content warnings: injury (aftermath), blood mention, waking up from unconsciousness, headache/past head injury, lady whumpee, hero whumpee, villain whumper, multiple whumpers, evisceration mention, sedation, magic suppression, exhaustion, mostly just angst
word count: 1202 words
Kiera woke up to a pounding headache clanging through her mind.
Well, she hadn’t really been fully asleep, but she wasn’t a vampire; semantics were hardly her thing.
The pain had been with her all night long, thrumming through her head like a storm of rippling waves, ebbing and flowing, easing, softening, increasing, but it never disappeared. Now, as she squinted at the window to her right through lashes that had dried blood clinging to them, her migraine returned full-throttle, slamming into her skull like it had something to prove.
She lifted a hand to scrub the soreness from her eyes, but it was jerked back painfully before she could register exactly what her surroundings were, and a thin silver chain jingled as she flinched, only ripping open another ache in her shoulder.
What in the hell…?
Kiera turned her upper body, squinting even more as she met the sunlight streaming in head-on—where were her damn glasses?—and felt her heart freeze up as she beheld the source of the sound from before.
Not just a chain.
A chain connected to her.
Shackled at her wrist, the metal warm from her own body heat.
Attached to the bedpost.
She was chained to the bed.
Restrained from moving off of its crisp covers.
Her mouth fell open in shock, and Kiera tried to form words, to even try justifying this to herself, explaining it, but all she knew was that she’d nearly bled out on the infamous Graywing’s doorstep, there had been pain, a dulcet voice, and now she was chained in what she could only hope was the guest bedroom of Gray’s house.
Although she didn’t really know if thinking of him as ‘Gray’ was fair, considering he’d locked her in place while she’d been vulnerable and alone.
At least it meant she’d slept for some interval of time?
“You can’t be serious,” she told herself. “This is not the time to be an optimist, Kiera.”
Looking back to the bedpost—polished, dark wood, at least five inches thick, maybe six—Kiera twisted the ring closed around it, but it had no latch, key, or seam. Like those magic tricks with stainless steel rings that interconnected and broke apart as if they were fantasy creations in a magician’s hands, enchanted with luck or illusion, except this wasn’t a magic trick. This was Kiera’s life, and her chain was not magic or fake. It was real as everything else.
She felt panic rise up as the realization hit her, the reality that this wasn’t a joke or an illusion. It drowned her organs, climbing from her belly to her throat in a matter of seconds, choking her quiet words away and blurring her vision.
Kiera felt her chest start to burn, the place where her heart was beating too quickly against her ribcage like a war drum. Her vision was swimming—when had that started?—and the fingers she’d clenched around the chain were shaking, rattling the metal so fiercely that it broke through Kiera’s heaving gasps.
Footsteps, clear and nimble, ripped her out of the haze, and Kiera’s heart doubled its speed as an almost-familiar figure cut through her still-blurry vision, dressed in a healer’s robes stitched with white. The fabric itself was black—villain.
She shifted back until her spine hit the headboard, the chain growing loose as she inched closer to the post, and a tenor voice she knew she’d never heard said in a half-sigh, “There’s no need to do that, Miss Hawthorne. Or do you prefer Starlight? It’s an adorable little moniker.”
“I would prefer it,” Kiera gritted out through her still-trouble vision, knowing for certain now that this was not the healer Gray—no, Graywing, damn it—had called last night to help her, “If you released me from this chain.”
The woman, still standing at the foot of the bed, shook her head, looking pleased with the fact that she could.
She smirked, cocking a hip. “The chain is there for safety, yours and everyone else’s, Miss Hawthorne.”
You think you’re finally getting power over a hero? Oh, yes, it must feel riveting to know you’ve got a half-dead woman chained to a bed. Safety, my ass. Kiera almost said the words when the statement rocked into her fully. Everyone else’s?
She swallowed, debating if weakness was something she was willing to display.
Curiosity—fear—won out. “What do you mean, everyone else’s?” Her mouth suddenly felt too dry, and she managed to rasp the question out. Clearing her throat, Kiera added, “Who else is here?”
The woman didn’t respond, but her lips quirked up sadistically, and footsteps echoed in the hall outside, tunneling a pit of anxiety in Kiera’s stomach. As they approached the door, she braced herself for the worst—and was not disappointed.
Gray strode into the room in a storm of dark fabric, and she felt her stomach bottom out entirely when he met her gaze with his cold, calculating eyes. Every ounce of empathy, worry, compassion, was gone from his face, replaced by the cold mask of his true identity.
“Kiera,” he said shortly, crossing his arms as he came to stand at the woman’s side. He was a head taller, but she deferred to him in the way a high-ranking citizen deferred to a soldier: with the knowledge that she had her own field and he had his, and that right now, he had the lead, but she was no subordinate. “There’s no need to act like an animal.”
Kiera flinched, as much out of fear as for show, and the chain rattled. “Then don’t treat me like one.”
Please, she thought. You’re my only hope. Her magic was still drained from the battle and near-death experience; even if it hadn’t been, she was sure there were wards spanning every inch of the place. Gray’s momentary softness for her—the worry she knew begged the heavens hadn’t been faked—was her only chance at salvation in this clearly dangerous situation, slim as it was.
