"It was like BDSM, which is hot, but without consent, which is not hot."

from the Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas

☀️THE SUNBEARER TRIALS SEQUEL☀️ spoilers with zero context 😌

Spoilers for The Sunbearer Trials

Alright, since Celestial Monsters cover just got released, gonna share some theories I have, mostly centered around Xio.

•Xio’s power is vengeance due to his parent being Venganza and he wears a bracelet for good luck to either evade Mala Suerte’s powers or try and prevent his own from affecting people.

•When people’s eyes go black is Xio’s powers affecting them, Ocelo losing it because Teo taunted them and they wanted revenge, Aurestela attacking Teo cause she’s angry at him for keeping Aurelio’s attention, Atzi angry she’s losing, Xochi upset she didn’t get to the stones in time. Along with that, Xio tells the story of how when a couple girls in his class were making fun of his hair they both ended up getting really bad lice and having to shave their heads, Xio wanted revenge so it happened. His powers make bad things happen to people he’s upset at and causes people around him to become consumed with a want for vengeance.

•Throughout the book it’s hinted repeatedly that Xio is not Mala Suerte’s son. It’s pointed out that he’s the only one of the kid’s who doesn’t have straight black hair, during the second to last trial the floor tiles have Venganza’s symbol on them, Xio doesn’t go to see a doctor about transitioning.

•Xio doesn’t medically transition because his blood is black and it’d give away that he’s an obsidian.

•Xio was trying to lose the trials on purpose so he can free the obsidians, but his powers affecting the other contestants was making it harder since the trials search the hearts of a person and Xio is failing to keep them from becoming spiteful and vengeful.

@aidenschmaiden

✨Celestial Monsters's✨ first pointy-arrow-tropes-trend graphic 💖🥹

y'all aren’t ready for Ocelo, Child of Guerrero, Diose of War 😾 ☀️ Nonbinary Goblin Baby from Hell ☀️ cat person (literally and figuratively) ☀️ short and Mad about it (you may have noticed the demigods are taller than the average human, but Ocelo is still “only” 5'8" and that informs a lot of their personality lmao) ☀️ is a Hero but more interested in killing bad guys than saving people ☀️ their parent, Diose Guerrero, is half jaguar and also trans and nonbinary! ☀️ Guerrero is a god who also happens to have top surgery scars! AND THEY HAVE TOE BEANS! ☀️ as a child of Guerrero, Ocelo has some inherited abilities but you’ll have to read TST to find out 👀 ☀️ they are second only to Niya when it comes to brute strength!

Ocelo is one of 10 possible characters you can collect as part of “The Sunbearer Trials” preorder campaign! submit your receipt by 9/6 to get 5 randomized trading cards! 

 there’s also a limited edition pin by Mars Lauderbaugh if you submit by 7/4 so be sure to submit early! https://bit.ly/3NGU2Ra

Meet Niya, Daughter of Tierra, Dios of Earth! ⛰️ ☀️ Professional Herbo ☀️ Could beat The Rock at arm wrestling ☀️ Sapphic with a Sword Niya is Teo’s best friend and 1 of the trading cards you can receive in THE SUNBEARER TRIALS preorder campaign! im guessing that if Julian was your favorite in CEMETERY BOYS, Niya will be your favorite in THE SUNBEARER TRIALS! submit your receipt by 9/6 to get 5 randomized trading cards! there’s also a limited edition pin by Mars Lauderbaugh if you submit by 7/4 so be sure to submit early! https://bit.ly/3NGU2Ra

here’s Xio, Son of Mala Suerte, Dios of Bad Luck! 🧿 ☀️ Tired Trans Boy ☀️ Loner and new to making friends ☀️ Bad Luck ☀️ incredibly accident-prone ☀️ gets lowkey forced into a friendships by Teo and Niya but he likes them so it’s fine ☀️ King of Quippy Comebacks ☀️ Certified Underdog ☀️ has Youngest Child in a Big Family Syndrome ☀️ “are you winning, son?” NO BECAUSE HE DOESN’T EVEN HAVE ANY POWERS OTHER THAN BEING BAD LUCK. THANKS A LOT, DAD. ☀️ can be a bit Doom and Gloom but Teo and Niya make it their mission to pull him out of it when he is ☀️ would like this all to be over with as soon as possible ☀️ Xio collects Heroes of Reino del Sol trading cards like the dork ass nerd he is! THAT’S RIGHT, THE TRADING CARDS YOU CAN GET IN THE PREORDER CAMPAIGN WERE AN IN-UNIVERSE REFERENCE THE WHOLE TIME! Xio is one of 10 possible characters you can collect as part of THE SUNBEARER TRIALS preorder campaign!

