1 Grandfathers Homeland

It was hard to be an ordinary boy in an unordinary family. That was what Rick Stone thought at least. He was an average child in a large and prestigious family. The family had been brought up and raised by his grandfather while his parents were people who couldn't manage a business. He wasn't sure exactly what type of business his family was in but it seemed to be something very influential and lucrative as they were one of the greatest families the world had ever seen. Or at least that's what his grandfather told him.

Rick lived a mostly average yet wealthy life until around the time of his 16th birthday in which his life came crumbling down around him. His parents went missing, and surprisingly enough it was inconclusive how and why they went missing. All that was known at the time was that his parents were never seen again. Because of this terrible situation that befell Rick, he was forced to live with his grandfather.

His grandfather was a mean and cruel man who was raised on hard work and a weak moral compass. He got were he was by doing things that others feared to speak of. Hence the reason why Rick never really new what he had done to get their family where it was. His grandfather, on top of that, was a drunk. An incredibly mean drunk at that.

Rick spent the next two years of his life in the mountains of the United States in many log cabins with only books and his grandfather to keep him company. His grandfather was an irritable person and always seemed to find some reason to punish Rick. Whether that be the fact that he didn't wash the dishes or the fact that his shoes had fell untied, there was always a reason to be subject to his grandfathers bullying and abuse.

It was on one such days that we find Rick stone hunched over a large stone in the middle of a large yet shallow river.

The small figure of a teenage boy with gangly brown hair was bent over staring intently at the stone in front of him.

"Why are you different than the others?" He whispered in a small tone.

The large blue stone stood out among it's brotheren. It was the largest of them all and stood at the top of a large pile of smaller stones. It standing on top of so many smaller stones that it looked that it was only so noticeable because of the work of all the other smaller stones.

'Is it the largest because it stands atop it's brotheren? Or is it at the top of it's brotheren because it is the largest?'

Rick felt a deep sense of confusion as one thought echoed through his mind. 'Why is it above the others?' A simple yell was enough to break his concentration on the stone.

"Whaat are you doing in th-the river. I Told you to stay out of there you good for nothing brat. " His grandfather yelled out, heavily drunk.

Rick stood up quickly and made his way across the shallow water to greet his grandfather. Not doing so would result in immediate punishment.

Ricks blue eyes shone in the early morning light and the reflection of the water could be seen through them. His grandfather, a small nimble man with striping muscles, was waving a bottle around in anger for some unconceivably small reason.

"Come on why didn't you speak sooner? Your supposed to be quick on your feet and your mouth you idiot." He said before letting out a lightning quick kick.

The kick soared through the air and quickly knocked Rick over as he cracked his head upon the stones of the river. Blood could be seen fresh in the water. Rick felt a sensation of nausea overcome him at the sight of his own blood and let out a filthy amount of bile out before trying to stand up.

"I told you not to go in the river. You would crack your head open I said." The grandfather slurred deeply.

Silence followed before another swift kick to Ricks stomach occurred. Pain soared through Rick as he doubled over and fell to his knees once more.

"You know Brat. You know nothing about good work. Maybe I should show you what it means to work hard. Let you know how it feels to not have my backing. It's not fair to leave you without nothing though. What kind of grandfather would I be if I did that."

"Just as bad as you are currently" Rick Said absentmindedly

"WHAT DID YOU SAY BRAT!" His grandfather shouted while a red hot anger filled his eyes.

"TAKE THIS GOD DAMN BOOK" He shouted while giving him a small leather bound book.

Rick, filled with confusion, reached up to take the book that was in front of him. But his confusion changed to horror as his grandfather reached behind him and pulled out a pistol and put it too his forehead. He could hear a click as the chamber became loaded.

"Ragni"

"Ultar"

"Rellum"

Each word rung out from his grandfathers mouth and then finally, like a grand finale, came the shot of the bullet as it rang out and scattered Ricks brains upon the riverbed.

---

Rick felt a coldness sweep over him. He was dead. But a warmth was slowly bringing his mind back to reality. He wasn't going to be dead much longer. It was a strange feeling and he wasn't sure how he knew. But it felt like he was being awoken from a deep slumber.

One thought entered his mind as he knew he would live once more.

'The Stone was at the top because of hard work and abusing others. But it's tower would fall if even a single stone moved out of the perfect formation below the large stone. The large Stone would then topple and fall into obscurity in the depths of the water. Then it would be the Small Stones turn to shine. and I know that I will be the stone that topples the giant.'