#save portia devorak

[macabre-beth]

MAJULIAN

#the arcana #the arcana game #the arcana spoilers #julian devorak #ilya devorak #portia devorak #pasha devorak #nadia stratinava #this game is fruity as hell with certain scenes such as Nadia saving Portia

[rexgw]

It's portia devorak, or portia quartz. A majority of us who play the arcana can a agree, that portia is a great character. She always reminded of rose quartz from Steven universe.

#Portia #portia devorak #Portia quartz #Portia fanart #Portia devorak fanart #portia the arcana #Portia devorak the arcana #Rose #Rose quartz #rose steven universe #rose quartz steven universe #Portia devorak as rose quartz #I did not make the background #I saved the background from Google images #The arcana #the arcana fanart #medibandpaint #Rexgw

[xaharadesert]

Kidnapped MC Turned Bandit Leader - Headcanon Pt 1

Julian Devorak x MC

TW: like 1 swear

A/N: this is another year old, pretty specific anon request that I’m only now getting to. The essential premise that was requested was for MC to be kidnapped, only to show up a few months later totally fine and leading a group of bandits— the initial request asked for Julian, Portia, and Asra, but since there’s a lot of content to cover, I’ll be splitting this into 3 parts :) also, special shout out to the two anons who both sent me some version of “hydrate or die” within moments of each other— also also everyone say thank you to the anon who said they bet I couldn’t finish this draft even though I’ve been staring at it for ten minutes, you’re the real MVP here

❤️Julian❤️

When you initially went missing, this man obviously went into no-sleep panic mode

He immediately swore to search every corner of the Earth until you were found

Nadia convinced him to stay put for at least a few days, since it was unlikely that you could be taken far in a short period of time, and her guards were more likely to find you than he was alone

Shockingly, this was one of the exceedingly rare instances in which Nadia was wrong

Her guards did not find you, and this only increased Julian’s ungodly level of panic

He hadn’t slept since you were taken, save for the 16 hours he was passed out after smacking his head into a low doorway while pacing

Honestly, he wasn’t even borderline delirious, this man had passed clearly into hysteria territory

So needless to say, he began his travels to find you

However, with no clear direction, and no clues to go off of, the nonexistent trail quickly grew cold

The countless letters from his friends in Vesuvia were what brought him back, and even then, it was mostly Nadia’s point that if you were to ever escape of your own accord, you would likely make your way home

When he returned, his mental health only continued to decline

He felt useless— he couldn’t do anything to help you; all he did was sit and wait, and it was driving him insane

The only times he could be dragged out of his home were when Portia or Mazelinka made him

For a usually sociable man with a tendency to hide his self hatred behind humour and charisma, this was a terrifying change

He made absolutely no attempt to move on with his life, and insisted that everyone should leave him to wallow

Of course, they did not

It was on one of the rare occasions that Portia managed to pull him out to the Rowdy Raven that you finally returned

Honestly, he thought he was hallucinating until Portia confirmed his hopes by asking “Holy shit, is that them?!”

You looked completely fine; in fact, you looked like you were having fun

Julian still couldn’t quite believe his eyes, and stared, open-mouthed, as he tried to process that, yes, this was really you

(Portia gave him a little shove to get him started)

When your eyes locked with his, he felt all the excitement and anxiety of new love all over again. It was like all the emotions that he had felt over the months that you were gone came crashing back into him all at once

So needless to say, it was a tearful reunion, especially on his part

You didn’t stay at the tavern much longer than that; Julian really wasn’t in the right headspace for drinking or chatting with friends

The two of you went him, with him clinging to you like a koala

Obviously you were in for a long night of explaining yourself

He listened to every detail, never interrupting

Once your story was finished, he felt his heart settle in a way that it hadn’t since you left

And of course, with that sense of calm came all the exhaustion of having the world’s worst sleep schedule

He wanted to pass out immediately, preferably in bed beside you, but first, he had a few choice things to say to you

One, how dare you have such an amazing adventure without him?

Two, how dare you risk your life with bandits for months?

Three, how dare you do all of the above without contacting him?

And finally four, he loves you so so so much, please never scare him like that again, and obviously he doesn’t blame you for being kidnapped because that’s not your fault so please don’t blame yourself, but also please come home faster and don’t get involved with bandits, because believe him, he’s been down that road and it can get really messy really quick, and while he knows you can take care of yourself he really doesn’t want you to get hurt without him even knowing

He got a bit ramble-y at the end, but he was so tired that he really couldn’t process his own grammar

He asked you to come to bed, which the promise that you would talk more thoroughly in the morning when he could think properly again

And by morning, he meant like 24 hours later, because this man was practically in a coma

Later on, he would ask to meet the members of your bandit crew

He phrased it as wanting to “meet your friends”, but really he was heavily judging them to decide whether or not you were safe with them

Julian isn’t really known for being on the right side of the law, so he wouldn’t dare lecture you for your legal choices, but he does need to know that you’re being relatively safe

If this is the life you want to lead, then obviously he’s coming with you

Seeing you happy, and being with you, was more than enough for him

#the arcana #arcana #the arcana game #the arcana headcanon #the arcana hc #julian devorak #julian arcana #Julian x mc #Julian headcanon #Julian hc #the arcana Julian #tw swearing #Julian x apprentice

[stariisoda]

[Kade's Arcana Swap!AU Idea dump]

Yo I had a dumb idea for an Arcana AU maybe it's been done before but I've seen similar role swap AUs. (Also none of the designs are finalized they are just silly doodles off the top of my head with no references)

(More under the cut if you're interested in the explanation)

So, this is a Swap AU. What's different? I only have 2 characters with more fleshed out ideas, which are Lucio and Julian.

In this AU, Lucio and Julian actually swap with each other.

Lucio Morgasson

Lucio Morgasson is an ex-mercenary and currently fugitive on the run for the murder of Count Julian Devorak. (Lucio in this AU is also a doctor, but only because after the war he could no longer fight due to the loss of his left arm. So he learned to be a doctor instead)

He was still raised in Morga's war tribe, but never made a deal with Vlastomil. He still wanted to be leader, so he challenged his mother to a duel to the death for leadership. He was in the end, cowardly and backed down. He retains a long scar down his chest from this fight. He ran, tail between his legs, away forever, exiled from his tribe. He changed his name from Montag to Lucio and that was when he came to Vesuvia.

Eventually, Lucio became a mercenary under the count at the time, Count Spada. Lucio knew he could win the count's favor so he could accend the throne himself. He meets Julian, who is an apprentice doctor, but also training as a merc. The two become friends. However, it won't last forever. Lucio eventually becomes severely injured while protecting Count Spada and is dying. Julian is the one who amputates Lucio's arm to save him. After this, Julian replaces Lucio and fights while he recovers. Eventually, the war is won. Julian actually saves the count from death in the battlefield and also tends to his injuries. Due to that, Julian wins Count Spada's favor and is named heir to the Vesuvian throne. After this, Lucio begins to fall out of favor with Julian. He is miserable because he likes fighting, but cannot. Also his sword arm was his left, so he's devastated and also too stubborn to relearn using is right. He decides to become a doctor. (Also, Lucio never gets his prosthetic arm since he never became Count and is just too poor to afford anything like one. So he hides his lack of arm by wearing a cape, since he's very insecure about it)

Count Julian Devorak

Julian Devorak was also a mercanary with Lucio (most of it written above). He became the heir of Count Spada after winning the war. But where did he come from? (This isn't super fleshed out if you want to help with ideas that would be awesome) He most likely made a deal to protect his family from danger, due to him and Portia (or should I say Pasha) not being rescued by the grandma's (maybe this happens maybe not) He does everything he can do to protect her, but doesn't think he's strong enough, so he wants a way to weaken any threats. But Julian doesn't trust many people, so most are a threat. He bargains his soul, but eventually runs away with his sister to Vesuvia, never completing his deal. The plague eventually follows him. He begins to lose bits of his soul over time, causing him to go mad. Julian gets more "evil" due to it, but he is still devoted to his sister, so much so that he becomes possessive over her. Pasha runs away and is found by Mazelinka. Julian is furious and heartbroken, but he becomes a merc and eventually the Count of Vesuvia.

