Orrun strolled into the small town farmer’s market and looked around. It was a slow day and only a few people were milling about other than the merchants. He walked towards the stand of an old friend, whom had called him here on account of some trouble. “Hello stranger” Orrun said stopping in front of the elderly man’s stand, “Orrun! Thank goodness you’re here” the old man started, “my supplier-““Supplier?” Orrun asked with a raised eyebrow. “Oh be quiet!” said the old man, giving him a punch on the arm “Supplier of harvest!” “Well what about him?” Orrun asked, rubbing his arm. “Something’s been destroying his crops lately, I would go investigate myself but well” The old man trailed off stroking his gray beard “I’m getting a bit old.” He grumbled. “Nice to see someone agrees with me” Orrun teased. The old man glared at him. “Fine, I’ll go check it out then” Orrun said then verified the farm’s location and set about his way. He decided to take the scenic, longer route and walked out of town. He followed a long dirt road until he came to a crossway and went left, examining the surrounding forests. Orrun came upon the farm where a curl of smoke was rising from a fenced off field, Must be the place Orrun thought. Orrun knocked on the door to the small house and was answered by a short, grumpy looking farmer “You must be Orrun then, get to work!” The farmer grumbled and promptly slammed the door. “O-okay then” Orrun muttered “Nice to meet you too” and turned to the field. He searched high and low but could find no physical evidence that anything capable of such destruction had been there. But something was bothering him, he knew someone, or something was here. Orrun pulled out his dull, gold pocket watch and flipped it open. He examined the face which contained something more than the time. “Ah” Orrun whispered “A sprite." Word Count: 328
Orrun turned and walked through the forest, casually observing everything. If I was a sprite, where would I live? Orrun checked everywhere; he looked in hollows in the trees, examined beehives, and peeped under rocks just for good measure. Nothing. Orrun stopped and thought about this development, he had barely begun to delve into the deeper woods and he had spent almost all day searching. He meditated on how he could dispatch the evil sprite when he found it until the night. Orrun awoke from his trance and began his search anew, delving into the deep woods. Orrun kept his eyes keen and his ears open for any sign of the mischievous sprite. But he saw no glowing, heard no laughing, nor felt any presence. Suddenly he heard a yell and a high pitched cackling, Orrun turned and saw a flickering light; fire! Orrun ran as fast as his long legs could carry him. Branches tore at his clothes and he had to hold onto his hat to keep the wind from blowing it off. He stumbled over several stones and just as the fire had come into better view something appeared in front of him. A sprite had flown from the tree and now floated a few feet away. Assuming this was the culprit Orrun shot a dark sphere at it, the sprite cackled shrilly and flew behind him. He quickly turned and ran after it, charging another dark sphere in his hand. It took to the treetop as Orrun shot at it again. He grabbed a low hanging branch and flipped onto the tree and began tree hopping after the bothersome thing. Orrun was quickly falling behind, but in the sprite’s arrogance it stopped and began taunting Orrun. The nerve! Orrun quickly fired a divine light from his hand directly at it. It darted away at the last second but Orrun managed to tip a wing. It flew slower now as Orrun chased it and he began to fire beam after beam of ki at it. “Die you stupid thing!” Orrun shouted as he hit it directly. Orrun caught up and examined the sprites body. Seemed dead enough, he turned around and faintly saw that the fire was still burning- he had probably go help put that out. Orrun took off running towards the farm, but the chase with the sprite had lead him far astray and it took quite awhile to get even near the fields. After awhile Orrun become tired of stumbling across the woods and rose above the trees, branches scraping at him, he flew quickly across the dark woods. With the wind screaming in his ears Orrun did not hear the shrill cackling near the farm. Orrun landed just in time to a see a small light flitting about the fire, another sprite? He landed near the fire and the small light stopped near him and seemed to stick out it’s tongue at Orrun. These sprites sure had some nerve! Orrun made quick work of this arrogant sprite. He left the rude farmer to put out the rest of the dying fire himself. Word Count: 519
Total Word Count:847
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Under the spreading chestnut tree
I sold you and you sold me
There lie they and here lie we
Under the spreading chest nut tree - 1984, George Orwell