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clockwork-ashes · 2 months

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All Things End - Part I

Summary: Everyone knows her as the Lady of Autumn, but before she had a title, she hoped she could marry for love.

Part II >>

The Autumn Court was the loveliest place in all of Prythian. At least according to Callista’s completely unbiased and entirely objective opinion. Born in one of the wealthiest, oldest, and most powerful of families on the entire island, Callista had been lucky enough to visit all of the other courts before the age of twenty, a fact that she happened to be terribly proud of. While the six other courts were all indeed quite beautiful, there was really no place like home.

The Forest House, though, was not her home, and Callista was not too keen on having to spend the week-long equinox celebrations confined to the sprawling mansion. The Equinox would be better spent in Autumn’s capital city, or even at their country home. When she’d expressed this to her mother, the other woman had given her a sad sort of smile and a gentle pat on the hand. “I’m sure we’ll have a grand time.”

Callista had not been so sure, and even though she had enjoyed herself on occasion, her back hurt from keeping it straight for hours and her feet hurt from the uncomfortable wooden heels and her cheeks hurt from having to smile at the countless courtiers and aristocrats. She supposed that having earned the attention of the High Lord was also quite enjoyable, at least at first. Beron Vanserra was really quite good looking. Little embers constantly flaring in his dark brown eyes, his golden brown hair tousled, his jaw sharp and his lips full. He was a warrior, tall and strong. His scarred hands were nice and she found herself wondering what it might feel like to run the tip of her finger along the single scar on his sharp cheekbone. The High Lord was even a wonderful dancer, a trait that just so happened to be on Callista’s long, yet entirely reasonable, acceptable-husband checklist.

Callista’s opinion of Beron Vanserra changed completely when talks of a marriage became the new court rumours. She liked Beron well enough, but she didn’t exactly know him too well. And he was perhaps a bit too old for her, not that her father seemed to mind. In a court where female children were just as valued for their ability to be political pawns equal to males, having three daughters was a blessing. No one in Autumn married for love, a fact that was accepted by the nobles and aristocrats of the Forest House more so than those in neighbouring cities and towns. Callista, despite what her parents thought about the long-standing traditions of their court, still believed that she could marry for love. So on the third day of their trip, Callista took it upon herself to try and ensure that a wedding was not in her near future.

Callista had lit the ancient curtains in the ballroom on fire, to show the High Lord that she had absolutely no control over her magical abilities. Her father had been absolutely livid, but his spirits changed when Beron mentioned it to him at dinner later that evening that the fire in her blood was unmatched when comparing her to the other young females vying for the position of Lady of Autumn.

After that failure, Callista had then purposely dropped red wine all over the front of her lovely cream gown to show everyone that she was much too inelegant to be around good company. Her mother had given her a horrified look, because Callista was many things, but she was most definitely not clumsy. The High Lord had merely given her one of his embroidered handkerchiefs. She would be lying if she said she hadn’t blushed when he’d done so, but now one of her best dresses had been ruined for nothing.

Callista had also begun to step on his feet every time they waltzed, twisting the wooden heels of her shoes on his unnaturally shiny leather boots. Every time she would walk off the dance floor, her eldest sister would raise a dark brow at her in question. For three nights she kept up the act, but it had only encouraged Beron to offer her private dance lessons.

Her latest attempt at convincing the High Lord she was obviously not a good option was mentioning that she longed to visit her maternal grandparents in Xian. Callista knew that the gossip around her mother’s family history was well-founded, considering that Autumn Court emissaries didn’t usually marry royalty from neighbouring kingdoms, and she figured that perhaps the High Lord wouldn’t want such gossip attached to his future wife. It was also no secret that Beron wished to find a bride that would guarantee him powerful, fire-wielding heirs. Callista decided to see if he would reconsider her as an option if he felt she’d inherited the ability to heal as well. Much to Callista’s disappointment, he politely asked after their health and not-so subtly added that he wouldn’t mind visiting the continent to discuss trade routes with an emissary.

So far, her attempts had been unsuccessful, but the night was still young. Callista was considering what she might do next, it had to be truly horrifying and even ridiculously embarrassing, but she would do anything not to have to marry someone. At least, not to have to marry someone just yet.

“He keeps looking my way,” Callista muttered barely above a whisper. “What should I do?” Her pale fingers smoothed the fabric of her emerald green skirts as she questioned both her sisters without looking their way.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Stasya, the eldest of her sisters, take a sip of blood red wine from her full glass. Her shoulder-length brown hair swayed as she tilted her head, “Bare your teeth at him the next time you catch his eye.” Stasya’s stunning amber eyes betrayed the fact that she was being entirely serious. “It works every single time,” she added, flames dancing in her gaze.

Callista turned to face her sisters, “I’m thinking of setting his jacket on fire.” At Roselyn’s horrified expression, she continued to speak. “Who would want to marry the fool that’s just set your expensive jacket on fire?”

“You’d be surprised,” Stasya mumbled into her glass, taking a much larger sip this time.

“What if I fall to the ground?” Callista wondered out loud, “Don’t try and catch me,” she added as an afterthought.

“Stop being ridiculous,” Stasya said, no real bite to the words.

“He’s going to ask me to dance again and then the whole court will know his intentions.”

“Callie, don’t be so dramatic, it’s hardly proper for him to ask again.” Roselyn said with an elegant wave of her hand. “He might as well be proposing for your hand in marriage if he does something like that.”

Callista hadn’t yet mentioned to her sisters that she’d heard their mother whisper-arguing with their father over a potential proposal earlier that morning. Callista bit the inside of her cheek, a habit she hadn’t been able to shake from her childhood, as she considered simply telling her sisters about a possible engagement.

Roselyn placed a gentle hand on Callista’s arm, “What’s troubling you? You seem much too in your head today.”

Callista sighed, “Father wants to arrange a marriage between us.”

Roselyn’s russett eyes, so similar to Callista’s own, widened in surprise.

“Fucking hells,” Stasya set her glass on the table and Callista watched as some of the wine spilled onto the aged wood. “Cauldron fucking boil me, isn’t he much too old for you?”

“Not all arranged marriages in Autumn end unhappily,” Roselyn said quickly. “Perhaps he’s your perfect match, how nice would that be?” Roselyn was one of the luckier Autumn court brides, having genuinely come to love the young courtier she’d been set up with more than thirty years prior.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Rose, I bet they’ll be married for less than a year before they stop talking to each other entirely.” Stasya had viciously murdered her much older and harsher husband on their third year anniversary, a little known fact, but the subject of many court rumours. Callista, who knew this, hoped that was what made Stasya so absolutely dreadful when it came to comforting her in this trying time.

Roselyn clicked her tongue as she addressed Stasya, “Stop it, you horrible creature.” Ignoring Stasya’s unkind and mumbled remarks, Roselyn turned her attention back to her younger sister. “You never know, Callie, honestly. I thought I’d hate Colm forever, and he wasn’t very pleased with the arrangements our parents had made, either. But we’re happy now.”

“Colm spoils you absolutely rotten, that’s why you love him,” Stasya grumbled. “Most husbands in Autumn don’t bother.”

“Beron Vanserra is a High Lord, he has enough gold to spoil thirty wives rotten,” Roselyn retorted. “And he’s very handsome.”

“He killed five brothers for that hideous crown,” Stasya snapped.

Before either of her sisters could continue their bickering, Callista huffed a dramatic sigh. “I just don’t understand why he’d want me when he could have anyone else.”

