Random Short Stories

Stories I write to keep my art skills sharp

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(Art by Maewix on Twitter/X, currently suspended)

"My music is my soul, and I love to share it with whoever stops to listen."

"Of course, most stop to stare at first, but I don't mind. In the end, everyone stays for my art and not for my looks. I love the sensation of being the center of attention, and making everyone enjoy themselves helps give my life a purpose."

"When I'm not learning new stories or writing new ballads, I like to spend my evenings in taverns or even on public squares, just playing and making myself known. The fact that I'm a goblin who isn't attacking everyone at random helps with the shock factor."

"It was difficult at first, but my passion for music quickly took me through the hardest aspects of life. Now I spend most of my nights on presentations, working my fingers quickly up and down while I blow onto my flute to make the most beautiful melodies I could ever think."

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(Picture from Pinterest)

The other fairies don't like to be around me.

Hypocrites. They're always saying that it doesn't matter how you look or how your magic looks, all fairies are equal and all of them are perfect just the way they are. But just because I don't enjoy their colorful lifestyle, my wings are black and my magic looks moody, they prefer to keep me away.

I'm not like this because I choose to! I'm being punished for just being who I really am!

And I even tried to fit in. I tried colorful dresses, tried to cheer up my spells... But it's part of my nature! A snake can't fly just by really trying.

I'm tired of their prejudice. I'm tired of being hated for no reason. So I'll give them a reason to hate me.

The other fairies don't like to be around me. But when I'm done, there will be nobody else to be around me.

[randomshorties]

(Art from Pinterest)

Here was I, arriving finally at my home. I hate those long trips, but I need to take our produce to the capital to sell it easily, to get the gold we need to take care of our family.

"Mommy, look! Daddy's home!" "Daddy, daddy!" "Darling, welcome home!"

My dear wife, Sheila, was walking to our cows to get some milk. It's so good to be back this early, both my love and my girls look incredible under the early morning sunshine.

"I'm back, you three. Finally..." "How was the capital? Did you get a good price in our produce?" "This trip was so fortunate, we'll be able to save some gold to build a new warehouse for next year..."

I get on my knees to hug all my family, in a loving embrace. My relatives called me insane when I married a halfling, but I wouldn't choose anyone else but Sheila. And as proof of our love, we're the proud parents of two incredibly beautiful girl. I lost my train of thought while looking at them.

"Something's bothering you, dear?" "Oh, no no, Sheila. I was just looking at our girls... they're so pretty, I'm glad they look like you." "Aw, daddy, but you're cute too!" "Even if you are twice mommy's size..." "Denise!" Sheila always blushed hard when anyone mentioned how taller I am. "But it's true!" "Denise, dear... Your mother is a little sensitive about it. Don't mention our sizes."

I know exactly why she blushes when compared to my size. And it's not simply because I'm taller, I'm sure... but the girls don't need to know it. They're still just children.

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(Art from Pinterest)

It was immense! The underground of the old castle ruins at the hill were intrincate and huge!

The details on the walls and ceiling! Such delicate and detailed sculpting, almost as if made by elves. And even after centuries it still stands! I wouldn't believe it was still there if I didn't see it for myself...

At some spots, you could even see some paintings on the ceiling. Angels among the clouds, with silky robes and magical glimmer on their wings. And there even was one wielding a sword painted with fire for its blade!

And so much treasure! Not gold or jewels, but ancient furniture and equipment. So much to study and understand how those "humans" from aeons before my people lived. I need to bring my professors here, they will not believe what I found!

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(Received via Telegram, artist on the picture)

They thought I would die on the sea. They raised a mutiny and launched me, their then captain, into the coastal waters. But Lady Luck is my lover, and I managed to reach the beach and save my skin. Had to do some small robberies, small thefts and small scams to get some coin.

I had to do anything I needed to survive. Now I have a new crew and a new ship, the Death's Shadow. Tonight, we party and celebrate, for tomorrow will be the debut sailing of our crew. Tomorrow, we'll sail the seas hunting for my old crew, in search of dealing to them their just reward for their treason.

They thought I would die on the sea. They were wrong.

[randomshorties]

(Received via Telegram, artist unknown)

I ride.

And I hunt.

Their bounty are their death sentences. I've seen bandits block and dodge punches and knives, but I'll be damned if I one day see a guy somehow evade a bullet.

And these bullets have their names written on them. The Spencer Brothers, they already stole thousands of dollars from banks everywhere. They used dynamite to cause distractions and invade the banks, grab cash bags and escape by horse until reaching the railroad and jumping onto a moving train. No matter what people think of those pendejos, they're bold.

But I am bolder. I've been tracking them for weeks, and I'm now looking at their current hideout, a small hut in the middle of nowhere, almost at the Mexican border...

And they won't get to live any longer. Their bounty are their death sentences.

And I am the executioner.

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(Art from Pinterest)

"Geez, this cat can be so annoying sometimes!"

"I've been traveling with her for the past two years, don't know why really! She's clingy, too curious for her own sake, and when she drinks she gets like that!"

"Leave her? I can't! I'm not proud of the reasons, but I am in her debt, so I must travel with her until I repay this debt! You wouldn't get it, my pride as a knight would be shattered!"

