radiant knight.

nearl, of arknights. for vraelgard.

[kaziimierz]

from @sunbirthed​:  give me a heads up if you start to feel murderous, i would appreciate that

her? the radiant knight of kazimierz? murderous? certainly not. certainly she would only ever direct that sort of wrath towards the people that deserved it; those who threatened the safety of her friends, her people, those who willingly walk in the darkness and seek to destroy the light, et cetera, et cetera--

or, in this case, the man who she’d agreed to a game of chess with in the park. make more friends, nearl. get out there and get to know someone. or, in this case, be convinced to play a strategy game you barely understand by a charming young man sitting at an outdoor chess table with a winning smile on his lips.

“whyever would i feel murderous?” she’s tipped over the only piece she’s taken from him, rolling it back and forth on her side of the table. the knight stares at the board, frowning; moves her remaining bishop into enemy territory. “it’s just a game.”

[kaziimierz]

from @greatgiovanni​:  "WHAT THE FUCK, is all I have to say to that!"

she has to agree. perhaps it’s their own faults for staying out far later than they should have, but... it’s hard to shake the allure of the ikea and its meatball cafe. nearl and her newfound companion are hardly to blame for--she’ll call it natural curiosity.

she’d heard the doors lock and ignored it, too interested in inspecting a bunk bed/desk combo; she had not been able to ignore the way the intercom crackled to life, and a polite female voice said only BEGIN.

“you don’t need to swear about it,” is all nearl has to say at first, before straightening up and casting a glance at the man. “maybe it’s just a staff announcement.”

yeah, right.

[kaziimierz]

from @unforged​: you are predictable in your longing

it doesn’t offend her as much as it should. maybe if he knew her years ago, when she still proudly called herself a knight, and cared far more about respectability and manners than she does now. maybe he’d say something like this and she’d bristle in response, threaten him with some combination of physical and legal repercussion...

she hadn’t really been known for her good humor. she was warm and kind and glowing, but she did still have appearances to maintain.

today, though, she laughs, a quiet sound that she doesn’t manage to stop in time. a hand comes up to hide her mouth, hide the way she worries at her lip without even realising. “is it that obvious?”

nearl tips her head back, looks somewhere to the left of the sun and lets the radiance burn her vision blue. “and here i thought i was being as mysterious as ever. but, isaac, if you’d met her, then you’d...”

she drops her hand, tilts her chin back down, smiles straight through him.

“nevermind.”

[kaziimierz]

ybetweenx·:

@kaziimierz·

The stranger with whom she was sharing a table with had a rather sour look on her face that Phi found herself unable to ignore. 

Though it certainly wasn’t for lack of trying. 

“Perhaps I can ease your mind? How about a joke to lighten your mood.” Offered without even glancing at her companion. Though when she heard no expression of dissent, Phi continued on.

“Tell me how many steps will it take to put an elephant into a refrigerator?”

if it’s any consolation, it isn’t phi that she’s mad at. honestly... nearl hadn’t noticed the other woman before she spoke up. it’s been like this for days, now--finding somewhere to sit and brood as she wonders and worries about everything that’s going wrong at home.

things weren’t exactly going well when she was taken, after all.

usually the dark look on nearl’s face is enough to chase off any potential conversation partners, but apparently not today--the knight startles at the voice, and her lack of response is more to do with her trying to blink her way out of the shock than anything else.

“i... um.” good start, nearl. she sits up straighter, furrows her brows in an expression she hopes looks more thoughtful than grumpy. “i don’t know. how many?”

[alrosary]

poetry prompts ✨

a small collection of lines from some of my poetry for use as prompts/starters/whatever! feel free to change the pronouns or anything else you feel like, of course.

