Monthly Story Prompts

Why have there been so many monsters lately?

Miriam’s strict policies have only made the problem worse

Roe sat in a small bar, enjoying a well-earned late night meal. Her time with her new friend, Jesper, opened her eyes to the wonderous possibilities beyond the suffocating walls of Namarast. They had parted ways for a while - Jesper had to run a few errands for his employers and it was something he had to pursue on his own. In the meanwhile, Roe had decided to stretch her legs and explore independently, leaving behind the city lights and the 24/7 ruckus. She had loved her time in Faline but there was nothing more refreshing than the open countryside. Now, she found herself nestled in the corner of a little shack which barely held 30 people at a time. The only people she had for company was a stew that scared her to ask too many questions about and the owner who doubled as the bartender during the evening. He polished his glasses, wiped down the bar and began to prepare for an early closure. This simple holding wasn't just a bar but a rudimentary inn as well. On her passing, she had asked about vacancies and he had a room available. She paid to stay one night and tipped generously for his welcoming manner and kindness.

She finished up her stew which was surprisingly tasty. Perhaps, it was a family recipe that had been perfected over hundreds of years through the generations. Perhaps, the chef was just lucky. Either way, Roe had a full belly that night. She began to tidy up, gathering her things to head upstairs to retire when the door was thrown open. Three burly men walked in, a sullen look plastered on their face. They were coated in a thick layer of mud and she could smell their sweaty stench from where she was sat. Fearful, she cowered in the corner, lowering her gaze to the floor. She had no intentions of upsetting them nor drawing their attention to her. Thankfully, they took no notice in her and took up the stools that lined the bar. Among them, they began to chatter, complaining of the day they had faced. It looks like the early night for the bartender wasn't about to happen.

"Another one...a damn 'nother one! Can you believe it?"

"I know, the ministry have to do something about this."

"You know they gonna do jack shit."

"I like to have wishful thinkin' some time."

That caused a burst of laughter to erupt from the group. Roe was intrigued and continued to listen.

"What do you 'pose they could do about it anyway?"

"I dunno," the tallest of the group shrugged. "Get them bloody mages under control."

"I disagree," the one with the goatie said. "Restrictions are already pretty tight. I think that would make things worse."

"Maybe, you think this is mages rebelling against them?"

"Yeh, I do. If you look at our past, this is simply history repeating itself."

"Hmm..."

They all took a sip of their beer, pondering the mystery before them.

"Magic could do so much good in this world if we stopped fearing it. Of course, there need to be rules and boundaries set but we really need to embrace these people."

"I don't think we need to do any such thing..." The third one who seemed to be the quietest of the group shook his head. "They treat us non-magic folk like scum. Anyone with magic should just be shot. In a few years, they'll be irradicated and the land will be ours once more."

The others stared at him for a moment in slight disbelief he'd said that.

"Shoot them?!" There was a tone of alarment in his voice. "I don't think we need to be THAT drastic..."

"No?" An eyebrow raised. "Why not?" The eyebrow furrowed into his brow to make a frown. "You'd rather them do as they please and step on us like ants?"

"No...no, that's not what I meant. I just mean that shooting them all seems a bit harsh. They're not all bad and they can be used to help us in what we cannot do for ourselves. I think there's a way we can live in harmony with them. There's no need for one to be better than the other."

The other muttered something under his breath that Roe couldn't hear. He then proceeded to pick up his sodden coat and storm out into the night, leaving his associates behind.

"Sometimes, he can be so...frustrating." He sighed, finishing off his beer.

"I know but you can understand where he's coming from. His family has been hit the hardest these past few years and he does have a point, sort of, even if he does take it a little far."

"I know."

They both left, following after their friend, leaving behind a trail of wet mud and a lingering sense of defeat. As a mage, Roe was slightly taken aback by the conversation, especially the part where she would end up with a bullet between her eyes. On one hand, she had no experience with non-mages and couldn't possibly begin to empathise with their situation. On the other, she saw her own side of the story from the point of view as the mage in the story and she could entirely agree upon some of the issues raised here. She wouldn't go as far as shooting her own people but there was a massive breakdown in the system that had been created and Miriam's rulebook needed to be thrown back at her. The tight reins she fought to hang onto were clearly snapping thread by thread. Would she notice before they gave way completely or would she continue her blind charge into the thick of it where it was so obviously going to end in disaster?

Before any more thugs could come in, she excused herself to bed. She said a quick goodnight to the owner who was mopping furiously at his floors to prevent staining and she slipped up the stairs to bed.