Welcome to day 31 of Fyretober! Today is the last day of the daily prompt challenge. I’ve had a great month dipping into several different worlds. I hope you’ve all enjoyed reading the stories as much as I have enjoyed writing them. On to new writing challenges! And of course, keep checking back for new flash fiction on Wednesdays. Enjoy today’s writing challenge from Fyrecon’s Fyretober!
The priest quelled, his lips twitching as he drew back from me a half step. “One does not simply request to see the Raven God.”
“Trust me I know. I’ve been trying for ages. And God?” I said. “I was certain it was Goddess. At least that is what they told me at Mithelye’s Shadowed Chapel.” Raising a hand, I scratched my forehead. “Though come to think on it at Zalel’s they–”
“Out heathen.” The priest accompanied his bellow was a wave of his sleeve. The long black material had enough girth to strike my face and I reacquaint me with how uncomfortable unexpected fabric in the eyes were. I stepped backward, and before I could protest the priest practicing less welcome than they claimed death granted the door had thundered closed.
Tugging an ear, I turned away from the structure. And was greeted by coalescing back mist in the street behind me. “Don’t even think about it, Katib,” a voice said. Neither masculine nor feminine, the only thing I was certain of was the absolute promise of pain if I finished the gesture.
Moving my hand away from my ear I raised it in placation. “I wouldn’t dream of it, dearest.”
The form moved toward me, and I was gratified to see that it was resolving at least enough to be clearly in the shape of a human and not a bird. The eyes which flashed at me were grey. “I am not your dearest anymore.”
I rolled my fingers, but no retort witty or otherwise emerged. I hated being off my game. Turning I followed their movement. “My mistake. Though I’m not entirely why all the indecision in your followers about who you are, Seryan. Last we spoke you were very definitely–”
“Done with you.”
I harumphed. “You know if you’re going to keep interrupting me, we’re not going to–”
“What makes you think I want to get anywhere you’re leading.” The form had resolved a bit more when Seryan turned toward me. Black cloth draped over a form more lithe the brawny. The raven blinked and the eyes were slightly darker once reopened. Someone would need Seryan soon. “What will make you stop harrying my devote?” The words echoed the growing urgency.
“A gateway.” I got the two words out before Seryan could interrupt. Instead of pursing of lips followed my proclamation. I bobbed my head once, acknowledging the audacity of the request. “You, Seryan, have the power to cross between this world and the next. Not me. And I have unfinished business with Nalaser.”
The cloth surrounding the raven drooped, as if the form within had shrunken. Ironic, even gods such as we could not escape the weight of the past. No, with perfect recollection we lived here and there until we could shear ourselves of weight somehow. Nalaser the coward had chosen to flee from his mistake, while Seryan and I had picked up the wreckage left in his wake.
But I was done merely cleaning and didn’t flinch when they raven looked at me with deep brown eyes. Still, Seryan watched me instead of answering the call I knew would be yanking within. “If I grant you this, a path back is beyond my powers.”
“I wasn’t asking for a path back, merely forward.”
A hand with overly long fingers raised and a pool of light appeared behind Seryan. “Go then.” I felt the clutch on my arm as I rushed forward. “But find a way back and let me know the ending?”
I grinned. “What the deity of endings wishes to know of one. Shocking.” Reaching up I tapped the Raven’s… beak. “Don’t worry, I always find my way through.” I pulled free and shed my human form as well, falling onto four paws and tasting the air. Death. Surging forward I grinned ready to let my tricks end Nalaser’s peace.
Wing beats chased me through the portal. Wing beats that whispered to take care of myself. Glancing back, I saw only the dark of night before plunging into the after.
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“Fyretober isn’t for just writers or just artists. It’s for everyone who loves to create, and this month we’re looking to see your flash fiction, poetry, and illustrations every day. We’ll be providing daily prompts for the month and want to see what new concepts and wonders you can make with them.
Join the creation fun and share your work with us.
This isn’t a contest. But that doesn’t mean we won’t be giving out random prizes for amazing work.”
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