CedeTheBees
Probably high right now
- Location
- Somewhere
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Is that allowed?
Threads Of Destiny(Eastern Fantasy, Sequel to Forge of Destiny)
- Thread starter yrsillar
- Start date
- Original Users' Choice!
Voted best in category in the Users' Choice awards.
Lady_Story
Humble Teller of Stories, Villainess of Legend
- Pronouns
- She/Her/They/Them
Probably not but when have I not been full of utterly terrible ideas.
Edit: I should add that my goal here is not to win. It's more the attempt or thought at the attempt than anything really. Failing to learn not to fail instead of failing later because one did not learn and all that.
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- Location
- California
Not only are write-ins not really allowed, it's a terrible idea.
[X] The wound in the heart, the gash torn in Community (+1 Community XP)
Oliver_Twister
Idea-Man, He Who Shits Ideas
- Location
- West Africa
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] The wound in the heart, the gash torn in Community (+1 Community XP)
I made a promise so,
[X] There is no greater reward than bravery itself. Attempt to peer into all the wounds and risk breaking yourself in the process. (+1 Mystery XP)
I made a promise so,
[X] There is no greater reward than bravery itself. Attempt to peer into all the wounds and risk breaking yourself in the process. (+1 Mystery XP)
Blood and Mist 2
"That girl is certainly prideful, unless I have mistaken the young Miss Cai's character."
Gu Xiulan looked down into the arena where red light flashed in the mist that curled around the trunks of jungle trees, and did not immediately reply to her Mother's words.
"Tell me, does this Ling Qi imagine she can win in this battlefield?" Mother asked. And this time it was a direct question.
Gu Xiulan drummed her heel on the floor of the private box they occupied, and glanced over at Mother, who sat poised, beautiful, and unruffled in her own seat. She only wished she had half of Mother's unshakeable poise and composure. "No, I don't think she does. Ling Qi can be strangely prideful in some ways, but she is not so arrogant."
"I see, then why make such an enemy of the Sun? Even if the Cai are showing some favor to their enemies. It would seem to me that it would be better to make at least a pretension of being swayable, although, with that Bai clan, perhaps such ambiguity is impossible…"
Gu Xiulan watched the sparks fly and the ripping sound of whirring blades going through armor of wood and qi. Saw blood spill and heard her friends ragged breathing. "Ling Qi does not think that way, yet, not really. No, she is treating it as a personal matter. She's buying advantage. And... Yes, I do think she wants to humiliate the princess, just a little."
A flash, a defense on the princess' spirit beasts shredded, techniques unleashed, ripping the underbrush asunder as Ling Qi just kept taking hits.
"Buying advantage…I see, no matter the victor it is an ally who will fight the princess next. I see, and you think that it is her own volition?" Ai Xiaoli asked, leaning forward just a touch. Her painted face was still expressionless.
"Yes, Ling Qi can be both generous and stubborn," Gu Xiulan said resting her good hand over her burned on in her lap. "I do not think the young Miss Cai would order her to do this."
"Nor do I. It is a shame that one was out of your reach," Ai Xiaoli said idly. "Retainers like that are most valuable."
Gu Xiulan frowned, feeling the itch, the burning in her charred limb, the crackle of power in her veins. Was Mother scolding her? Scolding her for reaching beyond her means? She wanted to hope she was not. But, even if she was… Gu Xiulan didn't accept that. Not even from her Mother.
If there was anything she had learned from Ling Qi, it was that limiting oneself to their station was the cowards way, the lazy way, the mediocre way.
And she would never be any of those things.
Objectively, Bai Meizhen should have felt the same. She should have felt naught but satisfaction in seeing the heir of their great enemy failing to crush a common born cultivator outright. Instead, it was all she could do to not crush the stone handrests of her seat to powder and dust under her grip. It would be most embarrassing to destroy their hosts' furnishings so crassly.
Ling Qi was too reckless, she had pride so far above her station… but Bai Meizhen could not look down on her for it, whatever her education said on the matter. The people of the Emerald Seas were not the Bai; they did not have the luxury and privilege of having their roles in life so plainly laid out. They were a confused and confusing people.
