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y-rhywbeth2 · 4 months

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Gods & Clergy: Bhaal #2

Link: Disclaimer regarding D&D "canon" & Index [tldr: D&D lore is a giant conflicting mess. Larian's lore is also a conflicting mess. You learn to take what you want and leave the rest]

Because I found some extra stuff on Bhaalists.

Briefly featuring; secret identities, how to consecrate an altar, acceptable targets for sacrifice, red rooms, mummification, do not steal a Bhaalist's knife, and maybe some other stuff.

"Murder is natural. Slaying is what all creatures in Faerûn do, daily if they can. At least daily, slay something living—and the Lord of Murder is most pleased if the victim is one of your own kind and as formidable as, or more powerful than, you. Kill with swift skill, not by torture, forced suicide, falls, or collisions. Do it personally, with ever-greater deftness and elegance, and teach others the skills and the delights of slaying. "Deathbringers are to slay with enough skill that witnesses are impressed. They are always to challenge those more powerful than themselves, the clergy of other deities being prize targets. Slay with pleasure, but never with anger. Be in exquisite control of yourself. Utter the name of Bhaal so the victim can hear it. Ideally, it should be the last word a victim hears." - more Bhaalist dogma

Deathbringer appears to be a generic term for a Bhaalist who is part of the church. Or it's an alternative term for Deathstalker, it's hard to tell. Going on context, I assume it means the former.

In the time between his death and his resurrection, Bhaal no longer spoke directly to his followers even though he seemed to be answering prayers. He contacted them only rarely, and only in the form of nightmares.

Worshipping Bhaal is legal and persecuting his followers is considered... risky. Nobody wants to offend the gods. Murder, on the other hand, is very much illegal. Due to the fact that Bhaal is worshipped by committing very illegal murders, this gets complicated.

As with all evil and disruptive faiths, Bhaalists are permitted to worship so long as they don't disrupt functioning society and follow various stipulations: keeping their religious practices out of public view; not rocking the boat and causing the public to panic; and performing agreed upon services for the government for example. If they keep their end of the agreement, the law politely turns to look away.

Bhaalists protect their ability to worship the Lord of Murder by courting the halls of power, making themselves indispensable to the local government and nobility, and infiltrating law enforcement to cover their tracks. Many of them cut out the middleman and take positions of power themselves.

To make life easier for themselves, most Bhaalists have a "daytime identity" as a regular citizen, and keep their personal shrines out of sight (part of the restriction violent and evil faiths must follow in order to be permitted to operate in the Realms). The public should not be able to identify random Bhaalists walking amongst them.

Incidentally, Bhaalist shrines are kept holy by being anointed with the followers' own blood.

Bhaalists use their daily life to observe the city and consider their target. Preferred targets include:

Adventurers and travellers nobody knows. -

Criminals and troublemakers people will be glad to be rid of. -

People who are rising in power who might cause trouble for Bhaalists with that power -

The clergy of Bhaal's enemies: (Chauntea, goddess of agriculture; Helm, god of guards and law; Lathander, god of birth and renewal; Torm, protector of the common folk; Ilmater, god of martyrs; and Lliira, goddess of joy)

Favourite hunting grounds for Bhaalists tend to be either the main streets and markets (if they're looking to draw attention to the sacrifice, perhaps to make a statement) or the slums and poorer areas.

A daily murder is preferred by Bhaal, but only once a tenday is the murder of a person mandated. When the time comes, the Bhaalist will don their religious clothing and head out on their hunt.

Once the target is dead, they will take some trophy from them (and likely strip them of their wealth and possibly ransack their house, if possible). This trophy could be a personal possession, or a body part (for example; a finger, or their heart). The "trophy" is offered up to Bhaal on the altar, with a prayer, and Bhaal permits his followers to keep whatever wealth they acquire to fund their daily life and "continue their holy work." Many Bhaalists aim for a wealthy life, both for the comfort and for the fact that power and money are great ways to avoid anybody arresting you if you fuck up.

If in a city with a larger temple, then the worshipper is to tithe 50% of all coins taken this way to the temple.

If there is no temple in the area, then every member will be assigned a higher ranking priest as a handler of sorts, and they will give that 50% to them instead.

The church couldn't care less about non-monetary gains and land deeds, you can keep those.

Temples are not open to the public and may not be placed in view of the public, hence why they are built beneath the streets. There are also remote monasteries and monastic orders beyond the reach of the cities, which presumably hunt travellers on the roads at night and put the fear of their god into the hearts of nearby villages and farmers.

Bhaalists recruit by essentially running red rooms and snuff shows in secret locations at night; often cellars, basements and also private rooms in the upper floors of more well-to-do buildings. Guests wear masks to protect their privacy (the Bhaalists will presumably be wearing their full religious veils instead of masks).

The targets chosen for the spectacle will typically be those public opinion deems deserving of death. Violent criminals, for example. These slayings will not be considered a crime by viewers, and with a reputation for vigilantism, the cult may even come to be viewed favourably by some. Joining the cult means you get to "volunteer" the next guest star.

While I don't know how widely practiced this is, Bhaalists do mummify their dead. Invading a Bhaalist tomb may backfire when the long-dead priests take issue with their visitors.

Bhaalists blades may be cursed, in case they're stolen (particularly those they bury with their dead). Once unsheathed, the blades can't be returned to their scabbard until they've been used to take a life. Attempts to remove the curse with counter-magic will cause them to explode violently in a burst of metal shrapnel and fatal poison (which will be absorbed into the body on skin contact).

#blissfully short this time #durge #the dark urge #dark urge #orin the red

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skyloftian-nutcase · 26 days

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The evening brought a chill as Abel held Link closer. Tilieth was working on cooking dinner for the family, and they were in an area he had just cleared of monsters, so he knew they would be safe for now. It left him time to just hold his son, to look him over and be content in the moment.

Considering such moments came so rarely, he would take what he could of it.

It hadn't even been a hard day. Aside from the skirmish with the beasts, they'd found nearly half a dozen shrines, and they'd all been simple puzzles. No strenuous climbing, no catapults, no endless pits... and at the end of it all, Link's wounds had improved greatly with each spirit orb they found.

And now, Tilieth hummed off tune as usual, bringing a smile to Abel's lips as he gazed at his boy. Link looked serene, resting comfortably on his father's lap, and he turned his head slightly to snuggle in closer. Abel felt his heart speed up a little at the sight of it, considering the boy was usually not reactive at all. Were the spirit orbs really helping that much?

Link sighed steadily through his nose, and then his eyes fluttered open.

Abel jumped a little, reaching for some broth they had set aside for the next time the boy woke. He sat Link up a little, whispering, "Hey, little knight. Time for some food, okay? Can you stay awake?"

Link kept his eyes open, drinking the offered broth as Abel tipped the bottle back for him. The boy had been far more interactive lately, though still clearly not really lucid. At least the fear of him dying of dehydration or starvation was greatly lessened than it used to be.

Link hummed when he was finished, leaning against his father's shoulder and smiling. Abel stared at him, blinking, completely caught off guard. Slowly, he put the bottle down and poked the boy's chest. Link scrunched his nose in response.

Could he be...? "...Link?"

He looked at him.

His boy was looking at him.

Abel stared into the teenager's blue eyes, breathless, his own eyes blown wide. Link blinked blearily, tired, but smiled a little more. "Hi, Papa."

Tilieth's humming stopped immediately, and the sound of a ladel clattering to the ground came next as she rushed over. "Link?!"

Their son turned his head to look at his mother as she fell to her knees beside him.

"Link!" she sobbed, holding him as Abel continued to stare in shock. He--he was--

"Oh, honey," Tilieth cooed, rocking him and holding and probably never ever letting go again. "Honey, you're okay, you're awake!"

"Mama," Link muttered into her collarbone. "You're squishing me."

Tilieth laughed. "That's all you have to say at a time like this?! You silly little goose, do you--"

His wife sobered for a moment, and continued hesitantly, "D-do you remember anything?"

Link watched her curiously, face still bright and open, as if he had no recollection of the Calamity whatsoever.

He doesn't remember it.

Abel came back to life, eyes stinging, hiccups tearing out of him. Link immediately looked at him, wiggling out of his mother's grip. "Papa?"

Abel's lip wobbled, and Link scooted back to his lap, letting his father practically collapse on him. "I missed you, son."

Link stiffened a little before returning the hug in full. "It wasn't your fault, Papa."

Abel jolted. "I--what--"

"It wasn't your fault," his son repeated, emphasizing his words and holding him tighter. "I love you, Papa. I love you so much."

Try as he might, Abel couldn't stop the tears. Something about the boy's words and tone, the fact that he was awake--everything poured out of him at once, sorrowful and joyful and beautiful, and he held his boy so tightly.

"I love you too, little knight."

Link held tighter. And tighter. And tighter until it felt like he was squeezing the life out of him, like he was trapped, and--

Abel opened his eyes, tangled in blankets, hearing Tilieth snoring beside him. Breath tickled his neck, and he looked down to see Link, pale, frail, and injured, sleeping between the parents.

The former knight poked the boy. He didn't stir.

Sighing, Abel wiped away the tears that had somehow managed to fall despite just dreaming, and went back to sleep.

#April Fool's suckers #and by suckers I mean Abel #poor dude #FOR THE RECORD #I blame Tellie and Oma for this #they helped brainstorm how to torture Abel #it was horrible #I loved it #poor abel #blood of the hero #abel #tilieth #breath of the wild link #botw link #writing

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breannasfluff · 11 months

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Link doesn’t mind being a ghost. For the most part, he isn’t aware of time passing like the living. He jumps from moment to moment, fading in and out of focus.

In battles, he guides Wild’s movements, meshing with the body that was once his to lend sword skills wiped by the Shrine.

Sometimes he’ll tune in as Wild jumps on a shield, whooping as he slides down a hill. Or his taste buds light up with a new flavor when Wild tries a recipe. They still have the same favorite food; wildberry crepes.

Link, the Champion of the past, died on the battlefield to a multitude of Guardian injuries. The boy who woke up in his place, now dubbed Wild, was not him. In most ways, the new boy is better. Link wants nothing more than to watch the person he could have been live life to the fullest.

If only Wild hadn’t forgotten his sister and mother; those would have been good memories to keep. The rest of it? Link is happy to let those memories die with him.

Wild travels with a group of heroes and Link delights in the bonds he forms with the group. Wild may not remember his family, but these boys become a new family.

Link even heard mention that the youngest, Wind, could see ghosts, but the sailor never acknowledges him. Still, he can remain on the sidelines, lending his skill and watching Wild love life.

The love, though, comes with a never-ending guilt for failing his mission. Even death isn’t enough to make up for it. The goddess gave them another chance and they can’t waste it.

Wizzrobes are rapidly becoming the Chain’s least favorite enemy. Wild’s monsters not only have elemental magic, but wild magic as well. Mystery spells have to be dodged in battle and getting hit by one leads to unknown effects.

Once, Four was frozen by something similar to Wild’s stasis rune; out of commission for most of the battle. When Warriors was hit, trying to dodge an incoming slash, his directions became unintelligible. Time promptly picked up directions, but it was a full day before the Captain could speak normally.

The wizzrobe in today’s battle has an ice rod. Warriors is happily blasting back at it with Legend’s fire rod. Hyrule cuts down enemies behind him, protecting his back.

A moblin kicks Wind, sending him crashing into Wild’s side. They both go down in a flail of limbs and weapons, struggling to get up before being impaled.

Taking a chance, the wizzrobe throws another spell at the downed heroes. Unable to see it coming, it lands squarely in the middle of Wild’s back.

Wind is left standing guard, grabbing the Champion’s dropped shield to fend off further spells.

The wizzrobe is aiming again, laughing, when an arrow sprouts from its head. Twilight’s already letting loose a second one to take it down.

Without aerial attacks to dodge, the heroes quickly finish the battle.

“Time! I think you need to come here!” Wind’s voice has them running to where he still stands over Wild.

“What in Farore’s ass happened?”

“Language,” Time tries with a defeated sigh. Legend seems to delight in teaching Wind new swears.

On the ground lays Wild but not…Wild? There is something slightly off about him; tense where Wild is loose.

“He’s fine, just knocked out.” Hyrule checks him efficiently, then turns to their leader. “What now?”

Whatever the spell did, they won’t figure it out with him unconscious. “Let’s take him and set up camp. We can figure this out when he wakes up. The spells seem to wear off after not too long, so let’s hope this is the same.”

Wind circles Twilight as he hefts the hero in his arms. “But What happened?”

Time grits his teeth at the question. “I don’t know.”

Pain isn’t what Link expects when he wakes up, but it’s a familiar feeling. Pain was the defining factor of most of his life.

Along with the pain is a host of bodily sensations that overwhelm him; ghosts aren’t so readily grounded in the physical. What happened?

With a groan, Link opens his eyes. Branches full of leaves frame the sky; a green more vivid than he’s seen in a long time. Beneath his fingers is the rough wool of a blanket. His stomach grumbles; he’s…hungry?

A head enters his field of view; Sky. “Hey, Wild, how are you feeling?”

