So even though I’m having an abortion, I feel the obligation to still make their short time in my womb worth something. I feel like I should name her, or get a tattoo in remembrance of her. My partner said the tattoo thing before I did which shocked me as he is terrified of tattoos lol. I need advice in a sense that I’m not sure if it’s the right thing to do? I’m barely 6 weeks pregnant as my scan two days ago still only shows the amniotic sac building.

Looking for a good tattoo artist with experience in dainty smaller tattoos. My sibling just died and i want to get a couple tattoos in remembrance (i.e handwritten name on finger, small icons of things they loved)

Sorry, I hope this is acceptable to post here
I’m not quite yet set on the design (either her handwriting or some birds, maybe at some point I’ll do both), however I’m having way more trouble deciding on the placement. I originally thought my wrist would be good, but I’d have to see it all the time, which makes me hesitate.
I admit I’ve never gotten a tattoo before, and don’t know where a good place to put it would be tbh (in regards to a rather sad one, I mean). Truthfully I have some guilt stemming from my mom not having a funeral, so i’m pretty set on doing this. She needs to be honored in some way.
If you have a remembrance tattoo please let me know where at, would love to hear about it. If there’s something else you wanna add about tattoos in general, that’s appreciated too! Thanks 🤍

Hey everyone! I don’t know if this is the place to post this but I’d like to get my first tattoo soon. My dog passed away and I would love to have my favorite picture of him on my forearm. I have the photo obviously but I don’t know what to do next. Do I ask them to sketch it or make it as close as possible to the real picture or something in between? I just want it to look like him and be a good remembrance of him. Thank you in advance for any advice. I live in the Portland area as well if any artists in the area are reading this.

Do any of you here got tattooed with anything (quote, etc) in remembrance of the loss of your baby?
I'm planning to get some tattooes but I'm not sure what to get yet
Edit: I'm planning to get a tattoo for my baby girl because I'd like to think that through a tattoo, she's with me anytime anywhere
Suggestions are much appreciated!!

I really love the name Poppy for various reasons. My late grandfather was called Poppy (I have a tattoo in remembrance of him), and my partner is in the Australian military. Poppies are the official flower in remembrance of WW1 and are worn on ANZAC Day. I looked up longer names where Poppy can be used as a nickname and I love Persephone, goddess of the underworld and the occult. I'd love to use Poppy as a standalone, as I am not sure if Persephone is too much.
What do you guys think?

Iam looking to get a tattoo in remembrance of my dog. His name is Campi in English, but I want to do it in the Cyrillic alphabet since my father's half of my family is Russian. Not having fully learned the language, I also don't want to look like a dummy for doing so. Does Кампи have any bad meaning that could be conflated with it?
Also, please don't get into the debate of if I should get a tattoo or not. I'm getting his name written on me regardless. I just don't want to do it in Cyrillic if there's any bad connotations with the word.

Background
About 4 years ago, my township placed a new ordinance which forbids new free standing flagpoles. This was to curb obnoxious political flag wars. It didn't work, as most involved in such things already had flag poles (sometimes multiple). Or just mounted them to their trucks. I had a flag pole which about 3 years ago while on vacation, was presumably knocked over by a drunk driver (never caught). I thought since my original pole was grandfathered in (confirmed at onset of ordinance), a new pole wouldn't be a problem. I was quickly sent a warning and lost my appeal, having to remove the new pole. This saddened me, so I went looking through town ordinances and low and behold there's no limit to how many "single flags" can be mounted on your buildings via poles. Hurrah! I now have 3 flag poles on my garage. From left to right, American flag, POW MIA remembrance flag. The third flag gets rotated per what I find humorous or speaks to me (usually non political unless it's my "you're both idiots flag" ), currently it is a Jolly Roger. Yes I am a pirate, 200 years to late... This setup is specific, the American flag is the largest and I don't want it smacking the house. And with the way the house is set up no matter if you come from left or right, you'll first see the American flag, then the POW flag, followed by my last one. All three flags I have just replaced as of the first week of April.
Now I've had my share of head butting with the HOA down the street, I'm not part of them. Sometime in the past few years they have decided that houses in the HOA are only allowed one American flag, and one military flag on the condition you served in that branch. Not my circus... they can dictate that if they want. Oddly enough I have talked to the current head of the HOA, the HOA has no issue with my flags... The color I painted my shed however.... That's another story
And now onto the story.
Loose dogs!
I woke up this weekend to find two strange dogs playing in my yard. They quickly decide I'm a friend and follow my commands once they realize I have treats. Awesome sauce! I secure the dogs making one a quick collar because I live on a busy street and it's obvious they are someone's pets. before I get the chance to try to call the number on the one dogs tag two older teenage girls run up looking for them. They don't have leashes (smh) so I loan them a couple of old leashes, and find out that they've recently moved into the HOA. They promise to return my leashes and makeshift collar later that day. No big deal, worst case I'm out something I really wasn't using anyways, and I've done my good deed for the day.
A little bit later.
I'm working in my garage tending to some seedlings I'm trying to get to grow and I hear voices outside.
Me= me, G1/2 = girls who picked up the dogs, OM = ornery man
G1 "it was definitely this house I remember the flags" I hit the remote to fully open the door
OM : I can't quite tell what he says but I hear "Flags" a few times and
G2 "he's nice grandpa"
Me" hey welcome back "
G1 "sorry again they got loose, thank you for your help" hands me back my leashes.
Me "no worries it happens, I'm sure they'll get used to the area soon. but try to keep an eye on them, there are predators around"
Girls "we'll try thank you"
OM "what's with the flags?" looks at pirate flag "we're not at sea"
Me "used to have a flag pole but it got knocked down, thought the house looked odd with only 2 so I put up a third for ballance and whimsy"
OM "well the HOA only allows two at maximum"
Me "huh didn't know they had that limit" (I did just don't care)
OM "well you should"
Me "I'm not part of the HOA, so if they want 2 maximum it really doesn't effect me"
OM "well you should follow their rules it'll make for a better neighborhood" at this point the girls try to get him to change subject or leave
Me "I've had plenty of issues with them trying to push their rules on me, I'd rather they just stay over there with their rules"
The girls look anxious and say goodbye trying to convince grandpa to go with them but he stays behind.
OM "but they bring up your property values, you should want to bring up theirs. (he looks around) for example, by painting your house"
Me (holds up dominant hand currently wrapped and recovering from surgery) "it's too cold right now to paint, and I'm recovering frome surgery, but it will get done this summer"
OM "well at least you'll take down the flags when you paint, they're an eyesore"
Me "I like them, and as soon as the paints dry, they'll go right back up"
OM "but you should comply with the HOA rules!"
Me "I purposely did not buy a house in a HOA, and that HOA has given me enough headaches over the years. if the HOA wants them down, they can try to take me to court again"
OM "see just more reason you should do what the HOA rulebook says, you won't lose in court"
Me laughing "I've had enough of this conversation, please have a good rest of your day" I hit the remote to close the door
OM pounds on the garage door and I threaten to call the police. After a few I hear him muttering some words "stupid" "flags" and "why" along with some odd noises. I go out the front door to see him literally hanging by my American flag.
Me "what in the fuck are you doing?"
OM "Im taking down these eyesores"
Me "get the fuck off my property now" (at this point he loses his grip on the flag causing him land on my cement driveway)
OM "I'm going to sue you, I could have gotten hurt"
Me "I would have helped you up, but since you've mentioned sueing me that won't be happening"
OM takes another yank on the flag and ends up falling into the grass this time. "give me your insurance information or I'll sue you"
Me "look idiot, that flag and pole ain't going anywhere. As for my insurance and suing me go ask your beloved HOA how that ended for them"
A car pulls up with another man and the girls. Me "looks like your rides here, get the fuck off my property"
Man "hey don't talk to my dad like that!"
Me "well he doesn't seem to respond to polite requests"
Man "oh my god he's bleeding!"
Me "yep and I would have helped him if he didn't threaten to sue me"
Man "he what!"
Me "yep he tried to tear down my flags, fell off the flag, and threatened to sue me"
Man turns out red "what! You probably pushed him"
Me "never touched him" points at camera "it's all been recorded if you want to see for yourself"
Man turns to his dad "what the heck are you getting us into now, get in the car dad!"
