Chapter 13

I do wonder how many times Olrox was forced to bow before the Spanish after they invaded and colonised his homeland. The look of absolute hatred he had for Erzsebet when he was forced to bow before her definitely brought some very old, very painful memories for him.

“You know that [skinny] demographic of boy is in?”

“Right. It’s called empowering the anemic”

TikTok credit to broskireport

NO BECAUSE THIS BROKE ME EVEN MORE..SO HERE

Who would win, a bunch of strong sorcerers or ONE (1) depressed teen with a dead gf?

why is he shaming people like this

I just realized I never actually added chapter one of ‘Not your Hero” here- I-

,.Description

There are plenty of words a mother could use to describe her son. Dashing, witty, handsome or strong. If someone were to ask Ximena Armstrong, however, only one of her boys would be introduced in such a proud light. If they asked about the other one, they would receive a strained compilation of complaints that he is vile, twisted, or a hateful beast. There are two sides to every story, though. What made a mother turn her back so quickly?

No one has ever gotten close enough to either party to ask for their side. One thing is for certain, Griffin Emiliano is a dangerous man, and Ximena Armstrong is a pathological liar.

Yet on an uneventful day in Betrothal, a group set out to find the answers to all the possible questions anyone could ask. When they find two boys, an anklet and a pile of bodies, there are too many questions to ask and not enough time for the answers before the doors are busted in and everyone is a suspect.

Chapter 1

“I hate to be the bringer of bad news, but if you run any slower, the snails will escape before we do!”

A bellowing voice echoes through the halls of the underground chambers. Clambering behind him, a much softer voice rang out.

“I’m sorry! This is my first time performing illegal acts, so sorry I can’t keep up with your vigilante lifestyle!”

Turning on his heel, Gryffin casts a stone cold glare to his brother.

“Don’t forget why we’re in this mess. You thought it would be a good idea to find the anklet, now three guards are dead and the blood is on your hands, kid.”

Looking to the floor, Axel shrinks into himself;

“I didn’t mean to…”

“doesn’t matter the intention. It is the result that everyone will see. Remember that in everything you do.”

Before another word was said, a loud crash brings the brothers out of their tension and drives their attention back to the situation at hand. Escaping certain death and bringing the anklet home to their mother, the smartest archeologist in their village. The winding chambers seemed to be getting slimmer and turning into simple tunnels, but with that, the duo noticed that the end of a tunnel was in sight. With reinforcements hot on their trail, Gryffin roars

“Ximena will kill us if she finds out people died for that thing.”

“Can you just call her mom?”

“Not when she won’t call me her son.”

“Well maybe if you-”

Axel’s voice is cut off with another crash, the barrels in front of them breaking, causing whatever fruits and vegetables to scatter across the floors and stain their shoes more than the mud could.

“Not another step, thief. Such a shame that I’ll have to tear such a pretty face to shreds.”

A masked man with a gentle but firm voice says, backing his words with a sword pointed to Axel’s face. The mask was unsettling at best, sporting a crooked smile with red teeth and white eyes, it’s a wonder the man could see through it. Though unsettling, he was right about Axel’s face.

Unlike his brother, his face was pristine and untouched, his pale skin was a perfect target for a sadistic man such as the one in front of him. Questions hung on the tip of the blade as well as the tip of his tongue he realized it was getting closer, but he hadn’t taken a step.

“If I can’t take another step, why can you?”

“If I can’t take the anklet, why can you?”

Comes the quick retort.

“Well, technically you could, you just didn’t take that leap that you needed in order to actually grasp it.”

With his sharp words and the tension rising, Gryffin grabbed Axel and made a mad dash for the light they witnessed moments earlier. Axel thrashed wildly, kicking the boxes of fruits and vegetables down to make more of a mess for the masked men to clean up later on.

“I’m going to drop you if you keep doing that.”

He warns with a scowl.

“Right, sorry.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There was nothing fancy about the village the boys lived in. Past every market on the left there was an alley that the homeless would find themselves digging through, praying to whoever was out there to spare a little mercy for one more day as they cling onto what little humanity they hold. For the homeless that couldn’t fight their way through, the market’s right side would hold the bodies.

