cover by enduro

Up the Garden Path, by shukyou (主教) *

Things Left Unseiðr, by Kirisaki Nizuki (霧崎弐透)

The City of a Thousand Days, by Ogiwara Saki (荻原咲) *

Flight, by Kikuna Matata (菊菜 瞬) *

Rough Day at Sea, by Shokushu Ritsuka (植朱立歌)

Triune, by Domashita Romero (地下ロメロ) *

The King of Bayan, by Shikkoku no Suzu (漆黒のスズ)

Ash and Incense, by Iron Eater *

Diplomacy, by Kougyoku (紅玉) *

And I shall know you like the back of my hand, by Nijiiro Sumi (虹色墨)

Like the Sky Fell On Me, by Midorin * (story removed from archive by author’s request)

Hack and Slash, by Kaerutobi Ike (蛙跳び池) *

touch my mouth and hold my tongue, by hakugei (白鯨)

A Divinis, by Matsu Kasumi

The Eye of Nechemyyeh, by Tsukizubon Saruko (月図凡然る子) *

* illustrated

~*~

In the year that was the journal’s eighth, as reckoned by mortal time, the dwarf-smiths emerged from the fires of their forge, soot-blackened by their toil. The leaders — a bonded, bearded pair — stepped forth and placed the silver box on the high altar of Mithlémil. “Here!” they bellowed, their voices ringing over an assembly that seemed to stretch the length and breadth of the world itself; “The book is here!”

The trembling throng gasped to hear such a proclamation, for long had they awaited such a day. Master artisans of all stripes had come forth to put their time and sweat into the book’s creation; those skilled with the pen had burned tallows long into the night while scratching out their tales of manly love and devotion; those whose talents were given to the ink and brush had slaved many an hour capturing the male form in all its splendor; those who had been blessed with a critical eye sought to mend and correct all oversights. All their craft had distilled to this wonder. They too stood breathlessly by, waiting for signs from the crowd that their hours of effort had not been in vain.

“It is time,” said the editors, stepping forward.

And thus, with all mouths hushed and eyes upon it, the box was opened and the issue brought forth.