“ it came to you as a nightmare and you showed up eager “ “ anything can be a lily in three feet of water “ “ the soil is kinder than you deserve “ “ i am miles from the man i am meant to be “ “ i am drowning, drowning, drowning “ “ rules say i should kiss you anyway “ “ boys wreak whatever havoc they like “ “ you are a breath away “ “ i should feel less like this and more like stone “ “ this was always meant to be fraught “ “ the world is full of terrible advice “ “ my ribs ache trying to hold it in “ “ i wonder—is love like this? ” “ how soon is too soon, anyway? “ “ i am forcing myself into love for the sake of art. i do not love you. “ “ is it okay to say that? “ “ i’ve never met god but i’ve made him very mad “ “ my heart is being pulled out through my ribs “ “ and when you close your eyes, what do you see? “ “ i’m tired and slipping down and trembling-all-over anxious “ “ it sucked the heart out of you “ “ not one sign of the word sorry “ “ you are at the edge of everything “ “ help me, help me, let me live somewhere i can breathe “ “ two days is supposed to be generous “ “ you are flourishing in spite of everything “

[phantomemes]

starters  /  prompts taken from hieu minh nguyen’s work ,  not here .  feel free to change pronouns  /  tenses as necessary .

  ❛  it seems important to mention all the things that went wrong  ❜

  ❛  don’t ask if i’m a ghost  ❜

  ❛  i fled and did not return  ❜

  ❛  i cannot love you  ,  if i love you  ,  i will die  ❜

  ❛  for years i chose death  ❜

  ❛  i belong to my mother’s fear  ❜

  ❛  what do you do with tenderness when all you expect is fury ?  ❜

  ❛  he looks like he will keep you safe  ❜

  ❛  any love i find will be treason  ❜

  ❛  why did you bring me here ?  ❜

  ❛  i count the hornets that escape their mouths  ❜

  ❛  i only ask for your laughter  ❜

  ❛  look at me in the old way in this new light  ❜

  ❛  sometimes i wake up and my body does not follow  ❜

  ❛  it wasn’t the same without you  ❜

  ❛  i’m still trying to figure out what it means to stay  ❜

  ❛  it’s all very predictable  ❜

  ❛  how can i love something that isn’t ruined ?  ❜

  ❛  like all agony  ,  there are pleasant moments  ❜

  ❛  i want to be better at lying  ❜

  ❛  i’m afraid if i say it out loud i will cast a curse  ❜

  ❛  some men don’t know they’re hungry until they eat  ❜

  ❛  some spells take years to cast  ❜

  ❛  there are rules you have to follow if you want to survive  ❜

  ❛  i know you’re not supposed to smile back  ❜

  ❛  madness  ,  too  ,  can be cumulative  ❜

  ❛  trying to forget is not the same as leaving  ❜

  ❛  i really should get a sense of humor  ❜

  ❛  i understand no one  ❜

  ❛  i cannot stop him from disappearing  ❜

  ❛  her body was a dress i hung for motivation  ❜

  ❛  you were once and perhaps continue to be the myth you tell to scare yourself  ❜

  ❛  there are countless ways to justify company  ❜

  ❛  you are predictable in your longing  ❜

  ❛  i don’t want to explain a thing  ❜

  ❛  i knew if i just asked him to leave he would have  ❜

  ❛  there are countless ways to open a carcass  ❜

  ❛  all i’ve ever wanted to be was useful  ❜

  ❛  there’s still time to be saved  ❜

  ❛  shut up  ;  i know the story  ,  or at least the lesson  ❜

  ❛  you wont find it  ;  you won’t find whatever you’re looking for  ❜

  ❛  i could get away with being clumsy with knives  ❜

  ❛  i want to study the mechanics of leaving  ❜

  ❛  any adjective can be true if you cry hard enough  ❜

  ❛  i see little futures in the distance but none belong  ❜

  ❛  i am beginning to forget what i expect from the world i always knew  ❜

  ❛  you can’t think of regret as a town you move too when grief snores too loud  ❜

  ❛  in death we belong to everyone  ❜

  ❛  i want to return to my old body  ❜

  ❛  i think the life i want is the life i have  ,  but how can i be sure ?  ❜

[evakvigmohns-deactivated2020111]

