#tyril the mage | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

starlight-starfury · 8 months

Text

Reunited

Book: Blades of Light and Shadow

Characters: (F!Elf!MC) Raine Nightbloom x Tyril Starfury

Rating: General

Warnings: None

Length: 800+ words

Summary: Tyril finally reunites with Raine after one long year apart.

Tags: @lawrencebarkley @watatsumi-island @sophie-summer @lilyoffandoms @choicesbookclub @choicesficwriterscreations

Raine anxiously paced the floor of her room in Whitetower as her mind raced with questions. It was the same one she had stayed in as a guest, and she even found her belongings still untouched, another solemn reminder of how much time had passed while she was gone.

She was told that her companions likely wouldn’t arrive at the palace for at least a few days, scattered across the realms as they were. There wasn’t much else she could do aside from bide her time and worry about her friends.

And him.

She felt no different than she had when the shadow soldiers swarmed the palace terrace, but for them…

An entire year had passed. A year of her life she had missed, supposed to have been spent amongst her friends and family in celebrating their victory.

Instead she had been torn away from all of them, and she wondered just how much had changed. Were they different now? Were they still looking for her?

She sighed, rubbing her eyes as she slung the satchel she’d found in the shadow realm over the grand vanity. Hoping for a distraction, she began sorting through her newly acquired potions when a knock sounded from the door to her chambers.

“Come in,” she called, assuming it was either Kade or one of the advisors, even though it was getting late and she’d already told them everything she knew.

She lifted her gaze as the door slowly opened, and froze when she saw his reflection in the mirror staring back at her, his hair disheveled and eyes wide in disbelief.

Seconds ticked by and he still didn’t dare to step forward, almost as though he was afraid she would vanish if he came any closer.

“Tyril…” She slowly crossed the room until she was standing in front of him, reaching up a hand to gently cup his cheek. “Tyril, it’s me.”

As if her movements had broken a spell, a strangled sob escaped his throat and he launched himself forward, wrapping her tightly in his arms and burying his face in the crook of her neck.

Hot tears spilled down his cheeks as she held him just as close, rubbing her hand up down his back. “It’s okay,” she whispered. “I’m here now.”

After a long moment, he pulled back just far enough to look into her face.

“You came back,” he breathed, still holding her firm in his embrace, worried she might disappear if he dared to move.

“I did,” she smiled sadly, wiping another tear from his cheek. “I can’t believe it’s really been a year…What happened, Tyril?”

His eyes closed as he took a deep breath, looking pained. “With no means of summoning a portal to go after you, our first course of action was to search the royal archives for any information we could find that might help us, but ultimately it was futile.”

He sighed. “We waited for the soldiers who took you to make a reappearance, but nobody has seen them since they showed up a year ago and fled.”

Raine frowned. “That might change soon.”

A dark shadow flickered across his features. “I won’t let them take you again.”

Tyril took a moment to regain his composure before he shook his head and continued. “After months of poring over ancient texts, countless failed rituals and seeking out the wisest mages in the realm, we each took off on our own in search of answers in the hopes we could find a way to bring you back. We thought we would be able to cover more ground that way, and rescue you faster.”

He clasped her hands in his, looking bitter. “In the end, we still didn’t manage to save you.”

“You’re wrong,” she said and he glanced up, surprised. “I heard you…calling out to me. You helped me come back.”

His breath caught in his throat as he leaned forward to rest his forehead against her own. “I called for you every day.”

Raine’s brows drew together as she felt a pang of guilt in her chest. “I should have been here.”

“You’re here now, that’s all that matters.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck as she leaned forward, gently pressing her lips to his, and he melted under her embrace. Fresh tears ran down his face as he ran his hand through her hair, his free arm coming down to wrap around her waist.

He was reminded of long nights spent gazing up at the stars praying for her return, of hollow months spent longing for her smile, her laugh, her touch.

He sighed when she slowly pulled away, though his heart finally blossomed inside his chest after feeling wilted for so long. “For a year I’ve dreamt of this, of having you back in my arms.”

She pressed a light kiss to his forehead and he drew her even closer. “Kiss me again,” he breathed.

“Gladly,” she smiled softly against his lips. “I believe I have a year’s worth to make up for, after all.”

#choices fic writers creations #cfwc fics of the week #blades of light and shadow #tyril starfury #raine nightbloom #tyril x mc

64 notes · View notes

liviusofpella · 8 months

Text

The Lover's Caress

Pairing: Tyril x f!human!MC (Reyna) Book: Blades of Light and Shadow 2, chapter 2 Word count: 1940 Rating: M Warnings: emotional hurt, marked sexual content within the fic Category: angst A/n: this is for the girlies who needed to see Tyril bawl his eyes out at the sight of MC Tag list: @lxdy-starfury @starlight-starfury @watatsumi-island @sophie-summer @brycesgirl @lilyoffandoms @choicesficwriterscreations @choicesbookclub

The clock tower showed just four minutes after four in the morning as Tyril and Reyna reached her chamber and unwillingly unlaced their hands.

"I hope you will stay? I can't open a portal for you to go back to Undermount," Reyna started as her fingers nimbly worked with the matches to light the candles on the night stands. Despite the sun already rising, dark rain clouds obstructed the light, plunging the city in gloomy darkness. "Not that I'd want to, anyway."

"I intend to watch over you constantly lest you were to disappear again."

“Nonsense, you need to rest. When was the last time you got a proper night’s rest?”

Tyril shrugged his shoulders indiscernibly. Just as Reyna was about to scold him for not taking care of himself, the match burned her fingers.

“Blast!”

"Allow me," he uttered lowly before catching her wrist and bringing the burned fingers to his lips. Having whispered a short spell, Tyril touched the sore area and a wave of soothing coolness hugged the wound. Under his scrutinizing gaze, Reyna was suddenly overcome with shyness and lowered her gaze.

"I knew having a skilled mage by my side would come in handy," she joked. “Thank you. We should probably get some rest. May I?”

Reyna’s fingers quickly undid the intricate fastening of Tyril’s clothes and as he stood in front of her in nothing but his undergarments, her brows knitted.

“That’s new,” she noticed, touching a purplish scar on the plane of his chest.

“A close encounter with a succubus.”

Reyna quirked an eyebrow. “Succubus? The seductive she-devil succubus?”

“She was said to be in possession of a long-lost spell book, I had hoped that perhaps she would help me open a portal.”

“And how exactly did you play to convince her?”

“With threats.”

"That's why you ended up with a wound on your chest? What did she strike you with, a hacksaw?"

Tyril sighed quietly upon realizing that it was not jealousy speaking through his beloved but worry. "I underestimated the risk."

