#[Strength and Honor- Leonidas]

[deathmetalunicorn1]

What if... RoR guys fall for a sassy/psycho reader after this conversation?

RoR guys: Why are you trying to sell me your house/car for 1 dollar?

Sassy reader: Oh, that. My boyfriend cheated on me, you see. He is stuck on (any place you want to imagine) and asks me to sell the house/car and send all the money to him. So, I'm sending it for 1 dollar and send him all the money I got from the sell.

RoR guys: (amused but also falling in love)

Can you do Odin, Poseidon, Hades and Beelzebub for th gods side and Qin Shi Huang, Nikola, Simo Hayha (if can) and Leonidas for human side?

-It was rather odd when (Love) walked up, seeing your boyfriend’s fancy sports car that he was always taking care of, a for sale on it but you were the one sitting beside it.

-A grin slowly spread across his lips, seeing the sign said ‘For Sale $1’.

-You didn’t look bothered, you looked pleased with yourself as he looked at you, “So what’s all this about?”

-You smiled warmly up at him, “I’m selling my boyfriend’s car. He said he needs the money since he’s stuck in Cuba- where he said he was going to be visiting his mother where she was vacationing for her birthday. Turns out he went to hook up with not one but two other women! So he asked me to sell his car and send him the money.”

-He couldn’t help but snort in laughter before quickly dissolving into roaring laughter, holding his gut, hearing your plan while you looked quite pleased with yourself. He wiped a tea from his eye, “Oh gods- you are a genius Y/N!” you puffed up your chest a bit from his praise, “I know~” which made him laugh again. He reached a hand down to you, “May I take you out? We can discuss your sale price over coffee.” You instantly smiled, taking his offered hand, “I like the way you think!” he chuckled warmly as you went out to enjoy yourself, since you were now single.

            -Qin Shi Huang, Leonidas, and Hades

-He tried, badly, to hide his grin, which only grew as you smiled brightly up at him as you hopped to your feet, “So you interested?” he was quickly laughing, for once, which did make you grin brightly, feeling proud of yourself. Once he was composed he handed you the dollar, before destroying your ex’s car, using his strength and ability to do so, which made your eyes sparkle brightly before he turned, “Will you allow me to take you out since you’re single now?” you turned, a bit surprised before you instantly beamed, agreeing as you took his hand and he led you both away from the shouldering car.

            -Odin, Poseidon, and Beelzebub

-He tried not to grin, but hearing about how you were treated, being cheating on so coldly, it was hard not to, “Remind me never to piss you off.” You just beamed up at him, not at all bothered, “Nah- I don’t think you ever would. I was going to be nice about it, but when he video called me from his hotel room I heard the other two women in the back.” He smiled softly down at you, “Are you all right?” you were surprised that he was concerned about you and you smiled softly up at him, “I will be- glad I’ll no longer be the third wheel to his car!” he smiled humorlessly before he offered you a hand, “May I have the honor of taking you out? We can go get something to eat if you want?” he wasn’t expecting you to take his hand and you smiled instantly, “Let’s go!” he knew he would never hurt you like that, he wanted you to be happy, always.

-Nikola and Simo

#record of ragnarok #ror x reader #ror qin shi huang #ror leonidas #ror hades #ror poseidon #ror odin #ror beelzebub #ror nikola tesla #ror simo hayha

[theroyalhousewhittingtonts4]

Black History Month 2024

For the first day of Black History Month,we want to pay tribute to the founder of this glorious and victorious nation, his late majesty of happy memory, King Leonidas I. Who was the first black man in America to be crowned King following a successful revolt against their colonial oppressors. He would eventually open citizenship to all races regardless of socioeconomic background determined to look after the broken and downtrodden. Below is his victory speech.

As Leonidas Whittington, I stand before you today with a heart full of gratitude and pride. I am proud to announce that our people have emerged victorious in the war against the United States Army. Our brave soldiers fought with valor and determination, and their sacrifices have not gone in vain. Today, we have secured a separate territory within North America, where our people can live in peace and prosperity.

This victory is not just a triumph of our army, but also a testament to the strength and resilience of our people. We have faced many challenges and obstacles, but we have never lost faith in our cause. We have always believed that our people deserve a better future, and we have worked tirelessly to make that future a reality.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our allies, who stood by us in our darkest hour. Your support and encouragement have been invaluable, and we could not have achieved this victory without you. I would also like to thank our soldiers, who fought with courage and honor. Your sacrifices will never be forgotten, and your names will be etched in the annals of history.

I would like to make a special mention of Benjamin of House Alais, who emancipated the slaves in the Sulanese Islands and secured the islands as his own territory. His bravery and leadership inspired us to fight for our own freedom, and we will always be grateful for his contribution to our cause. I pray our Kingdoms will be united in peace from to forever and the shores3 were waw2wawwbe protected by our navies.

Finally, I would like to thank my three eldest sons, Judah, Joseph, and Charles, who fought alongside me and our people in this war. Your courage and determination have been an inspiration to us all, and I am proud to call you my sons.

Today, we stand on the cusp of a new era. An era of freedom, prosperity, and hope. An era where our people can live without fear, and where their voices will be heard. We have fought for this day, and we have won. But our work is not yet done. We must continue to strive for excellence, to build a better future for our people, and to ensure that our legacy endures for generations to come.

Thank you, and may the future be bright for Simerica and its people.

#housewhittington #royalty #the sims #simblr #the sims gameplay #the sims legacy #the sims story #black simmer #sims community #the sims custom content #blackhistorymonth #malcolm x #black panther party #black history #today in history #SimericanRoyalFamily #Sulani #united kingdom #united nations

[impeccablenest68]

Molon Labe Tattoo Meaning: A Symbol of Courage and Defiance - Impeccable Nest

Today, the Molon Labe phrase and its associated imagery have become a popular symbol among those who value freedom, courage, and defiance in the face of oppression. The Molon Labe tattoo is a powerful symbol that embodies the values of courage, strength, and determination. It has become increasingly popular in recent years as an expression of personal conviction and a reminder of the sacrifices made by those who have served their country. At its core, the phrase “Molon Labe” translates to “come and take them” in ancient Greek. The words are said to have been spoken by King Leonidas I of Sparta in response to the Persians’ demand for the Spartans to surrender their weapons during the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC. Leonidas’ defiance in the face of overwhelming odds has become legendary, and his words continue to inspire people to this day. For many people, the Molon Labe tattoo is also a way to honor their military heritage or servic - bmyf491rth

#impeccable

[rxsing-agxnts]

ᴏᴘᴇɴɪɴɢ ғɪʟᴇ - ʟᴇᴏɴɪᴅᴀs ғᴇᴀᴛ ᴀɴʏᴏɴᴇ

@whihnews​

_______________________

Location: S.W.O.R.D  HQ, Avengers Academy State: New York Time: 2:00 PM  OST: Returning Marauder _____________________________

The sound of a Quinjet roared throughout the base as one came in landing with the doors opening revealing Leonidas in his full body armor coming off the advanced carrier. He looked around his thoughts only focused on the next mission with his hands coming up to his helmet taking it off listening to his footsteps watching everyone move around the base. 

“ Agent Leonidas!  ” A voice stated catching the S .W .O .R .D agents attention watching his commanding officer rush to him.. 

“  What is it?  ” Leonidas asked keeping a calm gaze on him. 

“  Sir, there has been a murder at the Cliffs Edge while you were gone also there was also a break-in at the Oscorp Labs  ” His ally said which only prompted a  soft sigh from the other. 

“  Get all available S.W.O.R.D. Agents on it.... this includes the ones in training.... hopefully this should prove worthy as their final test and for them to finally get some action after the Incident...  ”  Leonidas said with a calm tone starting to walk with his ally following him.

“  We already have a S.W.O.R.D.  Agent in training on it. His name is Asher Mora, looking over his file it seems his father was with the S.A.S before retiring in 2005. He’s a good kid, and  was very excited to be an agent until the incident struck ” his commanding officer stated

“  Good he’ll do for that one, Have you gathered anyone else?  ” Leonidas asked. 

“ Well. we do have one arriving shortly...  “ The commanding officer answered with the doors opening revealing the arrival of another individual catching Leonidas’ attention. 

#[Strength and Honor- Leonidas] #afm.starter #afm.event #002. Retracing The Steps....

