#final  chapter

[dogpawsswapgod]

Final chapter! Death loop has them! btw what ever happened to Jayce?

"Took You Long Enough"

a CaitVi soulmates AU inspired by and featuring the art of @somewillwin

[sunfyre-targaryen]

The Shield and The Dreamer (3/3)

✤ summary: in the shadow of a crown that demands everything, a quiet sanctuary is built on shared breaths and unspoken pacts. but when an unnatural spring settles over the stone, the thin line between salvation and ruin begins to blur, leaving only an echo where a heart used to beat.

✤ pairing: valarr targaryen x cousin!reader (maekar's daughter/daeron's twin sister)

✤ contents/tags: read responsibly — post akotsk era (spoilers), soft smut, targ!dynamics (cousins), reader is dreamer, mentions of dragon dreams, grief and mourning, canon typical illness (the great spring sickness), character d3ath, heavy angst, emotional codependency, impending doom, tragic end, su1cide, canon divergence

✤ word count: 2k+

masterlist | other works | part 2

notes: this is the end. i adored writing about them, but i think now it's time to let them go (it hurts to do so). thank you for sticking with the story so far and for liking this concept. i hope you'll like this final chapter.♡

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The journey from Ashford to King's landing was a funeral procession that seemed to stretch for an eternity. The rhythmic thud of the horses' hoovers felt like a hammer against your skull, echoing the final blow that shattered Baelor's helm. As the city walls finally loomed over the horizon — jagged and soot-stained against a bruised purple sky — the silver chain around your neck felt like a brand.

King's Landing did not smell of trampled grass and woodsmoke. It smelled of old sweat, sea salt, and the cloying, metallic tang of history.

Within the Red Keep, the air was different. It was thick wih the whispers of courtiers who looked at Valarr and saw not a grieving son, but a placeholder for a crown that was not meant for his so soon. You felt it through the bond — the way his skin crawled under their calculating gazes, the way he stiffened every time a lord mentioned the Tyrosh alliance or the necessity of 'securing the line'.

That night, the ghost-fires were relentless. You saw the city drowing in a pale, sickly green mist, and the screaming was so loud in your mind that you found yourself outside Valarr's chambers before you had even realized you'd move.

The Kingsguards at the door — two men whose faces were a mask of duty — hesitated only for a heartbeat before stepping aside. They knew you as the King's granddaughter, the girl who was rarely seen without the Young Prince.

Inside, the room was a tomb of silk and silence. Valarr stood by the hearth, the firelight dancing in his mismatched eyes, making the brown look like polished amber and the violet like a dying star. He looked older. The regal mask he wore during the day had been discarded with his cloak, leaving behind a man who looked as though he were being crushed by the very air he breathed.

"I can't hear myself thinking", he whispered, his voice a jagged rasp as he turned to you. "The bells, the councils...they speak of my father as if he were a piece on a cyvasse board. They speak of me as if I am already a statue in the Great Sept".

You crossed the room in silence, the hem of your gown hissing against the stone. When you reached him, you didn't speak; you simply pressed your forehead against his chest. His heart was a frantic bird trapped in a cage of ribs.

"Remind me", he breathed, his hands coming up to cradle your face with a desperation that made your breath hitch. "Remind me that I am still flesh. That I am still yours".

He kissed you then, and it wasn't the worshipful exploration of Ashford. It was a plea. It was a pact signed in the dark that tasted of salt and shared grief. His lips were hungry, searching for a life that the crown was trying to drain from him. In that kiss, the world outside ceased to exist; there were no succession, no Tyrosh alliances, only the heat of the dragon and the shadow of the dreams.

With a slow, reverent focus, his hands moved to the laces of your bodice. Each tug of the silk cord was a deliberate rejection of his duties. As the heavy fabric fell away, pooling around your ankles like a fallen banner, he trailed his fingers along the curve of your shoulders and down your spine, his touch leaving trails of fire on your skin. He looked at you then, not as a Prince looks at a Lady of the court, but as a man looking at his only salvation.

Valarr moved with an agonizing, soulful slowness. He didn't just touch you; he mapped you. His lips followed the line of your throat, lingering over the pulse point that hammered in synchronization with his own. When his mouth found the curve of your shoulder, his breath was a shaky hum against your skin.

"You are the only thing that is real", he murmured against your collarbone, his voice vibrating through your bones. "The crown is iron, the throne is cold...but this...you are life itself".

He lead you toward the bed, his hand never leaving yours, his fingers intertwined with yours as if he feared you might dissolve into mist. When you reached the layers of the dark furs, you didn't let him take the lead. Instead, you pushed gently against his shoulder, guiding him down until he sank back into the pillows. For a moment, the Young Prince looked startled, but as you climbed over him, his expression softened into a raw, soulful surrender.

Sitting astride him, you felt the sheer heat of his body radiating through your skin — a grounding force against the cold dread of your visions. You reached down, your palms flat against his chest, feeling the frantic, uneven rhythm of his heart.

"Tonight, you are not the shield", you commanded softly, your voice a low hum. "Tonight, I am the one who holds the dark at bay".

Valarr's hands came up to rest on your hips, his touch searing. He didn't pull you down; he simply held you there, his mismatched eyes wide and filled with a desperate, aching devotion. You began to move with a slow, agonizing grace, setting a rhythm that was entirely your own. You watched his face — the way his brow furrowed, the way his lips parted as he let out a jagged, broken breath.

It was a reversal of everything the world expected of you both. Here, in the silence of the Red Keep, you were the anchor. Every time you sank down, you felt the strength of him, the solid, muscular reality of the man you loved, drowning out the prophetic humming in your skull.

He groaned your name, a sound of pure surrender, his fingers digging slightly into the soft skin of your thighs. You leaned forward, your hair falling around you both like a silver veil, shielding his face from the flickering firelight. As you moved together, the intimacy felt like a prayer — a pact made in the language of the dragon, where souls were bared and the weight of the throne was forgotten.

The pleasure was a slow-burning fire, spreading through your veins until it reached the tips of your fingers. Valarr arched his back, his hands sliding up to catch yours, intertwining your fingers and pinning them to his own chest so he could feel the pulse of your shared heat.

When the release finally swept over you, it was a silent explosion of light. You collapsed against him, your breath hitching as the world finally went still. Valarr held you with a crushing force, his face buried in the crook of your neck, his body shaking with the aftershocks of a survival that felt more like a frantic necessity than simple passion.

As the frantic drumming of your hearts began to slow, Valarr didn't pull away. He shifted just enough to tuck you against his side, pulling the heavy sable furs over your cooling skin. His hand, still trembling slightly, found your hair, stroking the silver strands away from your damp forehead with a tenderness that brought tears to your eyes.

"I love you", he whispered into the hollow of your temple, the words sounding like a vow he was carving into the very foundations of the Red Keep. "Beyond the crown, beyond the dreams. I love you, my sweet dreamer".

You pressed a lingering kiss to his palm, tasting the salt of his skin. "And I love you, Valarr. Whatever the storm brings, it will not find us apart".

For a few precious hours, the ghost-fires were silent, and the prince slept without the weight of the world on his chest.

A few days of deceptive peace followed your return to the capital. In the quiet corridors of the Red Keep, you traded lingering glances and secret smiles, the silver chain beneath your bodice acting as a silent anchor to that night of silk and promises. For a heartbeat, you allowed yourself to believe that your visions had been wrong — that the storm Daeron saw had passed with the tourney.

But the gods are seldom so kind to your House.

It began on a day of heavy rain and stifling heat. You found Valarr in the Small Council chamber, his hand trembling as he reached for a flagon of water. By evening, the Young Prince was a prisoner of his own bed. The Great Spring Sickness hadn't come with a roar, but with a creeping, pallid mist that swallowed the city and finally reached the heights of Aegon's Hill.

"Valarr?", you whispered, your heart hammering against your ribs as you entered his chambers that first night.

When you touched his shoulder, you recoiled. He was burning. Not with the healthy dragon-fire heat of your passion, but with a sickly, unnatural fever that seemed to be cooking him from within. His mismatched eyes flickered open, but they were unfocused, darting around the canopy of the bed as if watching ghosts you could not see.

"The bells", he croaked, his voice a jagged shadow of itself. "They won't stop...the bells, they are tolling for the spring".

The days that followed felt like a descent into the Seven Hells. You refused to leave. The world outside the heavy oak doors of the chamber ceased to exist, becoming nothing more than a series of muffled sounds and desperate pleas. Your father was the most persistent. You could hear his heavy boots pacing the corridor, the rhythmic clank of his rings as he pounded on the wood.

"Open this door!", his voice boomed, thick with a mixture of terror and a command that usually brooked no defiance. "You are my daughter, not a martyr! You cannot save him by dying with him!".

You didn't answer. You didn't even flinch when he kicked the door in frustration. You simply leaned your forehead against the cool wood for a second before turning back to the bed. You would not let them take you from him. Not now.

You spent the hours bathing his skin with rosewater and wine, watching as the vibrant, strong man you loved withered. His face grew gaunt, the skin stretching tight over his cheekbones until he looked more like a death mask than a prince. The silver chain he had given you hung heavy around your neck, a cold reminder of the protection he could no longer provide.

The ghost-fires became a blinding roar. Every time you closed your eyes, you saw the silver wing from your earlier vision. It wasn't just broken anymore; it was decaying, turning to ash in a wind that smelled of rot. You felt his pain as if it were your own — the fire in his chest, the ache in his bones, and the crushing weight of a crown he would never wear.

One evening, during a brief moment of lucidity, he reached for your hand. His grip, once so firm it could guide a horse in full gallop, was now as weak as a child's.

"Don't...don't stay in the dark", he panted, a single tear tracking through the grim and sweat of his face. "You are the dreamer...you must find a dream...without me".

"There is no dream without you, Valarr", you sobbed, pressing his knuckles to your lips. "You are the shield. You promised".

He tried to smile, but it was a grimace of agony. "Even shields...break".

That night, as the Great Sept's bells began a relentless tolling for the High Septon and the King, Valarr drew one final, shuddering breath. The moment his heart stopped, you didn't just see it; you felt the very fabric of your being tear. The bond with him — that invisible, golden thread that had anchored your souls through every cold nightmare — snapped with a violence that made you gasp for air. It was a sharp, cold silence in your mind, like a candle being blown out in a cavern, leaving you in a darkness so absolute it felt physical.

Your hand, still clutching his, felt the warmth drain away with a speed that was terrifying. You pressed your face into the crook of his neck, searching for a pulse, a breath, a spark — anything. But there was only the silence, and the heavy scent of lilies and death.

You didn't scream. You didn't cry. The pain was too vast for sound, a hollow ache that reached down into your very marrow. You simply sat there, holding his cooling hand, watching the mist press against the windowpanes like a shroud waiting to be claimed.

The morning of the funeral arrived, not with the clarity of a new day, but with a sky choked by the thick, black smokes of the funeral pyres burning across the city. The Great Spring Sickness was still claiming hundreds, and the air itself felt heavy with the scent of death and incense.

Inside the chamber, the silence was finally broken by the sound of the door opening. You didn't turn your head; you were still sitting by the bed, your hand resting on the cold, white linen where Valarr had spent his final moments. Your eyes were dry, burned out by a grief too deep for tears.

"They are waiting, you know", a voice said. It wasn't the booming command of your father, but a quiet, almost hesitant tone.

You looked up to find Aerion standing there. He was dressed in his black mourning silks, the three-headed dragon of your House embroidered in dark, shimmering thread across his chest. His usual smirk was absent, his features set in a mask of grim solemnity. He walked over and knelt beside you, his boots clicking softly on the stone. He didn't tell you to be strong. Instead, he reached out and took your hand — the one that had been clutching the silver chain until your knuckles were white.

"He was the best of us", Aerion whispered, his gaze flickering toward the empty bed. "I used to hate min. For being the silver son, the one who never stumbled, the one who carried the weight of the crown as if it were made of feathers. But standing here now...the world feels smaller without him, doesn't it? It feels colder".

You looked at him, surprised by the raw honesty in his voice. "I didn't think you cared for him, brother. Not after Ashford".

Aerion gave a small, bitter ghost of a laugh, his thumb tracing the back of your hand. "Ashford was a disaster. I was a fool, my pride took away my senses and played with the lives of many. But Valarr...Valarr was the only one who looked at me and didn't just see a problem to be solved or a weapon to be pointed. He saw a brother. He was the only one who could stand between us and the iron will of our father without breaking".

