#crystals to spell bad atmosphere

[hallow-witxh]

Beginner Witch Tips - Kitchen Witch Edition

The oven can be your hearth. If a spell or ritual requires a hearth, your stove is just that. That being said, do not set anything on fire in your oven. Bad! No!

You don't need separate kitchen and altar herbs, although it is handy.

Some crystals can be used in kitchen magic, but I don't recommend putting them in or on anything other than a crystal on top of firm dough as it rests/rises. Secure crystals onto mixing equipment or spoons, or forgo using them at all.

Listen to witchy music as you cook or bake. I promise atmosphere is almost everything! It helps me focus. I recommend Peter Gundry.

While pets are cute and certainly carry spiritual energy with them, try to keep them out of the kitchen while you cook, especially if you have a certain intention you're trying to carry into your food. Their presence can distract you, throw off the energy you have accumulated, or otherwise disrupt the process. Once you're more confident with your kitchen witchery, their presence won't be such a big deal.

Take your time. It's okay. Sometimes it takes a while to truly clock into your spiritual energy while you're actively moving about and busy working, especially if you're used to practicing while sitting or standing in one spot. Remember - energy flows with you, not just around you.

Start small. Start with something simple like pancakes. For example: add a dash of vanilla to your pre-made batter mix to invoke self-love.

Write down things as you continue to work. Document what you're comfortable with, what you feel like you're good at, your project, and everything you feel you might want to. As you continue to work on that journal, you can go back and see how you've progressed!

Happy baking! Remember, your mood affects your project; negative emotions = negative influence.

As always, blessed be <3

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#in the witches book #pagan #paganism #pagan witch #kitchen witch #witch community #witchcraft #witchcraft 101 #witch #witchy things #beginner witch #spellwork #spirituality #witch tricks #grimoire #green witch #green magic #spells #simple spells #witchy #witchery #baby witch #witchblr #broom closet #closet witch #witch tips #magic #magick #herbal magick #witches of tumblr

[aesethewitch]

Personal Protection: Surviving the Holidays

I'm of the opinion that far too many people around this time of year are fucking around, and it's high time they get to the finding out part. With major holidays right around the corner, many of us will be facing relatives we'd rather not see, parties we'd rather not go to, and conversations we'd rather avoid or exit as soon as possible. Political spats, unwanted opinions, snide remarks -- I believe that what you give out, you ought to receive back.

So, obviously, let's do some magic about it.

There are three main components to my method:

The Bubble;

The Quills; and

The Shake

The Bubble

Exactly what it sounds like, "the bubble" is the outermost layer of protection around you. It's the barrier between you and the unpleasantness you're trying to keep out.

The bubble can be one item carried or worn (such as a hat, crystal, or charm), or it can be multiple. I usually spring for two items, one to absorb/recycle and one to bounce/return to sender.

Absorb:

I've got a relative who is, at their essence, a fucking downer. That would be fine if not for the fact that if they're having a bad time or are mildly uncomfortable, it's about to be everyone's problem. This kind of negativity is something to absorb, not bounce. Sending it back would only double their misery, and that's no good for anyone.

So, instead, I have a special charm that I make for occasions when I know they're going to be around. It consists of a little piece of sponge that's sat in salt for a while atop a transformative sigil. The sponge, once fully charged and ready, will absorb the negative energy and recycle it into more positive feelings.

This means that their negativity won't impact me at all, and I actively improve the atmosphere. Their bad attitude can't do anything if everyone around us is only getting good vibes. The charm is powered by the exchange of negative to positive energy, so it requires no charging. However, it's smart to discard the sponge once it's done its job.

Bounce:

But sometimes, somebody's got to face real consequences. There are some things I don't want to deal with at all. Like gross political opinions from my conservative, religious family members. Or questions about having children.

The idea of the bounce is to reflect things before they reach me. It's a sort of glamor spell that projects an aura of "don't bother." It essentially lets me be passed over for conversations I want to leave or avoid entirely by bouncing attention away from me.

Negative energy, bad vibes, whatever you want to call it -- the goal is to return it to where it's coming from. Someone who's being an asshole will feel like an asshole. If it works right, they'll stop talking altogether because they're so irritated with what they're saying. I've had aggressive, vocal relatives go completely silent because they were receiving their own rancid energy back to themselves instead of the attention they were hoping for.

For me, this spell takes the form of a charm on my keys. It's a form of an evil eye charm -- not the blue-eyed stare you most likely think of, but another symbol meant to distract attention from me to it. It's a little pewter casting of the fig sign, an old and obscene gesture. It works on malevolent spirits best, but it does a great job of repelling unfortunate people, too. It bounces their nonsense back to themselves, often causing confusion, which forces them to reconsider what they're saying.

Again, this lives on my keys, which live in a key bowl when they're not clipped to my pocket or belt loop. The key bowl has a multi-purpose charging setup for the keys, my wallet, and other assorted charms I might wear when I go out.

The Quills

Sometimes, things get past our main line of defenses. That's fine, it happens. But under these circumstances, it happens because someone has deliberately crossed a line. So now, they get the quills.

When I say "the quills," you should be picturing something like a porcupine. Adorable, yes, but fuck with it at your own risk. Those quills aren't just for show, and neither should yours be. This is your second line of defense, and it's where we turn to offense.

Accordingly, the quills aren't passive spells like the bubble. These require conscious activation and direction to give you maximum control over their output. You can make your quills passive, but I often find that baneful workings work best when you're specifically choosing to use them.

Yes, baneful, and let me be perfectly clear: The goal is to harm whoever's crossed the line. You're not just returning to sender. You're catching what they've thrown at you, lighting it on fire, and pitching it back at full force.

To that end, there are two approaches I typically take (and are you sensing a pattern? I like to do things in twos). One spell to sharpen the tongue and give as good as I've gotten, and one to induce the smallest of lingering curses on the target.

Sharpen

The whole point of the quills is to make yourself an inconvenient, difficult target. Part of being difficult to swallow is not going down easily. Often, the answer is to avoid the conversation or problem altogether, but it isn't always possible. Or satisfying.

Sometimes, you gotta take a bitch down.

For me, this charm needs to do two things. It should boost my confidence in standing my ground and add some oomph to my argument. I have a pin with a particular design on it charmed for this purpose. The needle operates as the quill for stabbing (the oomph), and the design provides the confidence. Anointed with my Fuck Off Oil and laid in a dish of salt, garlic, and red chili flakes, the pin becomes extra spicy and effective.

This one has to be recharged each time it's used. It always lives on the same jacket, but I'll anoint it regularly to keep it fresh. If I use the charm on someone, I'll take the pin off at the end of the night and set it in the spicy salt mixture.

Linger

By far one of the most effective methods for reducing nonsense from unpleasant people I interact with regularly is lingering consequences. When someone associates bad luck with interacting with you, even on a subconscious level, they tend to avoid you.

Consider this the "slow poison" on the quills. The goal isn't to ruin their life by any means (although, I suppose you could...). It's just to make yourself unpalatable on an instinctive level. Think of how poisonous frogs are brightly colored to display that they're, you know, deadly. That's what we're doing here.

I prefer to use something kind of dangerous. Something you can hold onto and point with is best, in my experience. I've used a broken piece of glass, a rusty nail or screw, and various thorns. Right now, I'm using one half of a rusty pair of old cooking shears. The handle broke, but the blades are still sharp as hell. Waste not, and all that.

Anoint whatever the sharp, dangerous thing is in an oil infused with herbs and spices of your choice (again, the Fuck Off Oil is a good example). Or, if you prefer, coat it in something like hot sauce, urine, rust, or other corrosive and unpleasant things. Once prepared, stow it in your bag. Or your glove box, if you drive, since this makes a nice on-the-go curse to cast at shitty drivers.

You don't need to pull it out for it to work, but if you can get to a safe, secluded space (like a bathroom), it can help you focus. When you're creating it, you should set up an activation word, phrase, or motion. I prefer a motion -- something like tapping wherever the object is, a swirling movement with my hand, and then pointing at the target.

The curse you place is up to you. I tend to go for something like feeling nauseous or getting a headache. The spell should draw a connection between them being nasty to you and the unpleasant feeling, whether overt or subconscious. They'll be more cautious and reluctant to be a dick to you afterwards.

The Shake

Like a dog. Get that shit off of yourself.

No matter how thorough you are, there are always gaps and particularly stubborn people getting into them. Something they say just sticks to you like a burr, sharp and irritating. Or depressing, maybe.

The idea behind the shake is literal. You're forcibly removing the heavy weight or annoying itch someone else has placed on you. The shake isn't necessarily an item like with the bubble and quills. It can be, but it doesn't have to be.

Essentially, the steps to the shake are:

Identify what feels bad

Shake that shit

Resume normal activities

Maybe it's the neurodivergent in me, but physical movement is incredibly soothing. Self-regulation tactics are essential for survival. Transforming that into a little spell ritual at the same time is just two birds with one stone.

When things get overwhelming or I can feel my bubble failing to keep everything out at once (such as if a fight breaks out or someone decides to go in depth about one of my triggers), I remove myself from the situation. That's the first step. Retreat to a safe place, whether that's outside, in my car, in the bathroom, or elsewhere that's quiet. The second step is to figure out where in my body the anxiety or bad feeling is sitting. Often, it's in my shoulders and hands, but sometimes it's elsewhere.

Step three is to fucking shake. Shake those hands, roll my shoulders, jump up and down. Whatever it takes. As I do, I'm forcibly dislodging everything unpleasant out of myself and into the open air. And because I've got the negativity-absorbing bubble, it'll take the bad feeling and repurpose it into something more positive. Then, once I'm better, I can go back.

Again, you don't need an object for this, but you can certainly create one. Options would be comforting items, fidget toys, or even something like a joint. Sometimes, you just gotta blow smoke about it. You know?

Fun fact, though: You could also carry a vessel to contain the Bad Feelings for later use instead of letting your bubble absorb them. This comes in handy for people who are particularly abusive... as an example of what you want them to experience under the force of a more involved cursing.

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#aese speaks #witchcraft #witchblr #practical magic #practical witchcraft #personal protection #protection magic #return to sender #energy cleansing #witchcraft 101 #witchy tips #beginner witch #spells #spell ideas

[auroradivine]

As people of the Sun y’all really be sleepin on the big homie Sol ☀️ He just be up there chillin in the sky givin us life when he could be giving your work life. Don’t get me wrong I love me some Luna. Big feminine energy 😌Ijs the moon as a anchoring symbol in spell work and ritual is so ingrained in our thinking that we tend to forget the sun's energy can be used as well. Father Sun is the natural balance to Mother Moon. If you do it in the moon you can do it in the sun. Duality 🤌🏿 Rather than offering opportunities that can take several weeks to manifest according to the moon phases…the Sun presents us with five different phases every single day and an additional phase we call a year.

🌅 Sunrise,Dawn: Infant/Child Sun– Basically when the sun wakes up and peers over the horizon. This phase is all about new beginnings, changes, health, employment, renewal, resurrection and finding the right direction. It can also be very cleansing.

☀️Morning: Adolescent Brother/Lover Sun– This is when the sun is growing in strength, so it brings the magical power for growth, positive energy, resolutions, courage, harmony, happiness, strength, activity, building projects and plans, prosperity and expansion of ideas.

🌞Noon: Father Sun – When the sun reaches its peak in the sky at midday – work magic for health, physical energy, wisdom and knowledge. It is also a good time to pop your tools or crystals out that need charging. (Note: some crystals can fade in strong sunlight so check first before putting them out).

☀️Afternoon: Sage/Warrior Sun – The sun is heading back down, and the energy now is good for working on business matters, communication, clarity, travel, exploring and anything professional.

Sunset – As the sun takes itself off down below the horizon, work magic for removing depression, stress and confusion, letting go, releasing or finding out the truth of a situation.

🌄Sunset: Grandfather/Sacrificial Sun

Because the energy of this Sun phase is much akin to that of the Waning Moon, His appearance makes it a good time to simplify or tie up loose ends, and provides the perfect atmosphere for work that involves dieting; getting rid of bad habits; and eradicating stress, confusion, and poor health. Efforts designed to uncover deception work well at this phase too, as do those related to divinatory skills and psychic activity.

And just like the moon you can charge your crystals 💎 in the afternoon sun, make sun water ✨, sun salutations 🙇🏿‍♀️ meditate 🧘🏿‍♀️ , allat.

AND! It’s almost summer time so the sun is just growing in strength so summer rituals are exceptionally powerful. Harness that Cancer ♋️ energy for love work and emotional healing , Leo ♌️ energy for fertility and business, and Virgo ♍️ to get organized and goal planning.

I also lean more towards working with the sun when the retrogrades have Lunar energy chaotic and out of whack or when I need to manifest something faster than the moon phases would allow.

Oh yea let me not forget the sun correspondences because like the moon there’s herbs, stones etc that work particular well with Solar energy

Colours: Gold, Yellow, Orange, Red

🌿 Herbs Marigold, heliotrope, sunflower, buttercup, cedar, beech, oak, St. Johnswort, bergamot

💎 Crystals Diamond, amber, carnelian, citrine, sunstone, topaz, red agate, goldstone

Metal: Gold

🗓 Weekday: Sunday

🧠 Intentions: Strength, Victory, Creativity, Growth, Love, Prosperity, Hope, Money, Exorcis

Chakras: Root, Sacral, Solar Plexus

But yea, balance out your work with some Sol ☺️

#black spirituality #black girl magic #black witches #hoodoo #black witch aesthetic #african spirituality #spirituality #voodoo #ifa #sunrise #sun #sun magic #sun witch #witches of tumblr #rootworker #conjure

[doodle-nerd]

Hey, buddy!

Have you seen the TOH finale?

What are your thoughts on it?

Hi!

Yes, I watched it yesterday and I totally love it. It was an emotional rollercoaster, I cried a few times and then smiled wide to the screen-

I totally LOVE all of the future designs DAMN LOOK AT RAINE THEY LOOK SO AWESOME (also can we talk about them and Eda switching earrings? I love that little thing). LOOK AT HUNTER AND WILLOW TOO, matching Flapjack tattoos!? I'm not crying you are-

I'll miss TOH a lot, I hope we will get some more content because it was AMAZING - story, characters and how they showed it - all of it 💜

And I could honestly go on and on for HOURS about it because there's so many little details that should be mentioned:

I loved the final fight with green and red fighting for place on the screen - these are opposing colours, which is already cool, plus, their meaning is different than usually! Green is life, peace, safety. Red is alarming, dangerous, unsafe. But here? Green is gooey evil and red is lively red grass and YOU FEEL IT INSTANTLY. Despite the usual connotations with these colours you see what's good and what's bad and I LOVE IT. Also, we have two types of light in here - glowing, cold, blue Belos' eyes and Luz's warm, yellowish light. THESE ARE OPPOSING COLOURS TOO. And forms - crystallized goo forms the sharp-edged web, triangle-based forms. Grass is soft, it doesn't have sharp edges. Same with eyes and lights - eyes have corners, somehow squeeze into the whole picture and lights just fly around freely so you can see their perfectly round shape everywhere. Awesome usage of colour theory and shapes <3 And of course I can't skip the thing that light was needed to release someone from the puppet form, right? Luz is the light. It's literally her name. Something that looked like an aesthetic thingy and the least useful spell in combat (after all, fire, ice, plants were used more often) turned out to be THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. I literally have a temptation to rewatch the whole show just to analyze the lighting in different scenes, damn.

