Far away, in a time not yet remembered, there lived a king who delighted in all precious things. His crown was forged of platinum, and gemstones of cut trinitite adorned his hands. Twenty-two knights served this king, and twenty-two he sent out on a journey, when news reached his ears of a distant land where dwelt a serpent with horns of gold. The wastes were home to many strange creatures—atom-bred—and he wished to have a horn from this beast as a drinking vessel. The knights readied their steeds, and a crowd gathered to witness the spectacle. These were strange animals with hides of iron and chrome: they ate no food,

Inglemouth Nights by joe-wright, literature

Literature

Inglemouth Nights

I. Inglemouth was a city with a gold star in history and an F minus minus in geography. Venture too far down its statue-lined streets and you might find yourself lost in a tangle of alleys, or snared in a pocket dimension, most likely both, and oh god the statues were following you, fuck fuck fuck. II. Inglemouth library was deathly quiet. Par for the course librarily speaking, but in Inglemouth a sinister adjective was always worth noting. Yves flinched as he opened another book. Usually only Atran grimoires contained spirits, but when you'd died more times than you could count on your fingers, you took the hint and started being careful

How to Pain Your Dragon by DamonWakes, literature

Literature

How to Pain Your Dragon

“Foolish knight,” hissed the dragon. “Did you think this place would be unguarded? Did you think the moat its only defence? None who pass through those gates return alive, for all who do must face me.” “Okay,” said the knight. “Why?” “What do you mean ‘why’? Obviously I’m gonna fight anyone who comes here. Do you really think they’d leave a dragon in a tower just to welcome people in?” “Who’s ‘they’?” The dragon made an annoyed little noise. “Only Queen Harriet the Third and the nobles of her court. Geez

Oversoul by joe-wright, literature

Literature

Oversoul

Amanita set down her lantern in the grass, followed by the birdcage. Though forgotten by maps and men, the birds knew this forest well, and avoided it when at all possible – they would detour by a mile or more rather than fly directly overhead. The little sparrow in the cage was overcome with fear at being brought here, but even that paled next to the abject terror it felt at Amanita's presence in this place, of all places. Only by consulting the bird, walking in the direction it desperately tried to flee from, had Amanita been able to locate this clearing: a hole in the canopy through which a long dead constellation stared, guileless,

Didymo: Article I. (Algae) by philologie, literature

Literature

Didymo: Article I. (Algae)

Article I. Nunbarshegunu In seeds, there are secrets. These are legion, small and ephemeral and arcane life secreted deep within cellulose and sugar and cuticular wax. Papery seed coats hide Gordian mysteries. Multiplex mazes, wheels within wheels on wheels of eyes all turning with abstruse asynchronicity. Microscopic leaves held tense and ready for life after an initial, necessary death by desiccation. What is there to do with such a byzantine structure but deconstruction? (Desecration? If all life is holy, then yes. Of course.) What’s underneath, what’s inside. How can we watch you tick through life without some judicious v

The Hero's Return by SCFrankles, literature

Literature

The Hero's Return

There had been weeks of solitary searching—that mighty river leading him on and on—but at last Albert Braithwaite had found his heart’s desire. And he had survived the ensuing test—those agonising days of waiting and contemplation. But finally he had his reward! A reward beyond what he had hoped for; a reward beyond what he had ever expected! At first he was gladdened by this good fortune but slowly he began to consider. Was this too much for one man? Did he in truth deserve to keep it all? All day and all night, he examined his heart, and all day and all night the name of that mighty river pounded and pounded in h

Archard by joe-wright, literature

Literature

Archard

The city of Elide – and the kingdom it belonged to – was closer to its crumbling than its prime, but you'd never have known it from Archadmiral Lytton's speech. He stirred his men into such a fervour they were crowing for blood before they'd even stepped ashore. A sea of cleavers and banners washed over the new continent, and if anyone noticed the lack of resistance, it went unsaid. After all, it was their destiny to conquer this place. If anyone thought it noteworthy that every other settlement they swept through was an abandoned wreck, then they thanked the black star for its providence in sparing them the trouble of another mas

immortality by luminescent0513, literature

Literature

immortality

Sometimes, on the longest days when there is nothing but thinking to occupy my time, I remember the beginning. They told me I was blessed when I came into being, blessed with eternal memory and life. You will never die and never forget, they said as I wailed. Everything wails when it is born, I was no exception. They explained where they were sending me, you will become Earth they said, the newest planet, just beginning, primitive, it needs a protector, a friend. After I had composed myself they threw me from the light where I was and everything went dark. I was flying through time and space to fall to the wet planet. For a long time there

Rescue Missionary by YppleJax, literature

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