This is an original, free short story written and illustrated by Alex Inglewood,
with help from GPT-3 and Stable Diffusion
For ages 10+
Estimated reading time: 10 minutes
The Heroes
Puck, Ranger and Mystra are three unlikely heroes who have come together to make a difference in the world. Puck is a young paladin on a quest for justice, Ranger is an expert tracker with a heart for revenge, and Mystra is an experienced mage who always puts her team first. These three unlikely comrades-in-arms have formed a strong bond over their many adventures together, overcoming impossible odds time and again.
Stories around the Fire
“So there we were, surrounded by a horde of zombies,” Mystra began, her eyes twinkling in the firelight. “I knew we were doomed unless I could think of something fast.”
“What did you do?” Puck asked eagerly, hanging on every word. He had always looked up to Mystra and admired her strength and courage.
“Well, I cast a powerful spell that destroyed all the zombies,” she replied matter-of-factly. “But it also created this massive explosion that leveled half the city!”
Ranger laughed heartily at this story, shaking her head in amusement. “That sounds like something you would do,” she said fondly. It was true – Mystra was always making things more complicated than they needed to be… but that was part of what made her so special (and so frustrating) to Ranger. She loved Mystra dearly and wouldn’t trade their adventures together for anything in world – even if it did mean putting up with the occasional explosion.
The Call to Adventure
As the heroes sat around their fire, a strange man suddenly appeared out of the darkness. He was tall and thin, with long black hair that fell into his eyes. He wore a tattered cloak and carried a staff in one hand. Mystra immediately tensed up, her hand going to her wand as she prepared to defend herself and her friends if necessary.
“Who are you?” she demanded in a strong voice, holding the stranger’s gaze steady with her own. “What do you want?”
The man did not answer for several moments, seeming to be lost in thought. Finally he spoke: “I have come seeking your help,” he said pleadingly.” My village is being terrorized by a group of bandits – they’ve been burning homes and robbing us blind! We can’t take it anymore… please, won’t you help us?”
The stranger’s story touched the heroes’ hearts, and they immediately agreed to help. They had always been drawn to acts of justice, and this was no exception. They quickly packed up their belongings and set off into the night, eager to put an end to the bandits’ reign of terror. Mystra cast a light spell to guide their way through the darkness, leading them towards their destiny.
As they approached the bandit camp, the heroes could hear shouting and laughter coming from within. It was clear that these criminals were enjoying themselves at the expense of others – something that only made the heroes more determined to put a stop to their reign of terror. Mystra cast a spell to cloak them in invisibility, and they crept closer until they were right outside the bandits’ tents. Then, under cover of darkness, they launched their attack.
The Fight against the Bandits
Puck rushed forward, his sword drawn. He slashed at the first bandit he saw, catching him off guard and wounding him deeply. The man cried out in pain and staggered backwards, clutching his stomach.
Ranger nocked an arrow and let it fly, taking down another bandit who was trying to escape. The arrow pierced his heart and he fell to the ground with a thud, dead before he even knew what hit him.
Mystra conjured a bolt of lightning from thin air and hurled it into the midst of the bandits! It struck two men simultaneously, electrocuting them both instantly. They collapsed to the ground writhing in agony as they were consumed by Mystra’s magic.
The bandits were taken completely by surprise and the heroes had the upper hand at first. However, there were simply too many of them and eventually they began to overwhelm the adventurers. Mystra was knocked unconscious by a blow to the head, Puck was disarmed and surrounded, and Ranger’s arrows ran out before she could take down all her targets. The next thing they knew, they were being tied up with rope and thrown into one of the tents…
Captured
The bandit captain laughed triumphantly as he stood over the captured heroes. “Well, well,” he sneered. “Look what we have here! It seems like our little trap caught us some big fish this time.” He paced back and forth in front of them, making sure they could see the smug look on his face.
“I’ve been thinking about what to do with you,” the captain continued, his voice taking on a more sinister tone. “And I think I’ve come up with the perfect solution: we’re going to sacrifice you to the dragon!” The others bandits cackled at this announcement, clearly delighting in the thought of seeing these adventurers roasted alive. “We owe her some morsels anyway.” he quipped.
The bandits tied the heroes to a sturdy post in front of the dragon’s cave and then retreated to a safe distance. Mystra was coming to, but she was still groggy from the blow to her head. Puck and Ranger were both awake and alert, taking in their situation with dawning horror. There was no way out this time – they were going to be eaten alive!
The Dragon
Suddenly, a deafening roar echoed through the cave and the ground trembled as something massive began to stir. The heroes’ eyes widened in terror as they saw the dragon emerge from its den. It was a huge, ferocious creature with gleaming red scales and razor-sharp claws. Smoke poured from its nostrils as it glared down at them hungrily.
Just as the dragon was about to strike, Mystra finally regained her senses and unleashed a powerful spell. A blast of blinding light from her wand and struck the dragon in the face, causing it to roar in pain and stagger back.
The bandits had all been watching and been blinded as well. This gave Puck and Ranger enough time to break free from their bonds and make a run for it. The three of them barely made it into the forest before the dragon recovered and began devouring the bandits instead. They breathed a collective sigh of relief as they realized that – once again – they had narrowly escaped death.
After the dragon had finished its feast, the heroes made their way back to the village. The villagers were overjoyed to see them and quickly gathered up whatever belongings they could carry. Mystra used her magic to transport everyone back to safety – far away from the reach of those barbarous bandits. They would never bother this village again.
As they rested in the safety of the village, the heroes reflected on all that had happened. They had faced impossible odds and triumphed against all odds – but it was only through working together that they had been able to achieve this victory.
“I guess we make a pretty good team,” Mystra said with a weary smile. “Even if we do tend to attract trouble.”
“That’s certainly true,” Ranger agreed with a chuckle. “But I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
