Instant Story

Challenge #04881-M132: First Steps to Peace

Nine Princes and Princesses from across the realms receive a mysterious letter, that they must attend an important gathering of unspecified content; one to be held in a peaceful land which has no quarrel with any of the nobles. Indeed, the ruler there declares no knowledge of the invitations nor that he had ever heard of the sprawling palace where the nine gather with their servants and favorites. What unfolds next surprises everyone involved… -- Deathshead419

Eighteen letters. Each on high-class paper, by the same unknown hand. Each edged in gold and marked with a unique, if small, gemstone. There were no implied matches. Not even in the advance warning to the Duke Phurlydow, so he could make ready to host them all.

He had a magnificent garden, and the weather was pleasant, so he had prepared a garden party and ready the biggest ballroom, just in case.

Phurlydow apologised frequently for the lack of appropriate accommodations. The young heirs to kingdoms were just as confused as he was, and forgave his lack if it meant solving the mystery. Therefore, there were nineteen detectives attempting to crack the case.

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Challenge #04880-M131: Bad Omens Rise

King Krivcol III had a brush with death at a young age. Now he relies upon astrologers to gauge his future, planning out every detail of his and his family's lives. But his growing paranoia with what's to come may be blinding him to problems around him in the here and now... -- Deathshead419

Many heads of state had advisors. Some had viseers, some had chancellors, come had cabinets of experts. King Krivkol Florentus Montgomerie Oralendo Montecroix, third of his name, had

Challenge #04879-M130: Sad Beige Life

My parents were cold narcissists. As an adult, once they signed everything to me, I signed our entire solar system to the alliance. I have plenty to live on, my mansions, my gardens, and so much more. But now the halls are full of life and youthful laughter. It actually feels like a home, not a museum. My parents? They live in their wing, their own little world. I'm letting them live the remainder of their golden years in peace. Under watch,

Challenge #04878-M129: Unexpected Rescue

They ran as fast as the wind toward Wraithvine and Bibrid, tackling both to the ground just as a magic arrow flies past the three. The arrow's power seared the being's back, the percussion caused bones to be broken. But, despite the immense pain, they said in a soft whisper to the two. "I'd tackle you again like this in a heartbeat, you're worth it." -- Anon Guest

Of all the strange powers to have from birth, Scramble's ability to freeze time

Challenge #04877-M128: Can We Keep Each Other?

Not long ago, this planet of havenworlders saved a human who had, had a cheese-grater landing. If not for these beings, the human, fortunately the only occupant of that freighter, would not have survived. Then raiders came to harm these people. And the humans showed what gratitude for kindness earns. -- Anon Guest

[AN: May be in relation to: https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04839-m090-waif-and-stray ]

Hal was learning a lot of things. Starting with the fact that aliens were real and that

Challenge #04876-M127: Invasive Plant Control

It took Vholno some time to understand that his father was once regarded as a blushing maid who found his true self through the care of the dryads. Though wind pollination makes humoresque paternity all but impossible to determine, still, Vholno is desperate to learn the one who’s pollen took root in Gyethamp the Bard all those years before.

Sequel to https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04709-l325-difficult-history -- Deathshead419

There was a lot to take in. A lot to understand. A

Challenge #04875-M126: Wrath of the Dark

Deep below the vale of ancients, in ruins so deep and layered as to become a cave-like labyrinth, is an effigy of a goddess. A small posse of dare seekers ignore the fell myths whispered of the buried divine, though they may come to wish they had heeded the warnings... -- Deathshead419

The world was built by Dragons, then built upon by various civilisations. Some cities, like Arbordeep, have been built up on previous iterations of Arbordeep as various cataclysms, floods, and

Challenge #04874-M125: Educating a Royal Pain

The Swan Prince Odilio Magustine Jestarion Francas has learned from Trudy that there is no easy way out of his curse. His only hope would be to earn the love of a lady. But what can a swan offer a damsel or maiden fair? Perhaps something to do with flight could open the door he’s looking for…

https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04851-m102-with-adequate-reason -- Deathshead419

The kiss of a virgin wasn't hard to obtain if you didn't mind the slobbery attempts

Challenge #04873-M124: Fishing For Converts

A new faith in a single God has captured a polity, raising or replacing the old temples and extinguishing the old gods. All except one, a "Tree Mother" whose grove Deep in the wilderness has been out of reach, for all who have tried to burn her put have returned shaken, wounded, or not at all.

