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fruitymocha · 6 months

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Laboratory of Love

Starring: Idia as The Creation, Ortho as The Assistant, and You as The Mad Scientist

Warnings: Yandere themes, mental instability, mentions of corpses and general post-mortem shit, violence/violent tendencies, murder, and psychological torment (both self inflicted and from an outside source). I DO NOT CONDONE ANYONE’S ACTIONS IN THIS STORY. THIS IS PURELY FICTION AND SHOULD NOT BE EMULATED. DNI IF YOU ARE YOUNGER THAN 16, ARE EASILY FRIGHTENED, OR DO NOT LIKE DARK/YANDERE THEMES.

A/N: you guys! As of writing this author’s note, Little Songbird has over 90 likes! Thank you guys so much for the interactions, it means a lot, especially since I was kinda worried it wouldn’t be received well when I first posted it. Also yes, I know it’s been a year, but it’s fine, just go with it. This literally has been sitting in my drafts collecting dust since last October, so it’s about time I resurrect this thing (yes this is a purposeful joke). I hope that you guys enjoy Laboratory of Love just as much as Little Songbird, and without further ado…

Round and round we rewind the reel…

Y/N L/N. That is my name. My mission is to investigate the world of the living and find the spark of life.

Unfortunately, the people outside are cold and unyielding to modern science. They are stuck in their old ways, believing my research and experiments to be… sacrilegious.

Hence why my secret lab is hidden away in an abandoned tower. It’s close enough to the city that I can easily acquire modern equipment and resources, but also foreboding enough to keep people away. Or did my reputation do that for me? Who knows.

“Ortho, have you acquired the book?”

“Yes Doctor. The Book of Shadows, as you requested,” The young boy handed me a thick leather book, his fiery blue hair flickering in child-like joy.

“Thank you, Ortho,”

“You’re welcome, Doctor,” I flipped through the pages, hoping to find its alchemy section. “Doctor, do you think science and magic are compatible?”

“There’s only one way to find out, Ortho, and you know what it is,”

“Aren’t you worried about what could happen if you use dark magic?” I sighed.

“Ortho, we’ve been over this,” I said, focused on the alchemical symbols in the Book of Shadows. “I don’t believe in ‘dark’ magic. There’s no such thing as ‘light’ or ‘dark’. Society simply deems ‘light’ to be the ‘safe’ and acceptable type of magic, while ‘dark’ is more dangerous and selfish. But if humanity never trifled with danger, we would never be where we are today. We would still be at Nature’s mercy,”

“I understand now, Doctor. But please be careful!”

“You know I will, Ortho. They may call me mad as much as they want, but I have no death wish. I know how to take precaution,”

Ortho. Another societal outcast. Allegedly cursed with his fiery hair, and considered a bad omen. They said his blue locks were from the fires of Hell. So I took him in as my assistant, and I found him to be quite curious and inclined to help. A perfect job for him. Society may call me many things, but to call me cruel would be untrue.

“Doctor, what do you plan to do?”

“Learn the ways of Nature, and acquire that power for myself,” I said simply

“…why?” I thought about it hard. Then I knew.

“My time in university could not satisfy my thirst, so I will seek out the solution myself,”

“It’s only been a few months since your graduation, Doctor,”

“Yes, and that means all my higher education is still somewhat fresh in my mind, Ortho. It will help me,” I stared off for a moment before something struck me as odd.

“I still don’t understand why you call me Doctor, Ortho… I have not earned a doctorate degree,” I said slowly

“Because I think you deserve the title, Doctor,”

I closed the Book of Shadows, and silently turned to the setting sun out the window.

“Ortho?”

“Yes, Doctor?”

I thought for a moment. Am I sure I want to do this?

I sighed, and said it anyway.

“Where is the nearest cemetery?”

~*~

“Are you sure we won’t get caught, Doctor?”

“To be quite frank with you Ortho, getting caught is a very real possibility. If you’re not up for the risk, you can go back to the lab-”

“No. I- I want to help you,” I sighed while looking at the blue-haired boy.

“Okay. Let’s find some corpses,” I handed Ortho the smaller of the two shovels I brought. “Let’s get digging,” I walked in a random direction, with Ortho following close behind, looking for recently dead, young male bodies.

First Gravestone

We dug down and inspected his body. Unfortunately he wasn’t a good candidate. He died of plague.

Second gravestone

He was missing chunks of skin.

Third gravestone

His head was smashed, face unrecognizable.

Finally, we reached the fourth gravestone. We dug with less enthusiasm and more difficulty than when we started. But all the effort was worth it. The body was tall, skin sallow, head shaved. But his body was unmarked by plague or brutality. He was not rotting… yet.

“He’s perfect,” I whispered to myself.

Ortho and I loaded the corpse onto a wheelbarrow, but not before wrapping it in inconspicuous cloth tied together with rope.

We were lucky not to get caught.

As we made our way back to the lab tower, I thought about what I would do with the body. Create a puppet, perhaps?

No.

Better.

Create a sentient being.

Ambitious, but The Book of Shadows would likely have the power I need.

Now all I needed to do was find the right spell, get the materials, and do what needed to be done.

~*~

With the corpse strapped on the gurney, attached tubes and wires connecting to monitors and rudimentary electrical machines, and Book of Shadows in hand, I was ready to commence my ambitious experiment.

Thunder rumbled and rain pelted outside. I paid it no mind. I had drawn the sigils in my own blood and placed them on different areas of the body, just as instructed. Blood sigils were also drawn and dried upon my palms. Keeping the book open, I read aloud the incantation.

“Withering Corpse, cold as night

Your early death has caused you strife

I avenge your soul, I’ll make it right

I give your body the gift of life”

A blue glow began to radiate within the room, and I could feel the surge of power coursing through my veins.

The rain pelted. I paid it no mind.

The body in front of me became surrounded in a magical blue glow.

The wind shrieked. I paid it no mind.

The sigils on my palms thrummed and the drawn sigils on the corpse pulsed like beating hearts. Ortho looked on in amazement.

The thunder roared. I paid it no mind.

Any signs of the corpse’s state of death seemed to disappear, instead in a seemingly peaceful slumber.

But then lightning struck through the glass ceiling, and I did pay it mind as it struck the body.

A smaller, stray ray of lightning struck me too, and the last thing I remember was the pain of hitting the ground, and getting rained on by rainwater and broken glass.

~*~

I awoke to the sound of soft rain and Ortho by my side.

“Dr Y/N please wake up!”

I opened my eyes to see that I was in one of the spare hospital beds in my laboratory. I got out of bed, much to Ortho’s shock and worry. When my feet touched the ground, a small shock coursed through my body, and I convulsed briefly.

“Dr Y/N you need to rest, you were struck by lightning!”

“Ortho I must see him!”

Ortho sighed, but reluctantly handed me a wooden staff. I suppose it should do as a walking stick. With the stick’s support on my dominant side, and Ortho staying close by my other side, I shuffled my way to the Enrichment Room.

The Enrichment Room was a room co-designed by Ortho and I, meant for intellectual stimulation without putting too much strain. A less sophisticated way of referring to it would be The Brain Break Room. It was filled with leisure novels, puzzles, riddle books, and other activities that require some form of focus and thought.

Sitting there on the ground in a strange and twisted position, fiddling with a metal handheld puzzle, was The Creation. Instead of normal hair, he had long, blue fire, very much similar to Ortho’s. Hair from the depths of hell. His eyes were striking yellow, not unlike Ortho’s. His skin was still quite sallow, but at the very least it wasn’t post-mortem pale like it was just hours before. His mouth was slightly open, exposing his pointed teeth. Ortho also had pointed teeth, a fact I had grown accustomed to as he stepped into the role as my lab assistant.

I decided to attempt to carefully approach The Creation.

“Hello,” I said.

He looked up at me with wide, curious eyes.

“I’m the one who gave you life. You can call me Y/N,”

The Creation put down the metal puzzle and reached out a hand. The fingers were spread wide in an awkward position. It seemed that The Creation was struggling with fine motor skills. I took his hand, only for him to pull me down with him, walking stick rolling off to the side. His physical strength was remarkable! He stared, fascinated at my dominant arm, which bore red, jagged, bruise-like marks from the lightning strike. He then placed his palm on my upper arm, his own arm completely outstretched in a strange position.

“We should give him a name, Dr Y/N,” Ortho said, coming closer to The Creation. I looked into his eyes. Unaware, void of knowledge or experience, but curious.

“Ortho, I think when the time is right, he should choose his own name,”

The Creation croaked out a deep noise from his throat. I supposed he was trying to talk like Ortho and I. His existence is fascinating indeed.

When I went back to bed, I heard the creaking of footsteps, and Ortho speaking, though it sounded muffled as this was happening on the other side of the door, far from the bed.

“…be careful…need rest…tomorrow…this way…”

I turned to my side in bed, and I tried to relax so I could focus properly tomorrow. However, that proved to be quite difficult. Breakthroughs and discoveries wait for no one.

~*~

As the days went by, I noticed that The Creation had taken an interest in my work just as Ortho had. Occasionally, I would ask him to retrieve items or hold something. Otherwise, he spent many of his days in the Enrichment Room playing with the various handheld puzzles. One by one, he’s started to solve them, and I wonder just how intelligent he is.

I was just about to open one of the ingredient containers when I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder. The Creation looked over my shoulder, hunched, and maintaining that gloomy default expression.

“What is it?” I asked him. He pointed to Ortho, who spoke for him.

“He wants to learn how to talk,”

I looked at him for a moment, but then smiled to myself, shaking my head.

“Of course you do. And I would be more than happy to help,” I said to The Creation.

He smiled, in his own awkward, sharp-toothed way. It was charming, in its own way (though most of society would likely beg to differ).

And so, I taught him how to speak.

~*~

Weeks went by as I taught him how to be human. He learned to read. He learned to write. He soon mastered all the puzzles I had, and contented himself with disassembling and reassembling things in his free time.

He named himself Idia.

And he treated Ortho like a brother.

“Y/N,”

“Yes, Idia?” I asked, studying the Book of Shadows once more.

“I have come across this concept of ‘love’. What does it mean to love?”

I halted my study for a moment, turning to him. “Love can be many things. There is love for your family. There is love for your friends,”

“I mean romance, Y/N,”

“…that is something you will come to know when you meet someone very special,” I said finally.

“Is there anyone you love like that?”

“…in university, I knew someone, yes. That person is long gone from my life now,”

Idia stayed silent. I returned to my studies, disheartened by the conversation, and wanting to distract myself.

“…will I find someone to love me?” He asked.

I thought for a moment on how to respond.

“…I…don’t know,”

“Why not?”

“The outside world is not kind. It has not been kind to me, or to Ortho. They don’t be kind to you either,” I said, perhaps a bit harshly.

Idia did not respond anymore.

When I had time to look up from what I was doing, he was already gone.

~*~

A year has gone by since Idia’s creation. And he’s become something of a mechanical genius. He’s now the one who builds and fixes my machinery. How convenient.

But as the seasons have passed, he has become increasingly attached. Perhaps not healthy behavior. But what am I to do? His hair is blue like the flames of hell. He would be an outcast before anyone ever gave him a chance.

I felt the autumn breeze coming in through a window.

“Ortho, please close the window”

The window did slam shut. But when I looked up, it was not Ortho who shut the window.

“Idia? What brings you into the lab?”

“I’ve read more books. About love,”

“…And?”

