Winter's Crest
In the remote township of Galdra, buried in the hills of Lora, where the air was so brisk it cloaked everything in a fine layer of frost, a tradition was held dear. Each Winter Solstice, the people of Galdra would honour 'Winter's Crest', a festival that celebrated unity, resilience, and hope in the face of the hardest winters. This story unfolds on a particularly cold Winter's Crest when the tradition was destined to be changed forever.
In the heart of Galdra lived a humble blacksmith named Halvor. A silent yet stalwart pillar of the community, he had earned the town's utmost respect through unfaltering resilience and skill. His equipment helped the town survive the unyielding winter, while his warm heart kept the spirit of the Galdra community alive. On this fateful Winter's Crest, Halvor was asked to forge a symbol of unity, resilience, and hope for the festival, an artifact that later came to be known as the 'Crest of Winter'.
Halvor laboured day and night, shaping pieces of rare ice-iron metal, honed by the biting winds of Galdra, into a medallion. It was a magnificent piece of craft, glinting even under the grey winter sky, making a statement forged from every ounce of his devotion and love for his community. On the day of Winter's Crest, Halvor presented the 'Crest of Winter' to the town, which was received with awe and admiration by everyone.
However, a Winter Solstice was never spent without fearing the legendary ice dragon, Frostwing, a malevolent creature born from the heart of the coldest winter. It was said that Frostwing caused the harshest of those winters, freezing fields and homes with the icy blast of its breath. And it so happened, that Frostwing was drawn in by the brilliant sheen of the Crest.
As Frostwing descended upon Galdra, the entire town was wrapped in terror. Winter had indeed come, and with it, the beast of legend, threatening to plunge their peaceful solstice into chaos. Not one to be consumed by fear, Halvor stepped forth with nothing but the Crest of Winter in his hands, offering it to the beast.
The people of Galdra watched, their breath collectively held in horror and anticipation. To everyone's amazement, Frostwing lowered its frostbitten snout to the Crest. The dragon’s icy breath frosted the edges of the medallion before it took to the sky without causing any harm. In that moment, amidst the cold and fear, an unlikely bond was formed, and forever marked the crest with a unique frosty insignia.
This one act of courage changed Winter's Crest for the people of Galdra. No longer were they fearful of the rigorous winter, the destructive power of Frostwing, or the often-lonely festival. They had the symbol of unity, resilience, and hope, the Crest of Winter, a constant reminder of their collective courage and belief.
From that day forth, the Winter's Crest was no longer simply a day of tradition, it morphed into a day of unity, courage, and co-existence. It became symbolic of the resilience of a community faced with hardship and their resolve to keep hope alive, even in the biting winds of the longest winters. Frosted and shimmering from a legendary encounter, the Crest of Winter told a new story each year, tugging at the heartstrings of the town, warming their hearts, and being a beacon of unity and strength in the face of adversity. A warm light, a symbol of hope, in the coldest heart of winter.