What Every Hero Knows

July 12, 2017

PHOTO PROMPT © Janet Webb

When Avarit stole the stars, the people shrugged.

“We’ve still got the moon,” they said.

But Vagus worried. What if the moon was next? Or the sun?

“I know where Avarit lives,” Vagus said, for he’d seen it in a dream. A forest, a tower, and the stars in a jar on a window ledge.

The people laughed, but Vagus knew that Avarit had taken things before: like nobkins and gillyfish. And Avarit would never stop until he had it all.

That night, Vagus stared up at the bottomless black and knew: any journey worth taking was worth taking alone.

—

100 words

This has been an edition of Friday Fictioneers, hosted by the amazing Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. This week’s photo courtesy Janet Webb.

To read more stories inspired by the prompt or to submit your own, click the blue button:

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Thanks for reading!

48 Comments

neilmacdon

July 12, 2017 at 8:52 am · Reply

What a great first line!

LikeLiked by 1 person
1. k rawson
  
  July 13, 2017 at 12:41 pm · Reply
  
  Thank you Neil! Thanks for reading.
  
  LikeLike
rochellewisoff

July 12, 2017 at 8:56 am · Reply

Dear Karen,

I’ve been wondering what happened to the nobkins and gillyfish. Thank you for clearing this up. Your story is both fanciful and poetic. Delightful.

Shalom,

Rochelle

LikeLiked by 1 person
1. k rawson
  
  July 13, 2017 at 12:42 pm · Reply
  
  Ha, the mystery of the disappearing gillyfish has confounded me for ages! Thanks for reading and thanks for your kind words.
  
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Iain Kelly

July 12, 2017 at 9:23 am · Reply

The people will thank Vagus in the end…if he survives. Wonderful take.

LikeLiked by 1 person
1. k rawson
  
  July 13, 2017 at 12:57 pm · Reply
  
  Thanks Iain!
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
A Writer's Beginning

July 12, 2017 at 10:48 am · Reply

Lovely idea here; so creative! What a fantastic take on the prompt!

LikeLiked by 1 person
1. k rawson
  
  July 13, 2017 at 12:57 pm · Reply
  
  Thanks so much & thanks for reading!
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  1. A Writer's Beginning
    
    July 13, 2017 at 12:57 pm ·
    
    You’re very welcome!
    
    LikeLiked by 1 person
Björn Rudberg (brudberg)

July 12, 2017 at 10:57 am · Reply

I simply love this story which could be something to start a great fantasy adventure…

LikeLiked by 1 person
1. k rawson
  
  July 13, 2017 at 1:50 pm · Reply
  
  Thanks Bjorn, it means a lot!
  
  LikeLike
Sheena

July 12, 2017 at 11:59 am · Reply

Im thinking Avarit could well be the god of avarice. Hurry Vagus, the future of the galaxy rests in your hands.

LikeLiked by 1 person
1. k rawson
  
  July 13, 2017 at 1:51 pm · Reply
  
  You get a gold star, that is exactly how I came about the name! Thanks for reading.
  
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Keith's Ramblings

July 12, 2017 at 12:15 pm · Reply

What a brilliantly different take.Off you go Vegus…

Please click to read my FriFic

LikeLiked by 1 person
1. k rawson
  
  July 13, 2017 at 1:52 pm · Reply
  
  Thanks so much Keith!
  
  LikeLike
Sascha Darlington

July 12, 2017 at 12:24 pm · Reply

This is wonderful. A journey tale. You’ve created something magical here.

LikeLiked by 1 person
1. k rawson
  
  July 13, 2017 at 1:53 pm · Reply
  
  Thanks & thanks for reading.
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
Alicia Jamtaas

July 12, 2017 at 12:29 pm · Reply

I think this is one of your very best pieces. Whimsy and fantasy and dread and hope and challenge all wrapped up together!!!! Well done.

LikeLiked by 1 person
1. k rawson
  
  July 13, 2017 at 1:54 pm · Reply
  
  Thanks so much for your kind words. So glad you liked it 😀
  
  LikeLike
  1. Alicia Jamtaas
    
    July 13, 2017 at 9:46 pm ·
    
    🙂
    
    LikeLike
peterkirsch

July 12, 2017 at 3:14 pm · Reply

Ah, fantasy…the oft ignored genre. This is a fitting start to an excellent tale.
I dare you to keep going someday.