Wild. But he’s Link. Link who is a ghost, who doesn’t feel physical sensations like this. Who isn’t alive, chest rising and falling with every crisp breath of air.

The wizzrobe—

“You were hit by a spell,” Sky unknowingly supplies. “Something seems off but…we were hoping you could tell us what happened?”

“Please let him still be able to talk,” Warriors grumbles from somewhere behind him.

“He’s more fluent in sign than you are,” Four shoots back.

“Yeah, yeah, I know; I’ve got too many battle signals.”

Link can almost hear the eye roll with the statement. He takes a deep breath because he can, then pushes himself upright. He’s sore in strange places—what does Wild do to use those muscles—but otherwise okay.

Focusing on Sky, he signs, I’m able to continue. What’s the plan?

Sky stares, as do half the other boys. “Um.” Helplessly, Sky looks at Time who pushes himself off his log.

“The wizzrobe, Wild. Do you remember what happened?”

Well, he’s not doing a good job of pretending to be Wild. Then again, he doesn’t know how to be the person he’s become. Training and duty are the defining factors of his life and he can’t break the habit. As a ghost, he could relax into Wild’s emotions as they bleed over. Now he had only his own.

Link tests his legs, and when he finds they work he snaps a salute to Time. Yes sir. The wizzrobe’s spell hit Wild’s body, he signs. My hypothesis is that it pushed his spirit free. Rather than leaving him a shell, easy to defeat, I was pulled into the empty vessel. If the past pattern continues, you should have Wild back within 24 hours.

His report finished, he moves into a parade stance and waits.

“Holy shit.” Legend stares at Link. “Who the hell are you then?”

Read the rest here!

#linked universe #botw link #lu sky #lu wild #lu time #botw champion #hurt/comfort #linkeduniverse #breannasfluff #my writing

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centuryberry · 2 months

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Shadowiceflower Adventures

Otherwise known as "Macaque's Extended Bachelor Party" or "What Happened While Wukong and Yue Were Away"

A Brief Summary: For once, Macaque doesn't just sit and wait for Wukong to come back home. Instead, he goes out with Shanzha and RinRin to make some memories and maybe leave a mark on the world.

Macaque, Shanzha, and RinRin last about one (1) week without Wukong and Yue before they break down and cry. They just miss them so much.

After a night of getting completely hammered together, RinRin gets the bright idea of going on an adventure - just the three of them. Macaque is reluctant to leave FFM but eventually agrees.

The three start small: They visit the Demon Bull Family first.

Everything is pretty chill until Red Son starts to lose control of his Samahdi Fire. Shanzha manages to ease the flames with her ice powers and buy Macaque and RinRin some time as they search for a specific flower known to help manage and repress demon powers.

Red Son is (temporarily) saved though the event makes PIF and DBK consider asking for celestial help since their son's abilities mostly come from the celestial side of the family.

The trio move on. They stop by a Demon Night Market so they can buy rare wares and trinkets for Yue and themselves.

RinRin meets an unpleasant Owl yaoguai and decides to steal their lantern so she can gift it to Macaque. This sets off a chain of events that gets the trio into trouble. They somehow get out of the ordeal intact and alive. Shanzha is upset at RinRin's riskiness but Macaque is moved by the gift.

From there, the trio decides to visit Macaque's homeland. The lands were ruined and ransacked and were a sad sight to see.

Macaque, Shanzha, and RinRin stay in the Macaque Spirit Clan's castle overnight and discover that it's haunted. Or, more like, RinRin is painfully aware that it's haunted while Macaque (part of the bloodline) and Shanzha (a shrine maiden) are oblivious until RinRin decides to deal with the ghosts.

Instead of putting them to rest, Macaque uses his new lantern to give the ghosts shadow forms. They now guard the lands, keeping outsiders out. They also acknowledge him as the current Macaque Spirit King.

Since the Spirit Macaque Clan territory is located between FFM and LoES, they use the land to gather all of the FFM soldiers and generals willing to throw down with some snow monkeys for sending a child bride.

Macaque, RinRin, and Shanzha enter the territory first to gather information and stir up some shit. RinRin and Shanzha give Macaque a makeover and sit back and laugh as LoES falls over themselves to impress and court Macaque.

Macaque gets the ego boost of his life. While he really doesn't have to do anything, he takes the initiative to learn from RinRin how to flirt and seduce. He also learns from Shanzha all the underhanded tricks that the residents of LoES might pull on him. He flourishes during his time there.

Though, in their information-gathering, the trio slowly realizes that there's a conspiracy afoot. They dig a bit too deep and are imprisoned by a clan leader who isn't as moved by Macaque's looks (unfortunately).

Enter: Nezha, who had been scouring everywhere to find the three so he could bring them up to Heaven. He breaks them out of jail and ends up getting tangled as the monkeys continue to unravel a concerning thread of thralls and followers of a Bone Demon.

Nezha was insistent that they come with him at first but then he saw the state of LoES firsthand and witnessed children's lives being threatened daily.

LoES child: "There's a God that Protects Children?"

Nezha: (devastated at their disbelief)

Nezha was onboard with helping after that. He was the one who would evacuate the children whenever the scheming trio upended a clan and dethroned its thralled leaders. Eventually, he was the one who led the charge against the Zodiac Monkey Clan when civil war broke out.

There's this one moment when Macaque enters the compound and finds the room Yue used to live in with Shanzha and RinRin. It was so small and bare and it broke his heart seeing it.

LBD's influence over the clan made it more hellish than it already was. Many of the clan members were all too happy to back Shanzha as the new heir and leader. Anything to escape LBD and Yishan's rule.

Shanzha and Yishan (the Thrall) engage in a one-on-one inheritance battle. Shanzha nearly takes his arm off with her arrows. Yishan nearly takes an eye out but scars her instead. The fight ends up as a draw because of Erlang Shen's entrance, forcing Yishan and LBD to flee.

Erlang Shen takes an exhausted Nezha and the Scheming Trio up to Heaven where they are reunited with Yue and Wukong.

#queen of the mountain #shadowpeach #iceflower #lmk #macaque-centric #outline #male-female friendship #macaque turns his ancestral territory into a literal ghost town #macaque is a snacc #canon #if i had the time and energy this would be its own fic

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pineappleandcake · 2 years

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Thinking about shrine maiden reader and yandere cyno

Yandere Cyno x F! Shrine Maiden Reader

Note : Pretend that Cyno is the ruler of the desert of something and he's sitting on the throne and the reader is someone who works for him.

TW : DUBCON?, cockwarming, smut, non consensual touching, yandere behavior, unbalanced power dynamics?, and innocence kink??

Minors, ageless, and blank blogs dni. By expanding this post, you have read the warnings.

The General Mahamantra was a cruel ruler and he wasn't someone you wanted to mess with. If you had even done one thing such as say one bad word about him, then you would never be heard of ever again. You yourself knew that about him and you didn't even dare as to even look in his direction. However things in life don't always go your way do they?

So imagine the fear that pierced you when the General Mahamantra started trying to make a move on you.

It started off as making you wear a different uniform from the other shrine maidens. One that was more revealing with your cleavage poking out and a skirt that was way too short. If you were to so much as even bend down an inch someone else could see your ass.

You can also vaguely remember a time when he tried to tell you a joke and it was so bad that you had to fake a laugh just so you could keep your head in tact.

Another time you bent over to grab something and when you stood back up and looked behind yourself, you could've sworn you saw Cyno staring at your ass with a gaze full of lust.

Sometimes he would randomly grope you and you felt so uncomfortable about it but you didn't say anything because you didn't want to piss him off.

You wished that he would go back to when he didn't even so much as glance at you. You didn't want anything to do with him. He was cruel, scary, and only a dumbass would get themselves involved with a person like him.

Unfortunately for you, Cyno never shied away in taking things that should belong to him. The bad thing was is that you were next.

The General Mahamantra wasn't an idiot. He knew that you were visibly afraid of him and he was going to use it to his advantage no matter what. But things escalated to the next level when he got even bolder. And that was making you cockwarm him on his throne.

You were quite frankly embarassed.

You knew that everyone who walked into the throne room could see you looking like a whore with your revealing attire and the fact that Cyno's cock was stuffed in your cunt.

"Mmm you're taking me in so goodly" Cyno groaned into your ear.

You didn't even want to be on his lap. Hell you didn't even want to be breathing in the same air as him.

You were scared what would happen if you even so much as tried to get off his lap.

Cyno chuckled to himself as he saw how visibly uncomfortable and embarassed you were. "Hmm cmon take me in like the whore you are." Cyno groaned into your ear. "If you even so much as get up from my lap you will regret it." He threatened.

His threat made your blood run cold. However the only thing you could do was hide your face in his chest and pray that this would all be over soon.

The entire time you were on his lap Cyno would carry on with his duties. He talked to the visitors of his temple who would ask for things and he just rolled his eyes as he wrapped his arm around your body tighter.

The other shrine maidens in the same room as the both of you just minded their own business. They were too scared to even look at you in fear that they would get punished for looking at you.

After the day was over you thought that you could carry on with the rest of your life in peace. But you were so wrong.

You even tried to leave the temple but the guards immediately dragged you and chained you to Cyno's room.

You were told by the General Mahamantra that this would be your new home now and you just had to accept it. But things like this would never be easy especially since you were held here aginst your own will. Nobody could ever be happy if they didn't have their own freedom. Things like that just didn't work in life.

The only thing you could do now is hope that one day, you'll be able to break free from Cyno's clutches.

But as the days pass by, you can't help but wonder if freedom will ever come. The only thing you could do is pray now.

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linked-history · 8 months

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So next from the poll was Hermit, though with a surprise cause I am including Age of Calamity into the AU cause why not Fuck with the timeline even further. So I do have the order labeled but from Left to Right we have Age of Calamity, Link from BotW flashbacks, Link waking up on the Plateau, BotW Link in a "Repaired" champion's Tunic, and Tears of the Kingdom/Final Look.

As usual I will be including more information below the cut.

During one of these trips away from the palace, when stopped near the Faron Woods, Link left the camp in the dead of night almost in a trance and returned early the next morning with the Master Sword in hand. From then on his time spent in the Palace Kitchens was over as he was trust into serious training and taught all forms of weaponry.

THE CALAMITY

Link spent much of his younger years within the palace after moving into the barracks with his father, following the deaths of his mother and younger sister when his village was raided by bandits. While he spent some time in the barracks watching his father and the other knights much of his time was spent helping in the kitchen, learning from an elder woman who worked in the kitchen Mihn. He was happy to use his knowledge when he travelled with his father and his troops whenever they left the palace barracks.

It was as the Sheikah were testing the newly excavated Guardians that Zelda was overseeing the knights progress, while also sating her curiosity regarding the Guardians that a stray shot heading towards the princess was deflected by Link and he was quickly appointed as her Guard by the king.

So Link ended up following Zelda, and being hated by the princess as she saw him as a reminder of her failure to unlock her powers, though even after he saved her from the Yiga, during one of her trips visiting Urbosa, she did not completely warm up to him. After that inccident she instead ignored his presence as he tailed her as she continued trying to unlock her powers.

It wasn't until the Calamity struck and Zelda saw just how far Link was willing to go to protect her that she understood just how harsh she was to the boy that had lost just as much as she did, if not more. She tasked the Sheikah traveling with her to transport Link to the Shrine so that he may heal from his injuries while she left to face the Calamity alone and ended up fighting a battle alone that lasted 100 years.

From there Link traveled to the Sheikah and was guided by Impa, gaining memories as he went that left him with mixed feelings towards his goal and the princess who in the end saved his life and has overseen the protection of Hyrule as he healed.

100 YEARS LATER

When Link first awoke on the plateau his memories were gone though, if he had been able to at the time, would explain that the time he spent healing had almost felt like a dream. While on the Plateau he was guided and taught by an Elder male who inhabited the region, who was later revealed to be the King. After activating the towers and completing the shrines on the plateau Link watched as a shadowing mist seemed to almost glide through the air around the broken palace before being pushed back by a light of similar form.

During his journey he worked to free the divine beasts and was forced to face the corrupted remains of those he once called friends 100 years ago as well as defeat the Blights that had killed them. In between Divine Beasts he traveled, retrieved the Master Sword from its resting place and helped the remaining inhabitants of Hyrule who had begun to thrive once again during last 100 years.

After defeating the Calamity his mixed feelings towards Zelda returned, while deep down the task of protecting her arose he memories of her treatment of him until the end, kept from from doing more than escort her to Kakariko and then his home in Hateno that he gifted to her as his last act as her knight before leaving and deciding to continue traveling and helping around Hyrule.

Upon the individual reawakening Zelda was attacked, Link's muscle memory making him move with little thought where he recieved damage to his arm, while the cave system collapsed beneath them and Zelda disappeared in a spark of light. Link met the ghost of Rauru, a past King of the lost Zonai race, and was given direction on how to navigate the new sky islands before he was able to return to the surface with the task of finding Zelda who was still missing and had taken the remains of the Master sword with her to the past, where Rauru explained she was located.