A little bit about Portia

I'm going to sketch her soon, but Portia in the AU, I plan to swap her with Asra (although I'm not planning for Asra to have her role) So Portia will be with MC and going to investigate the Count's murder, although she's very unwilling, but that's because she hasn't mentioned the Count is her brother. I was thinking maybe she is a magician but maybe not and she just runs a normal shop with MC.

I was also thinking that Asra would swap with Nadia, Nadia would swap with Muriel and Muriel swaps with Portia.

Anyway, that's just an idea I had. If it sounds good let me know. And if you have any ideas, that would be cool too.

#the arcana #the arcana game #lucio morgasson #julian devorak #the arcana au #the arcana swap au #kades arcana swap au #the arcana fanart

[onetoomanyfandomfixations]

In Honor of My Bestie’s Birthday: What Gifts Her Comfort Characters Would Give You

Look y’all I love my best friend dearly so I wanted to do this. @ my bestie ily my dear, I can’t wait to spend another wonderful year as your friend x

ANYWHO

enjoy :)

Hiccup Haddock (HtTyD)

Some small wooden carving

He probably made it himself

It’s definitely of a dragon of some sort

Is nervous you won’t like it

Tohru Honda (FruBa)

Another one who does something homemade

Goes Above and Beyond for you

It’s probably some form of food item

Will do a whole buffet for you

Yuki Sohma (FruBa)

Small but thoughtful

Like, really significant to your relationship

Probably has been planning it for months

Like a diary/scrapbook of every time you two have hung out

Bruce Wayne/Batman

Pretty predictable but gives you money

Like, Copious amounts of money

Would also donate a Lot to charities that mean alot to you

Harley Quinn/Harleen Quinzel (Batman)

Lets be honest, she probably stole it

Okay she definitely stole it

But it is Extravagant

Probably some famous thing you’ve admired from afar

You said you liked Starry Night?

Oh great!! All yours now :))

The Scarecrow/Jonathan Crane (Batman)

Therapy

jkjk

Would take you out somewhere nice, but quiet

like therapy

Portia Devorak (The Arcana)

Would take you on a date

You do all of your favourite activities, eat all of your favourite food

Takes the day off work Just for You

Julian Devorak (The Arcana)

Tries to buy you something Ridiculous with various foreign currency

Like I’m talking a wild animal

Probably gets in trouble and ends up making you a bouquet with forest flowers

Tony Stark (MCU)

Also gives you Copious amounts of money

But makes a day out of it

You go shopping together and dine at only the finest :)

Natasha Romanoff (MCU)

“Decorative” knife

: D

It’s definitely pretty?

Bruno Madrigal (Encanto)

Another one with a homemade gift

Get the feeling he likes needlework??

Would embroider your clothes

Gets really nervous and overthinks

Peter Parker (MCU)

Lego set from something you both like

Has been saving up for this since he got the idea

Y’all spend the day making it together

Tamaki Suoh (OHSHC)

Exclusive dinner w him

Jk but he does take you on a date!!

Very classy, brings a bouquet larger than ur head

Haruhi Fujioka (OHSHC)

Chill movie marathon of ur faves

Buys all of the food

Lets you come to their house

Nice chill day

Gets you something small on the side like a nice knitted jumper

Happy birthday again dearest!! I hope you have an amazing day xxx

#hiccup haddock #hiccup httyd #mcu headcanons #mcu x reader #tony stark #tony stark x teen!reader #natasha romanoff #natasha x teen reader #batman #battison x reader #harley quinn #harley quinn x reader #fruits basket x reader #fruits basket headcanons #httyd headcanons #tohru honda #tohru honda x reader #yuki sohma #yuki sohma x reader #batman headcanon #the arcana headcanons #portia devorak #portia devorak x reader #julian devorak #julian devorak x reader #bruno madrigal #peter parker #peter parker x reader #tamaki suoh #haruhi fujioka

[into-the-daniverse]

Without You Without Them | Alec’s Prologue | Part 5

In which, Alec discovers something from her past, meets with the courtiers, one of whom seems to know more about her than they let on, and is finally able to recount her adventure over the last few days to Asra.

Previous Part

Title: Without You Without Them by boygenius 5.3k words

Much to her dismay and increasing annoyance, Alec had been right in thinking that something—or someone, in this case—would be waiting for her in the city the next day, as she opened her shop door to none other than Julian Devorak, who looked like he hadn’t been planning on getting caught by her again. For a moment, Alec’s mind went back to the information they had received the day before, definitive proof that they had known each other before she lost her memories. A hundred questions about what that woman had said whirled through her mind, but she forced them all down to focus on the issue at hand.

Planting herself firmly in front of the door, she crossed her arms over her chest. “Julian, I know I lock every door of this shop three times before I leave, and I know there’s also a protection spell over the whole thing. How do you keep getting in?”

“Ah, well, that’s simple, really.” Julian straightened himself, though not without a nervous cough. “I, uh, I have a key.”

She raised one dark eyebrow. “A key.”

“Yes!” He fished around in his pockets for a moment before handing it to her. “Here. You can keep it—I don’t need to be using it again.”

“Asra didn’t tell me he gave a key for our shop to a suspected murderer.”

“Well, we did cover the fact that there’s a lot that wit—magician doesn’t tell people, didn’t we?”

“There’s a lot you’re not telling me either—you managed to weasel your way out of telling me anything worthwhile yesterday because of the guards, but I will not let that happen again today—"

“Don’t you think it’s unwise to be caught with me standing outside your shop in broad daylight?” Julian shook his head. “You should probably just let me go.”

Alec didn’t budge. “How do I know you haven’t stolen anything? You’ve broken in twice now.”

“You would take me for a thief?” Julian gasped dramatically, draping himself against the door frame. “A murderer I may be, but a thief? Never.” When Alec didn’t answer save for arching her eyebrow higher, he sighed, taking off his coat. “Fine. Search me then, if it will satisfy your curiosity.”

She rolled her eyes and stomped one foot on the ground, anklets chiming as she stirred up a small whirlwind which enveloped the doctor, effectively turning his pockets inside-out and ensuring that he wasn’t hiding anything she couldn’t see. Julian yelped as the wind grew around him, and the moment it died, he stared wide-eyed at Alec. His hair was even more wild than it had been before, and she bit back a laugh as she smoothed her own skirt back down.

“Okay, I’m satisfied.” Alec reached out to do the clasp on his coat around his neck again, patting his chest once before stepping back, down the stairs. “But gods help me, Julian, if you find a way to break into this shop again, I—"

She noticed he was still staring wide-eyed at something past her and stopped, turning around with dread in her chest. But what happened next surprised her more than anything she could have thought of.

Watching Portia pull Julian after her, both of them nearly in tears, made something twist in Alec’s chest. She was jealous of them, though she knew she shouldn’t be. She had no intention of telling the Countess about what she had seen, but she did want to talk to Portia about it, at some point. About the feeling of finding your family after so long without them.

Deep in her musings, she almost stepped on a small leather pouch as she went into the shop, but stopped at the last second and picked it up. It smelled strongly of myrrh, a protection spell. The smell jogged something in her mind, but she couldn’t grab onto the thread quickly enough before it was gone.