I love how the Collector is designed, too. If it was any other villain in the world, their sudden change would feel weird and meh, but they are a KID. And they're created and presented like one. They do not understand things, they just want to play and do not get why others don't wanna. As a bullied child, who had no friends for a while, damn I understood them so well in that moment. They changed as soon as people started treating them like a child and not like an enemy. Isn't it lovely? Also, the change was SO WELL MOTIVATED. Collector didn't decide to help them because Luz died. Damn, for how long did they know each other? Probably not more than an hour, children get attached easier, but I doubt it'd be that easy. Collector just UNDERSTOOD WHAT DEATH IS IN THAT MOMENT and realized that their actions had, have and will have consequences. Again, I LOVE it.

Final scene with Belos is awesome, too. He is himself to the very end. Tries manipulating Luz after all of the stuff that already happened - showing himself in his "original" human form, pleading, making himself a victim... And then it starts raining. He is dissolved by the acid which made me literally gasp. I mean, damn, you could put it in a Disney series!? TOTALLY AWESOME. There was something sometime about witches dying from water, dissolving in it, so... This scene hit hard, had its meaning and was totally amazing and well planned.

And the final final scene in the future. I rewatched it SO. MANY. TIMES. There's so much to look at, so many actions going on in the background, daaaaamn <3 It makes me go "why couldn't we see more, stupid Disney" EVEN HARDER!!! World building is so well done and you can see it even in a little scenes like that,,, All of the characters grew and glow brightly. About glowing - THERE'S LIGHT EVERYWHERE. These scenes have lots of soft glows and lights around that are not only making the atmosphere, they have a meaning, because light, Luz, was what saved the demon realm.

I adore Hunter being a palisman maker. Literally no better job for this lovely boy. And I love that he has people that love him - Willow and Dadrius (I literally screamed when I saw Darius next to Hunter when everyone else had their reunion [and I also loved Amity-Alador reunion. With loser Odalia standing right next to them, all grumpy]). I love love loooooveeee working on a taking off sigils feat. Darius, Raine and Alador. Two ex-coven heads, who started rebellion, and amazing scientist, inventor, who learned how to choose his own way (isn't his history similar to the Amity's? Escaping Odalia's influence and getting to start new, better life...). And the best part - they finally succeeded, mixing healing magic with technology. SUPER COOL (Little Darius-Alador interaction was super cool, too, of course. Alador has NO CLUE so much- And Darius with this little chest touch and sliding away... Please we all know they're fruity don't we?). I'd love to hear more about all of the things that happened in between, when Luz was finishing school, because there's still so much possible content!

Also I cannot skip the masterpiece "they're almost gone! Say BYE!", obviously targeted to us, fans, not to Collector. But... It made me thinking. Aren't we like Collector, too? Taking the characters, placing them in the fanfics, fanarts, fancomics, aus, PLAYING WITH THEM? It probably wasn't supposed to be that deep but... In my head it became that deep LOL. So... Are we Collectors?

Okay, okay, I could analyze every single one of future designs, too, because I adore them, I could analyze Amity's designs change, gradually switching from Odalia-like to Alador-like, but I wanted to answer short and made quite an essay here already- So maybe, to summarize: I loved the finale. It was well planned and well done. It's amazing that they managed to fit it all in with limited time, without it feeling overly rushed and/or unsatisfying. I feel satisfied with the ending we got.

🍪 <- reward for reading all of this, enjoy 💜

#toh spoilers #toh finale #answer #toh

[thenightling]

Tonight (and tomorrow night) is the full blood moon.  The moon will appear to be red (or actually more pumpkin-orange) because of atmospheric conditions in many places.It is the Hunter's Moon, also sometimes called the Traveler's Moon. Because of the blood moon overlapping with the Hunter's Moon some call this the Blood Hunter's Moon or Vampire's Moon.   (Isn't that perfect for Samhain and Halloween?) If you have any spells or rituals planned in relation to travel, change, moving, or the season, now is the time to cast them.  This is supposed to be a very powerful moon and it is inducive for those who want to leave a location or bad living situation.   It is a time where the moon may aid in all efforts for change.For spells, prayer, and rituals, you always want to catch the moon while it's waxing or full.  After that, when it's waning, that's for removing spells and curses, that's the time for undoing and revoking negativity. This is a rare double blood moon.  It will also be completely full and red tomorrow night as well. Not only that but another rarity is that the next full moon after this is another blood moon.  A "Blue" (not really) blood moon on November 7th. So you have this Blood Hunters Moon (or traveler's moon) as a double moon (completely full and appearing reddish two nights in a row).  But also the following full moon after that is another blood moon, this one caused by a lunar eclipse. Watch out for werewolves. This is also a good time for charging crystals and gems and for making blessed moon water.  Just make sure to bring it in before dawn. 

#Wicca #Wiccan #Witch #Occult #Pagan #Magick

[darkpoisonouslove]

Fallen Love Chapter 1

Summary: He was a monster. He had the blood of her friends on his hands and her heart in his palms. What did that make her? Company of Light era bad ending (or should I say worse ending?).

Chapter summary: The last battle on Domino goes wrong. Very, very wrong. Griffin never finds her friends. But Valtor finds her...

Do I know how many chapters I intend this to be? Yes. Am I stupid enough to declare that number? No.

Beware! Italics abound.

Read on AO3 or FFN

The blood on her hands, only warm a moment ago, now burned. It congealed, the frost clinging to her fingers so tight it would peel her skin off upon removal. It stung to tears, or at least would have if her vision wasn’t already reduced to a blur of whites and grays by a thick water curtain.

The tears came faster than they shed, and froze on her cheeks as soon as they fell. Little drops crystallized on her lashes, weighing her down. The lump in her chest was heavier still – stuck there and clogging up her throat. It gave the daggers of cold air a bigger target to slash at to keep her staggering lungs from failing.

She sucked in a hiccuping breath. Her shoulders were shaking, her hair – streaked with melting snow. The freezing wetness of it snaked around her neck, her ears, her cheeks and forehead. Like a compress pressed in the skin of someone already cold as a corpse.

The whirling wind swept up the sopping purple locks. They whipped her across the face, their sharpened edges piercing her vulnerable skin. The chill of it all dug deep, stabbed her to the marrow, same as the howling of the blizzard boring into her unprotected ears. Infinitely worse than the crack of a broken spine or gunshots, or the deafening explosions of cursed, volatile magic.

It hardly registered at the peripheries of the cacophony in her head. It burned in her skull, her chest, trying to hollow her out, singe every bit of flesh clean off the bone, just to make enough space. Just so that she wouldn’t burst at the seams from the roaring pressure, the ache she’d been nursing for years.

The tears didn’t spring to her eyes anymore, they flooded. Her sobs tore out from her throat in senseless sputters of sound. A wail. A screech. Nothing concrete. Just everything spilling all at once – curses, apologies, pleas for her mother to come back. Come back.

She was gone.

Her murderers – too. The storm had swallowed their gurgling rasps and the crackle of magic piercing their flesh more vindictively than the chilled blades the atmosphere had sharpened into. Now the snowdrifts had obscured them from her sight too.

They could still be breathing, whining and wheezing their way through the brokenness of their bodies. They could be dragging themselves over the freezing ground, leaving blood trails in their wake. They could be pooling together the leftovers of their power to take her down and she wouldn’t sense it until it was too late.

The prickle of magic in the blizzard nagged in the back of her head, hung low in the air like a curtain of flames looming overhead, stealing her breath and suffocating the spells on her tongue before they could take the vaguest of shapes.

It didn’t matter. No dam could hold the raging torrent breaking through her skin. Raw and unbridled, it had no need for guidance, only a target. She could crush all three of them to a pulp, to a splatter of blood, to a harmless nothing.

It didn’t matter.

Metallic taste flooded her mouth where her teeth ran through the inside of her cheek. She couldn't spit. She would bite her tongue off.

She was alive.

She was alive. She was alive. She was alive. Freezing. Weeping. Shaking.

The tremble in her legs seized her attention. She wouldn’t fall if they gave out. She’d plunge to the depths of her own ocean of magic and emerge elsewhere. Somewhere she wasn’t supposed to be.

She had to find her friends, her family, the baby she’d sworn to protect. She had to find them, any of them. She had to put one foot in front of the other but her knees were buckling already. It was a challenge to turn around, away. She was failing. Not just herself, but her friends. Everyone foolish enough to count on her.

A surge of wind cleaved the air and ran her through like a derailed train. It didn’t move her an inch. The ice beneath her only wailed pitifully under the force of her heels digging in.

Neon blue light burst into her vision, leaving the thick blanket of snowfall and the hazy gray to which the horizon had been reduced in the background like outdated stage decor. Too sharp amidst the blur of soft colors, the magic swirled into a violent vortex and space split asunder for the opening portal.

Her heart drummed. Her teeth drove through her lower lip. The curtain of tears only parted further instead of closing up. Her eyes drank him in, certainly glistening with pure greed.

His hair billowed behind him like sunlight piercing through the pitch-black clouds. The whisper of magic surrounding him like a halo imbued heat in the atmosphere, brought life into it, gave it a pulse. He was like a beacon, a pyre among a sea of long-snuffed-out candles. He’d always been, his unparalleled power impossible to miss as it carried into the atmosphere, far away from his location in all directions.

He’d found her amidst the uproar and downbursts of the blizzard claiming ground and air and everything in between. Just like she’d sensed the drowned out currents of his power, even swallowed in the whirlwind of curses, the torrents of negative energy raining upon them. They’d trailed each other on various planets, had chased each other to the farthest corners of the universe, hunting more so with their gut rather than their familiarity with the other and honing in on their target through the build up of anticipation, that pure elation of entering the other’s range where they were equally a prey and a lure.

The steady ice in his gaze, the sharpness of his features cut through the insistent hiss of her insides. Her stomach settled, no longer churning like a cauldron with poppling acid. Her lips parted – not for a sound, but for the warmth of her steaming magic, shivering pleasantly along her spine and the length of every numb limb. Her skin prickled painfully as it heated, coming back to life.

A deafening crunch shoved her back. She stumbled, caught herself with grueling effort despite his presence pulling her in like a magnet. She could have sworn she’d shattered her skull but it was just the snow she’d crushed underfoot. The print she’d left of her instinctive step towards him.

If he was here, the Ancestral Witches had to be on planet as well. He wouldn’t have come alone otherwise, would have brought the battle along with him. Marion had set out to defeat him, wouldn’t have lost him if she weren’t engaged elsewhere. And the others wouldn't have let her face him alone.

They’d all promised the same thing – to save each other, each other and themselves. She’d promised. She’d promised Faragonda.

“She’s dead, Griffin,” Valtor’s voice boomed over the blizzard. It closed her in, singling her out, separating her from even the thought of anyone that wasn’t him. “They all are.”

A new gust of wind swept aside the snowdrift in her feet to reveal a blueish, motionless hand. Strewn across a blood red patch of ice was a lifeless, frozen body. Not the only one.

Her stomach turned, her throat awash with bile like rising lava. Still, she was anchored to her spot, couldn’t take a step back or disappear into her magic.

The corpses of his Coven mates were the only obstacle separating them. It wasn’t enough. That was nothing.

The vicious blizzard was mere background noise now. The cold in her core was forgotten, shoved aside by the icicles that his gaze was pushing through her rib cage. He’d slaughtered a family, a bloodline, an entire planet. There was nothing left, nothing to stand between them.

Valtor peered at the bodies she’d prostrated in his feet like an offering, his features revealing only pure detachment. “All of this could have been avoided if you’d never left my side.”

His voice was fire running along her spine, licking at her chilled skin, searing itself deeper into her mind and body, into every fiber of her being. Deeper still than her very own magic that lived there.

How dare he?

Her teeth ground together, the vibration quaking her very soul. A high-pitched shriek hit her ears, a rupture somewhere inside her, a wail of anguish she’d bottled up since she’d learned of her mother’s death. She hadn’t wanted all of Domino’s population to drop dead in the wake of her harrowing outburst but now there was no one to hear. Thanks to him.

The tears were gone, sweat breaking out on her forehead instead. Her hands shook with the effort to contain her magic. It was already eating through the frost and ground under her feet, through the only three corpses on the planet that weren’t his doing when she walked over them.

He only tilted his head in acknowledgment of her approach.

Her boots trudged through the mud and puddles forming underneath them, steam hissing and twisting around her legs with every step. Her hands, her entire body, were blazing with power so volatile it prickled and stung like a blade dancing under her skin. Her magic tore through the air like an electrical spark, making it bleed the sweet, pungent smell of ozone.

It was her choking on it, on the potent memory it was reconstructing around her. As if she was still there, still that same woman from three years ago looking for a future but seeing only him.

----

Valtor spun her around in a dance she wasn’t closely familiar with. Her body fell easily into the air of self-assuredness and finesse around him and followed his graceful movements. She wished she could say the same about her heart.

She took a moment. To calm her breathing, nothing more.

It was the curve of his lips that told her she was staring. She had been – for an unknown amount of time.

She looked up at him, held his gaze until it was as dark as a storm cloud. The unspoken words were acidic, cankerous – like smarting sores on her tongue; the pressure of his proximity crushed her mind in a vise. She already had his unquenchable wrath, from the moment she’d left him. Provoking him now, before she’d gotten the answers she needed, was foolish. She was risking a fight with him, with Marion and Oritel, just to feel his grip on her waist and fingers tighten. It wasn’t worth it.

It wasn’t.

“Was it you?” she uttered finally, her voice drowned out by the celebration, not by virtue of the mellow music.

Valtor heard her still. He had her at his mercy now. If her suspicions were correct, she’d have to kill, kill... herself-

“It was.”

She tripped, stumbled face-first into his chest, into the steady rise and fall of it.

He drew her closer, flush against him. His body seemed to curl around her, magic fanning out from his form until it engulfed them in a glamor. No one would see her downfall.

His lips brushed against her hairdo, then lower – the shell of her ear. “I am the architect of your nightmares, Griffin. Each and every one of them.”