Om takes another try this time at the POW MIA flag and I catch him before he runs headlong into my house.
Me "seriously dude?"
OM "get your hands off me this is assault!"
I was going to try to be sure he was steady but he decides to try to fight me, so I just let go, he ends up falling over onto my work trucks bumper.
OM "I'm going to sue you and your company for this" I just laugh at this. Man picks up his dad and shoves him into the car. as they drive away OM rolls down the window and shouts "your flags are an eyesore!"
Later that day
The doorbell rings. It's the girls with their dogs. I brace for everything and anything, not knowing what was going to be said. I give my dog a futile settle command (futile due to two dogs in her yard) before stepping outside. Turns out grandpa was supposed to give me some money for "saving" their dogs. They aren't really sure what's up with his issue with the flags, but admit they think he may be having some dementia issues. I do ask if he's OK, they said he's fine and only received some minor scrapes and bruises, and honestly I am glad he's only got minor injuries. They insist I take the money and I finally negotiate to only taking half, I joke that if they say I took it all, and it ever gets brought up I'd play dumb. which they laugh and agree to. As they get ready to leave they tell me that they like my flags, especially the pirate one.
Note: yes this was all recorded however there's just way way way too much identifying information. Work logos, tattoos, names on clothing, geo-location... It would just be a blurry mess to obscure it all, and I do not want to accidentally dox someone or myself. so I will not be sharing it.

Chapter One - Chained Remembrance
Amidst the boundless fog, a young man stood, with fair skin and hair, a mixture of black and gray, unkempt and tangled. Adorning his face was a shaggy beard grown from neglect. His Amber eyes looked for anything but strange rocks and stone. He began to walk, and as he walked his head moved almost like an owl’s. Soon his walk grew slowly and then quickly into sprinting then into running.
“Hello, anyone?” he panicked to the gray void. “ANYONE, PLEASE I’M LOST.”
A booming lipless voice echoed around him as the young man froze. He froze and looked around to find something. Lightning began to strike the ground.
“Hello, who are you?” he said, then quickly turned around to see a large shadow back into the fog.
The great voice spoke once more and with a great wind, visibility came to the young man. He turned to see where it came from, only to be met by the head of a behemoth covered in mist. A Yellowish amber glowed in its Eyes. Its stone-like face could be barely seen. It then spoke once more now louder than before. More esoteric tongues came from its toothed mouth, except for one word, the name Draigorn. Closing his eyes, the name rang in his head with growing pain. His eyes opened to rattling chained legs. “Wake up man-scum!”
His ragged hair pulled on, forcing him to look at his assailants in their pitch-black eyes with irises of blue. Strands of white lay upon its head and its face pale as bone. His ears were long and double-pointed with one longer than the other. The face was human-like though much sharper, more stern, and perhaps at one point elegant. He noticed the wooden room he was trapped in with the smell of salt puncturing his senses. He could now feel the motion of where he was and with that he became sea sick, vomiting onto the inhuman guard. This rewarded him with first a punch to his face, then when he hit the floor metal sabatons broke a few of his ribs.
“Oh Dynoliaeth from distant lands…” A delicate voice came into the cell, halting his punishment, “Does’t thou send to repent to the Great Lords of the Gwyndrya before your punishment eternal?”
The assailants quickly knelt before her, allowing Draigorn to see his temporary savior. She was clad in white cloth ornamented with sharp silver bits and pieces. She had a symbol of a white flower emboldened with light. Her body had a slight glow to it; she was like the other two except taller and her hair was long and pure white but had strands of white candle wax. The most eerie thing about her was the pitch black eyes that now looked upon the mess that was Draigorn. One of said eyes was blinded by wax, hardened but once dripped hot down the left side of her face.
“Leave me be with this…occultist…”
“Yes, my Maiden of Truth.”
With that, Draigorn was alone with the Maiden. Reaching out, she holds his face in her hand.
“Such youth and strength, you could have fathered many vigorous Half-kin.”
“A bunch of bastards you mean.”
“Bastards… Half-kin… children, they are all the future of this empire and once we are ashes they are all that will remember us,” she took her hand away from his face “You I’m afraid have no future, but if you tell me how you became more than human…” she paused to get closer and whispered in his ear “I would have you enter my body and for one night, know the touch of Angharad…”
Draigorn looked at her with a raised eyebrow before he stuttered in a quiet painful tone.
“I… I… I’ll tell you, come closer,” she leans in to hear him, “It all happened after fucking your mother, you pointy eared bitch.” His eyes now showing his true feelings, then spitting in her face. “You wanted to get wet right? I hope your wax melts.”
She wipes the fluid off her face before using the same hand. “I see, you have chosen to give up pleasure for pain,” She then grabs his hand before breaking a finger. Screams of pain could be heard throughout the lowest decks of the ship, “Though I doubt you could even wet my womanhood. Now tell me, how were you permitted this ungodly power?” Tugging his hair up she pushes his eyelids open looking deeply at his amber reptilian eyes. “Draconic it seems, but what kind of spell allows you to be near divine.” She looks back at the finger she broke as it slowly fixes itself. In a matter of minutes it cracks back into place.
“I don’t… I don’t know Damnit” Draigorn stutters, and grabs her shoulder, “but how… how about we skip this deal and get on with the fucking.”
Grabbing his arm, she clutches it with intent of pain. Draigorn begins to pull his arm away, tearing off a palm sized part of the shoulder cloth. Her grasp becomes harder as she takes her other hand and knee to it, breaking it. Draigorn curls up on the ground like a broken doll, pain steaming on his face. Angharad pulls out a knife and grabs his head, pulling him to the tip. His left eye is nearly blinded before another crewman walks into the cell.
“Madam Gwyndrya, the cap’n demands wait this screamin’ torture till port.”
He was a gaunt fellow similar to the Half-Elf guards around except his complexion was gray, his teeth jagged, pupils were pointed and small, and he was smaller than them.
“Do not tell me what to do, Hob.”
“Meant no harm, ma lade, just a messaging that’s all.”
“Your halfkin captain has no right over me.”
“But he does have right over the ship, Madam Gwyndrya.”
Scolding, she lowered Draigorn, turning her anger toward the Hob.
“So be it, I will wait till Thrax.”
The guards followed her after locking the door, Draigorn writhed until he snapped his arm back into place. He slouched against the wall for an hour until the pain faded. He slowly opened his hand looking at a metal ornament, small and slightly sharp. He took a look back at the base of his chains, the damn restraints rusted from years on the sea. He could see a part of the chain that was the thinnest and began filing at it. As he worked tirelessly for the next fear driven hours, thinking about the finger breaking. He then remembered what she said, “More than human?”
He said to himself now looking back upon that fateful day. A beardless Draigorn was sitting in the ramshackle house he used to live in when knocking was heard. He got up, and opened the door to see a shorter tan man. He was scarred all over with a tattoo of chains encircling a human hand on his face. The top of his head had no hair and his eyes filled with avarice as always. Draigorn’s tired eyes opened slightly once he realized who woke him. He tried to close the door on him but it was stopped by the other man’s foot. “That’s no way to treat an old friend, ay Draig?” the man said in a slightly accented way.
“It is a way to treat a thief and sellout.”
“We all do what we have to do to survive, Draig,” He managed to weasel his way into the shack “even if it means we end up without a drop of remorse in our bones.”
“Don’t call me Draig.”
Draigorn sat down on his hay-made bed while the other guy sat on a run down chair next to a closed window and a nicer looking table. The room was small though bigger than the ship’s cell. One could hear scratching in the wall and if they put your ear up, maybe even a person. The walls were made of a thin wood that had been replaced over the years. In one corner was a wooden shit stenched bucket. On the other side of the room was a small rusted fire pit with a spit on top.
“What do you want, Agrippa?”
“Freedom, Draig, freedom.”
Draigorn rolled his eyes at the idea of freedom. “You have been saying that for years and nothing has come of it.”
“But now we’ve got a something,” He signaled for draigorn to walk over to him. Draigorn slowly walked over and leaned against the wall next to Agrippa. He whispered to him, “We found something in the eastern mines, something those pale swine don’t know about.”
“Did you find a dwarven shit pit?” Draigorn said aloud.
Agrippa looked at him with low eyebrows and a straight face. “Old ruins that had a breeze traveling through them, they weren't dwarf either, they were dragon ruins.”