THE UPHEAVAL

With some time away from Zelda following the Calamity's defeat Link found Zelda in one of the new growing settlements close to the palace where he agreed to accompany her into the Palace to explore the lower cave system left by the Calamity under the Palace. While exploring they uncovered mysterious records of an unknown time and age and those who inhabited it. At the deepest part of the cave system they uncovered the remains of an individual left to rot beneath the Palace.

After helping the regions around Hyrule with phenomenon plaguing their areas and retrieving the Master Sword from the light Dragon, Link was able to defeat the remains of the corruption below the palace and the monster that it became, gaining help from the spirits of Rauru and his wife Sonia, who were able to assist in returning Zelda to their time, though she did not return as she once was, she was changed from the events she lived through and her memory of any of the events was broken or hazy at best.

This Zelda understood the mistake of her "alternate" self and repaired the broken connection with Link and was able to lead her people to victory with her knowledge of what the Calamity would use against them, leading to the destruction and repurposing of the Guardians, removing a weapon from the playing field that would've been used against them in the end.

AGE OF CALAMITY

A break in the timeline from the meddling of the Goddesses and the blood and power within Zelda when she awakened her powers. Hyrule was given a second chance against the Calamity as time was reversed a month before the Calamity's attack. As it was Zelda's power that broke the timeline she awoke in this time with knowledge of the Calamity's attack and it was viewed as a prophecy brought on by her divine blood.

#alternate universe #linked history #redesigns #legend of zelda #age of calamity #breath of the wild #tears of the kingdom #links meet au

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artist-issues · 4 months

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I just found out you like the Twilight Zone! Please talk about your favorite episodes, if you have the time!

Oh yay, sure! I started watching the Twilight Zone about five years ago and it’s become one of my top 3 favorite tv shows of all time. It’s creepy, and I have a low tolerance for psychological horror, so I take my time watching it. But my favorite three episodes are a lot of other people’s faves, too.

I think the very best one is It’s A Good Life. This kid is born with godlike powers—he can do anything—but he chooses to make everything the way he wants it. He transports his whole town out of the world or destroys the rest of the world—the townspeople aren’t sure which. Their lives revolve around keeping this kid happy, because if he’s ever upset, he does terrible things to them. He doesn’t like it when people look at him like he’s the monster he is, so he strikes them blind, or turns them into toys, or, if he even hears you thinking unhappy thoughts he sends you “to the cornfield.” Which is basically death. The whole town is constantly telling the boy that everything he does is good, and everything they feel is good, and they’re always telling each other to think everything is good. And eventually one guy stands up to the boy (the boy’s name is Anthony) and gets fed up, and Anthony kills that guy, then makes it snow, which kills all the remaining crops in the town, and the people just sort of go… “I guess we won’t have food now. That’s a good thing you did, Anthony.” And it ends.

Because the thing is, all of the stuff that sets Anthony off—all of his little pet peeves that everybody tiptoes around—they’re actual good things. He doesn’t like other kids because they don’t always do what he wants. He doesn’t like dogs because they are afraid of him. He doesn’t like music, or television, unless it’s what he creates. He thinks suffering is funny and he likes to make up vicious creatures, then kill them, and have everybody approve of it.

Anthony is forcing everyone to behave like what is really good is actually bad, and what is really evil is actually good. He flips right and wrong on it’s head, and everyone goes along with it out of fear.

I also love Eye of the Beholder, even though it’s on the nose. (HA. Get it) The Sixteen Millimeter Shrine is incredible too. That idea that nostalgia for whatever you thought was the best time of your life can actually imprison you…and you don’t even know it’s a prison. And it keeps you from embracing and growing in and loving the rest of your life.

And Where Is Everybody, for those of you who’ve never seen The Twilight Zone, is the very first episode, and it just perfectly captures the weird “what is going on” vibe that draws you into the show.

I think there are two things that make me love The Twilight Zone.

The first is that every episode “makes you think.” Usually they don’t have conclusions where everything is explained, or resolved; Anthony is not defeated, Barbara Jean stays in the movie screen with no explanation of how she got in there or what will happen to her now…but the fact that the storytellers leave it like that literally forces you to think more about what you just saw.

Your brain naturally goes, “yikes, the kid just gets to keep making life a nightmare? Don’t like that. If I were in there I would’ve just knocked him on the back of the head. Why didn’t anybody do that?” And by having to think about it more, you aren’t critiquing or arguing with the actual story. You’re thinking it over, trying to figure it out, because you naturally accept that there is something there to be worked out. The “message” of every episode gets under your mental guard, works it’s way into your worldview.

You watch “It’s a Good Life” and realize that not everything is “good.” Sometimes there’s plain evil that can’t be reasoned with or explained away in the world, and you just have to stop protecting yourself with pretending otherwise and do something about it. The townspeople should’ve all stopped pretending and worked together, or been brave enough to realize stopping the monster or dying trying was better than living in fear.

And that brings me to the second thing I love about The Twilight Zone: every episode has a message. It has something it wants you to think about. It’s not just tickling your suspense-responses, or giving you a brain worm about nothing but creepiness. It’s not trying to get you “in your head” to “figure it out.”

I know I just said it makes you think, but it specifically makes you think about something real, a concept that affects real life. The Twilight Zone answers enough of your questions with each story to make you think about the lesson, and doesn’t give you enough information to be like, “I’m going to figure out the Easter eggs, and the backstory behind how everybody in Eye of the Beholder got pig noses!”

The Twilight Zone makes it obvious that there are important questions to ask when you watch a story, (like, “Why didn’t everybody work together to kill Anthony?”) and there are useless, unimportant questions to ask when you watch a story. (Like “where did Anthony’s godlike superpowers come from?”) And it specifically engineers each story so that you’re more emotionally involved with the RIGHT questions, instead of the arbitrary questions.

Nowadays everybody’s like, “let’s figure out exactly where that Easter Egg came from! Let’s see if we can figure out what version of Arthur’s narrative is the REAAAL one in The Joker! I can’t actually verbally explain what Christopher Nolan was doing but I totally got Tenet.” 🙄

I’m tired of stories that are all shock-&-awe and no meat. The Twilight Zone might ask you simple questions, but they’re really good, important ones to have answers to. And the artfully suspenseful, show, don’t-tell episodes of The Twilight Zone make those questions stick in your head and your heart.

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haileyywrites · 1 year

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(Part 1) The Balladeer returns to his land of origin on important business by the order of the Cryo Archon and finds out about his creators second puppet - one who is not the Shogun...

-> Scaramouche/the Balladeer x reader!

-> Gender neutral reader! Innocent reader! No ship - reader is technically Scara's sibling! Scara thinks about unaliving reader and chokes them! Some dark themes but no actual violence or graphical descriptions! A lot of jealousy and hate, some angst!

The Balladeer loathed his home of origin, nothing but terrible memories existed there anymore. The lands belonged and were controlled by the one who created him - Beelzebul, who was also the one who abandoned him. In her eyes he wasn't strong enough, or good enough to act as her puppet. He was a mere prototype to the limits of it's technology and he simply didn't fufil her expectations. She threw him away as she didn't wish to have control over his fate.

What a joke... She created him to be her puppet on a string and when she failed to create what she envisioned, she left him to figure out life on his own. In the end she had managed to make the Shogun, who was perfect for what she envisioned to rule over eternity on the outside.

Outside of her he had never heard or knew of another puppet ever being made by her, yet when he laid eyes on you - it was obvious. You may not have been the spitting image of her, but neither was he. He of all would recognize the work of his creator and there was no mistaking your true nature. The electro symbol on the back of your neck - though hidden mostly by your clothes, could still be seen with keen eyes.

It wasn't wise of him, but he couldn't fight against the urge - no, the need to follow you around. You were constantly surrounded by the Shogun's men who were supposedly guarding you. If you couldn't even walk through Inazuma City without guards, then what could Beelzebul possibly see in you? What made you stronger or better than him?

The very sight of you made his non-existent blood boil and hands ball into tight fists. It disgusted him that you could somehow be considered his superior when you naively walked around the streets with your entourage looking at the different shops with those big doe eyes of yours...

Had he not recognized the signs, he likely would have thought you to be some wealthy Inazuman family's spoiled brat with your fancy traditional outfit and group of guards. That was likely who you were to most Inazumans, few knew the truth of the Shogun - so how or why would they know your true nature? Either way he would hear people talk about you and the Shogun - that she would sometimes be seen outside of Tenshukaku accompanying you...

Firstly she would create and keep you despite everything about you being the same as him when he was abandoned, and before he joined the Fatui. Weak, helpless and emotional. Then she even protects and spends time with you - either she leaves the Plane of Euthymia to be with you or she forces the Shogun to do so... Either way she goes out of her way to do this for you. What a hypocrite.

The more he followed you around the more his thoughts turned sinister... He wanted to see the look on your face as you faced and recognized him the same way he had. Right after he'd wrap his hands around your neck and... What he would do to be there when the Shogun would receive the news of it. He'd just have to find the right moment to sneak up on you.

What was worse than tailing you throughout Inazuma while he was supposed to be doing something more important, was that you were heading to the Grand Narukami Shrine. The home of Yae Miko, Beelzebub's bothersome kitsune familiar. He watched you greet the woman with a warm smile, clearly you knew each other quite well. Frustratingly he watched as you interacted with her for quite a while before she left you alone, your guards were left outside of the shrine.

This was his moment. You were facing away from him as you rested your palm against the Sacred Sakura, you muttered something as you closed your eyes but he could not hear what you were saying. He stopped a few steps below you and for some reason he hesitated... You slowly turned around with round eyes.

“Oh, I'm sorry. I did not hear you coming.” You smiled warmly.

That was the last thing he expected for you to do. Your smile was somehow calming and your eyes were so kind when you looked at him. They widened for a moment before your brows frowned in confusion. Scaramouche stared back wordless, unable to do anything...

“Have we by chance met before? You look and feel familiar somehow...” You questioned.

“No.” He coldly responded, yet you didn't mind in the slightest.

“I see. Are you here to pray or to pay respects?” You asked politely.

“Neither.” He curtly responded.

The silence that ensued was rather awkward for both sides as you simply stood still and stared at each other. The more you stared the more you questioned how you knew him or what you recognized him from, but you couldn't quite place it. His gaze was intense and made you rather uncomfortable... You were just about to excuse yourself when his hand wrapped around your neck tightly.

You were caught off guard and gasped loudly, you weren't able to make a sound or breathe. Panic began settling in as you clawed his hand helplessly while trying your best to suck in any air to your lungs. He stared blankly at you, his eyes darkening the longer he held you. The more you struggled the harder he pressed...

Your mind was becoming fuzzy from the lack of air and your legs began buckling under you, as hot tears filled your eyes. You looked at him pleading for him to stop with your eyes... His eyes widened as he stared at you complete in shock, slowly his grip loosened as his hand trembled against your neck. Without his hold you fell onto the ground and began coughing uncontrollably as you tried regaining your breath.

What was that - why did he let go? He didn't understand it either... But your eyes. The way you looked at him so helplessly and hopelessly, you were filled with fear but even now you didn't look at him with any hatred. Your eyes remained bright and soft. He hated them, he hated you. Yet he couldn't kill you...

He backed away before looking down at you, you were staring back with concern. Your neck was red with marks around it from his fingers, your hand was placed over it protectively. You weren't backing away, you simply laid on the ground unmoving.

“Are... are you okay?”

Was that a joke? Why in the world would you be asking that when you were the one who was almost sent to the beyond? He really didn't understand you, not anymore at least... Kabukimono would have. You reminded him of that part of himself and he hated it. He hated everything about you and wanted nothing more than to wrap his hands around your neck again, but finish the job this time.

But he couldn't do it when you looked at him like that... You wouldn't survive an hour without supervision from the Shogun or her men, you and people like you weren't going to survive in a world like this. You just weren't meant to, but he would leave you be. For both of your sakes it would be best if you never crossed paths again...

A/N: I honestly don't know lol not proofread! Like and or reblog if you want <3

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lifeandlies-of-regulusblack · 9 months

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As far as we ever got.

A Sirius and Regulus Black Character Study.

I have yet to grieve for all the bad things that ever happened to me.

—@fromdarzaitoleeza

This sounds so much like Sirius. The main difference is, when it comes to the brothers, is that Sirius has at least gotten as far as mourning the fact that he has so much trauma he'll eventually have to unpack it, only that shit keeps happening to him— it's like watching himself get beat down and not be able to do anything about it. He knows he doesn't deserve half the shit he's been through and this sparks rage inside him. It's with this anger that he picks himself up. He's rage and spite. If Sirius has to go down he might as well take you down with him. He'll grieve for his life when he has the time and capacity to do so. Right now, he rests easy on the anger he has for himself.

It's years later when most of his loved ones are dead and gone, that he truly grieves. Surrounded by the very walls he swore he'd never see again. The walls he swore would never keep him again. There's a room right across his, untouched, closely guarded. Kept like a shrine to the memory of his brother. He doesn't know who locks the door anymore, him or Kreacher. There's a quidditch jumper with a surname that isn't his, in his closet. Alone, hidden, and isolated in a house where time stops still while the rest of the world outside moves about — with nothing but time and memories, this is when he grieves.

