“I AM INVINCIBLE!!” The mad emperor screeches as I approach my blade at the ready.

“You’re not… I mean, look, I’ve already lobbed off your hand,” I gesture to the bloody limb on the floor.

“A simple setback with this sceptre, I shall be granted what I need, whether it be a new limb or your very demis-” I swing my sword and cut off the hand holding the accursed artifact.

“Ahhhhhh…. you… you... you.” His face has gone ashen now. Understandable, as he’s been bleeding heavily since my first strike. One would think that he would do something about it with his magic. But no, he seemed intent on monologuing.

With a final shaking of his stump at me, he collapses, clearly dying, if not already dead; with that, my duty for this job is complete. Vanquish the evil emperor and retrieve his cursed sceptre. Reaching down to pick up the sceptre, I pry his still-grasping hand free.

I can’t help but admire the thing. For all of its evil, it was truly well made. Something that’d belong in a museum of some kind. Alas, It is slated for disposal. Still, I can feel a tug at my subconscious, daring me to gaze into the large crystal atop the sceptre. I merely give a single glance, but that is enough for it to seize me.

“Ahh, sir hero… I welcome you, my new Master.” I am now in a pure white room with a figure that can only be described as pitch black. No features, nothing discernable. Only a humanoid figure made of black smoke and night sky.

“New Master?” I repeat—the figure nods.

“Indeed, sir. You have slain my previous Master, so my ownership naturally transfers over to you.”

“I see… Well, that is good; then, we don’t need to worry while I transport you for destruction.” These words send the figure into a sort of panic.

“Wait, Master, I can grant your very desires. I am, after all, a wish Demon. Tell me, Master, what is it you desire?”

“Meh, I’m ok, thanks.” I shrug off its blatant attempts at temptation.

“Surely you jest, Master. How about great riches?” As he says this, a mountain of gold appears before me. More money than I have ever seen in my entire life. More than the dragon horde I witnessed when I was just a squire. However, my answer is obvious.

“No thanks.” I wave the Demon’s offer away, and like a puff of smoke, the gold vanishes.

“May I ask why Master?” the Demon seems genuinely curious. Then again, great riches are often atop many wish lists for people.

“I am from an order of paladins. We have sworn to a life of poverty. Outside basic costs, I don’t have much need for coin. Let alone that much.” The Demon, for all its lack of features, clearly conveys how stunned it is. Rather an emotive fellow for a glorified 3D silhouette.

“Ah, yes. I see coin does not motivate you. Then perhaps all the woman you could ever want.” as before, many women, each of a beauty that would make the nymphs jealous, appeared. “Or maybe men.” with those added words, numerous men of equal beauty appear.

“Nah, no thanks, I’m asexual. Don’t feel the need.” Again the Demon is clearly stunned. Though I suppose I am a tough customer. Wealth, Lust, what next sin will he tempt me with, I wonder.

“How about ultimate power?” With these words, the images of beautiful people vanish and in their place is an image of me slaying the Demon lord. I will admit this tempted me for a moment. But once again, I shake my head.

“No thanks. I’m of the opinion strength not gained by your own hands is not real strength.”

The Demon is clearly getting frustrated with me now. Wealth, Lust Power all have failed.

“How about great fame? All heroes wish to be remembered.”

“No. My deeds, whether they live on, doesn’t matter to me, only that I have done good.” The Demon is clearly becoming more and more agitated.

“How about an empire of your own?”

“I just struck down the evil emperor on my own. Any ruler who rises up can still be cut down. It’d be the height of arrogance to think I was an exception.”

“Then… ughhh… How about an audience with your god?” His offer actually gives me pause.

“You can do such a thing?” my question is genuine.

“Indeed, Master. You need only seal the deal.” it holds out its hand. It is then I remember the rogue's old saying. A deal too good to be true almost always is.

“No thanks. I will meet him when I die. Can’t have you monkies pawing my wish now, can I?” the Demon clicks its tongue. It seems I hit the nail on the head.

“Paladin, what is it you actually want then?” the Demon gave up all pretence of temptation and decided to just outright ask. I have to admire the direct approach.

“Ok… I’ll tell you what I shall make a wish. You can fulfil anything, right?” the Demon nods, immensely pleased the conversation is going the way he likes.

