Jane's Acosf Au - Tumblr Posts

dannicalifornia7
2 years ago
The first page of a three-page comic. The world is shrouded in darkness, save for a crowned Nesta who glows from within and is alit with white flames. She has her back turned to Cassian, who cries after her, 'Come back Nesta! Where are you going?' She replies, 'For what purpose would I return? It is easy, this power. I am the void at the beginning and end of all things. I feel nothing. I want for nothing. I am nothing.' In the next panel, Nesta has turned towards Cassian, her hair swirling around her as if she was under water, and it is revealed that she is wearing the Mask of the Dread Trove. Cassian, out of frame, speaks, 'I understand you want to feel that way, Nes, I really do. But it's not worth it. What's it for, all that power? What's the point if you can't love or be loved? If you can't feel passionately enough about something or someone to really fight for it, for them? If you'll be alone for all eternity?' In the last panel, Nesta has turned fully towards Cassian and replies, 'I want to be alone and feel nothing. My skin hurts when I wear it.' Cassian has his hands outstretched, as if to pacify her. 'I know it does,' he says, 'But I'm begging you to try for my sake. I need you, Nesta. Take off the mask. If you still cannot bear it, the Trove is yours.'
The second page of a three-page comic. The first panel shows Nesta, glowing and aflame, looking down. 'You speak of such things because you believe we are bound,' she replies, 'But I am no gift of the cauldron.' In the next panel, she has thrown her arms up in exultation, decreeing, 'I am a curse, as tempestuous as the seas, as cruel as the sun, and as cold as the mountains.' The next panel features a close-up of Cassian looking upwards at Nesta. 'That's bullshit, Nes, and you know it. The bond only confirmed what I knew already, what I suspected before you ever became Fae. I'd choose you every damn day, Nesta, human or fae, bond or no bond. You're not a curse. You're not a burden. Not to me.' The next panel has zoomed out slightly to show Cassian has one hand lifted up and out towards Nesta, who is out of frame. 'Now, where is that proud, stubborn woman I've grown to love so much?' he asks. 'I want her back.'
The third and final page of a three-page comic. In this panel, Nesta appears to explode in a blinding white flash of light. Cassian, in the foreground, lifts up his arms to shield his face. In the next panel, the darkness has faded and the skies are hazy but blue once more. Nesta is seen taking off the mask and crown. In the third panel, Cassian cups Nesta's cheek as she weeps and says, 'There you are.' In the final panel, Cassian is embracing Nesta with a smile. He declares, 'I love you, Nesta.' Nesta is leaning into his embrace with a small, soft smile. 'I love you too, Cassian.'

My last and final wishful thought for ACOSF: I really would've liked to have seen Nesta's Cauldron-torn power and identity as a death-lady (a foil to Koschei's death-lord, if you will) play a far, far larger role. I would've liked to have seen her untrained and unfettered powers grow as a reflection of her desire to feel nothing—no shame, no self-loathing, no anger. I would've liked to see her struggle with her power more consistently throughout the entirety of the work and not just at the end. I wanted a bigger, more epic showdown than what we got so I imagined a boss battle with Briallyn followed by this post-battle scene of Cassian persuading Nesta to set aside Lady Death in favour of her own humanity. I also wanted a soppy declaration of love, dammit.

This moment was inspired entirely by Galadriel's temptation of the ring—(IN PLACE OF A HIGH LORD, YOU WOULD HAVE A QUEEN!)—as well as Eris' hair from Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas while I stole the ALL CAPS style of speaking from Terry Pratchett's Death.

Script under the cut for those who don't feel like zooming in.

C: Come back, Nesta! Where are you going?

N: For what purpose would I return? It is easy, this power. I am the void at the beginning and end of all things. I feel nothing. I want for nothing. I am nothing.

C: I understand you want to feel that way, I really do. But it's not worth it. What's it for, all that power? What's the point if you can't love or be loved? If you can't feel passionately enough about something or someone to really fight for it, for them? If you'll be alone for all eternity?

N: I want to be alone and feel nothing. My skin hurts when I wear it.

C: I know it does, but I'm begging you to try for my sake. I need you, Nesta. Take off the mask. If you still cannot bear it, the Trove is yours.

N: You speak of such things because you believe we are bound. But I am no gift of the cauldron. I am a curse, as tempestuous as the seas, as cruel as the sun, and as cold as the mountains.

C: That's bullshit, Nes, and you know it. The bond only confirmed what I knew already, what I've suspected before you ever became Fae. I'd choose you every damn day, human or Fae, bond or no bond. You're not a curse. You're not a burden. Not to me.

C: Now, where is that proud, stubborn woman I've grown to love so much? I want her back.

(The flames explode out, then the darkness recedes. In the middle stands Nesta, a High Fae again. Discarding crown and mask.)

C: (Cupping her cheek.) There you are.

C: (Embracing her.) I love you, Nesta.

N: (Leaning in.) I love you too, Cassian.

Tags :
acosf a court of silver flames jane's acosf au cassian nesta archeron
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