Tag: ryder/énna

Augury Series, Original Fiction

Augury of Water

Mertiya (AdmirableMonster)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Vicious fantasy violence, disease, drowning

Summary:  While Énna prepares to negotiate a treaty with the Aerie, Ryder tries to solve a set of mysterious drownings in the southern part of Bridehive.

A/N: Art by Zomburai.

Auguries Series

          I blinked my eyes open into watery sunlight, yawning and stretching, and reaching out blindly for Énna. My questing hand found a warm place between otherwise empty sheets, and I grumbled sadly beneath my breath. Gone again, and the sun was barely over the windowsill. He’d been working too hard, but then it wasn’t so surprising. In just a few weeks, the Monarch of the Aerie would be traveling to Bridehive to sign our treaty, and in the meantime, we were all trying to rebuild our hometown from the mess the Khar had made of it.

I was at loose ends. I’d been ordered to rest in the aftermath of my head injury, and it turned out I was not very good at it. I kept trying to sneak out and go to the library, at least, but the teachers were very serious that they meant mental rest, as well as physical. The headaches had faded almost five days ago, and at this point I was ready to stab something, just so that I could have a reason to do the purification rite. It would be better than lying in bed and staring at the ceiling.

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Augury Series, Original Fiction

Augury of Spirits

Mertiya (AdmirableMonster)

Rating: General audiences

Warnings: Mild fantasy horror

Summary: Wisdom and Nuada explore an ancient ruin after dark.

Writing and art by me.

Auguries Series

There was a chill wind blowing through the little graveyard, although with two of the three moons hanging bright in the sky above it, it wasn’t particularly dark. Wisdom crouched behind one large headstone, their small body entirely shadowed. They waited intently, peeking out to spy on the ivy-covered archway that formed the entrance. Several times, they thought they saw movement, but each time it turned out to be the flickering of the dappled shadows on the pathway when the wind blew through the trees overhead.

They had almost started to nod off when they heard soft footfalls approaching. They yawned widely, pressing their hand to their mouth, then leaned up and waited as the small figure made its way cautiously down the path and poked its head into the graveyard. “S-S-Song?” it called, a little tremulous.

Wisdom waited for a moment as the child shifted from foot to foot, wringing their hands, then leapt out from behind the grave with a yell. The other child shrieked and jumped about a foot in the air. They turned, about to run away, but Wisdom reached out and grabbed the back of their neck, almost unable to stand for laughter. “It’s just me.”

“You thrice-damned prick!” sputtered their friend.

“Aw, Nuada. You just squawk so cutely.”

Continue reading “Augury of Spirits” →

Augury Series, Original Fiction

Augury of Birds

Mertiya (AdmirableMonster)

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Explicit sexual content, explicit sexual images, suicide

Summary: Ryder, a soldier/scholar who left their hometown of Bridehive a decade ago, returns and reunites with a childhood friend, only to discover that the war they have been fighting has followed them.  

Writing by me, art by Zomburai.

Glossary of Important Terms:

Werman:  a person who went through testosterone puberty.

Woman: a person who went through estrogen puberty.

Noman: a person who went through combined testosterone/estrogen puberty.

Man: a person.

            The road to Bridehive was long, grey, and winding, and it hurt my feet. I didn’t remember the stones being so uneven when I was leaving, but it had, admittedly, been a long time. I was wearing armor when I left, a bright mail shirt beneath a lamellar tunic, but I’d abandoned the shirt somewhere along the way, and now the tunic was tucked under my arm instead, along with a rolled-up tent and some cooking equipment. Over my shoulder was a bundle containing the rest of my worldly goods, consisting of a half-melted tallow candle, a flint to light it, a talisman of Gauselen, and a very thick notebook that was getting worryingly close to being filled with my small, spiky writing. Someone once told me I wrote as if I were fighting a war: even the look of my letters was sharp. Continue reading “Augury of Birds” →