Leif G.S. Notae – Writing More With Less

The 4th entry in the Fantasy Flash Fiction series called Those Who Are Dead But Cannot Die and we have a confrontation between Wulfred and Hrandikar. Who can save our boy hero? Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy this piece.

The old woman looked toward the icy blue heavens and sighed as the bells in her graying hair jingled in the gentle breeze. She shook her head in disgust and shuffled down the flight of stairs toward her small cottage at the edge of Grundistad. She stopped at the last step as her eyes caught Wulfred and the boy Hrandikar engaged in an argument. She turned her head so she would not be noticed, but mumbled words under her breath to enhance her hearing enough to eavesdrop on the conversation.

“I swear to the gods on the Sawteeth, if you are lying to me. . .”

“I told you before; I have no reason to lie to you or to the lord. He knew my parents, and he has an interest in my well-being. Why would I ruin something like that on a half-hearted lie?”

“The information you know is valuable to more than our lord. There are many other lords in the Sawteeth and abroad who want to know about these shambling dead. All you have to do is tell me what our lord knows about them, and I will leave you be for the rest of your pathetic life, boy.”

The boy opened his mouth to rebut the man. Before he could make a sound, the old woman was at the boy’s side with her hand on his shoulder as the bells entwined in her hair jangled furiously. “You should watch what you say to this child, Wulfred. He might not have the same privilege as the rest of us, but he has the lord’s ear.”

Wulfred took a step back from the boy as his eyes narrowed and his face twisted in disgust. “What do you want, Alysin? I thought you were too busy trying to scare people up for that pagan festival the King of Winter once held.”

Alysin’s eyes opened wide for a moment before they narrowed. She kept her calm exterior, but her bony fingers dug into Hrandikar’s shoulder deep enough to make him yelp in pain. She ignored him as she addressed the blonde warrior standing across from her. “The pagan festival was once the only way we could assure our people would be strong and dominate the Sawteeth, Wulfred. You are from the Palatinate, you do not know of our ways or our people.”

Wulfred’s hand drifted down to the blade strapped around his waist. His fingers shook as they wrapped around the hilt, though he stopped his arm from drawing the weapon with great discomfort. “I will have you know my father served with Kenshin and our lord when they were at New Alppla. He was one of the few survivors from that night the beacon fell and the city was vacated. I serve his highness as my father served the man he called master.”

Hrandikar slipped from Alysin’s grasp, ran toward Wulfred, and slammed the point of his boot against the man’s shin. As Wulfred hissed and fell to a knee clutching his wounded leg, the boy spat at him and shook his fist. “You are a liar! Our lord would never serve the iron dragons willingly, nor would he turn his back on his people. This is why Grundistad exists.”

Alysin’s body quaked as she tried to stifle her laughter. Wulfred lifted his head and reached out for Hrandikar, but he was stopped by a shimmering blue wall of magical energy that prevented him from capturing him. He faced the old woman and offered a scowl, but she ignored him as she placed her hand back on his shoulder. “If this were a Cull, the boy would have drawn first blood. There is no shame in losing that challenge to a boy; even our lord was skillful enough to do so when he faced a man three times his age.”

“You don’t understand, witch. That boy has information that is valuable to my people; I need him to tell me everything he has heard so I can save lives.”

Alysin pointed at the hulking man, her crooked finger twitching as the swollen joints seemed to pulse with raw power. “Your iron dragons will never understand the Sawteeth and its mysteries. You might serve our lord, but you still reek of sulfur and lies. You will leave us now, the boy and I have much to discuss.”

Wulfred steadied his anger as he stood and shook his injured leg. The steam pouring from his mouth only accented his frustration with the two in front of him. “What makes you think you can have this information? You have no right to take this away from me.”

“I can have this information because we are kindred. We were born in this harsh environment where cold and death are intertwined. I have lived through many Culls; you have waived your pointed stick at my people and called them heretics, among other things. This boy is going to be the Sawteeth’s salvation; he will be groomed by a Sawteeth druid for the ultimate Cull.”

Wulfred’s anger melted as he cackled like a madman. He turned to look at the guards circling around the three figures. He shook his head and lifted his hand to stop them from drawing their weapons. “Our lord has banned Culls. Since his word is law, and I am his justicar, you will be placing your life in my hands. I care not about your magic or your ability to kill; even if I fail in stopping you, you have not seen our lord in action.”

It was Alysin’s turn to cackle as she brought her arm back to cradle the gnarled staff in her arm. “You forget; I am older than you think. I have seen our lord fight, and his wrath is a terrible sight to behold. There is a reason why he is called Parch by some; they feel his thirst for justice and equality.” She glanced down at the boy and offered a casual wink of her frost shaded eyes and pulled back her lips in a yellow toothed grin, “We must go now before this iron fool decides to kill everyone in this village. You have learned your first lesson today, child; never trust the Palatinate.”