“I want someone to love me. Make me my other half,”

“Idia, creating Life is not a simple task. Do you know what happened the night I created you? You got struck by lightning and so did I. If I do it again, especially in inclement weather, it’s very possible something could go wrong. Do you know how hard it is to find a body undamaged? Unravaged by plague? No part of this process is easy, Idia,”

“I don’t care how hard it is.” He said firmly. “Make me a lover, or I’ll make my own,”

I swallowed. It felt like my mouth was stuffed with cotton. He was serious.

“…alright. I’ll see what I can do,”

“You have one week,”

And with that, he left the lab.

~*~

It was considerably more difficult to find the second body. But I managed.

…but guilt was slowly consuming me. Idia was my best creation. A lovely, fascinating, raw creation. Proof of my conquering of Life.

But I couldn’t do it again.

So I took the body with me, and I used a rowboat to get to the center of the lake.

It was there that I dumped the sacrilegious body. I watched the corpse sink below the tides, never to be rediscovered.

I felt relief for once. Despite Idia’s threat before, I felt relief that I disposed of that body.

That relief was very short lived, and before I realized what was happening, I blacked out.

~*~

When I awoke, I was strapped to a gurney. Ortho looked at me, concerned.

“Doctor, I’m sorry, I couldn’t stop him,”

Idia emerged from the shadows, wearing my lab coat and protective gear.

“I told you I would make my own lover. And guess what, Y/N? I have,”

“Who did you hurt?!”

“I didn’t go into the town, don’t worry. They are stuck in their old ways. Unyielding to modernity. Unwilling to embrace progress. But you were,” he smiled his sinister, shark toothed smile. He and Ortho looked like brothers. But knowing what my dear creation has become, that comparison felt unfair.

The restraints on the gurney unlatched, and I stumbled off.

There was an unnatural pallor to my skin.

My limbs were somewhat rigid.

Something was wrong.

I scrambled around, looking for a reflective surface. I needed to know what happened. And I found a small handheld mirror. There was dried blood on my head. My skin was unnaturally blanched.

My eyes held the blue flames of hell.

“Idia…what have you done?”

“…I only meant to knock you unconscious. I am much stronger than I thought. But it’s okay, I found your Book of Shadows. I fixed it,”

I looked at him intensely.

“…you learned from the Book of Shadows?”

“Yes,”

“…and it worked…you…you’re incredible…” I said in awe.

“Doctor, what does this mean?”

“…It means Idia, my creation, has become a creator” I said.

“Just as you reshaped me and gave me new life, I have done the same to you, Doctor Y/N,” Idia smiled a satisfactory smile. He had made me into a creation. Like him. It had finally dawned on me. He remade me in his image. The “lover” he made was me.

And I laughed. I laughed until I couldn’t breathe. Until I forgot why I was laughing. Until I started to cry as I laughed. I laughed such a laugh they would have called me mad.

Well, they already did before.

Maybe they were right.

But it didn’t matter anymore.

As long as we all held the blue flames of hell in our bodies and souls, none of it mattered.

~Fin~

#twisted wonderland #disney twisted wonderland #twst #twst x reader #yandere twst #yandere twst x reader #yandere idia shroud #yandere idia x reader #twst au #halloween event

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bookishfeylin · 1 year

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Hello! I'm curious about your opinion when it comes to Feyre's personality when being human vs. High Fae. I feel that when she was a human she was more genuine and down to earth, but when she became High Fae she became more pretentious and put herself on a pedestal? Idk if it's because due to Rhysand's manipulation because she once said that she still remained human by heart but I don't really see it anymore.

Hi anon! Welcome!

I LOVE book 1 Feyre, but then this happens subsequently, and... this happens to be one of my biggest issues with Feyre post-ACOTAR. In my tags and posts about her personality shift, I've referred to it as "white woman syndrome," in that Feyre's behavior truly exemplifies how white women act with regards to oppression obviously not all white women but enough of them and the mindset of white feminists in particular. In short, Feyre feels, as do white women, that only her oppression and struggle in the matter, and only the people who are currently thwarting her are bad, and nobody else's problems or oppression are worth addressing or correcting. Feyre doesn't want real systemic change for a better world where humans and lesser fae and female High fae are truly treated as equals, she just wants better treatment for herself. Mrs. Feyre Archeron doesn't fight for a redistribution of power so that Lesser fae aren't, uh, lesser, or change in the magic system so that females can be chosen as High Lady. The different types of oppression in fae society are never challenged. Feyre is just given the authority fae males have (not really OBVIOUSLY as Rhysand still makes all the ultimate decisions in the Night Court even about Feyre's own body but this is what Sarah tried to write so we'll go along with this understanding for a minute).

That's it. Like you said, Feyre put herself on a pedestal, believing she deserves the authority the High Lords have rather than attempting to change society as a whole. It's because Sarah is a white feminist and cannot help writing Feyre through that lens, that oppression is bad only in that it hinders the white protagonist from being all powerful. The oppression in Prythian sucks not because oppression is BAD but because Feyre thinks that she, and she alone, deserves authority and power and her oppression stops her from getting it. Oppression is not bad because it's oppression, it's bad because it keeps Feyre from being High Lady. It's white feminism 101--only the oppression that affects white women (misogyny) is bad, because it keeps them from having the power white men have, therefore no other issues like racism or homophobia are worth fixing. In the eyes of white feminists, misogyny is bad because it keeps white women from being in the position of white men--the top oppressor. And just like white women irl, Feyre wants to move into the position of oppressor, not truly correct the issues with society as a whole.

And this explains her change in behavior in the books. Feyre gradually grows more selfish as the books go on, because Feyre is the embodiment of white feminism and ultimately wants to move into the role of oppressor, not truly correct systemic oppression. So we're told Feyre is kind, and she really is in book 1 and in the beginning of book 2, but after gaining power she relishes being cruel, enjoys using and abusing her power. She goes to brutalize people in the Court of Nightmares alongside Rhysand, mindrapes Tamin's innocent sentries, uses her daemati abilities to make Ianthe bash her hand, tricks people into worshipping her all while patting herself on the back for how amazing she is at doing so.

Again, this shift happens because Feyre, over the course of ACOMAF, gradually decides that oppression is not bad in and of itself, but that its bad because oppression keeps HER from having power. So why the shift? She didn't change immediately when she was changed into a High Fae, so that's not it. She develops white woman syndrome because of Rhysand. Because he grooms her to be like that, grooms her into desiring the role of oppressor instead of wanting to get rid of oppressive constructs in the first place. Feyre admits as much throughout ACOMAF--over and over again we hear how her "perfect mate" helped "put her back together" and "healed her" and "saved her from the darkness." So yes, it's because of Rhysand's manipulation that Feyre becomes very self-centered towards the end of this series. He grooms her into becoming this way, and while we can discuss the racism and white feminism all day (and we SHOULD) it's also so, so, painfully TRAGIC that he succeeded in grooming her so well.

#feyre and acomaf's white feminism #i accidentally deleted the original post #i guess #so i'm reposting it now #feyre critical #feyre critical sadly #anti acomaf #acotar analysis #anti sjm #ask #anon

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darkdevasofdestruction · 10 months

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Chapter 9 ~ Witch's House

"I found it, father!" Atreus whisper-yelled, kneeling as he took out his bow. The two adults hurried to his location. Kratos placed his hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

"Shoot when you're ready." he grumbled carefully. "Remember - Draw to your chest. A wild boar's hide is thick." the boy did as instructed and aimed flawlessly, only for the arrow to ricochet from its skin. "That was very good, Atreus!" the woman praised him. "But... I hit it, didn't I?" the boy was so confused, poor dear. "I did what you said and it looked like it bounced off. Could... The boar be magical?" "What do you think?" Kratos crouched in front if his son, testing his shrewdness. "It looked weirder than any boar I've ever seen..." the boy pointed out. "Let's go get it, then!" Kat jumped to her feet and tapped his shoulder. "Tag~!" she played along, running towards the boar. "Come on, child, let's catch our meal!" "H-Hey, wait for me!" the boy's eyes widened as he hurried after her. Kratos remained behind, shaking his head at the two and making sure nothing tries to chase after them. He couldn't believe their childishness, though he shouldn't have, one was an actual child, while the other always did everything in her power to combat his own grumpiness.

Though the fog was making the God feel uneasy, he continued sprinting after the two, calling out to his son - Atreus was able to shoot the boar, only for a lady, a witch, to yell at them for almost killing her friend. By the time Kratos arrived at the two, Katrina's hands were deep inside the boar's insides, bidding the woman's instructions. It came to the God, however, to carry the victim all the way through the gorgeous forest with the carmine-red leaves, to the witch's house that was surprisingly underneath a... A giant turtle tree?

Neither of the two Olympians should be surprised any longer, nothing ever made humanly sense after all. The witch used some kind of potions and powders on the boar, before telling the boy to go outside of the house and search for some plants. After a strong warning about the lack of welcoming manners that the Norse Gods have for outsiders, the witch asked for more ingredients, and it came to the Olympian to help the boy out. Katrina couldn't help but feel absolutely appalled that, despite her magic, she couldn't heal the boar - She was capable of healing any wound, so why not a magical boar's, then? Was it a curse? Or its magical properties? She couldn't tell, but she needed to find out fast, before something bad happens to them and she becomes powerless before their woes. Still, Katrina could only wonder how could this witch discern their identities with such ease... It was almost unnerving.

After the nameless witch drew a mark on the back of their neck, to keep their Godly aura hidden from the other enemies of the same status, she opened the door to an underground passage, through which they were to traverse, battling draugr and nightmares of all kinds, yet none stood a chance when facing them. She also offered them a magically enhanced Compass, to aid their journey. The magic of this world is so different from that from home. Though Kat was exceedingly intrigued and wished to learn more, she also felt unease, being so vulnerable and ignorant in a cruel, harsh wasteland where anything could kill you, and you'd have no clue on how to retaliate.

When finally they found a small boat in the underground cave, Kratos was the rower, Atreus sat opposite of him, excited for his first adventure, while the Goddess could only gaze around, taking in the beauty of the place - It might be a simple cave, but it was nothing that she's seen before. "I just can't believe I'm here, doing all this. There was a time when I thought I'd never leave our woods." Atreus spoke, a little nostalgic. "Or even my own bed, sometimes." "You were not to blame for your sickness." Kratos reassured him quickly. "Oh, I know... I guess I'm just sayin'... This is great!" Atreus exclaimed with glee. "Little One, you've been sick?" Katrina asked, vividly remembering Calliope's sickness, so long ago. "Y-Yeah... But I'm much better now! I haven't coughed even once since we've left home - Right, Father?" Kratos grunted in approval. "You're such a strong young man, Atreus! I feel very safe, knowing I have you protecting me!" Kat giggles sweetly, stealing a glance to her partner, whose expression was set and concentrated as always. "Oh, look, Kat, the mountain! We're so close!" Atreus turned around, staring awestruck at the mountain. "Ahh, the familiar smell of salt water, how comforting!" Kat hummed, her head leaned back, a relaxed smile on her face. "Salt water?" Atreus questioned her, confused. "We flow into the sea." Katros explained. "How do you know?" Atreus blinked, even more confused. "The sea has a rather strong smell of salt. My homeland is surrounded by two seas - The Aegean and the Ionian Seas. Smelling the salty, humid air is so comforting." Kratos avoided Katrina's gaze, not wanting to be reminded by his once home. Atreus, however, scrunched his nose in disgust. "If that smell's the sea... The sea stinks." his childish, innocent comment made the Goddess start laughing. "You are so adorable, Little One!" Kratos continued to row, out of the cave, and into the open sea. "Look at that - It's Thor!" Atreus pointed towards a colossal statue in the middle of the sea, depicting a man with a hammer grasped in his right hand. "Who is Thor?" Katrina asked, unfamiliar with the Norse Pantheon. "Thor... God of Thunder." Kratos' mention of the Gods made the red head shudder softly. "That's right! I never thought you listened when mum spoke of Gods." Atreus chuckled softly. "I seldom did." Kratos noted. "Did she speak of one who could feel no pain?" what a peculiar question, Katrina thought with a soft frown, wondering if this man he was referring to might be the reason for the destroyed land she walked past previously. "Oh - That sounds like Baldr. An Aesir God. Son of Odin and Frigg." it all sounded so foreign to Katrina, that she felt a shudder of fright go down her spine. "And Odin is king." Atreus approved. So Odin was a sort of counterpart for Zeus, then? What a scary thought. "If this Odin is the King of the Gods, then I dearly hope we will never have to encounter him." Kratos grunted in agreement.

