Callie finds out the situation she got into from some gossiping maids.

a rotting smell fills the air...

the introdution to a great war.

1,936 words -- the aftermath of the abuse

The lab blows up.

Lots of explosions and machine guns.

Alice learns something unexpected.

Zero is not the precursor, but the center of the infinite set of values used to quantify the world. Or, a set of magical girls beat the last boss.

His eyes were yellow and black, and it looked as scary as the dark night forests.

A cosy chat over a cuppa.

The heavy throb of drums grew in the damp air as the blood curdling sound of dragon howls filled the forest a few miles away.

2,345 words -- Aleth gets up close and personal

the yarns begin to twine...

1,650 words -- meeting with old friends

Rowan plays the violin, and Cassius remembers that kind of important bit of information he overhead.