Regulus both kept making and was forced to make wrong decisions one after the other, and he looks at the consequences not as wrong things but constants in his life. No matter what he does, he'll always suffer for it — NOT KNOWING HE CAN CHOOSE DIFFERENTLY, HE CAN WANT DIFFERENTLY. He lives in misery and thinks, this is normal. Stuck with his parents' unending cruelty. Left behind by his brother. Imprisoned by a lifetime being taught he was never meant to get out. Shackled by his debilitating anxiety of what lies outside all of this. He chooses to follow, is what he does. He knows there's some injustice to his and his brother's lives but it doesn't steer him away from thinking he was born into his misery. He doesn't want for more. He just wants for things to stop.

It's when he's inside the cave, struggling to fight the hands dragging him down, each desperate gasp accompanied with bigger and bigger mouthfuls of water — that he thinks this is all entirely unfair. It's unfair that he has to die, even though he's already come to terms with it before stepping foot in the cave. Unfair that his whole life has been shitty. He's in pain, he's scared, and he can't believe it: the thing inside his chest screaming for more when he'd been living life half-alive. Time. Chance. More. He wants more. He should've gotten more! And, and—

That's as far as Regulus ever gets.

I can't seem to stop writing about the Black Brothers (⁠٥⁠↼⁠_⁠↼⁠). Here, have some more. Also, if you enjoyed this, please consider giving me a reblog! It's a great source of motivation and the only way this makes its way to other people ~

#regulus black #the black brothers #black brothers #sirius black #marauders era #dead gay wizards #regulus headcanon #sirius headcanon #sirius and regulus #marauders fanfiction #hp marauders #sirius black and regulus black #james potter #regulus fanfiction #sirius fanfiction #slytherin boys #slytherin house #my writing #regulus arcturus black

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ordon-shield · 1 year

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The Split/Swapped Triforce Theory

The Link we see in Breath of the Wild, and now Tears of the Kingdom is different to his previous incarnations in many ways, and I’m not just talking about the colour of his tunic. Every other Link that we’ve seen through the series starts their adventure with no expectation of being a great hero, of saving the land from evil. No, they set out to rescue a sister, or some children from their village, or their best friend, or a princess calling out for help. It’s only after they set out that they inevitably have to make a decision— does it have to be them that’s the hero? Couldn’t they step aside, and let someone else, older and more experienced take charge? Once they’ve rescued whoever they set out to save, or someone else has arrived to help, why keep putting themselves in danger? Even if destiny says they have to be the one, that doesn’t mean they’re forced to play that role— but each of them still chooses to, proving their courage.

The Link of Breath of the Wild never gets that moment. He’s young when he draws the Master Sword for the first time, years before the return of Calamity Ganon. He isn’t set out on a quest to protect someone he cares about, but instead given the title of hero immediately, and assigned as Zelda’s personal guard. He grew up knowing what was expected of him, and even when he wakes up in the Shrine of Resurrection, his memories lost? One of the first things he’s told is that he is the light that must shine upon Hyrule, and his first glimpse of Calamity Ganon comes alongside Zelda telling him that its freedom will mean the destruction of the world, and that he must hurry. This version of Link is never given that choice that every other version of him makes at some point, never given the choice to be the hero— and is it really courage to fight when you’ve been told your whole life it’s what you’re meant to do?

Though the Zelda series, the three pieces of the Triforce have been present since the second game, which introduces the Triforce of Courage, and at the same time ties Link to it for the first time. The Link we see in the Adventure of Link gained the Triforce of Wisdom by finding its scattered pieces, the Triforce of Power by defeating its previous holder. The Triforce of Courage however, he is chosen to find when the symbol of the united Triforce appears on his hand, travelling through seven palaces and facing his own dark reflection to earn it. This connection only grew stronger in Ocarina of Time, the fourth game in the series, after the Triforce splits when Ganondorf, someone with an imbalances heart makes a wish on it, transforming the Sacred Realm into the Dark World and cursing the temples of Hyrule, the Triforce of Courage is eventually revealed to rest within Link’s body. Further games only reinforced the link between the hero and courage, with the Link of The Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, and A Link Between Worlds all carrying the Triforce of Courage at some point. A pattern was formed— Power with Ganondorf, Wisdom with Zelda, and Courage with Link.

The Triforce is never mentioned in Breath of the Wild, but we do see it. While its true nature and name have been forgotten over the ages, the inherited sealing power that lies within Zelda. We see it as she defeats Dark Beast Ganon, her hand outstretched as it manifests before her, a burst of light— much like the one we see in Skyward Sword when Link wishes away the Imprisoned— blossoming out and obliterating the Calamity, once and for all. In the true ending to the game, she says her powers seem to have dwindled after holding back Ganon for so long (in Japanese the specific term she uses is ‘withered’), but importantly, she doesn’t say that they’re completely gone, only that they’re less than what they once were. We’ve seen this happen before, as mentioned above— the Triforce can split into its three parts, with the one who touched it acquiring the part that represents what they desire the most. But is Wisdom what the Zelda we see in Breath of the Wild truly desires? Let me remind you, that her defeat of Dark Beast Ganon isn’t the first time we see her access the power of the Triforce. During the defence of Fort Hateno, she accesses it for the first time, the symbol of the Triforce shining on the back of her hand as we’ve seen it do time and time again for other wielders— yet only after she steps between Link and the laser of a Guardian, unarmed and powerless… in an act of courage, which is followed by her leaving to face Ganon alone after Link falls. Where this version of Link was never given the option to choose to be courageous, this version of Zelda, despite being told her entire life that her role was merely to seal the beast once the hero had defeated it, was the one to stand up and make the choice to face Ganon head-on, keeping him contained by herself for a century. If the Triforce she held did split into its three parts, the one that fits her best, the one she would desire is the Triforce of Courage.

There are still two more pieces of the Triforce left though, one for Link, and one for the corpse-like Ganondorf we see in the trailers for Tears of the Kingdom. When we look at Link in Breath of the Wild, we see surprisingly few references to courage in association with him in the base game (and those references come from characters familiar with the stories of previous heroes), even when they might be expected, such as before or after completing a combat trial in a shrine, but we do see some interesting references to another third, from the Goddess Hylia, the original protector of the Triforce herself. When Link exchanges spirit orbs for a heart container or a stamina vessel, what does she say? “I shall grant the power you seek.” When Link faces the dragon Naydra, corrupted with malice, she asks him to “Show what [his] power can achieve!”. Even in his childhood, he had ties to the concept, defeating adults in combat as a young child according to Mipha. In the eighth memory of the ones he recovers a century later, we see he’d defeated a large group of monsters, including multiple silver lynels, presumably alone, and with only mild wounds. Even when we play as him, Link is constantly breaking even high-quality weapons with the strength of his blows. This link with power can also fit in with the changes to the Zelda formula, and the introduction of an open world. Breath of the Wild is a game that’s all about freedom, about having the power to choose where you go and when, rejecting the linear paths and restrictions that previous incarnations of Link faced. Even in the first Zelda game, the full Triforce of Wisdom was required to face the final dungeon. Instead of being forced to proceed in a predetermined path, this Link is the one with the power to break free from the expectations of his past and the boundaries that held them back, exploring on his own terms. To this version of Link, the Triforce of Power would represent his freedom from both his past role as a knight, something that caused him so much stress he stopped talking, and from the fears that hold back the other people of Hyrule, of the monsters that infest the kingdom‘s roads and the many ruins he explores.

Finally, we get to Ganondorf. We’ve only seen a little of him from the handful of trailers for Tears of the Kingdom, but of the many questions and mysteries surrounding him, this theory can answer at least one— why now? Why is it only after the defeat of the Calamity that he seems to be ‘waking up’ or ‘breaking free’ from the place he’s been sealed away in since 10,000 or more years ago? If the Triforce indeed split when Zelda used it to defeat Dark Beast Ganon, we have our explanation— with a piece of the Triforce returned to his body, he’s been able to slowly recover his strength. If Zelda has Courage, and Link has Power, that leaves Wisdom to him, which seems to be reflected in his actions. Previously only acting as a near-mindless beast, with little in the way of strategy other than targeting the technology that defeated him the last time, this version of Ganondorf has good reason to value wisdom, and accordingly, we see him attempt to take out the three things most likely to foil his plans as soon as he can— Link (and his sword arm), Zelda, and the Master Sword that has been his downfall again and again. Even the monsters we’ve glimpsed in the trailers seem to be more organised, and strengthened by his malice. Even his appearance seems to mirror this change, as we see him dressed in golden jewellery and a loose robe , rather than the dark armour of most other appearances, or the thick formal clothing of his Wind Waker version. This gives the impression that, unless he regains one of his previous forms, this version of Ganondorf will likely focus more on his skill as a sorcerer than physical combat to fight Link, as somewhat of a contrast to his Twilight Princess version, who fights physically, only using his magic to possess Zelda and transform into Ganon. He also seems prepared to heal and boost his servants to help them achieve his goals. This falls in line with what little we know about the Triforce of Wisdom from seeing the versions of Zelda that have held it. Admittedly, this is the weakest part of this theory, just because we haven’t seen much of Ganondorf or his abilities in Tears of the Kingdom yet.

In conclusion, Breath of the Wild was all about breaking the conventions of a Zelda game to make something new, and if Tears of the Kingdom wants to achieve the same, shaking up the holders of the Triforce would certainly be one way to do it. Purely talking from a mechanical viewpoint, Link learning to use the Triforce of Power could act as a replacement for the Champion’s abilities in the previous game— a known ability of that piece is to bring the wielder back from a mortal wound, stronger than before, which could serve as a replacement for Mipha’s Grace to give an example. We could even see something as cool as Zelda wielding a reforged Master Sword— after all, she was the one who heard the voice inside the sword. This all relies on Nintendo being willing to take that leap and change things up even more and I’m not sure they’d be willing to do it.

#legend of zelda #loz #the legend of zelda #botw #breath of the wild #botw theory #totk #tears of the kingdom #totk theory #split/swapped triforce theory #triforce of power link #triforce of courage zelda #triforce of wisdom ganondorf

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minty-mumbles · 1 year

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I am extremely interested in the sheikah!wild bullshit, do you have like a whole au fleshed out?

Hi, hello! Yeah I do! Thank you for giving me an excuse to ramble about it. Some of these headcanons are courtesy of @transzeldas

Buckle up because I have a lot of thoughts about this :) There's also a good heaping of headcanons about Sheikah culture in this as well.

Spark notes version:

Wild is half Sheikah and half Hylian. His mother was a Sheikah warrior, and his father was a Hylian knight.

He was raised in Kakariko by his mother, and his father wasn't really involved. His mom eventually married a Sheikah man and had his little sister

Like most Sheikah children, he was trained in the art of Sheikah fighting when he was young. He was very good at it, and liked fighting, and it was assumed that he would likely follow his mother's path and become a warrior. He earned his mastery in swordsmanship very young, which technically made him an adult in the eyes of his people.

Wild found the Master Sword when he was 12. The Elders of Kakariko decided to keep this hidden. He was considered too young to go serve the royal family. The Sheikah kept a sharp eye out for the return of Ganon, though. They thought he was too young, but they still expected him to do his duty as the hero when it came down to it.

The Sheikah have a tradition that teens go on a journey around the country before they're named full adults. Wild visits Castle town when he's 14 as part of this journey. He saves Zelda from the rouge guardian, which brings him to the attention of the King, who wants him to come serve as a guard at the castle.

After consulting with his mother and the Elders, Wild presents himself to the king as the hero soon after that, wielding the Master Sword. He's appointed Zelda's personal guard, and the rest of the story goes pretty much the same after that.

He forgets his culture when he comes out of the Shrine, and works to reconnect with it.

Dorian is actually his sister’s grandson, so that means he's related to Koko and Cottla.

The Yiga have major beef with Wild, even more than before, since not only is he the hero, but he's also Sheikah, and the Yiga and Sheikah have been at war for generations.

In-depth Version:

Wild's parents met when his mother was stationed as a guard in the Palace. They never married, and Wild's bio father was never super involved in Wild's life. He sent money, and was a little supportive, especially once Wild became a knight, but he was never interested in having children. On top of the fact that his father never wanted children, it was seen as a little shameful for Hylians to be involved with a Sheikah.

I've always really liked the idea that Sheikah were discriminated against by Hylians, based on the time when the monarchy commanded them to get rid of their technology. Some of the Sheikah resisted giving up their technology, and joined Ganon, and some yielded to the monarchy. Seems simple, right?

But history is never as simple as that. Ordering the Sheikah to give up such a huge part of their culture smells a lot like cultural genocide. The prophecy about Ganon's return may not have been the only thing that caused the monarchy to order the Sheikah to abandon their technology.

Anyways, I digress. The rest is under the cut because it's long af:

By the time Wild is born, the Sheikah mostly keep to themself in the secluded Kakariko village, (which used to be much bigger than it is in BotW.) However, many of their warriors go to serve the royal family.

