A King’s Coup De Grace

I always assumed that I’d die surrounded by my friends, their steely knives bearing down upon me as I looked up in surprise to be cut down: inexplicably thinking about Caesar and wishing I took better notice of the exit path. A king’s death, that’s how I wanted to go. Not a gout laden heart-burst … Continue reading A King’s Coup De Grace →

A Knock at the Door

A single knock landed upon my door much in a way that a bookcase might fall down a set of stairs. The heavy handed slap of deadweight echoed through each corner of my small apartment, seemingly to make sure that every groutline, every granule of dust, knew that the door had just been resoundingly knocked. … Continue reading A Knock at the Door →

Aya and Carrick Part 9: Magic’s End

In the Eastern forests of the Firwood four friends were preparing to set out from the small cabin they had taken as shelter as the frigid gusts of winter had appeared in blizzard and then departed with the meekness of an embarresed wombat. ‘Hey guys, come look how great Carrick’s hat looks on this horse!’ … Continue reading Aya and Carrick Part 9: Magic’s End →

Aya and Carrick Part 8: The Problem with Giants

A lazy sun rose over distant planes of Eastern Joyce and languidly dropped daylight across the seven kingdoms beyond. Despite the occasional war--often kicked off just to keep the soldiers on their toes--these merry kingdoms had coexisted in the pleasant harmony of free trade and open border crossings; seven rulers all united under the banner … Continue reading Aya and Carrick Part 8: The Problem with Giants →

The Polite Way to Fight with Knives

Tensions were high. Tenison, by definition, usually alluded to a state of elevated drama, but today this suspense seemed as though a new level of dramatic *oomf* had been tentatively poured into a glass and then hurled into oncoming traffic. ‘What if I were to place this knife so far up your arse that you … Continue reading The Polite Way to Fight with Knives →

Chess for Wizards Part II

‘Ticking you say?’ ‘Yes sir,’ Leyland replied, carefully placing a bundle of towels on the desk before him and then taking three stridesome steps backward, ‘much like a watch that is known for keeping the very wrong type of time, sir; I’ve never heard a more ominous kind of tick, if I may say so, … Continue reading Chess for Wizards Part II →

The Night of Thorns

‘I intend to make these lowly sprouts see the error of their ways through the medium of superior firepower,’ Langley the daffodil storde forward with purpose and obstinately barked at the gathered council.Tensions had been high since the attempted coup and the ever dogged garden media had since been sent aflutter with talk of a … Continue reading The Night of Thorns →

Aya and Carrick Part 7: A Message Delivered

‘You look a little dishevelled to be a postman...’ Life had been rather difficult for Carrick the adventure wrung wizard. Tired, bruised and as magically absent as a dish towel, Carrick was trying his best to keep a positive outlook but life seemed to be poking him in the eye somewhat. Many moons ago now, … Continue reading Aya and Carrick Part 7: A Message Delivered →

Come In, Sit Down, Leave Your Shoes On

Good morning darling! Did the horses behave themselves round the Arndells? Gorgeous view, you can see all the way to the back of your own collar when the weather clears, ha-ha; how was the weather though? Good? Warm enough? You might not have heard, but two summers back a ghastly wind came through and blew … Continue reading Come In, Sit Down, Leave Your Shoes On →

Andy deHands

‘Ya got any oil barkeep?’ ‘Um, oil?’ asked the bartender, somewhat thrown by this incredibly odd request.Taking a moment to run the question over again in his mind, he attempted to discern the state of his new patron approaching the bar from the shadows, almost slinking from movement to movement like a bead of molasses … Continue reading Andy deHands →