"Either we are alone in the universe, or we are not. Both are equally terrifying." -Arthur C Clarke "'Neither' is worse." -Clara Washington, exoplanetary explorer The transit was a scientific breakthrough, allowing for instantaneous travel to any point within the Milky Way. Humanity, led by a global Coalition, set forth unto the cosmos and prepared for the first meeting with extraterrestrial life. It never came. On ancient worlds orbiting distant suns, the exoplanetary explorers of the Coalition find nothing but ghosts and the terrifying mystery behind why we have ventured forth to find a graveyard. The galaxy has seen the rise and fall of countless civilizations across the eons. All, without exception, have fallen victim to plague, disaster, or self-destruction. Nothing remains but the faded ruins of those who came before. We are alone within the Dead Galaxy. On an expedition to yet another lifeless planet, Clara Washington discovers an oddity, perhaps what Earth and the Coalition have long since given up hope of ever finding. A survivor of an ancient species awakens, and they carry a message. "As it came for us, so it comes for you." A/N: I'm unsure if I'll continue work on this story in the near future. It's an idea that I had bopping around in the mind grapes, and it needed to come out. It has an outline and a few later chapters written, so we'll see if anything comes of it. For now, the Empress Saga will take precedence.

Among the Nomadic Fleet, tradition is more powerful than law. The young are given a set path for their futures before their birth, and deviation from what is expected leads only to exile. Nura daj'Lera does what she can to live up to the high expectations placed upon her by her influential family, to become a guide through the stars for the Fleet, but Nura's inadequacies and self-doubt lead her to question the foundations of her draconian culture. In the galaxy of Alsavon, known on Earth as the Milky Way, freedom is little more than a memory from the time of the gods.

Joshuan Krayson has been condemned to die for crimes committed before his birth. The Highest King has granted him one hopeless chance at clemency. He must use his forbidden magic to preserve and deliver a noble bloodline to its chosen heir. However, the Spired City has many dangers, and hushed voices speak of the Dragon Empress' return.

A listless girl who isn't quite human. A sorcerer looking for answers from a brilliant engineer. An herbalist from a time of oppression. This anthology of short tales will follow heroes and villains, scions of ancient houses and lowborn goodfolk, mortals, shifters, fey, and dragons. Whether contemporary with the adventures of a sky woman from Sandharbor or set in the distant past, Tales of the Five Kingdoms offers new lands, new cultures, lore, and the secret workings of the Continent. (Stories containing spoilers for The Empress Saga will be marked.) A/N: Full disclosure, a lot of these stories are ones I'm writing primarily as practice in different forms, subgenres, and character types. For instance, Gillwyn is in some ways a warm-up for when Jin at last becomes a viewpoint, and Obuu came from a desire to positively portray an autistic character. Tot5K is a learning experience for me, so please bear with me through the things that don't work. That said, I'll do my utmost to keep everything compliant with my own canon and not treat these as disposable. When doing something, do it sincerely, and I intend to.

Look, I'm not at all a serious sort of person, and a bunch of weird ideas go through my head while writing a series this long. I've never even written a series before and certainly not one that's gotten as much attention as this one. So anyways, seeing as a lot of people ask questions about The Empress Saga, and because I'm an incurable idiot, I thought it might be fun to have something here where I can talk a bit about the series and also throw in the funny ways things might have gone. Also memes. Maybe a deleted and/or alternate scene or two while I'm at it.

Princess Jin Algara has left her life and true love behind. Aimless, she seeks a purpose for her broken soul and finds it upon the edge of her sword. Ban Karst prepares his legion and the Arcane Knights for war, and he is no longer certain of which side he will be commanded to fight for. Joshuan Krayson works against the secretive plots of the old masters. From the depths of the Spired City to the scarlet steppes of Teularon, he will pay whatever ransom is demanded of him to stop the coming of Paradise. Reyn of Rosewater must keep an infant empire together as she looks to the west, where her most hated enemy approaches with an army like none other in the world. Enfri the Yora First Summit, Dragon Empress of Shan Alee, faces a choice. To hold true to her convictions or claim her ancient birthright as the one true sovereign of the Continent. The doom has arrived, the Spired City burns, and at the pinnacle of a broken tower, the empress and the assassin face each other with weapons drawn to decide the fate of the world.

Reyn has nothing but secrets. Everything she is or has ever been becomes another reason to be despised. Born of demons, pursued by justice, and haunted by regret. In the service of the Dragon Empress, Reyn hoped to find vengeance for the life she lost, but as emissaries from a distant empire arrive with an offer of friendship, Reyn is commanded not to kill the monster she's longed to destroy. Worse, she must work alongside him. Joshuan Krayson goes on the hunt. Demons and their thralls have worked in the shadows throughout history, and only a secret cabal of divine guardians has kept the Five Kingdoms from falling to ruin. Krayson follows the voice of an imprisoned god to its source, hoping to uncover the true purpose the old masters have for the world. All that stands in his way is the Teulite Horde led by his father, the Tiger King. Ban Karst leads the Arcane Knights into Melcia. In the homeland of the spirit callers, Shan Alee and a tumultuous alliance of fey races are met by the true power of House Akazewi. Ban is forced to decide which of the oaths he has given is most precious to him. His bond, his homeland, his fealty, or his heart. Enfri the Yora is hailed and feared as the Dragon Empress. Overwhelmed by the path fate has taken her, Enfri goes back to the beginning. In a simple cottage on the desert's edge, the sky woman of Sandharbor returns home. There she finds the strength to at last deliver the final enclave of her people to safety. Except, a traitor in her midst threatens to undo all that she's worked to build. In the deep sands, secrets best left forgotten return.

In the southern realm of Altier Nashal, a kingdom of frozen seas and vast forests, a civil war between three rival factions sparks the beginning of a foretold doom. Ban Karst, paladin and scrivener, is the noble son of the Lord Regent and declared a traitor by all sides. Ban's betrothed is left to hold a kingdom together while he must contend with dragons, goddesses, and goblins. His failure has been ordained by fate, and his battle is lost before he can raise his blade. There is no one for him to turn to save for a pair of fugitives, a healer and an assassin.

Part Three of Elemental Witch. The darkness that threatens Verana's world has taken another form, though monsters are not the only enemy lurking in the shadows. As she hurtles toward her Life's Path, Verana and those she care about face intrigue, adventure and enemies at every turn. No one knows what happens after the Path is complete, and despite their best attempts, there are some battles that Verana will have to face alone. (cover by @whiskeyjanedoe) Mature for scenes of violence

This is the second part of the book Elemental Witch ( its a long book, so I broke it down into three digestible sections) If you're still reading the first part, go no further in this description. Clairval is not alone. Veranandien's Life's Test has proven that. As Keeper of the Peace Swords, Verana's Path is to protect the island. But injured and recovering from her test's completion, Verana is struggling to come to terms with who she is, let alone the fight ahead of her. Now, she finds herself on her Life's Path. Peace is needed to protect the people Verana cares for, but with the world expanding far quicker than she could fathom, the line between enemy and ally is blurring despite the entrenched biases, hate and violence that separate everyone. (cover by @whiskeyjanedoe) Mature for scenes of violence