Modeled after Giovanni Boccaccio's classic from the 14th Century, this collection similarly brought 100+ short stories to Wattpad readers. The original's premise was simple: ten individuals entertained themselves over a span of ten days by telling a...
Puck bows as he finishes the tale. "And if you will allow me to conclude, 'If we shadows have offended, think but this –"
The entire chamber erupts in laughter and mockery. Someone throws an apple. "Now, now," Kuma Lisa calls out. "Just because you added his books doesn't mean you can keep bringing him up."
"I discovered Shakespeare, I deserve my due," Puck says with feigned indignation. But he grins nonetheless. "He wrote that speech for me. Why can't I use it?"
"You can. Just not every session," the leader says.
As the kerfuffle continues and the leader takes the book into the robes along with the others, I notice that the dagger is now missing from your sheath. What could you possibly have planned? Your eyes are fixed on the door at the back of the chamber, a door hidden by magic and all manner of subterfuge except during these sessions. Behind that door lies all the treasures and tales that the tricksters have gathered for their own personal library.
Your eyes are fastened on that door now. We're drawing near to the halfway point of the gathering.
Down below, we have missed the calling for the next offering. It's Loki.
Loki, shrouded all in black robes, assumes the stand and removes a book that at once begins to glow a deep and full black like molten obsidian. As the pages open, the scent of magma, burning flesh, and fresh magic.
"It wasn't particularly difficult to take this one," Loki says. The pages flip open. "This tale is set in the same world as The Astounding Torryn or whatever that one was."
What the heck? Startled, I turn my gaze from you to the book below. Is it possible? I recognize that scent and some of those words as the pages flutter by. They got one of my stories? I don't know whether I'm more annoyed that they took one without letting me know or whether I'm embarrassed that I didn't figure it out sooner. The irony is rather unpleasant. Somehow I don't think I'll be living this one down any too soon.
"So listen as we go once more to the world of Tindari in this adventure titled Forbidden," Loki says.
Forbidden - @JessicaBFry
It was difficult for Nataja to see. Sweat filled her eyes and soaked her body, making her otherwise loose brown robes cling to her. That was in no small part because of the exhaustion that came from sitting so long in the heated vents of the volcano. A necessary task to build up her endurance. If she wanted to master fire sorcery, she had to be able to live with it. And as hard as it was, there was nothing so refreshing as eking into the cool mountain spring-fed pools on the cool side of the mountain. She always left just enough magic to get herself there or else she wouldn't be able to walk.
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While most people undressed to bathe, she never did after a long stint in the vents. At least not until she had cooled off significantly. Besides, she was always a little afraid to remove her garb until after she had soaked for a time and some of the pool's magic had healed her. She'd avoided looking in a mirror for ages, and she was grateful that the waters here were so murky that she couldn't see her reflection. There were many prices for greatness, and beauty was fleeting, not something to be grasped or prized when something far greater could be attained.