With a sigh, she tucked the pouch into the folds of her skirt, another outfit gifted by the Countess. The first thing she did upon entering the shop was to go right up to her room and grab a couple of dupattas, one to wrap around her face for when she went to the square again, and another to take back the jar of swordfish spices she had mentioned to the Countess.

Walking into the kitchen, she rummaged around the cabinets, pushing past dozens of jars with brightly colored spices, humming to herself as she searched for the specific mixture she wanted. It was a bit buried, not something either her or Asra frequently used, but it was there, and she pulled it down to wrap in the dupatta when the writing on the jar caught her eye.

The words read, in Prakran, Dia’s Spiced Swordfish. As in, it was made specifically for someone named Dia—or, could it be for Nadia, the Countess, herself? She had thought it odd to have such a particular seasoning in her shop, but who could have left it here?

Alec’s mind went back to the first night the Countess had shown up at her shop. Between pangs of her headache, the Countess had remarked that the handwriting on some of the music lying about the back room looked like it belonged to her cousin. And the handwriting on the jar—

Almost dropping the jar in her haste, Alec ran into the back room of the shop, and leafed through the sheet music still out and disorganized until she found a piece that looked familiar. It was a piece she loved to play, but she knew she hadn’t written it, based on the handwriting. Neat, elegant, looping handwriting that matched what was on the jar.

Fighting through the beginnings of a headache, Alec struggled to make sense of the information in front of her. The Countess had thought that the handwriting was that of her cousin’s. She said that it was unlikely, as she would have known he was in Vesuvia. But the jar of spices—it was labelled for her. And the same person who had written the music, had left the spices in the shop, long before Alec could remember.

She couldn’t remember, but someone else could.

Turning down the hallway to the kitchen, she called out softly, “Missy?” A warm hum filled her mind, and she opened the stove with an apologetic look. “I’m sorry if I woke you.”

The shop’s stove salamander blinked their big dark eyes at her, a gentle smile on their face. What is it, child?

“I have a question, well, a few. About something from… the past?”

I will answer what I can, without endangering you.

Scooping the salamander from the ashes in the stove, Alec carried them to the back room, where she had left the music and the jar. She set them down on the table and watched as they slowly crawled over to the items. “Did the same person who wrote that music make that spice mixture?”

Yes.

“Were… are they related to the Countess?”

Missy paused, blinking at Alec. Yes, they are.

Her headache grew stronger as she pushed forward, questions spilling from her lips. “Why are these things here? Did I know them? Did Asra know them?”

The salamander put their little front foot on her hand, glowing a soothing blue that washed calm over Alec. Yes, you both knew them. Him. And he lived here.

“What…” Alec took a deep breath. “What was—is his name?”

There was a silence in her mind, and then a soft: I can’t tell you that.

Alec wanted to cry, either from pain or from frustration or both. Missy’s body glowed again, taking a little bit of the pain away, but she wasn’t done. She had just one more question, she just wanted to know one more thing… “Who was he to me?”

Crawling slowly up her arm, dark eyes never leaving hers, Missy’s voice appeared in her mind again with one word.

Family.

Alec closed her eyes, exhaling as she felt Missy’s magic wash over her to soothe her headache, but a familiar voice made her eyes fly open.

“You’re a part of our family now, kid.”

The shop was empty. There was no one around her who could have spoken, but she knew she heard the voice. And she knew she knew the voice. Worrying her bottom lip, she looked around the room, sheet music scattered around her. She took the music written by the Countess’s cousin—no, someone from her family—and folded it gently, tucking it inside her shirt, by her heart. She closed her eyes again and thought back to her dream from the day before.

She had a family. Or, at the very least, she had one person out there waiting for her. Maybe two, since the person in her dream didn’t seem like the same person who wrote the sheet music. Maybe she even made music with the person who wrote it. Maybe he would be able to help her find her voice again. Tears slipped down her cheeks, and she sniffled quietly, still feeling Missy’s magic around her.

“I wish he was here.”

I know, little one. I know.

Keeping her eyes closed, Alec drifted into a shallow sleep, just until she heard a distant clock tolling the hour, reminding her of Portia’s announcement in the square. She jumped up, almost flinging Missy in the process. Kissing the salamander apologetically on their head, she set them back in their stove before racing out of the shop. She had to turn back around to grab the swordfish spices, and then almost forgot to lock the shop up three times, so by the time she reached the square, she was completely frazzled.

She ducked into the shadows to fix her dupatta, wrapping it almost too tightly around her face, listening to Portia’s loud, chipper voice calling out to the people gathered in the square, informing them about the Masquerade. The energetic hum of the crowd only intensified the sound of her heartbeat pounding in her ears, and she shrunk even further back. Her hands fell to her pockets instinctively, and she felt her fingers brush the pouch of myrrh she had tucked away.

Then, the smell of myrrh came from behind her, stronger than before, and when she glanced over her shoulder, there was a large figure cloaked in even deeper shadows, and they started to disappear down a different alley, away from the square.

She felt something stir in her mind, and remembered the scent of myrrh clinging to her clothes as she left the shop the day after Asra left. She hadn’t seen anyone, and maybe it had just been a normal memory lapse, but her head wasn’t hurting. Which told her… maybe this was someone she knew, someone she remembered. Setting her jaw, she quickly followed after the figure’s lumbering pace, determined to not lose another potential memory just yet. Once she reached the figure, she skidded to a stop in front of them, and they took a stumbling step backward, clearly caught off guard. She ignored their reaction and furrowed her eyebrows, voice accusing. “How did you do that?”

The figure blinked stormy green eyes at her from under their hood. “…What?” Their voice rumbled low, and it made Alec feel like she was supposed to be frightened of them, but she wasn’t.

“You made me forget you—you were at the shop the other day, but I didn’t remember you. How did you do that?”

They frowned. “You… no. That’s impossible.” The last part felt like it was directed more at themself than her, but she pushed forward.

“What is?”

Mouth open slightly, they gaped at her for a moment before shaking their head roughly and turning from her. “Go away.”

Wasn’t this someone she knew before? Why weren’t they trying to make her remember? “No!” Her voice sounded desperate, she knew, but she couldn’t help it. “Please, who are you?” The figure started walking away again, faster this time, and she struggled to keep up through the twists and turns of the roads. “Wait, please! Did Asra send you?”

Finally, the figure stopped, but they didn’t turn to look at her. “…yes.”

“Is he… are you friends?”

The figure nodded ever so slightly. “He’s… my only friend.”

“Mine too,” she murmured. “He must trust you, a lot.”

They were silent, but it felt like they wanted to say something else. Before they could, a warning was called, and Alec just managed to side-step a rogue cart, the owner racing down the street after it. When she looked back, the figure was gone, and her frustration quickly changed into confusion, and then an empty resignation. She didn’t remember why she had left the marketplace, but maybe that was for the better. She glanced over her shoulder before sighing and making her way back to the square to meet up with Portia.

****

“…lec, Alec?”

She blinked, looking up from her lap. They were both on the wagon back to the palace, and Portia was watching her with a nervous, concerned look.

“Are you alright? Any… incidents back at the shop?”

Alec stared at her for a moment before remembering Julian’s appearance. It felt like days ago that he had been breaking into her shop, again, and Portia dragged him away. She shook her head. “Um, no. Everything’s fine. I…” She pulled out the jar of swordfish spice, holding it out to Portia. “I found the spice for the Countess.”

“Oh, great!” Portia lit up. “She’ll be happy to hear that, I’m sure.”

Nodding distantly, Alec glanced out of the window, watching the crowds thin the further they got from the marketplace. Portia cleared her throat, and Alec jumped a little. “Sorry.”

Portia laughed gently. “It’s alright. I just wanted to see if you’d like me to go over the courtiers with you before you met them.”