"Just like you did with the fluria? And this?” she pointed to a cut just above his hip. “It's also fresh."

"A basilisk. They're rumoured to have the ability to cross realms."

"And you attacked it alone," he nodded. "You were trying to get hurt, weren't you?"

While Tyril desperately searched for the right words, Reyna took a moment to study his face in the warm candlelight. There were visible dark spots under his eyes, his cheekbones and jawline seemed a bit sharper, indicating a weight loss, and as her eyes slid lower, she also noticed how much more defined his muscles had become. He must have been hunting for a while, many more creatures than he would ever admit to her.

"I was trying to be punished."

“Tyril—”

“Reyna, you don’t understand. You were gone for a year. They took you from right under my nose, and I did nothing to stop them. You were gone for a year and I never even got a single promising lead. I am sorry I couldn't do more to help you," he whispered, dropping his gaze to her cheek, which he stroked with a thumb. "Please forgive me—"

"You need to forgive yourself, Tyril," she interrupted, her hand cupping his cheek. "It was you who gave me the strength to fight, the thought of never seeing your face again helped me get off my knees and run even though my whole body burned with pain. So thank you."

His eyes glistened and she continued.

"I think I heard you, when I was still weak and befuddled."

Tyril felt his heart skip a beat. "Perhaps Gods heard my prayers after all."

"You prayed for me?"

"Of course," he assured immediately, and a tear rolled down his cheek. "I was utterly desperate, submerged in books I held onto the faintest hope, I begged scholars and mages for help, but nobody even dared to hope. It was Adrina who suggested I should reconnect with the Gods. On my knees, I prayed for forgiveness and pleaded for help for months."

Reyna bit her lip, emotions too overwhelming to allow even the quietest words to leave her mouth without breaking into a million pieces. However, seeing how Tyril allowed his grief and loneliness to leave his body in the waves of tears, her own dam broke and soon only the quiet sniffling of two entwined lovers could be heard.

"Gods, I have missed you so much," the elf mumbled into her hair before pressing his lips to her temple, long and hard, and shut his eyes tightly, afraid she'd disappear if he opened them, just as had happened several times. "The thought of never seeing you again, never holding your hand, was driving me mad. I have grieved while still hoping, still searching for a way to bring you back, but I hit a damn wall every time. I— I have been truly awful to my family this year, Reyna, because all that mattered was getting to you as fast as possible—"

Tyril's voice suddenly broke and Reyna, as if finally understanding the full scope of the effects her absence had on her partner, felt her heart break. Her hand soothingly caressed the back of his head, while her tears pooled in the crook of his neck.

"I was afraid I'd lost you to the Shadows as well," he whispered. "And I was ready to lose myself just to get you back."

“If it’s any consolation, it only felt like a couple of days for me,” Reyna uttered quietly once they both calmed down. Tyril’s embrace loosened slightly, and he pulled back just enough to see her face.

“That’s good. I’d hate for you to feel so lonely and helpless in the Shadow Realm for a year.”

The couple timidly smiled at each other, and once Reyna’s fingers wiped the remaining evidence of anguish off his face, Tyril suggested lying down.

As if nothing ever happened, Tyril took his place on the right side of the mattress while Reyna straddled him and rested her head on his shoulder, enjoying the warmth of his embrace. Just like they did the night before everything changed.

In complete silence only interrupted by regular pattering of the rain against the window, they listened to each other's breaths, caressing each other’s skin and kissing every now and again. Reyna smiled as his thumb began drawing small circles on her bare thigh. She took in the sight in front of her, still afraid that if she blinked, he'd disappear. The mere suggestion of waking up in Valax’s laboratory again sent an uncomfortable wave of shivers down her back.

"You look so beautiful like this," she whispered, her hands journeying across his chiselled stomach and chest, marvelling at the smoothness of his pale skin. Under her fingers, she felt his pounding heart and quickened breath, and she only smiled wider. In the early morning sun, Tyril's noble features softened, making him look like the young, exhausted man he was.

"I suppose happiness looks good on everybody."

"Nobody wears it like you do, Lord Starfury," she whispered against his lips before capturing them in a soft kiss, and within seconds she welcomed his tongue on her lower lip.

Deftly sliding the strap of her bra off her shoulder, Tyril kissed her collarbone, first on the right side, then repeated the action on the left, soon unclasping the garment and letting it fall to the floor.

“At long last,” he hummed in between the sloppy kisses. Reyna smiled blissfully.

Before long, the last pieces of clothing fell to the ground and Reyna, still straddling half-sitting Tyril slowly lowered herself onto him with a quiet moan.

"I have yearned to hear you make that sound again," he gasped, one of his hands tightening on Reyna's hip while the other caressed her back, pulling her closer.

Contrary to her mind, her body felt their prolonged separation. Each touch would send a wave of shivers through her body, each bounce of her thighs pulling out soft moans from her throat. Soon they found their rhythm and the room reverberated with a blend of the couple's whimpers and ragged breaths.

As the urge to be in control for the first time in months grew, Tyril switched their position and rolled on top of Reyna, who, afraid to let him go, wrapped her legs around his waist. His lips then focused on Reyna's neck, leaving love bite after love bite in their wake, earning him a pull at his hair and increasingly louder moans.

"Please, don't ever leave me again," he huffed, pleadingly. Feeling her climax approaching, he kissed her again, sucking on her lower lip long enough to leave a tiny red bruise as his hand blindly searched for hers to lock their fingers together.

Groaning, Reyna clenched her fingers around Tyril’s, leaving half moon marks over his knuckles. She looked at him from under her lashes—the image of her partner, flushed, sweaty, whimpering proved to be the final straw that sent her over the edge. Following suit, the elf hid his face in the crook of Reyna’s neck, his hips still lazily moving.

“I’ll always fight my way back to you, Tyril.”

The wind outside picked up, howling mournfully through the city lanes and alleyways. Blissfully spent, the couple cuddled under the duvet.

“I’ve heard you and Kade got to know each other better in my absence,” Reyna mumbled sleepily, resting her head on Tyril’s shoulder. The elf hummed. “I’m glad.”

“Bonding with your brother was the only good thing to happen this past year.”

“Has he told you all the embarrassing stories?”

Tyril smirked at the memory. “A few.”

"Rest assured that I will have my revenge."

"You already know my most humiliating story, bringing shame upon my House is impossible to top."

"Personally, I believe stepping on your date's dress and causing her to fall into mud at her own Ancestral Masquerade is much more embarrassing," she chuckled while Tyril's eyes widened in shock.

"How do you know about it?"

"Your sister is an excellent conversationalist, did you know that?"

Tyril shook his head disapprovingly. “Tarnishing the reputation of House Starfury like that.”

