nappe-plays-the-sims

[nappe-plays-the-sims]

Theo goes off on new adventures!

Arkhelios Adventures

"Theodosius, thank you for joining us. My name is Alys, and I will be part of your welcoming team for your entrance to Shadowvale Academy. Do you have any questions for me?"

Theo glowered at the woman, who continued to smile politely back at him.

"Can I talk to my boyfriend now? Why are we still in stupid Arkhelios? I want to go back to Pleasantview."

Alys' serene expression never wavered. She gestured to her right and another adult appeared beside her. Unlike this Alys, he didn't look like a demon, though maybe Theo was being presumptive. It's not like he looked like a demon most of the time either.

"My name is Leofric," the man said, smiling a little too enthusiastically. "I'm going to be your therapeutic guidance counselor. If you ever need to talk about your thoughts or feelings, I'm at your service. You can talk to me about anything, and it will stay between us. It's going to be a difficult transition, and sometimes demons can be a little too, uh, expressive when their emotions bottle up. Part of taking control over your abilities means taking control over your emotions too. I'll help you work through your emotional stumbling blocks, so that you can graduate into a responsible, mature hybrid in complete control of himself."

"No, I'm fine," Theo insisted angrily. "I'm going back to Pleasantview."

The teen snapped his fingers to summon a demonic portal, but none appeared. He tried again and again, but with no result.

"We've been entrusted with your true name, child," Alys stated coldly. "You'll find that many of your abilities may be out of your reach until you learn to master them. Coming with us isn't a choice. I'm afraid Pleasantview will have to wait."

"No! It's not fair! I need to talk to Adam! I'm not going!"

Overwhelmed with fear, anger, and despair, Theo found himself bursting into tears. He tried to stop the tears in order to look intimidating, but he couldn't. All he could feel within him was a cyclone of those emotions, blurring out every rational thought.

"Change can be difficult, I know," Leofric said soothingly, putting a reassuring arm around the teen. "What you're feeling is natural, especially now that you've realized that your normal means of escape are no longer possible. This is all part of the process; it's only natural. Why don't we continue this conversation inside so that it can remain private?"

"Where are we?" Theo asked through his tears. "I don't even know this part of Arkhelios."

"Because your parents and elected leader are sheltering you," Alys replied. The tone in her voice dashed Theo's hopes of escaping. Hopefully the rest of his so-called team were nicer than she was. Somehow, he didn't think he'd be that lucky.

"This is the former residence of the Chun family and the current residence of the Chun Undead. It is a part of your journey and where we must begin."

"I don't remember this place," Theo insisted, staring at the walls, hoping something would spark in his mind and trigger a reason why he was being forced to be here. "Those are my parents on the wall, but I've never been here before."

"This is the area where President Bellamy houses the undead," Leofric explained. It's part of a small zoned area for Arkhelios' undead residents to embrace their second chance at life."

"This is the zombie containment area?" Theo gasped. "No one's been here but the president herself! How did you get access here? Aunt Lucy and Grandma petition the government every five years to keep this place sealed. No one is allowed here."

"I think you will find that there are very few places where we don't have access," Alys replied. "We had need of it and it was made available to us. For our purposes, we were also granted the help of the undead. Your president has been very helpful. "

Theo frowned. These weren't the same same kind of teachers the Pleasantview Academy had, and they were well known for their long reach within the country. Wherever he was going, it looked like he would miss the freedom of Pleasantview. Whoever these people were, they were impossibly powerful, both politically and magically.

"Theo! Theo Dorhack."

"Grandpa? Is that you?" Theo stared at the zombie that was creeping toward him. He certainly looked like Theo's father, and was a zombie, so logically that would make this man his Grandpa Ian.

Theo didn't really know what to expect of his grandfather. From his grandmother's rants, Ian had been a worthless, cheating bum who squandered their money with his whore mistress. There may be some truth to that description, but when Theo thought about how she usually spoke about him, he decided to give his grandfather some grace. Nearly everyone was actually better than how his grandmother described them.

"Hey, Grandpa," Theo greeted nervously. "How have you been? It's been awhile, huh?"

Theo vaguely recalled his father mentioning that Theo had met his grandfather when he was younger, but Theo had no memory of it. The zombie seemed to understand what Theo was saying, even if he couldn't respond in complete sentences.

"Sit down, Theodosius," Alys commanded, gesturing to the couch beside her.

Ian seemed to respond to the command, gently pushing his grandson towards the requested seat. Theo grudgingly gave into the command, seeing that he was outnumbered and nearly powerless.

"Now, before we can continue with your admittance, we need to measure the limits of your potential," Alys said. Theo perked up at the thought that he could stall the process, but abandoned all hope when Alys locked her eyes intensely with his. "This is in no way optional. If you refuse to participate willingly, we have your true name already. You will be made to complete the exams."

Theo tried not to show fear, but this woman was a professional. Even when she was merely watching him, flashes of terror flooded Theo, warning him against defying her.

"O-okay," Theo gulped. "What do I need to do?"

"We were hoping to chart your natural state to establish an estimate of your abilities," Leofric answered. "Your file indicates that you displayed a large amount of power in this location as an infant. There is a stain of demonic magic in this house that we were hoping to attribute to you, but from seeing you interact with the space, it looks like it belongs to another demon. Perhaps Dorhack, as this was once his domain. It will be added to our measurements, but we need to dig deeper. You will accompany us at dawn to the secondary location. Until that time, you are permitted to sleep. I'd suggest that you take this opportunity. Testing may be...tiring and the chance to sleep may not come again any time soon."

Theo stretched out on the couch he was sitting on, watching his team members watch him coldly. Falling asleep wouldn't be so bad, especially if it meant escaping this nightmare for a few hours. In his dreams, he could return to Pleasantview like he wanted. In his dreams, he could hold Adam again.

As soon as the sun rose, Theo was rudely awakened when a freezing cup of water was emptied on his head. Alys tried to remain impartial, but Theo swore that there was a devious sparkle in her eye when he woke up sputtering.

"We're leaving. Now."

With sleep still in his eyes, Theo walked through the portal Alys had opened for him. On the other side, he stood in front of a weathered, small house, surrounded by water. Theo recognized the area from his childhood.

"This is still Arkhelios," he stated. "Is this the school? This is down the street from where my dad used to live."

This was much closer to the water than where Roman used to live, but Theo could still see the lights of Arkhelios in the distance. He didn't fully remember the near bunker they had lived in before taking over the Bellamy estate, but he did remember how quiet it was. Very few people came to the island next to Arkhelios due it's size and lack of amenities.

"This, Theo, is where you were born. Your entrance into the world was here, so it stands to reason that this is the best place to connect with the root of your magic. We have your true name and the location and time of your birth. All we need now is to see how your body reacts to our conditions."

"Conditions?" Theo repeated, but Alys was already climbing the stairs that led to the house.

"Stand in the magic circle and reach out your hands," the demon commanded. Leofric lingered near her, writing something in a notebook.

Theo did as he was told and immediately felt a rush of energy. His outstretched arm began to waver with the intensity of it all.

Alys nodded her approval and looked over at Leofric.

"Okay, test one, attempt one. And...go."

She snapped her fingers and immediately, all the rush of energy Theo felt exploded, colliding into him at breakneck speed. Energy flooded his mind, and he could feel the weight of the horns on his head, indicating that he'd shifted into his dark form.

"This feels funny," Theo stated, noticing the energy forming around his hands. He felt the top of his head worriedly. "There's still the extra horns from before. Plus the wings. They're sort of a new thing. Maybe they're part of what's wrong with me?"

"Unlikely." With a snap of her fingers, Theo immediately shifted out of his dark form, hitting the ground as his regular self. The change happened before his body could even register the movement.

"Well, that's what happened the other day with Adam," Theo said, hopeful that the experiment had concluded for the day and that he could go home. "So, since you've got the data, I should probably-"

"Test one, attempt two," Alys replied, snapping her fingers again. Theo swore she looked excited at the opportunity to inflict pain and discomfort on him.

The rush of energy came faster this time, still nearly knocking Theo to his feet. The transformation felt nearly instantaneous. Theo could feel the power coursing through his veins, energy exploding from his fingers. Every second, he felt as though he was about to burst from the amount of energy coursing through him. This was how he felt with Adam. The wild, unyielding power that threatened to destroy him had taken over his body within seconds.

"Now hold that position," Alys commanded. "We're getting a good reading. Okay, now try to summon energy to your hand, just what you did with Apprentice Darktide."

Theo obeyed the order, despite the amount of pain that he felt while doing so. Energy crackled in the air around him. His eyes felt like they were burning in their sockets. The room faded away from his vision, leaving him with nothing but endless darkness. Theo was sinking into darkness as an unnatural light shone within him, destroying his ability to concentrate on what was happening to him. He was going to explode from the magical pressure building inside of him. There was only darkness and pain and fear and....

