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hihopelessromantics · 11 months

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Meliodas Never "Betrays" the Demons Au

Season 1 Pt.1

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Trigger Warnings: brief discussion of suicidal ideation, implied neglect, implied violence, implied annihilation of a city, dead animal, eating said dead animal, magical mind fuckery

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first episode and prologue to the Adventures!

---two mothers in a place that’s no place for kids —

Far, far, away in ye olde land of Britannia, there’s a fortress in the depths of a forest that serves as the last line of defense for the small, growing kingdom of Liones. The capabilities of the warriors within are unknown, but over the years, they have saved whole research centers from extermination, which, in turn, prevents the downfall of Liones - a kingdom formed in the gritty jaws of the most unexplored, wild sections of Britannia. They say the first village there persisted on nothing but hope and spite - which could be said for most villages, if you understand the ins and outs of living sustainably, but I digress - but it has a pretty good sized population now. The skilled use of the information therein and quantity of holy knights has landed Liones a reputation as one of the safest small kingdoms in the entirety of Britannia.

The leader of this fortress, Wilmot Fane, is leading a ceremony on the summer equinox: a heartfelt celebration of how far she and her team have come in the past ten years. They are now capable of defending their kingdom from “natural disasters” without having to pay for outside help. When she and her girlfriend go back to their quarters for the night, they feel a dark presence and draw their swords. Wilmot notices a winged silhouette standing on their balcony and motions for them to put their swords down. The girlfriend, seeing the stranger, doesn’t think that’s a good idea - but Wilmot awkwardly explains that she knew this person, and that she’s mentioned it before.

This is told in like ? minutes. just glimpses of memory. Like so:

druid mission, though she can’t feel the “mission”: The cold from the mountains wouldn’t be so bad if she had chosen to be here. A girl sweeping a set of steps that are grimy beyond saving with a pressure hose, and definitely not with a broom, is thinking that to herself. She slips, barely catching herself but smearing grime across her clothing as she does so. There are other kids - you hear them talking and walking through the hallways as she makes her way through the darkness of the evening, but you don’t see them. She slips into a room, bows, explains what happened while one hand cradles a bruised arm. The looks on the adults’ faces say it all. There are a lot of kids, all visible, but the girl doesn’t exist to them, nor do they to her. They are nice enough, but this isn’t where she belongs. The black-and-blue figure nestled under her bed is cold too, but only because of the weather, and because she didn’t get him that soup she promised. she says ‘Sorry...’ and he chuckles at her, saying he is lucky just to have the company while he heals. he is warm and a person and not something to be struck down with thoughtless violence. He covers her in swirls of warm, purple magic as she crawls under the bed. Magic is what she wants to see more of, and not the scriptures she sees less god in than in a crow creeping along the ground, in the wildlands crawling with life and death in equal measure while she sits here, not a part of it at all.

to prevent a civil war: Out of view people are talking in low, downfallen tones, murmuring, and a frustrated woman in a full set of armor is walking into a secured meeting hall. She leaves the room, and the closing door blots out the sunlight, leaving her in a dark hallway with the blue, orange, and red tones of sparse medieval decor fading to dull brown and grey. After walking a short distance, she sinks to her knees in defeat. She’s called to a meeting with the people she looks up to - not because of her skill and accomplishments but because everyone is dying, dying before they can come up with answers as to why. What can she, who has yet to become a full knight, do against a tragedy that almost feels... supernatural? Wait...

Should I expand more on that? Idk, let’s get back to the story

Wilmot made the acquaintance of a wounded demon as a child, saving him from her druid leaders by dragging him into the one place they’d never look: inside their own damn house. He had been shot down from the sky (where he had been minding his own business, according to her), breaking bones and almost knocking him unconscious. When she had helped nurse him back to full health with her druid magic, he thanked her and flew off again. Two months later, after going to bed in tears of frustration as she often did, she woke up in a completely different place with the demon standing over her. He said cheerfully that he had been watching over her and heard her complain about not being able to leave and fulfill her dreams of becoming a knight, and he decided to come back for her. After explaining that this was called kidnapping and please talk to the next person before you randomly take them from their bed, she thanked him. He asked her to help him choose a new home since he wanted to live with people again. After their quest was complete, and he had taught her all the survival skills he could, the demon brought her to this fortress and she began her apprenticeship.

When civil war threatened to break out due to nightly slaughterings of humans in major towns, Wilmot visited him at his new home and asked if demons could also grant blessings. She thought something like that would help resolve the situation. The investigation was going nowhere fast. All participants would eventually report feeling a magical presence and something watching them. They would be found lying outside, mauled and unrecognizable, several days later. He told her that they could grant blessings - usually for a price - but it would be easier and more entertaining to just solve the mystery himself. In exchange, she owed him a favor of his choice.

Learning that your partner owes a mystery favor to a mythological creature that isn’t supposed to exist anymore is, by rule, terrifying. The number of emotions that went through Fortune Hopton as her partner let the demon inside was not ideal for thinking on her feet, so she just stared as the firelight in the room revealed a small child holding an infant.

His golden hair was matted, his clothes stained with mud and torn in places that made the two women suspect he was injured. But the infant herself seemed to be in pristine condition and was sleeping soundly in his arms.

“I have no home again.” His voice, utterly toneless yet soft, sent shivers down her spine. “I know you would welcome me under any circumstance, even though it’s not easy to explain a stranger’s presence here. So. Hello.”

“Hello, Meliodas. I’m so sorry to hear about your home.”

“Mm. I’m grieving,” he replied. “Except for me and her -” here he indicated the baby. “- there’s no one left alive. They were slaughtered. I . . . I came here out of desperation.”

It was the same thing Wilmot had told him.

“I’m glad you thought to come here. You’re welcome to stay for as long as you like. I’ll make sure none of my friends bother you if you want some space.”

“I destroyed the ruins of the city in a fit of rage. I’ll probably be blamed for the massacre. I don’t want you - or her - to get caught up in this mess. All the other people I trust who are still alive aren’t human. So . . . I . . . I need a favor. Could you make this child yours?”

The women gaped at him. Most people would not say yes to this, demon promise or no demon promise. But these two weren’t even thinking about the promise as they responded. Most people would never consider spontaneously adopting a child. Just like most druids would not save or try to befriend a demon.

“Sir - Sir Meliodas,” Fotrune stammered, “are you serious? You want us to have this kid? I know you’ve met my partner, but you don’t know me . . . are you okay with entrusting her to us?”

“I am. If you’re willing to do this for me.” He hesitated for a moment before asking, “What do you think of all this?”

“Oh,” Wilmot said, practically glowing. “I’m thinking, demons do really give blessings after all.” She choked on her laughter. Even now she couldn’t help being a big sap. “Though, I wasn’t trying to - this is quite possibly the worst thing that could have happened to you both . . .”

He actually smiled at that. “I was hoping I’d get to see you smile before I have to go. I never seem to visit you at a good time.”