His breath was scalding, his scent – excruciating. It lulled her mind, soothed the sting in her eyes, already welling up with tears. Instead of being paralyzed, she had to stop herself from breathing him in. His magic lingering in the air was so heady, dizzying, making her own feel like a living being, like a part of her soul that had awakened. Her tongue refused to form words. She had to bite it to keep from licking her lips to taste the power bleeding onto them straight from her core.

She could kiss him, could shut him up. Wouldn’t have to listen to another word from him or any of her heart’s appalled dissent. Her breath would run out soon. Then she’d survive on his, wouldn’t need another thing in the world. She could, would...

“Your suffering belongs to me.”

His voice was a glass shard splitting open her throat. She couldn’t breathe, had to reach for her magic to fill out her lungs, to stitch back in their places the bloodied lumps of memory she’d hacked off to fit herself into his embrace once more. The pain burrowed in every nerve-ending, snapped her out of her lunacy.

“Tell me how you did it then,” she had to crane her neck to look at him; she couldn't bring a single inch between them the way he’d caged her to his body.

Valtor’s fingers closed around her chin, “You want to hear the details?”

She couldn't nod. He had to force the words out of her, drag them out one by one. He never made things easier.

“Tell me everything,” the words shredded on her tongue like sandpaper, in her parched throat. Or maybe earlier still – in her war-torn heart. “I need to know.”

A tear slid down her cheek from the corner of her eye. It was enough to draw his attention – like a drop of blood calling out to him. The rest she stuffed back in her bursting mind. She had to keep her vision clear, had to see his reactions.

His lips slowly stretched into a sardonic smile. He was giving her time to shudder thoroughly at the ugliness of it. He was letting her anticipate, savor the dread of whatever cruelty he would aim at her next.

“You’ll reduce yourself to a distraction, rip open your wounds just to help the Company win an insignificant victory against me?” his fingers wove through her hairdo, but it was his voice distorting into something unbidden.

Griffin couldn’t decide whether it was disgust with the way he was still clutching her to him like she was precious–indispensable–or perhaps indignation at being cornered.

She blinked back the wetness in her eyes. “Go ahead. I’m giving you a golden opportunity to gloat. Take it. Use it!”

His jaw tensed, the tendons in his neck bulging under his collar. His nails scraped at the nape of her neck, his hand closing harshly in her hair – a vicious attack on her sensibilities to make her unravel before his own facade did.

“You can’t, can you?”

Valtor’s fingers dug into her waist covetously and he lifted her up until she was balancing on her toes. She’d topple over if he weren’t the one supporting her full weight.

“Don’t think you can play your silly, little games with me, Griffin.” The words, the half-growl of them vibrated through his chest, through her own.

Her gaze dropped back to his mouth. “You’re the one who’s gambling. Don’t blame your losses on me.”

“And what about you, Griffin? Hm?” He revealed his sharp teeth; an obvious attempt to intimidate her, make her retreat. “You’ve left yourself in my hands, in my magic. My glamor is the thread by which your deal with the Company hangs.”

Griffin scowled, forcing her lips into it instead of the smirk curling them. “At least I’m not the one calling my own bluffs.”

His face twisted violently at her lack of self-preservation or maybe at the negligence with which she met his threats. If either of those had registered through his own failure to fool her.

Her heart seized at the sight. That grimace had to be painful – for his muscles and his ego. It brought her no satisfaction despite his lies. All she wished was to kiss it off–his anger, and her own–drown it in the breathless ecstasy of his lips on hers.

“You just proved my point for me,” she murmured instead.

The gentle tone made him flinch but not away, closer instead. He crushed her to him, to let him crawl under her skin the same as she’d done to him.

“If you were the one behind it, you would have paraded around with that, lorded it over me and relished my misery for months now. Yet, this is the first I’ve heard from you since...”

Her voice dried up, her vocal cords coming up empty – like a mine that she’d dug too desperately into.

Valtor stroked her cheek with the back of his hand, his voice dripping with falsity, “How terribly did you miss me, Griffin? Did you call my name into the night and soak your goose down pillow with tears? Did you slip your hand between your thighs to pretend I was in your lavish bed with you?”

She covered his hand with hers and intertwined their fingers. “You’re doing it again.”

The grin crawled on his face like a mangled, soulless creature refusing to die, clinging to life with claws and fangs and derangement. The sight was abhorrent, bloodcurdling. Her hair would be standing on end if not for the fingers digging bruises in her back through the stiff fabric of her dress. It was her he refused to let go of.

“You’re adorable, Griffin.” His condescension was searing, would have melded their skin together if not for the barrier of his gloves. “Thinking you could read me with ease and maneuvering yourself in the exact position I’d intended for you. It was all meticulously designed as you should have come to expect from me.”

Her lips parted, the ire bursting from deep within her chest to get crushed into nothingness by her choked sob.

“I could have contacted you, of course. If nothing else, you haven’t denigrated my abilities so far as to delude yourself otherwise,” his fingers slipped from between hers. Resistance only spiked through her when he made to take her hand in his. “Why waste my efforts when I could draw you out somewhere we would be face to face instead? Why not use the time meanwhile to let the hope build in your thoughts, in your attitude, in your very existence day by day to crumble that much harder under its own weight? Right here in front of my eyes where I can taste the salt and bitterness of your anguish.”

Griffin forced a shaky breath from her ribcage. He could feel every little movement of it where he was holding her – coalesced into his body.

“If you’d found...”

She swallowed, gulped the sentence back down. She hadn’t spoken of her mother since that miserable, hateful, devastating day when she’d screamed hysterically and fired the vilest of curses she could summon at everything in her path. Not even later, once she’d been able to look at Faragonda without red flooding her vision and broiling agony pinching her throat in a vise-grip. She hadn’t been the only one grieving but they’d each done it in silence, words too loud, too heavy. Their friendship–of all things–hadn’t been spared either, had been strained under the weight regardless of how much more solid it was than the paper-thin ice under her feet keeping her from drowning in her sins.

So close in his arms, lips nigh upon each other, her blood was boiling inside her veins, seething. A single step–less than–would be fatal. Valtor putting her down would be her doom, would send her crashing down. She was trapped.

“If you’d found my mother,” she locked eyes with him, finding shelter in the glacial wasteland of his gaze, “you wouldn't have killed her in the first place. You would’ve baited me with the threat to her life to punish me, make me chase you.”

There was a shift in his eyes, the pupils seizing the ice, as if to store there what he craved, what was finally in his reach again. His lips parted just barely, his scorching breath skirting over her own lips. He crushed her closer still, fingers clawing into her flesh like he’d never let her go, like he wouldn’t have to because they were one. Like he owned her, body and soul; her betrayal, her alliance with their enemies be damned. She was only his now that she was severed from her roots, left at his mercy with nothing to wrest her from his jaws.

Her heart hammered in her ears, in her temples, in her throat. Her magic churned deep in her chest, in her belly. It seeped in her hair, pulled the purple locks free from the updo and left them throeing around like the corpses of beheaded snakes. The slightest tremble of her fingers and it erupted from every pore, aimed at him and the surrounding glamor like shrapnel.

She shoved at him. The hand clutching hers opened, the one around her waist disappeared. Her feet found no floor. She was falling through space, through the void created by her magic. Was her body spinning or was it just her head?

It was hard to tell. Everything around her was a blur of green like a cage with only a speck of dark blue overhead. She only recognized the tears streaming down her face by the salt marring her skin and the ephemeral sting they left behind upon evaporation.

Unbearable heat hit her back. Her world was reduced further to the vicious shuddering rocking her body and the screams in her head. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. No!

He’d let her go. He had no right to come after her.

She had to move but her legs were carved out of rock. Her mind was a sinking stone drowning in her magic rather than stirring it. It leaked from her fingers and the ends of her hair making her skin crawl.

Her throat closed. Her sight blacked out but it wasn’t another teleportation spell. She was still stuck. She had to go. She had to. Had to do something, had to move, had to go.

“They’ll execute her,” a voice pierced her.

Execute her. Execute her. Execute her.

It wouldn't make a difference. He’d still kill everyone that’d had the misfortune to know her. In revenge, not possessiveness, but he’d kill them. She couldn't protect them – by her life or death.

She’d already made all the difference with her existence. Now she was going to pay. They all were.

“Griffin!”

Faragonda’s worried eyes were taking her in, a crease running through her forehead, her hand reaching out.

Griffin accepted the touch, cold and phantom-like. It was a hologram. An interactive one but still, she could see right through Faragonda’s body to the other end of the ship.

She didn’t remember getting on. She couldn’t forget the ballroom, the ardor of Valtor’s touch. His hands may as well have been covered with Faragonda’s blood. Sooner or later they would be if it depended on him, if it depended on her to stop him.

Marion startled when Griffin's–bloodshot–eyes found her across the ship from where she was keeping an eye on her. Her back straightened, taut like a bowstring, and a wave of oppressive heat radiated off her again. Her magic gathered in her palms – just in case.

Griffin wet her lips and forced her voice through the maddening tickle in her throat, as if full of cotton. “You have to kill him.”

Marion acknowledged her returning sanity with an all-but-imperceptible nod. “We will.”

Her power lingered in a halo around her and her tense shoulders didn’t relax, giving no illusion that Griffin had any place in her plans or her inner circle.

She was no fool.

----

She’d broken her promise. He’d... She’d betrayed her friends, betrayed their trust in her, in her heart’s strength. Her love...

Valtor’s stance changed; his weight shifted, leaving him ready to pounce on her like a starving wolf. Alertness coursed through his every cell, laced through his magic. It crested in an all-consuming wave, silenced the wind biting–gnawing–at her lips and cheeks, her ears with its needle-like teeth. The wet chill of thawing snow clinging to her skin and hair dissipated like the blizzard itself.

Instead of stillness, there was a growing buzz in the atmosphere, the air thrumming with his pure, unadulterated essence – magic and heat. Sweltering disquiet gripped her muscles, wove into the streams of power flowing through her veins. Every fiber, every cell was shaken with atrocious, unspeakable need to dismantle the very fabric of existence, tear it apart atom by atom and splinter those to carve out every last trace of him–like a beating heart–from their core. She couldn't stash his magic away in her pocket dimension to get high on it as she pleased but letting it ripple through her own like a caress to her sides, thread through it like fingers in her hair was more titillating than performing a dangerous, forbidden ritual.

All of their spellcasting, all of their partnership only ever felt one way – exquisite, addictive, too good to be true.

His fists were charged with an explosive dark spell she easily recognized. They’d stolen it together, on their last mission before she’d betrayed him. He’d let it fester with disuse in his head, risked the possibility of their last true moment of partnership becoming retroactively unavailing, wasted on an ultimately meaningless heist, just to save it for this encounter. He’d been so sure they’d end up here, that he’d create an occasion to unleash it upon her – a punishment, a symbol of his power to bring her to heel, bind her to his side where she’d always been meant to be. But it was more than that.

It was a declaration, too. He was preparing for a fight, a real fight, not just a sparring he’d win without a hair out of place if not holding back on her or a demonstration of his power and superiority. He was readying himself to take down the last standing member of the Company of Light.

She wasn’t dangerous to him, just to his ego. It was a matter of declawing her and ripping out her spine, a matter of turning her head, eyes set on him–the sun in her universe–always. It was a matter of obliterating her silly, little attachment to her friends–to anyone other than him–that had allowed for any distance coming between them, for fresh air breaking through the intoxicating haze of his favor.

He’d crushed her friends like insects. It had to make her see the cobweb for what it was, had to make her heart slash itself free, had to mean something.

Her magic slowed down to a trickle, still slipping through her fingers, obeying the pull of his proximity more than her own will. Still, the mud boiling under her boots hardened back into ice in a blink, forced her to summon a bit more power again to free herself from it.

“Fight me,” Valtor’s voice grated worse than stone grinding into stone.

His gaze was frenzied, mangled by the snarl twisting his features as well. The air around him shivered, snow turning into rain turning into steam. The spell hummed threateningly in his palms, like an avalanche gaining momentum.

Griffin bridged the distance between them, the slippery frost underfoot doing nothing to slow her down. She was an arm’s length away from him when the magic crackled loudly–abhorrently–in his hands, like a broken bone, something in the sound making her sick.

“Fight me!”

His roar did nothing to deter her. His glove dissolved under the trembling caress of her bloodied fingers. His spell evaporated, little wisps of white smoke wafting from his hand all that was left of it. He stiffened at the growing contact between their skin, at her eagerness to lace their fingers together.

She’d robbed him once again – of his fight, of his glorious victory, of the violence he’d craved to do to her oversized heart. She was soaked and shivering even amidst the clouds of mist rising from her hair and armor in the heat of his closeness. A wet cat of a traitor that had made him call off his attack just to avoid harming her. Add that to the long list of things he would never forgive her.

His forgiveness–an oxymoron of a delusion–was absolutely meaningless. Anything coming between them was – in the face of her desire and his dedication, their shared obsession.

“You’re a fucking liar,” her voice swelled like a bruise.

From the moment she’d laid eyes on him and he – on her, Domino had been doomed. Her friends, her family, the universe. Thanks to him. Thanks to her.

He brought her hand up to his mouth. “Who else would survive your love?”

He didn’t kiss her fingers; he licked the blood off them.

It may as well have been Faragonda’s blood staining her skin or her mother’s. She may as well have come to Domino by his side or turned on the Company and slaughtered them with her own hands, her own magic.

...made no difference.

What was one more crime?

Griffin captured his lips.

#winx club #winx griffin #winx valtor #griffin x valtor #covenshipping #fanfiction #my fanfiction #my writing #fallen love

[marble-needs-therapy]

Shopkeep Intro

You walk into a shop, and pretty quickly realize you probably shouldn't have. It's a *mess.* Items are strewed haphazardly about the place, and the interior is lit not by torches, but by the sheer amount of glowing nonsense lying around (and some neat wall-mounted crystals.) The only thing that seems to be any sort of organized is the large potion shelf, kept behind the counter.

Then your other senses kick in. First, the smell. The scent would be subtle, almost alluring, except that it seems to be an impossible amount of alluring scents all vying for your attention, and you think that if you hung around for too long you'd get a headache.

And the noise! The shop isn't loud, not by any means. You'd almost swear something was muffling it, which is good news for your poor ears. Soft hums and whirrs, the bubbling of a boiling liquid or two, mechanical clicks, and some distinctly organic sounds from the next room all combine into something that would be cacophonous if not for the muffling. As it stands, it just makes the place atmospheric.

And the whole place is magic. You don't have to cast any spells to be sure of that -- it washes over you, emanating out from every corner of the place. If you knew what radiation was, you'd be tempted to liken it to getting radiation poisoning.

After you've finally reigned your errant sense back into place, you take stock of the shopkeep. It's a Tabaxi, it's always a Tabaxi running these sorts of places. Well, sometimes it's a Kenku, but they have trouble bargaining so their establishments don't last long. Every now and again it's a goblin or kobold, but goblins tend to wind up on the wrong end of their more mystical wares pretty quick, and kobolds have a tendency to keep the coolest stuff for themselves, which is also bad business practice. So yeah, it's a Tabaxi running the place.