[norbah]

Huitzilopochtli

-Saber (5*)

The proud Aztec god of war and the sun, Huitzilopochtli was born armed and ready for battle. The serpent of flame, Xiuhcoatl, was his weapon. His first action was the wholesale slaughter of his 400 brothers and dismemberment of his sister Coyolxauhqui in defense of his mother. Although he is technically a Pseudoservant, his face is not a familiar one, as he inhabits the body of a particularly worthy Mexica warrior. He does not tolerate weaklings as his Master, and one would be well advised to pull their weight and prove their worth as a warrior early on, lest the violent deity withdraw his favor and support.

Huitzilopochtli is particularly difficult to get along with at first. Mages remind him uncomfortably of Tezcatlipoca, the Aztec god of night, and thus his relationship with his Master will be automatically on the wrong foot from the start. He respects strength and valor, and rankles at cowards and cheats. He revels in violence and has little patience for activities unrelated to combat, meaning training is one of the few ways to bond with him.

Huitzilopochtli is brimming with raw power, and believes in honorable combat, although he finds the idea of giving his opponent a choice in the matter laughable. If Huitzilopochtli wishes to fight you, there’s not much you can do to avoid it. He is vulnerable to ambushes and assassinations, and it is no exaggeration to say his weakest point is his Master. The low respect he has for mages as a whole means he is unlikely to protect them at first. Indeed, if he finds them to be cowardly or spineless, he is perfectly willing to stand back and watch them be killed, as defeat is preferable to cowardice. Unlike his brother Quetzalcoatl, Huitzilopochtli loves only the strong among humanity, and will expect his Master to personally take the life of at least one other Master during the Grail War.

However, he is no mindless Berserker, and relishes the use of strategy against his enemies. If one can prove to him that their mind is sharp and well-versed in the art of tactics, he will quickly grow to respect his partner, and may even waive his demands for actual combat from them. It would be a good idea to avoid suggesting an assassination or underhanded tactics to him, however. The memories of what the deceitful Spaniards did to his people still make him bristle with blazing rage.

He burns through mana at an alarming rate, and unless one has enough in reserve, he is likely to go find a worthy sacrifice, or worse still, demand that his Master provide one for him. He will not select civilians, not out of concern for justice or discretion, or even mercy, but because he wishes only for warriors as sacrifices to himself. Anything less is unworthy.

In the context of the Grand Order, the chief god of Mesoamerica is easier to handle. Being surrounded with mighty warriors from across all ages and nations, he is quite enamored with the concept of testing himself against them. To his delight, there are many capable of holding their own against him, even if for a short while. He also has a secret soft spot for mothers, and will go out of his way to assist them if he can.

Inevitably, he will come to respect the last Master of Chaldea, as their struggles against insurmountable odds speak of true valor and strength of spirit. Indeed, he will go as far as to refer to them affectionately as “Tlatoani” after a while.

All in all, Huitzilopochtli is proud, stubborn, violent, and difficult. But should you earn his trust, there is no ally more steadfast and fierce you could find than the Fifth Sun.

ACTIVE SKILLS

Charisma B+

Although Huitzilopochtli and his people were the dominant culture of Mesoamerica, they did not reach this summit through diplomacy, but rather coercion and fear. Other tribes obeyed them only until somebody crueler than the Aztecs came along and offered to depose them.

----Increases all allies’ Atk.

Lake Texcoco

Huitzilopochtli could be an unreasonable deity, but he could also be a guiding hand. Through the augury of an eagle devouring a snake atop a prickly pear, he led his people from the mythical Aztlan to what would one day be Tenochtitlan: an island in a lake, infested with venomous snakes. The surrounding tribes gifted the island to the Mexica people, expecting them to die. But the Mexica ate the snakes, and claimed the island for their own.

----Increases allies’ Atk and Def. (3 turns)

----All allies gain Debuff Resist (3 times)

Blue Hummingbird EX

This skill is an embodiment of his nature as the bloodthirsty chief of the gods. As the sun, he gave life to all beings on earth. He demands blood in return, that he may be strong enough to hold back the eternal night. As his allies are spirits much like himself, he does not take their hearts as tribute, but rather drinks from them without taking their lives.

----An ally of your choosing loses 50% of their remaining health

----Increases own Buster strength depending on how much health was taken from ally (3 turns)

----Extra effect if NP is used (1 turn)

NOBLE PHANTASM

Name: Tonatiuh

Rank: A+

Class: Buster

Type: Anti-Army

“I am Light. I am War. I am he who holds the Moon and Stars at bay. Gaze now upon me as I am reborn from the Southeast. I am the Fifth Sun—- TONATIUH!”

As the dual deity of war and the sun, Huitzilopochtli displays unbridled power that few can rival. In Aztec myth, he is our current sun, and his power is what keeps the moon and stars from descending upon the Earth and devouring all living on it. This power grows as he is fed the blood and hearts of captured warriors, or even allies deemed worthy of this honor. This Noble Phantasm manifests this legend by transforming into the Solar Disc, Tonatiuh, and unleashing his might towards the surrounding area. Those blessed by him will feel the warmth of the sun on their skin and the strength of their allies at their side, giving them the spirit to fight more fiercely, while those who stand against him will feel the devastating power of the Sun in its most bloodthirsty and violent form.

----Deals significant damage to all enemies

----Increase Atk for all allies. (3 turns)

----Stuns Self for 3 turns (Demerit)

----If under the effect of Blue Hummingbird EX, Huitzilopochtli is not stunned. Instead, increase Atk by fraction of HP taken as tribute. (Effect increases with Overcharge. 100% is an increase by 50% of the tribute. 200% is an increase by 75%. So on.)

Additional quotes for other Servants: -Quetzalcoatl: “Quetzalcoatl, my brother! It has been too long! ... You... seem different than I remember you. ... Did you do something with your hair? And do you know what happened to my Piedra del Sol?” He still holds Quetzalcoatl in high regard, as one of the few siblings who aided him in defending their mother, Coatlicue against Coyolxauhqui. As such, Quetz is one of the very few people you will catch Huitz being affectionate with... and is, in fact, the only Servant capable of calling him Huitz without starting a fight. -Jaguar Man: “I see you in there, Tepeyollotl. You think you can hide behind this woman, but I know you’re in there. ... Eh? You evicted him? You evicted the Heart of the Mountain? ... I would not have liked to be in his place. You have my respect.” Huitzilopochtli respects but mistrusts Tezcatlipoca and all his avatars. To find that this woman was willful enough to turn the tables on the Smoking Mirror is a very welcome surprise, but he will keep an eye on her nonetheless. -Karna: “You there, spearman. Stop for a moment. Something links us. I can feel it. ... Ah. I understand now. ... You are a capable warrior, I see. Would you join me in the sparring ring? I would like to know you better. We are practically family, after all.” He sees Karna as a nephew of sorts, being the son and incarnation of another sun god, albeit a much less violent one. Challenging Karna to brutal fights is his equivalent of playing catch with the demigod. -Leonidas: “You are not Mexica, are you? No. Your weaponry and armor, it is too different. But I see it in your eyes; that same sliver of the sun that burned in my warriors. Please, grant me the honor of joining me in a spar.” He simply recognizes a man who may have been an Eagle Knight or even a Tlatoani, had he been born in a different time and place. He goes all out against Leonidas as a sign of respect, and is delighted to discover just how strong and durable the Spartan is. -Tiamom: “I... Mother? Mother, is that you? ... No. No, not quite. You feel like her, and I hear her in your voice, but you’re much gentler. Yet... somehow, it feels like you’re... I’m so confused.” This is where Huitz is the most vulnerable. He is dearly fond of his mother, and sees much of her in the Foreigner Tiamat. Both are mother goddesses, greatly associated with the earth and with serpents, and both were turned on by their own children. Huitz can't help but feel protective of Tiamat, and subtly tries to make her proud of him. It is a good thing she can look after herself. If his new surrogate mother were threatened, there's no telling how much carnage Huitz would cause in his desire to protect her. -Artemis: “A moon goddess? Pah. More trouble than they’re worth, the lot of them. Watch your back, Master, lest you find a dagger in it.” Self explanatory. Huitzilopochtli feels great distaste for moon goddesses, and would see no problem in getting rid of all of them to avoid a potential Coyolxauqui 2.0.

#fgo #fanservant #huitzilopochtli #dammit all i caved and made one of these #actually kinda happy with him but i'm worried his NP might be a bit overpowered #oc

[crystalelemental]

feverish-demon replied to your photo “So let me get this straight. After several successive siblings that...”

she's the best

SHE’S SO THE BEST WHAT THE HELL?!

