A Gift
Beams of light break through the thick leaf roof deep in the forest. The silence of the spring morning is broken by the thudding of a slow pacing horse, the armor clinging evenly in a fine disharmony to the seemingly untouched forest.
Into the small clearing the light blinks as its hits the shiny armor of the knight, the helmet resting by the horses side. Head high the knight stops the horse looking about, his blue eyes scanning the forest, slowly removing a blond lock that had fallen into his eyes.
The knight in shining armor jumps off the horse, grabbing the reins as he walks through the clearing, obviously deep in thought. Reaching somewhat near the middle of this green clearing, his thoughts is interrupted by a sharp cough.
Looking up, thinking he was alone, the knight searches for the source of the sound, grabbing instinctively the hilt of his sword. His blue eyes fall on a little creature, about 4ft tall, sitting on a small stubb.
"Well hello there young knight, what brings you too my clearing?"
The little creature tilts his head. An odd but cute little creature the knight thinks, relaxing, smiling softly as he lets go of his blade. The big eyes of the creature seeming to study the knight, the constant changing of color almost hypnotically. He knight looks the creature over, a creature like none he has ever seen, the round big snout, and big eyes, body shaped like a man though smaller. The skin reddish. The knight reacts with a frown to the creature not wearing a thread of clothing, but on his head wearing a skull form some horned animal.
As the little creature gets up, smiling slightly in return the knight notices his feet, as if having an extra joint, the lower joint covered in a silver like fur ending in three claws for a foot. The creature moving very balanced and gracefully. The knight shakes his head getting out of his stare, getting an amused grin from the creature.
"Uh I'm Sir John, and I'm heading for the dragon Wraths cave to save the princess, so I can marry her, and get half the kingdom. But uh I seem to be lost in these woods."
The knight holds his head high, raising his voice, hitting his armor in the glory and honour of the knights. The creature watching him with a smile, reaching down for a pouch, that was lying by the stubb
"Ah, dear knight, then I'm honoured to have such glory pass through here. Fight the dragon you say, aye aren't the red beast a foul one. Since you have such an honourable mission, would take a gift from a Sinderthorn, as a sign of this forests friendship"
First now the knight takes note of that the creature speaks his own language quite fluently, in a soft floating voice. Not minding such an offer he smiles bowing to the little creature
"I would be honoured little one. I have not much to offer in return, a dagger or some meat I can give, but the rest I would need to face the dragon. Sinderthorn you say, might that be thy family name or something?"
The creature takes out a large bud, a mix of brown, green, with small red soft spikes al over. He looks at the knight with a soft smile all the time, offering him the bud
"This will help you defeat the dragon. Just keep it in your hand till you leave the clearing and you will see how it will help. A Sinderthorn is what I am, it is my specie, thus yes, also my family. As for my name I am called Din"
The Sinderthorn smiles as the knight takes the bud, turning at once, walking slowly out of the clearing, oddly fast fading from sight in the thick leafwork. The knight looks after him, holding the bud in his arm, raising his voice after the creature
"Thanks oh honourable and kind creature, I will remember and tell of your kindness"
He shrugs as no response from the forest comes, walking towards the edge if the clearing as he pulls the horse after him, his armor clinging as he walk, blue eyes studying the bud
"Well it was nice, but I wonder how this little thing can help me"
As he steps out of the clearing the bud glows up, an eerie green, the small spikes, shimmering a crimson red. His eyes widen first in surprise, the close in pain, body cringing as the spikes harden, the spikes hardening, 2inch spikes thrusting out, pressing into the knights skin. He screams in pain as he shakes his hand franticly, trying to get the bud off. The spikes sticking out from the other side of his hand and in his flesh in all directions, sitting stuck through all his effort. He lets go of the struggling horse, scared by the screaming knight. The horse turning and runs off. Breathing heavily in pain Sir John stops his meaningless screaming and shaking, looking at the glowing bud as he tries controlling the pain.
The same second he manages to hold still, a new pain stings in him, like no pain he has ever felt before. He can see that the spikes not in his hand excreting some red fluid, mixing with the crimson flows that drip down his arm. He falls to his knees in a silent scream, the pain to strong to get a sound out. His body shaking as fear race through his narrow mind for the first time. Looking in disbelief at the bud as the flaming pain burn up along his arm. His eyes fill with tears as the heat filling his body, makes him twist, squirming in the soft grass. The skin on his arm starting to bubble as if boiling. The skin now sensitive, and red hot, all over his body, bubbling as if he was boiling from the inside. He screams in pain, eyes rolling up as he arches his back, his whole body tensing, as the last of his pain nerves get burned. His skin rip open, flames bursting out, violent flames flaring up all over his body. The armor round his body starting to melt to his skin as even his bones turn to ashes in the great heat.
Din steps up slowly to the ashes in the melted shining armor, grinning darkly down at the left overs of a pompous human glory.
"And this, oh adventurer, is why no one knows of Sinderthorns"
Din chuckles as he drags the armor away into the forest, swishing his long red tail happily after him
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