1.3
Author: Ziles
last update2022-12-25 04:37:36

There will always be three sides of a story: yours, theirs and the truth.

-----

"Heroes never lie," she whispered with a fond smile.

"Perhaps they don't have the time and energy to," Rowan retaliated, "I mean, they clean up after everyone and fight villains all the time. They barely have time for themselves as it is."

I'm no hero, mum. I'm not good enough to be one.

"You probably hate me for putting you in an orphanage despite being alive."

You aren't wrong there.

But did Rowan hate the woman who carried him for nine months and birthed him?

He didn't; he just wanted to know her reasons for abandoning him and only paying visits to the orphanage but never asked for him back.

Normally, the thought of someone abandoning him made him livid but the woman in her bed in her shabby home loved him unconditionally and because of that, he was more than willing to forgive her.

He smiled sadly at her. She wasn't going to make it.

"Why didn't you go to a hospital, mum?" he asked as he grabbed her frail hand and held it tightly.

"You know how the government feels about people like us, sweetheart. We aren't like them. If anything, they wish we didn't exist."

Rowan could feel her life source deplete. He could feel her slowly falling into the eternal abyss; she was barely hanging on.

Where the heck were you when all this was happening? Right, somewhere in probation. I couldn't even communicate with Dolan even if I had wanted to.

This is all my fault.

The least I can do is tell her the truth. She deserves to know the truth.

"Mum," he started, "About my probation-" "You should sue the government for accusing you and your friends. I know my peace loving baby couldn't do something as bad as joining The Rebellion."

If the guilt wasn't bad at first, it was definitely horrible now.

He squirmed in his seat as the courage that he had borrowed finished, leaving hi exhausted. He'd tell her the truth another time.

His mother smiled, proud that she managed to raise such a good man and let go of his hand before kissing her palm. She held out her palm to Rowan who smiled as he lightly pressed his palm against hers before he pressed his palm to his cheek with a small smile.

"I love you baby," she whispered, grinning at her son.

"I love you too mum," he replied.

She closed her eyes as she fell asleep, though Rowan knew that this particular slumber was permanent.

A tear fell and landed on her blanket, darkening the light blue.

"When I die, don't come near my body because my hands may not be able to wipe your tears away."

He tensed at the memory. She didn't know the truth; she believes he's a hero but was he really?

He felt overwhelmed. What he needed was to find any member of Dead Men Smiling and just talk to them.

He placed his mask on his face with a sad smile, "I know just who to find."

Maximus happened to be minding his own business as he walked to a cottage in the forest after buying a few things for his overly cranky friend.

I owe him as much after ghosting The Rebellion.

"One member down, three more to go," he muttered to himself. "The question is where could they be hiding?"

He stopped in his tracks and looked around as his hair stood straight at the back of his neck. He sniffed the air in suspicion before shrugging; he shouldn't have listened to Sora's story about hell.

He's now being paranoid.

He heard a twig break under the weight of a person's foot and scowled, "Whoever you are, show yourself. Fighting me when I'm not alert is an excellent example of cowardice."

"So is disappearing when a plan you made flops and leaving your friends to take the heat."

Maximus froze at the familiar voice and scanned the area, "Rowan?"

The tall male was soon standing in front of him and took of his mask. Maximus craned his neck and furrowed his brow at the tear stained cheeks before pulling his friend into a tight hug which was gladly returned.

He felt tears fall on his hair but ignored it; right now, Rowan needed comforting.

"What did not happen?" He asked once the male had calmed down. Rowan looked away suddenly feeling ashamed. He was Beast for heaven's sake; one of the most feared individuals in the empire and here he was crying because someone died.

I should get a grip. I've had blood on my hands before, how is this any different?

"It's nothing, Max," he grumbled. "Lets just go to the cottage." "Great idea. You'll tell me what's wrong over some hot chocolate."

They walked in a comfortable silence until Rowan realized something, Maximus owed them an explanation.

He voiced his thought as he fixed the brunet with a glare that would make anyone weak in the knees.

Maximus rose a brow as a ghost of a smirk made its way on his lips. His face quickly turned to a cross of fatigue and guilt.

"I really can't tell you now. I'll explain what happened later." He said with a grimace as if the memories were almost too much for him. He squeezed Rowan's shoulder, "Okay?"

"Not 'okay', Max. You and I both know that everytime you say you'll tell someone next time, it translates to do not ask again. I'm tired of your games."

"You're taking out your frustrations on me." "I'm calling you out on your nonsense."

"Do not speak to me like that ever again, Rowan. I'll tell you when I'm ready," Maximus' words were sharp. He then smiled brightly, "We're here. Now about that hot chocolate..."

Maximus opened the door, "Honey, I'm home. And I brought an old friend." "Leave me alone!"

Rowan grinned, "Is that Sora?" "Yep."

"He sounds cranky."

"He hasn't been taking care of those wounds so I had to reopen them a few days ago so they can heal properly."

Maximus poured a blue liquid and mixed it with a purple one as he spoke. He paused mid explanation to address Sora, "You better be shirtless when we get up there."

"Screw you."

Despite his harsh words, Sora was infact shirtless and let Maximus clean the wound with the correct herbs and potions while they both spoke to Rowan.

