A Fire That Steals Light

A lone girl walked along an autumn decorated road full of leaves. As the twilight faded, it gave way to the moon, of which cast its lesser light upon her back. Though her shadow wanted to lead her by a few meters through the forested hills, it found it impossible to detach and venture much past her body.

A howl hollered through the trees as wildlife awoke to the brilliance of lunar light. The girl found it pleasing, detesting the incessant chirping of birds through the day. Finally, she was among the nocturnal; Her kind of creatures.

She felt so at home that she decided to lift her oversized hat and take a peek at the darkening sky. A bat flew overhead, followed by a shooting star.

“Liebe liegt im dunkeln,” she sang in a tongue not native to her. “Ich finde meinen frieden in der nacht.”

The song of her soul provided companionship as she trailed along. Each step brought her gleefully closer to reaching her destination across the hills of Golgotha.

Although only the start of her first day of three to reach the mountains beyond, a sense of hope had clung to her heart that her journey would be fruitful.

“Hold fast, mother.” She sent her prayer to the wind and let it carry to the divine. If they heard her wishes, there was hope yet. “No curse will keep me from saving you.”

Her journey continued onward, only was it halted for a moment by rustling in the shrubs beside the path.

The violent shaking was no mere wind brushing the trees. A struggle erupted, like a battle waged for survival between two creatures. Weak squealing and sharp yelps followed.

The girl's curiosity told her to stop and stare, but she knew better than to intervene with the circle of life. If something was fighting for its very existence, it would either live or die by its own ability, as nature would intend.

But the girl's integrity was soon abandoned when she noticed not two animals dueling for survival, but rather a child-like figure in orange rolled out from the brush. Its body was being dragged around by a sharp looking collection of crystals, bright as a lantern, vaguely resembling that of a large fox-like creature.

A jolt of adrenaline called the girl to action, causing her to throw aside her cloak and reach into her bag. Two small sacks of powder came out, black and white, and she dumped a sum of their content out onto the ground, then mixed them with her finger.

It was then that she came into view of the crystal creature. She was the more interesting prey, making the strange construct drop the orange child and prowl toward her.

Flint and steel were the final tools the girl needed to light the powders she’d mixed, which she also collected from her bag. She struck the rod and metal to call upon tiny embers.

Sparks of light mingled among the powder, but refused to offer up anything more than a hint of smoke.

“Darn…” she breathed out, inspired to blow a few breaths toward the powder to fan the flame.

The crystal beast was going to be on her in no more than five seconds. Hardly enough time for her to create a worthy blaze to ward it off.

Breaking from his dazed state, the child-like figure rose up, noticing how the girl struggled to create fire. He was generous enough to spit something glowing her way, which turned out to be a hail mary of burning material. His aim was true, and it landed directly on the powder, lighting a black flame with a white outer layer. 

As the black flame grew larger and larger, it stole light from the environment as fuel and returned only shadows. This thevery included the luminosity of the crystal creature, which caused it to expire and fall as a mere collection of sharp glass.

Nearly zoned out in fear, the girl realized the fire was just as much a danger to the area. Though she had no fondness for light, it did have its benefits, such as allowing her to see.

Her foot quickly stomped out the flame. For good measure, she dumped a bit of water from her canteen over it to ensure it wouldn’t come back to life. The moon light returned shortly after.

With the crisis averted, her full attention came over to the child, who wasn’t actually a child at all…

“A rind denizen?” she commented, noticing its large, pumpkin rind-like head. It also had a teddy bear like body,  just translucent enough to show its burning wick of a core these beings called a heart. They were rare, almost nothing more then a myth, but here one was. Although chewed up a bit, she knew there was a chance to aid this poor thing.