She's sleek and slender and smiling at you smugly. You get the distinct feeling she enjoys newcomers being entranced by her wares. She's what you expected, in that she's a Tabaxi, but she's also not at all what you expected the shopkeep of such a fantastical place to look like. You were expecting someone... older, maybe. A bit more predatory, or mystical, or some other fantasy adjective that gets applied to magical shopkeeps. Instead, she's an uncloaked, bright-eyed youngster. She really doesn't seem any older than the fresh-faced adventurers you see in big city taverns, just back from clearing out their first kobold warren.

Credit where credit is due, though, she *does* have plush black fur that seems to sparkle like galaxies in the pulsing glow of the shop. And you aren't sure if it's facepaint or fortunate genetics, but she has symmetrical white dots under her crystalline eyes and a big white star down the center of her forehead. You'd call her cute if you didn't have the evidence of her prowess invading your personal space.

Her smile turns more agreeable, and she steps out from behind the counter to greet you.

"Hello! I'm Hidden Tempest, from clan Winterstorm Mountain, but everybody just calls me Hidey. I'm told it's a common human name. Welcome to my shop, the Hidey-Hole!" She pauses for a moment. "It's a pun, you see. Tabaxi like puns. It's based off of my name, and that you can only find your way in here if you're in the know, so to speak. Or if you hear the explosions and go through the holes they leave. So I guess, now that I think about it, it's a three-way pun." she shrugs.

She gestures at the room, and all the items within. "Please, feel free to look around! I would recommend *not* touching anything, though. Most of it's fine to touch but... well, better safe than sorry. Wouldn't want to lose a potential customer!"

You're apprehensive, and for good reason. She frowns. "I assure you, everything in this shop has been tested. If not by me, then by my friends. I'm very well-connected, you see. I can offer an explanation for anything in here."

So begins your journey into the Hidey-Hole.

#bizarre things of varying usefulness #shopkeep intro #hidden tempest

[j-graysonlibrary]

Heartbeats; Paradise Chapter 7

Title: Heartbeats; Paradise

Author: Jay Grayson

Word Count: 112K

Genres: Psychological thriller, drama, sci-fi, LGBT+

Available on: Kobo and my website

Synopsis: Melvin Hardy and Kade Axel appear to be a match made in heaven. After a meet-cute in the rain, the two quickly find themselves in a burgeoning, wholesome relationship.

Yet, things feel…off. It isn’t the ghosts of their pasts that resurface to test the strength of their partnership—no—it’s something nebulous. Something indescribable. Melvin can’t put his finger on it but, the more time he spends with Kade, the more he starts to wonder what’s real and what’s pure fiction. 

Full chapter 7 under the cut:

Chapter Seven:

The wind picks up and I pull Kade closer to me as we walk across the parking lot toward our destination. It’s one of the coldest nights of the year so far and we’re both bundled in large, fluffy jackets but they’re no help against the biting wind on our faces.

We rush together, both of us eager to get inside and warm up.

We’re staying in a bed and breakfast on the edge of town for the long weekend. It isn’t a particularly glamorous vacation for winter break but it’s nice to stay away from my apartment for a while. The homey atmosphere of the bed and breakfast is a welcome change and the owners are sweet and accommodating. If we ever wish to get away for a little spell again, I will definitely be keeping this place in mind.

Starla has hired a lot of teenagers over the winter break all for the purpose of giving Kade a much needed vacation. He still won’t leave town—just in case she needs him in a pinch.

I don’t mind either way although, currently, I’m wishing we flew out to somewhere just a bit warmer.

The fire that roars inside is beckoning me closer but Kade and I stay by the door for a moment to shake off the snow flurries we carried in with us. I brush some off of his knit hat and that gets his attention on me.

His flushed cheeks and mesmerizing eyes already have me thinking of what we’ll do once we’re in our room for the night. Really, if it wasn’t for our need to eat and Kade’s desire to check out the little shops around this part of town (which neither of us has visited before—at least not in such depth) then I would love to stay cooped up in our room all day. We have all the warmth we need under the covers and the company is great too.

“Think Mrs. Horne will check in on us again tonight?” Kade asks, reminding me of the one major downside of our vacation spot.

The little old couple who runs the bed and breakfast are incredibly sweet and even more tolerant—neither of them batted an eye when Kade and I rented out our one-bed room together. If anything, they’re too accepting and the wife, in particular, makes a habit out of checking in on us each night. It’s possible she does this for every guest but when I’m in the middle of embracing my boyfriend between the sheets, it can get a little annoying.

“Hope not,” I grumble under my breath.

My eyes dart around the lobby. The other couples away for the holiday are most likely all upstairs already but I do see someone sitting at the grand piano, by the fire. I don’t recognize them but they are joined by another person who sits beside them and watches as they play.

The melody is clear as crystal and it lights a romantic flame in my heart. It’s too bad we can’t carry the music up with us to our room, I think as I look down at Kade. Perhaps he’s thinking the same thing.

His face is not what I expect, however.

Rather than a dreamy gaze toward the piano, his brow is scrunched together and his entire body is stiff as if he’s seen some immediate danger directly in front of us. His skin is even paler than usual and that cute blush has vanished from his cheeks. I notice a light sheen over his eyes and I worry that he’ll start to cry at any second.

I just don’t understand why.

So I take his hand and squeeze it but that still doesn’t break him from his trance.

“Kade,” I say to him and then, again, louder, “Kade!”

He doesn’t look at me but his hand squeezes mine, letting me know that he at least heard me. He’s still frozen, unfortunately.

“What is it…?” I walk around him, cutting off his view of the piano in case that, somehow, is what’s triggered this episode. I set my free hand on his shoulder and trail my way up his neck, to hold the side of his face and brush his cheek with my thumb. “Talk to me…”

Kade’s brows push further together and his lips tremble. I know he’s fighting for words but I wait, albeit a little impatiently.

Finally, he gets something out but it doesn’t clear much of anything up for me. “…I remember…”

“Remember?” I echo, “Remember what?”

A couple of tears slide down his face, making clear trails over his skin. He looks at me and his eyes show so much pain, so much anguish that I almost don’t know if I want an answer. But I need it.

I wipe away the tears before they run all the way down his chin. “Let’s go to our room.”

His lips press together and he nods but there is no effort on his part to move. He croaks out, “Help me,” and I understand.

We walk up the stairs together and he leans against me a great deal. Kade isn’t heavy at all, in fact, I could pick him up and carry him but something tells me that isn’t what he wants right now. I simply bear most of his weight and lead the way.

Our room is at the far end of the hall—of course—and while I had appreciated the distance before, it’s now a bit of a burden.

I unlock the door with our room key and let Kade walk inside first. He doesn’t need my help any longer but he still looks lost and on the verge of a breakdown. I notice he’s crying again, silently, and I quickly lock the door behind us and return to his side.

“What happened?” I ask, unsure of what else to say.

I’ve never seen him like this before. Sometimes, after we have sex, he’ll cry and tell me how much he loves me but this is remarkably different. There is fear mixed into every micro expression and it’s starting to scare me too.

Kade circles away from me, holding his arms in front of himself and breathing loudly. Every time I try to get him to look at me, he turns his face to the side.

“I’m sorry,” he says after a while and then the floodgates break. His shoulders shake and his sobs aren’t so silent anymore.

“You don’t have to apologize,” I let him know and hold his arms to keep him from walking away from me. I don’t want him to think he needs to hide this from me.

Whatever it is, I can take it.

I can be here for him.

The tears keep coming but Kade musters some strength, enough to speak. “The song…I remembered…”

“The song in the lobby?” I ask.

He nods and then takes a deep breath. He’s still crying but I believe he’s calming down some as well. His eyes flicker up at mine but they don’t hold my gaze. He looks to the floor and says, “When I was younger, my parents paid for me to have piano lessons. My teacher…he used to play that song all the time…”

I rub up and down his arms, wordlessly urging him to continue.

“His name was Oswald…Oswald Friar. I called him Mr. Oz.” Kade closes his eyes tight and squares his jaw like he’s in psychical pain. “He was a great teacher and he was pretty young himself. Probably my age now when I was fourteen. I…I looked up to him a lot. I thought he was cool and…even kind of handsome.”

My heart seizes in my chest at the confession. I feel a sense of dread threaten to swallow me but I hold on. If there is more Kade is willing to tell me then I am also willing to listen.

“Are you still with me…?” Kade glances to me as though he’s expecting to be in trouble.

As if I’d be upset he ever found another man attractive.

While it does unsettle me, deep in my gut, I can’t hold it against him. It isn’t like I’ve never been with anyone else or felt certain ways about other people before meeting Kade. We didn’t know one another yet. It’s alright.

“I’m here. You can go on only if you want to.”

“You’re not mad?” he asks with wide, reddened eyes.

“No.” I shake my head. “I’m a little jealous but…I’ll live. You were just a kid anyway…I think it’s pretty normal for kids to get crushes on older people.”

Kade laughs a little but it’s weak and winded. “I don’t even know if it was a crush. If it was…I didn’t have it for long.” His voice returns to a more solemn tone and he can’t look at me anymore. I worry for what’s to come. “One day my parents left me at Mr. Oz’s apartment for longer than normal and, along with my regular lessons, Mr. Oz helped me with some of my school work too. Afterwards, we had dinner together and Mr. Oz even let me have a couple of beers with him. I was so excited…I thought he saw me as his peer or something and that made me feel really cool and mature. But he…”

“He hurt you, didn’t he?” I guess before he can say it. My heart aches and could easily tear itself into pieces. Just the thought of a young Kade putting all of his trust and love out into the world only to have it shattered and thrown back into his face is more than I can take. The fact that he was ever able to take a risk in love again is incredible to me.

He’s incredible.

Kade just barely nods and sighs. “He tried to get me to kiss him at first but I was too scared to. I thought he was cute and all but…something in me just screamed at me not to. He didn’t like that I told him no so he pinned me to the couch. I wasn’t strong enough to fight him so he did whatever he wanted to me…”

And there it is.

My heart breaks.

“That man should pay for what he’s done.” It’s the only thing I can take from it. If I knew where he was, I would go to him right now. I’d kill him with my bare hands—with the amount of hatred I feel, I know I could.

“I don’t even know if he’s still in town,” Kade admits and pulls his arms from my grip. He walks to the bed and sits on the edge, crestfallen. “I told my mom after it happened and she tried to press charges but my dad didn’t believe me. They fought because of that and, a year later, they divorced and I haven’t heard from my dad since. I guess you could say it’s my fault they broke up.”

“No,” I argue immediately and take a seat beside him. “Nothing is your fault, Kade, okay? You didn’t do anything wrong, you were just a kid!”

He turns to look at me, showing me that beautiful face I love so much though I hate how broken and hurt he looks right now. “Thanks, Mel,” he says in almost a whisper and with a hint of a smile.

I see the glimmer of hope in his eyes and I cup his face between my hands, holding everything I love so dearly between them. My mind murmurs that I should keep listening or, perhaps, change the subject to something more lighthearted—not to take away from Kade’s pain but to allow him pause from it. But my body urges me to pull him closer, to connect us once more so that we can move on from this together.

My lips meet his as my decision is made for me.

I only pull away to say, “I am always here for you. And as long as I’m here, nothing or no one will ever hurt you again.”

Kade’s eyes sparkle with love and his smile is unreserved—unabashed. “I know.”

We move back onto the bed, holding each other more closely and with more ferocity as if, should we let go of one another, the world will fall to pieces around us. Our kisses are long, deep, and occasionally a little salty. Kade is still crying and I worry that I’m not actually helping.

I think this especially when I notice how we’re lying.

Kade is underneath me, his arms lifted above his head and my hands holding them there. I’m pinning him to the bed—probably just as his piano teacher had done to him in the past.

I recoil and Kade responds right away. “What’s wrong?”

He’s asking me what’s wrong?

“I…I’m no different than your teacher,” I say and roll over onto my back, my eyes fixed to the ceiling. A weight presses against my chest as I follow up with, “I shouldn’t be forcing you to do anything right now…”

Kade comes into my view, hovering over me. “What do you mean? You’re nothing like him! I want to be with you.”

“But I…” The words get caught in my throat and they disappear from my mind as well. If we are headed for intimacy no matter what, I decide that we can at least make a bigger diversion to our norm. I need to prove, even if it’s unnecessary, that I am not Mr. Oz. “Why don’t we try something new?”

My boyfriend cocks his head to the side. “Like what?”

“Well…” I rub my lips together as I think of how to say what it is that’s on my mind. If not careful, it can come out quite lewd and I’d rather avoid that. “Every time we are together, I’m the one…in charge. Why don’t you take the lead this time?”

“Oh?” His eyebrows rise and I see a flash of interest in his eyes for a second before it’s sucked away and his nerves take center stage. “I don’t know if I can…”

“I’ll talk you through it if you want. Even if it’s awkward, we can work on it,” I suggest, truly wanting to try it.

After all, I’ve been stuck in the one role since the beginning of our relationship and there really is no reason not to experiment with other roles. When Kade is in the throes of passion, I do find myself wondering if it feels much different than what I’m experiencing. With the way he reacts to it, I imagine it must.

Now, I can find out.

If only he’ll conquer his insecurities.

“Do you not want to?” I ask and touch the side of his face, cradling his cheek in my palm.

“It’s not a bad idea,” Kade mutters, “But I’m so small and weak…how could I…?”

“You won’t know unless you try. But if you don’t want to then…” I won’t force him, of course. Then I really wouldn’t be different than Mr. Oz.

Kade shakes his head and takes my hand, pulling me up and over. I’m not sure how he’s done it but he’s returned us to our original position with me over him. Not strong, I think to myself in cynicism, he’s just flipped me! Though I guess he had some leverage from his spot but it is still impressive.

“I think,” Kade says, taking a pause to shoot me a coy smile, “I’m okay with you pinning me down, Melvin. How about that?”

I’m really not sure this is the best course of action but the thought is soon shaken from my head when Kade’s lips are on me, tempting me into letting everything go and simply enjoying the moment. Perhaps this is just our natural state and attempting to mix things up is pointless?

After all, it works out quite well so why change?

#heartbeats paradise #my novel #my writing

[thedarkgracesblog]

Cleansing

When it comes to self-cleansing, spirituality, witchcraft and magick, there is a lot of talk about bad energy. Bad energy can be described as negative thoughts or feelings that are directed towards you from another person or even yourself. It can manifest itself in physical ailments such as headaches and fatigue, but it also has an effect on your mental health and emotional wellbeing. Luckily for us all there are ways to help clear this bad energy away so we can live our lives free of its influence.

