Writing Prompt

In a time long forgotten, when the heavens were still close to the earth and gods walked among mortals, a once-peaceful kingdom known as Eldoria thrived. Its people lived in harmony, protected by the favor of benevolent gods who watched over them from the celestial realm. But that harmony was shattered one fateful day.

The heavens grew dark as the old gods descended from their celestial thrones. Their forms were vast and imposing, each one embodying a primal force: Varanis, the god of storms; Elysara, the goddess of the abyss; Theros, the god of fire; and Nyxara, the goddess of shadows. Their descent was not one of kindness but of retribution, for the balance of the world had been disturbed by the kingdom's hubris and disregard for the ancient pacts.

The sky roared with thunder and lightning as Varanis unleashed his tempest upon the land, creating monstrous storms and devastating winds. The oceans churned as Elysara summoned dreadful sea creatures from the depths, creatures that prowled the waters and attacked the coastal towns. Theros rained fiery meteors upon the earth, causing infernos to spread uncontrollably. Nyxara, shrouded in darkness, released shadowy beasts that roamed the land, striking fear into the hearts of those who glimpsed their ghastly forms.

Amidst this chaos, a young warrior named Kael emerged. Though he was not born of divine lineage, Kael had shown exceptional bravery and skill, having defended his village from bandits and beasts alike. His legend had reached the ears of the gods, and though they were angered, they admired his courage.

Kael knew that survival meant more than mere defense; he needed to find a way to appease the gods and restore balance. Armed with his sword, a relic from the time of the first kings, and guided by ancient texts he unearthed from forgotten temples, Kael embarked on a perilous quest.

He first faced Varanis’s storms. With the land ravaged by wind and lightning, Kael sought shelter in the ruins of an ancient tower. There, he discovered an artifact—a crystal that could control the winds. Using this, he calmed the storm, though only temporarily.

Next, Kael ventured to the coastal regions where Elysara’s sea creatures wreaked havoc. He crafted a device from the remnants of shipwrecks that could emit a powerful sonar, driving the monstrous sea beasts away from the shores.

Theros’s fiery meteors posed another grave threat. Kael journeyed to a volcanic cavern where he encountered a fire spirit who revealed a hidden pool of cool water. Using the water to extinguish the flames and an enchanted cloak to shield himself from the heat, Kael managed to protect the villages from the relentless inferno.

Finally, Kael confronted Nyxara’s shadowy beasts in the heart of a darkened forest. Here, he relied on his wits and the light of a lantern imbued with holy fire, pushing back the shadows and unraveling the goddess's veil of darkness.

With each victory, Kael gathered fragments of a celestial sigil that, when combined, could forge a path to the gods themselves. He ascended the heavenly stairs—each step echoing with the wrath and sorrow of the deities. At the summit, he confronted the gods and pleaded for mercy, not just for his people but for the gods’ own lost peace.

Moved by Kael’s bravery and sincerity, the old gods listened. They revealed that the balance of the world had indeed been broken, but it was not irreparable. By restoring the artifacts and renewing the ancient pacts, peace could be regained.

Kael, with the guidance of the gods, repaired the celestial balance. Varanis’s storms subsided, Elysara’s sea creatures retreated, Theros’s fires were extinguished, and Nyxara’s shadows lifted. The gods returned to their realms, their anger abated but their vigilance ever present.

The kingdom of Eldoria was left to rebuild, now with a deeper respect for the ancient forces that shaped their world. And Kael, once an ordinary warrior, became a legend whose name was remembered as a bridge between the mortal realm and the divine.

One hundred mortal years ago, the nine realms lived in peace. One hundred mortal years ago was the coming of Ragnarök.

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The war lasted years. The sky turned red with blood and the realms blurred together. Creatures of all realms faught in a chaos. Each realm was destroyed, one by one, most of their populations along with it. Until Midgard was all that was left. The survivors of each realm, only a few thousand across the nine, came to a truce. Because it was the only chance at survival, the fighting would cease. All surviving creatures would live together on Midgard. But just because the storm ceased its raging dose not mean that the clouds don’t thunder.

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The old ways were myth now. Yggdrasil, the once flourishing world tree, was now a mere stump, balancing Midgard atop it. The Vanir and Aesir where mostly dead, aside from Loki, Freyja and Freyr, Njorod, and Bragi. The Jötnar, like the Vanir and Aesir, were mostly abolished. Surtur, Ymir, and few others were among them. Light and Dark elves had survivors, but none of importance to name, same for the Dwarves. Mortals had also barley survived, with less than a hundred left after the war.

It was these survivors of the old ways that had repopulated the last realm, molding it as it is today.

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This was really me jus exploring what I could do with this prompt, because I used to be obsessed with Norse mythology. Let me know if you’d like to see more of this story, thank for reading!!!