Theo's mind snapped back to attention the instant it collided with something impossible to ignore. A tiny light in the darkness called to him, offering him shelter from the chaos of his thoughts.

The more Theo reached for the light, the more familiar it became. He could feel an unmistakable warmth unfurl around him, easing the fury of the energy forcing the shift into a dark form.

Adam, I finally found you.

There could be no mistaking the change in the air. Even Ian could sense that something had changed, despite not having the capacity to voice it in words. Theo didn't appear to be struggling nearly as much as he had before.

It was impossible for Theo to fight the urge to stay in his dark form, but he was making an incredible effort resisting it. He was no longer breathing heavily and was able to maneuver his hands together to expel whatever he could of the power burning within him.

"Fascinating," Alys exclaimed, putting away her notes in order to fully observe what she was seeing. "Finally, a reading that makes sense. Leofric, when we get back to the school, please send our gracious sovereign a message. The situation is as she thought it might be. The boy is stable here where he entered the world, while using a secondary source's power."

"That's wonderful," Leofric replied. "He can follow a fairly standardized course of study then. I'll have most of his entrance package ready within an hour of our arrival." He paused for a moment, running different scenarios through his mind. "And the secondary source? Do we need to contact them?"

Alys shook her head, still marveling at the teen in front of her. With every passing second, the boy seemed more calm, more in control of himself. Provided the right elements, this little hybrid was more than capable of growing into the threat the Sovereign envisioned. Once he learned to control his abilities, who knew what he could do, especially when paired with this secondary source?

"Only the Sovereign and Master Maricourt need to be informed," she decided. "They are our employers. The magic that they have said this boy can produce...well, the Ocean never gifts such power to a single person. You remember the stories. How odd to finally see such a thing in person."

Leofric nodded, still unsure of what his opinion on the matter would be.

"I'd be more inclined to believe the boy is the result of blood and contracted magic," he suggested. "This Dorhack and his daughter making contracts with powerful families and performing illegal magic would also explain the boy's abilities."

"No, this has the stink of a deity all over it. Impossible life magic, pairing the boy off to be grounded by another? You're far too young to know this, but our controversial life deity came into being due to circumstances much like this. Maybe this all started with Dorhack, but even he couldn't pull this off."

"I disagree. Blood magic amplified by a broken curse can easily explain this," Leofric replied. "I suppose we'll see when he gets settled in and starts training which one of us is right."

Alys snapped her fingers again, releasing Theo and sending him crashing to the floor, his dark form immediately vanished.

"It's a bet. Take Mr. Bellamy through the portal and get him settled. I'll be along shortly."

She gestured towards a wall, opening a portal that would lead Leofric and his young charge to the school.

"I have a feeling that this will be one of our more memorable students."

#luverofralts #arkhelios #theo bellamy #ian chun #leofric fromm #bellamy family #chun family

[nappe-plays-the-sims]

your story blog doesn't have asks enabled so here I am.

Anonymous OC question of the day!

If you could make a character real, which of your OCs would be:

your bestie

your spouse/partner

your secret lover!

your friendly rival

your enemy!

BONUS: do this for other people’s OCs too!

Pass the game along (anonymously or not)

Answering based off @arkhelios-gameplay

your bestie: Pelle 100%, he's fun and not particularly dramatic himself, so no risk of me getting involved in drama nonsense.

your spouse/partner: Technically this would be @luverofralts OC if we're picky on definitions but... Maura. I think we would get along well.

your secret lover!: Ulyssa, but I would definitely despise myself for it LMAO

your friendly rival: Lucy, mischievious but not in a way that would inconvenience me like other characters might.

your enemy!: Abe, oh my god, stop hoeing please you aren't even enjoying it.

#potential-fate #arkhelios #arkhelios-gameplay #sims 2 #the sims 2

[nappe-plays-the-sims]

Roman x Lucy has never been successful so far, so I have my doubts. 😂

“Can I say something off topic without you freaking out?” Zane asked. Roman gave him a look. Roman’s mind flashed to his and Lucy’s conversation outside the student center, and he tried to bury the sudden rush of guilt, and the intense anxiety that Zane had overheard them. He wasn’t ready for that conversation. 

“Uh… yeah.” He said, worrying his bottom lip. 

“Look, so I know you and Lucy are like… close.” Zane started, seeming to tread carefully. Roman’s brow furrowed, suddenly unsure of where this line of conversation was going.

“And I know you’re like, engaged now, or whatever.”

“Get to the point, Zane.” Roman said. 

“Okay okay, I was just wondering like… you and Lucy…?” 

Roman almost physically recoiled, making a face that was probably fairly rude if he was honest with himself.

#potential-fate #arkhelios #roman bellamy #zane hydes #lucy chun #bellamy family #hydes family #chun family

[nappe-plays-the-sims]

A new Bellamy appears!

Arkhelios Adventures

"Well, it was lovely to see you, Amina. Be sure to drop by the new house when we're settled in."

Wanda Bellamy embraced the woman she'd come to see as a close friend. Amina Bellamy was a recent arrival to Arkhelios, but she'd been an amazing volunteer for Wanda's political pursuits since arriving. They'd often joked about sharing a last name and people maybe getting the wrong idea about their relationship based on it, which Hunter never found amusing. Bellamy was a common enough name, there was bound to be a new arrival with the name eventually.

"I can't wait to see it. It sounds wonderful. I'm so happy for you and your little family."

"New house? Are you moving again, Wanda? You just bought this house three years ago."

Roman Bellamy stood in his aunt's driveway, looking confused. He was pretty sure the two women were talking about a new house, but Wanda hadn't mentioned any plans to her nephew.

"Roman! What a pleasant surprise," Wanda said, smiling at her favourite nephew. "And yes, we are moving again. Your uncle and I have been building a new home for years now. We've outgrown this one and wanted something more...elegant."

"But, I was going to ask if you could-"

"Roman Bellamy? Malika’s boy? Look at you, you're her spitting image. Such a handsome young man."

Roman was cut off by Amina's excited embrace. The woman hugged him fiercely. A little too fiercely for a stranger for Roman's comfort.

"Grandson," Roman corrected her when he was finally released. "Malika was my grandmother. Did you know her?"

Amina shook her head.

"No, but I've seen pictures of her," she answered. "She was friends with Romana Rivales, the famous painter. There was a write-up and photoshoot in the magazines with them when I was growing up. Both of them were so beautiful and talented. The world lost something precious when they passed."

Roman stared uneasily at Amina, trying to analyze her sincerity. Very few people spoke about his mother and grandmother unless they absolutely had to. After Kamalani had been charged posthumously with the murder of Omar Bellamy and the attempted murder of so many people that Melvin stopped after just five charges were laid. Charging a dead woman with a large list of crimes did nothing to get peace or justice to her victims. It was all just paperwork in the end.

"I'm sure my grandmother would have loved the compliment," Roman said at last. "If there was one thing she loved, it was listening to people praise her."

"If you love Romana Rivales' work, Roman has quite a few of her originals at home," Wanda added. "He's got quite a collection started. I'm sure that he would be happy to show them sometime, right Roman?"

Roman scowled at the reminder. Of course he had a hoarde of his mother's paintings. People wouldn't stop shoving them in his face and demanding that he be grateful they did. Most of them were locked up in his office, out of sight until he could offload them on a collector or pawnshop willing to take them. They had increased in value with Romana's mysterious death, but people often found them unnerving when viewing them in person, as if his mother's toxicity were oozing from the paint, presenting her as the monster she had always been. There was a convention for all things demonic in Pleasantview next month, where Roman was determined to either sell the paintings or leave them in the parking lot for someone to find. The paintings inspired by his secret half-sister were the worst to look at. Every time he saw one, his heart seemed to stop beating for a moment, still held captive by the memories of what his mother had done to him even after all these years.

"I would love to see her work in person," Amina replied with an excited smile. "She had such an eye for the supernatural, surely one of her paintings would look wonderful in the Arkhelios Academy of Magic?"

"No!" Roman practically shouted the word at the same time Wanda was nodding excitedly.

"What a great suggestion," Wanda said. "I'll have to take it up with the coven first, though. Romana has a...complicated legacy here."

"Understandable," Amina replied graciously. "It was just a thought. But I'll leave you with your guest, Wanda. The children are probably getting into mischief without me around. You know teenagers."

"Romona was just a pseudonym," Roman added irritably. "Her name was Kamalani. Whatever the artistic good she accomplished in her career could never undo all the unforgivable things she did. She abused me and tried to murder my children. She doesn't deserve to use a pseudonym to attempt to clean her image."

"Of course. How insensitive of me," Amina apologized. "I know of her only through her art, while you saw the side of her no one else in the public got to see. You have my sympathies for your past pain. Still, one of her paintings might add some helpful context to the Academy. It's something to think about anyway. Good night, Wanda. I'll see you at the usual time tomorrow."

The strange woman walked past Roman towards the mall. She likely lived in the new part of town where Wanda had been building new housing.

