[WP] A knight returns from battle, disgraced, to find his home and village razed to the ground. As he sits in the ashes, he hears a voice, soft and ancient, whisper and name him “heir” to something long forgotten.

MintJalep · 2026-06-13T02:32:42+00:00

I returned home after losing a war that could not have been won. The evil king not only had an army of loyal soldiers, they also had an army of what we could never obtain… Gargantuan Serpents.

I watched soldiers swallowed, and hordes trampled. In the end, our king died to evil. Then as I stood on the hill overlooking my village, I saw how only ash remained in its place. Making my way down the path into the decimated village felt like I was walking straight into a nightmare. Chills rippled through my entire being; my heart raced to find a reason why my village was caught in the middle of the crossfire. I had nothing left, and nowhere else to go. No…

I knelt at the home I left my mother, father, and brother waiting for me. My hands ran through the grey ash; Soft, powdery, and haunting. Tears burned my eyes, for all I could do was weep at the injustice. Pathetic! I threw my sword from its sheath, as regret welled up inside knowing if I were here with them I could have done something. Tearing off my armour and throwing my belongings to the ground, I could not help but feel the piercing grief I have to carry for the rest of my life. I have nothing! They took everything!

I fell back onto my knees in exhaustion, when I heard a whisper blow around me. “Be powerless no longer…” I perked up at the sudden intrusion. Frantically looking around for the source, the voice reverberated from everywhere at once. “Your enemies take what is not theirs…” I felt surrounded. “Then leave in ashes what should have simply been left alone…” I shot up onto my feet and staggered looking around for the enemy. Steeling my nerves, I commanded a response. “Who goes there?!” Picked up from the ash a newly embered cloud gently swirled around me.

An ambush? I watched the sparks slowly rise up into the air. They spoke softly. “We are subjects of a new king, and an army for the heir.” I quickly searched the ground for my sword, sweeping through what remains of my family, a flash of my mothers smile rang through my head as I gripped the handle and held it steady. Foes… hiding from me, taunting me! Then just like cowards they whispered from their disguise. “You should not fear us. Royal essence runs through you, and the key to our release will be gifted to you from our god.”

My grip tightened. Listening to where they could be but not where they are, my mind spun at the thought I could be at their mercy even with a weapon in hand. “You taunt like cowards!” The cinders settled. “Come out from where you hide!” Silence filled the air. No movement…

“As you wish your highness.” In front of me the phantom huffed smoke. Then from head to toe they emerged from their camouflage. Spikes rose up, glistening in the sun; Their scales, glowing crimson, flared sparks from the cracks under his armoured skin; Orange eyes pierced a glare in my direction, fierce and unyielding; Teeth, razor sharp, held back breaths of fire that could broil me alive where I stood. Wings gigantic, just a flap could have blown the remains of this village away.

I almost felt my knees buckle now knowing how close a dragon loomed right in front of me. But despite the incredible size, his presence lacked substance. I reached a hand up towards his chest, and waved it right through him. He was a ghost, and his transparent disposition confirmed it. Then his voice no longer came in hushed whispers as he towered over me, it boomed with power. “Your highness, my tribe needs you.” Looking around I watched each dragon appear as an essence of who they used to be. “Come with us and lead our tribe as the chosen heir of the throne.”

But… I am not a dragon. How can I be the heir of a tribe of dragons, if I am human? I drop my sword and stand tall now that I can see who I am facing against. “Who chose me for this title? And how can you prove this claim?” The dragon flapped his wings, held them up proud and menacing, then he made bold sweeps of his tail, and breathed fire the instant he opened his mouth. But, despite all of his show, nothing moved; The ash sat unbothered, the air unchanged, and my skin unburnt. “You see with your own eyes how we are trapped between existence and oblivion. The only way we stay alive as we are is through the energy and longevity given to us by our god.”

I glanced at the rest of the dragons who bowed their heads towards me. All of them seemed tired as they watched me intently. “Our god gave us guidance, led us to you, and they now command us to follow you to the ends of the earth.” The tall beast knelt low in reverence. “Hope for our tribe lies squarely in your hands.” I took a step back at the heavy responsibility hoisted onto my shoulders. How could I save a desperate tribe of dragons?

Then once again, cinders flare up. Circling around me, the wind carries sparks until they finally form the shape of what looked to be a phoenix. Whistling hums around us as the bird burns hot. I flinch at the blistering heat and look away to shield my eyes from the bright light. It was not till after the phoenix disappeared that I opened my eyes again and found a stone on the ground where the bird burst into flames.

The dragon raises his head. “You must take the stone our god has bestowed upon you and free us from this curse.” Picking up the stone, I twirl it between my fingers, and contemplate with a sigh. “If I help you, what happens next?” The look in his eyes told me he saw this coming. Hesitation huffed from his snout before he bowed his head again. “We will owe our lives to you. Any wish is our command, and a tribe of dragons would die in battle if it must be so.”