“In your defense, there are no good times. Don’t you want to sit for a moment?”

“I’d never get up.”

She didn’t press him any further. “Does the kid have a name?”

The demon looked at the child, then back at them. “You can name her whatever you like.”

“Then we’ll think about it. And, hey. I still owe you a favor after this. So don’t hesitate to come back if you ever need anything.”

“I won’t. Hesitate, I mean. I rarely do.”

“I don’t either. I’ll do right by the child. I promise you.”

“We both will.”

He breathed a sigh of weariness and relief. Then he placed the baby securely in her new mother’s arms. His arms twitched, fingers flexing when he backed away as if he didn’t know what to do with them. He must have been holding her tight like that for quite some time. Possibly since the disaster.

“I’ll be seeing you again. Don’t start thinking I’ve been killed or anything.”

“Be well, okay?”

He didn’t answer that.

After some thought, they named the girl Elizabeth. Their friends suggested it, saying the name meant, “God’s oath.” A fitting name for the most precious responsibility they’d ever taken on.

At 6, she proclaimed that she would be an adventurer. At 9, she ran away to prove she would rather stay at the fortress than move to the city and live a normal life. At 11, she had massacred ten apple pies, each baked good worse than the last. At 12, she was the best tree climber out of all the knights. At 16, she vowed she would ride a dragon one day. At 20, she had mapped out more wildlands beyond the fortress than anyone had dared to in the past ten years. Her portrait hung with the other knights’, her delighted face more innocent in her enthusiasm than as she held up the prize of her first solo mission, a relic she had recovered from the ruined city of Marakia. A carved stone of a woman’s face and stars in her hair. A part of a dangerous ancient relic, but to her, it’s just a good luck charm.

- - - Elizabeth

Here we've got an Elizabeth that's resourceful, emotionally intelligent, and selfless. She's a competent adventurer, praised and depended on, but she's soon to find out that her skills and knowledge won't be enough to save her kingdom from this mystery threat. In fact, they're woefully inadequate for the task. Which brings her to one conclusion: she's going to need help.

Can this socially naive, passionate badass save the kingdom she's sworn to protect? Can the strangers please hear her out why are they always running away from her? Will her mothers’ plan to unite the outposts against the growing threat succeed? Why is she lugging around this stone carving with her? Will she ever ride a dragon or stop having to stab monsters in the face at the last second to save her own life? Find out next time on a seven deadly sins spinoff that doesn't exist!

(pls throw your plot ideas here. I will write more you cannot stop me but if you give me a crumb of something you’d like to see well I’ll work that in. I will come back and update this I’m serious)

Ideas include:

- crashing through a bar in order to escape the holy knights

- classic overly friendly girl in a small town energy. Except slightly, slightly feral. She tries to warn everyone of danger and everyone’s like who are you what are you doing. literately what are you climbing onto the podium that’s not what it’s for. stop that.

- The fortress knights ask Elizabeth’s moms why they’re not sending a search party out for Elizabeth, who after all told no one before she left because she thought the corruption had infiltrated her home. They say that she’s a smart girl and soon she’ll realize she’s in over her head and come back home for help (or something like that). The screen cuts to Elizabeth bashing a vicious creature in the head with a battle cry.

I don’t know how exactly but she has to get knocked down (metaphorically) pretty hard. And it has to be poignant. How would a random 20-year-old who’s lived on the outskirts of society, basically cozying up to the Creatures, her whole life would really go about trying to save a kingdom that a) has no idea who she is, she’s not even in the magical identity database where everyone is, wtf, where did this girl come from? and b) is made up of mostly small towns/villages where no one in their right mind would go ‘adventuring’ into the countryside, much less get involved in some sort of unknown vague crisis problem, nope nope, move along conspiracy theory girl

episode 2!

--- fateful encounter ---

A walk through the forest. The most dangerous part of the forest where “only fools” aka people without the skills to handle it, would go. It was the last place she wanted to be when the snow was still falling over her head like an anointment of failure. At least the bruises were numb. That’s what she told herself as she trudged on. She had to go somewhere. Find some answers.

A flicker of light. She couldn’t believe what her eyes were telling her for a second. The cold and the dark went hand in hand this time of year, and she knew better than anyone that there were no bioluminescent creatures in this part of the kingdom.

Her whole body seemed to turn, seeking out the light that was, to her troubled mind, as soothing the heat of a fireplace on her back. Consumed by it, she came closer and closer until she sidestepped a hedge and parted the leaves to find the source: a large campfire, a crackling dark purple flame the likes of which she has never seen. It was warm and absolutely devoid of smoke. A smile crept across her face as she stared in wonder. There were other sounds, too, besides the fire and what she recognized as the wildlife. Crunching. Tearing. After a long moment, her eyes lifted from that frame to take in the rest of the scene. The carcass of a bear and several scattered bones. And behind that, a man, tearing the flesh with his teeth. He brought his face up from his meal to chew and Elizabeth saw his mouth and bare chest were drenched in blood. Sharp purple claws held the bear in place.

“S. . . Sorry to interrupt your meal-”

He looked up, face contorted in shock.

“-but would you happen to know where the. . . the nearest. . . ” Shoot. Deliberately not thinking meant she had no clever opening to start with. “. . . ah, actually, I do know this area, and exactly what direction and where the nearest town is. I just thought, hey, look, is that a campfire? I sure would like to see the intelligent soul who managed to start a fire in this weather. So, hello.”

The man swallowed. Blood flowed down his chin - it looked like he’d taken a mouthful of it. There was a kind of raw horror in his eyes that, coupled with the firelight dancing across his face, made her stomach twist with guilt.

“I know, right? What are the chances you’d meet another person in this neck of the woods?”

“H...heh... you’re not even screaming.” His voice was rough from lack of use and full of a kind of amazement that saddened her. She had encountered that same feeling many times in the wilderness, and the bloody scene before her felt as comfortable and intimate as her own bedroom as she drew closer to him.

“I’m not a heathen. I know people eat bears. Though, I hope whatever species of creature you are can eat raw meat. Because that’s RAW raw. Like it was still alive when you started eating it, raw.”

He blinked. Then his claws moved, bear slouching noticeably as they did so, and he patted the space next to him on the log. She sat, tucking her pack away where blood wouldn't drip on it.

“We don’t cook meat.” The note of melancholy rang in her ears. “It’s . . . delicious just the way it is.”

She took a hard look at the - uh - flesh, trying to imagine how raw meat would taste if it was any good. “Um, like a mixture of good things,” she finally said. “Like . . .” she remembered the meals in the wilderness with the knights, and the stews she loved at home, “. . . nice juice and crunchy things. I’m imagining that’s what it tastes like. Plus it always feels kind of sacred when you’re eating a meal you hunted for.”

He took a human-sized bite. Then, after a second, took another - because of course he wouldn’t have been eating like that all this time if it didn’t have some kind of benefit. She appreciated the attempt at politeness but wanted to laugh.

