#story: wings of valor

[thesummerestsolstice]

Elvish art genre that definitely exists in Middle-Earth: the captivity of Elrond and Elros (mostly just Elrond, especially after Elros dies)

The paintings– done mostly, but not always, by Sindarin and anti-Feanorian Noldor artists– are usually studies in contrast– Elrond as the bright, innocent child dressed in white; often portrayed as a small, frightened elfling, frozen at the moment he was taken from Sirion. Sometimes he is shown bravely resisting the cruelty of the Feanorians, other times he mourns for Sirion, or bows and prays to the gods for deliverance. Sometimes, he's given wings, both to stress his connection with Luthien and Elwing and to make him look more angelic and pure in comparison to the fallen Feanorians.

Maedhros and Maglor are the dark monsters the oath made them, with teeth, and claws, and harsh armor. Some of the more daring artists just portray Maedhros as an actual orc. While few of the paintings actually show the Feanorians' crimes, they're often portrayed with blood on their hands or swords, or simply surrounded by fire and destruction. They often demand, or threaten in the pictures, towering over Elrond and casting long shadows on him.

There's a few different sub-genres of these paintings. The ones that explicitly compare Elrond's situation to Luthien's kidnapping by Celegorm. The ones that feature a grateful Elrond being saved from the horrible Feanorians by whoever the artist is looking to valorize– Gil-Galad, Galadriel, Oropher, Eonwe, etc. The ones that show Elrond, locked in a dark cell, staring longingly out at Gil-Estel rising in the night sky. Some of the strangest are the ones that draw connections between the Silmarils being kept in Morgoth's crown and the twins– often with Maedhros playing the role of Morgoth.

Elrond hates almost all of these paintings. He feels like they take away his ability to define his past the way he wants to– to tell his own story. Most of them are grossly inaccurate, but most people don't know that, and dredging up all those really painful memories to try and correct people's assumption is hard. Sometimes, even when he does, people won't listen. Some of the paintings also seem... weirdly gleeful about the idea that Elrond suffered because of the Feanorians? Like they're trying to martyr him even though he's alive, and doesn't want to be martyred. It all makes him really, really uncomfortable.

There is one exception. It's not a very traditional example of captivity paintings. Elrond is at the center of the frame, shown not as a small child but as a young adult. Maglor and Maedhros are mostly unseen in the background, each with a bloody hand on one of Elrond's shoulders. Unlike the other paintings, instead of looking off into the distance or staring demurely at the ground, Elrond is looking straight out at the viewer His expression is hard to place. Anger? Acceptance? Defiance? Pity? Accusation? It's a very odd picture that unsettles almost everyone that look at it.

Elrond insists on hanging it in Rivendell.

#silmarillion #silm headcanons #silm meta #elrond #elrond peredhel #eldritch peredhel #maglor #maedhros #i think a lot about how the elves would've turned their history into art #and i can very easily see Elrond becoming a muse for a lot of different types of paintings #including ones he'd really rather not be included in #it's hard because he knows that many of the Sindar have every right to see Maedhros and Maglor as monsters #but it's still really difficult for him to see them portrayed that way when he cared about them both deeply #the Maedhros and Morgoth comparisons are especially uncomfortable for Elrond #and he knows they would've been really upsetting for Maedhros #kidnap fam #kidnap dads

[elrielsgarden]

Elain Archeron’s Dresser Drawer Through the ACOTAR Series

Each time the dresser Feyre painted for each of the three Archeron sisters is mentioned in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series, the descriptors for Elain’s drawer design changes slightly. The floral motif remains constant, but the specifics change every time, even in Feyre’s own descriptions.

This is of particular interest because SJM is remarkably talented at tracking and consistency when it comes to things like this. So, what are the descriptions of Elain’s dresser drawer, and what is the possible significance of this?

In A Court of Thorns and Roses, Feyre introduces the dresser to the fandom with these words about Elain’s drawer design:

Roses frequently symbolize love and beauty, which is beings to mind what Nesta recalls Mama Archeron saying in A Court of Silver Flames:

This quote also heavily foreshadows both sisters’ romance storiea, but besides that the words love and beauty are used side-by-side. Additionally, Papa Archeron carved a wooden rose for Elain.

Violets can symbolize love and innocence, and these flower choices, whether we know the symbolism or not, provide readers a certain sense of who Elain Archeron is: she is beautiful, delicate, and romantically inclined. For the story right now, this is all we need to know about Elain. Her storyline is in the very beginning stages, and this is the perfect setup.

In A Court of Mist and Fury Feyre describes the dresser drawers to Rhys; this is when he learns Feyre painted the night sky before ever having met him.

Roses are mentioned again, as are begonias and irises. The significance of these flowers lies in the fact that there are more described. We get more detail, just as we are slowly learning more about Elain. Irises also symbolize faith, courage, valor, hope, and wisdom—all of which we see in Elain’s character as the series progresses.

No mention of the dresser drawers appears in A Court of Wings and Ruin, but Elain bakes Feyre a birthday cake that she asks Nuala to help decorate in the design of the sisters’ dresser. This takes place in A Court of Frost and Starlight.

Besides “flowers” we don’t know what designs were on this tier of the cake, but the crucial aspect of this scene is that Elain remembered the dresser and saw meaning and significance in it.

Elain’s deep awareness of Feyre’s character really stands out here, as well as her carefully considerate nature, traits we see over and over in Elain. It also shows us that Elain sees herself as these flowers—not just Feyre. Elain, by doing this, states that she is indeed a flower-grower, a gardener.

Lastly, in A Court of Silver Flames, Nesta shows Cassian the Archerons’ cottage, and in his POV he describes Elain’s dresser drawer:

Cassian does not specifically name flowers, but who expects a general to do that? Besides, his focus is on Nesta. However, it is important to note that there are vines on the drawer this time. This calls to mind what SJM said about an experience gardening ivy became heavy research for Elain’s book. And then in this book, vines (of which ivy is a type) are used to describe Elain’s drawer. Ivy can represent eternity and fidelity, but it is far more likely that the ivy (and the way the plant creeps quietly) alludes to Elain’s possible future journey as a Night Court spy.

In conclusion, the flowers of Elain’s dresser drawer carry an ever-changing, or ever-growing, parallel to her character development as well as possible foreshadowing for a spy plot for Elain. 🌸

#pro elain #elain archeron #elain acotar #theseersterhood

[heyo-428]

ACFTL Sneak Peak (Well, now I guess it’s a leak) Chapter Thoughts:

Spoilers below!!

This isn’t proofread if something is confusing please ask me in the replies for clarification

- The dedication to “anyone who ever wanted a second chance” is… almost ominous. On one hand it seems it’s like just a normal dedication but on the other it’s almost as if it’s a warning. Like Stephanie’s trying to warn a person who wants a second that it’s not always gonna end well.

- The story from the beginning about doorknobs was told before I believe and I think emphasizing this again is to allude to her ability to open doors with her blood. Will she figure this out again on her own? The doorknobs to what is rumored (The rumor’s probably true) to be the Valor children’s rooms in Wolf Hall spoke to her.

- Evangeline being absolutely lost is actually so sad to me. While I was reading the second page and it said she was feeling as if she couldn’t breathe I actually started to cry a bit. She’s in an unfamiliar location with no clue how she got there, when she got there, why she’s there.

- Her last memory is her father dying. 😭

- She doesn’t remember anything about Apollo but does remember there was something important she needed to say to someone. She doesn’t remember but it’s that she needs to tell Jacks she loves him. She slightly remembers Jacks even though she’s not able to attach a name to it. (I’m latching onto any hope I can)

- “Your memories were stolen by someone who’s been trying to tear us apart” Apollo if you don’t shut your ass up.

- “…and over his heart was a vibrant tattoo of two swords in the shape of a heart with a name in the center: Evangeline.” I CACKLED. THATS SO BAD 😭 IM DYING FROM SECOND HAND EMBARRASSMENT. She doesn’t really want you Apollo please give up.

- Apollo says that the marks on his back was the price he paid to return from Hell. Also the price Evangeline payed for your stupidity when you decided to get tortured😐 Who even tortured him? Or was it like done on purpose to have a story for why he came back. Doubt it’s the ladder because the curse wasn’t having him thinking right.

- Okay so Apollo’s not lying when he says Jacks put him in a suspended state but, Apollo, PLEASE calm down it’s not that deep. AND STOP LYING JACKS WOULD NEVER INTENTIONALLY HURT EVANGELINE

- Out poor boy Jacks is gonna have a difficult time in acftl 😭

- “You’re looking at me differently” he’s acting like she shouldn’t be…

- No Eva :((((( you didn’t trade your memories to be with him :(((( HE STOLE THEMMMM

- He makes her go back with him and then almost instantly leaves her. She is left as a shadow of herself because of him and he leaves her in her room to go handle matters. Like PLEASE how does Evangeline think this is okay.

- I- Stephanie please stop with mentions of arrows it reminds me of the fact Jacks is the Archer and what he’s been through (this is obviously why she’s doing this and i love and hate her for it)

- Wonder which door handles belong to which of the Valor children’s rooms. If what the rumors say is true. Feel like the one shaped like a dragon is Dane because he was a shifter and the one story LaLa told about him picking her up as a dragon or something. I’m not sure about the fairy wing one or wolf head with crown (maybe Aurora??) because we don’t know a lot about the Valor’s besides the basics. I am very excited to learn more though, they have a very interesting story.

- The fact Evangeline’s having to relive the grief she felt over the death of her parent’s because she doesn’t know it wasn’t very recent (thanks to her memories being stolen) is so tragic. I feel terrible for her :( It’s terrible having both your parents die but to have to deal with the grief twice?

- The door handles speaking to her is crazy because if I remember right known of the others ever did. I wonder why they do that. Probably because they’re old and from a family of people with magical gifts lmao. Plus Eva is literally a part of a prophecy connected to them. It’s gonna have some importance (hopefully)

- Really looking forward to learning again (or hopefully remembering) that she can open doors with her blood.

- Wait crazy theory, what if Stephanie’s making references to things from ouabh and tbona throughout the whole book? Like important things Evangeline forgot? That’s a bit of a stretch but I am writing this at 1 am so

- A few things have happened that are almost like deja vu/repeating history moments. If you think about it, it’s happened a lot throughout the books too. I’ll make a more in depth post on this at a later point.

- The maid Martine seems important. I don’t know what yet but there’s something. How could he just have moved so quickly from the Meridian Empire?? Something isn’t adding up especially her pause in speaking.

- “Her heart still hurt as if it had been broken” This is so sad Stephanie will be expecting many therapy bills after this book.

- It’s so upsetting that Evangeline can’t remember anything like our poor girl :(

- I don’t like this doctor but the helpers are odd

- Wait Evangeline is 17. I guess it makes some sense but like wow that’s crazy.

- I still really hate that reporter guy he’s annoying.

- Who is Yrell really because like why did they shut Telma up? There’s gotta be some reason.

- Okay okay the reporter guy just… disappeared? Like it was super quick too. wtf? How? Probably reading too much into this but how does he just disappear. It’s not like it would take a while to read that card there was nothing on it practically and then he just is gone.

- “He would carry her through more than freezing water” Eva darling that’s not Apollo that’s Jacks please remember 😭😭

- Apollo you are a monster not Jacks so stop lying. You removed Evangeline’s memories, you literally hunted her down and I do not care if you were cursed Jacks got over it before.

- He makes me SO mad. How can he so easily lie??

- APOLLO HAVING DADDY ISSUES

- He’s selfish to think a ton of people would make him monuments and stuff. Apollo you haven’t even done anything grand to help the people (that we know of) why would they do that?

- Who else knows Apollo took her memories? He says that someone does but that he won’t have to worry about them soon. No one else was right there and able to know? Right? I thought they were all in the Valory. It can’t be Jacks because it goes on to talk about Jacks directly after and it’s in a different manner.

- Crazy idea, what if because Apollo knows the Valor’s are out he thinks the one who’s able to see the future (Think his name is Vesper I don’t feel like looking right now) knows what he did 👀 I doubt it but.

- Apollo’s really upset over Jacks being better that he’s making reporter guy make his crimes uglier until he’s caught. He wants his name synonymous with vile, Apollo, you are synonymous with vile please shut the fck up <3

- Was it previously mentioned that the Great Houses have a council? I don’t think so but that makes sense I guess.

- Them talking about Luc attempting to steal the throne and calling him a whelp 💀 Where’d he run to? Back to Chaos’s? Kinda doubt that they have issues because Luc won’t listen to him or something. Wonder where he’s at and if he’s gonna be important this book.

- So funny to me that Wolfric Valor just shows up and is under the house of “Vale” like whose idea was that? It’s like the worst disguise ever Vale and Valor sound the exact same.

- How does Apollo know the Valor’s aren’t really dead? Unless it’s a secret that everyone in the Arcadian family line kept because Wolf Hall used to be the Valor’s.

- Am I the only one who doesn’t like Wolfric that much? I get bad vibes.

- Plus the whole betrothing his daughter to a dude named VENGEANCE

- I know he didn’t exactly know his name before betrothing her but you think he would’ve been like “uhm maybe not” HIS NAMES VENGEANCE I MEAN HE CAN’T BE GOOD

(Sorry had to rant about that because that whole story is absolutely wild to me)

- Who tf is Byron Belleflower. Like I know who he is he’s some lord but like who tf is that??

This whole thing probably doesn’t make sense I’m sleep deprived

#ouabh #tbona #acftl #stephanie garber #evajacks #caraval #evangeline fox #jacks prince of hearts #acftl spoilers #acftl theories #acftl sneak peak #apollo acadian #ew i tagged apollo

[young-aleyska]

TBONA SPOILERS!!