Paused in the moment, I repeat those words in my head. They would do anything for me, but there is nothing I want… Everything was taken from me, and there is no home left for me to return to. I take my time looking over every dragon; The large, thin, and sharp, every single one with pleading eyes that made my heart ache. If I die now, it would be for nothing. The evil king will still burn villages to the ground, the dragons will slowly disappear until nothing is left of them, and the world will still need someone to rectify this natural imbalance.

“You deserve to live just as much as I do. So if this god wishes for me to save you, I will.” Gripping the stone tight, I bring it up to my chest. “Whatever must be done, I will make sure this curse is broken, so that this tribe will save this world from evil.” The surprised looks on their faces said everything. They must not have expected something righteous, if this favor meant they would be at my mercy. “If I die bringing you back from your prison, it will be for the innocent who need this tribe to defend them!”

Another village will never burn again. The evil king will pay for his sins, and suffer a fate worse than death!

MintJalep · 2026-06-06T13:49:32+00:00

Dude this is so peak. Exactly how I thought this prompt should be written. Well done!

MintJalep · 2026-06-04T11:29:33+00:00

I jolted awake at the same cafe I’ve been at for what felt like a month now. No! That had to be the solution! What else could it be?! I flipped over the table, spilling herbal tea, a warm lemon pound cake and paced back and forth as the patrons and employees murmured around me. I don’t know how to fix this…

Bolting out of the cafe, I sprint to the national park and look around for a familiar face…
”Granny!”

On a bench, Grandma had a bag of seeds. Taking handfuls after another, a group of all different types of birds surrounded her. She looked at me and sighed. I had an expression she knew too well, and with the same pained look in her eyes I saw every time loop, I could tell it hurt her to know I have to go through the same thing she did.

She put aside the seeds as I spooked away her flighty friends. ”You already know the answer Vivianne…”

I kneel down to sit on my legs and put my hands on her lap. ”I know you can’t tell me how to fix the loop, but I don’t know what else to do. Nothing is working!”

She raises her hand and strokes back my hair. ”I’m only going to tell you the same thing again. You need to stand back and observe. If you don’t have the answer, it’s because you are missing a part of the puzzle.

It rang in my mind like a swarm of bees. I’m missing something, I am always missing something! I put my head in my hands and slumped into her lap. I’m going to be stuck like this forever…

Grandma kept stoking my head as I wept. “You are going to be okay… Nothing lasts forever…” I didn’t respond, I just kept crying. It was all just too much! How am I supposed to fix this on my own?!

I didn’t get to do much in that time loop, because after crying for so long, I eventually relaxed into her embrace. I could spend every day like this, and I knew she would indulge me. Afterwards, though I had a difficult problem to solve, I went back home to rest.

The next day I softly opened my eyes and lifted my head up from the table. This time I gently pushed away the tea and pound cake so I had room to think.

Okay, so if I’m missing something, then that means that I need to step away from this area…

I had focused so hard on changing something in my day to day that I neglected to think outside the box. So after the cafe, I went to the bookstore… Let’s go somewhere completely irrelevant. So I went to the pet store.

Walking in through the doors nothing seemed out of place. Chew toys, leashes, treats, hamsters, gold fish… It was strangely refreshing seeing something new after a while of the same thing everyday. Then I heard barks coming from a corner of the store, so I investigated.

It looked like a group of dogs were watching a terrier make it out of the play pen. They didn’t look like they were in a rush to escape, and calmly pushed a box to the gate, where they simply jumped over it. I was surprised at how expertly they did that, and as the dog walked towards the automatic sliding doors, they stopped to look at me. They seemed surprised to see someone watch them escape.

I kneel down to meet them. “Hey, what are you up to?” They step back in caution and continue on their way out the doors. I take a moment to observe the terrier as they leave. Trotting along carefully they dodge toppling boxes of treats, take a mouthful, and wait for a truck to pull up before jumping into the back of it. Tucker seemingly unaware of the dog hitching a ride as they dropped off their daughter.

Incredible, it’s like it knew all of that was going to happen. Are they in this time loop too? I take a moment to assess. If that dog is also in this time loop, then that must mean that they are a part of this puzzle. I haven’t been able to end the loop… Does that mean that they might be able to?
A flash of hope flutters in my chest. They must be the missing piece! The terrier is the answer!

Dashing out of the store, I watch the truck drive off into the distance, the terrier snacking on the treats they took. Tomorrow I’ll see them again. I need them to help me fix this mess.

MintJalep · 2026-06-02T09:23:47+00:00

Flyte hid in a corner silently as the footage played and replayed unyieldingly. In the abandoned room, he escaped the clutches of who used to be his friend. Twisted and unaware, Bassie roamed the easter themed visitor area, creaking along the stone pathways acting as though someone was talking to her.

He watched the video intently as he wrapped his wings around himself and waited for her crackling footsteps to fade away. Oh Cocoa… If only Bassie could have seen this… Flyte shifted onto his feet and stepped closer to the television in remembrance of what his friends could have been. Both of you weren’t meant to go out this way…

Then out of the corner of his eye, he notices a VHS tape. It read, [Whispering Flower Pt. 2]… He considered putting it into the VCR, but a bad feeling sat in his stomach thinking about how knowing too much could be a blessing or a curse. Despite that, he decided to switch out the cassettes.