He leaned closer, his violet eyes fixed on yous. "Our father is a mountain of stone, sister. He expects us to be statues of duty, unbreakable and silent. And Daeron...Daeron is drowning in a sea of wine because he can't look at the world without a flagon in his hand. But you? You are the heart of this family, because Valarr held you so close to his".

"The heart is broken, brother", you whispered, your voice cracking.

"Then I will be the ribs that protect what's left", Aerion said, his grip tightening with a firm, grounding pressure. "I will not let you walk through this ceremony alone. If you falter, the court will watch you like wolves waiting for a kill. I won't give them that. I am your brother, and for today, I will be your shield, since he cannot be here to do it himself".

He helped you stand, his arm supporting you when your legs felt like lead. With a tenderness you never thought him capable of, he straightened the silver chain around your neck, making sure the metal sat perfectly against your skin.

Throughout the long, agonizing procession toward the Great Sept, Aerion was an unwavering presence. He didn't just walk beside you; he positioned himself so that his broad shoulders blocked the view of the whispering courtiers, creating a private aisle of grief just for the two of you.

Inside the Sept, when the chanting of the septons grew too loud and the smell of the funeral incense threatened to choke you, you felt his hand slide beneath your elbow. It was a firm, steadying lift that kept you upright when your knees buckled at the sight of the dark shroud covering Valarr. When a stray sob finally escaped your lips, Aerion didn't look away in shame; instead, he leaned into you, his heavy silk cloak brushing against your arm, offering his own strength as a physical brace. He stared down any lord who dared to look too closely at your distress, his eyes flashing with a protective fire that silenced the room.

As the ceremony ended and the final prayers were whispered into the smoke-filled air, Aerion leaned in, his voice a mere breath against your ear.

"He is gone, sister", he whispered, acknowledging the finality of it with a rare, quiet gravity. "But I am here. I will walk you back, and I will make sure the doors stay shut. No one will bother you tonight. You have my word".

True to his promise, he escorted you back through the labyrinth of the Red Keep, his hand never leaving your arm. He stayed until you reached the safety of your chambers, dismissed the servants with a sharp gesture, and stood guard for a moment at the threshold. Only when he saw you sink into the chair by the fireplace did he finally bow his head and retreat, closing the heavy oak door with a click that signaled the beginning of your final solitude.

The night was a hollow, echoing thing. After Aerion's footsteps faded into the stone silence of the hallway, the Red Keep felt less like a palace and more like a cage. The mist still clung to the windows, ghost-white and cold, mocking the warmth that had filled this room only a few nights before.

You sat at your desk, the silver chain around your neck feeling like the only solid thing left in a world made of ash. Your hands did not tremble as you dipped the quill into the ink. You were no longer a dreamer lost in visions; you were a woman making her final pact with the dark.

To those who carry the name of the Dragon,

Father, forgive me. You were always the Anvil, iron-willed and unyielding, but I was made of the smoke that rises from the forge. Do not look for me in the stone crypts; I could never breath beneath the weight of this earth. Be kind to what remains of us.

Daeron, my twin, my other half. The wine will not drown the fires forever, and now you must carry the weight of the dreams alone. I am sorry I could not stay to hold your hand in the dark, but the silence is calling me.

Aerion, thank you for the shield you offered today. For a moment, you were the brother I always hoped you could be. Keep that light, however small it may be, before the madness consumes the rest of you. You are more than a flame.

Aemon, my brother in Oldtown. Your books speak of history and the stars, but they cannot describe the emptiness of a heart whose sun has set. You seek wisdom in the Citadel; I seek peace in the clouds.

Daella, Rhae, my sweet sisters. Do not let the gloom of this House turn you into shadows. Wear your brightest silks and find joy in the gardens of Summerhall. Remember me not as a tragedy, but as a sister who finally found her way home.

And little, sweet Egg. You have the clearest eyes of us all. Stay among the smallfolk, brother. Learn their songs and their sorrows. Life is a hollow thing without love, and I pray you find more of it than we did. Remember us.

The storm is over. The silver wing is mended. May the Seven forgive me and grant me a new life with him.

You left the parchment in the center of the desk, weighted down by a small dragon carved of obsidian. You did not look back at the bed. You walked to the balcony, the night air biting at your skin, and looked out over the Blackwater Bay. The bells were silent now.

You stepped onto the ledge, the silver links of the chain catching the faint moonlight one last time. For a heartbeat, the wind felt like Valarr's breath against your ear, and then, there was only the fall.

It was Maekar who found the room empty. He had come at dawn, driven by a father's restless guilt, breaking the lock he had respected the day before. Behind him stood Aerion, his face pale and drained of its temporary strength.

Maekar did not scream. He stood as still as the statues he so admired, his large hands trembling as he picked up the parchment. As his eyes scanned the lines, the Anvil seemed to buckle. He sank into the chair, the letter crinkling in his grip, his gaze fixed on the open balcony doors where the white mist was pouring in the room.

Aerion walked to the edge, looking out into the void. He didn't speak, but he reached up, his fingers brushing the stone where you had stood.

In the silence of the morning, the only sound was the rustle of the paper as the King's son wept for the daughter who had followed her Prince into the clouds.

[distinguishedcrownlove]

English / Español

Spoilers

BEES 🐝🐝🌸

Outlander has given us epic phrases and moments; so much so that I can recall them without even looking at the books, because their warmth has touched my heart. I've mentioned this before, but I could read and watch entire episodes of Jamie and Claire talking in bed, because in those moments of profound tenderness, their reflections are often filled with such beauty.

Of all the scripts not directly based on the book, this last episode gave us one of the most beautiful scenes between the two of them, in their bed, with one of the warmest declarations Jamie has ever made to Claire, which I've accompanied with this pair of GIFs made by sdreamersc82

Claire was telling Jamie about a pair of bees she found lying together on a flower. She thought they were dead, but no, they were just asleep, their legs intertwined, and she didn't know if they were resting or waiting for the sun to warm them. Claire thought it was very sweet that the bees were huddled together, and Jamie agreed. From then on, I was completely smitten (I'll say right now that this scene is among my favorites in the entire series) with everything they talked about. They were in that calm state before inevitable, life-changing events, where everything takes on new meaning, and you tell those who share that moment with you things that are deeply hidden in your heart. Claire and Jamie had already been together (and apart) for 37 years by this point, and yet they had things to tell each other and reflect on together. The full beauty of the meaning of that scene transcended when I saw how truly sweet it must have been to see those bees on the flower, as can be seen in the image I share below (credit to its author, I couldn't locate it).

The conversation moves on to other topics, but having watched the episode three times, the way it unfolds still strikes me as the most magical thing, because Claire has the opportunity to express (a) the importance of having built a home, and (b) to tell Jamie that she wasn't sorry for her life, and that she even got what she didn't know she wanted. And there, when she returns his question, telling him that she hoped he also got what he wanted, and he replies that no, he wants to sleep with her on a flower, embracing her with his feet, that's when I truly burst into tears, because it's a metaphor for what's to come. Jamie asks if that's what she wanted, a quiet life living only with the bees, and Claire declares that it wasn't just with them (implying that she wanted him with her, that she wanted her life just as she lived it), and to emphasize her point, she tells him that it seems they weren't meant to live a quiet life. The significance of that statement is immeasurable when I think of all the terrible things they endured. That statement confirms that Outlander is a story of loyalty, resilience, unconditional love, family, home, never giving up, honor, and commitment. I reiterate, it's not a perfect story, but for me, it's the most epic and beautiful love story there is. This doesn't happen in the books, but I acknowledge MBR, who wrote this beautiful script for Jamie and Claire in the series he helped develop.

Jamie and Claire have carried the weight of the world on their shoulders, and the thought of a peaceful life may be their truest longing. Jamie always fought for causes whose ultimate goal was to bring well-being to those around him, and Claire was born to serve. Their personalities alone made them perfect for each other, so life simply brought them together where they were meant to be. That's why I find Bees a beautiful book, because in part, it's about them fulfilling this longing; until a war threatens that possibility, and they must embark on this battle. Season 8 was well-structured in relation to the book because it presented its main events. It introduced the disastrous change we know about and developed the storyline from the cliffhanger. It also developed (with a script by Diana herself) some storylines whose endings we don't know because we don't yet have book 10. I believe they honored the books, and with the ending they chose, they honored the characters. So I'm satisfied. That's why I took all the clickbait headlines with a grain of salt, because I'm sure that the vast majority of the people behind the series are also satisfied.

And so we arrive at this moment. With Claire exhausted from her long vigil around Jamie's body, and him lying in peace. It wasn't for nothing that she said time and again that he should rest, and then, that this is his home (because she is his home) when Roger told her they should take him home to bury his body. There, in that moment, they were like those two bees lying together, who at first thought were dead, but no, they were only resting 🥹🥹🥹. It was a beauty I hadn't imagined. Jamie's ghost came to provide Claire with her stage, because in life she told him no, that she didn't regret going to pick those flowers, nor touching the stones, because after that, there was her story, which they showed us in those flashbacks. There, lying in rest, they lived their lives anew, not to change history—because yes, Jamie Fraser died—but to change their own little story, because yes, Claire, with her healing power, with her blue aura (and yes, there was blue light), brought the love of her life back; she snatched him from death so that, now, they could live the peaceful life they longed for. It was pure magic and pure poetry, all of it transformed from an event that was already in the book. They gave a true ending and a true closure to a story that has yet to reach its true conclusion.

And here I am, incredibly excited, because Outlander, which I love with all my heart, will have two endings. The happiness I felt early yesterday morning was indescribable, because all I could think about was how beautifully they concluded the series, a beauty I never thought possible, tying everything up perfectly. But what's more, I'll have the chance to experience another ending, the one in the book. And wonderfully, the two stories won't overlap; the ending we saw already happened in the original story, but we still have a journey to explore in the pages of book 10, full of possibilities and the overwhelming certainty that Outlander isn't over yet. I think they've captured a beautiful concept of eternity, where no matter what fate awaits Jamie and Claire, it will be perfect. Long live Outlander.

ABEJAS 🐝🐝🌸

Outlander nos ha dejado frases y momentos, épicos; tantos, que puedo recordarlos sin ir a revisar los libros, porque su calidez se metió en mi corazón. Ya lo había mencionado, pero yo podría leer y ver, episodios enteros de Jamie y Claire, conversando en su cama, porque en esos momentos de extrema ternura, sus reflexiones suelen estar cargadas de muchísima belleza.

De todos los guiones que no están basados directamente en el libro, este último capítulo nos regaló una de las escenas más hermosas de ambos, en su cama, con una de las declaraciones más cálidas que ha hecho Jamie a Claire, y que acompaño con este par de gif de arriba, hechos por sdreamersc82

Claire le contaba a Jamie, acerca de un par de abejas que encontró yaciendo en una flor, juntas, ella pensó que estaban muertas, pero no, sólo estaban dormidas, sosteniéndose por sus patas, y que no sabe si estaban descansando o esperando que saliera el sol para calentarlas. Le pareció muy dulce que estuvieran acurrucadas, y Jamie se lo avala. De allí en más, yo sólo podía estar derretida de amor absoluto (desde ya voy diciendo que esa escena está entre mis favoritas de la serie entera) con todo lo que conversaron, porque estaban en ese estado de calma previo a eventos inevitables que cambian la vida, en los que todo cobra un nuevo sentido, y le dices a quienes comparten contigo ese momento, cosas que están muy guardadas en tu corazón. Claire y Jamie ya tenían, para este momento, 37 años juntos (y separados), y sin embargo, tenían cosas que contarse, y que reflexionar juntos. Toda la belleza del significado de esa escena, trascendió cuando vi, cuan efectivamente dulce, debió de ser ver a esas abejas en la flor, tal como se aprecia en la imagen que compartí más arriba (crédito a su autor, no pude ubicarlo)

El hilo de la conversación pasa por otros temas, pero habiendo visto el capítulo ya 3 veces, la manera en la que se teje la misma, me sigue pareciendo la cosa más mágica, porque Claire tiene la oportunidad de manifestar (a) la importancia de haber constituido su hogar, y (b) de decirle a Jamie que no estaba arrepentida de su vida, y que obtuvo incluso lo que no sabía que quería. Y allí, cuando ella le devuelve su pregunta, diciéndole que esperaba que él también haya obtenido lo que quería, y él le responde que no, que quiere dormir con ella en una flor, abrazándola con sus pies, es cuando realmente rompí en llanto, porque es una metáfora de lo que está por venir. Jamie pregunta si eso deseaba, tener una vida tranquila viviendo sólo con las abejas y Claire declara que no sólo con ellas (dándole a entender que lo quería a él con ella, que quería su vida tal cual la vivió), y para resaltar su punto le dice que al parecer no estaban destinados a vivir una vida tranquila. La trascendentalidad de esa declaración, no tiene fin, cuando pienso en todas las cosas terribles que vivieron. Esa declaración confirma que Outlander es una historia de lealtad, de resiliencia, de amor incondicional, de familia, de hogar, de no redirse, de honor, de compromiso; lo reitero, no es una historia perfecta, pero es para mí, la historia de amor más épica y hermosa que existe. Ésto no sucede en los libros, pero le reconozco a MBR, que escribió este guión precioso para Jamie y Claire, en la serie que ayudó a desarrollar.

