Piercing the Veil

There are places in this world that serve as reminders of things hopeless and lost. Recesses of death and dread that swallow all light that dares wander too close. Yet some secrets, no matter how horrifically hidden, are too tempting to pass by. In Epitaph and Elegy, we join two seekers tempted by forgotten knowledge held in the skeletal grasp of a long dead city. Danger lurks in the bones of the...

A Confractionery Tale is a story about decadence and decay set in a cheery corner of a world identical to our own. The Confractionery is a monster that appears for children who have eaten far too much candy and comes to teach children the ways of candy monsters and taffy trolls. But what happens when the lessons being taught aren’t actually in the best interest of the child? Written by: B.Y Herber...

Cast through a portal into another world in a desperate act to save her. Ten year old Layleen of Saransay, is left alone and devastated by the seeming loss of not only her parents, but everything she’s ever held dear. When the child who calls herself ‘Lolli’ is taken in by the kindly sorcerer Harlan and his snide son, Nathaniel. Will her dragging and listless grief finally overtake her? Or will he...

Beyond the cascading water lies an army of forgotten warriors, memory of their sacrifices nearly lost to the sands of time. Though, there is still one who remembers, one who can never forget. Haunted by his past and the faces of all the lives he extinguished, an aging mage seeks to give the souls he damned a new purpose. To call them forth for one last purpose.

When it comes to Esoteric Surgeons, Dorian Black is the best there is. Under contract for the organization known as Ziggurat, he's brought in to consult on an entity that haunts his memories. In an attempt to correct his past mistakes, he becomes both the hunter and the hunted, but that’s never bothered him. What really bothers him is the same question that’s been nagging him for years. Who is thi...

After decades of watching her family struggle, Aisling O’Reilly is ready to get some answers. With little more than her stuffed bear, Clover, for protection, she’s planning to leave the Glade and enter the human realm to find out why so many of them have lost interest in her family’s shamrocks. However, there can be many dangers in that unfamiliar place and she may be getting herself into more tro...

For seven long years, Atticus Whaley has pursued his calling with single-minded devotion amongst The Society of the Confabulum. But when some old friends come calling on the eve of his induction as the Guardian of the Dream Gate, will Atticus prove his readiness as a true servant of Calissus? Or will his much anticipated future spiral out of his control? Written by: Tasha Blythe

A man, cursed to walk in mirrors, seeks to rekindle a dying flame... and fix what has been broken within him. A brilliant mind, who finds herself once again tied to his fate... and to his curse. They make their way toward… the MAD CITY Written by: Gabriel Rankin

Young blademaster Aron of Darien is keeping out of trouble teaching swordsmanship in the city of Oxport when one of his pupils brings a young man, Roger, to him who has been badly beaten trying to rescue his sweetheart from a brothel. Aron is disinclined to do anything until he hears that the man who inflicted the beating is Saxish and possibly one of a group of mercenaries who betrayed Darien lea...

In the six kingdoms of Paikmeriz, the elves and humans hold onto a fragile peace. Distrust, a hunger for power, and a burning desire for revenge now threaten a return to war. As an ancient and powerful evil rises over the land, only a troubled swordmaster may be able to prevent the bloodshed. The fires of revenge burn deep within Engerahin Lovdiena, a talented swordmaster who plots to repay the sa...

A short story by O. Henry first published in 1905. The story tells of a young husband and wife and how they deal with the challenge of buying secret Christmas gifts for each other with very little money. It is a sentimental story with a moral lesson about gift-giving.

Jonathan Barrett lets his greed ignore the warning of a watery grave and pays the consequences. Written by: Chris Holmes

Casey's Angels is a short story that illustrates the unwavering love and fierce loyalty of dogs. It's told through the humble eyes of Casey, a sixteen year old Golden Retriever with the ability to smell angels and demons. Like most dogs, Casey is protective of his human and vows to keep him safe from harm at all costs. Though age has taken its toll on him physically, it has also brought him wisdom...

These pieces were all written as part of community contests. It's been great fun writing these shorts, and I'm happy to share them all with you. Some have a deeper message, and some are just fun (I'll let you decide which are which). Some are set in more fantastical worlds than others, but all have at least a mythical creature. Honestly, life is just more fun when you add in a dragon—whether it's...

Speed dating nights at the Apple Martini Lounge bring out all the usual suspects.... like a dozen insecure guys and, of course, Eddie Ridell. Eddie's a regular participant who's only interest is to hook-up for the night and not get involved in any serious relationships. Loud, cocky and obnoxious, Eddie's always confident he'll beat his male competition and win a date with the prettiest woman in th...