Instant Story

Challenge #04794-M045: Old or Bold

"I'm mean and tired. I break vainglory seekers and make them spit out regrets. So don't try me. I'm trying to get some actual rest now that I'm retired." -- Anon Guest

The trouble with being the best is all the egotistical neophytes trying to boost their way to the top of the mountain by besting the best. Which is tremendously annoying when that best person in question is trying to enjoy their retirement.

Hasryk the Kingslayer had learned this after a long career of defeating tyrants and helping better rulers take command. He had hoped to retire into obscurity on a small, self-sufficient farm on the outskirts of a village in the middle of nowhere. Hope was such a frail and fragile thing. Hasryk got to enjoy retirement for one week after moving in when the first braggart found him.

"So, the mighty kingslayer has come to this," would soon become fighting words.

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Challenge #04793-M044: Honourbound Duty

Fennel spent a few more months in the grove as her body adapted to its new heart and she recovered. The guardian taught her friends to be stronger, wiser, and more educated, and, when she was deemed strong enough, allowed to go with the guardian's blessing. To Bastion, they stated, "Remember, love is a rare flower, nurture it well." Then looked to Geesh. "Remember, not all treasures are the kind you can sell." To Halestaff, "Take care of this new little sapling,

Challenge #04792-M043: Graceful Assistance

They lost their sight to illness, severe cataracts formed from high fever, and could barely see more than the occasional shadows in the grey haze of their world. They met Wraithvine and Bibrid by accidentally bumping into them. Fortunately, neither was offended when asked if they could be touched so the being could see them. -- Anon Guest

Red-rash fever had put his world into a permanent fog. Barin could see light, and if he was close enough, the vague shapes of

Challenge #04791-M042: Unfamiliar to Some

The human was kind to all, no matter who they were, or what they were. It was tradition in their family that went back generations. So when the badly wounded, nearly unconscious, and very skittish, Kormwind IX was found on the ground in the nearby wood, they brought him into their home, bandaged the wounds, treated fever with medicine, and asked for nothing more than the occasional game of chess or checkers in the evenings if he felt up to it. --

Challenge #04790-M041: Deathsbane

Medicine is badly needed for burns, and nerves to be soothed. The forest fire was a bad one, even for the winter months. Though none were killed, there were many injured needing treatment. -- Anon Guest

Once again, the young ones were crying out against the tradition of living in trees. The fire was clear evidence that Elvenkind should -ha- branch out from inhabiting forests. Even if they had perfected the Yggdrassi for family dynasties and thus ended the conflict with the

Challenge #04788-M040: One Kharmic Realignment

You have to either be really lucky, or really, REALLY bad, to have Wraithvine happen to you. In this case, the child was in the bad category. Fortunately, the parents were teachable, and the kid was young. Spoiled, as the single child of wealthy families sometimes are, but still very young. So there was still time to remedy before .... more permanent solutions were considered.

https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04739-l355-birthday-wish -- Lessons

[AN: Also following on from https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/

Challenge #04788-M039: Passing Notes

"THERE you are you damn teuf!" The brightly dressed dandy of a young lord stomped over to Kormwind X and his party. Shoving a piece of paper in his hand, the dandy turns to storm off. "Drink with your reprobates later, get those supplies NOW!"

The note read, however, --My father's plotting to kill you, please flee town and stay safe.-- -- Anon Guest

There's fighting words, killing words, and fight-for-your-life words. Of the three 'teuf' is usually a clear signal

Challenge #04787-M038: Escape From Injustice

When everything goes wrong for our protagonist, he takes to the seas, hoping to find a new life far from home. But no one can ever really flee from one’s past. -- Deathshead419

"Oh lack-a-day lilly, got bit by the filly! The whole world is hating on me. And so I'm running off to sea!" -- Alfarell children's song.

Fairweather knew she had a stowaway. It wasn't as if there were a lot of hiding places on her old tub. Kid

Challenge #04786-M037: Aquanomicon

The urge is irresistible, the calling is too strong. No walls of a mental asylum nor any human guards can keep the chosen from the temple and witnessing the glory of the Lord Below…

[Sequel to: https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04558-l174-era-era-tourist-fhtagn ] -- Deathshead419

June 23, 2025.

