Christmas World Comic Con

  Ghoulash The storm came down in sheets of ice and snow, cutting at his face as though the wind itself had grown teeth, and for a moment the American wondered if this had been a mistake. The horse was useless now, limping somewhere behind him, its breath steaming in the dark, unable to carry him further through the drifts. He had left it tethered at the edge of the village when the light from a lantern pierced the storm, bobbing faintly, promising warmth. It was all he could think of—warmth, a fire, something hot to drink. When the door of the tavern creaked open beneath his hand and the wind blew in with him, it felt less like he was entering a place of rest and more like he had stumbled into a secret he was never meant to find. The fire in the hearth flared at the intrusion, scattering sparks, and every face in the room turned toward him, their eyes gleaming with suspicion. There could not have been more than twenty souls gathered there, men and women wrapped in thick wool,...

  Chapter One – The Late-Night Hiker The woods at night always had a voice. A low hum of insects, the rustle of branches in the wind, the occasional cry of an owl drifting above the treeline. For Ethan Price, twenty-two, those sounds were a lullaby. He told his friends he just needed some air, that the tent felt too stuffy. With a flashlight in one hand and his phone in the other, he set off down the narrow trail behind the campground. “Don’t go far, man,” his buddy called after him. Ethan had just laughed. “It’s a trail, not a maze. I’ll be back in ten.” The beam of his flashlight cut through the dark like a sword. The dirt was damp under his boots. For a while, it was peaceful. His music played faintly from the phone in his pocket, almost drowned out by the steady pulse of crickets. Then came a sound that didn’t belong. A crack. A branch snapping, heavy. He turned, shining the light into the trees. Nothing. Just the hush of leaves swaying. “Hello?” Ethan called out, his voi...

The Dark Tales of the Ruby Slippers Long before Dorothy’s house touched down in Munchkinland, the Ruby Slippers weren’t just shoes — they were crafted by the Silver Guild , an ancient order of sorcerers who believed power could be bound into everyday objects. The slippers were their masterpiece: forged from the light of the first dawn in Oz and sewn with threads from the Rainbow’s end. They weren’t simply beautiful — they were said to hold the power to walk between worlds. The Wicked Witch of the East coveted them for two reasons: Control Over the Munchkins The slippers were tied to the land of the East. Whoever wore them could command its people, crops, and even the skies. That’s how the Witch enslaved the Munchkins — the slippers amplified her hold over the region. Every step she took in them sent out ripples of fear and compulsion, binding the Munchkins tighter under her rule. The Path to Greater Power The Witch believed that if she mastered the slippers fully, she could ...

Love. Marriage. Murder. By Ted Smith  First comes love. Then comes marriage. Then comes murder. Table of Contents The Ring May Come with Diamonds, But It Always Ends in Handcuffs A lavish wedding ends in tragedy. Or was it tradition? He Promised Her the World. She Settled for His Will. When an aging tycoon dies mysteriously, all eyes turn to his young, glowing widow. She Wept for Her Husband—But Didn’t Smudge Her Mascara A televised funeral turns into a trial of tears and lies. They Took ‘Till Death Do Us Part’ a Bit Too Seriously A seemingly perfect couple disappears—only one returns with a story that doesn’t add up. Love Is Eternal. Unless It’s Profitable A celebrity power couple faces a deadly scandal when a prenup goes missing—and a body shows up. Cupid’s Arrow Turned into a Smoking Gun A Valentine’s Day dinner ends with more than just heartbreak. Marriage: The Leading Cause of Fatal Misunderstandings A honeymoon suite. A spilled bottle of wine...