The Devouring Thing

Deep in a cavern,

In the highest mountain in the world,

A fair hero entered

To find a girl.

There he knew some wretched thing

Did dwell,

Who ate the precious things

That he was brought

By treacherous bring.

Into the dark he walked,

A torch to break the soft,

Wading foul waters

Where sulked the creature oft.

A sword in hand

To ready cleanse

The pool and portent

Of the land.

He heard him creep around.

Above his head

Or on the ground

He could not tell...

Until upon his face he fell,

A smiling wretch from writhing hell,

Grinning with a foul delight,

Hungry for a light

He could not keep now for himself,

As he had fled the former blight

That, had he held,

His fight would fight.

"It treads my waters," said the thing

As it slunk around the dark.

The hero's mark he knew too well,

The fiery heart, the stalwart stark.

*****

Eric began to wade into the dank waters of the creature’s cave, sword in one hand and torch in the other. He heard the creature’s movements stop.

“It treads my waters,” said the creature.

Silence followed, and in the next instant Eric’s sword was knocked away from his hand. Something sprung from the shadows, knocking Eric on his back.

“So you want to be a mad duck?” said the wide-mouthed face of the devouring creature, menacing and excited.

It laughed like a madman as it furiously grappled with him, sinking his teeth into his neck and shoulder. Eric cried out, growling as he rolled to reach his sword. When his hand touched the hilt, the creature scurried back into the dark, laughing still.

"Where is she!" Eric shouted, coming to his feet.

The laughter turned to a hissing chuckle. "Which one? The girl or the other girl? I already ate her."

Eric's stomach turned, and for a moment he faltered. His eyes drifted, but another laugh from the creature tightened his grip on his sword.

"You lie!" he hissed.

Another hysterical laugh came from the dark. "A pagan! A pagan would say! Such sight is gone away! Come and see! Come and see..."

*****

The snows were still there when Eric left the cave.

The young girl was close at hand, shivering, but looking starkly into the cold. The other girl was not...

Oh, Wileina... Eric thought.

He cleaned the blood from his blade... red as any man's.