“How in Baratrell did you manage that? And how do the Slave Seers not know”
“The luck of the Dimigros Gods, that’s fucking how. Before those varlet’s came, me and a few others managed to cover it with some gravel. It won’t last for long but if a small group leaves now…”
“Who’s leaving?”
Agrippa paused in curiosity, “Loyd, Kóri, and Ebba.”
“So only your lackey’s?”
“And you Draig…”
“Why no one else, why not the children who starve or the mothers who feed them by fucking the Guards.”
Agrippa stopped for a sec before speaking again, “Look Draig… they’d slow us down and they’d probably die out there, old friend. That good heart of yours will only slow you down out there too… Just think of my offer Draig, we used to be a good duo you and I. We are leaving tomorrow night, best be there or you’ll end up wasted here, old friend.”
With that, an awkward Agrippa left the house, leaving Draigorn to light a fire as the day faded into full wintery night. Long did he lay in his bed, eyes forced closed while he tried to sleep. The offer was rolling in his head like a dice that would not land. He thought long about it, the guilt he would feel for freedom. Freedom, barely anyone thought about in the chainburg. Freedom is like a drug, the withdrawal is the crying and grief of being an elvish slave. The elves, or Gwyndrya as they liked to be called, would beat that drug, that idea out of your head till you were clean of its ‘destructive’ influence.
Draigorn tried to remember the last time he tasted freedom. He remembers a woman with gray hair like his, they both lived in a house made of clay and thatch. It was larger than his current abode and more homely. He faintly remembers the stew she would make for them. Next he saw elves capturing people, including the woman, she was screaming for Draigorn to run. Before he could do anything, he felt a foot on his back kick him into the mud. After that he remembered getting separated from the woman after an elf with long white hair and a half bald head took her. She tried to stay with the young child but she was taken forcefully. Before that he remembers her crying while she gave him one last hug.
“I will find you again Draigorn, my beautiful son.” is what he last remembers her saying. Draigorn was then taken to work in the silver mines of Meindwr Arian. The city of Meindwr Arian was beautiful to anyone that was an Elf, for they lived around this tall marble tower and lived in marble brick houses. They loved the light tint for it was their belief.
Draigorn was tired by it, those White marble towers, blinding to be around. He would close his eyes deep whenever he could rest, so as to look into the black. The only time it ever gave him true comfort was when it was night. The sun grew over the horizon as Guards went throughout the hornburg forcing people out of their houses.
“Wake up Dynoliaeth, time for Dawn Census.”
Draigorn managed to drag his body out of bed and marched to the head count. He stood there lined up with dozens of other non-elves, while names were called out. People would step out of the crowd, be marked down, and given a role. Today was different however, for a new Pointy-eared was here. A half-kin with a more who looked more pure than the guards and had An elegant face though quite stark. Her hair was braided into five long strands. She wore clean white clothes and stood on a box. Sometimes she would tell the Warden, “take this one,” like she was looking at the fattest pigs.
“Deorwine… Deorwine,” the warden called out, before he turned to the guards, “Search the crowd and his house.”
Minutes passed before anything was found, and in that time, Draigorn felt something, he looked around before he found the cause. The Noble She-elf had spotted Draigorn, her eyes looking at him with avarice as she measured him in her mind. When noticed he tried to slouch behind the heads of the rest of the crowd but he could feel her eyes still piercing him. Soon one of the guards that went to Deorwine’s house came back. “Deorwine is dead, Warden.”
“Cause?”
“Stabbed in his sleep sir.”
“Oh is that so, well position yourselves and we will continue.”
The guards got back into their places around the crowd. After that a few more names were called, none of them peaking the mistress’s regard.
“Draigorn… Draigorn?”
With that Draigorn was forced to come forward. The warden looked at the Mistress waiting for a response. “Yes, take this one too…”
“Follow us,” said the guards.
With that Draigorn felt great unease as he was taken to a small group of fellow men. After an hour, and a few more men were taken, the warden and the Mistress both went before the small crowd.
“Arianwen… join us!” called the Mistress, over behind her.
“Yes Mother…”
Another noblewoman, though her clothes were less bright, more of a gray. Her hair was long and unbraided, brushed a thousand times to keep it straight. Elves naturally had long straight hair atop their head, however half elves did not most of the time. Arianwen had pupils that were black but not gone for you could see where she was looking, a signifier of her bloodline. Elves were disgusting in that way, trying to keep purity in their race but still having sex with humans.
“Pick them, already my mhlentyn, I don’t have all day.”
The daughter first chose a man from the Hielands, home to a culture who worshiped the nature deities. Next was a man from Sudaestus, where the people were of a darker complexion, had the most beautiful sculptures across the lands, and beautiful violet eyes found nowhere else. The third man she looked at was all scared and battered though pale as snow. Likely he was a Ragnarein, pillagers along the northern coastlines who were fond of battle and hired by even the Elves. The Ragnarein had spit in the daughter's face and was subsequently executed. Finally when she came upon Draigorn, she looked him over heavily and felt him as if he were cattle.
“And this one will do, mother.”
“Castrate the three of them, when we return to our lordship.”
All three of them began to struggle as they were being bound in ropes. As the daughter began to turn away, she turned back around to see another man that enticed her. He was a Swordlander like Draigorn though bulkier and black hair.
“Wait mother, can we buy that one too?”
“We do not have money for one more, dear.”
“Get rid of the other swordlander than.”
The mother turned towards the warden, “The Swordlander’s are the same price, m’lady.”
“So be it then dear switch them out.”
The other Swordlander who was once calm had been sweating to the point of tears. And so Draigorn managed to escape becoming some unmarried brat’s Eunuch. After the mother and daughter left, the warden turned to the crowd, “alright then, the second census shall begin.”
He began calling off names as any other day, though the men left there were all praising some god that day. Draigorn had remembered Agrippa's offer; he was willing to become his friend, lover, whatever if it meant avoiding that fate. Draigorn was sent to work in the western mines today but after tiring work, gathering ore, he managed to slip away and find Agrippa in the eastern mines. Draigorn managed to blend in since he was already covered in dust and silver. Draigorn managed to find Agrippa and started mining next to him.
“Well, well, I was not expecting to see you here, Draig. Did you get the Bull Treatment?”
“Agrippa, I still got my balls,” He leaned in to agrippa so the guards wouldn’t hear them, “And I want out.”
“You would have made a pretty good eunuch though.”
“What in Baratrell makes you say that?”
“You don’t think with your cock enough,” Draigorn stopped to look at him puzzled, “You heard me Draig, not once have I seen you go meet up with a girl for the night. Never once have you been with a girl for the five years I’ve been here.”
“What in the gods’ names is wrong with you?”
“That’s what I was about to ask you? I mean seriously, how old are you now, twenty three, twenty five?”
“Agrippa focus, how are we getting out?”
Agrippa’s eye’s looked as far to the right as they could, watching the guards. When they left, his expression changed. Now looking directly at Draigorn.
“I seen you’ve come to your senses, next time you try to find me how about you don’t sneak away from your fucking job. Now then you will be meeting us at my house.”
“Alright, then what?”
“Then I tell you plan here where the guards will hear us if we don’t fucking stop talking.”
Draigorn was as silent as night after that. He managed to sneak back to the west mines with some people that were being sent there, breaking off from the group as soon as they arrived. Working until he could go home, he waited in bed for the sun to set. Knocking came from the door, it was the guards. Two came in, one held Draigorn’s arms behind his back while the other looked through the few possible hiding places. After looking beneath the bed and the table, the elves left a mess behind and walked out into the eventide. Draigorn put out any lights, and rested in bed till all light was lost.
Slowly he opened the door to peek out, the chainburg without many guards. The moon shining onto the dirt and mud of this prison. Draigorn slowly left his house and quickly dashing in between buildings so the wall that surrounded the Chainburg couldn’t spot him. He covered himself in ragged cloth he used as a blanket. It took around thirty minutes to reach Agrippa’s house; he knocked on the door and waited.