“You’ll be released when you can demonstrate your trustworthiness, Miss Hawthorne,” the woman cut in coldly. Her ice-chip eyes were fixed on Kiera’s abdomen, the place where a metal rod had eviscerated her now bandaged and half-covered by the loose black t-shirt someone had changed her into—don’t focus on that thought.
“I don’t have to prove anything to you,” she snarled, barely getting the words out. “Let me go!”
“Do you need to be sedated, Kiera?” Graywing stepped closer, his golden-green eyes catching the light. They were the worst things she’d ever seen. The ugliest, most horrendous gaze she ever met, because unlike every other villain’s eyes, these reflected Kiera’s own face, betrayal etched into her features with a reverent hand.
She tore her gaze away from his eyes and jerked closer, nearly wrenching her shoulder out of its socket. Her free hand caught the edge of his shirt, black and soft like silk. “Please, Gray—”
“Sedate her!”
The woman snarled the order as Graywing ripped himself away, and a cacophony of booted steps slammed into Kiera’s ears, defeating her. When darkness ripped its claws into her flesh and drew nothing but pain, the ringing silence was broken by a single thought—
I'm SOOOOOO late, but here's your birthday present, @crystal-moon-101.
Starshard!Varian and Solana belong to Crystal. Go read her Stars In My Eyes fic before this one, as it is closely related to it.
Summary: Varian is troubled by the events connected to the Stuff of Vesuvius, and Solana comforts him.
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Everything was on fire. The buildings, the streets, the sky. He could see the merciless red tongues reaching out to cover every stone, every brick, every plank. He could feel the heat, the burning sensation touching his skin and leaving it hot and sweaty. His ears were filled with wood cracking under the force of fire and the screams. Oh, Demanitus. The screams.
High-pitched, bone-chilling shrills of pure terror rising to the sky, begging for help, pleading for some kind of miracle.
"You did this." A voice said from behind. His back tensed, every muscle pulled in a subconscious reaction.
"No…" He whispered, tears gathering in his eyes. "I didn't want this…"
"But you did. It's your fault. After all..." Andrew was standing right behind him. The alchemist could hear his breath on the nape of his neck. "... you were the one to open the door."
Varian's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to argue, but no sound came out.
"Nothing to say, buddy?" Andrew's voice purred into his ear and the teen suppressed a shiver. "No 'That's not true!', or 'You're lying!'?"
Varian clenched his fists as the Saporian laughed. He shut his eyes, stopping the tears that threatened to fall.
"You know why is that, don't you?" Andrew continued not bothered by the teen's demeanour. "Because no matter how much you try denying it, in the end it all comes down to one simple fact."
He was suddenly grabbed by the back of the collar and pushed forward, dangling over the edge. Under his feet, Corona burned, the magical fire enveloping everything in sight.
Varian's breath hitched as he stared at the drop, the only thing keeping him from falling was the grip on his shirt, the grip he knew would falter and he will plunge to his doom.
"Look, Varian! Feast your eyes upon Corona's downfall!" Andrew yelled, his voice sounding with joy. "Look and remember: this is all your doing! You could have prevented it! But you chose the lives of your friends over the safety of the whole kingdom. The lives which will be lost either way, because you were too weak to stop it!"
Varian couldn't speak. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't do anything but watch the fire burn, the purple and gold banners turning to ashes, the building collapsing upon each other.
And then, when he thought it was the end, that it can't get any worse… the grip disappeared. His breath hitched again and his eyes widened in horror, as he fell forward and down, down, down.
"Burn along with it, Varian!" Andrew shouted from where he was still perched upon the airship, the Staff of Vesuvius still in his hold. "After all, traitors pay with their lives."
Varian felt the heat of the fires getting closer and closer. His back collided with the concrete with such force, all breath was sucked out from his lungs. And then, everything went black.
It was all dark and quiet. Varian laid on his back, staring into nothingness. Was this is how afterlife looked like? The endless void with nowhere to go?
Suddenly, he heard something. A familiar hum resonating in the void, filling his soul with warmness and calmness.
[You are safe], it seemed to be saying. [Nothing can hurt you.]
Varian pushed himself up, only now noticing what he thought before was a black void, was in truth a starry sky. The lights blinked lightly, staring down at him.
He heard the hum again and looked the way it was coming from, noticing a white gem, floating several feet from where he was laying.
"Oh." He said.
Starshard glimmered at him in response. [I'm here.], it seemed to be saying. It twirled, the magic slowly embracing the teen like a warm blanket.
Varian sighed tiredly and took few steps forward, approaching the gem, before sitting back down, his back against it. It was warm, almost gentle, as a mother caressing a hand through her child's hair.
He closed his eyes and stayed silent for some time, listening to the hum of the Starshard and enjoying the warmth. He didn't know how much time has passed, but gradually his breathing evened and heartbeat slowed. He took one more calming breath before trusting his voice not to crack when speaking.
"Thank you." He said, resting his head on the smooth surface of the gem. It hummed in response, glimmering gently.