It seemed everywhere one turned there was another person riddled by disease and famine. When the people in command were brought to the village to speak their grievances, they were brushed off, laughed at and then given one day’s worth of food for the women and children. Proving that they were simply sitting with another government that couldn't care less for the people under their control, but gave the bare minimum so there were still people able to BE controlled.

Griffin hated everything about the village. He could never wrap his head around why so many people still lived in such a ghost town. The people were reduced to nothing more than beggars and thieves with nothing to live for, but had the fight and the iron will of soldiers with the world to lose. Under heavy lids, he drags himself into a makeshift shack, calling it a house for them to stay in as the night ticks by. Axel stared at the ceiling, wondering how long it had been since he saw his brother.

His once soft features now hardened with the years of war and murder, tanned skin now scarred and hands calloused. Those green eyes that once shined like stars now cut like emeralds that were thrown to the ground by a child throwing a fit. Black hair that was once short and well taken care of has now grown unkempt and matted.

“What is going on in that head of yours?”

The man in question growled out.

“How old are you now, Grif?”

“Twenty three, but you didn’t answer my question. What is the issue?”

Axel shakes his head quickly.

“I was just wondering what went wrong with us… Why did our family fall apart the way it did? Why did you leave? Why-”

Griffin cuts him off swiftly

“You ask too many questions, Ax. That will be your downfall.”

A deep silence settles across the room after Axel nods

“Mom says that too.”

Griffin lets out a heavy sigh after a while and asks something that he sounds like he has been dreading for a long time.

“Where is dad?”

Axel stands with a speed like no other and starts for the door.

“Ax-”

“If you can call that monster our dad but can’t call her our mother then you are no brother of mine.”

Confused, angry and a little hurt, Griffin throws the closest object at his younger brother’s feet.

“Are you gonna tell me what happened or are you going to let me believe that he was a good man and she was the monster, kid?”

Not Your Hero (an original work of mine)

There are plenty of words a mother could use to describe her son. Dashing, witty, handsome or strong. If someone were to ask Ximena Armstrong, however, only one of her boys would be introduced in such a proud light. If they asked about the other one, they would receive a strained compilation of complaints that he is vile, twisted, or a hateful beast. There are two sides to every story, though. What made a mother turn her back so quickly?

No one has ever gotten close enough to either party to ask for their side. One thing is for certain, Griffin Emiliano is a dangerous man, and Ximena Armstrong is a pathological liar.

Yet on an uneventful day in Betrothal, a group set out to find the answers to all the possible questions anyone could ask. When they find two boys, an anklet and a pile of bodies, there are too many questions to ask and not enough time for the answers before the doors are busted in and everyone is a suspect.