"Who was that?" Roman asked, hugging his aunt despite how unsettled the entire exchange had made him. "Is she new in the coven?"

Wanda squeezed Roman tightly in return, giving him a motherly accessment as she did. He didn't seen to be injured or too skinny and hadn't gotten any more tattoos that she could see.

"She's a woman who helps me at the office," Wanda replied. "She's helping me battle Fitz Cowden and the garbage he thinks makes good policy. Amina is brilliant, and maybe a little magically gifted, though not enough to want to join the coven. I've asked repeatedly, but she says that it's not her thing. It's still nice to have another Bellamy around, even if we're not related. If we had multiple Bellamys in the coven, we'd sound just like Pleasantview. 'Master Maricourt, Master Maricourt and Master Maricourt'. It's ridiculous."

"Another Bellamy?" Roman repeated. "Are you sure we're not related to her? Bellamy isn't that common of a name."

"I don't see how," Wanda said defensively. "Salem didn't have any family that I know of."

"It's not his name, remember? It's Grandma's. She has a big enough family somewhere. Remember the photo album I showed you a few years ago? She had a sister. A sister that was on a first name basis with Dorhack. What if this is some kind of invasion? What if they're after me or my kids? We need to get a background check on her at the very least."

Wanda rolled her eyes, waving away Roman's worries dismissively.

"Hmm, truthfully, I'd forgotten that Salem took his wife's name. It was always all over our school board meetings, and I guess I just saw more of him in general. Your grandmother never really took a liking to me, especially at the end. If that will make you feel better, then I'll have a background check done," she sighed. "Until it's done, I expect you to treat her without suspicion, Roman. Even if she is one of those Bellamys, you can't assume her motives. Don't be so cold-hearted. You might just grow to like her."

"Not fucking likely," Roman muttered under his breath. He stole another look over his shoulder, only to find the woman watching him from a distance. Something about her just felt wrong in a way he didn't understand.

Amina held Roman's gaze until he was forced into the house by his aunt. He was an interesting young man, and brighter than she had originally given him credit. She could feel Malika’s warm presence encircling her grandson, even long after her death. Whatever remained of the woman's spirit was protecting her grandson. She really had adored him despite her poor choices.

"So, Wanda, why are you moving again? You live in a mansion."

Roman looked skeptically at the strange decor of his aunt's house. All the paintings on the wall were of foreign people from a variety of countries. He could pick out a few from Pleasantview that he recognized from his school. The only few representations of her own family were Theo's baby pictures and the group photo of the remaining Bellamy family taken before Omar's murder.

Being the leader of Arkhelios on the international stage had made Wanda wealthy enough to still fund the traditional Bellamy lifestyle that Roman had given up to pay for Theo and the twins' educations and keep his restaurant above water. He could still remember his teen years of fancy clothes, fancy schools and acting entitled enough to be mistaken for someone of Claudia's rank. Theo had certainly changed all that, and now Roman couldn't even picture how he once had been before his mother had tried repeatedly to ruin his life and kill his son. He did miss the wealth and political scheming, but his life was better now. Different, but better.

Wanda hadn't had to give up a fortune in school tuition or feed and clothe large amounts of children. Her son was well dressed, but Wanda only had the one child to support. Politics paid well, and she'd been gifted generously by people looking to persuade her to vote their way. Wanda could afford to be a Bellamy like her in-laws. Maybe when Abe III was ready to start college, Roman could afford the luxurious life he'd grown up with.

"We're just not liking this house," Wanda replied, leading Roman into the living room. "We need something bigger, something more impressive. A tiny mansion doesn't shout power, but a large estate does. We need something to make outsiders marvel at when they travel here. A strong house for a strong leader."

Roman frowned but remained silent. There was a lot more distance between him and his aunt and uncle lately. With everything that had happened, he had gone from a carefree teenager bugging his magical aunt for favours to a battle scarred father just trying to survive. Wanda had drifted away, especially after she had made him take ownership over the Bellamy estate so that she could pursue politics. When he looked at how far he'd drifted from his aunt, Roman felt bad for only visiting tonight to ask a favour of her. He was a shitty nephew, but being a father always came first. He couldn't just leave his kids to hang out with his incredibly busy aunt who also didn't have the free time to share.

"So I'm glad that you stopped by," Wanda exclaimed, waving dramatically at the chaos behind her. "I was thinking of taking more family photos before we moved. I don't think I even have a photo of the twins or Mark now that he's in university. I have a photographer on standby. He does all my political photos and they look amazing."

Roman took one look at the photo studio and felt a pressing need to retreat before his aunt could comb his hair and put a nice tie on him just like his grandmother had done every few months of his childhood.

"Uh, maybe," he stammered. "Theo and the twins are away at school, though for so long, and Abe Jr's just started teething, so he's going to be difficult to get a good shot with."

Wanda smiled deviously.

"Then how about for your thirtieth birthday party?" she replied, enjoying the confused look on Roman's face. "I am the leader of Arkhelios, people are going to tell me about my darling nephew's birthday plans, especially when you want to use my house to host it."

Roman flushed with embarrassment. Of course his aunt had found out about the party before he could even ask. Arkhelios was not the place to try to keep a secret, no matter how hard everyone tried.

"Well, yeah, that might work. But if you're moving, how are you going to host the party here?"

He could already see moving boxes piled in the corner by the stairs. There was no way that Roman trusted any of his children to be left alone in this expensive looking house either. Abe Jr would chew everything in sight and the girls would probably knock something expensive over while running. Maybe this had been a bad idea.

"Well, we hold it at your place," Wanda stated, as if this was the only option. "It's a big lot and the kids are already familiar with it. I can organize it all, all you have to do is open your house to your guests."

"I don't have the space," Roman replied. "The last Winterfest ball we held there was a long time ago. There's the baby toys, Theo's magic textbooks, the dogs...it's just too much."

"Ask your mother in law then. She has the Helios mansion to entertain in."

Roman laughed at the thought of Elaine willingly holding a party in her house. After several tries to hold a party where no one died, got pregnant, gave birth, or released zombies, she had given up on parties entirely. The next party that would be held in her house would be her funeral and that was final.

"Okay, fine. I'll provide the house, unless I can find somewhere better to host it," Roman conceded. "If you could plan it half as well as your Winterfest parties, that would be amazing. I'll give you a budget once Adrian's accountant gets back to us."

"Don't bother," Wanda replied, waving her hand dismissively once more. "Consider it my gift to the three of you young men. You only have one thirtieth birthday, and all of you work so hard to help make Arkhelios a better place. Though I might need to take a few pictures for my updated campaign at the party. You know, to show that I'm one of the young people who connects with the issues they care about."

"Of course. I do appreciate this, Aunt Wanda. It's been a tough few years and I think we all need this excuse to just relax and let go of some of the stress in our lives."

#luverofralts #arkhelios #roman bellamy #wanda hydes #amina bellamy #sims 2

[nappe-plays-the-sims]

The nightmare continues… but so does my love for your Theo and Adam. ❤️

Arkhelios Adventures

When Theo opened his eyes, his surroundings had completely changed. He was no longer in Strangetown-or so he thought. There was no desert heat or swirling sands. Everything around him was lush and green and peaceful. There were decaying ruins of a building rotting beside a fertile garden plot attached to an impressive building. Theo couldn't put into words how this place made him feel exactly. It was older than time, but living energy pulsed through the air, crackling with potential.

"What is this place? Where's Reogus?" Theo wondered, scanning the area for his unpredictable warlock guide.

All words left him when his eyes locked on a creature sitting high above the ruins, watching him intently. The creature was both beautiful and terrifying at once, life and death, abundance and scarcity. Theo had never before seen a being that made him tremble just looking in its direction.

"Apprentice Bellamy, I presume? Or do you prefer Theodosius? Titles are enviable, but when it all comes down to it, true names are what give us our power. True names are what bind us together, after all. Though I suspect that you know this already, having changed your name at such a young age. It's always so curious to me, seeing the tethers hook into your being, joining you to another. It looks painful. I wonder if it is."

Theo was fairly certain that he was actually on another plane of existence while his body remained safely in bed. At least he hoped it was because the look the being was giving him had a worrying threat underlying it. He wasn't sure of quite what to think of the mysterious being that seemed to be tearing into his soul with only his eyes. It wasn't a creature in the usual sense, but it wasn't human either. It looked male, but Theo got the distinct sense that the body before him was merely a shell for something more powerful to inhabit. Did this being trade bodies like some kind of hermit crab, always on the lookout for a newer dwelling? Was that why Theo had been summoned here?

"So quiet for such a usually spirited boy," the creature teased. Its voice sounded hollow and wrong, both booming like the roar of intense wind and chillingly scraping, like the tide clawing back dark water across sharp, rugged rocks. There was a natural cadence to its speech that ebbed and flowed between vibrant, booming authority and bone-chilling lifelessness.

"What fascinating perversions demons are," it continued. "I wish that I could take direct credit for their creation. Such creative minds always seeking power. They're more trouble than they're worth most times, but I respect their aspirations all the same."