Sora sucked in a breath when he felt Maximus hold back some skin.

"We need to find Dolly as soon as possible. They're starting to come out."

Great. Sora thought with an eyeroll as he groaned. More pain for me.

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  • 9.1

    You know what they say; no pain, no gain.-----Sora was instructed to lay on the table by Wynter, dressed similarly to Hope and Maximus, who attended to the burns on the Angel's back after cutting what remained of the shirt.Dolan was flipping through his book, probably trying to glean last minute information on the surgery he was about to perform. He closed the book and turned his gaze to Rowan. "Does Beast have any idea on this?""Sadly, no."Sora realized he was tense as it dawned on him that he would actually be getting the operation to remove his wings. Dolan glanced at his friends as if asking for one of them to do something.He relaxed slightly when hesitant hands rubbed his lower back and carefully moved to his shoulders. "Relax, Sor. Dolly says it'll hurt less if you aren't tense." Leilani muttered as Maximus continued his ministrations.Rowan stood at his right and griped his hand. "Just squeeze when it hurts, ok?"

  • 9.0 TRUTH BE TOLD

    But the oddest teacher of all is experience for she gives the test first and the lesson afterwards.=====When Hope opened his eyes, he was on the couch facing Dolan so he could see what the Vampire was doing. He then sat up, frowning as the blanket rolled off him; why did he feel warm?He then placed his arm against his neck, frowning at the warmth he was producing which he found odd seeing that he had always been cold-blooded."Dolan?"He cringed at how hoarse his voice sounded before smiling slightly as a tired Dolan handed him a glass of water. "Morning Hope. Are you really awake or are you about to manifest again?" "Whatever do you mean?"Hope then looked around the room and frowned, turning his attention back to Dolan who had wandered to the other side of the room to pick something from the table there. "Dolly, what did you do to me? I'm producing heat." He asked.Dolan didn't face him. "We're about to find out."Hope wa

  • 8.3

    The skeletons are in the closet for a reason.-----Sora didn't need Maximus to nudge him slightly for him to know that it was him that Dolan was speaking to. He crossed his arms over his chest and scowled. "You know who did it."The gold eyes glimmered before Dolan closed them and took a deep breath. When he opened them, there was nothing for anyone to read. "So the Ring of Power is the random ring you found?"Suddenly, everything fell into place as soon as the name rolled of Dolan's tongue as Maximus realized exactly what was wrong. He remembered an eight-year-old Dolan recounting to them one story night about a power hungry Mage who created the ring with samples from the strongest and most powerful beings short of the gods. He remembered how he explained the Mage coated the ring with gold as a way to contain the ring's vast power and sealed it with her own, powerful magic.The ring worked a little too effectively and gave the bear

  • 8.2

    The devil you know is better than the angel you don't know.--- Leilani hugged herself as she felt her strength finish as Rowan let out another heart wrenching scream. she shut her eyes tight, hoping to escape the haunting memories that took place merely hours ago; it felt like it had happened light years ago.She had just left Maximus after telling him she was looking for Rowan to freeze him and was skipping through the trees, aware that she had the element of surprise n her side when she felt an old yet familiar pain seize her as her senses heightened.She let out a low pain filled moan as she bent, trying to reduce the pain when she remembered the pills Dolan had given her and swallowed two dry, grimacing at the bitter taste.She thanked the gods that she carried the container around and wondered vaguely if her taking the pills earlier than prescribed and in a higher dose would affect her in anyway.A familiar scent reac

  • 8.1

    In fear of you forgetting me, I made sure you'd hate me.-----Dolan let out a sigh as he recalled what he saw the previous night. He agreed with Mira on how he chose to thank him for giving him the strength to kill Jess. If he hadn't used magic to trap Mira, Jess would have been alive long enough for him to have had an idea on what to do to heal the Demon of magic."Brooding is definitely not a good look on you." Maximus snorted. Dolan looked at the Siren and didn't comment at what his friend had said."Are you ok?" Maximus asked after a moment of silence washed over them.Dolan was tempted to shake his head and tell him that he was fine but at the pointed look he received, he simply let out another sigh. The Siren smiled at Dolan as he put a hand on his shoulder. "Come on. I want to show you something in your garden.""But I know every nook and cranny of the garden."He was proven wrong.He stared at the pond in aw

  • 8.0 SKELETONS IN THE CLOSET

    Don't misunderstand me when I say that the villain was once the victim.-----Before anyone could blink, Sora pulled Dolan into a tight hug which Maximus and Rowan excitedly joined, careful not to injure the Angel's back. Wynter smiled at the reunion as she leaned against the door frame. She rose a brow at Leilani. "Why don't you join them?"Apart of her cringed at the thought of hugging a Vampire and she wrinkled her nose beneath the mask. She then shrugged. "Too much boy." "oh, I get you."To say she was shocked when Dolan broke out of the hug to stand in front of her would be an understatement. She held her breath as the gold eyes assessed her before he carefully removed her mask from her face and took her in. "You kept taking the pills."Another part of Leilani kicked herself at the sound of the surprise in his voice and she cursed herself for messing up their friendship.Before she could reply, Dolan had turned his atte

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