Very Short Stories for the Toy Soldier Saga -- November 2021
As seen in
01/11/2021
The Star-Pilot thought the painting perfectly captured the #inscape of starfaring. The feeling of flying, the sense of mystery, the Void awakening... yes, this was the greatest work of art they had ever seen.
The dwarven miner squinted at the fancy starstuff. #Inane, he thought.
The dwarven miner squinted at the fancy starstuff. #Inane, he thought.
02/11/2021
The news was a grim #foreshadowing.
Messengers flying. Her father and sister deep in talks with their advisors. Her husband in closed-door council with the rest of the Admiralty.
Her children's curiosity.
A #passel of worries nestled in familiar places in Selene'sl heart.
War?
Messengers flying. Her father and sister deep in talks with their advisors. Her husband in closed-door council with the rest of the Admiralty.
Her children's curiosity.
A #passel of worries nestled in familiar places in Selene'sl heart.
War?
03/11/2021
Shaundar screamed himself awake again.
He pinched the bridge of his nose, glad the Captain had given him private quarters instead of a Star-Pilot's bunk. #Lenient of her. Otherwise, he'd keep everyone awake with his nightmares. He sighed. Good thing he didn't #sleepwalk.
He pinched the bridge of his nose, glad the Captain had given him private quarters instead of a Star-Pilot's bunk. #Lenient of her. Otherwise, he'd keep everyone awake with his nightmares. He sighed. Good thing he didn't #sleepwalk.
04/11/2021
#Ad-libbing, Shaundar did well. Not #sugarcoating. "I'm sorry. She's dead."
Yathar looked at him with eyes of glass. "Cover blown?"
"Yes, but blown by her murder, not because of it." "Is that why you made a show of-"
Shaundar nodded. "Not an assassination. An execution."
Yathar looked at him with eyes of glass. "Cover blown?"
"Yes, but blown by her murder, not because of it." "Is that why you made a show of-"
Shaundar nodded. "Not an assassination. An execution."
05/11/2021
Around the #campfire, the crew enjoyed #camaraderie. Khris told a story. Quicksilver sang a traditional elven ballad.
Maybe Quick was trying to draw Shaundar out. She was like that.
But the #disconnect was even worse since the war. He didn't belong anywhere.
He drank in silence.
Maybe Quick was trying to draw Shaundar out. She was like that.
But the #disconnect was even worse since the war. He didn't belong anywhere.
He drank in silence.
06/11/2021
#Snowflakes drifted gently over the cinders of the battlefield, like something out of a twisted #fairytale.
Even the total surrender of the goblins had failed to #propitiate the elves.
Shaundar's rage melted the snow as soon as it touched his body. This wasn't right.
Even the total surrender of the goblins had failed to #propitiate the elves.
Shaundar's rage melted the snow as soon as it touched his body. This wasn't right.
07/11/2021
The thrum of the spindizzy engine was soothing. #Soporific. Maybe if he laid down for just a moment...
Bloody #fingerprints streaked the rail. He and his axe fell to join the ship's crew.
Their blood, or his? He would never know. But his father's death had been #answered.
Bloody #fingerprints streaked the rail. He and his axe fell to join the ship's crew.
Their blood, or his? He would never know. But his father's death had been #answered.
08/11/2021
Tyelatae had a reputation as a #spitfire, so it was no surprise when she stood up on a table in an Alfar bar to argue with them all.
"He's a #demagogue!" cried the barkeep.
"He's also right," she retorted, "so I'm voting for him anyway."
She stormed out, stomping the #primroses.
"He's also right," she retorted, "so I'm voting for him anyway."
She stormed out, stomping the #primroses.
09/11/2021
Shaundar loved everything about this tiny, weird world; its #truncated, #retrograde orbit through the system, its ever-shifting auroras, its spectacular, gleaming surface of iridescent starmetal.
It was just too bad that spacefarer #avarice was going to destroy it.
It was just too bad that spacefarer #avarice was going to destroy it.
10/11/2021
The war was over. No doubt an elf wearing orc armour had to have quite a #saga to share.
But he wasn't a skald. He didn't know how to sing for his supper.