“Actually, I’ve eaten raw bugs before! Those tasted good. Like little hard candies. But meat.”

“... I think I’ll call you Candy. Just for that.”

As far as an alias went, it wasn’t . . . bad. But no. “Please call me Elizabeth. That’s my name and it’s quite a good one too. I’ve met six or seven Elizabeths in my life.”

“I’ve met more than that in my lifetime,” he replied, and she nodded in approval.

“We could form a cult of just Elizabeths. I wonder if anyone’s ever tried to do that. But anyway, will you tell me your name?”

“I’ll skip that question.”

“Okay.” Elizabeth reached down to pull a small piece of bread and some fresh leaves from her pack. “Want a leaf?”

“A leaf?”

“Vegetable,” she said helpfully.

A tendril of dark magic reached over and plucked the leaves out of her grasp. “Don’t eat random stuff you find in the woods.”

“Oh! Oh, well - ” Fascination from witnessing an unfamiliar magic made her forget her handpicked vegetables had just been tossed unceremoniously onto the floor. “ - you see, I’m actually a bit of an expert in that area.”

Her bread had warmed by the time she finished explaining how she was not, in fact, eating random plants, but plants she had been studying since childhood. After what she’d call a passable show of knowledge, the man seemed convinced, and gingerly and quickly handed her vegetables back to her. A quick glance assured her he had succeeded on not dripping blood onto them.

Elizabeth didn’t know if this question was appropriate, but well, what else to ask? “What brings you this far into the wildlands?”

“My pack is gone, and it’s all my fault,” he responded, muttering “again” as he took another bite. “Ohhh, that doesn’t sound good.” She searched his face for some kind of clue as to whether they were alive or dead. ”Do you want to talk about it? I’m a good listener.”

“Hm.” He stared into the fire. “Well. It’s because of this.” He pointed to where his forehead held a dark spiral that bled down past his eye.

“Wha- they couldn’t handle meeting someone of a different clan!?”

A strangled, shocked kind of laugh was his immediate response. Then he swiveled to look her in the eye. “There’s a whole lot of good reasons they could have been apprehensive. Even some reasons to kill me on sight.” “Don’t talk like -”

“I’m a demon. It was never going to go well but it’s just my goddamned luck that it came out at the worst time and wrecked what was left of our trust in the process.”

“. . . Ah . . .”

His pretty, raspy voice held the sharp edge of rage. “I’m supposed to be stuck in the Demon Realm right now, and trust me, I’d like nothing more. I’ve . . . I’ve tried everything.” A bitter, exhausted demon, alone in the woods.

Elizabeth frowned at him and tried to speak as gently as possible. “What happened?”

“Ah -” he choked. “I - uh - “

“Oh, you don’t have to -”

“No, just, you caring startled me. I can tell you were actually being sincere when you said that. . . and for me, that’s rare.”

“I can see how that could happen, considering no one back there in the city seemed to care about what I had to say at all. And I’m just trying to catch some murderers. I wasn’t asking for them to understand me as a person or anything, or to help me save the whole damn kingdom.”

He nodded slowly. “I . . . was sent to trial, and spared a while ago, on one condition. That I helped fulfill some ancient prophecy passed along the generations of the Liones family. I’m not opposed to making sure some idiot doesn’t make the world more of a hellhole than it already is, so of course I said yes. I can’t die by normal means anyway so it was like a gift with two parts. It would have been really awkward if they tried to stab me and I, just, didn’t die. I only just realized how convenient it was while I’ve been sitting here in this forest. I realized I . . . it kind of destroyed me, when they left . . . not just because, I thought we could really . . . be something . . . but also that it had awakened some ancient part of me that I thought I’d strangled long ago. I can’t believe it, but for a second there I really thought I could have some greater purpose. Be a part of something again. Some kind of reason to keep breathing that doesn’t die as the seasons pass.”

“I understand.” Elizabeth tried to communicate with her eyes that she truly meant it. That she had come close to feeling like just another leaf that will wither and die, the day her mothers told her they were considering moving to the city just so she could have a “the kind of peaceful, ordinary life that a kid should have.” She would never forget that scare. Her whole world almost escaped. She couldn’t imagine what he was going through when his world had actually left.

“I spent, what, ten or so years tracking down the people foretold by the prophecy. I’m appointed as their captain and we start to get to know each other. And I . . . lived. Actually lived. I didn’t know if I’d ever get that again. So three years go by and there’s all kinds of trouble between us, but I’m like, that’s to be expected. You throw seven of the most “I’ve got baggage!” people in Britannia together and of course we’re gonna clash like no tomorrow. But hey, maybe we can get through it together, right?” His mouth twitched in a tiny, tragic smile. “It could have turned out that way. That’s what hurts the most. If I weren’t such a colossal fuckup when it comes to people, I could have done better. I tried to do better. But stuff started coming out at the worst possible time, when tensions were already at a breaking point.”

He took another huge bite of bear flesh, crunching bones between his teeth. “You have to understand. Merlin’s not a bad person. She was raised like I was, a weapon with no knowledge of feelings. She’s a kid. A kid. I don’t know how long she’s been around and I don’t know how long she’s been up to that - cult god stuff - or how long that thing’s been digging inside her head. But she wasn’t a lost cause. I had to try to help. It all came out . . . like that . . . and it just . . . everything got quiet and I could feel it like a stake through the heart. Just fell apart.” He exhaled. She had no idea how he said all that in one go and still had breath left to exhale so sharply. “I couldn’t stop it.”

“Why . . . they didn’t try to talk it out? A-”

Crack. She barely registered he had moved because of the lack of change in his expression. But she didn’t miss the meaning, or how he then gestured to the broken pieces as they fell dramatically to the dirt.

“Yes, that’s how talking usually turns out in- I’ve watched arguments. I mean, afterwards, when you’ve all cooled down and . . . what?

From the look on his face, she could tell there had been no “waiting to resume the discussion until they’ve had time to ruminate on their thoughts.” No “cooling down.”

“What?” She repeated,her shock twisting her voice into a whisper before it picked up again. “Excuse me, I don’t know your circumstances, but I can’t imagine what could . . . After three years together. . .”

“They didn’t have anywhere to go when they came here. Just like me. But they couldn’t . . . couldn’t find the way to be comfortable with each other, I guess, and when push came to shove, well, they made up their minds. They decided there was nothing to fight for.”

He was staring into the fire again, the dancing flame deepening in color. Elizabeth watched his face and noticed a hint of longing there with the emptiness. “And the ones who didn’t resent me, well, they had better things to do than stick around.”

“It sounds like. . .” she murmured.

He crunched a bone.

“Is there a way I can help? I, also, have nowhere to be. Except home. I can’t do that yet though.”

“Not yet?”

