Dora's Flashfiction: Ironfold Of The Wayst
Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 11:59 am
Heres a piece of flash fiction I wrote not too long ago. Tell me what you think!
Ironfold Of The Wayst
Ironfold was the barer of fourteen children. The eight unto his first wife were of the age now, and were ready to be sent out into the Welgrard Wayst. The five unto his second and third wives were sold off as future generals to their allied nations.
The Welgrard Wayst was a track of land that stretched out between the Welgrardion Houses (the nation under Ironfold and indeed the legacy to be passed down to the eight heirs) and the Wulf Mountains. Beyond the teeth of that range, which was the westernmost edge of the world, lay the ocean.
The Wayst was a savage place. There was a fable about it that many young mothers in the Houses would tell their children before sending them to bed. It was about a explorer named Jonn with one eye and eleven fingers, who'd conquered the Wayst by slaying the great beast Yulgrarion.
Yulgrarion was a gaunt, ragged bear god with a flat face. Many said that when he stood on his haunches, he towered into the skies and melded with the sun itself. Such an image had become the embodiment of the grim Wayst, etched into the collective souls of the House people—cruel and thick and heavy with pure nature.
Jonn was just as much a god amongst men as Yulgrarion was a god amongst the creatures of the land. He'd led an expedition to map the region, from its barren north flats to the lush south, and single-handedly dealt with the vicious land. When he encountered Yulgrarion for the first time he'd lost his arm to the bear god. On that day, for the sake of his companions, he retreated. While his friends slept that night he ventured back to Yulgrarion's realm.
It is said that the blood from their battle ran so long that it cut deep into the earth and formed the Jonrard River—one of three major bodies of water in the region. As the story goes, Jonn defeated Yulgrard after being pinned to one of the ancient goll trees. He locked Yulgrarion's head so that the bear could not escape Jonn's grasp. When the beast struggled for freedom purchase, they broke the old tree in half and it crushed them both under its skyward lengths.
Huyt didn't believe in fairy tales though. Being the youngest of the heirs, he was less concerned with gods and more concerned with the blades of his brothers finding him, for there could only be one Ironfold or the Welgrard Houses.
Ironfold Of The Wayst
Ironfold was the barer of fourteen children. The eight unto his first wife were of the age now, and were ready to be sent out into the Welgrard Wayst. The five unto his second and third wives were sold off as future generals to their allied nations.
The Welgrard Wayst was a track of land that stretched out between the Welgrardion Houses (the nation under Ironfold and indeed the legacy to be passed down to the eight heirs) and the Wulf Mountains. Beyond the teeth of that range, which was the westernmost edge of the world, lay the ocean.
The Wayst was a savage place. There was a fable about it that many young mothers in the Houses would tell their children before sending them to bed. It was about a explorer named Jonn with one eye and eleven fingers, who'd conquered the Wayst by slaying the great beast Yulgrarion.
Yulgrarion was a gaunt, ragged bear god with a flat face. Many said that when he stood on his haunches, he towered into the skies and melded with the sun itself. Such an image had become the embodiment of the grim Wayst, etched into the collective souls of the House people—cruel and thick and heavy with pure nature.
Jonn was just as much a god amongst men as Yulgrarion was a god amongst the creatures of the land. He'd led an expedition to map the region, from its barren north flats to the lush south, and single-handedly dealt with the vicious land. When he encountered Yulgrarion for the first time he'd lost his arm to the bear god. On that day, for the sake of his companions, he retreated. While his friends slept that night he ventured back to Yulgrarion's realm.
It is said that the blood from their battle ran so long that it cut deep into the earth and formed the Jonrard River—one of three major bodies of water in the region. As the story goes, Jonn defeated Yulgrard after being pinned to one of the ancient goll trees. He locked Yulgrarion's head so that the bear could not escape Jonn's grasp. When the beast struggled for freedom purchase, they broke the old tree in half and it crushed them both under its skyward lengths.
Huyt didn't believe in fairy tales though. Being the youngest of the heirs, he was less concerned with gods and more concerned with the blades of his brothers finding him, for there could only be one Ironfold or the Welgrard Houses.