“Ok, I wish the full destruction of every single Demon and devil in existence on this plane and any other. I also wish that all those with a level of evil in their hearts that would doom them to damnation have their souls banned from entry to the Demonic realms.”

The silhouette figure is frozen. Even without features, I can tell it is stunned by my wish.

“I CAN’T DO THAT!!!” Their protest is amusing to me, and I can’t help but chuckle.

“Thought you said you could do anything.”

“I have limits to my power, Master. Eliminating all my brethren is beyond my power by a magnitude. Let alone starving off all who may yet reform.”

“Then this negotiation is over. I shall take my leave, thank you.” I start walking away towards what I can make out is the edge of the room.

“Wait, I will give you everything!!! Anything but that!! You can be the greatest hero remembered throughout all time!! Your story will inspire so many more heroes.” the Demon is clearly desperate now.

“As I have previously said. I care little if my deeds are remembered. Let alone achieving such a goal with my own strength. I thank you for the offer, but I must go. This sceptre won’t purify itself now.” With these last words, I punch through the white wall and exit the mindscape.

“That was fun. Hope we can do it never again.” I say to the sceptre as I put it in my sealing bag for the trip to the temple.

for more of my stuff go to r/Random3X

My smiling fiancee looks up at me expectantly. He is on bended knee and has just placed a huge ruby and diamond engagement ring on my finger and seems to be waiting for something.

I feel my finger start to tingle. I look down at my new fiancee and say, "Wow! This ring feels almost magical!"

"It is magical, dear. It has been in my family for generations. The ruby is a good luck charm which has helped us gain our wealth over the years. I had it made into an engagement ring so that you can now become a full fledged member of the Platt family." He stood up and hugged me. "So how do you feel?"

I started to smile and kiss him, but then images started passing through my mind's eye. A juicy steak, a hot guy, a pile of gold... image after image of every desire you could dream of. I felt dizzy and looked for a place to sit down. There was a park bench nearby and I quickly sat down.

"It's alright, dear. The desire coursing through you will even out and you will start on your new path in life. No more working at the free clinic and giving of your precious time to those not deserving." His face looks almost gleeful. "You can become a world famous specialist and make boatloads of money."

I look up at the man I thought I knew so well. "Who was this guy?", I thought.

"I love working at the clinic. Helping those less fortunate is what makes me happy! How can you say they are not deserving?! Everyone is deserving of decent medical care!" I can feel my blood pressure rising.

"Calm down, dear. Just let the ring's magic sink in and you will singing a different tune soon enough. I am so excited that we are engaged now! I have to run to a business meeting, but I will see you later, honey." He leans down and gives me a kiss. He walks away with a happy bounce in his step.

I sit on the step, devastated. What should be the happiest moment of my life is starting to feel like the worst. I feel the ring pulse again on my finger. Images once again flood my mind.

"Stop that," I mutter to the ring. I don't want to look like a crazy person talking to herself. I center myself with a few deep breaths. The ring pulses once more and stops.

I am an engaged woman. I always thought that my boyfriend (so weird to call him my fiancee) was just a go-getter and would see the benefit of giving back to the community once he made it big. Now I know that is never going to happen. I knew that he hated the fact that as a doctor, I worked in the free clinic vs. private practice where I could make at least triple the amount of money I was making now. He had never really understood that I became a doctor to help people and not to make money. I look down at my finger - I guess I would see how uncorruptable I really was.

Need to run home for dinner. Hope to continue later/tomorrow.

This amulet, if the stories were true then it is the cursed amulet of atriech, it is rumoured that the amulet slowly drives you mad from corruption while it gives you what you desire….