submit your receipt by 9/6 to get 5 randomized trading cards! there’s also a limited edition pin by Mars LAuderbaugh if you submit by 7/4 so be sure to submit early! https://bit.ly/3NGU2Ra

Meet Dezi, Son of Amor, Diosa of Love! ❤️‍🔥 ☀️ hottest competitor & EVERYONE knows it ☀️ Deaf ☀️ DEVASTATINGLY Powerful Pansexual ☀️ the actual SMARTEST competitor ☀️ honestly more of a protector than a fighter ☀️ working on Dezi and Diosa Amor with Mars Lauderbaugh was fun because we got to be like “what would the embodiment of love, care and community look like?” and HERE THEY ARE! ☀️ good thing he’s a Hero because if Dezi ever used his powers for evil we’d all be fucked ☀️ sign language is incorporated into the world building and there are accessible accommodations in the trials! (which is funny considering someone has to get murked at the end of it but go off i guess lmao) Dezi is 1 of the trading cards you can receive in THE SUNBEARER TRIALS preorder campaign!  submit your receipt by 9/6 to get 5 randomized trading cards! there’s also a limited edition pin if you submit by 7/4 so be sure to submit early! https://bit.ly/3NGU2Ra

meet Marino, Son of Agua, Diosa of Water! 💦 get to know Marino! ☀️ beefcake with a heart of Gold ☀️ def has snacks in his pockets ☀️ he’s usually having a Big Concern ☀️ VERY protective, esp of his best friend, Dezi ☀️ his ceremonial regalia is made up of shells, coral and sea glass! ☀️ his mom, Agua, is VERY cool! i told @mmarsloud she should be beautiful, mysterious, and mildly terrifying like something you’d find living at the bottom of the ocean ☀️ Marino didn’t have a lot of screen time at first, but the more drafts i wrote, the more he showed up, and the more attached i got, and now if anything were to happen to him i’d — Marino is 1 of the trading cards you can receive in THE SUNBEARER TRIALS preorder campaign!

submit your receipt by 9/6 to get 5 randomized trading cards! there’s also a limited edition pin by Mars Lauderbaugh if you submit by 7/4 so be sure to submit early! https://bit.ly/3NGU2Ra

Meet Teo, Son of Quetzal, Diosa of Birds, from my upcoming book “The Sunbearer Trials”! 

Certified Troublemaker Did Not Ask For This, Would Like to Go Home  transmasc with an attitude

you’ll meet Teo and all his friends (and not-quite friends) in “The Sunbearer Trials”! 

we also have an AWESOME preorder campaign that’s now live!

submit your receipt by 9/6 to get 5 randomized trading cards! there’s also a limited edition pin by Mars Lauderbaugh if you submit by 7/4 so be sure to submit early! https://bit.ly/3NGU2Ra

meet Aurelio, Son of Lumbre, Diosa of Flame! 🔥 ☀️ Demigod Royalty ☀️ favored to become Sunbearer ☀️ Teo’s best-friend-to-rivals-to…? ☀️ walking definition of Lawful Good ☀️ Moody and Broody, but is actually just Shy and Dry ☀️ has a bad case of Resting Bitch Face ☀️ VERY literal which is annoying because sometime he can’t tell when Teo is teasing him ☀️ he takes things VERY seriously and gets frustrated with Teo for not taking things seriously enough ☀️ Aurelio is basically demigod royalty — he’s ranked 2nd in his class and he, along with her sister, are very famous Heroes ☀️ lowkey an ipad baby but you’ll have to read the book ☀️ i’m FINALLY pushing my Boys in Crop tops agenda ☀️ as you’ve seen, many of the demigods/gods wear charro pants as part of their regalia, but Aurelio’s are my favorite! ☀️ he wears flint tipped gloves to help him manipulate fire ☀️ his mom, Lumbre, takes it upon herself to hold the leadership position among the gods ☀️ she also runs the Academy that the Gold demigods train to to become the Heroes of Reino del Sol ☀️ Girlboss (derogatory)

