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MOST PRECIOUS TREASURE
He was supposed to have been back an hour ago.
My husband had gone to the market in the village to buy some bread. He promised he would be back before sunset. Now, the last vestiges of the sun were gone and he still had not returned. I wasn't worried at first. I was confident he could overcome any trouble. It was the reason I had fallen in love with him.
My thoughts were interrupted by the flapping wings of a harpy messenger. The avian girl touched down and asked me "Are you the wife of Eric Burnside?"
"Yes" I answered, confused as to why she was asking me.
"I have a message for you" said the harpy. She handed me a piece of paper. I read it-and my heart leaped into my throat.
We have your husband The note started out. Unless you bring us a portion of your riches within 24 hours, we will end his life. The note then moved on to where to deliver the ransom. Take your riches and bring to the bridge near the forest's edge. We want no less than two handfuls of gold coins.
I put the paper down. I stood there and weighed my options. Finally, I decided that I would meet with the kidnappers as planned-but I wouldn't be bringing my riches with me. I spread my wings and took flight for my destination. I was there within a few minutes. On the other side of the bridge, fifteen men were gathered in a circle, eagerly anticipating their payout. Little did they know, they would be the ones to pay.
I grinned. The kidnappers were obviously unaware of my arrival at this point. It gave the opportunity to prepare. I closed my eyes and began to concentrate. I recalled the days before the reign of the demon lord. I pictured the form my race took during those days. I focused on that image, and the change began.
My muscles began to swell and the green scales on my hands and feet began to spread across my body. My head began to change shape, with the nose and mouth elongating into a reptilian snout and my long flowing red hair disappearing beneath green scales. My body began to grow and lose its humanoid shape. My wingspan increased dramatically.
I placed my forefeet on the ground. The transformation was complete. I had become one of the dragons of old. I reached across the bridge and swiped at one of the ruffians. He collapsed to the ground in several pieces. Upon seeing the fate of their friend, the thugs scattered. One of the took a crossbow and feebly tried to hit me in the eye. He missed and hit one of my horns. I opened my mouth and unleashed a jet of flame, incinerating the fool and the grass around him. One man tried to attack me from behind with an axe. I swung my massive tail and hit him in the midsection. He fell to the ground-split in half from the force of the blow. One man vainly slashed at my scales with a knife. I knocked him down with a just a nudge, then stomped on his prone form, splattering his flesh across the grass.
Eventually, all but one of the kidnappers were dead by either my claws, fire-breath, or tail. My transformation time was about to run out, yet I was sure the lone survivor posed no threat at this point. I allowed myself to revert to my female humanoid form. I walked up to the survivor, who was cowering behind a rock, and lifted him by his throat. "Where are you holding Eric?" I demanded to know. The man pointed towards a small cabin. "I-In there" he sputtered "now leave me alone." Satisfied, I let the man go and ran over to the cabin. I opened the door and found Eric tied to a chair. I rushed over and undid the ropes. He stood and we shared a passionate embrace. "Thank goodness you're safe!" I cried. "I'm just glad to be with you" Eric reassured me. As we stepped outside, Eric saw the corpses of his kidnappers. "You didn't mess around with these guys, did you?" he asked. "I thought you didn't harm humans." I grinned "I make exceptions for those who try to harm me or you." I pulled him close and gave him a kiss. "I'd do anything for your sake. Now let's go home." I took his hand in mine and we took flight.
THE END
He was supposed to have been back an hour ago.
My husband had gone to the market in the village to buy some bread. He promised he would be back before sunset. Now, the last vestiges of the sun were gone and he still had not returned. I wasn't worried at first. I was confident he could overcome any trouble. It was the reason I had fallen in love with him.
My thoughts were interrupted by the flapping wings of a harpy messenger. The avian girl touched down and asked me "Are you the wife of Eric Burnside?"
"Yes" I answered, confused as to why she was asking me.
"I have a message for you" said the harpy. She handed me a piece of paper. I read it-and my heart leaped into my throat.
We have your husband The note started out. Unless you bring us a portion of your riches within 24 hours, we will end his life. The note then moved on to where to deliver the ransom. Take your riches and bring to the bridge near the forest's edge. We want no less than two handfuls of gold coins.
I put the paper down. I stood there and weighed my options. Finally, I decided that I would meet with the kidnappers as planned-but I wouldn't be bringing my riches with me. I spread my wings and took flight for my destination. I was there within a few minutes. On the other side of the bridge, fifteen men were gathered in a circle, eagerly anticipating their payout. Little did they know, they would be the ones to pay.
I grinned. The kidnappers were obviously unaware of my arrival at this point. It gave the opportunity to prepare. I closed my eyes and began to concentrate. I recalled the days before the reign of the demon lord. I pictured the form my race took during those days. I focused on that image, and the change began.
My muscles began to swell and the green scales on my hands and feet began to spread across my body. My head began to change shape, with the nose and mouth elongating into a reptilian snout and my long flowing red hair disappearing beneath green scales. My body began to grow and lose its humanoid shape. My wingspan increased dramatically.
I placed my forefeet on the ground. The transformation was complete. I had become one of the dragons of old. I reached across the bridge and swiped at one of the ruffians. He collapsed to the ground in several pieces. Upon seeing the fate of their friend, the thugs scattered. One of the took a crossbow and feebly tried to hit me in the eye. He missed and hit one of my horns. I opened my mouth and unleashed a jet of flame, incinerating the fool and the grass around him. One man tried to attack me from behind with an axe. I swung my massive tail and hit him in the midsection. He fell to the ground-split in half from the force of the blow. One man vainly slashed at my scales with a knife. I knocked him down with a just a nudge, then stomped on his prone form, splattering his flesh across the grass.
Eventually, all but one of the kidnappers were dead by either my claws, fire-breath, or tail. My transformation time was about to run out, yet I was sure the lone survivor posed no threat at this point. I allowed myself to revert to my female humanoid form. I walked up to the survivor, who was cowering behind a rock, and lifted him by his throat. "Where are you holding Eric?" I demanded to know. The man pointed towards a small cabin. "I-In there" he sputtered "now leave me alone." Satisfied, I let the man go and ran over to the cabin. I opened the door and found Eric tied to a chair. I rushed over and undid the ropes. He stood and we shared a passionate embrace. "Thank goodness you're safe!" I cried. "I'm just glad to be with you" Eric reassured me. As we stepped outside, Eric saw the corpses of his kidnappers. "You didn't mess around with these guys, did you?" he asked. "I thought you didn't harm humans." I grinned "I make exceptions for those who try to harm me or you." I pulled him close and gave him a kiss. "I'd do anything for your sake. Now let's go home." I took his hand in mine and we took flight.
THE END