One way to do this is through spiritual cleansing rituals like smudging with sage or Palo Santo wood sticks which helps purify the air around you by releasing smoke into the atmosphere that carries healing vibrations intended to clear out any lingering negative energies in your environment. Additionally using crystals such as black tourmaline which work by absorbing negativity while emitting positive vibes back into the space will help create a more balanced atmosphere conducive for growth and personal development.

Finally practicing Witchcraft & Magick gives us access to powerful tools designed specifically for banishing unwanted energies from our lives so we may be able experience greater peace within ourselves without having those pesky influences trying take over our mindsets anymore! Whether its casting spells involving herbs & oils associated with protection/banishment or utilizing visualization techniques during meditation these methods have been used successfully throughout history time immemorial when dealing with troublesome entities seeking entry into one’s life uninvitedly . So if ever find yourself struggling against something sinister lurking outside your door remember: Self Cleansing ,Spirituality , Witchcraft & Magick are here ready willing serve

#spirituality #witchcraft #magick

[primalmike-blog]

Crushing the Blood Cult

After a good time in their first ship combat, the party was ready for their first planetary landing as the 'away team'. The Captain had told them the ancient ruins should be on the planet. That is, after all, why they came to this wildspace and this planet. She added some divination spells to further narrow the site of the ruins to a spot just north a a major fork in the largest river.

Swooping down from the upper atmosphere, they quickly drew attention from the many kobold fortifications. With all the slavers raiding over the past year, the kobolds were very alert. The party could not land on that side of the river, and this led them to a clearing on the other side. The other side being the home of some equally alert orcs, the away team walked into an ambush. Fair enough. The party was too strong for the hunting party that tried to ambush them. A quick battle later and the party was heading to the fork.

There they found an ancient temple, which was clearly ancient and not crafted by the kobolds. Even so, the kobolds had investigated the site and found it haunted. They sealed the entrance, and forbade their people to approach it. Of course, no focal point of power will be completely ignored, and eventually a blood cult was founded there by a special kobold who could use the strange power of the place. This cult was outside the normal structure and rightly feared for the powers they wielded.

When the kobolds had overtaken the one spelljammer slaving ship they came to own (see previous post), the king knew that the power of the blood cult was needed to fly the ship. He made a deal with their leader, and this is why the blood totem was melded with the spelljammer helm of the ship the party faced last session.

The chaotic power that fed this blood cult was within these ruins, even if the party did not fully realize it. The blood cult gave a great fight, but the party prevailed. After a rest, they broke open the sealed entrance and descended into the ruins. The kobolds had sealed the entry after the first opening. That opening released several undead guardians to wreak havoc on the kobolds. Unfortunately for the party, a modified banshee awaited their intrusion. Though her scream took down one of the party, they prevailed. What they discovered was a mystery. A broken portal or magical gate, apparently destroyed ages ago by an Illithid who snapped a staff and expended a rod in the process. Only the husk of its form remained. Still, the party found a strange, pyramid-shaped metal key and several broken crystal tablets covered in writing.

For the Indiana Jones in all of us, that would have been enough, but there was also a locked room they accessed with the new-found key. In the room was a coffin-sized box made of an exotic metal alloy chained to the floor. Fortunately, the being inside the box, a Queen of the Succubi, used her telepathy to convince the party to release her. They did. Not ungrateful, the Queen summoned an ancient servant to give each of them each a magical gift from her ancient (she has been imprisoned for a VERY long time) hidden treasure room. So, each of the party members gained a very useful ancient magical items for releasing her. How will they ever view this as a bad move? She departed to tend to long overdue concerns well before the party could question what really just happened. Of course, she appears later in the story.

While she was a very interesting encounter, the broken crystal tablets are the lead the party needs to proceed. Returning to the ship, the process of piecing together the ancient reports begins. The Captain discovers some info, but needs to stop at a well known Elvin outpost and speak to a sage/map dealer there. I do not subscribe to the 'just think about the destination' and you will head there rule that the rulebook offers. So, the party realizes the importance of information and star maps at the port. Just as importantly, this gives the party a change to sell off unwanted loot and resupply for the next destination.

#Spelljammer #Dungeon Master

[venus-pjo]

The Halfblood Chronicles- Part 6

CHAPTER 6

When he said he had something to show me, i didn't he meant witchcraft. He showed me all sorts of amazing things, from crystals, to his book of shadows. 'Well, what do you think?' He smiled and hugged me. Why we were acting like a couple? I have no clue, we just were. 'I love it' I sighed as i let in the beauty of his book of shadows. He had the monalisas head cut out, with those meme glasses glued to her face, and that was only a corner of it. It was colorful, with poetry and quotes all over it. Evren showed me each page, both of us stuck in a witchy trance. 'I'll go make dinner, you can try a spell if you want' He got up to leave, but suddenly a freezing gust of wind entered the room. He must've noticed me shivering, because he put his jacket around me before leaving. I smiled to myself as i sunk into the jacket. It really smelled like him, he smelled like lavender and jasmine. Then i remembered Lydia, i felt bad till i recalled our last chat, she obviously had someone else already. 'Dinner!' I heard Evren calling for me down stairs. I went down quietly, careful not to make noise. I crept up behind him and whispered in his ear. 'I will eat you…' In a creepy voice, hoping to scare him. I succeeded, as he jumped the height of himself while screaming. When he saw it was just me, we both burst out in hysterical laughter. 'You idiot' he laughed when i pouted in response. We sat down for dinner with a good atmosphere, joking about things like being possessed because of what happened to Perseus, Azalea, Cecil and Cameron. They were alive, we could tell that much from our powers combined. Out of nowhere, Evren started laughing. 'What?' i asked, confusion clearly there. 'You have sauce on your face' he snorted. 'Really? I didn't even feel it' I laughed and wiped it of quickly. 'Theres a little bit- Y'know what, i'll just get it' He leaned over the table, and rubbed the side of my lip. We stared at eachother for a second longer. 'We're both done so i'll show you were you can stay for the night' He smiled and held out his hand to help me of my chair. I took it and he led me to a room down the hall. It looked pretty, with a soft pink and white aesthetic. 'It used be my sisters, but she was killed when "Berman" attacked'. I felt bad for him as he told me about his sister. 'She was the familys golden child, her name was Alethea' He smiled sadly, i had a feeling that he was reliving his memories with her. I decided to hug him to make him feel better. He hugged me back and he began to sob into my currently red hair. His body shook as he cried. 'Let it out…' I hugged him tighter. 'What did her name mean?' I asked, knowing that it made him feel better to talk about the meanings behind names. 'Truth, and her middle name was Zephyr, meaning 'a gentle breeze' He choked on his words as he explained. 'Sorry, i shouldn't have brought it up, i did this to myself' His voice sounded hoarse as he wiped his tears. Well, 'I'm gonna get to bed, goodnight' he left the room, i could still hear him sniffling in the hall, meaning he was still crying. Poor guy, but that bed looks comfy.

Bed hair is the worst. My now auburn hair had somehow gow as stuck sticking up like someone had pulled my hair from above and then glued it together. I jumped in the bath and sank into the warm water, i knew that i would have to focus on my hair now, before it became permanently like this. I fixed my hair quickly, it was weird having color changing hair. I realized that my hair was not going back to blonde any time soon. I weirdly liked it, yet i was confused on how it was changing. It seemed to be that any strong emotion would turn my hair red, and from their it would slowly fade back to a reddish blonde. Cool, it was midway right now. I got out of the bath quickly and i was surprised at how fast i dried. I didn't have anything to wear, till Evrens voice told me to wear something of his sisters if i didn't have anything. So i picked out a loose white shirt, like those ones in Pirates Of The Caribbean. Along with one of those corset top things with the straps. I finished the outfit with black leggings and combat boots. Dang, i looked good. Wait….I look like familiar….ehh, doesn't matter. 'Honey, did you steal a pirates wardrobe or something'. I found myself staring at Maziar's beautiful golden eyes. 'Hey, whats up?' I smiled. I stroked his smooth, dark coat. 'Nothin' much, d'you have any apples?' He nudged me hungrily. I laughed and we skipped down the stairs and into the kitchen. He chose his own Apple out of the fruit basket, and began to eat loudly. 'What are you doing up at 4 in the morning?' A familiar husky voice questioned. 'Hmm? Evren, hey, Maziar was hungry, so yeah' I muttered awkwardly, embarrassed of such a reason. Surprisingly, he seemed amused with my reasoning. A few moments of silence past through us, till a furious expression cut through the humor on Evrens face. Footsteps came closer to me, And Evren sent me a look that meant 'Don't move'. I did the reasonable thing, i did exactly what he said not to do. I moved around a lot, i had the urge to duck so i did and just at that moment a gunshot went of and went right over my head. The person ran over to me and held a gun to my neck. 'Try anything and the girls dead' A gruff voice said. 'Don't you dare harm her' Evren basically screamed, if I'm honest, I'm flattered that he doesn't want me to die. Suddenly, the man dropped dead behind me, A dagger in his throat. Eww. 'Jeez, i leave you two alone for a few hours and this is what happens' A familiar silvery voice laughed. 'Azalea?! How did you find us?' I hugged her, but then i noticed the group of men behind her. 'When i let go, run for your life' She hissed into my ear. What? I was confused but decided to listen anyway. She let go slowly, and i sprinted towards the back door, Evren at my heels. I'm guessing Azalea stayed back to distract them, but i still felt uneasy without her. We locked the kitchen door while we gathered supplies, when i slipped over something on the floor. Evren looked afraid, so i rolled over to see what the liquid was. A Crimson red pool of something that looked suspiciously like blood, was smeared over the floor where i had slipped. 'Zelda, did Azalea say anything to you? anything related to death…?' Evren looked so scared that i couldn't just lie to him. 'Yeah….She said "When i let go, run for you life", it was creepy'. The look on his face made me wish i hadn't said anything. 'Well, the day before i got here, i was visited by a rajha, and it gave me some sort of prophesy, "thou shall find the flower of blooming hope, one shall be lost in the palace of night" thats all i remember' He sighed. I don't know why, but something just clicked in my mind. 'I understand the last part. Its about Maria…..Berman'.

I didn't expect to have figured it out that quickly. No one did, well, except Maziar. Evren was preparing to avenge his mum and sister. But i decided it was a better idea to keep him calm for now, because anger is ruining that good-looking face of his. 'What was your mums name?' I asked the angry dude. 'Nadia, meaning hope, and her middle names were Emma, meaning universal woman and Cordelia, meaning something to do with the sea, i forgot' He smiled at the memories of his mum. He sat down next to me silently, but i could feel something happening. The forest was quite pretty, but Evren didn't seem to think that as he led me to a grove of cherry blossom trees. I sat on a large log as he began to…sing? I recognized the song though, Electric love by BØRN. His voice sounded amazing, i was strangely sad when he stopped. Then, he kissed me. I froze for a second before melting into the kiss. He tasted of Pancakes and Nutella, my two favorites. When we broke apart, we giggled hysterically. Then i kissed him again. I kept staring at his beautiful, dark eyes. Also, if you think we've only known each other for three days, its actually been six months as the time here is seriously different to your time. Evren caressed my cheek with a slightly open mouth. 'Your so pretty' he murmured sweetly. I couldn't help but blush, this dude was literally perfection if it was a person. He kissed me on the forehead, then on the nose, then on top of my head. My mind was dazed with happiness as we cuddled on the soft forest floor. I love my little life.

'Deirdre?'. I sat up quickly and lept at the familiar sounding person. 'LORDY LADY! ITS JUST ME!' Mitchell yelped as my feet landed on his face and sent him flying across the clearing into a large cherry blossom. 'Look at we've got here, a murderer' Mitchell snorted as he stood up. My blood ran cold at his words. I had forgotten about throwing Maria of someones roof. Evren hugged me from behind, i could sense him glaring at my old best friend. 'Vee, it's fine' I turned to him. 'But darling, i cannot let this bastard insult you and expect to get away with it' He placed a kiss on my head, i could hear Mitchell wrinkling his nose, but i could sense that he had backup nearby, probably hiding in a tree. As expected a feminine figure jumped down from somewhere, landing beside Mitchell. 'Seriously? I only cheated on you like, 12 times so you get a boyfriend! Wow.' A flat voice which i recognized as Lydias came from the figure. Evren attacked her, ripping her dark hair from her pale head. She screamed and i couldn't help but compare her to a strangled ferret. Mitchell was kicked aside as i ran of in a completely different direction. I didn't want to fight them, i cared too much, When suddenly i heard Mitchell yell. 'SERIOUSLY? STOP ATTACKING MY GIRLFRIEND! YOU KNOW WHAT? MARIA WAS RIGHT TO KILL YOUR MUM AND STUPID SISTER, YOUR PATHETIC'. An eerie silence filled the forest, It sent chills down my spine. I jumped aside as a body when flying into the distance beside me, a second one followed. Evren limped into the area, looking exhausted. 'We need to find shelter' He groaned in pain. I helped him walk to the nearest safe house, problem was that they were really fricking far from each other, so we used our powers. I shape-shifted into an eagle while Evren hovered at my heels. Hours passed as we flew nearer. My energy level was incredibly low. I nearly fainted multiple times. My mind was stuck on Mitchells and Lydias words, it hurt, that they would say something like that to someone who used to be their friend. My whole life was turning into a humongous mess. The pain in my head was getting numb, then it went black.

'Deirdre? Are you alright?. A familiar voice spoke from beside me. Everything slowly came into focus. I was in a cabin, Maria looked down at me with concern. I nearly hit her, but then realized that she was trying to help me. 'I'm okay…just, whats happening? One moment you betray us, the next your dead, and the third your nursing us back to health?' I asked her as she re-bandaged my bloody stomach. 'I never betrayed you, Mitchell was the real traitor. When i found out, i threatened to tell you and Moon, but then he pointed out the fact that there was proof that i was a possible traitor so he used it against me' She paused before continuing. 'I ran away in fear of being framed and punished, i hid within the village, and when i heard the enemies army coming, i went with them, that day, when you found me on Mitchells balcony, i was looking for proof against him, luckily, i got it, but then you threw me of the railing and i nearly lost the folder filled with all the proof' She finished with a hug. 'I'm guessing that after we both left, Mitchell realized that there was no reason to stay' I hugged her as i explained my theory. We cried as we hugged. When we pulled apart, both our faces were red and puffy. 'Zelda? Mari? I made hot chocolate' Evren entered the room and sat three mugs on the table. We thanked him and Maria looked away from him immediately. 'What is it?' I asked as i sipped the hot drink. To my surprise, Evren answered me instead of Maria. 'Its because, Mitchell is my brother, we have some similar features' He sighed as Maria nodded. I choked on my hot chocolate at the confession. Actually they did look a bit similar, just Evren looked a lot more like Emma Craggs. 'Wait…but if your siblings then why do have different last names?' I spoke the thing that was confusing me. 'Because we're only half siblings, he took moms maiden name, while i took my dads' He quietly drank his hot chocolate. 'I'm the older one as i have a dad' He finished with a loud slurping noise. We all felt uncomfortable at the mention of Mr. D'angelo. Marias face suddenly lit up like a little explosion went of in her head. I knew she had an idea to get rid of the tension. 'C'mon, let me show you around'.

