Brent Daniels’ life is going nowhere fast until one day everything changes when he discovers his parents’ disappearance six years earlier might have been something more sinister than he realized.

As he tries to discover the truth, he uncovers a global terrorist plot, however, his capture by the terrorist organization will leave him questioning everything he ever held of value.

Jerry Tanner has a a lot of experience with games, but can he survive being caught in a game played by the gods?

Light's Promise (Part 3 of 6)

by Erisian

Chapter 8 - Memories

Once the stomach agreed to at least a temporary truce, I’d gone back to the hospital to sit with Danielle. Now that I knew her spirit wasn’t there all I could sense was the hollow absence. Her body lay in the bed, heart pumping and lungs moving, but it was empty like a still life painting where the fruit bowl’s contents had been cruelly ripped from the canvas. What was left was only a blank outline of where Danielle’s spirit should have been.

It was wrong. So very wrong.

Jerry Tanner has a a lot of experience with games, but can he survive being caught in a game played by the gods?

Light's Promise (Part 2 of 6)

by Erisian

Chapter 4 - Price

“Jordan, perhaps you can elucidate to the class how the emergence of powered individuals has disturbed the foundation and premise of the law and structure of the United States?”

Rabbi Kirov was picking on me again. When I had received my schedule I’d discovered that he had wedged his own class onto the list: The Ethics of Super-powered Beings. Now we were at the end of the second week and he already had established to everyone that I was some sort of teacher’s pet. He kept selecting me non-stop to answer questions or to reiterate the passages in the assigned reading texts. It had gotten out of hand, and I was so going to yell at him at our private magic practice session come Monday.

Jerry Tanner has a a lot of experience with games, but can he survive being caught in a game played by the gods?

Jerry Tanner has a a lot of experience with games, but can he survive being caught in a game played by the gods?

The Angel of Chicago

Part Seven: Contusions

by

Rodford Edmiston

The dark figure emerged silently from one of the deeper shadows and quickly stepped into the open space his informant's diagram had revealed. The following ambush was sudden and thorough, but not unexpected.

Jerry Tanner has a a lot of experience with games, but can he survive being caught in a game played by the gods?

Into The Light (Part 6 of 6)

by Erisian

Chapter Twenty-Two - Power

Saturday and Sunday were a blur. True to her word, Jenna escorted me to each meal plus all the exams they kept throwing at me. In addition to the ones on Friday, they assigned World History, U.S. History (yeah, they made them separate tests), Chemistry (ugh), Biology (double ugh), Physics, Theology, and even Computer Science. Yes, they added a few to the original list Rabbi Kirov had previously rattled off.

By the time I finished the last one I was readily convinced I was an ignorant idiot. Whoever was organizing these damn things was expecting college graduate level knowledge as far as I could tell. And theology, really? Why bother giving me that one? Other than general knowledge from reading the Bible in high school and whatever myths I had enjoyed in my role-playing game years (alright, so at least I had some passing familiarities with a few pantheons), I was fairly lost when it came to the finer questions regarding various sects and their unique interpretations of whatever scriptures their groups had declared to be holy. My exam booklet was entirely blank across vast sections other than a comment I wedged in the middle of a question about Sodom and Gomorrah where I wrote, ‘Angels are real. I met one. She was nice’.

Let’s see them grade that, ha!

Into The Light (Part 5 of 6)

by Erisian

Chapter Nineteen - Manifestation

Impenetrable fog surrounds everything, deafening all sound, all sensation; walking yet going nowhere, for within the clouds there is no path.

A distant voice’s call; a response choking upon the barrier of thickening mist threatening to suffocate all…

Finishing School For Young Ladies

By

Michele Nylons

“So Valerie Swindon? Are you ready” Sally asked.

Sally was still dressed in her bathrobe sitting at the coffee table in Valerie’s expensive hotel room, sipping coffee and smoking.

Finishing School For Young Ladies

By

Michele Nylons

Chapter Two – The Butterfly Emerges

“So why Valerie Swindon?” Sally asked, sipping a gin and tonic with her stocking feet up on the coffee table.

Jerry Tanner has a a lot of experience with games, but can he survive being caught in a game played by the gods?

Into The Light (Part 2 of 6)

by Erisian

Chapter Five - Homeward

As Danielle and I seemed physically fine, Mark pushed to get us released from the hospital the next day. Dr. Kirov however kept trying to make excuses for us both to stay longer. Apparently Danielle’s blood would simply dissipate after a few minutes once collected, and my own blood was described as ‘exceptionally and unusually clean’ - without any proper explanation of what they meant by that.

His argument had mostly to do with the potential risks of burnout after manifestations, but neither of us exhibited any symptoms so the doctor had a hard time making it sound persuasive. Especially seeing how they weren’t finding any mutation markers in my DNA which meant I was a meta-human of some kind, and Danielle had originally manifested her mutation ten years ago.

Still, he did force us each into an ‘enhanced’ MRI scanner which not only was loud and uncomfortable, but had these weird multi-colored ‘magical energy’ crystals adorning it that were supposed to do some kind of resonance scan. The damn thing made me nauseous - I was told that was normal after I got out. Whatever the results of it all had been, they weren’t anything medical that would prevent us from traveling to a different facility. Mark even tried to reassure Dr. Kirov that the DPA facility had a full medical staff and emergency equipment in case anything happened.

It wasn’t until the afternoon that I’d finally had enough and carried through on my threat to call a lawyer. They may have thought I was bluffing earlier when I had mentioned it, but Isaiah, my best friend of many years, was an attorney and I had planned on calling him soon anyway.

Jerry Tanner has a a lot of experience with games, but can he survive being caught in a game played by the gods?

When among Dragons... Chapter 9 Compensation

by Machara and Chryos Stormwing

Special thanks to
my love Chryos who creates this with me,
Gabe as my editor and friend
as well as Sammi for ideas

Sitting up now, perched on top of his bed Garrus smiled at Drew, his head tilted slightly. Once Drew noticed Garrus, he lept up, dashing towards him until Garrus’ nose was pressed right up against his.

“Peek-a-boo.“

Jerry Tanner has a a lot of experience with games, but can he survive being caught in a game played by the gods?

Cramps

I woke up feeling like death. My head ached, my body was sore, my boobs felt tender to the touch. I could feel them stretch as I got out of bed, stretching my skin from the clavical down to my shoulder blades. It felt like a wire brush had raked my insides.

A shower helped a little bit. I stayed under the water too long, and crinkled my fingers. Washed my hair, and winced when it came time to wash my boobs. I remembered how to tie a towel, realized I was just going to my room, and went naked.

This is a test of the waters for a new project. It is not part of the Masks series, but inspired by the tabletop RPG I'm currently in. The next post will give some background information.

The Angel of Chicago

Part One: A Model of Civil Disobedience

by

Rodford Edmiston

“The Many Faces Go To War: Chapter 2”
By = Fayanora

Chapter Two: The Return of Magic

Notes: This is the second chapter of the sequel to “The Many Faces of Har---er, Adira Potter.” If you haven't read that series yet, this one isn't going to make much sense.

Also, a reminder for anyone who forgot: the person formerly known as Harry still exists, she's just transgender in this one, her new name is Adira.

Text in 'Italics and British quotes' is Parseltongue.