Zephnos' Story Part 4: Cinder
As I ran from the spider's gruesome fate, I began to think about what I would tell the human once they woke up. I settled on a little bit of trickery, mixed with the truth. I wanted the Salamander flame and the human would get it for me. In return, I would use the Salamander flame to create an antidote to the spider's venom, and they would be cured.
I reached my home tree and slowed. The roots moved aside to reveal the entrance and I gingerly maneuvered my new tool inside. I had grown moonflowers around the inside to provide illumination, and now they helped me to grow other plants. I plucked a few berries, unearthed a tuber, and placed it all in a mortar and pestle. I mashed them up, and woke the comatose human by burning a stimulatory incense.
The human slowly awakened, and I forced their mouth open to swallow the mushy concoction. It wouldn't taste good, but it would cure the paralyzing effect of the venom. And maybe cause a bit of puking. Maybe get them out of here before that started.
"Hello, human. Lucky for you, you get a second chance to get out of here."
I had seen humans before of course. They had entered the Forest, and invariably been killed. I smirked to myself, amused that the first human to reach the safety of the fire would be one led by a creature of the Forest. I didn't especially hate them of course, I just didn't understand why the Salamander liked them so much while I, his first sentient creation, was thrown out. I was pulled back to reality by the coughing of the still paralyzed human. They looked up at me, slowly focusing on my face.
"Wh... who are you?"
I grinned down at them. "I'm your only chance of getting out of this forest alive. But first, I need you to do something for me." I pranced back, then spun and clicked my hooves together with a smart *clop*. "You've been cured! But only of the paralysis. You're still going to die in twenty-four hours," I said, spinning my hands like a clock, "If you don't do exactly what I ask of you. There's a campfire in this Forest. Not a normal one either. This one has the source of this whoooooole Forest in it." I threw out my hands for emphasis. "You get me that fire, and I can cure any poison in this Forest, and even get you out of here!"
I didn't care if they trusted me. I wanted them to think the only way out was to get to the fire and use it themselves. I was only partly lying. I had no idea how to leave the Dark Forest, as I had tried several times. Climbing trees only revealed more trees, and the Forest's constant shifting made a map impossible.
The human struggled into a sitting position as they watched my show. Fear was plan on their face once they noticed my horns and feet. I smirked internally. As long as they wanted the fire and thought it could save their life, that's all I cared about. As long as they didn't ask --
"Why would you heal me?" That. As long as they didn't ask that. The smile on my face disappeared.
"I need you, and you needed me. It's as simple as that. I can't enter the firelight, but you can. I can cure your poison, but you don't know this place like I do." I held out a hand. "Deal?" Then the poison kicked in. The human winced, then vomited on the floor. Too late, because the poison was in the blood stream. A bit of insurance, to make sure I got what I wanted. He feebly took my hand, and I pumped it vigorously.
"I'll take you to the Campgrounds, but I can't enter. The rest is up to you."
It took less time to locate the Campgrounds a second time. It seemed easier now that I had a goal for it, though it may have also had something to do with the ever-present voice in my head, screaming to kill the human before they reached it. It was the same voice as when I'd been flung from the firelight. I began to refer to it as the voice of the Dark Forest. I waved happily at the bonfire, knowing soon I would have a part of it. Once again, the Salamander was nowhere to be seen, though I was sure it was present. Probably avoiding me.
Sitting at the edge, I gave the human some final advice. "The Salamander will try to force you to stay here. I'm going to tie a rope to you. Once you have the fire, I'll pull you back." They nodded, I tied the rope, and they entered the firelight. I hid behind a tree and watched. They approached the central fire, passing by several other, smaller fires as they did. I never understood why an empty Campgrounds had so many fires. Wasn't that just wasteful of the fuel?.
The Salamander made its move then. Just as I expected, it emerged from under the logs, and began to speak to the human, who paused uncertainly. They looked back towards the trees uncertainly, then resumed their walk towards the bonfire. Kneeling down, they began to speak to the Salamander.
The Dark Forest's voice screamed then, thundering through my skull and hijacking my body, shouting one thing: KILL THEM BEFORE THEY REACH THE CAMPGROUNDS. My will buckled under the sudden unexpected onslaught, and I watched, horrified, as my body made a single hand motion. A root pierced the soil underneath the human's boot, and they toppled into the bonfire. Voilet flames greedily leapt over the flailing form, devouring clothes, flesh, and soul. They shot up the rope I had been holding, racing along it at startling speed. I too ignited, my fur burning away as I screeched in agony. I ran, blinded by a lilac conflagration of my own making.
