13 Ash
It started with a simple misunderstanding. A few words, poorly chosen at a difficult time. It created a resentment that smoldered, getting just a little hotter with every subsequent misinterpretation of something that, on its own, would be...
12 Dragon
They say dogs have owners and cats have staff. Dragons, on the other paw, have a union to support them. Dozens of kobolds, taking care of the dragon's every need and being taken care of in turn. Given that a typical dragon will have hoarded more...
11 Snow
Though those from northern climates are well acquainted with snow, the south is far less familiar with such weather. One particularly chilly January, the port town of Bexley experienced something they hadn't borne witness to in a generation:...
10 Pattern
One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. The electronic music fired up at the beginning of the show. Pyrotechnics showered the stage as the performer began the act. A steady pattern underlined the beginning of the set, with a slowly evolving...
09 Swing
"Be gone, foul demon!" the cleric shouted, wildly swinging his staff at the creature with black hide before him. "Oh you poor fool," Osimaret responded. The demonic narwhal watched for a moment before casually grabbing the cleric's staff in one hand...
08 Frail
She was ninety-something years old. Though her body had become frail and her mind was beginning to betray her age, her spirit never faltered. To her last, she would always have a smile, share a laugh, or tell a story to anyone who might be willing to...
07 Enchanted
Legend has given us no shortage of enchanted objects and places. Swords. Lakes. Entire kingdoms. Some stories were pure fiction. Others, perhaps, held a grain of truth that had grown wildly with the passage of time. Little thought is given to the...
06 Husky
The canine walked steadily up to the microphone. Her movements were measured, as if every step tapped into a reserve of energy that had nearly been drawn dry. As the music began, she gave a heavy sigh, then she began to sing. Her voice carried the...
05 Build
It was perfect. It had taken 18 months of off-hours work, piecing together whatever spare bits of metal and wire wouldn't be noticed as missing, but the build was finally complete. A robotic body, tailored just to my needs. Small, efficient, and...
04 Freeze
I sat inside, looking out at the chilly weather through the window. While some of my mammalian friends frolicked in the snow, I preferred to remain inside, sipping a hot cup of tea. I'd freeze if I went out there. Such is the challenge of being cold...
03 Bait
"Well, this is embarrassing." You saw the obvious trap lying on the ground, with a few silvers lying as bait. Such a simple trap, by and for simple creatures. A pity you were too busy being smug to notice the other, almost as obvious trap a few steps...
02 Mindless
You have a mind. A brilliant, creative mind. A gift of god or evolution or the freakish improbability of the cosmos. A mind that can conceive of things great and small. A mind that is aware of itself and its surroundings. Put it to use. Do things....