The silence between them was a stark contrast to the chatter of the courtiers and the lovely music of the ballroom. Callista knew she was powerful, her whole family was, but there were others more powerful than her. Callista also knew she was beautiful, but there were plenty of gorgeous females at court. She was much too young for a husband, perhaps if she begged her father, he wouldn’t allow it. She also knew it was difficult to say no to a High Lord even if she could change her father’s mind about the whole thing. Callista hoped her mother could convince her father against this course of action.

Callista put an abrupt stop to her quickly spiralling thoughts when she spotted the High Lord break away from the conversation he’d been having. Callista decided she wasn’t going to wait around and see if he was going to ask her for another dance.

“Stasya,” she turned to her eldest sister with an exaggerated pout. “Sassa,” Callista tried using the childhood nickname she’d given her much older sister years ago. “Would you mind distracting Beron?” When Stasya pretended that she hadn’t heard, Callista tried again, using her cauldron-given right as the youngest to be a menace until she ultimately got what she wanted. “Sassa, please, please, please, plea—”

“Mother spare me,” Stasya said with an exasperated sigh. “I’m giving you a quarter of an hour.”

“Three quarters of an hour,” Callista corrected.

“Half an hour, and that’s it.”

That would do just fine, Callista thought, flashing a smile at her eldest sister. “You love me so much, Sassa.”

Stasya returned that smile with a roll of her amber eyes. She elegantly stood from her chair, black skirts trailing behind her as she approached the High Lord.

Callista stayed only long enough to see him grimace. She knew all too well that Stasya wouldn’t give her even a second more than the agreed upon time, so she quickly grabbed her skirts and rushed away from the table. She could hear Roselyn laughing behind her, but she couldn’t be bothered to wave goodbye.

Callista was very nearly out of breath by the time she’d made it out into the hall. She ran a hand through her loose curls as she continued to walk at a much slower pace, turning a corner and ducking under a small alcove. Callista had discovered the private balcony on her first night at the Forest House and decided she’d make it hers. No one else seemed to care much for it, and there was barely enough space on the balcony for two.

That was why, Callista figured, she came to such a sudden and graceless stop at seeing someone else, back to her, leaning against the balcony’s stone rail.

#acotar #a court of thorns and roses #helion x loa #helion x lady of autumn #helion spell cleaver #lady of autumn #the lady of autumn #autumn court #because i cannot stop thinking about that one line in #acowar #ashes writes sometimes

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hyperesthesias · 5 months

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Decisions & Desire Part II

Notes: Look, what I want you to take away from this is: 'I love you. Most ardently'. I even got the rain thing going. Song choice for this installment is: Arrival of the Birds by The Cinematic Orchestra.

Context: Anya and Viktor are childhood friends who have reconnected seven months ago. Anya is a mage, and a theoretical physicist; she is also a patron of Viktor and the Academy. They have rekindled their friendship, and are in love with each other. Because Anya is a different species, who lives for hundreds of years, and takes only one mate for her lifespan, Viktor has recused himself from her life, not wanting to cause her further pain. However, Jayce has some choice words for his friend. Anya also learns more about transformation rituals from her temple elder.

word count: 4,411

Tag List: @uniquedeerwitch ; @funcoolchickie (Let me know if you would like to be tagged!)

AO3 link

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Anya kept the company of her kinfolk, while Viktor kept himself confined to his laboratory. She had not seen him in nearly a week – neither had she heard from him, despite her occasional visits to the lab with pertinent information and translations of runework. Whenever she made an appearance there, Viktor always seemed absent, and her work was relayed solely through Jayce, who asked her no questions, neither pressed any agendas about the crystal or her relationship with her friend. It only made her feel more alone.

Despite the happy faces and the welcome invitations from her kin at the temple, Anya felt no desire to join them in preparations for the Autumnal Equinox festival – she had no mirth to contribute to the festival at all, and instead planned on recusing herself from the event. Regardless of where she went, or with whom, the abstinence of her friend’s love, and desire for their bonding, followed her – a horrible shadow that clung to her, even when the Sun shone brightest. His life was fragile, its length short, and she saw his grappling as a hindrance to the time that could be shared between them, despite the obstacles presented to them.

Her elder, Nana, was the only one of the temple who asked nothing of her, nor expected her presence in any capacity, except for that of a cup of tea. Nana was seven hundred years old, and she was the oldest and wisest among their community. She had long, silver hair that ran past her feet, and that matched her age; she had weathered skin and a warm smile that crinkled her eyes. Her home resided on the temple acreage, and she tended the sacred trees and flora and fauna that made the grounds lush and vibrant. Her cottage smelled of herbs, and the couch was well worn from visitors who sought her company. She was quick to listen, and slow to scold, but always had advice when it was asked of her.

“I have more ideas about the transmutation spell you asked me about some while ago,” Nana said, and served Anya a cup of berry tea. “I found a codex in the old catacombs of the temple. Don’t tell anyone.”

Anya smiled lightly, and held the cup in her lap. She had no desire to speak.

“There are many legends of shape shifting, as you know,” she continued with a huff and a grunt as she sat down on the couch. “Many talk of our ancient ancestors who could change into jaguars or hummingbirds during the heat of battle. Even dragons. But birds and cats sounds more believable to me,” she eyed her young guest with a simper. “Though much of what is written in these codices are thought of as fantasy by the majority – superstition and stories meant to inspire awe and terror into the hearts of enemies from long ago.”

“Do you believe it is possible?” Anya asked.

Nana looked at her and shrugged as she took a sip of tea. “I’ve seen too much to disregard anything at all. There are some who are gifted with the abilities of magic – like you and your parents; others who can communicate with animals and spirits. Who’s to say there is not a gene somewhere out there, wandering around, that can cause someone to shape shift? Maybe it got lost,” she chuckled.

“Did the codex suggest wanting anything in return for this power?”

Nana looked at her, suspicious, but she conceded: “No, there was no mention of an exchange – it was a power bestowed by the divinities. A gift. There were times it was granted as a way to smite an opponent in battle. Others, it was given as a way to protect a village or a family.”

Whatever the secret had been of transmutation, it was evident it was long lost, and was now regaled into the nebulous mythos of cultural tales. Anya set her untouched tea on the table in front of them, and nodded. “Thank you, Nana. But I do not feel up to having anything at the moment. I think I will leave.”

“What is wrong, my dear?” Nana asked, and held out her hand that she might stay.

“It is nothing. Childish things.” She shook her head, afraid she would think her a fool for her despondency. Viktor’s stubbornness was a sufficient burden, but Nana’s disapproval would be more than she could bear.

Nana gave her a sad smile as she watched the affliction on her soft face. “There is no such thing as too small a grief.”

Anya looked to her, reticent. She debated on what to say, but knew that if there was any one person in her community who could be relied upon, it would be Nana. “It does not feel small,” she admitted.

“This isn’t about runes.” Nana set her cup of tea down.

“No. It is not.” She looked out of the window at the far end of the room, she watched as the wildflowers blew, delicate and limber, in the afternoon sun – their stems and leaves had begun to turn brittle as Summer ended and as Autumn began. Soon, they would be wilted and returned to the earth from which they first grew. Viktor’s ailing health pressed upon her heart and she resisted the stinging in her eyes. She swallowed the hot, salted water that had gathered at the back of her throat, and she kept her head down. “There is someone with whom I wish to bond,” she said. She could not bring herself to say anything more.

“Have they refused you?” Nana asked.

“The desire is mutual. But he will not bond with me.”

Nana could think of no reason why someone would be so indecisive. Anya was well off – finances would never be a concern; there were no wars in which their kind had been involved, in Piltover or in Zaun, that could have amassed prejudice; there were no quarreling families within their own community that would prevent a peaceful union with Anya – a union with her would have been covetous. “Why?” she asked, bewildered.

