#Beheading of Angelis

[officialyourdailyinspiration]

Today in Christian History

Today is Thursday, September 1st, the 244th day of 2022. There are 121 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History:

256: North African bishops vote unanimously that Christians who were baptized by rival sects must be rebaptized upon reentering the catholic church. The vote leads to a war of words between the North Africans and Rome, where Bishop Stephen (pope) disagrees. Eventually the worldwide church accepts the position held by Stephen.

1680: Beheading of Angelis, a young goldsmith in Constantinople who had shown little seriousness toward his faith. However, when confronted with the choice to convert to Islam or lose his life, he had boldly confessed Christ.

1687: Death at Cambridge, England, of Dr. Henry More, a theologian and philosopher deeply interested in mystical questions regarding spiritual beings, apologetics, and union with God, as well as more standard philosophical and scientific topics. He had communicated with many thinkers of repute in his day, including Robert Boyle, Isaac Newton, and Rene Descartes.

1784: Shortly after four in the morning, John Wesley meets with Thomas Coke and James Creighton, presbyters of the Church of England, to ordain Richard Whatcoat and Thomas Vasey as deacons for America. The following day they will ordain Whatcoat and Vasey as elders (Presbyters) and appoint Coke as Superintendent  (Bishop) for America.

1803: The Massachusetts Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge is instituted in Boston, the first tract society established in North America.

1836: When missionaries Marcus Whitman, H. H. Spalding, and their wives reach Walla Walla, Washington, Eliza Spaulding and Narcissa Whitman are the first white women to have crossed the North American continent.

1901: Death of Isabella Thoburn from Asiatic cholera. She had been a notable missionary-educator.

1923: Jessie Wengler, an Assemblies of God missionary in Japan, experiences an earthquake and flees to a bamboo grove for safety.

1936: Death of Lewis E. Jones, YMCA leader. He wrote the hymn tune POWER IN THE BLOOD ( “Would You Be Free from Your Burden of Sin?”).

1940: Death in Manila of Gregorio Aglipay, the main founder and first bishop of the Philippine Independent Church (Iglesia Filipina Independiente).

1957: At a massive rally in Times Square, Billy Graham concludes his sixteen-week New York City evangelistic crusade in New York City, attended by nearly two million people.

1970: Mei Yibao begins serving as president of the New Asia College of the Chinese University in Hong Kong. A Christian, he had served as traveling secretary for the YMCA for a year and had led Yanching University, a Christian institution, during the difficult days of Japanese occupation.

1975: Martyrdom in Boniato Prison of Gerardo Gonzalez Alvarez, a Cuban Bible preacher.

2018: A mob of nearly 1,000 Islamists attacks Christians gathered in a home to pray in Dimshaw, Egypt. The mob claims that the Christians don’t have a license, and a rumor spreads that they are on the verge of building a new church. Only twenty-five attackers are arrested and the court will release twenty-one of them.

[plnkdemon]

LOVE NEVER WANTED ME, BUT I TOOK IT ANYWAY II

younger brothers x gn!mc in a toxic relationship spoilers for lesson 16 tw/cw: dismissal of emotions (Satan), unspecified but heavily implied sexual crimes (Asmodeus), cults (Asmodeus), implied possibility of sexual assault of MC ([end of] Asmodeus), panic attacks (Beelzebub), lesson 16 events (Beelzebub and Belphegor), emotional abuse and neglect (Belphegor). please let me know if anything is missing.

SATAN

He hates the cause of his birth and the fate that it resigned him to: wrath. That's all he'll ever be deep down inside, or at least, that's what he's convinced himself.

In actuality, he's very good at controlling his sin now that you're with him. It might be the first time he's ever felt anything besides tempered rage but your love has opened a whole new world to him that he's only ever vicariously experienced through his books.

He might lose his temper sometimes, but he’ll never do anything more than snap at you before quickly isolating himself to cool down. He’s even taught himself to communicate with you on what he needs in situations like that, whether it be a hug, to talk it out, or just to leave him be for a while. 

What’s really toxic about Satan is his attitude towards your own anger.

It doesn’t matter the reason or how justified your frustration is. It doesn’t even occur to him that he, of all people, should be the most empathetic towards not being able to swallow down your rage.

Instead, he swiftly and apathetically dismisses you and your feelings. He doesn’t want to talk about it or acknowledge that it exists in the first place. After showing him all these wonderful new feelings and working so hard to distance himself from his wrath, he won’t accept that you have your own anger that can flare up at inconvenient times for him. When he isn’t surrounding himself with books or cats, he’s in the company of the elite and knowledgeable. These are people who find it blasphemous to refer to your soup spoon as just a spoon, so imagine their distaste for you when you reveal any emotion that isn’t carefully groomed and preened to be aesthetically pleasing.

Satan won’t be forgiving or understanding when you aren’t able to maintain an elegant persona because one of his elite friends made a derogatory comment towards your humanity for the fifth time that evening. And he’ll be especially upset if you try to defend yourself, no matter how you articulate it.

Anger is messy, he knows that. He doesn’t want that anymore and, even if it’s dehumanizing, he won’t accept your mess either.

ASMODEUS

A lust demon is more than that. Asmo has feelings and thoughts and desires that aren’t about sex and you’re probably one of the only other beings that has ever acknowledged that the avatar of lust isn’t just the avatar of lust.

But… At the end of the day, can a human really satisfy all of a demon’s desire? Demons don’t have the same morality that humans usually do. The depravity that makes you sick to your stomach when you check social media and see the latest news are the same things that demons do on any given Thursday.

It’s so easy to forget that Asmo’s sin is meant to tempt humans and send them to hell. Lying in his bed and looking up at the beautiful canopy of flowers and vines enchanted to never wilt or fade, you’d never think to worry about the thorns that are so carefully hidden but poisonous all the same. It’s likely that he’ll casually mention beheading someone or driving his own cult to the point of self-massacre, entirely unsuspecting of the chill that creeps up your spine as he continues on without hesitation.

You could say something – to him, or anyone else – but who will understand? His brothers must have done just as terrifying things. You don’t want to think about what Diavolo and Barbatos might have done. Even  Solomon, who is still a human, has a very… colorful past, which is often intertwined with Asmo’s. You definitely can’t talk to Luke about it, he’s just a child after all. Simeon might be the only viable option but… angel’s aren’t very innocent either. You’ve heard the stories and even seen flashbacks from Lilth’s own life of the Celestial War and the bloodshed that their army is capable of.

If this nonchalant information drop affects you enough to not want to stay the night, there’s only so many things that could happen. Asmo has to get rid of this itch burning under his skin that makes his hands wander and his gaze stick to people it shouldn’t.

If he’s stubborn enough, he could stay alone in his room with his vast collection of toys and media. Although, the urge for more – for the disgusting and dirty things that you either physically or morally can’t do – will only grow bigger and bigger and bigger. So when you knock on his door and end up opening it when there’s no response, try to hold back your scream. Him and whoever he’s charmed into his bed aren’t against pulling in a “peeping tom” and locking the door behind you.

BEELZEBUB

Beel is arguably the sweetest and kindest demon in the entire Devildom. He’d so easily pass as another angel if it weren’t for the sin that rules his every moment, waking and unwaking (he’s a professional sleep-eater, it’s honestly impressive). Unlike the others, his sin has nothing to do with why a relationship with him would turn toxic.

Even though he was there to discover your beaten and discarded body that his own twin had tossed over the stairwell, he never… addressed it. Even if you continued to have nightmares for months following the event and felt panicked anytime you were forced in the same room as Belphie, Beel never once held his twin accountable. While he comforted you without complaint or frustration whenever you wanted or needed, it only made it more glaringly obvious how not once did he address the part that Belphie played in your trauma.

The problem was so unavoidable as well, it’s remarkable how he managed to skirt around it. Any nights spent together had to be in your room despite his stockpile of snacks for midnight hunger pains being in his own room. Meals at the table with the rest of his brothers were especially difficult, knowing that if you wanted something passed to you, Beelzebub would see no problem with his twin handing you the salt until your trembling hand entered his line of sight.

No matter how many hours he spent holding your shaking form as you choked down sobs and struggled to catch your breath, Beel is incapable of seeing his brother for what is it: your murderer.

If you ever want to spend time with Beel, it’s inevitable that Belphie will follow along soon after. Weekends away are crossed off the list, because he can’t leave without Belphie and multiple times you were woken in the middle of the night by Belphie sneaking into your bed because Beel was staying with you. And it doesn’t even occur to your partner that he should stand up for you, even if it’s his twin.

