Governor Riddell loathed the overly melodic, toothsome music wafting through the town square before the Governor’s mansion and City Hall. Waving off his aides, he finished tugging on his jacket and fastening the last button as he hurried out to the square. In the center of the square where the gazebo once stood a long tube reached high into the sky. The music originated from the thing.
Day 27: Haunted Skyhook
“I can do this,” Dark Glimmer said as she kicked the abdomen of another of Amberbourne’s thrall. She didn’t pause to protest Control’s directive further. Instead, she ducked beneath the incoming punch of another thrall. Diving forward, she rolled between the pair, searching for a pocket, any space to regroup and appraise her situation fully.
Day 26: Sentient Wand
The Devonthrall Chamber Orchestra and Choir was considered the best in the sector. The conductor Janlee would have loved to take in pride in this fact. She had taken over when the previous conductor had retired and been delighted with the honor. She felt no delight that the reputation of the chamber had not suffered for her leadership. She would have been delighted, but even a week passed before she’d understood to dread each performance.
Day 25: Graveyard Pocket Universe
Brandell hoped that whoever had invented the marketing for Tearfall IX had been awarded a great lump of money from the company. He doubted that a better marketer had ever lived. He’d certainly been sold on the lie, and their agent hadn’t tried that hard. He supposed a doomed world lent to the desirability of the world which otherwise might be more difficult to come by.
Lucky Thought
Detective Sloane peered at the chasm. When she’d signed on to the corps, she hadn’t expected maintaining order would include dealing with alien entities. First, the creature swallowing towns. Now, a species claiming their tech had magnified it.
Day 24: Sparkle Castle
“Es’loann,” Valeen breathed. Her eyes widened as she took in the spires rising into the sky in the center of the valley below. Myth had claimed that the city didn’t exist. The city of towers. Three to be exact Valeen saw. Three blue, cobalt towers sparkling in the sun. The castle of dreams.
Day 23: Phoenix Light Sail
Captain Robern crossed his arms and glowered at the pair of pixies hovering before him. One, Cayenne, had flames licking over his skin and he, like Robern, seemed very put out with the other. Her gossamer wings beat a staccato about with her blue hair circling about her as she spun in circles surrounded by ice crystals.
Day 22: Jack-O’-Lantern Avatars
Laughter broke through the night. Not the high pitch of cackling. No, the sound echoed madness unleashed. Clive stretched out his limbs. “This feels so good.” He groaned. Bits of dirt, grass, and dying leaves sprinkled from his still not completely solidified body to litter the ground about him.
Day 21: Ghost Blacksmith
“What kind of lame song is that?” a voice echoed behind me. I paused in the song and glanced over my shoulder. Dranon had been nothing but argumentative since we’d arrived at the ruins. Now he stood with arms tightly crossed and with his lip jutted out as if about to through a fit. Not something I could discount from experience.
Day 20: Screaming Trapdoor
Mark had not expected the chorus of “No” to greet him reaching for the trap door in the engineering room floor. Snatching his hand back, he straightened and stared at the five crew members arrayed about the room. Each had lunged toward him, and, seeing him pull back, paused glancing at each other. They shuffled back several steps in discomfort, as if surprised by their own reactions. All this over one trap door?