“He is human,” she said. The tears she fought gathered at the edges of her eyes, and she struggled to keep them at bay as she looked at her elder. She turned away as a droplet ran down her face. “His health is frail, even by the standard of his kind. His lifespan will be cut short. He will not bond with me, so that I will not be alone when he dies.”

“That is honorable.”

“Too honorable,” Anya sniffled.

Nana smiled. There were few who understood and heeded the ways of their species – especially humans. To find someone with such zealous respect was both a blessing and curse.

“Nana – What is it like? To have a bonded who is no longer here.”

She took a long, slow breath, and memories passed her eyes as she thought on what to say. Her own bonded had been gone for nearly fifty years. It felt like an eternity. “I can still feel him – as I always did. When you bond with someone, you can feel what they feel, you can know where they are, and see the world through their spirit. It is the same, even now. He is still alive, somewhere. But not here. I feel that he misses me, as much as I miss him,” she gave Anya a smile, one full of joy and longing. She caressed her face – bright and full of youth and knowing. “This man loves you. Human men make no sacrifices for things they do not love. What will be, will be. Even if you love him from afar.”

Another tear fell onto Anya’s visage, and Nana gently brushed it away.

Anya returned to her quiet, cavernous home as clouds began to move their way through the sky. She recalled a rainy day in Zaun, where her mother told her to search for a bucket in the scrap heap around the corner from their house. The roof had sprung a leak, and Anya spent the night bailing out buckets of water. She was stricken with the cold, and became bed-ridden and ill, her mother tended to her with poultices and compresses for a week.

Her mansion made of marble had no leaks, and every gutter led to the gardens beneath. There were beds for vegetables and fresh herbs, there were fruit trees and bushes that yielded plentiful stone fruits and berries. She wanted for nothing. Except for the love she could not have.

She sat alone the rest of the afternoon in the salon, with a well lit fire and a hot cup of coffee as the rain began to fall, persistent and dour against the breadth of the windowpanes. She had numerous books on runes and shape shifting spread across the cushions, but she resented each of them. They all reminded her of Viktor.

Viktor arrived at the lab in a foul mood. The previous night left him restless, and what little sleep he gathered was listless and fitful. His mind was tired and overworked, and his heart had grown numb from the final exchange he shared with Anya; it sat on his stomach like a stone, and he felt himself pinned beneath it. Though he gave little credence to the tenements of Fate, he was beginning to believe in something far worse: bad luck. Luck, that he had reconnected with his friend after a decade and a half, and bad luck to have sabotaged his relationship with her. He lost the love of his life. He had no one other than himself to blame.

Viktor said nothing upon entering the lab and he promptly sat at his workbench, hunched over his journal; he analyzed the data he gathered the previous evening, along with several of Anya’s notes taped to the inside of his notebook. He could feel Jayce’s eyes on him from across the room.

Jayce sat not far away – he had been studying the crystal under a lens, having arrived at the lab nearly two hours before his partner. He leaned back in his chair with a deep sigh, his hands ran down his face – every facet of the crystal was beginning to blur into one another, and he could hardly tell the difference between the runes anymore. He looked up towards his friend again, who seemed to share his same, glossy-eyed look.

“You hungry?” he asked.

Viktor gave no reply.

Jayce tilted his head, trying to see the expression on his friend’s face. It was stern, guarded, and unmoving. Viktor was not often outwardly expressive, but he was not devoid of feeling altogether, and he had come to know Viktor well enough to see when his friend was perturbed – despite the few indications he might give evidently. Jayce rolled the chair closer to his partner. “Hey –” he tapped his shoulder.

Viktor started and took a sharp breath. “What?” he growled as he shot Jayce a glance.

“I think we could both use a break. Why don’t we get something to eat.” A drop in blood sugar would explain Viktor’s harsh disposition.

He waved him off. “I am fine, go on without me.”

Jayce stared at him with scepticism. “You don’t look fine.”

Viktor closed his eyes and slowly inhaled. “There are things in my private life I would like to keep private,” he said. Jayce had become a friend – Viktor’s only friend besides Anya; and while his two friends were each other’s acquaintance, Viktor was careful never to divulge more than the superficial in regard to Anya and her background. He had given Jayce no knowledge as to her species, or her capabilities as a mage; the extent of his appraisal had been their friendship in childhood, and her success at the Academy. Nothing more, and nothing less.

Concern built itself deeper into Jayce, and worry furrowed itself into his features. Not long ago, Viktor saved his life from the broken ledge of his apartment. The chill of that terrible night’s air gripped him by the throat, and he refocused himself onto his friend, instead. “You don’t have to suffer in silence.”

Viktor stopped, overcome with the memory of watching Jayce nearly step over the ledge and into death. They never spoke of it. They did not have to. It was a hermetic secret between the two of them, one that was never forgotten, and never mentioned. But Viktor could hear between what was not said. He sighed and turned on the stool, throwing the pencil on the notebook. “There is a dilemma, in my personal life, that has no favorable solution,” he said. “My only choice is to accept the consequence, and proceed with my life. My work,” he motioned to the notebook.

Jayce stared at him, more confused than before, his worries no more allayed. “Are you…getting fired?”

Viktor scoffed. “No. Although, I supposed I could be,” he murmured. His position at the Academy forbade any fraternization with a donor. It was yet another obstacle that bid him forget about whatever childish emotions welled themselves inside of his mind. “My affections for Anya have grown beyond that of friends,” he admitted. The feeling of her soft skin imprinted itself on his hands as he spoke, the feel of her breath as he kissed her, the sweet taste of her – she flooded into him all at once, and his chest tightened.

Jayce’s face softened and he began to smile.

“There is nothing to be done about it.” He turned back to his workbench.

“What do you mean?” Jayce asked, taken aback.

Viktor rolled his tongue in his mouth, his jaw stiffened and his eyes pierced through the pages of the book underneath his palms. He debated whether to speak of Anya’s species, but if he knew anything of his friend, he knew Jayce understood the value of a secret. “Anya is not like you and me. Her species is capable of living for a thousand years. In that time, they will have only one mate. It is for their lifetime. It is a bond that will last, even after death. My affection for her now will be meaningless in five hundred years.” He swallowed and closed the notebook. “She would be alone. That is not something I will allow.”

“So you’re not going to say anything?”

“I already have.”

“And? What did she say?”

“We have not spoken in a week, since.”

“Well what the hell did you say?”

Viktor rolled his eyes. “I was honest with her. It is what she deserves. I told her my affection, and also told her it was better we do not bond.”

“She deserves the opportunity to decide for herself, Viktor.”

The lines in Viktor’s face drew deeper, and he felt offense flush his face.

“You made the decision for her. What if she wants to be with you?”

“Then it would be better for me to suffer the next thirty years alone, than her for centuries more.”

Jayce stayed quiet as he watched his friend anguish.

“My refusal to bond with her is not out of arrogance or self-centeredness.”

“Viktor, she won’t wait for you forever.”

“That is exactly the point,” he denounced him. “Thirty years from now, I will be dead. And in three hundred years, she will find another she loves.”

“What if she doesn’t find anyone? What if it’s only you?”

“Statistics would argue otherwise.” He sighed and looked away from his friend as he leaned back in the chair. “I would never fault her for wanting to love another. But we will have already been bonded.”

“You say it like it’s a bad thing.”

“No, not bad – foolish. We are not the same kind. We were not meant to bond.” He ended the conversation and returned to his notes.