#books and literature #new books #books and reading #booksbooksbooks

[nomimits7]

The Egyptian God’s Prey | Chapter 14

Title: The Egyptian god’s prey

Parings: Jimin x OT6BTS  

Warnings: Swearing. Mention of death. Mention of Nazi’s. Inaccurate Egyptian’s history… I improvised. Mention of kidnap, kind of (he ends up stranded). Severe sunburn. Kind of incest ( The Egyptians gods sometimes married their siblings). Talk about death and killing. They open up about their past.

Summary: Jimin meets the last two gods and Namjoon has a small revelation of his own. 

Chapter 13

“I have a question,” Jimin said from his new blanket cocoon. They have been in Hoseok’s room for the better part of the day. All of them were there, except Namjoon who was still missing. At Jimin’s voice everyone turned to look at him. Seokjin, who was sitting next to him, hummed as an indication that he was listening.

“I see a lot of other gods in this room, but why is that one on the pillars repeated in the room? I mean, isn't this Hoseok's room?” Jimin asked as he glanced up at Seokjin who chuckled.

“You truly are an observant little thing. That is me. The goddess Nephthys” Seokjin said as he looked back at the movie. Jimin huffed. How could Seokjin just say that and not explain why he was all over another gods room? Jimin was just about to voice this, when Namjoon appeared from around a corner.

“Taehyung! Where are the crystals?” Namjoon said as he made his way over to the rest of the boys.  

“I kept them in my special box in my room. Why?” Taehyung said, slightly startled.

  “I did some more digging into Moneta and her spells. Those crystals are the only way to break her spells. I believe the one who the spell is cast on has to do some or other thing with the crystals and then the spell would be absorbed into the crystal. We need to give them to Jimin” Namjoon said in a hurry. He glanced at Jimin for all of two seconds before he focussed back on Taehyung.

“Okay. That’s good news, but we can do that a little later. Namjoon, why don’t you join us for a movie?” Yoongi said from his curled up position on one of the couches. Everyone knew that Namjoon had a very hard time relaxing like a normal being. He was always busy with something. It was as if his mind just couldn’t rest.

“Yoongi, you know I can’t do that. I need to figure this out. The sooner we break this spell the sooner we will have all our answers” Namjoon said as he turned around to leave the room. He was halfway to the door when he heard Jimin's soft whisper.

“Please stay. I still haven’t seen your god and every time I want to ask you are busy or just not here”

Something about what Jimin said struck Namjoon right through his heart. What if his family also wanted to spend time with him, but he was always busy? What if they had wanted to show him something or share memories with him, but he was always away in that god forsaken room stressing over things he had no control over? Has he been neglecting his own family that bad?

“It’s okay Joon. You can go and do what you have to do. We understand” Hoseok said as he turned back to the movie along with the rest of the boys. They all knew it was fruitless to try and get Namjoon to stay. He has been missing from their bonding times so long that they hardly even notice his absence any more.

Namjoons face fell as he made his way out of the room again. His heart ached and he couldn’t understand why. His mind was a mess and he knew he had a lot of thinking to do. He just hoped that he could still come back to them when he had figured out what to do.

Back in the entertainment room the atmosphere was stiff. Jimin shifted uncomfortably as he watched the rest of the boys try to ignore the interaction that just took place. It was weird seeing them like this after knowing how close they truly were. Maybe that was all an act? Before his mind could wonder any further Seokjin spoke up.

“I am the goddess Nephthys. I am a sky god. I am the air goddess and can almost be seen as the mother of this house. I do not have a room. My room is the entire house. I am a protector and that is why I am seen on most of the pillars throughout the house. But I helped bring Osiris back and I also helped calm Seth's chaos that is why I am always seen close to their gods. In the ancient times I was seen as an infertile deity, even if I had a child of  my own. Anubis was taken from us during the great fall. These boys are all I have and I will go above and beyond to protect them. Even if they are blind to their own ignorance” Seokjin said ass he slowly got up.

Without any further antics Seokjin swiftly morphed into his godly form and Jimin’s jaw dropped. He was beautiful. It was clear as day why he was seen as a goddess and not a god. It would be unnatural for a god to possess such beauty as a man. Seokjin has this air of elegance around him, even without the godly features. His piercing blue eyes and elegant gown made him look every bit like a god. Calling him handsome now seemed far beneath the beauty he truly carried.

*** Namjoon was curled into a small ball on his bed. He felt empty, lost and shattered. It felt similar to the first few days after they brought him back. He was so scared and frightened, yet he yearned for the closeness of his brothers, gosh he even hugged Hoseok the same day. The only difference is that at that time he had no idea how to deal with it.

His mind was scattered much like his body once was. He knew he needed to try harder to let go of this obsession to stay busy, but he had no idea how. Seeing his family so used to his absence hurt more than anything ever has. Namjoon would rather die all over again than experience this empty feeling again, but here he is. Alone in his room.

The thing was that once Namjoon got into his own head, he got in deep. He starts to over think every single action he has ever done. Has he been too much? Should he put even more distance between them? Should he try to impress them by solving all the world's problems? Should he change his style? Should he be more adventurous? Do they even love him anymore?

It has been a few hours since Namjoon has left the rest of the group in Hobi’s room when a soft pitter patter caught Namjoons ears. It sounded almost like a scared little mouse, which was unlikely. A mouse would never survive in a place such as this. Another sound that Namjoon soon picked up after the pitter patter was the swishing sound of something dragging across the floor. Interesting. Mice didn’t drag things as far as Namjoon knew, but he could be wrong about that too.

The pitter patter stopped right outside of his room. Namjoon held his breath as he waited for something to happen. He didn’t have to wait long before his door was pushed open and Jimin peeked into his room. It became clear what the dragging sound was soon after as Jimin stepped into his room with his blanket still wrapped around him. Without a word, Jimin walked over to Namjoon and climbed into his bed.

“I know what it feels like to be lonely, Joonie. So I thought we could feel lonely together” Jimin whispered as he forced his way into Namjoons arms and snuggled into his chest. Namjoon had no idea how to react. Never in his time of being alive, which was incredibly long, has he ever held someone while lying down. His body was stiff as he remained as still as possible. Even if he has never done this, he was more afraid to scare Jimin away than anything else. The longer he held onto Jimin, the more his body relaxed. Jimin was the only thing his mind could focus on. That alone made the storm in his own head quiet down significantly. It felt nice to not think so much for once.

This realisation made a small smile form on Namjoons face. His head was empty, he wasn’t alone anymore, and above all he felt as if he belonged. He didn’t want this feeling to end. Slowly Jimin's breath evened out as the smaller fell asleep in Namjoons warm embrace. Namjoon was a weak man and he soon followed suit. His dream was peaceful for the first time in a long time. His body was relaxed and his heart felt like it could burst of fondness. This was a very strange feeling to him, but it wasn’t an unwelcome one.

***

“It’s strange to see him so peaceful. Do you think cuddling has something to do with it?”

“Of course it does. It’s Jimin. No one can resist that face. Namjoon didn’t stand a chance”

“I never thought it would work. I mean… It’s Namjoon. He doesn’t cuddle”

“Shh, you will wake them up!”

Namjoon let out a groan as he snuggled further into the warmth he held in his arms. He could feel how relaxed his body was. It was the best thing he has ever felt. He loved it. The hushed whispers around them is what ultimately made him open his eyes. The first thing he saw was the face of a sleeping Jimin. He looked so small and peaceful. Namjoon could almost see an eternal beauty he possessed. He blamed that part on his sleepy brain.

“Oh, sorry. We didn't mean to wake you. We just wanted to make sure you both were okay” Jungkook said, startled at the sudden eye contact Namjoon made with him. Namjoon kind of understood why he reacted like that. They haven’t looked at each other properly in a while.

“No, no. It’s okay. You can take him if you want” Namjoon said as he moved to allow easier access to Jimin. He didn’t want to keep them worried about Jimin any longer than they deserved.

“Can we take you too? Or maybe even have a turn to cuddle with you. It looks quite cosy in those arms” Hoseok mumbled. He clearly didn’t mean for anyone to hear him as he startled at Namjoons laugh. Namjoon could do nothing more than open his arms for Hoseok to join them. Hoseok was obviously nervous as he came to lie down on Namjoons free side. It was understandable. The moment Hoseok's head touched Namjoons chest, all the tension in his body bled out. Hoseok has never felt this warm and comfortable. Namjoon on the other hand felt as if he was on cloud nine. Hoseok's body radiated safety. Unlike back in the day when everyone was scared of Hoseok, Namjoon never wanted him to leave. He was in heaven with the skin to skin contact.

“I also want to get a turn. '' Yoongi whined as he made to sit down on the end of the bed. The rest of the boys could only laugh at this as they all got comfortable around the bed.

“If I had known how comfortable this would be I would have cuddled sooner. I’m sorry for not being part of this family as I should be” Namjoon said after a while of comfortable silence.

“Hey, its okay. We all have our issues that we need to work through. None of us has been the best. The important part is that we can acknowledge what we need to work on. I truly believe we will be fine” Seokjin said. His hand had travelled to Hoseok's hair during his time on the bed. Hoseok was almost purring in delight.

“I think Jimin played a huge role in us seeing what we need to change. He is very precious. Maybe it's time to try and help him become who he needs to be” Taehyung said as he slipped into Yoongi's lap, much to the annoyance of the other.

“That’s the plan. But we first need to show him the last god. I still think it would be better to show him all of us before we help him. That way we can solely focus on him when the time comes. What do you think?” Jungkook asked. Everyone nodded their heads in agreement.

“I will show him my god when he wakes up, but i would like for all of you to be present. You know. If he reacts badly to my form” Namjoon said as he slightly cuddled closer to Jimin. It was very clear that he was nervous. Very nervous. He had always hated how his godly form looked. Especially after the incident so many years ago. He can barely remember what it looks like.

The rest of them could only smile in sadness. They all knew better than to argue with Namjoon. He could be quite the stubborn soul. For now, they all enjoyed the calm that surrounded Jimin. The time for his big revelation is coming closer and they had no idea if that would be something to be excited over.

***

Jimin was confused. Very much so. He could not remember how he got to where he was. Cuddled close to a chest with a different set of hands in his hair. What he did know is that he was hot. Incredibly so. He needed to move out of this cocoon before he became a badly cooked piece of meat. No one liked unseasoned meat, it would be such a waste.

Squirming as much as his temporarily arm prison allowed him to, Jimin finally managed to get free of his heated cocoon. Maybe he should make a nice stew to eat later. The idea of nicely seasoned meat made him hungry, even if he himself were the meat in the reference. He was just about to leave to seek out the kitchen when a hand snatched his wrist. ‘

“Where are you running off to?” The groggy voice of Namjoon filled the quiet room. Promptly causing the rest of the boys, which Jimin failed to notice spread out around the room, to also stirr out of their sleep. It was quite a sight to see. Hoseok looked like he was attempting to become one with Namjoon with how close he was cuddled to his other side. Seokjin was no better at Hoseok's back. His hair was spread out like a halo around his head as he slowly blinked back into consciousness. Jungkook was awkwardly spread across the foot of the bed. Jimin suspects it was his hands in his hair. How he does not know. Yoongi and Taehuyng made a cute little pile of entangled limbs at the very end of the bed. Both of them looked entirely too soft as they woke up.

“Um, I was craving meat. I would have made enough for everyone, I promise” Jimin answered intelligently as he stared at the rest of the boys. Why he felt the need to justify his craving so suddenly was beyond him. The rest of the boys only stared back at Jimin as if he had grown another head. It was kind of scary to think that something made them stare. Luckily Seokjin snapped out of whatever daze he was in. He promptly got off the bed and made his way out the door. Muttering something about being a bad person for not feeding one of the babies in the house.

“Jimin,” Namjoon said as he sat up as well. Jimin had no idea what was happening, but it must be important for Namjoon to have such a serious expression on his face.

“I would like to show you something. Take a walk with me?” Namjoon said as he held out his hand for the smaller to take. Tentatively Jimin took his hand and followed him out into the hallway. The rest of the boys followed suit. They did, however, keep a respectable distance from them. Almost like they were there to support Namjoon, which was nice.

“I want you to look at the ground as we walk. I want to know what you see” Namjoon said as he started walking. Jimin could only nod as his eyes drifted down to the ground. As they made their way to who knows where, Jimin noticed that the floor held pieces of a body. They would pass an arm or an eye. Sometimes it would look a bit more gruesome with some red splatter. The worst one they had passed was a heart that was split into two. Jimin didn’t understand what or why they were showing this to him.

“Did you take a good look? Did you see the body parts? Do you know what they are?” Namjoon said as he stopped walking in a room Jimin had never seen. Truth be told… it was definitely different.

“I did. I don’t understand though. Why do you have them? I mean they are beautiful, but I don’t get it” Jimin said as he looked around at all the shapes in the new room.

“Did you say they are beautiful? I- anyway. Those scattered pieces are me. I am the god Osiris. I was killed by my brother Seth shortly after your father Amun absorbed Ra. When Hoseok fell into chaos I wanted to help him. I thought I could do it on my own. I am forever destined to be known as the scattered god. I used to rule Ancient Egypt. I taught agriculture and I gave law and civilization to mankind. I thought that if I could manage to bring order to humans I could surely save my brother. The old scripts say that Seth was jealous, but that is not true. He loved me. He still does. We fought fiercely, but the anger he held toward Amun was just too great and I became an obstacle in his way. He ended up killing me and scattering me all over Egypt. After Seth seeked forgiveness from the rest, he helped Isis and Nephthys look for me and bring me back to life. But, I have never been the same again. I do not hate Seth, but I am not the same deity I used to be. I distance myself from love to keep myself safe” Namjoon said as he walked around the room.

Jimin looked at Namjoon as if he was something precious. He knew that whatever happened had its lasting effects. He could also see how the rest looked at Namjoon with pure love. They all had their burdens to carry. Like almost ever living thing on this planet. Everyone has their own skeletons to keep safe. Before Jimin could respond Namjoon turned around and took on the form of his god.

“I am ashamed of how I look. I hate the way my god looks. To me, he is weak and worth nothing. Not even the bandages around him” Namjoon said as he looked directly at Jimin. His words held so much sincerity Jimin felt the need to show Namjoon just how wrong he was. Slowly Jimin walked closer to Namjoon. He was magnificent in Jimin's eyes and he would make sure he knew it.

