Colton Hehr wrote “What Lies Beneath,” the story of a powerful sorcerer that has so disgraced himself, he is afraid of what his family will think should he ever die and meet them on the other side.

In evidence of how trends move cyclically, the once ubiquitous sword and sorcery story seems to have faded from prominence. But, Colton brings us a classic in the genre. Give me a magical warrior, a sea serpent, and strange cults any day. And, unlike some of the “classics” of the genre, Colton gives us a conflicted protagonist who fears what his family might think of him and yearns for redemption.

Colton tweets @ThisBastard

Max Polishchuk’s illustration uses a vibrant pallete of blues. The fact that the story’s climax takes place underwater makes that a natural choice. Max doesn’t shy away from the grandiosity of the moment. The temple – big, the serpent – bigger. He captures the sense that the protagonist, while badass, is not quite big enough to take on this fight by any traditional means.