Jayce gave him a disgruntled frown, though he knew Viktor was unable to see it. He remained silent, and only watched his friend compartmentalize his pain – despite how well Viktor assumed he was hiding it, Jayce could see his grief plainly. They had not known each other long, but knew him to be a lonely, stoic man, who devoted his life to proving his worthiness through science and advancement. He was a good man, who always thought of others before himself. Who thought of the woman he loved before his own desires. Jayce could not say the same about himself. Though he did not know Anya well, he knew she was the only one who could make Viktor laugh and smile without restraint; when they were together, Jayce saw enjoyment in his life – rather than only discipline and hardship.

Perhaps he lived vicariously through his friend – that the merit of perseverance could be met with reward and happiness. Perhaps he resented him for refusing to accept such happiness. Or perhaps he was merely frustrated with his friend’s stubbornness. “You’re fighting this really hard,” he said.

Viktor took a grated breath and threw up his palms, knowing he would not get any work done with Jayce’s ever-optimistic meddling. “What would you have me do?”

“Stop sabotaging yourself.”

“And when she is left alone with no one, with nothing? What then? I will not be responsible for her suffering.”

“You already are.”

Viktor gnawed the inside of his mouth and looked away.

“You can’t live your life in the theoretical.”

Life was incalculably more complicated than the theoretical, or the practical – it was an egregious amalgamation of both, that fit neither descriptor. And sometimes, there were no viable solutions. Sometimes, there was only the best that could be done. Viktor’s parents did the best they could, despite their poverty, despite their flaws and faults. There were times, much like this, he wished he could talk to them. Ask for their guidance and advice, their life experience. But even without it, Viktor did the best he could.

That was all that could be done.

Viktor drove a carriage from the Academy, after Jayce left the lab in the late afternoon. The Sun was setting, and dusk and rain were easily approaching on the horizon – cooler hues of orange and magenta sunk with the dark, impending clouds behind the Piltover skyline, and Viktor recalled a time when he could not see the Sun set, nor when it rose. He drove in silence as he mulled over the arguments of his friend, and the blistered emotions that imprinted themselves within his chest. The ability to intuit the machine beneath his hands allowed his mind to wander freely; he shifted it from each of its gears without fault or hesitation, and his left leg moved with ease to control the clutch and acceleration. The ability to pilot a machine granted him freedom from the physical fetters that plagued him daily – the rare moments in which he felt his body free from restraint, granted his mind clarity and respite.

Anya deserved honesty, he concluded. Honesty – not only in his emotions, but in his actions. There was a distinct line he observed: to deny them both the opportunity of bonding was dishonest, to himself, and also to her. Jayce, for all his meddling, had been correct: Anya deserved to make her own honest decisions, and Viktor was required to trust her instincts, and trust the decisions she made for the course of her future. It was iniquitous, and it was presumptuous to determine her future for her. It was her future. Not his. But together, they could share the present.

The road to her home was winding, along a paved path lined with trees and wildlife. Though her mansion was modern, even by the Kiramann’s standards, the reclusivity and pastoral beauty of its location was something that appealed to him. Her culture revolved around the natural world, around the connection between their species and all life around them. It suited her that her home was deep within the forest. The fresh air of the treeline, and the onset of clean rain was a relief to his lungs, and to the memories of Zaun’s filth that permeated his mind.

The carriage pulled into the circular driveway, and he could see a dim light through the many windows of the house. Rain pummelled his shoulders the moment he stepped out, and he hurried with his cane as well as he could across the cobblestone for cover underneath the porch. But the winds were shifting through the forests and mountains around them, and despite the cover of the overhang, the rain smattered him sideways. He pulled a gilded knocker on the door, and tapped it three times. He waited, eagerly, and mulled over everything he wanted to say while he attempted to keep a chill at bay.

Moments seemingly blurred into hours, and, presently, Anya answered the door.

“Viktor?” She stared at him, shocked – misery clung to his features, and she knew he had not slept; hunger drew the color from his face, and the rain drenched him from his hair to his shoes.

Everything he wanted to say, everything he planned on saying – every point he wanted to make suddenly vanished. He stood there – dumb and silenced.

“Are you alright?”

But everything he wanted to say, could be condensed into one singular phrase: “Anya, I love you.” He met her eyes with pleading, and swallowed; he felt bare having said the words aloud. “I do not know anything with certainty, but that I love you. I do not know the future. And I know nothing of magic. But, I try.” Even in the downpour around them, his throat felt parched. “I want to try. For however long the future will have me in this life. If you will have me.”

Anya’s heart raced within her, and she saw their future written plainly on his face: one of happiness, and one of hope – despite whatever hardships they might face. Her smile trembled at the thoughts and images that played before her mind’s eye. She nodded, breathless.

But he shook his head, afraid she had given her blessing too soon. He reached for her, as if to implore her, and petition her grace. “I cannot give you status. I can give you no children –”

She dismissed his fear, and cupped his face. “I do not bond with you for what you can give me,” she said. “My bond is my love for you, Viktor. Always.”

Viktor weakened at her words, and water flushed his face – though from tears, or from the rain, he could no longer distinguish. Her hands were warm, and any part of him that had been frozen or chilled melted at her touch. He nuzzled his cheek into her palm, and took her hand to kiss it – his cane moved to the crook of his arm. He breathed in her scent and revelled in the benevolence of her softness, with the thought of awakening to her beside him every morning, and falling asleep to the sound of her every night. He looked to her one last time: “Are you certain?”

“More than anything.” She brushed the water from the stern lines of his countenance, and gently pulled him towards her.

Gladly, he met her lips and drank in the sweetness of her taste. He caressed his palms around her face, where he left behind streaks of rain on her skin, and on her clothes. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him taut, pressed against her.

Viktor took a breath and leaned against her face as she nuzzled her head into his shoulder. A pang gathered in his throat: not one of sadness, nor of the grief that had so despairingly plagued him the last week, but a pang of great and overwhelming emotion. Which emotion he could not clearly ascertain: happiness, relief, uncertainty and anxiousness of the future. It was akin to the peace and quiet calm that is only left behind after a storm. He felt a tear escape him, amidst the serenity inside of him. “What must I do,” he asked, his voice overcome with whelm and affection, “to bond with you, with the ritual of your people?”

Anya held him tighter with gratitude for his recognition, and moved to see his eyes: “You must find me a feather, and braid it into my hair.”

The carnal intimacy of her sacred hair – to caress it, and comb it, to bring her pleasure with it, seldom occurred to him, but the thought was ardent and clear to him now. He stroked the side of her face, where the back of his hand graced against the edge of her mane; she emanated a quiet purr at his touch, and he relinquished his hand, flustered – though she had made no effort to pull away from him. He took her hand, instead, and kissed it once more.

Anya invited him inside, to warm himself by the fire; he sat on the couch where she had staked herself throughout the afternoon – books were still strewn across the salon, he chose one as he put his leg up onto an ottoman. Before he could protest, she poured him a hot cup of coffee of his own, and offered him a helping of sweet bread and fresh cheese.

“Thank you,” he said, and took the cup and plate.

“You forgot to eat again.”

“Bad habit,” he looked at her, diffident.

She raised a brow. “Which means you have also forgotten your medicine.”

Realization struck him, and he searched his pocket for his pill case. In the wave of ecstasy and emotion, he had not felt the pain in his back and hip, but as his mind anchored itself again, he felt it worm itself into the forefront of his attention.