This is nominally because of the Yiga. The Yiga and the Sheikah have been at war with each other for generations. Because the Yiga are technically a branch of the Sheikah, and are so dead set on killing the royal family, the monarchy demanded reparations in the form of protection. Hylian fighters have difficulty countering Sheikah fighting techniques, especially since the Sheikah, and the Yiga by extension, can do shadow magic. (Teleportation, invisibility, glamours, being able to float, etc. In rare cases, some can read minds/communicate telepathically)

Wild's mother was one of the Sheikah that served the monarchy. She moved back to Kakariko after she found out she was pregnant with Wild, and never really left after that. Sheikah are a matriarchal society, and since Wild's mother was Sheikah, both other Sheikah and Wild himself considered him to be fully Sheikah. Hylians, on the other hand, consider him to be both Hylian and Sheikah.

Wild's hair is technically blonde, but it's a far cry from the golden locks of his father, more wheat in color. His eyes are blue, and not the red of a Sheikah. If someone met him, they wouldn't say he has a Sheikah parent, but would probably guess at some Sheikah ancestry. Wild cannot do full shadow magic because of his Hylian blood, but his Sheikah blood does allow him to do some cool stuff. (Slow down time a little bit)

Wild had a pretty average childhood for a Sheikah child. When he was four, his mother married a Sheikah man, and when he was six, his younger sister was born.

The Sheikah are a warrior people. Most Sheikah children are trained in the basics of fighting. After that, at about the age of ten, they can choose to continue to train as a warrior, or become an apprentice in some other specialty. They earn their mastery in their chosen field, which signifies that they’ve mastered their profession and have become an adult.

Wild was no exception to the training. He starts when he’s eight, and it takes very little time for it to become apparent that he’s a prodigy. He’s very good at it, and he likes it. Most people assume that he’s going to follow in his mother’s footsteps and become a warrior.

He does choose to continue his training, and earns his mastery at the age of 12, which is incredibly young. Most get their mastery at ages 15-18.

While this technically makes him an adult in the eyes of his people, he’s still mostly treated as a child, only with more freedom and respect. People now address him as “Master Link�� (Side note: “Master” is a gender neutral form of respectful address for someone who has their mastery. Women are not called Mistresses, simply because I hate that)

Shortly afterwards, Wild feels a pull in the middle of the night. He leaves, and causes a great deal of panic in his family. His mother even ends up sending a message to Wild’s bio father to see if Wild went to him. A week and a half later, Wild shows back up, pretty beat up, with the master sword concealed on his back.

The Elders of Kakariko Village know that if it comes out that Wild is the hero, he would likely be conscripted into serving the crown, whether he wanted to or not, so they agree that they’ll keep it a secret for a few years. Even though he’s earned his mastery, he’s still considered too young to go to Castle Town and serve in the military. (The Sheikah start paying more attention to the signs of the Calamity resurrecting after that. They may not like the fact that Wild has the master sword, but if the hero is needed, they expect him to do his duty.)

Most Sheikah teenagers go on a trip around the country after they’ve earned their mastery, sort of like taking a gap year between high school and college to go see the world. Wild’s mother doesn’t allow him to go on one for a few years, because he's still too young, but when he’s 14, he finally goes. He stops in Castle Town to see his bio father for a day, and while there, he saves Zelda from the rouge guardian.

This brings him to the attention of the king, who sees potential in him, and wants him to become a knight. Wild is taken aback by this, as he always thought he was going to join the Sheikah section of the military, but even though he considers himself fully Sheikah, his father being Hylian means that Hylains consider him to not be fully Sheikah which allows him to become a knight.

The Elders and his mother agree that now would be the best time to present himself as the hero. He does so, and the king appoints him as Zelda’s personal guard and grants him a knighthood ship that same day.

The story plays out mostly the same as it does in the game from here on out. His heritage is known among the nobles of Hyrule, although not much talked about in “polite” company. Wild is quietly a little annoyed that Zelda doesn’t ask him for help with the Sheikah slate, both because it's meant for the hero in the first place, and because he is Sheikah.

When Wild gets out of the shrine, he remembers nothing of his family or culture, although he still instinctivly remembers some things, like how to meditate. His fighting is still obviously Sheikah in style, although it’s taken on a much more savage edge. Wild doesn’t care about honor or fighting dirty. He’ll do whatever it takes to win.

Impa’s the one to inform him that he’s Sheikah. He becomes determined to learn as much as he can about the culture. He wants any connection to his family he can get, and wants to feel like he belongs some where.

The Yiga are super invested in killing Wild, not only because he’s the hero, but also because he's Sheikah, and the Yiga and Sheikah are still at war. Yiga mostly leave Hylian travelers alone, but even though Wild is Hylian passing, everyone knows he’s Sheikah.

Dorian is actually the grandson of Wild’s sister. Dorian doesn’t tell Wild this for a while, but everyone else in Kakariko knows. Wild finds out that Dorian is giving information to the Yiga, and the trust between them is broken. Wild agrees not to tell anyone about Dorian’s betrayal, because Wild believes that he really won’t do it again, that he can deal with Dorian if he does do anything, and most importantly because Koko and Cottla need their Father.

Dorian doesn’t want to tell Wild they’re related and make him feel pressured into forgiving him. Impa eventually gets fed up with Dorian stalling and tells Wild herself. Wild, who doesn’t remember much about his family, is ecstatic to have that connection, although still wary of Dorian. Wild dotes on Koko and Cottla so much.

After the fall of the Hyrulian empire, many of the Sheikah traditions were widely adopted by the populace. Because most Sheikah children are trained in fighting, the average Sheikah was better equipped to survive in the post-apocalyptic world. The gossip journals that are in all the stables are actually a Sheikah tradition. (The gossip journal in the general store in Kakariko) Most of the sign posts that you can find in BotW are made by the Sheikah. The signs are written in Sheikah as well, which means most travelers know a little bit of the language nowadays.

Additional thoughts:

I am still on my Paya/Flora bs as well. Wild is a great wingman who tells Flora all about Sheikah courting traditions. (Also Wild/Flora QPR because I love that dynamic)

Wild’s Sheikah training didn’t wear off while he was in the Shrine. He’s the stealthiest one in the chain and the most flexible. He stretches every night and morning if he can

He likes to wear the Sheikah stealth clothing, or at least the mask a lot. Because he looks Hylian, this gets him some weird looks in other eras where people don’t know who he is.

Wild's bio father had a house in Hateno, which Wild visited a few times, although he never stayed long. This is the house that he eventually buys in BotW

Jojo said she considered giving Wild a Sheikah tattoo around his eye but didn't, as that would make his face too busy. I propose he has the tattoo somewhere else. Maybe his upper back? The Sheikah eye tattoo is another signifier that a warrior has earned their mastery and has become an adult. He losses the tattoo when he’s killed. (It’s blown off by Guardian lasers.) He gets another one done after he defeats the Calamity.

Wild knows how to speak, read/write, and sign in Sheikah. He can speak Hylian, but he doesn’t know how to read or sign. The other heroes think Wild is completely illiterate for a while, because of a misunderstanding when he told them he couldn't read Hylian.

Warriors knows a little bit of Sheikah. Not enough to be fluent, but enough to catch scraps of a conversation. He also knows some battle commands in Sheikah sign.

Wild re-learns how to cook traditional Sheikah dishes together with Koko

When Wild sits, he kneels instead of sitting criss-cross-applesauce as kneeling is considered more polite/mature

When you use the “Sit by the fire until…” option in game, Wild isn’t sleeping. He’s meditating with a Sheikah technique that allows him to get a little rest while still being aware. It’s not as good as sleeping, but it’s enough to get you by if you’re in a dangerous environment.

Wild loves to meditate, even when he doesn’t need to. It helps him clear his mind, and organize his thoughts. (Unrelated headcanon: because of his lack of memories, Wild is very susceptible to any kind of mind magic)

Please ask me questions about this AU if you have any, I’ve been thinking about this for ages.

#asks open anon on #linked universe #sheikah wild au #mint's headcanons #lu wild #psychopathonadiet

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cryoculus · 1 year

Text

— guard dog 03 ⟢

pairing: thoma x assassin!reader

summary: having lived the life you had, you've always known your sins would catch up to you one day. what you didn't expect, however, is to find unlikely friends in the midst of it.

word count: 4.7k words

notable characters: thoma, kamisato ayaka

tags: found family, enemies to lovers, slow burn, angst, eventual smut

warnings: nightmares, alcohol consumption, allusions to past murders

header art cr: bear_nyanM on twt

masterlist

It was safe to say that you hardly got a wink of sleep after that.

On top of the unpleasant dream that woke you up in the first place, Thoma’s words made you restless all night. What did he mean you reminded him of himself? Last you checked, you weren’t as overbearing as he was.

But on your mission to make sense of the conversation you’d unknowingly eavesdropped, the sun had eventually pittered through the windows. One by one, your fellow retainers had started waking up.

The day you’d been cleared of any ‘medical conditions’, you were given a futon and locker of your own in the attendants’ bedchambers. There, you shared the same living space as the rest of them—a fact that you’d had a tough time coming to terms with the first few nights.

You’d been so accustomed to taking shelter in caves and abandoned shrines that the thought of all these people falling asleep in your company gave you whiplash.

It’s not as if they knew, though.

Most of them didn’t have the slightest clue. That they shouldn’t trust someone who came out of nowhere just because their superiors insisted. That they shouldn’t be complacent in the company of someone who could massacre them before they could wake up.

“Oi.”

Eyes still heavy with fatigue, you turned to the woman who occupied the space to your right. You sighed. Ayame had already rolled up her futon and was impatiently tapping her foot against the tatami. From the irate look on her face, you could tell that she’d found a new reason to be mad at you today.

Well. You did drug her the first time you met her. And steal all her clothes before attempting to kill the lady of the house. The hostility was well-founded, you thought.

“You’ve been tossing and turning so much that you kept me awake,” she grumbled. “What, your conscience suddenly catching up to you?”

You laughed, smoothing down your bedhead. “Keep dreaming.”

Despite how she spoke to you when she knew no one else could hear, Ayame kept her mouth shut about the truth. You were damn sure that it took every ounce of willpower for her not to rat you out to Ayaka herself, but the poor attendant acted in confidence. Always.

Just how much did Thoma bribe her to keep quiet?

Later that morning, you made your way to the estate’s entrance in spite of your glaring sleep deprivation. It was Madarame Hyakubei who’d disseminated the retainers’ tasks for the day—meaning both Thoma and Ayaka weren’t in the premises.

Of course, you weren’t just going to let a golden opportunity like that slide.

“Mornin’, Miss Kira!”

Freezing in your tracks, you shot the guard who called your attention a wary smile. “S-Sir Hirano, good morning to you, too.”

“Are you…headed out by any chance?” He flashed you a sunny smile with traces of suspicion clearly seen beneath his guise. “Sorry to break it to you, but Master Thoma put us guards on strict orders to keep you safe inside the manor.”

Your eye twitched. The meddlesome bastard…

“Ah? But I won’t take long,” you insisted with a pout. “Just a quick herb-gathering session at Chinju Forest won’t hurt, right?”

As you tried to step around him, Hirano halted you with a large stride of his own—obscuring your path by extending the polearm in his hand.

“No can do, miss. It’ll do us no good if you’re caught out there by the representatives of the Tenryou Commission, you know?” he sighed. “And without Lady Kamisato and Master Thoma to speak on your behalf, it’ll be too easy for them to present a warrant and throw you in jail.”

…Something about the way Hirano spoke made you wonder if Thoma informed the guards of your real identity beforehand.

From what you’d gathered last night, the Commissioner seemed to be in on the whole charade, too. It would make sense for him to alert security should you pull any escape acts while he was away. Just like what you were trying to do right now.

But whether or not Hirano knew about the truth, one thing was for certain.

Everyone in the Yashiro Commission trusted Thoma—so much that you almost found it ridiculous.

Ayame was content with letting things play out, in spite of what happened to her for being in your way. Sure, she harbored a certain degree of resentment for what you tried to do, but you assumed that Thoma must have put in a good word for what he has planned if she was as agreeable to it as she was.

Then there were the guards. They were all under the Yashiro Commission, yes, but at the end of the day, every individual in the Tri-Commission reported to the Raiden Shogun herself. Yet these men decided to turn a blind eye and trusted the judgement of the chief retainer instead.

Last was…the Commissioner. Kamisato Ayato.

His fellow retainers would be easy for Thoma to convince, you were sure. Most commoners didn’t usually question what the higher-ups would order them to do—they just did it. But that wasn’t the case with Ayato.

The Commissioner knew about the attempt you’d made at her sister’s life. And he rightfully questioned Thoma’s decision to keep you captive in the estate, just like any logical head of a clan would do. If he felt like it, Ayato could even overrule the chief retainer’s orders and have you thrown in jail, where you belonged.

But you were still here.