The government, both Human and Fae, reached an accord. In exchange for knowledge and turning the tide on climate change, the Fae would be granted inclusion into our world. Peace seemed to fall over the lands, the broken world finally breathing a sigh of relief as the tension between our races dissipated on the winds. Of course, individuals had to make up their own minds on whether to tolerate the Fae or not. As has happened throughout history, anyone different from the mob, was seen with fear and hate. So the government sent out propaganda, soon there were Fae characters in tv, movies, books, and on social media. Acceptance through exposure, has always worked to dispel the fear of the unknown.   Days, weeks, and months passed. The Fae were a minority, but soon they infiltrated every village, town, and city. Forging friendships with the human inhabitants.   My stranger, that was how I thought of my mysterious Fae, Devka. Sitting in the small coffee shop, I watch the people walking the streets, some on errands, some simply killing time. The coffee smells wonderful, the rich scent enveloping me in borrowed warmth. I was getting used to the high temperatures now, Scotland had been transformed into something of a jungle. The plants growing unhindered. Celeem, a Fae waitress came over to clear the table next to me, her long copper hair glinting in the sun. “You doing okay honey?” She smiles at me.   “Good, and you?”   “I’m well, beautiful weather.” She moves on with her rag and dishes.   It was still strange, being around a completely different species. They had their own rules and customs. It was said that you should never ‘thank’ a Fae, for if you did, it would mean that you owed them a favour. Something that they could claim at any time. Taking my last sip of coffee, I gathered my bag and left the shop, to the tinkle of the bell hanging above the door. Climbing into my car, I sped back to the Manor House. The family had left in drips and drabs over the last few months. Only grandmother and I remained in residence. With the crises past, it seemed silly to stay cooped up in the one house. As soon as I turn onto the driveway, I sense trouble. A scattering of Fae milling around the front door gave me pause.   As I got closer to the gathering, I notice that they were buzzing with anxious energy, fidgeting and nervous. Devka was among them, standing closest to the front door of the Manor. He approached the car as I pulled up to the front of the house.   “My lady Chris.” He nods, holding out his hand to help me from the car. “Devka, it’s nice to see you again, what can I help you with today?” Taking his proffered hand. I smile cordially.   Keeping hold of my hand Devka pulls me close, “it’s more of what I can do for you, my lady.” He lowers his voice. “You assisted me on the hill, so I’m returning that favour now.” My breath catches as he leans against me, whispering in my ear. “The royals are not going to be compliant with your human government much longer. They will enslave your race, you must hide and protect yourself from what is to come.” The fire in his eyes seemed to brighten as he pulled back from me, dropping my hand.   “Wait,” I frown as he turns his back. “Why warn me, if you plan to enslave my race?” I kept my voice low as I spoke, seeking some sort of comfort from him.   “I am planning nothing. We,” he gestured to the Fae milling around my driveway. “We just want to live, regardless of power play. But the royals, they will fight for supremacy and they will win.” He was serious, the intensity of his warning flashing in his ocean eyes.   “Humans will fight, there’s a chance we can win.” I was having difficulties processing Devka’s caution.   “They will lose, your only hope is to hide. I am only warning you to repay your kindness.” With that Devka turns, his people run behind the property and back up the mountains to their encampment.   Perplexed, I could do nothing but watch the Fae as they took off through the grounds. The warning ringing in my ears. Turning into the house, I immediately run to find my grandmother in the kitchen.   She was bending over a bubbling pot of lentil soup when I enter the room, the smell of carrots and turnip heavy on the air. “Hey gran, you need any help?” I spot a slice of lonely carrot on the chopping board and pop in into my mouth, crunching down on the sweet orange vegetable.   She looks over at me and smiles, “no thanks honey, did you see your friends outside. Strange folk, I invited them in but they were insistent to stay on the driveway.”   “Yeah, I saw them.” Leaning on the counter, I fidget with the knife that was left there from chopping up the ingredients. “They warned me about an imminent attack by the Fae, said that the royals weren’t going to stay ‘compliant’ with the government, he said that they were planning to enslave us all and that I had to run and hide.”   She stopped stirring the pot. “And why would they tell you this?”   “I helped him out on the mountain, and he said that he was ‘returning the favour,’ I really don’t know what to think of this.” The knife slipped out of my hand to clatter on the tiled floor.   “Be careful Chris.”   I stooped to pick up the knife replacing it on the counter. “I’m sorry.”   “Not about that, well not just about that. You have to be careful with these Fae. If he is right, then everyone is in grave danger. You haven’t had a vision, or dream have you?”   “No, nothing at all.”   “Then perhaps your friend is wrong about these royals and there motivations.” She turns back to the soup.   “Yeah, maybe.” Grabbing the knife and cutting board, I pace to the sink and begin washing up.   It was a full month later that the text alert blew up the phone of everyone in the country.   Warning, a state of emergency has been called. The prime minister has been assassinated, please barricade yourselves in your homes. Britain is now at war with the Fae. the army is on full alert. _ _ I look at the device in my hand like it was a venomous snake. Devka was right. I turn to glance at my grandmother, her face etched in concern. “It’s starting.”   ✨this is the last instalment of this story. I hope you have enjoyed the take, although I think it can use a lot of polishing and more details.✨