Oh, right. Alec nodded again, but leaned closer to Portia, giving her her full attention.

By the time they reached the palace, Portia had explained the courtiers to Alec, their names, their positions, and the general public opinion surrounding them—which was largely negative.

“Really, you only have to pay attention to Valerius. Milady minds him the most, though—” she looked around the wagon as if there was someone else with them, eyes glinting mischievously. “Mira told me she has some dirt on him. But you didn’t hear that from me.”

Alec giggled, a bit of anxiety dislodging from her chest. “Of course not.”

Walking to the salon, Alec thought she might wring her hands into knots. Portia had encouraged her to pull her dupatta away from her face, and she felt exposed, as if she was naked. Clutching the folds of her skirt in her fingers, she bit the inside of her cheek as Portia opened the doors of the salon and led her inside.

The soft music she heard floating down the hallway reached a crescendo as she stepped past the door, and she saw the Countess sitting behind a gleaming pipe organ, ignoring the chattering of the voice around her, room hazy with smoke. She looked up as Alec entered, fingers playing deftly across the keys, giving her a warm smile.

“Portia, introduce our guest.”

The sun starts to set, orange and pink light filtering into the salon as Portia began to introduce Alec.

She tried her best to stand still, but she couldn’t keep her hands from fidgeting at her sides, and shifting on her feet. Quickly, she scanned through the other people in the room, going over what Portia had told her, trying to identify them as best as she could. There was Procurator Volta, who was as restless as Alec felt, small fingers flitting between teacakes at lightning-fast speeds. Then Praetor Vlastomil, who reminded Alec of a worm left too long in the sun, wringing his hands as if they were jointless. Pontifex Vulgora, whose laugh had boomed off the walls when she entered, and who was giving her an unsettling, but not completely unkind grin. Then there was Quaestor Valdemar, who Alec couldn’t look at for very long without feeling a deeply unsettling chill down her spine.

Finally, her eyes caught on the Consul, and for a moment, he looked like someone else, and a great flash of pain rushed through her head. Blinking through the pain, she watched the faded blond ends of his hair change to black and back to blond again, grey-gold eyes to black and back, and the way the sun dappled across his skin looked like patterns of familiar scars.

She shook her head, and whoever the other person she had seen was gone, and only the Consul remained. But even just he was familiar. Alec knew him. She knew she knew him somehow, and judging from the way his whole body seemed to freeze in place for a moment as they locked eyes, with even his sip of wine caught on his lips, she knew he knew her too.

But before she could even think of a question to ask, the other courtiers were welcoming her, eagerly tugging at her wrists to pull her into a seat with them. She settled between the Procurator and the Pontifex, nervously trying to sink into the couch cushions as they pressed against her. As they began to question her about how the announcement went, she felt her cheeks warm, but thankfully the Countess stepped in to direct their questions.

However, when the Consul spoke, the room quieted in an uncomfortable way. Alec wasn’t sure to make of the way he was staring at her, down his nose, swirling his wine glass in his hand. He knew her, she was sure of it. From before. But he hadn’t said anything to the Countess, or, presumably, the rest of the court. All she knew now, as he circled the couch like a bird of prey, was that he didn’t like her.

“…or perhaps the witch might tell us herself.”

And she decidedly didn’t like him very much either. She bristled, eyes narrowing. “Perhaps…” she said, through gritted teeth, “don’t call me that.”

His lip curled slightly. “I misspoke. You are but an apprentice, after all.” His grey-gold eyes narrowed at her, and she narrowed her eyes right back. She could feel something impulsive biting at her tongue, but luckily the Countess stepped in, shooting the Consul a pointed look.

“If you all wanted so badly to know how that night transpired, you might have simply asked.” She shook her hair over her shoulder, fingers still dancing lightly over the piano keys as she spoke. Alec felt herself relax a little as the Countess explained the way they met, but her gaze never completely left the Consul.

He took another sip of his wine, lips pulled into a dissatisfied thin line. When the Countess paused, addressing Alec, he spoke instead, words veiled behind a sneer. “With respect, Countess, you must remember that we, your adoring court, are ever at your side. I would have thought you’d approach us with these concerns instead of resorting to consulting a common apprentice.”

Alec heard enough from him, and she stood up suddenly, ready to fight a member of the court in front of the Countess herself when she felt something hit her. She wasn’t sure if she had knocked the glass out of his hand, or if he took advantage of her movement, but either way, she was wearing the rest of his wine, feeling it drip down her chest.

The rest of the court gasped in shock, and the Countess was quick to tell them all to leave, but Alec held her stare with the Consul amongst the chaos. Now standing, she realized that he was taller than her, but only by the heels of his shoes, and that made her feel a little bit better about the wine. That, plus the fact that he looked shocked for one beat, and then his face changed.

He almost looked scared. Nervous, maybe. Then he followed the rest of the courtiers quickly, slamming the door shut behind them.

Once they were gone, Alec’s shoulders sagged, and she looked down at the ruined outfit. The Countess and Portia both approached her, the former resting her hand gently on Alec’s shoulder.

“I am sorry, Alec.” She sighed, irritated. “I do not know what came over him, but trust, I will have a word with him later.”

Alec couldn’t even look at her, feeling frustrated tears starting to well up. “These clothes… I’m sorry. They’re ruined.”

“What?” The Countess looked her up and down. “Oh, of course, but do not apologize. I hardly blame you for reacting as you did to his pettiness. We’ll fetch you something else to wear immediately.” Alec felt her gaze, and kept her eyes down, cheeks starting to burn in embarrassment. The Countess hesitated, squeezing Alec’s shoulder. “But I have taken enough liberties with your wardrobe. So please, do not hesitate. Tell me what you would like. Anything, no expense spared.”

Swallowing back her tears, Alec glanced up at the Countess, at the kind, sincere expression on her face. “Um… I’d just like to have my clothes back, please. From before.”

“I figured that’s what you’d say.” Portia’s voice from her side made Alec turn her head. The woman was giving her a similarly kind look, and looped her arm with Alec’s. Alec nodded, her lips curving up slightly.

The Countess laughed lightly, her hand leaving Alec’s shoulder. “Very well. Your comfort here is of great importance to me. Portia will escort you to your chambers. You will be bathed, and your own garments returned. I believe you will find them much as you left them.” Alec started to pull away, but the Countess continued. “Though, Alec… You are my guest of honor. You could be more selfish, if you like.”

Alec blushed, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. “You’re too kind to me, Countess. Thank you.”

She gave the Countess a small but grateful wave as Portia led her back to the guest wing. Once she bathed and returned to her room, she thought she would pass out immediately from the stress of the day. Before she could make it to her bed, however, her eyes caught on a parcel waiting by the window. Slowly, she unraveled the note on top of the package, and read the note from the Countess, her cheeks warming.

A gift for my dear guest, this emerald which seemed to call your name. Wear it in good health. And Alec, you may call me Nadia.

The emerald was stunning, and she absentmindedly played with the chain between her fingers, wondering exactly what kind of person the Countess—no, Nadia, was, that she’d give Alec such a fine piece of jewelry after having known her for only a few days. As she wondered, she noticed a trace of familiar magic coming from the emerald. It felt like Asra’s magic. She paused, focusing on his magic, tracing the stone with her fingertips. Maybe she could find him, somehow. Like she found Julian.

She waited for night to fall, and snuck down the hallways of the palace. She wasn’t entirely sure why she felt the need to be secretive, but it was better that she didn’t run into anyone anyway, not wanting to explain her late-night stroll. Her hair blew softly around her face in the night breeze, still a little damp from the bath, as she walked through the gardens, looking for something and nothing at the same time.

The sound of water drew her in, and she entered a clearing with a beautiful fountain. Above it stood a willow tree, and Alec’s heart leapt happily in her chest when she recognized a familiar snake draped among the branches.

