Set The World On Fire

Set The World On Fire
by Alexander "KG" Hwang

Akolos the White Wizard mumbled a spell and threw out his hands. A gust of freezing wind suddenly blew forth, dissipating the two fire elementals.
"Excellent work, Akobos!" Jinfastur the Noble Paladin declared, walking forth to stab at the charred cinders that remained.
Thalecine the Spectral Assassin said nothing, but moved to collect the pieces of gold the fire elementals had dropped on the dry earth.
"My name is Akolos," Akolos the White Wizard grunted.
"Right," Jinfastur the Noble Paladin replied. "Akoros. I see an inn yonder! My fellow heroes, let us rest within and recover our strength!"
Thalecine the Spectral Assassin tossed a piece of gold at Akolos the White Wizard and Jinfastur the Noble Paladin. Akolos the White Wizard caught his in his long white beard, after which he began to fish through it, while Jinfastur the Noble Paladin didn't even seem to realize when the piece of gold bounced off his helmet.
Thus the three of them approached the stone inn.
Jinfastur the Noble Paladin pounded on the door with his gauntleted fist, pausing when a ravishing young maiden with long red hair opened it.
"What do you desire?" the maiden asked.
"Fair beauty," Jinfastur the Noble Paladin said, lowering his head, "we are three heroes on a quest to defeat Imas the Black King! From you we merely seek shelter and rest for the night so that we may be prepared to continue our journey tomorrow."
The maiden stepped away from the door, and two others could be seen inside the inn. One was another woman, older and wise-looking. The other was a strong and handsome man.
"I am Ashley," the maiden introduced herself, bowing. "This is my mother... and brother. Searose and Brandon."
"I am Jinfastur the Noble Paladin," Jinfastur the Noble Paladin responded, "and these are my comrades, Akovos the White Wizard and Thalecine the Spectral Assassin."
"My name is Akolos!" Akolos the White Wizard hissed.
"You are welcome to stay the night, free of charge, Jinfastur, Thalecine, and Akolos," Searose said, smiling at them, but especially at Akolos the White Wizard.
Brandon said nothing, but he nodded at Thalecine the Spectral Assassin, who returned the nod.
"Let us show you to the rooms," Ashley said, taking Jinfastur the Noble Paladin's arm and leading him down a hallway and into a room. Searose gestured to Akolos the White Wizard and took him to a different room. Brandon stood and went to a third room, leaving Thalecine the Spectral Assassin to follow him.

Jinfastur the Noble Paladin was sitting on the bed in his room, his armor on the floor, with Ashley still latched onto his arm. The sudden, unfamiliar moans of his comrades caused him to bolt up, Ashley falling to the bed as a result. He glanced at her uncertainly, and noticed that she looked embarrassed.
"My mother and brother," Ashley murmured, blushing, "are likely... doing pleasurable activities with your friends."
"'Pleasurable activities'," Jinfastur the Noble Paladin repeated, straining his thoughts until he realized what she meant. "Oh."
"They are always like that," Ashley sighed, sitting up and prompting Jinfastur the Noble Paladin to resume his seat next to her. "Usually when they were... doing things with travellers, me and my sisters would play on our own. But now they are gone, and I miss them terribly."
"Your sisters?" Jinfastur the Noble Paladin asked. "What happened to them?"
"Charlotte and Cinderella," Ashley said. "They were... slain... by monsters."
"Monsters," Jinfastur the Noble Paladin growled. "If I had been there, I would have destroyed them first."
Ashley smiled at him meekly. "I suppose you being here makes it more bearable. If you don't mind keeping me company."
"Not at all, fair Ashley!" Jinfastur the Noble Paladin insisted. "It would be my pleasure."
Ashley then embraced him, her small arms barely encircling his chest.
"Do you think it would be just," Ashley murmured, "if those monsters that killed my sisters were burned to death?"
"Yes," Jinfastur the Noble Paladin replied, lifting her chin so that her lips neared his. "I think it would be."
"Good," Ashley said. Then she burst into flame.
Jinfastur the Noble Paladin didn't realize what was happening for a moment as Ashley's flaming body completely surrounded him, and when he did, the only thing he could manage to do was let out a choked cry as his skin burned and melted away.