“The beings, now known as the Fae, came through the rift only a month ago. Since then, we have learned that the rift was caused by pollution that had spread between our worlds, causing the aether, a veil that once separated our realms, to degrade. This degradation reached a point where it collapsed and forced our two worlds to become one.   Now joining me in the studio, our special guest. Her Royal Highness, Queen Katala, Ruler of the Fae.” The host stood, bowing gracefully to her guest as the Queen takes her seat.   Katala sat, straight backed in the chair, unsmiling and composed. Most of the Fae looked human, only a few physical differences were evident. Their mouths were a little too wide, their ears a little too pointed, but the main difference between us was their eyes. They shone with an inner light. “Thank you Sandra. I am glad of the opportunity to address your people and clear up any, misunderstandings.” Katala nodded, giving the host leave to sit.   Sandra, smooths out her skirt before sitting, her beaming smile fixed painfully on her face. “Of course, I guess that the most common question we get asked is about the Fae’s magical ability?”   The Queen never showed any emotion as she spoke, “this is falsehood. Our luminescence,” she extended her elegant fingers, releasing a crackling blue light, “is a result of biochemical reactions taking place, nothing more. Similar to the properties of your deep sea creatures.” Katala spoke directly into the camera, her ember eyes burning through the screen.   “Interesting. So you have no magical powers?” Sandra smiled.   “No more than any other creature.” The Queen’s eyes were hypnotic as she spoke, the interview continued, but I had lost interest in it.   I switch off the tv, and turn to the window. Watching the children play on the lawn. The heat that had plagued us, still hung thick in the air. No sign of cooler weather to come. I remembered the piercing blue eyes of the man that had saved me, the man that I had watched on the video, stepping from the rift. ‘What did he do to me?’ My gut clenched with the uncertainty.   The Fae had only been here a month, but they were already engaged in talks with our leaders. Downing Street sent out constant updates. The Fae swore that they did not possess magic, ‘then why can’t I get that man out of my head?’ They said that it was our fault that the veil between worlds collapsed. This aether, if the Fae were to be believed, it was the pollution that we had been pouring into our lands and seas, that bled into the aether and caused it to become unstable. They said that our two worlds became one during that storm, the storm that took so many lives, both human and Fae. ‘I suppose that is plausible, but if true, then what did that mean for both our races?’ Humans had enough trouble getting on with each other, how would the Fae blend into our lives.   A cacophony of chatter assaults my ears as the family move into the living room, shattering my peace and quiet. “The whole situation is crazy, humans have always looked up to the stars, wondering if we are alone in the universe. It never occurred that we had neighbours off to the side. Don’t you think that’s funny?” My cousin Alice mused, happily munching on a fresh croissant.   “No, these Fae are nothing but trouble. You seen the things that they brought with them through the rift. Bloody dangerous. There’s dragons out there now.” David rounds on her, stopping her mid-chew.   “There’s also unicorns, you see that video Chris, the unicorn grazing with a bunch of horses in a field? It was so beautiful.” Alice sat down on the couch beside me.   “Yeah, it was pretty wasn’t it? But I can’t help but think that there is more going on. What do we really know about the Fae and their intentions?”   “Who cares, I just want to pet a unicorn.” Alice laughs.   I have to chuckle alongside her. Alice loved unicorns ever since she was a child. Even at the age of 14, she was still obsessed with them. “I wonder what other creatures came through the rift?” I mused.   “You didn’t see?” Alice turns excitedly to me. “They released a list late last night. A full compendium of all the creatures and plants that they had over there. It’s amazing you should look it up, they said they had mermaids and tiny dragons the size of bees, and a rose that changes colour based on your moods. I wish I was Fae, sounds like an exciting place to live.” She finished off her croissant, wiping her fingers on her sleeve.   “I’ll make a note to look that up then.” I smile at her. Wondering just how extensive this list was.   Getting to my feet, I stretch out the kinks created from sitting far too long. This house was too crowded for me as of late. I was so used to being alone in the middle of nowhere, that the constant chatter was giving me a migraine. “I think I’m going to go and stretch my legs for a while.” I nodded to Alice and David as I left the living room and head for the front door.   Alice shouting after me, “be careful.”   Strangeness still clung to the land. The violet sky above, cloudless and endless. The air heavy, thick as soup, smelled of apples. Creatures scurry across the mountain paths. But for now there seems to be an equilibrium, a balance between the inhabitants of this world and the Fae.   I walk up the hills, the babbling brook tinkling beside me, lending  it’s coolness to the heat. Pine trees line the paths, trees from the Fae realm scattered amongst them. I was taken with the notion to explore this new world. Before I had no use for exploration, it was all there in my palm, my phone held the lock to any culture. In this new land, there was mysteries to unlock, things to discover. Smiling to myself, I took off, running up the mountain trail, veering off into the trees and the tantalising enigma which they held.   The sun beat down, relentlessly coating me in sweat as the breath tore for my chest. The sounds of the forest had changed, the songbirds still sang, but their voices were joined with a choir. The small glass birds twitter in the trees, small lizards scurry along branches. The croak of frogs and chitter of insects allowed no silence in the woods. A dark shape crosses the dirt trail ahead of me. “Run!” The shadow races towards me, it was him, the blue eyed Fae. “Run!”   Before I could open my mouth, his hand clamped around my wrist and he was pulling me behind him back down the trail. “What,” I try to speak, but then a roar split the air behind me. I knew not to look, just keep my eyes forward and run, but I had to know. Chancing a glance, I almost fall. “Stop!” Digging my heels into the path, I turn to see the animal behind us. A large cat, it’s fur looked more like scales. The animal was large for a house cat, but nowhere near the size of even a small cougar. Not even two foot long, only standing one foot high. The cat chastening us stopped at the same time as we did. It’s green eyes slanted, eyeing us warily. “It’s just a cat.” I snigger at the man that still held my wrist.   “It’s a xeltrix, a fearsome beast from my land. It may look small, but it can cut us down.” His eyes never strayed from the cat as he spoke.   His words gave me pause, this was not a cat as I knew it. But it was still feline, and there was one thing that I knew. “You never run from a cat. Face it, make yourself look big, and slowly back away.” Moving myself closer to the Fae, I took a step backwards, Dragging him back with me.   The cat advanced, giving a mighty roar, that belonged to a much larger beast. I scream back, the cat flattening its ears. It lunged forward, swiping at the air in front of me. Taking a deep breath, I scream again, my voice ringing through the trees clear and strong, without thought taking a step towards the creature. The cat growls, it’s ears pinned back, looking at me, before it turned and slunk back through the tree line and disappeared into the woods.   “How did you know to do that?” The man eyes me with suspicion.   “I don’t know about your land, but here cats are common. We keep them as pets, not exactly domesticated, but close enough. They hate loud noises, and prey that stands its ground. It confuses them.” I smile at the man, “I’m Chris, and you?”   “Devka.” He nods to me, “I appreciate your assistance, it would appear that I am in your debt.”   “No more than I am in yours. You saved me during the storm, when our worlds collided, didn’t you?” His eyes were even bluer up close. It took all my strength to move away from them and actually see the man that stood before me. His long hair was black, tied at the base of his neck with a leather cord. His nose slightly hooked, pointed ears and wide mouth, that was a trait among his people. High cheekbones and strong jawline. He was slim built, tall, and toned.   “You were hit with our light, when we stepped through. It was an accident. I apologise, you should have no memory of that.” His hand felt hot on my arm, a vibration passing from him to me.   Taking a step back from him, I pull my arm away. Something wasn’t right, I sensed that he wasn’t telling me something, that his motivations were not honest. “All I remember is being zapped with something and then seeing you. Nothing else. Are you staying out here in the hills?”   “We have an encampment not far from here.” His tone was cold and tainted with distrust.   “Well I’m just down the trail, the big house on the left by the stream, you can’t miss it. If you need anything you’re welcome to stop by.”   “Your hospitality is inspiring, I may take you up on that.” A horn sounded from the forest, a mournful wail. He looked back through the trees. “Now I must go, it was nice to meet you Chris.” He bowed low and left, walking between the pines, until he was out of sight.   The whole interaction with Devka seemed strained. ‘Was it just him that was hiding things, or all the Fae?’ I had to ask myself. Having enough excitement for the day, I turn back down the path, picking my way through the woods. Keeping my eyes out for any more wildlife that may cross my path.

