trip will be for nothing.” Wait...what? Cargo!? Rather than waves in your ears, the overwhelming sound of your heartbeat begins to fill them like an endless metronome. Thump. Thump. Thump. In addition to your heartbeat, you hear a half-opened door creak fully open as one of the strangers begins to take quiet steps within the room you’re in. Their steps are eerily silent, with the only notification of their presence being the slight shift in weight of the floor as they pass by you; you pray they don’t prod at you to see if you’re awake. The stranger continues to stand still. Moments pass by that feel like an eternity, and you feel your blood begin to run cold as you notice the floor bend slightly in front of you. The stranger is standing in front of you, their gaze penetrating through to your skin like scissors through paper. Goosebumps dot your body and you feel your hair rising. They know you’re awake.

…

…….

…………..

The stranger huffs before they begin to walk away, silent and swift out the door as they first came in. The sheer shock of the event knocks you out cold as you hear swaying voices talking once more between the waves. You hear the door slam shut. Darkness envelops you, and you black out.

------

As we’ve shown in our summary, this server is a competitive, application-based roleplay for semi-lit and literate-level writers. The theme is “nonlinear with supernatural elements”. The theme is vague, and for good reason, but for those who want to know more, I’m about to list some of the fun stuff we’ll have cooked up for you!

- A life-like setting filled with NPCs with their own stories to develop and secrets to explore

- An open-world/sandbox map with highly-organized channels that are all almost completely open from the start

- An in-game store and currency to encourage participation in events and PvP play

- A story that will progress depending on the cast’s level of interaction

- A Killing Game that will continue onwards regardless of a failed trial

- Free colored sketches of OCs for active/engaging cast members

- The dead may influence the game

Lastly, the roleplay itself is inspired by video games such as Danganronpa, Darkwood, Welcome to the Game 2, and Bloodborne, along with other RPG and tabletop elements. As for what that implies, you’ll have to wait and see for yourself! Though prior knowledge about these games is not required for acceptance into this server. All applied characters must be OCs.

We're all dying to meet you.

#roleplay #dangan ronpa #dangan ronpa oc #discord #drrp #rp #oc roleplay #oc #original rpg #oc rpg

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haveamagicalday · 3 years

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My reads of 2020

My top ten is in a separate post but here are the rest of my reads!

5 Stars

If You Tell by Gregg Olsen

This is a memoir about the Shelley Knotek case. It focuses heavily on the relationship and struggles of her three daughters that were just children when Shelley’s tortures started. This book was fantastically written for such a morbid tale but be warned, it is not for the faint of heart. Trigger Warning: Abuse, torture, murder

Wayside School Beneath the Cloud of Doom by Louis Sachar

The Wayside school books were some of my favorite growing up. I made sure to reread them all before reading this one. It felt like no time had past at all. This is a great blast from the past that won’t disappoint old fans of the series.

4 Stars

All Your Twisted Secrets by Diana Urban

A group of seemingly unrelated students are invited to a scholar dinner that turns out to be a trapped. Once all the students arrive, they are locked in with a bomb and the the option to choose one person to die or they all die. As the night slips away, we learn the secrets and connections the students share that brought them to their predicament. Surprisingly not as suspenseful as you would think it would be and the secrets/bad things the students had done in the past really weren’t that twisted. Still it was very fun with an explosive ending.

Beyond the Shadowed Earth by Joanna Ruth Meyer

This is a sequel to Beneath the Haunting Sea and actually focused on the hero from the first’s books antagonist, Eda. Eda overthrow our hero from the first book as heir to the throne, blamed the king’s death on her and had her wrongfully banished to an island that launched the story of the first book. After that we never visited Eda again as the book focused on a different story instead of getting her kingdom back. So in this one, we see what happened to Eda after she took over. She is not a good person and the author isn’t afraid to make her unlikable at first, but also redeemable through her adventure and misfortunate.

Break Your Glass Slippers by Amanda Lovelace

Another book of poetry from Amanda Lovelace that delivers profound and touching poems.

Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier

A classic retelling of The Six Swans. This story takes place in a medieval/fantasy version of Ireland. Marillier is one of my favorite authors of fairytale retellings. This book is definitely a slow read but is gorgeously written and rich in character development. The story follows the fairytale with little variation. Trigger Warning: Rape (graphic depiction).