“I like your new hairstyle, it really shows off your pretty face,” she complimented and raised her head to check whether she’d get the reaction she hoped for from him. Shortly, a dark purple blush flowered on his cheeks.

“I— Ahem, I’m glad it’s to your liking,” he stuttered.

“I’m also impressed by your musculature, you really put in some work when I was away,” she teased, making Tyril chuckle, still visibly embarrassed. “Oh, how I missed those dimples!”

“Please stop,” the elf pleaded, snaking an arm around Reyna’s bare stomach as she leant over and kissed his dimples, then the tip of his nose, chin, and finally his lips. Their kiss was interrupted by a loud thunder that made Reyna jump away, scared. She nervously looked around the room, expecting the worst, but everything was exactly the same.

She felt Tyril’s palm cupping her cheek, and she unwillingly stopped scanning the room to look at his face.

“You’re safe, Reyna. It’s alright, you’re safe. I’m with you.”

She nodded absent-mindedly. It took her a moment to shake off the images of Ashen soldiers, and she blinked repeatedly when the initial panic subsided. Tyril was looking at her worriedly, gently stroking her cheek, and Reyna focused on the way the candlelight glistened in his baby blue eyes.

“You’re safe.”

“I know. You’re with me.”

Tyril nodded and pressed his lips to her temple. “I’m with you.”

#tyril starfury #blades of light and shadow #blades of light and shadow 2 #choices blades #choices bolas #blades 2 #playchoices #choices stories you play #choices tyril #tyril x mc #cfwc #cfwc fics of the week #choices book club

77 notes · View notes

secret-fungi · 6 months

Text

moon without the sun

Pairing: Tyril x F! elf MC (odelia)

Book: takes place in the year mc is miss

word count: 2826

Rating: T

Category: its always gonna be angst.

warnings: Dissociation, anger, mentions of blood.

does it make sense that a bow that a giant can be used by a slightly smaller giant? no. Is the bow Tyril has on the cover the same bow mc has? no but imagine the state the tyril girlies hearts would've been in if he was using our bow.

Tags @lawrencebarkley @choicesficwriterscreations @desired-love-

He came into the run-down inn like a storm hitting the shore, glaring at anyone who dared so much to look in his direction with a look that could wither roses. He stumbled into his dusty, worn down room bloody and beaten.

He tossed his bag onto the wooden floor in anger, taking his bow from his back and raising it violently until he stopped. The sight of a little north star etched into the handle gave him pause, the etching squeezed and dug its claws into his heart it tore his chest open and left his emotions raw. As if this bow held the same power its master did, the power to strip him bare in one glance.

The thought of her carving a star left his frayed emotions bare, and the memory of when she had found it left him aching.

When had she carved this star? Desperately he gripped the bow, staring at it pleadingly, Trying as hard as he could to just imagine her voice, imagine what she’d say and how she’d say it.

He imagined her knocking at his door, a teasing smile and a challenge in her eyes, “stealing my things?” she’d ask at the sight of the bow in his hands and then she’d lean down and press a kiss to his lips, and she’d play with his hair and say he worries too much when he asks her to tell him that she’s alright, that they’re alright and they’re safe. But she’d tell him anyway.

But no footsteps followed him through his door, no one came to sit beside him, no one soothed his messy hair, and chased away his frown with their touch.

There were no sweet kisses, or encouraging words. Tyril was alone, just holding a bow that used to belong to someone that’ll probably never come home.

Gently, he placed it down, let it lean against the wall and pretended she had put it there. If he closed his eyes he could pretend that she was in the bath, just a short walk away until she’d crawl into bed and this was all a nightmare that’d chase away with the sight of her drying her hair.

He fell back onto the dirty bed that was too small for him, staring at the stain on the ceiling as he drug his hands down his face.

His heart felt like it had been impaled by icicles, it froze painfully in his chest, it felt as if it was being torn apart by fire and ice, a cold burning that spread against his whole chest.

It began the moment she was taken, and six months later it hasn’t ceased.

The portal closed before anyone could so much as grab their weapons, a breath and she was gone, and they all held that breath, it was as if the world itself stilled for that moment, for that moment when the ice broke under his feet and he fell into the freezing water he convinced himself wasn’t there.

It was almost deathly quiet as they looked to Tyril, and then after the world could no longer hold its breath they all started, rapid fire questions, curses, things he couldn’t even hear, it was just lost to the noise.

He would know how to fix this. He was a mage from undermount.

‘Don’t you elves brag about being the first to have magic, you have to know how to get her, right?’

but the elf just stayed frozen, a dazed look in his eyes, he stumbled a bit and reached for someone not there to steady him and when they didn’t he fell to his knees. His hand twisting his shirt, nails digging at his chest in an attempt to take whatever it was that had struck his heart.

And as he clawed his chest they still asked him what to do. Their words swarming him, overwhelming his senses as all he could see was Odelia’s face as she was taken. Her lips moved to form his name before the portal closed in front of her.

Tears welled up in his eyes and before he could stop them, they escaped. For six months he tried not to cry, if he cried he was admitting there was no hope and if he admitted that… if he admitted he failed. Truly failed. that once again someone he loved was taken, calling for him to help them only for him to let them down.

Gods please let her know he didn’t mean to let her down.

His body ached from his latest attempt at finding a way to her, the bleeding had stopped, at least, and part of him thought to himself that he deserved to bleed out in this dusty room.

But then who would take care of Kade, she had given him a letter late one night and her eyes wide and frantic she made him promise to keep it in case in their quest to free him she did not make it, he would look out for him.

She always planned ahead, "Prepare for the worst and you’ve prepared for everything."

“What are you thinking?” she asked as she inspected his wound. “You look worried.” he replied “I’m always worried about my friends when they get hurt.” she replied, her eyes meeting his for a brief moment before he glanced down to her full lips, watching as traps her bottom lip between her teeth as she works. “I thought I was an exception?” he teases. “Are you trying to get a confession out of me, Lord starfury?” she asked with a grin, her fingers working nimbly to stitch him back together.

If Odelia was here she’d sit beside him and unburden him from his armor, she’d smile and fix him up.

But it was just him, so he stripped himself and with a groan and some effort he rose from the bed and moved to the dresser where a pitcher of water, a bowl and some strips of cloth sat.

He wetted a clean cloth and started to wash his wounds, flinching as the cool water strung his tender wounds.

Did she have anyone tending hers? Does she resent him for not saving her yet? How much time has passed for her?

Is she still alive?

He bit down on his lip as he dug into her kit, the little notes she wrote in case she was incapacitated.

He traced her letters over and over as if touching them was holding her. He imagines her voice, as she tells him what to use.

His hands trembled as he applied a balm onto the wound on his shoulder.

