Flash Fiction - Tierra Del Tiempo

(500 words or less) An explorer ventures across a dark continent in search for enlightenment.

An excerpt from 'Tierra Del Tiempo' by Baldomero Hidalgo

In mine complacency against life's misfortunes, ontological aspersions wert cast as to the nature of both man and God. Thou whom live a circular life fail to see the point in sharp edgeth. Mine curiosity, utmost indomitable, led me from the lands of bright blue to the sable skieth bestrewed. Withal senseth so severed upon stepping to this ground, no man or God blinds thyself to thine own creations lest they mistaketh.

In the port city of Teufelsgabel wast greed, beggars turned takers and thieveth turned killers. In the ruined town of Verlorenstadt, war burnt homes—an ashen scatter along footpaths. In the quagmireth surrounding Faye Lake, thither wert arachnida sizably eclipsing man and blood sucking parasiteth seeking to dine. I went further south still. The fog grew thicker, the skieth darker. Trepidation overwhelmed as the end of south crept near. Grey to black, breeze to tempest. The growing storms called me to meet at the edge of world, and the uncontrollable cites within told me to continue.

I arrived.

The ocean waters kicked and screamed, tortured by the very concept of still. I was not satisfied, standing on the edge of the world, for I sought the black that sat beyond. I sought the source of the torrential pour, the source of persistent shadow, the source of smothering fogs. Thither wast an inconceivable hunger within, growing by the minute withal the temptations of the unknown. And as I stared in the black, toeth touching violent ocean, mine aspersions wert cast aside. Mine own ontological conclusion met hither, in communication withal vast void.

Thither wast hunger in these lands naught could sate. A violent greed, a violent war, a violent nature. Under the darkness sky brought, I recounted mine own knowledge of La Armada del Esperdad. I recounted how our wars began, wherefore our wars ended. Bodies felled at night wert counted come dawn. Pangs in the homelands wast kept at bay by exposure of sun. Thither wast nay dawn in the Time Lands of Umbrum. I knew only then these sharp edgeth formed a circle all the same, albeit a different shape. Make nay mistake, the creation of this immeasurable darkness—the nutriment of its soil. Mine own rapacity wouldst not supplement. Complacent no more, mine senseth wouldst return.

I fled.