Like Euden’s kinda boring.  Stock standard nice lord boy with nothing interesting going on, really.

Zethia’s super cute, but ultimately didn’t do anything and is currently possessed to be evil.  While I appreciate the idea of evil Zethia, her being possessed ruins the fun.  Although apparently she becomes Homura eventually, so looking forward to that.

Emile is a putz.  He’s just annoying.  He’s that antagonist that I recognize is meant to be your early villain that’s not a threat, but we’d be better served without him here at all.

Valyx is a piece of shit.  “Ah, I’m all about honor and am the “““good”““ leader of this group, and will prove it by loyally following the orders of the obvious scion of all evil, and nearly destroying their one and only stated adversary at the time unless he can fulfill some arbitrary conditions I decided on in a very specific way.”  Fuck Valyx, and fuck the Camus archetype.  You sided with evil, nut up and get into the roll or shut up.  You’re not a good person because you pretend at gallantry.

Phares actually seems kinda cool.  Alchemist with dragonscales on his body, love to fuck around with things for funsies.  I can get into that.

Leonidas is the most obviously evil of them all, but in an annoying way.  He’s that villain approach to meritocracy, where it’s solely about strength and tossing everyone else down rather than propping yourself up.  He’s a more effective villain, and I do applaud that he’s actually working to prop himself up and seize command, but not the most engaging.

But then there’s Chelle, who’s doing a spectacular job of towing the line between villain and ally.  She’s self-serving and ice cold in her approach to things, super over-the-top and personable and kind enough to take a liking to Cleo and give her the dress she wanted, willing to help out in your fight against the empire but only as long as you’re doing the heavy lifting, and has a massive network of connections throughout the continent to keep her informed of everyone’s allegiances and movements at all times.  She’s on your side in name only, but you can’t really trust her for shit.  I love it.  That’s the most interesting approach for a character any of the siblings have had by a huge margin.  The only one coming close is Phares, who just needs more time to develop.

#feverish-demon

[junkyardlynx]

Sweat poured down Ritsuka's bare torso and stoic face as he went through the motions of combat alone. Countless hours of combat drills under Leonidas had made it so he required no real opponent to practice with, though it certainly helped. In his mind’s eye, he saw the thrust of a spear, the arc of an axe and a sharp kick aimed at the back of his knee. Reflexively, his right shoulder jerked back and the arm attached to it curled tight, capturing the imaginary thrust even as his left palm snaked out to connect with the axeman’s temple, throwing the blow off. At the same time, his right leg bounced up, avoiding the crippling kick and stomping down hard on the assailant’s leg. This dance of illusion continued behind Ritsuka's closed eyes as his body moved to disarm, destroy and disable the perceived attacks.

He clicked his tongue in mild dissatisfaction as his breathing grew rougher and the sweat soaked into his loose black pants. His body was reaching it’s limit. As he wound down the exercises, he finished the fake bout with a stomp of his right foot followed by a discharge of magical energy. Breathing in for a moment, he collected himself before bowing to the training room. Opening his placid blue eyes, he confirmed that he was alone before rolling his shoulders and running a hand through his sweat-slicked hair, wiping it on his pants afterwards. A white cloth towel and a basin of water sat upon a wooden bench, and he made liberal use of them to cleanse himself.

His mind wandered as satisfaction crept up the spine of his soul. This world, like every other, operated on rules of power. The power to defend, to take, to protect, to plunder. The power to save something. He felt powerless, though he had certainly saved many lives in his journeys. The root of the issue was far simpler. He himself was not classically “strong” and thus relied on the strength of others. This made him what he saw as a liability.

This not entirely true. In the modern day, Ritsuka might actually be one of the most capable mage combatants, disregarding his special circumstances. He received tutelage in the arts of war from Leonidas II and Scáthach, studied magecraft with Medea and Circe, and sharpened his mind with the likes of Sherlock Holmes and James Moriarty. No flesh and blood human reasonably expect to best him without thorough preparation, no matter their weaponry or Mystic Codes. He took his middling magical energy and his average talent and honed them with the one thing available - effort. After all, even the sharpest blade starts out as an unassuming lump of iron. Only through determination, persistence and strife could that iron be formed into something beautiful.

The real issue was the fact that his opponents were never flesh and blood. They wore a simulacra of flesh and carried the idea of blood, but they were far removed from baseline humans. They were Heroic Spirits, the figures of ages past that made their mark on humanity. That mark…that mark was usually a bloodstain. If Ritsuka was, say, an antimaterial sniper rifle, than even the lowest Heroic Spirit was a nuclear bomb. A force of destruction you simply cannot hope to stop. Something to weather out.

So he relied on his bond, his ability as the Master of Chaldea. He cultivated those bonds with the Spirits of ages long dead, and he opened his heart to friend and foe alike. This was a type of strength, and one far more meaningful and potent than mere martial prowess.

However.

That sort of strength didn’t always allow him to save those in front of him.

Too many times to count, innocents died in front of him. Heads shorn from bodies, limbs ripped off, hearts pulled out. Sometimes at the hands of monsters. Sometimes at the hands of monsters calling themselves men. Sometimes at the hands of those all-too-human Heroic Spirits. Cold logic told him that intervention would have meant death, and that not even a true hero could save everyone. Cold logic was cruel like that. By following his instinct and that path of logic, Ritsuka saved himself time and time again, and in doing so, saved humanity from a ghastly Incineration with that human strength of his.

But who would save those people? If he was stronger, could they have been saved? If he could have saved them, could he grow stronger through the experience? Could that strength lend itself to more people saved?

Could he have saved the people of Uruk? Could he have saved Ushiwakamaru? Could he have saved that Leonidas? Could he have saved Siduri?

Could he have saved anyone at all with his own two hands?

There was only one way to find out.

“Kotarou.”

A redheaded ninja slipped out from between the shadows, giving a small nod and a smile.

“Yes, my Master?”

“Wanna spar with me?”

“I’m not sure how useful you’ll find fighting with me, as we shinobi tend to stray from fair fights, but it would be my honor!”

“Even better! Just uh, let me borrow a sword or something. Lady Kiyohime was nice enough to let me train here, so I’m sure one of her retainers will let me nab a bokuto.”

“No need, Master! Catch!”

Reflexes acted faster than thought, and Ritsuka’s right hand rose to catch an unexpected weapon - a quarterstaff. He had spent the most amount of time training with this due to his choice in teachers, and it felt at home in his hands, but he had to wonder exactly why Kotarou had it with him. Personally, he’d always felt an attraction to things like Musashi’s dual blade style, but he couldn’t deny that this was what he was best with.

Perhaps Kotarou had noticed his inner turmoil.

His doubts, his fears, his struggles.

His desire to grow.

His need to save someone, anyone.

“You’re a mage, Master! Mages use staves. And…I think you look coolest with a staff.”

Kotarou truly was the ideal shinobi.

The two shared a heartfelt smile as Ritsuka spun the oaken staff, twirling it around his wrist before gripping the midsection and flicking his wrist fast enough to crack the air. Master and Servant bowed to each other. A moment later, Kotarou disappeared from sight, a set of lethal strikes aimed at Ritsuka’s spleen and neck.

Wooden daggers cut thin air as oak met spiritual flesh, a sweeping motion knocking both blows away. Kotarou’s eyes went wide beneath his shaggy red hair, and he smiled wide, laughing in mirth before redoubling his efforts.

The two men danced into the night, playfully attempting to kill each something in each other. Kotarou aimed to kill his Master’s doubts and Ritsuka aimed to kill the worry in Kotarou’s too-big heart. Bruises and scrapes accumulated, droplets blood and sweat soaking into the floor beneath them, but there was only love, camaraderie and loyalty in those blows.

Tomorrow may bring new joys and tragedies, but tonight?

Tonight belonged to a world of two.

#fate series #fate grand order #fgo #fanfiction #fuuma kotarou #kotarou fuuma #i love kotarou he's a good boy #gudao #ritsuka fujimaru #fujimaru ritsuka #writing #my writing

[paladin-of-nerd-fandom65]

My Hero Academia OC

So yeah I don’t know if anyone’s done a Greek Pro Hero for the MHA verse yet but I would like to contribute my own idea of the aforementioned right now 

Civilian Identity: Kosmo Angelos 

Pro Hero Name: Hopilite the Great 

Height: 5′9″ 

Age: 13-14 years 

Location: Sparta, Laconia, Greece 

Quirk: “Olympian Warrior”

              - Enhanced Physical Strength

              - Enhanced Reflexes and Speed 

              - Energy Constructs from his hands, mostly creating semi- holographic Ancient Greek weapons, in particular Spartan Shields (hoplon) and Athenian Javelins (akonita). 