"Don't speak nonsense, I am not in love with her! She's vulgar and too friendly with anyone, don't you go saying she likes me that way just because she was hugging me and rubbing her face onto mine! ... What, that's how cats show affection?" He looks at her, softly blushing. "I'm sure it's just the alcohol speaking through her!"

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(Art from Pinterest)

Lady Jenny Valenmier, also known as the Warm Knight due to her bright orange hair and brass armor, is uneasy during these diplomatic events. The castle seems safe, with no dangers around, and this sense of peace that reigns over the courts pushes her mind into thinking any danger may go unnoticed. She's wary to every new face, every unknown name, and without her sword she feels in a disadvantage. At least she's not feeling naked, as she's still wearing her full set of armor.

Why is she in the castle instead of commanding her troops in the battlefield or helping training the new soldiers in headquartes? She was invited to receive the Medal of Valor, for stopping single-handedly two enemy squads and holding them back until reinforcements reached the frontier where they fought.

But now, surrounded by nobles and politicians, and fake smiles backed by faker pleasantries, Lady Valenmier feels in much more danger than the center of battlegrounds. She takes a deep breath and hides her anxiety with a serious expression, and walks back inside the castle, so the ceremony can be concluded quickly. All she hopes is that she'll be back into battle by the first sunlight next day.

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(Art by WLOP on ArtStation)

We return from battle. A fierce, gruesome battle against the hordes of the Dark Lord, who now lays defeated and slain by the group of heroes our kingdom was supporting. We could've never returned, but we're back. Bearing scars and wounds that could've drive any regular person mad, but we're victorious. We fought for the known world, to protect what we know and what is beautiful and pure. Just knowing the kids of today now can grow up and become the adults of tomorrow in a safe world is enough for me.

While we march back into the capital, in our way to the headquarters, the people cheer and welcome us back. A small girl comes at us while holding with who I believe is her mother. On their faces, hopeful and thankful smiles, and on the kid's hand a small white flower.

The pair comes up to me, and I try to hide the broken side of my helmet from them. I don't want them to see my wounded face, but I can't keep my face hidden after she extends her arm and offer me the flower. "Thank you, soldier", she sair with a shy voice, "thank you for keeping us safe." I smiled back, but she couldn't see it.

"No need to thank me, kid", I said back. She probably is older than me, but being an elf she's obviously just a child on her first century. "Just did what anyone would." I pick the flower from her hand and stick it in a small dent on my helmet, close to the unwounded eye. I did my best not to stain her or the flower with my blood, and now the pain from my wounds don't even bother me.

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(Art from Pinterest)

The battle is over. Our army emerged victorious, however our men are almost all dead. I, myself, have an enormous gash on my stomach and others on all my joints. I can't see my own blood while mixed with the dark waters of this muddy swamp, but I can feel it flowing hot out of me, and my own body getting colder quickly... My time has come, but at least I helped my king to win this war that has fallen upon us.

I look to one side, there is another soldier screaming in pain while holding his own leg, cut off right above the knee. I look to the other side, there are corpses impaled by spears into the ground. I look down, my own sword is still in my grip, but the blade is broken.

We won... but at what cost?

[randomshorties]

(Art from Pinterest)

Our pack has crossed vast distances. Our pack follows a scent. A scent familiar, but foreign at the same time. It smells like one of us, but at the same time it smells like human.

Everyone is scared. Males, females, cubs, there isn't a single one of us that don't show concern about this scent. But we must find it. We must make sure it stays with the pack.

Because if it escapes the pack, the chance that it goes frenzy and attack other humans is very real. And if that happens, the humans will hunt packs. Our pack and others as well.

Because humans are even more scared than us, and we've seen what humans can do to us when they're scared.

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(Art by Jeehyung Lee on ArtStation)

By ourselves, we hunt our prey. He is an outlaw, a criminal, fugitive of the royal guard, trying to lose them in the forest. Sadly for him, he fell into our territory - these woods are our domain.

My ears and eyes are perfectly adapted to these conditions, and I can hear a cat landing on the soft grass almost a mile away. And my faithful companion, Onyx, her sense of smell is even more powerful... it's impossible to escape us when we hunt together.

The gold reward means nothing to us. The forest gives us all we need to survive - well, almost everything. We get our essentials here - water, food, shelter, all that we need from outside is the challenge. And that's why we bounty hunt.

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(Art by Mossa on Twitter/X)

"It's already past 10pm. Won't you come to bed, darling?"

I've recently married the most absolutely gorgeus, loving and adorable woman in the whole world. The fact she's an elf has nothing to do with it... I've met her by chance, in a store where I was looking for a new tie and she was looking for fabrics. It was basically love at first sight... but we took it slow. Well, for human standards, at least. We've been dating for almost 10 years before I proposed, and we waited one more year before we tied the know.

"Sorry, honey, I have to finish these reports before they're late, they're needed for after tomorrow. I promise I won't take long."

Listening to her sweet voice is so peaceful. It makes me feel powerful enough to face anything, knowing I have my wife by my side. It even gives me energy and the willpower to withstand poor bosses until I surpass them.

