The King of Stones

Finn stricken the flint against the fire-steel until a small sparkle landed in the fire pit, starting the bonfire. As soon as the tiny ember hit the bunch of straws it lit up, roaring to life. When some warmth reached his face, he leaned back against the tree behind him, stretching his sore legs from the long journey. His eyelids growing heavy with sleep.

It has been a long journey from Reinfield, his hometown. 

Two years ago, he would have never imagined that he will find himself in the dark lands of Dún Na Gaar, looking for a stone that could change the fate of the world. 

It was a day like many others, when he met that old cuckoo of a wizard. 

He was working at his uncle’s crop, helping with the harvest. The air was dump and smelled of rain, while the last warm breath of summer breeze was taken away by the autumn’s chilly wind. He and his cousins had to work faster if they didn’t want to be caught in the upcoming down pour. 

The last rays of sunset smeared the world in beautiful shades of copper and gold as the last haystacks were successfully piled on his uncle’s cart. Just in time before he felt the first teardrop falling from the sky on his forehead. He spurred the old ox with a light flick, when he saw something out the corner of his eye.

There was an old man staggering at the edge of the woods. His thin body was wrapped in loose grey rags, a pointy hat, swaying on top of his head like a weathervane. He was walking slowly, gripping firmly his wooden staff as it was the only thing anchoring him to the ground, so the wind wouldn’t blow him away.

When Finn saw the stranger, he sent his cousins back to the farm, while he went to check. But, by the time he reached him he noticed his bad state.

“Sir. Are you ok?” 

The man opened his mouth as to speak, stretching out a shaking hand, but before he could breathe a word, he slumped motionless on the road. 

Finn brought the poor man home laying him down in bed, while he fetched some food from his aunt. 

It was already dark outside when the stranger woke up. 

Finn helped him straighten up on the bed, offering him a cup of fresh water and a warm bowl of soup. The man, who had been traveling for many days without food, gulped down everything at a shocking speed. When he finished, he thanked the boy and was ready to resume his travel.

“But Sir, you are too tired to walk, and outside it’s pitch dark and storming.”

The man laughed.

“You are a good son, but there is no time, I must reach the capital before it’s too late.”

“Late for what?”

But the man didn’t reply. He jumped out the bed and steadied himself to leave. Just before he reached the door Finn brought him his staff and hat. By then he already realized by the clothing that it was not just any elder man, but a real wizard, and he knew very well to not talk back to a wizard. 

When Finn touched the wooden cane, it glowed of a pale blue light, and the stone embedded on its head, hummed to life, sparkling azure flames dancing from within. 

The wizard stopped, giving him a long look. “Could it be…?”

Finn looked at him in wander. “What is this?”

The stranger plucked the stone from the staff and placed it inside the boy’s palm. It was cold at the touch, as it sent the boy’s hand prickling with its magic. 

“This is a Crackling Stone. Imbued with the power of the thunder and lightning. It awakes only in the presence of a Stone Whisperer."  

Finn’s head snapped up to stare at him. “What?? No! I am just the son of a farmer; I don’t even know what it means!” 

“It’s a rare talent, but nonetheless very valuable, especially in time of need like this.” 

Finn hesitated to look at the stone again, then he gave it back to the old man. 

“I think you have the wrong guy.”

The wizard grabbed him by the shoulders and looked at him straight in the eyes.

“Listen to me boy. I intended to go to the capital and choose someone among the bravest knights and protectors of the realm, but it is already too late!” 

“Too late for what?”

“A grave disease is spreading from the north turning flesh to stone. Wizards from all realms have been creaking their heads to find a solution, but there is no cure. People are falling sick in great numbers from Turial to Venefeer. It has now reached Meadowfern.”

“But Meadowfern it’s just few miles from here…” The young boy paled.

“That’s why I need your help!”

“But what can I do? I don’t know anything about magic or curses!”

“There is only one thing that can stop the blight! You need to travel to Dún Na Gaar. There, in the underbelly of the tallest mountain there is a legendary stone. The Moonfire Opal. That’s the only thing that can stop the blight and turn back the stone to flesh! You can awake this crystal the same way you did with the Crackling Stone. You are the only one who can find it.”

Finn jolted awake when he heard a twig snapping near him. The words of the wizards still echoing in his skull.

He was so tired that he didn’t realize when he had dozed off, looking at the flames dancing in the pit. His traveling companion Kilmo was looking curiously at him, head cocked to the side. 

“Were you sleeping? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I brought back some dinner.” Kilmo, grinned proudly, swaying the two rabbits that he had just caught in the woods. 

“It’s fine, “Finn sighed. “I was just resting my eyes a bit."  

It has already been two years since that mad wizard sent him on that quest, and the more time passed, the lesser was his hope to find the crystal. 

