The Living Market of Neverwisp

Fantasy Short Story

By Leni Marlina

(Indonesia)

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Neverwisp, the floating market that seemed alive, was usually bathed in the glimmer of candles, the aroma of spices, and silk swirling like a choreography of light. Yet that morning… everything shifted.

Candles exploded one by one, releasing golden sparks that danced with reckless abandon. Silks whirled like dragon smoke, their heat prickling the skin, while spices that had been sweet emitted a sharp, pungent scent that pierced the senses and made heads spin. Merchants cried out, children shrieked, and the azure scrolls floated midair, throbbing as though breathing on their own.

I am Seryn Althar, stared at the scrolls with a mingling of fear and curiosity. My body trembled, hands shaking, but curiosity outweighed my fear.

“Illegal scrolls!” shouted Eryndor Vale, opening the Enchanted Data Ledger. Blue and violet holograms danced, cataloging thousands of scrolls that had infiltrated the market. “These are no mere objects… they are draining the energy of the merchants!”

From his crystal tower, Draven Nightquill smiled faintly. His cloak shimmered like ink swallowing the light. “Illegal or not. it must not exist,” he said, terse and cold. Yet his words were a stone wall against truth, freezing the very air around him.

I pulled Nyara Lyswen and Brakkor Thalven toward the Raindrop Shadow Warehouse, where the illicit scrolls nested. The azure scrolls devoured the energy of enchanted objects such as candles, silk, spices, children of the merchants weakened, their eyes dimming.

“This isn’t merely a crisis,” Nyara said, her eyes alight. “This is a war of energy. Our original artifacts are alive, but these scrolls are siphoning their vitality. Every merchant, every spark of creativity… is at risk.”

Brakkor scowled at the azure scrolls, exhaling sharply. “If these scrolls want to join the party, they could at least send an invitation!” His sarcasm was swallowed by the whirling tumult of the scrolls.

I activated the Lens of Light, channeling the energy of authentic objects into the market. The azure scrolls trembled, shrieked, and shattered into fragments of light, floating like dying stars leaving iridescent trails. Merchants smiled with relief for a fleeting moment.

On the other side, young merchant Mira clutched her spices, pale but resolute. “If I surrender, Neverwisp dies. And I will not allow that,” she whispered.

Suddenly, from the ruins, the Scroll of Black Light emerged, feral and more potent. Eryndor froze. The black scroll absorbed all energy including that of the Enchanted Data Ledger. Holographic lights vanished. Hidden portals yawned open, and from within stepped Draven—a primeval shadow capable of bending reality into chaos.

“Data is but an illusion,” he intoned, his voice echoing through the market. “The power behind these objects… is always greater than you can fathom.”

I gazed at the syrup-gold sky reflecting the shadow of the black scroll. The market, the merchants, reality itself were all pawns. Only questions remained unanswered.

As the black scroll drained every object, I discovered a hidden layer within the Lens of Light: Draven’s secret archive. The entire market, the merchants, the illicit scrolls an experiment, testing the limits of human creativity.

Draven’s gaze, dark and gleaming, fell upon us. “You think this is real? No. This is a laboratory of power. And you… are mere pieces.”

I swallowed hard, realizing a devastating truth: facts can be manipulated, objects misused, and power is always slipperier than data.

I ignited the Lens of Light once more. The black scroll did not destroy us; it transformed into pillars of luminous energy. From within the radiance emerged the shadows of merchants, scholars, and the missing enchanted objects.

Draven blinked, astonished. “Impossible…”

Nyara smiled, patting my shoulder. “We did not annihilate the scrolls. We transmuted them into creative energy. If we believe in artifacts and in our own creative power can return to our hands.

The black scroll fractured into thousands of shards of light, dancing in the air. Neverwisp lived again, brighter and stronger. Yet one thing remained: Draven’s shadow was sealed within a scroll, waiting for a chance to rise.

I drew a deep breath, sensing a subtle whisper from the sealed scroll. “He… still speaks to us,” I murmured.

Mira swallowed, tense. “Can we truly trust the power of these objects or only ourselves?”

I realized one enduring truth: in a world where power and data duel, creativity and courage are the most formidable weapons.

Merchants smiled, scholars nodded, and Neverwisp breathed once more. Yet the whisper of Draven’s shadow promised that a new adventure was only beginning.

The End

(Leni M_NN_Storynet (1)-13/1/2026)

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About the Author - Leni Marlina

Leni Marlina was born in Baso, Agam, West Sumatra, and is currently based in Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia. She is a poet, writer, and lecturer in the English Literature Program, Faculty of Languages and Arts, Universitas Negeri Padang, where she has taught since 2006. Her recent publications include the single-author poetry collections "The Beloved Teachers" (2025) and "L-BEAUMANITY: Love, Beauty, and Humanity" (2025), as well as the "English Stories for Literacy" trilogy (2024–2025). Beyond poetry, she writes short stories, essays, literary criticism, and reviews, and translates a wide range of literary and journalistic texts. Her work consistently engages language as a space for reflection, empathy, and the affirmation of human dignity.

Alongside her academic career, Leni is actively involved in literary and cultural journalism. She works as a freelance writer and contributor for various digital platforms and is also entrusted as an editor and redactor for several media outlets. Among them are "Suara Anak Negeri News Com" and "Negeri News Com", where she focuses on issues of education, literacy, literature, culture, and humanitarian concerns. Both platforms are guided by a shared commitment to “voicing the voiceless.”

Her contributions to literature have received both national and international recognition. She was awarded Best Writer 2025 by SATU PENA West Sumatra at the 3rd International Minangkabau Literary Festival (IMLF-3), chaired by Sastri Bakry; received the ACC International Literary Prize 2005 from the ACC Shanghai Huiyu International Literary Creative Media Centre; and was honored by the international literary community The Rhythm of Vietnam (2025). Since 2025, Leni has served as the Indonesian Poetry Ambassador for the ACC Shanghai Huifeng International Literary Association (ACC SHILA), while also holding the position of ASEAN Director for ACC SHILA Poets. In the same year, she was appointed by the Capital Writers International Foundation as National Director (Indonesia) for the Panorama International Literary Festival (PILF), held in India in January–February 2026. For futher information, visit panoramafestival website.