Clarence gazed up at the stars from the festering, mud-filled trenches and took a shuddering breath. He had long lost track of how long he and his brothers-in-arms had been there, and even less how much had passed since the Civil War began. But even in the pit of darkness, there were reprieves. A rare moment in which the sound of gunfire was scarce finally arrived, though it wasn't without consequence. The squelching of boots trudging through thick mud, the moans of an injure

The village of Kodore housed the bravest warriors for two hundred miles in every direction. It wasn't the biggest village among the settlements that were scattered across the deep, dark forest. But what it lacked in numbers, it made up for through the reputation of Ika-mae, the bravest hunter in the land. One night during midsummer, the elders of his village held a council with the elders from the neighboring provinces. All of the settlements within two hundred miles of Kodor

K'runa heard the dull thrum of the motors long before he espied the strange creatures floating on top. From beneath the water, they looked like trees perched on a small hill. Cautiously, curiously, he emerged from the chill embrace of his domain and ventured to get a closer look. Without so much as a splash or sound, he smoothly raised nearly half his girth out of the water and got one good glimpse of the alien creatures. The high-pitched noises and raised arms told K'runa th

Anbrozo's heart beat fast as he stood, transfixed, suspended in a sea of spectators. He was an unusual figure, familiar with many things natural and supernatural. As a man who existed in the 15th century, his wise head had always kept those traits hidden from the public eye. His crafty, subtle nature and alarming skill with the sword had a tendency to gain him audiences with loftier individuals who guarded lowlier goals. Only an hour ago, he'd been on an errand of secrecy at