Jamie y Claire, han cargado el peso del mundo sobre sus hombros, y pensar en una vida tranquila puede ser su verdadero anhelo. Jamie siempre luchó por causas cuyo fin último, era generar bienestar a quiénes le rodeaban, y Claire nació para servir. Ya sólo por sus carácteres, estaban hechos el uno para el otro, así que la vida, sólo los puso juntos, allí donde debían estar. Es por eso que Bees me parece un libro precioso, porque en parte son ellos cumpliendo este anhelo; hasta que una guerra amenaza esa posibilidad, y deben embarcarse en esta batalla. La T8 estuvo bien planteada respecto al libro, porque presentó sus eventos principales. Introdujo el cambio nefasto que conocemos, y desarrolló la historia planteada a partir del cliffhanger, además desarrolló (con guion de la misma Diana), algunas historias de las cuáles no conocemos el desenlace, porque aún no tenemos el libro 10. Yo considero que honraron los libros, y con el final planteado, honraron a los personajes. Así que estoy satisfecha. Por eso todos los titulares de clickbait, me los tomé con cuidado, porque estoy segura que la gran mayoría de las personas que están detrás de la serie, también están satisfechas.

Y así llegamos a ese momento cumbre, que vemos más arriba. Con Claire agotada por su larga vigilia alrededor del cuerpo de Jamie, y él, yaciendo en paz. No era en vano que ella decía una y otra vez que él debía descansar, y luego, que aquí está su hogar (porque ella es su hogar) cuando Roger le dijo que debían llevarlo a casa para enterrar su cuerpo. Allí, en ese momento, ellos eran esas dos abejas que yacian juntas, y que al principio pensaban que estaban muertas, pero no, sólo descansaban 🥹🥹🥹. Fue de una belleza, que no imaginé. El fantasma de Jamie, fue a servirle su escenario a Claire, porque en vida ella le dijo que no, que no se arrepentía de haber ido a buscar esas flores, ni de haber tocado las piedras, porque después de eso, estaba su historia, la cual nos mostraron en esos flashbacks. Allí, yaciendo, en su descanso, vivieron sus vidas de nuevo, no para cambiar la historia, porque sí, Jamie Fraser, murió, sino para cambiar su pequeña propia historia, porque sí, Claire, con su poder sanador, con su aura azul (y sí, sí hubo luz azul) trajo al amor de su vida, de vuelta; se lo arrebató a la muerte, para, ahora sí, vivir la vida tranquila que anhelaban. Fue pura magia y pura poesía, y todo, transformando un evento que estaba en el libro. Le dieron un verdadero final y un verdadero cierre, a una historia que aún no ha firmado su verdadero final.

Y aquí estoy, emocionadísima, porque de Outlander, que amo con mi corazón, tendré dos finales. La felicidad que sentía ayer en la madrugada, era inexplicable, porque sólo pensaba que habían concluido la serie con una belleza que no creí posible, poniendo todo en su lugar, pero además, tendré la posibilidad de asistir a otro final, el del libro. Y de una forma maravillosa, ambas historias no se solaparán; el final que vimos, ya sucedió en la historia original, pero aún nos queda una camino por recorrer en las páginas del libro 10, lleno de muchas posibilidades y esa enorme certeza de que aún Outlander, no terminó. Creo que condensaron un concepto de eternidad, precioso, en el que sin importar cual sea el destino, será perfecto para Jamie y Claire. Larga vida para Outlander.

[theblossomingofluigi]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapter 30: It All Comes Out In the Wash

Summary:

Ding dong the witch is dead and now time to wrap everything up with a bow.

This is a very long chapter with an epilogue, so buckle in.

[yukiendlessky]

"Akatsuki no Yona " has ended today after 16 years of serialization.

The End...

[ucanbanything]

[butterfly-wingss]

Talk

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Jason I laying on the couch bandaged up and monitored like he’s just gotten out of surgery. Which is absolutely ridiculous, the bullet only barely grazed him.

He wasn’t even shot at during the shipment, the shipment went perfectly. No Jason was shot at when they were getting food after. Because Jason has the worst luck ever. Can’t have anything good in Gotham.

And now he has the bat brat sitting all scrunched up on his coffee table watching him like a fucking grotesque.

No DNA test needed, that’s Bruce’s kid alright.

Someone has to know where the brat is, he’s been missing for far too long otherwise.

Or at least Jason hopes so because he cannot deal with a bat crashing through his window.

Jason’s more awake than when he first showed up but that doesn’t mean he’s good. His mind is still slightly foggy and while he his body moves with his instruction again it’s slow, sluggish.

It’s no wonder he got shot.

“I’m fine brat. Go bother someone else, I’m sure Timtam or Dickhead haven’t slept in the last 48 hours, fuck no one this this family sleeps.”

“They will survive.” Damn, that’s almost praise from the demon child. “You are still not in you’re right mind.”

“I’m fine, I can eat and tend my wounds and shit.” He brushes off.

“That does not make you well.”

“Just fuck off.” He rolls over to face the back of the couch. He can’t hide his emotions, that’s half the reason he wears a mask for fucks sake. Jason is known to be dramatic, hell the whole family is. But he can’t handle the thought of the brat seeing him wallow like this.

Probably because he wants to fight Danny instead of Jason. He thinks just because Jason is sad he needs to be avenged.

He is The Avenger of the Forgotten damn it.

And it’s all his fault anyway. He’s just a knight, he shouldn’t have gotten so attached to his king.

He shouldn’t have gotten addicted to his kindness.

“I refuse to leave you in this sorry state Todd! So pull yourself together if you want me gone.”

He rolls back over so fast he can feel it in his side, in his wound, so fast he’s dizzy “Just fuck off already!”

Then a swirling vortex of green opens above them. A ravenous whirlpool of toxic green, a colour so vibrant and true it can not be comprehended. Jason know it’s a colour the mortal mind fills in for the purpose of seeing danger, he know it’s a slightly different green when he’s dead and yet he still get that shock of danger, danger, danger looking at it too long.

Speaking of danger Danny floats through the portal, full Ghost King regalia, he’s thankfully not in his eldritch form.

Dani doesn’t follow behind him though which isn’t entirely strange. Dani like to move around sure but she also loves her hearth knight and being cared for in Jason’s gruff way. Care like Danny’s and Jazz’s can be overwhelming when you haven’t had much care before.

The portal closes as Danny lands, well floats steadily, in front of him. Between Jason and Damian. The idiot probably didn’t even notice him.

“We’re talking.” He says with all the gravity of his station. “We are sitting down and actually talking and hashing everything out so we can stop fucking hurting each other okay.” Danny’s on the verge of tears but no less determined.

Damian has finally come back to his senses. He’s only ever seen the murky polluted Lazarus version of ecto, of course it took his mind a second to catch up. “Who are you fiend?! What do you want with my brother?”

“It’s fine Dami.” Jason is so fucking tired of this already. He flops back down on the couch, arm thrown over his eyes.

“Is he the reason for your sorry state? I shall fight him.” Said with all the seriousness in the world.

Jason doesn’t even bother turning his head. “No.” Bad, Stupid, Wrong, Idiot.

“Why do people always want to fight me? Why is it never a conversation?” Sorry, Okay?, Here for you, Comfort, Understanding.

“How many times do I need to tell you to fuck off Dami.” Annoyed, Sad, Bitter sweet, Bad Hearth. Jason tried not to think about what he’s letting slip through in ghost speak but he sees Danny flinch and knows he fucked up.

Cant even keep his emotions in check. Useless

“I will do no such thing.” Jason finally peaks and sees Damian standing on his coffee table, pointing a sword at Danny’s chest.

“I understand you want to take care of him, not like he does it himself, but we need to talk and if Jason doesn’t want you to listen then you wont.” Calm, Okay, Safe, Helping, Safe, Calm.

“I will not leave you alone with him and certainly not while you are yet to identify yourself.”

“You haven’t identified yourself either.” Danny challenges.

“I am Damian Al-“ Jason hits him upside the head, and instantly regrets moving.

“Don’t give your full name to a strange being.” Jason rolls his eyes and introduces the idiot anyway. “This is Damian, my youngest brother, we met when I was half dead, or the other half dead, whatever.”

He turns to Damian. “This is Danny, the ghost king, my fraid, he’s mine. And unless I give you permission you are not allowed to fight him.” He know’s his eyes are glowing with ecto but Damian just seems generally annoyed.

Then the dizziness hits him again. “Fuck I need to sit down. A graze shouldn’t have me this fucked up.”

“Let me see your eyes.” Danny asks genital as the hand that cups Jason’s jaw. “Hmm not enough for a full dose but definitely too much for how soon it is… you should be fine to feed off me a little.”

“I’m not a fucking vampire, I’m not feeding off you.”

“Cuddles or fights then.”

“Where’s Dani anyway.”

“Didn’t you say he’s-“ Damian buts in.

“Fuck off brat!”

“Different Dani.” Danny shrugs. “She stayed back, her prescription is finding herself.”

“Oft, almost as bad as prescribed cuddles.”

“Stop distracting me, we’re supposed to be talking.”

“You started it.”

“Jay, my darling knight.” Danny implores. Soft, Caring, Need you, Safe, Talk.

“Don’t.” Jason grumbles with a light blush, tips his head in Damian’s direction. Embarrassed, Stupid, Sacred.

“So he is your paramour. I must fight him!” Damian draws his sword yet again.

“No and no. I told you fuck off.” Annoyed, Angry, Scared, Worried, Embarrassed.

“You can wait in his room if you want to be close but you’ve gotta let us talk.” Danny negotiated. Calm, Calm, Calm.

Damian for all his huffing and puffing goes off to Jason’s room. He’s definitely going to eavesdrop but at lest he’s not going to be here asking questions and looking at him all weird.

Or constantly trying to fight Danny.

Danny holds his arms out but Jason simply turns away. He tries to speak, tries to say anything; what’s wrong, what’s making him angry, fuck even just an insult but nothing comes out.

“Birdie.” Danny says softly, words infused with care and understanding and love. Soft as snow, a cool blanket staving off his hot head and grounding him to reality.

Jason leans toward him but stops himself before they make contact. He doesn’t deserve it yet.

“I’ll start but Birdie I really am worried about you, if you don’t want full contact can I like throw my legs over your lap or something? I want you to absorb more ecto.”

“Fine.”

Danny gets comfy, sitting as close as he can get without Jason’s emotions spiking. “So I know I said I’d start but I don’t super know where to start. Um.”

He takes a second, and a few false starts.

“I am a protector spirit. You are my fraid. I want to protect you-“ Jason goes to cut him off, Danny simply raises a hand and continues on “Usually you are very good at protecting yourself but you don’t take care of yourself. I want to help you, let me help you. Let me protect you, even from yourself.” Honest, True, Care, Adoration, Worry.

“I don’t need protecting.” Jason knows h sounds petulant, that Danny can probably feel it, but he’s too tired to care.

“Maybe not. But you deserve protecting and you deserve worry.”

“I’ve had protecting before and I hate that shit.” Hurt, Scared, Betrayed, Hurt, Angry

“You hate the strings attached.” Soft, Okay, Safe, Protected.

“I’m your knight I should be the one protecting you not wallowing here constantly just being sick and a fucking burden.” Useless, Sad, Useless, Hurt, Useless

“You are not a burden! You are my knight and I am your king. It’s my job to reign you in, to take care of you.” Truth, Love, Protect, Adore, Truth, Truth, Truth.

“I fucking told you, I don’t need to be taken care of.” Weak, Useless, Needy.

“Listen to my words and my feelings, both of them because you tend to only listen to one.” Danny looks him in the eyes, waiting for Jason to nod before he continues slowly.

“What do you need from me? What do you want from me?” warmth, love, care, curiosity.

Jason sits there grumbling for a while. He doesn’t know, doesn’t know, doesn’t know. It hurts, and a dull ache blooms in his core.

“It’s okay to not know.” Soft

“Says you.” Annoyed

“Yeah says me. Jay you can change your mind at any point, needs and wants change over time.” Safe, Safe, Safe.