At the end of every day, you have to accept that Beelzebub will always prioritize his twin’s comfort over yours, and no matter how unfair and unjustified it is, he’ll never change… not even for you.

BELPHEGOR

Say you get over the whole lying and murdering thing, even though he never actually… apologized. Not to you at least, but you can clearly recall his voice saying, “I’m sorry… Lilith…”

But nevermind that, you forgive him. He’s changed and all that.

The issue comes down to acedia, something that was originally considered a deadly sin before the Middle Ages when the church decided to condense them down to the seven that we know today. Acedia was then merged with sloth – rightly so in my opinion as the only difference is that acedia refers specifically to mental sloth. In other words, apathy.

Belphie isn’t just sleepy, he’s apathetic down to his core. It could probably be traced back to the Celestial War and his fear to feel so much pain and loss again, resulting in him closing off his heart and shutting everyone besides his family out. The only time that his emotions felt worth the effort was his burning hatred for humanity, but anything other than that he’d long since given up on. 

The effort it takes for him to care when he misses a date or falls asleep in the middle of a serious conversation is too much. When it comes down to it, he will never love you as much as you love him – if he truly loves you in the first place. 

If you’re content resigning yourself to being an adoring partner to a person who is incapable of feeling more than a fraction of any emotion, then you’ll be stuck in a repetitive cycle of caring for an almost constantly unconscious manchild. You’ll find his apathy rubbing off on you until leaving him is impossible. The effort to leave what has become so comfortable and known outweighs the freedom you would feel without him, or so it seems.

notes: this is part two of the toxic relationships headcannons (?) i thought up. i definitely don't like these as much as the first part but, it is what it is lol. thanks for reading!

[oscar-piastri]

i cant post via the app so *insert stade toulousain's story about france and italy lineup* IF ANYONE TOUCHES ANGE OR MELVYN I WILL BEHEAD U @ fiji @romania

[the-archlich]

Was Zhao Ang actually killed during the Battle of Mount Dingjun? Or was it just a weird coincidence that Zhao Yong who was around at the time happened to have a similar name and hold the same appointment as the former?

It's hard to say. I don't think we should be too quick to assume that they are one and the same.

First Zhao Yong, because he's easier. There's actually only one reference to Zhao Yong, in SGZ 2.

Xiānzhǔ ordered Huáng Zhōng to climb high and drum and trumpet to attack them, greatly defeating [Xiàhóu] Yuān's army, beheading [Xiàhóu] Yuān and Excellency Cáo's installed Yì Province Inspector Zhào Yóng and others.

A helpful footnote adds:

This is the only extant reference to a Zhào Yóng 趙顒, but it has been proposed this may be an error or another name for Zhào Áng 趙昂. For Zhào Áng and his wife Wáng Yì 王異 see the biography of Yáng Fù 楊阜 in SGZ 25 and its annotations.

That summarizes it pretty well. It's not an outlandish assumption to make, but we also shouldn't jump to conclusions.

Everything recorded about Zhao Ang comes from the biography of his countryman Yang Fu (SGZ 25.2), and particularly from passages appended by Pei Songzhi from Huangfu Mi's Liènǚzhuàn 列女傳.

Huangfu Mi tells us that he fought against Ma Chao at Qishan, which would have been in January of 214. It says nothing of him after that. The base text of Yang Fu's biography indicates that he was enfeoffed for his efforts against Ma Chao, but it also says nothing further about him.

I found no source saying that Zhao Ang was ever made a provincial inspector. And in my opinion, the characters characters 顒 and 昂 are not at similar. They look different, they represent different sounds, they have different meanings. For one to become the other takes more than a misplaced brushstroke or a misheard word.

Let's talk about mistakes. SGZ has a few, and one very good one comes from Ling Tong's biography.

When the matters were finished and he was about to leave, it happened that he fell ill and died, at the time aged forty-nine years 事畢當出，會病卒，時年四十九。

Why do we assume this is an error? Earlier events in his biography make it clear that he was born in 189, which would make his death in 238. The trouble is that the events immediately prior to his death took place in 218. Even if Ling Tong simply settled down for 20 years to do nothing, it would not have been phrased this way. On top of that, no other biographies mention Ling Tong after the year 218. He is notably absent from the major battles against Liu Bei and Cao Pi in the next few years. It is difficult to imagine him being excluded if he was alive. For these reasons, it is widely accepted that this SGZ passage is in error. Someone mistakenly wrote 4 instead of 2 and the error was repeated.

These things happen. The name Zhao Yong may be such an error. But I don't think the evidence is strong enough to say that for certain. There are other explanations that are at least equally plausible. He may have been a kinsman of Zhao Ang, for example, elevated because of his family's service. He might have been an entirely unrelated person; Zhao is not a strange surname.

Now, it's possible that I missed a reference to Zhao Ang being made the provincial inspector during that time. If so, I think the theory becomes much more likely. If Zhao Ang didn't have the position, though (and I do not think he did) I don't see why we should suppose Zhao Yong is the same man.

[theharrowing]

I love Collateral almost as much as Boy Blue, you know that 👀❤️ I suck at catching updates because I'm always running around like a beheaded chicken half the time but I don't miss them. ❤️❤️❤️

Question: I don't know if you have thought about writing anything "devil" related. Not that I want to add work to your list or anything, just genuinely curious. I think the way you write angs would suit it. ❤️

Sending lots of love and wishes on easy writing 💕🥰

Cherryyyy!!!! i'm so glad you like this story! (no need to apologize lol i am literally MONTHS behind on the list of things i need to read. life is so hectic.)

i have a plan for a demon possession story but i haven't had a chance to actually write it. but that is as close to anything devil-related as i have come. i am definitely interested in doing more of this kind of stuff at some point (after i have finished the Boy Blue sequel maybe, idk.) i wasn't raised anywhere near christianity/catholicism, so it'll take some research if i want to go that route. but we'll see if something happens! i am thrilled that you think i would do well with that kind of subject matter! <3 take care, my darling!!!

[placeholdercornerworks]

Gfl predictions/oddly specific stuff catering to my silly imagination that i want to see happening in the next events

-For K to carry some event, the last time this men put in some real work was pl and considering him and Q still didn't get hit by the emotional damage hammer, i feel he'd do well

-On the realistic prediction note, I also feel that in the next events something will happen to either K or J, I don't necessarily mean as one of them dying but something to contribute the slowing of the mission cause things can't go too well too long amirite

-New milfy nytos?

-Nemhran dying.Make it as brutal as it can get.My extremely specific hc predictions involves nemhran either getting beheaded just as she loves to behead her subordinates out cold or for her to die in the prayer room to pose a reference to the headless statue and the symbolized the death of William's reverence

-William also going bathshit.His presentation as a person is rather dissonant of the actions he perpetrates and i'd love to see some sweet unbridled rage from him

-For us to take Ange out of the basement. I don't care what research you wanna make on this twig Ange we're taking you ouuuut

[acsiennt]

Chapter 3: Of Half Bloods

KASDEYA ARGYROS' Point of View

I choke on air as if I'm being strangled.

Lumakas ang tibok ng puso ko. Wala akong narinig. Wala akong napansin. The next thing I know, there is a dull, metallic sound swishing from behind me and passing my right ear. Napalunok ako. Hindi ko na kailangang tumingin sa gilid para malamang may espada na nakadiin sa leeg ko.

Dahan-dahan kong sinilip ang taong nasa likuran ko pero mas lalo lang dumiin ang pagkakalapat ng patalim sa aking balat. I can feel my skin breaking. One forceful swing, and I'll be beheaded.

"I said, don't move."

Mariin akong pumikit. I don't have to follow him. Kailangan kong mag-isip ng paraan para makatakas. Hindi ako papayag na mahuli muli. I ran for a whole year, I won't let my efforts go to waste.

Hindi ko namalayan ang panunuyo ng lalamunan ko kung hindi lang ako napalunok ng laway. I open my trembling lips, toughening my voice to seem fearless. "Why should I listen to you?"

He withraws his sword in a flash. Nagawa kong makahinga nang mawala ang mariing patalim sa leeg ko. I swiftly turn to look at him. I expect another one of those demigods in uniform, but I'm left in stunned silence.

Nakasuot siya ng isang kulay itim na cloak na may gintong clasp. My eyes drift to his covered body and I can say with certainty that he's not wearing the uniform. His eyes are hidden, but I can see tips of his white hair sticking out of the hood.

