The rift of power

In “The Rift of Power”, I write in the fantasy genre expanding upon my preconceived world, Abika, a fictional kingdom ruled by King Drada II. A supporting character in this world is Lediolius, the Protector of Abika, and the steward of Orenmir, a shape-shifting sword that he wields to keep Abika safe from invaders and otherworldly beings (like demons). Orenmir has a long lineage, passed down through generations of Lediolius’s family. For most of the story, I focus on Lyrice, Lediolius’ daughter, a young woman who is intrigued by nature and learning about new things that she comes across. In the beginning of the story, she encounters Saxo, an outsider, from the kingdom of Sharin, who travels to Abika seeking Orenmir, since he believes this will aid him in restoring Sharin’s gods. Lyrice witnesses Saxo resurrect a rotted tree using the magic of Sörkin—an event that sets her life path as she studies through the force of connection and poetry. Although her parents disapprove of Sörkin, Lyrice devotes her studies to this new poetic magic. Conflict evolves when Lediolius and Saxo fight over Orenmir. In this story format, I dig into the idea of an unexamined “evil”—that is to say, if one goes beyond the intent of the magic and take its goodness for granted, the user can become corrupted. I also explore concepts of the “pre-examined good,” which is how the world perceived itself before Sörkin. To aid in this project, I draw upon my prior knowledge of fantasy and a mix of canonical and non-canonical works which includes Maria Davanah Headly’s translation of Beowulf, Simon Armitage’s translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, The Story of the Glittering Plain by William Morris, The Winds Twelve Quarters by Ursula K. Le Guin, and Wolfsong by Ignatz Dovidans. I also reference essays such as Le Guin’s “Some Assumptions About Fantasy.” This story seeks to tell a tale in a purposeful, hybrid form combining prose and poetry, while detailing the ideas of morality through an examination of a new source of magic.