“Easier said than done.”

“Need you to talk to me Birdie. Ghost or human I don’t mind but I can’t keep guessing.” Want you, Talk to me, Listening

“I really don’t know” hurt, hurt, hurt. “I can stay still and heal any longer but I keep getting worse, I haven’t had this many episodes back to back before. Fuck, the long episodes were better than this and I tried to kill my brother during one of those.” Bad hearth, bad hearth, can even protect, cant even care.

“You didn’t know him yet so that’s only the normal bad not hearth bad.” Joke, Okay, Safe, Here.

Jason finally falls the last little bit. Laying with his head on Danny’s chest and Danny’s legs over his lap, he feels the hot trail of tears return for the first time since he woke up from his haze.

Cool fingers are already carding through his hair. “What if you come to the realms for a bit-“ Danny cuts himself off before Jason gets the chance. “I know I know I know, but I can bring you back to pretty much the same time or we could probably ask clockwork for a closer guarantee. And it doesn’t have to be right away, I just think being with the fraid, taking care of everyone would do you good. And the ambient ecto will help too and when you get better there’ll be a ton of people to fight which will also help. Plus Frighty and Ghost Writer have missed you and everyone really.” Loved, Cared for, Missed, Safe, Happy.

“I’ve got shit I need to do here. I can’t just go running off whenever I feel like it, unlike some people.” Bad, Sad, Hollow, Want, Good, Protect, Care, Fight, Home.

“Don’t say that Jay, call me whenever and I’ll be there. I Promise. I’m getting better at time jumps and Clockwork even gave me this.” Danny moves him slightly to pull something out of his chest that looks like a cross between a star puzzle, a rubrics cube, and a pocket watch.

“It’ll make a time bubble, that’s how I just did all my work so fast.” Hope

“I still need to work on my rips in time but I get anywhere from an hour to a week off now, it’s not ideal but we can always ask clockwork, if there’s something urgent he’ll put you back and if it’s fine we can take the gamble, or we can find Wolf and-“ Danny rushes to add more reasons he should go back with him.

Something sour blooms in his core. “Why do you even care?” he’s just so tired.

“What?” Confused, Safe, Care, Confused.

“I’m your knight, sure, I keep you safe. But I need to protect the alley, I need to tend my hearth.” He can feel the fresh wave of tears as he buries his head in Danny’s neck. Good, Bad, Strong, Weak.

“My core hurts. It always does, it always will, because protecting one of you means I can’t protect the other. Do you know how much that fucks you up? Do you? Of fucking course I miss you, of course I miss the fraid, but what the fuck can I do?!” Hurt, Sad, Bad hearth.

Jason nuzzles further into Danny, he already feels so exposed he doesn’t want Danny to see him right now. “Nothing. I am cursed to live and die and live and die, on and on and fucking on.” Exhausted. “I am cursed between the lands of the living and the dead. I am cursed to care and have no fucking ability to do anything about it!” Hate, Hurt, Hurt, Hate, Hollow.

“You can do something about it! You do! All the ways you take care of the alley, all you’ve done as my knight, all you’ve done to help our fraid, your family, what was any of that if not doing something?”

Danny cards his hand though Jason’s hair and rubs soothing circles on his back as he waits for a reply that never comes.

“I can stay in Gotham.” He offers hesitantly. “I want to be in the mortal realm more. I told you if you ask me to stay I will!” Hope, Love, Care, Miss You, Life, Love, Hope.

“You can’t. You’re the high king.” Sad, Worthless, Hurt, Alone.

“I work in the realms but with the time bubble it’ll feel like I only leave for meetings, I can stay here.” Not alone, Not alone, Not alone, I’m here.

“You shouldn’t have to!” Burden, Understanding, Sad, Acceptance, Sad.

“I want to! I love you damn it! I love you. Properly love you. I’ve loved you since I ask you to be my knight!” Jason can feel the love in his bones, he can feel it shaking his core. But it’s not that easy.

No, no, no, “You can’t, Danny you can’t, you have a duty to-“ Denial, Sad, Tragic, Love, Love, Love, Hurt.

“The last ghost king was a Tyrant how ate children and took over multiple universes and also tried to take this one. I can live in my home dimension with my darling hearth.” Jason is filled with a warm love he can’t tell if it’s his own or Danny’s.

But no matter how much he loves Danny he can’t let him do this, he can’t be that selfish. Danny is King, he should be with his people. Jason is his Knight, he can be on call.

“You can’t.” Heartbroken.

“Who’s going to stop me.” Reassuring, Safe, Okay, Love.

“You can’t…” Jason wants this so bad but he has to make Danny see reason. “you can’t love me, I hurt people.”

“You can’t hurt me darling you know that.” Love, Reassuring, Staying.

“But I do. I always do.” Desperate, Sacred, Sad.

“So what if you do, Johnny and Kitty work and they constantly-“

“I can’t live like that, I can’t,”

“I’m not saying eternal on again off again, I’m saying I will always come back. Even if you hurt me I’ll come back. Even if you push me away I’ll come back.”

Danny’s words are sure as stepping on a fully frozen lake, as strong as a snowstorm, as lively as a brisk winter’s breeze.

“What if it gets bad? What if I don’t want you to come back?” Desperate.

“We have plans to deal with me for a reason, the fraid will always help.” Jason wants to argue more but Tim breaks in through the fucking window.

“Damian texted about whats going on. About Mystery Guy being here and the fucking ghost king whatever that means. So answers. Now. Please.” Tim says through grit teeth.

“Well you gonna have to fucking wait because we’re in the middle of something.” Jason finally looks up from Danny’s shoulder to yell at his brother.

“Birdie.” Danny hugs him closer and places kiss on the temple.

“What’s in it for you? What do you get out of staying here Star?” Confused, Desperate.

“I get to have a life again. I get to be human. I get to be with my knight.” Love. “Just try for a month or so. Then we can see if that’s what we want.”

“You shouldn’t be stuck with me.” Angry, Sad, Defensive.

“I’m not. I chose to be with you.” Defensive.

“You shouldn’t have to look after me.” Mumbled Sad, Worn down, Tired.

“I don’t. I’m choosing to.” Steady, Soft, Love.

“There are better places.” Desperate, Defensive, deep Sadness peaking through the cracks.

“I know. I chose to be here.” Confident, Love, Here.

Tim coughs loudly, ripping Jason out of the snow soft protection of Danny’s words and feelings.

“I can’t leave until I have information. And if I have information I can keep everyone else off your back, at least for a few days, physically, there’ll probably be a lot of cyber-stalking.” Jason stares daggers at him.

Tim sighs. “Name, Power set, and contingencies. That’s it.”

Danny pulls a time amulet out of his chest putting it around Jason’s neck. “Clockwork gave me this.”

Pulls out a small metal box. “A box?” Eyebrow raised. Annoyed.

“A box of blood blossoms.” Calm, Chill, It’s fine I swear.

“What.” Fury.

“He said it would be advantageous, and it’ll help me with my goals. I think this is why.” Truth, Calm, Hope.

“You want to give him blood blossoms?! How the fuck did you get here? You can’t just call Clockwork and expect me to go along with it.” Desperate, Confused, Angry, Scared.

“I want to stay with you. You need something over me to be comfortable with that. Your brother, I’m assuming that’s one of your brothers,”

“Yes, that’s Tim, the one I tried to kill.” Jason rolls his eyes.

“Well he, and probably the rest of your family, will keep prying unless we give them something and it’s not like we don’t already have a bunch of plans for if I go evil again.” Doesn’t mean fucking Blood Blossoms are the answer.

“You didn’t ‘go evil’ the first time. I would know.” Shame, Shame, Shame.

“Not the current argument. Also not an argument, we’re having a discussion.”

“So current argument but not current discussion.” Jason challenges. Playful.

Danny huffs. “Time in.”

“Okay so. Hi, I’m High King Danny Phantom of the infinite realms. Jason is my fraid, ghost family, I’ve known him since he first died.” He says far too cheerily radiating Calm, Safe, Genuine even if Tim can’t hear it.

Tim’s rapid blinks and slightly raised eyebrows are the only indication of his shock. And you know what yeah, it’s a lot. But hasn’t stopped him so Danny forges on, his latest strategy for explaining things has just been info dumping until he’s stopped. Its going okay.

Danny gets up to offer the box to Tim. Jason radiates the same Grumpy, Disappointed, Betrayal of a cat.

“This box holds Blood Blossoms. They are the only thing that can kill ghosts. Well there’s an asterisk on that but generally and as far as you go mortal, this is the only way to kill a ghost.”

“I’m stronger than you think.” Tim squares his shoulders.

Jason glares at Danny as he takes over explaining. “There are other ways ghosts can die and a few artefacts that are very well recorded and watched that can kill ghosts. Blood Blossoms are also not really a thing that should be found in this dimension.”

“What do you want from me in turn?” Tim asks sceptically.

“I want you to trust Jason in all manners of ghost. You will tell him of any strange ghostly happenings and if he asks for you to leave it alone you will.” Danny says in his serious Kingly voice again.

Tim nods. “I will keep them safe.” And the box is handed over.

“A King just gave you something that can kill him and all his people, have a bit more decorum Timbit.” Jason half growls.

“It’s fine Birdie, just please do not open that in the presence of a ghost you don’t intend to end. It’s not like kryptonite it can not be used for healing.” Danny explains.

“Okay. Is there etiquette to interacting to ghosts, like with fae or demons?” Tim’s still very suspicious. Good.

Danny smiles slanted and sharp but very genuine. “Don’t talk about their death, and we fight socially so don’t get too worried if someone punches you to say hi, and I think that’s about it.”

“We’re working on the guide book” Jason adds.

“Yeah at this point we’re mostly just caught up in legal at this point.” Danny laments.

“Legal?” Tim asks.

“Guide to the recently deceased, ghost guides, ghosts, ghouls, and all the restless, there’s a lot of names for similar books over the multiverse and people who know enough to make a good version of a guide to the dead have surprisingly good supernatural lawyers.” Danny explains like a normal person complains about the weather.

“Now if we’re done here,” Jason turns to Danny. “You have some shit to answer for.” Determined, Justice, Annoyed.

“Please Jay, just listen-“ Jason grabs him by the cape chain and pulls him in for a kiss.

All things considered it’s a fairly chased. Full of Love, Playful, Complete, Love from both of them. The second they part Danny grabs his face and kisses him again deepening it.

Tim and Damian cough and gag and tell them to get a room. And that Pisses Him Off.

“This is my fucking apartment! And my fucking boyfriend I’ve been pining over for years! YOU GET A ROOM!”

“I still need his power set!” Tim.

Danny smiles bright. “too many.”

“I can’t do shit with that.” Tim grumbles.

“Ghost powers. Now fuck off already!” Jason yells.

His brothers seem to give up, for now, and leave as Danny’s laughter rings out through the apartment. “Boyfriend huh?”

“My Star? My beloved King? Shut the fuck up.” Playful, Light, Love, Love, Love.

Hand cradles his face. “Never, My darling Knight.” Love, Love, Love.

“Really because I have a great idea for how you can shut up?” Sly, Playful, Love He leans up leaving barely any space between their lips.

“Well maybe I can try.” Danny leans in, lips touching but not yet a kiss. “For you.” Love, Teasing, Love covers them like the softest blanket. Jason can’t find it in himself to care about being addicted to this man anymore.

[thisonehere]

One Hell of a Divorce

A Match Made in Hell

Cheating!Bi-Han x F!reader

Part 8 of 8

First Part | Last part

A/n: And here it is, the final act!! Ngl, I cried while writing this.

I wanted to give a special thanks to all of you who stayed throughout this entire series. I loved reading all your comments; you all inspired me and made me laugh. I appreciate you all and hope that you love reading this!

I apologize for making so many promising and falling short on so many of them, I bit off more than I could chew with this fic. It was all supposed to be alone shot, and then it turned into a series. Heres to the hopes that I prepare better moving forward.

Tags: @maulsgf @sweetpanda18 @thickemadame @posterbunny @strawbisane @fandom-garbage @sleepyfxce @livingdeadgirly

MK 1, MK AU, cheating, drabble, Angst, Dark Raiden

C/w: Kidnapping, Drugging, Blood, Bondage, Cheating, mentions of sex, the girls are fighting, cheating, crude language

Lightning struck outside the temple. The rain hit the buildings of the Wu Shi violently as thunder roard in the clouds. The Monks had made their way inside by now to take shelter from the water daggers from the sky.

The sky was dark, no light managed to break through the clouds all day. It had gotten so bad that many didn't even know whether it was day or night. The light that could be found in the sky were occasional violent instances of lightning. It appeared in the black sky like cracks off light on dark glass, and they were gone as soon as they appeared.

