Feel free to skip the story and go to the next heading (Your Quest: Rules and Forms) if you want to get straight to the rules, quest, and eligible stories.)
You find your coordination returns, and it becomes easier to move. You make your way up the stony path. Karu is supposed to be somewhere nearby. You’ve heard of him before. The message Bram and Lyria want you to carry burns in your mind. The fog gets thicker as you make your way up the path. Soon you are completely enveloped in a thick mist.
A deep foreboding builds within you as you see the top of a castle slicing through the mist. The further up you go, the more uneasy you feel. An eerie silence hangs heavily in the air. Then the fog clears, revealing a castle with an open door.
You hesitate for a moment before stepping inside. The castle is dark and quiet, the air thick with the scent of damp stones and old blood. Your own footsteps echo through the halls as you make your way deeper into the castle. The hairs on the back of your neck stand on end as you step into an opulent chamber. Shadows and firelight dance together. The glow from the broad hearth reflects off the stone walls.
Bronze statues of fierce, winged guardians stood watch around the chamber. They seem almost alive in the fiery light, their wings poised for flight, their expressions a blend of menace and allure. Their silent vigil was broken only by the sibilant whisper of feathers rustling, a unnerving sound as you see no movement.
You freeze.
There is someone here.
A woman stands in the center of the room, still as a statue and yet unmistakably…alive? Alive doesn’t feel like quite the right world. She wears a sapphire-hued dress that is so dark it is practically midnight against the pale skin. An elegant tiara adorns her silver-white tresses, the diamonds catching the flicker of the flames, reminiscent of stars captured from the darkest night.
You meet her dark gaze and lift your chin. “Are you a vampire?”
It’s a fair question, if not the wisest thing to ask here.
She smiles then, lifting her skull goblet. Fangs press against her red lips. “Why would you think I’m a vampire?” She asks in a sultry murmur. As she speaks, the air around her thickens, filling with the scent of roses, sandalwood, musk, and the hint of iron-rich blood.
“That sounds like a trick question,” you say with great calm.
Her smile quirks up as she continues to stare at you.
“Was there a reason the castle door was open?” You gesture back the way you came.
She tips her head back and laughs. “Yes, actually. I am in need of someone to gather up the most potent and rich of fairy tale and mythical retellings. It is my life blood. Now help me, or I’ll bite you.”
You narrow your eyes at her. “I don’t respond well to threats, but I do love sharing stories with people.”
“Well, my, my, aren’t you brave?” She raises an eyebrow. “And I was only teasing. If you help me gather the stories I need, then that will ensure that I don’t have to threaten or harm anyone. And you would have my undying gratitude.”
You consider this for a moment. “Just fairy tale and mythical retellings then? How many do you need?”
“Ten,” she says with a sharp smile. “Ten will be just perfect.”
“I may actually be able to help you. But I’m not helping you because you threatened me. I just think everyone should have great stories, and I happen to really love retellings.”
“How lucky for me.” She grins.
“I’ll be back shortly.” You have a feeling that if you don’t, she’s the sort who will come after you for vengeance. Besides, you know where to grab all the retellings you could possibly need. It won’t really take that long. And in this case, books may just save lives.
Your Quest: Prize, Rules, and Forms
Prize
Once you complete this quest, you will be entered in a chance to win a $5 gift card.
This is open to anyone.
Rules
To complete the Quest, you can use stories from either Our World or Other Worlds. The stories just need to be in this event to be eligible for inclusion.
You can only use a story for one element on the list in this quest. It is all right if you repeat a story from any other quest though.
Be kind to your fellow readers and other authors.
The Forms
This one you will either fill out a Google Form or email us your discoveries. Refer to the form to find the list of required stories even if you choose to email.
Each answer is worth 1 token. Each token is an entry into the giveaway.
Bonus Tokens
In addition to the regular tokens, you can get bonus tokens by completing the following acts.
One extra token for every story you share in an individual social media post. (Yes, you can post on multiple platforms.)
Use #fairytalehunterbonus (and if you want to absolutely bless me, save off the links and paste them in the forms or an email to make sure we definitely see them. Screenshots also work.).
(We have graphics of all the stories here so you don’t have to make something separate. Just look look under the author’s last name to find the stories.)
Submitting Your Form
Once you’ve gathered up your collection of stories, you’ll need to turn them in so we can verify.
You can turn in your stories in two ways.
- Complete this form and directly post your answers (if you do this, you don’t need to turn in anything else. The form will allow you to return to it and edit your answers).
- Email your answers to faeornofae@farofeb.com. Make sure to include any of the bonus activities you have done as well. Use the title The Matchmaker or Ghosts and Spirits Quest or some similar identifier.
Make sure to submit your completed form or list by October 30 at 11:59 PM EST.
If you have any problems, please feel free to email faeornofae@farofeb.com.
Conclusion to The Fairy Tale Hunter
You return a short time later, the night still dark and the moon still high in the sky. Traces of clouds race across the sky.
The castle is precisely as it was, the heavy door open. You carry the stack of books in carefully. Reading can most certainly save lives, but this is a little more of an unusual situation.
The strange woman remains where she was when you left. Her eyes light up as soon as she sees you, and she springs forward with delight. “How magnificent! You are back so soon!”
“Here are the ten fairy tale and mythical retellings you asked for.” You hand over the stack of books to the woman, her fingers eagerly tracing over the covers. She hums with pleasure as she flips through the pages, her eyes scanning the words with a hunger that is almost palpable.
“You have done me a great service,” she says, her voice soft and almost reverent as she picks up the first of the books. “These will do perfectly. Thank you so much for your help.”
She holds up one of the books and then draws her fingers through the air. A dark red liquid pours out like wine from the pages, the letters on the page running out into the goblet. An intoxicating aroma wafts up from it, a blend of dark berries, arcane herbs, and the faintest hint of danger.
Your eyes widen. This is…a touch disconcerting.
It might be best if you leave. Still you can’t help but ask, “What exactly are you doing?”
“I don’t just read books. I consume them. And retellings are my favorite.” She whispers the words over another book and then pours it into the goblet as well. “Don’t tell me you’ve never considered drinking a book.”
You step over and pick up one of the books she has done this to. As best you can see, it is still whole. The words are the same.
She grins and takes a long sip from her goblet. Her eyes close with rapturous delight. “Ahhh, Beauty and the Beast. One of my favorites. And what a delightful blend! There is nothing better than the essence of the very best stories and tropes.”
You nod as you step back. Far be it from you to ever criticize someone for not enjoying their books in a traditional reading fashion, but this is a little more concerning. Still, it does look like she’s happy and no one is being hurt. “Well, you have a wonderful night. I’ll just be on my way.”
She waves her hand happily and bids you hurry off. You are more than happy to oblige. Perhaps you shouldn’t just walk into random castles in the night. Especially not on the week of Halloween. Besides, you have a mission.
You hurry off down the stone path. The fog returns. What a night it has been already! And you still need to find Karu and pass on that message.