Anya sat next to him, and leaned against him as he ate, and drank, and swallowed his pills. He looked at her, in the firelight – she was the beauty of a brilliant star, illuminated by the cosmos. He wrapped her in a blanket that was thrown behind them on the couch. He wondered, what life would be like thirty years thence, when he was frail, when he had even less to give her – nothing except the love he would always have for her. He saw his own future with her, as the fire danced across her: lenitive, contented, and a life in which he may always be free from fear. With her, Viktor felt safe. He always had. He always would.

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pressnat · 1 year

Photo

MEUS CC’S MASCULINOS FAVORITOS + CC/ MY FAVORITE MALE CC || PART 2

⇢ tops ||

01. https://www.thesimsresource.com/downloads/details/category/sims4-clothing-male-teenadultelder-everyday/title/belaloallure-jeremie-shirt/id/1474493/

02. https://gorillax3sims4.blogspot.com/2019/12/sweater-shirt.html

03. https://www.thesimsresource.com/downloads/details/category/sims4-clothing-male-teenadultelder-everyday/title/t-shirt/id/1504747/

04. https://www.patreon.com/posts/51905406

05. https://www.patreon.com/posts/basic-sweater-70047124

06. https://www.patreon.com/posts/60379939

07. https://ceeproductions.tumblr.com/post/655362683425751040/calm-fit-collection-a-mostly-male-cc-collection

08. https://ceeproductions.tumblr.com/post/655362683425751040/calm-fit-collection-a-mostly-male-cc-collection

09. https://ceeproductions.tumblr.com/post/670947463629242368/modern-menswear-set-this-is-a-set-containing-6

10. https://ceeproductions.tumblr.com/post/670947463629242368/modern-menswear-set-this-is-a-set-containing-6

11. https://ceeproductions.tumblr.com/post/696230540558385152/equinox-collection-its-the-start-of-my-favorite

12. https://www.patreon.com/posts/72413961?pr=true

13. https://liliili-sims4.tumblr.com/post/701345463210754048/1k-followers-gift-pack

14. https://its-adrienpastel.tumblr.com/post/696282820099883008/first-fits-kit-adult-conversion-add-ons-a

15. https://its-adrienpastel.tumblr.com/post/696282820099883008/first-fits-kit-adult-conversion-add-ons-a

16. https://its-adrienpastel.tumblr.com/post/696282820099883008/first-fits-kit-adult-conversion-add-ons-a

17. https://its-adrienpastel.tumblr.com/post/696282820099883008/first-fits-kit-adult-conversion-add-ons-a

18. https://its-adrienpastel.tumblr.com/post/698279151735586816/first-fits-kit-adult-conversion-add-ons-ii

19. https://aharris00britney.tumblr.com/post/628080330396565504/axa-2020

20. https://aharris00britney.tumblr.com/post/644838061729103872/axa-paris

21. https://aharris00britney.tumblr.com/post/644838061729103872/axa-paris

22. https://aharris00britney.tumblr.com/post/691489996565250048/axa-2022

23. https://aharris00britney.tumblr.com/post/691489996565250048/axa-2022

24. https://aharris00britney.tumblr.com/post/628080330396565504/axa-2020

25. https://www.patreon.com/posts/sunny-day-65632866

26. https://marvinsims.tumblr.com/post/148514766033/modern-man-collection-tumblr-dashboard-doesnt-do

27. https://www.patreon.com/posts/melancholy-cc-58334821

28. https://www.patreon.com/posts/72179986

29. https://solistair.tumblr.com/post/692458504208908288/werewolves-add-on-pack-part-2-male-thank-you-so

30. https://solistair.tumblr.com/post/692458504208908288/werewolves-add-on-pack-part-2-male-thank-you-so

31. https://www.patreon.com/posts/69318700

32. https://www.patreon.com/posts/77829893

33. https://marvinsims.tumblr.com/post/148514766033/modern-man-collection-tumblr-dashboard-doesnt-do

34. https://www.patreon.com/posts/73593477

35. https://www.patreon.com/posts/57098925

36. https://www.patreon.com/posts/57098925

37. https://www.patreon.com/posts/caio-x-serenity-61661713

38. https://www.patreon.com/posts/hot-coffee-12-74503782

39. https://www.patreon.com/posts/teenage-dreams-64512309

40. https://www.patreon.com/posts/teenage-dreams-64512309

41. https://www.patreon.com/posts/53978985

~~~~

⇢ tops ||

01. https://www.patreon.com/posts/30647445

02. https://ceeproductions.tumblr.com/post/655362683425751040/calm-fit-collection-a-mostly-male-cc-collection

03. https://www.patreon.com/posts/first-fits-kit-73372647

04. https://www.patreon.com/posts/first-fits-kit-73372647

05. https://www.patreon.com/posts/first-fits-kit-73372647

06. https://aharris00britney.tumblr.com/post/187194346870/axa-2019-official-release

07. https://aharris00britney.tumblr.com/post/187194346870/axa-2019-official-release

08. https://www.patreon.com/posts/taemin-pants-62083072

09. https://www.patreon.com/posts/73426199

10. https://aharris00britney.tumblr.com/post/691747261963763712/aharris00britney-axa-2022-50-cas-items

11. https://www.patreon.com/posts/sunny-day-65632866

12. https://marvinsims.tumblr.com/post/148514766033/modern-man-collection-tumblr-dashboard-doesnt-do

13. https://marvinsims.tumblr.com/post/148514766033/modern-man-collection-tumblr-dashboard-doesnt-do

14. https://marvinsims.tumblr.com/post/148514766033/modern-man-collection-tumblr-dashboard-doesnt-do

15. https://sims4updates.net/clothing/incheon-basics-at-simandy/

16. https://www.patreon.com/posts/caio-x-serenity-61661713

17. https://liliili-sims4.tumblr.com/post/701345463210754048/1k-followers-gift-pack