He walked through the doors of Starfury manor and was greeted with cheer, His father hugging him and his sister grinning. “Where is the Nightbloom child, is she lagging behind?” his father asked “Tyril! You shouldn’t leave her to carry everything-” Adrina scolded. “She’s not here.” Tyril interrupted.

The two shared a confused glance before they looked back at Tyril. “What… do you mean she’s not here… She told us she’d be with you…what happened?” “She was taken.” he said numbly before going to the library.

“What do you mean?” “she was taken.” Tyril repeats “to the shadow realm, so we’ve just gotta find a way to get to the shadow realm again.” he says with a nod.

His hair was a mess, all balled up into a bun, dark circles had formed under his eyes and it was as if their little star was the moon without a sun, as all light had been stripped from him, his color duller, his eyes dimmer, his smile gone.

But as if he refused to acknowledge that the sun was gone, he went on, in a disordered state of feigned normalcy.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He hasn’t failed yet, he’d get her back. he'd get her back and she’d be safe, and real, and here.

The tin container fell from his trembling hands and something about that caused him to be angry once again, a reason not to cry, some other emotion other than this emptiness he felt.

Once more he was an angry man, angrier than he used be, He was angry at the gods, angry at the fate that mocked him, he was angry at that vile woman that stole Odelia away, he was angry at Imtura for giving up, Angry at mal for believing she died and pretending he didn’t, Angry at his father and everyone at undermount for not being able to help, he cursed Nia when she was just trying to help.

Most of all he was angry at himself, he hardly ate, or slept, but this bothered him little, he couldn’t stand to look at himself in the mirror.

He should’ve been able to save Odelia. He should be able to find a way to get her.

He tossed a book at the door, letting the spine split and the pages fold, a ghastly crime that he didn’t have in him to care about. He reached into his bag and tossed the blasted vial of Sunbeam pollen against the wall, after all the trouble he went through to get it, the only good it did was leave him bruised and drain him of his blood. The vial shattered and the glittering pollen exploded into the air.

If Odelia was here she would have informed him that sunbeam pollen caused potentially fatal reactions in large doses, but Odelia was not here. Odelia wasn’t going to walk into his room and tell him he’s fine, that this was a nightmare, if she was alive she was likely waiting on him to come save her, and the thought of her crying out for him was too much to bare. This was too much too.

And maybe they were right about mixing Kilvali and Dinvali, maybe it was foolish. Maybe the rule was not a rule just because of the reason given but because if you mix the two, if you let someone be everything to you and they leave… you are left with nothing.

You are left with even less than you had before you met them, because with them they take chunks of your heart and soul, and if you have given your whole heart to someone, when they leave Tyril learned that they take that with them too.

He took everything in sight and took his anger out on it, and by time he was done, The room truly looked like a storm had hit it.

“Tyril…. it's not healthy to go on like this…. she wouldn’t want you suffering.”

“she’s alive, you’ve just gotta… hold on.”

“When your mother passed…”

but as they spoke to him, her face popped into his head, the terror in her eyes, the way she screamed his name and everything they told him fell away.

Expectations he could never meet followed him through his entire life and even now, he was met with them in the form of a million eyes looking to him in question.

“What do we do next?” They asked. who made him in charge, just because one elf was a good leader doesn’t mean they all were, he didn’t know what to do either, the entire knowledge of undermount was at the tips of his fingers and all they could give him was a sympathetic look and condolences.

He glared at the wall with a sneer before he tossed whatever he had in his vicinity at the wall.

Bang.

Crash. Went the mirror after he shattered it, the pieces of glass flying everywhere and despite its cries in the moment, it only lasted for a moment.

The weight of all their expectations crippled him, made his knees give out at the weight of it, so there he kneeled in the center of his storm.

“We have to face it some time…. What… what if we’re chasing a ghost?”

“How could you say that? she's not dead!” “why would they keep her alive… and if there’s no way to get to her…. maybe her bein’ dead is a mercy, hells knows what they’re doing to her if she’s alive.”

He lurched forward, suddenly feeling dizzy as his friend group dissolved into yet another argument.

“Tyril? Aren’t you going to say something?” “don’t do that to him!” “Aye, he knows it too, if the one most knowledgeable one of our group can’t get his girlfriend back there isn’t a way, he just won’t admit it.”

Suddenly, the elf fell forward, his friends all rushing to him to find him out cold. He had run himself ragged from working without pause, and eventually after so long without rest or anything to eat his body could handle the weight of his requests.

Everyone expected him to know what to do, how to fix it, but he didn’t.

Kade looked at him like he could fix this, and he didn’t have the heart to tell him he had nothing, that for all it was worth, all of it was for nothing. That he was nothing, and so he didn’t. Instead, he went after any leads the human sent to him, and he listened to the stories the human told of his sister when the he got drunk, and sad and in return he’d tell him stories of how his adventures with his sister, and together two pitiful bookworms mourned the hero of riverbend.

He cried out in frustration, His bones ached and his heart felt as if it would give out on him. And once again he clutched his chest, and in his desperation he cried out to the gods he wasn’t sure were real anymore, sobs ripped through the silence like a dry branch knocking against a window.

Adrina told him to hold on, his father told him how he got through it when his mother died, the priests told him to meditate and the others told him to let go.

But how could they know? How could any of them understand this feeling? He asked his father if he felt like this as well? If the horrible feeling in your heart stops but his father parted his lips and frowned deeply, as if realizing what his son had done, realizing that his son was in the process of learning a hard lesson, and that he could not shield him from this lesson, even if he tried.

No one could give him an answer, no one could help, it was not in their nature, and it shouldn’t have been in his. And so he was alone, In this feeling and this life once again.

He stared at the bow, a spot around it untouched from his carnage.

he chewed his lip raw, blinking away the sound of her voice crying out for him. He pushed the memories, the plans they made-

Tears ran down his face, all the anger washed away as he sat in the desolation of his rage, leaving only an empty exhaustion.

His throat closed up, as the tears raced down his face, the tears washing his cheeks of the blood dirt that covered them before.

In this dirty inn he begged the gods with the desperation of a man out of options.

He begged his mother, bothered her from her rest to ask her to guide his love back to him.

Maybe his mother took pity on him, in that moment where he was not a hero that had gone on many adventures, he was a small child crying as he desperately clutched her dress, afraid to talk to other kids, afraid to speak up.

Unlike those times where everything could be solved with a wooden sword and being told he could play pretend with them, that a king never is afraid to be strong, playing dress up won’t save his love.

And like a monster he cried and begged his parents to get rid of, grief found him under his covers, the bed, in the middle of the ocean, in the desert, in the forest, and in a dusty room in a mountain village that’s never met a real elf before.

