The Obsidian Key’s Echo
The biting wind whipped Shadow’s cloak around her as she scaled the sheer-faced cliff of Blackwatch Keep. Below, the churning sea gnashed against the rocks, a sound swallowed by the howling gale. Only the elite of the Guild of Whispers were given missions of this caliber: infiltrate, retrieve, neutralize. Lord Kaelen, master of Blackwatch and […]
Pigeon Pandemonium
Rupert, an accountant who color-coded his socks by thread count, approached his Saturday afternoon with the precision of a Swiss watch. 2:00 PM: Arrive at the park. 2:05 PM: Unfold bespoke picnic blanket, perfectly aligned with the cardinal directions. 2:06 PM: Commence reading “The Art of Taxidermy and Fiscal Responsibility,” his cherished first edition. He […]
The Last Note
Leo, a composer whose synesthesia painted his world in vivid sensory overlaps, sought the perfect silence. He yearned for a melody pure, untainted by the city’s chromatic cacophony. His chosen sanctuary: a century-old cabin nestled deep within the Blackwood Forest, far from any signal, any human hum. For weeks, he composed. His old upright piano, […]
The Coffee Shop Catastrophe & The Constant Stranger
Elara believed firmly in the “meet-cute.” Not the dating app swipe, not the set-up by a well-meaning but clueless friend, but the fateful, adorable collision of two souls. Her life, however, seemed determined to deliver only “meet-catastrophes.” First, there was Leo. A sun-drenched Saturday, a new artisanal coffee shop. Elara, distracted by a particularly handsome […]
The Great Gnoblin Bake-Off
Chef Grumblefoot, a gnoblin whose beard was as tangled as his temper, scowled at the posters. The Annual Gnoblin Bake-Off was upon them, and this year, the prize was the coveted Golden Spatula. Grumblefoot, reigning champion for five seasons with his legendary ‘Moss-Cake Surprise,’ usually faced little competition. Until now. A new gnoblin, Pip, had […]