LikeLiked by 1 person
1. k rawson
  
  July 13, 2017 at 1:55 pm · Reply
  
  An interesting suggestion. Who knows, maybe someday I will.
  
  LikeLike
J Hardy Carroll

July 12, 2017 at 5:48 pm · Reply

Holy shit this is great. Evocative and playful, with marvelous style and panache.

LikeLiked by 1 person
1. k rawson
  
  July 13, 2017 at 2:50 pm · Reply
  
  Thanks so much for your generous praise 🙂
  
  LikeLike
draliman

July 13, 2017 at 5:10 am · Reply

I’m imagining Vagus besting Avarit and letting the stars loose to explode into the night sky. I hope he finds the nobkins as well. I’m not so bothered about the gillyfish. Nasty things.

LikeLiked by 1 person
1. k rawson
  
  July 13, 2017 at 2:51 pm · Reply
  
  HA! Who needs gillyfish 😉 Such a delightful comment–made me laugh out loud.
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
gahlearner

July 13, 2017 at 9:15 am · Reply

The beginning of a great quest, and would make a great longer piece. I love it.

LikeLiked by 1 person
1. k rawson
  
  July 13, 2017 at 2:51 pm · Reply
  
  Thanks so much!
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
michael1148humphris

July 13, 2017 at 10:26 am · Reply

And the legend begins. Lovely

LikeLiked by 1 person
1. k rawson
  
  July 13, 2017 at 2:52 pm · Reply
  
  Thanks Michael!
  
  LikeLike
L.E.R.T

July 13, 2017 at 11:34 am · Reply

You are onto something big here. We need more of Vagus Vs Avarit.

LikeLiked by 1 person
1. k rawson
  
  July 13, 2017 at 2:53 pm · Reply
  
  Thanks so much.
  
  LikeLike
neeltheauthor

July 13, 2017 at 12:00 pm · Reply

I love these kinds of stories and you write them so well, K.

LikeLiked by 1 person
1. k rawson
  
  July 13, 2017 at 2:54 pm · Reply
  
  You’re very kind Neel. Thanks for reading!
  
  LikeLike
Tracey@MyBajaKitchen.com and TraceyDelaplainMD.com

July 13, 2017 at 2:20 pm · Reply

Yes, what J. Hardy said and I’m sure he doesn’t cut you any slack. Lovely Karen.
Tracey

LikeLiked by 1 person
1. k rawson
  
  July 13, 2017 at 2:55 pm · Reply
  
  🙂 Thanks Tracey. I can’t remember if J Hardy ‘never cuts me slack’ or ‘gives me too much credit’. It’s one or the other for sure. Thanks for reading!
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
Life Lessons of a Dog Lover

July 13, 2017 at 3:41 pm · Reply

That has to be an all time great first line to a wonderfully creative story.

LikeLiked by 1 person
1. k rawson
  
  July 13, 2017 at 7:02 pm · Reply
  
  Thanks so much 😀
  
  LikeLike
granonine

July 13, 2017 at 5:19 pm · Reply

Awesome story!

LikeLiked by 1 person
1. k rawson
  
  July 13, 2017 at 7:02 pm · Reply
  
  Thanks!
  
  LikeLike
Fluid Phrase

July 14, 2017 at 1:04 am · Reply

Beautiful story! Very delightful. Well done!

LikeLiked by 1 person
1. k rawson
  
  July 14, 2017 at 4:35 am · Reply
  
  Thanks so much!
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
FabricatingFiction

July 15, 2017 at 3:42 am · Reply

I adore this!

LikeLiked by 1 person
1. k rawson
  
  July 15, 2017 at 5:30 am · Reply
  
  Thanks so much!
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
Miles Rost

July 16, 2017 at 6:58 am · Reply

I can’t help but thinking of the song “Moon Over Georgia” by Shenandoah. Quite interesting, your story be. Well done.

LikeLiked by 1 person
1. k rawson
  
  July 17, 2017 at 1:42 pm · Reply
  
  I can’t think of the song. I’ll have to check it out. Thanks for reading!
  
  LikeLike
gravadee

July 17, 2017 at 1:22 am · Reply

Lovely take on the prompt

Click Here to see what Mrs. Dash Says

LikeLiked by 1 person
1. k rawson
  
  July 17, 2017 at 1:43 pm · Reply
  
  Thanks so much!
  
  LikeLike

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