That was dodging the question, but Elizabeth didn’t mind. “I have something I need to accomplish, but as it happens, I’m confident I can help you out while I’m at it. Not just saying it . . . to say it . . . like people sometimes do, for some reason.”

He hummed, staring into the fire. “Maybe. You got something that could kill a cursed demon for realsies?” She gave him a look. “Plotting your own suicide isn’t going to do anything.”

“It’ll do something, alright.”

“Bullshit.”

He choked on his food. The coughing fit sent her into a peal of laughter. She smacked him on the back until he looked like he could breathe again. He choked again, this time on some choice words, if she had to guess. She did hit a little hard. But a minute turned into two, turned into five, and she recognized with horror that he had nothing to say.

She couldn’t tease him about being awkward after he said such a mortifying thing. He couldn’t refute her, she couldn’t refute him. All that was left was the method that had failed her so badly back in the city. Could she try it again?

Elizabeth took a deep breath.

“I think you’re worth fighting for.”

He said nothing. Kept chewing his food. She kept watching the fire. It struck her with suprise when his hand came to rest on hers. It was warm, very warm, and just a little wet.

Her smile came so easily, light springing back into her voice as she spoke.

“As it happens, I’m going on a journey myself. To save the kingdom. You could come with me. It’ll definitely take your mind off all this, and even if you’re not in a saving-the-world kind of headspace, I’d still appreciate the company.”

“For you, my company would be more trouble than it’s worth. On top of it all, me and my friends are fugitives now. Yep. We’ve been exiled from Liones.”

“What a coincidence! I am also, somehow, a fugitive.”

He looked at her like she’d grown a second pair of arms.

“Yeah I know, I haven’t even been out of my homeland two weeks and now I’m in trouble with the Holy Knights for reasons I don’t understand. You should have seen some of the looks people gave me. Yikes.”

“Now that’s strange.”

“I thought so. I’m sure it’s part of the scheme. But I’m still trying to investigate what the scheme is for, so I don’t have time to worry about whatever habits city people have that I don’t.” She shifted her legs to point her feet more at the fire. The snow was soaking into her shoes again. “Yeah, I have schemes of my own to worry about. I don’t care if they think I’m some kind of lunatic. If I have to be a lunatic . . . I will.”

“Bold words.”

“Yeah, I’m good at that.”

“Sticking to them will be more difficult than you imagine.”

She scoffed. Took a deep breath. “Everything’s more difficult than I can imagine.”

Accepting that, the demon surveyed the mostly fleshless carcass one last time. He took the last bit of meat between his teeth and pried it almost gently it off the bone, swallowing the small bite like a delicacy.

“You understanding that means you have a chance at success.”

Elizabeth took a thoughtful breath, her stomach twisting as she foolishly imagined how the raw organs might have tasted to him. Blood and bits of flesh sank into the snow as he nudged the leftovers away from the fire with one foot.

Another deep breath, because the anxiety was starting to crowd her brain again. “I want to ask you something.”

He tilted his head to gaze up into the sky, but she thought his hand gripped hers a little tighter. Their interlocking fingers carried a warmth that melted the black sludge in her minds into something lighter. She could feel the same happening in her companion, and that gave her the confidence to ask this next, vital question.

“Would you still fight for them?”

A painful sounding inhale. “I would.”

“Excellent.” She stood up, legs trembling just a bit as movement shot blood through them. “Let’s search for them together.”

Elizabeth didn’t get out another word before her companion recoiled, falling backward. “Whoa!” She registered the closeness of his face before her brain caught up to what had just happened. Her knee had hit the log, though she’d managed to catch him by throwing an arm around his back. “Easy. Are you-”

“What are you saying?” It was a command, but she didn’t notice, too occupied with how those purple eyes glowed even as her shadow blocked out the firelight.

“Just what I said. Let’s find your friends so you can tell them what’s on your heart. If you would set out on a journey for them, then, you could do it. Like you said, right? Even if you don’t succeed, the fact you set out in the first place has meaning in itself. So you can have peace. I’ll do what I can to help you fix the misunderstandings.”

His eyes locked onto their still-joined hands. “You . . . fuck . . . “ That voice wavered like . . . like this was the first time he’d seen the sun in years. It clamped down on her heart like a fist.

“Hey, “ she said, feeling ridiculous as all hell now. “What do you think “I think you’re worth fighting for” means?”

The bloodstained demon’s blank expression broke into a smile, the first she’d seen on him. An incredulous one, but whatever.

“. . . It’s okay, right? For me to care. . .?”

The rigidness flowed out of his body as quickly as it came. “Yes. Thank you.” His smile was so warm. “Could you say it again? And sit with me. Please.”

“Okay.” She got back down on the log. “Stranger. Tell me your name. And come with me on a journey. Even if you’re not in a place where saving the kingdom is a thing you can do, I’d sure appreciate the company.”

“I can’t.”

“Hu-”

“I can’t tell you my name.” He pried the words out of his mind like nails out of wood. “I can’t claim it anymore. Not after what happened.” His other hand wound into his golden hair, pulling hard at the strands. “I can’t.” Hard swallow, and his voice dropped to a shaky whisper. “I can’t call myself . . . can’t be this version of me if I want to accomplish anything - which, I’m deciding I do. If I don’t go back . . . to that ruthless person I used to be . . . I can’t win. I can’t win against the gods, or the fate they damned me to. Kindness isn’t enough for that battle. I’ll be killed. No, obliterated.”

“Do not do that. That sounds like exactly what the gods want - for you to backtrack and scramble all your progress. And anyway, that won’t work. To fight injustice you need the kindness of many people. Not just one. Ruthlessness can’t replace that. I’m only failing my quest because - no, I’m NOT failing, and neither are you. We - ah, damn, it sucks, but we hit a roadblock. It has nothing to do with our ability at this point. We’re alone and we can’t accomplish goals like these by ourselves. We gotta find people who believe in us. We can work together to find them. Or, at least, I can help you. So you can’t claim your identity right now.” She searched his eyes for his reaction. “You can still come with me. We can do this. My moms and friends are more than capable of taking care of everything back at home, and as long as no one suspicious thinks I’m a threat, I’ve got lots of time before the conspiracies start turning into action. They’re still in the plotting stages, but -”

“I’m coming with you.” The demon interjected. “I can help you save the kingdom. I can’t forgive the court for not even hearing me out, or for treating my friends so harshly, but I can’t help but feel an affinity for the people.” She couldn’t comprehend the softness in his gaze - this deep compassion from a demon who was ostracized everywhere he went. “I don’t want to stop trying just because people are terrible to me.”

“I - I’m glad. Welcome aboard, my nameless new friend.”

A laugh tumbled out of him. The hand she wasn’t holding shot to his face in an attempt to muffle it. Then, failing that, grabbed at her cheek, missed, and pinched her nose instead. She loosened her grip on his hand when he drew hers up to his mouth and kissed it with fierce reverence. After seconds of holding it there, against his lips - which drew an embarrassed giggle out of her - his face melted into a genuine, peaceful smile, as freely as if he were the most familiar person in the world.