Somewhere in the middle of the Sea, a gigantic scale-clad specimen seemed to be occupying a large section of the water bed; A thing, that may as well actually be a being, dead or alive, something that not even Atreus, born and raised in the North, had no clue of. Kratos rowed towards a smaller statue, just close enough for the boy to read the yellow-painted runes. 'Sacrifice your arms to the center of the water; Awaken again the cradle of the world.' "Is... This supposed to be a riddle? As we are now, our only arms I can think of are the boat oars." Kat tilted her head in confusion. "I think we're supposed to throw our weapons into the water." Atreus spoke his supposition. "Guess that won't be a problem for you." he jokes with his father and his fantastic ability of recalling his weapon. "Are... You gonna do it?" "I can do it, if you're not feeling comfortable with parting with your weapon." the Goddess placed her hand on his arm, speaking to him in a gentle voice. Kratos grunted as he rose to his feet, freezing the axe before throwing it far, far away, into the middle of the sea. "Impressive throw." she praised him, as he extended his arm, recalling the axe... Yet it didn't seem to return. "The axe did not return." Kratos pointed out. "No, but the sea in tremoring underneath us." Kat braced herself. "I did not wish for another Atlantis trip!" the once static scale-like being came to life, revealing itself to be the World Serpent, a snake so long that it's supposed to go around the world. The water shook with its movements, propelling their boat farther away, violently. "Hang on!" Kratos exclaimed, holding the two firmly in his strong arms, until the waves stilled once more. "What IS that?" the God asked his knowledgeable child. "It's the World Serpent...!" Atreus was completely fascinated as they faced the red serpent eyes. The snake rose its head, spitting out the Leviathan axe, impaling it into their boat, as if to return it to its rightful owner; Yet now, the weapon had been upgraded, imbued with Eitr, the poison of the World Serpent itself. "Stay calm, boy!" the God cried out to his Son, standing protectively in front of the two, as the Serpent looked down at them. "I am! This is great!" the young boy was captivated by this discovery. It seemed to try to communicate, but it was definitely not a language that even the Goddess of Nature could comprehend. "It speaks?!" Kratos asked his son. "Yeah! Mum said he's friendly!" what a sweet child. "So what is he saying?" Katrina asked. "I don't know!" the boy answered, almost indignant, as he managed to step in front of his father, at the peak of the boat, getting a better view of the serpent settling down.

With this change in sea level, a ship-wreak was revealed, along with the bottom part of Thor's statue, a golden temple, and even a dock. To think that all this was hidden underneath the sea. "This is just like Atlantis all over again." Kratos turned his gaze to the Goddess, grunting in amusement. Atreus even noticed a faint half-smile on his face, something he's never witnessed before. Her long hair was glued flat on her head and body, getting in the way, while the sheer material of her grass green dress took the silhouette of her forms, as though she was a masterpiece statue. As ethereally beautiful as always. "You look like a wet cat." Atreus wasn't sure if his father's joke was funnier, the fact that he actually was capable of such a feat, or that Kat's glare was the farthest thing from intimidating. Who really was this woman, and how did she know his dad? Will he ever find out the truth?

"You know of the Serpent?" the boy was suddenly brought out of his many questions. "He's one of the Giants, and he's so big that he's wrapped around the world and bites his own tail." the boy exclaimed, happy to show his father his vast knowledge of Jormungandr. "An exaggeration." Kratos easily refuted such childish fantasy. "I dunno, it looked pretty big to me." as Kratos helped Katrina step on the dock, he took out the Compass to see what it was worth; Sure enough, the coils of the Serpent were visible. They rushed up the stairs of the Golden Temple, only to get called out by a familiar vulgar-voice; It was Brok, the blue dwarf, welcoming the trio and urging them to take some more upgrades to their armor and weapons.

"If it isn't the rose bush, the bearded-beefer and his sac-seed! Have I got something for you three!" he invited them inside. "Brok?! But how did you--" Atreus wasn't able to finish his question, for he was already cut off. "None of yer fuckin' business. Now get in here, I got somethin' for ya! And don't go makin' pig eyes at my spot... I saw it first!" Brok pushed the large door farther open, welcoming them inside. "What a peculiar specimen..." Katrina murmured under her breath, uncomfortable with his brash tone and the myriad of curse words used - Definitely something she wasn't used to. "What do you think he wants?" Atreus asked, walking ahead, not witnessing the comforting look that Kratos offered Katrina, nor the tender touch of his fingers brushing her cheek, placing a gentle kiss on top of her head. "Thank you." that beautiful soft blush coating her cheeks was enough of a thanks for him. "To test out patience." Kratos finally answered his son, urging the woman to step ahead. "When word gets out about my shop, folks'll finally come outta hiding." Brok replied, a little too cryptic for their understanding. "They'll be clawin' all over each other just to catch a whiff at my wares - You watch!" he boasted cockily as he walked behind his workshop table. "Hey, flower garden, catch!" caught off guard, Katrina squeaked adorably in surprise as she struggled to catch a beautifully glowing light blue gem stone. "Ladies love jewels, don't they, ey?" he chuckled gruffly. "The pile o' rock there -" he nodded towards the rocks behind them that started glowing light blue, just like the gem, and levitated in the air to create a wonderfully carved stone door that seemed to magically connect realms. "With that Key of Yggdrasil, you can open a magic door to the branches of the World Tree - A shortcut 'tween realms. If y'ever see 'em out in the world, use it to get back to me quick." he instructed. "But it's only one way - Straight back here and nowhere else - And whatever you do, never, never, EVER, never, ever, ever, ever, ever throw yourself over the edge of the path... Lest you want death." Katrina shuddered softly, imagining a void-like purgatory. "Yeah, I don't see us wanting that." Atreus sarcastically joked.

Before they continued their journey, Kratos and Atreus upgraded their stuff; This time, Katrina agreed to wear a golden talisman that had the carved skull of a ram engraved in stone, and its horns were made out of some red jewel, while its eyes were green - It almost looked like her, how creepy. Brok mentioned it has the chance to stun enemies you attack, and it strengthens the power of the surrounding runes, how interesting, to think such a little necklace could have such power. Though she was skeptical, she agreed to having her spear embellished and carved with these peculiar Norse runes, under the belief they might enchant it. Now, she just needs to test it out.

Before they left, Kratos looked down at the Goddess and let out a low grunt. At first, he didn't utter a single word, yet his hand rose to touch the amulet around her neck, his calloused fingers trailing over the roughly sculpted charp. "It does not suit you." he muttered. "Yes... I agree. However, the dwarf said it might be of common use... So, I suppose, there is no harm in trying it out." Katrina smiled up at him. Kratos grunted in understanding. His eyes lingered on her body, before stealing a short glance at his child. "Are you not cold?" he found himself asking. "Perhaps a little, during the harsher breeze, but there is nothing that I cannot handle, per se. Though I cannot lie, I do miss the warmth of home." she chuckled softly at him. "I will find you something proper to keep you warm." he said, gently placing his large palm over the exposed skin on her arm. "Your flesh is freezing." he said, feeling the gold bracelet as cold as her skin. "Thank you, Kratos. Ever the thoughtful. There is no rush though, I am doing fine enough as it is." he couldn't look at her tender smile, knowing the urge to embrace her and kiss her was overwhelming his heart, and he didn't want Atreus to see and misunderstand his actions.

Once their business with the blue dwarf finished, the trio went back outside, forwards toward a large golden horn covered by moss. Amusingly enough, Kratos didn't want to blow into it, under some rather amusing pretexts. Poor Atreus was right, usually, they would push every button and pull on every lever they found, until something happened, and they had to beat up a bunch of creatures. Kratos truly was getting old, if he refused something like that. Instead, he opted for pulling on a lever to reach the bottom level of the temple, where they were met with a bunch of undead monsters, full of nasty water and algae - They were going to get quickly killed and returned to the afterlife, where they belonged.

Throughout the arduous journey, Kat couldn't help but look around like a child in a wonderland, admiring and gazing awestruck not only at the gorgeous landscapes that were so different from anything they had back home, but also, the myriad of mechanisms that would offer such fantastic rewards, such as a large copper bell that had to be powerfully hit to echo a strong jingle, or even treasure chests that could be opened not by even Godly sheer force, but through finding certain runes that would light up as soon as you touched them. Different civilizations, different pantheons, and certainly, different cultures, in all ways possible. It truly was fascinating.

Throughout the looktower, they stumbled upon another shrine - A Jotun shrine, they called it, and it had depicted on it, painted with gleaming gold, the World Serpent Jormungandr, ready to bite down on the one God known as Thor, the Thunder God. Katrina shuddered softly, the mere idea of having to meet malevolent Gods again not something she fancied. Still, she focused on admiring the artstyle of the shrine, and its power to predict future events, as they said.

Across the realm, they were met with trap-like flowers that emanated poison miasma that could easily prove fatal. Thankfully, Faye had taught Kratos how to counter them, using the freezing abilities of the Leviathan's Axe. Through more adventuring around the realm, they reached the foggy foothills, where yet another dwarf, garbed in golden armor, greeted them. He was soft-spoken and polite, albeit a little frightened and timid, poor man. He couldn't blame him for being afraid of confronting someone like Kratos though.

