The Legends of Ankash

A

It was the Age of Land, when the lands were hot and no tree, bush, plant or leaf could grow. Only in the mountains, lived the tribes of old, waiting for the cooling to wash over the land. And so, it became colder¹, for the lord of heat is kind.

B

And the lords Farfa looked upon the desert and beamed upon it with a light teaming with life.

C

The sand became a large carpet of grass and through the cracks of the old land, rivers flowed.

D

And large trees grew tall and covered the sky. This land was a desert no longer, but the private garden of Farfa.

E

The Yanurs² roamed the garden and were the ambassadors of Farfa upon the land.

F

And the garden became a glade with birds, snakes³, Nargats and Yanurs spreading their seed across the ever-growing glade. And at night, the fireflies⁴ flew and danced in the clearings, reflecting the light of the spheres.

G

And the glades were many and between them a forest so thick that it obscured the visible light of Farfa.

H

The Galaphet⁵ lived in the shadows between the glades. They were fierce and uncivilised, and still, they developed tools to survive⁶. Silently at night, they would leave their woodland home and enter the glades. In the glades they would take the fruit and hunt the Nargat.

I

The Galaphet were crude. Their heavy grunts struck fear into the internal organs of every sentient who resided in the woods. They would come into the glades at night with cubes. And they caught the fireflies in the cubes, for they needed light. The Galaphet roamed the woodlands unobstructed. Darkness fell upon the glades at night, and they were safe no longer.

J

Farfa looked upon the glades and proclaimed:

Our garden is in need of protection, for the land has produced sentients of much savagery and carelessness. Our presence is needed upon the land.

And still, none could hear Their words for no prophet walked the land at that time.

K

And so Farfa was embodied in the Yanurs, Their light shined from the spheres upon these noble creatures and the Yanurs spoke Their words of divinity. They spoke in unison and their movement was one and whole, for the lords Farfa were upon them.

To the Galaphet, the Yanurs spoke:

Beware, coarse creatures, for your actions shall lead to your suffering.

Still, the Galaphet did not hearken the warnings.

L

The Age of Giants was upon the land, and indeed, the giants brought much anguish to the land. They destroyed any residence in their path and feasted upon other sentients, for they craved the flesh of the living and their hunger could not be satiated. Aran, monarch upon the giants, conquered the land of Kamam with the might of his giant army. And so, the old female tribes⁷ descended from the mountains that surround the mountains of Kamam. Among these tribes was the tribe of the great warrior Ankash. Ankash was formidable and did not fear the giants. Still, her actions were ever honourable and she was guided by the light of Farfa to Their garden in the middle of the desert.

M

And to the warriors of Ankash, Farfa offered a pact of exchange⁸. And the pact was as follows - in exchange for eternal residence in the blessed glades, the tribe of Ankash would serve the lord of light by guarding the glades from the Galaphet and from any other intruders who might claim the glades as their own.

N

To the tribe of Ankash, through the Yanurs, Farfa said:

Hear Us, great travelling warriors. Put your trust in Us and you will inherit this paradise. At this time, We present before you a home for the great Ankash and her tribe. All We ask of you is the continuous protection of the land from now until the end of every generation.

O

Ankash heard the words of the great Farfa and summoned her followers.

P

To her tribe, Ankash said:

Gather all, for there are decisions to be made. A day will come and I will not be here. On this day, you will need to lead yourselves. You must decide what our future will look like. We can continue wandering around these deserts and be masters of our own fate, or we can settle in these glades, make them our home and for the rest of our days be the protectors of the lands of the lord of light.

Q

The followers of Ankash were confused and afraid.

The crowd asked:

And what shall we eat? How will the tribe be sustained?

Ankash returned to the Yanurs and asked:

Do the lords promise food and sustenance to Their disciples?

In the name of Farfa, the Yanurs answered:

These glades are yours, including all the vegetation and creatures. This land is prosperous. Protect it, and it will remain your source of life.

And Ankash returned to her tribe and passed on the words of the lords, but the crowd was still uneasy.

To Ankash, the tribe posed another question:

And how will the tribe grow and spread the seed of the great Ankash? These woods are isolated, do the lords vouch for our growth?

And the leader of the fearsome warriors of the mountains returned to the Yanurs and passed on the concerns of her tribe.

To Ankash, the lords spoke through the Yanurs and said:

Make this land safe and inviting for travellers. And in return, we will ensure this land is blessed by visitors of the highest quality, who will leave their seeds for you to spread.

Ankash passed on these words to her tribe, but their fear only intensified.

To their protector and leader, they said:

If this land is to become a great land, then greater tribes will come and take it from us with force, and we will be too weak to fight them.

To her tribe, Ankash spoke:

Enough with this foolishness. The tribe of Ankash is the greatest tribe upon all lands. We know this because the lords have chosen us to protect Their land. If we are to become disciples of the lords, we should trust that Their light will lead us to greatness and our enemies to their demise.

R

And so, it was decided that the tribe of Ankash would settle in the glades and be wood-keepers. For one must trust the lord of light. Ankash set the route for her people and they followed. She proved her trust in Farfa, for she knew They are mightier than all, for They give us today and tomorrow and every day that will follow.

S

The tribe of Ankash set the glade back in order. The Yanurs were tamed, the protectors of Ankash ate the eggs and drank the milk of the domesticated Yanurs. The Galaphet were enslaved and assisted with cleaning every glade and setting up residences for the tribe of Ankash.