She would be lying to herself if she said she had not become a little fond of that.
"You are troubled."
Bai Meizhen did not allow herself to flinch. She could feel her Aunt Suzhen's attention on her. She knew there was no purpose in trying to conceal her unease, not from the eyes of her Aunt. "Disciple Ling Qi has been a faithful and stalwart ally."
She couldn't quite meet Aunt Suzhen's piercing gaze as she said those words. It was beneath a Bai of the White Serpent to be attached to an outsider. She knew that, and yet, the feelings that churned in her heart could not be made to easily disappear.
Her attention was pulled back to the arena, the running clash between her friend and that…. harlot of princess ripping through the undergrowth. What was Ling Qi doing? She couldn't win like this, nor was she press Sun Liling enough to reveal another technique…
"I see, so that is how the girl has defined her victory," Aun Suzhen hummed thoughtfully. "Ambitious… but clearly within reach. Surprisingly sensible for a commoner. I find most who rise through the Sect system are foolishly arrogant creatures, imagining themselves the overturners of the world, until they are crushed by it."
"What is she doing then, Lady Suzhen?" Bai Meizhen asked, holding back her wince as A spear finally drew blood.
"Observe closely. If you value her, then it would be shameful to ignore what she is giving you."
Bai Meizhen's eyebrows drew together, and she focused herself, not on the unease or Ling Qi's wounds, or the boiling hatred in her stomach she felt whenever she looked upon Sun Liling. No, her efforts were on… the spirit.
She saw the creatures qi waver dangerously, and spotted for the first time, the illusion.
"The dancers of the Red Garden are devious," Aunt Suzhen said. "Yes, see their final defense, to fool the mind, even as it seems you are striking them down. And…"
The corner of her Aunt's lips quirked up.
The blast shook the jungle, blasted leaves and incinerated bark, shaking the whole battlefield.
"...Ling Qi," Meizhen said quietly, and this time as the spears plunged in and blood arced out, the handrests on her seat did crack. "...I am going to destroy that blood drunk witch."
Aunt Suzhen cocked an eyebrow. "See that you do. And, Bai Meizhen?"
"Yes, Lady Suzhen?"
"I do not disapprove."
Gu Xiulan looked down into the arena where red light flashed in the mist that curled around the trunks of jungle trees, and did not immediately reply to her Mother's words.
"Tell me, does this Ling Qi imagine she can win in this battlefield?" Mother asked. And this time it was a direct question.
Gu Xiulan drummed her heel on the floor of the private box they occupied, and glanced over at Mother, who sat poised, beautiful, and unruffled in her own seat. She only wished she had half of Mother's unshakeable poise and composure. "No, I don't think she does. Ling Qi can be strangely prideful in some ways, but she is not so arrogant."
"I see, then why make such an enemy of the Sun? Even if the Cai are showing some favor to their enemies. It would seem to me that it would be better to make at least a pretension of being swayable, although, with that Bai clan, perhaps such ambiguity is impossible…"
Gu Xiulan watched the sparks fly and the ripping sound of whirring blades going through armor of wood and qi. Saw blood spill and heard her friends ragged breathing. "Ling Qi does not think that way, yet, not really. No, she is treating it as a personal matter. She's buying advantage. And... Yes, I do think she wants to humiliate the princess, just a little."
A flash, a defense on the princess' spirit beasts shredded, techniques unleashed, ripping the underbrush asunder as Ling Qi just kept taking hits.
"Buying advantage…I see, no matter the victor it is an ally who will fight the princess next. I see, and you think that it is her own volition?" Ai Xiaoli asked, leaning forward just a touch. Her painted face was still expressionless.
"Yes, Ling Qi can be both generous and stubborn," Gu Xiulan said resting her good hand over her burned on in her lap. "I do not think the young Miss Cai would order her to do this."
"Nor do I. It is a shame that one was out of your reach," Ai Xiaoli said idly. "Retainers like that are most valuable."