Lady Killers: Deadly Women Throughout History by Tori Telfer

Nonfictional account of female serial killers. I liked that this wasn’t written like a wikipedia page and took a more narrative approach. After the first few women, they all start to blend together though. Lots of poisoning happens. It would have been nice for some variety.

Malorie by Josh Malerman

The sequel to Bird Box that we probably didn’t need but was still good nonetheless. This one focuses more on Boy and Girl (now named thankfully) as teenagers and their view and challenges of the world they’ve grown up in. This book introduced new concepts that were interesting and creative. Somehow this managed to have a relatively happy and satisfying conclusion.

The Monstrous Feminine by Barbara Creed

A look at horror films through a feminist and psychological lens. I absolutely loved this book and the ideas it presents. The first half of the book takes a look at certain horror films (such as Carrie, the Exorcist, Alien, ect.) and “challenges this patriarchal view by arguing that the prototype of all definitions of the monstrous is the female reproductive body.” I liked the first section of the book more than the second part where I felt it focused too much on Freud and his findings and challenging them through horror films.

No Judgements by Meg Cabot

A cute, fluffy romance that takes place on a small island preparing for a category 3 hurricane. Bree finds herself forced to shelter with the island’s resident heartbreaker and they don’t get along. At first ;)

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Alicia, a famous painter and wealthy wife, shocked the world when she killed her husband and then stopped speaking afterwards. Now committed to a mental institute, Alicia is still refusing to speak. Theo is a therapist who jumps at the opportunity to work with Alicia and discover what really happened with her husband. Some of the twist was easy to pick up on at first but there was plenty that kept me guessing. This was a real page turner.

When We Were Magic by Sarah Gailey

Alexis and her group of friends have one very big thing in common; they are able to preform magic. One night, Alexis’ magic causes an accidental death of a classmate and the friends have to ban together to make things right. This was a creative and moving read. There’s plenty of magic but it almost comes secondary to the friendships and blossoming love between two of the friends.

The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson

Immanuelle lives in. a patriarchal society where the prophet’s word is law and the town is bordered by the evil and forbidden Darkwood. In the Darkwoods lurks four witches that seem to be calling out to Immanuelle. This book had fantastic world building and the story was unique and engaging. Sometimes it felt like we were just skimming the surface of possibilities and I felt that the book could have been longer or divided into a series. While the story wraps up in the end it does turn out there is going to be a sequel so I’m excited for that! Trigger Warning: Mentions of Rape

3.5 Stars

The Cousins by Karen M. McManus

Jonah, Aubrey and Milly never knew their rich grandmother. Her children were all cut off ominously with a note simply saying “you know what you did.” Now their grandmother is reaching out to the cousins and inviting them to work at her island resort for the summer. Lots of secrets and twists await them! This book was a lot of fun and probably my favorite of this author’s so far. Some of the twists border on zany but the overall tone of the book is a little zany so it works.

Horrid by Katrina Leno

After her father’s death, Jane and her mother are forced to move across the country into Jane’s mother’s childhood home. The manor has many secrets hidden within that Jane must face. The book was well written and intriguing. The books deal with grief and mental illness with a touch of the supernatural. I felt that the overall pacing felt off though. Very little happened in the beginning and then a lot happens in the last 30 or so pages and then it ended abruptly. It was a great concept though and I'm interested in more from this author!

One of Us is Next by Karen M. McManus

A sequel to the hit novel, One of Us is Lying. This book focuses on one of the character’s from the first books little sister and two of her classmates. The stakes in this one didn’t feel quite as serious as the first book but it was a fun read with interesting twists!

The Return by Rachel Harrison

Julie went missing, leaving her 3 best friends grappling with tragedy. Then, exactly two years later, she comes back with no memories. The four friends decide to spend a weekend together but something is not quite right with Julie. This book was creepy! However, it focuses more on the relationships of the four characters and dealings with grief with a touch of supernatural sprinkled throughout. It’s a gripping novel from start to finish that will keep you guessing.