After a few seconds the door was opened by Ebba, a long and coal-haired woman with one eye left, the other now covered by a patch. Her body was scarred all over, almost taller than everyone else. Inside were Loyd and Kori playing with a half lost checkerboard. Loyd was short with brown hair, always covered head to toe with a cloak. Kori was the tallest man there, with cut blonde hair so one thick line of hair ran along his head. He was a Ragnarein of the far north, his skin paler than all around from the frost he endured in his free life. Kori only wore pants he liked to expose his chest, it was Ragnarein pride to show how strong you were. They were a nuisance to the Elves, raiding towns along the coast lines. The hoard of the sea is what they were called, riding in their fleets of longships. Agrippa was sitting on a chair on the far side of the room.
They all sat around a lantern that gave little warmth.
“Nice to see you again, Draigorn.” said Ebba as she closed the door behind him.
“Thank you Ebba… Kori, Loyd, how are you.”
“Same old…same old, old and battered and bruised.” said Kori as Loyd moved a piece with a bandage hand. No one had seen Loyd’s body underneath all that cloth and bandages. He never spoke only using his hands. People said that he was burned and had his tongue cut out for sleeping with an Elvish Noble. He tapped on the board to get Kori’s Attention.
“Well it looks as if everyone is here including the mule that is Draig.” Said Agrippa to all of them.
“When are we leaving Agrippa?”
“Patience old friend, first we need to talk about one problem.” They all looked at him as soon as his mouth shut. Draigorn knew what he did a few years ago and so did the rest of them.
“The mines are guarded by two soldiers.”
Ebba sat on the floor, “How are you going to get rid of them boss?”
“We… we are going to get rid of them. Kori and Draigorn have the strength to do so.”
Draigorn stepped forward, looking with wide eyes “I’ve never killed a man, Agrippa.”
“Well it’s a good thing their elves, not men,” He said, failing to get a laugh out of Draigorn, “Loyd will make noise causing one to leave their post.”
“What makes you think they won’t both leave?”
“One has to make sure that no one sneaks in while they are gone. Anyways you will take out the one that leaves,” He handed him a dagger, “It was hard to even get this damn thing into the burg, don’t waste it.”
“A dagger up against guard with ringmail and a spear, you must be joking.”
“Go for the neck fast and quick, it's a good spot to stab.” Said Kori as he pointed toward his own.
With that they got up, gathered any gear they had and lurked towards the eastern mines. When they got behind a building that was close enough, Agrippa signaled for Draigorn and Loyd to leave. The two guards sat there one drinking while the other was vigilant. The two others found a spot where Draigorn could jump the guard, between buildings where boxes were stacked up into several piles. Loyd pointed at the position Draigorn would take and left. Draigorn had beads of sweat dripping down his body. He thought to himself over and over the same few thoughts, ‘He’s not a person, he’s a monster,’ or ‘they made me a slave,’ and so on. The dagger nearly slipped from his hand as he stood there. “I don’t want to be a monster,” he whispered to himself.
Out of nowhere one of the box piles in front of him was pushed over. The guards cursed in Gwyndryan then yelled asking who was there. With no answer a minute passed before Draigorn started to see dim light. The beads had now multiplied as he tried to get ahold of himself. He covered his breath when the light brightened. When it reached its peak, he could now see the guard holding a torch. The guard was too focused on the fallen goods to notice him curled up. As he passed he struggled to his feet slowly as the guard was looking around for the culprit. Draigorn walked as he walked until he stopped. He began to poke at the boxes to see if there was a wild animal. Draigorn raised the dagger and his other arm and with a swift movement he wrapped his arm around the guard's face. His eyes closed as he began stabbing randomly at the body. The victim was writhing in his grip and he managed to escape, “AFTER NIGHT, AFTER NIGHT!” he yelled into the sky.
He began to pull out his steel when Draigorn rushed at him. Finally Draigorn had felt the dagger plunge into flesh. Backing away from him, he saw where he hit. He stabbed him directly into the left eye. Blood cried down as he screamed for help. He tried reaching for the blade but it was too late. Within seconds his final breath was released. Draigorn stood over the corpse he just created. He stared at the body before falling over as his own eyes began to cry.
They were slavers, they took him from his mother and they forced him to live like an animal, but for some reason Draigorn still cried. He was shaking intensely when felt a tap on his shoulder. He nearly stood back up with aghast, nearly screaming. Loyd stood in front of him as he pointed towards the wall. More torches were lit and running about through the wall. Draigorn grabbed the weapon, the Guard’s spear and broadsword before running with loyd.
They got to the Mines seeing a guard with a cracked open head and a bloodied rock beside him. The gate was now open as Loyd and Draigorn delved in. After minutes of following Loyd through the dust-bearing cave, they found the entrance to ruins wide open with everything that had blocked it now on the floor. They ducked through as Draigorn was met with the old ruins. The cave became a larger cavern with a ruined temple making up most of it. He was eying it with astonishment as when Agrippa grabbed him by the shoulders.
“You fucking idiot you didn’t aim for the throat, why the fuck did you not slice his throat.”
Draigorn pushed his hands off his shoulders and punched Agrippa in the face.
“Fuck you Agrippa, I told you I’ve never killed a man before, yet still you thinks it’s great Idea, you Dumb Dimigros Bastard.”
Agrippa now sat on the floor by the punch felt his now broken nose.
“Didn’t you tell me that they took you from your mother, Draig? I thought you might like the revenge. I thought you might want to kill all of them because one black eye prick probably has fucked your mother to death.”
Draigorn was returning for a fight but was grabbed by Ebba and Loyd as Kori raised agrippa off of the ground. Ebba, who was holding the only light then walked between both parties, waving it between the both of them.
“Hey, Cock Brains, you can beat each other to death after we have escaped.”
Both went silent, Draigorn took a deep breath before talking again.
“Where is the exit, Agrippa?”
“I’m glad you asked? Kori, would you be so kind?”
Kori began pushing a large rock in front of the entrance. From the path it had created it looked as if it had been pushed there in preparation. With a final thrust the rock rolled into where they had all entered, blocking it off. The air that had come from there was no more
“That should keep them running around for the next hour or so.”
Agrippa said as he kept away from Draigorn. Kori then stuck his index finger into his mouth before sticking it into the air.
“Wind is coming… this direction.”
Kori said before signaling the others to follow. They all ran through the ruins with kori leading the pack. Now they could get a good look at the buildings that were once inhabited. The hallway they first entered was expansive; it could have held an elven army. The dragon temple was made for creatures of legend afterall. The walls had chiseled out arches along them, each arch made up of draconic symbols.
After running for a while they began to walk again when Draigorn noticed what was below each arch, making him jump. Embedded below each arch were Skeletons that were almost human, but had a reptilian head and tail. Draigorn looked at one with curiosity, “There are dead things in the walls, what are they?”
Agrippa grabbed Ebba’s torch and walked over.
“You’ve never heard of the Drakirin, Dragon-folk?” Agrippa asked Draigorn, “They say those lizards built places like this all over, before them and their dragon masters were driven back by the Elves.”
“I thought it was just a myth,” Ebba said to agrippa, “How big do you think this place is Agrippa?”
“As you’d probably say, ‘I haven’t the foggiest’ Ebba.”
“Why are they buried in the walls?” asked Draigorn.
“Catacombs, I guess. Though I don’t think I’d want to be buried beside a bunch of random people.”
“What are Catacombs?”
“A tomb… you really don’t know anything do you Draigorn?”
Draigorn stayed silent, he was educated by people around on how to survive the camp not on fancy words for dead places. Then Agrippa walked over to him as they all kept walking down the corridor.
“You know I also gotta ask if there has to be someone you thought about bedding, Draig?”
“Not this again Agrippa, let's focus on getting out.”
“Come on, I was serious earlier. I mean you don’t seem the type to like men but at this point I might start guessing.”
Draigorn stayed silent a moment before speaking again.
“There was a girl,” he paused, “Her name was Elaina.”
“What happened to her?”
“She was punished because of me.”
They walked and walked till they saw something in the distance. It was the end of the hallway and the start of a larger room. They reached a railing over a great pit, when they looked up to see a great tunnel upwards. The walls were covered with a long walkway spiraling upwards. When they looked over the railings they saw at the bottom of the pit was a great pile of ashes, two hundred feet down. When Draigorn turned around to rest against the railing he saw something in the distance. Little dots in the dark that made him squint his eyes. “Lights,” said Draigorn as he scrambled onto his feet.
“What?” said Ebba
“LIGHTS!”
