#but this freaked me out at how accurate certain aspects were

[krenenbaker]

Ikepri Opinions - Sariel's route (Romantic)

Well, I finished it. I'm finished with Sariel's Romantic route, so I'm finally making an individual post to SCREAM about this man.

It was INTENSE. It BROKE me, then it made me whole once more (in a very different way than the other aspects of his route, though it's also accurate to say those destroyed me as well. I'm so similar to how Belle is written in his route, too... so I felt especially connected / drawn into what happened.)

The good and the bad, the softness and the cruelty, the light and the dark... everything in Sariel's route slowly snaked its way around my very being. I do think Auburn was right... I believe I've found him, my dearest man ♥

And gosh, the language in this story?? Absolutely GORGEOUS. I've added some of my favourite lines - both the beautiful and amusing - below ^_^ (they're out of context, but still, spoiler warning if you continue). Under the cut are the most spoiler-y things and lines from the Romantic epilogue, as well as my opinions on the events of the story, so... yeah. I've italicized my absolute faves :)

SPOILER WARNING!

Once upon a time, or so the story goes...

In every story I'd ever read, taking a devil by the hand and agreeing to his terms meant losing one's soul forever. Once you'd accepted whatever the devil offered you, you were doomed.

Sariel: Goodness me, did I accidentally speak my mind? I can't imagine how that happened.

Nokto: You're getting more and more Sariel-esque by the day.

Yves: Would you two stop with the over-apologizing already! (this one I will give a little context - it was directed to Keith and Emma. I also relate to this INTENSELY.)

He hadn't just stood up to them — he'd countered them with a violence far exceeding their own, turning predators into prey.

It's a longing... a desire to be there for you, to support you and keep you grounded.

There's no point thinking about what-ifs or maybes. They don't actually help anyone. All I can do is accept the reality I'm faced with, whether it's good or bad, kind or cruel.

Sariel: Once something is lost, there is no bringing it back.

Rio: Instead she went and threw herself into her work, obsessively determined to do anything and everything. (me fr, haha...)

Jin: Your apprentice is a terrifying woman. She's terrifying and brilliant, and as her master, I bet you know what she's planning next, right?

A gloved hand reached towards the woman, and her lips parted, but her scream caught in her throat, forever unvoiced.

I wanted to know the real you. I wanted to get past everything you were using to push me away, and get close to the man you are, deep inside.

Silvio: So go vanish somewhere else.

Silvio: Let me explain this in a way even a peace freak like you can understand.

That wasn't me signing a deal with the devil - that was the devil signing a deal with me.

it looked for all the world as if he [was] about to sacrifice himself in the fires of hell.

It wasn't a deal at all — it was a gentle promise, given to a dying king, a promise so pure and noble it made me want to cry.

Yves: Even I can tell that you're planning something, even if I don't know what. And I get it, but— Why are you and Sariel both so determined to rush headlong into these things all by yourselves! (ME FR ^^;)

Sariel: In all other matters, you are a brilliant woman, but I am somewhat concerned by your choice to stay with me.

The only people who knew that for certain were the man who'd eradicated him, and the man who'd banished him, knowing it would happen.

Sariel: So tell me, do you have what it takes to go on dancing with the devil, now and forevermore?

Yves: And ever since Emma officially became Sariel's apprentice, it's almost like there's two Sariels in the palace.

Sariel: I've grown quite fond of tea since you started brewing it for me while we're working.

His hair was slightly damp, and he smelled of the same soap I'd used earlier, and suddenly I was imagining how he might have looked washing himself with it.

Okay, now for my THOUGHTS. First off... OH MY GOODNESS. The tension - intrapersonally, interpersonally, nationally, and internationally is so deliciously palpable and so strong. The fact that multiple people were so near to being executed or dying in other ways, the amount of national unrest, and the legitimate, imminent risk of Rhodolite simply no longer existing due to multiple foreign powers... that's good stuff, there! And the acknowledgement of other, distant countries??? OH HELL YEAH!!!

I also related HEAVILY with Belle/Emma in this route (and Sariel himself, in many, many ways, too). I was following a walkthrough, but every choice with the exception of maybe one or two is exactly how I would approach each situation. Even much of the phrasing is how I often speak... it was honestly a little eerie!

And I agree with the choice of king, considering how the issues surrounding the kingdom resolved. I believe that that choice will lead to prosperity for Rhodolite, and the surrounding nations. And the fact that summits are planned for the future between Rhodolite and its neighbours is a FANTASTIC thing! I also am so glad that there's now a new minister in the palace... especially one that's been trained so well! ^w^

I also appreciate how there are still things to learn about Sariel by the end of the route - he's familiar but still distant, in the same way that Emma is. It's honestly nice to know that they still have things to learn from one another, and are working together to open up to each other over time. Sariel's relaxed, and helped Emma to relax, too. They've given each other stability and comfort, a sense of belonging and home... a support so they have each other to lean on and share their burdens. They've provided exactly what the other needs, in a quiet way. And I find that extremely comforting, and beautiful in such a deep way.

And outside of the narrative, I just adore Sariel's character. He's polite and well-mannered, but an absolute tease. He's reserved, and clever, and resourceful. He's violent, but gorgeously composed and calculated in his brutality (HIS SCARS, OMGG). He's mysterious, and has grown and shifted, and bettered himself so many different times and different ways. He's strict, but he is so, so kind. Kind to the point of self-destruction. And he's just ethereally beautiful. I truly, honestly, and deeply love him.

