Lure
An AI Prompted Short Story Part 2
ChatGPT Prompt 2:
In a world where humans and magical creatures coexist, a young woman discovers that she has the ability to communicate with a dangerous creature that no one else can understand. But when the creature’s true intentions are revealed, she must decide whether to help it achieve its goal or risk everything to stop it.
Through the wastelands of Millan, across the emerald sea, lies a kingdom hidden in the depths of Mount Holden, Astapor, the eternal city. Those who survived the treacherous journey and could find Asatpor, was blessed with an everlasting life within the kingdom.
Brynley ran through the markets of Astapor gliding her hand across the smooth blue granite of every building. The air was filled with the scent of sweet mint and spices as she followed a group of kids running towards the southern shrine. They jumped onto hanging branches along the side of the building and climbed up to the very top. Brynley was the last to reach the shrine’s roof and noticed the other children gazing upon something in the distance. She looked out to see Astapor’s castle made entirely out of green gemstone at the center of the kingdom.
“I’m going to be king one day!” One of the boys shouted.
“Can I be your queen?” A girl asked.
“Sylph, you do not want to be Fynn’s queen alright. And, how can you be king if no one ever dies?” Asked the other boy.
“Simple, my good Roy. I’ll push the king out of the city so he turns into dust!” Fynn responded.
“I wonder what it’s like out there,” said Brynley.
Fynn gave her a puzzled look, “Huh? Why would you want to leave Astapor. Don’t you remember what Snakewise and Owlet told us about the outside world?”
“Yeah Bryn, everyone who finds Astapor tells us all the same story. Other kingdoms go to war, destroy cities, and enslave each other over dumb things like land and money.” Sylph said, putting a hand on her shoulder.
Bryn scrunched her brows, “At least they got to live out there first before coming here. We were born here.”
“But, here is safe.” Roy added. “Astapor doesn’t involve itself with the outside world. We already have everything we could ever want!”
“Everything we could ever want,” Brynley muttered.
The kids swung back down and walked to the city square. Every road in the kingdom led back to this one place. At the center was a large white fountain engraved with diamond-shaped gems and a woven pattern along the edges. Above the fountain stood a 50-foot gold statue of an ancient hero holding a spear that seemed to touch the clouds above.
“What a sight, ey kids.” Someone said.
Bryn and her friends turned around to see Pandaman behind them.
“Hey Pandaman! Sylph smiled, “What are you up to today?”
“Just keeping these streets safe for you kids.”
“Nothing ever happens here though,” Fynn added.
“That’s right, and we can all thank the great hero, Holden, for that.” Pandaman’s eyes sparkled as he looked upon the towering gold statue. “You know, hundreds of years ago Death approached Holden to claim what was owed. But, Holden would not give in to Death. It is said that their glorious battle lasted for 80 days and 80 nights. Through sheer will and might, he — ”
“Overcame Death and lived on to become the legend, Holden the Unyielding,” said Roy. “We all know the story, Pandaman.”
“Haha!” He laughed, “No truer son of the Seeker, ey kids?”
“But, what happened to Death again?” Brynley asked.
Pandaman appeared behind Brynley and whispered, “They say Holden confined Death to an eternal slumber. Which is why those who live in Astapor continue to live on forever.”
Sylph scratched her head, “If Death is sleeping, then why isn’t Holden still with us?”
“Oh, but he is. His body might’ve faded away but his spirit is still here keeping Death at bay and blessing the citizens of Astapor.” He said, waving his hand across the statue, “They say sometimes, you can feel his presence as he watches over all of us.”
Brynley held a long gaze on the sculpture and noticed something emanating from it’s shoulders. It reminded her of white smoke that came out the chimneys of smith shops and bakeries.
“What happened here?” Roy pointed to the fountain.
Everyone looked at the woven pattern and noticed an empty slot where a large gem should have been.
“Hm, must’ve fallen off. I can’t remember the last time we had a thief around here,” Pandaman said, scratching his head. “Okay, kids. It’s getting late, time to head home.”
They all waved goodbye to Pandaman and started walking home together.
“I could take on Death.” Fynn said, punching and kicking the air.
Roy grinned, “Yeah right, you cry every time your Dad yells at you.”
Brynley and Sylph started to giggle.
“Hey, you do too!” Fynn responded.
Black street lamps ignited one by one as they continued through the streets of Astapor. The lights reflected off the blue walls giving it a soft shimmer. Brynley heard a muffled sound appear from an alley and stopped while the others walked on. She slowly approached the noise and found a creature sitting in a tattered cloth and covered in dark feathers.
“Hello,” Brynley said.
“Greetings, what is your name?” It asked.
“Bryn! What’s going on?” Roy said, behind her.
She looked back and said, “There’s someone here.”
Roy, Fynn, and Sylph approached the creature. But, when it spoke, they only heard, “CAW CAW,” all except for Brynley.
She heard it say, “Do you want to know more about the outside world?”
“C’mon guys,” Fynn said, pulling Slyph and Brynley back to the street. “This guy’s just speaking gibberish.”