A #bevy of stargulls rose up as he approached the docks hunting for scraps, while #hunger gnawed a hole in his belly.
But he wasn't a skald. He didn't know how to sing for his supper.
A #bevy of stargulls rose up as he approached the docks hunting for scraps, while #hunger gnawed a hole in his belly.
11/11/2021
A lone Starseed ship lay #dormant, buffeted by the #lenity of the Airt currents in the Void.
Her #steadfast crew lay silent, frozen in time at the moment they fell. Only bones remained.
She inexorably drifted home to her port-of-call, as she would for millennia yet.
Someday...
Her #steadfast crew lay silent, frozen in time at the moment they fell. Only bones remained.
She inexorably drifted home to her port-of-call, as she would for millennia yet.
Someday...
12/11/2021
"I don't have much faith left, Quick," Shaundar admitted.
Quicksilver just smiled. "You've told me how Star-Piloting #edifies you."
"Is that faith?"
"Sure. You don't need belief in #hypothetical gods to be touched by the #enigma of creation."
Shaundar's eyes shone with wonder.
Quicksilver just smiled. "You've told me how Star-Piloting #edifies you."
"Is that faith?"
"Sure. You don't need belief in #hypothetical gods to be touched by the #enigma of creation."
Shaundar's eyes shone with wonder.
13/11/2021
"I can't say I don't have some #qualms about this," Shaundar told the desperate woman.
"Please," she #implored.
Shaundar sighed. Yes, he was a soldier, and a trained assassin for his empire. His #craft was death. But he was not about to murder someone on one person's say-so.
"Please," she #implored.
Shaundar sighed. Yes, he was a soldier, and a trained assassin for his empire. His #craft was death. But he was not about to murder someone on one person's say-so.
14/11/2021
The boys were keeping #grisly trophy necklaces of teeth now, as orcs did. Most thought it was to steel their #resolve in their quest for vengeance.
But for Shaundar it was to invoke selective #amnesia -- to forget who he was and the awful memories that had brought him here.
But for Shaundar it was to invoke selective #amnesia -- to forget who he was and the awful memories that had brought him here.
15/11/2021
The Cosmic Tree was torn apart by gravitational forces. To a distant observer, its light was forever swallowed by a dark maw.
But a #plume of Starseeds escaped the Dark Star and sailed on an Airt-current #highway into the nearby #wormhole .
Life would go on.
But a #plume of Starseeds escaped the Dark Star and sailed on an Airt-current #highway into the nearby #wormhole .
Life would go on.
16/11/2021
"Can't you keep a uniform clean for 10 minutes, Sunfall"
Shaundar glared at the professor. "Wouldn't want you to think I cared about cleanliness, sir."
"Don't be #facetious," he growled. "I will not #normalize your behaviour. You can join me tonight for detention."
17/11/2021
The orc leaders considered the nation Alasia, the reason the elves had such a stronghold in the system.
'What about their #neighbours ? Those dragon-people?"
"The allyri?" The High Chief rubbed his chin. "Sure, let's see if they're willing to #negotiate to deal with them for us."
18/11/2021
"There's no #shame in #amity ," Quicksilver reassured Shaundar.
"Even with orcs? We've been at war for millennia." Would his people think of him as a traitor?
"Yes. And maybe it's time we stopped fighting. Maybe you can show us the way."
19/11/2021
Shaundar could have told the Navy that #draconian methods would get nowhere with the proud Balorian orcs. They would dig in; fight back; stubborn it out.
But then, no one had bothered to #consult him about it. He was a mere Lieutenant, after all - and a disgraced one at that.
20/11/2021
His #trepidation was palpable. "You...want to give me a job."
"Sure!" said Molly. "Room and board plus some spending money. Even the world's oldest profession needs security." She winked. "I'd think twice before starting trouble with you!"
Shaundar smiled. "You're very #kind."
21/11/2021
Shaundar was #stuck between Airts in a deadly calm. For a moment he panicked.
Then he sank deeper into the Star-Pilot's trance. He sought the Starseed's voice; universal, #univocal.
*Where do I go?*
The Starseed showed him a ripple in space. If he lifted his wing just so...there!
