Kai Delmas Archives - Black Hare Press

For Glory

April 11, 2024/by Shawna Rowan

by Kai Delmas

Gunnar breathed in the sea spray as if it were mead while they sailed through the storm.

Midgard’s edge was surely close now. They had been sailing for weeks.

Scales rippled in the choppy waves.

“Jörmungandr!” Ivar roared from above, pointing.

Finally, Gunnar thought, readying axe and shield. His companions joined him at the rails.

The giant sea serpent raised its massive head, much bigger than they had imagined.

Gunnar jumped aside as Jormungand bit off Ragnar’s torso. All that remained were his legs, blood spraying wildly.

Screaming and chaos ensued.

Gunnar chopped at scales, to no avail.

Jörmungandr feasted.

Kai Delmas

Kai Delmas loves creating worlds and magic systems. His fiction can be found in Zooscape, Martian, Crepuscular, and several Shacklebound anthologies. His debut drabble collection, Darkness Rises, Hope Remains, was published by Shacklebound Books. You can support him at: patreon.com/kaidelmas and find him on Twitter @KaiDelmas or Bluesky @kaidelmas.bsky.social

The Crimson Tome

February 28, 2024/by Shawna Rowan

by Kai Delmas

I scoured the oldest libraries and their secret texts. I uncovered clues that were lost or thought destroyed.

Hidden away behind a sealed brick wall, the tome was clasped in a skeleton’s hands upon an altar.

Now it’s finally mine.

I leaf through the pages to find them… empty. Nothing. Nothing at all.

My grip tightens against my will. Pain courses through me. The pages fill with words and symbols. Red, crimson ink spreads through the book on every page.

The power of the tome has been set free, and my blood was the price to pay. Every last drop.

Kai Delmas

Kai Delmas loves creating worlds and magic systems. His fiction can be found in Zooscape, Martian, Crepuscular, and several Shacklebound anthologies. His debut drabble collection, Darkness Rises, Hope Remains, was published by Shacklebound Books. You can support him at: patreon.com/kaidelmas and find him on on Twitter and on Bluesky @kaidelmas.bsky.social

Twitter: @KaiDelmas

Growing Strong

November 27, 2023/by Shawna Rowan

by Kai Delmas

Sammy found the body in the woods. We didn’t believe him at first, but he led the way and showed it to us with a proud smirk.

Mushrooms were growing from its eyes and ears. Some fat and brown, others poisonous, red with white dots. We should’ve stayed clear.

But Daryl dared me to go up to it. I wasn’t afraid. The body wouldn’t do nothin’. But when he dared me to touch it, I refused.

Then he double dog dared me.

I made sure to touch him back the next day when the first ‘shrooms sprouted from my fingertips.

Kai Delmas

Kai Delmas loves creating worlds and magic systems and is a slush reader for Apex Magazine. He is a winner of the monthly Apex Microfiction Contest, his fiction is forthcoming in Zooscape, and can be found in Martian, Etherea, Tree and Stone, Wyldblood, and several Shacklebound anthologies. If you like his work you can support him at:patreon.com/kaidelmas and find him on Twitter.

Twitter: @KaiDelmas

Like Father Like Son

September 8, 2022/by S. Jade Path

by Kai Delmas

My father was an angry man. He took what he wanted, convinced it was his due for the wings he had lost. The power he had been stripped of.

Before dying he whispered in my ear, lips aquiver.

“The sky is your birthright. You’ll grow strong. Take it. Reclaim the heavens.”

I slid my blade out from between his ribs and looked to my mother. Finally safe.

Yet his words lingered, and as I grew and grew, I understood that I was special. That I could take what I wanted. But I didn’t want the skies.

I wanted the world.

Kai Delmas

Kai Delmas loves creating worlds and magic systems and is a slush reader for Apex Magazine. He is a winner of the monthly Apex Microfiction Contest and his fiction can be found in Martian, Tree and Stone, and several Shacklebound anthologies. Find him on Twitter @KaiDelmas.

Tree Mother

June 27, 2022/by S. Jade Path

by Kai Delmas

The girl crashed through the forest shrubbery seeking aid, refuge, salvation.

Her fear tingled my leaves and thrummed through the earth into my roots. Her gods were not going to save her, but I could.

I opened my trunk to let her slip inside. I absorbed her tears and hushed her whimpers, hugging her in my motherly embrace.

Men were on her trail. I slapped the pursuers with my branches, tripped them with my roots. They would not come near her or me.

Bewildered, they tucked tail and ran without finding her. No one would ever find my sweet child.

Kai Delmas

Kai Delmas loves creating worlds and magic systems and is a slush reader for Apex Magazine. He is a winner of the monthly Apex Microfiction Contest and his fiction can be found in Martian and is forthcoming in Tree and Stone and several Shacklebound anthologies. Find him on Twitter @KaiDelmas.

GRIMDARK 2

April 10, 2022/by Black Hare Press

Grimdark—violent worlds with amoral or morally questionable protagonists. Grim and dark stories valourising the protagonist’s struggles as they choose between good and evil.

Tag Archive for: Kai Delmas

Gunnar breathed in the sea spray as if it were mead while they sailed through the storm.

Midgard’s edge was surely close now. They had been sailing for weeks.

Scales rippled in the choppy waves.

“Jörmungandr!” Ivar roared from above, pointing.

Finally, Gunnar thought, readying axe and shield. His companions joined him at the rails.

The giant sea serpent raised its massive head, much bigger than they had imagined.

Gunnar jumped aside as Jormungand bit off Ragnar’s torso. All that remained were his legs, blood spraying wildly.

Screaming and chaos ensued.

Gunnar chopped at scales, to no avail.

Jörmungandr feasted.

I scoured the oldest libraries and their secret texts. I uncovered clues that were lost or thought destroyed.

Hidden away behind a sealed brick wall, the tome was clasped in a skeleton’s hands upon an altar.

Now it’s finally mine.

I leaf through the pages to find them… empty. Nothing. Nothing at all.

My grip tightens against my will. Pain courses through me. The pages fill with words and symbols. Red, crimson ink spreads through the book on every page.

The power of the tome has been set free, and my blood was the price to pay. Every last drop.

Sammy found the body in the woods. We didn’t believe him at first, but he led the way and showed it to us with a proud smirk.

Mushrooms were growing from its eyes and ears. Some fat and brown, others poisonous, red with white dots. We should’ve stayed clear.

But Daryl dared me to go up to it. I wasn’t afraid. The body wouldn’t do nothin’. But when he dared me to touch it, I refused.

Then he double dog dared me.

I made sure to touch him back the next day when the first ‘shrooms sprouted from my fingertips.

by Kai Delmas

My father was an angry man. He took what he wanted, convinced it was his due for the wings he had lost. The power he had been stripped of.

Before dying he whispered in my ear, lips aquiver.

“The sky is your birthright. You’ll grow strong. Take it. Reclaim the heavens.”

I slid my blade out from between his ribs and looked to my mother. Finally safe.

Yet his words lingered, and as I grew and grew, I understood that I was special. That I could take what I wanted. But I didn’t want the skies.

I wanted the world.

Kai Delmas

by Kai Delmas

The girl crashed through the forest shrubbery seeking aid, refuge, salvation.

Her fear tingled my leaves and thrummed through the earth into my roots. Her gods were not going to save her, but I could.

I opened my trunk to let her slip inside. I absorbed her tears and hushed her whimpers, hugging her in my motherly embrace.

Men were on her trail. I slapped the pursuers with my branches, tripped them with my roots. They would not come near her or me.

Bewildered, they tucked tail and ran without finding her. No one would ever find my sweet child.

Kai Delmas