Eventually, you gave up on trying to convince Hirano to let you outside in exchange for doing your share of the daily chores. Today, you were assigned to polish the floorboards in the pavilion, and you’d be lying if you said you didn’t spend every minute of it in careful contemplation.

It’s a bit pathetic, how you let your mind get overrun by thoughts of Thoma, of all people.

He was the man who forced you into a corner. The one who forced this sudden change in lifestyle onto your plate. But you couldn’t help it.

You’ve been alone since you’d fled Yashiori Island all those years ago. Never lingering in one place for too long. Never forging bonds that lasted beyond a written contract.

You could never win people over the way Thoma so effortlessly does everyday.

Now that you thought about it, he was the perfect aide for Ayaka. The perfect guard dog. They shared the same principles, had nearly the same amount of charisma, and balanced each other out in a way you couldn’t quite put into words.

You wondered what it felt like to find a match as perfect as that.

“Ah, Miss Kira? Are you busy? Can you help me carry these to the kitchen…?”

One of the attendants called out, and you immediately snapped out of your momentary trance. You took the time to spare yourself a soft laugh before turning to her. Right. You shouldn’t think about it too much. Doing that would make you falter.

You never falter.

“Yeah! Be there in a sec.”

The next day, you were invited to accompany Ayaka to Konda Village.

Madarame Hyakubei broke the news over breakfast, and you merely nodded along as you sleepily stuffed yourself with egg-on-rice. You didn't sleep any good last night, either.

Though, when Madarame went back to his post at the reputations board, it finally hit you.

You were going outside the estate.

For the first time in two weeks.

In an instant, any semblance of drowsiness had vanished from your body. The idea made you...excited? Overjoyed? You could finally ditch this place and rearrange your plans. Archon knows that the heart of the enemy’s territory wasn’t the most conducive environment to scheme.

But of course, you couldn’t possibly have it as easy as you wanted.

“Nice weather we’re having, huh?”

Thoma was suspiciously cheerful as the three of you made the trip to Konda Village. But you couldn’t exactly file any complaints, since Ayaka didn’t seem to have any problem with his jovial nonsense.

Well. If you can’t beat them, join them.

“Milady, if I may ask, why are you heading over there yourself?” you wondered aloud. “Don’t you usually just let the other retainers take care of matters involving the public?”

Ayaka sighed, keeping her eyes forward. “Miss Kira, you know how the Yashiro Commission is in charge of the cultural and ceremonial affairs of Inazuma, yes?”

You nodded slowly.

“The people of Konda Village are one of our closest associates when it comes to the festivals held at Amakane Island,” she continued. “They coordinate with the Yashiro Commission to make sure each festival is a memorable one. And given the nature of our relationship, it’s only normal for us to…pay our respects where they are due.”

The dismal tone that accompanied her words made you scrunch your face in confusion, but before you could ask her to elaborate further—

“Lady Ayaka? Is that you?”

A girl, no older than ten years old maybe, gaped at the sight of the princess as the ball in her hands bounced idly on the ground. The next moment, she squealed in delight before running straight to Ayaka.

“You’re here,” the girl nearly sobbed. “You’re really here.”

You expected someone of Ayaka’s status to blanche a bit at the girl’s sudden gesture, but the princess crouched down so that her eyes were leveled with hers—smiling kindly.

“I promised, didn’t I, Futaba?” she sighed, smoothing down the girl's braids. “Do you happen to know where Takeru is?”

Sniffling, the girl—Futaba—pulled away. “He’s at the graveyard with Grandpa and the rest. They’ve already begun the preparations but…I wanted to wait for you.”

You didn’t have the slightest clue as to what was going on, and could only look at Thoma for some clarity. Not that the chief retainer was much help, though. He merely shot you a look that basically said: you’ll see.

Ayaka let Futaba lead the three of you to the cemetery in the outskirts of the village, where most of its citizens seemed to have gathered in numbers for the day. They were lighting incense for two gravestones in particular.

Upon your arrival, an elderly man who you recognized as the village chief greeted Ayaka with a solemn look in his eyes.

“I’m glad you could make it, Lady Kamisato,” he sighed. “Futaba refused to leave until she was sure you’d show up.”

Ayaka shook his hand sincerely. “Your village has been helping the Yashiro Commission for generations now. I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

Up ahead, a priestess cited a prayer in honor of the two souls who’d passed, and you wondered if they’d just recently died. But when you saw the names etched onto the surface of each headstone, you felt a crackling chill skid up the length of your spine.

You’ve only been to Konda Village once in the past. For a job assigned by an anonymous contact from Inazuma City’s underworld. You were given the names of the two men he wanted dead by morning, and you’d carried out the task not three hours since it was issued.

Konda Takuya and Sango Akihito. Those were the men you’d taken out this time last year.

Those were the names engraved on the headstones before you.

“Lady Ayaka?”

Snapping out of your stone-cold realization, you watched as Futaba emerged from the crowd with a boy in tow. This one was probably Takeru. Both of them held two bowls in each hand—offering them all to the village chief, Ayaka, Thoma, and yourself.

“It’s not much but…we learned the recipe from a doctor that traveled into the village once,” Futaba said shyly. “Lavender melon soup is said to have some soothing properties that— Big sister…?”

The young girl stared at you with both concern and disappointment when the bowl she’d given you fell to the ground, splattering its contents in the process. Your lungs seemed to tighten as you eyed the rich violet broth—that familiar, sickeningly sweet scent wafting to your nose.

Suddenly, you’re underneath the perpetual thunderstorms of Yashiori as the cold, cold rain beat against your skin once more.

You didn’t know you were shaking so badly until Ayaka put a hand on your shoulder.

“Thoma,” she spoke quietly, but you could feel the weight of her concern through her fingers alone. “Can you accompany Miss Kira for a quick walk?”

The last thing you wanted, of course, was to be left alone with the man who was probably—definitely—behind your distress in the first place.

“What are you trying to do?” you growled, yanking Thoma by his pendant once you’d gotten far enough from the cemetery. “Guilt me into giving it up? Well, I have some news for you. I’ve never turned down a job out of guilt. Not once. Not ever.”

He stared at you passively—those hauntingly green eyes devoid of their usual mirth. Thoma pressed his lips into a thin line before carding his fingers into his golden hair.

And then, he spoke your name. Your real name.

“It was a little tricky to dig up some dirt on you, you know?” The chief retainer sighed, disengaging himself from your grasp. “But of course, I have my ways. Your record is quite interesting, too. Born and raised in Higi Village. Adopted by a doctor named Suzuki Naoko. Killed said doctor in cold blood before traveling to Inazuma City to debut as a mercenary. That’s a loaded resumé for sure.”

It was no surprise that someone like him managed to glean all that in just a few weeks, though some details might have been obscured in the process. You made a reputation for yourself for being nearly untraceable; prided yourself for it, even.

And Thoma here singlehandedly trampled on all that confidence.

“What,” you began, eyes closed as you drew in a long breath, “are you trying to do?”

When you opened them again, Thoma managed a placid smile—one that emphasized the dimples on both of his cheeks. It’s the first time you noticed them, but your mind was in too much of a disarray to think about them too much.

“Reminding you.”

You grimaced. “Of what?”

Instead of just answering directly, Thoma gestured for you to sit with him at the village chief’s front porch. You hesitantly complied.

The heat of the afternoon was near sweltering. Konda Village was smack in the middle of Byakko Plain, and offered no shade whatsoever from the harsh glare of the sun. As you lamented the onset of summer, Thoma nursed his bowl of lavender soup in the silence. You wondered what he thought of the taste.

Then, you set your gaze farther into the distance.

Up ahead, the Grand Narukami Shrine stood tall above all else on the island. Wisps of mystical energy coiled itself around the mountain before disappearing straight into the cloudless sky. You could see it clearly even in broad daylight.

Back then, you never gave yourself the time nor the leisure to admire the marvels of the land like this.

“Do you know where the men of this village are, Miss Kira?”

Peeling your eyes away from the shrine, you shot Thoma a pointed look.

“Back to fake-name basis now, are we?” you observed, inching your sandals closer together. “Well, able-bodied men are usually drafted as the Raiden Shogun’s soldiers. I’m assuming it’s the same here?”

He nodded. “Those two were soldiers who were permitted a weekend off in their hometown. Konda Takuya was the village chief’s son. Takeru’s father. He was good friends with Sango Akihito, so it would make sense for their children to get along well.”

…Then that meant Akihito was Futaba’s father.

Thoma set his now empty bowl aside, stretching his long legs until his feet touched the ground. “Last year, we were contacted by the village chief about a double murder case. No one saw the culprit; it happened right under everyone’s noses, he said.” When his green-eyed gaze met yours, you nearly shivered.

“Takeru and Futaba were the ones who found them by the riverbank. Their bodies turning the water red with rot.” The blond breathed out a laugh that held no amusement. “The Tenryou Commission was the one who handled the case, and Milady and I were just there as the village chief’s friends. But still, it made me wonder…”

He braced his palm on the wooden platform, and you caught the scent of aralia trees and musk before you noticed Thoma leaning forward. Your eyes widened at the sudden close proximity—becoming all sorts of vulnerable under his gaze. You could even feel the warmth of his Pyro Vision grazing the side of your clothed leg.

Yet you hardly moved an inch.

“What was going through the killer’s head when he did this to the men who steadily provided income for Konda Village?” Thoma spoke quietly. “Did he think about what their deaths would leave behind? How much sorrow his actions could invoke into a community as small as this?”

With how close he was to you, each word that tumbled out of Thoma’s mouth made gooseflesh prickle the skin of your shoulders. But before you could snap at him to knock it off, the blond pulled away—making you heave a breath you hadn’t known you were holding.

“Probably not, right?” he sighed, lacing his fingers together on his lap.

“I’ve seen what grief does to a person. Sometimes the people left behind pick themselves up and move on. But at other times, the damage is irreparable.” A pause. “It’s a good thing the children are too young to fully comprehend their grief, and the elderly, too accustomed to be fully consumed by it.”

As if on cue, the wind picked up the next moment. You held the folds of your yukata in place as you watched the carp streamers sway in the breeze. To your side, Thoma got back to his feet, patting the dust off his clothes. The blond strands framing his face mimicked the movement of the windsocks on the chief’s front lawn.

You’re right, you wanted to tell him. I never once wondered what happens after the carnage I leave behind.

Another question hovered in your mind.

One you’ve been dying to ask since you’d overheard his conversation with Ayato.

So how could someone like you see himself in someone like me?

But…you never got the words out. All those questions swiftly burned out on your tongue until all you could taste were the ashes of uncertainty.

In the silence, Thoma turned to look at you once more.

“I hope you remember this, Miss Kira,” he resumed, voice still barely a touch above a whisper. “That actions have consequences, whether or not you’re the one who’ll be picking up the pieces in the end.”

His words sunk in like a sedative coursing through your veins—numbing out anything else aside from the desolate tone that accompanied the spiel.

You couldn't believe it. This man was lecturing you about right and wrong like you were a toddler who didn’t know otherwise. And he had the gall to comment about your roundabout methods to assassinate his charge when he orchestrated all this? Just to…what? Prove a point?

“Did you seriously think you can just convert me into a law-abiding citizen with an unsolicited speech?” you scoffed.

“Of course not,” he laughed. “I’m not as delusional as you take me to be, Miss Kira. I just hoped a little nudge would let you see things in a...different light.”

You were about to tell him you’re not the only one who’ll be seeing different lights as you balled your fists, but your nefarious intentions had been rudely interrupted.

“There you are!”

Down the main road, you could spot Ayaka and the rest of the villagers returning from the cemetery. The princess had two kids in tow, and in spite of yourself, you wondered if you’d offended Futaba by throwing that lavender melon soup into the ground.

“Miss Kira, are you alright? You seemed a bit ill earlier,” Ayaka asked once they’d arrived—fussing over you almost immediately. “Those injuries of yours… Do they still hurt? Archons, I knew I shouldn’t have invited you out so soon.”

…Invited you out? So making you come along had been Ayaka’s plan all along?

As the princess inspected your arms in earnest, you shot Thoma another incredulous look, which the chief retainer only returned with a shrug.

“I’m sorry, big sister…”

To your side, Futaba rubbed her eyes as Takeru sniffled behind her. “I thought my lavender melon soup made you sick. Maybe I should improve the recipe with Grandpa a little…”

You didn’t know what compelled you to refute her assumptions so quickly, but you did.

“Hey,” you managed dryly. “Um, that’s—that’s not it at all, buddy. I’m still recovering from a bunch of nasty injuries. In fact, I used to make the same stuff you gave us as a kid.”

That seemed to surprise her. “Really? You made lavender melon soup, too?”

“Yep. My…dad hammered the recipe into my head.” You chuckled, tapping a finger to your temple.

For the first time today, Takeru spoke out loud, despite the string of snot dribbling down his chin. “B-Big sister, can you teach us?”

Ayaka sighed as she procured a handkerchief from her pockets—dabbing it on the poor boy’s face. “I’m certain she would be willing to do that. Right, Miss Kira?”