"Hey, uhhh, excuse me... How did you come by that axe?" the dwarf stuttered lightly. "That is my concern alone." Kratos rasped, not even sparing a glance to the stranger. "And uh.... While I won't dispute that... I know that blade." the dwarf was desperately trying to keep brave. "It was one of ours, but uh, we didn't make it for you." Kat couldn't help but admire the dedication and passion that blacksmiths had, recognising each of their work with a single glance. Hephaestus was much alike, she remembered the Smith God, long before he was corrupted. "Step aside." Kratos ordered, making the dwarf flinch, yet he bravely stood his ground. "I can't. See - The woman we made this for... I was, well... I am... Quite fond of her." Kat put her hand on Kratos' biceps, squeezing it delicately, as a way to show him that he needn't be on guard. "And I would, uh... Be quite... Displeased, if it turns out that... You did something to her." "You need not worry, little sir. We mean you no harm." the Goddess gently caressed the dwarf's face, immediately calming him down. "It was my mother's." Atreus stepped forward, speaking in a sad voice. "She left it to father before she died." "Faye's dead...?" the dwarf's breath hitched in his throat, and his whole body felt lax with grief. "I'm... Very, very sorry to hear that..." the dwarf sighed, looking away from the trio. "She was a fierce warrior... And a good woman." he sighed, before turning with newfound vigor towards the travelers. "Alright. I will make improvements to the axe." "But... No one asked you to." Atreus rose a questioning eyebrow. "W-Well, it's true, but... But knowing your mother, she would have insisted I repair that act of vandalism perpetrated against her axe by my brother." Kat giggled softly at the childishness of this brotherly feud. "I knew it! You are Brok's brother!" Atreus exclaimed, hopping towards the dwarf's blacksmith tent. "The other half of the brand's here." "The blue one is your brother?" Kratos quired, his eyebrows furrowed. "Yes... Though my talents are vastly superior. No boast - Swear to Freya." Freya... Was that another God of this world? Still keeping the dwarf under a stern gaze, Kratos took out his axe and handed it to the smith. "Do not undo his work. Improve upon it only." "Yeeeeaaaahhh.... But can you put it down over there?" the dwarf asked, visibly uncomfortable and trembling. Kratos rasped a drastic negative answer. "The handle is filthy..." the dwarf sighed shakily, his eyes darting around with great anxiety. "Okay, then... I'll just... I will just..." "By the Gods..." Katrina sighed, placing her hand over her lover's. "Kratos, please. If you will not accommodate him with his clear repulsion to uncleanliness, then at least allow ME to do it. I am getting uncomfortable myself simply by looking at his poor self." It was clear that Kratos had many things to complain about, simply from that look in his dark, stern eyes, peering into the Goddess' own forest-green ones; Instead, he simply gruffed, allowing the woman to slide her hand onto the wooden handle and aid the poor dwarf. "My, this is much heavier than I expected. People of the North must truly be strong, to be able to carry about such weapons." she chuckled softly, smiling at the dwarf as she placed the axe on the workbench. As soon as he finished with the upgrading, Kratos quickly snatched the axe back into his possession. "Anything else I can help you with?" the dwarf asked. "A coat, perhaps? Or a pair of breeches? I have to say, I've never seen anyone wearing such garments before. This silk feels like water... Amazing. You aren't from around, are you?" Sindri gently felt the material of her flowy dress that hugged her body like a godly sculpture. "My home is much, much in the South. I have been travelling for so many moons, that I lost count." Katrina smiled cheerfully, remembering her home. "I see. Well, I think I have just the right thing for you!" at once, Sindri brought a cloak of leaf-green, embroidered in golden thread, and a pair of skin-tight breeches, the same colour of the bark of brown-white trees. Her outfit hadn't lost her lovely nature-like allure. "Thank you for your kindness, Sindri. I feel much warmer now, thanks to you. You have my gratitude." the Goddess smiled warmly at him, making the dwarf blush slightly and look away. "Don't mention it, don't mention it! It's the least I could do! Now off you go!" with a lazy wag of her fingers, Katrina waved the dwarf goodbye, following Katros and Atreus towards the mountain.

During a particularly tall climb up the mountain wall, Atreus jumped on his father's back, being comfortably carried. the Goddess, on the other hand, simply ran up the wall, making Kratos gruff in annoyance, remembering that fool named Hermes, who pestered him similarly, years ago. He will never get over that annoyance. "Do you think for this last leg up the mountain that maybe I can carry her?" the boy asked, while Katrina was idly dangling her feet from the edge of the mountain. "I told you, no." came his father's resolute answer. "Why?" Atreus sighed in disappointment. "She meant more to me than you anyway." "What?!" Kratos rasped immediately. "Atreus!" Katrina gasped in surprise at the child's disrespectful comment. "You do not say such words to your father!" "I-I just meant -- I spent more time with her. You were off hunting a lot." the boy tried to explain himself. "He was out so he could provide your family with the comfort of food and the necessary items of the house. Were it not for your father, it would have been your mother away. It is a father's duty to provide for the family, and a mother's to care for it. Do not be so harsh on your father. He did everything he could for you." Kratos shot the woman a quick glance, half-grateful for the explanation that he would never be able to provide, but also, rather uncomfortable. "How would you know that? You've just arrived. You couldn't know what happened, could you?" true enough, Atreus' words made Katrina keep quiet, unable to muster a relevant reply that would not give away their identity. "It would serve you to stop talking." his father intervened thankfully as he went ahead to decimate a few undeads.

An uncomfortable silence filled the air as the three kept apart from each other by at least three steps. It was Kratos who led the way, as he crouched down to raise up a fallen boulder that was blocking the door. Just as he was able to pull it away, the large gates were sprung open by a hideous monster attacking them. It immediately tried to lunge towards the child, but Kratos quickly grabbed onto its forearm, halting its movement. It seemed to be communicating in low grunts, but they were unable to understand its tongue. "Let him GO!" Atreus tried to dash forwards and aid his dad, but Katrina quickly grabbed him by the arrow quiver, pulling him backwards, just in time to evade a powerful swiping fist, which she took instead. It was one thing for a God to get thrown to the ground, and another for a child like him.

"Atreus, stand back!" Katrina called out to the boy, but just as she got up, the monster grabbed her at lightning speed, his grasp around her slender body squeezing so tight that it was difficult breathing. At the very same time, not only did the God of War shove his whole arm into the monster's gnawing mouth to protect her from harm, but Katrina, also, extended her hand towards its face, summoning her spear so that she could impale its skull. Finally, the monster was dead, on the ground. "Father!" Atreus called out quickly, pointing towards the approaching enemies. The Goddess quickly ripped away the monster's fingers from around her body and clinged onto Kratos' damaged arm. "Forgive me for getting you harmed, my love." she murmured softly, making sure the child wouldn't hear her words as she quickly healed his bleeding injuries. "It is fine." he grunted, holding his axe. "Ready yourself, boy." "Let me help out with these pests. You have injured yourself on my behalf far too much." Katrina sighed, summoning a bunch of vines from underground that latched tightly onto the undead, ripping them apart with ease. "An Ogre? Here?" Atreus was out of breath with shock at the intensity of this encounter. "Who built this place?" thankfully at least, once they passed through the large base, they reached the Mountain's Base. They were getting closer to the desired destination. "Whoa... I can see why mum wanted us to bring her here." "Indeed." Kratos gruffed, agreeing to the landscape's beauty. "Is there anything like this back at your home, Kat?" the boy asked. "No, not really. I have never seen anything quite like this. In fact, I do not recall ever seeing snow before either." the red head shivered softly at the cold breeze.

Atreus quickly went on ahead towards the bridge engulfed in a pitch black smoke, coming up from the face-like mountain wall. He seemed to try and get close to the smoke, but he was unable to. "Kat, you have magical powers, right? Think you can do something about it?" Katrina stepped forward, slowly reaching out her hand towards the blockage, only to quickly snatch her hand back with an electrifying hiss. "This curse is something that I cannot undo. Its malevolence is foreign to even me. We must find another way." she tried to look around in hopes that she could create a ladder of sorts, but she doubted, given the harsh blizzard around them, that she would be able to safely get them both across. "Then, maybe the witch? Wish she was here. I bet she could get us past this." Atreus sighed sadly. Out of nowhere, the witch's voice startled them with her presence. Was she summoned here, somehow? Creepy. "My magic is useless against the Black Breath, and there's no way around it. Odin saw to that long ago." Atreus quickly skipped to the witch, grinning widely in happiness. "What are you doing here?!" "Making sure you can finish your journey." she bent at his level, her hand squeezing his shoulder motherly. "Why wait to warn us?" Kratos asked defensively. "I was busy saving my friend, if you remember..." Kratos grunted, looking away. "The Black Breath is a corruption of magic even I can't dispel. Only the pure Light of Alfheim is strong enough to break through it, but that road is long. What does this goal mean to you?" "It's everything." Atreus replied. The witch seemed to be touched by the boy's resolve. "Follow me." Kratos grabbed her arm, seizing her with his eyes. "Why help us?" "Maybe I see more of myself in you than I'm willing to admit. Maybe..." she gulped slightly, hesitating in her truthful answer. "Maybe by helping you, I'll make up for a lifetime of mistakes." she shrugged softly, smiling at the child. "Or maybe I just like you." "Even though we shot your friend?" the witch smiled dryly. "Even though you shot my friend, yes." "Where must we go?" Kratos asked, as the trio started following her. "To a realm beyond your own." the witch replied, running off ahead. "We're going to another realm?! Are you coming with us?" Atreus asked, excited. "Only for a little while." she repeated Kratos' reply.

They came by a large contraption, which Sindri had previously talked about. Seems that he was able to finish repairing it, what a fantastic smith. The witch explained their destination was Tyr's Temple, the one previously under water, and from there, they will be able to travel to Alfheim. When the God asked about the World Serpent's whereabouts, she explained that there is no one with such knowledge, though when Thor attacked it, their battle was felt across all the realms. The fight ended in a stalemate, and though Thor returned empty-handed to Thor, they are destined to kill each other, come Ragnarok. Kat wasn't quite sure what Ragnarok was, but the witch seemed to be rather terrified of that notion.

She guided them back towards the large gates, where there was no way across. Instead, the witch was smug, and she took out her bow, firing an arrow towards a large gem glowing blue. "Ljosta!" she exclaimed, and a solid bridge of pure light spawned across. Elven architecture, she said. Her bowstring was soaked in the Light of Alfheim, and it has the ability of reawakening the magic of the Elves.

The witch was rather impressed by Atreus' knowledge of Vanir magic, from the realm of Vanaheim. He mentioned his mother telling him that the Vanir Gods are always at war with the Aesir Gods of Asgard. He said they are 'Good' Gods, compared to Odin and Thor, but are there truly any good Gods out there? "There are no good Gods, boy. I thought I taught you that." Katrina pondered over a little Kratos' reply. Gods are all selfish, yes, she often warned him of that notion - But she never did think that Gods like Hestia or Hebe were evil. She could even say that Aphrodite, Anteros, Psyche and Eros were very kind... Not that she could ever see Kratos getting over his hatred of the Gods.

Once they went past another great set of doors, they reached Tyr's Temple. The witch mentioned that, with the help of the Giants, Tyr was able to travel across all nine realms and keep the peace between them. Something must have happened to this Tyr, considering the amount of dead things overflooding the premises and destroying everything in their path. With the aid of Kratos' fantastic Godly strength, they were able to turn the whole entire bridge into position. It was a fantastic sight, seeing Kratos' incredible power in action once more. Hopefully, he wasn't hurting.

The Witch mentioned this temple being the very last construction where all nine realms worked together. With some kind of immersive magic, the witch used the last bit of Alfheim Light to create the bridge, before swapping around her bowstring with Atreus', instructing him on how to infuse his own weapon with such power. She also said she doesn't think she'd be able to follow, considering a numerous amount of measures had been taken to keep her trapped in Midgard. Was Midgard the human realm they were walking on, then? The more Kat learns, the more she realises her lack of knowledge is even greater than she anticipated. She said the Gods don't care much for her - But surely, the Gods wouldn't make sure she's unable to travel, if she were unimportant. How peculiar.

They entered together in this Realm Travel Room that was pitch black - She says they need the light of the Bifrost to reawaken, for the temple had been underwater for over a hundred and fifty winters passed. They reached a large tree, known as the World Tree, which makes this traveling between realms possible. It was glowing a magical blue. The Witch offered Kratos a small gadget which could capture the Light of Bifrost and allow this kind of traveling. "Amazing...!" Katrina was breathless at the beauty of this place, once Kratos stuck the gadget into its rightful place, and the lean surface of the water starter glowing a lovely fluorescent blue, waving and emanating cinder drops around like fireflies. From underneath the small water basin, a miniature layout of the temple emerged, whilst at the same time, blue fire came out from the ground in nine different places across the room, signifying the different realms. The witch explained these realms all exist in the same physical space as reflections of each other. These doors, the towers outside, and the nine realms are all intertwined and co-exist on the branches of the World Tree, separated only by the Bifrost light of Alfheim. Katrina could barely pay attention to the explanation, as her eyes were bewitched by the work of lights surrounding them in the darkness, illuminating the place with blue sparkles of all kinds. This place they were in, could focus and control that said light.