Gu Xiulan frowned, feeling the itch, the burning in her charred limb, the crackle of power in her veins. Was Mother scolding her? Scolding her for reaching beyond her means? She wanted to hope she was not. But, even if she was… Gu Xiulan didn't accept that. Not even from her Mother.
If there was anything she had learned from Ling Qi, it was that limiting oneself to their station was the cowards way, the lazy way, the mediocre way.
And she would never be any of those things.
***
"An amusing display. I must commend the Cai's young miss. I have been skeptical of the Great Sect system in the past, but there certainly are some interesting talents to be found amidst the mud." Aunt Suzhen said. There was a touch of genuine humor in her voice, as she observed the match.Objectively, Bai Meizhen should have felt the same. She should have felt naught but satisfaction in seeing the heir of their great enemy failing to crush a common born cultivator outright. Instead, it was all she could do to not crush the stone handrests of her seat to powder and dust under her grip. It would be most embarrassing to destroy their hosts' furnishings so crassly.
Ling Qi was too reckless, she had pride so far above her station… but Bai Meizhen could not look down on her for it, whatever her education said on the matter. The people of the Emerald Seas were not the Bai; they did not have the luxury and privilege of having their roles in life so plainly laid out. They were a confused and confusing people.
She would be lying to herself if she said she had not become a little fond of that.
"You are troubled."
Bai Meizhen did not allow herself to flinch. She could feel her Aunt Suzhen's attention on her. She knew there was no purpose in trying to conceal her unease, not from the eyes of her Aunt. "Disciple Ling Qi has been a faithful and stalwart ally."
She couldn't quite meet Aunt Suzhen's piercing gaze as she said those words. It was beneath a Bai of the White Serpent to be attached to an outsider. She knew that, and yet, the feelings that churned in her heart could not be made to easily disappear.
Her attention was pulled back to the arena, the running clash between her friend and that…. harlot of princess ripping through the undergrowth. What was Ling Qi doing? She couldn't win like this, nor was she press Sun Liling enough to reveal another technique…
"I see, so that is how the girl has defined her victory," Aun Suzhen hummed thoughtfully. "Ambitious… but clearly within reach. Surprisingly sensible for a commoner. I find most who rise through the Sect system are foolishly arrogant creatures, imagining themselves the overturners of the world, until they are crushed by it."
"What is she doing then, Lady Suzhen?" Bai Meizhen asked, holding back her wince as A spear finally drew blood.
"Observe closely. If you value her, then it would be shameful to ignore what she is giving you."
Bai Meizhen's eyebrows drew together, and she focused herself, not on the unease or Ling Qi's wounds, or the boiling hatred in her stomach she felt whenever she looked upon Sun Liling. No, her efforts were on… the spirit.
She saw the creatures qi waver dangerously, and spotted for the first time, the illusion.
"The dancers of the Red Garden are devious," Aunt Suzhen said. "Yes, see their final defense, to fool the mind, even as it seems you are striking them down. And…"
The corner of her Aunt's lips quirked up.
The blast shook the jungle, blasted leaves and incinerated bark, shaking the whole battlefield.
"...Ling Qi," Meizhen said quietly, and this time as the spears plunged in and blood arced out, the handrests on her seat did crack. "...I am going to destroy that blood drunk witch."
Aunt Suzhen cocked an eyebrow. "See that you do. And, Bai Meizhen?"
"Yes, Lady Suzhen?"
"I do not disapprove."
Ah, Suzhen is best snek aunt. She approves!
Friendship approved!
- Location
- Earth
My, how embarrassing
- Location
- latvia
Truly she pulled a half mesure. Either leave it whole or in splinters! None of that just craked stuff!My, how embarrassing
It is nice to see her earlier actions from others POV. The not approving but rather not disapproving combined with picking out LQ's goal is very fitting. Knowing she can't win, she sets out to ensure that her allies can. The closest you tend to see to true cooperation/trust in Xianxia.
Looks like someone's been emboldened by the flame of ambition.
If some pontificating old guy with horns shows up, shoot him on sight.
Aunt Susan is the best. Terrifying but the best.
