Stories

When the gods are bored, the world becomes their playground. For Mason Hill, deific whims turn his world upside down. What is a disabled homeless man to do when the world is ending around him?

In the shadow of a crumbling empire, Constantine XI Palaiologos stands as the last hope of Constantinople, a city teetering on the edge of oblivion. As the Ottoman army, sixty thousand strong, masses beyond the walls with cannons poised to shatter the city’s ancient defenses, he grapples with a faltering faith in the God and the weight of a two-thousand-year legacy. Will Constantine’s resolve to fight for the souls of Rome, noble and commoner alike, defy the inevitable, or will history remember him only as The Last Of The Romans, will The Purple Phoenix rise once more, or will it remain a pile of lingering ashes.

In a kingdom aglow with victory and starlight, young Cedric and Lysander discover the fragile bloom of first love—and the strength it takes to nurture it. The Flower Thief and Other Tales of Yalda unfolds a realm where bonds are tested, hearts awaken, and not every battle is won with a sword.

Sixteen years ago, their friend disappeared from the amusement park - no one knows where to. Since then, the remaining friends return every year on this day. Until he suddenly stands in front of them...

Vic finds an old letter written by his great-uncle Martin describing a very peculiar encounter.

Destined for knighthood, Jermyn struggled. He did not possess his father's strength. To prove himself, he embarks on an impossible and foolish quest to slay a dragon.

Skee is trying to catch a song sparrow that eludes him. However, he is not the only predator in the woods. Will Skee ever catch his prey?

Every cedar holds a spirit. Every spirit longs for home.

When a young Japanese cedar sapling is transported to a Canadian zoo for a new “Trees of the World” exhibit, no one realizes it carries with it a kodama—an ancient tree spirit torn from its home. As the cedar begins to wither, strange phenomena ripple through the zoo, and a girl named Maureen O’Neil decides to find out why. With her mother's support, Maureen challenges the botanist who brought the tree overseas. A violent storm reveals the truth so, together, child, mother, and scientist undertake a journey to restore nature's balance.

Benjamin Amber is an ordinary boy… mostly. He attends high school, works part-time, and has typical teenage interests, like high fantasy. However, Ben’s life takes an unexpected turn when he's suddenly transported to a new world through his very own bathtub. But in a world filled with magic, monsters, and countless dangers, the only thing Ben can't seem to wrap his head around is how on earth he's supposed to keep himself from falling in love with Nari, the cutest boy around. Little does Ben know, a grand adventure that will shape the very fate of this magical world is about to begin, threatening more than just his own precarious love life!

A humorous discussion between Poochie and Dane. A pair of dogs. I decided to marry a prompt, #622, first line, with the Anthology topic, Creature Feature.