The Scion by Erik Tucsok

The King of Ardaelius, Malaron, regales a tale of when he received word that his brother was in peril, and the horrors of coming to his aid.
Erik Tucsok's The Scion delivers a glimpse into the time-worn past of Goromföld with an ancient man’s memory of his mistakes amidst his greatest success. Presented in both past and present, the actions of one man brings to light a history of torment, leading readers to a gruesome and unexpected twist.
Times have never been darker for Malaron as the edges of his domain are threatened by barbarians. Making decisions no one else will sets him on a path to claim the neighbouring titles for himself. To avoid loss, he plunges into a fate worse than death by bringing his finest men to save his brother’s failing fortress. The revelation of monsters within draws out cowardice, and he must break his own limits to deny evil to thrive.  
Will the man lacking apathy wrest control of the place he calls home, or will the walls closing in around him snuff out the light?
“A foreboding recollection of the past providing a bird’s eye view of how decisions can cascade to unfavourable consequences.”—Kristy Gibbs of Dead Trees and Ink on The Scion
After over a decade of crafting the world, The Scion is the fourth short story within the grand masterpiece of The Anthology From Föld.
 
- Erik Tucsok