Gourry rode through the night. He needed to find a huge tree, towering twice as high as all the others.
"It should be pretty easy to find." Jayble had assured him.
"Where the hell is it?" Gourry moaned.
"Where is what?" came a voice from behind him.
Gourry span around in the saddle (which led to him becoming hopelessly tangled up and eventually falling off completely)
"Who are you?!" he cried, fingering his sword.
The stranger, wrapped in a heavy brown cloak, through up his hands. "No need for violence, friend. You seemed lost, and so I am here to offer my services." the stranger bowed low. "Rengar, at your service. Now what do you need to find?"
Gourry couldn't believe his luck. "Great! I need to find this really big tree. Do you know where it is?"
Rengar snickered. "You mean Dentrag's tree, don't you? I must say, you certainly must be brave. But I would suggest that you return to where ever you came from."
"I can't. A friend of mine needs some of that, uh, Dantoog's tree."
"Dentrag's tree. Why on earth would your friend need something as awful as that?" Rengar asked.
"She's really sick, and this kid said that I needed to get her some bark from that Duntag's tree." replied Gourry.
"Dentrag's!" Rengar cried, then calmed himself. "I see. Well, she must be very important to you for you to come all this way. Very well, I'll help you find the tree."
"Gee, thanks." Gourry clapped the little man on the back.
"I do require something in return, however." said Rengar.
"I'll give you whatever you want, but I got to get to Dontruge's tree!" Gourry pleaded.
"Dentr... oh forget it." Rengar shook his head.
"Well, what do you want?"
"You'll see, just as soon as we reach the tree." Rengar began to chuckle.
Gourry and Rengar moved quickly through the dense forest, leaving the horse in a nearby clearing.
"How far is it?" Gourry asked.
"Oh, not far." Rengar answered. "Just over that hill, in fact."
"I don't see it." insisted Gourry.
"Oh, but you will." Rengar chuckled.
Gourry nearly fainted when they crested the hill. The top of a gigantic tree poked out from a deep, dark hole in the ground. A strange smell wafted up from the pit, making Gourry's eyes tear.
"There's the tree." Rengar pointed.
"But it's...it's..." stammered Gourry.
"In a really deep hole. Yes, I know. That's why you couldn't see it. Now about the payment." Rengar chuckled wickedly.
"Huh? Oh yeah! I don't have all that much money." Gourry admitted.
"Oh, that's okay. We can work out an alternate payment." Rengar voice began to change dramatically. The cloak he wore bulged and tore. When the last bits of cloak were shed a creature standing at least ten feet tall stood slobbering before a bewildered Gourry. The creature's rows of razor sharp teeth dripped acid, and it's talons tore at the ground it stood on.
"Let me properly introduce myself. I am Dentrag, and this is my tree." he licked his green lips, "And I really hate visitors."
"You...you...you...you are really, really big!" stammered Gourry.
"Yes, yes I am." replied Dentrag. "Now let's get to the point. I am going to eat you."
"What?!" cried Gourry.
"I...am...going...to...eat...you. Damn, are you ever dense." Dentrag began to stalk forward. "Now hold still, it makes it a lot easier on us both."
"I don't think so!" Gourry pulled his sword out. "Light come forth!"
Dentrag's eyes widened as Gourry's sword burst with light.
"Impressive! But I'm still going to eat you." he said after several tense moments.
As if on cue the two leapt at each other. Gourry's sword bit deeply into Dentrag's leg seconds before his talon's ripped the flesh from Gourry's shoulder. The blow sent Gourry hurtling into a nearby tree, snapping it in half.
"Impressive!" congratulated Dentrag. "I must say that this is the worst wound I have ever received." he laughed. "Not that it should matter to you."
Dentrag limped towards the Gourry, who was pushing himself up. With his shoulder torn and bleeding he leapt at the monster. Swinging wildly Gourry scored hit after hit on the wounded monster, sending it to it's knees.
"I...don't...think...so!" screamed Dentrag. Moving like lighting he buried his teeth into Gourry's arm and pulled.
Gourry blacked out just as he plunged the sword into Dentrag's skull.
Gourry awoke in a warm bed, surrounded by many creatures.
"Who...who are you?" he tried to sit up.
"Stay down, brave one." one of the creatures, a human women with butterfly wings pushed him back down.
"We are the beings who call this forest home. We thank you for saving us from the horrible Dentrag. We healed you as best we could, but I'm afraid your arm will never work again." another said, sadly.
Gourry groaned, then sat bolt upright. "Amelia! I have to get back to Sairune with some bark from that tree!"
"Hold, brave one. You are in no condition to go anywhere." the woman with wings said.
"I have to! If I don't she'll die." Gourry cried.
The creatures looked at one another. Finally one came forward.
"You helped us, and so we shall help you. We will take you and whatever you want back to your home. But rest for now, you are still hurt badly."
Gourry laid back down, and prayed that he would get back in time.