When he left his village only with an old bag and a rusty sword, the wizard told him that he would have been traveling to the capital to warn the king of the impending disaster, while he’d travel north. He never knew if the old man reached his destination or if the curse had already swiped out his village. But after all that time, there was not much hope for a different outcome. 

“If you are tired, I can take care of dinner while you rest. “Offered Kilmo setting his yellow eyes on the hares, a flick of forked tongue on his lips. 

“No way! Last time that you did that, there was no more dinner even before starting to cook.”

Kilmo’s smirk turned quickly into a pout. “It’s not my fault if we ran out of food for so many days. I was hungry, you can’t blame me!” 

Finn gave him a dirty look but didn’t comment. He snatched the hares and the knife heading toward the creak to clean them.

He had been traveling with that strange companion for a couple of months now, and there were still things that he couldn’t get used to.

Kilmo was a kobold that he picked up along the way during his journey to Dún Na Gaar. 

Kobolds are well known for their skills of shape shifting and trickery. In fact, Kilmo’s parents turned into humans to trick Finn into their shed, offering a place to rest during a night. But as soon as they’d capture him, they ripped off their human masks and showed their true colors. They were following the orders of the King of Stones, an evil Troll sovereign that ruled the lands of Dún Na Gaar. Finn tried to explain to them that he needed to find the Moonfire Opal to stop the blight and save his people. Yet the kobolds just laughed at his face and left him in the cage.

But Kilmo was different from his parents, and when they went to sleep, he sneaked out helping Finn to escape. However, when his parent discovered them, they turned into vicious beasts and attack them. 

It was a fierce fight, and they were so intoxicated by the King’s power that they were prepared to kill their own son to get to Finn.

He had no choice but to kill them. 

Kilmo was sad for the death of his parents, but he realized that their minds were twisted by the influence of the Troll King.

Ultimately, he asked Finn if they could travel together as to find the evil King and kill him, freeing the creatures of the woods from his power. 

The following day the two companions found a passage leading inside the fated mountain. 

“If the King of Stones takes control over my mind, you must kill me!” Cackled the kobold, but Finn shook his head discarding the thought. 

Deep growls echoed into the cave and the two steed themselves to fight. A group of kobolds and hobgoblins approached them. Their fangs shone wickedly under the light of the torches. 

Finn and Kilmo swung and slashed, but just as they felled their last enemy a new horde followed right after. 

“The King of Stones is not so powerful after all, if he hides behind his puppets of flesh! “Yowled Kilmo, fangs smeared with blood. “Oh, Great and Mighty King! Come out and face us, if you dare!” 

Finn was about to shut him off before he could doom them further with his bravado. But just as he finished the last sentence the monsters stopped, and they obediently paved aside, as someone approached from the rear. 

There he was. The King of Stones. A large and mighty Troll, with dark green skin and yellow eyes bulging out of the sides of his massive head. He looked like a giant toad, walking on human legs. His shoulders were draped by a dark blue cloak, and on his head, it was seated the most opulent crown that Finn’s had ever seen. It looked so heavy with gold and gemstones, that only a head that large could hold its weight. 

But it wasn’t the crown or the clothing that had caught Finn’s eye, but the thing clutched firmly in his right hand. A scepter of the finest silver and was topped with the most beautiful stone that he’d ever seen. Finn recognized it right away. 

The Moonfire Opal was real, and it was in the hands of the King of Stones. 

“You think you’re so bold little kobold, just because you could escape my influence ‘till now?” croaked the King. His voice deep and rumbling like a thunderstorm. 

Kilmo hissed, clutching his spear. But the King paid him no mind as he looked at Finn.

“And you, human. What are you doing so far from home? Are you lost?”

Kilmo flung himself at the King, teeth bared, his spear lunging at his throat.

But with a sway of his webbed hand, the King murmured a spell, and Kilmo suddenly stopped in his tracks, dropping his weapon.

“Kilmo?” Finn called.

But the kobold was still.

“Not so bold anymore.” Mocked the King

Kilmo’s turned slowly to Finn, then he jumped, claws sweeping on Finn’s face. 

When he touched his left cheek, he winced. The left side of his face was raw and bloody.

He stood up and ran toward his friend unsheathing his sword that clashed against his bared claws, bones scraping against metal.

“Kilmo! Snap it out! I am not your enemy!” But the kobold growled pushing him back and lunging forward with fury.

They fought for a long time. Hurting each other. The smell of blood soaked the air. Their pants and snarls mixed together.

The monsters were still there watching them patiently. 

“Kilmo!” Finn yelled again “Please. I don’t want to hurt you!”   

The King of Stones grew impatient, and he stepped forward branding his scepter. “Enough of this already. Kill him!”

His voice thundered across the cave; an absolute order imposed with magic. 