“Faust!” She ran over to the fountain, stopping right under the snake with her arms outstretched. “Didn’t you go with Asra? What are you doing here?”

Faust dropped from the branches, landing in Alec’s arms, and wound herself around her shoulders, tongue tickling her cheek. Friend!

“Yes, baby. I’m so glad to see you.” Alec giggled as the snake tickled her, and sat down on the edge of the fountain, watching her wind down her arm, tongue flicking. “You have no idea how happy I am to have you here.”

She sighed, holding out the emerald necklace. Maybe Faust was the closest to Asra that she was going to get. Once she held it up however, Faust seemed to light up, investigating the necklace curiously. Alec glanced over at the fountain. Something about the water was pulling her still, and she hesitantly held the necklace over the water. When nothing happened, she let it fall, sending big ripples across the surface.

The water distorted and changed color, until even her reflection disappeared, and in its place was Asra staring back at her, a shocked look on his face. “Allie!”

“As!” She immediately leaned closer to the water, and he did too, their faces inches apart on opposite sides of the water. “How did I—or did you—?”

He laughed; a bright happy laugh that made her feel warm. “I had nothing to do with this!”

“Oh really?” She held Faust up, who waved her tail at Asra. “How did she get here then?”

His eyes lit up, and he grinned. “Good! Looks like she found you all right.” When Alec raised an eyebrow, he continued. “I wasn’t all that sure about leaving her, but after that reading you gave me… I thought I’d trust my intuition.”

“And what exactly did your intuition say?”

“That you needed her more than I did this time.”

She sighed, deep and exhausted. “Oh, you have no idea how much I needed her.”

“You know, for once I don’t think I do.” He peered over her shoulder as much as he could, eyes widening in disbelief. “Are you at the palace? You left the shop—the marketplace, even?”

“I did!” Alec grinned, immediately launching into her own colorful retelling of the events of the past few days. Asra’s reactions ranged from intrigued, to shocked, to horrified, to annoyed, to stunned as she explained how she had ended up at the palace.

When she got to the part about the Consul, Asra almost choked with laughter. “Oh, I know someone who’ll be furious with him for that.” He said it absentmindedly, as if he didn’t even realize he had.

Alec almost asked him who he was talking about, before she stilled, remembering one more thing. “As, I had a dream.” She paused, eyebrows knitting together. “Actually, they said I visited their dream. Anyway, I met someone. From my memories.”

“You did?” Asra suddenly became serious and sat up straighter, studying her face as she spoke. “What do you remember? Who was it?”

“I don’t know.” She closed her eyes for a moment. “They never said their name, and they wouldn’t let me see their face. But when they held me—I knew them. They had scars all over their arms that I remembered. I woke up and I remembered that I saw them, and what they told me. And then I thought I saw someone with similar scars walking through the gardens last night.” A drop of water landed on the back of her hand, and she realized she was crying.

“Alec—”

“They said they missed me, that they loved me.” Her voice broke. “They promised to come for me.” She wiped at her eyes in frustration, trying to hold onto her memory as tightly as possible. “They even—Asra, they said you love me. I don’t think it was really a dream, I think I really visited them—whoever they are—but I’m not sure. I just want it to be true. Please tell me that all of that was true.”

He was quiet for a moment, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth, and she watched his face, tears continuing to fall. When he spoke, it was slow, calculated, but still nervous. “If… if you’re starting to remember… and it’s not hurting you… Maybe it is time I tell you the truth.”

The water started to churn, and Alec sat back, watching with her eyes wide and mouth open as the water took the shape of Asra, right in front of her. All she wanted to do was hold him tight to her, but instinctively she knew that if she even touched the water, he would disappear.

“Allie…” Asra exhaled, pressing as close to her as he could, water shimmering in the moonlight. “It was—it istrue. You’re… not a student to me. You never have been. You’re my best friend, Allie, but you’re so much more than that. All my life, you’ve helped me grow, and I’ve learned just as much from you as you from me.”

Even through the water she could tell his eyes were shining with tears, and she choked back a sob, not even daring to speak as he continued.

“The person in your dream… they were right. I do love you. I love you so much, it breaks my heart every time I have to leave you. Because even when we’re apart, all I can think about is you, and how worried I am for you, and how much I want to be with you. And I’m…” His voice broke. “I’m tired of hiding that from you. I want you to know everything, to remember everything about me, about us.”

It almost felt too good to be true. Alec finally understood why Asra stayed with her, chose her, day after day. He loved her. And she remembered, she had to.

“Asra—”

A sharp, shooting pain cut through her mind, and she screamed, clutching at her head. She slumped to the ground, struggling to stay coherent with the intense agony she felt.

“Oh no, no, no, no!” Asra’s begging finally cut through the pain enough for her to hear him. “Allie, please look at me!”

She dragged her gaze up to his panicked, grief-stricken face, and immediately the pain became white-hot, nearly blinding her.

Asra gasped in horror as she cried out again. “O-okay, don’t look at me.” He sounded like he was going to cry, and she didn’t want that. She didn’t want to ruin the moment with him.

“I’m so sorry… I was reckless, I shouldn’t have tried.” He sounded so far away; why was he so far away? “Alec, I need you to forget.”

Forget? She shook her head, crying from the pain and from the thought of losing another memory. “N-no… No, Asra, please. Please, I don’t want to forget.”

She kept begging with him even as he spoke again, his voice breaking. “Gods, I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry, Allie.”

He leaned down over her, and she felt his lips on her cheek, cold like ice. Then she felt nothing.

****

A soft voice singing some lullaby she once knew laced her dreams, a pool of dark nothingness that she was floating in, alone. No… she wasn’t alone. Someone was carrying her, cradled to their chest like she was a child. And she felt like one, limbs heavy from a long day, eyes too tired to even try to open them.

What had she just been doing? She stirred, trying to remember.

The singing stopped, but the voice spoke. “Hush, my Sirène. Sleep. You’re alright.”

A part of her wanted her to open her eyes, to wake up, but she ignored it, settling deeper against the person carrying her. Eventually, the pool of nothingness turned into her bedroom in the palace, and the arms holding her turned into the blankets and pillows she nested in. She blinked in the dark room groggily, and when she saw nothing, laid back down, her eyes sliding shut again.

As she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep, her mind foggy from the events of the day, the voice that she had heard back at the shop continued, echoing in her mind.

“I promise, we’re always gonna be here.”

#the arcana #the arcana game #daniverse fic #Alec al-saleh #apprentice alec #the arcana julian #Julian devorak #the arcana nadia #nadia satrinava #the arcana muriel #the arcana portia #portia devorak #the arcana valerius #consul valerius #leon

[thenightcallsme]

The Arcana: Julian's Route | Chapter 7

!! THIS STORY IS A DETAILED RETELLING OF THE ARCANA, INCLUDING PAID SCENES IN BOTH PROLOGUE AND JULIAN ROUTE. ALL CHARACTERS EXCEPT THE MC ARE PROPERTY OF THE ARCANA FRANCHISE !!

A/N: This is a reupload from my AO3 cause I want to branch out. Enjoy!!

Summary: In a small shop in Vesuvia lives Vivian Caelum, a student of the magical arts who works as a shopkeeper for her tutor, Asra Alnazar. Her name is not known in the streets as her master's is, nor does she have full control over her magic yet. But one night, there's a knock at her door; Vivian is needed at the palace to help Countess Nadia upon her personal wishes. Soon, what she thinks is a small task is something she would never have expected her magic to be used for: Vivian must find Count Lucio's murderer. Will she be able to track down the infamous murderer and finally put the Countess's years of restlessness to ease? Or will the killer captivate her in ways she can't explain? Is she even running after the right man? Something deeper than she thought is happening within her beloved city, and she's about to understand the vastness of the magical realms.