Outfit: Primarily Based on Ancient Greece as a whole, meaning he wears a combination of Sparta armor with an Athenian Helmet, with a toga underneath and for a bit modern input, an armband with the Modern Greek flag. 

Personality: Boisterous, Fun-loving, kind hearted, Eccentric and Emotionally driven. Major fan of Ancient Greek history, in particular of the tales of Pericles of Athens, King Leonidas I of Sparta and even the mythological Heracles. Although, he does temper down his jovial behavior when the situation calls for it. Generally, Kosmo speaks with grandiose, almost Shakespearean words and phrasing since he wishes in honoring the past at the very least linguistically.  Very respectful to co workers of all types; no matter the place of origin, gender or any knowledge of Ancient Greek history, he shows a massive amount of respect and willingness to cooperate. Once a battle is won, he offers throwing whatever he can for a festival to celebrate a victory, in spite of his parents humorously saying ‘maybe not’ due to how crazy these victory festivals can get. 

Cathphrases:

“Villains, shall you face me and my friends, PREPARE FOR GLORY!” 

(If a villains says ‘Give up your quirk and its powers’) “_________, COME AND GET THEM!” 

#my hero academia #original charcter #my posts #sfw #greece #ancient greece

[author-morgan]

Phobia ☤ Alexios

one - a princess of persia 

masterlist

“Be strong, saith my heart; I am a soldier;   I have seen worse sights than this.”

Fate decrees two kindred souls from two different empires will find one another, and the spear shall be made whole again.

CRIES OF A newly born child echo off the temple walls. A masked man holds a dagger at the child's neck -awaiting the command from either Megabyzus or the king. "Please!" The princess cries, reaching for the girl. "Not my baby!" Artaxerxes and the queen mother are taken aback by the sudden intrusion.

The general drags Amytis back and strikes her across the cheek. "Whore!" Megabyzus yells, spittle landing on the princess's face. "You lay with another man while I was dying! A Greek no less!" It only adds insult to injury that she had lain with the enemy.

"Enough, Megabyzus!" Artaxerxes shouts, silencing the general. "I have made my decision and you must come to peace with it. The child will not die." The Order has spoken to him -commanded him to save the child. She will be of great importance to see their goals to fruition in the years to come.

"Very well," the general sneers, "then I have made mine." Megabyzus curls his hand into Amytis's pitch locks, forces the princess to her knees and presses a dagger against her throat. Even with the threat of death, she pleads for her child's life. Amestris cries out but is restrained by Artaxerxes as he rises from reflection, furious.

Several members of the Imperial Guard come forth, akinakas unsheathed, but the distance is too great. The general meets his king's hard gaze and begins to drag the blade. The sharp edge sinks and tears flesh. Amytis's cries are silenced by the cold bite of iron. Her mother screams, clawing bloody streaks down her face in horror.

He laughs as the first sword slips between his ribs and continues to do so even when a second and third one pierces his back. Megabyzus falls to his knees -through the pain he is victorious. The leader of the Immortals approaches, thrusts a blade into the traitor's neck, twists the hilt and pulls it free with a fountain of red.

Megabyzus's men had been commanded to bring Apollonides before the king, to answer for his adulterous crimes. When they arrive, their leader is dead but it is the sight of the princess laying still that spurs Apollonides into motion. "No!" The physician sprints toward Amytis, tearing away from the guards' grips with insurmountable strength unbecoming of his thin frame.

Blood sluices down her neck, filling her chest with each labored breath. Apollonides tears off his healer's sash, kneels and wraps it around her throat to stay the inevitable. Her blood –still warm, soaks through his robes and stains his hands. The world around him vanishes. Amytis grips onto his hands. "I-" she starts, barely audible. "Irene," she mouths, voice gone. Then her eyes slip closed as if she were only tired, but this is a sleep the princess will not wake from.

Apollonides curses the gods and his own cowardice as he clutches her still form against him, sobbing. Amestris gives him only minutes to mourn, only one chance to hold his newborn daughter before he is taken away in chains. 

AN EMPIRE MOURNS for the loss of Amytis. Her shroud is violet with golden suns and silver stars painted upon the fabric. She will be buried in the ceremonial capital –thousands of miles from Ephesus and the sight of the Aegean Sea.

Artaxerxes looks down at the orphaned princess. He wishes to raise her in the palace at Persepolis with Damaspia, but Amestris loathes the sight of the child –sees the baby as her daughter's killer, despite witnessing Megabyzus's betrayal. The thought of a raising a princess is bittersweet, though too many have spoken and he cannot take his sister's daughter. "I cannot take her as my own," he admits.

"You have lost many sons, Hydarnes," the king then states, glancing at the old general. "Take her as your daughter, but keep the truth." The truth is dangerous, and the Order will need her.

The little princess begins to cry. Hydarnes reaches into the cradle, lifts her into his arms. He has forgotten what it feels like to hold something so fragile and innocent. "Of course, Artaxerxes. But what of Amytis's son? Zephyr?"

Zephyr is a boy of five and shows promise in his lessons and training. He is only a pawn, though. The Order has no plans for the young prince. He is not tainted like his young step-sister. "He shall be my ward," Artaxerxes decides. He considers it a last act of kindness on his sister's behalf. "He is young, still malleable." Hydarnes accepts the answer, even if it is not one he supports.

Amytis's cortège leaves Ephesus in two days. Hydarnes watches from the middle of the street as the line of horses and wagons depart to the east. Once the traveling party is out of sight, he looks down at Irene and smiles. So long as the little princess is under his protection, no one -not even the Order- shall ever harm her. 

THE PRINCESS SOON grows into her mother's beauty, but in place of Amytis's amber eyes are the same lapis lazuli of her father -Apollonides. No one knows what happened to the physician, only that Amestris had led him away in chains. Some say the queen mother had him buried alive, others claim she keeps him locked away. Either way, Irene grows up in a cruel world not knowing her mother or father.

Though his experience comes from many sons, Hydarnes believes he is doing a fine job raising Irene. Something about a daughter seems easier. She is sweeter than his boys ever were and promises she will look after him when he is truly old. He is honored to be the first man she loves.

Hydarnes brings her to the roof of his manse. Perched on a hill outside of Ephesus, it offers sweeping views of the city and sea to the west and untamed nature to the east. The sun has set, and a waxing moon is on the rise. Irene situates herself among a pallet of blankets and pillows -knowing a visit to the roof means a story.

He lights several lanterns, pulls an item from an ornate chest and sits next to the princess. "Do you know what this is?" He questions, holding out a broken wooden shaft with a mounted, leaf-shaped blade.

"It's a spear," Irene answers, disappointed it was not something more impressive. Once he had let her hold the tiara from some distant eastern kingdom, but this was only a broken spear -she's seen a dozen of them watching Hydarnes train young soldiers.

The old general holds his stomach, laughing. "Not just any spear, young one." He places the broken weapon in her small hands, watches closely as she turns it over. "This is the spear of the great Spartan king, Leonidas." Irene has heard many stories of Leonidas and the brave three hundred. Hydarnes can remember the Battle of Thermopylae as if were only yesterday. Though enemies on the battlefield, he respects the warrior nation of Sparta and the kings who fight their own battles.

"Where is the other half?" She asks.

"Lost in battle," he tells her. He and his men had searched for the other half, unbeknownst that a young Theban hoplite had taken it to return to Queen Gorgo and her children, along with the fallen king's shield. "But this-" he takes the spear and taps the flat of the tip against her nose "–this and a king's helm were proof that Leonidas had been slain." Hydarnes had personally delivered both prizes to King Xerxes, a moment marking the apogee of his career.

Though now, as he looks at Irene, the old general feels as though he truly realizes his purpose. She is a Princess of Persia and greatness has been written in her destiny.

#Alexios #Alexios x OC #Alexios Imagine #Alexios Fanfiction #Assassin's Creed Imagine #Assassin's Creed Fanfiction #Assassin's Creed Odyssey #story: Phobia #my writing

[pantheon-god-of-war]

On a design level, how would you want to see Pantheon improved when he gets a VU? Would you want him to stay more Hoplite inspired or more full plate like some of the armor the Roman's wore? League seems to be pushing Targon all over the place in terms of armor styles so I am actually pretty interested in your opinion on what YOUR preference would be. I personally feel they'll push him towards the full plate to just match the others.