With a swift movement Kilmo kicked Finn that slammed against the wall. His sword slipped from his grasp rolling to the kobold’s feet.

When Finn blinked, he saw the silver glimmer of his own sword pointed at his chest, his companion holding the weapon down at him.

 “Kilmo…” he called, as the kobold readied himself to strike

“Even if you kill me, I will not hold it against you. You are my friend.” 

His hand stopped, the tip of the blade just a breath from his chest.

“Friend…” Kilmo repeated. 

“Yes. You are my friend. Nothing can change that, not even an evil spell.”

“Spell… evil…”

“What are you doing?! Finish him!” interjected the King

Kilmo shook his head in pain, rationality crossing his gaze. He shuddered, every fiber in his body pulling against the spell. “No. I will not… be… your puppet!”

And in a flash, he turned the sword to himself and stabbed deep into his chest.

“No!!” Finn screamed flying to grab him before he fell. He pulled the weapon out, but blood came rushing in its stead. 

He pressed his hands on the wounds, but the blood rippled out soaking his hands.

“No” he gasped

“It’s… fine.”

“It’s not fine! You still need to avenge your parents! You can’t let it go when we are so close.”

“I’m sorry Finn.”

The monsters that were watching the battle up close looked at each other confused. One of them was bleeding but the human wasn’t cheering the felled monster, instead he was… crying? 

Then as that scene awoke something in them, they all turned to glare their King. It was his fault!

Understanding the situation the King tried to save his face. He stomped his scepter to the ground, it’s metal reverberating across the rocky cave. The Opal shone on top of the scepter. It’s pale green and gold glimmer radiated in all the cave warming the skin of the monsters and Finn holding Kilmo, in the middle of the circle.   

When the Moonfire Opal brushed gently on Kilmo forehead, his skin turned grey and hard as stone. Before Finn could even realize, the kobold was a turned into a statue.

After a moment the King turned toward his followers bowing slightly. 

“Fear not, because the life of this kobold was spared by my magic. Now he can rest, forever peacefully in the blessing of the King of Stones.”

“It was you!” Finn hissed. “All this time, it was all your doing!”

The King turned looking down at him.

“Humans have always been a menace to these lands. It was only a matter of time before they reach here and take my Mountain.”

“So, you set this curse, to wipe out humans.”

“Don’t look at me like that. Your kind had always hunted and tortured mine. I only did that to preserve the peace of Dún Na Gaar.”

“Turning your follower into empty husks and stones?!” 

All the creatures were looking at Kilmo, snarling toward their King. 

“Foolish human! Do you think you can overthrow me with your sagacity? I am the power of the Mountain itself! I am Rowak, the King of Stones!”

He rose high in all his presence and lowered his scepter on Finn’s head in a fatal blow. But Finn didn’t run, instead he stretched his hand to meet the Moonfire Opal.

When his fingertips grazed it, they didn’t turn to stone, instead the Opal hummed, its high pitch vibrations ringing into the cave. Then, it shone as brightly as ever, until it burst, shattering in hundreds of pieces.

The King crumbled on his knees, his face a mask of horror. 

As the crystal exploded, it released a fine shimmering dust that covered Kilmo’s body, and then it flew out of the cave into the world. 

Kilmo’s stone shell suddenly cracked open releasing him free. As he rose dusting the last crumbles from his shoulders, he found out that his wound was completely healed.

He met Finn surprised gaze just to follow it to the King staring at them. 

“What have you done…” but his words died on his lips as Kilmo took his spear and plunged it deep into his heart. 

The King of Stones fell on the ground without a sound. Its crown soaked in his own blood. 

Rowak was defeated. The creatures of the forest were blinking confused, as the influence of the tyrant waned. They were finally free. Some of them were smiling, some of them crying. Few kobolds surrounded Kilmo, and they pull him up their shoulder screaming and cheering. 

“Kilmo the hero! Kilmo the savior! The King of Stones is dead! Kilmo our new King of the Mountain!” 

Kilmo tried to tell them that Finn was the real hero, but the monsters couldn’t yet comprehend what had just happened. 

Finn didn’t mind. His gaze followed the dust of the Opal flying outside the cave dispelling the curse in the rest of the land.

Finally, when Finn came back to his village he found his uncle, aunt and cousins all safe welcoming him back. And an unexpected guest.

The wizard was waiting to escort him to the royal capital to be rewarded by the King himself as a hero of the land.

The plague dissolved as a mysterious dust blown from town to town, awaking the victims from their stone’s coffins. And then the curse was lifted as if it was never there.

From time-to-time Finn traveled to visit his friend Kilmo and told his sons and grandsons many stories about his kobold friend. 

And even after their death, the world remembered the story of their peculiar friendship, and how it brought the end of the King of Stones and healed the land from his curse.