Day 129 Writing Short Stories

Free

Tales of the gods and devils were all she had ever known. She had been birthed into a warrior, a killer, a weapon. Her whole body molded into perfection. She had known nothing else. Nothing but battlefields, cuts and bruises, and endless burns.

She sat on the ground. Her knees pressing against the castle stones. She tied her red hair into a bundle and watched the gods and their demons line up behind the barricades. She closed her eyes and slowed her heartbeat. Soon, she would have to let the barriers come down and face them for the people. She was never the chosen one, the child of the demons, and the prayer of the gods. She was born to free her people. Free them to choose their minds and hearts, as she was never granted.

She opened her eyes and watched other children like her, baptized in the fire and scriptures of science. Her brothers and sisters in arms stood up from their meditation. She followed them and took her place in the line. She took her stance, drawing her bow into her hands. The blade behind her back burned with curses meant to cut the flesh of the gods—gods made of greed and callousness.

The barrier dropped, and the roar of the demons declared that the victory would be decided here. If they fell, it would be over. Demons and their lords would have their way with her people. But if they won, there would be no gods. She would either have the freedom to not kill on command, or she would be dead, her soul tormented by her enemies for eternity to come.

She let her first arrow fly, blessed with the words of their mothers and fathers. It took down a demon, who wailed in agony as the blessings burned its skin.

—

I was pretty sure nothing would come. I feel a bit tired and not quite myself. Like my head is full of cotton. But I’m happy that I got something out of the prompt. Today, I got a conversational fantasy of rebirth written in omniscient third person. As always, I didn’t quite get all the parameters right, but as always, I’m happy I was able to create something.

I will be away for the weekend. There won’t be a prompt tomorrow either. I’m traveling up north to see my family and spend All Hallows’ Day with them, remembering my father.

Thank you for reading! Have a wonderful weekend and see you next week ❤