Eloquent Tales & Blues

Lloyd walked over to Tarian. “The dwarves have decimated the rear ranks of the enemy.” Tarian shifted the telescope toward the rear and watched the dwarven axes cleave through the retreating remnants of the horde. Relief washed over his features as his shoulders slouched. “The elves and dwarves arrived just in time.” Sherry’s fingers covered her lips as she stared out over their allies. “What do y...

Bethany was having an outstanding day, soaking in the last moments of her family’s beach vacation. On their final day, she took one last walk along the shoreline. Bethany took comfort as the waves lapped up against her legs and the salt-laden wind nipped at her unbound hair. It felt like the world was holding its breath, precious and fleeting, when her bare foot stepped on something hard. Heart ra...

Tarian rushed to the center of the crumbling defenses and seized a rifle from one of the fallen. A tear welled, but he blinked it away. The dead deserved better, but mourning would have to wait. Among the fallen, he recognized Soren, one of the youngest members of this expedition. He had hoped to start a family here. Tarian's chest tightened as he kneeled beside him, fingers brushing the man's coo...

Once upon a time, two neighborhood friends, a boy and a girl, spent every free moment playing in the woods behind their homes, even when snow-covered. The forest felt far more familiar than home, thanks to their countless hours spent there. Its silent beauty always hid a faint, mysterious edge beneath the snow. Their parents only had one rule regarding this favored playground. They had to stay clo...

As he paced about the wall, Tarian stopped when he came to a devastated section. He ran his fingers along the shorn stone and glanced at the boulder, now entrenched in the ground just behind the wall. Thankfully, the defenders stationed there evaded the massive rock hurtling past them, saved only by a defender's shout. Tarian shook his head and turned back to the swelling ranks of monsters...

Once upon a time, a young girl woke on Christmas morning, a broad grin stretching across her face as she bolted from her bed. She flew down the stairs, stopping before the glittering Christmas tree. The little girl ignored the presents under the tree, locking her gaze on the hanging stockings packed with goodies. She picked up her stocking and found a thread trailing from its edge into a nearby cl...

Keldon froze beneath a ring of arrows. When he shifted his gaze to study the deadly points, every bow pulled tighter, as if daring him to move again. Keldon raised his hands, gesturing his surrender to their silent command. "I'm not looking for a fight." "Why are you here?" asked one creature, preparing to release his arrow...  

Walking down the corridors of the Gemini, Samantha held her mother’s hand with her right and clutched her most precious possession, the doll she had gotten for her birthday, to her chest with the other. As the two journeyed towards the ship’s hospice ward, Samantha spotted a lot of the people wearing a black armband with a series of red dots running along the center of it. The child shifted her ga...

Caleb stopped at the closest tree to check his weapons. Once done, he reoriented and scanned for the faint trail left by his team's last hunt. The landscape offered no guidance. Everything looked the same. He sighed, holstered his sidearm, and lifted his rifle before continuing. A fine mist hung heavy with the scent of moss and earth, obscuring his view. Even the birds had stopped calling...

Jemma and Charles weaved through the heart of Comic-Con, their senses alive with the buzz of neon lights, distant cheers, and the scent of fried food hanging in the air. Cosplayers brushed past them in elaborate armor and silk capes, laughter echoed from panel rooms, and the murmur of thousands of fans filled the space like a living machine. For the twins, the event held significance beyond simple...

Tarian and his closest advisors stood atop the wall, staring out at the horde of alien creatures massing below. Through his telescope, he spotted trolls, goblins, and new, even more terrifying creatures. He lowered the scope, looked over his shoulder, and addressed his advisors. "Kel, there's more of them than last time." Keldon reached out, and Tarian handed the scope over to his friend. With a s...

Tarian marched through the dense forest, his detachment trailing behind. Upon entering a small clearing, Tarian retrieved his radio. “Everyone on me, I’ve found a clearing, and I want to regroup.” As a series of confirmations rang out, he switched his radio to another channel as he leaned against a tree. “Kel, has your team found anything...