Aurelio is one of 10 possible characters you can collect as part of the THE SUNBEARER TRIALS preorder campaign! submit your receipt by 9/6 to get 5 randomized trading cards! there’s also a limited edition pin by Mars Lauderbaugh if you submit by 7/4 so be sure to submit early! https://bit.ly/3NGU2Ra

meet Auristela, Daughter of Lumbre, Diosa of Flame! 💥 ☀️ ranked # 1 at the Academy ☀️ Aurelio’s twin ☀️ driven and nasty about it ☀️ creates fire and loves explosions ☀️ “she punched me in the face once, it was awesome” ☀️ if looks could kill, you’re already dead ☀️ influencer/celebrity (100% sponsored by a smoothie mlm) ☀️ girlboss (gets it from her mama) ☀️ has never taken a bad selfie ☀️ the best at everything and makes it your problem ☀️ not threatened by you, but it’s cute that you’re trying ☀️ mortal enemies with Niya ☀️ would like to squish Teo under her designer boot ☀️ a terror and i’m Proud of her for it ☀️ never been wrong a day in her life ☀️ mommy issues?? she’s got em ☀️ will do anything for her brother Aurelio ☀️ because Azula deserved better

Auristela is one of 10 possible characters you can collect as part of THE SUNBEARER TRIALS preorder campaign! 

submit your receipt by 9/6 to get 5 randomized trading cards! there’s also a limited edition pin by Mars Lauderbaugh if you submit by 7/4 so be sure to submit early! https://bit.ly/3NGU2Ra

meet Xochi, Daughter of Primavera, Diosa of Spring! 🌺 ☀️ another Elite Gold ☀️ grows flowers when she’s nervous ☀️ trans femme beauty ☀️ passion for fashion and competition ☀️ believes there’s no reason you can’t kick ass and look cute at the same time ☀️ fiercely protective of her friends (esp Atzi, who you will meet soon!) ☀️ LOVES sustainability ☀️ absolutely doted on by her mom and three tías ☀️ quick on her feet (and even quicker with her vines) ☀️ her regalia is inspired by a traditional Chiapas dress! ☀️ instead of embroidered flowers, her dress has real flowers that are native to Reino del Sol/Mexico, like dahlias, pink orchids and orange honeysuckle! Xochi is one of 10 possible characters you can collect as part of THE SUNBEARER TRIALS preorder campaign! 

submit your receipt by 9/6 to get 5 randomized trading cards! there’s also a limited edition pin by Mars Lauderbaugh if you submit by 7/4 so be sure to submit early! https://bit.ly/3NGU2Ra

here’s Atzi, Daughter of Tormentoso, Dios of Weather! ⚡️ ☀️ the youngest Gold competing ☀️ Fearless ☀️ wielder of lightning ☀️ at only 13 years of age, Atzi is CONSTANTLY surprising (and impressing) everyone ☀️ once Atzi makes her mind up about something it’s hard to change it ☀️ Apologetic but Not Sorry ☀️ lightning is her main weapon of choice but she can also summon rain (she’s an overachiever) ☀️ Daddy’s Girl (Tormentoso brags about her all the time and has a very loud, booming voice) ☀️ her regalia is modeled after a Jalisco ribbon dress! ☀️ she has special rings she wears that function as conduits for her lightning  Atzi is one of 10 possible characters you can collect as part of THE SUNBEARER TRIALS preorder campaign! 

submit your receipt by 9/6 to get 5 randomized trading cards! there’s also a limited edition pin by Mars Lauderbaugh if you submit by 7/4 so be sure to submit early! https://bit.ly/3NGU2Ra

hello cemetery boys fandom please accept this humble offering (characters as troubled birds memes)

yadriel

julian

maritza

yadriel to julian when they just know each other

catriz

those two other street kids waking up in the middle of an unholy blood ritual after yadriel saves them

catriz plucking random kids off the streets for his blood ritual:

Best Quotes From 'Cemetery Boys'

"You don't need anyone's permission to be you, Yads."

"'Is Yadriel your friend?' The word burned. '¡Mi querido!'"

"'So they’ll see that I’m a brujo.' 'Well, yeah, but other than that.' 'Spite?' Yadriel guessed. 'Spite!' Maritza agreed enthusiastically."

"Queer folks are like wolves. We travel in packs."

"Things weren’t magically fixed by an empowering speech, but it opened doors and built bridges."

"No, it wasn’t the end. It was a better beginning."

And really I break my own heart some days when I feel hopeless thinking I’d rather just die now than have to watch my loved ones suffer in a scary world of our creation. I’d rather not be here to watch them slowly leave or pick up the pieces. I have no light glow that I’ll see a future. I fear my end is nearing. The worst will happen with or without me.

I think I’ll also resent my siblings a little bit. They got to grow up. They got to live past college. They didn’t grow up with the same fears that threatened to end everything. They had no pandemic for their 21st birthday. They had no threat of nuclear war. They had no burning city. They had their own fears certainly but their world wasn’t crumbling around them.