Atreus voiced what the Goddess was thinking - This World Tree was merely an artistic representation of the much more impressive and grand Yggdrasill. The Tree of Life is bound to the fate of the world, just as they all were bound to it. The tree nourishes the soils; The dew from its leaves feeds the valleys and rivers. The Tree's very existence supports all of creation along its boughs - Its life energy interwoven into the tapestry of life - Birth, growth, death and rebirth. Every strand - Transcending time, transcending space. Everything comes back to the Tree. The Goddess was in awe, her heart having stopped altogether, as a gentle flurry of blue snow swished around them, and the small sprouts of flowers growing at the roots of the tree bloomed together in perfect sync.

The witch explained how, by turning this wheel around the water basin, the great wheel that Kratos previously moved would also be spurred, as the bridge aligns to the different realm towers on the lake outside. As Odin had prevented access to vanaheim, and Jotunheim was currently unavailable, for the Realm Tower was missing, they were urged to move towards the Alfheim tower. She drew a symbol rune on Kratos' palm, so they can lock into this realm and begin the sequence at once. Everything around them changed, and a single part of the room got illuminated in brilliant blue, as the roots grew longer towards the crystal glowing there. Each realm has a corresponding crystal that focuses and amplifies the power of the Bifrost, she said, opening the bridge to that realm. As she continued speaking, a powerful blue lights engulfed them - Yet it was not a blinding one, but a soothing blue that seemed to caress their souls. Before they left, Atreus was curious about the missing Jotunheim Tower, to which he was told that the Tower went missing by the time the Giants disappeared from Midgard, and no one knows its whereabouts. As the blue lights subsided, the boy thought nothing happened. The witch hummed in amusement, urging them to follow her

Kratos pointed out the Bifrost became dark - It was out of power, thus, they could not return without being replenished by the Light of Alfheim. But Katrina wasn't concerned by such trivialities; She was captivated by the flowers that turned red, just like her hair, the same colour as the Maple Tree Leaves. Kratos had to grab her by the wrist and pull her towards the exit, revealing what looked like a city overgrown with trees. The witch's smile quickly vanished once she realised the Light was barely visible - The Column of Light in the horizon, housed in the heart of a ringed temple, was supposed to be far more powerful.

But the witch was beginning to dissipate in a glowing green light. The trio grabbed onto her, but it was in vain, for the curse was too strong to be resisted. "To restore the Bifrost's magic, you must step into The Light - But be very careful not to get caught up in the --" before she could finish her warning, however, she was pulled inside a portal, no doubt, back to Midgard. "How convenient, being unable to finish the full warning." Kat chuckled, shaking her head. The boy's panic was almost hilarious to her. The whole placed seemed to be fused up with some kind of plant-based organism... Though it also looked a little like corals. How peculiar, she's never seen anything like it."Are you ready for yet another misadventure?" "No."

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#god of war #god of war x reader #god of war imagine #kratos #kratos x reader #kratos imagine #god of war oc #god of war x oc #kratos x oc #goddess #olympus #greek tragedy

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theballadoftory · 4 months

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-Writeblr Introduction-

Welcome to my little corner of the world, I’m happy you’ve made it here 🫧

My name is Tory (she/her), I’m 19 years old and I make many different kinds of art including;

-poems

-songs

-stories

All my art revolves around the central themes of what it’s like to be a (teenage) girl in this world, how I experience life, platonic and romantic relationships and if not that then something utterly and completely outlandish like being a dog or or accidentally killing your lover at a bar

If that’s something you’re interested in then feel free to stick around 🐚

I mainly made this account so I can have a place where I can put all my art without having to make too much of a fuss about it

I currently have two WIP’s both of which don’t necessarily fall into the dark academia genre but do very much feel like they should

1. Stars burn up (working title)

A story about two academic rivals, who are quietly alienated at their elite boarding school, being forced to work on a project together. They find a secret passageway to a treacherous and magical alley along the way that could put both of them in great danger 🪐

2. Whispers of the bastards

A story about a girl being recruited into a group of spies in a city full of thieves and criminals figuring out that the machinations of said town are much more deliberate than she could have ever imagined and having to decide if she wants to profit from it or tear it all down ⚔️

I make it a point to write about flawed and interesting people that are barely anything like your usual fantasy heroes and I write stories that reflect and comment on modern societal issues. At the same time I’m a huge sucker for romance and I don’t think I will ever write anything without it.

I also have an AO3 account called theetherealnemesis where I write fanfiction, if you care to read a sample of my writing. Right now I only have an unfinished fanfic about house of the dragon on there but I do really like what I’ve written so far and plan to continue it.

This really is an account for people who like art, writing specifically, and everyone is welcome here

My other interests include:

-politics

-history

-concerts

-greek mythology

Movies/shows📽️:

Promising young woman, Saltburn, Ballad of Songbirds and snakes, Bottoms, the statistical probability of love at first sight, Howls moving castle, candy jar/ Percy Jackson, The Rookie, Brooklyn 99, Modern family, one piece live action, heart break high, fleabag

Singer/Songwriters🎶:

Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan, Ethel Cain, Sabrina Carpenter, Sufjan Stevens, Mitski, Phoebe Bridgers, Quinnie

Books📚:

Percy Jackson, Six of crows, a good girls guide to murder, Cruel Prince, All the bad apples, Enchanté, Aphrodite made me do it, Legendborn, Dearly, poetry by Sappho and Emily Dickinson

I also have a TikTok account under the same @ as here where I post all kinds of stuff

Hope you have fun here

#writerscommunity #writeblr #writeblr intro #writeblr introduction #writers and poets #writers on tumblr #ao3 writer #female writers #singer #songwriter #wip #work in progress #dark academia

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spooksverse-asks · 4 months

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Something I've been meaning to draw for some months, to officially introduce Vera in her full fairy form(minus the slit pupils, since I forgot those), since she is one~ 🧚‍♀️🧡✨️

I hope you enjoy! :3This has been something big I've been thinking about for her character for a while, so I had a lot of fun putting this all together! :D I imagine some things might change but her character with this big update, but she is still generally the same as before, just a fairy now! ^w^

(Unrelated to her being a fairy but I decided to give her bangs(plus make her hair a little wavier), since I think she looks super cute with them and I imagine she would get inspired to get them after seeing photos of her dad when he was a kid with bangs)

Here is more information about her origin as a fairy! Put under a 'readmore' in case it gets too lengthy lol

================================================

She was originally born in the magic realm, a realm that was locked away from regular human society where magical beings could live in peace. She was born during a time of war and personal distress for her fairy mother, who had lost her husband and a lot of her family. Not wanting her child to grow up in such a harsh and cruel world, she placed a spell on her daughter to make her appear human, swaddled her up warmly, and place her in a basket with a blanket, orange butterfly plush, and a note that contained only her birthday and a short message. This message was brief with no identifying details, only mentioning how the baby was born a few days ago in a cruel world, the mother felt unfit to care for her and brought her here, and for whoever finds her, to take care of her last hope. She then traveled through the barrier to the human world, to the city of Poltervale, the first city she found that had such a strong magical and supernatural aura. It was a rainy day so not many were out-and-about, but she found a dry, covered spot in an alley to set her daughter in, and placed one more spell that would make her noticed by humans who could be walking by. Thankfully, a young couple were out on a walk when they heard her crying, and after investigating they discovered her. Once the fairy could determine that the couple would take care of her child, she returned to the magic realm to help put an end to the war. After a long period of a medical checkup, talking with legal officials, trying to figure out her origin and birth family, and the long adoption process, the couple welcomed her into their life as their first child, becoming parents earlier than planned but neither had it in them to leave her alone in the world again. They named her Vera, with the middle name of Hope, inspired by the note that she was found with. Vera lived most of her life believing she was a regular human, but always felt something was "off" with her. She always had such a strong connection with any winged creatures, a few uncanny abilities she could not explain, a big interest in fairies, and had quite a few times where others like her Auntie Suzie has sensed the magical energy radiating from her. It is not until her late teens that a big accident by her hands revealed her status as a fairy and wore off the glamour spell that was placed on her so long ago. She, along with everyone around her at the time was confused, even her parents as they never did find out about her origins. After a long period of searching for answers, making sense of everything that happened, and exploring her newfound form and abilities, she came to terms and was excited to be a real fairy. Still, her curiosity about her origins was never quite quenched and she still yearned for the chance to visit the magic realm someday, but until a moment like that comes, she is content using her fairy abilities for fun, help, and sometimes, a little mischief~

#spooksverse #oc #next-gen #future timeline #vera stewart small #vera #fairy

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ninasbookshelf · 11 months

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Book Recs Based on Taylor Swift Albums

'Tis the damn season of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour! In celebration I have put together reading recommendations based on each of Taylor’s albums.

Some of Taylor's songs are (seemingly) inspired directly by specific books or media, so I tried to stray from those and recommend something different. Also, I aimed for books that I think capture the theme/feeling of the entire album, rather than books that follow the story of one particular song.

...Ready for it? Here goes.

(Also I’m tired, so there may be some minor book spoilers… no promises.)

Taylor Swift (Debut)- I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

I’ll Give You the Sun captures the vibrancy of Taylor’s self-titled debut album, and delves into the challenges of youth and the journey to finding where we belong in the world. Both the album and book showcase the loneliness and betrayals that happen during adolescence. They also look at love and what it means to love someone. This isn’t just romantic love either; there are friendships, familial love… and ok, there’s romance too.

Fearless - Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

Hear me out. Wuthering Heights is dark, yes, but it is mainly a story of passion; powerful, lively moments, both positive and negative. It’s a story full of life, and so is Fearless. In both there are love stories and there are fights, there are betrayals and misunderstandings, and in Wuthering Heights the characters are, mostly, physically very near each other… just on The Other Side of the Door. Both Fearless and Wuthering Heights are rollercoasters charting the ups and downs of their protagonists’ relationships. Someday I’ll write an essay dedicated to comparing the two in more detail, but for now I’ll stop here.

Speak Now - Seven Faceless Saints (SFS) by M.K. Lobb

Ok, I might be reaching here because I just read this and want to talk about it, but watch me make it work. Roz and Damian (the main characters of SFS) dated for years before Damian was drafted, and since his return to Ombrazia there has been tension between the two due to both personal vendettas and political differences. As they’re forced to work together, they begin to understand each other, they grapple with their pasts, the things that haunt them, the things that make them push for revenge… they build a relationship again, they reflect on the way their lives used to be and the tumult that caused the breakdown. The victory in SFS is a bit darker in tone than Long Live, but I think it still works.

Red - If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha

This one is a given for me. Both Red and If I Had Your Face capture the turbulence and confusion of being a woman in your twenties (give or take). They show both the magic and madness of romantic relationships. They show the pain of being older and wiser, how we can look at other women who are still full of hope and see how everything could go wrong. Heartbreak, power, and female friendship; it’s all there.

1989 - The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

Welcome to New York! The Sun Is Also a Star follows two teens, Natasha and Daniel, through an event- and emotion-filled day in NYC. It’s romantic and silly and magical, until very suddenly… the pain of reality returns. This one’s YA, but I think it fits really well with 1989.