“Damn them, they found the entrance, Kori which direction?” asked Agrippa.
“Upwards!”
They all raced up the large stone path finding it was covered in ashes. Kori stopped at a broken part of the pathway.
“I can feel it,” he said, “Wind from the cold outside.”
“We just need to get past this.” said Ebba as she looked at the pathway ahead, broken into five parts separated by a deep fall.
“We can jump it,” said Agrippa, sweat melting off, “allright Kori go first.”
Kori took a running start and jumped across the five broken precipices with ease. Ebba was next, she took a running jump nearly slipping off the first one but got her balance. She struggled across the next few ruins and slipped again on the last jump. She nearly fell but was caught by Kori. with all his strength, he pulled her up. Loyd followed after her, sprinting across them all. Agrippa carefully jumped across each one, when he looked back his eyes widened with fear.
“We have found the escapees, make sure none of them get away.”
The guard chased after as Draigorn had to jump across. He nearly slipped on the first and third but made it to the fifth. He now had to make the longest jump with the Elves nearly on them.
“COME ON DRAIG JUST ONE MORE JUMP!” Yelled Agrippa as he kept turning his head behind himself. As Draigorn made the last jump he felt a pain in his right shoulder. It felt cold and sharp and then the pain set in. An arrow was stabbed into his shoulder as he was mid-air. He slammed into the continued path but started to slip off. His left arm lurched forward as his nail scraped against the ancient stone. He caught himself on the edge just before the fall. Looking down below the path that spiraled down was also broken, allowing him to fall into the deep pit. His fingers grew restless and they sweat and slipped one by one, until finally he fell. Quickly he felt a flesh grab onto him, looking up he saw Agrippa struggling to pull him up. Agrippa held himself back by lodging a dagger in between the stones. Draigorn saw him look up as arrows flew past him. He looked back down at Draigorn a tear crawling down his cheek. “I’m sorry old friend…”
Draigorn felt hand let go as he saw his life appear before him, with each memory was a foot down. He saw his mother showing him how to cut logs, sowing seeds and feeding the animals. He remembers her sewing his clothes back together while he played in the river. Then came the dark memory, she was taken by that half bald man-elf every night. She would return in the morning crying and eventually he gave her a bastard. That was when she was taken, after he glimpsed her swollen belly. Those were lost memories and after old memories came forth. He remembered meeting a young Agrippa as they stole from people in the chainburg. Then Agrippa framed an old man who he hated, and that elder disappeared. The years after were constant mining and easily forgotten. Elaina’s face graced him again as he saw first beauty but then sprawled, crying with lashing across her back. He could feel tears flying up off of his eyes and then came the crash. First he felt ash, then he felt nothing.
When he opened his eyes he was somewhere else, covered by fog and stone. He looked around then he looked at his body. Feeling his arm, his skin began to flake off. It wasn't skin, it was ash, his whole body. Then light came from beneath, it whipped out of his arm. It was fire, gray fire and it began to spread, soon his whole body was wreathed in gray flames. It wasn’t just the outside but the inside too, fire spewed from his throat. All went black as his eyes were burnt. Then the lipless voice spoke for the first time to him.
“Freedom,” It spoke in an ancient tone.
The memories after were blurry, but he remembers waking up feeling broken. He thinks there were guards looking over him, one of them saying “The human lives” while another responded with “Impossible he should be as good as dead.”
“Should we kill him?”
“NO, we might be able to get a reward for this strangeling.”
They dragged him out of the ash by the two of them. Eyes opening up to a stone cell. He took a look at his body to see if it was burnt or broken. No, it was normal, no not normal, his body felt renewed. Draigorn woke up from the memory for who would want to member the torture he went through over the past two months. The chain was broken enough that he could snap it off. That's when he heard yelling, and then he smelt fire.

Chapter One - Chained Remembrance
Amidst the boundless fog, a young man stood, with fair skin and hair, a mixture of black and gray, unkempt and tangled. Adorning his face was a shaggy beard grown from neglect. His Amber eyes looked for anything but strange rocks and stone. He began to walk, and as he walked his head moved almost like an owl’s. Soon his walk grew slowly and then quickly into sprinting then into running.
“Hello, anyone?” he panicked to the gray void. “ANYONE, PLEASE I’M LOST.”
A booming lipless voice echoed around him as the young man froze. He froze and looked around to find something. Lightning began to strike the ground.
“Hello, who are you?” he said, then quickly turned around to see a large shadow back into the fog.
The great voice spoke once more and with a great wind, visibility came to the young man. He turned to see where it came from, only to be met by the head of a behemoth covered in mist. A Yellowish amber glowed in its Eyes. Its stone-like face could be barely seen. It then spoke once more now louder than before. More esoteric tongues came from its toothed mouth, except for one word, the name Draigorn. Closing his eyes, the name rang in his head with growing pain. His eyes opened to rattling chained legs. “Wake up man-scum!”
His ragged hair pulled on, forcing him to look at his assailants in their pitch-black eyes with irises of blue. Strands of white lay upon its head and its face pale as bone. His ears were long and double-pointed with one longer than the other. The face was human-like though much sharper, more stern, and perhaps at one point elegant. He noticed the wooden room he was trapped in with the smell of salt puncturing his senses. He could now feel the motion of where he was and with that he became sea sick, vomiting onto the inhuman guard. This rewarded him with first a punch to his face, then when he hit the floor metal sabatons broke a few of his ribs.
“Oh Dynoliaeth from distant lands…” A delicate voice came into the cell, halting his punishment, “Does’t thou send to repent to the Great Lords of the Gwyndrya before your punishment eternal?”
The assailants quickly knelt before her, allowing Draigorn to see his temporary savior. She was clad in white cloth ornamented with sharp silver bits and pieces. She had a symbol of a white flower emboldened with light. Her body had a slight glow to it; she was like the other two except taller and her hair was long and pure white but had strands of white candle wax. The most eerie thing about her was the pitch black eyes that now looked upon the mess that was Draigorn. One of said eyes was blinded by wax, hardened but once dripped hot down the left side of her face.
“Leave me be with this…occultist…”
“Yes, my Maiden of Truth.”
With that, Draigorn was alone with the Maiden. Reaching out, she holds his face in her hand.
“Such youth and strength, you could have fathered many vigorous Half-kin.”
“A bunch of bastards you mean.”
“Bastards… Half-kin… children, they are all the future of this empire and once we are ashes they are all that will remember us,” she took her hand away from his face “You I’m afraid have no future, but if you tell me how you became more than human…” she paused to get closer and whispered in his ear “I would have you enter my body and for one night, know the touch of Angharad…”
Draigorn looked at her with a raised eyebrow before he stuttered in a quiet painful tone.
“I… I… I’ll tell you, come closer,” she leans in to hear him, “It all happened after fucking your mother, you pointy eared bitch.” His eyes now showing his true feelings, then spitting in her face. “You wanted to get wet right? I hope your wax melts.”
She wipes the fluid off her face before using the same hand. “I see, you have chosen to give up pleasure for pain,” She then grabs his hand before breaking a finger. Screams of pain could be heard throughout the lowest decks of the ship, “Though I doubt you could even wet my womanhood. Now tell me, how were you permitted this ungodly power?” Tugging his hair up she pushes his eyelids open looking deeply at his amber reptilian eyes. “Draconic it seems, but what kind of spell allows you to be near divine.” She looks back at the finger she broke as it slowly fixes itself. In a matter of minutes it cracks back into place.
“I don’t… I don’t know Damnit” Draigorn stutters, and grabs her shoulder, “but how… how about we skip this deal and get on with the fucking.”
Grabbing his arm, she clutches it with intent of pain. Draigorn begins to pull his arm away, tearing off a palm sized part of the shoulder cloth. Her grasp becomes harder as she takes her other hand and knee to it, breaking it. Draigorn curls up on the ground like a broken doll, pain steaming on his face. Angharad pulls out a knife and grabs his head, pulling him to the tip. His left eye is nearly blinded before another crewman walks into the cell.
“Madam Gwyndrya, the cap’n demands wait this screamin’ torture till port.”
He was a gaunt fellow similar to the Half-Elf guards around except his complexion was gray, his teeth jagged, pupils were pointed and small, and he was smaller than them.
“Do not tell me what to do, Hob.”
“Meant no harm, ma lade, just a messaging that’s all.”