Questions I wish get answered in Book#3 :-

Why is Eva immune to Jacks' powers? As his true love, she would only be immune to his kiss, not his powers. Infact, the only other people who've been stated to be immune to his influence are immortals. (Gavriel said it in Finale)

How much did Eva forget? She remembers her parents' death, so does she remember Luc? If Apollo removed only memories of Jacks', wouldn't she remember who he is, too?

The gold-flecked blood on the angel's wings-is it Jacks? What happened to him?

On that note, why is his blood gold-flecked? As far as I remember, Gavriel's blood wasn't? Oh, and if his blood is gold-flecked, why are his tears normal blood red?

In OUABH, Eva comments on seeing "a hint of a rough scar on his chest", but when she sees him shirtless in The Hollow, there's no scar? Only smooth skin? Did it get healed by the vampire venom, or was it an effect of the mirth stone? (Evangeline thinks of the mirth stones power as 'takes away fear and heals wounds')

Where did Phaedra and Havelock go? And what did Havelock want to tell Eva before he disappeared? Also, what did Phaedra's tattoo mean? Who are the Damned?

LaLa mentions the one she loved was a dragon shifter- coincidentally, one of the Valor children, Dane, was also a shifter. Aurora also mentions in her journal, "I don't think she's right for my brother, either". So is LaLa's love Dane, or Castor, who we've been told has history with her?

Now that Eva's memories are gone, how is Apollo going to explain it away? Is he going to blame it on Jacks? Or an unfortunate accident? Or is he gonna pretend she was under Jacks influence all along?

Are the Protectorate/Marisol going to take advantage of her now?

Speaking of the Protectorate, where is the Fortuna Matriarch now? How did Tiberius escape?

Why does Jacks tell Evangeline "This is the worst idea you've had yet" when he doesn't even know she'd gone to visit Tiberius?

What was the deal with the Darling sisters? Why's Jacks suddenly nice to them?

Since the Valors have awakened now, are they gonna overtake North's throne now? Does that mean Apollo can die without putting the North in a crisis now?

Why and How and Who put the Valors in a suspended state? The Arch's story makes it seem like there's something to with Castor, but what was the exact reason? It's not like the people knew what was up?

In the first run, Chaos never screams when his helm is opened, so why does he scream the second time around? What changes?

#evajacks #tbona #tbona spoilers #jacks x evangeline #stephanie garber #evangeline fox #the ballad of never after #ouabh #ouabh spoilers #jacks prince of hearts #caraval triology #caraval

[blueiskewl]

Silver Medusa Medal Found at Vindolanda

The snake-covered head of Medusa was found on a silver military decoration at a Roman auxiliary fort in England.

A nearly 1,800-year-old silver military medal featuring the snake-covered head of Medusa has been unearthed in what was once the northern edge of the Roman Empire.

Excavators discovered the winged gorgon on June 6 at the English archaeological site of Vindolanda, a Roman auxiliary fort that was built in the late first century, a few decades before Hadrian's Wall was constructed in A.D. 122 to defend the empire against the Picts and the Scots.

The "special find" is a "silver phalera (military decoration) depicting the head of Medusa," according to a Facebook post from The Vindolanda Trust, the organization leading the excavations. "The phalera was uncovered from a barrack floor, dating to the Hadrianic period of occupation."

Medusa — who is known for having snakes for hair and the ability to turn people into stone with a mere glance — is mentioned in multiple Greek myths. In the most famous story, the Greek hero Perseus beheads Medusa as she sleeps, pulling off the feat by using Athena's polished shield to indirectly look at the mortal gorgon so that he wouldn't be petrified, according to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Roman culture drew on Greek myths, including Medusa's story. During the Roman age, Medusa was seen as apotropaic, meaning her likeness was thought to repel evil, John Pollini, a professor of art history who specializes in Greek and Roman art and archaeology at the University of Southern California, told Live Science. Pollini was not involved in the find at Vindolanda.

"From Greek times on, this is a potent apotropaic to ward off bad things, to keep bad things from happening to you," Pollini said. Medusa's serpent-surrounded head is also seen on Roman-era tombs, mosaics in posh villas and battle armor. For instance, in the famous first-century mosaic of Alexander the Great from Pompeii, Alexander is depicted with the face of Medusa on his breastplate, Pollini noted.

Medusa is also featured on other Roman-era phalerae, but the details vary. For instance, the Vindolanda Medusa has wings on her head. "Sometimes you see her with wings, sometimes without," Pollini said. "It probably indicates she has the ability to fly, sort of like [the Roman god] Mercury has little wings on his helmet."

Because phalerae were awarded for "valor in battle," military men would attach them to straps and wear them during local parades, Pollini said, noting that the discovery of the Vindolanda phalera is rare.

"There aren't very many of them, obviously, because they were a precious metal," he said. "Eventually, most of them were probably melted down."

Many phalerae are found in burials, but the Vindolanda one appears to be lost. "This isn't something you would toss away," Pollini said.

The silver artifact is now undergoing conservation at the Vindolanda lab. It will form part of the 2024 exhibition of finds from the site.

By Laura Geggel.

#Silver Medusa Medal Found at Vindolanda #Hadrian's Wall #silver #silver medal #ancient artifacts #archeology #archeolgst #history #history news #ancient history #ancient culture #ancient civilizations #roman history #roman empire #roman art #roman legion

[sweetingseva]

hey could you decode all the emojis that were on stephanie’s story? i have understood some but then others i’m confused by. i am very confused by how there is no kissing emoji.

Hello! I'll try my best! It took some days but here I go ☺️👍🏽

Maybe there's no kissing emoji because even though we know it's coming, it's a huge spoiler!

🏰

Wolf Hall!

👑

There's so many royals in this final book. The Valors, Prince Apollo, Princess Evangeline, and perhaps even the Prince of Hearts. It could also mean a coronation! The first four chapters seem to hint at a coronation.

🔥

The most important element there! Sparks are flying or something is burning. Since the Phoenix Tree is confirmed on the map, it could be related to that, too.

👊

Someone is getting punched! Fights will be constant as Jacks and Apollo will go head to head with each other. I imagine that the first thing Jacks will do when he sees Apollo after seeing Evangeline is punch him square in the face! Maybe this is where Jacks will tell him straight up that he's not going anywhere and he'll make sure that Evangeline remembers everything. But this might be my wishful thinking lol.

🫀

An anatomical heart! Unlike the other hearts Stephanie has used (i.e, 💔💘), this one resembles an actual heart. The only thing that comes to mind is Jacks's beating heart! Not just that but him becoming a human again. I don't see him as a Fate at the end of this. Love is the answer to break the curse!

❤️‍🔥

Falling in love, intense, passionate love, heart burning in literal fire. It reminds me of Howl's Moving Castle where Howl's heart was inside fire. Only once it was returned to him with Sophie's help, that Howl's curse was lifted. Some part of me views this emoji negativity, as if this love is under influence, but it could mean the opposite.

🌳

Tree of Souls! Merrywood Village/Forest!

😱

Stephanie has teased that there will be many shocking moments. It could be us being shocked, the characters being surprised once they find out the truth, or both!

🐺

The Valors! This is their symbol along with the crown on top. Now that they have returned, they are sure to win back their throne at the end.

💐

Dare I say wedding bouquet?

🐉

This either has to be Dane Valor or LaLa or both. Maybe LaLa will turn human, too, once she gets her true love back.

🍎

Jacks!

🌊

Torture scene with the waves? It matches the ties below.

🪢

Tying the knot! This might be the evajacks wedding!!! Orrr it could be this unfortunate sacrifice or execution after Apollo allows both Jacks and Evangeline to live happily ever after but for a short while.

🦅

I don't know what this one means other than it's an eagle??? Maybe a winged predator will carry Apollo far away and he will never harm anyone ever again.

😤

We're going to have many scenes that will stress us out! Either that, or some characters are going to be furious. And they should after everything Apollo has done!

😍

Falling in love again. Or seeing someone where there's strong physical attraction. Or so many scenes where it's so painfully romantic and absolutely swoon worthy!

🩸

Evangeline can open doors with her blood! Maybe more of that! Blood drops can also relate to Jacks who seems to have a thing for it.

#ouabh #once upon a broken heart #ouabh spoilers #tbona #the ballad of never after #tbona spoilers #acftl #a curse for true love #acftl theories #evangeline fox #jacks #prince of hearts #jacks x evangeline #evajacks #luc navarro #marisol tourmaline #lala lagrimas #chaos #castor valor #prince castor #apollo acadian #prince apollo #stephanie garber

[maccreadysbaby]

Project: Killcode

batfamily + oc insert

tw: none

wanna read more? here’s the table of contents!

want to read the first fic in the hundred days series so you understand what’s going on here? here it is!

okay, so, keep your eyes open for a possible varian origin story that may come out today… haha. also bentley is about to get right back on the bad decision train he loves so much

part eight

❝ HITTING THE CITY ❞

SATURDAY — JULY 21 — 8:30AM

VARIAN REALLY LOVED TO TALK.

And that was how he, Asten, Bentley, Rockie, and a very grumpy-slash-sleepy Koa ended up piled around the dining table so Varian could try to teach them how to play Phase 10.

Bentley was completely and utterly lost. Phase 10 was complicated, and at the Manor, they much preferred Uno or slapjack. You know, card games that didn’t take a terrible amount of thinking.

Bentley was sitting on the left bench beside Asten and Varian, straight across from Koa, who looked like the state of California incarnate. He had this really uniform golden tan that couldn’t even be achieved by the most religious suntanners in Gotham, and nearly fake looking sun-bleached blonde ringlets on his head. (They weren’t even that messed up from him sleeping under the blanket.) He had his chin resting in his palm and his cards sprawled out on the table, his strangely crystalline seafoam greenish-blue eyes fluttering closed every now and then. He even had one of those bright white shell necklaces on, and a very, very orange shirt.

“No. Once you finish a phase you move on, but no one else does. That’s how you win,” Varian explained. He’d been explaining the game to Asten for at least ten minutes now, and Bentley had been trying to learn as much as he could, but it was still kind of hopeless. He had no earthly idea what he was doing. 

Rockie seemed bored by the whole thing, and had taken up staring at his phone instead. (How did he use it with those gloves?) Really, the room was quiet apart from Varian.

Until a door squeaked open. 

Bentley glanced up to the bedroom right across from his and Asten’s just in time to see their second to last roommate — Valor — emerge. He looked like he’d just rolled out of bed, wearing a bulky, oversized black hoodie and some gray gym shorts. He had this sort of long brown hair that hung down in funky waves past his ears, grayish eyes that looked sort of like Bruce’s, and an honest to goodness cowboy hat on his head.

A cowboy hat.

“Morning, Val!” Varian called from his seat, but all he got in return was a muted grunt.

“Don’t talk to him before he has at least four energy drinks. He punched me yesterday,” Rockie muttered, eyes not leaving his phone screen.

Bentley watched Valor go to the minifridge and pull out a vibrantly colored can, popping the top open with a loud snap. 

“I only get aggressive for you, Rockie,” Valor said with a sly little wink, which made Asten, Rockie, and Koa chuckle, while Bentley and Varian stayed quiet. Valor had a thick accent — British, if Bentley’s sort of skewed accent instincts were correct. Why would a British kid be here? Didn't Varian say he was from Arizona?

Valor took a sip of the bright drink and tugged his hoodie off over his head.

Bentley’s lips parted.

Sitting folded up on Valor’s back was a pair of absolutely massive wings that were poking through some makeshift holes in the back of his white t-shirt. There had to be thousands upon thousands of feathers there, and they were all a silvery, shiny platinum that glistened when he moved. He extended them outward (they had to be at least five feet long, which would mean he had a ten foot wingspan at least, holy crap.) and after a minute, he shook them out, and Bentley saw thousands of minuscule feather particles float out into the sunlight.

Varian groaned, frown deepening. “You know I’m allergic to birds.”

Valor’s icy eyes cut to him. “And I’m not a bloody bird.”

He didn’t sound exactly like Bentley had thought — his voice was deeper than everyone else’s, which meant he was probably older, too. That made sense; he was by far the tallest of them all.

“I am physically unable to play this horrendously complicated game,” Asten said finally, with a big sigh, putting his cards down on the table.

“You’re making them play that?” Valor said, scrunching his nose, coming to the table and sitting down next to Rockie. Bentley couldn’t take his eyes off of the massively massive platinum wings that were on his back. The one on the right hung sort of limp, nearly touching the floor, while he wrapped the other around Rockie’s shoulders and poked a pretty much sleeping Koa in the face with the tips. Koa startled awake and batted the feathers away with a groan.

“Who’re the new guys?” Valor questioned, ignoring Koa completely, his icy eyes now bouncing between Asten and Bentley’s faces. 

“This is Asten, and this is Bentley,” Varian introduced them before they could as much as speak, flicking a hand to them both as he spoke. “Bruce Wayne’s kids!”

Valor nodded to himself. “Cool.”

“Since we can’t play Phase 10,” Varian started, plopping his cards on the table. “Let’s play, like, a get to know you game.”

“Okay, mom,” Rockie snickered, shaking his head. “Like what?”

“I don’t know. Like… I don’t know. Let’s go around the table and talk about our superpowers!”

Rockie and Koa groaned. 

“We do this every semester,” Rockie muttered.

“Why stop now?” Varian said with a smile. “I’ll go first!”

Varian reached forward and dragged one fingertip across the bare tabletop. Deep purple crystals bloomed there like flowers, growing out of nowhere, exactly where his finger touched. 

“I can materialize crystals. Anywhere, really, and I don’t have to be touching it. It’s not very useful unless I’m, like, trying to stab someone in the feet, though,” He said with a shrug. “Next!”

