Aniel's Plight Characters

Forcas The Fallen "The Blind Witch"

Art By Oscar I.

*Excerpt from chapter 14 of Aniel's Plight. Pulling the blade from her chest, Forcas approached him. Her cauterized flesh swelled and reformed. “I have died every death.” A rib snapped into place. Tiny slivers of bone found their homes and bonded. Other ribs followed until the cage was fully reassembled. With a suctioning sound, her breast again became pale with healed white scars. He opened his mouth to curse her, but she placed her palm over it. She lifted the blade to his face, searing his cheek. “I am tempted to kill you now and claim your echo shard, amplifying my power. If I thought stealing yours would help me achieve my goals, you would already be dead. You are a tactical advantage to me. Nothing more. I give the commands. You execute them. Nod acknowledgment.” He did.


Detective Velic MMP Bounty Division "Blood Badge"
Art By Mark

*Excerpt from chapter 1 of Aniel's Plight. Detective Velic and his partner waited outside an abandoned apartment building, listening to the daily morning countdown for an outlawed radio station. At zero, an animated voice burst onto the airwaves. “Underground Radio is aliiiive! Eddie Dead Fingers signing on. Goooood morning, Mazarathhhhh!” Velic frowned, his hazel eyes narrowing. “I hate this guy.” “Then why do we listen to him every morning?” Holliday reached to turn off the radio, and Velic swatted his hand. “Nothing but the truth is our motto here. Today’s topic is Red Zones. When are the police going to get off their assess and retake them? I see zero effort from the mayor. What are your thoughts? Taking callers.” Velic twisted the radio knob until it clicked. “It’s that voice, all nasal and arrogant, that will get him caught one day. I listen so it’s fresh in my mind. But.” He pulled a folded paper from his jacket pocket and held it between two fingers. “First things first.” Looking over the bounty instructions, Velic paused at the Taken Alive section. He smiled upon reading “dead or alive.” The moment had come when he would finally cross off the second-highest name on the city’s most wanted board: Doctor Bohuslav Yeznith. The Mazarath Metropolitan Police Tier One Bounties. 1. Rocco Pierce: Drug Lord 2. Bohuslav Yeznith: Serial Killer 3. Jonesy Lyons: Rogue Blood Badge 4. Eddie Deadfingers: Underground Radio Host 5. Hobbes Spakowsky: Resistance Leader 6. The Handyman: Drug Lord

Emma McWerth Owner McWerth's Used Books

Art By Lucinda H.

*Excerpt from chapter 16 of Aniel's Plight. Emma sat beneath the heating vent, an old brass diving helmet hung above her right shoulder, and two crossed harpoons hung over her left. A morning of grueling book organizing never deterred her from reading one during her lunch break. She pulled a worn paperback from her coat pocket. The door opened, and she was too engrossed in her novel to look up as footsteps approached the counter. A man’s voice ordered tea. Emma looked up to find he was freshly shaven with dark eyes and matching hair. Underdressed for the weather, wearing only black slacks and a dark gray, long-sleeved button-up shirt. Collar open, no tie. Turning his head, he stared into her eyes. She hid them with the book and pretended to read. He approached her table and pointed to the seat across from her. “Is anyone sitting here?” Her pulse rose, and she elbowed her mug off the table to shatter on the floor. “Dang it. Sorry.” She looked at the chair in question and the twenty others available. “Help yourself.” “You own McWerth’s Books, don’t you?” He placed his napkin over the spilled coffee, absorbing what hers let escape. They browned and shriveled. She tilted her head. “How did you know?” “A guess.” He sipped his tea. “I stopped by your store and read your sign. Coming here was the likely choice for finding you.” He held out his hand, and she shook it. “Your hand is freezing. You should wear a coat. Sorry. I vocalize my observations when I don’t know what to say.” She tapped her foot under the table, stopped, and placed one foot over the other to stop herself from doing it. “Yes, I am forgetful. Today, my coat, and tomorrow, my pants.” Emma laughed louder than she meant to, covering her mouth.

“Fox” Real Name: Classified

Art By Lucinda H.

*Excerpt from chapter 26 of Aniel's Plight. Fox grabbed Velic’s sleeve, dragged him to the edge, and pointed to a space between two skylights. “Needless to say, you will have to land between those, or you are screwed. Keep your feet and knees together and tuck and roll. Do it right, and maybe you will only break your legs. Plus, you are jumping into the wind, which adds another layer of difficulty.” She kissed his cheek. “You will do fine.” “Thanks, coach.” Velic backed up to the tie-off point, cracked his neck, and ran.

Aniel’s Plight© Copyright 2025 by Ace Van Zandt. All Rights Reserved.