Grief would let him think he’s escaped it, just enough to get a breath in just so it could knock it out of him.

It would take a while for his prayers to be answered, where she opens a portal to him and smiles at him from the otherside.

And even though lies fell from her lips he kissed them nonetheless, for he missed the taste, the feeling of her skin, the crackle of power that was just below the surface. He missed the scent of her soap and the tone of her laugh, so if lies fell from her lips he would eagerly fill his cup with them, to drown in her words once more was a blessing that the gods must’ve given.

#blades of light and shadow #bolas 2 #playchoices #pb bolas #tyril starfury #bolas tyril #bolas mc #bolas fic #blades fic #choices blades #choices fanfic #choices fanfiction #choices fic writers creations

20 notes · View notes

inlocusmads · 4 months

Text

I'm sure this opinion might be unpopular but I just think PB is trying to Lord of the Rings-ify Blades a lot, by introducing so many characters and relying on standard character archetypes to drive the story forth.

Of course, yes, you can only do so much with 18 chapters, but Blades is, like most Choices stories, memorable because of the characters and how they interact with their surroundings more than the larger overarching plot (though it comes a close second.)

Rant follows below, spoiler alert if you haven't read the latest chapters:

@choicesbookclub

I'd love to have Willow, Cherta and the Shadow Court members again for a chapter or two and maybe, y'know Kade?? Since he's our literal brother?? And he's constantly sidelined even though he is the reason why MC bothered with the whole Shadow realm thing in the first place??

I feel like a lot of times we could have had the characters react to certain things that aligned with their beliefs more. I loved the arc of Tyril questioning how convoluted magic can be and it isn't the one-dimensional thing he is used to or Nia standing up and taking risks against her sheltered upbringing. I feel like a lot of times all of the LIs had some really choppy writing given to them, besides the paywalled scenes because I personally believe if you have to paywall scenes to drive the characterisation forward, it lowkey sucks and very money-grabby. It comes with the writing! Paywalled options shouldn't gatekeep them!

Mal's apathy is never really addressed, even though the fandom lost their minds over it. Tyril has some golden moments here and there but it is glossed over completely and sometimes inconsistent at parts (where did the battle-mage Tyril go??). The only thing driving Nia's personality now is just her Shadow alter-ego being this wowie contrasty thing to her 'golden retriever' personality. Imtura's just the muscles and they gave her a semi-character arc-ish to take over from her mother, which completely skids through her complicated relationship with her (at least they could have given her some time to think if she wants to rule over or at least figure out the semantics of a ruling council until after the battle).

And Aerin and Valax have the forbidden-romance route to them. Let's not even like, talk about how Aerin's been missing for a chunk of chapters for reasons beyond why and Valax's route is also weirdly written where in she had no time to acknowledge MC's feelings?? Even when she's so new to romance, relationships and so on? Or like, even a friendship. For someone who doesn't trust easily, I can't really bank on the probability MC is just so alluring enough to rope them into a friendship within days to spare in Ironbreach.

Which comes to the problem, Blades stuffs a lot of characters in.

In Book 1, it felt a little balanced considering the overarching plot was for them to just get to the Shadow Realm to rescue Kade and the friends made along the way were instrumental in that success. Even if we don't know a lot about Adrina or Scholar Vash or Kaya or any of the side-characters, it made it very clear that this was the Party and we'll only be focusing on these people. And even then, taking an example, Adrina got a full story on her own. She helped Tyril with House Starfury's doings, taking over his shoes in the wake of his departure and ensuring things ran smoothly, Adrina helped the Party recoup and recover, even giving them drakes to get to Whitetower and she ended up being the next head(?) heir(?) of the House. Her efforts weren't wasted and it still felt like we got a promising story for her.

In the case of Cherta and Willow, they were "added" to our Party roster -a mechanic that previously wasn't used for the likes of other people, say Aerin, even (even though he did travel with us for a brief chapter and a half in Book 1) and we sort of expected they'd get a side-LI treatment or at least, a character arc like Adrina's, but their stories kind of fell.. flat in my opinion. We leave before Cherta is able to process her grandmother's passing. Willow and her story is just a one-off problem and she's now living her life in the Light Realm.

I don't know exactly why PB added the "__ added to party" game mechanic because it wasn't really necessary in my opinion because it is unlikely we'll see these characters again at least until the final battle (if the final battle involves literally everyone - light versus shadow cagefight and becomes a TC&TF Book 2 scenario) but it does feel weird to have bought their loyalty by doing them favours instead of actually getting to know them. I don't know, it's just my personal opinion.

I do know that 18 chapters is very little to work with, but it can be improved with pacing. PB has a bit of pacing issues going on with Book 2. The woods chapter and Zaradun didn't need to take like, 6 CHAPTERS to make a point! And that's covering the two rifts! If Cherta and Willow were supposed to be one-off characters, why not have one 15 or 17-minute chapter for each one of them and one for the journey from the woods to Zaradun?

I also think that PB doesn't really follow up with how the characters interact to the lore. A lot of times the lore is just wasted upon extra dialogue material or social quests, but if it had some impact on the Final Puzzle we solve to unlock Shadow secrets or whatever or at least a lore callback, it would have been so much fun. Like dwarven culture is so important they dedicated like ONE FULL CHAPTER to it (or at least half a chapter) and they never revisit it, besides Cherta's storyline.

And the lore tablets - ughhh my problem with the lore tablets being, they don't offer any ammunition to the storyline. They're just.. there as "additional info" to spare characters from doing infodumps. Apart from their collectible mechanism, they're just no fun from actually doing the exploration part. The Party's quest to look for Zaradun is a million times more interesting than slapping it on a lore tablet! Like why can't we have bonding sessions like that more often? Or the pit-stop at Riverbend (we'll ignore Kade wasn't even mentioned there).

I also think PB has a problem with the Chekhov's gun rule in writing. They set up these brilliant character arcs for characters and let them down later. I'd say Tyril's whole beef with magic could have gone to Nia, who has dedicated her life to magic and is under the whole 'Light heals, Shadow ruins' impression. Mal's apathy clashes with his whole motive for opening up an orphanage. If he cared so much about MC to open up something so thoughtful with his money in their favour, why does he act like MC's dead or something? Apathy could have gone to Imtura - the person who is the only one who actually expresses her emotions and it would be interesting to see her go all quiet and numb throughout the story, only for her to feel like herself and take on a new responsibility after her mother's passing.

And Aerin and Valax, godddd, way to half-ass romance routes PB. If it weren't for fandom digging into all the subtext and making up subtext, the story would be far less interesting. (this is just my opinion once again) Aerin had so much potential as the cat-on-the-wall character and him journeying with MC and the Party could have actually made him more perceptive and understanding. He could have even bonded with Tyril and Imtura even - them being 'heirs' to houses/kingdoms and coming from a different lifestyles and life obligations.