As I picked the amulet up I could hear a voice in the back of my mind… a burning voice… and suddenly I could imagine what the voice was saying even if I couldn’t understand it… I tried to ignore it best I could as I prepared to leave the Tomb

Images of gorgeous women appeared but I only desired my wife , so these would not tempt me , I could feel there touch…. But I knew I had to keep going to leave this place

Then suddenly crystals and gold flooded my mind , it would be nice but I already made well enough from my work that we lived comfortably, what need do I have for a mansion…. Or riches … I did not desire that either… the burning feeling in the back of my mind grew… the voice was almost becoming more discernible , I could feel frustration coming from the amulet

Next I seen myself growing old with my wife , however I knew this temptation was a lie , if the stories were true then this amulet would kill mr from madness before I ever got old…. The spirit inside was becoming desperate … the voice started to sound like a grinding angry “whyyyyyy” I could only imagine it wanted to know why nothing it offered tempted me , I wondered… would it eventually find something to tempt me I would want? Could it read my thoughts as I had them now…. No… the voice didn’t seem to react to my thoughts just my actions….

I wonder can it hear me speak…. “ you know I do quite like nature…. “ I spoke the words out loud even though I was alone in this tomb , suddenly it showed me a secluded forest with a home…. So I guess it can hear me then.

I paused for a moment to think , I knew I had to be near the entrance despite the amulet trying to tempt me, and as I arrived I had a thought…

“ my greatest desire…. Is to put this amulet in my cabinet with my other artifacts” I spoke it aloud so the spirit would hear it

For a moment no images appeared…. I figured I had confused it , then suddenly an image of me putting the amulet in my cabinet appeared, if I took this temptation then it would lose … did it know this? Or was it a trick…. But before I could decide the burning feeling receded the amulet felt…. Inert …. Did I win?

I continued on my path home… and I wondered… maybe… maybe it didn’t need to spend all its time in a cabinet if it was inert…

(Disclaimer: this is not my view of the Typical Gen-z. It's purely fiction and entertainment)

"Can you not call it that?" The wizard (I know he said he's not a wizard but He's acting like a wizard ) asked in exasperation.

"Why not? It makes sense. It's small, it's shiny, it looks innocent but it corrupts the souls of all who touch it." I held it up to the light to watch it sparkle. It IS pretty, even if it does have the power to destroy worlds.

"Yes it can do all those things but it's not... just don't call it a Ring of Power please." The wizard puts his head in his hands.

"I'm just saying it's the same thing. How do we destroy it anyway?" The wizard looks back up at me, pure terror in his eyes.

"Youthrowitincrsdfiur" He mumbles.

"What?" Was that a spell? An enchantment? Did he turn me into a newt when I wasn't looking?

"You throw it into the cursed fire" the wizard says more clearly. "Don't- just dont..."

I shrug as our order is called. "Gandalf? Medium dark roast 2 Splenda, one cream?" The batista calls. The wizard shoots me a look.

"You told them my name was Gandalf?" He hisses and storms over to grab his drink.

The shiny falls off the chain and begins rolling across the table. Out of reflex, I put my hand over it and scoop it into my palm. The wizard pauses and looks at me.

"NOOO YOU FOOL! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE???" He screams and nearly drops the coffee.

"It slipped off the chain. What was I supposed to do?" I quickly fixed the chain and reattached the sparkly.

"How did you.... How did... what just happened? You held it in your bare hands and- you can't be that simpleminded, surely?"

"Hey! Wizard or not you don't to insult my intel-intela- umm...."

"Intelligence."

"Thank you. My Intelligence. I'm not an idiot. I know how the rings of power work and stuff. You have to put them on and wear them a bunch and I just touched the sparkly."

"OK. Let me explain this in a way you understand. " the wizard paused (either trying to dumb himself down to my level or trying to remember his OK, Boomer to Gen-Z dictionary) "the uhh... the Sparkly is like a ring of power on steroids. The minute it touches your bare skin, most people go into a trance as it shows you all your heart desires and how it could be yours. You- you didn't."

"Nah. I mean- I guess it tried but there were so many things and it couldn't decide what to tempt me with."

"Power? Riches? Love? Admiration from your peers?"

"Nah, dude. The usual. Affordable Healthcare, reasonable housing rates, a living wage. College without going into debt. Not living in a constant existential crisis... But I dream about all that on such a daily basis it barely even registers."

"Ah." The wizard took another long sip of his coffee." So your generation is more resilient to evil because your day to day lives face so much injustice already."

"Pretty much."

The wizard sits quietly and ponders all this. The more he thinks it through, the angrier he seems to get.

"Also we have avocado toast. So you know it's not all bad"

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