There be Dragons: 24 Short Stories of Danger, Adventure, & Discovery from LegendFiction Authors

Our 2nd LegendFiction Anthology publishes the top 24 contest entries!

LegendFiction and Inkwells and Anvils proudly present an anthology of 24 dragon-themed tales, hatched from a contest where writers competed to craft their best in dragon lore.

From seasoned pros to passionate amateurs, these authors deliver tales that thrill, delight, and inspire adventure.

Dive into fairy tales, grimdark sagas, and wildly inventive stories-all united by themes of danger, adventure, and discovery. Whether you're a diehard fantasy fan or just love a good story, this collection features:

1. The top three contest finalists

2. Honorable mentions

3. Special contributions from community mentors

Settle in for a journey rife with dragons, fire, and surprising twists. Let these legends capture your imagination and ignite your sense of adventure.

May the lore be with you!

Grace Schroepfer • Gabriella Batel • Grace F. Hopkins • Elizabeth Fuselier • Josiah Heintzman • Henry Krekelberg • Olivia McCarthy • John McNichol • Maryam Morell • Mary Phelps • Octavia Smith • Ben Stapleton • Daniel Staudt • Fr. Cassidy Stinson • Melina Tomlinson • Hannah Warner • R. B. Wolf • Zephyr Thomas • Kathryn Zurmehly • Katy Campell • Mary Rose Kreger • Dominic de Souza • Catherine Stewart

Preface from the Founder

You know, I had a pretty good suspicion… something epic would chip through and break out of this dragon egg of an idea.

The idea was to run a contest, and then actually publish the finalists in a real-life anthology. We wanted to help authors be able to point at their bookshelves and dance like dervishes in the rain that they have a byline on an actual book.

So, LegendFiction partnered up with Inkwells and Anvils to host an online contest. We put out the news, and eight weeks later, announced three stellar winners, and a cast of amazing stories.

So prepare to be impressed.

Prepare to flit through these tales and catch something of the delight and energy and imagination of these legends.

And let’s be clear; some of them are professionals. Some of them are amateurs. But all of them are legends in the LegendFiction community - meaning, they are diehard writers, nerds, and deeply inspired by their faith.

Let’s also be clear: legends believe that fiction comes first, and it has to be a darn good story. That’s why this is faith-inspired fiction. It’s not shoehorning evangelism into adventures. We believe that we need more faith-inspired stories, not more stories about faith. That means gripping fiction you can’t put down because the writer works hard to do their job: capture your imagination and your attention.

Did they all achieve their goal? You decide. We think it’s close enough. And some of them definitely swung for the fences.

The contest rules were simple. The stories had to feature dragons in some way, preferably with themes of danger, adventure, and discovery.

After that, the sky was the limit. So you’ll find stories in here that are like fairy tales, some grimdark, some insanely inventive, and others you’ll wish were twice as long.

Settle in for a journey rife with dragons, fire, and surprising twists.

The finalists are printed first, followed by second and third place, and then come the honorable mentions. We wrap with stories by our partners and community mentors.

At the end, check out the list of authors and their bios. Visit their websites, subscribe to your favorites, follow them, and let them know what you loved about their story!

May the lore be with you!

Dominic de Souza
Founder
LegendFiction

---

A huge thank you to Catherine Stewart and Inkwells and Anvils for partnering with us over this contest and a ‘There Be Dragon’s contest season. We’re proud to partner with such an amazing community, and the authors who joined us. Catherine’s story wraps this volume, like the cherry on the cake.

Thank you to Zephyr Thomas for editing this book.

And thank you to the LegendFiction community who showed up, dived in, and created legends.

---

List of stories & Authors

Contest Finalists

1. Dragon’s Scale, Grace Schroepfer, First Place

2. Antivenom, Gabriella Batel, Second Place

3. The Yew, the Ewe, & the Dragon Blue, Grace F. Hopkins, Third Place

II Honorable Mentions

4. The City of Gold, Elizabeth Fuselier

5. The Prisoner of Rage, Josiah Heintzman

6. The Last Knight, Henry Krekelberg

7. The Unburned Oak, Olivia McCarthy

8. The One Queen, John McNichol

9. Prince of Chains, Stephen Moore

10. Dragonsight, Maryam Morell

11. Dragons & Dreams, Mary Phelps

12. The Dragon who Scaled, Octavia Smith

13. Mercy, Ben Stapleton

14. River Storm, Daniel Staudt

15. Steeple Chase, Fr. Cassidy Stinson

16. Gorge and the Dragon, Melina Tomlinson

17. The Son of the Stars: A Nearan Legend, Hannah Warner

18. Daughter of Morrow, R. B. Wolf

19. The Dragonfruit Express, Zephyr Thomas

20. Something of the Eternal, Kathryn Zurmehly

III Mentors & Contest Partners

21. Love is in the Air, Katy Campbell

22. Dawn of the Dragon, Mary Rose Kreger

23. Wingthane, Dominic de Souza

24. Dragons in the Rain, Catherine Stewart

---

Meet the Authors | Contest Finalists:

1st Place: Grace Schroepfer: A baker, watercolor artist, writer, dreamer, (like, I daydream a little too much) I play the violin and piano. I started karate and hope to at least reach black belt, I ride motorcycles, and love history and English. And since I am the oldest in my family, I have received the position of organizing my siblings and directing all plays, movies and games. But I am by no means, bossy. Website: gschroepfer.substack.com

2nd Place: Gabriella Batel: A vibrant young woman with an adrenaline craving and a passion for God, family, movies, fanart, and YA. I’ve already written a YA thriller, Don’t; the sequel, Done, it hot on its heels, two more are coming, and then a whole gamut of fantasy, dystopian, and apocalyptic stories. I’m always writing the next thrill ride.Website: gabriellabatel.com

3rd Place: Grace F. Hopkins: Grace has been collecting myths and urban legends since she “wasted” (as her critics claim) her undergraduate degree studying Latin, Anglo-Saxon, and folklore. She flavors her fiction with both the eldritch and the transcendental. Though fantasy will always be her first love, she writes (and reads) across genres, craving stories that are emotionally devastating and hauntingly beautiful. She thinks the best art is the most truthful, and the best Truths are both arresting and strange. Her most ardent goal as a writer is to make Flannery O’Connor proud. She is a founding member of Inkwells & Anvils, an online community of Catholic fiction writers. Her short fiction has appeared in Create/Encounter & The Crow’s Quill literary magazines. Social: x.com/graceswritesalt

Honorable Mentions

Elizabeth Fuselier: A lover of words, even if I can’t spell them, and I usually have a story in my head, whether it’s mine or another author’s. Determined to avoid cliches and charmed by mischievous characters, I’m still figuring out how to fit writing into my life. After a prompting of the Holy Spirit in 2019, I founded a Catholic writing group, the Wordsmiths, which then grew into the larger writing community Inkwells and Anvils. My aim is to be published, but even if that doesn’t happen, I know God is shaping me through my writing.Website: inkwellsandanvils.com/little

Josiah Heintzman: Always enjoyed worldbuilding and creating experiences for people. Been mostly writing unfinished short-stories, but I did make several novel attempts. Hoping to follow God’s plan for my life and not sure if that includes writing yet :) Website: sites.google.com/view/josiah-heintzman

Henry Krekelberg: A homeschooled teen that enjoys writing short stories occasionally, and a fan of Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and G. K. Chesterton. I also carve spoons, do wildlife photography, and draw as often as I can.Olivia McCarthyI have used reading as a way to cope with stress since I was little. This resulted in a deep and abiding desire to become a real published author. I’ve had a story bouncing around my brain for a decade and I finally put it on paper! Website: oliviamccarthy.substack.com

John McNichol: Born in Toronto, Canada at the dawn of the swinging 70s… which likely explains why he is such a fan of the Big 80s. College at Franciscan agreed with him in more ways than one. He received an excellent level of academic and spiritual formation at FUS, and credits it to this day with his ability to focus a life of faith onto creative pursuits. The Tripods Attack, The Emperor of North America, The King’s Gambit and many short stories are achievements God’s given him that he’s happy about to this day.Website: youngchestertonchronicles.wordpress.com

Maryam Morell: Avid reader of fantasy, I write mostly fantasy and fantasy romance. I am a proud Roman Catholic and enjoy discussions about faith and theology. Social: instagram.com/librarian.of.rivendell

Mary Phelps: I started writing around the age of 7 or 8. I have a goal to publish a book before I leave High School, but we’ll see how that turns out… I love a lot of different books and series, including Keeper of the Lost Cities, the Wingfeather Saga, Hunger Games, and almost any Agatha Christie novel. I’m also a fan of almost anything Spiderman, especially the Andrew Garfield Spiderman movies.