Varian once again fell into comfortable silence, letting the quiet hum and gentle glow of Starshard overtake his senses. Slowly, he could feel his panic subside, turning into the calmness of the mystical gem.
It wasn't the first time it pulled him out of the nightmare, which became much more frequent with the last events connected to Andrew and the Stuff of Vesuvius.
"Guess it's common goal of every villain to traumatise me." He said to noone in particular, chuckling at the bad joke. He let out a deep sigh and looked up at the starry sky. "I should probably get used to it then."
Starshard hummed behind his back, as if comforting the teen. He laughed and patted the crystal like one would pat an animal.
"Well, time to wake up, I guess." He said and glanced at the gem. It twirled and hummed in response, its magic gently wrapping around the alchemist, like a protective barrier of some sort. He smiled at the gesture and closed his eyes.
Varian opened his eyes and stared at the brick ceiling of his bedroom. He yawned and pushed himself up to the sitting position. He noticed his streak glowing and sighed. Guess this is how it's going to be whenever Starshard contacts him in his dreams. Luckily, anyone who would enter his chambers while he's asleep, knew about the mystical power and wouldn't be freaked out by his hair suddenly starting to glow.
His gaze moved to the nightstand positioned next to his bed and he smiled slightly. The lamp he created using the feather Solana gifted him was basking the room in the warm light. It didn't quite banish the nightmares, as he hoped when making it, but the sight itself when he was woken up from night terrors was enough to help him calm down.
Varian pushed himself off the bed and stood up, stretching his limbs with another yawn. He heard a chitter and looked to see Ruddiger waking up too, the raccoon quickly climbing to settle himself on the teen'z shoulders and nuzzle his cheek affectionately.
"Good morning to you too." Varian chuckled, scratching the raccoon behind its ear.
He put on his clothes and clasped on the capelet, his hand hovering over the sun symbol for a moment longer. Ruddiger chittered worryingly into his ear and Varian smiled comforting at his best friend.
"I'm okay, Ruddiger. Nothing to worry about." He said, the shadows of his nightmare still lingering at the back of his mind. He wouldn't voice his thoughts, though. Everybody worried about him enough, even without his sleeping trouble.
He left the room, Ruddiger still perched on his shoulder, and moved towards the kitchen, hoping to grab something to eat. He was just turning a corner, when a blurry of brown and purple rammed into his side and he fell forward, landing painfully on his back.
"Oh my gosh, Varian!" He heard a familiar female voice and Rapunzel appeared in his view, looking at him apologetically. "I'm so sorry, I didn't see you. I just got informed that the council meeting which was supposed to take place in the afternoon tomorrow, was moved to 8.30am today. And it's already 8.25!" She exclaimed on a single breath, while pulling the teen up to the standing position and smoothing his clothes. "I know that's no excuse, and I should still observe my surroundings, but you know how I am when I'm late: rushing forward without looking where I'm going. It's a good thing I have the layout of the castle memorized, or I would be bumping into walls and doors at this point. People are the only variables I can't take into account because I never know who will appear where. I mean, I do know that the guards are having a training right this moment, the kitchen stuff is, obviously, in the kitchen, and my parents are probably already at the meeting, which leaves only the maids and you, but I still should be more cautious and-"
"Princess, slow down. You're starting to babble." Varian interjected the speech with an amused glint in his eyes. Rapunzel blushed and he smiled. "I'm fine, no harm done. And you should really get going, instead of explaining to me what I already know."
"Oh, right! The meeting!" Rapunzel gasped, as if throughout her while tirade she forgot why she was in a rush in the first place. "Gotta go, see you later, Varian!"
She shouted and was disappearing behind the corner before the alchemist even managed to offer a response. He chuckled and shrugged his shoulders, him and Ruddiger continuing with their initial goal: breakfast.
It was good way past noon when Rapunzel stumbled into Varian's lab, dropping herself onto one of the chairs standing next to the table. The alchemist smiled at the woman's behaviour.
"Tough day?" He asked, glancing back at her but not stopping what he was doing. The brunette sighed dramatically and leaned lower on the chair.
"Try to sit through a 4-hour council meeting with everyone arguing about the best way to rebuild one street and then we can talk." She replied and Varian rolled his eyes.
"Nah, I'll pass." He said, dripping silver-coloured liquid into the beaker with a green one, and watching the mixture turn gold. "Besides, you wouldn't want me there. I would call everyone, including your father, an idiot and then you'll have even more work than you already have."
Rapunzel chuckled but didn't deny it. She sat in silence, observing how the teen worked. Or, more precisely, how he looked and moved. She noticed it only briefly when they bumped into each other in the morning, but only now had the occasion to confirm her suspicions.
"Are you sleeping at all, Varian?" She asked. The teen's back tensed for a fraction of a moment.
"Of course." He replied. Rapunzel didn't sense a lie, but she knew he was withholding something.
"How many hours?" The princess pushed. Varian stayed silent a few seconds too long before answering.
"Enough." He sighed and put away the beaker before turning to the woman. "Rapunzel, I am fine. I am sleeping. At least, until-" He suddenly caught himself off and looked away.