Sa likod niya, tila lumiwanag ang buwan na sinisikatan ang kaniyang ituktok. It's hard to ignore it now, especially when it screams. Parang sinasabihan ako nito na kahit anong gawin ko, hindi ako makakatakas.

I know it's an illusion, but it's still terrifying. Parang gusto ko nalang mahimatay dahil sa bigat ng nararamdaman ko.

The faint wisps of moonlight piercing through the forest leaves fall in a halo around the lean and tall build of the cloaked person in front of me.

"Sino ka?"

Mukhang hindi niya kasama ang mga humahabol sa akin. Other than the different outfit, this guy seems too detach from everything around him. But it doesn't make sense. Parang wala siyang paki, pero nararamdaman ko ang pagkailap niya sa paligid.

Binitiwan na niya ako. I can run away from here, but something's telling me not to. What if he doesn't need to pay attention to stop me?

I hear a small exhale come out from him as if he's trying not to sneer. Kuminang sa dilim ang ginintuan niyang espada bago ito maglaho sa hangin. I stifle a gasp.

"I should be asking you that question." Even weaponless, he seems more... threatening.

His voice, as sharp as uncut gemstones and as deep as the echoes of darkness, causes the fight or flight instinct to drive my motors again. Nawala ang kutsilyo ko nang sinaksak ko ang dalawang demigod kanina. Kung hindi ako magmamadali, siguradong mahuhuli nila ako.

Sinamaan ko ng tingin ang lalaki. "Wala akong oras para sa mga katulad mo."

Tumalikod ako para tumakbo paalis pero hindi pa man ako nakakahakbang ay nasa harapan ko ulit siya. I stumble back, and he uses that opportunity to step forward.

Anong nangyari? Who on Earth is this guy?

Bahagya siyang nagtaas ng ulo. Walang lumabas sa bibig ko pero napaawang ito. He glares at me under the hood, one grey eye glowing menacingly amidst the fabric as if it's a wolf's eye. Soft locks of white hair poke his eyelids, and a golden spark appears in his left ear.

Hindi ko pa rin makita ng mabuti ang mukha niya, ngunit sapat na iyon para matumba ako sa lupa. I flinch when my legs tangle with each other like a pair of unruly shoelaces.

The man towers over me like how a god would stand in front of a mortal. Napalunok ulit ako.

"Answer my question or I'll let them find you here lifeless." He threatens.

Kahit ayaw gumalaw ng katawan ko, nginisihan ko siya. "You didn't ask anything."

Bigla siyang lumuhod sa gilid ko. One knee settles on the ground as he brings his head down, the hood obstructing his face even more.

"Who are you and why are they following you?"

Alam kong kulang na ako sa oras. Ilang segundo nalang ay mahahanap na ako nung demigods at ng mga kasama nila. I don't want to get eaten by stymphalian birds, nor do I want to die in the hands of my own kind.

But most of all, for some reason, I don't want to stay here with this stranger.

Kaya sumagot ako kahit labag sa loob ko. "I'm nothing but an orphan. Basta basta nalang nila akong hinabol at sinaktan nila ang kaibigan ko. I had to run away so they won't catch me, so please..."

Huminga ako ng malalim. I try to search beneath his cloak. Kahit na alam kong hindi ko makikita ang mukha niya, kailangan kong magmukhang kaawa-awa.

"Let me go. I don't want to get caught," And as if they are trigger words, memories flash at the back of my mind. Events from what happened from a year ago, those days that I've been trying to forget.

The scars are gone, but I can still feel them throbbing against my skin. "I don't want to go back there... Ayokong nang balikan ang mga nangyari dati."

Naging tahimik ang lalaki sa harapan ko. Though, he seems so silent even before. Bumaba ang tingin ko sa marumi at luma kong mga damit. If he's not going to let me run, I already plan to distract him long enough to get out of here.

And then he stands up. Sumunod ang tingin ko sakaniya bago ito bumagsak sa kamay niyang nakalahad para sa akin.

"Get up." It takes me several seconds to hide my surprise. Huminga ako ng malalim bago ito kunin. When our hands touch, he quickly pulls me up from the ground.

I can feel the roughness of his palm, even the residues from healed wounds. Nang magawa ko nang makatayo mula sa lupa, rinig ko ang bulong niya. "Your hands are rough."

Bumitaw siya, leaving my hand cold and empty. "I can say the same thing to you."

Hindi na siya sumagot at tinalikuran na ako.

"If you want to escape your pursuers, then get out of the forest now. They have every place surrounded which means you have to sneak your way out of their forces." Sabi niya sa akin habang naglalakad palayo.

Akala ko yun ang huli niyang sasabihin ngunit tumigil siya at lumingon sa akin. I see the smirk in his face, but it's astute and mocking. "But you can handle yourself, can't you? You managed to wound Acropolis' best soldiers."

"You know them?"

He turns away from me again, not bothering to answer me. "If you get caught, don't expect me to come and help you. Pray to whichever god you want that this is the last time we meet each other."

Kumurap ako, at sa pagdilat muli ng aking mga mata, nawala na ang lalaki sa harapan ko.

I clench the palm he held to pull me. The texture of his hand suddenly feels like rigid templates on my skin.

Mariin ako kumurap bago huminga ng malalim. A fire was lit inside my system, and I douse it with whatever calming breeze is left in me.

"I don't need your help or the mercy of any god."

Tumalikod na ako sa direksyong tinahak niya bago tumakbo paalis sa gubat.

Kung totoo ang sinabi ng lalaki kanina, ibig sabihin ay napapaligiran ang buong gubat. I don't know if my pursuers are only two demigods and a battalion of Ancient Greek creatures, but whatever the answer is, it's generally bad.

Nagawa kong sugatan ang dalawa kanina pero aaminin ko na sinwerte lang ako. I perfected the act to seem like a harmless and clueless girl to surprise my enemies. Unfortunately, I can only use that trick once.

If I accidentally run into them again, there won't be a way out.

But if it's just creatures we're dealing with, I can handle them perfectly. The problem is, is luck on my side? Or have I ran out of it?

Sinikap kong magtago sa mga anino ng puno habang gumagalaw sa loob ng gubat. I close my eyes momentarily at intervals, seeing if I can sense the creatures following me. Nakakarinig ako ng mahinang yapak mula sa malayo.

The sounds are pounding and harsh, like the gallops of hooves.

I reach for a low branch to pull myself up. Tumalon-talon ako sa mga malalapad na sanga para mas lalong maitago ang katawan ko. Sumulyap ako sa langit pero wala akong makita dahil sa mga dahon.

Napatigil ako sa isang malaking puno nang makita ko ang boundary ng gubat. Like what the cloaked man said to me, there is a camp of creatures guarding the border. Napasinghal ako.

Huminga ako ng malalim bago tumalon ng ilang punong malapit sakanila. Not beside them, but close enough to hear what they're saying.

"Naitanim niyo na ba?" Rinig kong tanong ng isang lalaking naka-shades at black suit sa kasamahan niya. I look down and notice cloven hooves sticking out of their long slacks. Satyrs- half-man, half-goat creatures.

I squint my eyes. I knew it. There's more than a hundred of them trying to catch me.

Tumango ang kaniyang kausap. "We're relaying the message to Mr. Canver. Marami tayo, kaya siguradong sakop ang buong gubat."

"It shouldn't have come to this. Bakit hindi napigilan ng iba si Ms. Argyros?"

Napangiwi ako nang banggitin nila ako.

"The other satyrs were way behind the two Hellenes. At mukhang marunong gumamit ng sandata si Ms. Argyros."

"What? How did a former prisoner know how to fight?"

Kumapit ako sa sanga bago tingnan ang punong nasa itaas ng camp nila. If I can make that jump, I can get away.

Umabante ako ng bahagya bago sinubukang tumalon. Ngunit sakto ng aking paglipad sa ere ay ang isang malakas na tunog.

"Hello? One, two, three." A voice booms. "If you can here me, Ms. Argyros, then stop moving."

Nanlaki ang aking mga mata nang bigla akong bumagsak sa harap ng mga satyrs. No, hindi ako na-distract sa boses. Hindi ko nagalaw ang katawan ko.

Nagulat ang mga satyrs, pero agad rin silang lumapit sa akin. Before I can move away from them, the voice speaks again. Wala sa paligid, pero rinig na rinig. It's like someone's talking from a loud speaker.

Naalala ko bigla ang sinabi ng satyr kanina. "Naitanim niyo na ba?"

Damn it... Don't tell me they planted speakers all over the forest just to make me come out?