T

Eight Yanurs gathered before Ankash and said:

We speak the word of the true monarch, lord of all that is hot. We ask you to allow each and every kind of sentient to live upon these lands, to live both in your presence and in your absence. For we are ever upon these lands and still the forest has to learn the art of survival.

U

And the eight Yanurs were the designated speakers⁹ of Farfa and they were protected from all ill intentions. The Galaphet were set free yet barred from roaming the glades, and so, they returned to the dark woods and hid between the shadows. And all that Farfa commanded was installed upon the land.

V

Ankash grew old in the glades and when the weight of her dying grew too heavy, she went beyond the horizon of trees to die in the desolate desert. And so in this final act, her tribe would not have to witness their great leader in her perishing. And the tribe experienced ever-lasting sorrow for the loss of their great leader, who brought them to this land bursting with life in the centre of an endless desert of death. And so the tribe of Ankash, protector of the glades, came to be the wood-keepers of Ankash.

W

Travellers from Holath and Kamam, and even the far lands beyond the sand, came to the glades of Ankash.

X

Those who were guided from afar by Farfa were hosted by the wood-keepers¹⁰ of Ankash and in return for this momentary shelter, they would deposit their seed in the hands of wood-keepers.

Y

Those who did not walk the path of light, did not heed the warnings of the Yanurs and entered the woods uninvited, were lost in the darkness of the woods. And in the woods they were hunted and devoured by the Galaphet.

Z

And time went on and the glades of Ankash expanded with the tribe. And the new generations did not know Ankash, the great leader and setter of routes.

AA

Over many generations, the glade had expanded and grown far larger. And yet, visitors grew rarer.

Troubled by the diminishing visitors, the wood-keepers agreed:

The Galaphet eat every visitor who enters the woods and scare away all the rest. We must control them, for this is our land and our existence depends on it.

AB

And so, they enslaved the Galaphet once more, against the word of the lords. The woods expanded at great speed and the glades became divided. Separated from one another by a barrier of trees, each wood-keeper kept their own glade. The woods grew darker, for the freed fireflies flew only in the glades. The wood-keepers became isolated from one another and visitors came to the woods of Ankash no more. And the light of the lords did not penetrate the dark woods, and in this veritable darkness lurked demons and devised their schemes against the lords. Still, the Yanurs walked throughout the land of Ankash, for they were the ears and mouth of Farfa upon the land. The Yanurs warned the wood-keepers from exiting their own glades, for soon the giants would be upon the land.

AC

Much unrest was set upon the glades, for the wood-keepers did not trust one another and actions of fiendish betrayal filled the land. The giants of Gazyum sensed this and came to conquer the glade. And so, the land was at war.

AD

And the glades of Ankash burned and every wood became ash, for the wrath of Farfa descended upon the land in mighty flames of fury.

The Galaphet escaped the woods to the desert where they were greeted by the eight Yanurs. The Yanurs spoke the words of Farfa to them:

Hear Us, the mighty and proud Galaphet, you have suffered a lot in the wars of others. But soon you will become a great Maharshata¹¹. And you will know your own wars, and the scope of these wars - larger than you can ever imagine. All We ask of you is that you know Us, and remember your suffering and know that We can bring this suffering upon your enemies. And still, We can bring this suffering upon you again and upon the entire land. Suffer no more noble Galaphet and spread the knowledge of Farfa, for they who know Us will never perish.

And the Galaphet set about exploring the desert, searching for a new home, and disappeared into the horizon of sand.

AE

Every sentient who remained in the glades was consumed by the fire. All perished but the giant Aran. Aran, leader of giants, stood in the ashes of the paradise that was no more.

And the Yanurs called on to Aran:

Heed our words, for we speak the words of Those who reside above all.

Full of anger, Aran said back:

You are only messengers speaking words that you do not understand and thus bear no meaning.

Looking up, directly at Farfa, Aran shouted:

Ye send thy puppets. Ye see but not speak. I have survived thy fury, have I not? Am I not worthy of being thy prophet?

The land cracked once more, as it had in the beginning, and new holes appeared in the desert and the land was flat no more. The eight Yanurs dispersed in every direction, never to return to Ankash.

To Aran, Farfa said:

You are a monarch of none. Everything inside these cracks is yours and you will own more than any other giant, for you will own these empty spaces. You will wander these deserts for hundreds of years, with no land or tribe. You will see this land rise from afar but will not be allowed to enter. Should this land fall again, it will be yours to rebuild and shape in your own image. Still, be warned, your desires for anything but the holes might blind you and make you weak. Know your place and know the ash that marks the borders of your land and that which you must not walk past.

AF

And the monarch jumped down and made the holes his home, the darkness his ally, and discipline his strength.

---

---

AG

The glade got colder. Wood-keeper Kanf entered her hut with the seeds of prophets. And there she remained and waited for the cooling to end.

AH

In the hut Kanf remained for five cycles of the land. When the door to the hut opened once more, the cooling was still upon the land. And yet she came out bearing her child, Goareth. The lord of light beamed brightly upon her glade that day, for a prophet was born in Their glades.

AI

Kanf raised the child Goareth and taught him the ways of the forest. In the first years of his walking, Kanf said to Goareth:

The glade is a place of light, the place of our lords. We do not leave this glade.

But Goareth felt the light of the lords calling him from beyond the glade, from beyond the woodlands.