BUZZFEED UNSOLVED SENTENCE STARTERS

i’m going to go ahead and cut you off right there, because i don’t give a shit.

what the fuck, is all i have to say to that.

i was born in the darkness

you have a very different definition of fun

do you think we’re gonna die here tonight?

let’s get the fuck out of here

can you even look at least a little bit worried?

oh, you’ve out dumbed yourself.

you do what you gotta do and i’ll do what i gotta do.

if you don’t believe then there’s nothing for you to be afraid of, right?

when’s the last time you ever walked into the dark woods?

give me a heads up if you start to feel murderous, i would appreciate that

one of these times we’re gonna die

i just heard a scream

well, if we just make it seem like we’re in on it, like… we’re here for the cult stuff

we’re here for the cult stuff, we saw the ad on craigslist!

you need to chill, you need to chill out

as we snuff these candles so too do we snuff you from this mortal world, you fucking wimp

you know what? i’m not trying to scare you, but i got a bad feeling about this one

you wanna play? let’s fucking play

do try to kill me

are you even human?

sound like a fair deal?

[kaziimierz]

admittedly i’m still figuring out nearl’s voice and trying to get a sense of what she wants out of life but i very much want her to make some friends and have some meaningful experiences, so... here are some possible thread ideas, inspired by Post de Gerry. thank you for caring for nearl

obviously any situation where she gets to protect someone else. it’s her purpose, her calling. even if she’s not as well equipped for it here--that won’t stop her.

let’s force her to take a break because nearl has been a knight for far too long and she doesn’t know how to chill out anymore.

let her hold you in her arms she is soft and warm and lesbian

she’s a useless cook (useless around the house in general) so if anyone wants to teach her, she’ll be a surprisingly eager student.

in the same vein, she’s more than happy to teach someone else how to defend themselves. desperate times, and so on.

furious debate about the merits or lack thereof of capitalism

the secret about being a kuranta (or about being nearl at least) is that ear scritches do feel good. she does not know this yet. she should find out.

if anything here seems fun or you have another idea... please feel free to hit me up here, or over on twitter. i love you all thank you so much

[kaziimierz]

beastboy·:

why had this been so mesmerizing? a crystal clear pool so pristine, no ripples or malformations could be detected even with his presence. locals seemed to gawk in silence as they merely stared into the water. just what had been so fascinating? was there more than met the eye, or could he take a risk? timidly the wolf reached towards the shimmering body of water, clawtips just barely grazing the surface before he sensed someone near.

quickly he pulled his hand away, ears perking up as he turned to face the individual approaching. “ i-i didn’t– i mean, erm. i wasn’t going to do anything. ahah… ah. ”

@kaziimierz·

is he from lungmen? has she seen him before? the jolt of surprise at the muzzle on him drains away--if the look in his eyes is anything to go by, he isn’t from anywhere she knows. there’s too much light. nearl’s brows furrow, her tail puffed-- “have you no respect for the divine, sir?”

and then she softens, something that might almost be a smile crossing her face. “so you heard the rumors too, i see. i still don’t quite know if i should believe them.” (she still hasn’t looked.)

[kaziimierz]

unforged·:

“· from what i have heard, the locals say it is a godless place.·a true handmade hell that sits between two coffee shops.· ”· · so consider him** interested.· ·“**· ·i also hear the term··‘ DIY ’· thrown around often.· ”

now she’s just even more interested. especially because that description makes it sound like a cool underground club. or something. nearl doesn’t go clubbing.·“i have to admit i’m curious. is it worth the risk?” the answer is always yes.·“wait. do we have to DIY the meatballs?”

[kaziimierz]

unforged·:

there is nothing to forgive, for he takes no offense. suspicion in an almost - stranger is a smart thing to have, but regardless she is kind to him when there is no need, so what else can be do but return that kindness tenfold, especially on such a haunting night as this ?

