2026 Pride Flash Fiction, 3 of 30, “Potions War”

TBC Writing Challenge: Rainbow Reads

Day 3 of 30

Genre: Fantasy, LGBTQ

Potions War by R. Scott Tyler

The year is 2162, and the Potions War is on again. War was a bit strong, but it was one of the best advertising venues for mages focused on potions… especially efficiency, love, strength-increasing, argument-winning, calming, and sleeping potions… You get it. 

It had been 125 years since politics had been outlawed. Governors now reported directly to the people and were paid and rewarded similarly to average workers. 

Politics changed around the same time that an entirely new art of magic potions was discovered. For the past twenty or so years, Eldrin and Orion had been competing as potion mages in the new space-focused city of Spellforge.

Eldrin’s big discovery this year was a truth potion. This one was unique in that it made the drinker not only tell the truth but also, after each truth, suggest a better, deeper question to ask. His plan was to slip it to Orion on the first day of the event and watch the fun unfold.

“Orion, good to see you here again this year. Never give up is a great motto,” Eldrin said, walking up to Orion’s booth.

“I’m glad to be here, Eldrin. I also never tire of your witty banter,” Orion retorted, pouring himself and Eldrin each a cup of grassy-smelling hot tea. As he returned the kettle, his sixth-sense potion activated, and he turned around as Eldrin fiddled with his sleeve. 

Eldrin just barely got half the potion into Orion’s glass when the other mage whirled around. He hid the half-empty vial in his loose sleeve and bent down, pretending to do something to his shoes.

Orion, suspecting he’d been duped, quickly flipped the cups around. When he turned again to better settle the tea kettle on the grate, Eldrin popped back up and finished dumping the last half of the truth serum into the tea cup in front of him, the cup without any potion. Now both cups were laced, and neither mage was aware. 

When Orion returned, both mages picked up their cups and gulped down the concoctions while keeping an eye on each other.

“How was it?” Orion asked about the tea.

“How someone so handsome can make something so bitter is beyond me,” Eldrin answered, immediately clamping his hand over his mouth. “You could ask how you look; that would be a much more positive answer,” his mouth went on, even behind his hand.

Word Count: 399

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