“You are beautiful,” Jimin said as he hugged Namjoon. “You are strong and I know you love the rest as much as they love you. You have kept them together. Without you, there would be no reason to be alive. You are worth more than you know. You are smart and I am sure that Ancient Egypt was lucky to have such a great god such as you, Osiris.” Jimin said as he burrowed deeper into Namjoons chest.

The same chest that was blooming with a new found warmth.

Finale Chapter 

#nomimits7 #Egyptian AU #bts egyptian #kim namjoon #kim seokjin #Jung HoSeok #min yoongi #kim taehyung #park jimin #jeon jungkook #bts #MEMBERS ONLY

[soulhealingpractice]

Black Crystals to banish a bad atmosphere

Use Black Crystals to banish a bad atmosphere

At some point in our lives, we have all experienced being in a bad atmosphere. If you don’t know what it feels like, imagine the feeling you get when you visit a cemetery, when you walk through a haunted house, or being home alone after watching a scary movie. These feelings of suspense and unease crawl over you like a dark black cloak. A bad atmosphere can also be brought upon by negative people, evil entities, and wrongdoings. Unfortunate circumstances can land us in a bad atmosphere wherever we go without even realizing it. Detecting a bad atmosphere is part of our human nature, and nothing can explain how we do this. The only reasonable explanation would be the same skill we have to be able to feel space is comfortable and peaceful. Living or working in such conditions can affect our mood, rationality, relationships, emotional health, and productivity. Thankfully, with the help of crystals to bring about their loving vibrations, we can banish bad atmospheres.

How to Make Black Obsidian Water

For this elixir, you will need to use the indirect method

To start, you need 6, small Black Obsidian tumbled stones or 1 medium-sized stone. Place spring water into a medium-sized baking dish. Place the Black Obsidian into a separate clean, clear natural glass container – a glass measuring cup or water glass works well. Place the glass containing the crystal into the spring water. Cover. Let stand covered for at least 30 minutes (If placed under sunlight or moonlight for a few hours it will be more potent). Remove the glass containing the crystal from the spring water. Place the container of water into your refrigerator to keep the water cool. Once cooled, the elixir will be ready for use. When you wish to use it, add 6-10 drops of the elixir to any beverage. Use it 3-5 times per day. If kept in the refrigerator and covered, it will be good for several weeks.

With Gratitude 💛

#Black Crystals guide #Black tourmaline #Black Obsidian #crystals to spell bad atmosphere

[wafermelons]

replaced MC au. pt 3

characters: OM! boys

genre: slight angst

warnings: strong language, mentions of death

a/n: not proofread

tags: @jiminslajibolala @letsblazewolf @lemonandlime22@crystal-freak24 @furblrwurblr @wawadraws12 @929497 @elizabeth-brown @neptune-cinths @moemoesenpai @delusional-angel @lmao-liz @ryokuu @jeancolors @nanamadama @prefesro @mammonl0ver @mammonssheep

pt 1 pt 2 pt 4

"MC, can i talk to you for a few seconds?" muriel called out to you before you could leave purgatory hall with simeon and solomon.

you walked over to him, giving him a small smile and nodding, "yes, muriel?"

he gave you a gentle smile. soft, expected of an angel. but in his eyes, carried the feeling of pity. "as you know, i am an angel. my abilities are similar to simeon, but i can sense emotions much better than him. i do not know much of your relationship with the brothers or what they had done to you in the past to cause you to do this yourself. but i can feel and sense much pain, hatred, and sorrow in your heart because of it. it's faint, but it's there. i fear that if you recover your memories, the pain will be more prominent and hurt you more than before."

"MC?" you heard lord diavolo call out, snapping you out of what you recalled muriel tell you earlier, "are you alright? having second thoughts?"

"oh, no. i was just lost in thought, lord diavolo," you explained. hurt more than before? what did he mean?

"don't worry MC, we understand if you wish to stop with the reversal," you heard lucifer say.

you shook your head, sitting in the middle of everyone. they had gathered in a circle to surround you. it seemed a little creepy like they were sacrificing you, but you could feel their support for you.

"it's fine, lucifer. i don't think it'll be that bad anyway."

laila had her hands clasped together in front of her chest, worried about you getting hurt. simeon and solomon stood in front of you, solomon holding a spellbook and simeon there to help him. lord diavolo had cast a protective rune around where you were sitting in case anything were to happen. the brothers all held onto each other, worried out of their minds, thinking about worst-case scenarios.

it had been a few days after mammon and asmodeus drunk-begged you. after informing everyone about your decision, many preparations were made to avoid any unexpected happenings. simeon had told luke and muriel to stay at purgatory hall. simeon didn't want luke to witness anything he shouldn't have to and muriel had to stay with him to take care of the little one. lucifer had told laila to stay at purgatory hall with them but she insisted to be by your side.

"remember MC, it won't be easy, and it will take a toll on your mental state for a while. anytime you wish to stop, just tell us," solomon assured.

you nodded, sighing, "you guys keep telling me that, i get it okay? i just want my memories back now please~," you said in a sing-song voice, trying to uplift the serious atmosphere.

you saw solomon give you a gentle smile. with that, both he and simeon spoke out the words. you chanted along softly, feeling a slight pulse from your palm. you stared at your hand, words being read. 'so that must've been what cause the pain,' you thought.

before you could fully comprehend what was written, sharp pains entered your head. it felt like your skull was splitting open. as a reflex, you grabbed the sides of your head, trying to make it cease.

but alas, it was pointless. the longer the reversal spell went, the more you fought against it, the more it hurt. your body curled into a ball, trying to provide some comfort to yourself on the cold floor. it sounded as if the wind was blowing into your ears, solomon and simeon's voices no longer audible.

you wanted to call out for help, but you knew that if you did, they would stop the spell. you could feel strained screams and squeals leaving your throat. biting your lip, you tried to silence yourself.

by the side, the seven brothers, lord diavolo, barbatos, and laila watched the whole process. lord diavolo stood with an emotionless expression, his arms crossed with barbatos by his side.

in contrast, the brothers and laila were worried out of their wits.

lucifer tried not to show it, arms crossed just as diavolo, but your screams and whimpers of pain rang through his ears. the vision of you crumpled in a ball on the floor, face writhed in pain was engraved into his mind as he turned his head away, shutting his eyes, brows furrowed.

mammon was excited at first, he wanted you to be happy, to have fun with him again. hang out in his room, accompany him to majolish. not this. he wanted to make solomon stop, your pain to stop. but he couldn't. he was rooted to the spot he was standing in. why? because he knew deep down, he wanted you to remember. he wanted the old you back.

levi couldn't even face you. he was crouched down on the floor, his head in his hands as he watched the spell continue, your screams along with solomon and simeon's voices in the background were the only thing that filled the room.

satan had shut his eyes. he was angry, not at you or solomon but at himself and his brothers. he was angry about how they were so careless to the point that you wanted to erase your memories about them. you were the one that helped him somewhat mend his relationship with lucifer, yet he couldn't help you even in this time of need.

asmodeus was balling his hands into fists, not caring about whether it would bruise or leave marks in his lovely palm. his sharp nails were digging into his flesh as he watched.

beelzebub had lost all appetite. how could he not when he had to watch you go through this? he stared at the ground with saddened eyes, looking as if he had just lost a five-course meal. his hands were held in front of his chest, fingers picking at his nails with anxiety as he could do nothing to help relieve the pain you experienced.

belphegor was now more awake than ever, watching with knitted brows. the cow pillow that he had brought along was held tightly to his chest. oh, how he wished he could at least give it to you to offer some comfort.

you, on the other hand, after minutes that felt like an eternity had passed and you finally gave in to the pain, fell to the ground. the only movement visible was your chest heaving lightly.

the brothers and laila wanted to run to you, they wanted to help you. the only thing that stopped them was solomon holding his hand out and simeon shaking his head, indicating the process had not finished.

though you seemed peaceful, your body curled up in a fetal position as if you were asleep, your mind ran miles. the contrast between your current physical and mental was astonishing, but none watching could tell. none of them could possibly know the waves of hurtful memories that rushed back to you.

at first, it was wonderful. a bliss of memories. but that was just the calm before the storm.

meeting the brothers for the first time, celebrating their birthdays, them celebrating your birthday as well. all the wonderful moments came back one by one. you were happy.

"MC, well done on your recent test. i saw your results. do you wish to go anywhere to celebrate alone with me?"

"MC! guess what! i won big today at the casino! c'mere, let's go out shoppin' together to treat ourselves."

"i got a new game. MC! do you want to try it with me? i have an extra controller for you!"

"MC? oh, the book you recommended me was actually really good. but i would've enjoyed it much more if you could have read with me by my side."

"oh MC! you look stunning in that! i told you, i have a wonderful eye for outfits like this. come! i have some more in my room! let me dress you up dearie~"

"MC, go to madam scream's with me today. there's a new limited flavor pastry that i want to try. i wanted to bring you to share it with you."

"MC, i got this new fluffy thing. look at it. i called you to share it with you. here, lay beside me."

then came the storm.

it wasn't slow like before, no. it was much worse. all the pain, both physical and mental came rushing back at the same time. their voices all contorted together, spewing insults.

the feeling of belphegor killing you after you wanted to help him, beelzebub who, though was a gentle giant, always took your meals before you could have them. how asmodeus compared your beauty to laila's. satan nearly killing you because you didn't want to make a pact with him. the memory of leviathan also wanting to kill you because you beat him at some stupid quiz. mammon used to call you a bother, claiming he was your 'first man', but was able to dump you on the side of the street because he found laila to be his new 'lucky charm'.

and of course, the fight with lucifer. how he would threaten you into following his rules, verbally abusing you and comparing you to laila. the most recent fight, fresh in your mind. the emotional pain came rushing back as if you were still in an argument with him.

everything came back rushing at once, the old memories, both good and bad. though, the bad outweighed the good by a landslide. everything was fresh in your mind, you could still feel the dear from satan and leviathan's threats. the pain from belphegor crushing your body like a feather. the emotional pain from being abandoned by the brothers that claimed to love you so much the minute someone new came into their lives.

what awoke you from your 'peaceful' slumber was the fresh tears that fell from your eyes and the constant chatter from the brothers who wanted to see you awaken.

you didn't groan, you didn't sigh or yawn. the only reaction you had was to sit up, a deadpan face but tears constantly falling. you didn't bawl, sob nor cry out. all you could do was sit there, on the ground, surrounded by the faces of those who hurt you.

immediately, laila ran to you, crouching down by you and asking if you were okay.

"MC! are you alright? you're... you're crying," she said, kneeling down next to you.

the rest of the brothers were slowly inching their way towards you, wanting to know whether you remembered them but not wanting to overwhelm you.

simeon and solomon had made their way to the side for the brothers to see you. you looked up to them, your tears still streaming down your face yet your eyes held no emotion of sadness.

so this was what muriel meant.

"... why?" you asked in an indifferent tone, your eyes were hollow as your mind still held the fresh memories of them hurting you.

"MC? are ya alright?" mammon asked, worried as he tried to crouch down in front of you. he reached out his arm to hold you, but you flinched, moving backwards from his touch.

"why would you make me remember those things?" you asked, your voice choking.

"w-we... we missed the old you so..." leviathan said.

"aren't you glad you remember us...?" asmodeus asked, the seven of them were now still in front of you as laila watched your reactions from the side.

"glad?" you said in a breathy voice, "you guys... you hurt me. at first it was nice! i got to relive wonderful memories... moments i spent with you. but after that, all the horrible things you did to me kicked in. all at once," you continued, now staring at the floor.

you could feel laila's reassuring grip on your arm tighten as you brought your hands up to wipe the continuous stream of tears from your face. it was more vigorous now, not that of unfeeling but now of immense pain and sorrow.

belphegor's body froze, still as a statue. he knew what was the worst memory he had of you. they all knew what you remembered. but they also knew that each of them had done horrible things to you.

"you... you killed me. you killed me when i tried to help you. and all of you threathened me, threathened to rip me to pieces if i didn't follow your rules. so many times i could have died," you laughed out. though you were laughing, it came out more as a weep.

"t-then... when i helped you guys get back together, when i helped all of you become a family again. you cast me aside. laila came into the picture, she was always kind to me. but you all... all of you threw me away!" you exclaimed.

"MC, please-" you heard lucifer say, trying to calm you down.

"you!" your gaze shot up to lucifer, both your eyes and nose now red. "you always compared me to her! saying i wasn't good enough and that i was a disappointment! each and every one of you just... abandoned me. you said i wasn't pretty enough like laila or that there was no more room for me. always saying that you were my 'first man' but you were the first to throw me away!"

"even when i joined you guys to hang out with her, you'd forget about me! what was the point? huh? what was the point of making me remember all the shit you did to me!" you yelled in an accusing tone, eyes darting from one brother to the next. your heart tigthened at each of their faces, each of those demons who said they would be there for you.

before you coukd continue, laila looked up at them. a saddened expression on her face, "you... you did that to MC?" she asked. she now faced the floor, still grbbing onto your arm.

lucifer tried to explain, but no words left his mouth as his brain searched for the right words to say.

"why would you do that!" laila said in an accusing tone just as you had.

"you wanted me to remember you so that we could 'go back to the way we were'. but now that i remember, i feel like i preferred it when i didn't know you."

the brothers all stood, mouth agape, all wanting to explain. they knew what they did was wrong, and they were angry, at themselves. regretful, of how they treated you.

"MC, please, let me make it up to ya-"

you took in a deep breath and exhaled shakily, looking up at mammon with anguished eyes.

"you had a chance to make it up to me when i didn't remember you. but instead of slowly trying to rebuild our 'relationship', you asked me to remember you. and that's what i did."

laila stood up, not bothering to look at the brothers in the eye. instead, she helped you up, slowly making your way together to simeon and solomon.

"can we stay with you guys for a while?" you asked with a tear stained face to simeon. the only feelings left in your heart were pain, hearrbreak and sadness. the physical pain you felt from being killed in the past and the mental burden of everything coming back once.

"of course, MC. come, let me help you," simeon offered, wrapping an arm around you as laila trailed behind the two of you with solomon.

as you walked out, you left the seven demons, disheartened, disappointed and dolorous.

"barbatos, has the timeline been done?" diavolo asked his butler, still a distanced gaze on his face.

"yes, young lord, the timeline has been set."

with that, it caught the brothers' attention. the heads of the seven snapped to face royals at once.

"you mean you knew about this? you knew this would happen?"

"why didn't ya tell us! we coulda' stopped it!"

"why did you keep this to yourself? you could have changed the outcome!"

barbatos glared at the brothers, angered at them for the pain they caused you and for their ignorance.

