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sga_santaADMIN NOTE: Story removed at author's request and with recipient's agreement.
Title: The Sacrificial Mage
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
taste_is_sweet
Recipient:lavvyan
Pairing: McKay/Sheppard; Teyla/Kanaan; background Weir/Zelenka
Rating: R
Word Count: About 65,000
Disclaimer: Nothing in the story to do with Stargate: Atlantis belongs to me. Some of the other stuff doesn't either.
Warnings: Graphic violence; self-harm which could possibly be triggering.
Author's Notes: I had the honor of writing forlavvyan, who wanted a long, plotty McShep fic with Pining!John, Oblivious! Or Aware! but Rejecting!Rodney (for a good reason), and lots of drama and angsting before the mandatory Happy Ending. She also wanted AUs (preferably Fairy Tale AUs), little to no sex, skin hunger, John or Rodney protecting the other, Team Coolness and Radek. Not necessarily in that order. I think I got 'em all. ;D
I can say with no word of a lie that I worked like hell for this. This story was a labor of love that ended up being a successful NaNoWriMo novel, and then longer besides. I had been excited about the challenge of writing a perfect story gift for a stranger anyway, and when it turned out my recipient wasn't so much of a stranger after all it just made it that much better. (There's a homage to you in here, Lavvyan, above and beyond the entire story itself).
I had a blast with this thing, and I can only hope thatlavvyan enjoys reading it half as much as I enjoyed writing it for her.
Fun though this story was to write, I would never have finished it without the help and boundless enthusiasm of a bunch of wonderful people: The entire![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
wrisomifu community with their tireless support and cheerleading; annieb1955, fish_echo and ribbon_purple because of their invaluable help with sorting out how this universe even worked and how I could make the Thing I Desperately Needed to Happen actually happen at all; and anna_bird and squeakyoflight, who were exactly the kind of beta readers I needed, and whose constant requests for the next chapter while the story was still in progress was the best kind of indication that I was doing okay.
Summary: Magic was a substance, like fire or water. It was abundant and incredibly powerful and could be manipulated with the correct application of knowledge and will. But if you didn't use it properly, you'd be immolated or drowned. Or worse: other people would be, and you'd be forced to watch it happening. That was why it terrified him to see the casual, unthinking way Teyla and Carson used magic, because he knew that someday they'd be forced to pay for what they'd taken. Every wizard would, sooner or later. It was the first thing mages ever learned, and Rodney had lived it.
Magic was a zero-sum game. If you didn't sacrifice as much as you were given, you would lose.
( The Sacrificial Mage )
Title: The Sacrificial Mage
Author:
taste_is_sweetRecipient:
lavvyan Pairing: McKay/Sheppard; Teyla/Kanaan; background Weir/Zelenka
Rating: R
Word Count: About 65,000
Disclaimer: Nothing in the story to do with Stargate: Atlantis belongs to me. Some of the other stuff doesn't either.
Warnings: Graphic violence; self-harm which could possibly be triggering.
Author's Notes: I had the honor of writing for
lavvyan, who wanted a long, plotty McShep fic with Pining!John, Oblivious! Or Aware! but Rejecting!Rodney (for a good reason), and lots of drama and angsting before the mandatory Happy Ending. She also wanted AUs (preferably Fairy Tale AUs), little to no sex, skin hunger, John or Rodney protecting the other, Team Coolness and Radek. Not necessarily in that order. I think I got 'em all. ;DI can say with no word of a lie that I worked like hell for this. This story was a labor of love that ended up being a successful NaNoWriMo novel, and then longer besides. I had been excited about the challenge of writing a perfect story gift for a stranger anyway, and when it turned out my recipient wasn't so much of a stranger after all it just made it that much better. (There's a homage to you in here, Lavvyan, above and beyond the entire story itself).
I had a blast with this thing, and I can only hope that
lavvyan enjoys reading it half as much as I enjoyed writing it for her.Fun though this story was to write, I would never have finished it without the help and boundless enthusiasm of a bunch of wonderful people: The entire
wrisomifu community with their tireless support and cheerleading; annieb1955, fish_echo and ribbon_purple because of their invaluable help with sorting out how this universe even worked and how I could make the Thing I Desperately Needed to Happen actually happen at all; and anna_bird and squeakyoflight, who were exactly the kind of beta readers I needed, and whose constant requests for the next chapter while the story was still in progress was the best kind of indication that I was doing okay.Summary: Magic was a substance, like fire or water. It was abundant and incredibly powerful and could be manipulated with the correct application of knowledge and will. But if you didn't use it properly, you'd be immolated or drowned. Or worse: other people would be, and you'd be forced to watch it happening. That was why it terrified him to see the casual, unthinking way Teyla and Carson used magic, because he knew that someday they'd be forced to pay for what they'd taken. Every wizard would, sooner or later. It was the first thing mages ever learned, and Rodney had lived it.
Magic was a zero-sum game. If you didn't sacrifice as much as you were given, you would lose.
( The Sacrificial Mage )
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-12-14 11:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-14 11:26 pm (UTC)Sorry about the double post, but you can't edit comments that's already been replied to.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-14 11:41 pm (UTC)(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From: (Anonymous) - Date: 2009-12-14 11:49 pm (UTC) - Expandno subject
Date: 2009-12-15 02:11 am (UTC)I loved the world you created, the wonderful richness of it and the impending horror of things to come. I really enjoyed Rodney as a mage, and the price he had to pay for that magic. It was delicious hurt!