He pointed over at Asten. Bentley wondered if Varian was always this excitable. He didn’t mind, but he did wonder. Maybe it’d be nice. It reminded him a little bit of Dick.

Asten, with no real expression on his face, held his hand out. The whole thing lit on fire with a loud whoosh and a wave of intense heat, like matches to gasoline. “Fire.”

“Whoa! That’s so cool!” Varian chided while the others looked on with only mild interest. “Next!” 

He pointed over at Valor, who stared at him, blankly, sipping his drink. “Seriously?”

“Okay, fine, I’ll do it,” Varian said with a huff, looking between Bentley and Asten. “Obviously Valor can fly, but he also has super strength and can pick up big stuff. He once shoved a bus off a crosswalk in Times Square.”

Valor shrugged. “It was in my way.”

Varian pointed at Rockie. “Rockie kind of has a weird superpower, like a not superpower superpower. He can take other people’s superpowers away from them and use them. But he can’t give them back, and they wear off after a while and disappear. And it only happens when he touches with his hands — that’s why he has big ol’ gloves on.”

Rockie shrugged to himself, propping his elbow on the table and laying his chin on his metal-covered hand. “More of a curse, really.”

Varian nodded in agreement. “Yeah, he can’t touch anybody with his hands, which makes him sad.”

“I’m not sad,” Rockie snapped.

Varian shrugged. “And Koa kills people with his voice. But only if he hums or sings. Like a siren.”

Bentley glanced over at Koa, and he was already asleep again.

“Makes sense. He’s from California,” Varian continued.

“What about him?” Bentley questioned, pointing toward the only closed door left. The one that said Bellamy.

Varian hummed to himself. “I don’t know. We haven’t met him. He’s a first year, I think, so just eleven. What about you, Bentley? Superpowers?”

“Oh,” Bentley started, thrown off by the sudden change of subject. “Uh, I control liquids.”

“All liquids?” Varian questioned, and Bentley shrugged.

“Pretty much,”

“That’s so cool,” He stated, gathering up the Phase 10 cards and shuffling them, supposedly for fun. “I wish I could do that.”

“What kind of accent do you have?” Bentley questioned, in an attempt to flex his socializing muscles. Varian looked at him with a little smile.

“Russian. I grew up there,” He replied simply, doing a fancy trick where he flicked a card back and forth between his hands. “I was taken from my parents when I was really little and held there to fill this big ol’ mine with crystals, because apparently the ones I make are really expensive. A couple years ago, Batman and his friends broke in and got me out. Brought me home.”

Bentley blinked and looked over at Asten, whose green eyes were wide, and he also blinked.

There was no way this was the kid from the team’s trip to Russia.

Bentley couldn’t forget it, it was literally a few days after he was formally adopted — every single person but Barbara, him, Alfred and Asten were swept off to Russia when they got a call from a contact about a metahuman child being used as a product slave in the mines. Reportedly, he had an American-like accent and looked eerily similar in age and appearance to a missing child from Brooklyn.

It couldn’t be Varian.

Oracle, I have the boy — around little B’s age, I think. Looks malnourished, and possibly diabetic. There’s a blood tester on the floor and the last test is only clocking in at nineteen, Dick had said. That was the only part of the mission Bentley had heard over the comms.

Russian accent. Diabetic. Saved from the caves by Batman.

Holy crap.

“Oh,” Was what Bentley replied. Varian waved him off.

“Don’t be like that. It’s fine — I’m normal now. Plus, I got to meet Batman, which makes me really cool,” He said with a bright smile, despite having literally just dropped a I-was-kidnapped-my-whole-life bomb on Bentley and Asten’s faces, with a little sprinkle of oh-yeah-by-the-way-your-dad-saved-me added on.

Of course, no one else knew that.

Bentley wouldn’t ask about accents anymore.

Asten reached around Varian and tapped Bentley on the shoulder, and then, once he had his attention, put his hands beneath the table and signed: I can’t believe B didn’t adopt him.

Bentley snickered.

“Don’t worry, Val’s just from London. No weird accent story there,” Varian said with a lighthearted chuckle. “But yeah, I really like America. Anyways, what about the-“

Bentley’s attention was drawn away from the table of conversation when he began to feel, in his own veins, someone’s heartbeat, their blood beginning to pound loudly and fast, booming in his ears.

He sent a glance to Varian, but it wasn’t his. Varian’s was a bit slower than the one that had forced itself into his mind, and gentler. 

He went one by one around the table — Asten’s heartbeat was slower than Varian’s, and steadier. Valor’s and Rockie’s were, too. Koa’s was the slowest (because he was asleep with his head on the table.)

Whose was it, then?

The blood wasn’t pumping at the table, it was pumping from somewhere else. Not the hallway. Not the dorm next to theirs. Not outside. 

Bentley let his eyes travel around the room one little bit at a time, and after two full sweeps, it finally clicked.

It was coming from Bellamy’s bedroom.

Not a second later, something joined his pumping blood — something thinner, something more freely flowing that Bentley could feel, could hear.

Tears.

Bellamy was crying.

“-ley. Bentley.”

Bentley snapped back into reality and glanced at Asten, who was watching him warily, waving a hand in front of his face. Actually, everyone was looking at him now. Even Valor and Rockie.

“What’re you staring at?” Asten continued, glancing over at Bellamy’s door.

Bentley shrugged, looking down at his own lap, face burning a little from all the eyes. “He’s crying. Bellamy. I can feel his tears.”

A moment of quiet passed.

“Remind me not to cry myself to sleep anymore,” Rockie muttered, and Valor snickered, elbowing him lightly.

Varian tapped his fingertips on the table, near the crystals that were still sitting there. “I brought a bunch of board games. Why don’t we pick one and ask if he wants to come play? I was really scared my first year, too, so I can imagine what he’s thinking, especially since he’s the youngest in the dorm.”

Everyone shared eye contact, silently considering their options, and they seemed to get the sentiment — after all, they all had to have had a first year at Redwood, too, right?

“Yeah, go ahead,” Valor replied, his voice strangely gentle compared to what it had been earlier. Rockie reached over and shook Koa’s shoulder, with a not-so-gentle half-shout of get up, idiot, we’re playing a game!

Varian rose from his spot between Bentley and Asten and made his way to the little kitchen area, opening one of the cabinets, which was full of games instead of groceries. He pulled out a pile of brightly colored boxes and brought them back to the table, then made for Bellamy’s door.

The only game out of the, like, seven that Varian brought over that Bentley knew how to play was monopoly. There was one called Sorry, and one called Life, and one called Risk, and one called Chutes and Ladders. Bentley had never played any of those. He had to move his head to see the ones on the bottom, which the boxes revealed to be Candyland and Yahtzee. He didn’t know those either.

He glanced back up when Varian knocked softly on Bellamy’s bedroom door.

“Hey, there, Bell! My name is Varian. I’m just coming to tell you that we’re all about to play a board game together, if you want to join us,” He said with an audible smile. (He was really good at that.) “I’ll even save you the coolest pieces.”

Bentley closed his eyes and listened hard, everyone’s differing heartbeats thumping into his mind before he was able to single out Bellamy’s. It was…

… getting faster.

… and faster.

He swapped from the blood to the tears, which were also coming faster, bigger. He wasn’t crying anymore, he was sobbing. But he was silent all the same.

It was when Bellamy’s heart rate reached a solid hundred-and-forty that Bentley opened his eyes. “Varian, stop. It’s making it worse.”

Again, Bentley felt everyone's eyes. Varian immediately took a step back.

“Oh… okay. Well. Uh. If you change your mind, you can come out here with us,” He finalized, then moved away from the door hesitantly, eyes lingering there for a few moments.

Bentley frowned, glancing down at the table, keeping Bellamy’s heartbeat audible in the back of his mind.

Rockie frowned, too. “That sucks. My first year was rough, too,” He muttered, clicking his phone off and letting it drop to the table. “I hope he takes it better than I did.”

“Bellamy?” Koa asked with a yawn, glancing over at the door Varian was retreating from.

“Yeah, dude, we've been talking about this for, like, ten minutes. Wake up,” Valor replied. Koa rolled his eyes.

Bentley glanced over at Asten, who was looking at Bellamy’s door.

And suddenly, the heartbeat in the back of his mind was drowned out by something else — his phone ringing.

He glanced down, pulling the little device out of his pocket and glancing at the caller ID. He half expected Bruce, half expected Dick, maybe Tim. It wasn’t any of them.

It was Vera.

With a cringe, he hit the green button. 

Vera’s face appeared on the screen, and she was smiling slightly, her black and purple streaked hair tied up into these intricate looking braids. He could see a pair of bunk beds identical to his and Asten’s in the background. 

“Hey there, Red. Heard you’re in Aristotle,” She smiled brightly. In the background, Bentley heard a small voice say: hey, is that Bentley? And not a second later, Layla appeared on the screen, her blonde hair only halfway secured in a ponytail with a hair tie in her hand. “Hey!”

Bentley glanced up, and thankfully, only Asten and Varian were looking at him. Rockie and Valor were preoccupied with their own phones, and Koa was falling asleep again.

“Hey,” He replied, turning the volume down since they were basically yelling.

“We’re in Columbus, right next to you,” Vera smiled. “Let’s go do something.”

Bentley blinked. Girls asking him to go do something? Something like what? Something like leave his dorm something?

“What do you mean?”

Vera scoffed. “I mean they don’t take attendance on moving day, and you’ve never been to New York before. Let’s hit the city for a while.”

Bentley blinked, again. Just a bunch of kids going out into New York alone? The little Bruce in the back of his mind didn’t think that was a good idea.

“Oh come on, I can see all the hesitant on your face. You’re a big boy now. Bring some of your roommates, I’ll bring some of mine,” She smiled. Then she turned her head and yelled: “Georgia! Get Summer, we’re breaking out!”

It was that point that Asten leaned over, suddenly very, very interested. “Georgia?”

Vera glanced back at the camera. “Yeah, Georgia Vallie. She said she saw you guys at the diner the other day.” 

Bentley glanced up at Asten with a little smirk, and Asten looked back at him, narrowing his eyes. “I mean, if you’re going out into the city I can’t let you go alone.”

Bentley snickered. 

“I’ll go too. I love New York,” Varian said with a smile, bouncing a little in his seat. “What about you, Val?”

Valor shrugged. “Someones gotta stay here with the little guy,” He stated, pointing to Bellamy’s door. “Plus, it’s hot, and I can’t leave without my massive hoodie.”

Varian frowned. “Poo. Rockie?”

“Nah. Can't leave him alone or he’ll probably punch something,” He replied blankly, not glancing up from his phone. 

“Koa?” Varian asked, and when Koa didn’t budge, he shouted: “Koa!”

“What?” He grumbled back, lifting his head off the table.

“We’re going into the city with Summer. Wake up and get ready,” 

Koa grumbled again, but surprisingly, pulled himself off of the bench. Varian snickered, leaning in close to Bentley. “He has a massive crush on Summer.”

“Shut up, Var,” He muttered as he staggered toward their room.

“Everyone knows it!”

“So, is that a yes?” Vera questioned, and Bentley glanced back down at the screen, where she and Layla were smiling in anticipation.

Bentley silenced the little Bruce in his head that kept saying that wasn’t smart. He was a teenager now, right? And teenagers break rules and stuff. So it was normal. And normal was what he wanted.

“Where are we meeting?”

—

dedicated to @sassenashsworld ❤️

—

tag list! (If you want me to remove or add you, ask in comments!)

@fleur-alise @sarcopterygiian @flyrobinflyy @skylathescholar @gayboss-too-close-to-the-sun @xiaonothere @beatyoutothatusernameloser

#batfamily #batman #batboys #oc; bentley #oc; bentley whittaker #oc; asten #oc; asten evans #oc; varian bray #oc; varian #oc; valor #oc; valor torres #oc; koa mcclaine #oc; koa #oc; rockie winchester #oc; rockie #oc; bellamy callahan #oc; bellamy #oc; vera levante #oc; vera #oc; layla benjamin #oc; layla #oc; georgia vallie #oc; georgia #oc; summer mccall #oc; summer #mb; project: killcode #alfred pennyworth #bruce wayne #barbara gordon #oracle

[emptyblog7]

I'M FINALLY STARTING IT!!!

For those of you who might know, I had finished a set of three stories for my fan fic series which meshes scrapped ideas for Wish, my own ideas, and a game known as "Disney Dreamlight Valley" into one. Well, now, I finally had some motivation to start the next story in the series, and I wanted to show you a sneak peak of what I have so far.

Now, this writing process is going to take a while, like the others did (especially with school and work), but it will get done eventually. I hope you enjoy it!

@uva124 @rascalentertainments @chillwildwave @oh-shtars @signed-sapphire

DREAMLIGHT ADVENTURES: ETERNITY ISLE The Sands of Time

Phoenix adjusted the lens of her telescope before shifting the stand closer to the edge of the eastern ledge of the Frosted Heights. The winds up there were mild but still held onto a certain chill, revealing that, though the sun shone above her, winter was still upon the Valley. Her blue cardigan, however, shielded her from most of the chill, and the light of her ethereal wings provided some additional warmth. Once she was satisfied with the telescope’s position on the ledge, she straightened and let out a sigh of satisfaction. “There,” she breathed, “That should work nicely for tonight.” She then walked on towards the west side of the Heights, greeting passing Villagers as she went.