"Don't move unless I say so."

And as if my body's under Medusa's curse, I freeze like a statue. "We found her!" Sigaw ng isang satyr kanina. "Tawagan sina Mr. Canver! We've captured Ms. Argyros."

Nawala ang malakas na boses. Inakay ako ng mga satyrs at sinandal sa isang sasakyan. Pinaligiran nila ako kaya hindi sila nakatakas sa masama kong tingin.

"Sino ba kayo? What do you even want from me? Wala akong mabibigay sainyong mahalaga."

A satyr stands in front of me. "I'm sorry, Ms. Argyros, pero kailangan ka muna naming dalhin sa Acropolis bago magpaliwanag sa'yo. We don't want to hurt you, so please cooperate with us."

"Don't want to hurt me?" I hiss. "You shot my friend with an arrow!"

"Relax, Madame, we already had our men bring the pretty boy to the hospital." Napalingon kaming lahat sa bagong boses. The red-head and the short-haired girl strut towards me. May mga gauze sila sa mga parteng sinaksak ko.

Tinaasan ako ng kilay ng babae. "You stole this, right?" Angat niya sa plastic bag na laman ang kutsilyong naiwanan ko. "This isn't even yours pero ginamit mo pa parang manaksak ng tao."

Binigyan ko siya ng isang nakakaasar na ngisi. "It's not my fault you're bad at dodging."

She mirrors my smirk. "You're right, she is feisty." Sabi niya sa kasama.

"Ngayon mo lang napansin? Sinaksak na nga tayo eh."

"Whatever." Pumalakpak ang babae na nakakuha ng atensyon ng mga satyrs. "Let's go and bring her to the Acropolis."

The guy nods. "Kanina pa ako nangangati sa mga damo. So kadiri and madumi."

I gasp when two satyrs come and hold my arms before leading me inside a car.

Sinubukan kong kalasin ang hawak nila pero humihigpit lang ito. When I catch glimpse of the small wooden pipes tied to their waists, I realize they are showing me mercy.

Kumuyom ang kamao ko. I want to run away from them so much, but I know I can't do anything. I'm not strong enough and I have no advantages to turn the favors on my side.

I don't have other choices, I'm out of luck. I can't run away anymore.

The moment they make me sit down on the backseat like some kind of criminal, everything comes crashing down at me with abstract impact.

The desperate clawing of the word normalcy to be written on my skin is so close, but it becomes even further than before.

Napakagat ako ng labi. Hindi ko na alam kung anong mangyayari sa'kin ngayong nakuha nila ako. Sinubukan kong ipakita na hindi ako naapektuhan, pero sobrang bigat ng dibdib ko.

I fought for my life for a whole year. But all my efforts and dreams to hide are crumbling right in front of me. That's when I decided to give up.

Napuno ako ng kaba sa paggalaw ng sasakyan. I don't know what to expect. All of it is so sudden, akala ko ay magiging normal na araw ito pero sa isang gilap ay may kasama na akong satyrs at dadalhin nila ako sa isang lugar na hindi ko alam.

I look outside the window and watch the trees blur pass me. Wala akong mahawakan ng mabuti kundi ang shorts ko. The only thing with me is Ryo's gift and the box from Ms. Amanda.

Nothing for me to use as a means of escape.

Gods, I feel so defeated.

Hours pass. We go deeper into the forest until I see the car climb up a mountain.

Pumikit ako nang maalala ang mga nangyari kanina. Yung kalabog sa attic, the failed surprise party, pati ang bulong kanina at ang pagtakas namin ni Ryo. All of it already feels so distant.

Alam kong simula ngayon, magbabago nanaman ang buhay ko.

I clench my fist to calm myself. Ilang oras na kaming bumabyahe at kung ano ano na ang pumapasok sa isip ko. I can't even sleep.

The skies slowly shifts from the canvas of the moon and stars to the curtains of morning light. I can see the sun peeking slowly from the corner when the moon finally disappears from sight.

I couldn't help but bitterly smile, the boulders of defeat balancing on my slumped shoulders.

When something bad happens, the full moon is always there to witness.

The entire trip is silent and dreadful, pero hindi ko pa rin mapikit ang mga mata ko sa takot na may gawin silang masama sa akin.

Napatingin ako sa harapan namin nang maramdaman ko ang pagbagal ng kotse. Umawang ang labi ko sa nakita.

In front of us is a stone gate made of Ionic columns. It's massive in size, at least thirty-nine meters tall. A tall wall surrounds it and beside the gate are statues of two gods I barely look at. Parang isang malaking templo ang papasukin namin.

We stop in between the stone statues. Hindi pa kami pumapasok, but I can see the tops of the castle-like buildings inside and the iridescent light bouncing off the roofs.

The satyrs next to me hop off the car, opening the door for me. Nag-alanganan pa ako bago lumabas. Yumuko ako ng bahagya hanggang sa makahakbang ako sa lupa.

Nilibot ko ang tingin sa labas. There are people- years younger and older than me- walking around the entrance and through it. Binabantayan ng satyrs ang gate, at may mga nymphs na nakatambay at naglalaro malapit sa mga estatwang sa harapan.

Naputol ang iniisip ko sa pagbanggit ng isang pangalang sobrang pamilyar sa akin, pero hindi ko na naririnig ng ilang taon.

"You are Zyiam Argyros' daughter, correct?"

Napatingin ako sa harapan ng gate. The moment I turn, I see a man in his mid-thirties wearing a formal suit walking towards me. His blond hair is slick and combed back, giving him a prim yet approachable look.

Nanuyo ang lalamunan ko nang makita ang kulay ng kaniyang mata. It's muted purple, a color that doesn't pass as normal. He's a demigod just like me.

"How do you know my father's name?"

Isang ngiti ang binigay niya sa akin.

"My name is Adonis Castello, I'm the Deputy Commander and one of the Higher Ups of the Acropolis of Half Bloods. Welcome, Kasdeya Argyros."

. . .

*The Acropolis of Half Bloods is a fictional Acropolis created to serve the purpose as the main location in the series. It is inspired by the Acropolis of Athens. A map will be included on the next chapter.

[tom5201314]

Biden is (always) well, a great honor. The general's bravery is the head of the whole army, and his talent is also the hero of the world. You abandoned the (mediocre) small sparrow (out of the state of Qi in time) and admired the (virtuous) lofty ambition (and went to the King of Liang). At the beginning, (you) complied with the opportunity, (changed the door), met the wise monarch Liang Wudi, (only) established merits, achievements, to be named lonely, (once out) there are princes to ride (decorated) cars, with male soldiers, orders - square, and how magnificent and prominent! How could he suddenly become a traitor who fled to a foreign nation? His legs trembled when he heard the sound of arrows; he knelt down to worship before the ruler of the Northern Wei Dynasty.

(I consider) when you left the Liang Dynasty and went to the Northern Wei Dynasty, there was no other reason, but it was because you were inconsiderate in your heart, incited by rumors outside, and (for a while) unrepentant (did not know right from wrong) and lost your reason in your actions, and you came to this (situation) today (rebelling against the Liang Dynasty and falling to the Wei Dynasty). The wise Liang Court (can) forgive (past) SINS, and the emphasis is on you to make new achievements, to appoint (talents) widely without regard for faults, to treat the people of the world with sincerity, so that all those who are wavering can remove doubts and settle down, you are well aware, I do not need to elaborate on it. Zhu Yu had participated in the murder of Liu Yan, brother of Emperor Guangwu of Han, and Zhang Xiu had killed Cao Cao's son Cao Ang with a sword. Liu Xiu, Emperor Guangwu of Han, was not jealous of Zhu Yu, and Cao Cao, king of Wei, treated him as he had done before. Besides, you are not guilty of Zhu and Zhang, and your achievements are more important than those of modern times! To go astray and know the return, this is the ancient wise men approved of, and to correct the fault when it is not very serious, this is the ancient classics praised (behavior). Emperor Wudi of Liang abolished the law of Gaen, and even people as guilty as the big fish who swallowed the boat could escape the net. Think about it in your heart. There's nothing left to say. At present, all the distinguished officials of the (Liang) Dynasty have been appointed and rewarded in an orderly manner; (Civilian officials) with purple ribbons on their waists, carrying gold seals on their bodies, participating in the planning of military and national plans; Generals raise their chariots and flags to defend the frontier, and the court kills horses and drinks blood to make oaths, so that the title can be passed on to future generations. Is it not sad that you alone have a thick skin and live in the service of foreign rulers?