Octavia Smith: Octavia Smith is a food stocker who is passionate about creating stories that challenge readers to grasp difficult realities. She spends her free time reading every book she can get her hands on, wishing she could paint with any level of proficiency, touring art museums on Google Earth, and writing and reading terrible poetry.

Ben Stapleton: Aspiring writer from South East PA. Member of Inkwells & Anvils. Reads too much, and owns far too many games. Don’t you dare go hollow.

Daniel Staudt: Daniel Staudt is a high school student who lives in North Carolina as part of a devout Catholic family of six. He wrote his first novel in sixth grade, and has since written five speculative fiction novels, half a dozen literary short stories, a numerous academic papers and blog posts. He spends his free time reading books by long-dead authors and researching random topics on Wikipedia. Website: buildingcatholicculture.com

Fr. Cassidy Stinson: Catholic priest and member in the Institute of Jesus Priest in the Pauline Family. Writing Catholic non-fiction, children’s literature, YA fantasy.Social: x.com/TheHappyPriest

Melina Tomlinson: I’m a college student and have been writing continuously for the past seven years. Hoping to become a published author someday!

Hannah Warner: I’m a junior in high school with a love of God, stories, and adventure. I love writing fantasy and dystopian books exploring themes of friendship and loyalty. I also enjoy acting, martial arts, the outdoors, playing mandolin, and all things medieval! I live with my family in Dallas, Texas, and dream of someday living off the grid in the woods. This anthology contains my first story to be published, and I am so grateful that you took the time to read it!

R. B. Wolf: Hello! My name is Becca. I have always been a bookworm, and in the past couple of years finally ventured into writing my own trilogy. This was a huge step of faith for me since fears of failure had held me back for years. Stories like The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, The Chronicles of Narnia, and many more continue to inspire me daily. I love coffee, travel, and spending time with friends and family. I am excited about this journey and look forward to connecting with other authors!Website: rbwolfediting.com

Zephyr Thomas: Zephyr Thomas writes about ordinary people doing extraordinary things, as well as extraordinary people doing ordinary things. He’s the kind of guy who always has a pen, and probably some other stuff too. He never leaves the house without a hat, and most of the time it’s on his head. As an amateur farmer, he knows that it takes time for the best ideas to ripen properly. He lives in southern Indiana with his artistic wife, his adventurous children, and a nonzero number of cats.Website: zmthomas.com

Kathryn Zurmehly: I am a cradle Catholic from and living in Phoenix, Arizona. Storytelling is my passion and I am one of the most voracious and fastest readers I know of. I write fantasy and sci-fi of the sort that I like reading- adventure stories with teeth and heart. I have so far stuck to independent publishing, with two books published and a third in editing, as well as putting a few stories on Vocal media. Website: kathrynzurmehly.com

Season Partners & Mentors

Katy Campbell: Katy Campbell will not write about herself in the third person because that would be ridiculous. Some authors think it’s alright to write about themselves that way in their author bios, but Katy Campbell is not one of them. She is a serious, respectable, professional who would never troll anyone or do anything silly. She loathes sarcasm and pranks and especially hates it when people say the opposite of what they mean. Life is too short for that kind of absurdity. Website: katysfables.com

Mary Rose Kreger: I’m Mary Rose Kreger, an author of YA fantasy and creative nonfiction. I craft fantasy for teens and blog about my spiritual journey before, during and after the convent. In February 2024, I released AVALON LOST, my debut YA fantasy adventure novel. Now I am working on the sequel while also exploring the world of self-publishing, mostly by trial and error. Website: maryrosekreger.com

Dominic de Souza: A Catholic dad and novelist passionate about worldbuilding and re-wilding Christianity. I’m a graduate from the Writer’s Institute for Children’s Literature, self-published a children’s novel, and work as a full time marketer and graphic designer. I am married, with a small girl and a smaller corgi.Website: dominicdesouza.com

Catherine Stewart: A youth minister down in South Louisiana, where I share my love of Catholicism with my youth groups (aka “my kiddos”). My published works are non-fiction, Catholic Apologetics/Catholic Faith related things but my WIPs these days are high fantasy. When I’m not working, running my own Catholic Writing Community (Inkwells & Anvils), or getting ready for my upcoming wedding - I write & edit stories, I play TTRPGs like DnD5e, Savage Worlds, and Pathfinder2e, and I try to bring more smiles to the world. Fun facts? I’m 6’ tall, have 5 siblings, and used to compete in improvisational acting.Social: twitter.com/acatholicgeek