text: As Serial Saturday here on /r/shortstories gets to the halfway point, we are starting to see the first of participants winding down their stories. It’s been such a treat to watch people evolve their flash fiction serials with us and bring arcs to a close that for some have been with us for quite a while. For a good handful of writers on Serial Saturday, their stories are continuations of serials started on /r/writingprompts Theme Thursday weekly threads. One such story comes from /u/Ragnulfr (or, as we know him on the discord server: Wingbeat, or just Wing), who from early on captured our hearts with his story of a young goblin with a gift, and the friends he makes along the way in learning how to use that gift. With twenty five installments all in all it’s a beautiful, cozy story that left us all thinking that these kinds of stories are what we need more in the world. Here’s the *Purespark* synopsis as written by Wing: >*A young goblin boy, scorned by his own kind and hated by the rest of the world, finds his only solace in magic, believing he can change the fate of his race by proving himself. But fate is not often so simple, and cares not for idealism. After purchasing a magic tome with money he had saved up, he fervently pursues a way to prove that goblins are capable of great good, as well. What awaits him at the end of this path - and how will his past shape the future for all of goblinkin?* In this journey we’ve taken with Wing we have enjoyed his readings in the Serial Saturday campfire and also just getting to know him more. In the writing world it can be hard to find good online writing groups that not only provide critique but also really get in tune with each other’s styles. With members like Wing we'd be hardpressed to find a better crop of such quality writers and community members. Wing wrote a beautiful forward about his experience with us that I think is worth a read and I’ll quote here. >*Hello! Thank you so much for reading Purespark! This story means a lot to me - and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be able to write and share my writing with all of you - both up to this point and perhaps to the future! I'm so grateful for all of your support - and none of this would have been possible without you all. Through the happiest of times and darkest of moments, you all have made me feel welcomed and appreciated. I'm grateful for the opportunity to be able to at least repay and give back but a small portion of everything that you have given to me. And as I go forward, I hope that I will be able to share the oppressive support that you all have given me with others - provided they're okay with constant support!* > >*I mean it when I say this community has changed my life. I've learned to be kinder. More compassionate. I've learned to be more patient with myself, as well as learned how to help others to the best of my ability.* > >*But most of all, I've learned that there is no better feeling than helping another. Through times of happiness and times of sorrow, I've found that just a simple helping hand can go a long ways to bring someone out of their reverie. Just a simple "Hey, are you alright?" can make someone's day. Just a simple "We're all here for you - we're all beside you" can change someone's perspective forever - and for the better.* > >*I've felt these things for a while, but I've truly learned what they mean by being a part of this community.* > >*Purespark started as a simple Theme Thursday post way out of my comfort zone. I remember thinking to myself, "Why don't we try to take this theme and try to fit it into our strengths and ideas?" As I put pen to paper, and words onto the page, I had the thought in my head of a young goblin boy trying to prove himself and help as many people as he could, despite any difficulties that may have been placed in his path.* > >*But after seeing how much people loved it, and after seeing all of the support that everyone gave me, I decided to continue it. Week after week. I initially had started it as a way to improve my writing - a comfortable place to test my skills and experiment with different writing styles.* > >*But as I continued writing, I realized just how much this story had become to me. It had become more than just a simple writing exercise. These characters and these stories became real to me - and had become something that now is very dear and close to my heart.* > >*Purespark became more than just a simple story - it found itself encapsulating all of the emotions and feelings of everything that I had come to love in this community. A message of hope and kindness, which can outshine even the darkest of moments - this is but one of the messages and morals I hope this story can impart. But more importantly, it has become a story in which I can truly say I'm proud of. Not because of my own merit - but because of the support of everyone else to push me to do my best. Their oppressive support gave me the courage to continue to write and put my best foot forward each week - and words can't express just how much it meant to me to have so many people eagerly expecting and awaiting the new installation each week. It means more than I can say - even more than I can express. You all have helped me so much - helped me to improve not only as a writer, but as a person. I feel I've become more confident in who I am, and I have tried my best to be the best support for others as I can be in return.* > >*So to you, the reader - no matter who you are, or where you are from. Thank you for reading my story. Thank you for reading Purespark.* > >*I say this every week after Campfire, but I really, truly want you to know this one fact -* > >*You're amazing. You're all amazing.* > >*Thank you so much for everything - and thank you so much for reading Purespark!* > >*Wingbeat* With *Purespark* at an end there is only one thing left to do: show off this newly finished story for obligatory bragging rights here on /r/shortstories. Let the bragging begin! Wingbeat’s personal sub is and I highly recommend checking out his author notes and other stories written for /r/writingprompts. The *Purespark* story in its entirety is compiled as a collection there, Chapter One - Chapter Two - Chapter Three - Chapter Four - Chapter Five - Chapter Six - Chapter Seven - Chapter Eight - Chapter Nine - Chapter Ten - Chapter Eleven - Chapter Twelve - Chapter Thirteen - Chapter Fourteen - Chapter Fifteen - Chapter Sixteen - Chapter Seventeen - Chapter Eighteen - Chapter Nineteen - Chapter Twenty - Chapter Twenty-One - Chapter Twenty-Two - Chapter Twenty-Three - Chapter Twenty-Four - Chapter Twenty-Five - Congrats on finishing your serial, Wing, and we can’t wait to see what you do next. Enjoy your travels while embarking on new experiences in your personal life. <3 from the team at /r/ShortStories, /r/WritingPrompts, and Serial Saturday. \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ *For more information on the Serial Saturday program feel free to check out our* *.* We have members from all around the world and who have all kinds of schedules, so there’s usually someone awake to talk to. We also have scheduled readings, oration critiques, spur-of-the-moment story time, or even just random hangouts over voice chat.