Battle Hymn of the Republic

The talk about siblings seemed to stir Eleanor back to life. She took a deep breath and sighed. Today seemed to be a day of many emotional trials for her. She addressed the matter of druids first. "I dunno bout all that druid business, but I ken this valley keenly. Ain't none of em roun here.

"As ...

The Obliterated Festival Grounds, in Black and Gray
Tanuki had flung herself into a dead sprint-- What a dumb, perfect word. The sprint straight to your death. -- but almost immediately realized there was no way for her to close the gap with her one and only hope. The solid, inky black of ...

Tanuki frowned at her mentor's words, as though he'd handed her a particularly complex puzzle to solve. She released her handhold and was left dangling by her legs. Slowly and as gently as she could, Tanuki reached down to stroke Modeka's hair. It was clear then to both the student and the teacher ...

Lady let slip a larger smile than she might have permitted herself in other circumstances. "That's good. When it comes to our inner health, there are 3 big things we all need: people, passion, and places. It's clear you have people and places; we'll get to your passion in a moment. First, though, I ...

The stamping- and clacking?- of feet heralded the arrival of the first responders. The door was flung open without ceremony or hesitation. Three hell hounds- gwyllgi- charged in. It was the second hound that triggered the thunderwave trap. It spasmed and flew straight up. Or it would have if it didn ...

Only concern remained in the gunslinger’s expression as she watched Eryl’s internal struggle spill into the world. It was reflex that made a steadying hand dart out and catch the abjurer by the elbow. Seeing her steady, the grip was just as quickly relinquished.

“S’okay,” Jane reassured her before ...

Jane managed to keep her withdrawal natural in appearance; just a hand returning to the silverware to begin eating; definitely nothing else. The look she shot Eryl was much less natural on her: a slurry of curiosity, confusion, wariness, and concern.

Eleanor was wearing a similar expression, hold ...

Time Slowed Down

This was not a magical dilation of time, but a biological one as both the menagerie and their attackers sensed the criticality of the moment. The scene was frenetic, hellish. Gathered at Safeholme in that frozen flash of time were some of the world's greatest mages of a dozen ...

At the Head of the Table
Opa Krieger smiled silently as Katerina delivered her gifts, then turned to Kitsueki and nodded. "Oh, I'm certain. I may even do you one better, young lady." There was a mischievous twinkle in his aged, crinkled eyes as he said it. Then, to the young Michizaki he offered a ...

Eleanor Smith smiled wanly at Eryl, who had once again stumbled into another unmarked emotional minefield. "Once upon a time, they'da been full up an one short with all o ye here..." She sighed heavily, expelling the negative emotions. "But yes. My husband, he was real good with his hands. Now-" She ...