I knew that being born on Halloween would always be a problem for me. It first started out when my mother said she needed alone time when I was 7 years old. After not hearing from my mother for 11 years it was a shock when she asked me to come to the small ranch she owned. I asked my dad if I could go for my 18th birthday and my dad said it would be okay. I...
"Today is the day!" You shamelessly shout into the wind as your family looks on uncomfortably. You ignore their judgmental stares. After years of preparation, you're finally ready to leave your small frontier village and travel to the city to register as an adventurer. For two summers, you worked your elderly neighbor's fields just to learn sword c...
First off, I love Christmas, or I suppose more correctly, the Winter Holidays. But there are two things that I find maddening about them. One, the perhaps heartfelt but stridently expressed view that this time of year belongs to Christians, exclusively to Christians, and none other need apply. There is only one way to enjoy this time of year, and it better w...
The sun has barely risen over the horizon; light from your window paints the room orange and gold -- the colors of dawn, a new beginning. Today is the day. You slip out of bed and into your clothes, a black cloak over some brown leather common clothes. You lace up your boots and head downstairs into the kitchen, where your mother has set out breakfast for th...
I check everything carefully, even though I've already checked it twice. A mistake could mean my death, and it won't be a pleasant one. I take a deep breath to steady myself and light the candles. For a moment everything looks simply beautiful. I grab my athame and slice my left wrist, letting the blood drip onto the floor. Dizziness makes me close my eyes....
Chapter 03: The Rescue Michael, Damien and I headed towards the castle. "I must say, Lex, you're looking very well tonight!" Damien told me. "Thanks, Damien, but this is no time for pleasantries," I told him. "We have very little time as the light raiders will be down on us as soon as they hear us. Now, keep to the shadows, please." As we neared the cas...
Orion was the only passenger on the ship now speeding towards Arcadia. Ever since Artemis had returned from Olympus, angry and obsessed with the capture of Demetrius, not only had her blessings ceased, but so had the stream of young female initiates to her wild isolated island, so new arrangements needed to be made for his passage. Being on a mission from bo...
Chapter 25 - Captives Christie woke from her dreamless sleep with someone kicking her hard in her side. She groaned in pain as another kick landed on her belly and she tried to bring her hands down to shield herself but her arms moved only a little before they were stopped. She looked up and saw she was chained to a wooden wall. She looked over at the figu...
2 days pass. It's Friday evening. I arrive at the company and see Daniël and Julian standing at the entrance. I wave. "Hey," I say when I reach them. I both give them a kiss to greet them. "Waiting on me?" I ask. "Yup, we were," Daniël says. "We'll take the car. You can join me if you want. Since you haven't seen my car yet," Daniël suggests. "Or you can...
My town is sleepy idyllic village situated between two mountains. I've grown up here. I like it well enough, or I did until I was chosen to be the village's sacrifice. I'm trussed and gagged now, laying before the vast arched doors to the wizard's castle. My heart is pounding and I'm trembling, miserable in the cold. It's even snowing. This happens every...