Reputation - The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I love love this comparison. Secret relationships, crimes and getaway cars, breakups and betrayals and finally, eventually, realizing that the people we surround ourselves with are what really matters in life… yeah.

Lover - Book Lovers by Emily Henry

It’s only fitting that Lover gets a romance novel (and I promise I didn’t just pick this particular book because it has “lover” in the title). Book Lovers features a literary agent named Nora who is determined to go above and beyond for her clients. If she were a man, she’d be the man. It’s a realistic romance, complete with a cruel summer and characters who find comfort in each other after many failed relationships… but can it last?

folklore - Little Women by Louisa May Alcott or Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason

There’s a lot going on in folklore; it showcases Taylor’s storytelling skills in an achingly beautiful light. There are several different stories happening on the album, some of which are intertwined. I can’t pass up recommending Little Women, because the relationships these women share with each other, and their romances throughout the different stages of their life, are represented thoroughly in folklore’s tracklist. There are hard feelings and mistakes, heartache and the harshness of reality, and the realization that sometimes things aren’t meant to be, no matter how much we might want them to be.

However, as someone who has spent too much not enough time watching Jo and Laurie x folklore compilations on Youtube, I feel like folklore/Little Women is a commonly made connection… (or maybe I’m way too deep into that rabbit hole). SO, to add some variety, I wanted to share a second recommendation that I think also fits with the general feeling folklore creates.

Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason particularly fits with the more mature stories on the album. It involves characters looking back on their pasts and seeing the connections and divisions in their relationships, and grappling with how things are vs what could’ve been. The book focuses heavily on mental health and how it affects our relationships with ourselves and the people we care about.

I’ll share one of my favorite quotes: “Martha, no marriage makes sense. Especially not to the outside world. A marriage is its own world.” Just like in folklore, Sorrow and Bliss includes a deep dive into the protagonist’s personal relationships and how those relationships can grow and change over time.

evermore - I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

Set in a crumbling castle in rural England, I Capture the Castle shares the mystique and pining encapsulated in Taylor Swift’s evermore. There’s unrequited love, secret devotions, and the ache left by empty promises and tainted relationships. And of course, everything is happening surrounded by overwhelming pastoral beauty. It’s the perfect matchup to evermore.

Midnights - Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

A second TJR feature! I feel like there’s a song here for every major event in DJATS. The madness of relationships; the idolization of celebrities vs what they were actually going through; parties, affairs, love and questions; loss and betrayal and reflections on the past… It’s all there.

And that’s all ten! I got tired near the end, so I apologize if any of this is confusing. If you have questions or comments about any of these book recs, please reach out to me! I’d love to talk more about them.

I’m thinking of doing more in-depth book recommendations for Taylor's discography, where I pick one book for each of her songs. I’d do these on an album-by-album basis. If you're interested, let me know!

#taylor swift #booklr #book recs #tjr #emily henry #bibliophile #books and reading #taylor swift eras #taylor swift debut #taylor swift red #1989 #fearless #evermore #folklore #midnights #speak now #taylor swift lover #reputation

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starfall-spirit · 1 year

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A Court of Twisted Wisdom

SJMNGW Prompt: Crossover

Summary: See ACOTW Masterlist

Chapter XV: Another One Lost

Roxanna

A bit late for reading, isn't it, Princess?

"Good evening, Clotho. I was hoping I could have some time down here to research. Perhaps find something to—" I sighed, choking on the last words.

The priestess rested a gnarled hand over mine. Your aunt and brother have requested time here to do the same. Yesterday and the day before. A few of the priestesses have taken it upon themselves to help as well. If Ayla is alive, she will be found.

I swallowed. "Aunt Nesta's scrying was hopeless. They're starting to consider... The Night Court holds the Dread Trove. The harp... Do you think there are other methods to crossing worlds? Would the priestesses know a book with theories, even?"

I'd call that prediction a stretch, if I hadn't seen the type of trouble your family tends to get into. She pulled something from behind her desk. As vast as this place is, the other priestesses and myself know a book out of place. These appeared on one of the new priestess' carts this morning. I haven't had the time to glance at more than a few pages, and they may be stray works of fiction, but if you truly believe your cousin has crossed realms then this may be the set for you. They had to have appeared with good reason, didn't they? The set doesn't belong to the library. You may take it with you if you wish.

"Thank you, Clotho. This means a lot to me."

You're very welcome, Princess.

"You don't have to call me that." I had been pushing that point for years.

Good night, Roxanna.

A spark of hope filled me and it took everything in me not to start reading right then. Snuggled into my bed a few moments later, I looked over the pair of books. They didn't seem to need to be read in a specific order. They were simply an old set that coordinated. Bound in worn brown leather, the books showed only basic map outlines and names above them. Erilea, the first said. Not so much as a pseudonym accompanied the bold-lettered title. Opening the book to hopefully find some sort of table of contents I found only blank pages.

"What use was giving me these?" But the pages began filling themselves, ink colored and black rolling over the pages to show the history of this other world. The pages moved on their own and moving images-a story-many stories played out in the air above me. The stories of gods I'd never heard of and their journeys, passing down gifts and blessings to the fae and mortals of their world. Gods had turned mortal, creating the roots of great family trees. A millennia of history put to paper. Families of Fenharrow, Adarlan, Terrasen. Other chapters spoke of witches and their once-cursed kingdom. Their cruel ancestors who brought an impossible war upon that realm. And I was sucked into their battle.

A wounded soldier fell through me as if I were mist. Still in my thin pajamas, no weapon in hand, no magic in my veins I was a wraith on the battlefield. There to observe. To learn. And just like that I was out of the fray, collapsing to the floor and interrupting what seemed to be a pleasant family meal, a few of those apparent war heroes gathered around a table. The second that fold of space and time opened the group was on it's feet, magic flickering to life. "Um, hi." A screech from the far end of the table met my ears and I was being tackled in a hug before I could even stand. Her scent hit me first. Ayla. She let out a sob, squeezing me tight. "By the Mother, Ayla, we've been worried sick!"

"I know. I've been trying to figure this out. I want to go home more than anything, believe me. But you figured it out. You can take me back."

"I—" I whirled around, looking for the book. "No. No, where's that damn book?"

A well tattooed silver-haired male cleared his throat. "Ayla, care to introduce us to your friend?"

"My cousin, Roxanna." She sniffled, keeping an arm around me. "We're really more like sisters. Rox, this is Rowan, Aelin, Aedion, Lysandra, and Orlon."

I nodded, now finding the names and faces recognizable. "You're the royal family." I stated, eyeing the Galathynius trio. Ayla raised a brow, surprised by my knowledge of the family. "Clotho gave me a set of books. I opened one on Erilea and saw a bunch of history and then was brought here. This is Terrasen, right?"

She nodded. "Those are the wings I saw," Orlon said. "In the dream. On you, Ayla."

The both of us tensed and a wariness filled the prince. "Yes," Ayla bit out, the single word almost venomous. Oh, there was something going on there. "I told you I had them. I told you I don't show them off when I don't know people well. I'm getting to know all of you and you've all be hospitable, but recent events... The only reason Rox has them out is because she can't hide them. Now, if you'll excuse us... Want to go train?" she asked. "Talk about the goings-on back home?" I nodded, yelping as something dull stabbed into my side. A wickedly gleeful laugh burst from my cousin that I could only relate to one thing. Weapons. Her swords, left behind in our world, had appeared in a double sheath at her waist. The other's around us looked a bit uneasy at the sound of that laugh and her giddy clapping when my training gear and blades appeared. She threw me a wink. "First blood wins."

"Gods help us," Rowan muttered. "She's like you, Aelin."

"What gods, Rowan?"

~~~~~

Orlon

She was a force of nature. And she hadn't shown her cards yesterday. She'd bested me far more easily than I realized. Because moving with her cousin... They were a whirlwind, driving into each other and pulling back just shy of a killing blow, tunneling in with that calm focus to keep their minds set in the fight as they threw out pointers to each other with warning strikes to unguarded body parts with a foot or the flat of their blade. And just like that, when Ayla finally lost her balance by pitching her weight too far her secret was revealed. Those wings, identical to her cousin.

"You're too reliant on them for a half-breed, cousin. Off balance so easily," Roxanna teased.

The sleek, clawed wings snapped open, exposing brutal scarring to the lower membrane. I didn't notice Aedion beside me until he let out a low whistle. "No wonder she was so defensive about them."

Recent events, she'd admitted. Recent events built her walls when it came to those stunning wings. The grimace on her face told me she was well aware of her audience and the exposure was unintentional. Instinctual, to hold her ground in the fight. But she didn't hide them away again, merely sending out a bit of magic to repair her torn shirt, hiding that hint of tattoo I'd gotten a glimpse of. With a jerk of her head she sheathed her blades and gave a hard flap, rising off the ground and throwing a quip I couldn't hear to Roxanna. The second girl smirked, soaring up past her cousin and starting what seemed to be a race. She had those horrid scars too

"What do you think happened to them?"

"She said over dinner Illyrians are backwards in their thinking. I imagine they were two young women targeted somewhere and overpowered. She said her father is a respected general. Speaking as his equivalent, my priority has always been to protect my family. There are a lot of people, citizens and soldiers, who were leveraged over me. Do yourself a favor and stop prying, kid."

Previous | Next

~~~~~

Tag List: Comment/ask/message me to be added or removed.

@sjmnextgenweek // @goddess-aelin // @the-lonelybarricade // @shallyne // @pandavelaris // @s-uppertime // @faeriequeensuriel

#a court of twisted wisdom #acotw #next gen #terrasen #sjmnextgenweek2023 #crossover fic #prythian #nessian child mc #prompt #crossover #day 3 #it's midnight so i can post this

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darthkvznblogs · 1 year

Note

What do you think of “For the Future”? Was it worth the wait or what?

I loved it! I think I might've enjoyed Thanks to Them a little bit more - I'm a sucker for those creepy small town vibes and the Hexsquad hanging out on our world was a delight - but it's a very close thing.

I don't really have it in me today to do a big review or anything, but here's some thoughts:

-I don't wanna jinx it, but this episode did reassure me a bit that the series won't end with the realms separated. I've been feeling pretty anxious about that since Amphibia ended - I think it was thematically appropriate for that show, and it was a beautiful send-off, but at the end of the day, I like happy endings more than I care about narratives and themes. I think it'd just be senselessly cruel at this point for TOH to end a similar way - emphasis on senseless.

-Stringbean looks like a Neopet, and I mean that in the best possible way xD (I think Luz is too young to have been a Neopet kid in canon, but I very much appreciate the vibes). It's funny; this show has repeatedly fought against the idea that Luz is any sort of chosen one, but barring the Bat Queen herself, Stringbean is the most unique, chosen-one-y Palisman yet. I don't mind it, though, I think she's perfect for Luz, and the scene where she finally hatches is one of the best scenes in a show filled to the brim with excellent scenes.

-How the heck does Palisman magic work

-Seriously though, as a fic writer I really need to know! I saw that blast, that was like...Eda-at-her-prime level power! As a magic-less human! I'm gonna have to make sense of this and put together some rules for the Kverse...

-I have to appreciate how, every single time Belos appears on screen, he becomes significantly more disturbing and somehow tops his own evil. It's just impressive how horrible he is. (side-note, what do you think he smells like? I'm thinking rotting flesh and stagnant water, with a hint of burnt wood)

-I didn't not ship Huntlow before but yeah, I get it now. I'm fully on board, that was cute as heck. Lumity remains the cutest, though, such great moments in this special.