Almost a whole year had passed since she had married Yaron, her dearest friend and the High Prince over all Realms, and each month that had passed had been a joyous, one right after the other. Having someone else rule the Valley alongside her had shown to be an enormous blessing, especially since, in the time that had passed, more villagers had decided to come back to the Valley: Two strange monsters named Mike and Sully and Donald’s sweetheart, Daisy, were among those returning. As Phoenix walked casually down the incline that led to the Forest of Valor, she mused, “Our Valley has grown incredibly over this past year!” She smiled, “It’s so wonderful to see, especially now that—”

Right then, her eyes caught sight of someone jogging over to her. Looking ahead of her, her eyes brightened as she saw her Husband coming towards her. She greeted Him and quickened her stride, “Yaron!”

Yaron beamed and quickened His own gait until they met. They embraced each other tenderly, their wings interlocking with one another, and kissed before Yaron exclaimed, “Ah! Here you are, My dear!”

Phoenix tilted her head in confusion as they separated. “Did I miss something?”

Yaron smirked kindly. “You must’ve been so focused on your project that you forgot we were going to meet at the Glistening Lands a little earlier.”

Phoenix’ eyes widened as she remembered their discussion that morning. She facepalmed. “Oh dear!! I’m so sorry, Yaron!! I guess I was preoccupied with my little venture.”

Yaron chuckled as He hooked her arm around His and began walking with her out of the Forest. “It’s alright, Phoenix! At least now that I’ve found you, I can show you what I’ve been working on in those Lands.”

Phoenix relaxed as she let Yaron lead her on towards the Glistening Lands. During that morning, when they had discussed their meeting for later that day, Yaron had hinted at His project, and now, she was curious on exactly what it was.

As they walked up the Plateau’s incline, Phoenix stated, “I’ve been hoping to catch the eclipse that’s going to happen later tonight ever since Merlin revealed its occurrence to me a week ago, and I wanted to make sure that the telescope was perfectly aligned to where it was said to occur.”

Yaron hummed. “I remember your excitement over the news when you told Me that night.”

They came up the path that led to the Glistening Lands as Phoenix shrugged, “Well, before I came into Dreamlight Valley, there would often be news of an ‘eclipse coming to town’ and stores pushing these glasses for everyone to wear for it.” She then sighed, “But, I never was able to catch a glimpse of the occurrence.”

Yaron patted her hand in understanding as they rounded a bend. “Well, I’m glad you’ll get a chance to see an eclipse, My dear!” He swept His free hand out as He added, “And in a magical place to boot!”

Phoenix smiled in agreement before catching sight of something to her left. Her eyes widened as she gasped at the newest addition to the Glistening Lands. “What in this Realm?!”

A large fountain made of a bright blue rock stood towards the side of the Lands. The fountain had an oval base and was crowned with an arch that spanned the entirety of the base, and from its peak, the clearest and brightest liquid flowed down and into a small, rocky basin that was conjoined to the fountain. Next to the fountain stood a lone side table, holding a simple chalice.

Yaron smiled at His wife’s amazement as He led her closer to the fountain. Once there, He explained, “Ever since these Lands were restored, I have been wanting to add a structure that would both epitomize the Lands’ current state as well as be the most beneficial to our Villagers.” He gestured to the fountain. “And this is what has come out of that—The Guilded Fountain.”

Phoenix placed her hand along the Fountain’s arch and asked, “’The Guilded Fountain’?”

Yaron nodded before taking the chalice and placing it under the stream of water coming out of the Fountain. As He did, He continued, “This Fountain produces a pure liquid that even transcends the purest form of water in the Realms and has its source in My home, the High Realm. Because of this, only those who respect Me can both see and partake of the Fountain.” When the chalice was filled, He brought it to Phoenix and added, “Those who drink of it, will be blessed with immortality and will have access to My home in the future.”

Phoenix was dumbfounded as she received the chalice. She looked at Yaron in shock at His description, and He nodded in urging for her to drink her fill. Smiling, she took a breath and drank from the chalice.

As the liquid entered her system, Phoenix noticed how fresh and crisp it was going down her throat. It refreshed her body and her entire being, and she felt the deepest parts of her soul were being strengthened, and even her wings brightened. Once she was finished, Phoenix exhaled in amazement. Yaron, who was watching this development, beamed excitedly.

Phoenix handed the chalice back to Yaron—who in turn put it back on the table—and embraced her husband. Yaron received her with a smile as Phoenix said, “Thank You, Yaron! This was an amazing surprise!!”

After squeezing her affectionately, Yaron answered, “You are welcome, My dear!!”

“Yaron! Phoenix!”

The two of them turned to see Aster and Asha meeting them from the other side of the Glistening Lands. As Yaron and Phoenix separated, Aster and Asha closed the distance between them as Phoenix greeted, “Good afternoon, you two!! What brings you here?”

Asha answered, “Well, we were wondering if you two would like to join us for lunch at Remy’s Restaurant. The mouse has quite a few new specials today, and we thought you would like to try them with us.”

Aster was about to add to that before he caught sight of the new Fountain. He exclaimed, “This is new!”

Both Phoenix and Yaron laughed at his surprise before Yaron explained, “It’s the Guilded Fountain, Aster! I just finished it a bit ago. Perhaps you’ve heard of it?”

Aster recollected, “I remember hearing Lady Elwyn speaking of it back when I was a star, but…” he turned back to the Fountain and added in amazement, “I never thought I’d see it in person!”

Asha gushed, “It’s beautiful!!!”

Phoenix was excited about the fact that her friends could see the Fountain, and Yaron had a twinkle in His eye as He went to fill the chalice up for them. Once it was filled, He handed it to them and urged, “Drink your fill, My friends. I will refill as needed.”

Asha and Aster accepted the gift thankfully and drank their fill, feeling the same sensation Phoenix felt when she drank of the Fountain. As she watched, Phoenix thought to herself, “I hope more of our Villagers will see and drink of this amazing gift!”

FINAL THOUGHTS FOR NOW...

I'm working on more of this first part as we speak, but this is probably the most cohesive part of it I could post here as a sneak peek. For those who know the game, I am expanding my story into the DLC, i.e. Eternity Isle and its story "Rift in Time". Obviously, my story will be different enough so that it isn't just solely relying on the game's story, but it will serve as inspiration and the general backbone of my next three stories (yes, it seems I do everything in threes). Thanks for taking the time to read this sneak peek!

#disney wish #dreamlight valley #fan fiction

[offbranddrpepsi]

Chamber X Clove pt 1.

fuck it we ball Pt 1: Here Pt 2: There Ongoing ___________________________

How many times had they dangled between the thin membrane that was the line between life and death? It seemed endless. The space between wasn’t cold or scary, it was rather welcoming and warm. A stereo gram of each significant moment in their life that played for them just when death was trying to catch them. The sad and happy creating the perfect storybook as they skipped along. But a breath in the world of the living was a lifetime at the boundary. It was exhilarating but it had it’s costs. When death no longer mattered you lived recklessly, carelessly. Each moment with someone felt near meaningless at times. If you could just relive it, why focus on the details in the moment? Why care what someone thought or how you presented? To say it made interactions shallow was an understatement. There was also the looming threat of out living everyone you’d ever know, never knowing when you’d truly die and would finally fall over the edge.

Maybe this was all why Clove had been so willing to throw themselves in the line of fire. To throw their life away for another that just so happened to lead them to a new group of faces who needed their burden as if it was a gift. Their joy was infectious. Their vibrancy for life seemed to be appreciated here more than it ever had. So Clove had started calling Valorant and it’s collection of misfits home. Everything was so exciting to them, even the current task of moving their scarce collection of possessions into their room. Everyone was also exciting and very friendly, even the scarier agents like Fade and Reyna. They’d even embrace Clove’s love of dungeons and dragons, some of the others even being into it themselves. Of course some of the agents were also less exciting. Cypher acted all goofy and friendly but didn’t talk about himself or understand the ‘youths’ well. Sova was super friendly but also super super stuffy sometimes but not nearly as stuffy as Viper. Chamber was the definition of a suit, a corporate jack off that in another life would call the polis on them for trespassing on what was clearly public property. But something that couldn’t be sneered at was just how diverse and colorful everyone here was. Clove loved it and couldn’t wait to get to know everyone more.

As the little butterfly fluttered down the hallway from their still not fully unpacked room and to the cafeteria slash dining room slash they didn’t know what everyone actually called it but Sage said it was were they ate, they were entirely lost in their own head. As such it was a surprise when they nearly tripped over another human, only staying upright due to the size of them compared to Clove. Ugly tie, weird buttons, Chamber! Chamber had smacked into them and acted as a sort of wall to stop their descent to the freshly waxed ground. “Ayeeeee,” Clove hissed out similarly to when one would touch a hot pan. " Sorry, too excited over some grub, thank you for graciously stopping my descent!” And without even waiting for Chamber’s response they were off once again.

Chamber was far too used to the new hyper agents that called the protocol home. Gekko was more than enough on most days, Iso was getting there, and Phoenix had been there since he’d joined. The sniper wasn’t exactly opposed to those of more ‘active’ nature than his own, but it was very unpredictable which meant it required extra thinking. Chamber was a master of thinking on his feet, expecting the unexpected, but when it was a loud chattery ball of energy in his face that was a different story. He could talk his way around them but they frequently backed him into a corner both verbally and literally. Jett was one that loved nothing more than to catch him just when he was leaving the workshop, trapping him at the dead end that was the engineering wings hallway. One day it was asking him what he was doing, another it was pestering him to cook for her, one time she had even made him fix a hole in her hoodie, absolutely refusing to let him go to bed without doing so at the threat of tears. The other agents pestering didn’t annoy him, but it did inconvenience him more often than not. With each new addition was another new impression and the chance to make a valuable connection, but with how broad Valorants recruitment standards were it made it hard to prepare for new additions in his routine.

The newest agent, as far as he was aware with their brief mission together, was another such up beat individual. The one thing that set the vibrant agent apart was that, despite lacking combat experience, they seemed to throw caution to the wind. Chamber absolutely avoided getting shot, even with people like Sage or Skye around, but Clove seemed to consider it an inevitability, something that was going to happen so it might as well happen now. Every shot, be it from him or at him, mattered for Chamber but Clove? Clove could miss every shot and would be just as happy as they were when they were talking Gekko’s ear off. It made sense why they were placed on a team with Chamber, but it was also a liability he still needed to adjust to.

Chamber was rarely the head of missions, Viper didn’t trust him enough, so when ever he did get the honor of doing so he knew it was testing something or someone. He was strategic, calculated, had years of experience in the field, and that unfortunately made him perfect to get stuck with inexperienced new recruits. Deadlock had been an absolute treat to work with and to help get up to speed. The woman had even gone through the proper route to request a custom weapon from him, something he was more than happy to accommodate given her attitude as well as honesty. If only more newbies could be like her and less like the chaos that was at least half of the Protocol.When Clove had thrown them self in front of his scope and in the way of a waiting bullet with a smile it had shocked him. When Clove had come crashing into him on his was back to his room it had not. Little horns almost jabbed his chest as they ran into him with a dull thud. Bright blue eyes shinned up at him with a goofy smile that could put Raze to shame before buzzing off just as quickly as they had collided. Chamber could only shake his head and sigh, adjusting his tie as he continued on his way. What was a tiny annoyance was that the new agents kept being placed closer and closer to his own dwelling. When he joined everyone was somewhat spaced out but had agents with similar jobs clustered in the same general area. Four doors down was Killjoy, at the very front of the hall was Sage, Cypher lived in his office but Chamber was sure his room was nestled some where, and Deadlocks room was mirroring Killjoys. Chamber was blissfully shoved at the end of the hall in a slightly larger than normal room per his request to accommodate his various tools and equipment. When Gekko arrived he was placed originally only two rooms away from Chamber but was moved else where when his ‘little buddies’ started trying to chew through walls and invade the vacant rooms. Clove had been placed with a mere one room buffer between them and Chamber. Chamber valued his peace when he could get it and by the day that seemed less and less likely to ever happen again. Clove had been loud when they moved in, they were loud when they moved about, it nearly made him miss when Raze would sneak to Killjoy’s room at the odd hours of the morning. Of course any of his complaints could and would be written off due to Clove still settling in and Chamber being, well, Chamber.

Entering his room Chamber was met with blissful silence. First off was his tie and then vest, not fully changing into his lounge wear but still freeing himself some so he could relax. It was only noon so he was sure the bundle of energy that was their newest agent would be back sooner than later which meant a nap was off the table. He could read or he could throw relaxing out the window and instead go to the firing range, maybe he could even reserve one of the baths for a soak and stew. As his mind considered the options he had drifted off which only allowed his previous worries to come to fruition. With a loud whistle and a bang of something falling over, Clove made their way back to their room the automatic door muffling the sound of a slew of curses none of which he understood but that the tone conveyed was something said in rage.

With his too short nap cut even more short Chamber decided the firing range would be his best bet to both waste time and let off steam. Placing his vest back on as well as his tie he grabbed the weapon case that was mounted on his wall, slinging it over his shoulder as he left his room. Passing Cloves door he heard their music bleeding through into the hall, it only encouraging him to walk faster as he started to realize he recognized it a bit too well for his liking.

#valorant #chamber valorant #clove valorant #valorant fanfiction #chamber x clove

[the-phantom-author]

I just found your account, and as a Hasan enjoyer, I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE your writing and stories 🥹💜

For the request, hear me out on this!!!

Pre-relationship: you’re a gaming streamer who’s streamed with Pokimane/Ludwig/Sykkuno etc (not super familiar with who Hasan games with since I’ve mostly watched his politics/true crime stuff). You mostly stream cozy games, but have been known to pop off on Valorant, Among Us, and Dead by Daylight when invited to play.

Since you’re a gaming channel, you don’t talk about much outside of that, but you’re actually super knowledgeable on politics/leftism/current events/history and other more serious topics Hasan covers. Very few members of your audience have picked up on it, and your streaming friends never go in depth on it since they usually get caught up in gameplay/don’t know as much about it (nothing malicious ofc!!!)

