It Is In Death You Shall Find Peace (I Pray That The Living Will Haunt You No More)

Freedom's Blessings (Leave Behind Broken Chains)

@sagau-my-beloved, here it is! I tried to send it through an ask and failed. I got an error message instead? So I'm tagging through a post instead.

Where lightning ceases

The earth shall guard 

Where geo can not follow

The wind shall accompany 

It is a faithful companion 

That tells of stories and songs

From places and times long past

By your side he forms

Cheerful and bright 

Loving and sweet

Though it seems honey thick

Desperate and latching

Your presence is like water

A substance they cannot live without 

Or perhaps pooling blood

That seeps into every crack

Sealing it tight

Leaving an aftertaste 

That reeks of addiction 

Perhaps you'd think it of a warning

Were it not so innocent 

His joy is infectious 

And his charm irresistible 

Ignore the danger lurking

He is of no harm to you

A tamed pet for your eyes alone

Enrapture his gaze 

And direct his blade

Change how the winds should blow

And he shall bend to your command

He is yours 

So won't you be kind?

Even those who stand the trial of time

Can be even more frail than those who fall

Cherish his heart 

And the world is yours

The Line Between Devotion And Obsession Is Marked By Ink (Ink Is Reminiscent Of Blood, Is It Not?)

A small piece inspired by @flokali and their works. I hope you enjoy!

Your presence was a miracle

Every touch was a blessing

Something they surely did not deserve

They were not worthy 

Yet you gifted them such precious things

Indulged in their filthy desires

Allowed them so close

Adorned them with such pretty words

It drew them closer to devotion

And deeper into madness

There was nothing they would not do

Should you command them 

The countries they swore themselves to

The friends they promised to never betray

It would all burn to ashes 

They would stain themselves with blood

Taint their soul with sin 

As long as you approved 

If you smiled and praised and petted

Then they would be content

Even if the world were to crumble

And no one were to survive 

As long as you were happy

There would no greater honor

Than to die in your name

So don't fret too much

Command them as you please

They would want nothing more 

Than to be yours and yours alone

I think that one thing people fail to understand is that unsolicited literary criticism coming from an online stranger who is reading with no knowledge of what the authors intended goal is, is not going to be received the same as say: the authors beta reader or friends who know what the authors intended goal and has the sufficient knowledge and input to help the author reach that desired outcome.

"But I'm only trying to be helpful" How do I know you have the knowledge and literary skill for you to be able to actaully do that when we don't know each other and you are essentially a stranger to me? Are you applying this criticism based out of personal biased experience and desire to see the story or characterization be driven in another direction or tweaked, or do you know the author's intentions for the character? If the story is incomplete, are you basing your criticism of a character on the incomplete narration with only partial information available of them or are you building up a report until the story's completion? Did the author provide you with the information needed to make a fully informed criticism?

Have you discussed with the author what their plans are or are you assuming them based off the narration, especially if the narration is proven or implied to be unreliable or missing key points of the plot? Are you unbiased enough to help them reach their desired outcome for the characters and story regardless of your personal feelings towards the characters/antagonists and setting? Can you handle being told your specific input isn't wanted because you're a reader and/or have no written anything relating to their genre or topic? Do you understand and respect that the author's personal experiences might influence their writing and make it different than how you would have done it personally? Do you understand if an author only wants input from a specific demographic relating to their story?

If it's for fanfiction or other hobby media, are you holding a free hobby to a professional standard? Are you trying to give criticism because you feel like the author has produced 'subpar job performance' of their fic? Are you viewing their work as a personal intimate outlet or something that must conform with mass media? Are you applying rules and guidelines when the fic is shared for simple sharing sake? Is your criticism worded appropriately and focused on the parts where the author has requested input on rather than a general dismissal and or disapproval?

Have you put yourself in a place where you assumed you have the input needed for the story to evolve better, or have you asked what the author needs and what they're having trouble with? Can you handle having your criticism rejected if the author decides their story doesn't need the change and not take it as a personal offense against your character? Are you crossing that boundary because you think you are doing the author a favor? Are you trying to be helpful, or do you just want to be?

I think sometimes when people hear authors go 'please don't give me unsolicited writing advice or criticism' they automatically chalk it up to 'this author doesn't want ANY constructive feedback on their stuff at all' and not "i already have trusted individuals who will help me with my writing goals and- hey i don't know you like that, please stop acting so overly familiar with me'

Monstrous Devotion (It Will Devour You Whole)

Another piece for @m1d-45. It was meant to be short but as you can tell, got out of hand.

