8FOLD: Mighty Medley # 15, March 2015, by Messrs. Brenton, Perron, Russell, and Stokes

[Andrew Perron]

On 3/6/2015 7:30 PM, Tom Russell wrote:

> "Empress of Pages" Part 3
>    by Colin Stokes
> In which the daemon realizes that the Librarian, like all members of
> that vocation, are not to be trifled with.

:D

> "Swallow with a Forked Tail in the Family Stone"
>    by Andrew Perron
> In which we spend time with an old friend.

Heck yeah.

>  It took a few minutes more to confirm
> that the vast ball of fire that dominated the camp's remains was
> powered by elemental forces rather than those same death magics.

Hmmmm, fascinating, yes. u.u

> She realised to her
> chagrin that that her all-too human sense of outrage at encountering
> an active Nazi death camp had distracted her into a sense of
> schadenfreude. Thank goodness Joan was here to keep her focused on the
> main game.

Thank goodness for her inhuman remove! (No, seriously, I like how your 
characters genuinely appreciate things like that.)

>     'That' was a small wooden bridge that crossed the stream. It was
> decorated with ornate carvings. And as the two women stepped onto it a
> voice was heard: "Who's that tripping across my bridge?"

Hmmmmmmm. o.o Mythic stuff.

>     "I did," said Peake. He took out his whittling knife, and a piece
> of wood. He let the knife drag long and slow across the block, a layer
> of hickory peeling off like skin. "We also got him two days back."
>     "Oh," said Skin of Snake, dusting himself off and picking himself
> up. "I suppose there has been some kind of misunderstanding; I will
> bother you no more, sir."

I expected this to be where the con fell apart, but this actually makes more 
sense.

>     The darkness continued to thicken to all his senses, only the
> Librarian's form remaining distinct as the ground beneath her lost all
> clarity, presenting her against a perfectly black backdrop; and all
> this time, the dry whispering noise coming from within the darkness
> continued to intensify, sounding like parchment being shuffled about
> or dragged across itself.

Book 'em!

>     'Ah,' he thought to himself, with a moment of clarity before the
> blinding golden light took him. 'That's what this feeling in my
> stomach is. Fear.'

I love this line so much. <3

>     A clockwork-make... koala?... chittering angrily about something...

Chesterfield <3

>     "No! It is too dangerous! I shall go alone!" He puts one hand on
> either side of his head, and then yanks it off. "For only THE HEADSMAN
> can thwart his evil scheme!"

!!! Well I didn't expect that!

>     Winslow takes the head, and places it on a pedestal. "Head number
> six, back in place! And which of your fantastic heads will you be
> wearing tonight, master? Number seven - the tiger? It will give you
> the ferocity and fearlessness of that animal! Or number twelve - the
> dragon? Perhaps his breath of flames will stop the Fear-Killer!"
>     "Number four," says the Headsman.

How

>     "No," replies his master. "I know exactly what I'm doing!"
>     ...BUT HOW CAN THE HEADSMAN SURVIVE?

Well I mean, he can apparently survive a lot of things

>     On the other side of the door stands the Headsman, his face still
> twisted in grim and unspeakable horror! The Fear-Killer can't believe
> the sight... his eyes goggle... the mouth opens as if to scream... he
> flings back... dead!

Hah, awesome.

>     "Frankly, master, I never understood why you kept the old number
> four anyway. Why keep a head that doesn't have any powers?"
>     "Sentimental reasons, Winslow," says the Headsman. "You see, Head
> number four was the head I was born with."

This was really good. <3

Andrew "NO .SIG MAN" "Juan" Perron, goldentastic