Inside of the main temple is where they all were. Johnny, Raiden, Tomas, and Kenshi. They waited in the room where the monks directed them to wait for when Liu Kang was ready to see them, that he'd meet with them in just a few minutes.

They were told this 2 days ago.

Johnny laid his head back on the couch that stood near the fire that blazed in the centre of the room. The fire flickered and whipped about this way and that, and yet the men were too beside themselves to feel its warmth.

Kung Lao lay sprawled across the floor, his hat next to him and his eyes closed. Trying to settle his nerves, ushering away any thoughts relating to you. If he thought of you then he'd only make things worse.

Raiden sat on the bench closest to the window. His eyes stayed firm on the violent sky outside, a blank and emotionally was disposition clear all over him. He has yet to utter a single word since they arrived. He has just been sitting there mute, his eyes sometimes would flicker with lightning.

"That's it." Johnny rose from his seat and marched towards the door. "What are you doing?" Kenshi, who had found a book about fallen Earthrealm champions to read as a way to keep him busy, looked up and fixed his gaze on Johnny. Lao raised his head slightly and opened one eye to look. "To find Liu Kang and drag him here if I have to. He's been keeping us here long enough."

With the calmness of an Ex-Yakuza who is all too familiar with these sorts of matters, Kenshi sets the book down and eyes Johnny. "Liu Kang has just found out that one of his closets and most valuable allies have betrayed him. I'm sure he has much to attend to.

"2 days. 2 fucking days he's been keeping us here" The anger in Cage's voice was like steam fizzling out of a boiling pot. "This isn't just about Bi-Han, he has Y/n!"

"We all want to save Y/n. I'd storm the Artika myself if I could." Lao sat up, pulling one knee to his chest to prop an arm on it and rest his head. "Well, what's stopping us?" Johnny practically bounced as he made his way to Kung Lao. "You, me, Rai-Dude, even Kenshi. When can we go in, Kick Bi-Han's ass, and Rescue Y/n?"

"This isn't like one of your movies, Cage." Kenshi shot Johnny a cool, almost cold gaze as he rose to his feet. "I've been in situations like this multiple times, too many to count. Bi-Han isn't an idiot; he knows how special Y/n is to us." He froze for a second, his eyes slowly trailing off to Raiden.

The champion of Earth still sat on his bench, staring up at the sky as daggers of water spilt free from the skies. He seemed so...so another by it all. His lips were straight, his brow flat, and his eyes were blank. Perhaps he was in deep thought, though he didn't say anything. "She's a political prisoner. He won't hurt her so long as we don't antagonise him. We have to be careful in strategising her rescue." He said finally, after Raiden showed no response.

"That's bullshit, and you know it. I've met ol' Grandmaster Blueberry ice, and let's tell you, he's not as smart as you or even as smart as he thinks he is. He's a violent, self-centred, egotistical, megalomaniac."

Kenshi raised a brow as he regarded Johnny. He looked at the actor as if he were speaking nonsense. And then he scoffs. "Self-centred? Egotistical? That's rich coming from you, Cage."

"And what's that supposed to mean exactly?" Johnny narrowed his eyes at the Swordsman, and the Swordsman narrowed his eyes back. It was clear that the tension between the two was deep. It was no surprise that ever since breaking into the Cage mansion in an attempt to steal back Scento, the two have been crossed with one another.

"Meaning: You're all about yourself, Cage. You're arrogant, disrespectful, and even cruel. I don't think there's a single altruistic bone in your body. Admit it, you only want to save Y/n in hopes of becoming her little rebound to play with until you get bored."

Johnny's mouth could've caught flies with how long he stood there with his mouth wide open in shock. His eyes beat up and down Kenshi as he stared him down like a madman. "You piece of shi-"

"shit?" Kenshi let out a low chuckle. "Seems that I've finally said something to wipe that smile off your face. " Kenshi sat back down with a satisfied grin.

The crack of Johnny's fist broke the silence as Johnny stared Kenshi down. "Isn't it just funny, Kenshi?"

"What?" Kenshi eagerly leaned forward. "A Yakuza is trying to criticise me. "A Yakuza is trying to shame me for having 'bad morals. The problem is, you're still that cute hair gangster, just under a different font. That's why Suchin left you." The room fell still in a second. A murderous gaze suddenly shifted onto Kenshi's face. Kenshi's past is something he's...less than proud of. His fight against the Yakuza has been long and hard. Scento was the key to his clan's freedom. Unfortunately, Cage stood in the way.

"Listen here, you smug, hasbin. I-"

*Kra-Koom!*

Deafening thunder struck outside before Kenshi spoke. The temple shook at its raw power. Kenshi gripped his seat, "Jesus!" Johnny cried as he stumbled and fell to his knees, "Argh!!". Kung Lao, unfortunately, fell back and hit his head. "Elder Gods!" He groaned. All felt their hearts jump and race about in their chests. The sound of Monks clamouring about in their respective quarters about the temple could be heard.

And yet Raiden was still. Unbothered, unmoved, unchanged by the weathered attack.

All eyes fell on him as he took a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh. "I mistook this for a room of warriors. Yet I find myself amidst boys, bickering and prattling." Every word had weight, too; every word had venom to it. It was unnatural, Raiden. He never spoke like this before. "No wonder I'm Earthrealms Champion; none of you could rise to the task." Raiden's voice was low now, unnatural almost.

"Whoa, Rai-Dude." Johnny attempted a smile. "I-I think you're a little stressed. Let's calm down, you're not you when you're hangry." A low and dry chuckle was forced out of Johnny's, a meagre attempt to defuse the situation through comedy. Kenshi shot him a look that said everything. 'Not now. Raiden's about to snap.' Rubbing his head one last time, Kung Lao rose to his feet.

He turned to his friend, his brows knitted together to show concern. "Raiden... what's gotten into you?" He grew nearer and nearer, our street hing his hand to gently place it onto his shoulder

Finally, Raiden turned, positioning himself for the other to see his face. His eyes...they glowed and crackled with energy. They were...they were red. The lightning about him was red. A shadow loomed over his face; he seemed so...so dark. "Raiden..." Lao gasped, and slowly his feet retraced, backing away slowly from this stranger who stood before them. Red eyes snapped between all the men looking at Johnny, then Kenshi, then Lao, and Johnny. He looked almost disappointed, disgusted at what was before.

At this point, everyone backed away. "Mewling children, what is the point of you? You insist that you care about Y/n, and yet you all seem more concerned about appealing to your own desires and egos. Worthless, all of you." Whose of red lightning occasionally appeared around his body. Cautiously, Kenshi reached for his sword.

"That is enough." A stern voice that commanded authority arose from behind the men. They all turned to look.

There he was. Tall and strong, with fierce, glowing blue eyes that danced about, eyeing everyone in the room, especially Raiden. Lord Liu Kang stood at the doorway, blazing with power.

Liu Kang regarded Raiden with concern, as well as saying with his eyes 'Calm yourself. "Apologies," Raiden said finally after a deep breath, his eyes returned to normal. And yet the atmosphere kept its tension.

"You all, gather in the central room." His eyes glowed with righteous fury, so intense that all bowed their heads and found themselves unable to look at him. "We have finally found a solution to deal with this...problem."

---

How long has it been? You try to wonder. You had no idea; you could barely think. All you remember is Bi-Han, the drugging, the hitting, the running, and finally, you head slamming against the ground as you lost all sense of consciousness.

What followed were days of waking in and out of consciousness. You strain your eyes open to a blurry motion, and then you'd feel a needle stick into you, drugging you all over again, ensuring that you're helpless.

Whatever Bi-Han drugged you with was strong. Your mother taught you about certain drugs used for sleep. But this wasn't drowsiness; you could barely move your body, you could barely see. Your mind felt like it was moving through a marsh of thick mush. Whatever Bi-Han put into you, it was clear that it was intended to keep you here for some time. You move your body as little as you can, yet you can feel it. Chains. Around your hands and your ankles.

Where are you exactly? You didn't send any motion, so you weren't moving; you must've arrived at the Artika. No, actually, you couldn't feel the familiar chill of that place. Instead, you feel warmth upon your skin, sunlight. You were somewhere warmer, yet still there was a slight chill in the air. You're lying on something soft, a bed, but it didn't feel like your bed. Less soft, more cold, like it hasn't been laid on for a long time. And that smell, like this place has been closed for years. A safe house. You remember Bi-Han mentioning that he had multiple safe houses just in case something went wrong. Something must've went wrong.

Is that...talking? Your senses were slushed, yet you still couldn't hear the vibration of voices. Yelling actually. You could barely feel your body, but you managed to inch your body closer to the sound. "Imbeciles!" You could finally make out, though it was still difficult to hear, but you could recognise that yell and that voice from anywhere: Bi-Han.

"When I left, it was with the confidence that you could keep things under control in my absence!" A softer mumble was in response, but you couldn't hear it, though. Not good enough, the only reason you could hear Bi-Han was yelling at the top of his lungs. So you inch closer.

"Blame yourself, Bi-Han! If you had only let me eradicate anyone who questioned us beforehand, we wouldn't be in this. But you were so worried about getting back your little runaway bride that!"

You recognise that voice, Sektor, you think at least. Your sight was too blurry to see properly, but you could make out two blurry figures standing outside the room. One was red and the other was blue.

"You are the master armourer, not our strategist. Know your place, Sektor." Silence followed, and the thud of footsteps as the red blur stormed off. She said something else, but it was too low and quiet for your addled state to understand.

Then, footsteps. You felt the "thump" of heavy footsteps, the blue blue got closer and closer. Finally, the image became clearer, and you saw your wretched ex-husband's face.

He stared down at you, his eyes were steady. And yet you could feel anger and a hint of madness slowly creep behind his dark eyes. "Y/n." His voice called to you. You found the strength to recoil from him; you return his gaze. Bi-Han had expected you to be furious, and yet you seemed...tired, just tired.

"Are you unable to speak to me? Or are you just unwilling?" You just stare at him, your mouth isn't gagged, and you think you could speak. But why try? Things have gone too far; what use would it be to argue?

"Sareena left." He said abruptly, his voice was low. He paused for a moment, hoping for you to respond. "She left me, and my brother rebelled against me and forced me out of my own home." He once again paused, giving you room to speak, expecting you to speak. "Nothing? Are you not happy now with my pain? No satisfaction at my own failure?"

Again, silence. The sound of your chains rustling is all that fills the air. A heavy sigh escaped Bi-Han's lips. Bi-Han sets himself at the edge of the bed. "I loved Sareena," Bi-Han said, following a moment of silence. "And I loved you as well." Bi-Han let the silence follow to allow those words to sink in. "I adored you. I'm well aware that you perceive it as betrayal, and perhaps it was. But I had never stopped loving you. I just wish for us to go back to what we were, no more Sareena. I wish to take back my clan with you at my side."

Again, silence fills the room. Bi-Han looks at you, and you see it in your eyes as well. He's tired and desperate, though he is trying to hide it with his usual furrowed brow. Rolling his eyes, Bi-Han rises to his feet. He walks

"I know that you loved me." Bi-Han freezes and turns his head to look at you. You find the strength to sit up and look at him. "And you?" Bi-Han asked, hopes gleaming in his eyes. "I loved you too. We'll always love each other..." Bi-Han turns fully to look at you, a smile almost finds its way onto his lips. "But there's a problem. You'll always love something more than me." Bi-Han arched his brow in confusion. "You and your pride."

His eyes shut tight for a second as he took in a deep breath. Bi-Han opens his eyes and stares at you, and you stare back at him. Gritting his teeth, Bi-Han relents. He turns away, his fist clenched as he lets out a heated breath. "The drugs should wear off within an hour." Bi-Han's feet begin to move out of the doorway. "We'll talk then."

Bi-Han walks away, reverting back into his blurred blue image as he disappears into the fog.

---

The Tea house was closed for the day. Madame Bo saw the skies, witnessed their darkness coupled with the heavy downpour of rain, and deep to her core she knew something was wrong.

With great urgency she had sent many of her workers home. And now, she is in her restaurant alone. She sat atop the highest floor, on a chair set near the balcony. Not close enough to get splashed, but enough to see the sky above Feng Jian. With a cigarette in hand, the old woman closed her eyes to relax. In an attempt to settle her nerves, Bo attempted to keep her mind blank. The image of the empty house had plagued her mind.