Desperation 

You remember it well

How it sparked your blood

And got it to run

How it tasted of bitter and tang

Much like the sting of blood

You remember how it kept you alive

Made your nerves so sensitive 

It prickled with every breeze

Every slight disturbance

How it kept your sleep light

And your dreams even lighter

Even now as you watch

The archons who adorn your body

With the most precious of gems

And the rarest of treasures 

They who once tried to shed your blood

To water their blade

You see the warriors of each nation

Who tried to rend your soul from your body

Attend your every need 

Degrading themselves as objects

As lesser than human

To try and exalt you higher

You feel more than you hear

As you watch once beloved characters

Stain themselves with sin

Desperation of their own

Rising to the surface

Their desperation is monstrous 

Predator to prey

Your own desperation has not waned

It has only grown

Writhing under your skin

Fueled by fine jewelry 

Silken clothes

And bloodstained manic smiles

Your forgiveness is not sincere

It is learned

Through a lifetime of pain

Of a death so vivid

You're desperate to stay alive

You are willing to do anything

But what once kept you safe

Will now be the one to deal a fatal blow

You already know this

Alarm bells ringing

With every minute move

But it's far too late

You're stuck in puppet motions

That are to never cease

Until the life drains from your eyes

Desperation made you learn to survive

And now that very same lesson shall be the one to end you

Reblog if you love AO3 and appreciate their volunteers who are working harder than God, fighting battle after battle, making sure the place that is a safe space for every fandom is staying up and running for all of us

I use a variety of things but mostly my messages app. I write and send drafts to myself.

plz reblog for science

Favors From The Unknown (A New Reality Born Of Two Worlds Colliding)

Happy Valentine's Day. I bring fluff, kind of. Not really but it's not angst.

Favors came in starshowers

Purple and gold hues

Surrounded in blues

Sometimes it was luck

Others not so much

But nonetheless it came

Believers yearned

Nonbelievers pleaded

One for approval

The other for forgiveness

Waterfalls of stardust

Swirl and coalesce

To lay blessings of power

Upon all who find themselves 

Underneath your banner

Proudly bearing your name

For all to witness

Normalcy Is What You Crave (But How Can You Be So Foolish?)

@m1d-45. I've returned with another poem.

Forgive and forget

An interesting saying, is it not?

But can it really be applied here

When the scars remain

Of cruel deaths 

And vicious hunts

When the memories linger

Plaguing the mind

Shattering rose tinted glasses

Can one be forgiven

Of such a heinous deed

Can one even forgive 

Such a terrible sin

When one pledges loyalty

Faith to the very end

But it is the monsters who stay

Devoted and loving

Forgiveness is not for you

They will never forget 

And they will never forgive 

Not in the way that matters

You who stood once so tall

Blessed and beloved

Are nothing more than sinners

Fallen from grace 

And it is before you 

Your honored god sits 

Surrounded by a court of monsters 

Who wait on them

For every beck and call

Forgive and forget, was it?

Pitiful.

Mercy was not meant for you

You shall find no salvation here

The Price Of Crossing A Bridge Long Since Burned (Your Memories Shall Do Just Fine)

A bit of a longer piece inspired by @flokali

In the quiet abyss of slumber

Stolen away from an empty home

Only to wake to familiar world

Not yours

Not quite

But close enough

You've been here before

Not as yourself 

But as a traveler seeking their twin

Searching for their other half

They shouldn't know you

In fact 

They shouldn't be alive

They should be codes and pixels

A world just imaginary 

Just fantastical and nothing more

Yet here you were

In a bedroom not your own

Surrounded by people you've seen

You've played with 

But by all means shouldn't be

You did not belong 

No matter what they claim

And yet here you are

The world will change 

Just as you already have

After all

Are you sure you've seen these people before?

Are you sure you do not belong here?

Do you remember your past?

Of your empty home filled with memories?

Memories you can't remember?

You don't recognize their names

And certainly not their faces

So how are you so sure you've met them before?

How are you sure you've been taken?

You're here aren't you?

They all seem so worried

And they know you so well

Hm?

Oh dear

Maybe you've been dreaming too long

You're starting to get everything mixed up

Don't worry

They'll take care of everything

And they'll take care of you

You shouldn't worry so much

I'm sure it's a little confusing

And I can sense your panic from here

Everything will be just fine

Besides

This life isn't so bad

I'm sure you'll grow to like it

It's all that you have now after all

The shatter of mirror fractals

Like the chiming of bells 

A fog settles and sinks

Muddling memory and thought alike

A drop in an ocean 

The ripples become waves 

And the waves rise into tsunamis 

As one life ends 

Another begins 

Stolen from a mundane world

To be exalted above all 

And chained to a throne

Meant for a righteous God

Is this a blessing?

Or perhaps it is a curse

Either way

It's far too late 

The die has cast 

And it's already begun 

No time for regrets

Not that you would remember any

Let's make the best of this

Okay?