~~~~

⇢ full body ||

01. https://www.patreon.com/posts/filbert-fall-set-72537949

02. https://www.patreon.com/posts/filbert-fall-set-72537949

~~~~

⇢ shoes ||

01. https://arethabee.tumblr.com/post/669176529167745024/november2021

02. https://madlensims.tumblr.com/post/692692234184835072/kai-sneakers-unisex-high-top-shoes-available-to

03. https://www.patreon.com/posts/first-fits-kit-73372647

04. https://www.patreon.com/posts/first-fits-kit-73372647

05. https://mmsims.tumblr.com/post/676175127656972288/s4cc-mmsims-norae-loafer

06. https://solistair.tumblr.com/post/689827862210035712/werewolves-add-on-pack-part-1-female-its

07. https://www.patreon.com/posts/mmsims-dunk-low-61064837

08. https://ceeproductions.tumblr.com/post/696230540558385152/equinox-collection-its-the-start-of-my-favorite

09. https://www.patreon.com/posts/sneaker-part-i-51048338

10. https://madlensims.tumblr.com/post/663878687896322048/tsuki-slippers-puppy-house-slippers-cute-and

11. https://jius-sims.tumblr.com/post/697548608463126528/jius-sims-mens-shoes-collection-02

12. https://jius-sims.tumblr.com/post/697548608463126528/jius-sims-mens-shoes-collection-02

13. https://jius-sims.tumblr.com/post/697548608463126528/jius-sims-mens-shoes-collection-02

14. https://jius-sims.tumblr.com/post/697548608463126528/jius-sims-mens-shoes-collection-02

15. https://jius-sims.tumblr.com/post/697548608463126528/jius-sims-mens-shoes-collection-02

16. https://jius-sims.tumblr.com/post/667471760263970816/mens-shoes-collection-part-1-jius-monk

17. https://jius-sims.tumblr.com/post/667471760263970816/mens-shoes-collection-part-1-jius-monk

18. https://jius-sims.tumblr.com/post/667471760263970816/mens-shoes-collection-part-1-jius-monk

19. https://jius-sims.tumblr.com/post/667471760263970816/mens-shoes-collection-part-1-jius-monk

20. https://jius-sims.tumblr.com/post/667471760263970816/mens-shoes-collection-part-1-jius-monk

21. https://jius-sims.tumblr.com/post/667471760263970816/mens-shoes-collection-part-1-jius-monk

22. https://jius-sims.tumblr.com/post/667471760263970816/mens-shoes-collection-part-1-jius-monk

23. https://jius-sims.tumblr.com/post/709694412705447936/jius-low-top-sneakers-05-male-25

24. https://jius-sims.tumblr.com/post/692929695708250112/jius-crocs-clog-01-male-30-swatches-10k

25. https://www.patreon.com/posts/53978985

youtube

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lullabyes22-blog · 10 months

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Forward, but Never Forget/XOXO - Ch: 15 - Bloody Sunday (Part II)

Snippet:

Before Code Blue, Silco is at Drop Street.

Sevika's place—once hers and Nandi's. It is situated at the fringes of district called Oldtown: a zone stuck in time.

The architectural curiosities of Zaun are many, from spiraling towers to zigzagging pathways. Their Art Noveau façades, a holdover of the mercantile era, are squalid with factory soot and defaced by decades of neglect. The awnings with antique flower patterns mark establishments that no longer exist. The curlicued iron flagstaffs with seashell-style ideograms are barely legible beneath accretions of rust. The hand-painted murals show idyllic scenes of gardens long forgotten by even the history books.

They symbolize an age of flora and fauna when life was more plentiful than death; when nature had not been poisoned by industry. The Undercity has changed since then, rebuilt itself over and over, pushing further into a sky that remains out of reach.

A testament to hope—or the repetitions of futility.

Few districts capture the paradox as perfectly as Oldtown. It is the earliest immigrant enclave in the Undercity. Split between Ionian and Shuriman settlers who migrated during the first ripples of the Void Wars, nothing in Oldtown ever gets torn down. Instead, centuries-old buildings are the crutches on which a crazy jumble of vaulted Shuriman arches and theatrical Ionian balconies are piled together until they resemble a vertiginous cosmorama. The flickering gaslight lends a surrealism to the central street, an effect enhanced in summertime by the Equinox Bazaar, when a tide of colorful merchandise swells and washes up in the courtyards below.

In daylight, it holds the tacky charm of a carnival. At night, it is a smoky jewel-box.

Sevika's flat is far from the riot of the main streets: a somber three-story brick building. It occupies a no-fire zone where gangs keep an uneasy peace, and where residents have learned to keep their heads down. Few windows face the streets. Those that do pretend to take no notice of the gleaming black limousine parked in the shadows of the backstreet.

That limousine has been there before.

Summary: Zaun is free—and must grow into its unfamiliar new dimensions. So must Silco and Jinx. A what-if that diverges midway through the events of episode 8. Found family and fluff, politics and power, smut and slice-of-life, villainy and vengeance.

AO3 - Forward, But Never Forget/XOXO

FFnet - Forward, But Never Forget (XOXO)

Playlist on Youtube

#forward (never forget)/xoxo #forward but never forget/xoxo #arcane #arcane league of legends #arcane silco #silco #arcane sevika #sevika #arcane jinx #jinx #silco and jinx #silco x sevika #sevilco

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hellsite-yano · 4 months

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As usual: The List of Completed Games 2023

Arrival (DOOM) Sunder (DOOM) Mibibli's Quest Action Doom (DOOM) Action Doom 2: Urban Brawl (DOOM) Assault on Tei Tenga (DOOM) Maptroid: Worlds Demons of Problematique (DOOM) Demons of Problematique 2 (DOOM) Newgothic Movement (DOOM) Newgothic Movement 2 (DOOM) Legacy of Heroes (DOOM) TNT Revilution (DOOM) /pol/ (DOOM) Equinox (DOOM) Thunderpeak (DOOM) Pizza Tower Automaton Lung SMBNext: Sunset Shores Heart of the Killer Elderand Kama Sutra (DOOM) Brotherhood of Ruin (DOOM) Brotherhood of Ruin: The Lost Temple (DOOM) Metroid Fusion: Special Edition No End in Sight (DOOM) Counterattack (DOOM) Consolation Prize (DOOM) Golden Souls 2 (DOOM) Super Metroid Redesign: Axeil Edition REKKR The Legend of Dark Witch Episode 2 Castlevania: Simon's Destiny (DOOM) The Legend of Dark Witch 3 Micro Slaughter Community Project (DOOM) Cave Story 3D Plutonia Revisited Community Project (DOOM) 200 Minutes of /vr/ (DOOM) Hell Ground (DOOM) Mutiny (DOOM) Diabolus Ex (DOOM) Rusted Moss Dread Templar The Machine (Knytt Stories) Ashes 2063 Enriched (DOOM) Carnage Oasis (DOOM) Ashes Afterglow (DOOM) MAYhem 2048 (DOOM) Doom 2 Redux (DOOM) Bungle in the Jungle (DOOM) Anomaly Report (DOOM) MyHouse (DOOM) Dementium Remastered HROT BACULUS (DOOM) Doom 2 Reloaded (DOOM) Vracks Botanicals (DOOM) Resurgence (DOOM) Invasion UAC (DOOM) SuperDoom (DOOM) 2048 Units of /vr/ (DOOM) Cydonia (DOOM) Happy (DOOM) Tetris Effect: Connected Moonblood (DOOM) Liminal Doom (DOOM) Tetanus (DOOM) Plutonia Revisited Community Project 2 (DOOM) Shadow of the Wool Ball (DOOM) Monuments of Guilt BABBDI NaissanceE Post Void I wish it was morning all the time HOLEHOLE MAZEMAZE Kowloon's Curse: Lost Report South Scrimshaw Part One Outcore: Desktop Adventure Nyaruru Fishy Fight Viewfinder Sludge Life 2 Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun Slayers X: Terminal Aftermath: Vengance of the Slayer Herald of Havoc Pseudoregalia Deadlink Lone Fungus Fox Flares Turbo Overkill Blasphemous 2 AMID EVIL - The Black Labyrinth Bomb Rush Cyberfunk Inscryption Neyasnoe Northern Journey Wonderputt Forever Super Junkoid (Super Metroid) Manifold Garden Contra 4 Metal Slug 7 Space Invaders Extreme Space Invaders Extreme 2 Outer Wilds Ion Fury: Aftershock Submachine 1: the Basement Submachine 2: the Lighthouse Submachine 3: the Loop Quake II - Enhanced Edition Escape Escape PRIPRI MELLOWOLLEM Submachine 4: the Lab Submachine 5: the Root Submachine 6: the Edge Submachine 7: the Core Venturous (DOOM) Devotion Good Morning Phobos (DOOM) Winter's Fury (DOOM) OBZEN (DOOM) Rush (DOOM) HAPPY WORLD SJ-19 Learns To Love! Graze Counter GM Hypnagogia 無限の夢 Boundless Dreams Beeny The Sun Will Rise Again

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thoughtportal · 10 months

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Murder