Valax's storyline felt so last-minute. I definitely feel like we could have added her to the Party long before Chapter 13 when she joins us in the flash flood. It could have made the Watcher character more fulfilling considering how MC would have to make a choice between being on the Light or Shadow side in the debate. Valax could have had her own reasons for closing rifts (or opening rifts) to get to the other side (maybe put in a collectible mechanic there) and not closing rifts/closing rifts could have had some long-term consequences.

I know, it is hard to program it, but this is the same company that brought you old books where your choices did matter and take you down different routes. I just wish they were more adventurous in their programming or at least, fixed their pacing issue because while I still enjoy Blades 2 for what it is, it is kind of a.. mild let down after waiting this to be 3 years in the making.

okay that's it lol.

#blades of light and shadow #mads rants about stuff

14 notes · View notes

phaaz · 10 months

Text

∧＿∧

　 (｡･ω･｡)つ━☆・*

⊂/　 /　

　しーＪ　　

I’m still working on my mini blades fan vn…hopefully I can finish it before blades 2 but it might come out after (if at all). Anyway here’s some sneak peeks of Nia’s and Tyril’s cgs

22 notes · View notes

agattthaa · 7 months

Text

Gossiping? Me?

Parings: Tyril Starfury/ F!HumanMC Mal Volari/ Nia Ellarious

Word count: 977

Summary: Wanting to know about your friend's love life never is gossiping. Or maybe it is.

Warnings: Boyfriend that doesn't help his girlfriend to know gossips.

Melda: Dear

-So, how does it feel to have met some fae, meida?

-Melda, my heart. -The mage ran his thumb on his lover’s cheek, a soft smile illuminated his face. Being there, on Whimsywood, meeting faes, simply being laid beside her, it was almost too good to be true. The gods could not be that benevolent towards him.

And yet, there they were.

Tangled together, like the branches of an old tree, interlocked in a way that would destroy the tree if anyone tried to tear them apart. Laid on a very comfortable bed in a cozy room that the goblins were kind enough to offer them.

At first, he and Mal were highly against it. How could they simply let their traitor free to fret? But after some very pointed looks from Nia and a kind reminder from Raine that he had nowhere to run and his enemies were surrounding him and a bunch of sarcastic comments made by the prince himself, the boys calmed down.

Now, they were all comfortably resting on actual beds instead of on the cold floor, which was an upgrade from their regular adventures. Imtura picked the room with the biggest bed and basically forced Aerin to stay in the room beside her. Better for hearing any rat trying to run away, she had said. Mal liked the line of thought, so he and Nia stayed in the room on the other side of the prince’s, leaving the smallest room to Raine and Tyril.

The human wasn’t bothered by it at all. Actually, the small room reminded her very much of the one she had in her adoptive father's home. In that small room, filled with the perfume of the florest, on her lover's arms, it simply felt like home. A place she, for long, believed that she would never come back.

-Meida, Melda, Tomato, Tomato. -She flicked his nose, then, showed a wicked smile. -Not to brutally change the subject, but what about Nia and Mal?

-What about them? -He furrowed his eyebrow in a clear state of confusion, winning a skeptical look from her.

-'What about them?' Tyril, they are sleeping together. -His eyebrows were getting closer and he was getting more confused as she whispered.

-They are living together. They also are raising twelve children together. I don't understand your excitement with this situation. You visited their home.

-Yes, but I was kinda in a hurry to find Imtura, if you don't remember.

-So you didn't have time to gossip?

-Excuse me? I don't gossip, Lord Starfury, I'm merely wondering about some relevant information about my friends that I did not previously have the opportunity to know.

-So… Gossip.

-Okay, it's gossip. Now tell me about it.

-I don't know what to tell you. We were searching for you, then Mal said that he would like to create an orphanage, Nia said that she wanted to change the temple. Mal created the orphanage, then Nia started to live with him. They went to the same hairstylist.

She stayed silent for almost five minutes. Her eyes growing more annoyed by the second.

-That 's it? That's everything that happened in one year? They went to the same hairstylist?

-Well, I surely didn't ask them about their relationship.

-Man are all the same, I don't understand why I still get surprised. You could tell me anything and everything about the vegetation of this florest, yet, when I ask you information about your friend's relationship, you just tell me they live together. I know. I was at their house.

-...Then, what do you wish to know, Melda?

-Are they together? Did they already say 'I love you'? Are they sleeping together?

-You do realize that I have no way of knowing about that, you are aware of that, right?

-You could ask Mal, or Nia. You could think like: Raine will like to know about it, I should investigate.

-I was more worried about getting you back, actually.

-Well, I got back. And now what? You don't know about it, Imtura doesn't know about it, Aerin surely doesn't know about it.

-You could just ask them.

-Oh, sure why didn't I think about it before? I'll just go to Nia and ask: Hey Nia, love the new fit. Anyway, are you and Mal doing it?

-Raine!

A scandalized voice came from outside the room. Her voice had broken the sacred peace of their room, going to the ears that should be the last one to hear it.

Nia stayed silent after that. Everyone did for almost a minute. Raine covered her mouth, wishing the words never left her. Her eyes in complete shock while Tyril looked between her and the direction Nia's voice had come.

-Damn, Raine. That's definitely a way to ask. -Imtura let the laughs leave her mouth, hitting her first against her bed.

-Damn Rain, that was low. -Mal started laughing as well, until a characteristic slap sound started. -Ouch, my shoulder, sorry, sorry. What I mean to say is that it was an improper question, we are very upset with you.

-Man, you already sound like a father.

-Thanks, princess. Now let's all go to sleep. We have a long day tomorrow.

The silence was once again back. Raine's hand was still over her mouth, as if she was afraid of what would come out if she dared to take it out. Tyril, on the other hand, had a wild smirk, as if he was waiting for the right moment to make fun of her.

Instead, they heard another voice. One that had been silent for the entire time.

-So…are we taking this silence as a yes?

-Aerin!

Nia's shock was instantly suppressed by everyone's laughter.

Tyril pulled Raine closer, kissing her forehead, her temple, her hair.

-With you here, my heart, it feels like a dream.