"Until what, Varian?"
The alchemist didn't meet her gaze, still stubbornly looking elsewhere. Rapunzel frowned and get off the chair, approaching her friend. She grabbed him gently by the shoulders.
"Varian, please. I'm just worried about you." She said, her green eyes pleading. "We all are."
"Well, maybe you shouldn't?" He mumbled, still refusing to meet her eyes. "I can take care of myself, Rapunzel."
"I know." The brunette replied, tears glistening. "I know… but, Varian… when you were taken… I thought we lost you… I thought-"
"You think I didn't?!" Varian shouted, turning to her angrily. "That I thought they were just going to let me go after I served my purpose?! That I'm going to get out of that tomb?! That I'll survive that fall?!"
Rapunzel took a step back, stunned, but the teen kept on going.
"I was terrified, Rapunzel! I had to be constantly alert, constantly on guard to not let them get to me, to not let them know about my powers! I had to work for them, knowing they are going to kill me!" Tears were falling down his eyes, but he didn't stop. "On this airship, I was sure I wouldn't come out alive, not this time! But I did. I survived and you know what? I didn't forget. My mind didn't forget. Each and every night it plagues me with nightmares, with what if's. So yes, I do sleep. Until I wake up covered in sweat and my heart beating so fast it's going to jump out of my chest."
Rapunzel backed down more, finally bumping into a shelf. The beakers and test tubes jingled at the movement and Varian stopped suddenly, painfully aware how terrified the woman was.
Scared, he turned on his heel and bolted out of the room, Ruddiger scrambling to follow. Stupid, stupid. She was only worried, and he yelled at her and made her fear him. Again. Andrew was right, he didn't change at all.
He was running through the halls, not paying attention to the people he was passing. He needed somewhere to go to, somewhere safe. Somewhere, where no one would find him, at least for some time.
He skidded to a sudden stop, Ruddiger bumping into his leg. He knew just the place.
Varian leaned over the side of the basket as the air balloon soared through the sky. He was positively surprised the whole 'Saporians Incident', as he referred to the events, didn't end up with him having flying trauma. He loved travelling this way: it was time-efficient and allowed to reach places which would be difficult to do so by foot or on horseback.
The wind rushed through his hair and he let out a content sigh, watching the world pass by underneath his basket. Ruddiger was sitting on the railing, sometimes leaning over in an attempt to paw at the passing clouds. Varian smiled at the raccoon's antics and stayed close enough to catch the playful animal if it leaned too far.
He looked up and in the distance saw the familiar peak of Mount Glacignis. He couldn't contain the smile that made it's way up his lips. Even though the mountain and the tomb hidden within held many painful memories, it was also a home to a dear friend of his, a majestic being who not once proved itself amazing companion and a comforter.
Solana, in comparison to Rapunzel and everyone else back home, didn't treat him like a glass ornament ready to break the moment they look away. She was always ready to comfort and cheer up the teen, but never looked down on him nor wore this worried face everyone around him seemed to adapt as of late. That didn't stop her from acting like a mother around him, a fact that made Varian laugh rather than be annoyed with the creature. Try to argue with someone who is at least ten times larger than you and can burn you to crisps (not that Solana would ever do that, but the point still stands).
The basket touched down on the snow-covered mountain, just outside the entrance to Haco's Tomb. While the Saporian airship was way too big to land in such close proximity to the chamber, forcing them to climb all the way up, the air balloon was much smaller and allowed Varian to skip the climb every time he went to visit Solana. And considering the mountain was very steep and full of deadly cliffs hiding underneath the snow, the teen was more than happy to fly all the way to the peak.
The alchemist jumped out of the basket, Ruddiger once again taking his place on the teen's shoulders, and made a small trek through the snow to the cave. He went down the stairs and pulled out the red-and-orange feather from the inner pocket of his winter coat. The massive door lit up and opened to reveal a darkened chamber, the torches hanging from the walls only now coming to light. Varian stepped in and heard the stone doorway close shut behind him. He didn't worry, however, as he knew Solana will open them for him whenever he would be ready to go back.
Speaking of, the huge phoenix perked up from where she was resting against the Staff of Vesuvius, and visibly brightened up (in literal sense) when she noticed the teen coming closer. He touched her head in a caring manner, gently running it through the feathers. She leaned to the touch and crooned quietly, welcoming him back.
"Hey, it's- I know we've seen each other only two days ago but-" Varian bit his lip as the memory of his latest nightmare and the conversation with Rapunzel replayed in his head.
Solana tilted her head to the side, before nudging his hand with her beak, in a comforting way. The alchemist smiled involuntarily.
"It's nothing… just some nightmares… and stuff…" He replied, trying to play it off. Even though he came here because he knew Solana will go and start comforting him, he was reluctant to speak about his troubles.
The mystical bird blinked but seemed to accept his decision. If he didn't want to speak, she wouldn't make him. That's why he preferred Solana's company to his friends and family back in Corona. While all of them cared about him, only Solana seemed to respect his unwillingness to talk about his problems. Others usually tried to push him into explaining what was troubling him, was it whether by straightforward or more subtle hints. He loved them all the same, but he sometimes wished they gave him space when he clearly needed it.