Chapter 1

“I hate to be the bringer of bad news, but if you run any slower, the snails will escape before we do!” A bellowing voice echoes through the halls of the underground chambers. Clambering behind him, a much softer voice rang out. “I’m sorry! This is my first time performing illegal acts, so sorry I can’t keep up with your vigilante lifestyle!” Turning on his heel, Gryffin casts a stone cold glare to his brother. “Don’t forget why we’re in this mess. You thought it would be a good idea to find the anklet, now three guards are dead and the blood is on your hands, kid.” Looking to the floor, Axel shrinks into himself; “I didn’t mean to…” “doesn’t matter the intention. It is the result that everyone will see. Remember that in everything you do.” Before another word was said, a loud crash brings the brothers out of their tension and drives their attention back to the situation at hand. Escaping certain death and bringing the anklet home to their mother, the smartest archeologist in their village. The winding chambers seemed to be getting slimmer and turning into simple tunnels, but with that, the duo noticed that the end of a tunnel was in sight. With reinforcements hot on their trail, Gryffin roars “Ximena will kill us if she finds out people died for that thing.” “Can you just call her mom?” “Not when she won’t call me her son.” “Well maybe if you-” Axel’s voice is cut off with another crash, the barrels in front of them breaking, causing whatever fruits and vegetables to scatter across the floors and stain their shoes more than the mud could. “Not another step, thief. Such a shame that I’ll have to tear such a pretty face to shreds” A masked man with a gentle but firm voice says, backing his words with a sword pointed to Axel’s face. The mask was unsettling at best, sporting a crooked smile with red teeth and white eyes, it’s a wonder the man could see through it. Though unsettling, he was right about Axel’s face. Unlike his brother, his face was pristine and untouched, his pale skin was a perfect target for a sadistic man such as the one in front of him. Questions hung on the tip of the blade as well as the tip of his tongue he realized it was getting closer, but he hadn’t taken a step. “If I can’t take another step, why can you?” “If I can’t take the anklet, why can you?” Comes the quick retort. “Well, technically you could, you just didn’t take that leap that you needed in order to actually grasp it.” With his sharp words and the tension rising, Gryffin grabbed Axel and made a mad dash for the light they witnessed moments earlier. Axel thrashed wildly, kicking the boxes of fruits and vegetables down to make more of a mess for the masked men to clean up later on. “I’m going to drop you if you keep doing that.” He warns with a scowl. “Right, sorry.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There was nothing fancy about the village the boys lived in. Past every market on the left there was an alley that the homeless would find themselves digging through, praying to whoever was out there to spare a little mercy for one more day as they cling onto what little humanity they hold. For the homeless that couldn’t fight their way through, the market’s right side would hold the bodies. It seemed everywhere one turned there was another person riddled by disease and famine. When the people in command were brought to the village to speak their grievances, they were brushed off, laughed at and then given one day’s worth of food for the women and children. Proving that they were simply sitting with another government that couldn't care less for the people under their control, but gave the bare minimum so there were still people able to BE controlled. Griffin hated everything about the village. He could never wrap his head around why so many people still lived in such a ghost town. The people were reduced to nothing more than beggars and thieves with nothing to live for, but had the fight and the iron will of soldiers with the world to lose. Under heavy lids, he drags himself into a makeshift shack, calling it a house for them to stay in as the night ticks by. Axel stared at the ceiling, wondering how long it had been since he saw his brother. His once soft features now hardened with the years of war and murder, tanned skin now scarred and hands calloused. Those green eyes that once shined like stars now cut like emeralds that were thrown to the ground by a child throwing a fit. Black hair that was once short and well taken care of has now grown unkempt and matted. “What is going on in that head of yours?” The man in question growled out. “How old are you now, Grif?” “Twenty three, but you didn’t answer my question. What is the issue?” Axel shakes his head quickly. “I was just wondering what went wrong with us… Why did our family fall apart the way it did? Why did you leave? Why-” Griffin cuts him off swiftly “You ask too many questions, Ax. That will be your downfall.” A deep silence settles across the room after Axel nods “mom says that too.” Griffin lets out a heavy sigh after a while and asks something that he sounds like he has been dreading for a long time. “Where is dad?” Axel stands with a speed like no other and starts for the door. “Ax-” “If you can call that monster our dad but can’t call her our mother then you are no brother of mine.” Confused, angry and a little hurt, Griffin throws the closest object at his younger brother’s feet. “Are you gonna tell me what happened or are you going to let me believe that he was a good man and she was the monster, kid?”

Gun violence is a fucking daily reality for those of us that live with it. I know that we joke about how “America loves its guns” and how we all have active shooter drills now. But that…shouldn’t be a laughing matter!? This isn’t funny??!! Just a few nights ago, I heard gunshots outside my apartment. And last month or so, I was staying in the lab late at night, and security had to lock down the building because there was an active shooter inside my department building which is normally locked by keycard access at night. I spent 4 hours hiding inside my office until security gave me the all clear to go home. 

And the thing is, I still cannot imagine the terror these poor CHILDREN went through. I was so angry about Sandy Hook 10 years ago, and I’m fucking furious now. Because the thing is, there’s a certain sect of people (read: Republicans & the NRA) who are just stonewalling everything that we’re trying to do to pass sensible gun legislation. 

I need to bring 500 different documents to prove my identity to the DMV so I can get a driver’s license…and that’s for a car, whose main function is to get me around places, but has the potential to harm people if handled irresponsibly. And for SOME GODAWFUL REASON we don’t seem to have the same standards for obtaining guns??? WHOSE MAIN FUNCTION IS TO LITERALLY KILL PEOPLE?

Someone explain this to me.

Boycott. Please remember to boycott. Focus on these three. You can make a difference.

Edit: See this link for more on what to boycott from BDS. And here as well.

twitter saying everything im thinking rn