The Fire Beetle || A Short Story By Invader civic Ziur
Somewhere in Rotholz Silvam,
lost in a sea of other beetles just like herself, a small beetle continues her tireless work moving a small leaf across a large step. She comes to a large wall towering high above her, she smells the scent of her fellow workers, she knows the way to go, she can smell it. Half blinded she climbs the wall, the surface is rough and easy to grasp with her sharp claws, she was made to do this, it is her sole purpose. A small gust of wind comes from the south, making this small beetle lose her grip, she falls. She tries again, and again, and again until she makes it to the top. Not stopping to look back she continues on the familiar way home. After entering the nest, she makes her way far beneath the surface of the earth to the sleeping chamber. Content with her work she sleeps peacefully knowing that if she continues her work she will get promoted from leaf cutter to caretaker to scavenger then from there, well, she cant think that far, so best not to wonder...
Early the next day as the morning sun shines through the small narrow entrance to the hive, millions of eyes all start to look around, searching for what needs to be done. Our small beetle begins to head towards the small gateway, looking out into the unknown she instinctively knows what to do. She understands that in the harsh winters to come they will need to seek out the necessary provisions to last them until spring. Scouting through the woods, she comes to an unfamiliar place, wishing to find a higher perspective to survey the area, she begins to climb across a fallen log, she can hear the steady flow of water beneath her. Crawling inch by inch, the sound of water slowly gets louder, until the once small trickle of water becomes a loud roar. The air is humid, tiny droplets of water begin to roll off her back as she pushes forward, "am I near a waterfall?" she wonders. Afraid, she tries going back, but by now a steady stream of water is moving across the log, and as the water crashes down on her tiny frame, she takes in a deep breath, her tiny lungs fill with the ice cold water, and everything goes black. As she is drowning she thinks, I can't see. I am dying... As the very fabric of reality is ripped away from her mind, she thinks to herself, I tried my best, I think I mattered, I'll miss you all--
As the body of what once was a beetle comes to the edge of a small creek a wizard is battling a pit ogre, unaware of the death of our small protagonist. The ogre swings his club, splash, a purple fire ignites the nearby stream. A loud swoosh as the wizards wand cracks against the leg of the ogre, a great howl of pain as he stumbles into the fiery water, the colliding colors of red and purple are powerful and mesmerizing. Crack! But no scream, as the ogre's blood runs over the burning husk of the small beetle's body. Something happened that can not quite be explained. Perhaps the very bowels of hell opened up releasing the soul of the beetle, or maybe her soul had never left, but whatever the case she opened her eyes, they burned, she let out a scream, "help!" wait, was that my voice? she thought. Terrified, she looks around, no one is there "Is someone there?",she said to the darkness. Hearing that voice repeated back to her, chilled her to the bone, but I'm not cold I'm burning! Noticing the two flames on her back she begins to run. THUMP! She hits something. Her vision turns red, not black like last time. Is it a tree? It is, but its small, no thicker than herself. Nothing looks familiar. "I just want to go back home.", the voice in her head cries out to her. "I'm going home." This time the strange voice in her head is reassuring. Beginning to run, another tree blocks her way and this time she pushes it aside. Snap! snap! She hears a familiar sound, but this time it's not a roaring waterfall, it's a small creek. A branch that fell across the creek snaps beneath her weight. "Have I grown?" The voice is scared. Seeing a cottage not far off, she makes her way. As she comes to the doorstep she hears a small crunch noise, a small beetle she vaguely recognizes smeared across the doorstep. She realizes in horror that she is near her hive, and she just killed one of her sisters who was moving a small leaf. Can I cry? she wonders "No, you cant.", says the voice calmly. Is this it? She ponders. To work so hard to raise the young only to die, just so the cycle can repeat? What kind of life is this? "Tell them.", the voice says." But I can't, I don't know how to.". "You have to help them, save them!!!" "I don't know how." She slowly walks to the familiar hole. It's dark, how could I have been happy here? How could anyone be happy here? she askes herself. It's a cage. One long leg rases into the air. "Save them", the voice is calm and reassuring. With a loud crunch her footfalls and she can hear the faintest of screaming. "They don't understand, but you saved them."
She hears a noise inside the cottage. Are all creatures like this? She wonders to herself. Slowly with shaking legs she moves back towards the door, nudging it open, she can see a tall man in a blue robe wearing a shocked expression. The tall man slowly begins to talk , "Hello there creature.". Not knowing what to do she tries letting out a grunt that sounds like a hello. The tall man looking quite surprised to see a giant flaming beetle saying something at all, the fact that it was half coherent left him dumbfounded. Still, he had seen weirder, and not wanting to make an enemy out of flaming beetle that could easily torch him, he decided he ought to make friends with it. Perhaps it could prove useful to him in some way. "I am but a humble wizard and I couldn't help but notice that you crushed that beetles nest just now, is that where you came from?" he said to it. "Not anymore" she replied. The wizard now feeling even more bewildered by the strange reply, began asking all sorts of questions about this beetle. Now feeling more apathetic to the situation the beetle reluctantly answers all of the wizard's questions. Despite feeling pity for the stupid creature, the wizard decided to monopolize on her plight and strike a deal. A deal for himself that is. You see, this wizard had a terribly bad gambling habit and had a tendency to make deals he couldn't keep. Fortunately, by mere chance some good fortune had come his way, "Perhaps I could help you.", he said to the beetle. The beetle who was now feeling more depressed than ever wondered what a wizard could possibly do to help her. Life itself is so seemingly pointless. Even so, not having anywhere to go she decided not to kill him.
Although being terrified at the prospect the wizard continued, "there are some very bad men that took something of mine, perhaps if you could help get it back I could give you a warm place to stay until you sort this whole thing out.". Not having much else to do she accepted the wizards offer "Ok.", she answers, unsure of herself. The wizard giving a sigh of relief lays out a blanket on the floor for the Fire Beatle, as he now thinks in his head to call it. For now, he had to prepare. Tomorrow is going to be a big day. They were going to rob a bank. Fire Beatle, as her new friend calls her, was thinking of the question she asked herself earlier. She decided that it didn't matter much in the grand scheme of things. So lying there in the stillness of the night she slept peacefully without a care in the world.
