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Discover weekly, the best short stories

Looking for a steady supply of fantasy short stories? Every week thousands of writers submit stories to our writing contest.

150+ Fantasy Short Stories to read

Submitted by writers on Reedsy Prompts to our weekly writing contest. Though fantasy is well known for its epically long sagas, fantasy short stories can deliver all the genre’s best attractions with one punch — or, shall we say, in one fiery dragon breath?

Fantasy Short Stories – Page 3 of 10

Demetrius Prince of Fair Kingdom

Submitted to Contest #318

Demetrius stomped away from the party, grumbling to himself. He was so tired of everyone paying attention to his little sister and ignoring him. All she had to do was get dressed in a frilly, little dress and a useless hat and she limped her way into the hearts of everyone. Demetrius was dressed in his princely uniform with his grandfather's pocket watch in his waistcoat and his pair of gilded daggers in his belt but as soon as the entrance procession was over, he was ignored. As he leaned against the tree pouting, he heard a chattering...

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The Little Bear

Winner of Contest #318 🏆

My parents loved me. I knew they did. However, in their quest to remain young and relevant, they failed spectacularly to embrace that I would, inevitably, grow older. At some point, they would have to acknowledge the chubby toddler fat would give way to sprawling, awkward limbs, the dawning muscle of youth, the sinews of which would become the solid flesh of adolescence. From there, we were but the briefest amount of time away from when adolescence would become the teen years. I don't think they thought much about how my growing up would eve...

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Robin’s Blog

Submitted to Contest #318

Bruce Wayne, upon Alfred’s request, opened the webpage and began reading. * * * Entry 1: You know, I've been thinking - had it not been for Bruce, I would have been the one Stan Lee created first. Nowadays I'm only thought of as the sidekick, but times have changed, I don't need Bruce anymore; I'm a free bird. So let the rumors swirl - blah, blah, blah - that's the reality of it; but people forget, the bat only comes at night, and a robin soars in the daylight. If you're wondering about Alfred, he's gone too. It's only Bruce and his cave no...

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The Steel That Slaughters The Lamb

Submitted to Contest #318

To prepare is to steel oneself. To prepare is to practice smiling in the mirror, laughing, crying. What once took hours to perfect now takes only minutes. I have learnt how to act in this palace of gold and blood. I have learnt that lies we believe are as good as truth. The sacrifice is an honour, they say, and they take no criticism. From their risen balcony they hide behind the glare of the ground-kissing sun, so bright it hurts my eyes. I force them open and let the sting remind me where I am. They choose the name from a pot deep enough t...

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A Question of Worth

Submitted to Contest #318

The mirror could’ve at least done him the courtesy of lying.Cenric had hoped that when he stared into the glass, he’d find someone else staring back at him, someone suited to the rich clothes he’d been afforded for the occasion. To his mind, the doublet seemed to swallow him, the tight sleeves fitting awkwardly, the leggings too tight in some places and too loose in others. It was meant for someone else, someone better born and better suited to standing witness to a king’s wedding.Not an upjumped kitchen boy with no name, and a middling tale...

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YOU

Submitted to Contest #318

Hello.Hello.HELLO!Well, don’t answer me, but don’t think I don’t know that you are there watching me. Listening, or rather reading, every thought, every movement, and seeing into my future, waiting for my tragic demise. How disgusting that this, my world, is merely your entertainment. I am sure you are wondering how I figured out that YOU were there, ever present in my waking and dreaming moments. Excellent, now that I have your attention, expectantly, you will read this and vanish from my life, but alas, that may bring about my demise. I...

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Don't Mind Me

Submitted to Contest #318

Don’t Mind Me The neural bots that they implanted in my brain were starting to hurt. My delusions, hallucinations and psychotic visions were getting worse as they turned up the volume. I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know, I kept repeating again, and again. The torture was unyielding, treacherous, and overwhelming, as I lay strapped down to the exam table deep underground in the enemy's interrogation room. Their techniques were effective, and most people succumbed. But I was determined to endure the torture. I was determined to take it...