She sped there as fast as possible, and yet she found no trace of you. She practically tore the house asunder looking for you. All that was left was a needle, connected to a vial of some liquid, halfway drained. Bo recognized it immediately, she was Lin Kuei, this was a drug used by her and many of her kin. The drug was meant as a weapon to aid in assassinations and abductions. Using half the vial would cause the victim to go into a deep sleep, allowing it easier to sneak around them. Using the whole thing would kill the victim.

Bo felt the vial in her pocket as she attempted to melt into her chair. Where were you? What did that bastard Bi-Han do to you? Why did he leave it behind?

She had attempted to Contact Liu Kang. But he only assured her that all was under control. Still, she insisted on going to the Wu Shi to help him. Whatever Bi-Han was planning, No was more than willing to go out of retirement to stop him. And yet, Fire God shot down her offer, insisting things were under control

Madame Bo doubted the fire god completely.

Bo took a deep breath in, she trained her ears in the rainfall. They at least supplied a decent way to unwind. Bo focused her breathing, steadily taking a deep breath in and out.

Settling deeper into her seat, the old woman soon mastered a blank mind. She thought only of darkness. Darkness and rain trailed around her head, washing away and concealing any thought that might cause her worry. She would trust Liu Kang, she had no choice but to, your safety was on the line.

Once more, the old woman took a deep breath, and a deep breath out. Soon her breathing slowly began to transition into snoring. Soon she would sleep, perhaps her dreams would be kind to her. No nightmares, just sweet nothingness, she would rather to see nothing than to dream.

If she dreamed, she might dream of you, Y/n, a sweet young girl whom Bo wished was her daughter. You, Y/n, an innocent lamb potentially about to be led to the slaughter.

Madame Bo's mind began to drift away. Soon it would be in a place of peace, where she could feel no fear for you, only gentle nothingness. Nice, it is so nice...

"Bloody Hell."

Kano groaned as he awoke to the rainwater hitting him.

Though Madam Bo failed to find you, she exceeded in finding the Black Dragon's leader. In typical Kano fashion, the Australian got too bold and too confident. He paraded about her restaurant with a group of his men. In typical Black dragon fashion, they made their presence known with their yelling, drinking, cheering and being handsy with the waitresses. He made a passing remark, mentioning sub zero, and them you. Bo, of course, immediatly took action.

Madame Bo struck when Kano got up to use the bathroom. She ordered her staff to take out the lakies as she handled their leader.

Making great use of the drug, Madame Bo waited for Kano outside. When he came out, she wasted no time. Rushing behind him with surprising speed and stealth, she slammed the needle into his neck. The drug took an instant effect. Soon, he was lying on the floor.

"Good morning, dear. I trust you slept well." Bo called with a sweet smile as she took another swing of her cigaurette.

Attempting to get up, Kano was unhappy to find that his hands were tied together to the balcony bannister. "The Hell is this?"

"Ah, how rude of me, I'm Madam Bo. This is my restaurant, I'm sure that you're familiar enough with it, though. I welcome you nonetheless." A kind smile remained stretched on her face as she rose to her feet and walked over to a table behind her where an ashtray rested on its wooden exterior.

"I know who you are, you smashed meat pie looking cunt! What I want to know is what the fuck this is before I rip your fucking throat out!" Kano barked as he struggled, attempting to reach for his butterfly knives to cut the rope.

Madame pursed her lips as she shook her head. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. That's no way to speak to a woman. Shame, you and your ruffians don't even know respect, even for your elders." Bo turned, her eyes stared at the thu,g straining to reach for his knives. "I hope you don't mind, your butterfly knives were filthy, so I removed them to clean them."

"Fuckin' drongo. What do you want, money, eh?" Kano sneered and attempted to spit at her. "I own a business, I don't need your dirty money."

Beside the ashtray sat a picture of you, Bo picked it up with care nd walked over to Balck Dragon, who was still struggling against the constraints. "What I want is information. I am to understand that and Sub Zero have been speaking. What have you two been planning?"

A crooked smile spread across Kano's face as he saw the picture. "Aw, what's wrong, sunshine? Did ol' boy rough up your little girl?" Kano spat out water as rain continued to fall onto him. Madame Bo sat herself back in her chair. "What do you know? Just tell me, and I'll let you go." No matter how gentle and kind Bo made her voice, even she couldn't get Kano to believe that she would just let him. And yet Kano still had an arrogant smirk plastered on his face.

"Heh, Subby and I are old pals. Our clans'll be one big happy family soon with all the other friends he's made along the way. The Brotherhood of Shadow, the Tengu clan, even General Shao's and those Seiden-satan-whatever-the-fuck-their-names-were-resistence are getting in on the fun. You were Lin Kuei, right? Well, you're gonna meet some of them when they come for me." Bo nodded. She knew that they would come for her soon, and yet she wasn't distressed, strangely enough.

"Oh dear, a bunch of brutes will be storming my restaurant and scuffing up my floors. Tragic, how truly tragic. But who will notify them that you're here? The friends who came with you are dead in a ditch somewhere." Kano strained again, but not to break the bonds, but more like he was trying to make something work in his head, the robotic eye. Once more, Madame Bo pursed her lip and shook her head while making a tsk tsk sound. "Trying to contact them? That won't work. I disable all features in that little mechanical implant. That's why you couldn't laser me like I can clearly see you wanted."

At that, the smile on Kano's face quickly faded; instead, a dumbfounded look was on display on his face. "What, my ex-husband and daughter are premier amarours and technicians of the Lin Kuei, you wouldn't think I was one too?"

"When I'm free, I'm gonna find those boys of yours and make you watch as my boys rough 'em up. And then I'm going to make you watch as I gut them like fish!" Kano snarled, angrily grinding against the railing desperately. Bo maintained her straight face as she rose from her seat and calmly walked away.

"First, get free."

"Damn you, you, ya' ol' saggin cunt! I'm gonna make you scream when I get out," Kano cried as he tried and tried with all his strength to break free. Before leaving, Bo threw an umbrella at Kano. Purposely placing it within an inch of his reach, ensuring it would be a struggle

After wiping her hands, Madame Bo placed her chair back in place at a table inside, and she made her way to the stairs. "You don't actually think you and your little friends can actually stop us? If so, you're even more of a numpty hag than I thought you were." Kano shouted, and yet Madame seemingly ignored him. "Y/n gonna' die! You won't save her. No one can! You're up against things something not even that Fire God of yours can stand against." Madame froze at this. Kano almost smiled, satisfied that this at least got a response out of her.

"Take care, dear, it's really pouring today. I wouldn't want you to catch a cold."

And that was that, the woman left the man screaming and writhing in the rain, with a broken umbrella.

---

"The news of Kuai Liang's triumph is promising. Yet Bi-Han's current whereabouts are still a mystery to us." Liu Kang faced the window, his hands folded behind his back, staring up at the sky, still dark. Not even with his powers could he stop it. Perhaps this was the Elder Gods' way of showing dismay at the current events. Or, more likely, this is a manifestation of Raiden's powers.

The God's blazing eyes slowly trailed over to Raiden, who stood at the other side of the table, hands behind his back and head bowed.

"He has to be at one of his safe houses," Tomas said optimistically. Liu Kang's eyes snapped over to survey the young Ninja who struggled to stand up straight. The bandages that clung to his sides concealed the vile wounds that Sektor administered to him in her failed attempt to stop him from reaching Liu Kang. "How many does he have?" Tomas's bright demeanour slightly faded. "Bi-Han has numerous safe houses across Earthrealm. Some, we know, others he has kept a secret from us."

"This isn't good." Kung Loa shook his head as he slowly swayed back and forth. "It could take days to find him, and then he could move to another."

"Can you just, I don't know, use your godly magic to, like, see where he is?" Johnny Cage quickly spoke, earning a side eye from Kenshi.

"Unfortunately, I am incapable of such talents. That is our main objective, however, to find where Bi-Han is hiding. We already have a plan to deal with him: We'll send forth an army as a diversion while a smaller team secures Y/n." Liu Kang gestured to the map that sat on the table. On it were several figures to represent buildings and people. Liu Kang had even gone as far as making a figurine to represent you; you sat on top of a question mark to symbolise the anonymity of your current status.

"But that could take days, weeks, months, even." Kung Lao gestures to Bi-Han's figurine, whom he then knocks over in frustration.

Liu Kang calmly put Bi-Han's figurine back to standing upright. His eyes travelled around the room, taking great care to look all the men in the eyes. "Then that is our main objective, to find Bi-Han." Liu Kan's words bounced off the walls as the weight of the matter settled into all of the warriors.

"But how?" Johnny said, breaking the silence. Liu Kang folded his hands together and closed his eyes, thinking deeply. Could he afford to visit the Elder Gods? How much time could he spare? They were known to be fickle and time-consuming. Would they even help him? The room fell silent again as all the men attempted to think of something, anything, that could finish this plan.

"I believe that I can be of some help in this matter."

A soothing yet sharp voice erupted through the silence. Immediately, all eyes shot to the doorway to the entrance to the room. There she stood, tall and lean, with eyes as black as night. "Sareena!" Tomas gasped as he inticivily reached for his knife. "Wait, this is Sareena? A.K.A. Bi-Han's side piece? A.K.A. The other woman? A.K.A Y/n's competition? A.K.A-"

"We get it, cage," Kenshi said, bringing Johnn'y's nonsense to an abrupt end. Raiden finally lifted his head to look at the Demoness. He studied her intently. All the men stared her up and down as they attempted to form an opinion of what to think of her. This is the infamous Sareena, a sister of shadow, the one who caused Y/n to leave.

Liu Kang narrowed his eyes. "Demon...Servant of Quan Chi, how dare you deflower my temple with your presence?" Sareena calmly strolled up to the table, and Kung Lao and Johnny parted to make space for her. "Considering who you let into this temple," Sareena eyed Johnny and Kung Laom with mild disgust. They gawked at her like idiots. " I don't think my presence here should cause too much of a disruption."

"Why are you here?" Liu Kang folded his arms across his chest as he made sure to correct his posture. "I already said it, to help."

"You've done enough," Raiden said, standing at the other side of the table, hoping to keep a good deal of distance between himself and her. "Oh? So I don't have to tell you all the exact location of all of Bi-Han's safe houses? Splendid." And with that, Sareena turned on her heel and happily began to sashay to the doorway.

"Wait!" Liu Kang called, "You know where he is?" he circled the table to the other side. A wicked smile spread across Sareena's face as she turned to face the Fire God. "I do." Tomas raced to Liu Kang's side to face Sareena. "But how, Bi-Han told not a single soul the location of all his safe houses."

"And yet he did so for me? It was his way of pillow talk, he told me where every one of them was located and his scheduled rotations." Tomas's mouth fell open as he tried to banish the image from his mind. "And you know where he is, right at this moment?" Liu Kang asked, slowly and cautiously walking up to her. Sareena merely nodded. "And I'm willing to tell you."

"In exchange for something, I presume?" Raiden guessed as he eyed Sareena from across the table, still wary of her. "Of course, why else would I betray the man I love?" Earthrealm's defenders shot each other unsure glances, from Johnny to Kenshi, from Kenshi to Kung Lao, from Kung Lao to Raiden. And so on and so on. Liu Kang was the only one to keep his eyes on Sraeena. "What is it exactly that you want, Sareena?"

A deep breath followed as Sareena straightened her posture. Just like she rehearsed, she was slightly nervous. But why, though? It's like she was asking for a lot. "First, I asked that you not hurt Bi-Han. Capture him if you must, but don't kill him." This caused the room to tense even further.

His head brought low, Liu Kang remained silent for a moment. "Very well then." He answered finally, raising his head again, meeting the Demoness's eyes. Thunder crackled outside. Liu Kang didn't look at the others, but he could feel their eyes on him. They were weary and unsure galnces, they all bit their lip to avoid protests. Elated, Sareena relaxed her posture slightly at this response. "And what else are your demands?"

"My sister, Ashrah, is up here somewhere. I ask that you help me find her." An image of Ashrah danced in her mind for a moment. Her plan was simple: find her sister and make things right, of course, not before smacking her around a few good seconds for killing Khia and Jataaka. But that was the primary goal, fixing their bond. "Your demands are...doable. Sareena, you have my word that we will not kill Bi-Han nor strike him violently. And I will personally ensure that you and your sister are reunited." For a second, Sareena could've seen a glint of joy in Earthrealm's protector's eyes.

Footsteps were suddenly heard as a Monk ran quickly up the steps and into the room, a letter in hand. "My lord, we have received a message from Madame Bo. We have reason to believe it is urgent." After giving a shifty gaze to the demon that stood before in the room, the monk handed the letter to Liu Kang, who immediately opened it. His eyes scanned the pages with urgency. When he finished, he swallowed hard. "It seems...my worst fears have been confirmed."