This has been sitting within my inbox for quite a while and it kept me up at night as much as the very question you asked. I can not tel you how often, how long and how hard I ponder Pantheons rework. It both excites and scares me at the same time because it has as much potential to be great and wonderful as it has to butcher his character. 

I am so fed up with him being the joke of the entire cast. Targon has such a diverse cast of characters and then people just look at him and go “ah meatbro .. he wanted to be baker.” and thats it. No one takes him seriously and no one really seems to care, hes just another muscle warrior in a sea of muscle warriors who are all better than him at what he does. But enough of that. 

I saved this ask until 2019 because I wanted my first post of the year to be something positive, something that offers ideas and my own thoughts on a champion that I have loved with all of my heart for all of his soon ten years of existence! 

To your question of Roman or Spartan. I have to say that I contemplated this multiple times. I loved the design of Imperius from Diablo. A heavy armored badass angle warrior who is a large inspiration for Pantheon. But in swaying to much to his design I feel that Pantheons visual appearance would skew to far towards the solari. Now dont get me wrong, we all know how much I love panth x leona, but that does not mean that they should match in armor design. Pantheon embodies the polar opposite of Leona (No not like Diana) but rather in mentality. The whole reason why Atreus was chosen by Pantheon was that he agreed in Atreus view on Targons problems. Find the enemies of Targon and kill them, before they can find Targon. Leona decided that she would lock herself in the golden city and defend her people with her Ra’horak. One is the offence of Targon the other is defence none of the other aspects serve Targon as they do, Taric is around saving Trees and flowers, Zoe does what she wants and Diana is running off to god knows where. Only Pantheon and Leona remain on the mountain to defend it. Both in their own ways which gives them parallels within differences. 

That whole paragraph was why I believe that they need to keep Pantheon with the hoplite armor. Keep him somewhat nimble, keep his design somewhat aggressive to contrast Leonas stalwart paladin design. Another reason why I believe that Roman design is bad for Pantheon or the Rakkor is because I see a lot of Roman traits in the Noxian empire. Drawing inspiration from a common source for different factions might make them blend a little to well. Yes I know Noxus is armored like fantasy knights would be but from the army structure to the expansionist ways of warfare I see a lot similarities to Rome. I said it before and ill say it again, I believe a xenophobic race of elite warriors was a WAY better design choice for the Rakkor than these … supposed pilgrims from all corners of the world. Its a 180 degree turn and I think its hardly a good thing certainly not for Pantheons design choices. 

Now that we settled on the Spartan/Hoplite design over the roman you might think I’m done. 

When talking about the design of his armor I think its important to figure out what sort of “Pantheon” we are going for. While I have my very set in view of him that does not mean that anyone shares it and anything I see as common sense, or logical may not make sense at all to someone else. So we need to set a few ground rules in his design choices. What is Pantheon actually? Hes the god/aspect of war. People say aspects arn’t gods but really the greek gods were defined as aspects of mortal life. So if Pantheon is truly the god of war, and nothing of his host remains (see story) and he then truly embodies war with his form then we have to ask ourselves how does he embody war? 

Does he appear as the grim and gritty reality of war? as evil, dark and more of a villain character? since we all know war is nothing but the slaughter of brothers and sisters? Or does he embody war in a way to rouse warriors to join his side? Depicting war as a Honorable crucible of combat in which true warriors are forged? Its a hard decision to make, and Targon truly lacks a villain character. But thats Targons charm as well, none of them are truly good or evil, they just have their purpose and see it through to the end. But if we were to split Targon Pantheon would fit into the villain category more than anyone. He holds the leash upon Aurelion Sol, he is war, he was described as violent and ruthless in Zoes introduction. So making him a dark armored warrior, with horns, spikes and a flaming cape to captivate and further drive home this feeling of “wars ruinous taint” would fit his character very well. I draw a lot of inspirations from DC’s version of Ares. 

The other route one could take, is Pantheon the noble aspect of warriors and war. I talked about a more golden and red design, to portray a hero type character who animates others to great deeds through his own power and strength, someone like an Achilles or Leonidas character. A warrior who leads men by example, a warrior who sees the burden that is to shoulder and willingly offers himself. In other words a hero. We can see aspects of the noble warrior in game as well, with taunts from Aatrox where Pantheon is described as “Noble and proud.” its further driven home as it was Pantheon who rallied the forces of man against the superior Darkin, to doom them for all eternity. In this iteration I could see a champion of man, clad in archaic gold armor a red cape upon his broad shoulders. 

The decision for which one to go is something out of my hands and completely in Riots. I personally tend towards a more version 1 Pantheon, but a version 2 Pantheon could perhaps be more shippable with Leona. In the end it comes down to Riot and in which direction they want to shove him. I can no make that call. BUT what I can do is waste my time and plan out various design choices that will NEVER see the light of day because I am so dissatisfied with them every time I finish them up. But just to deliver some of my ideas have two papers worth of sketches! 

Its by far not complete, but its small ideas I get every now and then that I jot down before moving on. I hope I didn’t ramble to long but if you got this far then thank you for reading it means a lot

#out of war #myart

[deathmetalunicorn1]

Hi! If your taking some romantic Leonidas headcanons, May I request a Leonidas x Mitsuri! reader? If not then it's ok!

-When Leonidas first arrived in Valhalla, he waited for Gorgo to arrive when her time came, but when she never did, he had to accept she wasn’t coming.

-Hades was the one who have Leonidas a letter from Gorgo, who was living comfortable in his section of the underworld, in an area full of trees and life, so she wasn’t miserable, but told him to not wait for her as she was never coming.

-Leonidas followed her words, and didn’t wait for her, but he never took another lover, choosing instead to focus on his own training, along with his soldiers, enjoying the time training and relaxing, not having to deal with meetings or stuffy politicians any longer.

-As the years passed Leonidas never had thought about taking another, until you walked into his life, walking into the training grounds, holding a letter from Ares.

-Demons weren’t a big issue in Valhalla, at least the ones you had dealt with on earth, so there was no need for Demon Slayers any longer, but you still trained, keeping your skills and body in shape and you were happy to find work in the Greek pantheon as a bodyguard and a delivery girl, which is what you were doing today.

-You were quick to find yourself the center of attention of all of these large beefy men as you approached Leonidas, as you didn’t afraid at all, a bright smile on your face, and he was quick to notice the sword at your side, signaling that you were a warrior.

-You greeted Leonidas with a polite bow, “Good morning King Leonidas, my name is Y/N and I’ve been ask to deliver this letter from Lord Ares.” He took the letter and opened it, reading over it before taking a long drag of his cigar, breathing out so the smoke went behind him.

-All attention was on him before he snorted before laughing loudly, slapping his knee, shocking his soldiers but you didn’t seem bothered before he stood, giving you a grin, “I asked Ares to give me a challenge and he sent me you. All right boys- whoever beats Y/N here gets a bonus!!”

-A roar of cheers went out and you weren’t bothered or scared, as Ares told you that you were going to get a workout.

-Ten minutes later Leonidas, who had underestimated you, was gawking, his eyes wide, as you headed over to him, little flowers of happiness surrounding you as his whole army was laying around, beating, and you didn’t even draw your sword! You did this all with your bare hands!!

-Leonidas couldn’t help but grin down at you, “Ares wasn’t joking, you are strong! Wanna go get a drink with me?” his army was stunned that he got to you first, asking you out and despite being such a strong warrior, you cupped your cheeks, turning bright red, turning as if you were a pure maiden.

-Leonidas was not only stunned but furious after taking you out a few times, learning that you had tried to be married before, as you wanted to be a wife, but all the men you were matched with told you that you were a beast of a woman with inhuman strength and a monstrous appetite.

-Leonidas glared fiercely, slamming his hand down, “BULLSHIT!! Anyone in their right mind would kill for someone like you!! If you were in Sparta you would have had so many men lined up that I would have to beat them all off!!”

-His words, his anger, surprised you, but made you smile, looking down as your cheeks were bright red, trying to hide your happy tears.

-Leonidas and you were an odd-looking couple together, but many could see how cute you looked together, you looked so soft and were happy while Leonidas looked hard and intimidating.

-While not jealous, Leonidas was very protective of you, if anyone said anything bad about you, he wouldn’t hesitate to throw hands and threaten them with a massive beatdown, defending your honor, which you adored.