AJ

And a day came when Goareth walked into the woods. He walked further on still, he walked until he could no longer see the glade. And the thickness of the darkness here was new to him, a darkness that seemed as if the shadows between the night spheres had expanded and consumed all. He walked in the dark with no sense of time until a sudden glimpse of the divine presence caught his eye and he could see nothing but the eternal shine. Blinded, though only temporarily, Goareth could feel the light of the lords vibrating through his body. At this moment, he knew Farfa and the wonders of the lord of light.

AK

When the child Goareth first disappeared, Kanf searched the entire glade. The boy was not on hills, or in the river, between the bushes, or on top of the Gutus¹² tree. She could find no trace of him. Kanf feared the wrath of the lords, for she lost the offspring of Their prophets.

AL

As Kanf packed for a journey beyond the glade, from the shadows of the forest, the spirit of the lords appeared in Yanur form.

AM

The Yanur said to Kanf:

Go back, for you are forbidden from leaving these grounds. Do not trouble yourself with the fate of the child, for he walks in Our path now, and Our presence shall ever be upon him.

And so Kanf headed the words of the lord of light and waited idly again for the cooling to stop, and for Goareth to return.

---

AN

Still blinded by the divine light, Goareth stepped into a glade. And once he could see again, he realised that he was standing in a different glade from the one where he had been raised by wood-keeper Kanf.

AO

The glade looked identical to the one he grew up in, yet the hut of Kanf was missing. In its place, a tall thin tower stood. The tower had no openings except for a single small window at the top.

AP

From inside the tower, an old wood-keeper shouted:

Don’t just stand there, you will get cold. Come inside.

But the tower had no door, just a window at the top, far out of Goareth’s reach.

AQ

To the old wood-keeper, Goareth said:

But there is no entrance to your tower, and I am still small and cannot climb so high.

The old wood-keeper answered:

So you will have to grow, fast, before I die.

Goareth decided to stay in the glade and try to grow.

AR

For days, Goareth waited for his body to grow. Yet he did not grow, for he did not have the sustenance. Only nuts and small berries¹³ were his nourishment. He could not hunt, for he was too small and did not know the art of survival. And soon Goareth could no longer remember where he came from. He wished to return to the glade of his birther Kanf, and still he knew not the path that led there. And so, Goareth followed the light of the lords, which came from the dark woods beyond the glade. He went straight ahead without looking back and stepped once again into total darkness.

---

AS

When Goareth finally stepped out of the dark woods, he needed some time to adjust to the light. At first, he thought his sight had been permanently distorted and that he would never regain his full vision, for what he saw was a white circle occupying the centre of the glade. It glowed brightly, reflecting all light. And still, he looked around to explore the glade, he saw the Jamareth¹⁴ trees surrounding the clearing and he listened to the Thamaz¹⁵ plants make their delicate sounds, just like in the glade from which he had come. He regained his focus and the shine blinded him no longer. He saw the odd circle for what it was, for it was an igloo¹⁶, smooth and bright upon the ground, an icy version of the hut of Kanf.

AT

The igloo had no holes, yet the ground around it was full of holes.

AU

From one of the holes near Goareth, an old wood-keeper climbed out and said:

Get in the igloo, you will get cold outside.

Goareth followed her through the hole into the igloo.

AV

They sat beside the warm fire inside the igloo.

To the old wood-keeper, Goareth said:

I have questions.

With closed eyes, the old wood-keeper answered:

Every question revolves around our lords Farfa and every answer is derived from Them.

Goareth asked:

Who are you and why have you summoned me into your igloo?

The old wood-keeper said:

I am the one known as Banf and it was not me who summoned you. It was the lord of heat.

Goareth asked:

Where are we? This place looks familiar, yet strange and different. Have I been here before?

Banf said:

We are in the glades of Ankash, a special place of light protected by our lords.

Goareth asked:

How is it possible? I come from the glades of Ankash, I have never seen you or your holes.

Banf answered:

The glades are larger than they first seem, and you do not come from this glade but another. Now use your mouth for eating.

AW

Banf offered young Goareth the meat that she had hunted. They ate and went to sleep in the igloo. And the fire never diminished and the igloo never melted.

AX

Goareth woke up early and used one of the holes to exit the igloo. The hole led to a tunnel. Inside the tunnel, was total darkness and the darkness continued for a lengthy distance. Goareth did not see a thing with his eyes, and yet he knew the path he must take, for he was guided by Farfa. Whenever the tunnel split in multiple directions, he felt the light of the lord calling to him from his left, and so he always turned left. After hours of crawling through the dark tunnels below the glade, he reached a single hole. He climbed out and into the light of another glade and in this glade, there were no other holes in sight.

AY

As he came out of the hole, he felt his feet leave the ground. He looked upwards and realised he was not alone. He saw the arm of a giant, long with many joints. With two stringy fingers the giant held the young Goareth and raised him far above the ground. Yet the giant did not devour him. The giant held Goareth high and up close to observe him further. Three of its eyes came out of their holes, carried by flexible stalks, and three eyes focused on him, inspecting him from every direction. Goareth did not have fear, for he knew he was protected by the lords Farfa. Still, he wished to have eyes like those of the giant so he too could observe it from every direction. The eyes of the giant retreated into its sockets and its expression changed. Its head turned in place and its whiskers raised, as if the giant was smiling at Goareth.

Then, to Goareth, the giant spoke:

Welcome to the glades of Ankash, young one. I am Ganf the protector of this glade. At first I thought I had to deal with mole people¹⁷ again, but now I see that the light of the lords had brought you to me.

