Whispers of the unreal

 


Whispers of the Unreal: Understanding the Fantasy Short Story

By Professor Dr. Arshad Afzal (Pen name: Faraz Parvez)

Introduction:

In a world dictated by logic, science, and rationality, the fantasy short story dares to ask—what if? What if castles floated in the sky? What if people’s dreams could shape reality? What if there was a land where time ran backward, and every broken heart summoned a storm?

Fantasy fiction is not about escape—it’s about imagination unbound. This genre creates alternate realities where magic reigns, mythical beings thrive, and the human spirit navigates the surreal. Unlike science fiction, which leans on future logic, or magical realism, which embeds the impossible in the mundane, fantasy delights in inventing entire worlds governed by entirely new rules.

What is a Fantasy Short Story?

A fantasy short story is a brief narrative that introduces magical or supernatural elements as a primary part of the plot or setting. Whether set in a completely fabricated world or layered over our familiar one, these tales explore universal themes like love, fear, power, and destiny through the lens of the unreal.

Key characteristics include:

  • Presence of magic or magical systems
  • Mythical or fantastical creatures (dragons, elves, spirits, talking animals)
  • Invented worlds or parallel dimensions
  • Quests, prophecies, or legendary artifacts
  • Moral dilemmas within surreal contexts

Signature Story: “The Lantern of Aldara”

An original fantasy short story by Faraz Parvez

In the forgotten kingdom of Aldara, where the trees whispered in Old Tongue and the moon danced with the clouds, there was a rule: Never light the lantern by the well after dusk.

Twelve-year-old Liora had grown up with this rule stitched into her spine. Her grandmother, the village lorekeeper, had warned her many times. "That light does not brighten. It awakens."

But when her younger brother fell into fever and muttered of shadow-beasts pressing at the walls of his dreams, Liora grew desperate. She remembered the old tale—how the Lantern could summon The Luminari, a being who could grant a healing wish, but at a terrible price.

So, that night, as the village slept and moonlight curled across cobblestone paths like spilled milk, Liora lit the Lantern.

The flame rose—golden at first—then green, then violet. Wind howled. Trees shivered. From the well, something rose, cloaked in wind and silver ash.

“I heard your call, child,” it whispered, in a voice that sounded like thunder on silk.

“I want my brother to be well,” she said, trembling.

“I can grant that. But you must give me what is most precious to you.”

She thought of her mother’s locket. Her journal. Her voice. Her dreams.

But before she could speak, the Luminari reached into her chest and took something unseen.

Years later, her brother grew strong, became a healer, a leader, a beacon for the realm.

But Liora never dreamed again.

Why Fantasy Short Stories Matter:

Fantasy isn’t just “make-believe.” It’s truth draped in metaphor. These stories explore human conditions—courage, sacrifice, longing, loss—in landscapes that reveal our deepest fears and highest hopes. Fantasy reflects the impossible so we can better understand the possible.

Coming Up Next:

We’ll continue our journey through the many kinds of short stories. From speculative to surreal, tragic to whimsical—each form offers new storytelling tools and emotional textures.

Next blog: Parable Short Stories – Morals in Miniature Worlds

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