“You’re gorgeous,” she told him. “That smile, I mean.”

His breath hitched audibly. For a minute she thought he might have gotten cramps. Those purple eyes glistened, moisture sparkling in the firelight.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m not sure this is real. That my mind hasn’t just deteriorated so much that it made someone up to come and comfort me.”

She blinked, then reached over to grab his hand. Drawing it close to her, she put it on her breast and squeezed. “Hmm. Well. Supposedly, a man can always tell if this is real. According to my guy friends that is. Like, you can’t replicate it in a dream.”

He looked at her, then at his hand, then back at her, with an open mouth and awe in his eyes.

“So, can you tell?”

“. . . this is real.”

“Neat!! Glad I finally got to test that, it’s been floating around in the back of my brain for years. I’ve spent my whole life collecting weird facts but I’ve got so few about people as a whole.”

He stared at her.

“Is . . . there something wrong?”

“Nothing at all! What made you think that? My mind wandered for a second. Hey, maybe we should find somewhere better to sleep.”

“Oh, that’s a good idea. The nearest village should be a couple of hours away, calculating in our trip through this forest - we can get there by the afternoon and see if there’s anywhere to stay.”

The demon pulled her back onto the log as she went to stand up. “We’re not going anywhere tonight.” Seeing her shock, he added, “Have you noticed the weather?”

“You’re shirtless,” Elizabeth countered. “Obviously you think it’s okay to do that in this kind of weather, why not go gallivanting through the night?”

“Ha!”

“Where is your shirt, by the way? Are you just relying on this magic fire not to freeze to death?”

“My body is compensating well for this temperature. The shirt would make it worse, actually.”

“Ah, a demon biology thing?”

“Pretty much.”

“O-oh. . .”

Elizabeth tilted her head back up at the sky, flinching at the icy touch of the snowflakes. Habit had her checking the stars, but leaves and clouds blocked her view. She couldn’t remember where she had planned to go if he had agreed to get up and just start walking. Her face fell back to the warmth of the dancing fire. It crackled, laughing at her as she answered her own unspoken question. Desperation. That was what made her heart sink just now - the rush of emotions from that day realization overwhelming her. Her desperation was the most frightening. Every bit of the competent adventurer that she was despised it.

Ah . . . she couldn’t find anything else to say. Or think. So as the adrenaline and excitement of this encounter ebbed away, Elizabeth Gesmira began to cry.

Tap. tap. tap. She blinked at the demon gently tapping her chin to get her attention.

He’s -

Warmth swallowed her next thought as this stranger clutched her firmly against his chest. He was her personal pillow now and taking no arguments about it. He’s so short . . . I’m practically lying down now . . . and, she realized, the chill she felt on the surface of his skin was melted snow. Despite the cold, he’d scrubbed all the blood off his skin before hugging her. How considerate. It was so distracting, she missed the way he was smiling so genuinely. The truth was, if she was the kind of person with a hint of wariness . . . well, when she looked up and saw the light that had sprung up in those blank purple eyes, the way they glittered with the hint of their own tears and that emotion just seemed to to fuel that smile . . . she would have left that demonic campfire far behind.

Elizabeth looked down into that far-off gaze with its intense, gentle smile and sniffed, slightly comforted. “Normally I know what to do, at least, if I don’t know where to go,” she swore through the tears. “I do. I’m not as naieve as that girl at the bar said I was - ah, but you didn’t see that, I don’t actually have to mention that . . .” she sniffed again. “Look, she was a bitch. People don’t know all kinds of things. I’ve never actually . . . seen coins exchanged for goods before. So what? I live in a remote fortress on the outskirts of the kingdom, what the hell do they expect, that every single person from everywhere has the same baseline knowledge? I barter just fine.” That last part became more and more of an indignant mumble.

“Human currency is fucked,” the demon proclaimed. He gave no further explanation, and honestly, Elizabeth thought it hadn’t been that difficult to pick up on, but okay. Legit. She appreciated the solidarity.

“. . . are you . . . going to be hungry in the morning?”

“Why are you thinking that right now?”

“Because if nowhere else. . . I know a grove of trees with the most delicious winter apples.”

“Apples, huh?”

“They’re my favorite. And while we’re on our way we can check up on the druids who live nearby and - and get some more information.”

“. . . yeah. I like that plan.” He yawned, and Elizabeth yawned reflexively. “Where is this grove?”

“Ah . . . near the Forest of White Dreams? You’re not scared of urban legends, are you?”

“I am an urban legend. And I’ve actually been there before. I went traveling with a friend once, and the last item on her bucket list before she became a knight was a hike through that forest. As it happens, we found . . . apple trees . . . growing there. Just, in this clearing atop the hill. It looked like something you’d see in mythology - a place you would go to fight a dragon and acquire an ancient treasure. I’ve fought dragons before. I don’t know if they like apples. Heh, I’m rambling now . . . I can’t help it, though . . . you know I’m pretty old, right?”

Elizabeth yawned again. “Don’t demons age differently than humans? Like giants do?”

“It’s true. I mean, that’s right.”

She wrapped an arm around his waist. “Are you going to tell me why you’re nervous about that?”

“My friend’s name was Wilmot. She was born a druid. And . . . ” he looked over her like he couldn’t forsee what she would say, and that upset him. Before he could speak again, she poked his cheek. “Have you been sending letters to my home?”

“H- hm?!”

“I was given to my mother, Wilmot, by an old friend. I think he happened to be a teenaged demon just like you, right?”

“. . . I’m not a teenager anymore.”

“Well, good! Being a teenager can really suck.” She laughed gently. “Wait, you’re not thinking I’m your niece now or something? Right?”

“Should I?”

“No - goddesses - don’t!”

“I’m going out of my mind,” mumbled the demon in a resigned and sleepy tone. “Go to bed, and kill me in the morning.”

“No, I think I’ll keep throwing you for a loop until dawn. Until your whooooole mind is wiped clean like, uh, the fresh morning snow. And you -”

“That’s full of dirt.”

“I can debate that.”

Suddenly she could feel his body shaking as he cackled. “Why?”

“I don’t know, maybe we should find your friends quickly before I drive you insane.”

“You’re joking.”

“I -” yawn, “- am not . . . joking.”

“You have to be.”

“I don’t. Mm. You’re so warm, even in the snow… how come?”

“You’re keeping me dry. Like an exotic blanket.”

“Yeah, okay, I’ll believe that when you lay down.” She murmmered with her face against his chest, the words spoken almost right up against his skin. He shivered, the closeness more than welcome - as she knew. He told her he had already made himself comfortable.

“Mkay.” She rubbed the mostly dried tears off her face, blinking away what remained. Then, on the cusp of unconsciousness, she perceived his whisper like one would a disconcerting but not unpleasant dream: “I acknowledge you’re not joking. If you were aware, you’d know this casual nonsense makes me so happy I’d rather fall into unknown depths than stay away.” He sighed, that gentle smile from earlier returning. “Thank you finding me today. I guess I needed to see you again after all, huh?”

