The Little Fire That Could, Part three; Trouble with Truants

The little flame fell for a time, now and then passing through a weak vine or root.

 

Finally he burned through a web of some spider-like being that hissed in fear and annoyance as the little flame passed by. He came out of the hole, and into a larger cavern, landing in some creeping grass (creeping grass is a kind of dark absorbing grass that slowly moves about cave floors). In the case of this patch, it couldn’t possibly move fast enough to avoid being used up by the little fire’s flame.

 

The cavern the little flame had found itself in was not particularly small or big. Big blue crystals grew along the ceiling bathing the cavern in pale light. Thick roots coiled around the crystals. A few lampshade plants had their yellow flowers fanned towards the crystals. A lone upside-down tree was present too. There was more than anything else, quite a lot of roots. Almost enough to make a reverse wood. In a few dark crevices was a few slimy black baneshrooms, a kind of highly poisonous slime mushroom.

 

The little fire was delighted, picking up bits of root as he scuttled about, he replaced his old charred legs. Then he saw the log. To many creatures, it would just have been seen as a simple stray piece of wood, dull grey in bark, and darker beneath. Those who knew the ways of the wild would see it as a part of valiant steel tree. It was unnervingly a bit chewed on. It had probably been dropped by some travelling tree chewing denizen, after all, there wasn’t a single valiant steel tree around. Not a bladed leaf in sight.

 

To the little fire however, it was not just a log, it was THE LOG. It’s size was perfect for him, and there was even a little crack which he could slip inside so as to wear the log like a shell. Best of all was that since it was wood of the valiant steel tree, it would be consumed by his flame even slower than many other kinds of wood.

 

The little fire rushed into the crack, inside, he came face to face with something. It screamed. The little fire also screamed and then backed out. The screaming came from the log for a while, then stopped. The little fire, went back to the crack, and slowly peered in again.

 

The little fire flinched as the thing inside screamed again. Now that it could see more clearly it seemed the screaming thing was a small red cone with tiny brown boots, beady little eyes and a mouth from which came screams far too loud for such a small body.

 

It was of course one of the conepeople, a race no larger than a clenched fist. A denizen of Elcon able to lift things with their minds (with great difficulty), though this power abandons them when they give in to fear or despair. Being one of the smallest creatures in Elcon and their power being weak unless many of their kind gather together, they had a lot to fear.

 

The little fire backed away from the coneperson. Waiting outside the crack in the log for the cone to calm down again.

 

You don’t need to worry, I’m not here to harm you” The little fire crackled.

 

There was a minuscule ‘eep’, then a conegirl’s quavering voice called out.

 

Oh. So, you aren’t the Firelord?”

Firelord? What is that?”

i’ve only read about him in my books, he is big and mean and scary one of the last of the firefolk because he snuffed the others all out. thinking on it, if you were the firelord, you’d be a lot bigger. meaner looking too, the pictures always have him with such a grumpy face. maybe that is why he is so nasty. i’d be nasty too if i wasn’t happy ever…”

 

The conegirl babbled on, but the little fire was struck by what she had said, he hadn’t know about any Firelord, or that his kind was rare. He crackled nervously at the thought of the Firelord coming for him.

 

…well, since you aren’t the firelord, can you leave before they come back?” The conegirl finished after explaining about the firefolk’s rich cultural history, now sadly in ashes.

 

Who are they?” The little fire questioned, confused.

truants!”

Truants?”

truants!”

Truants?”

truants!”

 

Just as the little fire was going to ask if she was ever going to tell him what a truant was, there was a ghostly creaking noise.

 

Truants!

 

Truant is as many denizens know, a blanket term for plant-unlife. Foul remnants of plants given baleful and loathsome movement. With jagged broken bark mouths, claw-like blades of grass or pointy stems they stalk their prey; all that is living. Being undead, these truants seek only to end life, having no other thought. They know no fear, pain or love. They never rest. To many denizens of Elcon they are a great terror. Nothing is worse than waking up in the morning and discovering your stored cabbages now cry for your flesh.

 

These truants were bits of root, with a jagged split in them for their mouths. They were like some sort of undead plant snakes, mainly because that was what they were like.

 

The little fire, being a being made of flame. Just stood there and let the Truants pile on top of it. He exerted his body a bit and burned them up. Had they known fear, pain or love, they could have avoided becoming firewood. As it was, the undead, plant or not aren’t usually known for intelligence.

 

Well, the truants are gone now” The little fire merrily blazed.

what? but how… oh yeah, firefolk… well i guess it is safe to come out”

 

The conegirl trotted out, dragging a coneperson sized book with her.

thank you for saving me noble bravespark, i am petil of ob”

Nice to meet you Petil, but what is a Bravespark? I thought I was one of the firefolk”

 

The conegirl tittered.

you are, you are, bravespark was a term once used for firefolk that protected others, but enough of that, you haven’t told me your name”

 

The little fire hadn’t thought about names. He wasn’t sure if he even wanted one or not. He wasn’t sure exactly what the point was.

I haven’t decided yet what to call myself”

Petil gasped.

 

oh my! i’m sorry, i had no idea that you were nameless. i guess i’ll refer to you as bravespark… wait, doesn’t that mean you aren’t long born, if you’ll forgive my presumption?”

Yes, I just recently blazed forth.”

oh wow, you are really strong for so little time, guess that is firefolk for you. hey, could i ask a favour of you? could you protect me as i make my way home? should be no problem for a fine flame such as yourself!”

 

Sure Petil” The little fire said, climbing into the crack in the valiant steel wood log, wearing it like a shell. He looked vaguely hermit crab-like. If one for some reason thought hermit crabs were made of flame and wood.

 

Petil climbed on top of the log and The little fire scuttled off in a random direction, then he stopped.

Uh, petil, what direction?”

The tunnel to your right”

That really ceepy looking one that mist is pouring out of?”

Petil took a deep little breath.

Unfortunately yes.”

 

So the two went, unaware, that even at that moment, there was a baleful being now aware of the little fire.

Author: SnowyMystic