"if i had told you, what happened, wouldn't have happened. something worse would have, in fact. every single timeline i looked in, it ended with yours and MC's relationship shattering. i had to find a way to relieve the pain they felt, and this was the best outcome. both for them, and for the seven of you." barbatos sneered, standing in front of lord diavolo to shield him from the others.

the brothers didn't want to accept it. they didn't want to listen. how could this have been the best outcome? what other pain ahd they caused you in different times?

but they had to accept the truth. they had to accept the fact that they lost both laila snd you. the only two beings who brought true love and light to their dull life.

because deep down, they knew, they knew they were still demons. still the avatars for the seven sins. and no matter what they did, no matter which timeline it was, they did not deserve your kindness, you friendship, your forgiveness.

in every single timeline, they had destroyed what little link they had left between you and them. and for this to be the best outcome, for you to suffer from pains of horrid memories and traumas caused by them? they knew that they could not have such a blessing in their life.

they were still the seven mighty demons of hell after all. the seven demon brothers who love you, but did not deserve you.

#obey me #obey me shall we date #obey me swd #obey me asmodeus #obey me leviathan #obey me angst #obey me lucifer #obey me mammon #obey me beelzebub #obey me belphegor #obey me satan #lucifer #mammon #leviathan #satan #asmodeus #beelzebub #belphegor #obey me diavolo #obey me barbatos #obey me solomon #obey me simeon #obey me luke #replaced mc au #wafermelons ! replaced mc au #solomon #simeon #barbatos #diavolo

[tofu-loverx]

Crystal heart ll chapter 10

chapter 1 / chapter 2 / chapter 3 / chapter 4 / chapter 5 / chapter 6 / chapter 7 / chapter 8 / chapter 9

Note: English is not my native language, so sorry for any spelling errors.

Warnings: nothing

With a simple movement of your hands, you form a sky blue kimono with pink and white decorations, like the color of jasmine flowers in short.

You presented it to Thoma saying: "Take, you may present it now to Ayaka..."

"I wasn't going to give it to Ayaka..."

His cheeks blushed and he said nervously

He turned his gaze away and coughed to adjust his voice and regain his composure.

You laughed lightly and stood up to change your clothes.

"I want to try your gift so can you?"...

Take your words and stand shyly.

"Oh, of course, I beg your pardon..."

Thoma left, closing the door behind him.

You finished wearing the kimono and went out to get Thoma's opinion on it.

"Thoma? Where are you?"

You wandered around the house until you reached the kitchen and found him making tea.

You interrupted him cheerfully

"So... what do you think?"

Thoma's ear picked up your voice and turned around to look at you, but you captivated him with your beauty.

He stared at you for a while until I became confused and ashamed.

"Do I look weird?...Stop looking and tell me!!"

Your cheeks turned red and your soul was confused.

Nevertheless, Thoma did not answer you and only stared.

"Okay then, I'll change these clothes as long as they don't fit me."

You turned to leave.

Thoma: "Your grace! You are so beautiful..."

You startled in your place and felt that your heartbeat was strong and audible.

"T..Thank you for your compliment.."

The atmosphere between you remained tense until Ayaka interrupted him.

"Touma, can you? Oh, I'll be back later..."

She smiled sly days, leaving you both.

Thoma's features changed to sadness.

"Won't you tell her about your feelings?"

You said softly and gently

"I'm just a servant in her family's house..."

His negative and sad feelings so permeated your veins that you felt them as if they were your own.

"Also i love you , not her."

You were shocked by what he said.

You replied: "Then why are you sad now?"

“I was sad because the beautiful lady thought I had feelings for Ayaka Sama.”

He rubbed the back of his head in confusion.

"Even if I said that, I don't think I would be suitable as a girlfriend."

In yourself heartbreak and remorse for your actions.

Thoma approached you and said: "Don't underestimate yourself, for I will accept you as you are."

He didn't feel himself getting closer with every word.

With every step they took, you were going backwards until you stopped when your back hit the wall.

" sorry I can not !! "

You screamed impulsively, covering your face with your hands.

Thoma understood the closeness between the two of you, so he walked away confusedly.

"I hope you at least think about it..."

He said as he left the kitchen.

You really wanted to date Thoma, but his reputation might fall out around Inazuma if they knew he liked Raiden Shogun's killer.

"I have to fix what I did..."

You muttered firmly.

With a snap of your fingers, you're in Monstand.

The havoc is not as bad as it has been in Liyue, though you have to stop La Signora.

You jumped into the sky to stand on the ice formed by you, randomly searching for a picture of Venti.

"In front of the church!!"

Softly those words came out of your mouth, then forcefully rushed toward the fight that broke out between them.

"You both stop fighting!!"

You stood between the two as a way to disrupt the fight but Barbaros' arrow pierced your stomach and Cryo la Signora crystals were implanted in your limbs.

The two shouted anxiously: “Your grace!!”

The golden liquid seeps from your body, staining the clean church floor... Your vision becomes blurry... You feel the same scene that happened to you the first time in Teyvat, but this time you are not being chased, cause they are rushing to your rescue.

" I'm ...fine..."

You fall to the ground and cough up blood.

Venti rushes to you in the hope of a cure.

"Your grace, do not speak, you will only make yourself worse"

Says Venti stuttering and anxiously.

"It's really strange how people's behavior with you changes only by who you are..."

You said while groping Vinty's soft cheek.

“What do you mean, your grace?”

Barbaros extends his hand in front of injuries to treat them as he tries to solve the riddle of your words.

"Don't worry about it...you'll know soon."

You lower your hand and allow your body to be treated.

"La Signora...help as many citizens as possible..."

You closed your eyes to feel your organs treated.

"Help?...me?..."

Lake and disgust said.

“Who else is your name La Signora here?”

You said tiredly and annoyed evident in your tone of voice.

"..just me..."

It was clear from her voice that she did not want help.

"Then do what I command you to!"

She said: "As your grace commands!!"

The Ledy set out on her mission, leaving you and Barbaros alone.

You asked Barbaros: "Are you done?"

"Not yet...be patient a little longer."

His voice is gentle and comfortable on the ears.

"No need, I'm fine now, I can move."

You rise to complete what you are striving for, although Venti kept asking you to complete the treatment.

"Help the people too."

You turned to him at your words and then disappeared from his sight without allowing him to add a single word.

****

You are now standing over ruins of Archon Geo City where you can hear the collision of metals on a nearby battlefield.

You rushed into the fight with little hope of keeping Morax alive.

"Morax is barely holding on..."

Although he is famous for his sturdy armor, it is difficult for him to face Yaksha, a harbinger and a traveler of universes at the same time.

You shouted: "Stop fighting!!..."

Your voice is not heard.

“Stop… fighting!!”

You cried again faintly.

However, they did not respond as their senses were currently focused on the battle.

That bothered you, so you attacked them too, perhaps their attention would return to you, and indeed this is what happened.

They all said: "Your grace?!"

"Finally you stopped..."

You said while bending your elbows.

“May I ask why you stopped the fight?”

Tartaglia asked and the others nodded in the affirmative.

"Maybe because I changed my mind about killing the best tea maker."

You smiled while looking at Morax.

Best tea maker?

He said while confused.

"Right, don't you recognize me? You gave me a cup of tea before..."

You said while you go to him.

"Sorry, but I don't remember your blessing..."

He folded his arms while he thought.

"At the festival, I gave a girl in a mask a cup of tea. She is Childe's girlfriend."

You stood in front of you and stared at his golden eyes

"Don't tell me... are you the same girl?"

Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Yes! you thank for your talent for making tea, otherwise you would be dead!"

Your tone of voice is cheerful and cheerful

“Then I would be happy to devote myself to making tea for your grace.”

He bowed before you like a noble knight.

"Well then, I have work to do so make way..."

You opened your hands and walked forward as all the debris began to gather and mend.

The houses have returned to their previous state, the stone and wooden floors have been repaired, liyue harbor is back as it was before...

All infected residents are cured, the dead somehow come back to life...don't ask me how...

After you finished your work you felt weak and collapsed to the ground, for you felt as if gravity was pulling you in.

Boys rushed to you to ensure your safety.

Aether: "Blessings!! Are you okay?"

You: "I didn't expect it would take so much energy to restore water..."

Tartaglia: "Your grace... don't say more..."

He carried you in his arms and walked you.

"Hey... where are you taking me?"

You asked clearly weak.

"Your grace is upon her to take a rest..."

He looked at you from under his fatoy mask.

“Childe! Accompany me to Wangsheng Funeral, we will make her blessing rest there…”

Morax called on the ginger head.

You was sure Tartaglia would reject Morax's offer but your desire to meet Hu Tao made him change his mind.

****

A Tartaglia carrying you into the Wangsheng Funeral, following Morax, including Aether and Xiao, choked on the smell of incense.

Tartaglia put you on the table chair while Morax started making tea for you. Xiao & Aether sat down in front of you, Ginger's head next to you.

He canceled his transformation for the time being.

You turned left and right, hoping to see Hu Tao, but there was no trace of her.

"Morax! Where is HuTao?"

You screamed as if you hadn't collapsed a while ago.

"You left to do some errands... you'll be back soon."

A monument where tea is still made.

*summary what happened*

Morax served you tea, and you drank with gratitude, and he restored your health. After that, you stood on your way to Inazuma to revive the Raiden. The boys were going with you, but you tried to stop them, and in the end they convinced you with their arguments and their kind features.

Childe, Aether, Morax & Xiao went straight with you to the body of Raiden Shogun

"Please stay away, I don't want you to see the view..."

You lowered your head with a suit applied to your lower lip with your teeth.

The boys did not want to disturb you, so they complied with your request.

" Thank you all..."

Your tone is gentle and grateful.

You walked over to the Raiden's body and extended your hands in front of her, concentrating on the faint life energy present.

Wounds are healed and the burned skin is renewed... Head hair grows again and broken nails are replaced with new ones... The dislocated bones return to their proper place and the ones that were broken are repaired to attach to the tendons...

Every second that passes you feel as if your soul is being drained in order to revive this dead body and connect it with its fleeing soul.

Not long after, she sniffs the Raiden as a sign of her return from the other world, opening her purple eyes to meet yours who looked at her with regret and apology.

"I'm sorry for what I d-..."

Before you finish your sentence you faint and all you hear are the screams of the characters running towards you.

You see blackness and darkness...

You hear the silence and calmness...

You feel the coldness in the air...

You feel your body floating in the void...

You open your eyes to meet the familiar white ceiling and the usual room lamp...

The warmth of the bed that you love in the winter weather and refuse to give up for cold...

The cat jumps on your body to get you out of your thoughts and feelings.

"Huh?... Have you come back?... My room... I can't believe it's my dear room!!"

You screamed excitedly and happily to get back to where you originally belonged, you jumped out of the bed to snag the blanket and fell off the bed, your behavior scares the cat, you don't care and rose actively to get out of the room and meet your mother.

You open the door to your room and wander around the house looking for her.

your steps slower and your expression changing to a frown.

"Right... I live alone... I forgot that I have no family..."

THE END

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If you like my writing, please support and publish it. Thank you. There will be a sequel soon, so look forward to it …

#genshin impact #genshin #genshin impact x reader #genshin x reader #reader #ajax x reader #au #childe tartagalia #ganshin sagau #sagau #ajax #childe #xiao #aether #scaramouche x reader #fatui #thoma #morax #zhongli #my writes #morax lapis #morax genshin impact #morax x reader #genshin zhongli #genshin impact zhongli #zhongli genshin impact #rex lapis #genshin childe #reader x childe #childe x reader

[thenightling]

Disney’s Haunted Mansion (2023) review

Last night I saw Disney’s The Haunted Mansion and it was surprisingly good. The main antagonist is The Hatbox Ghost, whose real name is Aleister Crump. The first name is from Aleister Crowley, whom he has a similar, though loose, backstory.  The surname is from Rolly Crump, a Disney artist who helped design the Haunted Mansion Ride and a lot of its features.  That was a nice homage.  There are lots of nods to the famous Disney Park ride and yes, Mr. Gracey is in it, but he’s not as big a character as he was in the 2003 version with Eddie Murphy.  I’m not usually a big fan of Jared Leto or his questionable method acting.  I have seen his “Joker” and his portrayal of Dr. Michael Morbius. But this was probably my favorite of his roles.  I cannot tell if that was his voice or not as the Hatbox Ghost being processed to sound deeper and creepier or if it was someone else’s voice.   Either way it was really well done.  And Jared Leto finally found a role where he is supposed to be a hammy creep.  I liked this version of the Haunted Mansion a lot more than the 2003 version with Eddie Murphy. There was a little more depth to this one.  And more interesting characters rather than the cliche workaholic father. This version dealt a lot with themes of grief and yes, there is a bit of a found family in it. My one complaint is something that happened with Madame Leota.  In this version of the story Leota was trapped inside her own crystal ball by The Hatbox Ghost.  Toward the end of the movie one of the protagonists uses a spell to free her but then shortly afterward Leota delivers the line “I can feel the spell fading and soon I will be returned to my crystal ball.  It’s not so bad.  It’s actually quite spacious in there.”  Why do this?�� The Hatbox Ghost was defeated.  It doesn’t make sense. There’s no reason for her to have to return to the crystal ball.  If it’s about selling the merchandise there are plenty of scenes of her inside the crystal ball already.

It almost feels like this annoying detail (and the only part I don’t like) was added by some bitter Disney employee who was angry he didn’t get to keep Binx trapped as a cat for all eternity in Hocus Pocus.   In general it was a fun movie.  That bit about Leota having to return to her crystal ball was the only part that bothered me.      I do think this may have been strategically released toward the end of July in the hope of recreating the cult classic that emerged from Hocus Pocus- a rare Disney sleeper hit.  Either that or Disney just had no faith in it because of the failing of the first attempt at a Haunted Mansion movie.  Based on the twelve week or so gap from theatrical release to home video Disney set this up so that it would be on DVD and Blu Ray and streaming just in time for the Halloween season. This was a fun movie, not too scary, but horror enough that I think adults won’t get bored.  Some of the characters (including ghosts) could have been developed better though. Part of me hopes for a sequel while another part of me dreads the franchise being milked to the point of annoyance like the later Pirates of the Caribbean movies.  Also the reveal that Trevor’s father was dead was easy to predict.   But it is still a family film despite the PG-13 rating so some moments have to be easy for the kids to figure out.  Not everything has to subvert expectations. And often subversion is done poorly in Hollywood anyway.              It was a fun film though. And some moments were genuinely sweet, such as the idea of ghosts sending small and subtle messages to loved ones like that cute cat, Tater Tot.  For those keeping score, there are now three Disney Haunted Mansion movies. There's The Haunted Mansion (2003), Muppet Haunted Mansion (2021), and Haunted Mansion (2023). There’s some good atmosphere in the movie too and some subtle homages to films like Poltergeist.  I liked it. 

#The Haunted Mansion #Disney's Haunted Mansion #Haunted Mansion #Disney's The Haunted Mansion