He was pulled out of his thoughts by another nudge into his side, and blinked to see the phoenix tilting her head towards her back. Varian grinned at the implication and wasted no time in climbing up the creator's side and securing himself at the back of her neck. Ruddiger clambered up right after and sat in front of his boy, ready for a ride.
Solana looked back to make sure both of her passengers were secure before lifting off, up the chamber through the hidden tunnel and out of the mountain. Varian was hit by the cold air and he stifled the gasp that tried to escape his mouth at the sudden change. Ruddiger tensed and clung to Solana's neck, only now realising flying a phoenix was nothing like riding a horse. The alchemist chuckled and petted the raccoon, comforting the scared animal.
Solana broke through the clouds and evened, spreading her wings wide to let the wind direct her flight. Ruddiger slowly uncurled his fingers from where he was clinging to the creator's feathers, only now daring to open eyes and look around. Varian did so too, a wide smile spreading on his lips. There was something calming in the way Solana soared through the sky, letting the wind guide her. He closed his eyes and leaned back, hands not letting go of the phoenix's neck, enjoying the way the wind ruffled his hair and pulled at his clothes.
After what seemed like hours, Solana finally started lowering her flight, directing them back towards the mountain. Varian clung to her neck as she descended and flew into the tunnel again, bringing them back inside the tomb. Her legs touched the ground without the jostle and the alchemist allowed himself to sit there just a moment longer, before swinging his leg over the creator's body and sliding down. Ruddiger chittered at Solana what he thought was a thank you and jumped down too, going for his usual spot on Varian's shoulders.
The ten reached his hand and patted the mystical bird's neck in gratitude.
"Thank you." He whispered.
Solana nudged him gently with her beak and did something which could be her equivalent of rifling his hair, but felt more like pouncing on his hair strands with her beak instead. Varian pouted and playfully swatted her head away, smoothing his hair. Really, why did she always have to do that?
She stared at him and he realised she was asking whether he was alright now.
"Yes, I'm better now, thank you." He replied and she nudged his cheek with a beak again, something like a gentle kiss of some sort. He blushed fiercely and he could swear he saw a playful glint in those fiery eyes.
He yawned, suddenly feeling extremely exhausted. Solana eyed him for a moment, before laying down and gently pushing him towards her side. He tried to argue, but the phoenix was stubborn, and he really needed a rest, his night terrors not really leaving him well-rested, even if he did sleep the whole night.
With one more nudge, he finally gave up and leaned against the warm body, the slow rise-and-fall of Solana's chest and the sound of her beating heart working like a mother's lullaby for his tired body. He felt Ruddiger cuddle next to him the raccoon never backing down on an opportunity of a nap, and soon felt himself drifting away into a peaceful slumber.
When he awoke again, he was pleasantly surprised to realise, none of his usual nightmares made their appearance. He laid awake, eyes staring into the dark ceiling, until he felt both Ruddiger and Solana stir awake. The phoenix raised its head and stared at the massive door, as if looking through them. Varian 's gaze jumped between the creature and the entrance, wondering what was going on.
"Everything okay?" He asked, observing the mystical bird in confusion.
Solana pushed herself up, Varian doing the same since he could no longer lean against her side. He would much prefer to stay snuggled in the warm feathers, but the curiosity got over him. He followed Solana to the door and she reached one of her wings to touch the stone, the markings lighting up in an instant. The door let out a groan and started to open, the light from the cave getting inside the tomb.
"I'm just saying, we have no way to- woah, it's opening!" Varian heard a familiar male voice and saw two figures standing in the open doorway.
"Eugene? Rapunzel?" He said in disbelief. "What are you guys doing here?"
"Oh, Varian! I was so worried!" The princess launched herself at the teen, locking him in one of her bear hugs before he could react.
"I-I'm fine." He replied, stunned by the reaction. "Except for the fact you are choking me."
"Oh, sorry." She released him quickly and grinned sheepishly.
"See? I told you he'd be fine." Eugene said with a grin of his own. "The big bird here wouldn't let him get hurt, am I right?"
He tried petting Solana's back, but the glare she gave made him retreat his hand before it got bitten.
"You were worried about me?" Varian looked at the princess in puzzlement. "Why?"
"You looked so troubled when you rushed out of your lab." Rapunzel replied, her finger playing with one of her hair strands. "I tried to follow you, but you were too fast. By the time I thought to check your room, you were already gone. I noticed the feather gone as well, so I figured you must have come here."
"She practically dragged me from the Royal Guard training because she was worried for you." Eugene laughed and Rapunzel blushed in embarrassment.
"But… why?" Varian asked, still confused. "I yelled at you."
"It was my fault. I shouldn't have pushed you." The brunette shook her head. "I'm sorry, Varian. I was so caught up in how we almost lost you, I got a little too overprotective."
"It's… it's alright." Varian mumbled back. "Still, I'm sorry I shouted at you. I shouldn't have done that. I was just tired from…" He fell silent, not wanting to mention the nightmares.