With the flow of conversation suddenly having been directed your way, you were hyper aware of the fact that the rest of the adults had gone back to their respective homes. Only the village chief was left lingering on the property. He seemed to be busy sorting out his lavender melon supply on the foyer.

You gulped, turning to Takeru as he gazed up at you with hopeful eyes. It’s been so long since anyone has looked at you not with fear for their lives, but with a childlike expectation. Futaba wore the same expression as well, and all that you could think of at that moment was—

Stop, you thought—an indescribable feeling settling over your chest. Don’t look at me like that. I’m the one who killed your fathers. I’m the one who made your lives miserable.

If you thought about it hard enough, you could still remember. The thick, humid air that pervaded your senses as you dumped two lifeless bodies in the river uphill. The bottomless pit that dug itself in your heart all these years. You felt nothing as you left those hapless men for dead.

But right now, with their children looking at you like you were anything but a monster—

“Well, if we’re having a cooking session, we best start now, no?”

Thoma’s voice was quick to reel you from that downward spiral. You even jolted at the sound of it. All of a sudden, you didn’t have the blood of countless innocents caking your fingernails down to the beds anymore.

In your hands was a clay pot that the chief retainer had unceremoniously dropped onto your palms.

“Come on.” He snapped his fingers in front of you. “We don’t have all day.”

Ayaka nodded as she straightened herself out. “Miss Kira, I’m a bit interested in how you would cook lavender melon soup. You always seem to avoid kitchen duty whenever it comes around, so…”

“Gee, I wonder why,” you mumbled—giving Thoma the stink eye.

“Big sister, teach us. Teach us!” Takeru whined, tugging at the hem of your yukata.

You sighed, tucking the pot beneath your arm as you marched to the village chief’s well.

This didn’t change anything. You were still the culprit behind a traumatic experience for the very same kids following you around like ducklings. Doing this for them would only atone for a fraction of what you had done.

And Archons knew the blood price for your sins would have to be paid in full someday.

“So first, we need to boil a lot of water,” you instructed. “And I mean, a lot.”

(Later, as everyone sat around the well—sick to their stomachs from eating too much of the miracle soup you hadn’t made in years—you wondered.

When was the last time you ever repented for the crimes you’ve committed?)

The soft breeze grazed your cheeks as you quietly sipped on your saucer. Madarame hadn’t been kidding around when he said the deliveries from Inazuma City had a bite to them.

That, or you were just unused to holding your liquor nowadays.

It was well past midnight, and you were seated all alone in the pavilion. Of course, the ever-vigilant Kamisato guards still kept a close eye on every move you made, but were kind enough to leave you to your own devices. Besides, evening tea with Ayaka had been such a staple in these nights you spent in the estate that failure to have drinks under the moon felt like a crime.

Even if Ayaka was currently accompanying her brother to a series of week-long meetings at the Tenshukaku. Even if what you were drinking was actually savory sweet rice wine.

“That’s some good stuff you got there.”

You rolled your eyes.

“And I’m not sharing,” you announced, holding the ceramic jar to your chest as Thoma sat a few feet away. “Everyone else declined when Madarame put one of the Commissioner’s stocks up for grabs.”

He stared at you, amused. “So that means I’m not allowed to have a say in it? Because I just got back now?”

“Sometimes, I’m glad you’re as bright as you are.” You grinned sheepishly, abandoning the saucer as you took a swig straight from the jar. “How’s the princess?”

“As unintentionally charming as she always is,” he supplied. “So, what’s keeping you up at this hour? Could’ve sworn you’d be plotting your escape in bed by now.”

“Shhh.”

You leaned across the platform, stretching out your hand until your index finger was pressed against the plush give of Thoma’s lips—hiccuping in the process.

“No one’s s’posed to know that,” you half-groaned, half-slurred. “What if somebody overhears, huh? They’ll get the wrong idea and think I’m a fugitive.”

“But you are a fugitive,” Thoma reminded, grabbing your wrist with an unexpected gentleness as he pulled your finger away. “You’re Kira of the resistance. Loyal servant to Her Excellency, Sangonomiya, and temporary retainer to the Kamisato House.”

You didn’t pay attention to his attempt at being a smartass. Instead, your eyes roved to where his gloved fingers enclosed themselves around your wrist.

Thoma’s hands were much larger than yours. Fingertips more calloused, which was saying something because the years hadn’t exactly been kind to your fair maiden palms either. And above all, his skin was warm. The kind of warm you’d only ever felt a long time ago.

Snuggling under the blankets as Mother read you stories to bed. Eating dinner by the fireplace as Doctor Naoko praised your progress in learning human anatomy.

You shook off his grip.

“I’m getting a little sleepy, Master Thoma,” you sighed dramatically as you tried to stand up. “Could you take this back to the kitchen and store it somewhere? I don’t think I can…”

There’s a distant sound of something shattering against a hard surface that reached your ears. But you barely heard it over the sound of your own heartbeat. You looked up in red-faced trepidation when Thoma caught you by the waist before you could fall off the platform—breath hitching in your throat as you drank in the sight of him.

During all those little tea parties with Ayaka come evening, Thoma never once tried to step in. Something about preserving the integrity of a ladies’ chit-chat, or whatever. But from the way he’d comment on the lies you’d fed the princess the night prior, you were almost certain he’d be at least eavesdropping from a safe distance.

It’s a shame he wouldn’t join you two, really.

He looked gorgeous under the moonlight.

“Miss Kira…”

The last thing you remembered before falling into slumber were the endless emerald of his eyes—and how you didn’t quite mind getting lost in their labyrinth.

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#genshin impact #genshin #genshin fanfic #genshin smut #genshin fanfiction #genshin x reader #thoma fanfic #thoma smut #thoma x reader #genshin scenarios #genshin headcanons #cryoculus #genshin thoma #guard dog

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the-secondborn-of-seven · 6 months

Text

Witch of Penchant

Prologue: Part 1/4

Shingen x MC (Mai)

the thread of INSPIRATION | Next

Logline - A women in nuns clothes, with an unsettling resemblance to a fox, the witch of Honno-ji, has traveled back in time to an era she has already lived through. She accidentally saved the life of Nobunaga Oda, but now she wonders how else the past has changed.

2200-ish words

Nobunaga scolded him. “Let her be. Her name is Mizusaki Mai. Oh yes and she saved my life.”

Mitsuhide looked surprised, wide eyes, “You saved Oda-sama’s life…?” snakey smile, “And you’re such a slender thing. but it appears your courage makes up for it.” Mai rolled her eyes, returned an equally disturbing, but unusually toothy smile, scoffed, then continued scanning the scene.

This starts as you would expect it, a woman and man find themself at a lonely stone monument as the rain starts suddenly. Although, this is not an unusual spot for the woman to be; witches like her throughout time and space have been the protector of rifts, weak spots in the fabrics of reality. Mai sighed as the undergrad fell through the wormhole before she dived in after him. She would have liked to return him to his time more immediately, but he apparently distracted her enough that she appeared 4 years after him. Oh well…

Mai soon found her vision to be quickly obscured with streams of billowing hot smoke. The Honno-ji shrine came into view around her, currently in flames. An armor suited man sat asleep amidst the chaos. In the year 1582, betrayed by Akechi Mitsuhide, Oda Nobunaga committed seppuku amidst the fiery wreckage of Honno-ji. Or that was how the past played out when she successfully protected the rift from mortals. With the young man nowhere in sight, she infrured he fell into some time before, and the effects of such meant it was nothing like the first time she lived through it.

A man (presumably Oda Nomunaga) dressed in a suit of ancient Japanese armor was sitting on the floor, head tilted down in sleep. Another man holding some kind of walking stick approached the unconscious man. As Mai’s watery eyes squinted in the smoke, she recognised the gleam as that of a sword. Sparks from the flaming paper walls illuminated the sharp edge of the raised metal blade.

With a sharp intake of the oxygenless air, the witch bellowed a wordless cry at the armored man. Typhoon force winds suddenly blew from her mouth, and the man slammed through the paper walls out of sight. The sword clattered to the ground in a cruel imitation of church bells. Mai heard him scramble for the blade before fleeing.

She hurried over to and crouched beside the unconscious man and shook him urgently. He finally woke, eyelids lifting lazily, ”Who are you?” he sputtered out into the smoke.

“No time for introductions. Come on, let’s get you out of here!” Mai said with a chuckling tone. Mortals were always so confident in their self importance.

"Take my hand!” He obeyed, grabbing her hand. She shifted her weight before hauling him to his feet.

Concerning shapes flitted by in the edges of the pair's vision. They were ignored in favor of an exit. The wooden stairs won’t hold much longer.

The exit came into view! The pair burst through the door, into the refreshing, blessed cool night air and barreled down the path, far from the smoke and flames.

The temple was being engulfed by uncontrollable flames. The man glanced at the destruction before his eyes came to rest on the women in front of him. “Someone tried to do away with me while I slept,” he began, “Audacious but foolish. Killing my guards and getting that close to me is another matter.”

So those shapes had been guards-Mai sighed, she had been too distracted, if she didn’t cut this chain of distractions from her mind or the rift would fall to desecration and mortals would fall to harm.

The samurai (presumably Oda Nomunaga) meets her eyes, “You there. Woman. Let go of me.”

Mai chuckles, “Oh sorry.” She let go and pulled back. The man looked over her thoughtfully. He stared at her rakusu overtop a brightly colored kimono, the religious garment indicating her servitude to Buddhism.

“You saved my life. You may be some girl the monks snuck in for amusement but I owe you my thanks.”

“The amusement of others is neither my intention nor my job, but you are welcome.”

Mai surveyed him for injury, but found none. His pale red eyes were unsettling, proud and brutal, hair a solid black. His clothes were finely made, he stood in black armor, with red tassels and a white under-haroi. As fine as the sword and as deadly as tanegashima hanging from his belt.

“What are you staring at? Surely you know who I am.”

“I really don’t.” And Mai really didn’t, it was best not to assume in this unfamiliar past.

“You saved me without knowing who I am? Not expecting reward or favor? … So be it I shall tell you my name. I am the man who rule all under the sun -”

Definitely Oda Nobunaga. “Actually, you don’t really need to tell me.” Mai started approaching the temple. She wanted to stabilize the rift before the fire watch came.

The samurai smirked, “You’re a curious woman. No one’s ever spoken so impudently to me before.” He let out a loud amused laugh that echoed far into the night before continuing, “You intrigue me, which is almost as worthy of praise as saving my life. I am the lord of Azuchi Castle and Daimyo of Owari, Oda Nobunaga.”

Devil King of the Sixth Heaven, Nobunaga Oda-and he was just in the burning Honno-ji temple-meaning…

“Pardon me for asking something strange but what year is it?”

Oda Nobunaga looked confused at the question, “It is 1582. Why?” Because in the year 1582 betrayed by Akechi Mitsuhide, Oda Nobunaga committed seppuku amidst the fiery wreckage of Honno-ji. Mai signed.

“I’ve given my name; now it’s your turn.”

Oda Nobunaga took a full step forward and took her chin in his hand, forcing her to meet his eyes. “Oof!”

That surprised her. Nobunaga’s face was almost touching Mai’s as he smirked.

“Give me your name.”

“Mizusaki. Mizusaki Mai.”

“A good name.”

“Glad you approve. Now let go of me.”

Mai brushed off his hand and would have continued walking towards the burning temple if she hadn't heard a large group coming their way.

A finely dressed samurai, with grey hair in a white coat, a black chest piece and long lavender hakamas, ran to Nobunaga crying “Oyakata-sama, you’re safe!”

The man arrived at the front of a unit of soldiers, rushing toward the two.

“Mitsunari? Why are you here? Where is Hideyoshi?” Nobunaga said.

“Hideyoshi-sama sent me ahead. He should be here shortly.” He took in the sight of the burning temple with a frown. “We received information about an assassination attempt. It appears to have been true. I had my men search the grounds but whoever it was had already fled.“ Mitsunari glanced at the women beside him, "If I may ask who is this? I saw the two of you leave the temple together.”

"Mai, present yourself to my subordinate." Nobunaga indicated Mitsunari with a nod and then waited.

“I’m sorry, did I miss the part where I became a subordinate too? I don't have to follow your orders."

Nobunaga glared, “Then you’re choosing to disobey me?”

“It seems to be hard not too when one is so set on things going his way.”

Mitsunari coughed before chiming in, “Please this is on me. It was rude of me not to introduce myself first. My name is Ishida Mitsunari. I serve at the side of Toyotomi Hideyoshi-sama, Oyakata-sama’s right hand man.”

"Nice to meet you. I’m Mizusaki Mai."

Nobunaga gestured to Mai once again, "I don’t know who she is, but she roused me and saw me to safety.”

“She did! I can’t thank you enough for protecting our lord’s life.“ Mistunari bowed enthusiastically deep in a show of thanks.

“But what brought you here tonight?” Mitunari continued his questions, “You dress like a nun, but your attire is quite unusual. Are you from abroad?”

“It was the gods’ lightning that guided me here. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a fire to be dealt with and a fox to strangle.”

“What?” “What?!” was the response from both men.

