What's in the Box? [Fantasy anthology series]

[Royal Road Writathon winner, Spring 2024] [Complete]

Everyone seems to want it, but no one knows why. You could ignore it, but what if one of your enemies acquires it and use it against you! It's existed for ages, and those who made it are long dead. Those who have seen it claim it's locked, but that there is no key. Fortunes have already been spent trying to find it, and lives have been lost trying to claim it. But the ultimate question is: What's in the box?

This my entry into the Spring 2024 Royal Writathon. It's a series of interconnected pieces of fantasy short fiction, written from multiple characters perspectives, and with more than one style of POV. Each segment tells it's own independent story, ranging in genre from action-adventure to slice-of-life comedy, while also providing hints to solve the overall mystery.

Sensitivity warning is in reference to discussion of institutionalized slavery and torture.