The Enraged Ent: The Miser's Melancholy

In the heart of the ancient city of Jingzhou, there stood a grand mansion known as the Miser's Abode. It was said that the mansion was built upon the bones of the city's former inhabitants, and that the air was thick with the scent of decay and the whispers of the past. The mansion was the home of the wealthiest man in Jingzhou, a man known only as the Miser. His name was forgotten by all but the most desperate souls, for he was a man consumed by his greed and his insatiable hunger for wealth.

The Miser's Abode was a place of darkness and despair. The rooms were filled with gold and jewels, but the Miser's heart was as cold as the iron bars that lined his windows. He hoarded his wealth, never spending a single coin, for fear that he would lose it all. His only companion was his loyal butler, Li, who was as greedy as his master and who served him with a mixture of fear and devotion.

One night, as the moon hung low in the sky, a strange sound echoed through the mansion. It was the sound of laughter, a sound that was both joyous and mocking. The Miser, who was known to be a man of little humor, was thrown into a rage. He demanded that Li investigate the source of the sound, but Li, with a knowing smile, suggested that it was merely the wind.

The next night, the sound returned, louder and more insistent. The Miser, now desperate, decided to confront the source of the laughter himself. He crept through the mansion, his footsteps echoing on the marble floors, until he reached the grand library. There, in the center of the room, was a large, ornate mirror. As he approached, the laughter grew louder, and the mirror began to tremble.

With a deep breath, the Miser reached out and touched the mirror. To his horror, he felt a cold, clammy hand grip his own. He looked down and saw the reflection of a creature, a creature that was half-man, half-ent. The creature's eyes were filled with malice, and its grin was as wide as the grin of a madman.

"Who are you?" the Miser demanded, his voice trembling with fear.

"I am the Enraged Ent," the creature replied, its voice echoing through the room. "I am the spirit of the forest that once stood here. You destroyed my home, and you took my life. Now, I seek to reclaim what you have stolen."

The Miser, realizing the gravity of the situation, tried to pull away, but the creature's grip was unyielding. "I will give you my wealth," he pleaded. "I will give you everything you desire."

The Enraged Ent's eyes narrowed. "You think that will satisfy me? You think that money can buy my soul? You are a fool, Miser. My soul is beyond your reach. I will take what you have, and I will take your life as well."

With a roar, the creature lunged at the Miser, its fingers reaching out to grasp him. The Miser, in a desperate bid for survival, turned and ran, but the creature was swift and relentless. It caught up to him in an instant, and with a single, powerful blow, it sent him sprawling to the ground.

The Miser, lying there, gasping for breath, looked up at the creature. "Please, I will do anything. Just let me live."

The Enraged Ent's eyes softened for a moment, and it spoke again. "I will not take your life, Miser. But I will take your wealth, and I will take your soul. You will be haunted by me until you have nothing left."

And with that, the creature vanished, leaving the Miser alone in the library. He looked around, at the walls lined with gold and jewels, and realized that he had lost everything. His wealth was gone, and with it, his soul.

From that night on, the Miser's Abode was haunted by the laughter of the Enraged Ent. It was said that those who entered the mansion would hear the sound of laughter, and that they would never leave. The Miser, now a ghost, was trapped within his own home, forever bound to the spirit that had taken everything from him.

The legend of the Miser's Melancholy grew, and it became a cautionary tale about the dangers of greed. Those who entered the mansion were warned to leave with their wealth, for if they did not, they would be haunted by the Enraged Ent, a spirit that would never rest until it had taken everything from them.

And so, the Miser's Abode remained, a place of darkness and despair, a reminder to all who dared to enter that greed could lead to a fate far worse than death.