Illusiveone

21: Dragonborn Conqueror, The Good Frey

Two weeks ago, Merrick Frey’s life had been—if not peaceful—then at least predictable. He worried, as he always did, about Harren Hoare’s crushing taxes, which drained his coffers and left his smallfolk hungrier with each passing season. He worried about the Ironborn raids that had grown bolder of late, sweeping through the western marches and dragging off his people in chains. And he w...

20: Dragonborn Conqueror, Dark Dreams

Harald stood beneath the shade of an old tree, arms crossed, watching the training yard.

“Again!” Ser Aerion’s voice cracked like a whip. “Form ranks, you louts, not a gaggle of ducklings! Shields up—blades out!”

A line of hastily armed townsfolk shuffled into formation, breathless and dripping with sweat. Most were farmers, cobblers, fishmongers—common men with an unc...

190: Redoing my Life, Jay the Author II

Box Office Final: Iron Man 3 Closes with $1.3 Billion, Wonder Woman Stuns with $900 Million Finish

I smirked as I read the headline again.

Not bad. Not bad at all.

I leaned back in my chair, the soft leather creaking beneath me, and glanced over at Mitchell, who was lounging on the couch in my office—arms crossed, looking both relaxed and annoyed in the way ...

189(2): Redoing my Life, WonderWoman pt.2

[VIDEO TITLE: I Just Watched Wonder Woman – First Impressions!]

Shot on a phone, vlog-style, handheld, slightly shaky

[INTRO – Outside the theater, walking]

Jake (enthusiastic):
 “Hey guys, what’s up? It’s Jake from JakeTalksComics, and I am finally about to see Wonder Woman! I’ve been waiting for this one, and yeah… I’...

118: The Son of Ice and Fire, The Starry Secret

Willas looked at the castle ahead as he rode his horse along the familiar road, the sound of hooves muffled by the soft, flower-laced winds that always seemed to blow through the Reach. His home—or rather, his former home—stood tall and beautiful in the distance. Highgarden. It was not his anymore, but it still remained the most beautiful castle in all of the Seven Kingdoms.

The great...

117: The Son of Ice and Fire, Hyrkoon the Hero pt.3

“Oh great Hyrkoon, I beg of you to lift us from this curse—let our lands be lush once more, let the rivers return,” said the kneeling woman, her voice trembling with emotion. 

She was tall and broad-shouldered, her skin sun-kissed, her hair braided with beads of iron and bone. Maekar had been told she was a general—or as close as one could be—in the armies of the city, a le...

19: Dragonborn Conqueror, The Fairmarket Rising pt.2

Harald sprinted through the cobbled streets of Fairmarket, his boots hammering against the stone, his axe humming in its sheath on his back. All around him, the town was erupting.

Doors flew open. Windows shattered. Men and women—some old, some barely grown—poured into the streets, their faces lit by the glow of the burning barracks. They held whatever they could grab: butcher knives,...

189(1): Redoing My Life, WonderWoman 2014 pt.2

“So what did you think?” I asked, pacing slowly across the living room with my phone pressed to my ear.

Haley’s voice came through. “Honestly? I liked it. Like, really liked it. If this is what these nerdy superhero movies are like, I would’ve started watching them years ago.”

“That’s good. I mean… what about your friends? Your whole circle?”

There was a pa...

188: Redoing My Life, WonderWoman 2014 pt.1

BOX OFFICE: Iron Man 3 Tracking for $150M+ Opening as Wonder Woman Lags Behind
 By Anthony D’Alessandro

Marvel Studios appears to have another massive hit on its hands. Early tracking numbers for Iron Man 3 show the film is on pace for a domestic opening north of $150 million, positioning it to dominate the May 2 weekend.

In contrast, Stardust and...

187: Redoing My Life, Celebrating an Engagement

“I don’t think it’s going to be a problem,” I said as I sat in the passenger seat of my car while Margot drove through the quiet suburbs.