With the South Yan king Murong Chao's strong horizontal, (finally) body death field; With the strength of the later Qin emperor Yao Hong, he was also captured alive in Chang 'an. Therefore understand the way, the rain and dew, distributed everywhere, (only) do not nurture the foreign race. The Northern Wei has occupied the center for many years, the accumulation of crimes has been full, and it is reasonable to say that it will destroy itself. What's more, the false dynasty's evil and cunning, killing each other, the country's divisions are divided, the tribal leaders are suspicious of each other, and (they) are about to be bound from (their) official residence to the capital and beheaded. And you, General, swim like a fish in a pot of boiling water, and build your nest like a swallow in the fluttering curtain, are you not too silly?

Late spring March, in the south of the grass and trees have grown up, a variety of flowers compete to open, a group of Huang Yingying flutter flutter. Every time you climb the city wall, touch the bowstring, look at the flags and drums of the old army, and recall the past life in Liang, how sad! This is why Lian Po (who went to the State of Wei when he died) still wanted to be the general of Zhao, and why Wu Qi (who was a general of the State of Wei during the Warring States Period) looked at the West River and cried, both because of feelings (towards the motherland). Are you alone in not feeling it? I hope you can make a good plan early, and turn away from the dark.

Today's leaders are extremely enlightened, the world is peaceful and happy, and (some) offer white jade rings from the West, (some) pay tribute and wooden arrows from the east. Yelang and Dianchi, the two countries in the remote southwest, changed with the customs of the Han people. Only the Northern Wei Dynasty in the north was ambitious, and acted obstinately and untamed between the Huangsha border jams in an attempt to survive! Xiao Hong, the king of Linchuan who commanded the whole army, was a close relative of Emperor Wu of Liang. He took on the military responsibility of the northern expedition and went to the north to appease the people and fight a

[xprojectrpg]

Korvus Rook'shir and Emma Frost's birthday

PHASE 2

2015: Patent Pending: Miles texts Peter about a job Warren has for them. Jean meets Hope in astral form. Laurie texts Wade to check on him following the mission to save North.

2016: Emma posts an open invite to her suite to celebrate her birthday.

2017: Garrison and Laurie have an intense discussion during a training session in the Danger Room. Jean-Philippe quotes the national anthem of France in a post. Bobbi expresses her need to drink this weekend.

2018:

2019: Fear in the Dark: Marie-Ange goes into a precognitive state and starts texting Fourteen with various drawings, who then shares them with Doug; in the morning, Thor arrives at the mansion with explanations and something to help Tandy with the Dweller; Thor and Tandy explain the situation to the leaders of the various teams, plus Iron Man and Captain America, and a collaboration is made; Clea posts to her journal about calamities across the world, while Cyclops posts an all-call to the mansion for help; the eight Worthy are in various cities across the world generating panic and fear for Cul to feed on and eight teams of mutants and Avengers take them on; a ninth team goes to Norway to confront Cul, who tries to free the Dweller; Marie-Ange and Doug help Tandy fight the Dweller for control while Cyclops, Hellion, Wolverine and Skin back up Thor who confronts his uncle with a new Odinsword; Cul knocks the sword away from Thor and it lands in front of Doug; Tandy approaches Cul and hits him with an enormous light burst and Doug beheads him with the sword; all over the world, the Worthies’ hammers turn to dust and the possessed bodies are released; Doug posts about needing an Odinsleep.

2020: Emma posts about celebrating her birthday with cake and alcohol.

2021: Emma celebrates Bastille Day (and her birthday) with a post about setting government institutions on fire. Matt wants to change his team codename to Batman due to his echolocation. Kitty joins in with a request for “Mega-Destroyer” and a mecha to match.

2022: Monica posts about visiting Louisiana with her dad.

[mariepascaleremy]

Fête de Joseph d’Arimathie

AUJOURD'HUI est le jour de la fête de Joseph d'Arimathie – selon les quatre évangiles, l'homme qui a assumé la responsabilité de l'enterrement de Jésus après la crucifixion. Un certain nombre d'histoires qui se sont développées au Moyen-Âge le relient à Glastonbury, où il est censé avoir fondé le premier oratoire chrétien, et aussi à la légende du Graal.« Il faut pénétrer à une compréhension du mystère du pain, qui est dit avoir été brisé par le Christ Jésus dans le même calice dans lequel Joseph d'Arimathie a attrapé son sang. Comme la légende le dit, ce calice a ensuite été enlevé en Europe, mais a été préservé par des anges dans une région haute au-dessus de la surface de la terre jusqu'à l'arrivée de Titurel qui a créé pour ce Graal, ce calices sacré, un temple sur le Mont Salvat" ~Rudolf St einer, Dornach, 16 avril 1921http://reverseritual.com/behead-the-loaf-eat/

[officialyourdailyinspiration]

Today in Christian History

Today is Wednesday, June 22nd, the 173rd day of 2022. There are 192 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History:

304: (traditional date—the event may have taken place as early as 209.) Alban becomes the first Christian known to have been martyred in the British Isles. A pagan, he had been converted by a fleeing priest, and gave himself up in the man’s place.

1535: John Fisher is beheaded by command of King Henry VIII of England because he has openly rebuked Henry’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon and refused to accept Henry as head of the Church of England.

1633: Under pressure by the Roman Catholic Church, Galileo signs an abjuration of certain of his scientific views.

1680: Scottish Covenanters publish the Declaration of Sanquhar, disavowing allegiance to King Charles II and the government of Scotland because of governmental interference in religious affairs. This action will soon bring Covenanter rebel Richard Cameron and his followers into trouble.

1714: Death of Matthew Henry, famous as a Bible commentator.

1750: Jonathan Edwards is dismissed from his pulpit in Northampton, Massachusetts, because he has rejected the “halfway covenant” which allows individuals who have made no confession of salvation to baptize their children. His calls for holiness do not sit well with his congregation either. One hundred and fifty years later, Northampton Church will erect a monument to Edwards.

1854: Baron Nikolai Pavlovich Zass is ordained in the Orthodox Church as a deacon and will eventually become Bishop Nestor of San Francisco and Alaska.

1860: Ordination of Vishnu Bhaskar Karmarkar (Vishnupant) as pastor of the second Church of Ahmednagar. A convert from Hinduism, he will become a notable evangelist, especially among Muslims, and will found a printing press before his early death from leprosy and lung problems.

1891: Baptism of Lim Ang in Formosa (Taiwan). He had been introduced to Christ at a mission hospital where he came to have his eyes treated. After losing his sight, he will learn to read Braille and will teach in the Presbyterian mission’s blind school. Eventually his sight will return and he will become a beloved preacher until his death.

1909: The Diocese of Munster begins a two week celebration for the eleventh centenary of St. Ludiger.

1977: Australian Congregationalists, Methodists, and Presbyterians form the Uniting Church as authorized by an act of Parliament.

[indiegamesofcolor]

[I.D.: A gifset containing four screenshots of the interactive fiction game OCHITSUBAKI.

Image 1 shows the typical layout of the game. On the lefthand side of the screen is the game’s title in both Japanese and English. Beneath the title are the poetry lines “A fallen camellia / is a beheading, / every time, / every petal falling / at once: / a severing.” Beneath the poetry is “Feyxuan,” the name of the game’s author. In the middle of the screen is a computer window with a pixelated, retro portrait of the character Hanashiro. Another window of another character is beneath it. A third window on the righthand side of the screen reads, “The tongue of the heavens, of seven, of worth, of more than the fen and the murk and the mercury of star, too far, I can taste it. If I want to taste the language of heaven, I will have to go seek out my remaining bretheren.” The overall screen is tinted purple.

Image 2 shows the game with its graphics colored in black and white. In the middle of the screen is a computer window with an anime-styled portait of a character that’s captioned “Lun Kochouran.” The window on the right of the screen reads, “I live or die at your service. (Kill, too, I suppose).”

Image 3 shows the game tinted purple again. Two narrative options are presented on the righthand of the screen. One says, “Shiragiku, who holds the line, in the same place, every time, the MOONFLOWER CASTLE of crescent, incandescent, who holds no love for me but keeps me in mind, we meet once every Time.” The other option says, “Shirayuri, unremembered, forgotten in every wreckage of world, reborn after every new age unfurls, who I knew when my goddess was just a girl, and who not once, not once have I found with their SWALLOW-wings, damage unwrought since the Age of Erl.”

Image 4 shows the screen colored in black and white again. The righthand window says, “A celestial king of heaven. And there you’ll go back again. I don’t know what to do. So I kiss you.”

end I.D.]