Patient admitted with aural hallucinations. Attachment to item. Doctor's note - patient exhibits extreme alarm if anyone other than them approaches. Do not touch their comfort item.

Patient seems otherwise alert and aware of reality.

Challenge #04785-M036: The Price of Paradise

A village was once plagued by constant storms, swarms of locusts, and bandits harrying the fringes. Now an idol in the heart of town wards away the old travails, bringing good harvests and peace. All it asks for is the heart of a child once a year… -- Deathshead419

They had taken to sheltering in the caves when the worst of the weather hit. Huddled close to each other with any animals that had also done so. What crops had survived the

Challenge #04784-M035: The Island of Crabs

Ereshkigal has called Wraithvine to an island deep in the sea where nothing is going on. Inhabited by normal crabs, far from trade winds, no merfolk or shipwrecks in the vicinity, no more than background levels of magic. What is here that the Goddess is so insistent? -- Deathshead419

There's something people do to busy people that starts with, "While you're up," or, "While you're there," that will inevitably irritate the busy people in question. Gods do it too, but only to

Challenge #04783-M034: Unconsidered Wish

Another birthday, another visit from Wraithvine. Nimnae is sick and tired of the lessons, the trickery, of not getting anything out of the wishes. So Nimnae wishes that they would have the means of escaping this year no matter the cost.

[Sequel to https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04739-l355-birthday-wish -- Deathshead419

[AN: Wraithvine would have definitely hung around to make sure Nimnae learned ]

In the months between Lyala's birthday and Nimnae's, Wraithvine entered the local lord's household as a tutor. Promising to

Challenge #04782-M033: Extraordinary Evidence

After eighty years, humanity has returned to the Lunar surface again. At last we can begin digging under the regolith. Yet the first expedition runs into a little wrinkle when they excavate whale bones… -- Deathshead419

They thought they had thought of everything. Radiation shielding. Special equipment to snare that and the moon's static electricity and turn it into power. As well as the good, old-fashioned solar panels. Their habitat was proof against meteors big and small. Self-healing, or so the boffins

Challenge #04781-M032: Power of Belief

Mavis has made her escape with various Board Apes and gold jewelry pilfered from her cultists. A flawless escape, save for one hiccup: the Great Yogi Upadya Nirmanka is real and has no need for early wealth, only the mind, body, and soul of a disciple…

[Sequel to: https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04738-l354-the-vanishing-mystic -- Deathshead419

Belief is an incredibly weird thing. It's why placebos work on patients. It's all in the presentation. Their glorious leader Suma Loma had shown them the

Challenge #04780-M031: Gifted a Curse

Whilst perusing a market, Waithvine’s companion hands hir a small statuette of an odd winged God. Nothing seemed to be odd about it, but, when ze handed it back, and statuette soon reappeared in hir pocket. Try as ze might, it always returns, while the merchant who sold it is long gone and the mysterious curse grows ever tighter… -- Deathshead419

Wraithvine had grown used to Girrautuvit sticking her hands in hir pockets. She had yet to learn that it was

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Flash fiction fresh from my fingers to your mind!

Challenge #04794-M045: Old or Bold

Challenge #04793-M044: Honourbound Duty

Challenge #04792-M043: Graceful Assistance

Challenge #04791-M042: Unfamiliar to Some

Challenge #04790-M041: Deathsbane

Challenge #04788-M040: One Kharmic Realignment

Challenge #04788-M039: Passing Notes

Challenge #04787-M038: Escape From Injustice

Challenge #04786-M037: Aquanomicon

Challenge #04785-M036: The Price of Paradise

Challenge #04784-M035: The Island of Crabs

Challenge #04783-M034: Unconsidered Wish

Challenge #04782-M033: Extraordinary Evidence

Challenge #04781-M032: Power of Belief

Challenge #04780-M031: Gifted a Curse