They stared in shock and then disbelief.

“You poor thing. The smoke from the fire was very disorientating, I'm sure.” Mitsunari grabbed her shoulder and began guiding her away from the smokey temple grounds.

Nobunaga laughed, “Are you claiming it was a kitsune who tried to kill me?”

“I never implied that is what the kitsune was plotting, only that I know he is involved.” One of them is referring to a wily bastard of a man, the other is referring to an actual mythical being.

Mistunari interrupted, pushing the two further away, “Sit down over there and get some fresh air. Someone will bring you a change of clothes.” Mai’s sleeves were black with soot, and the hemline was burned several inches higher.

“Once you’re freshened up, you’ll feel much better.”

“Thank you.” Mai quickly bowed as a soldier approached with a bundle in his hands.

Mitsunari said, “Now let’s get you into these shall we, Ojou-sama? Prepare a tent!” before walking off to conduct the soldiers. Mai redressed in the yellow kimono, white obi, and orange haori. She changed into the clean white tabi before putting on her old geta again. Her hair clung to her back, the two braids at her temples not unwinding. Once she stepped out of the tent, Ishida-san guided her to the center of the hastily assembled camp.

“Wait, right here.“ he said, ”I’ll bring you a cup of good clean water to clear your throat. “ With him gone the only other person nearby was Nobunaga.

"You clean up well”

Mai glared as his eyes lingered in return. She turned and kept her gaze on the entrance waiting for Ishida-san to return. The smoke from the Temple started to clear. Ishida-san’s troops must have put out the fire. As she breathed the clearing air, someone parted the curtain and entered camp but it wasn’t Ishida-san.

A fox-like man, and Mai knew fox-like, approached, “Oyakata-sama. I see you are well.”

“Mitsuhide?” Nobunaga questioned his surprise appearance.

Him? The person who started this whole incident, no—the history is different this time, but how?

“I hurried when I heard about the attack,” Mitsuhide seemed not in the least bit hurried, “but it seems there was nothing for me to worry about.”

“You worry?” Nobunaga smirked, ”Don’t make me laugh. I’ve never even seen you sweat.”

Yet another person entered the camp. This, this was a man in a hurry. “Oyakata-sama! Are you injured?” He cried!

“The only injury I suffered is my pride in letting my assailant escape.” Nobunaga responded.

“I see.”

“And now Toyotomi Hideyoshi shows up!” Mai said offhandedly, she continued to study the temple ground from a distance.

“Aren’t we outspoken? Have we met?” the correctly assumed Hideyoshi said this pointedly.

Nobunaga scolded him. “Let her be. Her name is Mizusaki Mai. Oh yes and she saved my life.”

Hideyoshi asked, “Akechi-san, what are you doing here?”

And Mitsuhide returned a, “ I was wondering the same thing. I didn’t know you were in Kyoto. What about the campaign?”

“When I heard about the threat to our lord’s life I dropped everything to come here. But I never heard anything about you being in Kyoto.”

Mitsuhide frowned, “Are you implying something?”

“Can you swear before our daimyo that you weren’t plotting anything?” Hideyoshi barked out.

Mitsuhide didn’t answer him. The two locked eyes, tension filling the space between them. Hideyoshi is already suspicious that he is responsible for the attack.

Finally, Mitsuhide said, “All men have secrets in chaotic times. Are you saying you act with no ambition of your own?”

“Stop being evasive! Confess!” Hideyoshi said, his eyes flared. He gripped his sword, ready to draw. “If I find that you played any part in this attack on our lord, Akechi-san, I’ll show you no mercy.”

“It wasn’t him…” Mai said, still facing away, she began untangling her hair.

“What?”

Mai looked back and said, "I caught a glimpse of the man who attacked Nobu—um, Oda-sama, but the drape of his clothes was all wrong. And Mitsuhide is spotless.” The bells the man wore also reminded her of monks. “And we were both covered in soot.” He still smelled of soot actually.

"Mizusaki-san, was it? Stay out of this.” Hideyoshi said rudely, “We’ll settle things with you later and learn why you’ve schemed to get so close to Oyakata-sama.”

“Excuse you,” Mai snarked,“I’m a nun with no interest in scheming-” A lie. Two actually, she hasn’t been a nun in a long while.

Nobunaga said, “Enough, Hideyoshi. Regardless of what brings Mitsuhide here, I am alive and well.”

Hideyoshi bowed his head, "My apologies, Oyakata-sama.” He immediately let go of his sword, his hand relaxing somewhat.

Nobunaga turned to Mai, “Hideyoshi, Mitsuhide. Leave us. I have something to discuss with Mai-gozen.”

"With me?“ Gozen?

They stepped outside as Nobunaga approached. "Your discourteous manners aside, you saved my life. I’m intrigued by you. You’re a woman who carries fortune’s favor of that I’m certain.”

Mai’s eyes widened. Nobunaga had slipped one arm around her waist, pulling her possessively toward him, his voice close, “How would you like to rule the world at my side?”

“Apologies, but I really must go; I have my duties, and you have your nation to unite…” And with that prediction for the man, she fled towards the edges of camp. “What did you say to Me!” Nobunaga called after her. Toyotomi-san and Akechi-san called on her but she fled the small camp, racing into the forest.

tags: @ginshoujo, @gloriouspiratenacho,

#writing #writeblr #ikemen sengoku #fanfic #ikesen mc #ikesen mitsuhide #ikesen nobunaga #ikesen shingen #yes go witch x shingen #ikesen mitsunari #ikesen hideyoshi #witch x shingen masterlist

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thecatspirits · 8 months

Text

[Shown above is a map drawn on a stained and burnt cloth by Rust & Pillar, well, mostly Rust... Pillar collected the charcoal and water but her artistic skills are far beneath Rust's. The map shows a semi-detailed and slightly fantastical depiction of the City Domains, with important locations highlighted with dandelion dye.]

•❅───✧❅ᓚᘏᗢ❅✧───❅•

"The City is a dangerous place, plagued with cats cursed to live forever in the grasps of the before times. The streets are haunted by the two-legged beasts and their metal monsters.

Never go into the City..."

The City is the home of the Domains, ruled by three leaders known only as Fury, Rage and Fear. The Guilds view their home as the Cursed Lands, touched by the corruption of the enslavers, a group of two-legged creatures who forced cats into submission. This corruption is so feared that the Guilds refuse to have their borders touch the City, so between the two powerful territories lies a stretch of land known as the Border Lands. To the north though lies the perhaps even more dangerous Barren, a polluted place of dust and stone with not a single speck of green in sight. Calidiem once rested their, shrouding the dying ground in mystery. Only the most daring ventured into it, until the Great Storm ...

Below is a detailed description of each major location and even a few extras ;)

!WARNING! Implied trafficking can be found in the following two paragraphs of text. Please proceed with caution!

•❅───✧❅ᓚᘏᗢ❅✧───❅•

~Domain Of Fury~

The eastern territory ruled by Fury, a short-tempered tom feared for his, erm, disgusting acts. The Domain Of Fury is renowned for being the worst area of the City to live in. It is the strictest and most uninclusive region, restricting the rich and powerful to the innermost, least-flooded region and the poor to the outskirts. The wealthiest cats, including Fury, enjoy the luxurious and clean Center. They have regular access to the Gathering Place where cats come from all the Domains to trade goods, for a price of course. Unfortunately, Fury's Domain is the most well-known in the... uh... uhm... trading of cats. Rust and Pillar know this fact all too well...

-Hideout-

The place where Rust and Pillar live. It's on the outskirts of the Domain Of Fury, meaning they live a life of scavenging and illegal trade with the merchants who live in the Border Lands. The Hideout is a multi-story, ruined building, and the pair of siblings have made their home on an open balcony protected by a barb wire fence. Rust tends to his garden and craft items while Pillar is away in the Barren scavenging. He also carefully dusts of the shrine each day- Ah! I've said to much already... Best let them tell you about that in their own time.

-Fury's Bastion-

The place where the daemon resides. If a daemon had cat ears and tabby fur that is. Fury makes his home in a rundown library, though you couldn't tell it was a library anymore. Not much is known about what lies inside it, Pillar has tried to nag Bullet about finding out for her, but even a high-born cat rarely enters the heavily guarded bastion.

-Bullet's Home-

This is where Bullet, Pillar and Rust's cousin, lives. Close to the Center due to his mother's status as Fury's sister, Bullet has the privelege of a roof and warm, cooked meals. Pillar has only been here once, and she barely remembers it now. She was in daze of starvation after all.

*Note: This location is NOT marked on the map.*

~Domain of Rage~

The Domain Of Rage is the southern-most region of the know world. Known for his commanding presence, Rage's land are quiet and eerie. His cats live in the shadows, and no true social structure exists. It's every cat for themselves.

Rage's Domain is the most flooded, lying in the lowland region that was once stereotyped as a place of "white picket fences and privelege." The cats here live off of whatever they can find, and during tough seasons, some cats have gone mysteriously missing, their bodies never recovered...

-Rage's Bastion-

The quiet and ever calculating leader resides in a former office building, weathered by time. Pillar knows nothing about this place aside from the tiny pieces of knowledge Bullet managed to find out. Beyond this location is a huge stretch of open ground and few huge buildings.

~Domain of Fear~

Some pretty fishy cats live here. Oh and a shit ton of seagulls too. Can't forget those guys ;) Nobody really know's if Fear is even still alive, he hasn't been seen by outsiders for seasons, with only ambassadors sending messages on his behalf. Her? Their? Who knows who they are honestly.

The cats of Fear's Domain have it the best. Or thats what others think. Life for them is a rigid chore, and despite their extensive supplies of food, cats are always miserable. At least they have endurance due to all the shady "errands" they have to run.

-Fear's Bastion-

Based off rough estimates Pillar has made, she reckons this is where the elusive Fear lives. Though she can't really see any major buildings in the area that would indicate the home of an esteemed leader... Hmm...

-The Bridge-

Technically this lies within the borders of the Domain Of Fear, but not even they would risk getting the terrifying Decay, a sickness that causes you to waste away within days. Paralysis, vomiting, nausea, you name it and the Decay causes it. Not a fun time. Sure, it's got good fishing spots, but the broken bridge is a deadly place to go on an adventure.

~Other Locations~

-The Divide-

The boundary between the territories of each City Domain. Often quick trades occur hear but the most common site in the Divide is the trading of cats. It's a normalized practice but even the worst tyrants have a desire to keep it under wraps and away from prying eyes.

-Blood Guild-

The nemesis of the City Domains, the Blood Guild was established only a few seasons ago by the runt son of Jhak, Son of Rage, and Quiver, Daughter of Fear. Cats are forbidden from entering this place or speaking about it and it's members.

-The Barren-

The dying lands beyond the City and The Guilds, it is believed that the Great Storm came from here where Calidiem once lay resting, supposedly dormant for eternity. Nomads, merchants and scavengers travel through these lands that even long-dead spirits seem to fear.

-The Border Lands-

Simply the stretch of the land between the Guilds and the City Domains, more specifically the Lightning Guild. It is a grassy land filled with useful plants and the occasional animal.

-Lightning Guild-

Ď̶͎͕̫͖̼͍̭̻͌͐̈́͆͗̎͜O̵̱̠͗̈́̊͗ ̴̡̛̻̾̑̄N̵̨̧̡̹̩̯̪̺̯̿́̓Ǫ̶̦̫̖͔̣́̈̃͆͑̉̚͝T̶͚̆͒̒͗̽̍̉͜͠͝ ̶͔͇̲͖͓̾̇͗̊̈́̇͝Ē̷͖̳̜̗̓̀̐̀N̴̫̰͕̣͈͉̱̣̦͒̔͛̌͒̍ͅT̷̛͈̤̤̤͉̗̺̲̻̩̄̆͆̊͂̕͝E̴̥̯̭̫͚̒̊̂͗͝R̵̟̪͛̋ ̸̨̧͙͉͎̥̣̜͂̈́ͅT̸͇̦̬̥͇̯̹̈́̾͆̑̓̆̊̕̚͝ͅH̵̨̲̫̳͙̰̪͖̜̽̈̓̆̓̈̕ͅḘ̸̙̞̲̊́̅̀̆̈́̌̾̈ ̶̺̦̠͑͝F̷̞̙̦̬̭̞̊̂̂̕͘͠͝O̵̝͍̯̫̻͂̈R̶̢͉̤̼̼͕̱͕̀͌̾͛͜͠E̶̦̥̗̜̎̈́̽̊S̵͉͚̎̋T̴͔͇͒̕.̸̮̮͍̦̹̳̼̙̼̗͌͛̄̈́͛̎̑͑́͝

•❅───✧❅ᓚᘏᗢ❅✧───❅•

DO NOT COPY, STEAL OR REUSE MY WORK! YOUR ACCOUNT WILL BE REPORTED!

#Asteros AU #xenomoggy #Asteros Lore #Asteros Map #I don't know what I'm doingggg sorry if this is bad #feel free to send me questions about all this :)#I say to the like six people who are following me XD #I didn't edit this so hopefully it is grammatically correct lol

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