Tarian stood atop the partially constructed walls as his gaze swept across the writhing mass of monsters. As he surveyed a source of his nightmares, he rubbed his brow when he recognized...

A scouting squadron, responsible for finding safety, found it moored to the coast like a forgotten legend, scarred and silent, yet still afloat. A seemingly operable battleship, untouched by conflict or the passage of time. They hoped the vessel would be their chance to escape the dying world. Although it appeared safe, the fear of humanity’s bane terrorized the remnants of civilization...

Keldon brought his radio to his mouth as he walked up the hill. "Tarian, there's no sign of the missing colonists yet, and we've covered most of this sector." Over the radio, Tarian's voice crackled with a mix of frustration and weariness. "Kel, during the last few months, we've dealt with everything from giant wolves to dragons...

With his back resting against a tree, Tarian held his canteen between his knees as he stared at the hull of the colonization ship. His gaze drifted to the gash running behind the metal carcass, and he drew in a breath as his eyes closed, expelling a tear. Lucinda stepped beside Tarian and leaned against the same tree...

Tarian drew a deep breath as he peered through the colonization ship's windshield. He rested his fingers on the hull as he turned toward the other individuals on the bridge, Keldon and Sherry. With a soft smile, Tarian sauntered to Sherry's seat and touched the top of one of her screens. "Can you confirm if the planet is capable of supporting life...

...The navigator asked while she referenced her map. The pilot’s fingers tightened around the steering yoke as he inquired, “Aside from us being at war?” “Their aircraft aren’t as advanced as ours, Erik,” she said, leaning into her seat. The young woman pulled her legs onto the edge of the chair, wrapping them up with her arms. “True,” Erik hedged...

While a gnarled man with wild white hair walked in front of his bookshelf, his finger traced the spine of each book on the fifth shelf from the floor. When he felt the one constructed with dragon scales, he stopped and grinned. He pulled the volume from its fellows and clutched it to his chest, marching for the table in the middle of the room. “Semil, where are you?” “I’m doing what you instructed...

Pausing backstage, Ryan pulled the bagged letter out of his coat. Forensics had examined the thing already, but he never wanted to contaminate the evidence. He quickly reread the mismatched letters, yearning for some new insight. Unfortunately, it revealed nothing new. Ryan considered the morning’s private courier delivery to the station. However, a fellow detective had identified it as another de...

A blue incandescent light wrapped around the fleeing mage’s hand, forming a crackling sphere of energy. With a grunt, he threw the magical ball at his pursuer. However, the second man in flight plucked it from its path and tossed it into the sky. As it rushed toward the stars, it exploded, resulting in an explosion of concentric azure rings filling the night sky...

As Amelia’s feet carried her forward, she tugged at her hood to keep the chilly air from overpowering her. But when she stepped onto a slick patch of earth, her foot slid, causing her to stumble. After she hit the ground, she propped herself up and ran a finger through the muddy surface. She rubbed the mud between her fingers before standing up and staring into the sky. Her eyes widened as she rac...

A pair of rough hands slammed into Lucas’s swaying back, driving him to the ground amidst the skeletonized vehicles and scattered debris. He rolled over and stared up into the sun, blinking as it beat down upon him. Despite his scattered mind, Lucas caught sight of his assailant squatting beside him, licking his lips...

With a sigh, Lucious withdrew something from his pocket before re-reading it. Come to the local museum. Tonight, by six, locate the trio of paintings featuring a mother and child, then settle onto the nearby couch. Lucious glanced at his watch as he ran his fingers through his hair, ignoring the bald spot. “Fifteen minutes early.” He crushed the note, pocketed it, and sat down in the middle of the...

One day a father and his daughter were out eating at their favorite restaurant, The Noodle Shop. The father enjoyed that he got the night off from cooking, while his daughter enjoyed her macaroni and cheese. As always they got their meal and went to their regular booth to enjoy their dinner together. Unfortunately, this night was about to change. A small man, walking stiffly trying not to spill hi...