Theo remained frozen in place, unsure if this being was actually expecting a response from him. He had no idea of what to say or how to escape this nightmare.

"W-where's Reogus?" he stammered. "Is he still here?"

"The warlock was sent back to his appropriate time," the creature reassured Theo in the least reassuring voice possible. "The Guardians of Time are a necessary but annoying function of this universe. If I could end their existence, I would, but unfortunately, I cannot. He will no doubt be back to bother you again in the future."

Theo gulped. At least this creature was talking about Theo like he had a future and wasn't about to be murdered by something unfathomable. As much as he wanted to know what kind of nightmare this creature really was, Theo was terrified to find out. Sometimes it was better to ignore something dangerous and just hope that it never came back again.

"Still quiet? I'll skip to my point then."

To Theo's horror, a man appeared out of nowhere, cloaked in powerful magic and looking merciless. When his face stepped out of the shadows, Theo recognized him instantly.

"That's me," he said, staring at the man in disbelief. "What's happening?"

"A glimpse into your future," the being replied. "One I have much interest in. You've been given power beyond your understanding with that little curse of yours. You will be great and terrible when you mature. Power beyond what your little warlock boyfriend could even imagine. Pray that you don't become too interesting though. The first demonic sovereign met with a grisly end because he had become too interesting to the wrong people. The wrong people being me,of course. He forgot his place. You will be difficult to erase if need be, but it can still be done. Never forget your place."

Theo opened his mouth, only to close it again quickly. He couldn't think of a single thing to say aside from "Please don't kill me".

"Theo, run! Teleport to the Void! Anywhere else! I'll try to help you, but you need to leave! You cant stay here, no living person can!"

Theo forgot how to breathe as he watched what he thought was Lukas, the deity of Life, stand their ground in front of him. They looked different than they did in the warning photos at school, but was still unmistakably the same powerful deity.

"I want to go home," Theo whimpered. He'd be mortified if anyone at home saw him like this, but this endless nightmare had taken its toll on him. Between seeing the casual murder of innocent people and enduring the presence of the creature in front of him, Theo was planning on drinking coffee and staying up, protected from dreams for as long as possible.

"The warlock you arrived with wished to tell you a secret. One that he hoped would change your perception of your power. One that may change everything for you. One that makes me very interested in your life. The culmination of Dorhack's little experiment in search of power: the hybrid blood demon."

Theo nodded, trying to appear calm while internally trying to recall how to get to the Void. It wasn't somewhere that he thought he'd need to get to on a whim. The image of his dark future self continued to be unnerving. Its eyes followed him, sizing him up, though for what, Theo didn't want to know. Could weird images of your future self actually kill you? It was a question Theo never thought he'd have to ask.

"A secret?" Theo repeated shakily, unsure if talking to the creature would be more dangerous than trying to escape. He wished that Reogus had just come out and said what he wanted to say while he was still there, if the being wasn't lying to him.

"Look at your potential, Theodosius," the bone-chilling voice replied. "You saw everything that Alpheus accomplished because he was a full demon from a pure lineage, while you're just a cursed hybrid from a backwater country no one has even heard of."

"Theo...." Lukas' nervous warning did no good. Theo had no idea of how to get to the Void or where he even was at the moment.

"You see, Alpheus was only half demon. He was a hybrid just like you. His human mother was from the Grunt bloodline, and his demonic father gave him the Toyonaga name. Alpheus killed his father later, of course, more proof that hybrids can be more powerful than their demonic sires. You, too, have that potential, Theodosius. It's why the Sovereign keeps her eye on you and why I've called you here to examine for myself."

"He can't stay here!" Lukas hissed, looking apologetically at Theo. "I keep telling you, living beings can't exist in the afterlife! You made the damn thing, you have to know how it works! I can only protect him for so long until my stepson shows up and makes his stay here permanent!"

Theo froze, unable to process the deity's words. He was in the afterlife? The real one and not where his step-father, Adrian, had spent years waiting for rescue? For real? All he had done was go to bed at night and already he'd been pulled out of time, the realm of dreams and landed where no living soul belonged. What was this creature that scared even a deity?

"Your words are true," the creature acknowledged grudgingly. "I can see it draw breath. Full demons can travel between realms at will. For all of its power, it seems it cannot. An interesting note to keep in mind for the future."

The creature landed on the ground, unfurling majestic, dark wings as it fell. It landed close to the frightened teen, close enough for Theo to feel the breeze created from the ruffling feathers. The being rose slowly, carefully measuring Theo with his eyes as he did.

"I was curious to see the much talked about hybrid in person, but not enough to end a promising future with an accidental death. You have my permission to return the boy to the realm of the living. I've seen enough for now. I can see the pieces of my will begin to fall into place. I am...pleased. Is that the word? Yes. Pleased."

Theo couldn't bear to look this mysterious being in the eyes and see the hollow flicker of light behind them. Whatever was standing before him scared gods into submission and that same being had plans for Theo. However serious these plans were, Theo didn't want to know. He was just a scared fourteen year old boy who loved his family, his friends, and his boyfriend. He had no future plans except for marrying Adam and going to college. Apparently, some beings had other plans for him and that was terrifying beyond words.

Theo squeezed his eyes shut, hoping that he would soon wake up in his own bed, this impossible nightmare finally ended.

"Please wake up, please wake up," he chanted quietly to himself.

Whether it takes a year or a century, my plan will be completed. Through your example, I may find the path I need. Until then, little demon.

Theo could hear the voice in the back of his mind, scraping across his thoughts. It was like having ice-cold water poured over his head, pouring into his thoughts. An image of a woman flickered into his mind for the briefest of moments, barely long enough for Theo to register what she looked like. She was pretty, that much he could remember. Pretty, but sad and mysterious at the same time. Unlike the creature before him, thinking about this woman was pleasant. There was the subtle hint of danger and power, but nothing that terrified him quite like the being before him.

"What?" Theo looked anxiously around him for any trace of the woman or the dangerous being that had projected her. "Hello?"

"What the hell?"

Theo bolted up in his bed, completely awake and more than slightly frightened about the visions he'd seen, promising a dark future and not much else. He looked over at Adam, who was sleeping soundly in the bed beside him and sighed in relief. He was home. He had his loved ones nearby to protect him.

"I don't understand," Theo muttered to himself. "Why does everyone care so much about me studying blood magic? I barely passed my magical defense class; I'm not about to run off and murder people more powerful than I am. I'm not going to murder anyone at all."

Downstairs, two cousins met up for a late night snack. Despina wanted to get some juice, but was hesitant. She'd only gained some courage upon hearing Remy boldly walk past her bedroom door. If Remy was sneaking out at night too, then it had to be okay.

"So what are you sneaking around for?" Despina asked, sipping her drink and watching as Remy did the same. "I just wanted a snack, but you seem to be on a mission of some kind. Are you meeting someone?"

Despina looked eager to gossip with her cousin about boys or girls or anything else that came to mind, while Remy looked less than enthusiastic about the idea.

"Sometimes I meet up with Malika," Remy admitted. "I don't have a roommate, so it makes it easier to sleep together. I guess she's not interested or is too busy tonight. When she's not around, I like to see who's still up while the whole school sleeps. You meet interesting people that way."

"Oh, you and Malika are...hooking up? I didn't know."

"It's a boarding school," Remy said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Everyone is having sex here, it's just what you do to pass the time. Do you have anyone you like? I could probably find you a date if you want."

"Oh, uh, no," Despina stammered, her fave turning beet red. "I've met someone really cute that started late like I did. He's really sweet, but I don't know if he likes me like that."

She blushed, thinking about Jasper and the immediate connection to him that she felt.

"Just throw yourself at him," Remy advised, sipping her drink. "You'll know right away if he's interested in you. It works for me."

"You're cheating on Malika?" Despina gasped in horror. "She's the best thing to happen to you!"

"Gee, thanks," Remy replied, rolling her eyes. "No, we're not exclusive anymore. I like her, but she's my first girlfriend. We both agreed to...branch out a little with our relationship. As long as there aren't feelings involved, we're allowed to hook up with whoever we want. I'd hate to live like my idiot brother who wants to marry the first guy he kissed."

"Is he sleeping with Theo?" Despina asked worriedly. Was she really the only person here who hadn't even kissed someone yet? Was Jasper sleeping around too?

Remy laughed just at the thought of her brother trying to seduce the naive, overprotected Theo.

"Ha! I doubt it. Can you imagine those two even knowing what to do? Theo's parents probably didn't even have 'the talk' with him, just a lecture on why sex would somehow kill him. And Adam? Sometimes, it's hard to believe that he's my twin. Is Eero anything like you or is he as useless as Adam?"

"He's okay," Despina replied. "We've only really had each other all of our lives. Both our grandparents are dead, so it's just been us and you guys and Aunt Edana. I'm sure he misses me now that I'm here. I miss him, but I know that my place is here."