One day, Lugwig decides to host another Among Us stream and he invites you and Hasan to join. You and Hasan haven’t officially met at this point. Sure, you’re mutuals on social media and have common friends, but you have never talked to each other and aren’t really familiar with the content the other makes.

During the game, Hasan makes a comment on an ongoing political problem (“This is worse than the don’t say gay bill! How dare you betray me!” or something similar). You add onto the joke in a way where he just KNOWS you know a lot about the topic. The rest of the stream has both you and Hasan making similar jokes, to the point Lugwig jokingly bans you both from making them.

After that, you and Hasan start talking wayyy more. You guys start texting each other, watch the other’s content, and pop in to the other’s stream from time to time. One day, Hasan invites you to react to a right-wing grifter and everyone gets a whole new look into your knowledge on subjects Hasan covers. Not only that, but the chemistry between you and Hasan shines through; keeping up with his points, same type of humor, etc etc.

From there, just a slow burn friends to lovers where everyone can see you both just fit together well and AHHHHHHHH CUTE SHIT 🥹🥹🥹

Thank you for reading this, i am brain rotted by Hasan 😤✨

NONNY!!! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!!!

This is the cutest. The slow burn strangers to friends to lovers.

The way I know Hasan would love to show you off. Like he knows that you don't think that your stream is the best place to do political commentary, but his is so he loves having you on his.

#i am obsessed nonny #obsessed #hasanabi x reader #hasan x reader #hasanabi #streamer!gf #🦦

[glasskey]

THT : A Gothic Fairy tale Pt 3

I’ve been digging down into THT fairy tale themes and tropes and last time I discussed our villains, this time we’ve got the Hero and the Quest. Let’s get started.

There’s no debate sitting around in the Waterfords tower prison can be boring AF, but the view DOES include the resident servant boy Nick who’s a bit of alright, so it’s not all bad.

Nick actually has several roles throughout; apart from lowly serf and handsome prince, he also plays the galant Knight and faithful guide. In classic literature his characters job is primarily to fall in love with, rescue and run off with the maiden. However the real world can be kind of shitty so while Nick does fall in love, it’s with another mans wife. When he tries his best to rescue the maiden it all goes sideways and she refuses to leave. While he dreams of running away with her, he’s trapped and forced to make the best of it.

This destruction of classic idealism and conservative constructs has purpose, THT seeks to portray a reversal of conventional gender roles as a statement against outdated tropes, therefore we’re given a fiercely independent protagonist and a deeply flawed Prince who requires some rescuing of his own. Prince’s are meant to be brave and strong, a “hero” if you will, Nicks not. Far from being the ideal picture of valor, he’s broken and a coward when she meets him, it’s only with her assistance that he gains the mettle required to fight Gilead.

In classic tales this character always undergoes some kind of transformation into a much “better” version of themselves, for example Nick was poor now he’s wealthy, Nick was a servant, now he has power, Nick was a coward, now he’s brave etc….say hello to the hot AF frog ala handsome prince. Fast forward to end of season 5 when THT goes full Sleeping Beauty and Nick does this:

Nicks not the only one undergoing transformation, our “helpless” maiden gradually becomes the bane of her captors existence. June’s mother Holly reprimands her for marrying and not joining the fight against the patriarchy, but the darkness of Gilead transforms our fair maiden into everything her mother envisioned for her: a warrior with iron like fortitude. Traditional constructs would determine that Nick be the hero of this story, but conventional gender roles have been flipped, thus this role belongs to June. Hero’s are usually given a quest, all this one has to do is survive and manipulate the inner workings of a deadly patriarchal right wing authoritarian state, so that she can retrieve her daughters, free her country and be reunited with the love of her life….simple.

Never one to rest on her laurels, June is so diligent in her efforts to retrieve Hannah, that the pseudo parents actually up and leave town, yes that’s right June made a High Commander and his family move house….to the country. Interestingly each of June’s children languishes in separate countries as do Nick and June, a small part of one another for each of them to hold close, like two halves of a heart.

From her red riding hood cape to her Rapunzel locks, June is more nightmare made manifest than fairy tale, to her captors. The red hood used in Red Riding Hood was a metaphor for the beginning of women’s journey into womanhood and sexual awakening. June’s red hood represents passion, death and the cycle of life.

Like most tales, references to things forbidden or hidden find their genesis in existing taboos. June’s hair is part of her physicality intrinsically tied to her consent and freedom. In Rapunzel the maiden lets her hair down voluntarily for her suitor and on demand for her captor and so it is for June. In S1 June takes down her hair and throws it back as she makes love to Nick. At the start of Jezebels her hair cascades down her shoulders freely as she watches him sleep, later Fred takes her hair down himself before taking her to Jezebels and raping her. In S3 as June runs to Nick in the snow, her hair streams out freely behind her. Its forbidden that Nick sees it, just as it’s forbidden he touch her.

In captivity June doesn’t have a choice but to grow her hair, her terms of imprisonment state that she doesn’t have access to scissors. So when Nick hands her scissors and tells her to cut her hair, it demonstrates the beginning of her freedom and not only his role in its realisation but also his understanding of the terms of her captivity. He gives her new clothes, she sheds her handmaids robe and ear tag and burns her hair along with them.

It seems almost inevitable that given the plight of her suitors and the shifting dynamics of our traditional tropes, our protagonist will be busy in the coming season performing some much needed rescuing of her own. The fairy tale theme seems a perfect backdrop to THT as Gilead’s fascist regime is intent on the perpetuation of trad idealism. However June Osborne is the type of woman that leads a nation, incites devotion and kills conventional endings stone cold dead.

#june osborne #hulu streaming #june x nick #nick x june #max minghella #nick blaine #osblaine #elisabeth moss #bruce miller #hulu series #tv series #fairy tale aesthetic #fairy tale vibes #brothers grimm #gothic aesthetic #the handmaid's tale #handmaid's tale #handmaid's on hulu #hulu tv

[ancicntforged]

"I survived because the fire inside me burned brighter than the fire around me."

-Ignis

General Info:

Name: Ignis Title: Spear of Valor Nickname: Blazing Knight Occupation: Knight of Favonius Affiliation: Mondstadt Age: 24+ Race: Human Gender: Female Height: 178 cm Eye Color: Blue Hair Color: Gold-Blone Vision: Pyro Weapon: Polearm Misc: Is stupid acrobatic.

Personality:

Ignis, known throughout some of Teyvat as the Spear of Valor, is someone of immense courage and an unyielding sense of justice. Her personality, much like the element she wields, is one of of fierce determination and unexpected warmth. To those who face her in battle, Ignis presents an indomitable spirit, her presence as commanding as the flames at her command. Yet, this strength is tempered by a depth of compassion and empathy, qualities that have been forged in the solitude of her many trials and the battles she has endured alone. Her journey has imbued her with a profound understanding of loyalty, the cost of trust, and the deep scars left by loss, shaping her into someone who fiercely protects those under her wing.

Despite her formidable exterior, Ignis possesses a warmth that endears her to those few who manage to see beyond her armor. She is fiercely loyal, her commitments are unbreakable, offering her trust sparingly but with unwavering sincerity. Ignis is a woman of few words, choosing instead to listen and offer counsel that reflects the wisdom gleaned from her experiences. In rare moments of vulnerability, she shares reflections on her past and her aspirations, revealing a quest not just for victory in battle but for a sense of peace that has long eluded her.

The misfortunes Ignis has faced so far haven't embittered her; instead they honed her empathy, driving her to fight not for personal glory, but for a vision of peace. Her laughter, though rarely heard, is a reminder of the joy that persists in the world, a testatement to the resilience of the indomitable human spirit amidst the abyss.

Yet beneath her valor and victories lies a restlessness. A yearning for a respite that remains just beyond reach. This inner conflict keeps propelling Ignis into the fray, her every victory a step towards the peace she seeks for herself and the people she defends. It's this blend of indomitable will, warmth and introspective pursuit of peac ethat makes Ignis a fantastic warrior.

Backstory:

The story of Ignis begins in the vast expanse of Mondstad, where the wind sings of freedom and adventure. She was born to a family of renowned artisans known for their exquisite metalwork and intricate designed inspired by the seven elements. Her childhood was steeped in the tales of heroes and the legends of old, her imagination kindled by the stories of those who wielded Visions with grace and power.

Growing up in the bustling heart of Mondstadt, Ignis' life can be described well with all the simply joys and the unbreakable bonds of community. Her days were filled with laughter, the clanging of her parents' force, and the soft whispers of the wind, carrying tales of distant lands and ancient battles. From a young age, Ignis was fascinated by the Knights of Favonius, their noble deeds and the valor they embodied. Yet her aspiration to join their ranks wasn't born of tragedy or loss, but from a pure, unadulaterated esire to stand among those who protected the city she loved with her every heartbeat.

Her journey wasn't marked by the pursuit of redemption, nor the burden of a tragic past, but by a relentless quest for excellence and the determination to forge her own path. Her parents were supportive of her dreams and encouraged Ignis to explore the depths of her passion in the flickering flames of her family's forge. It is here that Ignis discovered her affinity for fire, a connection that felt as natural as breathing. The fire spoke to her in a language of strength and resilience, moments later she was granted a Pyro Vision.

Her dedication to mastering the Pyro Element was matched only by her commitment to physical training, understanding early on that the path to becoming a Knight of Favonius was paved with not just elemental prowess, but the strength of body and spirit. Mondstad, with the ethos of freedom and valor, provided the perfect backdrop for her to test her limits, her eevery achievement celebrated by her family that had nurtured her.

When the time came for Igis to join the Knights of Favonius, her application and test was passed with flying colors. During the trials she showcased not only her courage of fire, but the depth of her courage and breadth of her ambition. To the knights, she seemed like a prodigy, her spirit as vibrant as the flames she wielded, earning herself the nickname of Blazing Knight, from her passion and warmth she brought to every endeavor.

Presently, Ignis finds herself amidst a long-overdue vacation, a rare respite from her tireless dedication to duty. Jean, the Acting Grand Master, insisting on upon this overdue break, with Ignis reluctantly agreeing to it due to the irony and realizing she has indulged in a handful of days off during holidays over the past decade. This particular situation finds her torn between her enduring commitment to knightly responsibilities and the growing desire to unwind and rejuvenate, to enjoy her freedom. Thus, Ignis embarks on a journey beyond the confines of Mondstadt, deciding to go adventure in distant lands.

Abilities & Weapons:

Pyre's Reach is a masterfully crafted polearm, its design as striking as the flames it channels. The shaft is made from rare, ember-toned wood, coated in a shimmering resin, while the spearhead is forged from a fiery alloy that seems to glow with an inner light. Engraved with ancient runes of power and protection, the weapon resonates with Ignis's Pyro vision, its edges igniting with every swing, mirroring her fiery resolve. In battle, it is not just a weapon but an extension of Ignis's fiery will.

Normal Attack: Ember Strike

Normal Attack: Ignis performs up to a 5-hit combo with her polearm, each strike igniting the air with a trail of sparks.

Charged Attack: Ignis consumes a portion of stamina to lunge forward, dealing damage to all enemies in her path.

Plunging Attack: From mid-air, Ignis dives to strike the ground below, damaging enemies along the path and dealing AoE damage upon impact.

Elemental Skill: Flamecaller's Dance

Ignis sweeps her polearm in a wide arc, summoning a ring of fire that deals Pyro damage to all nearby enemies. If the skill button is held, she channels the flame into "Pyre's Reach", empowering her next five normal attacks with additional Pyro damage.

Elemental Burst: Phoenix's Descent

Ignis calls upon the might of the legendary firebird, unleashing a powerful surge of Pyro energy that cascades forward in a magnificent wave. Enemies hit by the wave are dealt significant Pyro damage and are marked with "Ashen Brand," which increases the damage they take from Ignis's attacks for a short duration.

Passive Talents:

Inferno's Momentum: After using Flamecaller's Dance, Ignis gains a 20% Pyro damage bonus for her normal and charged attacks for 7 seconds.

Ember's Guard: When Ignis's HP falls below 30%, she gains a Pyro shield that absorbs damage up to 15% of her max HP. This effect can only occur once every 15 seconds.

Trailblazer's Flame: Ignis's charged attacks do not consume stamina for 5 seconds after using Phoenix's Descent.

Other Skills:

Ignis has honed her body to the peak of human capability, making her exceptionally adept at jumping and climbing. Her natural athleticism allows her to reach higher ground with ease, and she can scale cliffs and walls faster than her peers. This ability is particularly useful for navigating the vertical landscapes of Teyvat.

In combat, Ignis's movements are a fluid blend of attack and evasion, allowing her to gracefully dodge enemy blows. Her acrobatic skills enable her to perform a series of quick dodges and rolls that make her a difficult target while setting her up for counterattacks.

Ignis's agility is not just physical but also tactical. She has a unique ability to read the battlefield and react instantaneously, granting her a split-second advantage to reposition or strike precisely where it counts.

Years of rigorous training have given Ignis an extraordinary level of endurance. She can sprint for longer durations without tiring, maintaining her speed and agility even after others have been forced to slow down.

Ignis has developed keen senses, particularly her sight and hearing, which allow her to detect the presence of enemies even beyond normal visual and auditory ranges.

Trivia:

-Ignis possesses an intuitive understanding of fire and its properties, allowing her to manipulate flames outside of combat situations. With a simple touch or focused concentration, she can ignite small fires for cooking, warmth, or illumination, even under adverse conditions. This ability also grants her the skill to control the intensity and direction of flames, making her invaluable in survival situations or when faced with environmental challenges.