AZ

Ganf the giant was the largest creature Goareth had ever seen. Taller than the tower of Tanf, was she. Lying down and spreading her limbs, she could cover half of the glade. Goareth tried to ask her questions about her nature and the nature of the glade. And yet, she provided no answers.

Ganf said:

Beware, young one, of the mole people. They are about your size and they lurk in these tunnels trying to fool the lord of light. And yet they are the fools, for they believe that, especially in the darkest of holes, Their light is not strong enough to judge all of us sentients.

BA

Goareth waited for Ganf to fall asleep and then departed through the woods on the other side of the glade. He closed his eyes and walked straight ahead into the darkness.

---

BB

Goareth reached a glade full of long, tall spikes, many of which were taller than he. It was here that he came across an old wood-keeper jumping on the tip of her toes from one spike to another.

BC

Jumping at random between the spikes, the wood-keeper said:

Be careful of the ground, there are mole people lurking beneath. They will pull you down into the darkness.

Goareth climbed a big, wide and curved spike and sat on it as if it were a tree branch.

The wood-keeper said:

These spikes are fragile. If you were not so small and light, they would surely break.

BD

For many cycles of the land, Goareth remained in the glade of Janf and she taught him the art of survival, for he was in great need of this knowledge.

At first, she kept ever silent and pointed at specific spots around the glade. The young Goareth did not know what she was pointing at, yet he saw that she too was guided by the lords. He closed his eyes and indeed the lords guided him to each spot she had marked. Then, further, Goareth pointed at many other positions she had not seen. Impressed and silent still, Janf showed him how to detect the sharpest of spikes. Together they gathered spikes, and with them, they punctured every point that they marked and jets of blood splashed with every prick at the ground.

And still, the two did not speak, for their mouths were full with the loot of their hunt.

To Janf, Goareth said:

Thank you, for I now know the art of survival.

Janf said:

Do not thank me, young one, for we must remain ever thankful to our lords Farfa. They protect us and They provide us with the blessings of this glade.

And still the light of the lords called upon Goareth to continue along his path. He went beyond the glade of spikes and into the woods, letting himself be led by Farfa.

BE

The glade he reached was full of flowers. He lay atop the soft flower bed and sleep fell upon him.

BF

When he woke up, he realised someone was dragging him into a hole underground. The dragger was Banf of Ankash, resident of igloo that does not melt.

Banf asked:

Where have you been? Have you failed to resist temptations in the presence of our lords?

Goareth did not speak, for he knew he ever walks the path that the lords have laid before him. And yet Banf now dragged him in a different path. Through tunnels, she pulled the young Goareth, and he did not have fear, for he knew he was protected by the lords Farfa. The wood-keeper crawled fast through the holes, for she knew Ankash well. Eventually, she led him through a hole that led to the surface.

BG

When Goareth and Banf came out of a hole, they stood in another glade. Goareth could see the igloo of Banf. She had brought him back to her glade.

Banf said:

There is an intruder in the glade.

She pointed at a large shallow pit in the shape of a giant foot. Goareth stepped inside the large footprint. Banf retreated back into the hole out of fear.

BH

Once Goareth had determined the direction the giant was heading, he stepped out of the pit and walked into the woods in the same direction.

BI

Following the guidance of Farfa, Goareth entered a frozen glade. Ice covered the ground in every direction, snow fell from above and the plants suffered heavily under its weight. The glade was cold and silent, no creature traversed the icy terrain, and no tree dropped gifts of sustenance, only spikes decorated their shrivelled trunks. Still, Goareth was not cold and he had no fear, for the presence of Farfa was ever upon him.

Goareth spoke:

Glade of death, you have summoned me. What is your request?

A gravelly voice came from the fog:

Welcome young one, I’m afraid there is nothing in this glade for you.

The voice belonged to an old wood-keeper. Out of the fog emerged a big ball of white hair, perfectly camouflaged in the snow.

Goareth asked:

Then why did the lord of light lead me here? Is this the place where I die?

The voice came out of the ball of hair:

Young one, you are ambitious, but too quick to reach conclusions.

A sharp whistle pierced through the air. Alert, Goareth moved aside as a spear shot out of the ball of hair, it flew past him and pierced through a small Nargat¹⁸ who had crawled behind him for warmth. The spear retracted as swiftly as it had struck, pulling the lifeless Nargat into the dense fur. As the creature vanished within, the front of the ball darkened. Blood drops hit the clean snow as a damp grind exuded from the ball, accompanied by the faint cracking of tiny bones being worked apart.

BJ

The voice spoke again:

We are beyond bad decisions, young one.

Goareth asked:

Your spear is hefty and sharp. All I possess is a fragile spike. Will it be enough to continue in this path?

The voice answered:

Spikes are useful tools indeed, yet you will not need any, for you have the lord of light to guide you. Their might protects you. Even equipping yourself with a harmless feather would be excessive.

BK

Goareth travelled through the icy glade protected by the light beaming from above. For many cycles of light he walked, he did not pause to rest, for he wished to cross this treacherous land. The ice bruised his skin, the strong winds hindered his pace. Still, he did not yield to the evils of chill, for he knew the lords are upon him. And he walked until his feet landed upon soft grass, radiating vitality. At the edge of this glade of snow, he took a quick look at the divine light of the lord reflecting off every surface and he entered the woods again.

