Michael's tribe was one of warriors. Their magic was rooted in guttural blood-lust, the feeling of knife ripping into flesh and the enraged satisfaction of wound infliction, the tear of teeth in sinew. Their magic made them strong and fast and unafraid. T…

He was tired. He'd read the same sentence four times and he was still stumbling across the words like he'd never seen them before. He instantly dismissed the absurd thought that the book was rewriting itself as he read it.

Inserting the bookmark, he cl…

And now, like a spirit, your voice rings once more


How confusing to put them together:


Your voice, and your words, I could never expect


You would speak this way to me. Can we reconnect?


With the return of hot, muggy weather


Comes a new conversation. …

He was a laid-back guy and didn't mind when the woman took control. He'd been working hard for three weeks and she'd had their entire wedding planned by the time he'd returned. There were some things that women were just better at doing.

He reflected tha…

Driven by a promise, through the dark and twisted tunnels of the Dewar and the misty mountains of the Jian, through shrouded wood of the Elhu and the gray hillocks of the Hob, I have come. Step by heavy, faltering step I have traversed such distance and b…

7:55 AM

Students are breakfasted, bell rings, they begin their morning routines. Chat with them about their weekend, listen and offer advice.

8:30AM

Coworker Stress arrives, early, as usual, going on about something they wish they could change.

9:00AM

C…

She is eternally a lady. The creases of her dress will always be perfect. The curl of her hair will always lay just the way it should to catch the eye. She sits on a wrought-iron bench, her legs tucked neatly beneath her. Her hands are pressed in her lap …

The story Uncle Charlie told went that some Columbians had jacked a Volvo and tried to outrun the cops. The heavy frame of the car and low engine power kept it from gaining any distance from the black and white cruisers and their grim faced drivers. Uncle…

Sadie straightened and cast around for Astarlane. She spotted her bracing against a rock a few dozen metres distant, getting to her feet.

In the distance, there was unmistakably orcish shouting. Sadie motioned for close formation and advanced slowly.

Gu…

Boots first, Hable inched down toward the hatch, keeping his legs wrapped in a firm grip around the rope. It was bright again now that they had cleared the shade of the midrock. He ignored the rapidly growing view of Ambiter as they began to pick up desce…

Sadie dodged Tenever's second blow, instinctively returning a feinting hit that caught him in the side. He collapsed under the force of the strike, grabbing her shoulders instead.

"Sadie!"

She twisted her shoulders to throw him, reaching for her combat …

Marcy was dark. Not just dark, but a shade of black that was blacker than any shade of black that you could possibly dream up. She played bass guitar too. Well. Which was part of her charm. Part of the immense and dark charm that she had. She exuded it on…

There's a dog outside.

I didn't used to think much of him. Just thought he was a fluffy companion.

That didn't turn out to be entirely true though.

He also had... well, powers.

He had the face of a very learned Buddhist monk, I always used to joke to …

All roads lead to Glenwick Lane.

They led there because of her. The only women in Ireland I ever truly loved.

I never thought she loved me though. At least not as truly.

I spent wakeful night with my mind on her, comforted only by the Guinness in my gl…

Grey hairs come from stress

Silver comes from wisdom

White hair, righteousness

And baldness if you miss them

Astarlane said nothing, but Tenever made a palm-inward up-down-up-down motion over his primary magazine pouch as they moved out.

What are we doing?

Sadie rolled her weapon and briefly pulled on the charging handle to check the brass in the firing cham…

"Mum, you're on the TV!" Sally yelled into the kitchen as she stared, rapt, at the screen which showed a rapid-fire sequence of her mother as a teenage hero, obliterating huge monsters with her magical pink laserbeams.

In the next room, Tessa slumped int…

Jovie wiped the blood from her upper lip. She was pretty sure it was hers and not her opponent's but in the rush of adrenaline she didn't feel pain. That would definitely be coming later though.

It was a quick one. She got her bell rung a couple times, t…

"Take these pills; they'll alleviate the pain a bit." I say and I'm secretly happy that he hasn't noticed that he is missing a leg, but I'm dreading every millisecond till when he notices.

His eyes widen, I can practically see his pulse get as fast as wh…

A sudden volley of gunfire erupted from their flank. Astarlane and Tenever hit the ground; a fireteam of orcs stepped out of the trees, weapons firing with well-disciplined precision. The wraiths charged their position, but hulking figures stood their gro…

She lifted her hands up in a fashion that would make her prepared for the fight ahead. Her hands were heavily taped. No gloves for this one though. Not the underground fights. Those were a little more "anything goes" than the scene she was used to. She wa…

He hoped for a message. Something that would reassure him that they were still there. That things were OK. That plans were still in motion.

He got nothing.

Day after day he hoped the same hope and was met with silence. Well, not silence, but they were n…

Bartholomew and Nicholas knew the time to hit the road was coming.

It was that season. Not only that, but the road was calling to them in a language few could understand.

They sold farm tools out of an old hearse. Not the most glamorous of jobs but a jo…

The thunder boomed and the lightening flashed.

Unfortunately the Finnish god Ukko's heart just wasn't into it tonight.

Sure, there were ships on the Baltic sea he could tip over with rogue waves and sheer winds, but why? What was the point?

He felt los…

Blue is one of the most deceptive colors. It hides.

Not only does it like to hide, but it likes to taunt you from its hiding spot. You may think blue likes to be found but it doesn't. It likes its secrecy. It likes the power that secrecy provides.

Sure,…