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The Chronicler's Tale

Submitted to Contest #318

Arthur’s world was a realm of soaring spires and whispered legends. My own was confined to the quiet hum of the archives and the precise, rhythmic scratch of a quill on parchment. For three years, I had been the official chronicler to Arthur- the prophesied hero of the Lumina Prophecy. He was the sun of this story, and I, a mere scribe, was a faint shadow in its margins.My life was a study in observation. I documented his battles, his speeches, his heroic acts, all from a respectful distance. He would defeat a grimoire-corrupted creature in ...

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The Dove's Song; A Pathway's Alliance Adventure

Submitted to Contest #318

At dawn, Joshua followed the edges of the meadow, keeping close to the line of trees where he could vanish if danger stirred; dew jeweled the grass; spider silk caught the first light like fine wire. He carried no weapon; the oaks and maples stood thick, easy to climb, and Theron, the red‑shouldered hawk, kept watch above; the hawk’s shadow ran before him like a dark seam stitched into the green.The morning smelled of crushed goldenrod and damp bark; somewhere a creek worked over stones; the air tasted faintly of iron. Joshua flexed his fing...

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I Don't Belong Here

Submitted to Contest #318

I Don't Belong Here *In which our heroine discovers that belonging is rather like finding a good parking spot—everyone thinks they know where it should be, but nobody's quite sure what to do when they actually find one.*Maple Syrup Henderson* had always suspected that the universe had made some sort of clerical error when it came to her existence. Not the dramatic kind of error that resulted in natural disasters or reality TV shows, but the more subtle variety—like when someone orders a cheeseburger and receives a fish sandwich, and everyone...

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Fairy Tale Gone Bad

Submitted to Contest #318

The Prophecy:Hella tied the last strap on Victor’s armor. The metal shone like water in the sun. She checked every buckle and ring. The leather creaked under her fingers. She kept her face calm, though her hands trembled. This was the day she had prayed for since childhood. The day the prince would slay the dragon. The day the road through the mountains would open again. The day the kingdom would breathe. She told herself her own life did not matter, not if she could help him win.The night before, she had sat with her parents by the hearth. ...

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The End

Submitted to Contest #318

As I sit before the river, a caterpillar ticklishly crawls up my arm. Taking it onto my finger, I smile and place it gently on the ground to be free.It’s hard to believe this all started when I first awoke in this city. The City of Gods, they call it. It was only a small town back then. At the time, I was homeless, alone, and confused. I had forgotten everything in my life, wandering the streets until a stranger offered me a piece of his bread at the local tavern.“Who am I?” I had asked to no one in particular.“You are everything,” he had an...

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While She Shined

Submitted to Contest #318

The mirror wasn’t for me. It never was.I stood behind her, pinning the last curl into place, making sure not a single strand escaped. She had to be flawless tonight; the spotlight didn’t forgive imperfection. My hands moved with practiced care , tugging, smoothing, adjusting- until her reflection looked satisfied enough to nod back at her.“Perfect,” she whispered, and the word landed like a feather and a stone all at once.Perfect. For her. Because of me. But not me.I stepped back, letting her admire herself, while I became part of the wallpa...

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The Silence Burns

Submitted to Contest #318

Content warning: emotional abuse, rejection, family pressure, strong language. Their gaze hits the colorful ceiling lying in dusk, as they throw their head back. Watching light and shadow intertwine, dancing for a spot, their back hits the ground. Why does life have to suck? Why can’t it be like this scene? Serenity in the evening sun? They sigh. Stacked up on each level are blooms of life in various forms and sizes. Amidst the droplets of dew, they lie. Staring at this beautiful arrangement of waving greens, they can never get enough of – ...

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First Appearances

Submitted to Contest #318

Laura stared in disbelief. This was what she had invested her inheritance in? This was not a ‘country house, needing some modernisation.’ She recognised the honey-coloured walls and tall, spindly Tudor chimneys from the photographs she’d received in the States, the stone window arches and massive, forbidding doors with studded ironwork, that romantic view over the wild Cornish moors … but the adjacent tower was crumbling and cracked, the crenellated roofline had gaps like rotting teeth and the glass, that once reflected blazing fiery sunset...

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