BL

While walking in the dark woods, Goareth senses he is not alone. As he progresses along his path, he feels the ground tremble. The light leads him to the flame of Farfa. He walks among giants, for they are too drawn to the heat of the flame.

BM

As Goareth’s vision returns, he sees the glade burning. He is surrounded by every type of giant. Some have merely three eyes on their face and some have hundreds of eyes spread throughout their bodies. Some have arms with dozens of joints stretching longer than their bodies and some have long jointless stalks that extend from their bodies to ground. Some have intricate whiskers, waving around, drawing shapes in the air. The glade is full of Karthenhos¹⁹, stamping around on multitude of lanky pointed stems. They encircle a couple of Holathians. Goareth does not know how he came to know the creatures that are called Karthenhos and the ones they surround, the Holathians, yet he knows them nonetheless. One young Holathian fends the creatures off while defending another, much older than he. The giants loom over the glade from every direction, forming a wall taller than the treetops themselves. They stare at the flare of the lord of heat, mesmerised by its intensity. Kanf, the birther, is there too. Bewildered is Goareth, for he has not seen her for many cycles of the spheres, still she appears younger. He wishes to speak to his mother, and yet he is struck dumb, unable to parse the scene unfolding before him. She stands by her hut and calls onto the giants to come into the glade. The first giant steps into the glade and he is incinerated immediately.

Goareth retreated into the woods.

---

BN

Goareth walked for days in the darkness, thinking of what he had seen. He had walked through so many glades, yet never had he seen such a glade, so full of both life and death. He knew the glades to be vast, and still he could not fathom the scale of the glades, for they were beyond time and place.

BO

He arrived at a glade with large transparent tubes²⁰ stretching from different corners of the glade and snaking in and out of the ground. Through the holes, small spheres flew quickly from one direction to another in a seemingly random sequence.

BP

Goareth passed the small forest of tubes and continued into the woods on the other side of the glade. From behind, he could hear the voice of an old wood-keeper shouting at him to wait. Yet he knew he was already done with this glade, as if the lords had shown him all he needed here, so he entered the forest.

BQ

Beyond the woods there was a desert glade, with no plant in sight. In the middle of the glade stood a small tent. Goareth entered the tent and found an old wood-keeper inside.

BR

The inhabitant of the tent was Danf of Ankash. Goareth remained with her, for she too was an expert in the art of survival and he had still much to learn.

Danf, wood-keeper of a woodless desert glade, said to Goareth:

I see that once more the young travel these glades. I see too that you have no residence, for you are touched by our lords Farfa and ever follow Their light. Yet beware, young one, for the heat of the lord is enticing. Still, you walk the path of light now, do not stray from the path that the lords have laid before you.

And so, the light guided him out of the tent. He crossed the desert and entered a cave.

BS

The cave was as dark as the forest. For a long while there was nothing ahead of Goareth but the press of stone and the feel of the tunnel narrowing and widening around him. Then, far in the distance, a faint, drab light appeared. With each step it grew steadier, until he could see that it came from a chandelier floating in the air, its weak glow barely reaching the walls. Goareth entered a large hall. It was almost completely empty save a worn sofa, on which sat three old wood-keepers.

BT

The three old wood-keepers, Nanf, Yanf and Tsanf, spoke in unanimous agreement:

You should go up.

He looked up and noticed that the ceiling was as tall as the sky above the glades and it swallowed all light.

BU

As his eyes adjusted to the murky light, a round staircase emerged which surrounded the hall and led to the top of what seemed to be an endless tower. The staircase was above him, and yet beyond his grasp. He continued forward yet there was no other passage except for the hole from which he had entered. So he walked in circles.

BV

Into the hall entered an old Holathian. He was thin and tall and his body was covered by a tight yet delicate cloth. The cloth covered the head of the Holathian as well, only his face was visible. On the head of the Holathian an odd shape was mounted, it had many sides differing in size, facing at every direction, and impossibly connecting at opposite edges. Goareth has never seen such shapes, for no plant or tree grew in such manner. He did not know what was a Holathian, still he knew the sentient before him to be one and that the shape on his head was the craft of Holathians.

The Holathian said:

You must stop this cycle, for you have seen so much of the light of Farfa that it has blinded you.

Goareth turned to the old Holathian and said:

Who are you, creature of darkness?

The Holathian did not answer. He moved the sofa with the three old ladies and revealed a hole.

The three ladies shouted:

No! One should go up, not down!

BW

Yet the light of the lord did not lead Goareth up or down but out, back to the glade of Kanf, where he was born. He turned back to the cave from which he entered the tower. He walked in the darkness until the pure light of the lords dazzled him.

BX

On his path, Goareth was led through a glade he had been in before, yet he did not recognise it as such, for it did not look like any glade he had yet visited.

He entered a glade full of dead vegetation and rotten food. All around were heaps of undesired litter. From a big pile of waste in the middle of the glade jumped an old wood-keeper.

To Goareth, she said:

Hello, young prophet, I’m Zanf!

He did not know why she called him prophet, yet he knew she spoke the truth.

BY

In this glade, Zanf taught the growing Goareth the art of survival. Around her glade were piles of deconstructed tubes. Goareth began collecting the tubes and connecting them to larger tubes. Zanf helped him dig holes around the glade which he then linked using the tubes.

BZ

From the remaining waste in the glade, Goareth created spheres. He pressed the objects together with the might he was bestowed by Farfa. He compressed them tightly until they were spheres, no larger than a wood-keeper.

