by Josh Woods
[from Revelation 9:2, King James Version]
ph'nglui mglw'nafh L’VwYacHtaaN CitlalCuitlatl’calli wgah'nagl fhtagn:
“In his house in the obsidian palace, dead Leviathan waits dreaming.”
III.
Initial Inventory Reports from the Witchfinders Union:
Title: DiFranco (F)
Field Grade: Sulfur
Department: Executive, Field
Status: Active, Known, Mobile
Transport
Kawasaki Ninja H2 R (2016); NM, REV23
Contact
Samsung Gear P-WU9 Smartwatch
Weaponry
FN P90, 5.7x28mm
FN Herstal Five-Seven Tactical, 5.7x28mm
Heizer PS12, 12 gauge
2Hawks/Polaris Black Hawk tomahawk
Door County Forgeworks Italian Stiletto, Silver-Plated
Columbia River CRKT M1604-A knife, folding
M-67 Grenades
M7A2-CS Grenades
C-4, M112
Exotics, 12 gauge
white oak slivers, x2
ash slivers
kosher salt, x2
dead sea salt
phosphorous
mirror shards
mustard seed
arbutus
aconitum
Greek beans
silver shot, x3
iron shot, x2
mercury
sulfur
myrrh
IV.
Initial Inventory Reports from the Witchfinders Union:
Title: Sledge (M)
Field Grade: Sulfur
Department: Executive, Field
Status: Retired (On-Call), Known, Mobile
Transport
ChevyVan (1976), customized; KY, EX 22 18
Contact
Radio
Weaponry
IMI Uzi MP-2, .45 ACP, customized
IMI Uzi MP-2, .45 ACP, customized
M1911 Colt, .45 ACP
Marocchi over-and-under, 12 gauge, customized
Hatchet, home-made
Knife, fixed-blade, home-made
Knife, folding, home-made
MK-2 Grenades
Exotics, 12 gauge
white oak slivers
ash slivers
dead sea salt
red oil gel
mustard seed
arbutus
aconitum
Greek beans
silver shot
shards of black rooster bone
iron shot
sulfur
frankincense
vervain
angelica root
dried rowan berries
mirror shards
cedarwood
mugwort
myrrh
holy wafer dough
V.
Initial Inventory Reports from the Witchfinders Union:
Title: January (M)
Field Grade: Salt
Department: Research & Antiquities
Status: Active, Known, Stationary
Contact
iPhone 6
Transport
Toyota Camry (1999); MA, 35EK25
Weaponry
Windicator, .357 mag
Estwing Sportsman’s Hatchet
Case Cutlery Amber pocket knife
Exotics, .357 mag
Silver
VI.
Nachash: נחש, “serpent” or “brazen”; Cabbalistic sum: 358
Shamir:שמיר, given to Solomon by the demon Asmodeus circa 830 B.C.
Ashurbanipal, King of Assyria from 668 to c.627 B.C.
La Voisin, first executed in Paris in A.D. 1680 by being burned at the stake for leading the Cult of Poisons, and for killing thousands in Black Masses
About the Author
Josh Woods loves monsters, ancient and esoteric lore, comedy, combat, storytelling, hiking, professional wrestling, making stuff, and learning almost anything he can. And he enjoys teaching what he has learned and figured out to others.
He has published genre and literary short stories in numerous journals, magazines, and collections, and has edited three anthologies. He also teaches creative writing as an Associate Professor of English in Illinois, and writes about techniques and strategies for the craft of fiction.
visit: https://joshwoodsauthor.com
contact: [email protected]
Contents
THE BLACK PALACE
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Appendix
About the Author