Gotneska Posted October 17 Share Posted October 17 For the first post, I’d like to share a story about a fellow named Fiachra. This story has been told for centuries amongst the Cordic populations of Gotneska it has more recently become widely accepted in all of Gotneska and beyond. I hope y’all enjoy this story. Long ago, there lived a man named Fiachra. According to legend, Fiachra was not only handsome but also well-liked, especially by the women of his village. One day, an elf appeared at Fiachra’s doorstep, seeking directions to the capital. Fiachra gladly obliged, and in return, the elf offered him a wish—something that could make his life, or his family’s life, easier. However, Fiachra, full of arrogance, wished for something far greater: to never die and to remain in the prime of his youth forever. Though the elf seemed displeased with the vanity of the request, he was bound to honor it. From that moment on, Fiachra became immortal. But instead of embracing his gift wisely, Fiachra flaunted it, recklessly engaging in dangerous and foolish acts to prove his newfound invincibility. He believed that his immortality would make him more admired than ever. To his dismay, the village paid him no mind, and the once constant attention from the ladies vanished. Despite his efforts, no one seemed impressed by his immortality, leaving Fiachra to wonder: Why don’t they care? Have I become hideous in their eyes? Thus began the downfall of Fiachra’s arrogance, as he slowly realized that eternal youth was not the blessing he once imagined. A few years passed, and Fiachra’s once lively existence had dwindled into solitude. Now, he lived alone in a dilapidated house just outside the village, exiled by the village authorities. His arrogance and reckless behavior had turned him into an outcast, unwelcome without official permission to enter the town that was once his home. One day, a knock came at his door. Fiachra opened it to find yet another elf, this time asking for directions to the nearest town hall. Fiachra’s gaze sharpened, and he realized that this was the very same elf who had granted him immortality years before. Rage surged through him. How could this creature have cursed him with such an existence? He lashed out, screaming at the elf, blaming him for the loneliness and emptiness that had consumed his life. The elf, however, was unmoved by Fiachra’s anger. With calm but piercing eyes, he spoke in his ancient tongue, casting a curse upon the ungrateful man. “For your arrogance and ingratitude, you shall bear the true weight of immortality. No longer shall you wear the face of youth. From this moment, you will become the most hideous thing in the wurld—trapped forever in the shell of your vanity.” With those words, the elf disappeared into the woods, leaving Fiachra to face the terrible transformation that awaited him. The curse had begun. As the curse tightened its grip on Fiachra, his anger grew even more uncontrollable, and with it, a strange new strength coursed through him. Fueled by this twisted power, he began prowling the roads outside the village, attacking anyone unfortunate enough to travel after dark. His fury knew no bounds. Terrified, the town’s council hastily ordered the old road closed forever, constructing a new one farther west in hopes of avoiding his wrath. But Fiachra’s rage only intensified. One night, consumed with fury, he stormed into the village itself, trampling houses, tearing down buildings, and even harming those who crossed his path. The once proud man had turned into a monster. Days later, as Fiachra brooded in his decaying house, another knock came at the door. Filled with rage, he bellowed, “This better not be that f*cking elf again! If it is, I swear I’ll kill you, you piece of shit!” A low, sinister laugh echoed from outside, sending a chill through Fiachra. When he threw open the door, he was greeted by an unexpected visitor—the Devil himself. “What on God’s Eurth brings you here?” Fiachra asked, stunned. The Devil smirked. “For centuries, this village has feared me, worshipped me in their own twisted ways. But recently, something—or rather someone—has taken my place in their nightmares. So, I came to see who or what could have possibly stolen their fear from me.” Fiachra stepped out from the shadows, revealing the grotesque appearance the curse had given him. The sight was so horrifying that even the Devil recoiled, his eyes wide with shock. So much so, that it caused the devil to soil himself. “My God!” the Devil exclaimed, his voice shaking. “You are the ugliest thing I have ever laid eyes upon.” Fiachra snarled, “So what now? You can undo this, right?” The Devil straightened up, his smirk returning. “I can undo this curse, but there’s a catch.” “What would that be?” Fiachra asked warily. The Devil’s eyes glinted. “You’ll no longer be bound by this hideous form, but the price is steep. You will never be granted entry to Heaven or Hell. When you die, your body will perish, but your spirit will be cursed to wander this wurld, alone, for all eternity.” Fiachra, trapped between his monstrous fate and an eternity of wandering, fell silent, realizing that the devil’s offer wasn’t salvation, but merely a different kind of damnation. Disillusioned but desperate, Fiachra willingly agreed to the Devil’s terms. At least, he thought, it would free him from the monstrous appearance that had cursed his life. Without hesitation, he shook the Devil’s hand, sealing the deal with a firm grip, before closing the door to his dilapidated house. As the door clicked shut, the Devil’s smirk grew wider. “What a foolish man,” he whispered to himself. “My elf disguise worked perfectly.” With that, he vanished into the night, leaving Fiachra none the wiser. Time passed, and despite his cursed immortality, Fiachra eventually grew old—his body succumbing to the slow decay of the centuries. After 625 long years, he finally died in his sleep, at peace for the first time since he made his ill-fated wish. But, as we know, this was not the end of his story. For Fiachra’s spirit, will it be bound to this wurld for all eternity, for it had only just begun its next chapter. Come back next time to discover what happens next in the tale of Fiachra. 3 Link to comment
Recommended Posts