According to Socrates Scholasticus, during the Christian season of Lent in March 415, a mob of Christians under the leadership of a lector named Peter, raided Hypatia's carriage as she was travelling home.[95][96][97] They dragged her into a building known as the Kaisarion, a former pagan temple and center of the Roman imperial cult in Alexandria that had been converted into a Christian church.[89][95][97] There, the mob stripped Hypatia naked and murdered her using ostraka,[95][98][99][100] which can either be translated as "roof tiles" or "oyster shells".[95] Damascius adds that they also cut out her eyeballs.[101] They tore her body into pieces and dragged her limbs through the town to a place called Cinarion, where they set them on fire.[95][101][100] According to Watts, this was in line with the traditional manner in which Alexandrians carried the bodies of the "vilest criminals" outside the city limits to cremate them as a way of symbolically purifying the city.[101][102] Although Socrates Scholasticus never explicitly identifies Hypatia's murderers, they are commonly assumed to have been members of the parabalani.[103] Christopher Haas disputes this identification, arguing that the murderers were more likely "a crowd of Alexandrian laymen".[104]

Socrates Scholasticus presents Hypatia's murder as entirely politically motivated and makes no mention of any role that Hypatia's paganism might have played in her death.[105] Instead, he reasons that "she fell a victim to the political jealousy which at that time prevailed. For as she had frequent interviews with Orestes, it was calumniously reported among the Christian populace that it was she who prevented Orestes from being reconciled to the bishop."[95][106] Socrates Scholasticus unequivocally condemns the actions of the mob, declaring, "Surely nothing can be farther from the spirit of Christianity than the allowance of massacres, fights, and transactions of that sort."[95][102][107]

The Canadian mathematician Ari Belenkiy has argued that Hypatia may have been involved in a controversy over the date of the Christian holiday of Easter 417 and that she was killed on the vernal equinox while making astronomical observations.[108] Classical scholars Alan Cameron and Edward J. Watts both dismiss this hypothesis, noting that there is absolutely no evidence in any ancient text to support any part of the hypothesis.[109][110]

Aftermath

Hypatia's death sent shockwaves throughout the empire;[40][111] for centuries, philosophers had been seen as effectively untouchable during the displays of public violence that sometimes occurred in Roman cities and the murder of a female philosopher at the hand of a mob was seen as "profoundly dangerous and destabilizing".[111] Although no concrete evidence was ever discovered definitively linking Cyril to the murder of Hypatia,[40] it was widely believed that he had ordered it.[40][88] Even if Cyril had not directly ordered the murder himself, his smear campaign against Hypatia had inspired it. The Alexandrian council was alarmed at Cyril's conduct and sent an embassy to Constantinople.[40] The advisors of Theodosius II launched an investigation to determine Cyril's role in the murder.[107]

The investigation resulted in the emperors Honorius and Theodosius II issuing an edict in autumn of 416, which attempted to remove the parabalani from Cyril's power and instead place them under the authority of Orestes.[40][107][112][113] The edict restricted the parabalani from attending "any public spectacle whatever" or entering "the meeting place of a municipal council or a courtroom."[114] It also severely restricted their recruitment by limiting the total number of parabalani to no more than five hundred.[113] According to Damascius, Cyril himself allegedly only managed to escape even more serious punishment by bribing one of Theodosius's officials.[107] Watts argues that Hypatia's murder was the turning point in Cyril's fight to gain political control of Alexandria.[115] Hypatia had been the linchpin holding Orestes's opposition against Cyril together, and, without her, the opposition quickly collapsed.[40] Two years later, Cyril overturned the law placing the parabalani under Orestes's control and, by the early 420s, Cyril had come to dominate the Alexandrian council.[115]

#wikipedia #Hypatia #article

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namesisfortombstones · 1 year

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Halloween-a-thon 2022

From late September 30th to early hours of November 1st. *Demarcates previously-unseen title 1. Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (theatrical version) 2. The Mummy (1932; theatrically) 3. Bride of Frankenstein (theatrically) 4. Lady Frankenstein 5. Trilogy of Terror* 6. The Haunting (1963) 7. Orphan 8. Prophecy (1979) 9. Phantasm: RaVager (The For Rory Edition) 10. Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (theatrical version) 11. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) 12. It! The Terror from Beyond Space 13. Pit and the Pendulum (1961) 14. Halloween (2018) 15. Goke, Body Snatcher from Hell 16. The Fog (1980) 17. The Howling 18. Death Ship 19. Halloween Kills (Extended) 20. The Face of Fu Manchu 21. Halloween Ends* (theatrically) 22. Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers 23. Phantasm: OblIVion 24. Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (R.I.P. Ted White) 25. Fright Night (1985) 26. Christine 27. Hellraiser (1987) 28. Silver Bullet 29. Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II 30. Howling IV: The Original Nightmare 31. The Gorgon 32. The Masque of the Red Death (1964) 33. House of Usher 34. Orphan: First Kill 35. Witchfinder General 36. The Terror (1963) 37. Horror of Dracula 38. Lust for a Vampire 39. Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers (producer's cut) 40. Mr. Sardonicus 41. The Devil's Wedding Night 42. Dracula, Prince of Darkness 43. Elvira's Haunted Hills* 44. Popcorn* 45. Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers 46. Dracula Has Risen from the Grave 47. Friday the 13th, Part VII: The New Blood 48. Taste the Blood of Dracula 49. Halloween III: Season of the Witch 50. Scars of Dracula 51. Howling II: Stirba - Werewolf Bitch 52. Prince of Darkness 53. Communion 54. Let's Scare Jessica to Death 55. Rasputin, the Mad Monk 56. Dracula A.D. 1972 57. The Satanic Rites of Dracula 58. Amityville 3-D 59. Dracula's Daughter 60. The Frenchman's Garden* 61. The Wolf Man (1941) 62. Son of Dracula 63. Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man 64. Nightworld* 65. The Marsupials: The Howling III 66. Poltergeist (1982) 67. Alligator* 68. Alligator II: The Mutation* 69. The Werewolf vs. the Vampire Woman 70. House of Frankenstein 71. The City of the Dead 72. Assignment Terror 73. Black Sunday 74. The Devil Rides Out 75. Phantasm 76. A Nightmare on Elm Street 77. Halloween (Extended) 78. Halloween II (theatrical version) 79. Curse of the Demon (U.S. version) 80. Equinox (1970) 81. The Curse of Frankenstein 82. House on Haunted Hill (1958) 83. Son of Frankenstein 84. The Plague of the Zombies 85. Halloween II (TV Version)

#Halloween #Samhain #October #horror movies #scary movies

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esoteric-butcher · 1 year

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Star Date: Helios 14’43” Pisces 3/5/2023

Hour of Mars Day of Saturn

Single Card Pull Crowley Deck: Queen of Wands

Correlating Aspects: Neptune in Pisces III, Jupiter, and Venus in Aries II

Interesting Aspects: Helios and Venus (16’14”) in Contra Antiscia

Behold her majestic power. The beauty of her power and will! The wonderful Queen of Wands! The Queen of Wands is a reminder of our potential when we reach a place of emotional stability then wielded into mighty acts of co-creation and accomplished desire. The Queen of Wands oversees the decans of Pisces III to Aries II (X of Cups, II of Wands, and III of Wands) not only that but she is the hostess of the Zodiacal New Year at the Spring Equinox!

It is with her gracious will that I invite everyone to join us this year in celebrating the New Year on March 20th! The Spring Equinox! Now is the time to truly beguin all that you want to be new! As the Sun will finally be lengthening the days longer then the nights. While the world around us in the PNW will be budding and breaking through the soil to receive those first rays of daylight. It truly is the invigorating time to get all the things started.

This year the Spring equinox also brings us a new Astrological season. The season of Saturn in Pisces. As I’m sure you’ve read in other forums. Saturn is returning this month to Pisces for the first time since the early 90’s. The world was a lot different 30 years ago. So take the time to look for cyclical themes in the worlds around you and your personal history.

Saturn in Pisces can bring us the things we need to turn our dreams into material reality. It can also be the grounding force we need to keep ourselves from getting lost in the oceanic tides of mysteries and illusions. Saturn in Pisces can cut through the bullshit and get to the truth of the matter. Saturn in Pisces can also crush our unfounded claims and delusional desires forcing us to look at the evidence in front of us. Saturn in Pisces can be the vessel that holds us above the water or the anvil around our feet pulling us to the bottom to look deep into our watery depths. Saturn holds us and teaches us what we need to see in ourselves and others.