He takes a heavy breath as he gives the monk a grateful smile. "Thank you, tell your fellow brethren to prepare, I will be joining you all shortly." Bowing briskly, the monk gives one last look at the demon and quickly departs.

"Sareena, I stay true to my promises so long as you do yours. Please have all the locations, especially the one where Bi-Han is right now and will be tomorrow, ready by morning." Sareena nods and gives a brisk bow herself before retreating to a corner of the room where it was darkest. "As for the rest of you, I wish my monks had time to prepare you. Ready yourselves in any way you deem necessary; we must march by dawn tomorrow."

Glances are shared across the room. Johnny feels the palms of his hands begin to sweat as he begins to realise the gravity of the moment. Much the same could be said about all the men in the room. Giving them all an encouraging look, with great effort in hiding his worry, Liu Kang turns and leaves.

"Lord Liu Kang!" Raiden called as he quickly followed the god as he made his way down the stairs and into the pathway that led to this part of his temple. Liu Kang slowed himself down enough for Raiden to catch up. The clouds had let up slightly, just enough to see the evening sky. "I...I wanted to apologise for the way I acted earlier. " Raiden held his head low in shame and brought his hands up to make an apologetic expression.

"It is all right, Raiden. It is...It is what I was hoping for." Liu Kang also bowed his head to show remorse for his own.

Raiden went still as his arms fell to his side, his eyes widened as it all made sense. "That's why you made up waiting for so long?" Liu Kang's head remains low as he nods. "All this time spent waiting, endangering Y/n, was just for something that could've never happened?"

"Then we are most fortunate that it happened. Now, be ready, channel that anger for tomorrow, you will need it for battle." Liu Kang's feet began to move once more, and yet his eyes stayed on Raiden a few moments before he left him there to contemplate.

---

The sun slowly began to peak above the trees as Bi-Han made his way down the steps. He had experienced a near sleepless night in his wing of the safe house. Sareena was not here to comfort him, and you were too drugged up to do much. He tossed and turned for so many hours that he relied on the use of a sleeping drug to get some rest; even then, he felt restless when he awoke. So he arose early and began to make a stroll across the safe house.

It's a large infrastructure comprised of six buildings. All circled around each other to form a "U" shape. This was the biggest safe house among all his safe houses. It was meant to serve as a sort of second Lin Kuei headquarters, just in case the main one was compromised.

It was compromised, so now he's here. This safe house has been one of his proudest achievements that he has had since he became Grandmaster. Though it was smaller than the regular Lin Kuei base stationed in Artika, it still functioned wonderfully. It has all the equipment and resources necessary for any Link Kuei to function. It had enough tech and scraps for Sektor to work wonders. It was big enough to house all the Lin Kuei that were still Loyal to Bi-Ha, if you exclude the ones who were slaughtered during the rebellion, of course.

Many of the Lin Kuei shared a similar idea to the Grandmaster and also rose early to attend to business. Some were training, sparring with one another, and others were working hard in labs to come up with chemicals and tech to kombat assailants in the unavoidable battle that will soon come.

Bi-Han felt a sense of pride as he gazed at so many Lin Kuei who were still loyal, still ready to die for him if need be.

If only you could see it. Why wouldn't you see how much good you could do together? He remembers the day you first met at the festival; he saw so much potential in your eyes. The moment he met you was the moment that he knew he wanted you at his side.

But you seemed to not want to anymore. "Your pride"? His pride has caused the Lin Kuei to finally triumph. This problem with his brother was that he was too blind to see the Lin Kuei's true potential. You yourself were too blind to see as well. His pride in himself is what causes him to love you; you are one of the few women he has ever met who have impressed him. You and Sareena. Why couldn't you see it? His pridefulness will lead you all to greatness if you would just let him.

"Bi-Han," Sektor called as she marched up to him. Bi-Han turned to face her, and a scowl was still on her face from the last time they spoke. "I have received word from General Shao that he is willing to send reinforcements and weaponry from outworld. The Tengu and the Brotherhood of Shadow have sent out allies to aid us. They will be here within a few days. I tried to contact the Havik and his Seidon resistance, but they remain unresponsive."

"That is fortunate. We will open a portal and take back the Lin Kuei." Sektor nodded, and Bi-Han turned his back to her. He hesitates slightly before he turns back. "I trust you slept well, considering yesterday's incident."

Sektor plastered a fake smile onto her face. "It is no problem, Grandmaster. I myself only meant to help. I don't blame you for your outburst." Bi-Han held onto every word; they were a surprising comfort to him. Sektor grew closer to Bi-Han. "Grandmaster, I hope that you know that you can always depend on me to be there." Her tone was lower, more sincere and even seductive.

"I am..." Bi-Han was unsure of what to say in response. For a long time, he had known about Sektor's desire to be "close" to him; he always ignored it because he found her attempts at getting his attention sexually as pathetic....Now it seemed more appealing, what with the idea of having someone to comfort him. "I am most grateful you are here at my side, Grand Armourer," Bi-Han replied, his own voice getting lower with a hint of warmth. A faint and wicked smile rested on his face as he himself moved closer to her.

---

You can feel it, the strength slowly returning to your body. The chains are the only problem. Bi-Han must've stopped drugging you for now to ensure that you don't overdose.

Tonight you didn't dream, how could you? What would you even dream about? Chains? Darkness? The image of your husband all over another woman? The good news is that you won't have to worry about any of that as the sun slowly rises through your window. It was first light, and the sky was slowly being illuminated with the sun's rays.

Maybe you could pray, maybe Liu Kang would hear you. Why bother? After all, Bi-Han has down under his nose, why would you want his help now, considering how far things have gotten? Would he even know where you were? It's more likely that you will be planning your own escape. But how? These chains are thick, and they are heavy; you can barely move. You'll need something to break it. Maybe you could dislocate your thumb to slip out of the chains around your hand and then work on the feet.

But your plot of escape quickly comes to an end when the door slowly creaks open. You stiffen as you hold your breath. There he is, your husband, walking in, a tray of food in hand. He walks to the side of your bed and sets the tray down. "Eat," he orders as he steps a few feet back to give you some space. The tray was thoughtfully made, with juice, soup and bread. "You need to replenish your strength; you've been unconscious for 3 days."

"And what if I refuse to eat?" You scoot away from the tray, and you lay your head down, hoping to avoid looking at him. "Then I grab you and force-feed it to you." He growls, stepping forward again to push the tray back over to you. "I'll eat when I'm ready, get out."

"Stop acting like a child." Bi-Han hisses. "Will you truly be like this forever? Torturing me whenever I try to make amends?"

Something in your mind tells you to look at him. You lift your head and you take a good look at him. "Who is she?" Bi-Han raises an eyebrow in confusion as you ask your question. "Your collar isn't how it usually is. Neither is your belt. It looks like you took your clothes off and put them back on just a few minutes ago. Who is it this time?"

Bi-Han narrows his eyes. He looks at you like you're crazy. "The drugs must have caused a lingering effect on your mind." He pushes the tray closer to you, insisting that you eat. "You'll feel better when you have something in you."

"Is it Sektor?" Your words echo off the walls as Bi-Han falls silent. His face twitches, it shifts, it morphs into a snarl. "I-You-Do not ask me such questions! Do you have any idea how hard I'm trying to repair our bond?" Bi-Han's violent gaze beats down on you, but you can see a glimmer of shame in his eyes amid the sea of rage.

You slowly shake your head, and a low chuckle escapes your mouth. "What exactly are you laughing about?" Bi-Han rubs his forehead in annoyance. Your laughing lasted for nearly a minute before he calmed down. "You insist you want things to work between you, but then you find 'comfort' in the arms of other women. You push everyone away from you, and you make stupid and poorly planned decisions that leave you in worse positions than when you started. It's you. You are your worst enemy."

His eyes narrow further, his nostrils flare. "Ridiculous! Fine, you win!" Bi-Han threw his hands in defeat. "I'm a pathetic and pitiful man who wants his wife back! There, are you satisfied now? Or would you rather I beg?" Bi-Han's voice rose; frustration permeated through his very words. You lower your head and slowly shake it. "You lost me," you say in a low tone.

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"You were my world. I destroyed everything I had for you." You looked up at Bi-Han, you stared into his eyes with passion you haven't felt in a long time. "You lost me. You had me, and then you lost me all because you couldn't help yourself."

Bi-Han opened his mouth to speak, but then the whole building shook as an explosion went off outside. Both of you brace and stumble at the force; something's happening. Bi-Han turns to the doorway and then back at you. "This conversation isn't over." He angrily stomps out of the room, being sure to slam the door behind him. You hear the sound of the door being locked and then the sound of footsteps as Bi-Han rushes away. You look down at the tray of food still beside you. You push it off the bed, too disgusted to eat.

You collapse onto the pillow, hoping to calm yourself, the drugs sapping the last bit of energy you had. "Oh, Bi-Han." You sigh, fighting back tears. "Why...why couldn't you just be content with what you had?"

---

Bi-Han's footsteps were fast and violent as he made his way down the stairs, through the hallways and main room, and into the Courtyard. There, he found his Lin Kuei in a panic. "What is the meaning of this!" He roared as the ground shook again, the sound of thunder in the distance. "Take cover!" A Lin Kuei cried as lightning flickered in the sky, hitting many of the buildings. Red Lightning.

Bi-Han ducked for cover as rocks falling off the broken buildings plummeted to the ground. His eyes shot up to the sky, and there the clouds parted, revealing a man in the sky. Not just any man, Bi-Han squinted his eyes. He recognised him, Raiden. Red Lightning and energy crackled around him. He threw lightning bolts at them, one after the other, like a warrior throwing spears.

The lighting not only caused horrid damage, but it also caused a deafening amount of sound. Bi-Han felt his ears nearly rupture from the roaring of lightning and thunder.

The wind began to pick up, swirling around the Bi-Han, Cold air. Bi-Han made a gesture to the ground, and a wall of ice sprang up from the ground; it grew, and in an arch over him, creating a shield of sorts.

Some Lin Kuei gather around him for shelter, while others find other places for refuge from the storm which Raiden brought. "Elder Gods damn it!" Bi-Han cried as lightning began to strike the ice.

Bi-Han began to wave his hands, chanting something under his breath, and cold energy formed around his hands as the cold winds began to pick up. His men cry in surprise as the wind smacks and batters them, nearly throwing them off their feet.

The wind began to pick, it got faster, colder, more vioelnt: A blizzard.

It obscures Raiden, blocking his view. Now his lightning strikes were more random; he was throwing them, unsure where they would land. Eventually, it all stops. The thunder is gone.

At the request of his men, Bi-Han calms the storm. His eyes hunt the skies for Raiden, but he is gone. "How did he learn our whereabouts?!?" Bi-Han cried. The Lin Kuei ran about, trying to collect themselves and gather their senses, as well as help anyone who was harmed by Raiden's attack. None was dead, merely wounded.

Bi-Han gazed around in horror. Half of his Safe house in ruins, rage bubbled up inside him. The building lay in ruins, and many people were killed inside if they hadn't fled in time. All the buildings were destroyed, save one: The one you were being held in.

"Y/n..." He said under his breath. His feet were faster than his thoughts; he rushed towards the buildings, knocking over anyone who was in his way. He ran up the stairs and down the hallway where your room was. The lock was picked and the door was open. "Y/N!" Bi-Han cried as he rushed into the room.

The chains that held you were broken, like a sword cut them in half... no... a buzzsaw...a hat. "Damn those monks." Bi-Han bellowed as he rushed out of the room.

---

Too weak to walk, Johnny carried you through the forest. Kenshi and Kung Lao surrounded him, keeping an eye out for any potential ambush.

Thunder rumbled in the distance, Raiden must've been preparing a second assault. This assault would prove much more violent, with an army of Shaolin monks leading an assault on the ground as Raiden rained down lightning from the sky. By now, the group had made their way halfway through the forrest.

The men were silent the entire trip. Normally the silence would be filled by Kenshi and Johnny's bickering or Kung Lao's boasting. Perhaps their silence was out of respect to you.

You lay limply in Johnny's arms. The days of drugging have a horrifying effect on your body; you can barely talk, you can barely walk, and sometimes you'd have a moment of energy to talk and move a little, but that was about it. "Bi-Han really did a number on you, huh?" Kung sighs finally as he looks at you as they all wade their way through a shallow river. 

You could still see Kung Lao's disturbed face when he found you lying there on the bed, barely able to be able to thanks to both the drugs still in your system and the heavy chains.