—- a girl who can be saved —-

[Merlin voiceover:] “It is not a black void. It is not made of steel, or brick, or anything else that could possibly keep me in. It is not a place where life comes to die. In fact, it is right where life begins and ends, a precarious balance between the souls wherein. But it is a prison all the same.”

A black screen fades slowly until the audience can see ins and outs of a dusty, witch’s workshop through the haze. Potions. Cauldrons. Old books. Experiments. Things that shouldn’t be in a jar, kept in a jar. Dry, crusty blood from the …incident… a few months back. And of course, the explosion that almost wasn’t contained in time created a hole with a 1-foot diameter in the floor.

There is a suave woman in an over-sexualized outfit in the middle of this room. She looks uncomfortable, almost as if she should be squirming in pain. There is something wrong about her. Like she doesn’t belong in her own skin. And the cloth does her no favors, an oddly textureless gown without shading. The whole woman looks photoshopped into this scene now that the audience is paying attention.

Sitting near the hole is a child who looks much like her, clearly around ten or so, wearing an outfit that should have been replaced years ago for all its wear and tear.

“Six hundred years have gone by, since living became an afterthought. I’ve discussed my research with countless people and calculated the current trajectory of both goddesses and demons, as well as the side projects and the favors for mankind. My word is indisputable among several important circles. So why can’t you believe me?”

There is a long pause, but the woman is patient and does not say another word. Her eyes and glare demanding a response, she walks right up to her companion.

Slowly, the girl turns, staring through empty eyes leaking black and white tears over a cracked, leaking face like a mask. There is rot somewhere deep inside that skull, something more grey than black or white, something living and dying at the same time that holds together a girl smiling a blank smile of innocence and, if you look closely enough, amusement.

[Sweet little girl:] “You can’t keep this up forever. There’s no need to say I will have you. You have always been mine, my priestess. From the second you were born, you were destined to defy fate.”

“I will defy you. I chose to defy you!”

“My child, your journey is not yet complete. You are asking for your own destruction.”

“Destroy me, then. I won’t hurt anyone else that I care about.”

“You will never see them again.”

“If you’re going to continue on like this, then I don’t plan to. You will never, ever leave this room unless you leave my body first. Like I’ve said.”

“Oh, Merlin. You couldn’t be more wrong. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of you. I always have. Didn’t the kingdom survive, just like I said it would?”

“Because the experiment failed. Because I realized the truth in time to -”

(with obvious affection): “No, sweet. Because I guaranteed it.”

“The only thing you can control is my mind. I know that now.” Her teeth grind as she speaks, the disgust on her face more than appropriate. “You can’t take that knowledge away from me.”

“Hmm. That’s what you think.” She smiles prettily. She cups her face with one hand, all cutesy-like. “It’s still true, you know. If not for me, you would have no hope of healing that hole you’ve got there in your heart.”

The giant hole materializes on the woman’s body. She glances down briefly, but is unfazed. If anything, she seems even more confident now.

“I don’t care anymore. I’ll do anything I have to do. Just like I swore to you all those years ago.”

(with excitement and obvious affection): “Very good. I don’t expect anything less, Merlin~”

This earns her a frown. “I can’t see how you could possibly win if you keep me as your priestess.”

“That’s because ~ you’re busy looking down!”

Merlin looks down.

Blood rains down from the ceiling into the floor, into the image of a city no one could possibly save. Broken and bloodied silhouette stare back at Merlin in terror.

“I can’t let it happen again. Why can’t you understand that?” She sounds genuinely upset. “Why can’t you understand, that I would rather die and be nothing than be the cause of it again? That I don’t claim you as mine, and never will again? You shouldn’t… you shouldn’t talk like nothing has changed…”

“But nothing’s changed! Eeeeeverything’s the same as it always was. The humans, the gods, and you and me?” Toothy smile. “There’s nothing that can separate us now, Merlin. This is the fate you’re meant to defy - the fate of a lost, broken girl with no one, who lives and dies as fleeing and ultimately meaningless as a single flower in the breeze. That stunning beauty was never yours. Yours is something that endures, and with me, enduring all it takes to get there will be effortless as breathing. Just like it was. All kids go through a rebellious phase at some point in their lives. And people abandon them when it gets to difficult. You’re not my tool, Merlin. I’m never going to replace you with anyone. Wherever I go, you are going, too. Up to heaven and right down to hell! You have to meet my other children, after all. They’re just going to love you.”

“You can only influence my mind so much!”

“I never needed all that much.”

[Merlin voiceover:] “Life itself has become my prison, more than it ever was before.”

____________________________________________________________--

Thank you for reading!!

Link to the rest of the AU:

#meliodas never betrays the demon realm au #nnt au #sds au #horror au #hihoplessromantics writes a drabble

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hihopelessromantics · 9 months

Text

Vampire Realm

I was dreaming up a map for the Demon Realm when @darkelf-7 put it into my mind that the vampires should have their own special dimension too. Absolutely they should! So without further ado, here's Gelda's kingdom (with worldbuilding lore)!!

First, I figured I would expand on the human-vampire relationship with a drabble. It's unusual for a vampire scenario to have them living far away from humans due to their unique coexistence. Either by necessity or personal taste, people are a vampire's source of life.

the beginnings of the stars & diamonds, the vampire realm’s human (ish) societies

The ancestors were refugees who don’t know how they got here.

They just woke one morning after traveling a long way to find themselves in a land of glowing color and eternal night. The first thing they noticed was the pleasant warmth of the air that was so foreign to them. Both the heat and the smell of that air was astonishing, that was what they wrote. The child sitting next to their gear and still-sleeping companions was astonishing, too, surveying them with brilliant green eyes as if he’d succeeded in some great task.

“Have you been looking for a place to call home?” It was more of a statement than a question. They understood it well enough, though they didn't recognize the accent. “I sought those like you out, brought you to a place you will enjoy until you die.”

They did enjoy it. It was peculiar- this land with no sun seemed to work in reverse to what they knew, the light and warmth emanating from the foliage and the lakes as clear and comfortable as bathwater. Crops seemed to grow just as quickly as before, and the variety of unfamiliar creatures was not afraid in the slightest of a bunch of human travelers, sometimes even speaking to them, albeit in hushed tones and in a language that would take them years to master. It was an island, they realized, yet over on the north shore they could see a vast land laid out before them just over the sea. The sailors among them came back with frantic reports about how the sea circled right back around to either island, regardless of how far they went, but the villagers were too busy fashioning the glimmering rock bed beneath the surface into homes, the children too happy with their new animal companions and the new mysteries of the sky and the world, for anyone to take issue. Better than the war-torn place they’d just escaped. Maybe one day they’d go home. It took two generations to realize that they were stuck here, in what could only be a new dimension, and as far as they knew there was no way back, unless they should ask that strange child again. He came now and again through the years to check on them, and was at first shy in a regal sort of way, but not unfriendly. He claimed he needed time away from home. So they built him a little hut fit for someone his size and furnished it alongside theirs. This - unexpectedly - flustered him so much that he ran off into the woods. Poor thing.