The Queen of Wands is here to guide us through another spring and show us the way wither her poise, balance, and calm will. Meditate this week with me on your own emotional waters and what balance you need to strike in order to cast forth this same amount of focus and vision for your life in this moment.

Thanks for listening,

Devon

P.S. Below is part of the Invite I sent out to my close friends to come over and celebrate the Spring Equinox New Year with us.

End: 6:44 a.m. PST Hour and Day of Helios

#astrology #journal #tarot #animism #sunrise #thoth #spellwork #moonrise #pisces season

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chasenews · 14 days

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The Pleasure Dome share new single "Your Fucking Smile"

Photo credit: Joshua Wood | Today The Pleasure Dome share their new single “Your Fucking Smile”, towards their forthcoming Liminal Space EP. This single follows from the success of their acclaimed debut album Equinox and recent single from the “The Duke Part II Friends & Enemies”. As of today, Liminal Space is now available to pre-order on vinyl.The single is an angry, dissonant, raucous entry…

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thoughtswordsaction · 14 days

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Post-Punk Trio The Pleasure Dome Released New Single "Your Fucking Smile"

Photo by Joshua Wood The Pleasure Dome share their new single “Your Fucking Smile”, towards their forthcoming Liminal Space EP. This single follows from the success of their acclaimed debut album Equinox and recent single from the “The Duke Part II Friends & Enemies”. As of today, Liminal Space is now available to pre-order on vinyl. The single is an angry, dissonant, raucous entry from the…

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#HOUND GAWD!#NEWS #POST PUNK #THE PLEASURE DOME

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james-kedze67 · 26 days

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Robbie’s Inspiration – Tanka Tuesday, W3, and lion cubs #poetry #lioncubs

Tanka Tuesday Below are three kigo phrases for the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Use one kigo phrase in each of your three poems in whatever order you’d like. I didn’t do it like this. The first prompt didn’t inspire me so I used #2 and #3. You can join in here: https://tankatuesday.com/2024/03/26/24-seasons-syllabic-poetry-challenge-no-27-3-26-24-part-ii-the-spring-equinox/ Cold Moon…

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fantasiesandfolklore · 1 month

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The Phoenix Queen - Relta’s Reign [Part II]

Lunaruz has no legally official language despite it having its own alphabet (see previous part), as there are too many different cultures in the kingdom to have any language be the majority. Relta sets in place and educational program in all towns to learn the Lunaruzian alphabet and basic language so all peoples can communicate to get basic needs met. Her educational program is expanded upon by her successor, making it wide-spread for all basic topics to be taught until a certain age (twenty-one). Relta is credited as a champion for refugees and immigrants due to her starting this program.

The indigenous Lunaruzians are the royal family Relta belongs to, but other people - such as illegitimate offspring from past rulers - are also considered indigenous Lunaruzians and given a protected status due to their minor amount of divine blood. Relta puts into place a legal system based on a mixture of the Olympian judicial system and Celtic Pantheon’s judicial system to honor the parents of the creator of the kingdom, out of respect for their shared ancestors. She also increases protections for non-royal indigenous Lunaruzians, such as language conservation programs and hate crime laws. This took the majority of her reign to implement fully.

A holiday dedicated to Lord Ares and Queen Macha was implemented by Relta in her second year, dated on her parents’ anniversary, where a massive marriage ceremony in the deitites’ honor occurs, along with fertility blessings done by both the monarch and high priest/ess/ex. It is optional to celebrate.

Horses are holy animals in Lunaruz due to their connection to the goddess Macha, and a race is held between royals and whoever wishes to participate annually. Relta sets up laws to protect the animals further during her reign, as to protect horses involved in the races.

Wolves are also holy animals in Lunaruz due to their connection to the god Lord Ares. They have heavy protections set in place already, but Relta extends it to domesticated dogs as well during her reign in its early years. Hunting or eating wolves/dogs is illegal on the books.

Depending on which deities are worshipped by the parties involved, sex between people in love is considered a devotional act to their deities. There is a ritual, if consented to, where a priest/ess/ex of Queen Macha and a priest/ess/ex of Lord Ares have an intimate night together to reenact the events that resulted in the child who created Lunaruz. Priest/ess/exes of Lady Aphrodite also have ritualistic intimate ceremonies, where participation is optional and marriages are often also performed in honor of Queen Hera. Relta puts the “optional” part of these rituals in the legal books in the first few months of her reign, which caused a popular start for the queen.

Relta legitimized her younger, half-sister as a secondary heir to the throne even before her half-sister had heirs of her own or even being married. The two are close, and her half-sister is almost as popular as Relta is amongst the common people, making the move a powerful strategic start to Relta’s reign.

Anyone can become a priest/ess/ex of any rank regardless of class status of their parents. They only have to prove devotion through a series of tests based on the deity they wish to devote themselves to. Relta enacts this in the first six months of her reign.

Fae, known as the Sidhe or Fair Folk, are added to the main pantheon of the kingdom in a “secondary” status, being celebrated on the equinoxes (as opposed to the solstices). They too have places of worship and are given offerings. Relta includes them in the main pantheon as of the tenth year of her reign.

In return for her devoting celebrations to them, the Sidhe blessed Queen Relta’s reign and gave her a fertility charm to pass down through her family to guarantee a healthy heir. She gifted it to her younger half-sister as a wedding present, with the Sidhe’s consent.

The monarch, every decade, picks a champion to signify them on the battlefield. Relta dismissed this tradition in favor of the monarch going themselves, however she did not remove it from the books that a champion may be chosen. Lovers, however, are not allowed to be candidates for the champion.

After her coronation, Relta’s speech was akin to one actually given by Queen Mary I of England & Ireland, stating that she was wed to her kingdom and “mother” to the people. It was a widespread speech, repeated in even the farthest of towns, and made Relta a popular queen immediately - with the exception of misogynistic factions that opposed a feminine monarch and insisted either her son or future husband reign.

To squelch the radical factions early on, Relta stated her refusal to marry - repeating her vows to her kingdom from the day of her coronation - and send spies to disassemble the factions from within. She was highly successful in deposing of her enemy bloodlessly, and went down in history for this.

Similar to real life French Queen, Catherine de Medici, Queen Relta has a “fleet” of female spies in her court, many being courtesans devoted to Lady Aphrodite. They saw Queen Relta as the incarnation of Lady Aphrodite Areia (Warlike Aphrodite), and swore lifelong loyalty to her.

Despite her titles, “The Phoenix Queen” and “The Armored Queen”, Relta had an extremely peaceful 35 year reign, after the first five years of her reign that is. The only outright war to occur was in Relta’s first five years as queen, and was between Lunaruz and King Theodore’s country. It was known as “The Lunaruzian Queen’s War” due to King Theodore’s fixation on getting revenge on Relta. Army enlistment was optional, but due to widespread love of the woman, she outnumbered the king’s army tenfold in both numbers and skills. Relta rode to battle herself, leading her soldiers. It solidified her position as being viewed as Lady Aphrodite Areia incarnated.

#Headcanons #v: the phoenix queen #muse: Relta #headcanon: Relta

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