“Chris! Chris, where are you? Chris!” The shouting woke me from my dreams, blue eyes in the mist. The image sticks with me as my eyes open to the bright violet sky. The fresh breeze, full and heavy with the scent of apples. Yawning, I stretch out the kinks of sleep. “Chris! Where are you?” Something was happening. It took a moment for me to remember everything. The vision, the lights, the plants. The world ending last night. It looked okay now though. Why where people looking for me?   ‘Oh right.’ Remembering the night before, running away, getting zapped by something, then…the blue eyed man. Getting my bearings, I take a look around. Laying down in the middle of a mountain trail, the large gravel stones digging into my back. The sky stretching out above me and the green hills surrounding me. ‘What am I doing here?’ I had to ask myself. “Chris!” The calling was louder now. My grandmothers voice, hoarse and strained echoing through the trees.   “I’m over here!” Finding my feet, I try to brush the cobwebs from my mind. ‘Was the man real, or a dream?’ Checking myself over, I couldn’t find any injuries. A strange musky scent still clung to my skin.   “Where the hell have you been all night!” She fusses over me, the stern tone in her voice creeping back now that the worry was over.   “I don’t know. I was on the phone with you and I think I got hit by lightning. But that can’t be right.” I pat myself to make sure that I was uninjured.   Raised eyebrows and disbelieving expressions met my gaze. “Never mind, we should get back to the Manor.” Grandmother gathered my arm in hers, lest she loose me again.   I was feeling so much better today, ‘should have been struck by lightning years ago.’ I felt energised and alert. A bird fluttered onto the path ahead, a strange creature, almost transparent in the sunlight. The animal flapped its wings, giving a shrill whistle as it pecked at the gravel. “Wow, what is that?” I stop in my tracks to look at the animal. It almost looked like it was made of glass, or crystal.   “That’s nothing, you have to see the news.” Helen stops at my side. “A lot happened last night.” She smiles at my questioning gaze, stubbornly refusing to elaborate.   The world, that had looked so normal upon my awakening, became twisted. Everywhere I look there was something other. A giant tree, of a genus I could not decipher, stood towering into the sky. It’s branches ancient and gnarled. Strange, almost alien, sounds permeate the air, the calls of foreign animals. Colours appeared brighter; some even shifting in the light of the morning sun. The world as I knew it was gone, but I couldn’t help but feel that this world held promise. Linking my arm with my grandmother and aunt, I made my way back down the mountain, with a new spring in my step.   “It was awesome! The sky was like cracked, and the lightning was like krish. It was so scary, and granny said to stay away from the windows, but I looked out and wow!” My cousin Tommy delighted in regaling me with the tale. Animatedly acting out the storm.   “Sounds super scary, I’m sorry I slept right through it all.” Smiling down at him, I tussled his hair.   “You slept through it!”   “Must have, I missed the whole thing!” The look of disbelief on his four year old face made me laugh.   “You’re crazy Chris.” Tommy left me to go and play with the others by the unlit fireplace.   I turn on the tv: every channel dedicated to the breaking news. Reporters played clips of the storm, the sky splitting open, until it popped like a bubble. The journalists screaming over the noise, “the solar flair is ripping our atmosphere away, leaving us vulnerable to the background radiation of space, this may well be the last broadcast of my career. Stay at home, away from windows. Stay safe.” They were all reading from variations of the same script.   All fell silent when the people appeared from the epicentre of the raging storm. The people looked human, were it not for the light emanating from their hands. Waves of light crashing through the storm in a shockwave that ploughed through the reporters, sending them to their knees.   I watch with rapt attention, the scene playing out on the box. It was my dream acted out in real time. By the time that the storm passed, the world had changed forever. The television cut to anchors inside studios, their made up faces terrified and confused. “There seems to be people coming out of the rifts, is this some sort of military action?” They reached for any explanation to sooth their audience and themselves. “We are getting word that the army is coordinating an offensive. These beings are to be considered unfriendly for the time being. Stay inside and do not open your doors. Keep them locked.” A pretty blond announcer spoke clearly, despite the tremor in her voice.   Switching off the news I patted my pocket for my phone, only to find that it was smashed, the screen must have broken when I had fallen the night before. It wouldn’t turn on. “Gran? Can I borrow your computer?” I called out, even as I got up and rounded her desk.   “Sure thing love.” Gran was in the kitchen, probably making breakfast, or lunch? I really didn’t have a good handle on the time. A quick glance at the clock told me that it was eleven am. Switching on the computer, I wait impatiently for the desktop to whir to life.   I scroll through my social media feeds, the news of the aliens, wizards, superheroes, was posted on every timeline. Speculation running rampant, conspiracy theorists spouting off about _shadow governments _and lizard people. There seemed to be nothing concrete on what these people where, or what they wanted from us.   “So, what happened to you last night?” Uncle David leaned on the door frame of the office. His arms folded.   “I’m not sure. I think I might have fallen or something…I just can’t remember.”   Rolling his eyes, he replied, “you had everyone worried, and all you can say is ‘I don’t know.’ I thought you were an adult?” He crossed the threshold while he spoke, leaning on the desk to crowd me.   Something was missing. The anxiety that I had lived with all my life, was finally quiet. I didn’t feel anxious at all as David stared me down. “David. I am an adult, and as such I have no obligation to tell you my whereabouts. Now, please. If you have nothing constructive to say, leave.” Surprising myself with the bluntness of my words, I was on the verge of apologising before David turned on his heels with a huff and walks out of the room.   ‘Where the bloody hell did that come from?’ I had to ask myself. Clearly without the anxiety to hold me back, I was somewhat of a bitch! Returning to the newsfeeds, I flick through the videos taken the night before and earlier in the day. The changes in the world were a pandemic, videos from Australia to Scotland, China to America. They were all showing mysterious plants and animals. Snakes with wings, slithering on the roadways. Enormous rays and whales with bioluminescence, big cats with scales prowling the countryside. The entire planet had become the island of Dr Monroe. Perhaps the mysterious beings from the sky, were all mad scientists, let loose on this planet.   I was about to click off from my media feed, when a pair of eyes stopped me. A brilliant blue flash, pierced me through the screen. ‘The eyes from my dream!’ That was him, the man that had been giving me the erotic massage last night. My gut twisted as I watch him exit the ‘rift’ his blue eyes, wide mouth and long dark hair. “Who are you?” I question aloud, the twisting in my gut shooting lower as his eyes jump out of the screen, and I remember the feel of his hands on my vulnerable body only the night before.