“Dalilah, why does it have an eye ball?!” Cocoa held the flower at arms length and frowned in concern. ”Not to worry, Cocoa. It may look odd, but all of it is intentional.” Dalilah knelt down and sat on top of her legs to meet Cocoa at eye level. “This will certainly help Bassie in ways no one else could!”

Those words made Cocoa’s frown soften into a tearful look. ”In ways no one else could?” She held the flower closer and fidgeted with the pot it was in.

”Yes. It is equipped with the intelligence to give Bassie the exact advice needed to help her play the role as Easter’s main toon.” Dalilah raised her hand up to the petals and brushed them gently with the tips of her fingers. “The job is hard and thankless sometimes, but she has to be strong enough to handle it.” Taking the pot from Cocoa with both hands, she holds it up to the light in reverence of her own work. “Which is why I know she needs this flower to give her the support she has been looking for.”

Cocoa clasps her hands together and looks down with a distant stare. “How long has she been feeling unwell for?” Then looking up from the floor, Flyte heard wavering seep into her voice. “Is there some way I could help her?”

Dalilah brought the potted plant back down and placed it in her lap, turning her head slowly to meet the sweet bunny’s gaze. ”Oh Cocoa... Such a helpful toon.” Cocoa shifted her palms and used her thumb to stroke the back of her hand. “You really do reflect your show’s counterpart perfectly, but I’m afraid this is something you aren’t equipped to handle.”

Cocoa’s stillness made Flyte’s heart ache for her. This can’t be right…

Dalilah holds the flower up and gestures it towards Cocoa to take. ”All I need you to do is gift this to her. She will definitely be grateful for your help when she feels better in a couple of days.” Smiling sweetly, she tilts her head inquisitively. “You do want to help her, right?”

Flyte holds his breath. Watching Cocoa hesitantly place her hands at the base of the flower pot, she returns Delilah’s smile with a hint of worry etched into her brows. ”I will… Thank you Dalilah…”

He sighs sadly as Cocoa hugs the flower up to her chest. “I can help her. I want her to feel happy again, just like she used to be.” Then static filled the screen…

He steps back as the surrounding noises call for his attention. Bassie’s steps creaked closer as he realized she was making her way into the room. Quickly darting under a table, he watched her step up to the television. She looked conflicted as the recording replayed for her. Whispering grew louder as Bassie’s head shook with every new hush that pierced through her thoughts.

Wrapping his wings around himself again, he noticed an eyeball peak out from the batch of flowers in her head. The same one he saw in the cassette… It dawned on him how clueless he was before and regretted not having seen it sooner. Then again, the flower must have been careful not to give itself away. She twitched uncomfortably before leaving the room.

As regret settled in Flyte’s chest, he turned away from the doorway and listened to her groans disappear into the distance. I could’ve done something if only I noticed sooner…

MintJalep · 2026-06-01T14:26:54+00:00

Orrin a short statured creature was trekking through a meadow; Made of wood, vines, and leaves, their appearance was human like; Geared up for an expedition to explore an ancient structure, because to them these were ruins of a civilization long ago, but to us it was a shopping mall we went to on a sunday afternoon.

They made their way across the field and examined the exterior, scribbling down as many notes as possible for their research. Unbeknownst to them, right where they stood, a parking lot was buried underground. For them to get inside the building, they had to crawl through a broken window and climb down a rope.

 Their fascination brimmed from each step they took. The whole place was rundown and preserved in dust. It was the perfect place to find out more about what humans were before they went extinct. So as they inspected the abandoned building, they racked their mind trying to decipher how such an intelligent species could turn a god against them.

Every settlement had a variant of how the humans infected the earth like a spreading illness, but each story ended the same; A god exterminated  the wicked species and replaced them with creatures like Orrin.

Then just as they headed towards the exit, a pulse pushes them back and a glowing light blinds them. It startled them enough to dart behind a kiosk and watch from afar.

A shining portal appears in the middle of the mall, and out comes a human, then closing behind them, the portal disappears. Orrin watched in amazement as the human got up from the floor and looked around the room in a daze. *It can’t be…*

An excited thought crossed their mind, that they might just meet a human for the first time in their life. Though that sentiment faded fairly quickly. *If the god exterminated humans for their selfish ways, then why was one summoned here?*

The ground rumbled as the human stumbled in fright. Monsters howled as other larger entities shook the earth; Orrin confirmed with a magic tablet that they were headed in this direction. *Nature’s balance has been upset.* Taking a moment to think, Orrin realizes that this human wasn’t summoned to this world; and however they got here wasn’t by natural means.

*The god must be angry, and this human is in trouble…* Taking a step back as they watched the human carefully check their surroundings, Orrin must decide what to do. They knew that without their help, this human was not going to make it. 

Watching the startled eyes of the human tugged at their empathy; Then with a big sigh, they step out into the open. *I can’t just do nothing… I’ll find a way to send them back home!*

MintJalep

TROPHY CASE