Tales of the Land of All

THE CURSE OF MERCHANT’S GRAVE: Cassandra and Nikolai couldn't be any more different, and yet, they are bound to each other. When war arrives, they both have to choose - either for destiny or each other.

FOREVER HOME: There is a story that has been passed down the many generations of the Anderson family. When Ellie, Kenna, and June are locked in, Ellie shares it with her friends.

ENTROPY: The Alliance hasn't been merciful towards useless planets, and Alec has been tasked to destroy one of them. On this mission, he meets another soldier: a strange girl.

BLUEBOTTLE: Ever since the outside became uninhabitable, humanity has lived in The Hive. Dakota Walker plans to escape it.

LAND OF ALL: A child has to try again.

Sem Verhaere (2000) always had an obsession with writing. As a child she would spend hours writing about things that fascinated her. She finally finished her first 'story' when she was 13 (a very silly, now hilariously bad story). Over the years Sem made several attempts to write a full story, but after realizing she had way too many ideas, she decided to write a collection of stories that were full of adventure. Besides writing, her passion is music. She sings, plays piano and guitar, and writes her own music. She currently lives in Enschede where she studies at the conservatory, majoring in singer-songwriting. When she is not being creative, she is spending time with her two macaws who she adores.

The night you died you kept singing the same song over and over again. It was a folk song that originated a long time ago in the kingdom you were from, but our people had been connected for such a long time, I had grown up with the song too, just like any child from the Outer Lakes, through the connection of our people. It was a creepy, almost dangerous tune, one that was theorized to have truth hidden in its lyrics. But, this was only a theory, and like many memories from our youth, it became less exciting the older we got. I never knew how many verses it had, but I could dream of the first one. Have you heard of the curse of Merchant’s Grave? Where a child will be taken at dawn. Many stories untold, Of the labyrinth’s hold, And how no one has returned. I never learned the story behind it, just that it was often used as a warning for mischievous children who favored adventure above sleeping. Back when my father wasn’t fighting for our king he used to tell my brother all about it. He would never sing it - only tell him the words. Sometimes he added the chorus too. I remember liking it, but I barely remember the words, just like I barely remember what has been happening to our people lately. “It’s happening tonight,” you spoke to me with your usual loud voice, startling me. I looked up from my untouched plate. “You don’t say?” I replied, trying to be sarcastic to lighten up the mood. You didn’t appreciate it. “Cass, you know we will be separated.” “I still think that’s stupid,” I replied. “I’m a prince,” you replied. “It’s standard security - and it’s not like our kings are having a cute get-together to play board games.” “Yeah, right… I get it.”