Alfarell

A 339-post collection

Challenge #04688-L304: Miracles For Midwinterfeast

"Greatfather Langeven is a childhood god. He only sees that which is good in the world, and so comes for the children who believe they have been good. Which is terribly unfair to those who've been told they're wicked their entire, brief lives. But that's a different story for a different time."

The youth had always been kind, had always done their best to help others, even though they, themselves, were constantly being told they were evil, wicked, and, sadly, thoroughly believing it, often punished themselves almost more brutally than the cruel ones that were raising them. Then another child begs Langeven to stop seeing only the ones who believe they have been good, and start seeing the ones who are ACTUALLY good. -- Anon Guest

[AN: Dear Nonny, there is another childhood god who comes for the ones who are good but believe they're wicked. It's just that Greatfather Langeven can't see them... because they are the Shadow Teufel. But this can be a Midwinterfeast story for a much earlier era.]

Simple Zera was a wicked child. Everyone around hir told hir that ze was, and since they knew more than hir, ze believed them. Nevertheless, ze tried hir heart and soul away to be good. Zera did all hir household duties without complaint, trying hir best to do them well, and only got a drubbing for hir trouble. Ze foraged herbs for sick neighbours, but never got a word of thanks. Zera even worked all day to be sure everyone ze knew had enough firewood for the winter, but only ever got rocks thrown at hir. Ze only had one friend in the whole world, and that was Klare.

Klare was good, kind, and sweet, and everyone said so. She was well-mannered and scholarly, and kind enough to befriend Zera when no-one else would. She even thought it unfair when she learned why the town thought Zera wicked.

Hir mother was a Hellkin who lived in a witch's cottage in the woods. That had to make hir wicked by association.

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Challenge #04684-L300: Unfeeling Love

I do not understand emotions, although my library has the definitions I do not truly feel them. Although, it is not written in my code, there is an unfinished task in serving my master. I am missing a part if I am not with them. Is this… desire? -- Anon Guest

I am Min-yun. I am made to serve. I am a thing of cogs and gears, run by crystals and magic. My master-maker-mother commands me and I obey. I am good

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Challenge #04683-L299: Help the Helper

They were a hellkin, but their horns never grew in. They had the tail, the dark red skin, black fingernails, though not claws, but no horns. As an adult they wore fake horns to try to be more like others of their type. Until another told them, "Horns don't matter, your kindness is in your heart." -- Lessons.

The basic Hellkin "starter set" if you wish to think about such things, is thought to be horns, teeth, tail, and weirdly-coloured skin. Red

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Challenge #04680-L296: Objection Lessons

There's a reason I'm called Patience. When someone calls me a 'teuf', I don't, normally, hurt them. And I will NEVER hurt a kid. However, I will teach why it's NOT a good idea to call one of my kind such. Sadly, some lessons do hurt, but I've never, happy to say, killed anyone. Though some wished I had before they finally learn. -- Lessons

Sometimes, they asked. "Why is it such a bad word? It's just the short form of a

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Challenge #04679-L295: Just So, No Snow

The war against the Northern Kingdom has not gone well. Now the remnants of the Southern army ready themselves behind the walls of their final castle, hoping for a miracle to break the siege. -- Deathshead419

They had fallen for one of the classic blunders - never get involved in a land war in the Northlands. Their worst and cruellest general was the very winter itself. Freezing boiling soup before it reached the bowl. Freezing men in their tents. Freezing breath so

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Challenge #04675-L291: Minding a Larger Flock

What a coincidence! Prince Philip has found a young shepherd boy who looks exactly like him living in the countryside. Even better, the young man is willing to trade places for a lark. With the talk of the cafes turning increasingly murderous with regards to Philip’s family, it would certainly be a good time to be a Shepherd Boy rather than a prince, though, the boy doesn’t need to know that… -- Deathshead419

Once upon a time, there was a

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Challenge #04674-L290: There Are Rules

A painter has been gifted with a wondrous, dangerous power: Everything this artist draws upon changes to match the image at dusk. Paintings come to life, stones become gold, hills cleanly vanish into valleys, even bodies shift shape.

The usual suspects are trying to steal this painter away to make weapons, fortunes, give assassins impossible disguises, ect. Perhaps Wraithvine can help hide this artist before those unscrupulous schemers use this human as a tool. -- Deathshead419

Whatever the gifted magic, it has

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Challenge #04672-L288: A Means to Reflect

So he said to the young hellkin...."There are generally two ways to go when the world hates you for how you look. Either be everything they say you are and worse, thus making them point at you as proof... or try your heart and soul away in proving them wrong, but you have to listen anyway. Or be, one of the good ones. If you find a secret third way, more power to you." This young hellkin found a "third way"

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Challenge #04671-L287: Fair Exchange

Unusual icon statues begin popping up all over the world. One puts in gold coins, and from the slot below, the exact amount of silver and copper coins comes out. The few times someone powerful enough to smash one managed to do so, they would find it not filled with coins at all. Merely more runes and sigils as it put itself back together again. -- Anon Guest

They were odd little altars. A figure of a Ravenfolk with an open beak

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Challenge #04669-L285: Foretold You So

Through the myriad kaleidoscopic futures, I know it cannot be set in stone. However, your fate is destined for tragedy. Whether you walk it alone or with a band of merry men, the infinite possibilities collide into the same point. All you shall meet will meet the same fate by the end of your blade. -- Anon Guest

Curse or doom? Knowing the foretelling can allow one to try to wriggle free of it. "All you shall meet will meet the same

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Challenge #04668-L284: A-Questing Again

The kobold Anthe.. who became Gikka, found herself reborn again with her former memories, sorta. A love of adventuring, an elven wizard, .. a cat. She met them again around age 15, but she was a part of an adventuring party of her own. She was their rogue, and was deeply loved and protected. Especially by the human, who had a bit of a crush on her, but respected and trusted her fully.

https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04396-l012-foundling-need -- Anon Guest

A

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Challenge #04666-L282: Room to Fly

A young human who could tell the gnome Bribrid was actually a dragon asked in a soft whisper. "Could I please have two small scales? I want to make my moms necklaces for their birthdays." He showed several very small pieces of metal already shaped similar to a butterfly's body. "My mom's wife has silver wings." The other necklace was already done, this one was a small blue and yellow agate shaped like a kitten. "And my mom loves cats." -- Anon

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Challenge #04663-L279: Desperate Measures

Lady Death goes by many names. The Goddess of Death, she listens to all. And when this Rogue, nearing the isle, called out her name and said At least you saw fit to let us through, she responded. "I have always watched over your kind. I am impartial, mostly. Though more of your kind deserve reward in the next life than many I have met, it seems. Allow me to be your patron, and I shall give you a boon."

To their

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Challenge #04661-L277: Heart of Hope

Fennel stayed until spring, and her companions stayed with her. She concentrated on only three things. Caring for her friends, learning new ways to help others from the guardian, and not dying.

The guardian, and her friends, had to keep reminding her that she came here to heal. After all, the seed did NOT actually create "heartless". It became a new heart. Heartless was simply a term used for those that allowed the heart to grow dark like blackened weeds, instead of

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Challenge #04660-L276: Take a Cup of Kindness

Greatfather Langeven visited the estate of a wealthy family, for he did not ignore any child, no matter the family's status. But there was a carefully wrapped box on the table next to the child's bed, and a little note, written in the child's own hand, well, helped by a staff member.

"I want no gifts, for I have plenty, but I thank you for your kindness. Please give my gifts to other children, and accept this gift from me to you.

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