i really like the description of the broken Sphinx. Good job portraying the lonely priestess.

The run-down sphinx is great and it’s a very well contained short story. It’s rare to see short fantasy/sci-fi like this that paints a broad picture but knows it isn’t necessary to fill in every blank.

Very cool. Ah, it’s for the fantasy/sci-fi challenge. I get it now, though even before that realization I thought it worked extremely well at blending technology and magic. You darn near created a whole new world in that short little story! Killer ending too.

Thank you, all! I hadn’t written it for the challenge originally, but jesteram encouraged me to enter it in there, so I figured I’d give it a try.

It’s funny – the story sprang from a completely different idea altogether, and in its original incarnation there weren’t any steampunk/sf elements to it at all. As I wrote it, though, the voice just wasn’t working. I deleted it and started again from the oracle’s POV rather than the hero’s, and this is the result.

I gave the original five pencils, but I don’t think anyone would mind if I gave the re-post five as well. I’m glad you entered! The phrase “ticker-tape riddles” is my favorite, I think.

Stunning! is the only words i can use to describe this piece. this short story is so well rounded,it reminds me that greatness can still be achieved in things under a single KB.

Great! Sounds like something I would hear listening to the Drabblecast! You should submit it…