Yet one priest is insistent, and takes the task of eradicating this last bastion of paganism to heart. -- Deathshead419

The story is told of a

Challenge #04872-M123: Best Defence

Yu-Cian was conscripted for his year of service in the city watch some months ago. Since then he has been mocked mercilessly by the veteran who signed on for life, has had his wages stolen by his sergeant, and was even spat upon by merchants leaving the city who assumed he was there for a shakedown.

So imagine his surprise when one of the horsemen of the plains arrived one night and had a civil conversation with him after all this time.

Challenge #04871-M122: Clutch Clowder

A basket of kittens is left at the doorstep at one of the rare times that Wraithvine's portable tower is visible to those around hir. The mother had died of illness, and the person caring for them finds they don't have the skill, patience, or fortitude, to bottle feed and tend all six. Which requires getting up every couple of hours to feed them, then tending to them to get them to go to the bathroom, then keeping them warm, and feeding

Challenge #04870-M121: The Right Fulcrum

"You can have money or you can have Justice." - Which do you choose? -- Prompey

[AN: Very sorely tempted to do so many Leverage riffs]

The right to reign is often accepted to mean: anyone who reigns has all the rights. And when anyone is both rich and powerful, they can take what they want and make consequences happen to others. Naturally, the people on the wrong end of that exchange tend to get irritated by that attitude.

So rebellions rise

Challenge #04869-M120: Medically Necessary Dangerous Friend

I have the rare type - O negative blood, a universal donor. I'm also scared of needles. My kind, at least to me, pax humanis friend helps me with this anxiety so I can donate and save lives. --Anon Guest

Medical practice always needs blood. At least, it does in this particular neighbourhood of the Edge Territories. I heard from some traders that the Alliance can just make whatever blood they want. There's like special cloned bone marrow units that do it.

Challenge #04868-M119: Tested Not in Vein

Legend holds of a harsh God, who’s marked have the blood drained from their bodies until expiring, this life force fueling the God’s power. The God has no use for the souls of those who are not devotees. So what happens when Elizabeth is dragged into the body of a ghoulish divine and accidentally invokes the right rite to bind her soul to her blood and become a simple blood cell inside the sepulcher halls of Godly flesh? -- Deathshead419

Challenge #04867-M118: The Seeds of Ghosts

Deep in the boggy fen country, a village where cremation is customary is haunted by specters of the burned dead. These ghosts encroach closer and closer to the realm of the living with each passing night. The Elders send a letter, pleading with Wraithvine for aid against their supernatural tormentors.

Wraithvine sets out sure that this is caused by some readily explainable phenomenon, either by man-made hoax or mundane magic or perhaps a scorned local God. The Truth is far stranger than

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Flash fiction fresh from my fingers to your mind!

Challenge #04881-M132: First Steps to Peace

Challenge #04880-M131: Bad Omens Rise

Challenge #04879-M130: Sad Beige Life

Challenge #04878-M129: Unexpected Rescue

Challenge #04877-M128: Can We Keep Each Other?

Challenge #04876-M127: Invasive Plant Control

Challenge #04875-M126: Wrath of the Dark

Challenge #04874-M125: Educating a Royal Pain

Challenge #04873-M124: Fishing For Converts

Challenge #04872-M123: Best Defence

Challenge #04871-M122: Clutch Clowder

Challenge #04870-M121: The Right Fulcrum

Challenge #04869-M120: Medically Necessary Dangerous Friend

Challenge #04868-M119: Tested Not in Vein

Challenge #04867-M118: The Seeds of Ghosts