"Yeah, sorry about my bitch mother," Remy said, rolling her eyes. "She has so much 'trauma' that she never thinks about anyone else. Absolutely everything is about her dead brother, which means that she's useless about anything else. Need help with your homework? Sorry, Uncle Adam is dead. Try to tell her that you think magic isn't really your thing? Nope, dead brother, can't have that conversation. Thank god for our Ewans. Dad and Ewan actually listen to us...sometimes."

"I would miss Eero if he died, it's understandable," Despina replied charitably. "Plus losing her entire coven? That must be devastating. I'll never know my parents, so I like to think that because my aunt misses them so much, they were worth knowing. Maybe my dad had a change of heart at the end or something. I don't know anything about my mom, just that your mom blames her for everything."

"You worry too much about your parents," Remy chided. "Who cares? Fuck them and their weird cult. All that matters is who you are and what you do. God help me if I was judged by my parents. They're the lamest people alive. They're fooling themselves if they think that I'm actually going to study magic in college and join their dumb covens. I'll do what I want and you should do the same."

"Hmm, maybe. I just got here though. I don't want to get kicked out after all that work."

"Yeah, fair enough," Remy conceded. "Just do whatever my dumb brother does then. Everything he does is to suck up to our parents and the council. Don't date a weird demon and they'd probably give you an award or something dumb like that."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Theo stood on the large balcony that faced Crystal Cove and tried as hard as he could to forget about his dream. What had happened to him and how much of what he'd seen was real? Was any of it real? What was that nightmarish creature and just how closely was it watching him? He had no one to talk about this with. Evren might know about weird realm crossing and magic, but there was no way that he'd keep it a secret from Theo's insanely worried parents.

Would Lukas tell him whenever he saw the deity next? It was always difficult to get an answer out of them when you didn't have anything to offer in return. They did have a history of appearing in Pleasantview, enough that there were warning signs with their picture on it. They had seemed upset in his dream, maybe he'd find Lukas looking for him.

Theo groaned, hitting his head rhythmically against the walled fence in frustration. Why was this his life? Saturnia and Luci seemed to be pretty normal, so why was he doomed to be stolen by supernatural beings on a whim?

Behind him, a twig snapped, alerting Theo to a presence sneaking up on him.

"Lukas, you have to tell me who-"

It wasn't Lukas sneaking up on the demon, but Adam. Theo immediately sighed with relief.

"Adam? What are you doing here? I thought you were asleep."

"I had a nightmare and couldn't get back to sleep," Adam confessed. "I pretended to be asleep when you woke up."

"I had the worst nightmare too," Theo groaned. "You wouldn't believe me at all if I told you about it."

Adam's eyes remained glued to the ground, unable to look at his boyfriend in the eye.

"I would. Because I was there too. The protector of the realm of dreams told me that the pull on you to a different realm also pulled me because of how we're connected."

A huge wave of relief washed over Theo hearing this.

"Oh my god, who do you think the terrifying creature was?" he demanded. "Even Lukas was afraid of it, and they're not afraid of anything!"

"Weird creature?" Adam repeated with confusion. "No, you were with that Maricourt warlock, talking about demons."

"For a bit, but that was nothing compared to that...monster that showed up. He took us to the freaking afterlife, how could you forget something like that?"

Adam paused. Theo looked sincerely terrified about this creature he was describing, so he wasn't just lying to avoid talking about the repeated warnings people were making about him.

"I never saw that. Luna took me home before that, I guess."

Theo tried to remember a woman named Luna, but failed. He'd ask about that later, once he could focus on anything else but the horrifying creature he'd faced.

"I can't believe you missed it!" Theo burst out. "I can't possibly even describe what it was like. Picture the most dangerous person you could think of times a million. Times infinity! It threatened me and said I was worth keeping alive, which is not the kind of reassurance that you want." Theo's voice wavered, slightly, in a way only his loved ones would catch.

"Adam, I don't know what to do anymore. Ever since my birthday, things just keep getting weirder and weirder. All these people are telling me that I'm dangerous and that hybrids are incredibly dangerous and that they're all keeping an eye on me. I don't want this life anymore, Adam. I keep closing my eyes and seeing that creature staring at me, waiting for something horrible to happen! I-I'm scared. I don't want to be special. I want to be like Saturnia. No one is threatening her for existing."

Adam's fears faded away, just looking at the horror that was clearly eating at Theo. Yeah, Adam had questions and fears of his own, but they were nothing compared to what Adam could see written all over Theo's face. Something had scared him and badly. Gone was Theo's usual air of defiance and rebellion. In its place was only horror and fear.

"Hey, it's okay," Adam said, pulling his boyfriend closer to him. He wrapped his arms around Theo and held him tightly. "At least you've got a warning about the stakes we're facing. It's better than just going in blind."

"The stakes we're facing?" Theo repeated. "Does that mean that you're going to help me when whatever happens to me happens? I don't blame you if you want to run from all this. I know I would."

"No one told me that our future wedding's off," Adam reassured the boy in his arms. "I'm not going anywhere. Besides, we're connected enough that you apparently pull me along with you even if I did leave. I might as well stay, don't you think? I'd miss kissing you too much."

Theo smiled faintly and relaxed his grip on Adam.

"I'd miss that too," he agreed softly. "You would tell me if I was doing something dangerous though, right? If I start...hurting people?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Adam replied, brushing some stray hairs from Theo's face as he did. "You could never be like Alpheus or your grandmother. There isn't a single evil bone in your body. Your Aunt Lucy, she I could see being dangerous, not you. You've never even cheated on an exam, Theo. I know that you're nothing like how weird people expect you to be."

There was still a small pit in his stomach when Adam thought about the desperation in Theo's eyes when he'd been presented with energy. He'd never seen Theo like that before. It was true that demons lived to collect enough energy to warm themselves, but Theo had never needed it to survive.

Now that Adam knew that he apparently had some demonic ancestry himself, it was harder to judge Theo for what he'd seen. If he also came from a demonic family, it was just a roll of genetics that kept Adam or his mother and sisters from possessing enough demon DNA to manifest the powers Theo possessed.

Would Theo change as they matured? Would he develop the same hunger full demons had for energy?

Adam's fear disappeared, feeling his boyfriend bury his face into his shoulder as Theo tried to stop his anxious tears. He knew Theo better than anyone. They'd been best friends since the age of six. He'd seen Theo through all the milestones of childhood, and he knew who Theo was deep down. Theo was both his past and his future, the person he loved more than anyone in the world.

"None of that matters," Adam swore, hugging Theo tightly. "I love you, that's the only thing that matters. We'll figure out the rest when we need to."

#luverofralts #arkhelios #theo bellamy #adam maricourt-darktide #bellamy family

[nappe-plays-the-sims]

I love the lore in your neighborhoods and how deep it goes, even into the smaller things like nursery rhymes to show history’s impact.

Arkhelios Adventures

Edana paused, looking at the restricted chambers before her. Strangetown's Royal Cemetery was a sight few people ever saw in their lifetime. It was a private property that even historical researchers needed strict permission to enter, deep in the original ruins of Old Strangetown.

If she wanted to sleep peacefully again, Edana needed to find out why her dreams were filled with her brother's screams. Only by confronting her past, would her future become clear. This was the closest she could get to Adam without dying herself. This plan had to work; Edana had no other ideas to fall back on.

Edana entered the chamber where notable, non monarchs were entombed. It had been a kindness she could never repay to have Adam resting here. King Charley had been gracious to her when she needed him most. She'd been a lonely teenager living in a ruin of her brother's own making with nowhere to go. Entombing her brother in a safe, isolated chamber where no one could intrude and cast spells with his ashes was a kindness she hadn't expected and Adam hadn't deserved. The rest of her fallen coven had been buried in a secret location, and their bones had been caked in salt to prevent supernatural discovery, including those of Adam's children's mother. There was no other way to think of the birth mother of her niece and nephew. She was the woman who had laughed in Edana's face when she pleaded for her to leave the cult she'd sucked Adam into. She had a name and presumably a family of her own to be disappointed in her, but Edana didn't care. She'd give the name to her niece and nephew should they ever ask her about that woman, but the less Edana thought of it, the easier it was to pretend that she'd never existed in the first place. Not a healthy coping mechanism according to the therapist Charley had made her visit once, but it was working just fine for her.

The tomb was filled with tapestries and paintings of the deities who Strangetown worshipped over the centuries, each more intricate than the last. Snobby Pleasantview thought themselves to be the center of the universe, while Strangetown remembered the old ways.

She trailed her fingers along the wall, lost in her memories. There was magic here so old and dark, she couldn't even begin to comprehend it. It was the kind of old magic her brother had tried to tap into before he died, and now it would seal him to this place, protecting the world from his wicked ways.

When she thought of that ancient magic, an old nursery rhyme came to mind, one that she had learned before she could even read.

Lukas and Death, a dance of fate

One guards life, the other, death's gate

In the tapestry of night where destinies weave

Lukas protects, the reapers retrieve

And Old Alpheus, a cautionary lore

Of power lost forevermore.

