"Bring me the Firebird," the Duke commanded. "The man who succeeds will receive a rich reward, and live, along with his village." The Duke covets our meager wealth. One man from each village was chosen. My village chose me, Leonid Boronin. We said our farewells, and left, expecting never to see our people again, for there is no Firebird.
The other nine wanted to catch the Firebird to save their villages and be wealthy lords. They laughed at me when I said I wanted peace and safety for my village. Seven hunters died, their villages looted, people enslaved. I found the other two dead, with a glowing feather through their hearts. The Firebird does exist, and kills. I carried the feathers in my pack, and used one for a pen, its light letting me write in my journal by night.
I wrote I needed to bring the Firebird to the Duke to save my village. The pen continued to write, telling me how to catch the Firebird safely. A golden net, with a feather inside, would trap and hold it. I caught the Firebird the next night.
It watched me with its lustrous golden eyes. "Friend, the Duke will kill you when you return, and try to gain more treasure with me. I will help you if you promise to free me when I destroy him, and I will be your friend." I promised. The Firebird put a spell on me, that I could not be cut or injured.
I returned to the Duke and, groveling before him, presented the Firebird. The Duke stared at the bird, greed in his eyes. The bird stared back, calm and fearless. "The Firebird," His Grace whispered. "Kill him," he pointed his scepter at me. His guard drew a sword and slashed at my neck. The sword broke and turned into gold.
The Duke grabbed the golden shards. He threw a cup at me. It became gold. Then he threw a scarf at me. It fell to the floor unchanged. "Make more gold! How do you make gold? Tell me!" the Duke raged, "or I will torture all your village and make you watch!"
"Take a feather from the Firebird and you can turn one thing golden." I said what the Firebird told me to tell him. I showed him the two feathers, now dull.
The Duke opened the cage and dragged the Firebird out. He yanked at a long, golden wing feather. The Firebird grew enormous and drove its beak into the Duke's chest. The Duke fell and died on the stone floor.
The Firebird returned to its small size and flew to my wrist. It spoke. "Leonid Borodin is your Duke and my friend. He alone hunted me to save his people, not for his own greed. I watch over him." The bird's eyes flamed as it looked at the courtiers. They bowed to me. I opened the window and watched the Firebird fly free until it merged with the sun.
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Fantasy & Magic: Stories & Contest Entries
RandomEntries to various contests and other stories. Short stories, drabbles, and so on.