The next time the boy came, he brought with him a blonde girl, captivating in beauty and speech. She apologized profusely for the disappearances of some villagers throughout the years. It was assumed those who went missing simply went into the portal near the lake and never returned - apparently, some of these had been slain and drained of blood. She invited all the village leaders to that city their travelers spoke of, the dangerous one whose polished stone glowed purer and brighter than the moon. Such a fascinating person this was, and even from afar they could tell why so many of them crossed to the other island not only for the extra space but to be closer to those creatures who were their neighbors and built in their likeness. Unlike back home, there was no need to fear the unknown. So long as they paid the price in blood, all would be well - and the golden princess promised she would keep it that way so long as she could in her immortal life. They told her, in turn, that she was always welcome in their villages, and, say, what do you call yourselves exactly?

Vampires.

Vampire Realm Map

Aaaand here's the main feature!

Vampire Realm Features

Moon Society -

The vampires’ cities are shaped like moons, the ancient buildings surrounded by fields of wildflowers, shrubbery, and equally ancient woodland. The most popular style of architecture and interior design puts strong emphasis on handmade objects and shows a general inclination toward a fairytale aesthetic. Both minimalistic and eclectic elements are hugely popular. Skylights, balconies, and walls open to the air, accompanied by extravagant curtains taking the place of glass or doors, are the most unifying architectural element. Of all the arts, dance and music have been the most prone to change throughout the centuries. Most garments are handwoven with great craftsmanship and passed down through generations for as long as they stay in good condition. Elegance is far more popular than cuteness, sexiness, or even intimidation when it comes to one’s appearance.

As far as vampires are concerned, their society encompasses as far as the glowstone reaches, and the concept of being ‘civilized’ and ‘uncivilized’ has no meaning to them. Considering that their overall population pales in comparison to any other race, even the beastmen, it has never made sense to vampires to do anything other than settle infighting in the most peaceful way possible. True, the glowstone is not pleased to lose a living soul before its time, but the vampires’ sense of loyalty means they would prefer peaceful estrangement to hostility even if that were no longer an issue. There are rumors among Britannian humans that there are various subspecies of vampire - just as there are various subspecies of demon - due to the variety of appearances and special abilities they may possess.

Star Society -

The human inhabitants of the realm have adapted to the environment over the centuries, but none so much as those who come from the Star cities. They embrace what they call the natural lifestyle of the “Midnight Isles” and maintain a strong bond with nature, and, when applicable, magic. Community, especially with other sentient residents of the “Midnight Isles,” is extremely important to them, and residents are known for their openness, boldness, and generosity. The wonder and appreciation they show for all the whimsies of life in the vampire realm enchants many vampires who encounter them, and though they are the main food source of said vampires, finding someone who resents this is rare. It’s rumored they’ve adapted to regular loss of blood on a biological level, but you can’t get a straight answer about that. It’s like they’ve never bothered to study it.

Human visitors to the Star Capital are stunned by the locals’ behavior; particularly, their lack of fear of the landscape on which they live. The visitors wouldn’t judge so harshly, or try to convince them to leave with such inconsideration, but . . . it’s like they can’t see it. They can tell some of the creatures who live among them are demon, or vampire, but for some reason don’t notice this. Their neighbors and friends, particularly the avid travelers and the nature enthusiasts, aren’t quite . . . human anymore. The vampires, the animals, even the soil no longer considers them human. The vampires say that it’s true, that the life energy the glowstone circulates back into them is more plant, more animal, more vampire, more demon than human - that it’s the land’s blessing, and it makes their blood all the more delicious. “Tieflings,” the vampires call them, but not to their faces. The humans don’t seem to acknowledge the inhuman traits as strange. It’s like they don’t even know . . . what being human means anymore. Who can blame them, though? The Vampire Realm is a place where the plants themselves have personality, and the soil judges character on a life-or-death scale, so treating everything you see like it could be another person - another human being, as the humans say - is, in a way, as natural to them as the total lack of sunlight.

The Star people of this island are descended from explorers, witches, and scientists of various cultural backgrounds, and it is more apparent than in the Diamond people that some of these cultures are from lands beyond Britannia. These original cultures and traditions have a great impact on modern life and most relics from the ancestors’ homelands have been preserved.

The network of star cities are not connected by roads but by what locals call ‘the trails.’ Obtaining knowledge of these is a symbol of trust from the locals, as most of the Star people’s sacred places lie along their beloved, uncharted paths. The architecture has no Britannian origins and varies widely from district to district, especially within the capital. Certain everyday rituals are inspired by vampire culture.

Diamond Society -

Grit, and grace. That’s what the Diamonds hope to pass down to their children.

Separated from the rest of the realm by a bit of freshwater sea, the diamond cities have a whimsy all to themselves. Old growth forests containing ancient vampire relics remain practically untouched as the architects and designers preferred stone and textiles as craft materials over wood, a trend that continues to this day. These trees are the most vibrant in personality in the Isles. Some eagerly foster a relationship with the Diamond people, some keeping one or a few favorites while others gather flocks of humans as their friends. Others discriminate wildly against certain humans or humans in general. Friendly wild plants provide 70% of the Diamond people’s fruit and vegetables by gifting them directly to humans. And likewise, the rare craftspeople who work with wood do so through the gifts of the trees. Star people who visit the island are often taken by surprise by the vegetation’s behavior since their own native plants are so much more carefree. Foreign plants do not do well on this island, even those from the other Isle, so exports of rare plants in carefully wrapped terrariums are common. Generally, the creatures of the Diamond isle are larger and more hostile to those they don’t recognize or personally favor. As for the weather, tropical storms are more frequent. Well-lit underground passageways connect the four main Diamond cities for use during rainstorms.

The four main settlements do not consider themselves separate cities but extensions of the capital, and friends often travel all over the island together. They refer to the populated areas as “Cerberus,” no doubt as a reference to the wild “dogs” they built a relationship with over the centuries as well as to the fact they consider their Capital as one building rather than a city. And with that logic, there are only 3 ‘cities’ arranged around Jelly Lake.

Like the Star people, many Diamond people treat travel as a way of connecting with their home and each other. Despite the added danger of the isle’s unpredictable weather and creatures, however, they seem to treat their trips with less caution and with less supplies. Their familiarity with the island helps, but in the end, they are still in a land where the “little sea fishies,” as they call them, are bigger than their hunting “dogs”. So, visitors are quite concerned for the residents. Speaking of the sea, the people living in the Capital make business either with the sea itself (Sailors, water sports, fisheries, craftspeople, etc.) or with the merchants coming across the sea from the other island.