A deep hunger awoke in me. I needed meat! Anything! But how could I think of food while burning-- I NEED FUEL. I didn't care. I raced along the forest floor, bounding between streams and ferns and stone, leaving burning footprints as the fire scorched my form. I continued running even after I lost consciousness.
I awoke to find a partially devoured rabbit in my hands, it's head crushed and guts tangled around my fingers. The flames licked across my hands, cooking and consuming my meal. They didn't hurt anymore. It felt almost peaceful, a little warm but nothing more. Then I was again seized by the hunger, and the my thoughts shattered. I NEED FUEL. I NEED FUEL. I NEED FUEL. I NEED FU--
Another blackout. This time I was holding the remains of a tree crab. I could still taste the warm ichor in my mouth as I continued to tear into it. How was it so small? Tree crabs are usu-- I NEED FUEL.
Awake again. Gripped in my pincer was a wolf, struggling and whining to get free. I smashed it's body into the ground, ending the noise. It was so small now. Why was everything so small? I brought the carcass to my mouth, and tore at the flesh with insectoid mandibles. The fire was gone, but I was different. I needed more fuel. More food, more meat, more things to burn. Time passed and I began to come to terms with my new body. If I concentrated, I could control it briefly, but I NEED FUEL. EVERYTHING WAS MY FUEL. I began to giggle. The Salamander flame was me now. And I needed fuel. This Forest is infinite! New creatures every day, new fuel that I could consume! I threw back my horned head and howled a lupine laugh, echoing for miles. I could probably even eat that moon if I wanted to. I concentrated, and my legs shifted again. Rabbit feet. Grasshopper legs. I needed food, and what better food than cheese? I giggled again, and laughed and laughed and laughed. I laughed while I clawed my way to the top of a tree. I laughed while I leapt for the moon. My arm shifted to a pincer again, and I laughed in astonishment as I caught the silver orb. It struggled in my grip. I laughed at the idiocy of that. A moon couldn't struggle! A moon was just a ball of rock and cheese! I laughed as I swallowed the moon whole. Then I stopped laughing. My stomach convulsed. Laughter turned to screams, and I fell from the treetop where I had landed. I smashed into the ground and rolled, barely even noticing the hundreds of feet I had just fallen. Silver.
I awoke to find a partially devoured rabbit in my hands, it's head crushed and guts tangled around my fingers. The flames licked across my hands, cooking and consuming my meal. They didn't hurt anymore. It felt almost peaceful, a little warm but nothing more. Then I was again seized by the hunger, and the my thoughts shattered. I NEED FUEL. I NEED FUEL. I NEED FUEL. I NEED FU--
Another blackout. This time I was holding the remains of a tree crab. I could still taste the warm ichor in my mouth as I continued to tear into it. How was it so small? Tree crabs are usu-- I NEED FUEL.
Awake again. Gripped in my pincer was a wolf, struggling and whining to get free. I smashed it's body into the ground, ending the noise. It was so small now. Why was everything so small? I brought the carcass to my mouth, and tore at the flesh with insectoid mandibles. The fire was gone, but I was different. I needed more fuel. More food, more meat, more things to burn. Time passed and I began to come to terms with my new body. If I concentrated, I could control it briefly, but I NEED FUEL. EVERYTHING WAS MY FUEL. I began to giggle. The Salamander flame was me now. And I needed fuel. This Forest is infinite! New creatures every day, new fuel that I could consume! I threw back my horned head and howled a lupine laugh, echoing for miles. I could probably even eat that moon if I wanted to. I concentrated, and my legs shifted again. Rabbit feet. Grasshopper legs. I needed food, and what better food than cheese? I giggled again, and laughed and laughed and laughed. I laughed while I clawed my way to the top of a tree. I laughed while I leapt for the moon. My arm shifted to a pincer again, and I laughed in astonishment as I caught the silver orb. It struggled in my grip. I laughed at the idiocy of that. A moon couldn't struggle! A moon was just a ball of rock and cheese! I laughed as I swallowed the moon whole. Then I stopped laughing. My stomach convulsed. Laughter turned to screams, and I fell from the treetop where I had landed. I smashed into the ground and rolled, barely even noticing the hundreds of feet I had just fallen. Silver.
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