Solana seemed to sense his distress, because she nuzzled her beak against his cheek, Ruddiger doing the same from the other side.
"It's just-" He tried again. "You all treat me like I'm going to break the moment you take off your eyes from me. I know you're worried about me, but you don't have to walk on eggshells around me."
"I wasn't-" Rapunzel argued but Eugene cut her in.
"Okay kid, we got it. Less worrying, more trusting." He flashed Varian a smile. "But can you really blame us? You seem to be a magnet for trouble."
"Hey, it's not my fault I'm a genius." The teen gasped in fake offence. It would have come out more convincing if he didn't grin like an idiot.
"Never say you were." Eugene grinned back. "Now let's go back before your dad notices you're gone and turns the whole kingdom upside down to find you."
"He wouldn't do that." Varian laughed.
"Look me in the eyes and say that again." The man countered.
Varian turned back to Solana and petted her softly.
"Thank you for… everything." He said. The phoenix nuzzled him again and then pushed him gently towards his friends. He laughed. "I'll be back in two weeks."
Solana nodded and turned away, moving back to the tomb, the door closing behind her.
"Okay, let's go back before my dad really does something stupid." He said, moving towards the exit of the cave and to his air balloon."By the way, how did you two get here?"
"We had Max take us here, but I sent him away when we saw your ride." Eugene replied.
"You know you could have taken another balloon, right?" Varian raised his eyebrow. Eugene laughed.
"Didn't think of it, actually." The man said. The alchemist rolled his eyes.
"I hope you at least treat Max to something good for getting you guys here in one day." He said as he started the fire and the basket rose into the air.
"I'll get him a bucket of apples." Rapunzel promised and Varian laughed.
"I'll make sure to keep Ruddiger away from the stables then." He winked and they all shared a laugh, as Mount Glacignis turned smaller and smaller.
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So that was it. I hope you liked it. Please, reblog if you did.
(TW: nausea, criminal mention/appearance, violent law enforcement mention, rats, bat mention, eye injury/scar, pinned to the wall, ice burns/blisters, choking, suffocation, lacerations, blood mention, begging, sadistic whumper, threats, major character death)
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Hero drew his black hood lower over his face, his footsteps silent on the muck and mud covering every inch of the sewers’ stone brick floor. At his side, inches away from his feet, water rushed violently, a sickly shade of blackish green that made him flinch when he looked at it. He swallowed down the nausea in his stomach as he had to inhale once more, the rancid stench of people’s trash and other, less delectable things, floating through the water like flailing rafts.
He had traveled for years, picking up knowledge and experience like boulders that weighed down on his shoulders with their importance, but never had Hero been in a sewer. He couldn’t exactly say it was a pleasant experience, but the underground city of thieves and criminals was safer for him than the moonlit streets of the city, patrolled by violent guards who had nothing better to do than terrorize visitors out past sunset. Even those living there rarely ventured out after dusk, but Hero was one of the few whose journey would always continue, regardless of time or season.
A figure flashed in his periphery, the single streak of white hair enough for him to identify the criminal as a member of the Villains, one of the more sadistic and dangerous gangs that thrived in the sewers’ nest of chaos and shadows. He continued on his way, paying the lanky villain’s sidekick little attention—the back of his neck had prickled hours before, announcing this very moment, and he’d already seen the thousands of ways it could end depending on his actions.
Hero pressed on, the water rushing so quickly its roaring dulled his own thoughts to nothing as the shadows grew longer and the rats began to crawl out, snarling at him with their red eyes and chipped, yellowed teeth. One even scurried across his feet, clawing and hissing.
Still, he paid them no mind.
It must have been close to an hour of walking when Hero saw another Sidekick, hanging from the ceiling like a bat, braids of dark hair swinging as the thief’s face peeked out, eyes tracking his every step and breath. He noticed that one eye was horribly scarred, white fractured with gold shimmering in the iris. The moment Hero’s gaze landed on him, the Sidekick disappeared, drawing into the shadows with a near-silent snarl.
As Hero drew closer to the center of the sewers, he felt more stares land on him; some as invisible as the air around him, others hissing like animals, even more staring at him with impassive eyes. He was about to turn a corner when cold hands slammed into him, materializing out of thin air and pinning him to the wall.
Another set of hands joined, slamming Hero’s other shoulder into the wall as well, and his hood was ripped away by a cold, clawed hand that dragged over his eye and cheekbone before withdrawing, the caress staining him with disgust as he fought, blood roaring in his ears.
His feet kicked up mud and trash, but the holds on his shoulders were too strong, and before he could reach for a weapon—for his magic—his hands froze of their own accord, twisted with silver-tinged ice that burned his skin upon contact, raising blisters as the frost curled up to his elbows like an agonizing mimicry of gloves.
Hero opened his mouth to scream, but a warm hand found his lips, pressing down, and a soft dulcet voice shushed him. He felt a lace cuff brush his chin, but he couldn’t make out the people around him—it had gotten gradually darker, immersing him so slowly in shadows he hadn’t been fully aware it was happening until now, when it really mattered.