Zanf said:

It is time to clean the glades, for we cannot survive in filth.

And the spheres flew through the tubes, and the glade was clean.

CA

Goareth invited Zanf to join him in his journey.

Zanf refused and said:

This land is my domain, beyond this glade I have no agency.

CB

And so Goareth continued alone into the woods. When he entered the woods once more, there were none. Only darkness prevailed, it had slowly engulfed all visible surfaces and nooks. The light of Farfa was not there for guidance.

CC

Goareth said:

Thy light, oh lords, is even stronger in its absence. Thy light should guide not only in sight, for our eyes cannot endure thy true radiance. Thy light shines in our internal organs and will remain to illuminate beyond our deaths.

CD

Guided by the light he could see without his eyes²¹, Goareth reached a glade with two huts. From one hut, an old wood-keeper came and greeted Goareth:

Hello traveller, I am Hanf, have you come here to visit Kanf?

Goareth said:

I have followed the light of Farfa throughout all of Ankash, now it has led me back here.

Hanf said:

So that is a yes then. Unfortunately, you cannot see her presently.

CE

Goareth was a child no more, and he refused to accept the words from a stranger.

Goareth said:

You are an impostor, this glade is a place of light and you create unnecessary shadow with your hut, begone intruder!

He shoved passed the unwanted guest and entered the hut of Kanf uninvited.

CF

In the hut of Kanf, there was only a hole. Goareth climbed down through it, underground. He travelled through tubes full of spheres of waste, he flew along the spheres, swiftly moving between glades.

CG

Ejected out of the tube, Goareth landed in the hut of Kanf. In it he saw Kanf lying on the ground, she did not move or speak for she was no more. Goareth looked out of the hut and it was the only hut in the glade.

CH

Goareth mourned the death of Kanf and spread the knowledge of the fiendish intruder across Ankash, yet he could not find the intruder, Hanf. He decided to consult with Banf.

To Goareth she said:

I cannot see beyond my own glade, for the tunnels are dark and the light of the lords is blinding.

CI

And so, with Kanf dead and Hanf gone, the balance of Ankash broke. Suspicion took root among the keepers of the glades, and soon they turned upon one another. Thus, the glade wars of Ankash began.

---

CJ

And so with the glade of Kanf unprotected, the giants claimed Goareth’s glade of origin as their own and the glades of Ankash were at war with the giants once more.

CK

Among the wood-keepers were Banf, Janf, Danf, Nanf, Branf, Lanf, Zanf, Sanf, Tanf, Yanf, Zvanf, Shanf, Tsanf, Fyanf and Fyoz. Each wood-keeper protected their own glade zealously, yet as one, they failed to protect the glades from the invaders.

Demons, loathsome abominations of the land, hid between the shadows, for they would melt under the light of Farfa. And still, viler creatures approached - Aran and his army of giants. Their march shook the land and their cries of war instilled horror deep in the internal organs of all who heard them.

And undesired deities, too, infiltrated the land, for Kamai²² infected those who had pledged to protect the glades. Hanf had killed her sister Kanf. And so, in her actions she betrayed all her sisters and the lord of light, and now she hid in the shadows among the demons. Ganf, a wood-keeper and a giant, betrayed her sisters too, for she welcomed the giants into the glades. She led them throughout the land and allowed them to wreak havoc upon it.

Tanf was taken captive by the giants and her tower guarded by Ganf. She did not know the paths of the glades, thus she was dared not flee her home, for in the glades beyond her tower the mercy of the giants might end and their hunger will begin.

CL

Goareth tried to gather all the woodkeepers and tell them his prophecy, but the woods were dark and the light of Farfa does not guide every entity in Ankash. And so Goareth went through every glade.

CM

Goareth knew Ankash now, for he knew Farfa, and by the light of They, who are above all, he was guided through the glades and through the woodlands.

CN

He arrived at a glade shaped like a long corridor, surrounded by the dark woods. In the glade, between two long rows of trees, hung a small tent. Upside down it was, hanging from the branches that grew around the clearing. A hand from within the tent threw a rope to the ground. Lanf of Ankash made her way slowly to the ground, but did not let go of the rope.

CO

As Goareth spoke, the prophecy flowed through him, for he spoke the words of Farfa:

Wood-keepers of Ankash, hear these words, for they are not my own, but the words of our lords, providers of all that is seen, suppliers of warmth, rulers of the spheres. Giants are upon this land. An impostor killed your sister Kanf and now they roam these woods foolishly. They do not know Us or Our dominion over all that is seen, over all creation and destruction. And so We ask you to evacuate every glade, for Ankash will be obliterated along with the giants.

CP

From the tent above, a voice cried out:

Yet, we are wood-keepers. If we are without woods, what will we keep?

The voice belonged to Branf of Gufam²³. Deep sorrow fell upon all those who heard her words, for she had already lost one home before.

CQ

The prophecy flowed through Goareth and the voice of Farfa spoke out of him:

Ankash will burn in our fury and from the ashes a new Ankash will arise.

Goareth was out of breath, for Farfa are strong and Their words are harsh.

CR

Branf and Lanf said:

Oh, lord of all that was and all that will. Bringer of life, operator of time, destroyer of spheres. Please spare our lives, for if we won’t die for this glade, we will die with this glade.