"Why don't you do that tomorrow? I've been thinking..." I finally look up at her, and I see she's wearing that cape she used to wear before coming to the human cities. ONLY the cape. She smiles and winks playfully. "... maybe we could try for kids."

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(Art by Rose Characters on Facebook)

An angel right in front of me? In the middle of... nowhere? What kind of hallucination is this giant white void? Am I dead? What is happening?

"Fear not, noble human.", she speaks, pulling me from my deep thoughts. "You are not dead, you were just chosen by our god."

She's... blushing? "Wait... Chosen? For what? And why me?" "You were chosen for you abilities. Our god has seen your achievements in countless different worlds, and has chosen you as the Hero from another world to help liberate ours."

"Abilities? I don't have any, I just push paper in an office and play videogames on my spare time! ... wait." It suddenly dawns on me. "Are you talking about the games I've completed 100%?"

"Indeed. You've amassed a very impressive collection of abilities in all those worlds you've saved."

"But all of that was fiction! I can't shoot, I can't use a sword, I can't use magic, I can't even ride a bycicle!"

The angel raises a hand, and it's glowing. "Worry not, noble human. All those skills are still inside of you, you just need..." She points her finger to me, and that glow jumped from her hand to surround me. "... to awaken them."

I... have no idea what she did to me. But I can feel it... I don't know how, but now I know how to do all those things I've said I can't do. I can feel the power running though my veins!

"Please, hear our plea. Help us liberate the world, as the prophecy foretold." She walks closer, really closer, now I could touch her if I just reach out with my hand. "If you do it, we'll be forever in your debt."

A green circle starts glowing under me, shining up a very bright light. I can feel something happening. "Wait! Who are you? What is this?"

"If you succeed in your mission, I swear by my name, Maion, that I'll personally reward you with whatever you desire that's in my power."

The green circle under me now is formed by thorny vines that start wrapping me up from my legs. It doesn't hurt, but the sensation is... weird.

[randomshorties]

(Art by Madyaxx on Instagram)

I wasn't expecting that. During my nightly walk, a gigantic gorgeous woman, with short pointy ears, seductive yellow eyes, small black horns sprouting from amidst long silvery hair and wearing what I can only describe as a tiny white swimsuit catches easily my attention. She is laying down on the air, but it's as if she's on a bed, resting on her arm, the other hand brushing away her hair from her face. And what a face... I just stand there, shocked and enthralled by this apparition. So into it I even forgot what made me so upset I had to go out for a walk in the middle of the night.

"You look lonely..." She says to me, leaning forward a little. Her voice is soothing and seductive, and the movement pushes her sweet scent to me. "I can fix that. ♥" And she winks at me. I can feel my heart skip some beats, is this some kind of hallucination? Am I dreaming? I kick the curb and feel the pain the concrete slammed against my toes... okay, this is no dream. She frowns a bit when I do that, showing some worry about me. "Please don't do that, you might hurt yourself."

Okay, I can believe this is happening. "Wh... what do you want?" That's the best I can say to her? My brain apparently melted... She giggles, pointing gently to me. "You silly human."

A heavy cloud of pink smoke covers her image and wraps around me as well. The smoke cloud swirls and shrinks until covering just me, and then vanishes, showing that same woman standing right in front of me. Even after shrinking to human size, she towers over me easily, almost a foot taller. And she's not wearing that swimsuit anymore, now she wears an exuberant and flowing white dress.

"I spent centuries travelling through the worlds, looking for the right person. And I believe I found this person..." She pokes my chest with her fingertip. "And for my luck, it seems you are also looking for the right person."

[randomshorties]

(Art by Rose Characters on Facebook)

The dragon lady, with her serpentine body and human-like torso, looks into my eyes. I... don't know what exactly I feel under such a powerful gaze. But I know exactly what I don't feel. Fear.

Many legends and myths say that dragons instill utter terror into men's hearts, but I don't fear her. I feel... at peace? No, that's not it... I feel relaxed, almost joyful. Is this some kind of trick so her prey, me, can't escape and she can devour me more easily?

"Fear not, human." Her voice sounds melodic, but almost sad. My first instinct, as soon as my body gets back to moving, is to drop my spear by my side, almost tossing it away. Her voice has not a single drop of agression. "I can see the wounds that hurt your body, from the last battle. They are not life threatening, but you will not be able to fend for yourself until you heal them properly."

Her scaly tail, with her dorsal crest waving almost like flames, pushes me deeper into her cave on the face of the mountain, away from the storm and from the battlefield, now quiet from the battle that I survived. "Rest properly, take the time your physical body needs to heal properly. Until then..." she swirls around me, so I can look into her compassionate eyes, with an expression that looks eerily like a mixture of happiness and sadness. "Until then, let me help soothe and heal the mental scars and psychological wounds that your soul carry. I can't see them, but my heart can feel it."

I tried to interject, to ask why she's doing this, but she pressed a finger over my lips to silence me. "I don't enjoy any kind of violence, unlike the tales you may have heard about my kind. And I love life. That's why I want you to recover, so you can return to your loved ones and help their hearts rest properly... unlike mine."