OCHITSUBAKI || 落ち椿  is an experimental visual novel about the impossibility of translating trauma and recovering from it. Play as Hanashiro (he/she/they) as they and their few remaining kin react to the trauma of being immortal and witness the apocalypse agin ang again during different reincarnation cycles. With language translations playing a vital role in your route, make enemies, learn the Amayuri tongue, and possibly be the first to kill an immortal.

For Windows and Mac. A free demo is also available. 

Developed by Feyxuan Nguyen, a trans and disabled developer, narrative writer,  translator, orchestral composer, and book binder. Their interactive fiction games explore the nuances of power, trauma, madness, nobinariness, divinity, and monstrosity. They are also the co-founder of swallow::tale press, an online bookstore. 

[dearmireille]

Ang Kambal (The Twins), War children from the TV series Trese on Netflix.

An opinion that some people will have me beheaded is that these characters stole the entire show from the main protagonist herself.

[aquitainequeen]

Tullio in the Torre degli Angeli: *demonstrates how deadly the Subtle Knife is by effortlessly slicing through a metal angel's wings*

Will Parry in Boreal's house, threatening to behead a figurine: DON'T MOVE, OR THE STATUETTE TASTES STEEL. I SWEAR TO GOD.

[teamrawr]

Reflection of the Neglected Reality

MacArthur is a novel with a combination of comedy and neglected reality here in the Philippines. A group of friends named Cyrus, Voltron, Jim, and Noel. All of them are deprived and not wealthy. Cyrus is the youngest member in the group, and he is good at stealing, doing strategies and has a lot of criminal records. Amadeus Denver Kantuyan, better known as Voltron is the skinny robot-looking person in the story and has suffered a lot compared to the other members. Jim is the oldest member in the group at the age of 23 years old. He has a family to feed. Noel is a college student that came from a middle-class family and stopped studying due to financial problems. The struggles of Filipino youth in dealing with the issues of today such as drugs and vices, unemployment, education, and family expectations. The novel is notable for applying a bold and realistic look at life in a Philippine community. Roberto “Bob” Ong, is a contemporary Filipino author born in February 1975 in Quezon City. He was known for his pseudonym “Bob Ong ” that came from a follower of his satire website from the ’90s called ‘Bobong Pinoy’ that mistook him for a certain ‘BobOng.’ Bob Ong. BobOng Pinoy, it was uncanny, he stated. He was also known for his conversational writing technique, creating humorous and reflective depictions of Philippine life. In 2001, Bob Ong published his first book entitled “ABNKKBSNPLAKO,” it is said to be the book that closely states his life story as he frankly retells his student days in a way that could make any person laugh while reading. After 16 years, he has published nine outstanding and insightful books entitled – “Bakit Baliktad Magbasa ng Libro ang mga Pilipino?”, “Ang Paboritong Libro ni Hudas”, “Alamat ng Gubat”, “Stainless Longganisa”, “Macarthur”, “Kapitan Sino”, “Ang mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan”, “Lumayo Ka Nga Sa Akin”, and “Si”. There is no such thing as right or wrong decision, it already depends on how other people perceive it, is the main concern of MacArthur. This can be observed throughout the novel with how the main characters made their decisions in every struggle they encounter.

Given the scenario when Noel stole Lyla’s stethoscope. Lyla was wearing her uniform, then she couldn’t find her stethoscope. Lyla knew that Noel had stolen it. Noel stole the stethoscope because he wanted to sell it to buy drugs for his vices while Lyla needs it for her nursing course. In the following few parts, it is shown that both Noel and Lyla are arguing and choosing their decision because of their situation. Before she said the quote, Noel’s mom kept calling him to eat because it was almost time for lunch, but he still hadn’t eaten breakfast. In front of Noel’s room was Lyla’s. She was already wearing her uniform and getting ready for school. Lyla then noticed that her stethoscope was missing and immediately knew that Noel had stolen it from her. Lyla started banging and shouting at Noel’s door, forcing him to return it back to her, but he denied stealing the stethoscope. Lyla went through Noel’s bag, and it turns out Noel had already sold it. “Kinuha nyan ang stethoscope ko.” (argument between Noel and Lyla). The reason why Noel took the stethoscope and sold it was because of his situation, Lyla on the other hand, needs it too for her studies. In their eyes, it is the right decision to argue so they will be able to get what they need. Everyone has priorities and things that are important to them which cause them to make decisions that seem to be the right choices, even if a part of their decision would not result in any good outcome. These choices satisfy them and let people live their lives the way they desire it to be.

“If I had only been given the chance to change my life.“ The group of four friends wanted to change their life, but they lacked hope. Their habits cannot be changed since they have chosen their path. Education is not the answer to a successful life. There are many educated people, but not everyone was given a chance to live a good life. Cyrus mentioned having a new life with his friends, but one of his friends disagreed since he had already tried and failed to change his bad habits. Cyrus wondered whether his life would have been different if he had only been given a chance to study. Would he and his grandfather live a happier and better life? Then Noel answered that not everyone who has studied has a successful life. Jim had thought of selling movie discs as their business after their conversation. To improve their situation, they all agreed that selling movie discs was a good idea. The friends celebrated their success in selling their movie discs. They were at the same place where Voltron’s mom was drinking alcoholic beverages. Aling Seding was the one who was talking about the child that she had sent to study. Her dialogue "Etong si Denver , tong batang to pinag- aral ko dati, sa sabungan naman pala tumutuloy, sabi ko huminto ka na lang wala ka namang pakinabang! hahahahaha!” is an evidence in which the thesis statement that was formulated by the students were connected. Denver was given the chance to go to school but he still chose to go to the cockpit. This proves the thesis statement itself that the choices people make will affect the situation they are in. The future of oneself depends on the person. If the person does not want their life to succeed, their choice will lead them to their end. No matter how hard the person forces themselves to study hard, if the person is not determined enough, they will not be able to achieve success. Being successful is not based on education. It is the person’s will and devotion that will lead them to victory. It is always the person’s choice that will lead them to the path that they have decided.

Voltron was last seen having a conversation with Edwin and his colleagues. Voltron died due to being beheaded, and Edwin might be the one behind this. Edwin is a popular hoodlum known for offering illegal tasks that were so cruel that no one can imagine. The jobs he offers are for those who want to earn large amounts of money quickly but darkly. During that time, Voltron needed cash to survive his daily life. So to obtain what he needed, he sought Edwin for help. This suggests why Edwin was behind all of his death. Knowing Edwin’s capabilities, Voltron primarily did not want to seek help. However, his problems seem to lead him back to Edwin. “O,” kumuha ng higit limang libong piso si Jules sa mga perang pinapatungan ng telephone directory sa mesa. “Pamasahe!” “Hehe!” abot tenga ang ngiti ni Voltron. “Pasko na!” “(a conversation between Jules and Voltron) In connection to the statement, Voltron sees Edwin as his only opportunity to escape from his complications.

Noel’s decision was the best initial step to start a new life. In his situation at that moment, it was the most applicable decision he could make. It can be noticed that he chose to go home, did not feel bothered with how the community would perceive his decision and the way his father forgave him. Due to being accused as a thief, Noel reacted violently. As a result, Mang Fred or Noel’s father drove him out of their house, so he had to stay in his friend’s house for a short period of time. Noel was the only one left out of the four friends, so he felt urged to go back home. He doubted in the beginning. However, once he stepped home, Mang Fred whispered and invited him to eat breakfast. Which meant at the end of the day, his father decided to forgive him. “Kumain ka na.” By the time he goes out, the individuals around him could criticize how Noel was driven out of the house. It proves the thesis statement in a way where Noel made a decision to go home and did not feel troubled with how the society would perceive his decision. Since Noel was the only one left after Voltron was executed, Cyrus was imprisoned for unintentionally shooting his grandfather, and Jim went home to Bicol with his wife, so that is why Noel chose to go home, wherein his father accepted him again. And that is how the author concluded the novel.

