Fantasy
Stargazing
It was her first beach party. There was something primal about it with the bonfire spitting sparks into the sky and the crackling cackle of wood burning. The sea's constant wash added to the sense of timelessness and ritual, the moon bright, sprinkling its silver shavings on the surface of the ocean so the night was imbued with magic. Drink was helping create this sense of a forbidden gathering. And the stars! The stars! Mara had never seen stars like them away from the muting of the streetlights.
By Rachel Deeming2 years ago in Fiction
The Shadow Over Harrowwood
Nestled deep in the heart of a dense, sprawling forest was the village of Harrowwood, a place shrouded in darkness and foreboding. The towering trees loomed over the village, their gnarled branches forming a twisted canopy that blocked out most of the sunlight. The villagers, a quiet and secretive lot, rarely ventured beyond the village limits, and those who did never returned.
By LAKSHMAN MOHANRAJ2 years ago in Fiction
The Spirit Box. Content Warning.
Chapter One: Spirit Boxing I’m Detective Fred Byrne, Jr., and this is my story. I’m a detective by trade, but boxing is my true passion. I was one of the better amateur boxers at the bar down the street from the station. I boxed during fight night at The Blue Mercury bar and grill. They hosted a ‘fight night,’ every night during the week, but ‘fight week’ doesn’t sound right for marketing.
By Alex H Mittelman 2 years ago in Fiction
Fyra and Sword
Author's note: This follows Heart of Steel Lor'kan thrust his blade forward with such speed and precision Naythan barely whipped his blade to dash it to one side. Lor'kan used the momentum to bring his sword around his head in a slash right and left, right, left, right left battering Naythan as he blocked frantically backing up as he did so. He was losing too much ground too fast. Trying to regain the initiative, Naythan caught Lor'kan's last cut, lifted his elbow to angle the point of his blade towards Lor'kan's face and thrust forward, keeping his blade clashed with Lor'kan to protect himself even as he attacked. It worked, Lor'kan's assault pattern was broken and he backed up a step to avoid Naythan's point and gain distance from him, giving Naythan crucial seconds to regain his composure and go on the offensive.
By Tomos Jackson2 years ago in Fiction
The Business of Nature. Top Story - March 2024.
Dew drops reflected the light of the sun. The inhabitants of Whispering Woods woke up to the golden droplets of water on the leaves of the flora. The oaks particularly enjoyed the light and the maples did, too. Happiness enveloped all who lived there, even the rocks that cried out in the night delighted in the morning.
By Skyler Saunders2 years ago in Fiction
Whispers of the Forbidden Forest
In the ancient city of Ujjain, ruled by the wise and just King Vikramaditya. One day, a mystic sorcerer approached the king with a request that seemed simple yet bizarre: to fetch a corpse hanging from a tree in a desolate forest—the body that Betal, a wily spirit, inhabited.Motivated by the promise that fulfilling this request would bring prosperity to his kingdom, Vikramaditya agreed. As night fell, he ventured into the eerie forest, guided only by the flickering light of his torch. Upon reaching the tree, he found the corpse, seemingly ordinary yet imbued with an unsettling aura.As soon as Vikramaditya slung the corpse over his shoulder, the body came to life—it was Betal, ready to test the king's resolve and wisdom. Betal struck a deal: he would tell Vikramaditya a story during their journey back to the city, ending with a riddle. If the king knew the answer but chose to remain silent, his head would shatter into a thousand pieces. However, every time Vikramaditya answered correctly, Betal would return to the tree, forcing the king to begin his quest anew.The first story Betal narrated was about a noble king who had three queens. Unfortunately, none were able to bear him a child. In his quest for an heir, the king met a sage who gave him a magical fruit, promising that it would bless him with progeny. The king, however, faced a dilemma over which queen deserved the fruit, leading to a cascade of events fueled by jealousy and deceit.As the tale ended, Betal posed his question: "Which queen deserves the magical fruit, and why?" The moral and ethical layers of the question were profound. King Vikramaditya, with his sharp intellect and keen sense of justice, decoded the motives of the queens and solved the riddle, explaining his reasoning in meticulous detail.True to his word, as soon as Vikramaditya spoke, Betal vanished back to the tree, leaving the king in the middle of the dark, whispering forest. Undeterred, Vikramaditya returned to fetch Betal, his resolve unbroken.This cyclical challenge of storytelling and riddle-solving continued, with each story more intriguing and complex than the last, testing the king's wisdom, ethics, and perseverance.
By Dalwant Bahadur Singh2 years ago in Fiction
The Decent Camera
David had always dreamed of owning a high-quality camera. The kind that could capture the beauty of places like Inverness, where he was headed for a holiday with his family. They flew from London Heathrow to Inverness, and throughout the journey, David’s excitement was palpable. He kept reminding his parents about his wish for a decent camera. Little did he know, they had already purchased one for him at the airport.
By Arshad Mecci2 years ago in Fiction