-You did your best to make him happy too, bringing him baked goods you’ve made which he always savors and acts like a child sometimes with, refusing to share.

-He’s very gentle with you, treating you like a delicate flower, despite knowing you were probably stronger than him, but you loved it, showing him with kisses and loves, which he enjoyed.

-Grogo would always be his first love and would always have a place in his heart, but having you by his side made him so happy, and he wanted to keep you there so you would be happy too.

#record of ragnarok #ror x reader #ror leonidas

[art-of-manliness]

Shop the AoM Store For Father’s Day (And Get 15% Off!)

This Father’s Day, go beyond the standard necktie or socks or “World’s Greatest Dad” mug. Dad deserves better, doesn’t he? Our AoM shop is chock-full of unique, exclusive gifts that are perfect for dads everywhere. The last day to order and have your gift arrive by Father’s Day is June 12th, so don’t delay! Below is just a sampling of what’s available, so be sure to head over to our store to see the full selection.   You can also take advantage of our special Father’s Day discount; enter code “FATHERSDAY2018” to take 15% off your order! The Illustrated Art of Manliness When life tests a man’s mettle, he needs the wisdom to know the right thing to do, the courage to start it, the skill to complete it, and the style to look sharp along the way. The Illustrated Art of Manliness is Dad’s go-to guide for all of the above. It distills more than 100 practical skills every modern man should know into an entertaining, easy-to-follow visual format. Dad can keep it on the coffee table, at his bedside, or even in the bathroom, and learn something new every day. Available signed in the AoM store, or unsigned on Amazon.  Fight in the Shade T-Shirt  One of our most popular tees, with a design inspired by the immortal words of Sparta’s King Leonidas. When complained to about the arrows of Persian warriors blocking the sun, he responded with his typical Laconic wit: “Won’t it be nice, then, if we shall have shade in which to fight them?” “A Little Fellow Follows Me” Print This classic poem is a simple, gentle reminder to always be your best self because you’ve got a little person who thinks the world of you. Legendary basketball coach John Wooden received a copy of it in 1936 upon the birth of his son, and memorized it by heart. “Its words,” he said, “greatly impacted me over the years.” He even kept copies of the poem in a desk drawer, and gave them to all the fathers in his life. We commissioned the folks at This Paper Ship to create this mid-century inspired illustration that perfectly encapsulates the spirit of “A Little Fellow Follows Me.” Dad can hang it up in his office to remind him to be the best Dad he can be and pass on the legacy of manliness to his sons.  Carry the Fire Zippo  Give our “Carry the Fire” Zippo lighter to the Dad in your life who strives to choose idealism over cynicism, virtue over vice, decency over dereliction, and hope over hopelessness — who carries the fire of goodness and honor and seeks to pass it on to the next generation. Wooden Catch-All Keep Dad organized whether at work or at home by motivating him with the classic maxim: “A place for everything, and everything in its place.” Our classy wooden catch-all has this saying etched right into it. An AoM exclusive, it will ensure that Dad never loses his keys, wallet, or other EDC items. AoM Barbell Club Ringer Tee So many AoM readers have picked up barbell training over the years thanks to content we’ve published about strength training, we’ve formed an unofficial AoM Barbell Club. And every club needs a tee.  Enter the AoM Barbell Club T-shirt. The ringer style of our shirt harkens to the age of 1970s powerlifting. Guaranteed to increase Dad’s PRs by 25%, testosterone by 37%, and chest hair by 300%. Best matched with shorty shorts, side burns, and tube socks.  AoM Pint Glass Dad will enjoy all his favorite cold beverages even more when he drinks them from an Art of Manliness pint glass! The AoM shaker pint glass holds 16 fluid ounces of beer (or other tasty beverage) and has a deep-etched AoM logo that will not wash off with time. An excellent (and manly) addition to Dad’s home bar or kitchen cabinet. Classic & Stay Manly Mug These ceramic mugs are thick-walled to keep your beverages hotter for longer and deep-etched so that the design never fades or wears off. They weigh in at a hefty 1.3lbs and hold a healthy 15oz. The vintage shape and speckled finish is reminiscent of old camping mugs that grizzled cowboys would use on the trail. And the large, three-finger handle makes for comfortable holding even for Dad’s mighty hands.  Our original mug is emblazoned by 19th century bare-knuckled pugilist John L. Sullivan with the phrase “Semper Virilis” — Always Manly — above his head. Our second mug features Brett’s now legendary podcast sign-off, “Stay Manly.” Strength and Honor PT Short  The Strength and Honor PT short has AoM’s signature “Virtus et Honestas” sword and wings emblazoned on the right leg to inspire Dad to reach higher and push himself harder. They’re just the right length: shorter than basketball gym shorts, but not as short as ranger panties. They don’t get in the way of Dad’s deadlifts and power cleans and they just look more grown-up than the typical baggy knee-grazers. Made with lightweight, breathable, moisture-wicking material and flexible fabric that moves with your body. Plus, they come with built-in underwear, and even make great swimming trunks! These are the perfect shorts for Dad’s strength-building, honor-inspiring workouts. AoM Pocket Knife Every Dad needs a good pocket knife. Our AoM variety offers high quality materials, precision in German engineering, and the sharp look and fine details of the modern Böker knife. Features fine polished brass bolsters and synthetic handle scales with inlay. The blades are made of high performance 440C stainless steel and laser etched with the AoM monogram on the outside and the Art of Manliness logo on the inside. True North Stationery Give Dad’s handwritten correspondence some class. Most stationery is a bit feminine in nature, which is why we designed our own Art of Manliness stationery. Made from high quality letter-pressed stock, this True North design will inspire not only Dad to stay the course in his life (and writing), but its recipient as well. Other designs, from a gentleman to a bull moose, are also available in the AoM shop. The post Shop the AoM Store For Father’s Day (And Get 15% Off!) appeared first on The Art of Manliness. http://dlvr.it/QWXglT

[rxsing-agxnts]

ᴀᴄᴇssɪɴɢ ғɪʟᴇs ғᴏʀ: @ofheroines​ ғɪʟᴇs ᴀᴄᴄᴇssᴇᴅ ғɪʟᴇ ᴏᴘᴇɴᴇᴅ: ʟᴇᴏɴɪᴅᴀs ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴀʀᴏʟ _________________________

Location: The Vault, Avengers Campus State: New York Time: 10:00 AM OST: Grabbin’ Clothes _________________________

“  Ugh, I wish they had more shirts with the “I’m a Grill Master” here.  “ Leonidas said to himselfsifting through the shirts looking for one he wanted to wear in case if he had someone over and if he felt like cooking for them. However, after a few minutes of looking through he found it.. just the perfect one in his size as well. 

“Perfect...” the SWORD agent said to himself holding up the shirt and looking at it before realizing that it could be the last one that could be in stock at the Vault. He turned his attention to another one who was sifting through some clothes just as he was. 

“  Let me guess, looking for a shirt that you saw online as well?  “ Leonidas asked to the other. 

#ofheroines #[Strength and Honor- Leonidas] #[Clothes and A Mission- Leonidas and Carol]

[rye-views]

300 (2006) dir. Zack Snyder. 7.4/10

It’s so weird to see Gerard Butler in a role like this, but his visuals fit it.

Leonidas returning to Sparta as a man is like a painting. I want to set up something like that.

Some gnarly battles. I love the adrenaline that I feel while watching it.

Is this Magic Mike?

Xerxes has some wild people in his ranks.

Snaps to Theron’s death.