Pairing: Julian Devorak x Fem!Magician Reader

This Chapter Contains: N/A

Word Count: 3,371

find the rest of the chapters in my masterlist here :)

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"I would apologise for his cruelty," Nadia murmurs, eyes twinkling a little as they leave. "But I say you handled him splendidly."

I make a face. "I can't believe you have the patience for him."

Only Portia, Countess Nadia, and I are left in the lounge. Portia remains by the door where she saw the council out, Nadia standing behind me. I stay seated on the couch, shoulders relaxed and composed posture gone as I sink inelegantly into the plush velvet. While I drew the wine from the couch and my dress to give back to Consul Valerius in spite, a crimson stain still remains. 

Lines crease Nadia's forehead as she frowns. "Sometimes I can't believe it, either. But I will admit that I have never seen him put on such a show."

Portia shakes her head. "And that dress was so lovely. A shame there's still a stain."

“It was lovely," I sigh, giving Nadia an apologetic smile. 

"Sorry I couldn't save it. It was a lovely gift." 

"I'm glad you liked it while it lasted." Her own apologetic smile widens into something brighter. "If you like, I will happily rid you of that dress. Tell me what you would like in place of it, and please, do not be afraid to spare any expense."

Portia stands at the ready as the Countess folds her hands elegantly, waiting for a response. It seems as if Nadia wants me to ask for riches, despite how unnecessary it may be.

"You mean, silk, fur, gold and jewels? Finer than what you have been gracious enough to gift me?" I ask in wonder, enticing from her the joy of giving.

"Of course. I hope you expect no less from me," she teases.

I grin. "Then expenses it will be, my lady."

"Oh, how delightful!" She clasps her hands together with newfound excitement. "It seems you have begun to realise your worth to me. It pleases me, but you must tell me in detail. Silks in what colours? Furs, do you prefer them course or fine? Gold would certainly flatter you, but we both know silver was made for you. I’m envisioning diamonds, some opal, alexandrite, emeralds to match those pretty eyes…”

I listen to her in wonder. I have no idea what the difference in the look and feel course or fine fur could be. Silks, jewellery, the more she must want to discuss. It dizzies me with overwhelming excitement. I've never been spoilt before.

"Portia?" Nadia asks. "Send for an alexandrite from my personal jeweller. It must be set in white gold with a chain to match. Preferably something dainty. If our guest has taken an interest in luxuries, I imagine she will want to choose."

Portia bows her head. "Right away, milady."

"My bathing chambers are near," Nadia continues, extending an arm to mine in offering. "Come. I'm sure you would like a bath."

Golden rays of light dance within the blinding walls of Countess Nadia’s bathing chambers. Women bumble around the deep circular bath set in the middle of the tiled floor, carrying in their hands robes towels, soaps, and trays fruit. Two of the servants fix up a platter of fruits and wine at the waters edge. Another turns the giant gold faucet to let out steaming water. At the head of the bath stands a towering statue set in an alcove in the wall. The woman is depicted mid stride, reaching into a handful of marble flowers in preparation to scatter tham. A few servants mimic her stance, sprinkling real petals across the water.

To the far left, the towering wall has been reduced to grand pillars. A small veranda welcomes the evening air, and beyond that, the skyline of Vesuvia nestles into a haze of purple and orange light. Even from here, the faint buzz of citizens and the awakening of night life is audible. Thick canopies of ivy descend from the overhang.

Nadia bids me to undress behind a white screen, waiting patiently as I fumble with the corset.

"Would you like any help?" When she senses my pause, she gives a peel of sweet, musical laughter. She's only teasing me. "You would enjoy silks, would you not?"

"Oh, yes please."

"And furs? Oh, and what colours schemes? Any preferences?”

As I undo the corset, Nadia asks me question after question, building an idea of my taste for fashion. She's very thorough in her quizzing, making sure not to leave out the smallest details. Some things of her questions I would never have considered when buying clothes, some I have no experience to answer.

One piece of clothing alone would mean the world to me; what she’s already given me is baffling enough. But from the line of questions I know not to expect just one gift. Her ecstatic approach reminds me of a sisterly sort of love, where one dresses the other in her nicest garments. My sister and I used to do such, playing games of pretend where we were entering the world as young woman in search of our other half. This, however, isn’t a game of pretend. It is the Countess who dresses me up, her generosity exceeding any limits, disguising me as another noblewoman.

Her generosity is foreign to me. I’m not used to nice gift, let alone any gifts. 

 Finally, the corset gives way and I take the dressing robe Nadia slings over the screen. Embroidery of small purple flowers and dark green leaves follow the shape of the collar and sleeves. I slip it on the soft white robe, tying it at my waist and stepping around the screen. 

Footsteps echo down the bathroom hall. I've stepped out just in time; Portia appears, emerging through the huge double doors.

"I brought three—" She stops short when she sees me. "Oh, pardon me, I didn't realise we were in dressing robes."

Sharing an amused look with the Countess, Portia presents me with three glittering alexandrites in a small wooden box. I take it gingerly from her hands, inspecting the contents. The polished stones are unlike the last, absorbing and returning the light in different ways. The first one is a square, simple and unassuming. The second has more of a a tear-drop shape with blue undertone, accompanied by a small diamond. Each one is beautiful, and none can compare to the third. Shaped in an oval with a balanced mealy of purple, green and blue, the stone is set in a flowering white-gold pendent encrusted in diamonds.

"This one is beautiful," I breathe, taking it from the velvet lining of the box.

Nadia beams. "Ah, excellent choice. I have a particular fondness for that one. If you shall just turn around, we can see how it suits you."

I comply, pulling my braids and any flyaway hairs to the side as I face away from her. The Countess's delicate fingertips draw waves of shivers as she fastens the chain around my neck. She gently takes my shoulders and spins me around to play with the settlement of the pendant. The dainty chain is comfortably cool against my neck, the pendent nestling just below my collarbone. Nadia stands back, a pleased look in her reddish eyes.

"Lovely!" she quips. "It suits your complexion perfectly.”

Though I know its improper, I can’t help but lean forward and envelop Nadia in a tight embrace. She doesn’t hesitate to return the squeeze I give her. 

"Thank you, Nadia," I whisper. "You have been very kind to give me these things."

"Any time, especially for a friend." She leans back, squeezing my forearms. “I will leave you to your bath. Take as long as you wish. Portia?"

Portia snaps to attention. "Yes, milady!"

They move to the hallway, the rest of the servant retreating to offer me some privacy without being a call away. Alone, I drop the robe and undress from my undergarments. Nadia’s presence seems to remain, smelling strongly of jasmine with a penetrating and deeply contemplating gaze. As I slip into the hot waters, I mull over the fact that the Countess of Vesuvia wishes to be my friend.

I must talk to Asra, I think as I sink slowly into the water. The heat is pleasant against my skin. Somehow, even with him however far away, I must find a way. And I've never done it before, but...I have the perfect idea in mind.

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The halls within the Palace have a chilling atmosphere beneath the dead of night. The chill rises gooseflesh across my bare arms and legs as I creep silently across the polished marble in only a black satin slip and the dressing robe Nadia gifted me. The veranda is easy enough to find without the help of servants. Tonight it is vacant, I notice with relief as I descend down the stairs. Not even the faintest whisper of life can be heard within the soft song of swaying trees and crickets. 

I take a seat on the edge of the stone fountain beneath the old willow tree. Gazing into the shimmering pool and the reflected image of the moon, I purse my lips hesitantly. Asra taught me this spell many moons ago, but the magic is hard to keep a hold of, and I never got around to actually trying the spell. Like any other, I know the spell off by heart. I just hope that's enough.