His captor’s other hand found his throat, and sharp nails dug into his throat, squeezing Hero’s windpipe so suddenly that his vision turned white and he lost the ability to breathe. All that came out was a few wheezing pleas, noises so inhumane he would have been ashamed to make them, and then the voice started speaking, so soft he could barely hear her past the blood thundering in his ears and the war drum that had become his heart.
“You’ve got a lot of nerve to dredge up my old fears, Prophet,” the voice snarled—a villain—so close to his ear that he recoiled into the wall, sending another jitter of agony through his arms as they crashed against dirty stone. “Did you not remember who I was when you made that little prophecy?”
She loosened her hold slightly, just as black began to darken over Hero’s vision, and gave him a single heartbeat to breathe before her nails dug into his throat again like a vampire’s teeth, splitting skin.
“I—w-what are you…what are you talking about?”
—
Blood ran in rivulets over the Eidolon’s nails, staining rivers on her skin. Blood always ran so beautifully, winding roads and rivers and paths across gooseflesh-covered skin, a morbid map of every injury she inflicted on her victims.
Usually she found each trail to be mesmerizing.
Today, however, Solana was preoccupied with a certain prophet currently struggling for breath under her hold. And he hadn’t even realized his mistake—
Solana glanced to her second-in-command, who had lies and truths snaking across her mind, but Cynthia shook her head, red hair moving with the motion, denying the so-called hero any chance at neutrality. The single action condemned him in the Eidolon’s eyes; after all, it meant that this prophet had the audacity to spread counterfeit fortunes foretelling Solana’s pain… and lie to her about it. How absolutely in character.
Her sidekick’s holds tightened on the ice holding the prophet in place, and he gasped out a strangled, “Wait—I’m sorry! Please, I-I I’m so sorry, I wasn’t…I didn’t…It was m-me, yes, but t-the prophecy was only meant to—”
She cut him off with a snarl, feeling his pulse speed up under her carefully placed fingers. The kill was no fun without the hunt, after all, and as much as she had done this for vengeance, for the smear across her reputation his words had caused, Solana had also chased the prophet down for the thrill of it. It had taken her weeks to plan for this moment in a hushed whisper that spouted half-coherent plots layered over each other, blending reality with thousands of other ideas that would take on a background of unimportance in every magic-wielder’s mind.
Now, all of her anger poured into words she hadn’t planned to say.
“You let one of your charlatan’s tricks spread too far a fortnight ago, prophet. Tales of my downfall have begun to spread over the world, leaking into the minds of the people and poisoning their thoughts. And one thing I can assure you of is this: when you interfere with the matters of the underground cities, you make more enemies than you will ever make friends, even with the nation’s people at your back.”
Her hand curled into the prophet’s throat, and blood spurted in a vicious streak across the Eidolon’s face. Solana didn’t bother to wipe it away as the prophet’s corpse tumbled to the ground and she turned, continuing down the into the tunnels.
Blood dripped from her nails in a jagged path all the way down.
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this uses characters from my story, Starlight (aka OCs Kiera & Gray), but this isn't fully canon! more like a multiverse/AU!
Whumptober No. 4: “Don’t be scared, I’ve done this before.”
[Prompts: Non-Human Whumper | Iron Rod | Loss of Powers]
(TW: villain whumper, healer whumpee, home invasion mention, manipulating, begging, burns, debt/favor/betrayal called in, forced service, loss of powers)
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When Phaedra let herself into her apartment, she noticed immediately that something was off. Setting her groceries down near the door, she realized why.
Solana was standing in the living room, her black robes dragging on the floor, staring out the window with her back to the healer. Golden embroidery glittered in the sunlight streaming in, a colour that made Phaedra’s stomach drop instantly—gold meant war.
Before Phaedra could say anything—she didn’t really know what was even appropriate—Solana spoke, turning to face her with a cold expression. “Did you know Graywing has a guest?” she asked, her dulcet voice ringing with unmistakable power.
“I—”
“No need to lie, Phaedra, I’ve met her myself. Starlight, or so everyone keeps calling her. An absolutely adorable nickname for someone as harmless as a barking chihuahua.” Solana fixed her gaze on the healer, her tight smile as fake as the pleasantries she was insisting on. “You might know her as Kiera, though. Isn’t that right?”
Phaedra flinched. She’d known this would happen, had known Gray wouldn’t manage to cover for her, but she’d never expected Solana herself to show up like this. At worst, it should have been one of her mindless henchmen, delivering a warning. Tucking her shaking hands into fists, she said, “I promise, Solana, I didn’t—”
“What? You didn’t know? You didn’t mean it? We both know those are lies, and I’ve had enough of those from you. You helped a hero, didn’t you, Phaedra?”
“I swear, I didn’t do anything but heal her, Solana. I owed Gray a favour and he called it in. I didn’t even know who she was until I got there.” Phaedra tried to keep her posture straight, but the villain’s cold stare was making her heart beat faster and faster with each passing second, making it difficult for her not to shrink in on herself.
Solana tsked. “That isn’t what I asked, is it? I asked if you helped one of our people’s worst enemies. And the answer to that…is yes.”