Spoiler: [About Spartans boys growing up to be Spartan men. At age 7, the boys are sent into the violent world to fend for themselves. They are taught to be fine soldiers and the agoge forces them to fight. Leonidas is off in the world and fights off a large wolf through his thinking and strength. He comes back and eventually becomes king of Sparta. This story is told by Dilios, a hoplite, one year after the Battle of Thermopylae. This is to prep them to take on the Persians since a messenger once came to Leonidas. Leonidas is training his son, Pleistarchus, in battle until the messenger talks to him of submitting to King Xerxes of Persia by providing earth and water. Leonidas pushes him down a well as he tells of how Sparta doesn’t submit and how he had insulted his wife, Gorgo, by considering her less for being a woman. Leonidas then climbs to head to the Ephor, priests to the old gods. He wants their blessing to go to war. His plan is to trap the Persians within the Hot Gates since the narrow space renders a large army useless. The Persians are strong in numbers. The Ephor deny the blessing and even confer the Oracle, who denies it because of the Carneia. Leonidas is told to honor the gods or all of Greece will fall. Leonidas has sex with Gorgo. The following day, he has his captain, Artemis, bring in 300 soldiers to act as his personal bodyguard. Within the group is Astinos, Artemis‘s son. The council, including Theron, confronts them to not go to war, but Leonidas justifies it by saying he’s going on a walk with his bodyguard. They head north to the Hot Gates. Leonidas bids goodbye to Gorgo and his son until Gorgo gives him a necklace. The Arcadians join them on their journey to fight off the Persians. They wonder why Leonidas didn’t bring his army and instead just 300 men. Leonidas talks of how the Arcadians are full of men who aren’t real soldiers and that his men then outnumber the Arcadians. They get to a stop and see a boy, who had survived a previous attack. Leonidas addresses his men about the attack and how it came from the Persian ghosts, known as the Immortals. They later watch a storm antagonize Persian ships. In the morning, the ships are still intact and they see how many ships exist. They build their wall using dead Persians as the mortar. It will guide the Persians to not cross that way, but instead go towards the Hot Gates. An emissary shows up and tells them to submit, but Stelios cuts off the man’s arm as he uses his whip. The man is to go back and alert Xerxes. A deformed Spartan named Ephialtes talks of getting his shield and sword from his father. He wants to join Leonidas’s army, but is rejected since he can’t lift the shield high enough for the phalanx formation. Ephialtes does mention a goat path that can be used to compromise the Spartan’s position. The Persians arrive and the Spartans fight well without any casualties. They battle close combat, many arrows, horses, and so on. Gorgo gets a councilman’s help to get her to talk to the council. King Xerxes arrives to talk with Leonidas. He says he’s a god king and can allow Leonidas to rise and have it all. When Leonidas refuses, Xerxes says that he can destroy Sparta and its history forever. The Spartans and Arcadians fight against the Immortals now and lose some men. They win. At the next battle, dangerous elephants and rhinos are involved. They win again, but Astinos is killed. Artemis kills in a rage. Ephialtes gives up the goat road to Xerxes in return for a uniform, women, and wealth. Gorgo talks with Theron to get his help to get an army to Leonidas. Theron talks of how help won’t be given to Leonidas and he will go to jail. He then gets her to have sex with him for his help. Leonidas learns of Ephialtes’s betrayal and the Arcadians retreat. Leonidas has many wounded men go back to Sparta and he has Delios relay the messages. He gives the necklace back to Gorgo. Gorgo goes to the council and talks of getting aid to Leonidas. Theron talks up and says that Gorgo used him for sex and can’t be trusted. She kills him with a sword and his

money bag full of Persian coins falls out. The council sees him as a traitor and agrees to help Leonidas. Ephialtes and Xerxes tells Leonidas to submit once again. He takes off his helmet and lets go of his shield and spear. He kneels until he alerts Stelios to attack. Amidst that, Leonidas throws a spear at Xerxes, cutting his face. The Spartans are then killed by arrows. Dilios relays the messages back home. He now talks to the 10,000 Spartans ready to fight, because of the sacrifice of the 300.]

#300 #2006 #zack snyder #7.4 #movie #film #review #commentary #rye-views

[gereionkingston]

Three Characters

Had to think about what to do for this, mainly because Gereion was created with very little inspiration from anything outside of my family. That being said, as he’s changed over the years I managed to figure the three best influences that helped drive his changes and represent him.

1. The Lawbringer and The Warden (For Honor) - These two properly represent Gere in combat. Using fluid and smooth motions he turns the normal dance of one-on-one combat into a contest of maneuverability and strength as he aims to put all his strength behind each blow.

2. Ares The Greek God of War - Had to make Ares a second to represent the Warmongering side of Gere

3. Leonidas - And I don’t mean the actual Warrior King from Greek History,

I mean this one. Honestly I had a hard time picking #2 and actually gave up on this one.

Tagged by: @summysparklesprocket

Tagging: @ithaerielbrenagh @integrabrenagh @juliette-bennas

#So many gifs

[renegadesrpg]

Dark Angels: Creation. Part 29 – This Is Not The End -- Adrian

-solo-

 As Zav and Celia had walked toward the bakery to find his woman, I’d rounded the corner and misted into the half-world, ostensibly to scout the area, but in reality I’d hung around to watch their backs for a while. Long enough that I was torn between staying with Celia at the bakery and following Zav when he left with the human, Truely. In the end I’d trusted Celia could handle anything she needed to on her end long enough for me to get back to her if necessary and Zav was out in the open with a civilian who he’d worry more about taking care of than protecting himself. A sure way to get himself killed and we needed him. More than needed him. Zav was my brother in all the ways that counted as surely as had been the other 299 Spartans I’d ended my mortal life with at Thermopylae. I’d lost enough brothers. I’d lost enough, period.

 So, staying invisible, I’d followed the pair along until they stopped at a purple monstrosity of a house near the end of the main drag. When it had been obvious they were going in I’d done a quick reconnaissance to be sure it was safe. I’d found no signs of rogue reapers or demons but no warding either and when they’d decided to …. dally, that’s a good word for it… I’d given them privacy but I hadn’t left them. Much like I’d guarded Sean while he spent his nights with Layla before their cottage had been attacked and subsequently warded, I’d guarded Zav. It seemed to be my role these days.

 I don’t begrudge Sean and Zav finding their soulmates but I can’t help the tinge of bitterness. I’ve been where they are. Sean’s in that state of disbelief that comes when you realize you’ve found something so special and unforeseen that it seems too good to be true, and Zav….damn, he’s so happy just being in that woman’s company that he’s almost unrecognizable from the grim, quiet angel-reaper I’ve known the last 2500 years. I’m happy for them. I am. But once, as a mortal, I’d found that same sense of home in someone and I’d lost it. Not because I died. No, I lost it because I was too cowardly to act on it, too afraid of breaking the accepted social conventions of my civilization to embrace it. Hence the bitterness at watching them gain what I could have had and rejected.

 As I wait for Zav and Truely to finish “dallying” I can’t help but let myself think back to my boyhood. Spartan boys left their mothers at 6 to join the training camps.  We were born and bred to be warriors and I in particular was wanted. My grandmother had been the original Oracle of Delphi and my grandfather the god Apollo. The genetics they’d passed on included superior strength, speed, grace of movement, and the very unpredictable gift of prophecy. The commanders in the camps were eager to translate those gifts into making me an asset, but they’d had little remembrance of what it was like to be a young boy ripped from his mother’s side. As the grandson of a god it was expected, even at the tender age of 6, that I’d be stoic and committed. As a homesick boy, much more human than semi-divine, I’d wept in the dark for the loss of all I’d ever known.

I hadn’t been alone in that, but we’d all kept it to ourselves, unwilling to be disgrace our families. By the time the new crop of boys had come in the next year I’d become inured to the homesickness and daily hardships. I was the perfect picture of a second year child trainee, adept with wooden spear and sword and my aim with a bow was already even better than my instructor’s, as should be expected of the grandson of Apollo. After all, that made Artemis my great-aunt. But it hadn’t made me callous to what the new boys were going through and one night the sounds of sobs coming from the blanket next to mine had woken me up.

 His name was Jace. I’d crawled out from under my blanket and touched his shoulder in commiseration. He’d raised his dark head to look at me and when his eyes met mine something clicked. We connected in a way that I didn’t understand, not then. I just knew I was home, that in his presence I felt complete. We became best friends, taking our meals together, sparring together, fighting mock battles back-to-back. With his dark  handsomeness contrasting with my classic golden hair and skin as we ran through the camp it was inevitable that we should come to the notice of the commanders for more than our burgeoning warrior skills once we reached adolescence. It was the way of things. Teens were often taken as a “protégé” by one of the older commanders. There was no need to hide it. Such relationships were considered the due of the adults and an honor for the young man to be so singled out. In the end, we found ourselves fortunate in our “mentors”.  They had been publicly stern with us, making sure we excelled at all the skills that make a soldier, and privately as kind to us as a warrior’s lifestyle allowed them to be, preferring one another’s company to ours. Discretely observing such a relationship opened our eyes to the fact that our own feelings for one another were not, as we’d always believed in our innocence, platonic.

