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    142 Results in the "Burned Cover" category


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      19 – Ambush Under the Broken Glass

      19 – Ambush Under the Broken Glass Cover
      by Tower Curator — “Alright. I’m at the spot,” Erika said into her walkie-talkie. Steelworker’s Park was a park. It featured grassy open areas, a fair number of trees, paved paths to walk or jog along, occasional benches… the usual park affairs. Lake Michigan stretched out to the horizon, and a few people were out fishing. The park’s main claim to fame was the large lumps of iron placed around as decorative art pieces and the remnants of an old steelworker’s plant—concrete walls converted into a climbing…
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      18 – Lingering Stress

      18 – Lingering Stress Cover
      by Tower Curator — Erika sat with her hands clasped together under her nose, elbows resting on the table in Varn’s back room. A glass cake dome sat dead center of the table, stopping anyone from accidentally bumping into the turquoise-encrusted ring. The Warrior’s ring box was closed, but that hadn’t helped Erika back at the morgue. It hadn’t done a thing since they got it out of Safe Harbor; no doors opened to weird spaces, nobody heard any whispers or compulsions to mummify people, and no grim reapers popped out…
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      18 – Birdwatching

      18 – Birdwatching Cover
      by Tower Curator — Erika lowered the barrel of her gun, dropped the magazine, and racked the slide, ensuring it was empty. Both arms felt sore. Even with ear protection, she felt like she was developing tinnitus. The first time she fired the gun, Leslie only let her load one cartridge; she found out why when she almost took her chin off, not expecting the gun’s kick. Now, as she pressed the button that wheeled her target back toward her, she couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride at the little holes dotting the…
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      17 – i – The Hanged Man in the Moon

      17 – i – The Hanged Man in the Moon Cover
      by Tower Curator — “I’m afraid there isn’t much more I can do for you. To most other patients, I would suggest rest and recovery. Your body wouldn’t benefit, unfortunately.” The Hanged Man drew in a deep breath, tasting the doctor’s genuine apology in his words. He hadn’t expected any other response. Revenant, Specter-class being, scourge… zombie, even. In the years since he woke up dead, he had heard just about every name, term, and slur for those like him. While there were a great many myths and…
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      17 – Gearing Up to Kill a God

      17 – Gearing Up to Kill a God Cover
      by Tower Curator — “Alright, let’s see it,” Erika said, eagerly rubbing her hands together. Led by The Warrior, Simone and two minions Erika didn’t recognize lugged a heavy polymer crate into Varn’s, using a whole dolly to make moving it that much easier. It wasn’t until they started moving the crate to the countertop that Erika realized it was a quartet of crates all stacked on top of one another. “One for each of ya,” The Warrior said, putting on the theatrics as she waved at the crates. “Each comes…
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      16 – The Bench

      16 – The Bench Cover
      by Tower Curator — Erika’s heart skipped a beat as she stepped fully into the chamber, wondering if she should have looked around for a different exit before jumping straight in front of the god again. The Final Judge sat slumped on an elevated platform at the far end of a long room. Pews of dark stone stretched from side to side, broken only where the aisle ran up the center. With its vaulted ceiling, hanging candelabras, and stained glass running up and down the walls, the chamber gave off a church-like vibe. Only…
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      16 – A Hug and Orange Tang

      16 – A Hug and Orange Tang Cover
      by Tower Curator — “I don’t believe it.” Rick slumped back in his chair, cupping his hands to his face like Erika had broken the news that The Mummy murdered his dog. “They’re Tangers?” “Tangers?” “They want to give everyone a hug and-or turn them into orange Tang. We’re going to get Tanged.” Erika raised an eyebrow, baffled as to what he was going on about, but not altogether surprised. Rick and Leslie both often spouted nonsense. “Is that… some kind of slur?” she asked. “What?…
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      15 – Silence Eternal

      15 – Silence Eternal Cover
      by Tower Curator — Erika realized that she might have been an idiot. With the downfall of two gods notched on her belt, Erika saw another god and figured she could cross a third off her list. The Final Judge wasn’t even a massive monster, just a little, human-sized skeleton—hardly worth raising a bat over. The Monk looked more intimidating, the maggots were more disgusting, even a zombie felt frightening. But it was a god. And Erika was an idiot. The Final Judge stood from the throne with the gravity of a…
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      15 – Moonlit Encounter

      15 – Moonlit Encounter Cover
      by Tower Curator — Erika shooed out the last of Varn’s regular customers, locking the front doors for the night in the process. The idea that an arcade could have customers, let alone regulars, still shocked her every time she offered to watch the place. They weren’t many, but they existed. Alone for the evening, Erika did a little light cleaning. Rick did not pay her enough to get her working hard, no matter what kind of friendship they had. He had a rare prior engagement tonight, and nobody else was available, so…
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      14 – i – Suppression

      14 – i – Suppression Cover
      by Tower Curator — Two birds fell, sniped from so far away that neither had any idea where the shots were coming from. Debates on how intelligent the birds were had been going back and forth since their appearance, but instinct drove them to lash out at anything nearby. The Art pulled back, dodging the sharp talons of an irate bird. Coils of tendrils concealed within her porcelain body tensed and thrust, sending her sharp, ceramic claws between the metallic ribs of the monster. Thinner tendrils erupted from the ends of…
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