Eloquent Tales & Blues

"Declan, the colony is just about finished how goes placing the platform?" Declan looked up from the platform's glowing red center with dread pouring visibly from his face. "Brielle, we have a problem." Brielle looked from the worried platform technician to the glowing red crystal next to his knees, and she began to take on his concern. "Declan, these platforms don't have issues." Swallowing the l...

Dyrk adjusted the craft’s trajectory and then flipped the communication switch. “Is anyone manning the comm back home, control?” “Yes, we’re still here.” Diana jostled Dyrk’s shoulder as she deactivated the comm. Narrowing her eyebrows, Diana tapped her armrest and sighed, “Were you expecting them not to be listening?” He licked his lips and drummed his console as he winked at her. “I figured ever...

Sebastian stepped up to the railing as he studied the gleaming ocean. A second later, he looked over at his friend and clapped his shoulder. “How are you doing, Jimmy?” A wry chuckle emanated from his friend’s mouth as his cupped hands slid up to his chest. He peered at Sebastian while keeping his eyes on what he was holding. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.” “We’re taking a trip. What’s there...

The council members sat in the hall, whispering among themselves as they waited for the session to begin. As the whispers grew, one voice sliced through the din. “There’s no scheduled vote today. Why are we here?” “I called everyone here to discuss the failed attempt to colonize Morven.” The statement silenced the council as the lights dimmed, and millions of bluish-white spheres emerged from the...

Wan moonlight bathed a stocky man’s pale arms as he leaned against the metallic rails, whistling a simple tune. “Anton, stop making that awful racket!” The sporadic notes stopped as Anton twisted his head and pushed against the railing. “Norman, the silence is eerie.” Anton marched across the deck and swatted the consol. “Why don’t you have a radio or satellite on this boat?” “You weren’t hired to...

"Hurry!" Keldon barked as he lifted his side of the beam. "We have to fix the wall before the horde can flood in and wipe us out." Caleb lifted the other end and grunted. "You'd think looming devastation might revive Tarian's mind." "That's enough, Caleb!" Keldon glanced over his shoulder as he hefted the slab of metal. With a slight stumble, he shot Caleb a wicked glare. "Lloyd's death hit him ha...

A paw slammed to the ground, crushing the scattered remnants of the surrounding trees. With a grumble, a furry beast emerged from the forest’s edge. As the animal strode from the protection of the forest, it halted when the crunching twigs and leaves gave way to an undulating sea of purple flowers. While the massive creature stared at the field, the sun’s golden rays crested the distant mountains...

Tarian clambered to the wall's edge and stared into the barren field. When he discovered a solitary figure, his fingers turned white around the gray stones. "That's a massive creature. What is it? When did it arrive?" "I'm not sure what's out there, but it's been there since the sun came up," Keldon said, closing his eyes. "Keldon, who's our best surviving sharpshooter?" Tarian's gaze turned ice c...

Shawn glanced from the assignments in front of him to his watch. He laid his pen down and folded his hands on the pile of papers, “Zachary, you’re the last one here, and your time has expired. Please turn in your exam and start your weekend.” “Can I take another minute?” Shawn shook his head and thumped his desk, “You are out of time. I’ve already given you an extra thirty minutes, now give me you...

Tarian lifted his head from the desk as the alarm blared. With a groan, he turned toward the noise. When he couldn't locate the source of the racket, he started blinking the sleep away and stumbled toward the window. He leaned on the sill and saw the ordnance storehouse lights flashing across the field. As his gaze tracked the beams, the scene made sense. Tarian spun and bolted from his quarters....

“Didn’t you learn your lesson last time?” The man peering down the chasm smiled, waving his arms over his head. He glanced down at a collection of stones, and knocked them off the ledge, watching them plummet toward the lake. When the rocks plunged into the tranquil water, ripples spread across the surface. He turned around and scampered to his friend, resting his cast on the guy’s back. “Ethan, w...

Keldon grabbed Tarian's shoulder and spun him around, slamming him against the wall. His brow furrowed as he took a deep breath. Keldon jabbed his finger into Tarian's chest. "Tarian, you can't keep bothering the scientists." "Caleb secured their live sample of that shifting monstrosity," Tarian said, brushing Keldon's hands off before he straightened his jacket. "Didn't you hear Caleb's report? T...

The elderly man turned his head as the pounding intensified. His fingers twitched over the flipping pages of his floating tome, a venomous snarl curling his lips. With each crash, another page tore free from the book and joined the howling, arcane storm around the frantic mage. As the sheets spun past his twitching brow, light devoured the scribbled ink. When the glow enveloped each sheet, they po...