CS

And Goareth was again consumed by the prophecy and through him Farfa spoke once more:

Your land was protected by the mother of prophets. She wove grass into fabric and from the fabric erected tents to house the lost and the confused. And when she was lost, where were you wood-keepers? When she was confused, did you protect her from the intruders beyond this land? If this land cannot be protected, then it must be destroyed.

CT

Goareth fell to the ground and, as he fell, eight Yanurs emerged from the dark woods.

They were noble creatures upon the lands and moved along the vibrations of the land.

The Yanurs spoke in chorus, for they spoke the words of Farfa:

Begone guardians of the land, for the glades are holy no more. They have been contaminated by betrayal.

Heading the words of Farfa, the wood-keepers left their glades behind and withdrew to the Gufam desert where no tree grew and no shadows were cast upon the land. Much sorrow was upon them, for their residence was no more. The prophet Goareth rose and walked through the glades, a great exhaustion weighed him down, yet he was full of resolve, for he knew he was serving the lords who reside above all and his sisters who reside upon the land.

CU

Between the glades, there was total darkness still, for the glades did not yet burn under the heat of Farfa.

When commuting through the darkness, Goareth spoke directly to Farfa:

Oh lords, share thy knowledge with thy servant for I am uneasy with the words ye convey through me and the shame of my ignorance is burdensome. Oh lord of all shapes, please show me that thy light is stronger than my shame.

CV

And so Farfa spoke to the prophet:

Hear the words We speak before you. For We are Farfa and you shall know Us and all of the good things that We have placed before you. We were before and before Us there was only heat. From above We see all, We watch upon all creation and authorise all destruction of necessity.

This land of green shall become green²⁴ once more. And the green shall rule the land, for We will bless this land and make it a land of miracles. Our land shall be a bright and hot paradise and creatures of all spheres will look upon it with envy and admiration. Fear not, prophet, for this land is your home and will remain the home of the just and the worthy, even after the turmoil.

CW

And for all of creation to witness, Goareth walked the land between the glades and repeated the words of Farfa to all of the wood-keepers.

To the words of Farfa, he added:

All land is one²⁵ under the might of Farfa, and Farfa are indeed mighty and whole. Their path for all life is true upon every sphere and beyond the spheres.

CX

And the keepers of the woods left the glades of Ankash, but the unrest was still upon the glades and there were wood-keepers who refused to leave the glade. Such were Branf of Ankash, with her sisters Fyanf and Fyoz. And there was Tanf, who was a prisoner of Ganf and her legion²⁶.

CY

The sisters Fyanf and Fyoz, offspring of the same seed, set out on Yanurs with a group of Galaphet and went to battle.

CZ

As they sought the glade where Tanf was imprisoned in her tower, the woodlands began to burn. And the fires spread quickly and the paths between the glades became clear of shadows. For even the blinding darkness was consumed by flames.

DA

Ganf, the giant of Ankash, ruled the glade where Tanf was prisoner and Ganf occupied it with her legion of giants. And the sisters Fyanf and Fyoz set forth on the Galaphet to distract Ganf. The giants hunted the Galaphet and went beyond the glade to catch them. When the glade was left unprotected, the two sisters entered and with their spears slayed the remaining giants, left behind to guard the tower.

DB

And the glade was full of the blood of giants. The blood evaporated and the glade burned. And the sisters rejoiced at the victory and their seeds touched and they forgot the prisoner of war, Tanf of Ankash. And as the sisters, protectors of glades, warriors of Ankash, enjoyed the pleasures of the flesh, the giant guardian of the tower returned. And the sisters did not feel her presence, for they were deep in a trance of desire. And so the giant crushed the intruders who had brought chaos, death and perversion to the glade.

DC

The sisters of battle were no more. Fyoz was crushed first, her body ripped to pieces and as her blood poured out, it mixed with the blood of her victims until only her head was left to float slowly down the river of bodily fluids. Fyanf tried to climb the tower, yet the enraged Ganf threw Fyanf to the stone walls and her skull was crushed and she moved no more.

DD

And the glade filled with silence and the silent rage of Ganf. And from the woods appeared Branf and said to the giant:

I am Branf of Ankash, offspring of Gufams, now a wood-keeper. And you are Ganf the giant of Ankash, offspring of the foul factory of the land. You swore allegiance to these woods and yet you allowed intruders to enter these lands uninvited and bring about our demise. Have you forgotten our pact with the lords? We are both daughters of this land and protectors of the sacred paths of our lord of light.

The Galaphet returned and cried, for their masters were no more.

Branf said:

We have brought sorrow and suffering upon this land. And so we must leave together or perish together. Still, Tanf and the Galaphet did no harm to this glade and they should not be sacrificed for our wars.

Ganf rubbed her long fingers in acceptance, for she now saw the error of her ways.

The light of the lords shined upon the glade, for the wood-keepers returned to honourable actions.

The prophet Goareth entered the glade and said:

You speak truth, wood-keeper. But you should all leave at once, for these glades will soon be nothing but ash.

DE

Ganf raised Goareth and helped him enter the tower from the top window and asked:

Why do you entrust your life to my hands?

Goareth said:

My life, as all lives, are in the hands of Farfa, and I fully trust the hands of Farfa and all hands that embrace Them.

DF

All the wood-keepers, except for Tanf and those who perished in the war, had evacuated from the glades.

In the tower of Tanf, the prophet stood, now at the top, looking through the window at the burning glades.

To Goareth, Tanf said:

It took you many cycles of light to climb up this tower.

Goareth said:

It takes time to grow.