“Your halfkin captain has no right over me.”
“But he does have right over the ship, Madam Gwyndrya.”
Scolding, she lowered Draigorn, turning her anger toward the Hob.
“So be it, I will wait till Thrax.”
The guards followed her after locking the door, Draigorn writhed until he snapped his arm back into place. He slouched against the wall for an hour until the pain faded. He slowly opened his hand looking at a metal ornament, small and slightly sharp. He took a look back at the base of his chains, the damn restraints rusted from years on the sea. He could see a part of the chain that was the thinnest and began filing at it. As he worked tirelessly for the next fear driven hours, thinking about the finger breaking. He then remembered what she said, “More than human?”
He said to himself now looking back upon that fateful day. A beardless Draigorn was sitting in the ramshackle house he used to live in when knocking was heard. He got up, and opened the door to see a shorter tan man. He was scarred all over with a tattoo of chains encircling a human hand on his face. The top of his head had no hair and his eyes filled with avarice as always. Draigorn’s tired eyes opened slightly once he realized who woke him. He tried to close the door on him but it was stopped by the other man’s foot. “That’s no way to treat an old friend, ay Draig?” the man said in a slightly accented way.
“It is a way to treat a thief and sellout.”
“We all do what we have to do to survive, Draig,” He managed to weasel his way into the shack “even if it means we end up without a drop of remorse in our bones.”
“Don’t call me Draig.”
Draigorn sat down on his hay-made bed while the other guy sat on a run down chair next to a closed window and a nicer looking table. The room was small though bigger than the ship’s cell. One could hear scratching in the wall and if they put your ear up, maybe even a person. The walls were made of a thin wood that had been replaced over the years. In one corner was a wooden shit stenched bucket. On the other side of the room was a small rusted fire pit with a spit on top.
“What do you want, Agrippa?”
“Freedom, Draig, freedom.”
Draigorn rolled his eyes at the idea of freedom. “You have been saying that for years and nothing has come of it.”
“But now we’ve got a something,” He signaled for draigorn to walk over to him. Draigorn slowly walked over and leaned against the wall next to Agrippa. He whispered to him, “We found something in the eastern mines, something those pale swine don’t know about.”
“Did you find a dwarven shit pit?” Draigorn said aloud.
Agrippa looked at him with low eyebrows and a straight face. “Old ruins that had a breeze traveling through them, they weren't dwarf either, they were dragon ruins.”
“How in Baratrell did you manage that? And how do the Slave Seers not know”
“The luck of the Dimigros Gods, that’s fucking how. Before those varlet’s came, me and a few others managed to cover it with some gravel. It won’t last for long but if a small group leaves now…”
“Who’s leaving?”
Agrippa paused in curiosity, “Loyd, Kóri, and Ebba.”
“So only your lackey’s?”
“And you Draig…”
“Why no one else, why not the children who starve or the mothers who feed them by fucking the Guards.”
Agrippa stopped for a sec before speaking again, “Look Draig… they’d slow us down and they’d probably die out there, old friend. That good heart of yours will only slow you down out there too… Just think of my offer Draig, we used to be a good duo you and I. We are leaving tomorrow night, best be there or you’ll end up wasted here, old friend.”
With that, an awkward Agrippa left the house, leaving Draigorn to light a fire as the day faded into full wintery night. Long did he lay in his bed, eyes forced closed while he tried to sleep. The offer was rolling in his head like a dice that would not land. He thought long about it, the guilt he would feel for freedom. Freedom, barely anyone thought about in the chainburg. Freedom is like a drug, the withdrawal is the crying and grief of being an elvish slave. The elves, or Gwyndrya as they liked to be called, would beat that drug, that idea out of your head till you were clean of its ‘destructive’ influence.
Draigorn tried to remember the last time he tasted freedom. He remembers a woman with gray hair like his, they both lived in a house made of clay and thatch. It was larger than his current abode and more homely. He faintly remembers the stew she would make for them. Next he saw elves capturing people, including the woman, she was screaming for Draigorn to run. Before he could do anything, he felt a foot on his back kick him into the mud. After that he remembered getting separated from the woman after an elf with long white hair and a half bald head took her. She tried to stay with the young child but she was taken forcefully. Before that he remembers her crying while she gave him one last hug.
“I will find you again Draigorn, my beautiful son.” is what he last remembers her saying. Draigorn was then taken to work in the silver mines of Meindwr Arian. The city of Meindwr Arian was beautiful to anyone that was an Elf, for they lived around this tall marble tower and lived in marble brick houses. They loved the light tint for it was their belief.
Draigorn was tired by it, those White marble towers, blinding to be around. He would close his eyes deep whenever he could rest, so as to look into the black. The only time it ever gave him true comfort was when it was night. The sun grew over the horizon as Guards went throughout the hornburg forcing people out of their houses.
“Wake up Dynoliaeth, time for Dawn Census.”
Draigorn managed to drag his body out of bed and marched to the head count. He stood there lined up with dozens of other non-elves, while names were called out. People would step out of the crowd, be marked down, and given a role. Today was different however, for a new Pointy-eared was here. A half-kin with a more who looked more pure than the guards and had An elegant face though quite stark. Her hair was braided into five long strands. She wore clean white clothes and stood on a box. Sometimes she would tell the Warden, “take this one,” like she was looking at the fattest pigs.
“Deorwine… Deorwine,” the warden called out, before he turned to the guards, “Search the crowd and his house.”
Minutes passed before anything was found, and in that time, Draigorn felt something, he looked around before he found the cause. The Noble She-elf had spotted Draigorn, her eyes looking at him with avarice as she measured him in her mind. When noticed he tried to slouch behind the heads of the rest of the crowd but he could feel her eyes still piercing him. Soon one of the guards that went to Deorwine’s house came back. “Deorwine is dead, Warden.”
“Cause?”
“Stabbed in his sleep sir.”
“Oh is that so, well position yourselves and we will continue.”
The guards got back into their places around the crowd. After that a few more names were called, none of them peaking the mistress’s regard.
“Draigorn… Draigorn?”
With that Draigorn was forced to come forward. The warden looked at the Mistress waiting for a response. “Yes, take this one too…”
“Follow us,” said the guards.
With that Draigorn felt great unease as he was taken to a small group of fellow men. After an hour, and a few more men were taken, the warden and the Mistress both went before the small crowd.
“Arianwen… join us!” called the Mistress, over behind her.
“Yes Mother…”
Another noblewoman, though her clothes were less bright, more of a gray. Her hair was long and unbraided, brushed a thousand times to keep it straight. Elves naturally had long straight hair atop their head, however half elves did not most of the time. Arianwen had pupils that were black but not gone for you could see where she was looking, a signifier of her bloodline. Elves were disgusting in that way, trying to keep purity in their race but still having sex with humans.
“Pick them, already my mhlentyn, I don’t have all day.”
The daughter first chose a man from the Hielands, home to a culture who worshiped the nature deities. Next was a man from Sudaestus, where the people were of a darker complexion, had the most beautiful sculptures across the lands, and beautiful violet eyes found nowhere else. The third man she looked at was all scared and battered though pale as snow. Likely he was a Ragnarein, pillagers along the northern coastlines who were fond of battle and hired by even the Elves. The Ragnarein had spit in the daughter's face and was subsequently executed. Finally when she came upon Draigorn, she looked him over heavily and felt him as if he were cattle.
“And this one will do, mother.”
“Castrate the three of them, when we return to our lordship.”
All three of them began to struggle as they were being bound in ropes. As the daughter began to turn away, she turned back around to see another man that enticed her. He was a Swordlander like Draigorn though bulkier and black hair.
“Wait mother, can we buy that one too?”
“We do not have money for one more, dear.”
“Get rid of the other swordlander than.”
The mother turned towards the warden, “The Swordlander’s are the same price, m’lady.”
“So be it then dear switch them out.”
The other Swordlander who was once calm had been sweating to the point of tears. And so Draigorn managed to escape becoming some unmarried brat’s Eunuch. After the mother and daughter left, the warden turned to the crowd, “alright then, the second census shall begin.”