Demons had conquered the land long ago, driving the aliens from their home and decimating society as it stood. One demon with piercing yellow eyes ruled over the land, rebuilding it in the image of the void. Alpheus ruled for several centuries without a challenge and then, in an instant, he was gone. Defeated. His empire decimated and an entirely new royal family installed. The lesson was to never rest, never assume that you were safe and that people followed you blindly. Once you did that, you were done for. It was a cruel lesson to learn as a child, but it was one that was needed. Edana had thought she was safe and in an instant, she had nothing. She was lucky to still be alive.

I wonder what would happen if Alpheus was ever summoned? Could he reclaim his empire? Was he even still alive?

All of her musings died the instant she saw the familiar urn on the wall. How tightly she had once gripped that urn, sobbing into the smooth marble until all rational thought had left her. The portrait she had picked out herself. It was Adam as she chose to remember him, right after graduating and officially becoming a member of the Strangetown coven. Back before he broke their family.

"Mom, Mother, I apologize for not visiting as often as I should. Vrai goes on and on about the futility of visiting here, but I know you can hear me. I know there is a connection between us that death cannot sever. We are descendants of demigods and my heart is strong. Nick, Tristianne, I call to you too. I miss you more than words could say. Medora is growing up into a beautiful young lady and it's my privilege to protect her for you two."

Charley lit one of the many candles in the room, whispering a prayer as he did so.

"Mother, things at home are stable. We're prospering even. I take my oath to protect our kingdom seriously, just as my daughter will one day as well. I miss you. So do Vrai and Jasone, even though one thinks crystal witchcraft is the right direction for his life and one...worships the ocean, I guess? Give me the strength to guide them back to the old ways or at the very least, try to keep Life out of the castle if that is within your control. Please?"

Anna paused, giving her uncle privacy with his loved ones. He truly was devoted to preserving the ways taught to him by his mother. Anna had been taught those same ways in the afterlife with her grandmother and she couldn't possibly interrupt his spiritual time. Vrai wasn't entirely right about his brother's faith. While people couldn't speak directly to their lost loved ones, her grandmother was absolutely sharing a connection with her son. It was more of a warm feeling that spread across a soul than actual words, but that connection was there. It was holy and sacred and natural.

She avoided the urn to her left, the one with her portrait as the young girl she'd been when she died. It was an unusual sensation to stand next to your own grave, but it happened to reapers from time to time. There was still a sacred connection between her reaper form and her physical remains. That connection had made her children possible and tied them to her family.

Communion with the dead was sacred in this hallowed place, filled with the bloodline of the Toyonaga family. This connection was protected and revered and was not the reason why she had been called there.

Something else was happening, something perverse and wrong. Anna wasn't here to reminisce, she was here to work.

"Why, Adam? Why did you have to ruin everything? Why couldn't you just listen to me?"

Tears rolled down Edana's face as she tried to reason why she was here. She had to figure out what was calling to her, but how could she even start when addressing her dead brother brought her to tears? Her brother had left a huge, gaping wound in her heart that would never heal, and the more she tried to ignore it, the deeper it cut.

"Eden, I'm sorry. Please believe me. I never wanted things to go this way."

A strange pressure on her shoulder jolted Edana from her thoughts. It was lighter than a bird would be, choosing her as a perch, but with an intensity that didn't make sense. Sensations of light and heavy, cold and warmth overwhelmed the witch as her brain struggled to comprehend the situation.

"W-what? Adam? How...."

Surprise instantly melted into anger as Edana whipped around to confront the source of the sensations.

"Turncoat! Traitor!"

Edana held her wand under the spirit's neck, daring it to move against her. She didn't personally know any spells to harm ghosts, as they were exceedingly rare, but she could easily bluff her way to safety, especially if this spirit were actually her brother. Out of the two siblings, Edana was the one who actually studied in school.

"Eden, it's me. I have to warn you of something. It's important and I don't have much time."

Edana bristled at the use of her childhood nickname. No one called her that. It was Adam's name for her and she'd destroy anyone else who tried to wield it against her.

"What could you possibly tell me?" she demanded of the spirit. "If you really are my brother, then I can't trust you! I watched you take in dark magic. You brought two lives into the world just to use their life-force to lure Death! Who does that? You're sick and a monster and I hate everything that you became! What could you possibly tell me that I don't know about you?"

The spirit hung his head in shame.

"Eden, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I just-"

"Are you even going to ask about them? Your children? The two innocents who I have to lie to every time they ask about you and that viper who stole away your decency? What am I supposed to tell them, Adam? Because of you, we have no family left. Dad is gone, you're gone and every other member of our coven is burning in eternal fire for your crimes against nature! I'm completely alone because of you!"

"There's actually no eternal fire," Adam replied, choosing the less emotional item to give an answer to. "Anyway, listen. You don't know how much it took for me for me to get this far. Tell the kids hi, if you have to, but listen to me first. You're in danger. Strangetown is in danger. The Darktide line can't fall, and I'm sorry, but it all falls on you. All I can do is warn you."

"Warn me?" Edana seethed. "Like you warned me about destroying everything we'd worked for? About following Charlotte into madness?"

"Could you please listen long enough to hear my message of certain doom for our family? You never understood me or what we could have accomplished. We could have been gods. We could have remade the world in our image, but you never could see past your own limitations. You always have to be right, even if you're proven wrong."

"Me? Wrong? Excuse me, but who's the ghost here, and who's the leader of the Strangetown coven?" Edana demanded, earning an eye roll from her brother's spirit.

"You mean the position you got by sleeping with the head of the Pleasantview coven and because there was literally no one else left? Yeah, you're a real star," Adam remarked. "I'm sure Dad's real proud to have Pleasantview Maricourt grandkids. They've always been wonderful to our family."

"You traitorous piece of shit!"

"Better than being the whore of a Maricourt!"

The two siblings quickly devolved into the same squabbles that had defined their relationship in their youth, completely lost in their anger. Neither one of them heard the slight flapping of black wings or felt the gaze of the undead creature that watched them.

"Charley! I finally found you! I need to warn you about something!"

Leo Toyonaga ran to his uncle, but the king could sense that something was off. Firstly, Leo usually addressed him as "Your Majesty" even when the king had pleaded with him to stop while not in the public eye. Secondly, the few times that Leo listened to his request, it was always "Uncle Charley". Leo's father had drilled lessons on etiquette and royal behavior into him growing up and the poor kid even called the mailman by the title on his palace employment contract. "Uncle" was still a title he could use, which meant that the person in front of him was not his nephew-at least not a nephew who was in control of himself.

"Something bad is coming. Strangetown needs to prepare. You need to give me clearance to speak with the army. You have to give me funding to prepare. I can feel something happening, you need to-"

"Lukas, enough with the games," Charley sighed, rubbing his temples. "Release my nephew. We had a discussion about possessing my family, along with all the other boundaries you promised to adhere to. Leo may be 'destined' to work with you, but as long as he's in my country, he's my subject, and you will cease your aggression against my subjects!"

"That's the thanks I get for trying to warn you about something big? Fine, enjoy your painful deaths, the afterlife's a great place to spend eternity. You'll love it."

"Lukas, what the hell? You promised not to possess people again, especially not me! We talked about this. There's ways to contact the royal office without stealing bodies."

"I came to warn you," Lukas repeated angrily. "Do you need me to fill out paperwork when something is wrong? I have a family of my own to get back to, you know."

Charley rolled his eyes. He'd heard this story before. The one time Lukas had submitted paperwork to the palace, it was a note signed from the former queen, telling her son to release a set of tiaras to the deity. Charley had firmly refused the demand easily enough, and no other posthumous notes had ever come his way.

"Then just the highlights are fine," Leo replied, shaking his head to try to shake off the psychic control. "I'm sure your family is missing you."

"There's something old coming," Lukas declared irritably. "There are currents in the Ocean, surely you can feel them too. Strangetown is right in the storm's path. The Islands too. You need to prepare for the worst. I don't think deaths have been scheduled yet, but that time is coming. As my eyes and ears in the living realm, I need you to be on alert, Leo. The ghosts of Strangetown cannot return, if that's what this is."

"Ghosts?" Leo repeated. Behind him, his uncle was nodding solemnly.

"As protector of this land, I will do anything to prevent that," the king swore. "That darkness will never return."

"Let's hope not. I'll be back when I have more."

With those words, Lukas vanished from view, leaving uncle and nephew perplexed.

"What the hell does that mean?"

"Spirit! You are not permitted to be in this realm! You will return with me this instant and submit to a formal review of your actions. It is forbidden to return to this realm after death. Do not speak with the living and prepare to be returned to where you have left."

Edana was startled at the sudden appearance of a reaper and even more surprised that she recognized the celestial being. Anna Goldman had her hands out, leeching the energy that made up Adam's form to drain him of his power.

