Widow Graysky’s mood improved tenfold once she had received the reverse dowry, and she was quickly out of sight to fetch her daughter. Valenteen didn’t quite believe that Rensor had merely undergone a bout memory loss, but since Wandry had not condemned the aide, the commander took to other tasks as he waited for the most important piece of ‘cargo’ to arrive. He was finishing the Death’s Vein’s final inspection with Erik and Jake when Grip boarded. “Is anything wrong, Grip?” Valenteen asked. ...

Nothingness and Nevermore The web tightly contracts, as does the iron fist. It sways above our lowly heads, as if to kiss the ground. The nothingness of dirt is there, so muddy black, our souls. The twisting rites, our earthly coven, so invoking to the night. Fragile as the night with wings all broken from the day. The day all shattered from the night. The combat of their courses sway together. Nothingness and nevermore are words, as kissed upon a corpse. Their quality is written upon the lip...

The Descent to Power In the distant days, not long before the birth of King David of Israel, all the angels in Heaven held a Great Council before Jehovah's Throne. They spoke of duties that they had performed or would be performing in the near future. Bright and glorious hallelujahs to the Lord of All punctuated every speech, and the pillared council chamber remained in this normal state until the archangel Samael was called forth. Samael lowered himself into a deep bow, yet the motion lacked...

The Family 5 April, 1799: England I know my memory has failed me in the past, but the facts are now obvious. What we did the other night mirrors what happened before. Yet this time I was on their side. I spilt blood, and now that it’s over… Well, I don’t know how to write it, but I must, even though I shall have to hide these pages when I’ve finished. I will speak against Cousin Benjamin, for no matter what he has told us all, I see the evil in what was done. Of course, if he were to read the...

Trangor L’sa’s sun had just begun to escape the horizon. Cloudia was headed for the main hangar, which was home to most of the famous Death Fleet, including Valenteen’s favorite ship, the Death’s Vein. Of course the fleet itself was really more sinister in title than in fact. The ‘organization’, which had been founded more than a hundred years before, had been created by a man who had reputedly been somewhat macabre, if not mad as well. Cloudia navigated the base’s corridors with routine ease...

The Legend of Black Saber Part I Mersigh Cloudia Wandry jerked awake, and a cold fire blazed through her tense body as she fought to sit up in bed. She rubbed her eyes with her clammy hands, forcing herself to see in the darkness. She looked to her right and saw the bulky outline of the trunk, which contained her meager belongings; an archaic computer panel mounted on the far wall was flashing slightly now. Seeing those things, Cloudia finally knew where she was: Valenteen’s base on Trangor L...

Regeneration Mehgrath Isul progressed through the Sepulcher of Priests, and found himself wondering if the place could still be thought of as a tomb. After all, the world of Ordanya was almost completely dead. While the purplish trees and grasses still swayed in the wind, the yucanis birds cawed within the twisted branches, and the reptiles slithered on the ground, Isul was the only remaining humanoid. The War of Chaos had seen to that. Isul knew that if he were not mad now, it would only be ...

Scene II: The study in Stein’s manor house; about eight the next morning STEIN is sitting behind his desk, looking at some paperwork, as the morning sunlight is shimmering through the east window. Yet his attention is far from what he is trying to read. Uneasiness is etched on his face, and his mind continuously drifts back to the incidents from the night before. He also looks quite tired due to lack of sleep. Still he shuffles the papers about and tries to ingest their details. Then a knock ...

The Inquisitor’s Handmaiden By R.M. Summerhill The air was cold, bitter and seething with a chill that, if endured long enough, could drive any mortal to the edge of sanity. New England nights were likely to be harsh as winter approached , and no one (were they fool enough to plan a nighttime excursion at this time of year) would have presently been given a reason to doubt that truth. It was said, and often true, that vampires could not feel such things, that they couldn’t know cold from hot ...

Anointed with Poison Behold the blackened midnight The rhythm of accursed dreams That weep with unholy urges This surging tide of hatred Upon the mountain Under scarce moonlight The bald land groans its dirge “Return to me, o child damned,” The so-called Master seethes Looking through eyes Tainted with fear and want The Coven of Lost Souls arises To blight yet another wandering one To scourge her down and into power Hungry like the fanged beasts The knives dance in her bleak eyes The chanting...