-I might've preferred the Hexsquad's antics in the human world, but Camila reacting to the Isles? Some of the best parts of the episode, that was so freakin' funny.

-I do think Kikimora kinda outstayed her welcome as a threat; she's at her best when she's annoying but easily trounced. It's not a huge deal, but it kinda felt like she should've been defeated as soon as the kids reunited. She kinda doesn't deserve to be so dangerous lol

There's probably more, but those are my comments right off the bat. If you have any specific questions, let me know!

I'm really looking forward to the finale! There's a lot of stuff to get closure on, and I have no idea how they'll do that in under an hour, but I have faith that they'll stick the landing. Very excited!

#ask box #the owl house #the owl house spoilers #toh spoilers #toh season 3 #I'll talk about the Collector in another ask I got

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razieltwelve · 1 year

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Alien Trolling

It is the greatest mistake of mankind to believe the present era the most advanced. That we see no towering monuments and have found no ancient relics leads many to think that our predecessors built no such monuments and crafted no such relics.

Tell me, then, if I was to leave my house, with all its modern accoutrements, unattended for ten centuries, what would be left? Very little, I imagine. What, then, would remain if my house was left to the ravages of weather, time, and nature for a hundred centuries? What about a thousand centuries?

Time is a cruel foe that has never known defeat. We may stand atop the bones of ancient civilisations so advanced that their science would appear to us as little more than magic. Yet we would never know it because those bones have been ground to less than dust by the endless passage of the years.

X X X

The alien looked at his fellow. “Why are you building giant pyramids on this planet?”

The other alien snickered. “The locals here seem pretty smart. Give them ten thousands years or so, and they might even come up with their own proper civilisation.”

“And?”

“How do you think they’ll react when they find the pyramids? They’re going to freak out. They’ll wrack their minds trying to work out how their ancestors built them. Some of them might even say that aliens did it, but who’s going to believe them?”

“...” The first alien reached over and then slapped the other alien over the back of the head with one tentacle. “You’re a fucking troll, you know that, right?”

“Hey, if you can think of something funner to do, then you’re welcome to suggest it. And, yeah, this prank might take millennia to pay off, but it’s not like we haven’t got the time.”

“I guess...” The first alien sighed. “You know, why not build some stuff that can only be seen from space? That’ll drive people crazy in the future.”

“Heh. I knew you’d come around.”

X X X

There are those who speak of the endless cycles of infinity, of how the relentless passage of the years leaves us blind to the wonders of the past.

But sometimes that blindness is a mercy.

Because sometimes, the glories of the past are not built by our ancestors and their lost wisdom but by aliens with far too much time on their hands.

Fucking aliens.

X X X

Author’s Notes

As a kid, I was fascinated by all of the theories about how the pyramids were built, not to mention all of the legends of lost cities and continents like Atlantis. Now that I’m a bit older, I can’t help but imagine a world where a bunch of overly powerful aliens built all those things as a prank with a payoff that would take millennia to eventuate.

I can see it now. They show up for First Contact, and they’re all:

“Surprise, motherfuckers! We built the pyramids! Take that, humans!”

#original fiction #humor #humour #satire #musings

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truckreincarnation · 6 months

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Mayhem | Nao | Trial 3.2 | Re: Theophania, Shin, Avery, Bian <3

The accusation from Bian is unexpected, yes, but the blush on Nao's face makes it clear it's rather welcome right now.

It's not as though Nao was lying when she had said she wanted to try to patch things up with Harriet. That being said... Well, it was still very satisfying to see Harriet in the position she tried to force Nao into last time. Who was hiding in a room now, invisible and near a corpse? Who waited for the others to rejoin?

It scratches a small, bruising itch that had been tormenting Nao, not bothering to hide a small smile as her eyes move to Harriet.

(And yet, a new one opens. So suddenly it was okay to use character testimony and not just evidence? Now it was simply acceptable to say "well they wouldn't do that", and have things wrapped up nicely with a little bow? Where was that last time, huh?)

And yet, Theophania's words trigger an instant switch, eyes glued to her and her alone. Nao doesn't bother to hide her rage - a polite smile instead of the genuine one, a dead look to her eyes. Her head tilts, as though trying to scan Theophania for any little fault.

“... Ms. Theophania, please tell me you’re trying to tell the world’s worst joke.”

There’s a hint of genuine anger, genuine judgment, that sinks through the usual dead tone.

“Mr. Shin reported that the first time Frank was hurt was at 10:14 PM. I do believe that was during the time when Bian was with me, something you’ve clearly acknowledged as being true.”

The smile on Nao’s face grows. Anger has to go somewhere - and Nao’s opinion of Theophania isn’t solid enough that she’s an exception towards that cold, cruel wrath.

“We can walk through your whole theory though, since I’d rather like my girlfriend to not be suspected. Since we’ve all generously decided to accept character testimony this trial, I have to ask: can you really see Bian going to target Frank of all people? I can’t, and since you’ve all testified to Harriet’s character, knocking her off the list… Well, I should do the same.”

Nao lets out a small, bitter laugh, but she refuses to go too off-track right now. Some pettiness is fine, but derailing the trial over it? That’d be less than ideal.

“The Bian at the Smithy cannot be a mimic. We have a solid way to prove this, outside of mimics' general erratic behavior. Recall who brought up the alibi first: Bian. If Bian didn’t have an opportunity to talk to Mr. Shin beforehand, which I believe she did not, then Bian could only claim she saw him if she was the one present. After all, I believe we’ve established that mimics do not transfer sensory information to the caster.”

Nao shrugs.

“I suppose we could assume she ran to the Smithy after… but she’d still need to go to the storage room for this to work for you. Additionally, if you’ll recall Mr. Shin’s testimony, Mr. Shin stopped getting alerts after he saw Bian - meaning Frank was still being hurt or being registered as in pain while Mr. Shin saw Bian. I believe Bian testified that it was around 10:25 PM, if I remember right. I fail to see how that indicates Bian’s guilt.”

There’s a slight pause, then a somewhat amused chuckle as Nao remembers something else.

“Also, Mr. Shin testified he told Bian about the bond, if I’m not mistaken. So I believe that should settle it, unless you'd like to spout more theories I can debunk.”

Those eyes still don’t leave, more interested in settling a score than they were seeking the truth...

Except Avery, somebody they'd consider a friend, requests their help. The anger remains - and her mind already races ahead - but she figures she can comply.

"The answer is rather simple: I still am thinking of the last trial. Really, it's so easy to simply claim magic can do something, isn't it? With so many abilities. And I had no way of knowing that was the real Manami - I wanted to make sure it wasn't a mimic."

The pettiness from last trial remains strong, Nao clearly still not over what had happened.

"I wanted Manami to be able to claim she saw me first, that's all. She did. It's rather nice having somebody so simply and cleanly backing me and my alibi. Charming, really. I saw Manami behind me on the stairs, and arrived at the dorm hall at 10:25 PM.

There's a pause, and then Nao chuckles again.

"Ah, but I didn't hear her speak, did I? I suppose there's always the possibility she was a mimic."

...Very petty.

#Nao #ch3 #trial3 #submission

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rosefeirie · 7 months

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☼☾ ( alex fitzalan. he/him. cis-man. ) The courts of veritas welcome ELIJAH FINCH! it’s been said that the 21 year old WIXEN is known to be ASTUTE and PERCEPTIVE but he’s also INTROVERTED and CYNICAL. When FINCH isn’t working as a MECHANIC, he can be found READING IN THE EVERMORE LIBRARY. If you visit his home in RAVENWYCK, it may remind you of FRESH MOSS, THE SCENT OF THE DAMP FOREST FLOOR, ORNATE TAROT CARDS STACKED ON A SMALL BROKEN NIGHTSTAND, STRIPPED COTTON SHEETS AND DIRTY CONVERSE BY THE DOOR. He may be your best friend or your greatest enemy. ☾☼

TW: PHYSICAL ABUSE + MENTIONS OF BLOOD

BASICS:

FULL NAME: ELIJAH FINCH

NICKNAME(S): ELI, FINCH, THE MAGICIAN

ETHNICITY: WHITE

NATIONALITY: AMERICAN

BIRTHDAY: JULY 8TH

AGE: 21

SPECIES: WIXEN

BELONGS TO: RAVENWYCK 📍

EDUCATION: GRADUATED FROM PUBLIC SCHOOL AT THE TOP OF HIS CLASS, EVEN GOT INTO HARVARD UNIVERSITY BEFORE DROPPING OUT.

OCCUPATION: MECHANIC

WRITTEN AESTHETICS: MOTOR OIL UNDER YOUR NAILS, SKIN STRETCHED OVER THIN BONES, QUICK TO BLEED, SLOW TO HEAL, ANGER; QUIET AND FEVERENT.

FAMILY TREE:

MOTHER: LAUREN FINCH [ HUMAN ]

FATHER: ROBERT FINCH [ HUMAN ]

APPEARANCE:

Finch is 5'10, right handed, has hair and matching eyes the color of dirt. He's fair skinned, on the thinner size, and has an overall delicate look about him. He's pretty, stupid pretty, but where he's from, that's not a good thing. His features mirror his mother more than his father's, a fact he is often grateful for.

He has several scars all over his chest and back from years of abuse at the hands of his father. He also lost hearing in his left ear due to the last time his father and him got into it. The loss of his hearing is the exact reason he ran away from home.

SUPERNATRUAL ABILITIES:

Finch wasn't always aware of his magical abilities. Often when unexplainable things occurred, he'd chalk it up to a coincidence or on one of the many concussions he suffered. He explained things away because he couldn't afford to be anything more or anything less than Elijah Finch. Not if he wanted a full-ride to Harvard, not if he wanted out of his town and away from his father's abusive hands.

But sometimes things don't work out the way you think they should. The last night he'd spent at home something strange happened. His father found out about Finch working at the local mechanic shop and began ripping into him for withholding funds from him. Robert Finch was an ugly man, a cruel creature who knew only anger and violence. Finch knew this, he understood it as his father threw the first punch. He knew it as he fell to his knees, he knew it as foot met chest and ribs and arms covering precious real estate. So Finch begged, not to his father, but to the universe, to free him, to make him strong, to make him something other than Elijah Finch and in return he'd give the powers that be anything they wanted of him.

Maybe it was his blood, maybe it was his resolve to survive, maybe it was the universe apologizing for all those years they ignored his pleas but they finally answered his call.

He thought: get him off me. The large oak tree near his childhood home erupted with sound as its branches swung down to throw Robert Finch off of him. The last thing he remembered was his mother's scream, the pale lights of red and blue coming down from a far distance before he blacked out completely.

He was a man of science first, always had been, but he could not deny the world any longer. He wasn't just Elijah Finch anymore. He was something else. He finished high school, went to school for biology and went to work on discovering who he'd become that night. When he realized the answers couldn't be found in the halls of Harvard he went looking elsewhere, until he heard whispers of some self-contained island that had a population of people just like him.

While in Veritas, Finch learned he had the ability to communicate and control the nature around him. He has limits, like he can't force it to rain when the sun is shining but he can speak to the trees. He can hear the secrets that travel in the sigh of the wind, the whisper in the rivers and natural running waters. he still however, has no idea who gifted him these powers to begin with.

Finch has a fondness for Tarot cards. He might not know who or what he sold himself to but at the very least he can communicate with them through his cards. He has a particularly ornate set of cards, flecked with gold and pinks and lovely shades of green and blue.