The novel MacArthur educates the readers that there is no right or wrong choices. It depends on how or what one’s perspectives, thoughts, or opinions are. These choices that have been made, the people could not tell if that is a good or wrong decision. All decisions that an individual makes are what he/she is surrounded or influenced by. The environment with a different set of people, set of friends, and the changes in the society could affect one’s decisions. Having more options could lead them to much better choices and realize more about the mistakes that they have made before. Sometimes, they will be making bad decisions, but they will learn from the mistakes they have made. The author shows how poverty truly affects people’s lives and also wakes individuals from the reality of life that he/she must be ready for the ups and downs that will happen. In life, there will come a time that they will encounter unexpected situations. Situations can lead to challenges and may mislead their plans, but the author does not mean that it will fail the individual as a person. It tells the readers that they always have the choice to renew their life or start over again, thinking about the wrong decisions they have made before. Being prepared in life, being prepared for what people are going to conquer could make one’s life better and make his/her plans happen. Plans that a person wanted to happen for their life to make it better. Every decision a person makes could be right. But always remember to consider the decisions he/she has been making. Consider it for about ten times and make sure the choice that one makes is what he/she wants and is fully sure about it. The author wants his readers to reflect that everything happens and comes for a reason. One will always realize and learn from every path they take. This story could also tell the readers that an individual can be successful with his/her own will and determination. How will one be successful without doing anything? It is not that a person should always be on top. It is the way he/she sacrifices to achieve one’s goals. All things should be done with perseverance and not taken for granted. An individual must have patience and determination to make one’s goal happen. Having an educational background is not what a person can call living a successful life. Defining one’s purpose in life is the true meaning of success and it is a realization that the reader should make. A successful life does not mean he/she needs to graduate college and have honors or be on top. Sometimes people become successful in the way they perceive it, other people only graduated high school but those people still believe in themselves. Having determination, motivation and sacrifices could lead a person to what he/she defines success as. Try to push oneself to his/her limits and accept things that happen in one’s life. Always remember that there are no wrong choices, choices would only be wrong if an individual cannot stand them. References: https://soberandtipsy.wordpress.com/2017/09/24/bob-ong-the-phantom-of-filipino-literature/ https://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2016/01/10/1541198/how-mysterious-bob-ong-got-his-penname https://bongbongbooks.wordpress.com/2015/09/28/my-thoughts-about-macarthur-by-bob-ong-book-review-53/

[degenerate-perturbation]

Ultimate Good Omens Fic Recommendations

I read the entire AO3 archive. I started sometime in November 2018 and read all the way back to 1999. I did not read every story, but I tried. Here are my recommendations.

(Most Good Omens fic is very good, which is why I bothered to read the entire archive instead of just scrolling through the first few pages, despairing, and giving up, which is what I usually do when I read fanfiction. So if your fic is not here, congratulations! I probably still read it and liked it but this post is already very long.)

My Absolute Top Favorites

Deus Ex Machina by clockwork_spider -  Angels really aren't the most sentimental bunch, so when Crowley was escorted back to Hell, Aziraphale's initial reaction was to do nothing. But let it be known that God moves in ineffable ways.

Tryst On a Hot Church Roof by Macdicilla -  Crowley has some fantasies. Aziraphale encourages him to explore them and not to be embarrassed. Neither of them can really take roleplay seriously but they still have a good time.

Re-Recalled by Jennistar -  Halfway through an argument, Aziraphale gets accidentally discorporated and doesn't come back. Crowley does the sensible thing and panics.

The love that dare not speak its name by Lunasong365, sous_le_saule  -  London, late nineteenth century. Aziraphale finds that time moves slowly while waiting for Crowley to wake up. Meeting Oscar Wilde should break the monotony. But perhaps it will bring more of a change than the angel anticipated…

Safe Haven by JAMoczo -  A remix of Prodigal Son: January 1945; Aziraphale has a crisis of Faith.

(The rest below the cut, in convenient categories)

General

Five Things That Never Happened To Aziraphale by imperfectcircle - Five things.

Down to the Earth with Violence by Daegaer -  Crowley and Aziraphale meet after the end of the world.

Coming to an Arrangement by Daegaer  - The long, slow path to the Arrangement.

Act of Redemption by copperbadge -  After the world failed to end, Crowley got depressed.

Should Old Acquaintance Be Forgot by xylodemon -  In which Crowley starts over. Again, and again, and again.

A Few Conversations, Which are Mostly Related to Christmas by xylodemon - In which there is cocoa, conversation, and more Christmas cheer than Crowley think is strictly necessary.

The Ghost and A. J. Crowley by Argyle -  A heartwarming tale of grisly ghost plants and fearsome floral apparitions. Has Crowley finally met his match? Will Aziraphale come to the rescue? And just how difficult is it to remove dirt stains from white carpet?

Five Meetings (Steps in the Fall and Rise to Grace) by icarus_chained -  GO Noir AU. Bad things are brewing in the City of Angels, and one tired ex-cop is stuck in the middle of it.

How to Make Friends and Influence Flora aka Radio Four Never Mentioned This by WinterEyes -  The Fear of Crowley isn't all it's cracked up to be

Suntne Angeli? by Macdicilla -  Adam answers the question of whether angels need to eat and drink, and accidentally creates a major change in the (pants) fabric of reality.

Field Agents by Lunasong365, sous_le_saule -  How did ‘Human’ Resources (both Demonic and Angelic) recruit Crawly and Aziraphale to be field agents? Is it a coincidence that they both found themselves back on Earth after leaving the Garden of Eden?

The Devil Went Down to Georgia by ImprobableDreams900 -  Now Crowley went down to Georgia, he was looking for a soul to steal, cause he was in a bind and way behind and he was willing to make a deal.

Major Failings by irisbleufic -  It was quick and messy, the sort of thing that took you off-guard no matter how many beheadings, torture stints, and vivisections you'd seen otherwise. Actually, Crowley wasn't certain how many of any of those he'd actually seen. He tended to lower his eyes or look away at the last second. This was also a major failing in a demon.

Pre-Relationship

Gavotte by bunnyfication -  Crowley sleeps a decade or a few, and suddenly Aziraphale is dressing fashionably? And asking him to a dance at a club with a "select clientele"? Clearly something is amiss.

Something About Flamingos by Plumbeo -  Aziraphale and Crowley have a petty, stupid, pointless fight. After four days of not talking to each other, the angel decides to break the silence - in an equally stupid way.

it giveth light unto all in the house (the let's have some wine remix) by pocky_slash -  There's loving Crowley the way he loves their waiter at the café and the ducks in St. James Park and linzer tarts and there's—well.

growing season by ghostsoldier - In which Aziraphale kills plants, and Crowley is a generous sort of demon.

Afternoons and Espresso Spoons by Kirathaune

Home by LysanderandHermia - Crowley has a realization, and it's about the angel drooling on the couch while he sleeps.

Sweet Dreams, Angel! by sous_le_saule -  Aziraphale’s never been able to sleep. Crowley takes up the challenge.

Be Ye Therefore Merciful by AmberDiceless -  Crowley does something utterly unexpected, and Aziraphale must face an opponent who cannot be thwarted.

Saunter by Aria -  There is nothing to do but feel out of sorts, disjointed and slightly askew from the world, and watch as Aziraphale absently eats the apple, the world's hundred millionth apple, symbolic of nothing at all.

They Get Together In These Ones

And when he falls by torch -  There are many ways to celebrate having avoided the apocalypse.

The Member of the Wedding by Aja - Crowley comes to a realization.

Survivors' Guilt / For All the World by irisbleufic -  It was a dark and stormy night, and nobody was enjoying it.

Goodbody by copperbadge -  Aziraphael's new body is causing some problems.

Sunday (Or the First Day Of the Rest of Their Lives) by pollitt -  Sunday at the park

Under Cover by bliumchik -  There's a new little problem in Tadfield...

An Excellent Long-Term Solution by Beth H (bethbethbeth) - In which Hell seems more forgiving than Heaven, Aziraphale seems to have got himself into a bit of a pickle, and Crowley seems to have come up with the perfect solution, almost all on his own.

Firebird: III. Finale by htebazytook -  "In the background Crowley and Aziraphale met on the tops of buses, and in art galleries, and at concerts, compared notes, and smiled."

Old Fashioned by htebazytook -  Hell has changed.

Very Complicated Solitaire by htebazytook

Ordinary People (The Anything But Ordinary Remix) by cimorene  -  Crowley has started to take a proprietary interest in Aziraphale's bookshop.

The Speck in the London Eye by Vulgarweed -  A hot dame, a missing youth, a quirky consultant—and much much more than meets the eye at stake. Private Investigator A.J. Crowley just might be in over his head this time.

TwoFish by Grindylowe -  A love story about angels and demons. Also, fish.  

Snowy Evenings by htebazytook -  Five times Crowley couldn't stand the snow, and one time he could.

A Peculiar Sensation by Elvendork -  It happens at the Ritz: Aziraphale comes to a startling realistion, but takes it in his stride remarkably well.