#blades of light and shadow #choices stories you play #choices #choices bolas #tyril starfury #mal volari #nia ellarious

14 notes · View notes

griffinsabina · 7 months

Text

#playchoices #my choices #blades of light and shadow 2 #tyril the mage #blades mc #tintalle nightbloom

5 notes · View notes

zhoras-bitch · 7 months

Text

PLAYCHOICES MASTERLIST

➤ MY CHOICES MCS PROFILES

masterlist

EDITS

➤ ALPHA

FMC's red dress edit

➤ BLADES OF LIGHT AND SHADOW

Aerin and MC book 2 outfits

Aerin and MC masquerade outfits

Aerin and MC on the dark side

Aerin as a dark mage

Aerin as LI in book 1

elf!Aerin

f!Aerin

f!Tyril, f!Mal, f!Kade and f!Aerin (again)

human!modern!Tyril and Imtura

Kade book 2 makeovers

Nia in different dresses

modern!FMC outfits

➤ BLOODBOUND

modern!Gaius

➤ CRIMES OF PASSION

m!Trystan in the outfit he deserves

Trystan and MC going to Barbenheimer

Trystan and MC at Thorne family dinner

➤ GUINEVERE

modern!Arthur and Lancelot

➤ IMMORTAL DESIRES

f!Cas in m!Cas’s outfit

➤ KISS OF DEATH

Faith Skelly outfits

➤ THE CURSED HEART

sun court!FMC outfits

FANFICTION

➤ BLADES OF LIGHT AND SHADOW

Shadows Creeping Aerin Valleros x elf!f!MC | angst | mature | 3.2k words | complete After a botched raid on the Ash Empire outpost, Aerin finds himself locked in a tight chase with Princess Valax. The labyrinthine dungeons beneath the Shadow Court Fortress stir up some of his darkest memories. Will he be able to escape Valax, or the ghosts of his past?

➤ LAWS OF ATTRACTION

Strangers Beau McGraw x f!MC | angst | teen | 1.2k words | complete Your evening is going really well until, completely unprepared, you run into a painfully familiar stranger.

[other fandoms]

#my edits #my writing

3 notes · View notes

cashweasel · 3 years

Text

Tyril for day 1 of @bladesappreciationweek 💙

#tyril starfury #blades of light and shadow #blades aw #choices stories you play #playchoices #pixelberry #choices books #choicesgame #play choices #choices fanart #choices bolas #tyril the mage #blades tyril #pixelberry studios #choices blades #pixelberry choices #choices fan art #choices fandom #blades appreciation week

995 notes · View notes

starlight-starfury · 1 year

Text

Buried Memories

Book: Blades of Light and Shadow

Characters: (F!Elf!MC) Raine Nightbloom x Tyril Starfury

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Light depictions of grief

Length: 2.2k words

Summary: Tyril finds something that may help Raine uncover the forgotten history behind House Nightbloom’s hidden past.

Tags: @watatsumi-island @lawrencebarkley @lilyoffandoms @choicesficwriterscreations

A/N: This fic is the second part of Haunted Memories. I thought since blades 2 is still ages away and I’m desperate for some House Nightbloom lore I’d try to make some up myself 👀

“Please tell me you at least found something?” Raine sighed later as the two descended the staircase leading back down to the Grand Library from the visions room. She could still feel the humming of the celestial altar pulsing in the back of her skull like an oncoming headache, a sensation the bright glow of the chandeliers adorning the ceiling above them wasn’t doing anything to ease. She wasn’t sure she could handle any further disappointment if it turned out their quest for answers regarding her past had hit yet another dead end.

Though their plan had been used as a last resort, it appeared their efforts had not gone unrewarded because Tyril reached for her hand, his expression solemn as they stepped out onto the marbled floors.

“I did.” He didn’t elaborate further, instead leading her past ivory pillars and endless shelves of books until they reached a narrow passageway lined with torches at the far end of the library, only coming to a halt once they stood before a large, wooden door engraved with intricate markings that Raine assumed to be ancient elven runes.

She raised an eyebrow questioningly. “I thought we had searched through all the archives?”

Tyril’s lips curved upward in a smile as he lifted his hand towards the door. “Not this one,” he paused for a moment. “I...had not thought it relevant to our investigation at the time, but it appears I was mistaken.” He glanced towards her and his expression softened. “I suppose answers always come from the places we least expect to find them.”

He turned and pressed his hand against the door, murmuring a low incantation under his breath, and Raine watched with awe as the symbols lit up with a golden glow at his words, slowly flooding the patterns with light as they weaved across the wooden surface like a sunlit river. Once the light had reached each of the door’s four corners, it swung open and the two stepped inside.

“The Archives of Forgotten Magic,” Tyril explained, sweeping a hand forward. Raine’s eyes lit up as she took in the sight. The walls were lined with shelves of colourful books that seemed to glow and pulse with life and magic, while glass cabinets held enchanted gemstones and crystalline jars containing powerful elixirs within. Across the room, half-melted candles and piles of scrolls were scattered across the polished oak tables, and above them a row of colourful banners swung gently from where they hung from the ceiling.

As she looked closer, Raine noticed each of the banners represented one of the main magical classes. A black banner with a pair of crossed swords embroidered in silver below a blast of white light represented the battlemages, while another of dark green fabric with the insignia of a grand oak tree surrounded by thickened vines and flowers stood for the naturalists. The final banner was of a deep, purple silk detailing an all-seeing eye surrounded by shimmering stars to represent the illusionist mages.

She was proud of herself for having recognised each of them, making slow but sure progress in learning more about her culture over the past few months. Though she did have one question. “Is it really forgotten knowledge if all this information is still here?”

Tyril chuckled as they walked further inside, his arm wrapped around her waist. “Not many have access to this part of the library, as it is mainly reserved for scholars and archmages. That, and most of this knowledge is widely kept from those beyond Undermount.” He paused for a moment as he mulled his words over before reaching across to pull a book from one of the shelves.

“The magic your mother used, I’ve read about it before.” He traced a finger along the book’s cover, the fabric a deep shade of midnight blue. “I believe she was a night mage, though they haven’t existed inside Undermount for centuries.”

Raine followed him as he approached a silver lectern on the far side of the room, not sure whether she should dare to get her hopes up. “And you think this information could be connected to my House? Or what happened to it?”

Tyril placed the book down on the lectern’s surface. “We’re about to find out.”

A bright light sparked to life and Raine raised a hand to shield her eyes as the book’s pages began to flick on their own, until the painted illustrations on the paper seemed to slowly rise off the surface in a mist of swirling vapour as they took on a life of their own. The images shifted until they displayed a stone archway, the bricks covered in grime and moss and Raine felt her heart sink as she realised where it was.

“Those are the deep catacombs,” she whispered, exchanging a worried glance with Tyril. “Why would it show us that?”

“It’s showing us where we can find answers regarding what happened to House Nightbloom.” He explained. “This is excellent news, Raine. There must be something in the catacombs that will provide us with the information we seek.”

She nodded slowly. “What about the ghouls, though? Last time there were six of us and you still nearly...”