He began calling off names as any other day, though the men left there were all praising some god that day. Draigorn had remembered Agrippa's offer; he was willing to become his friend, lover, whatever if it meant avoiding that fate. Draigorn was sent to work in the western mines today but after tiring work, gathering ore, he managed to slip away and find Agrippa in the eastern mines. Draigorn managed to blend in since he was already covered in dust and silver. Draigorn managed to find Agrippa and started mining next to him.
“Well, well, I was not expecting to see you here, Draig. Did you get the Bull Treatment?”
“Agrippa, I still got my balls,” He leaned in to agrippa so the guards wouldn’t hear them, “And I want out.”
“You would have made a pretty good eunuch though.”
“What in Baratrell makes you say that?”
“You don’t think with your cock enough,” Draigorn stopped to look at him puzzled, “You heard me Draig, not once have I seen you go meet up with a girl for the night. Never once have you been with a girl for the five years I’ve been here.”
“What in the gods’ names is wrong with you?”
“That’s what I was about to ask you? I mean seriously, how old are you now, twenty three, twenty five?”
“Agrippa focus, how are we getting out?”
Agrippa’s eye’s looked as far to the right as they could, watching the guards. When they left, his expression changed. Now looking directly at Draigorn.
“I seen you’ve come to your senses, next time you try to find me how about you don’t sneak away from your fucking job. Now then you will be meeting us at my house.”
“Alright, then what?”
“Then I tell you plan here where the guards will hear us if we don’t fucking stop talking.”
Draigorn was as silent as night after that. He managed to sneak back to the west mines with some people that were being sent there, breaking off from the group as soon as they arrived. Working until he could go home, he waited in bed for the sun to set. Knocking came from the door, it was the guards. Two came in, one held Draigorn’s arms behind his back while the other looked through the few possible hiding places. After looking beneath the bed and the table, the elves left a mess behind and walked out into the eventide. Draigorn put out any lights, and rested in bed till all light was lost.
Slowly he opened the door to peek out, the chainburg without many guards. The moon shining onto the dirt and mud of this prison. Draigorn slowly left his house and quickly dashing in between buildings so the wall that surrounded the Chainburg couldn’t spot him. He covered himself in ragged cloth he used as a blanket. It took around thirty minutes to reach Agrippa’s house; he knocked on the door and waited.
After a few seconds the door was opened by Ebba, a long and coal-haired woman with one eye left, the other now covered by a patch. Her body was scarred all over, almost taller than everyone else. Inside were Loyd and Kori playing with a half lost checkerboard. Loyd was short with brown hair, always covered head to toe with a cloak. Kori was the tallest man there, with cut blonde hair so one thick line of hair ran along his head. He was a Ragnarein of the far north, his skin paler than all around from the frost he endured in his free life. Kori only wore pants he liked to expose his chest, it was Ragnarein pride to show how strong you were. They were a nuisance to the Elves, raiding towns along the coast lines. The hoard of the sea is what they were called, riding in their fleets of longships. Agrippa was sitting on a chair on the far side of the room.
They all sat around a lantern that gave little warmth.
“Nice to see you again, Draigorn.” said Ebba as she closed the door behind him.
“Thank you Ebba… Kori, Loyd, how are you.”
“Same old…same old, old and battered and bruised.” said Kori as Loyd moved a piece with a bandage hand. No one had seen Loyd’s body underneath all that cloth and bandages. He never spoke only using his hands. People said that he was burned and had his tongue cut out for sleeping with an Elvish Noble. He tapped on the board to get Kori’s Attention.
“Well it looks as if everyone is here including the mule that is Draig.” Said Agrippa to all of them.
“When are we leaving Agrippa?”
“Patience old friend, first we need to talk about one problem.” They all looked at him as soon as his mouth shut. Draigorn knew what he did a few years ago and so did the rest of them.
“The mines are guarded by two soldiers.”
Ebba sat on the floor, “How are you going to get rid of them boss?”
“We… we are going to get rid of them. Kori and Draigorn have the strength to do so.”
Draigorn stepped forward, looking with wide eyes “I’ve never killed a man, Agrippa.”
“Well it’s a good thing their elves, not men,” He said, failing to get a laugh out of Draigorn, “Loyd will make noise causing one to leave their post.”
“What makes you think they won’t both leave?”
“One has to make sure that no one sneaks in while they are gone. Anyways you will take out the one that leaves,” He handed him a dagger, “It was hard to even get this damn thing into the burg, don’t waste it.”
“A dagger up against guard with ringmail and a spear, you must be joking.”
“Go for the neck fast and quick, it's a good spot to stab.” Said Kori as he pointed toward his own.
With that they got up, gathered any gear they had and lurked towards the eastern mines. When they got behind a building that was close enough, Agrippa signaled for Draigorn and Loyd to leave. The two guards sat there one drinking while the other was vigilant. The two others found a spot where Draigorn could jump the guard, between buildings where boxes were stacked up into several piles. Loyd pointed at the position Draigorn would take and left. Draigorn had beads of sweat dripping down his body. He thought to himself over and over the same few thoughts, ‘He’s not a person, he’s a monster,’ or ‘they made me a slave,’ and so on. The dagger nearly slipped from his hand as he stood there. “I don’t want to be a monster,” he whispered to himself.
Out of nowhere one of the box piles in front of him was pushed over. The guards cursed in Gwyndryan then yelled asking who was there. With no answer a minute passed before Draigorn started to see dim light. The beads had now multiplied as he tried to get ahold of himself. He covered his breath when the light brightened. When it reached its peak, he could now see the guard holding a torch. The guard was too focused on the fallen goods to notice him curled up. As he passed he struggled to his feet slowly as the guard was looking around for the culprit. Draigorn walked as he walked until he stopped. He began to poke at the boxes to see if there was a wild animal. Draigorn raised the dagger and his other arm and with a swift movement he wrapped his arm around the guard's face. His eyes closed as he began stabbing randomly at the body. The victim was writhing in his grip and he managed to escape, “AFTER NIGHT, AFTER NIGHT!” he yelled into the sky.
He began to pull out his steel when Draigorn rushed at him. Finally Draigorn had felt the dagger plunge into flesh. Backing away from him, he saw where he hit. He stabbed him directly into the left eye. Blood cried down as he screamed for help. He tried reaching for the blade but it was too late. Within seconds his final breath was released. Draigorn stood over the corpse he just created. He stared at the body before falling over as his own eyes began to cry.
They were slavers, they took him from his mother and they forced him to live like an animal, but for some reason Draigorn still cried. He was shaking intensely when felt a tap on his shoulder. He nearly stood back up with aghast, nearly screaming. Loyd stood in front of him as he pointed towards the wall. More torches were lit and running about through the wall. Draigorn grabbed the weapon, the Guard’s spear and broadsword before running with loyd.
They got to the Mines seeing a guard with a cracked open head and a bloodied rock beside him. The gate was now open as Loyd and Draigorn delved in. After minutes of following Loyd through the dust-bearing cave, they found the entrance to ruins wide open with everything that had blocked it now on the floor. They ducked through as Draigorn was met with the old ruins. The cave became a larger cavern with a ruined temple making up most of it. He was eying it with astonishment as when Agrippa grabbed him by the shoulders.
“You fucking idiot you didn’t aim for the throat, why the fuck did you not slice his throat.”
Draigorn pushed his hands off his shoulders and punched Agrippa in the face.
“Fuck you Agrippa, I told you I’ve never killed a man before, yet still you thinks it’s great Idea, you Dumb Dimigros Bastard.”
Agrippa now sat on the floor by the punch felt his now broken nose.
“Didn’t you tell me that they took you from your mother, Draig? I thought you might like the revenge. I thought you might want to kill all of them because one black eye prick probably has fucked your mother to death.”
Draigorn was returning for a fight but was grabbed by Ebba and Loyd as Kori raised agrippa off of the ground. Ebba, who was holding the only light then walked between both parties, waving it between the both of them.
“Hey, Cock Brains, you can beat each other to death after we have escaped.”
Both went silent, Draigorn took a deep breath before talking again.
“Where is the exit, Agrippa?”
“I’m glad you asked? Kori, would you be so kind?”
Kori began pushing a large rock in front of the entrance. From the path it had created it looked as if it had been pushed there in preparation. With a final thrust the rock rolled into where they had all entered, blocking it off. The air that had come from there was no more
“That should keep them running around for the next hour or so.”
Agrippa said as he kept away from Draigorn. Kori then stuck his index finger into his mouth before sticking it into the air.