As Above, So Below by JenTheSweetie - Crowley and Aziraphale talk, drink, complete paperwork, drink, fall asleep with abandon, drink, and do other stuff (maybe). And drink.

Modern Love by punkfaery -  Crowley, Aziraphale, and a series of religious buildings.

A Backwards Proposal by HoloXam -  An encounter with a bride-to-be puts an idea in Aziraphale's head. Crowley doesn't react very well.

Post-Relationship

Recall by busaikko -  RECALL: 1. To ask or order to return; 2. To summon back to awareness; 3. To remember; recollect.

That Subtle Knot by apple_pi -  I wonder. Does an angel get his wings when the bell is set off by a demon?

Never Mind the Gravitation by Argyle -  Sure, there's life on Mars. But Crowley can hardly call it living.

Flamingos by Interrobam -  "Las Vegas, Crowley had always maintained, was technically Aziraphale's fault." Crowley and Aziraphale go to Las Vegas, contemplate the history of civilization and the meaning of existence.

Snapshots by mirawonderfulstar -  Five photographs on the wall of Aziraphale’s shop.

A Resort By Any Other Name by TheLifeOfEmm -  Or in which Crowley and Aziraphale go on holiday, but have a bit of trouble with the weather.

Hell's Bells (Wedding Bells) by Macdicilla -  Hell finds out that Aziraphale and Crowley are together, and eventually Heaven does too. Hell sends its [unwelcome] congratulations.

Categorization by SleepsWithCoyotes -  Crowley calls 'em like he sees 'em.

Black Dog by HoloXam -  In which Crowley feels bad and Aziraphale makes tea.

The Flame No Dampness Dulls by mirawonderfulstar -     Aziraphale doesn't understand why Crowley's spent the last two months trying to seduce him when the demon hasn't ever shown any interest in sex.

heaven is a place where nothing ever happens by Contra -  After the end of the world, there comes a new morning.

These Ones Have Sex

Lethe For Two by SleepsWithCoyotes -  A visit from the Angel of Oblivion sounds pretty ominous, doesn't it?

Monday, Half Past Four by TruckThat -  Crowley decides that almost any course of action is justified if it manages to distract him from the fact that it's been nearly two days and so far nothing else is going wrong.

The Reason for the Season by Vulgarweed -  Adam and Pepper, now married with children of their own, worry that their kids might be losing some of the magic of the season. Adam calls in a little favour from some old friends - with a nice little bonus that's in it for them.

No Such Thing by irisbleufic -  "You mean [Agnes] was trying to reassure us the whole time that the world wasn't, in fact, going to end?"

Historical

Casual as Birds by apple_pi -  Aziraphale and Crowley in London, 1944.

New Day (The Dreaming of You Remix) by Daegaer -  Ettore dreams of friendship and love.

The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by Argyle - The Devil has all the best tunes. (London, 1940)

Theatrical Sins: A Play in Three Acts by Aria -  "What did you do?" Crowley asked in horror, the first time he saw Aziraphale after sleeping away most of the nineteenth century.

Natural Laws by Argyle -  Every object in the Universe attracts every other object. (Lincolnshire, 1665)

Species, Origins by bliumchik -  A prehistoric chat.

Lessons in Falling by Argyle -  You never forget how. (London, 1866/1899)

The Visible Universe by Argyle -  It was not a remarkable day. (England, 1928)

How Crowley Saved Christmas by such_heights -  It was 1842, and Aziraphale really didn’t want to do it.

Letters by inabathrobe for miss_narla -  Aziraphale and Crowley burn letters and bridges.

Myths Will Be Myths by palavreado -  Aziraphale says goodbye to an old friend.

On Transmutation (and Tortoises) by Vermin_Disciple -  c. 1859. In which Aziraphale reads the latest bestseller, and he and Crowley take a trip to the Galapagos.  

i wanted to hurt you but the victory is that i could not stomach it by gyzym

Three Times Aziraphale Was Almost Too Much Of A Bastard To Be Worth Liking by feverbeats -  They have to stop meeting like this.

Safe Haven by JAMoczo -  A remix of Prodigal Son: January 1945; Aziraphale has a crisis of Faith.

In der H'lle by Copinggoggles -  Snapshot in the trenches.

Hell Is Empty by bemusedlybespectacled (ardentintoxication) -  Crowley goes to investigate this Inquisition he supposedly helped to start and finds Aziraphale instead.

And All The Devils Are Here by bemusedlybespectacled (ardentintoxication) -  Aziraphale is taken in by the Inquisition for witchcraft and finds help from an unexpected source.

The Widening Gyre by Vulgarweed -  In the spring of 1916, some in London and Dublin were fighting a war on two fronts. Three, if you include the heart. (Too long a sacrifice can make a stone of it.)

Bacchanalia by furchte_die_schildkrote -  The first time Crowley was kissed by an angel, Aziraphale had wine on his breath, a nearly full moon hung in the sky, and Rome was burning.

Carmina Burana by Lunasong365 - Carmina Burana has been described as: Profane. Sensual. Irreverent. Satirical of religion.So why was its source text discovered in a monastery?

The Fourteenth Century by Elsinore_and_Inverness -  An Angel, a Demon and the Crisis of the Late Middle Ages

“O Serpent heart… Fiend Angelical, Dove Feather Raven” -William Shakespeare (R&J, 3.2.74-76) by Elsinore_and_Inverness -  'There are no sonnets immortalizing a demon with eyes like the sun. This is probably just as well.'

Don't Mind You Under My Skin by 50artists -  Five times that Crowley tempted Aziraphale (with mixed success), and one time Aziraphale tempted him.

Biblical

It Came Upon A Midnight Clear by Daegaer

Over the Face of all the Earth by Daegaer - The Tower of Babel seemed like a good idea at the time . . .

Father of Nations by Daegaer -  Crowley and Aziraphale keep having dealings with the same family.

Thirteen Ways of Looking at an Apple by Argyle -  In which one thing leads to another, and the Garden awakens.

build me a city, call it jerusalem by gyzym -  Man begets man begets The Tales of Men, and there's nothing godly in that; Those Above and Them Below haven't any need for the stories humans have been hungry for since the snake and the Angel with the flaming sword.

for I am come to send fire on the earth by tomato_greens -  The worst of it was that Crowley had already received a commendation, gleaming, from Below.

And Find for Herself a Place to Rest by tomato_greens -  So long as you avoided the thorns, it was a nice tree.

Another One Bites the Dust by diefiend -  Crowley and Aziraphale and the Crucifixion.

Other Characters

Revisited and Riding Out by Patrick Phelan

Of Woman Born by slythwolf -  A brief biography of Adam's biological mother.

Pennies From Heaven (Pound Notes From Hell) by Ineffabilitea -  Warlock just wants to feel special again.

Forgotten, As A Dream by Clodius Pulcher (Clodia) -  "They'll be back. They're never far away..." Pippin Galadriel Moonchild, aged eleven and a half, dreams red. Or rather, Red.

Good Help is Hard to Find, or The Hazards of Reading Prophecy by Fleur Rochard (fleurrochard), somnolentblue -  Wherein Aziraphale hires a shop assistant.

Love Me Tender by tomato_greens -  Bright lights and ice cream: what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Except when it doesn't.

Memory Yields by Interrobam -  The thing about being destined to bring about the apocalypse when you're eleven was that no one quite made plans for how you were supposed to go about the rest of your life.

The Morning After the Morning After the End of the World by Aegialia -  Anathema moves on and figures herself out.

In which Adam challenges Crowley to a drinking contest and it is a terrible idea by Macdicilla -  It is a rather foolish thing to set a bet with the devil, or even with a devil, unless you have an ace—or better yet, all the aces in the deck—up your sleeve.

Anything by LoveChilde -  About ten years after the world didn’t end, Pippin Galadriel Moonchild meets an angel. Or maybe just a harmless homosexual. They have tea.

Forgive Those Who Trespass by JAMoczo -  Crowley and Shadwell share Madame Tracy and Aziraphale for a week. God help us all.

Crossovers

The Nice and Accurate Adventures of Aziraphale in Ankh-Morpork by Glinda -  All truly good second-hand bookshops are really genteel black-holes that have learned how to read.

Bargain Breakfast by Daegaer -  Crowley gets a suspicious sort of customer.

The Corsair of Carcosa by Vulgarweed -  Aziraphale gets his hands on a rare copy of the play The King in Yellow. Reading and its consequences ensue.