That night Brynley tossed and turned in her cotton bed hour after hour unable to shake what the creature had said. She wanted to know all there was to know about the world beyond the walls of Astapor. So, she threw off the covers, slipped on her shoes, and went back to the dark alley.
“Hello again,” she said.
“I knew you would return, Bryn.”
“You’re from the outside world?”
“That I am, what would you like to know?” It asked.
She observed the dark feathers buried underneath the cloth. “First, what are you?”
“I am what you would call a raven.”
“Is that a type of bird?”
“Yes.”
“But, you don’t have a beak.” She said.
“We come in all shapes and sizes.”
“Well, where are you from then?”
“Ravens roam all over the world, never settling down in one place.”
“That sounds nice, but what are you doing here?”
“I’m here to see an old friend.”
“Who?”
“Someone very dear to me. Now, what would you like to know?”
“Hm, I guess if it’s true about what they say about the outside world? How dangerous it is.”
“Yes, it is very true indeed. There has been many pointless wars, countries overcome with disease, people who torture and torment each other for the sake of their amusement. But, it is not all wicked with horrors. The world needs to be balanced. The light shines brightest in the darkest places. The outside world is full of beauty, wonder, and mystery. Oceans as blue as sapphires, enchanted forests filled with magic and creatures, and plains of wildflowers as far as the eyes can see…”
Brynley held onto every word from the raven. She had never heard anyone talk about the world beyond the walls in such a way. They always said the same thing, violence, greed, dea —
“Death.” The raven said.
She perked up, “Did you just say Death?”
“I did. Are you afraid of death?”
“I guess so.” She shrugged, “Everyone says it’s a blessing to live forever.”
“Is it? How can one truly value their life when one is trapped in these walls for an eternity. Everything here is… Unnatural,” it said. “Death teaches you the fleeting beauty of the world around you, to live and surround yourself in the present. You are nothing more than a bird rotting away in a cage. Wouldn’t you like to escape? To be truly free?”
“Yes, more than anything.” Brynley replied.
The raven smiled. “Here, take this.”
She opened her hands to see a black diamond. “What’s this for?” She asked.
Black feathers rose from the floor and swirled around the raven, “All shall be revealed in the city square.” It said, vanishing before her.
Brynley held the gem up, “I wonder if this is the missing piece Roy pointed out earlier?”
She placed it in her pocket and headed over to the fountain. When she arrived, the city square was dark and cold. She looked up at the gold statue of Holden and felt it’s eyes heavy on her. Brynley approached the fountain and placed the black diamond into the empty slot, a perfect fit.
A wave rippled through the air pushing her onto the floor. Holden’s statue began to shift backwards. The ground started to rumble and break apart as the fountain cracked, splitting in half. Brynley scattered farther back as a silver light pierced from underneath her. She looked down to see a sphere filled with a gray haze the size of the entire square and a shadow that resembled a person with long flowing hair.
“Excellent.” A voice said, behind her.
She glanced back to see the raven.
“What’s going on?” She asked.
“You’ve earthed Death!”
“What? I— I didn’t want to do that!” Brynley said, pulling herself up. “How do I fix this?”
“You’ll be fixing the entire world by putting it back into balance!” The raven cheered, “All you have to do is place your hand on the sphere to release Death and all will be right in the world once more.”
The smoke from the statue appeared again. This time it grew and grew until it formed into a giant cloud taking the shape of the ancient hero. The raven grunted as Holden appeared before Brynley. Her body froze.
“Child, you mustn’t release this being from its slumber.” Holden said.
Brynley tried to muster up a few words, but she couldn’t. All she could do was look back and forth at the raven and the spirit of Holden.
The ghostly hero glared at the raven, “How do you get in here?”
It smiled, “You didn’t think you could keep us at bay forever, did you?”
Brynley’s pulse radiated through her ears, she couldn’t make out what the two were saying to each other. Her stomach churned and twisted until she blurted out, “Why me?”
They both looked over at her.
“Only a true-born of Astapor can release Death from its slumber,” said the raven.
“Child, if you wake Death then all of Astapor will fade.” Holden pleaded, “Your mother, your father, all the people that have lived here for hundreds of years will turn to dust. Who will take care of you young ones?”
“Nothing lasts forever, Bryn. That is the true nature of things. Don’t you want to escape this cage you’re in, to go out and explore the world with your friends?”
Brynley observed the glowing sphere beneath them and then down to her hands. All she had to do was touch it and then she could finally be free. She slowly reached out her hand and stopped right above it. There was a warmth, a calmness radiating from it. Her eyes swirled, lost in Death’s allure as she drew closer and closer.
But, what about everyone else? She thought. Why couldn’t there be a way for the kingdom to stay the way it was and for her to be free?
Brynley pulled back her hand, headed over to one half of the fountain, and pulled the black diamond from the socket causing the city square to form back together.
“What are you doing?” The raven shouted.
Holden grinned, as he disappeared into the night.
She stared at the raven and declared, “I’ll find my own way out of Astapor.”
“Tsk, so be it then.” Black feathers started to swarm the raven again, “Better hurry, before you’re nothing but dust.”