3 Stars

All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda

Nicolette returns to her hometown for the first time in ten years after the mysterious disappearance of her best friend. Shortly after arriving another girl goes missing, forcing Nicolette to relive what happened years ago. What made this book a page turner was that it tells the story backwards. Once she gets to her hometown it starts on her 10th day and works backwards to what happened on the day of her arrival. Unfortunately, while the concept works at first it builds up to a lackluster and disappointing ending. If you were to put the book in the correct order, it wouldn’t work as there are stuff that is found out in the first few days that the reader doesn’t know about but the characters do that wouldn’t make sense in a narrative sense.

Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris

From the outside Jack and Grace come off as the perfect couple but behind closed doors, everything changes. No twists here, Grace is Jack’s prisoner and she is desperately trying to get away. The book alternates between past and present about her current situation and how she got there. This involves a lot of suspension of disbelief. Jack is a cartoony type of villain with no real motive and he would never be able to get away with what he was doing. Grace is also not the smartest person, there were a lot of different ways she could have escaped but for the sake of the story she doesn’t. Don’t get me wrong, this was still a suspenseful and fun read but also questionable and some points.

The Blue Salt Road by Joanne M. Harris

A quick, fairytale like story about a selkie who was tricked into becoming human and now longs to return to the sea. I feel like there was a message being preached in this story, but I can’t really pinpoint what it was. Regardless, this was a magical little read.

Clown in a Corn Field by Adam Cesare

Clown in the corn field is a slasher film put on page. It starts off like a typical YA novel and sets up a mystery as to who the clown is, but then the clown attacks at a party and the rest of the novel is that one night as the clown wrecks havoc and the teens have to escape. I think I wold have preferred and more drawn out mystery but fans of slasher films would really enjoy this!

Coral by Sara Ella

A sort of retelling of the Little Mermaid. Sort of. This book focuses on strong themes of mental health. The mermaid/fantasy side is minimal and almost completely disappears in the 2/3rds in to the novel. It was a slightly confusing read but had a powerful depiction of depression. Trigger Warning: Suicide

The Doll House Murders by Betty Ren Wright

A sad but sweet little mystery novel about a preteen girl who discovers a dark secret via an old dollhouse and its mysterious moving dolls. The subject matter was dark but the story was written for middle graders and thus mystery is handled with simplicity and strange charm to it.

Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson

The sequel to A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. This book hasn’t been released in the US yet but you can still get the British/original version on amazon which is what I did. This novel requires a stretch of disbelief and I didn’t think the mystery was as good as the first one. However, if you are a fan of the first one, you will still want to check this one out as well!

I Know Who You Are by Alice Feeney

You definitely have to suspend your disbelief when you read this one. It's gripping and while some twists were easily guessed, the final one took me for a surprise. It's equal parts dark/chilling and cheesy/silly. I'm still left with a lot of questions after the ending. It makes the book fall apart when you think about it but if you just take it for what it is, an entertaining but cheesy thriller, you'll enjoy it.

The Harp of Kings by Juliet Marillier

This book features the children of the main characters from the Blackthorn and Grim series but you don’t need to read that series in order to read this one (though you should!). The book features three teenagers that are training to be warriors that are selected to go undercover in a nearby kingdom to find the stolen Harp of Kings before the new king’s coronation can take place. It was slow in the beginning and I felt there wasn’t much character development but it was an enjoyable read.

In Darkling Wood by Emma Carroll

Alice’s sick brother is getting a lung transplant and Alice is forced to stay with an estranged grandmother. Her grandmother lives on the edge of darkling wood, a place rumored to be filled with fairies. This book reminded me of a less dark version of When A Monster Calls. It deals with some of the same themes but this is more aimed towards children with a feel good ending.

The Lost Girls by Heather Young

In the summer of 1935, six year old Emily disappeared leaving her two older sisters and parents devastated. Sixty years later, both sisters are dead but one of them left behind her house and a notebook detailing what happened that summer for her grandniece, Justine. This book wasn’t so much of a thriller but focused more on Justine’s current issues with her daughters and ex boyfriend. I found the chapters with the notebook pages in between chapters more interesting than the modern story.

Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

I read the first Stargirl years ago but reread it before reading this one. This sequel doesn’t manage to capture the same charm as the first one did. The book is a series of letters that Stargirl writes (but doesn’t send) to Leo from the first book following her over the course of a year. I found it surprisingly boring at times and Stargirl seemed far to normal as compared to the first book. It was neat to see what she was up to after the first book but overall I didn’t think it was a necessary sequel.

A Psalm for Lost Girls by Katie Bayerl

Callie’s older sister was considered a saint in her small town before she tragically passed away. Now the city is trying to have her canonized, but Callie knows her sister wasn’t a saint, and the pressure is what ultimately killed, so now she’s on a mission to prove that her sister was just a normal girl. This book involved a missing child that Callie’s sister was supposed to find before she died but couldn’t. The mystery there was very predictable and was kind of on the back burner to Callie’s story. I think this would have been a more interesting story if it had been from the sister’s perspective and how it felt to be a teen saint while she was still alive.

The Rose Without a Thorn by Jean Plaidy

The story of Katherine Howard, the fifth wife of King Henry. I was looking for a novel that painted Katherine as sympathetic, as most adaptations make her out to be a seductress. This novel was strange as it read as a wikipedia entry in a narrative form. It was all telling and no showing and lacked real emotion. From the minor research I’ve done, it seems to be pretty accurate in terms of events that happened. Trigger Warning: Sexual Abuse featuring a minor (but isn’t presented as such)

Sadie by Courtney Summers

Sadie’s sister was murdered and she is determined to bring the killer to justice. In between each chapter about Sadie is a the transcript for a podcast that is covering the case, as well as Sadie’s future disappearance . This is a very popular book but to be honest, I'm not sure what the point was? The podcast was an interesting idea but it basically just rehashed everything we already knew. Not much was added by it. The ending just fizzles away and the story tended to drag in places. It was very well written though and I think I was just not the right audience for it.

The Seventh Bride by T. Kingfisher

A creepy retelling of Bluebeard. It reads like a YA in some places but Adult in others. It was definitely unsightly and out there but I found it confusing in some places. It has some great creepy imagery and slight body horror to it.

The Supervillain and Me by Danielle Banas

Abby’s brother is a superhero beloved by the whole crime ridden town. But when a supervillain comes into town, Abby finds her paths crossing with him again and again. Okay, so the supervillain wasn’t even a villain and the reason for wanting Abby to help him was not a very good one. The book is mostly about the romance between the two which was nice but nothing spectacular. I found myself more interested in the musical Abby was starring in. It was about a cannibalistic royal family whose oldest son falls in love with a servant and he has to save her from being eaten by his family. Now THAT sounded interesting!

Winterdream by Chantal Gadoury

A Nutcracker retelling. This was a sweet retelling of the story. It didn’t add much to the original tale or the ballet but it was a good winter read to get into the spirit of Christmas.

They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman

Freshman year, Jill’s best friend was killed by her boyfriend., Graham Now it’s senior year and Jill is the president of an elite school club but someone keeps texting her about Graham’s innocence and she can’t keep herself from diving deeper into the mystery to unearth what really happened to her friend. Gripping and twisty, this book was a solid teen mystery!

Not Rated

I’m Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid

I read this almost a year ago and I still don’t know what to think about it. I can’t decide if the story was genius or simple shock value. Did the twist make sense? I don’t know honestly. I read this before I even knew there was a netflix adaptation coming and I while I read this book in one sitting, I only made it halfway through the movie. I personally don’t think it translated well to screen. If you are looking for a quick disturbing read with an ending you WILL NOT be able to guess, then I highly recommend this one.

The Merry Spinster: Tales of Everyday Horror by Mallory Ortberg

There’s a pretty popular post on his webiste that has a link to a horrifying retelling of Curious George. This is a collection of retellings/unrelated short stories by the same author. I didn’t read all of the stories in this because some of them were just too difficult to get through and confusing. However, the dark retellings of fairy tales and children books were really enjoyable. I particularly liked the retellings of The velveteen rabbit, the frog prince and the six swans. I think they can all be found online and not just in this collection.

Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer

Is it good? No. Is it garbage? Yes. Did I still read it any way? Yes. Team Edward for life.

#books #book recomendation #all your twisted secrets #when we were magic #the silent patient #the return #daughter of the forest #malorie #the year of the witching

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