short-story
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Beyond the Familiar Gates

The bronze key felt heavier in Keiran Ironwatch’s palm than it had any right to, its familiar weight now carrying the finality of surrender. Twenty-three years old, and already he could predict every sunrise that would greet him from the eastern watchtower, every conversation that would unfold in the guardhouse, every tired joke that would Continue reading
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The Most Perfect Chocolate Bar in All the Realms
Describe your dream chocolate bar. My name is Luna Brightwhisper and I am eight years old and three-quarters, which is very important because three-quarters means I’m almost nine and that’s practically grown-up. Mama says I have the most active imagination in all of Lumenvale’s Enchanted Quarter, which I think means I’m very good at dreaming Continue reading
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The Alchemy of Fear
What fears have you overcome and how? The crystalline formations that lined my lair caught the amber glow of evening light filtering through the cavern’s mouth, casting fractured rainbows across walls worn smooth by five centuries of my passage. I, Thessarian the Everburning, settled my massive form upon the treasure-bed that had been my resting Continue reading
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The Tapestry of Departures
What quality do you value most in a friend? The evening mist clung to Lumenvale’s weathered cobblestones like the ghost of unspoken promises as Kestrel Thornwick traced patterns in the condensation gathering on her tavern window. The Merchant’s Rest had become her sanctuary during these brief interludes between courier runs—a place where conversations flowed as Continue reading