Things happened fast over the next week, it started off slow, with the cracks in reality appearing and disappearing, the weather hot and humid. Then strangeness took over. Plants started to glow at night with bioluminescence, daisies turning blue, glowing softly in the light of the moon. Mushrooms grew out of the grasses, as tall as trees. Their caps opening in the rain. Strange vines and plants appearing overnight, lilies eight foot tall bloomed in the gardens.   Rapid evolution, that’s what the papers said. That the plants were evolving to cope with the changing climate. They didn’t mention that the frequency of the lights were increasing, nor that the sky was somehow taking on a violet hue. I scroll through my social media feeds, looking for any insights into what was actually happening. A few conspiracy theories surround the lights, saying that they were space crafts of alien origin, and that the strangeness of the plant mutations were some kind of terraforming. No matter how insane, the theory fit with my vision. My news feed was full of articles, people found in a coma, looking like they had fallen asleep under the giant lily plants, the government issued a warning to stay away from them. Or to cut them down at night, while the flowers were closed. Pets and children, being strangled by vines. People being attacked by strange animals in the woods. It was an endless stream of chaos and confusion. Closing my feed, I sit on my bed. Knowing that this was only the beginning.   My uncle David’s words echo in my memory. He was right to some extent, I may be twenty-eight, but in many ways I was still a child. A knock on the door startles me out of my musings, my heart racing, I call out to whomever is on the other side.   “Chris? It’s  Helen, can I come in?”   “Sure.” I try to calm my racing heart. The anxiety that had plagued me for most of my life was a hinderance that I did not need at the moment.   My auntie stuck her head through the door, her dirty blond hair hung in ringlets, down to her waist. I had always be jealous of her hair. “Are you okay? I’m sorry David said those things, he took our brothers death hard. I’m sure he didn’t mean any of it.” She came into my room and sat at the foot of the bed. Her brow furrowed in concern.   “I think we both know he did. I just don’t know why he hates me.” Picking at my nails, I take a deep breath. Feeling more like a teenager in my old bedroom.   “He’s just scared. Your visions, they scare him.” Helen leaned over and took my hand, before I had the chance to make my nails bleed. “I know you can’t help what you see. It’s just a lot to take in. He’ll get over it, eventually.” She smiles, pulling me into a hug.   “This dream felt different. It wasn’t the same as the others, I didn’t see death, or life. But so many people are dying, and I don’t know how to stop it.” Breathing deeply, trying not to let the tears fall. I smelled my aunts perfume, the rose scent; musky and floral, clung to her skin.   “When you called me that night. It had just gone one in the morning. You told me that I had to get to the hospital immediately, do you remember?” Her hand stroked my hair as she spoke softly.   “Yes, I had a dream that Tommy was in trouble. You were in so much pain, and the blood flowed out of you into the floor. You reached for the phone to call an ambulance, but they got there too late. I called you as soon as I woke up.”   “And thank the fates you did. Otherwise both Tommy and I would be dead now.” Her lips brush my hair. “Is there nothing you can do now, to save these people?”   Disentangling myself from her arms, I turn to her. “What? What can I do? I don’t even understand what is happening. All I know is that the lights will rip through the planet and everything will change.” Standing, I pace to the window, looking out over the mountains. “If you have any suggestions, I’m all ears.”   “No, I don’t suppose I do.” Helen stood at my back. “Was there nothing in your vision to suggest why this is happening?”   “Nothing.”   The family gave me a wide berth, whispering whenever I entered a room, the drone of the tv echoed throughout the Manor House. The atmosphere had changed dramatically since they first arrived in the house, the energy mutating from joy and concern for my grandmother, to fear and dread. The children, no longer allowed to play outside, huddle around the television, clinging to their parents.   Night fell, the sunset painting the sky red in warning. A breaking news bulletin draws us all into the living room like a sirens call. A massive solar flare was ripping our atmosphere apart. The videos from around the world showed a hole in the sky, growing wider by the second, the reporters screamed their reports into the cameras, chaos took over, people running for their lives.   Everyone’s eyes turned to me, as mine were firmly fixed on the screen. “Solar flares cause EMP’s right? Like how are we seeing a report of a flare powerful enough to rip through our atmosphere, but not powerful enough to effect our electronics?” I asked the room at large.   There was no answer; I left the house. I had to get away, to breathe, to calm myself. My dinner hit the grass as it left my stomach. Everything was coming to pass, everything was changing. I looked out over the gardens, that were once so familiar to me. The grass glowing blue, huge mushrooms sprouting alongside the hydrangeas. My breath caught in my throat, head spinning with the overload of death and destruction. Without even realising it, I was moving. Running fast through the gardens and out into the Cairngorms national park.   The sky opened above my head, cold blue light splitting the milky way in two. I run over the trails, climbing the steep hills. Wanting to see the stars, I was sorely disappointed; the light emitting from the crack, drowned them all out. The trail darkened, as I slow my pace. My breathing punctuated with sobs. I was having difficulty wrapping my head around everything that was going on. My phone buzzing in my pocket snapped me out of my preoccupation.   Sighing deeply, I answered the call with a tentative “hello?”   “Where the bloody hell are you? You run off without a word, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” My grandmother screamed down the line.   “I’m fine, I just needed to get away for a while.” The guilt surrounded me like a cloak, stabbing at my heart and constricting my chest. I had to hold myself together; just for a little while.   “It’s dangerous out there! I didn’t go to all the trouble of bringing the family together so that you could go hiking! Get your butt back here now.” Gran was frantic, her voice rising in her worry and anger.   The thin wall holding back my emotions crumbled, “this is all happening because of me gran. It’s all my fault.” The tears on my cheeks were joined by the rain. Thunder cracked overhead as lighting flashed over the mountains.   “That’s ridiculous.” Her voice softened on the call. “You see things, you don’t make them happen. Come home.”   “Yeah, just give me a few minutes, I need to clear my head.” The rain was cold and clarifying. It soaked straight through the thin fabric of my top to cling on my skin. Looking up at the crack; the end of the world, rain drops falling on my face, I hear a crackle of electricity rip through the air, then nothing.   Everything hurt. My world shrinking down to a pinprick of pain. Groaning, I try to sit up. A hand forcefully pushing me back down. My eye lids flutter, not ready to open yet. ‘What happened? Where am I?”’ Thoughts chase each other around my head. A low murmur of voices pierce the fog of pain, but I can’t understand what they are saying. Blessed relief, the hands massage my skin, a warmth spreading through me, banishing the pain. A strange musky, floral scent filled the air, relaxing my mind. It smelled wonderful, it felt wonderful. The hands trailed over my stomach, my thighs, I wanted more. My body responded instantly, my nerve endings seeking connection. The groans of pain, swiftly turned into moans of pleasure; the hands pausing on my sternum. I wanted more, yet my mind rebelled against my body. Something wasn’t right, I had no idea where I was, or what was happening to me.   My eyes flew open, and met the bright blue irises of a man, kneeling by my side. His eyes were huge, sparkling in the gloaming; a wide, full mouth, twisting into a smile. He muttered something to me under his breath and I lost consciousness again.

