I suppose I could always start at the beginning, but nearly recent history is more palatable to the masses. Besides, a rather mediocre childhood and education all aside, life becomes more interesting after we start making our own choices. My first truly self-made decision to join the military and make something of myself started off much like anyone else's. I arrived at the Army recruiter's office, signed my 'Hancock' to paper, kissed the Queen's picture and took the shilling. I was…

Wilhelm sighed as he moved a the knight into position on the chess board. He knew his gambit would not gain him more than three more moves but it was still better than his second opponent. It was only two more moves until he was in checkmate. The game between the opponents was still undecided. 

Times like this reminded him that, in nearly every field, the two men opposite him were his superior. Their minds moved in ways that could not fathom, even with nearly three decades of life…

"Felix, you have served us well. The only thing is there have been several incidents since we rescued you from your captors. I know they did some horrible things but the incidents keep happeneing," The commander said looking out the window, overlooking london.

"We can figure out the source of this, it won't be that hard," attemping to bargin with Commander Valerius.

"Felix, we both know you aren't in a right mentality to do the mission at hand," she sternly…

He panted, willing his already-sore legs to keep running. He knew he shouldn’t have taken this chance, but the prize was too good to pass up, and now here he was, running from the authorities. Again.

The shouting of the police reached his ears. The darkness hid his form but the item he stole clanked from his clumsiness within it, for he donned the experimental powered armor-suit of the Theocratic State of Umbra.

He tapped into his power and willed his energy through the suit,…

Hello! My name is Lady Brielle, although according to my parents I should drop the Lady from that. I don’t think it’s my fault that they had unreasonable expectations of what my life should look like! They had been unreasonably restrictive since I was of a young age-Ladies do this and Ladies do that, and Ladies most certainly do NOT do that! I’m actually quite decent at most of the trappings of being a lady, but the fact is that I’ve always wanted MORE than getting married and having babies.…

Upon graduating from University, I needed to make a plan fast…the wedding was scheduled for one week from graduation! I spent three days carefully planning, gathering what I needed-two corsets, A few dresses, blouses, skirts and under things for clothes, my boots, my medic kit, some money and a few personal articles. Two nights before the wedding, I slipped out in the middle of the night to find the nearest airport. I took my steam powered bike, really more of a scooter, so it technically…

Four damn hours.



Four damn hours it took to get upstairs.



Four hours of tottering around in a stupid frilly uniform, pretending to be a vapid little girl whilst serving hot hors d’oeurves to drunken business men and their snobbish wives. Oh, Josephine hated the wives even more than the men. She hated their eyes, the way the dance of their pupils as they flickered back and forth between their husbands and Josephine, and the way their blackened lashes bowed as they narrowed…

Jacob and Alicia reached the next town at nightfall. The two managed to get through the gates before they sealed for the night. The two managed to find an inn with an open room.

Jacob and his daughter ate a hearty meal when he noticed a poster on the wall:

ATTENTION ALL HUNTERS

 We we welcome you to  

    join in the annual  …

Liza sat perched on the roof of the bar, watching the sunrise. Its warm beams clearing the slight fog. She shivered from the cold morning air. "Rolof isn't back. Useless mutt," she fumed to herself. "This is going to be harder than I thought," she said as she slid down the thatch roof. She landed squarely on the ground and brushed off the dirt.



The priest arose from his slumber in a cold sweat. "Damn nightmares! Always the same damn thing," he yelled at the…

"Papa, who was that?" Alicia asked as he carried her.

"That was Liza Richmont. One of the most dangerous hunters out there," he explained as they walked along the road. "We have to find mom before she does." Alicia nodded and hid in his shoulder from the wind. Jacob started scanning the sides of the road for a place to rest.

Liza sat at the bar and sipped her ale. She had confidence that Rolof, while brutal in his methods, would finish the job and bring her the…

The two sat in the bar and ate their bread. Jacob was finally happy to eat again.He knew he needed a bigger pack for food but, that would sacrifice room for weaponry. He observed his daughter watching a poker game at the adjacent table. His smile quickly faded as he noticed a priest walking into the bar. He tapped Alicia on her back and she turned to her father. He gestured to the priest and she hid under the table.

"Evenin' Father" the barkeep lilted while pouring a…

 Firelight nestled like a bird in the lenses of askew reading glasses, flickering while the librarian, Ivonne scratched at parchment restlessly.

“Plague it,” Her voice rasped, unused for hours while she bend over this fragile book attempting to record the various tales and limericks drilling honeycombs from her head, extracting the honey of her sanity. She set the pen down with such force that it set into the wood of the writing desk.

Ivonne groaned and pushed away from the…

Soft murmurs. 

"Sawyer."

No.

"Josephine."

Go away.

"Josephine!"

WHAT. "What!?"

"Are you sleeping?"

She opens her eyes, suddenly aware that he's right. As she shuffles around in her chair, trying to find comfort again, the police captain comes into focus from across the table.

'Wake up," he barks.

"I'm awake." Irritability stains her voice.

"Josephine Sawyer, I've been captain of the London police for sixteen years.…

Jacob and the little girl sat on the end of the wagon as it bounced down the road. He quickly lunged for the gas mask as it began to fall from the cart. "Damn roads," he muttered, noticing his breath in the air.

"Papa, how long will it be before we get to eat again?" She asked.

He sighed and smiled as his daughter moved closer to him, "Hopefully soon dear. Should be nearing a town soon," he said as both their stomachs let out a loud grumble.

"I think we have some bread…