Eli is generally a wary person. When confronted with the supernatural he has a normal level of fear for all of them. He has a particular distaste for those who use their compulsion without remorse or empathy.

Finch is not and has never been a fighter. Ever.

PERSONALITY:

Finch is realistic, intelligent, observant, and on occasion thoughtful but he's also quite cynical, lacks trust in others, and has an overall melancholic aura about him. He's a lonely person, even when surrounded by people, he feels otherly. The difference is self-imposed but he doesn't make any moves to change that.

FAMILY:

Finch hasn't spoken to his mother since he pressed charges against his father. Unfortunately due to his father having unexplainable injuries Finch was forced to drop them. He moved into a shitty apartment in town while he finished out high school. He's quite poor and incredibly embarrassed about it but he made do. He got out and under his own terms. He doesn't have any other family that he knows of.

The Q's + A's:

Finch was born in Culpeper, Virginia. He was raised in a double wide trailer in an un-incorporated community on the outskirts of Culpeper. He moved to Veritas to learn more about his abilities at the age of eighteen. There's nothing outside of this island that he misses but he does often wonder if his mother thinks of him from time to time.

Finch likes to see the different species intermingling. It gives him hope that in the future maybe he too could be a part of their community.

Every human he's ever come across has only ever caused him pain or turned a blind eye to his agony. He does not like nor trust them.

He's had crushes on girls in grade school and all the way through to college but he's never imagined kissing them or doing anything else with them. He wonders why. He wonders if that will change.

CONNECTIONS:

Finch keeps to himself most of the time. He's socially awkward with people his age especially. He makes good friends with those older than him, especially other Wixens.

KIAN RAINIER [ BEST FRIEND ]

EASTON ALLEN [ FRIEND ]

TBA

pinterest. spotify.

#vih.intro #[ muses--; ]#[ elijah finch; biography ]

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willowdied · 1 year

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@firemourn confesses “ i miss you. i know i’m not supposed to, but. i just had to see you. ” - and a strange feeling fills astrid becke's chest.

strange could be used to describe almost everything around astrid, she supposes. she is no stranger to strange things and has not been for some time. it came with her job, strange magic, strange issues, strange world that she lived in and for so long she could only react to it with a blank face and a clear head. now she has no expectation, and now everything she had spent years and years planning and preparing for is for not, and it is supposed to be a good thing. she knows that she is supposed to relax and yet she can't. she knows that eadwulf, that these people surrounded by caleb must think her and her unease the strangest thing of all the things these last few days have brought them, she finds their own ease the same. nothing, though, is stranger than caleb's words.

they come in a moment of quiet, in a moment of nothing else where they find themselves alone and despite herself, astrid looks at him with a certain hint of softness and tenderness that she knew only him and eadwulf might know. i miss you. i have missed you. they seem to say, looking with his for a moment before she tears them away and lets herself smile, a small thing, a tired thing as she leans on the wall behind her.

" do we have things that we are and are not supposed to do anymore? " there's a little tease in her voice as she looks at him again, an analyzing glance, trying to figure out how he was without asking -- an impossible task made even more impossible by the cruel twist of time but she tries oh she tries. " you are always welcome to see me. " she assures firstly before continuing. " i will confess to you have so much i want to say and ask about that the words seem to have eclipsed my mind. " which is not something she willing would ever admit to.

-she settles instead, an amusingly simple question. " how are you? "

#consider? trials?#or slightly pre-trials OR OR them at the clay's taking a break from going over Info #anyhow. i have a lot of emotions about them #( CALEB ~~~ firemourn )#( astrid ~ interactions )

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hwandorp · 2 years

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𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖎𝖘𝖑𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖔𝖋 𝖍𝖜𝖆𝖓𝖌𝖒𝖚𝖓 𝖈𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖘 𝖋𝖔𝖗

HYUN NARI ( she/her ), a 22 year old JUNIOR witch seeking a degree in CARE OF MAGICAL CREATURES and minor in CREATIVE WRITING as a member of the CHEONGRYONG house, the institute of hwando welcomes you with open arms and hopes that you will find nothing but safety and a place to call home on this island full of boundless magic.

extracurricular: cheongryong quidditch beater, the wicker, drama club

triggers. implied child neglect, child abuse.

QUESTIONNAIRE

what is your muse’s favorite spell and why?

the wand-lighting charm; lumos.

nari have always hated the darkness, it reminded her far too much of her childhood when she was still anatasia heo back then. imprisoned in a dark room for god knows how long by her own father as a punishment for whatever misdeeds she had been accused of, leaving her all alone in the dark as she begged and cried to be let out.

oftentimes when a room felt too quiet, surrounded by darkness, nari felt as if the walls were closing in on her. it made her feel that her worst nightmares would come to life, clawing their way out from the darkest corners. perhaps she was being a tad bit dramatic, but nari couldn't help it. the dark had always held her worst memories and paranoia usually crept onto her. sometimes, it even echoes.

so its no wonder her favourite spell would be the wand-lighting charm. a simple yet effective charm that illuminated the tip of a wand, allowing the caster to see in the dark. and for nari who's always been afraid of the dark, the spell would be her greatest comfort as it reminded her that even in the dark, there'll still be light.

what do you think is your best and worst trait?

she is kind. even when the world is cruel.

the world is never kind, nor will it ever be. nari herself had learnt that lesson at a young age, an age where no children should be learning the grotesque cruelty of reality. however, even the world is cruel, it doesn't mean the people should be. and nari carries that thought wherever she goes.

kindness shouldn't be seen as a sign of weakness nor should it ever be. whenever the world grows to become more cruel than ever, people's devotion to kindness will always be tested. but for someone to give someone a helping hand, whether it be nurture or consolation, whether it be big or small, it is simply a testament of their strength and character.

perhaps some people may thought she was being ridiculous for her still having compassion when life had taken so much from her, they say her kindness is merely facade when that couldn't be more far from the truth. she is simply kind because she wants to be, as nari've always valued on giving others the helping hand they need and being generous in every action she takes because it was kindness in the first place that saved herself from living a life filled with misery, and so she sought out to give others the generosity she was given whenever she goes.

she's insecure. often doubting her own self worth.

doubts has been her loyal companion for as long as she remembered. they've always festered in her mind; hiding, waiting for the right moment to crawl out—to make her questions everything and anything about herself and her own. and hyun nari herself had always been her own harshest critic.

is she pretty enough? is she smart enough? is her magic good enough? can her grades be better? does she have to be better? how can she be better? is she ever enough in the first place?

nari doesn't knows, and probably will never.

she lies. sometimes too much.

lying comes too naturally for hyun nari and she absolutely detests it. it stands as a reminder to her that a part of her is still her father's daughter, and no matter how much she wants to deny it, it was still his filthy blood that flows in her veins by the end of the day.

she can't help it, of course. in a twisted sense of the world, lying became her armour. it protected her more than anything in the world. from getting the burnt of her father's rage, from getting taken advantage of her desperation, from getting exploited by the rest with her own emotions. lying helped her more than being honest would. but of course, she isn't made out of stone; with her still feeling the sting of her guilt, gnawing onto her fragile heart every time a lie falls from her rose petal lips.

if your muse had to choose only one between having wealth, happiness or power, which would they choose? why?

nari seen it herself how people would go mad for power. the prominent example of her father being drove to insanity as he indulged in his desires for control and became completely absorbed by his quests for power. all to the point he became insane enough to do the unthinkable; using his own child, his own flesh and blood— her, as a means of actions for the greater good he desired, making her his living puppet to experiment on.

she seen it herself how abundance of wealth is practically nothing when it wouldn't satisfy others. she seen her family members before her treating the luxuries around them as if they were mere toys and were useless nonsense, taking their wealth for granted as they lived and breathe into their materialistics things without a second thought.

she rather choose happiness. she knew happiness, thankfully for once and loved every bit of it. the pleasure of feeling such joy and glee even with the most simplest of things were just immeasurable and nari would do anything to experience such feelings again. so hyun nari would rather choose happiness because what's the point of having power and wealth if you're nothing more but an hollow, empty shell?

what’s been the biggest challenge in your life and how did you deal with it?

the biggest challenge in her life would be trying to move on from the past.

she has always been haunted by memories. memories of a girl that was buried six feet underneath; the fragile little girl she used to be, who used to be her father's living toy, his puppet he aimed to use in his conquests for power.

scar and bruises, they've imprinted on her from the moment she could formulated a single thought— the everlasting mementos of her overcoming every punishment she had to endured along the countless experiments she had to go through, painting every inch of her porcelain-like skin. the pulsing testaments of her own endurance over each and every torture he'll conjured against her all in the name of the greater good he believed in.

it doesn't matter that her father is gone, imprisoned in azkaban forever for his crimes, that she's safe now and no longer has to worry for her own life. a part of her is always gripped by the fear that one day, he'll come and get her. it makes her feel too enervated, it sickens her, it plagued her. and all she wants to do, is to simply forget and move on.

how did she dealt with it? by making new memories; happier ones to remember instead, and locking the old away with the intent of forgetting them forever.

her grandmother chastising her to fix her posture, her mother whispering sweet nothings into her ears, her grandmother's nagging her on being a proper lady, the warmth that came from her fingers being intertwined along with her mother's, the airy giggles that surrounded her group of friends as they joked on and on, the warm atmosphere at dinner table with laughter surrounding them, the awe she always experienced from seeing mythical beasts right before her eyes.

all these memories she cherished will be the memories that'll replace the ones that continuously plagued her mind. the venomous words that slither off her father's tongue, the color red that always adorned her skin, along with a purple tint, the colors of his imprints. his cold stares directed at her as she sits by the end of dinner table, far away from the people who she was supposed to call them her family. the pity she sees in her older siblings' eyes, cementing the fact they can't do anything to help her and that she wasn't ever going to be apart of their family, as long as their father would have it.

does it ever work? no, but it will one day. she just have to keep trying and trying until it does.

if your muse had to live as an animal for a whole day, what would it be and why?

if one must truly live as an animal for a whole day, nari thought that it would be nice to be like the animal of her patronus; like a doe. specifically, like the one or two deers that can be found around the gwangseon forest.

they've always seem so mystical even despite them being just ordinary creatures. with the canopy of sunlight reflecting off the doe, like a blade of grass in morning— it was almost as if the animal came straight out of a fairytale story. and for a vivid lover of fairytales and the myths, nari wouldn't think of complaining about a single thing if anyone told her she came out of a fairytale.

what would your muse be remembered by if there was only one thing that could define their entire life?

if there was one thing that nari would like to be remembered by, the one thing that could define her entire life; it would her love and compassion for magical beasts. she's always been so fascinated by them, ever since her mother took her to visit the silheungdo research facility where she worked as a researcher after her retirement from being an auror. she was in absolute awe of the magical beasts and immediately developed an interest in them after experiencing various encounters with them at the facility and immediately want to know more. with her admiration and passion over magical creatures growing day by day, she decided she wanted to become a magizoologist or either a researcher like her mother at silheungdo research facility where she hoped to worked to study as well as improving the conditions of the environment for magical beasts so they can thrive.

OTHER DETAILS

wand details: 11", quite flexible, applewood, phoenix feather core. patronus details: doe.

boggart details: her boggart takes shape of her biological father, with crazed look in his eyes with his hand reaching out as if wanting to grab her.

schooling prior to hwando: japan, mahoutokoro academy of magic.

housing: sapphire dorm, ROOM 2A

#hwnfollow #hwn:cheongryong #hwn:undergrad

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