My grandmother’s reaction to my vision, cemented it’s validity in my head, my stomach churned with anxiety. She said to meet at the Manor House, she had inherited the house, and me, from my parents after the accident. The house sits on a large parcel of land, backed by the Cairngorms national park. A beautiful backdrop to my tragedy; I wasn’t looking forward to going back there, but I had to yield to my grandmother’s insistence.   A mixture of excitement and dread spread through my veins. Loading up my Range Rover, I take a last look at my tiny cottage nestled in the middle of the glen, the sparkling loch glinting in the distance. ‘I’m going to miss it here.’ Melancholy bit at my soul, bringing the bitter taste of hopelessness to the back of my throat. Driving away from my home, I take the twisting single lane road to civilisation. Hopeful that this was not the last time that I would see my home.   The Manor House was exactly as I remember, the red brick and white trim, surrounded by greenery and flowers. Climbing out of the Jeep, I look around the manicured gardens to the mountains beyond. Beautiful as it was, dread still held me in its grip. The warm temperature did nothing to dispel the shiver coursing up and down my spine, as I retrieve my bags from the boot and walk to the front door of the house, ringing the doorbell with trembling fingers.   “Chris!” My grandmother swung the door open wide, beaming a smile, “how are you darling?” She enveloped me in her arms. “Come in and close the door.”   “Nice to see you too, gran.” I stepped across the threshold, dumping my bag in the foyer. “Is everyone on their way?” I was looking forward to seeing the family again, peeking into the empty living room, slightly crestfallen at the stillness in the house.   “They will all be here by tomorrow night. Now why don’t we get you settled and fed?”   I followed my grandmother up the stairs to my old bedroom, memories swimming through my mind. Everything looked exactly the same as when I left a decade ago. The soft coral décor of my old room, my nightstand, dressing table. It all looked pristine, timeless.   “I’ll let you get settled. You unpack and we’ll have some soup.” My grandmother seeming to sense my unease, gave me a comforting hug before leaving me alone in my childhood bedroom.   Everything was all at once so familiar, and yet, so foreign. My bed tucked under the window, dressed in the soft cotton sheets. The curtains a pale pink velvet that I had picked out myself years before. Not a speck of dust touched the house. ‘Gran must have ran herself ragged keeping this place clean, not to mention the gardening.’ I thought. Unpacking my clothes and toiletries took only a few minutes. Staring out of the window at the mountains beyond, that kept my attention. I could have swore that I saw a flicker of light dance across the sky, but it was gone before I could focus on it. How could the world shatter into nothing but stardust? It didn’t make sense to me. I heave a sigh and turn from the view of the hills, and head downstairs to the kitchen.   Grandmother stood at the kitchen counter; the massive pot in front of her filling the large room with steam. “Sit down dear, I’ll fix you a bowl. You want bread?” Her eyes never lifted from her work.   “No thank you. I’m fine with just the soup.” The chair scrapes against the tiled floor as I pull it away from the wooden table. Taking a seat, I breathe in the homey fragrance of lentil soup. Clearing my throat to get grandmothers attention, I ventured, “gran?”   “Yes dear?” She ladled out a bowl of the soup, placing it in front of me with a warm hand on my shoulder.   “What did you tell everyone?” My visions weren’t exactly a secret, but most of the family didn’t believe a word of it. Preferring to think of me as weird.   She heaved a sigh, sitting across from me. “Well, I told them that I was dying, and I wanted to see them all before I bought the farm.” She didn’t look happy about the lie. “They wouldn’t have come otherwise, I needed to force their hands.”   Chuckling into my soup, I shook my head at the old woman. “You’re a force to be reckoned with gran. I’m sure you will outlive us all.”   The next day dawned with a flurry of activity. Family from all across the country arriving at the Manor House in a steady stream of commotion. Three uncles, two aunties, a great aunt and a hoard of eight cousins. Not to mention partners. The house was full to bursting with life. With twenty people in the house, it was hard to get any space to myself.   The kids ran around the gardens, playing tag or chasing a ball around in the sunshine, where the adults crept around the house, paying their respects to gran. It wasn’t long before the questions started. But gran was adamant that everything would be explained later that night, once everyone was settled in. Creeping through the old house, I found a quiet corner, hiding from the questioning stares and pointed looks from the others. I was so used to being on my own now, after ten years of living in the glens, the hustle and bustle was proving to be too much for me to take.   My thoughts twisted in my head, ‘the family are not going to like the real reason that they have been called here.’ My stomach clenching painfully, I curl inward. Scrolling through my phone, I read the news reports of the strange lights in the sky. Others had noticed the dancing lights. Scientists said that it was atmospheric electromagnetism from powerful solar flairs. Videos on ‘YouTube’ and ‘Reddit’ echoed them. There were a steady stream of uploaded videos capturing these electromagnetic displays in the sky. It was happening just like in my dream. The fear building in me, ready to overflow and consume me whole.   That night at dinner, we all sat at the large dining table. Waiting for my grandmother to tell them why they had been gathered. She sat at the head of the table, waiting for everyone to settle down before she cleared her throat and stood, calling everyone’s attention. “I am afraid that I have lied to you all, but I assure you that I have the best intentions. There is a serious situation at hand. We must stick together and weather this storm as best we can.” Her eyes move across the room, pinning everyone in place. “Chris has had a dream, in it the world shatters and something arrives. What it means, I don’t know. What is coming, we cannot know. But we must stay together.”   Interrupting, David laughs loudly, “a dream! We are here because a child had a bad dream? Are you kidding us? We thought you were dying!” Standing up at the table with an incredulous look, he glanced around to gain support. “Helen, you can’t be buying this right?”   His sister never moved, her face thoughtful. “Had this come even a year ago, I would agree with you David. But Chris did see the birth of our Tommy before it happened. Let’s hear her out.”   All eyes fixed on me, causing me to shrink back under the weight of their gaze. My heart stopped beating, my mouth dried up like an old riverbed. “I..I..” faltering, I sent a silent plea to my grandmother to take over. She simply nodded for me to continue. ‘Damn it!’ Gathering my thoughts and clearing my throat I launched into my tale, leaving nothing out.   Silence stretched the room, no one spoke, all eyes trained on me. I wanted the world to swallow me, some looked at me with pity, but David had a look of pure venom.   “You are a very ill little girl.” He spat, standing up from the table, throwing his napkin onto his plate.   “Uncle David, I am twenty-eight years old. Certainly not a child. I know how this sounds, but you have to believe me.” I took my phone out of my pocket, bringing up the news of lights in the sky and the videos.   “Nonsense! It’s says so right there. Electromagnetic interference from a severe solar storm. You are mentally unwell Chris, you should have been institutionalised after Gregory’s death.” Silence followed his words, the room refusing to take a breath.   I was reeling over his insult, insinuating that my fathers death somehow broke me. It was then that we heard a deafening crack, split the air outside. Racing out of the Manor House, we crowd into the garden, eyes turned to the blinding light in the sky. A fracture had opened between the stars, growing bigger. “What the hell is that?” David screamed, his voice drowning out everyone else’s.   No one answered. I watch in silence as the world began to split in two. The crack growing bigger before imploding in on itself and disappearing altogether. All eyes slowly returned to me, some looking at me in awe, others with fear. But my uncle David had a hate in his eyes that I did not understand. “Everyone in the house.” Gran demanded, her voice clear in the silence.   I turn on my heels, retreating to the living room and turning on the news.