-Ignis holds herself to incredibly high standards and can be overly critical of her own performance. She strives for perfection in everything she does, whether it's in combat, crafting, or leadership. While this drive for excellence pushes her to continually improve and excel, it can also lead to feelings of frustration and self-doubt when she falls short of her own expectations, causing her undue stress and anxiety.

-Despite her strategic mind and tactical acumen, Ignis can sometimes act on impulse, especially in the heat of battle or when faced with situations that trigger strong emotions. Her passion and fiery nature can cloud her judgment, causing her to rush into situations without fully considering the consequences. While this impulsiveness can fuel her bravery and determination, it can also lead to reckless behavior and put herself and others in danger.

-Ignis's unwavering determination and strong sense of conviction can sometimes manifest as stubbornness. Once she has made up her mind about something, she can be resistant to changing course, even when presented with evidence or advice that suggests an alternative approach. This stubborn streak can lead to conflicts with others and occasionally result in her making decisions that may not be in her best interest.

-Beneath her confident exterior lies a deep-seated fear of failure. Ignis feels a tremendous pressure to live up to the expectations placed upon her as a Knight of Favonius and as a protector of Mondstadt. The thought of letting down her comrades or being unable to fulfill her duties weighs heavily on her mind, driving her to push herself to the limit and sometimes neglecting her own well-being in the process.

-Ignis's relentless drive and high expectations for herself can leave her susceptible to burnout. She may push herself too hard, neglecting her own physical and emotional needs in pursuit of her goals. This can lead to exhaustion, diminished performance, and a sense of disillusionment with her own abilities.

-Underneath her confident exterior, Ignis may struggle to express vulnerability or ask for help when she needs it. She may fear that showing weakness will make her appear incompetent or undermine herself. This reluctance to open up to others can strain her relationships and prevent her from receiving the support she needs during challenging times.

#;Spear of Valor | Ignis #long post #bio #about #profile

[tabsters]

SOMEONE LIKE ME (CHAP. 23) - A STARGLASS ZODIAC X ZODIAC EXPERIMENT CROSSOVER

i think this might be the longest chapter yet oops

previous chapter is here

next chapter is TBA

masterpost is here

tagging @mythicalmagical-monkeyman @hyperfixation-tangentopia @maiawhimsicalt and @sweet-star-cookie

The vine-lights in the theater dimmed. Music began to softly play from all around them—hidden speakers, Ciara assumed. The music began to build, began to grow, and when the piece had hit its peak, the curtains flared open.

"This is a tale of wisdom!" An actor ran up onto the stage, dressed in all blue—he looked like a bard. He was holding a lyre, and he strummed as he ran.

"Of courage!" A knight in fully-clad golden armor ran up as well, dragging a sword behind him. His boots clank-clank-clanked on the wooden stage as he went.

"Of compassion!" A woman, draped in one of the gorgeous rainbow dresses Ciara had seen earlier, made her way up as well, placing her hands on the bard and knight's shoulders.

"This is the tale of Asteria!" All three shouted, pointing their hands upwards, towards something—a window? Ciara looked up as well, finding a glass window stained with rainbow colors, depicting a woman with her eyes closed.

/Is she like the equivalent of Eclipse?/ Ciara thought, remembering the stories Capricorn had told her. 

The bard and the queen ran off the stage, and another voice—the narrator, probably—began speaking.

"Our story begins with a knight," The voice said, as the knight drew his sword. "One day, after his duties, he found an injured animal. This knight's valor knew no bounds, and so he went off to offer his aid."

"Upon further investigation, he discovered it was a mythical pegasus!"

An actual pink pegasus clip-clopped onto the stage, her flank covered in blood—or no, red paint. She stumbled to her knees, her wings fluttering, whinnying in pain. Two actors dressed as bears chased after her.

"Oh! Beautiful creature, who has hurt you?!" The knight shouted, rushing forward. "Fear not! I shall aid you!" 

"The knight rushed forward, slaying the ugly bears that were tormenting the pegasus!" The knight drew his sword and pretended to stab the bears—more red paint oozed out of the fake wounds. 

"The knight withdrew a flask full of orange liquid, tipping it down the pegasus' throat! After a few moments, the pegasus' eyes fluttered open."

"Oh, brave knight!" The pegasus said, her voice bright and melodic. "I thank you!" She rose to her feet and trotted in a circle around the knight before flapping her wings and running off the stage.

"Wait!" The knight cried, reaching his hand out hesitantly. "O' great beast, who are you?! What are you?!" 

"But the great pegasus had already departed," The narrator droned as the knight walked off the stage. "The knight went off on his way, dejected, but he never forgot the beauty of the great creature."

"Many moons passed, and the pegasus was thought to be just a figment of the knight's mind. Nobody would believe him." The knight reappeared, this time with a bunch of townsfolk. He gesticulated vigorously, trying to convince the people of his tale. "Nobody believed him. They all thought him a fool."

"That is, until one day." The knight and townspeople went off in different directions, and the curtains dropped. When they rose once more, the bard dressed in blue was standing there, playing his lyre. 

"Hark! Hear the birds sing!" The bard sang. "This piece I dedicate to the beauty of nature itself! Even the beauty of humans cannot compare!" 

He began playing a beautiful piece, first playing a tune that mimicked the sounds of the birds chirping. Then he switched to a melody that sounded like the flowing of a river—calm, and tranquil. 

In the background, the shadow of the pegasus lurked once more. She began to sniffle, then cry, then full-out sob.

"Oh!" The bard whirled around, startled. He saw the pegasus' crying form, and rushed over. "Pardon me! Have I disturbed you with my song? I apologize. I shall go—"

"No!" The pegasus cried, wiping her tears with her wings. "No, your song...it was beautiful! These are tears of joy, you see! For it is so rare now to find souls that truly appreciate the blessings of nature."

"Is that so?" The bard began to pluck at the strings of his lyre again. "Would you like to hear more?"

"Yes!" The pegasus squealed, still shedding tears of joy. /Damn, this pegasus can really act well./ "Such dulcet tones have never been heard before!"

The bard kept playing, and the pegasus watched, enraptured. The tones shifted continuously, evoking every feeling from the peace of relaxing in the shade to the excitement of running through the forest.

When the bard's performance was done, the pegasus stood up. "I must depart. Goodbye, lover of the forest! We might meet again, we might not! I bid you farewell!" 

"Wait!" The bard shouted, running after the pegasus. "Come back! You mustn't leave so quickly—you're the only one that appreciates my music!"

"And so, many more moons passed. The bard began writing more tales, tales about the pegasus." The bard walked off the stage and then walked back on, now singing for a group of townspeople. "The people thought him delusional, and turned their backs on him. Nobody would listen to him." The townspeople began scolding the bard—one of them even threw a tomato at him. Ciara giggled. 

"One ordinary day, the knight was taking a stroll through the market, looking for something to eat." The set pieces changed, and it was then Ciara noticed the spirit moving them—a man with purplish skin and wavy black hair and a purple horn on his forehead. "When he heard the bard, singing the tales of the pegasus."

"O' great beast, where'er you are!" The bard sang, dodging the tomatoes being thrown at him. "Your great wings and beauty shall ne'er—hey! That was a perfectly good pie!" The fake pie splattered on the ground behind him, causing Ciara to stifle her laughter with her fists. 

"Excuse me!" The knight in golden armor ran towards the bard hurriedly. 

The bard scoffed, his blue robes waving in the wind. "If you're here to insult me, just go! I've endured enough slander for one day!" 

"No, no!" The knight rushed up to the bard. "Do you sing of a mythical pegasus? If so—I've seen the beast you sing of!"

"The bard's eyes widened with curiosity."

"You're not pulling my leg, are you?" The bard sprang to his feet. "You are a member of the royal army! Take me to visit the queen, for with both of our accounts, she will surely believe us!"

"The knight was less enthusiastic."

"You saw how those people acted." The knight shuffled back and forth. "They think us lunatics! What might the queen say if she heard our story?"

"Noooooo, she'll believe you!" Ciara whispered as the bard continued to try to convince the knight to join his cause. Capricorn smiled over at her.  

"What good will visiting the queen do?" The knight asked, still unsure. "What will she be able to do?"

"She will be able to issue a royal proclamation!" The bard danced around, strumming his lyre. "And with her aid, we will be able to see the pegasus again!"

"In the end, the bard managed to convince the knight to escort him to the palace to meet the queen." The props changed, and now a throne with the woman in the rainbow dress sitting in it was wheeled up. 

Both the knight and bard kneeled before the queen. "My Queen," The knight spoke up. "A winged horse has been sighted in the kingdom. She was there one moment and then gone the next. And this beautiful creature could /talk/."

"She would bring much joy to our people if only we could see her again!" The bard exclaimed dramatically. "My Queen, please help us! Issue a declaration, and help us find this pegasus!"

"The queen rested her head on her chin, lost in thought."

"What does this winged horse look like?" She asked, slowly, surprised but without malice. "I would like to know what I am searching for." 

The bard waved his hands about wildly. "A lovely pink hue, the color of roses just bloomed, with wavy chestnut hair and magnificent wings—"

"The pegasus was pink." The knight summarized. "With a brown mane and large wings."

The queen sat up, straighter, her eyes going wide. "A pink pegasus, you say?" 

Both the knight and bard nodded, and the queen stood up suddenly. "I've been having dreams as of late. This...this pegasus calls out to me, beckons me. She tells me she will lead me to my destiny!" 

"Later that night, the pegasus visited all three of them as they dreamt," The narrator said as all three of them walked off. "She told them of a great prophecy, and that the journey they were about to embark on would alter the very fabric of the universe."

"And so, the three of them, the knight, the bard, and the queen, set off on an adventure the next day, to find the legendary pegasus. Along the way, they faced many challenges."

"Their first challenge was a duo of vicious beasts, the Chimaera and the Manticore. They guarded a bridge, one that was essential for progression." 

Two actors, one dressed in black, the other in white, advanced towards them. They had masks of beasts, giant wings, and tails swinging behind them. The knight unsheathed his sword, stepping in front of the bard and queen. 

"The knight slayed them easily, with his bravery and courage."

The knight swung his sword gracefully, arcing it through the air and slamming it into the Chimaera's head. The Chimaera fell, and the Manticore snarled in defense. The knight backed up, and then with a leap that would've impressed even Cygnus (the best ballet dancer in her Astral Plane), struck the Manticore with a devastating blow. 

"Woo hoo!" Ciara whisper-shouted, clapping quietly. 

"Their next challenge was another monster—much stronger the Chimaera or the Manticore. It was the great Minotaur, and it was far too powerful, even for the knight. He was guarding the way to a great labyrinth that our heroes needed to pass through. He could not be beaten with sheer power, so the bard devised a clever tactic to bypass him." 

An actor with a highly realistic bull head lumbered onto the stage, carrying an axe. The knight started forward, sword drawn, but the queen stopped him. The bard began gently strumming a lullaby on his lyre, singing softly, and the Minotaur sprang to attention. 

The beast began to stomp around, his feet shaking the ground with every step. However, the bard's playing and singing was skilled indeed, as the Minotaur's movements began to become sluggish, and then he collapsed, snoring. 

"Clever bastard," Ciara murmured, nodding in approval. 

"The heroes tip-toed past the minotaur, completely unharmed thanks to the bard's wisdom. In the heart of the labyrinth, there lay the final monster that our heroes needed to best—the legendary Medusa."

An actress, skin painted vibrant green, with a snake tail replacing her lower half, slithered across the stage floor. Her wig consisted of many small, hyper-realistic fake snakes, hissing as she made her way across. 

"Too skilled to be defeated in combat, too clever to be outsmarted, it seemed our heroes were at a loss as to how to proceed. But the ever-empathetic queen figured out a way."

The queen valiantly approached the monstress, sweeping her shawl off her shoulders and delicately placing around on Medusa's neck. The queen then bowed deeply, and Medusa raised her hands to her mouth.

"Yes, girlboss," Ciara said quietly, and Scorpio shot her a weird look. 

"And so, touched by the queen's compassion, Medusa allowed the heroes passage to the top of the labyrinth, where they found a magnificent temple. Inside, they found..."

"The pegasus?" Ciara whispered.

"The great pegasus."

"Warriors!" The pegasus trilled. "You have persevered through the challenges set before you, just as the prophecy foretold!"

"A soldier, carrying a mighty sword." The knight stood to attention, placing his hand on his sword. 

"A poet, whose weapon is his words." The bard strummed his lyre, flashing the audience a smile.

"And a ruler, whose brow is laid in thorn." The queen nodded, fixing her crown. 

"Your journey has been long and arduous, and your reward shall be great and bountiful!" 

"What is our reward?" The queen asked, her voice unwavering. "You said that our journey would alter the very fabric of the universe?"

"And indeed it will." The pegasus spread her wings wide, both them beginning to glow. "Brave soldier, step forth."

The knight stepped forward, kneeling before the pegasus.

"For your courage in the face of peril, I award you with the powers of the sun. May you burn bright and glorious." 

A spotlight flashed on, and the knight's golden armor seemed to shine even brighter. The knight stood up, a yellow orb now nestled in his palms.

The pegasus' left wing dimmed, and it folded to her side. "Clever poet, step forth." 

The bard stepped forward, bowing deeply. 

"For your wisdom in the face of uncertainty, I award you with the powers of the moon. May you shine brilliant and luminous." 

Another spotlight flashed on, and the bard's azure robes seemed to be bathed with splendor. The bard straightened up, a blue orb now sitting in his hands.

The pegasus' right wing dimmed, and now she folded both her wings to her sides. "And for you, kind queen. Step forth."

The queen curtsied, hands spread to her sides. 

"For your compassion in the face of hatred, I award you with the powers of all the stars. May your magnificence never run dry."

