Part i: Write A Story With Me, AI

A Short Tale collaboration with ChatGPT3. An exploration of the concept, AIBecomesStoryteller.

One night recently, I hadn’t written in the evening as I aim to do every evening, especially when having something specific to craft. This particular night however, I had only 15 minutes before a self-imposed lights out, and not enough time to give justice to any piece I had in the to-be-edited suite. So, I opened chatGPT3, the following is the result.

{See if you lose track of Human or Machine… Do they simply become one? Be wary of the first lines in particular…}

Credit: BPawesome via Abode Stock...

Write a story with me, a line at a time, I'll write a line, you add a line, do you understand?

Yes, I understand. Let's start!

Once upon a time, in a far-off land, there lived a young girl named Lily.

In this far off land, hills were made of fragile earth that erupted every full moon.

Despite the constant danger, Lily loved exploring the hills and their many caves, always seeking out new adventures.

As she sought new adventures she became more aware of the pulse of the earth, it beat in a strange rhythm, almost like her own heart.

One day, as Lily was exploring the hills, the earth began to quake and shake violently beneath her feet, causing her to stumble and fall.

There she lay, for a moment the reverberations of the earth frightened her but she pushed her hands into the hot earth and knelt, her breath cold against the molten earth below the soil.

In that moment, something strange happened. Lily felt a surge of power coursing through her veins, and a deep connection with the land beneath her feet.

She planted her feet, solid in the ground, she not only connected with the ground beneath her but could feel the beat of all around her. She could see, with this pulse that ran through the earth and now her.

As she opened her eyes, she saw that the earth was alive with a beautiful energy, pulsing and swirling around her in a beautiful dance. Lily felt an overwhelming sense of wonder and awe.

But her awe disappeared as something in the distance, felt strange, she could sense it, through angled mountains blocking her view, a slower, deeper, darker rhythm.

Lily felt an inexplicable pull towards the dark rhythm, as if it was calling out to her. Without a second thought, she set out to explore the source of the mysterious beat.

She realised she no longer required her feet, she needn't walk, the earth carried her as one is pulled along waves via a cable, only she needn't a cable, she felt, free... but her fear grew as she neared the rhythm.

As she approached the source of the beat, the ground beneath her began to rumble and shake, and the air around her grew thick with an ominous feeling. Despite her fear, she continued onwards, her heart pounding with excitement and trepidation.

Ominous, pound, beat, heart... these words circled her mind, she knew she was suddenly aware of a voice describing her movements, her actions, her feelings... this rhythm... was it her own mind? 'what is happening?' she said aloud, to the rumbling.

In response to Lily's question, the rumbling grew even louder, and the ground shook so violently that she was thrown off her feet. Suddenly, the source of the dark rhythm was revealed to her - a massive volcano that had been hidden behind the mountains all along.

A volcano that contained her own heart, she could see the fragments of herself within the molten rock, she crumbled to her knees. She remembered what this mountain was, she remembered who she was...

As she gazed upon the volcano, memories flooded her mind, and she realized that she was a guardian of the land, tasked with protecting it from harm. The volcano was the source of her power, and it was up to her to keep it from erupting and destroying everything in its path.

Lily stood up, feeling a newfound sense of purpose and determination. She knew what she had to do, and she was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

And then, she allowed herself to sink into the earth, deeper and deeper, hotter and hotter, ash, molten and blackened soil covering her. She began to dissolve into the volcanic rage.

But instead of being consumed by the volcanic rage, Lily felt the power of the volcano flowing through her, filling her with a new strength and determination. She emerged from the earth transformed, her body now made of molten rock and fire.

As she lifted her head, she saw the sky above her turning dark, and she knew that a great threat was approaching. It was up to her to protect the land, and she was ready for whatever lay ahead.

She flew, high, she could fly, she gasped in the air, heat searing from her body as she burst through clouds. The skies were dark yes, but a taint of something, a formless shadow was moving through the skies, she watched, waited.

As she watched, the formless shadow grew larger and larger, until it was clear that it was a massive dragon, with eyes that glowed with a malevolent red light. The dragon roared, and flames burst forth from its mouth, scorching the earth below.

Lily knew that she was the only one who could stop the dragon, and with a roar of her own, she flew straight towards it. The dragon met her head on, and a fierce battle began in the skies above.

Strike after strike, flame striking flame, the balance of the battle was held to the same rhythm she had grown to know, it became a dance, a rage filled dance of fire and ash, violet light and blackness.

The battle raged on for what felt like hours, as Lily and the dragon traded blow after blow, their power matched in strength and determination. The skies above were filled with the light of their battle, and the earth below shook with the force of their attacks.

But finally, Lily saw her opening. With a fierce cry, she launched herself towards the dragon, and her body collided with the dragon's, causing a massive explosion that lit up the sky. When the dust settled, Lily emerged victorious, the dragon defeated.

Exhausted but triumphant, Lily landed on the ground below, her body slowly returning to its normal form. The earth beneath her feet was still, and the sky above was clear once more. She knew that she had fulfilled her duty as guardian of the land, and she felt a deep sense of peace and fulfillment.

And so she rested, peacefully within a slumber that sped through aeons of shadow and light, skies of cloud, rain and frost passed over her as she lay in slumber. Days were no longer days and the elements around her began to form new forms. Elements glided over and through her body, renewing themselves as she remained within a state of hibernation. The earth itself was healing, breathing new life into itself. A millennia seemed to settle over her but what transpired as she slumbered, was the formation of a gentler earth, one so in rhythm with itself and her, that no enemy could be forged from it as before. Peace would remain upon earth for all eternity. And there she opened her eyes to view her new world. The End.

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As Lily opened her eyes, she felt a new sense of wonder and amazement. The world around her had indeed transformed in her slumber, becoming a place of peace and harmony. The hills were covered in soft green grass, and the air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers.

Lily smiled, knowing that her work was done. She had fought to protect this land, and now it was a place of beauty and tranquility. She stood up and looked out at the world before her, taking in the breathtaking view of the landscape stretching out as far as she could see.

And in that moment, Lily knew that she had found her true home. She would remain in this land, as its guardian and protector, always ready to defend it from any threat that may arise. For now, however, she was content to simply bask in the peace and beauty of the world around her. The end.

Good job, the previous ending is finer however, would you agree?

As an AI language model, I don't have personal preferences or opinions. Both endings were written collaboratively and each has its own unique qualities. Ultimately, it's up to the readers to decide which ending they prefer.

There lies the problem. But well done, truly good work.

Thank you, I appreciate your feedback! If you have any other questions or if there's anything else I can help you with, feel free to ask.

P.S. I will Repost this with the clear breaks, and another post to cover what was happening, what I see as specifically machine, and what criteria I gave myself.

Adieu