“  i suppose you may be right.  ”   he answers vaguely, silent as a ghost when he walks across the field. would be still as a pillar, too, if not for how his cloak billows in the gentle wind.

there’s a moment of hesitation, where isaac’s fingers curl minutely into his cloak. he crouches besides nearl in the next breath, hands resting on his knees. that he would find himself in a temple and a garden without weapons drawn or authorities threatening to make mincemeat of him  ––––  isaac can’t believe it. 

even with his gaze on the flowers, half his attention is at whatever lies beyond nearl’s shoulders. preparing, always, for this little moment of peace to be torn away from him.

“  does digging away grant you some small manner of peace ?  ”  isaac mutters, letting the wind carry the words to nearl, along with his condolences.  i am sorry you are suffering, too.

the breath she’d forgotten she was holding slips out past a tense jaw and she forces her heart to unclench--one finger of the iron grip pried away from the muscle at a time. it aches where it beats in her chest. nearl steadfastly does not wonder how long it takes for a body to forget its wars.

“maybe,” is the exceptionally vague answer. the knight returns her gaze to the soil, to the clovers at her fingertips; perhaps she should have brought a trowel. battle-hardened hands can do the job well enough. “if nothing else i can pretend to be useful. since they’re all so certain that we don’t have to do anything but exist while we’re here.”

not that she believes it for a second; the bitter note in her words is proof enough of that. “you shouldn’t be out this late, isaac.” she’s quick to change the subject. sharing the secrets of her heart has never been her strong suit. “there are supposed to be monsters, remember? i will keep you safe, of course, but all the same--”

(is there anything she can do like this? no arts, no shield, no weapon?)

“--nevermind. would you like to help?”

[kaziimierz]

“so... what’s this ikea place?” she wants to try the meatballs.

[kaziimierz]

quicksilversbullet·:

||  █ ▌— prompto notices someone looking at him, and returns the gaze but only for a moment. it’s–not like she’s being rude about it, or making fun of him, so he doesn’t mind it, really. it isn’t until she speaks that he really looks back, and when he does he’s made just a little nervous by her question.

yes, he’s heard the rumours. maybe that’s why he’s here… fine, yes, that’s why he’s here. he hasn’t yet worked up the nerve to look into the pools. he’s not even sure if it will work for him, having heard that magical talent is needed and he doesn’t have anything like that. he’s not noct for whom it comes naturally, or even iggy, who uses noct’s elemancy as if it were an extension of his own will. he’s just… the guy who shoots things.

not that that’s an issue, really, but it makes him nervous to look. if he can’t see anything, what will that say? if he can, does he really want to know? his past is so ugly, does he really want a look at his future? how long will he go without noct? how long until the sun finally returns to his world? how long until prompto dies fighting some daemon?

❝ no, ❞ he says, shaking his head emphatically. ❝ i’m… a little nervous, if i’m honest. there’s a lot that’s uncertain in my future… ❞

she isn’t seeing anything in the pool; just the reflection of the clouds on clear water, skidding happily as pondskaters cast miniature ripples into their midst. maybe it’s the angle. maybe she has to get down on hands and knees, shove her face into the water. maybe it’ll give her something for every lungful of water.

her ears twitch at his words and nearl decides to play off that morbid train of thought as quiet contemplation. “isn’t it worth the risk for the chance to see something hopeful?” it isn’t. for all she’s staring into the water, she’s praying that her vision never plays.

she’s seen nothing but blood for years, and if this water runs red, too...

“well. who knows how it works, anyway. maybe it won’t show us anything more than what we’re going to have for dinner.” nearl forces a smile onto her face, doesn’t bother to hide what an effort it is; her tail flicks once behind her, restless, and then settles. “my name is nearl. have you been here long?”

[kaziimierz]

unforged·:

*    starter :      @kaziimierz .

“  i want to be part of the unfolding of the tale.  ”    his smile is a sharp and cruel twist, made for cutting and bleeding.   “  however gruesome and unhappy it may be.  ”

it isn’t hard to picture him in a mask, with a blade in his hand or crystals marking his skin. she feels like she’s heard this sentiment a thousand times before. “is it really so hard to hope for a happy ending?”