A final spotlight flashed on, and the queen's rainbow dress now glowed with even more vivid color. The queen tipped her head back, her hands and arms now glittering with power. 

"The pegasus, now drained of all her power, had at last completed her task. These three beings would now ascend to a higher plane of existence, becoming the gods of a new land."

The three heroes began exchanging items, talking softly. The queen lifted her crown off her head and gently placed it on the bard's head. The knight presented the queen with his sword, and the queen graciously took it. The bard swept his arms out, handing the knight his lyre. 

A different string instrument began softly playing—violin? Cello?

The knight ran off the stage, returning wearing a dragon costume—it looked like one of those dragon dancers from Chinese new year's. 

"The knight became the god Solaris, wielder of fire and earth magic, and bearer of the Sun Starglass."

The bard also ran off the stage, returning with a similar dragon costume—this one in blue. 

"The bard became the god Lunaris, wielder of air and water magic, and bearer of the Moon Starglass."

The queen turned around, shaking her hair down around her shoulders—her hair reached the floor. She spun around—once, twice, and suddenly her dress flared out, becoming adorned with feathers and beads. (Like that one scene from The Hunger Games, where Katniss' wedding dress became the mockingjay dress with wings.)

"And the queen became the goddess Asteria—the creator of the Astral Plane."

"Ohhhhh." Ciara muttered. "That makes so much sense."

"Together, these three created a rich world of constellations and spirits." More and more spirits crowded up on the stage, the three gods rising above them all. "The world that we live in. The world of Asteria!"

"Long live Asteria!" All the actors chorused, cheering. The background music began to swell, and the curtains swung closed. A moment later, it re-opened, with all the actors standing in a line, holding hands. Asteria, Solaris, and Lunaris were standing in the very middle, all three of them sitting on the pegasus. After a moment, all of the actors bowed deeply, smiling and waving at the audience. (Which only consisted of four people.)

Ciara clapped enthusiastically, Scutum following her example. Capricorn clapped lazily, nodding in approval. Scorpio waited a couple moments before hesitantly clapping as well.

"That was amazing!" Ciara shouted as the lights came back on. "Is that actually how your Astral Realm came to be?"

"No, no," Capricorn chuckled, leading the group over to the stage—to meet the actors, Ciara hoped. "None of us actually know how this world was created. Pegasus actually wrote this play."

"Pegasus wrote this?" Ciara asked, just as the titular Pegasus rounded the corner.

"Capricoooooooorn!" Pegasus giggled, trotting over to the group. Behind her, a light purple colored unicorn and a cream colored foal followed. Ciara assumed they were the constellations Monoceros and the other horse constellation. (Ciara forgot its name—there were too many vowels.)

"Peggy, excellent performance up there." Capricorn patted Ciara's shoulder. "This is Ciara, the visitor to our Astral Plane. She really enjoyed our show, it seems."

"Oh, helloooo!" Pegasus tittered. "Good to have another theatre lover here!" She waved her wings, nearly knocking Scorpio in the head. "These here are my brothers, Monoceros and Equuleus! Monoceros is our stage hand, and Equueleus is our aspiring apprentice!" 

"Hello," Monoceros slowly said, nodding his head. "A pleasure to have you here in the theater."

"I noticed you during the performance!" Ciara exclaimed, remembering the man moving the props. "You were the guy helping to change the scenery!" 

Monoceros nodded sagely. "That was me, yes." He began to shapeshift into his human form, much like how Ciara's own Pegasus could shift between human and pegasus. The now human Monoceros flexed his fingers. "Taking the role of a grip rather literally, as you can see."

"Sissy, you were so cool up there!" Equuleus shouted, running circles around his sister. "I liked it when you were whining in pain!"

Pegasus sighed, smiled, and shook her head. "One must always know how to suffer for their art!"

It was then Pegasus noticed Scorpio and Scutum standing behind Capricorn. "Oh, Scutuuum! How have you been, dearie?" 

Scutum shook Pegasus' wing with one of his hands. "Good, good. And you?"

"Maaarvelous! Though I must say," Pegasus folded her wings so that Scutum and Ciara were hidden from view—presumably so they could gossip without anyone hearing them. "I am surprised you managed to convince Scorpio to come here!" 

"Why?" Ciara asked, casting a glance at Scorpio. Was he on bad terms with everybody in this Astral Plane? "He actually came with us to the clothing store to pick up the costumes."

Pegasus let out another appalled gasp. "The costume store? Oh my, how did you ever manage to do that?!"

"Uh. What's so bad about that?" Ciara asked, oblivious to Scutum's hand-across-the-neck gestures. 

"Don't you know there was a horrible, horrible accident involving Pisces and Scorpio?" Pegasus lowered her voice even more. "Pisces was one of the few people directly harmed by Scorpio's Void magic! Why, I believe—"

"Peggy!" Scutum whispered, desperately trying to make her shut up.

"Aquarius threw him out of her shop, last time I heard—"

"Peggy!" Scutum whispered, more urgently. "Peggy, he's right there—"

Scorpio was in fact there, desperately pretending he couldn't hear their conversation. 

"A lot of us used to view Scorpio as an outcast because of that—ow! Hey!"

"Peggy!" Scutum bonked Pegasus on the head with all four of his arms, nodding towards Ciara. 

"Sorry, sorry." Pegasus unfolded her wings, walking away and waving with her front hoof. "Catch you later, Capricorn!" 

Capricorn wiggled his fingers goodbye, turning back to Ciara. Scorpio awkwardly stood there. 

"Aquarius and Pisces are actually siblings in my world," Ciara said, changing the subject. Capricorn's face wrinkled up in intrigue, probably thinking about what it would be like if his own Aquarius and Pisces were siblings instead of wives. 

Ciara kept thinking. It seemed that Scorpio was intrinsically linked to exclusion, or shame, or disgrace, no matter what form he took. 

She wondered why that was.

check out @sweet-star-cookie's starglass zodiac lore if you liked this!! questions about my lore are greatly appreciated!!

#oc #oc lore #zodiac #zodiacs #zodiac sign #zodiac signs #zodiac lore #zodiac oc #zodiac ocs

[imthepunchlord]

Random Story Setting Idea (you don't have to do anything with this if you don't want to, I just want to see writers' thoughts when they hear these prompts):

The charming and elegant guest bedroom with a four-poster bed in a medieval fantasy world

Celest dropped on the bench with a loud groan. More to herself, she announced, "I, am officially exhausted."

"I could carry you," Lunu offered immediately, his light green wings twitching.

"You just can't make that offer to only Celest," Geore grouched, dropping onto the same bench, the unfortunate seat sinking into the ground while the other end shot up, making Celest squeak as she was tossed up, then dropped into orc's side.

Lunu made a displeased chitter. "I could never carry you, Geore. You're too big."

"I think it's more your open bias that's the issue," Chandelure said, looking a little flushed, sending a half hearted glare to the sun.

"But I always show my bias. Why is it an issue now?"

Sighing, Celest offered her waterskin to the merfolk, offering, "Do you need my water, Chand?"

"I need a bath," Chandelure groaned. "And soon. Luckily, Sir Magnificence is one of the wealthiest teachers of Valore, so we'll get something good."

"Indeed you will my dedicated students!"

The all had a start as the wizard appeared, offering them all a big smile. It dropped when he turned his gaze to Celest and Geore. "Aaaand Geore. Who's ruining public seating. I'll get billed for that later..."

Geore gave a low growl.

"WHO'S ready for a four star hotel experience!" Magnificence asked dramatically, offering them all a big beam.

"Really?!" Celest gasped.

"You four have the honor of having me as your escort for this adventure! What amazing teacher would I be if I didn't treat you guys?"

"This is so much better than traveling with Rafaello!" Chandelure squealed.

Celest quietly agreed. As much as she admired the gruff wingless harpy, as he was a powerful and capable monk, one of the greatest heroes to arise in the recent era; he was not the pampering sort. Even in cities, he'd rather they camp out in a local park than an inn. Builds character, he'd say.

But sometimes, she just wants a bed.

And the excitement for that bed drew as Sir Magnificence lead them to his selected inn, looking like a palace to their tired eyes. The teens were all walking on an eager high as they were led up to their room, which came crashing down when they saw a singular bed.

It was big.

Easily able to fit four people.

But it was still a single bed.

"What is this," Chandelure demanded.

"Your room," the wizard answered, like it was obvious.

"Why is there only one bed?" Chandelure demanded.

"Ah, a room with five beds was double this one's price. I have to be a little frugal."

"Are you serious! Geore's going to crush us in our sleep!" Chandelure proclaimed.

"Hey!" Geore protested.

"You'll be fine," Magnificence dismissed, "at most, you'll just be Geore's teddy bear for the night. He likes to cuddle with someone while he sleeps."

"No I don't!"

"Geore. I did most of the night watch. You hug your pillow more than you sleep on it."

"I still want my own bed!" Chandelure snapped.

Lunu announced, "I don't sleep in beds. I sleep on walls."

"Well there you go! You got some extra space now! That all works out, right?"

Chandelure and Geore glared at him.

Celest was still gaping at the big singular bed.

"You guys sleep well, we leave at the crack of dawn," Magnificence said, leaving them with a dramatic flare of his cloak.

With an irritated groan, Chandelure said, "I'm going to take a back. Celest, when I am done, you're going to help me get out of it, and when we sleep, I am sleeping far away from Geore."

"Fine with me," Geore snapped, "I don't want to get poked by your fins or deal with a wet bed."

"I'll be dry when I got to bed!" Chandelure snapped.

"Just give me a shout when you need my help," Celest sighed, rubbing at her face. "And I'll... I'll sleep in the middle."

"Works for me," Geore declared, heading for the bed and just dropping onto it, gear and all, making it bounce and rattle.

Chandelure practically hissed, "At least change clothes!"

When the two girls later settled for the night, as Magnificence had warned, Celest wound up having a snug night as Geore all but hauled Celest close, holding her securely as he snored and drooled on the lavish pillow.

A little stiff and tired, she wound up accepting Lunu's offer to be carried the next day.

#ask Punchie #original writing

[jayurgirl]

Embracing Destiny

So this is basically Part two of Shifting Shadows. If you haven't read Part 1 I suggest you read it to understand this fic.

Characters: Chamber, Omen, Kay/O, and Reader

The tranquility of the park provided a perfect backdrop for the bond forming between you and the Valorant agents. In the days that followed the encounter, Chamber, Omen, and Kay/O took you under their wing, nurturing your injuries and offering unwavering support.

Chamber, renowned for his tactical prowess, recognized the potential within you. He saw a spark of determination in your eyes, coupled with an innate ability to adapt to any situation. Impressed by your courage, Chamber decided to mentor you, honing your skills and teaching you the art of combat.

Under Chamber's guidance, you began to learn the intricacies of Valorant's tactical gameplay. From basic weapon handling to advanced strategies, Chamber patiently passed down his knowledge, challenging you to push your limits and unleash your true potential. The training sessions were intense, but your resilience and passion fueled their progress.

Meanwhile, Omen, with his enigmatic nature, opened your eyes to the realm of mysticism and the unseen. He introduced you to the ethereal powers that lay dormant within, urging them to explore the depths of your shapeshifting abilities. Through mysterious rituals and guidance, Omen guided you in harnessing your supernatural potential, expanding your range of transformations and unlocking new possibilities.

As your skills grew, so did the camaraderie between you and your mentors. Chamber, Omen, and Kay/O found themselves captivated not only by your unique gifts but also by your compassionate nature and unwavering determination. They saw a kindred spirit, someone who shared their ideals and had the potential to bring about positive change.

The day arrived when your transformation from a mere companion to a full-fledged Valorant agent was complete. Standing alongside Chamber, Omen, and Kay/0, you now donned your own specialized gear, ready to face the challenges that awaited them.

Your induction into the Valorant team marked the beginning of a new chapter. Each day, you trained together, pushing boundaries and relying on one another for strength and support. Your collective synergy and unwavering trust made you an unstoppable force on the battlefield, your victories fueled by your shared purpose and the unbreakable bond you had forged.

Beyond the battles, the Valorant agents celebrated each day as a family. They laughed, shared stories, and grew closer, cherishing every moment spent together. You, once a stranger seeking refuge, had become an integral part of their lives. The agents' eyes would light up with joy as they witnessed your growth and transformation, not just as an agent but as an individual with limitless potential.

Your presence brought a sense of balance and harmony to the team. Chamber's stoicism softened in your presence, his unwavering determination now accompanied by a genuine warmth. Omen, usually shrouded in mystery, allowed moments of vulnerability, finding solace in your unwavering acceptance. And Kay/O, the ever-loyal sentinel, found companionship and purpose beyond his initial programming, relishing in the moments of shared joy.

In the realm of Valorant, you had found not only a place where your abilities were celebrated but also a family that would forever stand by your side. Together, you would face the challenges that awaited, guided by the unbreakable bond forged amidst the chaos of a chance encounter in the park.

#chamber x reader #omen x reader #kay/o x reader #valorant x reader #i dont know

[ave1dragon]

So I probably should have wrote this a while ago, but here are my thoughts on the Wings of Fire: Guide to the Dragon World pages we have now.

Spoilers ahead if you're trying to avoid them

This is based of the scholastic video, the excerpt, the little peaks from the Barnes and Noble pages, and the amazon sample.

Beginning note:

So the premise is that the dragonettes of destiny, Fakespeaker, and Peril are writing a new guide to the dragon tribes, since the other ones are stereotypical and written only by Seawings and Nightwings or Hivewings. I didn't realize this until I read the excerpt, but Seawings don't actually have a broad stereotype like the other Pyrrhia tribes do, so that's a cool explanation of why. I hope Peril shows up more, I forgot how much I like her.