 To my eternal regret, those feelings remained unspoken between us until it was too late. What was considered appropriate between trainee and adult was forbidden between us as youths. It was thought that such relationships between the young men would make us less willing to lay with a woman in the future and prevent us from doing our duty by siring at least one son for Sparta. Instead, we exchanged long looks and became resolute that we would never be parted as comrades-in-arms. And, for me at least, held on to the unspoken hope that perhaps one day we would achieve the status that allowed us the same discrete relationship as our mentors had shown us. When we were deemed ready for the field at 17 we completed the final expectation of our training.  We wed the girls our families had arranged for us and fathered sons. By 20 we were considered to have fulfilled our duty to the race and never spent another full week in the company of our women again, instead rising within the ranks to become the most coveted warriors of the army and volunteering for the most dangerous assignments. Which is how we ended up among the 300.

 Xerxes of Persia had amassed a massive army and navy to conquer all of Greece. This was not his first attempt and the Athenians had defeated him at Marathon 10 years before, but his new forces were larger and his ambitions greater. The cities of Greece united their forces to repel the invaders in both a land and naval war. While Themistocles of Athens commanded the navy forces at the Straits of Artemesium, ground forces united under Sparta. Our king, Leonidas I, led a combined force of 7000 men to defend the pass at Thermopylae and Jace and I were with them.

 Our task was simple – to hold the mountain pass while Themistocles decimated the Persian navy. Xerxes had a land force of 150,000 strong. Later Greek writers placed it at 3 million, and you can trust me when I say it felt like they had that many, but our intelligence was solid. Still, our 7,000 should have been able to hold the pass. It was narrow and winding, the walls tall and the only road a land army could use to pass into Greece from Persia. It was a perfect bottleneck, easily defensible when the attack came from only one direction. Unfortunately, treachery ensured that would not be the case. A local peasant who hoped for vast rewards from Xerxes showed him a little used shepherd’s path through the mountains that ran along the ground above the walls. This allowed Xerxes to flank us and gave them the high ground. When our scouts discovered we were being flanked it was too late. Leonidas sent the bulk of the army away to fight another day, but retained a small force to cover their retreat. Legend likes to say that 300 Spartans held that pass for three days, but that is not entirely true. Leonidas also kept 700 Thespians and 400 Thebans. But the Spartans were the last to die.

 During the day Jace and I fought back to back, the ground slick with blood and spilled guts. At night we  tended one another’s wounds and took turns sleeping. We were grimly aware that this was not a battle we’d be walking away from and that last night as exhaustion claimed us we found a last desperate opportunity to affirm what we’d always felt.

 We’d been dirty, bleeding from a half dozen wounds and surrounded by the smell of death.  No fires had been lit that night. Xerxes had stationed archers high above us on top of the mountain pass walls. Firelight only gave them a target. Instead we’d huddled together against a cliff wall, taking cover where we could and sharing a cold meal of the last of our bread and dried meat. Jace had been bleeding from a cut along his hairline and I’d ripped a strip of blanket to bind it.

 “You need to learn to duck faster. That spear nearly took your head off.”

 He’d just wiped the blood out of his eyes and answered, “Does it matter? We’re going to die here one way or the other. Home on our shields for Sparta,” he’d added mockingly.  

 As I tied the cloth in place, our faces close, he reached up and laid a hand on my jaw. I’d frozen, the gesture intimate and unusual. But not unwelcome. No, gods, no, not unwelcome.  The bandage forgotten, my hand had crept around to cup the back of his head and pull his forehead to rest against mine.

 “If the Fates have written this as our destiny, at least we will die together.”

 He’d pulled back a little and raised his dark eyes to mine, his hand falling to my shoulder. “So much I should have said….” His voice faltered… “So much time wasted between us.”

 My eyes never leaving his as my heart threatened to beat out of my chest. “No. Not wasted. We lived and we …” my voice deepening with emotion, “and we loved in our own way. I would have had much more with you, but I was a coward. I let others dictate who I would be with, how I would live. But never who I loved. It was you, always you.”

His lips and mine had melded and in that moment, amid the blood and carnage of war, so did our souls. Too late to build a mortal life with one another, but not too late to claim an eternity together.  But even that was denied to us.

 Dawn broke on the third day and the enemy came. There were only Spartans left to hold the last narrow section of the pass and there were too few even of us, no more than 30. We gathered together as they came, shields raised overhead as arrows rained down on us when their line charged. We were encircled before we could form a line to even hold. And still we were the superior swordsmen, fighting back-to-back in a tight circle, our blades cutting them down as they tried to break us apart. But there were too many and finally our group was maneuvered apart, our backs exposed. I saw it coming. Their line parted and cavalry with spears broke through. And still I only had focus for the one aimed at Jase’s back. The sharp pointed blade caught the sun’s light. I’d shouted “JACE!” as I’d leapt to take the strike but it was not enough.  I felt it enter my chest in a blinding pain, but it was nothing to what I felt when I fell and realized Jace had fallen with me. He’d turned as he heard my warning but he’d been too close. The point had run me through and embedded in his chest as well. His sword clattered to the ground and his arms wrapped around me as we fell. “We go together,” he gasped. I felt myself relax in his grasp as bloody foam began to bubble from my lips and sighed out… “Together…”

And then I was standing, looking down at our bodies entwined on the ground and a tall, dark-haired man in black was standing beside me as another was walking away with Jace. I had lunged to follow him, calling out his name but as Jace had turned back to look at me, the being he was with had grasped his arm simply dissolved them both into black mist.

 “His destiny is not yours,” the being said to me as he took my shoulder. “Be assured that he will be safe with Zav. Olympus awaits you.”

 “NOOOO!!!!” I’d screamed and fought to get out of his hold but suddenly I was frozen in place, his dark eyes locked on mine.

 “You are the grandson of the god Apollo. He has persuaded the Fates that you should ascend to be with him. Your friend Jace’s soul is destined for rebirth.” He’d tilted his head at me, “This is a gift to you that your grandfather has gone to some lengths to obtain.”

 “I don’t want his gift,” I’d spat as I found myself able to speak. “And who are you anyway, to speak of my grandfather?”

 He’d looked at me for a time, ignoring the battle that was raging beside us, but the warriors seemed oblivious to us anyway. I noticed more beings around us, some male, some female, but all clothed in black, all waiting to take souls as they fell.  When he finally spoke, his voice was regretful.

 “My name is Sin. I am a reaper. Death’s First Reaper. It is a mark of respect for your grandfather that I came for you myself. He is a friend.” He’d sighed as he looked at me and continued, “Your soul was intertwined with the soul that was just taken. Apollo would not have known that or I am sure he would have lobbied to keep you together. But I cannot alter your friend’s destiny now. He has his own choices to make, doors to open or close. I can only open another for you. If you refuse Olympus I can offer you an existence as a reaper rather than as a disembodied soul left to walk the Earth. You would bring talents to my corps that would be welcome.  But you would never be able to ascend. Our existence is long and only ended by certain methods. When it ends we go into the Long Sleep.”

 My heart had been breaking while he talked about my options and I’d been about to tell him what he could do with his offer when something he said caused me to pause.

“However, it provides you with the chance that you might meet your soulmate again. You will ferry souls into ascension or to the Elysian Fields to await rebirth, you will walk between the worlds as an emissary of Death, but you will also walk the Earth. The possibility that you can find him in one of his next lives exists. It is the best I can do for you.”

 My mind was a confused muddle over what was happening. I’ve since learned that’s a pretty common side effect of violent death but at the time the only thing that was clear was that I’d have the chance to find Jace again. To be whole again.  If I agreed. Slowly, I’d nodded my head.

 “What do I have to do?”

 He’d smiled and said, “Nothing. I will take you with me and we will teach you what you need to know.”

And as he’d spoken a blinding headache had struck and I’d had a vision. The man I’d seen take Jace away, another with sandy blonde hair and a dark-haired female danced in my head along with the face of the being in front of me and a word echoed in my brain… Destiny.

 The headache had cleared as quickly as it had struck and the being…Sin was it?  He’d smiled a little deeper. “So you bring your gift with you. Yes, you shall definitely be an asset. Come,” he’d relaxed whatever he’d done to me that had kept me from moving in that moment, “We go. Others will finish what needs to be done here.”

 And we had. And I’d been looking for Jace ever since.

The sound of laughing voices jerks me back to this time and place and I silently curse myself for my lapse in alertness.  As Zav and Truly exit the house  I take a quick look around and find the surroundings secure.

 Time to play bodyguard again.

#Renegades #RRPG #BDBAU #DarkAngelsCreation #Reapers #Vampires #Wolfen #Angels