I'm trying to get around the Akmet filter, this prompt was what InterNutter suggested in their comments but for some reason the bot hates it when you use comments from one of your postings as a suggested prompt. At least for this one. So let's try a screen shot and the address to the Challenge it comes from?
@internutter/challenge-03061-h138-of-monstrous-men -- DaniAndShali
[AN: For the record, the idea given by BKF/DaniAndShali is, "That's sweet, he finally has hope. Watch, she'll turn out to be one of those he'd've willingly killed but, due to the spell on him, he also sees her as an innocent. As the spell lifts, he sees her as a Tiefling or another type of being and realizes the kindness showed her beauty, and finally understands the lesson. That the personality, the heart, shows who is evil and who is not."]
Lele found him passed out on sharp rocks. Again. "You idiot," she sighed affectionately. It was a moment's work to set up the pocket tent and activate the wand of levitation so she could haul Arden the Monstrous into a decent bed for a change. Between actual spinning and concocting a story in a notebook, and unpacking the picnic basket, there was plenty of time for him to get a long rest. When he finally woke she said, "You can't protect people if you don't look after yourself, you know."
"You keep telling me," he allowed. "Are you writing a new story?" He didn't pry because he didn't believe he deserved anything nice - not even mild amusement.
Lele shrugged. "Sort of. I'm paring down your story and ours to the barest elements. No names, no details... just once upon a time in a far off land. Sooner or later, all stories become once upon a time... When they're not, this is a true story, it happened to a friend of a friend of mine." She took a moment to finish a thought on the page. "I worry about you. You're not proving anyone's point killing yourself slowly like this."
To which Arden said, "I don't deserve to die quickly."
"Does anyone really deserve to die? Like, yeah, if it's them or you, there's not a lot of time for negotiation. Undead have already had their lives and Liches... Eugh. They might start with pure intention, but they wind up with absolute power corrupting any kind of nobility out of their souls. That said... not all Liches. What was I talking about?"
"I think you were trying to tell me that nobody truly deserves to die, but then you got side-tracked." Arden couldn't help but chuckle. "I certainly deserved my curse. I was about to assault a Cleric, light help me see..."
"And on holy ground. I remember. The question is - do you still deserve it? Do you deserve the punishment you keep giving yourself?"
"I slew far too many without asking if they deserved it. I have too many deaths counted against me."
"So save lives. Isn't that the way to balance your ledger? You have a debt of death, so help others to live."
"Are you proposing a quest, young lady? I thought you a little youthful for striking out on your own."
"Oh please, my mother would kill me," Lele scoffed. "Not until you come of age, little miss. When you find your name, then you can pick up a pack and go wandering. I wouldn't be too surprised if she was scrying on me right now."
"At least you know you have one person who cares that you are alive."
"You have one too," said Lele, and gave him a chaste kiss on his brow. "Stop being an idiot."
Later stories would hold that True Love's Kiss broke the spell, but those were stories. Love is many things, but it centers around wholeheartedly caring for another's wellbeing and wanting only good things for them. Everything else is window dressing. For example, the love between an underaged young Elf and a more mature ex-Paladin was entirely platonic.
Further, there were no splashy lights or orchestral swells. Just the world subtly changing so that Arden was no longer monstrous on the outside, and his eyes seeing things as the rest of the world did.
"Wow, all right, that happened," said Lele.
Arden stared too. "I knew you were an Elf, but I never knew you were an Underdark Elf."
A grin. "The smoked glasses, big hat, and big clothes in midsummer weren't a hint?
"I... just thought you were unusually fair. Turns out you were extremely fair... but not in hue."
"So what now, Mr big hero man?"
"I am going to enlist in the New Hope Watch. Learn more about seeing the real truth of people."
"I'll be checking up on you. No more starving. No more exhaustion. Just... be a hero to yourself, too."
"I'll keep a chair for you at the cafe," he promised.
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / justdd]
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