“The passages are much safer now,” Tyril assured. “After we discovered the Starfury ancestral crypt, a proper path was constructed and is now being used to uncover the buried mysteries of our people.” He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Perhaps yours will be, too.” Raine looked up at him and smiled. “Then what are we waiting for? I believe we have an ancient mystery to solve.”

Despite Tyril’s reassurances that the passageways in the catacombs had been made safer, Raine still couldn’t shake the lingering feeling of unease in her stomach as the two made their way deeper inside. It was eerily quiet, and the only noise aside from their footsteps was the slow dripping of water from the stalactites above, forming small puddles on the dampened soil below.

She was too on edge to notice the rocks beneath her feet had come loose and Tyril reached for her wrist as she slipped.

“Are you alright?” He asked and she nodded, though something else had caught her attention.

From a thin crack in the ground, a small flower was stubbornly pushing its way through, deep in the darkness where things weren’t meant to bloom or grow.

“Is that...” she trailed off, reaching a hand forward to stroke the delicate, indigo petals, shimmering with a silver glow. At her touch, the flower burst open with a bright light that filled the darkened cavern, and she shielded her eyes at its radiance.

“It’s a nightbloom flower.” Tyril breathed, his voice filled with awe. “They were believed to be long extinct, but...”

Raine smiled a little as she stood back up. “Somehow they survived, like me.” She glanced back at the flower, its petals now unfurled to reveal a violet centre. “Why did it glow like that?”

“I believe your influence was making it stronger, it must have reacted to your touch.” Tyril turned back to face her. “We should see if there are any others, there might be more.”

She lifted her head, and the two scanned their surroundings until Raine’s eyes landed on another flower further down the path. “This way,” she gestured for Tyril to follow and more nightbloom flowers began to appear, lighting up with sparks as Raine walked past.

They began growing in such abundance that it almost seemed like a trail intended to be followed, so they kept going until she found a stone archway covered in them, glowing like a cluster of stars in the darkness.

She pushed aside the thickened vines and gasped when they revealed a room carved from dark stone, the nightbloom flowers casting an indigo glow upon the walls.

“What’s this?” She asked Tyril, who was equally amazed. “Each of the Great Houses has an ancestral crypt, and I believe this one is yours.” He looked back towards the flowers coating the archway. “They led you here.”

Raine stepped inside, the air in the crypt was dry and stale, and there was something haunting about the knowledge that no one had been inside this room for thousands of years or more.

“Raine, you need to see this.” Tyril said, and she followed him to where he stood on the opposite side of the room.

A series of carved paintings etched into the walls and adorned with gemstones depicted an elven goddess, with long, dark hair that flowed into the vast expanse of the night sky surrounding her. She held her hands outstretched in front of her and her eyes were closed, with a single moonlit tear spilling down her cheek.

He frowned as he pressed his hand against the cold stone. “This isn’t a goddess I recognise.” Beneath the painting, a series of runes had been engraved into a silver plaque. Tyril’s brows furrowed in concentration as he ran his fingers along its surface, wiping away the decades-old grime so he could read the scrawled inscription better.

“N’evala...madrivun?” He whispered then quickly translated it for Raine. “It says ‘The Nightmother’.”

She quickly moved to inspect the second painting, both eager and curious to find out more. In the next image, the goddess had been replaced by an illustration of an illuminated tear, shimmering silver as it fell towards the softened earth where it landed among the blades of grass and sprouted a single, violet flower.

“It’s the first nightbloom flower,” Raine whispered reverently. The final painting depicted the flower opening its petals to the moon and a figure emerging, reaching its fingers towards the night sky.

“Do you think...” her voice was soft, a little breathless with both exhilaration and awe, “that could be the House Nightbloom founder?”

Tyril studied the three paintings intently. “I don’t see why not. If House Starfury was founded by the daughter of the North Star, it is certainly possible that yours could be traced back to the Nightmother, whoever she may be.”

He turned his attention to a larger set of inscriptions on the wall, more recent than the paintings but still hundreds of years old. “Oh, what’s this?”

Raine peered over his shoulder, she might have learned a lot in the past few months but she still couldn’t decipher the ancient writing just yet. “What does it say?”

“It’s about their magic,” he explained. “After the war with the Shadow Court, it seemed their magical affinity being associated with the night was mistaken for corruption and darkness, until they were driven from the city entirely.”

She frowned. “That doesn’t make any sense, the Shadow Court were driven back to their own realm after the Great War.”

Tyril shook his head. “This was not very long after they had been defeated, so no one knew for certain that they had been entirely banished. Even so, paranoia and fear had crept into their hearts, and Undermount had been closed off to any outsiders even if they were not inherently a threat. Every interaction was treated with caution.” He looked away, lost in thought. “It is easier to place blame upon others while grieving, instead of facing the sorrows it holds. Still, the way they treated your ancestors wasn’t right. I’m sorry, Raine.”

She traced the walls with her fingers, the brittle stone crumbling away at her touch. “I’ll never know anything about them, will I?” She looked around solemnly. “About my parents, or who I am.”

Tyril frowned, stepping closer to her side as he laced his fingers through hers.

“You are not your lineage.” He said softly. “Their fate is not yours, it never was. And we cannot truly let our own light shine if we are always standing in the shadow of those who came before us.”

She smiled at that, and he pulled her closer, placing a light kiss on her forehead. “As for your parents, all I know is that they would be so proud, to have a daughter like you.” He met her eyes, a soft smile on his lips. “I’m proud of you.”

Raine wrapped her arms around his shoulders, stepping closer into his embrace, until she noticed something sparkling on an altar in the far corner of the room.

“What’s that?” She asked, and as she looked closer she saw it was an ancient elven circlet. The position it was in seemed unusual, as though a previous owner had taken it off and left it there. She carefully lifted it from the altar, watching entranced as the amethyst embedded in the centre glinted with a silver glow like fragmented moonlight.

“It used to be customary for each of the House heads to wear a circlet as a way to denote status.” Tyril explained. “Since you are the last of your House, it would be my honour to name you Lady of House Nightbloom, if it was what you wished.”

Raine turned the circlet over in her hands. “I don’t know...” she trailed off. “I’m not sure I’m ready.”

“Well, if you ever decide that you are, I’ll be here.” He squeezed her hand and she smiled brightly. “I know you will.”

Tyril glanced around the crypt once more. “Now, if we’re finished here?”

She tucked the circlet gently into her satchel. “Just one last thing.” Raine turned and picked one of the nearest flowers, then wiped away the grime on the altar, revealing a glistening surface.

And she laid down a nightbloom.

#choices fic writers creations #cfwc fics of the week #blades of light and shadow #tyril starfury #tyril x mc #raine nightbloom #choices fanfic

36 notes · View notes