If We Were Heroes | ONC2022

chapter nineteen

chapter nineteen: Dungeons & Dragons (the dragon is Holden)

tw: mentions of physical abûse

I crossed my arms. 'I refuse.'

'You don't even know what you're doing yet.'

'I don't use my powers for you.'

Holden sighed, clearly only for dramatic effect. 'I thought it may come to this. You see, Olly, my school is known throughout the land to be the best and the greatest for magical children. Except there is one tiny person who has been spreading rumours about my school. And that person needs to be eliminated.'

The snarl of pure hatred that the word came out in was truly terrifying.

'Why don't you just ask him to do it?' I asked, jerking a thumb in the general direction of Sebastian's dad.

'No,' Holden said. 'You misunderstand. This person is not a person. They are, most decidedly, fae.'

It was then when I knew that this was the same fae my father had met. My aunt-in-law.

'First tell me what you plan to do with the school,' I demanded. Ah. My bravery demands no end. I knew for every question, Holden would add another blow to the list.

'The school is the school. I will not tell you anything about that.'

'So you admit that you are making changes.'

'Yes.'

'And you're helping.' I met Sebastian's dad's eyes. He nodded. I noticed he seemed a lot less sure of himself when Holden was close by.

'Well I refuse to help either of you,' I decided, looking back at Sebastian with what I hoped what a defiant look.

'Then Sebastian dies.'

'You wouldn't.'

'I most certainly would.' Holden gave me a bone chilling grin. 'It's not like I haven't done it before.'

'You're a monster.'

Holden's shoulders stiffened, for the slightest of seconds before returning back to normal. If I hadn't had seen it, I would have sworn it never happened.

'People used to call me that,' he said. 'When I was little. It would only be fair for everyone else in the country to feel the same way.'

I blinked. 'So you set up the school.'

'I set up the school.'

'And the teachers?'

'They feel similarly. If they don't, well...'

He mimed slicing his neck of with his thumb. 'You know what they say. A monster is most dangerous when he's angry.'

I was pretty sure that wasn't a saying but I kept quiet. 'So what do you want me to do?'

'Easy,' Holden said. 'Keep the students happy. Brainwash them.'

'I'm pretty sure I can't do that.'

'You control pain, do you not?'

I nodded.

'And if a person feels no pain then what are they?'

'Dead,' I said.

'Wrong,' Holden snapped. 'They're happy. Ever wonder why numbing agents make you laugh?'

'Uhh, no?'

'It's because the person isn't in any pain. They're free.'

'Sir,' I interrupted. 'I can't control every student at the school forever.'