“Wind is coming… this direction.”
Kori said before signaling the others to follow. They all ran through the ruins with kori leading the pack. Now they could get a good look at the buildings that were once inhabited. The hallway they first entered was expansive; it could have held an elven army. The dragon temple was made for creatures of legend afterall. The walls had chiseled out arches along them, each arch made up of draconic symbols.
After running for a while they began to walk again when Draigorn noticed what was below each arch, making him jump. Embedded below each arch were Skeletons that were almost human, but had a reptilian head and tail. Draigorn looked at one with curiosity, “There are dead things in the walls, what are they?”
Agrippa grabbed Ebba’s torch and walked over.
“You’ve never heard of the Drakirin, Dragon-folk?” Agrippa asked Draigorn, “They say those lizards built places like this all over, before them and their dragon masters were driven back by the Elves.”
“I thought it was just a myth,” Ebba said to agrippa, “How big do you think this place is Agrippa?”
“As you’d probably say, ‘I haven’t the foggiest’ Ebba.”
“Why are they buried in the walls?” asked Draigorn.
“Catacombs, I guess. Though I don’t think I’d want to be buried beside a bunch of random people.”
“What are Catacombs?”
“A tomb… you really don’t know anything do you Draigorn?”
Draigorn stayed silent, he was educated by people around on how to survive the camp not on fancy words for dead places. Then Agrippa walked over to him as they all kept walking down the corridor.
“You know I also gotta ask if there has to be someone you thought about bedding, Draig?”
“Not this again Agrippa, let's focus on getting out.”
“Come on, I was serious earlier. I mean you don’t seem the type to like men but at this point I might start guessing.”
Draigorn stayed silent a moment before speaking again.
“There was a girl,” he paused, “Her name was Elaina.”
“What happened to her?”
“She was punished because of me.”
They walked and walked till they saw something in the distance. It was the end of the hallway and the start of a larger room. They reached a railing over a great pit, when they looked up to see a great tunnel upwards. The walls were covered with a long walkway spiraling upwards. When they looked over the railings they saw at the bottom of the pit was a great pile of ashes, two hundred feet down. When Draigorn turned around to rest against the railing he saw something in the distance. Little dots in the dark that made him squint his eyes. “Lights,” said Draigorn as he scrambled onto his feet.
“What?” said Ebba
“LIGHTS!”
“Damn them, they found the entrance, Kori which direction?” asked Agrippa.
“Upwards!”
They all raced up the large stone path finding it was covered in ashes. Kori stopped at a broken part of the pathway.
“I can feel it,” he said, “Wind from the cold outside.”
“We just need to get past this.” said Ebba as she looked at the pathway ahead, broken into five parts separated by a deep fall.
“We can jump it,” said Agrippa, sweat melting off, “allright Kori go first.”
Kori took a running start and jumped across the five broken precipices with ease. Ebba was next, she took a running jump nearly slipping off the first one but got her balance. She struggled across the next few ruins and slipped again on the last jump. She nearly fell but was caught by Kori. with all his strength, he pulled her up. Loyd followed after her, sprinting across them all. Agrippa carefully jumped across each one, when he looked back his eyes widened with fear.
“We have found the escapees, make sure none of them get away.”
The guard chased after as Draigorn had to jump across. He nearly slipped on the first and third but made it to the fifth. He now had to make the longest jump with the Elves nearly on them.
“COME ON DRAIG JUST ONE MORE JUMP!” Yelled Agrippa as he kept turning his head behind himself. As Draigorn made the last jump he felt a pain in his right shoulder. It felt cold and sharp and then the pain set in. An arrow was stabbed into his shoulder as he was mid-air. He slammed into the continued path but started to slip off. His left arm lurched forward as his nail scraped against the ancient stone. He caught himself on the edge just before the fall. Looking down below the path that spiraled down was also broken, allowing him to fall into the deep pit. His fingers grew restless and they sweat and slipped one by one, until finally he fell. Quickly he felt a flesh grab onto him, looking up he saw Agrippa struggling to pull him up. Agrippa held himself back by lodging a dagger in between the stones. Draigorn saw him look up as arrows flew past him. He looked back down at Draigorn a tear crawling down his cheek. “I’m sorry old friend…”
Draigorn felt hand let go as he saw his life appear before him, with each memory was a foot down. He saw his mother showing him how to cut logs, sowing seeds and feeding the animals. He remembers her sewing his clothes back together while he played in the river. Then came the dark memory, she was taken by that half bald man-elf every night. She would return in the morning crying and eventually he gave her a bastard. That was when she was taken, after he glimpsed her swollen belly. Those were lost memories and after old memories came forth. He remembered meeting a young Agrippa as they stole from people in the chainburg. Then Agrippa framed an old man who he hated, and that elder disappeared. The years after were constant mining and easily forgotten. Elaina’s face graced him again as he saw first beauty but then sprawled, crying with lashing across her back. He could feel tears flying up off of his eyes and then came the crash. First he felt ash, then he felt nothing.
When he opened his eyes he was somewhere else, covered by fog and stone. He looked around then he looked at his body. Feeling his arm, his skin began to flake off. It wasn't skin, it was ash, his whole body. Then light came from beneath, it whipped out of his arm. It was fire, gray fire and it began to spread, soon his whole body was wreathed in gray flames. It wasn’t just the outside but the inside too, fire spewed from his throat. All went black as his eyes were burnt. Then the lipless voice spoke for the first time to him.
“Freedom,” It spoke in an ancient tone.
The memories after were blurry, but he remembers waking up feeling broken. He thinks there were guards looking over him, one of them saying “The human lives” while another responded with “Impossible he should be as good as dead.”
“Should we kill him?”
“NO, we might be able to get a reward for this strangeling.”
They dragged him out of the ash by the two of them. Eyes opening up to a stone cell. He took a look at his body to see if it was burnt or broken. No, it was normal, no not normal, his body felt renewed. Draigorn woke up from the memory for who would want to member the torture he went through over the past two months. The chain was broken enough that he could snap it off. That's when he heard yelling, and then he smelt fire.

Visiting LA in a few weeks with my family. The first trip since my father had passed away. He always wanted to visit LA and we thought we’d take the opportunity to get a small remembrance piece done together.
The tattoo’s would be simply be a matching number ‘6’ tattoo quote small. For myself & two sisters?
Could someone recommended a studio In Hollywood? - Do American tattoo parlours do walk-ins like the UK or are they appointment only? - anything else I should consider or keep in mind?

I TFMR at the end of March for trisomy 18, and I am thinking of getting a tattoo to help to remember baby. Have any of you done this and if so what is your tattoo? I am not trying to steal ideas. Just looking for inspiration. One idea I have is poppy flowers because they represent remembrance and hope.

This is super specific but I’ve been wanting to get a tattoo in remembrance of Mac for a long time now and kinda want to get it done by someone who understands. Not sure if that’s weird or not but it means a lot to me so I’d rather it not be “just another tattoo” to some random artist. Does anyone have any recs?

Have you ever just sat or laid down and wondered, if youbwere to die right now how will that impact the life of others, and how many will be truly distraught about you being gone, how many will cry at your funeral, and how many will there even be.
Sometimes when I feel sad like this I wonder if its all worth it, are the tears of a few people really worth a life full of heartache and pain.
How many of my family and friends will jsut be able to move on, will I get "remembrance tattoos?

hi all, so recently i've been considering getting this tattoo in Japanese (i am not Japanese, i am Mexican-American and do not speak a lick of Japanese). its the title of a song from a Japanese noise rock band, and i would be getting it because the song means a lot to myself personally. i won't get too into detail but i basically would want to get it as some form of honor and remembrance for certain relatives who passed.
i have talked to a tattoo artist, and he showed no judgement, he was just adamant in knowing that i KNEW the word meant what it meant hahaha, so i wouldn't get "chicken shit" tattoo'd or something similarly goofy. most people i have talked to had no issue with it, except my best friend's girlfriend, who is about a third Japanese. she said it's disrespectful to their culture, and that i would look stupid.
i know at the end of the day it's my body, and if i really wanted the tattoo i COULD (emphasizing that i'm saying COULD and not SHOULD) get it. i'm just wondering, would this still be as unacceptable as someone getting "water" or "peace" in japanese tattoo'd on them?