Ashes and Echoes

The dagger was all too real. Talya’s fingers hovered a breath above the obsidian blade resting on the velvet-lined pedestal; its edge shimmered beneath the flickering lamplight like oil on water. Magic hummed through the room like the buzz of insects—low, invisible, suffocating. She never nicked nothing like this before. Now, she wasn’t sure she … Continue reading Ashes and Echoes

The Final Storm

The wind howled through the peaks of the southern Dragonspine Mountains, carrying the fury of the coming blizzard. Far below, in a valley nestled between two great ridges, the village of Thorne’s Hollow sat like a topaz on the snow-covered plain. The villagers, accustomed to the harsh weather of winter, were well-prepared for the storm. … Continue reading The Final Storm

The Ritual

Alyssia crouched in a bramble patch, her cloak blending with the shadows. The wind carried the scent of pine and damp earth, but a far more interesting scene compelled her attention. Silvery moonlight filtered through the canopy above, casting an eerie glow across the clearing. She shouldn’t be here. The Council of Elders had warned … Continue reading The Ritual

Dari: Cheerwater

The caravan arrived in Cheerwater around mid-afternoon. Dariyus Lamanya collected his pay from the quartermaster and stood looking around the yard, wondering which direction to take. Would a rather large lavender dragonborn intimidate the locals? He hoped not. He hadn’t seen many of his kind outside his peoples’ lands. His scales flushed a darker shade … Continue reading Dari: Cheerwater