[kaziimierz]

elementier·:

where the tales are held,· ·that is where the seekers shall go.· ·such a creed has always been present in her family,· ·and even if she is who knows how far·away from them,· ·she will continue to represent them to the best of her ability.· ·maybe that’s a silly notion;· ·she’s her own person as much as her seeker identity.· ·but it’s simply how she maintains her connection to them,· ·a personal ideal that reminds her of her own history that she wants to hold.

it is no surprise,· ·then,· ·to find her in the library.· ·she’s currently pouring over some book· ·(· ·something of walls and deer monstrosities and a console called a playstation 2· ·)· ·when she is interrupted by a quiet intrusion.· ·she wouldn’t have minded if the voice is louder;· ·trevor,· ·she thinks with amusement,· ·has certainly made her accustomed to chaotic interruptions.

❝ · of course;· ·this is a public library.· ·❞· ·her curiosity naturally has her eyes wandering upward,· ·interest garnered by the peculiar attire and set of ears·placed atop her head.· ·however,· ·upon previous interaction with another similar,· ·she finds she needn’t be so intrusive this time.· ·introductions could certainly come first.· ·❝· ·i am sypha.· ·and you are· ·——· ·?· ·❞

she pretends, very steadfast and gracious, that she doesn’t notice the other woman’s gaze straying upwards. really, it isn’t the first time, and it won’t be the last--even back home, with everyone·having their own little quirks. she’s used to it, or something. she keeps her eyes on the woman until their gazes meet again, and then she forces a polite smile onto her face that doesn’t match the exhausted way she all but falls into the chair.

it is not nearly as soft as it looks, it turns out. nearl pulls her tail into her lap so it doesn’t fall asleep, flops her head back as far as the chair will let her, closes her eyes. she’s napped in rougher spots.

“nearl.” a pause. “of rhodes island.” it doesn’t feel right to say kazimierz. not that anything·feels right these days.·“you’re new here too, right? it’s... a pretty unique place, huh.”

unique. she hates how indifferent she sounds.

“is it interesting?” a nod to the book, one eye reopened.·“worth the read?”

[kaziimierz]

@quicksilversbullet

he looks very nearly like he could be family.

perhaps it’s the hair, the good-natured smile. it looks like the few photos her grandfather managed to keep of him in his youth -- old, old images, faded with the years, but the kindness of his spirit radiated from the photographs like sunlight. they’ll -- be back with rhodes island, maybe, tucked into her bunk.

and in absence of anything but memory, good sense stripped from her by the experience of being stolen to another world, nearl feels a little bit emboldened. a little bit too eager to keep the connection alive.

“have you seen your future yet?” isn’t that the rumor? that if you stare into the temple’s pools, you’ll see a vision -- nearl’s cheeks color, and she fixes her gaze on the still water, as if she’s only just realised that stepping up beside a total stranger and asking something like that is perhaps not the best idea. “forgive me. i’m just... a little curious, i have to admit.”

it’s definitely too late to make her excuses and leave. she’s in this for the long haul.

[kaziimierz]

@elementier

“excuse me.”

it isn’t curiosity that drives her to the library. foolish as it may seem -- nearl isn’t exactly raring to learn all she can about this strange new world she’s found herself lost in. if there’s a book that tells her how to get back home, back to her duties with rhodes island, then sure. she’ll read it cover to cover.

but if nothing else, libraries very much tend to be quiet, and though the knight has every plan to make the rounds, introduce herself, shake hands and swear fealty -- well, it’s her first night here, and every strange sound she hears on the city streets makes her tense up, coiled like a spring.

also, this place has comfy chairs for the distinguished reader, and with the way the stress is making her muscles ache, nearl is desperate for a good spot to rest.

“do you mind if i...?” her voice is quiet, at least, the question trailing off into a gesture at the seat next to the other woman. poor form to interrupt someone while they’re reading, but, you know, desperate times and so on...