Reaching out, Caleb brushed the damaged branch with his fingers. He kneeled and scrutinized the ground, finding more disturbed undergrowth. He pulled out his radio and switched channels. "Engrim, where are you?" "About a click or two east of you. Have you found any signs of shapeshifters?" Caleb moved a branch out of the way and studied the markings. "I may have, and I'd like a second opinion." "I...

A wanderer adjusted his position against the tree. When a snowflake landed on his outstretched hand, he shook it free, climbing to his feet. The man dragged his hair from his face as he pulled his spare cloak from his pack. Without missing a beat, he wrapped it around his shoulders. He clutched his bag under the covering as he strode toward the road. As he neared it, he checked both sides of the p...

Tarian threw the doors open and marched into the makeshift lab. The cracked table bore the white-fleshed creature. He pointed at the milky corpse as he pulled the scientist closer. “What can you tell me about this thing on your slab?” Francis stepped away from his work and glanced around the room at his colleagues. When he saw everyone else glance elsewhere, he cleared his throat. “We’ve found not...

“My army surrendered!?” Namen slammed his fist against his throne, the wood shuddering beneath the blow, and snarled. “What did my cowardly force do after they laid down their weapons to these rebels?” The messenger’s hands trembled behind his back as his stoic face locked onto the King’s ornate chair. He bowed, spreading his arms like a bird in flight. “I wasn’t there to witness the results, sire...

Tarian sat in solitary silence, taking in the emptiness of the meeting hall. The crack ran the entire length of the conference table, and the sneering crevasse mocked him. He gripped the hilt of his dagger with white knuckles. Tarian lifted the tip of the blade and rammed it into the pockmarked slab. He twisted the knife, enlarging the hole as he took a deep breath. As the seconds ticked away, he...

Tired and exhausted, Glen pressed the down button. He groaned when there was no immediate ding. After a lengthy shift, he wanted nothing more than to return home and collapse into bed. Glen stumbled to the folding chair propped against the wall across from the elevator. He pulled it out and sat down while he waited for the old and creaking elevator’s arrival. The elevator bell dinged after what fe...

Tarian drew his finger along the table and tapped against the document. "Fitik, you know Caleb. Do you suppose he forged this to implicate you or your kin?" The dwarf's scowl deepened as he glared at Variel. He ran his tongue across his lips before downing his mug. Fitik's fingers clenched the tankard until it cracked in his grip. He looked between them. "No. Caleb is no liar, and neither am I. Th...

While Jonathan Gates was starting his day, one of the company’s disgruntled employees stormed over to him and glared at him with furious eyes. When the man was close enough, he grabbed the oblivious worker and pulled him right into his face, a roughness seeping into his voice. “Why’d you rat me out?” Jonathan tried to get the man off him as he replied, “Curtis, what happened to you was your own fa...

Caleb raised a fist and sank to one knee as he stared into the forest through his rifle’s sights. Derek coughed into his clenched fist. “Nobody else can see your hand signals.” With a glance at Derek, Caleb’s mouth went dry as he stared into the dense woods, every breath tight with unease. He raised his radio and chirped, “Comms check.” “Here,” Zeke’s voice echoed from the radio. “So are we,” Mika...

As the sun crested the horizon, two black orbs snapped open and fixed on the newborn light. The eyelids fluttered as twin branches flexed and swayed to position their leaves to drink in the light. When the glow wasn’t enough, its trunk split, and one half stepped out of the ground. Freed from the soil, the being slowly strode into the patch of sunlight breaking through the forest and spread its li...

Tarian rushed into the infirmary and seized Keldon's hand. "What's his status?" The doctor wrapped his arms around his pad as he sighed. "The odds aren't good." Tarian's brow knotted as he shut his eyes. "Spit it out, Dalton." With another sigh, Dalton dropped the pad onto the bed and nudged Tarian's shoulder. "He's not going to make it." "I want to find whatever did this to him." Tarian rounded t...

“I can’t believe we’re holding another banquet already,” Tarian said, studying the makeshift hall that still reeked of freshly hewn timber. He rubbed his forehead as a heavy sigh escaped his lips. Keldon swallowed, glanced over, and smirked. “You look annoyed, my friend.” Tarian’s gaze scanned the chamber. “This is the second banquet, and we’re still no closer to securing an alliance.” “Has it onl...