22/11/2021
Shaundar watched his sister #roister with her #spouses and the other privateers. She'd lost her whole world too, he thought to himself. Why was she so much better at getting on with her life than he was?
He shot back another rum.
23/11/2021
The Alfar #enclave exposed his #vulnerability. He might look like them, but he was nothing like them anymore. They had nothing in common, except a noble's famous name and a history of emotional repression.
Fuck it. He was going back to the dockyards, where he belonged.
24/11/2021
"Can't you keep a uniform clean for 10 minutes, Sunfall"
Shaundar glared at the professor. "Wouldn't want you to think I cared about cleanliness, sir."
"Don't be #facetious," he growled. "I will not #normalize your behaviour. You can join me tonight for detention."
Shaundar glared at the professor. "Wouldn't want you to think I cared about cleanliness, sir."
"Don't be #facetious," he growled. "I will not #normalize your behaviour. You can join me tonight for detention."
17/11/2021
The orc leaders considered the nation Alasia, the reason the elves had such a stronghold in the system.
'What about their #neighbours ? Those dragon-people?"
"The allyri?" The High Chief rubbed his chin. "Sure, let's see if they're willing to #negotiate to deal with them for us."
'What about their #neighbours ? Those dragon-people?"
"The allyri?" The High Chief rubbed his chin. "Sure, let's see if they're willing to #negotiate to deal with them for us."
18/11/2021
"There's no #shame in #amity ," Quicksilver reassured Shaundar.
"Even with orcs? We've been at war for millennia." Would his people think of him as a traitor?
"Yes. And maybe it's time we stopped fighting. Maybe you can show us the way."
"Even with orcs? We've been at war for millennia." Would his people think of him as a traitor?
"Yes. And maybe it's time we stopped fighting. Maybe you can show us the way."
19/11/2021
Shaundar could have told the Navy that #draconian methods would get nowhere with the proud Balorian orcs. They would dig in; fight back; stubborn it out.
But then, no one had bothered to #consult him about it. He was a mere Lieutenant, after all - and a disgraced one at that.
But then, no one had bothered to #consult him about it. He was a mere Lieutenant, after all - and a disgraced one at that.
20/11/2021
His #trepidation was palpable. "You...want to give me a job."
"Sure!" said Molly. "Room and board plus some spending money. Even the world's oldest profession needs security." She winked. "I'd think twice before starting trouble with you!"
Shaundar smiled. "You're very #kind."
"Sure!" said Molly. "Room and board plus some spending money. Even the world's oldest profession needs security." She winked. "I'd think twice before starting trouble with you!"
Shaundar smiled. "You're very #kind."
21/11/2021
Shaundar was #stuck between Airts in a deadly calm. For a moment he panicked.
Then he sank deeper into the Star-Pilot's trance. He sought the Starseed's voice; universal, #univocal.
*Where do I go?*
The Starseed showed him a ripple in space. If he lifted his wing just so...there!
Then he sank deeper into the Star-Pilot's trance. He sought the Starseed's voice; universal, #univocal.
*Where do I go?*
The Starseed showed him a ripple in space. If he lifted his wing just so...there!
22/11/2021
Shaundar watched his sister #roister with her #spouses and the other privateers. She'd lost her whole world too, he thought to himself. Why was she so much better at getting on with her life than he was?
He shot back another rum.
23/11/2021
The Alfar #enclave exposed his #vulnerability. He might look like them, but he was nothing like them anymore. They had nothing in common, except a noble's famous name and a history of emotional repression.
Fuck it. He was going back to the dockyards, where he belonged.
24/11/2021
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What is #VSS365? Fun daily prompts for tiny stories that fit in tweets. The # is the prompt of the day.
Challenge Accepted!
I saw ShyRedFox's article in the World Anvil Daily Featured Articles, where she has created several Twitter-post length short stories to relate to her amazing series, The Liminal Chronicles. I thought, "What a lovely idea!" and I decided I would do the same for the Toy Soldier Saga. I thought I would start from the beginning of October 2021, following the prompts. Let's see if I can keep it up for a year!"Today's" story can be found by scrolling down to the bottom, and looking for the highlighted red text box. If there is none, we're working on stories for a different month
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