While she had always known that Anna's job required her to guard and maintain the afterlife, Edana had never actually imagined how that might look in practice. The shy mother of three looked nothing like the woman Edana had met at a family dinner. This creature was eerily beautiful, strong and as infinite as the stars themselves. No wonder her brother had wanted that power for himself. It was intoxicating to see.

"Eden! Eden, look for a reaper named Atem! The one from the old stories! He's in Arkhelios, he knows what's going to happen!"

Edana frantically searched her memory for a story about a reaper named Atem, while trying to hold on as long as she could to the flickering image of her brother.

"He can help! If you want to find out who killed the Twikkii Island royals and make your idiot husband look like a hero, find him! That-that guy Dumbass Josh married, he's seen-"

"The lost son of the Grim Reaper? For god's sake, Adam, the Grim Reaper killed you and now you're after his son? The one who hasn't been seen in centuries? What's wrong with you?"

With an apologetic smile, Anna lifted her hand, directing Adam's spirit back towards the afterlife and then faded away herself, leaving Edana suddenly alone in the tomb.

"Adam? Can you still hear me?"

When her question was met with silence, Edana felt herself release the tension in her shoulders. Whatever had happened was now over. Adam was gone, and hopefully, her dreams about him would be too.

How on Earth had her brother snuck out from the afterlife? What unholy sacrifice had he made to yet again thumb his nose at the Grim Reaper? The next family dinner at the Goldman's was going to be awkward, that was for sure.

Sorry, Anna, my idiot brother broke the rules again to probably harass your boss in some way. For some reason, I thought being dead would stop him.

But what was so important that Edana needed to be warned about? The explosion that had made Maura queen had happened over six years ago now and no one still had any real clue as to what had happened.

She would research this further then. There wasn't a nursery rhyme to memorialize Atem in Strangetown history, but she had enough of a memory to start with. He was the Grim Reaper's son, she remembered that much, and he hadn't been seen since what, the Demon Wars? Maybe longer? Had he been involved with the destruction of Alpheus? She couldn't remember. A trip to the archives was in order.

She needed time to unpack all of her feelings. Ewan would help talk her through this. He was good at breaking things down to a simple point and seeing through someone's lies. He also might understand Adam's insistence that his half-brother had seen something relevant to the threat. Leo had a lot of weird beliefs and stories, but as far as Edana knew, he was harmless. Connected to a sociopath deity, but otherwise harmless.

"Oh Adam, what have you gotten me into now?"

#luverofralts #arkhelios #well it’s other characters in this particular update but #i love them #and they connect to the Arkhelios part

[nappe-plays-the-sims]

"The same way you were going to do the laundry later?"

Roman didn't respond. Rachel sighed. Although this was still an improvement from before, when he had been so distressed from whatever happened to him that he couldn't do anything. At least now he was spending time with Valerie.

"Do you want to take Valerie to the playground?" Rachel suggested. "I can stay here and take care of Martha in the meantime."

"Sure!" Roman replied, suddenly energetic and alert. Rachel rolled her eyes. "Once my wings are folded again," he added. "I don't want to... Out myself."

There were far more scandalous and fantastical things going on in Arkhelios than the existence of a fairy, but Rachel didn't protest. If it was important to him to keep it away from the public eye, it would have to be important to her too.

#arkhelios-gameplay #arkhelios #rachel bateman #roman bellamy #valerie bateman-bellamy #martha bellamy #bellamy family

[nappe-plays-the-sims]

"I'll take care of it later," Roman said, returning to teaching Valerie how to walk.

#arkhelios-gameplay #arkhelios #roman bellamy #valerie bateman-bellamy #bellamy family

[nappe-plays-the-sims]

"Why don't you will one into existence, you're the fairy," Rachel said. "Aren't you supposed to be all mischievous?"

Roman sighed. "I can't even control when the wings decide to pop out and not," he said.

"Then you know how I feel," Rachel said.

Roman paused, trying to think of a solution to the predicament in front of them. He did have Wanda, who worked in politics and would have government connections. She could possibly assist them. But what was he going to tell her? I travelled to a different universe and suddenly had a baby in my arms was the truth, but she was unlikely to take that well. Wanda's stern face from the Arkrivales universe flashed before his eyes. No, there was no way he was telling her the truth. He needed to come up with a good lie.

#arkhelios-gameplay #arkhelios #roman bellamy #valerie bateman-bellamy #bellamy family

[nappe-plays-the-sims]

Still, when Rachel turned around and cleared her throat, he felt a moment of panic. "So, have you thought how you'll be getting Martha a birth certificate yet?" Rachel asked, knowing fully well he had not. "She needs some sort of identification."

"Can't you make one?" Roman asked. "You know, wave your wand and... Make it happen."

"I'm a formerly practicing witch, not the Watcher," Rachel said.

#arkhelios-gameplay #arkhelios #rachel bateman #martha bellamy #bellamy family

[nappe-plays-the-sims]

Roman had gotten little sleep in between his nightmares and Valerie's cries, but he still found himself smiling the next morning when trying to teach his daughter to walk. Rachel had taken great care of Martha as well and she appeared to have embraced her as her own daughter. The same way I have with Valerie, Roman thought. What did it matter where any of them came from? They were all a family now. Matching bathrobes and all.

#arkhelios-gameplay #arkhelios #roman bellamy #rachel bateman #valerie bateman-bellamy #martha bellamy #bellamy family

[nappe-plays-the-sims]

Oh Theo... 😮‍💨 Teenagers will be teenagers.

Arkhelios Adventures

"And so you see, I just need help with my- look over there!"

Getting Theo to meet alone in their private quarters was easier than Lukas ever thought. The boy was far too trusting for someone who had had the traumatic childhood he'd had. The little demon had eagerly agreed to help Lukas with his homework without a second thought for his own safety. Either the boy was an idiot or perhaps the deity had misjudged him. A rogue demonic agent would surely have more training and experience and never have followed his target back to their room.

Still, it was critical for Lukas to examine the boy. Saren had some plan for him, that was certain at least. How much had she revealed to her pawn? A quick examination would reveal her scheme for sure.

After weeks of surveillance at school in a non-threatening disguise, Lukas had turned up nothing of interest. The kid hung around his boyfriend like his life would end if they were separated, and his other friends had no clear red flags. All Lukas had learned was that their own twin children were far more socially connected than they or their husband thought. Destiny had a whole list of friends her parents had never met, and Davis clearly had a crush on someone if the rumor mill was accurate. Lukas had better things to do now that this surveillance operation had grown boring.

There was only one way to settle the matter: a hands on examination of the demon's thoughts. The practice was looked down upon as an invasion of privacy for the limited amount of people who could actually perform the spell. There were no laws against it, magical or otherwise. Aside from Lukas and his father, almost no one could even attempt the maneuver.

When Theo opened his eyes, he found himself at home, with Too destroying her favourite toy. Hadn't he just been at school? How weird.

"Hey, Theo. Wanna dance?"

Theo turned around to find Justice Bertino standing in front of the stereo, looking invitingly at him. Beside her, Rose Rivales, watched him with a jealous expression.

"Uh, sure," he replied, extremely confused, but not opposed to the idea. What he had just been doing slipped entirely from his mind, along with his devotion to Adam. Justice pulled him in like a siren with Rose perched, waiting for her turn.

"I really like you, Theo. I always have."

Before Theo could even blink, Justice had disappeared and been replaced by Bronwen. Theo had always thought of her as a friend, one of his oldest. Suddenly, that familiar feeling vanished, replaced by a warmth that was radiating through his body.

"I like you too," Theo whispered, reaching for her hand and watching the hair on his arms stand up as he did.

There was something exotic and dangerous about a vampire hybrid. She understood him and how the world saw him and she was so pretty....

"Oh, Theo, I'm so glad you invited me over. I've had such a crush on you."

Theo blinked as Destiny Lane appeared before him, mashing their lips together before he could react. Whatever was happening to him was strange, but not unpleasant.

"Alright, I've seen enough. Like my daughter would ever be attracted to you. She has higher standards than that."

Lukas pulled away, freeing the teen from their spell. Skimming his tiny mind hadn't revealed evil intentions, just a normal, horny teenager. If there was something sinister, Lukas would have found it. The boy wasn't trained at all on shielding his true thoughts. If he was capable of that, surely the child wouldn't have revealed a crush on Lukas' own daughter.

"What-what happened?" Theo asked, groggily rubbing his eyes. "Did I fall asleep? When did I get here? Sorry, Hayden, I must have been sleepwalking or something."

"Yeah, no worries," Lukas replied, far more focused on maintaining their disguise than the little demon. Using that much energy at once could have shifted their appearance.

"Thanks so much for sharing your potions notes with me," Simon exclaimed, gesturing wildly. "I was doomed to fail without them. You're the best."

Adam flushed at the compliment. He hadn't done anything impressive, but Simon looked so grateful. He was the son of a Strangetown prince and had the same level of parental pressure as Adam. Failing a test wasn't an option for either of them.