Something moving within the drooping willow branches catches my eye. The sight of pale lavender glistening beneath the silvery moon has my head tilted back to get a closer look. When I realise what it is, my eyes widen a fraction, a bewildered smile twitching at the corners of my mouth. There, hanging from a branch with her head turned curiously to the side...

"Faust!"

Faust, Asra's little lavender snake, slithers onto the closest branch and extends her sleek body out to me. She flickers her tongue affectionately against my cheek. I stare at her in wonder. Did Asra not take her? He can't have got back already, can he? I reach my arm out and she coils around it, her scaly skinn amiliar against mine.

She perches up on my shoulder, nuzzling my face with hers. Was she waiting for me? She flickers her tongue at the alexandrite resting against my chest in curiosity, taking an immediate interest in the stone in disregard to the rest of my adorned gifts. Strange.

Watching the water, I lean forward to hover my hand a hair's breadth from the surface. When still and untouched, water seems to solidify into an earthy mirror. Shimmering across the faint ripples is a crystal clear image of my face, the willow tree swaying gently, the stretching expanse of nothingness above, the moon and stars high and proud within. But a magician can use it as more. With a strong enough will, it can act as a window, a looking glass through space and time.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. In the darkness beyond my eyelids, I imagine Asra. I imagine his glittering eyes, his smokey scent, the way he laughs, how his voice sounds when he teases and then when he scolds me. I paint a picture as detailed as I can before he crumbles into an essence that lays over the pool's surface like fine grains of sand. The etched lines of ink imprinted on my skin start to feel hot and fresh. Opening my eyes, I plunge my hand into the water.

Ripples upset the image of the willow tree and the moon that shimmers on the surface. The faint colours mirrored in the image fade like an ageing painting, warping and blending into something new. Images blur and shift, shapes unfolding from what was there a moment ago. My reflection fades away and...

Disbelief fills me.

Asra's face takes my place. Hands covered in gold rings draw water from wherever I look from. He pours the water over his face and runs fingers through his stark white hair. Can he see me? My heart sinks a fraction. It can't have been that easy, could it? I must have made a mistake. But then his lavender eyes travel to mine, the wariness and deep frown chased away by bewilderment. Droplets fall from his fingertips, sending ripples through his image as it strikes the surface of the body of water he sits before. He blinks, dumbfound at the sight of me.

"...Vivian?" His voice is full of wonder, eyes wide. "Can you hear me?"

I nod, barely able to believe it myself as his voice sounds clearly from the fountain. I've never done this spell before, never seen it done before. And yet I've done it perfectly. He leans towards the water, close enough that I can see minuscule beads of water clinging to his light lashes and hair.

"Incredible. I've only mentioned this spell before, but never taught you. How on earth..." He shakes his head, laughing in delight. A surge of pride swells inside me.

Asra sits cross-legged on a grassy bank beside a pond or lake. At the top of the short hill, the grass grows tall and golden, shimmering beneath the moon. It's nice to know that, however many days worth of travel he is away, we always sit beneath the same sky, watching the same stars shimmer and dance around the silver centrepiece. I see no trees, no buildings, no signs of life, no nothing beyond the horizon of grass. What I do see is his large, furry white mount, the exact creature from those strange dreams, whose beady black eyes peek from behind a curtain of fur like fresh snowfall. It rests its large head on his knee, breathing softly.

"Ah. Looks like Faust found you after all," he notes.

I tilt my head to the side. "You sent her to find me?"

He nods. "I wasn't all that sure about coming here. But after that reading you gave me...I thought I'd trust my intuition."

"I'm glad that she's here," I say with a sigh. Faust looks very proud of herself. Now that I'm over the shock of finding her, I'm beyond relieved to have her near. Asra looks pretty pleased himself. "And I'm glad I could find you, Asra. I need to tell you everything."

He frowns, concerned and confused as he searches my face and the view beyond. "Is that a willow tree above you? There are no trees around the wells and canals in Centre City. ...Where are you? Is everything okay?"

"...Yes, sort of. I'm at the Palace."

And I let it all spill from me like a bursting damn. 

I tell him everything, aware of how his frown deepens and something unreadable flickers in his face. I tell him how Nadia found me, how there is to be another Masquerade, how I met with the courtiers and made friends with Portia. ...And then I tell him why I was ever here in the first place. That is what really settles his frown.

Asra is the one person I trust most. He knows every last detail of my origins, my life, my regrets and my dreams. Yet I am careful of the information I let go as I tell my story. One day soon I will let Asra know I have made a mistake. But when I nearly let slip that my tracking spell worked, the words felt suddenly wrong, like my tongue had turned to honey and my mouth had gone numb. 

"It didn't work. I've done successful tracking spells before," I say as I come to a close, "but there wasn't a strong enough tie to the Doctor."

The words come forth easily and sound like the truth. I don't think I've ever successfully lied to Asra before. I pray that this will be the first. When he speaks, he does not question my words, which sends a wave of relief that eases the upturned feeling in my stomach. Either he knows and decides against asking or he's too overwhelmed by my story to notice.

"Unbelievable," he murmurs, face falling slightly. "The day that I leave was the day you needed me most. And even then, you didn't really need me at all. I'm glad Faust is with you, at least."

"You look tired," I say softly. Indeed, Asra's expression is sleepy, but content. His secret escapades must have been fulfilling today.

Asra shrugs, gently petting the beasts head, "I don't feel tired. I was just about to get in the water, but you bet me to it."

I roll my eyes at the joke, failing to fight the smile that arises. Faust slides across my lap and licks at Asra's image as he chuckles. He watches with interest as she turns back, sliding up my torso and winding herself loosely around my neck. Her face nuzzles beneath my chin. Playfully, she flicks her tongue against my skin like a ghostly kiss.

"Faust seems to be opening up to you," he observes. Then, he sighs and runs a hand through his hair. "It may be time for me to do the same."

I fold my arms. "It's taken you a few years. I have a feeling you want something in return."

"Ask me anything you want. All that I ask is that you are honest with me, too."

Maybe he did see through the lie.

His gaze is gentle as he looks me over, bringing a sense of calm. But I have a few burning questions. Nadia told me that Asra worked at the palace during the plague cure research, alongside Julian. I wouldn't have thought much if, when I asked how Julian got the key, a wave of unexplainable emotion didn't sing in his eyes.

"Who is Julian to you?"

"Julian?" Asra echoes. Loathing and hatred burn in his narrowed eyes. "Ah, yes, he goes by that name, too. I knew him by another. He was a friend once. Then more. And then something else... Something I had to get away from." He stops for a moment and sighs. "Who is Julian to me...who is he to anyone? Whoever he needs to be, to get what he wants. All I will leave it at is that he's a hack physician with a lot to learn. Until he does, nothing good will come of him. ...Is there something else on your mind?"

I purse my lips for a moment, thinking better of the questions that nearly come forth. Too many about Julian may bring on suspicion, and the only questions I have are about him. Maybe it's best to leave it at that anyway. I'm grateful just to get the smallest look into Asra's past and afraid I won't get a lot all in one go.

"No, not really," I say eventually. "I find it may be better to talk face to face without the spell. Maybe then I'll think of more. Besides, it's getting late."

"It is? Time is strange here." Asra smiles again, his heavy mood gone. "Go rest, Viv. I'll see you again soon. I know you'll find me if you need me."

I see Asra reaching towards me, towards the water. His touch scatters the image and suddenly he's gone. 

My mind is a dizzying flurry of thought as Asra's words repeat in my head. Who is Julian to anyone? Whoever he needs to be to get what he wants. He seemed so easygoing and willing to talk when I tracked him down and sat with him in that tavern, when I found him inside my shop. He even seemed empathetic. Caring. But Asra paints him so differently from how I have. Has his playfulness and flirty nature blindsided me without my notice?