I'm of the opinion that it's ok to have all of your made of fantasy tribes be stereotypes as long as you don't try to say how we shouldn't try to stereotype the tribe. For instance, I don't have a problem with the background or side character Skywings being grumpy, since the first arc isn't trying to say that we should stereotype them, or saying we shouldn't while stereotyping them, it's just that the Skywings we meet happen to be grumpy. I have a problem with the Rainwings all being lazy, because the Dragonet Prophecy talked about how saying all Rainwings are lazy and stupid is not true and bad, and then the Hidden Kingdom showed that all Rainwings were lazy and couldn't read or count and didn't care that dragons were going missing, especially since half of the problems Glory had with the Rainwings weren't actual problems. I have a problem with the third arc Pantala conflict because it was clearly trying to be about prejudices in out world, and then said "the Hivewings may have treated the Silkwings as less then them and gave them less opportunities and apparently starved them and also tried to genocide the Leafwings, but the Silkwings and Leafwings who tried to attack them were equally as bad and only Queen Wasp and her siblings was evil in the end and all other Hivewings were reformed." The intro letter was actually pretty good about this. It talked about how a lot of scrolls were written by Nightwings and Seawings on Pyrrhia and Hivewings on Pantala, and as such, are biased in a "We are the superior and correct tribe, so any tribe who doesn't do things like us is weird and bad," and the intro talks about how stereotyping Rainwings as lazy, Mudwings as thickheaded, Skywings as unfriendly, and Sandwings as sly and underhanded is bad, and Starflight's letter to Sepia talks about how the Nightwing who wrote the scroll believed Nightwings are superior and never talked to a Mudwing when writing the scroll. Starflight also talks about how he got attached to the scrolls he grew up with and didn't look at who wrote them and why or consider another point of view. I think the book writes this very well, certainly better then the third arc did.

Legend of the Scorching:

The scorching story lost its original impact since the Flames of Hope already explained the more accurate version of the Scorching already. The announcement of the inclusion of the story of the Scorching was before the release of Book 15, so I get that, but still.

Map:

The map is very detailed and shows everything the old maps show, including all the new queens and their palaces, and some new things as well: such as the big, mixed dragon tribe cities of Possibility and Sanctuary, all the scavenger cities we saw on the human map, except for Valor, which I guess they mark as Sanctuary, since the location is close and I don't actually remember if anything happened to Valor and don't really want to reread Dragonslayer to find out, some Icewing villages in the Ice kingdom, the Rainwing and Nightwing villages in the Rainforest, along with the tunnels to the Kingdom of Sand and the Nightwing Island, the location of the Deep palace, and the old Nightwing Kingdom, with the old palace and Darkstalker's teeth, along with a place called renewal, which is either a Scavanger city or where some of the Nightwings are trying to take back the old kingdom, I can't tell.

Every chapter has a beginning intro that shows a full color picture of the first queen we saw in arc one in the case of Pyrrhia, or the last Queen of the tribe in the case of Pantala. For instance, Queen Scarlet's picture for the Skywings or Queen Monarch's picture for the Silkwings. It is kind of odd to do that for the Pyrrhian dragons, since it is in universe supposed to be a new updated guide, so why wouldn't they use the current queens, but that is just a nitpick and it is very cool. We also see a map of the tribe's territory, and a mini description like the guide at the beginning of the normal books, but with a full color picture, and the descriptions being Scale color, eye colors, unusual characteristics (like how Skywings have big wings or how Icwings have whip thin tails), abilities, habitat, diet, and current queen.

Mudwings:

We have almost all of the Mudwing chapter between all the leaks, the other chapters might be different, but it looks like the chapters will start with a scroll written about said tribe that didn't talk to the dragons from the tribe and just relied on stereotypes, and critiques from dragons who are from said tribe, and then stories from the tribe and writings from actual dragons of the tribe, including mysteries from the other books, such as who Queen Scarlet's husband was. The Mudwing chapter is alright, Sepia's scroll didn't contain much we didn't already know, but the Mudwing Succession crisis story did, so that's cool. I wish we learned about their mythology though, maybe that's in the unseen parts of the Mudwing Succession crisis, but the mythology will probably only be in the tribe beliefs the other books already hinted at. We did learn from the red egg story that Clay's mom was awful, and most Mudwings wouldn't destroy their egg.

We do learn how Mudwings are named and raised, as we were told. It is all in the Succession Crisis story. Mudwings have a ceremony on the full moon where they give themselves names. We also learn that the oldest daughter of the hatching is always the one who challenges the queen, and if something happens to her, the next oldest sister would challenge her.

Seawings:

The leaks haven't shown much from the Seawing chapter that I can read, but we do find out why the Seawings sided with Blister, Blister memorized Queen Coral's scrolls and said she liked them, while Burn didn't care and Blaze had bad grammer and "probably never even read Queen Coral's scrolls." Also, Blister bribed them. Queen Coral wrote a scroll about how the Seawings won the war and all of her scrolls, including a scroll about her visits to other kingdoms and "cleaver observations" about "the weird habits of other tribes." So we now know the Seawing propoganda.

I can't read Turtle's letter or what I'm assuming is his brother's very well, but I do sea that Turtle's letter is addressed to Starflight and mentions the traditions of the Sea kingdom, so I'm assuming his brother's letter was about the Seawing hatching day traditions, since hatching days are mentioned.

There is a letter from Anemone to Tamarin about Anemone's insecurities and cute crushing.

Rainwings:

Rainwing chapter starts with Dangers of the Rainforest, which we've heard of before in the third book, which is a nice touch how the book is using the scrolls mentioned in the First Arc, since the Mudwing chapter used "The Sluglike qualities of Mudwings," which Clay mentions he hates briefly in the first book, and the Nightwing chapter uses "Tales of the Nightwings," which is mentioned all throughout the first arc as being Starflight's favorite scroll, but not true at all it turns out. It's pretty accurate to the Hidden Kingdom, talks about how scary the Rainforest is to keep people out, and barely mentions the Rainwings, just saying that they are lazy, peaceful, and the most isolated tribe other then the Nightwings.

The notes on this scroll about how the Rainwings, while peaceful, are dangerous and adaptable to their rainforest home, which I do like, I have a problem with how the third book says Rainwings are bad for not wanting to fight all the time and only eating fruit, and lazy for needing to sleep to recharge, their only problems were not noticing the missing dragons. So I like the rebrand of Rainwings just do things differently then the other tribes, and that is fine.

Jambu talks about how their scales changing color is really cool and useful for camouflage from enemies and for playing games, and show emotions, which is useful for your friends to know if you need help, again showing how the Rainwings being friendly and open isn't bad like the first arc made it out to be, and can be quite useful.

We then learn from a letter that the reason Rainwings are pacifists are that in the past they were attacked by the Skywings really badly and lost a lot of Rainwings, so the current Queen, who's name is not shown in the leaks, but is the Granddaughter of Queen Anaconda of Darkstalker's time, made a peace treaty with the other dragons and worked on being peaceful and stopping wars and having pets, and I guess afterwards, Queen Grandeur's Daughters were bad, and she mingled them in with the tribes and now dragons could sign up for being Queen, which lead to bad queens signing up which lead to more chaos, I'm guessing, although that could have been retconned.

Nightwings:

We see the Nightwing introduction also includes the Nightwing island, and the old Night Kingdom from Darkstalker's time, with more details then the big map and most of the other maps of the Kingdoms we've seen, including the Great Diamond, the palace, library, and School, and the North Beach. We also learn through the mini guide that there are still some Nightwings trying to live in the old Nightwing city. I hope we learn more about them. We also learn that it is now known that a very small few number of Nightwings can see the future.

We see the beginning of the scroll "Tales of the Nightwings," which is different then I thought it would be. I thought it would be a scroll about made up facts of the Nightwing life, but it seems to be a story of a dragonette who had no powers and one day had a vision, this is where the leak ended. We see a bit of a page I can't really read about Moonwatcher explaining to Starflight how Nightwing powers work, and could we please have classes on them. We then see a page of an "interview from a Nightwing" with Glory and Deathbringer, by Deathbringer. We don't actually see anything being interview, just Deathbringer writing about how great Glory is, it is cute, I will say, the age gap is still weird though, I hope the story doesn't try to excuse the age gap and just ignores it, explaining would probably be worse.

We then see a little bit of a scroll about how great Queen Vigilance is and how she keeps history and helped build the temple to the first Nighwing librarians and her glass jubilee and then the scroll cuts off. I'm assuming this is the oldest scroll the Nightwings have or something. I like how it mentions the old Nightwing temple to the librarians mentioned in Darkstalker, I feel like no one talks about it, but I think its a cool concept. I wonder if the Nightwings still worship the librarians, or if they stopped after coming to the volcano island. I kind of assumed they had stopped, as that would make sense, since they lost almost everything else that came from the old Nightwing ways, but the scroll does mention that the temple is an Island temple, so they might.

Sandwings:

There's not much we can see from the leaks on Sandwings, it turns out they are still trying to find some of the treasure Blister stole, including the Desert crown, the Twilight Necklace, the Sandwing Scepter, and other assorted gems and coins, likely in bags with Queen Oasis' symbol on them. We've heard of the Sandwing Scepter before, and it was one of the three big Sandwing treasures mentioned in the first arc and the only one that hasn't been found yet, and it also includes two new ones. It mentions the Twilight Necklase is possibly of Nightwing origin, which is a reference to how the Sandwings stole the Nightwing's treasure after the Nightwings fled their kingdom from Darkstalker, since the Sandwings have a lot of treasure and Darkstalker said didn't have any treasure in his time, althought it's important to know that Darkstalker is shown to be prejudice to Icewings and Seawings, and believes different tribes can't get along, so he could have been assuming that the Sandwings would since they are stereotyped to be sly and thieves.

Sunny writes a letter to Starflight about Burn's weirdling tower and how she will write a list of the things before the tower is destroyed, which I'm assuming is what the pages after that will be on. Sunny also mentions sending Starflight some letters from the mail that Smolder is going through to learn about the other tribes.

We then see what looks like Smolder's notes on taking care of Flower. He found her, named her Stabby, and talks about how no one had kept a pet in the Stronghold for years because Oasis or Burn or Blister would eat them. We skip to the fifth day and apparently Stabby upset Blaze because Smolder said that he has to protect Stabby from three sisters now. Smolder makes a leash for her with the help of Dune, and takes her flying, which she loves. One the seventh day, Flower tries to show Smolder that her human name is Rose, but Smolder thinks she wants to be called Flower, and liked the name better. Smolder then talks about how he survived his mother and how Palm would want him to move on. It's very sweet.

Icewings:

Skywings:

It turns out the Skywing kingdom is smaller then I thought, it doesn't include the lower mountains where Jade Mountain is, or the very tip of the wing area. I guess that would make sense, since the Skywings do seem very close to each other, since all the dragonets are raised in the wingery, and it seems all the eggs are hatched in the hatchery, since after the Skywing egg is destroyed in the first book, Kestrel says the Skywings will be guarding the hatchery too closely, so they can't get any more eggs, implying that there are no other hatcheries.

We then learn about the Clash of Claws tournament, which the Skywings compete in every seven years to get glory, fame, and become one of the queen's advisors. I like this, because it is entirely new, while most of the other things we've seen are things we've heard of before. I really do feel like we know the least about the Skywing tribe, while many people say the Mudwings are the least talked about, it's more so that we rarely focus on Mudwings, but we know a fair deal about their life. We don't know too much on Skywing life in general.

We then read the story about who Queen Scarlet's husband was, written by Tailwind, who is the sibling of Canyon, who was Scarlet's husband. We only get the first few pages of the story, but we see how Queen Scarlet was awful and spoiled as a dragonet, and would scream until you gave her things and also steal them. Her mother was Queen Firestorm and also awful and enabled her behavior because she was pretty. Firestorm would pit her daughters against each other by comparing them to each other. She banished one of her daughters to the outposts because she wasn't pretty. She used the arena for beauty contests and art shows at the time, showing that the arena seems to be used for whatever the current queen wants it to be used for, and not just for fighting.

The next pages talk about Tailwind's brother Canyon, and how he wanted to marry Scarlet and become the King, Canyon is also obsessed with his looks and kind of annoying, he's basically the male version of Scarlet. Tailwind doesn't feel bad about his brother dying as they feel like Canyon really had it coming. Also apparently Tailwind is one of those "back in my day, life was harder and that was good and any effort to make life better and easier is bad and makes you soft." dragons.

It did disrupt my headcanon about how Skywings were only raised by mothers except in the case of Nobles, which is sad, but the explanation is nice, and I like how there is a different family structure, if only slightly. Skywings, in the past at least, either picked a partner or had the Queen pick one for them and stuck together if they liked each other enough, and their wedding ceremonies were just the two dragons saying vows in the sky. They pretty much only married to have kids, and raised their kids until they were old enough to hunt on their own, and then sent them off and maybe split up afterwards, and the families generally don't see each other unless they want to. Then when Scarlet became queen, every wedding was a big party and all parties involved dragon killing, so most dragons didn't have a wedding ceremony, at least not in record, and most Skywings didn't trust Scarlet to match them up well, so most dragons didn't get married, which would explain why we mostly only see Skywing mothers.

We then see the Skywing anthem written by Prince Cliff. It's a longer version of the song he sung in Peril's book, and you can actually play the song, as it is sheet music! I love it, will play as soon as I can!

Silkwings:

#wof #wings of fire #wof a guide to the dragon world #a guide to the dragon world #wof spoilers #skywings #wof skywings #mudwings #wof mudwings #wof seawings #wof rainwings #wof nightwings #seawings #rainwings #nightwings