I can not believe I've come to the end of his route... I honestly don't want to leave him :( I may just start his route over again immediately and read the Dramatic end, or I may just wait for Keith's route to release, and focus on events until then... I haven't decided yet. But there is one thing I have decided for certain: Sariel Noir is very dear to me ♥

#krenenbaker's :) #ikepri opinions #tl; dr - I love Sariel. I relate to both Sariel and Emma. I love their dynamic and how the story proceeded AND concluded. I love Sariel Noi #this story has me in a chokehold and I won't be getting it off my mind for a very long time #I have become mush. a purple blob. I've been shattered and reformed by this man #hmm... let's take another look at my favourite characters. (just not too close a look. #there's definitely some sort of psychoanalysis that could be done... but shh... we won't talk about that 'kay? ♡) #actually... this is kind of another instance of me going: ''Hey! That character is like me in xyz ways! You're my fave now ♡'' #ANYWAYS... I just love Sariel so much ♥︎

[youabandonedthem]

hi i’m writing a spades slick fancomic and stumbled across your blog and it is so freaking fascinating to me. i thought i had a pretty good understanding of slick as a character but ur stuff makes me feel like a dumb doodoo baby… . i was wondering what u think when you see that kind of non-headcanony fan creation where the fan clearly has a passion and believes themselves to Get the character they’re creating about but also manages to miss or ignore clear aspects of them?

hello. i am interested in seeing your comic maybe you can share it. i have been thinking of your question but I need to say first that idk why you are so intent on getting my opinion about this i don’t think it’s something that should really matter so much for you especially on this topic... as in you shouldnt really CARE about character opinions you disagree with from people you don’t know. I see a lot of people who i would say that description applies to. but the thing with being part of large online fanbases is that a large amount of people are probably going to think this description applies to each other anyway regardless of anyones attention to base lore. if we go back to the core this is really all about worldviews and the lens with which we view AND comprehend the base material as well as the context with which it was made... it goes like this for everyone: we read the comic and understand/digest it and then regurgitate the characters and extrapolate their behaviour for new and different circumstances to make new stories. -> the ART of creation. and some people have varying levels that they comprehend the base... and will spit characters back out in a way that makes sense to THEM and THEIR world view rather than an objective one. or even wilful ignorance and lack of acknowledgment that a character is 3 dimensional. and in doing so they can completely miss the point of why that character acts the way they do and does certain things and on a greater level why they were written that way (eg hussie is essentially a frat boy who wrote in certain things because he thought it would be funny for a joke and it does not often go much deeper) ..and how their actions may simply serve as puppetry for a narrative/agenda. And failure to take that and other factors into consideration lead to viewing the story/characters exclusively through one’s own modern lens, on a surface level, and subsequently making conclusions about a character that ultimately wouldnt make much sense unless they were to live in that specific person’s world and share that person’s worldview by leading their same life. which they can’t because they live in their own fictional world and most likely do not have much at all in common with you. and any traits they DO have in common are treated/influenced according to their own society..especially self identification of their own traits and feelings.

On a wider scale this is a concept that can apply to everything for how you can try to understand others’ points of views in a given situation.. and this is about people who have not learned how to detach themselves from their own lenses especially when it comes to fiction. some people do NOT display evidence of this skill. As such this is how war occurs because obviously when perceiving a work one way and creating things for it like that then you are arguing your view is the most accurate. and when you see people who create completely contrasting things because of their different views they will look utterly insane to you. and to those people YOU are the one who is utterly insane. and it doesnt matter who’s the one who comprehends the base material more accurately because you cannot change the world views and perceptions of others. you cannot convert them or force people to understand what they will not understand because it is just not their world. you have to mind your own crops in your own field and no one is attacking you with acid.. (Unless there are stupid people who instigate wars over meaningless basura) you have your own corner it is ok to leave other areas alone and allow people who understand to come to you instead. and if you truly want to hate then hate in moderation..do not let it consume much of your time merely a few minutes of logical discussion... and do it IN PRIVATE. obviously shifts of worldview (but not wavelength) are possible but some people become confronted with things they do not understand and they believe hate is the answer and they like to jump to conclusions. they fail to see what is clearly in front of them just because they dont personally like it. For example seeing character analyses/essays that are lovingly written and even research backed yet contain (tagged) uncensored explicit material because life is explicit. and then assuming it’s fetish material or some kind of projection. it is always one of the two they accuse you of like they are under the impression that meaningful and emotionally inspired art cannot deliberately exist. it has to completely and utterly be a reflection on YOU. of corpse all art does reflect on the artist in SOME way and it’s impossible for it not to this is what makes everyones work unique... and it is also awesome to make (well characterised) fan material that is inspired by your own life events. but they don’t understand and dismiss all existent emotional pieces as vent art .

If you agree and like to read interviews there is one my buddy shared that is so true and has a whole point about it. >> link << (richard siken) and another one from my other buddy mentioning this too.. >> mitski interview <<  Shoutout to my buddies

Additionally a wise man said, if anyone is talking about you like that  that means you are on their radar in the first place. More of a compliment...and long story short, it is always good to know somebody is talking about you Whether inferior, or superior. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_j1fiLF3D4 But anyway the total and willful lack (of understanding) is all because of JENKINS. (the one who takes away). in a world once thriving full of natural materials and in minds that have the power to comprehend others with compassion. when this is all taken away it is the clear work of jenkins. When people are regurgitating completely meaningless jokes because they have to talk exactly like their friend groups in fear of being seen as the ‘weird’ ones .. when they repeat memeified words in contexts that make no sense and have no original way of speaking. This is the impact of jenkins and when someone regards you with this complete failure to see and this lack of willingness to accept. this is the jenkins stare

Umm... that’s all God Speed doo do baby