Tanf said:

And you have grown well, young prophet.

Goareth said:

Let us escape this land before our efforts lose all meaning.

And so, the prophet and the woodkeeper descended the round staircase of the tower.

DG

They reached the end of the staircase and jumped down to the dilapidated sofa. The hall was empty of life, leading to a dark cave.

Tanf said:

I’m used to having a lot of company in this hall, yet I guess now is not the best time for that.

And Tanf knew the glades no longer. For she had remained in her tower for many cycles of the spheres, awaiting the prophet.

To Tanf, Goareth said:

We will build this land and your tower anew, for the lords ever bless Their servants upon these lands. Now go through this cave, it will lead you to the edge of the woodlands.

And before she walked away, Tanf asked:

And you? Where do you go, young prophet?

Goareth said:

I must ensure that this glade is clean of all life before it burns. I have already taken every possible route, except for this hole.

The prophet revealed the hole below the sofa.

Tanf stopped to look at the prophet and said:

Be careful, young prophet, the holes of this land can be treacherous.

Goareth bowed in acknowledgement and jumped down the hole.

DH

Goareth lands in a familiar hut. He can hear Kanf breathing, he recognises her presence anywhere and at any time. Still, her breathing is heavy and she is struggling for air.

Kanf, birther of Goareth, says:

Is it you, young prophet? I cannot see so well these days.

In awe, Goareth says:

It is I. Yet I am afraid I am too late again, you are dying.

Kanf smiles and says:

You are never too late. Maybe too early, but you can never be too late.

They both hear a rattle from outside of the hut.

Kanf sighs. She keeps on smiling as she weeps:

You should go, one must always go up, never down. This was a place of light and now there is no light upon this land. Our lords are up among the spheres and we must strive to reach Them, for Their light is calling us.

The wood-keeper touches the face of her son with the tips of her fingers to bid him farewell and so he leaves the hut for the final time.

The prophet does not cry, rather he is joyful, for he knows that the lords have rewarded him for his actions upon the land.

DI

Outside, there is total darkness. The fury of Farfa did not seem to be present in this part of Ankash. Yet the light of the monarch of all kingdoms guides Their prophets through the deepest of holes. This light has guided the prophet Goatesh and the prophet Goareth, who succeeded her, and no true prophet of the lord could lead their disciples without it.

DJ

The inner light, from beyond all spheres, reveals all. No good can exist without recognition and no evil can go unnoticed.

DK

In the total darkness, Goareth reaches his hand and catches Hanf, the traitor, killer of of Kanf.

Goareth said:

You will be judged by the wood-keepers in new Ankash, for you have brought chaos and destruction upon this land. Until then, you will be locked in the stages of Holath.

Hanf said:

You are a fool, young prophet. You are too trusting in your watcher from beyond the spheres. I am trying to protect these lands. My loyalty is to Ankash, no more, no less.

DL

And the light of Farfa shined through every crack, and their fire spread fast through every glade.

DM

The glades of Ankash were empty of wood-keepers. Aran, leader of all giants, was satisfied with his new conquest.

Aran spoke to his subjects:

This land of endless glades, given to us, the giants, true rulers of all surfaces, is now burning. But fear not, my brothers, for this is merely a test. You are measured by your courage. Be brave, my brothers, for only those who fear will perish and only the brave will inherit this land.

Goareth walked out of the darkness and said:

Hear me, Aran of Gazyum, for I speak the words of our lords Farfa. Hear Us, giants of the land without cracks. This land is burning, for We have installed our wrath upon it. This land reeks of unholy desire and betrayal. Your courage will not be a shield. Our heat is stronger than a thousand armies of giants. Leave this glade now, and the act of your invasion of Our land will be forgiven.

To Goareth, Aran listened with earnest. And to the giants, Aran said:

Brothers, I will tell you the tale of this glade and of these lands that are yours to leave or take. These glades were once protected by the fierce and powerful wood-keepers. Yet they have betrayed the lords who gave life and fertility to this land. These fires you see around you are here to drive the weak and cowardly away from this land of the worthy. Leave if you feel that these lands are not yours to obtain. But know that this decision is irreversible, your strength is being tested in these crucial moments, nor I or the lords who reside above all will take responsibility for your actions and hearts, should you decide to leave the glades of Aran.

To every giant, Goareth said:

The choice is here before you. Yet know that this land is not for you to take or for the wood-keepers to keep. It is the land of Farfa, Their light and warmth have created this wonder you now try to claim and if you will not leave, They will make it no more.

DN

Three giants fled the land: Jazzam, Naraf and Pantash.

The rest stayed standing in the glade.

And the flames grew stronger and larger and the giants burned. Those who tried to escape, burned even faster and their screams were heard throughout Ankash and its peripheries. So frightening were the shouts of the fallen giants that all the creatures fleeing the woods froze in horror and only the flames kept sprawling.

DO

And Aran, monarch of the burned giants, looked upon the ashes of Ankash.

To himself, Aran said:

My people were not worthy of this land, so Farfa made them one with the soil once more and they are now ash, along with all the life that once made this land a place to desire.

DP

Leaving the empty land, Aran called:

I am the ruler of this land. I call on to all my subjects, but there are none. What is a land with no creatures of the land? Even the skies are empty and no water flows in the rivers. I am the ruler of no land and I leave this place with no one to rule. Praise the radiance of Farfa and Their wisdom, for They have seen my worth and I know that I am seen.

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