“Solana, please—”
The villain stepped forward, her eyes narrowed. “You have two choices, Phaedra. Bleed, or comply with my demands.” Her hands withdrew a long iron rod from the folds of her robes, manicured nails gleaming, as perfect as everything else about Solana’s viciously polished appearance. In comparison, Phaedra felt disheveled and weak. Still, with shaking steps, she came closer to the villain, knowing very well what was about to happen.
“You owe me a debt for the betrayal you have committed, Phaedra. I suppose, if you accept, you’ll be seeing much more of Kiera than anyone else. Unless you’d prefer to take her place and bleed for your crimes instead?”
“N-No, please, Solana that’s not necessary—”
The villain smirked, reaching for Phaedra’s wrist. She let Solana take it in silence, trembling with the fear—the knowledge—of the bargain she’d just struck as the metal rod twisted across her skin, morphing into a bracelet-like cuff that covered the entire of her forearm, from elbow to wrist.
And it burned.
Phaedra cried out as the metal touched her bare skin, raising welts on her arm, but Solana’s glare kept her pinned in place, daring her to even try and fight against the sworn loyalty now being etched into her skin.
She turned her eyes to Solana as her vision filled with dark spots, begging the villain to stop the pain tearing her skin apart, but all she heard was “don’t worry, darling, I’ve done this before” before the pain drowned out her hearing again.
The burn began to subside after a little while, leaving stinging agonies in its wake. Solana glanced at it with a small smirk. “Meet me at midnight.”
Then the Eidolon vanished in a blur of reality, leaving Phaedra alone with a burning iron cuff on her wrist and the distinct sensation that she couldn’t feel her powers anymore. Sweat running down her back, Phaedra tried to reach into herself and find that part of her soul that had always managed to heal, but for once in her life, it had withered to an empty hole.
It was then, when she realized that the thing most precious to her in the world had just been ripped away, that Phaedra sank to her knees on the floor, shaking.
And then she began to cry.
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this uses characters from my story, Starlight (aka OCs Kiera & Gray), but is only sort of canon! it IS actually true and actually has plot relevance but also like idk.
Xiang certainly didn’t mind the quiet. She could do with or without the company. Spent most of the day walking around the fort. Kicking around stones. Napping. Training, too. And when she had absolutely nothing else to do, finally, tidying up a little. Just a little. At first just kicking more rubble around, gods knew there was enough of that. Then, starting to sort of move it aside. And by the time the absent ones returned, she had taken to carrying an armful of rubble and dropping it just outside the walls. She had just done so when she got a glimpse of red and black and gold out of the corner of her eye. The dancer, huh?
Glanced at her just to check, but her eye was drawn by the state of her- clothing sort of dishevelled, now short hair untidy with dust and dirt here and there. Most importantly, smaller wounds all over. Yup, she knew the signs of a battle when she saw one. Unceremoniously, and loudly, loud enough to draw the dancers attention probably, she dropped the rubble she had been carrying and dusted off her hands.
“You look like shit.”
She said, in a manner-of-fact-ly tone, nodding at, well, all of her.
Kicking up her boots and just relaxing wasn’t so bad really. As long as it only lasted for a few minutes. An hour, at most. Any more than that, and Xiang would, without fail, get restless. It started with her legs twitching slightly, with cracking her knuckles or tearing out grass, and finally she’d get on her feet and find something to do, preferably something involving a degree of risk. Though really she’d just settle for ‘something’. And she sure was in that mood now. Getting up from the ground with a frustrated groan and not even bothering to dust off her clothes. Fang raised his head slightly when she went off, but didn’t do anything or follow. He knew her moods well from the years they’d spent together. She’d likely just take a turn around the small makeshift camp, explore a bit, maybe set up a bet or start an argument. The usual. She wasn’t even wearing her armor, didn’t think she’d need it much within the camp, and besides, even if she did fighting with that sort of handicap could be interesting. Someone could just take her out with a well placed stab this way. She thought about it in a strangely neutral way, as one would consider a vaguely interesting fact, and then moved on from it quickly. It wasn’t like the chances of being attacked were that high. Fights didn’t usually just happen, and she wasn’t one who people would pay money to have killed either, so she wasn’t prone to paranoia in this. Though still lost enough in her thoughts to bump into someone- bump may not be the right term here, going by the strength used. Her shoulder and arm slammed into the person, who was sure to feel the impact, as opposed to Xiang herself, who really needed a bit more to feel particularly bothered. If it hadn’t slowed her down a little she wouldn’t have paid attention at all. This way though, her eyes quickly snapped to whoever she’d made contact with. Red robes, too many details, too fancy. The dancer, right. She immediately lost interest. Dancers were one step below even singers. As if she had time to sit around and watch them twirl. Without saying a word, she continued on her way.
Okay so here’s what I’ve been up to lately, drawing these. I’ll upload more tomorrow but for now have these three! @blackdragonquin (who was surprisingly nice to draw) @dancer-of-the-sun (who has too many see through clothes so of course I added one more) and @viva-la-vena (who ok idk how she turned out but at least her face was fun to draw?)