I really can't say how much I loved the ending without giving anything away, so let me just say that this story held me spellbound and rivetted for the past few hours. Thank you!
no subject
Date: 2010-01-03 01:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-15 03:10 am (UTC)wow
I have to be up forwork in 4 and a half hours!!!
but this was totally worth it
no subject
Date: 2010-01-03 01:49 am (UTC)(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2009-12-15 03:18 am (UTC)Your world-building! The wonderful characterization! Elizabeth! Radek! Carson! Ronon! Lorne! *Teyla!* *John!* and, of course, *RODNEY!!!*
This story is incredible!!!
Lavvyan is incredibly lucky...
Well done,
Squeaky
no subject
Date: 2010-01-03 01:50 am (UTC)(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2009-12-15 04:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-15 09:33 pm (UTC)(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2009-12-15 04:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-03 01:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-03 01:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-15 08:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-03 01:52 am (UTC)This comment contains a lot of spoilers
Date: 2009-12-15 08:51 am (UTC)Word Count: About 65,000
Holy shit. And may I just add how utterly gleeful your author's notes made me? I can't wait until tonight! ♥
ETA: Oh, seriously, where to begin? I love the world you created here, with its own lore and traditions and inner workings, and all the different kinds of magic. I especially liked the roles you gave Teyla and Ronon (Teyla - so pregnant, so awesome!), slightly removed from canon but still the characters I love. I really enjoyed how you incorporated-but-twisted canon in general. And oh, Radek! Golem!Radek, with his tragic decline and nearly killing Five and Rodney and then you killed him and then you brought him back! ♥
And! Poor Rodney always freezing (I can relate)! Teyla singing all night to keep Rodney's soul tied to his body! John cooling Rodney down with his body! The Chair - such a devious device, such sacrifice - and how all turned out well in the end!
And if that wasn't enough, dude! You made John a nightflyer! Imagine me flailing! *beams at you*
Also! Little to no sex! *laughs*
Thank you. Thank you so much. I laughed, I sniffled, I wibbled, I smiled. Of all the stories I could have possibly asked for, I can't imagine any one so awesome as this. You pushed all my buttons and made this a perfect, amazing, gift. And I'm humbled that you would pour in so much effort for me. Thank you.
Also, I'm pretty sure I know who you are. Though I've know to be wrong about these things.
ETA2: Hah! I knew it was you! Ask
Re: This comment contains a lot of spoilers
Date: 2010-01-03 02:02 am (UTC)(The repetitious phrases? The hyphens? The bizarre and frightening typos?)
Seriously though, I'm really, really happy that you liked this. I was so excited when it turned out I was writing for you, and your prompts were such a wonderful challenge. You've given the fandom so many fantastic stories (in every sense of the word) that it was my pleasure to write one for you.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Leah
Re: This comment contains a lot of spoilers
From:Re: This comment contains a lot of spoilers
From:no subject
Date: 2009-12-15 01:12 pm (UTC)Wow, I stayed up too late last night, but it was worth it. A new and different universe! With plot in!
Seriously, if you file off the serial numbers and make it at least half again as long (more details of description of characters and setting early on, more emotional build-up before the first kiss), this could be a saleable pro novel. I love them all so much.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-17 08:27 pm (UTC)(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2009-12-15 01:31 pm (UTC)This is one of those stories which should come with illustrations. There are so many moments I'd love to see in paint. ♥
no subject
Date: 2010-01-07 01:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-15 05:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-07 01:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-15 05:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-07 01:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-15 06:51 pm (UTC)I loved it so much. I laughed and I had tears in my eyes and was riveted all the way through. what a mesmerizing universe, where every character shone true. definitely a favorite of mine in everything I've read in SGA. wow. Your Rodney and John, in particular, were breathtaking.
no subject
Date: 2010-01-07 01:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-15 09:53 pm (UTC)I loved reading it.
no subject
Date: 2010-01-07 01:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-16 01:22 am (UTC)And I don't want to spoil people in my comments but oh my goodness...just....everything. And way to fulfill the request for the pining and the staying away. ::flaps hands and makes squeaky noises::
no subject
Date: 2010-01-07 01:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-16 01:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-07 01:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-16 02:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-07 01:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-16 04:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-07 01:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-16 04:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-07 01:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-16 07:58 am (UTC)I really felt for poor Radek. The way you described his transformation was very sad and creepy at the same time.
And John was a delight. Sparkles! I want some. I have a cold, I need some!
no subject
Date: 2010-01-07 01:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-16 07:44 pm (UTC)*SPOILERS below*
Just want to say the following line near the end killed me: "I think I kind of fell in love with you when you were irritating Carson"
no subject
Date: 2010-01-16 03:53 am (UTC)I have to admit I liked that line too. ;->
no subject
Date: 2009-12-16 09:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-16 03:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-16 10:46 pm (UTC)And Ronon, who could see into the future. It just fits so perfectly for him, and I don’t know if I can even say why. And oh, the evil of the chair, and the myth of mage magic, and how Rodney finally figures out how to defeat it, and how to accept Teyla’s help.
And John! John, who had wings, and had them torn off, and was changed into a monster as a gift! It’s so ridiculously and perfectly angsty. Oh, lovely lovely blue bug John. I so loved how he could talk to Rodney, even without words, and how important that was to him, and how they just clicked so naturally.
And oh Rodney, who has scars all over his arms from using his magic to help people, to heal and protect them. (And Elizabeth, who hides hers on her thighs, so she can be a queen.)
Oh man, and having Rodney accidentally turn Radek and Elizabeth into metal golems was BRILLIANT. I’d thought at first that Rodney had been replacing lost limbs with metal ones, but having be an inadvertent result of his use of the chair was so much better—more tragic and awful for him, better for the readers.
I’m not being very coherent, but basically: I loved everything. I’m going to keep this one close to the heart for a while.
no subject
Date: 2010-01-16 04:07 am (UTC)