OF CASTING PITS AND CAUSTIC SALTS, by Scott  H. Andrews: Turusha squeezed the draft-scarab’s reins and fought the urge to scrape her itching wrists against the seat of the cart.  The line of creaking wagons stretched to the dusty city gate, yoked beetles lumbering forward, the ammonia-and-sugar scent fuming from their glistening carapaces.  Andar, seated […]

THE CHRONICLE: FRAGMENT THIRTY SEVEN, by Robert William Shmigelsky: the Wars of Men: history doomed to be repeated from time to time — Chrono [1] from that familiar comfort zone you materialize out of thin air find yourself surrounded by thick and, for the most part, impenetrable waves of sorcery-induced mist — the living blue […]

CONFRONTING THE DEMON OF HIDDEN THINGS, by David Sklar: On a winter day, at a mountain’s feet, from a dream more ancient than language, three men went out to stand against the darkness within the darkness: the Oak Man with a bamboo staff, the Reed Man with a staff of oak, the Water Man with […]

The second quarter of 2011 has arrived, and with it comes Heroic Fantasy Quarterly Issue 8!  We  bear remarkable tales, delights, and news.  And we exuberate in our labors!  Two short stories, three poems, and our first ever novella: Fiction Contents DEMON SONG, by A. R. Williams Supernatural samurai slices some serious adventure. (Sorry, A. R. […]

DEMON SONG, by A. R. Williams: Kenshin Nobuyashi knew the ring was important, but he could not remember why. An onyx stone formed its crest, and within that stone a diamond caught the disappearing light from the sun. The reflection swirled in shadow and light the longer he gazed at it. “It’s just a ring,” […]