✨I’m wanting to try writing longer stories, uploading one chapter at a time. Let me know if you want me to continue, by leaving a like, comment or bookmarking my work. Feedback is always appreciated, and I hope that you enjoy these longer tales.✨

The sky cracks, like a pane of glass, spiderwebs of ethereal light fracturing our reality. Clouds, swirling in raging winds, turn red in warning; the air thickens making it hard to take a breath. Pressure building steadily; a faint buzzing growing louder with every passing moment. Gasping, frantically gaping at the horror surrounding me, watching as the world shatters like a giant mirror, shards pulling away, revealing something else. Twisting around in my panic, I prepare to run, to flee from the madness that binds my feet to the ground. The sky opens wide as if to swallow me whole. “They are coming!” The voice tears out of my throat, my eyes flying open wide. I gasp for breath, the cool air rushing in to quench my burning lungs. Sweat soaked sheets tether me in place, becoming only tighter with my panicked movements. The vision of the shattered world fading into dreams, my bedroom transposing itself over the top, becoming solid and real.   My bedroom was small, the light blue walls making it feel slightly colder than it actually was. The gauzy curtains fluttered in the slight breeze from the open window. Dancing; casting sinister shadows on the walls. The glow of the half moon, illuminated the room, my dresser mirror reflecting the glare into the corners. Calming my breath I look around, my dresser, nightstand, wardrobe, everything was familiar and calm. Breathing a sigh of relief, I slouch on my bed. The fear ebbing away to puzzlement. Reaching out blindly, I grab the glass of water on my bedside table, draining it greedily.   It had been unseasonably hot over the last couple of days, the temperatures rising to almost thirty degrees Celsius, that’s eighty-six degrees Fahrenheit, for those of you across the pond.  For the middle of winter, high up in the hills of Scotland, this heat was unheard of. Meteorologists and social media were screaming about global climate change, and how we are all going to burn to death. News anchors casting aspersions on the general public for not recycling, and businesses for cutting corners. The world had descended into chaos, as the rising temperature sparks a crime-wave across the country.   Disentangling myself from my thin, white cotton bedsheet, I pondered the dream. Replaying the events in my mind; they were so clear, more like a memory than a mere figment of my imagination. Reaching into the drawer of my bedside table, I retrieved my little black, mohair note book. The dream journal that I have kept ever since the dreams began, when I was a child. At the age of twelve was when I had first dreamed like this. Dreamed of death and destruction. My parents driving down a dark road, bright headlights glaring through their windshield, a deafening crunch and smash of broken glass. My childhood gone in an instant of pain. Tears flooding down my face, I told my parents of the dream. Only to have them comfort me, telling me that dreams were nothing but a troubled mind. That was one week before they were killed by a drunk driver, swerving onto the wrong side of the road. I still regretted  letting him drive after that night. Perhaps I could have saved them somehow, but it was too late now.   Guilt tore at my heart, shredding my soul. One night I broke, weeping on my grandmother’s shoulder. My pain flowing from me in a toxic river. She listened sympathetically, cradling me to her chest, soothing my aching spirit. She called them ‘Portents’, visions of things to come. Assuring me that changing fate, was akin to changing what you had for breakfast last week. Impossible. But how could this dream come to pass? How could the whole world shatter like a dropped mirror? My mind spinning with questions; the answers elusive.   Writing down every detail of the traumatising dream, in my journal, I made a list of questions at the bottom of the page. Ending with the rather sinister ‘who are they?’ The words ‘they are coming!’ echoing in my head. Rubbing at my tired eyes, and getting to my feet, I decide that a cold shower would chase away the cobwebs lodged in my brain. I needed to think, to figure out the meaning of the dream before it was too late.   My grandmother had called me psychic, insisting that I had a gift. I strongly disagree with her absurd assumption. The dreams were creepy, don’t get me wrong. If I dreamed about something, it would come to pass, just as she said. But psychic was a stretch. I was always losing my keys; couldn’t find anything, for that matter, even if the item was under my nose. My naivety was well known, so much so, that people thought I was a little dim. My conclusion was that the dreams were messages, from who? I had no idea. In my mind this was further proof that I wasn’t a psychic.   The cold water rushed over my body, shocking my senses, and leaving a trail of goose flesh, burning down my skin. The lavender scented shower gel soothed my jangled nerves. The loofa working out the kinks from my, less than restful, sleep. It felt wonderful to be under the chilling spray, reminding me of standing under a raging waterfall, and swimming in the crystal clear loch, only a short walk from my home. It was, in fact, the same water. The old copper pipes carrying the water from the loch, up the hill, to my little cottage.   Once out of the shower; I was still no closer to deciphering my vision. I grasped a towel off the rail by the radiator, drying myself vigorously, trying to shake some sense into myself. I thought back to all my other dreams, they had been local, mainly family related events. A death here, or a birth there. Nothing on this scale. This was global, something was coming and it would change the entire world forever. ‘Maybe it’s aliens?’ I mused, that would explain a few things. Regardless, there was nothing I could do, no one to warn, who would even believe me?   Leaving the small cottage, I look up to the dark sky overhead. The fluffy clouds skate by, wispy and grey, in the light of the moon. No cracking, no spectral lights floating across the stars. It was still early, only gone six am; Scotland was always dark at this time of year, the sun barely peaking over the horizon for a few hours before sinking once again. With the record breaking heatwave, it was easy to forget that it was, in fact, still winter. Heading down the path, I let nature envelope me, as I walk down to the loch. The birds were still sleeping soundly, safe in their nests and roosts for the night, but the rabbits were awake, and not too happy with my intrusive company. Trees stood, silent sentinel in the still air, still cloaked in green. The pines and conifers dotted about the mountainous landscape. Large boulders gave the hills a rocky and inhospitable appearance. The land looked desolate and unliveable from afar, but on closer inspection, there was signs of life everywhere. Heather intermingled with tall grass and moss, lent its colour to the environment, catching the eye. The Scottish highlands were a spectacle to behold at any time of year.   Taking a deep breath, I reached into my pocket for my mobile phone. Hoping that my signal would hold, as I called up my grandmother. I needed her advice and her insight into the dream that had me so worried. With a clenched gut and shaking fingers, I hit the call button, and reluctantly, lift the phone to my ear.   After ten rings, I was ready to hang up and try again later. When the call was answered. “Chris? What’s wrong?” My grandmother’s voice was full of worry, and a hint of suspicion.   “Sorry for calling so early gran. But I had a dream, it’s bad.” I hesitated, reluctant to bother her, now that I had her on the phone.   “How bad? Is someone going to die?” Her voice cracked a little.   I paused, the dream didn’t indicate death, not that I saw anyway, I hadn’t thought of that before, maybe it was just a dream after all. Yet the scene did have all the indications that it could potentially cause great harm and strife to thousands. “I’m not sure, it seems impossible. Like it could never happen in real life, but it felt real. I don’t know what to do.” Sitting on a large boulder by the loch, I kept my eyes on the horizon as I spoke.   “Okay Chris, take a deep breath and tell me everything that you remember.” Her voice turned soft in understanding and patience.   Spilling everything to my grandmother felt cathartic, my chest loosened without the burden of the vision, my shoulders relaxed. Even my heart rate decreased, returning to its normal resting rate. “So you see, it can’t possibly be real. It’s just too big.” I had myself believing that I had over reacted at this point. My mind rebelling against the idea that something that devastating could actually happen. Watching the moonlight glint off the dark waters of the loch, I wait for my grandmother to agree with me.   “I know you don’t like hearing this Christina, but you have a gift. You can predict life and death, and this vision appears to be both.” She paused to sigh, or maybe to build suspense for her words. “This sounds like the death of our world’s old life and the beginning of a new one. We need to prepare ourselves, bring the family together. Maybe we can weather the coming storm together.” Her voice had taken on a distracted edge, like her mind was already planning the next steps.   “You really think it’s that serious?” My heart sank into the pit of my stomach. Snakes writhed in my gut. The overwhelming feeling of anxiety was climbing by the minute.   “You will need to pack a bag and meet me at the Manor House. I’ll call the family. If this does come to pass, then we will feel better knowing where everyone is and that they are safe with us. Do you understand?” There was no question to her voice, this was an order.   “Yes ma’am,” I saluted the loch, the water winking at me in return.

I knew that this was going to be an unusual day the moment my ‘long lost’ mother showed up at my door. It was like any other day; sun shining, blue sky, light breeze, the smell of burning cat hair coming from my neighbor’s apartment. It was normal. The moment the lady showed up at my door, I thought she was a drug dealer or homeless. Her clothes were ripped and her arms were covered in bandages. Her hair was long and black. She looked absolutely filthy, as if she’d been in a life or death situation. Her skin was pale and cheeks were sunken in. I’d met a drug addict before. They had similar qualities. You can understand my confusion. “I’m not interested in drugs, ma’am.” I said. The woman gave me an offended look. “I’m not selling drugs.” She replied. “Oh, then how can I help you?” I wasn’t usually in the mood to help strangers. I hated people and I planned to pass it on to the next person. There was a man standing behind her. He had brown hair, tanned skin, and piercing blue eyes. They were intense and made me want to shut the door then and there. “This is going to very strange, but I need you to believe every word I say.” The woman said. I nodded for this woman to continue. I did not believe anything she was going to say. I did not believe anything homeless people said. “I’m your mother, Hera, and we need your help.”

Old gods Old lore Tales of battle Tales of Thor

Thunder strikes With the hammer Try your might Run and clamor

At his sight Bend a knee He’s the right Kingdom thee