She turned the wheel smoothly at the light, glancing at me out of the corner of her eye. “You’ve said that like ten times today.”

“Because it won’t be a problem,” I said, adjusting the cuff of my sleeve. “Okay, maybe w...

116: The Son of Ice and Fire, Hyrkoon the Hero pt.2

“Stop staring, Lyonel,” Maekar muttered under his breath as they walked through the bustling street.

Lyonel blinked and quickly turned away from the group of tall, bare-chested warrior women who had just passed them, their spears glinting in the firelight. “I still say it’s stupid,” Lyonel muttered. “No armor. Just… skin.”

Maekar gave him a sideways glance. “And ye...

18: Dragonborn Conqueror, The Fairmarket Rising pt.1

Haldon POV

Haldon could barely believe what had happened in the last six days.

Greyholt had fallen.

Greyholt—the fort built by Harwyn Hardhand himself, the pride of Ironborn might, named after Harwyn’s favorite wife, Yonna Greyjoy—had fallen. That was what he was told. That was what everyone was talking about.

Merchants arriving in Fairmarket told ...

186: Redoing my Life, Graham Norton Show

“You look great,” the stylist said as she stepped away, giving a satisfied nod as she brushed her hands together.

I looked in the mirror, adjusting my collar, and admired her work. She really had done a great job—neat, sharp, nothing overdone, just the right amount of polish.

“You ever think about changing jobs?” I asked her, half-joking. “You’re really good.”

...

17: Dragonborn Conqueror, Sparks of a Rebellion pt.2

Harald stood silently in the doorway of the candlelit chamber, arms crossed. Ser Aerion stood to his right, as still and quiet as a statue, while Septa Tanith lingered just behind them, her eyes flicking nervously between the worn stone floor and Harald’s towering form.

At the center of the room, Septon Ryam sat in a carved wooden chair, its once-fine edges worn smooth by time and anxio...

16: Dragonborn Conqueror, Sparks of a Rebellion pt.1

They had been traveling for six hours.

Harald, no longer clad in his ebony armor, now wore the humble garb of a traveler—a plain tunic, a weather-worn cloak, and sturdy boots. His armor and weapon were tucked safely away in his Aetherial satchel. They stopped at a village just off the main road. It was a small, sad place—just a handful of cottages scattered around a dry well. The eart...

185: Redoing my Life, The Things I Do for a Golden Bald Statue

TRAILER: WONDER WOMAN (2014) | DC Studios

The DC Studios logo slowly fades in, followed by the Stardust logo shimmering like constellations.

[0:01 – 0:12]

Fade in: The golden shores of Themyscira.
 YOUNG DIANA (voiceover)
 “What is out there, beyond the sea?”

Quick flashes: Diana spars with another Amazon; their bracers clash, creating an explosion ...

184: Redoing my Life, Controlled Set Leaks

I watched as Henry sat on the couch inside his trailer, fully suited up in his Superman outfit—minus the cape, which would be added in post. The suit itself was designed to look hand-sewn, a nod to the idea that Ma Kent had lovingly crafted it herself. It had a homespun charm, tighter around the arms and chest, with textured blue fabric and a bright red “S” cresting his chest. His boots w...

115: The Son of Ice and Fire, Hyrkoon the Hero pt.1

“It’s getting colder!”

Maekar turned his head, glancing back at the bundled figures behind him. Lyonel was hunched low, his cloak pulled tight around him, nose and ears reddened from exposure. Melisandre, by contrast, sat upright and still, the wind fluttering the hem of her crimson robes, but not a single tremble betrayed her. Her ruby glowed faintly at her throat. Beside her, Leaf...

114: The Son of Ice and Fire, The Wedding

Viserys looked at the stack of parchment before him and let out a long, tired sigh.

He was the Hand of the King.

It was supposed to be for a few months—a temporary post, a favor for his nephew.

Those few months had turned into two years.

He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his temples, then picked up the first report in the pile.

“Grain yields in the Riv...