As Amelia’s feet carried her forward, she tugged at her hood to keep the chilly air from overpowering her. But when she stepped onto a slick patch of earth, her foot slid, causing her to stumble. After she hit the ground, she propped herself up and ran a finger through the muddy surface. She rubbed the mud between her fingers before standing up and staring into the sky. Her eyes widened as she raced up the small hill.

When she reached the summit, Amelia raised a hand, and the first raindrops slammed against her palm. As each droplet collided with her skin, it rippled, absorbing the drop like a stone thrown upon a clear lake...

Placing his hand on his chest, Rylan tried to force his raging stomach to settle. As his fingers went through the motions of lacing up his boots, his mind kept returning to the fact that according to the long-range sensors Laria was another dead world. Yet there was another planet in this system that teemed with life, and he couldn’t explain it.

As he finished tying his shoes, Cederic sat down next to him. “How are you holding up Rylan?”

Rylan sighed as he wet his cracking lips with his tongue. “I’m doing pretty well...

As he paced about the wall, Tarian stopped when he came to a devastated section. He ran his fingers along the shorn stone and glanced at the boulder, now entrenched in the ground just behind the wall. Thankfully, the defenders stationed there evaded the massive rock hurtling past them, saved only by a defender’s shout. Tarian shook his head and turned back to the swelling ranks of monsters.

He blinked, uncertain if the distant tree had moved. But upon a second examination, he confirmed that it was not only moving, but massive. His shoulders slumped, heavy with the realization of the implications. He pulled out his telescope and searched for answers. As he followed the steady stream of creatures, he came to the largest troll he’d ever seen.

He spun around, his eyes wide...

Guiding Darren through the streets, Leodor Sultaser ducked down an alley and positioned the boy behind him while they waited. When the elf resumed his pace, Darren tugged at the man’s sleeve. “Where are we going?”

“I’m leading you to my home.”

“Why?”

“As I told you, Darren. I need to test your commitment...

Brandon Sanderson is a fantastic author. And the arcing story he is telling in his cosmere universe is breathtaking. But he does not spend all his time living in that universe. Which means his faithful readers are treated to tales outside of that story. One such story is Skyward. This particular story centers around the life and struggles of Spensa aka Spin. She is a child who has a simple dream. She wants to follow her father’s footsteps and become a starship pilot. That single goal focused by a desire to help her people in their struggle against their enemy...

Last month Sylvia was tasked with preparing for a celebration that her employer was going to put on. She felt Kameron was foolish with his decision. But she relented when it became apparent that Kameron was not going to back down. This month we shift back to Harrison and his latest adventure with his familial duties...

I remember seeing the original Iron Man in theaters and being blown away by the movie. Its story was captivating, and the characters were cast with perfection. Then something extraordinary happened, the first post-credit scene ran. And I remember the chill that ran down my spine. Eleven years ago that scene teased a future movie, The Avengers. But even with that first mention of what was to come, I never expected what would unfold before me. It took a while for the depth of this saga to unfold. But when the credits of Infinity War began to roll, my heart yearned for the then-untitled fourth Avengers film to arrive. It was fortunate that the wait wasn’t too long. But after twenty-one movies in the what has become known as the Infinity Saga. I couldn’t help but wonder how Marvel Studios would manage to tie everything together. And after walking out of the theater on the 27th, the answer was simple. All they needed to do was release Avengers: Endgame...

Ducking underneath the yellow tape, Kyle Rickman surveyed the inside the creamery. There were a few witnesses including the Damien Horn’s nanny and his parents. From what the father told him on the phone, a couple of family friends would be joining them shortly. As Kyle entered, he offered officer Andrew Grimes a nod. “Good afternoon officer.”

But the officer sneered at Kyl as he muttered, “Good afternoon Rickman.” Shaking his head, Kyle tried to walk to his clients, but the officer grabbed him and whispered. “I didn’t want you here, but the family is insisting. You better behave...

Every so often I enjoy looking through old pictures, and the lives they chronical. And when I came across some of my daughter, I smiled at her unadulterated joy and happiness. I couldn’t help but remember that her favorite toy was a simple cardboard box. The things she could imagine those ordinary boxes to be always astounded me. Every time I would ask her what she was doing I heard different things, from sailing on a boat to flying on a plane. And each answer brought a smile to my face. Because it showcased her pure unadulterated imagination...

Tired and exhausted Glen pressed the down button. And when there wasn’t an immediate ding, he groaned. After a long day, all Glen wanted to do was go home and collapse into his bed and sleep. Glen stumbled to the folding chair propped against the wall across from the elevator. He opened the chair and sat down, while he waited for the old and creeping elevator to arrive. And after what felt like an interminable wait, the elevator’s bell dinged. So, Glen stood up and put the chair back against the wall.

As the doors slid apart, Glen noticed a man and a woman riding in the car. He waited for a moment, but neither of them moved to get out of the car, so he walked in. With a glance at the floor buttons, Glen saw that the only floor selected was the ground floor...

Keldon froze beneath a ring of arrows. When he shifted his gaze to study the deadly points, every bow pulled tighter, as if daring him to move again. Keldon raised his hands, gesturing his surrender to their silent command. “I’m not looking for a fight.”

“Why are you here?” asked one creature, preparing to release his arrow into Keldon’s chest.

Keldon shifted his body to face the voice’s source. But the moment his leg twitched, an arrow tore through his pant leg and buried into the soil. As Keldon grasped the damaged material, a different voice resounded through the shadowy woods...

Running home a pudgy little boy, Darren Gilbert, fled from his bullies. He decided to risk taking his shortcut home, sure that they didn’t know about it. As he drew closer, he churned his legs faster even after he turned down the alley. As he ran past a dumpster, he risked a glance behind him. Unfortunately, Darren collided with someone falling to the ground. As Darren Gilbert tried to climb to his feet an all to familiar voice taunted him. “So you thought we didn’t know about this shortcut of yours.”

“Oh, no,” Darren muttered as he lifted his eyes to Dolmen’s...

Journeys are all about the experience. No matter where you are going or what you are doing the trip will always be a part of the experience. When I published Dead Man’s Hand, I remember being on cloud nine at every major milestone...

Last month we witnessed one of Harrison’s mad scientist moments, while he was studying a relic. This month the spotlight shifts back to Sylvia, who last we saw saved the life of her employer, pouncing on the would-be assassin. It turned out that the man was irate over what the king did to his sibling. And when the dust settled from the attempt, the king ordered the man’s execution...

As the craft’s journey drew to the end of its trip, the doctors examined Rylan for the last time. Sitting on the edge of an examination bed, Rylan’s fingers were tapping away. So far not one of the crews who landed on either Latria or Medicia developed radiation sickness. Rylan suspected that he was the only member of the landing parties to receive this level of care. As time dragged on the captain’s voice boomed through the intercoms. “We’re about three hours from the Larian system. Any member of the crew that has made planetfall, report to sickbay immediately.”

Bouncing his head side to side, Rylan glanced at the doctor hiding behind a console. “Well doc, can you finish up my exam before you get slammed with the last minute rush...