Oliver_Twister
Idea-Man, He Who Shits Ideas
- Location
- West Africa
- Pronouns
- He/Him
You know, the betrayal from Sun Shao is probably what hurts Liling the most.
For Isolation, hiding clan secrets is nothing new. She's the Sun clan heir. She's been doing this for a long time, and this is just another secret. It's a big and probably MOI-worthy secret, but it's still a clan secret.
For Power, having eyes blinded power ie getting pumped full of Jungle Juice is not what's hurting Liling the most. It's actually helping her cultivation, and she's moving faster than ever. As we've also seen, the Jungle Juice doesn't actually control her, just like Huisheng's qi affects us. She may have lowered inhibitions, just like how we have words and thoughts put in our head, but we technically agree with it.
Really, the problem is what Community is addressing: the betrayal by her Family. The fact that she didn't get a choice in receiving the Jungle's power and having this secret forced on her. Sun Shao is very big on Family; "Family is Everything. Everything for Family"
He taught Liling that lesson after his perceived betrayal by the Bai because family doesn't betray family. But Sun Shao betrayed Liling with his decisions. That, I believe, is the biggest wound to her.
Coincidentally, it's also the pain that Ji Rong can't reasonably discover on his own (hence asking unreasonable little gremlins like Ling Qi for help), which makes it even better.
[X] The wound in the heart, the gash torn in Community (+1 Community XP)
[X] There is no greater reward than bravery itself. Attempt to peer into all the wounds and risk breaking yourself in the process. (+1 Mystery XP)
For Isolation, hiding clan secrets is nothing new. She's the Sun clan heir. She's been doing this for a long time, and this is just another secret. It's a big and probably MOI-worthy secret, but it's still a clan secret.
For Power, having eyes blinded power ie getting pumped full of Jungle Juice is not what's hurting Liling the most. It's actually helping her cultivation, and she's moving faster than ever. As we've also seen, the Jungle Juice doesn't actually control her, just like Huisheng's qi affects us. She may have lowered inhibitions, just like how we have words and thoughts put in our head, but we technically agree with it.
Really, the problem is what Community is addressing: the betrayal by her Family. The fact that she didn't get a choice in receiving the Jungle's power and having this secret forced on her. Sun Shao is very big on Family; "Family is Everything. Everything for Family"
He taught Liling that lesson after his perceived betrayal by the Bai because family doesn't betray family. But Sun Shao betrayed Liling with his decisions. That, I believe, is the biggest wound to her.
Coincidentally, it's also the pain that Ji Rong can't reasonably discover on his own (hence asking unreasonable little gremlins like Ling Qi for help), which makes it even better.
[X] The wound in the heart, the gash torn in Community (+1 Community XP)
[X] There is no greater reward than bravery itself. Attempt to peer into all the wounds and risk breaking yourself in the process. (+1 Mystery XP)
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So seeing Bai Suzhen's musings on the fight. I suddenly "get" what the job of a Black Viper is. Because for Suzhen, she's not seeing some random commoner pick a fight she can't win: She's seeing someone sacrifice "herself" for the Bai. There have got to be hundreds if not thousands of years of stories from the Thousand Lakes where this kind of thing plays out, where a Black Viper sacrifices themselves (even if such sacrifice is not fatal) for their leige.
That fight, from Suzhen's perspective, would have been the embodyment of the role of a Black Viper, from a non-Bai.
That fight, from Suzhen's perspective, would have been the embodyment of the role of a Black Viper, from a non-Bai.
OctarineShrike
Avatar of Mandos
[X] The wound in the heart, the gash torn in Community (+1 Community XP)
[X] The wound in the heart, the gash torn in Community (+1 Community XP)
[X] The wound in the heart, the gash torn in Community (+1 Community XP)
[X] There is no greater reward than bravery itself. Attempt to peer into all the wounds and risk breaking yourself in the process. (+1 Mystery XP)
[X] There is no greater reward than bravery itself. Attempt to peer into all the wounds and risk breaking yourself in the process. (+1 Mystery XP)