"Fucking bastard, I'll break his jaw the next time I see him," Johnny muttered under his breath as he marched out of the water. 

The three made their way through the terrain, ducking under spider webs, avoiding vines that looked suspiciously like snakes, and doing their best to not trip over large roots.

Finally, they see it. Beyond a few more trees there's a clearing where a portal slowly begins opening.

"Thank God." Johnny smiled as he saw it. "Thank you, Liu Kang." Kung Lao corrected. They all began to race towards the portal. To close, they're so close.

And then icy winds began to pick up. "We have company", Kenshi gritted his teeth as his eyes fell to the sky. Bi-Han's murderous gaze met there as he balanced himself on the winds like a snowflake falling from the skies.

"PUT. HER. DOWN." Bi-Han landed on the ground with a harsh thud. He marched towards you all, his fist covered in ice and a sword made of ice in his hand, red with the blood of monks.

"Frosty the snow-dude, so glad you could swing around and send your wife off." Called, bracing himself as Bi-Han slowly began to close the distance that was between you all. 

"Y/n won't be going anywhere. Put her down, now!" Bi-Han's eyes fell on you, sleeping peacefully with Johnny. knuckled made a pop sound as he tightened them, as his face morphed into a vicious smear.

"Oh, don't worry, you'll be coming with us. I think Lord Liu Kang would like a word with you." Kung Lao took off his hat, readying himself to throw it if need be. Bi-Han scoffed at the sight. “You think I'll fall so easily?” 

“I beat you before, ‘Grandmaster.’ We'll do it again,” Kung Lao stretched slightly before falling into his fighting stance, Hat in hand. “Bah! I merely was holding back,” Bi-Han's hands radiated with icy energy. Kenshi unsheathed his sword, “And we've been trained with the Wu Shi. Do test us, we are willing to show what we learned.”

 Thunder crackled once more in the distance. Only now it was closer. Bi-Han turned, and somehow his smear worsened as Raiden flew in and crashed down behind him. 

Red Lighting flickered around him as he marched towards the Grandmaster. “Your men have been subdued,” Raiden started, then his eyes fell onto you. He froze as he stared, his face fell, and he settled into a look of horror. He grew angrier, his lightning hissed and licked like a snake's tongue around. “Surrender. Now. Or perish here." His voice grew more assertive.”

“I would rather die here than kneel before Liu Kang ever again.” The cold winds around Bi-Han worsened as he readied himself for kombat.ice gathered around him, forming spikes of ice.

“Well, we can't have that.” Johnny sighed as he walked over the portal, and he lay you down on the grass against the portal. You looked like Ophelia in a way, lying there peacefully.

“Bring it, asshole.” You hear as things slowly begin to go dark again and silent.

—

The battle was fierce; you could just feel it. As winds picked up, thunder crackled, you could hear the sound of punching, slicing, Ice balls, lightning bolts and sharp hats being thrown. The sound of Mortal Kombat itself. You're happy you couldn't see it, you kept coming in and out. Finally, things went black more permanently.

—

The air is much clearer now, where are you?

You wonder a syiu bolt upright in your bed. You're in a heavy sweat as you look desperatly around. You didn't recognize this place, it was calm and serene, it looked to be an ancient place. Where are you?

“Johnny?” You called out, unsure. “Raiden?” You called again when you didn't hear anything back. “Lao? Kenshi?” 

And then you realise, your body is back to normal. You jump out of bed as you feel your strength renewed.

“I am glad you are awake, Y/n.” Your head swung over to see where the voice was coming from. In a chair at the corner of the room sits Liu Kang. He sets a book down as he rises to meet you.

You never met a God before; he looked just like you imagined from what Raiden and Lao described. Glowing eyes and tattoos, a warm demeanour that makes you feel safe yet also makes you want to stay on your toes out of fear of being smited.

Instinctively, you bowed. You made it as graceful as possible. Perhaps you weren't as graceful as you thought, for Liu Kang chuckled. “There's no need for that.” 

“Walk with me.”

The gardens of the courtyard of the Wu Shi Temple were wonderful. You thought as you walked with the god. When you'd get home, you'd have to plant a garden just like this. You don't know what happened to your old garden, but you built an image of a new, better garden in your mind. One where you'll be sure to handle weeds much better than before.

“Kuai Liang and Tomas informed me of your…situation with Bi-Han. His adultery, his betrayal of me and all of Earthrealm.” Liu Kang started, guiding you down a set of stairs. “How you all stood complicit until his treacherous ways reached you finally.”

You held your head low in shame. “Forgive me, I knew what he was doing was wrong, but I…I” you struggled to find the right words. What could you possibly say to excuse what you've done? “You loved him.” Liu Kang finished for you. “I’ve been in love before. I understand the devotion that comes with lives, even when you know they're in the wrong.”

A gentle breeze tickled your face as you walked with Liu Kang. You saw monks in the distance banging each other and mending their wounds inside a building. “I do not hold this against you. Johnny tells me you even attempted to reach out to me and tell me what Bi-Han was doing. I see potential for growth in you.” You realise that Liu Kang is leading you towards the monks.

As you got closer, you recognised familiar faces in the crowd. “Y/n!” Raiden gleamed with newfound joy at the sight of you. He was busy cleaning a nasty scar on Kung Lao’s arm. When he heard you were near, Johnny stopped whining to Kenshi about his broken $500 glasses that Bi-Han broke during the fight. “Well, look who has risen.”

You smiled as you joined your friends. “They all fought directly for your honour and for your safety. You should be very proud of them.” They blushed at Liu Kang's words. “I-It was no problem.” Raiden quickly answered. “Anything for a friend.” He was too embarrassed to look at you.

“Yeah, yeah, what are friends for?” Johnny was embarrassed. “Yeah, friends, just when anyone asked, just say Kung Lao rescued you while the other watched.” Kung Lao joked. “Ow!” He immediately yelped as Raiden tightened the bandages with a grin on his face. “All jokes aside, I'm your okay, Y/n,” Raiden said with a soft and sincere voice. They all nodded in agreement.

You hugged yourself as you finally smiled. A real smile, it's been so long since you had one. And then it faltered like a candle flame flickering. You turn to Liu Kang. “Bi-Han, is he-” you once again struggled to complete your sentence, Liu Kang nodded, though if he knew what you were going to ask. “Yes, I'll take you to him.” 

He lead away deeper into the Wu Shi. Raiden waved good-bye and Johnny gave you “call me” gesture with hands as you walked away.

Liu Kang led deeper into the Wu Shi. Soon there was no gardens and sky, just stone as you entered the building.

Torches decorated the walls, giving light as you moved through the darkness. And then at the distance you see two figures, two yellow and one grey. Kuai Liang, Tomas, and Cyrax. It seemed they were deep in discussion as they seemingly guarded the door at the end.

As you got closer, you could hear a fragment of their conversation. “Sektor’s still at large. Shell try to rescue Bi-Han if we don't find her.” Kuai spoke to them; a long, red scar rested on his left eye. “Kuai…” you gasped, your voice reaching him before you do. They turn to look at you, trying to warm, welcoming smiles on their faces. “Y/n, I’m happy to see you well.” 

“And yet you're not.” Your eyes stay on his scar. Kuai understood what you were looking at, but he hesitated to touch it. “They had captured me and…did things to me. I would've suffered more grievous wounds had I not been saved by Cyrax.” He shot a smile at her, and she returned it. “It was nothing, I was only doing my duty as Lin Kuei.”

“Despite the betrayal, I am happy to see the Lin Kuei is in good hands.” Liu Kang nodded as he reached for his pockets and pulled out a key. 

“We won't fail you, Liu Kang,” Tomas said and then quickly bowed. “I know you won't. But I failed you, I now must fix that.” The three Lin Kuei looked over at the door they guarded, back at Liu Kang, and then at you.

They bowed and parted out of his way. “Good luck.” Tomas hugged you and whispered into your ear. 

Liu Kang inserted the key into the door and unlocked it. He slowly opened the door and looked at you. “I’ll grant you two a moment of solitude, to reconcile or argue, whatever you feel is necessary.”

You nooded as you swallowed the lump in your throat. You entered the room. It was cold, dark, only the window gave any type light in the room. It was generously big, almost like a mini apartment with things like pots and pans on a small stove, toilet at the far corner, and at the centre is a bed, where the fallen Grandmaster sat. 

He wasn't alone. There was someone sitting next to him. Sareena. She held his hand as she spoke to him. He looked almost sad as she spoke, he kept his face hard, but you could see the grief in his eyes.

At the corner of her eye, Sareena notices you. You two make eye contact. You both take a deep and uncomfortable breath. She turned back to him and whispered something to him. And then she kisses his forehead. 

Bi-Han refuses to look at you; his eyes stay on the mattress as Sareena rose to her feet and walked past you to the door. “Sareena.” You called her. She stops in her steps to look back at you. “Take care.” You mustered every bit of kindness in you to smile at me. Sareena must have shown the kindness to give you a semi-smile. “You too, Y/n. You too…” 

 She walks out the door, leaving you alone with your husband.

The silence was defeating as you stated down at the defeated man. He wasn't too badly wounded, just a few cuts and bruises here and there, nothing that won't heal. You had to give it to him, he still maintained a strong and powerful compared despite looking so defeated.

“This is um…cosy.” You finally manage to say. “The fire god intends to keep me here. He believes that so can be reformed.” Bi-Han replied, refusing to look at you. “Maybe you can be.” You sat yourself next to him on the bed. “Maybe you can…” You say again, but this time to yourself.

“He took my powers.” He says after a moment of silence, lifting his hands to show an iron cuff around his wrist. “These cursed things deny me my gifts.”

“I'm sorry this has to happen to you.” You touch the iron, and it's cold as ice. “You're not.” Your voice is soft as you speak to him, something that seems to upset him more. He snatches his hand away from you, he balls his hands into a fist and rests them in his lap. “So what is in store for you now, Y/n. There's you and that cursed actor. And then there's the rumour of Raiden's affections for you. It seems you have the means to replace me.” 

“No one can replace you.” Your eyes are soft as you gaze at your fallen husband. “Oh, spare me.” He still refused to look at you. “I mean it.” Your gentle hands rest on his harsh knuckles. His fist softens at your touch. “I meant what I said back at the safe house. I'll always love you. Part of me will always wish things were different, that things can still be different between us.” 

Bi-Han hesitated before looking at you. His eyes have softened. After a few years, even begin to drip from his eyes, you begin to cry yourself. “I'm going to miss you, Bi-Han.” Your grip on his hands tightens slightly, and his other hand takes. “I'll miss you as well, Y/n.”

You lean into each other, your lips touch. You kiss each other tenderly. In your head, you replay the day of your wedding, when you took his hand and his promises to love you always. The night of your honeymoon, when you lay on his chest and felt so safe and loved. How did things get to this? 

“Be good, Bi-Han, reform and get out of here. You were one of the greatest I've ever known.” You got to your seat. Bi-Han grips your hand one last time. “I’m…sorry”, he forced out. “I love Y/n. I'll never stop. You were one of the greatest women I've ever known.”

And with that, he lets your hands slip out of his.

—

The house was silent tonight, your mother thought as she eased into her chair. Today was a grueling day taking care of patients at the local emergency room where she worked. The tv was on and she had gotten ready to watch a movie. She was grateful for the moment to finally rest. A new one had just dropped, it had that actor in it. What was his name, Bonnie Bage? John Conner? Johnny Cage, that's the one.

She turned on the movie and got ready to enjoy a nice evening.

*Knock, knock, knock*

The sound disrupted her, she sat forward in her chair and looked at the clock. It's 9 in the afternoon. Who could possibly be visiting her at this hour?

She gets up and yawns. Making her way to the door, whoever was on the other side was very adamant that she heard you. “I'm coming!" she called. Adjusting her appearance slightly, she opens the door. 

Her whole body froze as she spied who was on the other side. “Y/n…” Her entire body froze as she looked you up and down frantically. “Hi, momma.” A strained smile on your face as you stood at the door awkwardly. She looked just like how you left her. Tired, yet life and warmth radiated in her eyes; you could only hope that she saw you the same way. “Y/n, w-what are you doing here?” Tears begin to well up in her eyes. 

“A lot has happened...” you started, trying to figure out just what to say. You begin to cry yourself. “A few friends of mine helped me get back here for a quick visit. May I come in? There's a lot I want to talk to you about."

A/n: And that's that! Thank you all for joining me on this ride as we went through this series. It was a mess, it was beautiful, it was fun. I love you all for staying with, I hope you all continue to stay with me on this journey as I find new ways to entertain you all.

On the bright side, now I can start writing softer and fluffier stories with Bi-Han again!