He's cute.

Adam shook his head, desperate to clear his mind. Theo was cute, Simon was just pleasant to look at. There was no comparison.

"Uh, I gotta meet Theo," he stammered, scrambling away from the grateful boy.

What was wrong with him? His parents both told him that puberty was a time when he'd be attracted to lots of people in order to understand who he was and who he was drawn to, but his heart belonged to Theo. They were going to get married after graduating. They'd already picked out baby names. It was wrong to cheat on Theo in his mind; surely Theo never thought about anyone but him.

Adam bolted down the hall, where Theo was standing in a daze, looking a million miles away.

"Theo!"

Theo snapped back to reality upon hearing Adam's voice.

"Adam! I have the weirdest headache all of a sudden. Hayden must think I'm high or something, just wandering into their room like that. Maybe I should sit down."

"Here, I'll help you," Adam said quickly, grabbing Theo's hands. "I'll always be here to help you, no matter what."

With a slight cracking sound, a celestial being descended into Lukas' assigned quarters.

"Your husband sends his regards," the being declared. "He's wondering if you're going to be returning for the night or if your 'important' work will keep you busy."

Lukas rolled their eyes.

"No, Michael, I think my experiment has run its course for now," they replied. Leave it to Death to send one of his reapers to check up on them. Back in the old days, Death would have come himself. "The little demon has nothing more on his mind than hormones and I don't need to stick around for that. If Saren is planning something, the kid is ignorant of it. The last thing I need is a teenage love triangle at the moment. Something is wrong and this kid is just a horny red herring. Saren probably wanted me to waste time on this, knowing her. I can always return to this cesspool of hormones whenever I want."

"Why do you always assume your half-brother's identity?" the reaper asked curiously, staring at the photo of a red head on the wall that Lukas had clearly been using as a family photo to complete their disguise. "Death never says, but it's messed up. Do you even talk to him? The rumor around headquarters is that you hate Hayden."

"None of your business!" Lukas snapped irritably. "And I do hate him. He's an entitled prick and that's all you need to know."

They paused, calculating their next move. The little hybrid didn't know his true purpose, which meant that Lukas couldn't pry it from him. They were certain that demons were involved somehow, but they had nothing to work with.

There was a new threat crackling through the currents of life. Whatever was wrong involved Pleasantview and Strangetown, that much they knew. Probably Arkhelios as well in some strange way. Arkhelios was increasingly becoming a problem.

"I have to make a stop before I go home," Lukas decided. "Tell my husband that I'll be a little late for dinner. I have to stop in Strangetown for a bit. Something's not right. Something feels...familiar."

In an instant, Lukas vanished from sight, intent on their newest mission.

"I'll be sure to pass that along."

"Oh, hi, Justice. What are you doing here?"

Theo waved awkwardly at the girl he'd strangely just been thinking of. Considering that she didn't attend his school, Justice's appearance seemed oddly timed.

"Hi, Thomas," the girl said kindly. "I'm visiting my boyfriend. Can you point me to the common room?"

"It's Theo. The common room is down the hall to the left."

Theo could feel his cheeks burn with a foreign emotion. He barely knew the girl and still her indifference to him hurt in a way he didn't understand. They'd crossed paths a few times, but he'd never given her a second thought. With Adam beside him, he didn't need to think about anyone else.

Surely he'd hit his head somehow. He didn't remember hitting it anywhere, but why else had he been in Hayden's room? Why did his stomach twist in knots thinking about the blonde girl he barely knew?

"Come on, Adam, let's go grab a snack from the kitchen, I'm feeling a bit lightheaded," Theo decided, grabbing his boyfriend's hand. "Then we can 'study' for our runes final."

#luverofralts #arkhelios #theo bellamy #and many more #bellamy family

[nappe-plays-the-sims]

I love them.

“Point is, they’ve been flirting all day, right?” Ellie changed the subject, “do you think I should trip one of them or something so they fall in each other’s laps?” 

Nicholas chuckled, “Is watching them be this awkward not enough entertainment for you?” 

Ellie smirked, “Never.”

#potential-fate #arkhelios #eloisa munoz #nicholas fontana #munoz family #fontana family

[nappe-plays-the-sims]

Some new characters are popping up, curious...

Arkhelios Adventures

"Ah, finally. Arkhelios. It's smaller than I imagined."

A woman and her two teenage children surveyed the land critically. For all the talk about Arkhelios on the international stage, actually stepping foot in it was underwhelming. There were a few large estates, some factories and what could questionably be defined as a small strip mall. There was lodging available at least, until the trio could find whatever magical community was always being promoted.

"Alright, children. You know the plan. We'll check into the hotel tonight and start fresh in the morning."

"Yes, Mom," the two chimed in unison.

The trio walked silently into the doors of the hotel, eyeing their surroundings with suspicion.

"Adam! Adam, over here!"

Eero and Despina Darktide waved frantically at their cousin, as if there was any chance that Adam could miss the giant coven building they were standing in front of. After some tension at Theo's house, Adam Darktide promised to at least visit with his cousins at the Arkhelios coven where they lived. It wasn't as old or fancy as Pleasantview's, but it seemed okay to Adam. Smaller covens needed smaller spaces after all.

"We can hang out by the pool," Despina said. "It's pretty quiet back here. No one really comes out here at night."

"I do have to get back soon though," Adam insisted. "My mom will be pissed if I'm late again. The last thing I need is to be grounded."

"Yeah, she's always intense when our report cards get sent home," Eero complained. "One semester we had to clean up after everyone's familars until our spellwork improved. She's not even a part of the coven here, and she still found a way to get what she wants."

"No thanks," Despina laughed. "The only expectations we have are to pass our coursework and not follow down the path of 'dark magic". Whatever that means."

"You're not wrong," Adam laughed. "Try being her son. You two are the only thing she has left of her brother, but I'm her legacy apparently. I'm willing to trade if you are."

"Oh, I learned a dark magic trick," Adam exclaimed excitedly. "My boyfriend taught me it. He's working off the blood magic textbooks that were banned centuries ago. He knows a lot of magic that used to be forbidden."

Adam beamed with pride as he snapped his fingers and a brilliant flame appeared, confined to his hand. The twins watched enviously. There was something off about the flames that they couldn't quite put their finger on.

"It's hellfire," Adam explained. "Demons supposedly use it to disable their enemies. The flames are freezing cold, like a shard of the Void flickering in their hands. Feel it, I can't make it freeze, but you can at least touch it."

Eero boldly extended his hand, completely trusting his cousin. Truthfully, Adam probably wouldn't do the same in that position; there wasn't a certainty that the flames weren't just a trick. When Eero removed his hand completely uninjured, Despina shoved her hand in the flames too.

"That's so cool," she breathed. "They teach him this stuff in school? We never learn anything like this here."

"Well, they only teach Theo," Adam stammered. "The demon sovereign sponsored him so he learns all the dangerous stuff. I'm just supposed to be memorizing chemical properties and how to summon a wand I've already summoned. It's stupid."

"You summoned that dumb wand in the textbook?" Depina gasped. "You're not old enough! Even Wanda has only produced it for a few seconds! I want to go to your school, you at least learn something there."

"Maybe you could talk to your mom?" Eero asked. "She'd listen to you, wouldn't she? We could apply for a scholarship if she doesn't have the money or...or we could get jobs at the restaurant downtown. Please, please can you ask her?"

Adam shrugged helplessly.

"I can try. She really doesn't listen to me much either. Or my dad. Or my stepdad. Last week, she called the king of Crystal Cove a 'pompous asshole' to his face. There's no reasoning with her."

"Damn. Well, hey, we're having a mixer at the academy this weekend, if you want to come," Eero offered. "It's nowhere near as fancy as your Pleasantview parties, but maybe if she drops you off, your mom can see how useless this place really is. I mean, the classes suck, but we do have a lot of fun outside of class. You'd probably like some of our friends."

"Can I bring Theo? He loves parties."

And can save me from meeting a room full of strangers on my own.

"Yeah, sure. Bring whoever you want."

#luverofralts #arkhelios #lots of characters #adam being anxious and adorable and trying to impress his cousins #i will be so disappointed if theo breaks his heart #but i also expect him to #the Hoe Abe gene is in him

[nappe-plays-the-sims]

Lita could only stand and stare as the magical variant of law enforcement teleported away with her twin sister.

#arkhelios-gameplay #arkhelios #lita munoz #munoz family #armstrong family

[nappe-plays-the-sims]

"Rose Mariose Munoz, you are under arrest by the Supernatural Sims Law Enforcement Unit."

#arkhelios-gameplay #arkhelios #munoz family #armstrong family

[nappe-plays-the-sims]

Then all of sudden, in a flash of light and glitter, they were there. Aiming wands at her as if they were weapons. Wings fluttering. Faces tense and uncompromising. Rose sheepishly raised her hands.

#arkhelios-gameplay #arkhelios #rose munoz #lita munoz #munoz family #armstrong family