If he has, I hate him for doing so. Hate how he's managed to manipulate his way out of eventual arrest just with a lazy smile and empty words. I think I hate Asra a little for not telling me about Julian in the first place, too. I hate how hard this job has proven to be... And worst of all, I hate that I've let it come to this.

⋆⁺｡˚⋆˙‧₊☽ ◯ ☾₊‧˙⋆˚｡⁺⋆

#The Arcana #Julian Devorak #Asra Alnazar #Nadia Satrinava #lucio morgasson #portia devorak #julian devorak x mc #julian devorak x apprentice #The Arcana Julian Route

[wysteria-clad]

Okay hear me out, Marc Spector and Julian Devorak have so much in common. There's a pattern. They could be friends.

For starters, they're both willing to sacrifice themselves in order to save their loved ones.

I don't have pics but Julian was literally ready to die in his route.

They both pushed their loved ones away and literally disappeared because they believed their presence would endanger them. [Julian and Portia, Marc and Layla]

They have healing powers so they don't mind getting hurt [bonus; the healing powers only exist because of a higher power; Khonshu and the hanged man]

AND MAY I ADD BOTH OF THE 'HIGHER POWERS' ARE BIRDS!

Marc and Julian both allow people to believe the worst of them and refuse to correct them. Like how Steven hears these awful things about Marc and believes everything and honestly says some terrible things. Julian is literally accused of murder and even though he doesn't remember what happened (and he didn't do it) he lets people think he's a murderer. So both of them think they're killers who don't deserve redemption.

Drinking as a coping mechanism.

They've both died, explored the afterlife to find world-saving information, come back to life and then saved the world.

Marc gets called a "full-blown international fugitive" in episode 2 and Julian is considered to be a fugitive as well.

I'm sure there's more but these are the ones I could think of without playing/reading Julian's route again (it's been a while)

-

In conclusion, we might have a type.

OMG

WAIT A MINUTE-

Elisa! Omg

Even the hanged man omg yes!!!

The similarites are...🤯😯

How did i miss it-

yes, yes, yes to everything you said-

The fact both of them think they don't deserve love at all-

Poor babies 🥺💕

We sure do have a type 😭

#asks #answered #loki-hargreeves

[thearcana-etc]

Main 6 cuddle headcanons

Asra-

-loves to cuddle whenever you both have time.

-His favorite way to cuddle is 100% with his arms around your waist with you pulled to his chest.

-Lots of soft quick kisses.

-Doesn't care if he's the big or little spoon but if you're shorter than him he would prefer to be the big spoon.

-Faust always joins you two either curling up on a pillow or on one of your arms.

Julian-

-Prefers cuddling over any other form of simple affection.

-Almost making out ever time you cuddle (only if you're comfortable).

-likes to hide is face in your neck.

-Will kiss your neck to tease you.

-Will be the big or little spoon.

-He is all limbs so it might be a little uncomfortable to cuddle sometimes because he doesn't know where to put his arms/legs.

Nadia-

-100% the way to tell her you love her is cuddling.

-Light kisses as she gently rubs your back or plays with your hair.

-Always cherishes the time you spend together.

Muriel-

-Very new to affection.

-Only cuddles at first for your benefit.

-Slowly warms up to the affection and enjoys cuddling as much as possible.

-Loves when you lay on his chest.

-Doesn't want to hurt you so he only has one arm wrapped around you.

Portia-

-Will cuddle you and Pepi whenever she gets to the cottage.

-She is very playful so she might tickle you or something along those lines.

-Loves when you play with her hair.

-Will kiss you on the forehead/cheek before slowly drifting off to sleep.

Lucio-

-At first, he acts like he hates it but inside he really loves being this close to you.

-Maybe a little touch starved so he will try to have as much skin to skin contact as possible.

-Mercedes and Melchior will lay in bed with the both of you.

-Will kiss the top of your head once you fall asleep(if you're shorter than him)

-If you're taller he will either press a kiss to your lips or your cheek.

#arcana headcanons #the arcana #arcana #asra alzanar #asra the arcana #julian devorak #julian the arcana #nadia satrivana #nadia the arcana #muriel the hermit #muriel the arcana #portia devorak #portia the arcana #save portia #save portia devorak #lucio morgassson #lucio the arcana #count lucio #countess nadia #the arcana headcanons #nadia headcanons #lucio headcanons #asra headcanons #julian headcanons #portia headcanons #muriel headcanons #muriel the mountain man #headcanon #headcanon requests

[boyslushie]

a big batch of headshot commissions i did a while back for @arcanecadenza’s star wars au!!

#didnt have these saved to my phone so i had to switch up platforms to get em #my art #the arcana #the arcana game #asra alnazar #muriel #julian devorak #portia devorak #nadia satrinava #count lucio #star wars

[honey-in-june]

I had a lot of fun with the Nadia version of this I did so I decided to do another fortunately for my the arcana has so graciously provided me with knowledge of each characters favorite flower.

Reblog and check out my blog if you want to see more flowery doodles.

#the arcana #the arcane game #the arcana blog #the arcana fanart #the arcana visual novel #the arcana pasha devorak #portia the arcana #the arcana portia #the arcana portia fanart #the arcana portia devorak #save portia #portia fanart #portia devorak #pasha #the arcana pasha #pasha devorak

[nabesthetics]

Dumb hot take, part 2

Look adding those lil’ notes is just fun :’B

#I have. so many templates saved up I don't know how to deal with this. Should I make like 3-4 more posts or would that be Too Much #alignment charts #The Arcana #the Arcana game #Asra Alnazar #Muriel Kokhuri #Count Lucio #Lucio Morgasson #Nadia Satrinava #Portia Devorak #Julian Devorak #the Arcana memes #also feel free to add your MCs or whatever #me: points at alignment charts 'Is this ''working on characters''?'

[disasterspinch]

Pasha time

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Inspired by this meme and #saveportia

Art belongs to Nix Hydra

#the arcana #the arcana game #portia devorak #pasha devorak #the arcana portia #the arcana meme #devorak #portia route #save portia #please. stop praying for my grandpa #the disaster spinch speaks #meme hours

[nixcoleoz]

UH??? 55??? THEN 80???? AND THEN FUCKING 120 COINS?!?!?!?!

DEVS REALLY RAISED MINIMUM WAGE HERE

YOU COULD BUY WHOLE ASS BOOKS LIVING OFF OF DAILY COINS!

#I earn every coin just from the game mechanics #so I’ve bought every single route except for Nadia and Julian bc I’m saving up #I will be FILTHY rich with daily coins #I remember back in 2018 when I had to count how many days of 5 daily coins it would take to buy an option #JUST YEEEESSSSS #EVEN IF UR TOO LAZY TO DO DAILY ADS OR HEART HUNTER #U CAN DO DAILY COINS #the arcana game #the arcana #asra #asra alnazar #lucio #julian devorak #portia devorak #muriel #nadia satrinava

[jilljoycearts]

Doctor Portia? Doctor Portia.

#the arcana #the arcana game #saveportia #portia devorak #save portia #my art #artists on tumblr

[babufactory]

All halloween charms/keychains are now finished!

.   

If any of you have experience with making charms please let me know! I will of course look into it myself, but its good as well hear it from someone who already done this and knows what not to do atd. 

Update: found two pages that look good for making charms. (thank you for the recommendation!). Will do application for preoders soon and will look into shippings!

#please dont steal people works! #art #my art #the arcana game #the arcana #nix hydra #nadia #countess nadia #asra #muriel #julian #julian devorak #portia #portia devorak #charms #keychains #faust #reposted i am so sorry friends :'))) #but valid ba save than sorry