“Glowstone” aka vampire realm earthstuff- The white or pale grey color of the soil / rock seems to retain light. It supports a variety of ultra rare plants that even the demon realm cannot sustain. Instead of acquiring its nutrients from dying plants, glowstone sustains its health through a more mysterious relationship with the native flora and fauna wherein the life force itself is consumed. The minerals present in the vampire realm soil are considered extremely dangerous in other realms, and, for lack of a better word, exhibit a level of sentience. The soil circulates the excess life essence it consumes among its inhabitants, blessing them with accelerated healing and the sort of immortality present in the vampire race. In return, the flora acts on the whims of the soil, acting as mouthpiece and gardener. Studies find that glowstone does not contain pain receptors. Its chief complaint, when it has one, typically has to do with the magical balance of the realm and the lives of its creatures. Glowstone is extremely sensitive to new arrivals and spilled blood, and is said to “know and witness everything” that goes on in the realm. As for creature-esque characteristics, it lives vicariously through the plants, allowing the individual species to exhibit personality. On the rare occasion a vampire loses their life, that life is absorbed by the glowstone and their magical strength recirculated into another vampire as a blessing from the minerals. Ambitious or dedicated demon mages and doctors acquire glowstone in order to form pseudo-symbiotic relationships with dying rare plants and medical patients. It is effective, but dangerous, and of course highly difficult, to separate the patient from this new symbiotic bond. Vampires are the only creatures in the realm known to retain their full health outside of the realm and out of contact with the glowstone for extended periods of time.

Water - The water of the vampire realm has an intense purifying quality that would keep a properly hydrated human visitor all but immune to the level of miasma.

Crescent Castle - The majority of government and public functions are organized here. The castle overlooks a cliff and is surrounded by both public gardens and a nature reserve.

Iris Springs - These warm water ponds in the depths of the forest are home to rare beetles, birds, and flowers. A certain pond is even called "the floating flower garden" due to the sheer amount of flowers cascading toward the water's surface from the tree canopy. These flowers enjoy extreme temperatures and bloom in the summer and winter. They are the only species of plant that can grow in Britannia, albeit they only bloom in the coldest and hottest days of the year, rather than the whole season.

Gargoyles - The gargoyles of the realm have quite a history behind them. The first ones were carved by the Diamonds as an act of bonding with the land and with its inhabitants. They represent peace and connection between souls. Made of glowstone, they serve as the peacekeepers of the land. When they are not tending to the flora and fauna, they can be found playing with each other and with the families they’ve bonded to. At the beginning of Izraf’s reign, he rounded up all the gargoyles from his citizens under threat of death in order to demonstrate his power and the dominion he claimed over the realm. Their limbs were cut off to prevent escape. This caused recurring periods of mass chaos, as the gargoyles had not only developed their own magic, but had been instrumental in keeping archives of important information since their creation. The gargoyles’ flight back to the moon cities marked the end of the Britannian daylight hours, and the type of creatures they brought back for nurturing marked the change of seasons. This allowed the vampire to accurately determine the exact time in both Britannia and the demon realm, and travel as they please while maintaining perfect punctuality to scheduled events. Being forced to give up their traditional calendar enraged most working-class inhabitants of the realm, who from then on made a point of dodging and delaying any specific times for duties Izraf gave them. The nobles just claimed that it was whatever time the latest person to a meeting said it was, unless they wanted to rub Izraf’s technical failure in his face, in which case no one could agree on what time it actually was. Having condemned bringing human inventions back to the vampire realm, the King had no choice but to suck it up.

The current gargoyle tribe was restored by the Diamonds as a celebratory gift for the Great Vampire Queen’s wedding.

Unlike the glowstone in the realm’s earth, gargoyles can feel pain, and immediately took vengeance - much to the shock of everyone, who had perceived them as dead and not dormant as they were. It was thought that the consciousness of their beloved family members had been lost forever due to the damage.

Moon Pool - This lake below the Crescent Castle is warm to the touch. It is home to extremely rare aquatic beings which regularly commune with visitors to the lake. The water is thought to have magical properties due to its unique attribute of the water droplets and blobs floating above the lake’s surface, The displaced water rises a certain height into the air depending on the phase of the moon.

Portal to the Vampire Realm - Located near the Crescent Castle and the Moonpool, this is the only way to enter the demon realm by any normal means. Ancient warnings are etched into the entrance to the relic and the torches down the spiral staircase remain generally unlighted. The descent can kill most humans, as the level of miasma gradually increases the closer they get to the actual portal.

Portals to the Human Realm - These relics are relatively untouched by the general human public. A dangerous realm lies beyond them, and few can remember its nature except for the lucky adventurers and groups of merchants who bring back wild tales. Certain vampires are frequent visitors to these, and religiously keep the secret of their location from their more . . . bloodthirsty, friends.

Jelly Lake - A rich ecosystem more than 700 meters deep, Jelly Lake boasts a great amount of fish, both those native to the lake and those who come in from the freshwater sea, but is most famous for its jellyfish. Unlike Jelly River, the glow of this lake comes from its plankton. Many gargoyles spend the winter holidays here in order to get the best jellies for feasting. Do the jellies bite? Occasionally. But that won’t stop the Diamond people from swimming and drinking from their favorite lake. It should, argues visitors, but they’re not the ones who tamed the “eccentric shadow dinosaurs” that roam around the isle, are they?

Jelly River - the shortest river in the Vampire Realm. It has by far the calmest waters - thus, the great amount of bioluminescent jellyfish who call its depths home - and serves as the isle’s main harbor. It boasts a few coastal cottages and a glowstone dock whose glow reflects the colors of the deep sea- jellyfish who float serenely within. The jellies love boats and will swarm a safe distance beneath them.

Bonus: Crafting Process!

Making Islands:

Final Outline, Colored:

Why did I think I would suddenly need tiny islands, I don't know, but here they are as add-ons:

Kudos to people who make fantasy maps a lot! I know there's a TON of elements that go into mapmaking, especially if it's supposed to be realism - even rivers are supposed to flow a certain way and interact with elevation and the such ... anyway, I am in awe of you and cheering you on. Such a cool art form. Last time I did this, it was a "small village" or "mansion" layout, and doing the bird's eye view when I haven't learned texture was more complicated than anticipated. And this is the smaller map of my two wips. . . help. XD

Hope you enjoyed this!

#want to add something or shuffle things around? please do I'd love to hear your thoughts!#and if you think the map would look better in a photo if I tilted it in a different direction p l e a s e let me know.#I have like ten of these images and they all look wrong.#vampire #vampires #nnt vampires #sds #nnt #4kota #sds au #nnt au #gelda #queen gelda of the vampires #because I won't let her be the only one left.#Zeldris totally has Connections #and went on mini adventures doing errands for the Demon King #lowkey I tried to make this flexible so you can use it for anything you like :D

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